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A review by blessedwannab
Rise by Jennifer Anne Davis
3.0
I’m not quite sure how to review this book. It’s one of those reads with a list of a bunch of problems within the story, but you also found yourself liking it! I actually read Rise in one day, because it was a fast read but also because it kept me interested enough that the kindle stayed in my hands.
Let’s start with the things that I really liked. First, and most importantly, Morlet. What I feel for Morlet isn’t love, though if my hunch’s prove true I can see it easily becoming love. What I felt for Morlet was complicated. He was, I think, the only character in the entire story that felt multifaceted. Yes, he was definitely the bad guy. It’s pretty obvious from the first chapter that he isn’t ‘good’. Yet, reading through Kaia’s eyes shows something that makes you want to fix him. There’s so much going on under the surface, so much pain, that you find yourself wanting to know more and more about him. I think that’s exactly what prevented me from putting the book down, the author forces her readers to look into Morlet’s eyes too. It makes you curious. You want him to heal.
Second, I liked Anders a lot. I liked him nearly as much as I liked Morlet, even if he wasn’t an onion that needs it’s layers peeled away. I had Anders number right away, but that wasn’t necessarily bad. I’m not sure the author did it on purpose, but he was perfectly balanced between Morlet and Vidar (Anders best friend). Morlet and Vidar are both full of secrets, one supposedly good and one supposedly evil. Anders was in the very center, not a lot of well kept secrets, and not quite good or evil. He was witty, and with Kaia he was endearing. He was also deadly and could be cold. He holds my romantic hopes for Kaia’s future. For now.
I also liked the history of the Krigers. The idea that they’re magic surges when they find their weapon.
As far as what I think didn’t work in the story, well I didn’t like Vidar much. I’m not sure that counts since my spidey senses are telling me there’s something off about him so my dislike could be warranted. IF he’s supposed to be a good guy, he totally fails. He was a jerk. I also wasn’t a huge fan of Kaia’s. I think she was on the TSTL side of the line. Mostly though, I thought that the story could have used a LOT of editing. The pacing was way off. The story moved too fast. Too much happened in too short a time. My head was practically spinning as one short scene bled into another. If Davis had just slowed everything down a bit we would have gotten a really wonderful story, and we would have been able to enjoy our time with each of the characters.
While immediately upon finishing I was interested in where the story will go next, my guess is that as more distance is put between myself and Rise the less I’ll start to think about it or care.
Thank you to Month9Books for providing a copy of his book, in exchange for an honest review.
To see this review and others like it, please visit Badass Book Reviews!
Let’s start with the things that I really liked. First, and most importantly, Morlet. What I feel for Morlet isn’t love, though if my hunch’s prove true I can see it easily becoming love. What I felt for Morlet was complicated. He was, I think, the only character in the entire story that felt multifaceted. Yes, he was definitely the bad guy. It’s pretty obvious from the first chapter that he isn’t ‘good’. Yet, reading through Kaia’s eyes shows something that makes you want to fix him. There’s so much going on under the surface, so much pain, that you find yourself wanting to know more and more about him. I think that’s exactly what prevented me from putting the book down, the author forces her readers to look into Morlet’s eyes too. It makes you curious. You want him to heal.
Second, I liked Anders a lot. I liked him nearly as much as I liked Morlet, even if he wasn’t an onion that needs it’s layers peeled away. I had Anders number right away, but that wasn’t necessarily bad. I’m not sure the author did it on purpose, but he was perfectly balanced between Morlet and Vidar (Anders best friend). Morlet and Vidar are both full of secrets, one supposedly good and one supposedly evil. Anders was in the very center, not a lot of well kept secrets, and not quite good or evil. He was witty, and with Kaia he was endearing. He was also deadly and could be cold. He holds my romantic hopes for Kaia’s future. For now.
I also liked the history of the Krigers. The idea that they’re magic surges when they find their weapon.
As far as what I think didn’t work in the story, well I didn’t like Vidar much. I’m not sure that counts since my spidey senses are telling me there’s something off about him so my dislike could be warranted. IF he’s supposed to be a good guy, he totally fails. He was a jerk. I also wasn’t a huge fan of Kaia’s. I think she was on the TSTL side of the line. Mostly though, I thought that the story could have used a LOT of editing. The pacing was way off. The story moved too fast. Too much happened in too short a time. My head was practically spinning as one short scene bled into another. If Davis had just slowed everything down a bit we would have gotten a really wonderful story, and we would have been able to enjoy our time with each of the characters.
While immediately upon finishing I was interested in where the story will go next, my guess is that as more distance is put between myself and Rise the less I’ll start to think about it or care.
Thank you to Month9Books for providing a copy of his book, in exchange for an honest review.
To see this review and others like it, please visit Badass Book Reviews!