The Rising
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The explosive conclusion to the Branded Season duology: two sisters harness their powers and fight for their lives, their loves and their freedom… A fantastic read for fans of Hannah Whitten and Stacey McEwan. Nara and her twin sister, Osha, have escaped the brutal clutches of the Citadel and the Hrossi Wastelanders and have arrived in the Shadow City of Reis. In the Shadow City, power plays are rife and rumours abound of a Pure healer with the ability to cure the Branded. New allies emerge alongside familiar faces as the city churns with this long-awaited prophecy that many would kill to see come true – and all eyes are on Osha. Nara must protect her sister; their powers are growing stronger, and it’s vital they learn to wield them. Before long Nara is caught between her first love and the one who’s stolen her heart but betrayed her trust. Surrounded by lies and deception she is left uncertain who she truly is and what she can believe. Dark forces are taking control across the Continent, and the Branded must rise to survive... An updated edition with reworked content for a worldwide release.
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2 primary books#2 in The Branded Season
The Branded Season is a 2-book series with 2 released primary works first released in 2024 with contributions by Jo Riccioni.
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**Because The Rising is the second in a duology, there is vague mention of something from the first book in this review!**
The conclusion to The Branded Season duology surprised me. While the overall outcome wasn’t unexpected, The Rising still shocked me with several twists and revelations along the way, making it both gripping and entertaining. I enjoyed the story, though it did feel a little rushed, and there was a ton of well-described and exciting action.
I love the enemies-to-lovers trope, but as it was already done in The Branded, I was a little disappointed that Nara and Nixim’s relationship in The Rising felt a lot like a repeat of the first book. I was hoping the wrangler’s betrayal would come to a head and there would be some sort of solution a bit earlier, leaving plenty of room for the growth of their relationship, but that wasn’t the case. I did very much enjoy Nara’s interactions with new characters introduced though and found her relationship with Azza especially endearing.
This book mostly takes place in another city, where the Pure vs. Branded hierarchy and prejudices exist, but differently. It was interesting to see how another part of Nara’s world dealt with the aftermath of The Brume, and the ways in which witnessing these differences affected Nara, Osha, and Brim.
I’m a big fan of the overall messages behind The Branded Season duology and that through a great story, Jo Riccioni encourages her readers to think some big thoughts about some important subjects.
I received both an eARC (via Netgalley) and a physical copy of this book from the publisher, Angry Robot.
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