There were so many things about the first book that I didn't like that I just wasn't sure if I would want to check this one out. Even so, I went for it. Fortunately, it was much better. I still do not like Maia because of all the stupid decisions she makes or actions she takes though.

Having been caught, we begin with Maia's torture at the hands of the archduchess. She suffers horribly each day only to be healed and have it all begin again. When she is finally able to escape, she finds herself taken by the rebels. Though not treated as a prisoner per se, she is definitely treated as a traitor. She does not fight for their acceptance though because she doesn't actually want to be one of them. What she fights for would be Riser's throne. She has only a couple friends there but has finally learned that she cannot get to what her father hid and save everybody on her own. The rebels have this competition where the winner takes the crown and rules for a day. Seeing how nobody in charge will listen to her, let alone help her, she sees this as her only chance to get what she needs.

When Riser was rescued, he barely made it out alive. But when they healed him, they also stole every memory of Maia from him. She feels betrayed by this and wants to hate him, but she just can't. As for Riser, he becomes more and more interested in her with their every interaction. And me? I really enjoyed them together this time too. Especially at the end when Riser finally remembers her.

While I love Riser, there was a new character who was hands down my favorite here. Lash was assigned to watch Maia pretty much 24/7 as punishment. He was just so much fun and a great guy that it was impossible not to love him.

A very important person from Maia's past shows up, and while I was glad for this, I hated how she treated them. It was completely ridiculous. And needs to stop.

The ending surprised me a quite a bit with the interesting twist we get. And while I am not going out of my mind with excitement, I am definitely more interested in the next book than I originally was with this one.

*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*

I was kind of undecided about continuing this series when I finished the first book since there were some things I didn't like about it, but ultimately the things I did like won out, and I couldn't help but give this one a try.

I have to admit, for the first half of the book or so, I did still have some issues. The way it was written made me feel kind of distanced from the protagonist and the story because it was kind of choppy and jumped from one moment to the next without much explanation sometimes. I was confused about exactly what was going on and how much time was passing. I also didn't understand Maia's reasons for some of the things she was doing, like why she didn't tell the rebels the truth about what happened, that she wasn't a traitor, or why she didn't tell a certain person who she was.

I will say, however, that while the first book was kinda slow for a while, this one didn't have that problem. It jumped right into the action and plot, picking up where the first left off. And then, as the story went on, things started to flow more smoothly, make more sense, and feel more natural. Things also got more intense, and I got more gripped.

My favorite thing in the first book was Riser, and he was still interesting---not quite as feral, but kind of smooth and observant and predatory. And I liked the chemistry between Maia and Riser, especially since *SPOILER* he didn't know who she was, so it was kind of like they were starting over, and there was a bunch of tension. *END SPOILER*

As for Maia, the whole being another person thing threw me off in the first book, but this time she just seemed to be herself, so I found her easier to understand and connect with. And I liked her; she stayed focused on what was important, even when the decisions she had to make were tough ones.

There were also some great new characters, like Lash, who was friendly, playful, and so likeable. And Maia's friendship with Lash and Teagan was something I really liked. I'm also looking forward to seeing more of Maia's relationship with *SPOILER* Max (her brother) *SPOILER* as she gets to spend more time with him since it started out rocky in this book but then became sweet. They clearly care about each other.

But a warning for anyone reading this review who hasn't read the first book yet, things in this series are very extreme, especially when it comes to violence and dangerous situations. So sometimes things get pretty gritty and graphic, and the author doesn't shy away from putting her characters in worst case scenarios. Sometimes it's a little over-the-top, but, well, either you can just accept that as part of the series or not.

So overall, I did end up enjoying this book. I liked some of the characters, the touching moments among them, and the intensity of the story as it went on. I think that at this point I am invested and want to see this series through to the end.

I finished this yesterday and I'm still trying to decide if this was better or worse than the first in this series. I certainly enjoyed the first one, and the second is no exception, it just didn't stand out. Some aspects were worse this time around, some the same, and others better.
Better comes with the new additions. We're introduced to new settings, new technology, and new characters. They're interesting and add more layers to this dystopian tale. Lash might be my new favourite, and Teagan is a solid character that I wouldn't mind seeing a spin-off of. The chemistry between Riser and Maia, despite what happens, is palpable, and I found myself squeeing each time they had a moment together. In case you haven't noticed, I ship them hard. Caspian can just go away, matched DNA or no.
Worse might be the pacing. It's rather slow and repetitive in some places. We get a little bit of action, but then that bit of action repeats three times, like the Blood Court or Swifter sections. Also, Maia is a bit much to swallow as a main character. She comes across as too determined and desperate to be the hero at times. Granted, I understand why, but it's too much all the time. It gets to the point where even when she does have a light hearted moment, it's lost on me.
About the same is the writing itself. Grey has lovely descriptions, something I forgot to comment about with my review of the first novel. However, there is still the issue where things aren't explained enough to avoid slight confusion. Even though I read the first less than a month ago, I needed that brief recap of events found in most second instalments. Grey didn't deliver on that.
Overall, I'm still interested in reading the third as Grey has left several new developments twisting in the wind that I'd like to see come to life.
3/5

Intersting plot, mediocre characters. Still enjoyed it, though!

The author did a wonderful job with sucking me into this story right off the bat I couldn't put it down. The writing was wonderful and unique and it didn't take more than the first chapter to get me hooked on this world and story once again. I was so happy to be back in this world which the author has done a fantastic job with creating a world that is beautiful and mystical. The flow and pacing of the story worked well and I never felt lost. The story was fast paced but not too fast there was a lot of action as well as some great banter and snarky commentary which was great! I really enjoyed that we also got some backstory that was much wanted and needed. The characters were also great, Grey did well with the development of both main and secondary characters.

The ending of this one left me wanting more and man was that a twist I didnt see coming! I really cant wait to get book three and many thanks to Netgalley and Blaze Publishing for the review copy!

This review will be posted on Nov 13, 2017:



Wow! I just finished reading this book and have two disappointments: the first is that this is again a book 2 and I haven't read book 1 and the second is that I'm going to have to wait for book 3.


This is a great story full of revenge, rebellion and moments of romance. If you liked the Hunger Games series, the Divergent series or the Graceling series, then you are likely to fall in love with the cast of characters from the Shadow Fall series.


Like I mentioned before, this is yet again a story that I am reading in the middle of the series. I was able to read book 2, Shadow Rise, as a stand alone. Mrs. Grey provided enough prior moments from the first book to help me understand the context of the story. And yet, I could tell that I was missing some of the defining moments. I plan on reading the first book to help me catch up and in preparation of her eventual third book. There were moments that would most likely been heart wrenching for readers of her first book and I escaped some of those as I had not formed previous attachments to the characters.


The central figure of this book is Maia Greystone. She has faced odds that none of us would relish. She was orphaned by the murder of her father and the removal of her mother. She was forced to abandon her younger brother in the hopes of protecting him. She was placed in a trial of some gruesome nature (more details must be in the first book). She was groomed to infiltrate the enemy and assassinate the leader. All the while, she is trying to figure out how to fulfill a promise she made to her father. She has been thrust into a position where she is trusted by neither side in a terrible war.


She must face a former friend, ally and love that seems to either disdain her or does not remember her. She must face her brother, whose view of events differ vastly from hers. She must find a way to save the world through a promise she made to her father.


She is joined by an unlikely crew of rebels: a beautiful young woman, labeled a subversive because she loves another woman; a crippled Lothario, who wants nothing more than to be given a chance to prove he is still able despite his injury; a former friend, who is plagued by an addiction to the drug tar; and others she collects along the way.


Through it all, Maia's strength of character shines through. There are moments when I had hoped she would take the easy way, but I was so glad when she chose the more difficult path of purpose or honor.


This is a great, clean read. There is no profanity and no explicit scenes. The focus is on a strong female character and a cast of unexpected friends. There are sci-fi, revenge, rebellion, fighting, and coming of age elements.

4.5 wowed stars for me. The first one was pretty cool with the secrets and deceit to get revenge on an empire that was killing people, but this one went past the uppity Trials and down into the dirt with the rebels, where everything is very real, and very dangerous. It's a place where Maia has an equal chance of dying, just like in the emperor's hands during her tortuous time under the Archduchess. I enjoyed the story immensely, loving her interacting with the rebels that helped shoot her into this frightening path. A lot of the bad things that happened played on my emotions, and I felt down when she did. I adored the people who befriended her, especially the slightly lecherous Lash. He was just- amazing lol.

The plot is slowed down a little, giving Maia more time to gather a plan for herself before faving off against the empire who's taken a lot of things from everyone. Seeing old and mentioned faces was cool, I loved the action when that's not normally a big thing with me. Loved the mental plays. A few times, I pondered over Maia's constant back and forth with some things, but otherwise, I thought this was a great read. It's got that exciting adventure you want to go on but can't because it's too dangerous. It's written with a style that sucks you in, and will have you smiling at Maia's accomplishments after falling so many times. After the way this left things, I can't wait for the third book.

Ok, so first of all I have to say a HUGE thanks to the publishers for letting me read and review this book. I was beyond excited when I saw my request was approved.

I loved Shadow Fall so much, and I am so happy to say that I loved Shadow Rise just as much.

Wow.... The character development and secondary characters were spot on. The story was fast paced and full of action, and there was lots of witty banter and snide comments that I love so much. The love triangle is still in full force - but I have to say that this is one love triangle that I fully support. I honestly can't choose between Riser and Caspian. They are both so perfect for Maia in their own way. I'll be heartbroken no matter who she ends up choosing.

We got a little more back story, which answered some lingering questions I had from Shadow Fall (sorry, no spoilers here!)

There was a pretty cool twist at the end that I didn't see coming - so now, of course, I am left desperately waiting for the next book! Please Audrey Grey - don't leave me hanging too long!

I found the first book, ‘Shadow Fall’ to be a captivating, imaginative and expertly written YA dystopian novel. My favorite aspects were the world-building, the MC's internal struggles over whom to trust, and the intrigue of court life.

Sadly, 'Shadow Rise' lacks all of these, as the world is already built. The book seems to occur over the course of only days, and though we're privy to the MC's thoughts, they aren't memories or hopes, it is all sadness and frustration that nothing is going her way. She's a very sympathetic character and I care what happens to her, but very little actually...happens...in this book.

I seem to be blessed with the chance of reading books by Audrey Grey. Shadow Rise is just splendid, It's the best sequel to the perfect Shadow Fall. It begins with Maia's torture in the hand of the Royalists, particularly the terrible, horrible, no good very bad Archduchess. It was gruesome and not fun at all but Maia being the awesome steadfast girl she is endures. Due to her ingenuity and the unwilling help of a certain Prince (Caspian not HIM), she manages to barely escape and land into the cold arms of the Rebels. Life for Maia away from captivity isn't a totally joyful one as she has been branded as a traitor due to the her not killing Caspian, Some machinations by the Archduchess, and a series of misunderstandings. Though all this hardship is enough to bring some people down, not Maia. Instead of despairing over her situation, she decides to focus on the good parts. Which is her brother Max (He's now a full fledged Rebel but harbors some hard feelings towards her), finding the location of the Mercurian and stopping Pandora, Brogue, and the most important of all Riser (Yes he's alive and well but apparently all his memories of Maia has been erased supposedly his decision). It was not easy at all for her, nope it was brutal and hectic. But part of the reason she was able to keep going was the friendship of two Rebels, Lash (Her babysitter/Sort of Guard) and Teagan (Ophelia's lover). They helped Maia get back up whenever Nicolai or Flame tried to break her, Even when Maia was ostracised by all the Rebels and rebuffed they had her back. While gloomy stuff happened, it wasn't all pouty and cranky. Maia and the 'new' Riser was fun to read about as they flirted and reconnected as the different people they are now. The dynamic between Maia and Caspian is as twisted as ever perhaps even more so due to some events that threatened the life of both of them. Maia eventually finds a way to get what she wants without explicitly betraying the Rebels but it entailed winning over Riser in simulated combat, buy he is also the fiercest and best warrior of the Revolution. With friends becoming foes, betrayal rampant, Royalists chanting for her demise, and Rebels believing her to be the worst of the worst, Maia was at a very low point. Lash, Teagan and Max were the reason she kept fighting but the fire burning through her veins that was her drive was saving everyone from Pandora, that was the end goal not some hopeless war that'd end with massacre and death and the victor still vanquished. The feelings between Riser and Maia was really intense and HOT though he was a total jackass sometimes. There is still a lot of SciFi treats in Shadow Rise that'll excite the science minded. There are so many twists and turns that kept this book engaging till the ending but none more than what happened at the very end. Those developments really has me excited for the next book. There is not enough words for me to describe just how interesting the contents of Shadow Rise is but I recommend it to anyone looking for a great book. The words flow with ease, that pages just going by swiftly. The characters are so intriguing you'll want more, the world so brilliantly crafted it brightens the imagination and the prose so lush. Audrey Grey definitely knows her stuff, She's one of the best authors the writing world has to offer (I don't say this lightly). Filled with nonstop action, kick-butt characters, sizzling romance, nasty villains and monumental writing, Shadow Rise is a Dystopian novel from the wickedly talented Audrey Grey you don't want to miss.

P.S:I just love that cover, can't wait to see the next one.