Oh, I love love love this one so much!! This book is a worthy successor to the first book and I'm in awe. I absolutely loved the direction the story took in this one and gave us such a satisfying conclusion to the story. Bhathena has always been an author who I looked forward to reading and she did not disappoint with this one either.

This was just okay! The concept was cool and the characters were fun to follow around, but overall, this wasn’t the best in my opinion.

Hunted by the Sky is the first book in this duology, and I definitely recommend them both for some one looking to diversify their fantasy reads.

Overall the series was well done, pacing was pretty good and it kept my interest.

Diving back into the world of Hunted by the Sky was a delightful experience. While I did not completely remember the events that took place in the previous book, getting into Gul and Cavas' head again made the story enjoyable. I loved to see their relationship develop despite the stakes stacked against them. It was difficult to get into the story because of the slower pace and monologues but soon after the action makes up for it and the monologues become important in their character development.
Once again, I appreciate the simple yet wonderful world Tanaz Bhathena has crafted, the medieval setting brought to life with vivid imagination and easy to follow writing. Even the side characters had an important contribution to the story that I adored following. I love how epic the battle scenes were and the tenuous alliances. Also the heartfelt author's note in the end!!
Rising Like a Storm is a satisfying conclusion to The Wrath of Ambar trilogy. Great action, characters and ending chapter.
Would definitely recommend this series!

Fabulous finale to the Wrath of Ambar duology. I loved Hunted by Sky, and was not disappointed with Rising Like a Storm. The author's ability to create believable characters, and to build a world that is lush and full is impeccable. There were moments when I felt the heat and the dry wind, and smelled the scents of approaching armies. Gul and Cavas work to unite their magical capabilities, and lead their allies against the ruthless new queen. Bhatena held my attention throughout the story, wondering how these two young warriors would come through the story with their love intact. There were a few chapters told from Shayla's viewpoint, and I would appreciate more, she's an interesting character.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for a complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5/5⭐ to Rising Like a Storm by Tanaz Bhathena. Thank you so much to Penguin Teen (Canada) for an egalley copy to review! Since this is a sequel, I will keep specific details to a minimum. This is a very underrated YA fantasy series set in Ancient India that deserves way more hype! The world and magic system are very unique and so well written. The characters captured my heart even more this time around and it was so freaking good to be back with them. Gul and Cavas' relationship is probably in my top 5 couples of 2021 and they went through so much in this book. They embody what it means to keep fighting for each other beyond all hope much like the great love stories we grow up with. I appreciated the balance in this book between romance and action, which can feel unbalanced one way or another. The two were woven so skillfully together it really made the story more dynamic and so much more than just a war story! In terms of plot and pacing, the story picked up pretty much where the first book left off which always works well for a sequel. I found no issues with the pacing of the story, and the writing continued to be a great blend of descriptive imagery, action, and dialogue. The story flowed smoothly and led to what I found to be a very satisfying conclusion. The tension also ebbed and flowed in a way that kept me flying through the pages while also not rushing, skimming, or missing details. Again, this duology is a must-read for YA fantasy lovers and will not leave you disappointed! Can't wait to see what this author writes next!

3.75 stars but rounding up to 4 stars.

So I enjoyed this book a lot more than the first book; the characters were more likeable and relatable, the plot was more specific, the lore was more exciting and complex, and lastly, it just was an easier read.

The story was slower paced than I would like, and while the powers were a little fast to come into control, I think the peak into the scorpion was a benefit. And the good PTSD Rep helped show how fragile and robust both MC's had to be and were for the journey.
The lore and culture are significant as the last book and captured my interest!

Also, you may see I gave the last book 3.5 and wonder why if I liked this book more, I gave it only like 0.25 stars more; I always provide debut books more love.

(3.75) A solid second installation! For some reason it took me a while to become engaged in the story but overall I really enjoyed it. Pros: great characters you want to root for. Cons: at times slower than hoped for (but could really just have been a me problem)

3.5

I really enjoyed this! The pacing, the action and excitement, the character dynamics were all consistent with the first book. I sometimes find that second books tend to be very different in terms of pacing, but this captured the same vibe as the first book. I'm still don't completely understand this magic system and this world, but I have engaged throughout.

I wish we got more towards the end. Everything wrapped up so quickly in the last couple of chapters and I still have so many questions about the side characters.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you to the publisher, Penguin Teen Canada, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

With the usurper Queen Shyla on Ambar’s throne, Gul and Cavas are fugitives wanted for the death of King Lohar. But Gul finds out that the connection between her and Cavas is more than it appears – he is fated to be her partner in magic and love, and this may be just what they need to save Ambar. She must learn to use her magic and get it under control, but when Cavas is taken prisoner, she must also train an army of warriors alone for the fast approaching conflict.

I read Hunted By The Sky over a year ago, and remembered very little of what happened which made it harder than usual to get into the mood of the story. This book starts a few months later, unfortunately, and there were very few reminders of where the story had left things in the first book in terms of the plot, so it took a few chapters before things started to make sense again. Most of the world and background was familiar however, and I enjoyed the additional history and lore that built upon it. The writing was really good and it made visualizing the story easy, particularly the battle scenes, which made for some exciting, action-packed moments.

Gul and Cavas almost felt like brand new characters at first, since I’d forgotten so much, but within a couple of chapters that familiar dynamic between the two was back. The author did a great job aptly capturing the rollercoaster of emotions these two characters go through as where Gul fears using her magic and hurting innocents, Cavas now thirsts for revenge, in the exact position Gul was previously. I really liked both their arcs and there was a lot more depth to the characters this time, and that includes the side characters as well. The romance was much better done in this book as well.

Similar to the first book, the pacing definitely continued to be an issue. There are initially long stretches of training montages which were rather boring after the first few as were the repeated internal dialogues of the characters, as they question each other’s devotion by turn. But the story does hit a turning point eventually after which it was quite the adventure, picking up the pace and drawing the reader completely into the plot. I was a little disappointed that this second book also focused on Ambar as I would have liked to know more about the other kingdoms mentioned.

Overall, this was a pretty good sequel and this is a series I would definitely recommend for fantasy fans, though I would suggest that the books are best read close together. I’m excited to see what this author will write next!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

The second book in The Wrath of Ambar Duology (the first book is #huntedbythesky )and one of my highly anticipated reads of #erinrossreads2021 didn't disappoint. As Gul, Cavas and a group of warriors prepare to wage war against a usurper Queen, they will find themselves tested.


I do believe that I enjoyed this story even more than its predecessor and that was good too.

Publication Date 22/06/21
Goodreads review published 03/07/21



#netgalley #goodreads #teachersandbooks #readersofinstagram #summerreading

Rising like a storm is the final book in The Wrath of Ambar duology by Tanaz Bhathena. This book continues to follow Gul and Cavas as they fight to dethrone the new leader of Ambar. I think I liked this book more than the first one, Hunted by the Sky. As with the first book, the imagery is rich and vibrant, despite the desert setting, and the magic system is very interesting. What I liked about this book is that the characters and the world are already established, so we get to explore more of the world and the magic system without having all the exposition/info-dumping. As with the first one, I had trouble connecting to both Gul and Cavas; I don't know why, I just don't find their characters very compelling. The side characters, however, such as Kali and Shayla, I found to be very compelling, and I yearned to have more scenes with them. I especially loved the chapters we got from Shayla's POV, I wish there were more of them. Overall, I enjoyed this duology, and I would recommend it for YA fantasy readers, or people who haven't read many fantasy series before, and want to dip their toes into the genre.

The last and final book in Tanaz Bhathena’s The Wrath of Ambar series follows Gul and Cavas as they learn more about their magical connections and plan their fight against the new queen. The story starts about a month after the last one ended, and their relationship has already changed. I took some time to warm up to Gul and Cavas again.

I still believed in them individually as well as together, and their combined magic was fascinating to observe. They are both mentally strong and loyal people, but one seemed to drown in his own desire for revenge while the other was consumed by her fear of killing innocents.

Despite the fact that most of the time they are apart, I still felt they weren’t explored enough. However, the separation also enabled them to fight harder for their survival and to start believing in one another more, which I really liked, so I guess that was perfect for the plot.

Ultimately, I thought this was a satisfying conclusion to this duology, with nicely-tied up storylines and foreshadowing of the climax that made it feel more satisfying.

There were a lot of exciting set pieces and great character moments in this series, making it a duology I would recommend – especially if you’re looking for a POC-written chosen one story.

Rising Like a Storm by Tanaz Bhathena is the second and final book in the Wrath of Ambar duology. In this sequel, Gul and Cavas must face a new tyrant queen who is bent on destroying them. Gul and Cavas are working to unite their magic and become more powerful to win the fight. When Cavas is taken prisoner, Gul is left to train an army of warriors alone.

Tensions rise and alliances shift in this exciting conclusion to a magical series. While I loved reading from both Gul’s and Cavas’ points of view, I also really liked reading Shayla’s. I love when a book includes the villain’s point of view.

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for providing me an E-ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Rising Like a Storm is a thrilling finish to The Wrath of Ambar duology. My heart was racing from start to finish as we learn more about the magic system, Gul and Cavas, and the tyrants in power. I think that if you liked Hunted by the Sky, you'll love Rising Like a Storm even more.

My one critique would be that certain scenes between Gul and Cavas seemed unnecessary and repetitive. However, that didn't stop me from cheering them on.

It's a spectacular year for Indian fantasy and Rising Like a Storm fits right in!

I received a ebook arc of this book for a honest and fair review and am so grateful for this opportunity.
This book, just like the first one is packed with action and adventure. It is also full of graphic details which I will not go into as I don't want to accidently give away any spoilers.
I do have one big wish for this book...that is was not the last in the series. This book left me reeling and wanting more!
Tanaz Bhathena is a wonderful author who paints a picture with words. She has developed a compelling group of characters that are very relatable for any young adult.
If you want to read a book that takes you away from the day to day, paints a picture that you can see in your head and causes you to care about what happens to the characters...this is the one!

This was a fabulous ending to an amazing series! I love the character arc development through and the way that Tanaz was able to tie all loose ends! A fantastic read

“The sky has fallen, A star will rise!”

Rising like a storm, Tanaz Bhathena

This book was reallyyy good!

Rising like a storm is the second and last instalment in The Wrath of Ambar duology by Tanaz Bhathena. This book continues to follow Gul and Cavas as they learn more about their magical connections and plan their fight against the new queen.

This was a really well written novel and a great end to the series. The character development on both Gul and Cavas is excellent and left me quite happy. Their relationship was built up well and just really sweet in general.

If you have read my review of Hunted by The Sky, then you know that I loved the setting of this book. Not only because I have the same background myself but also because of the cultural accuracy of these books. The medieval indian setting only got better in this second book. It makes me really happy to see authors take the time to ensure that the historical accuracy of their book is good (and it makes the book better!)

There is lots of pain in this book but (thankfully!) there was also joy and happiness.

The ending left me satisfied and it was well deserved after all the stuff that Gul and Cavas go through.

So, the main reason why I have rated this book 4 stars and not 5 was because of some of the events. For me, it felt like a lot of the same events were repeated (more or less in the same fashion), which made me want to skip through it a little but I didn’t because the writing was great. I think if the author described the actual events a little better it would have helped me distinguish between them and enjoy them better. Also, in the end, I still wanted a little more development between Cavas and Gul’s relationship but other than that, I loved this book!

I recommend this book to anyone who read Hunted by the Sky and enjoyed it, this was a solid sequel! I recommend this series to fans of An Ember in The Ashes and City of brass.

Thank you to NetGalley for this e(ARC)

**Disclaimer** This is all personal opinion and is in no way intended to harass or offend anyone. If I do, I sincerely apologize (also, let me know so I can fix the offensive content, thank you!).

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