This was a wonderful read. Always love Anequs cant wait for book 3. Theres great plotlines and of course dragons.

A Breathtaking Journey and a Powerful Cry for Freedom
Moniquill Blackgoose solidifies her place as one of the most important voices in contemporary fantasy with "To Ride a Rising Storm," a sequel that not only honors the promise of its predecessor, "To Shape a Dragon's Breath," but elevates it to new heights. This book is not just a story about dragons and magic, but a powerful and moving meditation on colonialism, identity, and the unyielding fight for self-determination.
Following Anequs and her dragon, Kasaqua, back to their homeland after their experience at the Anglish academy is an absolute delight. Blackgoose has a remarkable ability to build a world that is both familiar and subversively innovative. Her writing is rich and evocative, transporting us to the heart of Wampanoag culture, where the relationship with nature and with dragons is something sacred and intrinsic.
What truly elevates "To Ride a Rising Storm" is its emotional and thematic depth. The author masterfully navigates complex issues of oppression and resistance, showing the tensions and challenges that arise when a culture is confronted by a colonizing force. Anequs is an unforgettable protagonist: resilient, intelligent, and fiercely loyal to her people. Her journey is an inspiration, and the way she and Kasaqua evolve, both individually and in their partnership, is beautifully portrayed.
This book is a feast for the senses, a story that will make you laugh, cry, and, above all, think. Moniquill Blackgoose delivers a masterful narrative that is at once a classic fantasy adventure and a vital social commentary. "To Ride a Rising Storm" is more than a sequel; it is a work of art that burns with the fire of truth and hope, and will leave you eagerly awaiting what comes next. An absolutely unmissable read for any fantasy fan looking for something with soul and meaning.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

I enjoyed this a lot. It was very easy to dive back into this world—even without rereading the first book, there was plenty of context to reorient myself in the story.

To Shape a Dragon's Breath introduced us to day-to-day life in this colonial world that so closely parallels our own. Where we're introduced to the mundane and routine racism in the first book, To Ride a Rising Storm shows political tensions slowly building until they finally explode. This second installment still primarily follows Anequs's daily life at the academy, but it also shows the pressure to maintain normalcy in the face of rising political tensions—especially from people determined to treat these increasing tensions as a purely intellectual and philosophical matter, instead of a tangible physical danger.

We also get to see further exploration of Anequs's relationships with Theod and Liberty. Neither romance dominates the story, but I enjoy seeing just how clearly everyone communicates about where they are and what they need in that moment. Both romances are quiet and nondramatic, but it's sweet to see them develop further.

This series wouldn't work for readers looking for immediate plot pay-off, but the slow build is working for me and I'm really excited to see where it goes.

★★☆☆☆ — Disappointing and frustrating

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC.

I didn’t much like this book. I gave the first one a slightly higher score because it had potential, and I was genuinely excited to see if this book would fulfil it. It didn’t.

Let’s start with the few things I enjoyed:
- The politics were interesting, particularly in their subtlety at times.
- I think the way things are ramping up in terms of societal change and the backlash to it makes sense.
- I liked how resistance was portrayed. Small acts, like having her name correctly used after having to fight for it in the first book, or how a simple gathering can be an act of defiance.
- The arrival of another native dragonrider was great, wish it happened earlier.
- I enjoyed several of the side characters: Theod, Sander, Niquiat, Jadi, and others.

Starting with a small nitpick: since this was an ARC, there were quite a few typos, repetitions, and even some contradictions. I hope those are cleaned up before publication.

But my biggest problem by far is Anequs. She is one of the most aggravating protagonists I’ve come across in a long time. Here are just a few examples:
- When her friend (or at least acquaintance) returns crying because her father remarried, it means she’s no longer sole heiress, and now she’s under pressure to marry. Her whole future changes, and she’s devastated. Anequs responds by essentially saying, "Didn’t you want a bigger family? Why are you making a big deal out of this?" She follows that up with an eye-roll at how silly the customs are.
- She outs her love interest as a lesbian to someone she couldn't be sure wasn’t homophobic, without consulting her.
- She spends the entire book disregarding Theod’s discomfort with the idea of being in a poly relationship. There’s no enthusiastic consent on his part. He’s clearly uncomfortable but Anequs is annoyed that he isn’t getting over it fast enough.
- She refuses to learn Anglish customs and repeatedly puts people she claims to care about at risk because of it. (i.e outing Liberty as gay, forcing Liberty to hang out with someone that could easily ruin her life without consulting her, among many other things).

The problem is that Anequs is written like she can do no wrong. This is a book where almost no consequences exist. It falls into many of the same pitfalls as the first one, but somehow worse. Nothing really happens for most of the book. It follows a school year, similar in structure to Harry Potter (forgive the reference), where something major happens at the end, but unlike those books, there’s nothing fun or engaging in the lead-up. The big action scene doesn’t happen until 97% into the book, and the first one did the same thing. It's just not satisfying.

I also hated the way polyamory was portrayed. Theod is so obviously uncomfortable, and everyone keeps pushing him. His own cousins tell him he’d be an ass to refuse a woman who’s courting another woman. Anequs’ brother says that jealousy over a woman dating a man isn’t the same as her dating a woman, which gave major “men don’t mind if their girlfriend kisses girls because it’s hot” energy. Liberty’s reaction to polyamory is basically, “I’ve always expected my lover to have a husband so whatever,” which again doesn’t read like enthusiastic consent.

Also, Anequs’ dynamic with Theod just feels off. It feels like she doesn’t even like him romantically. I couldn’t tell you what he looks like, but I’ve read paragraph after paragraph about Liberty’s dark skin, dark eyes, and afro. I also feel like he likes her because she's the first person to treat him decently and helped him reconnect to his culture, not because there's a genuine spark, IDK.

Anequs spends the entire book telling us how much better he culture and people are to everyone else and it gets old. I understand why it's written that way, since the author and character are coming from a culture that's been treated as "uncivilised", but it often comes off as unkind at points, like lecturing an upset friend about how much better her culture it to the Anglish.

And speaking of the Anglish: I cannot take the worldbuilding seriously. We’re meant to believe that Norse/Vikings invaded America and somehow ended up with a society that’s identical to Victorian England. That makes no sense. It could’ve been a really interesting alt-history angle, but instead it feels like the same thing with a different name.

Overall, I’m just disappointed. I had hopes that the second book would realise some of the potential of the first, but it didn’t. I don’t think I’ll be continuing the series.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for the invitation to read this fantastic ARC!

I absolutely adore Blackgoose's writing style and the world she has created here. No, this is not an action-packed fantasy novel, it's academia and it's done so well. The world-building in this continues to be top-tier, building beautifully from what we already experienced in the first novel. The relationships between characters felt real and made sense in how each is affected by societal standards. And that ending! Hot damn, I'm so upset that I have to wait to see how everything continues, but it's the best kind of upset.

For any fans of Babel by R.F. Kuang, please read the first book and this one once released.

I absolutely loved the first installment in this trilogy and I WILL be recommending it to everyone, but unfortunately I was a bit disappointed by the follow up…

this is definitely a prime example of a character driven novel, and endless applause to Moniquill Blackgoose for her innovative take on a dragon society that brings an indigenous main character to the forefront! I think I just tend to prefer a little bit more action & adventure in my novels and most of this book took place on the academy grounds and was centered around ~conversations~

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

im so sad. book one was so good. this one has such book 2 syndrome. nothing happens for so long and then the ending punches you in the face with the premise for book 3 that you'll have to wait another few years for.

I was able to forgive Anequs's flat arc in book one because so much is happening around her and tbh the other people were wrong 95% of the time! it was nice to see someone stand up for their morals and not worry about the consequences!

but at some point there will be consequences, and Anequs acts like that's not true even when it's being explained to her again and again. we had a great opportunity here for her to do some growing that wasn't necessary yet in book 1.

other characters that I loved from book 1 did have a chance to grow and I appreciated that, but it meant that we spent a LOT of time focusing on Anequs's feelings and not much at all on the brewing political stuff. the ending was such an abrupt escalation because we didn't see anything about the bad guys for so much of the book.

look, it's still well written and the world building is excellent. I liked the continuation of the world. I will still read and be excited for book 3! I just had very high expectations after book 1 and this failed to meet them

To Ride a Rising Storm absolutely delivered for me. I was in love with the world building of the first book, To Shape a Dragon’s breath, and that continued to be a huge part of this book. The world felt complex, lived-in, and so easy to sink into. I loved spending more time with Anequs at home; I loved the quiet exploration of her family and her community.
There’s lots of queer rep woven in naturally, and the character dynamics had me quietly chanting “please make this a why-choose”, I need the three of them to be together like now!
As a Canadian, there is a stark tension sitting over some of the scenes. Knowing our history around potlatch bans and the persecution of Indigenous leaders made certain moments feel like a waiting gut punch. Nothing has landed yet, and this is a very alternative Canadian History, but there is always the possibility that Anaqus will suffer under many of the repressive laws and policies that happened here in Canada.
I was super excited to read this ARC, but now I’m a little sad. I have to wait for this book to be published AND for the next one to come out!
**This review is based on an e-ARC generously provided to me through Netgalley**

I very much enjoyed the second book in this series, I think even more so than the first! I particularly applaud the author for her ability to progress the character arcs of even minor supporting characters--allowing past problems to stay solved while also introducing new problems and characters that further the plot and deepen the world!

As with the first novel I found the world-building perhaps the most fascinating part of the novel, although the diegetic story-telling occasionally took me out of the moment. I love that the vast expansion of our understanding of the world, government, and cultures so believably matches Anequs' own expansion of understanding.

I found all of the characters nuanced and wonderfully flawed in different ways. Personally I am a big fan of the way the two romances were handled--Anequs' forthrightness and strong self-identity can be her greatest strength, but we see in her personal relationships it can also be a flaw. I also applaud the author for choosing not to focus on Liberty and Theod solely as love interests, but as whole people who have their own plans and dreams for the future.

This book tackles many flavors of racism and discrimination in a way I find extremely refreshing. Systematic issues are never handwaved, nor solved single-handedly by a daring protagonist, but are discussed in meaningful ways that impact each character differently. The second-hand embarrassment from Marta and Mathilda specifically is Very Pointed. And necessary! This book can and should make people uncomfortable, but never veers too far into pedantry or finger-wagging.

4.5⭐️

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is one of my all-time favorite reads, so I was thrilled to receive this ARC—thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

This sequel is absolutely stunning. The story of Anequs, an Indigenous girl at a colonizer-run dragon academy, continues with depth and nuance. The themes resonate strongly, reflecting both historical and current issues. The multicultural, polyamorous, and LGBTQ+ representation is woven in seamlessly. Blackgoose’s portrayal of diverse cultural practices is masterful. Anequs remains one of my favorite characters for her confidence and conviction.

The sequel expands the world beautifully—mythology, cultures, and dragon lore (including breeds and anatomy/physiology) are all explored in greater detail, which was exactly what I was hoping for.

My only minor critique is the slower pacing in the opening chapters, where the focus on Anequs’s return home and the romantic subplot felt drawn out (this also may be a personal preference). However, once she returns to the academy, the story finds its stride. It then balances the plot and character growth perfectly.

Overall, this was one of my most anticipated sequels and it more than delivered. Blackgoose has created a brilliant alternative historical fantasy that blends dragons, a unique magic system, multicultural representation, and sharp social commentary. I can’t wait for the next installment!

This series is simply remarkable. I read To Shape a Dragon’s Breath a few weeks ago and had to jump on the chance for an ARC of the second book. I truly love stories about Indigenous culture and mythology. I loved the continuation of Anequs’s journey. The covers for these books are so beautiful.

This is a really well done sequel that manages to build on what came before, build out new exciting threads, and make it clear what the stakes for the next book are. We get more on the nationalist uprising threads from the last book and the poly trio, and also manages to be an effective criticism of schooling systems while she's at it. Ms. Blackgoose won the Hugo for most promising new author as I finished this book, and hopefully she'll be appearing more in the times to come.

I was super excited to read the next instalment of this series. Having an indigenous dragon rider at a colonizer school is an extremely interesting direction for YA.
My pain issues with this book had to do with pacing. For most of the book, there is exceedingly little friction in the plot. In the first 80% of the book, there are some political consequences and fallout from the end of the last book but that takes up very little page time. All the action happened, in the last twenty percent and really only like the last 5% had action in which the FMC was involved.
Because of the pacing, I found myself never feeling compelled to keep reading or feeling drawn to pick the book up. In many ways, the book felt more like slice of life. There were many plot lines about bring people together and introducing new cultures to Aneques.
I do really appreciate blackgoose continuing to fill up the world with more stories of folklore from the various cultures in the book.
It grated on me more in this instalment than in the previous book but Aneques very much is set in her ways and belief in her own and her culture’s superiority.
Aneques’s insistence on the superiority of her culture sometimes makes her seem like an asshole especially when it comes to her friends. I understand Marta is extremely rich and privileged but when a friend is visibly upset about a change in her circumstances that shouldn’t just be dismissed. Aneques spends very little time trying to understand and sympathy size when instead she can lecture.
She is also dismissive of Theod’s concerns about being in a throuple. The constant unwillingness to understand or compromise is a bit frustrating to read or relate to.
It’s also not great how aneques sees her need to see her family as a greater need than her friend, Jadi’s need when Jadi was near the attack and has religious reasons to leave campus.
It was more understandable in the first book that Aneques reacted this way since no one was trying to understand her and these people were basically strangers but as she builds bonds and friendships it is odd that she never stops to consider anyone else’s circumstances or feelings.

The slow slice of life beginning does not match the riots and civil war type ending. I wanted more politics woven through. In the first book, it felt like there was more clear constant political tensions because certain professors and other students hostility toward Aneques. But there is so little of that here that things seem to float along really well except at the end.
Overall, I think Blackgoose does a great job creating a new and interesting world but the pacing and lack of character growth kept me from completely loving this book.

I liked this more than To Shape a Dragon's Breath, but had some similar problems with it as I did the first.

I love the world Blackgoose has created here (which is the main reason I have and will continue to read this series), but I have very little interest in the mechanics of skiltskraft. I am glad this has all obviously been figured out by the author, but there's just too much of it that I don't find particularly interesting. I also still think everything ends up working out for Anequs with far too little effort on her part, but perhaps I only find this bothersome bc I'm significantly older than the book's intended audience.

Overall, though, lots of interesting new (ere)lore, several new characters I loved, and plenty of threads to mull over while we wait for the next book.

Rating 3.75 rounded up

After completing her first year at Kuiper's Academy, Anequs returns to find her homeland occupied by Anglish forces. She becomes intwined in the political struggle. Torn between her home land and learning the ways of the dragon. She now has to navigate her place within the expanding influence of the colonizers as well as the deal with resistance from her own people. Right away the second book in the series shows that it is building upon the amazingly well done first book. The character development is on par with some of the best reads I have read this year. Evoking anger and sympathy, proving that the writing is engaging and thought provoking. I did find book one more interesting but as with book one, this was a well paced easy read that held my interest throughout. I assume there will be another book in the series by the way it ended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this arc. This is a good continuation of the series and I enjoyed reading it. I love reading about dragons and liked how they were shown in the book. Also I liked learning more about the magic in this world.

The only bad thing I would say is that the pacing dragged a bit.

I was obsessed with the first book in Moniquill Blackgoose's Nampeshiweisit series, so I was delighted that the publisher invited me to read the sequel early! This book picks up where we left off, with dragon school student Anequs and her dragon Kasaqua home on the island of Masquapaug for the summer after a challenging but successful first year at school. Anequs has not one but two love interests -- the first, Theod, is the only other Indigenous student at Kuiper's Academy, and while on break, they discuss their potential future... although Anequs hopes it can also include Liberty, the Black servant who works at the Academy. As Anequs sorts out her personal life, she heads back to school where we meet a few new characters, a new professor, and Anequs shakes things up with a student secret society. Challenges abound as there is political unrest in town, and Anequs and her Tribe deal with the rules and regulations of the Anglish colonizers.

I love love love how Moniquill Blackgoose includes different cultural stories from different perspectives in her books and shows how the characters and their beliefs are, at the core, perhaps not so different from one another after all. Anequs is such a likeable main character -- every time you wish you could jump into the story to correct someone's assumption, Anequs is there speaking up for herself. A fun part of this volume is Anequs meeting Sadsong, a Haudenosaunee dragon rider who is bonded to the only other Nampheshiwe Anequs and Kasaqua have ever met, and who shares with Anequs her traditional woven saddle -- a better fit for the unique anatomy of the Nampheshiwe.

Moreso than the first book, this one ended on a cliffhanger and now I can't wait for the third installment!

This was a great follow-up to the first book. I really enjoyed the mixture of everyday happenings with big, overarching plots and themes. This series continues to not pull its punches when discussing topics such as racism, privilege, sexism, and class and how each of those plays a part in the way each character moves through the world. Anequs saw some great character arc developments in this book as she reckons with the fact that she doesn't know all, and her perspective cannot be applied to all situations and people. I also enjoyed the development of the romance in this book as well. It is taken slowly and given time to develop rather than dumped headlong into it. I cannot wait for the next book in this series and I find that this dragon series is heavily underhyped by the reader community.

Thanks to NetGalley, Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This a great sequel and it picks up pretty much where the first book left off. It was great to see more growth in Anequs as a character in this book (compared to the first book). It was nice to see both Liberty and Theod stand-up for their points of view instead of being coerced into doing things only how Anequs chooses. It was nice to see Anequs have some self-awareness of her faults (blunt, not very patient with other points of view).

The social commentary is woven into the very fabric of this story and it drives much of the plot. It is refreshing to read a fantasy book with a focus on indigenous people. I liked the pacing of this book, with all the small actions of various parties involved building up to the major climax at the end. The action, when it starts, is swift and brutal.

My one complaint is that an inordinate amount of time is spent on the chemistry lessons (skiltakraft). I found this a little distracting because on one hand it did not really move the plot forward, and on the other I kept trying to correlate the various elements mentioned in the book with our known elements ( A me problem obviously).

Be warned, this book ends on a sort of cliffhanger! But I truly can't wait for the 3rd book in this series.

I originally dnf'd this book but after discovering i was in a reading slump, I decided to pick it back up and see how my thoughts compared.

This time around, I did enjoy it significantly more and it felt like a lot more of a fulfilling sequel. It kept the elements from the first book i loved such as the world building anc characters.

The book felt like a slow build up which was effective in bringing tension and eagerness to keep reading.

Unfortunately, I did still feel something was missing and i didn't enjoy it as much as the first book. I cant put my finger on why exactly.