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The Rising #3
The Dawn of the End
Once upon a time, in a parallel universe, there existed the continent of Triton. The land was filled with beauty, but it was also splintered by war. Out of the chaos grew a conspiracy to reawaken the Beast, a fearsome creature who wrought only tragedy and devastation. The only way to stop him was to fulfill an ancient prophecy: Triton’s four strongest warriors must wed its four most powerful witches, binding all nations together and finally bringing peace to the land.
This is the story of their unions: the quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars. The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena. The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah. And the pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah. Their unions will not be easy, but each couple must succeed, for the fate of their world is at stake...
This is the story of their unions: the quiet maiden Silence and the savage king Mars. The cold warrior Cassius and the fiery witch Elena. The steadfast soldier True and the banished beauty Farah. And the pirate king Aramus and the mysterious queen Ha-Lah. Their unions will not be easy, but each couple must succeed, for the fate of their world is at stake...
466 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2020
About the author
Kristen Ashley
124 books38.9k followersKristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).
Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
January 28, 2020
I'd be quite happy if this series went on forever...
The further I've gone on in this series, the more I'm enjoying the way it has been put together. Initially, I struggled with the multiple storylines, characters and narrators but now I wouldn't want it any other way. I love being able to jump from each couple and see how they're handling things and dealing with each new curveball sent their way.
There were definitely issues that had me fuming a time or two, and I can't say I'm particularly happy with Mars at the moment. I don't mind him being a bit bossy, but he went too far. I think Silence forgave him too quickly as well. I needed a little grovelling to make up for his numbskull actions and words.
I still hate the priests. I love getting to "see" the Fantasyland characters again.
I rushed into listening to this one and now I'm kicking myself as I've got ages to wait for the next instalment. Might have to do a re-listen before we get to the last instalment.
Still loving the series and I know I will definitely be re-listening in the future.
The further I've gone on in this series, the more I'm enjoying the way it has been put together. Initially, I struggled with the multiple storylines, characters and narrators but now I wouldn't want it any other way. I love being able to jump from each couple and see how they're handling things and dealing with each new curveball sent their way.
There were definitely issues that had me fuming a time or two, and I can't say I'm particularly happy with Mars at the moment. I don't mind him being a bit bossy, but he went too far. I think Silence forgave him too quickly as well. I needed a little grovelling to make up for his numbskull actions and words.
I still hate the priests. I love getting to "see" the Fantasyland characters again.
I rushed into listening to this one and now I'm kicking myself as I've got ages to wait for the next instalment. Might have to do a re-listen before we get to the last instalment.
Still loving the series and I know I will definitely be re-listening in the future.
January 25, 2020
This is the third installment in a four books fantasy series all about the same core group of characters and I don’t want to repeat all of the basic informations here again, cause I really just want to focus on my thoughts and feelings, so if you are interested to know more I’m gonna leave the links to my reviews of the first two books:
book #1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
book #2 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In the next part of my review I will be talking about this third installment, but in a vague enough way that you can read it even if you are not familiar with the previous stories, cause I am mostly gonna talk about how I feel about it… then in the very last part I will be talking about spoilers from this installment so if you don’t want to know, just skip that part, it will be clearly marked :)
ok, now that all of that is out of the way… I’m not sure how to start all of this, so just let me be honest… I’m disappointed and pissed off after finishing this book… I pushed myself to finish this installment last night so I could sleep on all of it before sitting down and writing this review cause I already had an inkling where my thoughts will take me… and I wanted to give myself time to cool down a bit… it worked a little bit… ultimately I decided to give this one 2,5 stars… *sighs heavily* and honestly, I don’t see myself picking up the final installment… these audiobooks are super long and I don’t want to waste my time reading a book that I highly doubt will be satisfying to me… which is a shame, cause this series had a lot of potential for me… but it never really reached it… I was promised an epic adventure with four strongest warriors in the realm and four most powerful witches… and yes, I did get those strong warriors… unfortunately... for me, because I know that some of you like that type, they are mostly those super alpha guys… to the point of thinking that all they do is right and making decisions for both themselves and their women… and don’t even get me started about the “I forbid you…” scenes… cause those ones made me… and I kid you not… growl… yep, I actually growled when I heard it… I mean, come on, treat her like a grown up who can make decisions for her own… and speaking of women… like I mentioned a moment ago, I was promised four most powerful witches in the lands… three books in with only the final installment before us and… I am still waiting to see them… *sighs heavily* honestly, aside from some very small scenes we don’t really see the heroines of the series do anything with their powers… they… well, don’t do a lot at all… and I’m tired of waiting… then there’s the pacing of the story… it feels completely off, things are happening either too fast or way too slow… I am still not over the fact of how quickly all of the couples fell for each other, especially since some of them come from completely opposite worlds… then there’s the matter of all the characters… and I do mean ALL of the characters… there are way too many of them and it’s basically impossible to remember all of them… and we have an addition of the couples from Kristen Ashley’s other fantasy series set in this same world but on a different continent (Fantasyland series) I haven’t read it and when four or five couples from it showed up in this story I was just confused… and I’m still not sure how many exactly there are cause they all blur together for me… and I don’t think that their addition was really necessary to the story… I’m assuming it was done for the fans of that series, but from the perspective of a new reader, it’s just confusing… I very quickly abandoned any thoughts about actually remembering who is with who and what sort of powers they have… the writing style is ok, but since this is my first series written by Kristen Ashley that I picked up, I’m not sure how good of a representation of her work it is… cause I already have on my Kindle her Rock chick series and now I’m afraid to read it…
Ok, now I’m gonna share a few spoilery thoughts and feelings about this series, including this book, so stop reading if you don’t want to know…
Honestly guys, I am mostly sad that this series is such a disappointment for me… I really wanted to love it, but it’s just not for me… if you read it and adored it, I’m happy for you :) and if that’s the case then I hope that your wait for the fourth and final book will go by quickly ;) personally I am moving on to look for a story that will be a better fit for me ;)
XOXO
A
book #1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
book #2 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In the next part of my review I will be talking about this third installment, but in a vague enough way that you can read it even if you are not familiar with the previous stories, cause I am mostly gonna talk about how I feel about it… then in the very last part I will be talking about spoilers from this installment so if you don’t want to know, just skip that part, it will be clearly marked :)
ok, now that all of that is out of the way… I’m not sure how to start all of this, so just let me be honest… I’m disappointed and pissed off after finishing this book… I pushed myself to finish this installment last night so I could sleep on all of it before sitting down and writing this review cause I already had an inkling where my thoughts will take me… and I wanted to give myself time to cool down a bit… it worked a little bit… ultimately I decided to give this one 2,5 stars… *sighs heavily* and honestly, I don’t see myself picking up the final installment… these audiobooks are super long and I don’t want to waste my time reading a book that I highly doubt will be satisfying to me… which is a shame, cause this series had a lot of potential for me… but it never really reached it… I was promised an epic adventure with four strongest warriors in the realm and four most powerful witches… and yes, I did get those strong warriors… unfortunately... for me, because I know that some of you like that type, they are mostly those super alpha guys… to the point of thinking that all they do is right and making decisions for both themselves and their women… and don’t even get me started about the “I forbid you…” scenes… cause those ones made me… and I kid you not… growl… yep, I actually growled when I heard it… I mean, come on, treat her like a grown up who can make decisions for her own… and speaking of women… like I mentioned a moment ago, I was promised four most powerful witches in the lands… three books in with only the final installment before us and… I am still waiting to see them… *sighs heavily* honestly, aside from some very small scenes we don’t really see the heroines of the series do anything with their powers… they… well, don’t do a lot at all… and I’m tired of waiting… then there’s the pacing of the story… it feels completely off, things are happening either too fast or way too slow… I am still not over the fact of how quickly all of the couples fell for each other, especially since some of them come from completely opposite worlds… then there’s the matter of all the characters… and I do mean ALL of the characters… there are way too many of them and it’s basically impossible to remember all of them… and we have an addition of the couples from Kristen Ashley’s other fantasy series set in this same world but on a different continent (Fantasyland series) I haven’t read it and when four or five couples from it showed up in this story I was just confused… and I’m still not sure how many exactly there are cause they all blur together for me… and I don’t think that their addition was really necessary to the story… I’m assuming it was done for the fans of that series, but from the perspective of a new reader, it’s just confusing… I very quickly abandoned any thoughts about actually remembering who is with who and what sort of powers they have… the writing style is ok, but since this is my first series written by Kristen Ashley that I picked up, I’m not sure how good of a representation of her work it is… cause I already have on my Kindle her Rock chick series and now I’m afraid to read it…
Ok, now I’m gonna share a few spoilery thoughts and feelings about this series, including this book, so stop reading if you don’t want to know…
Honestly guys, I am mostly sad that this series is such a disappointment for me… I really wanted to love it, but it’s just not for me… if you read it and adored it, I’m happy for you :) and if that’s the case then I hope that your wait for the fourth and final book will go by quickly ;) personally I am moving on to look for a story that will be a better fit for me ;)
XOXO
A
August 3, 2020
Loving this ❤️.
January 23, 2020
Ugh, this series is pissing me off yet I can't stop reading it. I'm continually galled by the sexist and overbearing attitude of nearly all the male characters. This is beyond the general alpha male trope, this is actively dismissive and devaluing the supposed 4 strongest witches in their lands. Kristen Ashley has reduced a literal warrior princess into a female robot who is taught by other women to not fight with her king but to learn to "support her man". She does so not by attending military strategy or government planning meetings with her husband who is set to make huge changes in his region but by diving head first into her wedding planning, socializing and interior decorating. I shit you not, her husband is making big changes and plans for the land where she will be queen but instead of helping him she spends her days buying pillows to add color to the palace.
Even Mars whom I previously had the most affinity for has decided to join the brotherhood of misogynistic Kings by trying to control his wife's powers, making huge decisions for her without even trying to involve her and essentially making her powerless.
True remains the only shining hope among the men and even then he is a relatively dull character.
Kristen Ashley continues to do a disservice to the character of Serena, the real kick ass warrior princess who was apparently brought to her knees by cock and now is changed for the better. Give me a break, she couldn't have thought of a single way to change Serena for the better than the dominance of a man? There is so much wrong with this. Serena is a bitch but instead of explaining why she is the way she is and developing her as a character, Kristen sends a big dicked dominant to literally fuck her brains out and make her his docile pet.
Yet, I continue to be hooked by the story and need to know the conclusion.
Even Mars whom I previously had the most affinity for has decided to join the brotherhood of misogynistic Kings by trying to control his wife's powers, making huge decisions for her without even trying to involve her and essentially making her powerless.
True remains the only shining hope among the men and even then he is a relatively dull character.
Kristen Ashley continues to do a disservice to the character of Serena, the real kick ass warrior princess who was apparently brought to her knees by cock and now is changed for the better. Give me a break, she couldn't have thought of a single way to change Serena for the better than the dominance of a man? There is so much wrong with this. Serena is a bitch but instead of explaining why she is the way she is and developing her as a character, Kristen sends a big dicked dominant to literally fuck her brains out and make her his docile pet.
Yet, I continue to be hooked by the story and need to know the conclusion.
January 5, 2021
4.5 Stars again.
I'm loving the series.
Looking forward to reading the 4th and final book!
I'm loving the series.
Looking forward to reading the 4th and final book!
January 27, 2022
**These books must be read in order. Spoilers from the previous book**
3.5
We pick up at chapter 81, just after the assassination at True’s wedding. Much of this book is dedicated to the unrest in Airen, and preparing for Cass and Ellie’s wedding. They get the majority of page time which might be why I enjoyed it most so far… they are the only couple I actually like. They’re direct and use their words… and don’t keep secrets. Mars is great, and Silence isn’t around enough to make me nuts, so they’re ok. I find Farah and True so stale and boring, and Aramus/Ha-Lah are barely around.
Much is the same, not a ton going on until the end… lots of moving parts that will hopefully be settled next book. We finally get some movement with the Beast storyline.
Bottom Line- My fav so far, but I suspect this is because I really only like Cassius and Elena, and they get the bulk of pages. I also like the Selena side-plot of finding a conscience, and not being a giant bitch all the time. Teddy has really grew as well. Certain parts were quite emotional, so I finally got a few feels. I suspect this will be the only 4⭐in the bunch so I’m rounding up.
*Fantasyland crossover- The entire gang has arrived in Triton. The females are around but not much page-time. Apollo and Tor are in Wodell trying to help True with his issues. Lahn and Frey are with Cassius in Airen. They pop in and out, not really doing much. We get some of Frey’s dragons.
** If you need a world refresher, I have notes at the end of the first book’s review…. HERE
3.5
We pick up at chapter 81, just after the assassination at True’s wedding. Much of this book is dedicated to the unrest in Airen, and preparing for Cass and Ellie’s wedding. They get the majority of page time which might be why I enjoyed it most so far… they are the only couple I actually like. They’re direct and use their words… and don’t keep secrets. Mars is great, and Silence isn’t around enough to make me nuts, so they’re ok. I find Farah and True so stale and boring, and Aramus/Ha-Lah are barely around.
Much is the same, not a ton going on until the end… lots of moving parts that will hopefully be settled next book. We finally get some movement with the Beast storyline.
Bottom Line- My fav so far, but I suspect this is because I really only like Cassius and Elena, and they get the bulk of pages. I also like the Selena side-plot of finding a conscience, and not being a giant bitch all the time. Teddy has really grew as well. Certain parts were quite emotional, so I finally got a few feels. I suspect this will be the only 4⭐in the bunch so I’m rounding up.
*Fantasyland crossover- The entire gang has arrived in Triton. The females are around but not much page-time. Apollo and Tor are in Wodell trying to help True with his issues. Lahn and Frey are with Cassius in Airen. They pop in and out, not really doing much. We get some of Frey’s dragons.
** If you need a world refresher, I have notes at the end of the first book’s review…. HERE
December 7, 2022
Still Love! 12-7-22
4 1/2 "The dawn of the end!" Stars!
There is a lot going on in this story. A lot! But in my opinion, this story is epic! So much is happening. The four couples are quite a force. But will they be enough!?
I love the multiple POV with multiple narrators. Every voice fits their character well. Only when a narrator is doing another character's voice is it not great. But it's necessary to the production and overall I think the narration is very good. I cannot wait for the final book! Happy reading!
PS There is quite the cliffy here. 😒
4 1/2 "The dawn of the end!" Stars!
There is a lot going on in this story. A lot! But in my opinion, this story is epic! So much is happening. The four couples are quite a force. But will they be enough!?
I love the multiple POV with multiple narrators. Every voice fits their character well. Only when a narrator is doing another character's voice is it not great. But it's necessary to the production and overall I think the narration is very good. I cannot wait for the final book! Happy reading!
PS There is quite the cliffy here. 😒
July 23, 2020
3.5 stars
January 24, 2021
Sorry I had to jump straight into the conclusion but this one was equally as awesome.
July 27, 2020
Why I did shed some tears with this installment.
July 6, 2021
Wow, wow, wow.. JUST WOW!!!
February 27, 2020
Audiobook Review
Overall 3.5 stars
Performance 4.5 stars
Story 2.5-3 stars
Things are starting to fall into place with all the characters and plot lines in The Dawn of the End, but I didn't feel that the story itself progressed very much. We get more time with each of the four couples and get to see them in their respective kingdoms/homes, but the majority of the story has the couples separated from each other. I'm still waiting for the 4 main heroines to step up and be the fierce and powerful women I know they can be. Silence and True continue to be my favorite characters, but I'm also loving the softer side of Cassius.
There are some surprising truths revealed and moments of sadness in this installment, but the action really didn't pick up for me until the last 1-2 hours. I've gotten used to the numerous characters and stories, but it's still a lot of material to get through and connect. I have problems keeping all the names and affiliations straight, and the small cameos/addition of KA's Fantasyland couples added a little more confusion to the mix. The narration continues to be impressive and I don't think this series would have worked on audio at all without this full cast narration. The book leaves off on the cusp of some major action (but not a terrible cliffhanger like the last book) and I'm excited to see how the series will close.
Overall 3.5 stars
Performance 4.5 stars
Story 2.5-3 stars
Things are starting to fall into place with all the characters and plot lines in The Dawn of the End, but I didn't feel that the story itself progressed very much. We get more time with each of the four couples and get to see them in their respective kingdoms/homes, but the majority of the story has the couples separated from each other. I'm still waiting for the 4 main heroines to step up and be the fierce and powerful women I know they can be. Silence and True continue to be my favorite characters, but I'm also loving the softer side of Cassius.
There are some surprising truths revealed and moments of sadness in this installment, but the action really didn't pick up for me until the last 1-2 hours. I've gotten used to the numerous characters and stories, but it's still a lot of material to get through and connect. I have problems keeping all the names and affiliations straight, and the small cameos/addition of KA's Fantasyland couples added a little more confusion to the mix. The narration continues to be impressive and I don't think this series would have worked on audio at all without this full cast narration. The book leaves off on the cusp of some major action (but not a terrible cliffhanger like the last book) and I'm excited to see how the series will close.
May 21, 2024
Things are really kicking off. So glad I waited until all these were released before I started reading them SO MANY CLIFFHANGERS!! :D
Love that we are getting so many stories in one series, makes it impossible to put down and well everyone knows I'm trash for multiple POV so these couldn't be better!!
Love that we are getting so many stories in one series, makes it impossible to put down and well everyone knows I'm trash for multiple POV so these couldn't be better!!
December 19, 2022
The Dawn of the Ends is rising!!
I've seen several comments like this, so I guess I am not the only one, but I didn't even notice until this book that the chapters are continuous from the first book. How did I not notice that??
The further through this series I get the more I fall for these characters but this time as it has been it was Silence and King Mars who just had me swooning. Even with their little tiff all throughout this book I was eagerly awaiting their chapters, but they better watch out because King Aramus and Queen Ha-Lah are quickly worming their way into my hearts.
I really do have so much to say about this book, but I just can't, it would be far too spoilery and I still don't even know how things are going to go. Literally 75% percent through the series and you would think I had an idea, but nope. I do know I am hoping that we get to see more of the characters that I love so much from the Fantasyland series. Especially a certain magical creature from New Orleans but that is just a hope of mine.
The narration was flawless as it has been since the beginning and with a full cast including some of my all-time favorites like Jakobi Diem, Stella Bloom, Lance Greenfield, and John Hartley. At this point I can tell who's talking just by the narration and for me that has made me grow so much closer to the characters. It is like coming to a dinner with friends where they are all fighting for their lives, but still.
One more book left, The Rising. The end of all or the beginning of something new, I guess we will see in just a few short days!!!
I've seen several comments like this, so I guess I am not the only one, but I didn't even notice until this book that the chapters are continuous from the first book. How did I not notice that??
The further through this series I get the more I fall for these characters but this time as it has been it was Silence and King Mars who just had me swooning. Even with their little tiff all throughout this book I was eagerly awaiting their chapters, but they better watch out because King Aramus and Queen Ha-Lah are quickly worming their way into my hearts.
I really do have so much to say about this book, but I just can't, it would be far too spoilery and I still don't even know how things are going to go. Literally 75% percent through the series and you would think I had an idea, but nope. I do know I am hoping that we get to see more of the characters that I love so much from the Fantasyland series. Especially a certain magical creature from New Orleans but that is just a hope of mine.
The narration was flawless as it has been since the beginning and with a full cast including some of my all-time favorites like Jakobi Diem, Stella Bloom, Lance Greenfield, and John Hartley. At this point I can tell who's talking just by the narration and for me that has made me grow so much closer to the characters. It is like coming to a dinner with friends where they are all fighting for their lives, but still.
One more book left, The Rising. The end of all or the beginning of something new, I guess we will see in just a few short days!!!
January 31, 2020
Kristen Ashley is owning my entire week, heart, and life with this series!! I don’t want to do anything else except listen to these amazing narrators perform this incredible story. The wait til the final book will kill a piece of my soul! I NEED IT NOWWWWW!
I laughed, I cringed, I cried! It’s a solid story and has me on the edge of my seat waiting for more!
Full review soon.
I laughed, I cringed, I cried! It’s a solid story and has me on the edge of my seat waiting for more!
Full review soon.
March 5, 2020
The Dawn of the End Book #3 was a very enjoyable listen for me. I am so engrossed with needing to finish the series.
4 1/2 Stars
4 1/2 Stars
March 6, 2020
How did it take me three books to realize the chapters are continued throughout the book? Lol still I’m loving this formatting of telling so many concurring stories and having so many different perspectives and POV’s.
July 31, 2020
Gotta start the next one, I'll review at the end.
July 28, 2020
...I feel like I need a minute because holy alien babies everywhere this is such fantastic story.
My babies are going out to destroy people!!!
For me this book is getting into the thick of it and so much is happening and I can't wait for the finale!!!
The character development and world building is lovely and just good lord I feel so many emotions because of this book! I don't care what others say this series is amazing.
I don't know how else to write this review without spoilers so hey spoilers ahead
this series is just so amazing and I want the last installment now please!
My babies are going out to destroy people!!!
For me this book is getting into the thick of it and so much is happening and I can't wait for the finale!!!
The character development and world building is lovely and just good lord I feel so many emotions because of this book! I don't care what others say this series is amazing.
I don't know how else to write this review without spoilers so hey spoilers ahead
this series is just so amazing and I want the last installment now please!
March 23, 2020
The story continues.
After the last books cliffhanger, this one starts with Prince True dealing with those involved in the attack.
The issue was he went to see a man and I couldn't remember who he was for a bit. It was a month since the last book was released and with no book to refer back to, it's difficult to remember the secondary characters and the secondary secondary characters.
There are soooo many people.
I really think this will be a good series to listen to AFTER reading the book, personally I feel it was the wrong book to release on audible first, simply as there is too many people to keep track of.
The names 'Silence' and 'True' still irritate me as in audible it's difficult to work out if they are calling for quiet or stating an accuracy of a statement at times or talking to the characters.
There were a few voices that I didn't like in this one but generally I like the cast.
There are a few scenes of m/m no as much detail as previous books.
Other woman drama for Cassius as he returns home with his woman, forget her name, which was bound to be an issue as his scene at the start was with a maid.
Triggers for m/m, hints of voyerism, rapey type scene and degrading, humiliation scenes.
When KA deals with relationship dynamic it's her at her best but the other stuff is just too much and has to be in every book she writes these days it seems.
Continues in next book.
After the last books cliffhanger, this one starts with Prince True dealing with those involved in the attack.
The issue was he went to see a man and I couldn't remember who he was for a bit. It was a month since the last book was released and with no book to refer back to, it's difficult to remember the secondary characters and the secondary secondary characters.
There are soooo many people.
I really think this will be a good series to listen to AFTER reading the book, personally I feel it was the wrong book to release on audible first, simply as there is too many people to keep track of.
The names 'Silence' and 'True' still irritate me as in audible it's difficult to work out if they are calling for quiet or stating an accuracy of a statement at times or talking to the characters.
There were a few voices that I didn't like in this one but generally I like the cast.
There are a few scenes of m/m no as much detail as previous books.
Other woman drama for Cassius as he returns home with his woman, forget her name, which was bound to be an issue as his scene at the start was with a maid.
Triggers for m/m, hints of voyerism, rapey type scene and degrading, humiliation scenes.
When KA deals with relationship dynamic it's her at her best but the other stuff is just too much and has to be in every book she writes these days it seems.
Continues in next book.
August 15, 2020
4.5 stars. These stories are finally coming together for me over this book and the last part of book 2. I have liked all the couples from the start (although I think Silence and Mars stoke my heart first and most), there is just a lot here to get your head around and I don’t like all the things in these stories. The friendship of the guys and ladies and couples, and sisterhood make these books special and kept me invested enough to keep going. On to the final book.
March 24, 2020
I hope I can give at least one installment more than 3 stars.
So many disgusting evil perverted elements in this series. I can't imagine where evil ideas like this come from.
I am really invested in Caseus and Elena
I love Hala and her King. True and Farrah still need more page time.
I can't stand Mars as he has started perverting Silence and they gross me out. Like neither is enough for each other. He's not possessive enough and she's a push over. I do like she started standing her ground towards the end of this one.
I really want all the perverted evil stuff to stop.
Well, excited, sad, excited, sad back and forth. But she's a great story teller that's for sure.
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So many disgusting evil perverted elements in this series. I can't imagine where evil ideas like this come from.
I am really invested in Caseus and Elena
I love Hala and her King. True and Farrah still need more page time.
I can't stand Mars as he has started perverting Silence and they gross me out. Like neither is enough for each other. He's not possessive enough and she's a push over. I do like she started standing her ground towards the end of this one.
I really want all the perverted evil stuff to stop.
Well, excited, sad, excited, sad back and forth. But she's a great story teller that's for sure.
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October 7, 2020
I am determined to finish this series, but it unfortunately does not have the magic of the author’s earlier Fantasyland series, even though there is some small cross-over of those characters. A big part of the reason for this is it is too jumbled and all over the place, bouncing between four main couples and hence eight lead characters in each book, plus the usual many side characters Ashley typically employs in her works. Plus the villains. So I spend part of my time trying to remember who these people are and what I read about them in the prior books, instead of being able to enjoy characters’ connections as much as I normally would. It’s unfortunate, because I do think the author has created an interesting world, it’s just in my opinion I find the writing of it a bit of a mess.
March 6, 2020
5 Running towards to the end of the tunnel stars!!
Yup!! The journey is almost over and $h!t has hit the fan, people!! He's there.. the bloody beast is there!
Off to read the last one!!
Yup!! The journey is almost over and $h!t has hit the fan, people!! He's there.. the bloody beast is there!
Off to read the last one!!
August 17, 2020
There may be a boatload of goat-rodeo filler in this series, but goddamn can Ashley create emotional intensity. The loss of yet another Queen Mother is gut-wrenching as are the bonds of sisterhood, both by-blood and by-choice. This Series may be fantasy but the feels are real.
July 11, 2024
** spoiler alert ** ** spoiler alert ** ** spoiler alert ** ** spoiler alert **
Колкото повече се приближавам до краят на тази поредица, толкова по-бавно чета, защото просто НЕ ИСКАМ това невероятно, вълнуващо и магично приключение да стигне до своя край. Има книги, които завинаги остават в сърцето на читателя и не се съмнявам, че тази поредица ще бъде винаги нещо много специално за мен.
След покушението по време на сватбата на Тру и Фара, и смъртта на майката на Тру, Тру принуждава баща си да абдикира, най-безжалостно екзекутира участниците в покушението и обявява, че няма да толерира подобно предателство. Станахме свидетели на промяната в Тру, промяна към която беше тласнат на сила, заради загубата на майка му и заради това, че най-добрият му приятел може би ще остане парализиран, след като е пронизан със стрели, докато се е опитвал да защити кралицата си, докато в същото време, кралят, бащата на Тру е гледал само да спаси себе си, оставяйки съпругата си открита мишена за убийците. Сега, когато Тру трябва да се справи с кралството си, двойките се разпръскват.
Арамис и Ха-Ла се връщат в Марел, отвеждайки със себе си Елия и Дора. В тази книга нямахме много от Арамис и Хала, но имайки предвид ситуацията в която ги оставихме, мисля, че се очертава нещо много интересно.
Когато земите на Надири са нападнати, кралица Офелия е подготвена, тъй като получава вест, с предупреждение, че ще бъдат нападнати.
Серена и Чу правят всичко по силите си, за да предупредят, че предстои покушение над кралицата на Уордел. Усилията им обаче се провалят.
Марс и Сайлънс заминаха за дома, за да се разправят с предателите ГоДон. Преди това, обаче Марс научи шокиращата истина, за самоличността на Сайлънс.
Голяма част от книгата бе посветена на Елена и Кашъс, и на завръщането им в Ерен. Мрачният, потискащ Ерен, където жените са робини, където няма смях, няма цвят и няма щастие. Още в началото Елена си постави за цел да вкара куп промени, да засади цветя, да промени стаите на двореца, вкарвайки в тях цвят и живот. А първият декрет на Кашъс като принц-регент бе закона, че ще се наказва със затвор всяко посегателство върху жена.
Част от бароните са отвлекли магьосницата на Ерен, Фърн и сега Офелия, заедно с армия от Надири претърсват земите на Ерен в търсене на Фърн. Но точно тук, в земите които са най-много мразени от нейният народ, кралицата на Надири, Офелия, ще изпусне последният си дъх, защото болестта, отслабваща тялото и изпиваща силите й, най-после побеждава.
Не знам защо, ама ��вторката е решила във всяка книга да убива по една от майките на героите ни. В първа книга беше убита майката на Фара. Във втора, майката на Тру. В трета умря майката на Елена, а реално от всички главни герои, само Марс и Сайлънс все още си имат майка. Дали това ще остане така, до края на 4та книга?
Звярът се въздигна, и излезе, че всичките кървави жертвоприношения нямат нищо общо с това въздигане. В тази книга отново се сблъскахме с отвратителните ГоДон, които вършеха какви ли не ужасии, убийства, осакатявания. Видяхме колко ниско са способни да стигнат. Запознахме се със Звяра, и станахме свидетели на доста неприятни сцени, с насилие и гей изнасилване. За моя радост нещата не бяха особено описателни, тъй че просто ги пропускаме и продължаваме напред.
Книгата завърши с това
Имайки предвид, че съм прекарала над 56 часа в слушане на трите книги в аудио формат, вече съм научила кой глас кой герой озвучава, и не спирам да се изумявам колко страхотно и уникално е това много гласово озвучаване. Обожавам всеки един аспект от тези аудио книги. Те са така уникални, че почти нямам друга база за сравнение. Мисля, че авторката е направила страхотен избор, да ни представи поредицата си именно по този начин. Отделно, най-после направих връзка между кориците на книгите, наистина се чудих какво представляват.
В първата книга, действието се развиваше във Ферензе, Файър Сити, в огнената пустиня, и освен всичко друго, Сайлънс владее силите на Огъня, тъй че това символизира и тази корица.
Книга 2 ни отведе във Уордел, кралството над което ще властва Фара, а Фара управлява въздуха.
В 3та книга бяхме в Ерен, заедно с Кашъс и Елена, а Елена има власт над земята.
Това е корицата на книга 4, и имайки предвид, че Ха-Ла е русалка и властва над моретата, и имайки предвид, къде са в момента те с Арамис и това, че преди хилядолетия именно магията на русалките е затворила Звяра в подземния му затвор, вярвам, че в тази последна 4та книга, вдигаме платна и отплаваме за Марел.
Ред е на големият ФИНАЛ <3
Колкото повече се приближавам до краят на тази поредица, толкова по-бавно чета, защото просто НЕ ИСКАМ това невероятно, вълнуващо и магично приключение да стигне до своя край. Има книги, които завинаги остават в сърцето на читателя и не се съмнявам, че тази поредица ще бъде винаги нещо много специално за мен.
След покушението по време на сватбата на Тру и Фара, и смъртта на майката на Тру, Тру принуждава баща си да абдикира, най-безжалостно екзекутира участниците в покушението и обявява, че няма да толерира подобно предателство. Станахме свидетели на промяната в Тру, промяна към която беше тласнат на сила, заради загубата на майка му и заради това, че най-добрият му приятел може би ще остане парализиран, след като е пронизан със стрели, докато се е опитвал да защити кралицата си, докато в същото време, кралят, бащата на Тру е гледал само да спаси себе си, оставяйки съпругата си открита мишена за убийците. Сега, когато Тру трябва да се справи с кралството си, двойките се разпръскват.
Арамис и Ха-Ла се връщат в Марел, отвеждайки със себе си Елия и Дора. В тази книга нямахме много от Арамис и Хала, но имайки предвид ситуацията в която ги оставихме, мисля, че се очертава нещо много интересно.
Когато земите на Надири са нападнати, кралица Офелия е подготвена, тъй като получава вест, с предупреждение, че ще бъдат нападнати.
Серена и Чу правят всичко по силите си, за да предупредят, че предстои покушение над кралицата на Уордел. Усилията им обаче се провалят.
Марс и Сайлънс заминаха за дома, за да се разправят с предателите ГоДон. Преди това, обаче Марс научи шокиращата истина, за самоличността на Сайлънс.
Голяма част от книгата бе посветена на Елена и Кашъс, и на завръщането им в Ерен. Мрачният, потискащ Ерен, където жените са робини, където няма смях, няма цвят и няма щастие. Още в началото Елена си постави за цел да вкара куп промени, да засади цветя, да промени стаите на двореца, вкарвайки в тях цвят и живот. А първият декрет на Кашъс като принц-регент бе закона, че ще се наказва със затвор всяко посегателство върху жена.
Част от бароните са отвлекли магьосницата на Ерен, Фърн и сега Офелия, заедно с армия от Надири претърсват земите на Ерен в търсене на Фърн. Но точно тук, в земите които са най-много мразени от нейният народ, кралицата на Надири, Офелия, ще изпусне последният си дъх, защото болестта, отслабваща тялото и изпиваща силите й, най-после побеждава.
Не знам защо, ама ��вторката е решила във всяка книга да убива по една от майките на героите ни. В първа книга беше убита майката на Фара. Във втора, майката на Тру. В трета умря майката на Елена, а реално от всички главни герои, само Марс и Сайлънс все още си имат майка. Дали това ще остане така, до края на 4та книга?
Звярът се въздигна, и излезе, че всичките кървави жертвоприношения нямат нищо общо с това въздигане. В тази книга отново се сблъскахме с отвратителните ГоДон, които вършеха какви ли не ужасии, убийства, осакатявания. Видяхме колко ниско са способни да стигнат. Запознахме се със Звяра, и станахме свидетели на доста неприятни сцени, с насилие и гей изнасилване. За моя радост нещата не бяха особено описателни, тъй че просто ги пропускаме и продължаваме напред.
Книгата завърши с това
Имайки предвид, че съм прекарала над 56 часа в слушане на трите книги в аудио формат, вече съм научила кой глас кой герой озвучава, и не спирам да се изумявам колко страхотно и уникално е това много гласово озвучаване. Обожавам всеки един аспект от тези аудио книги. Те са така уникални, че почти нямам друга база за сравнение. Мисля, че авторката е направила страхотен избор, да ни представи поредицата си именно по този начин. Отделно, най-после направих връзка между кориците на книгите, наистина се чудих какво представляват.
В първата книга, действието се развиваше във Ферензе, Файър Сити, в огнената пустиня, и освен всичко друго, Сайлънс владее силите на Огъня, тъй че това символизира и тази корица.
Книга 2 ни отведе във Уордел, кралството над което ще властва Фара, а Фара управлява въздуха.
В 3та книга бяхме в Ерен, заедно с Кашъс и Елена, а Елена има власт над земята.
Това е корицата на книга 4, и имайки предвид, че Ха-Ла е русалка и властва над моретата, и имайки предвид, къде са в момента те с Арамис и това, че преди хилядолетия именно магията на русалките е затворила Звяра в подземния му затвор, вярвам, че в тази последна 4та книга, вдигаме платна и отплаваме за Марел.
Ред е на големият ФИНАЛ <3
October 30, 2020
The Rising series just gets better with each new installment! The narration is so vivid (thanks to the narrators in part! I love that they use different accents for different characters).
The overall plot moved forward a lot in this third novel, and the stakes were suddenly higher than anticipated.
The overall plot moved forward a lot in this third novel, and the stakes were suddenly higher than anticipated.
March 26, 2020
I love this author! I'm also thrilled to be reading/listening to a book with more action than drama as most of the author's new books were. It is almost like reading her older and more amazing books!
December 30, 2021
this is going to be my ‘review’ (whatever that meant) for the WHOLE series, and im going to copy whatever i wrote and paste in on the review section of each book because i dont care and i want to be done with this shit.
1) biggest issue for me was how these books were written.
instead of focusing on one couple per book, KA decided to have all four of them in one book. on top of that, there were side characters to keep track of as well. it was overwhelming, and it just wasnt what i expected. to tell you the truth, it pissed me off. so much so that it TOTALLY ruined the series for me. idk why i didnt quit reading, i just didnt want to. but i also didnt make an effort to be interested and pay attention to what was going on with the story. basically, i listened to the whole thing with a half ear and doing it half-heartedly. it wasnt like i couldnt multi-task while doing it. so, no precious time wasted.
2) from what i could gauge, the plot wasnt bad. in fact, it was quite brilliant.
idk why KA decided to do what i said in point 1, but im sad that i never got over how disappointed i was with it because i ended up skipping so much that if there was such a thing as the audiobook police, i’d have been arrested by now. the plot grew more complex and more convoluted as it progressed in each book. it was a big pile of hot mess that i didnt care enough to sift through. at the same time, i marveled at how KA managed to write such intricate storyline (even if it was a clusterfuck) and did it with many main AND supporting characters. her brilliance never ceased to amaze me.
3) world-building went under appreciated by moi.
ive read Fantasyland series. since this is the spin off, i know what a marvelous (at least for me) world KA had created under there. theres all kinds of beings, from elves, gnomes, unicorns, DRAGONS, and freakin MERMAIDS. in fact, im pretty sure the King of Mer looks like Aquaman. thats how i pictured him even though i never paid attention if he was ever given physical description. theres magic and superpowers, different lands and different races, different religions and different cultures. my point is, all of it was lost on me and im sad that i couldnt fully appreciate it.
4) FOUR REPETITIVE ROMANCES WHATS THE FUCKING POINT.
i mean, even if they hadnt been simultaneously written in one book, who can say that there wouldnt be any similarities? who am i kidding. ive read 50+ KA books and i know how she builds her romance. regardless, having them shoved in my face at once instead of four (interconnected) standalones was NOT IT. all of them had the same dynamics, and the repetitiveness showed everytime there was an argument or news they had to react to. so like, you’d see each couple arguing or reacting about the same thing in four different scenes. i do have a favorite couple though! i really liked Mars & Silence and Aramus & Ha-Lah (my #1).
5) too many POVs.
KA literally added everyones POV; main characters, supporting characters, their mothers fathers, the witches, the bad guys, the cameos (characters from Fantasyland series). holy heck, basically everyone involved in the plot. though only the female (i think) MCs were written in first person, while the rest in third. this was a problem because while i generally didnt care about all of them, there were characters i favored more than others, and it was frustrating and irritating having to share the whole book with those i didnt give a single eff about. so i often skipped those and kept to ones i liked, which were mostly the MCs POVs.
6) audio production was DA BOMB.
the suck-iest (?!) part was that the audiobook was full casted and everyone was doing such a fabulous job with the narration. different voices, different accents, it was a fucking GREAT production and y’all know how much of a audiobook fanatic i am. too bad that i wasnt so drawn to the story. so again, it went under appreciated. i would also like to note that IMO the writing was immaculate. i mean, you could still tell that it had KAs flair, but you could also see the difference between her contemporary series and this fantasy one. im so sad that she chose to go about the series this way (meaning not writing them as standalones).
im just going to give each book three stars. it probably shouldve been lower, but i feel like im also to blame for this not going the way i wanted. also, i just dont have the heart to rate KA books below three stars if i could help it.
(read as an audiobook)
1) biggest issue for me was how these books were written.
instead of focusing on one couple per book, KA decided to have all four of them in one book. on top of that, there were side characters to keep track of as well. it was overwhelming, and it just wasnt what i expected. to tell you the truth, it pissed me off. so much so that it TOTALLY ruined the series for me. idk why i didnt quit reading, i just didnt want to. but i also didnt make an effort to be interested and pay attention to what was going on with the story. basically, i listened to the whole thing with a half ear and doing it half-heartedly. it wasnt like i couldnt multi-task while doing it. so, no precious time wasted.
2) from what i could gauge, the plot wasnt bad. in fact, it was quite brilliant.
idk why KA decided to do what i said in point 1, but im sad that i never got over how disappointed i was with it because i ended up skipping so much that if there was such a thing as the audiobook police, i’d have been arrested by now. the plot grew more complex and more convoluted as it progressed in each book. it was a big pile of hot mess that i didnt care enough to sift through. at the same time, i marveled at how KA managed to write such intricate storyline (even if it was a clusterfuck) and did it with many main AND supporting characters. her brilliance never ceased to amaze me.
3) world-building went under appreciated by moi.
ive read Fantasyland series. since this is the spin off, i know what a marvelous (at least for me) world KA had created under there. theres all kinds of beings, from elves, gnomes, unicorns, DRAGONS, and freakin MERMAIDS. in fact, im pretty sure the King of Mer looks like Aquaman. thats how i pictured him even though i never paid attention if he was ever given physical description. theres magic and superpowers, different lands and different races, different religions and different cultures. my point is, all of it was lost on me and im sad that i couldnt fully appreciate it.
4) FOUR REPETITIVE ROMANCES WHATS THE FUCKING POINT.
i mean, even if they hadnt been simultaneously written in one book, who can say that there wouldnt be any similarities? who am i kidding. ive read 50+ KA books and i know how she builds her romance. regardless, having them shoved in my face at once instead of four (interconnected) standalones was NOT IT. all of them had the same dynamics, and the repetitiveness showed everytime there was an argument or news they had to react to. so like, you’d see each couple arguing or reacting about the same thing in four different scenes. i do have a favorite couple though! i really liked Mars & Silence and Aramus & Ha-Lah (my #1).
5) too many POVs.
KA literally added everyones POV; main characters, supporting characters, their mothers fathers, the witches, the bad guys, the cameos (characters from Fantasyland series). holy heck, basically everyone involved in the plot. though only the female (i think) MCs were written in first person, while the rest in third. this was a problem because while i generally didnt care about all of them, there were characters i favored more than others, and it was frustrating and irritating having to share the whole book with those i didnt give a single eff about. so i often skipped those and kept to ones i liked, which were mostly the MCs POVs.
6) audio production was DA BOMB.
the suck-iest (?!) part was that the audiobook was full casted and everyone was doing such a fabulous job with the narration. different voices, different accents, it was a fucking GREAT production and y’all know how much of a audiobook fanatic i am. too bad that i wasnt so drawn to the story. so again, it went under appreciated. i would also like to note that IMO the writing was immaculate. i mean, you could still tell that it had KAs flair, but you could also see the difference between her contemporary series and this fantasy one. im so sad that she chose to go about the series this way (meaning not writing them as standalones).
im just going to give each book three stars. it probably shouldve been lower, but i feel like im also to blame for this not going the way i wanted. also, i just dont have the heart to rate KA books below three stars if i could help it.
(read as an audiobook)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews