Rise Up from the Embers (Set Fire to the Gods #2) by Sara Raasch and Kristen Simmons

Rise Up from the Embers (Set Fire to the Gods #2) by Sara Raasch and Kristen Simmons
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: August 10, 2021
Format: Hardcover (Personal Library) + Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

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Rise Up from the Embers by Sara Raasch and Kristen Simmons has cemented the Set Fire to the Gods duology’s place as one of my favorite series this year. Readers who pick up this duology can expect a series with intricate elemental powers, heart-pounding action, and immersive worldbuilding. I would recommend it to young adult fans of Avatar the Last Airbender, Gladiator, or The Hunger Games. 

The mythology and pantheon were my favorite parts of the first book, and I was so thrilled to see the authors explore that more in Rise Up from the Embers. The first book primarily focused on Ignitus and Geoxus. In this book, readers are introduced to the other siblings and their mother Anathrasa. My favorite sibling was Hydra. She was hilarious (especially when she was trying to teach Ash how to use her water powers), and I think she lightened the mood a bit. Ash’s attempt to learn how to use her water powers reminded me a lot of Avatar Aang learning all four elements. Aang struggled the most with earthbending because it was the opposite of his native air element. Ash’s lessons in water were very similar - Hydra even reminded her that she couldn’t rely on her fire lessons because they were two very different elements. 

Madoc and Ash are going to be one of my new favorite ships. They provided a contrast to the gods in this book because they are human. They made mistakes, they got a little too power-happy at times, but they were able to successfully rely on their inner strength. I loved their relationship, how they complimented each other and how they were able to draw strength from the other person (but not lose themselves in the process like many couples in YA books do). 

As a side note, I enjoyed the audiobook. It’s not strictly necessary to listen to the narration, but I do think that Andrew Elden and Stacey Glemboski did a good job with their performance. 

Altogether, Rise Up from the Embers is an explosive and amazing end to the Set Fire to the Gods duology. I’m really happy with how the book ended. Fingers crossed the authors publish more books set in this universe in the future (maybe a prequel detailing how the gods took down Anathrasa the first time?).

About the Authors

Sara Raasch

Sara Raasch has known she was destined for bookish things since the age of five, when her friends had a lemonade stand and she tagged along to sell her hand-drawn picture books too. Not much has changed since then — her friends still cock concerned eyebrows when she attempts to draw things and her enthusiasm for the written word still drives her to extreme measures. Her debut YA fantasy, SNOW LIKE ASHES, the first in a trilogy, came out October 14, 2014 from Balzer + Bray. It does not feature her hand-drawn pictures.

Kristen Simmons

Kristen Simmons is the author of the ARTICLE 5 series, THE GLASS ARROW, METALTOWN, PACIFICA, and the upcoming DECEIVERS. She loves her family, Jazzercise, and chocolate cupcakes. She currently lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.

For more updates on Kristen and her writing, follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @kris10writes.

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations #1) by B.B. Alston

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations #1) by B.B. Alston
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: January 19, 2021
Format: Paperback + Audiobook (library)
Publisher: Balzer + Bray 

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Amari Peters is a young black girl living with her mom in lower-income housing; a scholarship student at a mostly white school. She’s never really felt like she’s “fit in”, and her issues are magnified by the disappearance of her golden child brother Quinton. Despite everyone saying otherwise, Amari knows her brother is not dead and is determined to find him. When she receives a mysterious package from him, she discovers a part of Quinton’s life that he had previously hidden: Quinton worked as an investigator for a secret society, and he’s nominated Amari to try out for her own spot. If Amari can survive the rigorous summer training, she’ll be that much closer to finding out what actually happened to her brother but things will be much more challenging and complicated than she might have hoped. 

Unlike many other middle-grade books, B.B. Alston does address issues like racism, class differences, and prejudice in this book. Amari deals with being looked down on in both her “normal” school and when she’s in training to become a junior agent in the Bureau of Supernatural Investigations. It doesn’t matter the reason - her brother’s success being a fluke, her home being in the ghetto instead of some rich people community, her simply being black - everyone seems determined to see Amari fail but that only gives her more of a drive to succeed and prove them wrong. I loved that, and I was rooting for Amari to kick all of their butts the whole time! The fact that these issues didn’t disappear once she was introduced to the world of magic was particularly poignant for me. I appreciated that there were multiple figures in Amari’s journey who were supportive, like Agent Fiona and Elsie. 

The worldbuilding was imaginative and beautiful. I was immersed in it while reading and didn’t want to leave. I was reminded of movies like Men in Black, The Hunger Games, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians. There’s a whole host of creatures Amari has to learn about in a very short time, the other trainees look down on her because of where she’s from (akin to tributes in The Hunger Games looking down on Katniss because she is from District 12), and Amari ends up being more unique and powerful than anyone could have ever anticipated. It was so much fun to learn about the different abilities possessed by the trainees. It was also interesting to learn about the different departments housed within the Bureau of Supernatural Investigations. 

I would recommend this book to middle-grade readers who would love a fantasy tale full of diversity, lovable characters, and magic. Despite being aimed at kids, I think it would be equally suitable for young adults and adults as well. Readers of all ages will be able to take something away from reading Amari and the Night Brothers. I’m eager to see what’s next when the sequel, Amari and the Great Game, comes out in August 2022.

About the Author

B. B. Alston lives in South Carolina. His debut middle-grade novel, Amari and the Night Brothers, has been published in 27 countries and is an international bestseller, including a Sunday Times bestseller. In the United States, the book has spent more than 30 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. In 2021, the book was named the Overall Winner of the Barnes & Noble Children’s and YA Book Awards. A major motion picture is currently being developed by Universal, starring Marsai Martin. His second novel, Amari and the Great Game, will be released August 30, 2022.

When not writing, he can be found eating too many sweets and exploring country roads to see where they lead.

Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston

Among the Beasts and Briars by Ashley Poston

Rating: 4 Stars

Release Date: October 20, 2020

Format: eBook

Publisher: Balzer and Bray

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“You trekked among the beasts and briars, and the deep heart led you all the way to Voryn”

 Among the Beasts and Briars was a fun, quick read. Overall, the story is reminiscent of a cross between the Disney version of the tale of Beauty and the Beast and Grimm’s Fairy Tales. 

The story follows Cerys, the kind-hearted daughter of the royal gardener and Fox, who was changed into a human by the magic in Cerys’ blood. Everything seems happy and bright at the beginning of the book, but things take a much darker turn when the coronation of Cerys’ best friend Princess Arwen goes horribly wrong. Together, Cerys and Fox must venture into the woods and attempt to find a cure for the “wood curse” that has taken over the kingdom. I really loved the ending of the story, and how an opening was left for future installments (even though this was designed as a stand-alone novel). 

The animals are my favorite characters in this novel. From the witty and complex Fox to the bear sidekick, they really gave the story more depth. I liked seeing how Fox struggled to balance the animal instincts with his new human feelings. One of my favorite novels of the year! I hope that Poston continues this story in future books. Any readers who are looking for a fun, whimsical read reminiscent of classic fairy tales will not be disappointed after reading this book.

About the Book

Ashley Poston, acclaimed author of Heart of Iron, returns with a dark, lush fairy tale-inspired fantasy for fans of Sara Raasch and Susan Dennard.

Cerys is safe in the Kingdom of Aloriya. Here there are no droughts, disease, or famine, and peace is everlasting. It has been this way for hundreds of years, since the first king made a bargain with the Lady who ruled the forest that borders the kingdom. But as Aloriya prospered, the woods grew dark, cursed, and forbidden.

Cerys knows this all too well: When she was young, she barely escaped as the woods killed her friends and her mother. Now Cerys carries a small bit of the curse--the magic--in her blood, a reminder of the day she lost everything.

As a new queen is crowned, however, things long hidden in the woods descend on the kingdom itself. Cerys is forced on the run, her only companions a small and irritating fox from the royal garden and the magic in her veins. It's up to her to find the legendary Lady of the Wilds and beg for a way to save her home.

But the road is darker and more dangerous than she knows, and as secrets from the past are uncovered amid the teeth and roots of the forest, it's going to take everything she has just to survive.

About the Author

Ashley Poston graduated from the University of South Carolina and has spent the last ten years in the publishing industry as a social media coordinator, a marketing designer, and finally an author. Her novels have been featured on the Indie Next List, Teen Vogue, Seventeen, EW, CNN, Hypable, and Buzzfeed, among others.

When not writing, she likes to build miniature rooms and takes long walks as an excuse to listen to Dungeons and Dragons podcasts. She lives in South Carolina with her bossy cat, Paprika, and they are firm believers that we’re all a bunch of weirdos looking for other weirdos, asking for their AO3 username.