What do you think?
Rate this book
Fires of Providence #1
Uprising
Heralds are the most powerful of all angels, secretive and feared, created for a single purpose. Only those most courageous and worthy earn a place within the elite choir, and only by breaking ancient oaths held sacred can the honor be stripped. It's a punishment that hasn't been imposed in over two-thousand years, until a single reckless act sets off a firestorm, threatening to consume all creation.
Rise Hawke never suspected she'd been marked to play a role in the deadly events unfolding in the spiritual realm. Independent and resistant to authority, she isn't thrilled when she meets Dominik, an angel with new wings, an old grudge, and a mysterious agenda he's determined to impose.
Vowing to uncover the secrets kept from her, Rise soon learns that knowing what you are isn't nearly as dangerous as discovering why. Hunted by those who want to destroy her, and controlled by those who would see her fulfill her purpose, she is forced into a brutal battle set in motion long before she was ever born. It soon becomes clear that what one angel will risk to earn the title of Herald, is matched only by what another will do to keep it.
Rise Hawke never suspected she'd been marked to play a role in the deadly events unfolding in the spiritual realm. Independent and resistant to authority, she isn't thrilled when she meets Dominik, an angel with new wings, an old grudge, and a mysterious agenda he's determined to impose.
Vowing to uncover the secrets kept from her, Rise soon learns that knowing what you are isn't nearly as dangerous as discovering why. Hunted by those who want to destroy her, and controlled by those who would see her fulfill her purpose, she is forced into a brutal battle set in motion long before she was ever born. It soon becomes clear that what one angel will risk to earn the title of Herald, is matched only by what another will do to keep it.
338 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2012
10 people are currently reading
3400 people want to read
About the author
Dawn Jayne
7 books144 followersDawn Jayne is an Urban and Paranormal Fantasy author from Indianapolis, Indiana USA.
Dawn was an avid reader from a young age, and her desire to write took hold soon thereafter. She loaded up on creative writing classes and spent most of her time spinning tales in her head and talking to imaginary friends.
Uprising is Dawn's first novel, a mix of fantasy, mythology, spirituality, ancient arts and astrology, all woven together while keeping a foundation in the real world. She hopes her work will be a positive and enjoyable contribution to the Urban Fantasy genre.
Dawn lives with her family on the Southside of Indianapolis.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
November 16, 2012
Uprising was an amazing, page turning read! After the first paragraph, I was hooked and soon fell in love with this story. Jayne’s angels are temperamental and a force to be reckoned with. Once the story took me above the human world, I was blown away. The imagination and imagery of Jayne’s world is simply awesome. I found myself falling deeper into this paranormal world of second chances and the natural order of cause and effect.
The book is well rounded, invoking every emotion. The storyline of Rise Hawke is an emotional one – her pain, what she endured, and what she will overcome. I found myself drawn to the character as if she was an old friend. I love how the character was written, flaws and all. Mostly, I enjoyed watching her grow. Watching her take the bad and trying her hardiest to make the best out of the hand she was dealt.
I would say that this is dark read, and it is, but Jayne’s dark becomes… darker. Watch out for the minions! From the Heralds to each choir color, Jayne’s angels are unique, each possessing a special trait. The pieces line up at the end beautifully in a strategically woven plot.
Uprising will leave you wondering, what’s your soul worth as you plot your own course for advancement? I will soon delve into this story again. Yes, it’s that good.
Personal reflections:
One of my favorite things in this story is the world angels. It reminded me of a favorite movie of mine, Defending your Life. I loved the reflecting pools, the life charts…etc People that like astrology will love this! When I reached the end of the story and recapped how “cause and effect” touched the characters, I was in awe at how well everything entwined. I can’t wait for book two!!!
Well done, Mrs. Jayne!
The book is well rounded, invoking every emotion. The storyline of Rise Hawke is an emotional one – her pain, what she endured, and what she will overcome. I found myself drawn to the character as if she was an old friend. I love how the character was written, flaws and all. Mostly, I enjoyed watching her grow. Watching her take the bad and trying her hardiest to make the best out of the hand she was dealt.
I would say that this is dark read, and it is, but Jayne’s dark becomes… darker. Watch out for the minions! From the Heralds to each choir color, Jayne’s angels are unique, each possessing a special trait. The pieces line up at the end beautifully in a strategically woven plot.
Uprising will leave you wondering, what’s your soul worth as you plot your own course for advancement? I will soon delve into this story again. Yes, it’s that good.
Personal reflections:
One of my favorite things in this story is the world angels. It reminded me of a favorite movie of mine, Defending your Life. I loved the reflecting pools, the life charts…etc People that like astrology will love this! When I reached the end of the story and recapped how “cause and effect” touched the characters, I was in awe at how well everything entwined. I can’t wait for book two!!!
Well done, Mrs. Jayne!
December 10, 2012
I received a free ARC eBook of Uprising from Dawn Jayne in exchange for a honest review. I would actually give it 4.5♥'s, but fudged up for GR.
There is such an amazing world, politics, rules, caste systems of angels in this book. It was so well laid out, and sometimes even the smallest of things in the book come back as a puzzle piece into the greater whole. There seemed at first almost a different story in the beginning- I thought it was just maybe giving background on characters for the future- but there is much more to it than that. It reminds me of Karen Marie Moning's writing in the fever series. It's not as dark, or even quite as charged as KMM, but the way little clues and solutions to the overall puzzle of the book (from the first page practically) are revealed and fit all together to really make it an almost larger story.
Whenever there is an angel story, there is always the possibility that it can get bogged down with religion. While many of the more (outwardly apparent) pious characters are portrayed in negative way, and even angels themselves are far from perfect and exhibit the same sins humans grapple with on a daily basis, it still explains angels and their function the "Great Architect's" creation in a way I don't find offensive to any religion. It almost side steps any outright declaration of religion, while still weaving a moral baseline into the pages. Yes, there is Lucifer "the Light-Bearer" or "Light-Bringer" and he does cater to the mass idea of his negativity, but he's not painted with a heavy hand and the-end-of-the-all bad guys. It's more like he's big Ying to the Almighty's Yang. A balance. Balance weighs heavily in these pages, along with sin and even the pitfalls of discrimination. But it's still SUCH an entertaining and engaging read.
I was transported in the pages, and was able to really connect with Rise, the Herald angel in the making. While she doubts her humanity, she seems to be more kind and generous than other characters give her credit for. She is hard working, intelligent, cares for those close to her (that care back)... and so brave. She really almost makes you think of sin, motivations, and even humanity in a different way. It really sneaks in some hard questions during the read that make me glad I am not responsible to find an answer for.
I will most definitely be reading more of the series as it comes out. I'm very taken with Rise, and curious to see what fate has in store for her and her adviser, Dominique. Congrats go out to scoffing in the face of "first book in series syndrome" and knocking the ball out of the park on the first go. The only thing I found lacking, was romance. There were hints here and there, and I really think any addition (to what is already there) would have deterred from the story, but I admit I am fond of a little more romance and spice and passion... even with angels.
There is such an amazing world, politics, rules, caste systems of angels in this book. It was so well laid out, and sometimes even the smallest of things in the book come back as a puzzle piece into the greater whole. There seemed at first almost a different story in the beginning- I thought it was just maybe giving background on characters for the future- but there is much more to it than that. It reminds me of Karen Marie Moning's writing in the fever series. It's not as dark, or even quite as charged as KMM, but the way little clues and solutions to the overall puzzle of the book (from the first page practically) are revealed and fit all together to really make it an almost larger story.
Whenever there is an angel story, there is always the possibility that it can get bogged down with religion. While many of the more (outwardly apparent) pious characters are portrayed in negative way, and even angels themselves are far from perfect and exhibit the same sins humans grapple with on a daily basis, it still explains angels and their function the "Great Architect's" creation in a way I don't find offensive to any religion. It almost side steps any outright declaration of religion, while still weaving a moral baseline into the pages. Yes, there is Lucifer "the Light-Bearer" or "Light-Bringer" and he does cater to the mass idea of his negativity, but he's not painted with a heavy hand and the-end-of-the-all bad guys. It's more like he's big Ying to the Almighty's Yang. A balance. Balance weighs heavily in these pages, along with sin and even the pitfalls of discrimination. But it's still SUCH an entertaining and engaging read.
I was transported in the pages, and was able to really connect with Rise, the Herald angel in the making. While she doubts her humanity, she seems to be more kind and generous than other characters give her credit for. She is hard working, intelligent, cares for those close to her (that care back)... and so brave. She really almost makes you think of sin, motivations, and even humanity in a different way. It really sneaks in some hard questions during the read that make me glad I am not responsible to find an answer for.
I will most definitely be reading more of the series as it comes out. I'm very taken with Rise, and curious to see what fate has in store for her and her adviser, Dominique. Congrats go out to scoffing in the face of "first book in series syndrome" and knocking the ball out of the park on the first go. The only thing I found lacking, was romance. There were hints here and there, and I really think any addition (to what is already there) would have deterred from the story, but I admit I am fond of a little more romance and spice and passion... even with angels.
April 18, 2013
This book was a real surprise for me. I had it on my to-read shelf for a while and kept going back to it, until I finally gave in to see what all the hype was about (and all of the 5 star ratings). I was definitely not disappointed!
I think, for me at least, the star of this book wasn’t necessarily the plot and what was at stake for the characters if they should fail (or surrender). Don’t get me wrong, the story was completely compelling and I fell in love (and hate) with all of the characters, but this book truly stands out for me because of the unique mythology and world building (or Heaven building?). I feel like it was the real backbone of the story and what really pushed me to buy the book after reading the first few chapters. I've read a ton of books with Angels and Demons (they are my current favorite), but this one takes the cake for originality and even believability. With her new interpretation, Dawn completely draws you in and makes you feel like this is what the process of Angels, Souls, and Demons is really like. If for nothing else, this story won me over just with what is going on behind the scenes.
But then the story was extremely strong as well! I will warn you though, if you are looking for a book where a girl falls in love with an angel and they risk everything to be together, even damnation… this is not that book. However, if you’re looking for a roller coaster ride filled with tons of twists that you would never expect, a strong female lead who is dragged through the mud and just when you think things can’t get worse, they do, and a slew of Angels who are as unique and infuriating as they are powerful, then this is your book.
In the story you follow 3 main characters: Tyre in the beginning, Rise for the majority of the rest, and Dominik a bit here and there. Rise, however, is the one that you can really feel for since the other two are still masked in so much mystery even at the end of the book. She is strong willed, has a good sense of moral obligation, and feels that she is completely broken since she can't get close to anyone, even though she wants to. You feel her heartbreak at learning about her past, her frustration in being told what to do with no explanation, and her hope in the strength she is finding she has.
I think the only thing that left me troubled was the ending and what it meant for the next book (though it was a total twist!). I'm not sure how this will play out and effect the relationships between the characters, but I am very excited to see how it unfolds in the next book. I am also really looking forward in seeing what the color she saw around Danny will mean and how that will be resolved!
Overall, I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone with a love for Angels, mythology, strong female leads, and dark subject matter that will make your heart break for the characters involved!
I think, for me at least, the star of this book wasn’t necessarily the plot and what was at stake for the characters if they should fail (or surrender). Don’t get me wrong, the story was completely compelling and I fell in love (and hate) with all of the characters, but this book truly stands out for me because of the unique mythology and world building (or Heaven building?). I feel like it was the real backbone of the story and what really pushed me to buy the book after reading the first few chapters. I've read a ton of books with Angels and Demons (they are my current favorite), but this one takes the cake for originality and even believability. With her new interpretation, Dawn completely draws you in and makes you feel like this is what the process of Angels, Souls, and Demons is really like. If for nothing else, this story won me over just with what is going on behind the scenes.
But then the story was extremely strong as well! I will warn you though, if you are looking for a book where a girl falls in love with an angel and they risk everything to be together, even damnation… this is not that book. However, if you’re looking for a roller coaster ride filled with tons of twists that you would never expect, a strong female lead who is dragged through the mud and just when you think things can’t get worse, they do, and a slew of Angels who are as unique and infuriating as they are powerful, then this is your book.
In the story you follow 3 main characters: Tyre in the beginning, Rise for the majority of the rest, and Dominik a bit here and there. Rise, however, is the one that you can really feel for since the other two are still masked in so much mystery even at the end of the book. She is strong willed, has a good sense of moral obligation, and feels that she is completely broken since she can't get close to anyone, even though she wants to. You feel her heartbreak at learning about her past, her frustration in being told what to do with no explanation, and her hope in the strength she is finding she has.
I think the only thing that left me troubled was the ending and what it meant for the next book (though it was a total twist!). I'm not sure how this will play out and effect the relationships between the characters, but I am very excited to see how it unfolds in the next book. I am also really looking forward in seeing what the color she saw around Danny will mean and how that will be resolved!
Overall, I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone with a love for Angels, mythology, strong female leads, and dark subject matter that will make your heart break for the characters involved!
January 11, 2012
Uprising by Dawn Jayne takes the idea that angels are sweet and caring and tosses it right out of the window. I think that Uprising will appeal to both males and females. There was one surprise after another that made for a real page turner. Uprising by Dawn Jayne was well written with an exciting storyline that has me looking forward to the next book by this debut author.
July 30, 2013
This is truly a riveting book. I am mixed about books with Angels in them because I've been brought up with a Christian background. It's very difficult for me to read Angel books because inevitably, the author will use only a slightly bastardized Angel mythology. With the slight changes used, the Angels and storyline becomes too blasphemous for me and I become uncomfortable and hate the book. I guess we are the products of our upbringing and experiences.
There are very few authors who write Angels in a completely different perspective. I can name the authors on one hand which I not only tolerated but also enjoyed. Ms. Jayne is now added to this very small list. The problem with Angel themed books for me, such as Ms. Jayne's story is two folds. It makes me think as well as fear retribution from God for all my sins which I commit frequently on a daily basis despite my best intentions. It does not make me question my faith. Instead, it forces to re-examine myself and I find myself quite lacking.
The underlying theme in this story is about redemption. At least, this is how it comes across to me. While Ms. Jayne mixes in Buddhist reincarnation into this story and completely side steps the grace from the sacrifice of our Lord, it makes the story work. The world she is building is quite fascinating. I don't fully understand how Lucifer works in this story and I'm a bit baffled by the great "Architect". The whole ascending to be an angel is interesting. What I find most riveting is that these Angels are not perfect beings. They also seem to be able to have free will which is odd to me. Because in my world, Angels who take free will are the fallen. Yet all these little difference is what makes this story good and thoroughly enjoyable.
Ms. Jayne's writing voice is strong and consistent. She builds her characters carefully with multiple layers. A few of the reveals caught me completely off guard and I should have figured it out. Her subtly is applied with laser precision in how her characters relate. The start of the story is rather aggravating and before the reader knows, they are pulled into this web of intrigue. This is a page turning book with a fitting conclusion. It leaves the reader demanding to know what is next while at the same time satisfyingly answering most of the questions raised. This urban fantasy is highly recommended to those who enjoy the battle of resisting temptation.
*I received this book as a review copy in return for an honest review
There are very few authors who write Angels in a completely different perspective. I can name the authors on one hand which I not only tolerated but also enjoyed. Ms. Jayne is now added to this very small list. The problem with Angel themed books for me, such as Ms. Jayne's story is two folds. It makes me think as well as fear retribution from God for all my sins which I commit frequently on a daily basis despite my best intentions. It does not make me question my faith. Instead, it forces to re-examine myself and I find myself quite lacking.
The underlying theme in this story is about redemption. At least, this is how it comes across to me. While Ms. Jayne mixes in Buddhist reincarnation into this story and completely side steps the grace from the sacrifice of our Lord, it makes the story work. The world she is building is quite fascinating. I don't fully understand how Lucifer works in this story and I'm a bit baffled by the great "Architect". The whole ascending to be an angel is interesting. What I find most riveting is that these Angels are not perfect beings. They also seem to be able to have free will which is odd to me. Because in my world, Angels who take free will are the fallen. Yet all these little difference is what makes this story good and thoroughly enjoyable.
Ms. Jayne's writing voice is strong and consistent. She builds her characters carefully with multiple layers. A few of the reveals caught me completely off guard and I should have figured it out. Her subtly is applied with laser precision in how her characters relate. The start of the story is rather aggravating and before the reader knows, they are pulled into this web of intrigue. This is a page turning book with a fitting conclusion. It leaves the reader demanding to know what is next while at the same time satisfyingly answering most of the questions raised. This urban fantasy is highly recommended to those who enjoy the battle of resisting temptation.
*I received this book as a review copy in return for an honest review
March 8, 2012
Heralds are the most powerful of all angels, secretive and feared, created for a single purpose. Only those most courageous and worthy earn a place within the elite choir, and only by breaking ancient oaths held sacred can the honor be stripped. It's a punishment that hasn't been imposed in over two-thousand years, until a single, reckless act sets off a firestorm that threatens to consume all of creation.
Rise Hawke never suspected she'd been marked to play a role in the deadly events unfolding in the spiritual realm. Independent and resistant to authority, she isn't thrilled when she meets Dominik, an angel with new wings, an old grudge, and a mysterious agenda he's determined to impose.
Vowing to uncover the secrets kept from her, Rise soon learns that knowing what you are isn't nearly as dangerous as discovering why. Hunted by those who want to destroy her, and controlled by those who would see her fulfill her purpose, she is forced into a brutal battle that was set in motion long before she was ever born.
It soon becomes clear that what one angel will risk to earn the title of Herald, is matched only by what another will do to keep it.
I don't know what more to say except I LOVED this book! I would give it 10 stars if I could.
While I've read tons of paranormal books, my exposure to the angel genre is very limited. So I was really excited when I learned about this book. Being familiar with the author also made this a special read for me.
I have to admit, the beginning of this book confused the hell out of me. It was like opening the lid on a new 1,000 piece puzzle, and it was tough to figure out what went where. But I read on, and before too long the pieces started fitting together.
The plot is intricately woven, and Rise and Dominick are strong characters. The secondary characters are well developed as well. The ending reads like the set-up for a sequel -- I do hope there's more to come!
Rise Hawke never suspected she'd been marked to play a role in the deadly events unfolding in the spiritual realm. Independent and resistant to authority, she isn't thrilled when she meets Dominik, an angel with new wings, an old grudge, and a mysterious agenda he's determined to impose.
Vowing to uncover the secrets kept from her, Rise soon learns that knowing what you are isn't nearly as dangerous as discovering why. Hunted by those who want to destroy her, and controlled by those who would see her fulfill her purpose, she is forced into a brutal battle that was set in motion long before she was ever born.
It soon becomes clear that what one angel will risk to earn the title of Herald, is matched only by what another will do to keep it.
I don't know what more to say except I LOVED this book! I would give it 10 stars if I could.
While I've read tons of paranormal books, my exposure to the angel genre is very limited. So I was really excited when I learned about this book. Being familiar with the author also made this a special read for me.
I have to admit, the beginning of this book confused the hell out of me. It was like opening the lid on a new 1,000 piece puzzle, and it was tough to figure out what went where. But I read on, and before too long the pieces started fitting together.
The plot is intricately woven, and Rise and Dominick are strong characters. The secondary characters are well developed as well. The ending reads like the set-up for a sequel -- I do hope there's more to come!
August 9, 2013
You know what I love? When an author will take everything that is known as the ‘Norm’ and throw it out of the window. I love when they twist and turn things and make you look at creatures, people or beings in a new light.
This is exactly what Dawn Jayne does in Uprising. She uses Angels in the storyline. Yes I know they are popular at the moment, BUT! I’m yet to read one like this one! So now you’re thinking ‘yeah right ok, angel angels, yeah yeah...” STOP! Dawns Angels are not your normal sweet and caring and oh so loving ones. These angels are.... Well, read the book for yourself and find out.
The storyline is well thought out and executed. Once you start reading, you will get annoyed if you have to put it down. The characters are awesome each with their own personality and likeability. Except one in my eyes, I hate shay with a passion! But I’m completely 100% in love with Dominik. Yummy! I wish he was real.
Overall a very entertaining read, full of action and twists and turns to keep you hooked to the pages.
Best book I’ve read in quite a while. Added to my Favourites shelf.
This is exactly what Dawn Jayne does in Uprising. She uses Angels in the storyline. Yes I know they are popular at the moment, BUT! I’m yet to read one like this one! So now you’re thinking ‘yeah right ok, angel angels, yeah yeah...” STOP! Dawns Angels are not your normal sweet and caring and oh so loving ones. These angels are.... Well, read the book for yourself and find out.
The storyline is well thought out and executed. Once you start reading, you will get annoyed if you have to put it down. The characters are awesome each with their own personality and likeability. Except one in my eyes, I hate shay with a passion! But I’m completely 100% in love with Dominik. Yummy! I wish he was real.
Overall a very entertaining read, full of action and twists and turns to keep you hooked to the pages.
Best book I’ve read in quite a while. Added to my Favourites shelf.
February 13, 2012
I didn't know what to think before reading this book. There are a few popular angel series' out there right now. But this book took me by surprise. The story was well rounded, blending all of the faiths and beliefs out there into one complex and interesting afterlife. I admit in the beginning of the book, it seemed kind of informative, and slow going. I wasn't sure where it was going. But once the main character of Rise comes into the picture, I could not put it down. And in the end, everything came full circle, and the beginning made even more sense. It was truly amazing. And I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a rich storyline, with inventive and well developed characters. I will definitely be buying the second book when it comes out. Until then, I will definitely re-read this one. Bravo, Dawn Jayne!
January 20, 2013
To say I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Uprising’ would be a vast understatement. I absolutely loved this book! The storyline and plot were unlike anything I’ve ever read, plus the writing was superb! And the characters are fantastically developed! You can’t help but fall in love with Rise! Dawn Jayne has a way with words and a true talent. In Uprising, she has created an elaborate and extensive angelic world. She lets the reader in piece by piece and creates an incredible sense of suspense, but as a reader, I was never confused only pulled further into the story. I couldn’t put this one down and can’t wait for the next one!
October 1, 2015
Uprising was a unique and complex approach to an angel story. It's unlike anything I've read before and although it had moments where I bogged down in detail, I was fascinated.
Ms. Jayne wove together an interesting world of angels, humans, minions, and lost souls, living among the spiritual and human realms. There are different choirs of angels, each with different 'jobs'. All but the Heralds are former humans who've earned their wings through growth and enlightenment. And each choir, each angel, is tasked with helping humans - souls - along their path. The Heralds are born angels and have powers no other angels have. I liked the laws and structures that govern the angels, minions, and lost souls. And I liked Ms. Jayne's use of the yin/yang to explain the spiritual realm. I also enjoyed Ms. Jayne's 'divine design' and the interplay between Lucifer, or the Light Bringer, and The Scriptures. They seem to have the grand plan and are doing their best to execute it.
Rise is a young woman who was raised in a fanatical home. She carries scars, both inside and outside, from her upbringing that are badges of all she endured. At 18, and no longer at home, she's finding out that she doesn't know herself all that well. Rise is different - not able to form true attachments, doesn't feel empathy - but there are reasons for this which are becoming clear.
Dominik is a Blue Angel and has been assigned as Rise's advisor. There are curious circumstances behind his assignment - mostly due to his tie to Tyre, a Herald who was stripped of his wings. Dominik is very loyal and steadfast in his cause. There were times I felt he was being stubborn on things only to find out he was bound by his oath or by laws.
Even though Tyre is present only for a short time, he left a lasting impact on the characters in the story. It was very apropos that Ms. Jayne titled a chapter Revelations as I had one epiphany after another while reading it. And I was impressed with her for keeping me in the dark for so long.
I'm very curious as to what comes next for this group. I'm left wondering what the end game is here and why. And although I'm eager to see Rise be more of her badass self, I'm also eager for more backstory on the relationship between Dominik and Tyre.
The slow moments, I believe, came from the detail dump, which was necessary since this was a first installment. I typically like a lot of detail but in this case, I felt it slowed the pace. Interesting world building and even more interesting characters made for a good read. I still don't know where the story is headed as the plot is unclear, but I'm keen to know.
Ms. Jayne wove together an interesting world of angels, humans, minions, and lost souls, living among the spiritual and human realms. There are different choirs of angels, each with different 'jobs'. All but the Heralds are former humans who've earned their wings through growth and enlightenment. And each choir, each angel, is tasked with helping humans - souls - along their path. The Heralds are born angels and have powers no other angels have. I liked the laws and structures that govern the angels, minions, and lost souls. And I liked Ms. Jayne's use of the yin/yang to explain the spiritual realm. I also enjoyed Ms. Jayne's 'divine design' and the interplay between Lucifer, or the Light Bringer, and The Scriptures. They seem to have the grand plan and are doing their best to execute it.
Rise is a young woman who was raised in a fanatical home. She carries scars, both inside and outside, from her upbringing that are badges of all she endured. At 18, and no longer at home, she's finding out that she doesn't know herself all that well. Rise is different - not able to form true attachments, doesn't feel empathy - but there are reasons for this which are becoming clear.
Dominik is a Blue Angel and has been assigned as Rise's advisor. There are curious circumstances behind his assignment - mostly due to his tie to Tyre, a Herald who was stripped of his wings. Dominik is very loyal and steadfast in his cause. There were times I felt he was being stubborn on things only to find out he was bound by his oath or by laws.
Even though Tyre is present only for a short time, he left a lasting impact on the characters in the story. It was very apropos that Ms. Jayne titled a chapter Revelations as I had one epiphany after another while reading it. And I was impressed with her for keeping me in the dark for so long.
I'm very curious as to what comes next for this group. I'm left wondering what the end game is here and why. And although I'm eager to see Rise be more of her badass self, I'm also eager for more backstory on the relationship between Dominik and Tyre.
The slow moments, I believe, came from the detail dump, which was necessary since this was a first installment. I typically like a lot of detail but in this case, I felt it slowed the pace. Interesting world building and even more interesting characters made for a good read. I still don't know where the story is headed as the plot is unclear, but I'm keen to know.
March 31, 2012
Very intriguing story about angels of different hierarchies in Heaven, and how humans are reincarnated again and again attempting to reach a higher level of spiritual enlightenment. 17-year-old Rise is destined to reach the highest level of angels, but first she has to complete her trials – her life – successfully, without falling to temptation. She’s being helped by angels and hindered by demented beings. The decisions she makes will have consequences for the whole world.
I just love the concept of a person’s life being altered significantly by seemingly random events, and of a soul having multiple chances to get it right. The worldbuilding is phenomenal. I definitely felt like I was experiencing everything firsthand. Can’t wait for the next installment!
I just love the concept of a person’s life being altered significantly by seemingly random events, and of a soul having multiple chances to get it right. The worldbuilding is phenomenal. I definitely felt like I was experiencing everything firsthand. Can’t wait for the next installment!
March 28, 2012
I loved this book!! This book has gotten so many 5 star reviews on Goodreads and Amazon that I needed to find out what all the fuss was about. So, I gave it a go and was pleasantly surprised. Very well developed characters and a really unique take on the whole angel storyline. And I was really caught off guard by a couple unexpected turns in the story where I (embarrassingly...yes) screamed out loud "NO WAY"!
March 2, 2013
4.5 stars PNR, adult fantasy, angels, dark angels, fallen angels, series, Lucifer
~Magickal Graphics~
It took me a while to post my review. Usually a book don't let me confused and dazed, this one did. So, I had to think about and settle my feelings. :)
I won't post a summary, because that would be hard for me to do it.
Cover 4 stars
It's a catching cover.
I always look for the theme of the book at the covers.
With this one, I can see is going to be about angels, maybe a gray/dark part of the world.
I just think that it maybe a bit YA the cover which could be misleading.
characters 5 stars
Tyre- he was my favorite. He was the kind of character that I love. A badass, with a huge ego and some attitude that usually hide some deep feeling inside, maybe part of the trials of life.
With Tyre starts my dazed feelings with the book.
I got stuck on him and it was hard for to grasp the concept of the path the author took with his character. Shocking!
Dominik - He is really the opposite of Tyre and i usually don't go for "perfection". So, I did struggle until the end with him, but I definitely so the growth of his character along the way. His twist was better taken than Tyre.
Rise - I love her. I love a dark heroine. She is not perfect, she screw up a lot, she is human even when she is not. :)
This is a totally multidimensional book, and there are several secondary characters that were quite interesting.
I did relate, connect and understood Ms. Jayne's characters.
plot 4.5 stars
I usually look for 5 main things here:
The world built by the author was amazing. On the surface it seems shallow, but as the book went on it got deeper and more creative with several twists along the way. Great work! (world built)
The story was not easy to follow IMO, and I disagree with some of the authors choices right at the beginning, so this was also a hindrance for me. (easy to follow)
Even when I got mad at this book, I was always intrigued and was always expecting the unexpected. The was not a moment that I didn't feel like guessing what was next. Full of twists!(keep me guessing)
I've ended this book wanting more! This I believe separates the good books from the great ones. :) (wanting more)
This book start in a slow pace, a bit shallow and it grew in intensity along the way. When I got to the climax, I had this pressure built inside me, this anguish, this feeling of doubt, of shock. Wow! I love to feel! (intensity)
credibility/originality4 stars
This is PNR, so inside of this fantastic world the author made I believe in it.
I have one tiny thing to point out: I think Rise adopt father was thrown away to easily and I believe that Shay story was left hanging.
Was it original? One of the most original reads I've ever seen. Wow!
impressions and opinion
I cannot rate it 5 stars and say this was outstanding because I don't agree with all the choices the author made. lol I know, I'm like a dog with a bone... can't let go!
Even with Tyre's twist at the end, I cannot see why the author would "waste" so much character potential this way.
Personally, I don't like what Tyre have become.
Was it better than great? Yep! It was.
Will I keep reading the series? YES!
Am I looking forward? Definitely!
I recommend for anyone that enjoys a great fantasy world.
Usually I read romance... the romance in this novel was very far away, but is so so so good, that I didn't miss it for more than 2 minutes.
"Angels aid us in our personal mission. We have to learn to listen, for if we block the angels out, they become only the fairy beings of dreams and pleasant stories." - Silver Ravenwolf
~Magickal Graphics~
~Magickal Graphics~
It took me a while to post my review. Usually a book don't let me confused and dazed, this one did. So, I had to think about and settle my feelings. :)
I won't post a summary, because that would be hard for me to do it.
Cover 4 stars
It's a catching cover.
I always look for the theme of the book at the covers.
With this one, I can see is going to be about angels, maybe a gray/dark part of the world.
I just think that it maybe a bit YA the cover which could be misleading.
characters 5 stars
Tyre- he was my favorite. He was the kind of character that I love. A badass, with a huge ego and some attitude that usually hide some deep feeling inside, maybe part of the trials of life.
With Tyre starts my dazed feelings with the book.
I got stuck on him and it was hard for to grasp the concept of the path the author took with his character. Shocking!
Dominik - He is really the opposite of Tyre and i usually don't go for "perfection". So, I did struggle until the end with him, but I definitely so the growth of his character along the way. His twist was better taken than Tyre.
Rise - I love her. I love a dark heroine. She is not perfect, she screw up a lot, she is human even when she is not. :)
This is a totally multidimensional book, and there are several secondary characters that were quite interesting.
I did relate, connect and understood Ms. Jayne's characters.
plot 4.5 stars
I usually look for 5 main things here:
The world built by the author was amazing. On the surface it seems shallow, but as the book went on it got deeper and more creative with several twists along the way. Great work! (world built)
The story was not easy to follow IMO, and I disagree with some of the authors choices right at the beginning, so this was also a hindrance for me. (easy to follow)
Even when I got mad at this book, I was always intrigued and was always expecting the unexpected. The was not a moment that I didn't feel like guessing what was next. Full of twists!(keep me guessing)
I've ended this book wanting more! This I believe separates the good books from the great ones. :) (wanting more)
This book start in a slow pace, a bit shallow and it grew in intensity along the way. When I got to the climax, I had this pressure built inside me, this anguish, this feeling of doubt, of shock. Wow! I love to feel! (intensity)
credibility/originality4 stars
This is PNR, so inside of this fantastic world the author made I believe in it.
I have one tiny thing to point out: I think Rise adopt father was thrown away to easily and I believe that Shay story was left hanging.
Was it original? One of the most original reads I've ever seen. Wow!
impressions and opinion
I cannot rate it 5 stars and say this was outstanding because I don't agree with all the choices the author made. lol I know, I'm like a dog with a bone... can't let go!
Even with Tyre's twist at the end, I cannot see why the author would "waste" so much character potential this way.
Personally, I don't like what Tyre have become.
Was it better than great? Yep! It was.
Will I keep reading the series? YES!
Am I looking forward? Definitely!
I recommend for anyone that enjoys a great fantasy world.
Usually I read romance... the romance in this novel was very far away, but is so so so good, that I didn't miss it for more than 2 minutes.
"Angels aid us in our personal mission. We have to learn to listen, for if we block the angels out, they become only the fairy beings of dreams and pleasant stories." - Silver Ravenwolf
~Magickal Graphics~
June 1, 2013
My initial thoughts: A helluva ride. Some fantastic and enthralling characters. A complex and intriguing mythology- to say the least. So near 5 stars. Will have to contemplate as I gather my final thoughts. Full review to come.
The full review: Holy Mother of...! I haven't read many angel stories, but from what I have read, WOW, this book just blows them away. BLOWS. THEM. AWAY.
It was amazing! I mean A-MAZ-ING!!! My praise for Dawn Jayne cannot begin to touch what I really felt while I consumed her GORGEOUS, WILD and EPIC tale.
It's intricate. It's DARK and depressing- wait you say, shouldn't an ANGEL story be uplifting and full of hope? Oh ye of little faith...This world is complicated. Times are complicated. And to get to the good, you've gotta go through the bad.
Wait. What??? I know, I'm being so vague. Let me explain. Uprising has some of the best world building I've ever seen. Profound in it's detail, the angel hierarchy is mind boggling and engrossing. It took me a bit to fully grasp it, but as I continued to read and it all clicked- I was at once shocked and awestruck. These ain't your Sunday school variety angels. Oh, NO! They are- here it is again...complicated and completely intoxicating. Their rules are complex. They are cunning and ruthless. Beyond powerful. Competitive and often petty- they're prone to many human emotions only heightened by their angel mojo. And vulnerable. I can't get into the why of their vulnerability, it's a big part of the storyline and not what you'd expect. But it makes this tale intense and exciting. And highly addicting. And we haven't even met the lead character yet. Be patient. It's all worth it.
Uprising begins with a most fascinating character, Tyre. Angel or not this guy is SMOLDERING HAWT. And hotheaded- and perhaps a bit troubled, definitely rebellious, and highly DANGEROUS. His actions set in motion a journey unlike any other.
It's a tangled web of manipulation and careful planning, intense battles,
and the ultimate leaps of faith.
Where does our heroine fit in? Well, she's dropped into this crazy world she does not believe in. Her life has been hard. Full of secrets and lies, and unbelievable abuses at the hands of her adoptive parents. She's lost her faith and struggles to survive.
And here we are again where I can't say more without giving too much away.
What I can tell you is Rise is another amazing character. Despite her fears and disbelief, she falls into her role in this universe with gusto and a wonderful amount of snark and morbid humor. But where Mac is fighting alien Fae and Buffy annihilating vamps, Rise is up against all she's been taught to believe in and fights to resist. The ultimate battle between good and evil where the lines are blurred and the rules get more complicated as she gets closer to her destiny. Can she all keep the balance and save herself as well? That remains to be seen.
Uprising is filled with a remarkably original and entertaining cast. Between The Great Architect, The Scriptures, the Angels, Rise's friends and comrades- and more, these characters are captivating. By far one of the most creative and well thought out storylines I've read... EVER. A world fully imagined and fiercely gripping. This is edge of your seat-nail biting-cheer, shout and SCREAM-and lose your breath-feel your heart hit your feet-nonstop intensity.
With a HUGE unexpected- and OUTSTANDING twist, Uprising will leave you in awe, soul searching and writhing in anticipation for the second book. Hello, Dawn?! This is me begging and pleading for the sequel.
I cannot wait. And I wager you'll all feel the same.
The full review: Holy Mother of...! I haven't read many angel stories, but from what I have read, WOW, this book just blows them away. BLOWS. THEM. AWAY.
It was amazing! I mean A-MAZ-ING!!! My praise for Dawn Jayne cannot begin to touch what I really felt while I consumed her GORGEOUS, WILD and EPIC tale.
It's intricate. It's DARK and depressing- wait you say, shouldn't an ANGEL story be uplifting and full of hope? Oh ye of little faith...This world is complicated. Times are complicated. And to get to the good, you've gotta go through the bad.
Wait. What??? I know, I'm being so vague. Let me explain. Uprising has some of the best world building I've ever seen. Profound in it's detail, the angel hierarchy is mind boggling and engrossing. It took me a bit to fully grasp it, but as I continued to read and it all clicked- I was at once shocked and awestruck. These ain't your Sunday school variety angels. Oh, NO! They are- here it is again...complicated and completely intoxicating. Their rules are complex. They are cunning and ruthless. Beyond powerful. Competitive and often petty- they're prone to many human emotions only heightened by their angel mojo. And vulnerable. I can't get into the why of their vulnerability, it's a big part of the storyline and not what you'd expect. But it makes this tale intense and exciting. And highly addicting. And we haven't even met the lead character yet. Be patient. It's all worth it.
Uprising begins with a most fascinating character, Tyre. Angel or not this guy is SMOLDERING HAWT. And hotheaded- and perhaps a bit troubled, definitely rebellious, and highly DANGEROUS. His actions set in motion a journey unlike any other.
It's a tangled web of manipulation and careful planning, intense battles,
and the ultimate leaps of faith.
Where does our heroine fit in? Well, she's dropped into this crazy world she does not believe in. Her life has been hard. Full of secrets and lies, and unbelievable abuses at the hands of her adoptive parents. She's lost her faith and struggles to survive.
And here we are again where I can't say more without giving too much away.
What I can tell you is Rise is another amazing character. Despite her fears and disbelief, she falls into her role in this universe with gusto and a wonderful amount of snark and morbid humor. But where Mac is fighting alien Fae and Buffy annihilating vamps, Rise is up against all she's been taught to believe in and fights to resist. The ultimate battle between good and evil where the lines are blurred and the rules get more complicated as she gets closer to her destiny. Can she all keep the balance and save herself as well? That remains to be seen.
Uprising is filled with a remarkably original and entertaining cast. Between The Great Architect, The Scriptures, the Angels, Rise's friends and comrades- and more, these characters are captivating. By far one of the most creative and well thought out storylines I've read... EVER. A world fully imagined and fiercely gripping. This is edge of your seat-nail biting-cheer, shout and SCREAM-and lose your breath-feel your heart hit your feet-nonstop intensity.
With a HUGE unexpected- and OUTSTANDING twist, Uprising will leave you in awe, soul searching and writhing in anticipation for the second book. Hello, Dawn?! This is me begging and pleading for the sequel.
I cannot wait. And I wager you'll all feel the same.
July 16, 2013
Review originally posted at My Book Addiction.
Uprising begins with the story about Tyre and Dominik. Tyre is a Herald angel, one of the most powerful in existence. When you first start reading you think for certain he’s a dark and twisted guy trying to torment a school girl by the name of Katie, but you learn that he’s actually doing the job he’s meant to, and it’s nothing like you could possibly imagine. There are some issues taken with the way he handled the job, though, and he pays dearly for it. We are then introduced to Rise Hawke, our heroine, when she is an infant, being adopted by her parents, who are SO NOT WORTHY of having a child. Fast forward eighteen years when Rise is finally able to get away from the trolls who adopted her. She leaves without a word, rents her own apartment, gets a job and starts a new life, but it turns out to be nothing like she had planned. There are bigger things in the works for this girl. Rise is an awesome heroine, made from the fabric of a perfect formula; strong, sexy, brave, bold, and even a bit quirky. You’ll feel fortunate to have “met” her after reading this book!
Uprising is a very intricate story blended with the perfect amount of paranormal, fantasy, and even astrology. There are so many variables to this book, and none lack quality of content. In the spiritual realm you will find reflection pools and life charts that aid in the many journeys of souls. It’s really quite complex, but so easy to read, and so well thought out. There is an enormous variety of character types, all with their own special gifts and roles in this story. I can understand why this concept has been evolving in Dawn’s mind for years. There’s a lifetime of knowledge behind this brilliant plot, and the camaraderie between Dawn and her characters shines through. This is not a fast-paced action tale in the beginning, as there is quite a bit of history to be absorbed, but it is a page-turner, nonetheless. I became enthralled by the intertwining events of this phenomenal story, and simply can’t wait for the next book in the Fires of Providence series. This is hands down one of my favorite stories about angels. Dawn Jayne has created a true masterpiece here!
Uprising begins with the story about Tyre and Dominik. Tyre is a Herald angel, one of the most powerful in existence. When you first start reading you think for certain he’s a dark and twisted guy trying to torment a school girl by the name of Katie, but you learn that he’s actually doing the job he’s meant to, and it’s nothing like you could possibly imagine. There are some issues taken with the way he handled the job, though, and he pays dearly for it. We are then introduced to Rise Hawke, our heroine, when she is an infant, being adopted by her parents, who are SO NOT WORTHY of having a child. Fast forward eighteen years when Rise is finally able to get away from the trolls who adopted her. She leaves without a word, rents her own apartment, gets a job and starts a new life, but it turns out to be nothing like she had planned. There are bigger things in the works for this girl. Rise is an awesome heroine, made from the fabric of a perfect formula; strong, sexy, brave, bold, and even a bit quirky. You’ll feel fortunate to have “met” her after reading this book!
Uprising is a very intricate story blended with the perfect amount of paranormal, fantasy, and even astrology. There are so many variables to this book, and none lack quality of content. In the spiritual realm you will find reflection pools and life charts that aid in the many journeys of souls. It’s really quite complex, but so easy to read, and so well thought out. There is an enormous variety of character types, all with their own special gifts and roles in this story. I can understand why this concept has been evolving in Dawn’s mind for years. There’s a lifetime of knowledge behind this brilliant plot, and the camaraderie between Dawn and her characters shines through. This is not a fast-paced action tale in the beginning, as there is quite a bit of history to be absorbed, but it is a page-turner, nonetheless. I became enthralled by the intertwining events of this phenomenal story, and simply can’t wait for the next book in the Fires of Providence series. This is hands down one of my favorite stories about angels. Dawn Jayne has created a true masterpiece here!
January 14, 2013
Fan-effin-tastic take on angels! I have to say demons, angels, magic and ghosts are my cup of tea at the moment, and I was subconsciously expecting more of the same formula, so I was very surprised by the world Dawn Jayne created. Very complexed and thought provoking, with lots to laugh about and plenty of action, and no damsel-in-distress bs. *thumbs up*
The best part, in my opinion, are the characters. Or should I say the variety of emotions each of them elicited from me. For example, how I loathed Dominik's initial prejudice and complete a-hole attitude for nearly half the book, only to actually watch him grow and show some of the humility he inspires in so many. I liked that quite a bit. Another point was the diversity of the characters. I can't name any other book with muslim characters, let alone a female sidekick. I really like Saba and hope to see her play a bigger role in the following books :D
To this I should add that I was confused the first twenty or so % of the book, because the main character, Rise, was not even mentioned. It felt like a stretched introduction to the story line, and it bothered me. But after reading the book I cannot image the story being successfully explained in any other way. And everything described played an important role. ACtually, I think Dawn messed with my head, XD It felt as though my doubts and dislikes were intentional, so that my mind could be blown later on. Love it!
I have so much to say, I need a forum ASAP! I want to talk about Rise' rebellious ways and Danny's irritating mood swings. About Free Spirits and Heralds, and WTF is up with this Dominik/Tyre thing, what ever it is, what those any of it means.... mmm what! I think that in this world, to these beings gender is sort of mute point, but it still boggles the mind this future past present thing XD
LOVED IT! PICK IT UP, READ IT, and message me! Okay bye
The best part, in my opinion, are the characters. Or should I say the variety of emotions each of them elicited from me. For example, how I loathed Dominik's initial prejudice and complete a-hole attitude for nearly half the book, only to actually watch him grow and show some of the humility he inspires in so many. I liked that quite a bit. Another point was the diversity of the characters. I can't name any other book with muslim characters, let alone a female sidekick. I really like Saba and hope to see her play a bigger role in the following books :D
To this I should add that I was confused the first twenty or so % of the book, because the main character, Rise, was not even mentioned. It felt like a stretched introduction to the story line, and it bothered me. But after reading the book I cannot image the story being successfully explained in any other way. And everything described played an important role. ACtually, I think Dawn messed with my head, XD It felt as though my doubts and dislikes were intentional, so that my mind could be blown later on. Love it!
I have so much to say, I need a forum ASAP! I want to talk about Rise' rebellious ways and Danny's irritating mood swings. About Free Spirits and Heralds, and WTF is up with this Dominik/Tyre thing, what ever it is, what those any of it means.... mmm what! I think that in this world, to these beings gender is sort of mute point, but it still boggles the mind this future past present thing XD
LOVED IT! PICK IT UP, READ IT, and message me! Okay bye
December 30, 2012
This book blows away almost every book I have ever read on angels and most books in the future I will ever read. From the very beginning of the story, you are violently tossed into a world that would break the strongest of spirits. Your head spins from the events that unravel beyond control. Just when you think you can't take anymore...you fall in love with characters you never thought possible, hate the characters you thought you would love and beat your head on the wall trying to figure out what will happen next. YOU WILL NOT FIGURE it out. Trust me. I tried. I was so engrossed by this story. I was a mess. I really was. I was not able to devour it in one sitting because I got the flu. I read every minute I could when I was sleeping. I finished it one day when I came home sick from work. I was NOT going to rest until it was done. I finished the book and then I was in mortal pain because I wanted so much more. I CAN'T WAIT for the rest of this series to unravel. The Heralds, the blues, the reds, the purples...OH MY! What am I talking about you ask? Well...read the book and you will know all too soon!
December 3, 2012
I was given a copy of Uprising to review for the Blog Tour. I have to say, I am so very glad that I said yes to the Tour and Review. Uprising is an Angel book like no other I've read. Though I love a good romance, I am pleased that this book didn't focus on romance but instead on the spiritual (angels, minions, free spirits, the unseen).
Rise was adopted as an infant. To say that her childhood was tough is an understatement. As soon as she's of age she moves out on her own, in another town. She doesn't attend church and has no faith where God is concerned.
Dominik is a new angel and has been given an assignment, Rise. Naturally he does not like her and the feeling is mutual but the two must learn to work together. She has a lot to learn about what she is and it is his job to help her along her path while keeping her safe from danger.
During their time together Rise learns a great deal about angels, minions, and free spirits from Dominik, and what some of these creatures will do for redemption.
Rise was adopted as an infant. To say that her childhood was tough is an understatement. As soon as she's of age she moves out on her own, in another town. She doesn't attend church and has no faith where God is concerned.
Dominik is a new angel and has been given an assignment, Rise. Naturally he does not like her and the feeling is mutual but the two must learn to work together. She has a lot to learn about what she is and it is his job to help her along her path while keeping her safe from danger.
During their time together Rise learns a great deal about angels, minions, and free spirits from Dominik, and what some of these creatures will do for redemption.
June 1, 2013
SUPERB! I'm still trying to get a whole hold of it. I really really liked it. A lot. I almost quit reading after Tyre was gone, but, I am so so glad I didn't. Up until now, I am totally mind blown. Really. The novel was so good I'm totally going to have a very difficult time coping up with the withdrawal until I get hold of the next installment. Uprising welcomed me to a vary fascinating realm of angels and other spirituals. It was really kickass. And the twists made left stunned. The ending was just G-R-A-N-D! I think I'll be on the brink of losing grip if I don't get to read the next book. The Heralds really are awesome with all their stand in the realm, though they can be rude sometimes. And they are so enticing! Dominik is a definite favorite. Tyre as well. I'm lost for good words to say. A definite must-read. :D
February 8, 2012
where to start with this review! uprising was a fantastic read. the author's take on angels was refreshing and very well thought out. I liked the authors writing are, too. the exchanges in dialogue were excellent and the emotion being conveyed was fantastic.
I had been anticipation.g this book for quite awhile and was not disappointed! at first, I thought there may have been too much at the begini.g, but it all paid off in the scheme of the book!
I suggest this book to those who enjoy fantasy reads, overcoming obstacles, strong heels/heroines, and fans of angels. the author's a genius!! someone...PLEASE, tell me there will be more to this series!!
I had been anticipation.g this book for quite awhile and was not disappointed! at first, I thought there may have been too much at the begini.g, but it all paid off in the scheme of the book!
I suggest this book to those who enjoy fantasy reads, overcoming obstacles, strong heels/heroines, and fans of angels. the author's a genius!! someone...PLEASE, tell me there will be more to this series!!
September 1, 2012
Wow!! I don't even know how to start this review! I am so proud of my friend. Uprising is a seriously new take on angels. I cannot wait to have the second book in my hands. Get busy writing more Ms. Jayne!!
December 11, 2012
Wow!!! Really enjoyed this!!! ;)
Review to come soon...
Review to come soon...
October 1, 2014
Review to come. - Beautiful! Amazing! Loved it!
Want to read
March 9, 2015This reminds me of the Hush Hush series.
March 4, 2015
I had a hard time deciding whether to give this 4 or 5 stars but finally settled on 4. Honestly, I would have given 4.5 stars but that's not an option.
Edit: I changed my mind and decided to go with 5 instead. Given how easily others are giving out 5 stars these days, I feel like it would be doing this book injustice to give it any less.
The pace of this book was slow (or rather, I would call it well-paced but people who love fast-paced action will somewhat disagree) but it was never boring. It's one of the few books that I did not feel the urge to skip to the end right away and trust me, I've been skipping a lot recently. Besides, the plot was awesome. This book has some serious world building going on in there that can fill a whole codex of its own. I hope Jayne will get about explaining more about the system in later books. It's just so fascinating! As of now, I'm just glad that she didn't choose to ditch one whole chunk of information in my face. I just got a ton piled gently on my lap for me to sort through.
I liked the characters, though at times I wished that I feel for them a little more. It's like I can relate to them yet I don't connect with them. I guess it's because I read the sample of the book in Smashswords and fell in love with Tyre... Only to find out that he really wasn't the highlight of the story. A big wth in my face, especially since I really, really loved Tyre. I kept thinking he'll be back as some badass villain somewhere in the book. It's stupid, really, considering that this book had been on my want-to-read list since before it was published and I had read the blurb a thousand times.
I enjoyed Rise as a character a lot. She's an interesting character overall - stubborn, has a tendency to go against orders that she doesn't understand, dislikes children, doesn't like to owe anyone favours, apathetic and is worried about it... I must admit, I relate to her pretty well LOL. I would really like to know more about her family. Hopefully we'll be seeing some encounters between her and her family in the upcoming books. A huge plus point to Rise for not falling for Dominik at once. I'm starting to get disturbed at how stories recently seem to make the heroines head-over-heels in love with a guy they barely know for a month. I mean, sure, you can have a mighty crush on him but love to the point where you will be willing to sacrifice everything for him? We need to do some rationality check. I also liked that she was the strong female type instead of being a constant damsel in distress. If anything, the only thing that made her lose points in my opinion was how combat skills came as a second nature to her. I'm the type who appreciates seeing a character work hard to achieve something.
I feel pretty sad - and bad - for Danny. I always feel sad for the male best friend when the heroine end up falling for a random guy that she barely knew for long. In a way, this is the one part of the story that falls back to the YA fantasy novel cliché: heroine is an antisocial with almost no friends at all, her best friend is a guy who has a crush on her but she doesn't realise it and falls for another guy instead. At least it's not that bad in this book because Danny went on several dates in the past, so it's not exactly Rise's fault for not realising sooner that he likes her. I mean, just because your best friend is of the opposite gender, it doesn't mean that he/she loves you. I also liked Emory in a way that I can't quite explain because he appears so little in the book. I guess he got extra credit for being the resourceful one and sympathy points for having choroideremia.
Dominik was okay, I guess. I know it's stupid but I kind of bore a grudge against him right from the start because he's so against Tyre. I'm glad that he's not your perfect male model specimen but his character leaves much to desire. He's just too righteous, almost to the point where he's fanatically so. It didn't help when his initial hostility to Rise was had obviously less to do with Rise's behaviour and more to his grudge against Tyre and the Heralds in general.
My favourite character overall, however, is still Tyre. Seriously, I'd hate to meet someone like him in real life but as a fictional hero, he's really cool. As the herald, he has great powers bestowed upon him and I appreciate that he's the only one who is willing to put those powers to good use. At the risk of his own life, no less. In a way, I guess he deserves to be arrogant and decide who is worthy of his help, even though Shay kept on insisting that everyone is equal. I mean, if you're going to risk your life for someone, that someone better be worth the trouble. Besides, like what he told Dominik, "When you have been given your wings, when you have faced down minion blades, and given advice and guardianship to souls only to see them fall into the fire... maybe then we can revisit the discussion." It's like in that one sentence, I can almost see his entire life drawn out before me: a young fledgling Herald who was determined to set out to save the world only to see his sacrifices being thrown back to him in the face over and over again until he became the cynical person he was. In a way, I admire his tenacity to continue helping the humans because I myself would have given up long ago. Moreover, I got the feeling that Tyre really feels more emotion than what he cares to show others, as evidenced by how he considered helping Joe's Prime Minister-to-be or when he showed compassion for the soul who showed remorse at his sins in life. "But if you look closer, you might be surprised at the emotions to be found in heralds." In a typical Japanese anime, that would be your punch line telling you that your hero does feel emotions.
Things always get sensitive when dealing with angels, especially when it comes to religion - atheists will get offended if the concept about God was forced too strongly on them, those who are devoted to their religion will feel repulsed if anything overly sacrilegious was spilled. Uprising did a good job of dancing around the whole religious thing, making Chinese zodiac, horoscopes and not to mention various religions work in tandem. I mean, I guess religious fanatics will still have a word or two to say but for the majority of the population, it doesn't get offensive.
The whole the human soul can choose to be a girl/boy thing made me feel a little uncomfortable, so to speak, but it was really fun in a crazy manner.
Despite all the good stuff in this book, I can't deny that it has its weaknesses too. For instance, I got the feeling that the referencing to all the astronomy lacked deep, detailed research work and the author was trying to make do with brushing over the surface. There's really nothing wrong to it since it's not the main focus of the story but stronger referencing that can give readers some insight to astronomy would have been a major WOW factor.
There's also a few things that I didn't quite understand. Plots that didn't quite make sense. The whole "surrender" reasoning feels a little forced, to me, but I can live with it.
Just to make life easier, I actually compiled a list of the duties of each choir but if you are the type who like to figure things out yourself, skip this bit:
Either way, this is a great book and I'm trying to figure out how to convince my friends to read this, especially since they're not the type to do YA. I've been seriously considering ditching the genre multiple times, what with the thrash that the publishers are generating these days but books like these keep turning up and I get hopeful all over again.
If you enjoyed Uprising, you can also try Susan Ee's debut novel, Angelfall. The first one third of the book is hard to get through but once you push past that, it's another fun-filled adventure.
Edit: I changed my mind and decided to go with 5 instead. Given how easily others are giving out 5 stars these days, I feel like it would be doing this book injustice to give it any less.
The pace of this book was slow (or rather, I would call it well-paced but people who love fast-paced action will somewhat disagree) but it was never boring. It's one of the few books that I did not feel the urge to skip to the end right away and trust me, I've been skipping a lot recently. Besides, the plot was awesome. This book has some serious world building going on in there that can fill a whole codex of its own. I hope Jayne will get about explaining more about the system in later books. It's just so fascinating! As of now, I'm just glad that she didn't choose to ditch one whole chunk of information in my face. I just got a ton piled gently on my lap for me to sort through.
I liked the characters, though at times I wished that I feel for them a little more. It's like I can relate to them yet I don't connect with them. I guess it's because I read the sample of the book in Smashswords and fell in love with Tyre... Only to find out that he really wasn't the highlight of the story. A big wth in my face, especially since I really, really loved Tyre. I kept thinking he'll be back as some badass villain somewhere in the book. It's stupid, really, considering that this book had been on my want-to-read list since before it was published and I had read the blurb a thousand times.
I enjoyed Rise as a character a lot. She's an interesting character overall - stubborn, has a tendency to go against orders that she doesn't understand, dislikes children, doesn't like to owe anyone favours, apathetic and is worried about it... I must admit, I relate to her pretty well LOL. I would really like to know more about her family. Hopefully we'll be seeing some encounters between her and her family in the upcoming books. A huge plus point to Rise for not falling for Dominik at once. I'm starting to get disturbed at how stories recently seem to make the heroines head-over-heels in love with a guy they barely know for a month. I mean, sure, you can have a mighty crush on him but love to the point where you will be willing to sacrifice everything for him? We need to do some rationality check. I also liked that she was the strong female type instead of being a constant damsel in distress. If anything, the only thing that made her lose points in my opinion was how combat skills came as a second nature to her. I'm the type who appreciates seeing a character work hard to achieve something.
I feel pretty sad - and bad - for Danny. I always feel sad for the male best friend when the heroine end up falling for a random guy that she barely knew for long. In a way, this is the one part of the story that falls back to the YA fantasy novel cliché: heroine is an antisocial with almost no friends at all, her best friend is a guy who has a crush on her but she doesn't realise it and falls for another guy instead. At least it's not that bad in this book because Danny went on several dates in the past, so it's not exactly Rise's fault for not realising sooner that he likes her. I mean, just because your best friend is of the opposite gender, it doesn't mean that he/she loves you. I also liked Emory in a way that I can't quite explain because he appears so little in the book. I guess he got extra credit for being the resourceful one and sympathy points for having choroideremia.
Dominik was okay, I guess. I know it's stupid but I kind of bore a grudge against him right from the start because he's so against Tyre. I'm glad that he's not your perfect male model specimen but his character leaves much to desire. He's just too righteous, almost to the point where he's fanatically so. It didn't help when his initial hostility to Rise was had obviously less to do with Rise's behaviour and more to his grudge against Tyre and the Heralds in general.
My favourite character overall, however, is still Tyre. Seriously, I'd hate to meet someone like him in real life but as a fictional hero, he's really cool. As the herald, he has great powers bestowed upon him and I appreciate that he's the only one who is willing to put those powers to good use. At the risk of his own life, no less. In a way, I guess he deserves to be arrogant and decide who is worthy of his help, even though Shay kept on insisting that everyone is equal. I mean, if you're going to risk your life for someone, that someone better be worth the trouble. Besides, like what he told Dominik, "When you have been given your wings, when you have faced down minion blades, and given advice and guardianship to souls only to see them fall into the fire... maybe then we can revisit the discussion." It's like in that one sentence, I can almost see his entire life drawn out before me: a young fledgling Herald who was determined to set out to save the world only to see his sacrifices being thrown back to him in the face over and over again until he became the cynical person he was. In a way, I admire his tenacity to continue helping the humans because I myself would have given up long ago. Moreover, I got the feeling that Tyre really feels more emotion than what he cares to show others, as evidenced by how he considered helping Joe's Prime Minister-to-be or when he showed compassion for the soul who showed remorse at his sins in life. "But if you look closer, you might be surprised at the emotions to be found in heralds." In a typical Japanese anime, that would be your punch line telling you that your hero does feel emotions.
Things always get sensitive when dealing with angels, especially when it comes to religion - atheists will get offended if the concept about God was forced too strongly on them, those who are devoted to their religion will feel repulsed if anything overly sacrilegious was spilled. Uprising did a good job of dancing around the whole religious thing, making Chinese zodiac, horoscopes and not to mention various religions work in tandem. I mean, I guess religious fanatics will still have a word or two to say but for the majority of the population, it doesn't get offensive.
The whole the human soul can choose to be a girl/boy thing made me feel a little uncomfortable, so to speak, but it was really fun in a crazy manner.
Despite all the good stuff in this book, I can't deny that it has its weaknesses too. For instance, I got the feeling that the referencing to all the astronomy lacked deep, detailed research work and the author was trying to make do with brushing over the surface. There's really nothing wrong to it since it's not the main focus of the story but stronger referencing that can give readers some insight to astronomy would have been a major WOW factor.
There's also a few things that I didn't quite understand. Plots that didn't quite make sense. The whole "surrender" reasoning feels a little forced, to me, but I can live with it.
Just to make life easier, I actually compiled a list of the duties of each choir but if you are the type who like to figure things out yourself, skip this bit:
Either way, this is a great book and I'm trying to figure out how to convince my friends to read this, especially since they're not the type to do YA. I've been seriously considering ditching the genre multiple times, what with the thrash that the publishers are generating these days but books like these keep turning up and I get hopeful all over again.
If you enjoyed Uprising, you can also try Susan Ee's debut novel, Angelfall. The first one third of the book is hard to get through but once you push past that, it's another fun-filled adventure.
February 14, 2013
An oddly compelling book that starts off fairly low key and unassuming, but gradually builds upon itself, pulling you in deeper as it goes. It reads quite quickly, even for a slow reader like myself, and for a long while it seems merely ordinary. Good, but ordinary. Then, somehow, it becomes more than that, and by the end it will have you all turned right round wondering which way is up in this complicated tale, and just how deep does the rabbit hole go, for I don't think we've even begun to plumb its depths by the end of this book.
The world the author builds in this book is quite fascinating, and includes a rather unique take on angels, the higher powers that exist, and the nature of souls both human and celestial. In particular she manages to weave together the seemingly opposed ideas of Free Will and Predestination in a way that manages to make sense, albeit a somewhat confusing sort of sense. I only wish that a little bit more had been explained as to the nature and purpose of the different celestial choirs and what deadly sin each of the 7 colors of souls corresponds to. Many are defined, but there are others that are mentioned yet never truly explained, though to be fair such explanations aren't strictly necessary to the story and explaining everything likely would have resulted in too much info dumping.
Rise is an easy enough character to relate to, and her frequent anger and uncertainties are completely understandable given the various things she's already had to endure in her short life. Initially you want to feel sorry for her, but she's so independent and so proactive about trying to change her situation for the better that you can't help but admire her. She's thrown into a great many difficult situations, given only dribbles of information for a long time and flat out denied explanations that most would feel are owed her, so it's hard not to feel her frustration along with her. Just when you think you have her figured out though, she goes and does something unexpected and you once again have to re-evaluate what you think of her. Much the same can be said of Dominick, though I'm not sure we ever really get any real insights into his character but instead we merely get to see various facets of him that don't seem to gel into any sort of cohesive whole. Then again, perhaps his true character really is that multifaceted and self-contradictory. Whatever the case, it's obvious by the end that there are deep-seated ties between him and Rise that are only beginning to come to light. No doubt these will be further explored and revealed in future books in the series.
If I have one criticism here, it's that there is far too much coincidence involved in everything for my taste. Another minor quibble is that
Overall, while this book left my somewhat confused, thoughts in a jumble, I have to conclude that such is a good sign and is something that's in the book's favor. It's part of what brought my rating up, for honestly this was riding at a solid 3 or somewhere in between a 3 and 4 star rating for me most of the way. The twists at the end, and that dumbstruck feeling it left me with, cinched the deal for a 4 or slightly above. I'd recommend this to anyone that likes non-traditional stories about angels, likes urban fantasy, or simply likes a book that will make you think a bit. I'll definitely be interested in reading the sequels to this one to see where the story goes from here.
The world the author builds in this book is quite fascinating, and includes a rather unique take on angels, the higher powers that exist, and the nature of souls both human and celestial. In particular she manages to weave together the seemingly opposed ideas of Free Will and Predestination in a way that manages to make sense, albeit a somewhat confusing sort of sense. I only wish that a little bit more had been explained as to the nature and purpose of the different celestial choirs and what deadly sin each of the 7 colors of souls corresponds to. Many are defined, but there are others that are mentioned yet never truly explained, though to be fair such explanations aren't strictly necessary to the story and explaining everything likely would have resulted in too much info dumping.
Rise is an easy enough character to relate to, and her frequent anger and uncertainties are completely understandable given the various things she's already had to endure in her short life. Initially you want to feel sorry for her, but she's so independent and so proactive about trying to change her situation for the better that you can't help but admire her. She's thrown into a great many difficult situations, given only dribbles of information for a long time and flat out denied explanations that most would feel are owed her, so it's hard not to feel her frustration along with her. Just when you think you have her figured out though, she goes and does something unexpected and you once again have to re-evaluate what you think of her. Much the same can be said of Dominick, though I'm not sure we ever really get any real insights into his character but instead we merely get to see various facets of him that don't seem to gel into any sort of cohesive whole. Then again, perhaps his true character really is that multifaceted and self-contradictory. Whatever the case, it's obvious by the end that there are deep-seated ties between him and Rise that are only beginning to come to light. No doubt these will be further explored and revealed in future books in the series.
If I have one criticism here, it's that there is far too much coincidence involved in everything for my taste. Another minor quibble is that
Overall, while this book left my somewhat confused, thoughts in a jumble, I have to conclude that such is a good sign and is something that's in the book's favor. It's part of what brought my rating up, for honestly this was riding at a solid 3 or somewhere in between a 3 and 4 star rating for me most of the way. The twists at the end, and that dumbstruck feeling it left me with, cinched the deal for a 4 or slightly above. I'd recommend this to anyone that likes non-traditional stories about angels, likes urban fantasy, or simply likes a book that will make you think a bit. I'll definitely be interested in reading the sequels to this one to see where the story goes from here.
February 20, 2013
This was a new take on angels and how they affect our destinies. I found Ms. Jayne's writing style easy to read, descriptive and, above all, naturally progressive. This was a lively read that allowed me to drop and pick it up - between real life - without losing track of the story.
The storyline is well grounded in the "real" world which allows many readers to easily connect without extensive world-building but our time spent 'above' - in the heavens - really stood out to me. I thought it was all well imagined and I didn't have a hard time picturing where and what the angels were doing.
Dominik was an interesting character, and much more flawed than I originally perceived in the opening chapters of the book. Rise was interesting as well. I didn't get a real feel of romantic attraction to anyone in the book for the majority of the novel and her ability to form friendships seemed limited. Her flaws were much more obvious and she seemed to have a hard time with connecting with others which I am sure was partly due to her upbringing.
The extreme sense of interconnectedness was a little overwhelming to me. It was interesting and crazy to imagine that things are planned out like that but at the same time I felt it seemed a little too artificial by the end.
Overall a strong, well-written novel.
The storyline is well grounded in the "real" world which allows many readers to easily connect without extensive world-building but our time spent 'above' - in the heavens - really stood out to me. I thought it was all well imagined and I didn't have a hard time picturing where and what the angels were doing.
Dominik was an interesting character, and much more flawed than I originally perceived in the opening chapters of the book. Rise was interesting as well. I didn't get a real feel of romantic attraction to anyone in the book for the majority of the novel and her ability to form friendships seemed limited. Her flaws were much more obvious and she seemed to have a hard time with connecting with others which I am sure was partly due to her upbringing.
The extreme sense of interconnectedness was a little overwhelming to me. It was interesting and crazy to imagine that things are planned out like that but at the same time I felt it seemed a little too artificial by the end.
Overall a strong, well-written novel.
July 28, 2016
I loved this book so much that I read it till 2 a.m. I just wanted to finish it, and when I did, I was so sad there was no more ... I don't know how but I have to get my hands on the sequel when it comes out ...
The beginning is a bit slow, although neccessary for the progress of the story, but once Rise comes into the picture things turn amazing ... I loved her character from the first page, and my love for her just increased with time. She's an amazing female character, and I can't wait to see her grow more and become a kick ass Herald, but also somehow hold on to her humanity, the way Dominic did. I didn't like him at first, but with time I totally fell for him ... I have to admit I'm a sucker for good love stories so more than anything I'm curious to find out what/ if anything, will happen with the two of them ... They have amazing chemistry so far ...
A very interesting read ... So happy I got the chance to read this book :)
The beginning is a bit slow, although neccessary for the progress of the story, but once Rise comes into the picture things turn amazing ... I loved her character from the first page, and my love for her just increased with time. She's an amazing female character, and I can't wait to see her grow more and become a kick ass Herald, but also somehow hold on to her humanity, the way Dominic did. I didn't like him at first, but with time I totally fell for him ... I have to admit I'm a sucker for good love stories so more than anything I'm curious to find out what/ if anything, will happen with the two of them ... They have amazing chemistry so far ...
A very interesting read ... So happy I got the chance to read this book :)
May 1, 2012
Think you know all about angels? Well think again. This is a phenomenal book that will change the way you think about them. Dawn Jayne has a wonderful imagination that you get to glimpse into in this wonderful book. The story line is one that pulls you right in. You get sucked into this book and can see the story like you are watching a tv show. I love that in a book. The characters are well written and you watch them grow as the book continues. Some you will love and hope everything works out for them and one you will wish a horrible end to. Be prepared to fall in love with some of these characters you will wish they are real. A small warning you may need when you pick up this book. Make sure you have nothing to do cause you won't want to put it down. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
April 30, 2012
Think you know all about angels? Well think again. This is a phenomenal book that will change the way you think about them. Dawn Jayne has a wonderful imagination that you get to glimpse into in this wonderful book.
The story line is one that pulls you right in. You get sucked into this book and can see the story like you are watching a tv show. I love that in a book. The characters are well written and you watch them grow as the book continues. Some you will love and hope everything works out for them and one you will wish a horrible end to. Be prepared to fall in love with some of these characters you will wish they are real.
A small warning you may need when you pick up this book. Make sure you have nothing to do cause you won't want to put it down. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
The story line is one that pulls you right in. You get sucked into this book and can see the story like you are watching a tv show. I love that in a book. The characters are well written and you watch them grow as the book continues. Some you will love and hope everything works out for them and one you will wish a horrible end to. Be prepared to fall in love with some of these characters you will wish they are real.
A small warning you may need when you pick up this book. Make sure you have nothing to do cause you won't want to put it down. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews