What do you think?
Rate this book
The Raek Riders Series #3
As Easy as Falling
After Meera emerges from her magic-induced coma with a powerful knell body, she soon discovers that the wild raek has given her more than she’d bargained the horrifying ability to conjure raek fire. Unable to control her magic and afraid she will burn down everything she has built for herself, Meera leaves the Riders’ Holt.
With the help of an unexpected—and long-dead—teacher, she will train to prove to herself and her friends that she is worthy of being the next raek rider. But what kind of a rider can’t control her own raek?
Meera’s return to the riders is met with mixed emotions, complicated further when Shael’s friend Kennick challenges her to a fight … and wants to buy her new boots. But the acceptance Meera really needs is from the Queen’s Council—without it, she could lose the home she has finally found for herself or even her life.
With the help of an unexpected—and long-dead—teacher, she will train to prove to herself and her friends that she is worthy of being the next raek rider. But what kind of a rider can’t control her own raek?
Meera’s return to the riders is met with mixed emotions, complicated further when Shael’s friend Kennick challenges her to a fight … and wants to buy her new boots. But the acceptance Meera really needs is from the Queen’s Council—without it, she could lose the home she has finally found for herself or even her life.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 19, 2024
31 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Melanie K. Moschella
5 books21 followersMelanie is an escapist reader and writer living in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire. Her two true passions are parenting and writing—both of which require stamina and creativity, but only one of which allows her to sit down. Despite Melanie’s overpriced English degree from an overrated university, she attributes her debut work, The Raek Riders Series, to the isolation of new motherhood—after all, what could make a person crave adventure and romance more than dirty diapers?
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 21, 2024
Third book in the series. Is this the greatest work of literary fiction, with elegant prose and poetic storytelling? No. Is it addictive, fun, light-hearted, and having me finish it in one sitting, forgetting to even eat or drink water - YES. I am so glad all 5 books in this series were released on the same day (yesterday) because I have no intention of sleeping tonight. I have to finish the last 2 books and just live in the glow and giggles this has given me!
I love this book. This book moves Meera's story along yet again. The last book ended on a cliffhanger, and this book takes off as if there isn't even a page missing between them. The first two books was mainly world building, getting the reader familiar with the world and races and their magical systems. This book is the start of Meera's hero journey. No more accepting the ride life is providing her, but grabbing it by the horns.
There is more world building in this book, but it is in depth. We spend more time learning Raek history and how their magic works. I was so here for it!
I love this book. This book moves Meera's story along yet again. The last book ended on a cliffhanger, and this book takes off as if there isn't even a page missing between them. The first two books was mainly world building, getting the reader familiar with the world and races and their magical systems. This book is the start of Meera's hero journey. No more accepting the ride life is providing her, but grabbing it by the horns.
There is more world building in this book, but it is in depth. We spend more time learning Raek history and how their magic works. I was so here for it!
September 20, 2024
I've got such intense whiplash from the romance plot in these books, man. The following discussion is going to be a bit spoilery.
In the first book there's no romance at all. Then, in the second book it's almost entirely romance with Shael, at the expense of most other things in the plot. Now, in this book, Shael and Meera get together for .5 seconds before breaking up again, seemingly for good. Now Meera is with another guy, with seemingly zero regrets about not being with Shael. That's fine and everything, in a character sense, but it almost makes me a bit resentful about the fact that book two was entirely will they/won't they between Shael and Meera when the answer turned out to be "they won't." Legitimately caught me off guard with that one.
I guess there's still two books to go, during which this can possibly be brought around to make sense to me. An issue I've noticed with this series is that all the entries past the first book don't have particularly concrete arcs. Stuff just kind of happens, one thing after another, in a way that makes logical sense but doesn't necessarily build to a strong climax. It's just a series of things that happen to Meera.
So why did I give it 4 stars? I just... I like it, I guess. I like hearing about the series of things that happen to Meera. Meera is a super enjoyable character. I like most of the characters in the books. I loved the addition of Shaya a lot, even though she's terrible. I still crave way more raek stuff than this series is willing to give me, but it was enough to satisfy this time around.
I do feel like Shael was kind of done dirty in this entry. Like, I really was not expecting to go through two books with Shael only for him to be awkwardly set aside in the story the way he is here. It made sense emotionally for Meera but it doesn't necessarily make sense for me as a reader. I really feel like I need more of a payoff to his and Meera's arc than what this book presents, so I guess I'm going to be counting on the next two books to do that for me. It's also a bummer that Cerun really hasn't gotten to do anything since the first book but babysit Shael and I hope that changes at some point.
Character interactions really just make this whole thing for me despite my concerns, though. The structure may seem flat to me, at times, but I've never felt unengaged or wanted to put it down, which is really high praise.
In the first book there's no romance at all. Then, in the second book it's almost entirely romance with Shael, at the expense of most other things in the plot. Now, in this book, Shael and Meera get together for .5 seconds before breaking up again, seemingly for good. Now Meera is with another guy, with seemingly zero regrets about not being with Shael. That's fine and everything, in a character sense, but it almost makes me a bit resentful about the fact that book two was entirely will they/won't they between Shael and Meera when the answer turned out to be "they won't." Legitimately caught me off guard with that one.
I guess there's still two books to go, during which this can possibly be brought around to make sense to me. An issue I've noticed with this series is that all the entries past the first book don't have particularly concrete arcs. Stuff just kind of happens, one thing after another, in a way that makes logical sense but doesn't necessarily build to a strong climax. It's just a series of things that happen to Meera.
So why did I give it 4 stars? I just... I like it, I guess. I like hearing about the series of things that happen to Meera. Meera is a super enjoyable character. I like most of the characters in the books. I loved the addition of Shaya a lot, even though she's terrible. I still crave way more raek stuff than this series is willing to give me, but it was enough to satisfy this time around.
I do feel like Shael was kind of done dirty in this entry. Like, I really was not expecting to go through two books with Shael only for him to be awkwardly set aside in the story the way he is here. It made sense emotionally for Meera but it doesn't necessarily make sense for me as a reader. I really feel like I need more of a payoff to his and Meera's arc than what this book presents, so I guess I'm going to be counting on the next two books to do that for me. It's also a bummer that Cerun really hasn't gotten to do anything since the first book but babysit Shael and I hope that changes at some point.
Character interactions really just make this whole thing for me despite my concerns, though. The structure may seem flat to me, at times, but I've never felt unengaged or wanted to put it down, which is really high praise.
June 15, 2025
As Easy as Falling was a solid continuation in the Raek Rider series—definitely the most romance-heavy book so far, and for those of us who’ve followed Meera's journey from the start, it delivers some real emotional shifts.
First off, Kennick. Just—wow. Total scene-stealer. He was such a strong new addition, and honestly, I found myself caring about him way more than I expected. Meera, on the other hand, continues to have her ups and downs. There were definitely moments where she frustrated me enough to want to put the book down, but I can’t deny her character growth. Her transformation—both in identity and mindset—was handled well, even if I felt like two months of training wasn’t quite enough time for such a big shift. I get why it had to happen fast, but it still felt a little rushed.
(SPOILER BELOW)
-----------------
One thing I’m still not over: Meera and Shael. Their supposed “boundless” love felt like it fizzled out way too fast. After three books of buildup, I expected something more—some kind of emotional reckoning or deeper resolution. Instead, it felt like their relationship just… fell apart. And then Kennick swoops in, and now she wants him? I don’t hate it, but it felt jarring. I’d almost be here for a love triangle if it was handled with care—but I also don’t want too much drama for drama’s sake. I’m super curious (and a little nervous) about how all of this will be dealt with in the next book.
------------------
That said, the lore remains phenomenal. It’s the heartbeat of this series and what makes it so impossible to put down. Still, I found myself wishing for more action—like an intense battle scene or some higher-stakes conflict to balance all the romance and inner growth. Something involving Shaya's past or a deeper external threat would’ve really leveled things up.
The writing, as always, is descriptive and immersive, pulling you into the world with ease. I stayed hooked, even when I felt conflicted about certain relationship dynamics.
Overall, it’s a 4-star read for me. Emotional, beautifully written, and full of character development—but with a few choices that left me torn. Still, I’m definitely in for the next book.
First off, Kennick. Just—wow. Total scene-stealer. He was such a strong new addition, and honestly, I found myself caring about him way more than I expected. Meera, on the other hand, continues to have her ups and downs. There were definitely moments where she frustrated me enough to want to put the book down, but I can’t deny her character growth. Her transformation—both in identity and mindset—was handled well, even if I felt like two months of training wasn’t quite enough time for such a big shift. I get why it had to happen fast, but it still felt a little rushed.
(SPOILER BELOW)
-----------------
One thing I’m still not over: Meera and Shael. Their supposed “boundless” love felt like it fizzled out way too fast. After three books of buildup, I expected something more—some kind of emotional reckoning or deeper resolution. Instead, it felt like their relationship just… fell apart. And then Kennick swoops in, and now she wants him? I don’t hate it, but it felt jarring. I’d almost be here for a love triangle if it was handled with care—but I also don’t want too much drama for drama’s sake. I’m super curious (and a little nervous) about how all of this will be dealt with in the next book.
------------------
That said, the lore remains phenomenal. It’s the heartbeat of this series and what makes it so impossible to put down. Still, I found myself wishing for more action—like an intense battle scene or some higher-stakes conflict to balance all the romance and inner growth. Something involving Shaya's past or a deeper external threat would’ve really leveled things up.
The writing, as always, is descriptive and immersive, pulling you into the world with ease. I stayed hooked, even when I felt conflicted about certain relationship dynamics.
Overall, it’s a 4-star read for me. Emotional, beautifully written, and full of character development—but with a few choices that left me torn. Still, I’m definitely in for the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2024
I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book and following Meera as she navigates her new powers. However, there is the start of a love triangle happening which I’m not a fan of.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2024
It's actually a 4.5 btw! I just don't auto round up to 5 star.
I don't think I have ever read a book that screams transition like this one does (in a good way I promise), and not just plot but everything. My favorite thing about this one is specifically Meera's growth! Shael goes through things that both confuse me and make me hurt for him. Then there's Kennick.
I don't think I have ever read a book that screams transition like this one does (in a good way I promise), and not just plot but everything. My favorite thing about this one is specifically Meera's growth! Shael goes through things that both confuse me and make me hurt for him. Then there's Kennick.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews