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Rebel Skies #2
Rebel Fire
The second in a pacy and lyrical fantasy adventure trilogy set in a world of flying ships, sky cities and rebel uprisings.
Kurara and her shipmates have escaped the grasp of the princess, whose wish to control and command them as her own human shikigami would be a fate worse than death. Travelling through the forests and across the seas of Mikoshima, they finally the Grand Stream, where their old airship – and old enemies – await.
Both parties seek the greatest shikigami of all: Suzaku, a paper phoenix. But will it be saved – or destroyed?
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"Featuring a vivid mythology, spectacular battles, and an endlessly surprising heroine, Rebel Skies is as intricate, beautiful and startling as one of the paper spirits Kurara brings to life." Jonathan Stroud
"A magical debut that reads like a Ghibli film, brimming with imagination, action and heart." Natasha Ngan
"An intricately constructed ode to papercraft and Japanese culture. I fell in love with this world of airships, cumulous whales and floating cities. Pure magic." Lauren James
Kurara and her shipmates have escaped the grasp of the princess, whose wish to control and command them as her own human shikigami would be a fate worse than death. Travelling through the forests and across the seas of Mikoshima, they finally the Grand Stream, where their old airship – and old enemies – await.
Both parties seek the greatest shikigami of all: Suzaku, a paper phoenix. But will it be saved – or destroyed?
---
"Featuring a vivid mythology, spectacular battles, and an endlessly surprising heroine, Rebel Skies is as intricate, beautiful and startling as one of the paper spirits Kurara brings to life." Jonathan Stroud
"A magical debut that reads like a Ghibli film, brimming with imagination, action and heart." Natasha Ngan
"An intricately constructed ode to papercraft and Japanese culture. I fell in love with this world of airships, cumulous whales and floating cities. Pure magic." Lauren James
Audible Audio
First published July 5, 2023
31 people are currently reading
898 people want to read
About the author
Ann Sei Lin
5 books167 followersAnn Sei Lin is a writer and librarian with a love for all things fantasy. She loves worldbuilding more than anything. Especially diving into the details of the seemingly mundane. When not writing, she is often studying, gaming, or trying to make that origami rabbit for the one hundredth time.
The first book in her debut trilogy, Rebel Skies, is set to release March 2022, published by Walker Books.
The first book in her debut trilogy, Rebel Skies, is set to release March 2022, published by Walker Books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
October 13, 2025
I can't remember the last time I rated a sequel 5 stars, but this has fully restored my faith in them again. Following on from the sheer chaos at the end of the first book, Kurara searches for answers to her past, and the future of the Shikigami.
There's three things I look for in a sequel - new characters, new location, new danger. This ticked all three, with Kurara and Haru travelling to meet the gravekeeper, meeting new Shikigami along the way and discovering the horrors they could become.
Of course, this did leave us on somewhat of a cliffhanger for the next book, which I can't wait for. I'm really hoping it will be released sometime in the next two years, and I really think this series could hit a full five stars across the board if it keeps up.
There's three things I look for in a sequel - new characters, new location, new danger. This ticked all three, with Kurara and Haru travelling to meet the gravekeeper, meeting new Shikigami along the way and discovering the horrors they could become.
Of course, this did leave us on somewhat of a cliffhanger for the next book, which I can't wait for. I'm really hoping it will be released sometime in the next two years, and I really think this series could hit a full five stars across the board if it keeps up.
October 30, 2024
On Princess Tsukimi's seventh birthday, her father set fire to a God.
Although still a nice book, overall, I definitely preferred Rebel Skies over Fire, that much is clear.
My main problem is the characters. I still absolutely loathe Himura and I just don't see the point of the chapters that are written from his POV. He's still a lying, slimy, sleazy bastard who doesn't deserve to see the light of day.
The same goes for Haru. He becomes much more important now than he was in Book 1, where I also didn't really like him, but in Book 2 he just becomes another character who totally annoys the heck out of me because of his actions, his beliefs, his, well, everything, really. Just mentioning his name already drove me nuts. And since he's around nearly all the time, that makes things... complicated for me.
Kurara is still fine, although there were a couple of times where she acted a bit out of character, in my opinion, but mostly she was doing OK.
Tomoe and Sayo were fun to have around, but after some time I started wondering why they were actually around, because strangely enough their presence doesn't seem to affect the story much. That became increasingly clear to me in the final pages, when . So, then, what was the point of having them along for this book? It looks a bit as if Sei Lin just hadn't thought that far ahead when she was writing Book 1 and then had to deal with Tomoe and Sayo in Book 2, without them being needed there.
The Interludes in this book are about Princess Tsukimi and were much more interesting than the ones with Rei in Book 1. We do get more insight in her background and her motives, and that cliffhanger at the end of the final Interlude was amazing.
Learning about the world, and especially the shikigami, was interesting and fun to read, although some of the plot twists that the author included, fell flat to me; she hardly ever really surprised me. The final chapters form the most exciting part of the book, though, and there she still got me at last. As for the revelations about Sazuka and Kurara's background... Although I had figured out a couple of things, the full story nearly blew my mind. That was very well done! But I have to be honest: it took nearly until page 250 before the story really sucked me in. That is too long.
For the manga readers/anime viewers out there: Take a closer look at the cover. See that lake on it? It reminded me a lot of the meteor crater lake in your name.. That brought a smile to my face.
6.5/10
Downstarred from 7/10 (20/7/2023)
Although still a nice book, overall, I definitely preferred Rebel Skies over Fire, that much is clear.
My main problem is the characters. I still absolutely loathe Himura and I just don't see the point of the chapters that are written from his POV. He's still a lying, slimy, sleazy bastard who doesn't deserve to see the light of day.
The same goes for Haru. He becomes much more important now than he was in Book 1, where I also didn't really like him, but in Book 2 he just becomes another character who totally annoys the heck out of me because of his actions, his beliefs, his, well, everything, really. Just mentioning his name already drove me nuts. And since he's around nearly all the time, that makes things... complicated for me.
Kurara is still fine, although there were a couple of times where she acted a bit out of character, in my opinion, but mostly she was doing OK.
Tomoe and Sayo were fun to have around, but after some time I started wondering why they were actually around, because strangely enough their presence doesn't seem to affect the story much. That became increasingly clear to me in the final pages, when . So, then, what was the point of having them along for this book? It looks a bit as if Sei Lin just hadn't thought that far ahead when she was writing Book 1 and then had to deal with Tomoe and Sayo in Book 2, without them being needed there.
The Interludes in this book are about Princess Tsukimi and were much more interesting than the ones with Rei in Book 1. We do get more insight in her background and her motives, and that cliffhanger at the end of the final Interlude was amazing.
Learning about the world, and especially the shikigami, was interesting and fun to read, although some of the plot twists that the author included, fell flat to me; she hardly ever really surprised me. The final chapters form the most exciting part of the book, though, and there she still got me at last. As for the revelations about Sazuka and Kurara's background... Although I had figured out a couple of things, the full story nearly blew my mind. That was very well done! But I have to be honest: it took nearly until page 250 before the story really sucked me in. That is too long.
For the manga readers/anime viewers out there: Take a closer look at the cover. See that lake on it? It reminded me a lot of the meteor crater lake in your name.. That brought a smile to my face.
6.5/10
Downstarred from 7/10 (20/7/2023)
July 30, 2023
fast paced ✅
good worldbuilding ✅
interesting objective ✅
moral questions ✅
smooth buttery writing style ✅
ah i love fast paced YA fantasy so much, nothing over worlds that draw you in without taking 100 hours
and also ORIGAMI MAGIC
amazing
sensational
good worldbuilding ✅
interesting objective ✅
moral questions ✅
smooth buttery writing style ✅
ah i love fast paced YA fantasy so much, nothing over worlds that draw you in without taking 100 hours
and also ORIGAMI MAGIC
amazing
sensational
April 2, 2024
Perfect for escapism. Definitely a 2nd book in a trilogy, that does not suffer from 2nd-book-syndrome. Looking forward for the finale.
July 12, 2024
4.5 stars
i love this world what can i say
i love this world what can i say
May 1, 2024
Un excellent second tome !
Je n’avais pas en tête tous les éléments du tome 1 mais j’ai finalement retrouvé à peu près la mémoire au cours des premiers chapitres !
J’ai adoré découvrir les mystères qui m’avaient tenus en haleine lors du premier tome. Vraiment j’adore la magie et l’univers de cette saga que je trouve incroyable !
L’auteur n’a censé de me surprendre et il me tarde de connaître la fin de cette saga !
Clairement si vous avez kiffer le tome 1, le tome 2 vous plaira tout autant !
Je n’avais pas en tête tous les éléments du tome 1 mais j’ai finalement retrouvé à peu près la mémoire au cours des premiers chapitres !
J’ai adoré découvrir les mystères qui m’avaient tenus en haleine lors du premier tome. Vraiment j’adore la magie et l’univers de cette saga que je trouve incroyable !
L’auteur n’a censé de me surprendre et il me tarde de connaître la fin de cette saga !
Clairement si vous avez kiffer le tome 1, le tome 2 vous plaira tout autant !
June 13, 2024
Rebel Fire is the second installment in the Rebel Skies Trilogy and it did not disappoint. While book 1 takes place mainly in the sky and sky cities Rebel Fire takes place on the ground. I absolutely love how Ann Sei Lin describes the world of Mikoshima, Kazami, and Nessai are so beautiful you can imagine yourself there. Kurara is the best type of heroine and I love seeing her continue to grow through book 2. While in many series the second book tends to be lackluster this is not the case for Rebel Fire, the action scenes are amazing and the stakes are higher then ever. I ate this book up and IT spit me out, book 3 can't come out soon enough!
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing the eARC.
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing the eARC.
August 31, 2024
Rebel Fire was a great sequel to the first book in this trilogy! Kurara is still reeling from Himura’s betrayal and now she, Haru, Tamoe, and Sayo are on the ground trying to find a way back to the ship Orihime. In this book, we get to see Himura’s and Princess Tsukimi POV as well which I thought was a nice addition to be able to dive deeper into getting to know these characters especially the princess after what happened in the first book! The magic system and world building was just as wonderful as it was in the first book, and as more revelations are revealed, it adds to the quality of those two. This book focuses on Kurara wanting to grant the shikigami their freedom, and to also learn what makes her and Haru different from the rest. Kurara still doesn’t know much about her past, but as the plot moves forward we get answers to a lot of things! This was an epic adventure to read and I can’t wait to see how it ends in the third book!
Thank you to coloredpagesbt, tundra books, and the author for a copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
Thank you to coloredpagesbt, tundra books, and the author for a copy of this book! All opinions are my own.
November 7, 2024
J'ai adoré le tome 1, ce tome 2 était aussi trèèèèès très bon mais je pense que je l'aurais encore plus aimé en enchaînant la saga !!
Mais c'est vraiment une saga référencée jeunesse que je recommanderais comme n'importe quel YA tant la qualité dépasse les "simplicités" que l'on peut avoir dans un jeunesse. Et à la fois il en garde la fraicheur - bref vraiment lisez les ce sont des pépites !
Mais c'est vraiment une saga référencée jeunesse que je recommanderais comme n'importe quel YA tant la qualité dépasse les "simplicités" que l'on peut avoir dans un jeunesse. Et à la fois il en garde la fraicheur - bref vraiment lisez les ce sont des pépites !
July 21, 2023
The way Ann Sei Lin managed to change my mind about a character I really didn't like since the first book is flabbergasting. And when my favorite character had a "smaller" role in Rebel Skies, they now became THE favorite character and every time I waited for their return to the page.
While the book still has some predictable plot points, the vibe is just *chef's kiss*.
While the book still has some predictable plot points, the vibe is just *chef's kiss*.
June 26, 2024
Rebel Fire is Book 2 in the fantasy YA trilogy by @annseilin1. I was VERY excited to be able to read this NetGalley ARC thanks to @penguinrandomca and @tundrabooks. I was part of a Tandem Readalong for Book 1 (Rebel Skies) this past April and it left off on a good cliffhanger that made me very anxious to continue the saga! You absolutely must read Rebel Skies first before Rebel Fire.
Synopsis:
We left off as Kurara had barely escaped capture by the evil Princess Tsukimi. In this world of sky cities, land cities, Imperial rule, the mysterious Crafters and their shikigami paper spirits designed to do their will, there are several groups of people vying for control of Mikoshima.
Kurara has just discovered that she herself is not human, but a type of human-form shikigami, and with this comes amazing power, but also a feeling of not belonging. She, with best friend Haru (also shikigami), and human sky city friends, Tomoe and Sayo, all seek to help save their world before the Princess, or her brother Prince Ugetsu completely destroy all the sky cities and shikigami that they cannot control.
Their adventure finds dangerous stops at underground cities, a grave-digger, and equally both new friends and foes as they seek to find a Star Seed, which Kurara believes can reshape the whole empire for a better future.
Opinion:
This sequel did not disappoint! The flow of the author's writing and how she continues to unveil the inner workings of each character and their motivations really adds to the magic of this adventure. I love how more of Kurara's past is revealed and by the book's end, it is left with the biggest quest still ahead. I can't wait to wrap up the story with Book 3, Rebel Dawn! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Synopsis:
We left off as Kurara had barely escaped capture by the evil Princess Tsukimi. In this world of sky cities, land cities, Imperial rule, the mysterious Crafters and their shikigami paper spirits designed to do their will, there are several groups of people vying for control of Mikoshima.
Kurara has just discovered that she herself is not human, but a type of human-form shikigami, and with this comes amazing power, but also a feeling of not belonging. She, with best friend Haru (also shikigami), and human sky city friends, Tomoe and Sayo, all seek to help save their world before the Princess, or her brother Prince Ugetsu completely destroy all the sky cities and shikigami that they cannot control.
Their adventure finds dangerous stops at underground cities, a grave-digger, and equally both new friends and foes as they seek to find a Star Seed, which Kurara believes can reshape the whole empire for a better future.
Opinion:
This sequel did not disappoint! The flow of the author's writing and how she continues to unveil the inner workings of each character and their motivations really adds to the magic of this adventure. I love how more of Kurara's past is revealed and by the book's end, it is left with the biggest quest still ahead. I can't wait to wrap up the story with Book 3, Rebel Dawn! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 17, 2023
5 stars! Some of the absolute best fantasy out there. It’s origami magic with most picturesque and yet terrifying settings. I’d give a lot of money to be able to do even 2 of the cool things Kurara can do. Ann Sei Lin has such a way with fantasy and worldbuilding that you’re instantly transported to her exquisite world. Treat yourself to Rebel Fire and if you haven’t read Rebel Skies yet… I ask why not?! Also, the covers are stunning, so get buying folks!
August 25, 2023
{67/2023} 4/5🌟 YA Fantasy Fiction | 346 pages
For those who have read “Rebel Skies”, this sequel would have been an anticipated one as Kurara continued her journey into finding the secrets about the dreams she kept having. To recap, in the first book “Rebel Skies”, a troubled Crafter, Kurara, joined an airship crew in the quest of hunting paper spirits, or as it was called, shikigami. Kurara’s home was destroyed during a shikigami attack. In her journey, she met some people that would either help or deceive her. Meanwhile, Princess Tsukimi, the princess of Mikoshima kingdom, yearned for something that Kurara had and so it became her personal quest.
Which brings us to this second installment, of after a much chaotic ending in the first book, where Kurara, Haru, Tomoe and Sayo continued their journey to find the Orihime ship, their “home”. All they need to ensure was to travel safely to Nessai harbour to be reunited with the airship. Most importantly, they needed to be under the radar away from Princess Tsukimi. Kurara’s dreams were getting frequent and she knew these dreams would have something to do with her past, and she knew Haru was not telling all to her, and that there were more that he was keeping to himself. After quite a “cameo” appearance in the first book, we would be seeing a lot of Princess Tsukimi this time around, still with her neverending quest and dream of becoming a Crafter, which she couldn’t, though her mother was. Therefore, capturing Kurara and Haru was definitely one of the ways towards achieving her ultimate dream to become a crafter, or wasn’t she?
In this sequel, most of the characters, antagonist and protagonist, had to deal with their personal conflicts; between bad and good, truth and lies. Kurara was dragged into a big dilemma as she began to unravel the truth concerning her mystery identity. Himura with his conflict of truth, Haru in holding on to his right of not telling the actual truth to Kurara, and even Princess Tsukimi in accepting the truth that perhaps she could not be as talented as her mother?
I have loved the first book. Kurara is such a cool character to me as I always dream of becoming sort of like a badass and feisty heroin like her. I have loved her confrontation with Himura in the first book and I wished I could see it visually. This time round, Kurara was still fighting enemies skillfully as Kurara had become more adaptable and comfortable with her skills. Most importantly, in this sequel we could know what was the secret hidden behind Kurara’s dreams, which I found to be quite a plot-twist, although I might have a tad confusion concerning the relationship between a Crafter and a shikigami.
I love the world-building; as well as the immaculate and pristine description of every scenery, and how the author used the right words in describing everything including the fighting scene. It’s no wonder that it is described as something that any Ghibli fan would love. The story has qualities that would certainly worth it if it was to be adapted cinematically. My heart swells for Akane and Banri, which I think are the cutest shikigamis and I would love to see the floating cities, Nessai and Kazami brought to live in colours and movements.
This is a tale about freedom, slavery, power, pure talent, sacrifice and determination. It certainly delivers the lessons that being privileged and having everything can never guarantee a person to get what he or she wants. It also tells us that making the right choices may require sacrifices and it is not always a happy ending. If it is required for us to fight for the right thing, then we fight for the right thing.
I seriously can’t wait for the final installment and find out what’s going to happen. My heart is rooting for #TeamKurara! Thank you #pansing for this review copy in exchange of an honest opinion.
#justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #AugustReads #AugustTBRs #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookish #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #ohgosh #rebelfire #annseilin
For those who have read “Rebel Skies”, this sequel would have been an anticipated one as Kurara continued her journey into finding the secrets about the dreams she kept having. To recap, in the first book “Rebel Skies”, a troubled Crafter, Kurara, joined an airship crew in the quest of hunting paper spirits, or as it was called, shikigami. Kurara’s home was destroyed during a shikigami attack. In her journey, she met some people that would either help or deceive her. Meanwhile, Princess Tsukimi, the princess of Mikoshima kingdom, yearned for something that Kurara had and so it became her personal quest.
Which brings us to this second installment, of after a much chaotic ending in the first book, where Kurara, Haru, Tomoe and Sayo continued their journey to find the Orihime ship, their “home”. All they need to ensure was to travel safely to Nessai harbour to be reunited with the airship. Most importantly, they needed to be under the radar away from Princess Tsukimi. Kurara’s dreams were getting frequent and she knew these dreams would have something to do with her past, and she knew Haru was not telling all to her, and that there were more that he was keeping to himself. After quite a “cameo” appearance in the first book, we would be seeing a lot of Princess Tsukimi this time around, still with her neverending quest and dream of becoming a Crafter, which she couldn’t, though her mother was. Therefore, capturing Kurara and Haru was definitely one of the ways towards achieving her ultimate dream to become a crafter, or wasn’t she?
In this sequel, most of the characters, antagonist and protagonist, had to deal with their personal conflicts; between bad and good, truth and lies. Kurara was dragged into a big dilemma as she began to unravel the truth concerning her mystery identity. Himura with his conflict of truth, Haru in holding on to his right of not telling the actual truth to Kurara, and even Princess Tsukimi in accepting the truth that perhaps she could not be as talented as her mother?
I have loved the first book. Kurara is such a cool character to me as I always dream of becoming sort of like a badass and feisty heroin like her. I have loved her confrontation with Himura in the first book and I wished I could see it visually. This time round, Kurara was still fighting enemies skillfully as Kurara had become more adaptable and comfortable with her skills. Most importantly, in this sequel we could know what was the secret hidden behind Kurara’s dreams, which I found to be quite a plot-twist, although I might have a tad confusion concerning the relationship between a Crafter and a shikigami.
I love the world-building; as well as the immaculate and pristine description of every scenery, and how the author used the right words in describing everything including the fighting scene. It’s no wonder that it is described as something that any Ghibli fan would love. The story has qualities that would certainly worth it if it was to be adapted cinematically. My heart swells for Akane and Banri, which I think are the cutest shikigamis and I would love to see the floating cities, Nessai and Kazami brought to live in colours and movements.
This is a tale about freedom, slavery, power, pure talent, sacrifice and determination. It certainly delivers the lessons that being privileged and having everything can never guarantee a person to get what he or she wants. It also tells us that making the right choices may require sacrifices and it is not always a happy ending. If it is required for us to fight for the right thing, then we fight for the right thing.
I seriously can’t wait for the final installment and find out what’s going to happen. My heart is rooting for #TeamKurara! Thank you #pansing for this review copy in exchange of an honest opinion.
#justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #AugustReads #AugustTBRs #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookish #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #ohgosh #rebelfire #annseilin
September 30, 2025
Really important question: how can so much happen in like 350 pages and the pacing is (mostly) brilliant??? I was invested from the beginning (makes sense, it picks up from book 1 Rebel Skies) and the stakes were set high. I love Kurara's ofuda arm and I like how the characters act their age rather than act like very mature 16 years old (well, I guess Kurara and Haru aren't but my point still stands).
100% will read the third book, Rebel Dawn.
I need more Princess Tsukimi in my life. She was unhinged but in the best way possible. Mad and immature and petulant but also a genius and the sharpest mind in the room. Absolute baddie. And her brother Ugetsu??? I loveddd the little we got with Ugetsu. Tsukimi and Ugestu's murder rivalry was hilarious and I cannot wait to see how their dysfunctional relationship goes in the next book (especially now the stakes are even higher).
Kurara reconciling with her memories as Aki was 10/10. Ann Sei Lin managed to distinguish Kuara so much from Aki but also made Aki shine through the little we still know of her. Haru was great too - he and Kurara are soulmates but not in that romantic way, in that spiritual best friends forever way. Honestly, Haru is so sweet when he clearly is traumatised by the loss of Aki. Sayo and Tomoe were fun but they didn't get as much development - still waiting for SayoXTomoe to be canon (c'mon Lin, only one more book to make them kiss).
Himura's arc was working double time. Out of all the characters, he went through the most. Grieving Akane and discovering that the glorious past was not so glorious was so interesting. After being lukewarm on Himura in the first book, I think he shined in this book and I can't wait for him in the next book.
Also Banri!!! My sweet paper bear who needs a hug and wanted to nap if it meant keeping people safe. You deserve the world. In a similar way, so does Ruki because Ruki is the only character who's actually aware of the danger Fujiwa and Tsukimi are in. He's the MVP for Tsukimi.
4 stars because the pacing was mostly fine - just some plot conveniences which were a bit egregious. The narration ventures into telling rather than showing but I think it reflects its status as a slightly younger YA. Ann Sei Lin deals with some complex political and moral topics (freewill, social inequity, historical atrocities). I really admire how she engages with some of these topics and crafts a very complex world. I can see this series as an animated show. Imagine Mikoshima brought to life with the sky cities and shikigami and ofuda being used in a variety of ways. Also, once again, the cover art was great.
100% will read the third book, Rebel Dawn.
I need more Princess Tsukimi in my life. She was unhinged but in the best way possible. Mad and immature and petulant but also a genius and the sharpest mind in the room. Absolute baddie. And her brother Ugetsu??? I loveddd the little we got with Ugetsu. Tsukimi and Ugestu's murder rivalry was hilarious and I cannot wait to see how their dysfunctional relationship goes in the next book (especially now the stakes are even higher).
Kurara reconciling with her memories as Aki was 10/10. Ann Sei Lin managed to distinguish Kuara so much from Aki but also made Aki shine through the little we still know of her. Haru was great too - he and Kurara are soulmates but not in that romantic way, in that spiritual best friends forever way. Honestly, Haru is so sweet when he clearly is traumatised by the loss of Aki. Sayo and Tomoe were fun but they didn't get as much development - still waiting for SayoXTomoe to be canon (c'mon Lin, only one more book to make them kiss).
Himura's arc was working double time. Out of all the characters, he went through the most. Grieving Akane and discovering that the glorious past was not so glorious was so interesting. After being lukewarm on Himura in the first book, I think he shined in this book and I can't wait for him in the next book.
Also Banri!!! My sweet paper bear who needs a hug and wanted to nap if it meant keeping people safe. You deserve the world. In a similar way, so does Ruki because Ruki is the only character who's actually aware of the danger Fujiwa and Tsukimi are in. He's the MVP for Tsukimi.
4 stars because the pacing was mostly fine - just some plot conveniences which were a bit egregious. The narration ventures into telling rather than showing but I think it reflects its status as a slightly younger YA. Ann Sei Lin deals with some complex political and moral topics (freewill, social inequity, historical atrocities). I really admire how she engages with some of these topics and crafts a very complex world. I can see this series as an animated show. Imagine Mikoshima brought to life with the sky cities and shikigami and ofuda being used in a variety of ways. Also, once again, the cover art was great.
June 9, 2023
I received an eARC from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
REBEL FIRE is the second instalment of this inventive YA for the younger end of the category.
This book ramps up the series' story. Where REBEL SKIES is mostly focused on Kurara's attempts to be free and learn about her powers, REBEL FIRES sees her begin her journey to change the world (hopefully for the better!) She learns secrets about the shikigami - and her own past - which shake what she thought were fundamental truths.
The wider story of the struggle for power between the land-based people and the sky-based people also presses in more closely. It's still not the focus, but war is coming and it is pressing in on Kurara's ability to avoid it and stay out of it.
It is honestly the rarest of rare, a lower YA book - a YA book truly aimed at young teens. It steps into the void of books aimed at 12-15 year olds. It is full of an epic adventure through the world. It has the friendship focus (rather than romance) and a small inclusion of adult narrators to help keep an eye on what the "other side" is doing of Middle Grade. But it also has the darker themes of the world's history, particularly in regards to characters' past actions, more common to Young Adult, making it a bridge between YA and the far more common older YA.
Hirmura is back as a POV (Kurara is still the main one). I loved seeing him grow across the book, particularly how his firmly set ideals are shaken to their core. The third perspective is once again the interlude perspective, but this time it's the princess narrating. I really liked getting inside her head. There was such a strong sense that she has a HIGH opinion of her own intelligence and worth, but you could also tell how immature and spoilt she was. It made her very human, and therefore more intimidating of a villain.
All signs point to a world-changing, action-packed finale to come next year!
REBEL FIRE is the second instalment of this inventive YA for the younger end of the category.
This book ramps up the series' story. Where REBEL SKIES is mostly focused on Kurara's attempts to be free and learn about her powers, REBEL FIRES sees her begin her journey to change the world (hopefully for the better!) She learns secrets about the shikigami - and her own past - which shake what she thought were fundamental truths.
The wider story of the struggle for power between the land-based people and the sky-based people also presses in more closely. It's still not the focus, but war is coming and it is pressing in on Kurara's ability to avoid it and stay out of it.
It is honestly the rarest of rare, a lower YA book - a YA book truly aimed at young teens. It steps into the void of books aimed at 12-15 year olds. It is full of an epic adventure through the world. It has the friendship focus (rather than romance) and a small inclusion of adult narrators to help keep an eye on what the "other side" is doing of Middle Grade. But it also has the darker themes of the world's history, particularly in regards to characters' past actions, more common to Young Adult, making it a bridge between YA and the far more common older YA.
Hirmura is back as a POV (Kurara is still the main one). I loved seeing him grow across the book, particularly how his firmly set ideals are shaken to their core. The third perspective is once again the interlude perspective, but this time it's the princess narrating. I really liked getting inside her head. There was such a strong sense that she has a HIGH opinion of her own intelligence and worth, but you could also tell how immature and spoilt she was. It made her very human, and therefore more intimidating of a villain.
All signs point to a world-changing, action-packed finale to come next year!
August 6, 2023
After Rebel Skies, I was so excited for this book. I was not disappointed. But honestly, with origami monsters in your world, there’s little chance for that. There’s plenty of action and pretty constant motion. I love the dichotomy between Aki and Kurara and the forces driving them.
We get more answers in this book, but also more questions. Once more there are giant reveals that turn everything around, though I felt a little distanced from the whole ‘rebel’ side of things. There’s very little politics in here and the wider world feels removed from our intrepid explorers. They are interacting much with outside forces and groups.
I did feel like some of the side characters got a little lost in this story. Like Pippin and Merry, two of them disappear on a side trip and don’t really play any role in the story anymore, but then the big fight scenes rears and they’re there, but then just sort of run away. It’s left telling you they have a role in the future, but they were mostly ornamentation in this book.
Haru is a bit of a conundrum in this book, and leaves you feeling unsure of where he might stand. I don’t know if it’s intentional or not, but he just seems less sturdy than he did in the previous book. I’m interested to see where that leads, because those two are halves of each other and I think they have an epic backstory yet to be uncovered.
We get more answers in this book, but also more questions. Once more there are giant reveals that turn everything around, though I felt a little distanced from the whole ‘rebel’ side of things. There’s very little politics in here and the wider world feels removed from our intrepid explorers. They are interacting much with outside forces and groups.
I did feel like some of the side characters got a little lost in this story. Like Pippin and Merry, two of them disappear on a side trip and don’t really play any role in the story anymore, but then the big fight scenes rears and they’re there, but then just sort of run away. It’s left telling you they have a role in the future, but they were mostly ornamentation in this book.
Haru is a bit of a conundrum in this book, and leaves you feeling unsure of where he might stand. I don’t know if it’s intentional or not, but he just seems less sturdy than he did in the previous book. I’m interested to see where that leads, because those two are halves of each other and I think they have an epic backstory yet to be uncovered.
February 19, 2025
rep: japanese
following the events of *rebel skies*, kurara and her shipmates are on the run from the princess, setting off on a journey to find suzaku—the legendary paper phoenix and the most powerful shikigami. but as they search, kurara is still struggling to process himura’s betrayal. on top of that, she’s seeing visions of the past, though she doesn’t understand how they connect to her. it might have something to do with her lost memories.
banri’s presence on their journey adds another layer of complexity, not just in their search for suzaku, but in uncovering kurara’s potential past. each character has their own motivations and desires, which makes aligning their goals a challenge. they’re all growing and finding their own paths, yet for now, they remain bound together in this adventure.
one of my favorite aspects of this series continues to be the magical origami—it’s such a unique and beautifully woven element. i also really enjoyed getting perspectives beyond kurara’s, which added depth and richness to the story.
following the events of *rebel skies*, kurara and her shipmates are on the run from the princess, setting off on a journey to find suzaku—the legendary paper phoenix and the most powerful shikigami. but as they search, kurara is still struggling to process himura’s betrayal. on top of that, she’s seeing visions of the past, though she doesn’t understand how they connect to her. it might have something to do with her lost memories.
banri’s presence on their journey adds another layer of complexity, not just in their search for suzaku, but in uncovering kurara’s potential past. each character has their own motivations and desires, which makes aligning their goals a challenge. they’re all growing and finding their own paths, yet for now, they remain bound together in this adventure.
one of my favorite aspects of this series continues to be the magical origami—it’s such a unique and beautifully woven element. i also really enjoyed getting perspectives beyond kurara’s, which added depth and richness to the story.
”It means ‘may your happiness be greater than your sorrow.’ That was my wish for you.”
August 29, 2024
While very much the “second book in a trilogy” (slower paced, kinda scattered, not as compelling), REBEL FIRE gave us a lot of answers that I personally really wanted. I think it was a little unbalanced (with Kurara taking in most of the POV real estate) but it kind of had to be in order to get us the answers we needed in order to drive us forward into the higher stakes of book three. Himura was an unexpected star in this one, but I got rather annoying with Haru and Tsukimi - and Sayo and Tomoe were just kind of… there. It was truly Kurara’s and Himura’s story.
I still want a little bit more concreteness as to “how the magic works” - because obviously there was training and stuff that makes the imperial Crafters so talented, but for Kurara it just seems… intuitive? And I don’t understand it from a quantifiable perspective.
Bring on book three!
{Thank you Tundra books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
I still want a little bit more concreteness as to “how the magic works” - because obviously there was training and stuff that makes the imperial Crafters so talented, but for Kurara it just seems… intuitive? And I don’t understand it from a quantifiable perspective.
Bring on book three!
{Thank you Tundra books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review}
December 26, 2024
Kurara, Haru, Sayo and Tomoe have escaped the events at the end of the first book, but the danger is not gone. Princess Tsukimi is chasing them. Meanwhile Humira also is dealing with the aftermath and consequences of the first book. We also get to meet some new characters like Banri and prince Ugetsu. I grew really attached to Banri.
I absolutely love Kurara as a character. She is a fantastic and complex hero. The other characters like Haru, Sayo and Tomoe have grown even more on me. This book had me emotional at times!! The loss, the betrayal!! Also we get to know more about Shikigami and where they come from. We also learn more about Kurara and her past. The twists in this book!! Also a lot more action
Again a absolutely fantastic and magical book!! I absolutely love these characters and the story. Yet again it was fast paced and even more world building. I can't wait to see how it ends in book three.
I absolutely love Kurara as a character. She is a fantastic and complex hero. The other characters like Haru, Sayo and Tomoe have grown even more on me. This book had me emotional at times!! The loss, the betrayal!! Also we get to know more about Shikigami and where they come from. We also learn more about Kurara and her past. The twists in this book!! Also a lot more action
Again a absolutely fantastic and magical book!! I absolutely love these characters and the story. Yet again it was fast paced and even more world building. I can't wait to see how it ends in book three.
August 31, 2024
This was a fantastic second book in the Rebel Skies series! The magic system and the world building is one of my favorite parts of this series so far! The descriptions are so vivid and detailed you can imagine every single setting! In this book we get a different point of view and a deeper dive into Himura’s and Princess Tsukimi character which was great and definitely needed especially after what happened in the first book!This book has more revelations, more adventures and more action! I can't wait to see what happens next! Thank you Colored Pages Book Tours, Ann Sei Lin and Tundra Books for sharing this book with me!
October 16, 2025
Solid four stars. I enjoyed this book more than the first one, actually. The plot just felt more interesting to me, and I loved the lore on shikigami that we were given. My gripes with the first book still remain, though. The side characters all feel the same, and it seems like they don’t have any personality, nor do they have any truly worthwhile skills to contribute to the group. They don’t feel unique enough.
Other than that, I really did like this book, and I’m super excited to see how it ends in the third.
EDIT: I’ve now reread this one, so I’ll update my review a bit to reflect that. I’d lower this rating to a low four stars: while I still really enjoyed it, I don’t know if it was that big of an improvement from book one. I think I just liked it more the first time I read it.
Ann Sei Lin’s writing remains a pleasure to read; I love her way of describing settings, and her dialogue always feels realistic. The short chapters are very nice, though this time there were a few that I thought ended in slightly weird places. And I still really love the little Interlude sections; I’m always a big fan of add-ones between/at the end of chapters in books: they just makes everything occurring feel so much more widespread in the world.
This plot is, as I mentioned in my original review, more complicated than in Rebel Skies. Centering the story on the goal of returning to the Orihime set it up to be similar to the last book (picking a goal, working to it, then subverting expectations in the climax), but then this book goes further than that, and it was amazing. I love how the author weaved in Kurara’s past as Aki, honestly surprising me with how much I actually enjoyed the amnesia trope this time. The new lore on shikigami just makes them even cooler, too. I can’t wait to learn about the Star Seed in Rebel Dawn. My only complaint is that a war literally starts at the end of the book, but both the buildup and the ramifications of that aren’t really explored. I’m sure its impacts will feature next book, but I could have done with more tension building before it was just announced.
Kurara was much stronger in this book than the last one. She’s still not very unique, but her personal struggles coming to terms with her past made her much more interesting to me. As I said, I’m very impressed with how the amnesia trope is used here: having Kurara previously be a morally gray character who made bad decisions and wiped her memory to run from them makes her 100 times more complex. And it avoids the pitfall of Kurara’s ‘amnesia’ retreading old character development or hindering new growth; she actually learns from her previous experiences and grows from that knowledge. While she’s still a pretty boring lead in terms of personality, I really like how her motivations and past were played with here. A huge improvement from book one.
And Kurara and Haru still are not romantically involved! I’m starting to get hopeful that our lead won’t actually have a love interest! Haru himself is kind of a nothing character to me; we always hear all this stuff about how he is so close with Rara, but we don’t get to see it a lot. His brief bond with Fujiwa was good for conflict, but didn’t do much aside from give us an insider look at how the shikigami in bonds feel. I’m not against Haru being a static character, but I hope he has more of a presence in book three.
Himura was fantastic again in this one. I think he remains the strongest character, though honestly Kurara is starting to have some development, too, so maybe she’ll end up being my favorite. But I love how he starts off the book so unexpectedly conflicted over Akane’s death, and I love that it takes him a while to realize
Sayo and Tomoe are still cute and all, but they just don’t have enough going for them for me to actually care about them. Sayo and Tomoe have slightly different personalities, yes, but when sharing the same motivation and not being able to utilize their unique skills (Sayo’s navigation, particularly), they feel almost like the same person. And they don’t contribute really anything to the book, except briefly being hostages at the end. I’m happy they struck out alone at the end; I think their story will be stronger when they have more to do.
Special shoutout to Banri, for being likable enough that I cared when he died (seriously, that’s good considering he only lives for half the book and has 0 development) and Mana for finally telling Himura he’s an idiot (and also adorably staying with him to keep him safe and help his character development). Other than them, the other side characters were just nothing. I don’t think we needed stronger background characters, but more of anything for the Gravekeeper would have been nice.
Tsukimi was a fantastic villain once again in this book. I love that she has actual depth, unlike so many antagonists. Her motivation being a deep-seated jealousy that she isn’t a Crafter makes all her actions much more believable. I also enjoyed her rivalry with Ugetsu, and how that impacted the climax of the story, and will likely impact the plot overall going forward. I’m very excited to see where she goes next, especially if she managed to convince Ruki to work for her.
Overall, this was a very solid sequel to a very solid debut. I can’t wait to see how the trilogy concludes!
SERIES RATINGS:
Rebel Skies: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebel Fire: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebel Dawn: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Other than that, I really did like this book, and I’m super excited to see how it ends in the third.
EDIT: I’ve now reread this one, so I’ll update my review a bit to reflect that. I’d lower this rating to a low four stars: while I still really enjoyed it, I don’t know if it was that big of an improvement from book one. I think I just liked it more the first time I read it.
Ann Sei Lin’s writing remains a pleasure to read; I love her way of describing settings, and her dialogue always feels realistic. The short chapters are very nice, though this time there were a few that I thought ended in slightly weird places. And I still really love the little Interlude sections; I’m always a big fan of add-ones between/at the end of chapters in books: they just makes everything occurring feel so much more widespread in the world.
This plot is, as I mentioned in my original review, more complicated than in Rebel Skies. Centering the story on the goal of returning to the Orihime set it up to be similar to the last book (picking a goal, working to it, then subverting expectations in the climax), but then this book goes further than that, and it was amazing. I love how the author weaved in Kurara’s past as Aki, honestly surprising me with how much I actually enjoyed the amnesia trope this time. The new lore on shikigami just makes them even cooler, too. I can’t wait to learn about the Star Seed in Rebel Dawn. My only complaint is that a war literally starts at the end of the book, but both the buildup and the ramifications of that aren’t really explored. I’m sure its impacts will feature next book, but I could have done with more tension building before it was just announced.
Kurara was much stronger in this book than the last one. She’s still not very unique, but her personal struggles coming to terms with her past made her much more interesting to me. As I said, I’m very impressed with how the amnesia trope is used here: having Kurara previously be a morally gray character who made bad decisions and wiped her memory to run from them makes her 100 times more complex. And it avoids the pitfall of Kurara’s ‘amnesia’ retreading old character development or hindering new growth; she actually learns from her previous experiences and grows from that knowledge. While she’s still a pretty boring lead in terms of personality, I really like how her motivations and past were played with here. A huge improvement from book one.
And Kurara and Haru still are not romantically involved! I’m starting to get hopeful that our lead won’t actually have a love interest! Haru himself is kind of a nothing character to me; we always hear all this stuff about how he is so close with Rara, but we don’t get to see it a lot. His brief bond with Fujiwa was good for conflict, but didn’t do much aside from give us an insider look at how the shikigami in bonds feel. I’m not against Haru being a static character, but I hope he has more of a presence in book three.
Himura was fantastic again in this one. I think he remains the strongest character, though honestly Kurara is starting to have some development, too, so maybe she’ll end up being my favorite. But I love how he starts off the book so unexpectedly conflicted over Akane’s death, and I love that it takes him a while to realize
Sayo and Tomoe are still cute and all, but they just don’t have enough going for them for me to actually care about them. Sayo and Tomoe have slightly different personalities, yes, but when sharing the same motivation and not being able to utilize their unique skills (Sayo’s navigation, particularly), they feel almost like the same person. And they don’t contribute really anything to the book, except briefly being hostages at the end. I’m happy they struck out alone at the end; I think their story will be stronger when they have more to do.
Special shoutout to Banri, for being likable enough that I cared when he died (seriously, that’s good considering he only lives for half the book and has 0 development) and Mana for finally telling Himura he’s an idiot (and also adorably staying with him to keep him safe and help his character development). Other than them, the other side characters were just nothing. I don’t think we needed stronger background characters, but more of anything for the Gravekeeper would have been nice.
Tsukimi was a fantastic villain once again in this book. I love that she has actual depth, unlike so many antagonists. Her motivation being a deep-seated jealousy that she isn’t a Crafter makes all her actions much more believable. I also enjoyed her rivalry with Ugetsu, and how that impacted the climax of the story, and will likely impact the plot overall going forward. I’m very excited to see where she goes next, especially if she managed to convince Ruki to work for her.
Overall, this was a very solid sequel to a very solid debut. I can’t wait to see how the trilogy concludes!
SERIES RATINGS:
Rebel Skies: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebel Fire: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebel Dawn: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2025
It’s not often that I find the sequel surpassing the original, but I found that I read this book a lot quicker than the first and I enjoyed it much more. It still wasn’t the best story in terms of intrigue, but the world was cool and the author definitely learned some lessons from the first book.
November 8, 2023
4.5 stars.
It was very nice to return this world! This book heightens the stakes and I do like Himura’s development. Finding out about more about shikigami was incredible.
It was very nice to return this world! This book heightens the stakes and I do like Himura’s development. Finding out about more about shikigami was incredible.
July 25, 2023
3.5 ⭐
May 6, 2025
This is typically the type of middle grade book I love. I found this book boring because nothing really happened. It is a typical middle book that only has the purpose of moving the plot.
Kurara is an interesting complex character and I do like her. She is well written. The side characters are okay. The plot is moving to slow for me.
I haven't decided it I am going to read the final book of the trilogy yet or not.
Kurara is an interesting complex character and I do like her. She is well written. The side characters are okay. The plot is moving to slow for me.
I haven't decided it I am going to read the final book of the trilogy yet or not.
August 11, 2023
After a long wait after reading Rebel Skies last year, I was happy to finally pick up the second book! Sadly this book suffered a bit from the 'second book syndrome'. The ending of book 1 was quite explosive so I could not wait to see what happens next. We do pick up right after the events of the first book, but I was a bit confused about it (which is totally my own fault). Slowly, the pieces started coming together, but I did not really like the first half of the book. Not much happened and while their happened some gruesome things, it felt very childish.
Luckily, towards the end of the book the pacing picked up and some really interesting things regarding the world building and magic system happened. I think that those were definitely my favourite part of the book as the history behind the crafters and shinigami is very interesting and we learned more about Kurara's past. I will definitely read the final book in the trilogy, because of this ending!
Luckily, towards the end of the book the pacing picked up and some really interesting things regarding the world building and magic system happened. I think that those were definitely my favourite part of the book as the history behind the crafters and shinigami is very interesting and we learned more about Kurara's past. I will definitely read the final book in the trilogy, because of this ending!
July 1, 2024
It lacks a certain depth for my tastes, but it is fast-paced and the world is veeeeery interesting. Definitely lived up to the first book.
April 2, 2025
i think what bothered me the most about this sequel was how confusing it got. so many things happening, characters being introduced, snippets of the past, etc. because there was so much going on, it was hard to stay interested in the story. it was still interesting, but definitely lacking. i remember being unsure what to rate this because of how unsatisfied i was with the book compared to the first. it wasn’t terrible! just not what i was hoping following rebel skies. (also keep in mind it has been ages since i read this so my memory is not good 💔)
January 8, 2025
That's how you do a second part in a trilogy!!
Expanding the world, exploring the past ( but not too much, I still need to know who Aki was ), introducing new characters ( and new dangers ) and setting up what I hope will be the best finale to a trilogy ever. Once I was halfway done I couldn't put the book down. It's so action packed! I'm very curious to see where the third book will be taking us. 🌟🔥
Expanding the world, exploring the past ( but not too much, I still need to know who Aki was ), introducing new characters ( and new dangers ) and setting up what I hope will be the best finale to a trilogy ever. Once I was halfway done I couldn't put the book down. It's so action packed! I'm very curious to see where the third book will be taking us. 🌟🔥
August 15, 2024
This was really good. I don't understand why this series doesn't have hype. It should have tho. The fact that the third book is released on my birthday it's just Chef Kiss. I cannot wait anymore.
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