One lady-in-waiting. One dictator. A fierce desire for revenge.
It’s well known throughout Thedessa that Dictator Odin Ishard killed the heirs to the kingdom and the elite team of knights accompanying them–including Alyth Renley’s father. Now a lady-in-waiting to the queen, Alyth plots the demise of the man who killed her family.
The only problem?
While a skilled archer, she needs more skill to defeat the cunning dictator. She has to join the King’s Guard– the elite team of knights her dad was in– to gain the skills needed…or risk losing her societal status trying.
Through incredible circumstances, Alyth manages to be accepted into the Guard. Just days later, Thedessa is invaded by Ishard, and when the kingdom falls, Alyth is forced to flee into the deadly Seocca Woods with a group of knights to raise aid before their kingdom is lost completely.
When Alyth has the opportunity to kill the man who destroyed her life, will she choose to satisfy her craving for revenge, or save the lives of those around her?
Rising Warrior is a fast-paced, action filled story. I loved all the witty banter and characters! I could clearly picture the setting and visualize what was happening
There were a few scenes where I was able to predict what would happen, and a few scenes where I was a little confused on what was happening, but that could be because I was reading it so fast. I couldn't put the book down, especially towards the end!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would suggest it if you love sweet romance, witty banter and lots of action!
Join Alyth Renley, the Kings Gaurd, and the friends they encounter along their way as they travel across Mondulia in hopes to save their kingdom from the grasps of Odin Ishard. I loved everything about this book and I know others will as well. Do yourself a favor... Read. This. Book.
Characters: The author did such an amazing job of bringing each and every character to life in their own unique way. All of the characters became very beloved to me and I felt myself rooting for the characters on every page.
Setting: one of my favorite parts of this novel is the setting. Whether it was in a garden, the dangerous forest, a castle, a waterfall, a dungeon, etc..., every setting was beautiful and I could clearly picture the story as the characters ventured across Mondulia on their journey to save their kingdom.
Story: It did not take long for me to become invested in this story... from the very first chapter, I was turning pages waiting to find out what would happen next. There was never a dull moment, and each and every aspect of the story served a meaning to the plot and development of the characters.
Comedy: When I saw the author post on social media saying that this book had comedic moments, I was hesitant to trust that. In my experience reading books, it has been difficult for me to find "funny" parts of the book funny. This book was different. Whether it was sarcastic comments the characters made, or ironic events, I found myself not only recognizing the humor, but enjoying and appreciating it. It was perfectly done... it did not take away from the plot or the emotion of some scenes, but it gave a fun side to the book that I enjoyed so much! Be prepared to laugh out loud as you travel through Mondulia with Alyth, Finn, Tyr, Corin, and the others.
Ending (spoiler free): One of the most emotional, meaningful, beautiful, tragic endings I have ever read. How is it possible to be so sad and so happy at the same time? Rising Warrior has the ending I crave when reading so many other books. And pay attention to the epilogue!!!! Rising Warrior has left me anxiously awaiting a second book in the best way possible.
After reading this book, I can confidently say I will be reading every book that Carissa Anne publishes. This book will not leave you dissappointed. So I will say it again... Read. This. Book.
Carissa delivers an engaging and action-packed story with a compelling protagonist, Alyth Renley. I really enjoyed following Alyth's journey from lady-in-waiting to becoming a part of the elite King's Guard. It gave me Rangers Apprentice, Quest for Camelot, and Barbie in The Three Musketeers vibes all the way!! The pacing keeps you hooked, and the plot twists add layers to the story, especially as Alyth faces moral dilemmas and the weight of her choices. However, there were moments when the story felt like the author was telling us what was happening rather than showing us, which sort of made some scenes drag on and feel a bit pedantic. In the beginning the romance felt a bit forced, but quickly improved and Tyr is just AMAZINGGG. Overall, Rising Warrior is an enjoyable read with strong world-building and a gripping premise. If you're a fan of high-stakes fantasy with a fierce heroine, this is a book worth picking up!
The book is very fast paced. Excellent character / world creativity, though lacking on the character development other than the main character. You will be well versed on why the main character does everything thing the way she does. Vengeance and Honor seeking little girl wanna be warrior turns into warrior seeking completion of life goals and romance along the way. Torture scene is G rated, nothing to be worried about.
Disclaimer: I received a free eBook copy in exchange for an honest review.
Short version: It lacks the polish of a professional novel and maybe could have used another draft or two, but is considerably well-done for a debut indie novel. It's also clean!!! No sex or swearing.
Long version: I will admit that the romance was a little strange at times. But, I LOVED the veering from the typical YA novel romance
A couple of the characters were inconsistent at times but there are also some memorable ones. Lavinia and Queen Elba were my favorites. Lav is so fun, and Elba was so beautifully composed and wise. The king however...he was a little lacking. He dismissed an assassination warning for no apparent reason???
Plotwise, it was ok. The magic system and different countries' cultures felt a little unfinished, and more thrown in than immersive. But it probably doesn't help that I was reading Brandon Sanderson around the same time as this. 😏 There were also some conflicts thrown in that didn't really do a lot to progress the plot, and felt a little convenient. There were also some strange conversations with the male characters. They felt a little more feminine at times than I would have liked. But again, for a debut indie novel, it was good.
Last random little thing: I didn't really understand the author's acknowledgement/foreword at the beginning of the book identifying it as supposed to be challenging societal norms. If the "societal norms" it was challenging were women fighting, then that's kind of an old topic that's been addressed for about the past ten years...But again, just a minor little thing I didn't really understand.
To finish, just wanted to say that I LOVED this excerpt: "As the seconds ticked by, though, the feeling of dread slwoly dawned on me. He seriously believed the kingdom would go up in flames to Ishard. And if I was honest with myself? A traitorous part of me agreed."
If you loved Robin Hood as a kid then you'll love this book! 💚🏹 I loved that this book had the right amount of action and the right amount of romance, along the with different kinds of emotions I was feeling throughout the story while reading. The storyline and plotline I thought was really well done and written as were the characters!! I absolutely loved the characters, especially Alyth, Tyr, Corin (especially when he was always in “DadMode” while also at same time the commander 😂), Finn (🥲), the king and queen. I need to also point out the ship name Carissa’s friends have given Alyth and Tyr “Alyr” is their official ship name!! No room for discussion!! #ALYR !!! 💞 The suspense, the action (although that torture scene was a little intense), the mystery, the tension, the witty banter/teasing (I loved it when Alyth called Tyr “Sir Jerksalot” and talking back to him when he was one of her commanding officers was the greatest 🤣), the one plot twists I wasn't expecting and the whirlwind of emotions that caused me a bit of emotional damage. I won't lie when I finished one of the chapters, I had to take a break the next day because I was still processing with what happened. 😭 A ✨️10/10✨️ book, though!!! What an amazing and real page turning book, Carissa!! I loved every moment of it!! And I cannot wait for the next book!!! 💚💚💚
This book has me in tears. I loved every second of it. Alyth is such a strong, resilient character who doesn't give up on anything or anybody. The whole book is very action packed. It reads as a fantasy with just a tad bit of romance. The world building is easy to follow, and the author makes you fall in love with the characters. Each character adds so much to the story, even the little errand boys. This book is packed full of emotion, sacrifice, duty, love and honor. Highly reccomend!
Author Carissa Anne’s debut novel shows her great potential. I am not the target audience of this story, and it reads a longer middle grade novel meant for young women. I look forward to what she does after finishing this series.
I definitely thought it was more of a mature YA book but it really has a tone more suitable for young teens. The writing does deviate a little because there is kinda a torture-ish scene (not super detailed) and the main character gets a serious arrow wound. I’d still recommend this for ages 9-14 as the dialogue is sometimes cheesy and gives off G rated Disney vibes, plus the plot is very straightforward.
It’s well written, but there’s a lack of character depth (for every other character except Alyth, the main character). Like the king just came off as having negative brain cells and actively assisting the bad guy (dumber than London Tipton). Then Ishard was evil and…. that’s all we knew about him. He’s evil so he’s invading the country. I got literal whiplash from how fast Tyr changed his tune back and forth from supportive to misogynist which was really contradicting and too over the top.
A perfect mixture of Robin Hood and John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series!
I felt connected to the characters from page one, especially to Alyth. I love a good story with feisty female characters. I loved the relationship between her and her best friend. I felt that they were cheerleaders for one another and it felt real.
I thought the organization and structure of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting was brilliant! I haven't seen anything quite like it in recent memory, and I look forward to seeing more world-building!
I immediately loved the banter between the characters, and it put me in mind of the Ranger's Apprentice series!
I couldn't put it down and the ending made me regret I read it so fast! When's the next one coming?!