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War of the Rising Phoenix
411 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 17, 2026
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you, Hanna M. Shields (author), for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Rating: 3/5⭐
Spice: 0/5🌶️
Quick Summary: Set in a post-fire Scotland where two major cities lie in ruins, War of the Rising Phoenix by Hanna M. Shields follows Avalon Winters and Nolan Blanchet, two teens from very different worlds forced into the same dangerous path. As mysterious deaths and disappearances spread among their peers, distrust fractures what little stability remains. To uncover the truth, they must confront buried secrets and the lingering impact of the devastating fire raids.
Read if you like:
⚡️young adult dystopian
⚡️a girl raised to be a k!ller x a boy raised to be a spy
⚡️academy for spies and spy-life
⚡️found family
⚡️spice-free romance
⚡️original Sherlock Holmes with a sprinkle of superhero
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
Short statement: This book displays the growth of not only the characters but the author herself! This is great option for someone looking for no-spice dystomance (dystopian + romance)!
Things I liked: I cannot explain how much better this book is. I have seen so much growth in this author's skills. I noticed that there are still quite a few run-on sentences (as there were in Book 1), but they were formatted a lot better this time around, and there were fewer, too.
This book has a lot of elements and scenes that remind me of Divergent and The Hunger Games, specifically Dauntless and how recruits are initiated into the faction, and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, when the tributes are training for the arena. I am a big fan of Divergent and that universe (more the movie than the book, but now I'm getting off topic), so I was excited to experience those scenes. Obstacle courses. Ziplining. Challenging one's fears. Sparring. Overall, much better dystopian themes in this book than the first!
I love all these memories of "life lessons" that Avalon was taught growing up. I feel like Avalon is so much more developed in this book. I really enjoyed watching her journey as she battles past traumas and learns ways to overcome them. She has truly gone through a lot, and, so it seems, even more than what is written on paper. I feel like her struggles have been captured well without spelling out every single thing she's had to go through.
Things I didn’t like: I found a slight disconnect between some of the scenes. It almost felt like the author had ideas for scenes she wanted to write, but wasn't exactly sure how to connect them together or where to put them in the storyline.
I also found the topic of grief and de@th to be a little under-represented in this story. Personally, if one of my friends (even if it was someone I knew only a short time) d!ed, I would be quite distraught. I would've liked to see more emotion from all the characters. Give me sadness. Give me raw emotion. I want to hurt right alongside them (LOL, can you tell I love a book that makes me cry?).
When it came to the "my real name is..." I was lost. There are only so many times that you can do that before I lose track of them. It's really hard to introduce a bunch of different characters, let alone change their names partway through. It was so confusing, I had to leave notes for myself. I wish that there were fewer character names I had to remember and fewer character name changes overall.
If this is/was a series, would I continue? I think so
Do I recommend it? I think so! it is definitely a step up from book 1!
Who would I recommend it to? anyone looking for a dystopian book with spies
**Content and Structure Overview**
Age Category: young adult
Genre: dystopian, mystery
Series/Standalone: series (ongoing)
Is there profanity? no
F-word? no
POV: single POV, third person, past tense
POV Character(s): 23-year-old female (Avalon Winters)
Romance: straight romance
Spice: 0/5🌶️
Is there heavy kissing? no
Wandering hands/mouths? no
Is there below-the-belt shenanigans? no
Is there a fade-to-black scene? no
Is there on-page horizontal tango? no
If I had a kid in MIDDLE school, would I let them read this? yes
If I had a kid in HIGH school, would I let them read this? yes
Book-to-screen adaptation? no
Trigger Warnings: PTSD, de@th, grief, missing person/kidn@pping/@bduction, mild physical vi0lence, fire and expl0sions
Quotes Worth Remembering: "There is no darkness quite like staring at your own grave." (opening line) !!!!
"Scars are badges of honor, something to be earned and not avoided."
"Failure isn't an option."
"W@r is inevitable, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."
"Safety is an illusion. It draws you in and comforts you. Gives you a safe place to sleep. But don't you ever feed into that lie."
Rating: 3/5⭐
Spice: 0/5🌶️
Quick Summary: Set in a post-fire Scotland where two major cities lie in ruins, War of the Rising Phoenix by Hanna M. Shields follows Avalon Winters and Nolan Blanchet, two teens from very different worlds forced into the same dangerous path. As mysterious deaths and disappearances spread among their peers, distrust fractures what little stability remains. To uncover the truth, they must confront buried secrets and the lingering impact of the devastating fire raids.
Read if you like:
⚡️young adult dystopian
⚡️a girl raised to be a k!ller x a boy raised to be a spy
⚡️academy for spies and spy-life
⚡️found family
⚡️spice-free romance
⚡️original Sherlock Holmes with a sprinkle of superhero
**SPOILER FREE REVIEW**
Short statement: This book displays the growth of not only the characters but the author herself! This is great option for someone looking for no-spice dystomance (dystopian + romance)!
Things I liked: I cannot explain how much better this book is. I have seen so much growth in this author's skills. I noticed that there are still quite a few run-on sentences (as there were in Book 1), but they were formatted a lot better this time around, and there were fewer, too.
This book has a lot of elements and scenes that remind me of Divergent and The Hunger Games, specifically Dauntless and how recruits are initiated into the faction, and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, when the tributes are training for the arena. I am a big fan of Divergent and that universe (more the movie than the book, but now I'm getting off topic), so I was excited to experience those scenes. Obstacle courses. Ziplining. Challenging one's fears. Sparring. Overall, much better dystopian themes in this book than the first!
I love all these memories of "life lessons" that Avalon was taught growing up. I feel like Avalon is so much more developed in this book. I really enjoyed watching her journey as she battles past traumas and learns ways to overcome them. She has truly gone through a lot, and, so it seems, even more than what is written on paper. I feel like her struggles have been captured well without spelling out every single thing she's had to go through.
Things I didn’t like: I found a slight disconnect between some of the scenes. It almost felt like the author had ideas for scenes she wanted to write, but wasn't exactly sure how to connect them together or where to put them in the storyline.
I also found the topic of grief and de@th to be a little under-represented in this story. Personally, if one of my friends (even if it was someone I knew only a short time) d!ed, I would be quite distraught. I would've liked to see more emotion from all the characters. Give me sadness. Give me raw emotion. I want to hurt right alongside them (LOL, can you tell I love a book that makes me cry?).
When it came to the "my real name is..." I was lost. There are only so many times that you can do that before I lose track of them. It's really hard to introduce a bunch of different characters, let alone change their names partway through. It was so confusing, I had to leave notes for myself. I wish that there were fewer character names I had to remember and fewer character name changes overall.
If this is/was a series, would I continue? I think so
Do I recommend it? I think so! it is definitely a step up from book 1!
Who would I recommend it to? anyone looking for a dystopian book with spies
**Content and Structure Overview**
Age Category: young adult
Genre: dystopian, mystery
Series/Standalone: series (ongoing)
Is there profanity? no
F-word? no
POV: single POV, third person, past tense
POV Character(s): 23-year-old female (Avalon Winters)
Romance: straight romance
Spice: 0/5🌶️
Is there heavy kissing? no
Wandering hands/mouths? no
Is there below-the-belt shenanigans? no
Is there a fade-to-black scene? no
Is there on-page horizontal tango? no
If I had a kid in MIDDLE school, would I let them read this? yes
If I had a kid in HIGH school, would I let them read this? yes
Book-to-screen adaptation? no
Trigger Warnings: PTSD, de@th, grief, missing person/kidn@pping/@bduction, mild physical vi0lence, fire and expl0sions
Quotes Worth Remembering: "There is no darkness quite like staring at your own grave." (opening line) !!!!
"Scars are badges of honor, something to be earned and not avoided."
"Failure isn't an option."
"W@r is inevitable, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."
"Safety is an illusion. It draws you in and comforts you. Gives you a safe place to sleep. But don't you ever feed into that lie."
Read
April 4, 2026REVIEW OF ADVANCE COPY RECEIVED FROM AUTHOR
A story of psychological and spiritual warfare woven into a labyrinth of espionage.
War of the Rising Phoenix is a dystopian Christian-themed spy thriller set in the future that follows Avalon Winters — a girl who was raised to be a killer by the man responsible for the politically motivated fires that devastated Scotland’s largest cities.
Now freed from his clutches by Nolan Blanchet, a prodigy of Phoenix Underground, Avalon begins training to become an agent herself. However, many of the other trainees don’t trust her, and Avalon begins to struggle with her own inner demons, wondering if her peers might be right not to.
When trainees and members of Phoenix Underground begin disappearing and dying in freak accidents, fear and suspicion spread quickly. Avalon and her small group of allies begin to suspect that someone may be trying to destroy the organization from within by turning them against each other. As tensions rise and trust becomes more fragile, Avalon must navigate a dangerous environment where anyone could be the enemy.
I adored this whole concept and plot — a girl raised to be a killer and a boy raised to be a spy. The setting of Phoenix Underground headquarters was perfect and reminded me somewhat of Hogwarts from Harry Potter, with it being a school setting and a small group investigating a potential infiltration from within their own ranks. The individual students, their differing interactions, motivations, and skills made them distinct enough to feel like real people rather than just characters in a book. It makes you think about who it is you’re really talking to and what their true motivations might be.
The psychological and spiritual elements woven into the espionage narrative — especially the themes of redemption, trust, and trauma — were particularly interesting to me. It makes you wonder how you, as the reader, would have done things differently if you were in the characters’ shoes.
I also appreciated that Avalon wasn’t written as a Mary Sue. Her capabilities and skills were honed by years of training under the watch of a manipulative narcissist, and that history shapes who she is as a character. It makes you care about her because you can feel her pain, her inner turmoil, her trauma, and her regret.
The futuristic technology and spy gadgets used in the story were incredibly fascinating, and I’d love to see more of this in future installments. If there were one thing I would suggest for the third installment, it would be more drawn-out fight scenes, similar in style to those seen in Sherlock Holmes (2009).
War of the Rising Phoenix is a story of psychological and spiritual warfare, masterfully woven into a labyrinth of espionage, where trust is fragile, loyalties are tested, and the true enemy may already be inside the walls.
A war is coming… are you ready for it?
Fans of Sherlock Holmes and The Hunger Games will likely find themselves at home in Hanna Shield’s Shadow Series.
A story of psychological and spiritual warfare woven into a labyrinth of espionage.
War of the Rising Phoenix is a dystopian Christian-themed spy thriller set in the future that follows Avalon Winters — a girl who was raised to be a killer by the man responsible for the politically motivated fires that devastated Scotland’s largest cities.
Now freed from his clutches by Nolan Blanchet, a prodigy of Phoenix Underground, Avalon begins training to become an agent herself. However, many of the other trainees don’t trust her, and Avalon begins to struggle with her own inner demons, wondering if her peers might be right not to.
When trainees and members of Phoenix Underground begin disappearing and dying in freak accidents, fear and suspicion spread quickly. Avalon and her small group of allies begin to suspect that someone may be trying to destroy the organization from within by turning them against each other. As tensions rise and trust becomes more fragile, Avalon must navigate a dangerous environment where anyone could be the enemy.
I adored this whole concept and plot — a girl raised to be a killer and a boy raised to be a spy. The setting of Phoenix Underground headquarters was perfect and reminded me somewhat of Hogwarts from Harry Potter, with it being a school setting and a small group investigating a potential infiltration from within their own ranks. The individual students, their differing interactions, motivations, and skills made them distinct enough to feel like real people rather than just characters in a book. It makes you think about who it is you’re really talking to and what their true motivations might be.
The psychological and spiritual elements woven into the espionage narrative — especially the themes of redemption, trust, and trauma — were particularly interesting to me. It makes you wonder how you, as the reader, would have done things differently if you were in the characters’ shoes.
I also appreciated that Avalon wasn’t written as a Mary Sue. Her capabilities and skills were honed by years of training under the watch of a manipulative narcissist, and that history shapes who she is as a character. It makes you care about her because you can feel her pain, her inner turmoil, her trauma, and her regret.
The futuristic technology and spy gadgets used in the story were incredibly fascinating, and I’d love to see more of this in future installments. If there were one thing I would suggest for the third installment, it would be more drawn-out fight scenes, similar in style to those seen in Sherlock Holmes (2009).
War of the Rising Phoenix is a story of psychological and spiritual warfare, masterfully woven into a labyrinth of espionage, where trust is fragile, loyalties are tested, and the true enemy may already be inside the walls.
A war is coming… are you ready for it?
Fans of Sherlock Holmes and The Hunger Games will likely find themselves at home in Hanna Shield’s Shadow Series.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was an excellent book! I received an Advanced Review Copy and now that I've read this one, I can't wait for the next one.
Whereas the first book in the series was a little hard for me to get into, this one pulled me in right from the start. Avalon's story continues and it is incredibly raw and moving. I found myslef relating to her so much as she went through the process of grieving, trying to feel safe, and hesitantly realizing that it's not wrong of her to be happy or enjoy nice things.
And watching her go through that process made the loss of those things that much more poignant. This book pulled me in and kept me hooked to the very end. It answered some questions I had from the first book, and some twists and turns I didn't expect.
If there was anything to make better, I would simply suggest that there are some areas that could use a little less 'in-depth' description. There were a couple of spots that pulled me slightly out of the story, and I felt as though I was just waiting for the description to be over so I could continue on.
Overall, a great read and I highly recommend to anyone to enjoys dystopian fiction and slow-growing romance, as a subplot (spoiler!).
Whereas the first book in the series was a little hard for me to get into, this one pulled me in right from the start. Avalon's story continues and it is incredibly raw and moving. I found myslef relating to her so much as she went through the process of grieving, trying to feel safe, and hesitantly realizing that it's not wrong of her to be happy or enjoy nice things.
And watching her go through that process made the loss of those things that much more poignant. This book pulled me in and kept me hooked to the very end. It answered some questions I had from the first book, and some twists and turns I didn't expect.
If there was anything to make better, I would simply suggest that there are some areas that could use a little less 'in-depth' description. There were a couple of spots that pulled me slightly out of the story, and I felt as though I was just waiting for the description to be over so I could continue on.
Overall, a great read and I highly recommend to anyone to enjoys dystopian fiction and slow-growing romance, as a subplot (spoiler!).
Review of advance copy received from Author
War of the Rising Phoenix is a dystopian, Christian-themed spy thriller centered on Avalon Winters, a girl raised as an assassin by the man behind devastating political attacks in Scotland. After being rescued by Nolan Blanchet of Phoenix Underground, she begins training as an agent while struggling with trust, trauma, and her own inner darkness.
As trainees start dying under suspicious circumstances, paranoia spreads through the organization. Avalon and her allies suspect an internal threat is turning members against each other, forcing her to question who she can trust in a world where anyone could be the enemy.
The novel blends psychological tension, espionage, and themes of redemption and faith. Avalon is a complex, well-developed character shaped by her past rather than idealized, and the futuristic tech and spy elements add depth to the world. Overall, it’s a tense, emotional story about trust, survival, and hidden enemies.
Fans of Sherlock Holmes and The Hunger Games will likely enjoy this series.
Definitely a must read from one of my favorite authors !!
As trainees start dying under suspicious circumstances, paranoia spreads through the organization. Avalon and her allies suspect an internal threat is turning members against each other, forcing her to question who she can trust in a world where anyone could be the enemy.
The novel blends psychological tension, espionage, and themes of redemption and faith. Avalon is a complex, well-developed character shaped by her past rather than idealized, and the futuristic tech and spy elements add depth to the world. Overall, it’s a tense, emotional story about trust, survival, and hidden enemies.
Fans of Sherlock Holmes and The Hunger Games will likely enjoy this series.
Definitely a must read from one of my favorite authors !!
Review of advance copy received from Author
“War of the Rising Phoenix”
Book 2 picks up right where the first book ended. The beginning might feel a bit predictable, but slowly, it fills in the story with quite a bit of surprises. This book dives deeper into Avalon: her past, more on time with Arthur, her parents and her own psychological struggle—which makes her character even more interesting.
Avalon and Nolan are still my favorites, but Trevor actually became a really interesting character in his own way. We also learn more about the Phoenix headquarters, including training and history. As for the characters: some are new and some are a little irritating, a few familiar old characters return as well.
I was hoping for a bit more intense dystopian drama, but I still enjoyed the story—especially Avalon and Nolan’s slow-burn romance, the tension within Phoenix, and the rogue characters. I’m looking forward to the next book.
4.5 rounded up!
Book 2 picks up right where the first book ended. The beginning might feel a bit predictable, but slowly, it fills in the story with quite a bit of surprises. This book dives deeper into Avalon: her past, more on time with Arthur, her parents and her own psychological struggle—which makes her character even more interesting.
Avalon and Nolan are still my favorites, but Trevor actually became a really interesting character in his own way. We also learn more about the Phoenix headquarters, including training and history. As for the characters: some are new and some are a little irritating, a few familiar old characters return as well.
I was hoping for a bit more intense dystopian drama, but I still enjoyed the story—especially Avalon and Nolan’s slow-burn romance, the tension within Phoenix, and the rogue characters. I’m looking forward to the next book.
4.5 rounded up!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hanna did it again! She created another amazing book that wad full of real life characters who you watched grow and mature and learn as they faced many challenges! Hanna pulled me in with her story, giving such great attention to detail and a storyline that made me NOT want to put the book down! I cannot wait to read what happens next in Avalon's story!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Advanced Reader Copy From Author
I really did not see a lot of this coming. It was hard to put down & I love that it’s dystopian!
I really did not see a lot of this coming. It was hard to put down & I love that it’s dystopian!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews