Rising

Second Death #0.5

by Brian Rella

Jessie's home is broken. And the only way to save herself is to free an evil the world has not seen in centuries.

Since Jessie's father died in an accident at work, her mother has found comfort in booze and bad men. When one of those men tries to hurt Jessie, she unleashes hell on Earth to save herself.

Rising: A Second Death Supernatural Story is the prequel to Brian Rella’s action-packed horror and dark fantasy series, the Second Death Supernatural Thrillers.

Genres: Horror, Dark, Suspense, Supernatural, Paranormal

102 pages, Paperback

First published February 26, 2016

About the author

Sign up for Brian Rella's no spam newsletter at http://www.brianrella.com/ and get Rising: The Second Death Prequel and two short stories for FREE.

Brian lives in the suburbs of New York City with his wife, who is far too good for him, and his two vivacious boys who challenge his light-saber skills on a regular basis.

The Monsters & Demons Horror Anthology he wrote in 2015 spawned the Second Death Series based on the story, "Arraziel", from the collection. "Arraziel" was rewritten into a prequel novella called, Rising: The Second Death Prequel.

There are three books planned in the series. Book One, Watchers of the Fallen, and Book Two, Queen of the Fallen, were released in 2016. Book Three is planned for early 2017.

Brian also enjoys American football, BBQ, 80's Rock, craft beer, and the occasional small batch bourbon - not in that order specifically, though he wouldn't complain about that sequence either.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I turned my Kindle upside down to shake out the books languishing at the bottom of the pile and look at the gem I found!

A captivating prequel novella to the author's Second Death series, this held me in it's grip from the first page until the last. A land representing Hell, a disaffected and abused teenager, a murky society protecting ancient books, a demon that can be commanded and a thirst for revenge set the scene for not only the beginning of a fabulous urban fantasy but for the series as a whole. I loved every minute of it and have added the next book to my TBR pile.

I received a free ecopy of this novella from the author via a Bookfunnel giveaway. I have voluntarily chosen to review the book and the gifting in no way influences my review/rating, which reflects my honest opinion.

[G.G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for something short to read on my iPad before bed and found this short story. I didn't really know what I was getting into but I liked it. Being a prequel, it gives a good idea of what you'll be getting into once you start the actual series.

The characters were believable. I mean, I could understand why Jessie did what she did…to some point. I can understand her hatred for the new people in her household, but I could not understand why she got so mad at the librarian from whom she stole the book. It's like being mad at the baker because you stole bread and didn't like it. I mean, you shouldn't steal to begin with…but that's another story. I also found that the book ended awkwardly. In my opinion, the last chapter shouldn't be there. I understand it was an introduction to a character that starts the series but I still feel the book could have done without it.

Over all, I liked the story, and how the characters were introduced. I'd certainly want to continue with the series.

[K.J. Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This prequel can be read in one sitting and takes the reader on an intense, supernatural journey via various POVs. The pacing is fast, and where this is important for building suspense, it needed to slow down a little at the end.

I wasn't so much scared as I was freaked out by the intense level of gore and violence. I liked Jessie's character to begin with, and her home life made sense with how she was feeling, but the mild tempered, bullied girl has a one hundred and eighty degree personality twist without full explanation. I would have liked the influence over her to be explained a little more to make the narrative a little more believable.

Baring in mind that this is a prequel to a larger series, I am intrigued to see what characters and narrative the author has carried forward, and hopefully garner a little more insight into Arraziel.

A gory, Halloween read that is not for the squeamish.

[J.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd like to preface this by saying that I received an ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

Rising is an interesting prequel to the Second Death series. The action begins straight away, pulling the reader in. While keeping this review spoiler-free, I can say that—considering the darkness which pervades Jessie, backing her into a corner and all-but smothering her—the risks she takes, and the lengths she goes to, seem almost reasonable.

If you're looking for a well paced, engaging, and entertaining read, give Brian Rella's books a try.

[RJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rising is a short prequel to The Second Death Series. Our protagonist, Jessie is a young girl in a small town struggling to grow up in an abusive home. Jessie loves to read and escape her despicable environment in the pages of her favorite horror story. A new book store opens in town and Jessie unknowingly “acquires” a book on black magic. Jessie is mysteriously drawn to the book titled Arraziel (more likely Araziel); her curiosity garnering just enough knowledge to summon a Fallen demon. Her misplaced anger towards family and friends leads her down an unwitting dark path of revenge and torture. Those whose lives are devoted to protecting society from the Fallen are alerted to the events in the small town and the fact that an ancient book is missing. Thus begins the tale of Jessie, consumed by the power of a dark overlord, and the people obligated to stop her and recover the book. This opening story holds the promise to be an exciting and chilling adventure. This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella is the introduction (prequel) to Rella's Second Death series, so I was glad I read it first. I won't give too much info about plot - spoilers! - but the basic premise is that abused teenager Jessie finds a black magic book in her local bookshop and uses it to unleash a demon to take revenge on her tormentors. I could totally relate to Jessie, so found it very easy to put myself in her position, and with such excellent writing and brilliant characters, the story was very vivid in my mind. I very much recommend this book to those who like horror and dark fantasy stories, and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series soon.
No I received a free copy of this book after signing up for the author's mailing list, but my review is HONEST and based wholly on my own opinions.

[Catriona Lovett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Magic, Demons, Monsters, and the Loss of Innocence


I thoroughly enjoyed reading this prequel. The story surprised me, and the writer is top notch.

The book sat on my bookshelf for some time because I was expecting it to be more of a fantasy.  Instead, I believe the book easily fits into the horror genre, which I enjoy more.

It's violent in parts and not for the squeamish, but the violence isn't gratuitous. Instead, it pushes the story along and explains the motivation of the characters.

I've already begun reading the next book in the series, Watchers of the Fallen. So far, at least, the books should be read in order, but you can get all three books, along with the prequel, in a box set on Kindle at a very reasonable price. I plan to borrow them with Kindle Unlimited.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This dark fantasy novella grabbed my attention and held on to it for a ride through it's nightmarish telling. I could not put it down, just had to see what happened next. If you like dark fantasy or horror you will love this prequel. I definitely want to read the series.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.


FYI- There are some very violent scenes with some blood.

[Saundra Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jesse's life has been awful since her father died until an unusual used book store opens up in town! She has spent her time taking care of her mom, her only escape in books. Now that her mom has taken up with the biggest loser ever, Jessie needs to escape even more. However the new store may open doors more sinister than anything Jessie ever wished for.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read from author Brian Rella. Attention-catching, the problem with short prequels is that they leave you wanting more if they're well-written and this one is. Where is the story going? You'll have to buy the next book to find out, not a stand-alone.

[Jamie Testa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start

I really enjoyed this prequel. Seems like this is a great start to a good sequel I would like to finish. Hopefully the rest of the books are this interesting.

[Jessica (Read book. Repeat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com

Jessie is in a bad place. Her home is not safe for her, and her mother just doesn't understand. She spends more time drunk with her new boyfriend, going out every night to party, than at home protecting her daughter from the violent nasty daughter of Steve. Marie beats her up, Steve leers at her, and her mother is oblivious to it all. So when Jessie comes across a new book store in town run by a woman named Olga, she decides that maybe it's her new escape. Until she comes across a book that she was not supposed to see, a book that has dark, evil things contained within. Will Jessie make the ultimate sacrifice just to feel in control again? Will she let the evil out of it's cage?

I was pleasantly surprised by this story. It's a prequel, and was a freebie in an email that I received, so it's pretty short, but that's okay. I haven't read anything else from the Second Death series, but you better believe I plan on checking it out after this!

This was a lot darker than I originally assumed it was, and once again, that's okay. The story was so well written that I felt Jessie's helplessness, I felt her pain, and her longing for stability and safety in a world where there was none for her. Rella was able to write such a well rounded fourteen year old female character, I applaud him. Jessie was instantly likeable, my heart went out to her with what she's been through. Losing her father in a work accident and having her mother fall in a heap, leaving Jessie to look after herself, and her mother as best as she possibly could, before her mother turned to booze and bad men to fill the void. The situation that Jessie found herself in was absolutely horrendous, and it's a testament to Rella's ability in his craft that it made me feel uncomfortable, it made me feel anxious. So when Jessie actually took action, I couldn't feel mad at her, I actually was backing her. From what I can gather she almost becomes the antagonist in this series (correct me if I'm wrong, as I said, I haven't read any of the main series), yet I still feel like I'm backing her. I just want someone to help this poor girl, to show her that there is SOMEONE who cares about her well being.

The story is fast paced and a super quick read. I believe that it's the perfect series starter for what is promising to be an absolutely gripping dark fantasy series, and I cannot WAIT to get into this one! The writing is wonderful, I find that occasionally in the freebies received from emails that they could do with another round or two of editing, this was not the case here. The writing flows beautifully from one sentence to the next and Rella really does have an awesome ability to express emotions in this story without making the writing flowery.

I'm super intrigued to see where this story goes, I have a rough idea on which direction it's headed, but I cannot wait to see what happens, and I'm so glad that I actually found this one before finding the main series, because knowing where the antagonist has come from and why she's doing the things she is really adds another dimension to a fictional world.

[Catriona Lovett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this prequel. The story surprised me, and the writer is top notch.

The book sat on my bookshelf for some time because I was expecting it to be more of a fantasy.  Instead, I believe the book easily fits into the horror genre, which I enjoy more.

It's violent in parts and not for the squeamish, but the violence isn't gratuitous. Instead, it pushes the story along and explains the motivation of the characters.

I've already begun reading the next book in the series, Watchers of the Fallen. So far, at least, the books should be read in order, but you can get all three books, along with the prequel, in a box set on Kindle at a very reasonable price. I plan to borrow them with Kindle Unlimited.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this prequel. The story surprised me, and the writer is top notch.

The book sat on my bookshelf for some time because I was expecting it to be more of a fantasy.  Instead, I believe the book easily fits into the horror genre, which I enjoy more.

It's violent in parts and not for the squeamish, but the violence isn't gratuitous. Instead, it pushes the story along and explains the motivation of the characters.

I've already begun reading the next book in the series, Watchers of the Fallen. So far, at least, the books should be read in order, but you can get all three books, along with the prequel, in a box set on Kindle at a very reasonable price. I plan to borrow them with Kindle Unlimited.

[Ducky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not read horror usually. Almost every time I do pick up a creepy book, I am disappointed with the read and frustrated. However Rising was the exception. It is an introduction to the Second Death series and I did not expect to like it. I was wrong and now I want to read the series. That is one of the highest compliments I can give to any book or author, that I want to read more.

Rising starts out slow and gives only tantalizing hints of where the story is headed. I felt compassion for Jessie, whose mother has buried her grief in sex and booze. The author captures the angst of a teenage girl living with neglect, abuse, and grief very well. The build up is steady with events building the suspense in a way that left me knowing something was coming, but barely prepared me for the intense ending that grabbed me like a monster and smashed all my preconceived notions about the story into mangled bits.

The only criticisms I have for Rising are some continuity issues and a few proofreading errors. Over all it is tight, well done and has me hooked.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, wow, this read was unexpected. Not sure what I thought it was going to be, but this is a true horror through-and-through. Lots of gore, so if you’re not into that, this may bother you a bit. A teenager who finally snaps after dealing with neglect from her mother and abuse from her mother’s boyfriend and his daughter gets an unexpected 2nd chance to deal with the issue when becoming master to a demon she unleashes. Once the demon has hold of her, she is transformed, loses all compassion for anyone, and decides she wants to find the other demons she is told about and rule them all. It didn’t take long to get pulled into the story, and since it was a short prequel, it didn’t take long to read through as I couldn’t put it down. Definitely a series worth looking into, along with any other books this author publishes.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily giving my honest review.

[Donna Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella, "Rising," by Brian Rella is the prequel to the much anticipated Second Death series and actually expands on the story "Arraziel," found in his compilation "Monsters & Demons." I really enjoyed reading this book and was immediately swept away into this world that I can't wait to see more of in the upcoming series. Brian's writing is very evocative of the classic horror of the 70s and 80s and his writing is so descriptive (yet concise) and alluring, that you can't help but be drawn into this world and his characters. I love authors whose writing allows you to visualize the action as it's happening and Brian excels at this. This is going to be a great series and I, for one, can't wait until The Watchers is out.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a amazing book.
It's a book about Jessie whos father died and her mother turned to alcohol and is dating a horrible man.
The man's daughter beats Jessie up.
Jessie finds a book called aaraziel. She asks the owner of the book why it is a blank book and olga says it's not and its not for sale.
Jessie steals the book and takes it home.
She finds out the book likes heat, so she uses a lighter on it and it starts showing her words.

Her mother comes home and says she is marrying Steve.
So Jessie unleashed the demon aaraziel and hurts her family and Steve and his daughter.

I can't wait to read the next book to see what happens next.

 "I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book."

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book and give an honest review as a response. I like to dip into indie horror author's work and taste the talent out there. This is a relatively short but adrenaline pumped read that easily gets you hooked on Rella's series. In the Second Death he has unearthed an original concept that reveals a facet of hell, suffering and torment that drills down deep into the reader's soul. I quickly identified with the characters and their situations, making the confrontation between every-day challenges and the entry of a demonic power all the more engaging. I'm already reading this author's second book and I think I'm hooked.

[P.S. Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, the twists and turns are going to have readers glued to the pages as they follow Olga, who opens a bookstore in Beauchamp. A very unique store with some interesting collections of books, one of which a young girl, Jessie, steals. That is where the adventure and mystery begins. This book has a wonderful feel to it. in a dark way. The author did a great job with not only the characters but in the history behind them. This is definitely one to pick up in you like ancient mysteries, horror and suspense.

[Cryogenic Fire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snappy prequel.

This novella doesn't mess around. You're pretty much jumped straight into the action and into why Jessie becomes who she does, but at no point does the plot or the reader feel rushed.

I'm not going to give spoilers other than to say that, thinking back to my turbulent teen years, if I was in her place, in those circumstances and given those choices I'd probably do the same.

Now go read it!

I, for one, am certainly grabbing The Watchers now.

[Michelle VanDaley · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review is based on the audiobook
Rising is the perfect prequel to the The Second Death Supernatural Story. It is a short story that will leave you wanting to read the entire series. If you have read the series then this adds a little back story. The narrator is on point bringing the story to life. I highly recommend this author and this series

[Thomas Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Praise for this author

I enjoyed every book Ive read so far from this author. Monsters and Demons, Arraziel and now this book. It not really a continuation of Arraziel but it does go into more detail about Jesse and her new found power.

[Valarie Venuti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this !!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, demonic and thoroughly scary and that's just Jessie never mind the demon doing her bidding!
Short book but it is a prequel. Written well and it captures the imagination.

[Annemarie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a pretty quick read. While I really enjoyed the plot, the big issue I had with this book was that every single character was so unlikable. Because if this, I also didn't really care about what happened to them.

[Cyrene Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uncaged Book Reviews:

I liked the originality and the storyline, and this gives you a good insight of what the story will be. Some things could be better fleshed out, but overall it’s a good prequel. Reviewed by Cyrene

Full review at UncagedBooks.com