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Award winning author J.M. Kearl brings to you the first book in an exciting series, RISE.

A farm girl. A prince. An assassin. A spy. All intertwined in a dangerous game where the players may die.

Daelyn leads a simple life farming—that is, until she catches the eye of the Prince of Hesstia and is invited to a night at the royal festival where it is said his brother will push for him to choose a bride. Little does she know, her chance encounter with the handsome prince is a scheme under the orders of the Queen of Delhoon, the Prince’s enemy.

War is brewing again and threatens to consume both nations. Daelyn finds herself trapped between the opposing sides, and opposing men vying for her affection. In this dangerous arrangement, any wrong move could have Daelyn killed. Every decision she makes could swing the pendulum of who will rise and who will fall in the first book of the RISE series.

447 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2018

418 people are currently reading
3089 people want to read

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J.M. Kearl

15 books1,395 followers

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5 stars
190 (30%)
4 stars
225 (36%)
3 stars
153 (24%)
2 stars
33 (5%)
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16 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
Profile Image for Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen.
1,692 reviews634 followers
August 28, 2021
4.25 Stars

I really enjoyed this story and I love the stories where the heroine starts out as a normal person but then secrets are found out and she ends up being much more than she thought.
Profile Image for Christina.
Author 2 books34 followers
October 3, 2020
RISE has an interesting plot. That is undeniable. I generally enjoy the idea of characters finding out that everything, their life and the world around them, is not what they thought it was. I felt that it was done well in this story.

My only issue is the fact that I don't necessarily care for these characters all that much. Daelyn is the most believable considering the circumstances of the storyline, followed by her mother Madison (but I did not like her). There's just something about Boaden that makes me not like him. I can't pinpoint what or why. As for the prince, I don't quite get his motivations or his interest in Daelyn.

Despite my reservations, I'll likely read the next book in the future.
Profile Image for Natasha Clark-French.
211 reviews3 followers
November 25, 2019
I immediately loved this book. I don't know how this isn't more popular? It doesn't feel like an "indie author, self published" book, it definitely read like a book I'd pick up at the store. The characters were varied, unique, and multi-dimensional so they felt real. The world building and writing flowed wonderfully. I didn't ever want to put it down. The character arcs were perfect too, so I felt the growth of each character and like they were truly learning and developing. I can't wait to learn more about this world.
Profile Image for Aira.
309 reviews17 followers
September 7, 2021
2.5 stars
Nothing wrong with the book, just not for me
I really really liked the plot, however I just didn't connect with all the characters.
Daelyn really does come across as clueless, but it makes her kind of endearing. Her mother Madelyn was definitely my favourite
I kind of just wish the romance element of the book wasn't part of it. It felt kind of flat and the dude (who's name I've already forgotten) just no sparks, besides being the first man to talk to her for more than a second
Profile Image for Momma Leighellen’s Book Nook.
957 reviews284 followers
November 24, 2019
This is a really fun YA fantasy novel that follows the story of a mother-daughter trapped in a land where they can't use their magic. There's political intrigue, a classic love triangle, and plenty of family drama. There are numerous twists and turns and the plot lines flow effortlessly through the book. I devoured the entire first book in one night!

The story follows Daelyn and her mother, Madison, as they struggle to make ends meet on their farm after the death of Daelyn's father. Daelyn and Madison have a quirky family dynamic. Madison is not exactly maternal and Dealyn is extremely naive for her age, but it also makes her rather sweet. I would have loved a little more world building early on to understand the culture and political machinations of the land, but we do learn that magic has been outlawed in this Kingdom and the evil King will stop at nothing to end it. Madison clearly has the ability to do magic but it isn't clear if Daelyn has it, too, or if it is just kept in check by her overly protective mother.

We soon learn that Madison is more than just a widow and has her reasons for being overprotective of her daughter. There is also a scheming subplot with the Queen of another Kingdom that is trying to overtake the King and allow magic back across the land. Dealyn ends up catching the eye of both the incredibly handsome Prince Enden and his mysterious assistant, Boaden. She quickly gets caught up in a love triangle that is way over her head and in the end, must choose between her family and true love. Either way, she is now in great danger.

The tension between Daelyn and Boaden is fantastic and their witty banter is both charming and hilarious. I found Madison to be overly childish and annoying early on and found it confusing and odd that Daelyn never calls her Mom. This all makes more sense about 3/4 of the way through the book when we get more back story on Madison. It made me come to understand her & her choices more.

The book really opens up about halfway through. That's when they all travel to Delmar, where magic still exists and is openly practiced. The authors descriptions about this land and it's creatures are beautiful and engaging. Towards the end, the plot because very romance heavy and I found myself wondering what happened with the Queen and her sub plots and freeing her people...but with the AWESOME ending, it makes me want to just grab book 2 and find out.

I think this will appeal to fans of Holly Black, Cassandra Claire, and even Kiersten White. It isn't as dark as some YA fantasy, but I found it refreshing. Enjoy!
Profile Image for Mindi.
96 reviews
February 16, 2019
Great read!

This is the first book I've read from this author and I loved it! It has a love story, betrayal of best friends, list love found again, magic and loss. I have to get book 2 and start reading it right away! I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. After run dying this book I have already purchased the next book in the series because I need to know what happens next!
Profile Image for Amber Dene.
172 reviews2 followers
January 7, 2020
A magical adventure to be sucked in by. I honestly fell in love with this land and the characters. It reminds me of Lord of the rings and Shannara Chronicles but easier to read. This story with love and magic and adventure is a must read. Now on to book 2 because writing this review took to much time away from my happy place 😉.
Profile Image for Mairy.
133 reviews57 followers
March 19, 2020
An exciting adventure! Well written , keeping u on the edge all the time. That end though...i would like to know how everything went. However I would like to note this, can the protagonist wear her grown up pants already and do what she is said to do , because she's getting on my nerves. Oh.. same for lover boy, it's frustrating 😁
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Bookworm .
21 reviews
May 8, 2020
I'm impressed

What can I say other then this book is amazing. Sad in the end but so good.its a Must read.
10 reviews
November 5, 2019
Enjoyable read

This book was well written. I enjoyed growing with our heroine, and appreciated finishing this individual story arc, but having plenty of reasons to keep reading!
Profile Image for Brittany O'Barr.
74 reviews
November 22, 2018
Yes. Just yes! I loved everything about this!! I was completely pulled into the book! LOVED the characters. Daelyn is awesome, Madison is freaking hilarious and so bad ass, Boaden is dreamy and funny yet honorable to his kingdom, Prince Enden is a little mysterious and cute while also flawed, and Midlan is just NO. haha(you’ll understand). Loved this world with these two kingdoms and how you can see both sides of the story! MUST READ!
Profile Image for Charity Chimni.
Author 2 books9 followers
August 31, 2019
Wow! This is my first book by JM Kearl. I loved the insight into all of the different characters. The story has a lot going on. It’s full of great characters, mystery, intrigue, Magic, and romance. A great start to a series!
Profile Image for J.M..
Author 15 books1,395 followers
November 25, 2018
Since It’s my own book you know I’m giving it 5 stars 🙂 hope you love it as much as I do!
Profile Image for Ashley Kirby Ware.
33 reviews
January 28, 2020
5=stars

I stumbled across this book and so glad that I did. This book is awesome. It has twists and turns as well as romance. I highly recommend it and Can’t wait for the next one.
1 review
April 10, 2022
After writing this review, I think a 3 star rating is more accurate. However, I wrote this review mainly for a storyline question to be answered, and I rate based off of my personal rating system for my own reference. (4 star is liked a lot and would read again). If anyone has the answer to my storyline question, please let me know! Question hidden as a spoiler at the bottom of this review.

The storyline is no doubt Kearl’s forte. The storyline draws obvious inspirations from Harry Potter and other popular strong female-led fantasy novels, yet it distinguishes itself enough to avoid predictability.

4 stars may be a generous rating, but I truly did love the storyline. The primary characters do change and grow, which is a refreshing contribution to the series. Some of the growth is rushed, but I believe most of the character development are reasonable. Most characters are not very relatable or even very likeable, but they have their strengths along with their faults. All the characters are also unique and feel very “individual,” for lack of a better word. I often find myself confusing similar characters in other novels, especially if the story contains similar love interests or two protagonists between the main and spin off series. These characters so often have excessive overlapping character qualities, but this does not happen at all in this series. Each main character is memorable and could be a protagonist in their own right. Arguably, this series follows two protagonists, Madison and Daelyn, and both are strong female leads yet with very different approaches. Other strong female characters are also introduced throughout the series with overlapping character qualities, yet I found all characters to be easily distinguishable. Kearl does such a wonderful job interweaving similarities and difference between her characters resulting in complex, yet refreshing and not confusing relationships. For me, the balance and strength of her character creation compensates for other lacking features of the series.


The series faces a few obvious problems. The writing contains grammatical errors and incorrect word usage, such as using “their” and “they’re” interchangeably. Relationships feel a bit rushed. The characters have growth, but certain characteristics are highlighted then never addressed. This is a small spoiler, as I think the example gets the point across without spoiling much of the storyline. The politics were also lacking and oversimplified. The story definitely allowed stronger political maneuvers to take place, but resolutions tend to fall short of entertaining. Spoiler from later books . Feels like many political intriguing opportunities wasted and missed. World building is also lacking and simply unoriginal.

This brings me to my biggest problem/question - I only wrote this review because I need this question answered! I know Daelyn suggested
Profile Image for Larissa.
484 reviews14 followers
February 8, 2020

This is another Kindle Unlimited book that has good cover art so I really appreciate it for that. There are two kingdoms who have had conflict for decades, Hesstia and Delmar. Daelyn has lived in Hesstia her entire life and been taught to fear Delmar and abhor magic, though she doesn't share the sentiment on magic since her mother has been practicing it her entire life. The book follows her and several other characters as they navigate the tensions of the nations.

It had a lot of positives. I generally liked Daelyn and thought she had the potential to be a great protagonist. Unfortunately, I feel as though all of the other POVs detracted from how good of a character she was on her own. There was too much going on for me to really fall in love with any of the characters. The style of writing wasn't what I typically go for either because too much was being given away. If the author is telling us exactly how people feel or why something is happening, I don't feel like I'm taking as much away and nothing is really surprising me. I also just hate Madison and wish she had gotten less page-time, anyone who hits their child and has no remorse for it is not a redeemable character to me.

There is potential in the series, like I still want to read forward to know what becomes of all of them. I do hope that there are less random storylines in the future, and that the characters stop telling me directly how they feel and why they feel that way.


This review and all my others can be found at: https://aworldshapedbybooks.blogspot....
Profile Image for Megan (lost among the stacks).
325 reviews17 followers
September 20, 2021
This is a decent read; mediocre. It doesn't necessarily draw you all the way in to the point of needing to read in one sitting. But its also not a book that you can just walk away from and never return. A whole lot happens in the final handful of pages that almost make you forget the book just plodded along with no real highs or lows.

The characters are decent but no stand outs. I didn't relate to any nor did any make me want to root for them. I'm pretty sure the queen was my "favorite" and we only see her for a handful of pages. Daelyn is okay. Truly okay, she's possibly the most believable but also becomes very extra and whiney. Madison was too cold and set apart. There is no real good explanation for why she treats Daelyn the way she does. Boaden starts off strong and then just becomes completely unbelievable in his actions. And we don't see enough of Jordane to form an opinion.

I normally like books that change POV but this one makes the reader too omniscient and doesn't leave too much room for surprise. I also preferred the chapters that settled on one view versus switching characters in the middle. But that is soley my preference.

All in all, while this is not my favorite book to date it is not the worst either. It ends with enough questions left unanswered that I will at some point grab the sequel to see what happens next.

Book Topics/Themes: Chosen one, Magic, Hidden Truths, Multiple POVs
Mood: Adventurous, Dark
Profile Image for Karen Voitik.
3,219 reviews
October 6, 2022
>Book Review – Rise

>I am an independent reviewer. This book is the 1st in the Rise series and ends with a cliffhanger. This universe is all about magic, those people with magic and those people without magic. Those people without magic are afraid of magic and kill everyone in a family if someone doing magic is caught. The magical kingdom trains incessantly to take over the non-magic kingdom for the protection of the magical people.

>Daelyn is magical but doesn’t know it. Her mother, Madison, is a spy for the magic lands. Madison is a horrible mother and an unlikable character. She was abusive to Daelyn, which didn’t make sense. Boaden is a spy who realizes he belongs with Daelyn yet goes along with a plan to have Daelyn marry the prince in order to get close to the King and assassinate him. Boaden is jealous, but how can he truly love Daelyn if he is willing to let her marry another?

>This book is appropriate for an adult audience. I am giving this book 4 stars. I didn’t care too much about any of these characters, except Daelyn’s father.
Profile Image for Veronica.
38 reviews1 follower
October 29, 2021
I enjoyed everything about this book. Thankful this is one of 3 books because that ending would had left me up for days. The characters are written well. I felt like I got to know the characters and their struggles. I still want to know why her eyes didn’t glow when his did in the moonlight. The love story is breathtaking. The story had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what is going to happen next. I enjoyed their hidden make-out sessions. Too cute! I dislike the ending in a, “why did this have to happen way”. The ending was tragic and heartbreaking. This book was so good, regardless that the ending that ripped my heart out. Now, onto the next book.
1,346 reviews6 followers
March 7, 2019
Daelyn is just becoming aware of all the intrigue that has surrounded her for her entire life. Everyone has their own agendas to enact and it seems that Daelyn is at the center of it. Her mom is a Delhoon spy, most likely Boaden too. And Prince Enden wants to marry her? Her life has changed drastically and war between Hesstia and Delhoon is a growing concern. I loved reading this and can't wait to enjoy the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
341 reviews2 followers
January 10, 2020
Rise

Beautifully written. I love that Daelyn isn’t an instant force to be reckoned with. That we get to see her struggle and learn about herself and what she may be capable of instead of instantly being a fierce heroine who automatically knows how to fight and wield magic like so many other stories. Her vulnerability and naivety are enduring and yet we also get to see glimpses of fire in her that will hopefully come out more in the next book. I’m very intrigued to see how all the different relationship dynamics play out with the characters in this book.
15 reviews1 follower
May 22, 2022
I enjoyed the world building and basic conflict of the book, for they presented original spins on common tropes. I also enjoyed engaging in the story through multiple perspectives. Having said that, Daelyn’s thinking read so immature I had a hard time with some of her thinking. And though the characters were interesting, they read too one dimensional for me to find them realistic. Humans are complex and unpredictable, yet each character had a defining trait that presented itself in every scene causing them to read flat to me.
138 reviews1 follower
May 12, 2023
I wasn't sure at first

I wasn't sure I'd read this at first as it's a bit of a departure from my normal fare.

But I'm glad I did!

Although Daelyn is rather dumb and headstrong, but she's young and guiless. This a young woman who can't trust her mother.
As she's raised her with lies and resentment.
As for the male characters, they were ok.
This was a good first book of an adventure.
With the twists and turns about to ensue and a diabolical Queen to look forward to.

Book 2 is about to download 😁
Profile Image for Stephanie Hotz.
86 reviews6 followers
November 28, 2019
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

The characters in this stories are interesting and I found the book to be well written overall! I think this will be enjoyed by fantasy readers who enjoy fantasies focusing on interpersonal drama/conflict and romance, however it just wasn’t my personal preference for fantasy books (I prefer more world building and faster action).
Profile Image for Natalie.
284 reviews
January 3, 2022
Great Start to the Series!

This book is a great start to an amazing series! We are first introduced to our main cast of characters and the backgrounds of their lives.

Secrets are kept, a friend betrayed, a rescue planned and an assassination on the horizon, this book had me turning page after page wanting to see if our heroes would succeed.

This book ended on such a cliffhanger that I had to jump right into the next. Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Wren.
984 reviews4 followers
July 20, 2022
*3.5 stars*
This series has a lot of potential and I’m excited to see where it goes. At first I was a little confused about what is happening, the timeline of events and the background of the characters but the book was easy enough to read that you could overlook those things until you learn about them. I will say the ending was odd. Not a cliffhanger. Just ended which was weird but I will definitely be continuing the series.
Profile Image for Emily.
47 reviews
April 22, 2022
This book was a pleasant surprise. I purchased the Kindle version, bundled along with books 2 and 3. I easily got to that place where my brain was completely in the story and lost track of my physical space. I found the characters well developed. They were easy to love (or not) and the relationships didn’t feel forced. I am very much looking forward to getting further in this series.
Profile Image for Valery.
Author 3 books23 followers
December 22, 2023
The storyline is good, but the tense the story is written in is awkward and clunky. The writing also has a lot more telling than it should. There are a lot of grammar mistakes as well. With a good editor, the story has potential.

For my clean readers: language-no f-bomb, violence, talk of rape, murder, torture, child abuse, groping, sex-though not graphic, adultery, and kissing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews

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