What do you think?
Dance of the Elements #2
Submerged
A WARRIOR PRINCESS.
A DOPPLEGANGER.
CHAOTIC SEAS AND ANCIENT SECRETS.
“Jura pictured her friend’s beautiful face.”
Jura and Tylak have successfully infiltrated the nation of Kitoi in search of answers but come upon a web of lies that will unravel the world as they know it. With the Tri-Alliance shattered and puppets controlling The Republic, they must find a way to save their nation before all perish.
“Tylak reached for her hand, interlacing her fingers with his own.”
Together, Jura and Tylak set out to free Amira from the clutches of a ruler gone mad. Jura hopes to meet with the Sea King in a desperate attempt to stop the impending war. Instead, she encounters his daughter, Coralyn, a powerful princess with plans of her own.
With the drums of war beating faster, and more secrets rising all around her, Jura and her allies must stop the Queen of Shadows before the Sand Sea is submerged in chaos.
A DOPPLEGANGER.
CHAOTIC SEAS AND ANCIENT SECRETS.
“Jura pictured her friend’s beautiful face.”
Jura and Tylak have successfully infiltrated the nation of Kitoi in search of answers but come upon a web of lies that will unravel the world as they know it. With the Tri-Alliance shattered and puppets controlling The Republic, they must find a way to save their nation before all perish.
“Tylak reached for her hand, interlacing her fingers with his own.”
Together, Jura and Tylak set out to free Amira from the clutches of a ruler gone mad. Jura hopes to meet with the Sea King in a desperate attempt to stop the impending war. Instead, she encounters his daughter, Coralyn, a powerful princess with plans of her own.
With the drums of war beating faster, and more secrets rising all around her, Jura and her allies must stop the Queen of Shadows before the Sand Sea is submerged in chaos.
- GenresFantasy
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
About the author
A.M. Deese
9 books332 followersAlexis Marrero Deese is an avid lover of all things fantasy. Favorite authors include Brandon Sanderson, Sabaa Tahir and Jaqueline Carey. Although a native of Tampa Florida, Alexis currently makes her home in North Georgia where she lives with her husband and three dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 4, 2019
As book 2 of a series, readers will know, including myself, going in that there are characters and plot to remember. But I have to say: either my memory is terrible, it’s been far too long since I read book 1, or the prompts in the narrative to remind the reader are poorly implemented in Submerged. It took me until almost halfway through to feel like I had a sense for all our characters, locations, politics, etc. I suspect it’s a bit of all three contributors that led me to really struggle at the beginning. Now in fairness there is a large cast of characters, locations, politics, religions, etc. to contend with here. Yet I often read elaborate fantasy books and do not usually have as much trouble as I had here with A.M. Deese's second offering in the Dance of the Elements series.
Submerged continues immediately following book 1’s cliffhanger and takes no time at all to get ramped up. We are thrown back into the elaborate game of politics, war, and treachery that began in Ignited. Were the characters a bit more developed, and a little less cliché, Submerged could easily move from being in any sort of new adult category to straight-up fantasy. I think what Deese really needs is a strong fantasy editor; perhaps from Orbit or TOR to really nail down some character traits, facts, and world development. I’m not saying this will be Sanderson level quality (who is really?). With a couple rewrites and good editing there truly is a solid story and cast of antagonists and protagonists. These sentiments echo my thoughts on book 1. A really great editor could make this series so much more!
Finally, fair warning, there is an epic cliffhanger here just as there was in book one. As with many middle series books it feels (at times) that the story didn’t progress very far. Although, I do believe there is a resolution of sorts here; even if the cliffhanger makes you revolt a bit with its drive to pull the story into book three. I really enjoyed our two main gals (finally!) meeting one another (not a spoiler, it had to happen eventually for the series to progress), and felt that the romantic interests were tamed down and allowed the politics and plot to stand-out more. This was a huge plus for me as I usually can do with less romantic stuff in the average book marketed such as Submerged has been.
I hope Deese continues to promote and write her book series. Even if a part of me also hopes a bigger fantasy publisher steps in to give Dance of the Elements series a more fantasy texture and elevate it to the level I think it could be.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Submerged continues immediately following book 1’s cliffhanger and takes no time at all to get ramped up. We are thrown back into the elaborate game of politics, war, and treachery that began in Ignited. Were the characters a bit more developed, and a little less cliché, Submerged could easily move from being in any sort of new adult category to straight-up fantasy. I think what Deese really needs is a strong fantasy editor; perhaps from Orbit or TOR to really nail down some character traits, facts, and world development. I’m not saying this will be Sanderson level quality (who is really?). With a couple rewrites and good editing there truly is a solid story and cast of antagonists and protagonists. These sentiments echo my thoughts on book 1. A really great editor could make this series so much more!
Finally, fair warning, there is an epic cliffhanger here just as there was in book one. As with many middle series books it feels (at times) that the story didn’t progress very far. Although, I do believe there is a resolution of sorts here; even if the cliffhanger makes you revolt a bit with its drive to pull the story into book three. I really enjoyed our two main gals (finally!) meeting one another (not a spoiler, it had to happen eventually for the series to progress), and felt that the romantic interests were tamed down and allowed the politics and plot to stand-out more. This was a huge plus for me as I usually can do with less romantic stuff in the average book marketed such as Submerged has been.
I hope Deese continues to promote and write her book series. Even if a part of me also hopes a bigger fantasy publisher steps in to give Dance of the Elements series a more fantasy texture and elevate it to the level I think it could be.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
May 15, 2019
Book – Submerged
Author – A.M. Deese
Series – Dance of the Elements #2
Publication Date – July 29, 2019
Genre – Fantasy/Romance
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary copy generously provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
I’m going to be honest here and admit that I enjoyed the first book in this series (Ignited) much better than Submerged. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I didn’t enjoy this book, it’s just that I love that introduction to characters and worlds that a “first” book has. I can only compare this to when I was young and couldn’t settle down with a guy or a car…I would enjoy the newness and then get comfortable which would cause me to lose interest and have to move to something new again.
I still was interested in Jura and Tylak and the next part of their story was new, but to me I just felt a bit disconnected – maybe it was because the best climax to the story was in the first book…
There were plenty of climatic moments in this book with the threat of war….the threat of tyrannical rulers…the threat of death.
Reason for Reading – NetGalley choice
Story – 4 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 4 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 4 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 4 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 5 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? Yes
Recommend To – Fantasy Romance lovers
Author – A.M. Deese
Series – Dance of the Elements #2
Publication Date – July 29, 2019
Genre – Fantasy/Romance
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary copy generously provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
I’m going to be honest here and admit that I enjoyed the first book in this series (Ignited) much better than Submerged. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I didn’t enjoy this book, it’s just that I love that introduction to characters and worlds that a “first” book has. I can only compare this to when I was young and couldn’t settle down with a guy or a car…I would enjoy the newness and then get comfortable which would cause me to lose interest and have to move to something new again.
I still was interested in Jura and Tylak and the next part of their story was new, but to me I just felt a bit disconnected – maybe it was because the best climax to the story was in the first book…
There were plenty of climatic moments in this book with the threat of war….the threat of tyrannical rulers…the threat of death.
Reason for Reading – NetGalley choice
Story – 4 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 4 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 4 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 4 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 5 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? Yes
Recommend To – Fantasy Romance lovers
September 30, 2019
As with the first book, I loved Jura. Even when the story took a turn for the worst, she kept her head up, powering through everything that was thrown at her. When she learned that the tri-alliance was shattered, she didn’t give up, instead creating new plans to move forward and save the people that she loves.
I also loved Kay’s character arc, and I really felt for her when she lost her favorite mentor Kindle. I can’t wait to see what future books have in store for her. All around, I loved that every chapter gave us a new perspective. Whether it was from the Sea King’s daughter, Coralyn, or Amira locked in her new prison, we got to see the stakes being raised from just about every angle possible.
This series is wonderful because it has everything a great fantasy needs. There is plenty of romance despite the tension and there are moments of real heartfelt friendship as well. I’m excited to see where the author takes these characters next.
I also loved Kay’s character arc, and I really felt for her when she lost her favorite mentor Kindle. I can’t wait to see what future books have in store for her. All around, I loved that every chapter gave us a new perspective. Whether it was from the Sea King’s daughter, Coralyn, or Amira locked in her new prison, we got to see the stakes being raised from just about every angle possible.
This series is wonderful because it has everything a great fantasy needs. There is plenty of romance despite the tension and there are moments of real heartfelt friendship as well. I’m excited to see where the author takes these characters next.
July 29, 2019
I received this as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Aurelia Leo, LLC for giving me access.
That ending! Please tell me that there will be another book?
I thoroughly enjoyed Submerged. The journey we go on with several of the characters, kept me on the edge of my seat! There was so much action that I couldn't put it down. A.M. Deese creates a a magic system that seems much like Avatar, the Last Airbender but is also uniquely its own class. We have magic and dragons and battles (Oh, my!) A great read for any fan of fantasy.
That ending! Please tell me that there will be another book?
I thoroughly enjoyed Submerged. The journey we go on with several of the characters, kept me on the edge of my seat! There was so much action that I couldn't put it down. A.M. Deese creates a a magic system that seems much like Avatar, the Last Airbender but is also uniquely its own class. We have magic and dragons and battles (Oh, my!) A great read for any fan of fantasy.
July 19, 2019
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*ARC received from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Submerged is the second book in the Dance Of The Elements series. Last year, I've read the first book Ignited and I really liked it. I think this one's a pretty good sequel. I enjoyed it even more than the first book. I liked the new set of characters and also the main characters Jura and Tylak. This series has a unique concept and great world building. The multiple POV's might become a issue for some readers, but if you can handle that, then you'll definitely enjoy reading this series. The following review contains minor spoilers from the first book.
The story follows six characters Jura, Tylak, Kay, Coral, Ash, Beshar, and Amira. Although this book features seven characters, the central focus was on Jura and Tylak's journey. After the events in the first book, Jura and Tylak journey to Kitoi to rescue her friend Amira. She doesn't have any answers for her strange powers yet but she'll do anything to save her people. The former Shadow Dancer Tylak decides to be her bodyguard along their journey. Jura starts to have feelings for Tylak who filled the void left by her first love Markhim. I quite enjoyed Tylak and Jura's relationship in this book. The romance was a pretty much a slow burn. I also enjoyed the bond between Ash and Kay. They're like father and daughter. Little girl Kay is very naive and innocent but she has a strong fire power. She has a potential to become a strong weapon if trained well. I enjoyed watching her grow and can't wait to see her in action in the next book. Beshar, the Ninth of the thirteen was an interesting character. His bodyguards The Samur are a bit creepy. He's on the good side and helps Amira to fight against the unknown villain, he's aware that her father is controlled by someone who wants to destroy tri-alliance and bring war into the world. Princess Coral is the daughter of the Sea King. She's one of the major characters in the book. After a tragic event, she sets on the journey to vengeance. Amira is Jura's best friend. She was kidnapped as a bait for Jura. She's pretty confused about her situation, but she'll do anything to survive.
The plot was engaging throughout. It's a little long book, but I never felt the need to skip the pages. Once you're into the story, you're hooked. The plot moved in a steady pace, it's neither fast or slow. There are a lot of interesting twists and turns throughout. I liked the writing style of the author. The book was written in third person multiple POV's. The shifting POV's between different characters didn't bother me much. It gave more insight to the story. The ending was pretty good. I'm excited to know what happens in the next book. The world building and the magic was perfect and unique. It's one of the best aspect of this series.
Overall, I loved this book! It's a perfect YA fantasy read filled with magic, adventure, and romance. The book concluded with a cliffhanger and I'm very much excited for the next book.
*ARC received from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Submerged is the second book in the Dance Of The Elements series. Last year, I've read the first book Ignited and I really liked it. I think this one's a pretty good sequel. I enjoyed it even more than the first book. I liked the new set of characters and also the main characters Jura and Tylak. This series has a unique concept and great world building. The multiple POV's might become a issue for some readers, but if you can handle that, then you'll definitely enjoy reading this series. The following review contains minor spoilers from the first book.
The story follows six characters Jura, Tylak, Kay, Coral, Ash, Beshar, and Amira. Although this book features seven characters, the central focus was on Jura and Tylak's journey. After the events in the first book, Jura and Tylak journey to Kitoi to rescue her friend Amira. She doesn't have any answers for her strange powers yet but she'll do anything to save her people. The former Shadow Dancer Tylak decides to be her bodyguard along their journey. Jura starts to have feelings for Tylak who filled the void left by her first love Markhim. I quite enjoyed Tylak and Jura's relationship in this book. The romance was a pretty much a slow burn. I also enjoyed the bond between Ash and Kay. They're like father and daughter. Little girl Kay is very naive and innocent but she has a strong fire power. She has a potential to become a strong weapon if trained well. I enjoyed watching her grow and can't wait to see her in action in the next book. Beshar, the Ninth of the thirteen was an interesting character. His bodyguards The Samur are a bit creepy. He's on the good side and helps Amira to fight against the unknown villain, he's aware that her father is controlled by someone who wants to destroy tri-alliance and bring war into the world. Princess Coral is the daughter of the Sea King. She's one of the major characters in the book. After a tragic event, she sets on the journey to vengeance. Amira is Jura's best friend. She was kidnapped as a bait for Jura. She's pretty confused about her situation, but she'll do anything to survive.
The plot was engaging throughout. It's a little long book, but I never felt the need to skip the pages. Once you're into the story, you're hooked. The plot moved in a steady pace, it's neither fast or slow. There are a lot of interesting twists and turns throughout. I liked the writing style of the author. The book was written in third person multiple POV's. The shifting POV's between different characters didn't bother me much. It gave more insight to the story. The ending was pretty good. I'm excited to know what happens in the next book. The world building and the magic was perfect and unique. It's one of the best aspect of this series.
Overall, I loved this book! It's a perfect YA fantasy read filled with magic, adventure, and romance. The book concluded with a cliffhanger and I'm very much excited for the next book.
August 22, 2020
With the growth show just over the course of the two books published so far in this series, I am very excited to see where this story goes! This book gets a solid recommendation. Actually rating comes out to 3.75
Characterization: 4
A good cast with distinct personality. Deese was able to give here cast unique and consistent voices through perspective narration and reactions to events. Where the first book did not offer many opportunities for character growth, this instalment sucker-punched a couple characters and challenged their established roles. I still find myself more invested in the side characters though, than the main character Jura 4/5
Main Plot: 4
The main plot follows Jura and Tylak as they search for answers as to who is behind the brewing war between the Tri-Alliance nations. Where the first book was plodding and struggled with pacing until the end, this book has a good balance to the major events and left off strong. I am excited to see how the next installment ties the plot lines together 4/5
Sub Plot: 4
My opinions on the subplot following the interactions between Kay, and Ash in the fire dancer arena remain positive and unchanged. I am excited to see where this story goes in book three. Additionally in this book we have the subplot following the real Amira which gives her character a depth, beyond the initial impression of a vapid valley girl, that I think improves the story. Though it hasn't tied into the main plot in a significant way yet 4/5
World building: 3
Like in the first book, the world building is there. One of the difficult hurdles authors have to overcome is how they can demonstrate the intricacies of their world through their writing without going into a full on information dump. From book one, there is an improvement in representing the work the author put into creating this world that can be seen through mentions of cultural practices, distinct mannerisms based on character origination, and differentiated governing styles in the involved nations. Overall, Deese did a good job showing that her world has depth beyond what is seen on the surface 3/5
Writing: 3
The growth in the writing style from book one to book two is amazing! My complaint for the first book was the imbalance between setting/observation and character interaction/speech. The writing is still fairly utilitarian and prose light, but the balance of narrative elements has improved greatly! The writing is good but, being utilitarian, still lack a unique voice that could bring it above and beyond 3/5
Bonus points: 3*.05
Bonus points are given for plot events, devices, or characters that I find unique, impactful, or representative.
Characterization: 4
A good cast with distinct personality. Deese was able to give here cast unique and consistent voices through perspective narration and reactions to events. Where the first book did not offer many opportunities for character growth, this instalment sucker-punched a couple characters and challenged their established roles. I still find myself more invested in the side characters though, than the main character Jura 4/5
Main Plot: 4
The main plot follows Jura and Tylak as they search for answers as to who is behind the brewing war between the Tri-Alliance nations. Where the first book was plodding and struggled with pacing until the end, this book has a good balance to the major events and left off strong. I am excited to see how the next installment ties the plot lines together 4/5
Sub Plot: 4
My opinions on the subplot following the interactions between Kay, and Ash in the fire dancer arena remain positive and unchanged. I am excited to see where this story goes in book three. Additionally in this book we have the subplot following the real Amira which gives her character a depth, beyond the initial impression of a vapid valley girl, that I think improves the story. Though it hasn't tied into the main plot in a significant way yet 4/5
World building: 3
Like in the first book, the world building is there. One of the difficult hurdles authors have to overcome is how they can demonstrate the intricacies of their world through their writing without going into a full on information dump. From book one, there is an improvement in representing the work the author put into creating this world that can be seen through mentions of cultural practices, distinct mannerisms based on character origination, and differentiated governing styles in the involved nations. Overall, Deese did a good job showing that her world has depth beyond what is seen on the surface 3/5
Writing: 3
The growth in the writing style from book one to book two is amazing! My complaint for the first book was the imbalance between setting/observation and character interaction/speech. The writing is still fairly utilitarian and prose light, but the balance of narrative elements has improved greatly! The writing is good but, being utilitarian, still lack a unique voice that could bring it above and beyond 3/5
Bonus points: 3*.05
Bonus points are given for plot events, devices, or characters that I find unique, impactful, or representative.
October 21, 2019
Although this is the second in the series I believe that Submerged has held its own against the first book, “Ignited”, and is a fantastic continuation of what we read in the first book. The first book did a fantastic job of world building and character building that it was a little bit upsetting that the world was not broadened upon in the second book. However, the author, Deese, did a great job in bringing us back INTO the world to continue on the adventure that the royals have. It was very nice seeing the characters back and thrown into more chaos then the first book provided. I always love a little bit of chaos.
I love journeys that characters go on to find something, themselves, items, quests, etc as it brings some fun into the books. The characters threw themselves into situations that I wouldn’t have necessarily done myself, but I loved seeing the thought process behind some of their choices. The characters Jura and Tylak were still very interesting to hear from but were not quite as exciting as everything else happening in the book and I feel there could have been more there to create a better experience with these characters.
Something I am not a HUGE fan of in any book is when the chapters switch back and forth between many characters—I get confused quickly with that and sometimes I lose my way. Otherwise this book is a perfect example of something my students would gobble up and ask for more.
ARC is provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love journeys that characters go on to find something, themselves, items, quests, etc as it brings some fun into the books. The characters threw themselves into situations that I wouldn’t have necessarily done myself, but I loved seeing the thought process behind some of their choices. The characters Jura and Tylak were still very interesting to hear from but were not quite as exciting as everything else happening in the book and I feel there could have been more there to create a better experience with these characters.
Something I am not a HUGE fan of in any book is when the chapters switch back and forth between many characters—I get confused quickly with that and sometimes I lose my way. Otherwise this book is a perfect example of something my students would gobble up and ask for more.
ARC is provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2022
We Need To Get This A Show Deal, or Extended Series
I thought Book One was great, Submerged is better. Deese has improved in her already fantastic storytelling abilities to bring us a tale that is right on the precipice of war.
Jura and Tyvek are still a team, only now they’re searching for a stolen woman.
Ash is training Kay to be the best fire dancer to ever have been in the arena while being warned by a fellow fire dancer to look further into the powers behind the arena.
Beshar is struggling with his guilt, and knowing what is right and wrong as more is revealed.
Then there’s the newcomer, Coral. A young woman from the sea that is impulsive and quick to reach dangerous levels of anger. Her parents are murdered, as well as numerous others, and it becomes her duty to now lead them into the future. Quickly she goes from a tantrum throwing “child”, drinking her sorrows away, to ruling her people.
The characters stories are just beginning to cross, revealing everything is connected in some grand scheme of war and mayhem. Change and death. But, will any of it be worth it?
I can’t wait for book three.
I thought Book One was great, Submerged is better. Deese has improved in her already fantastic storytelling abilities to bring us a tale that is right on the precipice of war.
Jura and Tyvek are still a team, only now they’re searching for a stolen woman.
Ash is training Kay to be the best fire dancer to ever have been in the arena while being warned by a fellow fire dancer to look further into the powers behind the arena.
Beshar is struggling with his guilt, and knowing what is right and wrong as more is revealed.
Then there’s the newcomer, Coral. A young woman from the sea that is impulsive and quick to reach dangerous levels of anger. Her parents are murdered, as well as numerous others, and it becomes her duty to now lead them into the future. Quickly she goes from a tantrum throwing “child”, drinking her sorrows away, to ruling her people.
The characters stories are just beginning to cross, revealing everything is connected in some grand scheme of war and mayhem. Change and death. But, will any of it be worth it?
I can’t wait for book three.
August 16, 2019
I didn't read the first book in the series, which is a mistake. It appears to take off where the last one ended and I more than struggled the first several chapters to figure out what was happening.
Taking that into account (which was my own fault), this take is very woven and holds mounds of tension and surprises. There are several charactera, and the chapters switch back and forth between them.The name of the character sits at the beginning of each chapter, helping to keep confusion at bay. The variety of views and many levels of subplots, creates a read which grabs and twists in all sorts of unexpected ways.
This is a fantasy read with royalty, warriors, magic and even dragons. And there's a bit of romance too. It's an exciting read, but I did have a little trouble connecting with it at times. Although I'm not sure why.
Fantasy friends are sure to like it, and I am curious to see where it goes next.
I received a copy through Netgalley and enjoyed the story enough to want t o leave my honest thoughts.
Taking that into account (which was my own fault), this take is very woven and holds mounds of tension and surprises. There are several charactera, and the chapters switch back and forth between them.The name of the character sits at the beginning of each chapter, helping to keep confusion at bay. The variety of views and many levels of subplots, creates a read which grabs and twists in all sorts of unexpected ways.
This is a fantasy read with royalty, warriors, magic and even dragons. And there's a bit of romance too. It's an exciting read, but I did have a little trouble connecting with it at times. Although I'm not sure why.
Fantasy friends are sure to like it, and I am curious to see where it goes next.
I received a copy through Netgalley and enjoyed the story enough to want t o leave my honest thoughts.
July 16, 2019
This book was received as an ARC from AURELIA LEO, LLC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
Judging from the book to the description I was not expecting the results I have read from this book. Immediately when I read this book, it took me back to one story The Little Mermaid having the same premise of meeting the sea king and then overtaken by an evil witch except the twist, the witch is the sea king's daughter perceived to overrule her father's reign putting the Kitoi in danger. Then we have the heroes of Jura and Tylak that are on a mission to find answers and rescue their friends only to find they turned for the worst and now relied on new friends to save the sand sea before it perishes just like how Ariel and Eric did with Ursula in The Little Mermaid.
We will consider adding this title to our YFantasy collection at the library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
Judging from the book to the description I was not expecting the results I have read from this book. Immediately when I read this book, it took me back to one story The Little Mermaid having the same premise of meeting the sea king and then overtaken by an evil witch except the twist, the witch is the sea king's daughter perceived to overrule her father's reign putting the Kitoi in danger. Then we have the heroes of Jura and Tylak that are on a mission to find answers and rescue their friends only to find they turned for the worst and now relied on new friends to save the sand sea before it perishes just like how Ariel and Eric did with Ursula in The Little Mermaid.
We will consider adding this title to our YFantasy collection at the library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
January 6, 2020
In the second instalment of the series, Jura and Tylak offer us powerful characters in their consistency and determination. Whilst this novel didn't quite offer the intrigue of the first, it offered enough of its own individuality to keep the reader going. Whilst it felt a bit disconnected from the first novel - perhaps something to do with the culmination of the series being revealed in the first novel - by offering it's own problems/purpose it quickly redeemed itself with themes of war, tyranny, and death.
April 12, 2022
I loved the first book and this second book is every bit as good if not a little better! The world building continues to be outstanding, the storyline, exciting and enthralling and the characters grow and develop more and more. It’s a wonderful fantasy read that draws you in with its mystery and intrigue and the twists and turns keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. Action packed theres battles and dragons, politics and some unexpected surprises as well as some secrets that are revealed and I am very very much eager to see where the author takes us next.
November 19, 2019
Best. Book. Ever!
Just finished this book 2 in the series (Dance of the Elements) Literally couldn’t put it down when I got to the last few chapters.
I am dying for book 3. Great plot. I’m falling more and more in love with the characters and they are getting more badass as we go. Magic and dragons and creatures oh my! My 11 year old niece says this series is better than Harry Potter and I would agree AM Deese gives JK a run for her money!
Just finished this book 2 in the series (Dance of the Elements) Literally couldn’t put it down when I got to the last few chapters.
I am dying for book 3. Great plot. I’m falling more and more in love with the characters and they are getting more badass as we go. Magic and dragons and creatures oh my! My 11 year old niece says this series is better than Harry Potter and I would agree AM Deese gives JK a run for her money!
October 19, 2019
Oh wow. Absolutely amazing to read. Was not expecting that ending. From beginning to end, I have been eagerly reading eagerly to find out more about the characters and what they were going through. It's a story that drew me in from the beginning. I would definitely recommend buying this story. A question for the author: is there going to be a third book?
July 26, 2022
Submerged, the second book, is more story-focused than the first volume. Admittedly, I am more of a character/world reader than a plot reader, but luckily there was plenty of both to keep me engaged in this second book. A bunch of great new characters are introduced (I was particularly fond of Cora) and the magic system continued to develop here in a way I found truly fascinating.
October 6, 2019
**I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest voluntary review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by my source.**
This wasn't entirely the sequel I wanted but it was the sequel the story needed for the future of the series.
Much like the first book in this series, there is a lot of information being brought forth and it was a little overwhelming for me. I love multiple POVs in a novel but I thought the constant flip-flopping here stopped me from fully immersing myself in each characters' story, especially the new character POVs. I would just get into it and then we'd be moving on to the next.
But all these little character asides are needed to build up the various subplots that have been started. That's why I think this is one of those sequel novels that serves as a bridge more than one that is action packed or filled with shocking twists. There are definitely some great revelations along the way but I thought the plot was pretty baseline as it weaved the web for the future.
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Full Review: https://wp.me/p7hLUw-2i7
Actual Rating: 2.5/5
August 27, 2019
This book surprised me in so many ways. I didn't read the first book in the series, which was a mistake. It takes off after the events of book one, and without having known these, I was a bit lost for awhile. So, I definitely recommend hitting the first book before tackling this one.
The story is told from various character's points of view, allowing the reader to gain a broad view of what is going on. This is also necessary as the plot is well woven and each character has their own part to play. It's also this character depth which grabs and draws into the tale, making sure there are favorites as well as those to be disliked. There were times, which the story didn't draw in as much as I'd hoped...and I'm not sure why.
The scenes are vivid and do draw in. Especially Jura had me rooting for her with her strong character and determination. There are many unexpected twists and turns, and each one added more tension then the last. It's a well-layered fantasy with a lot to offer for the right fan.
I received an ARC copy through Netgalley and enjoyed the tale enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
The story is told from various character's points of view, allowing the reader to gain a broad view of what is going on. This is also necessary as the plot is well woven and each character has their own part to play. It's also this character depth which grabs and draws into the tale, making sure there are favorites as well as those to be disliked. There were times, which the story didn't draw in as much as I'd hoped...and I'm not sure why.
The scenes are vivid and do draw in. Especially Jura had me rooting for her with her strong character and determination. There are many unexpected twists and turns, and each one added more tension then the last. It's a well-layered fantasy with a lot to offer for the right fan.
I received an ARC copy through Netgalley and enjoyed the tale enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
June 13, 2022
We Need To Get This A Show Deal, or Extended Series
I thought Book One was great, Submerged is better. Deese has improved in her already fantastic storytelling abilities to bring us a tale that is right on the precipice of war.
Jura and Tyvek are still a team, only now they’re searching for a stolen woman.
Ash is training Kay to be the best fire dancer to ever have been in the arena while being warned by a fellow fire dancer to look further into the powers behind the arena.
Beshar is struggling with his guilt, and knowing what is right and wrong as more is revealed.
Then there’s the newcomer, Coral. A young woman from the sea that is impulsive and quick to reach dangerous levels of anger. Her parents are murdered, as well as numerous others, and it becomes her duty to now lead them into the future. Quickly she goes from a tantrum throwing “child”, drinking her sorrows away, to ruling her people.
The characters stories are just beginning to cross, revealing everything is connected in some grand scheme of war and mayhem. Change and death. But, will any of it be worth it?
I can’t wait for book three.
I thought Book One was great, Submerged is better. Deese has improved in her already fantastic storytelling abilities to bring us a tale that is right on the precipice of war.
Jura and Tyvek are still a team, only now they’re searching for a stolen woman.
Ash is training Kay to be the best fire dancer to ever have been in the arena while being warned by a fellow fire dancer to look further into the powers behind the arena.
Beshar is struggling with his guilt, and knowing what is right and wrong as more is revealed.
Then there’s the newcomer, Coral. A young woman from the sea that is impulsive and quick to reach dangerous levels of anger. Her parents are murdered, as well as numerous others, and it becomes her duty to now lead them into the future. Quickly she goes from a tantrum throwing “child”, drinking her sorrows away, to ruling her people.
The characters stories are just beginning to cross, revealing everything is connected in some grand scheme of war and mayhem. Change and death. But, will any of it be worth it?
I can’t wait for book three.
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