What do you think?
Rate this book
Fire, smoke, and ash consume the continent in the darkest chapter yet in The Call of the Rift series
The Battle of Tjarnnaast left its mark: Katja is adrift, haunted by her memories of the battle and dark visions of a desolate wasteland. Her only guidance is her parents’ cryptic messages from the spirit world. On their instructions, Katja goes south to track down her mercenary friend Tiernan. Maybe together, they can find the Rúonbattai’s elusive cleric leader, defeat their ranks forever, and end the war. Then Katja could finally go home — if she can decide where home is.
Yet Tiernan is missing, and Katja’s best hope of rescuing him is by striking unlikely alliances — with untrustworthy acquaintances and new allies hiding dangerous secrets. Druids whisper of dry winters and warming oceans and the war-torn nation is a tinderbox ready to ignite. Katja must use everything in her power, from her water magic to her hand in marriage, to battle the growing flames. If they erupt into a wildfire, everyone and everything she loves will burn with them.
About the Series
Set in two parallel worlds, this series follows Kateiko Rin, a headstrong teenage girl with the power to shapeshift and control water, as she grows up in the war-torn coastal rainforest. As the worlds diverge, so do the versions of herself. Orphaned Kako takes up arms to protect her people, while refugee Katja finds purpose as a healer. Each girl’s fiction is the other’s truth — in love, war, and everything in between. The prospect of a rift opening between worlds poses a question to characters and readers: if you could cross into another version of your life, would you? The Call of the Rift series has been praised for its intricate plotting, meticulous worldbuilding, and expert writing, from author Jae Waller, a talented newcomer to YA fantasy fiction. The series appeals to the mature reader of YA fantasy looking for romantic content, women-led fiction, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation, and complex worlds and characters. It began in 2018 with The Call of the Rift: Flight and will conclude with the fifth book in the series, The Call of the Rift: Fuse, in 2025.
The Battle of Tjarnnaast left its mark: Katja is adrift, haunted by her memories of the battle and dark visions of a desolate wasteland. Her only guidance is her parents’ cryptic messages from the spirit world. On their instructions, Katja goes south to track down her mercenary friend Tiernan. Maybe together, they can find the Rúonbattai’s elusive cleric leader, defeat their ranks forever, and end the war. Then Katja could finally go home — if she can decide where home is.
Yet Tiernan is missing, and Katja’s best hope of rescuing him is by striking unlikely alliances — with untrustworthy acquaintances and new allies hiding dangerous secrets. Druids whisper of dry winters and warming oceans and the war-torn nation is a tinderbox ready to ignite. Katja must use everything in her power, from her water magic to her hand in marriage, to battle the growing flames. If they erupt into a wildfire, everyone and everything she loves will burn with them.
About the Series
Set in two parallel worlds, this series follows Kateiko Rin, a headstrong teenage girl with the power to shapeshift and control water, as she grows up in the war-torn coastal rainforest. As the worlds diverge, so do the versions of herself. Orphaned Kako takes up arms to protect her people, while refugee Katja finds purpose as a healer. Each girl’s fiction is the other’s truth — in love, war, and everything in between. The prospect of a rift opening between worlds poses a question to characters and readers: if you could cross into another version of your life, would you? The Call of the Rift series has been praised for its intricate plotting, meticulous worldbuilding, and expert writing, from author Jae Waller, a talented newcomer to YA fantasy fiction. The series appeals to the mature reader of YA fantasy looking for romantic content, women-led fiction, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation, and complex worlds and characters. It began in 2018 with The Call of the Rift: Flight and will conclude with the fifth book in the series, The Call of the Rift: Fuse, in 2025.
432 pages, Paperback
Published May 23, 2023
35 people want to read
About the author
Jae Waller
5 books39 followersJae Waller grew up in a lumber town in northern British Columbia, Canada. She has a joint BFA in creative writing and fine art from the University of Northern British Columbia and Emily Carr University of Art + Design. Most interesting past job: streetside florist with a charity for unhoused people in Vancouver.
Now living in Melbourne, Australia, she works as a novelist and freelance artist.
Now living in Melbourne, Australia, she works as a novelist and freelance artist.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 16, 2023
A fantastic fourth installment in the CALL OF THE RIFT series, WAKE picks up shortly after where book 3 and the battle left us. While the worst of the war may be over, things aren’t looking any easier in the immediate future. The threat of wildfires is on the horizon and Katja must use her magic if she wants to prevent everything from going up in flames.
I’m sure I’ve said this about every installment in this book, but I’m pretty sure this one is my favorite. This particular book brought the two worlds closer together and really highlighted just how phenomenal the world-building truly is with this series. Not to be outshined, the characters were also incredible and I love the growth each one has shown and the struggles they’ve had to overcome, thanks in part to their own respective journeys. This particular book felt more hopeful to me than the first 3, and I’m so excited to see how Kateiko’s and Katja’s stories end with book 5.
This book (and series) is like a decadent dessert, deserving to be devoured and enjoyed slowly, and that’s exactly what I did. I love a world I can get lost in and it’s so easy to be absorbed by Jae’s gorgeous writing. I adored this book and it’s one I’ll recommend to anyone and everyone. 5 stars, and I can’t wait to see what the final installment holds for these characters.
I’m sure I’ve said this about every installment in this book, but I’m pretty sure this one is my favorite. This particular book brought the two worlds closer together and really highlighted just how phenomenal the world-building truly is with this series. Not to be outshined, the characters were also incredible and I love the growth each one has shown and the struggles they’ve had to overcome, thanks in part to their own respective journeys. This particular book felt more hopeful to me than the first 3, and I’m so excited to see how Kateiko’s and Katja’s stories end with book 5.
This book (and series) is like a decadent dessert, deserving to be devoured and enjoyed slowly, and that’s exactly what I did. I love a world I can get lost in and it’s so easy to be absorbed by Jae’s gorgeous writing. I adored this book and it’s one I’ll recommend to anyone and everyone. 5 stars, and I can’t wait to see what the final installment holds for these characters.
August 15, 2023
This was my favourite book in the series! This book continues to explore queer relationships and identities in a way I found really joyful. Pad deserves the world. The story goes to a bunch of settings that we've heard about but never visited before, expanding the world and further exploring the cultures. This one has all my favourite characters at Ingdanrad. The scholar, and the therapist, and the hermit. I also really enjoyed reading about healthy familial and friend support networks which help to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. Katya goes through a lot of hardship in this novel, like she does in every book, but she seems to really thrive in this one because she has so many people she can rely on.
I'm looking forward to the last book! I can't wait to see how these worlds crash together.
I'm looking forward to the last book! I can't wait to see how these worlds crash together.
August 15, 2023
I’ve been a fan of Call of the Rift from the beginning, but Wake is my favourite so far. This story displays the joy of different cultures and celebrations, while not sugar-coating the reality of grief and PTSD. The plot, the characters, and the setting, are all so interesting and different than anything I’ve read before. I’ve already read this book three or four times and I don’t think I’m even halfway to losing interest.
August 15, 2023
5 stars. I was given an advanced reading copy of this book, and in my haste chose it without realizing it was the 4th installment of the series. I decided to read reviews to try to piece together some of the plot from the first three books, then I went ahead and read this one. The writing and characters were wonderful and I am definitely planning to go back and read the entire series from the very beginning.
May 29, 2023
I was kindly given an ARC of Wake, Book 4 of the Call of the Rift quintet by Jae Waller!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another triumph in the Call of the Rift series by Jae Waller @jaewalrus ! I rarely spend longer than a week reading Jae's books, and this was no exception: Wake continues the story of Kateiko in another enthralling, emotive instalment, book 4 of 5 - only one more to go after this! 😭
Kateiko is joined again by a richly diverse supporting cast, each created perfectly and introduced naturally to the setting, a realm rendered in beautiful detail by Jae's excellent narration. The arc concludes in another satisfying ending, followed by an intriguing epilogue: can't wait to read more in the concluding entry!
My thanks to Jae for the advance copy - can't wait for my physical copy to join the first three 🥰 - and thank you for the acknowledgement at the end ♥️ Squid Squad rules!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another triumph in the Call of the Rift series by Jae Waller @jaewalrus ! I rarely spend longer than a week reading Jae's books, and this was no exception: Wake continues the story of Kateiko in another enthralling, emotive instalment, book 4 of 5 - only one more to go after this! 😭
Kateiko is joined again by a richly diverse supporting cast, each created perfectly and introduced naturally to the setting, a realm rendered in beautiful detail by Jae's excellent narration. The arc concludes in another satisfying ending, followed by an intriguing epilogue: can't wait to read more in the concluding entry!
My thanks to Jae for the advance copy - can't wait for my physical copy to join the first three 🥰 - and thank you for the acknowledgement at the end ♥️ Squid Squad rules!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews