About the Book:
Title: The Rising
Author: Tahnee Perry
Series: The Rising Resolution #2
Publication Date: Jan. 12, 2022
Synopsis: The highly anticipated and thrilling sequel to The Killing Plot.
Snatched from exile and certain death, Arela finds herself trapped with the people she’s been raised to renounce – a band of revolutionaries determined to topple Osiris’s dictator. She didn’t ask to be saved and she’s desperate to escape from her captors, but they won’t let her leave – they see her as a symbol of their rebellion and their secret weapon.
All Arela wants to do is rescue her friends from a lunatic and murderer – a man willing to sacrifice anything in his quest for unbridled power. But first she needs to control her strange power and unravel the mystery of her missing parents.
As she navigates her new world, danger lurks around every corner, and she soon finds herself fighting for her life, even as she’s drawn to the one person she should avoid, someone with the power to betray her.
Arela has important decisions to make. Decisions that will decide the fate of an entire people. Should she support the revolutionaries? Can she risk everything to save her friends? And who is she meant to love? The boy she was forced to leave behind or the one who knows all her secrets?
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My Review:
The Rising is the action-packed and intense second book in The Resolutionists Rising series by Tahnee Perry. I’m a big fan of dystopian literature, and The Rising did not disappoint. With dynamic characters, an immersive setting and plot, high-stakes action and intrigue, nail-biting suspense, and a wonderful romance, there’s a lot to love about the book. Plus, that ending!!!!
Arela’s character arc is wonderful. I love that she goes through so many emotions as she deals with everything. The trauma, the survivor’s guilt, her mixed feelings about her two love interests, her conflicted feelings about the factions, and her frustration over being unable to get to her friends all weigh heavily on Arela. She also learns more about her past and her parents and needs to work on harnessing her power. Arela’s journey is rife with challenges and obstacles, and her life is in constant danger from known enemies and new adversaries. All of this makes for such a layered, intriguing, and fast-paced read.
In addition to Arela, there are so many other great characters, both old and new. Arela is befriended by several people who make her transition a bit easier. One of my favorite characters is a younger girl who proves to be wise beyond her years and the most welcoming and supportive of allies. She and Arela teach each other many things over the course of their friendship, and I think they have such a positive influence on each other. Arela’s friends from the first book continue to be strong motivations for her, and they too have significant and compelling stories.
Harlow is another favorite of mine, and I love the connection he develops with Arela. There is a bit of a love triangle, which I don’t ordinarily love, but in this book, it works. Though I definitely have a favorite (Yes, it’s Harlow!!), I can easily understand why Arela is attracted to these very different people, and I’m curious to see how these relationships progress, especially after what happened in this book! That being said, some of my favorite parts of the story are the scenes with Arela and Harlow together. The dancing scene, the scene where he gives her warmth, when they hang out in his room – they are all such wonderful and tender moments that really show how close the pair becomes. Each relationship has its obstacles, and Arela struggles with her changing feelings about these men, their conflicting beliefs, and more.
This book focuses more on the underground and the Resolutionists, which I really liked. Between this book and the first, you get a great view of both groups and can see why they are at war. They contrast each other in many ways, and in this one, they really clash. After being rescued by the Resolutionists, Arela is pressured to join their fight. However, she struggles to choose a side and is more interested in finding peaceful solutions to the ever-growing conflicts. Arela is one of the few who sees things from both sides. She realizes that neither faction is thoroughly good or thoroughly evil that there are forces of even greater danger for all of them.
If you like books like The Hunger Games or Divergent, you’ll enjoy this series! The dystopian elements and world-building are immersive and intriguing, the characters are layered and compelling, and the story will keep you at the edge of your seat. There are so many twists and turns and heart-stopping, heartbreaking scenes, and after that major cliffhanger, I’m dying to read the third book!!!
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- The romance.
- The suspense and intrigue.
- The dystopian elements.
- The friendships.
Recommendations:
I would recommend checking out the content warnings before reading. This is a dystopia, and several parts could be triggering for some readers. Also, this isn’t a standalone, so I would recommend reading The Killing Plot before you read this book. Check out my review:
Interesting that each book gave a different point of view sharing both sides of the conflict. So glad this was even more enjoyable than the first one for you you, Julie.
Thanks, Carla! I really enjoyed it!
Another great review, as always!
Thanks, Tahnee! 🙂