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When Amanda Garrett stumbles across a strange artifact in the woods, she has no idea of the dangerous secret it holds. The teen soon discovers that she has unwittingly released Erol, an imprisoned jinni, and whether she likes it or not, they are bound together until death.
Amanda's life soon begins to spiral out of control and she finds herself orphaned, kidnapped, and thrust into a terrifying reality. Her captor is convinced that Erol knows the whereabouts of a powerful relic which has been hidden from him and he wants the pair to retrieve it. Still reeling from her loss, and hoping to be spared further pain, Amanda agrees.
As the pair set off on their journey and Amanda learns more about the existence of the realms and the magical beings which reside within them, the clearer it becomes that nothing is quite as it seems.
After Amanda discovers the power of the relic that her captor seeks, the only thing she knows for certain is that her true suffering has only just begun, because no matter how great the sacrifice, she can never allow the relic to fall into her captor's hands.
Rise is a fast-paced introductory novel to an alternate world where mundane humans are oblivious to the existence of the realms that separate them from other magical races.
When she feels, the darkness closing in around her, Amanda is not sure if she can hold onto a single speck of light, and soon she comes to understand that some secrets are better left buried.
(YA Dark Fantasy)
Amanda's life soon begins to spiral out of control and she finds herself orphaned, kidnapped, and thrust into a terrifying reality. Her captor is convinced that Erol knows the whereabouts of a powerful relic which has been hidden from him and he wants the pair to retrieve it. Still reeling from her loss, and hoping to be spared further pain, Amanda agrees.
As the pair set off on their journey and Amanda learns more about the existence of the realms and the magical beings which reside within them, the clearer it becomes that nothing is quite as it seems.
After Amanda discovers the power of the relic that her captor seeks, the only thing she knows for certain is that her true suffering has only just begun, because no matter how great the sacrifice, she can never allow the relic to fall into her captor's hands.
Rise is a fast-paced introductory novel to an alternate world where mundane humans are oblivious to the existence of the realms that separate them from other magical races.
When she feels, the darkness closing in around her, Amanda is not sure if she can hold onto a single speck of light, and soon she comes to understand that some secrets are better left buried.
(YA Dark Fantasy)
- GenresUrban Fantasy
161 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 16, 2017
2 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
M. Ainihi
10 books98 followersM. Ainihi is a passionate independent author and adventurer. She hails from the wilds of Upstate New York and currently resides in the Chicagoland area.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 6, 2018
Wow! What a book! When I received this novel I wasn't sure how I felt about the premise because of my previous experiences but I am so glad I chose to read this debut novel! Rise captured my attention from the very beginning and held it all the way until the end. I was able to read this novel in one sitting and it was completely worth my sleepless night! The story even moved a bit slow at times but I was still turning pages! Trust me, that's usually a big turn off for my scattered brain but the author's descriptions were amazing! This book was beautifully written and I didn't want the escape of the real world to stop at that time. I found the characters relatable. I LOVED Amanda and could relate to her on so many levels. This may have been more of a YA Fantasy novel but I could feel Amanda's emotions through the pages and I hurt along with her. As an adult who survived a terrifying childhood, I have faced many things that would shock the world. Reading this novel helped me face reality through this fantasy. I'm glad I had the chance to read this novel and highly recommend this to anyone who loves a great YA or fantasy novel!
September 17, 2017
Great effort from a new author. Moves along at a good pace, will keep teens interested. Won't give any spoilers but the book works great as a stand alone but sets the table for what will ultimately be a four book series. Give it a read, I think you'll enjoy the ride.
December 31, 2018
A thrilling dive into a fantastical new world full of exciting twists and turns!
October 18, 2020
YA Fantasy
A girl, Amanda, and her father live a comfortable life together. They make weekend trips, and on one of these, Amanda finds an artefact. It turns out to be the prison, holding a jinni, Erol. Erol must serve her for the rest of her life. Amanda has no idea of the dangers surrounding her, but she soon loses her father and gets confronted with an evil Sorcerer and his creature a twisted Genie. The sorcerer sends Amanda on a quest and, unable to resist, she complies. This opens new worlds to her and forces her to change her opinion of a world where mythologies clash.
Sending a youth on a quest, a common YA fantasy idea that may seem inept, but Ainihi’s writing brings the different realms to life. This is as much a coming of age tale as a fantasy and that’s what makes it worthwhile. The characters are solid, and all, maybe except the evil sorcerer, have a share of humanity. A fast-paced novella that serves as an introduction to the four-part series of which it’s the first part. Recommended.
A girl, Amanda, and her father live a comfortable life together. They make weekend trips, and on one of these, Amanda finds an artefact. It turns out to be the prison, holding a jinni, Erol. Erol must serve her for the rest of her life. Amanda has no idea of the dangers surrounding her, but she soon loses her father and gets confronted with an evil Sorcerer and his creature a twisted Genie. The sorcerer sends Amanda on a quest and, unable to resist, she complies. This opens new worlds to her and forces her to change her opinion of a world where mythologies clash.
Sending a youth on a quest, a common YA fantasy idea that may seem inept, but Ainihi’s writing brings the different realms to life. This is as much a coming of age tale as a fantasy and that’s what makes it worthwhile. The characters are solid, and all, maybe except the evil sorcerer, have a share of humanity. A fast-paced novella that serves as an introduction to the four-part series of which it’s the first part. Recommended.
August 16, 2018
Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Rise: A Blood Inheritance Novel is a dark fantasy novel for young and new adults written by M. Ainihi. Amanda’s dad always dreamed up the most amazing hiking weekend adventures for the two of them, and she was sure this Saturday’s trip would be no less exciting and different. Amanda was fifteen now, and the bond between her and her dad was a strong and resilient one. She had been raised by him in the university town where they lived since she was small. He didn’t tell her where they were going, wanting it to be a surprise, but she noticed that he relied upon the GPS to get them past the paved roads and onto dirt paths that hardly seemed fit to be called roads.
Finally, they reached the spot where he said the trail lay. Pulling out a map, the two pushed through the overgrowth guarding the opening and proceeded along the trail. It was a wonderland filled with exotic plants and flowers. Suddenly they happened upon a tree with arcane symbols carved into its bark, and then Amanda’s attention was drawn to a flash of white, and she noticed a group of stone pillars standing in circular formation. What were they, and why were they there? What Amanda would never have been able to comprehend was that her life would be abruptly and permanently changed forever, and she’d never look at her world in the same way again.
M. Ainihi’s dark fantasy novel for young and new adults, Rise: A Blood Inheritance Novel, grabs the reader with the dramatic opening chapters, and it doesn’t let go until the final pages. One can’t help but feel for Amanda as she loses everything and is suddenly cast adrift with only a strange being for a friend; someone who is bound to her until death. And while she had at least that one ally in her totally altered and alien existence, she likewise has somehow acquired a formidable enemy. I loved seeing how the fifteen-year-old rises to the occasion when confronted with situations that could fell much more experienced adults, and works at understanding her newly acquired vision of the world. Ainihi’s plot is exotic and marvelous, and her characters are nuanced and credible. Rise: A Blood Inheritance Novel is most highly recommended.
Rise: A Blood Inheritance Novel is a dark fantasy novel for young and new adults written by M. Ainihi. Amanda’s dad always dreamed up the most amazing hiking weekend adventures for the two of them, and she was sure this Saturday’s trip would be no less exciting and different. Amanda was fifteen now, and the bond between her and her dad was a strong and resilient one. She had been raised by him in the university town where they lived since she was small. He didn’t tell her where they were going, wanting it to be a surprise, but she noticed that he relied upon the GPS to get them past the paved roads and onto dirt paths that hardly seemed fit to be called roads.
Finally, they reached the spot where he said the trail lay. Pulling out a map, the two pushed through the overgrowth guarding the opening and proceeded along the trail. It was a wonderland filled with exotic plants and flowers. Suddenly they happened upon a tree with arcane symbols carved into its bark, and then Amanda’s attention was drawn to a flash of white, and she noticed a group of stone pillars standing in circular formation. What were they, and why were they there? What Amanda would never have been able to comprehend was that her life would be abruptly and permanently changed forever, and she’d never look at her world in the same way again.
M. Ainihi’s dark fantasy novel for young and new adults, Rise: A Blood Inheritance Novel, grabs the reader with the dramatic opening chapters, and it doesn’t let go until the final pages. One can’t help but feel for Amanda as she loses everything and is suddenly cast adrift with only a strange being for a friend; someone who is bound to her until death. And while she had at least that one ally in her totally altered and alien existence, she likewise has somehow acquired a formidable enemy. I loved seeing how the fifteen-year-old rises to the occasion when confronted with situations that could fell much more experienced adults, and works at understanding her newly acquired vision of the world. Ainihi’s plot is exotic and marvelous, and her characters are nuanced and credible. Rise: A Blood Inheritance Novel is most highly recommended.
January 4, 2018
This book is just pure....AMAZING. First of all, thank you BookTasters and the author for giving the the great pleasure of reviewing this book. So now, onward to my (scattered and amazed) thoughts.
I seriously really liked Amanda and how she learns about the world unknown to humans, and i related a little to her, so bonus points for that. Also, the writing style was fun, but it was mostly a little too slow, so that kinda put me off at times. And also, I thought Erol was a little annoying sometimes (but this could be purely my take on it).
Also, while the plot was well-developed and explored, I think it could definitely have been used to its full potential.
I apologize if I'm being seriously brief here, but my thoughts are all scattered by how amazing this novel was. I mean, I was surprised that this was M. Ainihi's debut novel, because it was written so wonderfully. She is definitely on my "Favorite Authors" list. I definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone who has reading goals this year. Thank you!
I seriously really liked Amanda and how she learns about the world unknown to humans, and i related a little to her, so bonus points for that. Also, the writing style was fun, but it was mostly a little too slow, so that kinda put me off at times. And also, I thought Erol was a little annoying sometimes (but this could be purely my take on it).
Also, while the plot was well-developed and explored, I think it could definitely have been used to its full potential.
I apologize if I'm being seriously brief here, but my thoughts are all scattered by how amazing this novel was. I mean, I was surprised that this was M. Ainihi's debut novel, because it was written so wonderfully. She is definitely on my "Favorite Authors" list. I definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone who has reading goals this year. Thank you!
May 14, 2018
I'd like to start by saying thank you to Booktasters and the author M. Ainihi for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is the first installment in the series. It starts with Amanda our protagonist going on an adventure with her father in the woods. Where she stumbles upon a kettle type of artifact. To say she's on a ride would be an understatement.
She not only discovers a magical creature (Jinnies) but also a complete magical world. Who she becomes a part of as the story moves on further.
The pace of the book and the general idea of the story was extremely the great the only negative point I can say was that the number of mysteries and problems and the lack of her reaction thereof was kind of disappointing.
On the positive side I'd say the series has a lot of potential and the first book set up a perfect base for the upcoming book. Even though it can be read as a standalone it sets a perfect symmetry of events to carry on the story forward and not make it jumbled up.
The book kept me completely involved until the end and is a great read.
This book is the first installment in the series. It starts with Amanda our protagonist going on an adventure with her father in the woods. Where she stumbles upon a kettle type of artifact. To say she's on a ride would be an understatement.
She not only discovers a magical creature (Jinnies) but also a complete magical world. Who she becomes a part of as the story moves on further.
The pace of the book and the general idea of the story was extremely the great the only negative point I can say was that the number of mysteries and problems and the lack of her reaction thereof was kind of disappointing.
On the positive side I'd say the series has a lot of potential and the first book set up a perfect base for the upcoming book. Even though it can be read as a standalone it sets a perfect symmetry of events to carry on the story forward and not make it jumbled up.
The book kept me completely involved until the end and is a great read.
December 9, 2017
I was lucky enough to get a free copy of this book from the author through twitter. (Book reads).
This for me was a great read as it was a good pace and the whole story captivated me from beginning to end. Very well written and the character of Amanda is believable, as we also set on a journey to find the magic and to protect the relic. I could see this also become darker as some chapters my imagination took a darker feel for the story.
Great story for young adults. A nice dark fantasy. Could also see this go further.
This for me was a great read as it was a good pace and the whole story captivated me from beginning to end. Very well written and the character of Amanda is believable, as we also set on a journey to find the magic and to protect the relic. I could see this also become darker as some chapters my imagination took a darker feel for the story.
Great story for young adults. A nice dark fantasy. Could also see this go further.
August 18, 2019
I met M. Ainihi at a comicon and decided to read Rise. It wasn’t really in my reading choices, but I love meeting and speaking to authors, so I gave it a shot. It’s a quick read and well written for a freshman author. I like the story and the introduction to this hidden magic world was different than most novels involving magic. I liked the story and enjoyed following the main character and it wasn’t like other YA stories. I felt Amanda’s choices were a lot more realist considering the existence of other plains of reality.
November 14, 2019
This is a quick YA read with a unique premise: jinn. A lot of paranormal literature focuses on vampires, etc., and that's cool, but I appreciate how the author engaged with less-known supernatural entities for source material here. The book starts off where the protagonist has an unexpected encounter with a jinn (genie), and the two forge a relationship that causes conflict throughout the rest of the book.
October 13, 2017
Rise is an excellent read. It is written with imagination and creativity. Keeps you involved in the moment.
August 14, 2019
Rise is a spellbinding tale which takes the childhood fantasy of finding a magic bottle to a darker place. This book explores the dark world of jinn (genies) with brilliant world-building. It also keeps the reader engaged and turning pages. The end of the book gives a glimpse into the second book which I can't wait to read.
January 18, 2019
Rise is the first book in a fantasy quartet that will sweep you away to different worlds/planes of existence as you meet jinn and humans that feel new, but also remind you of who you are. It's an interesting world with plenty of lore (one of my favorite bits!). Not only did I enjoy and understand Amanda, but I felt like I was right there with her as she went through a coming of age and learned about her past and herself. M. Ainihi expertly joins her 2nd book to this one by giving a glimpse of Emily, the heroine in book 2. I so want to know Emily now! I haven't really read many genie books, so this one was a delight to read and makes me yearn for more!
September 3, 2018
Rise is a very interesting read. This is a story about a young girl Amanda who accidentally discovers that there are realms outside the human world that exist.
Amanda finds an artifact while hiking with her father. It is this discovery that changes her life forever. Amanda learns of the race of jinn, through a young genie named Erol. She quickly also learns of the race of ifrits after an ifrit causes destruction to her family.
Due to unforeseeable events that happen, Amanda is forced to follow Erol to a different realm. Unfortunately she finds herself captured by a sorcerer named Jacob and dealing with another jinn named Aden.
Taken through different realms, Amanda is given a black diamond. Amanda learns painfully why she is captured and that she has a power that Jacob seeks and wants to control.
Along the way, it is her decisions that free Erol from being enslaved.
I found Amanda to be an intriguing character, as a young girl who quickly grows up after being forced into a different realm and taken captive. I was surprised by her maturity in losing someone she loves and being able to not allow grief to cloud her decisions.
Rise ends as Amanda courageously goes in search of the truths about her mother and her past. I look forward to reading where this journey will take her.
( I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.)
Amanda finds an artifact while hiking with her father. It is this discovery that changes her life forever. Amanda learns of the race of jinn, through a young genie named Erol. She quickly also learns of the race of ifrits after an ifrit causes destruction to her family.
Due to unforeseeable events that happen, Amanda is forced to follow Erol to a different realm. Unfortunately she finds herself captured by a sorcerer named Jacob and dealing with another jinn named Aden.
Taken through different realms, Amanda is given a black diamond. Amanda learns painfully why she is captured and that she has a power that Jacob seeks and wants to control.
Along the way, it is her decisions that free Erol from being enslaved.
I found Amanda to be an intriguing character, as a young girl who quickly grows up after being forced into a different realm and taken captive. I was surprised by her maturity in losing someone she loves and being able to not allow grief to cloud her decisions.
Rise ends as Amanda courageously goes in search of the truths about her mother and her past. I look forward to reading where this journey will take her.
( I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.)
March 21, 2019
*I received a free copy of the ebook through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.*
Genre: Young adult, dark fantasy, urban fantasy
Rise is a short, fast-paced novel about Amanda, a 15 year old girl, and the trials she endures after finding a magic lamp while on a hike with her father. On the way she encounters jinn, sorcerers, whisps and dragons. The world of Rise is interesting and, personally, I would have like the book to be a little longer so that some of the interactions could have been more fleshed out and felt less abrupt. That said, this is definitely the kind of book that I would have read in high school.
Amanda is connected to another young girl through her dreams, and book two in the series focuses on this second girl. Her dreaming of Emily reminded me of a scene in Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King, in that the dream is interesting, but doesn't detract from the book being able to be read as a standalone.
Genre: Young adult, dark fantasy, urban fantasy
Rise is a short, fast-paced novel about Amanda, a 15 year old girl, and the trials she endures after finding a magic lamp while on a hike with her father. On the way she encounters jinn, sorcerers, whisps and dragons. The world of Rise is interesting and, personally, I would have like the book to be a little longer so that some of the interactions could have been more fleshed out and felt less abrupt. That said, this is definitely the kind of book that I would have read in high school.
Amanda is connected to another young girl through her dreams, and book two in the series focuses on this second girl. Her dreaming of Emily reminded me of a scene in Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King, in that the dream is interesting, but doesn't detract from the book being able to be read as a standalone.
November 16, 2017
When teenage girl Amanda finds a strange artifact, her life changes for ever. She had to learn that there are more things to life than what we perceive and is targeted by a dangerous being, with whom she learns about her own, to her unknown, reality.
It's an enjoyable read, the plot is well developed as are the characters, maintaining the reader's interest from beginning to end. In these pages there's a lot of adventure packed, with no space to get bored and just enough information for the reader to understand the goings on.
It's an enjoyable read, the plot is well developed as are the characters, maintaining the reader's interest from beginning to end. In these pages there's a lot of adventure packed, with no space to get bored and just enough information for the reader to understand the goings on.
October 13, 2020
I received a copy of the book from the author, and I immediately read it. I don't usually read YA and I was interested to see if I would like it.
And I did.
Rise is a very solid introduction to the Blood Inheritance series. The brisk pace goes along with a simple and effective style, using cliffhangers and a little mystery to keep things interesting. By the end it comes off as a cohesive and convincing effort, interesting even for someone who isn't used to reading YA.
And I did.
Rise is a very solid introduction to the Blood Inheritance series. The brisk pace goes along with a simple and effective style, using cliffhangers and a little mystery to keep things interesting. By the end it comes off as a cohesive and convincing effort, interesting even for someone who isn't used to reading YA.
June 1, 2019
I have very high hopes for this author. This book is a great start to what promises to be a wonderful new fantasy series. The story from the very beginning draws you in and keeps a tight grip on your attention until the final page. Even then, you are left wanting more!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*
October 1, 2019
I loved this book it had a lot of atlventuure it kept me on my seat all day I couldn’t put it down I can’t wait to read lost to see what happens
I recited this book from the author for free In exchange for an honest review
I recited this book from the author for free In exchange for an honest review
February 25, 2019
A disclaimer before I review this book, I despise YA novels with a passion but this book was written by a good friend's wife and I was asked to read it so I did. I also don't review books too often other them a star rating as I feel I really don't have the talent to do a review properly, but I was asked to so I will.
I liked the premise behind the book, multiple planes of existence, magic, and the arcane. I haven't seen many books dealing with Genies and magic so I was interested to see the author's take on the subject. I felt the subject was somewhat refreshing from the usual fair of elves, dwarves, and dragons; although they were mentioned in the book but with an interesting twist. I feel like there is some good idea there and if they were fleshed out more, if the author spent more time on world building of her stories, it could be a compelling series.
And now for the bad.
I felt the pacing of the book was too quick, it required the reader to ignore large leaps forward in the plot. The protagonist Amanda changes her personality in leaps and bounds seemingly out of nowhere, I believe it would of been more engaging to the reader if the writer had take her time with the development of Amanda's character over a longer period of time. I did state at the top of this review that I hate YA novels and maybe this is pro forma to not flesh out story arcs or to delved deeper into character building. This book was a quick read and like I said moved fast, perhaps too fast. I will say this book didn't resonate with me personally but I am not the target audience. I wouldn't argue against anyone reading this book as it has some interesting ideas on genies and magic. Getting people to read anything today is a feat in and of itself.
I liked the premise behind the book, multiple planes of existence, magic, and the arcane. I haven't seen many books dealing with Genies and magic so I was interested to see the author's take on the subject. I felt the subject was somewhat refreshing from the usual fair of elves, dwarves, and dragons; although they were mentioned in the book but with an interesting twist. I feel like there is some good idea there and if they were fleshed out more, if the author spent more time on world building of her stories, it could be a compelling series.
And now for the bad.
I felt the pacing of the book was too quick, it required the reader to ignore large leaps forward in the plot. The protagonist Amanda changes her personality in leaps and bounds seemingly out of nowhere, I believe it would of been more engaging to the reader if the writer had take her time with the development of Amanda's character over a longer period of time. I did state at the top of this review that I hate YA novels and maybe this is pro forma to not flesh out story arcs or to delved deeper into character building. This book was a quick read and like I said moved fast, perhaps too fast. I will say this book didn't resonate with me personally but I am not the target audience. I wouldn't argue against anyone reading this book as it has some interesting ideas on genies and magic. Getting people to read anything today is a feat in and of itself.
March 31, 2025
Daggers, loss, and iron prisons.
3.5* stars.
Amanda's life was quiet, quaint. Her only family was her father; he loved her dearly, as she did him. But on one of their weekend adventures, Amanda got swallowed by the Earth while retrieving a relic with strange runes engraved on it. That relic, an assumingly innocent teapot, sent Amanda's life spiraling out of control. She lost her world due to a war being waged in the seven realms - the mystical realms and their inhabitants she learned of from a new friend, a jinni, who is tied to her. Will she be able to make heads or tails of her new existence as she uncovers buried secrets about her origins, all while navigating the new world she's found herself in?
I don't like compliment sandwiches and like ending reviews on an upbeat note, so first, here is what I found off-putting. While I like YA novels, I like YA novels that have details to them. I can still enjoy a book with scarce details, as long as there's enough for me to have a full picture of the scenes in my head; Rise was really pushing the envelope. There were jumps in characters' actions without an explanation as to why they were doing what they were doing. Along with their actions, the emotions of the characters and the vibe of the book flipped on a dime, sometimes within chapters and scenes, to the point it was hard to root for Amanda because of not being able to understand where her head was at.
The scenes themselves felt disjointed and hard to follow, sometimes with gaps of time missing, which was not a great combination with the discombobulating character actions and emotions. I feel like if there were a bit more detail to flesh out certain scenes, not only in the characters' heads but with their surroundings, that probably could have helped everything I had just mentioned.
Most, including myself, try not to mention authors in reviews of their work as it feels like calling them out when it's not needed; the person and their work are two separate entities. Despite saying that, I want to mention that this is the author's first book, and from beginning to end, I watched different aspects of the writing change and evolve. By the final chapters, especially in the epilogue, things became a lot clearer, cleaner, and descriptive.
With the premise, I really wanted to like this book, but with how jarring and jumpy things were, it was hard for me to look forward to reading more. Thankfully, by the end, I got excited again to continue the Blood Inheritance series! The twist, turns, fantasy elements, and multiple realms and mythical creatures sucked me in to Amanda's world. While I know real-world mythology about jinni, I'm very intrigued to read this series' interpretation of their myths and see what the author has planned for the other beings' lore, too.
Overall, it was a very intriguing world that will hopefully be more fleshed out/have more details in future volumes. I love supporting indie authors, particularly ones that I meet in person, like I did with M. Ainihi at my local Comic Con. On to book two, Lost: A Blood Inheritance Novel!
Check out my bookstagram! @Witchy.Otaku
3.5* stars.
Amanda's life was quiet, quaint. Her only family was her father; he loved her dearly, as she did him. But on one of their weekend adventures, Amanda got swallowed by the Earth while retrieving a relic with strange runes engraved on it. That relic, an assumingly innocent teapot, sent Amanda's life spiraling out of control. She lost her world due to a war being waged in the seven realms - the mystical realms and their inhabitants she learned of from a new friend, a jinni, who is tied to her. Will she be able to make heads or tails of her new existence as she uncovers buried secrets about her origins, all while navigating the new world she's found herself in?
I don't like compliment sandwiches and like ending reviews on an upbeat note, so first, here is what I found off-putting. While I like YA novels, I like YA novels that have details to them. I can still enjoy a book with scarce details, as long as there's enough for me to have a full picture of the scenes in my head; Rise was really pushing the envelope. There were jumps in characters' actions without an explanation as to why they were doing what they were doing. Along with their actions, the emotions of the characters and the vibe of the book flipped on a dime, sometimes within chapters and scenes, to the point it was hard to root for Amanda because of not being able to understand where her head was at.
The scenes themselves felt disjointed and hard to follow, sometimes with gaps of time missing, which was not a great combination with the discombobulating character actions and emotions. I feel like if there were a bit more detail to flesh out certain scenes, not only in the characters' heads but with their surroundings, that probably could have helped everything I had just mentioned.
Most, including myself, try not to mention authors in reviews of their work as it feels like calling them out when it's not needed; the person and their work are two separate entities. Despite saying that, I want to mention that this is the author's first book, and from beginning to end, I watched different aspects of the writing change and evolve. By the final chapters, especially in the epilogue, things became a lot clearer, cleaner, and descriptive.
With the premise, I really wanted to like this book, but with how jarring and jumpy things were, it was hard for me to look forward to reading more. Thankfully, by the end, I got excited again to continue the Blood Inheritance series! The twist, turns, fantasy elements, and multiple realms and mythical creatures sucked me in to Amanda's world. While I know real-world mythology about jinni, I'm very intrigued to read this series' interpretation of their myths and see what the author has planned for the other beings' lore, too.
Overall, it was a very intriguing world that will hopefully be more fleshed out/have more details in future volumes. I love supporting indie authors, particularly ones that I meet in person, like I did with M. Ainihi at my local Comic Con. On to book two, Lost: A Blood Inheritance Novel!
Check out my bookstagram! @Witchy.Otaku
February 11, 2023
Interesting concept but there seemed to be a lot missing from the story. It seemed a bit disjointed with random time skips and no hint of how much time passed or what might have occurred. Amanda seemed to take sudden leaps in her thought process and changes in behavior without much demonstration of the actual process of her growth. That being said, I did enjoy reading this book and liked the story. There is a good base with interesting world building that could be expanded upon. I think that most of the problems I had could be fixed by expanding on the events, demonstrating how interactions connect rather than characters simply saying in dialogue, more consideration for the few hints about the end of story revelation about Amanda's heritage, and exploring the natural progression of growth in all characters. I'm sure that with some more time and a bit of work this would easily reach 4-5 stars for me. I think this author has huge potential and I do plan on reading the rest of this series with the expectation to enjoy it.
December 29, 2021
Enjoyed the book and will continue on to book 2. The only reason I marked it down a few stars is because the writing jumped abruptly in places to where I actually had to go back and re-read a page to make sure I didn’t miss something or to see if a page was missing. It was jarring enough in some spots to take me out of the story.
September 26, 2023
Perfect for young adult readers
This book is great for those who like reading dark young adult books. This is not my own preference to read, but I buy and read many genres of books as I prefer to be well-rounded in the books I read. This book has multiple realms or planes of different beings. One girl, a human, ends up in more than one realm after her father dies in a house fire. She must remain strong throughout the narrative and be willing to open her eyes to the different environments and beings that reside in them. Examples are human plane, arcane plane, Jinn plane, dark 6 more. Some beings can be trapped in a bottle, and others can handle large black diamonds, which gives strength and power to those allowed to hold them. Included in this novel, book one of four, are a myriad world's unseen by most. Goddesses created planes from clay and added their own preferred beings. Not all beings like each other, and the Goddesses try to outdo each other during creation. The book is chock full of unimaginable beings and their powers, or lack thereof. Five shiny gold stars.
This book is great for those who like reading dark young adult books. This is not my own preference to read, but I buy and read many genres of books as I prefer to be well-rounded in the books I read. This book has multiple realms or planes of different beings. One girl, a human, ends up in more than one realm after her father dies in a house fire. She must remain strong throughout the narrative and be willing to open her eyes to the different environments and beings that reside in them. Examples are human plane, arcane plane, Jinn plane, dark 6 more. Some beings can be trapped in a bottle, and others can handle large black diamonds, which gives strength and power to those allowed to hold them. Included in this novel, book one of four, are a myriad world's unseen by most. Goddesses created planes from clay and added their own preferred beings. Not all beings like each other, and the Goddesses try to outdo each other during creation. The book is chock full of unimaginable beings and their powers, or lack thereof. Five shiny gold stars.
January 6, 2025
I enjoyed this title alot.
I'm so glad it wasn't forced to be a filler filled 500 plus paged novel we get nowadays.
Got a little lost in parts, really I think due to the switching to alternate planes, could have done with a bit more detail when changing but not so complex that I couldn't follow the story I would definitely be up for reading the next installment.
I'm so glad it wasn't forced to be a filler filled 500 plus paged novel we get nowadays.
Got a little lost in parts, really I think due to the switching to alternate planes, could have done with a bit more detail when changing but not so complex that I couldn't follow the story I would definitely be up for reading the next installment.
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