Genres: Epic Fantasy, Fantasy | Release Date: 19 January 2023 | Series: The Valmenessian Chronicles | Series Book: #2 | Pages: 404 | Indie Author | Review
“It’s the beginning of the end. The end of all things, friends…”
Rebecca Camm
Overview:
Rise and Reverence is the second book of indie author Rebecca Camm’s The Valmenessian Chronicles, and it is epic fantasy in every sense of the word! I was actually lucky enough to be given an e-ARC of this beauty, which is wonderful because waiting until January’s release date would’ve been torture!
Within Rise and Reverence, Nora is finally free of King Dominic’s magical shackles. But with August leaving her to work on his control over growing powers, the guilt Nora feels is overwhelming. Can she find a new purpose and right the wrongs she committed in the King’s name? Having left Nora behind, August planned to rescue the kidnapped Evelyn from the King’s clutches… But the Periculum Mountains are calling, and so is a fiercely guarded secret. And what of Evelyn? She’s a pawn in a bigger game, and the demands from the King are growing. Every murder, every loss of life, is a sacrifice to the Makers. And it turns out that the tyrant King may not be the biggest threat in Valmenessia…
Rebecca Camm is a must buy author for me…
Happiness Boost:
Where to even begin with my happiness boosts? I swear this instalment is even better than the first, and that’s saying something! The characters are in turns intense, funny, heartbreaking and *so* wholesome. Plus I firmly believe that if you find friends like Will and Florence, you will be the luckiest person ever. Rebecca knows how to write characters that wring our hearts, and others that we want to see meet a grisly end. I’m vindictive that way, but it’s true!
The plot builds in intensity even as it grows ever more complex. There are deities hiding in plain sight, dark forces slithering across the page, and betrayals you just won’t see coming. It’s almost like Rebecca has found a magical elixir of great storytelling and woops, there goes all the bottle into Rise and Reverence! But don’t stress, I’m sure she has more tucked away for further stories…
It’s not often that I’ll praise a cliffhanger, because as a bookworm we know it’s like a dangling carrot in front of us. Or maybe a cupcake? Mine’s probably a cupcake. But when the cliffhanger is done *this* well? I have to praise it. For those who’ve watched The Two Towers and remember that cliffhanger, Rise and Reverence gives me the same feeling I had as when I watched that. And yes, that’s praise! There are looming dangers, and we know we have to take a deep breath in time for the next plunge into darkness. I am loving it!
Downside:
None! I just wish I had the next book ready to go here in my TBR fort!
Final Thoughts:
Rise and Reverence by indie author Rebecca Camm is a magnificent epic fantasy. Full of danger, magic and all the tugs at the heartstrings, I couldn’t put it down! There are troubled heroines, corrupt characters and honestly so much to love in this second book of The Valmenessian Chronicles… If you love epic adult fantasy, I promise you will want this on your bookshelf! Like what you’ve read in this review? Make sure you click the link below and pre-order yourself a copy! Happy reading, glitterbugs!
You can pre-order Rise and Reverence via this link: Amazon
