A review by bysarahalexander
As the Shadow Rises by Katy Rose Pool

adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was a bit of a letdown for me compared to book one. The pacing was off and some of the characters changed very quickly. It felt like I was reading a condensed version of a longer book. I would have liked more time to come around to Illya's new path, Ephyra's deterioration, and Jude's change of heart. Also Hassan was a major idiot in this book along with everyone else in Nazirah. Khepri felt like a whole new person, and Hassan's plot line felt shoehorned in there to be honest. The major plot points were exciting but it didn't feel as fleshed out as book one. Middle books are often slow, filler books, but this book almost suffered from too much happening. It could have easily been split into two books.