I did not get the chance to read this ARC prior to the book's publication, but we did end up buying it for our library collection.

Bisexual, teenage slave captain of a pirate slave ship who defies her master by secreting away women and children to safety on a private mountaintop? YES! Oh, and by the way...she carved an X on her cheek to assert that she may be a slave, but she's still in control of herself and her life. WOW! I loved this character. Aspasia is an admirably strong character and still is vulnerable and makes mistakes. She tries her best and gets into trouble. She wants to love and be loved, but is willing to sacrifice it all for her crew. Aspasia is a deliciously complex character and she is likely to get under your skin and stay there for a while. I'm truly desperate for the next book.

Thanks so much to the publisher for providing access to this title. However, I did not finish it and will not be reviewing it on my blog.

https://wp.me/p15oks-2HAWHAT DID I THINK OF IMPRISON THE SKY BY AC GAUGHEN?
Imprison The Sky by AC Gaughen takes readers right to the seas among other places in the world of the Elementae. This is the kind of book that I think could standalone. However, you’ll enjoy your time with it so much more if you read Reign The Earth first. This book mostly features a new cast of characters. We have Asp (short for Aspasia) who is the new lead character instead of continuing with Shalia.

Asp captains a ship. She’s sort of under the employ of a Slaver named Cyrus. Only, Asp subverts her “job” by freeing women, children, and Elementae. Her ship is crewed by those that she has freed (they have a choice in this job, by the way). So, anyways, Asp is on a mission to find her missing siblings. She hopes to find them before Cyrus. Meanwhile, she’s crossed paths with this guy who has an Elementae power that is completely new to her. Oh, and Asp has an Elementae power that helps her to control the sky.

The plotting behind this book is legitimate. I think it moves quickly. I found myself genuinely caring about the characters too – especially Asp and Kairos. However, I would say I did not retain 100% of what I had listened to.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
For some reason, this audiobook did not entirely gel with me. It just was not as good as Reign The Earth on audiobook merits. The narration felt slow and I did tune in and out. Even sped up to 2x, I still kind of felt like it was slow. The audiobook is narrated by Maya Saroya who was new to me as a narrator. Maybe it was that I was not used to her voice. I think at this point I am going to try to read Imprison The Sky via physical or ebook in the future just to try and retain more information.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

This high flying adventure was awesome. And is it okay to admit that I liked it a lot better than Reign the Earth, the first book in this series. While Imprison the Sky still covered some heavy themes like slavery and child exploitation, it didn't make me sad. Instead there was an excitement to see Asp beat the odds and win freedom.

I was excited to see Karios again. He was one of my favorites from Reign the Earth. I just think that this book was engaging and full of action but also emotional growth. I found it exciting to read.

If I thought I loved Reign the Earth it was nothing compared to the love I ended up having for Imprison the Sky. A.C. Gaughen came back to this world and took it up a notch. The complexity to Aspasia endeared her to me from the start. She was doing something that wasn’t 100% moral to the naked eye but she was doing what she could to not cross a line she couldn’t get back from, all while trying to find/save her family. I felt a lot of emotion reading this book as I got to know Asp and her crew and the good she had in her. And the love interest was top notch! Just another book I loved so much I can’t manage to find the words to describe. All I know is I desperately want to read about the other two elements!

Imprison the Sky is another action packed, thought provoking addition to the complex fantasy series, The Elementae by A.C. Gaughen. Once again the author weaves weaves big concepts and difficult subjects without slowing down the pace or being heavy handed. In this second installment we move from the land to the sea where a powerful air Elementa Aspasia "Asp" is the captain of a ship. Captain, freedom fighter, slaver, and slave, Asp crews a diverse collection of children and teens, all formerly enslaved, many with powers, who come from all the races and nations of Asp’s world. It is fascinating to note that the characters have a range of skin tones and race is not treated the same to our world. Like the first book, Reign the Earth, which dealt with domestic and emotional abuse, Imprison the Sky delves into all aspects of slavery, the complex dynamics of power, and freedom. There are no easy answers in this book and the complex, multi-faceted characters deal with these issues.

The plot moves between personal motives such as Asp searching for her lost siblings and possibly falling in love with new crew member Kairos (Shalia's brother) who also has a personal agenda, and the political, as Asp and her crew work to harry slavers and find themselves instrumental in the growing war. There are plenty of dark and gritty moments as people lose their lives and a moral toll that plagues Asp's moves, there are lighter moments of romance and tender intimacy which help elevate the plot and keeps things moving. The final battle, when characters from both volumes come together, sets the scene for the explosive conflict to come without reverting to an unnecessary cliffhanger. I love how this series features powerful young women who have hope and agency to change the world. I am really looking forward to seeing how this multi-layered fantasy series wraps up.

"Art is the language of hope."

I wasn't sure what to expect but while Imprison the Sky was a very different book from Reign the Earth, I absolutely loved it! This is a companion novel that follows some of the side characters that we met in book 1, eventually intersecting with Shalia's story from Reign the Earth. It could be read as a standalone, but you will get more from it if you read Reign first.

Imprison follows Aspasia, the salty young captain of a ship that trades in slaves and other valuables. Herself a slave of sorts, Aspasia is a complex character existing in the grays of morality with a surprising degree of self-awareness. Ultimately, this is a story about the power of hope, even in the face of great darkness.

I should say that I am not typically a fan of books set on ships. Often I find that they spend a lot of time describing the ship, the process of sailing, and battles at sea which I find to be quite dull. (and at the expense of character development and plot!) This book is decidedly NOT that way. Aspasia is a fully fleshed character, descriptions of the ship and seafaring are kept to a reasonable level, there is plenty of plot and political machinations, and we get further exploration of the magic system introduced in Reign. I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to reading on in the series.

Imprison also shows surprising depth in the way it handles romantic relationships- considering the different ways relationships can end and the value of relationships that were never meant to last. One source of conflict in the story is the deteriorating relationship between Aspasia and Bast (her former lover and current crewmate) as he struggles with heartbreak from a relationship where his love was unrequited. Meanwhile Kairos (a side character from Reign) comes onto the scene and I am totally here for his slowly developing relationship with Aspasia.

This book leans a little bit to the character-driven side (which I absolutely love) but I think it offers enough action and plot that it will appeal to a wide range of readers. I think this is one of the most underrated YA fantasy series right now and I hope more people pick it up! I received an early copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

Readable as a stand alone novel, this is a powerful second book in A.C. Gaughen's Elementae series.. A strong cast of characters -with flaws and strengths unique to each - make this a highly readable adventure. Asphasia, the gritty and determined heroine, steals the show (and the reader's heart) as she sets out time after time to rescue enslaved women and children from tyranny. Leader of a pirate crew with elemental powers, Asp is searching for her lost siblings and building a family of freed survivors.. Pitted against ruthless and relentless enemies - and facing possible betrayal - Asp gathers the forces of hope and harnesses chaos in her quest to free people whose lives have been stolen.

Is it possible to love a sequel more than the first book when you don't remember much of the first book?

Because, if so, I LOVE THIS BOOK EVEN MORE!

Imprison the Sky was just. . . well, amazing. It's been long enough since I read Reign the Earth (and also read over 100 books in between) that I can't make a direct comparison to the first book but, really, I don't need to. This sequel stands all on its own and while the story connects with the first book in the last 25% or so, the rest of the book is its own entity.

Following Aspasia (Asp), Imprison the Sky sets sail with her and her teenage crew of freed slaves trading goods and trying to fight the system in whatever way they can. This book deals heavily with slavery and if that is a triggering topic for you, then this might not be the book for you as it's prominent throughout. Asp and her crew are charged with transporting slaves to Asp's "boss," Cyrus, a true villainess if I ever saw one. She holds Asp in her grip, threatening to find and hurt the one thing Asp wants more than anything else: her family.

Oh my goodness, the THEMES in this book. Gaughen really presses the idea of family and the lengths you'll go to in order to protect them. I loved that at the heart of it, Asp just wanted her family back. This wasn't a high seas epic adventure, though it had lots of action and seafaring fun. It wasn't a romance despite having one of my new favorite ships. It was a story about Asp, a girl who had to grow up too fast trying to make it in a cruel world.

Look, I just really liked Asp as a protagonist. I liked Shalia too in Reign the Earth but something about this book was just so engaging and so exciting to read. I think there was more action to start with but Gaughen didn't let the emotional growth of the characters sputter out for the sake of a sword battle. Everything (and everyone) felt genuine, like I could meet these characters. You know, if it weren't for the whole fantasy/fictional world bit.

And the SHIP. No, not the actual ship. My new favorite ship. Asp and Kairos. You might recall Kairos from the previous book, one of Shalia's brothers (which I had to initially look up because I did forget. . . ). Both he and Asp are emotionally scarred and it shows. Every action reflected their goals and current emotional state so well. I never felt like I was being told anything, it was always shown through decisions and words and internal thoughts. That goes for all the characters, but with these two especially, I felt like this made their relationship really strong and believable.

Kairos isn't Asp's first relationship and you meet some of her past significant others which only strengthens everything with Kairos. For those looking for rep, Asp is bi (based on the relationships presented, though nothing is officially stated in the story). And what I loved even more was the clear consent for sex, with a reversal of the usual "virgin girl and experienced guy" situation. Both aspects were wonderfully refreshing and even though there's only one scene, I don't see it enough and I remembered it.

Now, where does Imprison the Sky fit in with the rest of the series? I'm going to assume that we're getting at least one more book, maybe 2 more (one for each element). This book falls after Reign the Earth but the two books don't connect plot-wise until the last quarter so you go for the bulk of this book without knowing what's really going on with Shalia. Which, after I got into Imprison the Sky, I was totally fine with, but it did feel a bit weird once the characters met because there was that disconnect. It didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book by any means and if you read them back to back I think it'll work a bit better, but just keep that in mind.

I'll be curious who leads the next book (assuming the trend continues) and which element will be the most prominent.

All in all, I think Imprison the Sky is a smash hit and just as good (if not better) than the first book. If you haven't started the Elementae series, now is an EXCELLENT time and if you have, I think you'll love this swashbuckling sequel!

This was just as good as Reign the Earth, the first in this series. I wanted to see more of some of the other characters from the first book but I felt these were bold and strong characters too. Asp has so much courage and persistence.
This is a great out of the box series that hasn't really been done before and I will be looking forward to more in this series and seeing more of all of these characters.

I received an arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I will try to keep this as spoiler-free as much as I can

This book blew me away. I honestly thought I would not like it because Reign the Earth was at times slow-building and cliche but I was glad I was wrong. I should have refreshed and reread the first book because I was a little confused at first who Aspasia was but was swiftly reminded that she was the badass air elementae who helped Shelia with the flying ship.

Asp was my fav badass female character for new year. She was so fierce but tender with her crew-mates, protective and loyal. With this book, we learn more about the world and how deeply the Trifecate has effected it. We go deeper into the people and families directly affected by slavery and the wounds caused. I thought the author did a great job describing slavery and how it tears families apart. Especially with Asp who struggles with making hard decisions and still holding onto her soul.

This book was heartbreaking but also filled with hope.

The rumors are true–Kairos does make appearance after he fell in Reign the Earth and yes, he was as charming and heroic as expected. Other characters from the other book do appear but more towards the end. BUT KAIROS–UGH, soooo dreamy. But he is not this one-dimensional dreamboat; he tests Asp, who is the captain and is not afraid to speak about what he believes in. He becomes a little darker in this book which is due to what he experiences in the beginning of the book and the torture of his sister and loss of family and tribe. But with the help of Asp and the crew, he finds a new home on the sea.

If you like action-packed adventure, stories about pirates, the bonds of friendship and families tested, and a slow-building not instant romance, this is the book for you.

If there is a third book, I will definitely be reading.

Aspasia might have been a slave as a child, but she has earned the right to be the captain of her own ship, even if she isn’t truly free. One of her goals is to free as many women and children from slavery, yet she also tries to free Elementae when she can. Aspasia needs to keep her Elementa powers a secret and she must also not let Cyrus know she is searching for her family. These secrets can be used against her and then she would never be free. As war seems imminent, Aspasia must face her own demons and determine which lines she is unwilling to cross. Will she find her siblings? Will her powers be enough to save those she loves?

Imprison the Sky is the second book in The Elementae series. This fantasy novel has all the components of a good read: adventure, magical powers, internal conflict and a little bit of romance. Although the main character is a strong teen female, this series will appeal to readers of both genders and all age groups. It has been a while since I read the first book, yet I quickly fell into this story and was able to become completely emerged and vested. Some small storylines have been completed, but this series is far from finished and I look forward to the next installment to be released.

The whole basis of this book is surrounded by Slavery. I was a little nervous going into reading this book just because I wasn’t sure how it was going to go.
But my god did this book step up and deliver all the right checkboxes.
Aspasia is one of those morally gray seeming characters at first but she has a heart of gold that will do anything for family.
Kairos my sweet child is in this book from book one and has gone through some stuff to end up with Asapsia.
This book has a ship full of badass characters and a storyline that will make you not want to put it down. This book dives deeper into the different powers of the elementae and all the different aspects of it.
If all that doesn’t sell you on it, we have a main character who is BI. Like YAS.

The book was a total 5 stars for me.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
The ending devastated me but I need book 3 already 😫

This book was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.