well done, a page turner
LOVED IT, LOVED IT . Due to health issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Rising delivers a powerful and satisfying conclusion to the Branded duology, showcasing the author’s remarkable ability to create a rich, immersive world in a short span. Right from the first page, readers are pulled into a society split between the ‘pure’ and the ‘branded,’ as we follow twin sisters Nara and Osha embarking on a journey across kingdoms, each confronting the boundaries of their own unique powers.

One of the standout strengths of this novel is how quickly it builds an engaging world with strong, believable characters. The dialogue is realistic and the character development is consistent and compelling, drawing you into their emotional arcs as much as the plot. For a fantasy novel, it’s relatively concise, and while some readers may feel that the ending was a bit rushed, it’s still impressive how much depth and scope the author manages to pack into just two books.

Ultimately, The Rising is a well-written, tightly crafted fantasy that balances action, emotion, and world-building without the weight of a sprawling series. It’s a great pick for anyone looking for a quality fantasy read without the commitment of multiple long volumes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

This sequel delivers a gripping, emotional conclusion with rich world-building and deeply satisfying character arcs. Every twist feels earned, and the story leaves a lasting impression that’s both powerful and bittersweet.

This book made me fall in love with reading again after a drought of mediocrity.

I'm quite a forgetful person. Normally I would have to re=read the previous novel to reacquaint myself with a story, but Jo's writing is so vivid and memorable, from the second page it all came flooding back to me. The first in the series was one of my only 5 star reads of 2024, and this one is my only 5 star read of 2025 so far.

It's immersive. The world-building is impeccable. The characters are nuanced and well-developed. The inter-character relationships are layered and deep and believable. This book was an absolute treat to read. I need everyone I love to read this book, so they can live this wonderful experience with me.

Thank you so much Angry Robot for letting me read this duology.

Felt rush at the ending. And the middle seemed to drag. The first book had me hooked so I dived into this book excited but was bored most of the time until the last part but within the last part I felt like I wanted more. Decent duology.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

The Rising delivered everything I wanted and more ! We picked up right were The Branded (book 1) leaves off and this one delivers on answers, action, plot twists and really emotional moments. Nara is still that feisty FMC and I loved seeing how she grew alongside Osha and Azza. The world of Cha Shaheer and Reis was so vivid, and the way it tackled themes of power and identity was chef's kiss 🤌

My only complaint is that there isn't another book in this series 😭

Highly recommend if you love fantasy with heart, emotional depth, and headstrong characters!

I loved this book, it answered so many of the questions I had from the first one! This book is just as strong as the first.

The conclusion to The Branded Season duology surprised me. While the overall outcome wasn’t unexpected, The Rising still shocked me with several twists and revelations along the way, making it both gripping and entertaining. I enjoyed the story, though it did feel a little rushed, and there was a ton of well-described and exciting action.

I love the enemies-to-lovers trope, but as it was already done in The Branded, I was a little disappointed that Nara and Nixim’s relationship in The Rising felt a lot like a repeat of the first book. I was hoping the wrangler’s betrayal would come to a head and there would be some sort of solution a bit earlier, leaving plenty of room for the growth of their relationship, but that wasn’t the case. I did very much enjoy Nara’s interactions with new characters introduced though and found her relationship with Azza especially endearing.

This book mostly takes place in another city, where the Pure vs. Branded hierarchy and prejudices exist, but differently. It was interesting to see how another part of Nara’s world dealt with the aftermath of The Brume, and the ways in which witnessing these differences affected Nara, Osha, and Brim.

I’m a big fan of the overall messages behind The Branded Season duology and that through a great story, Jo Riccioni encourages her readers to think some big thoughts about some important subjects.


***I have included links to Goodreads/Storygraph reviews. I’m scheduled to be a part of the online book tour in February and will update this review with social media links on my tour date (February 27)***

The Rising is a sequel that I had been anxiously waiting to read after completing The Branded! As a duology, it’s incredibly underrated and deserves so much more attention.
I loved the world-building of Cha Shaheer, and my only true complaint is that it ends at book 2 and I don’t have more of Nara’s story to look forward to!

My favorite part about this series is how it shys away from the standard “chosen one” narrative, baiting you into thinking there is a prophecy that will come to light but in the end, it’s just the perseverance and unification of the people that triumph.

It’s books like this that are so important for our youth to read!

This was EVERYTHING. I loved book one, the Branded, as it felt like the absolute perfect fantasy adventure story. And in this sequel and conclusion to this story, I just found myself loving it even more. I love Nara, her character development, Azza, the whole world and worldbuilding that went into this. It had everything I love in fantasy stories and so much more, and I am honestly very sad that now it's over because I wanted more!!! Honestly would suggest this if you enjoyed The Priory of the Orange Tree, and also if you love a bit more headstrong characters vs the more pushover ones that seem to be trending. Nara is very much a punch first, ask questions while punching, and I respect that.

3.5 stars

I'm not going to go into any details since this is the final book, but I really enjoyed the series. I liked all the characters. The magic is interesting. I found the branded/unbranded idea intriguing. I would have liked more about that though.

The pacing is great. But part of me thinks it should've been a trilogy because I don't think everything was fully resolved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot publishing for the ARC copy of this book! I still love Nara and Nixim. Nixim has definitely become one of my favorite MMCs his banter is top tier. A lot is found out in this book about everyone’s past there is some very unexpected betrayal in this one. I did not love it as much as I loved the first one, this one felt a little slower paced but I still did really enjoy getting to finish this duology. Overall I highly recommend this series as a whole!

Jo Riccioni delivers a compelling conclusion to her duology, *The Branded Season*, exploring themes of power, identity, and the complexities of human relationships. The two protagonists are well-developed, each with a distinctive character arc. Nara, with her impulsive nature, is forced to confront her deeply ingrained beliefs and prejudices, making her a complex and realistic character. Osha, on the other hand, undergoes significant growth, transforming from a more submissive figure into a woman fully aware of her power and place in the world. The dynamics between the sisters feel authentic, reflecting the challenges of familial relationships under extraordinary circumstances.

The city of Reis is vividly portrayed, providing a rich and detailed backdrop that enhances the narrative. The divided society between the Pure and the Branded is a powerful metaphor for discussions on classism, discrimination, and social injustice. Riccioni masterfully weaves fantasy elements with contemporary themes, crafting a world that, while imaginary, deeply resonates with the reader.

The moments of tension and introspection are well-executed, though some action scenes feel rushed, while other sections could benefit from a more sustained pace. *The Rising* delves into themes of the fight for equality, the importance of family, and the search for one's identity in a hostile world. The dichotomy between the Pure and the Branded reflects real-world discrimination, offering a subtle yet incisive critique of oppressive power structures.

Jo Riccioni is a literary genius! I loved this book and the first in the series. I had been dying to read it for ages but it was only available in Australia, so I am so excited it’s been released in the US.

Great ending to the series. I appreciated that the author didn’t drag this out unnecessarily, *cough cough Fourth Wing*. There wasn’t a moment where I guessed where the story was going, and I loved the consistency of the characters. This book was worth the wait for USA readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book! I absolutely loved this conclusion to the Branded Season duology and tore through it. I am obsessed with the world Riccioni has crafted and my only complaint is that I wanted to see MORE of it.

Echoing other reviewers, I wish this had been a trilogy rather than a duology. Towards the end of part two and most of part three of this book, there was a lot of telling what happened rather than immersing us in the actual action. I feel there were many places the author could have expanded.

That said, the ending did consist of many emotional twists and turns that I did find compelling and satisfying. Overall this was a fantastic duology that I recommend for dystopian fans and fantasy lovers looking for something a little different.

After leaving us with a cliffhanger, The Rising by Jo Riccioni picks up the story right we we left off. The book had a great pace, but the story itself felt rushed, this duology would have been better served as a trilogy.

Character ARCs for Nara, Osha and Brim are well developed, and the world building was phenomenal. The romance remained as a subplot and did not hijack the story (a bonus for me) and the battle scenes did not drag on (another bonus for me).

I really enjoyed this series and would be excited to read more of this wonderful world created by Jo Riccioni.

Thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. My opinions are my own.

I simply cannot wait for this one to hit the US this week!

After closing out The Branded with a bang, Riccioni continued the story perfectly here. I’m equal parts in awe and devastated. I’m so happy about how it ended, but the getting there was so full of mistrust and twists, beautifully orchestrated.

I do feel like parts were a little rushed. I would have enjoyed more details and depth in those sections, but I loved the growth of both Nara and Osha as well as the wrangler and Haus. The plot was beautiful, and so were the relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book to read. I devoured every moment, and all opinions are my own.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Rising by Jo Riccioni is the first person-POV epic fantasy sequel to The Branded. When Nara and her sister, Osha, and the rest of their group finally arrive in Nixim’s homeland, Nara’ world gets turned upside down again and again as long buried secrets finally come to light and her and her sister’s futures loom on the horizon. Nara needs to keep her eyes forward if she’s going to survive and walk away with Nixim or she’ll lose everything.

Whereas the previous book felt more like a romantic fantasy, this one feels more epic in scope and the romance isn’t quite as prominent. Nara and Nixim’s relationship goes through a rough patch as Nixim’s arranged engagement becomes impossible for him to ignore and Nara needs to return to the Cooler to free the women trapped there, leading to the two being separated for a decent chunk of the book. The worldbuilding gets more fleshed out and the domino effect of the actions from the first book takes priority as well as what happened before the first book opened.

Of the romance subplots (Nara and Nixim, Nara and Brim, and Osha and Haus), Osha and Haus’ was my favorite. We only see their relationship through Nara’s eyes, but what we see is a relationship built on mutual respect and devotion. Osha is still struggling with what happened in the Cooler and doesn’t want to talk to Haus about how her child might not be his. Haus, however, doesn’t care who the father is as long as Osha continues to choose to be with him. It’s a quiet romance, but it’s a fierce one. There is no denying how seriously the pair take their relationship and how dedicated they are to their vows and I ate it up.

Nara has to do a lot of growing up in this book, completing the arc she began in The Branded. In the first book, she had to unlearn prejudice towards the Branded and Hross as well as the Reis. In this book, she has to learn how to put her stubbornness aside and trust other people as well as apologize for her actions. To my delight, we see this the most in her platonic relationship with Haus, her brother-in-law. There’s an understanding between them without a whole lot of words that allows Nara to start really taking those steps towards further growth as she puts her faith in Haus that he will always return to Osha.

Content warning for depictions of discrimination and child abuse and mentions of sexual slavery and assault

I would recommend this to fans of the previous book who wanted the world to be explored more, readers who love a quiet, passionate romance side plot, and those looking for a fantasy that blends romantic fantasy, epic fantasy, and dystopia