Sloane wasn't human anymore...but what was she? She'd gone through so many changes and endured so much pain. Her new Genesis power was unfathomable but all she wanted to be was normal again. Is that even possible? Please tell me the next book is coming soon.

Genesis Rising
Elle Lewis

When I got the second book in the series, I immediately had to read the first one since this is my usual way to do things. And it was certainly worth it! Dark Touch is great! I won’t do a total review, but just say a bit. Sloan is our heroine and, of course, there is something special about her that no one knows what it is. She is stopped at a light on the way home from work and is approached by a homeless guy. She hands him some money. He grabs hold of her hand and holds on. She feels pain, incredible pain. The pain increases over time and she keeps seeing this guy fleetingly as she tries to go about her days. One thing leads to another and she finally meets James, and learns that she’s the only person who’s been touched by someone like this homeless guy and lived. That’s at about 60% into the book, so there’s lots more for them to do together with bad guys and good guys before the end of book one. And it’s worth taking the journey with them. Recommended.
Now for the second book; the one I was provided with to review:

Genesis Rising
Elle Lewis
Black Rose Writing, Mar 19, 2020
172 pages
Dark Fantasy
Provided by pub via NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐🌙 4.5

The cover of book one is stark white with black. The wings stretched full. Book two, Genesis Rising, is a dark taupe background with white lettering and the wings are a brassy gold accented with black this time. It is a much more sophisticated look and it speaks a much deeper message of what happens in this book. Of good and evil mixing. Of dark warriors with black wings lurking in the shadows and Warriors of the Guild with their gold wings shielding from above.

The story is about how Sloan and the Warriors of the Guild attempt to preserve just what it is that is special about Sloan. The element that only she carries that is the last of it on earth, Genesis. If the dark warriors manage to get her and convert her Genesis, then “the entire Milky Way could be destroyed”. The pain that Sloan had felt from the homeless guy grabbing her has spread throughout her body and it is evil. The Warriors of the Guild are helping her learn to control it and to learn to fight with it, to use it against the dark warriors when they attack.

The tension is kept high throughout this whole book as each character interacts with Sloan, good and bad. Sloan has to learn to control her body and her power as her body and what she carries changes. The characters are well-developed. Each of the Guild Warriors is an individual and some do and some don’t get along with Sloan and they wrangle and work their way around to the point that Sloan and James can be together again. Some of the wrangling gets a tiny bit tedious. They’ve put a guard on this universe for now. And what Sloan carries is protected for now. But she is still hiding so much from James, like what she really is, what she carries, and the fact that she now has wings and speaks telepathically with dark warriors and Guild Warriors beyond the universe. She has ten days to be with him and then she has to leave with the Warriors. Somehow she will have to find a way to tell him all that has happened and all that needs to happen. Recommended and waiting for Book Three!

I read the first book in the series, Dark Touch, last year and fell in love with the characters and this new mythology created by Elle Lewis. At first, you’re not sure who’s good and who’s bad, so trust has to be earned.

I enjoyed reading Renesis Rising even more than the first one.

If Dark Touch sets the premises of the story and establishes new creatures and original lore, Genesis Rising throws you right in the middle of the war and lets you fend for yourself. It’s the kind of book you read by the end of your seat that makes you hold your breath at times. Elle constructed a fascinating world from which emerged round characters.

In Genesis Rising, we learn more about The Warriors of The Guild and Dark Ones. When you add punchy dialogue and an outstanding mix of humor, grit, and action, you get the kind of book that inspires fanfiction.

The dynamic between the main characters was realistically portrayed in the sense that they have both good and bad qualities, not to mention secrets and ulterior motifs. Every time you think you figured it out, you realize you didn’t.

After Sloan was saved and “stashed away” for protection by the Warriors, more come to meet her. If that doesn’t foreshadow an epic battle, I don’t know what does.

"Sloan, these nine Warriors have left their quadrants. They have traveled to earth to defend you, to aide in the destruction of The Dark One, Darrow. None will harm you.” He inclined his head slightly, a small smile on his lips. “Would you like to meet them?”

So much happens to Sloan in Genesis Rising, but I can’t say much without giving spoilers. Let’s say that Elle Lewis has a vivid imagination that ends up giving you goosebumps. In this case, watching what she did with Sloan, it’s like watching a butterfly emerge from its cocoon.

“She is more powerful than any of us imagined,” Dante thundered, pointing
at me. “Unpredictable. Dangerous. Unless she can learn to control it, this cannot be allowed to happen.”

The past events force Sloan to toughen up and become more resilient. She no longer runs in the face of danger. Even as she grows stronger, she hides it until the big fight.

I glared at him, forcing my power to stay down.
“Now that you’ve gotten your tantrum out of the way,” I said around the blood in my mouth. “Where do you want to meet?”
Witty Dialogue. I can think of so many quotes I could paste into my review, but I try not to spoil it for you (I’d end up just pasting the entire book).

“Can Warriors get a concussion?”
He shook his head, his hair still smoking. “I don’t have a brain.”

Genesis Rising is undoubtedly a page-turner, and it gets better and better as the story progresses. Since the story is written in first-person POV, we get to experience first-hand everything that Sloan feels. It’s like watching an action movie in 3d.

I felt afraid, but also morbidly excited. So far, I had used my newfound power on individuals that I didn’t truly want to harm. With Darrow, I wouldn’t have to hold back. I didn’t want to. I wanted to hurt him. It was a new sensation that swirled around my chest with a certain level of discomfort. Never in my life had I wanted to physically harm anyone. Fighting Darrow was about survival, but it was also about revenge, and there was no point pretending otherwise.

Spoiler Alert!!
I’ll end this review with one of my favorite quotes from this book.

I threw my wings into a sharp angle. I fell through the air, landing soundlessly on the sand. I tucked in my wings and immediately crouched into a defensive position, energy shooting down my sword. My muscles twitched and the dark power rumbled, ready for impending violence. It was hungry, wanting to eat. I grinned.
I have a Dark One to feed to you.