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 exists, 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)***

I've never loved a book so much! I could hardly put it down, and yet was begging myself to take my time and make it last. Love just pours through the pages. Nara, Nixim, Osha, Haus and Azza will be plaguing my thoughts for a long time to come, I fear.

Loved the followup very emotionally provoking and will continue to watch out for this author in teh future

It was very easy to dive back in 'the branded' world. Fantastic world building, full of intrigue and great character development. I loved the politics, how the characters worked out what to do next and fully understanding their thought process. I did feel the pacing was a little mismatch though, parts were full of action and others were slow.

A novel that can only be considered an explosive conclusion to the Branded Season filled with action and an epic high fantasy world. Two sisters harness their powers to fight for the people they love. But when those powers are capable of overturning worlds, love can be an uprising. Nara and her twin sister, Osha, have escaped the brutality of the wastelands and the citadel, and arrive in the capital of Reis, home to the wrangler.

A city rife with political power plays, complicated by rumours of a long-awaited prophecy - the coming of a Pure Healer with the ability to heal The Branded. With her healing powers growing even stringer, all eyes are on Osha. But there are those in the city who would kill to control her gifts. If she is to protect her sister, Nara must navigate new allies and old enemies, in this city of shadows.

That’s easier said than done when she’s caught between her first love and the man who’s stolen her heart and betrayed her trust. Worn down by lies and deception, she is forced to question who she truly is and what she an believe. One thing is becoming clear is that she and Osha must learn to wield their powers to gain their freedom. But also fight for what is right. With dark forces taking control across the continued The Branded must rise to survive.

Rife with adventure and betrayal, this is a novel that will have you on the edge of your seat and craving more. Filled with strong female characters, relationship dynamics that will have you swooning, and a world that will leave you dreaming. This is an excellent conclusion to a duology and I would hope to see more from this world and the characters that reside within it. This is for fans of anyone who lives for high stakes, magical abilities and an epic fantasy world that leaves you breathless.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐨 𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢

The Rising by Jo Riccioni was an example of how a good book is written. Jo gave us a masterpiece in book form. I recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic.

The Rising wraps up the Branded Season duology with a blend of tension, emotional struggles, and high-stakes action. Nara and Osha, twin sisters tied together by their powers and their past, must confront the dangers lurking in the Shadow City, all while a prophecy concerning Osha threatens to unravel everything. The stakes are undeniably high, and the constant threat of danger keeps the plot moving.

While the action sequences and the evolving conflicts are engaging, some of the emotional arcs felt a bit drawn-out, especially when it came to Nara’s internal battles with loyalty and love. Though these struggles are important, they sometimes slowed the overall pace of the story. The character relationships, while intriguing, lacked some of the depth I hoped for, leaving me wanting more in terms of their emotional development.

The world-building is solid but left me wishing for more explanation, particularly around the fantasy elements that drive the plot. There were moments where I felt the setting could have been explored further to enhance the stakes and immerse the reader more deeply in this world.

Overall, The Rising is an enjoyable conclusion to the duology, though it didn’t completely fulfill its potential. It’s a good read for fans of the series, but it doesn’t quite reach the level of brilliance I was hoping for, earning it a solid three-star rating.

*The Rising* by Jo Riccioni is a gripping and emotional finale to the *Branded Season* duology. Nara and Osha, twin sisters bound by their powers and their past, must navigate the dangerous Shadow City as enemies close in from all sides. With tensions running high and the prophecy surrounding Osha sparking chaos, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

This book is packed with action, intrigue, and heart, as Nara wrestles with love, loyalty, and her own identity. The relationships are raw and complex, the world-building is immersive, and the twists keep you on edge until the very last page. A stunning conclusion that will leave fans of the series deeply satisfied.

This was a strong sequel in the Branded Season series, it had that element that I was looking for from the previous book. I enjoyed the overall storyline and how everything worked with the world. The characters had that element that I wanted and enjoyed getting to go through this world with them. Jo Riccioni was able to continue this world and had the same writing style that I was looking for.

this book felt rushed I feel there should be another book within the series. the book got very predictable and the I feel as if the battle scenes were not long enough. but the world building was great, the banter was brilliant and I loved the characters.

I still really enjoyed the book, I just feel the third book in the series was needed and would have made a whole load of difference.