"Its unexpected originality made me an instant fan" Analiese Rising by @brendadrake #yalit
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  • N. N. Light
    • Jan 22, 2019
    • 3 min read

"Its unexpected originality made me an instant fan" Analiese Rising by @brendadrake #yalit


Title: Analiese Rising

Author: Brenda Drake

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology

Book Blurb:

When a stranger gives Analiese Jordan a list of names before he dies, the last thing she expects to see is her own on it. Not. Cool. Her search for answers leads to the man’s grandson, Marek, who has dangerous secrets of his own. Both are determined to unlock the mystery of the list.

But the truth is deadly. Analiese is a descendant of the God of Death, known as a Riser, with the power to raise the dead and control them. Finding out she has hidden powers? Cool. Finding out she turns corpses into killers? No, thank you.

Now the trail plants her and Marek in the middle of a war between gods who apparently want to raise an army of the Risen, and Analiese must figure out how to save the world—from herself.

My Review:

Just when Analiese gets her life back on track, she witnesses a brutal car accident. The dying man thrusts his leather bag into her hands and insists he take it to his grandson. Ditching grief camp (who knew that was a thing), she goes on a road trip upstate to return the bag. Marek and her uncover his grandfather’s true identity. Banding together, they go on an epic journey following clues Marek’s grandfather left behind. The more they uncover, the more danger they’re in. All that Analiese thinks she knows about her life is wiped clean and she discovers the horrifying truth. She’s a descendent of the God of Death and has the power to raise the dead. With gods and goddesses on both sides vying for her allegiance, which side will she choose?

Analiese Rising grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let go until I read the last word. Not only is it brilliantly written with intense action, a little romance and more gods/goddesses than you can shake a stick at, its unexpected originality made me an instant fan.

Analiese is a sympathetic character and one who’s experienced great loss. Her emotions are stark as is her propensity to get into trouble. Marek is a mystery to the reader but the more I read, the more I like him. The attraction between Analiese and Marek balances the intensity of the plot.

I love reading Brenda Drake stories for their ability to escape my hum-drum life. She weaves fantasy one brushstroke at a time, and I can’t get enough. I couldn’t stop reading Analiese and can’t wait for the next one in the series. Highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from Entangled Publishing via Netgalley in the hopes I’d review it.

My Rating: 5 stars

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Author Biography:

Brenda Drake is a New York Times bestselling author of young adult fiction. She grew up the youngest of three children, an Air Force brat, and the continual new kid at school. Her fondest memories growing up is of her eccentric, Irish grandmother’s animated tales, which gave her a strong love for storytelling. So it was only fitting that she would choose to write stories with a bend toward the fantastical. When she’s not writing or hanging out with her family, she haunts libraries, bookstores, and coffee shops, or reads someplace quiet and not at all exotic (much to her disappointment).

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Reviewed by: Mrs. N

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