An Heir comes to Rise: Review and Exclusive Interview with Chloe C. Pañaranda
If this cover doesn't instantly make you want to read An Heir comes to Rise, I don't know what would. This book screams strong female protagonist on a fantasy adventure and let's face it, anyone who knows me will know straight away that this is my type of book!
I've teamed up with author Chloe C. Peñaranda to bring you an honest review of An Heir comes to Rise and an exclusive interview to give you all a little peek into A Queen comes to Power (book two) and Chloe's inspirations behind the book.
Firstly, here's the synopsis from Chloe C. Peñaranda's site:
"IN A CLASH OF STEEL, A MORTAL BODY MAY FALL.
BUT IN A CLASH OF DREAMS, A POWERFUL HEIR MAY RISE.
A SWORD…
In the impoverished outer town of a kingdom where fae outrank humans, Faythe, an orphan with a talent for swordplay, knows the importance of keeping her head down around the fae patrol. She and best friend Jakon long for a better life, and her desire to swing her sword in combat may bring the purpose and coin she’s yearned for.
A DREAM…
When she draws the attention of royal guard Nik, she soon learns that her mortal nature isn’t the only reason to remain out of sight. Nik is a Nightwalker, a silent assassin of the mind with the power to enter others’ dreams, and whether she trusts him or not, he’s about to awaken abilities in Faythe that shouldn’t exist in a human. Nightmarish abilities. Deadly abilities. Abilities that will teach Faythe blood really does run thicker than water…and if she doesn’t trust in higher powers soon, blood will run indeed.
AN HEIR…
For this is no battle Faythe can fight with steel. Within the city walls, suspicions are arising, and here in the outer town she has deeper bonds to protect. It seems everyone will die with a dark secret to tell, but what if one unlikely human girl was born harboring the darkest secret of all…?"
What did I think? I thought An Heir comes to Rise was even better than the synopsis makes it sound...if that's even possible!
I am going to struggle to pick fault with this book because I just 🤯 the intricacies and complexity of the magic system in this book paired with the found family trope just made this book everything 😍
I went into this read with a bit of a “I hope this isn’t just another fae book” but omg it was not in any way at all! I loved the idea of a human world ruled by fae with the mysterious hint of magic ✨ it felt really fresh and new! There were beautiful light-hearted moments between characters as well as dark, ominous scenes that left me feeling a little uncomfortable. This high contrast ensured for an 'on-the-edge-of-my-seat' read!
Another thing I was a little worried about when we first meet Nik is that he’s a very typical fae male character, however as his character developed I enjoyed getting to know his little quirks and I really hope we see more of Nik in book two! 💜 Other characters in the book were beautiful! Faytye was just a complete bad-ass and there was nothing I disliked about her as the protagonist! 💕 One character was pleasantly surprised by was Marlowe! She felt a little bland in the first chapter she was introduced in but as I read on I grew to love the way the author delicately placed her into a decade long friendship! It felt much more authentic than just plopping her in and I apologise for judging her too soon!
The final thing I wish to say about An Heir comes to Rise was that I adored the writing. It felt poetic at times and flowed so beautifully 💜 I’ve come to notice recently that writing style is so important in how much I enjoy a book and this one just hit the nail on the head.
I cannot recommend it strongly enough (especially the hard cover version for the beautiful bonus chapter!) 💕 perfect for fans of ACOTAR, Sarah J Mass in general and Elise Kova.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Exclusive Q&A Interview with Chloe C. Peñaranda
Q: Can you tell us a bit about where the idea for An Heir comes to Rise surfaced from?
Chloe: The concept for An Heir Comes to Rise was very much centred around the creation of the Nightwalkers. The question of ‘When we all fall asleep, where do we go?’ led me to think: What if there existed an ability that could infiltrate dreams? Not just dreams, but the entire mind while the host sleeps. There were so many complexities to figure out, magic always has to have rules and consequences.
I love books with fae, and I’ll always write what I would want to read. There are many interpretations of the fae, but mostly, they are stronger, faster etc than humans. So, if such a higher species did exist, in my world I imagined they would rule. The divide between humans and fae is explored throughout the series and so far we've seen the darker, more malicious side to the fae. There's so much more to be explored about the different societies as more kingdoms are introduced.
Q: Which authors inspire you to write?
Chloe: I have always been a huge Stephanie Meyer and Sarah J Maas fan. Twilight was one of the first series I was truly and wholly compelled by and Throne of Glass is a series that always sticks in my mind and has
a place in my heart. Victoria Aveyard has an infectious online presence and I’m inspired by her ‘daily life’ as an author (and the Red Queen series is simply brilliant).
Q: An Heir comes to Rise features a very unique system of Nightwalking. Do you consider Nightwalking as a dark entity or a misunderstood ability?
Chloe: The concept of Nightwalking is dark and ominous. As we learn in book one, the people are very fearful and wary of it. Who wouldn’t be? But as we also learn from two very different characters in AHCTR who harbor this ability: The evil isn't in the ability itself, but in the heart of the one who wields it. In book two we delve deeper into who and where certain abilities originate from. Magic systems are fascinating, and I can’t wait to share more from this world!
Q: Faythe is a pretty bad-ass character throughout the book with a very ‘I can look after myself' outlook. How important do you feel it is for more authors to convey female protagonists as independent and able?
Chloe: I am a huge sucker for a strong female protagonist. I have had many readers say they have been inspired by Faythe's courage as an MC and I think that’s incredible. It’s what I set out to do–I have so many characters planned for this series and I hope, just like Faythe, people will be able to see pieces of themselves in their individual personalities or find something admirable to look up to.
Faythe is very strong-minded with a will to do whatever it takes to keep her friends safe. But she is flawed. She finds it difficult to ask for and accept help, she takes on every burden, and while it’s with good intentions, it’s a huge obstacle for her to overcome. To embrace who she is and realise there’s strength in seeking help to overcome tasks.
So, while I think it’s empowering for women to see female protagonists stand up against odds and kick-ass, I think it’s equally important to find relatability in their fatal flaws. Seeing character growth is so inspiring and important because it’s what we all go through in stages of our real life.
Q: Nik represents the well-loved morally grey character we all adore, however, I feel like there is a lot more to learn about him. Can you share with us a little snippet of what to expect from Nik in A Queen comes to Power?
Chloe: I adore Nik. He is a fantastic mentor to Faythe and this only grows in book 2. The bond and friendship they share is one of my favorites to write–I often see them as parallels in their own stories which I believe is seen more by the end of book 2 and as the series progresses. Nik is troubled, and while his heart is in the right place, a lot of his choices and motives may be questioned and he isn’t without a darker side to protect what he loves. There is so much growth to come for him in his own story and alongside other characters.
I'd like to extend my thanks to Chloe C. Peñaranda for taking the time to answer my questions! I think we can all agree that book two in this series (A Queen comes to Power) sounds fantastic and if you've yet to read An Heir comes to Rise, I encourage you to dive in ASAP! You won't be disappointed!
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