Rise Against by Hailey Edwards (The Foundling Series #4)

Luce: ‘Didn’t your mother teach you to wait until you’re invited in to enter a room?’

Santiago: ‘No. My mother ate one of my siblings because she wasn’t a fan of uneven numbers.’

This is a dazzling return to form after Death Knell, which felt like a small wobble. The fourth and penultimate novel in the Foundling Series introduces us to a Luce who now feels at peace with who she is as both a human and charun, and who appears ready to be herself. She has developed a unique strategy for handling every facet of her personality, even the persistently hazardous remnant of Conquest that is constantly hungry to regain control. The disclosures, betrayals, and losses have all dealt Luce a severe blow, but this book is about her coming to terms with everything. And there’s more to it than just the passage of time. Closed eyelids and holding back are no longer present. It feels like the calm before the storm. Like the end is coming…

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‘Believing you’re flawed, broken, or wrong was ten times easier than trusting you were perfect just the way you were or whole or right. Bad things always stick with us longer than the good. I don’t know if that’s a self-esteem problem or a human problem, but it’s true.’

This book demonstrates Hailey Edwards’ ability to bring everything together to create something that is genuinely memorable, aside from the fact that she has built a world and cast of characters who are beautifully unique. Though the story has many points of connection, its heart lies at its core. It was absolutely correct to say that this instalment starts at the very beginning, with the people that matter most to Luce. No, it was freaking great in addition to that. Without giving too much away, a few crucial issues were settled and some much-needed dialogues took place. Which, as you would understand, was to be expected, particularly as the situation nears its conclusion. but how it was carried out. Brilliant. Each new direction, every twist, all the feels had me grinning like crazy.

This book is hilarious, with the snarky humour that makes you laugh aloud. The profound emotional connections that so many characters would find difficult to express are shown through humour and bitching in the series because of how well it serves as the foundation for so many of the relationships. A caustic remark can close a distance just as well as a significant life-saving intervention. You become aware of how much you cherish these individuals and how much their success means to you. As vital and impactful as the dramatic battles and unexpected turns are these peaceful moments.

Only Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniels series has a similar emotional hit, so I don’t always get it from UF. Naturally, that only makes it more difficult to envision what occurs when a global war puts each and every character in peril. I’m very nervous about it. While also eager, I cannot wait. Now, don’t start reading this series now if you haven’t before. You can’t just pick something up anyplace and start using it. Even without considering the enormous volume of important shit that has occurred before to now, there has been too much emotional buildup. Be a part of Luce’s adventure by starting with Bayou Born. She is the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for—a real person who finds herself in all kinds of peril and a fighter who will stop at nothing to protect the people she cares about. You and I shall be by her side the entire time.

With just one more book left, this is unquestionably the greatest in the series. I’m not sure how it might be improved at this time, but I have faith in Hailey Edwards to continue surprising me.