⭐⭐⭐½
Rebellion in the Mist
Marley Ferguson
In Rebellion in the Mist by Marley Ferguson, we are presented with a fairly average magic-wielding heroine, Ness, who is a soldier for The Empire. After some chaos, she ends up being forced into espionage, playing the role of a neighboring queen who is actively working towards a rebellion against the Empire.
I really enjoyed the storyline and Ness’s
flirtatious adventures, but I found myself wishing the characters had more depth.
I loved struggling along with Ness as she discovered there was more to her powers, and I related heavily to her stress of never being “good enough.” But she also infuriated me with many of her impulsive decisions.
Ransom was a really fun character, but Lev annoyed me from the beginning 😂
The magic system, involving magical stones that “unlock” a wielder’s powers, was fascinating to me, as was the mandatory service to the Empire in exchange for the chance at unlocking wielding abilities. I’d have loved more of day to day life in cities of civilians, and I’d have loved more exploring of relationships between wielders and non-wielders.
There was a chosen one/prophecy theme that was fun (but expected) and a couple of twists at the end that I really enjoyed.
I think my favorite part, aside from Ransom the Hot Rebel Daddy™️, was watching Ness’s worldview change with exposure to other cultures. I think this message is especially important today – that you can participate in a corrupt system but you can learn, and grow, and make an effort to do good despite the way you were raised and despite any past actions that may have hurt people.
Ultimately, Rebellion in the Mist was a fun espionage romantasy with a love triangle, a fantastically flirty slow burn, and a story of brainwashing and personal growth.
⭐⭐⭐½
Thank you to Marley Ferguson for the ebook!
Rebellion in the Mist can be ordered from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or The Novel Neighbor
The Midnight Review 