Siege of Shadows, the Effigies #2 by Sarah Raughley

Hello book readers,

Recently, I dove back into The Effigies series, picking up the second installment titled Siege of Shadows. If you're unfamiliar with this series, it’s not widely known, but it caught my attention some time ago. After enjoying the first book, I decided to continue with the second, hoping it would capture the same excitement. Unfortunately, my experience with this one was less than stellar.

Review:

To start, Siege of Shadows felt significantly longer than its predecessor. While the first book was packed with unexpected twists and intriguing developments, the second book seemed to drag. One of the main issues I had was the constant repetition of events and dialogue from the first book. This repetition continued throughout the entire second book, which made the story feel slow and redundant.

Additionally, the second book lacked the world-building and character development that could have made it more engaging. Instead, it felt like the story was just treading water, without much new ground being covered. By the time I reached the end, I found it to be rather predictable, which was a letdown compared to the surprises in the first novel.

Despite these shortcomings, there is still one mystery that intrigues me, and it’s the only reason I’m considering whether to continue with the series. However, I'm torn. I’m not sure if it's worth pushing through to the third book, given my disappointment with this one. Part of me thinks I could just look up the resolution online and save myself the time.

At this point, I’m debating whether to DNF (Did Not Finish) the series or give it one last chance. If anyone has read the third book, I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether it’s worth the effort. For now, I’ve given Siege of Shadows a generous two-star rating, but it’s clear that my enthusiasm for the series has dimmed

Plot:

The Effigies seek out the true origins of the Phantoms that terrorize their world in this thrilling follow-up to Fate of Flames, which Elise Chapman calls “an immersive and monstrously fun read.”

There’s nowhere to hide.

Not when you’re an Effigy. No matter where they go, Maia and the other Effigies can’t escape the eyes of the press—especially not after failing to capture Saul, whose power to control the monstrous Phantoms has left the world in a state of panic. It’s been two months since Saul’s disappearance, and there’s still no sign of him, leaving the public to wonder whether the Sect—and the Effigies—are capable of protecting anyone.

When Saul suddenly surfaces in the middle of the Sahara desert, the Sect sends Maia and her friends out after him. But instead of Saul, they discover a dying soldier engineered with Effigy-like abilities. Even worse, there may be more soldiers like him out there, and it looks like the Effigies are their prime targets.

Yet the looming danger of Saul and this mysterious new army doesn’t overshadow Maia’s fear of the Sect, who ordered the death of the previous Fire Effigy, Natalya. With enemies on all sides and the world turning against them, the Effigies have to put their trust in each other—easier said than done when secrets threaten to tear them apart.