Reviews for:
Arising
Laela is a young Treedle woman. Enslaved by the Mergon clan, she needs to escape and fulfill her destiny by leading her people to safer times.
Mateo is the young Mergon prince. Defying his father, he helps Laela escape to safety. Relentlessly pursued by the king, they need to find a way to peace before it's too late.
When King Marl brings the threat of war to her home, Laela must draw on ancient prophecies, interplanetary allies, and her own rising spirit to become a leader of change. Can love and unity catalyze social change? Or will the shadows of the past prove insurmountable?
Arising is an emotional coming of age epic fantasy centered on individual and societal transformation. It weaves allegory and adventure, delivering a thought-provoking tale that is perfectly suited for fans of character-driven fantasy.
Review 01
Deborah Titus
5 out of 5 stars. A thoughtful, imaginative fantasy with heart
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2026
Format: Kindle
My ReaderVerified score is 94%. Arising surprised me with how immersive and emotionally grounded it is. The world of Aerizon, from its treetop cities to its grounded kingdoms, feels vivid and fully realized without becoming overwhelming. What really carries the story, though, is Laela’s journey. Her growth, courage, and determination to bridge long-standing divides give the novel both warmth and emotional weight, and her relationship with Mateo adds a heartfelt emotional thread that complements the larger themes rather than overshadowing them.
This isn’t a fast-paced, twist-heavy fantasy focused purely on action. It’s a character-driven story that takes its time exploring ideas of unity, healing, compassion, and cultural understanding in a way that feels sincere rather than preachy. The world building is rich, the emotional tone remains hopeful even when the stakes rise, and the story maintains a strong sense of humanity throughout.
Some sections lean a little more heavily into reflective narration and world building exposition, but the emotional sincerity of the characters and the immersive atmosphere consistently kept me engaged. Overall, Arising is a thoughtful and uplifting fantasy with strong themes, memorable imagery, and a hopeful emotional core that lingers after the final page.
Review 02
Paul A.
4.0 out of 5 stars Arising - Great world building
Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2026
Format: Kindle
My reader verified score is 91%
Arising, by Lisa Perskie Rodriquez, is the sequel to the book. Laela and the Moonline. It is set on a planet occupied by two cultures. One is peaceful and values spirituality and self-awareness. The other is materialistic and seeks dominance over the other culture. Laela, the book’s main character, is tasked with the challenge of uniting the two cultures by nonviolent means using her heightened sense of humanity. She finds help from unexpected visitors.
I had some problems getting into her story. Like in all sequels, Rodriguez faced the challenge of connecting her sequel to the book that came before it. She fell into the trap of trying to relate too much detail of the previous book. The result is that the first chapters are filled with Rodriguez telling the action of the story instead of showing it. She should have trusted her readers and edited most of her retelling of the previous book’s plotline. However, after she established the link between the two books, her world-building and plotting are superb. Her descriptions are outstanding. The reader is treated to sights, sounds, and smells that captivate the imagination. The action of the book moves naturally to its satisfying conclusion. If there are future sequels, I hope she glosses over the previous stories and gets right into the action of Laela’s new adventures.
Review 03
Dave Melde
5 out of 5 stars: A thoughtful, imaginative fantasy with heart
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2026
Format: Kindle
Verified Purchase
My readerverified score is 92%. Arising surprised me with how immersive and emotionally grounded it is. The world of Aerizon, from its treetop cities to its grounded kingdoms, feels vivid and fully realized.
What really carries the book is Laela’s journey. Her growth, courage, and determination to bridge long standing divides give the story both warmth and weight. The dynamic between her and Mateo adds a gentle emotional thread that complements the larger themes rather than overwhelming them.
This isn’t a breakneck, plot twist every chapter kind of fantasy. It’s a character driven story that takes its time, weaving ideas of unity, healing, and cultural understanding into an adventure that still feels hopeful and engaging. The world building is rich, the message is timely, and the tone stays uplifting even when the stakes rise.
If you enjoy imaginative settings, thoughtful themes, and fantasy that leans into compassion as much as conflict, Arising is well worth reading.
Review 04
5 out of 5 stars: A Captivating Fantasy About Courage and Unity
Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2026
Format: Kindle
My readerverified score is 95%. “Arising” is an engaging and imaginative fantasy story with a strong, inspiring heroine. The world-building is creative, and the story blends adventure, emotion, and a touch of romance really well. I especially enjoyed the themes of unity, courage, and breaking old divisions. A great read for anyone who enjoys meaningful fantasy with heart.
One person found this helpful
Review 05
5 out of 5 stars. Hope, love, and a desire for peace.
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2026
Format: Kindle
My readerverified score is 94%. Arising by Lisa Perskie Rodriguez is a wonderful example of creative world-building that you don't come across often enough. If you are a fan of Avatar, you will really enjoy this novel. It's Avatar without the human Avatars, just a beautiful world of woodland creatures.
The protagonist Leala and her mate Mateo fall in love against the will of King Malcomb, Mateo's Uncle. This young couple must overcome many obstacles to find happiness and attempt to bring about a new order of world peace.
The greatest obstacle the two young lovers must defeat is racism. They are from different tribes who live different lifestyles and rarely engage with each other.
Hope, love and a desire for peace made me feel like we all might be happy and safe someday. Thank you!
Review 06
4.0 out of 5 stars: An enjoyable mix of Fantasy and Sci-Fi
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 March 2026
Verified Purchase
My ReaderVerified Score is 85%.
The world building in this book is brilliant, and the imagination and creativity is a joy to read. I was surprised by the addition of sci-fi to what initially felt like a pure fantasy book, but I found myself really invested and enjoying the teams adventures to another galaxy, so it clearly worked!
The only criticisms I have, and the reason for dropping a star, is that at times the speech felt quite wooden, and the character personalities weren't as well developed as they could have been. I also had to overlook that they were all teenagers, because that felt very jarring considering their maturity, responsibilities, and the actions they took.
Don't let any of that take away from an excellent book though. I enjoyed reading it, even loved some parts of it, and would happily read another work set in this world - hopefully finding out what happens further in the future on both planets!
Lisa, if you send me a picture of the spine of your book, I will add it to the stack of books on the landing page.
Additionally, you can send a portrait with a blurb about working with ReaderVerified, and I will add it to the other testimonials.
I think you would enjoy "The Weight of Dreams."
Hi Lisa,
This is where we can chat. I really enjoyed your book.