Into Ashes by A.L. Wyss is the final chapter in the Phoenix Rising trilogy. Vivian and her new mythical friends may have retrieved the Key to the gates of Olympus from Poseidon just in time to save the world, but they now have to face the RISE Council of Elders, who wish to abandon the human world. Not everyone is in favor of living in Olympus. Vivian, who has lived as a human her whole life and recently discovered she has powers, is opposed to the idea, as humans will be left without any protection. She’s up against her own mother and Sam—her closest people. However, Vivian does not back down. Instead, she teams up with friends who see the danger in opening the gates to Olympus and pretends to go along with the council’s plans. They travel to the cold tundra region of Russia in search of a fire fox that the elders need for the ritual, but her actual mission is to find a mirror of truth that may help her show the elders the error in their plan.

Into Ashes is a great conclusion to Vivian’s thrilling journey. The adventures, the friendships, and the development were all amazing. There is so much in this story: the conflict between the mother and daughter, Sam's desire for redemption, the encounter with the mythical legends of the cold region, and the controversial decision to return to Olympus. A.L. Wyss gives readers a compelling reason why the mythical beings wish to go to Olympus, but also shows the dangers. The plot will keep you wondering if Vivian is right or misguided by the voices of her ancestors in her head. Readers meet Baba Yaga, a witch who loves giving unusual tasks, the Ice Queen, a werewolf, a fire fox that causes the aurora borealis, and a yeti. I enjoyed the different sides of Scarlet and Tatiana, Ashton’s reliability, and the blossoming bond between Vivian and Adrian. The conclusion was satisfying, but I love that it also left room for future spin-offs. I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to anyone who loves YA fantasy novels about self-discovery, purpose, friendship, and identity.

It's a new school year for Vivian Carmine. As her parents move away from the one place she has always considered home, she prepares for her senior year at the RISE Academy. Her aclimatization process comes to an abrupt end when she stumbles upon information circulating within the magical domain that the elders have made a drastic decision about the future of RISE. They want to use special relics to separate the human world from the fae world. Vivian does not want this plan to go through, but has no way to fight it until an opportunity arises, most unusually. Find out more in A.L. Wyss's Into Ashes.

Into Ashes is the final instalment in A.L. Wyss's The Phoenix Rising trilogy. The author uses unique clues to bring readers up to speed on the previous books. Wyss expands on the strategy-heavy dialogue and detailed battles we have come to associate with the series, adding a subtle, mature tone, especially in segments where Vivian tries to reason with her mother and the elders on their plans. The character development emphasizes Vivian's transition from a feisty adolescent with a bit of a destructive streak to a teen coping with relationship pains and the need for both the fae and the humans to coexist peacefully. What stands out is how the author deftly weaves these elements together using a series of mini-mysteries, a brisk pace, and some pop culture references that will resonate remarkably well with fantasy genre enthusiasts and young adult readers.