Rise of Fire

Here is my review for Book #2 in the Reign of Shadows Series...

I received an ARC of this book.
I have been eagerly anticipating this book since finishing Reign of Shadows. I could not wait to find out what happened to Fowler and Luna. Their journey, the growth of their characters, and the evolution of their relationship was intriguing and spell-binding. Then I started reading Rise of Fire...
The story progressed in a reasonable manner. Fowler and Luna's escape from the Dwellers and subsequent stay in the castle of Lagonia seemed in tune with their adventures in the first book. The addition of Prince Chasan didn't really seem to fit in--he wasn't really another love interest, but then he seemed to give up on Luna too quickly. I couldn't figure him out. It almost seems like the author couldn't figure him out, either. I think he as a character deserved more.
***Spoilers Below***
My biggest problem with the book was the climax and denouement. After reading it I was like, "Wait a minute...what?!?" For two books we were building to this great moment and then...it was almost like a dud firecracker. It totally fizzled out with silent fading smoke instead of a blaze of light, sound, and awesome power. Luna climbs on top of a massive queen Dweller and manages to "saw" through it's body...? And then what? We don't really know, because the action cuts right away to Fowler. Then all of a sudden an army of Dwellers marches out to eat everyone, at Luna's spoken command...? (That didn't jive with her personality, in my opinion. She always had perhaps too much pity/sympathy/compassion for people, and allowing the Dwellers to eat two whole armies didn't feel like something she would do.)
And then, that was it... No real resolutions. What about the eclipse? Was it tied to Luna's blindness? What about the mythical Dweller-free island? Who/what was this queen Dweller? How did Luna figure out she could command the Dwellers in the moments after the queen's death? Why did they follow Luna and not someone else? How do the Dwellers understand English when Luna TELLS them what to do? Do Luna's subjects resent her for being the cause of so many deaths? What about Chasan? And the questions really can go on and on. I kept thinking to myself, "There must be a third book where all of these loose ends/unanswered questions/gaping plot holes get resolved." But no... 
So I LOVED Reign of Shadows. I liked Rise of Fire throughout most of the book. But the ending really ruined both books for me. I was severely disappointed.