Storm Siren: A clean, YA romantasy (The Storm Siren Trilogy)

Nym is an Elemental, a supernatural being with the outward appearance of being human but with the inner ability to control Earth's elements and summon storms. Nym's very existence is considered a freak of nature. Before her birth, it was said that only male children could be born with Elemental powers and typically they were killed at birth. Nym's parents are able to hide her for a time, but once her secret is discovered, Nym is sold into slavery. In a span of 11 years, she is sold and sold again fourteen times, each time getting a circular brand on her arm to mark each time she changes owners. After an incident in which Nym's powers were said to have caused the death of multiple innocents, she is grabbed up by a court advisor for the war-torn Kingdom of Faelen and given a choice: either be trained to fight for the Kingdom of Faelen or be executed. Nym agrees to undergo training and finds herself placed in the bonds of slavery once more. Not only that, but she is also immediately thrust into a world of war and court intrigue. Nym's battlefield training is overseen by Eogan, a court favorite of Lady Adora, the tyrannical ruler of Faelen. Eogan teaches Nym the extensive history of her people: how over 100 years ago, a war raged between a powerful shape-shifting wizard and the then king of Faelen. To end the war, a treaty was drawn up stating that all Elementals would be killed at birth, those born before the treaty's creation would be sent to camps to die. To this day, people of the Five Kingdoms (Faelen being only one of the five) are divided -- some say the treaty saved the kingdom because the Elementals were growing too powerful, too arrogant, too great in number... while others argue that the treaty turned the kingdom into a wasteland of debauchery. Now the area is at war again, hence the need for Nym's training, even though her Elemental blood is still kept a secret from most. But it's not just Nym with fantastical blood. There's also her training partner, Colin, a Terrene with the ability to manipulate topography, and his sister Breck. Breck is one of Lady Adora's house servants and is someone Nym quickly befriends. Nym also learns of another race, the Luminescents, who are capable of seeing into the souls of people, reading their true intentions. Leading the Luminescents is Rasha, heir to one of the other Five Kingdoms. Rasha explains how the power works: the stronger one's dreams and intentions are, the more easily a Luminescent can read you. Nym, having spent so many years pretty much just trying to stay alive, is surprised to see how quickly she becomes attached to these characters around her, especially trainer Eogan. As their bond grows, Lady Adora begins to take notice, becoming quite jealous. Her inner green monster grows so large that she pulls Nym aside and gives it to her straight: either keep interactions with Eogan strictly to the training grounds and speak only of training matters, or fear disfigurement... or injury to her friends. As the feudal tension throughout Faelen grows, Nym must make incredibly tough choices about who to trust and who to protect. If she's to save those she's come to know and love, save the kingdom she's come to call home, she realizes she must also find it within herself to embrace her powers rather than fight against them. Man, did I get sucked into this one in a hurry! At surface level, Storm Siren is quite the enjoyable fantasy novel; the plot proves just layered enough to stay interesting to story's end yet the world building, while rich and detailed, is explained straightforward enough to be enjoyed by newbies to the fantasy genre. I also liked the variety within the characters themselves. Nym is no damsel in distress! She is strong, yet she rages like a wildcat when triggered. She also has great capacity for love, though those around her sometimes have their work cut out for them getting through those emotional walls she's put up. Then there's solid but smirky Eogan, perhaps one of the sexiest men I've met in fantasy in a long while. And for those who are always on the hunt for fantasy with a diverse cast -- male lead Eogan is described as a beautiful, dark black man! Eogan does a nice job of balancing pep talks to get Nym to believe in herself (and trust that she's not a monster unworthy of love or respect) with "I have no time for your nonsense tantrums, pull yourself together" shutdowns. Loved it! I also got a kick out of Myles, even though I was sometimes frustrated with him, as most of the time I was conflicted with what to make of him! For large chunks of the story he seems to be an adversary to Nym but then he'd turn around and offer help but then have the reader wondering about his motives. He has powers of his own, as well as a stutter that gets in the way of his trying to build up that presence of possible wickedness. Hard to truly hate someone when you just end up feeling bad for them! Underneath the fun fantasy adventure though, what I truly appreciated was the powerful, motivational message at the heart of the novel: that what you think might be a flaw within you might actually end up being your greatest strength, if you only learn to harness it rather than fight it. Nym spends so many years fighting this guilty feeling that she's this monstrous thing that doesn't deserve to live... until she is brought to that moment in life when she's placed in this reality where only her exact talents can save a nation of people. That's such an inspiring idea to bring to a reader -- that the thing you've spent so much time trying to stifle could end up being the one thing down the road that people will need to get them through... you just never know! So now where will Nym's new-found truth take her next? Wherever it is, you can bet she'll be more likely to have her eyes on the horizon rather than her feet!

I adored the story line. The plot was exciting and suspenseful. The characters were entertaining and I fell for each individually, especially the horrid bad guys. It flowed pretty well, and I liked how it was given an 'oldie' setting with modern speech patterns here and there. Interesting and fun. I chose this book because the synopsis seemed interesting and hit all my required buttons: special girl with awesome powers, sad background that makes her stronger, medieval setting, elements, and a cold man whom we all know will eventually warm up to her. The beginning was awesome, seeing an Elemental with modern speech patterns talk spit and dirt about the people a part of her slave auction. I liked her spunk, but at the same time, I quickly came to realize that despite her sarcasm and bark, she had no bite. She was well conditioned to be a good little slave who knew her place and didn't try to escape. Rather than use the frightening power to get away from the depressing life, fear for what always came ruled her to obey. Even if she didn't like it. That drove me crazy, because she had everything to gain her freedom from slavery if her life really sucked that bad. Seeing her shackled by fear, (view spoiler) letting it make her so weak, was sometimes sad, depressing and mildly annoying. She's also young, so I had to excuse a few of her questionable choices to still being a teen. Though it didn't always count as a good excuse, because she's been through a lot of stuff; I'm surprised it didn't mature her. Her budding maturity as a young woman is slow in this, but it is there, so yay for character development. She's completely against taking lives because of how many people she's already murdered. She's so ashamed of it, she believes she's a monster who can't be stopped, so she like, stays in the middle of this weird funk so she doesn't have to do anything with her powers. However, she has to fight in the war in order to stay alive. So she trains for them. BUT SHE DOESN'T THINK IT THROUGH. I think this was one of the main things I disliked about her. It's almost like she's too self-absorbed in how much her life sucks being born a female Elemental, and doesn't think things through. She trains to stay alive, but gets mad when she finds out she has to kill. And what annoyed me was that a bit of the story changed to fit her pro-life choice. And that would be completely fine with me, if it didn't suddenly change. Seeing her work for a war that doesn't have to end in killing was cool, but in the end, she ended up blowing up ships anyway because she was angry and frustrated. It makes me feel like all the crap she put me through was for nothing. The ending portion was also sad but very catching. It was bittersweet. And yeah a little sad. :( And the ENDING!!! My goodness, I don't even know how to explain the way I feel... but because of it, I'm not sure if I'll continue with this series. I took a peek at the other two books' synopsis and to be honest, it all sounds a little too sad for me. If things in book one are true, then there really is nothing left for me. The people who've gone were the reasons why this book was so good. Nym annoyed me most of the time. If they're gone and she's all that's left... I wouldn't purchase any more books, but I would read them in a library. It's interesting enough for that. The writing was pretty good with pulling me in, but it still remained as nothing more than a narrative tone for me. I loved Colin, Breck and Eogan. Even the Evil Frog Lady, because of how nasty she was. Despite being on the wrong side, she still had control and did what she wanted. This 'keep quiet and don't die' thing was a little too weary for me. Otherwise, I recommend this first book. I may not had enjoyed it, but it was a good story, and the characters, drama and action were done right. It certainly left an impression.

Hmmm . . . first of all, when I requested this book, I didn't realize that it was published by Thomas Nelson, which is a Christian imprint of HarperCollins. If I had known, I probably wouldn't have requested the book, b/c I don't like being preached at when I'm reading recreationally, BUT . . . I am happy to report that it wasn't an issue. SO if you thought you might like this book, but held off, b/c, unlike me, you were in the know about Thomas Nelson, worry not. If you have an issue with the book, I seriously doubt that will be it. SO. I'm quite vocal about choosing YA that doesn't feel like YA. YA in which the characters come across as older, wiser, more experienced than their numerical ages . . . I can't actually recall being told Nym's age, but whatever it is . . . it's YA. Nym is an orphan and a slave. She is also an Elemental. In her world, Elementals are killed at birth, except, also in her world, Elementals are universally male. We are never told how Nym manages to be both female and an Elemental, two things that we are assured are mutually exclusive. In fact, it's not even really addressed at all, except to add to her super special snowflakeness by pointing out the impossibility of her existence. But Elementals, male or female, are not the only creatures of magic in Nym's world. There are five (I think) nations, all with their own specific type of magic user. We are not given a reason for the existence of magical creatures, and it is not explained why the type of magic depends on geography. It just does. The world-building left a lot to be desired. Also . . . I'm too bloodthirsty for this book. My favorite characters are assassins and thieves and mercenaries. I don't want them to be killers without conscience, but if someone needs killing, then by golly, they had better be up to the task. But Nym doesn't want to kill anyone. EVER. Her country has an enemy that far outclasses it in weapons, has airships, is bombing and destroying whole villages---men, women, children, the elderly, the sick, it doesn't matter, they are all being killed indiscriminately, but that's not Nym's problem. She's the one who has to be able to look at herself in the mirror, and she will not be turned into a weapon. *sniffs* How she can look at herself, knowing she could have prevented all of that indiscriminate death, if she'd only put on her big girl panties and killed them first, doesn't come up, apparently. Or if it does, she acts her age, digs her heels in, and refuses to hear that which she does not want to acknowledge. Tra-la-la. It's tedious. So is Adora, the crazy noblewoman who purchases Nym from the slave market. Adora, we are told, is the most powerful person in the kingdom. After the king, of course. She's so ridiculous, she's almost a caricature of a villain. She dresses in ghastly and extravagant (animal-themed) costumes. She may or may not literally keep a harem of strapping young men, but of course, she wants, more than anything else, the young man whom she cannot compel to sleep with her, and is very seriously rumored to have killed a kitchen girl (or two), simply for looking at said young man. She's the biggest property owner in the kingdom, and she sits at the king's right hand on his "Counsel" (whatever that means<------AGAIN, we are not told), and is his most trusted adviser on the war effort . . . A position . . . we can only infer, she inherited . . . b/c we, for once, are told that her father had held the same position, as had his father before him . . . Well, sure, why not? If the monarchy is hereditary, I supposed the positions of those who advise in a strategic capacity can be as well. Just train them up the same way you would a prince or princess. B/c that always works so well . . . There were also numerous little inconsistencies like man-eating horses that didn't turn on their exhausted riders. I suspect that were I ten years younger, a lot of these things wouldn't bother me. Or at least they wouldn't bother me quite as much. However, I am not ten years younger, and I am much too cynical to embrace Nym's kill-them-with-kindness approach to warfare. This wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't a good book for me. And despite my numerous issues, there were still parts that I enjoyed. If you're an optimist who longs for a heroine who doesn't resort to violence to make a difference, then Storm Siren could very well be the best book you'll read all year. You know your preferences better than I ever could.

Oh my... oh dear... *gasping for breath* *grasping for reality*... WHEN IS SIREN'S FURY COMING OUT??? :D I hardly know what to think of the whole story yet, but my mind is whirling with the epic-ness of it. Alright. Let's try for some orderly thoughts here... Storm Siren was raw. Gripping. Emotional. Powerful. Nymia is a slave. Fourteen scars encircle her arm, one for each time she was sold. A fifteenth is about to be added, but by who? Because Nym has a secret. Who dares take the white-haired girl with storms running through her veins? With a strange twist of events, the young Elemental lands in a place of great power, and great peril. Secrets brood and danger lurks; and Nym has to decide. -Cower within the shadows of fear and the broken past, or embrace her gifts and soar. Storm Siren is a unique fantasy, mixed with an element of dystopian/sci-fi. There's Elementals, skin-changers, bolcranes, and slightly creepy war horses. Then we have airships and crazy parties where equally crazy people come in dressed in ludicrous costumes and pink, blue, or orange hair (something akin to the people of the Capital in The Hunger Games). I would call it fantasy for the most part, but definitely had a sci-fi feel at times. I don't even know what to say. Trying to gather all my thoughts together here. This book took me on a wild, hair-raising, exciting journey full of twists and turns. While I didn't appreciate every aspect of Storm Siren, I found myself quite fascinated, and was quickly caught up in the story. Nymia. Who wouldn't feel for her? The tumultuous, dangerous, raw feelings raging around inside her have the power to erupt into a full-blown storm. She has a dark past that leaves her scarred in more ways than one, and faces a future full of more emotional pain and terror. She's an incredible character... relatable, I feel. Real. Eogan... was an interesting guy. :-) I must admit, I was quite startled where his backstory wound up to. I felt like I didn't get to know him as well because he was so layered in secrets, but you still glimpsed his own personal pain, and his caring for Nym. I've decided that I quite like him, now that I know all his secrets. I loved Colin!! :D Though he tended to show an appearance of thinking highly of his looks and such, he countered that quite nicely with charm, kind-heartedness, and sacrifice. *Sniff* I won't say anything about his story... but the bald-headed Terrene boy is great, :-) There was a really great group of characters. Pretty much all of them had me guessing about who they were/what they were doing; and then getting surprised (or shocked), and so on. The villains were done well I think. In a way that shows their depravity, but yet doesn't render them to the typical "bad guy". I was intrigued by them all. The whole theme of Storm Siren was powerful. Perhaps not in the way one would expect, but still, it touched me deeply. This book, though Mary Weber is a Christian I believe, is not meant to be Christian fantasy. However, it still had an incredible allegory woven throughout. The memorial scars. The crippling fear. The self-hatred. And then we watch it morph into something strong and courageous. It's a theme of self-worth and not letting your gifts and abilities be taken over by evil, but rather using them for good. Now here's where I make an important note. I understand how someone could take it differently; I myself felt thrums of "I'm powerful", "I will save myself" and that kind of thing. But... well, I guess for the most part I just took it as an allegory of us seeing our worth in God's eyes, and finding the courage to use the gifts He has given us boldly for good. I was expecting the usual, kind of shallow, dark story of YA, non-Christian fantasy, and I suppose that's why I noticed the poignancy of the allegory in Storm Siren. If you take Nym's story as a boost to rely on your "strong" self rather than God, than you probably aren't getting the drift I am. But if you naturally take the theme of Storm Siren as a more healing/realizing you have a purpose sort of story, then I would say its a pretty great tale. That being said, I still did squirm a little at some of the parts about Nym controlling the lightening etc.; and how pressing her pulse renders... this, and her squeezing someone's hand renders... that. It can all feel a little too much like tapping into the "earth's powers", or your own "inner powers" and whatnot. So yes, I was a little wary. Yet, the more I read, the more it didn't seem so much that way. I guess sometimes with fantasy, I just take it all in as fantasy, and I can read it and understand it (sort of), without feeling its some strange new-age thing. I don't know. You'll have to read it and see for yourself. Controlling the elements kind of seems like a hot topic in fantasy books these days. It's definitely not my favorite, but Mary Weber wrote it all in such a thought-provoking, allegorical way, that I was intrigued. There was a fair amount of "swearing" in this book, albeit, in the fantasy language. So they're unfamiliar words, but you definitely get the drift. Also, there were a few heated romance moments, and some men acted a little inappropriately around Nym or other women. Also, there's immoral issues alluded to now and then, especially with Nym's owner. Nothing too drastic, just caution to younger readers. Also, quite a bit of violence. We have some quite creepy/frightening scenes, and some utterly strange and scary animal creatures. Some descriptions of violence or gruesome detail went a bit overboard for my taste; but still, nothing too horrific in my opinion. I would say the audience for Storm Siren should be older teens to adults. Um... I'm still not sure what to think of the treacherous wolf-guy and his disturbing abilities. I'm leery of too much werewolf/witch type things for sure. So, along with the element powers and such, I really need to read the next book and see where those two things go to truly decide how I feel about them. I'm okay with them for now… but you just never know what could happen next. So it really remains to be seen if I can safely recommend this book. So. What can I say? I was captivated and thrilled. I was mildly startled at the unexpected, then quite surprised, then shocked. Ooh!! A page-turning adventure for sure! I loved the scenes between Eogan and Nym... (except at times they did get a bit overly romance-y). I loved how he could help calm her storm, :-) The fantasy world, the customs, the war, were intriguing and alarming. The whole story leaves you wanting more. Especially when you get to the end!!!! I sensed it coming deep down, but still, I jumped a little inside. OH NO!!! What's going to happen?? I refuse to think that things will go as expected, :-/ Haha. Like I said, there's no center Christian allegory in Storm Siren. But a creator is alluded to a handful of times. And there is this special garden that... well, you'll have to read about it yourself. But it was a poignant moment in the book, and I felt it had something to do with the creator. Can't quite remember. This book tells a dark story for sure, but there was such a redeeming tilt to it. It was incredible to watch the characters grow... in heart and soul. I don't know how to explain it, but I don't feel like the darkness overwhelmed this story. I saw this beautiful picture through Nym's story. It was truly poignant. I guess it remains to be seen if her start upward is going to make her powerful and trust in herself, or... Yeah, I don't know. Christian allegories are important within fantasy to me; but I felt I could still appreciate Nym's story a lot. But... so much remains to be seen. I'm so dying to read Siren's Fury to find out what happens after that devastating cliff-hanger. We’ll see, we'll see. Right now, I have hopes for this series. If you're looking for a strong Christian allegory, this book isn't that. However, I still found the main story of it to be moving. And its an incredible, exciting fairytale-ish/fantasy sort of story in any case! :-)

**Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy** Sucked in by the intriguing cover and blurb, I found myself captivated by STORM SIREN the minute I started reading. Though sometimes light on the world-building, in STORM SIREN, Weber creates a cast of fascinating characters, with lots of action, and tons of plot twists and turns to keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Our main character, Nym, is a spectacular heroine. Unlike some other recent young adult fantasy starring female assassins, Nym is not a purposeful killer in the beginning of the book. She’s carrying a huge amount of guilt because of her past, and the way she works through that as the story goes on is very well done. The positions she’s put in and the choices she makes really emphasize her growth over the short period of time the book takes place during. The secondary characters are well fleshed out, as well. Eogan, the trainer, who makes Nym’s emotions pitter patter, and Colin, the other Elemental magic user, who sometimes feels like just a goofy teenage boy, are enjoyable to pass the time with. Adora, Nym’s owner, and Lord Myles, a member of the court, are so delightfully creepy I swear I shivered a few times while reading. What was lacking was more in-depth world building. It came in bits and pieces, and frustratingly not enough for me. The plot took up so much of the book there just wasn’t much time for describing Nym’s world, and don’t get me wrong – I loved the action and the breathless intensity of it, but oh, I want so much more! There was a lot that could have been explained or explored that we didn’t get, unfortunately. All in all, STORM SIREN is one of those books that you don’t put down once you’ve gotten into it. It is clever, original, young adult fantasy, that manages to take some familiar aspects (girl assassin/magic user – almost cliche) and turn them on their head. With the final plot twist at the end, I’m dying for book two, and can’t believe I have to wait until June 2015 for it to come out!

Elementals are no longer around due to an ethnic cleanse so many years ago. So the fact that Nymia exists is not just unheard of, she is an anomaly. When the Elementals were around they were only male, never female. Therefore Nymia breaks all the rules. Nymia is a slave, she has had 14 masters in her short 17 years, now is awaiting master number 15. That’s when things get out of hand. Things just never go as planned when she is around, the weather reacts to her emotions. Death. Injury. Her curse and catastrhope follows her everywhere. She is taken in the midst of a violent self induced storm and now she is slave to the unstable Adora, High Council Member and trusted advisor to King Cedric of Faelen. She fears for her life and everyone around her. But when Nym is told that she is to learn how to control her curse, she doubts that it can ever be done. According to Adora though, she must atone for her sins and do her utmost to protect Faelen from the invading forces of Bron by becoming the best weapon in the war. With a bit of time and guidance from Eogan, Adora’s trainer of the Uathúils, Adora believes that anything is possible. And Nym doesn’t really have a choice. Journey with Nym as she learns to control the greatest “gift” that anyone in the Five Kingdoms as ever seen. Will Nym save Faelen and those she has come to care about or will she lose everything she is beginning to hold dear? I am a fantasy junkie so when I picked up this book I had high hopes that this would be a good read. It is well beyond the word good…this story is a masterpiece of the written word. Mary Weber goes above and beyond in her ability to draw you into the journey of a young girl that is struggling to learn the art of self control. As I read the story I was immersed in the legacy of the Five Kingdoms and the back story was a gripping as the current story. I completely fell in love with the characters and devoured the words on the pages as quickly as I could. I may be well beyond my years as a teen girl but I was so impressed with the reality of the author’s words and feelings of this young girl. Nym may be considered special but she still battles the internal emotions of any teen girl and the author writes this well. The fantasy behind this story is so real to me! I had no issues falling into the world that the author has constructed. It is believable that a place like this could possibly exist and even with the threat of war, this is a place that I would love to visit. The emotional level of this story is gripping and make you gasp in utter agreement. The twists and turns are fluid and they feel just right. I rode a roller coaster of emotions as I read the book and I was quite pleased at the end of the trip. Also, the battle of good and evil is well written and I am delighted to read such a fantastic fantasy story that doesn’t go so far off into the darkness, well done. As I have never read a book by Mary Weber (I’m not even sure there are any), I am so excited to see what comes next in this series! If you are a fan of the fantasy world, I highly recommend this book as you will absolutely NOT be disappointed.

From the first page I was hooked on Storm Siren, and I loved it all the way until the end when I reached one of the worst cliffhangers ever. At the center of this book is one broken but powerful girl. But as I became caught up in Nym's personal journey and emotions, I found many more surprises and a lot greater action than I ever anticipated. At times the heart-aching tale of one girl, and at others a heart pounding rush filled with shocking revelations, political schemes and awe inspiring abilities, Storm Siren drew me in entirely. It all begins at a slave auction where Nymia is being sold for the fifteenth time in 11 years. Nym doesn't last long at any one place, because whenever she gets angry or upset, she destroys something - or someone. Her current slave owner tells her to cover her long white hair because it is a dead giveaway about what she is: an Elemental Storm Siren who can control the weather. Though, usually it just controls her. Because of all of the destruction Nym has caused, she considers her ability to be a curse. Proving her point, we get to see Nym in action right at the beginning of the book. When she gets angry at a leering slave buyer, a violent lighting storm immediately develops that puts an innocent child in danger. After this, I was both in awe of Nym and also could understand her inner brokenness about a power she never asked to have. It was a thrilling start. This is really a book about a girl learning to love and accept who she is. Finding redemption and her own inner strength. Nym is feisty and bold at times, but she also possesses a tremendous amount of self-loathing and doubt about her curse. Nym believes she is a terrible person because of what she's done, even though the destruction she's caused has also saved her life many times. Nym memorializes the people she's hurt in the past by carving reminders on her body. It's a painful but visceral way for her to never forget. I love Nym's personal journey through this book, and I felt her emotions right along with her. When the story begins, Nym feels utterly alone in the world. She's had no guidance or training, and since her parents' death, she has been passed around from one household to another. But throughout the course of the book, Nym meets several characters who become important to her. Two of my favorite of Nym's relationships are with Colin and Eogan. One is firmly in the friend category and the other definitely crosses the line into something else. There is no love triangle at all, so don't worry! But Nym has many fantastic scenes with both of these boys. Colin seems less serious and more young and cocky in the beginning, though also lovable. But I enjoyed the conversations that he and Nym share near the end of this book. Colin is one of the characters and moments that made the biggest impact on me in this story. Nym's relationship with Eogan starts off with much more volatility. There were times I wanted to scream at him along with her, but I love how he pushes Nym out of her comfort zone. He challenges her to accept who she is and to believe that her ability truly is a gift that she can control and use. Eogan and Nym are a great counter and challenge to each other, and I was always looking forward to how they would would next set each other off. Eogan has that mysterious vibe going, a trait that sometimes seems overused. But I like how it was handled in this book. His character actually makes sense once you understand him better. The only thing I wished for in this book was more information about the world and political situations, as well as the major players involved. We learn that it consists of 5 nations each featuring people with certain gifts. Not everyone has them, but they seem to originate in the people group. We meet or hear about individuals from each country, but I had a bit of trouble keeping them all straight at times. There were a lot of intriguing secondaries that I wanted to know more about, including their objectives and motives - The King, Princess Rosamund are two examples. Hopefully, we'll get more in book two. The end killed me. Seriously one of the worst cliffhangers I've encountered. I'm holding out hope that author Mary Weber will continue to surprise us and things aren't exactly what they seem. In any case, she's made me completely desperate for the next installment in the series, and in awe of her ability to draw me into her characters' lives. Love Triangle Factor: None Cliffhanger Scale: HIGH

Real Rating: 3.5 / 5 Wow. It’s hard to know where to begin this review of Storm Siren, because there’s so much to say. I discovered this debut novel by Mary Weber through Writer’s Digest and was convinced to check it out after seeing all the enthusiastic Twitter buzz on it. Being a fantasy writer myself, I want to absorb as much of the genre as possible. Plus, I hadn’t read any stories on elemental magic (storms, earth, water, etc.) before, so Storm Siren offered a new fantasy experience for me. And I’ll be honest: I didn’t love Storm Siren as much as other reviewers did, but I certainly enjoyed it. Storm Siren starts off with a bang as Weber introduces us to Nym, an orphan slave girl and an Elemental with the ability to create destructive storms. When Nym’s rage-induced powers manifest during a slave auction, the court advisor Adora scoops up Nym and offers her a choice: learn to use her storm-wielding magic to save her country, or face the same fate as other Elementals – execution. Nym agrees to the training and is quickly caught up in a whirlwind of high society and political intrigue. She also finds allies in fellow Elemental trainee Colin (an earth-manipulator of sorts), Adora’s blind maid Breck, and her enigmatic instructor Eogan. As the stakes mount and war creeps closer, Nym struggles more with insecurity than with her innate magic. Can she learn to value herself by seeing the good in her powers before it’s too late? Normally with positive reviews, I share what I liked first before the criticisms. With Storm Siren, I’ll do the opposite – because I had a hard time getting into the story. For the first third, Nym was surrounded by characters who either irritated me in some way or were difficult to like at all. It even took time for Nym to grow on me because of her constant angst and sharp attitude. Also, while I didn’t mind with the first-person POV (it draws the reader closer to Nym), I was thrown off by the use of present tense, the occasional slips of modern word choice, and frequent fragments. The tense and word choice issues in particular conflict with the historical setting, unless Storm Siren doesn’t take place as long ago as I think it does. After that initial frustration, I found reasons to keep reading Storm Siren. The breathless action sequences, hints of a future romance between Nym and Eogan instead of a full-blown relationship within a short timeframe, Eogan’s explosive secret from his past that threatens to destroy those hopes – and the world-building! Weber’s imagination shines as she immerses readers in a fascinating universe of deadly monsters, steampunk-like airships, and parties where socialites wear vivid, animal-esque costumes (imagine the Capital from The Hunger Games, except even weirder). Even the world’s history and the characters’ slang is nothing like what I’ve experienced from other literary fantasy worlds. Weber also deserves applause for tackling some tough themes in Storm Siren. Self-doubt, insecurity, and self-harm are difficult yet important topics to explore with a YA audience. I cringed when Nym described how she creates her memorial tattoos. But it’s incredibly symbolic of her journey toward self-worth, and I cheered for her as she learned to ignore the painful craving. So, kudos to Weber for examining those subjects with care and poise. Now, the ending. Gah!!! What a cliffhanger! It screamed the word “sequel” and made me quaver with fear over Nym’s safety. It also left me dying to know what’s going to happen to another character – yet feeling violated as a reader because I can’t possibly imagine how said character will survive that plot twist. I’m not lying when I say that I slapped Storm Siren on my lap three times when I finished reading it and shouted, “No, no, no!” The reaction makes me laugh in hindsight, but it reflects how torn I feel about the ending. But it’s a good kind of torn. Why? Because at its heart, Storm Siren is more than a story about power and magic. It’s a visceral and inspired tale of a young woman’s effort to save her home and the people she cares about while saving herself from her own worst enemy. And thanks to its colorful cast of characters and distinctive world-building, Storm Siren has a vibrant, quirky personality that helps it stand out in the fantasy genre. It’s not a perfect story, but it has me invested. You’ll find me in line when Book 2 comes out in June 2015.

What a delightful surprise this book was! I loved the world Ms. Weber created, so real and yet so magical. Nym is a broken-hearted, wounded soul, longing for peace within, love, and to belong. But the secret she struggles with is dangerous, deadly, and completely out of her control. Or is it? Nym experiences a series of situations that seem to be the hopeless reality of her existence, not realizing that they're merely the beginnings of what can ultimately result in her freedom and healing...or the loss of who she longs to be. With plenty of action, intrigue, romantic interests, & suspense, Storm Siren is an amazing journey of healing, personal growth, and sacrifice. I'm very eager to read book two!

I couldn't put the book down. I really enioyed reading this book and I highlyrecommend it if you love reading fantasy.

I read Storm Siren way back in 2014 and was so traumatised that I cast it aside until the full series was out to spare myself the heartache of another punch in the feelings ending. Even back then I loved it, reading well into the early hours of the morning to devour it in one go despite having work the next day. In 2016, I love it even more. Mary Weber's writing is fantastic, weaving a world of warring kingdoms, magic and political machinations, with a hint of steampunk thrown in. There are thankfully no infodumps here, all the details are swen through the story. I love authors who give their readers enough credit to put the pieces together themselves rather than grinding the pace to a halt for pages and pages of characters explaining everything like their name was Basil Exposition. I could picture every elaborate party, every stunning landscape and every burst of magic. Truly, this is a world to get lost in. I adore Nym! This kind of book lives and dies on it's protagonist and Storm Siren doesn't disappoint. Nym is an emotional wreck after a lifetime of suffering the effects of a curse she can't control, guarded and prickly, but still with enough of a conscience to feel the weight of every life she takes, intentional or unintentional. The self-harming angle is sensitively done here, where Nym tattoos herself with tributes to her victims, and while this could easily come off as mawkish or exploitative, it's nicely handled. The "woe is me, I'm so lonely, cursed etc" got a little wearying, especially with the first person pov where there's no getting out of the protagonist's head, but it made a refreshing change for a heroine to ask why, to ask questions rather than just being led on a merry dance by characters she barely knows as happens in so many YA books. She is what lifts this book from a middle of the road YA fantasy to something special. And speaking of refreshing changes, hold on to your hats. Nym is white, and love interest Eogan is black. I know, shocking right? Well no, not really. Because this is 2016. Unfortuantely, diversity is in short supply in YA, so I was pleasantly surprised to read an interracial romance, and even happier that the book mentions is in passing a few times without making a huge deal of it. I've read a few moans about the love triangle on Goodreads, but honestly I didn't read it that way. Earth-shaper and fellow recruit to the war effort Colin was more of a friend to Nym than anything else, and while he tried his luck, it seemed more his flirtacious nature than insta-love. Maybe because I find Colin such a deeply unsexy name, I didn't see him as the third wheel. Eogan all the way! Admittedly his power was very convenient, and in such a large kingdom - one of many - it seemed a little hard to buy that he and Nym had met before, but that's just me being picky. I loved the scenes between him and Nym as he helped her take control of her power and her gradual thawing towards him. The moral complexities usually swept under the rug are all present and correct, and given the weight they deserve. Nym isn't just blasting faceless, nameless bad guys like it's nothing, every action and inaction she takes is justified and addressed. Is she a villain for the lives she's taken? Is Adora a villain by forcing youngsters into taking up arms for their kingdom? Is Lord Myles a villain for being prepared to sell out Faelen's king in order to end a hundred year war? Nothing is black and white. Except Draewulf. He is a villain, the big bad of this trilogy, and he's one of the best (or worst depending on your pov) in ages! Despite not putting in an appearance until the final chapters, his shadow hangs heavy over the story, his threat and malevolence there even when he isn't. That ending though! I genuinely couldn't believe what I was reading! I read the last few pages about three or four times because I thought there's no way that just happened. There's cliffhangers, and then there's this! I was so traumatised I wouldn't read book two in the trilogy until I had my hands on book three. I've now got the full series so am going to be braving the rest over the coming weeks. If I had to sum up this book in one word, it's epic. I absolutely loved it from start to finish. If you want YA fantasy with magic, swoonworthy love interests, awesome bad guys, lands far far away, epic wars and all wrapped up with one of the best heroines in my opinion ever to grace the pages of fantasy, for the love of books - read Storm Siren! Review originally posted at [...]

Very cool.

Well what an interesting journey you are taken on throughout this book. Fantasy world come to life with very cool Elemental and Uathuils. Nyms whole ‘being able to control Mother Nature’ is pretty awesome. I do like that there is a map at the beginning of the book to give you a visual understanding to where all the territories are in relation to each other. Also goes down as another off my 2015 Reading Challenge – A popular author’s first book. So the story starts with Nym being sold at an auction – at the age of seventeen this will be her fifteenth sale into slavery. Each of her past owners has wanted to give her back for one reason and one reason only – she is cursed – and eventually, accidentally, something bad will happen to whoever owns her. Her gift, or curse as she sees it to begin with, is uncontrolled and untrained. Her emotions are her trigger and until she learns how to embrace them she will always be a constant danger to those around her. This point is made at the auction when one of the buyers provokes a reaction out of her and ends up getting fried with lighting. It’s at this market sale that Nym is sold to Adora after displaying her gift. To say Adora is a little strange would be putting it mildly; lets just say she marches to her own drum and I wouldn’t trust her as far as I could throw her. Nym is an Elemental and a very rare one at that, as Elementals are supposed to be born male. But more importantly she is alive which is unheard of as once born they are meant to be killed due to an hundred year old law. Her power is off the scales but she has no idea how to control it and she end ups letting it control her. It’s this power that Adora wishes to harness to win the war. So she gives Nym two choices: she can either be charged with the murder of the man at the market, along with being an Elemental, or she can be trained to control her gift and be used as Faelens greatest weapon (although she does keep correcting herself by saying defence when she sees how Nym reacts to being called a weapon). All Nym has ever wanted is to be able to control what’s inside her and even though she doesn’t think it can be done she is willing to give it a try. It’s when her training starts that she meets Colin, a Terrene who can move the earth around him and their trainer Eogan who seems to be able to block, or in Nyms case calm, other Uathuils gifts. To be able to get Nym to calm down enough to focus on her gift he has to be touching her – not that she minds. From the moment she meets him she is drawn in by his mysterious nature. You can see why she would slowly fall for him but with him constantly going hot and cold with how he reacts around her she can never quite figure out how he feels about her. With the threat from Bron’s attack drawing ever closer the training becomes more intense as Eogan tries to get them battle ready. They are Faelens last hope of survival but with ulterior motives coming to the surface, danger lurking around every bend and secrets just waiting to be revealed it will take all they’ve got to get them ready for the battle that’s coming. To be able to save a world that even Nyms not sure is actually worth saving. The counting Nym does can get a bit annoying at times but that’s just how her mind works. A very in-depth story with creating the fantasy world that they all live in but I felt at times like it needed to be explained a bit more. It was almost like in places you were already meant to know everything about the world you were reading about. Also with it being a long book you might have hoped that some of the other reoccurring characters, like Breck, Princess Rasha and even Colin to some extent, would have had a bit more development or back-story told about who they are. But then I guess a theme I’d noticed throughout would be that it’s not the past that defines you but the present, and the hope for a better future. I did like the dreams Nym has throughout that interlink different scenes – showing her past and possible future. The story ends with one hell of a battle scene, so much happens in it – self-sacrificing, back stabbing, air ships, ghosts of past coming back to haunt the present and you also get to see what Nym and Colin are really capable of doing with their gifts. The final end twist can be seen a mile off but even while reading you are hoping that you are wrong. It just leads you right into wanting to know what happens next. Bring on Siren’s Fury and show us what Nyms going to do next. https://readingnook84.wordpress.com/2015/10/15/book-review-storm-siren-by-mary-weber/