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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book has everything you love in a YA fantasy:
- Elemental magic meets deadly trials
- A heroine with a troubled past who learns to find both her power and her confidence
- A handsome golden boy prince (and his dark, brooding and dangerous half brother)
- Secrets hiding deep within the walls of a castle begging to be uncovered
In an empire with four realms, each blessed with magic to control one of the elements, Blaze Harglade is born with the power to call the rain and create deadly storms. But here's the thing–she comes from one of the most powerful fire-wielding families. After spending her entire life holding back her magic, she finds herself called to compete to become a future ruler of the empire, alongside her twin brother Flint, and she’s forced to confront her power, and her past.
This was a great entry into a new series, and I'm really looking forward to the future books. We got a great introduction to the magic system, as well as the politics of this world. There were some good twists that surprised me, and I enjoyed how Blaze grew her power throughout the trials. As the trials went on, there was a deeper magical mystery happening under the surface, which set things up really well for the next book. I'm also very excited to see how the potential romance develops, which I'm hoping will come into play even more as the story continues.
"Fate has many faces, my darling one," she says. "Make sure you look them all in the eye."
A big thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review!
- Elemental magic meets deadly trials
- A heroine with a troubled past who learns to find both her power and her confidence
- A handsome golden boy prince (and his dark, brooding and dangerous half brother)
- Secrets hiding deep within the walls of a castle begging to be uncovered
In an empire with four realms, each blessed with magic to control one of the elements, Blaze Harglade is born with the power to call the rain and create deadly storms. But here's the thing–she comes from one of the most powerful fire-wielding families. After spending her entire life holding back her magic, she finds herself called to compete to become a future ruler of the empire, alongside her twin brother Flint, and she’s forced to confront her power, and her past.
This was a great entry into a new series, and I'm really looking forward to the future books. We got a great introduction to the magic system, as well as the politics of this world. There were some good twists that surprised me, and I enjoyed how Blaze grew her power throughout the trials. As the trials went on, there was a deeper magical mystery happening under the surface, which set things up really well for the next book. I'm also very excited to see how the potential romance develops, which I'm hoping will come into play even more as the story continues.
"Fate has many faces, my darling one," she says. "Make sure you look them all in the eye."
A big thank you to Macmillan and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to review!
I devoured this book. I already can't wait for book 2!! I love everything about it from the characters, the story and the world building. So many questions were answered but there are so many left to be answered in book 2!
I loved Fox and wanted more of him. He reminded me of Jack's from OUABH. Hopefully, we will see more of him and his development in the next book.
The same with Flint. It might because there were so many characters, that the side characters didn't get enough development or page space. Cole was the same. All of a sudden he was her main enemy, even though Amber and others were there first!
I loved her grandmother and River. I just can't wait for the next book!!
I loved Fox and wanted more of him. He reminded me of Jack's from OUABH. Hopefully, we will see more of him and his development in the next book.
The same with Flint. It might because there were so many characters, that the side characters didn't get enough development or page space. Cole was the same. All of a sudden he was her main enemy, even though Amber and others were there first!
I loved her grandmother and River. I just can't wait for the next book!!
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Blaze is a rain singer who almost drowned the world with her birth. She has hidden away from the world her entire 17 years. When an invitation comes to compete for a future as a ruler, she and her brother join the games. Blaze is forced to explore her untapped power. But there are threats to the palace and Blaze must forge her own path to write a new story for herself.
I must first comment on the beautiful cover of this book. I'm admitting to judging a book by it's cover. This one drew me right in and I don't think I even read the blurb before I requested it. But then I read the blurb and it sounded intriguing. While the blurb talks about The Red Queen and Shadow and Bone, it fails to mention The Hunger Games or even Avatar. While it's not quite the same, the story definitely has these vibes with the way the potential rulers go through challenges, challenge each other, and use elements as their power. However, this one is unique: people taking their powers from the elements of fire, water, wind, and earth. While I know it's been done before, the author really did give this story it's own unique twists and turns. And there is an added elements of being all seeing and knowing the future added in.
I enjoyed Blaze. She was, for me, a quite typical YA fantasy heroine. One who doesn't really know what power she holds until she begins to explore it and see what she can really do. I liked how she learned to control her water wielding. The emotion attached to her being able to rein in her power was an interesting twist. She is not fearless at all, but definitely becomes determined to prove herself. What I didn't love was not having the other characters fleshed out. The author just barely skimmed the surface with making us understand them. I feel like the first person point of view truly limited the character development.
The romance didn't hit me well. I just didn't feel the chemistry to author was trying to create with the Crown Prince. It seemed too superficial. Though, when I think about what was revealed later, this makes a bit of sense. But still, Blaze definitely fell into things a bit harder than I would have thought given the limited interactions with the Crown Prince before she was pining for him. The addition of a bit of a love triangle definitely made things more interesting. The romance scene with said third party was probably the best part of the romance in the book. I will say the romance is not the crux of the story. But if you're going to introduce this trope, I need it to work well and it just didn't really do that for me. I honestly think it could have been left out and just been a fantasy and left at that.
As for the pacing, it was all over the place. Some scenes were super fast and I had to actually back track to make sure I understood what was happening. But other parts of the book were so slow, I found myself skimming at times to just get to the next chapter. The final chapters of the book did explode, though, and I found my rating increase just because of how they were structured and where they took the story. There were some unexpected twists thrown in, which definitely helped keep me in the story.
Is the story totally unique? No, not at all. I definitely saw elements from pretty much every YA fantasy I have read. But the author does do a good job with keeping the reader engaged. I have seen some talk of racism and slavery and it not being handled well. I did not find this to be the case, personally but I can see where others may have felt this way. The politics of the story definitely lend themselves to this fact.
Overall, this one was just ok for me, nothing new and exciting and nothing that kept me wanting to truly turn the pages. I'm not sure if I will continue on with this series. I wanted to be more surprised by what was happening because that is exciting to me, but that just didn't happen. I wanted to love it but the plot was predictable and the creativity was lacking.
Blaze is a rain singer who almost drowned the world with her birth. She has hidden away from the world her entire 17 years. When an invitation comes to compete for a future as a ruler, she and her brother join the games. Blaze is forced to explore her untapped power. But there are threats to the palace and Blaze must forge her own path to write a new story for herself.
I must first comment on the beautiful cover of this book. I'm admitting to judging a book by it's cover. This one drew me right in and I don't think I even read the blurb before I requested it. But then I read the blurb and it sounded intriguing. While the blurb talks about The Red Queen and Shadow and Bone, it fails to mention The Hunger Games or even Avatar. While it's not quite the same, the story definitely has these vibes with the way the potential rulers go through challenges, challenge each other, and use elements as their power. However, this one is unique: people taking their powers from the elements of fire, water, wind, and earth. While I know it's been done before, the author really did give this story it's own unique twists and turns. And there is an added elements of being all seeing and knowing the future added in.
I enjoyed Blaze. She was, for me, a quite typical YA fantasy heroine. One who doesn't really know what power she holds until she begins to explore it and see what she can really do. I liked how she learned to control her water wielding. The emotion attached to her being able to rein in her power was an interesting twist. She is not fearless at all, but definitely becomes determined to prove herself. What I didn't love was not having the other characters fleshed out. The author just barely skimmed the surface with making us understand them. I feel like the first person point of view truly limited the character development.
The romance didn't hit me well. I just didn't feel the chemistry to author was trying to create with the Crown Prince. It seemed too superficial. Though, when I think about what was revealed later, this makes a bit of sense. But still, Blaze definitely fell into things a bit harder than I would have thought given the limited interactions with the Crown Prince before she was pining for him. The addition of a bit of a love triangle definitely made things more interesting. The romance scene with said third party was probably the best part of the romance in the book. I will say the romance is not the crux of the story. But if you're going to introduce this trope, I need it to work well and it just didn't really do that for me. I honestly think it could have been left out and just been a fantasy and left at that.
As for the pacing, it was all over the place. Some scenes were super fast and I had to actually back track to make sure I understood what was happening. But other parts of the book were so slow, I found myself skimming at times to just get to the next chapter. The final chapters of the book did explode, though, and I found my rating increase just because of how they were structured and where they took the story. There were some unexpected twists thrown in, which definitely helped keep me in the story.
Is the story totally unique? No, not at all. I definitely saw elements from pretty much every YA fantasy I have read. But the author does do a good job with keeping the reader engaged. I have seen some talk of racism and slavery and it not being handled well. I did not find this to be the case, personally but I can see where others may have felt this way. The politics of the story definitely lend themselves to this fact.
Overall, this one was just ok for me, nothing new and exciting and nothing that kept me wanting to truly turn the pages. I'm not sure if I will continue on with this series. I wanted to be more surprised by what was happening because that is exciting to me, but that just didn't happen. I wanted to love it but the plot was predictable and the creativity was lacking.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Thank you NetGalley!
I loved this! I was hooked from the jump. This book has an air of Avatar the Last Airbender with its elemental magic but it also feels like it's own magic system. It also feature a kind of love triangle but in an interesting way and has so many twists and turns to the plot. I am itching for the next in the series already.
I loved this! I was hooked from the jump. This book has an air of Avatar the Last Airbender with its elemental magic but it also feels like it's own magic system. It also feature a kind of love triangle but in an interesting way and has so many twists and turns to the plot. I am itching for the next in the series already.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Heir of Storms is a captivating start to a new YA fantasy trilogy! It’s marketed as Red Queen meets Shadow and Bone, and I can definitely see the similarities. However, as someone who’s read both (albeit a while ago) and didn’t love either series, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. To me, it felt like a blend of Avatar: The Last Airbender (four nations with elemental powers and one individual who possesses all four), Frozen (a child hidden away to “protect” them and conceal their powers), and Throne of Glass (a competition + a prophecy involving a quest to locate three powerful objects) or any number of alternative YA fantasy stories with a competition aspect. It also includes a love triangle (with a twist!) featuring one love interest who’s very Cardan/Jacks-coded, which I loved.
I was hooked from the very beginning. Opening the story with Blaze’s introduction into society was a clever way to naturally bring new characters into the story, as the reader meets the key players and learns about the competition alongside the main character. I found the world fascinating, and I enjoyed learning about the intricacies of Blaze’s magic. I absolutely loved her relationship with her brothers. I was also invested in the romance (though I’d say romantasy is used a bit loosely here, since we only got a small taste of it in this first book). Blaze’s internal struggle with her powers and identity was a strong focus of the story, which I found authentic and engaging. Her whole life has been shaped by the tragedy caused by her magic which manifested at her birth, yet she’s still drawn to it as a way to discover who she truly is and what her purpose might be.
That being said, the story wasn’t groundbreaking or without flaws. The competition itself was fairly standard: three trials which involved conquering ones fears/insecurities, solving a riddle, and one-on-one magical combat . The structure of the book also felt a bit formulaic, alternating between daytime training sessions, evening balls or social events, and the interspersed trials. I also had a mixed reaction to the twist in the love triangle; it felt like the author pulled back from fully committing to it. At the very least, Blaze’s reaction should have been stronger, especially considering her supposed growing feelings. Finally, there were a few aspects that felt a bit cheesy to me (though this could also be a result of me being an adult reading a book for a young adult audience) such as the character names giving Disney/Pixar’s Elemental vibes, the YA-logic of all the divinely chosen candidates for the throne being teenagers aged 15–18, and the overuse of the “mean girls tripping the FMC to embarrass her” trope.
Overall, Heir of Storms is a solid start to a promising trilogy. It ends with a strong setup for a sequel that promises higher stakes and (hopefully!) a swoon-worthy romance. I’m definitely looking forward to the next installment in the Storm Weaver trilogy.
Thank you to Roaring Book Press for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley!
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Heir of Storms by @laurynhamiltonmurray was a great debut and I am so curious what will happen in the rest of the series. Thank you netgalley for the arc!
This book had me at royal competition! Four elemental thrones are in the balance between 16 competitors. When Blaze was born she nearly drowned the world and ever since she has been hidden away, now she is being forced into the spotlight to compete in the trials.
Within the palace walls she will find romance, old secrets revealed, truths about herself and her family, and alliances that will be tested.
★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: kissing
This book had me at royal competition! Four elemental thrones are in the balance between 16 competitors. When Blaze was born she nearly drowned the world and ever since she has been hidden away, now she is being forced into the spotlight to compete in the trials.
Within the palace walls she will find romance, old secrets revealed, truths about herself and her family, and alliances that will be tested.
★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: kissing
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is hands down the best book I've read this year. It was so addictive. I loved the world building and the characters. The magic was so fun and I can't wait to see it expand in future books. The elemental powers were reminiscent of Avatar the Last Airbender (My favorite tv series) but had it's own fun way of expressing it. Blaze is a powerhouse and I can't wait for even more character development. And don't even get me started on Fox 😍 My only regret? Not starting this book during a time where I could sit and binge it all in one sitting. Because this week has been so insanely busy that I've hardly had time to read, and it was agony not being able to continue when I wanted. Thank you so much to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC copy. I can't wait to go buy the physical copy in a few weeks!
This book is absolutely going to blow up. I'm so grateful I got to read an early copy ❤️
This book is absolutely going to blow up. I'm so grateful I got to read an early copy ❤️
“Storm Weaver. That is what they call me. The girl who wove the storm that shook the world.”
Heir of Storms follows Blaze, the last Rain Singer, who on the day she was born unleashed a deadly storm that decimated her world. 17 years later, Blaze has been kept away from the world that hates her. That is until she is summoned to compete for the crown. What will happen when Blaze has to choose between using the powers she fears or losing it all?
Heir of Storms feels like a classic YA fantasy featuring deadly trials, a heroine grappling with her powers, and a half-brother love triangle?! ***It’s YA - behave. 👀
“And what does it mean when - the most dangerous boy in all the realm asphyxiates your adversary in front of the entire palace, and then gives you a kitten? If only there were a book about these sorts of things. Then perhaps I’d find some answers.”
Ohhh I think we know the answer to this one.😉
Pick up if you enjoy:
🌊 Elemental magic
👑 Deadly trials
🌧️ Themes of grief and loss
🐈⬛ Kittens?!?
*There are a few more complicated and sensitive themes that I’d like to see explored more throughly in the rest of the series - which there is absolutely time for - and I’m curious to see where those plot points go.
Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. Heir of Storms comes out on June 3rd.
Heir of Storms follows Blaze, the last Rain Singer, who on the day she was born unleashed a deadly storm that decimated her world. 17 years later, Blaze has been kept away from the world that hates her. That is until she is summoned to compete for the crown. What will happen when Blaze has to choose between using the powers she fears or losing it all?
Heir of Storms feels like a classic YA fantasy featuring deadly trials, a heroine grappling with her powers, and a half-brother love triangle?! ***It’s YA - behave. 👀
“And what does it mean when - the most dangerous boy in all the realm asphyxiates your adversary in front of the entire palace, and then gives you a kitten? If only there were a book about these sorts of things. Then perhaps I’d find some answers.”
Ohhh I think we know the answer to this one.😉
Pick up if you enjoy:
🌊 Elemental magic
👑 Deadly trials
🌧️ Themes of grief and loss
🐈⬛ Kittens?!?
*There are a few more complicated and sensitive themes that I’d like to see explored more throughly in the rest of the series - which there is absolutely time for - and I’m curious to see where those plot points go.
Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. Heir of Storms comes out on June 3rd.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I truly think people are going to love this book as I did. We have elemental magic, trials to win a crown, a very mysterious history and maybe a love triangle.
I absolutely loved reading about Blaze. At first, you meet this girl who has been secluded her whole life while at the same time the world hates her, for she created a deadly storm when she was born. The start of the book with her birthday party, also her twin’s party ofc, was so full of drama that even I felt her stress and anxiety. When we get to the trials, i also felt her emotion and her worries. The writing itself made me feel for Blaze. I loved how she became a different person and grew from her past. Finally learned to not fear her storm powers. The relationship between her and her sibling is also very precious and it goes along with the new friendships she begins.
Fox was a good surprise (also weird name? But it fits somehow). I did hope we would get a character like that in the book. When we got hints about, I got extra excited. Here is a boy who also provoked a big disaster event, just like Blaze, but instead embraced his deadly power. Also the banter between fox and blaze was top tier. I needed more scenes with those too.
Now the plot twists (yes twists, in plural) toward the end were just amazing. I didn’t see Hal’s twist coming, like at all, and boy was I angry. Then we see the final trials (trying not to spoil it) but yeah I felt that. Then coronation scene, boom 💥, and that’s all I’m gonna say. This is definitely a five star ⭐️ book and I really hope people don’t skip it.
I absolutely loved reading about Blaze. At first, you meet this girl who has been secluded her whole life while at the same time the world hates her, for she created a deadly storm when she was born. The start of the book with her birthday party, also her twin’s party ofc, was so full of drama that even I felt her stress and anxiety. When we get to the trials, i also felt her emotion and her worries. The writing itself made me feel for Blaze. I loved how she became a different person and grew from her past. Finally learned to not fear her storm powers. The relationship between her and her sibling is also very precious and it goes along with the new friendships she begins.
Fox was a good surprise (also weird name? But it fits somehow). I did hope we would get a character like that in the book. When we got hints about, I got extra excited. Here is a boy who also provoked a big disaster event, just like Blaze, but instead embraced his deadly power. Also the banter between fox and blaze was top tier. I needed more scenes with those too.
Now the plot twists (yes twists, in plural) toward the end were just amazing. I didn’t see Hal’s twist coming, like at all, and boy was I angry. Then we see the final trials (trying not to spoil it) but yeah I felt that. Then coronation scene, boom 💥, and that’s all I’m gonna say. This is definitely a five star ⭐️ book and I really hope people don’t skip it.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
If you haven’t preordered this book yet: DO IT NOW. It will EASILY be one of the top 5 books of this year- if not the BEST book of this year. Blaze, the main character is strong, sassy, and sometimes insecure. Blaze would rather go to the library and read a book than attend a lavish party- and if that’s not relatable I don’t know what is. Lauryn Hamilton Murray serves trial, action, drama, romance, banter, and a touch her (- or be rude to her) and die MMC. I LOVED that the world building and lore isn’t dumped all at once, but introduced throughout the book at very relevant points. I was never bored and I flew through the story as it held my attention from page one. My jaw was dropped for the last 10% of the book and I gasped too many times to count. This book is THE BOOK, an IT GIRL through and through .