A review by waywardskyril
Miners of the Tempest by Penny Moss

adventurous dark emotional hopeful tense 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

5.0

If you've read book one, book two is everything book one is, multiplied by a glorious TEN! It's horrifying, it's painful, it's smutty, it's intimate, it's sweet, it's spicy, it's shocking, it's DELECTABLE and EXCELLENT. Miners of the Tempest WRECKED me on multiple levels. I'm still thinking about it, and I don't think I'll ever STOP thinking about it.

This one takes off from where book one left off but goes so much farther, delves so much deeper, leaving me gasping for more.

Aside from all the delicious horror, the twisting motivations and plots, and, to use Oliver's term, mouth-wateringly intimate, intensely delicious swiving, the CHARACTERS in this story are so FREAKING lovable, and gosh, do I love them with all my heart. This is where, when I tell friends about this book, I follow it up with sparkly heart and sobbing emojis. I honestly CAN'T with these two - Oliver and Tau - or, frankly, any of the other dear, loving, loyal, faithful, tortured, courageous friends. I say "friends," but, really they're the found family that gives this book so much heart. This book almost could have ended the series here (almost), but I'm SO glad it didn't because even though it's a cliffhanger it means there's MORE COMING, and I want ALL OF IT. Every single drop, fed to me like golden nectar from a flaming spoon, delicious and painful (because that's exactly what this story IS).

I adore a plotty story, and this series has plot in SPADES, so much big, world-changing plot intermingled with horrifying darkness, danger, twisted monsters, and gore, yet condensed down through the eyes of a few humans and one unearthly, luminescent creature desperately in love with one of those humans. These characters have witnessed and survived so much darkness that there's inevitably a little darkness inside each of them, making them some shades of gray, yet their intention, their motivations, their longings, and their guilt-laced need to fix theirs - or others' - mistakes make them inarguably the HEROES and intensely easy to root for.

Oliver and Tau in particular. These two... these two are SO precious to me. Tau, forever misunderstood, forever subjected to the naive disdain of lesser beings. Oliver, ever loyal to his friends, even the ones that hurt him, and intensely, drunkenly, toxically, painfully co-dependent on Tau, the LOVE of his LIFE. The faith and the comfort these two find in each other, makes me want to THROW UP, sob in the rain, and then wrap myself in blankets, and bask in the roar of a fire, re-living every single second of their moments spent together. Without literally quoting you spoilers and wildly gesturing, crying disgustingly, and shouting, "SEE!? SEE!??!" I can't make you understand how beloved and darling and intimately precious they are. 

If you haven't read book one, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! Go now!!! And if you have, then GET ON BOOK TWO because I NEED more people to read this series and gasp with me and SOB with me every time Oliver smiles at his Sunshine and his Sunshine scrapes his claws through Oliver's hair.

Not to even MENTION all the new, GORGEOUS chapter art here, including new characters, terrifying monsters, and yes, even spicy scenes. Everything about this book is created with love and with passion and with TALENT. This series is a FAVORITE, and I literally can't recommend it more than by screeching at you in this review. Absolutely one of the best reads of the year and one of the best indie books I've ever had the pleasure of reading.