A review by discoverelysian
Stormrise by Jillian Boehme

3.0

You can also read my review here

“You are worth more to me than twenty capable sons. Surely you know that.”


A BOOK ABOUT MULAN RETELLING WITH A DRAGON IS ALL I NEEDED.

I'm always interested in stories about a woman disguised as a man because it reminds me of Mulan, and how I love her. So when I read the synopsis, I could already tell that I'm going to like this book.


Let it be swift, Great God. And let it be hidden, where no one will see my rotting flesh.


Right from the beginning, I was welcomed with old countryside vibes when kings and queens ruled the lands. It's a good start because from there I could easily picture the world on my mind. The writing helped a lot with the world-building. Even though the world was actually pretty big and complex, Boehme solved it with smooth, detailed but easy-to-understand style. Love it!


She who knows the pain of parting knows its power.


And what's interesting are the characters. I just didn't expect them to be so ‘eye-catching’ and unique. I wasn't really paying attention to the others because the main character, Storm, was taking up all of my focus. But as the story goes, they slowly but surely stood out one by one. What I'm trying to say is: they're not what they seem to be. You may like them or you may be suspicious towards them. Just be careful with the plot twists!


“The warrior who is not moved by death has lost his soul.”


Unfortunately, I didn't get all soft and excited about the romance. For me, it was too predictable, cliché, just a no-no. Well, I have no problem with them being together, it's just I can't bring myself to enjoy the romantic scenes. Aside from that, I also have a love-hate relationship with Storm. Sometimes she looks cool and mature. But other times, I couldn't understand her mindset. But throughout her journey in this book, she became wiser and stronger, I really appreciate that.


“To our rising Storm!” Mandrake raised his mug. “Rising Storm!” and “Stormrise!” came the answering calls.


Overall, I liked Stormrise. It has a nice and steady pace, plus the world-building is no joke. A story about a girl doing something against the law to protect her family was really inspiring. Oh, there were also some awesome quotes that touched the dark corner of my heart. As you can see, I've included 5 of my favorite quotes. Aren't they just amazing? If you're looking for a fun book, especially fantasy, you should check out this one!