Roar (Stormheart #1)
by Cora Carmack
380 pages
Genre:  Fantasy, Young Adult, Magical Fantasy
Release date: June 13th 2017

Loved It

Synopsis:

In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.

Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.

To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.

Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage.

She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.

Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.

Review:

I had to wait for months to get my hands on Roar simply because I wanted the paperback copy. I was seeing this beautiful book EVERYWHERE, and hearing rave reviews about it. Once I got a hold of my copy I was not disappointed.

Roar is a rich fantasy story with great world building. I love being able to sink into the world and feel like I’m living in it while I’m reading.

The elemental magic troupe has been all over in fantasy stories. It’s been imagined and reimagined countless times. The storm magic in Roar manages feels fresh and interesting. Without spoiling it, there are some interesting reveals about the storms that I really didn’t see coming.

Aurora’s journey from protected princess burdened with a B-I-G secret to a woman of her own was really great. It did seem at first that she was going to be the princess who needed saving, the fish out of water who was helpless, I’m so glad it ended up being so much more complicated than that. People are complicated and I’m enjoy it when authors are able to write complicated characters.

Speaking of complicated characters, Cassius. Again, it’s hard to write without spoilers. During the first part of the book I kept rolling my eyes at him, it seemed like he was going to be so pompous, selfish and evil but he ended up with so much more depth to him.

Locke is the character everyone likes to swoon over. I’m not the type to swoon and I did find the romance end of the relationship a little convenient. It seemed to be rushed, an instant romance. But then again this Aurora’s first real relationship, she’s been so sheltered that she doesn’t have any experience. In a way that does make it real, we all probably know a  girl like that who went head over heels for the first guy to give her any attention. This being a YA book I shouldn’t be surprised that the romance is, well immature.

That aside, I loved the story with it’s rich world building, complicated characters and deft plot.

Bottom Line:

There was so much good stuff in this book! I can’t wait to see where this series goes.

Goodreads / Amazon