Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Storm Siren
    Storm Siren
    Storm Siren
    Audiobook9 hours

    Storm Siren

    Written by Mary Weber

    Narrated by Christine Stevens

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In a world at war, a slave girl's lethal curse could become one kingdom's weapon of salvation. If the curse--and the girl--can be controlled.

    "I raise my chin as the buyers stare. Yes. Look. You don't want me. Because, eventually, accidentally, I will destroy you."

    In the war-weary kingdom of Faelen, seventeen-year-old Nym isn't merely devoid of rights, her Elemental kind are only born male and always killed at birth--meaning, she shouldn't even exist.

    Standing on the auction block beneath smoke-drenched mountains, Nym faces her fifteenth sell. But when her hood is removed and her storm-summoning killing curse revealed, Nym is snatched up by a court advisor and given a choice: be trained as the weapon Faelen needs to win the war or be killed.

    Choosing the former, Nym is unleashed into a world of politics, bizarre parties, and rumors of an evil more sinister than she's being prepared to fight . . . not to mention the trainer whose dark secrets lie behind a mysterious ability to calm every lightning strike she summons.

    But what if she doesn't want to be the weapon they've all been waiting for? Set in a beautifully eclectic world of suspicion, super abilities, and monsters, Storm Sirenis a story of power. And whoever controls that power will win.

    "A riveting tale from start to finish. Between the simmering romance, the rich and inventive fantasy world, and one seriously jaw-dropping finale, readers will clamor for the next book--and I'll be at the front of the line!" --Marissa Meyer, New York Times bestselling author of the Lunar Chronicles

    • The first in the low-spice, YA romantasy trilogy
    • Series best read in order:
      • Book 1: Storm Siren
      • Book 2: Siren's Fury
      • Book 3: Siren's Song
    • Full-length book
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThomas Nelson
    Release dateAug 26, 2014
    ISBN9780718000745
    Storm Siren
    Author

    Mary Weber

    Mary Weber is the award-winning HarperCollins author of the bestselling young adult Storm Siren Trilogy, and The Sofi Snow duology. An avid school and conference speaker, Mary’s passion is helping others find their voice amid a world that often feels too loud. When she’s not plotting adventures involving tough girls who frequently take over the world, Mary sings 80s hairband songs to her three muggle children and ogles her husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. They live in California which is perfect for stalking LA bands and the ocean. She gets nerdy at maryweber.com; Facebook: marychristineweber; Instagram: maryweberauthor; Twitter: @mchristineweber; and Goodreads.  

    More audiobooks from Mary Weber

    Related to Storm Siren

    Titles in the series (4)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    YA Fantasy For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The In-betweeners

      Nov 12, 2019

      Two years ago, during the Writing Popular Fiction MFA winter residency at Seton Hill University, a discussion broke out amongst my students in a critique workshop geared toward young adult (YA) writers: They didn’t think YA novels were really written

      6 min read

    • Article

      Flesh And Blood

      May 6, 2021

      Flesh And Blood
      2 min read

    • Article

      Return Of The Bores

      Mar 9, 2022

      All bores are boring but not all boring people are bores. There are plenty of innocent folk who like nothing more than to share their anxieties about the village fête with you – and they’ll do it for 20 minutes you’ll never get back. Yet these are ju

      3 min read

    • Article

      The Straw Hat

      Aug 2, 2018

      The Straw Hat
      6 min read

    • Article

      It's Crying Time

      Nov 15, 2023

      I was about 13, on a sofa in front of the television on a wet Saturday afternoon. I was carelessly able to do that once – sigh. I was watching a black-and-white film. Or maybe the TV was black-and-white – probably. It was a story about a nanny caring

      4 min read

    • Article

      A-list Case Study No.4: Sir Keir Starmer

      Aug 4, 2022

      AS THE LEADER of the loony left Labour Party, immaculately coiffed former barrister Sir Keir is pretty much the commanding officer of the Woke Mob. And surprise, surprise – when Sue Gray’s epic work of fiction was released back in May, the Swiss-Toni

      2 min read

    • Article

      The Pearl Pavilion

      May 10, 2022

      The Pearl Pavilion
      6 min read

    • Article

      Don’t Have A Bird

      Aug 2, 2020

      There are so many rites of passage you’ve already missed out on, and the school ball is destined to become another item on that ever-growing list. You try to delay the inevitable until every breath from your lungs sounds as if cystic fibrosis is cack

      12 min read

    • Article

      Righteous

      Jan 22, 2019

      Righteous
      8 min read

    • Article

      Anthony Veasna So

      Mar 9, 2021

      Always they find us inappropriate, but today especially so. Here we are with nowhere to go and nothing to do, sitting in a rusty pickup truck, the one leaking oil, the one with the busted transmission that sounds like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Her

      22 min read

    • Article

      The Invitation

      Aug 21, 2023

      York, October 1644 Before I’ve even mustered the courage to knock, the door to the townhouse flings open. I drop my hand. “It is me, John Falmouth,” I say and wince at how loud my voice carries into the night. My greeting falters when I look up and n

      6 min read

    • Article

      Longer on Moon

      Sep 22, 2022

      Longer on Moon
      19 min read

    • Article

      The Book of Loki

      Mar 12, 2018

      The Book of Loki
      20 min read

    • Article

      Two Poems by Phillip B. Williams

      Dec 15, 2017

      The masters are yet dead. Wanting to be human,I tried to rewrite The Waste Land. The canon’s reachcasts ruinous light. The masters’ pens breachthis page where, above, my own hand spectates. Babylonrisen, exorcism in reverse, whose nature upended now?

      6 min read

    • Article

      FAST, FAMOUS & FURIOUS!

      Mar 10, 2022

      IT WON’T surprise anyone who has ventured out on the highways and byways of Britain recently to learn that Road Rage statistics are on the UP. Pressures of a global pandemic, the economic downturn and massive hikes in the cost of living have transfor

      9 min read

    • Article

      The Escaped Jaguar

      May 9, 2019

      The Escaped Jaguar
      5 min read

    • Article

      Pulling Up Azaleas

      Jan 10, 2023

      Throughout their lives, women are showered with bouquets of roses on numerous splendid occasions. But men? They’re only given flowers at their funeral. It’s a harsh world for men, as our lives tend to go unappreciated until death. Such was the case a

      22 min read

    • Article

      Soggy CHIPS

      Oct 19, 2022

      Soggy CHIPS
      7 min read

    • Article

      The FRIENDLY SPIRIT of the BATHHOUSE

      Oct 1, 2022

      “SALVE, BATHER!” I bow theatrically to the man with pristine sandals who has entered the bathhouse alone. “I’m Honestus Justus, guardian spirit of clothing. You can trust your clothes with me. I’m honest but cheap.” As I straighten, his gaze lingers

      8 min read

    • Article

      What’s Your Problem?

      Nov 2, 2022

      I like a nice Burgundy as much as the next chap, but I have an old friend who, when we meet for dinner, orders confidently from the bottom of the wine list every time with little consultation. We then split the bill, of course, which is becoming rath

      4 min read

    • Article

      The Art Of Conversation

      Nov 1, 2023

      The Art Of Conversation
      4 min read

    • Article

      Haunted

      Sep 27, 2023

      Haunted
      6 min read

    • Article

      No-go Britain!

      Apr 11, 2024

      BACK in February, Conservative MP PAUL SCULLY ruffled more than a few Liberal Elite feathers by referring to various culturally diverse districts in Britain as ‘no-go areas’. The member for Sutton and Cheam was rabidly set upon by the snowflake Loony

      11 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Storm Siren

    3.5/5

    103 ratings17 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 2/5
      The book was fine but not great. It seemed like she just let parts of the story fade. Perhaps they will pick up in the next books. I just don’t think I am invested enough to go on. Also, I was listening to this book and the reader was absolutely horrible. Stumbling over words, using wrong emphases on syllables, trying to use different voices per character, but sounding like she was a 3rd grade reader instead. Ruined the book for me.
    • 5/5
      WHOA!!! WOW!!! First, lets just comment on how GORGEOUS these covers are. I'm nearly mesmerized by it, all of them, but then you read the stories, and you're blown away by the intensity that the covers are just the tip of it. And with Siren's Song, so appropriate with the rings and the green. Just perfect.Storm Siren gave me the background, and the start of a romance that I am digging and friendships that had me laugh and smirk several times repeatedly. The training was fun and had me imagine the extent of creativity in this fantasy world of Faelen, Elementals, Terrenes and Uathuils. Then there's the impact of the battle of the Keep and what Draewulf is and have become had me stunned and in search of Siren's Fury right away. For the full review, please visit Just Commonly Blog. NOTE: I received a complimentary ARC of this trilogy through The Fantastic Flying Book Club Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. For my review policy, please see my Disclosure page.
    • 5/5
      Amazing story and beautiful language as per description. Loved it
    • 3/5
      Consider my choice to read this book a massive case of cover lust. In fact, it was the second book in this series, Siren's Fury that caught my eye. These books are honestly gorgeous. When I found out that these stories dealt with elementals, my heart soared. I love Fantasy, and elemental magic is one of my favorite concepts. I couldn't wait to dive straight in.

      Things start with a bang, quite literally, as Nym and her powers are introduced. I was drawn in by Nym's uniqueness. As an elemental, she should have been killed at birth. As a woman, she shouldn't even be an elemental. I loved this idea. To be caught up in a world where you don't really belong, and constantly wondering who will try to use you next. Or worse yet, who you might be forced to kill.

      Anyone who follows my reviews know that I'm big on both characters and world-building. Those are the two cornerstones of Fantasy. In this case, the characters were spot on. I didn't always agree with Nym's choices, but I liked her well enough. Colin and Breck were actually my favorite characters, despite their more supporting roles. Eogan, well, I could have done without him. The problem with love triangles is, they need three people. For some reason, one always has to be a bad boy. Eogan fills that space, but it doesn't mean I enjoyed his character.

      Now here's where the book started to lose me. First of all, I'm not a love triangle fan. Never have been, likely never will be. This is also the point in the book where I found out that Nym didn't want to step up to her powers. She doesn't want to kill. Anyone. Not even the people who want to kill her. The fact that she had the ability to save so many people, and chose not to? I wasn't a fan. As I reached the second half of this book, I also realized that a lot of my burning questions wouldn't be answered. No world-building was really done. I had no idea why elementals existed, nor did I learn a lot about any of the other magical races. It seemed that all of the focus was on the romance aspect.

      So, did I love this book? Not quite. I did enjoy a fair bit of it though, and definitely liked it enough to continue on to the second in the series. My only hope is that I'll finally have some of my questions answered. That, and perhaps Nym will finally become the courageous character I know she has the ability to be. A bibliophile can hope.
    • 1/5
      DNF at 48% on 6/22/2018.

      I really wanted to like this book...the cover is gorgeous and the premise was so interesting. I just couldn't get into it. I couldn't connect with any of the characters. Even though this was told from Nym's POV, I still didn't feel that I knew her or understood her. I wanted to care but I just didn't. The book just kinda fell flat for me.
    • 2/5
      Failed in so many ways. I can list so many ways it went wrong for me and can't really remember any good points. I will not be continuing to read this author's work.#1 problem was the narrator, she was monotone, unemotional and ruined any POW the book may have had.#2 The heroine was a whiner, she went on and on about her leg, her lag was the most important thing happening while the bodies fell around her#3 Mean eating horses ? These beasties wanted to eat her, chomp her head into little bits, but that was forgotten as the story went along ?#4 She doesn't want to kill anyone, even when all her loved one are bleeding around her, children are dying, hundreds dead, she watches, whines and complains. Sure she has that right, but she is the only one capable of saving her people from those who are torturing thousands and she can't kill a few ? (just pissed me off)#5 The prince is hiding as a servant in this horrible house with this nasty handy woman ? Why?#6 This wolf who takes over people, why ?#7 The ending ? Killed off the only possibly good character left so there goes the slight speck of interest I had.#8 The romance ? Was it romance or control ? It didn't really play out either way enough to become a real thing.#9 Special little snowflake with no heart, no strength and no ability to hold my interest.
    • 4/5
      3.5 stars

      The front cover of "Storm Siren" grabbed my attention and thankfully it turned out to be an entertaining fantasy with action aplenty. The author did a good job with the world building and her characters were complex. Nym was a great heroine - not only was she a slave and killer, but also an Elemental who could control storms and the weather. She was determined, strong, fiesty and compassionate but, at the same time, was haunted by her past and afraid of her power. Eogan, her trainer and love interest, was dark and mysterious, and taught Nym how to control her ability. However, there were questions left unanswered about Eogan which hopefully will be answered in the next book. One of my favourite characters was Colin. He also had unusual abilities, and was a loyal friend and great sparring partner for Nym. This was the first in a trilogy, and with the book ending the way it did, Im looking forward to seeing what happens next.
    • 5/5
      Whoa, what a crazy ride. The magic systems are complex and awesome, the world is still a bit mysterious, making me all the more eager for book two. While Storm Siren might start out with your typical cast of characters, you will never ever guess all the twists and omg the feeeeeeeeeeels! Also props to a nicely diverse cast of characters including a black love interest, a blind friend, and a (somewhat unexplained) crippled off-hand for the MC. I'm buying a hardcover of this one too because that pretty must be shared!
    • 5/5
      I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.Storm's Siren is a wonderful fantasy novel about turning your curses into gifts, and finding perfection in imperfection. Nym has had fifteen slave owners in her short sixteen years. She's moved from home to home since her anger caused the fire that killed her parents. In order to come to terms with the devastation she's caused, she mutilates herself to mark every death caused by her "curse". Now, her new owner, a rather strange woman, insists that Nym can be trained to control her storms and thereby be a pivotal weapon in the war between kingdoms. Nym, on the other hand, sees it as a curse and struggles with the guilt of the pain she has caused. I loved the relationship between Breck, Colin, and Nym. They became fast friends right from the start. The budding romance between Eogan and Nym took my breath away. I loved watching it grow and the world that Mary Weber has created is absolutely amazing, she has written a fantastic novel. The story does leave us hanging and I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book in the series.
    • 2/5
      “ ‘Fourteen circles for fourteen owners.’
      I shade my eyes to block the sun’s reflection off the distant mountains currently doused in snow and smoke and flesh-eating birds” – Kindle Location 107.

      In this first snippet of the story already we see its bloody DNA. I should have read the online sample and been warned.

      Seventeen-year-old Nymia is a Uathuil, a citizen of the land of Faelen in Mary Weber’s paranormal fantasy Storm Siren. Of the Uathuil’s she is a female Elemental who shouldn’t even exist. But she does, having been sold and resold from one slave master to another. At the point the story begins, she’s bought again by the evilly attractive Adora.

      Adora puts her in the charge of handsome and mysterious trainer Eogan. Soon Nymia is learning to harness her powerful weather-creating abilities and combine them with Colin’s earth-moving talents. Together they are being prepared as Faelen’s weapons against neighboring Bron’s army and war planes.

      As training proceeds, Nymia feels herself being increasingly drawn to Eogan, who can calm her explosive nature with his touch—and does with touches that progress from hand, to waist, to neck, to...

      Nymia, for her part, fights any softness within herself or sensed in others with sarcasm, anger, and violence. She is honest, abrupt, vulnerable, and self-loathing but does display infrequent flashes of nobility as distaste for the killing machine she feels she is destined to remain.

      The book is written in first person (Nymia’s point-of-view) present tense. The writing is vivid, action-filled, and poetic.

      Despite Weber’s intriguing fantasy world, strong characterization, and strong writing, I didn’t like this book. Nymia’s inner life and thoughts seemed overly melodramatic—teenaged angst on caffeine-laced hormones. The fight scenes were complicated and felt almost cartoonish in the way the main characters were able to dodge death in split-second maneuvers. The romantic scenes hovered between lustful and creepy. Halfway through the book I seriously considered not finishing it. But Thomas Nelson published it, I told myself. Surely it will end up having some redeeming features.

      I guess one might call Nymia’s visit to the Valley of Origin such a feature, and Colin’s sacrifice, and the inclusion of words like “redemption” and “atonement” near the end. But I found the meaning of these bits so abstruse, their message so vague and subtle--not to speak of the little that felt positive being cancelled out by the whiplash ending--the total of the positive really didn’t justify the hours spent in dark negativity and bloody violence. As a result, I don’t recommend this book.

      I received Storm Siren as a gift from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for the purpose of writing a review.
    • 5/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A beautiful high fantasy that took me completely by surprise! Full of magic, romance, adventure and a creative world, this is sure to be a favorite for all high fantasy fans!Opening Sentence: “Fourteen circles for fourteen owners.”The Review:The kingdom of Faelen has been at war with it’s neighboring kingdom, Bron, for years now and things are not going well for Faelen. Bron is far more advanced in their weaponry and their armies outnumber those of Faelen. Things are looking dire and Faelen will need a miracle if they want to save their land and their people. That miracle comes in the form of a storm siren by the name of Nym. Storm sirens have the magical ability to contol the weather, but for the last century it has been the law in Faelen that all storm sirens be killed at birth. And so far, only males are born with this curse, that is until Nym comes along.At a young age Nym’s parents were killed and she was sent into slavery. Because of her powers she has never been able to last long with any of her owners, and she is currently at her fifteenth auction. Nym has never been able to control her powers and the effects have been deadly to many. When it is revealed that she is a storm siren at her auction, she is purchased by a very wealthy and influential court advisor. She is given a choice to either learn to control her power and fight in the war for Faelen or she can choose to die.Choosing to live she is thrust into a world she doesn’t understand, full of poltics, glamour, and treachery. Then there is her gorgeous trainer that seems to understand her like no else does, but he has dark secrets of his own. Will she be strong enough to save her country or is she just a pawn in a game she never wanted to play?Nym was a great heroine that was really easy to root for. Her story is a sad one that is full of tragedy, so it was really easy to sympathize with her situation. But even though she has had a rough past she hasn’t allowed that to make her bitter and I really respected that. She is strong and someone you can easily look up to. But she also has all those girly insecurities that make her much more relatable. She is a very well rounded character that I absolutely loved and I can’t wait to continue her story.Eogan is a mysterious man full of secrets, charm, and attitude. He had pretty much everything I want from a great love interest. For the most part, he is a very private person and he doesn’t open up easily to anyone but as his story unfolds it all makes total sense. Even though he puts up a hard, uncaring front, he actually has a big heart and he tries to do the right thing in an impossible situation. His relationship with Nym is filled with great tension and beautiful epic moments. I loved them together and can’t wait to see where their relationship goes next.Storm Siren is an amazing high fantasy filled with magic, adventure, and epic romance! From the first page, I was drawn into the beautiful world that Weber created. I loved all the elements that were incorporated into this very unique and entertaining story. It was a very well rounded story that developed perfectly. The magical element was interesting, the romance was sweet and filled with great tension, the pacing was flawless, and to be perfectly honest, this was one of the best books I have read this year. This was actually a big surprise for me because before I read the book I had heard very little about it, so I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was. The one thing I didn’t love about it was the awful cliffhanger ending. It was one of the worst cliffhangers I have ever read, but it left me even more desperate for the next book. I would highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a great high fantasy story, I’m sure you will love it!Notable Scene:Then, as if not trusting me to refrain from attempting to touch the horse again, he steps closer. He’s the man Adora was admiring through the window this afternoon. Eogan, if my suspicion’s correct. Arms crossed, sporting a cocky smile.And he’s unreasonably attractive—curse him.FTC Advisory: Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Storm Siren. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 5/5
      The StoryTrapped in a world at war, unable to harness her inner self and waiting to be sold to her next master. Oh, they won't last long, none of them do. In times like these, all things are hard, hard to come by, hard to live with and hard to get away from. When we meet Nym, she is the piece of attention in a whispered slave sale, all of which is only the precursor to being sold onto a new owner. Though expected to be quiet, Nym isn't afraid of showing her attitude and distaste for the system, something we all grow to love. As she's bought, for the lowest ever slave price, she is brutally shoved onto a stage, to be gawked at by her potential buyers. Amid the jeers, requests for the removal of her hood and outright crude suggestions, Nym notices a woman - a mad woman. She diverts her attention, she has to keep calm, but a child catches her eye. She's being choked, the life squeezing out of her eyes. Oh no, do't let this happen again...The nest Nym knows, she is dressing for parties, training and preparing for something her slave mind can barely comes to terms with - she's the Elemental who's supposed to save her home country...and the world. How? She's only a slave, a cursed slave.Over time, she grows to learn that she, and other Elementals - like Terrenes - can learn to harness their powers. They can turn their curse into a gift. Though she is not fully convinced she can do this, or deserves more that a quick death, to atone for her murders, she begins the journey to self-elightenment. With the help of Eogan and Colin, she finds her true self, in both the form of her Elemental being and her heart - which she opens to these new friends and love. However, she doesn't have long to bask in the light of a life worth living, as the war, her master and those around her thrust the pace of her story to a sprint. Traitors creep out from the corners, airships bomb villages and a darkness is coming to take them. Colin and Nym are forced to move quickly, if they want to save the world from a horrid fate. Yet, they have now idea what they are getting into.Luckily, Nym's inability to follow directions lead them to uncover the truth - everything they thought they believed in was a lie. Eogan, the true meaning behind the 'plan' they were to carry out and her growing love for someone. All of which must be faced, before the airships obliterate the world. What I Thought- Wow! I was pulled into this story from the beginning. I love stories that involve powers/manipulation of the elements. I have always found them intriguing and this story was definitely one to top the list. The characters had great personality, depth and the attitude of the heroine is one to remember. It is always great to see the hero in a story be a strong-willed (though troubled) women, as it is not often that we find this. However, Mary has done it brilliantly because she doesn't just give us a strong main character, but also a party of strong, deep characters to surround her - which gives us a few male charters to love as well. The mix of personalities, flaw and strengths really builds this story, from the base up. All of the details have been written out, so as not to leave any holes that need explained. The pace of the story is great. It starts out with detail and a slower pace to give you a feel for the story and the characters. It begins to pick up pace about midway through and the final chapters are a frenzy - much like what I would think war really feels like. Mary covers all aspects of the story, including emotion. I felt sorrow, fear, elation, love, remorse, hatred and went from laughing to tears in the span of these covers. I felt as though I was attached to these characters and found myself choosing sides and wanting to see their victory through. With twists and turn, Mary uses the surprise element to throw the story for a loop, and always at the perfect moment. Whether it be hearing Eogan's confession about his connection to Nym or the deception of Myles, this book keeps you guessing and gripping the pages- wanting to see what happens next - but nothing will prepare you for the end. Nothing. OVERALL: I personally LOVED this book. It was well-written, attention grabbing, had great pace, excellent character depth and really kept my interest and excitement on the edge of it's seat. I not only can't wait for the second and third books, but i NEED to read them. I would highly recommend this to any adult and YAs ( I would recommend an age of 14 for start as some of the scenes have a lot of 'detail' that could be less appropriate for anyone younger).
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed it... and I'm pretty excited for the next book because THAT ENDING :D
    • 5/5
      Oh wow, this book! Beautiful, stunning, moving, exciting, emotional, mesmerizing. All that and more. Mary Weber has a gift with words. This book is one that kept me entranced even after I finished - I spent a couple of days still carrying it around to reread my favorite parts. And I never do that!Storm Siren is written in first person POV. For me, a book has to work harder when this is the case, especially at first. I'm just not a fan, usually. Storm Siren might have changed all of that because I was drawn in from the very first page and could not imagine the book written any other way.The plot was exciting, and the pacing kept me turning pages way past when I should have stopped to take care of other things. Yet this book really shines because of the protagonist. Nym is one amazing character, and is the reason I love the book so much.The world created had some interesting touches. For example, the made-up curse words. They're one of my favorite things about reading fantasy, and I was glad to see that happen in this book. There were also carnivorous horses. I would have liked to learn more about the world and it's culture/history/religion though. I hope future books delve into this area a bit more. Also, I'd have liked to see some of the secondary characters developed a bit more.The book does end on a cliffhanger, which would usually mean minus a half star as I hate those, but I couldn't imagine a more fitting end for this book so I'm actually okay with the cliffhanger!Overall, this is a wonderful fantasy book driven by a very interesting character. I can't wait to see how she develops in future books and find out more about this world.
    • 4/5
      When I finished Storm Siren, I was speechless. If I am correct about what the ending implies, I just could not believe the story had the audacity and boldness to say, “Oh YES indeedy, I am going to go there!” And honestly, it’s refreshing whenever a Young Adult novel surprises me. I like unpredictability especially when it comes to my YA, and weird as this may sound, I admit I do get a little thrill in my heart whenever I get completely blindsided.It was, however, a journey to get to that point. One of the reasons why I think Storm Siren will be a very successful book is because it mixes the familiar with the new. Yes, we have some unexpected plot twists and bombshells, an incredible world with a rich magic system, and a heroine with a unique superpower. But balanced with this is also a novel that feels distinctly like it belongs in this genre, with archetypal characters and the usual tropes of YA. Despite this, I believe YA readers will feel comfortable with it and love it for what it is.The book opens with our protagonist, a seventeen-year-old Elemental girl named Nym, facing her fifteenth sell as a slave. An unfortunate incident triggers her storm-summoning powers while she is on the auction block, resulting in chaos and panic. After passing out, Nym wakes up inexplicably in a luxurious bedroom in a mansion, and is informed that she has been purchased by Adora, the rich and influential noblewoman and court advisor to the king of Faelen.Throughout this entire novel, we are told that Nym is special. This is practically thrust into our faces the entire time, from the fact that she shouldn’t even exist, since Elementals are all supposed to be only born male, to her role as the only person who can save Faelen in the war against the neighboring kingdom of Bron. But Nym isn’t the perfect savior either. She’s reluctant to use her powers even in defense of her friends due to her inability to control the storm. She has also already caused no small number of deaths in her life, albeit accidentally, and hates the idea of killing more people even if they are the enemy.Storm Siren features a great story, encompassing a lot of political intrigue and epic battles. The story itself is definitely a winner. But that isn’t to say it couldn’t have been stronger, and perhaps it is a credit to the book and author that my only issue was that I always felt like wanting more.I mentioned the world and the magic earlier in this review, for example. When Nym is sent to train with a tutor to hone her Elemental abilities, her classmate as it were is a boy named Colin who is a Terrene, someone from his land who can manipulate the earth and stone. Terrenes are also always born as twins, with one twin having abilities and the other not. Apparently, there are even more “brands” of magic users in this world, each with their own specific types of powers and presumably interesting facts about their backgrounds. I mean, this stuff is great! It’s world-building gold. Unfortunately, we just don’t get to learn much about them at all. This is possibly due to limitations like book length or the fact the author couldn’t work those details into the plot, but I sometimes also felt like she may have been trying to put too much into her story.I also think more emphasis could have been placed on supporting characters. We only have a total of about five characters we really get to know, and I found Breck and Eogan interesting but a few others were quite superficial, like Adora the classic cold villain or Colin with the heart of gold and a personality of a golden retriever puppy. I thought some of the other characters of the court, like the king and a couple of visiting nobles and a princess could have been developed more as well, since relatively they weren’t given much attention but they all had pivotal roles to play by the end of the novel. It would have given the politics and the brewing war between the different kingdoms that extra oomph, and perhaps made things less confusing.Like I said, I wanted more – but I’m also the kind of person who constantly asks questions when I’m reading, especially when it comes to a book’s world and lore. Did I need all this information to enjoy the story? No, the story itself is solid, even though I felt more world building could have enhanced it. Just when I thought for sure I had everything nailed down, just when I figured it was all going to end the same neat and tidy way that all YA books do, the last few chapters with the final showdown threw me for a loop. I learned that Mary Weber is someone who is not afraid to do things with her characters, even if it means shock and heartbreak to the reader. And I just have to admire and raise my glass to that. The issues I mentioned notwithstanding, I did have a good time with this book. It started out like the YA novel it’s meant to be – feels like YA, reads like YA – but then went and gave me a surprise at the end. So ultimately I got exactly what I expected, plus a bit more as a bonus! 3.5 to 4 stars from me.
    • 5/5
      I was lucky enough to receive an Advanced Readers Copy Of Storm Siren by May Weber and it was a FABULOUS 5 stars!!! What an amazing read and honestly right at this moment I am a little bummed that the book is over for me. The author did a fabulous job keeping me in the dark with all of the twists and turns and that is something I truly LOVE! I love that I could not figure this amazing story out and that even up to the very end, she was surprising me with new twists and turns.... the last twist, at the very end almost destroyed me. UGH! I need the sequel tomorrow! Man..... what a page turner and what a beautifully written piece of art. Seriously. Mary Weber creates magic with her lovely words in this book. She also did a fantastic job with the characters. They were so memorable and awesome! Nym was awesome and I LOVE Eogen and Breck and Colin's characters as well. Even the bad guys were amazingly written and created. This is a MUST READ for lovers of Paranormal, Romance, Adventure, and YA. Simply Wonderful!Here is the synopsis from Goodreads......“I raise my chin as the buyers stare. Yes. Look. You don’t want me. Because, eventually, accidentally, I will destroy you.”In a world at war, a slave girl’s lethal curse could become one kingdom’s weapon of salvation. If the curse—and the girl—can be controlled.As a slave in the war-weary kingdom of Faelen, seventeen-year-old Nym isn’t merely devoid of rights, her Elemental kind are only born male and always killed at birth — meaning, she shouldn’t even exist.Standing on the auction block beneath smoke-drenched mountains, Nym faces her fifteenth sell. But when her hood is removed and her storm-summoning killing curse revealed, Nym is snatched up by a court advisor and given a choice: be trained as the weapon Faelen needs to win the war, or be killed.Choosing the former, Nym is unleashed into a world of politics, bizarre parties, and rumors of an evil more sinister than she’s being prepared to fight . . . not to mention the handsome trainer whose dark secrets lie behind a mysterious ability to calm every lightning strike she summons.But what if she doesn’t want to be the weapon they’ve all been waiting for?Set in a beautifully eclectic world of suspicion, super abilities, and monsters, Storm Siren is a story of power. And whoever controls that power will win.Check this one out! You will not be disappointed.
    • 5/5
      4.75 StarsAn awesome adventure SFF fiction with a resilient and well-developed MC and a great group of supporting characters. Oh Colin! This novel has a good storyline, even better world-building, and beautiful cover art. The book is heart-wrenching. It does leave off with a cliffhanger, so you will have to wait to find out what happens next. This one is worth waiting for!Net Galley Feedback