Overall: 🐢🐢🐢🐢
Storyline:
Writing Style:
Character Development:
World-building:
““I’m guessing the sky is full of stars?” “It is, but the only ones that matter are the ones you see.”“
Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The Story:
Trinity Marrow has some unique gifts. She can see ghosts and spirits and she has been trained to fight like a Warden – gargoyle shape-shifters who protect human kind from demons. These talents are a part of a secret so dangerous, if anyone outside of her adopted family found out Trinity could die. Growing up inside a Warden compound, Trinity’s world has been relatively safe until a few Wardens from another clan arrive asking for aid. They bring news of something killing both demons and Wardens. Not to mention, one of the visiting Wardens is a little too curious about Trinity for her liking.
The safety of the compound is compromised throwing everything into chaos and her family is in danger. Trinity has to place her trust in Zayne and hope that she hasn’t just misjudged that trust and tossed away her life. The race is on in order to not only save her home, but possibly the world.
Key Elements:
Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Fiction, Paranormal, Series
Others in the Series:
Book 2: Rage and Ruin
Book 3: Grace and Glory
Why This Rating?
I’m not going to lie I was a bit hesitant about this book when I got it. It was recommended to me since I enjoy Sarah Maas’ books so much (I love Maas’ stories a crap ton it is honestly stupid). And where as I enjoyed this book, it didn’t reached that level of love for me. Jennifer Armentrout does do a beautiful job at creating her own world and story for this book, that I will have to agree to.
Unfortunately, I did feel like there were moments were the writing stalled out a little. Some of the plot seemed to just stop in between the real intense scenes or the fights. A few of the back and forths between Trinity and Zayne seemed to be more ” ‘Mom she’s touching me!’ ‘No I’m not! I’m just pointing at her!’ ” between 2 bickering siblings rather than 2 young adults having a relatively serious conversations. And since the writing as a whole is clearly written for the older young adult (like 16/17+) audience this childish style arguments where are bit annoying. And I put that age suggestion only on this book because there are moments of nudity, sexuality, violent fight scenes scattered throughout this book. Every thing is kept very clean and tastefully done, nothing that would toss this story into the full on romance category, but I was surprised a little because I did not know.
The depth of this world is one that I feel I can keep exploring and still find new things each time I read through it. Which is quite amazing considering this is simply book 1 out of the trilogy. You have the classic battle of good vs evil playing out in everyday situations with literal demons and instead of angles fighting them you have gargoyles – the ever watching protectors. What a cool idea to take the lifeless statues on top of buildings (which where once thought to ward of evil from buildings) and turn them into protectors of the human race.
Despite there being a lot of demons and good vs evil moments, Armentrout never made this story seem like it was preaching or that it was to heavy. I was always enjoying myself while reading and never felt like it leaned to far out of my comfort zone. However, there were definitely moments were I can see some people becoming very uncomfortable with what this story contains. Just approach it was an open-mind if you are wary and at the very least do a little research about the book before you begin reading. Being over prepared is not a bad thing.
There was a surprising amount of pop references and 90’s terminology that Armentrout included which were quite witty and perfectly placed. It will be very interesting to see how relevant these references stick around in the future or at the very least how much the readers will understand about them. That is one thing that gets very risky for some authors. By including those off-the-shoulder comments about movies, phrases, or anything that were once iconic, there is an undefined age cap on the stories. I don’t think it happens often enough to become a turn off or make the story to confusing for readers who may not understand. I can foresee it becoming a small problem at those spots in the book where the reader might be taken out of the story briefly to figure out what was meant. That small pause can throw the whole pacing off that was intended and it just snowballs from there. I personally loved the references and the moments of 90’s slang! They made me feel like I was a part of the inside jokes that the characters were having.
It was a fun story to read with all of the action that was constantly happening and the roller coast of emotions – especially at the end – that it managed to make me go through. All I can say are these 4 things:
1: Your limitations are only what you place on yourself. Even with things making life hard, find the light in everything.
2: Sometimes even gargoyles can make mistakes.
3: Dads can be asses.
4: Not everything is black and white, add a little gray into your life. You never know who you might meet or what you might end up doing.
I am eager to start the next one!
Time to get lost in the next story!
