Title: Storm Siren

Author: Mary Weber

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Genre: Fantasy, Dystopian

Rating: 5 out of 5

Mary Weber knows how to break a heart. For anyone who has yet to experience her debut novel, Storm Siren, you’ll understand what I mean once you dive into her incredible story world. From the lush settings to the descriptive and cleverly immersive vocabulary, the reader is immediately deposited in the middle of Elemental slave-girl Nym’s world, and will soon find yourself attending ridiculously lavish parties, running from bolcranes, dodging flesh-eating horses, preparing to enter the long-waged war against Bron, and hoping you don’t come in contact with the dreaded and infamous Draewulf—because if you do, you’re as good as dead.

Weber packs storm-bringer Nym’s adventure with a perfect balance of action, political intrigue, and a heart-wrenching emotional journey that will make readers question their own beliefs about themselves and hopefully bring them to a place of discovering their true worth. This book is filled with gorgeous prose and a cast of diverse, unforgettable characters, including Colin, the strong yet caring bald boy with mysterious earth-moving powers, his blind and short-tempered twin sister Breck, their cold owner Adora (the diabolical hostess of said ridiculously extravagant parties), and, perhaps most memorable of all, Nym and Colin’s trainer Eogan, the brooding and complicated man who has a particular talent for simultaneously infuriating and captivating Nym.

Even on my second read through the novel, I found my emotions just as wrenched around as we hurtled toward the equal parts beautiful and devastating conclusion. Readers will probably want a tissue handy, and a copy of Book 2 (Siren’s Fury) nearby, because Weber will leave you emotional and anxious for the rest of the saga. It’s a must-read for YA fantasy fans, if you ask this reviewer.

Review by Dana Black.