Thursday, July 16, 2015

Review: Siren's Fury

SIREN'S FURY
Storm Siren Trilogy #2
Mary Weber
Young Adult/Fantasy
352 pages
Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins
Available Now
Source: Wunderkind PR for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Nym has saved Faelen only to discover that Draewulf stole everything she valued. Now he’s destroyed her Elemental storm-summoning ability as well.

When Nym sneaks off with a host of delegates to Bron, Lord Myles offers her the chance for a new kind of power and the whispered hope that it may do more than simply defeat the monster she loathes. But the secrets the Bron people have kept concealed, along with the horrors Draewulf has developed, may require more than simply harnessing a darker ability.

They may require who she is.

Set against the stark metallic backdrop of the Bron kingdom, Nym is faced with the chance to change the future.

Or was that Draewulf’s plan for her all along?


MY THOUGHTS
There's something oddly comforting about entering into a second installment when a terrible fate has already befallen a beloved character at the end of the previous one, knowing that what awaits us is not the typical middle book arc where everything built in the first book falls apart, but rather a journey to regain what was lost. There's always a certain amount of stress to be had for a reader with a sequel, watching and waiting for the moment when everything we hold dear crumbles before our eyes so that the third and final book of the trilogy can see joy restored. Ms. Weber takes a different tack with the Storm Siren series however, focusing on deepening the political (and supernatural) complexities of this world and building our heroine up as a way of showing personal growth rather than tearing her down.

Nym shows both how far she's come from the cursed slave girl of book one as well as how much further she has to go in this second book, her utter devotion to Eogan forcing her to make dangerous choices with far-reaching consequences. As is so often the case, good intentions are the stepping stones that merrily line the road to hell, and Nym's desperation to right the wrong in the final pages of Storm Siren forces her to become a darker version of herself. This sequel isn't all doom and gloom however, Ms. Weber's trademark humor present and accounted for in Nym's sharp wit and banter with pseudo-villain Myles, ensuring we have a smile on our faces even as our hearts hurt for all that Nym must go through before she can come out the other side.

Given the extenuating circumstances with Eogan, the romance between them is nearly nonexistent physically in this tale, but emotionally it's front and center, driving us to root for Nym as she does everything in her power to get him back. Thankfully no new romantic entanglements enter the picture to test Nym's loyalties while Eogan is effectively sidelined, just a young woman with grit, determination, and more than a few vulnerabilities fighting for all she holds dear. We're left with a clear understanding of Draewulf's endgame as we look forward to book three, and with Nym having learned a great deal about herself and the way she wants to wield the power she possesses, we can't help but start the countdown until she and her enemy come face to face once again.

Rating: 4/5
 


Find Mary:

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review
I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

29 comments:

  1. Yay for no middle book syndrome and love triangles. Those seem to be the two ingredients that make me want to reconsider continuing the series. I love a female character who can hold her own and Nym seems to be just that. I already like her. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EXACTLY!! I'm always terrified of second books when there was a prominent romance in the first one, dreading the arrival of a new suitor to cause problems. That was definitely not the case here! And Nym is awesome:)

      Delete
  2. I loved this sequel as well, in fact, even more than the first which rarely happens for me. So happy you loved this every bit as much as I did Jenny! Beautiful review!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah yes it's always intriguing to read a sequel, to see how it will be, if it will be as good as the first one. It's great that this one was good! I saw great things about it too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really enjoyed this Melliane! I'm looking forward to how things will wrap up for these characters in the final book:)

      Delete
  4. Oooo I love her hair on the cover. I should add black like that to mine. Okay, on to the book. Perhaps I should try this series since Snow Like Ashes didn't completely win me over ...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't it pretty? And so fitting for what Nym goes through in this book!

      Delete
  5. The cover for book 2 looks very cool

    ReplyDelete
  6. YAY for no middle book syndrome! As you say, it's always very scary reading a second book waiting for the shoe to drop!
    I think that I might just have to read this series after all, great review Jenny!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a healthy fear of second books Pili, not gonna lie. While the cliffhanger at the end of the first one was brutal, it was at least a worst-case scenario, so I knew this second book would put us on the path to fixing things:)

      Delete
  7. Jenny, it makes me so so happy that you're enjoying this series so much. :) I love these books and I love Mary Weber so seeing my friends enjoy it brings me a lot of joy!
    I agree that this one definitely didn't suffer from middle book syndrome. I love the growth in Nym's character as well and I'm curious to see how she will with the darkness. Also I nodded vigorously at everything you had to say about the romance. It wasn't front and center, but it was still there in a very powerful way.
    Beautiful review as always, my friend! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so glad I finally got to this series Nick! And even more glad that I got to read them back to back because that cliffhanger was painful:)

      Delete
  8. I agree. Kind like ripping the band aid off, therefore saving us readers from further agony. Lol.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yeah for no second book syndrome. I am also glad for no new romantic entanglements. I really need to get to this series.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hate when a new love interest comes into play in book 2 and couldn't have been happier there wasn't even a hint of anyone else for Nym other than Eogan:)

      Delete
  10. I haven't managed to read the first book yet, but I am quite taken with the premise, so I will. Sounds like a remarkable sequel, which is always a good sign :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! I loved both books Ramona, and you'll be glad to have this book on hand when you reach the end of the first one:)

      Delete
  11. Ooh, cool to see there's no middle book syndrome!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hm... I wanted to read this before... and now I really want to read this even more. I'm so glad you enjoyed this so much and I totally get the anxiety going into the book. It looks like it paid off! Getting this on my wishlist.

    ReplyDelete
  13. So glad to see this didn't suffer and I like the angle the romance took it sounds satisfying.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm a big fan of this series Kim. Can't wait for book 3:)

      Delete
  14. It's nice to hear there's a bit of humor to balance the darker aspects of this story. It's hard to read a book that's doom and gloom only. It would be a little disappointing to have the love interests separated for the whole second installment, though. I hope they're reunited in the next one. Wonderful review, Jenny! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. There's just something so special about Mary's writing. I agree so much on how it was nice to see the second book change directions and focus on Nym's inner battle - so much character growth for her, my heart went out to both her and Eogan. I can't wait for book three :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I hadn't heard of this series and will check it out. Second books always worry me, especially if the first book has been wonderful. Great post!

    Heather @ Random Redheaded Ramblings

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love when the middle book doesn't disappoint. I've been burned too often! Especially with those creeping triangles...boo.

    ReplyDelete