For this week’s post, I shall be reviewing the lovely ‘Roar’ by Cora Carmack. This book has been on my TBR pile for way too long, and since I’ve been getting back into Fantasy reads recently, I thought I would give this one a shot. And let me tell you, this book is a must-read!
Blurb (from Goodreads): “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.”
My thoughts: This book is nothing like I thought it would be. Honestly, I started this book with such different expectations that I can officially say, that my mind has been blown away entirely by the course of events in this book. Roar is a stubborn, determined, and foxy young woman & princess who’s willing to do whatever it takes to be the Stormling (a person who possesses the ability to defeat perilous storms) she is pretending to be for her kingdom, as she doesn’t seem to possess any sign of her family’s gifts. When she stumbles upon another way in Locke, a dashing young hunter who shows her that it’s possible to conquer storms WITHOUT magic, she runs away with him and his crew; & sets on a journey that will not only test her but show her that there’s more to storms than defeating them.
I really liked the way that the book built up towards Roar’s true abilities, and the world-building was perfect throughout the entire course of the novel. It revealed details in layers, always leaving a tiny bit of mystery to keep you wanting more. It’s a fantastic example of YA fantasy.
Roar’s character was very true and authentic, even though she starts off with being the typical trope of being an above-average young girl who’s unsure of herself and her abilities; however, Roar soon proves to be an exception. She does have some faults; such as a tendency to fall too hard too soon, as she did with her ex-fiance, Cassius, and I’m not entirely sure how much I liked the budding romance between Roar and Locke, despite there being a build-up towards them actually professing their feelings to each other. Their chemistry is electric and they seem to really help each other mentally and emotionally, but it felt a little too fast-paced for my liking. However, I’m really eager to see how it develops throughout the series.
With regards to the secondary characters, Nova is an absolute diamond-in-the-rough as a character, and I also loved all the other members of Locke’s crew. Locke himself seems to be quite a layered and good-hearted character, and I love the way he’s so protective of Roar, even though he doesn’t always express his feelings in the best way.
Overall, I would 100% recommend to anyone who loves a good and steamy romance, as well as mysterious and well thought-out world building! It’s definitely a book not to miss.
My rating:
I hope you enjoyed this review! If you want to see more, head over here for more information. If you’ve already read this book, any thoughts? I would love to get a discussion going! Let me know in the comments below.
Written by: Alexia DeBono
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