Taken by Storm

Reviewed by Teamulrich

Taken by Storm is a beautiful love story between two characters with totally different ideas of what love is. For Micheal it is physical and for Leesie it is emotional. My daughters and I all read an advanced copy of this book and we all loved it, even Carly who didn't like "Twilight". It is a quick read because you can't put it down, and it left me wanting more. I hope there will be a sequel! After my girls and I had all read Taken by Storm we had great teaching/learning discussions about love, dating, and morals. Morrisons writing style is quite captivating. It was great to see both sides of the story through Leesie's chapbook and IM chats, and through Micheal's dive log. I think this book is a must read. I'm excited to read more from Angela Morrison.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Reviewed by Amber Gibson for TeensReadToo.com

Angela Morrison's TAKEN BY STORM is a romance with heart - a tale of love, not lust.

Leesie is a good Mormon girl, living by her faith and following the rules of her church in all realms of her life. Even though kids at school think of her as a prude and call her the "Ice Queen," Leesie is proud to be Mormon. From the official bathroom graffiti tally, Leesie is deemed by her male classmates to have the best behind in school. However, even the most persistent of the boys know that there is no hope of ever getting with her.

When Michael Walden arrives in Leesie's small town, barely surviving a tragic scuba diving storm that killed both of his parents, everyone is intrigued. Anti-social and enveloped in his own post-traumatic stress, Leesie is the only person that Michael will open up to. The two may seem to be an unlikely match, innocent Leesie and disturbed Michael, but each offers the other priceless comfort and care.

As their relationship progresses, Leesie learns what love means for the first time, exploring the boundaries of her Mormon beliefs and bending her strict rules to the point of breaking. It is not easy to hold back when she experiences a snowballing passion unlike anything she has ever imagined.

Meanwhile, Michael longs to return to the scuba diving that is in his blood while overcoming the pain of his parents' sudden death. His relationship with Leesie is especially valuable at this vulnerable time, in spite of the self-imposed boundaries of her Mormon faith.

Can Michael and Leesie's love blossom despite their differences in background?

TAKEN BY STORM is never preachy, but a genuine and heartfelt struggle of faith. Morrison portrays teenage romance from an unusually elegant perspective. The importance of physicality in a relationship is never denied, but Morrison shows that teenagers are capable of rising above carnal temptation to appreciate a more spiritual and emotional side of love.

Morrison's experience with scuba diving and her Mormon upbringing add a very personal and realistic element to her story. Like fellow Mormon author Stephenie Meyer, Morrison approaches the theme of romance from a rare angle, shying away from the crass and blunt. Fans of Meyer's TWILIGHT will enjoy this non-vampiric tale with similar romantic chords.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Review from www.talkmusebanter.blogspot.com

Belonging to the only Mormon family in a tiny town means saying "no" to a lot of things. Seventeen year old Leesie Hunt learns it the hard way. She is harrassed by the jocks and mocked as the "Mormon Ice Queen". Her salvation lies in poetry; the Lord above; and BYU, her dream school, her escape.

Michael Walden, a free diver, arrives in Tekoa to live with his grandmother after a devastating tragedy snatches away his parents' lives. Disillusioned in a desolate world, Michael need Leesie to save him from losing himself.

But how can she give him what he wants when abiding by the Mormon rules she has to keep her feet firmly on the ground?




TAKEN BY STORM is beautifully written. A compilation of Leesie's poems, Michael's dive journal entries and chat logs, it's like a breath of fresh air drawing the reader in instantly. The characters are well fleshed out and relatable. It is easy to understand why Leesie wants to protect Michael. He is beautiful and broken, drowning in his own tragedy. Inspite of the religious undertones TAKEN BY STORM doesn't come across as preachy. Leesie isn't a fanatic. She is sensible, trying to hold on to her beliefs.


Angela Morrison writes like a dream. Lyrical and poetic, Leesie and Michael's story is heartrendingly touching as their very different worlds threaten to tear them apart.

This book is special. I loved it so much that I had to write a justifiable review which is why I started this blog in the first place.

Leesie and Michael might have two more books to them -- UNBROKEN CONNECTION and CAYMAN SUMMER. Here's wishing this exciting new author congratulations on her lovely debut and good luck for her writing career.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Romance vs. Religion

I hesitated to read this book because I don't particularly like to read books that deal with religion. I saw so many people talking about the romance of this story that I finally picked it up.

I sat down and read this book in one afternoon. And that isn't something that I normally do because I am the type of person that likes to get outside and do something when the sun is shinning, but this book had me captivated. And if there was a more descriptive word to use right there, I would use it because I was comsumed by this book. Just ask the laundry machine repair guy that was at the house. ;-]

If you are nervous about the religion in the book I will say this: The religion isn't preachy. You will learn about the Mormon faith, but the author doesn't try to convert you. Mormanism is what defines Leesie and is her backbone, until she meets Michael. This is a major speed bump in their relationship and a huge part of the story that makes it so compelling.

You read the story from Leesies POV through poems and chats that she has online with her friend Kim and with Michael. Then you get the story through Michael's journal that he keeps in a dive log. The tragedy of Michael losing his family and many of his friends to hurrican Isadore is another major aspect of this story, and how he deals with the death of parents.

I was so entralled in his need for Leesie and the rules that she set for their relationship. Only to be drawn in even further to see how she deals with her desires for him and what that means for her and everything that she believes. It really is such a captivating story. I honestly can say that I haven't read a book like this in a long time.

I live about 30 miles from where this book was set so I love hearing about all the places that they go in the story because I can sit there and picture it completely. I think there is always something neat about reading a book that takes place where you live or have lived before.

This was my first book that I read by Angela Morrison and I will most definetly be picking up all of her future books as well. Her writing is almost magical and I am very excited to read what stories she comes up with next.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

TAKEN BY STORM a Refreshingly Honest Approach

TAKEN BY STORM offers a unique and very intimate look at what it means to be a "good girl" in the face of overwhelming temptation. Mormons are known for clean living, and Leesie is no exception. She believes in her faith, and tries to live by its principles, even when this means enduring ridicule from her classmates. When bad boy Michael moves into town, she faces a crisis - she wants to show him how much he means to her, but her religion has a firm "no sex before marriage" policy. How can she show him how much he means to her while still keeping herself pure? Will he stick around when there are plenty of other girls who are willing and ready to give him exactly what he desires? Leesie's internal struggle is one everyone should recognize - How does a person keep their own personal convictions in the face of temptation?

Most novels about Mormons make LDS teenagers look impossibly clean-cut and cheesy - Morrison's is a refreshingly honest approach. It's realistic, edgy and never preachy. I highly recommend it.

You can see my full review of this book as well as others on my blog: http://blogginboutbooks.blogspot.com

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great book (:

This book was so amazingly awesome ! I l love it. The ending could have been alittle different but other than that thumbs up for Angela (:

Fantastic!

I really enjoyed getting to know both Michael and Leesie. My heart went out to Michael and I was so glad when Leesie finally came into his life because she was just what he needed. He needed someone to help him grieve for his parents and watching the both of them get closer and closer was too freaking sweet.

The story is well written and it's easy to follow along. I loved the personal touches with Leesie's poems and Michael's dive log, it made their world seem so much more real to me and I totally ate everything up. This book is a good one and I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a cute romantic YA story. Mothers out there, I recommend this book to all kids 13 and up.

I couldn't put it down!!

I enjoyed this book a great deal I thought it showed how romance can make people doubt there beliefs and religion, or make them do crazy things when their in love. Even though Leesie Hunt, the goody goody mormon girl, and Michael Walden, who's a 'bit' obsessed with diving, sometimes got on my nerves I thought they made a great, but odd couple... This book was great and I recommend that you pick it up and give it a try, who knows you might end up enjoying it!

it took awhile for me to settle into it

I was excited to see what the book had in store but i must say it took awhile for me to get into the book...I did enjoy the book but at times i felt i wanted to skip some pages...but i didnt i read through it...it does show how far love can go true love that is but i kinda felt it skipped a little and the way it was written i didnt much care for a wanted a follow through if that makes sense...it wouldnt be the first book i would recommend to friends but it was worth reading..i finished it in one day...the story did get better toward the middle of the book...

Wow!!

Such a good book! It shows what some people will do for the people they love. Telling them what they think is best for the both of them. A good book to read over!

YO MAMA!

THIS BOOK WAS REALLY HORRIBLE. I WAS REALLY BORED. SHE IS SUCH A GOODY GOODY. I WAS VERY DISAPOINTED IN IT. I REALLY HATED LESSIE, OR WHATEVER HER NAME WAS!! SHE REALLY RUINED THE STORY, AND THE OTHER BOT HE WAS WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY TO OBSESSED WITH DIVING, HE NEEDS DR. DREW!

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Reviewed by Aik

Taken by Storm by Angela Morrison is a story about the romance that blossoms between a pious Mormon, Leesie Hunt and Michael Walden, a young man who lost both his parents in a storm. It is romantic, moving and thoughtful. The author uses first person narrative for both the main characters to tell the story from different perspectives. This is done through Leesie's poems, online chatting and Michael's Dive Log.

Leesie is a devout Mormon and she thinks it is important to follow the rules. She wants to live her parents' expectations and is hoping to receive her tertiary education at the Brigham Young University. Then, everything changes when Michael Walden arrives. She feels that it is her responsibility to soothe Michael's grieving soul and to help him as a friend. However, Michael likes her and he wants something more than friendship. It doesn't take a long time before Leesie realizes that she is falling in love with Michael, just as he is with her.

Their relationship grows from attraction to passion and love. Leesie is a Mormon and she has her own rules to abide, but Michael keeps on pushing her to step beyond the boundary. Lessie thinks love and sex are two different things but Michael thinks they are the same. Will Michael finally learn to respect Lessie?

Religion plays a minor part in this novel. This novel conveys some more important messages: Respect others while staying true to our own beliefs, help those who are depressed by loss and grief, hold on to the basic moral values (self-restriction), and learn to cherish what you have at the moment. If you're a teenager who enjoys romantic novels, do pick up this one. Who knows you might get swept by the storm?

I'D STILL GIVE IT FIVE STARS

As I was looking for my twelve-year-old at the library, I walked by the teen section. There, sitting on top of one of the selves was a book that captured my eye, "Taken By Storm". I admit it, I'm a romance fanatic. Love to read a good romance, and not necessarily the mushy kind. Actually that's not really my preference in reading or writing.

I took the book from the metal cradle holding it and flipped it over. Not much there to give me any real hint of what it was about. Inside, there was a better synopsis.

Now I'm intrigued.

I leave the teen section with book in hand as I seek out my daughter. Mind you this is the first book I can remember, other then non-fiction, that I've personally checked out from a library in so many years I can't even remember the last time I had. I love books, and would rather own them. But the book was there and beckoned me to read it...now.

I took the book home but first needed to finish the book I was currently reading, Isolation, by Travis Thrasher. A great book by the way. You should also check out his amazing love stories. I had flipped through the pages of Taken By Storm, several times, and was actually thinking of returning it. There were Chatspot Logs, Dive Logs and poems, all amongst what you would normally see between the pages of a fictional romance. I'm so not a poems person.

When I finished the book I'd been reading, I hesitated to start this one. My daughter wouldn't allow that. She made a big deal about, "When are you going to read that, mom?" So I picked it up and started to read. And as I read, I quickly found I couldn't put it down. As I was looking for my twelve-year-old at the library, I walked by the teen section. There, sitting on top of one of the selves was a book that captured my eye, "Taken By Storm". I admit it, I'm a romance fanatic. Love to read a good romance, and not necessarily the mushy, kind. Actually that's not really my preference in reading or writing.

The writing was amazing. The story was amazing. I loved the whole idea of the story, two young people who desperately need someone, and how their paths cross and intertwine. The message of need, love, grief, beliefs and one finding their self is emotionally wonderful.

Needless to say, I loved the story of Michael and Leesie. I loved how Michael went from being a full-of-himself teen male, to one that learned to respect a woman's wishes and beliefs. I loved how Leesie was so rooted in her beliefs and though she swayed at times, stuck to them...at least most of them.

The reason for titling this review, "I'll still give it five stars", is because I did not like the ending. In fact, I was upset when reading it. The last section before the poem wasn't too bad, though not what I'd expected but the ending poem through me off. Remember, I'm not a poem person. I didn't get it, though most of the pomes in the book were actually pretty good...I got them. Maybe I just didn't want to believe how the author chose to end it.

Although the story ended as maybe it should have, and I do see the point in ending it the way it did, it just wasn't what I was expecting. I WANTED them to... Okay, I won't say it, ruining it for those that haven't yet read it. Oh how I would love to see a second book continuing their story.

Needless to say, I will be looking for the next book by this author. Being a write myself, I'm once again feeling nudged to one day write YA."

Sad But Happy

In this book you start to see yourself in the characters. The relationship these two have is something that makes you smile the first time they talk. That Unforgettable feeling...of how much she cares for him and wants him to be happy again, and how much he wants her. As you read you start to see how a child who has lost their parents, and the religon that people and how much people make fun of some because of it. I hope that when you pick this up at your local Barns&Noble Bookstore that you really enjoy it.

A great story and also a refreshing writing style

Taken by Storm was a great read all around, from the difference in characters to the differences in the PoV's; everything about this story was excellent. I was a little put off by the ending, but after taking some time to reflect found that I really appreciated how the author did not sacriffice either characters personalities by going for a happy ending, but rather kept them true to their natures. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a challenging love story with a realistic ending.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.