Storm Siren (Storm Siren Trilogy Series #1)

by Mary Weber

Overview

In a world at war, a slave girl's lethal curse could become one kingdom's weapon of salvation. If the curse—and the girl—can be controlled.

"I raise my chin as the buyers stare. Yes. Look. You don't want me. Because, eventually, accidentally, I will destroy you."

In the war-weary kingdom of Faelen, seventeen-year-old Nym isn't merely devoid of rights, her Elemental kind are only born male and always killed at birth—meaning, she shouldn't even exist.

Standing on the auction block beneath smoke-drenched mountains, Nym faces her fifteenth sell. But when her hood is removed and her storm-summoning killing curse revealed, Nym is snatched up by a court advisor and given a choice: be trained as the weapon Faelen needs to win the war or be killed.

Choosing the former, Nym is unleashed into a world of politics, bizarre parties, and rumors of an evil more sinister than she's being prepared to fight . . . not to mention the trainer whose dark secrets lie behind a mysterious ability to calm every lightning strike she summons.

But what if she doesn't want to be the weapon they've all been waiting for? Set in a beautifully eclectic world of suspicion, super abilities, and monsters, Storm Sirenis a story of power. And whoever controls that power will win.

"A riveting tale from start to finish. Between the simmering romance, the rich and inventive fantasy world, and one seriously jaw-dropping finale, readers will clamor for the next book—and I'll be at the front of the line!" —Marissa Meyer, New York Times bestselling author of the Lunar Chronicles

• The first in the low-spice, YA romantasy trilogy
• Series best read in order:
  • Book 1: Storm Siren
  • Book 2: Siren's Fury
  • Book 3: Siren's Song
• Full-length book
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781401690359
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	06/02/2015
Series:	Storm Siren Trilogy Series , #1
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	HL810L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Mary Weber is the award-winning HarperCollins author of the bestselling young adult Storm Siren Trilogy, and The Sofi Snow duology. An avid school and conference speaker, Mary’s passion is helping others find their voice amid a world that often feels too loud. When she’s not plotting adventures involving tough girls who frequently take over the world, Mary sings 80s hairband songs to her three muggle children and ogles her husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. They live in California which is perfect for stalking LA bands and the ocean. She gets nerdy at maryweber.com; Facebook: marychristineweber; Instagram: maryweberauthor; Twitter: @mchristineweber; and Goodreads.

Editorial Reviews

'Between the beautiful words used to create this fairy–tale world, to the amazing power of the elementals, to the aspects of slavery and war, I'd say this book is a must read for any fantasy lover. It's powerful and will keep you turning pages faster than you thought possible. I can't believe this is Mary Weber's debut novel. Congratulations!'

goodchoicereading.com

One of my favorite things about this novel is how the pace unfolds just like a storm. Whether that was the author's plan, given her lead character's fantastic abilities, or a crazy random happenstance, I don't know; but from the moment the reader meets Nymia on the auction block, a deep, threatening charge, held off only by Nym's grief, shame, and fear, begins to build. As the story progresses, you can almost sense the dark clouds growing, building the tension toward the ultimate storm. And when that thunderhead finally breaks? Look out! There is no escape. You are utterly drenched in the action, drama, emotion—-and a few moments of calm-within-the-storm beauty and truth—-before the lightning cracks again and blows the sky apart. “The last one-fourth of the novel will keep you white-knuckled, and raggedly emotional—-yes, I cried!—-as evil and betrayal, romance and regret, sacrifice and surprise take you right up to the final scene that will no doubt leave you, as it did me, gasping from that hanging cliff for the sequel that cannot come too soon. Don't miss this one!

USAToday.com Serena Chase

Readers will easily find themselves captivated. The breathtaking surprise ending is nothing short of horrific, promising even more dark and bizarre adventures to come in the Storm Siren trilogy.

4 stars RT Book Reviews

Mary Weber’s debut novel reflects an author sensitive to her audience, a stellar imagination, and a killer ability with smart and savvy prose.

relzreviewz.com

2014-06-10
A slave girl struggles to control her supernatural storm-bringing power in this series opener.Seventeen-year-old Nym causes lightning strikes that kill those who make her angry, but they also inadvertently kill innocents. Adora, a powerful noblewoman in the kingdom of Faelen, witnesses Nym’s power and buys her for use as a weapon in the ongoing war against Bron, which Faelen stands in imminent danger of losing. Even as Nym submits to her enslaved status, she remains defiant, especially when Adora orders her to work with a handsome trainer, Eogan, to learn to control herself. She and Colin, a boy who can cause earthquakes, work together. Nym also forms an attachment with Colin’s blind sister, Breck, working as a servant in Adora’s household. All of these characters come together in the final (for this installment) battle to save Faelen and one another. Weber builds a fascinating and believable fantasy world, inventing epithets (“Teeth of a pig, what the litches was that?”) and combining medieval and modern elements (a feudal system and antibiotics, for instance). Her characters’ paranormal powers work well, and she weaves in just enough mystery about each character that they all remain interesting. The story ends with a gutsy surprise that many readers will find unusual in this genre and that leaves them poised for the next volume.Inventive and entertaining. (Fantasy. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews