Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Pages: 512

Series: Harbinger #1

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Release Date: June 11, 2019

Genre(s): Paranormal Romance

Format: Hardcover

• Amazon
• Goodreads

*Note: While you do not need to read the Dark Elements series before picking this book up, I highly suggest it because many of the characters from those books pop up in Storm and Fury! However, there are no spoilers for the Dark Elements series in my review below!*

Goodreads Synopsis

“Eighteen-year-old Trinity Marrow may be going blind, but she can see and communicate with ghosts and spirits. Her unique gift is part of a secret so dangerous that she’s been in hiding for years in an isolated compound fiercely guarded by Wardens—gargoyle shape-shifters who protect humankind from demons. If the demons discover the truth about Trinity, they’ll devour her, flesh and bone, to enhance their own powers.

When Wardens from another clan arrive with disturbing reports that something out there is killing both demons and Wardens, Trinity’s safe world implodes. Not the least because one of the outsiders is the most annoying and fascinating person she’s ever met. Zayne has secrets of his own that will upend her world yet again—but working together becomes imperative once demons breach the compound and Trinity’s secret comes to light. To save her family and maybe the world, she’ll have to put her trust in Zayne. But all bets are off as a supernatural war is unleashed… “

What Did I Think?

Let me just preface by saying that this is one of my favorite first books in a series to date! The overall concept of this book was really something I had never seen before in the YA before. I mean, come on! How many books have you read with real-live gargoyles that can shift back into human-ish form in .2 seconds? I also thought the dynamic between all the different groups of creatures– humans, Wardens, demons, etc.– was well-constructed and explained concisely enough so that the world and events that were taking place made sense to the reader, but didn’t go into so much detail that the reader became uninterested in the overall storyline.

I love the way Trinity, our main character, is immediately established. Right from the get-go, the reader can tell that she is a force to be reckoned with. She’s a kick-butt warrior who sticks to her guns. She is never afraid to push back against those who try to coddle her because of her unique gift, and I have mad respect for the fact that she was always willing to put herself in the line of fire to save the people she cares about, but not in a self-sacrificial, martyr type of way that you often see in YA. Instead, she’s confident in her abilities and knows she can easily take care of the problem, and that if she stepped aside and let others fight her battles for her, then they likely wouldn’t make it out alive. Usually this part of a character is what they develop into, and seeing this already present in Trinity straight off the bat was a nice change of pace! It also made Trinity’s journey of connecting with the more raw, vulnerable side of her character that much more compelling because she is such a tough cookie whose been through a lot just in the last year of her life. While I can’t say her character had an astronomical amount of character development in this book, I can say that the parts that were developed (i.e. becoming more in touch with her emotions and understanding that sometimes people aren’t always as they seem) were done beautifully. Needless to say, I am Team Trinity all the way, and so excited to see how much further she comes as the series goes on!

You didn’t think I was going to miss out on a opportunity to rave… err, I mean talk, about Zayne, did you? While we do meet Zayne in the Dark Elements series, I can honestly say that his character has changed drastically since then, and for the better. In Storm and Fury, his character had so much more depth while still maintaining some of his original, totally lovable qualities: witty, kind, understanding, and always a gentleman, regardless of circumstance. Like Trinity, Zayne’s established as super strong and powerful from the start, and the growth in his character comes out as he begins to come to terms with the more emotional parts of his past and present. I appreciated that Zayne’s maturity shone in this book, and how even though his feelings for Trinity emerged kind of quickly (and hers for him), he thought logically about the circumstances instead of just jumping in head-first when really, they both have a lot of baggage they need to sort out individually. As a whole, I really enjoyed Zayne’s character, and there’s no denying that he and Trinity make a dynamite team (and yes. I know I’m being super vague here, but I TOTALLY ship them, in case you were wondering!).

I thought the pacing of Storm and Fury was right on the money and there were so many moments where I got chills because the phrasing was that beautiful. The ending of the book was CRAY, don’t get me wrong, but it felt satisfying and, in some ways, almost complete in the sense that the reader knows that while there’s more to come, what we have is good enough for now to hold us over. If I had to pick just one aspect of this book to be my favorite, I would have to say that the characters– both main and supporting– were what really stood out to me. Their personalities were all so distinct, and I found myself connecting to each and every one of them, even if we aren’t all that similar. There are so many more journeys ahead for Trinity, Zayne, and the rest of the crew, and I’m excited to see what kind of trouble they manage to get themselves into next!

Who Would I Recommend This Book To?

*NOTE: This book does have a few select PG-13+ references and scenes, so just be aware of that going in!*

If you read the Dark Elements series and fell in love with Zayne, Storm and Fury was literally made for you so you have got to check it out! If you haven’t read the Dark Elements series but love JLA’s other works, I think you’ll really enjoy this book, as well!

If you are someone who likes books that rely somewhat heavily on romantic elements to balance out the fantasitical/paranormal genre, it’s very likely you’ll enjoy this book.

While there are not many books I can think of that are SUPER similar to Storm and Fury (which is one of the reasons I love it so much), if you’re a fan of Sarah J. Maas’ characters and world-building and Alexandra Bracken’s unique concepts, I think you’ll feel right at home reading Storm and Fury!