Holy cow guys. I read this back when I first got approved to be in the street team (which still seems like such a dream come true, my first street team!) and was absolutely blown away with this story. Since then I’ve read it once more and also skimmed a third time combing through for my favorite bits to highlight. Needless to say I am obsessed. I’ll be complete honest here when I say I love Cora Carmack but I wasn’t really sure how her amazingly funny/steamy romances could transition to the Young Adult scene. After reading this I wondered why I even doubted it’s ability to blow my mind.

This story is completely unique. I have never read anything about magical storms/weather or even a regular storm chaser book. This is a fantastic clash of both. It has all the things I love in fantasy books like a unique magical system, vast landscapes and territories, and diverse characters. Although the religions in this book were obviously fiction I still enjoyed the way Cora included a few main characters from different religions and was able to showcase how others would react to situations different based on their beliefs. It gave the whole book a deeper depth.

I don’t want to give anything away since this book is chalk full of spoilers but seriously I highly recommend this book!

Things I loved
-Swoony Romances
-Plot Twists for DAYS
-Dangerous Villains (who are you, mystery villains??? I need to know!)
-Unique Magical System
-The amazing imagery
-Magical Storms
-Books within books? Count me in!
-Everything is quotable. Everything.
-Roar’s headstrong nature

Things I Disliked
-Nothing!
- I do however, wish there was more Roar/Cassius time since I tend to root for the evil/suave guys but that’s more personal preference.

Cora Carmack thrills in this new Young Adult Fantasy novel. It's no secret that Carmack is an amazing storyteller; from her swoony boys, to the headstrong yet relatable heroines. I know that after reading a book by her, that I'll be transported to into another world. And that's always welcome in my book.

If you couldn't tell before, I loved this. I liked the world building, the characters were all on point, and I look forward to being able to continue in a new series. Unfortunately, I didn't much care for the romance. Gasp! I know right, but I felt like Aurora was able to hold her own without any type of boy in the storyline. Yes, romance is nice to have but Roar is much more than that! It's all about a heroine we can relate to. Rora is strong, beautiful, vulnerable, and I liked her spunk. I think she's one of my favorite characters Carmack has ever written.

As I was saying earlier about the world building. I thought it was very well thought out and interesting. I loved the whole concept of storm magic. And once secrets start coming out, well it's only the beginning a wonderful ride. Now as I also mentioned before about the guys. While I didn't much care for them on a romantic level, I did very much like them as characters. The two boys in question are Prince Cassius and Locke. I liked them both for different reasons and even though one can be considered bad; I loved him all the more for it.

Overall, I think this is the start to something wonderful. Fans of fantasy, strong female leads, and romance will devour this book like there is no tomorrow. And then begging for the author to hurry up and write the next book! I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm going to be like that! This is a huge GO and no doubt on top of my list of what to read next.

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I give the book four stars. I would recommend this book. I really enjoyed the world the author created and I really like the different POVs. I only gave it fours stars that it does use the same formula of YA books and there are some people who don’t like that. I personally hope there is a second book to the series.

The love story was very violent and based on aggression, no consent. For a YA audience, this didn't feel appropriate. I did enjoy the fantastical elements, but they were ruined by this push-and-pull romance story that fell abusive.

I tried multiple times to read Roar by Cora Carmack but sadly it just wasn't for me. I liked the concept and what Carmack was trying to accomplish with this book but in the end it fell flat and just didn't seem to be to capture my attention long enough for me to finish the book. In the end, I am sad to say that the author of one of my all time favourite books, Losing It, wrote this book that just didn't live up to all the hype.

4.5 stars

So I LOVED the world building. The whole idea with storms in ingenious and I adored it. The magic is really neat too. Aurora grew on me. She drove me crazy at the beginning (who doesn't think that getting stabbed with a knife will hurt, duh) but as the book went on I liked her better. I'm hoping that she will get stronger and more mature in the next book. Also hoping for no stupid stuff. I'm curious about Cassius and I'm not sure about Locke. We will see where they go.

I'm happy that there is a sequel and I'm looking forward to it.

I have been struggling to properly review this book because of how much I enjoyed it. I'm normally not the biggest fan of fantasy novels but this one blew me away.

Aurora, the protagonist, is the princess that holds an ancestral power. She knows that she is supposed to have the gift of Stormling but she has trouble calling it to the surface. Thankfully she is not precious snowflake and she knows who she is. That helped me connect with her so much more as a character. Roar will not be underestimated no matter how much she is overlooked and treated with kid gloves. She knew that she needed to work hard and fight for everything she wanted.

There are some very romantic scenes within the story that caused deep swoony feelings and emotions. The chemistry between Locke and Roar were very believable and I really enjoyed them. Locke's character was so important to the story as he also has the Stormling power and hoped he could help awaken the power within her. He did everything he could to challenge her mentally, emotionally, and physically... not to mention magically. As they continued to work and grow together, I could see them bonding and turning into a power couple I wanted to see more of.

This was a fast paced, never boring story that felt like it was over just after it started. I couldn't believe how well paced and amazing this was. All of the characters are so well developed that they seem to become unforgettable. Roar is the type of character that knows to surround herself with good people and they certainly are found within this story. The ending is another thing that stood out to me - HOLY CROW! What a cliffhanger! It had me on the edge of my seat begging for the second book! I recommend this to everyone looking for a good fantasy or wanting to try a new author. Give this a try and you won't be disappointed.

I am probably the only reader in the planet who had never read a book by Cora Carmack. So, when I read the blurb for Roar and saw its cover I was sold. As you know, I adore fantasy and Roar has the makings of an epic story.

I fell in love with Aurora / Roar’s world. It’s hostile and very dangerous, but fascinating. Their world is plagued with constant storms of all types – hurricanes, fog, tornadoes, light storms – and they require the protection of powerful people that know how to steal the heart of the storm in order to dissipate them. What an original concept, so intriguing.

Princess Aurora comes from a very strong linage of Stormlings, but she has no powers. To avoid losing her kingdom, she agrees to a loveless marriage with the second son of the kingdom of Locke. However, Aurora is dreading the marriage and then she discovers that magic can be gained and not only inherited. She grabs the opportunity to do just that and carve her own destiny. Roar is brave, scared, loyal, naive, lonely, stubborn, and powerful.

Locke is one of the leaders of the band of hunters that shelters Roar. He is handsome, powerful, cautious, protective and one of the best book boyfriend ever. Seriously. I loved his patience, how careful he was with Roar, they bickering and fighting was priceless. Their relationship is slow to grow and develop, but beautiful to read about.

Of course, I cannot tell you what happens in the story, but let me just say that it’s surprising to say the least.

Cormack’s writing is enthralling and compelling. The pace was a bit slow at the beginning since there was a lot of world building to develop, but it picked up later, after all there’s a lot of action, plotting and of course storms in the story. I also appreciate that the ending was not a cliffhanger, but a gentle reminder of what’s yet to come.

Overall, Roar was a great beginning for what I hope is an epic fantasy series. With a strong heroine, a to-die-for book boyfriend, an awesome host of secondary characters, and amazing world building (not to mention the gorgeous cover) Roar is an enthralling YA fantasy that left me craving for more

I am not sure how to feel about this book. I loved parts of it and didn't like some of it. Great female heroine! That ending though, I am not sure what to think!

This was an exciting read! I blew through it.
Aurora is tough but vulnerable, the other characters were interesting as well. The author puts some nice twists in the story to keep the readers on their toes. I look forward to the next installment!

If I could give this book a million stars, I would!

I loved every last bit of it and it was the fantasy I needed to take me away from the chaos and heartbreak of life. The characters were to die for, the imagery, the story... everything took my breath away. I am so lucky to have had the chance to read this early, share my love of this story, Cora and be able to talk about it with family, friends and readers.

Roar is the first book in the young adult fantasy series, called the Stormheart series by author Cora Carmack. Roar honestly blew me away. I loved it so much, and what I loved the most about it was that I don’t feel like the story took the most conventional plot path. It continued to surprise me and that was pretty magical. I have read Cora’s new adult novels in the past and I love her Rusk University books, so I was super excited to see that she was venturing into the young adult fantasy realm. YA fantasies are quickly becoming my very favorite type of books to read. (I do still love a good contemporary romance though…but mostly in the new adult age group.) I thought Cora Carmack slayed this genre. She is such a talented author, and with Roar she has quickly climbed the ranks as an auto-read author for me. I loved Roar that much.

Roar is a difficult book for me to explain in a short review because there is so much going on in the Stormheart world. In this world, members of nobility have powers which enable them the ability to fight certain types of storms. The more storms you can defeat, the more powerful you are. They channel their ability through the use of various stormhearts, which are crystals captured from the heart of a storm. Aurora is the princess of one of the biggest countries in the region. Her mother, is a very powerful Stormling, but Aurora doesn’t have any powers at all. Without giving too much away, Rora decides in order to be the princess her kingdom deserves she needs to go out and join a storm hunters crew to gain some stormhearts. I don’t want to tell you any more than that because the progression of this story was really wonderful. It was mysterious and riveting. I loved finding out a little more about the storms and the characters as we went on the journey. I still have tons of questions and lot’s of things I need to know more about in the next book, but Roar was such a satisfying first read for me.

I really loved everything about the book. I loved Rora, or Roar as she calls herself with the hunters. She is brave, fiercely independent, and really really honorable. The whole cast of characters was a lot of fun, and I am dying to know more about all of them…but especially Cassius, Locke and Sly. I think they all have many more layers to peel back. And I can’t wait until we can get to know all of their secrets. The romance in Roar was just as awesome as I was hoping. Cora Carmack writes excellent romances, and I was hoping that would carry over to Roar. And it totally did!

Bottom line: If you love YA fantasies with a fantastic romance throughout, lots of adventure and a brilliantly magical world where storms take on a life of their own, you will LOVE Roar. (It is thundering and lightning behind me as I write this review, and I think it is their storms way of showing it’s approval. Cora, you have the storms on your side!) Roar is a fantasy fantasy debut from Cora, and I am dying to get my hands on the next installment ASAP.

This book seriously has everything I love …fantasy, magic, action, and romance! It has a strong, amazing heroine that will have you cheering for her from page 1 and a plot that will have you turning pages as fast as you can.

Aurora Pavan is heir to the throne of Pavan and she belongs to one of the oldest Stormling families … the family that has been protecting the kingdom with their magic for years. She’s everything the kingdom needs in a queen, intelligent, and brave… but she has no sign of the magic she’ll need to protect those counting on her. So her mother arranges a marriage to a Stormling prince from another kingdom… one who’s dark and broody. He’s obviously hiding something and when he rushes the wedding date, Aurora is determined to get away. A chance meeting with a group of Storm Hunters might be just the people she needs.

First, I have to mention the world-building because Carmack does an amazing job of creating a unique world here. I loved the way she put her own spin on the fantastical elements of this story, everything was unique and intricately planned and plotted from the storm elements to the world of Pavan.

I have to admit though, that the characters are what had me hooked to this story from the very first page! Every single character here has a purpose and a story to tell, and I honestly can’t wait for book two to learn more about each and every one of them. Carmack excels at creating a diverse landscape and sharing the complexities that make each of them different and interesting and doing it in a way that has you invested in what is happening to everyone. Even the storms felt like they had their own stories to tell!

Carmack did a wonderful job of weaving the romance in this story too, and I’m not going to apologize for needing romance in my stories… I need a ship to root for so don’t judge me. I am torn between the two boys in this story! I know the one that everyone will root and cheer for, but I can’t help but have a soft spot for Cassius too – I know he’s got a much deeper background than what we’re led to believe and even though he does some pretty crappy things, I get him… I really do and so I can’t help but want more of his story! But Locke… gah I just love the connection between him and Roar and I love how their relationship develops.

Carmack perfectly balances the magic, the fantastical and the romance in a way that will have readers begging for more. I for one am dying to get my hands on book 2 and if you haven’t yet gotten this on your TBR list, you must! Look no further for your next favorite read in the YA Fantasy genre!

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

What a gorgeous freaking book! I loved pretty much everything about it from cover to cover and here’s why you will too:

There is STORM MAGIC. Storm magic people. Like, there are people who can channel the energy and power of storms. And even better, they use that power to BATTLE STORMS. Imagine being powerful enough to reach into a tornado and “capture its heart” – you know you wish you could do that. Heck, I wish I could have just a little storm magic; like, one storm heart would be plenty, thanks. I’m not greedy.

Roar is a feisty little magpie of awesome. I seriously was so into Roar – she is determined to find a way to control storms so that she can keep her kingdom safe. It’s a dangerous business, storm catching, but that doesn’t deter Roar. Despite having lived her whole life in a sheltered palace existence, she’s willing to risk her life in order to develop the skills she feels she needs to take her rightful place on the throne. I really admired that determination. Roar spends most of this book trying to discover herself, and I’m really excited to see where the sequel takes her.

Not one but TWO super sexy guys to SHIP with Roar? I love that this book starts off with one pretty hot love interest and then turns everything on its head like, “Yeah… Nope” and brings in an entirely different hot love interest for Roar to oogle and argue with and inevitably fall head over heels for. I have to admit that this is a book where you will be able to choose a ship, and it might not be the ship Cora Carmack is going for. Personally, I really did like Cassius. There were some sinister undertones going on with him, but I thought he was way hot and that he seemed like a very gray-area kind of villain (if, in fact, he truly is a villain). He’s definitely got some plotting going on and there is something happening in his country that I can’t safely talk about without spoilers that looks rather suspicious, but at the same time I still liked him… He’s just a very compelling character (very Darkling-esque). I have a soft spot for grey characters. But I also like Locke and think he’s a good match for Roar. He can match her fiery temper with his own, but he’s definitely got a heart of gold as well. I thought their friendship and romance developed pretty naturally out of their nonstop argument relationship in the beginning.

Watch out for that wildcard… villain, that is. There is a villain in Roar that came out of the ether and is truly terrifying. We don’t get much of his backstory in this book (which is one of the many reasons I neeeeeed the sequel in my hands NOW) but he is truly sinister in every way. Like, this villain gave me the heebie-jeebies. He calls himself the stormlord and even Cassius and his conniving family are afraid of him.

Oh, and that TWIST at the end. I won’t say much on this point because SPOILERS, but The Stormlord and Roar might just have something in common that sets them apart from other stormlings. It’s kind of a huge deal and it is definitely going to come into play a lot in the next book. I can’t wait to see how that plot twist develops!

If you’re looking for a new fantasy series to fall in love with, Roar is definitely the book you NEED to pick up this summer!

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Roar is one of those books where you’re just happy to have read it, even though you loved some parts and didn’t care for others. The fantasy world and storyline are amazing and I was really captivated with it all. Despite my busy schedule, I would make a point to read as much as I could to see what would happen next. However, there were a lot of lulls that had me wondering when something big would happen or if there would ever be that “attention grabber” I was hoping for. Also, the romance wasn’t my favorite aspect of the book, which is a bummer, because I tend to love Cora’s romantic plotlines.

I loved Cora’s world of dangerous and magical storms and those who could control them. I haven’t read anything like it and while it took me a minute to really wrap my head around the essence of this world and all the magic, I still really enjoyed it. I think Cora does a great job at giving readers information about the storms, storm hunters, and other people with magical abilities. She painted a cool picture, that’s for sure.

As for the characters, I liked them a lot. Roar and Locke are strong, interesting characters in their own right, and Cassius is a tough one to figure out, which made me even more fascinated by him. Sure, I hated him, but as the story progressed, I wanted to also know more about him and what made him tick. I loved the cast of secondary characters, particularly Jinx, Bait, Duke, and Novaya, as it’s a wide range of personalities in the Storm hunters group and castle attendants. What didn’t draw me in so much was the romance. Sure, it was cute and funny at times, but not exactly my favorite type of relationship. It was missing that spark, and while I didn’t mind it, I didn’t fall for it.

I will also say that this book didn’t wow me like I was hoping. It’s not that epicness I expect when I start a fantasy novel, but it’s pretty darn good and different. I’m looking forward to reading the second book and seeing where Cora’s imagination takes readers. There’s still much of this world I hope to learn about and even more in regards to the characters and how their story will play out, so I’m definitely going to continue with this series.

My experience with ROAR in a nutshell: I was intrigued in the beginning, kind of found the middle to drag on and then LOVED the ending. The last 80 pages of ROAR made me so pumped! Can't wait for the next one. Check out the full review on the blog.

Roar By Cora Carmack
BOOK REVIEW

In her YA debut Roar, Cora Carmack creates an exciting fantasy world filled with fierce storms and electrifying magic. Readers will be captivated by its blend of vivid world building, intrigue, romance, and adventure.

I love stepping into a new fantasy world where everything feels immediate, especially those that are full of descriptive imagery and sensory details. Cora Carmack's Roar does that and more. The world she's created is filled with both danger and beauty.

Vivid and capricious, it is a land that is ruled and shaped by fierce magical storms where a kingdom rises from its depths in defiance and the Stormlings battle for control over these mercurial elements.

When we first meet Aurora she is trapped by an elaborate deception. Intelligent and brave and honorable, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen yet, she carries a dark secret, one that jeopardizes the very kingdom she's sworn to protect. Though she comes from a long and powerful line of Stormling families, Aurora possesses no powers herself.

“You are lightning made flesh. Colder than falling snow. Unstoppable as the desert sands riding the wind. You are Stormling, Aurora Pavan. Believe it.”

With fierce storms on the way, and to keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from a powerful neighboring kingdom. Aurora fears discovery and worse, she learns that the Stormling prince is hiding dark secrets of his own. When she accidentally discovers a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic, she knows there's a new way to save her crown and kingdom.

"She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough."

Aurora goes through so many changes in this story, from Aurora the princess with no magic nor (perceived) power, to Roar, a brave and determined woman ready to take on fierce storms and anyone who threatens her kingdom and crown. Carmack takes the familiar threatened princess and gives readers a fierce heroine who discovers her own strengths and worth. At first, Roar seems as tumultuous as the storms she chases but after a few reveals in the story, it becomes clearer why this is so. Intelligent, brave, and determined, Aurora is an easy heroine like and admire.

I love romance in my reads, and Carmack creates plenty of romantic tension and friction between her characters.

There are two men that revolve around Aurora and are, in part, catalysts to her empowerment. Her betrothed Cassius Locke, the dark and brooding Stormling prince and a storm hunter she meets in a black market. Both create strong and conflicting emotions in their relationship with Aurora and I loved seeing their many-faceted, complex sides.

I love romance in my reads, and Carmack creates plenty of romantic tension and friction between her characters.

Roar is an exciting new YA fantasy with vivid world building to devour. Action-packed plotting, intrigue, romance, and complex characters make it a great new series to follow. The end left me eager to see what happens next in this fierce world populated by characters that I need to know more about.

I'm a bit unsure what to make of this. It was engaging enough to keep reading and I quite liked the protagonist who turned out not to be as wimpy as she first appeared. The magic system was interesting too. I reakly don't like the over alpha male characters as love interests in YA anymore. It bores me. Yes there were reasons for him being the way he was but I'd have had mire time for him if there'd been more to his character. That said I liked the writing style and would read the author's next book.

Princess Aurora is poised to marry a neighboring prince and prepare to take over the throne in her land. She is somewhat reluctant until the prince visits and begins to win her over with his charms. At least he does until she learns his intentions are to mesmerize her and ultimately take the power for himself. Strong-willed, Aurora, or Rora to her friends, will never allow anyone to best her. She will not be fooled or tricked into marrying the power-hungry prince. Plus, she’s determined to be the Stormling she was born to be. That means she must find a way to control storms so she can be the true Stormling queen. When she learns of a group of storm hunters who are not Stormling but who have powers over storms, she joins the group to glean their skills. Her plan is to fake a kidnapping and to stay with the group until she has learned how to harness the weather. The leader of the group assigns Locke as her mentor. He’s big, imposing, and strong-willed but he’s met his match in Rora, who now goes by the name Roar. She is stubborn and determined, unwilling to show any weakness. The two bicker and taunt each other, much to the dismay of the rest of the group. Carmack is masterful at building a growing relationship between the two. But there’s something strange that happens when Roar gets near certain storms and that adds mystery to her true nature. The action moves swiftly and the tension is fierce; characters are well-defined and nicely crafted. The ending adds to the books’ allure with its twists and turns that will leave readers anxious to read the next installment.

This novel is problematic. The female character is weak and the men are strong, dominant and aggressive. It's supposed to be romantic, but teaching young women that this is what they should consider romantic will lead to problems in their relationships.