I received a copy in exchange for an honest review!

Usually when I write a review I build up to saying how much I enjoyed the book, but with Roar I'm just going to throw it out there - I flipping loved it!

Roar is a delicious mix of YA fantasy yumminess, bad ass characters and a slow burning potential, yes, potential romance. You didn't really expect me to give anything away did you?

Aurora is a Stormling Princess and future ruler, but as you can probably tell from the blurb she's lacking something really important for a future Stormling Queen. Her mother's solution? Marry a powerful foreign Prince of course. What could possibly go wrong?

I honestly can't decide whether I'd want to live in Pavan or not. On the one hand there's the chance of having special powers and battling powerful storms, but on the other it's kinda terrifying and a completely unequal society.

I loved Rora. She's unintentional hilarious. Seriously the girl is awkward! I'm not sure what it says about me but whenever she'd stubbornly try to do something new I was waiting to see what could possibly happen to her next. To be honest I think this is why I liked her so much. Yes she's sheltered and naive, but she tries hard and honestly wants the best for everybody in the Kingdom. Hence a trip to the black market and one heck of an adventure.

On to Locke. He's custom-made to be a great BBF! He's protective, kinda surly and powerful. Oh and not forgetting he's super handsome. Locke carries a lot of misplaced guilt with him, which makes him almost overbearing overprotective at times, but I could totally understand where he was coming from. I loved it when they bickered and bought out all the banter. Le swoon!

I really wanted to end on a witty storm related pun but I think they've pretty much been covered elsewhere, so instead I'm just going to say how much I loved the world and characters Cora Carmack has created in Roar. I thoroughly recommend delving into Rora's story!

5 Stars in my Sky!

I don't want to rate a book I haven't finished but I will say a few words. This book will probably appeal to many. I mean, I've enjoyed several Cormack reads bit this one just didn't click for me. I didn't love it as much as many but I didn't have as strong feelings as others against it either.

The trouble for me is I can see both sides and in the end I just had to give up as of lost motivation to read. I liked the concept of a princess not having magic and trying to find a way to get it. I liked that she found her own way to get what she needed which didn't depend on her marrying someone with dubious intentions. I liked that part. But I am with the flow who hated on the romance. It was flawed. Maybe way Roar was spoken about was questionable at best and I really couldn't get behind it all but it wouldn't have ruined the book for me. Does that make me a bad person.

I don't know. If you're interested in the world building and magic system you may like it. If you're going to get angered by a questionable and potentially abusive romance really just don't do that to yourself.

Before I start, I would just like to thank Cora Carmack for deciding to try and write YA. It was epic! It was awesome. It was every other superlative you can find, and it was better than any word can describe. It was everything I hoped it would be and more. It was emotional, action-packed and full of twists. It was surprising, heart-breaking and heart-warming. It was simply amazing, and it left me a mess. The book hasn’t even been published yet, and I want to go and hide until the next book comes out. How does life go on after a book like this?

I loved Rora, but Roar was even better!

The main character, Aurora, is awesome! Plain and simple. She was relatable, badass and so much fun to read about. She’s far from perfect, and she knows it. But she’s caring and protective, and just easy to like. Rora is the kind of character readers wish existed, but have accepted that they don’t. The kind of character you just want more of, because they’re so awesome! And what was even better was the journey she goes through throughout the book, not only the physical journey, but the mental one as well. With everything she goes through and learns, and she comes out stronger because of it! I can sit here and list everything that was amazing about this book all day, but what I liked most was the journey she makes and how much she grows.

Can we take a moment to appreciate the swoon-worthy hotness that is Locke?

I already knew that Carmack can write a swoon-worthy hot guy like nothing else, and she does it with this book, too. From the moment he showed up, I loved him. Sure, I got frustrated at him at times, but only because I needed him and Rora to get together so, so badly. So what makes him so swoon-worthy, then? His hotness, for sure, but also his protectiveness, his total badassery (yes, I totally made up that word now), and his occasional sweetness, to mention a few. And just like Rora, he really grows through this book. It was amazing to watch!

The romance was amazing!

Romance in Fantasy books is a very difficult balance, because it’s really important that it is intense and filled with tension, but at the same time doesn’t take over the plot. And it’s rare to find one that has the perfect amount of romance and has it in such an amazing way as this one does. The romance is absolutely electric, and the tension is there from the beginning all the way until the end. But at the same time, it’s sweet and slow-building. It’s the kind of romance that makes a reader’s heart pound, and leaves you swooning and laughing and fanning yourself, but most importantly, begging for more.

I am in love with this world.

Carmack has created such an amazing, interesting and unique world, and the world-building was exquisite. One of the many reasons why I couldn’t put this down was that I needed to know everything about the world. The way Carmack drops small pieces of information at the perfect time is amazing, and also very rare. And the world was so intricately woven that it felt more like that was the real world, and my normal life was the fiction.

The plot was interesting and fast-paced.

There were a lot of things going on at the same time, but not so much that it was overwhelming or hard to keep track of. Instead, it kept it fast-paced and always interesting, and kept me at the edge of my seat, always wondering what’s going to happen next. There are just so many secrets, so many lies to uncover that you just don’t have time to stop reading and live your life. And the ending broke my heart and left me a complete mess.

Roar is everything a reader could possibly wish for, filled to the brim with romance, action and set in an extraordinary world. But be warned; once you start reading, there will be no putting it away and living your life.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Teen for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Roar by Cora Carmack! Aurora (Rora) is a princess among Stormlings, but she doesn't have powers as she should. She's been raised to believe that people that have powers are either royalty or were born with powers. She's betrothed to Cassius Locke and they seem to be a good match because they are equally strong in character, then Rora overhears Cassius telling his family that things are working out just as planned and Rora feels as though she's been deceived. She sneaks out of the palace to follow Cassius and ends up meeting people with storm magic that aren't royalty and weren't born with the magic. Her life completely turns around after that because she's given hope for the first time in her life. There's also a dark presence in the background, the Stormlord who wreaks havoc and causes devastation as he pleases. This complex story involves many sides and characters with agendas and back stories of their own. Dynamic, deep personalities bring intrigue, interest and suspense to the book. I enjoy Rora and Locke and their tumultuous relationship and the growth they share in becoming more aware of each other and how much they help each other. 5 stars for this nicely written fantasy adventure!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

Roar by Cora Carmack (Amazon | B&N | Kobo) is an interesting, unique fantasy story that’s like Twister meets Game of Thrones. The first in a new series, Aurora is part of one of the oldest Stormling families but, hides a disastrous secret. When she decides to take fate in her own hands, her world dissolves into storm chases, mysterious boys and a destiny she can’t escape.

ARC received from the publisher

Carmack, famed for her new adult romances, takes a step into YA fantasy, with decidedly iffy results. Aurora, or Rora as her mother, the Queen of the city-state Pavan calls her, was supposed to inherit Stormling power, the ability to tame and conquer the ferocious storms that plague the continent. But Rora feels no magic course through her when she touches a stormheart stone. Somehow, Rora and her mother have been able to hide Rora's lack of ability (how, the text never really explains) for eighteen years. But now, for some reason again not specified, Rora must marry Cassius, the son of the king of a nearby kingdom, in order to protect her own. Rora's ready to sacrifice herself until she overhears Cassius bragging to his brother that he won't have any trouble controlling his new, innocent wife.

Rora (who is supposed to be very sheltered and protected!) sneaks out of the palace with no trouble at all and follows her suitor into the city, hoping to get some dirt on him so that she can prove him unfit to be king. She discovers him in a secret black market where Storm magics are sold and exchanged. There she falls in with a band of stormchasers, who reveal that even without inborn magic, they, too, can tame storms. To evade marriage to the awful Cassius, Rora, renaming herself Roar, pretends she's been kidnapped but instead runs away to join the stormchasters, hoping to learn for herself how to battle storms.

There's a lot of traveling around, without much of a goal or purpose to it, besides the stormchasers trying to track down storms to siphon or capture. Roar herself wants to learn how to defeat storms, so she can protect her city herself without having to marry Cassius, but she doesn't get very far toward that goal until the novel's abrupt climax. The abilities she gains through this unexpected plot twist seem to suggest that her talent is in fact inborn rather than learned, which makes the claim of the press release that accompanied the ARC I received that Roar is a talentless chosen one, ring pretty false.

Real fantasy fans will not find much to interest them here, with the novel's lack of compelling, or even comprehensible, world-building (How do these storm chasers capture storms? How is what they do different from what Stormlings do? What does magic consist of in this world? How do the different layers of religious belief systems relate to one another? Are there gods in this world, or not? And why does any of this matter?)

The love story is pretty unexciting, too. Roar is one of those deeply annoying YA romance heroines, always arguing with her love interest for no real reason; said love interest, a storm hunter named Locke, tries to keep her at a distance by training her hard, but he still ends up falling for her. It's one of those narratives that continually tells you how great its heroine is, while SHOWING you how dull and tedious she is. She acts like a bratty adolescent, not like a girl brought up as a sheltered royal.

The writing is serviceable, albeit clunky, with lots of unnecessary repetition of words ("He groaned, sinking his hand beneath the tunic she wore, his tunic, until the perfect curve of her bottom filled his hand"—it doesn't take a talented writer to know to change that second "hand" to "palm" or another word, to avoid such deadly repetitions). The language has little of the mythic feel of high fantasy to it; a lot of contemporary idioms and phrases pepper the prose ("It's clear that you know who you are and you own it completely" [Kindle Loc 3743]).

All in all, ROAR doesn't come anywhere close to being as interesting, fantasy-wise, romance-wise, or deeper-meaning-wise, as GRACELING, to which the book's press release compares it. Readers who want to see how to combine these three things in one book would do far better to pick up Cashore's book than to spend their time wading through this one.

P.S. Roar has short brown hair for most of the novel, and doesn't wear dresses, but pants, when she is on the road....

Let me start out by saying that the concept and plot are super compelling, and the worldbuilding in Roar is really well done and interesting. My problems with the book lay elsewhere. When I first read the synopsis, and then later the excerpt, I mentioned that they both reeked horribly of a love triangle. But I prayed and hoped that I would be wrong, because the premise of the book sounded so amazing. We meet Love Interest #1 within the first chapter and then Love Interest #2 enters not that long after, around 60 pages in. And in both cases, they completely fall under the insta-love category. I couldn't contain myself, and had to know how this all played out, so I spoiled myself by reading the other early reviews. I had already glimpsed enough of both Cassius and Locke's characters and personalities to know I wouldn't be a fan of either of them, but skimming a few more chapters and reading those reviews were the nail in the coffin. Both were controlling, obsessive, domineering, overprotective, and honestly a little bit creepy. It is not romantic or cute. Unfortunately, I then became thoroughly uninterested in reading the rest of the book.

YA Fantasy fans rejoice! There is a new heroine in town and she is not a whimp - she is strong, capable, and won't cry in terror!!! All hail Princess Aurora! Seriously though, I honestly didn't know what to expect from Roar. I am so used to reading Cora's romances that I was interested to see how she would handle YA. Well, she did so brilliantly!

I am going to talk about the elephant in the room first - the romance aspect. Yes, it's in there. Is it a huge part of the book? I didn't think so. Some people might find it "cheesy" but I liked the interactions between Aurora and her love interest (I am not naming names to keep this spoiler free). This is YA after all - love is supposed to be sweet with a side of cheese! ;-)

I had trouble keeping track of all the different Stormhearts, characters, etc. in Roar so I made myself a cheat sheet. I felt like if I tried to keep it all straight in my head it would take away my enjoyment of the story. If you find yourself distracted by it while reading, I might suggest you do the same.

Roar was a great first YA fantasy effort by Cora. I would definitely read more!

Roar is a difficult book to rate. While the plot, world, and magic are all compelling, there was too much focus on romance that wasn't well integrated with more complex plot movement.

Up until chapter 8 the book is primarily romance, I had given up on all hope for a decent plot. I was very surprised when, finally, complicated world building began to move into the forefront of the storytelling. Many deep and interesting themes emerged that poke at social structure and problems in the real world. I am very hopeful that these themes will be explored further in future installments as they create a lot of depth in the narrative. The characters are well thought out and vivid, the banter and dialogue (minus mushy romance-talk) were natural and helped to set up a fun dynamic for the storm hunting team.

But then there was the romance, the cringeworthy, nose-wrinkling romance. Once I start a book I do not stop reading it until it is done, I might put it aside for a while but I always return. I really wanted to put this book down during the first few chapters which were filled with unrelenting romantic drama. Ultimately, it was the romantic aspects of the book that killed it for me. The main love interest is obsessive, overly and stiflingly protective. I became tired of the language used to describe Locke's interactions with Roar, always dominating her in some way. I thought, "Ugh gross," way too often when Locke and Roar were together. I'm just not a fan of obsessive romances.

Finally, the ending was incredibly rushed and anticlimactic, it distinctly felt like the book was chopped off. In addition, the finally few chapters are once again heavy on the romance and lacking in more substantial plot movement.

Overall, the awesome world building will bring me back for the next installment, but I'm hoping the cheesy romance is significantly toned down.

There are so many wonderful things I can say about this book, and it’s not because I adore Cora Carmack and I support and love everything she writes but because this book is so freaking good! I’m not one to start a new fantasy book, I usually just read the ones that belong to a series that I’ve already invested time in the past, I love fantasy but it always feels so daunting you know? Like getting to know new characters, new settings and it always seems like there a lot to learn but with Roar I had no hesitations.

One of the things I love about Roar is that you learn about this new world throughout the book which for me is the best way, there nothing more unappealing to me than reading 1 or more chapters with just the “you need to know all of this before you start reading” story. In Roar we learn about this new world through Roar’s life, we learn some things about the past and some about the present, leaving us always with a need to know more and more.

Now, here Cora introduces a really cool concept, one that I think is super original and one that got me thinking maybe I could be a Stormling too! So, we have people who can control/fight storms, all kinds of storms and to fight each one you need a special set of skills and equipment so we get introduced to a bunch of people that make it their life to fight these storms and contain their power.

The book if full of adventures and mysteries, there is so much I want to say but won’t because I think you should enter into this world with no spoilers so you can let yourself go by the amazing writing.

If you like a bit of romance with your fantasy, don’t worry in Roar we have plenty of that, some of the scene will give you butterflies in your stomach! Swoon swoon swoon!

So, to sum up, READ ROAR! You will not regret it, is an amazing first book in a series, one that is guaranteed to bring you back for the rest of the books, you also have, adventures, mystery, romance and cool magic!

“All she knew was that she had let fear rule her for far too long, and now it was time she took the reigns.”

Roar was so much more than I had ever expected reading the summary. This book was absolutely impossible to put down once you started, and then once you got to the end, only made you want more. I have been telling every single person I know, that reads YA fantasy, that this book is not to be missed. Roar gives you a unique and compelling world, so much action and adventure, as well as page gripping romance that will have your heart racing! Plus just look at this cover…swoon.

Have you ever thought about what might drive a storm, maybe there is something magical inside, and if you can capture that magic, you can ultimately wield it? Well that is the core of the world in the Stormheart series. The storms are dangerous and if you cannot contain them, resist them, or take their hearts, they might just destroy you and everything you know. The world building was so unique and mesmerizing. Even Aurora herself doesn’t fully understand what is going on in the world she lives in. She just knows that her powerful queen mother, hid her away to protect her since she is the only heir to Pavan, who happens to be ungifted.

Aurora is as weak as she is strong. She makes typical headstrong decisions without thinking through the consequences, but mostly she just wants to be a better person, to better her world. She wants to be an active participant, and many girls can get behind that message. All her life she has been a coddled and sheltered princess and she needs to take control of her own life. Aurora desperately wants understand the world she lives in.

Rora has been arranged to marry the scorching hot, bad boy, stormling Prince Cassius Locke, who burned up the pages he was on, but was definitely shady. I have seriously conflicted feelings as a reader about Cassius. I was thrown into loving this dark, intense character to be told shortly after that he is tricky, controlling, and maybe a bit crazy. Since Aurora couldn’t find trust in him after their first meeting she follows him into the underground market, where she discovers that storm magic is being sold and gathered by the ungifted. Her fear of what she discovers about Cassius and her life, leads her right into the arms of an ungifted storm chaser called Locke. Aurora ultimately decides that she might find the answers she needs to help protect her realm without being forced to wed the untrustworthy Cassius. She decides to embark on a storm gathering hunt with this rag-tag band of storm chasers. So she joins the crew the next day and keeps her identity a secret to her new group, and changes her nickname from Rora to Roar.

Locke is one of the more experienced storm hunters and he and Roar have pretty instant chemistry. Locke tries to keep his distance and fails. He is tasked with training her and protecting her, but he finds himself falling in love with her instead. The romance is page turning and scorching hot. At times I wanted to slap both Locke and Roar because they were being too juvenile and out of character, but ultimately I enjoyed their journey to finding themselves. The other storm chasers are hilarious, warm, and necessary to keep the story moving. I could talk about them all for paragraphs, but just know that out of them all, Jinx is my new favorite character and I expect a lot more from her in book 2! 😉

If you love a well crafted, creative, romantic fantasy, I highly recommend Roar! It was seriously unputdownable! Oh skies, this book was exactly what I needed to break my slump. Hope you give it a chance and love it as much as me!

If you liked Kiersten White’s And I Darken or Mary Pearson’s The Remnant Chronicles Trilogy, you will enjoy Cora Carmack’s ROAR. Similarities include a world of kingdoms and its land, rulership, and magic. The story will pull you into the world of young rulers coming to age and maturity, and a love interest that will keep your romantic heart swooning for more.

Aurora is betrothed to a storm wielding prince whose possible purpose is to take over her kingdom. Unfortunately, her magic is nowhere to be found, and she is powerless to refuse the marriage. Much less to protect her land from deadly storms. Realization and desperation forced Aurora to run away in hopes to find another way to gain control over her life and maybe, save her kingdom.

There are many things I enjoyed about this book. I respect Aurora’s determination to find who she is and will power to be more. I thought her decision to leave was the best for her and her people. Locke, her love interest was your typical dark and brooding hero who refuses the heroine in the beginning but his true feelings were obvious. He was also very alpha. I loved the secondary characters and their revealed background intrigued me. My favorites are Nova, Sly, and Ransom. Their personalities and background were fascinating, but I didn’t get enough of them. I’m hoping to get more of the crew in the next installment.

I think Carmack did a good job with the world building. I was intrigued by the dangerous storms that connect to magic, souls, and the people that can control or wielded it. The legends of the land and its people were also very interesting. Unfortunately, there was also some turn offs. Like I mentioned, the storyline and parts were similar to other books I’ve read. Because of that, it was easy for me to predict what was going to happen. Don’t get me wrong; I still enjoyed this book, I just didn’t enjoy certain parts. I do hope that it will get better with each installment. From what I hear, Carmack is a solid author to follow.

Roar is a great new fantasy from Cora Carmack. Combining two of my favorite things, elemental magic and a knife wielding lead who can stand her own.

In many ways I loved Aurora aka Rora aka Roar. She is fierce. Even though she seems to be lacking in typical Stormling magic, she doesn’t let herself become crippled by it. She has learned how to fight and become an expert in knives. The things I struggled with her though was the childish way she handles Cassius and her kingdom. She should have confronted Cassius instead of running off and not even thinking twice about the possible peril she left her kingdom in. How often did she think of Nova and worry about her? It also bothered me that she seemed to fall for the first cute guys that look her way. It was just a weird pet peeve for me about her. I do really like her though and I think she is going to be amazing in the next book. I can’t wait to see what she can do, she definitely grows as she journeys to find her own answers. The thing about her is that even when she is at her lowest, she’s not helpless.

I love Nova! It’s hard to go on much about her without giving things away. She is definitely someone that I hope to see play an even stronger role as the story continues.

Cassius really intrigues me. We get to see his point of view at times and so you know what he’s actually thinking. There is so much more to him than what his family is and I think that brought about some of my frustration with Aurora.

I also love Locke. He is very good hearted and kind. He has seen tragedy and has a need to protect people. He immediately takes to Roar thinking she is someone in distress. Again there are things about his relationship that bother me. The way that he gives her trust and he doesn’t receive it back would be one of them. Although the way he treats her and the way he cares for her is amazing.

Jinx is another great character and strong female. I’m was always happy to hear her banter along with the rest of the Storm crew.

I love the magic system!! I find the different types of storms and the way they act fascinating. It’s not too much information. We get to learn right along with Roar which makes things less confusing. There is so much to it and it’s pretty cool. There is also a little bit a religion that goes with it as well that was interesting. There is some great world building as well, as they travel around the land.

The perspectives change from character to character. As new characters come in they also get added to the mix. For the most part i was okay with this. At times though it would take me a second to readjust my brain to whose perspective we are in. Especially when a new character is added much later in the story.

I was really excited for Roar and I’m so glad it lived up to my expectations. I can’t wait for the next book.

I absolutely fell in love with this book! Which isn't a huge surprise since stories about magic and witches have always had a special place in my heart. It didn't take long for me to get into the story and the main conflict of this series, I was on Rora's side immediately and I can't wait to see what she does next. I thought she was such an incredible protagonist. She is so brave and kind and I love that she is these things without really being a cliche YA heroine because she is afraid and timid at times but she is brave because she does what is necessary anyway and I just love her. Also, Locke is wonderful and I just want the two of them to be happy together forever. He is so protective of Rora immediately, which I will admit is a little too much like insta-love but as their relationship develops over time I found myself falling more and more in love with them. I got to the end of the book and I just was so frustrated because I want to know what is going to happen next and there is just no information on the rest of the series or when it will be available yet. I knew it was coming because I could see that I was on the last few chapters and there was still too much left to resolve but I will definitely be eagerly awaiting the rest of these books. I might have to look into more books by Cora Carmack because this quickly became one of my favorite books of the year.

I really enjoy Cora Carmack's books and love Fantasy reads. So when I heard she was writing one, I had to read this one. However, I did keep myself for getting too excited and setting my expectations high. I've learned from past experiences that high expectations have often lead to extreme letdowns so I didn't want to go through any of that again.

Thankfully, with Roar that was not the case at all. One of the main reasons I love fantasy reads is due to the world building. This is what sets this genre apart from all the others. If I can't picture the world the author is trying to build their story around, I can't connect to anything else in the book, not even the characters. Cora does a magnificent job of creating this world in her own unique way. I have how everything is intricately planned out with the storm elements.

Roar/Aurora is the next in line for the throne. But she's not quite ready to take on her crown. Roar finds herself running off with storm chasers and learning a lot about herself and falling in love. The romance in this book was the only portion I had a hard time stomaching. I found myself at times rolling my eyes, but overall, it did not take away from the story or the characters. There are quite a few characters in this book but they all play an important role to Roar. While it's hard to find any connections to them because we don't get to know any of them well, I didn't find myself caring too much about that. There were some I like more than others, but they all play a part that is needed.

Overall, I absolutely enjoyed this book. The world building is fascinating - how special people are able to destroy various storms. The storms themselves were quite interesting as they had emotions and acted out on those. Really quite entertaining and different. And that characters just added to everything. I won't give you details of the story, the love interests and how her journey plays out. I won't take that excitement away from you as you read. Knowing what to expect just kills the overall vibe, at least to me it does.

Roar is a book you definitely want to read, especially if you are fan of fantasy reads. If you've enjoyed any of Cora's pervious books, I have no doubt you will really like this one, regardless if you read fantasy or not.

The world Ms. Carmack has built is so different than anything I’ve read that it grabbed me and held on tight from beginning to end. It’s unique and captivating. Add to that some adventure, romance, and an interesting cast of characters and you’ve got a wonderful beginning to what I know will be a great series.

Aurora (or Roar) is not your typical princess. In a world where storms threaten everyone’s way of life, those with the power to tame them are revered. Roar, however, has no special powers and, because of this, her future has been decided for her. But she is stronger than anyone gives her credit for and sets out with with a group of storm chasers in an attempt to change her life. I loved how fierce she was, even when she was scared an unsure. She has all the makings of a true hero and I can’t wait to see her develop further as the story continues. Of course, I loved Locke as well. He’s been through a lot in his life and carries a lot of baggage. His initial unwillingness to give in to his feelings for Roar turned their instant feelings into a slower burning romance than I anticipated. I enjoyed their banter and their chemistry. However, I must mention that there is another guy, Cassius, who peeked my interest. Those of you who’ve read the Shatter Me books will understand what I mean when I compare him to Warner. I disliked Warner in the beginning and yet he intrigued me…he was my guilty pleasure in the middle of the series…and I absolutely loved him at the end. I get the same vibe from our friend Cassius and I can’t wait to see if he captures my heart as the series progresses.

Ultimately, this was a really good read with great characters. There is a lot of world building so those of you who want to quickly jump into the action or romance will have to be patient. But, trust me, you’ll get there soon enough…and then you’ll be waiting with excitement, like I am, for the next installment!! Enjoy!!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Review and Blog Tour can be found on *Milky Way of Books*

I have known Cora Carmack by her NA series. So imagine my surprise when I found out that she was going to publish a fantasy series!

Roar takes place in a brutal world, ruled by storms which seem to be alive and wreck havoc everywhere they move. The come in kinds too!

Aurora is the daughter of the most powerful royal family but she has no magic power to control storms. Oh and her mother has arranged for her to marry into another powerful family. Her husband to be may be a little mad too.

The plot and the world-building are very well written. I loved all the characters mentioned, especially Locke. He is a hell of a storm hunter! As also the band which Aurora joins, disguised. The dynamics, the world even the emotions of the characters, all were freshly written and full of many feels! Though both Locke(s), the husband and the storm hunter, who I hope to have no relation later in the books, seemed to have a streak of alpha male in them, it was Locke the storm hunter who didn't go, stifling Aurora and her need to learn more about the storms.

The ending and the reveal of the main villain were kind of a cliffhanger and it left me wanting more! I am officially very hooked in this series!

Roar by Cora Carmack is amazing. I’ve been a fan of Carmack’s for awhile and she writes some of my favorite new adult books. Roar is Carmack’s first young adult novel and she definitely launched with a bang!

Aurora is the princess of Caelira. She only wishes she was capable of the power her mom has. Instead of protecting her Kingdom, Aurora has to hide during the storm attacks so no one will know that she does not have the power that a princess of Caelira should have. Now Aurora’s mother is trying to marry her off to Cassius, a prince from another land. Cassius has his own devious plans. When Aurora begins to catch on and she follows him to a place no prince or princess should go…her life changes. That is where Roar’s adventure begins.

Carmack’s plot is grand. She writes it oh so well. The reader doesn’t get the whole plot at once which is something that I really like. We get a slow reveal as the story continues on so the reader gets to feel some suspense and anticipation. This story and the characters grip your attention and draws you into this beautiful world. Oh Course, Carmack leaves you wanting more!

One thing I absolutely love about this story is the uniqueness. Storms have personalities and hearts. People fight these storms because they are deadly. I really liked the Elemental power and the magic that is in this story.

The storm hunters are amazing. I love this ban of misfits. They care about each other even when it is hard to show it. It truly is something to have a group of people that have your back. Even if they are tough on each other, they still take the time to teach.

The writing is amazing. The characters are written extremely well. I feel like you can’t ask for a better book. So far there are no love triangles but there is at least two swoon worthy men. Aurora/Roar is one of the best female characters ever. I am really looking forward to book two.

You Don’t Want to Miss Roar by Cora Carmack!!!

***Warning: This review contains some spoilers. ***

Wow, ROAR is the high fantasy young adult book that I did not know I had been yearning for. Everything from the elaborately described world and clothing all the way to the unique Stormling magic had me hooked. And OHMYGOD, do not get me started on the well-developed and fantastically written characters. With every page scorched with complex characters and enthralling scenes, I highly recommend that you pick up ROAR and prepare yourself for an action-packed journey that follows a heroine worthy of all the praise.

In regards to Roar, our main character, she is not set up as the literary snowflake: a character that is special and is destined to save the world. Honestly, she is a princess that knows she is supposed to hold an innate, ancestral power. She knows that she is supposed to have the gift of a Stormling, allowing her the ability to protect her kingdom from the wreck of storms, but for some reason her powers have remained dormant. Roar is often depicted as innocent and inexperienced, but she is also feisty and headstrong. I really liked that she initiates and holds strong to the idea that she must work hard and go beyond the palace walls to understand her powers (or lack of). Instead of waiting for her powers to come to her, she goes out to find them. YES *air fist pump*!!!

In reference to the romance aspect of ROAR, I was deeply in swoons and sighs. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Roar and Locke, a character who has the gift of Stormling magic but was not born with it. Locke gives Roar hope that she can awaken her innate power, but more importantly I like that he challenges her mentally, physically, emotionally, and magically. One of my favorite parts of watching their friendship grow is that they are both stubborn characters, so of course, I fell in love with their banter and arguments. And as this fantastical story unfolds, their friendship also starts to twist into something new.

At the beginning of ROAR, I thought there was a love triangle brewing, but thankfully that theory is washed away. But I still wasn’t 100% on board for a feisty friendship to twist into a romantic relationship. Do not get me wrong, I love stories that encompass romance and hot, swoony scenes, but once these two characters, Roar and Locke, become something more than friends, their chemistry became irritatingly fluffy. Locke’s ability to challenge Roar slowly fades and I honestly was not a fan that once the kissing scenes start, he begins to coddle and become overly protective of Roar. UGH, no! Yes, she is often portrayed as vulnerable, but come on Locke, Roar is not defenseless; she is bold and fierce–there is lightning in her heart and she is ready to strike.

Not only are the main characters well-developed, but the side characters are also unforgettable. Roar is surrounded by all walks of life. And on her journey of discovery, she is given the chance to befriend a group of unique and crazy bandits: a witch, a trickster, and a stealthy spy, to name a few.. These individuals challenge Roar and give her an outlet to explore the world outside the palace walls with a new lens.

Another raving part that I liked about ROAR is the ending. Usually fantasy books end in a gut-wrenching cliffhanger; instead, ROAR ends with hope and a swift glance at an upcoming battle. AHHH!!! So if you are ready for one of the most well-thought out series littered with secrets waiting to be uncovered, a book with the strongest storms to battle along with many twists and turns, I highly recommend ROAR as your next read. Prepare yourself for an addicting read of perilous magic, steamy kissing scenes, and a group of outlaws worth cheering for.