Storm an dFury by Jennifer L. Armentrout
rating 2.5 stars

I want to start off by saying that I really wanted to like this book, but I admittedly struggled to enjoy it. When I began reading it I had difficulty getting into the book and the world in which it took place in. I liked the idea of shape-shifting gargoyles and a girl who can communicate with the dead. And yet I still struggled to get into the novel. As the story progressed I found that I liked Trinity. I found her to be a strong character with a decent head on her shoulders, of course she made some mistakes but what teenager doesn’t. I found the romance in the novel to be adequate and cute but to me it lacked substance. In all honesty the romance seemed to be a bit cookie cutter style, but I think most people will enjoy watching the relationship blossom as the book moves forward.
Since Storm and Fury is the first book in a series I will wait to make any final judgements on the subject. To me it seemed that this first book lacked a certain something that could of made it great, but I just can’t put my finger on what it was that made it lacking. This novel had just about everything I love in a good fantasy novel. Perhaps it is the time period in which it is set in. I personally enjoy novels that take place in the medieval era.
The other issue I want to address is the length of this novel. I love long books, if they are done right. When you have book that contains good descriptions, gives background on the characters, and has a deep set plot, books are bound to get long. All books have an area where they drag a bit, but this book felt like it was dragging every 100 pages or so. I guess this could have been a way to build tension but to me it just made the book go on for forever and ever.
Like I said earlier, I will hold off on all final judgements until the other books in the series come out.

Trinity Marrow has many secrets, the least of which is the fact that she can see and talk to ghosts. Since she was a child, she has been hiding in a compound guarded by Wardens who protect humans from demon attacks. Humans have recently learned about these gargoyle shape-shifters, but they don’t truly understand the dangers the world holds over them. After a group of Wardens from D.C. arrives asking for help, Trinity learns that there have been more demon attacks than she thought. Will Trinity’s secret come to light with these increased attacks? Who should she trust in this world gone wild?

Storm and Fury is the first book in The Harbinger series. This is the type of book that I normally love, but for some reason, there was just something missing. It had a full and creative backstory, a supernatural element, lots of action and a little bit of romance … yet I couldn’t fall into the story. It isn’t an extremely long book, yet it seemed to drag in sections which made it seem about 200 pages longer than it was. Since Armentrout had to do some character development, I will definitely be looking for the next book to see if the storyline moves a little more smoothly. I still recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a good supernatural read.

Okay first and foremost this was my first JLA book and boy I should have really began reading her books a long time ago.

Trinity is half human and half something that we don't know right away but something that must remain secret at all costs. She has been kept safe for many years by Wardens at one of their compounds but another clan has come to warn them of demons and Wardens being killed by someone unknown. Zayne is one of the Wardens and while Trinity has a very unusual reaction to him she is also very annoyed by him. Soon the compound has been breached and Trinity's secret is no longer safe. They must work together to figure out what is happening and how they can bring it to an end.

This book was just fantastic!!! I loved the multi layers of the story line and how it built right to the end. And what an ending!!! We know it's really just getting started and I for one cannot wait for book 2.

**Received an ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for providing me with an advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Jennifer L Armentrouts writing, and couldn't wait to delve into this fantasy.

This book did everything except let me down. The world and characters were extremely intricate and well developed. The plot was engaging and enthralling. I couldn't get enough and I really hope she writes another novel with these characters and this world.

This book reminded me of shadow hunters initially but quickly it became so unique and its own thing that I forgot what I could even compare it to. I read this book in two sittings and already feel the withdrawal of not having book two to instantly jump right into.

This book was good, but didn't wow me or blow me away. But, I did just find out that this book is connected to another series she wrote, so maybe I should have read those first? Maybe I just wasn't in the mood? I'm not sure what was wrong, but it was a bit off for me. I never really connected with the main character, I mostly found her annoying, and couldn't really enjoy her.

The world she built was really cool and interesting, but I couldn't make a connection with the characters.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I read and reviewed this title voluntarily.

Okay, I will start off my saying that the original trilogy has a special place in my heart. It was the very first series that I ever read by Jennifer and it made me fall in love with her writing and characters. She's now one of my favorite authors. Not only was it the first titles I ever read by her but White Hot Kiss was the first book I ever reviewed on my blog. It made me want to start a blog to talk about this epic series and Roth.

So now that you know how much The Dark Elements mean to me, you'll know why I think this isn't as good but that in no way means it's bad. I enjoyed this novel! It was a little hard to get into but once it started, I just couldn't put it down! I love Trinity! She's badass, smart and not scared to jump into a fight. She's so strong and confident. She's also vulnerable because of her eyesight. I love how she doesn't let her condition get to her or stop her from living life. As someone who suffers with chronic pain, it's really nice to see someone still living a full life.

Zayne... I mean he's Zayne. I loved him in the first series and I still love him now, just not as much as Roth. He's still as awesome and protective as ever. I think he and Trinity work well together. I also love how this one isn't a love triangle but a forbidden romance so you can get a little bit of both awesome tropes from this series.

The writing is as awesome as ever. I mean, it's JLA, come on. You know it's good. The story moves at a good pace once it gets going. That's my only compliant, the beginning is so slow. It took me a while to get into the story. But once you make it through that first little bit, it's full of JLA goodness. I'm happy to be back in this world... even if we aren't following Roth and Layla. At least we do get to see them in here and that just made my little black heart so happy.

You also don't have to read the original series to read this one but I do fully suggest you do because otherwise, you're missing out on something fan-freaking-tastic! Overall, another really good JLA book.

Will go live on my blog: 5/15/2019

I loved being back in the world of the wardens! I was a fan of the original trilogy and grew to love Layla, Zayne, Roth (Bambi and Cayman too!). I shipped Layla and Roth HARD. But Zayne was such a good guy and I was so thrilled to hear we’d get more from him and maybe he’d find his match along the way too. Trinity was a welcome addition to the bunch. While I absolutely LOVED seeing Roth and Layla again, I was actually glad we started out in a new place getting to know Trinity before they made an appearance. I also thought it was great to see Zayne out of his typical element. It truly helped this story feel like something very new but also just enough comfortable familiarity that it didn’t lose any stride from the original books. It works out great for new readers that haven’t read the previous books first as well, of course I recommend doing so because they were great, but it wasn’t necessary to enjoy this story.

I really enjoyed all the new friends/frienemies/full blown enemies in this one. Armentrout always writes compelling characters and I can’t help but love them all, even the ones I want to kick in the shin repeatedly. Trinity and her makeshift family at the compound were awesome, and let’s not forget to mention Peanut! Even the dead are a barrel of laughs! Zayne feels even more real to me in a way now. Like him going through everything he has in the previous books has aged/hardened him in a way I find compelling.

I also want to say I found learning about Trinity’s Retinitis Pigmentosa very interesting. I really didn’t know much about this disorder except for the few things the author has shared publicly about it since this is a disorder she herself has. I really admired the way Trinity handled it and the way she worked harder than most to not have it negatively impact her life anymore than it absolutely must already. I think there was a heartbreaking, but also kind of beautiful, balance in the deterioration of her eyesight and the incredible amount of insight that she had, maybe because of it. I’m glad Armentrout shared this with her readers. I think it added something extra special to the story. I very much enjoyed reading this one and I can’t wait to see what happens next after that crazy/awesome/devastating ending!

3.5 Stars...

Thank you Harlequin TEEN and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this free e-arc for an honest review.

I’ve read a few books by Jennifer L. Armentrout and really enjoy them but I did not read the The Dark Elements series. Maybe I should have because Storm and Fury is a spin-off from that series.

With that said, I struggled a little with this one.

Trinity Marrow is special. She is half human, half something else, and that “something” is very powerful. Trinity lives in a regional seat of the Wardens somewhere bordering West Virginia and Maryland. Wardens are human looking but when they need to fight and protect, they shift into their true forms: gargoyles. I thought that was really cool and different. They protect the world against demons and all things evil.

I really liked getting to know Trinity because she’s quirky, tough, spunky and skilled in combat. She can also see spirits and ghosts. Peanut, is a ghost that lingers around her and he is pretty funny. Trinity is also very impulsive and wants to help kick demon butt, but the Wardens need to keep her safe. Thing is she’s always getting into trouble or trouble seems to find her.

Zayne is a Warden with a past, apparently all of which can be read in The Dark Elements series! 🤦🏻‍♀️ He’s a gorgeous, strong Warden and he and Trinity have sparks right away. It’s all good until it kept getting a bit repetitive. At first I enjoyed their dialogue, but I felt like it could have moved along quicker.

Once Trinity and Zayne leave West Virginia is when the action and romance really picks up. This happens all in the second half of the book which is my favorite part. The sparks really ignite between them but also it’s all very complicated because of Zayne’s past. And then the ending was a surprising twist that left me sad. Also it reveals some things about Zayne and Trinity that didn’t leave me feeling satisfied about the outcome (trying not to mention any spoilers here).

For me, the second half was the best part of the book and a lot of the first half could’ve been trimmed. Also, I thought the 80’s pop cultural references were funny but because that’s my childhood and I got it. It’s why I adored Peanut. ☺️ I think fans of the Dark Elements series will love this one but it was just an okay read for me.

Gargoyles! Yes! I loved it! Keep your werewolves and vampires; gargoyles are back!
I haven’t read any of Jennifer Armentrouts books in a few years, but it looks like she’s just as good a writer as ever.
I like how there are unexplained plot points that are explained over time, at just the right time. Also, her unusual treatment of “ghosts” and “spirits” is fun. Even though they weren’t main characters , they were very well developed. Hopefully they’ll show up in the next book as well.
I appreciate that different generations are represented, and they work together, as they should.

This is another book I should probably give more of a chance, but am not feeling right now. I started reading it and just couldn't get into the story. I felt like the way the book opened related more to political issues and trends than to the plot and was just in there to promote an idea (which, it was a good message, but I just thought it was a weird way to start off a novel). I might end up reading the rest later, but as of right now, I'm just not enjoying the characters and it feels too trope-y slash similar to a bunch of other books I've read.

I loved this book! This is the only book that I have read from Armentrout and have found that I love reading her story and would love to read more books from her.

Trinity is a girl living with Wardens (shapeshifter gargoyles that transform to defeat demons to protect humans) in a town walled up to avoid demons getting in. Trinity has gone blind, but she is able to see ghosts and spirits who she can communicate with. She also has a secret that only certain wardens know who she truly is. The wardens protect her because she is the only one left of her kind, but little does she know everyone is trying to find her and kill her. Her best friend/protector (Misha) has been captured and now she is faced risking her life trying to find him and bring him back home.

There were parts of this book that reminded me of the book twilight. Vampires getting along with Bella, a smell to her the vampires can't resist. Trinity getting along with certain demons and wardens in hopes to find her best friend. These demons can smell who she is and fear her, Trinity who can sense the presence of demons and want to kill them.

I also liked that this book was written in current living times. It was fun to read about trinity in her room binge watching Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

I loved this book! It was so good! Maybe because I just finished my Readathon of the Dark Elements series so I went into this book already filled with the world. It was awesome seeing the other characters again but Trinity is my girl! Unpopular opinion; I liked her WAY more than Layla. To me she was just more. I loved that Zayne got his own story in a way instead of sharing it with Layla and Roth. UGH! I just loved this book and am anxiously waiting for the second one to come out...in possibly a year...

Trinity Marrow is going blind, but she can communicate with spirits and ghosts. This gift is part of a dangerous secret that no one can know about - if demons find her, they will tear her apart to make themselves stronger. So when Trinity finds out that there's something out there killing both demons and Wardens - the gargoyle shape-shifters keeping her safe - her whole world begins to fall apart.

Let me preface this by saying that I have not read Armentrout's other books. That said, I understood the world very easily. Some things took a bit more explanation than others but I generally got the gist of it very early in the story, which is good! I thought it was a very interesting world: I generally like stories involving demons and people trying to protect the world against them. The idea of gargoyle shape-shifters was also super unique!

That said, this book didn't work well for me for a number of reasons. For example, I never connected with Trinity: I found her childish and whiny. The love interest is also a mysterious, hot (kinda jerk-ish) male that I've read way too many times to swoon over now. I think the world is a really cool concept, but I didn't like the execution of the plot or characters.

Storm and Fury, or judging by how this book destroyed me, Storm and all the FEELS.

Listen, I was anticipating this book like one awaits the rain after a hot and dry Summer. And I am not talking about being excited since Armentrout dropped the news. I am talking about the fact that, a part of me, hidden in the depths of my heart, has been waiting for Zayne’s story since I put down Every Last Breath (book 3 in The Dark Elements series). I’m not going to lie, I am that person that falls for the good guy. And in The Dark Elements series, Zayne is exactly that. And my heart felt for him throughout the whole series. So I was elated when I learnt that Zayne - honorable and knightly Zayne - was getting his spin off.

Little did I know, I’d get to know a new side of Zayne. And damn, little did I freaking know, I’d absolutely adore that.

Like every Armentrout, Storm and Fury is filled with action, emotion, the best banter and thrilling twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my sit. This book has all the heart, the most vicious kick and the best sass. I tell you, Armentrout doesn’t seem to know how not to write a unputdownable book.

Going back to the universe of Wardens and Demons was like welcoming the first day of Spring, and no, I am not being extra dramatic. It did feel like that, OKAY?

Storm and Fury is Trinity and Zayne’s story. I must admit, it did start slightly slower than what I am used to for an Armentrout, but oh gosh, as soon as action kicked in, I was up to speed and ready to forget about my responsibilities so I could just keep reading. I was 100% invested in the story and particularly: in the two main characters.

It’s clear since the beginning that there is a special connection between Trinity and Zayne. Something they don’t quite understand themselves and that promises to be a huge revelation at some point in their journey together. The dynamic between these two was one of my favourite things of Storm and Fury. As I said, the Zayne we get to know in The Dark Elements is still there, but there’s definitely more to him. Beneath all that stoney and righteous exterior, there’s sass, humour and snark. And the one responsible for bringing that out is Trinity. The banter was unbelievably entertaining! They had this “I don’t like you but I really really like you” thing going on that I absolutely lived for. However, despite their seemingly instant connection, both Zayne and Trinity open to each other very slowly, they don’t instantly have each other’s blind trust. Zayne comes with a huge and heavy suitcase of baggage (holy baby gargoyles did my heart hurt when that came into play) and Trinity’s character has more than one secret and hardship to beat. As a matter of fact, Trinity’s character eye disability was one of the things that made me truly admire her character. The way she overcomes and accepts her limitations are admirable and shows a strength beyond her paranormal abilities. The fact that Armentrout herself shares this with her character makes it all the most special.

Phew. I don’t even know what else I can say besides the fact that I absolutely loved this book! I swooned, HARD, and it was everything I expected. I honestly don’t know how I’m going to be able to wait until book #2 is published… SPECIALLY AFTER HOW THINGS ARE LEFT BETWEEN ZAYNE AND TRINITY.

And specially knowing that book #2 will be filled with one of my FAVOURITE TROPES.

AND I AM HERE FOR IT.

I received a copy through NetGalley for an honest review.

I'm giving this one a 4.5 stars. It's close, so close to being a 5 for me.
For over 500 pages this one went quick, pretty much a one day read! This was fast paced easy to read, enjoyable fantasy! With a plot and ending and twists and turns I did not see coming.

The secret is out on the world and everyone now knows that Demons are real, and The Wardens a sort of shape shifting humanoid Gargoyle are humanities protectors helping to maintain the balance between the two. Getting their directive for maintaining order from Alphas or Angels .
Trinity through her unusual abilities- is 18 and has been under the care and protection of The Warden's for a decade, she's practically a state secret, the truth about what she is and the full extent of her abilities known to only a select few.
She's snarky and witty, can kick ass with the best of The Warden's soldiers, training most of her life to be able to defend and protect herself for the time when her father finally calls upon her. With her best friend and bonded protector Misha. And ghost side kick/ attachment Peanut.

Something is out there killing both Demons and Warden's and its closing in or Trinity's home compound. And if she were ever found out, her true nature revealed, both Demons and Wardens would become a danger to her, Demons would stop at nothing to claim her life and have a taste of that which they could only dream of.

If you like urban feel fantasies, angles, demons, hot love interests with magnetic charisma, girls that can kick ass, ever watched the cartoon series Gargoyles (and had a crush on one) haha, this one may be for you!

I loved this book! Even when I wasn't able to read the book, I was still thinking about it.

Trinity is special. Even though she's slowly going blind, she could kick your butt. She's so special, she has a protector bonded with her, Misha, whose job is to make sure she's safe.

But being special has its drawbacks.

She doesn't know what it's like to live a normal life. Even though she's eighteen, she's stuck inside this compound with Wardens... which are gargoyle-like creatures. Everybody thinks she's human, but humans and wardens don't fraternize. Part of her longs for that sort of companionship.

Then she meets Zayne. Her protector says that he's bad news though. Is he?

I had a hard time putting down this book. Even when I had to set the book aside and get my work done, I couldn't stop thinking about it. The writing and characters drew me in. I wanted to know what happened next.

Trinity has an eye condition that will eventually lead to blindness. I thought this was an interesting touch. After I finished the book, I read the acknowledgements and learned that the author suffers from the same condition. I thought that it was an interesting touch and made her more interesting.

Although this book is in an established universe, I've never read any of Ms. Armentrout's books before. I definitely plan on reading more of her books in the future. I will also be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series, because I really want to find out what happens next in this series.

DNF'd at 12%.

I know that's a low amount of reading, but I can already tell that this book isn't for me, and it's not likely to improve. <i>Storm and Fury</i> reads like it's a book out of time, stepping proudly from the YA trends of 2010-2012 and somehow failing to realize the year is 2019 and it's sticking out like a disappointing, plain black suit at the Met Gala.

Between the gargoyles who are somehow supermodel hot (but not as mind-crushingly hot as the romantic gargoyle love interest, of course); the boringly modern/urban fantasy setting that is so hard for me to enjoy; the Super Special Main Character With a Secret whose failing vision is only a hindrance to her when it's convenient for the plot; and the terrible, immature writing voice, I just can't do it. It's not so much that it made me cringe as I was stuck in a permanent wince the more I kept reading:

"Holy crap on a cracker the size of Texas, we had visitors, and I was completely unaware that we were going to have visitors."

And then there's the ever eloquent:

"'Holy crapsicles,' I whispered, taking another step back.
It was him.
The utterly beautiful blond Warden.
Zayne."

Does Armentrout really think teenagers talk like this? That this is the hip new lingo around the block? Yeah, I can't. I love myself too much, and there are so many other books--hopefully much more enthralling than this--that I want to get to. I'm really in no mood to read further attempts at banter from our two leads much less have to endure Trinity's crap voice and her crap eyes and her craptastic life and however many other ways she can overuse a single word.

This is a spin off from another series which I hadn't read. However, not only do I feel I'm not missing anything, I'm actually excited that I have a new series to read. (Or an old series new to me)

Ghosts, gargoyles, demons, romance, mystery..all in one well written adventure. What more could you ask for?

I got sucked into this world and I couldn't read it fast enough to know what happened next! Totally looking forward to the next one in this series.

I received this from net gallery in advance and I want to say thank you. However, that didn't effect my review.

I loved the original series and it was good to be back in this world again. This spin off follows Zayne and a new female protagonist, Trinity.

Trinity, is spechul. Like actually pretty spechul. She's a snowflake but really just makes fun of her position more than anything else, so it's bearable. She takes it in with stride, wit,and a heavy dose of sarcasm.

Trinity has been living in a warden compound her whole life, with her protector Zayne. She is obviously lonely and doesn't really fit in apart from her 3 good friends. Everything changes when representatives from the DC clan comes-a-looking for some new recruits.
Zayne and Trinity are pulled together before, and even more-after, tragedy strikes her compound. She must leave her tiny hole and take on herself. All while fighting her growing feelings for a certain Warden and facing truths about herself and those around her.

Storm and Fury was slow to pick up, but really got going once Trinity left her compound. It's one thing after another that comes at her, and she handles it, all with her failing eye sight. Like the author, JLA, Trinity suffers from Retinal Pigementosa, where she is losing her eye sight slowly. That doesn't stop her from being a BA though.

To be fair, I didn't like Zayne as much as I like Roth. Which is fine because old, beloved characters are brought back in on the fun in this spin-off. Thank goodness. What we do without Roth's smart-a** comments? On the other hand, JLA makes sure to portray some of Layla's faults, which kind of helps us sympathize what Trinity is going through and focus on her story.

Trinity is a hard hitter. She's very upfront with what she wants and how she feels about things. I really liked that about her. It was refreshing and she didn't do any of the nonsense many urban fantasy protagonists do (leaving for someones own good, hiding pertinent info till it's too late, etc.)

Overall, a solid 1st book in the spin-off. Storm and Fury does not disappoint.

ALSO THAT COVER IS GORGEOUS

I've enjoyed everything from Jennifer L Armentrout since the day I found my first book by her. Storm & Fury was definitely not a disappointment. I LOVED IT! I can't wait until I can add it to my library.