This is a paranormal romance book that is sooooooo good! It’s a unique story filled with gargoyles, demons, adventure and BANTER! I don’t know if you’ve noticed this trend but, I love books with great banter and Armentrout is so good at this. This is a spin off of her series, The Dark Elements, but I didn’t read that one and I wasn’t lost at all in this book. In this story, we meet Trinity who is a human living among Wardens (gargoyle shape shifters) in a secluded school whose training ground is her whole world.. She’s always shown enhanced abilities, for being “human”, and when her world seems to be crumbling around her, these abilities are tested. She discovers all is not as it seemed to be. This isolated world is suddenly teaming with newcomers and one certain Warden that keeps occupying her thoughts. Ugh, the plot was so fast-paced, the mission Trinity embarks on is one that cannot guarantee any survivors and I loved every second of it!

I managed to be so late reviewing this that I read the finished copy instead of this eARC. Ouch, sorry. Nonetheless, the story was really good and Armentrout has a way with throwing fantasy, humor, and romance strategically together. The story overall was a fun, action packed read that throws you twists and turns like no other. Also, while it's technically a spin off series, it's not one which requires the original books. I had not read the original series and was able to follow along with the story and enjoy every second of it. Definitely pick up this book for a fantastic summer read.

I loved this book! I can not wait to read more!! I read the original series years ago and adored zayne! I was team zayne vs Roth! I loved how confident zayne was in this book! He’s different than in the original books but it makes sense since he lost part of his soul! The main character trinity is also unique and badass in her own way. I like the more in depth glimpse we see of these characters and their world! Jennifer always writes great sassy and witty reads! I love the banter in this book! Also love that jennerfer included something that affects her personally and gave it to trinity! I love being able to kind of see through Jennifer’s eyes. It’s a great tool to build awareness! If you like the idea of sexy gargoyles, sassy badass females and fantasy reads this might be perfect for you!

This is my first time reading a paranormal romance, but boy oh boy did I love it! This book held my attention all the way to the end and I enjoyed every minute. This was a great fantasy book and cannot wait to read more books from Jennifer L. Armentrout.

I really enjoyed Storm and Fury and I'm a huge fan of Jennifer Armentrout (I mean who isn't)!! I was never a paranormal romance gal but JA changed all of that with her brilliant words! If you're a fan of paranormal romance, then get ready to be swept away into this amazing YA fantasy! Its definitely one to add to your tbr!

Thank you NetGally, Harlequin Teen and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Whoa!!! Holy old school YA paranormal feels, Batman! I certainly am sending my thanks to NetGalley for hooking me up with this one. Wow, I really wish I had the time to indulge in all of Ms. Armentrout's backlist because I know she has some immense stories that would have heightened my enjoyment of this book even more.

This was an early copy, so I know there are some proofy bits that were still being ironed out. But the meat and potatoes of this story were on point, and that plot twist...ay carumba! Beware, there is a cliffy! 4.5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This little fantasy was a real joy to read, I think this book will be a popular choice for many book lovers

This was an enjoyable paranormal romance. Seeing the past characters was great and I really enjoyed Trinity as the protagonist.

Jennifer L. Armentrout is seriously my queen of paranormal romance. And you can tell how much she loves the genre because it shines through in her writing. She does an incredible job of placing out-of-this-world creatures in reality and doesn't take the usual route with angels, fairies or vampires either (which I enjoy too!) but instead has brought to life aliens, what happens when gods and mortals mix, and gargoyles. I swear only this woman could make gargoyles sexy! She first introduced gargoyle-shapeshifters, better known as Wardens, in The Dark Elements and Storm and Fury is the first novel in the spin-off, The Harbinger. This time we're following heroine Trinity Marrow who is slowly going blind but can see and communicate with ghosts and kick some major butt. Her gifts are a part of her secret identity which is why the Warden have kept her heavily guarded since she was a child. When Warden from another clan unexpectedly arrive with news of something killing both demons and Wardens, it changes life for Trinity as she knows it and introduces her to Zayne, a Warden from the original series. I always liked him and it was great to see his perspective on the aftermath of the previous books and how he's trying to live his life now. Together, Trinity and Zayne have to try and save the world (no pressure!) but of course there are a lot of obstacles along the way. Of Armentrout's heroines, Katy and Alex have consistently remained my favorites but I think I may add Trinity to the list. She's determined, impulsive and kind so of course, I adore her. Trinity and Zayne also have my favorite kind of romance aka they start off on the wrong foot but they're obviously attracted to each other from the start. I thoroughly enjoyed the build-up of their relationship and can't wait to see more of it. And lastly, I'm enjoying the overarching story of this series much more than its predecessor. This is a really strong series starter and I have a feeling it's only going to get better.

Do I recommend? I do! JLA wrote the series in a way that you don't have to read the original if you don't want to but I recommend that you do. Lots of characters make an appearance (and will continue to) so knowing the history provides a lot of insight to their current interactions.

This. Book. Is. Everything.

This book as massive and it was everything I was hoping it was going to be. I mean, I know it was a JLA novel, so it was going to be highly addictive, but it was even more than I expected.

This is one of those novels that you need to give yourself time to read because once you start it you will not be able to put it down.

This is hard to write without spoiling it. So I plan to be super vague with this. This was one of those novels that you have to pay attention to the details, because they are important,. Also, though this is a brand new series, go read every other JLA book as well. Especially The Dark Elements. You will want it. Trust me.

Demons, and Gargoyles, and Swooning, OH MY!

You do not have to read The Dark Elements series to enjoy this one, but I recommend it. There may be spoilers in this review for that series so continue to read at your own risk.

This is the first book in a spin-off of The Dark Elements series, in which Zayne was one love intrest for a short while of Layla the main character from that series. He also was her bestie and lets just say there is a lot of awkwardness due to how that series ended. Some series, when they end they just end and you go on about your life. Others you wonder what happened to the one that got away or the one that didn’t get the love of their life. Did they move on? Or lay around in misery eating ice cream. Zayne was a character that I wondered about. He was just so good, that it felt wrong that he was denied love. So of course I jumped at the chance to fall back into this world of gargoyles, angels and demons.

Zayne carries with him the baggage of what went down in The Dark Elements. How could he not, with everyone and everything that he lost. Although he is still a good guy, you can see that he has become a bit more jaded- this gives him an edge that he was lacking previously. One that allows him to be more snarky and brazen than he was before. I like this new side to him, although in full disclosure, I am a Zayne fan.

Trinity had lived on the Warden compound for most of her life. Most there think that she is a full human, she in reality is mixed. With her bloodline, she needs a protector-Misha, a Warden is hers. They bonded at a young age, her power fueled his and his powers protected her more human side of things. Trinity for the most part is left alone at the compound, with Misha and Jada her only friends. This has kept her content yet yearning for more. It doesn’t help that she can speak to ghost and tries desperately to help them when they need it. Trinity has more strength than even she knows, which will soon be tested.

When Zayne shows up, she is curious about him and the rest of the newcomers. Just as he is curious about how a human is living in a Warden compound. They have no chance to get to know one another as there is a demon attack and someone dear has been taken. So Trinity takes off for Washington DC, where Zayne promises help her if he can. In order to help he has to open his suitcase size of baggage. This is where things get really interesting.

I like the chemistry between these two. It isn’t insta-love or insta-lust. It’s mores of curiosity killed the cat kinda chemistry. I desperately want Zayne to have his happily ever after, hopefully Trinity can deliver. She isn’t as feisty or fiery as Layla and I had hoped that the gal he fell for could hold her own next to Layla. Not seeing that happen right now but again, I am hoping in the next book that Trinity comes more out of her shell.

Those of us that read the Dark Elements series fell into two groups- Team Roth and Team Zayne. So this one can be bittersweet for those that team Zayne. I enjoyed seeing old favorites, although I think that one of them this time was a little too pushy-Layla looking at you here. I trust JLA enough to know that there will be more feelings brought forth in the next book in this series. This one set the groundwork, and background for an epic adventure.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote Greed for power knows no discrimination, no boundaries.

Other People
Misha- bonded to Trinity
Peanut- Trinity’s bestie of a sorts
Thierry/Matthew- wardens who basically adopts Trinity

This as a terrific book. I didn’t realize until the authors note that this was set in the same world as some of her other books. I look forward to going back and reading those. I really liked Trinity as a character. She had lots of dimension and I loved learning more about her and her abilities. I am looking forward to reading more about her hopefully in future books.

My Thoughts
Fantasy novels are not my go to genre. That said, I have read some fantasy that I have really enjoyed. This book surprised me. I have a few issues with the book, but overall I was pleased with how much I actually enjoyed the story. Here are my cons and pros (yes, I am doing them backwards because the con needs to come first this time):

Cons

1. As I was reading this book I felt like I was missing something. It was almost as if there was some foundational information to the story that I was missing. I even went back and reread some sections to make sure I didn’t unintentionally skim over something. The first half of the book just seemed like it had no direction. I continued reading and finished the book even though I really felt like the story was foundationless. I never felt like I understood WHY anything was happening! Then I read the acknowledgements at the end of the book and voila! This book is a spinoff of another series the author wrote! That probably explains why I felt like I was missing information. The author either assumed readers of this book have already read her other series, or she simply didn’t include enough information in this book to make this plot solid for new readers. She even states in the acknowledgements that this book was difficult for her to write partly because it was a spinoff of a series she “hadn’t visited in a while”. Perhaps most people won’t notice this type of thing, but I certainly did. These missing “details” didn’t destroy the book for me, but I do feel like I was floundering aimlessly in the story for quite a while.

2. This is a 512 page book and we have to wait until almost exactly the halfway point to find out what Trinity is? That is way too long to reveal that information.

3. There just had to be some teenage angst! UGH! At the worst possible time in the story we had to delve into the “do you love me or her” nonsense. ARGH! (See Pro #3)

4. I wanted to know more about how the “bad guy” became the “bad guy”. The reveal of the bad guy at the end of the book seemed rushed and opportunistic. I can’t say more without spoilers, but I just didn’t feel like there was enough explanation about why it was that particular character.

5. Keeping Trinity’s father a secret throughout the book didn’t work for me. As soon as we know what Trinity is, her father is obvious (at least to me). You do find out at the end who he is and I have to wonder how many young readers today will recognize him even after he is identified.

Pros

1. The pacing was surprisingly good. For a 512 page book I read it faster than some books that are less than 300 pages because this book had something happening constantly. It was full of action and relatively exciting throughout (even if I didn’t understand WHY some of it was happening – see cons). It did have a very simple plot, but the dialogue (well-written and witty) and the epic fight scenes held my interest.

2. I thought Zayne and Trinity were very balanced characters. He was very protective of her even though she was strong and capable in her own right. They both had their vulnerabilities and actually talked about them! I enjoyed their banter – they were both a bit snarky and it was cute. All in all, they complemented each other well.

3. I thought the relationship between Zayne and Trinity was mature and realistic. I was actually pretty impressed with how their relationship was written throughout the book, until… see Con #3 above.

4. I love a book with a strong heroine!

Summary
I tend to be ambivalent about the fantasy genre, YA fantasy in particular. I’ve read some good books in this genre and some not so great. This particular book had a few issues and clichés, and I wasn’t happy to find out it was a spinoff, but overall I enjoyed it and I would recommend it to others.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for a free electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I gave this book 4 stars. I was not overwhelmed by this book. I liked this book, it was definitely not a three-star book, but it wasn’t blowing my socks off. I didn’t feel like there was anything really new in this book, but I did enjoy it. I read most of it in one day.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Jennifer L Armentrout’s books, but I feel like she has gotten into a bit of a rut when it comes to her protagonists. They are often characters that I do feel like I relate to a lot, but i feel like she writes so many books that maybe she should take a chance and mix things up a bit. I really felt that way especially while I was reading this book.

As you may know, this book is a spin-off of another popular Jennifer Armentrout series, The Dark Elements. It follows a new character, Trinity, and a character that we met in the original series, Zayne.

Trinity seems to be human by everyone around her, except for the few people that know what she really is. Trinity was a relatable character. I think the fact that she is slowly losing her sight is an interesting new challenge for the author. A lot of authors rely so heavily on what characters are seeing that when you take away that variable it becomes so much harder to world build.

Zayne… I really liked Zayne in the past series. I don’t think I really wanted to read a series about him. Maybe if he had gotten a stand-alone I would have been a lot more excited than I was for this book. I mean, I like him, I’m just not over the moon about him. Right now if I had to rank Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Spinoff series’ it would be Origin, Titan, and then The Harbinger.

Overall, If you really enjoy the authors works or even just read and loved the Dark Elements series, then I would suggest giving this book a read.

As someone who devoured Armentrout’s Dark Elements series (#TeamRoth), I was ecstatic when I learned she was creating a spin-off series. And Storm and Fury delivered in every way.

At 18, Trinity has spent the last decade isolated from the outside world in a community of Wardens – shapeshifting Gargoyles who protect humans from demons. But Trinity is not a Warden and her true identity is a closely guarded secret. The arrival of Wardens from the Washington D.C. clan and an unprecedented attack in a place of safety sets in motion a series of events that changes everything.

Trinity was an easy character to pull for. Strong and capable, with abilities that few know about, she was one badass heroine. Still dealing with grief from her mother’s untimely death and coping with an eye disease that severely impacted her vision (in fact, the same eye disease Armentrout herself has), Trinity had her fair share of challenges. But the girl also had incredible backbone and resilience and I loved that about her. She was often reckless and tended to act first/think later (which, honestly, is a trait most of Armentrout’s heroines share), but I couldn’t fault her for her bravery and willingness to face danger instead of cowering in a corner. When she paired up with Zayne (the guy-not-chosen from the Dark Elements series) the sparks flew. Trinity and Zayne verbally sparred and pushed each other’s buttons and there was some serious chemistry when they were together. Zayne was dealing with his own issues, including the recent death of his father who was the D.C. clan leader, and I liked the way he and Trinity explored their connection.

For a relatively lengthy YA paranormal (topping 500 pages), I flew through this story that was packed with action, danger, secrets, romance, and twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I appreciated the addition of characters I knew and loved from the original series (Roth and Layla, Cayman, and Bambi!) along with new additions like Peanut, a ghost from the 1980’s that Trinity could see and who offered plenty of comic relief. There were some eye-rolling moments, like Armentrout’s signature use of cheesy exclamations (“Holy crap on a cracker the size of Texas”, and “Holy crapsicles” being prime examples) and the fact that characters often had the time and wherewithal during dangerous situations to break out some snarky (and still cheesy) quips. But those were minor distractions compared to my overall enjoyment of everything Storm and Fury had to offer.

I loved stepping back into this world of Wardens and demons, but never fear – you don’t have to read the Dark Elements trilogy in order to experience Storm and Fury. There is plenty here to draw in both new readers and longtime fans. A badass heroine, some swoony moments, some laugh out loud lines, an epic battle, and an ending that will have you begging for more… Storm and Fury has it all. Armentrout delivered a nonstop good time and I was all for it.

Destiny Is Often Times Unavoidable

How in the world is it possible that this is my first introduction to this amazing world. My goodness I feel as though I have lived under a rock. My bestest book gals told me all about this wonderful world of WArdens and Demons. I cannot believe I’ve missed out. Ever the optimist I can say I have something to do till the next book comes out. Which by the way cannot come soon enough. That is always the hardest thing about an amazing read that’s part of a series. The book hangover is real…Once I finished it I just kept playing the whole thing over and over not wanting to let go of these characters. Alas now I wait…and the long night is upon me with the Harbinger Series.

The Story, Trinity has a big secret no one must know who she is but something is going on. In a world where Wardens hunt and kill demons there is something out there killing both. This is big and it must be stopped. The community where Trinity has grown up is all she knows. She longs for more but that’s not in the cards for her until a visiting group of Wardens seek assistance and reinforcements to stop something from killing both Wardens and Demons. Trinity will come to find out that destiny has come knocking on her door and there isn’t much she can do to stop it. Therefore she will chase it and kick its butt!

The Characters, um Zayne. Zayne, Zayne, and everyone else…lol JK I love Trinity I love that although she is a bad a$$ she is also facing a very real and very scary disease that will one day rob her of sight. She is a wonderful girl that feels quite real, a bit raw, and definitely jumps with her heart first, consequences later. As I mentioned earlier I am not familiar with the Dark Elements Series so this is the first time i’ve been introduced to my newest book bf Zayne. I’m happy to say I hope he and Trinity find a way as it stands the situation looks impossible but I am hoping beyond hope they make it. I enjoyed the other characters but Trinity and Zayne stole the show!

The End, Um what?! Okay that was a great set up! I was surprised but not upset. The twist made sense especially when we find out about the mistake. Seriously I was like what is this mistake foreshadowing that gets hinted at here and there. Once its revealed I was like WELLDUH! Gosh I’m rusty…I’ve been out of the reviewing scene for a few years but I’m back and here to stay. Especially with these beautiful authors that continue to create amazing worlds and characters that stay with you long after the last page has been read. Trinity and Zayne have welcomed me back in the best way and I cannot wait to read more about them.

My Rating
4.5 Im still in awe of this awesome new world and I cannot wait until the next! Unfortunately I must! I definitely recommend this for those that love paranormal and an amazingly, captivating, stay with you, read!

For years Trinity has been told she was special, that when the time comes—at her father’s call—she will be a savior. It’s because of this that she’s sequestered away on the Warden (think gargoyles) compound learning how to fight, but never being allowed to leave in case the demons learn of her existence.

When Trinity was younger this wasn’t such a big deal, but now as an adult at eighteen, she’s starting to feel the walls closing in around her. When visiting Wardens from another clan arrive to discuss the heightened demonic activity, Trinity cannot help but be drawn to one of their warriors, Zayne—despite the fact that they push each other’s buttons in not the best kind of way.

When the compound is attacked, it sets off a series of events that force Zayne and Trinity to work together as they discover what new evil has awakened.

Storm and Fury is a spinoff from Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Dark Elements series. In certain parts—particularly when confronting the elephant in the room surrounding Zayne and Layla (yes, fans, she and Roth are both heavily featured)—you can feel the weight of the previous series and the things that happened therein. I haven’t read the Dark Elements series and I kept myself from going back and reading any of the synopses or reviews and just let the new story flow to see if it would be a problem being a new reader. The verdict: The story stands really well on its own. Jennifer L. Armentrout does a great job of recapping yet also understanding that this book will be an introduction for a lot of people.

The story takes its time to develop. Readers are kind of dragged along for quite a bit with the “teasing” of what Trinity is and, honestly, none of the twists are difficult to figure out or too much of a surprise when they’re finally revealed. I felt like this first book is more of a building book. Getting into place everything to deal with the real conflict, which is this unnamed and unseen new evil. In that regard the book hits its mark perfectly as I’m left eagerly anticipating what’s to come.

One of the highlights for me was Trinity. I understood her need for some semblance of freedom and self-determination. While she could at times be reckless and run into situations without thinking, I never felt like it came from a place of selfishness or uncaring. I absolutely loved that, besides being a character gifted with strength and powers, Jennifer L. Armentrout also shows Trinity’s humanity in the fact that she suffers from a degenerative eye disease—slowly losing her vision over time until she may become blind or very close to it. Besides balancing out the dual sides of her character, I just simply liked that Trinity doesn’t let something like that define her, despite the fact that some would see it as a major weakness.

The romantic aspect, while not breaking any new ground, was fun and I liked the back-and-forth between Zayne and Trinity along with how she seemed to constantly challenge his preconceived notions about her character.

Overall, Storm and Fury is an enjoyable read that perfectly sets up what’s to come next.

Actual rating: 4.5

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, no one does teen angst like JLA. Her talent in writing such tantalizing scenes makes her books delicious.

I’ve been asked a few times if readers need to read The Dark Elements trilogy before reading Storm and Fury.

Do you need to?
No.
Should you?
Absolutely. While The Dark Elements aren’t exactly my favourite books by JLA, you appreciate the story and characters a lot more if you read the trilogy first.

I definitely don’t recommend reading Storm and Fury first if you plan to read The Dark Elements trilogy one day. Every major plot point and twist is mentioned in Storm and Fury. So if you want to pick up the trilogy, read it first.

Storm and Fury is a classic JLA book. Full of mystery, swooning and of course paranormal awesomeness.

The beginning set up felt a little slow at times while reading it, but in hindsight it really worked to set the mood. The second half was jaw dropping and had many twists that I didn’t remotely see coming.

Thankfully, the cliffhanger wasn’t too bad. Not so bad that I feel like I’ll die waiting for the next book. But I’m so excited to see where the story will go next!

When I started this book, I was unaware that Storm and Fury is the first book in a spin-off series one of the author's previous trilogies. While in the end I didn't NEED to read the previous trilogy, it would have made for a slightly smoother flow to this one. Author Armentrout provides *just* enough explanation of characters and circumstances to make the story work.

So, going from the standpoint that I knew nothing about the world/characters of the book, I found Storm and Fury fun and a new take on the angels vs demons trope - as instead of angels, the protectors are, yes, gargoyles. It was surprising but an interesting take, as was her perspective on Angels (hint: they aren't sweet and light).

Peanut the ghost absolutely stole every scene he was in.

The dialogue held plenty of snappy, quick banter and was entertaining. There were some excellent action scenes that had me on the edge of my seat. Protagonist Layla is an 18-yo warrior keeping secrets of her own and ooh, does she have flaws. She is immature and impulsive, prone to not listen to instructions (which can create a lot of trouble. She also has a disability that involves her vision, which makes her warrior status impressive. (She compensates for her weaknesses very well and how she handles it definitely adds a layer of complexity.)

She feels an instant connection to Zayne which may put off some but the author pulls the pieces together later. Honestly, any bits that might have had my eyes rolling at the first instance was actually well sorted out by the end of the book.

Speaking of the end - this is the first of a new trilogy (no hint to when the next book is to be released) but the ending is satisfying yet has me looking forward to the next entry in The Harbinger series.

I absolutely loved this book! I was never a huge fan of Zayne but this book has changed my mind! I don’t know how JLA is able to do that. Every. Damn. Time. Especially since for most of the book, I still didn’t like him! So much was revealed in this first book that a lot of things that happened in The Dark Elements series now make perfect sense! There was such a huge “Aha” moment in there for me! I must admit though, that reading about Trinity’s eye disease did make me shed some tears, knowing that this is what Jennifer suffers from herself. It was so incredibly brave of her to share that and was so educational for the reader. It was so good to see Roth, Layla and Bambi again and can’t wait to see what the rest of this series holds!