In this new paranormal series, we follow Trinity who is the center of the story and of course her life is in peril if the demons figure out who she really is.

the story of course has a love story that will certainly carry us through the series. Zayne is that dark, brooding, love interest that will certainly peak our interest as well. I like that he challenges Trinity and pushes her in ways that she didnt think she would be capable of reaching.

For me, it was hard to get into in the beginning. I had to force myself at times. While i did enjoy aspects of the story, i think overall it may be a little too 'paranormal' for me. It was hard to follow at times and i had to re-read it to make sure i got it. What got the story to 4 stars was the writing from Armentrout. I have read most of her books (especially her series) and i know that sometimes it's confusing at first, but comes back in a big way. I am hoping that happens in this case.

I've been patiently waiting for Zayne's story for what feels like years and I know many JLA fans were right there with me. We first meet the Gargoyle with a heart of gold in the Dark Elements (DE) series which I HIGHLY recommend reading before this. While this book/series technically does stand alone, I find that the world and character building with fantasy novels is not to be skipped and you will miss that if you you don't read DE series first.

Storm and Fury is a NA (characters are 18 and 21) that reads like a YA. If you're familiar with the author's Lux or DE series, the writing is a similar style. In other words, the characters are a bit immature and the dialogue is swift and can be silly at times. The technical storyline isn't anything we haven't read before but I adore all of JLA's characters and Zayne and Trinity are no different. Zayne is closed off and quiet but his connection with Trinity is believable and intriguing from the time they meet. Trinity is strong, yet vulnerable and even though she got on my nerves a few times, I liked her spunk and her positive attitude. There's a bit of heat to the book and a lot of tension but nothing too detailed in terms of sex. Mature 16 and up is what I'd recommend in terms of appropriate ages.

I saw the twist at the end coming from a mile away but that didn't lessen it's impact for me. My heart broke for Trinity and and bled for Zayne as he did what he does best... protect. The old cast of characters make important and fun appearances. My heart *might* have twitterpated a little every time Roth was in the story but thankfully none of the other character's presence overwhelms the new storyline. Peanut on the other hand... that dang ghost steals almost every scene he's in.

Bottom line, if you're a JLA fan or a fan of YA fantasy then you should enjoy this book. Just please do yourself a favor and read the DE series first or else Zayne's character might come off a little flat and uninteresting. I promise he's not but you need the backstory.

I'll definitely be excited to read the next book! And while my review is being marked as not verified, I did purchase a signed copy of the Hardcover edition from another retailer.

You’ve heard me say this a thousand times…I have a long record of reading things out of order. So, it won’t surprise you to know that I read this book, a spin-off of the Dark Elements series, without every having read one of those books. And now, knowing what I know, I’m not sure I can move backward. I don’t think I could enjoy a world where characters I love may not be as happy as they could be. I’m not sure I’ve ever been so torn between a world I’m crazy about and the fear of knowing what happened before I joined it. Anyway…enough about that. Let me tell you about Storm and Fury.

First, let me start by saying that I loved every single little thing about it. I loved Trinity and how special she was. I loved her directness and her strength. She doesn’t let the fact that she suffers from a degenerative disease keep her down and, even though she’s sometimes unsure of herself, she’s willing to go out on a limb for those she loves. I fell head-over-heels for Zayne. He’s sweet, sexy, a bit broody, and, overall, just a very swoonworthy character. From the very first moment they met, Trinity and Zayne had undeniable chemistry…and I waited patiently for it to turn into something explosive. This wasn’t insta-love, these two had lots of other things to worry about, like demons, and danger, and people from their past. But, even as they fought side by side, even as they took on evil, there was a undercurrent simmering away. And I couldn’t put it down.

I loved the banter, and the flirting, that these two had going on even as they faced twists and turns, and unexpected action. This book brought tons of feels, both from Trinity and Zayne’s romance as well as from their other relationships, past and present. Although the world-building took a bit of time, it was a great thing for those who, like me, hadn’t read the other books – I learned about the gargoyle world and really loved it. If you love paranormal romance, then I strongly suggest you give this book a read. Be aware that we’re not done with Trinity and Zayne…their story is not over, and I, for one, am very glad of that. So, if you’re prepared to handle some action, adventure, mystery, all the feels, and a sweet romance that does not end in this book, I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment!

Oh…and there’s one more thing I need to say before I end…Zayne is mine!!! 🙂

For someone who has the memory of a gnat, I was worried that since I haven't read The Dark Elements books in a few years I would be lost. I was so wrong. This world was so much fun to dive back into! And what an exciting and shocking start!

I can't wait to see what happens next!!

This book was hands down my favorite by this author. Looking forward to the next book in this series!

Rating: 5/5 stars

ARC provided by Inkyard Press and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review

I've been reminded why I love Jennifer L. Armentrout and the storytelling she dispels. Storm and Fury is the first in the spin off series based off the world of her Dark Elements series; taken from the point of view of new character Trinity Marrow, we are taken to a new community of wardens who unbeknownst to most are charged with protecting the secret that Trinity holds. However, when demonic activity goes on the rise and Trinity finds herself partnering up with Zayne--a Warden with a past that comes with news that someone or something is killing both warden and demons alike--to stop what is coming and to find out if its true that all secrets are best locked away.

I honestly don't know where to begin with just how much I loved this book. Armentrout (JLA) is an author that is near and dear to me, so whenever I see a new book from her I jump on it like the cow that jumped over the moon. This book was no exception. Packed with JLA's signature snark and sass, we are given humor mixed with action as the story unfolds and a new side of the world we've known previously takes form.

I absolutely loved our main character Trinity. Independent, determined, sassy, and loyal I felt that she was the most relatable character within the novel. I was touched and appreciative of the #ownvoice rep within this novel with Trinity's struggle and adapting to life with retinitis pigmentosa--a rare eye disease that JLA also deals with. Reading the rep gave me more understanding on what those with this disease face, and it made me happy to see that JLA gave us a badass hero who doesn't let her condition define her.

Included with the #OwnVoices rep, JLA hands over an amazing supporting cast that includes her signature sidekick and loyal friend group. I loved the character of Peanut and the light hearted comedic element he gives to each scene he is in.

With that said, I do find it noteworthy to mention that if you have read any of JLA's other works you will find a lot of elements that are reminiscent to those previous books/series excluding the Dark Element series. Some of the things that are eerily similar are the bonding/linking of two people and being able to feel them (The Covenant series) and the entire Peanut character (Tink from the Wicked Series). Even though I was continually reminded of the similarities, I didn't mind it that much and was able to gloss over the reminders, because I really loved the overall story and the elements only added to the piece instead of retracting.

I highly recommend going into this story having read the Dark Elements series first--though you can read the book without reading the original series--as it gives the world more depth and you get more of a depth with the character arch and development of Zayne and the rest of the supporting cast from the original series.

Overall, I really loved my time reading this new spin off, Armentrout shows us a different side of this well loved world and amplifies the stakes by a hundred notches. With new characters and new problems, Storm and Fury is a paranormal fantasy that will have you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end with action interlaced with humor. I highly recommend those with a love for Fantasy to give this a go!

Huge thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for sending me an ARC for my honest review! Quotations taken from an uncorrected proof and may change upon final publication.

Storm and Fury was so easy to fall into. Somehow the situations and characters felt familiar and about 1/3 of the way through I had an aha! moment and realized this is a spinoff to a The Dark Elements series I’d read several years ago in which Zayne was featured prominently. In this novel, Zayne’s past experiences with Demons comes in handy as they travel to DC where he and Trinity meet up with some familiar past characters (a few of whom are demons) to investigate the disappearance of her friend.

I liked Trinity’s character a lot. She was an interesting mix of innocence, strength, and stubbornness. As the plot moves forward and her secrets are revealed she becomes even more interesting. Her failing eyesight, a very human frailty, is an interesting contrast to a girl who refuses to admit weakness. In fact, it takes a little while for me to figure out she’s actually almost blind. Read the Afterword about her ailment, Retinitis Pigmentosa, and how that disease has a personal tie to the author.

Zayne was a mystery even though he’d been part of a previous series. I couldn’t figure out his motives right away and I liked him as the love interest, but at the same time I felt he was a little more mature than Trinity. As his life was revealed and I realized all that he’d been through I realized what a great fit he actually was for her, as they had similar tragedies in their background. After I figured out what series and where I read his story before I liked him even more, but if you hadn’t read The Dark Elements Series, I think you can jump right in and not miss a beat in this story. It stands on it’s own.

Jennifer Armentrout does such a great job of writing in this YA fantasy genre. I love her world building and she has a deft hand with giving characters interesting backgrounds and emotional ups and downs. All things that keep me reading and move the plot forward. It’s rare that I get bored and I certainly didn’t with this novel. I relished reading it. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Jeniffer L. Armentrout has an amazing talent for writing wonderfully addicting books. She makes such fun and likable characters that I just can't help but want to read more about. And she's done it again with Storm and Fury. 

I loved Trinity. She was such a fun and badass character. I also loved Zayne. He's too cute! He didn't have a bad boy complex as we see most boys in this genre of fiction have. He was a decent human being (or Warden) from the start. He was charming and funny and I loved his banter with Trinity.

No one will ever top Katy and Daemon from Armentrout's Lux series, but I am totally here for this ship!

That said, the book was very romance focused. A little too much at times where there were clearly other, more important issues to worry about and sometimes I wanted to roll my eyes at it. At the same time, I was nothing if not totally there for it.

And still,  I had many other problems with this book.

My first issue is that this book is 500+ pages long! There was literally no need for that. The plot didn't actually get going until almost halfway through the book. This is conflicting because I spent the first half of the novel wondering when the heck the main plot was going to kick in. And yet, I was flying through it, only noticing I was halfway through after taking a step back and looking at the percentage on my Kindle. I barely felt the 500 pages go by. I read most of this one sitting!

My other issue is that this book is a bit cliche. Having read some of Jennifer's books, I felt like I knew what was coming. I feel like there is a formula to her works. A formula I love, mind you, but a formula I could see coming. I called every single thing that happened in this book by like chapter nine.

All of that said, I really liked this book. I liked it and I need the sequel in my hands right now because I can't wait a whole year to know what comes next.

I've seen some people comparing it to Cassandra Clare's works, and maybe that's a good comparison. But hey, Cassandra's works are famous for a reason. They are just so gosh darn entertaining!

Overall, I really liked this book. It was fun an entertaining and I want the sequel to come out already. If you like Cassandra Clare books and other urban fantasy/ supernatural romance types of novels, then I totally recommend this one.

I never got around to reading the other Gargoyle series by this author, but I may go back and try it now (if I have time to fit it in my reading schedule). I really liked this one, not obsessed, but really enjoyed. I wasn’t sure about the whole gargoyle thing...vampires are one thing, gargoyles were a stretch to me; but, it worked. I liked the world that was built here and really enjoyed most of the characters. Trinity was a confused, yet strong young woman with a humorous/sassy personality. Some of her remarks reminded me of things I would say. I also liked that she was a main character with a disability that she was managing life with, very relatable to me and so many others. I will be highly recommending this one to my high school students when we start back late this summer and to colleagues that I know enjoy these kinds of books. Great start to a series! I will be waiting for more.

I love Jennifer and I was so excited to hear she was coming out with a spin-off of the dark elements series with its focus on Zayne! I really enjoyed jumping back into this world and seeing new and old characters. I didn't love it as much as I did the main trilogy and felt it dragged a little but I am hoping as the series goes on it will get more interesting. I rate this a 3.5/5 stars and round up to 4 for star ratings.

I loved this world!

From all the paranormal creatures to the action-packed scenes, this YA Fantasy is what I’ve been waiting for.

We follow a unique character who isn’t a human like you’d expect. She’s the key they all need, and almost no one knows her secret, including the Wardens who are guarding her with their lives. But she’s tired of sitting on the sidelines.

Her fierce personality is put to the test when she defies all the rules and hits the threat head-on. She even has a disability with her sight that she doesn’t let overcome her! Instead, she embraces it and uses her other senses to fight (which she’s pretty good at).

She can even see ghosts and spirits! *insert grabby hands*

My favorite part of this book is the world building. All the creepy creatures just sucked me in from the demons to the gargoyles. I loved reading the intricate web that they fall under with the bonds they create and the ‘rules‘ their society follow between each other. It’s definitely something I haven’t seen in YA.

This is a spinoff series based in The Dark Elements world, but since I’ve never read those books, I can’t comment too much on that.

But overall, I really enjoyed this book. There are swoon-worthy moments, tons of action-packed scenes, and an ending that leaves you wanting the next book (but thankfully doesn’t involve a cliffhanger).

I gave this one 5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend for paranormal or supernatural fans!

I need to get one thing off my chest before delving into this review. Some readers don't mind picking up a spinoff if there's little to no character overlap (though, honestly, how can you really know beyond the fact that the leads are different?) but I am not that kind of reader. I like context. I thrive off it. I like references that harken back to previous events, I love cameos, etc, particularly when it's a world that relies on context or worldbuilding; so sometimes I can roll with it if it's, say, a contemporary but for a fantasy or PNR-style universe? Less ability to roll. So when I started STORM AND FURY only to realize this was a spinoff of one of the author's previous series..? I was annoyed. This isn't the first time this has happened to me, because, for some reason, some publishers don't like mentioning these kinds of details in blurbs when books go up for request. I find this does a real disservice to reviewers. Or, specifically, me. Because that said, I saw many reviews mentioning that you didn't need to have read those other books to enjoy this one. But as I didn't actually enjoy this book.. I guess I'm just all-around an outlier.

Anyway, rant over.

Or different rant begins?

This book is very.. stereotypical early 2000s YA. I don't really know how else to describe it. But it was such a shocking regression for me, as I do read a lot of really great, superbly written, and characterized, YA that I actually almost DNF'd. Instead I set it down around the 15% mark and took a break to read other things -- something I almost never do. I did bring myself back to it though (obviously) just incase it was a mood thing. It wasn't. But I finished anyway. Grudgingly.

STORM AND FURY has a typical fantasy plot, unfolding in a fairly typical way -- -- special ish snowflake girl meets special ish snowflake boy and sorta hate-dislike banter ensues along with unprecedented connection, in addition to girl generally just not conforming with restrictions placed on her for her safety and always getting into trouble but.. also just being totally unphased and letting everything roll off her back with some snappy reply? ugh -- with fairly typical dialogue, secrets, and surprises. Also lots of pauses for inconveniently timed attraction due to proximity and high stakes moments. It made it all feel very young (even juvenile), very over done, heavily sprinkled with cheese, and as a result I just didn't enjoy it. Sure the specifics of the plot or the world or the whatever might not have been cookie cutter but everything else made it feel that way.

Now, I want to pause to say : all these typical elements can be enjoyed. And I have, in fact, loved books that basically read exactly like this (rather) cutting summary. But the writing, or the characters, have helped me to overlook it.. or love it. As we all know, writing truly makes a difference. And, in the case of STORM AND FURY, we just didn't have that.

I foresee a few comparisons to Cassandra Clare's books, particularly her most recent trilogy, as there's a particular element to both the dynamic and the relationship that mirrors something we've seen in that series. It's not unique to Clare but combined with everything else it just feels like a sticking point for future books and future angst. And considering I was already annoyed at the direction of the romance.. welp.

There was an attempt made for some representation as the lead protagonist is losing her sight, in a specific way the author herself is (read the note at the end), but I was often confused by the consistency and convenience of it being fine and then not. I suppose some of it is factual and maybe the rest is made appropriate for the fantasy and excitement of the moment. I shouldn't be critical of this as it's #ownvoices in that sense and I am neither expert nor do I share this experience. Something that confused me a bit, though, was that it took until almost 75% for us to be told how she felt about her condition. Up until that point it had always seemed to be couched in context of how it affected her ability to fight which, sure, that's her priority vs mine, but it was nice to get some dialogue about it all. Even if she was fairly laisser-faire about everything. She just rolled with the eventuality of being blind. Which, again, okay. I can appreciate some of that. Out of one's control and all. But also. You're eighteen and you're just going to be blasé about losing a main sense? If I had a degenerative condition, I'd be pretty angry or sad or.. something. Frustrated. Not just focused on practicing more knife throws. Or at least not ONLY focused on practicing knife throws. And certainly not throwing myself off rooftops during the dark of night to prove points.

Would I have enjoyed this more had I read the companion series? I guess we'll never know. But if you need a new drinking game, take a shot for every time the word 'Hell' is used. It'll make for a short game but by the time you're buzzing.. I'm not sure you'll mind.

Because this is a series and not a collection of interconnecteds, with different leads, I seriously doubt I will read on.

1.5 stars

** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

I've got to be honest guys, I almost DNF'd this one way early on. I'm so beyond certain things (political statements mostly) being included in books I'm trying to read for pleasure. But I pressed on and I'm glad that I did for the overall story's sake. It was close though. Really close.

Speaking of story, Jennifer L Armentrout isn't quite an auto-read author for me. I've read several of her books over the years and have enjoyed most of them. Yet a few have had some pretty big issues for me. While I won't say that Storm and Fury is perfect, her writing was really quite good in my opinion. I never had all of the pieces figured out. I wanted to keep reading to the point of being annoyed if I had to do real life things. I was rooting for the romance yet she put me off just enough to keep me salivating for more yet not without hope or to the point of frustration. And I was frankly disappointed that more books haven't been released (this one wasn't even officially released at the time of reading and writing this review) so that I could binge them. I need more immediately. At the very least, someone needs to get a listing for book 2 out on Goodreads so that I can start stalking it properly.

Trinity has a lot going on. She's living in a Warden compound, but she's not a Warden. She's not human either. (I was slightly annoyed with how long it took to reveal what Trinity is and I was a little disappointed by the time I got there because I'd already figured it out.) She doesn't quite belong. Her mother was killed a year ago, and her father is involved in a way yet not present. She has friends but she can't help but wonder if they would be her friends under any other circumstances. Her biggest issue is that she doesn't feel wanted. People could care less if she were there and some even hate that she is there. She has to train twice as hard as anyone else because she doesn't know when she'll be called to fight even though she's mostly protected and because, as the description states, she's going blind. So yeah...lots going on here. She's also impulsive and selfish. But those traits are somehow endearing on her.

Oh I want to discuss the side characters: Misha, Jada, Layla, Roth, and especially Zayne, but much of that feels like it ventures into spoiler territory. I will say there was one scene in particular between Zayne and Trinity that was so reminiscent of my high school days. Whew! So thankful those days are behind me.

A couple of pop culture references were included that I could have done without. I like these only in a specific way--hints and not spelled out in a way that will date the book. Just a small annoyance. Another small annoyance was toward the end. There was a continuity issue that is a bit spoiler-ish. Highlight if you want to read it. When Trinity and Roth go visit Faye she tells them that she agreed to provide the senator with the spell to control/influence humans on a larger scale because he promised them a Nephilim. He said he would have the Nephilim because he already had her Protector. This is backward in timing because he didn't have Misha in his custody when he made the agreement with Faye's coven. One could argue that he was claiming to have Misha's cooperation even if he didn't have him physically captured at that time, but Misha later tells Trinity the plan had been to capture them both at the same time.

Favorite quote:

-"I'm guessing the sky is full of stars?" "It is, but the only ones that matter are the ones you see."
Jennifer L Armentrout's personal experience with the same eye disease that Trinity has makes the story even deeper and meaningful. I know there are many others who appreciate stories including visual impairment, especially if it's similar to their own experiences, doubly so when Trinity is still totally awesome.

Storm and Fury wasn't perfect for me, but it came really close. I almost DNF'd it due to some political statements, but I'm glad I kept reading. Trinity is a character I won't soon forget, and I look forward to reading more about her--and Zayne... Can't forget him. I'm interested to see how things play out and whether this will end up being an epic series or not. Storm and Fury gets 4 Stars. Have you read Storm and Fury? What did you think? Let me know!

Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout is the first book of the new young adult romantic paranormal fantasy The Harbinger series. Now, while this is a start to a whole new series it is not the first time readers have visited the world within as this one is a spin off to the author’s Dark Elements series. One would probably be curious how this new series would work if you haven’t read the older series and it’s safe for me to say it read fine as this is actually the first book ever by Jennifer L. Armentrout that I’ve read, yes, I know I’m behind the times with this author but better late than never, right?

Storm and Fury is centered around eighteen year old Trinity Marrow who is human, well, sort of. Trinity has a little something special about her that has kept her hidden in a remote compound surrounded by Warden protectors. Trinity though is not a girl that thinks she needs protecting so despite her more fragile human side and being diagnosed with a disease that is slowly making her blind Trinity has trained just as hard, if not harder than those around her. When Trinity’s safety and that of those around her is threatened more Wardens arrive from another clan which includes Zayne who Trinity finds herself drawn to.

I really had no idea what to expect going into Storm and Fury but I did expect to find good solid writing considering how established the author is and thankfully I was right. Thankfully the world building was there despite it being a spin off world so I quickly understood what was happening and became engaged in the story. Despite a few times it felt a tad younger than the characters are supposed to be I completely enjoyed getting to know them and the action kept the story up at a good solid pace despite the length. I would warn of two things with this one, insta-love a lot don’t like and a scene that got rather steamy between the characters. Overall though for me this one came in at 4 1/2 stars and I’ll look forward to more in the series.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

We are back into JLA's world of gargoyles and demons! But who wouldn't be excited being pulled into this world with Zayne as our male lead in this amazing spin-off series from The Dark Elements series. If you haven't read the series I would definitely recommend you read them first so you don't get too confused. So there may be spoilers.

Trinity is eighteen years old and lives in the Warden community. From the moment you start reading the story pulls you in and will probably keep you up all night just to try and finish in the early morning. Storm and Fury has everything that you will love if you have read any of JLA's books. Love, strong female main character, smart banter and lots of swoon between Zayne and Trinity! Even though I did love Roth through The Dark Element series, Zayne still had a special place in my heart. Plus we get to see Layla and Roth again!!

Without spoiling anything, Trinity goes through her own personal battle and you definitely have to read the Author's note and the importance of taking the time to read this note because it does matter. You will not be disappointed while reading because we got to know Trinity who is able to see ghost and spirits. From meeting new characters and seeing more of the Wardens and demons, who both play a big part in the books. The story had so much action, romance and definitely has lots of twists at the end. I'm already looking forward to what Jen has in store for us next in the series!!

One of the reasons I’m not a huge fan of love triangles (especially when both guys are equally swoon-worthy) is that there’s ultimately someone left broken-hearted. And it’s not often that an author will go back and write a story for the character left behind. But that’s exactly what Jennifer L. Armentrout has done with Storm and Fury. The first book in The Harbinger Series finds new and familiar faces coming together to face an unknown threat. With a menagerie of powerful supernatural creatures, an unpredictable, action-packed narrative, and Jennifer L. Armentrout’s signature dry humor, Storm and Fury is an epic start to a brand-new series.

Storm and Fury reunites readers with Zayne, the Warden/gargoyle shape-shifter we first met in The Dark Elements Series, and introduces us to Trinity, an eighteen-year-old girl with unique abilities that’s been kept sheltered from the outside world. With a degenerative eye disease, a secret only a few chosen people are privy to, and a pervy ghost named Peanut for a roommate, Trinity Marrow doesn’t have the problems of a typical teenager. Like an average teen, she has boy problems and dreams about going off to college, but she also communicates with the dead and has an ever-present shadow to keep her out of trouble. Complicating her life further is the arrival of a neighboring clan, including a certain handsome young Warden, and the dire news they’ve delivered.

From the moment they meet, Zayne and Trinity have a temperamental relationship, rife with snarky banter and sexual tension. Feisty, inquisitive, and strong-willed, Trinity challenges Zayne at every turn. They’re either arguing or flirting – that is, when they aren’t busy defending themselves against their enemies. The two are key players in the battle between good and evil, although, as they discover, things aren’t quite so black and white. Love isn’t a priority when their mission is a matter of life or death, but Zayne and Trinity are inexplicably drawn together. The two grow closer the more they get to know each other, yet secrets and revelations threaten to unravel their budding romance.

With plenty of action to set your pulse racing, ample danger to keep you on the proverbial edge of your seat, and enough suspense to leave the narrative shrouded in uncertainty, Storm and Fury is a fast-paced, addictive page-turner. It sets the tone for the series and will leave readers anxious to find out what happens next.

*complimentary copy provided by author for an honest review

I was feeling kind of meh about this book... turns out it is a spin off series of a set of books I have on my shelf. Therefore, the lack of plot building in the fantasy series is very explainable.

I love Jennifer Armentrout's writing. She adds so much wit and sarcasm to her stories which literally make me laugh out loud. I love that she included a character with a disability, however, a lot of what she was able to do was unrealistic. The best part about her books though is the female empowerment she gives her characters. Trinity did not swoon over a boy and indicate it was love at first site. She was independent, rebellious, and did not need anyone but herself. Zayne was absolutely swoon worthy too -- I mean can we just imagine?

However I did have a couple other pet peeves -- which needs to be pointed out I did receive an advanced copy and some things may be corrected. The timeline of the first attack was off: She passed out for hours with a head injury; she woke up (presumably in the morning since the attack happened at night); Yet.. every time the attack is references they say tonight; Then she passes out for a lengthly time again, yet the attack occurred "last night". In addition, in the e-arc of the book the spacing of paragraphs with no relation was non-existent. I would often be reading then I would all of a sudden be in a new setting, day, and characters with absolutely no transition. The finished copy, hopefully, has more breaks between this. However, it took me away from the story and I often had to flip back to make sure I did not skip something.

One other small pet peeve (which was major for me), but others may not think so. The language in this book was so juvenile and took me out of the story. I can not imagine an eighteen year old female saying "douche nozzle," "crap on a cookie," and "that was utter crazy pants with a side of dangerous sauce." Like maybe a 13 year old? Very immature.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The characters invoke feeling in me. That is a characteristic of this author for me. Unfortunately, I can’t just leave the feeling from Dark Elements at the door when I pick up this book. They color my reactions. But it is because I react so strongly to these character that prevents me from rating this book lower than I did. Obviously, the characters matter to me. So that says something about how well they are written.

The story itself was not as good for me. I felt like I guessed too much and there were too many slow spots. I’m sure I would have liked it more if Layla and Roth didn’t show up as much as they did, if at all. I did enjoy seeing Bambi. And I liked the hint that Roth would get her back. She does belong with him.

I also like Peanut. He’s fun to have around. This author is good at having a side character in her books that brings some humor and interest to the story.

I did enjoy the banter between Trinity and Zayne. That’s a trademark for this author. She does it often and well. The rest of the writing was what I would expect from this author, though I didn’t expect to guess so much right. That’s not my normal experience with her.

I’m positive this book will be a success with new fans and those that loved Roth in the Dark Elements. I will read on because I need resolution for Zayne but I don’t expect to enjoy that experience. Of course, others feel differently. My co-blogger Jess loves this book as do many of those who review for this author regularly. Just not me. And I won’t apologize for that. I feel what I feel. I’m not going to sugar coat it just because this author is a favorite.

Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout 2 Stars

I don’t know if this book just wasn’t for me or if anyone else felt like this was a good idea, poorly executed. There were some great ideas and I loved the originality (as far as I know) of using gargoyles as shape-shifters in a somewhat spiritual war against demons. However, the typical YA tropes reared their ugly heads and the main character’s constant immaturity made this book unreadable.

I feel like the characters didn’t develop well and I expected some of Trinity’s immaturity to resolve itself over the course of the story, but sadly that wasn’t the case. She refuses to accept any sort of help and is too independent for her own good. Maybe it was just me that was annoyed with her, but either way, I could not deal with her personality, or lack of.
The writing felt clunky to me and the plot flow was basically non-existent. It’s a huge pet peeve of mine when scene transitions are not thought out well. I love cliff hangers and smooth movements between days, weeks, scenes, what have you. However, this book didn’t do those well. And don’t get me started on the lack of descriptions, but unfortunately I’ve come to expect a lack of character, scene, and any other type of descriptions from YA books.

Like I said, maybe this book isn't to my taste, but I was deeply disappointed after really liking the synopsis.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Storm and Fury is, and was, one of those books that I just had to have! I was so happy when I got the approval email from NetGalley but I did end up hesitating diving into it. As to why? Well, I had a crap ton of other ARCs I needed to dive into because I was definitely slacking in that department. Luckily for me, I have definitely stopped slacking and have been pretty good at reading ARCs now. Woohoo!!

In this book, you will meet Trinity Marrow. She has a pretty unique gift because she can talk to ghosts and spirits. So in a way, she's kind of like a medium. I have no idea how she kept this whole thing a secret for so long because I can barely keep one for a few minutes - well, I guess it depends on how juicy the secret is and who is actually telling me it.

Now I loved the whole demons, angels, ghosts, and basically everything else that was thrown at me in this book. However, I definitely did not approve the whole insta thing that was happening. Sorry, but I'm definitely not sorry, because I hate insta anything. Oh, and love triangles - so those two things are very hard for me to fall in like with. Not love, like.

After finishing this amazing book, I am super pumped to dive into the next one. Ya know, whenever that beautiful thing comes out. I should probably also dive into the dark elements series because I haven't and didn't even know it existed. Oops.