Thanks to The Fantastic Flying Book Club and Tor Teen for having me on this blog tour!
I’m so glad that I had a chance to be a part of this blog tour for Storm from the East. After reading Dark of the West, I needed to know what happened next in Athan and Aurelia’s story. Following Dark of the West, Athan and Aurelia continue to be on opposite sides of the war. The Safire are planning war whether they have the good graces of the League and Athan finds himself in the middle of it all. On his father and brothers orders, he’s added to one of the crews headed towards the capital of the South. On mission after mission, he gets through while thinking of Aurelia. Aurelia has left her Northern home to visit the South with the Ambassador. While there, she strikes up a friendship with one of Ambassador’s servants who writes and distributes pamphlets telling everyone exactly what is happening on the front lines. Aurelia ends up at the capital under the watch of the last royal of the South and there finds more about who she really is and why her mother refuses to talk about her heritage. What Aurelia finds is more than she bargained for. When the capital is overthrown, Athan and Aurelia finally have a change to meet again and spend time with one another. Unfortunately, secrets are exposed that leave them both reeling and once again they find themselves at odds. What happens throughout this book is more action and secrets and heartbreak, and leaves you wanting the next book right away.
One of the things that I really liked about this book was that Hathaway didn’t shy away from the complexities of war. Athan, on the front lines, sees really hard things and does really hard things in the name of his country. They’re not all great and sometimes he struggles in the aftermath with what he's done. He also struggles with a concussion throughout most of the book and you see that it’s not all black and white. Aurelia sees what’s left behind. She witnesses displaced people, people wounded and the images of innocent villages who have become the victims of the war. The other thing that Aurelia does is fight back in her own way. Along with the friend she’s made in the South they create pamphlets to let people know what is really happening at the front lines to the people there. They also find out that again, not everything is black and white in war time. There’s too many informants, there’s too much conflicting information, there’s more than one with a stake in this war.
Another thing that I really loved was finally seeing Athan and Aurelia together again. Throughout the book we see letters that they’ve written to each other but the other never gets. In them, they detail what’s going on with them. They explain their secrets to each other. But the one thing that I loved the most is that at this point when they’re together they really are taking and spending all they can because they know that either could die soon in the future. I did have a slight problem with Aurelia’s view on this because once she finds out who Athan truly is, she has a different view on him. But then again, if she had let him know who she really is, it might have been different. Other than that, I really loved their dynamic.
I also really loved the glimpse that we got to see of Aurelia’s mother. That there was so much more to her than we truly got to see. I really liked that we got to see her with Aurelia and the letter that she gave her. I also really liked seeing her with Athan and giving him the confidence to do what’s right, regardless of his family’s “legacy.”
Overall, I truly and utterly loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. The plot was fast and action-driven, the story was well-written, and the characters continued to be developed and brought into their own. I loved this book and it is released TODAY! If you’ve read the first book of this series, and even if you haven’t, you don’t wanna miss this.

While I enjoyed the first book, I was afraid this book would suffer from the dreaded “second book syndrome.” Oh, let me tell you that’s not the case at all. So much happens in this book, it’s incredible. Another even more intriguing prologue to pull you into the story, and we start just a few months after the first book ended. Athan and Aurelia are separated, each holding onto to a secret they won’t dare let the other one know about. (To be honest one of my main frustrations lingered due to Athan not telling Ali who he truly is.) We have Ali taking a stance in the war and using not only her status as a princess but her wits and brains to do something to sway the tide. Athan, on the other hand, is under his father’s or older brother Arrin’s thumb quite often. We really seem him go through the motions and doing what he’s told and I don’t ever think it’s because he really wants to.

This book reads like a historical fiction novel, so if that’s not something you’re into, you may want to go into this with a bit of caution. Lots of talk about strategy and politics (which sometimes confused me) and some past hurts that are affecting the countries involved. There’s also a fair bit of exposition, and we see this the most in the different POVs of Athan and Ali. I think Athan does a far bit of telling while Ali does a lot of showing. There’s a good balance though.

What I enjoyed most about this book is everything becomes so much clearer in terms of who Sinora is, how she and General Dakar are connected, and a lot of their pasts are revealed toward the end of the book. While I did get some answers, I’m still left some questions, the main one being, “Why?” I feel like there’s a whole other third side to the story we don’t know about, and I have a feeling Ali is going to try her hardest to uncover that.

While I do adore Ali and Athan, I think one of my favorite characters is Sinora. I wasn’t sure what to think of her in the first book, thought she was playing a game (and she certainly still is), but I see her a little better in this book. Sure, we get a skewed version of her through her daughter’s eyes, but it’s the last couple of chapters that really give you a sense of who she is and what she’s done to be where she is. Again, while I’m not certain the question of Why? answered, we’ll definitely be able to see how Sinora’s fate plays into the lives of those she was close with.

Ali and Athan still hold a bit of innocence, too. I really enjoyed the parts where they were together (even if all of them weren’t good), and the author does a great job with their interactions and making us really feel for the both of them despite the different worlds they come from. Ali was definitely justified in her anger toward Athan regarding a big secret. I think the two also take a step back and have a moment where they realize what exactly they’re getting themselves into and if they are in love with each other rather than the idea of each other.

Of all the people, I’m not quite sure what to make of Ali’s brother, Reni. Is he power hungry? Does he just want the symbol the crown will provide him? I don’t quite know. On a somewhat different note, I wish Ali had mentioned more of Violet. They’re supposed to be best friends, but when they have to go their separate ways, Ali doesn’t really think of her that much. Sure, she has a lot going on, but I thought it was a bit crass on her part.

I promise that you will love the new characters that come into this game as well.

I absolutely love Hathaway’s writing style. It’s completely immersive and I think she’s a great storyteller. You are incredibly drawn into the story of these characters, their lives, and the fate of their world. It’s wonderful to be eager to return to a book once you set it down (and real life kicks in), and it’s great pick up right where you left off and not feel like you are fighting to remember what’s going on.

I eagerly away the third and final book in this series.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Fantastic Flying Book Club, Netgalley, and Tor Teen for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

Okay why was I feeling all sorts of things while I was reading this novel? Yes, disclaimer: this is the second book so make sure you read the first one before reading this one. Thank you also to Tor Teen for providing me a free copy of the first novel to get me prepared for this one. Absolutely loved it.

And I have to say that I think I loved this one even better than the first? Don’t you love when sequels are better than their originals? It’s so thrilling and you just feel like you’re in the middle of this high speed chase and it’s hitting the climax right before a car explosion or something. Can’t you hear the speed music going on? I know I was when I was reading this one. I can’t even begin to think about how amazing the third novel will be.

I’m usually not a war drama person, especially when the synopsis says that it’s a “world wars-inspired” novel. Both of the World Wars that we had were devastating, and honestly I can’t even really begin to think about it by choice. From the groups of people that were killed and not recognized, to the kinds of violence that each side dished out and endured, it was just terrible. I mean terrible enough that pretty much the world was involved, right?

But this book really made me invested in everything that was going on, and this was something that will stay near and dear to my heart. I couldn’t help but feel a certain type of way for Aurelia, for Athan, for the Safire and want the revolutionaries to just finally get what they have been fighting for this whole time. Which may not even make sense be in this one, it seems like Aurelia and Athan are on opposite sides of the line. But I just wanted both of them to get what they wanted, and I just wanted the war between their two sides to come to a somewhat happy conclusion. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t all for the drama and heartbreak in between these pages. It’s really what got me going.

I just really felt pulled in to this story, and wow. Talk about complex characters that you can relate to on different sides, not knowing what you would do if you were in either of their shoes, but understanding that the decisions that they made were made because they had to. It was just that kind of book that will really stick with you after a couple of days, maybe even more.

While I greatly enjoyed Dark of the West last year, I think Storm from the East greatly surpassed it. The worldbuilding and characters are fleshed out more, and truths and secrets are uncovered (still more to come, however). Storm from the East was a thrilling sequel, one that will steal your attention and won't let it go.

I loved Athan so, so much! He’s just trying his best honestly. Also, we get to see more of his fucked-up family dynamic with him and Kalt and Arrin in this book. I’m always a sucker for siblings who despise each other but really care for each other, and there were so many examples of that here. Arrin continually throws Athan and Kalt under the bus but actually puts them in safer positions; Kalt helps Athan, unbeknownst to him.

Anyways I’m scared of what’s going to happen to all of them, knowing part of the future from the prologue of the first book. I’m probably way too attached to the Dakar brothers…even though Arrin is an absolute bastard, he’s fascinating to follow (antihero much?). He’s sarcastic and self-deprecating yet brilliant and secretly cares about certain people. I’d also love to see more of Kalt, and I suspect we will in the next book. I genuinely cannot get over their dynamic; I think it might be my favorite part of the series.

We also get to know more about the side characters. The Savient crew includes Cyar and a new character named Trigg. Their dynamic with Athan and the other officers was great to follow, although Cyar deserves better than Athan shutting him out. I even somehow ended up liked Havis more somehow? That is quite an accomplishment because I really hated him in the previous book.

The romance was adorable as usual. Athan’s and Aurelia’s letters to each other read like those incredibly sappy historical ones that everyone’s obsessed with, but in the best way. I think the letters were some of the best writing in the whole book actually! Not just between Athan and Aurelia, but also their letters to other characters.

So yeah, the first half dragged a bit to me because it was Aurelia not making much progress and Athan flying a lot. But believe me, it picked up very quickly. The war is picking up, and the action escalates without warning.

With the war comes the increasing realities that our protagonists have to face. Again, Aurelia grows to realize that war, this one particularly, isn’t always so black and white. Athan has to deal with the fact that he’s enjoying being under his father’s control less and less. I always love when a character realizes that, after begging for attention and respect, they don’t actually need it!

I can’t really talk about the second half of the book without spoiling it, but know that I was stunned by the ending. I can’t wait for the third book to see how everything connects to what we already know of the future. Storm from the East left me whirling from the beautiful writing, heartbreaking characters, and intense plot.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Storm of the East

Author: Joanna Hathaway

Book Series: Glass Alliance Book 2

Rating: 4/5

Publication Date: February 11, 2020

Publisher: TorTeen

Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, some gore, politics, and some love)

Synopsis: Battles, revolution, and romance collide in Joanna Hathaway's stunning, World Wars-inspired sequel to Dark of the West

Part war drama, part romance, Storm from the East is the second novel in Joanna Hathaway’s immersive, upmarket YA fantasy series that will appeal to readers of Sabaa Tahir, Marie Rutkoski, and Evelyn Skye.

War has begun, and the days of Athan’s and Aurelia’s secret, summer romance feel a world away. Led by Athan’s father, the revolutionary Safire have launched a secret assault upon the last royal kingdom in the South, hoping to depose the king and seize a powerful foothold on the continent. Athan proves a star pilot among their ranks, struggling to justify the violence his family has unleashed as he fights his way to the capital—where, unbeknownst to him, Aurelia has lived since the war’s onset. Determined to save the kingdom Athan has been ordered to destroy, she partners with a local journalist to inflame anti-Safire sentiment, all while learning this conflict might be far darker and more complex than she ever imagined.

When the two reunite at last, Athan longing to shake the nightmare of combat and Aurelia reeling from the discovery of a long-buried family truth come to light, they’ll find the shadow of war stretches well beyond the battlefield. Each of them longs to rekindle the love they once shared . . . but each has a secret they’re desperate to hide.

Review: This was a great sequel to the first book! The book has a lot of political intrique and romance still. Still has some WW2 and Romeo and Juliet vibes as well. The characters are much more developed in this one and the plot was very well continued from the previous book to.this one.

This book is very politically centered though so if you don't like that then it might not be your type of book. The book is also still slow paced.

Verdict: I love the politics!

Do y’all know those sequels that manage to transcend their previous work? Storm from the East was this sequel.

This series is structured to have the end at the beginning and the beginning at the end. It shines a light on the main characters once they’ve lost everything but the small shred of love that might still be active, and it pulls from us surprise and an unexpected liking to this unusual setup.

As the politics were set up in the last book, this one is solely focused on bringing to life the battles and worldly tensions. It gave us extensive knowledge on military and war--procreated from the author and birthed into the book--that welled up and wound us, once again, tightly around her fingers.

All in all, I was majorly stunned by this book. For that, I rate it 5 stars. I look forward to reading more from Joanna Hathaway, and I can’t wait for her next release.

The Glass Alliance series is a mind field of political war fare and at the heart of it are two people who are desperately in love with each other. The harshness of the truth is neither really knows the truth about the other.
In this second book the real education begins as Aurelia and Athan face the realities of this political war that their parents are waging. Their like pawns that have no idea the harshness and cruelty that war can ravage upon us. In the first book we got the geopolitics of this world and in this second book we are now in the midst of war that author paints in vast detail. If your not a fan of political war knowledge driving the story this may not be the book series for you.
I admits going into this series i was expecting something much different, but once i got into the meat and potatoes of what brewing in this story i was good. Politics stay at the personal level as we follow the Dakar's, in all their dark glory, making war a family business. As Aurelia plays her part trying to show the world their more beyond fighting this war and that what we been shown may not always be true. Their a lot to unpack in this series and took me over 6 days to wade my way through this novel. It a mind field of details and is on its way to an epic conclusion.
This series builds on each book as it goes along the ending will leave you with a tingling suspicion that this is just a stepping stone to something grander waiting to be unfolded.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book feels very political, but still easy enough to follow. The book itself was okay, I enjoyed it but it didn't really stick with me after. It is very much a WWII Fantasy and it definitely checked those boxes.

The first book in this series was wayyyy more emotionally jarring than this one but good none the less.

Why is this book--this series--not on everyone's radars?! I discovered it this year and am blown away by the sheer amazing-ness that is the work of Joanna Hathaway. The second in the <i>Glass Alliance</i> series, <i>Storm</i> takes this historical romance to new heights with more turbulence than my heart can handle.

This second installment kicks off shortly after the events of the first book. Son of the General, Athan Dakar is bracing himself to enter an unsanctioned war--his first proper war--that originates from a pool of lies and trickery and set-ups. Meanwhile, Princess Aurelia Isendare is coming to grips with the results of the failed coup and is preparing to leave her home to fulfill an obligation to her cousin.

As with the first novel, the story unfolds through the eyes of Athan and Ali, and is interspersed with their endearing letters to one another. They are two young lovers caught on opposite sides of a war. Each with enormous secrets that could change everything and separated by distance, this awful war, and parents who hate each other. Again, I enjoyed Athan's chapters better than I did Ali's. His felt of higher stakes and dove deeper into his rattled thoughts. Of course, that is not to say that I didn't also enjoy Ali's chapters. As characters they feel far more relatable and refreshing compared to similar stories of this genre because for once, these kids aren't the face of the war or revolution. They aren't teenagers who barely know who they are and yet have to lead thousands. They're just two young people on opposing sides of the spectrum who are swept along with the events and the heartbreak that comes with it, and they're making do best they can.

Hathaway has fast become one of the best war scene writers I have ever read. In particular the flying scenes, since we are in the thick of it with Athan as our pilot. The scenes with him in his plane are intense, immersive and <i>real</i>. I became so invested in these moments because the way it is written has me in the cockpit like I'm living through a scene in the movie <i>Pearl Harbour</i>. Hathaway takes us through a few different situations involving the air force and Athan, and she never fails to capture the raw and emotional side of the war and its consequences. The wondering on the innocence of those on the other side, the hesitation in following orders, the losing of one's self after the adrenaline fades and nightmares kick in. The civilian side from Ali's situation is similar, but instead she is merely witnessing the horrors. Helpless to stop it but she endeavors to do what can be done to resist and protect others from behind the scenes. I applaud Hathaway so thoroughly for what she's created here.

This book was a lot heavier on the political side of things, and I definitely would have benefited from my ARC having a map, but it's still easy enough to follow along. You know who is on what side, who is a coward, who is in it for themselves, and who is going to surprise us all in the next book. This was twisty and at times utterly jaw-dropping crazy. So many things I didn't see coming and was left reeling, trying to figure out the ultimate question: <i>What does this mean now?!</i>

The first book opened with a prologue that continues to gain more and more meaning. The events set in those first few pages have still not yet come to pass ... and that makes me nervous. It set the series up as a romantic, historical tragedy, and I fear that tragedy is hardly a big enough word for it. It's clear everyone is finally setting themselves on the paths that lead to that opening scene, and it's not looking like it will be good for our beloved characters in the third book. As it stands, this series is a trilogy, but I honestly wouldn't be surprised, nor disappointed, if it become a quartet. It's just <i>that</i> good and deserves a befitting ending.

If you are looking for a refreshing new fantasy series, inspired by WW2 look no further than the Glass Alliance series. I picked up the first book Dark of the West on a whim last year and it blew me away. So when I saw I was approved for an early copy of the sequel I may have squealed.
Storm of the East is just as good (possibly even better!) than the first book. Hathaway’s writing will transport you into the novel, feeling the tension and betrayal. With the perfect balance of romance, heartbreak, politics and action-packed war scenes it will keep you reading well past your bedtime. Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Teen for supplying me an e-arc of this book.

I have been dreading picking this one up. The first book was a whirlwind of emotion and the second book was definitely right up there, if not more so! I could feel my eyes tearing up throughout and honestly, it gave me a book hangover. It hasn't happened in awhile so that's a win even if I may drown in my own sadness, ha. So, let's move into my review of this heart-wrenching read.

Aurelia and Athan are back, as well as many familiar faces from book one. They are still star-crossed lovers trying to find peace while others make it hard to do. Although there isn't many scenes with them together, both get their own chapters/point-of-view of the war that is rattling their world.

I wanted them to be okay. I wanted them to finally run away together and forget what is happening. I wanted them to have a happy ending. The talk about running away kept coming back and when there was a glimmer of hope for them something pulled it out of sight. They were so innocent and pure and at certain times, oblivious to the world around them as they shared secret moments together. I really hope they get their happy ending because if this turns out like Romeo and Juliet, I will not be okay!

A character that made his appearance in this book really stole the show when he was present. Triggs is hilarious, cocky, and I loved it! He is also colorblind and I thought that was awesome because he didn't let it stop him from doing what he loved, flying planes.

With any book about royalty, war, politics, and family, there is always drama. The plot twists come with vengeance and I wasn't sure when a character would drop dead. The suspense was real and I couldn't focus on anything until I finished this book.

Since you know that this book deals with war, you already know it's not going to end well. Causalities in war are inevitable. No one is perfect and that means no one has the perfect strategy. There is always death on both sides and there is also death for those who are simply living in the wrong place at the wrong time. All of this and more can be found on the pages of this book. It is sad and makes you think about all the wars that have passed in the real world. It's easy to look at fiction and see it as just that but books like this are important because it's another way to look at a hard topic and maybe reach people who wouldn't otherwise understand how tragic war is.

Overall, I loved this book just as much as the first. Hathaway's writing is descriptive and leaves you wanting more with each turn of a page. I can't wait to read the third and final book next year, although my emotions may need more time than that to be ready.

I thought this book was very mediocre. I liked the first one (rated it 3/5 stars), but it wasn't anything extraordinary, and I did have problems getting through it, as well as a lack of interest in Athan's POV. I had the same problems in this book, only magnified. I ended up not caring about Athan and Aurelia so much as I cared about their relationship; I wanted them to be together, but I didn't necessarily like either of them or felt that I could relate to them. I also didn't like any of the side characters.
The biggest problem with this book for me was that Athan's POV in particular was very boring, what with all the military terminology and discussions, which I realize was important for the plot, but it just didn't hold my interest, unfortunately.

I really enjoyed this follow-up to Dark of the West. The continued complexity of the world was super enjoyable!! The romance even more so. My heart broke when the queen died, because I honestly wanted to see more from her and the secrets she kept.

A fun read! I didn't know what to expect when I started this one, but I liked the cover, and the blurb sounded fun. I really enjoyed it, though, and am glad I got the chance to read it! I enjoyed the characters, and the story was well written!

I started 2019 with Joanna Hathaway and well, I started 2020 with Joanna Hathaway and this sequel.

I must admit that if you are looking for a fantasy book centered on politics, this is the saga for you. This novel presents a universe where parts of the empires has managed to free themself. Those who achieved independence are in the south and the rest are in the north. Since then, there has been a coalition between governments to try to keep the geographic area peaceful. Well peace is clearly not there and war takes shape in this sequel. What I found absolutely brilliant is to see how it all started years earlier, we discover the past of certain characters, the links between them and especially the grudges. In the end, this war is more a question of personal revenge than the good or freedom of the people.

Athan and Aurelia are caught in the middle of it all. Their parents hate each other while they love each other. It's horrible to see them caught between their loyalty to their family and their personal desires. You can feel the intensity of their feelings and their personal demons, I loved reading these characters. Their humanity is touching and their dynamic is crazy. Frankly, it has been a long time since I have read such characters and it is a real pleasure. I cross my fingers for a happy ending, but nothing is guaranteed.

This second volume takes you enormously into political issues, there are blows, betrayals and secrets at every turns. I was surprised more than once and I liked to feel this tension, the pressure to act. It is a series which for me is centered on the characters above all and they are so well written that one can only love reading the novel. It is therefore a book that I recommend, because you will live at the same time as Athan and Aurelia a thousand things

When I started to read Dark of the West I was impressed by the time I finished it. It was a good, solid book with a strong story line and great characters. Then I picked up Storm from the East and was surprised to find out that it was an even better book than the first. I love the way the story grew and the complexity that was added to the characters. Both are well worth the read, but the second really makes it worth it to read the first. Well done Joanna Hathaway.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to post my review to Goodreads until after the publication date. But once that comes to past, it will be up!

Great adventure and a sequel that delivers a story as compelling as the first book. storm from the East has all the ingredients for a memorable YA and a fantastic MC!

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 4.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

I am surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. It is so different from the first one - far more focused on war and politics, but you care so much for the characters that you have to keep turning the page. Joanna's depictions of war and what it can do to the country that has been invaded are raw and true. Of course there is a romance that will leave you fanning yourself. The character growth is also extremely well done. A solid sequel with lots of twists and turns; I can't wait for book 3.

I loved Dark of the West so when I got a copy of the second book, I let out a pterodactyl style screech (startling my cat and my significant other). Dare I say that Storm from the East was even more beautiful, intense and emotionally affecting than the first book? As well as being a sort of alt-historical romance, it’s also a deep meditation on what war does to people, how the choice you’re forced to make change you and rob you of illusions. I loved this book and now have only to face the long dreary days until the next one.