Thank you Netgalley, Titan Books, and Gabriella Buba for the eARC!

A really solid fantasy debut. I find myself floundering when I have to write wildly positive reviews for a book, but I felt SAINTS OF STORM AND SORROW reckoned with so many story elements--plot, character, and deeper themes such as colonization and culture--very well, leading all around to a stand-out book. The characters were great: I particularly loved Lunurin, Alon, and Cat. I do wish there had been a little more time to let the romance develop, but overall, it was reasonably well-done for YA (which I do feel like flounders in the romance department sometimes.) Being nitpicky, but I did knock one star off for the writing at times. Though it was publishable the entire way through, there were at times where the writing definitely felt clunky, unsure, and generally something that I felt didn't shine as much as it could've, but others might not feel the same as I do there. It's likely subjective. The worldbuilding was the major thing I loved about this: steeped in Filipino culture, it felt very fleshed out and the world felt quite alive.

If you like fantasy and romance, I do recommend putting this one on your radar.

There are very few books that I read and immediately wish they existed as TV adaptations so I could see if my imagination matches the authors imagination on-screen, but Saints of Storm and Sorrow had me wishing I could open up the HBO app and throw myself into the world all over again. What an absolutely stunning debut fantasy by Gabriella Buba, complete with deeply complex queer characters, unflinching honesty about the church and colonialism, and a magic system that rivals even the best D&D relationships between characters and their patron deities. This book had me in its grasp on the opening page and didn't let up until the very end. I finished this book ten days ago and I haven't stopped thinking about it. Lunurin, Cat, Alon will be sailing through the playground of my mind until we meet again in the sequel.

Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and provide and honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!! I enjoyed this quite a bit. A tale of vengeance, love, and taking back your land from people trying to tear it from you as well as your heritage. This felt cathartic to read. Everything you have gotten tired of listening to, people taking things out of context, or if this has happened to you personally is put into this book to washed away to sea. There is indiscriminate power of nature and love that doesn't expect anything from you but being yourself. It is a sweet, sad, angry book and I loved it.

"Saints of Storm and Sorrow" has completely captured my heart!

Gabriella Buba's storytelling is simply enchanting, weaving a tapestry of characters who are as complex as they are compelling.

With every turn of the page, I was drawn deeper into their world, where the struggles of Lunurin, the dynamics of the colonizers, and the mystical presence of the goddess all intertwined.

However, what truly resonated with me were the beautifully nuanced relationships between Lunurin, Cat, and Alon. Their interactions were filled with emotion and depth, keeping me utterly engrossed from beginning to end.

Long after closing the book, the echoes of its tale continue to dance through my mind, a testament to its power to captivate and inspire.

I extend my thanks to NetGalley and Titak Books
for providing me with a review copy of this book.

Thank you Titan Books and NetGalley for a free eARC of "Saints of Storm and Shadow" by Gabriella Buba.
A Filipino inspired Young Adult Fantasy.
The target audience is not actualy mentioned and the fact that the book is compared to "The Poppy War" and "The Jasmine Throne", two Adult books sets way to high expectations on this debut.
I hope the final product will have a glosary. There is no way for somebody to understant all the Filipino words used in this work.
Unfortunately I could not finish this book.
There is no sense of purpose or urgency. The praise at the begining would give you the expectation that the heroine is so discriminated under the colonizers, but she is given the role if a abess, clearly a position of power.
The romance left me with so many questions as the two lovers are at complete odds with their faith and beliefs.
I would recommend this book to fans of Young Adult Fantasy - Romance.
Sadly, it is not for me .