Roar by Cora Carmack (Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads)Also by this author: All Played Out
Published by Tom Doherty Associates on June 13th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, General, Romance, Young Adult Fiction
Pages: 352
In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.
Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.
To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.
Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage.
She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.
Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.
This book seriously has everything I love …fantasy, magic, action, and romance! It has a strong, amazing heroine that will have you cheering for her from page 1 and a plot that will have you turning pages as fast as you can.
Aurora Pavan is heir to the throne of Pavan and she belongs to one of the oldest Stormling families … the family that has been protecting the kingdom with their magic for years. She’s everything the kingdom needs in a queen, intelligent, and brave… but she has no sign of the magic she’ll need to protect those counting on her. So her mother arranges a marriage to a Stormling prince from another kingdom… one who’s dark and broody. He’s obviously hiding something and when he rushes the wedding date, Aurora is determined to get away. A chance meeting with a group of Storm Hunters might be just the people she needs.
First, I have to mention the world-building because Carmack does an amazing job of creating a unique world here. I loved the way she put her own spin on the fantastical elements of this story, everything was unique and intricately planned and plotted from the storm elements to the world of Pavan.
I have to admit though, that the characters are what had me hooked to this story from the very first page! Every single character here has a purpose and a story to tell, and I honestly can’t wait for book two to learn more about each and every one of them. Carmack excels at creating a diverse landscape and sharing the complexities that make each of them different and interesting and doing it in a way that has you invested in what is happening to everyone. Even the storms felt like they had their own stories to tell!
Carmack did a wonderful job of weaving the romance in this story too, and I’m not going to apologize for needing romance in my stories… I need a ship to root for so don’t judge me. I am torn between the two boys in this story! I know the one that everyone will root and cheer for, but I can’t help but have a soft spot for Cassius too – I know he’s got a much deeper background than what we’re led to believe and even though he does some pretty crappy things, I get him… I really do and so I can’t help but want more of his story! But Locke… gah I just love the connection between him and Roar and I love how their relationship develops.
Carmack perfectly balances the magic, the fantastical and the romance in a way that will have readers begging for more. I for one am dying to get my hands on book 2 and if you haven’t yet gotten this on your TBR list, you must! Look no further for your next favorite read in the YA Fantasy genre!
Thank you to the publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
About Cora Carmack
Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Losing It series.
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