Let the Storm Break

Let the Storm Break by Shannon Messenger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes a book is amazing. Sometimes a book is well written. You'd think the two would go hand in hand, but that's not always the case. And in this case, the book is very well written - and yet not completely amazing.

The reason this book deserves five stars is simply this: Shannon Messenger knows how to take a story and create tension, then give some slack, then create tension again, then let it loosen, then pull the tension so tight it leaves you gasping for the next book. Cliffhanger? Definitely. Worthy of five stars on that count alone? Absolutely.

In this second installment of the Let the Sky Fall series, we follow the main characters Vane and Audra as they grow in their relationship. Audra has gotten past much of her self-condemnation, thankfully. Vane is less impulsive and more focused as he prepares to be the king of the Sylphs. These two characters continue to explore their roles in Sylph society and Vane struggles to remain connected to his adopted human family. There are some new characters introduced in the form of Vane's guardians and trainers. And the girl to whom he has been betrothed without his previous knowledge, Solana, makes her debut. Just about the time the words "love triangle" come to mind, our hero stays true to his love. And as such, it becomes harder and harder to figure out just who's in cahoots with the bad guy.

The pacing is what makes this book so awesome - just about the time things seem the most dire, the tension eases and there's a slight resolution. Just about the time the plot seems predictable, it takes a turn. It was up and down and up and down and the whole thing left me exhausted. And what a cliffhanger! The setup for the last book is stunning.

One of the best things about the story is Vane and his sarcastic sense of humor. Messenger's use of the Haboob dust storm and Vane's commentary on it is laugh out loud funny. Vane himself is just a great character, likable, affable and sweet.

On audio, the book is narrated by Kristen Leigh and Nick Podehl. Podehl is perfect for Vane's point of view. He really embodies Vane's character and makes him come alive. Vane wouldn't be nearly so funny or endearing without Podehl's narration of him. Leigh as Audra is good enough, but not amazing. Podehl is just flat out astounding.

This story isn't really knock-you-down amazing. But it is very, very good, and when combined with the push-pull of the plot, it earns every one of those five stars. And after the buildup and setup in this novel, the last in the trilogy promises to be five-star worthy as well.

View all my reviews