Heart of a storm; Roar Review

Roar by Cora Carmack is debut Young Adult novel. Previously she wrote adult romance. Roar is the first book in the series.

Synopsis 

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.

Aurora/ Rora/ Roar (I’m going to go with Rora) is the heir to the Pavan throne and comes from a long line of Stormling royalty however her mother has been keeping secret her lack of powers. Rora has lead a sheltered life in order to stop people discovering her secret. When her mothers arranges a marriage between Rora and a strong stormling prince she is initially taken in by his charm but her world comes crashing down when she discovers he is using her to gain power. As she sneaks out the castle to follow him to see if she can find a way out of the betrothal contract she discovers the magic black market. 

When she meets Locke she thinks she has found a way out. He was born with out magic and now processes it through hunting storms. He thinks Rora is a girl from a bad background trying to get away and Rora manages to convince Locke to let her join his crew of storm hunters. She hopes to gain her own magic the way Loke did so her mother won’t make her marry Cassius. Through her travels with the Stormhunters Rora discovers just how shelter she was and how much of the world she dosn’t understand. 

The story is written from multiple points of view. Of course there is Rora. Who Leaves her home thinking she knows what she is doing only to realis she hasn’t a clue but along the way discovers her own power within her.

There is Locke who is the protective leader type who can’t help but be drawn to Rora who he knows as roar. Cassius the schemeing prince. Who’s real motives are slowly released through out the story. Nova, Rora’s maid than helps her fake the kidnapping. She is a witch with the sort of magic that is thought to have died off and is out lawed. She is a strong and loyal character and deserves more. I hope we get to see more of here and she gets to unleash the power burning inside her. There is also the mysterious Stormlord. Who no one knows much about except that he is deadly. On the most part it was easy to tell who’s point of view you are following except for one part where the Stormlord was introduced. That part confused me at first as I wasn’t quite sure who’s eyes I was meant to be seeing this seen through. It made me come out of the story slightly but it was short lived and I found myself reemerged in the story.

I really enjoyed the story. Although I found Locke and Rora’s romance a bit annoying, I like them together. I hope to see a stronger Rora in the next book now that she has a better understanding of what she is.

The descriptions of the different storms were fantastic. I really felt like I was there witnesses them happen. Like I was also getting plummeted by rain or feeling the strong pull of a twister.

I can’t wait for the next book. The ending of this book has set up the next part of the story well and I can’t wait to see how the story unfolds next.