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Storm Driven
Two years ago Shilo's life was great. Good job, loving husband, great house, and nothing major to worry about. Then his husband vanished without a trace. He still has the job and the house, but no idea why his husband left without even writing a note.
Days before the two year mark of his husband's disappearance, he's nearly killed when his house blows up. Before he can make sense of any of it, Shilo is swept up in a deadly stand-off between two powerful factions of the preternatural world he has always ignored—and his husband right in the middle of it.
Days before the two year mark of his husband's disappearance, he's nearly killed when his house blows up. Before he can make sense of any of it, Shilo is swept up in a deadly stand-off between two powerful factions of the preternatural world he has always ignored—and his husband right in the middle of it.
151 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 17, 2015
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 21, 2015
Advanced review copy of Storm Driven provided by Less Than Three Press via Net Gallery in exchange for an honest review.
Right off the bat, I need to make sure those reading this review know that this is NOT a M/M romance. Yes, the main characters are married, but any romance between them took a backseat to the story.
The alternate universe in Storm Driven is full of preternatural folks. The Woodland Folk are saving the environment, Witches/Faes/Practitioners use alternative medicines, Shamans healers, (who differ from Witches because they use magic to help heal the body, not potions and medicines), The Elementals help stop natural disasters and The Merefolk rescue people in danger. Our MC is Shilo Walsh who is married to Mazin Walsh, a preternatural who can control the weather. (It is important to note that Shilo is fully aware that his husband is a preternamural. Personally I believe it would have made for a more compelling story line if he had not known that preternatural beings existed and learned about it along with us.)
The book starts with Shilo mourning the fact that his husband disappeared without any warning or note two years ago. He has spent the two years trying, unsuccessfully, to get on with his life. He is swamped with depression but refuses to seek therapy. When his home that he shared with Mazin burns to the ground, it triggers a series of events that will change his life forever. I don't think it is a spoiler to tell you that he eventually does find his husband, but anymore information than that would be giving too much away.
This story was interesting but confusing to me at times. I had to write down the characters names and their preternatual skills to keep track of everyone. Since I normally read exclusively M/M romance and tend to stay away from the supernatural genre, this book was very different than any book I have read before. I believe those who enjoy alternate universe stories are going to really love this book, but for me, I needed more romance. More of a spark between the MCs.
I can recommend this book to those that enjoy supernatural stories with a high level of action and adventure, but those looking for a romance would be better looking elsewhere. In my opinion, the boys get a HFN epilogue, but since they are still married some might disagree with me. Either way, I hope you enjoy this alternate universe tale!
Right off the bat, I need to make sure those reading this review know that this is NOT a M/M romance. Yes, the main characters are married, but any romance between them took a backseat to the story.
The alternate universe in Storm Driven is full of preternatural folks. The Woodland Folk are saving the environment, Witches/Faes/Practitioners use alternative medicines, Shamans healers, (who differ from Witches because they use magic to help heal the body, not potions and medicines), The Elementals help stop natural disasters and The Merefolk rescue people in danger. Our MC is Shilo Walsh who is married to Mazin Walsh, a preternatural who can control the weather. (It is important to note that Shilo is fully aware that his husband is a preternamural. Personally I believe it would have made for a more compelling story line if he had not known that preternatural beings existed and learned about it along with us.)
The book starts with Shilo mourning the fact that his husband disappeared without any warning or note two years ago. He has spent the two years trying, unsuccessfully, to get on with his life. He is swamped with depression but refuses to seek therapy. When his home that he shared with Mazin burns to the ground, it triggers a series of events that will change his life forever. I don't think it is a spoiler to tell you that he eventually does find his husband, but anymore information than that would be giving too much away.
This story was interesting but confusing to me at times. I had to write down the characters names and their preternatual skills to keep track of everyone. Since I normally read exclusively M/M romance and tend to stay away from the supernatural genre, this book was very different than any book I have read before. I believe those who enjoy alternate universe stories are going to really love this book, but for me, I needed more romance. More of a spark between the MCs.
I can recommend this book to those that enjoy supernatural stories with a high level of action and adventure, but those looking for a romance would be better looking elsewhere. In my opinion, the boys get a HFN epilogue, but since they are still married some might disagree with me. Either way, I hope you enjoy this alternate universe tale!
May 25, 2015
Review copy from Netgalley
This one was o.k. I would have liked it longer
I liked Shilo as a character. At the start he came across a bit whingey but underneath he was actually quite a strong character. He fought for his husband, using his skills to try and solve Mazin’s family problems so that he could go home with Mazin, all the while knowing that their problems were not fixed but just on hold.
Mazin was a hard character to get a handle on, and I didn’t really feel a connection. I didn't dislike him, I just struggled to connect with his character. I did feel for him being manipulated by his family but I also wanted him to stand up to them. I also didn’t really feel a connection between Shilo and Mazin but they had been apart for two years, so they both had become different people. I had a better connection with Zak, but that was due to his sunny personality.
I liked that their issues were not just forgotten the moment they got back together. They were pushed to the side while they tried to free Mazin, but it was understood they would be worked through in the future.
This one was o.k. I would have liked it longer
I liked Shilo as a character. At the start he came across a bit whingey but underneath he was actually quite a strong character. He fought for his husband, using his skills to try and solve Mazin’s family problems so that he could go home with Mazin, all the while knowing that their problems were not fixed but just on hold.
Mazin was a hard character to get a handle on, and I didn’t really feel a connection. I didn't dislike him, I just struggled to connect with his character. I did feel for him being manipulated by his family but I also wanted him to stand up to them. I also didn’t really feel a connection between Shilo and Mazin but they had been apart for two years, so they both had become different people. I had a better connection with Zak, but that was due to his sunny personality.
I liked that their issues were not just forgotten the moment they got back together. They were pushed to the side while they tried to free Mazin, but it was understood they would be worked through in the future.
June 20, 2015
I didn't like the fact that one of the characters whom I thought might have his own story, dies! It pretty much ruined the story for me.
June 28, 2015
3.5 stars rounded up. This story was really great until about 70% and it kinda fell off and never picked up.
July 28, 2015
Immersive, engaging, amazing story! I'm officially in love with this author; can't wait to read more of her work.
August 15, 2015
Huh? That's it?
A serious lack of world building and character developement, in an otherwise interesting story.
A serious lack of world building and character developement, in an otherwise interesting story.
September 12, 2015
4 Heart Review by Tidal
I love m/m fiction that has a supernatural or fantasy element. It seems to me that this niche of the genre is still fresh and expanding. Ana Reese adds to this excitement with her offering, Storm Driven.
I really enjoyed this book. Shilo is an amazing guy. Everyone loves him. Bit by bit his world is rocked. His husband Mazin just vanishes and Shilo loyally waits for him for two years. Shilo is sure he will come back. He keeps busy as much as he can but he is running out of hope and steam. One day, just as he is leaving his house to do an errand, his house explodes. He is kidnapped from the hospital and he realizes that he is in some hot water.
He soon realizes that when you marry an Elemental there is a lot that you are signing up for, a whole lot more than what Shilo signed up for. He desperately wants to find his husband and find out why he left. Before he can do that, they must end this war between the other factions that are playing for keeps.
I love the interaction between Shilo, Mazin, and his cousin. The tension and passion is exciting. The action is believable. I was hooked from the beginning. This is a real page-turner. There weren’t any parts that grew boring or drawn out and the plot kept me guessing until the end. I hope the author chooses to continue their story and so I can see more of Shilo, and Mazin in the future.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
I love m/m fiction that has a supernatural or fantasy element. It seems to me that this niche of the genre is still fresh and expanding. Ana Reese adds to this excitement with her offering, Storm Driven.
I really enjoyed this book. Shilo is an amazing guy. Everyone loves him. Bit by bit his world is rocked. His husband Mazin just vanishes and Shilo loyally waits for him for two years. Shilo is sure he will come back. He keeps busy as much as he can but he is running out of hope and steam. One day, just as he is leaving his house to do an errand, his house explodes. He is kidnapped from the hospital and he realizes that he is in some hot water.
He soon realizes that when you marry an Elemental there is a lot that you are signing up for, a whole lot more than what Shilo signed up for. He desperately wants to find his husband and find out why he left. Before he can do that, they must end this war between the other factions that are playing for keeps.
I love the interaction between Shilo, Mazin, and his cousin. The tension and passion is exciting. The action is believable. I was hooked from the beginning. This is a real page-turner. There weren’t any parts that grew boring or drawn out and the plot kept me guessing until the end. I hope the author chooses to continue their story and so I can see more of Shilo, and Mazin in the future.
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
June 17, 2015
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
This was a story where the world building and the plot itself just shined. Reese gives us an interesting twist on magic, and I found myself absorbed immediately and completely sucked in. A mix of the contemporary life and old world sensibilities, there were some fascinating elements that really kept me engaged. I liked the dichotomy between the world Shilo knows and the one that Mazin has been trying to protect him from, and I think the author used it to great effect. The plot itself wasn’t anything truly new, but it was done in an artful way that gave it a fresh feeling. Those points alone bumped my rating and my enjoyment up.
And then we come to the characters. To be fair, I enjoyed Shilo a great deal. I loved his spunk and his humor, and I liked that he had a strong backbone. He had all the layers that he should, and expressed them well. I was right there with him throughout most of the book, and since he’s the POV character, I thought that worked incredibly well. I particularly liked that he accepted Mazin’s secret without much angst, but that he didn’t immediately forgive Mazin for his lies. Yes, ultimately, he understood why Mazin did what he did. But I really appreciated the fact that Shilo had a lot of hurt to work through, and he wasn’t magically cured. He had been left behind by his husband, without a word, and that’s not something that is going to disappear quickly with only an apology. This whole part was handled incredibly well.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
This was a story where the world building and the plot itself just shined. Reese gives us an interesting twist on magic, and I found myself absorbed immediately and completely sucked in. A mix of the contemporary life and old world sensibilities, there were some fascinating elements that really kept me engaged. I liked the dichotomy between the world Shilo knows and the one that Mazin has been trying to protect him from, and I think the author used it to great effect. The plot itself wasn’t anything truly new, but it was done in an artful way that gave it a fresh feeling. Those points alone bumped my rating and my enjoyment up.
And then we come to the characters. To be fair, I enjoyed Shilo a great deal. I loved his spunk and his humor, and I liked that he had a strong backbone. He had all the layers that he should, and expressed them well. I was right there with him throughout most of the book, and since he’s the POV character, I thought that worked incredibly well. I particularly liked that he accepted Mazin’s secret without much angst, but that he didn’t immediately forgive Mazin for his lies. Yes, ultimately, he understood why Mazin did what he did. But I really appreciated the fact that Shilo had a lot of hurt to work through, and he wasn’t magically cured. He had been left behind by his husband, without a word, and that’s not something that is going to disappear quickly with only an apology. This whole part was handled incredibly well.
Read Kris’ review in its entirety here.
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