Theorie of the Storm

by Jane Delaney

Her Time is Drawing Closer

In the city of Dynas Rhydent, all who are born with magic must succumb to the Trials by their 19th birthday. Pass, and you’ll be granted the title of Magi, a rank that brings wealth and privilege. Fail, and your life is no longer your own. An acolyte at the Academy of Arcane Arts, Theorie du’Ambrine’s gift is stunted, and as her birthday draws closer she begins to fear the inevitable—

A Chance Encounter

With his crooked smile and shaggy hair, Kyte is unlike anyone Theorie has ever known, and it isn’t long before she finds herself following the magnetic boy into one of Dynas Rhydent’s most dangerous districts. But what starts as a light-hearted afternoon soon turns into a harrowing nightmare, one that will push both Theorie and Kyte to their very limits as they struggle to survive a betrayal that might cost them everything.

The Last of Them

Taren Val'Cross is the last prince of the Fae. Once, his empire spanned the globe. Now, a curse keeps his people locked behind a magical barrier, making them prisoners in their own home. None can enter nor leave the wards surrounding their islands. Taren has all but given up on freeing his people, until a violent storm washes a young mage onto their shores. A mage who just might have the power to free them. But that power comes at a cost and soon Taren finds himself asking a question: save his kingdom or the woman he loves?

Enter a world where myths and magic abound in a lush dark fantasy perfect for fans of Holly Black, Cassandra Clare, and Sarah J Maas. Enter the Storm.

Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Young Adult, Paranormal

434 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 18, 2018

About the author

Jane Delaney was born and raised in the Missouri Ozarks. Somewhat of a misfit in her youth, she spent many happy hours visiting Middle-earth, Pern, Krynn, and many other fantasy worlds.
In her spare time, she enjoys daydreaming, eating cookies,reading, and playing video games (her favorites being Dragon Age and The Witcher).
She currently lives in Northern Utah with her family and an assortment of furry friends.

Reviews

[Umairah (Sereadipity) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot: 3.5/5 Characters: 3.5/5 Writing: 4/5

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Theorie of the Storm was a fun read full of magic and creativity.

It’s set in a world where many years ago, the Fae and humans were at war due a mad Fae king feeling jealous that his queen left him in favour of a human warlord. After a mysterious cataclysmic event, the queen and the majority of the Fae disappeared without a trace and those who were left on the island they inhabited were imprisoned there by an unbreakable magical ward, trapped in time while the rest of the world moved on. In the present day of the book, the Fae have faded into myth and legend and the humans have prospered in the rest of the world, developing technology such as ‘motorcars’ and steam powered ships. They also have mages who enhance their magic using special stones called foci.

The main character was a human mage called Theorie du’Ambrine who had led a comfortable and sheltered life until she got kidnapped by Kyte, a member of a notorious gang, and shipped off to a distant land. The ship hits a terrible storm and sinks, however, Theorie, Kyte and a girl called Sybil inexplicably wash up on the lost Fae island where the war had happened all those years ago. At the beginning of the book, I found Theorie to be extremely naïve but as the book progressed she became more aware of the world and learnt from her mistakes. Also, she was very determined and unwavering in her resolve to survive. However, the main issue I had with her was that she spent most of her time on the island ogling and flirting with Taren, a Fae prince, whilst thinking about how handsome he was. I’m not a fan of insta-love so for me, it was infuriating. Especially because Taren lied to her and tried to use her and she just didn’t seem to care.

Although Kyte had done terrible things, he wasn’t all bad. The way he looked after and cared about Sybil, the young girl who he saved from the sinking ship, was heart-warming and they were almost like siblings. Near the end of the book there are some rather surprising plot twists in regard to Kyte that I just didn’t see coming.

The plot had a slow pace at the start of the book but near the end it picked up considerably. I thought the plot was pretty good but some of the decisions the characters made just didn’t seem logical or feasible at times. They either didn’t notice glaringly obvious things or made plans that obviously wouldn’t work.

Nevertheless, I thought Theorie of the Storm was an entertaining novel with an imaginative plot and immersive world building. Overall, I enjoyed it very much.

This review and more can be found at Sereadipity.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings on this as some bits were brilliant and some were a little underwhelming.

The brilliant:

The plot, in particular the last 20% where everything kicked off. You could tell everything was well planned out and there was tension and it was brilliant.

Kyte, was such an interesting character and I can't wait to see more of him in the next book

Theorie and Taren's romance, I was getting serious Sarah J Maas vibes with them and I LOVED it!

The world building. It was clearly a well developed world and I'm looking forward to exploring more of it.

Part 1 and the whole Surviving in the Wild Thing. I am an absolute sucker for this trope.


"We are older than the stars, more numerous than all the galaxies combined."


The underwhelming:

The ralte, I didn't like how Theorie got away with using it multiple times, I wanted to see consequence and the world's rules being followed.

Theorie, much as I liked and could relate to her, I didn't connect with her as much as I want to connect to the MC.

The inconsistencies and grammar issues. I had to re-read bits and a times had to presume words were a mistake and guess at what it should have said to make sense.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit that Theorie of the Storm is a slow building story that has you suddenly realizing you’ve been completely and utterly sucked in. Jane Delaney writes a powerfully original and dramatic plot that left me wanting more.

Magic exists in the human world but ever since the fae and human war, that happened years ago, the magic has been diminishing in both the fae and human realms. The fae have all but dissapeared leaving a few magically blessed humans behind. Events are set in motion and soon we will see what happens when those realms cross again.

Theorie is a young woman about to face the magical trials in the human realm when she is betrayed, kidnapped and then whirl winded into the fae’s realm with her betrayer as her companion. That is where human magic, Theorie, meets fae magic, Taren, the last fae prince and when I found myself riveted to every single page.

Taren will do anything to break out through the barriers that divide the world. He believes Theorie holds the key. The more Taren tries to seduce Theorie into doing his will the more she pulls him into seeing the person she really is.

Delaney's amazing world building reminded me of my first-time reading Holly Black’s writing. Delaney pens a dramatic, strong and a vibrantly colorful plot that makes the characters and worlds jump write off the pages and directly into your imagination.

I received this copy of Theorie of the Storm from Jane Delaney. This is my honest and voluntary review.

My rating: 4.5 stars
Written by: Jane Delaney
Series: The Forgotten Fae
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Paperback: 456 pages
Publisher: Independently published
Publication Date: December 14, 2018
ISBN-10: 1790756308
ISBN-13: 978-1790756308
Genre: Teen | Steampunk

[Brittain *Needs a Nap and a Drink* · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall:







This could have been a really great book and the story was there but I just found myself losing interest by the end of the book. It did not suck me in and the characters all fell flat.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theorie may have been born into a powerful mage family, but her own powers are slight, stilted and as she nears the age of being tested, it doesn’t seem she will suddenly inherit the potential she had hoped for. Orphaned, she is the ward of a wealthy and powerful politician and it was on a trip to inspect a new ship that she met Kyte, a charmer and as it turns out, a liar, but it will be his lies that will take her from the bowels of despair and into a world that humanity thought no longer existed, the realm of the Fae where Theorie will meet the last prince of the Fae, Taren.

A magical barrier has held what is left of the Fae prisoners in their own world, a world filled with shaper shifters and magic and beauty beyond anything on the mortal plane. It is also filled with an unknown threat, a threat that could destroy both the Fae and the humans.

Young love blossoming, the magic of a new world and the tenacity of a teen in a world she had only read about…and before I knew it, I was lost in this world, the sights, the sounds and the smells of somewhere unearthly, something “more,” all told at a pace that builds gently. Wonderful characters, some surprising twists and some well spent hours lost in the grips of Jane Delaney’s imagination!

Jane Delaney’s THEORIE OF THE STORM is a fantasy lover’s dream! Rich in atmosphere, filled with the wily charm of the Fae, the feisty spirit of a young acolyte mage and each page gets better and better! The best part is this is only the start to a series that I must have more of!

Series: The Forgotten Fae - Book 1
Publication Date: December 18, 2018
Publisher: Jane Delaney
Genre: YA Fantasy
Print Length: 458 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Malischa Nijenhuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theorie of the Storm is a fun read full of magic and creativity.

The plot, in particular the last 20% where everything kicked off. You could tell everything was well planned out and there was tension and it was brilliant.

There was foreshadowing throughout the book, which I love, and it was subtle enough that you didn’t realize what it was until after. I love that there is a map at the beginning. With high fantasy books like this, I think a map is essential.

so yeah would recommand this book

[Marta Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five hundred years earlier the powerful Fae Queen fell in love with a human but obviously her husband fought her over it and as the war reached its crescendo the Fae all disappeared. Now it's some of the humans who have magic and our heroine Theorie is about to take her final tests before she's assigned a position but as this story begins Theorie has some trouble actually reaching for all of her magic.
Theorie has a comfortable life living with her guardian and is overjoyed when he gifts her a ship. Whilst inspecting it though she meets Kyte who isn't all he appears to be and Theorie finds herself abducted and on a slavers ship. Yet fate steps in and Theorie and Kyte find themselves facing not only their greatest fears but perhaps also their wildest dreams.
This was a story that just pulled me in although I hasten to point out that initially I wasn't sure if I would empathise with Theorie because in the beginning she was extremely naive and not exactly the sort of protagonist that I usually enjoy. However she quickly blooms into someone I could cheer for although the author stayed true to the fact that Theorie was a sheltered, innocent young lady.
I have no wish to ruin this story but I think the synopsis does reveal that not all the Fae are missing and that some live on hidden Islands with Wards that prevent them from leaving. Theorie and Kyte end up behind the Ward desperately trying to survive with a young child who was also about to be auctioned off. This trio find safety but nothing is as it seems. The Fae are notoriously tricky creatures but in the world created here they can lie , they can deceive and our intrepid heroine is not the only one lied to !
This definitely got better as the story progressed and the characters introduced on the Island were a good mixture of very obviously villains and even some that are confused about exactly where their loyalty should go. I particularly liked Kyte as even at the beginning he is a morally grey character who clearly has a good heart. There wasn't really enough about young Sybil to truly assess her but the ending certainly made her someone I'd like to know more about . Taren is the Fae Prince who charms Theorie but his motives are hidden from her. Yes he's the token love interest although he didn't make my heart flutter ! I was very intrigued by the magic and how it's used here. I cannot say too much but Theorie was astonishing at times and as this ended their are revelations about several characters here but frustratingly not Theorie ! I still have questions and this journey is definitely not over so if you enjoy fantasy that's not too dark or graphic then this series should be on your wishlist.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

[Jerri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the cover of the book and I am also a huge fan of YA fantasy. I wish this book could have decided what genre it wanted to be. Book starts out with a magical mage and a criminal with some scruples. We later add the fae, pockets of alien monsters (maybe and please don't be Lovecraftian) and finally creatures of horror (complete with corpses and bubbly cauldrons). It was just a bit much for me. I had trouble connecting with Theorie or Ren. They both felt a bit shallow and annoying. I would have like more of Kyte and Sybil. The story didn't command my interest. I actually look up some reviews to help me determine whether to continue or abandon. I chose to finish the story despite the overwhelming grammar and punctuation errors. (Theorie's eyes dampened with ears.) First advice - get a better editor. That was so awful it was painful. I have sent books to DNF for far less grammar errors. I found myself pulled from the story each time and each time a little more reluctant to return. There are interesting pockets and I do believe the author has a story to tell. This book though was riddled with errors, irritating characters, and disbelief in terms of the romantic relationships. One of my biggest pet peeves is incomplete endings. I love a story with an ambiguous ending but I hate a story that lacks an ending all together, requiring the reader to purchase the next book to see what happens. This is what the author gives the reader. This is a common practice in lesser YA novels and for me personally, it is a deal breaker. I didn't enjoy the book. I can't recommend it.

[Mary W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love YA novels and was not disappointed with this one. An exciting story, solid characters, and a whimsical steam-punk setting made for a great read. 10/10 would recommend.

[~Reading Rambler~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book to read for an honest review. I have a few things to say about this book. Both good, and not so good.

First thing I want to say, and I’m not proud of it, is that a cover is one of the first things to pull me in to read a book. So needless to say, the cover is gorgeous.

The cover wasn’t the only things that attracted me to the book though, I have a very hard time resisting books that involve Fae, and magic. So, reading this book was kind of a no brainer for me.

I felt that the story, and the plot, were very engrossing. It was a very interesting story that was unlike other stories I have read, but at the same time similar enough to have some of my favorite concepts.

There was foreshadowing throughout the book, which I love, and it was subtle enough that you didn’t realize what it was until after. I love that there is a map at the beginning. With high fantasy books like this, I think a map is essential.

Now, onto the characters.

The author does a very good job showing the growth for both Theorie and Kyte (my favorites). They both grew physically, emotionally, and magically.

Theorie, the ward of a rich man, she who had been doted on her whole life, had to learn how to survive a kidnapping, be sold off into slavery, and then be shipwrecked on a Fae island. She had her annoying moments, but she grew on me.

Now for the not so good things.

One of the characters name is Mierda, which means “shit” in Spanish. I don’t know if this was the authors intention, but every time I read her name, that is what I saw.

Also, the prince’s name is Taren. But his nickname is “Ren”. The main character will think of him both as Taren,and Ren in the same paragraph, which was irksome at times. And later, she names a winged Fae creature Ren’Falik, which kind of just adds to the irritation.

Okay, now for the part that bothered me the most. There is definitely spoilers.

Theorie had just finished fighting this evil hag, and there had been this whole epic battle scene. Taren had come running to find her and shifts out of his beastial form (he is a were-cat thing) and when he does he starts taking about how she smells “tasty” to the animal in him, to his “base instincts”.

He is telling her how hungry he is and that she smells “tasty” and then they start making out. I couldn’t help but think, “he basically said he wants to eat her, and now they are making out.” Oh, and did I forget to mention that he is naked? And that her clothes are in provocative tatters?

While they were making out, (right on the beach where there are literally monsters hanging around to kill them if there not careful!) the details were kind of . . . weird, and some didn’t make sense.

It said, Tarens tongue traced the outline of her lips . . . Why?

Their tongues twisted and twined around each other . . . Umm.

His tongue darted out . . . Wait, like Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire?

Her head thrashed while she kissed him . . . Okay, how is that even possible?

Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the book, but this scene seemed really weird and out of place. Not so much for Tarens character, he is kind of a rake. Quite often he tried to convince her to be with him even though he was engaged to someone else. He basically said that Fae live for so long that they can’t be expected to be faithful to one partner.

Which, she did not like this about Taren, and told him as such. So it was very much out of character for her to make out with him.

With that being said, if the opportunity arose, I would read the sequel. The book was left with a big cliffhanger and I must see it through!

Overall, I would rate this book a 3 out of 5 stars. The book itself was very intriguing, the lore and history of the world was very interesting, and the characters were varied in personalities.

I would have given Theorie of the Storm 5 stars, if it wasn’t for the make-out scene. Not only was that scene out of character, but no normal human being kisses like that.

Content Review Coming very soon!

[Pj · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to reading this book but found myself disappointed. I admit I did not finish it with the reasoning being that there was too much that was not believable and I absolutely abhor spacing, punctuation and writing errors. I made it to page 97 and highlighted seven such errors. I found myself focusing on the errors instead of the story! The characters were not quite believable and I could only shake my head in wonder as to what direction the author would take next..

[Alexandria ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from the author for free in exchange for an honest review.

He leaned closer, so that his breath tickled Theorie's cheek.
"Perhaps you have the ability to weave magic into potions? Do you make love spells, little mage?"
⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was a five star read for me until about halfway through when it started slowing down and not much happened for several chapters. Then it started going in a direction I didn't really want it to go in. However, since the book was so well written and I found that I enjoyed most of it quite thoroughly, I decided to give this 4 stars, especially considering this is the author's debut book.

I found many similarities between this and ACOTAR but enough differences that this world and its characters and plot were entirely original. There were a lot of grammatical errors, contradictions, misspellings, etc. but since the author herself has acknowledged that it's a problem and is working on a second edition, it didn't bother me.

Things I Disliked:

-I wasn't a fan of the multiple points of view. This isn't really an issue with how it was written more so than the fact that I prefer first person to third person, and typically only like seeing things from the main character's point of view. I enjoyed Taren and Kyte's perspectives but didn't really care for Mierda's point of view.

-The middle was a bit slow and nothing much happened aside from Theorie just living in the palace peacefully.

-I would've liked to have seen a bit more romance. This is just my personal preference and not a fault of the author at all.

-None of the characters were likable in the beginning except Kyte. I really disliked Theorie, Sybil, Taren, Mierda, Illyina. Everyone really.

-I would've liked to have seen more of Gadarine and Falkan's past (although I'm sure that's to come in the next book)

Things I Liked:

-The worldbuilding was detailed and I really loved reading the descriptions of the palace and of the creatures.

-There was good character development. While I started off disliking most of the characters, I ended up really liking most of them, Mierda included (surprisingly)

-The romance scenes set my heart aflutter (especially the one near the end ;p) but I would've liked to have seen more cute interactions with Kyte and Taren in general.

-Kyte. Don't get me wrong, I love a black-haired, mysterious beautiful Fae man but Kyte is an adorable cutie and I love him. Even when he keeps messing up.

-I love the magic and caste system in this world. Foci stones, the fates, the cool creatures, the pockets, and the Netherworlders were all really fun to read about.

- Is Theorie actually Gadarine reborn or related to her? Will Ja'han recognize her as Gadarine even though the king didn't? Will there be more backstory on the romance between Gadarine and Falkan? Will Theorie learn to control her fire at will? I need to know these things.

Overall this was a really enjoyable book that I would recommend to fans of ACOTAR or fans of YA fantasy involving Fae, shifters, etc. I can't wait to read the next one even though it says it won't be out until November ;.; I want to thank the author for letting me read this for free. I also made a Pinterest aesthetic board for this book if anyone wants to check it out: https://www.pinterest.com/alexandriah...

[The Life Of A Firefly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Thrills, excitement, adventure, mystery, romance. 4 Stars ****

Going into this book, I wasn’t expecting much, too many books that sound amazing in their description, have let me down but this book turned out to be a pleasant surprise.
First of all, just opening the book to my delight I found a map, and not just any old map, but an amazing thought out, detailed map. I love finding maps in books, especially in fantasy - but I was definitely not expecting one in the book. So well done to the author for providing me with a map of the world of Vas Ehries. It enabled me to feel closer and part of the world, adding an extra richness to the world building.

It did have its problems, as most books do, one of them being the characters and their intentions, they sometimes did things without thinking, or expecting any consequences but it did lead to things being a little unexpected and surprising. There where many twists and turns in this book, a lot of foreshadowing and new revelations which got me excited. Many mysteries and amazing world building, history and back story - the characters were developed enough to have their own personalities but it still seems something was lacking, which was a let down but hopefully the characters will get more developed as the series goes on.

Another of my problems was one of the main characters, Theorie who was depicted as weak and gullible and naive and made very many foolish decisions. At the beginning she was also very whiny and I couldn’t connect with her character for much of the book but towards the end, I’m glad to say, she did find her strength and she stood up for herself and I hope to see this carried on in the sequel.
My favourite character so far, which I hope we get more of in the sequel is Ari whose back story was heartbreaking, but she was filled still with so much strength and hope and I really want to see more of where her story goes.

A gem of a book, one that had familiar tropes from some of my most beloved books but enough character, history and magic to make it stand out on its own. Surprisingly very well written especially for a debut novel with many plot points which I hope to see all tied up. We got things slowly explained throughout the book, things were told in their own time, so there was no info-dump of confusingness. It all just flowed and I found myself just wanting to know more. Such an intriguing world. It has great pacing too , with plenty of things happening and it went at a quick pace, but I still felt part of the story, through vivid descriptions of places and people. Only thing that let it down a star for me was the characters, so hopefully throughout the series we get to see them more developed and get to know more about them. But dam that cliffhanger just left me needing more. Definitely looking forward to the sequel.

[Erica Trobaugh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had so much potential, and I really wanted to love it . . . but it fell short of my expectations.

I rarely give two-star reviews; I hate giving too many negative comments and dragging down the author's ratings. I really wanted to give this book at least three stars, but I just couldn't.

First of all, it's a pretty slow build. We're halfway through the book before the story starts to get where the blurb promised it was going. Far too much time is spent on the buildup, and when we finally get to the payoff, it falls a little flat. The plot meanders almost aimlessly, slowing down for the boring parts and speeding through all the good stuff. The map is great, though.

I did enjoy the dangerous action scenes. Those are the best parts. But even the romance is a bit of a mess. We're misled about the love interest for half the book. And then when the real love interest finally arrives, his character is so wildly inconsistent and borderline controlling that I couldn't really root for him. The main character isn't even that likeable. She spends most of the book complaining or snapping at the other characters and doesn't really grow or change.

For most of the story, I had to say to myself, "What is even happening right now?" There are strange events involving corpses, other dimensions, and magic that doesn't always make sense. And normally, that would be exciting. But here, it all felt disconnected, like the author was just writing whatever sounded cool in the moment. It's like most of the action scenes were for shock value rather than to further the story arc. And the moments in between the action scenes (like the stuff that happens in the palace) felt like the author was trying too hard to copy every other story that involves a prince and a palace court instead of just making it her own.

It ends on a cliffhanger, and we don't get the answers we're expecting. Obviously, that's so readers will go to the next book. But the ending isn't satisfying enough in its own right. And before I read this one, I fully intended to enjoy the story enough to read the next book. But now, I'm not sure I can bear to read the next one because . . .

It's obvious that this book was not edited. At all. The prose is sloppy and careless, full of errors and inconsistencies. Sentences are redundant or change thought midway, leaving an ungrammatical mess. The wrong character names are used in some cases. The author often contradicts things she wrote earlier in the book. Each character's manner of speech varies wildly from one moment to the next.

This book could have been so great. But without an editor, the reader's experience is nightmarish.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kel K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Theorie of the storm was an enchanting tale about a human mage and a fae prince. But it’s far more than that. Theorie, a prime and proper human mage gets kidnapped from her home by a human named Kyte. After Kyte kidnaps Theory he has a change of heart and decides to set her free. Little does he know he was being betrayed by his comrades and sold with Theorie. So begins their story to an enchanting Fae island where Theorie meets Taren, a fae prince who needs her help to take down the magical ward surrounding their island to set his people free.

This big was very slow in the beginning and I did almost give up on it. I’m really glad I didn’t. I really didn’t like Theorie in the beginning of this book. She acted like a spoiled brat and was so naive about everything. However throughout the book she evolves and learns to find her strength and stand up for herself. I am very much looking forward to book 2, as there is a big cliffhanger at the end and we are left with lots of questions. Overall a good fantasy read.

[luisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Her focus still on the beasts, she raised the ralte to her own throat. There would be death. But it would be on her terms.’

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. This was an easy, entertaining read. I loved Theorie as our protagonist, I thought her personality was very was different from your typical fantasy protagonist (compliment). I liked the different characters and enjoyed the range of POVs. I did not guess the twists and was definitely shocked at the end. However, I wanted the romance to feel more developed and I also felt that the love triangle could’ve been explored more (although because this is a series it could just be that I’m not far enough through yet). At times I felt the pacing slip but it was mostly alright. Lastly, there was a few errors in the book e.g. used the wrong character name at one point. Nothing too major though.

Fun read. Definitely reading the next one.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Theorie of the Storm is a book with magical creatures, betrayals, and a captivating romance. From the start of the book, I was interested! From there though, it went a bit downhill.

I loved the background that we got in the beginning, it made me want to know more instantly. When the book jumped into the actual plot though, I felt a bit bored at parts. We follow the adventure of Theorie, Kyte, Sybil, and Taren. At times I did not love the character’s personalities, they didn’t feel new and authentic. They had traits that I had seen in many other books. However, I still loved reading about them.

This book is multiple POV and I loved it. I always love getting to see into multiple characters head and see what they are thinking. This book did it well!

The ending was shocking and pulled everything together and left me wanting more. There were times where I was left thinking, where is this going, but when we finally did learn, I loved it!

I would also like to mention, that I noticed a ton of typos and this was a published copy. When reading arcs, I normally notice typos and simply let the author know, so that they can change it if need be. However, this was a published book, so I didn’t understand why there were so many mistakes.

I revived a complimentary ebook copy of this book to give my honest review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rukshy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A battle 500 years ago tore apart the fae and humankind, trapping the fae within a barrier. Theorie is an human orphan mage who is unable to tap into her powers. She is kidnapped and stranded on a shore where she discovers the lost fae kingdom. As Theorie learns to unlock her power, the kingdom is beset by treachery and intrigue. The Fae prince Taren is also trapped in an unwanted engagement and the mantle of being heir to kingdom where his people are losing their power and their mythical animals are becoming extinct. A wonderful first book in this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Astrid Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I was going to. I typically prefer fast paced books that I can read in a day or two. This book is a slow burn but it held my attention from page one. The set up was well done and I understood the world easily. I enjoyed Theorie's character.
The writing flowed well and the descriptive imagery was perfect. I was thoroughly enveloped into this world and I loved every moment.

[bookittothelibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t ultimately connect with the MC right away and the book had a bit of a slow start but once I got into it, the book was very enjoyable. The works is very complex with I enjoyed a lot, plus I loved the magic system which is always a plus. All in all I’m super pleased and happy I got to read this arc.

As always thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC.

[Morgan Weis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good plot, horrible editing

I loved the plot of this book. However, the mass of editing errors were distracting. Missing quotations, repeated words, etc.

[Kathy Ransleben · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt the book was anti - climatic. I expected not necessarily a happy ending but more things to be resolved. The book kept my interest and was easy to follow, just wished there were more answers at the end.

[A. Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! Gotta read the next book immediately!!

I absolutely adored this book! The story is long and epic, yet it flies by in a totally captivating way. I loved and hated the characters as if they were real people in my own life, and I can't wait to read more in the series!
(I reviewed this book for another site and had to take away a star against my will due to the site rules, but here it definitely gets full stars!)

[AnnaReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theorie of the Storm is mesmerizing, I fell in love with the world and the characters instantly.

I avoid YA books because I just hate teenage drama but when I read this book’s description something in it called to me so I thought why not. And I am glad I did.

Theorie Du’Ambrine is a magi, she has magic, however small. In her world everyone who possess magical abilities must take a test by their 19th birthday. Pass and your life changes for the best. Fail and your life stops being your own. Theorie fears the worst so when she accidentaky meets Kyte who offers her adventure, she says yes. She has no idea this decision will change her life forever.

Taren Val’Cross is the last prince of the fae. Once his empire was huge, now they are trapped on their home island. Taren will do everything in his power to free his people when Theorie and Kyte are washed up on the shores of his home. Because Theorie might be the one magi who can save them. But not everything and everyone are as they seem and soon Taren needs to decide who to save: his kingdom or the woman he loves.

Theorie at first seems like a spoiled girl with no care in the world but as her past is revealed I felt sorry for her and started to see her in a different light. She is head-strong and capable and well, yes short-tempered an inexperienced but these qualities make her all the more likable. And by the time the book ends she is a different person.

Taren...what to say about this cheeky, impulsive, freaking sexy fae prince...of course he is a prince. I’m in love.

Kyte changes even more. His turn from a criminal into...no spoilers so read the book.

I’m going to read the next book as soon as I can.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Libby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I liked this book. I thought it was an interesting plot, even though it was a bit predictable. It all seemed very coincidental – like of course they landed on an island that needed help from mages. That doesn’t bother me but I was able to see it coming from a mile away and therefore wasn’t super blown away by any twists/cliffhangers. Still, I enjoyed the general storyline and the characters.

There were a few things that had me scratching my head in confusion, though. Like – Theorie can only use the ralte three times and she uses it twice on the ship, then tells Kyte she can use it two more times? She can use it to power her magic as well so maybe that was what i was missing but ?? She invokes the name of two gods/saints(?) on the ship and then later in the novel uses the ralte for a shield without saying anything so I was confused. I think that could have been cleared up. And at another point, Kyte explains the Armada to Theorie but I remember earlier in the book someone else (Kyte or the Captain) explained it to her already. These weren’t big details that ruined the novel for me, but I had to go back and reread things to make sure I was following along properly.

Also, while I enjoyed Theorie’s character in general, it wasn’t super consistent. The author bounced between characterizing her as a scared, sheltered rich girl and a powerful, sarcastic mage (even though she was bad at magic)? Those two are certainly not mutually exclusive and can exist within the same person, but there wasn’t any character development, just jarring shifts between personalities.

And the relationship between Theorie/Taren just didn’t sit right with me. I didn’t like Taren’s character and he WAS engaged like…..sir maybe break that off before you’re making out with someone in the sand. I mean, Kyte is literally right there. That could have been a GREAT enemies to lovers romance imo.

Overall, I’d give this book 2.5 stars.

[Elpis G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I found this to be a really good read. It has a slow start at first and times the plot seemed to drag on but I found it to be enjoyable. The world building in this book was really solid and also somewhat different from most fantasy books I’ve read as it combines some modern elements with more typical fantasy worlds. The characters also all had good development throughout the book and were very multi dimensional. There were also some good plot twists I wasn’t expecting in this either.

I am very much looking forward to the second book (if there is going to be a second book).

[M.V.A · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had many problems with this book. Let me begin with the things I did enjoy about this book: Sybil (one of the better characters I've read in which a child was portrayed accurately), the cover was gorgeous and drew me in immediately, the plot twist at the end was well executed, and the scenery described is lush and very descriptive.
Now, to get into the more negative part of this review. Usually in novels, I don't like when the main female lead is too perfect, because it's boring. Let me just say that this book did NOT present that issue to me. On the contrary, our main female protagonist was immature, rather annoying, and selfish. Theorie du'Ambrine, our copper-haired, bronze-skinned, petty, shallow, female lead. I did appreciate what little character growth was apparent on the part of Theorie, but she was HIGHLY objectified, belittled herself, and was unnecessary rude throughout the entirety of the novel. One of the main male leads, by the name of Kyte, was very undeveloped as a character. Even though we got some chapters from his perspective, he was still very two-dimensional and barely contributed to the storyline. This is unfortunate because he had so much potential, but not as horribly unfortunate as the travesty of the character of Taren. Oh, Taren. The illustrious crown prince of the fey, who appeared to be a highly sensitive womanizer who thinks it is okay to cheat just because fairies live for so very long. I quickly became tired and annoyed at the paragraphs devoted entirely to the description of Taren's intoxicating smell of "sweat, spice, leather, and pine" (like really, this isn't sponsored by Old Spice, is it??) as well as his "carnal desires" and rakish innuendos. It ain't attractive, sweetheart. Want to know what is even less attractive???? His invalidation of Theorie and his fiance, Princess Illyina, and the repeated sexism throughout the book. Honestly, Princess Illyina was the only cool character besides Sybil (the cute and savage little girl who wasn't afraid to spit facts, good for her).
Besides the poor execution of some of the main characters, this book has a multitude of plot holes which were frustrating to read. Tiny little hint: if there are rules for magic in your world, YOU MUST ADHERE TO THOSE RULES. If Theorie's Ralte can only be used three times, she CANNOT use it five times. That's really not how it works. Along with this inconsistency, once Theorie is kidnapped, she never seems all that concerned to get back home at all . The part of the plot that really bothered me (honestly it pissed me off to the extreme) was the toxicity of the inter-character relationships, especially that of Theorie and Taren. There were so many red flags that I can't possibly go into it here without this becoming a novel as well.
One last note: The editing in this was very poor. There were countless misspellings and incorrect word uses. Please, if Miss Delaney is reading this, please consider investing in an editor or getting someone close to you to look it over more closely before publishing it. The misspellings were very distracting to me and I think you would be more successful with a good editor or proof-reader.
All in all, the idea of the plot was good and kept me interested, but the inconsistencies, characters, and grammar issues really took away from the book for me. Congratulations on getting your books published, though! I am very aware that the publishing process is not easy and I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

Thank you to BookSirens and the author for sending me a free ARC of this novel. I leave my review here voluntarily, and it has not been impacted in the slightest.

[merlin513 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, "Theorie of the Storm"

I'll give it a solid 3 stars maybe 3.5 stars.

First up the good things.

It's got a likeable enough heroine in Theorie du'Ambrine. She's a mage in training, but not a very powerful one, hardly able to even light a candle. She supposedly has the potential for being so, soooo much more powerful with a well of magic locked deep within beyond her reach. Her mother gifted her with a magical relic of great power upon her death, a ralte dagger that can amplify ANY mages power to epic heights BUT can only be used three times. Any use after that comes with unthinkable consequences.

Then there's Kyte. A dock rat and thief that sees Theorie as an easy mark and a way to gain enough coin to escape the slums of Dynas Rhydent.

Theorie and Kyte's travails are handled well. The responses to their changing situations realistic and believable.

Then there are the fae. Locked away in their island homes for 500 hundred years behind impassable wards that appeared when the fae queen Gadarine brought an end to the civil war that had been raging between herself and her estranged husband the King Ja'han.

The book bounces back and forth between the fae characters and the human characters pretty much chapter to chapter. The magic system is uniquely interesting and the characters are well drawn and each have their own agendas. The differences between the human and fae worlds are striking and well noted.

This is the good.

The less than stellar is that the book is somewhat disjointed, and could really, really use a through edit. There are multiple discrepancies and small errors thru out the novel. Nonnie a fae handmaiden is described as having green hair, then several chapters later her hair is now pink. The fae prince Taren's cousin is Merida and his finance is Illyina. But in several instances the names are switched. There are multiple places where it seems the author is trying out a couple of variants on a phrase and they're both still there in the same sentence. It's like the manuscript was run through spell check but not read by a beta reader that would have caught a lot of the minor errors like this.

There's lots of set up for sneaky goings on and then it's just blurted out disjointedly. Like 'what'??? what happened to 'i'm going to seduce the human to help me break the wards' and then he just blurts it out. whuh? Lots of instances like that with Kyte and Sybil and the fae court.

all in all, I enjoyed it. I would like to see what happens next. But I do feel that the story could be streamlined, beta'd, some areas rewritten to be clearer to the plot.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Let me explain! No, there is too much. Let me sum up."

I will say that the cover of this book is beautiful, the premise is original and interesting, and multiple characters, including Sybil and Illyina, were realistic, genuine, and vivid. However, I had many problems with this book. For one, the constant spelling, grammatical, and formatting errors were plentiful to the point of distraction, and degraded the overall authenticity of the story. There were also numerous plot holes and inconsistencies in the story. I found the portrayal of Theorie to be extremely oversexualized, inconsistent, and obnoxious. She is petty, childish, and completely at the whims of her apparently omnipresent and powerful hormonal surges. Kyte, although presenting a wonderful opportunity to elicit empathy and admiration from the reader, had little to no character growth throughout the story, and remained sadly one-dimensional. Taren was perplexingly torn, alternating wildly from bouts of lovesick frenzy to anxiety regarding the state of the nation he was in line to rule. The scenes between him and Theorie are unnatural, repulsive, and very, very confusing. Sybil, however, was a pretty great representation of a young child, and both Illyina and Ari were intriguing and compelling characters.

The things that bothered me the most about this book were the interactions between Taren and Theorie. They go from complete strangers to flirting courtiers to something akin to lovers within a few short chapters. Theorie seems unbothered by the fact that Taren is a potentially dangerous Fae, Taren doesn't put Theorie's value as a way to free his people before her value as a girlfriend, and neither of them take the fact that they are absolute strangers into account. The relationship is worrying, unnatural, and quite strange.

Although the characters weren't my favorite, the book ended well, culminating in a rapid-fire series of events that left my mind whirring. There was a twist that I was able to predict and enjoyed, and the story ended with just the right combination of cliffhanger and closure. There were enough loose ends remaining that to get satisfactory answers, the next book must be read, but enough closure for the story that the reader won't be set adrift until the sequel. Despite my numerous issues with the book, the story interested me, so time will tell if I read the sequel or not.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and BookSirens for providing me with a free ARC of this book. My review is uninfluenced and has been left voluntarily.

[KatJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit I was dreading trying to read the story as it started off slow paced. The beginning chapter starts off with a backstory in order to world build but doesn't start to make sense til later on. Our introduction to Theorie has her as the annoying main female character that most of these stories start off with.

However once you got past that and she ends up meeting another male character, things quickly build up in speed and action. You are truly taken on an adventure and meet lots of different characters along the way. Theorie and another male character cross paths creating a love triangle, and a slow burn romance which doesn't actually develop that much.

By this point the plot really thickens and we have a decent amount of intrigue. A good couple of twists leave our characters in a right predicament in time for the next novel. What I did thoroughly enjoy were the plot twists in the end that lead to character development in both male characters without us finding out more about Theorie. That card is yet to be played and I feel that was clever writing. One or two other reviews mention SJ. Maas vibes and I can definately relate to that with the complex subplots we have going. It adds some real depth to both the characters and the story as a whole.

Unfortunately I have to criticise this story in some places. After such good action half way the book does seem to plateau about 3/4 through and that does frustrate me somewhat. The only result from this being Theorie supposedly shedding her spoilt girl routine. Secondly there are some really bad mistakes in the book. A couple of times the wrong character's name appears when another should alongside some typing errors and proof reading errors. I.e. words that sound similar that are wrong in context. This shows the book isn't as polished as it should be and would probably do with being proofread again.

Despite my criticisms I did enjoy this book and would like to read the next one if given a chance. The way the book was left means a really big twist needs to be played out and I do wonder how it goes.

I received a copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only for the pleasure of reading and leaving an honest review should I choose to.