Final Storm

Grimsdon #3

by Deborah Abela

Isabella and her friends have settled into life in New City, attending school and making new friends—including the charming, talented, and eminently humble Aleksander Larson. Isabella quickly finds herself leaning on Aleksander’s friendship, a move that distances her friends, particularly Xavier. Meanwhile, the world’s weather patterns are becoming increasingly erratic, and the Bureau of Weather and Climate has been failing to predict severe weather events—a failure that endangers the lives of those in New City and plunges the city into rumor and doubt. As a massive storm of ice and snow sets in, it seems the New City can no longer be the safe home its inhabitants need. As friendships, politics, and the weather become increasingly unstable, Isabella, Griffin, Xavier, and their friends must decide where their loyalties lie, face that which seems too good to be true, and once again save this new city they’ve decided to call their home.

Genres: Fantasy

288 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2020

About the author

Deb knew she wanted to be a writer when she was 7 years old. Her first story was about a man made out of cheese. It wasn’t very good. She’s had much more practice writing since then and strangely enough her first writing job was for a kids’ show on channel Ten called “Cheez TV”. After 7 years of writing scripts about everything from llamas to bungy jumping and how to go to the toilet in outer space, Deb wrote her first novel - Max Remy Superspy Part 1: In Search of the Time and Space Machine.

It’s about a feisty girl called Max and her best friend Linden who travel the world as secret agents fighting bad guys. It’s an action packed series based on loads of adventures Deb had, just after she left school. She’s slept beside alligators, been harassed by monkeys (and who hasn’t) was almost
traded for a camel and was thrown in jail at gunpoint, twice.
Deb still claims her innocence to this day.

Together with sport icon Johnny Warren, Deb also created
the Jasper Zammit (Soccer Legend) series. It’s about a
young boy called Jasper and his best friend Lil, who love
their soccer and dream of being soccer legends, just like
Johnny. Deb lives in Sydney with her partner Todd, who
is almost as cute as Linden.

Reviews

[Jill Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isabella and her friends Griffin, the twins Bea and Raffy, and Xavier are now living with Jeremiah in his cottage. Fly had gone to live with her family but had returned to New City to begin school. They travel by Armavan to the Academy to start their school term.

Griffin still helps Isabella get over her nightmares, even though she's brave and fierce. Images of her father drowning still disturb her sleep. They are going to the Academy because they survived three years in the flooded city with cunning, inventiveness, and bravely facing sea monsters and Sneddon, who forced them to do his bidding.

The Academy was challenging and exciting. Isabella still had a feeling of dread about the unpredictable weather, even though Jeremiah was head of the Bureau, predicting the weather patterns to keep the citizens of New City Safe. When storms became more frequent, citizens became unhappy with the Bureau and Jeremiah.

'Sneddon', now known as Mr Snowden, head of the department building robots to ensure his plans go ahead. Mr Snowden's son, Aleksander, was unaware of his father's intentions to create havoc with the weather to control New City. Or his plans to eliminate Isabella Charm by controlling robot eagles that can create terrible storms.

The friends hunt for Isabella, who's gone missing. She has been taken back to Grimsdon, which is close to sinking completely. Fly's friends, Charlie the search eagle, and Hermon the sea monster, rescue Isabella. Fly and Griffin find Isabella and Hermon by following Charlie's signal on his collar. The mechanical eagles attack Hermon, and using the aeroboards, Griffin and Isabella battle them.

Final Storm is full of twists and turns. This is a thrilling end to the series.

[IvyZuzu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the best of three in the series although I enjoyed all of them very much!👍❤️ When Isabella and her friends finally settle down in their new home in the city, away from Grimson, an unwelcoming old friend returns — Sneddon, their pirate enemy who knew the floods would come, yet completely ignored signs of warning. As the weather worsens, Sneddon uses that to his ability and creates storms before calming them down again, claiming that he can stop storms. Sneddon seeks revenge by trapping Isabella back into the abandoned cities of Grimson, isolated, alone. What will she do now? How will she survive the worsening weather? I loved the description of the book and how it was very entertaining to read. I would strongly recommend this book to 10-12 year olds, but people who love reading about adventure and trustworthiness may also enjoy this series.

[Baden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before y’all ask why I’m reading a kids book, my school held a meet-and-greet/book signing with Deb Abela when Final Storm came out and I went because I absolutely loved Grimsdon when I read it in year 5 but I never got around to reading Final Storm for some reason.

I’m definitely too old for this book now so most of it didn’t really grab me, but when a certain plot twist happened halfway through (which honestly doesn’t make much sense but idc) I just got hit with a sneaker wave of nostalgia.

Final Storm (and arguably New City too) didn’t need to exist but I’m glad it does because it gave me a reason to revisit one of my favourite sci-fi worlds.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Third and final book in this trilogy and really not one that ever really grabbed me.
It was OK but pretty forgettable.

[Jolie Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES