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Blue Out
“Welcome to Ararat, the verdant, hostile home of the Elites.”
The year is 242 Post Inundationem. Global flooding has submerged most of the Earth’s former landmass in water. The Masses struggle to survive on the low-lying plains, while the Elites party on the heights.
When sixteen-year old Naya DeLora is recruited into Eden Academy, the prestigious school for the Elites, to become their new swim champion, she seems to have struck gold. But life on Ararat Heights is not what it seems. And Naya has a secret. One that could save her life—or cost her everything.
The year is 242 Post Inundationem. Global flooding has submerged most of the Earth’s former landmass in water. The Masses struggle to survive on the low-lying plains, while the Elites party on the heights.
When sixteen-year old Naya DeLora is recruited into Eden Academy, the prestigious school for the Elites, to become their new swim champion, she seems to have struck gold. But life on Ararat Heights is not what it seems. And Naya has a secret. One that could save her life—or cost her everything.
370 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 4, 2022
1 person is currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Storm
1 book6 followersWe’d like to introduce ourselves…we’re Miranda Storm. Yes, there’s actually four of us. Wow! Right? Our names are Kai Knight, Evan V. Francis, Skyrah Archer and Ira Kiourti. Some of us have chosen artist names, some are using our real names, and we all have our areas of expertise.
Kai’s our sports enthusiast—a kung fu black belt, scuba diver and rock climber, who loves developing plot twists and action scenes. Evan’s our star at adding comedic elements to dialogue and action, and he is fascinated by the power of books to bring imaginary worlds to life. Skyrah’s our expert at developing characters and their background stories—which is no surprise given she’s also an actor—and she has a hidden passion for military stories. Last but not least, Ira’s our logician, philosopher, and stargazer who loves the sea and is on a quest for consistency and meaning.
Our story starts on a sunny summer afternoon when the four of us sat together in a sleepy Athens taverna and came up with the concept of Blue Out and the character of Naya DeLora. Over the next four years we laughed, struggled and conspired to bring this story to you. So many things inspired us, our connection to Greece and its deep blue seas united us and it runs deeply within this novel. Our greatest joy is sharing this world and all its characters with you. We’ve had a blast bringing them to life and we hope you enjoy reading about them just as much as we loved writing them!
Kai’s our sports enthusiast—a kung fu black belt, scuba diver and rock climber, who loves developing plot twists and action scenes. Evan’s our star at adding comedic elements to dialogue and action, and he is fascinated by the power of books to bring imaginary worlds to life. Skyrah’s our expert at developing characters and their background stories—which is no surprise given she’s also an actor—and she has a hidden passion for military stories. Last but not least, Ira’s our logician, philosopher, and stargazer who loves the sea and is on a quest for consistency and meaning.
Our story starts on a sunny summer afternoon when the four of us sat together in a sleepy Athens taverna and came up with the concept of Blue Out and the character of Naya DeLora. Over the next four years we laughed, struggled and conspired to bring this story to you. So many things inspired us, our connection to Greece and its deep blue seas united us and it runs deeply within this novel. Our greatest joy is sharing this world and all its characters with you. We’ve had a blast bringing them to life and we hope you enjoy reading about them just as much as we loved writing them!
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 15, 2023
It is a captivating adventure novel set in a future world profoundly affected by climate change. In this well-crafted story, Storm paints a vivid picture of a transformed Earth, where the struggle between the masses and the controlling elites is palpable. While the book possesses dystopian elements, it goes beyond that, delving into pressing issues relevant to today's society.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Blue Out is how it seamlessly combines thrilling adventure with thought-provoking themes. Storm skillfully explores topics such as climate control, gender equality, bullying, and the stark divide between the haves and have-nots. These issues are presented in a way that resonates with readers of all ages, particularly young readers who will find these themes both relatable and inspiring.
The strength of Blue Out lies in its compelling storytelling. The narrative brims with action, keeping the reader engaged from start to finish. Storm's ability to maintain a steady pace, interspersed with moments of suspense and drama, adds an exciting layer to the plot. The characters in the novel are well-developed, displaying resilience, determination, and wit, even in the face of dire challenges.
What sets Blue Out apart is its optimism amidst the adversity. While the future world portrayed may be daunting, the author instills a sense of hope and belief in the indomitable human spirit. Through the characters' strength and perseverance, readers are reminded of the power of unity and the potential for positive change.
While Blue Out primarily targets young adult readers, its appeal extends beyond that demographic. Anyone with an interest in adventure, suspense, and social issues will find this book a compelling read. It serves as a timely reminder of the urgency of climate change and the importance of addressing current societal concerns.
Overall, Miranda Storm's Blue Out is a thought-provoking adventure that effortlessly combines thrilling action with significant social themes. With a well-executed plot, strong characters, and an underlying message of hope, this novel is a captivating read for both young and mature audiences alike. Storm's storytelling prowess shines through, making Blue Out an enjoyable and impactful journey into a world that is both cautionary and hopeful.
One of the most remarkable aspects of Blue Out is how it seamlessly combines thrilling adventure with thought-provoking themes. Storm skillfully explores topics such as climate control, gender equality, bullying, and the stark divide between the haves and have-nots. These issues are presented in a way that resonates with readers of all ages, particularly young readers who will find these themes both relatable and inspiring.
The strength of Blue Out lies in its compelling storytelling. The narrative brims with action, keeping the reader engaged from start to finish. Storm's ability to maintain a steady pace, interspersed with moments of suspense and drama, adds an exciting layer to the plot. The characters in the novel are well-developed, displaying resilience, determination, and wit, even in the face of dire challenges.
What sets Blue Out apart is its optimism amidst the adversity. While the future world portrayed may be daunting, the author instills a sense of hope and belief in the indomitable human spirit. Through the characters' strength and perseverance, readers are reminded of the power of unity and the potential for positive change.
While Blue Out primarily targets young adult readers, its appeal extends beyond that demographic. Anyone with an interest in adventure, suspense, and social issues will find this book a compelling read. It serves as a timely reminder of the urgency of climate change and the importance of addressing current societal concerns.
Overall, Miranda Storm's Blue Out is a thought-provoking adventure that effortlessly combines thrilling action with significant social themes. With a well-executed plot, strong characters, and an underlying message of hope, this novel is a captivating read for both young and mature audiences alike. Storm's storytelling prowess shines through, making Blue Out an enjoyable and impactful journey into a world that is both cautionary and hopeful.
September 27, 2022
I started reading Blue Out not knowing what to expect. I’m glad I did because the characters and worldbuilding made this book worth the read. I haven’t read a lot of science fiction fantasy, but this one would be on my top shelf.
The book centers around, Naya a sixteen-year-old girl living with her mother until she is recruited to join an elite academy school and become their top swimmer. She is placed with a foster family, The Queens, who are a prominent family in Ararat Heights. This seems like a chance of a lifetime, but she is wondering if she can live up to everyone’s expectations. Naya doesn’t want to forget where she comes from, the FRS, especially since her mother still lives there. After getting to Ararat Heights, she starts to learn a lot about herself and the people, known as the Elites.
This book shocked me with the bullying, drama, and deceitful characters. I went into the story believing it would be another romance book with Sci-fi and fantastical elements, but I was wrong. It had a competitive side with the swimming competition even though it seemed they were just competing against each other. It wasn’t a meet where there are outside academies coming in to compete against the Ararat Heights teams.
At one point I was focusing on Naya and the secret she didn’t know she was holding (I did figure it out ahead of time and was excited). She did adjust well to being with the Elites. I was also trying to figure out why Duke was so against Gillian, who had Duke riled up the whole book and wasn’t even trying to. I noticed there was a lot, Gillian wasn’t disclosing to Naya even though he knew what was going on. It is clear why he takes that stance later in the book. He is a likeable character because of always trying to do the right thing. Duke on the other hand had a darker side that took me by surprise.
Jessica was just a brat and didn’t like Naya getting attention. She was an irritating character, who consistently nagged Naya about being from the poorer side, the FRS. It was clear that most of the characters had secrets and were being dishonest, but the twists and turns that came from them were really entertaining to read.
Besides the main characters, the villains in this story were well written and hidden, which made it all the better once revealed. The authors did a great job with worldbuilding. The descriptions of Ararat Heights were easy to visualize and even more so once the action started especially toward the end of the book. The book does in with a cliffhanger that I hope is answered in the next book, Riptide. I will continue the series to find out what happens.
Overall, this was an entertaining book with the drama of high school, hint of romance, and unsuspected reveals. It was a nice introduction to the series.
*I appreciate the note from the four authors on how this book started.
The book centers around, Naya a sixteen-year-old girl living with her mother until she is recruited to join an elite academy school and become their top swimmer. She is placed with a foster family, The Queens, who are a prominent family in Ararat Heights. This seems like a chance of a lifetime, but she is wondering if she can live up to everyone’s expectations. Naya doesn’t want to forget where she comes from, the FRS, especially since her mother still lives there. After getting to Ararat Heights, she starts to learn a lot about herself and the people, known as the Elites.
This book shocked me with the bullying, drama, and deceitful characters. I went into the story believing it would be another romance book with Sci-fi and fantastical elements, but I was wrong. It had a competitive side with the swimming competition even though it seemed they were just competing against each other. It wasn’t a meet where there are outside academies coming in to compete against the Ararat Heights teams.
At one point I was focusing on Naya and the secret she didn’t know she was holding (I did figure it out ahead of time and was excited). She did adjust well to being with the Elites. I was also trying to figure out why Duke was so against Gillian, who had Duke riled up the whole book and wasn’t even trying to. I noticed there was a lot, Gillian wasn’t disclosing to Naya even though he knew what was going on. It is clear why he takes that stance later in the book. He is a likeable character because of always trying to do the right thing. Duke on the other hand had a darker side that took me by surprise.
Jessica was just a brat and didn’t like Naya getting attention. She was an irritating character, who consistently nagged Naya about being from the poorer side, the FRS. It was clear that most of the characters had secrets and were being dishonest, but the twists and turns that came from them were really entertaining to read.
Besides the main characters, the villains in this story were well written and hidden, which made it all the better once revealed. The authors did a great job with worldbuilding. The descriptions of Ararat Heights were easy to visualize and even more so once the action started especially toward the end of the book. The book does in with a cliffhanger that I hope is answered in the next book, Riptide. I will continue the series to find out what happens.
Overall, this was an entertaining book with the drama of high school, hint of romance, and unsuspected reveals. It was a nice introduction to the series.
*I appreciate the note from the four authors on how this book started.
September 11, 2022
Most books are publicised by comping (comparing) them to others in order to hook you in. I read a piece where it said that this is Harry Potter meets Hunger games and that is just so not true.
If anything it's Little Mermaid meets James Bond by way of YA Trilogy tropes.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy those tropes but while explaining the plot to my husband he kept throwing out names of series that this was akin to.
So in the future, some accident melts the ice caps which causes the oceans to rise covering most of the planet in water. The rich go to the tops of mountains where they build their houses and schools and flood gates and the poor have to live on the flooded plains with the ever-present risk of tsunamis and storms causing drowning. Rich get rich and the poor suffer.
Because of the situation the skills now held in esteem are the ability to swim and hold your breath underwater for long periods of time.
Naya lives on the plains with her mother. He may have left her a necklace but her father is never mentioned by her mother. Despite this Naya is seemingly normal- except for her rebellious spirit.
But on the day of the only trials that could possibly get you out of poverty, she manages to outswim everybody and gets taken to the Elite Academy. She doesn't want to go but, obviously for duty to her nation (and threat to the safety of her mother) she is taken anyway.
The Elites are cold, arrogant, snobbish and determined to let her know her place.
But Naya has a secret that even she doesn't know about her genes. Now she must fight against a growing attraction to one of the boys who could out her secret and discover what is going on with the Elite power struggle which could end all life as they know it.
Swap out a few words here and there and you pretty much have a winning YA formula. But what is great are the differences between each book in this genre. For example, the second half of Blue Out feels like it's an action-adventure James Bond tale. Great descriptions of action and fight scenes that actually make sense.
The dialogue flows smoothly and we get Naya's out of her depths in the new world where she doesn't understand how to turn on her e-book.
Yes she has to join in the militia but she isn't automatically the best fighter, she has to run herself ragged in order to keep up which is slightly more realistic than the instant Bear Grylls that some YA protagonists become.
All in all, it is a solid addition to the YA dystopian trilogy genre with some interesting twists and turns.
My full review is on my website www.brokengeekdesigns.com
Many thanks to the author for a review copy. I leave an honest review voluntarily.
If anything it's Little Mermaid meets James Bond by way of YA Trilogy tropes.
That's not to say I didn't enjoy those tropes but while explaining the plot to my husband he kept throwing out names of series that this was akin to.
So in the future, some accident melts the ice caps which causes the oceans to rise covering most of the planet in water. The rich go to the tops of mountains where they build their houses and schools and flood gates and the poor have to live on the flooded plains with the ever-present risk of tsunamis and storms causing drowning. Rich get rich and the poor suffer.
Because of the situation the skills now held in esteem are the ability to swim and hold your breath underwater for long periods of time.
Naya lives on the plains with her mother. He may have left her a necklace but her father is never mentioned by her mother. Despite this Naya is seemingly normal- except for her rebellious spirit.
But on the day of the only trials that could possibly get you out of poverty, she manages to outswim everybody and gets taken to the Elite Academy. She doesn't want to go but, obviously for duty to her nation (and threat to the safety of her mother) she is taken anyway.
The Elites are cold, arrogant, snobbish and determined to let her know her place.
But Naya has a secret that even she doesn't know about her genes. Now she must fight against a growing attraction to one of the boys who could out her secret and discover what is going on with the Elite power struggle which could end all life as they know it.
Swap out a few words here and there and you pretty much have a winning YA formula. But what is great are the differences between each book in this genre. For example, the second half of Blue Out feels like it's an action-adventure James Bond tale. Great descriptions of action and fight scenes that actually make sense.
The dialogue flows smoothly and we get Naya's out of her depths in the new world where she doesn't understand how to turn on her e-book.
Yes she has to join in the militia but she isn't automatically the best fighter, she has to run herself ragged in order to keep up which is slightly more realistic than the instant Bear Grylls that some YA protagonists become.
All in all, it is a solid addition to the YA dystopian trilogy genre with some interesting twists and turns.
My full review is on my website www.brokengeekdesigns.com
Many thanks to the author for a review copy. I leave an honest review voluntarily.
November 9, 2022
4.5 Stars
Reading Blue Out took me back to the years I was obsessed with everything and anything dystopian.
Global flooding has covered the majority of earth in water, causing society to be split up in terms of who has the higher ground. Naya lives closest to the beach, in buildings that were only meant to be temporary after their homes were flooded when the barrier broke. When a bet against a small group of elites for the use of the beach for volleyball falls in her favour, Naya discovers that she may have a secret she never knew existed. She can swim, and fast. Once she's back at her school, she is forced to stand in for another student at a swimming competition, and reveals her speed to everyone, including the visiting elites. Following this competition, she is recruited into Eden Academy for one of the swim teams. Eden Academy is a school for the elites. Naya is taken away immediately before she can say goodbye to her mother.
On Ararat, the home of the Elites, Naya is introduced to her host family and struggles to fit in to begin with. Her swim team end up being the same people that she encountered on the beach back near her home. Once she's settled in, she quickly realises that not everything is at it seems on Ararat. I loved discovering what was happening to her at the same time as she was. I had my suspicions and I can say I was correct but there were a few twists I did not see coming.
'"Don't slap me," he whispers. Then he brushes a hand over my cheek and suddenly his lips are on mine and in that moment there is only us and the stars sparkling in the evening sky.'
I am happy to report there was a romance subplot! Gillian is the captain of an opposing swim team, and he is very mysterious. Over the course of Blue Out, Naya and Gillian got closer, and I was rooting for them the entire time. The second half of the book ramps up the suspense. Naya does a lot of digging into the Elites and their secrets, whilst trying to discretely figure out what is happening to her. I thought the world building was intriguing and the characters had many layers, especially Naya's host sister, who I spent a lot of time debating whether I liked or hated her!
I really loved this book and after that cliffhanger I am in desperate need of the sequel!
*Thank you to the authors for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.*
Reading Blue Out took me back to the years I was obsessed with everything and anything dystopian.
Global flooding has covered the majority of earth in water, causing society to be split up in terms of who has the higher ground. Naya lives closest to the beach, in buildings that were only meant to be temporary after their homes were flooded when the barrier broke. When a bet against a small group of elites for the use of the beach for volleyball falls in her favour, Naya discovers that she may have a secret she never knew existed. She can swim, and fast. Once she's back at her school, she is forced to stand in for another student at a swimming competition, and reveals her speed to everyone, including the visiting elites. Following this competition, she is recruited into Eden Academy for one of the swim teams. Eden Academy is a school for the elites. Naya is taken away immediately before she can say goodbye to her mother.
On Ararat, the home of the Elites, Naya is introduced to her host family and struggles to fit in to begin with. Her swim team end up being the same people that she encountered on the beach back near her home. Once she's settled in, she quickly realises that not everything is at it seems on Ararat. I loved discovering what was happening to her at the same time as she was. I had my suspicions and I can say I was correct but there were a few twists I did not see coming.
'"Don't slap me," he whispers. Then he brushes a hand over my cheek and suddenly his lips are on mine and in that moment there is only us and the stars sparkling in the evening sky.'
I am happy to report there was a romance subplot! Gillian is the captain of an opposing swim team, and he is very mysterious. Over the course of Blue Out, Naya and Gillian got closer, and I was rooting for them the entire time. The second half of the book ramps up the suspense. Naya does a lot of digging into the Elites and their secrets, whilst trying to discretely figure out what is happening to her. I thought the world building was intriguing and the characters had many layers, especially Naya's host sister, who I spent a lot of time debating whether I liked or hated her!
I really loved this book and after that cliffhanger I am in desperate need of the sequel!
*Thank you to the authors for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.*
May 6, 2023
Welcome to Ararat in the year of 242. The world has forever been changed by the destruction of the polar ice caps. The world? Inundated with more water than it could possibly handle. Humanity? Decimated. Now? Those with power, money, and influence have made themselves safe places on the highest places across the world. Ararat is one of them. Here, a young girl by the name of Naya is about to discover that she has a secret. One that could lead to a better life for herself, but if found out – it could cost her everything.
Blue Out is an engaging dystopian YA novel that is the first in a series by Miranda Storm. This novel will engage you from the beginning and keep you page-turning as the authors lay out Naya’s story page by page. Naya has a tough road ahead of her, and she’s going to have to prove herself every step of the way. Because she’s not just fighting for herself, but for her mother as well.
This book is packed with the drama of teenage life, the threat of dangerous floods, and the constant threat of the unknown that swirls all around Naya.
Blue Out is part of a series, so the ending of this book will leave you with questions, but there isn’t a cliffhanger that will have you raging. LOL! Just will leave you wondering what is going to come next for Naya and those she cares about. Readers who love engaging novels will absolutely enjoy this book.
5 out of 5 stars
Blue Out is an engaging dystopian YA novel that is the first in a series by Miranda Storm. This novel will engage you from the beginning and keep you page-turning as the authors lay out Naya’s story page by page. Naya has a tough road ahead of her, and she’s going to have to prove herself every step of the way. Because she’s not just fighting for herself, but for her mother as well.
This book is packed with the drama of teenage life, the threat of dangerous floods, and the constant threat of the unknown that swirls all around Naya.
Blue Out is part of a series, so the ending of this book will leave you with questions, but there isn’t a cliffhanger that will have you raging. LOL! Just will leave you wondering what is going to come next for Naya and those she cares about. Readers who love engaging novels will absolutely enjoy this book.
5 out of 5 stars
December 23, 2022
I firstly want to thank Miranda Storm for reaching out and sending me a paperback of their debut novel. I will admit, I accepted this ARC not knowing what to expect or even if this would be up my street - I expected mainly Sci-fi and nothing else but I was pleasantly surprised.
The start of the book is very dramatic, the reader is thrown in from the beginning. There were many topics throughout the book such as bullying that I thought was great and something that is still very relevant to today.
Ararat Heights seems to be a very interesting place and Eden Academy very prestige (gave me slight Hogwarts vibes the way it was written).
There was a lot of world building but I really enjoyed it. I found myself second guessing the characters and the cliffhanger at the end… what a way to finish. I can’t wait to pick up Riptide when it is released! I look forward to reading more.
Thank you Miranda Storm, once again, I can’t wait to read more!
The start of the book is very dramatic, the reader is thrown in from the beginning. There were many topics throughout the book such as bullying that I thought was great and something that is still very relevant to today.
Ararat Heights seems to be a very interesting place and Eden Academy very prestige (gave me slight Hogwarts vibes the way it was written).
There was a lot of world building but I really enjoyed it. I found myself second guessing the characters and the cliffhanger at the end… what a way to finish. I can’t wait to pick up Riptide when it is released! I look forward to reading more.
Thank you Miranda Storm, once again, I can’t wait to read more!
April 7, 2024
Want Divergent, but post-oceanic apocalypse? Here's Blue Out! The intricate world-building riveted me and the characters were well-developed! This awesome debut had action and mystery that kept me turning the pages. The writing style was well-suited to the genre, and the plot was original and engaging. I was sorry to see it end! If you enjoy YA dystopian thrillers, this novel is for you! Two thumbs up!
September 14, 2022
I absolutely loved reading this book, the concept was unlike anything I’ve ever read but had all the amazing aspects of a great YA dystopian series. In particular, this book was mainly based on government control (the divide between the Elites and the Masses) and environmental destruction (global flooding). I was hooked from the start and I couldn’t wait to discover more about this new world. The story gave good descriptions of the world so the reader can imagine what it is like, I also love the inclusion of the map!
The characters were well developed and I definitely had my favourites. Naya (the main character) was determined to protect her friends and family. I thought she was strong and discovered a lot of secrets kept by some of the Elites. Her foster sister, Jessica, was so funny, she was definitely a classic upper class mean girl. Although at some points, I could see her trying to build friendships with Naya. Gillian, Naya’s swimming competition, was very mysterious and he definitely kept himself to himself. It was interesting to see certain friendships develop especially with Naya and the Elites.
The writing style of this book flowed really well, it had a good pace throughout the book and then at the end it became very fast paced. I wanted to take my time with this story to immerse myself in the world but I was excited to find out what was going to happen. I was also excited to see at the end that this is going to be part of a trilogy.
The characters were well developed and I definitely had my favourites. Naya (the main character) was determined to protect her friends and family. I thought she was strong and discovered a lot of secrets kept by some of the Elites. Her foster sister, Jessica, was so funny, she was definitely a classic upper class mean girl. Although at some points, I could see her trying to build friendships with Naya. Gillian, Naya’s swimming competition, was very mysterious and he definitely kept himself to himself. It was interesting to see certain friendships develop especially with Naya and the Elites.
The writing style of this book flowed really well, it had a good pace throughout the book and then at the end it became very fast paced. I wanted to take my time with this story to immerse myself in the world but I was excited to find out what was going to happen. I was also excited to see at the end that this is going to be part of a trilogy.
April 11, 2023
A solid debut.
Looking forward to seeing where this trilogy leads.
Looking forward to seeing where this trilogy leads.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews