Mary Weber: Siren’s Song

By Kelly Bridgewater

“The realization hits: We’re not going to win. It’s why I couldn’t defeat Draewulf in Bron—because this power was never mine anyway. I drop my arms and let the energy die off. And turn around to face Eogan.”

After a fierce battle with Draewulf, Nym barely escaped with her life. Now, fleeing the scorched landscape of Tulla, her storm-summoning abilities are returning; only . . . the dark power is still inside her.

Broken and bloodied, Nym needs time to recover, but when the full scope of the shapeshifter’s horrific plot is revealed, the strong-willed Elemental must race across the Hidden Lands and warn the other kingdoms before Draewulf’s final attack.

From the crystalline palaces of Cashlin to the legendary Valley of Origin, Nym scrambles to gather an army. But even if she can, will she be able to uncover the secret to defeating Draewulf that has eluded her people for generations? With a legion of monsters approaching, and the Hidden Lands standing on the brink of destruction, the stage is set for a battle that will decide the fate of the world.

This time, will the Siren’s Song have the power to save it?

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

Mary Weber jumped onto the speculative young adult scene a couple of years ago. What drew me into her stories were the beautiful covers. They didn’t look like anything else I have seen in the market, but they were breathtaking. With each addition to the series, the covers have kept up the same beautiful artwork. I really enjoyed the first book Storm Siren while Siren’s Fury didn’t capture my attention as much. With the newest book, Siren’s Song I feel kind of torn.

Weber does a great job at keeping her readers grounded in her made up world from book to book. Never once have I questioned if Weber had taken me out and placed me in another world. If a certain aspect was true in the first novel, it was still true in the third book, which is really important when keeping readers of fantasy linked into the story.

The plot does drag a little until eighty percent into the novel. I had a really hard time staying focused for most of the book. Nym had to run around and go from one area to another and beg to have others stand up for the fight against Draewulf. So it wasn’t really exciting, but when the final battle actually starts, Weber shines. She shows how the battle is supposed to happen and allows me to really feel like I’m there in a safety bubble watching all the destruction happen around me.

The romance between Nym and Eogan come to head in Siren’s Song. Ever since the first book, Nym and Eogan have been fighting their feelings for each other, but Weber finally allows them to admit that they care for each other.

The ending is totally unpredictable, and I enjoy how Weber jumped out of the normal conventions of what should happen at the end of a fantasy novel.

A long awaited epic conclusion, Mary Weber’s Siren’s Song welcomes readers back to the world of Nym and the fight with Draewolf with an epic showdown that should satisfy even the pickiest fantasy geeks.

I received a complimentary copy of Siren’s Song from Thomas Nelson and the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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Mary Weber: Siren’s Fury

By Kelly Bridgewater

Back Cover Copy:

“I thrust my hand toward the sky as my voice begs the Elemental inside me to waken and rise. But it's no use. The curse I've spent my entire life abhorring—the thing I trained so hard to control—no longer exists.”
Nym risked her life to save Faelen, her homeland, from a losing war, only to discover that the shape-shifter Draewulf has stolen everything she holds dear. But when the repulsive monster robs Nym of her storm-summoning abilities as well, the beautiful Elemental realizes her war is only just beginning.

Now powerless to control the elements that once emboldened her, Nym stows away on an airship traveling to the metallic kingdom of Bron. She must stop Draewulf. But the horrors he’s brought and the secrets of Bron are more than Nym bargained for. Then the disturbing Lord Myles tempts her with new powers that could destroy the monster, and Nym must decide whether she can compromise in the name of good even if it may cost her very soul.

As she navigates the stark industrial cityscape of Bron, Nym is faced with an impossible choice: change the future with one slice of a blade . . . or sacrifice it all for the one thing her heart just can’t let go.

My Review:

I had the chance to review the first book in Mary Weber’s Storm Siren trilogy, Storm Siren, and I jumped on the chance. Follow this link to read my review on Storm Siren. Anyway, I loved the cover, and when Mary showed the cover for the second book, I couldn’t wait to get my hand on the second book in the series. Young Adult books that you can read and enjoy as an adult are some of my favorite books.

In this book, readers will come across Nym who is without her elemental powers, which were taken away from her at the end of the first book. Nym is still a strong, powerful woman who hates injustice and needs to learn to control her temper. Weber does a good job at allowing Nym to be a normal seventeen year old who is dealing with all these emotions fighting for center stage. The minor characters of Myles and Rasha balance and keep Nym in check. Without them, I think Nym would have been in a lot more trouble.

I had more problems with the conflict this time around because for the longest time, there was not any. Nym, Rasha, and Myles are following Eogan around and watching his destruction, then going back to their room, then back to the table to discuss more talks. Nothing really happens for a while. The tension is mostly from Nym’s internal struggle. The story lags and drags for quite a long time. I kept wanting something to happen. About 85 % in the book, according to my Kindle, the real conflict explodes on the page, grabbing my attention. The ending was satisfying, and I can’t wait for the next book.

As for the writing, it had a lot of prose. If you enjoy reading a story that has little dialogue with tons of internal dialogue, then this is the story for you. I don’t believe Weber did this to take away from the story; I believe Weber wanted to make the story as authentic as possible since the story is a first-person narrator. A lot of the prose the readers need in order to understand Nym and her struggle in Siren’s Fury.

Overall, Mary Weber’s Siren’s Fury grabbed my attention in the first chapter with her continuing first-person narrative with the strong, heroine of Nym. The setting reminded me of a dystopian novel, haunting the reader long after they finish the book. I recommend this book to anyone who has read the first book and was left gasping after the first cliff-hanger.

I received a complimentary copy of Mary Weber’s Siren’s Fury from Thomas Nelson through Netgalley and the opinions stated above are all my own.

Mary Weber’s Bio:

Mary Weber is a ridiculously uncoordinated girl plotting to take over make-believe worlds through books, handstands, and imaginary throwing knives. In her spare time, she feeds unicorns, sings 80's hairband songs to her three muggle children, and ogles her husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. They live in California, which is perfect for stalking L.A. bands, Joss Whedon, and the ocean.

From Mary Weber's Amazon Author's Page

Where to connect with Mary Weber:

Facebook

Author's Personal Webpage

Twitter

Where to purchase her books:

 Amazon

Barnes and Nobles

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How many Young Adults novels have you read as an adult? Why do you think Young Adult novels appeal to adults?

Mary Weber: The Storm Siren

By Kelly Bridgewater

Mary Weber just published her debut novel, The Storm Siren, from Thomas Nelson Publishers. It is a first in a three book series rightly entitled The Storm Siren Trilogy. This is a Young Adult Speculative fiction piece that takes place in another time.

The story features a seventeen-year-old protagonist, Nym, who is a rare Elemental because up until her existence all Elemental were males and killed at birth. Somehow she had bypassed that law and lives at seventeen. Elementals have powers to control certain aspects of the atmosphere. With the title being, The Storm Siren, you could probably guess by now, that Nym controls storms—all the lightening, clouds, thunder, and rain.

As the story opens, Nym is standing at the on a stage being bided off to slave owners. She has been through this number of times. Standing high above everyone else, Nym observes a little red head girl getting smacked around by her new owner. Anger rises from every core of her being, and Nym releases a huge storm killing everyone around her.   

Adora, a wealthy woman, purchases Nym and allows her to live in her elaborate home and take lessons to control her elemental powers with Colin, another trainee, and Eogan, the trainer. Nym must decide to protect war-ravaged Faelen or be killed. Of course, she chooses to train. Over a course of five weeks, Nym learns how to control her powers.

The book may be designed for young adult, but I truly enjoyed the story. The character, Nym, is a character that most people can empathize with. She doesn’t feel like she belongs in her world, and no one would understand her. I truly wanted to see her succeed and throw away the bonds of slavery that wrapped around her wrists a number of times. Both metaphorically and realistically.

The plot moved right along that you really felt like you were walking through the rough terrain of Faelen. You experience the wind blow and the rain droplets when Nym allowed the storm to explode.

I truly enjoyed the book and can’t wait for the next installment. Plus, I love the cover on this book. I can't wait to see what art work will appear on the next book.

I received an ebook copy of this book from Netgalley, and all the opinions stated above are my own.