Let the Storm Break

February 15, 2014
With Audra off dealing with fallout from revelations in Let the Sky Fall (2013), Vane is stuck by himself figuring out how to be a sylph king on the verge of war. The sylph army known as the Gales desperately wants to use Vane and his Westerly winds as a weapon against power-hungry, one-note Raiden, but Vane knows the Westerly nature is too peaceful. Luckily, the Gales don't know that Audra also speaks Westerly, a result of the forbidden romance and magical bond between the two--another secret. They still hope Vane will fall for the last of the previous royal family and would be furious to know that the reason Vane broke off that arranged engagement was Audra. Meanwhile, Audra learns the dark secret to Raiden's strength. Conveying so much information causes the first act to progress slowly, resulting in weak tension until the vague stakes become specific and immediate. Tasked with many expository reveals, Audra's narration doesn't shine as brightly as Vane's chapters. Vane is a bundle of charming contradictions--protective yet pacifistic, nobly loyal yet unable to hear "haboob" (a type of dust storm) without boob jokes. Once characters deal with the ends-justify-the-means idea of sinking to Raiden's level to fight him and reach the fight scenes, the story becomes a page-turner right to a cliffhanger. Witty, romantic and filled with personality--after the slow start. (Paranormal romance. 12-17)

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March 1, 2014
Grades 7-12 Vane and Audra and an intriguing cast of secondary characters return in Messenger's solid second book in the Sky Fall series. While wrestling with the realization that he is not humanand will someday be a kingVane also attempts to juggle his ongoing attraction to Audra, as well as figure out how to defeat a host of enemies determined either to use him for their own nefarious ends or simply eliminate him. Audra also struggles with her attraction to Vane, albeit from a distance, as she flees her own past and tries to come to grips with her current reality and potential future. Strikingly evil Raiden and multinuanced Solana stir the plot aplenty with their own motives and actions, all of which tangle together in a satisfying story. New directions, plot twists, and dangers seemingly at every turn keep the pace lively. A cliff-hanger ending may frustrate some readers, but it ensures eager anticipation for the next book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2014
After discovering his royal windwalker lineage and learning the coveted language of the Westerly winds, Vane becomes the reluctant lynchpin in the Gales' battle against the megalomaniacal Raiden. Vane and his girlfriend/guardian sylph, Audra, face betrayals and heavy wind warfare as they prepare for a final showdown. Strong characterization and ample action sequences carry an otherwise plot-thin sequel to Let the Sky Fall.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)