Heir of Storms coming June 3rd, 2025 from Roaring Brook Press; 416 pages
Content Warning: Death, violence, war
About the Author: “Lauryn Hamilton Murray grew up in Scotland writing stories about sad girls, secrets and storms. She holds a BA Hons in English Literature from the University of Stirling and a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Edinburgh. She is happiest when reading in the sun and hiking with her dogs, Huxley and Ziggy” (Bio from author’s website).
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Heir of Storms is a fast-paced romantic fantasy that follows Blaze, a seventeen-year-old girl with a past she would rather the world forgot. Generations of her family have been able to wield fire, cementing them as one of the most powerful families in the empire, but not Blaze. Her birth brought about the most devastating storm the world had ever seen—thousands perished. Since then, she has lived hidden away in her grandmother’s home while her twin brother, Flint, flaunts his gifts among the emperor’s court, but Blaze has been unable to summon another storm. When she and Flint are selected to compete as Heirs to become rulers within the empire, she has to learn how to wield her abilities, and fast. But things aren’t so simple when she finds herself caught between the attentions of the dazzling Crown Prince and a dangerous yet captivating Heir.
Lauryn Hamilton Murray’s novel was a carefully crafted blend of magic and romance that was reminiscent of the YA books I read in high school. The novel had a lot of the common YA fantasy tropes: an elemental magic based society, a chosen one, and a love triangle, but what I liked is that Heir of Storms adds a new spin. Every generation, during the Choosing, four Heirs are selected by the gods to compete for each elemental throne. I particularly liked that instead of one victor taking it all, there are four winners, which expanded on the trial aspect. The trials themselves were unique, with different aspects to challenge those who wielded different elements. I am not normally a fan of love triangles, but I found myself liking the characters and how this one came together. Each character was compelling and well formed. The relationships, whether they were romantic, platonic, or familial, were intricate and built from solid foundations. Each character has clear flaws, especially Blaze, who is rather sheltered, and I think that it is important for readers to see characters make mistakes and decisions that, while in a fantastical world, can still be relatable. There is a lot of room for them to grow, but their story isn’t done yet. Heir of Storms is the first novel in a trilogy, and I look forward to seeing how these characters develop and how the plot transforms during the next two books.
Heir of Storms releases on June 3rd, 2025.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank SparkPoint Studio and Roaring Brook Press for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Hannah Goerndt, Pine Reads Review Writer