3.5 stars

This has a lot of promise and most of the characters are interesting enough for me to continue reading. The plot in my opinion could’ve been stronger but the writing was immersive enough that I could vividly imagine being in the different locations. If you love powerless, you’ll like this.

I wanted to love it so much but something was missing. The plot is predictable and some parts feel like a mix of other books but it was still creative enough to keep me hooked from start to finish. I liked the characters (especially the sibling relationship) but I feel like Fox needed more development, when he first appeared I felt like he was going to be my favorite (maybe he still is) but then he barely shows up and only in really quick scenes. Since he’s an important character AND one of the love interests, I was expecting more from him.

Now about Blaze…… 🫠🫠 I thought I was going to absolutely love her but I ended up disappointed, I didn’t connect with her at all but I think that might change in the next book. I also hated how she spent the entire book treating Fox the same way people treat her, even though he told her multiple times that she, of all people, should know how others twist and exaggerate things about them.

Overall I thought the book was okay. It has the potential to be better in the sequel so I’ll probably be reading it. Thanks Netgalley & Macmillan for the arc 💜

I knew right from the prologue that I was going to enjoy this book, and I love when I become hooked that quick! It felt a little predictable and very expected for a YA fantasy, but I didn’t see that as a bad thing. There is elemental magic (which I’m a sucker for), great world building, and it’s fast paced. I adored the storyline and I loved the sibling banter that was in this book.

I can’t wait to read the rest of this series, and I can see this becoming very popular very quick!

I absolutely loved this book! The character development was great without being too wordy and drawn out, even for some of the smaller roles. I could say the same thing about the world building. Sometimes I find myself struggling to get through fantasy but this book reads so well; I devoured it. Five out of five and I will be impatiently waiting for the next in the series.

This was amazing! So glad I had the opportunity to read this early but sad it means I have to wait even longer for the next book.

I loved this book!!! Absolutely amazing. The mfc I has been hidden from the world in the hopes they would forget her birth caused the death of their families. One night that changes as she is chosen to compete in the trials for a throne. Her powers growing stronger and her heart on the line this book has everything. Thank you netgalley and macmillan children’s publishing group for the arc. This is my honest opinion and can’t wait for book 2

Think of all of your favorite YA romantasy books. Now reflect on all of your favorite YA authors. Is both HEIR OF STORMS and Lauren Hamilton Murray’s name on those lists? I can almost guarantee they will be after you’ve read this book.

How Lauryn Hamilton Murray managed to debut on the literary scene with a title as flawless as HEIR OF STORMS is beyond me. Holy sh*%*+%#t this book is good. Wait, strike that. “Good” is too weak of a word to describe this gorgeously written, pulse-racing and heart-wrenching affair. Riveting, rollicking, ridiculously readable — no, those are not quite right either. Flawless? Addictive? Unputdownable? That’s better.

Perhaps there is no one simple word that describes a book like this. Maybe the best way is to describe how reading it makes you feel. Breathless and with butterflies — like that moment you realize you are in love for the very first time. As if the very sky opened itself up just for you.

This is one of those very few instances when I wish I hadn’t read HEIR OF STORMS so far ahead of its publication date. Primarily because there’s nothing I could want more than to read the next book.

What are you waiting for? Read this.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC.


I was locked in from the prologue. Hadn’t even gotten to the first chapter yet and I knew it was going to be good. And I was not disappointed. The characters, the world, the world building was all so interesting. Definitely got the Last Airbender vibes with the different courts having different elements. The games and trials aspect was great. The one critique I might have is the ending felt a little rushed. A little more could have been added or just waited to put it in the next book but it’s not that big of an issue to me. I’m invested. This book isn’t even out yet and I’m ready for the next one!!!!

this book was fun and whimsical with a side of drama and mystery. i would definitely recommend to a friend and the cover is so beautiful!

I stayed up till 4am devouring this book!

You won’t want to put this one down!

If you love YA fantasy, especially if 2010s YA fantasy was your jam, this is going to feel like a warm hug BUT it’s a warm hug from a new friend you’ve not yet been physical with. It’ll feel comforting and safe, while still feeling new and exciting.

My absolute favorite things about this book and what really sets it apart from other YA fantasy is the portrayal of loss and grief, the way emotions are represented, the family forward narrative, and the quiet strength in the FMC.

If you’re not a fan of “powerless” FMCs I implore you to still give this one a shot - I’m confident you’ll appreciate the way it’s handled (see spoiler at end if you really want to know)!

What’s to love…
- Chosen one (honestly one of my FAVS)
- Elemental magic
- trials (that are trial-hater approved!)
- love triangle (done well I promise - it’s juicy in the best kinds of ways!)
- family forward story
- portrayal of grief and loss
- feminine rage + and a bit morally gray
- great world building + interesting magic system
- fast-paced

Lukewarm Thoughts…
- Some might find this a tad predictable - I actually don’t mind that, especially in YA novels - but I know some find it frustrating.
- I saw a few reviewers say that all the females relationships are negative and hateful and while I do think the rivalry between the FMC and Ember & Marion, etc could be seen as that typical “woman against woman” trope we do not love, I’d like to point out that there are even more positive female relationships, but since the hatred is so strong with the villainous females its easy to get blinded by it.
- I absolutely adored the connection to her powers that is revealed BUT I would have liked to see her struggle a bit more with learning to regain them and use them.

I feel pretty certain that some people are going to say this feels too much like what we’ve already seen but I’m going to disagree now and LOUDLY…

Just because this story has elements & tropes from popular books does NOT mean it is not a wholly new and original story!!!!

And because I need to gush about it, something I really freaking loved is a bit of a spoiler…. (view spoiler)

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillian for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. I felt the character and relationship development was a bit weak and that hampered the story. Characters suddenly became friends without any real reason. I also didn’t love that most of the other female characters were presented as rivals who were jealous of the main character because of a man. This led to the villains feeling one-dimensional.

To me, it was unrealistic that an entire country would hate someone for something she did as a baby and it also felt unrealistic that no one was able to control the magic she was doing as a baby to mitigate the damages.

I did enjoy the worldbuilding and thought the story had a creative solution to transference of power. The story was paced well, overall, and I did fly through the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmilan Children's Publishng Group for letting me read this book as an ARC.

Heir of Storms: 4 Stars

This was a really good book. Very entertaining. I loved the characters and the story line was great. The book's theme of not giving and believing in yourself even when you feel all alone was joyful. There is great friendship and sibling love. The book involves the elements and the people who can control them. There are tournaments to win each crown. There are mysteries that need solved and overall was an easy book to read and enjoy. I can't wait for book 2 to see where the adventure goes next.

This book completely pulled me in—dark magic, court intrigue, and a fierce heroine who refuses to play by the rules? Yes, please! The worldbuilding is rich, the stakes are high, and the writing is so vivid I could practically feel the storm crackling around me.

The romance has that slow-burn, enemies-to-allies-to-something more tension, but it never overshadows the main plot—it enhances it. Think Sarah J. Maas or Jennifer L. Armentrout vibes but with its own unique edge. My only complaint? I need the next book ASAP! If you love epic fantasy with strong heroines and dark twists, don’t sleep on this one.

This book was really good. I was honestly pleasantly surprised, for a ya book, I really enjoyed it, I loved the twists and turns and how the author was able to keep us on our toes with the characters. Definitely was not expecting some of the twists. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillian Children’s Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a review!

I read books for a good time and I can definitely express that this book was a good time! I do not gravitate towards fantasy YA books because I tend to find the pacing can be slow for me, which was the case here. The book really picks off around 50% when Fox is introduced.

Things I did enjoy however include the sibling relationship between Flint, Ren, and Blaze. Can we also just hold space for that plot twist at the end of the book? I have to say I did not see that one coming and it was really well done.

I do have to say my only other criticism would be chapter 50, I felt like there was a lot of telling and not showing. It seems that there is a time jump in which we travel back home and Blaze explains what happened meanwhile, but I would have personally loved to see that play out in real time.

I would recommended this book! Since this is the first in a series, I also cannot wait to see where the author takes the series after that ending.

Thank you NetGalley, and Macmillian Children’s Publishing Group for an e-arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

Heir of Storms by Lauryn Hamilton Murray has it all…an elemental magic system, GREAT world-building, and most importantly FANTASTIC characters!! We follow Blaze, with her water magic, chosen to compete for the crown. We watch her grow throughout the trials and follow her growing relationship with the golden prince and his mysterious brother. I don’t want to give too much away…

You will find:
-Deadly Competition
-Forbidden Love
-Dangerous Magic
-Elemental Magic
-Sibling relationship
-Witty banter

I am looking forward to reading more and following these characters in the next book!

This was such a good read! The worldbuilding and characters felt like a lot of info dumping sometimes, but it was a really rich, thoughtfully developed world (I feel like all throughout I was continually being given more information about the world). I loved the idea of crowns being won based on trials. The ending was a little obvious, but there were twists that still took me by surprise! I look forward to continuing the series! Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

“Fate has many faces, my darling one. Make sure you look them all in the eye.”

I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, but it completely won me over.

The premise itself had me intrigued—a cutthroat competition for the throne in an empire where crowns aren’t inherited, they’re won. That alone set the stage for high-stakes conflict, and combined with elemental magic? I was sold. I've been craving a fantasy book with elemental magic for a while, so imagine my excitement when I found out that this book is centered around it. Elemental magic always has a special place in my heart, and this book did a great job bringing it to life.

Right from the start, the prologue set a strong tone. The writing drew me in immediately, and the immersive world-building combined with the unfolding mystery kept me invested. At one point, I was worried there would be a love triangle—something I can’t stand—but thankfully, that wasn't the case. Just trust the process, because everything falls into place as the story unfolds.

The protagonist, Blaze, the storm weaver, the last rain singer. She had the depth I was looking for. I appreciated her growth throughout the book as she became stronger and more mature. At first, she seemed naive, but considering her past and lack of close friends, it made sense.

<spoiler>Then there’s Crown Prince Haldyn. From the beginning, I had a feeling something was off about him. I was convinced he was hiding something, and I never believed he would be the love interest. Honestly, I was relieved because the chemistry between him and Blaze wasn’t convincing enough. That said, his actions still frustrated me. The way he used her was just cruel, and I think Blaze was far too forgiving. Still, I didn’t expect the forbidden romance twist, which was an interesting surprise. I only wish it had been explored more.</spoiler>

Then we have Fox, Haldyn’s half-brother, the boy who broke the world, the earth cleaver. Unlike Haldyn, he had that darker, more mysterious edge that immediately made him stand out. The way he was introduced was just right, not too soon and not too late, building up intrigue before he entered the picture. I wanted more of his backstory, more moments with him, because he completely stole the spotlight for me. And the fact that he’s a healer? That was such a refreshing touch. Male love interests in fantasy books rarely take on that role, and I loved seeing it. His dynamic with Blaze was another highlight. Their chemistry was strong, and their romance was perfectly balanced, never overshadowing the main plot.

Beyond the romance, what stood out the most for me was the sibling bond between Blaze and her brothers, Flint and Renly. Their relationship felt so genuine, and I loved how much they cared for each other. The side characters also had solid development, whether they were Blaze’s friends from the trials or her enemies.

Overall, I had a great time reading this. The plot kept me engaged, and I enjoyed the second half more than the first. The trials were intriguing, though I wish they had been longer with higher stakes. There were plenty of twists, some I saw coming, others completely caught me off guard. Now, I can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel. This is definitely a series I’ll be continuing.

“Make no mistake, the real game begins when the winners take their thrones.”

Heir of Storms is the author's debut fantasy novel following Blaze, a girl with powers of wielding a storm, as she is thrust into a series of trials for the fight to the throne. The book builds upon some popular, already established tropes of similar fantasy novels, but what sets the novel apart is that the book is that there is some unique world building, interesting character development with Blaze as she learns how to control her magic, and the writing is rich with good prose. Readers will find comfort in the familiarity of the setting as they follow Blaze as she is thrown into this new world of political intrigue, friends she cannot trust, and powers that she is afraid of.

Blaze is an outcast: a water magician born to a family known for being powerful fire magicians. When the Gods declare a time to choose new rulers theough a selection of trials, Blaze and her twin brother Flint both travel to the capital as contestants. In the Golden Palace they must train their magic to the highest levels to compete for thwir lives and crowns, while doging politics from their fellow contestants and the king’s eyes. But Blaze finds herself distracted bu the handome Prince Hal, and his alluring but forbidden bastard brother Fox, the boy who broke the world.

The world building here is amazing, but I found that it was the characters who were the best part. The action and magic cenes really fluah out their motives and personalities. Sadly, because of their ages (they’re teenagers), most of that personality is drama and privledge (because they are also rhe children of the royal/noble class). Blaze does a really good job, as an outsider herself, of acknowledging what’s inherently wrong with the court and its practices.

The romance here is based on a love triangle between the two brothers, Hal and Fox, the son of the queen and the son of the king’s mistress. Not going to lie, this made me want to DNF immediately because I absolutely HATE love triangles. Thankfully Hal’s awkward courting never really goes anywhere so the love triangle dissolves rather quickly. Atypically, Blaze just sort of gets mad for a day and then forgives him, which tells me she wasn’t very invested in him either. Fox is a little bit harder since he loves to manipulate and enrage people for fun. I should have realized when we were first introduced to him that that was the real Fox and the rest was armor protecting himself from the courtiers and their children who always looked down on him for the circumstances of his birth.

Overall a richly built world with some interesting sub plots that swiftly come to fruition at the ending (it was a cliffhanger!). I would definitely pick up the next book.