4.5 stars
I will 100% be reading this when it releases and again before book 2

The twists. The turns. This book was tricksy.
I thought I saw things coming: I didn't.

The tension, both romantic and not.
The trials, the stakes.
An emotional roller coaster.
And Fox!!! Swoon!

It was such a fun read! I devoured it in less than 24 hours.

Waiting for book 2 is going to be torture.

ARC obtained through NetGalley - thank you to the author and the publishers for allowing me to read this!

*Spoiler free review*
Summary: this is a fantasy book about a young woman who was born with magical gifts. Throughout the book, the woman learns about her gifts, and how to use them, making friends on her journey.

What I liked:
- although this is a fantasy book, it feels different to others within the sub genre in a good way - the ideas feel new and fresh!
- the characters are great. There’s so much depth to every single person we meet
- the pacing of the book was really good, and it was so incredibly easy to read
- there are a few plot twists that the reader really does not suspect
- there’s LGBTQ+ representation that feels really genuine
- the world building is amazing. The descriptions really brings the world to life
- it was a really good balance of world building / character building / plot
- overall I just absolutely LOVED this book. I could not put it down and I just enjoyed everything about it. I’m hoping there will be more to the series!! I would absolutely recommend this to any fantasy readers who enjoy Throne of Glass / Hunger Games / Game of Thrones

Rating: 5/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

This book just felt like a nostalgic fantasy read in the beginning but it evolved into so much more really altering a few genre expectations in a way I loved. The world is very reminiscent of a traditional fantasy world with a five elemental system but we also got lots of little worldbuilding details about the kingdoms interaction with the Otherlands. I really liked the way we were rapidly drawn into the action with centuries of tradition behind it that is driving all the characters.
Blaze already being such a notorious figure in the world having created a huge empire wide storm at her birth was a nice change from people just learning about their power (we do get good power development tho which I always like).
It’s a great book and I cant wait to see what this author does in the sequel!

This book? It’s like being struck by lightning and loving the burn. From the first line, it had me by the throat and I was like, YES, choke me with your words!

Okay, so let me set the scene: this book? It’s giving all the epic fantasy vibes I’ve been craving. It’s like Twin Crowns meets Throne of Glass with a touch of Hunger Games competition brutality, all while being entirely its own, deliciously immersive world. From the first page, I was hooked – and I’m already borderline feral waiting for book two.
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We’re following 🔥Blaze, – she’s not just a main character, she’s a force of nature. She’s the empire’s biggest cautionary tale, the girl they whispered about, the girl they wanted to control – and she’s done playing nice. She’s like, “I am the storm, and you will learn to fear me.” And honestly? I do. I fear her. I worship her. I want to be her when I grow up.

When she was just a baby, Blaze accidentally drowned the empire in a storm so powerful it reshaped the world – a mistake she’s been paying for ever since. She’s an outcast, defined by the one thing she can’t control: her magic.

But Blaze is done being the empire’s scapegoat. Alongside her twin brother Flint, she’s about to enter the Choosing Rite – a cutthroat competition to decide who will rule the empire’s elemental magic. It’s a chance to finally prove herself, but also a chance to lose everything. Because if she fails, the empire will swallow her whole.

The sibling dynamic between Blaze, Flint, and Renly absolutely stole my heart. Flint is the perfect protective older brother – their banter was everything. They’re each other’s safe haven in a world that wants to break them. And Blaze is for Renly what Flint is for her.
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👑Hal– sweet, soft, golden prince energy. Hal is the boy who holds Blaze like she’s precious, even when she’s all fury and chaos. He’s the kind of boy who’d kiss your bruises and still stand beside you when you’re tearing the world down – and I was eating it up...until we met Fox. What can I say? Ya girl just loves a bad boy...
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🖤Fox – Listen. If I had £1 for every time I had to fan myself reading his scenes, I’d be a billionaire. He’s dark, he’s dangerous, he’s...everything. The morally grey temptation, the one who sees Blaze’s darkness and says, I’ll match it.” I was ready to sell my soul for a glimpse of him – he’s that level of feral. Fox had me in a chokehold from page one. Their chemistry was unreal – the banter? The tension? The walls-and-knives moments?! Fox sees her in a way nobody else does. Also – that kitten scene with the grey one the colour of her eyes? I’m sorry, I am unwell. 🥹🫠
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The magic system? Chef’s kiss. The whole elemental Choosing Rite? It’s giving you’re about to see what happens when you push a girl too far” – and I was here for every savage second. Blaze is literally out here becoming the weapon they feared she’d be, and I was obsessed. The elemental magic in this world is so vivid and dynamic – I was living for the scenes of Blaze unleashing her stormy powers. The trials themselves were absolutely intense, like a magical gladiator arena meets elemental boot camp. Every challenge tests not just her strength, but her heart – and honestly, the stakes feel real.
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The writing? Poetic. Lyrical. So pretty I wanted to highlight every damn sentence and tattoo it on my forehead. There are so many quotes that go straight to your soul, like, just bury me in this book’s prose, please...
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The plot twists? Kept me on my toes the entire time! I couldn’t predict it all, which is rare for me as a bookworm. The ending? That ending? It left me absolutely feral. I’m out of my depth, like Blaze, but loving it. 🤯
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But it’s not just a pretty face and steamy moments. What really hit me was the social commentary lurking beneath all the elemental magic and court intrigues. Blaze calls it like it is and she nails the double standards so many women and marginalised voices face—not just in fantasy, but IRL.

Men break worlds and become legends; women break worlds and become villains. Men’s dark fantasies are “genius”; women’s stories get shoved off as “fairy porn.” Blaze’s struggle is a rallying cry for all the overlooked, sidelined, and underestimated, daring us to rewrite the rules and take up space. It’s a smart, sharp critique wrapped up in a fantasy that never feels preachy. The book does not let you forget who gets to be powerful and why—and that alone makes it stand out. 💪
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✨ TL;DR: Why you need to read this book immediately
⚡️ Blaze is the definition of “don’t start what you can’t finish”– and she’s finishing it.
⚡️ Fox is giving “I’ll ruin you in the best way” energy.
⚡️ Sibling bonds, cutthroat politics, and elemental magic that will have you sweating.
⚡️ Prose so beautiful you’ll want to eat it for breakfast.

Truly, Heir of Storms is the kind of book that lingers in your bones long after you finish. It’s about finding your place in a world determined to break you – and daring to be more than the stories told about you.🖤

I’m going to be counting down the days until book two – because Blaze’s storm is just getting started. 😏