Let the Storm Break (Sky Fall, #2)

by Shannon Messenger

[ladygrey]

So the beginning annoyed me because it felt kinda pointless. Audra leaves to find a way to heal or figure out how to be whole—fine that kinda makes sense. But she doesn’t do anything with all those 20-odd days except randomly fly around before she decides to go home. Sure Messenger connects it into something of a plot but it still feels pointless.

Also, I will never understand why authors separate their main characters. The characters are rarely that interesting on their own—what’s interesting is the dynamic between them. In this case, Audra by herself really isn’t that interesting. Aston is a bit better, but not much. Vane fairs pretty well, but he has Gus and Solana and Arella which makes the difference. Those character interactions and not just pages of a character’s internal monologue make the story.

And it’s like halfway through the book before they finally get back together in some interesting sort of way (that isn’t mid-battle).

Once you get there, Vane and Audra getting back together is explosive and fun. Until it’s all ‘shocking revelation’ - ‘everyone is upset’ - ‘ah the characters now explain’ for like 4 chapters.

The end, while not especially gripping or perhaps as painful as Messenger might have liked, fit snugly into the plot as it had been set up and made the way for the third book. Which is something we’ll done.

Overall, though, there’s this chunks in the middle where the characters are dynamic and fun (Gus is a highlight - Solana is woefully underused) and the rest is either nearly boring or just a big battle.

On to the third...