The Tempest Sea

This book... oof. It hurt. But if you know me at all, you know my favorite books are the kind where I can say, "This book destroyed my life. You should read it." And this one definitely fits. This world Robin has created just blows my mind. It's so original, and the story never dulls, always keeping my attention and making it hard to stop reading. I absolutely love Addie and Clark, as well as his brothers, Xav and Gunther. And once again, the writing is wonderful. It's so easy to read and get lost in this world!

Oh my heart! The Tempest Sea by Robin D. Mahle is the second book in her series World Apart and picks up where the first left off. Addie has been taken, Clark and Gunther are hunting for clues about her disappearance and what their brother has to do with it. Packed full of action and even more world-building, The Tempest Sea is a must read for fantasy fans.

Addie’s “heiress” facade was starting to fall at the end of The Fractured Empire, but it is back in full swing here. She faces trauma at the hand of her abductors. Everything she worked so hard to move past is back in full force. Her anxiety is ruling her. While she wonders if anyone will come for her, she doesn’t dare hope for it. And if they do come, she doesn’t know what will be left of her for them to find. She’s breaking and y’all it is heart-breaking to read. I ached for her.

Clark isn’t faring much better. He is driven by his fear for her. He knows, or thinks he does, who has her. What he doesn’t know or understand is Xavier’s role. He’s understandably angry, and he lets that anger keep him going to find Addie. He isn’t ready to admit his feelings for her, especially if there’s a chance they may not find her. I felt for him. He’s so conflicted. He’s just learned that his father may be alive, and that changes everything he’s fought against since the “silent explosion.” While I ached for Addie, I did for Clark too.

Told from alternating POV, the reader gets a glimpse into both Addie and Clark’s mind which plays a pivotal role in this plot. As the reader, we get a chance to see what each character is thinking and how that drives their actions. Like the last book, each chapter begins with a snippet from the past. In this one, we get glimpses of both Xavier and Nell. My heart broke reading Xavier’s past. I wanted to hate him for his actions, but reading those I couldn’t. Instead I fell in love with him just a little bit. Nell’s past serves to build the world a little more, but also reveals an important role that she will play in the future books.

Overall I loved The Tempest Sea. I couldn’t read it fast enough. I was on pins and needles wondering what would happen to the characters I’ve become so invested in. If you enjoy YA fantasy, I highly recommend you grab a copy.