Storm Warning by Elizabeth Lee, Caisey Quinn
Series: Broken Heartland #1
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Publication date: December 12, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Format: eARC
How I got it: From the author
Add it: Goodreads
Buy it: Amazon
My rating:

Sometimes you can’t see the storm coming until it’s too late...

Severe Storm Warning Tip #1:
Be alert to changing weather conditions. Look for approaching storms.

Severe Storm Warning Tip #2:
If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately.

Severe Storm Warning Tip #3:
They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.

Situated just outside of Oklahoma City, Calumet County is divided into two drastically different communities: Hope’s Grove and Summit Bluffs. One is the small backward town where dirt roads lead the way to field parties and railroad tracks. And the other, a sprawling suburb where paved drives lead to the landscaped lawns of the wealthy and over privileged.

For five teenagers smack in the middle of Tornado Alley, summer is heating up fast. The winds of change are blurring the invisible line that divides the rich and the rural.

One has a secret.
One has a crush.
One has been lying.
One will get caught.
And one might not make it out alive.

They’re from two different worlds…but one summer is about to change everything.

My Thoughts

Severe Storm Warning Tip #1:
Be alert to changing weather conditions. Look for approaching storms.

I thought I might find this book a little bit of a struggle, for more than just because the very thought of tornadoes reduce me to a complete disaster. I feared there would be too many characters, too many POVs, too many intermingled plot lines for me to follow along. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Each character’s voice was so strong, so sure, so unique, I never once had a difficult time following along or recognizing the character.

Severe Storm Warning Tip #2:
If you see approaching storms or any of the danger signs, be prepared to take shelter immediately.

This is one of those books that sucked me in and didn’t let go until the very last page. When I hit that last page, I wanted to weep because it was over. The characters were so real, the drama and story so absolutely engrossing, I never stood a chance. I wasn’t ready to let these characters go. I’m glad this is a series, because OMG, the way that ended. What a tease. I need the next book, like, this very second.

Severe Storm Warning Tip #3:
They may strike quickly, with little or no warning.

I hate saying “fans of _____” will enjoy a book. But I’m going to break that rule here. If you loved teen drama TV series like Dawson’s Creek and One Tree Hill, you will LOVE this book. It felt more like I was watching a TV show than reading a book. (And I absolutely mean that as a compliment.) I can’t call it “world-building,” necessarily, but the setting of the book was so perfectly painted, so vibrant, that it felt like I was living it. The characters’ personalities jumped off the page. I loved each and every one of them, something that’s rare for me. More than that, I feel like I connected to or identified with each one of them in one way or another. Something that’s even rarer for me. This book made me feel all the feels. It had humor, heart, and some gut-wrenching scenes. There was drama, action, and romance. It gave me literally everything I want out of a YA contemporary read. After that ending, I’m waiting on pins and needles for the sequel.