Week 46 Review: Saints of Storm and Sorrow

From Goodreads:

In this an enthralling Filipino-inspired epic fantasy, a nun concealing a goddess-given gift is unwillingly transformed into a lightning rod for her people's struggle against colonization. For fans of R.F. Kuang, Tasha Suri, and The Hurricane War.

Maria Lunurin has been living a double life for as long as she can remember. To the world, she is Sister Maria, dutiful nun and devoted servant of Aynila's Codician colonizers. But behind closed doors, she is a stormcaller, chosen daughter of the Aynilan goddess Anitun Tabu. In hiding not only from the Codicians and their witch hunts, but also from the vengeful eye of her slighted goddess, Lunurin does what she can to protect her fellow Aynilans and the small family she has created in the her lover Catalina, and Cat's younger sister Inez. Lunurin is determined to keep her head down - until one day she makes a devastating discovery, which threatens to tear her family apart.

In desperation, she turns for help to Alon Dakila, heir to Aynila's most powerful family and a gods-blessed healer who has been ardently in love with Lunurin for years. But this choice sets in motion a chain of events beyond her control, awakening Anitun Tabu's rage and putting everyone Lunurin loves in terrible danger. Torn between the call of Alon's magic and Catalina's jealousy, her duty to her family and to her people, Lunurin can no longer keep Anitun Tabu's fury at bay. For the goddess of storms demands vengeance. And she will sweep aside anyone who stands in her way.

My Review:
This was such a fantastic read! The story sounded so good, and oh, it was intense, the horrid situation that these colonizers had created, I just wanted to rage at the unfairness! The whole set up and power structure, not to mention the killing of those that had power from their gods, yuck!

The relationships between Lunurin, Alon and Cat? Perfection, of Lunurin and Alon being a good example of a healthy relationship, and Lunurin and Cat as an unhealthy relationship. Cat, with her obsession with Codicians's religion, to the detriment of everything else. That she was hot and cold, and blamed everything on Lunurin basically, including the situation with Inez, yeah, that wasn't good. Whereas Alon, who had been in love with her, he was respectful and kind, he was just a ray of sunshine that she needed in her life. 

Lunurin is angry, and justifiably. Her goddess used her, and then didn't care about the damage that it caused to her people. But the Codicians are treating her people like colonizers always treat those they colonize, and Lunarin has the power to fight back. But the cost to her people, keeps her from acting, but that becomes harder and harder to not do something as the harm keep rising.

There were moments of highs and lows, from the priests, to her having to marry Alon. That his father was pretty awful given his power, and his mom and her story, it all came together really well with a powerful ending, one that was so very satisfying!

Loved reading this book and I can't wait for the sequel, it sounds so interesting! 

Author: Gabriella Buba
Series: Stormbringer Saga #1
Read: November 14th, 2024
Source: NetGalley 
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and it's a DAC Book and a Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2024 Book!
Publisher: Spotify Audiobooks
Published: June 25th 2024

5/5 Hearts

5/5 Books

5/5 Stars