Review: Storm rocks!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 8, 2012
STORM rolled in and blew me away! As a frequent reader of YA fiction, it is hard to find authors who manage to take the best elements of YA fiction and craft something that is fresh and interesting to adults as well as young adults. And since paranormal YA fiction is hot, hot, hot right now, there is a flood on the market - some good, some not so good and every once and a while one pops up that is truly creative and stands out for unique elements.  STORM happens to be one of those stories.Storm Crandall makes for one unusual heroine. As a self professed queen of the nerd herd, I firmly espouse the believe that smart chicks rule.  But Bernard DeLeo creates an uber smart chick who solves the mystery, saves the day AND gets the guy.  All highly key elements in a YA story and the winning combination seems to include just enough of the right stuff - just enough mystery, just enough paranormal, just enough romantic storyline without going overboard and becoming a parody of it's adult fiction counterparts which occurs all too frequently.  Her friends are interesting and eclectic and Logan the scarred Marine hero saves the day over and over.  They make the perfect odd couple!Well written and edited, this story takes on the flavor of many of the classic campy television shows it frequently references: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and X-Files in particular.  There are moments of truly humorous dialogue that makes the reader laugh out loud.  There are also moments of true terror when mysterious paranormal elements occur during the joint FBI/student body investigation into the missing teens of Warren, Ohio.  The interactions between the brilliant, sassy teen and her unconventional FBI handlers are priceless and some of the best moments.  DeLeo captures the lingo, social interactions and emotional intensity of today's teens without sounding forced or trendy.  The disciples of the Temple of Set as the evil villains are an excellent choice - capturing some current event type scenarios that have a realistic feel while still walking that fantastical paranormal edge.For fans of Buffy and X-Files, STORM will speak to you. For the YA set and the adults who gravitate toward YA stories, it's completely appropriate and highly enjoyable.  While the main character was female, ultimately the cast was an ensemble and there were enough male characters to offset this as "chick lit" and make it quite universal.  Provided the readers aren't potential hackers in the making, I think STORM makes for one fantastic read - fast paced, high intensity, and full of mystery and wit.  Here's hoping STORM's first encounter with the literary world isn't her last!I give this supercharged story Five Chocolate Dipped Strawberries.  This review was originally written for the Guilty Indulgence Bookclub: [...]