Review: This is Such a Gritty Cooky and Awesome Series
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 24, 2013
Tempest is the third book in Kelly Meding's Meta Wars series.  You know when someone talks about books that start one way then go waaaayyy off from that to finally end up somewhere you never saw coming.  Yeah...this book is just like that.  In fact, this series is just like that.  Kelly does a wonderful job throwing us for a loop then throwing us through another loop then torpedoing us through a bigger loop only to have us land smack on our faces.  In the mud.  And where you end up will make you chug a bottle of vodka and wiping your brow - and all in the very best of ways.This series is an odd sort of paranormal romance series with each book seeing a main hero find his HEA, yet it has a very strong urban fantasy feel thanks to the gritty storylines and flow from book to book.  I tend to describe it more as UF rather than as PNR but just keep in mind that each book does have a HEA of sorts for the main couple.Tempest follows Ethan "Tempest" Swift.  Ethan's super power is controlling the wind.  He can make cyclones, gusts, breezes...he can even make the wind do his bidding so he can fly.Oh right.  Yes, the characters in these books are super heroes.  They each have powers.  Most of the main characters grew up knowing they had powers and that they were to be used to help people.  Then, when they were all young teenagers, their powers went away.  Poof.  Just like that.  Suddenly, at the beginning of the first book in the series, their powers retuned as mysteriously as they left.  Now there are new teenage heroes who never knew they had powers until recently and must learn to harness and use them properly.  We meet a few newbies in this book but really the focus is still on Ethan, his love interest and the rest of the `Ranger' crew.  In this book they are trying to appease the mass population's fears and worries.  They are trying to reinforce the fact that even though they have super powers they are there to help and not hurt.  Unfortunately too many people are afraid and some are starting to fight back.  They want the Metas (those with powers) to die horrible deaths.That is one part of the story in Tempest but, as I mentioned, we also follow Ethan.  I was amazed at how much we didn't know about him.  We meet him in the first book.  He's a quiet character, seemingly an introvert with a quick mind.  He's serious and wants to do the best he can to help as many people as he can.  He is also not one for the spotlight.  All of these things we knew before going into this book but the why behind the way he is, his childhood, just his story is so much deeper than I anticipated.  I loved Ethan when I started this book and I adored him when I finished it.  He is my favorite character to date from this series.  He is an incredible character and has faced some pretty impressive things in his young lifetime.  He's gay and he has yet to come out to his friends, his mother was killed by Banes (bad guy Metas) when he was a boy and he has never met his father.  I will give one hint here...Ethan does meet his father in this book and how he controls his emotions, how he takes that entire situation and turns it into something good, is just amazing.  He can handle things that most people never could and I truly admire that about him.I was actually surprised at who Ethan's HEA was.  I will not tell you who it is because I want you to be as pleasantly surprised as I was, but I will tell you that it is someone we have already met.  This man is actually a really good match for Ethan as he has also had to deal with some pretty heavy s*** in his young life.  Not exactly the same stuff but the emotions, the impact, are very similar.  I found Kelly wrote their relationship very well.  We are talking about two men here so there shouldn't be any fluffy frilly girly type drama.  And there wasn't.  The flow and pace of the relationship matched the pair and their personalities perfectly.One other part of the story in Tempest deals with ex-Banes and how Teresa wants to try to get the deserving Metas pardons.  Banes were imprisoned on Manhattan Island before (and after) powers disappeared and Teresa (heroine from book one and leader of the Rangers of now) believes everybody deserves a fresh start.  Ethan is sent to Manhattan to try to find some of the Banes who are unaccounted for to see if they too deserve pardons.  This will be the first time Ethan is back there since he lost his powers at the height of a terrible Meta war.  I was thrilled that we finally learned the details of that night, of the war and of what happened to many of our hero and heroines parents.  Through Ethan's flashbacks we see it all.  Such gripping scenes, they will tug on your heart.One day, when this series is over and I look back on it, I will think mostly of the "OMFG you have GOT to be kidding me" twists and turns that Kelly writes into these books.  With every installment my jaw has hit the floor at least three times.  There is a DNA twist that will definitely play a role in the next book and it will leave you going O-o in this book.  I've said it once and I say it again Kelly's head has to be one spectacularly scary place because some of her ideas and visuals border on absolutely vile.  But man do they make a great story.Speaking of great story, book four should be an interesting read.  Titled Chimera, this will be Renee's story.  Renee is one of those characters that rubs you the wrong way.  Essentially, she's a bitch and a little unlikeable.  But you just know there is a reason behind why she is the way she is.  It will be interesting to see how Kelly makes her pleasant enough for us to want her to have a HEA.  But I know Kelly can do it and it will be gory and shocking and awesome all at the same time.  It will be a crazy ride and I can't wait to pick it up when it releases November 11th 2013.This is such a badass series.  I say it over and over when I talk of these books but I feel I can't say it enough:  this series is like nothing else out there.  It's gritty, raw, moving with a side of kick ass.  Its strong storylines and even stronger characters keep you coming back for more.  As for Tempest, it is my favorite installment to date.  If you are a fan of darker urban fantasy, I would definitely give these books a try.5 stars