Let the Sky Fall

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick and Dirty: A girl has to prove that she isn't a failure, while a guy is coming to grips with being a sylph and learning the girl of his dreams (literally) is real.

Opening Sentence: I'm lucky to be alive.

The Review:

Vane Weston has forgotten his entire younger years. After being pulled out of the rubble from a tornado at 8 years old, Vane is completely ignorant to the fact that he's a sylph, someone who can communicate with the winds and convince them to follow directions. Audra is his guardian -- and the girl of Vane's dreams (literally). She is tasked with keeping Vane safe and unnoticeable, while trying to unlock his Westerly breakthrough. Each wind has a different language, and each sylph has a native tongue. Vane is the last Westerly alive, thus the only person who can speak to the western wind. So when Audra accidentally calls attention to themselves, she has only days before Stormers -- the evil cronies of Raiden, who is trying to master the languages of all the winds -- show up to kidnap Vane. In a battle for time and feelings that are getting harder to ignore, Audra must continue to fight, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.

This is your classic young adult paranormal romance. It's action-packed, angst-ridden, and secret-filled. Snarky narrative and sweet romantic scenes fill the book creating a fast-paced romance that will keep you turning the page (even if it is midnight and you have to wake up early the next day).

Want a classic young adult hero, with a dash of sarcasm? Vane's your man. He's cocky, difficult, and extremely faithful (especially to a girl he's only seen in his dreams). Sometimes he makes you want to hug him and squeeze him and call him George. But other times, such as training, he can be so difficult and rebellious that you might want to slap him (or point a sword with thousands of needles called a "Windslicer" at him). He's the last living Westerly, and has the potential to be the most powerful of all the Windwalkers, if he can master all the languages. He's also the Gale Force's next king, and therefore is betrothed to the last of the royal line -- a Southerly (the most calm of all the winds). But the girl he only has eyes on is an Easterly and might not live to see the end of the week.

Audra has something to prove. Ever since the day of the storm, she's been carrying around the guilt of killing her father and Vane's parents. She had to save Gavin, her pet bird, from falling. So she called a Northerly and set off their location to the Stormers. Her mother doesn't care; she blames Audra for killing her husband. Plus she's the youngest Windwalker with the most important mission -- keeping Vane safe. So there's no pressure. Audra is the most strong-willed and courageous heroine I've read about. Although her bravery is due to her lack of self-perseverance, Audra still has to carry on her days, knowing she will likely have to sacrifice herself in order to destroy the Stormers, just like her father did before. She also has to resist Vane's continuous flirting, even though they both feel the same spark when they touch. But she can't kiss him; he's betrothed. Bonding would mean she would be kicked out of the Gale Force as a traitor, and they are the only thing she has left. But if she only has a few days left to live...

A swirling romance, sly writing, and a last 50 pages that will knock you off your feet, Messenger is a great debut author, and I cannot wait for more.

FTC Advisory: Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster provided me with a copy of Let the Sky Fall. No goody bags, sponsorships, "material connections," or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Messenger’s writing makes you fall in love with her characters, her world, and her imagery. This world isn’t as science fiction as Keeper, yes two characters can control the wind, but this takes place in California. California, a place one can drive to and visit if they would like to. Actually if I drive from my house to Disneyland, I drive through this book's location. Hi Coachella Valley! Yet Messenger was still able to build a world I know nothing about and need to know more about. I'm not sure I'll be able to make that drive with the windmills ever again without thinking about Vane and Audra (who are beautifully placed on the cover.)

This is the story of Vane and Audra. Vane is a miracle baby. He survived a tornado that he has no true memories of, only blips and fuzzy memories and the knowledge that it killed his parents. His adoptive parents are pretty awesome though. They ‘get’ Vane, they try to let him be a teenager while still caring and loving him. It is quite nice to see in a Young Adult book.

Audra on the other hand remembers everything about the tornado, because she was there. She is Vane’s guardian. Vane, of course, doesn’t know that Audra is his guardian, or that he has one. What he does know is he has horrible luck with women and that this girl keeps appearing in his dreams. One day, Audra and Vane cross paths, mostly because he is going to make a horrible mistake and Audra is there to ‘fix’ the situation.

The climax scene of the novel is everything I wanted in a book. Once again the imagery and the writing kept me holding the book extremely close to my face turning the pages as fast as I could. Hope my eye doctor isn’t reading that! But, in all honesty, that is how good this book is. I couldn't read it fast enough but then again I didn't want it to end. The big fight scene? A legit fight scene! Messenger took her time and was able to get the reader to see the fight occurring in their brain and even wanting more.

The end of this book is perfect. No, really, I couldn't have asked for a better ending to this book, but then I found out there is going to be a second book in the series and then I hugged the book again.

If Keeper of the Lost Cities hasn’t put Messenger on the map, Let the Sky Fall definitely will. It’s a YA book I didn’t even know I wanted, or better yet, a YA book I didn’t know I needed. Please, run to the bookstore and get this in March. I promise, you won’t regret it. I’m sorry if I hyped it up too much for you, I hate when people do that to. (But not really, because I just love this book so much.)

YA Paranormal Romance with a different twist. That is refreshing. No vampires or werewolves. Something I had not read before. Wind sylphs. Yes, Vane and Audra are not human, they are sylphs - creatures of the wind. A battle is going on and Vane is the most important player. But he does not know it because his memory has been wiped clean. Except for the girl who haunts his dreams.
Audra kind of pissed me off. I am still waiting to see a truly strong female character in a book. I am tired of wimpy women. Audra has made herself into a warrior woman, but she has done so because she feels guilty for the deaths of Vane's parents and her father and so she is willing to sacrifice herself in order to save Vane. Underneath her strength, she is a winey, self-deprecating wimp. So sad. So, of course, instead of her saving Vane, he saves her. How romantic. NOT!
But, if you are a fan of YA paranormal romance, which apparently relies on the females to be wimps, then you will like this book. It is a well written story and I enjoyed reading it.

I enjoyed this story about slyphs. I thought it was a new take on something paranormal. And it was definitely more character driven than action driven, which I like.

The story was told from two viewpoints: Vane and Audra. I liked Vane. As I've stated before, a lot of times I find myself disliking or not really caring about the story if it's told from a male character's point of view. But I really liked Vane. I could totally see him thinking and acting the way he did, especially the completely "guy" thoughts but they weren't obnoxious at all. And I liked how Audra was strong yet vulnerable (and I love her name!)

I do have to say that I thought the ending was pretty anti-climatic. The whole story was leading up to this one fight and then it was over in just a couple of pages. While I'm definitely a character person, I thought the action scene in this book could be done better. I also felt that we didn't get a really good grasp on all the different winds. I kind of felt confused about them and wished the book would have delved more into it.

But this is the first book in the series and I'll definitely be picking up the next one when it comes out. I want to find out about what's in store for Vance and Audra!

Let the Sky Fall is a contemporary fantasy romance that will make you wish you could fly.

This was a really fun read that took me into a new world of fantasy elements. Van thought he lived a normal high school life until Audra started showing up. Audra was broken, and Vane was hilarious. They made the perfect pair. The sexual tension was goooood.

I was frustrated with parts of the story because I was inpatient to find out what was going on, but by the end I was satisfied enough. I had an issue with a little part of the back story, but it was tiny compared to how much I enjoyed this book.

If you like young adult fantasy romance then Let the Sky Fall is the book for you.

Content Ratings: (content details found on kathryncooperwrites.com)
Sexual: mild
Language: mild
Violence: moderate

Audra is a windwalker, a sylph, who can control the winds. As one of the most powerful sylphs, she is assigned to protect a boy named Vane-who is basically the key to saving the world (hey, that's a new one!) Both of their parents died in a tornado, with Audra's dad sacrificing himself for Vane. Now ten years have passed and the people who killed their parents are coming after Vane and Audra because they have located them due to Audra's carelessness.

I should mention I read to page 200, upon which was a line: "Epic Vane Fail." Seriously, why? That was it for me. I had enough of the juvenile male hero who apparently only thinks about Audra/Audra/Audra, sometimes in really creepy ways. Creepy even for a teenage boy.

So much insta-love. The cheesy, weird, automatic romance the two main characters had together was seriously cringe worthy. Why do authors think it is also to smash two characters together and have them instantly in love? This is not how the real world works, folks.

The only thing this has going for it is the originality. The concept of controlling wind and having specific guardians that can control specific winds was great, everything else-not so great.

I suggest looking at a few more reviews before you really commit yourself to this one. Especially if you plan on going out and buying it.

When I bought this audiobook on Audible, I had no clue what it was about or who the author was. My purchase was based solely on a search of books narrated by Nick Podehl and then narrowed by most fabulous covers (Yes, I judge books by their covers). This was a total WIN for me--I loved it! I am now a Shannon Messenger fan and will be reading everything she's written. I'm from Alabama so I'm used to people making fun of my southern drawl, but when she jokes on the Canadian accent, I laughed so hard driving down the road I thought I was going to have to pull over. I was really impressed with the authenticity of the characters and the originality of the story. I thought her writing style was fresh and age appropriate--it's nice to read something that I can wholeheartedly recommend to my teenage nieces who are constantly looking for something new and exciting to read. I can't wait to read the next installment!!

Published by Simon Pulse in 2013
416 pages
Rating: 10/10 stars (originally published on whatelizabethisreading.com)

I don’t normally find a book I like so much that I feel compelled to give it 10/10 stars. However, Let the Sky Fall became one of my favorite books by the time I was finished with it. I rarely buy brand new books that I haven’t heard a lot of good about. I hadn’t heard anything about Let the Sky Fall when I picked it up off the shelf at the bookstore. I debated for a really long time because I couldn’t fathom spending almost $20 on a book when I didn’t know if it would suck or not. Fortunately, I made the decision to buy it (half the decision was based on the cover, it’s fantastic).

The book is about a wind sylph named Audra whose duty is to protect a seventeen year old guy named Vane, who’s a lot more important to the story than the book first lets on. During the course of the book, Audra trains Vane to fight the baddies who’re coming after them. There’s also quite a bit of romance weaved in.

The book starts off a little slow but once I was past the first ten or so pages, the book really picked up. There was a bit of an information overload at the beginning but once you get past it, you understand why you need it so then it’s a little easier.
The characters were well-developed and easy to like. At first, it was hard to connect with Audra because she seemed rather cold and closed off. It was obvious at the beginning that she was hurting but it’s not until later in the book that you get to see just how deep her pain really goes.

Vane’s sweet and funny and there’s a lot of tension between him and Audra. When the book first started, I thought he was just going to be kind of a goofball but he really turned out to be a hero in the end. In the beginning of the book, it was all about Audra protecting Vane so I really liked how over the course of the book, he ends up protecting her in many ways as well.
The book isn’t necessarily action packed (don’t worry, it’s not boring) but I have a feeling this was the building block for a very action-packed sequel.

I doubt I can say enough good things about this book. I’m absolutely in love with it. It was nice to see a fantasy/supernatural book that wasn’t focused on vampires and werewolves. This one also had a lot of romance and chemistry between the characters that a lot of fantasy books just fall flat with. I’m thankful I went with my gut feeling and bought this book at the store instead of putting it back on the shelf.

Ten years ago Vane Weston survived a tornado that killed his parents, yet when being pulled out of the wreckage he wakes with no reconciliation of his past; now at eighteen the only thing he has from before is the recurring dream of a dark haired girl each night.
Audra, a sylph or air elemental; is Vane’s guardian bound to protect him in life and death situations, she keeps her place up in the sky watching over him, holding the key to his lost memories. Then when a foe from that past, one of which killed both of their families, comes into the picture, Audra must come out of her hidden place, and help Vane remember who he really is.
Shannon Messenger explains regularly on the concept of sylphs, a nice change from the basic paranormal creatures that a reader witnesses: vampires, werewolves, etc. This book specifically pulls the reader into a whirlwind setting consisting of the authors wind theme and unattainable longings; having the characters inside go through moments of self conflict and falling deeper in love with someone you can not have.
The characters Audra and Vane, both have many aspects that you may see in the average person day by day. Audra a realistic character with a past full of broken pieces yet still a girl that has a sarcasm slipping through her lips and the extra bite that the book needed.
Messenger is good with developing the story, the conflict, and the characters, at the same time; not many authors can master this talent with their first book; it usually takes close to the second or third; but she mastered it.
The part of the book that was not enjoyable is Vane’s constant obsession with Audra; he is so love struck it is ridiculous, finding evens the smallest things about her amazing and perfect to an extent that it is excruciating for the reader to look over again. Messenger goes a little too far with Vane’s undying passion for someone he just met.
But as a whole, Vane’s character was cute and funny like all male leads are meant to be. He and Audra share many witty conversations, and loving moments, that build up into the love story that developed through the book.
"She isn't just someone. She's the girl. The one I've been dreaming about since the day I woke up in that pile of rubble and found my whole world torn apart. ..The only thing I see when I close my eyes."
Vane Weston has a powerful personality full of the humor and heart that is similar to the character of Ethan Wate from the book “Beautiful Creatures” by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. Both have a deep love for a girl that doesn’t really fit in with everyone else, and both male leads have hearts of gold.
Fully, the book had great characters, a good concept, and in depth descriptions.

The most appealing thing about this book when I first saw it (besides the pretty cover) was the concept. What with all the different paranormal creatures in YA novels lately, the idea of air elementals, or sylphs, was definitely intriguing. The definition of a sylph:

1. a slender, graceful woman or girl.
2.in folklore) one of a race of supernatural beings supposed to inhabit the air.

Obviously, it's the second one that applies here, but I had no idea what the heck it was prior to reading Let The Sky Fall, so it's a nice little lesson. I was pretty excited to start this, and overall I still think it was pretty original, but at the same time I felt it also lacks somewhat in executing the lovely summary. I think this is one of those reviews that will work best if broken down into separate parts.

What I Liked:

- Originality.

- The fact that I could easily tell who was narrating without having to go back and check the name at the beginning of the chapter. Having two characters with different voices is essential when writing dual perspectives, and I thought Messenger did this very well.

- The humor. Well, this doesn't really fit into Audra's chapters, but the ones in Vane's POV had little jokes sprinkled in throughout, and I really loved his lightheartedness in spite of everything he was going through.

- I appreciated how the reader only gets certain information as the book goes along; hinting at something (i.e., Audra's secret concerning Vane's parents) kept my attention.

- The romance towards the end. I felt like Vane and Audra really had a good connection and could see why they would care for each other with the history that they shared, and the ending of LtSF pulled on my heartstrings a bit.

What I Didn't Like:

- The romance in the beginning. I know that contradicts what I just said, but this book could definitely be counted as insta-love. I know that Vane was haunted by glimpses and dreams of Audra, but at the same time no real life boy would hold back because of some weird phantom girl lurking around. But like I said, I thought this was somewhat redeemed in the end since they did have a lot of meaningful exchanges with each other, even if it was only over the course of maybe a week.

- The pacing was a little annoying sometimes. Most of the novel is made up Audra training Vane for the big Stormer attack, and though I was curious about everything, there were times when my attention wandered, especially towards the beginning. I had to force myself to pick it back up and seriously considered a DNF. But once I got to page 200 or so, it got better.

- The whole story is set up around the anticipation of the Stormers arriving and doing Bad Things. But when they actually got there, they felt pretty flat as characters. Maybe it was because neither of them was around for very long? They weren't bad villains, but when I compare them to others, they feel painfully bland. The other bad guy in the book, the one you aren't supposed to suspect, was much better at being the terror of the story. (view spoiler)

- I'm sorry, but if Vane really was as important as everyone made him out to be, the Gales would have sent more people to protect him. I understand that they were needed elsewhere, but if Vane is supposedly top priority to them, they would have been of more help. It just didn't make much sense.

I know it sounds from my list of dislikes that I didn't much care for Let The Sky Fall, but despite its faults, it was interesting and I'll definitely pick up the sequel.

3 stars

From page one I was captured in this book, caught up in the whirlwind of emotions, characters, and story. Shannon Messenger has a gift for weaving a tale that keeps you reading into the wee hours of morning. My first thought when I finished the book was 'Oh the feels!" and it is the best way to describe this book.

I was so caught up in both Vane's and Audra's POV's and couldn't help but feel for both of them, understanding where each of them were coming from.

I look forward to more of Shannon's work, that is for sure!

*And yes, I had to put a wind joke in there somewhere. :)