Tides of Fortune (Storm Weaver #2)
Lauryn Hamilton Murray
Roaring Brook Press
Published July 21, 2026
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About Tides of Fortune
“Bears all the hallmarks of addictive YA fantasy. . . This is going to be huge.” —Laura Steven, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Our Infinite Fates, on Heir of Storms
Return to the spellbinding world of Heir of Storms in the explosive second installment of the Storm Weaver trilogy, perfect for fans of Red Queen, Throne of Glass, and The Rose Bargain.
Having survived three treacherous trials to win her crown, Blaze is now Queen of the Aquatori. But before she can take the throne, she must set out to find the Eye of the Soul, one of the realm’s most powerful weapons, before another claims its power for themself.
Her journey will take her deep into the forests of Ostacre and into a temporary alliance with the infuriating but undeniably compelling Fox. She can’t help but feel drawn to him. . . but can she trust him? Fortune favors the brave, but will it protect the Storm Weaver on her most dangerous mission yet?
Narrated by not just Blaze, but her brother, Flint, and the newly-discovered Shadow Magi, Elva, the epic journey that began in Heir of Storms continues in the sweeping adventure of Tides of Fortune.
My Review
I think this series is just not for me. I can see how a lot of elements are on trend and will appeal to other readers. It’s definitely got a strong romantasy vibe, and the fact that this follows three different characters, offering readers three different romances, means there’s very likely something for everyone.
It also has some elements that I’m discovering are personal pet peeves. I really struggle with books where part of the romance hinges on her reverence for him because he knows her better than she knows herself. Here, one way this plays out is that she wants to follow her quest to a certain endpoint. He has inside knowledge that this is a bad idea. Rather than confronting her with his inside knowledge, he drugs her and simply takes her where he wants to go. His explanation is that it would have been too hard to convince her to drop her plan in favor of his. While she’s frustrated with his tendency to keep secret knowledge to himself over and over, she never really confronts the way that he doesn’t treat her like a partner in their quest but rather someone he can overpower when he wants to.
Another of the couples in the story is a prince and someone his kingdom has enslaved. He privately offered this woman her freedom, and she has “chosen” to stay and operate as a servant. The whole private freedom thing seemed odd to me. Like, if she did try to leave, how would she be protected? Wouldn’t anyone else see her as an escaped servant? I get that the offer of freedom was supposed to make the romance something other than a master and enslaved person romance; I just had a hard time seeing that it materially changed anything for the enslaved character.
There’s room in literature for all kinds of romantic relationships, but I think I’ve just reached a point where I can’t enjoy or root for a romance in which the characters don’t at least confront these kinds of toxic behavior patterns rather than romanticizing them.
All that said, the plotlines surrounding the magic and the brewing war between the prince and his uncle continue building here. We learn more about Blaze’s past and why she is such a pivotal character in the upcoming war. I can see how the story would appeal to readers interested in stories with big, sweeping fantasy elements and political intrigue. For me, I think some of the story’s other elements will deter me from continuing the series.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 16 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Profanity used infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. References to sex.
Spiritual Content
Some characters can perform magic.
Violent Content
Some characters have been enslaved by a colonialist culture. References to torture. Someone drugs a woman because she doesn’t want to go where he wants to take her. Situations of peril. Brief battle scenes. Some instances of trauma responses related to past battle experiences.
Drug Content
None.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
