Book Review: Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger

Goodreads summary:

Seventeen-year-old Vane Weston has no idea how he survived the category five tornado that killed his parents. And he has no idea if the beautiful, dark-haired girl who’s swept through his dreams every night since the storm is real. But he hopes she is.

Seventeen-year-old Audra is a sylph, an air elemental. She walks on the wind, can translate its alluring songs, and can even coax it into a weapon with a simple string of commands. She’s also a guardian—Vane’s guardian—and has sworn an oath to protect Vane at all costs. Even if it means sacrificing her own life.

When a hasty mistake reveals their location to the enemy who murdered both of their families, Audra’s forced to help Vane remember who he is. He has a power to claim—the secret language of the West Wind, which only he can understand. But unlocking his heritage will also unlock the memory Audra needs him to forget. And their greatest danger is not the warriors coming to destroy them—but the forbidden romance that’s grown between them.

My review:

So often lately, I've read books that have awesome summaries, but end up disappointing me with flat characters and weak plots.  I'm happy to say that not only does Let the Sky Fall have an amazing premise, it doesn't disappoint at all and I would definitely recommend it to readers looking for a story that is truly unique and isn't riddled with cliches.

Oh, and let me get this out of the way: yes, I constantly had "Skyfall" by Adele running through my head all day as I was reading this book.  But that's a good thing, because I love Adele and actually, I think the song suits the story very well!

I love the two main narrators, Vane and Audra.  It's hard to decide who I love more, but I think it would have to be Vane.  He's hilarious, sweet, honest, and - best of all - snarky.  If you read my reviews, then you'll know that I looove a good dose of humor/sarcasm/snark in my books.  Also, I thought that Vane's character was really realistic.  I hate how, so often, fictional guys are made out to be all mysterious and suave.  Vane just acts like a normal teenage boy, and I really loved that about him.

Oh, Audra.  She has some great character development.  At first, I thought she was too stoic and unemotional, but I love how we slowly learn more and more about her past and what has made her this way.  I ended up loving her by the end of the book. 

It's so nice that this isn't a creepy romance with insta-love or, even worse, the dreaded love triangle.  Instead, Audra and Vane spend time together like normal people and become friends, and I love the bond they share.  I like that the romance in this story is actually very believable and sweet.

Plus, the plot is great.  The concept of the story is fantastically unique.  I love the idea of sylphs, and the setting fit perfectly into the mood of the story.  I thought that this one twist at the end was done well.  I sort-of-ish saw it coming - that is, I didn't know what the twist was, but I knew things weren't adding up right and that there'd be some type of reveal.  I really liked the twist and I definitely love the ending.  It's bittersweet yet hopeful, and while it can't quite be called a cliffhanger, it leaves things open for the next book, which I can't wait for.

Let the Sky Fall has it all: unique premise, stellar world-building, a believable romance, and realistic characters.  If you want something to bring you out of your reading slump, then this is the book for you!

My rating:  10 out of 10 (5 stars)

~ The Bookworm