Retrieve gets the first spot in my book reviews for 2019!
{Book Info}
Retrieve (The Stormer’s Trilogy #1)
By Sarah Addison-Fox
What if the job you took to stay alive might be what kills you?
Kade knows what it is to suffer. He knows what it’s like to lose everything and everyone around him.
His job in a Stormer Unit guarantees not just his survival in the decimated country of Azetaria, but his sister Meg’s. Even if it means facing the Numachi warriors baying for his blood, he’ll do what it takes to keep her safe.
Hadley is alone and surviving the only way she knows how. By hiding where predators won’t find her and scavenging enough just to keep her alive.
When desperation drives Hadley to search for her missing brother, she mistakenly accepts the offer of recruitment into the Stormer’s camp, only to be partnered with Kade and sent as a scout into Numachi territory.
The intimidating young Stormer may just know where her brother has gone. But can they stay alive long enough to find him?
{My Review}
Five stars!
I was promised Mulan meets Prince of Persia, and that’s what I got. Don’t mistake this for any kind of fan fiction, though. Sarah captured the things I liked in Mulan (not my favorite movie; I like it okay, but it’s not one I’ll watch very often) and wove them together with a smoking hot hero and an adventure story to rival the movies.
I spent a good deal of time reading this book and squealing quietly to myself because oh. my. stars.
KADE DAWSON.
I think I’m in love…
Okay. I’ll settle down and talk about things in a professional manner. I can do this.
(I think.)
I love the way Sarah writes. Her prose has this inherent gracefulness, without being sappy or mushy or anything like that. The way she wields her pen is just delicious.
As always, she brings real people onto the pages. Hadley… precious little Hadley reminds me of myself a few years. I love her. I want to hold her hand and give her hot cocoa.
Kade… well. I think I summed up my feelings on him already. He’s 100% man, but he’s respectful and kind, and I want to hug him. Aside from the professional assassin part, my boys can copy him all they want.
The Numachi are possibly my favorite group of people in the book, which is interesting because they’re introduced as the villains. (Stopping here to avoid spoilers.) I love what I learned about them in Retrieve and I can’t wait to learn more in the next two books.
The world building is the only thing that I felt somewhat lost in, mostly the weather patterns, but that was a pretty minor thing. We’re in the dead of winter here so I’m aware of the weather, and also read the book too fast because AHHHHHH.
Five stars, would hand this to a 16+ teen with no hesitation.
{Author Info}
Twitter: @saddisonfox
Review Copyright 2019 by Annie Louise Twitchell