Of Sand and Storm

Fairy Queens, Book 5

By: Amber Argyle

Narrated by: Elizabeth Evans

Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

A slave’s daughter. Her wicked prince. A lethal game...

And Cinder's freedom is the prize.

By law, any child born in Idara is free, even if that child is born in a slave brothel. Unfortunately, Cinder has grown into a beauty that surpasses even the renown of her mother and grandmother, making her far too valuable a commodity to lose. The slaveholder calls in Cinder’s debts.

Forcing Cinder to play a game where her very freedom is the prize.

The man most interested in buying Cinder is Adar - a prince with a wicked reputation that masks a kindness Cinder cannot fathom. In his glittering world of prestige and power, she discovers the game for her freedom is only a smaller move in a complex coup against the nobility.

And Cinder's newfound closeness with the prince makes her the perfect pawn.

Does Cinder have the courage to defy the slavers and play the game her way? Can she save herself, her family, and the prince she's found herself falling in love with? Listen to Of Sand and Storm to find out!

©2016 Amber Argyle (P)2017 Amber Lynn Smith

intense

this story is really intense, cinder is free born but her mom and grandma are slaves owned by a brothel owner. since cinder has lived there too she is indebted to the owner. as she struggles to find a way to be free she's caught up in a dangerous plot. I would say 18+ on this one, there's no graphic content but plenty of hints about things. there is violence as well.

This story is well worth the time

I was freely given this Audible book in return for a review. That said I highly recommend this Story, I have Not read or listened to any other books in this series and even though this is book 6 it is a complete stand alone story not needing the others in the series to enjoy.

Entertaining Dystopian Cinderella Story

Sand and Storm by Amber Argyle is an audiobook that was impossible to put down. At its heart, it is a Cinderella story where a poor downtrodden young girl falls in love with a handsome prince [even the heroine’s name is Cinder]. Sand and Storm is also a story of good versus evil. The evil is represented by corrupt brothel owners who not only deal with sex trafficking, but with slavery as well (there is also a subplot to overthrow the current government).

The good is represented by Cinder; despite being raised in a brothel by her enslaved mother and grandmother, she is a kind-hearted soul who wants nothing more than to see her family freed. Her love interest is Darsam, a playboy prince who by all appearances cares for nothing more than experiencing as much fun as possible. The rest of the story is about how these two met and end up saving the government, while also making significant changes to it by demonstrating strength, courage, and faith.

I listened to the Audible version of this story narrated by Elizabeth Evans who did an excellent job. She really brought the characters to life giving each one their own distinct voice. In fact, her narration of Darsam was rather swoon-worthy. If you enjoy a little romance with your dystopian stories, this book is for you!

Set Me Free

I first read this [ebook] a year and a half ago (original review below) and recalled enjoying it so grabbed the audio when it was offered. Narrator Elizabeth Evans' clear, deliberately-paced narration is excellent for noise-distraction listening (such as in the car) but speed can be boosted a bit in quiet environments with no loss of enjoyment. Her excellent vocal range provides distinctive voices for each of the characters, bringing them to life.

~~Original Review~~
Set in the desert country of Idara which is ruled by the Queen of Summer, a fairy, "Of Sand and Storm" continues the Fairy Queen saga. But were you to just pick up this book you could enjoy a gripping tale of fear and struggle for freedom. There is a dark subtext which can be brought forth into ongoing issues of slavery and sex in war-torn regions of the world (and even in the underbelly of the "first world"), but let that simmer in the background while you enjoy a first rate story. [Despite the issues involved, there is NO explicit sex so this is a safe read for YA.]

Once you've enjoyed this novel, you can always go back to the beginning to learn Storm's story.

Gripping, dark and thought-provoking

Of Sand and Storm is the fifth book in the Fairy Queens series, but as it takes a little side step from the main storyline it can easily be read even though you haven’t read the previous books. I really recommend them though, because Fairy Queens is an amazing series and hopefully this story will leave you wanting more.

I’ve read the book several times before, but this was the first time I listened to the audiobook version and I absolutely loved it. I love having the option to listen to my favorite books and the narrator, Elizabeth Evans, did an amazing job bringing this story to life. Her voice is pleasant and enjoyable to listen to and I really feel that she did the characters justice.

Of Sand and Storm is by far the darkest in the series since it deals with slavery and sex trafficking, but I think Argyle handles these themes well. It’s raw and honest, but sometimes the harsh truth is exactly what is needed, however horrible and terrifying it might be. Cinder’s journey took me on an emotional roller coaster and her story really wound its way to my heart. There are a lot of feelings tumbling around and the tears are never far away, but despite the dark themes there’s still hope and glimpses of happiness to be found in the story. It’s not all darkness and at the end I feel hopeful rather than sad. It is possible for light to outshine darkness, even though it seems impossible. It might take a lot of time, strength, courage and sacrifices, but it is possible.

I really like Cinder. She’s determined and strong and utterly selfless, willing to risk everything to save her loved ones. Even though the whole world seems to fight against her, she always gets back up and never loses hope of true freedom. She’s facing an impossible fight, but she doesn’t let that stop her. It’s inspiring and you root for her all the way.

Cinder’s mother and grandmother are both very strong characters and the bond between the three generations of women is just beautiful to see. Despite their hard lives as slaves, they haven’t lost their independence or their pride. They hold their heads up high and together they are strong, courageous and invincible. Darsam is a sweet character and I like him a lot, but next to all the incredibly amazing women leading the story he kind of fades into the background despite his very important role.

Of Sand and Storm is just as fast paced and action packed as Argyle’s books always are and there’s never a dull moment. The pages fly by and it’s impossible to stop reading (or listening in this case). The story is emotional, thought-provoking and gripping. I’m on pins and needles throughout the whole book and it’s just as exciting as it is terrifying. As beautiful as it is sad. Argyle never ceases to amaze me with her way with words and her incredible ability to create worlds and characters that draw you in and never let go. The Fairy Queens series have never let me down and this book is no exception. It’s just as well written and amazing as the others.

5 out of 5 stars

What did you love best about Of Sand and Storm?

I received a copy of this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

This is my second time reading Of Sand and Storm. I read the entire Fairy Queens series towards the beginning of 2017 and absolutely fell in love with the plot, characters, world-building, and writing style. Listening to the audiobook version of Of Sand and Storm made me rethink my original ratings of this book, as well as the rest in the series. My conclusion is that I don't think I rated these books high enough. Whether it's due to being reintroduced to this fantastic story or reliving Cinder's experience by hearing her tale, Of Sand and Storm yet again, knocked me off my feet.

Of Sand and Storm was narrated by Elizabeth Evans. She did a fantastic job of bringing this story to life. Her voice matched the characters well and did not possess overpowering or distracting qualities to the plot or characters themselves. While there weren't many tonal differences between characters, her dictation of them was easy to follow as the correct emotional variances were portrayed at the appropriate times.

Overall, I thought this audiobook was very easy to listen to, and the plot even more powerful the second time through.

My Rating: ★★★★★

What other book might you compare Of Sand and Storm to and why?

The other books in the Fairy Queens series.

What does Elizabeth Evans bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She did a fantastic job of bringing this story to life. Her voice matched the characters well and did not possess overpowering or distracting qualities to the plot or characters themselves. While there weren't many tonal differences between characters, her dictation of them was easy to follow as the correct emotional variances were portrayed at the appropriate times.

Wow! Another great Fairy Queen book

Cinder is a servant in a brothel. She is ‘free’, but her mother and grandmother are slaves and ‘companions’ to men. Cinder tries to find work to buy her family freedom, but she is despised because she has clan blood in her. She meets Darsam, when she is pushed in front of his chariot. This book is suspenseful from the very beginning to the end. What I like best about this Fairy Queen Series is that the main characters are strong women, who fight through adversary and continue to hope. This is a suspenseful book with romance, hope, and dark moments. If you have read her other books in the series, there are new twists in this book that keep you guessing. There are also parallels to issues still around today. I highly recommend this book and this series. I was given a copy of this book by the author for an honest review.

No prior series knowledge to enjoy this book!

Any additional comments?

I liked this story so much more than Of Ice and Snow! I think I connected with the characters better in this story. I definitely liked the little throwbacks to the end of OIaS, but I didn't feel like I was missing a major part of the story for not having read any of the other books in the series. I am hoping to pick up and read those books though as I'm interested in seeing what other characters and adventures Amber has up her sleeve! This book does cover some tough topics like slavery, conquering royalty, and the sex slave industry. It felt very emotionally raw. And makes for good discussion. I especially liked the ending. It felt justified and well deserved. Such a moving story full of fun characters.