The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes Review

Title: The Storm Runner

Author: J.C. Cervantes

Age Group: Middle Grade

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Storm Runner, book one

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

I tried to read Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa, but despite holding on through one hundred and sixty pages, it just wasn’t working for me. So, I moved on to the next book in my stack, which was this one. Anyone who really knows me knows that I am completely mad for lore and mythology, so it stands to reason that I would be a huge fan of Rick Riordan. The first book published in his imprint, Aru Shah and the End of Time, was fantastic, so as soon as I heard of The Storm Runner, I ordered it so I could read it with my husband. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I really liked it! Full of action, romance, terror, humor, gods and monsters, The Storm Runner stole my heart, and has become one of my favorite books of 2018! I can’t wait for the sequel! I will never forget Zane Obispo or his friends! Absolutely fantastic!

Zane Obispo is used to being the odd one out, the freak, the one whispered about in the hallways and out and about. He’s so sick of the constant bullying that he’s been home schooled for a year. But the night of his first day of school, he’s drawn to The Beast, the volcano (yes, you read that right, kid has a volcano in his backyard!) in his backyard. He accidentally awakens an ancient, evil power: Ach Puch, the Mayan god of death and destruction. He learns soon after that that the Mayan gods are quite real, and closer to him than he could have ever imagined. Zane is soon thrown into a deadly conflict older than time itself, and finds out so much about himself along the way, even while dealing with shapeshifters, magic, and his own anxieties.

This book was such a fun, hilarious surprise! Being disabled myself, I loved that Zane was disabled and walked with a cane, just like me! I was drawn into the story immediately, spellbound by Zane’s voice; the pacing was breakneck, and this book grabbed me by the throat and didn’t let go, not even after I finished. I loved the world that Cervantes created, full of magic, darkness, and power in the most unexpected places, and the characters alongside Zane, but my favorites were Brooks and Hondo; I loved them! I also adored the fun spin that she put on Mayan mythology, a canon that I am not nearly as familiar with as the others. I mean, a goddess just for chocolate?! That is too awesome for words. Diverse, hilarious, surprising and powerful, I loved The Storm Runner, and I cannot wait for The Fire Keeper, as well as the next new book from superstar Rick Riordan’s imprint, exclusively for diverse authors and obscure mythologies! The bottom line: Refreshing, hilarious, and utterly wonderful, The Storm Runner is a fantastic middle grade series opener, and I can’t wait for The Fire Keeper next year! Next on deck: Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel by A.W. Jantha!