We Unleash the Merciless Storm

by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Overview

In this nail-biting sequel to Tehlor Kay Mejia’s critically acclaimed fantasy novel We Set the Dark on Fire, La Voz operative Carmen is forced to choose between the girl she loves and the success of the rebellion she’s devoted her life to. Perfect for fans of The Handmaid’s Tale and Anna-Marie McLemore.

Being a part of the resistance group La Voz is an act of devotion and desperation. On the other side of Medio’s border wall, the oppressed class fights for freedom and liberty, sacrificing what little they have to become defenders of the cause.

Carmen Santos is one of La Voz’s best soldiers. She spent years undercover, but now, with her identity exposed and the island on the brink of a civil war, Carmen returns to the only real home she’s ever known: La Voz’s headquarters.

There she must reckon with her beloved leader, who is under the influence of an aggressive new recruit, and with the devastating news that her true love might be the target of an assassination plot. Will Carmen break with her community and save the girl who stole her heart—or fully embrace the ruthless rebel she was always meant to be?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062691354
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/23/2021
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	169,798
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Tehlor Kat Mejia is a bestselling and award winning author of young adult and middle grade fiction.

Their debut young adult novel, We Set the Dark on Fire, received six starred reviews, as well as the Oregon Spirit Book Award for debut fiction, and the Neukom Institute Literary Arts Award runner up honor for debut speculative fiction. It has been featured on Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, and O by Oprah Magazine’s best books lists, and was a 2019 book of the year selection by Kirkus and School Library Journal. Its sequel, We Unleash the Merciless Storm, followed to continuing acclaim, while Miss Meteor (co-written with National Book Award Nominee Anna-Marie McLemore) was named to the American Library Association’s 2021 Rainbow List, honoring outstanding contributions in LGBTQIA teen fiction.

Tehlor’s debut middle grade novel, Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, was published by the Rick Riordan Presents imprint at Disney/Hyperion. It received four starred reviews, and was named Amazon’s best book of 2020 in the 9-12 age range. It is currently in development at Disney as a television series to be produced by Eva Longoria.

Tehlor lives with their daughter, partner, and two small dogs in Oregon, where they grow heirloom corn and continue their quest to perfect the vegan tamale.

Editorial Reviews

An incredible sequel to a fantastic debut.

The Nerd Daily

"Carmen's struggle to save Dani is fast-paced, the plot full of arresting events that mirror current political and racial divides, and readers will surely root for the couple as Carmen fights for a happy ending. Mejia writes an utterly captivating and thoroughly satisfying ending for the two young women."

Shelf Awareness

"Where the first volume was subtlety and shadows, this is emotion and adrenaline, and it will carry readers through to an ending that feels entirely earned."

Booklist (starred review)

"With a Latinx cast, a queer romance, and a timely challenge to a corrupt government, readers will be clamoring for this story about finding home, purpose, and family–and taking down a patriarchal dictatorship along the way."

ALA

A vivid tale of political intrigue, power, and resistance that will thrill the hearts of readers.

New York Times bestselling author Traci Chee

Tehlor Kay Mejia has fashioned a gripping tale of romance and rebellion. Dani captivated me and held my heart in a vice grip all the way to this book’s stunning conclusion.

Tochi Onyebuchi

"A second—and final—volume that not only surpasses the accomplishments of its celebrated predecessor, but takes it to a higher, brighter level. Thrilling, timely, and terrific." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Where the first volume was subtlety and shadows, this is emotion and adrenaline, and it will carry readers through to an ending that feels entirely earned." — Booklist (starred review)

 "A fast-paced journey, complete with daring escapes, assassinations, and a few steamy encounters." — Horn Book Magazine

"A powerful series that defies the tropes of dystopian young adult fiction." — Tor.com

"Carmen's struggle to save Dani is fast-paced, the plot full of arresting events that mirror current political and racial divides, and readers will surely root for the couple as Carmen fights for a happy ending. Mejia writes an utterly captivating and thoroughly satisfying ending for the two young women." — Shelf Awareness

"With a Latinx cast, a queer romance, and a timely challenge to a corrupt government, readers will be clamoring for this story about finding home, purpose, and family–and taking down a patriarchal dictatorship along the way." — ALA

“An incredible sequel to a fantastic debut.” — The Nerd Daily

"Timely, powerful, and moving, We Unleash The Merciless Storm is a stunning conclusion to a dynamic duology." — TheYoungFolks.com

Praise for We Set the Dark on Fire: ★“With its achingly slow-burn romance and incisive examination of power structures, this is a masterfully constructed novel, made all the more impressive as it’s a debut.”

  — ALA Booklist (starred review)

★“A richly constructed world full of fantasy and diversity, with a mystery that will keep them guessing until the very end.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

★“This fierce, feminist novel throws memorable characters into a provocative set of circumstances, and the constant twists will leave readers yearning for the conclusion.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

★ ”This well-crafted fantasy offers a mirror that reflects themes in our own difficult world, namely privilege, immigration, and individualism versus the common good. A queer subplot with sensual tenderness adds rich complexity to the story. Thrilling and timely.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Tehlor Kay Mejia has fashioned a gripping tale of romance and rebellion. Dani captivated me and held my heart in a vice grip all the way to this book’s stunning conclusion.” — Tochi Onyebuchi, author of Beasts Made of Night

“We Set the Dark on Fire simmers with political revolution and forbidden love between two powerful young women—I couldn’t put it down.” — Audrey Coulthurst, author of Of Fire and Stars

“A vivid tale of political intrigue, power, and resistance that will thrill the hearts of readers.” — New York Times bestselling author Traci Chee

“A stunning debut. Tehlor Kay Mejia weaves a gorgeous narrative where etiquette can be wielded like a weapon and where wit can be just as powerful as a sword.” — Rin Chupeco, author of The Bone Witch

From the Publisher

"Timely, powerful, and moving, We Unleash The Merciless Storm is a stunning conclusion to a dynamic duology."

TheYoungFolks.com

"A powerful series that defies the tropes of dystopian young adult fiction."

Tor.com

Praise for We Set the Dark on Fire: ★“With its achingly slow-burn romance and incisive examination of power structures, this is a masterfully constructed novel, made all the more impressive as it’s a debut.”

 

ALA Booklist (starred review)

"A fast-paced journey, complete with daring escapes, assassinations, and a few steamy encounters."

Horn Book Magazine

We Set the Dark on Fire simmers with political revolution and forbidden love between two powerful young women—I couldn’t put it down.

Audrey Coulthurst

A stunning debut. Tehlor Kay Mejia weaves a gorgeous narrative where etiquette can be wielded like a weapon and where wit can be just as powerful as a sword.

Rin Chupeco

"Where the first volume was subtlety and shadows, this is emotion and adrenaline, and it will carry readers through to an ending that feels entirely earned."

Booklist (starred review)

A vivid tale of political intrigue, power, and resistance that will thrill the hearts of readers.

New York Times bestselling author Traci Chee

★ 2019-12-08
Tragedy and heroism interweave in a story about revolution, resistance, and beautiful queer love.

After the devastating ending to We Set the Dark on Fire (2019), Carmen Santos, no longer the Segunda to Mateo Garcia, Medio's most powerful heir, is on the run toward the La Voz headquarters. Carmen used to be one of the resistance's most well-respected members, but after years away on undercover assignment, she finds the fabled El Buitre's wavering leadership has taken a new, hazardous direction. Proving that her allegiance to the cause remains as strong as ever is more difficult than expected, her heart torn between her beliefs and Dani, the girl she has fallen in love with but doesn't know yet if she can fully trust. Shifting perspective and setting to Carmen and the La Voz camp (after the first novel centered Dani and the capital) is a bold choice that ultimately pans out as readers are rewarded with Carmen's strong, determined voice and Mejia's lush writing depicting the complexities of the ongoing fight against oppression in a divided, Latinx-inspired world. Carmen's divided heart rings true, her daring actions meeting deadly consequences that realistically intensify the narrative without losing track of what the fight is all about: equality for all. A second—and final—volume that not only surpasses the accomplishments of its celebrated predecessor, but takes it to a higher, brighter level.

Thrilling, timely, and terrific. (Fantasy. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews