STORM BREAKER, by Nisha J. Tuli, Entangled: Mayhem Books, May 5, 2026, Hardcover, $24.99 (young adult/new adult, ages 16 and up)
A young woman bucks against familial and social expectations in Storm Breaker, an upper YA dystopian romance by Nisha J. Tuli.
For nineteen-year-old Poet Graves, New Manhattan has always promised safety―if she obeys. Raised within the ruling Houses and betrothed to a powerful heir, she enters Amery Academy knowing her future has already been decided.
But Amery is nothing like she imagined. Its trials are brutal, its loyalties conditional, and its rules designed to expose weakness. As Poet struggles to survive, she must hide the truth that could get her executed: the storms don’t fear her―they answer back.
When a dangerous outsider from beyond the city walls enters the academy, Poet is drawn to him despite everything she’s been taught to believe. He threatens the life she’s been promised. And choosing him could cost her not just her future, but her freedom. —Synopsis provided by Entangled: Mayhem Books
Storm Breaker is the first book in a planned trilogy by Nisha J. Tuli.
Storm Breaker takes place in New Manhattan, years after global warming destroyed much of the planet. The people of New Manhattan regularly face deadly lightning storms, but luckily the Storm Guard is able to channel the lightning and provide energy for the city.
Poet’s life has been planned out for as long as she can remember —her schooling, her marriage, her role in society. It’s everything Poet doesn’t want. And as soon as she arrives at Amery Academy, Poet sets out to decide her own future.
Poet is a strong protagonist. She has a lot of learning to do, and as she does, her growth is exponential. Poet is nicely balanced out by Rook, a brooding outsider who takes an interest in her. Readers don’t get to know him as well in Storm Breaker, but it’s clear with the book’s cliffhanger that its sequel should reveal more.
The tension between Poet and Rook evolves into a slow-burn attraction, culminating in intimate moments that are not overly graphic but leave the characters, and most readers, wanting more.
Storm Breaker moves quickly, with strong pacing and strong plotting. Tuli does a fine job with world-building and creating a plausible magic-like system. It’s a dystopian romance that leaves room for lots more. I’m looking forward to its sequel, which is slated for a Sept. 1, 2026, release.
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