True Storm by L.E. Sterling

Lucy’s twin sister, Margot, may be safely back with her—but all is not well in Plague-ravaged Dominion City. The Watchers have come out of hiding, spreading chaos and death throughout the city, and suddenly Lucy finds herself torn between three men with secrets of their own.

Betrayal is a cruel lesson, and the Fox sisters can hardly believe who is behind the plot against them. To survive this deadly game of politics, Lucy is forced to agree to a marriage of convenience. But DNA isn't the only thing they want from Lucy...or her sister.

As they say in Dominion, rogue genes can never have a happy ending...

Book 3
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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Entangled Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
True Storm is the final instalment in the True Born trilogy. It has been a year since I read book two, True North, so I was grateful the author gave us a little bit of a reminder as to what has happened so far.

Lucy's life takes many twists and turns in True Storm and there are some events that didn't surprise me, some that did, and one that I found a little uncomfortable even though it made sense to the story. Along with the action and political drama, Lucy now has more than one man interested in her, but Jared is still the focus of her romantic interest and there is plenty of ‘will they, won't they’ going on.

This is a story that felt like it started at a walking pace and slowly got faster and faster until the end was at a flat out run. The further I got into the story, the more engrossed I became, and I couldn't read it fast enough. Before I knew it, the time had hit midnight and it was well past my bedtime. But I couldn't put the book down and kept reading until I was finished.

The finale to this series answers our questions as it comes to a thrilling ending. True Storm is definitely my favourite book in the series. Partly due to the action and partly because I finally found out what was going on, which I found satisfying. The only thing True Storm lacked was an epilogue. Part of me hopes that means the author will write more books in this universe. I can only hope.


Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 page-turning Stars.

I was apprehensive to read True Storm. True Born was one of my favorites, however True North was a slight letdown. Perhaps it was my mood at the time. In fear True Storm wouldn't live up to my expectations, as well as having reader's block, I dragged my feet on reading this novel.

I read 20% of the book in one sitting, and the following 80% in a binge, even while being distracted.

The fast pace had me feverishly clicking to turn the pages to find out what was going to happen next. Angst. So much angst, which is something I adore. Angst connects me with the narrator, has the story resonating with me, and Sterling delivered.

Nonstop action, political maneuvering, and the angst of being in an untenable position. Lucy delivers answers to the secrets plaguing her, the gut-punch sensation of betrayal, the loyalty of family, and the uncertainty of love, all combined with dystopian world-building, slight mythology, and paranormal elements.

Some things never change: Margot is acting squirrelly, Storm is his usual alpha self, and Jared is doing the hot and cold routine of a boy who doesn't believe himself to be good enough for his princess.

I'd love to say there is a love triangle... quadrangle? But the reader is fully connected to Lucy's thought process, so outside of forced situations, we know where her heart lies. Me, the angst lover, wasn't too worried about the quadrangle, but it sure did have me clicking the pages to find out. Loved that bit.

The ending sets up a shift that hopefully occurs in the series, and I cannot wait to see what Sterling comes up with next. Highly recommend the series as a whole. I imagine being able to read all three books back-to-back would heighten the experience.

My only con of the series thus far, for conjoined twins, and with Lucy's ability to sense Margot, I never felt a real connection between the girls. From the start of book one onward, no matter what inner monologue there was from Lucy, I never felt as if Margot was as invested in Lucy as Lucy was in Margot. There's a disconnect from page one that never gets repaired, when conjoined twins should offer a stronger bond than normal familial ties. I didn't 'feel' as if the twins were as connected as regular siblings or that of Lucy with those around her, no matter what she may have been 'thinking' at the time.

Young Adult age-range: 14+ due to adult situations and violence.

Also Available in the True Born Trilogy

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N   ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Entangled Publishing

For reviews & more info, check out our True Born post.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Entangled Publishing

For reviews & more info, check out our True North post.

L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance to which she remained faithful even through an M.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature – where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of two previous novels, the cult hit Y/A novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick), dubbed “the Catcher in the Rye of a new generation” by one reviewer, and the urban fantasy Pluto’s Gate. Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van with her father, a hippie musician, her brothers and an occasional stray mutt – inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Connect with L.E.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of True Storm (True Born Trilogy #3) by L.E. Sterling to read and review.

True North by L.E. Sterling

Abandoned by her family in Plague-ridden Dominion City, eighteen-year-old Lucy Fox has no choice but to rely upon the kindness of the True Borns, a renegade group of genetically enhanced humans, to save her twin sister, Margot. But Nolan Storm, their mysterious leader, has his own agenda. When Storm backtracks on his promise to rescue Margot, Lucy takes her fate into her own hands and sets off for Russia with her True Born bodyguard and maybe-something-more, the lethal yet beautiful Jared Price. In Russia, there's been whispered rumors of Plague Cure.

While Lucy fights her magnetic attraction to Jared, anxious that his loyalty to Storm will hurt her chances of finding her sister, they quickly discover that not all is as it appears… and discovering the secrets contained in the Fox sisters' blood before they wind up dead is just the beginning.

As they say in Dominion, sometimes it’s not you… it’s your DNA.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Entangled Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆
Lucy is now living with the True Borns under Storm's protection. Storm promised he'd help find her sister, Margot. In return, Lucy's place in the upper circle allows Storm access to the Dominion's elite to make connections and gather information. But Lucy is tired of waiting to learn about her sister's fate and takes matters into her own hands, despite the danger.

There is much we don't know about what is going on in Dominion and the world at large. With True North, I felt like a lot was going on but I wasn't learning a great deal either about what is truly going on or about the truth behind Lucy and Margot's blood. It was frustrating.

I was also frustrated with Jared, who runs hot and cold with Lucy and is just a giant tease. I wanted him to put up or shut up.

I think True North required me to be a more patient reader than I am, but the story picks up towards the end with some good tension and action. It left me wanting to find out what happens now. With one book left in this trilogy, I'm sure the final instalment will give me the pace and answers that I seek.


Erica – ☆☆☆
True North was a book I was highly anticipating, after the events that happened in True Born. Dominion is set in a plague-torn landscape amongst True Born, genetically spliced humans, and Lasters. Political machinations drive the plot.

I’m writing my initial thoughts at 45% into True North. After the large gap in time since reading the previous book, it was a struggle to fall into the story. Perhaps if I’d reread True Born as a refresher, this wouldn’t have been the case. By chapter three, it was smooth sailing. However, I do feel there was a different feel to the writing.

It wasn’t until the 40% mark into the book that anything happened. Prior to that, it felt stalled, bridging the gap from explaining what occurred in book one to what eventually would happen in book two.

There was so much world-building in book one, creating an impressive foundation for the series – True Born was jam-packed with action and originality – that I felt book two was a major letdown, to be quite honest.

The first 40% of the book is Lucy’s inner monologue, not trusting Storm and wanting to find her twin. She visits with the upper crust, as was her bargain with Storm, and crushes hard on Jared. It wasn’t as deep as the first book, more vapid and shallow – like Lucy’s thoughts were just riding the surface, even when thinking of her missing twin, she didn’t seem to show a growth in her emotions. Lucy just thought about how much she missed Margot for a sentence, and then was distracted by other thoughts.

The Lucy I remembered wasn’t the one written on the pages of True North. She was flighty, making stupid, reckless decisions, without a shred of self-preservation. She worried about her needs, not how her actions had consequences. Our heroine turned TSTL (too stupid to live) and dragged others with her.

I do feel for Lucy’s predicament. After a lifetime of knowing her future was in her father’s hands, now that Storm is using the marriage mart as his in, Lucy is terrified and unable to trust him. She wants to be the maker of her own destiny, to make her own choices. The only issue is that Lucy proves her freewill is more to her detriment than the cage others place her in. She doesn’t make choices based on knowledge and logic. Rather, everything she does is in the now, without thought of consequences, all based on emotion, which completely belies the fact that she is written to have a political mind. So while I feel for Lucy, she’s incapable of making choices for herself. This is the adult in me, and I’m positive the young adult reader won’t notice.

Up to 70%, I still feel as if the book is mostly filler, with scenes that don’t truly propel the plot forward. However, after this point, as the reader is moved toward the climax, every page is action-packed.

My final thoughts at the end of True North: Jared shines, and I don’t mean Lucy’s feelings for him – the author seems more connected to the character. While I feel this book was filler as a set-up for the next in the series, I’m glad I read it. I’m curious to see where the story goes, but slightly leery at the same time, fearing it will be drawn-out.

To be honest, I find the True Borns more intriguing, wishing to read from their point of view, instead of Lucy’s or Margot’s. To be inside Storm’s or Jared’s mind would be an interesting journey. Even the newest character, Ali. For me, Lucy just isn’t capturing my interest like she did in True Born.

Young Adult age-range: 12+, depending on the maturity of the reader. Violence, kissing and non-detailed sexual situations.

Also Available in the True Born Trilogy

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N   ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Entangled Publishing

For reviews & more info, check out our True Born post.

L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance to which she remained faithful even through an M.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature – where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of two previous novels, the cult hit Y/A novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick), dubbed “the Catcher in the Rye of a new generation” by one reviewer, and the urban fantasy Pluto’s Gate. Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van with her father, a hippie musician, her brothers and an occasional stray mutt – inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Connect with L.E.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of True North (True Born Trilogy #2) by L.E. Sterling to read and review.

True Born by L.E. Sterling

Welcome to Dominion City.

After the great Plague descended, the world population was decimated...and their genetics damaged beyond repair.

The Lasters wait hopelessly for their genes to self-destruct. The Splicers pay for expensive treatments that might prolong their life. The plague-resistant True Borns are as mysterious as they are feared…

And then there's Lucy Fox and her identical twin sister, Margot. After endless tests, no one wants to reveal what they are.

When Margot disappears, a desperate Lucy has no choice but to put her faith in the True Borns, led by the charismatic Nolan Storm and the beautiful but deadly Jared Price. As Lucy and the True Borns set out to rescue her sister, they stumble upon a vast conspiracy stretching from Dominion’s street preachers to shady Russian tycoons. But why target the Fox sisters?

As they say in Dominion, it’s in the blood.

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
5 page-turning stars.

I'm not going to give a play-by-play of the story, ruining it with spoilers. So below is basically an overview of the beginning setup and my overall enjoyment.

True Born – a pair of twins born conjoined in the upper most society of an apocalyptic world ravaged by plague. Lucy and Margot, with Lucy as the narrator of the tale, are the only children of one of the most influential political members of Dominion society. As such, they have rules in which they must abide to keep up appearance.

At the age of 18, you learn your fate. Lasters (those destined to be inflicted by the plague), Splicers (those who can afford to go to the clinic to stave off the illness), and True Born (genetically evolved, incapable of being inflicted by the plague).

True Born begins just prior to the twins' 18th birthday, as they are tested and await their fates. An uprising begins, in an effort to overthrow those in higher government by the destined to die. Lucy's father employs the True Born to take care of his daughters while he's away...and the story takes off from there.

The writing style is fluid, flowing quickly with an adventurous, addictive fantasy storyline. Lucy is a stable heroine, never a damsel in distress, who is a good role model. Strong and fierce, with a deep protective instinct, Lucy's drive to protect her sister is admirable. While Margot displays more teenage girl tendencies, she does have a backbone of steel. I truly appreciated how the twins were written, opposites but both with their faults.

The True Born were intriguing, well-developed, and added a suspenseful thread to the story. The world-building is vast, yet it leaves things left unexplained to keep you hooked for the next book in the series.

There is an underlying romantic thread – it lies quietly beneath the surface, not overpowering the main storyline but adding depth and the need to keep turning the pages.

True Born gave me the feels, and I devoured the book in a few short hours. When I was finished, realizing I would have to wait for the next installment, I wished I had slowed down and savored it. But, with its pacing, I doubt I could have stopped myself, even if I had tried.

Recommended for fans of Young Adult Dystopian Fiction/Urban Fantasy/Fantasy/Science Fiction.

Young Adult age-range: 14+ due to violent content.


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
I took a chance on True Born. I love reading young adult novels, but I usually stick to contemporary books. True Born is fantasy/sci-fi, but the synopsis was interesting enough that I thought I'd give it a go. It took me a few chapters to get my head around the whole true born, splicer, and lasters thing and the dynamic of the world in which Lucy lives but once I did I was drawn right in.

When the children of Dominion turn 18 a reveal party is held where it is announced whether the child is true born, a splicer or a laster. As the day of Lucy's reveal approaches, Lucy starts to realise something is different about her and her twin sister, Margot, and the story launches from there. We get action and mystery and spots of graphic violence. True Born may not be suitable for sensitive younger teens because of the violence, but I'm sure my 13-year-old would love it.

The romance comes when Lucy's father hires a group of true born to protect her and her sister. Lucy is drawn to Jared, and I loved the hot and cold dynamic between them. It shows that you can have sizzling chemistry without the need for sex.

True Born is a great read which showed me that choosing to read a book outside of my usual genre can be well worth it. I can't wait for the next instalment.

L.E. Sterling had an early obsession with sci-fi, fantasy and romance to which she remained faithful even through an M.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literature – where she completed a thesis on magical representation. She is the author of two previous novels, the cult hit Y/A novel The Originals (under pen name L.E. Vollick), dubbed “the Catcher in the Rye of a new generation” by one reviewer, and the urban fantasy Pluto’s Gate. Originally hailing from Parry Sound, Ontario, L.E. spent most of her summers roaming across Canada in a van with her father, a hippie musician, her brothers and an occasional stray mutt – inspiring her writing career. She currently lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Connect with L.E.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of True Born (True Born Trilogy #1) by L.E. Sterling to read and review.