Janelle has just moved to Florida and within her first week she experiences the terror of a hurricane. She is scared and confused. Her normally over-cautious father, however, seems unfazed by the terrible storm, insisting that there's no danger for them. This is the beginning of Janelle's awakening to who and what she is. When she saves a little girl from the terrible storm, she meets Gary and notices he has the exact same birthmark that she does, a gray swirl. And, as she pursues Gary, because the coincidence of the birthmark intrigues her, it is he who provides the answers she needs. In short, Janelle discovers she's a Tempest, a human who will become a hurricane. 
 I think the idea that hurricanes come from humans is a fascinating and unique one. After all, hurricanes have names and "live" in specific places...some are strong, some are weak...some are destructive, violent and unpredictable while some follow a straighter path...just like humans. When a Tempest's name comes up on the list, it is their turn to become a storm. The scary part is that they don't know how destructive they'll be since most are unable to control their powers. 
 This story has some original elements and has some interesting characters. For me, however, it was slow going in the beginning. I felt that it took Janelle too long to accept her fate. I was anxious for her to start fighting for what she believed in and wanted to be. But, at the same time, she does grow and make mistakes and come to conclusions on her own which I always like to see in a main character. The relationship that forms between Gary and Janelle is, at least in this first book, simply friendship. I can see where there might be more later on but the author doesn't complicate the plot by introducing young love. She stays true to the fact that this is a book about a girl who is a hurricane and the people who try to use her for evil purposes. 
 This brings me to the other characters in the story. They all have a back story, most are fairly well described and, of course, everyone except Janelle knows how being a Tempest works. I do have a big concern, however, with Andrina. She is the "bad guy" in this story and, unfortunately, isn't developed enough to bring out the dislike I normally have for villains. I couldn't see her as more than one dimensional, try as I might. To me, a great evil character is one that has just a small shred of humanity, one that knows better but will still chose to be evil...that's what makes them scary. I didn't see any of that in Andrina which impacted my enjoyment of the story. 
 One other thing I feel must be said is that this story will probably appeal to younger audiences...younger YA's and tweens. As an adult reading it I had to take some leaps of faith in certain areas, overlook pieces of the puzzle that just didn't quite fit. The language used is simple, the phrasing straightforward and clear. This makes for a quick easy read but left me longing for more...maybe I just needed a little sophistication in the conversations or the relationships or just a little more emotional depth. But, then again, maybe I'm just a little older than the target audience. If I had been able to read this book as my 12 year old self, I would probably have given it a higher rating. 
 Overall, I think this story has the potential to grow up with its readers and build the necessary depth for wider audiences but this first book will definitely be enjoyed by younger readers.