Author: Kendall Kulper
Expected publication date: September 23rd, 2014
Summary: Sixteen-year-old Avery Roe wants only to take her rightful place as the witch of Prince Island, making the charms that keep the island’s whale men safe and prosperous at sea. But before she could learn how to control her power, her mother, the first Roe woman in centuries to turn her back on magic, stole Avery away from her grandmother. Avery must escape from her mother before her grandmother dies, taking with her the secrets of the Roes’ power.
When Avery awakens from a dream foretelling her own murder, she realizes time is running short—for her and for the people of her island, who, without the Roes, will lose their ships and the only life they know.
With the help of Tane, a tattooed harpoon boy from the Pacific Islands, Avery plots her escape from her mother and unravels the mysteries of her mother’s and grandmother’s pasts. Becoming a witch may prevent her murder and save her island from ruin, but Avery discovers it will also require a sacrifice she never expected—one she might not be able to make
Review: **Copy kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
Kulper's debut novel, Salt & Storm, is as smooth as poetry, silk, and Lindt Chocolate. This book is definitely one of the best of 2014 and will stand up strongly on Best-Of lists. I'm not a big fan of Historical Fiction, but this was a dream to read from the very first page.
The Roe family history enticed from the very first paragraph. Avery's memory of tying the winds with her grandmother was a treat to read, drawing me into the story immediately, and making Avery's hatred for her mother's actions believable and cuplable from the get go. It also fueled a sense of urgency in me that Avery get to her grandmother, leaving me whipping through the pages and sending me reeling when she was rejected.
Tane was an interesting twist on the usual love interest, fully fleshed out with a backstory of his own. Sure, he was tall, dark, and mysterious, but for once I am not complaining. I did find myself wanting to know more about the island he was from and the traditions of his people, though Tattoo magic seems intriguing and now that [SPOILER] Tane's dead I really, really, hope it somehow makes an appearance in the next book.
I'd also really like to see more of Avery's mother in the next book, if there will be one. The journey from loathing her to liking her was quite a ride in Salt & Storm, as was the reverse for Avery's grandmother.
Did I mention that this book broke my heart a little? Because it did, even though I saw it coming, even though I knew that Tane would somehow die. I really cannot sing this book's praises enough. Mystery, heartbreak, intrigue, and magic - Kulper's debut has it all, all sewn perfectly together. What more could you ask for?
Rating: 5/5 stars
★★★★★
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