"Storm" by Bonnie S. Calhoun

Storm (Nov. 1, 2016) by Bonnie S. Calhoun.*

TicCity isn’t safe and so the sooner Selah and company can head west, the better. Selah is attempting to complete the Third Protocol. Selah is a novarium. Those who understand the full process are very difficult to find, and those that don’t understand tend to want to harvest novariums’ blood and, at the worst, kill them. But for Selah to complete the Third Protocol would mean the end of novarium and all people could live as just that: people. Novarium are imbued with certain exaggerated abilities: from seeing objects clearly 20 miles away to being amazingly agile. But those abilities also deteriorate as the Second Protocol comes to a close. Selah, if she can’t reach the Third Protocol, will lose her mental capabilities and eventually perish.

            The world Selah lives in is a United States that doesn’t look so great anymore. Most of the country is desolate and there are dangerous storms that frequently crop up. Naturally, she travels into these perilous parts to the only protected areas she’s heard of – specifically, the domes at Cleveland and Chicago, though they, of course, involve their own inner perils. She travels with her mom, brother, sister and Bodhi, her apparent love interest, along with a few others. No one has before completed the Third Protocol. Why should Selah be able to accomplish what so many before her haven’t?

            This teen fiction novel from an inspirational publisher was unexpected in a positive way. The world Selah lives in is a dystopia. Even without her personal struggles as a novarium, it is still a very dangerous world to live in. And with her abilities, which include energy-thrusting, the story has elements of the supernatural, which I enjoy. Because of this supernatural dystopia, I found myself engaged in the story. On the downside, I have not read the previous two books, this being the third in the Stone Braide Chronicles, so I am missing back-story. For example, something went down in the Mountain. What, exactly? Also, what does an AirWagon look like? (Thank goodness for imaginations!) Maybe it’s addressed in other books, but I would’ve liked to know more about the supporting characters. Overall, I found this story to be intriguing. It’s a world I don’t want to live in, but it’s a fascinating literary landscape!

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"Where Two Hearts Meet" by Liz Johnson

Where Two Hearts Meet (Oct. 18, 2016) by Liz Johnson.*

Rolling to the rhythm of her favorite Broadway soundtracks, Caden Holt is the master of the kitchen. And she really is. As executive chef of Rose’s Red Door Inn in North Rustico, Prince Edward Island (PEI), Caden is a picture of calm competency and culinary creativity who exudes an obvious love of her home, having grown up on PEI. Unfortunately, it’s been brought to light that the inn is in dire straits, according to her boss, Marie Sloane, proprietor of the inn. To help save the inn, she is tasked with involuntarily sharing her kitchen with a writer named Adam Jacobs. He is the supposed travel writer that a major travel magazine has sent, and they must impress him to land the coveted cover and gain attention from a vast readership. Adam thinks he’s on a forced sabbatical until he also learns he’s on assignment.

            Adam is not the writer Marie is expecting, but she doesn’t know it. When Caden figures it out and puts the pieces together, she recognizes that his article could do way more harm than good. It could ruin instead of redeem. And though it’d be unexpected to them, hearts could also be broken.

            Anne of Green Gables transported me, at a young age, to Prince Edward Island, so I have always been intrigued by PEI, though I’ve yet to visit. I will readily admit that I chose this book because of the story’s setting. And I loved the book. I don’t normally genuinely enjoy contemporary romance novels, but I thoroughly enjoyed “Where Two Hearts Meet.” Johnson created a storyscape that is whimsical without being fluffy and with relatable characters. She transports you to a town on an island that actually exists, which probably helps make it feel so real that you think you could make a reservation at Rose’s Red Door Inn, meet Marie and her husband, and enjoy Caden’s homemade cinnamon rolls. This story is a scrumptious delight – rich and sweet with depth of flavor!

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”