Thursday 8 January 2015

Review: Witch of Salt and Storm

Title: The Witch of Salt & Storm
Author: Kendall Kulper
Published by: Hachette Children's Books on 4th September 2014
Genre: Fantasy
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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*I received a copy of this book free from the publisher via Netgalley for review consideration, this in no way affects my opinion of the book.*

Goodreads Synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Avery Roe wants only to take her rightful place as the sea witch of Prince Island, making the charms that keep the island's whalers 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 - steals Avery away from her grandmother. Avery must escape before her grandmother dies, taking with her the secrets of the Roe's power. 

The one magical remnant left to Avery is the ability to read dreams, and one night she foresees her own murder. Time is running short, both for her and for the people of her island who need the witches' help to thrive.

Avery has never read a dream that hasn't come true, but a tattooed harpoon boy named Tane tells her he can help her change her fate. 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. And as she falls in love with Tane, she learns it is his life and hers that hang in the balance.


My Thoughts: This book is beautifully written and is very atmospheric, almost magical, but the story itself I found lacking. As it is a story about witches, I expected more actual magic, I expected it to be more dramatic and exciting, but there is hardly any magic at all and when it does happen, it is very anti-climactic.

I couldn't really connect to any of the characters, in fact, they all annoyed me a little, I did sympathise with Avery over having her choices taken from her and for not being able to see her grandmother, but otherwise I just couldn't bring myself to care about her fate. The romance between Avery and Tane is sweet, but, again, I just didn't care.

Kulper has created a rich history for the setting - Prince island, and for the lineage of the Roe witches. That being said, I felt confused as to when this was actually set, there is some mentioning of the civil war, so I am guessing sometime after.

So yeah, I liked the writing and atmosphere of this book, but unfortunately, not the story itself.

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