Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

Title: Salt & Storm
Author: Kendall Kulper
Length: 416 pages
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Classification: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Witches, Magic, Historical
Release Date: September 23, 2014
Source: e-galley (I was approved for this ARC via NetGalley. Thank you Little Brown!)
Read: July 2014

A sweeping historical romance about a witch who foresees her own murder--and the one boy who can help change her future.
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 whalers safe at sea, but her mother has forced her into a magic-free world of proper manners and respectability. When Avery dreams she's to be murdered, she knows time is running out to unlock her magic and save herself.
Avery finds an unexpected ally in a tattooed harpoon boy named Tane--a sailor with magic of his own, who moves Avery in ways she never expected. Becoming a witch might stop her murder and save her island from ruin, but Avery discovers her magic requires a sacrifice she never prepared for. 

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***I received an e-galley of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

After seeing the cover of this book and reading the summary, I was so glad that I was approved by Little Brown via NetGalley to read an ARC! 

The cover is so lovely. I really like that the picture is simple, but at the same time pretty. And I love the font used for the title!

I really liked this take on Witches. I really found their abilities and how they do magic/charms very interesting. 

The Story:

I really like that the story wasn't only about what was happening to the characters in the story, but also about the history of the island and the Roe witches. I think the author did a great job at including a lot of background and information while not overshadowing the plot and storyline. 

I really like the  setting and the descriptions. There were times where I wished I could be on this island, seeing what the characters would be seeing. 

I like that there was a mystery feel to the story as well. I was very interested in the mysterious dream that the main character, Avery, kept having. I also really enjoyed the mystery surrounding the other characters. I felt like they all were mysterious in their own ways. I had fun trying to figure out what was going on with those characters individually and how it relates to Avery.  

 For most of the book, I was left guessing what would happen next. But around the middle of the story, I made a guess for what I thought would happen and ended up being close. But it didn't take away from me enjoying the book. And it definitely did not keep me from feeling emotions about the events and the ending. 

The Characters:

 I think that the characters are well written with well-developed backstories. I found them to be very fascinating characters and I enjoyed learning more about them as the story progressed.

Avery is interesting, determined, and at times stubborn. But I really like that she knew what it was she wanted and that she would do whatever she could to fight to achieve it. 

Tane is a very mysterious character. While reading the story, I kept thinking about how there was so much more I wanted to know about his character. I was very happy with the development and found his backstory to be captivating. 

Avery's Mother is a frustrating character for me. We view her from Avery's POV (point of view) and as a reader I could feel the anger and frustration that Avery had for her mother. 

My Recommendation:

If you like reading about witches and like informational stories, then I would recommend giving this book a read. The story was fascinating and mysterious. I liked the characters and the island. 

My Rating: