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Salt & Storm
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.
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.
418 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 23, 2014
91 people are currently reading
8506 people want to read
About the author
Kendall Kulper
9 books327 followersKendall Kulper is the author of the historical fantasy YA novels SALT & STORM and DRIFT & DAGGER (Little, Brown Young Readers). Her latest novel, MURDER FOR THE MODERN GIRL, will be published Summer 2022 by Holiday House. She lives in Cambridge, MA with her husband, two daughters, and anxious rescue dog, Abby.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 669 reviews
September 28, 2017
3.5 stars
Salt and Storm is a 19th century fantasy standalone set in a small town along Mississippi. The story opens with our heroine’s narrative of her recollection of her grandmother teaching her powerful witch stuff so I instantly find myself captivated and intrigued.
Avery Roe is the granddaughter of “The Witch”, also called “The Roe Witch”, a woman whose power is always sought by whalers who need luck while they hunt or an avenging wife who wants her husband cursed. Thus, grandma Roe is revered and feared by the villagers and Avery has always believed and dreamed of a life exactly like that of her grandma’s but a twist in the plot brings her quite far from her lifelong dream. She could not summon spells and couldn’t seem to manifest any ability that would make her worthy of being the next Roe Witch. All she had was her ability to interpret dreams.
I find the plot quite complex and rich. Even though there are no scary, evil villains, I find the main conflict very much disturbing and affecting. I am very curious indeed about what Avery could do in order to cheat her own demise. I even got more riveted when a mysterious boy, Tane, enters the story with magic and charms of his own. Of course, there is a sort of cheesy romance but that didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I kind of think it’s sweet.
I find the writing very fluid and easy to read. I also find it really funny especially during the first parts when Avery would scream whenever she’s frustrated. Whenever she screams, and I anticipate it a lot, I would also let out a loud guffaw. I couldn’t help it. I find her really hilarious when she does that.
The reason for my 3.5 is how the story ended. The meaning of both Tane and Avery’s dreams were a huge letdown. It kind of defeated the purpose of the story-to tell a story of romance or of witches. Well, perhaps there’s romance in tragedy but I just beg to differ. Tane also remains a mysterious stranger. No explanations as regards his background and his ability to create charms but overall, it’s a well-written, unique standalone fantasy-romance which would have been perfect if it had a more solid conclusion.
Salt and Storm is a 19th century fantasy standalone set in a small town along Mississippi. The story opens with our heroine’s narrative of her recollection of her grandmother teaching her powerful witch stuff so I instantly find myself captivated and intrigued.
Avery Roe is the granddaughter of “The Witch”, also called “The Roe Witch”, a woman whose power is always sought by whalers who need luck while they hunt or an avenging wife who wants her husband cursed. Thus, grandma Roe is revered and feared by the villagers and Avery has always believed and dreamed of a life exactly like that of her grandma’s but a twist in the plot brings her quite far from her lifelong dream. She could not summon spells and couldn’t seem to manifest any ability that would make her worthy of being the next Roe Witch. All she had was her ability to interpret dreams.
I find the plot quite complex and rich. Even though there are no scary, evil villains, I find the main conflict very much disturbing and affecting. I am very curious indeed about what Avery could do in order to cheat her own demise. I even got more riveted when a mysterious boy, Tane, enters the story with magic and charms of his own. Of course, there is a sort of cheesy romance but that didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I kind of think it’s sweet.
I find the writing very fluid and easy to read. I also find it really funny especially during the first parts when Avery would scream whenever she’s frustrated. Whenever she screams, and I anticipate it a lot, I would also let out a loud guffaw. I couldn’t help it. I find her really hilarious when she does that.
The reason for my 3.5 is how the story ended. The meaning of both Tane and Avery’s dreams were a huge letdown. It kind of defeated the purpose of the story-to tell a story of romance or of witches. Well, perhaps there’s romance in tragedy but I just beg to differ. Tane also remains a mysterious stranger. No explanations as regards his background and his ability to create charms but overall, it’s a well-written, unique standalone fantasy-romance which would have been perfect if it had a more solid conclusion.
February 25, 2015
I will be killed. I will be murdered.
I have never been wrong before.
Being a huge fan of historical fantasy books, it was no surprise that I ended up being sucked into Salt & Storm. With its rich setting, interesting historical backgrounds and powerful cast of characters, I wanted nothing else but to keep flipping the pages.
The first thing that drew me into the book was the beautiful setting. I love books, movies, and everything else that are set in some sort of small village/island with its own unique culture. At times, I did feel as if I were in the island with Avery, talking to all the sailors about how their whaling businesses were going. Initially, I didn't know anything about the whaling industry, but this book had incorporated well enough into the story that I was never confused.
We also had various explanations and tales of history--the history of the island and the history of the witches' clan. I was completely invested in both. Normally, I would be bored out of my mind reading about how things started out, but each witch in the clan had a different story to tell, and the island had a lot of cool (I'm not sure if that's the right adjective for it) happenings that I wanted to know about.
When it comes to characters, I'd have to say that I enjoyed reading about the side characters (Tommy and Avery's family) a lot more than I did with the main characters (Avery and Tane). I mean, Avery did have a tough situation going on (being a strong, determined witch and all), and while it was definitely intriguing, it wasn't engaging. At the back of my mind, I was wondering things like, How would Avery's grandmother do this? or I wonder what Tommy's doing now...
Another complaint I have has to do with the romance. I've been told to expect a slow-burn romance, but I didn't feel that. Sure, they've been talking a few days (weeks?) before all the romance-y and gross stuff, but they didn't have much interaction in those times that I felt like they've only known each other for a few minutes. Tane's a good guy and all, but I just couldn't bring myself to care about this romance.
On the plus side, it wasn't only the romantic kind of relationship that was explored here. Avery had friends (er... well...), a grandmother who she really admired and respected, and a mother who she thought didn't really love her. Each person in Avery's life made some good and bad choices, and I'd like to tell you that these choices are realistic and easy to accept.
Kulper also isn't afraid to take risks. I've read tons of books where it seems like I've guessed everything in the first few pages, but that totally wasn't the case with Salt & Storm. Whenever Avery was confused and unaware, I was also confused and unaware--which is a good thing, since the twists were more surprising for me. Trust me, there are quite a few things you wouldn't have thought would happen until they just came right at your face.
Overall, I would definitely recommend Salt & Storm to fans looking for an engaging story about witches, history, romance, friendship and family.
July 14, 2014
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown for this copy, which did not affect my review in any way.
Salt & Storm was weird as hell. Whether that's a good or bad thing is completely debatable.
There are those books that no matter how many battles, how many risks they take, how much danger they're in, the reader knows that in the end, the characters will end up all right. Sure, there is always that near-death moment where the author tries to convince us that the protagonist is about to die and we should be gripping the book for fear of this, but if you've read a variety of YA books you can easily see through this ploy.
Some authors, though, are not afraid to put their characters through trials. Heck, they might be cackling maniacally while one of their characters is dying a tragic death. In my opinion, that's one of the qualities in a great novelist. Kulper clearly is not afraid to cross the boundaries of the young adult genre and make her own rules.
I haven't read any of his books, but I've heard he's pretty cruel...
So, yeah, if you're expecting a rainbows-and-sunshine novel, you're in for a BIG surprise.
I don't really know how to explain this novel. There are whales,
I LOVE PUNS. Thanks, Cory. ^^
Witches, and... tattoos. Did I already say this is a weird book?
I'll start out with the most distinguishing trait, in my eyes, of Salt & Storm: the writing. The abundance of and's bothered me a bit at first, and it took me a while to get used to. Though, there are some beautiful pieces of writing in this book, describing the salty sea air and the lighthouse and ships expertly and poetically. The prose slowed down the narrative at times, especially in the beginning, so I would completely understand if someone were to DNF the novel. A few times the author would go off on tangents about God knows what, and I wouldn't be able to pay attention because the writing was somewhat confusing. My main complaint is, however, that there wasn't a variety in sentence structure. They were all just extremely long.
The characters were... an interesting cast, to put it nicely. They all had screwed-up lives, and they all either a)made really dumb and rash decisions or b)got psychotically angry - especially the main character, Avery. The focus of the story is her, and before you say "obviously," I mean the novel gave her complete attention and failed to develop the other characters-the grandma, Tommy, the mother. Kulper did do a decent job in exploring Tane's character, but that was it.
(Sidenote: Avery was unintentionally hilarious. She threw fits and got mad for the smallest of reasons. She kind of reminds me of Ananna from The Assassin's Curse.)
Moreover, while the characters weren't as developed as I'd hoped they had been, the character relationships were even worse. Like I said, the scope was only on Avery and her relationships weren't explored very well. I can say with certainty, though, that the entire island is quite dysfunctional.
As for the magic of the Roes, namely Avery, the nature of the magic itself wasn't explained in depth. I guess witch magic is meant to be mysterious and inexplicable so it's pardonable, especially since the author put a lot of effort into describing what the magic felt like.
The historical fiction was probably the best part of the novel. I loved that the author included a Maori-like character and created a fictional island based on a real Polynesian island. Also, at first I wasn't sure why Avery was so obsessed with whales, but thankfully it was covered later onor else I would've continued thinking she was a total loon (Can you blame me? She yelled at herself in the mirror for like an hour. Odd).
Surprise, surprise. I cried in this book. And I'm not embarrassed to admit it. Remember when I said the author doesn't really care about rules? Well, she broke the unwritten-but-well-known YA rule: NEVER KILL OFF A MAIN CHARACTER (not a spoiler-I'm speaking in general terms). Not sure how I feel about this, but yay for rule-breaking.
I feel like I've named so many more negatives than positives of Salt & Storm, even though I believe that the pros and cons equal each other out. But I really think it's one of the better novels out there on witches. (Unlike that Witchstruck book *shudders*)
I could go on and on about this book, because there is just so much to discuss. But to sum it up: If you appreciate the weird and possess a strange liking for whales, then maybe you should give this a shot. If you're tired of the same ol' plot-lines and want something fresh, then go for this. But I must warn you, be prepared to cry at the end, and die from boredom at the start.
Salt & Storm was weird as hell. Whether that's a good or bad thing is completely debatable.
There are those books that no matter how many battles, how many risks they take, how much danger they're in, the reader knows that in the end, the characters will end up all right. Sure, there is always that near-death moment where the author tries to convince us that the protagonist is about to die and we should be gripping the book for fear of this, but if you've read a variety of YA books you can easily see through this ploy.
Some authors, though, are not afraid to put their characters through trials. Heck, they might be cackling maniacally while one of their characters is dying a tragic death. In my opinion, that's one of the qualities in a great novelist. Kulper clearly is not afraid to cross the boundaries of the young adult genre and make her own rules.
I haven't read any of his books, but I've heard he's pretty cruel...
So, yeah, if you're expecting a rainbows-and-sunshine novel, you're in for a BIG surprise.
I don't really know how to explain this novel. There are whales,
I LOVE PUNS. Thanks, Cory. ^^
Witches, and... tattoos. Did I already say this is a weird book?
I'll start out with the most distinguishing trait, in my eyes, of Salt & Storm: the writing. The abundance of and's bothered me a bit at first, and it took me a while to get used to. Though, there are some beautiful pieces of writing in this book, describing the salty sea air and the lighthouse and ships expertly and poetically. The prose slowed down the narrative at times, especially in the beginning, so I would completely understand if someone were to DNF the novel. A few times the author would go off on tangents about God knows what, and I wouldn't be able to pay attention because the writing was somewhat confusing. My main complaint is, however, that there wasn't a variety in sentence structure. They were all just extremely long.
The characters were... an interesting cast, to put it nicely. They all had screwed-up lives, and they all either a)made really dumb and rash decisions or b)got psychotically angry - especially the main character, Avery. The focus of the story is her, and before you say "obviously," I mean the novel gave her complete attention and failed to develop the other characters-the grandma, Tommy, the mother. Kulper did do a decent job in exploring Tane's character, but that was it.
(Sidenote: Avery was unintentionally hilarious. She threw fits and got mad for the smallest of reasons. She kind of reminds me of Ananna from The Assassin's Curse.)
Moreover, while the characters weren't as developed as I'd hoped they had been, the character relationships were even worse. Like I said, the scope was only on Avery and her relationships weren't explored very well. I can say with certainty, though, that the entire island is quite dysfunctional.
As for the magic of the Roes, namely Avery, the nature of the magic itself wasn't explained in depth. I guess witch magic is meant to be mysterious and inexplicable so it's pardonable, especially since the author put a lot of effort into describing what the magic felt like.
The historical fiction was probably the best part of the novel. I loved that the author included a Maori-like character and created a fictional island based on a real Polynesian island. Also, at first I wasn't sure why Avery was so obsessed with whales, but thankfully it was covered later on
Surprise, surprise. I cried in this book. And I'm not embarrassed to admit it. Remember when I said the author doesn't really care about rules? Well, she broke the unwritten-but-well-known YA rule: NEVER KILL OFF A MAIN CHARACTER (not a spoiler-I'm speaking in general terms). Not sure how I feel about this, but yay for rule-breaking.
I feel like I've named so many more negatives than positives of Salt & Storm, even though I believe that the pros and cons equal each other out. But I really think it's one of the better novels out there on witches. (Unlike that Witchstruck book *shudders*)
I could go on and on about this book, because there is just so much to discuss. But to sum it up: If you appreciate the weird and possess a strange liking for whales, then maybe you should give this a shot. If you're tired of the same ol' plot-lines and want something fresh, then go for this. But I must warn you, be prepared to cry at the end, and die from boredom at the start.
May 8, 2015
An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
Ahem. Well, this book turned out to be not at all what I was expecting. And I don't mean that in a bad way, just...an unexpected one. These days, I pretty much skim summaries of books as I'm adding them to my TBR, only scanning for keywords like assassin or pirate or tattooed harpoon boy. So, when I saw the cover for this book and spotted that last keyword(s) in the synopsis, I immediately assumed it was about pirates because duh, I thought that was a sailor's knot on the front.
Turns out, it's a witch's knot, part of a trio of them significant to this story, in fact. Yep, it appears that this book is about whaling and witches, not pirates. No big deal...witches can be just as awesome, if not more so, than pirates. And believe me when I tell you that the family of witches in this story have quite the history. I loved how they passed on their magic, how they came into their magic, and how hard Avery fights to unlock her own magic. But I'll let you discover those things on your own.
Salt & Storm is a story about magic, true, but it is also a story of love and sacrifice, of which there is a ton in this book. The Roe Witch protects Prince Island with her magic, and Avery believes this is a great honor. However, it is an honor to some and a curse to others, but either way, it is a responsibility that comes with great sacrifice. And as Avery learns more about this sacrifice, learns more about the two Roe witches who came before her and what they have given up, she finds herself with something she's unwilling to lose for the first time in her life.
Or, I should say someone. What starts out as a deal, one that is mutually beneficial to both Tane (the aforementioned tattooed harpoon boy) and Avery, ends in a love story that just about broke my heart. Tane is a foreigner, on the island with a docked whaling ship, but he's been searching for Avery. Even with her magic locked away, Avery still has a very special gift, one that could help Tane wreak the vengeance he so desires. But as the two work together, they grow closer. I loved the romance that was slowly blossoming between these two because it was careful and cautious and sweet, with Avery dead-set against even liking Tane. But it didn't take too long for his open and honest manner to win her over. Hell, he won me over pretty much from the start, but Avery is a VERY stubborn girl.
I think that first line of the summary is probably all you really should know going into this story: "A sweeping historical romance about a witch who foresees her own murder--and the one boy who can help change her future." I mean, I had the wrong story altogether in my head when I set out to read this book, and I ended up loving it, if that tells you anything. The book isn't for the faint of heart: it's going to tug at your heart-strings, make you ponder what sacrifices you'd be willing to make yourself, and make you reconsider what you really value in life. It reevaluates the mother-daughter relationship in a brutal way and reopens generations and generations of old wounds and heartache. But it is beautiful and magical and tragic and completely lovely. I'm glad I didn't know what I was getting with this story because it took me by surprise in the best way possible...and also the worst. I didn't cry, but it made me want to for all that was lost but also for all that was gained.
Also of note, I'm a huge nerd and love to read the Author's Note when probably everyone else just skips it. I like seeing what they have to say about the research that went into the book and what allowances they made, etc. And I really liked Kendall Kulper's Author's Note. The writing was stunning and lyrical and Kendall made this half fantastical, half historical world come alive with her words. And now I want more of this world, so I guess it's a good thing that she's working on another story set before Salt & Storm. Prequels are usually iffy for me, but in this case, it makes a ton of sense for her to go back in time rather than to move forward.
GIF it to me straight:
This review can also be found at The Starry-Eyed Revue.
Ahem. Well, this book turned out to be not at all what I was expecting. And I don't mean that in a bad way, just...an unexpected one. These days, I pretty much skim summaries of books as I'm adding them to my TBR, only scanning for keywords like assassin or pirate or tattooed harpoon boy. So, when I saw the cover for this book and spotted that last keyword(s) in the synopsis, I immediately assumed it was about pirates because duh, I thought that was a sailor's knot on the front.
Turns out, it's a witch's knot, part of a trio of them significant to this story, in fact. Yep, it appears that this book is about whaling and witches, not pirates. No big deal...witches can be just as awesome, if not more so, than pirates. And believe me when I tell you that the family of witches in this story have quite the history. I loved how they passed on their magic, how they came into their magic, and how hard Avery fights to unlock her own magic. But I'll let you discover those things on your own.
Salt & Storm is a story about magic, true, but it is also a story of love and sacrifice, of which there is a ton in this book. The Roe Witch protects Prince Island with her magic, and Avery believes this is a great honor. However, it is an honor to some and a curse to others, but either way, it is a responsibility that comes with great sacrifice. And as Avery learns more about this sacrifice, learns more about the two Roe witches who came before her and what they have given up, she finds herself with something she's unwilling to lose for the first time in her life.
Or, I should say someone. What starts out as a deal, one that is mutually beneficial to both Tane (the aforementioned tattooed harpoon boy) and Avery, ends in a love story that just about broke my heart. Tane is a foreigner, on the island with a docked whaling ship, but he's been searching for Avery. Even with her magic locked away, Avery still has a very special gift, one that could help Tane wreak the vengeance he so desires. But as the two work together, they grow closer. I loved the romance that was slowly blossoming between these two because it was careful and cautious and sweet, with Avery dead-set against even liking Tane. But it didn't take too long for his open and honest manner to win her over. Hell, he won me over pretty much from the start, but Avery is a VERY stubborn girl.
I think that first line of the summary is probably all you really should know going into this story: "A sweeping historical romance about a witch who foresees her own murder--and the one boy who can help change her future." I mean, I had the wrong story altogether in my head when I set out to read this book, and I ended up loving it, if that tells you anything. The book isn't for the faint of heart: it's going to tug at your heart-strings, make you ponder what sacrifices you'd be willing to make yourself, and make you reconsider what you really value in life. It reevaluates the mother-daughter relationship in a brutal way and reopens generations and generations of old wounds and heartache. But it is beautiful and magical and tragic and completely lovely. I'm glad I didn't know what I was getting with this story because it took me by surprise in the best way possible...and also the worst. I didn't cry, but it made me want to for all that was lost but also for all that was gained.
Also of note, I'm a huge nerd and love to read the Author's Note when probably everyone else just skips it. I like seeing what they have to say about the research that went into the book and what allowances they made, etc. And I really liked Kendall Kulper's Author's Note. The writing was stunning and lyrical and Kendall made this half fantastical, half historical world come alive with her words. And now I want more of this world, so I guess it's a good thing that she's working on another story set before Salt & Storm. Prequels are usually iffy for me, but in this case, it makes a ton of sense for her to go back in time rather than to move forward.
GIF it to me straight:
July 13, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this book. I thought the sea witch plot had potential but I didn't really enjoy the execution. I liked the love interest but I didn't particularly like the main character (she grated on my nerves quite a lot). I was going to rate this book 3 stars, but I just really didn't like how the story progressed. I would be open to reading something else from this author because I enjoyed the setting and thought the writing was nice.
April 14, 2015
I'm so shattered right now because of this book.
April 17, 2021
1.5 stars
As with any negative review, particularly of a debut author, this is somewhat painful to write. I picked up Salt & Storm hoping for interesting magic adventures with stunning world building and the possibility of a nice romance. And I'm left extremely disappointed on all counts. So much so that at a mere quarter of the book, I was extremely close to leaving it unfinished (and we know how bad I am at DNFing). I pushed through anyway but... that didn't change my opinion.
My primary complaint about Salt & Storm sadly comes down to the writing. It didn't work for me at all. It was so amateurish, clunky, and awkward. From describing a POC character as having "cinnamon-colored skin", to calling the nice neighborhood on the island as "up lighthouse" (leading to awkward sentences as "I don't bother heading up lighthouse"), to the lingo used for Avery's dream telling ability ("Will you tell my dream? I would like to know what it means."), to the main character stating she has "clear, cloudless gray" eyes, there were way too many instances of awkward sentences that made me do a double take. Some of it you could probably write off to my reading an advanced copy, and hopefully, some of this would be weeded out before the finished copies were printed, but... it's a lot. It didn't work for me and constantly pulled me out of the story. I ended up skim reading parts so that I wouldn't get hung up on how bad the writing was. That's... not good news.
But when the writing wasn't bothering me with its awkwardness, it was confusing me with how completely inauthentic it was. This is a historical fantasy, which I may not have known before starting the book, but quickly became obvious due to a lack of technology yet references to Earth locales - the story taking place on an island off the coast of Massachusetts. For more than half of the book, I was trying to figure out exactly when this takes place though. They referred to the civil war as taking place in the past, but then Avery references wearing "the new dress [her mother had] flown in from Paris". Possibly, this was an error, but I was confused as fuck. That possible innocent sentence aside, there weren't enough context clues to let me figure it out. There were no rich details about architecture, clothing, hairstyles, dialogue, mannerisms. Everything was described as simply as possible: a dress = white with a blue ribbon, a hairstyle = like a proper girl hairstyle. Towards the end, Avery even says she wants, "A blue house with yellow shutters." That's. Just. No.
So, fair enough, around halfway it does become clear that this story happens JUST after the civil war - so in the late 1860s. But still, I didn't feel that. I'm all for historical fantasy, you know, but you have to make it believable and authentic. From the narrations, dialogue, and mannerisms this honestly could have taken place in our generation. It hinted at a lack of research and kept me from being fully engaged in the story. I was just confused about it for so long. And it didn't feel like having it set in our world really added anything. I was just wondering why this couldn't have been in a fantasy world entirely, because that would have cut out the confusion and my gripes about the inauthentic setting.
But okay. Writing complaints aside, I still don't have many positive things to say about the book. Avery, the main character, is a witch of Prince Island. She's been kept from her magic by her mother until she dreams that she will be murdered (right, she can see the meaning behind dreams). Knowing the protective nature of the status of being the Roe witch, she tries to escape her mother's clutches and unlock her magic, and things happen. Avery bored me to death. She's boring, cardboard, nondescript. She's overly dramatic, which causes some really predictable problems. I couldn't relate to her at all.
The magic was sadly underdeveloped - as was this whole whaling concept that was a big point of the premise. Sure, they live on a whaling island, so the witch's main task is selling protective charms to the sailors but that's about it. We don't get to see a lot of magic because Avery is kept away from it for the most part. When it does set in, it's all washed up in the clunky writing and I just cannot even care.
But the sad thing is the story becomes hopelessly intertwined with this romantic arc. Admittedly it is important to the story. But it's a freaking trap. It doesn't start out as instalove, no. The two are hesitant about each other but enter into a partnership that would be mutually beneficial. Then, a dramatic thing happens, they kiss, and mere days later they're spouting I LOVE YOU and I WILL STAY WITH YOU and I WANT TO MARRY YOU AND BE WITH YOU ALWAYS. That's when I start backing awayyyyy. I mean, it's the 1860s, so instalove *was* kind of more common, but this didn't have that tone - because I didn't feel the setting at all. No, it just felt like two melodramatic, obsessive teenagers, and as soon as they were serious about each other, I was off that ship because NO I DO NOT WANT THAT PLEASE STOP.
The plot was... meh. It had some interesting points - some twists that did intrigue me and make me wonder, "Hmm, how does that turn out?" But they were few and far between. It is a standalone, and there's something to be said for that, but it was very surface level. I feel like there were a lot of discarded ideas along the way, and it lacked cohesion. The ending was particularly boring, because there is a clear climax, with a shocker I was not really expecting, but then it goes on for 50 more pages that completely lost my interest. There were a bunch of last minute infodumps to try to tie up all the loose strings, but I didn't feel like it worked for me. Overall, the story was pretty boring, NGL.
Summing Up:
I get what Kendall Kulper was trying to do, but I don't feel she succeeded. Making this a historical fantasy was a bad decision, because her writing just didn't manage to pull that off. When I could disregard awkward sentences and the inauthentic setting, I was just bored by the characters, romance, and plot. I'm still waiting to find an awesome book about witches. This was not it.
GIF it to me straight!
*An ARC was received at BEA in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
As with any negative review, particularly of a debut author, this is somewhat painful to write. I picked up Salt & Storm hoping for interesting magic adventures with stunning world building and the possibility of a nice romance. And I'm left extremely disappointed on all counts. So much so that at a mere quarter of the book, I was extremely close to leaving it unfinished (and we know how bad I am at DNFing). I pushed through anyway but... that didn't change my opinion.
My primary complaint about Salt & Storm sadly comes down to the writing. It didn't work for me at all. It was so amateurish, clunky, and awkward. From describing a POC character as having "cinnamon-colored skin", to calling the nice neighborhood on the island as "up lighthouse" (leading to awkward sentences as "I don't bother heading up lighthouse"), to the lingo used for Avery's dream telling ability ("Will you tell my dream? I would like to know what it means."), to the main character stating she has "clear, cloudless gray" eyes, there were way too many instances of awkward sentences that made me do a double take. Some of it you could probably write off to my reading an advanced copy, and hopefully, some of this would be weeded out before the finished copies were printed, but... it's a lot. It didn't work for me and constantly pulled me out of the story. I ended up skim reading parts so that I wouldn't get hung up on how bad the writing was. That's... not good news.
When I next wake, two kindnesses: my wrists are no longer chained and a bowl of broth sits on the stool in front of me. I stare at it for a long time. Although I can't remember the last time I ate, it might as well have been a bowl of sand.
Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper (ARC)
That's my mother's name. Essie Roe. I don't think I ever mentioned that. On one of the very rare occasions my grandmother spoke of my mother, she told me that she'd named my mother for the sounds of waves on the shoreline, whisper-quiet in the morning: Ehhhss-eeee ehhhssss-eeee.
Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper (ARC)
But when the writing wasn't bothering me with its awkwardness, it was confusing me with how completely inauthentic it was. This is a historical fantasy, which I may not have known before starting the book, but quickly became obvious due to a lack of technology yet references to Earth locales - the story taking place on an island off the coast of Massachusetts. For more than half of the book, I was trying to figure out exactly when this takes place though. They referred to the civil war as taking place in the past, but then Avery references wearing "the new dress [her mother had] flown in from Paris". Possibly, this was an error, but I was confused as fuck. That possible innocent sentence aside, there weren't enough context clues to let me figure it out. There were no rich details about architecture, clothing, hairstyles, dialogue, mannerisms. Everything was described as simply as possible: a dress = white with a blue ribbon, a hairstyle = like a proper girl hairstyle. Towards the end, Avery even says she wants, "A blue house with yellow shutters." That's. Just. No.
So, fair enough, around halfway it does become clear that this story happens JUST after the civil war - so in the late 1860s. But still, I didn't feel that. I'm all for historical fantasy, you know, but you have to make it believable and authentic. From the narrations, dialogue, and mannerisms this honestly could have taken place in our generation. It hinted at a lack of research and kept me from being fully engaged in the story. I was just confused about it for so long. And it didn't feel like having it set in our world really added anything. I was just wondering why this couldn't have been in a fantasy world entirely, because that would have cut out the confusion and my gripes about the inauthentic setting.
But okay. Writing complaints aside, I still don't have many positive things to say about the book. Avery, the main character, is a witch of Prince Island. She's been kept from her magic by her mother until she dreams that she will be murdered (right, she can see the meaning behind dreams). Knowing the protective nature of the status of being the Roe witch, she tries to escape her mother's clutches and unlock her magic, and things happen. Avery bored me to death. She's boring, cardboard, nondescript. She's overly dramatic, which causes some really predictable problems. I couldn't relate to her at all.
The magic was sadly underdeveloped - as was this whole whaling concept that was a big point of the premise. Sure, they live on a whaling island, so the witch's main task is selling protective charms to the sailors but that's about it. We don't get to see a lot of magic because Avery is kept away from it for the most part. When it does set in, it's all washed up in the clunky writing and I just cannot even care.
But the sad thing is the story becomes hopelessly intertwined with this romantic arc. Admittedly it is important to the story. But it's a freaking trap. It doesn't start out as instalove, no. The two are hesitant about each other but enter into a partnership that would be mutually beneficial. Then, a dramatic thing happens, they kiss, and mere days later they're spouting I LOVE YOU and I WILL STAY WITH YOU and I WANT TO MARRY YOU AND BE WITH YOU ALWAYS. That's when I start backing awayyyyy. I mean, it's the 1860s, so instalove *was* kind of more common, but this didn't have that tone - because I didn't feel the setting at all. No, it just felt like two melodramatic, obsessive teenagers, and as soon as they were serious about each other, I was off that ship because NO I DO NOT WANT THAT PLEASE STOP.
The plot was... meh. It had some interesting points - some twists that did intrigue me and make me wonder, "Hmm, how does that turn out?" But they were few and far between. It is a standalone, and there's something to be said for that, but it was very surface level. I feel like there were a lot of discarded ideas along the way, and it lacked cohesion. The ending was particularly boring, because there is a clear climax, with a shocker I was not really expecting, but then it goes on for 50 more pages that completely lost my interest. There were a bunch of last minute infodumps to try to tie up all the loose strings, but I didn't feel like it worked for me. Overall, the story was pretty boring, NGL.
Summing Up:
I get what Kendall Kulper was trying to do, but I don't feel she succeeded. Making this a historical fantasy was a bad decision, because her writing just didn't manage to pull that off. When I could disregard awkward sentences and the inauthentic setting, I was just bored by the characters, romance, and plot. I'm still waiting to find an awesome book about witches. This was not it.
GIF it to me straight!
*An ARC was received at BEA in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
September 21, 2014
4.5 stars
What a delightful surprise! I loved the setting and the premise and the characters and the tensions and the, well, you get it. I just loved this book. The carefully tended conflict between the generations was expertly handled. The ending between mother and daughter left me in tears. I am just an old softy when in comes to mamas and their babies. Fortunately, my 14 year old is such a great kid, and there is very little conflict in our home.
This book is so well researched that you can't help but believe in the world that has been created. The whale business is dying out being replaced by kerosene and the whales being harder to find. This mirrors the Roes as Avery and her mom are not taking over. The parallels are nicely done and striking. I really enjoyed the rich history of the whaling business. You felt for the sailors, but I was happy for the whales that the industry was dying a natural death.
The beginning is a little slow as the world is introduced but it is worth pushing through. I highly recommend to readers who enjoy a great fantasy with historical content thrown in.
What a delightful surprise! I loved the setting and the premise and the characters and the tensions and the, well, you get it. I just loved this book. The carefully tended conflict between the generations was expertly handled. The ending between mother and daughter left me in tears. I am just an old softy when in comes to mamas and their babies. Fortunately, my 14 year old is such a great kid, and there is very little conflict in our home.
This book is so well researched that you can't help but believe in the world that has been created. The whale business is dying out being replaced by kerosene and the whales being harder to find. This mirrors the Roes as Avery and her mom are not taking over. The parallels are nicely done and striking. I really enjoyed the rich history of the whaling business. You felt for the sailors, but I was happy for the whales that the industry was dying a natural death.
The beginning is a little slow as the world is introduced but it is worth pushing through. I highly recommend to readers who enjoy a great fantasy with historical content thrown in.
February 21, 2023
I don't know. I just didn't...vibe....with anything.
August 25, 2014
If Titanic and The Brides of Rollrock Island had a love child out of wedlock, the latter unabashedly not giving a fuck and the other ashamed of the manner their progeny was brought into this world, both passing down some of their undesirable and desirable traits respectively, getting them all mushed up and mutated during the blueprint process, naming Regulus Arcturus Black its godfather and basically leaving it in his care for the weekends, holidays, sick leaves et cetra, the result would undoubtedly be The Witch of Salt and Storm.
Crikey! Kids are demanding.
And surprisingly efficient. Or useless?
If you think you'll be able to handle that, you're most welcome to Kendall Kulper's amply, questionably, sporadically enchanting debut. But just for my satisfaction, do read further and know what you're actually getting into.
The Roe witches curse, bless, protect and kill-if you pay the right price. Avery's family has-of women-has always had a tenuous connection with the islanders-who wouldn't take a shit without first consulting her grandma. There are several facets to this story and one of those explores this unhealthy, dangerous relationship in a world of whaling as the world progresses, and witches be losing powers.
While it's written with a focus on romance, the book doesn't forget how it began, its roots and the creatures it weaves amongst. The first half of the story is devoted to this dance, playing by the characters and building on the setting and characters, their links and chains. The writing is subdued but that only complements the story that's thrilling despite the dearth of action.
Avery was an evocative character at times, although sometimes that was substituted for likeness to a caricature of a character made up lesser of lines and circles than of adjectives. She appeared to be obsessed with being a witch without any logical basis for it. Of course, her survival plays a major role but most of it had to do with dogma-the Roe witch have always been witches, and she must continue the line or the island will collapse. As time goes on, her views change though not her goal, and it was fascinating to see her reasons become more rational and survivalist.
I loved the descriptions of the island, the men and boys who have only one option-whaling, sailors who buy monogamy charms for their sweethearts but never themselves, sour and overripe and sickly sweet smell at the docks, raging winds from memories past that were harnessed by witches past; the whaling industry(it's crap and I hated hated hated the whales who died) and how it ran the world.
Every rich lady in the country has a jar of whale on her vanity. She dabs whale on her wrist, at her neck. She uses whale to pull in her waist and lifts up whale to keep the rain and sun off her lovely face. She reads by whale and washes with whale and has whale to brush her hair and pin it in place. Her husband takes some whale to polish his shoes, to keep his buggy wheels clean and squeak free. The factories that chug whale to grease their millions of working parts and whale to light their workrooms, and even a garden benefits from a bit of whale sprayed daily. You could glue things together with whale, strip off rust with whale, whip your horse with whale, and at night stroll the streets warm in the glow of whale.
These subtle and overt explorations of basically everything, written in a compelling manner are one of the things I'll remember fondly about The Witch of Salt and Storm for some time, for it was daring and fucking spellbinding, as the blurb says.
*dum dum dum!*
This is how it ends. (Also, a book I just remembered.)
Actions start: ka-pa-chow! Ding ding! Do things!
This:
Turns to this:
The writing becomes grittier and often, nonsensical or awkward. The sequences that follow-with its high on emotional drama-only served to annoy me with their banality. It all became tiring-a catharsis that helped neither me or Avery. Her outpouring of emotions weren't out of the norm and came as a direct contrast to what I loved about the storytelling initially.
Not to say that it was particularly bad. Nah, it was simply uninspired and lost the enchantment. Even as the usage of magic increased, the story became more firmly rooted in reality-mobs going crazy, occurrence of untoward things. I suppose my disappointment has a lot to do with the the change in the narrative-not the character, but happenstance and circumstance, which in turn, changed her tone. And as a side, there were several back stories and relationships(in especial, Avery's mother's and grandmother's) that I wish had been explored more thoroughly.
Despite the lack of novelty, despite the "ballsy" twist that I didn't consider as such, I think Kendall Kulper could have had a tight grip on me even through these times. Butttt-she didn't.
I don't have much to say about the romance, albeit it soon became one of the foci-Tane was a model character-not white, not perfect, thirst for revenge, a distinct lack of douchebaggery. What we all want, yet he was lacking-I saw him more as a tool, as a means to achieve things than as a real character.
In the end, the ending didn't sit well with me, primarily because of all the useless stuff about beaks and crap, however, I truly appreciated what the ending alluded with regard to the whaling business. Overall, it was a good effort and I am sure lots of readers will love it.
Review copy provided by publishers.
Crikey! Kids are demanding.
And surprisingly efficient. Or useless?If you think you'll be able to handle that, you're most welcome to Kendall Kulper's amply, questionably, sporadically enchanting debut. But just for my satisfaction, do read further and know what you're actually getting into.
The Roe witches curse, bless, protect and kill-if you pay the right price. Avery's family has-of women-has always had a tenuous connection with the islanders-who wouldn't take a shit without first consulting her grandma. There are several facets to this story and one of those explores this unhealthy, dangerous relationship in a world of whaling as the world progresses, and witches be losing powers.
While it's written with a focus on romance, the book doesn't forget how it began, its roots and the creatures it weaves amongst. The first half of the story is devoted to this dance, playing by the characters and building on the setting and characters, their links and chains. The writing is subdued but that only complements the story that's thrilling despite the dearth of action.
Avery was an evocative character at times, although sometimes that was substituted for likeness to a caricature of a character made up lesser of lines and circles than of adjectives. She appeared to be obsessed with being a witch without any logical basis for it. Of course, her survival plays a major role but most of it had to do with dogma-the Roe witch have always been witches, and she must continue the line or the island will collapse. As time goes on, her views change though not her goal, and it was fascinating to see her reasons become more rational and survivalist.
I loved the descriptions of the island, the men and boys who have only one option-whaling, sailors who buy monogamy charms for their sweethearts but never themselves, sour and overripe and sickly sweet smell at the docks, raging winds from memories past that were harnessed by witches past; the whaling industry(it's crap and I hated hated hated the whales who died) and how it ran the world.
Every rich lady in the country has a jar of whale on her vanity. She dabs whale on her wrist, at her neck. She uses whale to pull in her waist and lifts up whale to keep the rain and sun off her lovely face. She reads by whale and washes with whale and has whale to brush her hair and pin it in place. Her husband takes some whale to polish his shoes, to keep his buggy wheels clean and squeak free. The factories that chug whale to grease their millions of working parts and whale to light their workrooms, and even a garden benefits from a bit of whale sprayed daily. You could glue things together with whale, strip off rust with whale, whip your horse with whale, and at night stroll the streets warm in the glow of whale.
These subtle and overt explorations of basically everything, written in a compelling manner are one of the things I'll remember fondly about The Witch of Salt and Storm for some time, for it was daring and fucking spellbinding, as the blurb says.
*dum dum dum!*
This is how it ends. (Also, a book I just remembered.)
Actions start: ka-pa-chow! Ding ding! Do things!
This:
Turns to this:
The writing becomes grittier and often, nonsensical or awkward. The sequences that follow-with its high on emotional drama-only served to annoy me with their banality. It all became tiring-a catharsis that helped neither me or Avery. Her outpouring of emotions weren't out of the norm and came as a direct contrast to what I loved about the storytelling initially.
Not to say that it was particularly bad. Nah, it was simply uninspired and lost the enchantment. Even as the usage of magic increased, the story became more firmly rooted in reality-mobs going crazy, occurrence of untoward things. I suppose my disappointment has a lot to do with the the change in the narrative-not the character, but happenstance and circumstance, which in turn, changed her tone. And as a side, there were several back stories and relationships(in especial, Avery's mother's and grandmother's) that I wish had been explored more thoroughly.
Despite the lack of novelty, despite the "ballsy" twist that I didn't consider as such, I think Kendall Kulper could have had a tight grip on me even through these times. Butttt-she didn't.
I don't have much to say about the romance, albeit it soon became one of the foci-Tane was a model character-not white, not perfect, thirst for revenge, a distinct lack of douchebaggery. What we all want, yet he was lacking-I saw him more as a tool, as a means to achieve things than as a real character.
In the end, the ending didn't sit well with me, primarily because of all the useless stuff about beaks and crap, however, I truly appreciated what the ending alluded with regard to the whaling business. Overall, it was a good effort and I am sure lots of readers will love it.
Review copy provided by publishers.
March 9, 2016
Кендалл Калпер «Соль и шторм».
За «Соль и шторм» я бралась боязливо. Прочитала аннотацию и поняла, что хочу прочитать, вот прям сейчас. Хотя отзывы были не очень хорошими. Но формула книги просто взывала ко мне - Остров+ведьмы+любовь = это мой любимый коктейль. И о радость – книга мне безумно понравилась! :D -
«Соль и шторм» рассказывает нам историю небольшого острова, куда однажды ступила нога женщины из рода Роу, которая открыла в себе талант к управлению воздухом и водой. Из поколения в поколение, одна из рода Роу, островная ведьма, посвящала себя и свою жизнь этакому служению жителям острова, основным промыслом которых было китобойное дело.
Главная героиня книги, девушка по имени Эвери, мечтает пойти по стопам бабки и стать ведьмой, но мать, не желающая такой судьбы для своего дитя, увозит дочь от своей матери на другой конец острова, и накладывает заклятие, чтобы Эвери не могла добраться до бабушки. Как у любой из рода Роу, у Эвери есть дар (у каждой Роу он свой) – она умеет растолковывать сны, но непосредственно магией девушка не владеет, она рвется к бабке, упрямо, назло своей матери и не только ради того, чтобы овладеть магией, ей приснился сон, согласна которому очень скоро Эвери погибнет. Однажды в доках она встречает парня, который просит растолковать его сны, а взамен обещает помочь ей снять заклятие. Так молодые люди начинают проводить вместе время, узнавать друг друга... и история набирает сумасшедшие обороты.
Это история о маленьком острове, потомственных ведьмах, любви и китах, об упрямой девушке, чье упорство поначалу раздражает, но потом начинает вызывать восхищение. Отмечу приятный стиль автора, напряженный сюжет, одно идет за другим, не давая читателю расслабиться. Тут и история жителей острова и морские легенды. Финал…сердце до сих пор мчится галопом, не могу даже до сих пор осознать, что книга закончилась. Хочу еще!
История обязательно понравится поклонникам серии Кэтрин Ласки про русалок.
За «Соль и шторм» я бралась боязливо. Прочитала аннотацию и поняла, что хочу прочитать, вот прям сейчас. Хотя отзывы были не очень хорошими. Но формула книги просто взывала ко мне - Остров+ведьмы+любовь = это мой любимый коктейль. И о радость – книга мне безумно понравилась! :D -
«Соль и шторм» рассказывает нам историю небольшого острова, куда однажды ступила нога женщины из рода Роу, которая открыла в себе талант к управлению воздухом и водой. Из поколения в поколение, одна из рода Роу, островная ведьма, посвящала себя и свою жизнь этакому служению жителям острова, основным промыслом которых было китобойное дело.
Главная героиня книги, девушка по имени Эвери, мечтает пойти по стопам бабки и стать ведьмой, но мать, не желающая такой судьбы для своего дитя, увозит дочь от своей матери на другой конец острова, и накладывает заклятие, чтобы Эвери не могла добраться до бабушки. Как у любой из рода Роу, у Эвери есть дар (у каждой Роу он свой) – она умеет растолковывать сны, но непосредственно магией девушка не владеет, она рвется к бабке, упрямо, назло своей матери и не только ради того, чтобы овладеть магией, ей приснился сон, согласна которому очень скоро Эвери погибнет. Однажды в доках она встречает парня, который просит растолковать его сны, а взамен обещает помочь ей снять заклятие. Так молодые люди начинают проводить вместе время, узнавать друг друга... и история набирает сумасшедшие обороты.
Это история о маленьком острове, потомственных ведьмах, любви и китах, об упрямой девушке, чье упорство поначалу раздражает, но потом начинает вызывать восхищение. Отмечу приятный стиль автора, напряженный сюжет, одно идет за другим, не давая читателю расслабиться. Тут и история жителей острова и морские легенды. Финал…сердце до сих пор мчится галопом, не могу даже до сих пор осознать, что книга закончилась. Хочу еще!
История обязательно понравится поклонникам серии Кэтрин Ласки про русалок.
March 31, 2016
An Electronic Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss for review.
I am sorry book, it's not you, it's me. Your writing is very beautiful and I do love the setting, but the main character's hatred toward her own mother is a little too much for me to handle. I'm guessing she just wants to protect her, but she's a teenager and doesn't see that. Also, she fell for him rather quickly, I can't do instant love at the moment. Also, I wanted to see more magic happening, but that couldn't be the case with what he was up against.
Marking this as a DNF, even if I want to get back and read it because it's not done. I'm just not into it as much as I hoped I would.
I am sorry book, it's not you, it's me. Your writing is very beautiful and I do love the setting, but the main character's hatred toward her own mother is a little too much for me to handle. I'm guessing she just wants to protect her, but she's a teenager and doesn't see that. Also, she fell for him rather quickly, I can't do instant love at the moment. Also, I wanted to see more magic happening, but that couldn't be the case with what he was up against.
Marking this as a DNF, even if I want to get back and read it because it's not done. I'm just not into it as much as I hoped I would.
September 14, 2014
There's something about a YA novel with a gorgeous cover that makes me immediately suspicious; I've been burned so many times by "cupcake" books, those that look really appealing but never seem to satisfy. So imagine my delight when I found that my wariness about Kendall Kulper's debut novel Salt & Storm was completely unnecessary.
Avery Roe has always known that she will one day take her grandmother’s place as the witch of Prince Island. For hundreds of years there has been a Roe witch to help the community there – for a price. The economy of Prince Island is almost entirely dependent on whaling, a dangerous and unpredictable trade. In order to be successful year after year, the sailors depend on the charms, potions, and spells of the Roe witch to bring them home with their spoils.
While presumably other witches on other islands (Prince Island is a very insular community and there isn’t much discussion of other witch families) can perform these spells, there is one skill that only a Roe witch possesses: tying the wind. To tie the wind is to control its speed, its strength, and its path. It’s an incredibly complex and powerful magic, one that drains Avery’s grandmother more and more each time she performs it. Avery longs for the day when she is the Roe witch, so that she may take the burden from her grandmother and finally access the power that she knows lies within her.
But how can Avery become the Roe witch when her mother keeps her trapped, refusing to let Avery return to her grandmother’s cottage? While her mother maintains that she’s trying to prevent the pain and suffering that comes from being a Roe witch, Avery sees only fear and hatred of the magic within all of them. Which is the truth? Like most things in life, the answer to that question is a lot more complicated than a simple binary.
Like all Roe women, Avery has a magical gift that is unique to her: she can “tell dreams” and interpret their meaning. While some of the finer points may slip through her grasp, her interpretations have always been correct. She’s never heard tell of a dream that she couldn’t unravel, couldn’t understand. And now, just as she’s poised to return to the cottage and her grandmother, Avery has a disturbing dream that tells of her own murder. How will she ever fulfill her destined role as Roe witch if she is to die before she can be reunited with her grandmother?
Scared and angry, Avery lashes out at pretty much everyone around her. Honestly, she’s not a very likeable protagonist. Prone to uncontrollable fits of rage and ire, Avery is unstable at best and dangerous at worst. Just because she doesn’t understand how to use her magic doesn’t mean that it can’t manifest in unpredictable – and violent – ways. Avery may not be someone I’d pal around with, but she’s compelling and finely wrought, just like every other aspect of Salt & Storm.
Setting is paramount in Salt & Storm, usually arranged in pairs of opposites. There is the island and the sea; the residential area and the wild land occupied by the Roe witch; and there is the palatial home of Avery’s mother and the dilapidated ancestral cottage inhabited by Avery’s grandmother. The time period is also an important consideration. Of course there is the inevitable Puritan clash between magic and religion: when Avery’s mother marries a clergyman to escape the life of hardship she would’ve experienced as the Roe witch, she exposes her daughter to the fear and bigotry commonly associated with 19th century New World Christianity. It’s hard out there for a witch.
Avery is isolated and alone, torn from her life with her grandmother and placed among people whose fear of and anger towards the Roe witch grows by the day. So when she meets the young sailor Tane, a beautiful boy with dark skin and mysterious magic, Avery sees her way out: if she can’t learn the Roe magic from her grandmother, she’ll learn new, foreign magic from Tane. Of course the most powerful magic of all is love, and lord knows you can’t control when it happens and with whom. Personally I totally buy in for that “love is the strongest magic” stuff, but I know it annoys many people so just be aware that it’s a part of Salt & Storm.
Despite the synopsis, which states that Salt & Storm is a “sweeping historical romance,” this novel is more concerned with personal identity than with love. Avery’s romance with Tane is pretty damn swoon-worthy, but it isn’t the center of the novel by any means. Yes, it does have consequences for Avery’s role of the Roe witch, but it’s the Roe women themselves that remain at the heart of this novel. The Roe witches need men for business and to give them daughters, but at the end of the day the witch is always alone.
“Men were simply a part of our job, meant for buying charms and procuring supplies and giving gifts, not anything to take seriously. And they didn’t own the cottage. They didn’t own us.” - page 159 of egalley
There's power in having independence, but there's loneliness too. As Avery begins to understand all that comes with being the Roe witch, she begins to question whether she wants that life after all. Ultimately Salt & Storm is about a young woman caught between fate and choice, uncertain which to choose but knowing that either option will rob her of something vital.
Kendall Kulper’s lyrical prose and strong voice mark her as one to watch in the coming years. Apparently she’s been contracted to write a companion novel to Salt & Storm, about one of Avery’s predecessors. I for one am eager for news of that book’s publication, and will happily strap in for whatever Kulper comes up with next.
Avery Roe has always known that she will one day take her grandmother’s place as the witch of Prince Island. For hundreds of years there has been a Roe witch to help the community there – for a price. The economy of Prince Island is almost entirely dependent on whaling, a dangerous and unpredictable trade. In order to be successful year after year, the sailors depend on the charms, potions, and spells of the Roe witch to bring them home with their spoils.
While presumably other witches on other islands (Prince Island is a very insular community and there isn’t much discussion of other witch families) can perform these spells, there is one skill that only a Roe witch possesses: tying the wind. To tie the wind is to control its speed, its strength, and its path. It’s an incredibly complex and powerful magic, one that drains Avery’s grandmother more and more each time she performs it. Avery longs for the day when she is the Roe witch, so that she may take the burden from her grandmother and finally access the power that she knows lies within her.
But how can Avery become the Roe witch when her mother keeps her trapped, refusing to let Avery return to her grandmother’s cottage? While her mother maintains that she’s trying to prevent the pain and suffering that comes from being a Roe witch, Avery sees only fear and hatred of the magic within all of them. Which is the truth? Like most things in life, the answer to that question is a lot more complicated than a simple binary.
Like all Roe women, Avery has a magical gift that is unique to her: she can “tell dreams” and interpret their meaning. While some of the finer points may slip through her grasp, her interpretations have always been correct. She’s never heard tell of a dream that she couldn’t unravel, couldn’t understand. And now, just as she’s poised to return to the cottage and her grandmother, Avery has a disturbing dream that tells of her own murder. How will she ever fulfill her destined role as Roe witch if she is to die before she can be reunited with her grandmother?
Scared and angry, Avery lashes out at pretty much everyone around her. Honestly, she’s not a very likeable protagonist. Prone to uncontrollable fits of rage and ire, Avery is unstable at best and dangerous at worst. Just because she doesn’t understand how to use her magic doesn’t mean that it can’t manifest in unpredictable – and violent – ways. Avery may not be someone I’d pal around with, but she’s compelling and finely wrought, just like every other aspect of Salt & Storm.
Setting is paramount in Salt & Storm, usually arranged in pairs of opposites. There is the island and the sea; the residential area and the wild land occupied by the Roe witch; and there is the palatial home of Avery’s mother and the dilapidated ancestral cottage inhabited by Avery’s grandmother. The time period is also an important consideration. Of course there is the inevitable Puritan clash between magic and religion: when Avery’s mother marries a clergyman to escape the life of hardship she would’ve experienced as the Roe witch, she exposes her daughter to the fear and bigotry commonly associated with 19th century New World Christianity. It’s hard out there for a witch.
Avery is isolated and alone, torn from her life with her grandmother and placed among people whose fear of and anger towards the Roe witch grows by the day. So when she meets the young sailor Tane, a beautiful boy with dark skin and mysterious magic, Avery sees her way out: if she can’t learn the Roe magic from her grandmother, she’ll learn new, foreign magic from Tane. Of course the most powerful magic of all is love, and lord knows you can’t control when it happens and with whom. Personally I totally buy in for that “love is the strongest magic” stuff, but I know it annoys many people so just be aware that it’s a part of Salt & Storm.
Despite the synopsis, which states that Salt & Storm is a “sweeping historical romance,” this novel is more concerned with personal identity than with love. Avery’s romance with Tane is pretty damn swoon-worthy, but it isn’t the center of the novel by any means. Yes, it does have consequences for Avery’s role of the Roe witch, but it’s the Roe women themselves that remain at the heart of this novel. The Roe witches need men for business and to give them daughters, but at the end of the day the witch is always alone.
“Men were simply a part of our job, meant for buying charms and procuring supplies and giving gifts, not anything to take seriously. And they didn’t own the cottage. They didn’t own us.” - page 159 of egalley
There's power in having independence, but there's loneliness too. As Avery begins to understand all that comes with being the Roe witch, she begins to question whether she wants that life after all. Ultimately Salt & Storm is about a young woman caught between fate and choice, uncertain which to choose but knowing that either option will rob her of something vital.
Kendall Kulper’s lyrical prose and strong voice mark her as one to watch in the coming years. Apparently she’s been contracted to write a companion novel to Salt & Storm, about one of Avery’s predecessors. I for one am eager for news of that book’s publication, and will happily strap in for whatever Kulper comes up with next.
December 21, 2016
”I don’t know what the people of my island will make of my story, the story of the end of the Roes. Will they blame me when their ships splinter? Will they remember that I fought for years against my mother, that I tried to go home and set it all right? Will any of them know that I gave up all of it- magic, my own life, and their livelihood- for a tattooed harpoon boy?”
And that sentence, my friends, is where the problem lies within this story.
Avery Roe is destined to be the last Roe Witch of Prince Island. The Roe females have been giving charms and spells to the islanders for generations, and are both feared, reviled, but generally respected, by the islanders.
”Even back in the good times, the pastor with the dried-apple face would spend his sermons lecturing the congregation against my grandmother’s promises. A deal with her was a deal with the devil, he’d tell them. And the people on my island would nod with pinched lips, but they’d visit her all the same.”Avery’s grandmother has been apprenticing her to take her place, since she has been prophesized to be the last witch. That is, until Avery’s mother steals her away from the cottage and brings her the town of New Bishop to raise her to be a proper young lady, something that Avery is disgusted by.
”Anytime I imagined myself in my mother’s world-shut up, shut in, a cosseted, treasured lady in a great, grand house- the force that flowed through my veins bucked and jittered. I was not a lady, no matter how my mother dressed me, no matter where I slept or what I ate or whom I socialized with. I was a witch, I was a whale, and I did not belong in an octopus’s nest.”She longs to return to her grandmother’s house, but is forbidden to do so because, since her mother is a witch, she has cast a spell on Avery to keep her from leaving New Bishop. Her situation is made even worse by the fact that the Roe magic is fading with her grandmother’s increasing age, as well as dreams she has at night that show her she will be murdered. Avery seems to be stuck, but the arrival of a mysterious tattooed harpoon boy named Tane may change all that.
One thing I really liked about this story is the atmosphere and the setting. Prince Island is a fictional island off the coast of Massachusetts, but the author wrote it so you believe that Prince Island is real. You’ll be craving clam chowder and the sticky buns that are a New Bishop specialty. You feel the cold, harsh air blowing and envision the little cottage full of witch’s charms that Avery’s grandmother makes for the town. The author clearly knew how to craft a descriptive setting even if it was entirely fictional. Another strong point actually came towards the end, where Avery is remembering and reminiscing all the many generations of women that came before her. In those passages comes some of the most beautiful writing this book has to offer.
”The Roe women murmur to me their worries, their plans, their hopes. My ears fill with advice and wishes and histories and my muscles burn as they cling to me, climb onto my shoulders to see with my eyes and hear with my ears they world they’ve only imagined. And whispers- always, always I hear their whispers.”IS THAT NOT BEAUTFUL??!! Even the mother/daughter bond and relationship comes full circle at the end of the novel, with one of the most powerful scenes being towards the end. The beginning with the world-building was good, and the ending with the beautiful passages and exploration of mother/daughter bonds was good.
However, this doesn’t make up for the many, MANY cons that this book has, which is where most of the action took place.
For one thing Avery could be an annoying, whiny little prick on occasion. No, correction; all the damn time. She whines but she really doesn’t take action when it comes to solving her own problems. It’s as if she doesn’t have the capabilities of solving these problems on her own, and constantly waits for others to clean up the messes she started. Which was aggravating to say the least, since Avery was marketed as one of those “I’m a Victorian lady, but I do what I want” type of person. When I got the complete opposite, it was a letdown (though to be perfectly honest, not surprising).
Secondly the magic in the book wasn’t clearly explained.We know that the Roes have been witches. We know that every time a man breaks their heart, as it will inevitably happen, they become a witch. We know that the grandmother makes charms that have powers and can “tie the winds”, which basically means that she can make ships miserable if she chooses to. Avery’s mother can make love potions (or something like that I wasn’t really sure). And Avery can interpret dreams to a certain extent.
”I could interpret dreams. I could see what they meant for the future, for the dreamer, and I knew what this dream meant for me.Her most infamous dream comes in the form of her death, so of course she tries to figure out what it means, when it’s going to happen and how to prevent it. But is seems that after the dream part was figured out the magic aspect of the story simply stopped and failed to explain itself ever again. Aca-xuse me, but when you’re writing a book about magic, you kind of need to explain the, ya know, magic.
I will be killed. I will be murdered.
I’ve never been wrong before.”
Which brings me to my last and most irritating con of the story. THE ROMANCE.
Now, Tane was actually a nice guy as a whole. A little emo, perharps, but actually quite a nice lad. He tracks down Avery the famous dream interpreter to interpret one of HIS dreams but ends up trying to help her prevent her dream from happening in the process. You see, where Tane came from, his people also had magic. This magic comes in the form of tattoos, which he has all over his body. They’re supposed to work, so he gives Avery one with MAGIC infused in it (however, this probably wasn’t the best idea in the world since his magic disrupts her magic).
And then a funny thing happens while he gives her the tattoo; they fall in lurv. Yes, you heard me right. Before that moment, there was never really any indication that there was going to be anything romantical between them. And then, after getting jabbed by a needle hundreds and hundreds of times as well as getting stinging alcohol poured onto her tattoo wound, they decide that right then is a good time to make their relationship known with a breathless make-out session. I’m sorry, whut? The romance completely blind-sides the reader to the point where you’ll actually question if you missed any signals between the two of them. And then they become so obsessed with each other it becomes nauseating. It was actually the main problem I had with the book; the romance happened at such warp-speed that I could barely keep up, or even wanted to keep up with it. And the fact that in the end she gave up her magic for him made it all the more displeasing.
All in all, I was expecting a lot more witchcraft and alternative magiv in this book but got a whole lot of romance and angst instead. This book will, however, give you a very strong craving for clam chowder and sticky buns.
2.5 out of 5 stars
July 12, 2014
Really 2.5 stars.
To see full review click here.
I recieved an ARC from Netgalley this has in no way shaped my opinion of this book.
Witches are big in YA.
However, about half of the time they fail epically.
The other half. Well, does the name Harry Potter ring a bell. Okay, so part of that series is classified as middle grade and that new short story would be classified as middle adult, but if does right witches/warlock/wizards can be a big hit. So, I was excited about Salt and Storm especially since it was going to be a historical and since one of my favorite childhood books was a historical and was about witches (sort of), I was interested in reading Salt & Storm.
The result though…
Yeah, I don’t know. There were some lovely things about this book, but at the same time there were some fundamental flaws with Kulper’s novel.
I’ll start with the good first. The world is nicely formed. It’s lush. You really get the island atmosphere and even though the prose can feel a bit tedious at times, it does add to the mood of the story. I really felt like I got to know the small island enough and how the magic in Avery’s family worked.
Another nice thing about this book, was that it wasn’t a walking cliche. I didn’t expect the ending it had. And even though I’m sure that there are some people who won’t like it, it worked enough for me. Sure, I wasn’t exactly happy with the choice that Kulper made. But it tied the story up nicely, and I think (well, 98% sure) that this book is a standalone. That is rare in YA where most everything is a trilogy, but I like the sense of having a sense of finality after one installment for a change.
And now for the bad…
Yeah, I know. I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer, but I have to say there were lots of things about this one that bothered me. And for awhile I wondered if it was just me. And maybe it was, but I’m still going to talk about them.
1) The Character Avery:
I just couldn’t get her or her motivations. Yes, I get she wants to be a witch. But why? She doesn’t seem to have that many connections with most of the islanders. And while we are told over and over again that magic’s in her blood, I don’t get how she feels incomplete.
At times I’d almost say she was TSTL, but I don’t know if that’s so much about the character or about the overall plot structure. Based on the way the novel is shaped, I understand why Kulper has shaped the novel the way she did-especially since this seems to be a standalone, but at the same time it just doesn’t work. It makes the main character, Avery, seem dumb and unlikable.
2) The Plot Itself:
Sigh. It worked, but it didn’t. Overall, there is a simple arc to the story. I think what bothered me about the plot was the fact that it was, in essence, sort of simple but disjointed at the same time.
This probably once again is because it’s a standalone.
And I hate complaining about this book for this reason, because YA is in desperate need of standalones, but the pacing really did feel whacked because of what Kulper was trying to accomplish. Also, it probably didn’t help that the first half moved at a snail’s pace.
As for the actual story, I don’t know. I thought it really didn’t focus on witchcraft in the way I wanted to. It was more about I want to be a witch and then I don’t want to be a witch.
The magic itself: not so magical.
To see full review click here.
I recieved an ARC from Netgalley this has in no way shaped my opinion of this book.
Witches are big in YA.
However, about half of the time they fail epically.
The other half. Well, does the name Harry Potter ring a bell. Okay, so part of that series is classified as middle grade and that new short story would be classified as middle adult, but if does right witches/warlock/wizards can be a big hit. So, I was excited about Salt and Storm especially since it was going to be a historical and since one of my favorite childhood books was a historical and was about witches (sort of), I was interested in reading Salt & Storm.
The result though…
Yeah, I don’t know. There were some lovely things about this book, but at the same time there were some fundamental flaws with Kulper’s novel.
I’ll start with the good first. The world is nicely formed. It’s lush. You really get the island atmosphere and even though the prose can feel a bit tedious at times, it does add to the mood of the story. I really felt like I got to know the small island enough and how the magic in Avery’s family worked.
Another nice thing about this book, was that it wasn’t a walking cliche. I didn’t expect the ending it had. And even though I’m sure that there are some people who won’t like it, it worked enough for me. Sure, I wasn’t exactly happy with the choice that Kulper made. But it tied the story up nicely, and I think (well, 98% sure) that this book is a standalone. That is rare in YA where most everything is a trilogy, but I like the sense of having a sense of finality after one installment for a change.
And now for the bad…
Yeah, I know. I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer, but I have to say there were lots of things about this one that bothered me. And for awhile I wondered if it was just me. And maybe it was, but I’m still going to talk about them.
1) The Character Avery:
I just couldn’t get her or her motivations. Yes, I get she wants to be a witch. But why? She doesn’t seem to have that many connections with most of the islanders. And while we are told over and over again that magic’s in her blood, I don’t get how she feels incomplete.
At times I’d almost say she was TSTL, but I don’t know if that’s so much about the character or about the overall plot structure. Based on the way the novel is shaped, I understand why Kulper has shaped the novel the way she did-especially since this seems to be a standalone, but at the same time it just doesn’t work. It makes the main character, Avery, seem dumb and unlikable.
2) The Plot Itself:
Sigh. It worked, but it didn’t. Overall, there is a simple arc to the story. I think what bothered me about the plot was the fact that it was, in essence, sort of simple but disjointed at the same time.
This probably once again is because it’s a standalone.
And I hate complaining about this book for this reason, because YA is in desperate need of standalones, but the pacing really did feel whacked because of what Kulper was trying to accomplish. Also, it probably didn’t help that the first half moved at a snail’s pace.
As for the actual story, I don’t know. I thought it really didn’t focus on witchcraft in the way I wanted to. It was more about I want to be a witch and then I don’t want to be a witch.
The magic itself: not so magical.
January 1, 2022
I've never really been a fan of historical fiction, so I was endlessly surprised by how much I adored The Witch of Salt & Storm!
The setting is dripping with sensory descriptions that pulled me straight into a world of magic and whaling, where I could picture the small village and it's superstition-rich islanders easily.
A key part to this is story is magic, and Kendall Kulper incorporates the legends of the Roe family through the pages wonderfully, splattering droplets of lore and Roe history in each chapter. The result is a book brimming with backstory and intricately formed legends that together make up the magic of the Roes and their importance to the people of Prince Island.
Avery is both the fiercely determined future witch, desperate to fulfil her destiny, and the naively stubborn young girl willing to defy reason at all costs. Her fear of never becoming the witch, mixed with the fear of her impending death were both flawlessly executed, and I really connected with her character.
I was also captivated by the supporting characters, particularly the other Roe women, like Avery's grandmother, and her mother – who made an interesting 'villain'. The stories of the current Roe women, mingled with the pasts of those long-dead, were all engaging and fascinating.
Unfortunately, I wasn't as keen on Tane, who was the love interest. Though I loved how magic was weaved into each of his tattoos, the romance aspect didn't quite work for me. It seemed to be nothing at all and then everything all at once, which isn't how I like my love stories
There's a lot to be said for a book that changes my entire opinion of a genre, and so I have to give credit to Kendall Kulper for that. Her tale of fantasy and mystical islands, puddled with an historical backdrop, piqued my interest in ways I never imagined.
It was a wonderful story of love and magic, that explores sacrifice, the power of fate, and our ability to change it.
Favourite quote: "Whispers – always, I hear the whispers. Love will lead to ruin. Death is a comfort. You cannot kill a Roe witch."
The setting is dripping with sensory descriptions that pulled me straight into a world of magic and whaling, where I could picture the small village and it's superstition-rich islanders easily.
A key part to this is story is magic, and Kendall Kulper incorporates the legends of the Roe family through the pages wonderfully, splattering droplets of lore and Roe history in each chapter. The result is a book brimming with backstory and intricately formed legends that together make up the magic of the Roes and their importance to the people of Prince Island.
Avery is both the fiercely determined future witch, desperate to fulfil her destiny, and the naively stubborn young girl willing to defy reason at all costs. Her fear of never becoming the witch, mixed with the fear of her impending death were both flawlessly executed, and I really connected with her character.
I was also captivated by the supporting characters, particularly the other Roe women, like Avery's grandmother, and her mother – who made an interesting 'villain'. The stories of the current Roe women, mingled with the pasts of those long-dead, were all engaging and fascinating.
Unfortunately, I wasn't as keen on Tane, who was the love interest. Though I loved how magic was weaved into each of his tattoos, the romance aspect didn't quite work for me. It seemed to be nothing at all and then everything all at once, which isn't how I like my love stories
There's a lot to be said for a book that changes my entire opinion of a genre, and so I have to give credit to Kendall Kulper for that. Her tale of fantasy and mystical islands, puddled with an historical backdrop, piqued my interest in ways I never imagined.
It was a wonderful story of love and magic, that explores sacrifice, the power of fate, and our ability to change it.
Favourite quote: "Whispers – always, I hear the whispers. Love will lead to ruin. Death is a comfort. You cannot kill a Roe witch."
May 9, 2014
A lyrical and utterly gorgeous novel full of magic and romance, set in a fascinating world that's half history, half fantasy and entirely wondrous. It's absolutely amazing. I was mesmerized by this book from the beginning. It features a highly competent, independent and multi-layered protagonist, a swoon-worthy love interest, breathtaking mythology and background history, outstanding world-building, wonderful magic, intense relationships and gorgeous writing. To me, this book was absolute perfection, but there's a catch: This book will break your heart. It is cruel and unfair, and it will take your heart and break it into a million pieces and then step on them and set them on fire, but for me, it was worth it. This book is not for everyone. I can't go into more details for that would spoil some of the story and this is definitely one to be experienced in its entirety, but it is not for everyone and yet I can't help recommending it. If you liked The Brides of Rollrock Island or When the Sea Is Rising Red, maybe even Inland, then this book is for you and you will probably love it with every single piece of your broken heart.
September 18, 2016
I read this book with my sister in suffering Nikki Hill
DNF 50%
Reading this book felt like a torture.
What a waste of time. And I won't waste my time writing a review.
DNF 50%
Reading this book felt like a torture.
What a waste of time. And I won't waste my time writing a review.
December 12, 2017
Another book that just wasn't for me. I kept expecting it to be over, then realising I had another 100+ pages to read. I also really disliked the voice of the main character.
dnf
January 19, 2024SNORE
February 10, 2016
I was kind of disappointed with this story, but at the same time I have to admit that it was original and the fact that it didn't go the way I thought it would was interesting. I'm only disappointed because it didn't have the traditional happy ending but it's still cool to see an author explore a different type of ending.
June 11, 2017
Girl why are you so damned focused on being a witch. You don't even know how the process works 🙄
Read
September 13, 2017No Spoilers! Definitely colorful language abound!
Y'all. I tried so hard with this fucking book. I can't do it. I just can't anymore!
I got this book at BEA 2014... and in those three years I've attempted to read it numerous times and it's never stuck. I'm setting myself free. My local library was holding book donations for libraries destroyed by recent hurricanes. I hope it makes its way into the hands of someone needing a little escape, it wasn't the right fit for me but it I hope it is for someone else!
March 29, 2022
I read this book waaaaay back in the day but I still remember how much I loved it. It was that good queens😭
February 12, 2016
I received this free from the publisher via NetGalley
Release date - September 4th
'The roe women murmur to me their worries, their plans, their hopes. My ears fill with advices and wishes and histories, and my muscles burn as they cling to me, climb onto my shoulders to see with my eyes and hear with my eyes the world they've only imagined. And whispers- always, always I hear the whispers. Love will lead to ruin. Death is a comfort. You can't kill a Roe witch.'
Avery Roe comes from a long line of female witches on Prince Island. The islanders and sailors come to the roe witch for charms to keep them safe at sea and many other things. Avery was dragged away from her grandmother by her mother, no longer able to become the witch she always wanted to be. Her mother has placed a curse on her so she cannot see her grandmother. But Avery has a dream which makes her desperate enough to try anything to get a message to her grandmother and to find her magic. A tattooed harpoon boys has something which may help Avery get what she wants, in return she has to interpret his dreams to find vengeance.
I was so excited when I could request this on NetGalley. I sat jumping up and down in my chair shouting incoherently with excitement. Therefore I had massively high expectations of this, and I really did not want it to disappoint. I must be honest, the start of The Witches of Salt and Storm didn’t grab my attention straight away. I was a little disappointed that we had another YA book set in America with an American protagonist, but it didn’t stop my enjoyment of the book. I felt like the start was a little slow, and I didn’t really fully compel me to read on. But at about 20% I was fully engrossed and it turned out to be a suspenseful, compelling and heartbreaking read. There were some good plot twists which did leave you guessing and I liked how the story was woven together and I thought it was done exceptionally well. I liked the concept of the witches. There was a lot of originality to The Witches of Salt and Storm which was one of the main reason why I kept reading. I liked the history of the witches and the history of whaling and how the story had a large amount of information which felt well researched and it was integrated into the story really well.
Avery was a favourite of mine. I loved her from the very first page. She was so passionate about magic and so angry that she was being kept from it, but she was also scared of her future. She was such a complex character that it was hard not to admire and love her. She was very strong, brave and loyal when it came to protecting those she loved and it was a very good quality. She was definitely a favourite. I liked Tane, but I felt he wasn’t as complex, or have as much depth to him as Avery did. It was still there, but less so. He was also very passionate about getting revenge on those who hurt his family. I was also very interesting in the magic and culture from his country. It was a shame we didn’t get to know more about it.
The romance was nice, and even though it was very important to the book, it also didn’t seem like it was at the forefront of the story. I felt like Avery’s development had more emphasis and that was a positive. I liked the chemistry between the two and I did shed a tear or two at the end as it was very emotional, unexpected and heartbreaking.
This is definitely a book you don’t want to miss out on and I do highly recommend you pick this one up.
A unique and riveting read that I highly recommend.
Release date - September 4th
'The roe women murmur to me their worries, their plans, their hopes. My ears fill with advices and wishes and histories, and my muscles burn as they cling to me, climb onto my shoulders to see with my eyes and hear with my eyes the world they've only imagined. And whispers- always, always I hear the whispers. Love will lead to ruin. Death is a comfort. You can't kill a Roe witch.'
Avery Roe comes from a long line of female witches on Prince Island. The islanders and sailors come to the roe witch for charms to keep them safe at sea and many other things. Avery was dragged away from her grandmother by her mother, no longer able to become the witch she always wanted to be. Her mother has placed a curse on her so she cannot see her grandmother. But Avery has a dream which makes her desperate enough to try anything to get a message to her grandmother and to find her magic. A tattooed harpoon boys has something which may help Avery get what she wants, in return she has to interpret his dreams to find vengeance.
I was so excited when I could request this on NetGalley. I sat jumping up and down in my chair shouting incoherently with excitement. Therefore I had massively high expectations of this, and I really did not want it to disappoint. I must be honest, the start of The Witches of Salt and Storm didn’t grab my attention straight away. I was a little disappointed that we had another YA book set in America with an American protagonist, but it didn’t stop my enjoyment of the book. I felt like the start was a little slow, and I didn’t really fully compel me to read on. But at about 20% I was fully engrossed and it turned out to be a suspenseful, compelling and heartbreaking read. There were some good plot twists which did leave you guessing and I liked how the story was woven together and I thought it was done exceptionally well. I liked the concept of the witches. There was a lot of originality to The Witches of Salt and Storm which was one of the main reason why I kept reading. I liked the history of the witches and the history of whaling and how the story had a large amount of information which felt well researched and it was integrated into the story really well.
Avery was a favourite of mine. I loved her from the very first page. She was so passionate about magic and so angry that she was being kept from it, but she was also scared of her future. She was such a complex character that it was hard not to admire and love her. She was very strong, brave and loyal when it came to protecting those she loved and it was a very good quality. She was definitely a favourite. I liked Tane, but I felt he wasn’t as complex, or have as much depth to him as Avery did. It was still there, but less so. He was also very passionate about getting revenge on those who hurt his family. I was also very interesting in the magic and culture from his country. It was a shame we didn’t get to know more about it.
The romance was nice, and even though it was very important to the book, it also didn’t seem like it was at the forefront of the story. I felt like Avery’s development had more emphasis and that was a positive. I liked the chemistry between the two and I did shed a tear or two at the end as it was very emotional, unexpected and heartbreaking.
This is definitely a book you don’t want to miss out on and I do highly recommend you pick this one up.
A unique and riveting read that I highly recommend.
December 20, 2016
Sascha Icks liest mal wieder fantastisch, aber die Geschichte ist nur mittelmäßig
August 31, 2015
No. This book does not do justice to WITCHES!
August 17, 2014
This is the first standalone fantasy that I’ve read in a while, and boy has it impressed me. Kulper, you’ve got me as a fan as long as you keep writing as you do.
I don’t care for whales. I’m not heartless, but I’m not willing to hug a tree either. I’m in middle ground. I believe in progression, to an extent, and I certainly do not believe in regression. I had no preconceived ideas before I received this book. When I did do a quick background check, read the synopsis, I chanced upon this common theme that was mentioned: whales. Now I ain’t hating here, but that put me off, immediately. Witches and Whales , I thought. What has this world been reduced to? Brilliance, that’s what is. Such an odd amalgamation, it was, but it was tragically beautiful, and terribly engrossing (what’s with all the juxtaposing words smushed together Jess, you’re so literate today).
You see, the happy five star rating has been somewhat elusive for the past month. That’s because nothing has impressed me. I don’t think I’m too harsh (that’s what they all say). If you’ve got decent, fluid writing with a few metaphors, anything but mediocre description, then you’ve earned ourself two stars, at the very least. Throw in a good plot, skilful use of literary techniques, good dialogue, banter, wit, an element, to an extent, of realism, and characters that resonant, and you’ve got 5 stars. I’m just kidding, that actually is much harder than it seems.
And yet, The Witch of Salt and Storm does just that, and does it wondrously. I’m not saying that it achieved every single element of the criteria listed above because that simply isn't how it works. If you factor out subjectivism, then most books only achieve a certain amount of those traits, but where they fail, they make up elsewhere. The banter in this book isn’t exactly witty, and to be honest, I couldn’t even conjure up an image in my mind of what, or who, Avery Roe and Tane resembled. But I enjoyed it, nonetheless.
If memory serves me well then that was the only line that made me laugh. But laughter is laughter, and despite it only happening once, at least it happened at all.
The writing takes the heft of the praise here. Kulper, did you open my secret diary, the one where I write out all my book desires? How is it that you’ve written a gorgeous book with the lyrical prose that I’ve always begged someone to write for me. You’ve done it.
I’m impartial to a good tangent, as long as the essence interweaves into the present. It’s just the type of writing I adore. I can see a few being terribly frustrated with this, and fair enough. But I enjoyed it. Kulper writes prose that is rare—lyrical, mystical and tangible. I could just see the image unfold before my eyes.
The historical element welded so well alongside the paranormal. Kulper encapsulates the essence of being a lady in the 19th century, but also of the responsibilities and the loyalty of a witch to her people.
A woman in such an era owed so much to her husband, and for Kulper to integrate this into her story meant that the realism heightened to a wonderful degree.
It was a clash of genres, and for once, I loved it. Most authors attempt to heighten empathy from the audience (or so I should hope), and honestly, the best way to do so is through realism. No matter how unrealistic the plot may be. It’s not asking for the end of the world. It’s easier to achieve than one may dread. Realism can come in the form of context, behaviour, mannerism and dialogue. It’s not me begging for pop culture references or slang. It’s just simply pieces of contextual anchors that make the audience say “Oh yeah. I could see that happening. I can feel this happening."
At it’s core, this is a “coming of age” tale, to put it lightly. Avery Roe, the last of the Roe witches, must find her way into her magic.
Everything else is secondary. The romance? It is not used arbitrarily. To some extent, it is a main focus, but the way in which Kulper writes just conceals any frustrations that one would normally have.
That being said, there is insta!love. I told you, to everything I love, there remains faults. No book is perfect, but they do try. Instant love, the almighty transcendental force that consumes two entities upon discovering on another. In a mere matter of days, weeks, their love consumes them to an extent beyond belief, and they confess their undying desires for one another, an “I love you with all my heart and soul”. It heals them, transports them beyond the temporal. Allows them to forget the transient nature of the human existence. When life isn’t enough, love is.
I don’t like instant love. Not because it’s seemingly “unrealistic”, or whatnot. It just detracts from the experience, especially in a book. You don’t get to see all the interactions, so then you begin to wonder: “How lucky, dear protagonist. You meet a spunky spunk and you get to fall in love. You’re love is requited. He saves you, you save him. How bloody lucky of you.” So yes, it does annoy me.
Having insta!love present here did alarm me.
I’m sure you did, Avery. I, on the other hand, quite enjoy breathing, so you can kiss goodbye the empathy there.
Needless to say, I was racking my brain for a while, wondering when on earth these altering experiences occurred. I, for one, must have snoozed through them, because the time they spent together was anything but life-changing, or important. But to each their own, I say!
Whilst I do enjoy a good metaphor, and am open to most obscure interpretations, even certain ones stump me. Such as this:
I had to look that one up. I thought that something was lost in translation. I mean, surely, checkerboard skin is a tad creative, right? I should stop second-guessing myself. I was right. And I’ve never come across such an odd description.
If y’all have seen this then please, feel free to correct me. I’m sorry, but as of now, that’s got to be a no from me.
Apart from these two minuscule qualms, I loved everything else. I’m a sucker for certain imagery (a post of which I will someday share with you all). I love a good “tether”, and guess what? We get one.
Tether imagery and I could become one. I would frame it and scrapbook it and collect it for my anthology of loves and likes. It’s a good one this, and imagery as such is prevalent and scattered all throughout this visceral book.
My heart broke. Straight into two pieces. The ending is something that I’ve either never read before, or has been so rare in YA that it’s been locked away and forgotten. It was writing at it’s best. I couldn’t have asked for anymore, and I would not have asked for anymore.
One line that resonated with me, ringing right down to my core is as follows:
That was my piece of realism. Reflective of my own inner battle with the concept of hope, it reminded me of how inherent it is to desire something better, and something more. Just like how I desired something more from a book. And just like how this book, The Witch of Salt and Storm, delivered.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All quotes used were obtained from uncorrected proof that is subject to change in the final publication.
If this was August of last year and someone told me that in a year's time, I would be sitting here, devouring a book about curses, witches and whales I would have told them to get their heads checked because such a combination surely could not fare well. Well I was wrong, and I am in tears. Variance--this book has taken variance very seriously. It is unlike anything I've yet to read. But it was enough to sate a gnawing curiosity for something different.
I don’t care for whales. I’m not heartless, but I’m not willing to hug a tree either. I’m in middle ground. I believe in progression, to an extent, and I certainly do not believe in regression. I had no preconceived ideas before I received this book. When I did do a quick background check, read the synopsis, I chanced upon this common theme that was mentioned: whales. Now I ain’t hating here, but that put me off, immediately. Witches and Whales , I thought. What has this world been reduced to? Brilliance, that’s what is. Such an odd amalgamation, it was, but it was tragically beautiful, and terribly engrossing (what’s with all the juxtaposing words smushed together Jess, you’re so literate today).
You see, the happy five star rating has been somewhat elusive for the past month. That’s because nothing has impressed me. I don’t think I’m too harsh (that’s what they all say). If you’ve got decent, fluid writing with a few metaphors, anything but mediocre description, then you’ve earned ourself two stars, at the very least. Throw in a good plot, skilful use of literary techniques, good dialogue, banter, wit, an element, to an extent, of realism, and characters that resonant, and you’ve got 5 stars. I’m just kidding, that actually is much harder than it seems.
And yet, The Witch of Salt and Storm does just that, and does it wondrously. I’m not saying that it achieved every single element of the criteria listed above because that simply isn't how it works. If you factor out subjectivism, then most books only achieve a certain amount of those traits, but where they fail, they make up elsewhere. The banter in this book isn’t exactly witty, and to be honest, I couldn’t even conjure up an image in my mind of what, or who, Avery Roe and Tane resembled. But I enjoyed it, nonetheless.
“I though you said you weren’t desperate enough to take up with my magic,” he said. “What happened?”
I let out a high-pitched laugh. “What do you think? I got desperate enough…”
If memory serves me well then that was the only line that made me laugh. But laughter is laughter, and despite it only happening once, at least it happened at all.
The writing takes the heft of the praise here. Kulper, did you open my secret diary, the one where I write out all my book desires? How is it that you’ve written a gorgeous book with the lyrical prose that I’ve always begged someone to write for me. You’ve done it.
I’m impartial to a good tangent, as long as the essence interweaves into the present. It’s just the type of writing I adore. I can see a few being terribly frustrated with this, and fair enough. But I enjoyed it. Kulper writes prose that is rare—lyrical, mystical and tangible. I could just see the image unfold before my eyes.
The historical element welded so well alongside the paranormal. Kulper encapsulates the essence of being a lady in the 19th century, but also of the responsibilities and the loyalty of a witch to her people.
...because if I was not to be a witch, I would be a lady. I would have beautiful clothes and paintings and music and a husband and the well regards of society.
A woman in such an era owed so much to her husband, and for Kulper to integrate this into her story meant that the realism heightened to a wonderful degree.
“You can have so much more, Avery, but to truly succeed, a woman needs money. Money and status and security…”
It was a clash of genres, and for once, I loved it. Most authors attempt to heighten empathy from the audience (or so I should hope), and honestly, the best way to do so is through realism. No matter how unrealistic the plot may be. It’s not asking for the end of the world. It’s easier to achieve than one may dread. Realism can come in the form of context, behaviour, mannerism and dialogue. It’s not me begging for pop culture references or slang. It’s just simply pieces of contextual anchors that make the audience say “Oh yeah. I could see that happening. I can feel this happening."
At it’s core, this is a “coming of age” tale, to put it lightly. Avery Roe, the last of the Roe witches, must find her way into her magic.
“…a normal girl with a tempest of magic inside of her.”
Everything else is secondary. The romance? It is not used arbitrarily. To some extent, it is a main focus, but the way in which Kulper writes just conceals any frustrations that one would normally have.
That being said, there is insta!love. I told you, to everything I love, there remains faults. No book is perfect, but they do try. Instant love, the almighty transcendental force that consumes two entities upon discovering on another. In a mere matter of days, weeks, their love consumes them to an extent beyond belief, and they confess their undying desires for one another, an “I love you with all my heart and soul”. It heals them, transports them beyond the temporal. Allows them to forget the transient nature of the human existence. When life isn’t enough, love is.
I don’t like instant love. Not because it’s seemingly “unrealistic”, or whatnot. It just detracts from the experience, especially in a book. You don’t get to see all the interactions, so then you begin to wonder: “How lucky, dear protagonist. You meet a spunky spunk and you get to fall in love. You’re love is requited. He saves you, you save him. How bloody lucky of you.” So yes, it does annoy me.
Having insta!love present here did alarm me.
And I wanted him. I wanted him as surely as I wanted to breath…”
I’m sure you did, Avery. I, on the other hand, quite enjoy breathing, so you can kiss goodbye the empathy there.
“...These days with you have meant more to me than anything else in my life."
Needless to say, I was racking my brain for a while, wondering when on earth these altering experiences occurred. I, for one, must have snoozed through them, because the time they spent together was anything but life-changing, or important. But to each their own, I say!
Whilst I do enjoy a good metaphor, and am open to most obscure interpretations, even certain ones stump me. Such as this:
…the boy with the checkerboard skin…
I had to look that one up. I thought that something was lost in translation. I mean, surely, checkerboard skin is a tad creative, right? I should stop second-guessing myself. I was right. And I’ve never come across such an odd description.
If y’all have seen this then please, feel free to correct me. I’m sorry, but as of now, that’s got to be a no from me.
Apart from these two minuscule qualms, I loved everything else. I’m a sucker for certain imagery (a post of which I will someday share with you all). I love a good “tether”, and guess what? We get one.
Instead, the magic in my tattoo streched out and met his, recognised it and welcomed it like something familiar, like coming home.
Tether imagery and I could become one. I would frame it and scrapbook it and collect it for my anthology of loves and likes. It’s a good one this, and imagery as such is prevalent and scattered all throughout this visceral book.
My heart broke. Straight into two pieces. The ending is something that I’ve either never read before, or has been so rare in YA that it’s been locked away and forgotten. It was writing at it’s best. I couldn’t have asked for anymore, and I would not have asked for anymore.
One line that resonated with me, ringing right down to my core is as follows:
Hope—that stupid, silly creature that lived within me, no matter how often I tried to beat it to death—lifted its nose and sniffed at the air.
That was my piece of realism. Reflective of my own inner battle with the concept of hope, it reminded me of how inherent it is to desire something better, and something more. Just like how I desired something more from a book. And just like how this book, The Witch of Salt and Storm, delivered.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All quotes used were obtained from uncorrected proof that is subject to change in the final publication.
_______________________
If this was August of last year and someone told me that in a year's time, I would be sitting here, devouring a book about curses, witches and whales I would have told them to get their heads checked because such a combination surely could not fare well. Well I was wrong, and I am in tears. Variance--this book has taken variance very seriously. It is unlike anything I've yet to read. But it was enough to sate a gnawing curiosity for something different.
December 22, 2014
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: This story was atmospheric and beautifully written. Unfortunately, it was also paced very slowly, which lessened my enjoyment.
Opening Sentence: Despite my mother’s best efforts, I never forgot the day my grandmother taught me how to tie the winds.
The Review:
Welcome to Avery Roe’s world. She is a living legacy, heir to the great sea witches that have descended back in time. The sea witches protect the islanders, they have great power. They can wield storms and lives, but at a price. Avery is supposed to become the next sea witch, until her mother steals her away, determined to take her away from her destiny just as her mother had chosen to leave magic years ago. Avery wants to be the sea witch, but she doesn’t have power and she can’t get away from her mother. But then, a dream: she will be murdered. It has been prophesied and there is no way out unless she manages to escape and find her grandmother to teach her how to use magic. Because once you become the Roe witch, you cannot be killed. A boy named Tane with foreign magic may be her only chance.
Salt and Storm was a slow read, for me. Slow plot, slow romance, slow plot twists. However, this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I was intrigued enough to read on even in the most lagging parts, because of the strong world-building and interesting plot. I was very unsure of how it would go down, and honestly I am not surprised that the author wielded the ending the way she did. It was tragic but an exciting twist that made sense in the long run. Anyway, one of the things I liked the most about Salt and Storm was the rich backstory to Avery’s family. It was complicated, but I was extremely drawn in by the prospect of sea witches and a lineage that went that far back. I also was intrigued by the town and how it functioned, it’s strong economic interest in whaling. The whole idea of it reminded me of Moby Dick, in a way. The rich imagery created to describe the water and the whales made me imagine them clearly in my mind.
Avery and Tane had a budding love that took a while to develop. I had heard beforehand that it was a “slow burn” but it felt kind of awkward between them at first. Their conversations seemed forced and they didn’t have many of them. There was no obvious click, nothing that stood out to me as real chemistry. As they began to know each other, their connection grew deeper and less strange to me. I grew to enjoy them as a couple, enough for the story and a star of my review tone saved. Their love took half the book to develop into even a kiss but when it did, it was intensely passionate. They might have took a while to act on their feelings but when they did, they hit the ground running.
How do I feel about the twist? The truth uncovered about the sea witches and the way they find their powers? Well, the twist was sort of predictable. I saw it coming from the beginning but it still had an impact on me. I was very sad, that’s all I’ll say, though I didn’t cry as I do when I’m very emotional. The way that sea witches come into their magic was extremely surprising though I suppose there were hints — hints that I should have caught onto. But, be it as it was, I didn’t catch on until late in the plot line when it was being given away. Great detective skills, eh?
Overall, I enjoyed Salt and Storm. It was a book with lots of intrigue, but it was very slow. I’d imagine that if more action was added and the plot was sped up a little I would have crossed the boundaries to loving it, but sadly that was not the case. Avery was a determined female lead, even in the face of desperate times, and her voice was beautifully written. The idea of a sea witch was wonderful and unique, and I loved all the descriptions of the oceans and the waters and their cabin. I could imagine standing on the cliff, looking out onto the water, with all the beautiful imagery in the story. The scene and world building was rich, and I was very interested in the Roe’s past — actually, maybe a little more than Avery Roe herself to be honest. Her story was exciting and different but it moved at a snail’s pace. This book could have easily cut off a large chunk and would have been just as good, probably better. Tane himself I wasn’t a huge fan of. I didn’t hate him, but their wasn’t much allure either. This also lowered my interest in the novel. In the end I would encourage very patient readers to delve into this story. If you stick it out and push through boring parts, it really is worth it. With all my complaining about the slowness, I really did feel close to the characters and was crushed at the end. (Not that the end didn’t deliver. It was just sad.) Oh, and look at the beautiful rich colors on the cover! Happy reading!
Notable Scene:
I hate her. I hate her. I wanted to scream at her, at her lies and her duplicity, pretending to be nothing but a gentlewomen, sweet and caring and good. I wanted to leap across the room and rip the paper from her hands and shout at her that Tommy almost died, died, because of her! But I know what would happen then. She would stare at me, cool as a pitcher of water, letting me get excited, letting me get scared, letting me admit that I tried to defy her. And then she would have every excuse to pack me up and send me off to the mainland- to keep me away from magic, to keep me safe. If I wanted to beat my mother, I would have to play her game. I didn’t blink.
FTC Advisory: Little Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of Salt & Storm. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: This story was atmospheric and beautifully written. Unfortunately, it was also paced very slowly, which lessened my enjoyment.
Opening Sentence: Despite my mother’s best efforts, I never forgot the day my grandmother taught me how to tie the winds.
The Review:
Welcome to Avery Roe’s world. She is a living legacy, heir to the great sea witches that have descended back in time. The sea witches protect the islanders, they have great power. They can wield storms and lives, but at a price. Avery is supposed to become the next sea witch, until her mother steals her away, determined to take her away from her destiny just as her mother had chosen to leave magic years ago. Avery wants to be the sea witch, but she doesn’t have power and she can’t get away from her mother. But then, a dream: she will be murdered. It has been prophesied and there is no way out unless she manages to escape and find her grandmother to teach her how to use magic. Because once you become the Roe witch, you cannot be killed. A boy named Tane with foreign magic may be her only chance.
Salt and Storm was a slow read, for me. Slow plot, slow romance, slow plot twists. However, this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I was intrigued enough to read on even in the most lagging parts, because of the strong world-building and interesting plot. I was very unsure of how it would go down, and honestly I am not surprised that the author wielded the ending the way she did. It was tragic but an exciting twist that made sense in the long run. Anyway, one of the things I liked the most about Salt and Storm was the rich backstory to Avery’s family. It was complicated, but I was extremely drawn in by the prospect of sea witches and a lineage that went that far back. I also was intrigued by the town and how it functioned, it’s strong economic interest in whaling. The whole idea of it reminded me of Moby Dick, in a way. The rich imagery created to describe the water and the whales made me imagine them clearly in my mind.
Avery and Tane had a budding love that took a while to develop. I had heard beforehand that it was a “slow burn” but it felt kind of awkward between them at first. Their conversations seemed forced and they didn’t have many of them. There was no obvious click, nothing that stood out to me as real chemistry. As they began to know each other, their connection grew deeper and less strange to me. I grew to enjoy them as a couple, enough for the story and a star of my review tone saved. Their love took half the book to develop into even a kiss but when it did, it was intensely passionate. They might have took a while to act on their feelings but when they did, they hit the ground running.
How do I feel about the twist? The truth uncovered about the sea witches and the way they find their powers? Well, the twist was sort of predictable. I saw it coming from the beginning but it still had an impact on me. I was very sad, that’s all I’ll say, though I didn’t cry as I do when I’m very emotional. The way that sea witches come into their magic was extremely surprising though I suppose there were hints — hints that I should have caught onto. But, be it as it was, I didn’t catch on until late in the plot line when it was being given away. Great detective skills, eh?
Overall, I enjoyed Salt and Storm. It was a book with lots of intrigue, but it was very slow. I’d imagine that if more action was added and the plot was sped up a little I would have crossed the boundaries to loving it, but sadly that was not the case. Avery was a determined female lead, even in the face of desperate times, and her voice was beautifully written. The idea of a sea witch was wonderful and unique, and I loved all the descriptions of the oceans and the waters and their cabin. I could imagine standing on the cliff, looking out onto the water, with all the beautiful imagery in the story. The scene and world building was rich, and I was very interested in the Roe’s past — actually, maybe a little more than Avery Roe herself to be honest. Her story was exciting and different but it moved at a snail’s pace. This book could have easily cut off a large chunk and would have been just as good, probably better. Tane himself I wasn’t a huge fan of. I didn’t hate him, but their wasn’t much allure either. This also lowered my interest in the novel. In the end I would encourage very patient readers to delve into this story. If you stick it out and push through boring parts, it really is worth it. With all my complaining about the slowness, I really did feel close to the characters and was crushed at the end. (Not that the end didn’t deliver. It was just sad.) Oh, and look at the beautiful rich colors on the cover! Happy reading!
Notable Scene:
I hate her. I hate her. I wanted to scream at her, at her lies and her duplicity, pretending to be nothing but a gentlewomen, sweet and caring and good. I wanted to leap across the room and rip the paper from her hands and shout at her that Tommy almost died, died, because of her! But I know what would happen then. She would stare at me, cool as a pitcher of water, letting me get excited, letting me get scared, letting me admit that I tried to defy her. And then she would have every excuse to pack me up and send me off to the mainland- to keep me away from magic, to keep me safe. If I wanted to beat my mother, I would have to play her game. I didn’t blink.
FTC Advisory: Little Brown Books for Young Readers/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of Salt & Storm. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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