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The Edge of Hope
The Naturals. Pirates hunt them. Islanders fear them. Orphans pray for them.In 2104, mankind witnessed the first of many natural disasters when Mother Nature ripped the planet apart, creating small islands, giving pirates the opportunity to seize control.
Tippy Lopez was born forty years after the destruction. She knows nothing about the old world and its technology. In her world, everyone’s safety relies solely on the Pirate Commodore and her law. But she grew up listening to stories about one clan that refused pirate rules. The Naturals. Tippy and her friends wanted to be just like them. For two years, they helped all those in need, especially the orphans. During every raid, they hid them in a secret bunker, until they were caught by the Commodore and sentenced to ten years mining sulfur.
Six years into their punishment, the Naturals attack Tippy’s cavern, and they are not what she once believed. They are worse than any pirate crew. They force the orphans into four gruesome phases, where only the strong survive and the weak are killed. If Tippy and her friends want to escape, and finally be free, they’ll need to be among the strongest. But with her friends hardened by prison life, she fears when the time comes, she won’t be able to stop them from joining. When the prize is revealed, even Tippy can’t trust herself not to become a Natural.
Tippy Lopez was born forty years after the destruction. She knows nothing about the old world and its technology. In her world, everyone’s safety relies solely on the Pirate Commodore and her law. But she grew up listening to stories about one clan that refused pirate rules. The Naturals. Tippy and her friends wanted to be just like them. For two years, they helped all those in need, especially the orphans. During every raid, they hid them in a secret bunker, until they were caught by the Commodore and sentenced to ten years mining sulfur.
Six years into their punishment, the Naturals attack Tippy’s cavern, and they are not what she once believed. They are worse than any pirate crew. They force the orphans into four gruesome phases, where only the strong survive and the weak are killed. If Tippy and her friends want to escape, and finally be free, they’ll need to be among the strongest. But with her friends hardened by prison life, she fears when the time comes, she won’t be able to stop them from joining. When the prize is revealed, even Tippy can’t trust herself not to become a Natural.
377 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2024
38 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
About the author
Trena Cannon
1 book4 followersTrena Cannon is a young adult dystopian/apocalyptic author. When not writing or spending time with her family, she can be found reading or in front of the Xbox gaming. Trena enjoys coffee, dark humor, and a good prank.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 3, 2025
A Great Read
This book is one of the best dystopian world stories that I've read. The author described everything in a way that was easy to understand and at the same time surprisingly unexpected. This story made me laugh and cry throughout the book. It needs minor editing for a few typos, but nothing that distracts you from the story. The creativity of both the characters and the world itself are highly imaginative and yet relatable. The only thing about the story that I don't like, is the unfinished feel of the ending. I want more of the story, personally. I really hope a second book follows. Regardless, it's a great read for fans of Y.A., Dystopian and Adventure Fiction stories. Even fans of Supernatural and Sci-fi reads would likely enjoy this book.
This book is one of the best dystopian world stories that I've read. The author described everything in a way that was easy to understand and at the same time surprisingly unexpected. This story made me laugh and cry throughout the book. It needs minor editing for a few typos, but nothing that distracts you from the story. The creativity of both the characters and the world itself are highly imaginative and yet relatable. The only thing about the story that I don't like, is the unfinished feel of the ending. I want more of the story, personally. I really hope a second book follows. Regardless, it's a great read for fans of Y.A., Dystopian and Adventure Fiction stories. Even fans of Supernatural and Sci-fi reads would likely enjoy this book.
August 2, 2025
So much potential but didn't meet it
Wow. This book had so much potential. But it was written so poorly. And had so many inconsistencies. I was confused through most of it. So many hints to "what I did" but never actually saying it. The attempt at pirate speak was cringe.
There were also tons of misspelled words, bad grammar and missed words.
Potential spoiler -
Supposedly this is a world that's over 100 years from now. Yet they still have the same technology and lingo as now? Not only that but this is post apocalypse stuff. How does the tech still work?
I really wanted to like this book. I only finished it so I hadn't wasted time reading it. But I'm definitely not impressed.
Wow. This book had so much potential. But it was written so poorly. And had so many inconsistencies. I was confused through most of it. So many hints to "what I did" but never actually saying it. The attempt at pirate speak was cringe.
There were also tons of misspelled words, bad grammar and missed words.
Potential spoiler -
Supposedly this is a world that's over 100 years from now. Yet they still have the same technology and lingo as now? Not only that but this is post apocalypse stuff. How does the tech still work?
I really wanted to like this book. I only finished it so I hadn't wasted time reading it. But I'm definitely not impressed.
March 3, 2025
This book is a good dystopian blend of peter pan and military. The Twists kept me turning the pages. I really enjoyed this. The ending didn't feel complete as if there might be a book two, but I haven't seen any sign of that. (IDK, maybe I'm just blind). I look forward to seeing more from the author!
February 8, 2025
I could not put this book down! I sincerely hope Trena writes a sequel, I was devouring every page til the last and was searching online immediately for another book! Such a good read, the perfect amount of information shared and mystery left to keep us on our toes!
July 3, 2024
As I read through The Edge of Hope, there were a few moments of frustration and extreme delight/overwhelming emotion. There were a lot--and I do mean that honestly--of great moments in this book that made me excited to see where Cannon would take this story. However, many flaws were very hard or impossible to overlook. This will be a spoiler-free review.
First, I'll go over a few things that I either had issues with (which, of course, are all my opinions and should be taken with a few grains of salt):
-The Narrator: The main character (Tippy) has a bit of an unreliable streak. This is due to a lot of trauma and PTSD, so I can't exactly blame her. I didn't know it until I read this book, but I'm not a fan of unreliable narrators. This isn't the author's fault, but if you trust your main character to paint you an accurate picture of the scenario, this might be an issue for you as it was for me.
-The Length: I'm all for a nice, long story. However, I think this book could have been shortened by a couple of chapters. There were parts of the story that I struggled to get through, either because it was dragging on too long or it wasn't very interesting. On the other hand, some scenes gave me 'literary whiplash' with their sudden speed. The pacing in this book is a bit bumpy, so keep that in mind.
-The Character-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named: For spoiler reasons, I can't put the character I am talking about here. However, I can describe why they fell flat for me. In the novel, there is one specific character that I have a love-hate relationship with. For the first half of the novel, I loved them (especially on a second read-through, where I got to see the foreshadowing and nuance the author had given them). However, this character practically disappears in the 2nd half of the novel and barely shows up again. To me, this was very frustrating, especially since this character has a lot to do with our main character's mental health.
Most of those flaws were why I took off a couple of stars, as they were just a bit too egregious for me to ignore. However, this isn't to say that the book is bad. It isn't! There is a lot of good material in here, for example...
-The Mental Health Discussion: As someone who has dealt with anxiety and panic, it is always nice to see an author try to tackle the issue. While Cannon was not perfect, it is clear to see that she truly cares about the subject matter and made characters who dealt with their trauma--sometimes healthily, sometimes not, but always within the safety of found family. And that Character-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named? They have a really good section about a third of the way into the book that exemplifies how anxiety and fear responses work. I won't spoil it much, but it has something to do with a cage match, and I think you should pay close attention while reading it.
-The Dialect: Cannon tried her hand at writing dialect, and I can respect the attempt. It doesn't always land, and sometimes the dialogue itself comes off as clunky and strange, especially if you say the dialogue aloud. However, it does color the world a little more. There were many times when I managed to get through a particularly 'boring' portion because the teens' dialect was interesting.
-The Promise: This refers to the promise this series and novel has. Cannon can truly go anywhere with this book series, and I am looking forward to reading the next versions (as well as picking up a physical copy of the book myself). There will always be flaws in someone's writing, no matter how much you do it. For the first book, I think Cannon did extremely well.
So, if you are interested in dystopias and are willing to give an indie author a chance, I would suggest this book. Once again, everything in this review is my own opinion, and I hope that my criticisms do not keep you away from enjoying what is truly a good read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First, I'll go over a few things that I either had issues with (which, of course, are all my opinions and should be taken with a few grains of salt):
-The Narrator: The main character (Tippy) has a bit of an unreliable streak. This is due to a lot of trauma and PTSD, so I can't exactly blame her. I didn't know it until I read this book, but I'm not a fan of unreliable narrators. This isn't the author's fault, but if you trust your main character to paint you an accurate picture of the scenario, this might be an issue for you as it was for me.
-The Length: I'm all for a nice, long story. However, I think this book could have been shortened by a couple of chapters. There were parts of the story that I struggled to get through, either because it was dragging on too long or it wasn't very interesting. On the other hand, some scenes gave me 'literary whiplash' with their sudden speed. The pacing in this book is a bit bumpy, so keep that in mind.
-The Character-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named: For spoiler reasons, I can't put the character I am talking about here. However, I can describe why they fell flat for me. In the novel, there is one specific character that I have a love-hate relationship with. For the first half of the novel, I loved them (especially on a second read-through, where I got to see the foreshadowing and nuance the author had given them). However, this character practically disappears in the 2nd half of the novel and barely shows up again. To me, this was very frustrating, especially since this character has a lot to do with our main character's mental health.
Most of those flaws were why I took off a couple of stars, as they were just a bit too egregious for me to ignore. However, this isn't to say that the book is bad. It isn't! There is a lot of good material in here, for example...
-The Mental Health Discussion: As someone who has dealt with anxiety and panic, it is always nice to see an author try to tackle the issue. While Cannon was not perfect, it is clear to see that she truly cares about the subject matter and made characters who dealt with their trauma--sometimes healthily, sometimes not, but always within the safety of found family. And that Character-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named? They have a really good section about a third of the way into the book that exemplifies how anxiety and fear responses work. I won't spoil it much, but it has something to do with a cage match, and I think you should pay close attention while reading it.
-The Dialect: Cannon tried her hand at writing dialect, and I can respect the attempt. It doesn't always land, and sometimes the dialogue itself comes off as clunky and strange, especially if you say the dialogue aloud. However, it does color the world a little more. There were many times when I managed to get through a particularly 'boring' portion because the teens' dialect was interesting.
-The Promise: This refers to the promise this series and novel has. Cannon can truly go anywhere with this book series, and I am looking forward to reading the next versions (as well as picking up a physical copy of the book myself). There will always be flaws in someone's writing, no matter how much you do it. For the first book, I think Cannon did extremely well.
So, if you are interested in dystopias and are willing to give an indie author a chance, I would suggest this book. Once again, everything in this review is my own opinion, and I hope that my criticisms do not keep you away from enjoying what is truly a good read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 18, 2024
When I read the synopsis, I knew this was going to be a book that was right up my alley. I really enjoy dystopian stories, and this one did not disappoint.
While easy to read, the ideas were complex beneath the surface. This is a wonderful story of the power of perseverance and the importance of hope. It’s about individual resilience and the ability to overcome challenges and doubt whether internal or external.
The tenderness and caring of the characters in this book provide a bright backdrop in the non-stop story-driven action of the plot. Along the journey there many spots I found myself getting emotional from the character interactions. Any book that can elicit an emotive response is doing something right, and the author’s prose did an amazing job of really setting the scenes that drew me into the story.
There are many twists and turns in the story that will keep you guessing. While some twists are apparent to make you believe the story is going one way, some truly are not obvious and takes the story in a completely different direction. All are beautifully written to ensure that the twists are not just there for shock value, but for deeper character development.
By the end I was truly invested in the characters and rooting for Tippy, Alex, and their team.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
While easy to read, the ideas were complex beneath the surface. This is a wonderful story of the power of perseverance and the importance of hope. It’s about individual resilience and the ability to overcome challenges and doubt whether internal or external.
The tenderness and caring of the characters in this book provide a bright backdrop in the non-stop story-driven action of the plot. Along the journey there many spots I found myself getting emotional from the character interactions. Any book that can elicit an emotive response is doing something right, and the author’s prose did an amazing job of really setting the scenes that drew me into the story.
There are many twists and turns in the story that will keep you guessing. While some twists are apparent to make you believe the story is going one way, some truly are not obvious and takes the story in a completely different direction. All are beautifully written to ensure that the twists are not just there for shock value, but for deeper character development.
By the end I was truly invested in the characters and rooting for Tippy, Alex, and their team.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 18, 2024
Loved this book!
Edge of Hope is a beautiful story about friendship, hope and loss -- set in a dystopian world where rising sea levels have destroyed modern civilisation.
Tippy, the main character, leads a group of kids in saving orphans from the ruthless pirates that frequently raid the islands. All she and her friends want is to be one of the Naturals -- the group of people who oppose the pirates and all that they stand for.
But when Tippy gets caught and sentenced to the work in the sulfur mines, it will take everything she has to survive.
And when she gets out, she will never be the same again.
If you're looking for a book that's like divergent but with pirates, then this book is for you!
Edge of Hope is a beautiful story about friendship, hope and loss -- set in a dystopian world where rising sea levels have destroyed modern civilisation.
Tippy, the main character, leads a group of kids in saving orphans from the ruthless pirates that frequently raid the islands. All she and her friends want is to be one of the Naturals -- the group of people who oppose the pirates and all that they stand for.
But when Tippy gets caught and sentenced to the work in the sulfur mines, it will take everything she has to survive.
And when she gets out, she will never be the same again.
If you're looking for a book that's like divergent but with pirates, then this book is for you!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2024
In "The Edge of Hope," Trena Cannon delivers a gripping tale of adventure, emotion, and the strength of family and friendship.
The dynamics between characters make this book a real page-turner, enriching the story with a variety of complex and genuine relationships.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy emotionally rich narratives with well-drawn characters and a touch of mystery amidst a gorgeously imagined world. This was a fun read!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The dynamics between characters make this book a real page-turner, enriching the story with a variety of complex and genuine relationships.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy emotionally rich narratives with well-drawn characters and a touch of mystery amidst a gorgeously imagined world. This was a fun read!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 3, 2025
I’m conflicted trying to rate this. On one hand the story idea was interesting, but the actual writing style of this was so awful I almost had to put it down a few times. The twists came out of nowhere left and right for no reason, the story telling was disjointed and the characters feelings about her situation were often conflicting with how she felt five pages ago. I couldn’t make a list of all the things of all the things that annoyed me because it would be too long. Anyways if there was a second one I would probably read it.
July 25, 2025
enjoyable
This was engaging overall. I did think the beginning was a little confusing and unclear about what was going on, but the premise / competition was engaging enough to keep reading. I like the family building / relationship aspects of the story. I do want to know what happens next!
This was engaging overall. I did think the beginning was a little confusing and unclear about what was going on, but the premise / competition was engaging enough to keep reading. I like the family building / relationship aspects of the story. I do want to know what happens next!
June 14, 2025
Exciting story
I enjoyed this futuristic story. It's a little like Hunger Games - fight to survive sort of story. I love the main character finding herself and her place and her new family. Very entertaining story.
I enjoyed this futuristic story. It's a little like Hunger Games - fight to survive sort of story. I love the main character finding herself and her place and her new family. Very entertaining story.
October 22, 2024
DNF at 29%. The plot of this really intrigued me but i just couldn’t get into it at all. The mc was annoying and the dialect irked me. Wouldnt recommend personally.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews