Cold

by Courtney Rene

Four extraordinary teens, each with a corrupted gift from one of the four Water, Earth, Wind, and Fire, come together to face a common threat. Their creators, scientists of a genetic engineering company, have been hunting for them since they were children. Each alone and on the run for years, they inexplicably find one another and decide not to hide any longer. Before they can face their creators, they have to learn to trust one another as well as who they are and what they can do.Cold, is Nora’s story. Water is destructive all by itself but turn water to ice and it can become even more deadly, especially in the hands of an angry young woman out to right a wrong.

170 pages, Paperback

Published December 3, 2018

Reviews

[Rebecca Besser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold is a great example of Author Courtney Rene’s imagination and her ability to make the stories in her head come alive on the page for her readers.


A young woman is on the run, but she doesn’t know who she’s running from. She just knows that if she uses her special “gift” they’ll come, and they’ll find her. She has become an expert at escaping them.

On her way out of town, after once again blowing her cover, she sees another like herself…yet different.

She reluctantly teams up with the young man who is fire to her ice and they embark on a journey to find out where they came from, and if there are yet more of them with “gifts.”

They visit the lab where they were kept prisoner and discover they aren’t alone. After they narrowly escape, they go on a journey that not only takes them closer to their kindred spirits, but on a journey of self-discovery and reluctant (and not so reluctant) love.


I really enjoyed this book. The characters are realistic, the situations are believable, and you can’t stop reading! And, at the end, you want to know more.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold is the first book of an emerging series. Cold features Nora, the strong central character who has amazing control over water and ice, and her three eventual companions—Ash, Eve, and Reed. These three tough teenagers also demonstrate super powers—in an alchemic manner—using the "elements." Each of these "super-beings" was genetically engineered, from conception, by the crazed Dr. Dain and Sanecorp—a mysterious and faceless entity that has long-term and nefarious plans for the quartet. The characters are neither heroes nor villains—they are troubled teenagers who have come together to right the wrongs of their pasts. I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

[Carrie Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool concept and an exciting story, with a strong-minded, believable heroine. Dr. Dain, the creator of the four human mutations — bred to be connected with some kick-ass powers — is painted so vividly. Proper creepy guy. The experiments they had to endure as kids are horrifying. I can’t wait to see how book two plays out.

[Gregory Didaleusky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold, the first book in the series The Elements, by Courtney Rene is a supernatural/suspense novel initially taking place in Manhattan. There are four protagonists: Nora, who possesses the element of creating cold; Ash, who has the power of creating fire; Eve, who’s able to conjure nature’s power of growing vegetation; and finally, Reed, who possesses the touch of death. They were like lab rats imprisoned by a research company named SaneCorp in their clandestine facility. The four of them at different times escaped the clutches of this diabolical entity. They became fugitives of the SaneCorp, as each of them individually moved around the United States, trying to avoid capture by this evil company.
The plot and subplots are original and well-developed. Each character is dynamic. Suspense is intertwined around each protagonist wanting you to know why and how these supernatural talented people obtained their gifts. The ending answers these questions, but there’s still more unanswered questions Nora, Ash, Eve and Reed need to seek out for the complete truth of their existence. As a reader, I’ll be anxious to find out what other diabolical plans SaneCorp has in store for our protagonist in book two of The Elements. Reviewed by G. L. Didaleusky, author of mystery/suspense novels.