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The Coming Storm
Music, myth, and horror blend in this romantic, “eerie…atmospheric” ( Publishers Weekly ) fantasy debut about a teen girl who must fight a powerful evil that’s invaded her Prince Edward Island home—perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens .
There’s a certain wild magic in the salt air and the thrum of the sea. Beet MacNeill has known this all her life. It added spice to her childhood adventures with her older cousin, Gerry, the two of them thick as thieves as they explored their Prince Edward Island home. So when Gerry comes up the path one early spring morning, Beet thinks nothing of it at first. But he is soaking wet and silent, and he plays a haunting tune on his fiddle that chills Beet to the bone. Something is very, very wrong.
Things only get worse when Marina Shaw saunters into town and takes an unsettling interest in Gerry’s new baby. Local lore is filled with tales of a vicious shape-shifting sea creature and the cold, beautiful woman who controls him—a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Marina. Beet is determined to find out what happened to her beloved cousin, and to prevent the same fate from befalling the handsome new boy in town who is winning her heart, whether she wants him to or not. Yet the sea always exacts a price…
There’s a certain wild magic in the salt air and the thrum of the sea. Beet MacNeill has known this all her life. It added spice to her childhood adventures with her older cousin, Gerry, the two of them thick as thieves as they explored their Prince Edward Island home. So when Gerry comes up the path one early spring morning, Beet thinks nothing of it at first. But he is soaking wet and silent, and he plays a haunting tune on his fiddle that chills Beet to the bone. Something is very, very wrong.
Things only get worse when Marina Shaw saunters into town and takes an unsettling interest in Gerry’s new baby. Local lore is filled with tales of a vicious shape-shifting sea creature and the cold, beautiful woman who controls him—a woman who bears a striking resemblance to Marina. Beet is determined to find out what happened to her beloved cousin, and to prevent the same fate from befalling the handsome new boy in town who is winning her heart, whether she wants him to or not. Yet the sea always exacts a price…
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2021
22 people are currently reading
2657 people want to read
About the author
Regina M. Hansen
6 books20 followersRegina M Hansen is the author of the forthcoming novel The Coming Storm (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2021). She was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, where she lived as a small child before moving to Montreal, Quebec, and finally Massachusetts. She has always divided her time among these special places and continues to call them all home. She studied English and Anthropology at Tufts University and received her PhD in English from Boston College. She teaches at Boston University and has written books and articles for adults and children on many subjects, including horror movies, Halloween, elves, fairy tales, vampires, angels, King Arthur, religion, witchcraft, folklore and myth, and has even co-edited a book on the television series Supernatural. From a family of artists and performers, she loves to read, sing, crochet and sew, and to walk the woods and beaches of New England and Eastern Canada. She lives in Somerville, Massachusetts with her husband, three children and many pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
Want to read
March 4, 2021few things in this world make me happier than up-and-coming canadian spec-fic 🥺this will officially be my first novel set in PEI that isn't anne of green gables and i'm beyond excited!!
Many, many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Many, many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2022
SUCH a hidden gem! I adore this!! Im actually surprised I really enjoyed it! Sometimes books not as well known can be bad but this was great!! The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because I wouldn’t consider it one of new favorites. And i wish there could’ve been a bit more mystery to it. But I really loved it!
Mysterious
Mystical
Magical
Musical
All are Regina M. Hansens middle name haha
Mysterious
Mystical
Magical
Musical
All are Regina M. Hansens middle name haha
Want to read
October 26, 2024This is one of the most gorgeous covers I have ever seen.
((...cartwheels to bookshelf to clear a space...))
((...cartwheels to bookshelf to clear a space...))
Want to read
June 24, 2021I'm excited to read this fantasy set on Prince Edward Island! Just the mention of this province reminds me of Anne of Green Gables. 😄
Thank you Simon & Schuster CA for sending this arc in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you Simon & Schuster CA for sending this arc in exchange for an honest review!
January 11, 2023
I liked this. Anne's House of Dreams meets The Scorpio Races, a nice mixture of Irish folk songs and Scottish legends and Canadian culture & atmosphere. Properly haunting and scary, but the characters have a strong love for home and family. One of the best YA novels I've read.
June 10, 2021
📚 Hello Book Friends! We have a weather advisory in my region today; a storm is coming. This is appropriate for today's review post THE COMING STORM by Regina M. Hansen is a beautiful story about a young girl in Prince Edward Island in the 50s’ who is facing adversity, ghosts, and monsters. The story goes back and forth in time explaining the provenance of a mysterious beautiful woman whose voice can enchant. On the night her cousin Gerry’s baby is to be born, Beatrice (a.k.a. Beet) encounter his ghost in the rose garden. He was playing the saddest song on his violin and this song haunted Beet thereafter. When Mariana, a mysterious relative of Gerry shows up in Skinner Harbour with the intention to take Gerry’s baby away, Beet and her friends will work together to stop this for happening and reveal who this woman really is.
The story is whimsical and filled with legends, folklore, and music. It is a fairytale that will stay with me for a long time. Beautiful!
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June 29, 2021
2.5 stars
I really wanted to love this. I mean, this is basically a darker version of Anne of Green Gables. Henceforth why I was greatly intrigued. But ultimately, the execution is where this book really didn't work for me. The writing seemed like it tried to be historic and atmospheric, when really it came off as dull and boring. Moreoever, I couldn't tell what direction the book was going in. There wasn't a clear plot or direction. Overall, 'The Coming Storm' had poor execution, however, I still recommend this to all folk tale fans!
(Thanks for the eARC Netgalley and Simon & Schuster. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
I really wanted to love this. I mean, this is basically a darker version of Anne of Green Gables. Henceforth why I was greatly intrigued. But ultimately, the execution is where this book really didn't work for me. The writing seemed like it tried to be historic and atmospheric, when really it came off as dull and boring. Moreoever, I couldn't tell what direction the book was going in. There wasn't a clear plot or direction. Overall, 'The Coming Storm' had poor execution, however, I still recommend this to all folk tale fans!
(Thanks for the eARC Netgalley and Simon & Schuster. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
December 3, 2023
Now that I've finished this book, I desperately want to bottle this resultant feeling of sheer enchantment and carry it in my pocket at all times.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC!
Where do I start with how much I loved this? When I opened the package I literally shrieked and did a happy dance because I had been so excited about this book! Not only did the cover draw my eye immediately, but the fact that it is set on Prince Edward Island had me itching to read this. There aren't nearly enough books set in Canada and I love that S&S has at least three titles this year set in the true north strong and free. Even better was that I was so delightfully enchanted by what was inside these pages.
This is easily one of the youngest Young Adult novels I've read in a long time. Not in writing comprehension but in the main character. Beatrice "Beet" is just turned 15 as the events of this book unfold. Indeed, when the book starts and she sees the new ghost of her cousin at the garden gate, she is only 13. I adored her whip-quick snark though. She is a firecracker of a main character who has a fierce understanding of her relationships and who she can trust. And her voice! Oh my word, Hansen did an incredible job with letting Beet step off the page with just one word choice. Her entire small community on PEI was so vivid, as were the other characters, and not a lot of authors can do that so effortlessly.
Comping this to An Enchantment of Ravens and The Wicked Deep was the perfect flex because it encompasses the beauty, magic and setting of the story. The quality and voice of the writing alone captures so much and lends so much life to the book. Set on PEI, the imagery of an island small town on the coast, with the sea crashing below their backyard and the boats setting sail for fishing livelihoods--truly an incredible reading experience. You can taste the salt on the air, hear the gulls overhead. All of this lends perfectly to the magic that guides the plot, for there is a sea witch somewhere on the shore, and her sea monster is growing hungry once more. It's a mystery with an obvious culprit from the first moment we see her POV, but the magic is in watching her scheme unfold, trying to figure out her sorcery and what she wants with the characters in this book. There is an eeriness to every interaction we have with the witch that kept me turning the pages quickly.
I've given this five stars because I can't love something this much and not give it as much, but I do have a few critiques. The first: the big ending was a little odd. It worked, but I don't think we were given quite enough for it to pay off properly. This is a short book so there was room to build out the foreshadowing more. Second, the summary is misleading when referring to Beet falling for the new boy in town. This is not a romance by any means. While I am okay with that, I was expecting a lot more from the relationship itself.
I am definitely keeping an eye on this author in the future if this is the type of YA she writes. It is perfectly up my alley and makes me feel.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC!
Where do I start with how much I loved this? When I opened the package I literally shrieked and did a happy dance because I had been so excited about this book! Not only did the cover draw my eye immediately, but the fact that it is set on Prince Edward Island had me itching to read this. There aren't nearly enough books set in Canada and I love that S&S has at least three titles this year set in the true north strong and free. Even better was that I was so delightfully enchanted by what was inside these pages.
This is easily one of the youngest Young Adult novels I've read in a long time. Not in writing comprehension but in the main character. Beatrice "Beet" is just turned 15 as the events of this book unfold. Indeed, when the book starts and she sees the new ghost of her cousin at the garden gate, she is only 13. I adored her whip-quick snark though. She is a firecracker of a main character who has a fierce understanding of her relationships and who she can trust. And her voice! Oh my word, Hansen did an incredible job with letting Beet step off the page with just one word choice. Her entire small community on PEI was so vivid, as were the other characters, and not a lot of authors can do that so effortlessly.
Comping this to An Enchantment of Ravens and The Wicked Deep was the perfect flex because it encompasses the beauty, magic and setting of the story. The quality and voice of the writing alone captures so much and lends so much life to the book. Set on PEI, the imagery of an island small town on the coast, with the sea crashing below their backyard and the boats setting sail for fishing livelihoods--truly an incredible reading experience. You can taste the salt on the air, hear the gulls overhead. All of this lends perfectly to the magic that guides the plot, for there is a sea witch somewhere on the shore, and her sea monster is growing hungry once more. It's a mystery with an obvious culprit from the first moment we see her POV, but the magic is in watching her scheme unfold, trying to figure out her sorcery and what she wants with the characters in this book. There is an eeriness to every interaction we have with the witch that kept me turning the pages quickly.
I've given this five stars because I can't love something this much and not give it as much, but I do have a few critiques. The first: the big ending was a little odd. It worked, but I don't think we were given quite enough for it to pay off properly. This is a short book so there was room to build out the foreshadowing more. Second, the summary is misleading when referring to Beet falling for the new boy in town. This is not a romance by any means. While I am okay with that, I was expecting a lot more from the relationship itself.
I am definitely keeping an eye on this author in the future if this is the type of YA she writes. It is perfectly up my alley and makes me feel.
March 24, 2021
thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of The Coming Storm in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't a fan of this one, but that comes down to my expectations more than the description. While I think this book is definitely as atmospheric as its description claims, I don't think the comparison to An Enchantment of Ravens was a strong one to draw. Even though I don't think An Enchantment of Ravens ever specifies a decade it takes place in, the narration style and character speak is really modern so as someone who doesn't read a lot of historical fiction, I was surprised to realize that this doesn't take place in modern PEI, it takes place in the PEI of the 1950s. It also switches characters a few times when I don't think it was necessary, but I'm just not a very qualified person to give you an unbiased opinion here since I spent most of this book mourning what I thought it would be instead of being open to celebrating what it is.
I wasn't a fan of this one, but that comes down to my expectations more than the description. While I think this book is definitely as atmospheric as its description claims, I don't think the comparison to An Enchantment of Ravens was a strong one to draw. Even though I don't think An Enchantment of Ravens ever specifies a decade it takes place in, the narration style and character speak is really modern so as someone who doesn't read a lot of historical fiction, I was surprised to realize that this doesn't take place in modern PEI, it takes place in the PEI of the 1950s. It also switches characters a few times when I don't think it was necessary, but I'm just not a very qualified person to give you an unbiased opinion here since I spent most of this book mourning what I thought it would be instead of being open to celebrating what it is.
Want to read
November 11, 2020This cover is absolutely gorgeous and the premise seems amazing.
April 24, 2021
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: drowning, kidnap of an infant, toxic mother
3.3
When Beet's cousin dies, she sees his ghost in the garden. It's something she keeps mostly to herself, an impossibility she only thinks on to try to recall the song she heard him playing. But when someone new arrives on their island, someone who claims to be kin to her cousin and his now-dead mother, impossibilities are everywhere. Determined to keep her cousin's infant child safe, as well as the girlfriend he left behind, Beet must discover the secrets this newcomer has hidden.
This is a hard one for me. Conceptually, I love it, and there's a certain lushness to the storytelling that most of the time I would be really happy about. But there's something about that quality that made it so hard to get into. I think it's partially because I came into this story expecting YA, and I wouldn't at all say that it's a YA. If I had been expecting an adult book, I may have been more responsive, but instead I found it incredibly hard to get a grip on this book.
That said, I think the writing has its moments. The island town, the magical atmosphere allowing ghosts and sea monsters, it's all written well enough to sink into. The problems arise when it's hard to get back out- away from the descriptions and into the actual story. But if you're fine with a slow moving, atmospheric read, this is a good one.
As for dialogue, I do wish the author hadn't made the choice of doing things like spelling boy with multiple "y"s to signify tone. That sort of thing puts me off in professionally published media, and it made my trust in her as a writer, and writer of teen characters, waver.
Generally, I liked the characters. Their intentions and motivations are strong and yet grounded in something small enough in scope to be easily dug into. Beet isn't all that unique as a character, but I liked her family. They gave me the vibes of a family from an older literary book, honestly, which isn't a bad thing and made them almost feel familiar. I also enjoyed the rest of the town as they made their marks on the story. They helped round out the island itself.
As for the sea monster context- again, conceptually, I loved it. The history behind all of this as well done in terms of getting the actual information, and it was emotional enough to make me sympathetic towards her victims. However, I kept waiting for it to give me an actual answer about her- what does she want, who is she, why these specific requests and victims besides being a villain? And I never fully got any answers.
I never got invested in this story, or any of its characters. This wasn't one that I personally ally enjoyed, and I blame a lot of that on this not being a story that reads YA to me and one I should have come into with different expectations and a different headspace.
TW: drowning, kidnap of an infant, toxic mother
3.3
When Beet's cousin dies, she sees his ghost in the garden. It's something she keeps mostly to herself, an impossibility she only thinks on to try to recall the song she heard him playing. But when someone new arrives on their island, someone who claims to be kin to her cousin and his now-dead mother, impossibilities are everywhere. Determined to keep her cousin's infant child safe, as well as the girlfriend he left behind, Beet must discover the secrets this newcomer has hidden.
This is a hard one for me. Conceptually, I love it, and there's a certain lushness to the storytelling that most of the time I would be really happy about. But there's something about that quality that made it so hard to get into. I think it's partially because I came into this story expecting YA, and I wouldn't at all say that it's a YA. If I had been expecting an adult book, I may have been more responsive, but instead I found it incredibly hard to get a grip on this book.
That said, I think the writing has its moments. The island town, the magical atmosphere allowing ghosts and sea monsters, it's all written well enough to sink into. The problems arise when it's hard to get back out- away from the descriptions and into the actual story. But if you're fine with a slow moving, atmospheric read, this is a good one.
As for dialogue, I do wish the author hadn't made the choice of doing things like spelling boy with multiple "y"s to signify tone. That sort of thing puts me off in professionally published media, and it made my trust in her as a writer, and writer of teen characters, waver.
Generally, I liked the characters. Their intentions and motivations are strong and yet grounded in something small enough in scope to be easily dug into. Beet isn't all that unique as a character, but I liked her family. They gave me the vibes of a family from an older literary book, honestly, which isn't a bad thing and made them almost feel familiar. I also enjoyed the rest of the town as they made their marks on the story. They helped round out the island itself.
As for the sea monster context- again, conceptually, I loved it. The history behind all of this as well done in terms of getting the actual information, and it was emotional enough to make me sympathetic towards her victims. However, I kept waiting for it to give me an actual answer about her- what does she want, who is she, why these specific requests and victims besides being a villain? And I never fully got any answers.
I never got invested in this story, or any of its characters. This wasn't one that I personally ally enjoyed, and I blame a lot of that on this not being a story that reads YA to me and one I should have come into with different expectations and a different headspace.
April 11, 2021
I loved this book! Kind of Anne of Green Gables + horror/fantasy + the sea. The cover and PEI setting were what initially tempted me, but the book itself was even better than I expected. And scarier, in a sort of mellow way.
Edit: I should qualify my characterization of this as "horror" and "scary" in the following two ways: 1) If you recognize the mythology at play in this book, it might be less scary for you. I did not, so it worked particularly well for me ("WHAT IS HAPPENING"); and 2) I generally prefer my horror "lite"—more on the creepy side (like Poe) and less gory or demonic.
Edit: I should qualify my characterization of this as "horror" and "scary" in the following two ways: 1) If you recognize the mythology at play in this book, it might be less scary for you. I did not, so it worked particularly well for me ("WHAT IS HAPPENING"); and 2) I generally prefer my horror "lite"—more on the creepy side (like Poe) and less gory or demonic.
March 8, 2022
writing style was not for me jdjdj i had to reread almost every paragraph multiple times
i absolutely love all the lore and folklore
it took pretty long to read this, considering that this has less than 300 pages
it was very slow and confusing, then when things started adding up it was too fast paced (if that makes sense)??
i absolutely love all the lore and folklore
it took pretty long to read this, considering that this has less than 300 pages
it was very slow and confusing, then when things started adding up it was too fast paced (if that makes sense)??
July 27, 2023
A great story that consistently held my attention throughout. The writing style, character development and world building were great. And what a cover! I'm not a fan of alternating POV but I'm glad the story mostly stayed with Beet. I hope this author writes more soon.
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April 17, 2022
Ew I can’t why does it take 200 pages to get to the good part this book just went on and on. The only part I really liked was the end.
January 5, 2022
A wonderful and atmospheric folk tale book set in the Prince Edward Island, and based on scottish folklore.
Definitely a piece for my folklore loving heart. This was so nostalgic, melancholic and a bit dark, too. I loved the atmosphere so much, so deligftfully full of melancholy.
This is a book that could be described as slow, but I actually think it fits the melancholic folklore vibe this has, it´s slow but whimsical and describes both sorrow and love so beautifully and poetically. Author has really lovely writing style, too.
This is like a story from old story book you´d find in a box in the cupboard.
Definitely a piece for my folklore loving heart. This was so nostalgic, melancholic and a bit dark, too. I loved the atmosphere so much, so deligftfully full of melancholy.
This is a book that could be described as slow, but I actually think it fits the melancholic folklore vibe this has, it´s slow but whimsical and describes both sorrow and love so beautifully and poetically. Author has really lovely writing style, too.
This is like a story from old story book you´d find in a box in the cupboard.
March 23, 2021
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC!
What a fascinating read! I am from Nova Scotia and visit PEI regularly, and it was so cool to see this beautiful and mystical setting in a fantastical historical book. I found the first half of the book slightly confused and it did drag a little bit, but partway through it picked up and I was certainly invested in the end. This was one of the must unique books I've read in a long time, and if only for the setting I will certainly be recommending it.
This is probably closer to a 3.5 star.
What a fascinating read! I am from Nova Scotia and visit PEI regularly, and it was so cool to see this beautiful and mystical setting in a fantastical historical book. I found the first half of the book slightly confused and it did drag a little bit, but partway through it picked up and I was certainly invested in the end. This was one of the must unique books I've read in a long time, and if only for the setting I will certainly be recommending it.
This is probably closer to a 3.5 star.
January 28, 2024
A moment for the cover please???
Atmosphere was cool, but apart from that I feel there's not super a lot that will be memorable here. It showed the importance of family and community, but you always kind of knew who the villain was from the start and didn't quite get that building dread that I was hoping for.
Still solid but would maybe put this at the younger end of YA horror.
Atmosphere was cool, but apart from that I feel there's not super a lot that will be memorable here. It showed the importance of family and community, but you always kind of knew who the villain was from the start and didn't quite get that building dread that I was hoping for.
Still solid but would maybe put this at the younger end of YA horror.
March 26, 2022
Very good and had an amazingly timeless feel - this could have been written any time in the past seventy years, in a good way.
May 10, 2021
*3.25 stars
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!
The Coming Story is a YA historical fantasy set in Prince Edward Island. It is a ghost story that involves love, music and the sea.
This book is perfect for anyone who loves Anne of Green Gables, as it definitely has similar vibes. I loved how the author was able to make the setting of PEI feel so real.
As for the plot, it was a bit slow and dry at times. The ghost story was what really enticed me! I really enjoyed the mystery of it all and the mythology behind it. It kept me on the edge of my seat and had me hooked from start to finish.
As for the relationships between the characters, the romance fell flat, but the familial relationships were so well done! I loved the relationship between Beet and Gerry, and how Beet would do anything to protect her family. I also really enjoyed Beet's character overall, I thought she was a compelling protagonist to read about!
Overall, a decent short read that told an alluring ghost story.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!
The Coming Story is a YA historical fantasy set in Prince Edward Island. It is a ghost story that involves love, music and the sea.
This book is perfect for anyone who loves Anne of Green Gables, as it definitely has similar vibes. I loved how the author was able to make the setting of PEI feel so real.
As for the plot, it was a bit slow and dry at times. The ghost story was what really enticed me! I really enjoyed the mystery of it all and the mythology behind it. It kept me on the edge of my seat and had me hooked from start to finish.
As for the relationships between the characters, the romance fell flat, but the familial relationships were so well done! I loved the relationship between Beet and Gerry, and how Beet would do anything to protect her family. I also really enjoyed Beet's character overall, I thought she was a compelling protagonist to read about!
Overall, a decent short read that told an alluring ghost story.
did-not-finish
May 24, 2021**An ARC of this book was provided to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
DNF'd at 30%.
Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. It took me two weeks and a lot of struggling to make it as far as 30% into this book. It's very folklore-y, in the sense that it's a slow, winding story with lots of descriptions that had me wondering where the tangents were going and what the point was. Some people like that style of writing, but I just couldn't shovel through it. After the gorgeous cover, I was also expecting the violin to be more involved than it ended up being, which was another disappointment for me.
Since what I didn't like was mostly stylistic, I do think this could be a book that others enjoy. Just be wary if you prefer books with tension or drama because this is a very slow and meandering book.
DNF'd at 30%.
Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. It took me two weeks and a lot of struggling to make it as far as 30% into this book. It's very folklore-y, in the sense that it's a slow, winding story with lots of descriptions that had me wondering where the tangents were going and what the point was. Some people like that style of writing, but I just couldn't shovel through it. After the gorgeous cover, I was also expecting the violin to be more involved than it ended up being, which was another disappointment for me.
Since what I didn't like was mostly stylistic, I do think this could be a book that others enjoy. Just be wary if you prefer books with tension or drama because this is a very slow and meandering book.
March 13, 2021
I am really struggling to review this, because it doesn’t fit into any of the normal categories. I can’t say it was an epic fantasy for fans of Sabaa Tahir and Megan Whalen Turner, because it wasn’t. I can’t say it was a contemporary romance for fans of Kasie West. It wasn’t even your standard paranormal. They say that the essence of a good book review is comparison, but I have no idea what to compare it to. So please bear with my lack of eloquence.
I didn’t have a lot of expectations going into this book, but there were a lot of things I wasn’t expecting. I wasn’t expecting a book about a girl in the 1950s. I wasn’t expecting a style that was extremely different from your standard YA novel. I wasn’t expecting to read about a girl who didn’t try to fix everything by herself (practically unheard of). I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did.
On a different note, I normally hate it when books are in present-tense. They often end up feeling stilted, awkward, and unnatural, and I have quit books multiple times simply for that reason. I probably wouldn’t have picked up this book if I had realized beforehand that it was present tense, but Regina Hansen managed to get the advantages out of it -- a sense of immediacy and urgency -- without making it feel forced. The tone wasn’t angsty or rebellious, which was refreshing. Beet, the main character, is far from perfect, but is still mostly respectful of her family and likeable.
The main thing I didn’t like was that the story jumped around a lot. Most of the time it’s in Beet’s point of view in the 1950’s, but in order to explain all of the backstory Hansen went through the point of view of multiple characters, and as far back in time as 1820 -- and just Long Ago. While I guess it was necessary for the way the story was told, I didn’t like how much jumping around there was. It was hard to keep up with all of the different characters, and I didn’t care about them as much as I cared about our regular main characters.
And finally, The Coming Storm is Canadian. Set in Prince Edward Island and written by an author born there, The Coming Storm is an excellent contribution to quality Canadian literature -- which there isn’t enough of in my humble opinion. Regina Hansen is definitely worth keeping an eye on in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Mature content: a bird is referred to as “that d*mned creature” once. Some light kissing, and a young child born out of wedlock and his mother are secondary characters. Plenty of violence and death of multiple characters, some of it described. A definite supernatural aspect with ghosts etc., but handled relatively well.
Recommended age: 13+
I didn’t have a lot of expectations going into this book, but there were a lot of things I wasn’t expecting. I wasn’t expecting a book about a girl in the 1950s. I wasn’t expecting a style that was extremely different from your standard YA novel. I wasn’t expecting to read about a girl who didn’t try to fix everything by herself (practically unheard of). I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did.
On a different note, I normally hate it when books are in present-tense. They often end up feeling stilted, awkward, and unnatural, and I have quit books multiple times simply for that reason. I probably wouldn’t have picked up this book if I had realized beforehand that it was present tense, but Regina Hansen managed to get the advantages out of it -- a sense of immediacy and urgency -- without making it feel forced. The tone wasn’t angsty or rebellious, which was refreshing. Beet, the main character, is far from perfect, but is still mostly respectful of her family and likeable.
The main thing I didn’t like was that the story jumped around a lot. Most of the time it’s in Beet’s point of view in the 1950’s, but in order to explain all of the backstory Hansen went through the point of view of multiple characters, and as far back in time as 1820 -- and just Long Ago. While I guess it was necessary for the way the story was told, I didn’t like how much jumping around there was. It was hard to keep up with all of the different characters, and I didn’t care about them as much as I cared about our regular main characters.
And finally, The Coming Storm is Canadian. Set in Prince Edward Island and written by an author born there, The Coming Storm is an excellent contribution to quality Canadian literature -- which there isn’t enough of in my humble opinion. Regina Hansen is definitely worth keeping an eye on in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Mature content: a bird is referred to as “that d*mned creature” once. Some light kissing, and a young child born out of wedlock and his mother are secondary characters. Plenty of violence and death of multiple characters, some of it described. A definite supernatural aspect with ghosts etc., but handled relatively well.
Recommended age: 13+
March 23, 2021
Yes! Where was this when I was in high school?
The Coming Storm by Regina M. Hansen is a ghost story and a fairytale set on Prince Edward Island in the 1950s, where one girl and her fiddle must stand against an ancient evil that threatens her family. Full of lush landscapes full of fresh roses in April, the hazy mist and fog, the sea-salt waves that crash on the rocks, it's hard not to feel the echo of the fiddle song as you read.
Beatrice, Beet to everyone else, isn't sure what to do after seeing the ghost of her cousin. Gifted with his fiddle, she's determined to honor his legacy as everything unravels after the strange passing of his mother. A new woman enters the island, claiming blood-ties and an unsettling interest in her cousin's baby. Full of windows in the past chronicling strange murders and the rumors of a shape-shifting creature, Beet and her friends must come together and stop the tithe from happening.
Hansen builds a beautiful world grounded in history. Perfect for fans of Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters and The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater this vivid story comes alive with music and friendship.
Thanks to Edelweiss for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Coming Storm by Regina M. Hansen is a ghost story and a fairytale set on Prince Edward Island in the 1950s, where one girl and her fiddle must stand against an ancient evil that threatens her family. Full of lush landscapes full of fresh roses in April, the hazy mist and fog, the sea-salt waves that crash on the rocks, it's hard not to feel the echo of the fiddle song as you read.
Beatrice, Beet to everyone else, isn't sure what to do after seeing the ghost of her cousin. Gifted with his fiddle, she's determined to honor his legacy as everything unravels after the strange passing of his mother. A new woman enters the island, claiming blood-ties and an unsettling interest in her cousin's baby. Full of windows in the past chronicling strange murders and the rumors of a shape-shifting creature, Beet and her friends must come together and stop the tithe from happening.
Hansen builds a beautiful world grounded in history. Perfect for fans of Ghost Wood Song by Erica Waters and The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater this vivid story comes alive with music and friendship.
Thanks to Edelweiss for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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May 6, 2021
Go get it! I read an early draft of this, and it was amazing already, absolutely loved it. Can't wait to read the published version!
May 31, 2021
This book is quiet and captivating with Maggie Stievfater vibes. If you enjoy lyrical, atmosphic books with a hint of romance that you can devour in a single sitting, this book is for you.
July 26, 2021
My Rating: 3.5/5 ★'s
Well, this book was an adventure.
I'll be honest, it was the cover that drew me into this one. I saw it and I had to know more. It's absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I was even more delighted to find out it was set on the East Coast here in our beloved country, and the author is Canadian as well! SOLD.
The Coming Storm delivers all kinds of folktale goodness through the voices of those from a small coastal town in PEI, and particularly that of Beatrice MacNeill. "Beet" is a real firecracker of a girl. When Beet's cousin fails to return from sea, she sees his ghost playing fiddle in the garden and knows - he won't be coming home. But there's something about the sad tune he's playing, and Beet's determined to learn to play it on the fiddle she learned to play through him.
But something is amiss, and it's not just the death of her cousin, there's something more at stake here.
I really loved the folky setting of this story. 1950's PEI - small town where everyone knows everybody's business. The fishing boats, the seagulls. Hansen does an incredible job of really painting the scene. I felt like I could run my hands through the sea grass and smell the salt on the air. This book is picturesque for certain. Very atmospheric, I really enjoyed that much.
Though truthfully, at some parts the actual storytelling dragged for me. I really loved reading Beet's POV chapters, but when it would switch to others, specifically those going back even further in time, my interest wavered. I couldn't quite tell you why, because honestly they were necessary to understand the history and events of what was going on - but I just found them a little.. boring. But then I'd get back to a Beet chapter and I was good.
If you're expecting romance, which the book description seems to suggest at, you'll be disappointed. There's some tender moments, but there's not really a developing relationship there, and to be fair, Beet is only 13 years old at the start of all this. I didn't feel like the story lacked anything without it.
My only gripe with this book was that the ending came on really fast and felt like it ended a little too soon. I can't quite say what exactly, but I wanted MORE from it. The beginning was a very slow burn, and I was just hoping for a little more satisfaction from the ending, but it fell a little flat for me.
At the end of the day, I'm really glad I got the chance to read this book. I think it went outside my usual realm of fantasy and really shook the genre up for me and I really enjoyed that.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Well, this book was an adventure.
I'll be honest, it was the cover that drew me into this one. I saw it and I had to know more. It's absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I was even more delighted to find out it was set on the East Coast here in our beloved country, and the author is Canadian as well! SOLD.
The Coming Storm delivers all kinds of folktale goodness through the voices of those from a small coastal town in PEI, and particularly that of Beatrice MacNeill. "Beet" is a real firecracker of a girl. When Beet's cousin fails to return from sea, she sees his ghost playing fiddle in the garden and knows - he won't be coming home. But there's something about the sad tune he's playing, and Beet's determined to learn to play it on the fiddle she learned to play through him.
But something is amiss, and it's not just the death of her cousin, there's something more at stake here.
I really loved the folky setting of this story. 1950's PEI - small town where everyone knows everybody's business. The fishing boats, the seagulls. Hansen does an incredible job of really painting the scene. I felt like I could run my hands through the sea grass and smell the salt on the air. This book is picturesque for certain. Very atmospheric, I really enjoyed that much.
Though truthfully, at some parts the actual storytelling dragged for me. I really loved reading Beet's POV chapters, but when it would switch to others, specifically those going back even further in time, my interest wavered. I couldn't quite tell you why, because honestly they were necessary to understand the history and events of what was going on - but I just found them a little.. boring. But then I'd get back to a Beet chapter and I was good.
If you're expecting romance, which the book description seems to suggest at, you'll be disappointed. There's some tender moments, but there's not really a developing relationship there, and to be fair, Beet is only 13 years old at the start of all this. I didn't feel like the story lacked anything without it.
My only gripe with this book was that the ending came on really fast and felt like it ended a little too soon. I can't quite say what exactly, but I wanted MORE from it. The beginning was a very slow burn, and I was just hoping for a little more satisfaction from the ending, but it fell a little flat for me.
At the end of the day, I'm really glad I got the chance to read this book. I think it went outside my usual realm of fantasy and really shook the genre up for me and I really enjoyed that.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 20, 2021
Ever try to go into books knowing as little as possible? After realizing how much better Firekeeper’s Daughter was without any prior knowledge of the plot, I decided to do the same with The Coming Storm by Regina M. Hansen. I didn’t know too much going into this book, other than to expect ghosts, P.E.I., and music. What I wasn’t expecting from this book was that it was a historical fiction, and that it would give me a lot of The Scorpio Races vibes (while very different, The Scorpio Races also has murderous horses on an Island).
The story follows Beatrice (Beet) MacNeill, whose quiet life on a farm on Prince Edward Island takes a dark turn when the ghost of her older cousin, Gerry, appears in front of her playing a haunting tune on the fiddle, hours before they receive news of his death. When a mysterious woman comes into town, very interested in Gerry’s baby, Beet and other residents soon start spotting a horse with blood red eyes, and mysterious singing that seems to control the ocean.
While I fell in love with the cover and was intrigued by the book’s description, The Coming Storm unfortunately just left me feeling meh. I loved that it was set in P.E.I., and though I haven’t had the chance to visit the island yet, Hansen’s writing beautifully brought post-war P.E.I. to life for me and made me feel like I was there with Beet. This is a very atmospheric read with a lot of folklore mixed in. That being said, this is not a fast-paced book and there were many points where I felt like the story was dragging. Even at the 50% mark, it still felt like a long-winded introduction. While things start to pick up towards the end, I still felt that even the final “show down” towards the end took forever and I couldn’t wait for it to be done with.
There are also a lot of POV changes and time jumps, which can be confusing for readers not paying close attention. The plot mainly follows Beet, it jump around to characters known to Beet as well as unrelated, cutting between 1950 and the 1800s (and in a couple chapters, far earlier). Unfortunately I found that many of the POVs for characters prior to Beet’s POV all told the same story and didn’t contribute all that much to the main plot. Aside from a couple characters, many just told the same story over and over again and I felt that they would cut in at odd times.
While this isn’t a book I’ll be jumping to re-read anytime soon, I did wind up recommending it to friends who enjoy slower reads and to a teacher friend whose students are looking for more books set in Canada, as this was definitely something I would’ve liked a lot more in middle school. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for giving me the chance to read this early!
The story follows Beatrice (Beet) MacNeill, whose quiet life on a farm on Prince Edward Island takes a dark turn when the ghost of her older cousin, Gerry, appears in front of her playing a haunting tune on the fiddle, hours before they receive news of his death. When a mysterious woman comes into town, very interested in Gerry’s baby, Beet and other residents soon start spotting a horse with blood red eyes, and mysterious singing that seems to control the ocean.
While I fell in love with the cover and was intrigued by the book’s description, The Coming Storm unfortunately just left me feeling meh. I loved that it was set in P.E.I., and though I haven’t had the chance to visit the island yet, Hansen’s writing beautifully brought post-war P.E.I. to life for me and made me feel like I was there with Beet. This is a very atmospheric read with a lot of folklore mixed in. That being said, this is not a fast-paced book and there were many points where I felt like the story was dragging. Even at the 50% mark, it still felt like a long-winded introduction. While things start to pick up towards the end, I still felt that even the final “show down” towards the end took forever and I couldn’t wait for it to be done with.
There are also a lot of POV changes and time jumps, which can be confusing for readers not paying close attention. The plot mainly follows Beet, it jump around to characters known to Beet as well as unrelated, cutting between 1950 and the 1800s (and in a couple chapters, far earlier). Unfortunately I found that many of the POVs for characters prior to Beet’s POV all told the same story and didn’t contribute all that much to the main plot. Aside from a couple characters, many just told the same story over and over again and I felt that they would cut in at odd times.
While this isn’t a book I’ll be jumping to re-read anytime soon, I did wind up recommending it to friends who enjoy slower reads and to a teacher friend whose students are looking for more books set in Canada, as this was definitely something I would’ve liked a lot more in middle school. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for giving me the chance to read this early!
November 2, 2023
This book was so good. One of the most original books I've read this year, I enjoyed the sprawling nature of the plot that perfectly embodied the theme of local lore. The setting, Prince Edward Island in the 50's (mostly) was vibrant and fascinating to read about. The plot and characters were very realistic, more along the lines of historical or women's fiction, than the stylized YA fantasy I'm used to reading, and I found it very refreshing. I really had no idea where this boon was going for about 75% of it...it kept me reading for sure! I highly recommend if you're looking for an atmospheric, eerie ocean read full of sea faring lore.
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