Storm

Author: Bonnie S. Calhoun

Series: Stone Braid Chronicles #3

Publisher: Revell

Release Date: November 1, 2016

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

With Glade gone and everyone out to get her, Selah is going to have her biggest challenge yet. All she has to do is stay alive long enough to complete her mission. 

Selah has worked tirelessly to reunite her family, but in the blink of an eye it is all about to be gone. Out of the mountain they are surrounded in a world full of volcanic ash hiding the dangers beneath.  With each day that passes, she finds herself growing weaker.  Her abilities are diminishing as are the number of people trying to get her growing.  Being a novarium is a heavy burden, not only in her abilities but also in the knowledge that many have given their lives to save her.  Together they all work to continue the search in finding the Third Protocol to complete their mission.  Their only clues consist of ancient artifacts and relying on Keepers to give her the clues to continue.  With each step, Selah and her team wonder if they have made a mistake in who they placed their trust and if they can actually accomplish what they set out to do before it is too late.

As the Stone Braide Chronicles comes to an end, I feel satisfied yet still wanting more. There could easily be another novel to continue this story but with it ending here it can still be thought of as complete.  I thought this entire series was well written and entertaining.   For several moments of the story I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting to see what the outcome would be for Selah and her crew.  When reading, I love to be on the edge of my seat and feel as if I am right there with the characters.  That happened throughout much of this novel.  Bonnie Calhoun has taken us, not necessarily to a new world, but to a new time in the world we know.  The landscape is familiar with cities and landmarks that most will be familiar with but not what has happened in that land over time.  Being able to provide those landmarks help me set myself in the place the story was working its way through.  The timing is another story.  I know it’s in the future but am still unsure how far into the future we are, even after this third in the series.

While I did have those positives, I have to be honest that there are a few negative aspects for me. The question of what the Sorrows are still bugs me.  I don’t feel that that along with some of the technology they used and what Landers and Novarium are were fleshed out as much as I would have preferred.  With that being said, I feel another story coming on, either a sequel or a novella from a few of the other characters point of view would be welcomed.

There is still some violence here but nothing gets too bloody that it would need to be kept away from squeamish readers. Overall I enjoyed this series very much and am sad to see it come to an end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.