Salt & Storm by Kendall Kulper

by:  Kendall Kulper
published by:  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
publish date:  September 23, 2014

Avery Roe wants only to claim her birthright as the witch of Prince Island and to make the charms that have kept the island's sailors safe at sea for generations, but instead she is held prisoner by her mother in a magic-free life of proper manners and respectability. Avery thinks escape is just a matter of time, but when she has a harrowing nightmare, she can see what it means: She will be killed. She will be murdered. And she's never been wrong before.

Desperate to change her future, Avery finds a surprising ally in Tane—a tattooed harpoon boy with magic of his own, who moves her in ways she never expected. But as time runs out to unlock her magic and save herself, Avery discovers that becoming a witch requires unimaginable sacrifice.

I found it odd that this book was classified as a YA book.  It didn't have a YA feel.  I think it's one of those books that would have fit neatly into the New Adult category if New Adult hasn't quickly become another term for dark and dirty romance.  However, that's a topic for another day.  Thinking back on it, I'm not really sure it would have been a good fit in adult literature either, because it didn't have the maturity adult readers would have expected.  So it was too mature for YA, but not mature enough for Adult, in my opinion anyway.

All that said, it was a really good story.  For generations the Roe Witches have been keeping the people of Prince Island safe and prosperous.  Until Avery's mother attempts to run away and break the hold that the island has on the Roe women.  She takes Avery away from her grandmother, the current Roe Witch, to be raised away from magic.  When the Roe Witch dies, there will be no one to take her place.  However, when she does die, all the magic holding Price Island together ends and the island becomes a dangerous place to be.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that loves historical fiction for one.  I liked that aspect of the story.  The witches keeping the whaling ships safe.  Readers the like witches and magic will also like this one.  I think readers of Kathleen Kent or Katherine Howe would really like this book.