Becoming Calder by Mia Sheridan
Becoming Calder
Synopsis:
There is a place in modern day America with no electricity, no plumbing, and no modern conveniences. In this place, there is no room for dreams, no space for self-expression, and no tolerance for ambition.
In this place, there is a boy with the body of a God and the heart of a warrior. He is strong and faithful and serves his family honorably. But he dares to dream of more.
In this place, there is a girl with the face of an angel and a heart full of courage. To her family, she is the vision of obedient perfection. But she dares to want that which she has been told can never be hers.
Becoming Calder is the story of good versus evil, fear versus bravery, and the truth that the light of love has always found its way into even the darkest of places... From the beginning of time, to the end of the world.
THIS IS THE FIRST PART IN A TWO-PART SIGN OF LOVE SERIES INSPIRED BY AQUARIUS. THE SECOND PART, FINDING EDEN, WILL RELEASE SIMULTANEOUSLY.
Review:
*Note: I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Becoming Calder will be released on Oct 5 together with the second part of the story, Finding Eden. You can pre-order Becoming Calder here.
Let me start of by saying I did really enjoy most of this book, and would recommend it, but I did have a few issues with it at the same time. When I first finished I was just like woah! I was really excited to start reading Becoming Calder. I mean I love love loved Archer's Voice so I couldn't wait for more from the author.
Calder seems like such a sweet guy, honest and helpful and just tries to do what is right and live up to what he has been taught his whole life. He knows he shouldn't be with Eden, he knows she will never be his, but he can't help it. He can't stay away from her and once things start to happen he can't stop it, especially when she wants it too. They are sweet together, but pretty insta love that worked somewhat.
Eden is fated to be with someone else. She wants Calder though. With only ever having spoken to him once she is in love. She wants desperately to be with Calder, but it is not to be. She knows she is not supposed to want him, but she can't help it. When the two of them get together she doesn't hold back. She wants what she wants and doesn't really care that she shouldn't have it.
So the parts of the book with Calder and Eden and the spring and all of it were really sweet. They did go well together, they felt the same way towards each other and knew what they felt was supposed to be wrong, but they didn't care by the end. They wanted a life together even if that wasn't supposed to happen.
So their basic story was sweet and lovely and great. What didn't I like? Well the setting of the story, what is actually going on. I was disappointed in that as it was a bit too nice. From everything I know of these types of situations and from other books I have read with similar settings I was expecting it to be much worse. I was expecting Eden's life to be really terrible. I was expecting more heartache and hardship and distress reading what is going on. Instead it was just okay. Sure it is not the best situation ever, but it is not as bad as I had thought it would be. She gets off really easy and I wasn't expecting that...I just felt a bit let down. I felt like the whole situation should have been a lot worse and it just seemed like overall a nice place to be and not that bad. I wanted it pushed a step farther to really make this story powerful and engaging. I wanted a darker story with an unbelievably hopeful story over top.
My second issue? Eden hasn't had schooling. She doesn't know basic math or science of anything except how to play the piano and read the holy book. My issue? She doesn't really come across that way. She uses some big words, or responds to Calder when he uses them, and I would just think how does she know these words? They are not common everyday words that she would easily pick up so...She just seemed like a normal teenage girl, not someone with no education, but then once and a while we would have a passage where Calder would teach her something and she would be like oh! That is how that works or whatever. Another small thing that bugged me.
I know I have some complaints about this story, but I did enjoy this book. Once I got into it I was savoring it like a sweet treat. I was reading it slowly and taking it all in. I was invested in Calder and Eden and their story. I did really enjoy it, up until the very very very end. I won't talk about it in specifics as I don't want to spoil anything but while reading the end gets pretty intense. I was like on the edge of my seat reading it until the last pages. Updated: I originally found one part of the last pages a little lame and a let down, but since I just started Finding Eden I think I just didn't understand the layout of the setting and where things were. Still not my favorite, still wanted a little more from the very end with the one character, but it is not as bad as I had thought. I think the second book will be better based on the first chapter of this book. I seem to be the only one with these issues as all the other reviews are just about how amazing the story is, and I did enjoy reading it so you probably will as well. I would recommend it and it was a good read.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ 1/2
Becoming Calder will be released on Oct 5 together with the second part of the story, Finding Eden. You can pre-order Becoming Calder here.
Let me start of by saying I did really enjoy most of this book, and would recommend it, but I did have a few issues with it at the same time. When I first finished I was just like woah! I was really excited to start reading Becoming Calder. I mean I love love loved Archer's Voice so I couldn't wait for more from the author.
Calder seems like such a sweet guy, honest and helpful and just tries to do what is right and live up to what he has been taught his whole life. He knows he shouldn't be with Eden, he knows she will never be his, but he can't help it. He can't stay away from her and once things start to happen he can't stop it, especially when she wants it too. They are sweet together, but pretty insta love that worked somewhat.
Eden is fated to be with someone else. She wants Calder though. With only ever having spoken to him once she is in love. She wants desperately to be with Calder, but it is not to be. She knows she is not supposed to want him, but she can't help it. When the two of them get together she doesn't hold back. She wants what she wants and doesn't really care that she shouldn't have it.
So the parts of the book with Calder and Eden and the spring and all of it were really sweet. They did go well together, they felt the same way towards each other and knew what they felt was supposed to be wrong, but they didn't care by the end. They wanted a life together even if that wasn't supposed to happen.
So their basic story was sweet and lovely and great. What didn't I like? Well the setting of the story, what is actually going on. I was disappointed in that as it was a bit too nice. From everything I know of these types of situations and from other books I have read with similar settings I was expecting it to be much worse. I was expecting Eden's life to be really terrible. I was expecting more heartache and hardship and distress reading what is going on. Instead it was just okay. Sure it is not the best situation ever, but it is not as bad as I had thought it would be. She gets off really easy and I wasn't expecting that...I just felt a bit let down. I felt like the whole situation should have been a lot worse and it just seemed like overall a nice place to be and not that bad. I wanted it pushed a step farther to really make this story powerful and engaging. I wanted a darker story with an unbelievably hopeful story over top.
My second issue? Eden hasn't had schooling. She doesn't know basic math or science of anything except how to play the piano and read the holy book. My issue? She doesn't really come across that way. She uses some big words, or responds to Calder when he uses them, and I would just think how does she know these words? They are not common everyday words that she would easily pick up so...She just seemed like a normal teenage girl, not someone with no education, but then once and a while we would have a passage where Calder would teach her something and she would be like oh! That is how that works or whatever. Another small thing that bugged me.
I know I have some complaints about this story, but I did enjoy this book. Once I got into it I was savoring it like a sweet treat. I was reading it slowly and taking it all in. I was invested in Calder and Eden and their story. I did really enjoy it, up until the very very very end. I won't talk about it in specifics as I don't want to spoil anything but while reading the end gets pretty intense. I was like on the edge of my seat reading it until the last pages. Updated: I originally found one part of the last pages a little lame and a let down, but since I just started Finding Eden I think I just didn't understand the layout of the setting and where things were. Still not my favorite, still wanted a little more from the very end with the one character, but it is not as bad as I had thought. I think the second book will be better based on the first chapter of this book. I seem to be the only one with these issues as all the other reviews are just about how amazing the story is, and I did enjoy reading it so you probably will as well. I would recommend it and it was a good read.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ 1/2
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