Blog Tour for Keystone by Misty Provencher

Posted by Guest Reviewer Melanie 

Release Date: July 31st, 2012

Finished Date: September 3rd, 2012

Publishers: Self Published 

Source: ARC For Review

Format: Kindle 

Pages: 259

There’s a man-made storm coming, like a rip in the world, and it’s called the Cusp. 

Struggling to fit into the destiny she’s accepted, Nalena Maxwell has been left with one objective: she must find her murdered grandfather’s Memory. Stolen and hidden away by her own father over seventeen years ago, the Memory could be the key to ending the Cusp and destroying the Ianua’s rival community, The Fury.

Driven by each individual’s selfish desires, The Fury has always lacked the loyalty and organization it needs to be an actual force of power. 

Until now. 

Someone masterminded the Fury’s massive attack on the Ianua, slaughtering twelve of their thirteen community leaders, the Addos. Now there are rumors that the 13th Cura, to which Nali belongs, has gone to the Fury, manipulating the last Addo in order to control the other 12 Curas.

As the Cusp brings the Fury and their own communities against them, Nalena’s Cura must preserve the Ianua, but finding the key to the Cusp isn’t as simple as it seems.

The Review: Following the events of Cornerstone, Keystone took on a more sombre feel as Nalena, Garret and his family try to come to terms with their losses and that everything they had is now gone except for each other.  Nalena is made endure through another impressioning  which is harder the second time around and more dangerous but necessary. The remaining Ianua in their Cura try to come together and protect the last remaining Addo but the Fury are not about to give up and they intensify their search for the ‘Key’- long believed to be Nalena’s grandfather’s memory and the key to the Fury’s destruction - and they always seem to be one step ahead of our heroine. As the Fury search for the key so too does Nalena who thinks it may be the only chance to win this battle but as the clues start to unravel, so does their trust in people until it seems like everyone is against them, even their own. Can she master her powers and find the key in time to prevent more loss of life? And just who is behind the new and improved Fury?

I really enjoyed this book, just as much as the first and it is a great progression. In my opinion this book is the big set up of the series plot more so than the first book where we were introduced to the main players and the world of the Ianua. I still love Nalena, I am a huge character fan and I’m still feeling her and enjoying reading how she is blossoming into the Contego she is meant to be. I’m also getting the feeling that she may not only end up being classed as that and maybe she will end up being an all-rounder for some reason and even at the end of book two, I’m still feeling she has more to give. Garrett as always is perfect, I wasn’t feeling their love in this as much as book one but there is a good reason for that and what comes from that has me quite excited for their future *I’m saying nothing* we also get a few newbies in this as well, meeting more people from the Ianua and I was getting a bit anxious thinking that certain person(s) were going to try and get between my favourite couple.

As I said the story is a great progression. I liked that we found more about the Ianua, especially the Cura that they belong to and enjoyed meeting the wider community, finding out who they are and what they do plus seeing them come together in a time of need. I like that Nalena is beginning to train and that it’s filled with humour too so that it isn’t all serious, and it’s nice to see the teens given responsibility and treat with respect from their elders – it’s not often I read about that. The Fury are an interesting enemy, I liked the way they stepped everything up a notch and the offensive they are taking because it kept me on my toes the whole time and some of the scenes were great to read especially the freeball incident which had just the right amount of everything a run/chase scenario should have. I love the introduction of the Veritas and what they do and who they are, totally love Nok – he’s awesome and I hope he has a larger role to come. The memory scenes where just lovely as well, beautifully dealt with and portrayed – if only our funerals/memorials/wakes were like that – more happiness at having known and loved a person than grief for what was lost – loved it! And I also loved where Nalena and Garrett seem to be headed. I also like the way the mystery of the Grandfather’s memory is weaved throughout and that neither side really know too much about it or what to expect from it but that Nalena is bang in the middle of everything which leaves you knowing that there is a lot more to come from her. This book  answered a few questions but opened up a lot more and I’m loving where it seems to be going, I enjoyed everything about it especially the little complications and reveals near the end and their world has opened up a bit more, which in turn has left me wanting more – again - which means it’s certainly done its job.