Cornerstone by Misty Provencher

Book Review: 

Nalena Maxwell has been branded ‘The Waste’ at her new school, due to her mom's obsessive paper hoarding. Nalena desperately wants something to change in her life, but when she receives a sign (and it's the wrong dang one) inviting her into a mysterious, ancient community, too much changes. What she knew of her family, what she thought of her life and what she believed about her future, is no longer applicable. Seventeen years worth of family skeletons come crashing into Nalena's life and it is the boy...the one that smiles at her like he wants to hear everything she'll ever say...that already knows her powerful secrets. But it is only Nalena that can choose between protecting the life that is already crumbling beneath her feet and the one that might sacrifice everything she could ever have.

Christina's BookReview

"I let myself think, I hope he loves me, and then I wonder if I’ve said it out loud. I try hard to remember if I’d formed the words with my lips. No. I didn’t. I’m sure I didn’t. I’m convinced of it, until he murmurs back, “Don’t worry. He does.”
RECAP

Nalena Maxwell is used to being called "The Waste" at her high school because of her mothers obsession with paper. Every week Nali is obligated to lug home reams of paper for her mother to fill up and clutter her home with. Nali is ready for a change and for answers. Why doesn't her mother ever get passed one line of a story plot? Why can't she stop writing? And why is the hottest guy in school now paying attention to her?

When Garret Reese pushes into her life, Nali doesn't understand why he's paying her any mind and being so kind. After he saved her from a viscous attack Nali realizes that maybe he does care. But more importantly the question is how do his parents and her mother know each other? 

When she finally gets answers to her questions Nali is about to realize that maybe some answers aren't meant to be revealed. Now she must make a choice... 

Protect the people you love or turn your back on your destiny...

MY TAKE 

So when I read this book as a bookclub read for this month and at first was hesitant. Honestly, the cover looked plain to me and so I wasn't too interested. I know...you shouldn't base a book by its cover. Sue me. :-) At the end I'm glad I gave this book a try. I was looking for a book that wasn't so predictable and this was just that. 

Nali is kept in the dark about her mothers obsessive behavior and grows frustrated. She is constantly left in the dark throughout the book so I understood why she would be upset and why she would complain. I, however, thought that she jumped to conclusions too much and that she didn't take things seriously. She made irrational decisions without thinking things through. Especially when her decision was crucial. That was what frustrated me about her. And the consequences to her behavior were brutal. 

Now the relationship between  her and Garrett was almost non existence in this book. Not that there wasn't any but that its the friendship stage of any relationship. Nali is oblivious to Garrett's feelings and her own throughout the book. But don't get me wrong Garrett was a sweetheart! I enjoyed his parts in this and his kindness towards both Nali and her mother. I liked that he knew that he wanted to be a Contego (a warrior) in life and that just made him hot. :-)  As well as I liked his relationship with his brothers and sister.

I have to mention the Reese family because they were incredible! The Reese family are all Contego (minus one) and they protect the other members of their "community". I won't go into details about this part because it will ruin the book. Any who,  I enjoyed meeting them in this book and look forward to learning more about them...especially Sean. :-) I enjoyed the "system" they had for girl callers since the household was filled with four teenage guys. 

Also present was the Addo and I liked his sense of humor and charismatic attitude. I can't wait to read more about this society that they live in and hopefully get some answers to some of MY questions about the other fractions in the society.

The action in this book really shows up at the end and it what I'm thinking the lead in to the other books in this series. The good guys underestimate the bad ones in this book but after the end of the book 1 they realize that they shouldn't have. It ends in sadness and I can' wait to read more. 

BUY (I believe its free) this. READ it. ENJOY it!

HAPPY READING!