Cornerstone Review

Welcome to the week, well 6 days of Misty Provencher!! Today we are kicking it off with our review of Cornerstone. The following days will consist of our reviews of Keystone, one of our tour stops involving our review of Jamb, then an excerpt day for Jamb, our visuals for who we see when we read, and then ending it with and interview with a special character! You're going to have to wait and find out who it is *winks*



CORNERSTONE is the story of Nalena Maxwell, a girl who's been dubbed The Waste at her new school, due to her mom's obsessive paper hoarding.

Nalena desperately needs
something to change in her life. But when she receives a sign (and it's the wrong dang one) that invites her into an ancient community, EVERYTHING changes-what she knew of her family and her life and her future.

While seventeen years worth of family skeletons come crashing into Nalena's life, it is the boy...the one with eyes as clean as Jesus...that steps up to help Nalena figure out what he already knows about her...

I stumbled across Cornerstone by Misty Provencher sometime last year and completely fell in love with the series and Misty as well. She has a certain way of writing that catches your attention and propels you into the world she’s created. This is my third time reading this book, frankly I’m a little peeved at myself that I’ve taken so long to write this. Better late than never though, right? LOL

So Nalena isn’t your typical girl, well she doesn’t know that just yet. She does know that something is wrong with her mom, Evangeline. You see Evangeline has this habit of writing, writing, and more writing. Not a big deal right? Well that depends on how you look at. When Nali’s friend stops by unexpected and sees her house, let’s just say Nali’s chance at having friends is diminished. Why you ask? Well she gets the nickname ‘the waste’ and no one wants anything to do with her. You’re probably wonder why right about now right? Well you’ll have to find out by reading.

Then….cue hot boy at the library. 

“He smiles at me. His teeth aren’t perfect but the way his lips frame them, they are. His eyes are bright and amused, like he wants to hear something I didn’t say.”

I don’t know about any of you, but the way Misty wrote this scene when they are checking each other out and then their gazes collide… it took me back to those memories of when I was around a really cute guy and that innocent flirt that we all do. *sigh* Yeah I know, I’m weird lol but I embrace it. And just like that, the moment is gone and Nali is out the door quickly.

There’s been a few books I’ve read, won’t name them, that it’s secondary characters fall flat. Some people might not think they’re important, but to me they are. They complement the MCs and provide dimension to the story. Cora, is Nali’s friend. But I use that term lightly and frankly I don’t like her much. Not because she’s a bad character but because of what type of friend she is. We all have had them. You know the friend that’s only friends with you behind closed doors, the one that doesn’t acknowledge you when they’re around others? If you don’t know what I’m talking about consider yourself lucky. I’ve had my fair share of those ‘friends’ through middle school and high school. Though Cora does come in handy later on when Nali needed her, so I don’t completely dislike her. 

“I guess you can make ‘normal out of any old thing, if you’ve got enough of it.”

Then something happens and the “normal” Nali realizes that maybe, she’s not so normal. The boy from the library has a name. Garrett. And Garrett has been asking around about Nali which is gaining attention from those snobby girls we all just love… or hate… or maybe love to hate? Either way its attention that Nali doesn’t want and something happens that she doesn’t quite understand. What happens… READ IT! Then another rendezvous in the library with an encounter from head biotch of said stink eye girls has Nali running out of the library into the dark or the woods. Now common sense tells us to never do that, but what do we do? We do it anyways and well this time she’s not so lucky. Someone is waiting for her, luckily Garrett saves her and gets her to the hospital. Now the life she thought she knew is about to be blown wide open and at first she’s not going to believe it, any of it.

“I let myself think, I hope he loves me, and then I wonder if I’ve said it out loud.”

She thinks her mother and Garrett’s family are trying to pull a massive joke over on her but then she realizes it’s not a joke. Does she decide to become part of the Iuana Community or stay simple? Then the man that attacked her is identified, so who is he and how does he know about Nali? What happens between her and Garrett? What IS Nali? Is she like her mother or something more, something that can bring a great change… a good change or a bad change? You have to pick this series up and start reading it like yesterday, then get book two in the Cornerstone Series, Keystone.

 -Dani

When I first read Cornerstone by Misty Provencher I was blown away by the difference in the type of book it was. I fell in love with the characters. Well this second time around I love it even more.
Nalena Maxwell is a girl who is made fun of at school. See her mom is a writer and there is a ton of stacks if paper all over their house. She is labeled "The waste" and has maybe one friend. She's frustrated with her mom, and embarrassed.  One night at the library Nalena meets a very cute guy Garrett Reece. He seems interested in her. On one of the nights Nalena is attacked..... Opening her up to a world that she didn't know existed. Her mom has kept a life a secret from her.
Her Mom is an Alo, a keeper if memories and histories of the Iuana , their people. When Nali and her mom stay with the Reece's for Saftey....she finds out about her family. She looses it. Now she wonders does Garrett like her for her or was he protecting her?

Given the sign of the contego warrior, will Nali make the right choice? There is so much emotion her between Nali and her mom and Nali and Garrett. What will Nali choose? And will she know what Garrett means by "yes he does", when she wonders.  "Does he love me!" Get ready for a sweet scene! I love these two!

Toward the end , Nali's father comes in an goes crazy town... And two important people are lost!
Will their grief bind them together?? Trust me you will want book two Keystone right away!! 

-Christina

Pick up Cornerstone at Amazon HERE  and on B&N HERE
After all it is FREE

Enter the Giveaway!! We will be giving away a copy of Keystone and Jamb to two lucky winners! If you have one or both, if you win you can gift it to someone else!

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