Hard As Stone, by Beatrice B. Morgan (formerly BB Morgan), is like a simple babbling brook that builds up before it jackknifes off a waterfall--literally and figuratively--into something absolutely page-turning and gloriously entertaining.
Raven is blase about life and her watch duty, letting a thief steal an important relic. Paired up with the adorable but arrogant know-it-all Zander, they are tasked to retrieve the item. Only Zander does know a lot, and Raven is out of her element, learning as she goes. They face automatons, Grey Elite soldiers, and run into spies all while trying to track down the thief. Only things aren't what they seem and lies and secrets get in between Raven and Zander. Who should Raven trust and can a "simple country girl" win this deadly game that is afoot?
Review Breakdown:
Style: Note this comment comes from an adult and not the intended audience. At first, I struggled to get into the book due to the simplicity of the writing style, but I am used to reading upper YA, adult, and a lot of literary fiction. This style will appeal to younger teens or any age reader who likes a quick read. Don't get me wrong; there were still spans of beautiful descriptions that were more complex and enticing, and I loved them. Overall, this pretentious reader wanted more of that. Not too far in, I adapted my mindset, and my attention was sucked in when the author took me on a fabulous journey into her world. Again, this comes down to my personal tastes and was wonderfully done for younger readers.
Characters: At the start, Raven irritated me, but in a good type of way, because you knew there was so much room for growth, and you'd get to watch it. It was her mistakes that actually drew me in. She was real, fallible, and believable. She made me want to see her journey; as soon as she was out of her element, she responded naturally and became a new person by the end--smart, resilient, and mature. It was a wonderful journey to watch. Zander was the cocky adorable guy you want to smack but know there is more under the surface. Even Raven senses that. You know something is going on with him, so a reveal is expected.
Plot: It was one of the greatest strengths of the novel. It built. There was some repetition on the journey, but always something unexpected surprised you, and the characters grew with each episodic moment. There was a lot of action. Then, as previously stated, you are literally and figuratively launched over a waterfall. This is where the book jackknifes into something I couldn't put down. I actually did need to sleep one night after that moment--but I digress. I cannot give it away too much but onto the next category to show you why the plot moves in such a fashion. There is also a subgenre of romance, not obvious in the blurb; a very great surprise for me as I love all the feels.
Worldbuilding: This was the novel's best asset. Morgan creates an amazing world, seemingly medieval but with automatons and machines out of fantasies and nightmares. Then, you are introduced to a world of people who are as bad--or worse, perhaps--than their ghastly robotic creations. Nothing is as it seems and everything is nonstop in that second world. A brilliant contrast full of robust meaning.
In short, aside from my initial hangup of being an old, highfalutin reader, the book was worth the purchase, and I will continue the series. I'll expect some babbling brooks before Morgan throws me off Victoria Falls. And when she does, I will enjoy it thoroughly. I recommend Hard as Stone to any teen who loves adventure with a dash of romance.