Weekend Reads: Hidden Current by Sharon Hinck (Desiree)

Happy Spring!!

Y’all, I’ve been SO eager for spring to arrive. It is by far my favorite season. I love the rush of new life that spreads over all areas of my little world. Not just the budding of flowers and trees; but the freshness breathed upon my writing and the refilling of my creative well.

God is good. *happy sigh*

Although I do have a bit of a confession. I’ve been struggling to rekindle my love of fiction reading. Which feels so weird to share with the world. (Don’t judge me! LOL)

Lots of things have shifted in my life, which has led me to consuming tons of non-fiction books in my efforts to grow and glean nuggets of educational wisdom. I don’t regret my decisions, by any means.

But since I’ve spent so much time pursuing knowledge, I’ve struggled to jump back into the fictional world for fun and enjoyment.

And to deepen the confession, I’m sure that’s more because I’m struggling to spend time on my wants, to spend time investing into my rest. Ugh. Why is it SO HARD to allow ourselves time to breathe and refresh?

Even though I know creating out of a place of rest makes my work much stronger, I still deny myself that freedom. *face-palm* I’m a work-in-progress. Ha!

However, I knew I had a post coming up and I reeeeeally wanted to chat about a new story with you all! So with a renewed round of determination, I dove into my TBR list and refused to come out until I had picked something! :-)

And am I so glad I did. 

Title: Hidden Current

Series: The Dancing Realms, book one

Author: Sharon Hinck

Publisher: Enclave Publishing

Back cover copy: 

The dancers of the Order direct their floating world of Meriel with their movement... but are they steering it toward destruction?

Calara spent her life learning dance patterns and seeking to become the perfect servant to her people. When she discovers the work of the Order is built on lies, she flees with a rough-edged herder, Brantley of Windswell. Pursued by soldiers, her journey through the suffering villages of the rim leads her to encounter a truth that sends ripples through her world—and through her soul.

As she seeks clues to her forgotten family, Calara discovers newfound courage in the face of danger, while her quest awakens a growing but forbidden affection for Brantley. Yet even his support can't fully be trusted, since he'd rather destroy the Order than bring reform.

She is a lone woman facing opposition from rim villages and treachery from the all-powerful Order. Can she restore the dance to its true purpose and bring freedom and hope to her people?

Story Pros:

Y’all, I just want to hug this book for all the things it means to me that go beyond the story itself.

Loads of reader buzz had been created on Instagram over Sharon Hinck’s new series, The Dancing Realms, and since I’m a fan of the books produced by Enclave Publishing, I drew in a little closer to investigate the excitement.

I downloaded a sample of book one, Hidden Current, to give it a test run. Before long, the book sucked me right in! I became absorbed in the world of dancers serving the Order and rogues uprising to free their world from the Order’s twisted control.

I loved how the author took her own history and passion for dance and weaved it into the fibers of this story. It truly enriches the adventure and brings a freshness I’ve been missing in my reading adventures lately.

The softness of her writing style—if I can have the liberty to describe it as such—drew me in even more. Given the hustle and harshness of life, I needed the whispering, soft touch of the author’s writing style. It was perfect for this time I'm in.

And interestingly enough, the more Calara (Carya) encountered the Maker and learned of the hidden truth (being vague on purpose to not reveal spoilers), the more I connected with her on an emotional level.

My own personal journey with God has deepened over the course of the last three years, and to have the opportunity to tag along with Calara in her discovery of the Maker and His truth was a refreshing delight, one I didn’t know I needed (and obviously kept denying myself to have, LOL).

I also enjoyed the world building and the intricate ways talents could connect with nature, thus either bettering or crippling the world of Meriel.

There was so much goodness and light that shone from the pages of Hidden Current. So many solid foundations of standing for truth in the midst of chaos and darkness.

This book filled the need in my heart of rest and refueling. *hugs book* 

Story Cons:

Honestly, the con I have is purely a personal reader preference. Not anything against this story. 

Is it my most favorite read? Not necessarily.

Did I enjoy my time and will I move on to book two? Yes.

Will I recommend this book to others? Duh, that’s why we’re chatting today. LOL. :-)

The biggest con I had correlated to how quickly and easily Calara got over the disappointments connected with the Maker.

Y’all, please hear me out on this one. I fully understand how every nuance can’t be expanded upon in novels. But since I had connected with Calara over the beautiful encounters she had with the Maker, I tended to chuckle to myself going, “Am I the only one who argues with God?” LOL. Am I the only one who wrestles with God for days when disappoint and heartache set in?

Don’t get me wrong, God and I have great conversations during those times in life and I learn a lot from the pain. However, for Calara to experience similar things and find such quick resolution … those moments fell a little flat for me.

Granted, quick resolutions with God are how things should flow from a logical perspective. I just found myself disconnecting a little bit during those scenes because they felt too easily reached from my perspective.

But again, that’s just a reader preference. Since I had gone to that mental state with the character and hoped to see a little more struggling. Given the fact that I wrestle A LOT with life’s problems. :-)

Overall, I found this book a delightful and refreshing read. A book that had landed in my lap at just the right time in my life.

Have you read Hidden Current? What’s a book you hope to dive into this weekend?