For the most part, I'm a purist when it comes to book genres. I want to know what I'm getting when I pick up a book that claims to be a historical novel, or a contemporary, etc., so I was skeptical when I was introduced to Ms. Brooke Keith's series.
A few pages into the first book, and I was hooked. The author's vivid description of dress, customs, and day-to-day life immersed me in the mid-1800s, then their boat arrived at "The Land," and fantasy took over. The fantasy elements are not Dragons of Pern or Lord of the Rings, but otherworldly, nonetheless. I enjoyed the fusion, and eagerly await each installment. Here is my review.
I read the first two books of the Uncharted Beginnings
series and was thrilled to sit down again to immerse myself in the community of
Good Springs. This story focused on Hannah Vestal and Henry Roberts who are
both carry lots of emotional baggage and don’t quite know what to do with their
growing attraction to each other. Hannah’s promise to her dying mother to raise
her siblings makes her believe she doesn’t deserve a life of her own, and
Henry’s injury and past romantic failures weigh heavy on his mind. Once again,
the author has created complex and relatable characters who I rooted from the
beginning of the story. Their journey to maturation is full of twists and
turns, forcing them to look inside as well as try to understand the other. I
enjoyed the descriptions of the pioneer-type life. Items must be hunted,
foraged, grown, or produced, and the community uses a barter system which I
found fascinating. The council system the village uses to govern itself is also
interesting. The Land is on an island, so expansion is limited. I will be
interested to see where Ms. Brooke-Keith continues to go with this series.
I received a copy of the book from free from the
author, and review was not required. All opinions expressed are my own.
| Book Blurb: It’s 1868 in the settlement of Good Springs, and Hannah Vestal is passionate about writing fiction and keeping her stories to herself. By lantern light she slips into her story world and dreams the adventures she’ll never experience. When her father asks to read her work, she decides to have it printed secretly for his 50th birthday. Hannah tries to arrange the printing with the settlement’s pressman, but the witty and dapper Henry Roberts won’t make it easy for her to prove her writing is worthy of his ink. If Henry Roberts did nothing else for the rest of his life but print and bind books, he would die a satisfied man. In order to secure settlement support for his printing press, the elder council says Henry must print an error-free copy of the New Testament before the settlement’s 8th anniversary celebration. He is determined to meet their challenge, but when the enigmatic Hannah proves to be a beguiling distraction, Henry longs for something more than a life at the letterpress. Purchase link: www.amazon.com/dp/B07954FB2B Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, journalist, and history geek. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone's throw from Fort McHenry and has lived in historic places all her life. She is a member of ACFW, RWA, and Sisters in Crime. In her spare time she is a volunteer docent at the Wright Museum of WWII and a trustee for her local public library. To learn more about Linda and her books visit http://LindaShentonMatchett.com where you can sign up for her monthly newsletter. Enjoy history? Watch her YouTube videos. |
I love to read your blog post and also happy to read your blog post about such a great book. I am looking forward to download eBook. So I can finish this book.
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