Review: Enchantment Lake

"Drowning, Francie thought. That's what this was like. You plunged into the cool, quiet darkness of the theater from the hot, bright street and sank into the gloom of the back rows of the house. And waited. Waited for the air to be squeezed, slowly but surely, from your lungs. Waited while your nerves frayed. Waited for your turn to audition."   (Enchantment Lake, opening page)

Seventeen year-old Francie's been called to the Land of 10,000 Lakes when her aunts believe the old folks living along their lakefront community are being picked off one by one. She relents and it's nothing but tremendous fun and kooky neighbors when her shoes hit the shores.

One of my favorite things about Enchantment Lake is the neighborhood, which is being threatened by unwanted development (invasive roads, potato fields!), and the people who inhabit it. They're kooky, they're tight knit and they're mad for baking bars, breads, casseroles, and cookies...and forcing all of them down Francie's throat. They're unique and charming and they make me want to grab a boat and a fork and show up for the summer. I saw a lot of my goofy relatives in these retirees and they made great comedic foils for our girl, Francie.

My biggest takeaway from Enchantment Lake was that I've found a next-generation Nancy Drew for my daughters (and myself!). Francie is sharp on her feet, fearless and inquisitive, much like the teenaged sleuth I grew up reading  (The Secret of the Old Clock...who's with me?!)

This book was fun, it has a whip-smart heroine who's well tested and put in a position where the reader hopes (begs?) for more Northwoods mysteries!

Well done, Ms. Preus!

DETAILS

Title: Enchantment Lake

Series: Northwoods Mysteries

Author: Margi Preus

Publisher: Univ of Minnesota Press

Price: $15.99 (released in March 2015)

Author Website: MargiPreus.com

Author Twitter: @MargiPreus

(NetGalley provided the complimentary ebook, I provided my own opinion!)

Goodreads review available here.

Review: Call of the Herald (Godsland Series: Book 1)

From the outset, I've never considered myself much of a fantasy buff. Part of it stems from the fact that I've never known where to start, but mostly it's because I get stuck in my reading ruts. I love fairy tales. I love angsty love. And sometimes, I love them a little too much.

"Call of the Herald" sat on my Nook shelf for a few weeks before the cover finally called to me. The illustration is eye catching and while I was certain there wasn't the usual love story/teen drama I love so much, I figured I could use a change of pace.

The story is a coming-of-age saga centered around a teenaged Catrin and her friends. Catrin recently discovers she has a whole host of latent superpowers that arrived about the same time a mysterious shower of comets. 

A distance kingdom, the Zjhon, are acting on an ancient myth that the herald of the the comet/goddess will bring the end to their civilization spurs them into a fairly violent invasion in search of Catrin.

Taking to the hills with a few friends and a sworn protector (Benji, one of my favorite characters in the book), Catrin embarks on a wild ride trying to outrun the Zjhon to escape by sea back to the Greatland.

The plan goes a bit awry by the end of this installment and Catrin finds herself separated from her guardians, though growing more powerful and more fearsome with each day. She's coming into her own as Herald and is set to defend her friends and her homeland against the violent invaders.

The saga continues with Rathbone's "Inherited Danger," available for $0.99 from most e-retailers.

DETAILS

Title: Call of the Herald (Godsland Series: Book 1)

Series: Godsland Series

Author: Brian Rathbone

Publisher: White Wolf Press, LLC

Author Website: BrianRathbone.com

Author Twitter: @BrianRathbone

Price: FREE

Book Source: Downloaded from BN.com