Tag: fiction review

Posted in Bookish and Bingeable

Behind the Veil

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

By: E.J. Dawson

In 1920s Los Angeles, Letitia Hawking reads the veil between life and death. A scrying bowl allows her to experience the final moments of the deceased. She brings closure to grief-stricken war widows and mourning families.

For Letitia, it is a penance. She knows no such peace.

For Alasdair Driscoll, it may be the only way to save his niece, Finola, from her growing night terrors. But when Letitia sees a shadowy figure attached to the household, it rouses old fears of her unspeakable past in England.

When a man comes to her about his missing daughter, the third girl to go missing in as many months, Letitia can’t help him when she can’t see who’s taken them.

As a darkness haunts Letitia’s vision, she may not be given a choice in helping the determined Mr Driscoll, or stop herself falling in love with him. But to do so risks a part of herself she locked away, and to release it may cost Letitia her sanity and her heart. 

From the very first page, this book grabbed me and didn’t let go. I was instantly intrigued by Letitia and her world as well as her gift. Alasdair Driscoll was an engaging, maddening and seriously endearing character. 

As a ghost story, this works. There’s enough of the eeriness and creep factor within these pages to make many shivers run up and down your spine. Letitia’s reaction to the first taste of real darkness we come in contact with was enough to have me sleeping with my closet light on. 

As a thriller, this story also works. There’s enough of a who-dun-it to keep you guessing as to why girls went missing and what happened to them as well as Finola’s fate, how it’s all tied to the missing girls as well as Letitia’s fate and who will survive when it’s all over. 

The undertone romance between Letitia and Alasdair was nicely written. It was just that – an undertone; a subplot that didn’t subvert or take over the main plot of the story in any way. It was weaved through the main plot so nicely and so lightly and yet, it was almost pivotal to the outcome of the story. 

I really loved all the glimpses in the readings Letitia did for others as it gives us a view of her gift from the inside. The character of Letitia is strong, broken, vulnerable, and endearing. I loved to see her growth as the story progresses. 

While the ending wasn’t necessarily a shock ending, it provided enough answers to the questions I had to satisfy my desire for a complete outcome. I was very content with how this story ended. 

All in all, this is a wonderful story that’s beautifully written. It’s a fast=paced read perfect for chilly winter nights, wrapped up with a blanket and a nice cup of tea. 

My rating – :star: :star: :star: :star:

Posted in Bookish and Bingeable

The Silent Companions

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

By Laura Purcell

When Elsie married handsome young heir Rupert Bainbridge, she believed she was destined for a life of luxury. But with her husband dead just weeks after their marriage, her new servants resentful, and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie has only her husband’s awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks. Inside her new home lies a locked door, beyond which is a painted wooden figure —a silent companion —-that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself. The residents of The Bridge are terrified of the figure, but Elsie tries to shrug this off as simple superstition–that is, until she notices the figure’s eyes following her.

Dolls. Creepy dolls. Dolls that just appear. Really, creepy dolls.

Honestly, I think I fell in love with the book after reading the synopsis. This story has all the ingredients of a Victorian gothic ghost/horror story of the very best kind. Star with a setting in a creepy asylum. Add in a story that goes back to 1860s, where a widowed woman travels to a Victorian estate filled with creepy dolls that seem to be the real owners and caretakers of the house and sprinkle with a diary from 1630s which tells the real origins of the story and you’re in for a few nights of sleeping with the lights on. 

The storytelling is immense in this book. There’s three different time periods; Elsie’s present, her past and Anne’s diary (which is told in the first person). Three timeline lines yet the storytelling is so flawless, I had no trouble following it. 

I loved the writing: so pure and so visual yet not overwhelming. Too often, whenever I read a period novel, the author gets so caught up in details of either the scene or clothing I tend to lose connection with the story. While I love a well-researched novel, I think a good author will know how much detail to add without overpowering the story with historical facts. Laura Purcell balances this out perfectly in this book. I was able to be transported and yet kept my focus on what was going on in the story. 

The story ends with a twist and I almost wasn’t sure what exactly happened until I read it over a few times. One question I was left with was why did the companions even come to the house? I know how they were acquired but I wasn’t sure if it was the intention of the dolls to be obtained by Anne? Or were they affected by the house? Did Hetta summon them? I love that I was left with these questions and then at the same time, I want to know the answer to these questions. 

My advice – If you love gothic horror, then you will LOVE this book. I would read it at night while the snow falls and the wind howls. Grab your favorite blanket and a cup of tea. This novel doesn’t disappoint! 

My rating – :star: :star: :star: :star: :star: