I got asked if I wanted to be a part of the blog tour for this book, and I jumped at the chance. It's been a while since I've done a non-YA tour and thought it would make a lovely change, and I was not disappointed by the book at all!
Even better is the book is out today, so go grab a copy! Here it is:
June 1914 and a young woman - Clara Waterfield - is summoned to a large stone house in Gloucestershire. Her task: to fill a greenhouse with exotic plants from Kew Gardens, to create a private paradise for the owner of Shadowbrook. Yet, on arrival, Clara hears rumours: something is wrong with this quiet, wisteria-covered house. Its gardens are filled with foxgloves, hydrangea and roses; it has lily-ponds, a croquet lawn - and the marvellous new glasshouse awaits her. But the house itself feels unloved. Its rooms are shuttered, or empty. The owner is mostly absent; the housekeeper and maids seem afraid. And soon, Clara understands their fear: for something - or someone - is walking through the house at night. In the height of summer, she finds herself drawn deeper into Shadowbrook's dark interior - and into the secrets that violently haunt this house. Nothing - not even the men who claim they wish to help her - is quite what it seems.
Reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier, this is a wonderful, atmospheric Gothic page-turner.
So, you might know by now that when I venture from YA it is usually to historical fiction - I can't help it, it's always so refreshing and I love that, sometimes I think I should have been born in another time with how much I love historical fiction books. But, this book is set just before the start of the first world war, so it's a bit different than my usual historical fiction read.
One of the things I loved about this book was that it touched on so many things - war, woman's rights, and even a touch of mystery in the form of hauntings. It was quite a dark Gothic book with the old house and the haunting side of things, with little bursts of light from the mentions of the glass house and the flowers and plants etc. - and I did really love the mention of plants throughout as it really reminded me of when I was younger and would hear my grandparents discussing plants and gardening, it was a nice little reminder.
It also kept me guessing what would happen until the very end with the mix of different genres, would it be a romance, a horror, or just a normal historical fiction? I liked the mystery of guessing and the conclusion of the book really had me gasping - so overall it's definitely a book that keeps you entertained until the very end.
I adored the MC Clara. She was a narrator that you could really connect with as she recounted her younger years and her journey to Shadowbrook - I really loved the way she was her own woman and she really shook up the small town when she went to work at the house and had different views on things to others - I loved that she was so opinionated and outspoken for the time the book was set.
Overall, I give this book: 5 cats.
It also kept me guessing what would happen until the very end with the mix of different genres, would it be a romance, a horror, or just a normal historical fiction? I liked the mystery of guessing and the conclusion of the book really had me gasping - so overall it's definitely a book that keeps you entertained until the very end.
I adored the MC Clara. She was a narrator that you could really connect with as she recounted her younger years and her journey to Shadowbrook - I really loved the way she was her own woman and she really shook up the small town when she went to work at the house and had different views on things to others - I loved that she was so opinionated and outspoken for the time the book was set.
Overall, I give this book: 5 cats.
A I said, this book is out today, I would definitely go buy a copy if you like historical fiction with a touch of mystery. If you've read the book comment below and tell me your thoughts!
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