Keeper of Enchanted Rooms

Keeper of Enchanted rooms is an engaging and easy-to-read story, with interesting characters. Hulda Larkin and Merritt Fernsby have many relatable qualities, but are not quite three-dimensional characters. While their inner dialogue was informative, there was a bit more "telling" than "showing," in their development. I mainly enjoyed the many instances of magic, and the history of magic, in the story, especially the idea of "enchanted houses." I would have liked more backstory, but perhaps we'll get that in the second book in the series. Items like "communion stones," "kinetic travel vehicles" (boats, trams, etc), and "charm bags" are intriguing, and I hope they'll be explored and explained more fully, in future stories. Magic itself seems to be neutral in this world, neither dark nor light, good nor evil. It's the practitioners themselves, and their uses for magic, which influences its outcomes. There is necromancy, augury, communion, chaocracy, and much more; again, I'm hoping for more clarification about the methods and uses of each of the eleven types of magic, in upcoming books. The romance is not a given. It's very, very slow-burn, and up until the very last page, readers really don't know whether the main couple will develop a relationship or not. One issue for me, personally, was the use of anachronistic language. The story is set in 19th century America, with some chapters set a few decades earlier in England. This is either an alternate world to ours, or maybe an alternative history of our world, as magic has been recognized and utilized for centuries. Hulda Larkin, one of our two protagonists, is described in flowing prose sometimes reminiscent of the 1800s, and speaks in an educated and mostly-restrained manner, using phrasing indicative of the time period. However, Merritt Fernsby, along with a number of secondary characters, often use anachronistic dialogue, common to the 20th century. This is a pet peeve of mine, as it distracts me from immersion in the story, but may not be an issue for others. Overall, this was an enjoyable read with a fast pace, an original plot, interesting characters, and an engaging world. The story kept my attention, and succeeded in making me want more.

I actually first read this book after I checked it out from my local library, but I loved it so much I am buying a copy so I can re-read it as much as I want. This book is fantastic, with an intriguing story filled with mystery, magic, found family, and romance! The characters have wonderful and distinct personalities that make you root for them. The plot is interesting and the world-building is top notch, with just enough twists to keep you turning those pages. I was so sad the book was over when I got to the end, even though it comes to a satisfying conclusion. Probably one of the best books I have read in a long time, I would highly recommend!