Blackwood by Gwenda Bond
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Book Info: Genre: Paranormal Romance/Historical-based Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Recommended for: Fans of YA romantic fantasy, with historical basis, and hints of paranormal/horror
Disclosure: I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: On Roanoke Island, the legend of the 114 people who mysteriously vanished from the Lost Colony hundreds of years ago is just an outdoor drama for the tourists, a story people tell. But when the island faces the sudden disappearance of 114 people now, an unlikely pair of 17-year-olds may be the only hope of bringing them back.
Miranda, a misfit girl from the island’s most infamous family, and Phillips, an exiled teen criminal who hears the voices of the dead, must dodge everyone from federal agents to long-dead alchemists as they work to uncover the secrets of the new Lost Colony. The one thing they can’t dodge is each other.
Blackwood is a dark, witty coming of age story that combines America’s oldest mystery with a thoroughly contemporary romance.
My Thoughts: So, when I accepted this book, I saw “lost colony of Roanoke” but not “romance”… So I was a bit hesitant about this book once I had realized it was defined as such. However…
“Miranda had a firm policy of never being the silly girl – the kind who went to see what noise that was, or who would believe she’d seen something no one else had.” I really liked Miranda. She has her moments, but overall she’s pretty sensible. Phillips is also pretty cool – he’s a bit of a bad boy, but a bad boy with a reason for being so.
“Her hand vibrated with invisible ick… She officially had devil cooties” There was a great deal of humor in the book – Miranda and Phillips both view life with a sardonic outlook and that comes through in the way they talk and interact. The mystery of Roanoke Island is part and parcel of their history, and they are both descended from members of that doomed (or was it?) expedition.
So, I was so surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. The romance was in the background and it was a fast-paced story with thrills and chills galore. I enjoyed the characters and the research the author put into the book. Recommended.
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Good! So glad to hear you enjoyed it so much more than expected. Sounds like a good one. :) Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI always love a pleasant surprise. now I've turned things completely around and am reading a thriller with an 87-year-old, Jewish, WWII vet ex-cop and his grandson looking for treasure (Nazi gold) and vengeance... and it's HILARIOUS!!
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