Review of Hattie Vavaseur
Posted: 30 Mar 2022, 18:52
[Following is a volunteer review of "Hattie Vavaseur" by M. Rebecca Wildsmith.]
The novel Hattie Vavaseur by M. Rebecca Wildsmith is an amalgamation of a historical thriller sprinkled with a dash of romance, weaving a tale that was fun and full great of moments. Narrated in a third-person voice by the titular heroine, we follow her life after her death, which alone alerts you to how different this book is from the average one.
Following a funeral, Hattie soon finds herself being driven to a mansion where she is told she is staying, but the reason why escapes her. Blaming this on her old age, she is nevertheless too proud to make any inquiries, as she sees herself as someone with a strong backbone. After several strange encounters- a terrible first meeting with the Master of the house (honestly, what a heathen!), and an involuntary visit with a medium (what kind of name is Vamelda??), Hattie realizes that all is not as it seems. What follows is an entertaining plot, which will keep you reading until the end.
Set in England in the 1920s, I enjoyed the author’s ability to keep me entertained, even though my preferred genres of novels do not usually include historical ones. Wildsmith’s ability to describe scenes and weave a mystery must be lauded, as she made me feel connected to a time I obviously have no experience with outside of history books and lessons. The portrayals of Hattie’s and the other characters’ personalities and behaviors intrigued me. Additionally, the mystery element of the novel was carried out masterfully- I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting to figure out the ‘whodunit’- and I was not disappointed in the end!
It is rare for me to say, but I really had no major issues with this book. Some characters were not my favorites, such as the annoying Vamelda and Trixie, and the insipidly dumb Gerald, but I believe it is a mark of a good book when you feel yourself actively disliking persons in it as if they are real!
I give Hattie Vavaseur a rating of 4 out of 4 stars as it is incredibly well written, entertaining and funny, especially for a novel of this genre. The romance between Hattie and Reginald was believable and tugged on my heartstrings, leaving me rooting for their happily ever after. There was a bit of a slow build-up, but I did not mind as it was important for setting the scene. The humorous bits also added to my overall delight in the book. There were no instances of foul language, and it was professionally edited, with no grammatical or spelling errors. I can definitively recommend this to people of any age, as it is suitable for everyone. If you relish a good paranormal mystery, this novel will certainly be of interest to you. I hope there is more of Hattie to come in the future!
******
Hattie Vavaseur
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
The novel Hattie Vavaseur by M. Rebecca Wildsmith is an amalgamation of a historical thriller sprinkled with a dash of romance, weaving a tale that was fun and full great of moments. Narrated in a third-person voice by the titular heroine, we follow her life after her death, which alone alerts you to how different this book is from the average one.
Following a funeral, Hattie soon finds herself being driven to a mansion where she is told she is staying, but the reason why escapes her. Blaming this on her old age, she is nevertheless too proud to make any inquiries, as she sees herself as someone with a strong backbone. After several strange encounters- a terrible first meeting with the Master of the house (honestly, what a heathen!), and an involuntary visit with a medium (what kind of name is Vamelda??), Hattie realizes that all is not as it seems. What follows is an entertaining plot, which will keep you reading until the end.
Set in England in the 1920s, I enjoyed the author’s ability to keep me entertained, even though my preferred genres of novels do not usually include historical ones. Wildsmith’s ability to describe scenes and weave a mystery must be lauded, as she made me feel connected to a time I obviously have no experience with outside of history books and lessons. The portrayals of Hattie’s and the other characters’ personalities and behaviors intrigued me. Additionally, the mystery element of the novel was carried out masterfully- I was kept on the edge of my seat waiting to figure out the ‘whodunit’- and I was not disappointed in the end!
It is rare for me to say, but I really had no major issues with this book. Some characters were not my favorites, such as the annoying Vamelda and Trixie, and the insipidly dumb Gerald, but I believe it is a mark of a good book when you feel yourself actively disliking persons in it as if they are real!
I give Hattie Vavaseur a rating of 4 out of 4 stars as it is incredibly well written, entertaining and funny, especially for a novel of this genre. The romance between Hattie and Reginald was believable and tugged on my heartstrings, leaving me rooting for their happily ever after. There was a bit of a slow build-up, but I did not mind as it was important for setting the scene. The humorous bits also added to my overall delight in the book. There were no instances of foul language, and it was professionally edited, with no grammatical or spelling errors. I can definitively recommend this to people of any age, as it is suitable for everyone. If you relish a good paranormal mystery, this novel will certainly be of interest to you. I hope there is more of Hattie to come in the future!
******
Hattie Vavaseur
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes