Review of Hattie Vavaseur
-
Samantha Brehm
- Posts: 58
- Joined: 21 Mar 2021, 10:43
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 21
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-samantha-brehm.html
- Latest Review: The Electric Oath by Aaron Cole Williams
Review of Hattie Vavaseur
[Following is a volunteer review of "Hattie Vavaseur" by M. Rebecca Wildsmith.]
Hattie Vavaseur by M. Rebecca Wildsmith takes place in the 1920s and starts with the reader meeting Hattie, who is attending a funeral, and then is taken by a driver to a rundown mansion of which she has no memory. She wakes up the next day still very confused and unsure because the driver and butler act like Hattie does this every day and that nothing is out of the ordinary. She is quickly whisked off into town to meet with a quirky psychic who will help her figure out what is happening in her life. She is unclear who the master of the mansion she is living in is, and he is very distant and gruff to Hattie for the first few weeks she is there. Hatte and the psychic begin to piece together Hattie’s memory while helping solve a gentleman’s murder across the pond in America. Follow this unlikely and quirky group of people who are forced together to not only help Hattie figure out the rest of her memory block but also the master of the house let go of all his frustration and anger.
There are endless positives to this novel. I love that Wildsmith made our leading lady in her sixties and not a spry young woman. It lends to the plot as well as Hattie’s disposition throughout the book. She is very set in her ways of being very proper and wealthy, and she rarely accepts anything less than absolute respect. The multiple mysteries within this book are also incredibly well done. Wildsmith’s writing style is reminiscent of a book written in the 20s, and it only added to the story’s overall effect. I loved how Wildsmith combined all the makings of a classic mystery novel with the paranormal while including some heavy and dark themes. She incorporated all of this into an effortless story that completely stole my heart.
If I were to pinpoint any negatives to this book, it would be explaining how the side characters got to be where they were. This is only out of my curiosity about how most of them ended up at the master’s mansion. This did not detract from the fantastic writing or the well-thought-out plot. I would also say that the mystery itself was decently easy to figure out once you got about halfway through the book.
Hattie Vavaseur gets a resounding 4 out of 4 stars. The sheer creativity from the writing style to the characters made this book one of my favorites, and I fell in love with the complexity of every single character in this book. It is exceptionally well-edited and has no vulgar language.
I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves the writing style of classics such as Agatha Christie. If you are not familiar with or dislike a more formal writing style with dialogue fitting from the 1920s, this book would probably not appeal to you. Hattie Vavaseur is a short and easy paranormal mystery that is appropriate for both young adults and adults. It does have a strong romantic theme, but there is nothing vulgar or explicit content within the book.
******
Hattie Vavaseur
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Hattie Vavaseur by M. Rebecca Wildsmith takes place in the 1920s and starts with the reader meeting Hattie, who is attending a funeral, and then is taken by a driver to a rundown mansion of which she has no memory. She wakes up the next day still very confused and unsure because the driver and butler act like Hattie does this every day and that nothing is out of the ordinary. She is quickly whisked off into town to meet with a quirky psychic who will help her figure out what is happening in her life. She is unclear who the master of the mansion she is living in is, and he is very distant and gruff to Hattie for the first few weeks she is there. Hatte and the psychic begin to piece together Hattie’s memory while helping solve a gentleman’s murder across the pond in America. Follow this unlikely and quirky group of people who are forced together to not only help Hattie figure out the rest of her memory block but also the master of the house let go of all his frustration and anger.
There are endless positives to this novel. I love that Wildsmith made our leading lady in her sixties and not a spry young woman. It lends to the plot as well as Hattie’s disposition throughout the book. She is very set in her ways of being very proper and wealthy, and she rarely accepts anything less than absolute respect. The multiple mysteries within this book are also incredibly well done. Wildsmith’s writing style is reminiscent of a book written in the 20s, and it only added to the story’s overall effect. I loved how Wildsmith combined all the makings of a classic mystery novel with the paranormal while including some heavy and dark themes. She incorporated all of this into an effortless story that completely stole my heart.
If I were to pinpoint any negatives to this book, it would be explaining how the side characters got to be where they were. This is only out of my curiosity about how most of them ended up at the master’s mansion. This did not detract from the fantastic writing or the well-thought-out plot. I would also say that the mystery itself was decently easy to figure out once you got about halfway through the book.
Hattie Vavaseur gets a resounding 4 out of 4 stars. The sheer creativity from the writing style to the characters made this book one of my favorites, and I fell in love with the complexity of every single character in this book. It is exceptionally well-edited and has no vulgar language.
I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves the writing style of classics such as Agatha Christie. If you are not familiar with or dislike a more formal writing style with dialogue fitting from the 1920s, this book would probably not appeal to you. Hattie Vavaseur is a short and easy paranormal mystery that is appropriate for both young adults and adults. It does have a strong romantic theme, but there is nothing vulgar or explicit content within the book.
******
Hattie Vavaseur
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: The Electric Oath by Aaron Cole Williams
