Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Reviewer's bookshelf: "The Lost Castle" by Kristy Cambron


Book Summary (Goodreads): A thirteenth century castle, Chateau de Doux Reves, has been forgotten for generations, left to ruin in a storybook forest nestled deep in France's picturesque Loire Valley. It survived a sacking in the French Revolution, was brought back to life and fashioned into a storybook chateau in the Gilded Age, and was eventually felled and deserted after a disastrous fire in the 1930s.

As Ellie Carver sits by her grandmother's bedside, she hears stories of a castle . . . of lost love and a hidden chapel that played host to a secret fight in the World War II French resistance. But her grandmother is quickly slipping into the locked-down world of Alzheimer's, and Ellie must act fast if she wants to uncover the truth of her family's history.

Sparked by the discovery of a long forgotten family heirloom, Ellie embarks on a journey to French wine country to uncover the mystery surrounding The Sleeping Beauty--the castle so named for Charles Perrault's beloved fairy tale--and unearth its secrets before they're finally silenced by time.

Set in three different time periods--the French Revolution, World War II, and present day--The Lost Castle is a story of loves won and lost, of battles waged, and an enchanted castle that inspired the epic fairy tales time left behind.

My thoughts...I just finished this book last night and I just want to say...thank you Kristy Cambron! The Butterfly and the Violin is still one of my top favorite books of all time, but The Lost Castle is beautiful and moving in a way of its own. This novel sets itself apart from many others in that it connects the lives of three women across three time periods. I loved the way that each story wove itself into the other ones. The castle itself paralleled with the stories the main characters: each holding mysteries of who or what they were that gradually became revealed, representing courage, sacrifice, and love.

 While I enjoyed Aveline's story, I felt most connected to Ellie and her grandmother. The love Ellie had that prompted her to travel to another country so that she could discover a piece of her grandmother's history was touching. The romantic tension seemed stronger in the writing of these two characters, which I also liked. All of the heroes helped bring about beautiful character development in their leading ladies, without it seeming forced or rushed. I loved the strengths that each character brought to the story without the typical plot lines. I think that's what makes this piece of fiction seem almost real. 

I'm so excited to see how this series is going to continue. I would highly recommend this book!

Personal takeaway...Humbling yourself and sacrificing for others is the kind of love that Christ showed for us. It is the kind of love I want to give to those around me. 

**I was given a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in order to share my thoughts and opinions, which I did.**

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