Keeper of Enchanted Rooms
Reviews
“Beauty is just like a book. Some will not bother to look beyond the cover; others will find the entire time utterly captivating.”
What an utterly captivating book indeed! Where do I even start? Everything about this book was simply magical. Being honest, I did not expect much when I started it because I actually didn’t know anything about it, and I’m so grateful I decided to give this one a chance. This kind of fantasy is the kind that was written for me, so cozy and heart warming. Not to mention that two of my favourite tropes in the world —found family and slow burn— were key to the development of this story. Hulda and Merritt are both so dear to me, but Hulda really hit close to home. I see myself in her (though perhaps a decade younger), and even if it’s just a book, it makes me hope. And hope is a very beautiful thing.
such a cute comfort fantasy read i enjoyed this so much and the writing was immaculate
I really liked the magic in this book. It was a unique premise. However, it was very predictable and moved a bit too slowly near the end.
Fun and sweet book with a very interesting magic system.
This was such a cozy and comforting read and I just loved everything about it.
Parts of the plot were neither groundbreaking new nor surprising, but as they were told in such a gripping way I didn't care at all. If you're looking for something sweet, mysterious and magical with layers and depth, go and read this.
Really enjoyed this whimsical tale of magic set in the 1800s. Characters were fun and engaging. I plan on continuing the duology.
I loved everything about this book. Fantasy and historical fiction are some of my favorite genres, so I love it when the two mesh together. I thought the magic system was super interesting, and how Holmberg fit it into the period. Aside from the setting, my favorite thing about this was the characters. I loved Merritt and Hulda so much. Merritt was so carefree, and Hulda was so prim and proper. It was fun watching them interact and slowly fall for one another. They had the sweetest relationship, and I can't wait to see how it develops. But my absolute favorite was Owein. His cheekiness made the entire book. I loved the little family they made along with Beth and Baptiste. There were a few moments the pacing felt a little slow but other than that, this was such a delightful, cozy read, and I can't wait for the next book to come out.
Highlights
Beauty is just like a book. Some will not bother to look beyond the cover; others will find the entire tome utterly captivating.”
“You’d be surprised at how liberating it is to destroy a straw dummy with a firearm.” It was a hobby he’d taken up after moving from Fletcher’s home. “Much cheaper than a medical professional.”
Merritt wasn’t sleeping well. There were various reasons he wasn’t sleeping well. One being that he was too tired. Which sounded silly, but for whatever reason, if Merritt went to bed too sleepy, sleep tended to elude him. As though his brain had to stay awake to compensate for the weariness of his body.
This. Ugh.
“I am.” His voice was barely audible, but he knew the place heard it. “I’ve been lonely for a long time. Sure, I’ve had friends, colleagues, so I’m not isolated. But I still feel it. It’s the deep, lasting kind of loneliness. The hollow kind that settles in your bones.”
[…] but bruises had never killed him. None of it had ever killed him.
Propping his elbows on his knees, he dropped his head into his palms. Focused on his breathing. In, out. In, out. He sat like that for a long time, trying to tamp down the anger and the hurt. Just when he thought it was finally done, that he was finally cured, it came bubbling up again.
Something always brought it up, and he hated it, because it never hurt any less, even so many years later.
“Chaos is disorder, but if something is already in chaos, then its disorder is order.”
By the time he crossed a good portion of the Narragansett Bay and reached Blaugdone Island, he understood why no one had bothered to live there. It was vastly out of the way. There was something uncomfortable yet incredibly appealing about how out of the way it was. Because after the hired boat dropped off Merritt and the one bag he’d packed, he heard a beautiful thing.
Silence.
The sound of utter silence is one of my favorites.