Book Review: Heartstealer

Heartstealer

By:  K.T. Bryski

Publish Date:  October 7, 2015

Format:  ebook

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  Stand-alone

First Glance Feel:  Urban Fey, Fantasy. Magic and mystery.

Synopsis:
Autumn came early that year…

Sara Wolfe was told three things:

Her husband and sister-in-law died in a backwater village. Wraiths are only stories. Her nephew needs her.

She believes none of it.

Following her husband’s supposed death, Sara travels to Grey Run in search of answers, quickly becoming embroiled in the village’s old hurts and older magic -

Grey Run sits on the crossroads between the human realm and the Gloaming: a shadowy world of ghosts and little gods. With the curtain between the worlds thinning, Sara must unravel the truth behind her husband’s disappearance—

Because the wraiths are not the only ones lurking in the night.

First Sentence:
I had not felt so ill since the funeral.

Purchase At:
Amazon eBook & Print

My Thoughts and Summary:
Mrs. Sara Wolfe is heading to Grey Run to tend to who should care for her quiet nephew since she's his only family remaining. Sara doesn't want to believe her husband, who came to help his sister, has passed away along with his sister. She is determined to finish Findley's care decisions, as someone that knows him wishes to care for him, then out to question the woman who found the bloody path, Miss Evelyn Black, along with others that knew Ned's sister. Things don't add up in Sara's analytical mind, and she is determined to get to the bottom of it.

This town is full of old stories and beliefs of those who's heritage runs deep in these parts. The veil between our world and the other runs thin at two times of year, one in particular rather thin. Sowain Night. And it's nearing. But the curtain at Grey Run is tearing with no repairs done to it. Charlotte has been working hard, but needs help from her brother to keep an eye on the curtain, stopping it from the darkness of wraiths and worse cascading into the world of the living.

There is a magic here with the Gloaming. The Gloaming is where the wraiths, fey, and little gods live. But there is a connection to those in the real world as well. Charlotte and Ned have that connection. And Evelyn has her own connection as well, though a little different than the others.

The author lead me right to where she wanted me to think through the story. I was aware of all the highlight points that bring me to the conclusion of this story. And I believe all the brick work is placed so the back up is there when I go back to look at it. K.T. brought me to a heart twisting, tear stream at the end of the book. Well done. I was fully invested with the characters by the end of the book, and had that trickle of hope...

We get views from Charlotte, Sara, and others. It draws the world as a complete whole by doing this. At the beginning I wasn't sure if Sara, Ned, and Charlotte scenes were all happening at the same time, then it clicked all at once what I was reading and when they each were happening. Oh, I felt the fear for Sara.

There is a mystery here! From the moment I started I knew, but once Sara entered the inn... It was there. We were going to dig deeper with Sara. While reading Sara I picked up on potential suspects and ideas, but I had a one up on her as I also got to read other POV's that gave me what I needed to come to conclusions before Sara, and Sara was right on task with her thinking. When I read Charlotte I became curious of her and what she could do. I wanted more and to see what was happening here and who was working to their advantage. Oh, I was hooked at Charlotte's first appearance. I was curious about Findley, Charlotte's boy. I knew he was something special but wasn't sure what. Even Sara's new best friend, Mairi. She was so kind and right with all the people. Then, there was a moment... I needed more with each page passing. And I got it! I learned all the little secrets I was looking for.

There came a point where I didn't want to stop reading, even though I felt K.T. had my hand and was leading me through what felt familiar I wanted to know if I was right and what would come in the end. A few surprises popped up, but K.T. had placed the path so firmly I knew they were the only answers to the story.

K.T. has created an urban fey story with a historical fantasy feel. I enjoyed the blend of all the elements here and the characters that fulfilled the story. I do hope K.T. writes more in this world for us.