Another book request that fell victim to the comment being hidden in the spam section. I'm so happy that the author still sent me a copy for review, because how could I not want to read it with that synopsis and cover?
A big thank you to the author for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review
THE MARSH KEEPER - E.L. Werbitsky (Released March 7th, 2023)
This is also book one - so I'm curious to see where this will continue and future books!
Book Description:
Some secrets aren't meant to be shared...
Sixteen-year-old Calvin Hughes can see human energy and in that revealing light learns the best and worst of the people around him.
He tells no one what he sees, until a young girl vanishes beneath the marsh and the truth behind her tragedy is too disturbing to hide.
But when enchantments lure Cal toward the haunted waters and his sole confidante betrays him, Cal discovers the danger of knowing too much and the price for sharing secrets, especially one that could change the world.
My Thoughts: 4.5/5 stars
First off, it's really fun knowing that the publisher for this book, Fire & Ice Young Adult Books, is located here in Minnesota. It's such a rare thing to see publishers in the Midwest and I'm excited to see there's one nearby in White Bear Lake! Now, onto the book. Despite the majority of the books I read are adult fiction, I do love the occasional YA book here and there. While the main characters are high school age, it really didn't feel like you were reading a YA book, if that makes sense? And I mean that in the best way possible. You'll find within this book a combination of paranormal creepiness, some mystery, and the ending ties in the thriller elements. All the things I look for in a book.
We meet our main character, Calvin, as he tries to navigate the normal ups and downs of high school. On top of trying to find his place, dealing with friends, crushes, and an emotional older sister (normal sibling issues, sorry to my little brother for all of that) he is able to see people's emotions and intentions hovering around them in colors. I don't know about you, but that would feel like an immense responsibility to have and make sure that you don't abuse it for personal gain. However, this proves to be useful and dangerous when a young girl disappears beneath the marsh. Something dark is luring him to the marsh and it could have bad implications
I don't want to give away much more because the ending ramps up and just doesn't give you a moment to breathe. Plot twists on plot twists that you don't know what could possibly happen next. I was incredibly impressed because sometimes that can cause things to get muddled up and confusing, but Werbitsky managed to unravel it all without issue and even tied up pieces of the story I thought for sure would be left out of the resolution. This also posed some thought provoking questions - what would you do if you could see people's energy? Is this something that you'd use to your advantage? Are there moral implications? So many things to think about and I loved that because it added another layer to this book. It didn't feel like a YA book, so if that's something that might deter you, I strongly recommend giving it a chance.
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