Review of Castles in the Snow

[Peace Odii]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Castles in the Snow" by Linda Heavner Gerald.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Caroline Emma Reid had led a fairy tale life. She was an only child of wealthy and influential parents in the "Battery of Charleston." She had gotten married to the man of her dreams, and together, they moved to Scotland to start a new life. It became another home for them as they purchased their very own estate. Life was smooth and beautiful. Caroline’s memories were the keys that would unlock the door to the answers she desperately sought. She was bound and trapped by the unknown, and a lot of questions were unanswered. Who could have done this to her? What significance does her ancestral past have to do with her life now? Will she ever get out of this bondage, or is death her end? Her memories tell tales of love, family, happiness, success, and fulfillment but underneath all these are deep consuming darkness. What does fate have in store for the Belle of Charleston? Read Castles in the Snow by Linda Heavner Gerald to uncover Caroline’s story.

One of the things I loved about this book was the little bits of historical facts spread across the book. The author imputed a little bit of the history of the "Battle of Culloden" with Sir Edward Stuart and his "Jacobite Army." It was interesting to also learn about the history of Scotland. I loved the simplistic style with which the author incorporated history lessons into the book. By intertwining it with the book's plot, it makes not only an interesting read but an informative read as well. The fact about the ability of the average human being to create up to 1,500 milliliters of urine was a fun fact to learn.

Another thing that I really found interesting about the book was the Scottish lilt used in the conversations. Thomas's and Caroline's usage of “Ye” instead of “You” and “Yer” instead of "you" was quite amusing to read and made me eager to hear it, not just read it. Also, the bond of friendship between the four of them was inspirational to read about.

I was not too fond of the insertion of Gaelic words without their interpretations. An example was the word “Aontaithe." It was used in a sentence where its interpretation was significant to the meaning of the sentence, but it was not interpreted.

I rate this book four out of four stars because of the unexpected plot of the book that made a really captivating read. Also, the book seems professionally well edited, as I found a few errors. This book is suitable for audiences who have an interest in suspenseful novels or thrillers.

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Castles in the Snow
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Kanchan Sharma]

The review is interesting and intriguing. I knew only the geography of Scotland but now I am willing to know the History as well. The life of Caroline is full of surprises. I am eager to read the book.

[Mercy119]

Sounds like an interesting book with lots to uncover. It will be a good read for anyone who's interested in Scottish history and culture.

[Mvjdarling]

It seems this book is an interesting one to read. I am intrigued too with the Scottish accent, and the history in the book is one to look up to. Nice review.

[Chandana M]

The book seems more interesting… Also the bond of friendship between four people was impressive…

[The frant1c reader]

The lack of interpretations could be a drawback, however setting that aside, the book seems interesting to read . Thank you for such a good review!

[Ronna Lambojon]

The review is both informative and interesting. I just knew about Scotland's geography before, but now I'm interested in learning more about its history. Caroline's life is full with shocks. I'm looking forward to reading the book.

[Kavita Shah]

That's a fairy tale turned into a nightmare. It sounds like a good book for me to read. Thank you for a concise review!

[angel 100]

This book does look interesting. Thanks for the review.

[Amanda Dobson]

This is a wonderful review. I do love a good novel that takes place in Scotland. Looking forward to reading it.

[Khai Ra]

This book must be very interesting, it will fill your empty time with interesting stories and knowledge because it is also from history and culture.

[Black Jewel]

You have set before me a puzzle... Now I want to read it and see if I can figure out the meanings of the words used.