Keeper of Enchanted Rooms (Whimbrel House Book 1)

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One of the best reads of this year, so happy there will be more stories of this fantastic gang, Heir of Uncertain Magic. Which meant marshland. “I’m aware of it.” A house abandoned for a hundred years in the middle of a marshy island ... It must be in terrible repair. I enjoyed Merritt’s character development tremendously this time. He seems to learn from the situation and act with maturity even when Hulda acts weird. In a Nutshell: A lovely continuation to the Whimbrel House series. While not as creepy as Book One, this sequel was still enjoyable, though it took me a while to get into the plot this time around.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, so I was thrilled to get my hands on this as well. And while I didn't feel like it was quite as good, it was still soooo good!The magical bits are as imaginative as before. Nothing ever feels farfetched, which is quite an achievement for a fantasy novel. While the pacing of the book ranged between medium to slow, I never felt tempted to speed-read. The writing isn’t decorative but is charming enough to appeal with its simplistic style. Hulda’s “dictionary-style” language is written and utilised wonderfully in the plot without making it seem odd. All right, I lied--one final pull quote: 'The warmth wafting off him, enveloping her with spring when she was surrounded by winter.' Hulda has significant experience in understanding and taming magical houses. But the darkness from her past threatens to rise again just as she makes progress with Whimbrel House and she and Merritt are growing closer. Hello?” His voice was pitched high on the other side of the door, and desperation leaked through the wooden fibers.

His father stepped into the stall and closed the door, leaning heavily on it for the stiffness the magic had left in his legs. “Excused me,” he rumbled. “They excused me. For”—he laughed—“drunken behavior.” I will say though that both Hulda and Merritt often felt immature and caricature-ish. It made the book read almost like a middle grade at moments. I didn’t mind it because it went well with the overall comforting feel of the story. But they did feel a bit underdeveloped compared to the more ‘serious’ adult fantasies I usually read. The two main characters are charming. Awkward to begin with, Merritt and Hulda grew on me as the chapters progressed. As both of them are in their thirties, it is funny to see them so clumsy and almost juvenile around each other, but the author has written the reasons for this so well that it doesn’t jar. Hulda’s strong façade and her underlying vulnerability make her the perfect titular character. Prepared as she is with augury, a set of magic tools, and a new staff trained in the uncanny, Hulda’s work still proves unexpectedly difficult. She and Merritt grow closer as the investigation progresses, but the house’s secrets run deeper than they anticipated. And the sentient walls aren’t their only concern―something outside is coming for the enchantments of Whimbrel House, and it could be more dangerous than what rattles within. The magical realm, spells and stones portray Charlie’s own knowledge of magical fantasy. Her deep insight into this genre is much appreciated by the reader. The dialogues are well-placed and fit the story's plot, time, place and phase.It was ... most definitely melting. Like a candle under too hot a flame. The seat dripped onto the carpet, though the carpet didn’t absorb or repel it. The drips simply ceased to be. Meanwhile, the wood glistened with perspiration and wobbled, ready to break under the lightest touch.