Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
Lee Westfall can sense when she's around gold. It's been useful to help keep her family afloat but they have to be careful to keep her abilities a secret. When tragedy strikes and Lee is left in the care of her uncle - a man who wants to use her, control her for his own gain, she flees. She disguises herself as a boy and heads west to California, where gold was just discovered. The journey is dangerous, but if she can make it, maybe she can find safety.
I fell in love with Rae Carson's writing while reading the Fire and Thorns series so I was really excited to hear she had a new book coming out, and that it was set in the old west. With how easily she made me care about the characters in her other books, I had high expectations of the characters in this one, and they were all met.
Lee was a wonderful character. She was strong, brave, sympathetic, vulnerable, and extremely likable. I liked that she started out physically strong, able to hunt, able to take care of herself, and that she was cunning. She knew some of what she needed to survive on the trail but she was also thrown into having to learn a lot more on the journey. She was doing all that while still grieving for her parents and keeping her abilities and gender a secret.
There were so many wonderful side characters. Jefferon, Lee's childhood friend and crush, was her rock. Having left for California a few days before her, finding him was Lee's main goal and kept her motivated when it would have been easier to turn around. The people she met on the wagon train she joined were all so different. Some were more developed than others but I especially enjoyed the college boys, Major, and Lucy.
Most of the book was comprised of the travel to California but it never felt slow to me. There was always something happening, or the sense that something was about to happen. The journey was treacherous and it showed. I couldn't put it down. I liked that there were more lighthearted moments woven throughout the book as well to show that, even with all the danger, the families on the wagon train had hope of a better life.
The setting and protagonist were so different from the Fire and Thorns series but this was no less addicting to read.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I fell in love with Rae Carson's writing while reading the Fire and Thorns series so I was really excited to hear she had a new book coming out, and that it was set in the old west. With how easily she made me care about the characters in her other books, I had high expectations of the characters in this one, and they were all met.
Lee was a wonderful character. She was strong, brave, sympathetic, vulnerable, and extremely likable. I liked that she started out physically strong, able to hunt, able to take care of herself, and that she was cunning. She knew some of what she needed to survive on the trail but she was also thrown into having to learn a lot more on the journey. She was doing all that while still grieving for her parents and keeping her abilities and gender a secret.
There were so many wonderful side characters. Jefferon, Lee's childhood friend and crush, was her rock. Having left for California a few days before her, finding him was Lee's main goal and kept her motivated when it would have been easier to turn around. The people she met on the wagon train she joined were all so different. Some were more developed than others but I especially enjoyed the college boys, Major, and Lucy.
Most of the book was comprised of the travel to California but it never felt slow to me. There was always something happening, or the sense that something was about to happen. The journey was treacherous and it showed. I couldn't put it down. I liked that there were more lighthearted moments woven throughout the book as well to show that, even with all the danger, the families on the wagon train had hope of a better life.
The setting and protagonist were so different from the Fire and Thorns series but this was no less addicting to read.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this historical fantasy—set in the old West in 1849, starring Leah, a girl who must disguise herself as a boy and travel the Oregon Trail to escape the man who killed her parents and wants to have her under his thumb. For he is greedy for gold, and Lee has a magical ability to sense gold, from the tiniest gold dust to the biggest nuggets buried underground. Will she be able to survive robbers, hunger, the elements, and greedy men? Will she ever find her best friend Jefferson, who left before her on his way West across the vast continent? Great adventure story with a bold heroine and lots of accurate historical detail. if it wasn't for the magical ability, it would be a tried and true Western historical story, with great characters who aren't just stock characters out of a B western but who have many sides to them. Definitely have plenty of water on hand when you read about them crossing the desert!
So boring! I DNF'ed it with 60 pages to go. Really not into it at all. It was just a never ending journey and I wanted them to reach their destination and it seemed like they never got closer to California.
The writing was good but really not my cup of tea. I'm glad I stopped.
I do not recommend.
The writing was good but really not my cup of tea. I'm glad I stopped.
I do not recommend.
A+ for a heroine who did NOT do stupid things or behave like an idiot and need rescuing. Lee is capable and strong and brave but still flawed enough to feel realistic. Her interactions and the growth of her character through those interactions was smooth and believable. Some of the story does ride on coincidence and good luck but what story doesn't? It's not being driven by the characters' Stupid Decisions and that is rare in historical fiction sometimes. The detail and realism is there. Including something that many writers side-step when pulling the "dressing as a boy" trope.
It wasn't perfect because, let's face it, the main villain reads like a total mustache-twirler who is totally going to get up to something beyond just using Lee for her gift. Some of the side characters don't grow dimensions until later in the book either but, when they do (if they do), it's lovely.
I think I'll have to see if I can find the second book now. If nothing else, I have to find out that baby's damn name!
It wasn't perfect because, let's face it, the main villain reads like a total mustache-twirler who is totally going to get up to something beyond just using Lee for her gift. Some of the side characters don't grow dimensions until later in the book either but, when they do (if they do), it's lovely.
I think I'll have to see if I can find the second book now. If nothing else, I have to find out that baby's damn name!
I loved this book! And I was so surprised by it! I'm not much of a historical fiction fan but I enjoyed The Girl of Fire and Thorns and loved The Oregon Trail game as a kid, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read this book! And I'm so glad I didn't! I'll have a full review close to the publication date but definitely keep an eye out for this book!
HOW IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE FOR ANY BOOK TO BE THIS GOOD?
Seriously, I’m reeling in the aftermath of reading this. It’s one of the best fantasies I’ve read this year, though I doubt that it rigidly fits into the fantasy genre; it’s more of a blend of historical fiction (California Gold Rush, 1849), magical realism (an MC with the ability to sniff out GOLD! Yay!) and a travelogue of the characters’ unforgettable journey across the Wild, Wild West.
Firstly, the protagonist, Leah Westfall, is amazing. She’s strong yet sensible, courageous yet grounded and has a determined will to overcome all odds, without coming across as pretentious. Fate throws her a lot of harsh stuff. Her journey is ridden with so many dangers: bandits, cholera, buffalo stampedes, heat strokes, oppression just ‘coz she’s a woman and the constant threat of being discovered by the villain’s goons. You name it! Still, everything is woven seamlessly into the overall framework of the story, so there’s no overcrowding or anything.
Also, the cast of secondary characters are extremely well written. I honestly loved them. The kind ones, the mean ones, the children and even the animals (Peony was my favorite!) I mean, how many books have made you root for the dogs, horses and the oxen? I found myself involved emotionally in each of their stories and my heart kept breaking every time there was a death. I hadn’t expected to get so caught up in this saga.
The romance was a little weak, IMO. But there was too much of other stuff going on for me to notice the lack of romance. There was also a ‘mature’ love triangle, which I actually liked for once. I think both the females in question knew they liked the same guy and still managed to be good friends with each other.
One thing that I didn’t appreciate was the ending. It was too anti-climactic after such a hell of a ride. But… too trivial to affect my overall rating of the book.
5, GLITTERING, GLEAMING STARS
YA FANTASY LOVERS: YOU NEED TO READ THIS ONE!
Seriously, I’m reeling in the aftermath of reading this. It’s one of the best fantasies I’ve read this year, though I doubt that it rigidly fits into the fantasy genre; it’s more of a blend of historical fiction (California Gold Rush, 1849), magical realism (an MC with the ability to sniff out GOLD! Yay!) and a travelogue of the characters’ unforgettable journey across the Wild, Wild West.
Firstly, the protagonist, Leah Westfall, is amazing. She’s strong yet sensible, courageous yet grounded and has a determined will to overcome all odds, without coming across as pretentious. Fate throws her a lot of harsh stuff.
Spoiler
There’s the brutal murder of her parents, the disappearance of her best and only friend, Jefferson and a creepy uncle hell bent on exploiting her gold dowsing powers.Also, the cast of secondary characters are extremely well written. I honestly loved them. The kind ones, the mean ones, the children and even the animals (Peony was my favorite!) I mean, how many books have made you root for the dogs, horses and the oxen? I found myself involved emotionally in each of their stories and my heart kept breaking every time there was a death. I hadn’t expected to get so caught up in this saga.
The romance was a little weak, IMO. But there was too much of other stuff going on for me to notice the lack of romance. There was also a ‘mature’ love triangle, which I actually liked for once. I think both the females in question knew they liked the same guy and still managed to be good friends with each other.
One thing that I didn’t appreciate was the ending. It was too anti-climactic after such a hell of a ride. But… too trivial to affect my overall rating of the book.
5, GLITTERING, GLEAMING STARS
YA FANTASY LOVERS: YOU NEED TO READ THIS ONE!
I really loved this. I think I have a soft spot for historical fiction and the setting doesn’t seem to matter.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 stars
Oregon Trail with a slight paranormal twist.
Lee is a 15--year-old girl in 1849 Georgia with a "witchy" ability to divine gold, a handy trait to have at the start of the great California gold rush. When her parents are murdered and their killer wants to use her abilities himself to get rich, Lee escapes and heads west herself, trying to catch up with her best friend Jeff who is fleeing his own demons.
The bulk of the book is their journey west and all the hardships they encounter. Lee disguises herself as a boy and, for most of the book, her gold-finding ability is not a factor. The story is slow-paced, not quite as much as an actual trek across the country, but it kept my interest most of the way nonetheless. The story has a YA feel to it, both with the mild puppy love thing going on with Jeff and the toned down level of actual violence or evil on the page. Lee is a likeable protagonist, and her ability and the inevitable conflict with others, especially her parents' murderer, have the potential to be good.
I look look forward to seeing what happens next and hope that Lee's gold-finding abilities play a greater role in the next book.
Oregon Trail with a slight paranormal twist.
Lee is a 15--year-old girl in 1849 Georgia with a "witchy" ability to divine gold, a handy trait to have at the start of the great California gold rush. When her parents are murdered and their killer wants to use her abilities himself to get rich, Lee escapes and heads west herself, trying to catch up with her best friend Jeff who is fleeing his own demons.
The bulk of the book is their journey west and all the hardships they encounter. Lee disguises herself as a boy and, for most of the book, her gold-finding ability is not a factor. The story is slow-paced, not quite as much as an actual trek across the country, but it kept my interest most of the way nonetheless. The story has a YA feel to it, both with the mild puppy love thing going on with Jeff and the toned down level of actual violence or evil on the page. Lee is a likeable protagonist, and her ability and the inevitable conflict with others, especially her parents' murderer, have the potential to be good.
I look look forward to seeing what happens next and hope that Lee's gold-finding abilities play a greater role in the next book.
I loved this. I loved the characters - particularly Lee, and the story was gripping. Some of the other reviews have stated that it moves very slowly and arduously, but to be honest, I think the pacing is appropriate for what was a slow and arduous journey. Can't wait to read the next.