The Island House by Posie Graeme-Evans

 

Singy and Freya are living parallel lives on the Scottish Island of Findnar, but during different times in history.  Singy lived on Findnar during the time of a Viking raid where her entire family was murdered and Freya living in present day came from Australia to her dead father's Island House to finish her PhD in archaeology and to complete his research and to find the many historical, hidden treasures on Findnar. 

It was exciting to be with Freya as she uncovered items noted on her father's research cards and items that had been used and left by Singy when she had lived on the island.  On the other hand, it was heartbreaking to see the harsh life Singy had lived with the nuns and monks. 

Ms. Graeme-Evans did an outstanding job of blending the two stories together. When Freya discovers something from Singy's era, you will be excited because you actually know the real story of the find and want to let Freya know.  History buffs will go crazy with the archeological finds Freya uncovers.

The author described the two main characters in detail and as equivalent to each other with their likeness being the island they lived on and the people in their lives.  There is even a parallel between their two love stories.  The secondary characters are just as fascinating and are vital to the book's awe and storyline and are appealing in terms of their uniqueness. 

The cover in itself is intriguing, and once I started reading, it was easy to get absorbed.  The storyline and writing style are perfect in all respects, and the lives of Singy and Freya keep you looking for more.  The interesting detail on the author’s part and such a marvelous blending of  the two eras along with the flawless, captivating storyline that moved from one era to the next will keep you turning the pages and wanting to see more of what was to come.  

As the chapters flowed from one character and one era to the other, you will see the similarities in the setting and lifestyle, but of course one is more primitive than the other.  I loved how the ending sentence or simply one single word of a chapter was the beginning of the other era in the next chapter.  What a beautiful writing style as well as a magnificent book.

Don’t miss this exceptional read that brought past and present together in an unforgettable tale of love, loss, hidden treasures, and discovery.  Ms. Graeme-Evans did a remarkable job in this compelling read that will be in my list of favorites because of the history, the mystery, and the added flare of Scotland's magic and its legends and myths.   5/5 

I received a free copy of this book from Simon & Schuster in return for an honest review.