April 7, 2016 – YA Chit Chat

Have you ever read a book that left you in awe, either of the writing style, the imagery, the plot, the characters? The Requiem Red has so many wonderful things going for it, but I would have to say my favorite aspect of this book is the authors master storytelling ability. From page one, I was hooked. I think part of that was because the story takes place in a sanitarium in the late 1800s. Talk about creepy.

Before I go into my review, here is a little about the book. Make sure you read to the end because there is a giveaway going on in celebration of the release of this awesome novel.

So, what’s it about? From Goodreads:

A monster roams the halls of Soothing Hills Asylum. Three girls dead. 29 is endowed with the curse…or gift of perception. She hears messages in music, sees lyrics in paintings. And the corn. A lifetime asylum resident, the orchestral corn music is the only constant in her life.

Mason, a new, kind orderly, sees 29 as a woman, not a lunatic. And as his belief in her grows, so does her self- confidence. That perhaps she might escape, might see the outside world.

But the monster has other plans. The missing girls share one common thread…each was twenty-nine’s cell mate.

Publisher: Month9Books

Release Date: April 5, 2016

ISBN: 1944816275 (ISBN13: 9781944816278)

Review:

When I started this novel, I knew I was going to like it. The imagery is phenomenal. The writing style impeccable. Ms. Chapman had me spellbound from the first sentence. I love the settings and the picture that she sets for the reader. Patient 29 is multi-faceted. There is so much to her character and I found myself cheering her on from the beginning. The atmosphere and mystery are suspenseful, and there were just enough fantastical elements to make the story creepy.

I really wanted more of a relationship to build between our main character and the orderly, Mason, but it didn’t happen to the extent I wanted to. Funny thing is, I didn’t feel cheated by it. I think it’s because I understood what was going on with patient 29 and a more intense romance would have boggled the plot. I also would have feard for Mason had more been allowed to happen.

Yes, this book is creepy, and by the end, I really felt so sad for patient 29. Ms. Chapman has a wonderful way of weaving historical facts into this story, and she even leaves you some links in the back of the book to follow up with to find out more about the problems facing patient 29.

I apologize if I appear to be vague, but I don’t want to give too much away. I thought this was an amazing story surrounding a subject that is always a conversation topic.

As much as I loved this book, I give it a solid 4 stars, mainly because I found it a bit predictable and because I wanted a tad more in the romance department. I also didn’t like the head-hopping that took place toward the middle/end of the book. Still, it was a fantastic read that kept me turning page after page after page. I also stared at that cover a lot!! I will definitely keep my eyes on this author and I look forward to her next book.

About-the-Author

brynn

Brynn Chapman is published in Historical and Historical Fantasy Romance for adult books. She also writes under R.R. Smythe for Young Adult Historical Fantasy.

Website- www.brynnchapmanauthor.com

She also blogs with the wonderful authors, Grace Burrowes, Hope Ramsay, Alix Rickloff and many others at http://blameitonthemuse.com

Connect: Website | @rrsmythe | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

Tour Date: March 28-April 8

Link to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26176476-the-requiem-red

Purchase Links:

Link to Tour Schedule:
http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/blog-tour-schedule-the-requiem-red-by-brynn-chapman/ Giveaway