Published: 2022
Series: Whimbrel House #1
Author: Charlie N. Holmberg
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Magic, Historical, Cozy, Cozy Fantasy
Audience (Grade Levels): Grades 7-12
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 Stars)
Goodreads Link: Keeper of Enchanted Rooms
Triggers: Magic, Family Issues
Review By: Heather Kent
Publisher’s Summary:
Rhode Island, 1846. Estranged from his family, writer Merritt Fernsby is surprised when he inherits a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Though the property has been uninhabited for more than a century, Merritt is ready to call it home—until he realizes he has no choice. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House is not about to let Merritt leave. Ever.
Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has been trained in taming such structures in order to preserve their historical and magical significance. She understands the dangers of bespelled homes given to tantrums. She advises that it’s in Merritt’s best interest to make Whimbrel House their ally. To do that, she’ll need to move in, too.
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.
Review:
I love that the author created this wonderful character in a house full of magic and tricks. This story is set in Rhode Island and a house that needs to learn to behave. I love the way that the author ties the past and the present to create such a great story with many twists and turns. I began to wonder what personality my house would have and what it would be like to train and build a relationship. I found it to be fast paced and hard to put down. I am definitely going to read the next book in this series as well as many other books that she has written.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- English Language Arts (Creative Writing & Anthropomorphism): The sentient nature of Whimbrel House serves as an excellent study in personification and anthropomorphism. Teachers can leverage this text to demonstrate how settings can function actively as dynamic characters within a narrative arc.
- Social Studies & Historical Context: Set in 1846 Rhode Island, this cozy historical fantasy bridges fictional magic with real-world history. It provides a springboard for discussions regarding the mid-19th-century American landscape, architectural preservation, and domestic life during the era.
Readalikes:
- The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
- The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg
- A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske
- Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
