Book Review/ /The Lost Castle, Kristy Cambron


"Crumbling walls were rare, beautiful things."

 Summary (from Goodreads): A thirteenth-century castle, Chateau de Doux Reves, has been forgotten for generations, left to ruin in a storybook forest nestled deep in France's picturesque Loire Valley. It survived a sacking in the French Revolution, was brought back to life and fashioned into a storybook chateau in the Gilded Age, and was eventually felled and deserted after a disastrous fire in the 1930s.
As Ellie Carver sits by her grandmother's bedside, she hears stories of a castle . . . of lost love and a hidden chapel that played host to a secret fight in the World War II French resistance. But her grandmother is quickly slipping into the locked-down world of Alzheimer's, and Ellie must act fast if she wants to uncover the truth of her family's history.
Sparked by the discovery of a long-forgotten family heirloom, Ellie embarks on a journey to French wine country to uncover the mystery surrounding The Sleeping Beauty--the castle so named for Charles Perrault's beloved fairy tale--and unearth its secrets before they're finally silenced by time.
Set in three different time periods--the French Revolution, World War II, and present day--The Lost Castle is a story of loves won and lost, of battles waged, and an enchanted castle that inspired the epic fairy tales time left behind.

My Thoughts: Starting out, I have to admit that it took me a lot longer than it should have to get used to the 3 different POVS (point of views). However, when I sat down and read for more than 30 minutes at a time, I got used to the transitions.
The characters really got to me. You got close to the other side characters, but not as much as the main protagonists. I loved how the 3 women were tied together with a single, lost castle. The different time periods were written in a way that you grew familiar with the era everytime you would read the story. The hidden mystery behind why they all were truly connected was brilliant! I loved, loved, loved the ending! I love that they talked about Providence, with a capital 'P' and how God gifts and works in people more than you realize. Overall, I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves reading Historical Fiction, Fairytales, and Romance.

About the Author: Kristy Cambron is an award-winning author of Christian fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of Bible studies, including the Verse Mapping series. She is a passionate storyteller who travels to speak at ministry events across the country, encouraging women to experience a deeper life in the Word through verse mapping. Her work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, and received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations.

 Kristy holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing, and has 15 years of experience in education and leadership development for a Fortune-100 Corporation, working in partnership with such companies as the Disney Institute, IBM/Kenexa, and Gallup. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, and can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.

 The most important thing? Jesus is everything— let her tell you about Him sometime.

 Genre: Christian fiction, Romance, and Historical

Appropriate Age: 13+

There were a few kisses, but they all were innocent. Nothing to worry about. 

One of the main things that tied all the 3 protagonists together was the wine that was made in the Castle's vineyards. So wine is talked about quite frequently and plays a major part of the plot. 

The war scenes were somewhat gory and frightening. Blood dripping from someone's hand was mentioned. A few battle wounds that were described to be quite serious. 

Looking for more books like this one? 


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