Blog Tour: The Scent Keeper

Hello and welcome!

I'm so grateful and excited to have the chance to share this book with you, and let you know what I thought. It's always exciting to see a book before it's officially published, and even more of a privilege to be part of helping more people hear about it. I get excited every time I get book mail, asked to participate in a blog tour, or give a review, and even more excited when I hear back that someone enjoyed reading something I recommended! Books are the greatest, aren't they!

This is the first book I've read by Bauermeister, and I was impressed. Intrigued initially by the cover, I was even more intrigued reading the synopsis, "Emmeline lives an enchanted childhood on a remote island with her father, who teaches her about the natural world through her senses. What he won’t explain are the mysterious scents stored in the drawers that line the walls of their cabin, or the origin of the machine that creates them. As Emmeline grows, however, so too does her curiosity, until one day the unforeseen happens, and Emmeline is vaulted out into the real world--a place of love, betrayal, ambition, and revenge. To understand her past, Emmeline must unlock the clues to her identity, a quest that challenges the limits of her heart and imagination." (from Goodreads)

I was caught from the beginning of this novel, which is always something I'm skeptical about, and I read the first part (of three in the story) in less than an hour. Time flew by and I wasn't aware of it! Always a good sign. The book is broken up into three parts, the first dealing with her childhood on an island with her father. It's hard to tell much of what happens in the other parts without giving anything away, but the language and skill Bauemeister writes with creates a world you can't help but enjoy and be interested in hearing more about.

The character of Emmeline is intriguing and clever. She's a sharp and curious girl, willing to be courageous, brave, and resourceful. The first part of the book raises some compelling questions, problems, and issues Emmeline has to work out, and I was pleased with the plot's direction, the construction and flow of the story, as well as the answers we're given to those questions. This world of scents and smells, the memories they invoke and compel us and Emmeline to discover are curious, unique, and interesting.

I enjoyed spending time in this world. It was fun to explore, compelling and quick to read, and the writing earned the feelings from me, which I always appreciate. After this, I'm eager to read more of Bauermeister's backlist and thrilled to have found a new author to follow!

You can find The Scent Keeper here, or wherever you get your books.