Skip to main content

The Keys of the Watchmen (Watchmen Saga Book #1) by Kathleen C. Perrin: A Book Review

The Keys of the Watchmen (Watchmen Saga Book #1)
Author: Kathleen C. Perrin
Genre: YA, Christian, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Time-Travel
Publisher: Langon House
Release Date: 2014
Pages: 395
Source: This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Katelyn Michaels plans on hating every moment of her visit to Mont Saint Michel with her father’s new French wife. Once there, she is confused when she experiences sensations of déjà vu as she and her younger brother explore the medieval village and abbey. She is even more disturbed when she is confronted by two unusual young men, one who insists she has a sacred mission, and the other who will stop at nothing, even murder, to prevent her from fulfilling her destiny. 

     When the oddly-dressed but alluring Nicolas slips Katelyn a strange medallion, she is whisked back through time where her Watchmen hosts tell her she is the only hope to save Mont Saint Michel. Even worse, she learns that those trying to destroy the mount are led by a fallen angel intent on learning the mount's closely-guarded secret. 

     Katelyn is torn by feelings of anger at being taken back in time, inadequacy at finding a modern solution for a medieval problem, and responsibility for the mount’s starving inhabitants. She is also perturbed by her surprising attraction to the ill-tempered Nicolas. Will she stay to learn why she was chosen by the Archangel Michael and find a way to save his mount? 

     My Review: Katelyn Michaels is an American visiting Mont Saint Michel with her younger brother. During her visit, she encounters two strange men who seem to be be very interested in her for some reason. One man looks like he is dressed in medieval form, and he claims that it is her duty to save Mont Saint Michel. The other man, who dresses very gothic, wants to kill her. These encounters with these two men creep her out, for why would they target her? Her chance encounters with them thrusts her to be trapped in the medieval era, for she is called by St. Michael to save her kingdom. She realizes that she holds France’s future in the balance. Will she be able to succeed in her mission?

     At first, I did not like Katelyn as the protagonist. I did not really like being in her head. She came across as very whiny and annoying. I did not really like her attitude. She seemed selfish. Later on, she began to grow, and I started to like her. She stopped being immature and stopped complaining and pitying herself, and became very resourceful, strategic, and mature. She also became less selfish, and she cared about other people besides herself. She also stopped pitying herself, and focused on her task and what she had to do. Therefore, I liked seeing her grow as a character.

     Overall, this story is about friendship, love, choices, and faith. This book is about a woman who is trying to find confidence in herself. The message of the book is that there is always hope, even when thrust into darkness. This book is told half in first person from Katelyn’s perspective, and the other half of the novel focuses on the supporting characters told in third person. I did not really like the switching of the point of views. I think that she should have either stuck with one point of view throughout the whole novel so that the story would flow more easily. This novel also had some slow parts, and I felt the romance to be underdeveloped and forced. Still, the storyline was very interesting, and it is filled with action and humor. I absolutely loved the setting, and I loved learning the history of Mont Saint Michel. This novel ends in a cliffhanger, and it left me excited to read the sequel to find out what happens next. I recommend this book to anyone who loves reading about time-travel, and novels set on beautiful island, such as Mont Saint Michel.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Murderous Misses of Concord (Concord Mystery #1) by Elizabeth Dunne: A Book Review

The Murderous Misses of Concord (Concord Mystery #1) Author: Elizabeth Dunne Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense Publisher: Level Best - Historia Book Release Date: 2024 Pages: 258 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: In Concord, Louisa May Alcott farms pigs after success with Little Women, but as New England's freezing winter approaches, death isn't far away. Concord's Misses, armed with wit and elegance, money and secrets, are present when Miss Emily Collier dies at her forty-second birthday party. Louisa is embroiled in the intrigue. They will lie to her, set traps, and blackmail to avoid justice. And Louisa is now an outsider in what was once her home. To test her mettle, local Justice of the Peace Captain Briers, a man compromised by lust for one of the Misses, enlists her to bring order to the twisted loyalties, land feuds, and secrets fuelling a seditious desire for revenge not seen in Middlesex County since the witch...

Empress: A Novel by Evelyn McCune: A Book Review

Empress: A Novel Author: McCune, Evelyn Genre: Historical Fiction Release Date: 1994 Pages: 500 Publisher: Ballantine Books Source: Personal Collection Synopsis:  Young Jao is a tomboyish thirteen, the culturally insignificant second daughter of a nobleman's second wife, when she is summoned to the imperial palace as one of the Emperor's new concubines. Jao's straightforward ways and logic, her innocence, and her beauty earn her the great warrior Emperor Taitsung's respect, attention, and finally, his love. But his death finds her banished to a convent until his son, Emperor Kaotsung, realizes his passion for Jao. Recalled to the palace, Jao discovers a place so entrenched in enmity and malice that she is forced to fight for power and just rule.      Sweeping through exotic, turbulent seventh-century China, Empress is the captivating epic of one extraordinary woman who would become the only female emperor in all of China's history. The story of ...

Lost in The Shadows by Sydney Bristow: A Book Review

Lost In The Shadows Author: Sydney Bristow Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery and Suspense, Thriller Publisher: CreateSpace Release Date: 2015 Pages: 286 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Imagine a time when love was not only discouraged, but also considered irrelevant. When women had no legal rights. When the only way for women to secure a bright future was by taking “the dark leap” into marriage. Sound far-fetched? Welcome to Boston on the eve of the Revolutionary War.       Grace Galloway always regretted never finding time to meet prospective suitors. She was too busy caring for her siblings. Until she meets a wealthy politician who makes her realize that romance is truly worth fighting for. But then someone plunders her financial assets, leaving her family bankrupt. And when the lone suspect turns up dead, the authorities target Grace for the crime. Now she is forced to prove her innocence while in pursuit of the t...