Sarah's Library

This is one of a number of books I read over the holiday period, but didn't have the time (or more honestly the inclination) to write a review as I was reading it, so this review will not be as long or as detailed as my usual reviews are.  Christmas was crazy busy with cooking and last minute shopping and I just wanted to read another great book without having to use my brain to write an intelligent and cohesive review, so I apologise for my dreadful laziness and promise to do better through the rest of the year (except maybe during my two 3 week long holidays where I might be too tired to read as well as review).

This was an intriguing time travel/ghostly possession book that immediately reminded me of Kate Mosses' books (Citadel, Sepulchre etc), so if you've enjoyed Kate Mosses' work, then try this book and vice versa.

The main characters Nell and Tess have a connection through the house they both live in - 450 years apart.  Nell saw similarities in Tess's life and, in order to stop her from making the same mistakes she did, possessed Tess and showed her snippets from her own life 450 years earlier that coincided with what was happening in the current time.  Nell's end was pretty depressing and disturbing, but very well written and probably necessary for the story.  If Nell's ending had been happy she wouldn't have stayed with the house she lived in, waiting for someone to release her from her prison and at the same time save them from a similar fate.  I will be on the lookout for other books by Hartshorne.