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Book Review | The Twisted Tree by Rachel Burge

I couldn’t put down The Twisted Tree by Rachel Burge.  Loved it!

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Book cover The Twisted Tree by Rachel Burge
  • Publisher : Hot Key Books; 1st edition (10 Jan. 2019)
  • Language : English
  • Paperback : 272 pages
  • ISBN-10 : 1471407764
  • ISBN-13 : 978-1471407765
  • Reading age : 12 – 18 years

Martha can tell things about a person just by touching their clothes, as if their emotions and memories have been absorbed into the material. It started the day she fell from the tree at her grandma’s cabin and became blind in one eye.

Determined to understand her strange ability, Martha sets off to visit her grandmother, Mormor – only to discover Mormor is dead, a peculiar boy is in her cabin and a terrifying creature is on the loose.

Then the spinning wheel starts creaking, books move around and terror creeps in . . .

Set in the remote snows of contemporary Norway, THE TWISTED TREE is a ghost story that twists and turns – and never takes you quite where you’d expect.

Book Review

I was hooked from the beginning. 

Martha travelling alone to Mormor’s had me intrigued for many reasons and I had so many questions.  I was excited for the story to unravel and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

The setting and pace are perfect in creating tension, atmosphere and yes … goosebumps.   The darkness and shadows had substance and I could taste the fear.  I loved the ancestors!

Even though Martha has Stig in Mormor’s home with her, most things she experiences alone and the quest itself ends up being hers alone (with a little help from an unexpected source). 

I loved that there was a spark of young romance alongside the unexplained.  And humour.

I enjoyed Rachel Burge’s figurative writing, for example:

“I know Mormor and Mum kept secrets from me.  They passed them back and forth to one another, like a stitch made over and over, until they became fastened into the fabric of our lives.”

How awesome is that!  It is so vivid.

I’ve always been drawn to Norse myths (Jera is a Nordic rune) – Yggdrasil and the Norns come to life in this story. 

The Twisted Tree by Rachel Burge is a tale of a young woman learning what her gift can do and finally using that gift to heal.  Acceptance and belonging.

Outstanding read for me!

I have the sequel, The Crooked Mask on my Kindle waiting for me. Excited to continue Martha and Stig’s journey!

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The cards available in the printable mindfulness card deck

Rachel Burge works as a freelance feature writer and has written for a variety of websites, including BBC Worldwide, Cosmo, and MTV. She lives in East Sussex with her partner, son, and black Labrador Biff. She is fascinated by Norse myth and swears she once saw a ghost.

She is on Twitter (@RachelABurge), Facebook (RachelBurge) and Instagram (rachelburgewriter) and Pinterest (burge0709)

Her website is rachelburgewriter.co.uk


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I'm passionate about helping others to find a centre of calm. On my mental well-being journey I've qualified in different 'therapies' including Mindfulness and as a Mental Health First Aider.  I took my love of crochet one step further too with a crochet diploma.  Join me on:  Substack | Twitter  |   Facebook  |  Pinterest  |  LinkedIn  |  Threads Read More Behind the Scenes

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