From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg comes the historical fantasy VEINS OF GOLD:Desperate to save her siblings from poverty, a young woman discovers magic fueled by gold . . . and a love for the man who wields it.Abandoned by their father for the gold rush, Gentry and her siblings labor to survive alone in the inhospitable west. When bizarre natural disasters begin … disasters begin wreaking havoc on the land, Gentry discovers a world of magic. Desperate for help, she accepts aid from a mysterious stranger.
Winn not only sees the magic, but controls its hunger by feeding it gold—the very thing Gentry’s father left to acquire. But the earth’s unrest only grows worse, and Gentry’s fear leads her to a terrible choice: marry a wealthy man she does not love, or trust in Winn’s unpredictable power to save her family.
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Loved it!
I found this book to be incredibly unique and I couldn’t put it down. I’ve never read of a Magic like the kind that lived in this tale. I was so intrigued by Winn and wanted to know more about him and the magic that he knew.
Gentry was fascinating as well. She was incredibly selfless and took it upon herself to care for her siblings with little to no help from anyone else. She wouldn’t trust others, and wouldn’t trust herself. And that led to a heartbreaking loss before she could come to terms with the love she felt for Winn.
I’ve enjoyed every Charlie Holmberg book that I’ve read, but I have to say, this one might be my favorite.
Gentry is a young woman, but she’s bearing an adult load and then some. Her mother died in childbirth, and her father has left to mine for gold in California. In Utah his children have to face a mortgage, replanting their garden after a locust swarm, and trying to get by with too little food in the cupboard. Life was difficult, but Gentry told herself that was jut the way of things. They’d get by.
Until one day when she put on her mother’s newly mended gold necklace. The world came to life, with all sort of creatures—multiarmed creatures with thin bird legs, grinning blobs, and a massive creature that blotted out the sun like a storm cloud. Thinking that she’s lost her mind, Gentry screams and runs, but she can’t outpace them. She runs some more until she finally slams into a man, and he can see the creatures, too. Winn.
Winn can charm the seagulls into doing his bidding, and calm the agitated magic creatures by feeding them small bits of gold. Gentry and her family grow to love Winn, but love can’t pay the bills. Gentry decides she has to find a path to support their family without him.
But having experienced real magic, both the kind that can literally make you fly, and the sort that warms your heart, walking away from it may be the hardest choice she’ll ever face.
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I had trouble with the overt magic in Veins of Gold, but I loved the commonplace, everyday sorts of interactions. I almost put it down for good when she had to deal with seeing magic creatures for the first time. I’m glad I stuck with it, though—my belief was never challenged so deeply again, and I eagerly read to the end, wanting to know how Gentry found her path to happiness.
This is the first book I’ve read by the author, and I didn’t really know what to expect, other than she had great reviews from reader friends and authors. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of writing, and was easily drawn into the story and its characters. I always enjoy a western setting, and the addition of the paranormal/magic element made it exciting and new, with lots of unknowns. It was a nice balance of 1800’s reality and imaginative fantasy. Gentry is strong and devoted to her family, and their increasingly desperate circumstances worry her to the point of anxiety. She has support from the Mormon family who adopted her half brother, and they help keep her grounded and hopeful. Winn is charming and sweet, and Gentry doesn’t quite know what to make of her new friend. There are themes of self-reliance, trust, grief, and forgiveness that brought depth to the story. The concept of gold mining and the effect it had on the spirit of the land was intriguing, and I liked the way the author wove in elements of a Native American tribe, the crickets, and the seagulls- nods to the rich history of Utah. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author!
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
I love her writing! Her imagination is very entertaining and creative. She builds her story line very well and her characters are well developed. Great reading.
I feel like I should have liked this book more than I did. The magic of the earth and its’ relationship with the gold rush was interesting. The characters were good. The struggles of Gentry and her siblings were intense. I just couldn’t get into the book, though. There were parts that were better than others and drew me in some, but I never really connected with this book.
I received a complimentary copy of the book, which I voluntarily reviewed. I have given my honest opinion.
Loved it. So different from her other books.
The book was OK, but just couldn’t get into the magic, just too far out for me.
Lacks the magic of her magician books. This one seemed….calculated and over-planned, losing the delightfulness of discovery that most of her other books have.
Just couldn’t get into it.
Fascinating! Took me places I hadnt been before! I loved it!!
A delightful surprise!
Quite an unusual tale of magic and history woven together. The characters were well-drawn, the difficulties were both unlikely yet possible, the solutions unexpected. Well worth reading!
nice plot twists, edgy in the reality area. fun.
Silly.
Satisfying conclusion.
I am a Charlie Holmberg fan.
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