Author: Elisa Keyston
Narrator: Blair Seibert
Length: 5 hours and 52 minutes
Series: Northwest Magic, Book 1
Publisher: Elisa Keyston
Released: Jul. 22, 2020
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Lose yourself in the magical forests and charming towns of the Pacific Northwest, where picturesque Victorian homes hide mysteries spanning decades, faeries watch from the trees, and romance awaits...for those bold enough to seek it. Cass is a drifter. When she inherits an old Queen Anne Victorian in rural Oregon from her great-aunt Alexandra, all she wants is to quickly offload the house and move on to bigger and better things. But the residents of the small town have other plans in mind. Her neighbors are anxious for her to help them thwart the plans of a land developer eager to raze Alexandra’s property, while a mysterious girl in the woods needs Cass’s help understanding her own confusing, possibly supernatural abilities. And though little surprises Cass (thanks to her own magical powers of prediction), she never could have anticipated her newfound feelings for the handsome fourth-grade teacher at the local elementary school — feelings that she thought she’d buried long ago. Cass has sworn off love, but Matthew McCarthy is unlike anyone Cass has ever met. If she isn’t careful, he could learn her secret. Or worse — he just might thaw her frozen heart. But falling in love could spell danger for both of them. Because it’s not just the human residents of Riddle that have snared Cass in their web. Cass’s presence has caught the attention of the fae that dwell in the woods. They know she has the Sight, and they don’t want to let her go....
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Alexandra's Riddle by Elisa KeystonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Sweet romance with a hint of magical-realism.
Elisa Keyston’s writing is whimsical, heartwarming, and overall very pleasant. And Blair Seibert reads the story with reverence to those aspects. I love Cass’ character and how she sees the supernatural realm. Down to the species of Fae living in the woods around Aunt Alexandra’s house. I also love that the story is set in Oregon. I’ve never been there, I felt like I was there. Not to mention Matt. Sweet, handsome Matt.
The audio itself was clean. No microphone feedback. No choppy cuts. It was smooth sailing. I actually listened to most of the audio with my eyes closed. I was transported into the story and could imagine each scene with vivid imagination. It was almost like watching a movie. Blair Seibert is a new narrator to me; before this book, I actually hadn’t known about her. I like finding new narrators to add to my list of voices.
Alexandra’s Riddle is a very pleasant read/listen, had me asking all the right questions, and I was rewarded with the answers. I definitely recommend this book. Don’t miss out!
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Elisa Keyston. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
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Alexandra’s Riddle Character Profiles
Cassandra “Cass” Russo
Age: 30
Height: 5’5”
Description: Long, dark hair, average height and build, frequently found in flip-flops
Cass is a drifter, and she’s never managed to stay in one place for too long. There’s nowhere she’s ever really found a connection to, so she’s always looking for the next best thing and wants to avoid getting tied down. She has the Sight, which means she can see faeries and has the “gift” of premonitions. Over the course of her life, she’s found that her abilities have caused her more trouble than they’re worth, so she tries to avoid the supernatural as much as possible. She likes to live in urban environments because fae tend to congregate in undeveloped areas with a lot of trees, where natures runs wild. When she inherits her great-aunt’s house in rural Oregon, she finds herself dragged back into the magical world against her will. She wants nothing more than to sell the house quickly and get back to the city—any city—and yet, she quickly finds herself embroiled in a supernatural mystery that she may not be able to escape.
Matthew McCarthy
Age: 30
Height: 6’0”
Description: Short, honey-brown hair, tall and muscular, clean-shaven
Matthew recently moved to Riddle after spending several years living and teaching in Eugene, Oregon. He currently teaches fourth grade at Riddle Elementary. He originally hails from the small town of Foreston, Washington, on the north side of the Columbia River. He hails from a long line of stubborn Irish-Americans and Irish-Canadians, and his grandparents on his mother’s side live in Saskatchewan. He has two younger sisters, Laney and Taryn. His family are dog lovers, and he has a floppy-eared red Doberman who’s afraid of his own shadow. Patient, friendly and laid-back, Matthew seems as ordinary as they come—but he has a secret of his own that Cass’s premonitions could never have predicted.
Lily Kowalski
Age: 9
Height: 4’3”
Description: Shoulder-length black hair with bangs, slender and slight, dresses in a somewhat old-fashioned way (skirts and sweaters, saddle shoes, jumpers)
Lily lives with her somewhat absentee parents next door to Cass’s property, which she recently inherited from her Aunt Alexandra. Quiet, shy, and something of an outcast among her peers, Lily spends much of her time exploring Alexandra’s woods and making friends with the creatures that live in the trees. She just started fourth grade and is very artistically talented. Her closest friend in town after Alexandra’s death is the children’s librarian, Darcy. Something about Lily seems odd to Cass, and she is starting to suspect that there may be more to the girl than meets the eye.
Green
Age: ?
Height: 6 inches
Description: An odd green fae, species unknown. Green in color, no wings, has a clump of leaves on its head that could be a hat or could be its hair.
Green is the strangest fae Cass has ever encountered. Unlike most of the other magical creatures that inhabit the woods, Green is able to speak English, and takes a greater interest in the goings-on of the humans that occupy Riddle. Seems to have some kind of connection to Cass’s past, but though it seems familiar, Cass can’t quite remember where she’s seen this creature before…
Darcy Hudson
Age: 28
Height: 5’8”
Description: Long, black hair, bangs, freckles, small gap between front teeth
Darcy is the children’s librarian at the Riddle Branch Library. She organizes special activities for the kids as well as coordinating Homework Help Hour with the teachers at Riddle Elementary. With a special gift for educating and a way with kids, Darcy is excited when Cass joins the library staff, because it means she’s able to spend more time on programming. She has lived in Riddle all her life and can’t imagine ever living anywhere else. Cheerful and outgoing, she immediately befriends Cass, and she has a soft spot for Lily. Darcy lives with her parents, helping her dad care for her disabled mom. Darcy’s dad is an officer for the Riddle Historical Society, and he also holds a spot on the board of the Riddle Chamber of Commerce.
Age: 30
Height: 5’5”
Description: Long, dark hair, average height and build, frequently found in flip-flops
Age: 30
Height: 6’0”
Description: Short, honey-brown hair, tall and muscular, clean-shaven
Age: 9
Height: 4’3”
Description: Shoulder-length black hair with bangs, slender and slight, dresses in a somewhat old-fashioned way (skirts and sweaters, saddle shoes, jumpers)
Age: ?
Height: 6 inches
Description: An odd green fae, species unknown. Green in color, no wings, has a clump of leaves on its head that could be a hat or could be its hair.
Age: 28
Height: 5’8”
Description: Long, black hair, bangs, freckles, small gap between front teeth
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