JC Brennan
Horror and Dark Fiction Author

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

The Enchanted: A Novel by JC Brennan is a beautifully written story with a strong appeal to fans of young adult novels and stories with coming-of-age themes. Rebecca had grown up with a grandmother who had an uncanny gift for storytelling, and some of her stories were chilling, the ones that can turn a usually bright and colorful room into an eerie, shadowy one. Her tales had always fascinated Rebecca. On her grandmother’s death, Rebecca Gentry and her father inherited a huge sum of money and a castle in Scotland. What they don’t know is that Castle Fordottar has a dark and magical history, and to Becca’s stupefaction, her grandmother’s tales have not all been made up. As father and daughter begin to navigate their mysterious home, they have to figure out how to break the spell and dispel the darkness.

This is an entertaining story, a tale filled with magic and colorful characters. JC Brennan’s writing has a spell of its own. It is fluid and enjoyable. Readers will love the cast of characters, from the major ones to the minor characters, to those that live only through the power of their magic. The scenes are well-written and focused, and I loved how real they are. The author has the unique gift of weaving backstory into the narrative without digressing, creating abundant twists in the narrative, and inventing characters that feel real and are unforgettable. The Enchanted: A Novel is a gripping tale that is well-accomplished. It is an affecting story that is piercing, winding its way towards a young girl’s questions about her past, a story that appeals to fans of fantasy. I devoured it through the night, transported to a world where unexpected things happen.