Book review: Unbound - Brijit Reed

Unbound

The blurb.

When Anthropologist Sarah Perry attempts suicide, she unknowingly opens a portal that allows her soul to leave her body and travel through time-- into the Scottish witch persecutions under the reign of King James.

Upon awakening in the hospital, Sarah learns that she’s pregnant and vows to live long enough to bring her child into the world despite her need to escape the suffering she sees around her. She returns to work and is soon sent on a dig in Scotland to determine the reason for two partially burned bodies left in a peat bog. Intrigued, she wants to learn their story, but questions her sanity when an amulet found on the dig becomes the catalyst that guides her spirit through the portal and into the body of the woman in the bog. Sarah begins experiencing life in early 17th Century Scotland through the other woman’s eyes and flesh. Unable to control or manipulate events herself, her soul is rendered to that of mere passenger. Does the amulet contain supernatural powers that allow Sarah to see through the eyes of a woman who lived over four-hundred years ago-- or is she losing her mind? As Sarah relives events of the past, she must come to terms with her own life in the present-- choices that ultimately affect not only herself, but those she loves...

My opinion.

I loved loved loved this "short story". It was captivating, thrilling, exciting, intriguing from the very first page until the very last. I loved how Brijit Reed was able to make the atmosphere of the story change the moment you switched between present and past. With Sarah in the present, you mostly get the feeling op hopelessness, but the moment you switch to Scotland (in the past), there's a feeling of dread, of suspense, of fear even. Loved it. The story was over way too soon, this could (dare I say "should") have been a much longer novel. I would have loved to know even more about the developments in 17th Century Scotland. This "short story" feels almost rushed. It's definitely worth reading!

Many thanks to Brijit for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel.