Manroot by Anne Steinberg

Title: Manroot
Author: Anne Steinberg
Length: 258 pages
Publisher: Self-published
Classification: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Release Date: March 15, 2014 (first published September 1994)
Source: e-book (Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy of this book.)
Read: August 2014

In the spring of 1939, Katherine Sheahan and her father, the taciturn Irishman Jesse, are looking for work in the isolated tourist town of Castlewood, Missouri, which offers bathing, gambling and adultery. Jesse gets a job as handyman and Katherine as maid at a small hotel. Jesse drinks and neglects his work and eventually disappears, abandoning his daughter. Katherine discovers the ginseng, the manroot, and other secrets of the foothills; she discovers herself as a natural healer who has inherited this gift from her Navajo Indian mother. She also has a special but unwelcome gift. She can communicate with spirits. 
Among the hotel s regular clientele is Judge William Reardon, a local hero who metes out justice by day, then drinks the foul taste away at night. Escaping his sterile marriage, he becomes captivated by Katherine. He is like a man reborn. Theirs is a union of like-minded souls, but a dangerous dark magic is released. Can their love survive? 
A powerful, haunting novel that explores the powerful themes of identity and destiny, love everlasting and its brutal twin, violence. 

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**This e-book was provided for me by the author and/or publicist in exchange for a honest review.**


There are several things that I found interesting about this story, but overall this book is just not a book for me. I liked that the book is different from other books that I have read. And I think that the story is very unique.

The story takes place over a long period of time. Which I found to be different, since most books I read take place over a couple of months rather than several years.

I feel that I struggled with really liking this book because of the affair. And I felt like it was a really big age difference (I might have read it wrong.) And I didn't really like or connect with some of the characters. I didn't like the Judge or his wife. I feel like other than Katherine, the characters I was most interested in had small parts in the story.

Now for the things that I really like about Manroot.

• I like the main character: Katherine. I really enjoyed that she is diverse. (Part Navajo Indian) And that there is quite a bit of traditions and beliefs from her culture. 
• There were a lot of times I really felt for Katherine. I felt like I could connect with her on an emotional level. I might not fully know what she was going through personally, but it didn't keep me from wishing she didn't have to go through some of the stuff she was. She had a lot of struggles and challenges to face.
• I liked that the book kept me wondering what would happen next. 
• I feel like there were a lot of twists and surprises that I didn't see coming. Which kept the book entertaining. 
• I liked the magical parts of the story. It added another level to the story.
• I felt like the story was at times confusing and a little strange (in an interesting way), it kept me wondering what else was going to happen to the characters.

Overall, I found this book to be uniquely entertaining. There were some things that kept me from enjoying the book as much as others have, but I still recommend giving this book a read if you like reading about a diverse main character and enjoy reading books that have magical components.

 My Rating:

(I rate this book somewhere between 2.5 and 3. But decided to round up to 3.)