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- GenresHistorical Fiction
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2013
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63 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
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October 22, 2013Mackenzie's Cross buzz event and review-only tour, happening November 7th–9th and and December 9th–14th!
May 15, 2014
Intriguing historical fiction! Love the authentic details and interesting twists that keep you reading until the end. :)
September 7, 2014
Mackenzie is a young kitchen maid in the castle of the powerful Duke of Kensington. The duke is hosting a jousting tournament at his castle, and the household is abuzz with activity. The Duchess of Kensington honors the head cook, Adilla, to serve the noble family along with a person of her choosing at the welcoming feast of the tournament. Adilla bestows the honor to Mackenzie to serve with her as her new apprentice. However, at the welcoming feast, disaster strikes, and the duke dies on the spot. It is discovered that the duke has been poisoned, and her friend Adilla has been falsely accused of murder and is imprisoned in the dungeons. Mackenzie realizes that her life will no longer be the same, and she must team up with a knight, Sir Patrick, in order to save her friend.
The setting of the castle is beautifully written. It is told from the eyes of the servants, and it describes their daily duties. The book mentions the distinct differences of the rich noble class and the poor working class. However, Mackenzie sees the bridge between the two classes, and makes friends with both classes. She also sees that some people in both the poor and the noble class has a greed for power and do not appreciate what they have. In the end, she realises that happiness comes from the heart and not by a person’s social status or what they have.
Mackenzie is a strong heroine. She is happy with what God has given her in her life. She learns to appreciate what she has. However, she is impulsive and sometimes rash. Sometimes, I did not like her character. She can be selfish and commits ruthless deeds in order to save herself. She does not regret what she does, and rationalizes that it is better to save herself than others. She is also judgmental. However, she does have her good qualities. She is a hard worker, and finds pleasure in her work. She cares for her friend, Adilla. She works hard to save her from her fate.
Overall, this book is about love, trust, friendship, and survival.The story is fast-paced, and has romance, mystery, and political intrigue. The message of the book is even though you are undergoing many trials in your life, as long as you trust in God, your problems will be solved. Where there is darkness, there is also hope. The story reminded me of the story David and Goliath. Mackenzie was the underdog that fought against a powerful murderer. Yet with God, she conquered her giant and was able to finally have her justice. Thus, I recommend this book to anyone who interested in a historical, Christian, inspirational, romance.
(Note: I received this book as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.)
The setting of the castle is beautifully written. It is told from the eyes of the servants, and it describes their daily duties. The book mentions the distinct differences of the rich noble class and the poor working class. However, Mackenzie sees the bridge between the two classes, and makes friends with both classes. She also sees that some people in both the poor and the noble class has a greed for power and do not appreciate what they have. In the end, she realises that happiness comes from the heart and not by a person’s social status or what they have.
Mackenzie is a strong heroine. She is happy with what God has given her in her life. She learns to appreciate what she has. However, she is impulsive and sometimes rash. Sometimes, I did not like her character. She can be selfish and commits ruthless deeds in order to save herself. She does not regret what she does, and rationalizes that it is better to save herself than others. She is also judgmental. However, she does have her good qualities. She is a hard worker, and finds pleasure in her work. She cares for her friend, Adilla. She works hard to save her from her fate.
Overall, this book is about love, trust, friendship, and survival.The story is fast-paced, and has romance, mystery, and political intrigue. The message of the book is even though you are undergoing many trials in your life, as long as you trust in God, your problems will be solved. Where there is darkness, there is also hope. The story reminded me of the story David and Goliath. Mackenzie was the underdog that fought against a powerful murderer. Yet with God, she conquered her giant and was able to finally have her justice. Thus, I recommend this book to anyone who interested in a historical, Christian, inspirational, romance.
(Note: I received this book as part of a blog tour in exchange for an honest review.)
July 15, 2016
Sarah Barthel is an expert at getting readers to turn the page. Once I started, it was hard to put this one down! All her life, Mackenzie has *just* been a kitchen maid. But, when the Duke is murdered, secrets are revealed... and her life suddenly becomes complicated. It's up to her to right wrongs and accept her new life with a new destiny. This book will appeal to a variety of readers. Technically, it's a young adult historical fiction book. But, there's also intrigue, mystery, adventure... and a touch of romance. I'm excited to read future works by this author :) This is currently only available as an e-book.
July 6, 2015
After waiting far too long, I finally made time to read 'Mackenzie's Cross' and I am so very glad I did. This is a fantastic take on the timeless story of a young person coming of age that melds universal truths of the human condition with a very interesting and educational historical setting. This book also falls solidly in that wonderful middle ground of a book accessible to younger audiences but with a page turning plot that can captivate adults as well. It took me way too long to pick this book up, but less than 24hrs to finish because I couldn't put it down. Do yourself a favor and pick up this quick and satisfying read.
May 26, 2014
Received from Historical Fiction Virtual tour for an honest review.
I really enjoyed "Mackenzie's Cross" by Sarah Barthel. I'm a sucker for the knights in shining armor but when a heroine is also a strong character it makes it that much better. The writing was easy and flowed. It was a story that captured my attention from the very beginning. I love stories where there is a great mixture of history, romance, adventure and mystery. I enjoyed this story and the characters. You can't go wrong reading this great adventure!
I really enjoyed "Mackenzie's Cross" by Sarah Barthel. I'm a sucker for the knights in shining armor but when a heroine is also a strong character it makes it that much better. The writing was easy and flowed. It was a story that captured my attention from the very beginning. I love stories where there is a great mixture of history, romance, adventure and mystery. I enjoyed this story and the characters. You can't go wrong reading this great adventure!
May 1, 2014
Girls! This book is amazing. I mean, like there are no parts that drag. This author is putting out some serious work. To read Sarah's interview visit my website. I loved the fact that Mackenzie was so realistic, and the characters had personality plus. I don't want to give away the good parts, but this book received an award, and for good reason. A Regular Gal's Review
March 18, 2014
Fans of historical fictions are sure to love this book, it's intriguing plot, twists, and the authentic details.
June 4, 2014
Here is a link to my review: http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/201...
October 4, 2014
Loved the history in this story. Well written and researched. I was glued to the page.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews