What if everything you knew, everything you were taught, all that you expected from life was stripped away? What would you do? Who would you be? Would you like who you were if it was all there was left?
Ellie has always known her role as a woman of the mountains. Taking care of her family, hunting, panhandling, and running the family store is all she deserved.
Raised in rural Northern Washington Territory in 1884 around other “roughnecks,” she knows her place. That is until one fatal morning when everything changes. As Ellie’s family foundation is dismantled log by log, she must face her destructive past and the uncharted, unknown future.
In a time when life expectancy was short, 20-year-old Ellie, must either accept help from unlikely allies or become part of the local violent outlaw authority to survive. Choosing between two men, two lives, and two sides.
Attached , Terece Hahn’s debut work, is an adult literary Bildungsroman Western novel, a captivating novel of love, grief, and resilience in unfamiliar rugged, and raw territory.
Attached is unlike any book I've ever read. It's been compared to The Alchemist, but Attached hit me so much more than The Alchemist did. It's kind of a self-help book disguised as a historical fiction novel with a bit of romance and mystery in it. I truly couldn't put it down. I'll remember this book for years to come.
Brilliantly written historical fiction, vivid imagery and detail. A poignant story with a loveable heroin, exploring themes of love, survival, and finding our own way in the world. Loved it and can't wait for more!
I honestly love any book that convinces me to give their genre a second look. For example, Western novels aren’t really on my radar—they’re not blowing up my FYP, y’know? I’m also not a fan of genres that tend to glorify the “good ol’ days” without acknowledging how messed up people used to be. Or they used to feature the past in a very one-sided manner.
Hahn breaks out of the mold by showing a woman in real circumstances of that time but shows that her time or location does not excuse the behaviors of others. No matter what, people don’t deserve violence or abuse. Hahn has life coach experience and it shines in this book; the character is able to apply “modern” practices to take control of her future. As someone who is still dissecting and recovering from the past, I found Ellie’s path very relatable—down to her imperfections and her less-than-stellar moments.
Hahn’s debut novel is ideal for adults who are looking for a little bit of everything: healing from childhood traumas, romance, breathtaking scenery, and relatable characters. By the time you finish, you’re going to be thinking “I could use a mentor like Aponi.” I do want to give a quick warning for alcohol abuse, verbal abuse, and toxic relationships. Hahn does a great job of depicting real people overcoming real problems but this might not be immediately for everyone.
Up front, I am prudish. The intimate scenes were very descriptive, more so than I am comfortable with personally. I know that is a 'me' thing and so I am rating the book outside of what made me uncomfortable.
I did like the story arc. This is historical fiction and I could imagine the roughness of the period. I imagined the area to be Pend Oreille County/Idaho Panhandle area. After I finished reading it, I learned the author is from that area. I did constantly want to berate the main character and choose for her when her life kept meeting crossroads. Ultimately, her story had to have the darkness to realize she could live with better and be better.
This book was amazing! Wild west with a strong cowgirl on a heartwrenching journey of self discovery. She goes to some dark places when she's forced to face life alone and decisions about her future, but she comes through it so strong and with a powerful love. I read it in one day, couldn't stop!
This western genre is not usually my choice but we watched Yellowstone 1883. it’s a good read and follows a woman through her youth to adulthood experiencing love, loss and growth along the backdrop of an unforgiving northern Washington territory in 1884. It was a well written but didn’t thrill me completely. The relationship between Ellie and the “roughnecks” was one I struggled with believing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I really enjoyed this book cover to cover! It was a page turner, I felt so many different emotions, and even took away some life lessons for myself. Great job Terece!
The story was so beautifully written, leaving no detail spared! It really allowed for exploration of the imagination and it left me wanting more of the story long after it was finished. Terece truly got me hooked on reading again with her ability to enthrall me with every single page! Thank you for sharing your art with us!