Brian Beam: Sunday Reviews - INZARED, Queen of the Elephant Riders

Sunday Reviews Week One

I'm going to try to start posting a book review every Sunday of both indie and mainstream books. Maybe you'll find some great new books and authors to check out!

INZARED, Queen of the Elephant Riders

Inzared, Queen of the Elephant Riders is a wonderful debut release from L. Leander. The story follows Bertha Maude Anderson, a girl who grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina in the 1800s. She is unsure of her place in the world, feeling she wants more than her small town home in Appalachia. When a gypsy circus comes through her town, she falls in love with the lifestyle the gypsy troupe leads--as well as being intrigued by a young man named Paytre and his elephant, Cecil--and finds herself convinced to leave her home and family behind to join The Romanoff Brothers Circus as Inzared, Queen of the Elephant Riders. The story is told from Inzared's point of view as she assimilates into they gypsy culture, finds love, uncovers a mystery that threatens the circus and the well being of its performers and animals, and settles into her namesake as Queen of the Elephant Riders.

L.Leander has done an excellent job of accurately capturing the time period and the gypsy culture and you are truly pulled into the world of a travelling gypsy circus in the 1800s. The characters are very likable and realistic with dialogue that feels natural and fits the characters well. You really get to know the characters and connect with them. The story has a little bit of everything you could want in a book: romance, mystery, suspense, adventure, tragedy, and comedy. This is truly a book that can be enjoyed by just about anyone, no matter your typical genre preference.

This is L.Leander's debut novel, but from the quality of the writing, you would never guess it. Inzared is wonderfully written, plotted, and edited. Once I had started it, it was a challenge just to put it down. If this is only the beginning of what she has to offer, I can't wait to see what's next!