#Review - Ransacker by Emmy Laybourne #YALIT #Historical #Fantasy

Series: Berserker (#2)
Format: Hardcover, 448 pages
Release Date: January 29, 2019
Publisher: Feiwel Friends
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Fantasy

The thrilling conclusion to the YA Berserker duology finds the youngest Hemstad sister learning her Viking gift.

Rare powers. Precious metals. Deadly greed.

Sissel Hemstad and her siblings have been living peacefully in a small town in Montana, trying to blend-in and escape the violent events that haunt them, but they’ve all been tricked—James Peavy, the handsome young man courting Sissel is secretly a Pinkerton spy.

Sissel is a Ransacker. She can find gold and other precious metals and pull them to her. Hers is an awesome and dangerous gift. If James discovers her secret, he will undoubtedly report back to his boss, the ruthless Baron Fjelstad who wants desperately to control the Hemstads. Sissel must tread carefully. Harnessing her powers could summon great fortune . . . or doom them all.

 

Ransacker, by author Emmy Laybourne, is the finale to the Berserker duology. This story takes place 2 years after the events of Berserker. The Hemstads (Hanne, Stieg, Knut, and Sissel) possess supernatural powers bestowed upon their family by the ancient Norse Gods. Sissel Hemstad, the youngest at 16, will finally discover her Nytte gift, She's a Ransacker. She can find gold and other precious metals and pull them to her. Hers is an awesome and dangerous gift and the only one like her in the whole world.

The Hemstads, along with Owen Bennett, have been living peacefully in a small town in Montana, trying to blend in and escape the violent events that still haunt them, especially Hanne. But, after a fire rushes across the plains destroying almost everything they own, Hanne and Owen leave for a cattle drive where they are hoping to make enough money to rebuild. Knut goes off to work as a laborer on an unaffected farm, and Stieg, now the local schoolteacher, and Sissel go to live in the town hotel, managed by 20-year old Isaiah McKray. 

Sissel is sick and tired of being treated like a little weakling, with Hanne hovering over her all the time and everyone else making decisions that directly affect her without her input. But, with her discovery of her gift, Sissel becomes an entirely different character than we've seen before. In my review for Berserker, I said, "My least favorite character is Sissel, and not just because she has no apparent abilities. She grates on your nerves and gets under your skin. She nags at Hanna instead of supporting what she is going through." 

That pretty much doesn't change for most of the first half of this book. Soon, however, Stieg, and Sissel learn that they've been tricked. The handsome young man named James who seems to be courting Sissel, is at the same time, keeping a secret that he is a Pinkerton agent spying on her and reporting back to Baron Fjelstad in Norway. To make matters even more twisted, Isaiah McKray, son of a famous gold miner, is sniffing around too closely and gets wind of what Sissel is able to do.   

With betrayal lurking around every corner, Sissel must tread carefully. Harnessing her powers could bring a great fortune, or cause Baron Fjelstad to come hunting for her and her family. The author uses both Sissel & Hanne, as well as James, to tell her story this time around. I will be honest in saying I got distracted quite a bit while reading this book. I often found other things to do instead of finishing the book. Of course, I was supposed to have surgery on my eyes which still hasn't been finished! 

Which is why I am just writing my review for this book even though I had finished it weeks ago. I am happy about the ending. It pretty much wraps up things nicely to the point where it's not necessary for a sequel. After all, the issue with the Baron ends up being resolved in a matter that doesn't need to be discussed, or spoiled. I am glad that Owen got a bit of peace with his family, and all that was done to him. I am happy that Hanne and Owen find their HEA. I am even happy with the way Sissel's character grows leaps and bounds in this book.  

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