Review: 4.75/5 by Jenn @ Back Off My Books
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 25, 2013
--Complimentary copy received for a fair and honest review--I was lucky enough to be given a copy of this book to read and just so I am as clear as possible, I AM HOOKED.  This is a series and the first 3 books have been written, with the first 2 already published at the time of my writing this.  It started out as a web based serial back in 2009 and went through 2012 with the author adding to it weekly.  She has now wrapped them up into books and I couldn't be happier as I have now gotten to read some of them.The story takes place in the 1800s and is told from Sophie Wilde's point of view as her and her twin Margaux, set out on the Oregon Trail in the hopes of making it to Oregon to claim the free land that is being given away.  Sophie is a young girl all of 19, though in those times this makes her very much an adult.  Sophie is a woman born ahead of her time with love, compassion and understanding for so many and she questions often why there is so much inequality around her.  She is strong and independent, not looking for a man to take care of her.  She often feels she was born more boy than girl.  She can shoot a gun faster than most men, build and fix a wagon, and farm land just as well as any other.It is along the trail that Sophie encounters a wide variety of people, people who will impact her life for years to come.  One such person is Aubrey Grange.  I want to state that if this book were set in contemporary times then it would have Aubrey Grange as a biker.  That is who his character best translates to and is probably why I loved him so much.  He isn't a kind gentle man but he does have his moments.  He is larger than life and filled with piss and vinegar but all the same he has a soft spot for Sophie that he shows in his own strange and frustrating ways.  Then there was Amos, a sweet man filled with kindness, wonder, and magic who is everything Aubrey is not.Rebecca Kimbel has been able to take a western and make it sexy and exciting.  This isn't a sprint to the finish type of read because while I finished book one in a little less than a day, Sophie's story is far from done.  This is just the tip of the iceberg of an epic journey that follows Sophie closely as she tries to find her place in the world.Something to note about this book is that the author chose not to use quotation marks.  I can't remember a book before this that i read without them so this was my first experience.  While it took me about 25% of the book to adjust to it it did not detract from my reading experience and soon fell from the forefront of my mind becoming second nature.I am in love with Sophie and the amazing cast of characters this story has.  I forced myself to put the book down when other things called for my attention, in other words it was so very addicting.  This story will suck you in and have you loving Sophie and wondering just where her story will take her.