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Roanoke Vanishing
Avery Lane is driven to discover the fate of the 117 missing colonists of Roanoke. When she encounters a mysterious group called the Descendants, who are determined to keep the colony’s secret hidden, Avery must choose between her obsession for the past and her own survival. Will solving this mystery cost her everything? Is there more to this secret than what is buried at Roanoke? Haunted by visions of the past, she must find answers before the Descendants stop her and forever banish the truth. UPDATED VERSION FEBRUARY 12, 2015
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 29, 2013
58 people are currently reading
1149 people want to read
About the author
Auburn Seal
28 books53 followers Auburn Seal enjoys zipping through life in the lovely Pacific Northwest where she finds herself surrounded by a great family—one super-cool husband and three awesome children—and gorgeous scenery.
She is a fair-weather blogger (it’s possible she has commitment issues), and has a unique ability to weave the dead into her stories.
Auburn graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Student Loans. Oops, Justice Studies. Note the irony. Still, Go Sun Devils!
One of her favorite activities is getting to know new people, so send her an e-mail and check out her website. auburnseal@gmail.com
She is a fair-weather blogger (it’s possible she has commitment issues), and has a unique ability to weave the dead into her stories.
Auburn graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Student Loans. Oops, Justice Studies. Note the irony. Still, Go Sun Devils!
One of her favorite activities is getting to know new people, so send her an e-mail and check out her website. auburnseal@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
July 10, 2014
I normally would not review a book that I did not finish, but I am making an exception. I thought the interesting subject matter (the mystery of the disappearance of the Roanoke colonists) would get me through. But the amateurish writing style of explaining every excruciating detail, as well as the poor editing and proofing and missing commas, was just too distracting. I am surprised by all the positive reviews.
November 4, 2013
Roanoke Vanishing is a captivating read about a little known aspect of early American history. It reminds me of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe. Roanoke Vanishing builds its momentum within a similar academic setting involving an with unsolved historical mystery, paralleling Howe's work with a strongly written female-grad student who endeavors to impress an older, male academic advisor, a mysterious, cryptic symbol, and strained relationships with a guy and the plucky best friend. The writing is clear, the plot is fun, and the historical angle enlightens and entertains. Roanoke Vanishing is an enjoyable debut novel from a new Northwest writer. I look forward to the next installment in the series!
March 17, 2014
I won this book through Goodreads and did not enjoy it. I felt there were several problems, least of all the frequent grammar and punctuation errors. In considering the flaws, I concluded that the main problem is a lack of authenticity: the characters, action and dialogue did not ring true; they felt made-up. I do believe the author has potential to write engaging stories after much further writing experience.
March 20, 2014
This had a good idea, but the writing was not good. Just kept going over the same conversations over and over again. I won't go on to the next book.
August 3, 2016
In the anticipation of eating a homemade chocolate chip cookie, but still needing to suffer through the rigors of baking, I sometimes take shortcuts. For example, I don’t bother with separating the dry goods from the liquids; I just dump them all in together. No one is the wiser until biting into the baked goodness. Make no mistake, I wolf down at least five before I pause and think, “Hmmm, this could have been a luscious masterpiece if I just would have slowed down and followed the directions. That’s how I felt after reading Roanoke Vanishing. The concept was fabulous, the story line solid, but the end results…meh.
The core drawback happens with the main character, Avery Lane. She’s unlikeable…and not in a cool, Walter White/Dexter Morgan kind of way. The opening sequence has her being dumped by her long-time boyfriend, and by the end of the story, I understood why. The author, Auburn Seal, paints Avery as a tenacious, stubborn, head-strong gal—which I like—but she is completely compartmentalized—robotic—in her emotional development. She has little to no regard for her own feelings, let alone for others’. For example, her boyfriend of five years breaks it off? No problem, she goes for a run, has a coffee with Jen, the bestie (where Avery spends most of her time talking about her college thesis), and is over it because he’s a jerk. Spoiler! Her bestie is shot? No worries, she walks out of the hospital (while said bestie is fighting for her life on the operating table), continues her research, and solves the mystery because…well, it apparently can’t wait until BFF is conscious. The lapses in transitions between time sequences, scene shifts, and character interaction have major fault lines, directly impacting all the character and their motivations.
The blend of history, suspense, and mystery are enough to push through the read and arrive at an adequate conclusion. However, following the instructions on the recipe would have made a more appetizing morsel as the end result.
The core drawback happens with the main character, Avery Lane. She’s unlikeable…and not in a cool, Walter White/Dexter Morgan kind of way. The opening sequence has her being dumped by her long-time boyfriend, and by the end of the story, I understood why. The author, Auburn Seal, paints Avery as a tenacious, stubborn, head-strong gal—which I like—but she is completely compartmentalized—robotic—in her emotional development. She has little to no regard for her own feelings, let alone for others’. For example, her boyfriend of five years breaks it off? No problem, she goes for a run, has a coffee with Jen, the bestie (where Avery spends most of her time talking about her college thesis), and is over it because he’s a jerk. Spoiler! Her bestie is shot? No worries, she walks out of the hospital (while said bestie is fighting for her life on the operating table), continues her research, and solves the mystery because…well, it apparently can’t wait until BFF is conscious. The lapses in transitions between time sequences, scene shifts, and character interaction have major fault lines, directly impacting all the character and their motivations.
The blend of history, suspense, and mystery are enough to push through the read and arrive at an adequate conclusion. However, following the instructions on the recipe would have made a more appetizing morsel as the end result.
November 1, 2013
Mystery, some romance, a little paranormal--this book has it all! Follow along on Avery's quest to unlock the mystery surrounding the Lost Colony of Roanoke. The author masterfully mixes both the past and the present to bring this story to life. I highly recommend it to readers from Young Adult and up.
November 7, 2013
I am not always interested in History, but Auburn had me wanting to read more about the early American settlers. Plenty of mystery and intrigue to keep me hooked. I appreciated that while it is obviously the beginning of a series, there was also a completion to the storyline. Looking forward to #2.
September 23, 2015
I almost didn't finish this book, and I have to say it did get a little better but I had some serious problems. First off, the book needs a better editor. There were misspelled words (typos) that wouldn't be picked up by a spell check, improperly used words and just some straight up mistakes. Normally this wouldn't bother me but it was one of several things that hindered my enjoyment of the story.
A major issue I had was there was virtually no description of any of the characters. I usually don't go for long-winded descriptions but there was almost nothing here. The first encounter with her professor gave me the impression he was younger, like maybe late 20s, early 30s. Then later when Avery jokes he could be her boyfriend, her friend is disgusted saying he has to be at least twice her age - that would make him maybe 50? If she's a 25-year-old grad student - but no idea how old she is, it's never said.
Avery is the main character but I don't recall any description of her. What color are her eyes? Is she short, tall? Does she have long or short hair? All I know is she blushes and runs and is apparently emotionally stunted and fixated on her research. The irony is the only character I can recall getting a physical description of is Ethan - who we meet on page 139, and a page later see he has green eyes and red hair. But that's all we get.
I really liked the premise of the book but the writing style didn't engage me. The dialogue, particularly with the modern characters I often didn't enjoy. I found myself liking the episodes from the past MUCH better and wondered why there wasn't a book written from that perspective alone.
For a while I was VERY irritated about the idea that the English would go through some convoluted plot to sabotage the colony. I was happy to discover a much more plausible explanation but felt it took way too long to get there.
I also hated the fact that Elinor had to send Avery on a mysterious quest to find her journal, which would tell her the location of this mysterious tablet. Uh, Elinor hid the tablet. Why couldn't she just TELL Avery where it was? I understand leading the main character on a journey and having some mystery, but this one just didn't make sense.
Where I almost didn't continue reading was the whole thing with her friend, Jen. In several instances, Jen is the one who warns Avery about her professor and suspects he could have killed another student. And Avery kind of blows it off. And then suddenly a chapter or two later, Jen meets with this professor and even though she's kind of scared of him, she agrees to feed him information about Avery because she somehow thinks this will help her. What?!!! She thinks he killed someone, warns her friend to stay away from him and then talks to him behind her back? Makes no sense whatsoever.
And what was the deal with the Guardians? I could only assume they were other-worldy, possibly ghosts like Elinor, but their introduction is so mundane its kind of ridiculous. They tape a note to Avery's front door.
Hey Avery, you're on a super, secret important mission and we're these mysterious, other-worldly people who are here to help (but we don't actually do anything in the book) so we'll leave a note that says nothing really and we'll leave it where anyone could find it.
And the Guardians don't really do anything to help Avery, except to tell her to not give up and she's important.
I really wanted to like this book and the idea of it was intriguing but the above issues were just some of several that I had with the book. On top of that I really didn't connect with any of the characters, except Elinor. It was hard for me to care about Avery when she still kept mentioning her thesis paper even after she knows (and is told many times) her mission basically affects the world.
I honestly don't know if I'll read the second book, which seems to continue the mission Avery is on and might answer some of the many unresolved issues of the first book.
A major issue I had was there was virtually no description of any of the characters. I usually don't go for long-winded descriptions but there was almost nothing here. The first encounter with her professor gave me the impression he was younger, like maybe late 20s, early 30s. Then later when Avery jokes he could be her boyfriend, her friend is disgusted saying he has to be at least twice her age - that would make him maybe 50? If she's a 25-year-old grad student - but no idea how old she is, it's never said.
Avery is the main character but I don't recall any description of her. What color are her eyes? Is she short, tall? Does she have long or short hair? All I know is she blushes and runs and is apparently emotionally stunted and fixated on her research. The irony is the only character I can recall getting a physical description of is Ethan - who we meet on page 139, and a page later see he has green eyes and red hair. But that's all we get.
I really liked the premise of the book but the writing style didn't engage me. The dialogue, particularly with the modern characters I often didn't enjoy. I found myself liking the episodes from the past MUCH better and wondered why there wasn't a book written from that perspective alone.
For a while I was VERY irritated about the idea that the English would go through some convoluted plot to sabotage the colony. I was happy to discover a much more plausible explanation but felt it took way too long to get there.
I also hated the fact that Elinor had to send Avery on a mysterious quest to find her journal, which would tell her the location of this mysterious tablet. Uh, Elinor hid the tablet. Why couldn't she just TELL Avery where it was? I understand leading the main character on a journey and having some mystery, but this one just didn't make sense.
Where I almost didn't continue reading was the whole thing with her friend, Jen. In several instances, Jen is the one who warns Avery about her professor and suspects he could have killed another student. And Avery kind of blows it off. And then suddenly a chapter or two later, Jen meets with this professor and even though she's kind of scared of him, she agrees to feed him information about Avery because she somehow thinks this will help her. What?!!! She thinks he killed someone, warns her friend to stay away from him and then talks to him behind her back? Makes no sense whatsoever.
And what was the deal with the Guardians? I could only assume they were other-worldy, possibly ghosts like Elinor, but their introduction is so mundane its kind of ridiculous. They tape a note to Avery's front door.
Hey Avery, you're on a super, secret important mission and we're these mysterious, other-worldly people who are here to help (but we don't actually do anything in the book) so we'll leave a note that says nothing really and we'll leave it where anyone could find it.
And the Guardians don't really do anything to help Avery, except to tell her to not give up and she's important.
I really wanted to like this book and the idea of it was intriguing but the above issues were just some of several that I had with the book. On top of that I really didn't connect with any of the characters, except Elinor. It was hard for me to care about Avery when she still kept mentioning her thesis paper even after she knows (and is told many times) her mission basically affects the world.
I honestly don't know if I'll read the second book, which seems to continue the mission Avery is on and might answer some of the many unresolved issues of the first book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2020
Avery Lane is working on her thesis. Professor Allen is her advisor and mentor but when she goes to him with her idea on what really happened to the colonists of Roanoke, he squashes her research and berates her.
The book goes back and forth between Elinor in 1587 and her father getting permission to take a group to Chesapeake Bay, and the present with Avery. I thought it was very well done and an interesting storyline. Although the story does have an ending, this is the beginning of a series and there were some questions that were left to continue on the next adventure.
The book goes back and forth between Elinor in 1587 and her father getting permission to take a group to Chesapeake Bay, and the present with Avery. I thought it was very well done and an interesting storyline. Although the story does have an ending, this is the beginning of a series and there were some questions that were left to continue on the next adventure.
March 21, 2014
I am so fascinated by all things history, and Roanoke is a special area of fascination for me. I found myself stepping into Avery's shoes and living through her in Roanoke Vanishing because she loved Roanoke even more than me. I loved her passion for history. The historical mystery aspect of this book was so wonderfully done. It made for a riveting and kind of mystical story. The book alternates back and forth between present day with Avery as the main character and the past with Elinor Dare as the main character. I really liked that in the present we watched Avery try and solve the mystery of what really happened to the people of Roanoke, and in the past we got to see the authors rendition of what happened to the colony. It was so detailed and well done.
Avery is dedicated and so focused on her goal. I really liked that we got to see so much of her thought process while she was trying to solve the mystery. She is a history grad student and she is working on her final thesis. She comes up with a theory of Roanoke that the colonists were actually a group of separatists fleeing from England in search of religious freedom, and her theory spawned from that. Her professor shot down her idea and was a complete jerk about it. But she doesn't give up. And she even gets help from the original Elinor Dare. I loved that mystical "ghost" element thrown in. It was really cool.
The mystery is pretty intense in this book. Not only is Avery trying to track down what happened. A mystery that NO ONE in the historical community has been able to solve, but she has some super scary people breaking into her house and threatening her.
My only tiff with this book is with some of the secondary characters. Avery's friend Jen. I loved her at first, but then she did something that completely annoyed me. I get where she was coming from, but still I just don't know why she would do what she did. But my real problem was with Ethan. His connection with Avery just didn't seem real. From the second he met her, she was doing nothing but getting him in trouble. At work she was asking him to do things that could get him fired, after work she got him robbed at gun point. I mean this is not someone that I would fall for. Luckily, the romance aspect of this book was not the main focus at all, and Ethan was a nice guy so the kind of fast and forced romantic interest did not deter me from loving the historical mystery part of the book. I am hoping we will get to know Ethan better in the next book and I won't have this disconnect with him and Avery anymore.
The mystery overshadows everything else in this story. Which is just the way I wanted it. And I really loved how the author turned this book into a really awesome sounding series. This is going to be a must read series for me. I can't wait to see what Avery's next research topic is going to be. We get a hint of the general area at the end of this story and I am excited!
Avery is dedicated and so focused on her goal. I really liked that we got to see so much of her thought process while she was trying to solve the mystery. She is a history grad student and she is working on her final thesis. She comes up with a theory of Roanoke that the colonists were actually a group of separatists fleeing from England in search of religious freedom, and her theory spawned from that. Her professor shot down her idea and was a complete jerk about it. But she doesn't give up. And she even gets help from the original Elinor Dare. I loved that mystical "ghost" element thrown in. It was really cool.
The mystery is pretty intense in this book. Not only is Avery trying to track down what happened. A mystery that NO ONE in the historical community has been able to solve, but she has some super scary people breaking into her house and threatening her.
My only tiff with this book is with some of the secondary characters. Avery's friend Jen. I loved her at first, but then she did something that completely annoyed me. I get where she was coming from, but still I just don't know why she would do what she did. But my real problem was with Ethan. His connection with Avery just didn't seem real. From the second he met her, she was doing nothing but getting him in trouble. At work she was asking him to do things that could get him fired, after work she got him robbed at gun point. I mean this is not someone that I would fall for. Luckily, the romance aspect of this book was not the main focus at all, and Ethan was a nice guy so the kind of fast and forced romantic interest did not deter me from loving the historical mystery part of the book. I am hoping we will get to know Ethan better in the next book and I won't have this disconnect with him and Avery anymore.
The mystery overshadows everything else in this story. Which is just the way I wanted it. And I really loved how the author turned this book into a really awesome sounding series. This is going to be a must read series for me. I can't wait to see what Avery's next research topic is going to be. We get a hint of the general area at the end of this story and I am excited!
May 26, 2018
Avery Lane wants to do her thesis on the fate of the 117 missing colonists of Roanoke because she finds it fascinating and has some theories she believes could be possible. But her professor tells her to drop it and choose something else.But she doesn't want to! That is until she meets a group that call themselves the Descendants. They threaten her and tell her to drop it or die. But it's not that easy because Avery is seeing the ghost of one of the colonists, who tells her that their story needs to be told. Can she solve the mystery before the Descendants stop her?
This wasn't at all what I was expecting and took a little while to fully take off. The plot was interesting and intriguing and I enjoyed the spin the author put on it. I've always found the Roanoke vanishing fascinating anyway and loved that the author put her own stamp on it. I liked that we get to see both the past and the present and I thoroughly enjoyed the flashbacks.
Avery was a great character. She is determined, smart, loyal and brave. She has her mind set to figure out what happened to the people and tries not to let others distract her from that goal.
In all, this was a good read. It was a little long winded at times but I still enjoyed the overall story. The ending lines up for the next book and makes me eager to see what Avery discovers next.
Caprisha Page was clear and read this well. I loved her voice for the flashbacks and she had plenty of other tones and voices for the rest of the characters that made them easily distinguishable.
I was given this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
This wasn't at all what I was expecting and took a little while to fully take off. The plot was interesting and intriguing and I enjoyed the spin the author put on it. I've always found the Roanoke vanishing fascinating anyway and loved that the author put her own stamp on it. I liked that we get to see both the past and the present and I thoroughly enjoyed the flashbacks.
Avery was a great character. She is determined, smart, loyal and brave. She has her mind set to figure out what happened to the people and tries not to let others distract her from that goal.
In all, this was a good read. It was a little long winded at times but I still enjoyed the overall story. The ending lines up for the next book and makes me eager to see what Avery discovers next.
Caprisha Page was clear and read this well. I loved her voice for the flashbacks and she had plenty of other tones and voices for the rest of the characters that made them easily distinguishable.
I was given this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This in no way affected nor influenced my thoughts.
June 4, 2014
In general I really like Historical Fiction that is based off of a specific event or person, rather than ones that are just set in a different time period. I like hearing the different 'theories' on how stuff actually happened, and it makes you really think about the person or event.
So, as you may assume, I thought I would really like this book. It sounded great. I have learned about Roanoke previously, in school and in documentaries, but I am no expert on it. Even still, some of what was presented as previously known facts (to which the main character is trying to disprove) did not sound right to me. Neither did some of the flashbacks. It just seemed like the effort to research in depth was lacking. The generalities seemed okay at most times, but the details were off.
I also found Avery to be an annoying and intolerable character. She paid little to no attention to what was going on around her, and endangered the life of her best friend without even a thought. Then gave barely any thought to her best friend that was fighting for her life, she just went on to the next part of her hunch.
The mystery was pretty interesting, though a lot of the mysteries brought up in the book (Besides the 'what happened to the colony', which did get solved), were not solved. They were left open for the next book, which I have no intention of reading.
So, I found it rather disappointing to say the least.
So, as you may assume, I thought I would really like this book. It sounded great. I have learned about Roanoke previously, in school and in documentaries, but I am no expert on it. Even still, some of what was presented as previously known facts (to which the main character is trying to disprove) did not sound right to me. Neither did some of the flashbacks. It just seemed like the effort to research in depth was lacking. The generalities seemed okay at most times, but the details were off.
I also found Avery to be an annoying and intolerable character. She paid little to no attention to what was going on around her, and endangered the life of her best friend without even a thought. Then gave barely any thought to her best friend that was fighting for her life, she just went on to the next part of her hunch.
The mystery was pretty interesting, though a lot of the mysteries brought up in the book (Besides the 'what happened to the colony', which did get solved), were not solved. They were left open for the next book, which I have no intention of reading.
So, I found it rather disappointing to say the least.
January 17, 2014
Cleverly bouncing between the late 1580s and present, the author takes us on a journey into a mystery of our American past: the lost colony of Roanoke! Certainly one of the earliest unsolved mysteries on our soil, it continues to pique our curiosity as to where 117 people could have ended up, leaving only a carved word and a few letters behind as proof they were ever there. Auburn Seal delicately weaves fact, fiction, and fantasy together to deliver a tale that has it all: love, betrayal, murder, dark plots, hope, ghosts, villains willing to get what they want at any cost, and people strong enough to stand up to them.
This book would be a fantastic choice for teachers looking to pair a project between a history and English class. It would be so much fun to separate the actual fact from the fiction, providing ample opportunity for non-fiction texts required by the new Common Core State Standards. On the flip side, it would be equally fun, to see if students could take another mysterious historical event and, after researching it, create a fictional story from the viewpoint of someone who was actually there.
Of course, the story is just a wonderful ride all by itself! You may never quite look at Roanoke the same way again.
This book would be a fantastic choice for teachers looking to pair a project between a history and English class. It would be so much fun to separate the actual fact from the fiction, providing ample opportunity for non-fiction texts required by the new Common Core State Standards. On the flip side, it would be equally fun, to see if students could take another mysterious historical event and, after researching it, create a fictional story from the viewpoint of someone who was actually there.
Of course, the story is just a wonderful ride all by itself! You may never quite look at Roanoke the same way again.
May 16, 2015
Good story. Needs editing big time
I hope that the author reads these reviews. Chapter 30 and 31 are repeats. Exactly the same chapter, but at the top it says chapter 31, chapel hill, present day then recounts the same Roanoke information from previous chapter. Then in chapter 32 Avery and Ethan have magically acquired the stolen journals and are reading and scanning them at Avery's house. Also, the characters have very little depth and personality but the story idea is good.
I hope that the author reads these reviews. Chapter 30 and 31 are repeats. Exactly the same chapter, but at the top it says chapter 31, chapel hill, present day then recounts the same Roanoke information from previous chapter. Then in chapter 32 Avery and Ethan have magically acquired the stolen journals and are reading and scanning them at Avery's house. Also, the characters have very little depth and personality but the story idea is good.
February 28, 2014
This is 100% not something I would normally choose as I find history as fascinating as watching paint dry. However, I totally loved it. Ghosts! Interesting characters! Getting the shiz beat out of you--always a good choice. Plus, I knew enough of the actual history, alas, to know that Auburn Seal did an excellent job working in the actual events to the fun of fantasy.
June 27, 2014
An engaging read, the story is fast-paced and interesting. I found the characters somewhat 1 dimensional and was seriously distracted by the modern parlance of the 16th century characters. I thought the general ideas of the story and plot were just entertaining enough to overlook this, but I think the author should do a bit more research into fleshing out any historical characters.
December 6, 2013
I really enjoyed the history in this book. The writer tells 2 stories, one past & one present which was written well . The story moves along at a good pace, the history is fascinating and the characters well written. I'd recommend especially if you like Early American History.
October 24, 2013
Full Disclosure: I'm reviewing my own book to get the ball rolling. I'll just say that after six drafts of this book I've given you my 5-star version. Enjoy!
January 19, 2017
Avery Lane is a history student who has been researching 'The Lost Colony' aka Roanoke for about an year. However, once she gets deeper into figuring out what exactly happened to those colonists who simply seemed to have vanished, she gets threatened by several people including her 'respectable' professor, who all of a sudden wants her to drop her research. What Avery Lane doesn't know is that she is destined to solve this riddle.
She doesn't let anything or anyone deter her. She is very strong willed and brave. She faces life threatening situations, gets into scenarios where she is left hopeless, but still strives on. Her best friend, Jen, helps her extensively with her research. I love the portrayal of their friendship. It's just so beautiful and genuine. One of the lost colonists, Elinor Dare, is the only one who knows Avery's destiny and in order to help her along with her research, her ghost appears only to her, leading her to clues. The author has written the story quite wonderfully, with each chapter alternating between the present day and the actual happenings of the colonists' lives about 400 years ago.
There are some questions left behind at the end of the story and I don't like that. The book cover is beautiful and has an ethereal quality to it. Anyways, if you are into historic reads, this is definitely a good read for you.
She doesn't let anything or anyone deter her. She is very strong willed and brave. She faces life threatening situations, gets into scenarios where she is left hopeless, but still strives on. Her best friend, Jen, helps her extensively with her research. I love the portrayal of their friendship. It's just so beautiful and genuine. One of the lost colonists, Elinor Dare, is the only one who knows Avery's destiny and in order to help her along with her research, her ghost appears only to her, leading her to clues. The author has written the story quite wonderfully, with each chapter alternating between the present day and the actual happenings of the colonists' lives about 400 years ago.
There are some questions left behind at the end of the story and I don't like that. The book cover is beautiful and has an ethereal quality to it. Anyways, if you are into historic reads, this is definitely a good read for you.
May 24, 2019
Interesting historical hypothesis, but badly written and filled with redundancies and many plotting & editing errors (and, the author "credits" so many beta readers & editors???). I finished the book, but won't be following Seal nor reading volume 2 in the series.
July 25, 2019
Good story, could use more editing
I like the plot, but I feel there is room for editing and refinement of the story/ wording. Maybe a bit more depth to the main modern day characters.
I like the plot, but I feel there is room for editing and refinement of the story/ wording. Maybe a bit more depth to the main modern day characters.
July 13, 2017
Wasn't bad but a good chunk of hook in the ending. But pretty good otherwise I guess. 3*
January 15, 2021
Good plot but poor editing.
October 26, 2022
What a steaming pile of garbage ... !! This is hands down the worst book I've read all year. Steer clear!!
April 6, 2014
Roanoke Vanishing by Auburn Seal
Book #1: The Vanishing Series
Source: Author
Rating: 5/5 stars
Avery Lane is dedicated to her research to the exclusion of all else including her long-term boyfriend. For Avery, there is no half-way, there is all or nothing and she is absolutely certain her theory on precisely what happened to the colony and colonists of Roanoke will turn her entire field upside down and secure her future. All Avery needs is the support of her mentor, Dr. Jonas Allen and given their good working relationship, that meeting should go smooth as silk. So, why in Hell did Dr. Allen kick Avery out of his office and refuse to allow her to pursue her Roanoke research?
Every the determined one, Avery decides that Dr. Allen does not see the value in her research for one simple reason; Avery just didn’t provide enough proof. With her head down, her mind made up and, her best friend Jen helping her with the research, Avery reloads and returns to Dr. Allen only to be fired as his graduate assistant and somewhat scared by his reaction to her work. Additionally, as her research has continued, Avery’s home is violated by vandalizing intruders and she is nearly run off the road. How in Hell can the questions Avery is posing about the lost colony of Roanoke be causing so much trouble? As I mentioned before, Avery is dedicated to her work and refuses to allow vandals and a prima donna professor to dissuade and/or hinder her research.
Roanoke Vanishing just wouldn’t warrant the 5 star rating I have given it if there weren’t even more drama piled on top of the crap sundae described above. Here’s the skinny:
1) Jen: Avery’s best friend is acting weird. Though she is helping Avery with the research and sounding like she is on board with Avery’s crazy theory, there are the mysterious phone calls and absences that just aren’t quite like Jen.
2) Elinor: Now isn’t she just the insightful one? Elinor seems to know things about Roanoke that the history books don’t and she encourages Avery to keep digging and keep looking because the truth is all there is and all that matters. Elinor points Avery in the right direction on more than one occasion and warns her, multiple times of the danger uncovering the truth will bring. Furthermore, Elinor has a very nasty habit of appearing and disappearing before Avery can ask all the questions she has for her mystery guest. Even more troubling? Avery seems to be the only person who can see and/or hear Elinor.
3) The Descendants: their name and wonky/creepy symbol just keeps showing up and Avery is sure they are behind all of the awful that just keeps raining down on her. Though she has questioned Elinor about the Descendants and tried every avenue of research she can come up with, Avery is at a loss as to who these people are, what they want and, why they would be hindering her researching into a century-old mystery. The only certainty is that they are bad people with ill intentions.
4) Ethan: though he is a bright spot amid all the drama, he is a boy and therefore goes into the drama list. As an employee of the Roanoke Visitor Center, Ethan helps Avery gain access to parts and pieces of the Roanoke mystery that she would not otherwise have. He is cute and he is helpful and on more than one occasion, he saves Avery’s butt BUT (you see what I did there??) he is a distraction Avery isn’t at all sure she wants in her life.
The Bottom Line: I loved every single page of this read!! Roanoke Vanishing is one of my favorite types of reads: the past barrels into the present and the present plows into the past culminating in one crazy historical fictionesque read. Seal has masterfully blended the past and the present in alternating chapters: as Avery is researching in the present (one chapter) the “real” story is playing out in the past (alternate chapters). Seal has managed to bring the Roanoke colonists to life and as we watch their drama play out from their perspective, Avery is fighting for her research and her life in order to bring the Colonists and their story into the world. The fully-developed characters in both the past and the present just suck you in until you are out of pages and finally know what happened to them. Furthermore, though there are some sparks between Avery and Ethan, there are no naughty bits and I swear to you, you will not miss them at all. There is more than enough drama and action throughout to carry you through from start to finish. As if all of this weren’t’ enough, Seal has cooked up a terrifyingly exciting and wholly unexpected ending and that doesn’t even include the damn bombshell she drops in the last few pages!! In short, this is a great read and an excellent start to what should be a very exciting series. With a solid plot, good characters and, the exclusion of naughty bits, Roanoke Vanishing will appeal to mature YA readers and older.
Book #1: The Vanishing Series
Source: Author
Rating: 5/5 stars
Avery Lane is dedicated to her research to the exclusion of all else including her long-term boyfriend. For Avery, there is no half-way, there is all or nothing and she is absolutely certain her theory on precisely what happened to the colony and colonists of Roanoke will turn her entire field upside down and secure her future. All Avery needs is the support of her mentor, Dr. Jonas Allen and given their good working relationship, that meeting should go smooth as silk. So, why in Hell did Dr. Allen kick Avery out of his office and refuse to allow her to pursue her Roanoke research?
Every the determined one, Avery decides that Dr. Allen does not see the value in her research for one simple reason; Avery just didn’t provide enough proof. With her head down, her mind made up and, her best friend Jen helping her with the research, Avery reloads and returns to Dr. Allen only to be fired as his graduate assistant and somewhat scared by his reaction to her work. Additionally, as her research has continued, Avery’s home is violated by vandalizing intruders and she is nearly run off the road. How in Hell can the questions Avery is posing about the lost colony of Roanoke be causing so much trouble? As I mentioned before, Avery is dedicated to her work and refuses to allow vandals and a prima donna professor to dissuade and/or hinder her research.
Roanoke Vanishing just wouldn’t warrant the 5 star rating I have given it if there weren’t even more drama piled on top of the crap sundae described above. Here’s the skinny:
1) Jen: Avery’s best friend is acting weird. Though she is helping Avery with the research and sounding like she is on board with Avery’s crazy theory, there are the mysterious phone calls and absences that just aren’t quite like Jen.
2) Elinor: Now isn’t she just the insightful one? Elinor seems to know things about Roanoke that the history books don’t and she encourages Avery to keep digging and keep looking because the truth is all there is and all that matters. Elinor points Avery in the right direction on more than one occasion and warns her, multiple times of the danger uncovering the truth will bring. Furthermore, Elinor has a very nasty habit of appearing and disappearing before Avery can ask all the questions she has for her mystery guest. Even more troubling? Avery seems to be the only person who can see and/or hear Elinor.
3) The Descendants: their name and wonky/creepy symbol just keeps showing up and Avery is sure they are behind all of the awful that just keeps raining down on her. Though she has questioned Elinor about the Descendants and tried every avenue of research she can come up with, Avery is at a loss as to who these people are, what they want and, why they would be hindering her researching into a century-old mystery. The only certainty is that they are bad people with ill intentions.
4) Ethan: though he is a bright spot amid all the drama, he is a boy and therefore goes into the drama list. As an employee of the Roanoke Visitor Center, Ethan helps Avery gain access to parts and pieces of the Roanoke mystery that she would not otherwise have. He is cute and he is helpful and on more than one occasion, he saves Avery’s butt BUT (you see what I did there??) he is a distraction Avery isn’t at all sure she wants in her life.
The Bottom Line: I loved every single page of this read!! Roanoke Vanishing is one of my favorite types of reads: the past barrels into the present and the present plows into the past culminating in one crazy historical fictionesque read. Seal has masterfully blended the past and the present in alternating chapters: as Avery is researching in the present (one chapter) the “real” story is playing out in the past (alternate chapters). Seal has managed to bring the Roanoke colonists to life and as we watch their drama play out from their perspective, Avery is fighting for her research and her life in order to bring the Colonists and their story into the world. The fully-developed characters in both the past and the present just suck you in until you are out of pages and finally know what happened to them. Furthermore, though there are some sparks between Avery and Ethan, there are no naughty bits and I swear to you, you will not miss them at all. There is more than enough drama and action throughout to carry you through from start to finish. As if all of this weren’t’ enough, Seal has cooked up a terrifyingly exciting and wholly unexpected ending and that doesn’t even include the damn bombshell she drops in the last few pages!! In short, this is a great read and an excellent start to what should be a very exciting series. With a solid plot, good characters and, the exclusion of naughty bits, Roanoke Vanishing will appeal to mature YA readers and older.
January 17, 2017
Great read.....
I love a good mystery mixed with paranormal. Only problem I did not like was the cliffhanger. Oh and two chapters repeated themselves around chapter 33.
I love a good mystery mixed with paranormal. Only problem I did not like was the cliffhanger. Oh and two chapters repeated themselves around chapter 33.
March 19, 2014
Roanoke Vanishing is a book I don't normally read, but I have always loved the mystery surrounding to what happened to the Roanoke settlers so long ago. History Mystery, as my fifth grade teacher always preached. Plus I love history, so delving into this book was exciting since I usually read romance or erotica and the change was a welcomed one. But don't be mistaken if you think this book will be romance, it's touched on, but largely the book is about the mystery and how Avery unravels the truth or conspiracy surrounding the lost colony of Roanoke.
The basics:
Avery Lane is a die hard grad student and very passionate about lost colony of Roanoke as she prepares to present her theories to her favorite professor, Jonas Allen. Except Jonas doesn't want her investigating further into Roanoke. He's very insistent about it, in fact. But it's not a "nice" insistence, he's harsh and surprises Avery. It's a side of the man she revered that she has never seen before. Then strange things start to happen. Avery is followed by a car going home and someone breaks into her house and paints a strange symbol as a warning. Things aren't right but it doesn't stop Avery from researching her new theories on Roanoke, theories that rebuke Jonas's theories. With help of her best friend Jen, Avery uncovers more and more that someone doesn't want known which is a dangerous thing.
Roanoke Vanishing is told from two perspectives in two different time periods, Avery and Elinor Dare's. Elinor Dare is one of the first settlers in Roanoke and her daughter is the first born on the new settlement, the famous baby Virginia Dare. I had no problem switching between POVs and in different time frames. I likes that Auburn Seal could write both time periods well. The dialogue, the world build, the characteristics of each period were well described. I really loved discovering the new world with Elinor and her family, it was very interesting.
Another aspect in Avery's story is that she's visited by ghosts who help her find clues to evidence of the lost colony. I liked this touch because we are then introduced to what will become the ongoing antagonists, the Descendants. They are the ones trying to silence Avery and her search for answers to Roanoke. But what the ghosts tell her is everything but what actually happened to the colony. They give her clues, but no definite answers. Which I thought was so funny since Avery and the ghosts carried on full conversations and they could have easily told her the real reasons the colony disappeared without her going through this whole thing to find the clues to then find answers. I kept on talking to the book, "Just spit it out."
Be that as it may, Roanoke Vanishing is a nice history mystery. It held my interest, but being the person I am, I would have loved to see some more romance. Oh well. Maybe book two.
The basics:
Avery Lane is a die hard grad student and very passionate about lost colony of Roanoke as she prepares to present her theories to her favorite professor, Jonas Allen. Except Jonas doesn't want her investigating further into Roanoke. He's very insistent about it, in fact. But it's not a "nice" insistence, he's harsh and surprises Avery. It's a side of the man she revered that she has never seen before. Then strange things start to happen. Avery is followed by a car going home and someone breaks into her house and paints a strange symbol as a warning. Things aren't right but it doesn't stop Avery from researching her new theories on Roanoke, theories that rebuke Jonas's theories. With help of her best friend Jen, Avery uncovers more and more that someone doesn't want known which is a dangerous thing.
Roanoke Vanishing is told from two perspectives in two different time periods, Avery and Elinor Dare's. Elinor Dare is one of the first settlers in Roanoke and her daughter is the first born on the new settlement, the famous baby Virginia Dare. I had no problem switching between POVs and in different time frames. I likes that Auburn Seal could write both time periods well. The dialogue, the world build, the characteristics of each period were well described. I really loved discovering the new world with Elinor and her family, it was very interesting.
Another aspect in Avery's story is that she's visited by ghosts who help her find clues to evidence of the lost colony. I liked this touch because we are then introduced to what will become the ongoing antagonists, the Descendants. They are the ones trying to silence Avery and her search for answers to Roanoke. But what the ghosts tell her is everything but what actually happened to the colony. They give her clues, but no definite answers. Which I thought was so funny since Avery and the ghosts carried on full conversations and they could have easily told her the real reasons the colony disappeared without her going through this whole thing to find the clues to then find answers. I kept on talking to the book, "Just spit it out."
Be that as it may, Roanoke Vanishing is a nice history mystery. It held my interest, but being the person I am, I would have loved to see some more romance. Oh well. Maybe book two.
March 24, 2014
Historical Fiction is not a genre that has ever been at the top of my “to read” list, but when I saw the cover of this book I was immediately drawn to it. Once I realized it was a story based on the Lost Colony of Roanoke my interest was piqued. While I’m certainly no history buff, there are specific parts of history I do find fascinating and this is one of them. The historical facts in this book are impressive. I was glad to see that the author did her research. I enthusiastically dove into this story and swam with earnest to reach the other side of this historical enigma. The author did a marvelous job weaving not only the past and present together, but adding paranormal elements and allowing us to look at this piece of history from a different perspective — a remarkable attribute of Auburn Seal’s writing style. I love how Avery was pulled into this subject because of the enthusiasm for her thesis. What a great segue into this mysterious plot.
While the author had the potential to create a truly magnificent story here, it did fall a bit short for me. Roanoke Vanishing was a good story with interesting historical facts to help the story progress. Unfortunately, the dialogue felt forced at times. I noticed this right from the beginning when Avery, the main character, is talking to her best friend about being dumped by her boyfriend of five years. It didn’t feel like a conversation that two close friends would have about such a devastating topic. It was a bit too polished, or stiff, if you will. I wanted to feel the raw emotion, more true to nature, instead of feeling scripted. Another issue I found is that the story is told in third person narration, but every so often there is a first person narrative thrown in. Either that or it was supposed to be Avery’s inner monologue, which then should have been somehow differentiated from the narration. Whatever it was meant to be, it impeded the flow of the story. I had a difficult time truly engaging and felt these obstacles hindered my ability to fully immerse myself in the story.
Roanoke Vanishing is a story full of mystery and intrigue built around an incredibly riveting historical event. Auburn Seal is a budding author with a great premise. I believe, if given the time to bloom, she’ll be overflowing my “to read” list with fantastic stories in the near future.
While the author had the potential to create a truly magnificent story here, it did fall a bit short for me. Roanoke Vanishing was a good story with interesting historical facts to help the story progress. Unfortunately, the dialogue felt forced at times. I noticed this right from the beginning when Avery, the main character, is talking to her best friend about being dumped by her boyfriend of five years. It didn’t feel like a conversation that two close friends would have about such a devastating topic. It was a bit too polished, or stiff, if you will. I wanted to feel the raw emotion, more true to nature, instead of feeling scripted. Another issue I found is that the story is told in third person narration, but every so often there is a first person narrative thrown in. Either that or it was supposed to be Avery’s inner monologue, which then should have been somehow differentiated from the narration. Whatever it was meant to be, it impeded the flow of the story. I had a difficult time truly engaging and felt these obstacles hindered my ability to fully immerse myself in the story.
Roanoke Vanishing is a story full of mystery and intrigue built around an incredibly riveting historical event. Auburn Seal is a budding author with a great premise. I believe, if given the time to bloom, she’ll be overflowing my “to read” list with fantastic stories in the near future.
August 24, 2014
I liked Roanoke Vanishing! I wasn't sure about it at first, but the more I listened to it, the more I liked it!
I liked that the book focused on the lost colony of Roanoke, and all I knew about them was that they mysteriously vanished. So it was fun to hear one take on what happened them. And I was intrigued enough to want to learn more about them and the different theories about what happened to them. I'm not sure what theories are out there, and how many of them made their way in the book, but I feel like the different theories on what happened them that are mentioned in the book are really what's out there.
Stories that have a dual timeline (where part of the book is in the present and part of the book takes place in the past) are hit-and-miss, but I loved that this book had both past and present in it! I liked that as Avery was going further into the history of Roanoke, we had the story of the colony of Roanoke woven in.
I really liked both stories and how they were connected and how they came together in the end. I also thoughts the hints of something paranormal were interesting. I mean, you do see a couple of ghosts, but with two groups mentioned- the Descendants and the Guardians- you know something paranormal is going to unfold in this series. Nothing overtly paranormal happens, but I've definitely read enough of the paranormal to know when it's going to pop up. And I certainly can't wait to see this prophecy and how everything is going to play out. Between the inhabitants of Roanoke in this book, and the Mayans that we're going to see in the next book...what other lost civilizations are we going to see, and why is their story so important?
It's not bad, mind you, and it's actually interesting that Seal went with the mystery of lost colony. I definitely feel like there's something connecting all of them, and that there's something big that's been a long time coming. I'm looking forward to reading the next book to see where things are headed.
I liked Caprisha Page as the narrator, and she did great as both Elinor and Avery.
Let's Rate It: I liked Roanoke Vanishing and I'm looking forward to the next book! I didn't fall in love with it, and I have no idea why because on paper, it so many things I like in a book, but it was still an enjoyable listen. Roanoke Vanishing gets 3 stars.
I liked that the book focused on the lost colony of Roanoke, and all I knew about them was that they mysteriously vanished. So it was fun to hear one take on what happened them. And I was intrigued enough to want to learn more about them and the different theories about what happened to them. I'm not sure what theories are out there, and how many of them made their way in the book, but I feel like the different theories on what happened them that are mentioned in the book are really what's out there.
Stories that have a dual timeline (where part of the book is in the present and part of the book takes place in the past) are hit-and-miss, but I loved that this book had both past and present in it! I liked that as Avery was going further into the history of Roanoke, we had the story of the colony of Roanoke woven in.
I really liked both stories and how they were connected and how they came together in the end. I also thoughts the hints of something paranormal were interesting. I mean, you do see a couple of ghosts, but with two groups mentioned- the Descendants and the Guardians- you know something paranormal is going to unfold in this series. Nothing overtly paranormal happens, but I've definitely read enough of the paranormal to know when it's going to pop up. And I certainly can't wait to see this prophecy and how everything is going to play out. Between the inhabitants of Roanoke in this book, and the Mayans that we're going to see in the next book...what other lost civilizations are we going to see, and why is their story so important?
It's not bad, mind you, and it's actually interesting that Seal went with the mystery of lost colony. I definitely feel like there's something connecting all of them, and that there's something big that's been a long time coming. I'm looking forward to reading the next book to see where things are headed.
I liked Caprisha Page as the narrator, and she did great as both Elinor and Avery.
Let's Rate It: I liked Roanoke Vanishing and I'm looking forward to the next book! I didn't fall in love with it, and I have no idea why because on paper, it so many things I like in a book, but it was still an enjoyable listen. Roanoke Vanishing gets 3 stars.
March 25, 2014
3.5 stars
Did I enjoy this book: Yes, and no, but mostly yes – I think.
I’m deeply conflicted about this book. I think the story idea is interesting. I believe Auburn Seal has really strong writing skills and a great imagination. I feel certain that we’ll see books from her in the future that are really good.
I’m not sure Roanoke Vanishing is that book, unfortunately.
I began the book expecting historical fiction. But then ghosts showed up, we had a murder mystery, we flashed back to England in the 1500’s, then a love story.
I usually like complicated books with lots of twists and turns. I’m just not sure it worked in this case. There were too many cross-genre moments. You can blend maybe historical fiction with a mystery (like National Treasure with Nicolas Cage). Or romance, murder, and ghosts if you’re really good (like Ghost with Demi Moore).
But it’s nearly impossible to mix ghosts, murder, history, romance, mystery, betrayal, etc. into one story. But she comes darn close.
She may have been able to pull it off except for one character development flaw. Avery initially lacked clear motivation to risk everything to solve this ancient mystery.
Her boyfriend broke up with her, someone broke into her house and threatened her, her professor claimed he’d fail her. And she’s too pigheaded to stop. I couldn’t figure out – and believe me I tried – what her motivation was to risk everything to solve a mediocre historical mystery.
But I have to give her points for trying. I enjoyed each story individually but as a whole the novel lacked cohesiveness.
Would I recommend it: If she makes specific revisions to tighten the novel’s focus, I think it’d be a grand slam story.
Will I read it again: And yes, I’d love to read it again.
As reviewed by Belinda at Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
(I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2014/03/bl...
Did I enjoy this book: Yes, and no, but mostly yes – I think.
I’m deeply conflicted about this book. I think the story idea is interesting. I believe Auburn Seal has really strong writing skills and a great imagination. I feel certain that we’ll see books from her in the future that are really good.
I’m not sure Roanoke Vanishing is that book, unfortunately.
I began the book expecting historical fiction. But then ghosts showed up, we had a murder mystery, we flashed back to England in the 1500’s, then a love story.
I usually like complicated books with lots of twists and turns. I’m just not sure it worked in this case. There were too many cross-genre moments. You can blend maybe historical fiction with a mystery (like National Treasure with Nicolas Cage). Or romance, murder, and ghosts if you’re really good (like Ghost with Demi Moore).
But it’s nearly impossible to mix ghosts, murder, history, romance, mystery, betrayal, etc. into one story. But she comes darn close.
She may have been able to pull it off except for one character development flaw. Avery initially lacked clear motivation to risk everything to solve this ancient mystery.
Her boyfriend broke up with her, someone broke into her house and threatened her, her professor claimed he’d fail her. And she’s too pigheaded to stop. I couldn’t figure out – and believe me I tried – what her motivation was to risk everything to solve a mediocre historical mystery.
But I have to give her points for trying. I enjoyed each story individually but as a whole the novel lacked cohesiveness.
Would I recommend it: If she makes specific revisions to tighten the novel’s focus, I think it’d be a grand slam story.
Will I read it again: And yes, I’d love to read it again.
As reviewed by Belinda at Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
(I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2014/03/bl...
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