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The Unmasked Trilogy #1
Unmasked
In the summer of 1775, Emily Cartridge writes a letter to the newly appointed General Carter, offering her services—as a spy. Willing to do what she must for the cause of American independence, Emily underestimates the struggles of serving in the Continental lies are spread about a friend that could leave them all hanging from a noose, decisions regarding her personal life require answers before long, and loyalty hangs in the balance.William Shepard, however, enlisted at the earliest opportunity. His bravery and selflessness quickly earned him the rank of colonel; it’s no wonder there’s now a bounty over his head. He’s a quick and loyal friend to the soldiers while the younger ones hover by his side. Willing to sacrifice his life for his closest allies, the war soon causes him to wonder if his soft heart is a virtue or suicide.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 2, 2021
4 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
McKenna Rowell
12 books34 followersMcKenna Rowell has a passion for storytelling. From fictional scenarios to historical events, she is constantly finding new stories to tell. She loves to tell stories of bravery and selflessness, and hopes one day that they can touch the hearts of many. When she isn’t writing, you can find her jamming out to music, exploring in her converted school bus, or spending time with her incredible parents and friends.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 16, 2022
I've always enjoyed historical fiction when I read it, but if given the choice, there's a 50% chance I won't pick up a HF book. However, the absolutely GORGEOUS cover and intriguing synopsis made UNMASKED an absolute must-have. And I have NO regrets!
Rowell is an incredible world-builder, especially for someone who did not firsthand experience the 1760s (that I know of, hehe). I felt like I was in the American colonies, I was there on the field during the battles of the American Revolution, I could smell the smoke in the air and feel the heat of the fires, and I was there in the beautiful mansions of the ballrooms during each ball.
But what will break your heart in this novel are the characters—they feel SO, insanely real because of their distinctive, individual personalities, and if any of them are hurt (emotionally or physically), you will hurt with them. You can expect yourself to start simping (it's inevitable), and you might end up expecting Emily or William to walk into your room by the end of the novel because they feel so real.
Rowell also includes mystery and tension to make for a VERY interesting storyline that is paced WONDERFULLY. Not too slow at all, but definitely not too fast for you to understand everything going on. You will get goosebumps in certain parts, and you will tear up. You will enjoy this book if you like stories meant for the imagination, if you love to read because you're taken to faraway lands. This book will definitely do the job.
Rowell is an incredible world-builder, especially for someone who did not firsthand experience the 1760s (that I know of, hehe). I felt like I was in the American colonies, I was there on the field during the battles of the American Revolution, I could smell the smoke in the air and feel the heat of the fires, and I was there in the beautiful mansions of the ballrooms during each ball.
But what will break your heart in this novel are the characters—they feel SO, insanely real because of their distinctive, individual personalities, and if any of them are hurt (emotionally or physically), you will hurt with them. You can expect yourself to start simping (it's inevitable), and you might end up expecting Emily or William to walk into your room by the end of the novel because they feel so real.
Rowell also includes mystery and tension to make for a VERY interesting storyline that is paced WONDERFULLY. Not too slow at all, but definitely not too fast for you to understand everything going on. You will get goosebumps in certain parts, and you will tear up. You will enjoy this book if you like stories meant for the imagination, if you love to read because you're taken to faraway lands. This book will definitely do the job.
May 8, 2021
That. That was a wild ride everyone.
Also the first historical fiction I've read since I can remember WOW.
I was impressed!!
Not only do you get a good history lesson, you get an engaging story, a fearless heroine, AND WILLIAM SHEPARD AND EVERYONE NEEDS A WILLIAM SHEPARD IN THEIR LIFE.
I'm excited for the second book to finally see what happens!
(Seriously, Emily take your time with the marriage stuff. You be scaring me. ;-;)
TW:
One slight scene of attempted r*pe. Stopped before anything serious.
Also the first historical fiction I've read since I can remember WOW.
I was impressed!!
Not only do you get a good history lesson, you get an engaging story, a fearless heroine, AND WILLIAM SHEPARD AND EVERYONE NEEDS A WILLIAM SHEPARD IN THEIR LIFE.
I'm excited for the second book to finally see what happens!
(Seriously, Emily take your time with the marriage stuff. You be scaring me. ;-;)
TW:
One slight scene of attempted r*pe. Stopped before anything serious.
August 27, 2022
This book was amazing! It only increased my love for the historical fiction genre! Rowell is such an amazing writer and the story engaged me and kept me hooked! I need the sequel right now!
March 24, 2021
This is an amazing book I'm only in the first three chapters but it is amazing my mom and I have been reading it together we both love it the author did a wonderful job.
blessings to Mckenna and family!
blessings to Mckenna and family!
April 8, 2025
This series was recommended to me by a friend so going to read all three for them. Overall the writing is very good. Quick read. I rated lower due to wanting more spy work and less relations drama. I felt they took away from the main plot line.
March 13, 2022
Unmasked was an absolutely amazing read and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!
Normally it is hard to name a book where you loved every character, but that isn’t hard for me anymore! Each and every character was extremely well written! Emily was very relatable, I saw parts of myself in her throughout the novel which made for an even more enjoyable read!
The Revolutionary War has always been my favorite war to learn about and I can confidently say that Unmasked is not only a well written story about the Revolutionary War, but it is also a historically accurate story about the Revolutionary War.
I cannot wait to see what adventures Emily & her companions (particularly a certain Benjamin Locke) go on next!
Finally, the mosaic design on the cover is absolutely stunning and I can’t help but admire it every time I see it! The gold lettering is the perfect touch!
I would recommend Unmasked to anyone looking for an action packed novel with a twist of mystery. And if you are as interested in the Revolutionary War as I am, Unmasked is a MUST READ!
Normally it is hard to name a book where you loved every character, but that isn’t hard for me anymore! Each and every character was extremely well written! Emily was very relatable, I saw parts of myself in her throughout the novel which made for an even more enjoyable read!
The Revolutionary War has always been my favorite war to learn about and I can confidently say that Unmasked is not only a well written story about the Revolutionary War, but it is also a historically accurate story about the Revolutionary War.
I cannot wait to see what adventures Emily & her companions (particularly a certain Benjamin Locke) go on next!
Finally, the mosaic design on the cover is absolutely stunning and I can’t help but admire it every time I see it! The gold lettering is the perfect touch!
I would recommend Unmasked to anyone looking for an action packed novel with a twist of mystery. And if you are as interested in the Revolutionary War as I am, Unmasked is a MUST READ!
November 15, 2023
2/5 stars
This started off strong and rapidly went downhill. I was expecting a novel about a girl spying and doing a dangerous job to aid the American Revolutionary War. And we kinda got that? I don't even know.
The beginning was cool when Emily got hired by the general, but it seemed too casual. Somehow, she knew all the high up people of that section and they were a-ok with hiring a woman as a spy. Yet, in reality, it was incredibly hard for women to help and they used to sneak into war. It just didn't feel believable. Then, there were like twenty characters introduced in the first two paragraphs and it just got so confusing on who is who and who's job is what. I didn't understand Emily's backstory cause it wasn't explained well, but this is what I got: Her parents died so she was taken in and raised as one of four sisters by a rich family, but she was rebellious and snuck out, and then she also has a different last name? Confusing.
I also was not a fan of the writing style. Most of the time, it just felt as if this book needed an editor. There were so many grammatical sentence errors and things that were structured weirdly so they didn't make sense. I get that this is an indie book, but I hold it to the same standards as every else I read, and this just did not make the cut for good writing.
This novel also felt more fiction that historical fiction. There were a lot of inconsistency's of that time period and how the war was handled. Half of a big story line was literally taken from Hamilton the musical, and the rest just didn't make sense to the time period. I love the Revolutionary War, and this just did not work.
In conclusion, confusing is the best way I can describe this. None of the plot made sense—I still can't describe what actually happened. All of the characters were random and too much and the twists between them were underdeveloped, hence they were confusing too. And the writing was very juvenile and under edited. I have the other two books in the series, but I don't think I will be reading them in any hurry. It just wasn't good.
This started off strong and rapidly went downhill. I was expecting a novel about a girl spying and doing a dangerous job to aid the American Revolutionary War. And we kinda got that? I don't even know.
The beginning was cool when Emily got hired by the general, but it seemed too casual. Somehow, she knew all the high up people of that section and they were a-ok with hiring a woman as a spy. Yet, in reality, it was incredibly hard for women to help and they used to sneak into war. It just didn't feel believable. Then, there were like twenty characters introduced in the first two paragraphs and it just got so confusing on who is who and who's job is what. I didn't understand Emily's backstory cause it wasn't explained well, but this is what I got: Her parents died so she was taken in and raised as one of four sisters by a rich family, but she was rebellious and snuck out, and then she also has a different last name? Confusing.
I also was not a fan of the writing style. Most of the time, it just felt as if this book needed an editor. There were so many grammatical sentence errors and things that were structured weirdly so they didn't make sense. I get that this is an indie book, but I hold it to the same standards as every else I read, and this just did not make the cut for good writing.
This novel also felt more fiction that historical fiction. There were a lot of inconsistency's of that time period and how the war was handled. Half of a big story line was literally taken from Hamilton the musical, and the rest just didn't make sense to the time period. I love the Revolutionary War, and this just did not work.
In conclusion, confusing is the best way I can describe this. None of the plot made sense—I still can't describe what actually happened. All of the characters were random and too much and the twists between them were underdeveloped, hence they were confusing too. And the writing was very juvenile and under edited. I have the other two books in the series, but I don't think I will be reading them in any hurry. It just wasn't good.
August 6, 2022
I love historical fiction, and I felt the author captured the era of the Revolutionary War brilliantly. There were several tiny details that really immerse the reader in the time period and that is what I’m always looking for in historical fiction.
I enjoyed the cast of characters and the different strains in their relationships as well as the plot developments that had me doubting the sincerity of a few people. And the ending is the perfect setup to read the next in the series. This is the first I’ve read by this author, but her strong writing won me over and I plan to read the others in this series.
I enjoyed the cast of characters and the different strains in their relationships as well as the plot developments that had me doubting the sincerity of a few people. And the ending is the perfect setup to read the next in the series. This is the first I’ve read by this author, but her strong writing won me over and I plan to read the others in this series.
October 21, 2022
Unmasked was an enjoyable read! I really like a lot of the characters, and the plot actually surprised me a few times so that was fun. Emily and William are both fantastic POV characters, and I also love Locke. Also James. And Jacob is cool too. Beth is fun. Esther and Caroline are amazing. Etc., etc.
It did seem like the book was rather slow at the beginning and I had a little trouble staying invested at times - but I suspect that’s mostly because historical fiction is not my usual genre to read. Also, the stakes definitely rose by the end of the book, to the point where I stayed up later than I should have so I could finish 😁
In summary, Unmasked is a great book despite not being what I’m used to. If you like historical fiction you really really really should read it. And even if historical fiction isn’t your thing, there’s a good chance you’ll still like Unmasked, so give it a try! I’ve already started reading Unlocked and I’m quite excited to see what McKenna Rowell has planned for her wonderful cast of characters in it!
It did seem like the book was rather slow at the beginning and I had a little trouble staying invested at times - but I suspect that’s mostly because historical fiction is not my usual genre to read. Also, the stakes definitely rose by the end of the book, to the point where I stayed up later than I should have so I could finish 😁
In summary, Unmasked is a great book despite not being what I’m used to. If you like historical fiction you really really really should read it. And even if historical fiction isn’t your thing, there’s a good chance you’ll still like Unmasked, so give it a try! I’ve already started reading Unlocked and I’m quite excited to see what McKenna Rowell has planned for her wonderful cast of characters in it!
September 13, 2021
Clean historical read with great female heroine
I LOVED the historical detail in this book. I mean, the main character NEVER complained about her corset being too tight, she NEVER was like "ditch dresses, I'm wearing pants!" and for crying out loud, she even hid secret papers in her corset!! It's so incredibly gratifying to find a book where a girl can be challenging societal norms without ditching the norms altogether. A applaud McKenna for doing her homework!
This wasn't a Christian book, but overall I would say it was pretty clean. There were a few words that I would personally white-out before handing to kids (using hell as an analogy, "cursed all that...", God's name was taken in vain once), but there wasn't any cussing or anything like that. Along those same lines, one thing that was probably historically accurate but I wasn't a huge fan of was Christianity being more of a social norm more than something anyone actually believed in. Of course, this would have been common in the colonial days, but if you're used to reading Christian fiction don't be surprised that none of these characters are true, born-again Christians.
The characters were relatable and likable. Emily's struggles were easy to understand (I don't want to give spoilers so that's all I'll say). The plot was pretty predictable, but I don't necessarily consider that a bad thing! The pacing wasn't great, and the writing style wasn't my favorite, but I think the longer sentences were more a stylistic choice.
Overall, if you want a clean historical read with a great female heroine, I would give Unmasked a shot! I look forward to reading the next book in the series...I can't wait to see what's going to go down with Mr. Locke!
I LOVED the historical detail in this book. I mean, the main character NEVER complained about her corset being too tight, she NEVER was like "ditch dresses, I'm wearing pants!" and for crying out loud, she even hid secret papers in her corset!! It's so incredibly gratifying to find a book where a girl can be challenging societal norms without ditching the norms altogether. A applaud McKenna for doing her homework!
This wasn't a Christian book, but overall I would say it was pretty clean. There were a few words that I would personally white-out before handing to kids (using hell as an analogy, "cursed all that...", God's name was taken in vain once), but there wasn't any cussing or anything like that. Along those same lines, one thing that was probably historically accurate but I wasn't a huge fan of was Christianity being more of a social norm more than something anyone actually believed in. Of course, this would have been common in the colonial days, but if you're used to reading Christian fiction don't be surprised that none of these characters are true, born-again Christians.
The characters were relatable and likable. Emily's struggles were easy to understand (I don't want to give spoilers so that's all I'll say). The plot was pretty predictable, but I don't necessarily consider that a bad thing! The pacing wasn't great, and the writing style wasn't my favorite, but I think the longer sentences were more a stylistic choice.
Overall, if you want a clean historical read with a great female heroine, I would give Unmasked a shot! I look forward to reading the next book in the series...I can't wait to see what's going to go down with Mr. Locke!
January 4, 2022
Wow. I had had my eye on this book for a while and it did not disappoint. I’ve never been a huge historical fiction fan, but this was an excellent book! I loved the character definition, and oh my goodness William… 😩 WOW MCKENNA thank you for creating that beautiful man…
The plot was intriguing and I definitely want to know what happens next! My only complaint would be that the POVs sometimes switched quickly and unexpectedly, but that was easily overshadowed by the intriguing characters! I LOVED Emily and I can’t wait to see how she grows in the second (and third!) books!
The plot was intriguing and I definitely want to know what happens next! My only complaint would be that the POVs sometimes switched quickly and unexpectedly, but that was easily overshadowed by the intriguing characters! I LOVED Emily and I can’t wait to see how she grows in the second (and third!) books!
January 5, 2023
Ahhh so good!!
Emily is such a Jo March character and I loved her for it, because I have always connected with Jo. Emily has the same stubbornness and desire to be free, and I loved that about her.
I love stories set in this era and ‘Unmasked’ did not disappoint. The writing is lovely and engaging, and I mean… I read most of this book in one day because I literally couldn’t put it down!
Basically, I need to order the next book in this trilogy ASAP cause I need more 🤩
Oh yeah..also… very intrigued by this Locke character. I’m gonna need more about him in the next book
Emily is such a Jo March character and I loved her for it, because I have always connected with Jo. Emily has the same stubbornness and desire to be free, and I loved that about her.
I love stories set in this era and ‘Unmasked’ did not disappoint. The writing is lovely and engaging, and I mean… I read most of this book in one day because I literally couldn’t put it down!
Basically, I need to order the next book in this trilogy ASAP cause I need more 🤩
Oh yeah..also… very intrigued by this Locke character. I’m gonna need more about him in the next book
August 26, 2022
I usually never pick up historical fiction, so just the fact that I enjoyed this says something in and of itself hahah. Docked one star because some of the prose felt a bit choppy in some places? As in, there were some phrases I had to read twice for clarity and it interrupted the flow a little bit. But the characters and setting were especially well done, and I'm excited to read the other 2 books in this trilogy!
August 2, 2023
This is a fabulous book and very well written. It’s historically correct and provides an intriguing read. Can t wait to start the next book!
December 22, 2023
I loved everything about this book! The story, the characters, the writing, everything! Highly recommend if you're a fan of historical fiction or want to delve in the genre to start with!
July 18, 2023
I’ve read this book three times and I’ve adored it every single time. It’s rare that you find a book that’s historically accurate and this one 100%. It lines up with the timing of history and the way people acted, yet the characters still remain relatable instead of the dilemma most historical books have with the characters being too different from us.
Emily Cartridge is a fantastic main character (call be biased) as is William Shepard. I love them both so so much. Also Benjamin Locke…I don’t need to explain. Just read. He’s amazing.
I 10/10 recommend this book!
Emily Cartridge is a fantastic main character (call be biased) as is William Shepard. I love them both so so much. Also Benjamin Locke…I don’t need to explain. Just read. He’s amazing.
I 10/10 recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews