Amy Snow

by Tracy Rees

Left to perish on a bank of snow as a baby, Amy has never known love, never known family.

Reluctantly given shelter at nearby Hatville Court, she is despised by the masters and servants alike.

The beautiful Hatville heiress, Aurelia Vennaway, is Amy's only advocate - she becomes the light of Amy's life, and the centre of her existence.

So when Aurelia dies young, Amy's world collapses. But Aurelia leaves Amy with one last gift.

A bundle of letters with a coded key. A treasure hunt that only Amy can unlock.

A life-changing secret awaits... if only she can reach it.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Romance, Audiobook, British Literature

551 pages, Paperback

First published April 9, 2015

About the author

Tracy Rees is a Cambridge graduate with a degree in Modern and Medieval Languages. After an eight-year career in nonfiction publishing, she worked as a counselor for people with cancer and their families. Amy Snow is her first novel. She lives in Swansea, Wales.

Reviews

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ stars
Wow did this one surprise me. It's a solidly good book. Engaging, suspenseful.

I hoped for a decent light read with minimal fluff. With a hope like that I can also dread being aggravated to the point of abandonment by melodrama, predictability, or general silliness, and that staccato hammering on all the feels, for which I can generally feel nothing better than disappointed.

Turns out this historical romance is at least as solid on the historical interest and story suspense, and light on romantic manipulation, as was the late Georgette Heyer. It reminds me more of the better Heyer novels, and even of the romantic classicists like the Brontes and Austen, than of the contemporary historical romances.

Oh, it had all the makings of a standard historical romantic melodrama. It actually should have been eye-rolling. Not sure, actually, how it avoided that fate. It took me quite a while to stop cringing in dread for what the story was about to become. But the book persistently rose above what it might have been, to actually be a satisfying read.

This one was a light delight that didn't feel lightweight. I look forward to the next one from this author.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Treasure-Hunt
Amy Snow is an adventure story with family relationships providing the intriguing dynamic. The plot is very interesting and a lot of questions are raised that you hope will be addressed in an intelligent and believable way.

Amy Snow if found as a baby on the estate of Hatville Court and is rescued and grows up a companion (soul-mate), to the heiress Aurelia. Amy isn’t however held in any affection by Aurelia’s parents, Lord and Lady Vennaway, but Aurelia is insistent on her remaining with her. Everyone knows, including Aurelia and Amy that if Aurelia leaves, Amy would need to find somewhere else to live. At a point, Aurelia takes an extended trip without Amy, and Amy has to remain in an unwanted house without her. What she did when she was away will have repercussions that will affect Amy's life.

Unfortunately for both, Aurelia dies as a young woman and leaves Amy alone, unwanted and with a series of letters and directions on how to establish a life away from Hatville Court. The messages and directions are cryptic so only Amy can decipher them. They lead Amy on a treasure hunt and an exploration of what she has been missing in life. The story seems to then run out of steam and we get dragged into a strange paralysis for long periods while she contemplates her ambitions and values. The love interests felt unrealistic and just filled me with indifference and her constant complaining about the task was very irritating.

It is a very easy book to read, which started with great expectations, stumbled along for large parts, and ended with a very interesting revelation.

[Maria Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maravilloso! Una historia súper bonita, aderezada con pinceladas de nostalgia, de todo aquello que hubiera podido ser... Una novela como las de antes, romántica, donde 3 mujeres luchan a su manera para no seguir los dictados de la sociedad, para ser libres. Todo un descubrimiento!!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It makes me laugh that women are permitted so few alternatives, and are then punished for resorting to the ones they have."

This is another one of those books that I've been sitting on for well over a year, and now that I've finally gotten around to reading it I could kick myself for not picking it up sooner.

Part Jane Austen, part Charles Dickens, and part "Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life," this novel is about a baby (Amy Snow) abandoned on the estate of an aristocratic British family. While the estate's owner's are aghast that an orphan would sully their home, their daughter, Aurelia, insists on raising the child, and thus begins a life-long friendship.

Rees writes lyrically and listening to the audio was a sheer pleasure. I was transported to the English countryside and moors of York as Amy Snow traversed the land on a "treasure hunt" of Aurelia's design to uncover her friend's deepest secrets.

Thank you to NetGally and Simon & Schuster for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to concur completely with a previous reviewer who said they had no idea why this book was getting such good ratings. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad book; it's just not a good one. It's like toast without butter: dry without any flavor.

I didn't think Amy Snow was a compelling heroine in any way. She didn't interest me. She whined, she was boring, she simpered and fell in love (for no reason that I could fathom) with two different men. I was bored with her and done with her halfway through the book, but I pressed forward. She was a loyal and caring person, qualities that are endearing (if overused) in a historical novel.

I thought the late Aurelia was so much more alive-- even in death-- than Amy could ever hope to be. Aurelia was perhaps a bit cliched, but engaging and fascinating, nonetheless. Although she was completely anachronistic. In fact, most of the book seemed full of anachronisms.

The attitudes displayed in the book regarding sexual relationships and liaisons outside of marriage seemed too modern and lax for Victorian society. It seemed half of the characters were engaging in sexual relationships outside of marriage; and even if perhaps this did happen back then, it certainly wasn't discussed as freely or with such acceptance as was displayed in the book. It was disappointing that the author seemed to be inserting modern attitudes in a historical setting. Perhaps I tend to nitpick, but this was a major negative for me.

I thought the relationships were unbelievable. Amy supposedly fell in love with a man at first sight, and he her, but I saw no evidence of this whatsoever. I honestly saw nothing engaging about him, and their relationship was rushed and trite. I just couldn't bring myself to care about their relationship. In fact, I found myself dreading it whenever he would reappear. Usually, the love story is my favorite part, but this one made me groan. Oh, and they kept calling each other, "my love" every other sentence, which made me gag.

I found Mrs. Riverthorpe to be a fun (if unbelievable) character, but other than that, the characters were lackluster, one-dimensional, and unconvincing. The book was packed with anachronisms, a silly and unsurprising plot, a mystery that was no mystery at all, and an odd ending that fell flat. So...not a win in my opinion. Good premise, disappointing execution.

[Toni · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't like writing negative reviews, but sometimes-as in this case-it's necessary. If I save just one person from wasting their time on this book then it's all been worth it ;). Truthfully this is a 1 but I gave it a 2 simply because I've read worse. This really should have been a DNF but I have an affliction-I'm an unadulterated optimist. I keep hoping a book will turn itself around. Amy Snow did not. Two words of description: TRITE and terribly BORING. When a book centers around a mystery, the reader shouldn't be able to guess it out of the gate. I guessed it straight off the bat. If you think it's just me, and another reader might not guess the answer, think again. Even Amy Snow herself guesses the secret halfway through the book! Seriously! So the big reveal is majorly anticlimactic, and as Amy says, it's merely confirmation of what she had surmised in the first place. It's also a trite (Victorian age) romance. Painfully sappy. Amy Snow and her beau (the very first man she meets!) are madly in love in the way a 5th grader might write about love. She also thinks she may be in love with the second man she meets, but of course he turns about to be a scoundrel therefore making it easy for her to choose man #1. The characters are cloyingly one dimensional. The cold hard aristocratic parents, the orphan with no confidence or means, the perfectly beautiful yet unconventional aristocratic daughter (to create conflict with said cold parents), the Adonis of an aristocratic who courts her (secretly debauched and merely after her fortune), the handsome good hearted bourgeois love interest, the elderly aristocratic woman who's barbed and cruel... with a soft heart of course. It was just too much! To top it off, Amy seems pretty darn ungrateful towards her best friend (who saved her life as a baby). Once the friend dies and Amy is out on her own, she's ticked off that the friend has left her with her dearest secret to uncover when Amy would rather be off living her own life (with the fortune bequeathed to her by her friend (!) as otherwise she'd be completely destitute with no options or means of any kind). Amy Snow is equally unbearable as the overly needy girlfriend who reproaches herself repeatedly (and whines!) after her fiancé breaks off with her the first time he doesn't get his way (her thinking is that after all she knew he was stubborn and it was her fault because she never should have gone against his wishes). I wish I didn't waste time on this book and it is beyond me how it got these good reviews. I am definitely the wrong audience. I love historical fiction and I love a good love story. A mystery added in the mix is also compelling in a book. Amy Snow is none of the above. No compelling characters, no compelling story, no real plot, definitely no climax and NO mystery. I'm not sure what Amy Snow actually is supposed to be. Perhaps a book for a 7th grade girl? Yes, that may be he audience. It certainly wasn't for me. No disrespect to those who loved this book. We all have our own tastes and Amy Snow was not to mine.

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars

This was such an entertaining novel. I loved both Aurelia and Amy. Even though, they weren't sisters by blood, they were sisters of the heart and it warmed my heart to see Aurelia do everything that she could to save Amy. Aurelia's parents were awful! I just wanted to punch Aurelia's mother!! They were so mean to Amy. I was so happy when Amy set upon her treasure hunt that was set-up by Aurelia. Through this treasure hunt we were able to get to know Aurelia better through letters that she left behind for Amy. It was refreshing to watch Amy mature through this time as well. She was such a nice girl and after what she had been through, I was hoping for wonderful things to happen to her. We also got to meet some interesting characters through this adventure. My favorite: Mrs. Riverthorpe. Now she was quite the character!!

The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars was because of the mystery surrounding Aurelia. I figured it out quite soon, as did Amy. I was hoping at the end it wouldn't be that but something else. So that was a little disappointing. I was happy that there were some questions answered through the epilogue. Otherwise, that would have disappointed me as well. This was a very well-written novel (can't believe it was a debut!), and I loved the characters. I'm so happy that I was able to read this one:)

**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Agi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore historical fiction, I love to imagine the rustling dresses, the wonderful clothes, corsets and curtseying and am always fascinated with the lives people led so many years ago. The premise to "Amy Snow" promised not only this, but much, much more, and let me tell you: this is a debut novel by Tracy Rees, but I would never in million years guess it, as this book is so complete, so brilliant, so thought through. It has wonderful characters, strong heroine, mystery, drama, and this humour that I always identify with those times. It is also the winner of Richard and Judy's Search for a Bestseller competition, which is not a surprise for me, as this book has it all!

It's January 1831. The book follows the story of Amy Snow, starting when young Aurelia finds Amy as a new - born baby, being left to death in the snow - hence her name, Snow. As Aurelia is the only Vennaway family's daughter, and she's very hard - minded, Amy is allowed to stay - in the kitchen, help to everyone. For Aurelia she stays her best friend, and the girls share a lot of secrets, spent a lot of time together, even if Aurelia's parents neither want to hear about Amy nor see her.
Aurelia dies young because of a heart defect and Amy is of course thrown out of the house right after the funeral. Officially Aurelia has left her only 10 pounds in her will, but Amy soon learns that there is much more - namely, a "treasure hunt", that the girls so liked to play with each other - Aurelia leaves Amy a trail of secret letters, that Amy must find first, and all the letters direct her to different places, different people, and eventually, to Aurelia's secret. Who is Amy going to meet on her adventure? Is she able to find on her own what Aurelia left her?

Amy is one of the most incredible characters I have come across in the books that I'd read. No matter the circumstances, she has had her head held high. A clever cookie, she didn't let other people intimidate her. There were moments I had tears in my eyes at the way people - especially Aurelia's parents - treated her - but Amy being Amy, just shook off and kept going. And she develops in the book, oh my, how much she develops, and she knows how much she's worth. You rule, girl! You made me really proud at the way you coped with everything in your life.

The journey that Tracy takes us on with her characters is one full of surprises, twists and turns, and well, to be honest, Amy must have been one hell of a brave girl to pluck up the courage and head out on this trip all by herself. I guess I would be fretting and wondering, and she has just taken her things and went. Of course, she has nothing to lose, but in those time, travelling alone must have been a real challenge for a young girl.

Thanks to the letters that she left Amy, we also get to know the real Aurelia, Aurelia that so much valued Amy, that so much took care of her, preparing everything for her and making sure that she will have everything after her death. Thanks to Amy's memories of her, and also the letters, there emerges a picture a young woman, who was probably too clever for the times that she lived in, woman who wanted to see and discover, and not follow the steps of her own mother, cousins, friends in doing this what was thought as the right thing to do: settling down with a husband and several children. It was obvious that Aurelia had something to hide, and she has hinted it in her letters as well. there was a moment that I thought I guesses what this secret is, in fact it was the same moment that Amy started to guess, but still, I wasn't at all sure if I'm right or wrong.

The characters are so colourful and all so different! There is a great number of them - first we meet the Vennaway family and people working for them, and they are a fantastic, friendly bunch of persons, as Cook says, they must be, because not many would work for this family. Then we always meet someone new together with Amy, when she starts her journey, and every single person adds a lot to the story, and my heart just grew a little bigger each time she met someone so friendly and willing to help her.

I absolutely adored the banter between the characters, they lived in times where appearances were everything, and so it is always a great joy to see how they manage their conversations while trying not to hurt each other or to hide their real feelings, but also managing to slip here or there their true opinions, but they do this in such an elegant, clever way - any Tracy has brilliantly grasped nature and atmosphere of this Victorian England, not only in the dialogues, but in descriptions and characters as well.

This is a long book. There are over 550 pages but believe me when I tell you that all the pages are filled to brims with fantastic, hooking, compelling story. Yes, there were moments, especially in the second half of the book, when the narration felt a little too long and some of the scenes felt insignificant to me, I would do without them, but oh my, other than that I can't say one negative word about it. And I don't want!

This book was a pure escapism, and I immensely enjoyed how Amy slowly found her place in this world, how much she developed, how she learnt so much about herself, started to know her boundaries and what she's able to do to fulfil Aurelia's last wish.

Everything in this story is neatly tied up. There was a moment that I feared so much that this one important thread about Amy won't be explained, but I needn't, of course, Tracy wouldn't leave us dangling like this! It's a very complex story, so thought through, and my hats go off to Tracy and her talent to plot and hatch in this way! Yes, I am jealous, as I was never any good in treasure hunts, sadly, but Amy here made me so proud!

This is this kind of a debut that make you gasp, do a double take and think: What? Debut novel? You must be joking! But yes, it is a debut novel, although yours truly can't believe it as well. Tracy's wonderful descriptions of the places and her talent to bring the characters to life make this book such an outstanding read! "Amy Snow" is written in a beautiful way, and it's both funny and heart - wrenching. I really didn't want to leave Amy and her life.

A brilliant, compelling story that takes us on a journey through early Victorian England and gives us a bunch of strong female characters, some male characters that look so weak in comparison to our girls, but also some that are really worth to make acquaintance with, and of course give us a look at the society, with all its stereotypes, as well as intriguing mystery. I am over the moon to have discovered Tracy Rees and can't wait to see what she has in store for us in the next time.

Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.

[Lyuda · Rating 2 out of 5]

A promising description of mystery, treasure hunt, and self-discovery turned into a slow and somewhat boring read.

An abandoned newborn is found naked and blue in the snow on an English estate by an eight-year-old daughter of the house, Aurelia. She insisted on keeping a baby against the wishes of her cold and heartless parents. And so, begins the life of Amy Snow.

After Aurelia’s early death, seventeen-year-old Amy embarks on a treasure hunt all over England based on letters Aurelia left for her. The hunt takes Amy from one clue to another, in a whirl of new acquaintances, friends and romances until it reaches the big secret of Aurelia's life.

With 500+ pages, the book is way too long and in a need of a visit to an editor for some page-trimming and focus. I’m not sure what it was trying to be:
A mystery? – too predictable and solved by the heroine herself in the middle of the story.
A treasure hunt? – the clues are so far apart, and so bugged down by other events that I lost my interest.
Love story? - way too sappy and unrealistic for my taste. Plus, we get two leading men with not much to recommend – one is creepy and another one is too pushy and needy with pronouncements like this:

Amy, it is lucky I am buttoned up inside this suit for I am coming all undone inside it.

Self-discovery? - yes, meek and abused heroine gains her strength and self-respect as she overcomes obstacles, etc, etc. We know the drill. Amy is so very good and so very innocent that I found her annoying. Her transformation felt forced and examples of where she found a backbone were few and far in between.

I can see why the story would appeal to some readers. The writing is good with vivid period descriptions but this novel was just not for me.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not at all what I was expecting. I adored this book. I thought it was a simple story of an abandoned baby and how she grew up. It’s more than that. It’s mystery with unexpected surprises.

It reminded me of Charles Dickens’ writing, which I love. It sucked me in and had me eagerly listening until the very end. Amy Snow is like reading the old time classics. If you enjoy that type of book you will love this.

[Dorian Jandreau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Šita knyga pas mane atsidūrė labai spontaniškai. Tiesiog kėliau naujas knygas į Goodreads ir... akimirkai sustojau prie šitos ir žiūrėjau į viršelį.. tuomet lyg mano rankos man nepriklausytų, paspaudžiau ją pridėti prie savo knygų ir užsirašiau, kad kitą dieną nueiti į knygyną. Pirmą skyrių perskaičiau sėdėdamas kavinėje iš nuobodulio laukdamas koncerto. Ir pirmasis skyrius mane iškart suintrigavo... Nusprendžiau, kad padėsiu į šoną kitas knygas ir dabar skaitysiu šitą.

„Džeinės Eir“ niekada neskaičiau, tad nelyginsiu šios knygos su jokia kita. Šitoje istorijoje pasakojama dviejų merginų itin artima draugystė. Dvi merginos- dvi istorijos-dvi paslaptys. Pirmasis įspūdis nuo pačių pirmų lapų buvo toks... šiltas, lengvas, raminantis... tas mėlynas viršelis ir rašytojos švelnus pasakojimo stilius užliūliavo mane palengva vesdamas link dviejų paslapčių atskleidimo. Nuo vieno skyriaus prie kito keliaujant susipažinau su įvairiausiais veikėjais. Ir visi jie priminė man kažkokius pažįstamus žmones. Venavėjai buvo 100% mano šeima, kurioje užaugau... Garlandas ir Rivertorp- aš pats. Aurelija- pirmoji mano meilė... Henris- žmogus, kurį myliu... Tad atrodė, jog visi knygos veikėjai man lyg seni geri pažįstami, kad ir kokie pozityvūs ar negatyvūs jie būtų- vis vien atrodė tokie.. artimi. Ši rašytoja turi būtent kažką tokio, kad atrodo jos istorija ir veikėjai tau tokie artimi ir taip malonu skaityti jos knygą. Nesugebu nupasakoti to šilto jausmo, kurį jaučiau visą laiką su šita knyga rankoje.

Apibendrinimas: Intriga išlaikyta iki paskutinių puslapių, paslaptys, Viktorijos laikų D. Britanija, nuostabūs drabužiai ir to laikmečio atmosfera, gilūs jausmai, ir laiminga pabaiga. Tobula, šilta pavasariška istorija nukelianti į kuklius Viktorijos laikus.

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two and a half stars.
Aurelia Vennaway finds a new born baby in the snow and rescues the child, bringing her back to Hatville Court. Aurelia’s parents are less than impressed. They are determined that the baby, Amy is kept out of sight but Aurelia refuses to take any notice. She cares for and befriends Amy. It leaves Amy very much a misfit in the household. When Aurelia dies young, Amy is devastated. But Aurelia has arranged a treasure hunt that will happen after her death, a treasure hunt through which Amy meets more people who knew and cared for Aurelia. With their help Amy sets out on the quest to uncover the truth. Somewhere along the way Amy also attracts the attention of two young men. Will they deter her from her quest and the clues and letters that arrive from Aurelia? Much of the story is told through these letters and voice of Aurelia.
This book intrigued and frustrated me. At times I seemed to be reading and reading and getting nowhere. My thoughts are this could have done with a heavy edit. As it is, it seemed to meander around for much of the time. The premise was good, the execution though left something to be desired and the mystery Amy was set to uncover always felt predictable. Several times I considered giving up but somehow just couldn’t bring myself to do it, so I guess that is testament to the author’s writing skill that I needed to see how it all played out.
An interesting book that starts in 1831 with the finding of naked baby Amy in the woods, before moving on to 1948. This story gets bogged down in detail and the epilogue in my opinion was just a waste of space. I suspect this is a book that will get varied responses, so if you think it sounds like your thing, give it a go. For me it was just an okay read that would have been better with a lot less pages.

[Pepa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creo que con esta novela he tenido dos problemas.
El primero es que al verlo en varias webs de novela romántica, pensara que estaba ante una historia de ese tipo. La compra. ya me sacó de eses error, pues en pequeñito y a la izquierda pone «narrativa», sin embargo, pensé que si lo habían incluido en dichas plataformas es por algo, podría decirse que hay amor, pero si lo quitas, la novela apenas cambia, por lo tanto. No es una novela romántica, como bien indica el libro
La segunda: su ritmo
La novela está dividida en 4 partes, con muchísimos capítulos, pues algunos apenas tienen dos o tres páginas,. Eso es algo que me molesta, pues me saca todo el rato de la historia
Si le doy 3 estrellas es por la tercera y la cuarta, que cuando realmente la historia ha empezado a interesarme pero ya estaba a la mitad del libro.
Las dos primeras se me han hecho aburridas, apenas pasaba nada y sí, la autora escribe bien pero no tengo muy claro cual ha sido su intención porque, para mí, dejando de lado la bonita historia de amor-amistad que hay tras Amy y Aurelia; el gran protagonista es ese secreto que tarda tanto, tanto, tanto en aparecer.
Ni soy ni pretendo ser una experta, pero un pequeño flash-back hubiera hecho mucho bien a la estructura de la novela
Es una novela tipo «no es la historia sino que es la lectora» porque a mí estas historias tan lentas, me cuestan y necesito más chispa y, si le añades que no es romántica, cuando tengo el gran defecto de que casi es el único género con el que disfruto, pues creo que mi opinión no debería ser muy relevante
Es una novela bien escrita, con una buena ambientación que plasma bien la hipocresía social, las distintas clases sociales, pero con la que a mí me ha costado mucho engancharme
También es posible que los tiempos que corren debido al confinamiento estén haciendo que no termina de concentrarme lo suficiente para disfrutar de mis lecturas.

[Amina Hujdur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Divna saga. Nepredvidiva, avanturistički nabijena, zamimljiva i dosljedna.
Uživala sam čitajući.

"Za ljubav nisu potrebne riječi. One su ponekad i višak."

[♥️Annete♥️loves❤️books♥️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amy Snow as Jane Eyre. Amy Snow an orphan, an obscure, plain figure. From the beginning of this book i had Jane Eyre vibes all over. Clearly, Jane Eyre is my favourite book of all time and i was glad i stepped to Amy Snow's world as well. There are plenty of similarities in the two novels but very slight. It's not a retelling of Charlotte Bronte's book but rather a reminder of it. I liked quiet Amy for her struggles and misfortunes, for her mild character. I admired the way she moved into society quietly though decisively. Unfortunately, there was no mr Rochester but mr Garland could be a possible mr Rochester, only not in the way of Charlotte Bronte's byronic hero but slightly different.
I was never really fond of contemporary historical fiction because sooner or later, they introduce an older era through the eyes of a modern writer. That is to say, the writer can not help but include sex scenes, dialogues and behaviour that suits the present rather than the past. Tracy Rees has spared the reader of those liberties. She tells the story like Jane Austen would have told it, with the voice of the 19th century writers. If a reader does not know that Tracy is a new writer, of our time, he could pass this book as a work of classic literature which is an element i loved. I have to read more books like this one. I never expected i would enjoy it so much.
So congratulations to Tracy Rees and her lovely Amy Snow. 4 stars from me!

[CL · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only like to read historical fiction when it involves a mystery. "Amy Snow" promised the mystery of how the newborn baby who becomes known as Amy Snow comes to reside in the home of the Vennaways and becomes a companion to their only daughter, Aurelia. After Aurelia dies at a young age of a heart defect she sends Amy on a “treasure hunt” based on letters Aurelia has left for her that will lead her to a series of different locations and will bring her in contact with different characters that will reveal Aurelia’s secret. This is the story of overcoming obstacles and becoming the person you are meant to be against all odds especially set in an era when women were not taken seriously and they had to behave in a certain way for society based on their backgrounds. Amy is basically an orphan and looked down upon by most except for Aurelia who gives her, her first sense of self and the other members of the household staff. Great read. I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.

[Karen Mace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Another engaging, emotional story from this author who is fast becoming one of my favourites with her quality of writing and storylines!

The story of Amy and her quest to find her place in the world was a fascinating one. From the moment she was born and found in the snow by Aurelia, she never really fitted in with others, but Aurelia was always there for her and vice versa. After the sad passing of Aurelia, it was obvious her family weren't going to endure her being around, and I loved how Aurelia had set up a 'treasure hunt' so to speak, to share her story and legacy after she was gone, and to pass on to Amy all that she knew and all that she had kept hidden from Amy despite their strong bond.

There was plenty of mystery and intrigue throughout, which mixed well with Amy and her experiences of travelling around the country on her own as a woman, and finding people who knew Aurelia and didn't judge Amy because of her past and accepted her for who she was.

Despite it being a big 'chunkster' of a book, the story flew by and I suffered from the 'ooh just one more chapter' disease that strikes when a story has me under its' spell! Highly recommended!!

[Lisa Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this, after judging it by it's very beautiful cover and I wasn't disappointed. A sweeping historical tale of love and friendship, I loved the relationship between Aurelia and Amy, even though it felt a little one-sided in places (and reasons for that became clear eventually!). The story handles the relationship not only between Amy and Aurelia, but also between Amy and the other people she comes across when Aurelia has passed on, and it was interesting to read how the difference between classes could mean the difference between acceptance in society, and quite frankly shocking treatment by others in society.
A blogger friend, (Vicki - you can find her here: http://off-the-shelfbooks.blogspot.co.uk) said to me before I started reading that she could completely imagine this novel as a historical drama for television and I have to agree - it would make a fabulous drama! Although Aurelia's secret is not one that is difficult to figure out, the way Amy is led on a treasure hunt to uncover the secret is very well-thought out and makes for a far more interesting read.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this wonderful tale. Liked Amy, adored Aurelia but best of all I LOVED Mrs. Riverthorpe.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Amy Snow. Set in the 1800's, it is the story of 2 girls and told between past and present. Both through Amy and letters from Aurelia. The premise of the story reminded me of the styling of Kate Morton. Historical fiction, past and present, a family secret and the dead leading the living through letters.

Although there aren't any big surprises, about 1/2 through Aurelia's "secret" becomes evident, but the story is so well told that you just don't want to put this book down. Throughout the book it is mentioned that no one knows where Amy came from, although the 2 girls do plenty of speculating. I was hoping for a little bit more of twist upon learning Amy's origins, but not so.

All in all, I read this book very quickly and when I wasn't reading, I couldn't wait to get back to it. The only downside for me was I felt that the same story could have been told in about 100 pages less.

[Marla · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book! I really enjoyed spending time with Amy Snow and learning about her life with Aurelia. The scavenger hunt that Amy was put on to find out what the secret could be and why she was being sent to the different places was interesting. I really liked the character of Henry and how much he and Amy got along. Her time in Bath was pretty funny. Tracy Rees does a great job of telling a story that captivates the reader and draws them into the story and into the characters' lives so that you care for them and hope they have happy lives.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those, who like historical fiction, this is an interesting tale about a baby found in the snow by the young daughter of the manor and the struggle to find her place in the world thereafter. Betwixt and between, neither servant or recognized as a family member. As Aurelia states “ I am not sure I have done you such a very great favor. I have made you… a misfit.” Amy ends up as Aurelia’s companion through a clever turn of events.

I always admire those that can carry the correct conversational tone from another time. Tracy Rees gets it exactly right. It's like she has channeled Dickens, if Dickens had a feminist bent. She paints Lady Aurelia’s struggle to fight the restrictions of her sex with an exacting brush.

After Aurelia’s death, Amy is sent on a treasure hunt, led by Aurelia’s letters. At this point, the book veers towards romance. I felt for Amy, pulled between the demands placed on her by the quest and the life she wishes to live. She is led to various towns and meets a variety of characters, who are all colorful in their own way. The author does a great job of describing the society, the clothes and the necessary manners.

The epilogue is the one part that doesn't ring true. It seemed to be a feeble effort to tie up the one remaining loose end. But a disappointing few pages is vastly outweighed by the prior 500 that preceded them.

This is not a heavy, deep novel. But it is entertaining, covers some interesting issues and is a fun read.
Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Years ago, I took my cousin to a bookstore and we found this book. She decided I should buy it since my name is also Amy. I passed on the treat but promised to read it and let her know how it went. And between you, me, and the cousin who has no memory of that promise, I made the right decision. This book was not my cup of tea.

The story follows Amy Snow, a foundling left in the snow and found by the neighborhood heiress, Aurelia. Raised in the kitchen but not a servant and educated alongside her benefactress but not a lady, Amy has no real family but Aurelia. When Aurelia dies, Amy is left a small legacy and a treasure hunt full of unexpected journeys, interesting people, and the chance at a life of her own.

This book held elements that were good. The audio sucked me in fairly quickly and I was interested to explore all the places Amy Snow would go on her journey. Unfortunately, after about two stops, Amy decides she isn't so keen on traveling any more and Aurelia must have agreed because things peter out fairly quickly at that point.

But there is still half the book to go.

Two terribly boring suitors appear and for half a second I thought the author might do something interesting there. Like, maybe have her not end up with either one! Or make the clearly sus lord not so sus after all? Because otherwise why so predictable? Or the goodhearted future doctor not so goodhearted? Because why make him so predictable...? No? But no. The ending is a boring, bland mess full of characters I really don't care about and tying up loose ends that would have been more interesting left untied.

It is a shame because the author clearly did her research and there are some delightful side characters I would have liked to see more of.

For those who know my pet-peeve with novels set in the Victorian era, Queen Victoria doesn't make a appearance but she's referenced frequently at the beginning.

I think I will probably forget this one rapidly, unless this overwhelming emotion of disappointed expectations clings to me for a time.

[Marloes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engeland, 1831. Op een koude winterdag vindt de 8-jarige Aurelia een baby in de sneeuw op het landgoed van haar familie. Ze haalt haar ouders over deze baby te adopteren en noemt haar Amy Snow. Hoewel de meisjes een zeer hechte band hebben en ze elkaar zien als zusjes, wordt Amy nooit geaccepteerd door de familie en verbannen zij haar direct van het landgoed wanneer Aurelia jong overlijdt. Ineens staat Amy er weer helemaal alleen voor, totdat ze een bijzonder bericht krijgt…

In het diepste geheim heeft Aurelia namelijk een zoektocht voor haar uitgezet, een spoor van brieven dat Amy langs verschillende plaatsen zal leiden. Deze mysterieuze brieven bevatten geheime aanwijzingen, ingewikkelde raadsels en grote onthullingen, en hoewel Amy geen idee heeft wat het eindpunt van deze bijzondere zoektocht zal zijn, wil ze deze laatste wens en erfenis van Aurelia koste wat kost tot een goed einde brengen.

Je leest vanuit het perspectief van Amy, volgt haar op haar reis terwijl je door flashbacks een beter beeld krijgt van haar jeugd op het landgoed en van haar band met Aurelia, wiens sprankelende persoonlijkheid en vooruitstrevende ideeën je zo ook leert kennen. Maar wist Amy wel écht wie zij was? Onderweg ontmoet Amy bijzondere mensen, ze sluit nieuwe vriendschappen en wordt opgenomen in de maatschappij, ze leert zichzelf beter kennen en groeit uit van een grijze muis, een naïef, onzeker en onwetend meisje dat altijd is verteld dat ze niets waard is, tot een zelfverzekerder, wijze en sympathieke jonge vrouw. Ze leert beter te luisteren naar haar hart, blijft diepe genegenheid voelen voor Aurelia maar ze ziet ook in dat zij niet perfect was en haalt haar van haar voetstuk, waarna ze gaat bedenken hoe zíj haar leven wil invullen.

Door de beeldende schrijfstijl van Tracy Rees worden de sfeer en het tijdsbeeld mooi geschetst, de personages zijn fijn neergezet, met hun mooie en minder mooie karaktertrekken, en de verhaallijn is echt origineel en bevat interessante wendingen, waardoor je de afloop lange tijd moeilijk kunt raden. Er zit wat spanning in het verhaal, je blijft benieuwd naar het grote geheim, personages groeien en leren beter communiceren, je leeft met hen mee, het is mooi om te lezen hoe Amy eindelijk beter wordt behandeld en in een epiloog krijg je antwoord op enkele onbeantwoorde vragen. Het is een gelaagd, warm, vlot en zorgvuldig opgebouwd verhaal over hechte vriendschap, liefde, ontwikkeling, een zoektocht naar identiteit, de positie van de vrouw in de 19e-eeuwse samenleving, maatschappijkritiek, onafhankelijkheid en een band die zelfs door de dood niet kan worden verbroken. Echt een aanrader!

[Bren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Relatado en primera persona por nuestra protagonista, Amy Snow, nos vamos enterando de su vida a partir de su nacimiento.

La vida de Amy no ha sido fácil, como no lo sería la de casi ninguna mujer de bajos recursos y más en las circunstancias de nacimiento de Amy en la época en la que está escrito, pero este libro no es un drama, no es un libro que trate sobre eso particularmente, este es un libro que habla sobre la amistad, el cariño sincero, la honestidad, la lealtad, el valor de las personas por quienes son y no por lo que tienen o no tienen.

Ha sido realmente una delicia leer este libro, cada página, cada cosa dicha, Amy con su enorme valentía y humildad, no la humildad de clase, si no la humildad de alma, esa que la hace cumplir con su amiga hasta el mismo final y en ocasiones sintiendo que tiene que sacrificarse a sí misma para lograrlo, es que ha sido realmente algo precioso de leer.

El personaje de Aurelia lo conocemos a través de los ojos de Amy, así que de alguna manera podríamos tener un poco distorsionada la verdadera personalidad de este personaje y, sin embargo, es otro personaje notable, rebelde, buena hasta la médula, no encaja en una sociedad tan atrasada para ella.

Entre Aurelia y Amy hacen un tándem difícil de ignorar, un par de mujeres que viven en una época de hombres.

Amy no solo le debe la vida a Aurelia, le debe también el saber y conocer lo que es el cariño, la bondad y el buen trato, pero además Aurelia le regala otra cosa más, el aprender a conocerse, aprender a ser valiente, aprender a ser resolutiva y a tomar la rienda de su propia vida y siguiendo el camino de Aurelia, Amy encuentra sus propios pasos.

En este libro lo que resalto es el valor de la amistad y de la lealtad, me hizo recordar a aquellas personas que no conocen ninguna de esos dos sentimientos, curiosamente no pensé en mis amigas más queridas, si no en aquellas en las que he confiado y me han traicionado, por otro lado me hizo reflexionar en lo terrible que era la sociedad alta en la Inglaterra Victoriana, claro que hoy en día sigue habiendo gente pobre de espíritu, mala por naturaleza, vil y con un sentido de lo que es la vida bastante distorsionado, que complejos somos los seres humanos, pero la cuestión es que a pesar de que hay bastante mezquindad por ahí, también hay gente buena, amable, leal, sincera y honesta.

La narración del libro es realmente fantástica, está contada a modo de diario a través de Amy Snow y la autora ha hecho un trabajo realmente precioso a la hora de plasmar este libro en letras y palabras, me ha llegado realmente al corazón y es algo que agradezco tremendamente. Un libro bastante fácil de leer, es muy ligero y simplemente te vas dejando llevar y para cuando te das cuentas, estas riendo, estas queriendo golpear a alguien o estas emocionadísima con las cosas que le pasan a Amy.

No es un libro de corte romántico, aunque tiene de eso un poco, este libro más bien trata sobre otro tipo de sentimientos y valores y Tracy Rees ha hecho un trabajo hermoso para resaltar las cosas buenas de las personas a través de un recorrido de viajes de una huérfana.

[Tania Moroi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amy Snow abia născută este abandonată în zăpadă fiind găsită pe moșia Hatville Court și salvată de fetița de 8 ani a familiei Vennaway, iar cu timpul devine însoțitoarea moștenitoarei Aurelia. Astfel se conturează afecțiunea adâncă și prietenia prețioasă ce le leagă pe aceste două personaje.
Amy este disprețuită de părinții Aureliei printr-o atitudine regretabilă fiind instalată o relație tensionată și o situație de neinvidiat în acea casă.
După moartea timpurie a Aureliei, tânăra Amy primește o moștenire secretă și se angajează într-o vânătoare de comori. Vânătoarea prin evenimente ciudate și încâlcite o duce pe Amy de la un indiciu la altul, într-un vârtej de noi cunoștințe, prieteni și relații de dragoste până ajunge la marele secret al vieții Aureliei.
O descriere promițătoare a misterului, vânători de comori și descoperirea de sine s-a transformat într-o lectură lentă și oarecum plictisitoare. Personajele nu au fost credibile, lipsite de strălucire, prezentate unidimensional, iar plângerea constantă de misiune a personajului principal a fost foarte iritant.
Cea mai mare parte a cărții este plină de anacronisme. Mi s-a format impresia că autoarea pare să insereze atitudini moderne într-un cadru istoric.
O intrigă deloc surprinzătoare, un mister, care de fapt, nu a fost un mister deloc și un final ciudat care a căzut plat.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This is my first novel by this author and I will read more. I rounded up to 4 because of the overall enjoyment factor. I liked the tone of this historical fiction story. It started off great with a baby being found in the snow and brought home to be raised as a servant girl. This girl was Amy Snow. I liked Amy and I enjoyed her journey. I absolutely loved, loved Mrs. Riverhurst. She was hilarious. There were a lot of characters in this which usually is a negative for me, but the nature of the story seemed to dictate their necessity. So this wasn't bothersome because I knew they were temporary and accepted that early on.

I liked the writing. There was a great description of place (19th century England) and it was supported by the dialogue.

Even though this was very predictable and a little too pretty, (especially the ending), I still liked this a lot. It was a quiet little read for the first snowfall of this coming winter.

[Becky Courage · Rating 1 out of 5]

The idea of this book was promising, and I found myself flying through the first hundred or so pages. However, the 'mystery' quickly died out and the book became incredible boring. I found the characters of Amy and Aurelia to be blah and typical of these types of coming of age historical fictions. Other minor characters were more interesting than the two leads. Additionally, both love interests were terrible...Henry was pushy and needy and Mr. Garland was a creep.

The ending was absolute crap! I was extremely disappointed in the writing style of the last few chapters and the way in which loose ends were revealed. Whatever initial interest this book caused me to have was lost, and I struggled to finish reading.

Would not recommend. I would, however, have enjoyed a novel about the Wister's.

[Lesincele · Rating 4 out of 5]

La ambientación victoriana, costumbres , formas de transportes o diálogos han sido la perfección absoluta. Hacía tiempo que no leía una novela actual que estuviera tan cuidada en esos aspectos. La trama me ha encantado, no le pongo las 5 estrellas porque al final el ritmo se vuelve más lento y el misterio demasiado predecible.

[Nathalie Bakelandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wat een mooi verhaal. Heb je even tijd om langzaam te genieten van dit verhaal?
Het boek is in 4 grote delen opgebouwd. Elk deel bevat dan korte hoofdstukken.
Het vertelt het verhaal van Aurelia en Amy
Op 8 jarige leeftijd vindt de onstuimige Aurelia in de sneeuw en naakt een baby. Aurelia noemt haar Amy Snow.
Vastberaden zoals ze is wil ze de baby houden. Ze ziet haar als een zusje. Haar aristocratische mama wil niets van Amy weten
Amy groeit op met Aurelia. Op een dag hoort Aurelia dat ze een ongeneeslijke hartkwaal heeft.
Het brievenspoor verwijst naar de speurtocht die Amy moet ondernemen na het overlijden van Aurelia. Deze speurtocht zal inzicht moeten geven aan de geheimen die Aurelia angstvallig heeft bewaard.
Ieder deel bevat een opdracht. Zo leert Amy heel wat nieuwe mensen en omgevingen kennen.
Ik heb zo genoten van de sfeer en was zelf zo benieuwd naar het geheimzinnige leven van Aurelia.
Prachtig verhaal. Neem je tijd en geniet!