Simon and Schuster sent me a copy of The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley in January and as I was unfamiliar with the author I wasn't dying to read it, so I put it on my 'to be read' pile. Thankfully I decided to pick it up shortly after because I absolutely loved this book and can't say enough good things about it.
The Firebird is a companion piece to Kearsley's The Winter Sea, which I haven't read but will be picking up soon given how much I loved The Firebird. The book is about a young woman named Nicola Marter, who possesses a psychic talent that she wishes she didn't. Sometimes when Nicola touches an object she can see its history -- who has owned it and how it came to be. Nicola works at an art gallery where a woman brings an old family heirloom -- the Firebird -- in for appraisal. Since the owner of the gallery can't authenticate the Firebird, he has no choice but to turn the woman away, disappointed. However, Nicola held the carving and saw that it did indeed belong to Russia's Empress Catherine as the owner thought, and decides that she must help this woman however she can.
Nicola can't do it alone however, so she turns to Rob McMorran, a former flame who's own psychic abilities are even more powerful than Nicola's. Together they embark on a journey through the past to prove the origin and worth of The Firebird, and throughout their journey learn a thing or two about themselves.
Their journey to discover the origins of the carving have them following a young girl from the past named Anna as she travels from Scotland to Belgium and on into Russia. Anna's story is just as captivating and intriguing as Nicola and Rob's and at times I couldn't decide who I wanted to read more about!
This book captured my attention from the very first page, and made it very hard for me to put down. This is the kind of book that makes me absolutely envious of authors and their incredible ability to bring their words to life. I found myself up until the wee hours of the night on more than one occasion completely immersed in this book. It has adventure and mystery and romance and is simply a beautifully told story. I honestly can't say enough good things about it. Read it!!!
