Open Book Review: "Cabin Girl" by E.G. Bella

In my opinion, some of the best stories are those that don’t dilute the excitement or shy away from difficult topics while — in the same “breath” — maintaining God-focused hope, Biblical lessons, and pure standards. There will never be a moment in my life when I don’t get excited about stories like these. As a young girl and author barely starting out, I spent many an hour scrolling through Kindle or browsing the bookstore in an attempt to find a book that aligned with my interests and values — the latter being an absolute non-negotiable. And, because of that, I ended up not finding the amount of books to read that I would have liked. Hence, me deciding one day to “write one.” After discovering the blessing that is clean bookstagram, I have been able to expand my reading horizons and increase my numbers. Now, for the past three-ish months or so, I’ve been in kind of a reading slump. I couldn’t tell you how many books I’ve started, only to lose interest (for no reason other than yours truly) or forget about them. It was a struggle to get five pages into a book, nearly impossible to finish even the first chapter. That’s why when I finished Cabin Girl by E.G. Bella in one sitting, I was shocked. And today, I want to share with you everything I loved about Cabin Girl. So… let’s dive in, shall we?

THE SUMMARY:

Eight years ago, young Éirinn O’Connell’s papa disappeared at sea. Many sleepless nights later, in the rolling hills of 1600's Ireland, Éirinn has given up on his return - while her mama continues to watch the horizon, her grasp of reality slipping. Desperate to provide for her and her sister, Éirinn learns all she can of medicine and spends her days struggling to assist villagers who shun her for her crooked back Then in one brutal night, Barbary pirates raid her village, and Éirinn is dragged from her family and the only home she's ever known. Set on a course to Morocco, and amidst a crew as turbulent as the ocean around her, Éirinn is forced to tend to the sick quartermaster. In addition, she must serve as cabin girl to the infamous Captain Gills, a hard-hearted man bent on thwarting her every attempt to return home...to the family she prays still lives. As Éirinn searches for a way home, she soon finds that all is not what it seems aboard The Lonely Eye. Unrest brews and mutiny whispers. Allies appear in unexpected places. A cunning enemy plots. Who can she trust? Will her God carry her through the storms? And how can she survive the Captain's constant torment? The answers are unlike anything she expects.

HERE ARE MY THOUGHTS:

The Characters

From page one, I loved the characters. When you first meet the main protagonist, Éirinn, you are drawn in by a deep-rooted compassion and respect for this character. In disguise, she provides for her family, still haunted by the demise of her father. The circumstances are bleak, the work is so hard for little-to-no reward, and yet despite the seemingly uncertain future, our protagonist still decides to place her trust in the One above. E.G. Bella set the foundation of Éirinn’s faith early in the book, which would be something both the character and reader will lean on as the plot thickens and an already unfortunate circumstance takes a turn for the worse… Éirinn was a character that immediately became someone I respected. She was doing the best she could when she was the only one left to take care of her loved ones. E.G. Bella did an amazing job at developing her characters to the point that they feel real and are people that are so fleshed out in your mind — from appearance, to behavior, and even their own individual voices. And especially with the main antagonist, Captain Gideon. Now, that is a character I will remember. As I was reading, especially scenes that included him, it felt like a movie because he was just so perfectly developed. And the banter between Éirinn and Captain Gideon… I love them. I loved experiencing their interactions. They were such polar opposite characters who worked so well together (not in the sense that they got along, but because their conflicting personalities and roles created such a believable protagonist & antagonist relationship!) Even the side characters, who were not as known, were still believable and each had a place in the story. Most of the cast are rough-and-tough pirates, and each character fulfilled a role — both on the pirate ship and in the plot! If you enjoy realistic, imperfect, and admirable characters, then this is just one of the reasons I highly recommend, “Cabin Girl” by E.G. Bella.

The Realism… The realism is a second reason why I highly recommend, “Cabin Girl.” The storyline of this novel takes place on a pirate ship in the 1600s. Now, I couldn’t tell you the first thing about a pirate ship. I still haven’t even figured out starboard from… the other option. (See, I don’t even remember what the other one is.) Anyways… despite my lack of knowledge for all things sailing, E.G. Bella did a wonderful job at weaving sailing terms in without it becoming confusing jargon. She explained enough about the operations of a pirate ship, the roles each pirate would have, and the duties a cabin girl would take on without word-dumping, and this unknowing reader could easily follow along. You can tell that E.G. Bella took the time to research and familiarize herself with the inner workings of a pirate ship. (She even shared with me an intriguing fact when I interviewed her over on The Wordsmith’s Edge. You can check that out by following the link or using the player above! Definitely give it a listen and hear the heart behind the story of “Cabin Girl.”) E.G. Bella also created dialogue that was authentic and unique — in the fact that it got the point across without resorting to cursing or vulgarity. I love pirates — pirate stories, pirate movies, pirate aesthetics, but these often go hand in hand with vulgarity or excessive perversion that I won’t put up with. So, being able to read a pirate story, knowing I didn’t have to worry about what would be said next while knowing it would create the same emotion and tension as the “mainstream” pirates out there made me love “Cabin Girl” that much more!!!

The Content… Sticking to the idea of creating the same emotion without using vulgarity, perversion, or excessiveness, I’d like to talk about the content in “Cabin Girl.” Obviously, I will not recommend books that have open-door scenes, excessive language, or any other content of that nature. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like tension and action. I still want those things… just without the others, and I feel like, “Cabin Girl” completely, 100% accomplished that. At no point did I think the pirates were weak and unbelievable or that the situation wasn’t as bad as it actually was. When I realized that Éirinn had been abducted— and by pirates, no less — I was curious to see how E.G. Bella would handle the impure thoughts or actions of Éirinn’s kidnappers, and I have to say it was done extremely well. A few sentences gave insight to what Éirinn feared, without becoming overwhelming or uncomfortable. In fact, if you didn’t understand what Éirinn was actually fearing in that moment, you might miss the implications — it was that subtle and, in my opinion, tastefully done. Of course, with pirates there are swordfights, cannons, and gunfire. Injuries are described, but again in a tasteful way that got the point across, evoked enough imagery in your mind to realize the peril of the situation, without lingering in the moment. Some of the tough topics that are discussed in “Cabin Girl” range from depression and self-harm to slavery and death. Once again, these moments of tension, violence, and difficult subjects certainly took talent to write without fully immersing the reader in an overwhelming negative. This was a read that went through the darkness to find the light… and that brings me to the last things we’re going to discuss today about “Cabin Girl.” And those are…

The Themes… The characters, realism, and content all made “Cabin Girl” a good book to read, but the thing that sets it apart and makes it an extraordinary book are the themes that were woven into the swashbuckling, pirate adventure. Themes of resilience, redemption, and reliance on the Lord. Something that stuck out to me was Éirinn’s resilience in the face of this horrible situation. I mean, she was taken from her home, her family, everything she had ever known. No one would have blamed her if she buckled beneath the weight the fear and stress. But she didn’t. Instead, she remained brave, despite the fear and remained strong in a tender way. It is something that, even after finishing the book, I still think about. She is a character I find myself looking up to — a character I will remember for years to come. One of the most exciting themes in “Cabin Girl” is redemption. I enjoyed how God’s love, forgiveness, and power to change were displayed in this story. With the undertones of you are never too far gone to be forgiven and you are loved by God no matter what’s in your past are two big truths that I can relate to. I have seen such an immense change in both my life and the lives of my family, despite tumultuous beginnings. God’s power is unlimited and He is a forgiving God. I loved watching this dynamic play out within this book. Finally, Éirinn’s reliance on the Lord was inspiring. She had moments where the uncertainty tempted her to doubt, but she remained steadfast to in her devotion to Him, trusting that there was a purpose, even in the pain and peril. This was something E.G. Bella and I discussed on our interview. This dynamic — the temptation to doubt, but fighting to keep faith — is something that everyone can relate to. We each have times in our lives when we are afraid, we are uncertain, and when we are even driven to doubt and/or unbelief. So seeing Éirinn’s resilient faith played out though these difficult times was most definitely something that hit close to home, and I know will for so many others. If you’re going through a difficult time, if the future is uncertain and you feel like you’re being swept away into unfamiliar and dangerous waters… give “Cabin Girl” a read. It is inspiring and uplifting. I finished this book with the biggest smile on my face and my heart full of stronger faith. That is the whole goal of Christian literature, and I feel like “Cabin Girl” by E.G. Bella is a perfect example of an exciting yet clean story. It’s a story that I devoured in two hours. I couldn’t put it down!!!

MY RATING

So… if all of the above isn’t making your run out and get “Cabin Girl” for yourself, here’s a breakdown of my rating:

• Absolutely 5 out of 5!!! “Cabin Girl” is a clean story filled with mystery, excitement, peril, and strong Christian themes that lift up the heart. The characters were real and so perfectly carved out. I feel like Éirinn O’Connell and Captain Gideon Gills are real people somewhere. (I really want to meet Éirinn, by the way. And Captain Gideon — his creative insults and banter are the best!)

Where Can You Find “Cabin Girl?”

“Cabin Girl” is now available:

• Author website: https://egbella.com/

• Cabin Girl (signed copies): https://egbella.com/shop/

• Cabin Girl on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHL1FYH2

The Giveaway:

If YOU would like to win a free copy of “Cabin Girl,” plus some other fun goodies, check out this giveaway hosted by E.G. Bella!

• U.S. Prize = One signed paperback copy of Cabin Girl, two custom themed candles, two bookmarks, a golden compass necklace, & lemon/ginger tea

• International Prize = An ebook copy of Cabin Girl, themed phone and desktop wallpapers, and the first chapter of the Cabin Girl prequel novel
  

TO ENTER: Rafflecopter Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6ad5003d1/?

About The Author

E. G. Bella is a bookworm-turned-author with a passion for cheesy puns, colorful characters, and contagious faith. She writes stories infused with adventure, hope, and just enough humor, and strives to craft memorable and page-turning tales the whole family can enjoy. When she’s not writing, thinking about writing, or gushing about her stories to her patient husband, Bella can be found sipping warm coffee, reading, and harmonizing with the radio. Sometimes all at once. You can visit her at www.egbella.com, where she blogs regularly about life, writing, and what she’s learning about both.

Get swept away into the the exciting story that is “Cabin Girl” by E.G. Bella. If you have any questions or comments, drop them down below! I would love to hear from you! Keep Writing & Reading Always! -Elizabeth Mae Wolfram

Disclaimer: As part of the launch team, I received an ARC copy of “Cabin Girl” from the author, but the views and opinions expressed above are entirely my own. In other words, even if I didn’t sign up for the launch team… I’d still have written this review! ;-)