Emmeline lives on a remote island with her father who teaches her about nature, how to live and eat off the land and scents. When she is forced out into the world she must seek out the truth and question everything that she has ever known.

Sweet story that felt a little like a combo "after-school special" and fantasy. The story follows a girl growing up isolated on an island with her father until circumstances force a radical change and she is forced to abruptly enter mainland life. Struggles with learning social skills are complicated by her special olfactory abilities, and the mystery of her life on the island.

I typically enjoy stories where the protagonist is a child, and while I enjoyed this story, there were several times where I just couldn't continue to identify with the character due to her impetuous choices. Those breaks in where my sympathies centered were a bit distracting. Not sure if that was the author's doing or just my own bias.

4.5 stars - Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I absolutely enjoyed this book. Bauermeister weaves this story so carefully that several times I caught myself holding my breath. Emmeline's idyllic childhood is narrated by a child who believes in mermaids, but doesn't know what a dog is. Her imagination, and the touch of fabulism, sweeps the reader along into her fairy-tale...until, with an agonizing thump, her world (and the reader's perception of her world) is turned on its head. The evolution of Emmeline's life into adulthood shapes both her understanding of the world and her narration of it, and I love that the story grows with her, but still retains its magic.

The characters are all incredibly dimensional. There aren't a ton of characters, which allowed Bauermeister to fully develop most of them, and the introduction of raw, vulnerable people into a story the revolves around fairy-tale magic was, to me, incredibly poignant. It's so easy to turn villains into something truly evil and the protagonists into Cinderella, but as Emmeline herself says,

"It's amazing how easily we can cast ourselves in the role of hero."


I really recommend you grab a copy of this book in May. It's simply lovely.


Pros:
-This story captures all of the wonder of childhood and the discomfort of growing up, without belittling the things that were important as a child.
-The fabulism of a machine that records scents has had me day-dreaming non-stop since I finished this book yesterday. Typically, I like to immerse myself in a book if I can by drinking a certain tea or burning a candle that reminds me of my book, but this story takes olfactory science to a level I had never considered before. Oh, to have a Nightingale.
-The narrative teeters just shy of "unreliable narrator"--not because she's innately untrustworthy, but because her understanding of her life is wholly informed by the fairy tales her father told her. As the reader, you and Emmeline embark on the journey of learning the truth of her past together. The story also explores how different perspectives change the telling of a story.
-Personally, I'm a sucker for any story that explores the power of grace. No spoilers, but there are several instances in the plot where unconditional love or undeserved forgiveness change the direction of the story (in a not-cheesy way).
-There were a couple of moments where I was really worried about the choices a character would make--You know what I mean, the "don't be an idiot, I know you're fictional but you are going to rui--annnnd, there they go." In every instance, I was worried for no reason. Granted, some of them make dumb decisions, but they were never throw-your-book-at-the-wall stupid.
-The ending doesn't wrap everything up nice and neatly with a bow. It's a wonderful ending, and it leaves you wanting more, but I think it's exactly what it needed to be.
-It's so lyrically lovely. You'll find gems such as,

"I listened, while the scents found their hiding places in the cracks in the floorboards, and the words of the story, and the rest of my life."

And,

"We sat in silence, letting the green in the air heal what it could."

Cons:
-There is an instance of abuse where outsiders knew something was happening, but didn't speak up about it, which I really don't love.
-Not a con for me, but I've seen a lot of complaints that the story takes a different direction or becomes more "common" after Part One. I think the difference in the narrative is intentional, as a child telling the story vs. a young woman, so I appreciated the shift, but some readers may not if they had different expectations for this story.


Triggers: death of a pet, death of family member, abandonment, physical and verbal abuse, sexual harassment, school bullying

I loved this book and the setting. I love the relationship between the father and daughter and I loved how they express their love through food.
This was a gem of a book.
Thanks for letting me review this book to the publisher and Netgalley

This coming of age book will stay with you long after you read the last page. It's a story of a daughter and father who live on a remote island together. Emmeline's father teaches her about the world through her senses, but he keeps some major secrets from her. One day, Emmeline's curiosity gets the best of her and she's thrown into the "real world," a place of love, ambition, betrayal and ambition. In order to figure out who she is, she needs to uncover her true identity, which takes her on a quest she'll never forget. 

This was an incredibly lovely story, that I loved reading. The lyrical writing is beautiful, and will make you feel like you live right there on the island with Emmeline and her father. You will quest for Emmeline's identity along with her. It's a fun read, and you should read it :)

The Scent Keeper kept me guessing what might happen from the beginning until the very last page. Erica Bauermeister totally captured the frustrations, hopes, and fears of each character in this book. I love the way the ending left me hanging, wondering what might happen next.

This was a jewel of a book! I enjoy reading books that have to do with magical realism but I've usually only read those that pertain to food/taste, whereas The Scent Keeper is all about smells. Have you ever smelled something that brought back memories of a particular time in your life, or wished you could bottle up a special scent and keep it forever?

Emmaline has lived on a remote island with only her father since she was a baby. They live off the land, foraging for food, but occasionally what Emmaline knows as "the mermaids" will leave special gifts for them.

When something terrible happens, she begins to question everything she has ever known when thrust into a brand new life. Learning how to survive public school, bullies, and trying to figure out where she came from lends to a wonderful, beautifully written coming of age novel with a sprinkle of magic.

This book was heartbreaking but not heavy enough that you couldn't enjoy it. It's one of those refreshing reads you can just sit down with and breeze through. I loved every bit of this story except for the abrupt ending. It is a unique and imaginative story, and I am looking forward to checking out more titles by this author!

This is a fascinating novel that kept me turning the pages long after midnight. I especially loved the lush, descriptive writing, particularly in the sensory realm of scent and smell and aroma. As with all of Erica’s novels, the characters are real and seem to float right off the page and into my heart (except for Fisher’s father, of course).

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister is a rare treasures. This story follows Emmeline through adolescents, the loss of her father and her remove from the isolation that she grew up in. Emmeline and her father live on an island by themselves and she has never seen any other people. Her childhood is absolutely magical as her father teaches her all about smells and science. She learns to read the world around her and its changes by the smells that she encounters. The scent of the earth as it warms in the spring and the change in weather as the sea swells and the saltwater fills the air. Emmeline's father showed her love but never told her where they came from or where her mother was. He told her Fairy Tales and he told her "People Lie" but he never told her about himself.
He taught her about his captured scents and showed her how his special machine worked. Those little bottles that spoke to her without saying a word fascinated her. This scent machine was an interesting component in this first part of the story.
The story then follows Emmeline as she is torn from her island world and taken to a small town. It so overwhelming until she meets Fisher and everything changes. She eventually sets and to find her mother and finds herself in a big city with all its many and varied smells. She learns more about what happened that sent her father into isolation. She learns about herself and she learns and that "people lie".
This story was one of the best I have read lately. The book is more than about Emmiline; this story is about people. Relationships are difficult. Growing up is hard. Falling in love can be confusing. All of this is addressed beautifully in this magical story.

—“”I’d learned that lies have a scent too.”
This novel, by Erica Bauermeister, is a captivating story with a good descriptive title about a loving father and his daughter Emmaline and how their life on an isolated island came to be.
Sense of smell ranging from grass, saltwater and tobacco to perfume catches your attention. And all those bottles stored on the wall! Along with the good comes the bad. We encounter a wonderful loving couple and another family with an abusive husband and father.
How the book ends is sort of left to the imagination..
The author provides good characterization and vivid descriptions.
Will be a good read for bookclubs.

I've read all of Erica Bauermeister's books and this one was definitely my favorite. The power of scents to evoke emotion and memory is powerful and it is this idea that is at the core of this story. I was entranced by the life that Emmeline and her father live on an isolated island and then the power of love as this life unraveled. It was a beautifully told story.

I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

I requested this book because the description was so intriguing and unique. The beautiful cover was also a plus. However, after the first couple of chapters, I had to put it down. I just was not feeling the setting, characters, or plot. This genre and style is different than what I usually read, so it’s probably just me. The concept of the story is good, and maybe after a while, I might pick it back up.

The Scent Keeper weaves a magical story web that is sure to capture and hold the imagination of any reader who likes young-adult, realistic fiction. Erica Bauemeister paints a uniquely vivid picture of the world as told through the sense of smell of a young girl. The Scent Keeper manages to tell a story that is both magical and realistic at the same time (no small feat). From the first page, I was hooked and did not stop reading until the very last page. The only disappointment for me in this story was in the closing. I'm still thinking about it, which maybe was what the author intended after all. I will be recommending this one to every reader I know!

I Tried on three different occasions to read this book. For some reason, and I read a lot of books, I simply could not get interested in this particular novel. The story was too fantastical and simply did not interest me. I apologize but this will be a did not finish for me.

Beautiful novel about the family we are born with and the family we make for ourselves. THE SCENT KEEPER is also a wonderful exploration of how scents deeply affect us and manipulate us in ways we are not aware. Loved the characters and definitely will be thinking about scents before I make any big purchases.

Good story but different from her previous books. Interesting story of a girl coming to age on a remote island with her dad. Vivid details giving the reader insight to this magical world

I have been waiting forever for a new book by Erica Bauermeister. This book was definitely worth the wait. As her previous books weave magical realism with food, this one does with scents. Memories, longings, emotions. Beauermeister is a wonderful writer, her stories are lush and imaginative. My heart was broken through much of it, the story was just sad and sweet and lovely. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I loved it.

The Scent Keeper is a story with a unique premise. Emmeline lives on an isolated island with her father. They explore the world of scents. She is forced to leave the island. During this time, she wants to find out more about how she got on the island in the first place, and a love interest is introduced. The story line is intriguing. It's the way a certain smell can transport you to another place and time. It's well and beautifully written. The characters are engaging and dynamic. I enjoyed the story. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this wonderful book. The descriptions in this book were beautifully written, transporting me to the scents and locations being described. I very much enjoyed this novel. While the ending, to me, felt a little rushed and unsatisfying, the rest of the book was so well done.

Emmeline lives on an isolated island in British Columbia with her father, as both of them focus on the scents of the natural world around them. After a series of events forces Emmeline off the island, she seeks the truth about how she ended up there and who her family really is. While adjusting to a new way of life, Emmeline meets Fisher, a relationship that impacts her choices. Well written with a unique story line.