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erinarkin20
The Wood by debut author Chelsea Bobulski was a book I was immediately drawn into and unable to put down. It had a great mix of interesting characters and a page turning story.
Winter is a guardian of the wood and this definitely complicates her life. I loved how Bobulski blended this supernatural aspect with the normal aspects of a life of a teenager. It truly showed the strain Winter is under trying to complete school while trying to protect travelers now that her father is gone. I liked Winter. She is smart and takes her charge seriously. Under the training of her father and now the guidance of his good friend, Uncle Joe (not really her uncle), she has become good at her work but there is always danger out in the wood.
Things are changing in the wood though and Winter needs to figure out what is happening. Travelers are in more danger than normal and despite following all the rules, Winter also finds herself fighting for her life unexpectedly. When one traveler gives her some trouble and ultimately returns to the wood, she decides to break the rules and trust him to help her figure out what is going on.
I really enjoyed the supernatural aspect of this story. As I mentioned, Winter’s Uncle Joe isn’t really her uncle - he is fae. Eventually the fae recognized how dangerous the wood could be so they formed the council and the guardians were assigned to protect the wood from being used by those with bad intentions. The bloodlines of these guardians are tied to their sections of the wood and the magic pulls them to it.
In addition to Winter and Joe, we also have Henry who happens to be a pivotal character to this story for a few reasons. He added a layer that made the story a bit more interesting considering he came from the 18th century. I loved the chapters where he was exposed to things we consider common and seeing them through his eyes. But…there is a reason Henry is there and it all comes back to the wood. His parents happen to be members of the council and they also happen to be missing. He is determined to find out what happened to them and to do that, he needs to get through Winter’s section of the wood.
I also really loved the relationship that Winter had with her mother and her friend Meredith. They brought the story back to the real world. Yes, Winter had this life that forced her to be something more than a teenager but these two characters brought everything back to normal every time she stepped outside of the wood.
The changing wood, the disappearance of Winter’s father, and the disappearance of Henry’s parents are connected to a larger issue. I’m not going to say much about this because I don’t want to ruin anything about this story. Admittedly I figured things out but I thought Bobulski did a great job bringing everything together.
Overall I was impressed with this book. I found the characters interesting and the story kept me interested and turning the pages. I also have to say that the cover to this book is perfect. If you are looking for something a little different, check this one out. I definitely look forward to more stories from Chelsea Bobulski and will be watching to see what her next book is.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
Winter is a guardian of the wood and this definitely complicates her life. I loved how Bobulski blended this supernatural aspect with the normal aspects of a life of a teenager. It truly showed the strain Winter is under trying to complete school while trying to protect travelers now that her father is gone. I liked Winter. She is smart and takes her charge seriously. Under the training of her father and now the guidance of his good friend, Uncle Joe (not really her uncle), she has become good at her work but there is always danger out in the wood.
Things are changing in the wood though and Winter needs to figure out what is happening. Travelers are in more danger than normal and despite following all the rules, Winter also finds herself fighting for her life unexpectedly. When one traveler gives her some trouble and ultimately returns to the wood, she decides to break the rules and trust him to help her figure out what is going on.
I really enjoyed the supernatural aspect of this story. As I mentioned, Winter’s Uncle Joe isn’t really her uncle - he is fae. Eventually the fae recognized how dangerous the wood could be so they formed the council and the guardians were assigned to protect the wood from being used by those with bad intentions. The bloodlines of these guardians are tied to their sections of the wood and the magic pulls them to it.
In addition to Winter and Joe, we also have Henry who happens to be a pivotal character to this story for a few reasons. He added a layer that made the story a bit more interesting considering he came from the 18th century. I loved the chapters where he was exposed to things we consider common and seeing them through his eyes. But…there is a reason Henry is there and it all comes back to the wood. His parents happen to be members of the council and they also happen to be missing. He is determined to find out what happened to them and to do that, he needs to get through Winter’s section of the wood.
I also really loved the relationship that Winter had with her mother and her friend Meredith. They brought the story back to the real world. Yes, Winter had this life that forced her to be something more than a teenager but these two characters brought everything back to normal every time she stepped outside of the wood.
The changing wood, the disappearance of Winter’s father, and the disappearance of Henry’s parents are connected to a larger issue. I’m not going to say much about this because I don’t want to ruin anything about this story. Admittedly I figured things out but I thought Bobulski did a great job bringing everything together.
Overall I was impressed with this book. I found the characters interesting and the story kept me interested and turning the pages. I also have to say that the cover to this book is perfect. If you are looking for something a little different, check this one out. I definitely look forward to more stories from Chelsea Bobulski and will be watching to see what her next book is.
Thank you to the publisher for the review copy!
It is safe for me to say that I love everything I have ever read that Laini Taylor has written. Strange the Dreamer has been on my wish list since the second I knew she was writing it and when I got a copy of it in my hands, I may have squealed a little bit.
A great character driven story is my favorite and this book has so many great ones! Lazlo Strange grew up an orphan and I think he won me over immediately. He didn’t grow up in an easy life nor was he given every opportunity to be something but his mind and his love of books is what helped him become a junior librarian and his obsession with the lost city of Weep is what takes him on the adventure of his life.
It is because of his knowledge and obsession with the lost city of Weep that he takes a chance and does something someone of his station would never do – draw attention to himself in front of the queen by speaking out to Eril-Fane, the Godslayer and by doing so, Lazlo is invited to join his group headed to Weep. As Lazlo experiences a life very different from what he has been used to, he makes friends, learns more about himself, and begins to uncover the mysteries of Weep.
In addition to Lazlo, there is Thyon. I have very mixed feelings about him there were times I hated him and times I felt sorry for him. Even when Lazlo was just trying to help him, Thyon couldn’t help but doubt his reasons. Eril-Fane is a great character and I loved the interactions between him and Lazlo but he carries so much guilt and that really does impact his relationship with those around him.
Sarai’s is the other main perspective we have in this story. She is a blue skinned goddess who shows up in Lazlo’s dreams. I won’t say much here but her story dragged a bit for me at first. Her gift is an interesting one as it allows her to spy on the people of Weep but she also has the ability to impact their dreams (Goddess of Nightmares). It is her gift that puts her in a tough position with Minya, one of the other goddesses who live with her in the Citadel. As the book progresses, I found Sarai’s story definitely got more interesting and the ending really sealed it for me - I can't wait to see what happens next.
I have to mention here that I truly believe that Laini Taylor is some sort of magical being. Her ability to write the stories she does and build out the worlds that she builds always amazes me and this book is right up there with her Daughter of Smoke and Bone series in both world / character development and imagery. I don’t even know what else to say here – you just have to read to understand.
I mentioned the world – well Taylor has created this story that combines humans with Gods and I loved every minute of this book. I don’t want to say much about the whole story as I don’t want to ruin any part of it for you. If you liked Taylor’s other books you should definitely read this one. It has fantastic characters, magic, and a story that will have you wondering what Taylor will do next. Definitely check this out when you can. I seriously can’t wait for the next book in the series.
A great character driven story is my favorite and this book has so many great ones! Lazlo Strange grew up an orphan and I think he won me over immediately. He didn’t grow up in an easy life nor was he given every opportunity to be something but his mind and his love of books is what helped him become a junior librarian and his obsession with the lost city of Weep is what takes him on the adventure of his life.
It is because of his knowledge and obsession with the lost city of Weep that he takes a chance and does something someone of his station would never do – draw attention to himself in front of the queen by speaking out to Eril-Fane, the Godslayer and by doing so, Lazlo is invited to join his group headed to Weep. As Lazlo experiences a life very different from what he has been used to, he makes friends, learns more about himself, and begins to uncover the mysteries of Weep.
In addition to Lazlo, there is Thyon. I have very mixed feelings about him there were times I hated him and times I felt sorry for him. Even when Lazlo was just trying to help him, Thyon couldn’t help but doubt his reasons. Eril-Fane is a great character and I loved the interactions between him and Lazlo but he carries so much guilt and that really does impact his relationship with those around him.
Sarai’s is the other main perspective we have in this story. She is a blue skinned goddess who shows up in Lazlo’s dreams. I won’t say much here but her story dragged a bit for me at first. Her gift is an interesting one as it allows her to spy on the people of Weep but she also has the ability to impact their dreams (Goddess of Nightmares). It is her gift that puts her in a tough position with Minya, one of the other goddesses who live with her in the Citadel. As the book progresses, I found Sarai’s story definitely got more interesting and the ending really sealed it for me - I can't wait to see what happens next.
I have to mention here that I truly believe that Laini Taylor is some sort of magical being. Her ability to write the stories she does and build out the worlds that she builds always amazes me and this book is right up there with her Daughter of Smoke and Bone series in both world / character development and imagery. I don’t even know what else to say here – you just have to read to understand.
I mentioned the world – well Taylor has created this story that combines humans with Gods and I loved every minute of this book. I don’t want to say much about the whole story as I don’t want to ruin any part of it for you. If you liked Taylor’s other books you should definitely read this one. It has fantastic characters, magic, and a story that will have you wondering what Taylor will do next. Definitely check this out when you can. I seriously can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Really great narrator and if you haven't read this book...what are you waiting for??
