Loved this one! A magical YA adventure with quirky magic and lovable characters.

Oh my gosh, I was in *the worst* reading slump. I was DNF’ing books left and right and legitimately wondering if there was something wrong with me. But then this book sucked me and was just completely gorgeous. It reminded me of a mash-up of Uprooted, Howl’s Moving Castle, Dr. Who, and Beauty and the Beast, and I just loved (almost) every step of the way!

What I liked:
– Gorgeous writing
– Complex characters I loved
– A beautiful but dangerous magical forest
– A sweet, slowburn romance
– Perfect pacing that kept me engaged from the first page
– Found family that just wraps around you
– A perfect fairy tale vibe that still feels fresh

What I didn’t like:
– The last page. I’m trying really hard to say this without spoiling anything, but basically I wanted more of a happy ending than that hopeful but still vague last line. Sigh. It was literally my favorite read of the year until this moment, and now, though it’s still entirely wonderful, I’m not completely sure about the top spot.

*Highly* recommend for anyone looking for a gorgeous fantasy that feels timeless and fresh at the same time, and will definitely be looking for more reads by A.B. Poranek.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This one’s definitely making the top ten this year for sure

Thanks for reading!