The Waking Forest is the story of Rhea, a witch, and a fox who is not quite a fox. For Rhea the waking forest is a teasing dark thing that waits at the edge of her backyard, disappearing the minute she gets close enough to touch. Then a young man appears and offers to reveal the secrets of the forest if they play a game. For the witch, the forest is what she calls home, where she grants wishes to children who seek her out in the darkness. One night she has an uninvited visitor, one who wants to know what the witch wishes for. Unfortunately for the witch, the uninvited guest won’t leave as easily as she thinks. Something is waking in the forest, and soon the path of the witch and Rhea will collide. What will they both risk to survive?

I’m not sure what direction I was expecting this story to take, it had this ominous almost horror thriller vibe to it. That eventually turned into this gothic adventure that reminded me of Damsel by Elana K. Arnold in some moments…but with its own unique prose. Wees’s descriptions within the book are so captivating, managing to make the horrifying alluring and shattering what we’d normally perceive as beautiful. It’s a story of family, friends, romance, loyalty, and taking down your fears. Rhea was such a mystifying character from the get-go, a young woman plagued by visions of things that others can’t see, especially the forest. Those visions are only getting worse and who knows where she might wake up next. Her progression throughout the book is so fascinating.

Another character that I loved seeing the progression of is that of the witch. She’s a terrifying benevolent thing, granting the wishes of children, and taking the things they think they won’t miss. Her development in the story is fascinating, as well as her interactions with the uninvited guest who’s not quite what he seems. The fox was such an enigmatic character, and honestly is what really cemented my interest in this story. His voice was one of my favourites within The Waking Forest, a true storyteller indeed.

I’ve seen mixed feelings on the pacing of this book. For me, it went by in a flash but I think that’s because this type of story is one of my favourite kinds to read. I was able to find interest in all of the actions that are happening to Rhea, the witch, and the fox-not-fox. As I was trying to tease out the current story, it suddenly morphs into something bigger and more alarming. It was unexpected.  I loved the immersive nature of the story, a memory that nags at the brain but doesn’t quite seem to come into focus. It drove me to keep reading.

While there is definitely some wonderful romance in this book, it doesn’t necessarily take center stage. Family seems to be at the center of this story, and I loved that aspect, especially the bond between sisters. For Rhea especially, it alters her character and shows the reader the potential of who she can become. Without giving too much away, her meeting with the witch is epic.  It will click everything into place for the reader in such a satisfying way.

For me this was a satisfying read. There wasn’t too much I didn’t love, but I did wish the climax has a little more time to develop. It felt a little rushed and I honestly wished I could have had a little more, to understand the machinations of the villain, because there were still a few things that I wanted to understand. However I could forgive this in terms of the overall story.

I’d rate The Waking Forest an 8/10. It was a great read, but I wish the climax would have been prolonged and even explained a little more. I felt that I was missing something but I definitely loved the story and journey of the characters. Definitely pick this up if you love mystical storytelling and things that go bump in the night.

The Waking Forest is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers

Will you be reading The Waking Forest? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

The waking forest has secrets. To Rhea, it appears like a mirage, dark and dense, at the very edge of her backyard. But when she reaches out to touch it, the forest vanishes. She’s desperate to know more—until she finds a peculiar boy who offers to reveal its secrets. If she plays a game.

To the Witch, the forest is her home, where she sits on her throne of carved bone, waiting for dreaming children to beg her to grant their wishes. One night, a mysterious visitor arrives and asks her what she wishes for, but the Witch sends him away. And then the uninvited guest returns.

The strangers are just the beginning. Something is stirring in the forest, and when Rhea’s and the Witch’s paths collide, a truth more treacherous and deadly than either could ever imagine surfaces. But how much are they willing to risk to survive?

The post Review: The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

March 2019 sees a few retellings hitting the shelves with Maid Marian taking over from Robin Hood in Sherwood, while Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy pen a new King Arthur story with a teenage girl being the newest reincarnation of Arthur. What else is instore for you? Brave an alien attack in Laura Pohl’s The Last 8, join a secretive boarding school in Killing November, follow the journey of a young scientist with powers in K.K. Pérez’s The Tesla Legacy, or be enchanted by dark faeries in Sarah Porter’s Never-Contented Things

Read on to discover our picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be reading of them!

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds
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From debut author Justin A. Reynolds comes The Opposite of Always, a razor-sharp, hilarious and heartfelt novel about the choices we make, the people we choose and the moments that make life worth reliving. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and John Green.

The Last 8 by Laura Pohl
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A high-stakes survival story about eight teenagers who outlive an alien attack—perfect for fans of The 5th Wave

Never-Contented Things by Sarah Porter
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A new YA standalone novel about dark faeries with surefire appeal by Sarah Porter, the critically-acclaimed author of Vassa in the Night and When I Cast Your Shadow. 

Girls With Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young
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Westworld meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this start to a thrilling, subversive near future series from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Young about a girls-only private high school that is far more than it appears to be.

Sherwood by Meagan Spooner
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Fans of Danielle Paige, Marissa Meyer, and Alex Flinn will devour New York Times bestselling author Meagan Spooner’s next fierce fairy tale-inspired story, which Illuminae author Amie Kaufman calls “a kick-ass, gender-flipped feminist retelling.”

The Quiet You Carry by Nikki Barthelmess
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Victoria Parker knew her dad’s behaviour toward her was a little unusual, but she convinced herself everything was fine—until she found herself locked out of the house at 3:00 a.m., surrounded by flashing police lights. Now, dumped into a crowded, chaotic foster home, Victoria has to tiptoe around her domineering foster mother, get through senior year at a new school, and somehow salvage her college dreams . . . all while keeping her past hidden.

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy
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Killing November by Adriana Mather
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Hang a Witch comes a thriller set at a secretive boarding school where students are trained to carry on family legacies that have built–and toppled–empires.

The Waking Forest by Alyssa Wees
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Pan’s Labyrinth meets The Hazel Wood in this novel about a girl with terrifying visions and a wish-granting witch whose lives collide in the most unexpected of ways.

Voices: The Final Hours of Joan of Arc by David Elliott
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Author David Elliott explores how Joan of Arc changed the course of history and remains a figure of fascination centuries after her extraordinary life and death.

The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe by Ally Condie
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Ally Condie, the international bestselling author of the Matched trilogy, returns with an intricately crafted and emotionally gripping story of one young woman’s journey to move beyond the grief and anger that control her and find the inner strength to chart her own course.

The Tesla Legacy by K.K. Pérez
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An action-packed, young adult coming-of-age adventure, K. K. Perez’s The Tesla Legacy follows a precocious young scientist named Lucy Phelps whose fateful encounter in the Tesla Suite of the New Yorker Hotel unlocks her dormant electrical powers.

Will you be reading any of these books? Tell us in the comments below!

The post March Book Releases: YA appeared first on The Nerd Daily.