Title: The Waking Forest
Author: Alyssa Wees (Debut book)
Release Date: March 12, 2019
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Series?: Stand alone
LGBTQ?: Unclear
People of Color?: Unclear (fantasy worlds)
Bechdel Test: Yes!
Trigger Warnings: None
I received The Waking Forest as an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a fantastic YA fantasy with a fairy tale vibe (maybe some Snow White remnants?) as well as a fae world with witch wishes, sphinxes, and more. The women are strong and fantastic characters that I adored. The Princess does not wait to be rescued, but she does have a great family and strong squad by her side. It's a fun story where one never quite knows what is real and what is imagined - both are quite extraordinary. I also thought the concept of the double heart was the most beautiful and perfect way to describe the extra sense of magic that some are born with. The world itself can be very cruel and Wees did a fantastic job describing it and making the reader feel the urgency of the heroine's problems. There was also the beautiful moral of how families come in all shapes and sizes. It can include those whose blood you share but can also be chosen. The way the world is woven together feels like magic! Alyssa Wees is a master writer and I look forward to all her future works!
It reminds me of Hazel Wood, a novel-length version of Language of Thorns, or the Fairies of Dreamdark.
I would recommend it for lovers of fairy tales, fae worlds, and fantasy as well as fiction in general. I would recommend this for all ages.
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