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Monday, January 9, 2012

ARC Review: Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

I've been searching for a YA fantasy book that will make me love the genre again, and finally here is one.

Dragons, Faeries and Humans, three of the most fascinating creatures to write about, and Janet Lee Carey has just crafted a book that blended all three in one marvelous book!

Title: Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
Pages: 416
Release Date: January 5th 2012
Published by: Dial
Source: Author (Thanks, Janet!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary:

Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.

Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.

In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted.

Epic romance. I think I love that world already.

There are a lot of things in this book that I enjoyed a lot. The flow of the story has picked up from page one and had some slow moments toward the middle, but it's a steady cruise towards the end. What made me gobble this book in one sitting, I think, is how engaging Janet Lee Carey's writing is.

The romance in this book is epic in a lot of ways. I love that the author did not craft a character that highlights her looks or her beauty because she needs to for a guy to like her. Tess is pretty, yes, but the years she has spent at the hands of an abusive father left her looking less than perfect, add to that the torture she received when she was accused as a witch. I consider her beautiful because of those battle scars. She survived and it's a proof of how strong she is, and for me that's what makes one beautiful. Being able to stand up even when you've been scarred, beaten, tortured. Speaking of flawed characters, Tess is an example of a character which will take you time to like. She wasn't certainly likable at first, whiny at times, often stubborn but she developed a lot from that scared girl fleeing for her life to one that can unite a kingdom divided because of their race.

Dragonswood is filled with characters who will surprise the readers. Garth, the former faerie king, the dragons, even the Crown Prince and the witch hunters, all of them are worth giving a second look. Tess's and the rest of the characters' life were never easy, as some people shun them, in fear of what they are and it was shown throughout the book. Even so, they were able to find happiness in their own way. I guess that's one of the things I've learned in this book. There's always beauty in everything, may they be bad or good, as long as you look for it hard enough.

And who would have thought combining dragons and faeries in a story will make such an interesting read? I certainly didn't, and you can tell how highly imaginative and rich Janet's writing is to be able to tie these vastly different creatures convincingly in one story.

Dragonswood is a highly engrossing read. Janet's writing has the power to pull the readers into a magical world filled with intrigue and mysterious creatures co-existing with each other and the complexities living together can bring them. It's a different world altogether but one that is fascinating. With flamboyant faeries, wise, powerful dragons and humans at a time where magic is feared, Dragonswood is set in a time of uncertainty where one girl holds in her hands the future of an entire kingdom. It's a great adventure worth reading!

My rating

Content (plot, story flow, character):

.5
Shining: Worthy of a Goddess' Love!

Book Cover:
Such a beautiful cover!

I received this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.

2 comments:

  1. I've had a copy of Dragonswood for a while now but haven't gotten around to reading it..mostly because I haven't heard a lot of great stuff about it until now. Thanks for the cool review, since you seem to love it, I'll def check it out :)

    Kindle and Me.
    vasan.anjana@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. When I first saw the book, I was really interested. Unluckily, I haven't won a copy so I'm waiting for it to be available. I love the cover! Thanks for the review! :)

    ReplyDelete

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