{Review} of Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: YA Fantasy
THEME: Fae, Witches, Dragons
RECEIVED: For Review from Teen Book Scene
AUTHORS BLOG: Janet Lee Carey's Site


BLURB:

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.

REVIEW:
I was immediately compelled by this magical story of talking dragons, fae and an unknown destiny for one young girl. Janet Lee Carey wrote a young adult fantasy novel that was beautifully written with well-developed characters and a unique world.

Dragonswood follows Tess, a young girl that is pushed into a dangerous destiny and must learn to survive in a world outside of her own. She grew up with an abusive father and living everyday trying to get by with little food. But after being accused of witchery she is on the run along with her two best friends. Tess becomes desperate in trying to help her friends in any way since their fate has now been put in her hands. Tess becomes the backbone for her and the girls while trying to survive and is graced with the help of a man whom protects them from the witch hunters. But Tess starts to hear voices in the woods calling her name; soon she’s torn between two worlds and trying to find her true destiny.

Tess is a strong heroine, my favorite kind. Though her decisions in the beginning are her biggest flaw, she was a tough and protective character. She was very determined to help make a new life for her friends and thought little of what she wanted.  Tess was almost mother like for her young age but definitely with a warrior heart.

My favorite aspect was the romance between Tess and the man that helps the girls survive in the woods. Garth is a quiet but a strongly devoted man who sees the good in each of the girls. The immediate chemistry was smoothly written and not overwhelming. The way looked at Tess and how Tess acted a bit different around him was sweet and held a lot of emotion; it was a natural development and something that really pulled me into this story

Overall this novel holds characteristics that created such a charmingly captivating tale. With the addition of dragon myths, action, and a fae world that was crafted with such originality, it defiantly called to my love for fantasy stories. I highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy highly intense action packed fantasy novel, with romance and characters that will forever be memorable to me.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult novel with never ending action and magic! Fans of Amber Argyles Witch Song and Kristin Cashore’s Graceling will be transfixed into Janet Lee Carey’s Dragonswood.

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