DRAGONSWOOD – Janet Lee Carey
Wilde Island , Book 2
Dial
ISBN: 9780803735040
January 2012
Teen Paranormal

Wilde Island – 1192 AD

Tess has been sneaking into Dragonswood every night, hoping to catch a glimpse of a dragon or fey. But when a witch hunter comes to town, a townsman claims to have seen Tess, and uses this as proof she is a witch. Undergoing torture, Tess gives up the names of her two best friends, Meg and Poppy, even knowing they will be pulled in for the painful questioning as well. While undergoing her trial-by-water to prove whether or not she is a witch, Tess is saved by a dragon she has seen in Dragonswood. She and her friends run into the very forest they are being persecuted for entering – now it is their only safe haven.

Dressed in lepers' cloaks, they must hide in a cave to rest, but are found all too soon by a huntsman charged to protect the forest. Tess doesn't trust the man, named Garth, but Poppy and Meg are too grateful for food and shelter to even think about being suspicious. The more time Tess spends with Garth, the more she likes him. And before long, Tess is content to stay with him in the lodge. But something is drawing Tess north, further into the forest. And Tess' life, already too exciting for her to handle, is about to get a lot more intriguing.

Janet Lee Carey's DRAGONSWOOD is something different in a world full of teen paranormal romances. A historic setting isn't all that sets this novel apart from the rest of today's young adult fiction. DRAGONSWOOD feels like a classic fantasy novel, but with enough intrigue, emotion, and love story to entertain today's readers.

Charming, if not a little predictable, DRAGONSWOOD will keep readers enthralled, and glued to the page. Tess and Garth are clearly young, but their experiences make them age before their time, and it is a joy to see them grownup, and grow together, in the course of the story. A historical, fantastical setting, Dragonswood is somewhere I'd certainly want to visit, and readers will want to re-read DRAGONSWOOD time and time again to visit what is sure to be beloved characters.

The sequel to DRAGON'S KEEP (MAY 2008), DRAGONSWOOD can be read without any prior knowledge of the first book.

Amanda Toth