In all, this is a fun, quick read. It involves several characters and spans a bit of history. The pace is steady and I enjoyed the chapter-based jumping around with characters and interactions. It is difficult to go into detail since the book description doesn’t convey the substantive nature of the story, however, the "Look Inside" does provide a gateway to talk a little beyond the description. This story takes place across several time periods, albeit mostly in the local area of Arnn, which is a small country town. The main character, Honoria, along with her older brother, move in with relatives after their parents were killed at the WTC: Losing their parents, and then being uprooted, all in a matter of about a month. Teenage angst takes a backseat with school as a small backdrop. The main action revolves around Witchwood Hollow. This is perfectly acceptable YA and it is clean by my standards. The story comes full circle with a satisfying conclusion. If this were a series, I’d pass because it is too YA and too clean for my norm, but as a single story, this is a book I’d be eager to share with my tweener. I was provided an advance review copy. It reads quick as it comes in under 200 pages.
4 of 5 stars. Author provided copy. From the Publisher:
Everyone in Arnn - a small farming town with more legends than residents - knows the story of Witchwood Hollow: if you venture into the whispering forest, the witch will trap your soul among the shadowed trees. After losing her parents in a horrific terrorist attack on the Twin Towers, fifteen-year-old Honoria and her older brother escape New York City to Arnn. In the lure of that perpetual darkness, Honoria finds hope, when she should be afraid. Perhaps the witch can reunite her with her lost parents. Awakening the witch, however, brings more than salvation from mourning, for Honoria discovers a past of missing children and broken promises. To save the citizens of Arnn from becoming the witch’s next victims, she must find the truth behind the woman’s madness. How deep into Witchwood Hollow does Honoria dare venture?