Review by VernaVi -- Rowan Wood Legends

[Verna Coy]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Rowan Wood Legends" by Olivia Wildenstein.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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I just finished reading Rowan Wood Legends by Olivia Wildenstein and loved it! This book, the second in “The Lost Clan Series“, is so intriguing! I was pulled into the storyline by the second page and it didn’t let me go until I turned the last one.

Set in a town named Rowan, the home town of the main character, this story begins with the death of one of Cats’ best friends. Even with not having read the first book in the series. this book was easy to follow. The story is told in the perspective of the first person. The inner thoughts and emotions of Cat keep the reader well connected throughout the book.

Cat finds out that she’s not only human but also part faerie and part hunter. She is part of an old clan containing faerie blood. It is up to her which she will choose in the end. Her friend, Ace, is a faerie. He would like her to choose his way. Her friend, Kajika, is a hunter and his advice is to choose to be a hunter. There are long-standing feuds between the hunter realm and the faerie realm. Cat seems to be caught in the middle.

As Cat tries to come to grips with the events that are unfolding around her, the reader is caught up in a fantasy adventure that never slows down. Is there anyone outside her family that Cat can trust? Someone has taken her “Wytchen Tree” book, will she be able to find it? Only people with faerie blood can actually see the writing in the book, it appears as blank pages to everyone else. Will Cat find it before it falls into the wrong hands?

The story has all of the elements of romance, friendship, and family ties. Even so, when Cat is with those she is closest to, the reader is held in suspense wondering if certain characters are friend or foe. There are surprising twists and turns in the plot as Cat finds herself dealing with one death after another and struggling to balance her own existence with those of the faerie and hunter realms while still protecting her family.

Rowan Wood Legends is a fantasy with elements of mystery and adventure that is perfect for the young adult genre. Specifically, I think it will appeal the most to people between 15 and 18 years of age. The main character, Cat, falls into that age group and her thoughts are so well expressed from the standpoint of the young adult. Stepping out into the world independently in many ways, while still needing the closeness of her beloved family. It would not appeal to readers younger than that age group, this is mainly due to a briefly described sex scene partway through the book that would be inappropriate for readers younger than 15 to 18.

This sentence, spoken by the main character, “I awoke with the scariest hairdo”, gave me a smile. Sleeping with wet hair is something that everyone has done! Such elements of humor make this a fun read and are what I liked the most about this book. In fact, I really didn’t find anything to dislike about the book.

Anyone who loves “The Hobbit” or “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R Tolkien, will love this book! I like that the fantasy world that is woven into the real world in this story, is described so well. The faerie realms sound like the perfect setting for faeries and the tree house is, to coin a phrase, way cool! Who doesn’t love a tree house!? The mist dwellers also live a wonderfully described existence which adds such depth to the story-tale feel of this book. Finding the printer who printed the missing book was a neat twist in the storyline. The description of old copper printing plates is visually amazing for the reader. It adds texture, really bringing the story backgrounds to life.

The glossaries at the beginning of the book are very handy. I did use them when I first began to read. After I got into the book farther, I didn’t need them so much as the terms are described well when used in dialogue.

Rowan Wood Legends is aptly titled, for the book is entwined with faerie lore and legend. From the rowan tree and it’s magical properties to ancient clans and rituals, (some secret and, some not so secret), this book entertains! I am giving this book 4 out of 4 stars. I am rating it with full marks due to its ability to capture the readers’ attention and entertain from beginning to end. For these reasons I would rate it 4.5 if it were possible to do so but instead, have given it the highest rating available! It seems professionally formatted, with good spelling and grammar and I can recommend this book as a great read.

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Rowan Wood Legends
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Like VernaVi's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Charlyn Tuzon]

I have read the book too and I agree that it is such an entertaining read and that it catches the attention of the reader early on. I loved the book as well. Nice review!

[Delaney35]

This sounds like a cool book. Cat seems relatable and interesting. Excellent review!

[Verna Coy]

I have read the book too and I agree that it is such an entertaining read and that it catches the attention of the reader early on. I loved the book as well. Nice review!

Thanks! Glad to hear you liked the book as much as I did!

[Verna Coy]

This sounds like a cool book. Cat seems relatable and interesting. Excellent review!

Thanks for the nice comments!