Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw

“Be careful of the dark, dark wood…

Especially the woods surrounding the town of Fir Haven. Some say these woods are magical. Haunted, even.

Rumored to be a witch, only Nora Walker knows the truth. She and the Walker women before her have always shared a special connection with the woods. And it’s this special connection that leads Nora to Oliver Huntsman—the same boy who disappeared from the Camp for Wayward Boys weeks ago—and in the middle of the worst snowstorm in years. He should be dead, but here he is alive, and left in the woods with no memory of the time he’d been missing.

But Nora can feel an uneasy shift in the woods at Oliver’s presence. And it’s not too long after that Nora realizes she has no choice but to unearth the truth behind how the boy she has come to care so deeply about survived his time in the forest, and what led him there in the first place. What Nora doesn’t know, though, is that Oliver has secrets of his own—secrets he’ll do anything to keep buried, because as it turns out, he wasn’t the only one to have gone missing on that fateful night all those weeks ago.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I was afraid that after reading a book I thoroughly enjoyed that this book would be a disappointment but I was pleasantly surprised that the story of Nora Walker and Jackjaw Lake is sucked me in quickly. I loved the entire mystery that surrounds this story and couldn't wait to get to the end to see if my theories were correct. (Somewhere and others were a shocking reveal.) I loved how the story ended and cannot wait to read more from this author. 

Visit Shea Ernshaw’s website.

Fire Walker by Josephine Angelini (Worldwalker trilogy book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the trilogy, Trial by Fire, Stop! I don’t want to ruin Lily’s story for you.

“Two versions of the same world. Two versions of the same girl. Love took them home. Now evil wants them back.”

After being missing for three months, Lily's mother Samantha knew exactly where to find her and Rowan on a snow covered road two towns away from Salem. Her sister Juliet is horrified to see how badly Lily is burned. Juliet seems to be the only one who doesn't know what is going on. When Samantha takes charge, it's the first time in years that Juliet had seen her mother look and act sane. Back at the Proctor house, Rowan has Juliet help him save Lily’s life. Juliet is mystified that her mother seems to know and trust Rowan. Watching him use his magic, she is impressed at the lengths at which he goes to safe her sister’s life. While she is being treated, Lily floats on the edge of reality. With her guard down, Lillian is able to reach her through mindspeak and attempts to plead her case. Everything she has done, she did for Rowan. If she can find a way to rectify the mistake of the Woven, everything will have been worth it. Lillian shares some of her memories with Lily on the promise that she doesn’t tell Rowan. Lily agrees.

When she is sufficiently healed, Lily wakes up and finds that she has been back in her world for over a week. A lot has happened while she was gone, including the FBI becoming involved in what they saw as a missing person case. Everyone, including her father and Tristan were questioned. Her mother came up with a cover story stating that she had forgotten her daughter had gone for radical subcutaneous exposure therapy for her life threatening allergies. It would also explain her appearance except Agent Simms from the FBI isn’t buying Lily’s story. Forced to go back to school, Lily finally comes face to face with Tristan. Having already met Rowan at her house when he tried to come see her, Rowan warns her that Tristan is just like the Tristan from his world. He will be drawn to her because of her magic and willstones. And he is in love with her. Lily begins to block Lillian’s attempts at mindspeak. She still believes that Lillian’s actions are evil and in no way are for Rowan’s benefit.

At school, Lily meets with Tristan before the day begins. He is furious that she has been avoiding him but wraps her in a tight hug. She promises to work for his forgiveness. Breakfast walks by and joins the conversation. The three of them, along with Breakfast’s girlfriend Una, hang out a lunch, amidst all of the stares Lily continues to receive. She has already survived the inquisition the superintendent, principal and school nurse put her through before she could go to class. Tristan asks her who Rowan is and her answer is her holistic life coach. The three of them are interested to meet him but Lily puts them off. She is unable to keep them from meeting when they show up on a Saturday morning with bagels. Rowan and Breakfast hit it off immediately, which annoys Tristan. Lily tells them that Rowan is Native American and Una is interested in his abilities. He comments that she has the same talent that both he and Tristan have. Tristan explodes, saying they are nothing alike. Rowan thought that he wanted to become a doctor. Tristan tells them that his dream died when he was thought to be involved in Lily’s disappearance. He now has a police record and Lily is devastated. Rowan begins dropping hints about the group’s abilities but Lily eventually gets him to stop. The five spend the day together.

Lily converses in mindspeak with Rowan and slips up by saying something she shouldn’t know. She is saved from further questioning when Samantha comes down the stairs. Rowan offers to make everyone dinner. Lily and Juliet each offer to take their mother for a walk to keep her away from their friends. Breakfast suggests they all go after dinner and has Samantha sit next to him. Lily is grateful to Breakfast but he tells her that he has an uncle like her mom. Rowan picks up on the fact that spirit walking runs in his family. The group goes out for a walk. Rowan mindspeaks with Lily and tells her that Tristan loves her but not to push him away. He suddenly stops and pulls Lily behind him. He tells everyone to go home. Lily sees Carrick (Lillian has sent him after Lily to bring her back to their world) and she gives Rowan what energy she has to chase him down. Everyone sees what is happening including her willstones flaring to life. Tristan wants to know where Lily has really been for the past three months.

When Rowan returns after losing Carrick, he and Lily explain to Tristan, Breakfast and Una what is really going on. Rowan knows that Carrick is there for Lily and she will need a coven in her world to help her fight. Her three friends have the ability to become her mechanics and they readily agree. Rowan already has grown willstones for them to bond with and will train everyone to the best of their abilities. The three each bond with a stone and are claimed by Lily.

Will Lillian be able to lure Lily back to her world? Why does she need Lily? What happened when she met with the shaman and began spiritwalking? Can Lily and Rowan be safe in her world? What role will Samantha play in all of this? What happened to Lillian’s Samantha? Will Agent Simms continue to hound Lily about her disappearance? What happens when Tristan finds out about his other self from Rowan’s world? Will Rowan discover Lily’s “betrayal” over mindspeaking with Lillian? Does Lily see why Lillian has done off of the “evil” things that she has done? Can the two of them make a life in Lily’s world or will they be driven apart?

The Worldwalker trilogy will conclude in the fall of 2016 with Traitor’s Pyre.

Visit Josephine Angelini’s website.

Plain Kate by Erin Bow

Plain Kate is an orphan who live in a market town by a river. Kate was raised by her woodcarver father afer the death of her mother from childbirth. She was named Katerina Svetlana after her mother but when she is intoduced to the butcher, he says that he calls her plain Kate. The butcher laughs and says that judging by her appearance, Plain Kate is a good name and it sticks.

From an early age, Plain Kate is taught woodcarving skills by her father until she is quite good. Growing up in a superstitious village with the odd appearance of having two different colored eyes and the ability to carve with a knife, Plain Kate is viewed upon by the villagers as an oddity. When a sickness referred to as "witch fever" strikes the village, fingers begin to point her way. Her situation goes from bad to worse when her father falls ill and dies before Plain Kate can become his apprentice. Soon a new master carver from the guild arrives and Plain Kate finds herself homeless.

Plain Kate decides to live in the bottom drawer of her father's market stall. She is soon joined by three motherless kittens whom she cares for. Plain Kate earns some money by carving amulets and other items for the townspeople who don't wish to patronize the master carver. Two kittens go off on their own but the one she named Taggle becomes her companion. Soon several visitors arrive in the town. Linay, who could be described as an albino, sells trinkets to ward off witchcraft in the village square. Turns out Linay is a witch. He offers Plain Kate her fondest wish for the price of her shadow She turns him down. When devasting situations occur in her village, the townspeople begin pointing fingers her way. Harshly awakened by an axe destroying her stall one night, Plain Kate decides her luck has run out. She turns to Linay for help leaving the town. He will help her, for the price of her shadow. She agrees and Linay warns her to find a place to fit in before someone realizes her shadow is gone.

Plain Kate is shocked to discover that her cat Taggle can now talk. He tells her that her greatest wish was a companion to talk with and now she has him. They go off to find the supplies Linay provided them with. Plain Kate decides she must take the woodcarving she made for the baker to him. When she goes to drop it on his doorstep, she has forgotten that he would be up at the early hour. The baker is concerned about where she will go and offers to take her to the Roamers, who are leaving the town, to see if Plain Kate can go with them. When Mother Daj learns that Plain Kate is a woodcarver and her cat a mouser, she tells her that they can travel with them for one month. Plain Kate sees this as a test and is eager to please.

Will Plain Kate be able to find her place in the world? Can she be accepted by the Roamers before someone notices her shadow is missing or will her secret be discovered? And what does Linay want her shadow for?

Visit Erin Bow's website.