I needed something a little bit fantastical this week.
Ronin’s son is dead, and Maid Marion is gone. But a sorceress banished to the Woods can bring his son back if he and his Silver Raiders are willing to do something for her first. She finds there’s nothing Ronin Hood won’t do for his son…
Anika finds herself drawn to the mystery of the Woods and the thieves who live within, but the cost of associating with the Silver Raiders becomes higher than she’s willing to pay. The darkness of the Woods seeps into the Raider’s hearts, blurring the lines between hero and villain, until Anika’s fight for freedom turns into a fight to survive the magic of the trees that should have never been awoken.
This isn’t the tale of Robin Hood you remember.
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Last year I had the pleasure of reading the first book in this series and I was very much looking forward to reading this book and what I’m pretty sure is my first Robin Hood retelling. I love retellings and I was excited for this one because I know that The Storyteller’s Daughter was a very original take so I was expecting the same for Woods of Silver and Light.
I’m pleased to report I was not disappointed this book was fantastic, I really enjoyed getting lost in this fantasy land once again. This time we are following Anika, who is Cosette’s sister, for those who haven’t read the first book Cosette was the main character in The Storyteller’s Daughter. Whilst you could get away with not reading the first book because it is its own story and any references to things from the first book are well explained, there could be a few wee spoilers if you were then to go back and read the first book and it’s nice to get a sense of the world the books are set in.
Anika was a brilliant character I liked that she was so different from the other girls in the new society she found herself in and wasn’t afraid to show it either. I also liked that her priority wasn’t romance, even though it does eventually manifest, but helping the people on her land as best she could. She was definitely a character that attracted trouble but that kind of made her all the more loveable because she was determined to do the right thing.
Ronin and the Silver Raiders were an interesting bunch, you can clearly see his motivation for doing what they do but I liked that he was still very trusting toward Anika, despite her being an outsider. I liked the eerie atmosphere of the woods and the fact that Anika feels uneasy about being there with the Silver Raiders at the same time feeling like she is at home. I really liked the chemistry between Anika and Ronin and the fact that they can still be friends even though they are at odds with each other at times over the things the Silver Raider’s get up to.
There is a magical power in the woods and I have to say that I enjoyed the undercurrent of this throughout the book and leading up to its climax. I won’t say too much about it but I like how the story played out at the end and that all the mysteries of the book were tied up well.
This is a really strong retelling, enough of the original but a creative and engaging story all of its own as well. I was looking forward to this for a while and it definitely delivered on my expectations, and I am already looking forward to the next book in the series to see what wonders we will be introduced to next.
If you live in the US then you are in luck there is a giveaway just for you, click the link below to be in with a chance of winning…
an e-copy of The Storyteller’s Daughter and Woods of Silver and Light
Some of the things I love most in this world are peppermint hot chocolate, peanut butter ice cream, golfing dates, Jesus, and game nights with family. And of course, books.
Fairytales were my first love. I became obsessed with the idea that if one was brave enough, they could defeat dragons, and that true love was real. I met my true love in college, and together we raise our two boys. I have my dad to thank for teaching me to love writing, and my mom to thank for allowing us to keep a wall of medieval weapons in the house, which curated my love for that time period.
My dream is to write vivid worlds and charming characters that will leave an imprint on my reader’s hearts, the way that so many books have done for me.
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