The Girl of Dorcha Wood

I knew I wanted to read The Girl of Dorcha Wood as soon as I saw the cover and, thanks to The Write Reads, I can now count myself among the Kristin Ward superfans! I am so appreciative of The Write Reads team for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour!

Blurb:

Treacherous. Evil. Dark. Dorcha Wood is all of these. And none of them.

The people of Felmore talk of Dorcha Wood in whispers, if they speak of it at all, fearing the wrath of the Cù-Sìth should their words be carried on the wind. Those murdering beasts still roam the darkness of the forest, the last remnants of the cursed Aos Sí—a race of elves long since vanished from the world. 

But to seventeen-year-old Fiadh, it is home. A haven. A forest whose secrets become known only when it chooses to reveal them. Her life is one of balance until the outside world shatters it.  From the moment Fiadh set eyes on Gideon, the peaceful rhythm of her life was lost. As a new path unfolds, Fiadh confronts the reality of old hatreds, the consequences of things hidden, and the truth of who she really is. 

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ The Girl of Dorcha Wood Review:

I’ve missed this kind of fantasy read. The kind where you feel like you got soundly bonked on the head and woke up in a whole new world and are scrambling to figure out good, evil, and where the bathroom is. The beautiful, dark Dorcha Wood is the home of the isolated Fiadh and her mother. Hidden from the rest of the kingdom, Fiadh has grown up in harmony with the creatures of the wood, until violence comes to her doorstep in the form of Gideon. Gideon, wounded and confused, is the catalyst for a new chapter in Fiadh’s life – one that comes with as much exploration as it does heartache.

I devoured this book. Ward’s world-building and ability to weave descriptions of the natural settings (which, are a character in their own right) is engrossing and some of the best I have read this year. For YA Fantasy readers looking for more than a sprig of romance, this one might not be for you, but if you’re looking for that exquisitely painful punch right in the emotional feels, The Girl of Dorcha Woods has this in abundance.   

A reading pet peeve I didn’t know I had until now: MC’s that are so awed by mythical beasts that they don’t stop to question what in the heck is going on. Fiadh soundly rejects this and her stubbornness and curiosity make me cheer (loudly…in my house…to my cat) for her. 

Fair warning, this book is not for those unaccustomed to well-written and visceral violent scenes. The one downside to Ward’s excellent, descriptive writing is that the fight scenes might turn your stomach – but is no GOT Red Wedding thankfully. 

I downloaded the sequel immediately after the final page and cannot wait to see what happens next. 

Thank you to The Write Reads, the publisher, and Kristin Ward for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

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