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bookwormalley's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Title: The Waking Forest
Author: Alyssa Wees
Page Count: 304
Dates Read: 3/26- 3/30
Format: Audiobook
Length: 8Hrs 22mins
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Review: This was a read I completed for a fairytale retelling challenge. This was a retelling of Hansel and Gretel.
This story has left me confused. This was in no way, in my mind, a retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I was lead astray.
I found myself not caring for the story or the characters. I felt like everything was handled so easily. There was no surprises or twists I didn't really predict.
Author: Alyssa Wees
Page Count: 304
Dates Read: 3/26- 3/30
Format: Audiobook
Length: 8Hrs 22mins
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Review: This was a read I completed for a fairytale retelling challenge. This was a retelling of Hansel and Gretel.
This story has left me confused. This was in no way, in my mind, a retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I was lead astray.
I found myself not caring for the story or the characters. I felt like everything was handled so easily. There was no surprises or twists I didn't really predict.
kleonard's review
1.0
Written with a Gothic sensibility and lush and formal language, this book is like a lovechild of The Virgin Suicides, Hans Christian Anderson, and every banal YA about Girls With Powers who are also, unfortunately, not very intelligent. Characters are described to the nth degree, everyone is Mysterious and Dark, dreaming is waking and waking is dreaming and visions are reality and reality is---who cares? I suppose this was intended to be "darkly beautiful" with intrigue and secrets at every turn, full of magical animals and magical people and non-magical people and some kind of ideas of what is Just and Fair, but it's a hot, boring mess.
taranicolewilson's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
Really cool concept with this book!
I wish it was executed just a little bit better honestly.
The dialogue was cringe af, half the time I was sitting there just rereading it out loud and laughing to myself because no normal human being speaks like this.
The romance is completely forced and I felt no connection at all between the two characters. The only reason they “love” eachother is because the story needs it....BLEH
Another thing, I really wish we spent more time in the second half. The first half was nice towards the end but it was beginning to really drag on and the whole book did take a while to start up.
Also: all the sisters names start with r’s: Rhea, Rose, Raveena, and Rena? (Sorry im blanking on the last name but this just further proves my point)
Its too confusing! I didn’t know which one was which!
Cool things!!
Making the connections in the second half with info from the first is the best feeling, btw I predicted the story right which doesn’t happen that often because I’m stupid HA
The descriptions for the Witch?? Like beautiful amazing perfect??
The magical world is soooo cool (but again, I wish it was seen and explained more)
This is one of those books you should go back and reread with all the info in mind, and see everything you missed. Sadly, my TBR pile is too big, so I won’t be doing that any time soon.
PS: Guillermo Del Toro can you make a movie based on this concept please?
Really cool concept with this book!
I wish it was executed just a little bit better honestly.
The dialogue was cringe af, half the time I was sitting there just rereading it out loud and laughing to myself because no normal human being speaks like this.
The romance is completely forced and I felt no connection at all between the two characters. The only reason they “love” eachother is because the story needs it....BLEH
Another thing, I really wish we spent more time in the second half. The first half was nice towards the end but it was beginning to really drag on and the whole book did take a while to start up.
Also: all the sisters names start with r’s: Rhea, Rose, Raveena, and Rena? (Sorry im blanking on the last name but this just further proves my point)
Its too confusing! I didn’t know which one was which!
Cool things!!
Making the connections in the second half with info from the first is the best feeling, btw I predicted the story right which doesn’t happen that often because I’m stupid HA
The descriptions for the Witch?? Like beautiful amazing perfect??
The magical world is soooo cool (but again, I wish it was seen and explained more)
This is one of those books you should go back and reread with all the info in mind, and see everything you missed. Sadly, my TBR pile is too big, so I won’t be doing that any time soon.
PS: Guillermo Del Toro can you make a movie based on this concept please?
thebookishunicorn's review
3.0
I really liked how this book started out, but where it lost me was when part 2 started. The first part felt so magical, dark, and otherworldly and sadly we lost all of that in part 2. It then turned into a typical YA fantasy story and it was just so jarringly different and out of place from the first 180 pages.
I did like the overall story though, and thought the cast of characters were a fun bunch to go on an adventure with. The magic system was neat and the world was very interesting with the mix of humans, magic users, and mythical creatures all occupying the same world.
I hope when this author goes to write her next book, she leans into her beautiful storytelling that she started out with in this book. It reminded me a lot of Anna-Marie McLemores' style and I love it!
I did like the overall story though, and thought the cast of characters were a fun bunch to go on an adventure with. The magic system was neat and the world was very interesting with the mix of humans, magic users, and mythical creatures all occupying the same world.
I hope when this author goes to write her next book, she leans into her beautiful storytelling that she started out with in this book. It reminded me a lot of Anna-Marie McLemores' style and I love it!
rntylr22's review
4.0
This novel was beautiful. I didn't find the purple prose to be " too much" and I didn't find the story to be too confusing or hard to follow. It was so atmospheric and stunning, I wish there were going to be more installments from this world.
glindathegolden's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book overall. I struggled to get into it but I'm glad I stuck with it. The story is very intriguing and I was left very happy with it
ericabarker's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
2.0
This book reads kind of like poetry and I think that was why I didn’t like it as much
casey_h's review against another edition
Thanks NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this arc
2/5 stars
Dnf at 35%. This had such potential to be good and interesting, but it was trying WAY too hard. Our main character and her sisters have powers, but they felt forced and too epic. And I LOVE the fox friends. That's all I loved about this lol.
2/5 stars
Dnf at 35%. This had such potential to be good and interesting, but it was trying WAY too hard. Our main character and her sisters have powers, but they felt forced and too epic. And I LOVE the fox friends. That's all I loved about this lol.
bookishblond's review
4.0
The Waking Forest is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Kind of. It’s creepy, melancholy, atmospheric, and I loved every page.
There are two stories in this book. In the first, eighteen-year-old Rhea Ravenna lives in a small town with her mom, dad, four sisters, and Gabrielle, her pet fox (!). Rhea is plagued by visions and nightmares – she sees a dark and menacing forest in their backyard, even though there’s nothing there, and she sees images of death in the attic. The nightmares are getting worse, and now Rhea is sleepwalking – her nightmares are drawing her upstairs to the attic. Desperate for the nightmares to stop, Rhea begins sleeping in the attic, where she begins to see a shadowy young man, who comes to her every night (and possibly watches her sleep, a la Edward Cullen). She can’t see his face, but he is familiar to her, somehow. And he wants to play a game – if Rhea can guess his name, he will break her “curse” (his word!) and free her from her nightmares and visions. But instead of breaking her curse, Rhea’s nightmare deepens: every day, one of her family members disappears, and no one remembers them ever having existed at all. What is a dream, and what is reality?
The second story is that of the Witch, who lives in the forest. She sits upon a throne shaped like a tooth, surrounded by foxes, and grants wishes to the children who visit her in their dreams each night. Her alter is made of scabs, baby teeth, and shadows: gifts from the children in exchange for granting their wishes. Now, the Witch has a new visitor: a young man who is sometimes a fox: the Fox Who Is No Fox. Each night, this young man tells the Witch a story about a magical world with manticores, nymphs, sphinxes, and humans who must hide their magic. The Witch is enchanted by his story.
At first, the alternating chapters about Rhea and the Witch seem completely separate, but the two storylines merge halfway through the book. The story shifts entirely; it’s a bit jarring because the shift is so sudden, and it took me a few chapters to adapt. I felt like the transition could have been a lot better; as is, it’s uncomfortable for the reader.
But I loved this book. This story is nightmarish and haunting, and I can’t stop thinking about it.
The Waking Forest is noticeably inspired by Strange the Dreamer, so if you’re like me, and need something really good to read after finishing Muse of Nightmares, you will love this book: it has magic that shapes dreams, blood or spirit that is filled with magic and can be extracted, and the characters have two hearts. Like Laini Taylor’s books, The Waking Forest celebrates the power of storytelling and the magic of dreams.
Alyssa Wees’ writing is just gorgeous. The imagery is lush and vivid; it’s delicious to read. This book is absolutely perfect for a dark and stormy night. It begs you to curl up with a mug of tea and read it in one sitting.
Release date March 12, 2019, available for pre-order now!
ARC provided by Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.
The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
Come to my blog!
There are two stories in this book. In the first, eighteen-year-old Rhea Ravenna lives in a small town with her mom, dad, four sisters, and Gabrielle, her pet fox (!). Rhea is plagued by visions and nightmares – she sees a dark and menacing forest in their backyard, even though there’s nothing there, and she sees images of death in the attic. The nightmares are getting worse, and now Rhea is sleepwalking – her nightmares are drawing her upstairs to the attic. Desperate for the nightmares to stop, Rhea begins sleeping in the attic, where she begins to see a shadowy young man, who comes to her every night (and possibly watches her sleep, a la Edward Cullen). She can’t see his face, but he is familiar to her, somehow. And he wants to play a game – if Rhea can guess his name, he will break her “curse” (his word!) and free her from her nightmares and visions. But instead of breaking her curse, Rhea’s nightmare deepens: every day, one of her family members disappears, and no one remembers them ever having existed at all. What is a dream, and what is reality?
It should not be this easy for people to vanish. Disappearing should be difficult, rough and bloody. They should have to claw, tear, rip their way out, enduring some of the torment felt by the person left behind. There should be firecrackers bursting in their eyes; and stars snagging in their skin; and lighting bolts tangling in their hair, thrust under their fingernails. Explosions, abrasions, shudders, and shouts. Disappearing forever should not just be the quick and quiet opening and closing of a door.
The second story is that of the Witch, who lives in the forest. She sits upon a throne shaped like a tooth, surrounded by foxes, and grants wishes to the children who visit her in their dreams each night. Her alter is made of scabs, baby teeth, and shadows: gifts from the children in exchange for granting their wishes. Now, the Witch has a new visitor: a young man who is sometimes a fox: the Fox Who Is No Fox. Each night, this young man tells the Witch a story about a magical world with manticores, nymphs, sphinxes, and humans who must hide their magic. The Witch is enchanted by his story.
All right. I’ll tell you. But be warned: fairy story is a misnomer. There aren’t any fairies in it, you see, but there is a princess, and a curse, and a king, and a prince, and a future queen, and a gray gorgon, and a nymph, and a bright girl with bright magic. There are foxes and sphinxes and manticores. There is darkness and sleeping and magic and light, lots of light. there’s an attic and a castle and screams that put together what has been torn apart. There’s foolishness and laughter and love. Speaking of love – there’s also a boy, a great necromancer. He has many names, some of which are long forgotten, and others that no one will ever dare to forget. Oh – and there’s a witch. Still want to hear my tale, a fairy story that is no fairy story at all?
At first, the alternating chapters about Rhea and the Witch seem completely separate, but the two storylines merge halfway through the book. The story shifts entirely; it’s a bit jarring because the shift is so sudden, and it took me a few chapters to adapt. I felt like the transition could have been a lot better; as is, it’s uncomfortable for the reader.
But I loved this book. This story is nightmarish and haunting, and I can’t stop thinking about it.
The Waking Forest is noticeably inspired by Strange the Dreamer, so if you’re like me, and need something really good to read after finishing Muse of Nightmares, you will love this book: it has magic that shapes dreams, blood or spirit that is filled with magic and can be extracted, and the characters have two hearts. Like Laini Taylor’s books, The Waking Forest celebrates the power of storytelling and the magic of dreams.
Alyssa Wees’ writing is just gorgeous. The imagery is lush and vivid; it’s delicious to read. This book is absolutely perfect for a dark and stormy night. It begs you to curl up with a mug of tea and read it in one sitting.
Release date March 12, 2019, available for pre-order now!
ARC provided by Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.
The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
Come to my blog!
starlightbooktales's review
3.0
3 stars
The Waking Forest had a beautiful start that left me dying for more. The concept of the book is somewhat similar to Pan’s Labyrinth and as I big fan, I knew it was going to have beautiful writing. Alyssa Wees did not disappoint with the writing, I found it beautiful and lyrical and would gladly read more from this author.
But the more I read, the more I lost interest. That sounds bad I know, but it has 3 different stories and eventually they connect. It took a while for the connection to happen and I just didn’t understand half of the things I was reading. I had to read several parts over to grasp what was happening. A dream within a dream is a hard thing to grasp but I wish it could have been explained better and was developed better.
What I did love was the mental illness rep, its nice to see the main character of a book who I can relate to! Plus, Rhea has a strong bond with her sisters and I appreciate seeing a strong sibling bond. Its good to focus on a good family instead of the usual evil family members.
Overall, the book won’t be for everyone, it wasn’t for me, but if you love books that have a unique concept then I say give this one a go.
The Waking Forest had a beautiful start that left me dying for more. The concept of the book is somewhat similar to Pan’s Labyrinth and as I big fan, I knew it was going to have beautiful writing. Alyssa Wees did not disappoint with the writing, I found it beautiful and lyrical and would gladly read more from this author.
But the more I read, the more I lost interest. That sounds bad I know, but it has 3 different stories and eventually they connect. It took a while for the connection to happen and I just didn’t understand half of the things I was reading. I had to read several parts over to grasp what was happening. A dream within a dream is a hard thing to grasp but I wish it could have been explained better and was developed better.
What I did love was the mental illness rep, its nice to see the main character of a book who I can relate to! Plus, Rhea has a strong bond with her sisters and I appreciate seeing a strong sibling bond. Its good to focus on a good family instead of the usual evil family members.
Overall, the book won’t be for everyone, it wasn’t for me, but if you love books that have a unique concept then I say give this one a go.