Tuesday, May 17, 2022

#Review - Edgewood by Kristen Ciccarelli #YA #Fantasy #Contemporary

Series: Standalone
Format: Hardcover, 400 pages
Release Date: March 1, 2022
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Fantasy / Contemporary

Internationally bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli weaves an epic love story of a girl forced to return to the home she's left behind in order to break a terrible curse

No matter how far she runs, the forest of Edgewood always comes for Emeline Lark. The scent of damp earth curls into her nose when she sings and moss creeps across the stage. It’s as if the woods of her childhood, shrouded in folklore and tall tales, are trying to reclaim her. But Emeline has no patience for silly superstitions.

When she learns her grandfather disappeared from his nursing home, leaving only a milky orb in his wake, the stories Emeline has always scoffed at suddenly seem less foolish. After searching for him almost everywhere, Emeline finally succumbs to the call of Edgewood, entering the forest she has spent years trying to escape.

Emeline finds herself in the court of the fabled Wood King himself. She makes a deal—her voice for her grandfather’s freedom. Little does she know, she’s stumbled into the middle of a curse much bigger than herself, one that threatens the existence of a life she has worked so hard to forget.

With the help of a handsome and brooding tithe collector, a surly blacksmith, and a lost childhood friend, Emeline sets out to not only save her grandfather’s life, but to right past wrongs, and in the process, discover her true voice.



Kristen Ciccarelli's Edgewood is an epic love story of a girl forced to return to the home she's left behind in order to break a terrible curse. Two years ago, Emeline Lark left her small town of Edgewood to move to Montreal to pursue a career in music. Emeline wants to become a famous singer, joining tours, living a different life she’s left in the Edgewood. She's risen to the point where she is about ready to tour with a group called The Perennials soon. Of course, that's when things start to sideways. No matter how far she runs, the forest of Edgewood always comes for Emeline Lark. 
 
The scent of damp earth curls into her nose when she sings and moss creeps across the stage. No one notices the strange things that happen when she sings. It’s as if the woods of her childhood, shrouded in folklore and tall tales, are trying to reclaim her. But Emeline has no patience for silly superstitions. Someone at one of her stops steals her bottle of water. Then she learns that her grandfather, the person who raised her when her mother disappeared when she was child, goes missing from his nursing home. 
 
The only thing left behind is a milky orb in his wake. It seems as though the stories Emeline has always scoffed at suddenly seem less foolish. Her grandfather suffers from dementia, and she’s worried that he’s wandered into the woods. Nobody else seems to be trying to find him. After searching for him almost everywhere, Emeline finally succumbs to the call of Edgewood, entering the forest she has spent years trying to escape. Emeline finds herself in the court of the fabled Wood King himself where she learns that her grandfather was tithed.  
 
Little does she know, she’s stumbled into the middle of a curse much bigger than herself, one that threatens the existence of a life she has worked so hard to forget. With the help of a handsome and brooding tithe collector (Hawthorne Fell), a surly blacksmith (Sable Thorne), and a lost childhood friend (Grace Aber), Emeline sets out to not only save her grandfather’s life, but to right past wrongs, and in the process, discover her true voice. Emeline goes through a complicated and emotional journey, and she learns more than she ever bargained for.  
 
The one thing I really liked about Emeline was her relationship with her grandfather. She struggles with the thought of leaving him behind and putting him in a home where he can be watched. Emmeline's struggle for identity and belonging in terms of both her career and her personal life drew me in. One could say that the ending was predictable, but there's a few surprises and twists along the way. 





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