I thought this would be a great fit, since my students love horror. However, I just don't think it will grab my students attention.

This was a darker fantasy than the stories of Serafina with more violence and death than those stories contained. However, this was an engrossing sort of story with plenty of action and suspense to keep readers engaged even at the moments when they wanted to cringe at what they'd just read.

I liked this book quite a lot, though I feel like I would be hesitant to recommend the book to a younger elementary audience because the intensity might be too much for some of them. This is more suited to the tweens to young adult crowd. It's a story of nature and magic, but also a story of the strife of settlement and encroachment into the wilds of nature.

The theme of acceptance and overcoming initial fear and prejudice is prevalent throughout the book. It does lend well to a group reading situation since discussion of the characters' actions and motivations could be very deep and involved. I would certainly read on if there were a follow-up, though this is the sort of story that could end there with a satisfactory conclusion.

Readers of the Serafina series will certainly give this book a chance, and if they don't mind that it's a slightly grittier story where not every character will come through unscathed, they will enjoy it.

My girls loved the Serafina books, so we were very curious to see what Beatty was going to do with a new series. We were not disappointed. The premise is allegorical, and there are some relevant messages involving conservation. We do like the Serafina books slightly more, but this is definitely a good beginning to a new middle grade series.

Like the Serafina books, Robert Beatty has created an action-packed story perfect for middle grades in Willa of the Wood. He incorporates so much of the real world in his fantasy tale and I really enjoyed the small references to the Serafina books that were sprinkled throughout as well. I'm excited to see what Willa does next!

Willa of the Wood is a beautiful blending of skilled story-telling, conservationism, people's need for natural resources, and local folklore. I loved the character development and the love imbued throughout, the love of people and the love of place, while the sense of mystery made this a fast read.

While written for younger readers, this is by no means a children's book. As an adult reader with a love of American history, I especially enjoyed the connection to mountain history and folklore.

Willa can blend. She can disappear.

She can bend the wood to her very will, feeling the drum of it deep in her bones. She can move like a snake, silent and cunning.

The very soil of the woods is mixed within her own heart’s blood. She is tethered to the forest and the animals that inhabit it as if by the same roots that bind the trees to the earth.

The trees are her refuge, they are her home.

On her own, Willa is magnificent. She slithers in and out of the layers of the forest much like the jungle cats. She knows where the freshest spring lives. She can tell what the weather will be by the taste of the air. But she lives a double life. As a talented thief, Willa is exploited by her tribe. She is used and abused, forced into the night and into the homes of the human folk … where she is charged with the task of stealing a treasure made of hairpins and dolls, of toy trains and tin cups. Failure is not an option, no matter the risk. She is a creature of the night and as such, Willa is watched for with much trepidation by the day-folk. They fruitlessly lock their doors against her and believe that she is larger than life – a monster set to destroy their dreams and take from them what is most valued.

One night Willa finds herself in the most curious of homes. There are bedrooms with no children in them. There is a chair at the table set for a wife who does not exist. And the man … he is so sad, even in his sleep. He lives alone, the deep lines on his face and the dog napping at his feet his only companions. Against her better judgement, Willa steals from him and in doing so, feels a tiny sliver of her heart slip away. This is not what she wants her life to be but she has no other choice. She is a thief.

It is with this particular robbery that Willa realizes the reality around her; the dreamy lie told to her by her chief melts away like a palette of watercolors left in a rainstorm. As a part of the wood-fae who live amongst the foliage and the roots deep under ground, she has never questioned reason or rule. It has always been assumed that she will venture out and bring home treasure to sustain her clan. It has always been an unspoken rule that she will not talk back. But Willa’s blood runs deep as still waters, and under the guidance of her grandmother, she has finally recognized the threat for what it is. She vows to no longer be a victim of the people she has made her home with.

Her people are not doing as they should. They are committing dastardly deeds and bastardizing their culture and duty to the earth. They are imprisoning day-folk children for their own benefit and gain, treating them as worse than animals. Her clan leader is not to be trusted and what’s worse, his power has reached far and wide, poisoning the minds of her fellow Faeran. And that’s not her only concern … day-folk are coming into her woods and felling trees at an incredible rate, displacing the animals that she holds so dear and burning the trees as if purely for the sake of pleasure.

It falls on her shoulders to incite a great change, and Willa is up for the daunting challenge.

Willa of the Wood is the newest novel by the famed Serafina series author, Robert Beatty. Set in the Smokey Mountains and outlying lands, it is full of a rich and magical history as well as a deep-rooted connection to nature. It is reminiscent of and reads like a Native American folktale, full of a love of land and a reverence for its ancient powers.

While I appreciated the sentiments involved, I was surprised at the targeted audience for this novel. The language and way of writing is very beautiful and complex; the descriptions are incredibly vivid and the imagery is compelling. Beatty has a way of creating a scene that leaves the reader completely immersed in the surroundings, whether it be a farm house or an underground cave or a wild and untamed river. The character of Willa is very young in appearance but very wise in spirit and maturity. She is a loner in the midst of a tribe – which in itself is a juxtaposition – and that was what I found most interesting about her. But this novel read more along the lines of YA fantasy than mid-grade, and I say that because in reality, the story is much more complex than mid-grade books usually are. This novel also tended to be very dark. There were several questionable scenes involving children in cages, being starved and abused. Because of this, I didn’t feel the content was appropriate for a child under the age of 12. The content was way too heavy and I felt would miss the mark.

This is my first dip in the Beatty pond, and I don’t know that I will be going back. There was a little too much focus on description and less movement in plot development. I get it – this is like an homage to Ferngully … written almost in a poem form, right? Unfortunately for me, I couldn’t get in to it. Willa was not given enough humanity, and I realize that this was because she was, in fact, fae but … if your target audience is a 10 year-old, you need to give them a character that they can relate to so that their interest is held. Willa remained aloof throughout the entire novel, seeming only to bond with animals and sometimes with Nathaniel (the owner of the house she stole from) but all in all, came across as cold and otherworldly. This may have been the author’s intent, but it failed to compel me to feel a substantial connection to the main character, and that is something I need to feel invested in the story.

I give Willa of the Wood 3 out of 5 stars, and those stars are based upon the beautiful descriptive writing and not on the storytelling.

Willa is a member of the Faeran clan, beholden to the paderan, its omnipotent and powerful leader. She is a night-spirit who ventures out in the dark to steal from their enemy, the day-folk. When she discovers that her avowed enemy do not present the dangers she was taught, her set of beliefs are completely challenged. She must come to terms with these new truths.
This book will be recommended for my more mature readers.There were several violent episodes that could frighten some.
The story is beautifully written and the suspense is neverending, Willa's journey to discovering herself is masterfully accomplished by the author.

Firstly, so many of us felt tricked by the cover into thinking this was about a POC main character. Because the MC changes color to blend in with her surroundings, according to the magical rules in the story, she would be green in those surroundings. Then there were guns, guns and guns, and guns, and how guns are needed to protect your property, in a preachy way. Which also lead to this being too violent for MG. There was also an inclusion of Cherokee that was not well researched, as well as historical information like having closets in frontier homes and hangers; they didn't have closets and they hung their clothes on pegs. Cookies were also not common because they were too difficult to bake in woodstoves, and sugar was quite expensive. The Cherokee inclusion wasn't even needed. The scenes were too long and draggy for Middle Grade, and things like small animals helping rescue a large predator that eats them doesn't make sense. This was a poorly constructed Middle Grade trying to jump on the diversity train.

Willa of the Wood is a beautifully told tale of strength, perseverance, magic, and wonder. Middle graders will find the story engaging, raising questions about who we are and where our loyalties lie. Set in the gorgeous Smokey Mountains, the atmosphere is as much a character in this story as are the living beings.

I loved reading this! Every now and then I stumble upon a powerful children's book, and this is one such story!

Willa of the Wood is the first book in the new Willa series by Robert Beatty. It is set in the same world as his Serafina series, and you will see some overlap, but it is not necessary to have read one series to enjoy the other. However, I absolutely loved the other series, so I recommend reading it regardless.

Willa, a young nightspirit of the Great Smoky Mountains, is her clan's best thief. She creeps into the homes of day-folk in the cover of darkness and takes what they won't miss. It's dangerous work because the day-folk tend to kill whatever they do not understand. But when Willa's curiosity leaves her hurt and stranded in a day-folk man's home, everything she thought she knew about her people, her enemy, and those she thought she could trust is forever changed.

Willa of the Wood is the start of another adventure in a fantasy series based on legends and the landscape of the Smokey Mountains. Like Serafina, Willa is a very special girl, but she is no Catamount. Willa is a Faeran girl, and she has some magic all her own. She can blend in with her surroundings and has a special connection to the world around her. However, the traditions of her people are changing and her kind are fading away, losing their gifts and dying out- partly because of their own actions. She is trying to come to terms with the world around her and understand how the day-folk are different from her, and through the kindness of Nathaniel, how much they have in common. She has to come to terms with herself, and the world around her. I found the read to be engaging and one that I had trouble putting down, or letting go of when I finished the book. Willa, Nathaniel, and the other characters were all very well built. The environment of the Great Smokey Mountains was extremely well described, and the flora and fauna were just as real as the landscape and people destroying it in the story. My only problem is that I just want more, but I do not want to rush the author because I want this level of quality story to continue.

Willa of the Wood is a wonderful start to a new series, and a return to Serafina's world. It is just as suspenseful and engaging but carries a little more brightness and hope than the Serafina. This is a wonderful middle grade read. I had some serious trouble putting it down, and serious binge read it over a weekend around picnics and family activities.

I loved the book! It’s about courage and love and faith and the strength and curiosity of a little nature girl. Her dedication, her determination never fails her. Her grandma taught her well and in her teaching and her roots she’s able to overcome all obstacles and continue learning and embracing the ever changing world and their inhabitants. Making friends and savings others, even facing her enemies just shows she’s no ordinary girl but a force with Nature.

Willa of the Wood is another great middle grades adventure story by Robert Beatty. If you enjoyed the Serafina series you should definitely give this one a try. I love Willa as a protagonist and the setting is wonderful. I hope to see more of Willa in the future!

A fitting entry in the same world as Beatty’s Serafina series, though these characters are unrelated. Willa is strong, resourceful, and kindhearted. She has the intelligence to see through the farce that is her clan’s leader, and ultimately, the power to defeat him. In the meantime she connects with the human world and is surprised to find love and family.
A richly layered and well told story full of details about the nature of the mountains.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Willa was Surprisingly good and my first read from R. Beatty. From start to finish it was an adventure. With fantasy and historical elements it is appropriate for all ages. Reading this evoked similar feelings that I have about “classic” literature from Jean Craighead George, Gary Paulsen, Scott O’Dell. It will be a great piece for classroom discussions.

Willa lives in the Great Smokey Mountains during the late 19th century. The 1800’s was an exciting period in US history coming off the heels of the industrial revolution and ushering in an age of romanticism and transcendentalism. But it was also a time of destruction and a loss of simplicity. For example, the Trail of Tears and deforestation for railway expansion.

The faeran Willa is Transcendentalism personified. Seen from her perspective, the magnificent beauty of the mountains and it’s natural inhabitants is a treasure. This compassionate child, who is more nymph or spirit than fae, finds kindness and goodness in that which she was taught to fear. Natural magic heals her and is used by her to help others.

This story is Willa’s journey to self-discovery, which fills the reader with a sense of hope and joy as they might draw parallels between the state of her world and our current realities. The story is about change, love, and family. It reiterates the Lorax-Seuss message that “unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot....”

Willa is a night-spirit and one of the last of her kind to inhabit a secret hollow in the Great Smokey Mountains in 1900. She is both strong and gentle, loyal to her clan yet longing for independence.

Eager to please the cruel leader of her people with her skill to steal undetected, Willa starts to question his authoritarian leadership and his insistence that humans are murderous and vile.

Short chapters with cliff-hanger endings drive the plot along at a fast clip. Beatty's writing is melodic, hypnotic, and as lush as the forests, rivers, and mountains where Willa lives.

There are depictions of children being kidnapped and caged.

I would have given this 5 stars if it had been shorter. I recommend for strong readers who won't give up on the book's length.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy.

I'll be honest, this book was just eh to me. I couldn't get into it. The story didn't round out right, and I honestly couldn't even finish it because it practically bored me to pieces.

If you love the Serafina books, you'll enjoy this new story from the same author, Robert Beatty. Willa is an orphan with the ancient powers of her forest-dwelling ancestors. To her, humans murder trees (we do, actually. I'm a tree lover myself.)

When events leave Willa stuck in the world of humans, she begins to realize that they're not all her enemies, and eventually she's forced into making a difficult choice the world she grew up in, and the new world she's encountered--and she realizes that neither one is exactly what she thought.

I loved this book and recommend it. It's also recommended by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is the setting for Willa's story. Order it for your Kindle or other e-reader, and help Willa save our trees.

Willa of the Wood is the first book by Robert Beatty that I’ve read, though I think I own two of his other books. Judging from the writing style, I really want to read more. I liked the way the scenery seemed to come alive and the deep emotions Willa feels through the story—her longing for companions and her internal wrestling over the wrongness of what her tribe has asked her to do.

One of the most powerful characters is Willa’s grandmother. Even though she can’t walk, she has this powerful presence and a fierce love for Willa and the goodness of the old Faeran ways. It’s this love and wisdom that Willa carries which gets pitted against the fears of her people, and Willa has to decide which way is right—being governed by that fear and allowing it to rule her actions, or daring to love not only her tribe members, but those very different from her, too.

I loved the theme of family and adoption in the story, too. Willa feels like an outsider among her Faeran tribe members, and she desperately wants to have meaningful, lasting connections with others. Her journey to find a community where she belongs totally resonated with me.

The story as a whole is a bit dark, to be honest. I’d say it’s probably better suited to older elementary school readers and middle school readers might also enjoy it, too, even though the writing style and characters’ ages feel geared a little more toward the eight to twelve range.

Willa is an underappreciated asset to the Faeran people, skilled in the old ways and in the modern practices that keep her people alive and safe. Homesteaders have been encroaching on her woods in ever-growing numbers, taking whatever they please and leaving destruction in their wake. The padaran, the Faeran leader, has adopted increasingly harsh practices in an attempt to keep up, but at what cost? The world is changing around Willa, but she when she meets one of the dreaded homesteaders, she quickly discovers that it's not as simple as us-vs-them. It's time to decide whether to blend in or speak out for what she believes in.

Willa is enormously capable, fending for herself without losing her core values. I found myself rooting for her all the way through, and I was surprised at the depth and complexity of the problems she faced. Kids aren't clueless any more than Willa was about the problems in the world, and I found the messages of hope and courage to be perfectly timed for our modern climate. All in all, this is an excellent, engaging story that treats its readers with the respect they deserve.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley to read in exchange for an honest review.