Review and Giveaway: The Wild Wood (Julie Anne Nelson)

Paperback, 298 pages
Published June 29th 2012 by Young Mountain Publishing

Copy of Book Provided by Author for Honest Review

In the town of Dunlowe, being different can be deadly. No one knows this better than the seven girls born on the exact same day, at the exact same time. From birth, they've been feared, judged, and controlled. And yet, still loved by their families. Still hoping for a future. Still believing that acceptance would one day come. As their seventeenth birthday approaches, events occur that leave Cecily Daye and the other girls grasping with the possibility that their oppressors might have been right about them all along. Maybe they are as evil as the town has believed. But without an answer, they must make a choice when the town turns on them: to die or to run to the one place no person would follow—they must enter The Wild Wood. 

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I am the author of young adult novels, whose first two novels, The Wild Wood and The Downs are available on Amazon. The third book in the Sevens series, The Barren Way, will be available on May 17, 2013.
While according to Neil Diamond "used to bes don't count anymore," I am most proud of the fact that I used to be a middle school history teacher. And it is from the six years I spent teaching young adults that my passion for writing for them was born.

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First of all, I want to say that I CANNOT BELIEVE that I have not read this book before now! I am litarally in awe at how fascinating this book was. The synopsis of this book does this book no justice! This book is SOOOO much more! I mean, seriously...If you have not read this book then YOU HAVE TO! I read the synopsis and thought I was heading into an young adult book with some secrets and possibly some romance. OK ...Yes it had that and SO MUCH MORE! Oh my goodness!! 

From the first chapter I immediately fell in love with Cecily Daye's character. She is so strong and perserveres through so much strife and hate. She lives in a town where she and six other girls are feared and judged just by the fact that they were all born on the same day. The town leader, Pastor Rowe, spends his entire life spreading hate throughout the town aimed at these young innocent girls. Each girl has her own special personality and faces these judgements in their own way. 

Cecily lives each day trying to be the best, most innocent girl she can for fear of retribution against her family. She loves her family so much and fears that anything she does could put her family in harms way. Pastor Rowe duals out cruelty on anything and anyone that he feels "might" be caused because of the "sevens." He is a truly evil man and I found myself literally wanting to jump into the book and strangle him!!!

Cecily secretly loves a young man named Nate who just happens to be Pastor Rowe's son. Nate believes Cecily 100% when she tells him she is not evil. I loved reading about their time together. It was so innocent and pure until Nate kisses Cecily in front of everyone. This event sparks his father and enfuriates him into causing Nate and Cecily not to see each other anymore. 

After this occurs Cecily and Nate grow so distant and so many things begin to happen and unravel that causes Cecily and her sister sevens to be banished into The Wild Wood. 

"But still, I fought to keep our survival in my mind as the whip seared my flesh, until after twenty-five lashes, the pain stole my consciouness and I was temporarily freed from this fight."

I have no idea where to start when it comes to The Wild Wood. Let me just say that it is nothing like I expected. The Wild Wood is such a fascinating and phenomenal world. I felt like I was transformed into this beautiful world and there with everything that happens to Cecily and the sevens. I dont want to indulge further because I dont want to spoil the amazingness that is The Wild Wood. 

"As soon as the sevens touched me, our families wailing ended and their rage redoubled, and I turned away from them to look at the Wild Wood--our new home."

This book is so emotionally captivating. I love a book that has amazing imagery and world building and Julie Anne Nelson created this in such a way that is nothing short of phenomenal. I savored each chapter and felt each emotion that is so delicately written into this book. Each page was a new adventure, new heart ache, and a new fascinating story. Please if you do not pick up any other book this year...PLEASE read this...Fans of fantasy, romance, suspense, drama, and truly phenomenal books will LOVE this book...I cannot say it enough..I am immediately headed to get the sequel...I cant wait to get back into the world of The Wild Wood and to see where these amazing young women that are The Sister Sevens are going to take me next......

If I could give this book more than 5 stars I so would. This is by far my most favorite book this year. Julie Anne Nelson is at the top of my "Authors To Watch" list. I will read anything and everything that she writes! She is amazing and not only writes amazing books but also communicates with reviewers and appreciates them! She is a ROCK STAR!!!

                                                                                            

Julie has graciously offered an signed copy of The Wild Wood and a $10 Amazon Gift Card!! Enter the giveaway below using my rafflecopter. 

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