Book Title: Willa of Dark Hollow
Author: Robert Beatty
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release date: May 4, 2021
Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy
SYNOPSIS:
Young nightspirit Willa discovers an ancient, powerful magic deep in the forest in the enchanting companion to Robert Beatty’s instant #1 New York Times best-seller, Willa of the Wood.
This enchanting companion to Robert Beatty’s instant #1 New York Times bestseller Willa of the Wood is perfect for any reader who cares deeply about the natural world.
Willa and her clan are the last of the Faeran, an ancient race of forest people who have lived in the Great Smoky Mountains for as long as the trees have grown there. But as crews of newly arrived humans start cutting down great swaths of the forest she loves, she is helpless to stop them. How can she fight the destroyers of the forest and their powerful machines?
When Willa discovers a mysterious dark hollow filled with strange and beautiful creatures, she comes to realize that it contains a terrifying force that seems to be hunting humans. Is unleashing these dangerous spirits the key to stopping the loggers? Willa must find a way to save the people and animals she loves and take a stand against a consuming darkness that threatens to destroy her world.
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Author Information
Robert Beatty is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Serafina series and the Willa of the Wood series published by Disney Hyperion. Loved by young readers and adults alike, the Serafina and Willa books are being taught in over a thousand classrooms nationwide and have been translated into over 22 languages. Robert lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina with his wife and three daughters. He writes full-time now, but in his past lives, Robert was one of the early pioneers of cloud computing, the founder/CEO of Plex Systems, the co-founder of Beatty Robotics, and the chairman/CTO of Narrative magazine. In 2007, he was named an Entrepreneur of the Year. When asked about the inspiration for his books, Robert said, “The Serafina and Willa books grew out of my desire to write stories about unusual and heroic young girls for my three daughters.”
Mini Review
So, to start off, I’m not quite done reading Willa of Dark Hollow. I have about 80 pages left, so this will be a mini review until I’m fully done reading, but I can definitely say this book is easily a 5-star read. All the imagery and characters and captivating world building are exquisite and so beautiful. Willa of Dark Hollow is beautifully written, with a rich storyline and vivacious world building – I was blown away by this book.
Willa is such a fantastic character. She loves the forest and she loves her adoptive human family. Both are so important to her; every relationship she’s made is important to her. But when her world is threatened by logging, everything changes. Her father is accused of murdering two loggers, which sets off the events of this story. Willa and her adoptive sister work together to clear their father’s name and right everything.
Beatty’s writing is as magical as always. Full of whimsical storytelling, it’s hard not to get swept up in this world and how easily Beatty brings this world to life. It’s all so wonderfully creative and refreshing. His writing is compelling and draws you in; how he describes the world and the characters is beautiful and so well-done. I was easily enamored with this world and the setting, and I loved seeing the connection between Willa and the forest.
What I also loved is how everything connected in this book. One clue led to another but also helped uncover some of Willa’s past. All the choices Willa makes lead her down a new path, one that she’s destined for. Just seeing how everything unfolded and connected was fascinating. I also loved how this book and the one prior are not just perfect for middle graders but adults will love the whimsy and fantastical features of this story.
If you loved Willa of the Wood, you will definitely love Willa of Dark Hollow. And if you haven’t read this series or Beatty’s first series, I highly recommend! You’ll be thanking yourself for picking up these beautiful stories!
My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Blog Tour
Check out the other tour stops on this amazing tour!
Week One:
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5/1/2021 |
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Week Two:
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5/2/2021 |
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5/4/2021 |
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5/5/2021 |
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5/6/2021 |
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5/8/2021 |
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Week Three:
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5/9/2021 |
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5/10/2021 |
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5/11/2021 |
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5/13/2021 |
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5/14/2021 |
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5/15/2021 |
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Week Four:
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5/16/2021 |
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5/17/2021 |
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5/18/2021 |
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5/19/2021 |
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5/21/2021 |
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5/22/2021 |
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Week Five:
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5/23/2021 |
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5/24/2021 |
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5/25/2021 |
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5/26/2021 |
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5/27/2021 |
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5/28/2021 |
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5/29/2021 |
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Week Six:
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5/30/2021 |
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5/31/2021 |
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Giveaway
Enter for a chance to win one of three (3) finished copies of WILLA OF DARK HOLLOW! This giveaway is open to USA residents only.
