Robert Beatty

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 Smokey 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. Filled with a compelling mixture of history, mystery, and magic, Robert Beatty's books are loved by readers from 8 to 108.

Willa of Dark Hollow

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Willa of Dark Hollow

Author: Robert Beatty

Book Series: Willa Book 2

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: MG readers, fantasy lovers, Tennessee/Great Smokey Mountains lovers

Publication Date: May 4, 2021

Genre: MG Fantasy

Recommended Age: 10+ (some scary moments, threat of death and destruction)

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Pages: 384

Synopsis: The Great Smoky Mountains. 1901. Willa and her clan are the last of the Faeran, an ancient race of forest people who have lived in the 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, Willa 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. 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 an all-consuming darkness that threatens to destroy her world.

Review: I really liked this book! I was a bit worried when I saw that it said it was book 2 and I thought we were going to have the same situation I did when I picked up book 3 of Beatty’s Serafina series (I’m always out of order with this author’s books lol). These two books can be read out of order. The book did well to present a character and story within the context of it being the second book, but it can be read like the first book. The story wasn’t confusing and the characters were all well developed.

The only issue I had with the book is that the plot was a bit hard to get into and it took me a bit to understand the flow of the story.

Verdict: It’s good!

Heather Roden  

"Willa didn’t know what the gray creatures were, but she knew this: the forest was dying. The magic of the world was fading. The trees were falling. The animals were fleeing. And there was nothing she could do about any of it. She had come to this place tonight looking for answers. But there were none."

This book was beautiful and haunting, it made me sad because the truth it what we've done to this Earth is in this book. This book is a standalone, but I will read other books by this author.

Willa of Dark Hollow

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