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Woods of Silver and Light by Victoria McCombsStoryteller's Series #2
Published by Parliament House Press on February 9, 2021
Age Group & Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Young Adult
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: Publisher
Ronin’s son is dead, but a sorceress banished to the Woods can bring the child back if he and his Silver Raiders do something for her first. She finds there's nothing Ronin Hood won't do for his son…
Anika finds herself drawn to the mystery of the Woods and the thieves who live within, but the cost of associating with the Silver Raiders becomes higher than she's willing to pay. The darkness of the Woods seeps into the Raider's hearts, blurring the lines between hero and villain, until Anika's fight for freedom turns into a fight to survive the magic of the trees that should have never been awoken.
This isn't the tale of Robin Hood you remember.
This is a companion novel to The Storyteller's Daughter. Both books are unique plots with a few recurring characters between them. It's suggested to read in order to avoid minor spoilers, but it's not necessary.
A copy of the book was provided for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore does not affect the opinion or content of the review.
Trigger & Content Warnings: blood, death
Anika was one of my favorite characters I wished had more page time in The Storyteller’s Daughter with her love of adventure and fiery personality, so when I found out she would be the protagonist in Woods of Silver and Light, I knew I was going to enjoy her story more than I did Cosette’s.
Woods of Silver and Light by Victoria McCombs is the sequel to her debut novel and the second novel in the Storyteller’s Series. It’s a stand-alone novel, but does have minor spoilers from The Storyteller’s Daughter and is set in a timeline a few months after the first book’s end when Anika has traveled away from her small village and family on her own to Wateredge Manor, originally given to Cosette and Rumpel for their efforts in the war. (They also make an appearance in this novel, which is a bonus because I adored Rumpel.) It’s not necessary to read the first book to enjoy the second book, but I highly recommend doing so.
She’s hoping for a new adventure, but she’s also stuck navigating the waters of upper society now that she’s a lady with a title with managing her own lands. She still flaunts the rules of society when she can get away with it, and unlike most of the nobles, she brings with her a far less privileged background that she uses to better the lives of those who live in her lands now that she has that same privilege. Honestly, I just love her so much and every moment she challenged the rest of the nobles with her quick and snappy remarks.
The adventure she’s seeking for since leaving her town and family is finally granted when she spots a group of thieves at an event (boring, according to her) sneaking away and is immediately drawn to the Woods nearby. There, she meets the Silver Raiders, who steal from the rich and wealthy, and then distributes those among the poor. As she gets to know them, she is increasingly drawn to the Woods and finds out there’s magic and danger that she’s warned to stay far away from. But who is she to listen and stay out of trouble?
She still dives right in and develops relationships with Ronin and a few other Silver Raiders, but she also finds out she could be in bigger trouble for being associated with them, learning that in the Woods she’s drawn to, Ronin and his Silver Raiders are hoping to bring back a banished sorcerer in exchange to bring back his dead son. I wish we could have gotten more details in the background of the sorcerer – while there was enough information and details, I feel it’s a little… bare minimum, considering there is the additional mystery of Anika finding herself as someone’s target.
Like the first novel, my biggest disappointment was the ending, which felt just as quick and abrupt as its predecessor. I didn’t really notice loose ends if any, and the ending alludes to the setting of the third book that will be far from the setting of the first two books but also the possibility of being tied to Woods of Silver and Light. But overall, the sequel to The Storyteller’s Daughter was an enjoyable read, and I’m more than likely to pick up the next novel in the series.
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