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Into The Deep Wood #1
Into the Deep Wood: The Witch: A Dark Fantasy Romance (Into the Deep Wood - A
A Forbidden Forest…
When Valeria stumbles into the shadows of the Deep Wood, she crosses a line no mortal dares to tread. Captured by the Hag - a figure from nightmares who rules the forest with ancient magic - Valeria is forced into a life of dark servitude. Here, the very trees whisper secrets, creatures of shadow roam freely, and every breath feels like it might be her last.
A Reluctant Servant…
Bound to the Hag’s will, Valeria’s days blur into strange rituals and harrowing tasks that push her to the edge of endurance. The forest is both prison and puzzle, filled with spirits and chorts, beings that are neither entirely friend nor foe. In this bleak existence, she crosses paths with Marat, a hardened hunter whose own secrets run as deep as the forest’s roots. Though his motives remain unclear, his presence stirs something within Valeria - a reminder that survival, and perhaps even escape, may lie in unexpected alliances.
A Desperate Gamble…
The deeper Valeria sinks into the forest’s mysteries, the more she awakens a power within herself - one that could offer a path to freedom or lead her further into darkness. Breaking free of the Hag’s hold could unleash forces beyond her control, risking her life and the very soul of the Deep Wood. Caught between survival and a thirst for answers, Valeria must will she remain a pawn in the Hag’s twisted game, or dare to defy her fate and become something the forest itself has never seen?
When Valeria stumbles into the shadows of the Deep Wood, she crosses a line no mortal dares to tread. Captured by the Hag - a figure from nightmares who rules the forest with ancient magic - Valeria is forced into a life of dark servitude. Here, the very trees whisper secrets, creatures of shadow roam freely, and every breath feels like it might be her last.
A Reluctant Servant…
Bound to the Hag’s will, Valeria’s days blur into strange rituals and harrowing tasks that push her to the edge of endurance. The forest is both prison and puzzle, filled with spirits and chorts, beings that are neither entirely friend nor foe. In this bleak existence, she crosses paths with Marat, a hardened hunter whose own secrets run as deep as the forest’s roots. Though his motives remain unclear, his presence stirs something within Valeria - a reminder that survival, and perhaps even escape, may lie in unexpected alliances.
A Desperate Gamble…
The deeper Valeria sinks into the forest’s mysteries, the more she awakens a power within herself - one that could offer a path to freedom or lead her further into darkness. Breaking free of the Hag’s hold could unleash forces beyond her control, risking her life and the very soul of the Deep Wood. Caught between survival and a thirst for answers, Valeria must will she remain a pawn in the Hag’s twisted game, or dare to defy her fate and become something the forest itself has never seen?
391 pages, Hardcover
Published December 10, 2024
36 people are currently reading
396 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 15, 2025
3.3
Things I liked about this book:
The lore, the setting, the grumpiness of one of the characters.
Things that irked me:
The weird tonal shifts
The awkward pacing
The fact that the FMC (Val) is the only girl that gets a name. Her grandmother, her mother, the farmer’s wife, the farmhand’s wife. The farmer gets a name, she has conversations with him and his wife and yet the wife never gets a name? Heavy eye roll from me.
Wanted to like this book but won’t be continuing this series.
Things I liked about this book:
The lore, the setting, the grumpiness of one of the characters.
Things that irked me:
The weird tonal shifts
The awkward pacing
The fact that the FMC (Val) is the only girl that gets a name. Her grandmother, her mother, the farmer’s wife, the farmhand’s wife. The farmer gets a name, she has conversations with him and his wife and yet the wife never gets a name? Heavy eye roll from me.
Wanted to like this book but won’t be continuing this series.
April 30, 2025
4 stars!
The writing is really well done in my opinion. Every time I'd finish a chapter, I absolutely had to continue to the next one out of curiosity of what would happen next. I finished this book in one reading session.
However, looking back on the book, not a lot happened- I guess compared to books I usually read that have war or politics in the background. This book documents a journey- about a third of the book stays in one location, maybe 20% is on the road, and the rest of the book takes place in a second location. While there isn't something *wow bam* exciting all the time, you experience lore alongside the characters, grow and experience tragedies with these characters, and feel the effects of the journey with them as well.
This states it's a slow-burn fantasy, and no real romance happens in this book. You can assume who the relationship will be between, but it's not completely explicit. There's a chance who I think the relationship is between will be wrong if different characters are introduced in the next book. There aren't really stolen glances, long looks, pining, or anything of that nature (yet?).
Overall, I really enjoyed this book because I thought the writing was well done and the story was interesting and fresh. I'm not sure the direction it will continue to go, but I'm excited to be a part of the journey.
The writing is really well done in my opinion. Every time I'd finish a chapter, I absolutely had to continue to the next one out of curiosity of what would happen next. I finished this book in one reading session.
However, looking back on the book, not a lot happened- I guess compared to books I usually read that have war or politics in the background. This book documents a journey- about a third of the book stays in one location, maybe 20% is on the road, and the rest of the book takes place in a second location. While there isn't something *wow bam* exciting all the time, you experience lore alongside the characters, grow and experience tragedies with these characters, and feel the effects of the journey with them as well.
This states it's a slow-burn fantasy, and no real romance happens in this book. You can assume who the relationship will be between, but it's not completely explicit. There's a chance who I think the relationship is between will be wrong if different characters are introduced in the next book. There aren't really stolen glances, long looks, pining, or anything of that nature (yet?).
Overall, I really enjoyed this book because I thought the writing was well done and the story was interesting and fresh. I'm not sure the direction it will continue to go, but I'm excited to be a part of the journey.
June 9, 2025
"But then, a blessing does not come without a curse."
I've had my eye on this series for a bit after someone recommended it on a forum. A debut series with a spooky atmosphere, a unique premise, enchanting forest lore combined with a coming of age tale. This story follows Valeria (Val) after a terrifying encounter in the woods of her home village, Valeria feels responsible for bringing a terrible spirit (or creature) into her village. In an attempt to save her home and family, she takes off into the woods. What follows is a desperate tale for survival and exploration of a vast world she does not understand.
I struggled a bit with the mid chapter perspective shifts and I would have liked more time spent on character development. I enjoyed the incorporation of the two brothers, and even the farmer and his family, but I felt I knew very little of who they were and why their relationships were what they were presented as. Regardless, there is so much to enjoy in this story and I can tell this has the beginnings of a true dark fairytale.
I've had my eye on this series for a bit after someone recommended it on a forum. A debut series with a spooky atmosphere, a unique premise, enchanting forest lore combined with a coming of age tale. This story follows Valeria (Val) after a terrifying encounter in the woods of her home village, Valeria feels responsible for bringing a terrible spirit (or creature) into her village. In an attempt to save her home and family, she takes off into the woods. What follows is a desperate tale for survival and exploration of a vast world she does not understand.
I struggled a bit with the mid chapter perspective shifts and I would have liked more time spent on character development. I enjoyed the incorporation of the two brothers, and even the farmer and his family, but I felt I knew very little of who they were and why their relationships were what they were presented as. Regardless, there is so much to enjoy in this story and I can tell this has the beginnings of a true dark fairytale.
December 17, 2024
Overall A Fantastic Read!
While Into the Deep Wood starts in its namesake forest, it opens up into a much bigger and more unpredictable adventure. The shifting settings kept things fresh, and I loved how the story never stayed in one place too long.
The antagonists were a real standout for me—each one felt distinct and well thought out, adding tension without falling into overdone tropes. They kept the plot moving and the stakes high, which made the book hard to put down.
The pacing was spot on, with a good mix of action, character moments, and surprises. The main characters felt real and easy to root for, and the challenges they faced were just as personal as they were epic.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It’s well-written, engaging, and full of twists that kept me hooked. Definitely a 5/5 for me.
While Into the Deep Wood starts in its namesake forest, it opens up into a much bigger and more unpredictable adventure. The shifting settings kept things fresh, and I loved how the story never stayed in one place too long.
The antagonists were a real standout for me—each one felt distinct and well thought out, adding tension without falling into overdone tropes. They kept the plot moving and the stakes high, which made the book hard to put down.
The pacing was spot on, with a good mix of action, character moments, and surprises. The main characters felt real and easy to root for, and the challenges they faced were just as personal as they were epic.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It’s well-written, engaging, and full of twists that kept me hooked. Definitely a 5/5 for me.
January 6, 2025
A thoroughly enjoyable dark fairytale.
The first half of the book was wonderful. A dark and magical Deep Wood filled with all the Nothings that go bump in the night. Polina crafts a fantastical and eerie world for us to step into, with a few moments of genuine dread as the dark whispers names in the trees.
The second half of the book fell a little flatter for me, with the character development feeling a little rushed in some ways and stagnant in others.
Well worth the read for anyone interested in folklore or after something with a bit more teeth. This was a refreshing read after so many of the copy paste fantasy novels around these days.
I'll definitely be reading the second one when it releases later this year. More like 3.5 stars, rounded up.
The first half of the book was wonderful. A dark and magical Deep Wood filled with all the Nothings that go bump in the night. Polina crafts a fantastical and eerie world for us to step into, with a few moments of genuine dread as the dark whispers names in the trees.
The second half of the book fell a little flatter for me, with the character development feeling a little rushed in some ways and stagnant in others.
Well worth the read for anyone interested in folklore or after something with a bit more teeth. This was a refreshing read after so many of the copy paste fantasy novels around these days.
I'll definitely be reading the second one when it releases later this year. More like 3.5 stars, rounded up.
December 19, 2024
I think the premise is good. I think the author can really give you *atmosphere* and I appreciated a lot of lore.
The cover says this book is a dark romance- there are hints of romance, but that’s definitely not what the book is, and I think I appreciated it more for that.
I think the book is good. I think it has room to grow, though.
The cover says this book is a dark romance- there are hints of romance, but that’s definitely not what the book is, and I think I appreciated it more for that.
I think the book is good. I think it has room to grow, though.
July 1, 2025
DNF 68% of the audiobook; I wanted to like this book but it just didn't keep my interest. I didnt care of the pivots of POV within the chapters. Also, I thought it strange that only the MFC got a name; all other females did not. The book was slow & still after 6 hours of the audiobook; I do not like any of the characters.
July 10, 2025
I am very excited to see where this series goes. The timeline was a little tricky to follow at times but once I got use to the style it was very enjoyable. Not too crazy since it was mostly world building. I hope with the next books it gets a little more detailed because this one seemed to glaze over a lot.
December 12, 2024
I AM OBSESSED ALREADY. I need more 😩
The story? Immersive, detailed, atmospheric, all the fancy beautiful words for something that PULLS you into the story.
The characters? THE GROWTH??? LOVE IT. Realistic and wonderfully build character development
SLOW BURN AND WORTH IT 😍✨️
The story? Immersive, detailed, atmospheric, all the fancy beautiful words for something that PULLS you into the story.
The characters? THE GROWTH??? LOVE IT. Realistic and wonderfully build character development
SLOW BURN AND WORTH IT 😍✨️
February 1, 2025
Read this after hearing about it on Reddit. There’s some amazing potential here but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
I say it all the time but using slang or Americanisms breaks the immersion for me. The author has some beautiful prose here and there and I look forward to her future work.
I say it all the time but using slang or Americanisms breaks the immersion for me. The author has some beautiful prose here and there and I look forward to her future work.
December 12, 2024
The prose was so clumsy I had a hard time forcing myself to read.
Also that prologue…I wanted to like this book. It just missed.
Also that prologue…I wanted to like this book. It just missed.
December 26, 2024
The idea and the mythical creatures are new, but overall, it just didn’t grab me.
January 13, 2025
Loved it! A perfect dark fairytale 🥰
January 28, 2025
3.5 stars
February 19, 2025
If you’re looking for a book that’s unlike anything you’ve read before… THIS IS IT!! The writing was beautiful and descriptive like I was seeing it with my own eyes. Definitely a need to read.
April 11, 2025
I ate this up
October 23, 2025
Lot a bit weird, little bit freaky
December 29, 2024
Loved this book! It very much so reads like an old folklore story. The characters are more or less regular people who make flawed decisions at times. I really love learning about Eastern European mythology and this book was a perfect representation of that. Highly recommend! It was one of the few five star reads of the year for me.
April 21, 2025
Absolutely amazing. I wanted to read the next one (and then all the rest) before leaving a review because sometimes I like the first book and then lose interest with the next. It’s such an amazing story, it kept me interested the entire series. You really feel like you’re going on an adventure with these characters, the author is a fantastic story teller. There is romance (and it’s beautiful and gut wrenching) but it wasn’t the main story being told, and I really like that.
June 12, 2025
dnf @ 60% so fucking boring
December 27, 2025
Read this series! My initial review of book 1 is below. After reading by the full series, I wanted to come back to say, do not be deterred. This series is SO good.
Loved the story and being immersed in the folklore.
The pacing was weird for me. You go from every day ho-hum stuff to BIG event, back to ho-hum and then BIG event. The ho-hum parts were interesting enough to keep going though.
The random jumps in time from one paragraph to the next were a bit confusing.
There were times where I couldn’t tell if the writing was beyond my comprehension or if it was just poor writing. I did find several typos.
While there were a few things that took away from my overall reading experience, I do like the story and I do feel invested in the characters and their stories, so I will keep reading.
Loved the story and being immersed in the folklore.
The pacing was weird for me. You go from every day ho-hum stuff to BIG event, back to ho-hum and then BIG event. The ho-hum parts were interesting enough to keep going though.
The random jumps in time from one paragraph to the next were a bit confusing.
There were times where I couldn’t tell if the writing was beyond my comprehension or if it was just poor writing. I did find several typos.
While there were a few things that took away from my overall reading experience, I do like the story and I do feel invested in the characters and their stories, so I will keep reading.
October 18, 2025
Several typos but I was intrigued from the jump!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews