Blackthorne Forest: Book 1

Blackthorne Forest #1

by Claire Fogel

Blackthorne Forest has always been a magnet to fifteen-year-old Cara, the perfect refuge for a shy young artist who is happiest with a drawing pad in front of her and a pen in her hand.

When she comes across a book of folklore, telling fascinating tales of magic practiced in the forest centuries ago, she and her friends consider them nothing more than fairy tales. But just weeks before her sixteenth birthday, she is amazed to discover she possesses some powerful magic of her own.

What's hidden inside the beautiful forest that begins at the foot of her backyard? Might it have something to do with the mysterious father she's never known?

When she begins to find answers to her questions, she discovers a fascinating world she never knew existed. And her life is changed forever.

Genres: Fantasy

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2014

Reviews

[James McCormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard to believe Blackthorne Forest is Claire Fogel’s first novel for this modern fantasy/ fairy tale is a superbly written with an excellent sense of pacing, mood and vividly described events. Like all the best fiction in this genre, the novel mixes morality tale with maturational motif as Cara (fifteen, almost sixteen) learns about the meaning of friendship, young love and discovers an inner strength previously hidden from her. It is also about finding out who one is, in this instance quite literarily for it is Cara’s discovery of her real father that drives much of the story as he becomes both mentor figure and also provides a great deal of the necessary exposition.
One aspect I especially enjoyed about the work was the juxtaposition of the urban and rural settings, both possessing their own individual charm. Fogel manages to create a town that seems almost timeless, one that struck me as somehow being set in an idealised nineteen fifties middle America – this despite the presence of mod cons and mobile phones. In contrast we have the eponymous Blackthorne Forest, Cara’s childhood playground, a former “favourite place to play” but now a place of “refuge.” The forest is at the same time both of this world and not, a gateway between the ‘normal’ and the fantastical. The fact that it is “frequently surrounded by fog” I thought was a nice touch as was the way Cara corrects her friend with the deadpan reply “Just Elves” when Amy asks if the forest is full of Elves and Fairies.
Overall, a very enjoyable read and one I would recommend to all fans of this genre.

[Dominique [plantypageturner] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paused due to an ARC I have been waiting for. Will finish at a later date.

[Daniel Wimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, a confession. Blackthorne Forest isn’t exactly my kind of book. Not only is it YA, it was written from the perspective of a teenage girl. Since I’m not a teenage girl, and have almost no patience for kids who aren’t my own, I expected to feel alienated both as an adult reader and as a man. But fortunately, that didn’t happen. Rather, I got sucked into the story. I’ll admit there were moments when I was reminded why I don’t make a habit of venturing outside my preferred genres, yet as the story moved along, I was constantly thinking: “My kids are gonna love this when they get a little older.” As a parent, I appreciate the author’s commitment to writing something G-rated that I’ll be able to comfortably share with my kids. Nothing more frustrating than a YA novel loaded with foul language and inappropriate innuendo, so Blackthorne Forest was particularly nice in that regard. Looking forward to loading the family bookshelf with more from this author.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very pleasantly surprised by this YA novel, it truly is a standout among other YA books that push the boundaries between what is suitable for the age group and are more suitable for adult or NA audiences. I really enjoyed the story, it was well written and I'll be buying the next book when it's available to find out what happens!

[A.B. Shepherd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable YA fantasy/fairytale. I'm a big stickler on the proper way to write a series and this author does it right.

I was slightly put off by dialogue that is a little stilted, and the near constant use of names in a two person conversation, which feels unnatural, but the story was good enough to overcome that and I'm on to book two.

[Lorraine Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a dream read for teen girls! Author Claire Fogel creates a world where fantasy and realism coexist. Cara is a young lady who comes to an awakening about who her father is and the secrets that lie within the world he lives in. Blackthorne forest is described so vividly I felt I was right there and wanted to be. Cara also discovers a secret that was hidden about herself only to be revealed on the sixteenth birthday. I loved the circle of friends here and each had their own lovable personality. This is a clean read that flows seamlessly from one chapter till the next. I can’t wait to delve into book 2!

[Val Yvon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great first novel by this new Author. It leads you into a world of mystery and discovery. I look forward to book two.

[C.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this YA paranormal. It has adventure, romance, drama and plot twists. I'm on to the next book in this series already.