Where the Woods Grow Wild

by Nate Philbrick

A forest looms over Bardun Village. Nobody goes in. Nothing comes out. The secrets in the oaks remain hidden until a mischievous escapade thrusts Martin and Elodie behind the silent trees. Separated and lost in a tangle of fantasy, they discover more than animals roam where the woods grow wild.

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Young Adult, Middle Grade

375 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 10, 2016

About the author

Reader, minimalistic fantasy author, and digital artist.

Reviews

[deborah o'carroll (offline during 2026) · Rating 5 out of 5]

First thing’s first: I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! *hugs it* (Warning: Fangirling zone ahead.)

Where the Woods Grow Wild (don’t you love that title?) is SO much fun, as well as extremely well-written and completely gripping. It’s original fantasy, yet at the same time has this classic feel, so that I almost feel like I’ve known it forever, even though I just read it this month. It’s NEW and fresh and surprising, yet feels like an old friend, reminding me somehow of the “feel” of Prydain or Narnia, and I love it. :D

It’s utterly surprising, with so many twists, and I had NO idea where it was heading, which made for an extremely fun yet suspenseful ride. I absolutely loved how separate but connected Martin’s and Elodie’s storylines were as they searched for each other. Like... it’s hard to explain, but I’ve never seen anything done like that and it was brilliant and well done.

THIS BOOK IS HILARIOUS, in this sometimes subtle, totally fun way. You know you love a book when you want to quote every other line aloud. XD I love love LOVE humorous stories, and I kept giggling and reading quotes out loud and using my handy Kindle highlighter feature to highlight my favorites (which was... most of the book). (I don’t highlight in real books. That’s a huge no. So, amazingly, ebooks do occasionally have advantages...)

I also loved the characters and I feel like I know each and every one of them SO well. <3

+ There’s our hero, Martin, who’s great and relatable. Perfect hero material. He’s one of my faves. :)
+ Next is Elodie, who is AWESOME—she’s one of those fabulous heroines that you just love their spunk and heart! :)
+ There’s also Illo, who I can’t really say much about, but let me tell you, this girl is one of the most original characters I’ve met, somehow, and so very sparky. XD She’s so much fun to read; especially her bantering with the others.
+ Then there’s Bramble! Oh my goodness. I, again, can’t say much, but Bramble is one of the most hilarious and cute but also... erm... hard to decide about characters ever. I LOVED READING ABOUT BRAMBLE! He’s a fuzzy little creature who talks in very strange, funny ways in third-person and just—AWK, SO CUTE AND SUCH A MESS BUT SO CUUUUUTE!! *flails around* (His name for Elodie, "the sun-drop girl" was my favorite!) Seriously, so much hilarious dialog! Bramble was one of the most fun things about the book. XD

Other characters include Fella (awesome), Podgin (mushrooms! He is food-obsessed, which was so fun), Aquilax (eep, but yes please), General Tum (dryad), and of course, the mysterious Nayadu (so much spoilers, awk), but you’ll have to meet them yourself because I don’t want to rob you of the delightful chance of discovering this story on your own. Meeting each of them is so fascinating, and we never know which of them are good, bad, on our side, or out for their own purposes (and sometimes these things change throughout the book, which kept me on my toes!). Every character is SO unique and individual, and written so well. They’re definitely a high point of the story!

Twists. TWISTS, PEOPLE. There are so many twists! *collapses* It actually felt partway like a mystery, which I absolutely LOVED. So many questions and mysteries and twists galore. I kept trying to predict what would happen, and figure out what was going on, and I got a couple of things part-way, but WOW, I was super impressed at how complicated and twisty this story was, while seeming kind of simple on the surface. I kept guessing and second-guessing what was going on, and that made it so incredibly fun to read. :D

This world, with the village and the wild woods, had such a great “feel” to it—I can’t even explain, but I was absolutely captivated by it. I loved how some of it felt kind of familiar (yes, there’s a village; yes, there’s a dwarf, and dryads) but at the same time made everything totally different and surprising (the dryads are NOT what you’d expect, there are lots of strange and original fantasy creatures about with great names like bog boars and trunders, and I will say no more lest I spoil the surprises).

Basically, everything about this book was fresh and original fantasy, but still felt so classic, and I absolutely loved that!

There are occasional dark bits and scariness, but overall it was much more lighthearted than a lot of fantasy, and I so appreciated that! A book that can have fun and not take itself too seriously, but still be epic and fun and very FANTASY-ish is a book that I can respect whole-heartedly. <3 And yet there’s this great HEART to the story, that just draws you in and makes you fall in love with these characters and their sometimes fun, sometimes heartbreaking moments, with some unexpected depth and emotion behind the humor, and it’s just... all around so, so good. ^_^

Aside from the dangers, I feel like younger kids, as well as young adults and older, would really like this book. It’s kind of awesomely refreshing to read something that I feel would be fun for the entire family, you know? :) As long as the creatures aren’t TOO scary for them. (I’m bad at suggesting ages, otherwise I would.) But basically it’s clean and fun and awesome and has the right kind of feel to appeal to younger readers as well as older ones. I positively adore it at my current age, but I feel like if I’d met it when I was ten it would have become a classic to me then as well.

Oh, and I loved the names! They were charming and quirky and perfect. When you have side characters named things like Percy Durbity, and a river named Minnowchuck, and Elodie and Tum and Aquilax, and trunders and puffernuts, you just know this is an awesome and imaginative fantasy book, and it just WORKS. (I especially love the puffernuts and their name. Just... don’t ask, but I love their presence in this book. XD It’s fun to say. Puffernuts! Puffernuts! Ahem. Anyway...)

It doesn’t need a sequel, specifically, (no cliffhangers, thank goodness!) but I would absolutely love to have more in this storyworld! I’m extremely fond of it, despite the dangers, and I just loved all these characters and humor. ^_^

I really have no complaints at all. It was just a solidly EXCELLENT book. <3

OVERALL (In case you needed to skip my longwinded fangirling. Ahem.)

Utterly original yet completely classic all at once, and FANTASY, and hilarious, and I know each and every character SO WELL, and just. *flails* I LOVED IT! :D Where the Woods Grow Wild is simply an extremely delightful fantasy novel, and I highly recommend it to absolutely anyone who loves fantasy! Come with me on a quest to find the sun-drop girl where the woods grow wild . . . Seriously, go check it out; you will NOT regret it. :D I enjoyed every second of it. ^_^ I’m looking forward to more from this super talented author!

FAVORITE QUOTES (A few, anyway; otherwise I’d be quoting the entire book...)

“You’re making stuffed mushrooms, aren’t you?”

“No I’m not, and you can’t have any.”

***

“Soup is just water and onions pretending to be food.”

***

Martin struggled to re-lace his shoes with his fingers and teeth, a task he had yet to master. The others returned while he was finishing the second shoe.

“Taste good?” Illo asked.

“You don’t want to know.”

***

“She can’t be awake already. If she were awake, she’d be screaming.”

“Yes, right. If she were awake, she would definitely be screaming.”

Elodie was fed up. “I am awake,” she said loudly. “And I’m not screaming.”

***

“Now, where’s the map?”

Podgin slouched in his seat. “I was worried about the humidity, so I tucked it neatly in the pages of that cumbersome book nobody ever reads, along with my favorite mushroom recipes. You know, valuables I can’t afford to misplace.”

“And the book is...?”

Podgin shrugged. “Haven’t seen it since March.”

***

“I refuse to give up on you, because underneath those claws and teeth there’s a stubborn, half-handed mess of a man, and I want him back.”

***

“Do you know what happens if you get too close to the green one?”
Martin shook his head.

“The roots snag your feet and lock you in place until they fancy letting you go, which could take days. I call them anklesnatchers. And the one with the violet leaves? What happens if you get too close to that one?”

“I get eaten?”

“No. Absolutely nothing happens. It’s just a tree.”

I received a free e-copy of this book from the author for review purposes (many thanks! :)). I was not required to write a positive review; these opinions are my own.

Review originally posted on The Page Dreamer: https://thepagedreamer.wordpress.com/...

[Faye Fite · Rating 5 out of 5]

***4.5 stars, rounding up to 5***

Full review can be found here: https://constantcollectible.com/2017/...

Where the Woods Grow Wild is unlike many fantasy novels I’ve read, and in the best possible way. It’s written and published by Nate Philbrick, a talented author who writes fantasy novels that tend to move into the lighter side of storytelling, rather than the dark and depressing mood that dominates the speculative fiction genre.

It is probably due to this outlook that his novel is much more unique than most: It delves into the happier, delightful (though still thoughtful) side of fantasy that is often overlooked. Philbrick wrote this story in a cheerful, light tone while also dealing with some rather serious issues, such as losing family members and learning to live with a disability. It’s the type of funny, clever writing that reminds me of Lloyd Alexander.

While it’s hard to choose my favorite part about this book, I have to go with the world building.
As far as fantasy novels go, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a forest more fully developed than this one. I mean, yes, most of the book does take place in this forest so it probably should be well rounded, but still. It’s pretty darn cool. It has trunders and ankle snatchers, prickle toads and truffles, puffernuts (mustn’t eat) and turtleblossums (mustn’t poke). There was always some new piece of information to discover, and that kept the world fresh and interesting.

Of course, the characters kept things fresh and interesting, too. Martin’s struggle with losing his hand is a sad one to read, but it was handled extremely well. We see him move through many of the different stages of loss: grief, anger, embarrassment, desperation. I felt for his pain and really, really wanted to see him find a way to work out of it.

The rest of the cast was extremely enjoyable: The fun, caring Elodie, the feisty Illo, the wise Fella, and the unfortunate Bramble (a unique mix of both Gurgi and Smeagol).

The messages in this book were just as well thought out as the characters. Martin’s pain upon losing his hand was not only physical, but mental. His struggles came not only from living life without a hand, but also from losing confidence in himself. He placed a massive burden on himself as soon as he decided that have one less hand made him less of a person, and this led to him ostracizing those that cared about him most. His struggle to break out of this thinking – and Elodie’s struggle to help him – lent an extra layer to the story and can really get a reader thinking about the undue pain we tend to push upon ourselves and others when we hurt or get confused.

Where the Woods Grow Wild had very little wrong with it. The fun yet thoughtful mood, outstanding world-building, and great characters left little to be desired. The only problems was a slight predictability of plot points, which didn’t bother me since the journey of getting to said plot points was entertaining and enjoyable. There was also a matter of a shapeshifter and its need to hide its true identity that had a few loose ends I can’t go into because of spoilers.

None of these small problems really bothered me, though. Writing a good book is hard. But writing a good book that takes on some hard problems while also making you laugh? That is the definition of impressive.

Where the Woods Grow Wild by Nate Philbrick is a brilliant indie fantasy novel that I highly recommend, not only for the light writing style, brilliant characters, and excellent world building, but for the amount of thought that went into the messages of family, friendship, and fighting to overcome not only the hardships placed upon you, but the hardships you place upon yourself. Where the Woods Grow Wild is the kind of story I think we all could use a little more of.

[Katelyn Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

New Review
Where the Woods Grow Wild is a delightful read. It’s a clean, fast-paced fantasy adventure filled with likeable characters, vivid settings, and hilarious banter. As mentioned in my previous review, there’s a certain nostalgia that comes with this book, similar to stepping into Narnia for the first time, so when #AuthorBookClub decided to read this book for May, I was down for round two!

“And who are some of these likable characters?” you ask. Well, Martin is a lovable grump, Elodie is a beautifully level-headed and strong female character, Illo is another species of lovable grump, and Bramble is the kind of character that's hard not to love even when he creates big problems.

Something I noticed this time around that I don’t think I fully appreciated the first time was just how well thought-out and precise the plot was. It wasn’t overwhelmingly complicated, but it fit together perfectly at the end, and the foreshadowing was spot-on.

This was the first independent book I ever read, and it was a great introduction to a genre that I’ve since dived whole-heartedly into. As I mentioned in my previous review, some scenes were a little rushed, but the weight of the climax makes up for that. The romance is sweet, the forest setting is fully developed, and it’s a book that I would recommend to anyone looking for a wonderful read.

———————————

Old Review
Well. That was entirely enjoyable.

Some authors don't do a very good job describing the setting around their characters, but Philbrick isn't one of them. Everything was so fully realized—especially the plant and animal life of the forest this story centers around—so I found learning about anklesnatchers, puffernuts, and trunders great fun. (As an aside, I was wondering when an anklesnatcher was going to make its move after that initial conversation, so when it finally did, I thought, "Yes!")

And then there's the dialogue. I found myself frequently stopping to share a little snippet of witty banter with my sister, just so she'd know what on earth I was smiling about.

If I had a critique, it's that a few of the scenes did seem a little short (Martin's transformation by Nayadu coming to mind), but that isn't much in light of the rest of it. Martin and Elodie's relationship was realistic and sweet, and not overdone.

All in all, a very fun read. The imagination behind it reminded me a little of the first time I read the Narnia books—that sense of wonder—that I've entered a whole new world. And now I'm eagerly awaiting the sequel.

[Abigayle Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what hideous force made me set this book down the first time I started it. Because it's truly one of the most clever and entertaining adventure stories I've ever read.

It's chock full of colorful characters that I found super easy to keep straight. I mean, even some of the less desirable characters were still so well done! Highly creative, humorous, and memorable.

The united characters' relationships grew wonderfully and the separated characters had such a lovely and simple bond. The relationships and whom to trust really became the core of the story and it was really quite nice to observe as the villain was a moving target.

The good use of strong vocabulary and imagery made for an effortless read that really came alive. It's the kind of writing that carries purpose and makes me want to go rethink my own (writing, not purpose).

Plus, I think this could pretty much count as a non-magical fantasy. That's never a must for me, but I know it is for others. There are many unique creature races similar to Lord of the Rings, but the only thing close to magic comes from the different creature abilities such as shapeshifting.

I highly recommend this book for readers of all ages. The only thing to be aware of are some perilous situations and injury.

[K.L. + Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having gotten lost in the woods located outside of Bardun Village, Martin and Elodie have to find their way back home. First, they need to find each other. I personally liked how Philbrick switched between Martin and Elodie’s perspectives. It allows the reader to learn more about what is happening to each character without telling it. It also gives us a chance to get to know both Martin and Elodie better, as well as learn what they think about each other.

There’s a reason why the title is Where the Woods Grow Wild—these woods are definitely wild. They are also incredibly well-developed. There several different plants and creatures that you have to keep an eye out for. One wrong step and your ankles could be snatched up by a tree, you could be bitten by a viper, or you could wind up in a huntress’s pit. Basically, watch out for everything.

The characters were very well-rounded, had flaws, and were very likable. Martin and Elodie were always there for each other, even though they were apart for most of the book. It was really sweet. Even the secondary characters were complex. Out of them, I probably like Illo the best. She has a tough exterior, but she has a good heart. Just takes time for it to show itself.
The plot was simple, but it had plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Parts of it were predictable (I figured out what the dryads were planning right away), and parts of the second half dragged on for me (Martin, Martin…). But the second half is also where the major plot twists and character revelations came in, so it was worth it.

This book was a fantastic piece of clean fantasy that I would recommend to anyone. Looking forward to the next book!

[Stargazer R. L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super spectacular!

Full of a lovable, colorful cast of quirky characters, neat creatures, love, Forgiveness, just plain fun adventure, and some epic suspense and PLOT TWISTS! Love this book and all the people in it! <3

[Emily Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read much Fantasy; and it takes a lot for me to like anything in the Fantasy genre. ( I realize that a bunch of people love Fantasy and that's wonderful! I have found few I truly enjoy.)
I can easily say Where the Woods Grow Wild is a new favorite ! I shall name a few reasons why :

• No Useless Background Information : I didn't get bogged down with all the background of relationships and history. Instead, Nate Philbrick, did a wonderful job of showing the characters connections through their actions / feelings.
• Bramble is the cutest mischief maker! I want him as a friend even with his trouble making ways.
• The World Building: What perfection. Just enough detail to get my imagination going. I found myself perfectly seeing everything , without being overwhelmed by details.
• Strong Female Characters : The females were strong and independent without being masculine ( as sometimes happens). Honestly, all the characters were well written .Each had a distinguishable voice! I really enjoyed all the different character strengths and quirks:)
• The Dialogue : while being witty was still realistic. The characters conversations never felt forced and had a natural flow to them . Also I laughed out loud at some of Illo and Martins exchanges.
• The plot was simple ,but still intriguing . I wasn't left running circles in my mind, I knew what was going on.

Over all it was a lighthearted read that I enjoyed immensely . I want to read it to my niece , I think it will be just the book to spark her interest in reading.

[Beth Wangler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second reading:
I loved WtWGW even more the second time through. There is so much foreshadowing and thought put into this book that I didn't catch the first time. I love the characters even more, and I hope to see more adventures in this world!

First reading:
The woods have always captured my imagination, and that is what drew me to this book (in addition to its gorgeous cover). I was not disappointed. This story is such a sweet, fun adventure exploring the magical whimsy and danger of the woods. It was thoroughly fun to read. I recommend it to anyone who wishes they could get lost in the woods for days, or anyone who simply enjoys a fun adventure.

[Grace Crandall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still digesting my thoughts on this one; full review to come :)

[Hope Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming, whimsical tale with personal stakes and fun characters.

[Susannah Metzler · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounding to 5

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I was impressed with the writing style. The characters, personalities, and general playful and light feel of the story reminded me a lot of a daily life of hobbits. Percy Durbity, a minor character who I hope gets more page time in the sequel, made me think of Samwise Gamgee. The point is, a lot of fantasy novels these days are very dark, depressing, and foreboding. It’s hard to find a well written fantasy that’s light hearted and easy and fun to read. Where the Woods Grow Wild, however, fits this unfortunately scarce fantasy genre wonderfully. I would even recommend it as a family read aloud, a book that can be enjoyed by all ages. I was glad to take a break from the tense Stormlight Archive and the Pandora Hearts manga series and relax with something light and genuinely enjoyable during Christmas break.

Characters. 4/5 I loved the characters. I feel like we could have had more background with the main and secondary characters. All we know is what they do, where they live, and what they like to do. But I was left wondering about the protagonist’s past and family. Well, there’s always the sequel.
We have Martin, the protagonist, who works at an inn washing the dishes and feeding the pigs. Upon an accidental trip into the woods to save a runaway pig, a strange occurence strikes which gives him a desire to explore the uknown forest further. Martin is a reasonable character, unlike those reckless youth we see so often, and is a hard worker.
Elodie, his friend, or maybe hinted as sometimes more than just a friend, is a perfect example as a “strong” female character. She knows what she wants and will fight against all odds to get to it without completely losing her head over the matter.
Illo, a girl that both Martin and Elodie meet in the woods, has a temper and a stubbornness problem, but is also very loyal. We get to learn about her past and why she stays with her “older sister,” Fella. There’s a character that comes to mind whenever I think of Illo: I believe Jayla from Star Trek: Beyond is a perfect example of who I’m trying to describe Illo as.
Bramble seems to me like a cute little snuggly ball of fluff. His description reminded me of a rabbit and his speech just drives me crazy-nutters because it’s so adorable. He’s constantly warning about the servants of Nayadu: “Musn’t poke a turtleblossom. Mustn’t eat a puffernut. Mustn’t make Nayadu angry.”
Plot. 5/5 I love how the plot starts simple and stays simple. Sometimes I have the hardest time with plots when it comes to fantasy novels. For example, I’m 350 pages through The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson, and I’m pretty near to clueless as to what the bottomline plot actually is. (Well, it is 1200 something pages, so I’m not exactly complaining, but still.) Kudos to Nate Philbrick for keeping the readers engaged with no plot holes and rabbit trails (mustn’t follow the plot bunnies). I was able to keep reading while being completely aware as to what was going on and was able to stay on track. I just love reading a good novel and understanding everything I read.
The plot twists were fun, unexpected, and very well done, I think. The twists happen towards the end when you figure out this person really is this person and so on, without complicating things too much. It made the story memorable and interesting down to the last word.
The pacing, I think, could have been done better. There were a couple times in the middle where I felt like it was switching back and forth between different characters and point of view, and things started getting predictable. I just wanted to speed things up a bit. I feel this way with a lot of books though, and sometimes wonder if I’m simply an impatient reader. If I were writing, there are a couple scenes I’d consider taking out, but other than those, I think the pacing was alright.
Setting and Worldbuilding. 5/5 Fantasy novels feature forests frequently. (Honest, that alliteration came quite by accident.) They really seem to be the trend nowadays. And Where the Woods Grow Wild is unique in that … the forest is unique? And that’s really what I’m getting at. Sometimes, fantasy forests are really nothing special. They’re just there on the map to give the characters a purposeful looking journey. This forest, however, is the woods. There are a lot of unknown things in the woods, such as turtleblossoms, flying foxes, shapeshifters, puddle plants, finch eggs, prickle toads, dryads, puffernuts, and trunders. All sorts of different creatures live in the forest and there are all sorts of different kinds of nuts and snakes to avoid.
Martin and Elodie live in Bardun Village, which is the same as any small fantasy village you can picture, with a mayor, thatched roofs, and cobblestoned streets. There wasn’t too much worldbuilding done with Bardun Village, as most of the story takes place in the woods. As far as description and detail goes, there wasn’t a whole lot of it as to make a reader’s eyes droop, and yet I wasn’t trying to set up the scene using nothing but my imagination. Donald Maass, an author who wrote a book on writing tips that I enjoyed, said something along the lines of “writing is considered an art when you’ve described a place in your story without the reader even knowing.” Reading Where the Woods Grow Wild was like that.



So there’s my review. I highly recommend this book. And honestly, I think the cover is inviting enough because I got my younger sister to read it without trying hard at all. It’s a great, entertaining read for all ages.

To read the review on my blog, visit ateawithtumnus.wordpress.com

[Erin Dydek · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a minute to get into this one. Martin does not exactly have the most exciting life at the start, but the plot quickly picks up pace as the adventure in the woods begins. The reasons that the villages avoid the woods soon become clear but Martin and Elodie also find friends and allies in the woods to help them along the way. I loved the values of friendship, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice that were explored as the characters navigated the majestic woods. The unique and lovable cast of characters added to the delight I experienced while trekking through the challenges they faced. The book is extremely well-edited and the material is appropriate for middle grade audiences and older. My overall rating was a 4.5 rounded up to a 5.

[Daniel Dydek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was SUCH a fun story!! The characters were so vibrant, the setting rich and wondrous, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. I can echo what some others have said, that Martin didn’t seem to have much of a character arc; but this is also only the second book I’ve ever finished in two days, and the first one was Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. So there’s that.

[Ashley Bogner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come!

[E.B. Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it! Thank you Nathan Philbrick for writing this little gem of a book!

"Where the Woods Grow Wild" is a lighthearted fantasy book full of imagination, adventure, and all the right themes (friendship, hope, self-sacrifice).

Philbrick truly made this story his own. The characters are familiar, but unique. The obstacles, mishaps, and adventures they face were unique, surprising, and engaging. And the humor sprinkled throughout was refreshing and priceless.

Although there is a general conflict (how to get out of the woods) and several more specific conflicts, I would say the book is more experience driven than plot driven. Which leads to my only real critique: Philbrick insists on a realistic timeline (i.e. giving characters days to heal from injuries), but passes over these times with an almost restless narration. Obviously the adventure is the strength of the story (and all the adventures scenes were great fun). If he can learn to describe tea-time with as much detail, depth, and passion as a romp through the forest, then he will be a formidable author indeed, and I will be a life-long fan.

Granted, that is my personal opinion, and not all authors have the same priorities when they craft a story. And don't get me wrong- I am still a fan. This is such a worthwhile read. Don't skip over it!

[Claire Banschbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning started a little slow for me, but by the time I picked it back up, I read the majority of it in one sitting!

Martin and Elodie are from a town that never goes into the woods, until they both stumble upon more adventure than they wanted when they venture into the forest. The world inside the woods was really fun - dryads, winged lynxs, dwarves, and whatever Bramble is. :)

The characters were quite varied as well and I enjoyed all of them. Martin was my favorite, but Illo and Podgin were close seconds. And even though Bramble could be less than helpful, I really adored the way he talked. And I kind of want a stash of puffernuts to throw at annoying people. :P

The plot was twisty and exciting as Martin and Elodie spend their time in the woods looking for one another and very narrowly missing each other several times. But each of their stories still connected and kept you turning pages to see how they would finally find each other.

I really enjoyed this book. Nate Philbrick has a really engaging style and fun sense of humor injected onto every page. Definitely keeping an eye out for more of his books and definitely looking forward to book 2!

[Deborah Kelty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Along with complex stories, I enjoy simple ones as well from time to time. A lot of my childhood stories were like that, and Where The Woods Grow Wild was, like them, a joy to read and more. While the plot has doesn't have a lot of big surprises, I liked the quieter tone this one brings to the table. I liked the premise of it being set in a never ending woodland, and getting to see characters like Martin and Elodie explore it's own lore and creatures. From the new friends they meet, such as Illo, Fella, Podgin, and Bramble, to the different creatures and world building elements such as the ways of the dryads, it's a pleasant read that works just right for one who doesn't expect a lot from it.

For characters, our main protagonist Martin is great, with relatable motivations of revenge after having been attacked at the start of the novel by an mysterious creature that lurks in the woods, which also costs him half his arm. And when his best friend Elodie and himself are separated, it causes his anger to grow as he tries to save her himself, even when it means not choosing help from others. Elodie is also very sweet; her curiosity and kindness as well as compassion is what makes her all the more likable, and Illo is native to the trees whose sarcastic perspective adds to the fun of the story.The only part I felt was a bit off was the climax dragging a little, but a small pick nonetheless.

In fact, it's the kind of adventure that has a light atmosphere and humorous comedy much akin to that of C.S Lewis (or as I've heard from some, Lloyd Alexander) among other similar books you would have read when you were younger,
and one I highly recommend especially as a family read!

[Janelle Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't say enough about this delightful book. The writing is fresh and inventive, with a few dashes of humor. The characters are deep and delightful. The various creatures in the woods are original. Honestly, I can't remember the last time a YA/Middle Grade book caught my fancy quite like this except for the Chronicles of Narnia. Hello... who wouldn't love Bramble and the way he talks? Or King Prickle and his haunting madness? The clean, wondrous love of Martin and Elodie? The mystery of the woods, and that first spark of imagination we all have as children discovering new worlds for the first time?

Just do yourself a favor and pick this one up. And if you have children in middle school/early high school, you really MUST have them read this. They will LOVE it.

[Squire Whitney: Hufflepuff Book Reviwer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where the Woods Grow Wild is a decidedly fun and eloquently written piece of fantasy with sharp humor, excellent world-building, and a plethora of fun characters. There were things about the story that I didn’t love, but the positive elements of the story made up for the less-than-amazing aspects for me.

So, what did I most love about the book? Where the Woods Grow Wild contains some of the most excellent, top-notch world-building I’ve ever encountered. Philbrick expertly portrays the woods and everything that abides there to the reader. He manages to capture his reader’s imagination in a manner that I—as a fellow author—envy.

Many of the characters were also a ton-and-a-half of fun. I especially loved Bramble and the Dryads; these characters kept me laughing and smiling throughout the novel. The dryads were particularly amusing, I thought. The marriage scene that took place within the Dryad palace might have become my favorite scene I’ve ever read in any indie book; that scene was perfection in every sense of the word. I adored King Prickle—or “Sticky Majesty,” as Bramble oh-so memorably calls him.

The other thing I especially loved about Where the Woods Grow Wild was the humor. The characters have a keen sense of wit, which makes way for some hilarious banter. Several times I laughed out loud.

So, why the mere three-star rating, then? Simply, I did not like Martin’s character. I felt that he was very bland—and, even beyond this, there was something about Martin that I just didn’t like and had a difficult time rooting for. I quite liked Elodie, but I found myself often wondering what in the world she saw in Martin. I feel like there were positive aspects of Martin’s character which didn’t really come into fruition within the story, and think I would have enjoyed the story vastly more if I would have been able to identify with the protagonist more fully. Martin's development was actually my only major issue with Where the Woods Grows Wild--but, still, it's hard to fully get into a piece of fantasy when you simply don't like the protagonist and feel unable to identify with him.

Another issue I had with the book is a vague spoiler—so skip the next sentence if you want to avoid a vague spoiler. I just felt really bad for Wolf and Copper. **cries hysterically**

On the whole, I might have been exactly the target audience for Where the Wild Woods Grow, but I still quite enjoyed it. It’s an undeniably fun book that I would recommend to lovers of fantasy!

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful, must-read adventure.

"Is he dangerous when he's mad?" Martin asked.
"That all depends on how you feel about getting turned into a tree."

This is just one of the many lines that had me laughing out loud as I read Nate Philbrick's latest fantasy novel. It was quotes like these, posted on his Twitter feed in the days before the book's release, that made me eager to read it in the first place. When the launch date finally arrived, I was not disappointed.

"Where the Woods Grow Wild" is a story about two kids getting lost in the woods, and the various unusual creatures and people they encounter there. The formula is a time-honored one, but the plot, characterization, and storyworld are wholly unique. Nothing happens quite the way you expect it to. I won't spoil any plot twists, but suffice it to say there are a lot of them. The whole book is infused with a delightful, whimsical tone in the vein of "Over the Garden Wall" - though that's not to say there aren't dark moments as well. Mr. Philbrick handles both the light-hearted and serious elements with equal skill. The protagonists are all likable and realistic, with believable reactions to the predicaments they find themselves in. The most refreshing aspect of the story was Martin and Elodie's relationship. It's taken as read from the beginning that they're in love, and while their relationship is tested by the story's events, their interactions never become maudlin. They're best friends just as much as they are boyfriend and girlfriend. I found myself cheering for Elodie in particular as she braved all manner of setbacks in order to rescue Martin from an unthinkable fate. (Elodie is awesome. And by the end of the story, she's even more awesome.)

I'm very pleased this charming book is the first in a series, as I began missing its characters the moment I finished it. Buy it today. You won't regret it.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I'm extremely impressed.

It has great characters, an amazing plot, and a writing style that resembles llyod Alexander's. Enough said

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific! Thanks for the recommendation, Luke. Nate has produced a real winner. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

[Hannah Krynicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where the Woods Grow Wild is a humorous, rollicking adventure story with a good heart at the bottom of it all. In fact, it reminded me of an old German folk tale. The story is filled with monsters and danger, and it does indeed get scary sometimes, but that doesn't detract from the optimism or the humor. All the characters, even the minor ones, have their own personalities and quirks and often got me chuckling within a few minutes of meeting them. While I wasn't fond of the ending, which felt a bit too coincidental, that didn't stop me from enjoying a truly good story. I'm interested to see how everything pans out in the next book.

All in all, WtWGW is a fun fantasy book of a style all its own.

[Ursi Engebretsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Nate Philbrick builds an incredible fantasy world for his story. At first, the title gave me pause; I thought, oh boy, there are SO many fantasy novels with woods in them, and they tend to all be the same! But these woods aren't like any other woods I've seen. They're filled with strange creatures that break the usual forest-creature mold. The characters are great, too...dynamic and relatable. There's a strong theme of friendship, which I really like. Oh, and the suspense is well-done. All in all, a terrific book!

[H.S. Kylian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite charming, and Podgin and Bramble had to be the funniest characters. Bramble reminded me of both Gollum and Radagast from The Hobbit.

I guessed the twist about halfway through the book, then I was like, "Oh wait, maybe it's not that..."
But it was.

Martin was definitely a stubbornhead - both he and Elodie - but the way they kept looking for each other even when all seemed hopeless...

And the banter between Illo and Podgin, haha!

I'll have to read this again. :)

[Allyson]

A very cute, hilarious, and entertaining fantasy read. The imaginative characters jumped from the pages and made a lasting impression. I also loved how it was difficult to decipher the motives of some of the minor characters, so readers are thrust into a mystery to discover who is friend or foe. I highly recommend this novel to lovers of clean fantasy, especially middle grade audiences.

[Joseph Leskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original review as of December 8, 2018:
Now, if you don't want to read my review, you're definitely looking in the wrong direction. Personally, I'd suggest that you continue looking in this direction (it's a great direction, really) and read this thing I've written anyway. However, If you are firm in your resolve, I propose that you abandon my review and, obtaining this book in any feasible, legal fashion, read it, seeing as it's just about as good as books get. This latter course, I have to admit, is a more efficient and useful approach.

On the other hand, you definitely want to read my review, yes? Excellent.

I fear that in the next little while, I shall try and fail to convey just how much categorical spectacularity can be ascribed to this book's name. However, let it never be said that I didn't try.

I have no idea where to begin. This book is just so very brilliant. Given the choice between 1.85 kilograms of mixed nuts and this book, I'd take the mixed nuts, but only because I already have this book. For a perhaps more weighty gastronomic analogy, I'd go as far as to say that I like this book more than I do hummingbird cake!

But enough with the subjectivity. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty. (That's too many “it-y” sort of sounds in a single sentence for my taste, by the way, but I've already written it and it's passably grammatical, so there goes any chance of revision.)

Before I tackle the actual story, let's just take a quick gander at the author's writing. I knew that he was probably a good writer, just by the way he wrote and also the appearance of his most excellent digital artwork, but then I read this book and I have come to realize that he is sovereign over the pen – maybe legions of pens. Each new sentence flowed just exactly like so much electromagnetic radiation – or maybe not, but I was trying for poetic language here. Vivid, the book was. Absolutely vivid. The writing generates nearly total engrossment in the reader. Unless if they're too distracted, but it would be a pity and a shame – if not an impossibility – to read this book overly distracted. In all seriousness, though, this writing is the sort that is prerequisite for that particular kind of elation that hopefully you know and can properly appreciate.

Naturally, good writing in a novel does not necessarily equal a good plot, as I've indicated before, but, if there were any faulty elements of this plot, I must be sorely unobservant. In four words, it was masterfully done. The twists were completely delightful. I predicted at least one of them, but another had me temporarily quite bemused. Unfortunately, my memory is being about as helpful as a decomposed acacia leaf in this area of things right now, so I have no idea which one had me bemused. But there were some things that might just be considered bemusing. Back to the plot, however. The pacing is excellent – the reader is comfortably aware that the story is definitely going somewhere and it will be rather thrilling in the process, but nothing is ever revealed prematurely. Each page is quite an embodiment of suspense in its own right.

As for foul, profane, obscene, loathsome, or otherwise undesirable content, there was none! Not a bit of it.

Now, in accordance with the principle of delayed gratification, I will touch on the really good stuff (a.k.a. my favorite components of this story):

It HAS A GREEN COVER!!!!!!! Admittedly, that isn't my favorite part of this book and it's pretty irrelevant to the story anyway, but it deserves a polite mention. (Of course, now that I've mentioned the cover, I must needs say that it is comely to the highest degree and bountifully aesthetic. And that title – completely amazing. One of my favorites, now that you mention it.)

You know, this is a lot of laud I'm pouring out. I might be critical about everything for a couple weeks after this.

*takes a semi-accidental break of ~24+ hours from writing this review that you don't have to concern yourself with, because you only see the finished result*

Now, finally, enter my three (or two, depending) favorite components: the worldbuilding, the setting, and the characters.

The setting is unequivocally wondrous and the worldbuilding is incontrovertibly splendid. But it's not enough to just say so. I could say, “Hey, look at the hippo! It's got a nose!”, but that's no reason to believe me. Of course, everything else I say here is also just words, so I guess you don't have to believe me anyway. Bother. Welp, on we go – the setting.

First of all – hopefully, you don't consider this too much of a spoiler – the book is mainly set in a woodland. And I defy you to claim that you have ever in all your life found a forest that could rival the supremacy of this one. This thing is intensely enjoyable, this forest is. It gives one a subtle comfortable feeling that such a setting should (although there is cause for discomfort in the woods themselves). But why are these woods so brilliant that they can produce such an ambiance? Because I say they are, obvs. No, actually, these woods are brilliant because in them are the objects known as puffernuts (these things are amazing); dryads (and they are . . . different from what a person might be used to); rivers that are named excellently well; Bramble (top quality, Bramble is, but interesting dynamics and everything happen, so I won't say any more); and bog boars. And there's the matter of Nayadu. But that's not all. There are truffles!!!! And this book is just aMaZiNg. Ahem. So, yes, this woodland is essentially my favorite ever. And, of course, there is also Bardun Village and that too is just fine.

Ack. It's painfully difficult to write a review that's meant to be “glowing,” as those English-speakers would have it – I think I'm failing pretty miserably, really. There are too many excellent elements in this book to make sense of. (And, yes, I do unashamedly make use of preposition stranding – proud of it, too!)

Now for the characters. There's kinda that dual narrative sort of stuff going on with the two main ones (it was done exceedingly well, incidentally), so that's fun. And were the aforementioned characters terrific? Obviously. Furthermore, there are several other characters (a total of two doesn't typically constitute a story's entire assemblage). And were they just as terrific? Completely so. But so many of these individuals could be a person's favorite character, and it just so happens that this is one of those stories where I say to myself, “Y'know, old boy, it is imperative that you pick a favorite character.” So, rather arbitrarily, my favorite character is

F WHERE F ∈ { Bramble, Illo, Podgin }

– at least, I think so. These three, don't you know, happen to be just exactly the sort that I like very well to read about. Of course, I also very much like the main characters and others besides, so now my mind is pretty well unmade down and oh well.

And how, you might well ask, does this knowledge of a random reviewer's personal favorite characters help anybody? Well, if the body in question doesn't even know who these folks are, it probably doesn't.

But, now that I've dealt with the preliminary stuff, it's time for the actual point of this review.

Actual point of this review, because the following is the determining factor in determining whether a book is any good or not: This book is really funny. It consistently has really funny lines. The funny lines that this book has make a person laugh. Like this: ha ha ha.*

This story also contains serious stuff, which was also done with singular skill.

But the dialogue! It's just so good! But** I suppose have to end this review somewhere, so bye.

--
* DISCLAIMER: Many people may not laugh like this. I didn't, for one. Actually, I might. It's hard to tell when you're the one laughing.
** It seems like I've use the word but a lot in this review, but there is a total of only 13 instances of its appearance, and, considering how useful the thing is, what else could I do?

[Justice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute!
This is a fun book. It may be a little long, but it's certainly enjoyable. I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Azelyn Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of my New Year's resolution this year was to read more independently published books. Even as an author of an indie-published series, I’m wary of indie-books. My main concern is that not all indie-authors use an editor, and what if the writing style is—well—difficult? This was not the case with Where the Woods Grow Wild. Philbrick left me pleasantly surprised, marvelling at his method for describing settings and situations. The light-hearted tone and often humorous descriptions kept me enchanted. I could hardly put the book down.

“Percy shook his head. ‘Mother left me a list of things I ought to do and ought not to do, and right between “you ought to wash your feet twice a day” and “you ought to smile at people and say hello”—that’s a hard one—she wrote “you ought not to go in the forest, not ever.” Sometimes I get it all confused and say hello to my feet twice a day, but I know for sure I ought not to disobey Mother.’”

I started marking which quotes I liked best but soon lost track as I got caught up in the story and didn’t want to mark every chapter.

Another thing I liked about the book was that I wasn’t always sure where it was going. While most of the book focuses on Martin and Elodie trying to find each other, it doesn’t dwell on that challenge for the entire book.

I liked the characters. There’s more to each one than meets the eye. Martin is more than his disability, Elodie is more than a pretty girl, and even Podgin is more than a mushroom-obsessed dwarf (I think he’s a dwarf. Yes, let’s go with that.) But my favorite character has to be Illo. She’s good with a bow, skilled with climbing, and masterful with sass. She reminds me a bit of my own sister.

The only thing I didn’t care for was that some of the challenges seemed difficult when the characters talked about them, but they ended up breezing through them in the end. The only beasts of the woods who seemed to pose a real challenge were the trunders, which were fascinating creatures indeed.

In all, I gave this book 4/5 stars for masterful storytelling and great themes but some deflated suspense. Reminiscent of some of the fantasy elements of The Chronicles of Narnia and some of the characters of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, I’d definitely recommend this story to readers of fantasy. I look forward to the next book!

[Rachel Svendsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and engaging story about friendship, truth, and overcoming your inner demons. The characters were at times sweet and wise, and others adorable and quirky. I loved how the story emphasized honesty and unconditional love in relationships. Philbrick has a great ability to describe his settings, which made the wild woods within his story truly come alive.