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The Elderen Wood
Amara, Iris, Luna, and Elle have been best friends since kindergarten. For so long, Amara believed they were inseparable. But when the group stumbles upon a mysterious door in the middle of the woods, everything begins to change. Now, in King Arthur's Camelot, their friendship will be tested as they learn more about themselves and discover the dark secret that the legends seemed to be missing.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 23, 2023
9 people are currently reading
1250 people want to read
About the author
Ally Stay
1 book29 followersAlthough Ally grew up on the sunny beaches of Southern California, her imagination often took her elsewhere. She spent most of her childhood watching The Lord of The Rings and writing silly stories of magic, castles, and dragons. As she grew, this love grew with her. Her imaginative mind allowed her to explore creativity in other realms, such as dance, art, and film making. When she is not trying to complete her reading goal on Goodreads, you can often find her drinking chai with her friends, and rewatching her favorite show Stranger Things.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 30, 2023
This 23 of march is the publication date!!
THE ELDEREN WOODS REVIEW. IT CAN CONTAIN SPOILERS.
This book is my first Arc sent by the author herself. And it’s her first book too. Even tho I was super grateful about it. I knew that I wanted to give an honest opinion. I was a bit scared that I was not going to love love the book and didn’t know what to say about it. Luckily, I was worrying for nothing. Let’s start with the review.
This book is based on King Arthur's world. These four girls are sad because they are going to different colleges and not going to be together like they have been doing since 13 years ago. So, they decide to have a last trip and go camping. Then they discover a secret magic door that brings them to Camelot.
Before ending this book I made this list to make sure that I didn’t forget to talk about anything:
PROS:
-Wholesome.
-Wants a group of friends like them.
-Short chapters
-Multiple povs
-Camelot World
-Strong heroines
-Low stakes
-Short book. Normally in fantasy, the books are longer and darker. This one felt more like a hug and hot tea on a rainy day.
After reading THAT ENDING I can say that it has a plot twist that makes me cry. It was darker and less wholesome than I thought it would be. I’m traumatized.
The only thing that I will say (that it can be a flaw or not depending on the reader) is that it’s a bit slow at times. But it makes sense because we were learning more about the characters and this new world.
For my safety reader, technically there is only one romance in this book. And there is no ow/ OM drama. He doesn’t seem like a manho and we know that she had an aversion to guys and relationships. So, probably a virgin.
I felt that I could connect with all of them. They have problems and flaws that I can see in myself and also, they are strong in other things that I can see in myself too. This book is perfect for those who want a YA book inspired by the world of King Arthur but more centered on the friendship than romance. We only have one kiss and a half.
I would love to hear how they are doing sometime in the future. More adventures together and how they are coping after everything. They still have a long road ahead.
Congratulations Ally! I am adding you to my list of to-buy-always writers.
THE ELDEREN WOODS REVIEW. IT CAN CONTAIN SPOILERS.
This book is my first Arc sent by the author herself. And it’s her first book too. Even tho I was super grateful about it. I knew that I wanted to give an honest opinion. I was a bit scared that I was not going to love love the book and didn’t know what to say about it. Luckily, I was worrying for nothing. Let’s start with the review.
This book is based on King Arthur's world. These four girls are sad because they are going to different colleges and not going to be together like they have been doing since 13 years ago. So, they decide to have a last trip and go camping. Then they discover a secret magic door that brings them to Camelot.
Before ending this book I made this list to make sure that I didn’t forget to talk about anything:
PROS:
-Wholesome.
-Wants a group of friends like them.
-Short chapters
-Multiple povs
-Camelot World
-Strong heroines
-Low stakes
-Short book. Normally in fantasy, the books are longer and darker. This one felt more like a hug and hot tea on a rainy day.
After reading THAT ENDING I can say that it has a plot twist that makes me cry. It was darker and less wholesome than I thought it would be. I’m traumatized.
The only thing that I will say (that it can be a flaw or not depending on the reader) is that it’s a bit slow at times. But it makes sense because we were learning more about the characters and this new world.
For my safety reader, technically there is only one romance in this book. And there is no ow/ OM drama. He doesn’t seem like a manho and we know that she had an aversion to guys and relationships. So, probably a virgin.
I felt that I could connect with all of them. They have problems and flaws that I can see in myself and also, they are strong in other things that I can see in myself too. This book is perfect for those who want a YA book inspired by the world of King Arthur but more centered on the friendship than romance. We only have one kiss and a half.
I would love to hear how they are doing sometime in the future. More adventures together and how they are coping after everything. They still have a long road ahead.
Congratulations Ally! I am adding you to my list of to-buy-always writers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2023
“Drowning is quite possibly the worst death Amaya could imagine.” This YA debut novel sucks you in from the very first line!
A reimagining of the Camelot legend that takes place after the death of King Arthur and Merlin’s subsequent disappearance, The Elderen Wood by Ally Stay explores the relationship between four best friends who are on one last trip before they go their separate ways and head off to college. They are sucked into the past through a magic portal while on a rafting trip (maybe a tip of the hat to the show Land of the Lost?) to The Elderen Wood and Camelot where adventure awaits.
Immediately there is conflict as two of them want to find a way home as soon as possible, and two of them want to stay. They agree that they will stay a week and then start searching for a way back to their own time period. But soon the friends find themselves physically reacting to their new environment and gaining special abilities and just as soon, those abilities start to separate them.
Without giving away any spoilers, this fantasy novel is full of secrets, magic, kings, knights, fairies, witches, and dragons!
A little bit about the writing style.
Each of the friends personalities are well-developed and hold both pros and cons, making each of the four main characters interesting. Each chapter is told from a particular character’s POV in a third person narrative as if you were listening to a storyteller around a campfire. I found the writing style to be different, but interesting. There are a few spelling errors and misused wordage, but on the whole it is easily overlooked and the novel itself starts a little slow but soon picks up speed with action and intrigue! All in all, this novel is a fairly quick read, especially for a fantasy.
Some of the tropes present in the novel are: fish out of water, emotional scars, different worlds, Is it all as it seems?, time travel, fairytale retelling, The Quest, magic, unique setting, a heroic adventure, friends, transition from childhood to adult, women are just as good as men.
There is some language, incidents of alcohol consumption, and a death in this novel that would not make it appropriate for anyone under the age of 16, but otherwise it is a fairly clean novel that I definitely recommend for those who like fantasy, medieval settings, and magic!
A reimagining of the Camelot legend that takes place after the death of King Arthur and Merlin’s subsequent disappearance, The Elderen Wood by Ally Stay explores the relationship between four best friends who are on one last trip before they go their separate ways and head off to college. They are sucked into the past through a magic portal while on a rafting trip (maybe a tip of the hat to the show Land of the Lost?) to The Elderen Wood and Camelot where adventure awaits.
Immediately there is conflict as two of them want to find a way home as soon as possible, and two of them want to stay. They agree that they will stay a week and then start searching for a way back to their own time period. But soon the friends find themselves physically reacting to their new environment and gaining special abilities and just as soon, those abilities start to separate them.
Without giving away any spoilers, this fantasy novel is full of secrets, magic, kings, knights, fairies, witches, and dragons!
A little bit about the writing style.
Each of the friends personalities are well-developed and hold both pros and cons, making each of the four main characters interesting. Each chapter is told from a particular character’s POV in a third person narrative as if you were listening to a storyteller around a campfire. I found the writing style to be different, but interesting. There are a few spelling errors and misused wordage, but on the whole it is easily overlooked and the novel itself starts a little slow but soon picks up speed with action and intrigue! All in all, this novel is a fairly quick read, especially for a fantasy.
Some of the tropes present in the novel are: fish out of water, emotional scars, different worlds, Is it all as it seems?, time travel, fairytale retelling, The Quest, magic, unique setting, a heroic adventure, friends, transition from childhood to adult, women are just as good as men.
There is some language, incidents of alcohol consumption, and a death in this novel that would not make it appropriate for anyone under the age of 16, but otherwise it is a fairly clean novel that I definitely recommend for those who like fantasy, medieval settings, and magic!
February 5, 2023
The Elderen Wood is a fun filled twist on Arthurian Legend that follows four teen girls who everyone can relate to. It is a realistic depiction of female friendship and the struggles of entering adulthood. 10/10 recommend!
February 8, 2023
Genuinely a breathtaking work, I am so excited for the sequel! The writing really takes you into the beautiful, ethereal world of Camelot. Not to mention the CHARACTERS?? Well-written? Check. Witty? Check. Each has their own (realistic!) personality? Check. It reminds me of the excitement of reading Harry Potter for the first time and truly falling in love not only with the world, but the friendships in it. 10/10, definitely recommend.
March 4, 2024
DNF at 40%
I never dnf books but this one I *could not* finish. When I started this, I was just wanting a cute, quick read and this book seemed like it would be just that.
It was not.
The writing was juvenile, which I didn’t mind, as I knew this was a debut novel and I wasn’t expecting to be reading a refined piece of literature. The problems started when the writing became implausible. The girls are sent back to the time of King Arthur, but other than putting on some fancy dresses, the time period change doesn’t seem to have occurred at all. The thing that made me dnf though was when one of the girls tries to girlboss a knight into feminism and then gets angry at him when he says the king would kill him. He (out of thin air) has become her love interest, so she has the right to throw a fit when he won’t let her become a knight.
Another thing that bothered me was the lack of fleshed out writing. While reading I didn’t feel as though I could be attached to many of the characters because not only were their characters not really fleshed out, but their plots and actions within the storyline were very rushed and therefore felt out of place. One of the girls randomly runs off with a secret society of mages and abandons her friends without a single fear for her life after just being thrown back into a different world. That just didn’t mesh well with me.
Maybe if I would’ve finished the book I could’ve seen a resolution that brought all of these rushed and fragmented plots together, but it was not worth the pained teeth pulling experience.
I never dnf books but this one I *could not* finish. When I started this, I was just wanting a cute, quick read and this book seemed like it would be just that.
It was not.
The writing was juvenile, which I didn’t mind, as I knew this was a debut novel and I wasn’t expecting to be reading a refined piece of literature. The problems started when the writing became implausible. The girls are sent back to the time of King Arthur, but other than putting on some fancy dresses, the time period change doesn’t seem to have occurred at all. The thing that made me dnf though was when one of the girls tries to girlboss a knight into feminism and then gets angry at him when he says the king would kill him. He (out of thin air) has become her love interest, so she has the right to throw a fit when he won’t let her become a knight.
Another thing that bothered me was the lack of fleshed out writing. While reading I didn’t feel as though I could be attached to many of the characters because not only were their characters not really fleshed out, but their plots and actions within the storyline were very rushed and therefore felt out of place. One of the girls randomly runs off with a secret society of mages and abandons her friends without a single fear for her life after just being thrown back into a different world. That just didn’t mesh well with me.
Maybe if I would’ve finished the book I could’ve seen a resolution that brought all of these rushed and fragmented plots together, but it was not worth the pained teeth pulling experience.
February 23, 2023
I have not experienced characters that I care about this much and am so enamored by in YA since Shadow and Bone (& Six of Crows).
A wonderfully captivating debut. I am utterly obsessed. For those who are fans of BBC Merlin, this is my favorite YA adaptation. For those who are not, please still pick up this book.
It has it all:
- characters that your root for and young adults and adults alike can identify with in such a deep-rooted way
- captivating plot with a twist that will leave you satisfied but wanting more
beautiful, descriptive setting
- (the best) tropes such as found family, enemies to lovers, hurt comfort - that are part of why we love YA
- complex, beautiful female friendships that mirror my own experiences
Plot:
Four best friends, before leaving for college, walk through a door (narnia-esque) and end up in Camelot from Arthurian legend. They find out how they each are more than they expected and amongst all that is happening around them, it is put to the test to see if they will stay so tightly knit as they each grow and change apart from each other.
Characters:
Amaya - The main protagonist, however, the POV does rotate between the four girls. Sensitive, expressive, and loyal. Creative, introspective, imaginative - lives much of life in their own mind. Perhaps has the hardest time in the book which limits some of the qualities we see till the end. Reminiscent of: Will - Stranger Things, Eddie - 911, Dani - Haunting of Bly Manor, Gordie - Stand by Me.
Eldora - Protective, grounded, ambitious, and strong. Physically gifted and sharp-witted. A natural leader. Reminiscent of: Katniss - Hunger Games, Dot - The Wilds, Max - Stranger Things.
Iris - Outgoing, sarcastic, and straight shooter. Lives in the action of the world, always doing, bringing a special quality wherever she goes. Reminiscent of: Fatin - The Wilds, Han Solo - Star Wars, April - Park and Rec, Mike - Stanger Things.
Luna <3 -. Peaceful and kind. Curious, observant, and a deep thinker. Afraid of conflict and lover of all things celestial and critters - especially the small. Reminiscent of: Beth - Little Women, Peeta or Rue - Hunger Games, Nell - Haunting of Hill House.
I am desperate for a prequel or sequel. There are bits I wanted to have fleshed out more (i.e: heists, Edmund, the Great War) but I know these would just come with more books. You can only do so much, and what this book aims to do, it accomplishes with charm and care.
A wonderfully captivating debut. I am utterly obsessed. For those who are fans of BBC Merlin, this is my favorite YA adaptation. For those who are not, please still pick up this book.
It has it all:
- characters that your root for and young adults and adults alike can identify with in such a deep-rooted way
- captivating plot with a twist that will leave you satisfied but wanting more
beautiful, descriptive setting
- (the best) tropes such as found family, enemies to lovers, hurt comfort - that are part of why we love YA
- complex, beautiful female friendships that mirror my own experiences
Plot:
Four best friends, before leaving for college, walk through a door (narnia-esque) and end up in Camelot from Arthurian legend. They find out how they each are more than they expected and amongst all that is happening around them, it is put to the test to see if they will stay so tightly knit as they each grow and change apart from each other.
Characters:
Amaya - The main protagonist, however, the POV does rotate between the four girls. Sensitive, expressive, and loyal. Creative, introspective, imaginative - lives much of life in their own mind. Perhaps has the hardest time in the book which limits some of the qualities we see till the end. Reminiscent of: Will - Stranger Things, Eddie - 911, Dani - Haunting of Bly Manor, Gordie - Stand by Me.
Eldora - Protective, grounded, ambitious, and strong. Physically gifted and sharp-witted. A natural leader. Reminiscent of: Katniss - Hunger Games, Dot - The Wilds, Max - Stranger Things.
Iris - Outgoing, sarcastic, and straight shooter. Lives in the action of the world, always doing, bringing a special quality wherever she goes. Reminiscent of: Fatin - The Wilds, Han Solo - Star Wars, April - Park and Rec, Mike - Stanger Things.
Luna <3 -. Peaceful and kind. Curious, observant, and a deep thinker. Afraid of conflict and lover of all things celestial and critters - especially the small. Reminiscent of: Beth - Little Women, Peeta or Rue - Hunger Games, Nell - Haunting of Hill House.
I am desperate for a prequel or sequel. There are bits I wanted to have fleshed out more (i.e: heists, Edmund, the Great War) but I know these would just come with more books. You can only do so much, and what this book aims to do, it accomplishes with charm and care.
January 3, 2024
I am a huge fan of BBC Merlin, and I loved how this book made many references to the show. It had its own story but also incorporated both the show and the original legends.
June 2, 2025
This is the worst book I have read in my life. I understand that this is a debut novel, but I personally question the sanity of whatever deranged publishing house let this reach the market.
The language is childish. So many to be verbs and juvenile sentences. The formatting of the book is awful too. This are books where perspective chapters elevate the reading experience and books where perspective chapters are tedious and unnecessary— especially when the characters are all so irritatingly similar with no discernible personality traits. The only good thing about the perspective changes every chapter is Amaya’s last name changing, but that was just a cool detail and nothing more.
To backtrack a little, the characters are so 2 dimensional that I consider them 1 dimensional. They’re all obnoxious and have stereotypical “I’m not like the other girls” vibe. Luna and her stupid black dress because she’s not like the other shallow girls who dress in poofy dresses in CAMELOT! WHERE SHE’S A GUEST IN A CASTLE. Iris and her foul language is phrased as soooo different and so funny when it’s just boring and cringe. Eldora and her ‘feminism’ which is really just she’s tough and hates men but has a softer side and also hates when women flirt with men because she’s not like them. I don’t even want to talk about Amaya and her little victim complex. I hate all the characters and they’re generic and simple.
This writer needs a better editor or needs to take a writing class that isn’t run by a middle school girl who writes fanfiction as credentials.
The language is childish. So many to be verbs and juvenile sentences. The formatting of the book is awful too. This are books where perspective chapters elevate the reading experience and books where perspective chapters are tedious and unnecessary— especially when the characters are all so irritatingly similar with no discernible personality traits. The only good thing about the perspective changes every chapter is Amaya’s last name changing, but that was just a cool detail and nothing more.
To backtrack a little, the characters are so 2 dimensional that I consider them 1 dimensional. They’re all obnoxious and have stereotypical “I’m not like the other girls” vibe. Luna and her stupid black dress because she’s not like the other shallow girls who dress in poofy dresses in CAMELOT! WHERE SHE’S A GUEST IN A CASTLE. Iris and her foul language is phrased as soooo different and so funny when it’s just boring and cringe. Eldora and her ‘feminism’ which is really just she’s tough and hates men but has a softer side and also hates when women flirt with men because she’s not like them. I don’t even want to talk about Amaya and her little victim complex. I hate all the characters and they’re generic and simple.
This writer needs a better editor or needs to take a writing class that isn’t run by a middle school girl who writes fanfiction as credentials.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2023
I haven’t read a story in such a long time that depicted the power of friendship so accurately. I am slowly integrating myself into the fantasy genre, and I realized how much I truly enjoy getting lost in a mythical world as well as falling in love with amazing characters. I love stories where each person uncovers their true potential, having gone through moments of hardship or self-doubt only to realize they were always extraordinary and are even stronger when they are true to themselves. Not only did each character in this story display those characteristics, but they discovered that their strength also was within each other. Friendship is magical, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. If you enjoy the fantasy genre or are looking for a book to help you enter this genre, definitely pick up a copy of this book!
July 11, 2023
The Elderen Wood is one of those books that you can fall in love with fast! It's fast paced, has great writing, and the characters are loveable! Has a great spin on the King Arthurian legend and BBC's Merlin. A great book to start or get back into reading. Well written and Ally is incredibly nice!
July 27, 2023
Cute story but suffers from juvenile writing style and lack of proper editing. If you're a BBC Merlin fan, there are some callbacks to the show that are enjoyable, but ultimately this book needs some TLC.
November 13, 2023
i love the idea but not the execution. the plot feels rushed and the writing style feels young. i’m not sure if this is this author’s first book, but it feels like it. i had high hopes and this book just didn’t meet them.
August 23, 2023
It's an amazing escape from reality. I love being enthralled with the magical kingdom these girls are encountering. Such a fun read.
Read
January 14, 2024This book wasn’t for me. I got to 13% before giving up. It was too rushed. The writing was very juvenile. It felt like a middle grade book.
February 16, 2025
great story
February 26, 2025
This was a fun read, sort of. Saying that, it does have flaws. A lot of them. The writing was subpar and repetitive, the characters weren't fleshed out, and there were numerous grammatical mistakes. The constant change in character perspectives was jaring- most perspectives didn't last more than a few pages. Additionally, this story is supposed to be about King Arthur, but most characters are orginial and not in the myths. Canon Athurian characters only make brief appearances.
This story had a lot of potentional. I liked the friendship between the main four girls, and I liked how they each had their issues they struggled with throughout the story. The relationship between Elle and Evan was cute, and I liked the subplot where Elle tries to become a knight. I feel like this story could have been very good if it had gone through a few more revisions/editing. Again, I did enjoy reading this, despite all my criticisms.
This story had a lot of potentional. I liked the friendship between the main four girls, and I liked how they each had their issues they struggled with throughout the story. The relationship between Elle and Evan was cute, and I liked the subplot where Elle tries to become a knight. I feel like this story could have been very good if it had gone through a few more revisions/editing. Again, I did enjoy reading this, despite all my criticisms.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2024
i very much liked this book, i managed to read this one in an entire day as i couldn’t put the book down!
there were quite a few references to BBC merlin, which i enjoyed reading.
friendship being such an integral, essential part of the story, was something i liked as well.
overall - this is a pretty great debut novel! well done to the author.
there were quite a few references to BBC merlin, which i enjoyed reading.
friendship being such an integral, essential part of the story, was something i liked as well.
overall - this is a pretty great debut novel! well done to the author.
May 2, 2024
Was in a reading slump after finishing The Dragon Reborn and so this was an easy, fun, wholesome read. Definitely very different fantasy from what I’m use to, being under 300 pages and not a series so everything happened really fast, which I think I needed. I needed something I could be half awake reading and was just fun and a little childish.
June 18, 2023
*3.5 stars. Oh my god i’m not okay. Emotional whiplash, pain, trauma and some of the most loveable characters ever
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews