Heart of the Forest- Cousin Friendship Series #1
Coming of Age, YA Fantasy
Independent
July 13, 2022
Kinde
212
Amazon
It’s Thanksgiving, but Ilyria Norton isn’t feeling thankful. Her cousin Jerry Norton and his family are coming for a visit, and as always, she is forced to listen to her pompous cousin's achievements. However, a mysterious voice that penetrates the woods by her house calls for her and Jerry and invites them to the Cave of Light in the heart of the forest. An encounter with a giant tarantula, a robin that leads them to a haunted greenhouse, and an enchanted forest defy all logic and reason as Ilyria and Jerry embark upon an adventure of magic. On their way to greet their destiny and find out the identity of the disembodied speaker, they connect with each other for the first time through the challenges along their journey. In the end, they both grow to realize that the word "cousin" means much more than a bloodline that links them together; it also represents a bond that will be strengthened after this life-changing mission.
Reviewed by: Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
It’s Thanksgiving and twelve-year-old Ilyria Norton is anything but thankful. Her aunt, uncle and the bane of her existence her fourteen-year-old cousin Jerry are coming. Ilyria’s parents will spend most of the day drooling over Jerry and how wonderful he is something that is a constant, always comparing her to Jerry and her always falling short. The one bright spot is that her aunt and uncle think the sun rises and sets with her so someone thinks she is worthwhile even if it isn’t her own parents.
Adults!! Clueless that what they are doing setting the cousins against each other making them feel that they are competing is a no-win situation. Ilyria hates her cousin who she sees as pompous and a know it all and when her aunt suggests that the two of them go for a walk together, she wants to find a hole and jump in. Jerry is not a happy camper either but they figure staying inside and listening to their parents rave about the other one’s kid is no picnic so they go, how bad can it be.
On their walk they hear a voice telling them to travel north to the Cave of Light in the heart of the forest and Ilyria convinces Jerry that they should go on this adventure. It turns out to be a magical journey filled with all manner of danger. A giant tarantula grabs Ilyria and she is certain she will be crushed to death until Jerry rescues her. Imagine the cousin she hates and who hates her saves her life, a lesson learned. Then killer plants attack them putting both of them in a situation where they have to work together to get free, another lesson learned.
One danger after another while they try to find the Cave of Light and each danger is a lesson learned, you never know someone till you spend time with them. Ilyria learned that Jerry was not the pompous person she thought he was and he envied her. He also had problems he had to deal with, I.e., his parents constantly comparing him to Ilyria and problems in school. This adventure was one that would change Jerry and Ilyria but would it make them friends.
This is a wonderful book for anyone who needs to learn not to judge people without knowing their story. Of course, Ilyria and Jerry learned by facing one danger after another which I am sure most people would not have too.