There's something about the way Naomi Novik writes tension that just gets me. 🥵

Uprooted is spooky, atmospheric, tension-filled fairytale involving a creepy sentient wood, a mysterious lord (and wizard) called The Dragon, and a heroine who was never supposed to be picked.

The less you know going in, the more fun this one is IMO.

The battle scenes had my heart pounding, the romantic subplot was paced and executed to perfection (in other words: i was giggling and fanning myself and kicking my feeties in delight), the writing was immersive AF, and I never knew what was coming 'round the bend.

The weakest part of the book is after a location change. Novik's settings always feel so real but when she changes them (*coughGoldenEnclavescough*), it never feels like it actually serves the story. Add in a dose of court politics and this section dragged. Thankfully, its quite short.

I devoured this one and couldn't put it down. It felt like the very pages were imbued with magic luring me in and urging me on until the end. 

One note about the content warnings: there is an attempted SA but it is brief and not completed.