Into the Woods by Kathleen Kerridge is the first book in a fantasy series called Searching for Eden. The book was published directly on Amazon and has been offered as a free read on the site. While the story is primarily a fantasy there is also a romantic element to the story and an epic adventure that spans the entire first book of this new series. There are also some darker elements to the tale including references to past abuse as well as rape in the form of flashbacks.
Into the Woods is about more than any one character, but one of the primary characters is Eden. He is someone who has never felt like he fits in. In fact for Eden there is more than just not fitting in. He hears voices in his head and even sees glimpses of a future that may or may not happen. Eden is haunted by the idea that perhaps there is something more out there for him. He lives within his own head as he struggles with the idea that he does not belong in the life that he is living.
When Eden runs from those individuals who would do him harm he heads into the woods and finds himself breaking through something known as the Divide. The Divide is something of myth and stories and when Eden arrives on the other side he is suddenly in an entirely different realm. In this realm, Eden finds himself and so much more because this is where he has belonged all along. Here he finds not only a sense of finally being complete but also new friends and a new love.
With an elf-warrior for a lover and a world with warring fae, Eden is learning more about himself than he ever thought possible. As the truth unravels around them, Eden and his new friends learn that there is more to Eden than him being a simple human. When people try to steal the powers within him and evil makes its presence known, Eden finds himself running with his friends and lover back into the woods towards the place he never thought he would return to. Eden may be running from his fate but fate has a way of catching up with people when they least expect it.
Kathleen Kerridge has crafted an epic fantasy adventure with Into the Woods. The characters are damaged yet hopeful and there is an immense sense of this being only the very beginning of a much longer tale. There are twists and turns within this story that the reader will never see coming and even though there is a much larger story arc at play, there is more to this book than it being a simple fantasy. There are a number of romances that develop and friendships that build in such a way that as a reader it is easy to see that their characters will be vital to the entire story as it develops. Although Into the Woods ends with what amounts to a cliff hanger, the book still has a sense of completeness to it as one reaches the end of this portion of the story.
By Kimberley Spinney
Sources:
Into the Woods at Amazon
Kathleen Kerridge on Goodreads
Photo by @Doug88888 – Flickr License
