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A review by kaylacreviews
Eyes of the Forest by April Henry
4.0
Eyes of the Forest by April Henry delivered a disturbing examination of how far some people will go to get what they want. Though the plot didn't feel entirely original to me, Eyes of the Forest had many unique aspects. I related so well with Bridget that she was easy to root for throughout the novel. I loved RM Haldon's characterization, as well. Through him, April Henry raised a lot of awareness about the pressures and struggles many authors face from those who work with them and from fans, which I appreciated. I also admired all the research April Henry put into Eyes of the Forest, and I loved the fantasy excerpts she shared of Haldon's novels. She expertly shifted from thriller mode to fantasy mode to do so, which impressed me. Those excerpts made the whole story especially distinctive.
It took a while for the pace to pick up after the shocking first chapter, but once it did, it didn't let up. There were a few scenes that felt extraneous to me, which slowed the pacing. However, everything came together at the end wonderfully. I liked that Bridget didn't immediately become suspicious of Haldon's absence. Instead, a well-structured, logical series of events led up to her investigation. Even so, I thought it would have even been more interesting if April Henry had allowed room for the reader to doubt Bridget's honesty and mental state. While I felt it could have been tightened up more and that it had untapped potential, Eyes of the Forest by April Henry was a nail-biting Young Adult thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend to other thriller lovers.
(Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book through NetGalley to participate in an Xpresso Book Tours event. All opinions in this review are my own and are honest and unbiased.)
Trigger Warning: Some violence and abduction.
It took a while for the pace to pick up after the shocking first chapter, but once it did, it didn't let up. There were a few scenes that felt extraneous to me, which slowed the pacing. However, everything came together at the end wonderfully. I liked that Bridget didn't immediately become suspicious of Haldon's absence. Instead, a well-structured, logical series of events led up to her investigation. Even so, I thought it would have even been more interesting if April Henry had allowed room for the reader to doubt Bridget's honesty and mental state. While I felt it could have been tightened up more and that it had untapped potential, Eyes of the Forest by April Henry was a nail-biting Young Adult thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend to other thriller lovers.
(Disclaimer: I received a free digital review copy of this book through NetGalley to participate in an Xpresso Book Tours event. All opinions in this review are my own and are honest and unbiased.)
Trigger Warning: Some violence and abduction.