Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

"Five adventurous sisters...
Four dark creatures...
Three magical gifts...
Two forbidden lovers...
One enchanted frog...

Cross the threshold into the Wildwood, and enter a land of magic, daring, betrayal... and true love."

Very interesting, eh? I thought so. What a lucky find this one was while I was searching for hidden treasures at the 1/2 price book shop. I actually got this one for less than 1/2 the original cover price. It was well worth more than I paid. At 400 pages long, I read this book in about 15 1/2 hours give or take... It is so easy to become ensnared in this wonderful fantasy about five sisters and their frolicking to another world and dealings with witches, vampires, and other-worldling beings. Dear Jena is so easily loved, as well as her frog Gogu. As one of four sisters I loved the family togetherness, tightness, friendship shared between these five sisters; Tati- the beautiful, Jena- the leader, Iulia- the flirt, Paula- the learned and Stela-the child. We get to experience love, friendship, trust/betrayal, magic/reality-change. This is really, truley a wonderful coming of age story. The main character learns, grows and changes. For we all must change and accept change as life takes us on our own journies. My only complaint about the book that bugged me was the mis print at the beginning confusing the actual ages of the two older girls. At first the author says that Tati is in her seventeenth year and then later says she is only 16. This affects Jena's age because she is introduced as being one year Tati's junior. Then later they are said to be 16 and 15 instead of 17 and 16. To me that year makes a difference. 15 is quite young to be experiencing the love that the author writes about. Unrealistic but then I suppose that this book is aimed for young adult. Also, when telling one of my sisters about the book, she was put off by the romance between two first cousins. It didn't put me off from it only because I understood it to be told from a time when that was deemed acceptable, unlike today. All together, It was well written, easily read and most easily enjoyed. I loved it! Nearly crying in anguished joy at the end. 5/5 Stars!