The Secrets of Grim Wood: Lowthar's Blade Book # 2

My 6-year-old son and I LOVE this trilogy. We read it each night at bedtime. He hates to go to bed, but he actually asked me last night if we could hurry up and go to bed so that we could read. It has just the right amount of suspense and scary stuff to keep him riveted without having him end up in my bed in the middle of the night. No pictures, which is actually good because the pictures along with books of a similar scariness level tend to send him over the edge. We've started several books in the past that he didn't want to read anymore after he saw a picture of the first goblin/pixie/etc. I think I enjoy these almost as much as he does!

This book is a great sequel in the series. It is often hard to determine if book two will live up to the expectations presented in a first novel. This book definitely did so. My eight year old son read with enthusiasm on our daily driving trips and I enjoyed the together time and story line that accompanied the drive.

"The Secrets of Grim Woods" continues the saga of Kenric, a young blacksmith in training, who is sent by King Thorgil to Grim Woods, or Mithin Dur as it is called by the Fey who live there, to seek an alliance with the Fey folk to forge a blade of power with which to permanently defeat the evil lord Mordig. Protected only by three stones of power--earth, sun, and moon--Kenric and his faithful goblin friend Hnagi journey back into Grim Woods to confront the Fey and try and convince them to help the king fight Mordig. This second installment in the series "Lowthar's Blade" is even better than the first! I absolutely love the characters Ms. LaFevers brings to this tale. Linwe, the Fey girl who was the first to discover Kenric in Grim Woods in "The Forging of The Blade", is back in Book 2, and she is just as snippy and argumentative as ever! Thrown together more by fate than choice, she and Kenric have an uneasy alliance as she realizes that just because he is Human doesn't mean he isn't speaking the truth. As Kenric digs deeper into the history of the Fey people to try and learn how to forge the True Blade of Power, he uncovers a secret that could destroy them all. Linwe must make some hard choices as to where her loyalties lie, and her decisions will mean life or death to those around her. With rich details, more description, and some delightful new characters ,"The Secrets of Grim Woods" takes the reader deeper into the realms of Lowthar than the first book did. I loved the Fey village and was able to see everything quite clearly in my mind. Ms. LaFevers' imagination really takes flight in this story and I love how she deftly weaves more and more details into the story line without ever being overwhelming or redundant.. Absolutely delightful read, and I must really recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy--young or old alike, this is a series of books that you shouldn't miss.

Second in the Lowthar's Blade trilogy, The Secrets of Grim Wood has all the best elements of children's fantasy - magic, a quest, vivid creatures and characters, brave children fighting an evil force, a struggle to overcome prejudice... It was great to see more of Kenric's story. I got completely caught up in the character growth of the Fey girl Linwe, and I especially loved her pet hilfen, Dulcet. I couldn't put this book down, and I can hardly wait for Book 3!