Darkroot (Justin Sullivan and Samuel Sullivan)

Darkroot
(The Rhyme of the Willow series, Book 1)
Justin Sullivan and Samuel Sullivan
3DAL, LLC
Fiction, YA Fantasy
**** (Good)

DESCRIPTION: Since passing through the willow into the dark, dangerous world of the Garden, Axton and Aniva Rhyme have slowly adapted to a world with no sunlight and no animal life: only humans, a fanastic variety of plants, and plant-infected humans known as Wilds. While Axton still seeks clues to their lost parents' whereabouts, Aniva considers his search a waste of time, still full of anger at being abandoned. Besides, they're hardly the same children their parents once knew. Both have been irrevocably transformed since the Green Witch pulled them through the willow - literally. Infected by Wilds, they are now Crows, transforming into winged, shadow-feeding beings whenever they are in darkness. Aniva carries the extra curse of the Blood Demon, changing into an unstoppable monster at the mere sight of blood. The humans of the Lighthavens fear and hate all Wilds, driving them from their midst and killing them without hesitation... a hatred that might soon be repaid in blood.
Following a clue left by the ever-cryptic Green Witch, Axton and Aniva travel to the powerful Lighthaven of Fire Grove. Here, Axton hopes to find his parents, or at least a fresh trail to follow... a hope tempered by fear of what would happen if he and his sister were found out as Wilds. Fire Grove's populace hates Wilds with a passion, all too ready to start a witch hunt to protect themselves. But fear of discovery soon becomes the least of the Rhyme children's worries, as lethal Darkroots strike in the very heart of the Lighthaven.

REVIEW: The second installment in this trilogy picks up fairly close to where the previous book left off, with just enough refreshers in the narrative to remind the reader where things stand. Once I got my bearings again, I was off on another fast, wild adventure with the Rhyme twins. Some old allies (and rivals) follow them to Fire Grove, and they pick up some new ones along the way, each with a little more to them than is initially revealed. The Rhyme children have both grown and changed, though they still have more to learn about this world and themselves. The Garden continues to present fresh wonders and dangers to explore. It almost earned itself another half-star, until I hit the abrupt cliffhanger of an ending. I'm not sure how the Sullivans intend to wrap up the many threads of the trilogy in one more book, but I'm looking forward to finding out.

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