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The Forest: ~ a tale of old magic ~ Kindle Edition
"I met a man made of leaves with roots for hair, who looked at me with eyes that burnt like fire."
An impenetrable forest that denies entry to all but a select few. A strange and isolated village whose residents never leave. A curse that reappears every generation, leaving death and despair in its wake.
What is lurking at the heart of the Forest? When the White Hind of legend is seen, the villagers know three of its young people will be left dead, victims of a triangle of love, murder and suicide.
This time Sally, Jack and Reuben have been selected and it's their turn to be tormented by long-buried jealousies aroused by the dark entity existing within its shadowy glades. Only by confronting the Forest's secrets can they hope to break the curse and change their destinies - if they have the courage.
Keeper of secrets. Taker of souls. Defender of innocence. Existing on the very edge of believing there is the Forest. And this is its story...
A darkly delicious tale of ancient myth and forgotten lore, The Forest ~ a tale of old magic ~ will slowly entangle you in its web of a curse that echoed down through the centuries and a love that would not die.
"Captivating and magical, The Forest will swallow you whole." James Fahy - author of The Changeling Series
Popular titles by this author
Product details
- ASIN : B07JM39CWM
- Publisher : Sele Books (October 21, 2018)
- Publication date : October 21, 2018
- Language : English
- File size : 10.4 MB
- Simultaneous device usage : Unlimited
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 327 pages
- Page numbers source ISBN : 1726727939
- Best Sellers Rank: #2,458,209 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #2,558 in Folklore (Kindle Store)
- #3,358 in Fairy Tales (Kindle Store)
- #16,210 in Fairy Tale Fantasy (Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Julia Blake lives in the beautiful historic town of Bury St Edmunds in the very East of England. A multi-genre author, her impressive list of published novels goes from Contemporary Drama to Romantic Suspense, Fairytale Retelling, Folklore Fantasy, Narnia Inspired Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Short Stories and even Poetry. So there really is something to suit everyone.
Filled with relatable, three-dimensional characters, her books are warm and engaging - guaranteed page-turners from beginning to end.
Julia is also a popular figure on social media, and her blog - A Little Bit of Blake - is a weekly friendly chat about Julia's quirky take on everyday life.
Julia Blake can be found at:
www.juliablakeauthor.co.uk
Instagram - @juliablakeauthor
Facebook - Julia Blake
Customer reviews
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Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find this book to be a magical tale that draws them deeply into its folklore-inspired world. The writing is beautifully poetic, and customers describe it as a satisfying read with lovely visuals that transport readers to the village setting. Customers appreciate the well-developed characters and the depth of the narrative, with one review noting how the author skillfully interweaves character' stories. The book features themes of friendship, and customers praise its intricate descriptions that fully immerse readers in the story.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers enjoy the story quality of the book, describing it as a magical tale full of interesting old tales that draws readers deeper into the narrative.
"...develops the characters’ of the towns’ folk and builds the suspense with a masterly touch and beautiful language that evokes at times a tale of long..." Read more
"...tale unfolds, teasing at our suspension of disbelief, enthralling us with such interesting and often ordinary characters, and yet the effect is far..." Read more
"...The story is based on the authors love of old folklore, legends and myths, and this book she drew heavily on the legend of The Green Man, that has..." Read more
"...knew no bounds, which is why the pace, structure and ending came about so beautifully...." Read more
Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting its poetic style and beautiful narrative, with one customer highlighting its fluid prose and effective handling of an omniscient narrator.
"...He can enter and navigate the Forest. He has a sensitive and poetic nature. Jack, orphaned as a child, has a darker nature...." Read more
"...Beautifully written the tragic tale unfolds, teasing at our suspension of disbelief, enthralling us with such interesting and often ordinary..." Read more
"...Julia Blake's attention to detail, her poetic style, the flow of her words and rhythm are highly commendable. 🔵 Recommendation..." Read more
"...Not because I didn’t understand it, but just to admire how beautifully it was written...." Read more
Customers find the book very satisfying to read, with one describing it as a dark fairy tale and another noting it's a great Halloween read.
"...She seems to know what the Forest wants. The Forest reads like a dark fairy tale, layered and timeless. This is a most splendid and enjoyable read...." Read more
"This novel was an incredible reading experience...." Read more
"...This was a most enjoyable and engrossing read. I felt I was a part of Wykenwode...walking amongst all of these colorful characters...." Read more
"What a magical tale! The Forest is such a compelling page-turner that it kept me up late for several nights...." Read more
Customers find the book beautiful, with one mentioning how the visuals transport them directly to the village, while another notes that the allure remains fresh.
"...This is a most splendid and enjoyable read. I highly recommend you read it." Read more
"...want something different but eminently satisfying then this is a beautiful book but be warned, it is hard to put down." Read more
"...Most of all I loved the forest, forbidding and beautiful, that has at its heart both great evil and transcending good...." Read more
"Wow, this was so beautifully written. Ms. Blake's prose has a lovely rhythm that just keeps you turning pages...." Read more
Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting that the characters have real personalities, with one customer highlighting how the author beautifully intertwines their stories.
"...of disbelief, enthralling us with such interesting and often ordinary characters, and yet the effect is far from ordinary...." Read more
"...As complimented previously, the characters are written in a way, you develop a caring for them as you would a regular person...." Read more
"...What I found intriguing were the characters and not just the main characters...Sally, Jack and Ruben; but those of the village...." Read more
"...I found myself eager to know what would happen next. The characters had real personalities and personal goals that tied into the tale marvelously...." Read more
Customers appreciate the depth of the book, with one mentioning how the intricate descriptions fully immerse readers in the story, while another notes the attention to detail on the cover page.
"...I was also amazed at all the minute details, that Julia puts into her characters and now I know why authors like to people watch, as Julia does this..." Read more
"...It’s depths knew no bounds, which is why the pace, structure and ending came about so beautifully...." Read more
"...But it might be to late to change it's course. I loved the depth and detail of this mystical story...." Read more
"...The masterful writing with intricate descriptions immerses you in the story entirely. A perfect escape...." Read more
Customers appreciate the stories of friendship in the book.
"...Blake has skillfully woven folklore, suspense, drama and romance together to create a detailed coming-of-age tapestry...." Read more
"...Old tales and legends, endless twists and turns. So much love and passion. So many secrets. Stories of despicable crimes and betrayal...." Read more
"...It is full of secrets, suspense, danger, love and friendship. Surrounded by the town of Wykenwode, the Forest holds many secrets...." Read more
"...It goes deeply into the gift of friendships and love...." Read more
Reviews with images

The Forest is, indeed, a tale of very old and almost forgotten ancient magic
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2020Everyone needs to know what waits in The Forest, by Julia Blake. This is a dark and delightful story that is rooted (yes, pun) in English legend and lore, which gives it a sense of history and continuity. The ancient Green Man lives at the heart of this tale. The village of Wykenwode, with its quiet eccentricities, lies along the edge of The Forest. The Forest may entice you at its outer edges, but go deeper and you will feel uneasy, rejected, even frightened. Dare to go further and will become lost and then, after wandering, be released back to the spot you entered. The people of Wykenwode seem simple country folk, rejecting more modern ways, but disappointments and passions run deep. They also have a frightful secret that is tied to the Forest.
Ms. Blake develops the characters’ of the towns’ folk and builds the suspense with a masterly touch and beautiful language that evokes at times a tale of long ago. But the tale is brought into the here and now and is peppered with suspenseful foreshadowing and disquieting stories within stories. As the history of Wykenwode is shaped, we focus on three main characters, Sally, Reuben and Jack. We see their intense friendship with each other develop through their childhood years and follow them into adulthood and the heart of the story. Sally is smart, well read and thoughtful with a gracious, sunny and kindly nature. Reuban has inherited the familial gift. He can enter and navigate the Forest. He has a sensitive and poetic nature. Jack, orphaned as a child, has a darker nature. He is also intelligent but plagued by dark and jealous feelings and Sally even refers to him being a bit like Emily Bronte’s Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights. There a powerful triangle of passion and foreboding between these best friends. And then there is Granny Mole, the mysterious but sympathetic old lady of herbs and cures. She seems to know what the Forest wants. The Forest reads like a dark fairy tale, layered and timeless. This is a most splendid and enjoyable read. I highly recommend you read it.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2020This novel was an incredible reading experience. From the first it was a maze of threads, delicate and numerous, weaving folklore, fantasy and fairytale so cleverly that the reader forgets to question any of the events. It never entered the reader’s mind to question the era of the setting, or even the location.
Beautifully written the tragic tale unfolds, teasing at our suspension of disbelief, enthralling us with such interesting and often ordinary characters, and yet the effect is far from ordinary.
We know there will be a happy ending, we hope for it but we are still on edge, fearful for Sally, at odds with our feelings for Jack, caught up with Reuben, and afraid for the future of the peripheral characters who turn out to be central as the end draws near.
Nothing is as you would expect and that is the magic that holds the reader to the page. If you want something different but eminently satisfying then this is a beautiful book but be warned, it is hard to put down.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2020Book Review by Pauline Reid 🔵 The Forest ~ A Tale of Old Magic ~ by Julia Blake
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What This Book Is About?
Sally, Jack and Reuben, all from the village, Wyckenwood, kids that grew up together, try and tackle and get their brains around the stories of old, and the tales of "The White Hind". Yes, there is something definately lurking in the forest.
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The story is based on the authors love of old folklore, legends and myths, and this book she drew heavily on the legend of The Green Man, that has intrigued her since childhood.
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There are two stories told here. One of the present with the villagers, being introduced in such detail of people of the village and then there is the past, Julia Blake has chosen to tell the past in bold italics, and as folk tales.
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My thoughts On This Book
I bought this book off Amazon.com. and I'm so glad I did. I was wondering why there is so much fuss over this book, and now I know why!!! Julia Blake has such great world building skills, and alot of depth was put in, into telling us readers the world she wanted us to be in. I was also amazed at all the minute details, that Julia puts into her characters and now I know why authors like to people watch, as Julia does this to quite an astonishing degree, infact to perfection. Julia also has a beautiful narrative style, so it's so easy to settle down and get right on to reading it. Julia's pace leads the reader with ease, but with a curiosity that's not overbearing, slowly, but leads up to quite a dramatic interest, Julia's sense of humour comes out in this book in the shape of her character names, such as, Wally Twitchett, Molly Mole, who is known really as Granny Mole, and others. Julia Blake's attention to detail, her poetic style, the flow of her words and rhythm are highly commendable.
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Recommendation
Yes, this book comes highly recommended by me and if you like supernatural stories, past and present stories, folk lore, legends, myths, forest and nature settings, love triangles, mysteries and thrillers, and horror, love and happy endings, then I suggest you pick up this book, as it's highly entertaining
Top reviews from other countries
- Shel CalopaReviewed in Australia on October 27, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars A dark forest with a mysterious entity and a secret behind every door
What would you do if your town had been cursed for generations? If you had to live in the middle of a dark forest with a mysterious entity and a secret behind every door?
This is the world of The Forest which successfully mixes old world English charm with modern day heartache. Think hunting and witches, love stories and fairytales, Lords and loss. Without wanting to give to much away, this book really has something for everyone.
Julia has a wonderful gift for description that, in parts, reads almost like poetry. It is fluid, easy to read without being simple and thoughtfully broken into parts. In short it’s a charming novel.
- LadyJaguarReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 14, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautifully written, magical novel.
A romance to get lost in, as this magical, lusty story weaves from century to century, due to the curse of a spurned and vengeful lover.
Wykenwode is village out of time, where through the centuries, generations of friends have had their destinies forced upon them by an ancient curse. The story is told via flashbacks woven through the lives of Jack, Reuben and Sally, childhood friends who have grown into young adults with conflicting feelings for each other.
The narrative style took a bit of getting used to, but once I could see how the story was being told, I absolutely loved it. The appearance of the mythical White Hind heralds the coming of death, throwing the villagers into a state of panic. There are wonderful characters, from the taciturn widower, John Blacksmith, and dowdy Miss Violet; the comely Sally and angry, handsome Jack; decent, ruddy Rueben and the feckless Lord Jolyon. It’s a rich tapestry of lives and loves amongst a secretive village seemingly untouched by the outside world.
It’s a long book at 396 print pages, but if you’re invested in the story, not one of those pages are unnecessary. With such a rich tale of folklore and rivalry, lust and love, there’s too much to be packed in a shorter volume. It oozes sex, even though there are no overtly sexy scenes. I really rate a book which can do this, and this is superb, from the world-building to the descriptions and the characters. Living in a country village myself, the tribulations they face familiar and relatable.
The most dominant character, is the Forest itself, a dark, forbidding place full of secrets. Its hulking presence resonates throughout the book, and yet… I can’t say more except the ending is sublime and ends perfectly. I’m so glad I picked up this book on impulse, as I won’t forget it in a hurry.
- U. VisserReviewed in Germany on September 29, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Magical, detailed, loved it!
I don't know how to begin to tell you how much I liked this magical story by @juliablakeauthor
Should I start at the detailed way the village and the people are being introduced? Or, that I felt part of the community after a few chapters? Or should I start with Reuben, the boy and his gentle soul, which some find reason for bullying? Or the way the friendship develops when Jack and Sally stand up for him?
I smiled, shivered, gasped, and cried a little reading it... If you like a story with magic, a small UK village setting, a dark forest with hidden secrets, love, envy and murder. Read this!
- A Gothic Writer's reading nookReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 24, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars A tale of old magic...and so much more!
The instant you see the cover you know you are in for something dark and compelling, with touches of tradition, legends, and tales of old.
Upon opening it the beauty does not stop there. Although I read a Kindle edition, I also own the paperback which I have to say is stunning. The attention to detail spreads through on the pages with illustrations and little flourishes that capture the essence of the story.
Julia Blake never disappoints; her writing is always worthy of its praise, slick and precise. But with The Forest, there is a little extra magic cast to its pages. With lyrical, poetic prose, that lifts off the page as if it's an age-old tale itself . . . the writing is sublime, fully encapsulating the genre perfectly, and effortlessly.
I never like to give any detail of the story away, at the risk of spoilers . . . is there anything more annoying! Reading the blurb is all you need. The story should be allowed to unfold within the turn of the page.
What I will say is, The Forest has a diverse variety of characters, all who have their significant part to play. Blake has taken great care with each of them, applying multifaceted personalities, quirks and foibles. The tale is dark, deliciously luscious, with a feeling that you can't quite pinpoint the time or ear, which I loved; again adding to that quality of mystery and suspense. With its beautiful setting; a village, an archetypal rural English village on the edge of a dark mysterious forest, you know from that first moment that you have something very special.
This one has got to be my favourite of Blake's novels to date. Full fantasy is not my normal genre, but The Forest has its roots firmly planted this side of reality, among the darkness of human nature, pulling on old folklore, fairytales, myths and legends. A must-read!
- Wendy HewlettReviewed in Canada on February 22, 2019
4.0 out of 5 stars Epic Tale You'll Want to Read Again and Again
Wonderfully creative and engaging story! It took me a while to get into it, but to be fair, there was a lot of back story to be told. I fell in love with the characters and although I felt like I knew where the story was going, the author continued to surprise me. This is the type of story you want to read again and again.
With a bit more editing to weed out some of the 'telling', this could become an epic classic, read by young and old for generations to come.
Loved it!!