Jinx Review

368 pages
Release date: January 8th, 2013

In the Urwald, you don’t step off the path. Trolls, werewolves, and butter-churn riding witches lurk amid the clawing branches, eager to swoop up the unwary. Jinx has always feared leaving the path—then he meets the wizard Simon Magnus. Jinx knows that wizards are evil. But Simon’s kitchen is cozy, and he seems cranky rather than wicked. Staying with him appears to be Jinx’s safest, and perhaps only, option. As Jinx’s curiosity about magic grows, he learns to listen to the trees as closely as he does to Simon’s unusual visitors. The more Jinx discovers, the more determined he becomes to explore beyond the security of well-trod paths. But in the Urwald, a little healthy fear is never out of place, for magic—and magicians—can be as dangerous as the forest, and soon Jinx must decide which is the greater threat.

Review (ARC):
This is such an intriguing and entertaining fantasy novel! I love Jinx although I had to keep reminding myself of his age sometimes when his decisions didn't seem too well thought out. The other characters Jinx meets along the way all have differing characteristics that make them both lovable and memorable. The world created here is one in which magical creatures run rampant and the only place to be safe from them, as far as Jinx knows, is on the path. Jinx has a lot to learn about the world outside of the village he grew up in especially since everyone in his village lives in fear of it. I loved the way that this novel portrayed that the outside doesn't always reflect the inside as well as a message about overcoming your fears. I really enjoyed reading this and can only hope that Jinx is brought back in a future novel. I definitely recommend reading this if you love fantasy and magic novels.