First and foremost I love the cover. Any book with a Charlie Bowater cover is one that I know will be worth the read. That still holds after reading The Poison Season! I was so intrigued by the map inside because it is such a small setting, but the plot really packs a punch. Right from the prologue I love how the Wandering Forrest becomes a character. An inanimate object as a book villain? Maybe?! Jaren and Leelo have a strange connection from the beginning and Jaren is very drawn to her and The Forrest. I love their relationship because it is different from many other books. Jaren is not an alpha male and he always seems to be lost. Sage and Leelo also have this interesting dichotomy even though they are raised in the same house. Leelo is a curious and gentle soul while Sage is brash and violent. I was so emotional over and protective of Tate and think he is the strongest character by far. He grows up in a home where he is constantly ridiculed by family yet he is kind and strong. He is a shining light in the face of adversity. The storyline is original and exciting and I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book. The characters are well written and the writing flows well. The twist that is somewhat hinted at throughout the book wasn’t a huge surprise and made the dramatic conclusion slightly less so. But overall this was an amazing story and I loved being immersed in the book. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.