Not quite for me — this book felt a bit repetitive at times, and I was not fully engaged in the story. That said, it is a unique take on the genre, and I appreciate the ideas the author puts forward. If you find the summary appealing, I say give it a shot, I just did not find it to be particularly outstanding. ( )

2.5
Book source ~ BBNYA Tour

Oliver, Gracie, August, and Ansel wake up in a Forest, but it’s not any kind of regular forest. This forest changes and it has monsters. Despite being children, they are all there for a reason and it’s nto a good one. They have to work together to find a way home. But what if going home isn’t an option?

I had a hard time with this story. It was confusing to me in many places. It jumped around and there was a scene that kept repeating, but I had no idea why. I didn’t understand the way the Forest worked or the magic or anything about the place.

However, it is very inventive. The concept is so creative that I hate I didn’t understand it more. But I blame that on me. And that ending? Wow. Other people in the tour have loved the book, so don’t be put off by my lackluster response. And while this is fantasy and has children in it, it is not lightness and rainbows. It’s dark and scary, so be prepared for goosebumps and nail biting. ( )

The book opens with a support group for the parents of dying children. They are told that their children are in a wonderful place called the "Paper Forest". When we meet these children, however, we quickly realise that this is actually a dark and dangerous ever-changing landscape filled with death and monsters.

This is an incredibly dark story and I definitely recommend it to those in the upper half of YA rather than younger YA readers. It deals with a lot of difficult themes. But wow is it beautifully written. It does start off a little slow maybe, but once you start to get the characters a little better you can really get immersed in their world. While some actions did feel like they were driven by plot, this nightmarish world of self-discovery when on the verge of death was definitely a memorable one! I'd definitely love to read more stories set in the Paper Forest and learn more about its (clearly extensive) history and inhabitants. ( )

Paper Forests is an interesting idea, a different take on the concept of what happens to people who are close to death. The romance did feel a little forced, and some of the characters' actions and reactions seemed less driven by their personalities and more driven by what the plot demanded. But it's also important to remember that they are children forced into an unimaginable scenario on the edge of death, so some erratic behavior is expected. Overall a decent read. ( )

I won this book on Goodreads as an early reviewer with the goal of reading the book and giving my honest opinion so here it is. I loved the premise of this book because it was a very creative idea in the space between life and death and giving it a place within four characters two of which are the primary focus. The book was sad in some ways because it deals with some very hard issues such as child abuse, overdose,etc but it is still worth the read you will be hoping for the best for all the characters involved though parts will break your heart. It is graphic in some parts so just be aware but the characters do evolve appropriately and your heart will be longing for my insight into the characters. You will not be disappointed. ( )