There is not much that makes Lottie Fiske happy. She is stuck living in the boarding house with Mrs. Hester Yates after her intended guardian passes away in his porridge. Mrs. Yates is not much like her husband who was always doing things that were kind. She finds Lottie a bother who doesn't help with the chores, and is more likely found cavorting in the garden with her imagination.
Two things do make Lottie happy, and they are the apple tree in her yard, and her best friend Eliot. She has been putting her wishes in that tree for ages now and each year on her birthday she receives the trinkets she asks for. So when Eliot's health takes a turn for the worse, Lottie knows she needs to use her birthday wish for something more important than hair bows.
An apple tree gateway, a magical legacy, political intrigue and plenty of double crossing do not deter Lottie from trying to get what she needs in order to help Eliot. The problem is, Eliot's not the only one who needs what Lottie has come for.
Ormshee has written one heck of a charming story that had me right from the beginning. Setting, character, story and world building all come together in a way where readers do not see the strings. The writing itself is a pleasure to read, and I am planning on reading this aloud this summer to my own daughters. The book comes blissfully map free, but I find myself wanting to draw not only Lottie's journey, but the characters she meets along the way. From her apple tree, to Iris Gate and especially the Wisps...I have them in my mind's eye, but want to put pencil to paper and give them more shape and look upon them. While this book doesn't scream sequel (and you all know how much I adore the stand alone), I find myself wanting more of these characters. For fans of the faery, friendship, poetry and a well spun yarn.
