Ten-year-old Dasia is the unwilling guardian of a chilling family secret-one that fills her house with a strange blue snow. Locked behind a frost-covered door in her room is a threat so dangerous, Dasia can never stray far from home.

But when her long-lost brother returns one fateful night and promises her freedom inside the Ildarwood, she discovers why so few children ever return from the Trials within.

Now fearing for her life, Dasia must trust in a mysterious runaway named Tannus to escape the soul-stealing creatures lurking throughout the woods. And only with his help can she uncover what her parents have really been hiding all along…

In The Trials of Ildarwood: Cinders in the Snow, S.C. Selvyn offers up a dark and intriguing fantasy world that explores the idea of transformation and self-discovery. Within the characters of Dasia and Tannus, we learn more about the world of Ildarwood and see how this pair of children become friends.

In this fantasy world, the world-building is especially spectacular, with details that are intriguing, especially how both Tannus and Dasia learn about their magic and how to use it. The elements of the town are sparse but I do like how detailed the forest of Ildarwood is and how well the creatures within the forest are built. For me, what lacked was that there seemed to be details missing or glossed over and it felt like there should be more to the story. While there could be sequels, I would have liked to have had a more complete story.

However, if you do like well-built, dark and intriguing stories, this one will keep you on your toes. I especially love the transformation in both characters and how much they discover about each other and themselves by the end of the novel. I think there is depth to the story, it just needs to be more developed. Hopefully, sequels will reveal more of those details.

Rating: 4 out of 5 transformations. ~~ Andrea Rittschof