Fabiom of Deepvale, dreams of winning the love of a Silvana, one of the mysterious and powerful tree spirits who haunt the deepest groves of the wildwood. But when he is suddenly thrown into the political arena and expected to keep the family silk business running, everything changes.

Fabiom fears he will have to put aside his dream, for such a quest is perilous and Deepvale cannot afford to lose its young lord.
However, the piece of amber he finds beneath the huge ash tree could change his mind. If one of the Silvanii is upset enough to weep golden tears at the thought of losing him, then presenting himself on the eve of his seventeenth birth-anniversary might not be so dangerous after all.

What Fabiom does not know, is that the fiercely guarded secrets of silk-making have been sold abroad, putting more than the economic stability of his holding at risk; it was the Silvanii who first gifted Morene’s people with those secrets, and they do not take kindly to betrayal.

FIVE STAR REVIEW AWARD – From Readers’ Favorite – Book Review and Awards!

See the full review below or the critique breakdown here (PDF): Readers’ Favorite 5 Star review for Silvana The Greening by Belinda Mellor.

Awards Finalist in the Adult Fiction Category of the 2016 WISHING SHELF AWARDS!

See the other finalists here: Wishing Shelf Awards 2016

Immerse Or Die – By Jefferson Smith of Creativity Hacker (Survived!)

Today we see that stories don’t have to begin with frantic action to be entirely engaging.

What I gleaned about the story: The only son of a wealthy Lord comes of age, but it looks like he won’t be taking the usual path. See, he’s been raised at the edge of this enchanted wood…

Kudo #1: Branches arced over Fabiom’s head and the limbs of each tree grasped those of the next, to form a canopy that seemingly went on forever. Wildwood: unbroken, unending. Here he was safe.

Analysis: By the end of the very first paragraph, I knew I was going to like this, although it’s hard to articulate why. It’s a feeling I got. Right away. A sense that I was in good hands with this author. Three simple sentences, each doing a different job, and each doing them with poise. It’s also about what is not here. There is no belabored sequence of to-ings and fro-ings, no recitations of personal or world history. With these 32 words, I’ve been shown a magical place, given a sense of its grandeur, and shown its emotional appeal to the protagonist. I don’t expect the rest of the book to maintain this standard, but if there’s anywhere to pull out all the stops and get things right, it’s the opening. But most importantly, now that I’ve seen this, and know that the author is capable of it, I am willing to forgive many minor transgressions that might come along later…

 

…My time is up but I’m far from done. I’ll be dropping this one onto my “read later” pile because I’m invested in the character now, and want to see how things play out for him.

Survived 40 mins out of a possible 40 mins. Read the rest of the review here: Immerse Or Die Survivor Silvana the Greening

Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews & Awards – By Melinda Hills (5 Star!)

The beauty of nature and the pure joy of selfless love are in stark contrast to the effects of greed, deception and vanity in Silvana: The Greening by Belinda Mellor.

Fabiom, heir to the Holding of Deepvale, has always found refuge in the wildwood, home to the mystical Silvanii, the spirits of the trees. After finding comfort under the boughs of a beautiful Ash as a small boy, Fabiom returns time and again to ‘his’ tree. On the eve of his 17th birthday, Fabiom is willing to take the chance of being accepted as husband to the spirit, in spite of the responsibilities he will owe his father, his land and his people. Although he achieves much success, life unfortunately takes unexpected turns and things don’t all pan out the way Fabiom would like. He steps up to his role, however, and uses his experiences and deep, abiding love to show him the way to create peace between neighbors and feuding nations. Will his own personal happiness have the same chance?

Beautiful descriptions, heartfelt prose and plenty of action and emotion fill each and every page of this exciting and enjoyable story. Silvana: The Greening by Belinda Mellor pays tribute to the wonders of nature and the need to treat all living things with love and care. Jealousy, greed and hate are contrasted with pure love, dedication and the desire to do right and, just like in real life, success is not always guaranteed. Well written and thoroughly engrossing! The descriptions are wonderfully clear and evocative and the author touches on many difficult topics with sure but gentle insight. The first in the Silvana Series of Novels, this is one book that will resonate with readers of all ages long after the last page is turned.

Rated 5 Stars out of a possible 5. See the review here: Readers’ Favorite – Book Review Silvana The Greening