Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier

This riveting story about 16-year-old Jenica; her pet frog, Gogu; and her four sisters takes place between the fairy world and the family's Romanian estate of Piscul Dracului. When the girls were young, they discovered a mysterious portal that appears every full moon and allows them access to the Dancing Glade in the Other Kingdom. They dress in the finest gowns and spend all night dancing with a host of bizarre and enchanting fairy creatures. Unfortunately, the girls' simple and carefree lives change drastically when their father becomes ill and must spend the winter in the milder climate of Constanta. Jenica takes charge of the estate and the family's merchant business but their overbearing, power-hungry cousin, Cezar, interferes with their affairs and questions the sisters' knowledge of the Other Kingdom. As he tightens the noose around them, everything Jenica has come to love-her sisters, her frog, her home, and the Dancing Glade-is in jeopardy. To make matters worse, her sister Tatiana has fallen in love with one of the mysterious and feared Night people. This relationship is doomed from the start and it is up to Jenica to make things right-but to do so she will be put to the ultimate test.

This was another one of those books that I liked, but I didn't love. This is our book club pick for April. I was on the hold list forever at the library, so when I finally got it, I realized that I couldn't wait until April to read it.

I actually really liked the story, I just found it quite slow-moving. I liked the characters--I thought they were all very well developed, which isn't always easy when there are SO many in one book. I liked the plot twists, especially the one GIANT one that I wasn't expecting (If you've read this, you know what one I am talking about.) and I really liked the ending. Not just because it was THE END, but because I was satisfied with the ending. I don't know if I would read any more of her books, unless they are chosen for my book club, but I did like this one. I'm not a huge fan of lots of descrpitive detail-- I think it mostly just slows the pace of a story--but in this book, I have to say that I thought it was necessary. Unfortunately. Yawn.