My Rating: 2/5 stars

This book.... I didn't particularly like this book, but I didn't hate it. I just thought it was OK. It was definitely readable, but I can't say that it's a favorite. The author's writing style was not bad, but the way sentences were phrased became a little confusing at times as well as repetitive. I think the mythology behind the story was cool with the mention of Baba Jaga, the dark magic of the enchanted forest and its ruler, the revengeful Wood Queen. I just don't think that it was executed well.

I have to say that prior to reading the book, I had some misconceptions - which were short lived - about the story and its characters that Uprooted did not live up to. I had imagined that the Dragon would remind me of The Darkling from Shadow & Bone, that he would start out as this mysterious figure that everyone thought was all powerful (check) and that the main heroine would think was really good at heart (kind of check) but who would eventually end up being the villain of the story (no check). I know it's horrible to compare one author's work to another, but because of the hype that the book summary created, I expected to love not only a well-thought out/complex villain but the other characters as well. But most of them fell flat for me, even the plot. I will say though, that I got a slight Snow White & the Huntsman vibe while reading Uprooted (with the wood creatures and the enraged Queen) which was pretty cool, but didn't amaze me.

spoiler section
There were some parts of the book that I thought were amusing yet irritating at the same time. The first being Prince Marek. He reminded me somewhat of Cinderella's Prince from the musical Into the Woods and had the whole "I was raised to be charming, not genuine" personality down to a T. I, at first, thought that he would be a love interest for Agnieshka, but that didn't really happen.... except maybe from his POV it did. There's this weird part toward the middle of the book where he non-chalantly says, "... I'll be announcing our betrothal..." and goes onto explain that by saying "You've earned it, slaying that monster, and it's the sort of thing commoners love. Don't make a fuss... I need you by my side." Like, WTF?! Agnieshka pretty much had the same reaction. I guess from his perspective it was more of a beneficial union than one born out of love, but it still came off as random as hell. I'd thought that Solya might be a love interest for Agnieshka, but that didn't go anywhere either and she just thought he was creepy.

I wasn't fond of Sarkan (The Dragon) being her love interest because he always seemed like he was irritated with her and never really acted like he had feelings for her. Love, which him and Agnieshka didn't really have, is supposed to be mutual emotionally not just physically. I couldn't really feel that between them. It seems like the author just put them together because she felt that Agnieshka should have a love interest but didn't want to make that the focus of the story. I would have rather they didn't have any romantic relationship at all, if that was the case. I would have rather him been a father or uncle figure to her instead. I mean, he's old enough to be. And then this book could've had a Sorceror's Apprentice type of feel to it (sorry for the movie references!).

The other thing was Sarkan (The Dragon) being able to read Agnieshka's mind. It's something that's completely glossed over and just not talked about at all in the book. All of a sudden he could read her mind and she didn't think anything weird about that. Like, she'd think a question and he'd answer it loud. He did this multiple times, but she never reacted to it. Since it was a new development between the two of them, the author should've definitely had Agnieshka say something or at least act a little surprised. I mean, I noticed it but the main character didn't? C'mon, now. I was able to guess on my own that Sarkan being able to read her mind was probably a result of them have joined their magic together so many times. Despite that, the author should've made it more clear to her readers.
end of spoiler section

If I liked any of the characters in the book, I'd have to say it would be Alosha and Kasia. They were both strong female characters in my opinion and I couldn't help liking them better than I did the heroine, Agnieshka. And I get it, I do. Agnieshka wasn't supposed to be picked, Kasia was. She's not the brave one, Kasia is. And I guess the readers were supposed to like Agnieshka anyway because she was placed in a predicament she hadn't prepared for and forced to take on the role of being brave because she had no choice. The only thing I liked about her was her selflessness when it came to saving Kasia and her family. But I never really grew to like her character as the story went on. Alosha is the only black character in the book and she's a strong, black woman at that (which I liked). Whenever I read a book, it matters to me a lot when there's a character that at least looks like me. I could relate to her in that way. I couldn't say our personalities are similar, but I found myself more interested her character than I was in Agnieshka.

Lastly, I'll mention that the last two chapters of the book dragged and felt rushed at the same time (if that makes any sense). It dragged in that I felt that the book could've just ended on a cliff-hanger and lead to a sequel. Yet it felt rushed because it seemed like the author was trying to put together an ending where the 'bad' guy (the Wood Queen) was stopped just because she knew that the story had to have an ending. I don't know if I felt this way because most of the books I read are part of a series and I'm used to exciting/heartbreaking cliff-hangers, but I did not like how Uprooted ended. Something was unsatisfactory about it that I can't quite but my finger on.

All in all, I would not read this book again.