"Ingledove" reviewed as "crossover"

Despite a dire case of post-picnic drowsiness, I'm glad to see a brand new review of Ingledove. "YA titles include very good books" is a dual review of Ingledove and Lance Marcum's The Cottonmouth Club by Greg Langley, Books Editor of "The Baton Rouge Advocate." He writes that "one of publishing houses that has jumped into the battle for YA readers is Farrar, Straus & Giroux, and two recent publications -- both with Louisiana ties -- are fine examples of how this kind of book can transcend the YA classification."

I'm always glad to be in a Louisiana paper--especially The Baton Rouge Advocate--because I remember my years in Gramercy and Baton Rouge as a golden time of magic, wonder, and fishing. To leave was to be cast out of Eden.

Here's a clip that compares the landscape and its inhabitants to Tolkien but says that it's distinctive:

What follows is a wonderful fantasy tale that can only be compared to J.R.R. Tolkien's work. In fact there is a wizard -- the Witchmaster --who leads a quest into a cave under a mountain and there is a monster stalking the heroes as well as little people and fairies. Don't assume, however, that because of the plot similarities to The Hobbit and Tolkien's other works that Youman's book is derivative in either plot or setting. This is very much an Appalachian book, and Youmans' poetic writing style is certainly her own.

And here's a summing-up clip:

In Youmans' capable hands, the story progresses and Ingledove grows with each challenge she meets. It's a character-drive tale with a strong plot filled with danger and threats but also with great beauty. Ingledove is a book that will delight and enthrall both young adults and adults who are young at heart.