Title: Tree Sprite Author: Brenda Bryce Publisher: Samhain Publishing Genre: Fantasy Publication date: July 2006 ISBN: 1-59998-135-1 Pages: 95 Series: Wizard Kin Heat Level:     Rating:

Daniel seeks a home in the Thousand Year Woods after a volcanic eruption destroys the mountaintop on which he formerly lived. Not only is he homeless, he is the last of his kind. Just inside the edge of the forest, he finds a lovely shady glade with a pond and a lone, short, stubby but shady tree, and settles there so that he can bathe in the pond and then nap under the tree’s branches.  Oleafia, sprite of this particular tree, is shunned by all the other tree sprites. When she emerges from the tree and finds this creature snoring on the ground below, she falls out of the tree and on to him.

Nearly instantly, one thing as usual leads to another, and the formerly reclusive cave dweller Daniel and the shunned lonely virginal Tree Sprite Oleafia have become fast friends and energetic lovers. Even the entrance of the tall, svelte, vain tree sprites who ostracize Oleafia can’t distract Daniel’s attention from her. Daniel’s attention and constant praise begin to provide Oleafia with qualities she’s never before experienced: self-esteem and confidence. When she stands up to the bullying sprites, the whole glade quakes.

Tree Sprite story promises to be the beginning of a series. I must admit, I wasn’t quite sure about it in the first few pages, but suddenly my interest was piqued and I became caught up in the story. It takes a really unusual approach to species of fantasy, and it’s great. The humor is subtly intertwined, and it even contains object lessons. I recommend this one, and am anticipating the release of subsequent stories by Brenda Bryce in Wizard Kin series.