According to the ancient Greeks the Dryad was a tree spirit in the shape of a lovely woman. DRYAD BORN is the second book in a medieval fantasy series called Whispers from Mirrowen.

Phae is an orphan adopted by a winemaking family in a country called Stonehollow. She has a magic skill to make people forget her - which she tries not to use, because she gets no supper. Now aged sixteen, she hears rumours of war and plague from a friend, Trasen, who is enlisting as a caravan guard. A stranger has also arrived at the farmstead. He says he wants to protect Phae from searchers by taking her away to Sylvandom. She has another gift, fire- raising, which goes along with her red hair, but would never use it on anyone... so far. Who knew of this?

Intermittent plagues arise in this world and they are believed to come out of the Scourgelands. Only someone with Dryad blood can learn the secrets of these lands and Phae is one such person. Uniquely she combines the fire gift with Dryad blood. Now she is old enough to be useful, city rulers want to turn her into a tool - at whatever risk to the girl. A desperate quest begins which is studded with fights, magic curses, poisons and attack by a large black bear. Trasen, with less expertise than he realised, is no match for those hunting Phae, but desperately he tries to protect her and when they get separated he follows her as best he can. It's easy to like these young characters as they grow and learn, taking us along while they explore.

A man called Tyrus gives Phae no chance to refuse as he tells her that they must enter the Scourgelands to find the source of the plagues and try to put a stop to them. Her fire gift may help to protect her from whatever lurks there unseen, but using it too much would be harmful to the girl. So, there is no easy answer.

The first book in this series is called Fireblood and author Jeff Wheeler promises to conclude matters in the third, so we are left without a fixed ending at the conclusion of DRYAD BORN. I found this a lively story with likeable characters and interesting concepts, which was not too hard to follow although I had not read the previous book. Fantasy lovers should probably start with the first story and follow the action in the correct order.