The Anemara Orchid by Laurie Nenson

4 stars

The Anemara Orchid is a story where decisions are made by learning through fantasy.

Willa Bell lives a stress-free, easy life. She`s a popular teenager who has the girl-next-door look. She wins a contest to see her all time favorite band with the added bonus of meeting the lead singer, who is a major hunk. This opportunity is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Problem is, she’s got two tickets and she can`t decide who to bring. It would be a great opportunity to re-build her relationship with her lifelong best friend Greta, as they’ve drifted apart. Or, she could choose her new best friend, Ava, who is popular and seems to be a good match for Willa`s quirky personality.

Stressed about the decision, Willa decides to leave school and go home. When Willa falls asleep, she is introduced to Mella of Elancera, who takes her on a journey where she lives a completely different life and meets Mara, who is an Otis, the ugliest of the people in the world. Willa’s experiences in Elancera are unlike any other, but the same decisions need to be made – choosing between friends.

This novel shows how true friendship really is important, no matter what you look like and how different you are. The switch between Mara`s life and Willa`s life in the beginning was a bit confusing, but overall, the book was easy enough to follow. Descriptively written, it’s easy to picture the strange world of Elancera and you will not want the book to end. The book will most likely appeal to teen girls who enjoy reading fantasy novels.