Season of Secrets by Sally Nicholls

Season of Secrets by Sally Nicholls is about two sisters, Molly and Hannah, who go to live with their grandparents after their mother dies and their father needs some time alone.  While Hannah tries to act older than she is and works her hardest to provoke their grandparents, Molly seems to act younger, preferring to escape into daydreams and imagination.  It's because of this that no one really takes Molly seriously when she begins telling them about her new friend.  They think she's made up this man who was being hunted by creatures on horses and who seems to disappear and reappear at will.  As her new friend grows weaker, Molly can see the one who is hunting him grows stronger.  What she doesn't realize right away is that the man she's grown fond of is actually the Holly King and it's the Oak King who is determined to destroy him.  Through stories told by her teacher, Molly learns more about the stories of the winter and summer solstice and the recurring battles between the Holly and Oak Kings.  Molly is convinced if she saves the Holly King, some of his magic can help restore some of the things that have gone wrong in her own life.

This was a really good book.  I enjoyed the way the author wove the story of the solstice kings into the story of Molly and Hannah's family.  I had never heard the stories of the Holly Kind and Oak King, so I felt I was learning right along with Molly.  I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, fairy tales, mystery, and/or adventure novels.