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The Forestfolk #1
Siena
Siena can heal wounds with a touch of her hands. A captive since birth, she is used as a tool of war by a Plainsmen tribe. A chance escape into the forest proves successful… and deadly. Rescued by the Forestfolk—a group of people she always thought were nothing more than bedtime stories—Siena remains on edge. Trust does not come easily when persecution is all she’s ever known. Keeping her abilities a secret seems like the right thing to do, until a tragic accident renders two Forestfolk spiraling toward death. If she chooses to reveal her abilities, she risks being subjugated again. Treated as no longer human. Maybe even sent back to the Plainsmen. But keeping her talent to herself means ignoring the injured around her, even allowing them to die. The choice seems obvious to Siena, but living with the repercussions of that choice is another matter altogether. A journey of self-discovery, a bit of adventure, and a splash of romance.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2017
5 people are currently reading
917 people want to read
About the author
Zoe Blessing
11 books46 followersZoe is a design engineer by day and superhero by night. Author. She meant to say author by night. She lives in Southern California, where she enjoys writing stories that make people feel good. Whether it's romance, fantasy, or science fiction, you can rest easy knowing she loves happy endings. Sign up for her infrequent newsletter at ZoeBlessing.com.
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TikTok: @zoe_blessing
Instagram: @zoe.blessing.author
Twitter: @zoeblessing
Facebook: ZoeBlessingAuthor
Looking for more indie books to enjoy? Zoe is also the creator of PrettyBookshelf.com, a growing catalog of great stories by indie authors. Search for books by genre, tropes, popular subject matters, and even spice level. It’s easy to navigate and free to use!
Discover indie books you’ll love: http://prettybookshelf.com/
Connect with Pretty Bookshelf on Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/prettybooks...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 30, 2017
Going into this book i wasn't sure what to expect. I liked the synopsis and wanted to give it a try and I'm so glad i did.
The book is set out in the tribes and follows Siena. A healer. You get to follow her journey to figuring herself out and who she is meant to be. you meet such wonderful characters along the way!
I not only loved Siena, but I also very much loved Semper, Nirran, Remi, and the rest of the clan. I think this might be the first book that i honestly can't pick a favorite character.
The writing is wonderful and flows with ease. You cant stop reading. The suspense is written to where you feel you are right there with Siena experiencing it all as she does!
not only was the story very enjoyable but you get wonderful messages along the way. One that I pulled from it is to always be yourself and love yourself for who you are. I felt such warmth in that message as i read through the book and i know this is a book i will be rereading!
The book is set out in the tribes and follows Siena. A healer. You get to follow her journey to figuring herself out and who she is meant to be. you meet such wonderful characters along the way!
I not only loved Siena, but I also very much loved Semper, Nirran, Remi, and the rest of the clan. I think this might be the first book that i honestly can't pick a favorite character.
The writing is wonderful and flows with ease. You cant stop reading. The suspense is written to where you feel you are right there with Siena experiencing it all as she does!
not only was the story very enjoyable but you get wonderful messages along the way. One that I pulled from it is to always be yourself and love yourself for who you are. I felt such warmth in that message as i read through the book and i know this is a book i will be rereading!
November 3, 2023
First of all, I am deleting my review of this book because I was so stupid and reviewed it all wrong back in 2019.
Second of all, I would love re-reading it soon and review it properly.
Second of all, I would love re-reading it soon and review it properly.
August 19, 2017
Set in a land before time, this touching story illustrates the resilience of the human heart, our ability to find forgiveness and achieve freedom even in spite of impossible odds—and the incredible power kindness holds to heal wounded souls and open even the most tortured minds.
April 1, 2018
*Thank you NetGalley and Zoe Blessing for the copy of this book, in exchange with an honest review*
"Siena" follows the story of a young girl, named Siena, who has a secret power, she can heal people with just a touch. She is a slave to the Zurbo tribe, where they use her as a tool, until one day, a neighboring tribe raids the Zurbo tribe and she manages to flee to the woods. There she meets the Forest people, a peaceful tribe of misfits and people who are gifted, just like Siena is.
Plot wise, I loved the feeling this book created. The Foresthome seemed like such a nice place and its inhabitants were so unique and intresting. The Gifted all had very intriguing abilites, with my favourite definitely being Remi's, he could camouflage himself as easily as a chameleon! The story progressed so smoothly and I loved that everything seemed to be evolving organically, nothing felt forced or out of place.
Character wise, Siena was a very down to earth girl, with a very nice personality. Despite being a slave for most of her life, she treated the Forest people with kindness and respect and was completely enarmored with their way of life, after being eith them for a couple of days. I really liked and admired her, and I can't wait to read more of her adventures!
I also loved Remi and Siena's relationship! He's so sweet to her and it's a bit funny how clueless she is sometimes, regarding love and those type of feelings! There was a very slight love triangle for a short period of time and, usually I'm not a big fan of them, but that particular one helped in making Siena realise her true feelings, so I think it was pretty useful for the story!
All in all, "Siena" is a very enjoyable read! I liked the tribes and the whole setting and it has intresting and relatable characters, which I believe is incredibly important for a good book!
"Siena" follows the story of a young girl, named Siena, who has a secret power, she can heal people with just a touch. She is a slave to the Zurbo tribe, where they use her as a tool, until one day, a neighboring tribe raids the Zurbo tribe and she manages to flee to the woods. There she meets the Forest people, a peaceful tribe of misfits and people who are gifted, just like Siena is.
Plot wise, I loved the feeling this book created. The Foresthome seemed like such a nice place and its inhabitants were so unique and intresting. The Gifted all had very intriguing abilites, with my favourite definitely being Remi's, he could camouflage himself as easily as a chameleon! The story progressed so smoothly and I loved that everything seemed to be evolving organically, nothing felt forced or out of place.
Character wise, Siena was a very down to earth girl, with a very nice personality. Despite being a slave for most of her life, she treated the Forest people with kindness and respect and was completely enarmored with their way of life, after being eith them for a couple of days. I really liked and admired her, and I can't wait to read more of her adventures!
I also loved Remi and Siena's relationship! He's so sweet to her and it's a bit funny how clueless she is sometimes, regarding love and those type of feelings! There was a very slight love triangle for a short period of time and, usually I'm not a big fan of them, but that particular one helped in making Siena realise her true feelings, so I think it was pretty useful for the story!
All in all, "Siena" is a very enjoyable read! I liked the tribes and the whole setting and it has intresting and relatable characters, which I believe is incredibly important for a good book!
April 12, 2018
I received a copy of Siena from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Like many of the books I’ve been reading lately, the cover for Siena is what originally caught my attention, but it really was the description that made me decide to give it a try. Siena is the first novel by Zoe Blessing, but clearly it’s already caught some attention, since the second novel (Sember) is due out in November.
I’m always a fan of stories that focus on healers. I suppose every fan of fantasy series and the concept of superpowers have a favorite power (or two) that they really love the concept of (my second one is the ability to talk to animals; like that’s any surprise). Upon learning that Siena is a healer in a world that considers people with abilities to be abominations, I was immediately intrigued about the plot and the potential of the series.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Like many of the books I’ve been reading lately, the cover for Siena is what originally caught my attention, but it really was the description that made me decide to give it a try. Siena is the first novel by Zoe Blessing, but clearly it’s already caught some attention, since the second novel (Sember) is due out in November.
I’m always a fan of stories that focus on healers. I suppose every fan of fantasy series and the concept of superpowers have a favorite power (or two) that they really love the concept of (my second one is the ability to talk to animals; like that’s any surprise). Upon learning that Siena is a healer in a world that considers people with abilities to be abominations, I was immediately intrigued about the plot and the potential of the series.
For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
April 2, 2018
(Read this over on my blog!)
"‘Sometimes we have to do things we don’t like. And sometimes – some might say often – we wonder if we could have done things differently.'”
Going in, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Zoe Blessing’s Siena. It’s not my usual fare – it didn’t seem particularly high on the action and fantasy, and is definitely a lot smaller in scale than most of the books I’ve been reading recently. I was pleasantly surprised by how much the story actually grew on me, and how much I came to care about the characters and the world we were brought into, small as it was. Siena is ultimately a book about kindness, understanding, and overcoming fear, with an interesting protagonist and side characters and a unique setting that all make up for a sometimes uneven plot.
The Story and World
“‘The Forestfolk aren’t like them…They call us Gifted, not Aberrations.'"
Siena is a highly character-driven story, so my focus will be on the characters, but in general, the plot works well with this. Siena’s life in the Zurbo tribe where she is a captive is a good setup for her interactions and reactions later in the story. This is especially so when coupled with the dreadful inciting incident that lets her escape from them to the Forestfolk – even if the terror and gravity of what happened don’t become wholly visceral until well into the second act.
I enjoyed the Forestfolk chapters, even if I felt the conflict was lacking (more on that below). The third act, however, is when the story really came into its own, making use of the world it had built between the Plainsmen tribes, Siena’s character growth, and her interpersonal relationships. My main reason for docking a star is primarily because this quality was not present throughout the entire book.
One other thing I really appreciated was the denouement that at first seemed rather drawn out given the comparatively shorter story it was wrapping up. There was a lot of baggage to unpack in terms of Siena’s character, and it was definitely well done.
I should mention that going into the story, I didn’t realise it had a Neolithic setting – the humans in this tale had an established farming system, but had yet to develop advanced textiles or technology. It was a really, really nice and unexpected world to get into, since I don’t read a lot of pre-civilisation fiction at all. I enjoyed that aspect.
The Characters
“You’re all right. The words echoed in my ears, and I wondered if they were true."
The titular character, our protagonist, is understandably the focus of this story, and I really liked her. I credit Jodi Meadows’ Before She Ignites for softening me up to characters that are introspective and stereotypically “weak”. I really appreciated Siena’s gentleness and fear and anxiety, and how these evolved as the story progressed, especially in the climactic moment and denouement. When she made decisions, one could forgive her more impulsive actions, given her goodheartedness and her acting in spite of her fears. She really shone in the third act. She found her strength.
In terms of side characters, I loved how wholesome the Forestfolk were! Everyone was so nice, to the point that the story did start to get boring because of a lack of interpersonal conflict. It was fine to read Siena’s internal struggles; I just wish there had been a little more drama! Call me cruel but I didn’t feel she’d quite earned that reprieve just yet 🙂 At first I found Siena’s relationship with Remi (a hunter of the Forestfolk) verging on instalove – but as the story progressed, their chemistry and companionability really got a chance to shine, and eventually sold the romance for me.
When first reading, I immediately reflected that the antagonists felt lacking. Upon thinking back, however, I came to realise that the brutish folk among the Plainsmen were causes and symptoms of the inner fear that was controlling Siena, not the fear itself. I did appreciate that Borga was painted as monstrous and yet having fears that drove him too, rather than pure sadism.
The Writing
One great thing about Siena is that it is compulsively readable. The language was quite good, but in my view served more as a vehicle that functions to tell a good story, rather than as part of the reading experience itself. It was nicely written but served primarily to carry the story, without lingering on the use of language. Sometimes this doesn’t work for me – in this case, Blessing is eloquent and measured enough in her voice that it does. My biggest peeve with the writing was repeated words, often within the same paragraph or two and sometimes within the same sentence.
Final Thoughts
I genuinely enjoyed Siena and am looking forward to reading its follow-up, Sember. Blessing knows how to create solid characters and an enjoyable story. I’d recommend this to anyone looking to read a book about self-discovery with a dash of adventure and some beautiful relationships.
“‘The trick isn’t to convince yourself it was right,’ she continued, leaning forward to make her point. ‘It’s to accept that it happened, and move on.'”
Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for providing the book in exchange for an honest review!
"‘Sometimes we have to do things we don’t like. And sometimes – some might say often – we wonder if we could have done things differently.'”
Going in, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Zoe Blessing’s Siena. It’s not my usual fare – it didn’t seem particularly high on the action and fantasy, and is definitely a lot smaller in scale than most of the books I’ve been reading recently. I was pleasantly surprised by how much the story actually grew on me, and how much I came to care about the characters and the world we were brought into, small as it was. Siena is ultimately a book about kindness, understanding, and overcoming fear, with an interesting protagonist and side characters and a unique setting that all make up for a sometimes uneven plot.
The Story and World
“‘The Forestfolk aren’t like them…They call us Gifted, not Aberrations.'"
Siena is a highly character-driven story, so my focus will be on the characters, but in general, the plot works well with this. Siena’s life in the Zurbo tribe where she is a captive is a good setup for her interactions and reactions later in the story. This is especially so when coupled with the dreadful inciting incident that lets her escape from them to the Forestfolk – even if the terror and gravity of what happened don’t become wholly visceral until well into the second act.
I enjoyed the Forestfolk chapters, even if I felt the conflict was lacking (more on that below). The third act, however, is when the story really came into its own, making use of the world it had built between the Plainsmen tribes, Siena’s character growth, and her interpersonal relationships. My main reason for docking a star is primarily because this quality was not present throughout the entire book.
One other thing I really appreciated was the denouement that at first seemed rather drawn out given the comparatively shorter story it was wrapping up. There was a lot of baggage to unpack in terms of Siena’s character, and it was definitely well done.
I should mention that going into the story, I didn’t realise it had a Neolithic setting – the humans in this tale had an established farming system, but had yet to develop advanced textiles or technology. It was a really, really nice and unexpected world to get into, since I don’t read a lot of pre-civilisation fiction at all. I enjoyed that aspect.
The Characters
“You’re all right. The words echoed in my ears, and I wondered if they were true."
The titular character, our protagonist, is understandably the focus of this story, and I really liked her. I credit Jodi Meadows’ Before She Ignites for softening me up to characters that are introspective and stereotypically “weak”. I really appreciated Siena’s gentleness and fear and anxiety, and how these evolved as the story progressed, especially in the climactic moment and denouement. When she made decisions, one could forgive her more impulsive actions, given her goodheartedness and her acting in spite of her fears. She really shone in the third act. She found her strength.
In terms of side characters, I loved how wholesome the Forestfolk were! Everyone was so nice, to the point that the story did start to get boring because of a lack of interpersonal conflict. It was fine to read Siena’s internal struggles; I just wish there had been a little more drama! Call me cruel but I didn’t feel she’d quite earned that reprieve just yet 🙂 At first I found Siena’s relationship with Remi (a hunter of the Forestfolk) verging on instalove – but as the story progressed, their chemistry and companionability really got a chance to shine, and eventually sold the romance for me.
When first reading, I immediately reflected that the antagonists felt lacking. Upon thinking back, however, I came to realise that the brutish folk among the Plainsmen were causes and symptoms of the inner fear that was controlling Siena, not the fear itself. I did appreciate that Borga was painted as monstrous and yet having fears that drove him too, rather than pure sadism.
The Writing
One great thing about Siena is that it is compulsively readable. The language was quite good, but in my view served more as a vehicle that functions to tell a good story, rather than as part of the reading experience itself. It was nicely written but served primarily to carry the story, without lingering on the use of language. Sometimes this doesn’t work for me – in this case, Blessing is eloquent and measured enough in her voice that it does. My biggest peeve with the writing was repeated words, often within the same paragraph or two and sometimes within the same sentence.
Final Thoughts
I genuinely enjoyed Siena and am looking forward to reading its follow-up, Sember. Blessing knows how to create solid characters and an enjoyable story. I’d recommend this to anyone looking to read a book about self-discovery with a dash of adventure and some beautiful relationships.
“‘The trick isn’t to convince yourself it was right,’ she continued, leaning forward to make her point. ‘It’s to accept that it happened, and move on.'”
Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for providing the book in exchange for an honest review!
August 2, 2024
I first read this one on Wattpad…and the nostalgia alone was enough for me to give it a 5 stars!
Really enjoyed it, can’t wait to re-read the others ◡̈
Really enjoyed it, can’t wait to re-read the others ◡̈
July 15, 2019
I received an ARC on netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a truly wonderful read. I was not sure what to expect and it took me a lot longer to focus all of my attention on reading only this book (sometimes I will read multiple books at a time). I am glad that I did.
Here is what I liked
There was just such a sweet innocence to this book. From the characters, to the love interest and how it was written. There was still death and violence and even fear of assault. But it is all of the good that shines through. It almost felt like a "coming of age" book, overcoming tough choices, making some of those tough choices, learning how to live with said choice and realizing that somewhere along the way you have moved on from being just a girl and boy.
Siena was a WONDERFUL MC. She was so sweet, innocent, loveable, but should could also be very fierce and strong. I think a lot of that had to do with her age of just being 15, and all of the thing she had endured at the young age. Lately most of the books I have been reading, I find myself disliking the main character so much, or I find I can hardly connect or find anything likeable about them. I did not mind at all that she was only 15. She reminded me of me at that age, totally bashful and awkward at times.
And oh my goodness, the ADORABLE little love story that sprouts between Siena and Remi! It is pure sweet innocence and they are just so adorable! You don't get too many "love stories" like that in YA novels. Lately it is overly nauseating or too graphic or so insta love that it has me rolling my eyes. This novel is labeled as a "Romance" on GR, but I wouldn't say it is. The love story is so secondary and so gentle and the plot still remained the plot, this only added to it and especially the ending.
Blessings also includes a lot of wonderfully written secondary characters. Some that I found rather annoying, like Nirrin but I also had to remind myself that she was a child. Sember was also another adorable character and I enjoyed the sisterly love that sprouted between her and Siena.
What I didn't like
Well. For once, I have nothing to write about what I didn't like. Overall enjoyed this book immensely. I know that the second book in this series is about Sember 10 yrs from now and I don't know how I feel about that considering how much I liked Seina and Remi and I want more of their story. BUT, if it's anything like Siena, it is worth picking up.
This was a truly wonderful read. I was not sure what to expect and it took me a lot longer to focus all of my attention on reading only this book (sometimes I will read multiple books at a time). I am glad that I did.
Here is what I liked
There was just such a sweet innocence to this book. From the characters, to the love interest and how it was written. There was still death and violence and even fear of assault. But it is all of the good that shines through. It almost felt like a "coming of age" book, overcoming tough choices, making some of those tough choices, learning how to live with said choice and realizing that somewhere along the way you have moved on from being just a girl and boy.
Siena was a WONDERFUL MC. She was so sweet, innocent, loveable, but should could also be very fierce and strong. I think a lot of that had to do with her age of just being 15, and all of the thing she had endured at the young age. Lately most of the books I have been reading, I find myself disliking the main character so much, or I find I can hardly connect or find anything likeable about them. I did not mind at all that she was only 15. She reminded me of me at that age, totally bashful and awkward at times.
And oh my goodness, the ADORABLE little love story that sprouts between Siena and Remi! It is pure sweet innocence and they are just so adorable! You don't get too many "love stories" like that in YA novels. Lately it is overly nauseating or too graphic or so insta love that it has me rolling my eyes. This novel is labeled as a "Romance" on GR, but I wouldn't say it is. The love story is so secondary and so gentle and the plot still remained the plot, this only added to it and especially the ending.
Blessings also includes a lot of wonderfully written secondary characters. Some that I found rather annoying, like Nirrin but I also had to remind myself that she was a child. Sember was also another adorable character and I enjoyed the sisterly love that sprouted between her and Siena.
What I didn't like
Well. For once, I have nothing to write about what I didn't like. Overall enjoyed this book immensely. I know that the second book in this series is about Sember 10 yrs from now and I don't know how I feel about that considering how much I liked Seina and Remi and I want more of their story. BUT, if it's anything like Siena, it is worth picking up.
December 17, 2017
This book was honestly, truly beautiful. I cried with Siena, I felt her pain. It changed my perception of the world. If you haven't read this book yet, it's a must-read.
March 22, 2018
The KEYS TO THE KINGDOM series meets CHRONICLES OF ANCIENT DARKNESS meets Leigh Bardugo, in one bright, original YA novel.
SIENA follows the material and internal journey of fifteen-year-old Siena. As she flees danger, she meets the elusive Forestfolk, a refuge of sorts in the depths of the forest. Where do I start with the praise? The prose is descriptive and lyrical without being overbearing, the female characters are strong without being physically powerful warriors, and morality and loyalty are tested in all sorts of ways.
It raises questions about prejudice, and about right and wrong. It provides a new twist on magic. It creates a world that envelops you, taking you by all five senses and making you feel as though you’re there, in the forest or the lake or the community. The romance element is predictable, and I think the characters could have been delved into more, particularly the adults - there are a lot of interesting people here that we don’t really get to know - but this is only a minor thing.
In a world of YA books that are snap snap snap, fast-pacing, and banter, this focus on nature and life is refreshing. The climax could be more dramatic, as it seemed to be over quite fast, but it isn’t a hugely dramatic book overall, so again, this is only minor. Siena is a unique, gentle, believable heroine, with an equally unique, believable, sometimes-gentle accompanying cast. I will definitely be reading the sequel!
SIENA follows the material and internal journey of fifteen-year-old Siena. As she flees danger, she meets the elusive Forestfolk, a refuge of sorts in the depths of the forest. Where do I start with the praise? The prose is descriptive and lyrical without being overbearing, the female characters are strong without being physically powerful warriors, and morality and loyalty are tested in all sorts of ways.
It raises questions about prejudice, and about right and wrong. It provides a new twist on magic. It creates a world that envelops you, taking you by all five senses and making you feel as though you’re there, in the forest or the lake or the community. The romance element is predictable, and I think the characters could have been delved into more, particularly the adults - there are a lot of interesting people here that we don’t really get to know - but this is only a minor thing.
In a world of YA books that are snap snap snap, fast-pacing, and banter, this focus on nature and life is refreshing. The climax could be more dramatic, as it seemed to be over quite fast, but it isn’t a hugely dramatic book overall, so again, this is only minor. Siena is a unique, gentle, believable heroine, with an equally unique, believable, sometimes-gentle accompanying cast. I will definitely be reading the sequel!
April 22, 2018
Alright, I loved this book more than the last one I reviewed on this site. Fantasy novels will always trump anything else. Sienna is a great narrator, and although she could be considered as an “op” character- I disagree, yes she is powerful, but she has real human struggles. I think a lot of people can relate to the hurt of being marginalized for all of her life, and the time that it took to heal those wounds. I liked the slow chemistry between Sienna and her love interest, I also absolutely adored her character development and her interactions with all of the other characters. It did take a while to sink into the story- you are almost thrown into this world but in a good way. Less like being thrown into an ocean, and more like into a kiddie pool. I would highly recommend reading this book- It’s a smooth read and it pulls you in and pulls you in quick. There are only two books (currently published) in this series written by Zoe Blessing, and I look forward to reading more of her work.
October 1, 2017
3/5 Stars.
Solid story. Good Character Arc.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. I will admit that this did take me some time to finish. The Plight of a Mood Reader.
Although, I felt like this story came across too juvenile for me at times I did enjoy it.
The unfilted descriptions of tribe-life and what Siena has to face was really good. Her fragility and honesty are a real testament to her character even with what she has had to go through. I particularly loved they way the author described the forests and surrounding areas.
The twist in the perception of light skin and blue eyes being seen as traits as being an aberration were refreshing.
And although Siena faces some harsh treatment from her community, it was nicely off-balanced by the good.
The text was neither too dense or dialogue heavy. But most of all there was character development and a happy ending. In this case, that left me wholly satisfied.
Solid story. Good Character Arc.
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. I will admit that this did take me some time to finish. The Plight of a Mood Reader.
Although, I felt like this story came across too juvenile for me at times I did enjoy it.
The unfilted descriptions of tribe-life and what Siena has to face was really good. Her fragility and honesty are a real testament to her character even with what she has had to go through. I particularly loved they way the author described the forests and surrounding areas.
The twist in the perception of light skin and blue eyes being seen as traits as being an aberration were refreshing.
And although Siena faces some harsh treatment from her community, it was nicely off-balanced by the good.
The text was neither too dense or dialogue heavy. But most of all there was character development and a happy ending. In this case, that left me wholly satisfied.
November 5, 2020
A bit different than the usual paranormal books I read, Siena is a story of a fifteen year old girl who's only known captivity her whole life. As a child, she discovered her ability to heal, and after her loud mouth half brother blabbed about it, her mother was executed for hiding her secret, and she's been a slave ever since. She often wonders if this is all life has for her.
Check out my full review here!
https://radioactivebookreviews.wordpr...
Check out my full review here!
https://radioactivebookreviews.wordpr...
February 27, 2019
Honestly, this was so beautiful. Everything was described amazingly. And thank goodness that the chapters weren't long and dragging endlessly (in other words, thanks for not peaking my boredom!) but were short and sectioned. The characters are all so interesting and special in their own way. Seriously an amazing read!
August 24, 2021
Despite some darker themes, this book felt so wholesome to me. The main character is a little naive, and her trauma/anxieties do vanish a little too quickly, but I didn't really mind. It was incredibly relaxing to read, and I liked the worldbuilding. Would definitely recommend, especially if you (like me) are in a reading slump.
December 3, 2017
I wasn't sure what to expect before starting Siena but I'm glad I had the chance to read it. It is such a lovely, sweet story which really gets you attached to the characters. I would love to read more about them!
May 17, 2018
A little light and cringy in the beginning but packed one heck of a punch. I can't wait to see where we go from here in the next installment. This one is definitely going onto my bookshelf and hopefully, so is Sember.
October 24, 2018
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
The writing for this story wasn't the greatest, but the premise was definitely interesting and emotional, and I kept reading to find out what would happen next. The character development was believable.
The writing for this story wasn't the greatest, but the premise was definitely interesting and emotional, and I kept reading to find out what would happen next. The character development was believable.
July 5, 2022
3.5
Review coming soon!
Update:
Siena provides a fun, fast-paced glimpse into the world of the Forestfolk. Zoe has done a terrific job of creating a coming of age story that allows the reader to delve into Siena’s interests, fears, and pain. If you are a fan of found family, coming of age stories and powers/abilities this book may be right up your alley. I am very excited to continue the journey with the Forestfolk in Zoe’s other two books, Sember and Nirrin.
Review coming soon!
Update:
Siena provides a fun, fast-paced glimpse into the world of the Forestfolk. Zoe has done a terrific job of creating a coming of age story that allows the reader to delve into Siena’s interests, fears, and pain. If you are a fan of found family, coming of age stories and powers/abilities this book may be right up your alley. I am very excited to continue the journey with the Forestfolk in Zoe’s other two books, Sember and Nirrin.
October 28, 2017
Siena is a wonderful book. You experience everything Siena is feeling in a personal way. You become very invested in these characters. I loved it.
March 18, 2018
This book was good but I felt like it could have been so much better. A deeper dive into character or environment/culture would have been great for filling it out.
March 19, 2018
This book was great! I loved Siena's growth throughout the story.
And I love Sember! She is an adorable character. I can't wait to read the next one!
And I love Sember! She is an adorable character. I can't wait to read the next one!
April 28, 2018
see my blog for my review:
https://kelseylelacheur.wixsite.com/m...
https://kelseylelacheur.wixsite.com/m...
September 24, 2018
A wonderful book about a sweet, kind girl who has to overcome the ridicule and emotional abuse of others.
I loved it! 5 stars from me!
I loved it! 5 stars from me!
October 4, 2019
A story that will take you to your wildest imaginations. Kudos to miss Zoe!
May 13, 2020
A beautiful and captivating book. I was hooked from the first page
August 3, 2020
Yeah. It was good. What else?
It felt like reading my favorite comic book
It felt like reading my favorite comic book
July 24, 2021
I think this book is amazing! I read it on Wattpad and fell in love with the series immediately! Zoe, my Wattpad user is thebestwriter_ever24, and this was the review I promised!
March 24, 2018
Summary
Siena can heal any wound with a touch, but because of prejudices against people with supernatural abilities she is treated by her tribe as a thing, not a person. Finally, one day she has the opportunity to escape and regain her life.
This is a story of a young girl discovering herself. This is a story of a young girl learning that the one thing that makes her so different from everyone else, is also what makes her powerful. This is a story of a young girl growing up.
Writing
The writing style is very simple but I really enjoyed that. I feel like it worked well with the story. The only thing I had issue with was the fact that at this point I don't really know if Sienna eats meat or not. She says that the death of an animal hurts her and "all lives are valuable", but she eats dried meat. Then she can't eat meat in a stew. Then she eats squirrels that Remi just killed. And the next day she refuses to eat meat again. It confused me a lot.
Characters
I think that the author did an amazing job with the arc of Siena. And I absolutely adored Sember (and I know she got her own book!). But I feel like the rest of the characters were lacking depth. Especially Remi. He was the love interest and that was all. I think he had the potential to become an amazing character. There just wasn't enough pages. Still, I can't even imagine how hard it must be to develop characters in book that is so short.
Plot
The plot is linear. The story is simple and a little slow, though interesting enough to make you keep turning the pages.
Overall
This is a truly hearwarming story about self-discovery and growing up. It's short, it's simple and it's good. That's all I could ask for.
I recieved a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Siena can heal any wound with a touch, but because of prejudices against people with supernatural abilities she is treated by her tribe as a thing, not a person. Finally, one day she has the opportunity to escape and regain her life.
This is a story of a young girl discovering herself. This is a story of a young girl learning that the one thing that makes her so different from everyone else, is also what makes her powerful. This is a story of a young girl growing up.
Writing
The writing style is very simple but I really enjoyed that. I feel like it worked well with the story. The only thing I had issue with was the fact that at this point I don't really know if Sienna eats meat or not. She says that the death of an animal hurts her and "all lives are valuable", but she eats dried meat. Then she can't eat meat in a stew. Then she eats squirrels that Remi just killed. And the next day she refuses to eat meat again. It confused me a lot.
Characters
I think that the author did an amazing job with the arc of Siena. And I absolutely adored Sember (and I know she got her own book!). But I feel like the rest of the characters were lacking depth. Especially Remi. He was the love interest and that was all. I think he had the potential to become an amazing character. There just wasn't enough pages. Still, I can't even imagine how hard it must be to develop characters in book that is so short.
Plot
The plot is linear. The story is simple and a little slow, though interesting enough to make you keep turning the pages.
Overall
This is a truly hearwarming story about self-discovery and growing up. It's short, it's simple and it's good. That's all I could ask for.
I recieved a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
September 5, 2023
I first read this book many years ago as a webnovel on Tapas. I quickly fell in love with Siena and the world she occupies. And as the story went on, I also found myself quickly taken by the residents of foresthome right alongside Siena.
It's not a particularly emotion-evoking story, I admit. In part, it's because of the length. But the fact that we don't have a lot of imagery and detail also keeps us from being immersed in the scene. Similarly, the conflicts and flat and quickly resolved, as even the climax tension doesn't hold out throughout the work. What we do have however, is a well-written POV character, Siena. We want to root for her, from the very beginning. Her balance of gentle soul and determined spirit was well struck, even despite of all her circumstances that could have easily broken both.
There is a little bit of romance, but it is very much a subplot and felt well-balanced with her overarching story of becoming comfortable and finding a home for herself.
It was every bit a great, understated, easy YA read (and re-read) that I highly recommend.
It's not a particularly emotion-evoking story, I admit. In part, it's because of the length. But the fact that we don't have a lot of imagery and detail also keeps us from being immersed in the scene. Similarly, the conflicts and flat and quickly resolved, as even the climax tension doesn't hold out throughout the work. What we do have however, is a well-written POV character, Siena. We want to root for her, from the very beginning. Her balance of gentle soul and determined spirit was well struck, even despite of all her circumstances that could have easily broken both.
There is a little bit of romance, but it is very much a subplot and felt well-balanced with her overarching story of becoming comfortable and finding a home for herself.
It was every bit a great, understated, easy YA read (and re-read) that I highly recommend.
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