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Shamanborn #3
Calling of Light
Part 3 of the Shamanborn trilogy.
Paperback
First published April 16, 2024
18 people are currently reading
5549 people want to read
About the author
Lori M. Lee
14 books1,397 followersLori is an avid writer, reader, artist, and lover of unicorns. She should probably spend less time on the internet (but she won't). She considers herself a unicorn aficianado, is fond of talking in capslock, and loves to write about magic, manipulation, and family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
March 16, 2024
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
Amazing conclusion to this incredible trilogy! Calling of Light had the same brilliant worldbuilding and to-die-for friendships that made me love the first couple books in the series, and I grew to feel an even stronger connection to Sirscha than before. (This book was really a four star read, I just took half a star away to be petty because it contained my #1 least favourite microtrope/plot-point.)
This series bases itself around fantasy and friendship. There is no subplot romance to drag away from the central adventure storyline, which is pretty uncommon for my usual fantasy read, but I loved it. While I feel a certain attachment to my love, Theyen, the reader cannot help but be primarily invested in Sirscha and her story, and I thought her character in this book was even stronger and more loveable. Her growth was truly phenomenal, I loved the way she grew to admire her power.
“…in its purest form, my craft is beautiful. It is pure magic, all the light and life that creates a soul. An entire world cupped within my hands or destroyed with a thought.”
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the connection to Saengo that I was hoping for, as much like my experience with book #1 in the series, I felt honestly apathetic towards her. But her friendship with Sirscha is nonetheless so precious and strong, and I’m so glad they didn’t lose that with this book.
I also thought the character building for our villain was brilliant. We learnt more about his past experiences and his reasoning, which really helped flesh him out, and I felt the conclusion was satisfying and well done.
“I am their monster, and they are right to fear me.”
Overall, this was a wonderful and satisfying conclusion to this unique series!! I am a little irritated by one aspect of the ending but otherwise it was great! Sirscha is my baby and deserves the biggest hug. Thank you so much to the author, publisher and TBR & Beyond Tours for the ARC copy provided.
3.5 stars
Amazing conclusion to this incredible trilogy! Calling of Light had the same brilliant worldbuilding and to-die-for friendships that made me love the first couple books in the series, and I grew to feel an even stronger connection to Sirscha than before. (This book was really a four star read, I just took half a star away to be petty because it contained my #1 least favourite microtrope/plot-point.)
This series bases itself around fantasy and friendship. There is no subplot romance to drag away from the central adventure storyline, which is pretty uncommon for my usual fantasy read, but I loved it. While I feel a certain attachment to my love, Theyen, the reader cannot help but be primarily invested in Sirscha and her story, and I thought her character in this book was even stronger and more loveable. Her growth was truly phenomenal, I loved the way she grew to admire her power.
“…in its purest form, my craft is beautiful. It is pure magic, all the light and life that creates a soul. An entire world cupped within my hands or destroyed with a thought.”
Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the connection to Saengo that I was hoping for, as much like my experience with book #1 in the series, I felt honestly apathetic towards her. But her friendship with Sirscha is nonetheless so precious and strong, and I’m so glad they didn’t lose that with this book.
I also thought the character building for our villain was brilliant. We learnt more about his past experiences and his reasoning, which really helped flesh him out, and I felt the conclusion was satisfying and well done.
“I am their monster, and they are right to fear me.”
Overall, this was a wonderful and satisfying conclusion to this unique series!! I am a little irritated by one aspect of the ending but otherwise it was great! Sirscha is my baby and deserves the biggest hug. Thank you so much to the author, publisher and TBR & Beyond Tours for the ARC copy provided.
March 24, 2024
This delivers a breathtaking conclusion to the incredibly Shamanborn trilogy, plunging readers back into a world with alliances being tested against the backdrop of the kingdoms in turmoil with the ever-growing threat of the Soulless.
Sirscha remains steadfast in her determination to confront the true threat lurking in the shadows—the enigmatic and malevolent Soulless. Even if she agrees with him - but not his methods. Lee masterfully weaves together elements of an interesting magic system, fascinating political intrigue, and fierce friendships. She is able to draw readers deeper into the heart of the story with each turn of the page and I stayed up way too late reading this. The intricate world-building and richly imagined setting serve as a vibrant backdrop to the unfolding drama. While the action-packed combat scenes and thrilling plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat, it is the subtle character explorations and themes of friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice that resonated most deeply.
The incredibly dynamic characters and their complex relationships make them feel genuine and their arcs personal. Sirscha has an unwavering resolve to confront the danger that threatens to consume her world, even as she grapples with doubts and uncertainties about her own identity and purpose. Her relationship with her mentor and her yearning for a mother figure is still present in this story. Even though she has learned to find worth in herself outside of other's expectations. Lee expertly navigates Sirscha's internal struggles, crafting a protagonist who is both vulnerable and resilient, flawed yet fiercely determined. A friend and a hero, but not a saint. I love how the focus of this is platonic relationships and while I wish that the author did bring us some conclusion that yes - Sirscha and Saengo ARE together, I understand that friendships are more important to this story. I ADORE the character arcs of all of these characters and I will truly miss them terribly.
This is a narrative that is as heartwarming as it is heart-wrenching. I got teary three times and I was incredibly content with how the story ended. This is a triumphant finale to an amazing YA trilogy, showcasing Lori M. Lee's talent for crafting immersive fantasy worlds and compelling characters.
This knocked it out of the park. Thank you to The TBR and Beyond Tours for the physical ARC. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.
Sirscha remains steadfast in her determination to confront the true threat lurking in the shadows—the enigmatic and malevolent Soulless. Even if she agrees with him - but not his methods. Lee masterfully weaves together elements of an interesting magic system, fascinating political intrigue, and fierce friendships. She is able to draw readers deeper into the heart of the story with each turn of the page and I stayed up way too late reading this. The intricate world-building and richly imagined setting serve as a vibrant backdrop to the unfolding drama. While the action-packed combat scenes and thrilling plot twists kept me on the edge of my seat, it is the subtle character explorations and themes of friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice that resonated most deeply.
The incredibly dynamic characters and their complex relationships make them feel genuine and their arcs personal. Sirscha has an unwavering resolve to confront the danger that threatens to consume her world, even as she grapples with doubts and uncertainties about her own identity and purpose. Her relationship with her mentor and her yearning for a mother figure is still present in this story. Even though she has learned to find worth in herself outside of other's expectations. Lee expertly navigates Sirscha's internal struggles, crafting a protagonist who is both vulnerable and resilient, flawed yet fiercely determined. A friend and a hero, but not a saint. I love how the focus of this is platonic relationships and while I wish that the author did bring us some conclusion that yes - Sirscha and Saengo ARE together, I understand that friendships are more important to this story. I ADORE the character arcs of all of these characters and I will truly miss them terribly.
This is a narrative that is as heartwarming as it is heart-wrenching. I got teary three times and I was incredibly content with how the story ended. This is a triumphant finale to an amazing YA trilogy, showcasing Lori M. Lee's talent for crafting immersive fantasy worlds and compelling characters.
This knocked it out of the park. Thank you to The TBR and Beyond Tours for the physical ARC. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.
April 26, 2024
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Dark Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
Calling of Light is the third and final installment in author Lori M. Lee's Shamanborn series. It has been two months since Queen Meilyr was stopped, and Prince Mailek returned to Vis Talwyn where he will soon ascend to King. It has been two months since Sirscha last encountered the deadly Soulless who was released from his prison thanks to the death of his brother, and now the Dead Woods stand as a greater threat than ever before, and one that is still growing, slowly but surely encroaching on the Empire’s borders.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Dark Fantasy
*Rating* 4.0
*Thoughts*
Calling of Light is the third and final installment in author Lori M. Lee's Shamanborn series. It has been two months since Queen Meilyr was stopped, and Prince Mailek returned to Vis Talwyn where he will soon ascend to King. It has been two months since Sirscha last encountered the deadly Soulless who was released from his prison thanks to the death of his brother, and now the Dead Woods stand as a greater threat than ever before, and one that is still growing, slowly but surely encroaching on the Empire’s borders.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
March 27, 2024
An epic conclusion to the series! I am really satisfied with it, albeit a little sad that I will be saying goodbye to Sirscha, Saengo, Theyen and Meilek. I feel like their lives are just beginning!
There is not much else I can say without spoiling the series but I will highlight some loves and themes that will stay with me for awhile. I adored the focus on platonic love and friendship, of a tight found family who will move mountains for each other and try their best to live for each other.
I loved how the protagonist started the story edgy and decisive, certain of her direction and purpose, but then existential crisis after existential crisis as the plot progresses keeps her questioning and adapting. She has to really dissect who she is, and develop a strong sense of empathy for friend and foe both. I find this progression rare in YA protagonists, as they usually become more edgy and jaded as the story continues.
On a personal and more surface level note, I loved that I can see myself physically in Sirscha and Saengo's characters. It is still not often that I see protagonists with East Asian features who are not fitted into a box of stereotypes, and are just being normal people with emotions, strengths and weaknesses trying to overcome some truly spectacular circumstances. It seems silly, but it is lovely to see someone with cheekbones like mine, hair like mine and skin colour like mine do brave and impactful things just like in any classic fantasy.
So thrilled over the launch of this final book, and will be keeping up to date with Lori M. Lee.
Thank you NetGalley, Page Street YA and the author for this advance review copy, I am leaving this review voluntarily as part of the Calling of Light Tour hosted by Hear Our Voices.
There is not much else I can say without spoiling the series but I will highlight some loves and themes that will stay with me for awhile. I adored the focus on platonic love and friendship, of a tight found family who will move mountains for each other and try their best to live for each other.
I loved how the protagonist started the story edgy and decisive, certain of her direction and purpose, but then existential crisis after existential crisis as the plot progresses keeps her questioning and adapting. She has to really dissect who she is, and develop a strong sense of empathy for friend and foe both. I find this progression rare in YA protagonists, as they usually become more edgy and jaded as the story continues.
On a personal and more surface level note, I loved that I can see myself physically in Sirscha and Saengo's characters. It is still not often that I see protagonists with East Asian features who are not fitted into a box of stereotypes, and are just being normal people with emotions, strengths and weaknesses trying to overcome some truly spectacular circumstances. It seems silly, but it is lovely to see someone with cheekbones like mine, hair like mine and skin colour like mine do brave and impactful things just like in any classic fantasy.
So thrilled over the launch of this final book, and will be keeping up to date with Lori M. Lee.
Thank you NetGalley, Page Street YA and the author for this advance review copy, I am leaving this review voluntarily as part of the Calling of Light Tour hosted by Hear Our Voices.
April 11, 2024
Calling of Light is the third book of the Shamanborn series. This series has been so addicting and everything I wanted after watching the new live action of Avatar the Last Airbender. This series has a lot of similarities, but with a twist and more types of elements/powers. Really it’s earth, air, water, fire, shadows, & light. Each having multiple different ways to wield it.
This book was a great conclusion to the series, as sad as I am to see it end, I loved every second of it! The world Lee built is so amazing and so beautiful. And I love that this was a YA book that didn’t focus on the romance. It focused on friendships, trust in others & in yourself, and found family.
If you loved these books then you’ll love this series (swipe to see the books):
• Throne of Glass (bad ass assassin & found family elements, also there are two characters that remind me of Chaol & Dorian)
• Crown of Feathers (familiars & awesome creatures)
• The Poppy War (an orphan who trains to raise her status in the world & also has to battle an evil magical being)
• Shadow and Bone (the elemental magic and the war between magical beings and non magical beings, plus the chosen one wields light magic)
Basically, I recommended this books to everyone! I really enjoyed this series. Thank you so much HearOutVoicesTours & Lori M. Lee for my #gifted physical ARC of this book! 😍
This book was a great conclusion to the series, as sad as I am to see it end, I loved every second of it! The world Lee built is so amazing and so beautiful. And I love that this was a YA book that didn’t focus on the romance. It focused on friendships, trust in others & in yourself, and found family.
If you loved these books then you’ll love this series (swipe to see the books):
• Throne of Glass (bad ass assassin & found family elements, also there are two characters that remind me of Chaol & Dorian)
• Crown of Feathers (familiars & awesome creatures)
• The Poppy War (an orphan who trains to raise her status in the world & also has to battle an evil magical being)
• Shadow and Bone (the elemental magic and the war between magical beings and non magical beings, plus the chosen one wields light magic)
Basically, I recommended this books to everyone! I really enjoyed this series. Thank you so much HearOutVoicesTours & Lori M. Lee for my #gifted physical ARC of this book! 😍
August 2, 2024
Actual rating: 3.5/5 stars
ARC copy won in a Goodreads giveaway.
The time between the second book and this conclusion was pretty significant, so there were a lot of details that I didn't remember when diving into this one. Despite that, I fell back into the world pretty easily. The author's writing is engaging and easy to follow. I felt that the conflict that carried throughout the series was wrapped up well in this final book. Overall, it was an enjoyable series!
ARC copy won in a Goodreads giveaway.
The time between the second book and this conclusion was pretty significant, so there were a lot of details that I didn't remember when diving into this one. Despite that, I fell back into the world pretty easily. The author's writing is engaging and easy to follow. I felt that the conflict that carried throughout the series was wrapped up well in this final book. Overall, it was an enjoyable series!
April 9, 2024
5 ⭐ CW: violence, death
Calling of Light by Lori M. Lee is the final book in the Shamanborn trilogy. I loved this one so much 😭! It's definitely my favorite of the three books in the series. There is so much growth from Sirscha, so much heartfelt friendship between all the characters, and it's confirmed that Sirscha and Saengo (probably) is bisexual. Potential spoilers for previous books ahead.
We pick up with Sirscha after the events of the last book, and she is now the King's Shadow. There is a lot of social strife to be dealt with now that King Meilek has freed the Shamanborn. The Shamanborn are naturally angry and distrustful of the soldiers who imprisoned them, and the rest of the non-shamans are wary due to years of prejudice from Queen Meilyr. This is also a time of great political upheaval with a new reign, plus the threat of the Soulless to the Nuvali Empire.
So much happens in this book! We get to learn more about the Mountain Spirit and how it is alive and has a will of its own. We see the return of Kendara, who is seemingly betraying Sirscha, and the continued conflict between the Kazan clans and the Nuvali. The Soulless is such a great villain, because in a lot of ways, he isn't wrong, but his methods are. Lee had me so stressed about Saengo! The ending was so epic and perfect, it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
This was such a wonderful series that had zero romance and focused solely on the friendships between Sirscha, Saengo, Theyen, and Meilek. Wonderful world-building, with beautiful prose, morally gray characters, and political intrigue. I'm sad to see this world go. I'm so glad my friend Kaitee convinced me to read these books!
Calling of Light releases April 16th!
Calling of Light by Lori M. Lee is the final book in the Shamanborn trilogy. I loved this one so much 😭! It's definitely my favorite of the three books in the series. There is so much growth from Sirscha, so much heartfelt friendship between all the characters, and it's confirmed that Sirscha and Saengo (probably) is bisexual. Potential spoilers for previous books ahead.
We pick up with Sirscha after the events of the last book, and she is now the King's Shadow. There is a lot of social strife to be dealt with now that King Meilek has freed the Shamanborn. The Shamanborn are naturally angry and distrustful of the soldiers who imprisoned them, and the rest of the non-shamans are wary due to years of prejudice from Queen Meilyr. This is also a time of great political upheaval with a new reign, plus the threat of the Soulless to the Nuvali Empire.
So much happens in this book! We get to learn more about the Mountain Spirit and how it is alive and has a will of its own. We see the return of Kendara, who is seemingly betraying Sirscha, and the continued conflict between the Kazan clans and the Nuvali. The Soulless is such a great villain, because in a lot of ways, he isn't wrong, but his methods are. Lee had me so stressed about Saengo! The ending was so epic and perfect, it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
This was such a wonderful series that had zero romance and focused solely on the friendships between Sirscha, Saengo, Theyen, and Meilek. Wonderful world-building, with beautiful prose, morally gray characters, and political intrigue. I'm sad to see this world go. I'm so glad my friend Kaitee convinced me to read these books!
Calling of Light releases April 16th!
April 23, 2024
9 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Beware spoilers for the first two books in the Shamanborn trilogy, and/or check out my reviews of Book 1, Forest of Souls, and Book 2, Broken Web, here!
With the death of Queen Meliyr, Prince Meleik is set to ascend the throne, ushering Evewyn into a more peaceful age. Yet there is still evil in the world, and problems to his rule. One is the Dead Wood. With the Soulless released from his prison, the Wood stands as a greater threat than ever before, and one that is still growing, slowly but surely encroaching on the Empire’s borders. The Soulless himself is another. One soulrender would be bad enough, but the Empire harbors one more, this one still fresh to her powers, but seen as more dangerous than anything—even the Soulless—to the peace.
Sirscha.
Sirscha stands at the right-hand of the throne, as the King’s Shadow, a position she always wanted, always dreamt of, until she achieved it. But with every other kingdom calling for her head, and no free time to see her friends and loved ones, Sirscha is questioning the power of the position, power she never even wanted.
While the entire world (outside the King, whose position shields her) thinks her a monster, Sirscha knows where the real danger lies: at the feet of the Soulless, and the Dead Wood. Two things she’ll do anything to destroy, even if it kills her.
The Soulless, for his part, doesn’t seem to share the feeling. Rather than wanting Sirscha dead, he seeks to recruit her, to mentor her, and to usher in a new world, with the two of them at its forefront.
As the lines blur and the way forward dips deeper and deeper into shadow, the whereabouts of right and wrong grow indistinct. With power within her grasp and everything on the line, Sirscha must face the two questions that really matter—how can she see her friends through the chaos safely, and what is she willing to do to see it happen?
—
Calling of Light marks conclusion to the Shamanborn trilogy, a series where each successive entry delivered more than the one before it. As such, I thoroughly enjoyed this one, especially that the lack of romance doesn’t seem forced or absent, nor does it detract from becoming immersed in the tale or enjoying its conclusion. Now, I personally really enjoyed the lack of discernible romance in this series, but I’ve found a lot of readers and a lot of reviews struggling with it, as it’s not exactly typical of YA. Still, people can read between the lines. Through the first two books, there has been much debate over who Sirscha will end up with. And, following the conclusion of this one, I’ve read several reviews that think they have it pegged, despite there again being no clear romance at any point (again, at least half the early reviews I read referenced the lack of romance, but also what exactly the implied romance WAS, lol). One of the characters even addresses it at one point and Sirscha pretty much ignores it.
So, if the lack of romance is a problem for you, I guess maybe you should skip this one. Personally, I really enjoyed the series: the character building especially—relationships, friendships, how they’re forged and tested throughout, again, even without any sexual hints of any kind. While I really enjoyed the setting and the magic, I think both could’ve been established a bit more, to really help the immersion. But then again, since I read Book #3 in a day, maybe it came together well enough at the close.
Do read this if you like fantasy and character development told through deep and tested ties. Something a bit darker than the norm, where the lines of good and evil blur a bit at the edges, and politics have a clear undercurrent that hints at a much greater complexity. I’d say it’s a great jumping-off point for something like V.E. Schwab, Joe Abercrombie, or N.K. Jemisin. Something slightly dark to start with, but with a deep dive coming later on.
TL;DR
An improvement in every way over each of the two before it, Calling of Light deepens character development—especially through interactions and (non-sexual) relationships—improves immersion, and completes the story it set out to tell in both an entertaining and impactful manner. I thoroughly enjoyed the ending, sadly more so than the journey to reach it (that is, I enjoyed CoL more than the previous two books put together). I’ll certainly miss the world, though I’m glad I came along (and stayed on) for the ride. While its lack of discernible romance might ruin Calling of Light for some, others can find more than enough beneath the surface if they look hard enough. A good, entertaining series that won’t break the bank, with a good narrator should one choose to go that route.
Audio Note: I loved Cindy Kay’s performance in this, feeling like she finally got enough into the role to capture the essence of all of the key characters. While Sirscha and Saengo have always been strong, up til now any male characters have just sounded brooding no matter the instance. In this book, however, Theyen actually sported a range of emotions, ranging from anger to boredom to spite AND BACK to brooding. Now that might sound like sarcasm, but it’s pretty much Theyen’s character; there is more than just brooding, but it’s mostly all angst-adjacent. But until this third book, all the “adjacent” spheres sounded exactly the same. I’ll have to look out for her in the future, as now I know she can deliver a solid read no matter the circumstances.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
Beware spoilers for the first two books in the Shamanborn trilogy, and/or check out my reviews of Book 1, Forest of Souls, and Book 2, Broken Web, here!
With the death of Queen Meliyr, Prince Meleik is set to ascend the throne, ushering Evewyn into a more peaceful age. Yet there is still evil in the world, and problems to his rule. One is the Dead Wood. With the Soulless released from his prison, the Wood stands as a greater threat than ever before, and one that is still growing, slowly but surely encroaching on the Empire’s borders. The Soulless himself is another. One soulrender would be bad enough, but the Empire harbors one more, this one still fresh to her powers, but seen as more dangerous than anything—even the Soulless—to the peace.
Sirscha.
Sirscha stands at the right-hand of the throne, as the King’s Shadow, a position she always wanted, always dreamt of, until she achieved it. But with every other kingdom calling for her head, and no free time to see her friends and loved ones, Sirscha is questioning the power of the position, power she never even wanted.
While the entire world (outside the King, whose position shields her) thinks her a monster, Sirscha knows where the real danger lies: at the feet of the Soulless, and the Dead Wood. Two things she’ll do anything to destroy, even if it kills her.
The Soulless, for his part, doesn’t seem to share the feeling. Rather than wanting Sirscha dead, he seeks to recruit her, to mentor her, and to usher in a new world, with the two of them at its forefront.
As the lines blur and the way forward dips deeper and deeper into shadow, the whereabouts of right and wrong grow indistinct. With power within her grasp and everything on the line, Sirscha must face the two questions that really matter—how can she see her friends through the chaos safely, and what is she willing to do to see it happen?
—
Calling of Light marks conclusion to the Shamanborn trilogy, a series where each successive entry delivered more than the one before it. As such, I thoroughly enjoyed this one, especially that the lack of romance doesn’t seem forced or absent, nor does it detract from becoming immersed in the tale or enjoying its conclusion. Now, I personally really enjoyed the lack of discernible romance in this series, but I’ve found a lot of readers and a lot of reviews struggling with it, as it’s not exactly typical of YA. Still, people can read between the lines. Through the first two books, there has been much debate over who Sirscha will end up with. And, following the conclusion of this one, I’ve read several reviews that think they have it pegged, despite there again being no clear romance at any point (again, at least half the early reviews I read referenced the lack of romance, but also what exactly the implied romance WAS, lol). One of the characters even addresses it at one point and Sirscha pretty much ignores it.
So, if the lack of romance is a problem for you, I guess maybe you should skip this one. Personally, I really enjoyed the series: the character building especially—relationships, friendships, how they’re forged and tested throughout, again, even without any sexual hints of any kind. While I really enjoyed the setting and the magic, I think both could’ve been established a bit more, to really help the immersion. But then again, since I read Book #3 in a day, maybe it came together well enough at the close.
Do read this if you like fantasy and character development told through deep and tested ties. Something a bit darker than the norm, where the lines of good and evil blur a bit at the edges, and politics have a clear undercurrent that hints at a much greater complexity. I’d say it’s a great jumping-off point for something like V.E. Schwab, Joe Abercrombie, or N.K. Jemisin. Something slightly dark to start with, but with a deep dive coming later on.
TL;DR
An improvement in every way over each of the two before it, Calling of Light deepens character development—especially through interactions and (non-sexual) relationships—improves immersion, and completes the story it set out to tell in both an entertaining and impactful manner. I thoroughly enjoyed the ending, sadly more so than the journey to reach it (that is, I enjoyed CoL more than the previous two books put together). I’ll certainly miss the world, though I’m glad I came along (and stayed on) for the ride. While its lack of discernible romance might ruin Calling of Light for some, others can find more than enough beneath the surface if they look hard enough. A good, entertaining series that won’t break the bank, with a good narrator should one choose to go that route.
Audio Note: I loved Cindy Kay’s performance in this, feeling like she finally got enough into the role to capture the essence of all of the key characters. While Sirscha and Saengo have always been strong, up til now any male characters have just sounded brooding no matter the instance. In this book, however, Theyen actually sported a range of emotions, ranging from anger to boredom to spite AND BACK to brooding. Now that might sound like sarcasm, but it’s pretty much Theyen’s character; there is more than just brooding, but it’s mostly all angst-adjacent. But until this third book, all the “adjacent” spheres sounded exactly the same. I’ll have to look out for her in the future, as now I know she can deliver a solid read no matter the circumstances.
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April 11, 2024disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
Thank you to Hear Our Voices tour, the publisher & the author for a physical ARC!
I loved this ending to the Shamanborn series! Sirscha starts out as being in service to the new King, but then annswers a call from Princess Kyrshia to act as bait for the Soulless to come out of hiding. This is so that the royal shamans can finally take him down. However, Sirscha finds herself teaming up with the Soulless a bit as she uncovers more context which reveals the royals to not be as benevolent as they seem! We learn about the Mountain Spirit, return to the Dead Wood, and Sirscha builds up so much self-regard 😭
Look, I was indeed disappointed that there was zero romance between Sircha and Saengo, because I really thought they would have a friends-to-lovers arc. However, Sirscha’s fierce protection and care for her friends is truly what kept her rooted to making choices she was proud of. I loved that ultimately, though everyone kept trying to define Sirscha or convince her of certain choices, she reminded herself of her humble roots, and the people who were counting on her.
The Soulless continues to be such an intriguing character to me, and I was really happy with how his arc played out in this final installment. I genuinely do adore an adventurous fantasy with a villain that is so layered! I appreciate that every single character (except for maybe Saengo) wasn’t painted in either “good” or “bad” light; they all had shades of grey to them, especially the Soulless.
I am sad to say goodbye to this series, but I am again asking the powers that be to adapt this onscreen for a tv series or a movie trilogy. It would translate so well on screen and would be so much fun to watch!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Thank you to Hear Our Voices tour, the publisher & the author for a physical ARC!
I loved this ending to the Shamanborn series! Sirscha starts out as being in service to the new King, but then annswers a call from Princess Kyrshia to act as bait for the Soulless to come out of hiding. This is so that the royal shamans can finally take him down. However, Sirscha finds herself teaming up with the Soulless a bit as she uncovers more context which reveals the royals to not be as benevolent as they seem! We learn about the Mountain Spirit, return to the Dead Wood, and Sirscha builds up so much self-regard 😭
Look, I was indeed disappointed that there was zero romance between Sircha and Saengo, because I really thought they would have a friends-to-lovers arc. However, Sirscha’s fierce protection and care for her friends is truly what kept her rooted to making choices she was proud of. I loved that ultimately, though everyone kept trying to define Sirscha or convince her of certain choices, she reminded herself of her humble roots, and the people who were counting on her.
The Soulless continues to be such an intriguing character to me, and I was really happy with how his arc played out in this final installment. I genuinely do adore an adventurous fantasy with a villain that is so layered! I appreciate that every single character (except for maybe Saengo) wasn’t painted in either “good” or “bad” light; they all had shades of grey to them, especially the Soulless.
I am sad to say goodbye to this series, but I am again asking the powers that be to adapt this onscreen for a tv series or a movie trilogy. It would translate so well on screen and would be so much fun to watch!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
April 19, 2024
I have been waiting for this conclusion for a while! I am happy that I was finally able to finish the series.
The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Sirscha. She has a lot of responsibility as the king’s Shadow and with people believing that she killed the queen stakes are high when it comes to trust. Not many are willing to risk it because of her power. They would rather see her gone. I thought that she was still a great character as she was in book 1 and 2. She had more development and learned that sometimes you have to let go even if it hurts and its not exactly what you want.
I was happy to see that her friendship with Saengo remained strong throughout. It was one of my favorite plotlines. It’s one of the only relationships that sticks out because there was never any romance in the book. I don’t think that was a bad thing because the plot didn’t need it and friendships are just as important!
Although I liked this book I wasn’t as intrigued by it. There were some lulls and I found myself not feeling as connected to the story as I had hoped.
Overall, this was a decent conclusion and I am happy I finally know how it all ended! Maybe the lapse in time is why I didn’t love it as much. Who knows!
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary hard copy to review!
The book is told from one point-of-view and it comes from Sirscha. She has a lot of responsibility as the king’s Shadow and with people believing that she killed the queen stakes are high when it comes to trust. Not many are willing to risk it because of her power. They would rather see her gone. I thought that she was still a great character as she was in book 1 and 2. She had more development and learned that sometimes you have to let go even if it hurts and its not exactly what you want.
I was happy to see that her friendship with Saengo remained strong throughout. It was one of my favorite plotlines. It’s one of the only relationships that sticks out because there was never any romance in the book. I don’t think that was a bad thing because the plot didn’t need it and friendships are just as important!
Although I liked this book I wasn’t as intrigued by it. There were some lulls and I found myself not feeling as connected to the story as I had hoped.
Overall, this was a decent conclusion and I am happy I finally know how it all ended! Maybe the lapse in time is why I didn’t love it as much. Who knows!
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary hard copy to review!
November 6, 2024
The way I see it, some romance readers pick up a book, not needing it to be revolutionary, just needing a solid read that is familiar but not cookie cutter. That can be entertaining playing into the genre conventions while having some original elements to make it sparkle. We can guess how it ends, we can guess the vibes and story beats. But romance readers will still dig in.
This is the YA fantasy version of that. It’s a little predictable, but it’s still compelling. Serves us a solid finale to a pretty good YA series. None of the three books in the series has been a waste of my time. I’ve been properly entertained. But I am easily amused when it comes to books. The characters grow realistically, more lore is explored, and there’s a good balance of character and plot.
Refreshingly or a YA fantasy, there is no romance. Not a bit. No love triangles. No pining. Our heroine’s identity and worldview has nothing to do with who she’s courting. (There’s nothing wrong with individual instances of this, but when every. single. book. does this it grates on my soul.)
A subjective 4.25/5 stars. My hat’s off to you.
This is the YA fantasy version of that. It’s a little predictable, but it’s still compelling. Serves us a solid finale to a pretty good YA series. None of the three books in the series has been a waste of my time. I’ve been properly entertained. But I am easily amused when it comes to books. The characters grow realistically, more lore is explored, and there’s a good balance of character and plot.
Refreshingly or a YA fantasy, there is no romance. Not a bit. No love triangles. No pining. Our heroine’s identity and worldview has nothing to do with who she’s courting. (There’s nothing wrong with individual instances of this, but when every. single. book. does this it grates on my soul.)
A subjective 4.25/5 stars. My hat’s off to you.
June 14, 2024
3.5⭐️
“It isn’t our belongings that hold the memory of us — it is the people we love.”
A good ending to the trilogy. After the fast pace and great character moments in the last book, I was a bit disappointed that this book spent more time inside Sirscha’s head. I’ve definitely enjoyed the action in these books. I was slightly disappointed in how the author resolved everything in the end, but the final few pages redeemed it a bit for me.
Overall, I enjoyed this trilogy and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a unique YA fantasy read.
“It isn’t our belongings that hold the memory of us — it is the people we love.”
A good ending to the trilogy. After the fast pace and great character moments in the last book, I was a bit disappointed that this book spent more time inside Sirscha’s head. I’ve definitely enjoyed the action in these books. I was slightly disappointed in how the author resolved everything in the end, but the final few pages redeemed it a bit for me.
Overall, I enjoyed this trilogy and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a unique YA fantasy read.
November 17, 2024
*3.25 FULL CIRCLE STARS*
This was a nice conclusion to a good fantasy trilogy. I can't say much more than that because I feel like it's been ages since I read the first two books in this trilogy, so I wasn't as invested into the world and the story anymore.
In fact, I barely remembered anything that happened, but it all came back to me while I read this one. There's no romance in these, so if that's what you're looking for, these aren't for you.
Anyway, another series finished, whoop whoop!
This was a nice conclusion to a good fantasy trilogy. I can't say much more than that because I feel like it's been ages since I read the first two books in this trilogy, so I wasn't as invested into the world and the story anymore.
In fact, I barely remembered anything that happened, but it all came back to me while I read this one. There's no romance in these, so if that's what you're looking for, these aren't for you.
Anyway, another series finished, whoop whoop!
December 22, 2024
It's hard when the 3rd book releases quite a bit after the first 2 books - I enjoyed the action in the first 2 books of the series, but found this one to be a little slower than the other two. The story wasn't where I expected it to go (which is always good) but I did struggle to get hooked. Overall, an enjoyable YA fantasy trilogy and would be best to read back to back now that they are all out!
April 30, 2024
I've waited quite some time for this release which also means that I had to reacquaint myself with the characters and the writing style.
To be honest I liked this ending, it was lovely and conclusive.
Sirscha grew a lot during this series and in the end she made peace with being who she is and letting herself define her worth
The whole story about the Soulless was interesting but in the end we didn't get as much as I thought. He was an interesting character, flawed but with history.
There isn't much to say except that this was a lovely reprieve, easy to read and quick to follow
Songs: Calling Out, Leave the World Behind
To be honest I liked this ending, it was lovely and conclusive.
Sirscha grew a lot during this series and in the end she made peace with being who she is and letting herself define her worth
The whole story about the Soulless was interesting but in the end we didn't get as much as I thought. He was an interesting character, flawed but with history.
There isn't much to say except that this was a lovely reprieve, easy to read and quick to follow
Songs: Calling Out, Leave the World Behind
January 8, 2025
Did anyone else feel that the potential romance/marriage between two characters came out of no where? IYKYK, no spoilers. I listen on audiobook while I'm driving so maybe I missed something.
April 11, 2024
Calling of Light" by Lori M. Lee marks the stunning finale of the captivating Shamanborn trilogy. As Prince Meilek assumes the throne following Queen Meilyr's demise, Evewyn's inhabitants embark on a journey of rebuilding and reconciliation, striving for harmony amidst lingering chaos. Despite their efforts, the looming threat of the Soulless casts a shadow over their newfound peace.
In this masterfully crafted conclusion, Sirscha's unwavering determination to restore tranquility to the realm shines brilliantly. Lee effortlessly weaves together a narrative that seamlessly combines elements of Hmong culture with a richly imagined magical world, resulting in a truly unique reading experience.
The prose flows effortlessly, drawing readers deeper into the intricacies of the story, while the development of relationships adds layers of depth and complexity. From start to finish, "Calling of Light" captivates with its immersive world-building and compelling characters, making it a must-read for fans of fantasy.
As an ARC recipient, I am grateful for the opportunity to support an AAPI author and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this enchanting read. Highly recommended. Loved the art details throughout the book!
In this masterfully crafted conclusion, Sirscha's unwavering determination to restore tranquility to the realm shines brilliantly. Lee effortlessly weaves together a narrative that seamlessly combines elements of Hmong culture with a richly imagined magical world, resulting in a truly unique reading experience.
The prose flows effortlessly, drawing readers deeper into the intricacies of the story, while the development of relationships adds layers of depth and complexity. From start to finish, "Calling of Light" captivates with its immersive world-building and compelling characters, making it a must-read for fans of fantasy.
As an ARC recipient, I am grateful for the opportunity to support an AAPI author and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this enchanting read. Highly recommended. Loved the art details throughout the book!
August 6, 2024
This series is perfect for fans of YA fantasy with a heavy political intrigue plot line and a friendship forward storyline - there is absolutely no romance in this.
I liked the first 2 books in the trilogy but was ultimately bored by this last instalment - I feel like this would’ve been snappier as a duology as this was extremely slow paced.
I’m also just not really a fan of this narrator - I’ve listened to a few books by her before and can confirm I don’t really like the style.
I liked the first 2 books in the trilogy but was ultimately bored by this last instalment - I feel like this would’ve been snappier as a duology as this was extremely slow paced.
I’m also just not really a fan of this narrator - I’ve listened to a few books by her before and can confirm I don’t really like the style.
March 25, 2024
3.5 Stars
CALLING OF LIGHT is the conclusion to a young adult fantasy series where a trained assassin must choose her future and the part she will play in defeating an evil ancient magic. It's set in a lush fantasy world with likable characters and an interesting magical system. Those who have or would enjoy Leigh Bardugo's The Shadow and Bone series and YA fantasy will enjoy this book and series.
I think the best part of this book and series were the characters. I adored Sirscha, Saenta, Meilek, and Theyen. I especially loved the friendships and banter and teasing, but also the sweet moments between them and the dangerous ones when they fought to protect and save. I also really enjoyed seeing Sirscha slowly come a bit more into her own along with the rest of these characters who step up as they face danger and to protect Sirscha and their different peoples. I also really liked the magical world with the different types of magic and an ancient lore. I liked getting to journey with these characters through different lands and people. I liked that Sirscha was a trained spy and assassin but a flawed human as well. The ending was quite well done and very gratifying.
There were some pretty decent words of wisdom throughout this book. Here is one such piece of wisdom:
"But I've long since decided to stop allowing others to define who and what I am."
I really enjoyed this series and this final book. I would have loved it more if I felt it didn't feel a bit too much like The Shadow and Bone series from Leigh Bardugo. This won't be an issue if you haven't read that series. There were also action parts that didn't work for me because what the words described didn't visualize correctly (or written out on paper) didn't work, so I think those scenes needed to be worked through better. There were also some hints to different things but some that never came into play or led to anything. Sometimes Sirscha wasn't consistent with her character. I liked that romance wasn't a big part of the story and there were no love scenes (thank goodness!), but I also had some issues with parts of how that played out as well since it didn't always make sense to me. I also got frustrated with so much inaction on Sirscha's and others' parts.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was an enjoyable ending to an enjoyable series. I wanted a bit more development in some areas, but I fell in love with these characters and this fantasy world. I'll definitely be checking out this author's next book!
Content: Some suggestive references, LGBTQ+ relationships, and violence that is a bit gruesome in parts, but would consider this clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through TBR and Beyond Tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
CALLING OF LIGHT is the conclusion to a young adult fantasy series where a trained assassin must choose her future and the part she will play in defeating an evil ancient magic. It's set in a lush fantasy world with likable characters and an interesting magical system. Those who have or would enjoy Leigh Bardugo's The Shadow and Bone series and YA fantasy will enjoy this book and series.
I think the best part of this book and series were the characters. I adored Sirscha, Saenta, Meilek, and Theyen. I especially loved the friendships and banter and teasing, but also the sweet moments between them and the dangerous ones when they fought to protect and save. I also really enjoyed seeing Sirscha slowly come a bit more into her own along with the rest of these characters who step up as they face danger and to protect Sirscha and their different peoples. I also really liked the magical world with the different types of magic and an ancient lore. I liked getting to journey with these characters through different lands and people. I liked that Sirscha was a trained spy and assassin but a flawed human as well. The ending was quite well done and very gratifying.
There were some pretty decent words of wisdom throughout this book. Here is one such piece of wisdom:
"But I've long since decided to stop allowing others to define who and what I am."
I really enjoyed this series and this final book. I would have loved it more if I felt it didn't feel a bit too much like The Shadow and Bone series from Leigh Bardugo. This won't be an issue if you haven't read that series. There were also action parts that didn't work for me because what the words described didn't visualize correctly (or written out on paper) didn't work, so I think those scenes needed to be worked through better. There were also some hints to different things but some that never came into play or led to anything. Sometimes Sirscha wasn't consistent with her character. I liked that romance wasn't a big part of the story and there were no love scenes (thank goodness!), but I also had some issues with parts of how that played out as well since it didn't always make sense to me. I also got frustrated with so much inaction on Sirscha's and others' parts.
In the end, was it what I wished for? This was an enjoyable ending to an enjoyable series. I wanted a bit more development in some areas, but I fell in love with these characters and this fantasy world. I'll definitely be checking out this author's next book!
Content: Some suggestive references, LGBTQ+ relationships, and violence that is a bit gruesome in parts, but would consider this clean.
Source: I received a complimentary copy through TBR and Beyond Tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.
April 12, 2024
Calling of Light was such a great ending to a series.
Lee mentions that her first drafts of Forest of Souls (Book 1 of the Shamanborn Series) started in 2014 in her afternotes and you can see the improvement in her craft in each book since. Personally, I think this is the best book out the series with how well done the book wraps up everything.
My favorite thing about the Shamanborn series, and especially in Calling of Light, is the friendship between Sircha and Saengo. They're tied together so well and I absolutely love their love for one another. Sircha struggles with the thought of losing Saengo and letting her be on her own a lot of the series, which is very understandable seeming as Saengo is infected with the rot that can be barely be contained. I'm glad this book challenged it more, as well as showing a bit of that risk. I enjoy their interactions together and the mountain scenes were probably some of my favorite of them together.
I also think Sircha's interactions with the Soulless were well done in this. Showing Sircha's similarities to ancient shamanborn of the Soulless' time, being one of only few of their kind as a Soulrender. It also shows Sircha dealing with the fact that she either could either use her craft like the Soulless or ultimately choose her craft for good and not be held down to stereotypes. I think this book shows the growth in Sircha's character well and I enjoyed that aspect too. Also, showing a glimmer of the Soulless as human in some instances had a lot of impact as well, with regards to what he and those close to him had been through in the conquests.
Although not seen as much, I do like Prince Meilek, Theyen, & Kendara as side characters as well. They aren't the main focus but they do contribute to Sircha's growth and the plot of the story while also being their own person. Each one of them has their own distinct objectives and motivations for doing things and how they act even being far removed from what Sircha is doing at any given point. I think their interactions with Sircha in this book are well done and add to the theme of friendship. Alsoooo, that Kendara scene man, if you know, you know.
I also want to mention how I felt like the series gradually grew in brightness with each book and by the ending/last chapter it felt the most hopeful and the brightest. It was probably intentional but it was a random thought that came to mind to describe how I pictured scenes/atmosphere.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book (and series) and would love to see more of Lee's work in the future!! I think this series has a great atmosphere, characters, magic system and world building/lore. I'd definitely recommend this for dark YA fantasy enjoyers!!
Disclaimer: I received Calling of Light as an ARC and I'm voluntarily leaving this review. Thank you to Hear Our Voices for giving me the opportunity to be on one of y'all's arc tours!
Lee mentions that her first drafts of Forest of Souls (Book 1 of the Shamanborn Series) started in 2014 in her afternotes and you can see the improvement in her craft in each book since. Personally, I think this is the best book out the series with how well done the book wraps up everything.
My favorite thing about the Shamanborn series, and especially in Calling of Light, is the friendship between Sircha and Saengo. They're tied together so well and I absolutely love their love for one another. Sircha struggles with the thought of losing Saengo and letting her be on her own a lot of the series, which is very understandable seeming as Saengo is infected with the rot that can be barely be contained. I'm glad this book challenged it more, as well as showing a bit of that risk. I enjoy their interactions together and the mountain scenes were probably some of my favorite of them together.
I also think Sircha's interactions with the Soulless were well done in this. Showing Sircha's similarities to ancient shamanborn of the Soulless' time, being one of only few of their kind as a Soulrender. It also shows Sircha dealing with the fact that she either could either use her craft like the Soulless or ultimately choose her craft for good and not be held down to stereotypes. I think this book shows the growth in Sircha's character well and I enjoyed that aspect too. Also, showing a glimmer of the Soulless as human in some instances had a lot of impact as well, with regards to what he and those close to him had been through in the conquests.
Although not seen as much, I do like Prince Meilek, Theyen, & Kendara as side characters as well. They aren't the main focus but they do contribute to Sircha's growth and the plot of the story while also being their own person. Each one of them has their own distinct objectives and motivations for doing things and how they act even being far removed from what Sircha is doing at any given point. I think their interactions with Sircha in this book are well done and add to the theme of friendship. Alsoooo, that Kendara scene man, if you know, you know.
I also want to mention how I felt like the series gradually grew in brightness with each book and by the ending/last chapter it felt the most hopeful and the brightest. It was probably intentional but it was a random thought that came to mind to describe how I pictured scenes/atmosphere.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book (and series) and would love to see more of Lee's work in the future!! I think this series has a great atmosphere, characters, magic system and world building/lore. I'd definitely recommend this for dark YA fantasy enjoyers!!
Disclaimer: I received Calling of Light as an ARC and I'm voluntarily leaving this review. Thank you to Hear Our Voices for giving me the opportunity to be on one of y'all's arc tours!
June 23, 2024
I can't believe this is the end. 😭 This could definitely be a longer series!
Just like book 2, Calling of Light seamlessly continues on the previous book. This trilogy truly felt like one long book split into three. I definitely love this idea; however, I started to feel a bit of a slump and needed to take a break half-way through. I think if there were a more powerful jump between book 2 and 3, it would break this one long journey.
However! It was just as good as the previous two books, and I definitely recommend finishing the series if you've come this far. There are big twists and turns, and I think the ending made sense even though I'd prefer a different one (that's just personal preference, though).
It's been a while since I've read a book with NO romance, and even though I know Sirscha doesn't have time for this nonsense, I think The Prince or Soulless wouldn't be a terrible pairing. I know many people ship her with Saengo, but I never liked her as a character, and I didn't feel any tension between them. I enjoyed the bi-representation nonetheless. 💜
Also, Sircha being absolutely OVER this shit and wanting to just leave was such a mood. 😂
"...but it was lost at sea when the ship carrying it was attacked by pirates."
"Maybe that's our solution."
"A magic-reflecting talisman?"
"Piracy. We should just steal a ship and run away."
I really came to love Theyen and I'm glad he appeared often. Kendara is another character I don't like, but I'd say she redeemed herself at the end (the old hag had me crying ffs). I love Soulless, and I'm sure I could fix him. 🥹 Their scene at the inn had me wheezing. 😂 CRUMBS?
Trigger warnings: Spiders, death of loved ones, violence, war
The ending I'd like:
Just like book 2, Calling of Light seamlessly continues on the previous book. This trilogy truly felt like one long book split into three. I definitely love this idea; however, I started to feel a bit of a slump and needed to take a break half-way through. I think if there were a more powerful jump between book 2 and 3, it would break this one long journey.
However! It was just as good as the previous two books, and I definitely recommend finishing the series if you've come this far. There are big twists and turns, and I think the ending made sense even though I'd prefer a different one (that's just personal preference, though).
Just like your mother. I knew you'd do something stupidly brave.
It's been a while since I've read a book with NO romance, and even though I know Sirscha doesn't have time for this nonsense, I think The Prince or Soulless wouldn't be a terrible pairing. I know many people ship her with Saengo, but I never liked her as a character, and I didn't feel any tension between them. I enjoyed the bi-representation nonetheless. 💜
Also, Sircha being absolutely OVER this shit and wanting to just leave was such a mood. 😂
"...but it was lost at sea when the ship carrying it was attacked by pirates."
"Maybe that's our solution."
"A magic-reflecting talisman?"
"Piracy. We should just steal a ship and run away."
I really came to love Theyen and I'm glad he appeared often. Kendara is another character I don't like, but I'd say she redeemed herself at the end (the old hag had me crying ffs). I love Soulless, and I'm sure I could fix him. 🥹 Their scene at the inn had me wheezing. 😂 CRUMBS?
Trigger warnings: Spiders, death of loved ones, violence, war
The ending I'd like:
March 20, 2025
+⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖
review
⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
Years ago, I read Forest Of Souls which introduced me to the YA category for literature. I remember falling in love with Lee's writing, characterization, and world-building. With nostalgia, I read the final book in this trilogy. I felt simultaneously excited and nervous. This installment didn't disappoint and met all my expectations.
The book begins with Sirscha as the newly appointed King's Shadow. Tensions are high between shamanborn and other citizens. As King Meilek navigates the politics of leading a kingdom, Saengo battles with the painful reality that the rot could end her life. Concerned for Sirscha's safety, Theyen hopes to support her in any way possible. Furthermore, Sirscha is determined to defeat the Soulless but opposing him could mean losing more than her life.
Calling of Light contained everything that I loved about the previous books. The political intrigue, strong platonic relationships, and unique magic system kept me captivated. Moreover, the world-building in this series is excellent. I adore the intricate systems, kingdoms, and histories woven into the novel's plot.
As a protagonist, Sirscha has grown. I loved how the found-family trope developed throughout this trilogy. Sirscha's strong friendship with Saengo was beautiful and truly grounded her motives. I continue to love Theyen, especially in this novel. His dedication to his friends, especially Sirscha, is beautiful. I loved their every interaction especially page 31-32 and 243. Their banter and conversations had my heart.
I loved watching Sirscha grow. Her deep loyalty to her loved ones was admirable. Additionally, her journey to control and hone her magic was well-written. I loved the atmosphere of this novel, from the eerie vibes of the forest and the grandeur of the palace. I would have preferred if the ending had a bit more time to fully tie everything together. However, it was still satisfactory and I enjoyed the conclusion.
Years ago, I read Forest Of Souls which introduced me to the YA category for literature. I remember falling in love with Lee's writing, characterization, and world-building. With nostalgia, I read the final book in this trilogy. I felt simultaneously excited and nervous. This installment didn't disappoint and met all my expectations.
The book begins with Sirscha as the newly appointed King's Shadow. Tensions are high between shamanborn and other citizens. As King Meilek navigates the politics of leading a kingdom, Saengo battles with the painful reality that the rot could end her life. Concerned for Sirscha's safety, Theyen hopes to support her in any way possible. Furthermore, Sirscha is determined to defeat the Soulless but opposing him could mean losing more than her life.
Calling of Light contained everything that I loved about the previous books. The political intrigue, strong platonic relationships, and unique magic system kept me captivated. Moreover, the world-building in this series is excellent. I adore the intricate systems, kingdoms, and histories woven into the novel's plot.
As a protagonist, Sirscha has grown. I loved how the found-family trope developed throughout this trilogy. Sirscha's strong friendship with Saengo was beautiful and truly grounded her motives. I continue to love Theyen, especially in this novel. His dedication to his friends, especially Sirscha, is beautiful. I loved their every interaction especially page 31-32 and 243. Their banter and conversations had my heart.
I loved watching Sirscha grow. Her deep loyalty to her loved ones was admirable. Additionally, her journey to control and hone her magic was well-written. I loved the atmosphere of this novel, from the eerie vibes of the forest and the grandeur of the palace. I would have preferred if the ending had a bit more time to fully tie everything together. However, it was still satisfactory and I enjoyed the conclusion.
April 9, 2024
Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC!
Calling of Light is the third and final book in the Shamanborn Trilogy. It follows Sirscha who is now the new king’s Shadow. But she’s got more pressing concerns than the rumours that she killed the queen. Namely, the Soulless and the danger Saengo faces from the rot afflicting her.
So I dove into this audiobook without having consumed the previous two. I made sure to get familiar with the main story points of the predecessors of Calling of Light, but it’s not the same as taking the journey alongside the characters. Even so, I was able to comfortably join Sirscha in her battles against conflicting nations, dangerous magic, and seemingly insurmountable foes.
The dynamic between Sirscha and the Soulless is reminiscent of Elspeth and The Nightmare in One Dark Window. He’s an ancient, vengeful being with immense power. She’s connected to the Soulless and struggles to keep his control from overwhelming her.
Sirscha herself reminds me of Fie in The Merciful Crow duology – she’s got a gritty robustness and a fierce loyalty to those she holds in high esteem. Her abilities are almost singular (in that no one else has them), and regarded with suspicion and wariness by most others. But she’s also the key to changing the world. Whether she wants the burden or not.
My favourite aspect of this novel is the way the characters interact with each other. There’s plenty of reference to histories shared and complexities informing their actions, which brings a realness to them. Lee has also done marvellous work with world building. I felt immersed in the landscape from the first minute despite never having stepped foot in the narrative before.
This is the perfect trilogy for those who enjoy fantasy that has undercurrents of politics and dark lore that have kernels of truth in them. Readers of Margaret Owen, Rachel Gillig, and Susan Dennard will all likely find pleasure in the pages of Sirscha’s story.
Calling of Light is the third and final book in the Shamanborn Trilogy. It follows Sirscha who is now the new king’s Shadow. But she’s got more pressing concerns than the rumours that she killed the queen. Namely, the Soulless and the danger Saengo faces from the rot afflicting her.
So I dove into this audiobook without having consumed the previous two. I made sure to get familiar with the main story points of the predecessors of Calling of Light, but it’s not the same as taking the journey alongside the characters. Even so, I was able to comfortably join Sirscha in her battles against conflicting nations, dangerous magic, and seemingly insurmountable foes.
The dynamic between Sirscha and the Soulless is reminiscent of Elspeth and The Nightmare in One Dark Window. He’s an ancient, vengeful being with immense power. She’s connected to the Soulless and struggles to keep his control from overwhelming her.
Sirscha herself reminds me of Fie in The Merciful Crow duology – she’s got a gritty robustness and a fierce loyalty to those she holds in high esteem. Her abilities are almost singular (in that no one else has them), and regarded with suspicion and wariness by most others. But she’s also the key to changing the world. Whether she wants the burden or not.
My favourite aspect of this novel is the way the characters interact with each other. There’s plenty of reference to histories shared and complexities informing their actions, which brings a realness to them. Lee has also done marvellous work with world building. I felt immersed in the landscape from the first minute despite never having stepped foot in the narrative before.
This is the perfect trilogy for those who enjoy fantasy that has undercurrents of politics and dark lore that have kernels of truth in them. Readers of Margaret Owen, Rachel Gillig, and Susan Dennard will all likely find pleasure in the pages of Sirscha’s story.
April 14, 2024
In this magnificent finale to the Shamanborn series, Sirscha must find a way to defeat the Soulless and destroy the Dead Wood before he wreaks havoc on the world as they know it. Many believe she is a monster who steals souls herself but some behold her as a hero for vanquishing the queen who was attempting to start a war. Sirscha is intent on not only killing the Soulless but also saving the life of her best friend Saengo who is being killed by the dark power emanating from the Dead Wood.
I would absolutely love for the author to write more about this story! I could read an entire book about Theyen and the Shadowblessed or about Sirscha and Saengo’s friendship or about Prince Meilek as the new king.
This was an epic, beautifully written conclusion to the series and to be honest I am sad that it’s over. The world and character building kept me enthralled and I couldn’t put it down. This was my favorite of the series and the author succeeded in creating characters and relationships that I was really invested in. I loved that the heroine was also flawed and that we were able to witness her journey of self discovery in realizing that she could determine her own fate and that she was not alone in the world. Despite the evil she saw within her enemy, she was still able to find some semblance of understanding for who he had been and the hardships he had endured which led him to choose a path of destruction and vengeance. This small bit of compassion really resonated with me and reminded me to consider what others are going through or what they have gone through in the past before passing judgement.
Thank you to Lori M. Lee and the HearOurVoicesTours for sharing the physical and digital ARCs with me for an honest review!
#CallingOfLight #HearOurVoices #HOV
I would absolutely love for the author to write more about this story! I could read an entire book about Theyen and the Shadowblessed or about Sirscha and Saengo’s friendship or about Prince Meilek as the new king.
This was an epic, beautifully written conclusion to the series and to be honest I am sad that it’s over. The world and character building kept me enthralled and I couldn’t put it down. This was my favorite of the series and the author succeeded in creating characters and relationships that I was really invested in. I loved that the heroine was also flawed and that we were able to witness her journey of self discovery in realizing that she could determine her own fate and that she was not alone in the world. Despite the evil she saw within her enemy, she was still able to find some semblance of understanding for who he had been and the hardships he had endured which led him to choose a path of destruction and vengeance. This small bit of compassion really resonated with me and reminded me to consider what others are going through or what they have gone through in the past before passing judgement.
Thank you to Lori M. Lee and the HearOurVoicesTours for sharing the physical and digital ARCs with me for an honest review!
#CallingOfLight #HearOurVoices #HOV
May 8, 2024
In the final installment of the Calling of the Light series, Sirscha is up against insurmountable odds. Her allyships are tenuous, her friends are at risk, and she is more lost than ever.
This book includes:
- elemental magic
- strong ties of sisterhood
- corrupt royals
- morally gray villains
- drakes and wyverns
Fans of the series will love this conclusion to the story. Sirscha is continuing her journey towards self-discovery and triumph against the Soulless. The story is well-written and decently paced, with realistic and fillable protagonists. I also appreciated the honest portrayals of insecurity in friendship, guilt, and regret.
Unfortunately, I had to DNF around 60% because I could not reconcile the central plot of the story. I don't think the Soulless is evil. I don't think he is a villain. I don't think he deserves to be hunted. I don't think the Empire deserves any redemption. My natural inclination is to fight against the colonizers, corrupt ruling class, and oppressors. And this story pushes the opposite narrative.
I also find Sirscha's naivete and rashness so frustrating. I think her refusal to accept help or ever work as a team with her allies is absolutely in line with her characterization and makes a lot of sense with her upbringing as an orphan and training as a shadow, HOWEVER, it caused so many unnecessary issues that I couldn't go on. I am still mad about book 2 when she just decided the queen's talisman was the Soulless' familiar with 0 evidence and 0 corroborations of her theory and just destroyed it without knowing if it would help or hurt her cause. Insane behavior. That sort of decision-making continued in book 3.
I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Lori M. Lee for the opportunity to review this book.
This book includes:
- elemental magic
- strong ties of sisterhood
- corrupt royals
- morally gray villains
- drakes and wyverns
Fans of the series will love this conclusion to the story. Sirscha is continuing her journey towards self-discovery and triumph against the Soulless. The story is well-written and decently paced, with realistic and fillable protagonists. I also appreciated the honest portrayals of insecurity in friendship, guilt, and regret.
Unfortunately, I had to DNF around 60% because I could not reconcile the central plot of the story. I don't think the Soulless is evil. I don't think he is a villain. I don't think he deserves to be hunted. I don't think the Empire deserves any redemption. My natural inclination is to fight against the colonizers, corrupt ruling class, and oppressors. And this story pushes the opposite narrative.
I also find Sirscha's naivete and rashness so frustrating. I think her refusal to accept help or ever work as a team with her allies is absolutely in line with her characterization and makes a lot of sense with her upbringing as an orphan and training as a shadow, HOWEVER, it caused so many unnecessary issues that I couldn't go on. I am still mad about book 2 when she just decided the queen's talisman was the Soulless' familiar with 0 evidence and 0 corroborations of her theory and just destroyed it without knowing if it would help or hurt her cause. Insane behavior. That sort of decision-making continued in book 3.
I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Lori M. Lee for the opportunity to review this book.
January 23, 2025
A very satisfying conclusion to one of the rare YA fantasy trilogies that I kept up with over the years. While I wish some things were different I am overall happy with the ending. I do think it kind of sucks that Sirscha never really explored her full potential as a soulrender and the ending was a bit of a convenient cop out. This is YA so I'm not all that surprised but it was a bit of a let down. The villain of this book, the Soulless, was also very compelling and actually understandable. His opinions were not actually wrong but his methods were the problem and that is why Sirscha could not stand by him. Also something that is interesting about this trilogy, and is very rare, is that there is actually no romance. The book focuses solely on platonic friendships and found family dynamics. While I do believe things are implied and threads are woven into the story for potential avenues I believe it is ultimately left up to the reader to decide how they want to interpret it. Sirscha straight up says in the book that while she has had passing fancies when she was younger she became too busy to really put much thought into romance and that sentiment hasn't changed. Which, in her defense, is pretty fair. Aside from that I think this trilogy has really strong side characters, especially Theyen (I love him). It was great to watch Theyen and Sirscha's friendship grow over the trilogy because they really did not like each other when they met and they both do not trust or befriend others easily. I am going to miss these characters a lot but I will probably reread their story many times over.
May 17, 2025
This is by far my favourite book in the series. I think it came to a satisfying yet entertaining conclusion.
Like the first two books, this was jam-packed full of adventure, magic, death and originality. After the events in Broken Web, this could've gone in any which way. I loved that we genuinely didn't know what the conclusion would be, it kept you wanting to read on and on. I finished this whole book in a day, which I haven't done in a while. I devoured this book, it was completely brilliant.
I loved these characters so much. They all had such great character developments. The found family element had me even more attached than I already was. The author does a great job at highlighting emotion, whether it be grief, love, anger and so on. Sirscha was very easy to connect with, I genuinely wanted her to succeed and be able to achieve what she had wanted. Soulless, who was the series' main villain, was very intense and entertaining villain. He acted out of grief and the need for revenge, I often found myself sympathising with him. I wanted him to decide it wasn't worth it.
The plot is so fascinating. Everything is so detailed and really well explained. I felt that the plans and strategies were well thought out and weren't unrealistic when succeeding. I thought the political element was written very well and I liked where it took me as a reader. There was mentions of potential romances and old crushes, but I am glad that it stuck to being plot oriented. I loved that when these romance elements arose being queer was incorporated so naturally.
This series is definitely a new favourite of mine, I will be recommending it to everyone who will listen. I look forward to reading more books by Lori M. Lee, I will be looking out for all future works. I even think there is the opportunity to do spin off books for some of these characters and more books based or Sirscha. I'd love to read them, just saying...
Like the first two books, this was jam-packed full of adventure, magic, death and originality. After the events in Broken Web, this could've gone in any which way. I loved that we genuinely didn't know what the conclusion would be, it kept you wanting to read on and on. I finished this whole book in a day, which I haven't done in a while. I devoured this book, it was completely brilliant.
I loved these characters so much. They all had such great character developments. The found family element had me even more attached than I already was. The author does a great job at highlighting emotion, whether it be grief, love, anger and so on. Sirscha was very easy to connect with, I genuinely wanted her to succeed and be able to achieve what she had wanted. Soulless, who was the series' main villain, was very intense and entertaining villain. He acted out of grief and the need for revenge, I often found myself sympathising with him. I wanted him to decide it wasn't worth it.
The plot is so fascinating. Everything is so detailed and really well explained. I felt that the plans and strategies were well thought out and weren't unrealistic when succeeding. I thought the political element was written very well and I liked where it took me as a reader. There was mentions of potential romances and old crushes, but I am glad that it stuck to being plot oriented. I loved that when these romance elements arose being queer was incorporated so naturally.
This series is definitely a new favourite of mine, I will be recommending it to everyone who will listen. I look forward to reading more books by Lori M. Lee, I will be looking out for all future works. I even think there is the opportunity to do spin off books for some of these characters and more books based or Sirscha. I'd love to read them, just saying...
April 21, 2024
Loved the first book of the series. I got a bit of mixed feelings once I got to book 2. The series is a quick read, however, I felt like there were times in the book where things went really fast when it could have slowed down.
For example, the time with the Soulless and Sirscha or Sirscha's time as a Shadow. Would have loved to see this time dived into more. I could see this part being it's own book with a push for character growth.
I was a bit confused in Book 3 because I didn't know if there was a push for some type of romance or just to give the "shippers" a little bit of what they wanted. There were scenes with all 3 other leads.. For example the stargazing scene with Theyen where she catches him looking at her. Or every scene with Saengo.
I was hoping for a lot of character growth by the end of Book 3.. But she kept making so many mistakes and wrong moves. Getting caught in traps and then never fully in control of her craft. Just seemed a bit weird for her to be so clumsy when she was in the top spot for being Shadow. I would have also loved to see her not need the power of the Mountain, but really become one with her craft.
The series really reminded me of Shadow and Bone or the ACOTAR series. Although I have many wishes, I did enjoy the series.
I LOVED LOVED the scenes in the Deadwood with the bodies used as puppets. Such a creepy image to have in your head. And the scene with the Queen's death. With the Soulless using her body to speak to Sirscha, absolute chef's kiss.
I know Lori left the ending open ended, but you can't tell me Theyen and her do not end up together.
It was announced that this would be the last book, however, would love for the story to continue and see all the characters dived into more. Or maybe a prequel with Kendara's story..
For example, the time with the Soulless and Sirscha or Sirscha's time as a Shadow. Would have loved to see this time dived into more. I could see this part being it's own book with a push for character growth.
I was a bit confused in Book 3 because I didn't know if there was a push for some type of romance or just to give the "shippers" a little bit of what they wanted. There were scenes with all 3 other leads.. For example the stargazing scene with Theyen where she catches him looking at her. Or every scene with Saengo.
I was hoping for a lot of character growth by the end of Book 3.. But she kept making so many mistakes and wrong moves. Getting caught in traps and then never fully in control of her craft. Just seemed a bit weird for her to be so clumsy when she was in the top spot for being Shadow. I would have also loved to see her not need the power of the Mountain, but really become one with her craft.
The series really reminded me of Shadow and Bone or the ACOTAR series. Although I have many wishes, I did enjoy the series.
I LOVED LOVED the scenes in the Deadwood with the bodies used as puppets. Such a creepy image to have in your head. And the scene with the Queen's death. With the Soulless using her body to speak to Sirscha, absolute chef's kiss.
I know Lori left the ending open ended, but you can't tell me Theyen and her do not end up together.
It was announced that this would be the last book, however, would love for the story to continue and see all the characters dived into more. Or maybe a prequel with Kendara's story..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2024
This book was a fantastic end to the series! The main character, sacrificed her craft to save Saengo and the world from the spreading Dead Wood. I appreciated the fact that the relationship it focused on was friendship which I feel is lost in a lot of books. Although I could tell the world was free to all romantic allegations and it came up briefly once, it was not the end result and thrown in. In fact, there was no romance shown at all during the course of the story despite some of my hopes and desires. But with the way it ended with Sirscha looking toward a bright future, I as the reader am left to imagine that she could have romance with either the Meilek or Theyen if my heart so desires it. The end of the story even left off with Meilek needing a wife as the next step of his reign but I think it was purposely said that he hadn't found anyone yet to let reader's fill in who he ends up with. This of course made my heart happy. The story concluded in a neat way while allowing for your imagination to fill in how the rest of Sirscha's life goes.
Despite my problems with the present tense at first, it was hardly a problem for this book which was nice that I could read this one faster :)
Despite my problems with the present tense at first, it was hardly a problem for this book which was nice that I could read this one faster :)
April 12, 2024
What an epic conclusion to a dope trilogy. I should write a review for the first two books, which I will do later. Loyalties and bonds are tested, Sirscha is determined to save the kingdom, and I was left hanging on every word.
Following the events of “Broken Web,” we follow Sirscha on her quest to save the kingdom, but not everything and everyone is what they seem. Every character felt complex and developed, which enhanced the story. This is probably the first time I’ve read a fantasy trilogy that didn’t have an underlying love story apart of the plot, which for me was unexpected, but I loved it.
Soulless is an excellent villain. I sometimes found myself agreeing with Soulless but not his methods. (This isn’t the first time I’ve agreed with the villain, but not their methods… Killmonger… Thanos… but that’s not the point…) I thoroughly enjoyed watching his entire plot play out.
“Calling of Light” has everything: mystery, political intrigue, phenomenal character development, and fantastic writing. I hadn’t considered myself as someone who enjoys political thrillers, but this was phenomenal.
Following the events of “Broken Web,” we follow Sirscha on her quest to save the kingdom, but not everything and everyone is what they seem. Every character felt complex and developed, which enhanced the story. This is probably the first time I’ve read a fantasy trilogy that didn’t have an underlying love story apart of the plot, which for me was unexpected, but I loved it.
Soulless is an excellent villain. I sometimes found myself agreeing with Soulless but not his methods. (This isn’t the first time I’ve agreed with the villain, but not their methods… Killmonger… Thanos… but that’s not the point…) I thoroughly enjoyed watching his entire plot play out.
“Calling of Light” has everything: mystery, political intrigue, phenomenal character development, and fantastic writing. I hadn’t considered myself as someone who enjoys political thrillers, but this was phenomenal.
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