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Shamanborn #1
Forest of Souls
Sirscha Ashwyn comes from nothing, but she’s intent on becoming something. After years of training, she plans on challenging her rival for the position of the queen’s next royal spy, but she’s forced to abandon her plan when shamans attack and kill her best friend Saengo.
And then Sirscha, somehow, restores Saengo to life.
With her mysterious ability uncovered, Sirscha is summoned to the domain of the Spider King—the only person powerful enough to control the haunted Dead Wood that separates the kingdoms and, ultimately, enforces peace. But the Spider King’s hold of the Dead Wood is weakening, and he needs Sirscha to use her newly awakened powers to obliterate the bloodthirsty forest. As war looms on the horizon, it’s up to Sirscha to learn what she can do and who she can trust before time runs out.
And then Sirscha, somehow, restores Saengo to life.
With her mysterious ability uncovered, Sirscha is summoned to the domain of the Spider King—the only person powerful enough to control the haunted Dead Wood that separates the kingdoms and, ultimately, enforces peace. But the Spider King’s hold of the Dead Wood is weakening, and he needs Sirscha to use her newly awakened powers to obliterate the bloodthirsty forest. As war looms on the horizon, it’s up to Sirscha to learn what she can do and who she can trust before time runs out.
385 pages, Hardcover
First published June 23, 2020
235 people are currently reading
37126 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 1,088 reviews
July 22, 2020
im a little conflicted with this story. while i have a generally positive feeling about it, i cant help but think about how it could be better.
↠ 2.5 stars
sirscha is this really fierce MC, but there is no firsthand account of her training.so there are a lot of good basic points, but i just wanted more. there is definitely room for improvement, which i hope happens as the series progresses.
the main relationship is a friendship between sirscha and saengo, but they have very few memorable interactions.
there is a vast cast of characters with hints of being them complex individuals, but there is no in-depth development.
the world is full of different people and creatures and kingdoms and history, but i really couldnt give you an explanation as to how its all built together.
the plot is fast-paced and exciting, but there is little time for the reader to really reflect on everything that is happening.
↠ 2.5 stars
May 7, 2021
--------------------------------------
The first line of this book: "The earth is black with last night's rain--a perfect morning for shadows."
Thematically, Forest of Souls is about fighting to belong against every effort to push you out. It's about loyalty driven by insecurity and searching for self worth. It's about unconditional female friendship. It's also about a spy-in-training whose chosen path is upended, landing her under the scrutiny of a Spider King.
This isn’t an "Asian fantasy," according to my own definitions (it might be, according to yours, and that's okay). But it is "Asians in fantasy." It’s a mishmash of my favorite western fantasy tropes alongside bits of my own cultural influences and a magical system *inspired* by Hmong shamanism.
When I began writing this as a NaNoWriMo ms way back in 2014, I didn't realize then that it would become the sort of book I needed growing up as part of the Asian diaspora. Even as I fell in love with the medieval-ish fantasy genre, I felt painfully excluded from it. So this book features Asian-coded characters being warriors and shamans, queens and mentors, villains and friends, all within a secondary world fantasy.
I can't wait for you to read it 🕷⚔️🕸
Artist: artoflore_ (on Instagram)
The first line of this book: "The earth is black with last night's rain--a perfect morning for shadows."
Thematically, Forest of Souls is about fighting to belong against every effort to push you out. It's about loyalty driven by insecurity and searching for self worth. It's about unconditional female friendship. It's also about a spy-in-training whose chosen path is upended, landing her under the scrutiny of a Spider King.
This isn’t an "Asian fantasy," according to my own definitions (it might be, according to yours, and that's okay). But it is "Asians in fantasy." It’s a mishmash of my favorite western fantasy tropes alongside bits of my own cultural influences and a magical system *inspired* by Hmong shamanism.
When I began writing this as a NaNoWriMo ms way back in 2014, I didn't realize then that it would become the sort of book I needed growing up as part of the Asian diaspora. Even as I fell in love with the medieval-ish fantasy genre, I felt painfully excluded from it. So this book features Asian-coded characters being warriors and shamans, queens and mentors, villains and friends, all within a secondary world fantasy.
I can't wait for you to read it 🕷⚔️🕸
Artist: artoflore_ (on Instagram)
July 14, 2020
JUNE FAIRYLOOT! We got two books. Click link to see the goodies.
https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
4.5 Stars
Let’s first give credit to another Charlie Bowater cover! I wish she would put out a book of her art so I could buy it!
I absolutely love this dedication at the front of the book and the little spider hanging down!
I thought this book was awesome and yes, I’m looking forward to the next book!
This isn’t a spoiler so don’t get your panties in a wad, you can read it from the summary 😉
So, Sirscha and Saengo are best friends. They are badass fighters and and they work for the queen so to speak. One day they are going out on a mission with some others but things go horribly wrong. Oh, and everyone rides on these awesome Drakes!
From the awesome glossary at the beginning of the book
*Drake: Most common species of drakonys, large and sturdy, used as pack animals and for transportation by humans.
Anyway, some stuff goes down with these shaman and Saengo is killed. BUT (and still not a spoiler) Sirscha brings her back to life. Apparently seeing your best friend killed can bring your power to life!
Turns out Sirscha is a soulguide.
*Soulguide: A lightwender who can shepherd souls, guiding them to the afterlife or back to life. There has never been a soulguide in living memory. The only one recorded was the founder of Mirram, who created the spell allowing only shamans to enter.
And as the crow flies, Ronan the Spider King hears about Sirscha and she’s summoned to Spinner’s End. And Prince Meilek (sugar plum) and his men escort Sirscha and Saengo there.
And naturally, nothing is what it seems and a bit of chaos ensues!
Loved the characters, the atmosphere, and the storyline!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
BLOG: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
4.5 Stars
Let’s first give credit to another Charlie Bowater cover! I wish she would put out a book of her art so I could buy it!
I absolutely love this dedication at the front of the book and the little spider hanging down!
I thought this book was awesome and yes, I’m looking forward to the next book!
This isn’t a spoiler so don’t get your panties in a wad, you can read it from the summary 😉
So, Sirscha and Saengo are best friends. They are badass fighters and and they work for the queen so to speak. One day they are going out on a mission with some others but things go horribly wrong. Oh, and everyone rides on these awesome Drakes!
From the awesome glossary at the beginning of the book
*Drake: Most common species of drakonys, large and sturdy, used as pack animals and for transportation by humans.
Anyway, some stuff goes down with these shaman and Saengo is killed. BUT (and still not a spoiler) Sirscha brings her back to life. Apparently seeing your best friend killed can bring your power to life!
Turns out Sirscha is a soulguide.
*Soulguide: A lightwender who can shepherd souls, guiding them to the afterlife or back to life. There has never been a soulguide in living memory. The only one recorded was the founder of Mirram, who created the spell allowing only shamans to enter.
And as the crow flies, Ronan the Spider King hears about Sirscha and she’s summoned to Spinner’s End. And Prince Meilek (sugar plum) and his men escort Sirscha and Saengo there.
Some centuries ago, a shaman who would become known as the Soulless rose against the kingdoms. He had the power to kill by ripping out the souls of his enemies. The history books are always vague about what exactly happened, but not even the armies of Thiy could subdue him. He merely claimed their souls for himself, strengthening his power and his madness.
Then Ronin descended from the north with a massive spider as his familiar, one of the Spinners of his homeland. No shaman had ever possessed a Spinner as a familiar before. Only the union of two such powerful beings could defeat the Soulless.
After the Soulless’s death, the souls he’d claimed scattered, taking root in the trees. Over time, the forest died and became a dangerous place for travelers. For whatever reason, Ronin made his home within the woods, using spidersilk spun from the bond with his Spinner to cloak the restless spirits. Not only that, but he convinced the kingdoms to sign the first and only peace treaty of its kind, one that would ensure peace for centuries to come.
And now, after all this time, the Dead Wood has begun to expand far more quickly than in the past, casting Ronin’s power into doubt.
And naturally, nothing is what it seems and a bit of chaos ensues!
Loved the characters, the atmosphere, and the storyline!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
BLOG: https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
June 20, 2020
if the girl on this cover came to life and stepped on me... all I’m saying is I would not complain......
—★—
Forest of Souls is a YA fantasy filled with culture and magic inspired by Hmong shamanism. It follows Sirscha, whose life is suddenly disrupted after an attack kills her friend Saengo, and Sirscha accidentally brings her back to life. She’s taken under the Spider King and is tasked to attempt to control the Dead Wood, a creepy forest full of the souls of the dead, but more sinister forces are at play than she realizes.
While I unfortunately had more negative things to say about this book than positive, I still was able to enjoy it to some extent. I had issues with the actual craft of the story, but there were also some things that were just personally not for me, so they could possibly work for you!
⇒ WHAT I LIKED
After trudging through the first third of the book, I flew through the rest really quickly! I’m not sure why or how I was able to read so much in so little time, but the writing was simple for me to read and get into (after a rough beginning). There are lots of plot events to keep you on your toes during the middle and end,
I really loved that there wasn’t a romance. So many YA fantasies are focused on romance, and while I love reading it, I’d like to see other types of relationships written about as well. This one is definitely more focused on Sirscha’s friendship with Saengo, as well as Sirscha’s own individual journey, and not having a romance was so refreshing. (Especially when there are two male characters, who I feel like would have been a part of a love triangle in any other book!)
Sirscha’s story is one of worth, and how we often tie our own self-worth to other people. She thought her value as a person was based on what she could offer as a spy to the queen, or a soulguide for the Spider King, but by the end she learns to be more independent and do things for herself, and I appreciated that.
The worldbuilding was interesting to me, and I thought it was decently done! There are a few info-dumpy parts, and I wished certain aspects had been more expanded upon, but there’s a very helpful and descriptive glossary. It draws on Hmong culture, and I loved reading about the inclusion of shamanism and magic.
⇒ WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The beginning is so slow. I first started reading it a month ago and I read about 100 pages. But I genuinely thought I’d only read 50 pages because it had moved so slowly, and I couldn’t believe that I’d read so much while so little had happened.
This book is absolutely more plot-driven than character-driven, meaning that Sirscha didn’t have that much of an active role in the story. As someone who really cares about characters and their arcs, I wasn’t the right audience for a plot-driven book, and I just wanted to see a lot more from the characters.
Honestly, there was just so much potential with Sirscha that wasn’t tapped into. I wish we could have seen more of the skills she’d picked up while training to be a spy, or her shamanic soul magic craft. (Her magic was the one thing I didn’t really understand from the worldbuilding.) There were also hints of her being scarily indifferent to killing others or having power over them, and I was so sad that that kind of darkness wasn’t developed more!
On top of that, Sirscha “declared” certain things that were supposed to be empowering to support her character growth, and I feel like that’s a kind of common thing in YA that I’ve outgrown. I just personally like my character development to be more subtle, so seeing that kind of mental announcement made her growth feel cheap to me.
I said before that I liked that there was no romance, but I wanted to see more from their friendship before Saengo was killed. I didn’t care about their close bond enough to feel something about how their relationship was disrupted by her death and subsequent reviving, so their friendship didn’t have as much of an impact on me. Overall, actually, a lot of the book was built up on little twists or reveals, but they fell flat because they hadn’t been developed, so it was just like “okay cool… why does this matter.”
My last complaint is that there was a very “detached” feeling with the book in general. I can’t tell if it’s me who couldn’t connect to Sirscha, or if the writing was at fault and didn’t portray Sirscha’s emotions well, but was frustrating to read because I never felt like I was transported to this world. I feel like I could have enjoyed this book so much more had I been able to immerse myself in it.
(Also, I’m going to be real honest: There’s a sassy side character named Theyen and he provided all the entertainment. If only there could have been more from him, or just… less dryness from the other characters.)
⇒ CONCLUSION
I’m conflicted on how I should feel about this. Because on one hand, lots of things were just so eh to me that I didn’t care, but on the other hand, I genuinely was interested to see where the story went at one point and flew through the book. But unfortunately overall, this book fell flat.
I think things end on an intriguing cliffhanger, so I’m actually, cautiously interested in reading the sequel (especially to see if Sirscha’s character arc becomes darker), if that is any reassurance? This might not be for you if you’re a fan of books that focus more on characters, like me, but if a plot-driven fantasy with captivating worldbuilding and magic sounds up your alley, I’d recommend checking this out.
—★—
:: rep :: Asian-coded cast
:: content warnings :: death/murder (including loved ones), battle violence, imprisonment, mentions of mutilation, loved one with disease/infection, spiders
—★—
Forest of Souls is a YA fantasy filled with culture and magic inspired by Hmong shamanism. It follows Sirscha, whose life is suddenly disrupted after an attack kills her friend Saengo, and Sirscha accidentally brings her back to life. She’s taken under the Spider King and is tasked to attempt to control the Dead Wood, a creepy forest full of the souls of the dead, but more sinister forces are at play than she realizes.
While I unfortunately had more negative things to say about this book than positive, I still was able to enjoy it to some extent. I had issues with the actual craft of the story, but there were also some things that were just personally not for me, so they could possibly work for you!
⇒ WHAT I LIKED
It is not from the world that I need acknowledgement of my worth.
After trudging through the first third of the book, I flew through the rest really quickly! I’m not sure why or how I was able to read so much in so little time, but the writing was simple for me to read and get into (after a rough beginning). There are lots of plot events to keep you on your toes during the middle and end,
I really loved that there wasn’t a romance. So many YA fantasies are focused on romance, and while I love reading it, I’d like to see other types of relationships written about as well. This one is definitely more focused on Sirscha’s friendship with Saengo, as well as Sirscha’s own individual journey, and not having a romance was so refreshing. (Especially when there are two male characters, who I feel like would have been a part of a love triangle in any other book!)
Sirscha’s story is one of worth, and how we often tie our own self-worth to other people. She thought her value as a person was based on what she could offer as a spy to the queen, or a soulguide for the Spider King, but by the end she learns to be more independent and do things for herself, and I appreciated that.
The worldbuilding was interesting to me, and I thought it was decently done! There are a few info-dumpy parts, and I wished certain aspects had been more expanded upon, but there’s a very helpful and descriptive glossary. It draws on Hmong culture, and I loved reading about the inclusion of shamanism and magic.
⇒ WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
The beginning is so slow. I first started reading it a month ago and I read about 100 pages. But I genuinely thought I’d only read 50 pages because it had moved so slowly, and I couldn’t believe that I’d read so much while so little had happened.
This book is absolutely more plot-driven than character-driven, meaning that Sirscha didn’t have that much of an active role in the story. As someone who really cares about characters and their arcs, I wasn’t the right audience for a plot-driven book, and I just wanted to see a lot more from the characters.
Honestly, there was just so much potential with Sirscha that wasn’t tapped into. I wish we could have seen more of the skills she’d picked up while training to be a spy, or her shamanic soul magic craft. (Her magic was the one thing I didn’t really understand from the worldbuilding.) There were also hints of her being scarily indifferent to killing others or having power over them, and I was so sad that that kind of darkness wasn’t developed more!
On top of that, Sirscha “declared” certain things that were supposed to be empowering to support her character growth, and I feel like that’s a kind of common thing in YA that I’ve outgrown. I just personally like my character development to be more subtle, so seeing that kind of mental announcement made her growth feel cheap to me.
[…] I was afraid. Not for my life. I was afraid of being invisible, a fear I’ve held close from the moment I was old enough to understand that I’d been abandoned with no true name.
I said before that I liked that there was no romance, but I wanted to see more from their friendship before Saengo was killed. I didn’t care about their close bond enough to feel something about how their relationship was disrupted by her death and subsequent reviving, so their friendship didn’t have as much of an impact on me. Overall, actually, a lot of the book was built up on little twists or reveals, but they fell flat because they hadn’t been developed, so it was just like “okay cool… why does this matter.”
My last complaint is that there was a very “detached” feeling with the book in general. I can’t tell if it’s me who couldn’t connect to Sirscha, or if the writing was at fault and didn’t portray Sirscha’s emotions well, but was frustrating to read because I never felt like I was transported to this world. I feel like I could have enjoyed this book so much more had I been able to immerse myself in it.
(Also, I’m going to be real honest: There’s a sassy side character named Theyen and he provided all the entertainment. If only there could have been more from him, or just… less dryness from the other characters.)
⇒ CONCLUSION
I’m conflicted on how I should feel about this. Because on one hand, lots of things were just so eh to me that I didn’t care, but on the other hand, I genuinely was interested to see where the story went at one point and flew through the book. But unfortunately overall, this book fell flat.
I think things end on an intriguing cliffhanger, so I’m actually, cautiously interested in reading the sequel (especially to see if Sirscha’s character arc becomes darker), if that is any reassurance? This might not be for you if you’re a fan of books that focus more on characters, like me, but if a plot-driven fantasy with captivating worldbuilding and magic sounds up your alley, I’d recommend checking this out.
—★—
:: rep :: Asian-coded cast
:: content warnings :: death/murder (including loved ones), battle violence, imprisonment, mentions of mutilation, loved one with disease/infection, spiders
Thank you to Page Street Publishing for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! This did not affect my opinion in any way.
All quotes are taken from an advance copy and may differ in final publication.
Want to read
October 9, 2019Why does every book in 2020 seem to have gorgeous cover? This year I think I'm broke already but next year, I bet I'm gonna go bankrupt.🤣
March 29, 2021
Sirschia Ashwyn has spent years of her life training to become one of the elite spies for the queen...but even the best laid plans can come to ruin when your best friend is killed and you magically resurrect them.
Focus on the problems we have now. Not the ones you’re adding in your head.
Now that she's revealed to be a soulguide (an incredibly rare power), her journey truly begins.
A war is looming, and only a teenager with half-understood magic and plenty of convenient plot moments could save them all.
Ehhh...this one was missing that sparkle.
This was one of the books that I've literally been dying to get all year and when I FINALLY began it...I just couldn't get into it.
I was SO pumped and ready for a Queen's-spy-turned-protector-of-the-forest but it ended up being bland and forgettable. Like, I have almost zero retention of this book despite reading it from cover-to-cover.
To be frank, I was devastated.
But ah well. That's life.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Want to read
June 11, 2020another book with a spy protagonist that wants to overthrow the system? count me in
July 13, 2022
✅ Gorgeous cover
✅ Original magic-system
🆗 Characters
🆗 World-building
🆗 Pace
🆗❌ Plot
❌ MC's almost insta-control over her magic
2.5 stars
I expected more...
The first problem for me was the development of the characters. The story follows Sirscha, an ordinary orphan who has longed to feel valued and to prove herself all her life. She has been trained by the queen's master spy for the last few years, allowing her to gain a useful set of skills: fighting, lock picking, being sneaky, etc. And that's about it. We learn nothing else about her, her past, or her personality and the same can be said for Saengo. She is the best friend, the one who died, then came back to life, then almost died again, and still, I couldn't feel a thing for her. The secondary characters are mostly the same bland and boring kind of character, except maybe Theyen who is more intriguing and interesting (he has a sassy and pretentious vibe) but he is not present enough in the story to make a real difference.
Then there is the world-building... The magical system is roughly explained, Sirscha is a shaman (or shaman-born) who needs to have a familiar to access her magic. She does not practice or train to better understand her power or to better control it, but somehow she can access it when she is in real danger (under a lot of stress), she can even control it at the end of the book after having used it only twice before. The part where the character changes and grows into her power is missing, the use of her power felt more lucky and convenient than a result of perseverance, skills, and self-defense.
Finally, there is the plot. It feels as though the author had many ideas, but couldn't decide which ones to exploit. Maybe it sets the table for the next book, but sadly, for most of the story, I was wondering where all of this was going. Was Sirscha's main goal to destroy the forest, to free the shamans, to keep the peace between the kingdoms, to find her mentor, or to discover Ronin's secrets? The fact that there are many ideas is not the issue, but the lack of connections between them made it harder for me to get into this book.
Overall this book is not a bad one, it does have potential but I did not enjoy it that much because it was poorly developed. I didn't feel compelled to continue to the next chapter or even to know how it ended, I felt detached almost at some points. I don't think that I will read the next one...
Fanart by Lenyan_art and Niru.sky
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✅ Original magic-system
🆗 Characters
🆗 World-building
🆗 Pace
🆗❌ Plot
❌ MC's almost insta-control over her magic
2.5 stars
I expected more...
The first problem for me was the development of the characters. The story follows Sirscha, an ordinary orphan who has longed to feel valued and to prove herself all her life. She has been trained by the queen's master spy for the last few years, allowing her to gain a useful set of skills: fighting, lock picking, being sneaky, etc. And that's about it. We learn nothing else about her, her past, or her personality and the same can be said for Saengo. She is the best friend, the one who died, then came back to life, then almost died again, and still, I couldn't feel a thing for her. The secondary characters are mostly the same bland and boring kind of character, except maybe Theyen who is more intriguing and interesting (he has a sassy and pretentious vibe) but he is not present enough in the story to make a real difference.
Then there is the world-building... The magical system is roughly explained, Sirscha is a shaman (or shaman-born) who needs to have a familiar to access her magic. She does not practice or train to better understand her power or to better control it, but somehow she can access it when she is in real danger (under a lot of stress), she can even control it at the end of the book after having used it only twice before. The part where the character changes and grows into her power is missing, the use of her power felt more lucky and convenient than a result of perseverance, skills, and self-defense.
Finally, there is the plot. It feels as though the author had many ideas, but couldn't decide which ones to exploit. Maybe it sets the table for the next book, but sadly, for most of the story, I was wondering where all of this was going. Was Sirscha's main goal to destroy the forest, to free the shamans, to keep the peace between the kingdoms, to find her mentor, or to discover Ronin's secrets? The fact that there are many ideas is not the issue, but the lack of connections between them made it harder for me to get into this book.
Overall this book is not a bad one, it does have potential but I did not enjoy it that much because it was poorly developed. I didn't feel compelled to continue to the next chapter or even to know how it ended, I felt detached almost at some points. I don't think that I will read the next one...
Fanart by Lenyan_art and Niru.sky
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June 12, 2021
i really struggled to get through this book because of the lack of plot but other than that i enjoyed the characters and the banter between some of them. even the friendship, i enjoyed the main character a lot. i LOVED Ronin but like i stated there wasn’t much of a plot so this book was literally almost 400 of nothing. it’s a first in a series so i didn’t mind it lacked plot, romance or character development but that being said i do expect some of that in the sequel.
February 3, 2020
Lori Lee has a gift for writing relatable characters and crafting intricate worlds and magic. And that villain ... *shudders*
Looking forward to the next book in the series!
Looking forward to the next book in the series!
August 1, 2021
I normally don't prefer people on book covers, but she looks like she could kill me so
July 16, 2020
(I forgot to thank the publisher for this ARC. Thank you Page Street Kids for sending it to me)
Another Charlie cover that I let compel me. I should have known.
And yes if Charlie does art for a book I’m gonna try it! Sue me.
Listen, I love Charlie’s art. Love it so much that it hypes me up for the books she draws covers for, but the last few that I’ve tried where she was the cover artists, I wasn’t too happy with.
This one included.
Sirscha wasn’t a heroine who became REAL to me. I learned nothing about HER as a person. Her personality was so shallow and surface-level that the only think she thought about was the supposed-to-be-plot and her friend Saengo. I wanted her to have a sense of presence, I wanted her to exist. I craved the moment when she would feel real to me, but she didn’t. That kept me very detached from novel, and I found myself just reading the words rather than actually soaking in the story.
The secondary characters didn’t really aid in this issue. Theyen was the only redeeming entity of this book besides the conclusion—which we will get to. Continuing on though, love a sassy boy with pointed ears, and Theyen was that boy in every way. Unfortunately Lori didn’t utilize him time the best of her ability, because I think he could have been much more involved in the story, and he could have lent a hand to the rest of bland characters with his wit. Meilik and Saengo were also just mediocre. I felt nothing towards them.
Saengo is supposed to be this best friend we mourn for, but Lori doesn’t make me care about her death. And she doesn’t paint the necromantic moment that occurs right after that in an exciting enough way to where I was intrigued by it.
The magical system fell flat to me. Sirscha barely even tapped into her powers. All but three times with no training or growth to show for it when she used them at the end. There was no struggle, no fight for her strength, it was just there when it needed to be. It was convenient.
I wished I understood the plot. I really do. I read some reviews where they said that it was messy and all over the place, sadly I’m inclined to agree. There were about three different things—whether that be goals or events—that were happening and none of them felt like they connected. They were all separate entities and it felt like Lori was trying to messily balance them all, but never weave them together.
It’s really sad to have to say I didn’t very much enjoy this book. Not until those last 2 pages when things FINALLY started to click. Finally. And even then I was still confused.
Needless to say Lori hooked me enough to read the next book because I need to know more about the thing that occurs at the end.
Other than that, Forest of Souls sadly wasn’t enjoyable.
Another Charlie cover that I let compel me. I should have known.
And yes if Charlie does art for a book I’m gonna try it! Sue me.
Listen, I love Charlie’s art. Love it so much that it hypes me up for the books she draws covers for, but the last few that I’ve tried where she was the cover artists, I wasn’t too happy with.
This one included.
Sirscha wasn’t a heroine who became REAL to me. I learned nothing about HER as a person. Her personality was so shallow and surface-level that the only think she thought about was the supposed-to-be-plot and her friend Saengo. I wanted her to have a sense of presence, I wanted her to exist. I craved the moment when she would feel real to me, but she didn’t. That kept me very detached from novel, and I found myself just reading the words rather than actually soaking in the story.
The secondary characters didn’t really aid in this issue. Theyen was the only redeeming entity of this book besides the conclusion—which we will get to. Continuing on though, love a sassy boy with pointed ears, and Theyen was that boy in every way. Unfortunately Lori didn’t utilize him time the best of her ability, because I think he could have been much more involved in the story, and he could have lent a hand to the rest of bland characters with his wit. Meilik and Saengo were also just mediocre. I felt nothing towards them.
Saengo is supposed to be this best friend we mourn for, but Lori doesn’t make me care about her death. And she doesn’t paint the necromantic moment that occurs right after that in an exciting enough way to where I was intrigued by it.
The magical system fell flat to me. Sirscha barely even tapped into her powers. All but three times with no training or growth to show for it when she used them at the end. There was no struggle, no fight for her strength, it was just there when it needed to be. It was convenient.
I wished I understood the plot. I really do. I read some reviews where they said that it was messy and all over the place, sadly I’m inclined to agree. There were about three different things—whether that be goals or events—that were happening and none of them felt like they connected. They were all separate entities and it felt like Lori was trying to messily balance them all, but never weave them together.
It’s really sad to have to say I didn’t very much enjoy this book. Not until those last 2 pages when things FINALLY started to click. Finally. And even then I was still confused.
Needless to say Lori hooked me enough to read the next book because I need to know more about the thing that occurs at the end.
Other than that, Forest of Souls sadly wasn’t enjoyable.
January 21, 2021
Well, well.. another re-read has been knocked off my reading pile. Not even upset about it either but I do hate the whole waiting part now. Ugh, I wish I had the next book with me already but alas - I don't. I kind of want to cry but it's okay.. I will fight anyone to get my hands on the second book and then devour it.
I just have endless questions right now. Even though this was a re-read I definitely saw some things a bit differently than I did the first time around. Which is honestly a great thing for me because I love when that happens. Yet, I just have endless questions now that need answers. Yes, NEED.
Ugh, again, waiting for the next book to come out just about kills me inside. All I'm going to say is that I adored jumping back into this world where the trees will forever creep me out. I also really enjoyed the questionable betrayals going around and around. So I'm hopeful that I will get answers as to why certain things happened in the next book. Pretty please, don't disappoint me.
________________________
I am beyond happy that I got the chance to dive into this beautiful and magical book.
Beyond.
Happy.
Forest of Souls was such a fun ride! I honestly really loved the audiobook version, even though I did want to dive into my beautiful physical! Unfortunately for me, I just didn't have the time to do so over the weekend or this week. So, audiobooks for the win guys!
Long story short, trees never really creeped me out until this book. Some of the things that happened in this damn forest were pretty gruesome. So when Sirscha saw what she did and ran out of there.. I felt that. Knees to chest girl. Other than that, I loved this girl so much. I felt bad for her because of how she was treated by some of these people. If I could, I would've slapped them all. Maybe throw them to the trees myself.
Besides the fantasy, this book did give it's fair share of romances. At one point I was dreading it because it seemed to sort of lean towards a potential love triangle. I mean, I get it.. it happens. If I was her I probably would have a hard time choosing between the two princes myself. I, for one, just don't like love triangles and would love nothing to do with them. Maybe things will happen throughout the next book, or series, and she will pick one or just start her own haram. I'm down either way.
In the end, to say that I'm intrigued for the next book is putting it lightly. That ending was so good and now I want more.
I just have endless questions right now. Even though this was a re-read I definitely saw some things a bit differently than I did the first time around. Which is honestly a great thing for me because I love when that happens. Yet, I just have endless questions now that need answers. Yes, NEED.
Ugh, again, waiting for the next book to come out just about kills me inside. All I'm going to say is that I adored jumping back into this world where the trees will forever creep me out. I also really enjoyed the questionable betrayals going around and around. So I'm hopeful that I will get answers as to why certain things happened in the next book. Pretty please, don't disappoint me.
________________________
I am beyond happy that I got the chance to dive into this beautiful and magical book.
Beyond.
Happy.
Forest of Souls was such a fun ride! I honestly really loved the audiobook version, even though I did want to dive into my beautiful physical! Unfortunately for me, I just didn't have the time to do so over the weekend or this week. So, audiobooks for the win guys!
Long story short, trees never really creeped me out until this book. Some of the things that happened in this damn forest were pretty gruesome. So when Sirscha saw what she did and ran out of there.. I felt that. Knees to chest girl. Other than that, I loved this girl so much. I felt bad for her because of how she was treated by some of these people. If I could, I would've slapped them all. Maybe throw them to the trees myself.
Besides the fantasy, this book did give it's fair share of romances. At one point I was dreading it because it seemed to sort of lean towards a potential love triangle. I mean, I get it.. it happens. If I was her I probably would have a hard time choosing between the two princes myself. I, for one, just don't like love triangles and would love nothing to do with them. Maybe things will happen throughout the next book, or series, and she will pick one or just start her own haram. I'm down either way.
In the end, to say that I'm intrigued for the next book is putting it lightly. That ending was so good and now I want more.
July 9, 2020
4.5 stars
Forest of Souls was a magical read about the strength of friendship and developing self worth. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I really liked it!
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Writing: 4/5
The main character was Sirscha, a spy-in-training who discovers she is the first soulguide in living memory and the only one capable of restraining the vicious, dangerous Dead Wood. I loved her uncompromising fierceness, skill and strength- she was a force that you definitely would not want to be on the wrong side of!
No matter how hard Sirscha trained and how skilled she became most people never saw any value in her because of her low station. This resulted in a fear of never being enough and a desire to be worthy and seek external validation that drove her every action. These fears, of failure and disappointing those around us, are something I think that many people can relate to and it's amazing seeing Sirscha start to realise that her worth isn't tied to what others think of her.
Another key aspect of this novel was unconditional friendship. I've never seen a YA fantasy that puts a friendship front and centre instead of a romance and it was a beautiful thing to behold. Saengo was Sirscha's best friend and despite their differences, especially in rank, they were inseparable and would do anything for each other. Through all the trials and tribulations their friendship stood firm where others would have wavered and it gave them the strength to keep fighting for each other. My only wish is that Saengo gets more of an active role in the next book because I really would have liked to see more of her in action.
I've always been intrigued by magic systems in books and the system in Forest of Souls was one of the most interesting I've ever seen. The author has said that it was inspired by Hmong shamanism and it had a heavy emphasis on spirits and souls as the source of magic. It also had an elemental aspect with the five Shamanic Callings being fire, water, earth, wind and light. Separate to this there were also the Shadowblessed who could manipulate shadows. I loved how well fleshed out the system was and the fact that spirit familiars were necessary to channel the magic was probably my favourite part of it.
I loved the Dead Wood, the chilling forest of souls referenced by the title, as it was so morbid and visceral while also serving as a symbol for how hatred can endure and power can corrupt even the most well intentioned person. A large chunk of the book was spent in the Dead Wood and its surroundings which was great but I hope too see much more of the world in the sequel. Overall, Forest of Souls was a brilliant YA fantasy novel that is beautiful both inside and out.
Thank you to Page Street Kids for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Forest of Souls was a magical read about the strength of friendship and developing self worth. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I really liked it!
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Writing: 4/5
The main character was Sirscha, a spy-in-training who discovers she is the first soulguide in living memory and the only one capable of restraining the vicious, dangerous Dead Wood. I loved her uncompromising fierceness, skill and strength- she was a force that you definitely would not want to be on the wrong side of!
No matter how hard Sirscha trained and how skilled she became most people never saw any value in her because of her low station. This resulted in a fear of never being enough and a desire to be worthy and seek external validation that drove her every action. These fears, of failure and disappointing those around us, are something I think that many people can relate to and it's amazing seeing Sirscha start to realise that her worth isn't tied to what others think of her.
Another key aspect of this novel was unconditional friendship. I've never seen a YA fantasy that puts a friendship front and centre instead of a romance and it was a beautiful thing to behold. Saengo was Sirscha's best friend and despite their differences, especially in rank, they were inseparable and would do anything for each other. Through all the trials and tribulations their friendship stood firm where others would have wavered and it gave them the strength to keep fighting for each other. My only wish is that Saengo gets more of an active role in the next book because I really would have liked to see more of her in action.
I've always been intrigued by magic systems in books and the system in Forest of Souls was one of the most interesting I've ever seen. The author has said that it was inspired by Hmong shamanism and it had a heavy emphasis on spirits and souls as the source of magic. It also had an elemental aspect with the five Shamanic Callings being fire, water, earth, wind and light. Separate to this there were also the Shadowblessed who could manipulate shadows. I loved how well fleshed out the system was and the fact that spirit familiars were necessary to channel the magic was probably my favourite part of it.
I loved the Dead Wood, the chilling forest of souls referenced by the title, as it was so morbid and visceral while also serving as a symbol for how hatred can endure and power can corrupt even the most well intentioned person. A large chunk of the book was spent in the Dead Wood and its surroundings which was great but I hope too see much more of the world in the sequel. Overall, Forest of Souls was a brilliant YA fantasy novel that is beautiful both inside and out.
Thank you to Page Street Kids for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 17, 2021
Star Rating: —> 4.5 Stars
BUDDY READ WITH MY AMAZING AUSSIE SOUL SISTER, DARCE!
OMFG I NEED THE SEQUEL, BROKEN WEB, RIGHT THE F NOW! This was absolutely incredible. Honestly I just absolutely loved it! The World Building, the Character Development, the PLOTTTTT just omfg. (i don't know why I capitalized the first letters in those, even though they are not proper nouns. Just ignore that; I'm all mixed up because this book was Freaking Phenomenal. Hahah 😉😉😝)
I am pretty sure this will end up being a slow burn & if not my heart will absolutely be broken! In this book we go from enemies to friends. If the relationship between the MC & [name 🤐 to avoid spoilers] doesn't turn into lovers I just might die haha.
But like, seriously... 😉
Possibly more RTC—STAY TUNED!
ALSO: Yep; you heard/read right! Darcey & I are finally back at it! We were totally slacking off on the BRs for a couple months there, lol (totally my fault, my chronic illnesses have been hitting me hard AF, plus I live in the US, so it's a bit hard to begin w/, but we make it work, normally!!!)
🤍🤍🤍💜💜💜
ANYWAY! DEF RECOMMEND!!!
____________________
W. T. F!!!!
Where have i been to just hear about this?!? Holy hell this sounds in-cred-i-ble.
BUDDY READ WITH MY AMAZING AUSSIE SOUL SISTER, DARCE!
OMFG I NEED THE SEQUEL, BROKEN WEB, RIGHT THE F NOW! This was absolutely incredible. Honestly I just absolutely loved it! The World Building, the Character Development, the PLOTTTTT just omfg. (i don't know why I capitalized the first letters in those, even though they are not proper nouns. Just ignore that; I'm all mixed up because this book was Freaking Phenomenal. Hahah 😉😉😝)
I am pretty sure this will end up being a slow burn & if not my heart will absolutely be broken! In this book we go from enemies to friends. If the relationship between the MC & [name 🤐 to avoid spoilers] doesn't turn into lovers I just might die haha.
But like, seriously... 😉
Possibly more RTC—STAY TUNED!
ALSO: Yep; you heard/read right! Darcey & I are finally back at it! We were totally slacking off on the BRs for a couple months there, lol (totally my fault, my chronic illnesses have been hitting me hard AF, plus I live in the US, so it's a bit hard to begin w/, but we make it work, normally!!!)
🤍🤍🤍💜💜💜
ANYWAY! DEF RECOMMEND!!!
____________________
W. T. F!!!!
Where have i been to just hear about this?!? Holy hell this sounds in-cred-i-ble.
October 3, 2019
Enchanting world-building, non-stop action, political intrigue, and dark magic are woven into the silky-yet-fast-paced daydream of a fantasy that is FOREST OF SOULS. Using shadows and light, Lori M. Lee casts the perfect web of unforgettable characters and an intriguing plot—you won’t want to escape.
November 26, 2021
3.5 spidery stars!
The spider vibes on this cover did not disappoint, and I had a heck of a great time reading this in one sitting. Why are people sleeping on this series?
Concept: ★★★
Characters: ★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★
In a concept that feels like an interesting mashup of Asian inspiration mixed with the "classic" Western/white fantasy tropes, Forest of Souls was a pleasant surprise for this seasoned YA fantasy reader.
Did it do anything revolutionary? Did it turn the genre on its head with some mind-bending new trick, trope, or twist? No.
But did it deliver on a damn good time with a nuanced world, refreshing characters, and subtle twists on the classic model? Yeah, it did.
Forest of Souls follows our Chosen One, Sirscha—before she knows that she is chosen, of course—in a storyline that feels like other storylines. (Stay with me...)
Sirscha is the outcast in the Queen's army ranks—the nobody, the orphan with a chip on her shoulder, the girl with way too much of a "need to prove myself" complex, and yet somehow also the one with the masterful ability to fight.
Sirscha is training in the Queen's army in a kingdom where the magic users, known as shamans, are hunted to extinction and/or enslavement. Sirscha has spent her life working toward a career as the Queen's elusive and only Shadow, a prestigious honor given to only one person at a time, when the unthinkable happens.
Her latent shaman powers burst into being during the traumatic death of her closest friend, Saengo. In a shocking move, she is able to bring Saengo back to life. But life's about to get super complicated, because now her eyes glow like the other shamans and the kingdom is out to get her.
So when the Spider King of the Dead Wood offers Sirscha sanctuary, she doesn't think twice. She and her friend enter the Dead Wood, where the souls of the dying and dead have made the woods alive...and hungry.
Her world is about to get a whole lot more complicated, creepy, and complex.
This had SPIDERS. It had INTRIGUE. It had complex worldbuilding that occasionally veered too much into telling instead of showing, but I was in a story-time mood so I didn't mind. It had a fierce FRIENDSHIP BOND that outlasts the dead. It had snark, sass, and wit—and a refreshing lack of romance.
If you don't mind a fresh twist on the classics, check this one out!
Blog | Instagram
The spider vibes on this cover did not disappoint, and I had a heck of a great time reading this in one sitting. Why are people sleeping on this series?
Concept: ★★★
Characters: ★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★★
Enjoyment: ★★★★
In a concept that feels like an interesting mashup of Asian inspiration mixed with the "classic" Western/white fantasy tropes, Forest of Souls was a pleasant surprise for this seasoned YA fantasy reader.
Did it do anything revolutionary? Did it turn the genre on its head with some mind-bending new trick, trope, or twist? No.
But did it deliver on a damn good time with a nuanced world, refreshing characters, and subtle twists on the classic model? Yeah, it did.
Forest of Souls follows our Chosen One, Sirscha—before she knows that she is chosen, of course—in a storyline that feels like other storylines. (Stay with me...)
Sirscha is the outcast in the Queen's army ranks—the nobody, the orphan with a chip on her shoulder, the girl with way too much of a "need to prove myself" complex, and yet somehow also the one with the masterful ability to fight.
Sirscha is training in the Queen's army in a kingdom where the magic users, known as shamans, are hunted to extinction and/or enslavement. Sirscha has spent her life working toward a career as the Queen's elusive and only Shadow, a prestigious honor given to only one person at a time, when the unthinkable happens.
Her latent shaman powers burst into being during the traumatic death of her closest friend, Saengo. In a shocking move, she is able to bring Saengo back to life. But life's about to get super complicated, because now her eyes glow like the other shamans and the kingdom is out to get her.
So when the Spider King of the Dead Wood offers Sirscha sanctuary, she doesn't think twice. She and her friend enter the Dead Wood, where the souls of the dying and dead have made the woods alive...and hungry.
Her world is about to get a whole lot more complicated, creepy, and complex.
This had SPIDERS. It had INTRIGUE. It had complex worldbuilding that occasionally veered too much into telling instead of showing, but I was in a story-time mood so I didn't mind. It had a fierce FRIENDSHIP BOND that outlasts the dead. It had snark, sass, and wit—and a refreshing lack of romance.
If you don't mind a fresh twist on the classics, check this one out!
Blog | Instagram
September 4, 2020
3.5/5 WHAT A CLIFFHANGER! Although I thought there wasn’t enough action at some points I think this was written pretty well. I would’ve liked more description of the world and all the different shadow born and shaman powers rather than just stating what they can do in the glossary. Some more depth of character would’ve been nice too, but I still REALLY enjoyed this story. Such a cool, interesting plot, with some very unexpected turn of events. I recommend this but I advise that you read this closer to the second books release. (The cliffhanger!)
December 6, 2020
I’m a hoe for a beautiful illustrated cover let’s be honest.
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | BlogLovin’
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | BlogLovin’
January 13, 2021
buddy read with Bopeep, Emily, and Hafsah
↠2.5
Tricked by a gorgeous cover.
I don’t know where exactly to start. This book has potential, but there are a lot of things that didn’t work for me. If there wasn’t an audiobook I don’t know how I would’ve made myself pick it up again because I had that problem even with the audiobook. However, even though the audiobook helped me finally finish the book, I concluded that maybe the audio version was making me not like it very much as the narrator was reading it in a monotone way.
The book has a glossary at the beginning of kingdoms, magical levels of people, the level of education, however, that didn’t help me at all. Even now, I don’t know how someone that can control earth elements is called, or how the kingdoms are named, or where they are located. The thing about the kingdoms could’ve been solved with a map to show the readers the world more easily and memorably, but we don’t have a map.
Characters need more development because even though we have Sirscha and Seango’s friendship I didn’t see why I should believe they are such good friends. There was a spark missing, and that spark is missing with all the other characters. There was not enough time spent with the characters for the readers to form a connection with them. If nothing else since there’s no romance, we didn’t have to suffer an underdevelopment romantic relationship too.
This was something I haven’t noticed, but one of my buddies mentioned it. The book gave them Shadow and Bone & We hunt the Flame vibes. And yes, that's true. Both of those books have a wicked place that is expanding, and Oh, look at that, the MC is somehow special and can go through it.
↠2.5
Tricked by a gorgeous cover.
I don’t know where exactly to start. This book has potential, but there are a lot of things that didn’t work for me. If there wasn’t an audiobook I don’t know how I would’ve made myself pick it up again because I had that problem even with the audiobook. However, even though the audiobook helped me finally finish the book, I concluded that maybe the audio version was making me not like it very much as the narrator was reading it in a monotone way.
The book has a glossary at the beginning of kingdoms, magical levels of people, the level of education, however, that didn’t help me at all. Even now, I don’t know how someone that can control earth elements is called, or how the kingdoms are named, or where they are located. The thing about the kingdoms could’ve been solved with a map to show the readers the world more easily and memorably, but we don’t have a map.
Characters need more development because even though we have Sirscha and Seango’s friendship I didn’t see why I should believe they are such good friends. There was a spark missing, and that spark is missing with all the other characters. There was not enough time spent with the characters for the readers to form a connection with them. If nothing else since there’s no romance, we didn’t have to suffer an underdevelopment romantic relationship too.
This was something I haven’t noticed, but one of my buddies mentioned it. The book gave them Shadow and Bone & We hunt the Flame vibes. And yes, that's true. Both of those books have a wicked place that is expanding, and Oh, look at that, the MC is somehow special and can go through it.
November 5, 2020
I had high hopes for this one before I even started it. Pleased to report that it was really good! It started off feeling very much like the majority of YA fantasies I’ve read, but I quickly got sucked into the world and the story. The entire vibe of this one feels like older YA fantasy (and the comp that comes to mind is Tamora Pierce, though this is very different), and I was here for it. I also feel like this would make such an interesting anime film if someone wanted to adapt it... Suffice to say, I really enjoyed the book and definitely want to read the second book!
July 28, 2020
3/5 stars
I have so many thoughts revolving around this book that i’ll be discussing in my July Wrap Up. My major cons with the book revolve around my lack of connection to the main character and relationships. I didn’t feel for them and even got for example MC and best friends dynamic enough to feel for it. As well as it just took me a while to get into the flow. I enjoyed the overall concept, the world building, and even the imagery Lori M. Lee created. If you are interested in a YA Fantasy with a main character coming into her own, this is one you would enjoy.
*Was sent an eARC from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
I have so many thoughts revolving around this book that i’ll be discussing in my July Wrap Up. My major cons with the book revolve around my lack of connection to the main character and relationships. I didn’t feel for them and even got for example MC and best friends dynamic enough to feel for it. As well as it just took me a while to get into the flow. I enjoyed the overall concept, the world building, and even the imagery Lori M. Lee created. If you are interested in a YA Fantasy with a main character coming into her own, this is one you would enjoy.
*Was sent an eARC from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
July 2, 2021
EDIT: 2nd reading
It is by no surprise to me that I enjoyed this just as much as I did the first time I read it! 🤗 I absolutely love this book!! I can’t recommend it enough! And I’m so excited to now dive into my most anticipated release of 2021 - Broken Web! It was practically causing me pain waiting for its release lol 😂
Anyway, if you haven’t read this book, seriously go do so now. You won’t regret it 😉
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DTSreadathon hosted on Twitter
Holy shit this was an epically fun read! I'm totally blown away.
When I read the blurb when it first had one I knew it sounded amazing. I pre-ordered it and couldn't wait until it's release. Once it arrived I wanted to instantly delve into it's glorious depths, but didn't dare cause I was in the middle of a 2 and a half month long book slump that had already killed my enthusiasm for other anticipated books, so I held off. I wanted to wait until I had kicked the slump so I could fully enjoy everything this book had to offer. And I'm soooo glad I waited. I enjoyed this book so, so, sooooo much!! It was everything I had hoped for and more!! It delivered on every front!
This gets every star star from me ^_^
The plot was so much fun and intriguing, with just the perfect amount of twists and shady bits. I guessed a couple things, but many of the others were a shock. And I have some suspicions I can't wait to see if I'm right about in the next book!! (Why can't it release NOW!? I don't think I'll survive the wait until 2021). The plot was also refreshing in the fact it wasn't your typical "special snowflake princess reclaiming her throne" as is the usual trope for YA fantasy these days. And for that alone I am so eternally grateful to Lori Lee for this!! <3
Another thing that just really launched this book up the star charts for me was the romance. Why you ask? Because there was....none. Like what?? I was completely shocked. I can see where we might have the possibilities of some in the next books, but this one had no romance anywhere!!! I was flabbergasted! Now don't get me wrong, a good romance every now and then is fine. But sooooo often YA fantasy focuses way too heavily on that and the plot more often than not suffers for it. Or it's the sole driving factor of the plot, which is so boring.
But this story? For relationships it instead focuses on friendship & sisterhood. Omg I could cry ya'll. The friendship/sisterhood between Sirscha and Saengo!!! Bleeding skies it is so sweet and precious and just everything I want in my books! Their loyalty to each other, they're each the other's "ride or die" <3 And things happen to them that is so gut-wrenching and tense, and through it all they STILL have each others back. None of that stupid romance breaking friends apart, or love triangles busting shit up, no just pure, beautiful friendship and love *weeps into keyboard*
In addition to those wonderful girls, we also have Sirscha's, at times, uncertain friendship with Theyen, a shadowblessed prince. Omg I loved him so much! He's so prickly, arrogant and insulting, but ahh!! The exchanges between him and Sirscha were the literal best things ever I was constantly snorting or smiling with their jabs and insults. They were often the focus of my reading updates on here. Those lines need to be remembered and laughed at lol. I hope we have lots more of Theyen in the sequel. I NEED more Theyen/Sirscha scenes!!! <333
Then there's also Prince Meilek. He is so gentle, kind, and reassuring, basically the complete opposite of Theyen :P He and Sirscha have this understanding, and I think you could say a budding friendship through their shared loyalties for Evewyn & soldiers' training. They were well as a team during the climax. I'm really curious to see what Prince Meilek does/where he goes in the 2nd book, seeing how things ended in this one >_>
Now let's talk about the spooky woods. So it has become a new trope in YA novels the last year or so to have spooky woods at the backdrop of the plots. Well, obviously some writers do better than others with this trope, and some surpass and truly excel at it. Then others leave you unbelievably disappointed, dejected, and saddened by the heavy lack of awesome spooky foresty goodness; I'm glaring at you Shea Ernshaw and that Winterwood book of yours >_< THAT was also a book that suffered heavily from the "romance" overtaking the actual plot.
ANYWAY, moving back on topic. I can happily say that Lori Lee is a friggin QUEEN of the spooky-ass forest vibes!! Good lord! The Dead Wood was EVERYTHING!!!! Omg it was so eerie, sinister, gruesome and epic!! THIS forest eats people and spits them back out in disfigured crawling wraiths of themselves coming to drag you in as well. This book shows up all other haunted forest books! They can't compare to the level of perfection that this forest brings to the YA fantasy world!! <33
The villain...or villains plural....ohhhhh I want to yell and dance over the pure evil, the steeping sinisterness of them, the corruption, the....okay obviously I don't have words. You'll just have to read it. Trust me. You NEED to read this!
And lastly, the magic system. YESSS! HELL YESS!!! Shamans!!! I play the game World of Warcraft and shamans are one of my all time favorite classes to play. True elemental magic wielders, and this book show cases that magic perfectly! Fleshing it out even more than I could've dreamed was possible and making it so beautiful, refreshing and unique!!! I need oh so much more of this!! Now dammit! And normally I complain about the whole "special eye color" trope since that was big for awhile in like every book there for a couple of years. But in this book, the special eye trope is actually utilizes properly and actually serves a purpose!!! The jewel toned eyes of shamans, the different colors equating to their shamanistic "craft." Ahhhh! I thoroughly loved this idea!
Okay, I'll try to stop raving and wrap up this review. If you've read to the bottom of this, thank you for your time and please do yourself a favor and go read this book!! And then tell all your bookish, and even non-bookish, friends to go read it ^_^
It is by no surprise to me that I enjoyed this just as much as I did the first time I read it! 🤗 I absolutely love this book!! I can’t recommend it enough! And I’m so excited to now dive into my most anticipated release of 2021 - Broken Web! It was practically causing me pain waiting for its release lol 😂
Anyway, if you haven’t read this book, seriously go do so now. You won’t regret it 😉
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DTSreadathon hosted on Twitter
Holy shit this was an epically fun read! I'm totally blown away.
When I read the blurb when it first had one I knew it sounded amazing. I pre-ordered it and couldn't wait until it's release. Once it arrived I wanted to instantly delve into it's glorious depths, but didn't dare cause I was in the middle of a 2 and a half month long book slump that had already killed my enthusiasm for other anticipated books, so I held off. I wanted to wait until I had kicked the slump so I could fully enjoy everything this book had to offer. And I'm soooo glad I waited. I enjoyed this book so, so, sooooo much!! It was everything I had hoped for and more!! It delivered on every front!
This gets every star star from me ^_^
The plot was so much fun and intriguing, with just the perfect amount of twists and shady bits. I guessed a couple things, but many of the others were a shock. And I have some suspicions I can't wait to see if I'm right about in the next book!! (Why can't it release NOW!? I don't think I'll survive the wait until 2021). The plot was also refreshing in the fact it wasn't your typical "special snowflake princess reclaiming her throne" as is the usual trope for YA fantasy these days. And for that alone I am so eternally grateful to Lori Lee for this!! <3
Another thing that just really launched this book up the star charts for me was the romance. Why you ask? Because there was....none. Like what?? I was completely shocked. I can see where we might have the possibilities of some in the next books, but this one had no romance anywhere!!! I was flabbergasted! Now don't get me wrong, a good romance every now and then is fine. But sooooo often YA fantasy focuses way too heavily on that and the plot more often than not suffers for it. Or it's the sole driving factor of the plot, which is so boring.
But this story? For relationships it instead focuses on friendship & sisterhood. Omg I could cry ya'll. The friendship/sisterhood between Sirscha and Saengo!!! Bleeding skies it is so sweet and precious and just everything I want in my books! Their loyalty to each other, they're each the other's "ride or die" <3 And things happen to them that is so gut-wrenching and tense, and through it all they STILL have each others back. None of that stupid romance breaking friends apart, or love triangles busting shit up, no just pure, beautiful friendship and love *weeps into keyboard*
In addition to those wonderful girls, we also have Sirscha's, at times, uncertain friendship with Theyen, a shadowblessed prince. Omg I loved him so much! He's so prickly, arrogant and insulting, but ahh!! The exchanges between him and Sirscha were the literal best things ever I was constantly snorting or smiling with their jabs and insults. They were often the focus of my reading updates on here. Those lines need to be remembered and laughed at lol. I hope we have lots more of Theyen in the sequel. I NEED more Theyen/Sirscha scenes!!! <333
Then there's also Prince Meilek. He is so gentle, kind, and reassuring, basically the complete opposite of Theyen :P He and Sirscha have this understanding, and I think you could say a budding friendship through their shared loyalties for Evewyn & soldiers' training. They were well as a team during the climax. I'm really curious to see what Prince Meilek does/where he goes in the 2nd book, seeing how things ended in this one >_>
Now let's talk about the spooky woods. So it has become a new trope in YA novels the last year or so to have spooky woods at the backdrop of the plots. Well, obviously some writers do better than others with this trope, and some surpass and truly excel at it. Then others leave you unbelievably disappointed, dejected, and saddened by the heavy lack of awesome spooky foresty goodness; I'm glaring at you Shea Ernshaw and that Winterwood book of yours >_< THAT was also a book that suffered heavily from the "romance" overtaking the actual plot.
ANYWAY, moving back on topic. I can happily say that Lori Lee is a friggin QUEEN of the spooky-ass forest vibes!! Good lord! The Dead Wood was EVERYTHING!!!! Omg it was so eerie, sinister, gruesome and epic!! THIS forest eats people and spits them back out in disfigured crawling wraiths of themselves coming to drag you in as well. This book shows up all other haunted forest books! They can't compare to the level of perfection that this forest brings to the YA fantasy world!! <33
The villain...or villains plural....ohhhhh I want to yell and dance over the pure evil, the steeping sinisterness of them, the corruption, the....okay obviously I don't have words. You'll just have to read it. Trust me. You NEED to read this!
And lastly, the magic system. YESSS! HELL YESS!!! Shamans!!! I play the game World of Warcraft and shamans are one of my all time favorite classes to play. True elemental magic wielders, and this book show cases that magic perfectly! Fleshing it out even more than I could've dreamed was possible and making it so beautiful, refreshing and unique!!! I need oh so much more of this!! Now dammit! And normally I complain about the whole "special eye color" trope since that was big for awhile in like every book there for a couple of years. But in this book, the special eye trope is actually utilizes properly and actually serves a purpose!!! The jewel toned eyes of shamans, the different colors equating to their shamanistic "craft." Ahhhh! I thoroughly loved this idea!
Okay, I'll try to stop raving and wrap up this review. If you've read to the bottom of this, thank you for your time and please do yourself a favor and go read this book!! And then tell all your bookish, and even non-bookish, friends to go read it ^_^
March 26, 2020
three words: BIG ASS SPIDER
Arc provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review (coming soon)
Arc provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review (coming soon)
June 2, 2020
**NetGalley ARC*"
I wanted to like this! The synopsis sounds really cool right? But sadly this didn't really work for me. This book feels very similar to "Truthwitch" with the big fantasy world, two girls that are best friends and the main character having the super rare special power. But with those similarities aside, the only things I liked was the cool world building and the lore with all the shaman powers, their crafts and a couple of the myths that are mentioned. But that's where my positive thoughts end. Both girl characters are so surface level and so much is told to us of how much they care for each other and Sirscha was another protagonist that makes really stupid decisions! With her having this power, she initially refuses to be taught by a really upright guy... When the lady she's been training under as her apprentice, that lady was just as cruel and made her go through insane trainings. This girl cannot afford to be picky when it comes to learning about using her powers especially when she needs to do it fast. Then at the end she does another stupid thing because she thinks she knows what's going on and just does the thing. If the had learned more about her powers and asked more questions, the ending wouldn't be as frustrating. I'm glad I tried this but it wasn't for me. Another bummer...
Review is now up on the blog:
https://metalphantasmreads.wordpress....
I wanted to like this! The synopsis sounds really cool right? But sadly this didn't really work for me. This book feels very similar to "Truthwitch" with the big fantasy world, two girls that are best friends and the main character having the super rare special power. But with those similarities aside, the only things I liked was the cool world building and the lore with all the shaman powers, their crafts and a couple of the myths that are mentioned. But that's where my positive thoughts end. Both girl characters are so surface level and so much is told to us of how much they care for each other and Sirscha was another protagonist that makes really stupid decisions! With her having this power, she initially refuses to be taught by a really upright guy... When the lady she's been training under as her apprentice, that lady was just as cruel and made her go through insane trainings. This girl cannot afford to be picky when it comes to learning about using her powers especially when she needs to do it fast. Then at the end she does another stupid thing because she thinks she knows what's going on and just does the thing. If the had learned more about her powers and asked more questions, the ending wouldn't be as frustrating. I'm glad I tried this but it wasn't for me. Another bummer...
Review is now up on the blog:
https://metalphantasmreads.wordpress....
May 11, 2022
it was fun, sure. but there were a few things that icked me.
1) writing’s horribly boring and emotionless
2) Sirscha makes crazy conclusions that end up being right somehow
3) All the characters aren’t 3 dimensional but not really flat either.
The worldbuilding was really really great though and gives off dark Avatar vibes i guess.
overall enjoyable.
(It wouldn’t have taken me this long to finish this if school wasn’t holding a knife to my throat and tugging on my intestines.)
1) writing’s horribly boring and emotionless
2) Sirscha makes crazy conclusions that end up being right somehow
3) All the characters aren’t 3 dimensional but not really flat either.
The worldbuilding was really really great though and gives off dark Avatar vibes i guess.
overall enjoyable.
(It wouldn’t have taken me this long to finish this if school wasn’t holding a knife to my throat and tugging on my intestines.)
August 16, 2020
*3.5🌟
This was pretty cool! But for some reason the audiobook didn't continuously to grab my attention 🙈 I didn't relisten to some stuff so maybe I missed some bits 😅 I would also have loved for there to be a map, although the glossary was already a major help! Maybe in the next book?! Anyway, if the synopsis sounds cool to you I'd still recommend it! 🙌🏻
This was pretty cool! But for some reason the audiobook didn't continuously to grab my attention 🙈 I didn't relisten to some stuff so maybe I missed some bits 😅 I would also have loved for there to be a map, although the glossary was already a major help! Maybe in the next book?! Anyway, if the synopsis sounds cool to you I'd still recommend it! 🙌🏻
June 20, 2020
This book was a great read! It's fast-paced and adventurous which makes it a real page-turner. It also has a fantastic world-building and magic system, and readers will definitely immerse in it! (I mean, y'all it has a glossary!).
It features a strong main character determined to make a name for herself and be something more than an orphan. However, the characterization and character development lacked for me. She was so focused on her best friend Saengo(which just led me to think there should have been something romantic between them), and although she had a new (and interesting) power, she didn't even use it much throughout the whole book. That said, it's just the first book. The journey will definitely continue on and I would love to see Sirscha's character develop more.
There were several twists and turns as well and those were exciting because I didn't see some of them coming. Plus some of the plot twists make the world-building and the history richer and more mysterious, I can't wait to know more about it!
Overall, this is a pretty solid book and I'm excited for the sequel!
Thank you Page Street Publishing for sending me a finished copy!
Find me elsewhere: Blog | Instagram | Twitter
It features a strong main character determined to make a name for herself and be something more than an orphan. However, the characterization and character development lacked for me. She was so focused on her best friend Saengo
There were several twists and turns as well and those were exciting because I didn't see some of them coming. Plus some of the plot twists make the world-building and the history richer and more mysterious, I can't wait to know more about it!
Overall, this is a pretty solid book and I'm excited for the sequel!
Thank you Page Street Publishing for sending me a finished copy!
Find me elsewhere: Blog | Instagram | Twitter
May 28, 2021
I loved this immersive, beautifully written, fast-paced fantasy! There's so much to appreciate: impeccable action, a mouth-wateringly rich world, a kick ass heroine to adore. I was so impressed with this unique and different world. The cities, kingdoms, and magic were all so fresh and skillfully drawn. The Dead Wood is irresistibly creepy. Sirscha and Saengo's friendship runs through the emotional core of this book, and I was completely here for it. I want the sequel immediately!
December 12, 2021
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Hear Our Voices Book Tours, Netgalley, and Page Street Kids for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.
Clearly I am completely full of emotions all around because this book really just had me feeling all kinds of things. This is the first Lori M. Lee novel that I had the pleasure of reading – I did end up buying her first duology because I had been wanting to read it for a while now – and I am so glad to see that she is one of my newest favorite authors!
We start this novel with Sirscha trying to secure her position as the official apprentice to the current Queen’s Shadow, Kendara. The position of Shadow acts as the Queen’s spy and assassin, someone who does not have to abide by any sort of rules or regulations except from the Queen herself. Any kind of information the Queen needs to know, the Shadow will get it by any means necessary. Some of the tasks that Kendara has Sirscha do… well even if they don’t always have an end goal, they always have some sort of lesson involved. In hindsight, it may have given Sirscha the edge to handle everything that she had to endure in her life during the events of this novel.
One of the tasks that Kendara has Sirscha do is enlist in the Queen’s Company (think of it as a royal army), which leads her and her best friend Saengo on the adventure of their lives. Not only are there shamans involved and the world as they know it may wind up in a war between the surrounding empires, but the Dead Wood – home to countless souls that seems to be growing without provocation – is determined to be more than they bargained for, and Ronin, the Dead Wood’s Spider King is shrouded in mystery for our two best friends.
The distinctions of the shamanic crafts that Lee created was really unique, and including her glossary in the front of the book really helped me keep track of all of the ones that weren’t as easy to remember. Having five main shamanic crafts rather than just the four main elements was really interesting, and the fifth one is the most interesting and most intriguing if I do say so myself. The worldbuilding is absolutely stellar, and I was so enamored with everything in this novel that I’m pretty sure I forgot about my real life duties for a while there. I know a book is going to be amazing when that happens, and Lee did not disappoint whatsoever.
The dynamic between Sirscha and Saengo definitely changed after *the incident* and I really like how Lee explored that in this novel. I could only imagine how Sirscha must have felt harboring that much guilt for something that she didn’t realize that she did but couldn’t change, not to mention Saengo having to deal with the unexpected consequences that she didn’t ask for in the first place. If they weren’t close before, they were bonded for life now, and the kind of relationship that they had to have in order to stay alive and protect one another was flushed out really well. I could feel the angst between the two girls in the beginning after they had to come to terms with what happened, and I could feel them trying to pull the pieces back together to make it seem like things were back to normal, even if they couldn’t be. Lee mentioned in an interview that sometimes friendships can be stronger than other kinds of relationships, and the friendship between Sirscha and Saengo really defined their survival and strength in this novel. I almost felt like in a way, they were almost like soulmates. I don’t think soulmates always have to be romantic – I feel like my best friend is my soulmate – and my relationship with my best friend is reminiscent of Sircha and Saengo… well without the life or death situation. It was a beautiful friendship and felt so real, and it was just wonderful to read about.
The politics in this world were also interesting, and I like that there were moments where Sirscha’s narration would give some background on what happened in the past for the benefit of the reader. It made me feel more up to speed on what was happening, and why certain situations were the way they were. Of course, she wasn’t omniscient, so she didn’t know everything, but at least knowing everything that she knew helped to be informed and see things from her perspective. I really enjoyed seeing this world through Sirscha’s eyes – oh her beautiful, beautiful eyes – and watching her grow from a potential spy and assassin to something else entirely. Her interactions with Ronin (The Spider King) and Theyen were great as well, and I like that there was no unnecessary romance that didn’t come out of nowhere or seemed to move too fast or anything like that. I also liked how Sirscha described Theyen as insufferable to his face because he was being a know-it-all.
Long story short – since this review is super long! – and as you can tell, I really loved this book, and I am absolutely dying to read the sequel. I imagine that Lee is going to blow it out of the water yet again, and I am officially a huge fan. I look forward to reading everything that Lee has to offer, both past, present and future.
Clearly I am completely full of emotions all around because this book really just had me feeling all kinds of things. This is the first Lori M. Lee novel that I had the pleasure of reading – I did end up buying her first duology because I had been wanting to read it for a while now – and I am so glad to see that she is one of my newest favorite authors!
We start this novel with Sirscha trying to secure her position as the official apprentice to the current Queen’s Shadow, Kendara. The position of Shadow acts as the Queen’s spy and assassin, someone who does not have to abide by any sort of rules or regulations except from the Queen herself. Any kind of information the Queen needs to know, the Shadow will get it by any means necessary. Some of the tasks that Kendara has Sirscha do… well even if they don’t always have an end goal, they always have some sort of lesson involved. In hindsight, it may have given Sirscha the edge to handle everything that she had to endure in her life during the events of this novel.
One of the tasks that Kendara has Sirscha do is enlist in the Queen’s Company (think of it as a royal army), which leads her and her best friend Saengo on the adventure of their lives. Not only are there shamans involved and the world as they know it may wind up in a war between the surrounding empires, but the Dead Wood – home to countless souls that seems to be growing without provocation – is determined to be more than they bargained for, and Ronin, the Dead Wood’s Spider King is shrouded in mystery for our two best friends.
The distinctions of the shamanic crafts that Lee created was really unique, and including her glossary in the front of the book really helped me keep track of all of the ones that weren’t as easy to remember. Having five main shamanic crafts rather than just the four main elements was really interesting, and the fifth one is the most interesting and most intriguing if I do say so myself. The worldbuilding is absolutely stellar, and I was so enamored with everything in this novel that I’m pretty sure I forgot about my real life duties for a while there. I know a book is going to be amazing when that happens, and Lee did not disappoint whatsoever.
The dynamic between Sirscha and Saengo definitely changed after *the incident* and I really like how Lee explored that in this novel. I could only imagine how Sirscha must have felt harboring that much guilt for something that she didn’t realize that she did but couldn’t change, not to mention Saengo having to deal with the unexpected consequences that she didn’t ask for in the first place. If they weren’t close before, they were bonded for life now, and the kind of relationship that they had to have in order to stay alive and protect one another was flushed out really well. I could feel the angst between the two girls in the beginning after they had to come to terms with what happened, and I could feel them trying to pull the pieces back together to make it seem like things were back to normal, even if they couldn’t be. Lee mentioned in an interview that sometimes friendships can be stronger than other kinds of relationships, and the friendship between Sirscha and Saengo really defined their survival and strength in this novel. I almost felt like in a way, they were almost like soulmates. I don’t think soulmates always have to be romantic – I feel like my best friend is my soulmate – and my relationship with my best friend is reminiscent of Sircha and Saengo… well without the life or death situation. It was a beautiful friendship and felt so real, and it was just wonderful to read about.
The politics in this world were also interesting, and I like that there were moments where Sirscha’s narration would give some background on what happened in the past for the benefit of the reader. It made me feel more up to speed on what was happening, and why certain situations were the way they were. Of course, she wasn’t omniscient, so she didn’t know everything, but at least knowing everything that she knew helped to be informed and see things from her perspective. I really enjoyed seeing this world through Sirscha’s eyes – oh her beautiful, beautiful eyes – and watching her grow from a potential spy and assassin to something else entirely. Her interactions with Ronin (The Spider King) and Theyen were great as well, and I like that there was no unnecessary romance that didn’t come out of nowhere or seemed to move too fast or anything like that. I also liked how Sirscha described Theyen as insufferable to his face because he was being a know-it-all.
Long story short – since this review is super long! – and as you can tell, I really loved this book, and I am absolutely dying to read the sequel. I imagine that Lee is going to blow it out of the water yet again, and I am officially a huge fan. I look forward to reading everything that Lee has to offer, both past, present and future.
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