What do you think?
Rate this book
The Magical Forest #2
The Forest
A cynical teenager. A magical forest. A chance to find hope.
When a bitter teenaged boy discovers an impenetrable magic portal, he must get help from the girl he once bullied.
Abused by his father and mistreated by his teachers, teenager Shane is growing more resentful about his life. But Shane's cynical worldview is challenged when he stumbles upon a hidden portal. On the other side, he finds a forest that transcends time, the very same forest he used to bully his fifth-grade classmate, Amanda, for believing it was real.
Transported back into his own childhood, Shane discovers a talking pebble that is willing to guide him. However, the forest is reluctant to give up its secrets, and Shane finds he must turn to Amanda for help. The forest offers Shane his only chance to escape from his miserable life, if only he can overcome the pang of the past to embrace this new future.
Continue the magic in Book #1 The Gold!
When a bitter teenaged boy discovers an impenetrable magic portal, he must get help from the girl he once bullied.
Abused by his father and mistreated by his teachers, teenager Shane is growing more resentful about his life. But Shane's cynical worldview is challenged when he stumbles upon a hidden portal. On the other side, he finds a forest that transcends time, the very same forest he used to bully his fifth-grade classmate, Amanda, for believing it was real.
Transported back into his own childhood, Shane discovers a talking pebble that is willing to guide him. However, the forest is reluctant to give up its secrets, and Shane finds he must turn to Amanda for help. The forest offers Shane his only chance to escape from his miserable life, if only he can overcome the pang of the past to embrace this new future.
Continue the magic in Book #1 The Gold!
- GenresFantasy
140 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 1, 2020
9 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Krista Wagner
19 books86 followersAmazon bestselling author Krista Wagner lives with her Marine Corp. veteran husband and an entertaining clan of pets. It takes a major sense of humor and a warm heart to fall in love, so those are the kinds of love stories she pens under Cristina Ryan.
Outside of her sweet romcoms, Krista explores themes of betrayal, deception, and hope in the psychological suspense and mystery genre, and writes YA psychological horror mystery under Jessica Blade.
Outside of her sweet romcoms, Krista explores themes of betrayal, deception, and hope in the psychological suspense and mystery genre, and writes YA psychological horror mystery under Jessica Blade.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 21, 2017
I'm finished with The Forest: As a sequel to the gold, The Forest is a quick and easy read, even for those whom have a natural aversion to reading. The book picks up where the Gold left off and not a detail is missed. We can even see where past relationships are still somewhat strained as they come into play. Well written and fun!!!
May 7, 2019
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The Forest is the second book in The Magical Forest series. This book starts off in high school and we get to know Shane, Amanda's bully from the first book. We are told this story through his eyes; we learn about the death of his mother and the abuse from his already angry father that followed. When Shane discovers the Magical Forest he has a lot of questions and only one person he can ask, Amanda. Shane and Amanda end up going to the forest together and have a magical experience where their fantasies seem to come true, if only for a little while.
I had mixed feelings about Shane. On one hand my heart ached for him, on the other hand I was angry with his attitude and the way he treated Amanda. Shane is being abused by his father and singled out by his principal, which of course, causes him to be angry and resentful. We see these feelings projected onto other people especially when someone is already treating him different or badly. Shane decides he doesn't want to hurt anyone anymore and his life starts getting better. His dad ends up quitting drinking and settling down with a nice woman. He is sorry for the way he has treated Shane and works to make things better between them.
The Forest is a quick read with very little filler. The story started off good but lost me towards the end. For me, it got a little too weird and religous. I'm a little confused about how they went from a fantasy magical forest setting to suddenly standing in God's light. For me it ruined the book. The writing of the actual book isn't bad, the overall story isn't bad, I just hated the ending. I found it didn't live up to the first book and I was disappointed with it. It could be a good book for someone else, it just wasn't for me.
This and all my other reviews can be found at
www.fourmoonreviews.blogspot.com
The Forest is the second book in The Magical Forest series. This book starts off in high school and we get to know Shane, Amanda's bully from the first book. We are told this story through his eyes; we learn about the death of his mother and the abuse from his already angry father that followed. When Shane discovers the Magical Forest he has a lot of questions and only one person he can ask, Amanda. Shane and Amanda end up going to the forest together and have a magical experience where their fantasies seem to come true, if only for a little while.
I had mixed feelings about Shane. On one hand my heart ached for him, on the other hand I was angry with his attitude and the way he treated Amanda. Shane is being abused by his father and singled out by his principal, which of course, causes him to be angry and resentful. We see these feelings projected onto other people especially when someone is already treating him different or badly. Shane decides he doesn't want to hurt anyone anymore and his life starts getting better. His dad ends up quitting drinking and settling down with a nice woman. He is sorry for the way he has treated Shane and works to make things better between them.
The Forest is a quick read with very little filler. The story started off good but lost me towards the end. For me, it got a little too weird and religous. I'm a little confused about how they went from a fantasy magical forest setting to suddenly standing in God's light. For me it ruined the book. The writing of the actual book isn't bad, the overall story isn't bad, I just hated the ending. I found it didn't live up to the first book and I was disappointed with it. It could be a good book for someone else, it just wasn't for me.
This and all my other reviews can be found at
www.fourmoonreviews.blogspot.com
December 6, 2017
Within the first two pages, a single thought about the main character passed through my mind: The sarcasm is strong with this one. And isn't that a beautiful thing? Wagner adds another level with fantastic references (including a Princess Bride one)! Honestly, Shane goes on my list of main characters who need hugs. I didn't have one before this book, but I now do.
At less than 100 pages, it's a quick read, so if you want to pick up something heart-wrenching with moments of hopefulness that doesn't dive too deeply into a realistic healing process, this would fit.
There's not much character development, and any I came across struck me as rather jarring. This might have not been so if I'd read The Gold first. It is a series, so I suggest starting there.
Though I'm a fantasy fan, I found myself yearning for a contemporary, so I created my own disappointment. Labeled middle grade, I found the strongest scenes to fall more into young adult in tone. To me, the reason that solidly moved this from a 4 to a 3 was the ending. The pace of the final chapter different dramatically from the rest of the book.
At less than 100 pages, it's a quick read, so if you want to pick up something heart-wrenching with moments of hopefulness that doesn't dive too deeply into a realistic healing process, this would fit.
There's not much character development, and any I came across struck me as rather jarring. This might have not been so if I'd read The Gold first. It is a series, so I suggest starting there.
Though I'm a fantasy fan, I found myself yearning for a contemporary, so I created my own disappointment. Labeled middle grade, I found the strongest scenes to fall more into young adult in tone. To me, the reason that solidly moved this from a 4 to a 3 was the ending. The pace of the final chapter different dramatically from the rest of the book.
January 4, 2026
This is book 2 in the series. Shane is bullied as a teenager by his parents and teachers. One day he finds himself taking to a pebble in the same woods where he bullied his schoolmate, Amanda. He finds that he needs her help to navigate the forest. This story is about healing and finding peace and happiness at your darkest times. I would recommend it. I received a free copy ofthis book via BookSprout and I am voluntarily leaving my review.
May 6, 2019
Brilliantly intriguing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. It was comfortably paced and I loved the fact it was nice and simple to read and had lots of thrilling suspense thrown in. A fab read.
November 8, 2017
Shane Smith has been struggling a bit since his mother died last year, and his relationship with his dad has gone downhill. He knows something is going on with the forest in town. It’s the same forest his classmate Amanda Green talked about years ago, and he had bullied her about it. Now, he’s wondering if she was onto something. He finds that he can access the forest, but not all the time. Could Amanda be the key to figuring out what’s happening to him? Could there be a connection between Shane and Amanda that he never knew about? What secrets could be hidden in the forest?
This is the sequel to Wagner’s book, The Gold. There is solid character development and a steady pace to the plot. The details are vivid in this quick read. The characters’ struggles are realistic for their age group (loss, grief, and trying to fit in). There is a good message in the symbolism behind the story, and it would be an appropriate story for middle grade readers and up.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
This is the sequel to Wagner’s book, The Gold. There is solid character development and a steady pace to the plot. The details are vivid in this quick read. The characters’ struggles are realistic for their age group (loss, grief, and trying to fit in). There is a good message in the symbolism behind the story, and it would be an appropriate story for middle grade readers and up.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
November 6, 2017
An excellent sequel to The Gold. Bravo for Krista Wagner. I read her first book The Gold which she had self-published several years ago and enjoyed it. Now the sequel The Forest is here to finish the story only this time from the perspective of former childhood bully, Shane.
Shane is a very unhappy young man. His mother has passed away, his father is an abusive drunk and high school is no picnic for him either. Just when Shane thinks life can't get any worse, he realizes that he can enter a special forest, but only when his frame of mind is in a proper place. Determined to discover more about what is happening to him, Shane begins to try talking to Amanda who he is positive knows something. What happens nexts is transformative for Shane and those around him.
A well written story for high school students, is an easy quick read, but still good nonetheless. I highly recommend it for middle school and high schoolers alike. The symbolism explained at the end makes the entire book worthwhile.
Shane is a very unhappy young man. His mother has passed away, his father is an abusive drunk and high school is no picnic for him either. Just when Shane thinks life can't get any worse, he realizes that he can enter a special forest, but only when his frame of mind is in a proper place. Determined to discover more about what is happening to him, Shane begins to try talking to Amanda who he is positive knows something. What happens nexts is transformative for Shane and those around him.
A well written story for high school students, is an easy quick read, but still good nonetheless. I highly recommend it for middle school and high schoolers alike. The symbolism explained at the end makes the entire book worthwhile.
May 14, 2025
Best if read in order. Several years have past. Some of the same characters overlap. What has happened over the years and who will the forest interact with this time?.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read
May 7, 2022🎧Available in audio🎧
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
https://play.google.com/store/audiobo...
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
https://play.google.com/store/audiobo...
May 7, 2022
🎧Available in audio🎧
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
https://play.google.com/store/audiobo...
Dear Reader,
This book #2 of The Magical Forest Series is my first story told from a male perspective, and from the viewpoint of a bully. What’s amazing about this read is how the forest becomes a magical place for bully Shane as he is literally cast outside of his comfort zone.
Enjoy the enchantment of this YA fantasy where miracles are possible.
Krista Wagner
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/...
https://play.google.com/store/audiobo...
Dear Reader,
This book #2 of The Magical Forest Series is my first story told from a male perspective, and from the viewpoint of a bully. What’s amazing about this read is how the forest becomes a magical place for bully Shane as he is literally cast outside of his comfort zone.
Enjoy the enchantment of this YA fantasy where miracles are possible.
Krista Wagner
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews