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Tales of Unara #1
The Forest Witch
A warrior, her witch, and the spark that ignites a war.
Lanira na Caliri never expected to find a human in the North Forest of Unara, let alone a witch. When she discovers Siobhan unconscious by the portal that leads to her world, she soon learns of a prophecy that foretold her coming. A warning that a daughter of Unara will bring destruction upon the realm. The reign of blood will come again unless Lanira can stop it. With the little witch by her side, Lanira embarks on a journey across the clans of Unara to unite the people and save her realm from the Dark Karika’s return at all costs. Even if she must risk losing herself to the mysterious Minra na Goran in the process.
Lanira na Caliri never expected to find a human in the North Forest of Unara, let alone a witch. When she discovers Siobhan unconscious by the portal that leads to her world, she soon learns of a prophecy that foretold her coming. A warning that a daughter of Unara will bring destruction upon the realm. The reign of blood will come again unless Lanira can stop it. With the little witch by her side, Lanira embarks on a journey across the clans of Unara to unite the people and save her realm from the Dark Karika’s return at all costs. Even if she must risk losing herself to the mysterious Minra na Goran in the process.
333 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2021
16 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Britt Laux
6 books75 followersBritt is an Ohio-based author and editor, and parent to three. They are inspired by the baby forest they live in, often found wandering through the trees thinking up new stories. You can catch them on Instagram - almost constantly - @authorbrittlaux
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 6, 2021
Kindle Unlimited. I was under the impression this was lesfic. One of the "5 star" reviews even says that term. It was literally promoted as "very gay" and "sapphic" while being IN the lesbian section on amazon, (Not the bisexual section) - plus the blurb absolutely gives off that wlw vibe.
But it's not. It's bisexual/pansexual and polyamorous. Call me what you will, but as a lesbian I really don't want to read about a woman being a third in a two male poly throuple. Or about two women adding a man into their relationship.
Both women are bisexual, and that's fantastic for sure - but don't act like this is going to be a wlw novel, and advertise it as such. It's bait and switch, plain and simple.
The female princess warrior from the Unara realm is fully contemplating a poly relationship with two male warriors who are bonded, and want her as their third. There's constant mentions of this, and touching and kissing. (Oh and there's another dude going around, who also wants to bond-mate with the desirable princess warrior.)
The human witch is also bisexual. She has a deeply conservative boyfriend who she basically can't stand and disagrees with on everything, as she slut-shames the women in her building for being sexually active, even saying things like "They say men are obsessed with sex, well from what I've witnessed it's the opposite" and even calls one "lesbian til graduation" scuse me? Not to mention all the other "I'm not like other girls" bullshit encoded into it. With some 'woowoo' magic arrogance thrown in that makes it exacerbating.
It comes off with the worst kinds of judgements and cliches, and a tone that is very condescending.
The whole tone of the 17% I did read was VERY preachy. Humans and our world is bad and we're shit people who pollute and allow selfishness to reign. Like I agree, I can be as pessimistic and misanthrope as the next person - but do I want to be bashed over the head with this crap in my reading time??? Nah.
Some authors can do it, and do it well - but this felt so ham-fisted, and like there was an agenda here. It screamed male empowerment and female hating. Especially when taking into account other reviews about the plot contents.
Read it for yourself, but I wouldn't and won't be recommending it or any other stories from this author, especially with how they react to criticism.
But it's not. It's bisexual/pansexual and polyamorous. Call me what you will, but as a lesbian I really don't want to read about a woman being a third in a two male poly throuple. Or about two women adding a man into their relationship.
Both women are bisexual, and that's fantastic for sure - but don't act like this is going to be a wlw novel, and advertise it as such. It's bait and switch, plain and simple.
The female princess warrior from the Unara realm is fully contemplating a poly relationship with two male warriors who are bonded, and want her as their third. There's constant mentions of this, and touching and kissing. (Oh and there's another dude going around, who also wants to bond-mate with the desirable princess warrior.)
The human witch is also bisexual. She has a deeply conservative boyfriend who she basically can't stand and disagrees with on everything, as she slut-shames the women in her building for being sexually active, even saying things like "They say men are obsessed with sex, well from what I've witnessed it's the opposite" and even calls one "lesbian til graduation" scuse me? Not to mention all the other "I'm not like other girls" bullshit encoded into it. With some 'woowoo' magic arrogance thrown in that makes it exacerbating.
It comes off with the worst kinds of judgements and cliches, and a tone that is very condescending.
The whole tone of the 17% I did read was VERY preachy. Humans and our world is bad and we're shit people who pollute and allow selfishness to reign. Like I agree, I can be as pessimistic and misanthrope as the next person - but do I want to be bashed over the head with this crap in my reading time??? Nah.
Some authors can do it, and do it well - but this felt so ham-fisted, and like there was an agenda here. It screamed male empowerment and female hating. Especially when taking into account other reviews about the plot contents.
Read it for yourself, but I wouldn't and won't be recommending it or any other stories from this author, especially with how they react to criticism.
June 7, 2021
For a book from a non-binary author (at least I assume so from the "they" on the authors Goodreads page) there seems to be a staggering amount of homophobia, biphobia, chauvinism, man-hating, preachy slut-shaming and a number of other hateful and harmful stuff in here that's targeted almost at every part of the LGBTQ+ spectrum...
Not to mention the whole racist "white girl saves brown people" thing.
I'm not sure whether the author suffers from some internalised self-hate, that manifests itself by lashing out at others, or if they're just really prejudiced against everyone who's not exactly like them, but I'd recommend therapy, because these issues seem to run deep.
Also they should do something about the blurb, because a bit of warning about the poly relationships would have been really nice. Some people are into it, and good for them, but considering the blurb seems to heavily imply a sapphic relationship between the two female leads, it could cause hard feelings, because most lesbians don't want to read about a MMF threesome...
Note: I stopped reading at about 10%, maybe it improved drastically afterwards, but...
Not to mention the whole racist "white girl saves brown people" thing.
I'm not sure whether the author suffers from some internalised self-hate, that manifests itself by lashing out at others, or if they're just really prejudiced against everyone who's not exactly like them, but I'd recommend therapy, because these issues seem to run deep.
Also they should do something about the blurb, because a bit of warning about the poly relationships would have been really nice. Some people are into it, and good for them, but considering the blurb seems to heavily imply a sapphic relationship between the two female leads, it could cause hard feelings, because most lesbians don't want to read about a MMF threesome...
Note: I stopped reading at about 10%, maybe it improved drastically afterwards, but...
April 19, 2021
WARNING – This book is NOT recommended for BIPOC and/or LGBTQI+ readers.
This book has some really problematic parts which I will discuss below. Firstly, though, the writing. It is just so boring. The entire thing is so hamfisted and preachy. The writer’s prejudice ring out so strong in this, it is painful. The descriptive sections are awful and run on far too long. Most of the second page is a description of Siobhan’s hair, and we get a weirdly length description of her overalls in another scene – no other character gets clothing descriptions this in depth. Also the third person present POV is just awful to read.
Siobhan is clearly a self-insert, especially if you look at the author’s Instagram – unless both Instagram pages have been set up as weird marketing campaigns for the book, which would be even worse. She is also almost completely irrelevant to the story. You could remove her and have a far more interesting book that explores the nature of poly relationships, the complexity of the politics at play in Unara and how it affects the character relationships, and create some truly powerful, emotional moments. Instead, we get self-insert Siobhan.
Siobhan is also the source of a lot of the novel’s preachy tone, which seems to be the author’s views leaking into the book. While there are some topics that should be discussed – like the issue of rape – they are not handled well, but instead are crammed into one of Siobhan’s internal rants in a way that makes her even more unlikeable. When she is asked about Earth in Unara, she immediately talks about pollution and homelessness, basically all the current buzz issues in the media that seem odd to bring up in the context of the scene – another instance of the author’s own views hammering through into the story in a hamfisted way, rather than being worked in gracefully.
Siobhan is also very much a “I’m not like other girls” character, in the worst way. She’d rather stay home and read Angela’s Ashes than go out with her “too conservative” boyfriend who she won’t break up with even though it’s clear she doesn’t like him. And unlike the other girls who are all into parties, she’s a witch! But more on this later!
Lanira would be a far more interesting character without Siobhan, as mentioned above, with having her explore the poly relationship with Ilnor and Aldor. Instead we have a supposedly powerful female warrior crammed into the cliché role of the princess being married off by her father. And when she meets Siobhan the relationship is immediately crammed down our throats by the author. Again, it is incredibly hamfisted and not at all realistic.
On the topic of realism, another thing that frustrated me was the fact the Unara and Earth have been separated for generations. And even then, only very few warriors ever travelled between the worlds. So how is it that every man and his dog can speak English? Especially when the subject of humans is a taboo subject – something else that is crammed down our throats early on.
Honestly, the Unara characters aren’t terrible, but the book itself is so poorly written and preachy that it is incredibly difficult to read. That, and it has some serious issues which I’ll discuss now.
The author has been going to great lengths to discuss this book as being, to quote, “very gay”. And certainly there is talk of poly relationships, and there is the relationship between Aldor and Ilnor.
However, the book relies heavily on the highly overdone caramel-vanilla sapphic swirl of Siobhan and Lanira that is handled with the grace of a gorilla playing piano.
There is also some distressing anti-lesbian sentiments – like one character being described as “lesbian until graduation”. Siobhan is bisexual and is the source of many of these sentiments, as well as many of the anti-male sentiments in the novel. At one point, early in the novel, Siobhan out and out calls bisexuality weird. This makes her character even more confusing and unlikeable, especially in comparison to Lanira who is far less prejudiced while being more lesbian coded. I honestly wouldn’t recommend it to any LGBTQI+ readers as it does a number of things that the community has begged writers not to do. It honestly seems to diminish the exploration of sexuality (I will discuss this below with Siobhan’s view on women and how the book pits women against each other) as well as diminishes a lot of queer relationships outside of gay male relationships and female bisexual relationships.
Further, the novel very early on likes to set women against women, especially in the case of Siobhan. As I mentioned above, Siobhan is a “not like other girls” character in the worst way. She is incredibly judgemental of how other women live their lives (“all these girls talk about is sex”, “guys get a lot of crap for it but Siobhan has heard raunchier stuff in the rooms of college girls by far”), of their ways of exploring sexuality (see the “lesbian until graduation” sentiment above), their interests (“it’s all fun and games for basic white girls to talk about tarot cards, sage and healing crystals…”) and is extremely derogatory about other women in ways I thought we’d long since stopped doing – like referring to her past roommates as “basic white girls” and about one girl in particular “Deanwood doesn’t have the ‘party reputation’ of some, but she’s seen enough of that scene here to steer clear of girls like Bianca”. Personally, I am really tired of books that pit girls against each other in this way. It is honestly getting to the point of childishness – especially in books where the school scene is not the primary point of the plot.
But the biggest issue this novel has is with race. Straight off the bat, the first BIPOC man is described as a “brute”. Another man is described as a beast. Both of these men are described as having a much darker skin tone than the main character, which makes it worse. Especially with the uncomfortable history black and brown people have with being associated with animals and beasts.
The novel spends an uncomfortable amount of time describing all the Unara characters' skintones, but Siobhan, in comparison, is only described as “fair”. This is a really blatant example of Orientalism. And, of course, the female character is lighter toned than the males (hence the caramel-vanilla sapphic swirl). Further, the majority of the BIPOC characters are warriors, protectors of the white character, Siobhan. As many people have asked – why can’t the black or brown woman be the one in need of protection? Why must they always be the protector? The warrior? The healer? The fighter?
Siobhan is also uncomfortable coded as the white saviour character. This is essentially a story of a white character stumbling into a world of non-white people and making judgement calls about their culture and then deciding to “change it for the better”. Which leads us into very uncomfortable colonialism territory, like we see in far, far older works like the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Territory that this book and author, who claims to have learned much from the recent BLM movement, should know better than to tread. As such, it is a book I would definitely NOT recommend to BIPOC readers as it basically does everything BIPOC readers have asked white authors NOT to do.
This book could have been incredibly interesting. If the author had removed Siobhan and stopped focusing on the character’s skin colours, they could have played with a really interesting dynamic of character politics and relationships. The whole novel hinges on Lanira thinking Siobhan is the descendant of the evil seer who was exiled. But Lanira’s mother thinks Lanira is the actual evil presence, not Siobhan. So let’s remove Siobhan and all the issues her existence in the plot brings and look at what we could do:
This novel is preachy, and boring, thanks to the poorly handled and balanced descriptive language, as well as the author's prejudices clearly leaking in. It also treads into some really problematic areas and themes when it comes to LGBTQI+ and BIPOC characters, pits women against women, and turns a truly interesting set of world building into a dreary, boring novel.
This book has some really problematic parts which I will discuss below. Firstly, though, the writing. It is just so boring. The entire thing is so hamfisted and preachy. The writer’s prejudice ring out so strong in this, it is painful. The descriptive sections are awful and run on far too long. Most of the second page is a description of Siobhan’s hair, and we get a weirdly length description of her overalls in another scene – no other character gets clothing descriptions this in depth. Also the third person present POV is just awful to read.
Siobhan is clearly a self-insert, especially if you look at the author’s Instagram – unless both Instagram pages have been set up as weird marketing campaigns for the book, which would be even worse. She is also almost completely irrelevant to the story. You could remove her and have a far more interesting book that explores the nature of poly relationships, the complexity of the politics at play in Unara and how it affects the character relationships, and create some truly powerful, emotional moments. Instead, we get self-insert Siobhan.
Siobhan is also the source of a lot of the novel’s preachy tone, which seems to be the author’s views leaking into the book. While there are some topics that should be discussed – like the issue of rape – they are not handled well, but instead are crammed into one of Siobhan’s internal rants in a way that makes her even more unlikeable. When she is asked about Earth in Unara, she immediately talks about pollution and homelessness, basically all the current buzz issues in the media that seem odd to bring up in the context of the scene – another instance of the author’s own views hammering through into the story in a hamfisted way, rather than being worked in gracefully.
Siobhan is also very much a “I’m not like other girls” character, in the worst way. She’d rather stay home and read Angela’s Ashes than go out with her “too conservative” boyfriend who she won’t break up with even though it’s clear she doesn’t like him. And unlike the other girls who are all into parties, she’s a witch! But more on this later!
Lanira would be a far more interesting character without Siobhan, as mentioned above, with having her explore the poly relationship with Ilnor and Aldor. Instead we have a supposedly powerful female warrior crammed into the cliché role of the princess being married off by her father. And when she meets Siobhan the relationship is immediately crammed down our throats by the author. Again, it is incredibly hamfisted and not at all realistic.
On the topic of realism, another thing that frustrated me was the fact the Unara and Earth have been separated for generations. And even then, only very few warriors ever travelled between the worlds. So how is it that every man and his dog can speak English? Especially when the subject of humans is a taboo subject – something else that is crammed down our throats early on.
Honestly, the Unara characters aren’t terrible, but the book itself is so poorly written and preachy that it is incredibly difficult to read. That, and it has some serious issues which I’ll discuss now.
The author has been going to great lengths to discuss this book as being, to quote, “very gay”. And certainly there is talk of poly relationships, and there is the relationship between Aldor and Ilnor.
However, the book relies heavily on the highly overdone caramel-vanilla sapphic swirl of Siobhan and Lanira that is handled with the grace of a gorilla playing piano.
There is also some distressing anti-lesbian sentiments – like one character being described as “lesbian until graduation”. Siobhan is bisexual and is the source of many of these sentiments, as well as many of the anti-male sentiments in the novel. At one point, early in the novel, Siobhan out and out calls bisexuality weird. This makes her character even more confusing and unlikeable, especially in comparison to Lanira who is far less prejudiced while being more lesbian coded. I honestly wouldn’t recommend it to any LGBTQI+ readers as it does a number of things that the community has begged writers not to do. It honestly seems to diminish the exploration of sexuality (I will discuss this below with Siobhan’s view on women and how the book pits women against each other) as well as diminishes a lot of queer relationships outside of gay male relationships and female bisexual relationships.
Further, the novel very early on likes to set women against women, especially in the case of Siobhan. As I mentioned above, Siobhan is a “not like other girls” character in the worst way. She is incredibly judgemental of how other women live their lives (“all these girls talk about is sex”, “guys get a lot of crap for it but Siobhan has heard raunchier stuff in the rooms of college girls by far”), of their ways of exploring sexuality (see the “lesbian until graduation” sentiment above), their interests (“it’s all fun and games for basic white girls to talk about tarot cards, sage and healing crystals…”) and is extremely derogatory about other women in ways I thought we’d long since stopped doing – like referring to her past roommates as “basic white girls” and about one girl in particular “Deanwood doesn’t have the ‘party reputation’ of some, but she’s seen enough of that scene here to steer clear of girls like Bianca”. Personally, I am really tired of books that pit girls against each other in this way. It is honestly getting to the point of childishness – especially in books where the school scene is not the primary point of the plot.
But the biggest issue this novel has is with race. Straight off the bat, the first BIPOC man is described as a “brute”. Another man is described as a beast. Both of these men are described as having a much darker skin tone than the main character, which makes it worse. Especially with the uncomfortable history black and brown people have with being associated with animals and beasts.
The novel spends an uncomfortable amount of time describing all the Unara characters' skintones, but Siobhan, in comparison, is only described as “fair”. This is a really blatant example of Orientalism. And, of course, the female character is lighter toned than the males (hence the caramel-vanilla sapphic swirl). Further, the majority of the BIPOC characters are warriors, protectors of the white character, Siobhan. As many people have asked – why can’t the black or brown woman be the one in need of protection? Why must they always be the protector? The warrior? The healer? The fighter?
Siobhan is also uncomfortable coded as the white saviour character. This is essentially a story of a white character stumbling into a world of non-white people and making judgement calls about their culture and then deciding to “change it for the better”. Which leads us into very uncomfortable colonialism territory, like we see in far, far older works like the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Territory that this book and author, who claims to have learned much from the recent BLM movement, should know better than to tread. As such, it is a book I would definitely NOT recommend to BIPOC readers as it basically does everything BIPOC readers have asked white authors NOT to do.
This book could have been incredibly interesting. If the author had removed Siobhan and stopped focusing on the character’s skin colours, they could have played with a really interesting dynamic of character politics and relationships. The whole novel hinges on Lanira thinking Siobhan is the descendant of the evil seer who was exiled. But Lanira’s mother thinks Lanira is the actual evil presence, not Siobhan. So let’s remove Siobhan and all the issues her existence in the plot brings and look at what we could do:
This novel is preachy, and boring, thanks to the poorly handled and balanced descriptive language, as well as the author's prejudices clearly leaking in. It also treads into some really problematic areas and themes when it comes to LGBTQI+ and BIPOC characters, pits women against women, and turns a truly interesting set of world building into a dreary, boring novel.
April 20, 2021
The Forest Witch is a must for any new adult fantasy reader. Here’s why.
🌲THE WORLD BUILDING 🌲
I’m a sucker for a well-built fantasy universe, especially when it’s delivered in an info-dump-free, seamless way through a character’s eyes and through dialogue. The Forest Witch does this effortlessly, even masterfully.
🌲THE CHARACTERS 🌲
Representation across the board. LGBTQIA+? Check. A broad spectrum of beliefs and skin tones? Check. Physical variances or characters with disabilities? Check. But not only is there representation, it feels like each character is a living, breathing person that could step off the page at any moment. They aren’t just there for the sake of being there. They feel intentional, purposeful. Complete.
Highly recommend!!
🌲THE WORLD BUILDING 🌲
I’m a sucker for a well-built fantasy universe, especially when it’s delivered in an info-dump-free, seamless way through a character’s eyes and through dialogue. The Forest Witch does this effortlessly, even masterfully.
🌲THE CHARACTERS 🌲
Representation across the board. LGBTQIA+? Check. A broad spectrum of beliefs and skin tones? Check. Physical variances or characters with disabilities? Check. But not only is there representation, it feels like each character is a living, breathing person that could step off the page at any moment. They aren’t just there for the sake of being there. They feel intentional, purposeful. Complete.
Highly recommend!!
April 24, 2021
Well this is a tough book to rate. Leaving the brouhaha on IG aside, I will just go with how it went for me.
I got the box with all the stuff inside. I liked the cover and everything included but then I saw the palo santo and the references to getting an eagle feather. ?!? That felt off. It's been a pretty big year of clear communication from the INdigenous community about the appropriation of cultural practices by white people through numerous outlets on IG. Does no one but BIPOC follow BIPOC? Well I let it go and thought I can't judge a book by its cover.
Story: I actually don't mind the author's writing style, unlike the 1 star review person. I did not find it boring. However, I agree there's a lot of bad tropes. The white savior Linara character did feel a bit rough. It felt a bit Avatar-colonialist to me, but this is super common in the speculative fic genre. This is not at all unusual for a white author. I think it's pretty hard for white authors to write the other, but unlike the 1 star review, I disagree that the author should fix this by removing the white main character and make them all BIPOC. Truly, that's NOT what we need white authors to do. We don't need them to write our stories, they should include us as secondary characters. The whole book industry (see Lee's and Lowe's stats) shows us that most of the supposed "diverse books" published with BIPOC MCs are still written by white authors. Publishing seems to have forgotten that diverse characters aren't what make diversity happen, it's the author behind the story that makes diversity. What white authors can do is include us BIPOC by making their cast diverse, but also hire sensitivity readers. All of us get pretty insular and hang and chat with people like ourselves because it's comfortable. So it's hard to write about someone you don't know at all, and you're still not going to get it right. That's why I think more authors should think about hiring sensitivity readers. So they get it right.
I got the box with all the stuff inside. I liked the cover and everything included but then I saw the palo santo and the references to getting an eagle feather. ?!? That felt off. It's been a pretty big year of clear communication from the INdigenous community about the appropriation of cultural practices by white people through numerous outlets on IG. Does no one but BIPOC follow BIPOC? Well I let it go and thought I can't judge a book by its cover.
Story: I actually don't mind the author's writing style, unlike the 1 star review person. I did not find it boring. However, I agree there's a lot of bad tropes. The white savior Linara character did feel a bit rough. It felt a bit Avatar-colonialist to me, but this is super common in the speculative fic genre. This is not at all unusual for a white author. I think it's pretty hard for white authors to write the other, but unlike the 1 star review, I disagree that the author should fix this by removing the white main character and make them all BIPOC. Truly, that's NOT what we need white authors to do. We don't need them to write our stories, they should include us as secondary characters. The whole book industry (see Lee's and Lowe's stats) shows us that most of the supposed "diverse books" published with BIPOC MCs are still written by white authors. Publishing seems to have forgotten that diverse characters aren't what make diversity happen, it's the author behind the story that makes diversity. What white authors can do is include us BIPOC by making their cast diverse, but also hire sensitivity readers. All of us get pretty insular and hang and chat with people like ourselves because it's comfortable. So it's hard to write about someone you don't know at all, and you're still not going to get it right. That's why I think more authors should think about hiring sensitivity readers. So they get it right.
May 27, 2021
Definitely one of my top 15 reads of 2021. Beautiful, smooth and absolutely enchanting world building. The story itself is so well narrated. A wonderful start for sure. Definitely looking forward to read the second in the series.
February 1, 2021
If you are looking for a high fantasy book that has truly fleshed out characters, that are strong and determined and three-dimensional, this is the book for you.
There is so much to unpack in this book, from the writing style, to the characters, to the plot.
First off, the writing style is easy to read. There is an excellent balance between developing the world Unara, and fleshing out the characters, and setting the scene. Neither outweighs the other, making it digestible.
The characters, each one stands off the page and is incredibly strong in their own way. What I have seen a lot of in this book is strong characters who are not mean/hateful/snarky. Instead, we get strong characters with vulnerabilities that make them real. Lanira was a pleasant character to follow, being in her head gave us a good look at the world, and the complex hierarchies of power granted to them by Una.
The relationships were believable and, for the first time in my reading, diverse to a new degree. I appreciated this deeply and thought it was handled incredibly well.
The plot was one that has been seen before, I think, but it was done in a unique way and had its own creative flair. I did have a hard time keeping up with the minras, with lots of new words and terms, and I think that's where I struggled during certain scenes especially near the end. I had hoped for a bigger conclusion, but knowing it is a series makes me forgiving of this.
I give this a solid 4.5 stars, and am eager to read the sequel.
There is so much to unpack in this book, from the writing style, to the characters, to the plot.
First off, the writing style is easy to read. There is an excellent balance between developing the world Unara, and fleshing out the characters, and setting the scene. Neither outweighs the other, making it digestible.
The characters, each one stands off the page and is incredibly strong in their own way. What I have seen a lot of in this book is strong characters who are not mean/hateful/snarky. Instead, we get strong characters with vulnerabilities that make them real. Lanira was a pleasant character to follow, being in her head gave us a good look at the world, and the complex hierarchies of power granted to them by Una.
The relationships were believable and, for the first time in my reading, diverse to a new degree. I appreciated this deeply and thought it was handled incredibly well.
The plot was one that has been seen before, I think, but it was done in a unique way and had its own creative flair. I did have a hard time keeping up with the minras, with lots of new words and terms, and I think that's where I struggled during certain scenes especially near the end. I had hoped for a bigger conclusion, but knowing it is a series makes me forgiving of this.
I give this a solid 4.5 stars, and am eager to read the sequel.
July 11, 2021
The Forest Witch by Britt Laux
5/5
The Forest witch begins with Lanira na Caliri and Siobhan. Siobhan, a college student and witch in secret, whose full moon ritual turns into a whole new life. Lanira is a warrior of Unara. She is fierce, strong, beautiful, and very conflicted. Together Lanira and Siobhan create a spark of change that sweeps over the entirety of Unara.
This book took my breath away. I loved so many different aspects of this book. The world-building was phenomenal. I had no trouble falling through the void into Unara and the arms of Una. It was interesting reading and learning about the different Minras and how their powers, weather, and general well-being were connected to them.
After reading so much of the usual MF romances it is SO refreshing to read about relationships of all different varieties, including different species. The concept of bondmates is also beautiful because it is more than just the physical being of the Unaran, but a connection with their very souls. Each of the characters in this book are unique and at times you’re not sure which characters you can trust to open your heart to.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in reading a high fantasy novel with multiple types of relationships, exquisite world details, warriors, battles, and a great adventure. Britt Laux is a wonderful Indie author and I look forward to the next book in this duology!
5/5
The Forest witch begins with Lanira na Caliri and Siobhan. Siobhan, a college student and witch in secret, whose full moon ritual turns into a whole new life. Lanira is a warrior of Unara. She is fierce, strong, beautiful, and very conflicted. Together Lanira and Siobhan create a spark of change that sweeps over the entirety of Unara.
This book took my breath away. I loved so many different aspects of this book. The world-building was phenomenal. I had no trouble falling through the void into Unara and the arms of Una. It was interesting reading and learning about the different Minras and how their powers, weather, and general well-being were connected to them.
After reading so much of the usual MF romances it is SO refreshing to read about relationships of all different varieties, including different species. The concept of bondmates is also beautiful because it is more than just the physical being of the Unaran, but a connection with their very souls. Each of the characters in this book are unique and at times you’re not sure which characters you can trust to open your heart to.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in reading a high fantasy novel with multiple types of relationships, exquisite world details, warriors, battles, and a great adventure. Britt Laux is a wonderful Indie author and I look forward to the next book in this duology!
December 21, 2021
Though it took me a while to get through it as I'm easily distracted by many other things in the world, I really did enjoy this book. I was amazed and intrigued by the world building. It was so good! I'm so curious and excited to read more. And the romance? Ugh. Amazing.
May 15, 2021
are you ever sad when a book ends and you want to keep reading? that’s how i feel. book two please!
January 31, 2021
Looking for a strong female MC? Look no further. I loved this book from beginning to end. Two worlds collide in this fantasy romance. Not your typical romance either, a warrior princess meets a little forest witch that she is automatically drawn to. There's a big problem though, the forest witch is a human and the people of Unara don't want anything to do with humans. Can the princess Lanira & forest Witch Siobhan change everyone's mind? All while trying to save the world from destruction? I cannot wait to see what happens next!!
February 11, 2021
Lanira
I liked lanira, but hated her parents - her mother the all powerful seer hates her daughter and her father despised her. I felt like lanira was the only good person in this whole book and yes there is some darkness in her, but that’s because he parents and almost everyone she knows doesn’t truly live her and instead they fear her.
Little disappointed in the side characters- I like lanira and Siobhan was fun too....
I liked lanira, but hated her parents - her mother the all powerful seer hates her daughter and her father despised her. I felt like lanira was the only good person in this whole book and yes there is some darkness in her, but that’s because he parents and almost everyone she knows doesn’t truly live her and instead they fear her.
Little disappointed in the side characters- I like lanira and Siobhan was fun too....
February 3, 2021
A much read for all Fantasy book lovers that has brought out a wonderful diverse world that was weaved into beautiful writing that will keep you reading from page to page.
Check out my full review on Pine Enshrined Reviews! www.pineenshrined.com
Check out my full review on Pine Enshrined Reviews! www.pineenshrined.com
April 3, 2021
I’m not usually a fantasy reader, but I am a Britt Laux fan! I loved the world of Unara, especially the moon-centered spirituality. And I think I have a crush on Ilnor :) Looking forward to the sequel!
May 17, 2021
What I liked: excellent world building. I enjoyed this twist on portal fantasy and found the Unaran culture and lore fascinating and the presentation of information well handled. A number of the secondary characters won my heart (shout out to Ilnor and Aldor!), and Lanira’s frustrations were relatable and understandable. Good plot twists I had inklings of thanks to well-placed hints. I also appreciated the underlying environmental concerns.
What I struggled with: character development. Siobhan makes several comments in the opening chapter that come across as quite negative and self-righteous. The narrative then switches to Lanira, so we’re getting to know Siobhan through Lanira’s eyes, which I also struggled with. Both characters felt slightly underdeveloped, particularly in terms of their relationship. For me, too much of their attraction relied on the soulmates-type inexorable pull.
Bottom line: an engaging, interesting read, particularly for fans of intricate world building.
What I struggled with: character development. Siobhan makes several comments in the opening chapter that come across as quite negative and self-righteous. The narrative then switches to Lanira, so we’re getting to know Siobhan through Lanira’s eyes, which I also struggled with. Both characters felt slightly underdeveloped, particularly in terms of their relationship. For me, too much of their attraction relied on the soulmates-type inexorable pull.
Bottom line: an engaging, interesting read, particularly for fans of intricate world building.
May 25, 2021
I've been a big fan of Britt Laux's writing, and was eagerly awaiting their first wlw book. Their writing style and narrative voice was spot on and beautifully developed. With this book being the first in a series, there was a lot of set up and world building, but the set up did work to get me invested in where the series was going. The pacing near the end was really quick, there was a lot of jam-packed action, but going into the sequel I think it raises a lot of really fun and interesting questions. (I really loved the sneak peak into book two that happened at the end!)
I lost Siobhan's personality a little as the story went on though. I loved her relationship with Lanira and found her really likable when she was in Unara, but her personality did seem to shift a bit from what we first saw of her. I do believe that will get developed further in the series but that did stick out to me. The other thing I struggled with was the motivation behind
There were lots of things I really enjoyed though. Lanira's character was fabulous. She's strong and intense, but also has this soft side to her that is well-balanced and fun to read. Her falling for Siobhan was a great illustrator of the bondmate calling, which I think is a fascinating world building aspect. I loved the focus on bondmates and twins, and the impact those respective relationships have. Siobhan and Lanira were really cute together and their sex scenes were beautiful and intimate in a way that really added to the story. I also really enjoyed the supporting cast! Talor was great, as were Aldor and Ilnore. (One of my favorite characters though is the super dramatic Goran leader. We really love to see someone embrace the full dark aesthetic.)
This is a really solid first book in the series, and I am really excited to see how the story and characters develop as it continues. I'm looking forward to book two!
I lost Siobhan's personality a little as the story went on though. I loved her relationship with Lanira and found her really likable when she was in Unara, but her personality did seem to shift a bit from what we first saw of her. I do believe that will get developed further in the series but that did stick out to me. The other thing I struggled with was the motivation behind
There were lots of things I really enjoyed though. Lanira's character was fabulous. She's strong and intense, but also has this soft side to her that is well-balanced and fun to read. Her falling for Siobhan was a great illustrator of the bondmate calling, which I think is a fascinating world building aspect. I loved the focus on bondmates and twins, and the impact those respective relationships have. Siobhan and Lanira were really cute together and their sex scenes were beautiful and intimate in a way that really added to the story. I also really enjoyed the supporting cast! Talor was great, as were Aldor and Ilnore. (One of my favorite characters though is the super dramatic Goran leader. We really love to see someone embrace the full dark aesthetic.)
This is a really solid first book in the series, and I am really excited to see how the story and characters develop as it continues. I'm looking forward to book two!
May 20, 2021
The detail in this book is staggering. The world building is smooth and pulls you into this new realm easily. I love the the strong female protagonist in Lanira- she has very defined strengths and weaknesses. She fights, she cries, she expresses being afraid...but she also loves, protects, and changes through the story. It's really great character development, hard to find such nuance. This is a truly unique book, and I'm on the edge of my seat wondering what happens next!
May 23, 2021
A good read, and a great start to a series
As the first of the series and only being released in Feb of 21, it's hard to say how the series will go from here, however the world building is superb, the side characters get depth i was not expecting from previous reviews(on Amazon not Goodreads). I did not feel like there was anything wrong with MC's parents, the ruling couple made the decisions they believed best, and they aren't perfect. Forsaking a child for the good of your country sucks, and I felt for the father by the end. Owning up to mistakes made I have respect for his character arc.. and the mother, for all appearances a perfect/idealized Seer, has her flaws. They felt very human. Peeling back the layers and showing that noone is all good or evil, Britt Laux truly does justice to the reader with how she portrays her characters. I whole heartedly recommend this to any fans of lezfic with plot. Fantasy while dealing with a flawed society done right, and a decent bit of spice. Nothing too explicit, but would maybe keep away from the kids. I look forward to the second in the series. Here's to you Britt Laux, and a job well done
As the first of the series and only being released in Feb of 21, it's hard to say how the series will go from here, however the world building is superb, the side characters get depth i was not expecting from previous reviews(on Amazon not Goodreads). I did not feel like there was anything wrong with MC's parents, the ruling couple made the decisions they believed best, and they aren't perfect. Forsaking a child for the good of your country sucks, and I felt for the father by the end. Owning up to mistakes made I have respect for his character arc.. and the mother, for all appearances a perfect/idealized Seer, has her flaws. They felt very human. Peeling back the layers and showing that noone is all good or evil, Britt Laux truly does justice to the reader with how she portrays her characters. I whole heartedly recommend this to any fans of lezfic with plot. Fantasy while dealing with a flawed society done right, and a decent bit of spice. Nothing too explicit, but would maybe keep away from the kids. I look forward to the second in the series. Here's to you Britt Laux, and a job well done
May 31, 2021
A beguiling story of romance and adventure with good world building. Liked how the relationship between Lanira and Siobhan developed.
February 11, 2022
This book does an exceptional job with its characters, especially Lanira. I have a soft spot in my heart for big, tough women, and Lanira na Caliri nestles right into it. Fantasy fiction doesn't always make room for female characters that are rough around the edges without being downright unlikeable, and what little room they get is often reserved for very anti-femme, "not like other girls" types that feel more like the author justifying why a girl gets to be the main character.
Lanira is loud, rude, quick-tempered, blunt, and judgemental. She's also empathetic, sensitive, loving, passionate, and open-minded. She's a warrior, a princess, a sister, and a friend, and accepts those roles with a level of enthusiasm that's constantly in flux. She feels like an actual person with a strong voice that comes through in every ounce of narration, and she's exactly the kind of person I want guiding me through a world like Unara.
Be forewarned—this book is pretty dense. It's chock-full of plot basically from start to finish, and while I don't necessarily have a problem with that, there are points at which it affects the overall pacing of the story and makes certain plot points feel rushed or insignificant.
The most egregious example of this is .
To be clear, I think the plot points in question are all well-written and realistic to the story. If the book had ended a bit sooner and spent the remaining time on characterization and worldbuilding (which was otherwise masterfully handled!), I think it would have been perfect.
As a final note, I'd like to talk about the way the book handles consent—namely, that it does it so well. All of the relationships are so communicative and healthy—characters are allowed to have strong feelings for each other and those feelings are allowed to create tension, but they're never imposed on other characters without clear, express permission.
I think the best examples are .
I also appreciate that Britt also doesn't take the "consent is sexy" approach—it's not sexy, it's expected. Consent fits naturally into the relationships of the story as though it was never not an option, and none of the characters treat it as though it's an awkward and frivolous interruption to an intimate moment.
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I give this book three stars—it was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to the sequel!
Lanira is loud, rude, quick-tempered, blunt, and judgemental. She's also empathetic, sensitive, loving, passionate, and open-minded. She's a warrior, a princess, a sister, and a friend, and accepts those roles with a level of enthusiasm that's constantly in flux. She feels like an actual person with a strong voice that comes through in every ounce of narration, and she's exactly the kind of person I want guiding me through a world like Unara.
Be forewarned—this book is pretty dense. It's chock-full of plot basically from start to finish, and while I don't necessarily have a problem with that, there are points at which it affects the overall pacing of the story and makes certain plot points feel rushed or insignificant.
The most egregious example of this is .
To be clear, I think the plot points in question are all well-written and realistic to the story. If the book had ended a bit sooner and spent the remaining time on characterization and worldbuilding (which was otherwise masterfully handled!), I think it would have been perfect.
As a final note, I'd like to talk about the way the book handles consent—namely, that it does it so well. All of the relationships are so communicative and healthy—characters are allowed to have strong feelings for each other and those feelings are allowed to create tension, but they're never imposed on other characters without clear, express permission.
I think the best examples are .
I also appreciate that Britt also doesn't take the "consent is sexy" approach—it's not sexy, it's expected. Consent fits naturally into the relationships of the story as though it was never not an option, and none of the characters treat it as though it's an awkward and frivolous interruption to an intimate moment.
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I give this book three stars—it was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to the sequel!
June 27, 2021
I`m always up for New Adult Fantasy, and this one did not disappoint.
The world of Unara was a beautifully written, detailed world that I could not wait to learn more about, and it was explained in a wonderful manner. We got to know this world through the characters, without a single info-dump, and it was easy to feel like you were there, watching the story unfold in front of your eyes.
The characters, though, were what really made me love this book, and that encouraged me to do a reread as soon as I finished the first time. To finally be able to read fantasy with diverse characters is a much needed breath of fresh air, and it is so well done in The Forest Witch. I hope that this book encourages us all to keep taking steps in the right direction, because I have never read a book, let alone fantasy, with representation so well done. Different belief systems, skin tones, realistic and diverse personalities, appearances and disabilities all worked seamlessly into the story, and every character was believable and felt real, with their own developed personalities and motives. I love getting to read about strong characters that actually feel complete and so well-written they feel real, without having too be mean or rash or anything.
I can`t wait to read more books in this universe for sure.
The world of Unara was a beautifully written, detailed world that I could not wait to learn more about, and it was explained in a wonderful manner. We got to know this world through the characters, without a single info-dump, and it was easy to feel like you were there, watching the story unfold in front of your eyes.
The characters, though, were what really made me love this book, and that encouraged me to do a reread as soon as I finished the first time. To finally be able to read fantasy with diverse characters is a much needed breath of fresh air, and it is so well done in The Forest Witch. I hope that this book encourages us all to keep taking steps in the right direction, because I have never read a book, let alone fantasy, with representation so well done. Different belief systems, skin tones, realistic and diverse personalities, appearances and disabilities all worked seamlessly into the story, and every character was believable and felt real, with their own developed personalities and motives. I love getting to read about strong characters that actually feel complete and so well-written they feel real, without having too be mean or rash or anything.
I can`t wait to read more books in this universe for sure.
April 20, 2021
The Forest Witch isn’t my normal sort of read, but I absolutely adore Britt’s writing so I was eager to spend time within a world they’ve created.
Britt Laux is very gifted at building and developing on page relationships. As I’m not a fantasy reader normally, while I have very little other fantasy works to compare this to, I found this world and the characters within both flawed and mesmerizing.
Britt Laux is very gifted at building and developing on page relationships. As I’m not a fantasy reader normally, while I have very little other fantasy works to compare this to, I found this world and the characters within both flawed and mesmerizing.
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