YA Buddy Readers' Corner ♥ discussion

Sirscha Ashwyn comes from nothing, but she’s intent on becoming something. After years of training to become the queen’s next royal spy, her plans are derailed when shamans attack and kill her best friend Saengo.

And then Sirscha, somehow, restores Saengo to life.

Unveiled as the first soulguide in living memory, Sirscha is summoned to the domain of the Spider King. For centuries, he has used his influence over the Dead Wood—an ancient forest possessed by souls—to enforce peace between the kingdoms. Now, with the trees growing wild and untamed, only a soulguide can restrain them. As war looms, Sirscha must master her newly awakened abilities before the trees shatter the brittle peace, or worse, claim Saengo, the friend she would die for.

Danger lurks within the roots of Forest of Souls, an epic, unrelenting tale of destiny and sisterhood, perfect for fans of Naomi Novik and Susan Dennard.

Joiniiiiing

Hey, I'm starting the book!!

Nice! I'll pick it up next book!

Ok, I apologise for not writing a lot, but I kinda read this book in like one sitting, and forgot to update here.

I liked it but I didn't love it. I will definitely be reading the future books of this series, but I wasn't like I DEMAND AN ENDING TO THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!

I liked the characters, but was left wondering who the future romantic interest would be(view spoiler)[ I had read a lot about the second book definitely getting a romantic description, and I had mixed feelings the whole book about whether it would be Saengo, Theyen or Meilek. (hide spoiler)]

I felt like the book was a bit flat(?), in that there wasn't much story to it?
Hope you all like the book better than I did!!

Hi Trisha!

If you plan to count this book for the challenge this month, you'll need to post at least another 3 detailed updated about the story.

Maddie wrote: "Hi Trisha!

If you plan to count this book for the challenge this month, you'll need to post at least another 3 detailed updated about the story."

Is it okay if I post those now? It's not like cheating if I post those after I read the book?

Yes, that's fine :)

(view spoiler)[
Sirscha says a lot about how the long hair is a symbol, and in general a lot of attention is drawn to the significance of the hair being long in the story (Saengo's braid being cut off, her later refusing to trim it, both of them braiding each other's hair, etc, etc), but on the cover we see that her hair is open and not in a braid. Why would you draw so much attention to it, if it's not even depicted correctly on the cover (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[
Another thing I didn't love, was the repeatedly thinking about how she's nothing. Although I love character arcs where the main character thinks they're not enough, and then prove to themselves that they are enough, I didn't like the way it was written in the book. Somehow, it felt a bit forced, as if she knew she was thinking she's not enough, in a way that was a bit too self-aware for the character, and it felt forced. I feel if it had been woven into the story better, it would have felt a lot more natural (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[
Also, where was Kendara for half of the story? I get that she might be kidnapped or something at this point, but I wanted to see her in action!!!
Also, why was Phuat killed off. And not even given a proper death? Like one scene she was there, and the next minute she was dead. I was liking her. And it wasn't even as if her death spurred Sirscha to take action or anything.....it seemed as if her death was meaningless. She needed a much better written story.
The cliffhanger at the end was good, but I didn't really feel as if it made me want to read the next book immediately.
Overall, I liked it, but would have loved a lot more from this story. (hide spoiler)]

Starting this tomorrow

Maddie wrote: "Starting this tomorrow"

Hope you like it!!

I hope so too! I'm going to read it after Bone Crier's Moon!

Starting today!

Ashleigh wrote: "Starting today!"

Hope you enjoy it!!

22% - (view spoiler)[Oh I love this already. I'm just sucked in and I want to know more. I mean, it seems like the typical YA Fantasy from the premise. Girl finds out shes got powers or magic that she didn't know about and now she's got to find out some stuff and she'll probably end up going against the rulers of this fantasy world, but you know what? I kinda love it. This feels similar to other books yet different. I don't know what it is about this but I like it.

I'm guessing she's not gonna be The Shadow now. I feel sorry for her. It seemed like she really cared about the woman training her (I can't spell of any of the names and I'm lazy haha) and I feel like she had a mother-daughter relationship. I wonder if the old woman knew that she would be a Shaman born. Maybe that's why she give her the troll bone. (hide spoiler)]

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Date changed. Restarting October 1st AND October 20th 2020. Happy Reading ☺

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