Unfortunately, I did not finish this book because the beginning was too slow. I thought with a high fantasy set up including a glossary would give some intense world building but it couldn't just live up to it. Just bored.

Forest of Souls is an epic and lush magical fantasy tied together by female friendships and found family, encouraging the discovery of power and confidence within yourself and your own strength and ability. I love when writers are able to capture storng relationships while writing detailed characters and never compromising on rich and robust worldbuilding. Forest of Souls was so beautifully written and it was an enchanting tale inspired by Asian shamanism. It is a fantastic read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Forest of Souls is an older YA that first released in 2020. Because of the release of the third book in the series this year, it has appeared back on netgalley. Because I had always been interested in this book I decided to give it a go.

The story starts with Sircha and showing us what her life is like. She tries to become the next royal spy in secret while trudging along amongst soldiers in her day to day life. When it is revealed she is not going to be the next royal spy by accident, her need to show she can do this makes her step into a much bigger situation.

Forest of Souls has some great ideas but it fell incredibly flat on execution. Nothing about this book came truly alive for me.

Sirscha is a very fierce character and that is great. She wants to prove herself and seems very loyal to her friends. However I missed the actual emotions when it came to what was happening to her. She constantly shoots into some kind of idea or action without truly standing still. There is no room for any emotions. This does not at all feel deliberate unfortunately. It created a lack of depth.

The other side characters are very much the same. As much as I instantly fell for Theyen for instance, it is clear he just has a role to play. The same goes for her best friend Saengo. They are a role, a tool to propel Sirscha further.

Adding on to that I found that some of the conclusions that Sirscha was taking when it came to her powers and what was really going on, were a bit far-fetched. She just waltzes in with her new powers that she has no control over and thinks she knows how to fix everything. It was annoying to follow to be honest.

I did truly appreciate that there was no romance or very few hints at any romance for the future.

Would I read on with this series? I'm not sure.

This was an e-ARC I checked for formatting errors, and now I am clearing out my shelf on here. Formatting looks great! Love you, Page Street YA :)

I regret to say I couldn't finish the book, although I am very thankful to have received this as an arc from NetGalley . The premise held so much promise with its intricate magic system, but I found myself wanting more from the world-building, which felt underdeveloped. Additionally, the characters didn't quite come alive for me, though I suspect others might connect with them differently. While this book has potential appeal, it ultimately didn't keep me hooked.

Sircha has been training to be a Shadow for most of her life, hoping that Kendara will appoint her to the position if she proves herself. And try as she might, there is doubt in that decision now that she discovers another pupil within her ranks.

As she searches for information, she is forced into her powers, which she didn't know she had, and discovers an entire other world within her own, filled with dark magic and malice. Struggling to save her familiar from the rot of the Dark Wood, Sircha pairs with some unlikely friends to help save her.

The prince himself ends up being a decent ally, but the enemies they're up against are fierce and strong. Will they be able to save everyone in time?

There were a lot of unanswered questions here, but there is a second book I think. Too many loose ends for me though, even with that.

1st POV, 1 POV / ARC / TW below

After years of training, Sirscha wants to be acknowledged for her hard work to prove to everyone (including herself) that she is worthy of becoming the Queen's Shadow. However, as she tries to beat her competitors, she starts to uncover her origins and realizes that her true journey leads through deadly forests and poisonous politics. Is she going to discover who stands behind the slow decay of the empire and the truth behind her power? Read and find out! 🖤

🕷️ high fantasy with glossary
🕷️ badass warrior FMC trained to be a royal spy
🕷️ different types and subtypes of magic – not everyone has powers
🕷️ beasts, spirits, and souls
🕷️ self-discovery, personal growth
🕷️ close friendships, bullies, cute friends, and snarky allies

The world-building is very complex, but I didn't get lost, and usually knew what was going on. There is a long glossary at the beginning, which helps a lot. I wish there were a map as well, though. I feel like there's gonna be loads more information in the sequels. 😮‍💨

I loved Sirscha and her determination and confidence. She is extremely skillful; however, I love that she got injured frequently and acknowledged the pain (even for a few days). It made it much more realistic without being annoying.
✨ Dual swords, knives, climbing walls, and merciless bone-breaking are definitely my cup of tea. ✨

I was also very fond of the other characters, and I hope to see more of Theyen and the Prince in the sequels!

Trigger warnings: spiders, death of a loved one, blood/gore/violence, terminal illness

I love this book. Looking back, there actually didn't happen all that much, yet it felt like a lot, never a boring page. There aren't that many surprises to keep you on edge but there's still a certain thrill that made want to read more. The characters are all strong - in spirit and skills - only to be admired.

"Forest of Souls" by Lori M. Lee delves into a captivating world of shadow-born and shaman powers, offering readers a rich tapestry of fantasy elements to explore. The intricate world-building sets the stage for a compelling narrative that unfolds gradually, drawing readers into a realm filled with unexpected twists and turns. Though the world building seems to be very heavy at the start of the novel which did slow down the reading process, but towards mid to end I was invested in the story.

The FMC of the book, Sirscha, a strong and independent protagonist but i believe there was a lot of potential for further character development. While her fierceness is evident from the start, delving deeper into her background and training as a spy could have added layers to her character arc that myself would have loved to been involved in. The absence of a romantic subplot provides a unique angle in the fantasy genre, allowing the focus to remain on Sirscha's journey and the fantastical world she navigates.

Lee's writing style is immersive, gradually enveloping readers in the intricacies of the plot and the dynamics between the characters. The representation of a Strong Asian female protagonist adds a diverse perspective to the narrative, paving the way for a more inclusive storytelling experience which I love and want to continue to see in the reading industry. People need more representation in books and I love the authors that give this.

Moreover, the stunning cover art of the book serves as an enticing introduction to the world within its pages, beckoning readers to embark on an adventure filled with magic and mystery. As the first installment in a series, "Forest of Souls" lays a solid foundation for future developments and relationships between characters, hinting at a promising continuation of the story, its a massive promise at the end that I hope is delivered.

A massive thankyou to Netgalley for allowing me to receive a copy of this amazing book in return for an honest review. I will be continuing this story because I want so much more of it and I hope its hidden in the next books. A massive thank-you to the author for gifting this book to the world, its very creative and beautiful.

Touted for fans of Naomi Novik, this missed the mark for me. While the worldbuilding had some potential, the magic system came across as an ALTA knock-off, and the politics were not developed enough to be interesting or make me care about the players.

Sirscha was not an engaging character to follow - which is extremely unfortunate, considering the first-person perspective! I found her too stoic throughout - her friend dies? Barely a reaction. Her friend is suddenly alive in the next scene? Again, barely a reaction. She finds out she is a shaman? Well, it doesn't seem like she cares.

I did enjoy the depiction of the Dead Wood and Ronin, so some credit there.

This book has such an enticing cover! I enjoyed my time with the story and thought the ending was done well.

This was okay. A cute and fun YA Reading but It did not impress me. Forgettable. Not going to continue the series

I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher in order to give a honest review.
The author’s representation of sisterhood is truly inspiring, although I would have like to hear a bit more about Saengo and the duo’s past. This book has a great storyline and is a quick and easy read.
I’m definitely looking forward to reading books 2 and 3 in the series to go on another adventure! And hopefully follow along with most of my favourite characters!

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital edition of this book!

I read it in one day so you could say that I loved it!
I loved the pace, it wasn't too slow or too fast so I wasn't bored while reading so that's how I was able to read it that fast.
I loved the characters and their dynamics. I loved the relationship the MC had with her best friend.

I loved the fantasy aspect of the book but I would have loved a bit more world-building and explanation. Even though at the beginning we had a glossary some of the words were hard to remember when reading, because I was reading a digital version I could change pages as easily as a physical copy.
Also, in the middle of the story, it became kinda hard to keep track of it. like a lot happens but at the same time not really?

Anyway, I really like this book and I will probably read the second book since this one finishes on a cliffhanger
Thanks again to NetGalley and Lori M. Lee for the opportunity!

Lee's writing style is immersive, painting vivid images of the forest and its inhabitants. From the eerie whispers of the trees to the pulse-pounding battles against dark forces, each scene is brought to life with detail, drawing readers deeper into the story.

I really liked the characters in "Forest of Souls" because they were pretty interesting.

What I didn’t like was the pretty slow pace of the story. Sadly it felt like ages in between the chapters.

A note to NetGalley: please update the file or at least offer an .epub file… the fact that this file doesn’t have a structure, no chapters (a chapter ends and starts on the same page… come on…) really didn’t help to get into the reading flow ://

This read as a pretty decent fantasy debut. Unfortunately, it's not a debut. Forest of Souls follows orphaned Sirscha, who is a mid-ranked soldier and, more importantly, apprentice to the Queen's Shadow. She deals with the stresses and prejudices of the army because she knows bigger things await her, and she has her best friend Saengo to back her up in any situation. However, things go majorly downhill when she's attacked by Shamans, Saengo dies, Sirscha finds out she's a Shamanborn, and she brings Saengo back. This is a whole new set of problems.
Sirscha and Saengo were both very easy characters to root for. Saengo is a little one-dimensional, but she's good enough. The world building is where things get a little worse. The continent has three kingdoms, one of which hates magic and has recently been persecuting all the Shamans in it (naturally, this is where Sirscha is from), one of which is run by elementally powered Shaman with fancy brightly colored eyes, and the other is run by gray people with shadow magic. It's not fully baked. They also have wyverns (??) and dragons aren't a major component, unfortunately. Also, I could not keep track of the geography. I don't recall seeing a map, and it is also hard to reference a map in an ebook.
Best way I can put my thoughts about this book: I requested the other two sequels here on NetGalley, and if I get them, I'll read them. If I am not approved, I'm not going out of my way to see how things go.

In "Forest of Souls," Lori M. Lee masterfully weaves together intricate layers of mythology and folklore, immersing readers in a world teeming with ancient secrets and hidden powers. The Dead Wood, a haunting and enigmatic forest, serves as a mesmerizing backdrop to Sirscha's journey, its looming presence casting an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere over the narrative.

Sirscha Ashwyn emerges as a truly compelling protagonist, grappling with her identity and her place in a world where the lines between good and evil are blurred. Her journey of self-discovery is both poignant and exhilarating, as she confronts not only external threats but also the darkness within herself.

Lee's prose is evocative and lyrical, painting vivid landscapes and bringing to life a diverse cast of characters, each with their own motivations and secrets. From the enigmatic mentor figure to the mysterious adversaries lurking in the shadows, every character feels fully realized and integral to the story's progression.

The magic system in "Forest of Souls" is refreshingly original, rooted in the natural world and infused with a sense of wonder and danger. As Sirscha delves deeper into her abilities, she uncovers a hidden reservoir of power that threatens to consume her if left unchecked. This exploration of the consequences of wielding magic adds depth and complexity to the narrative, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page.

Overall, "Forest of Souls" is a spellbinding debut that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next installment in the series. Lori M. Lee has crafted a mesmerizing tale of adventure, courage, and the enduring power of friendship, making it a must-read for fantasy enthusiasts of all ages.

Tropes:
- Chosen One
- YA Fantasy
- Coming of age
- Quest
- Found Family

Have you ever felt after reading the first pages of a book like you had to read it? It is exactly how my love story with this book started, I needed to read it, it felt right. Let’s start by discussing the world building, as a big fantasy reader, I often find the world or magical system to be similar but in here, Lori M. Lee managed to write something that made my mind spin. However there is one disadvantage of this innovative and new system, it is extremely complex. Even after weeks reading the book, I still mix the Kingdoms and the type of magical creatures, but it doesn’t bother too much when you are reading.
When I started the book, I had no expectation whatsoever and it did make it even better to discover a book so well written,

Ooooh. Ok, this was way more interesting than I was initially expecting. I was prepared for a typical YA fantasy, perhaps with a healthy dose of love triangle, but instead got a gripping and enticing read that was fast-paced with quick turns that I was never quite able to predict. I loved how foolhardy and headstrong Sirscha was, and honestly kind of feral LOL. We love that in a woman. My only complaint was that a lot of the story hinged on her just speculating on what was going on, and I'm so used to that being a method of unreliable narration that I spent a lot of the book questioning whether or not she was actually right. Overall though, I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to starting book 2!

I dnf’ed this book at about 23% but I did want to elaborate on why that was. I just felt like this book wasn’t for me. I did however find the writing enjoyable, it’s just the story itself that isn’t my cup of tea.
Thank you however to Netgalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review