A great first book kicking off a promising fantasy series

Forest of souls has now become one of my favourite ya series. The plot is thick with action, the FMC is a complex and well developed character whose arc is fancinating, the world around her described vividly and in a manner I can't get enough of. This book is every YA fantasy lover's dream.

The creatures we meet throughout the world are so interesting and so is the lore/ history of the kingdom. Despite the 400 hundred pages the reader FLYS through the book with his fast pace and addicting it gets.

I cannot recommend this enough if you're in a reading slump and/ or looking for a new fantasy series to get sucked in.

This book started off a bit slow, and I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy it at first.

But as I kept reading, I found myself drawn into the richly crafted world the author created. My main issue was with the main character - she seemed to have it all figured out from the start, which made her feel a bit too perfect.

I wished we could have seen more of her growth, maybe some scenes showing her training or struggles along the way.

The side characters didn't leave much of an impression on me either - they were okay, but nothing special. Usually, it's the characters that really make a story for me, but in this case, it was the evolving plot and the vividly described world that kept me engaged.

And the ending left me eager to know what happens next. Overall, despite not connecting strongly with the characters, I found the storyline to be quite captivating.

Thank you to netgalley and Page Street Publishing for Providing me the e-Review Copy.

4 star rating from me. Lovely book. Amazing storyline. The plot os fantastic. So so good. But it's not one of my favorite reads so far.

OH MY GOD!!! THIS IS SO GOOD!!! LIKE SO GOOD!! Like I have no words!! I'm still processing things and I will say I love the magic elements in this book!!!! I liked all of this book!!!

Absolutely loved this story! YA isn't usually for me but found this story to be riveting! I do wish we got more background on our FMCs training but overall I really enjoyed the book!

DNF At 30%.
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.
The premis of the book seemed incredible! There was a great magic system set in place, but some of the world building wasn’t fully explained/fleshed out. Many of the characters also fell a bit flat, but I’m not sure if that’s just me. I’m sure this book would appeal to others, but I ended up losing interest.

Maybe I wasn't in the mood for a fantasy, I have read two fantasies already this year, but idk, I was a little bored through it and it took me a while to finish. It is okay, but sometimes, for me, the plot was a little up and down

Im afraid this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea, although I see a lot of potential in it, I barely got through it because its too slow in some parts, reading it felt like a chore

I read this and then listened to the audio a couple of weeks later to see if maybe that would help it sink in. Alas, I am still confused as to exactly what happened in this novel.

There's nothing inherently wrong with it, I think that maybe I read too fast to have caught all the intricacies.

I loved this book! The MC Sirscha gave off Celaena Sardothien vibes and the story as a whole reminded me for Shadow and Bone (the show, sadly haven’t read the books yet but that’s next up on my tbr after this series).

You have magic wielders described in a way that reminded me of Avatar the Last Airbender. Their magic is elemental based but there are different types beneath each element. You also have shadow and light wielders. Of course our magical beings all have familiars! There are dragon like creatures which are badass. And I’m just so in love with the world building.

This story is a little dark, but has strong friendships, beautiful detailed fight scenes, and a couple potential love interests (both I love and can’t decide who I want her to end up with—if she ends up with anyone). Though romance is not really seen much in this book, there are connections and chemistry that I felt between the characters. These connections though could be just great friendships though.

Overall, I loved this book. It’s a great start for a series in a crazy magic filled world. Full of chaos and friendships. If you love magic, fantasy, clever bad ass females, and adventure pick up this book!

Thank you Netgalley and Hear Our Voices for gifting me a copy of this book!

This is such a great fantasy with hauntingly beautiful world-building and a unique plot. My favorite part of this book was the friendship as the focus over romantic love. It was done so well!

I was sent an ebook copy of this title in preparation to read an advance copy of Calling of Light.

I was immediately sucked in with Sirscha and her goal-oriented focus. So many tropes that I love are included here: an orphan girl with no knowledge of her parents being trained in the arts of combat and stealth when hidden power awakens. Plus a strong female friendship? It’s a win all around.

I feel like Lee did a great job also of calling out the things we find unbelievable in fantasy. Like, this girl suddenly knows what’s best after a month of barely working in her powers? Hmm. No.

There is a (for me) refreshing lack of romance in this book as well. It might be set up for romantic relationships to develop in the future, but this book stuck to the bonds of friendship, mentorship, and tenuous alliances to make its point.

I loved it and am diving immediately into book 2!

I really enjoyed this YA fantasy! It's a great introduction to high fantasy with the world building, writing style, and characters. It also sets a strong foundation for the rest of the books in this series. I think the author did a fantastic job. Would recommend.

I received an e-arc from Page Street in advance of the release of Calling of Light. I also listened to part of the book on audio.

This was one of the best fantasy reads I’ve had in a long time! There are so many things to love like the descriptions of the cities (Vos Gillies was my favourite), the depth of the worldbuilding and how Lee does not shy away from naming the persecution and prejudice the Shamanborn have faced. The prose is decadent and every sentence is beautifully crafted.

I loved the friendship and connection between Sirscha and Saengo the most, but I also interested and emotionally invested in all the other characters throughout the book.

Another thing that I appreciated is that there is no romance in this book. Given Sirscha’s position and the fight for survival that she’s always endured, it made sense that there was no romance subplot or clear love interest yet. It was more heartfelt to see Sirscha just make friends, honestly.

I know I’m going to reread this one again and can’t wait for the rest of the series.

Content warning: spiders (descriptive)

Such a great start to this fantasy series! I was so happy to get to read a fantasy book about Asian characters and I’m so glad that books with Asian representation are more readily accessible now than when I was growing up! Sirscha is an orphan who comes from nothing and through her training and hard work is in the running to compete to become the queen’s royal spy. When her best friend Saengo is killed by shamans, Sirscha somehow brings her back to life and realizes that she is a shaman herself. She is then summoned by the Spider king to help keep the Dead Wood at bay while attempting to master her craft. Little does she know that she will be entrenched in a fight to save her country from war.

Sirscha is such a powerful main character and I love that she is on a journey to determine not only who she is but also her own self worth. This is also a story of friendship and sisterhood which I always enjoy reading about. Like most fantasy novels there are numerous characters, places, and creatures and was happy that the author included a glossary at the beginning which was really helpful. I really do like the author’s writing and how detailed and descriptive the scenes are set up so that I can really picture it in my mind. My one critique is that I would have loved a bit more of the back story and relationship building between Sirscha and Saengo. I hope to see more of this in the next 2 books!

This was a fun, fast read. It's great if you're looking for a palate cleanser and want something quick and that you will love.

Thank you Netgalley, Lori M. Lee and the publisher for providing this copy for me to read!

I found myself reading through this fairly quickly, it was quite nice! The worldbuilding was interesting, I liked the plot, and the magic system was also intriguing and had me quite entertained all along. I also liked the way information was revealed - it wasn't all out of the blue, but also not immediately visible since page one. And I loved the friendship between our FMC and her best friend!

Think you'll like this if you like Young Adult/Fantasy and cool fight scenes!

Overall, enjoyed reading this, and will possibly read the second book too!

I devoured this book, because it was so much fun. I loved Sirscha's character and also her interactions with others that bring out all the different sides of her. The magic system and politics in this novel were also intriguing.

Sirscha is a fun protagonist and seeing her overcome both external and internal struggles was interesting to read and her growth was well done. The relationships she had with each character were also unique, though she is only really close with Saengo for the majority of the novel. While this wasn't the most exciting part of the novel, I would say, I hope that there are more complexities and layers revealed in the sequel. The other important side characters couldn't really shine much, but since it's the first book in this series, I didn't mind a lot, especially since the focus was so much on Sirscha and Saengo which was also quite important.

The world building was explained and shown gradually throughout the book and not all at once which made it more interesting to learn about and not too overwhelming. It made sense plot-wise as Sirscha was just discovering more information on the Shamans and Shadowblessed gradually with new experiences. In general, I thought the different abilities were great, since there were so many, but it didn't feel random as they were organised into groups (like the different callings of shamans). The Dead Wood was such a unique place in the novel as well. I liked both the idea and execution very much.

The plot also mostly moved at the right space, so it wasn't boring which constantly led me to continue reading the novel, although the beginning was sort of slow. The glossary was very helpful, especially in the beginning.

What I want more of though is just more depth to the important side characters and more of an exploration of Sirscha's powers in the sequel which I will definitely be reading.

Book Review
Title: Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee (Shamanborn Book 1)
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4 Stars
Forest of Souls sounded really interesting from the synopsis so I couldn’t wait to get into it. We are introduced to Sirscha Ashwyn, who is currently a soldier in the Queen’s Company and training with the Queen’s Shadow, Kendara in the hopes of becoming her apprentice. The Shadow is essentially both a spy and assassin for the Queen and within a month Kendara will have to name her official apprentice. However, during a routine mission with the Queen’s Company, Sirscha finds out that she might not be named as apprentice, she knew Kendara had other apprentices but didn’t even consider the fact that she might not be picked which is weighing on her mind. The other apprentice in the company, Jonyah, hates Sirscha and he seems to be favoured by Kendara going on a real mission rather than the errands she has been sent on and decides to get there before him, thus proving herself to Kendara that she is worthy of the role of Shadow but I have a feeling things aren’t going to go according to plan. We know that the company is heading to the prison where those known as Shamanborn are being imprisoned but we don’t know why other than the ruler changed.
Sirscha doesn’t manage to beat Jonyah there but she instantly recognises that the men in the corner are Shaman and not escapees from the prison meaning they have come from the Shaman country. This sparks the questions of what they are doing in Evewyn when they are treated poorly there and Sirscha knows it was a trap meant for Kendara but she sent Jonyah instead. A fight breaks out between Sirscha, Jonyah and the Shaman although Jonyah can’t make up his mind about if he is fighting the Shaman or Sirscha. One Shaman sets fire to the teahouse severely injuring Jonyah but Sirscha escapes because of the bracelet Kendara gave her as it is resistant to magic. However, in fighting one of the Shaman, Saengo, Sirscha’s best friend, is caught in the crossfire and ends up dead. Somehow, Sirscha uses magic to bring Saengo back but it reveals her to be a Shaman and a unique one at that but she had no idea about it. She is of course brought to the prison until her fate can be determined but she and Saengo are eventually summoned by Ronin, the Spider King and Keeper of the peace treaty between the Kingdoms. He is also the protector of the Dead Wood, a place where souls are bound to trees, while both girls are anxious at passing through Sirscha knows Ronin might have the answers she wants if she can’t get back to Kendara.
Going through the Dead Wood gives them some problems as it attacks them but Sirscha uses her new power to get them through before Ronin himself appears to lead them to Spinner’s End. There he explains to Sirscha that she is a soul guide one of the rarest callings there is and it has become the stuff of legends, but she has also made Saengo into her familiar meaning without her she can’t perform magic at all. This is also a hinderance because familiar can’t be far away from the person they are bonded to for long without fading meaning if Saengo spends too much time away from Sirscha she will completely disappear in a way. This means that unconsciously in saving Saengo’s life, Sirscha has taken all autonomy from her best friend. Sirscha ends up striking a deal with Ronin for information about the attack in exchange for bringing the Dead Wood under control but she only has two weeks to learn control over her magic.
Soon after, she begins to train with Theyen, a Shadowblessed Prince but he realises that Sirscha doesn’t believe she is in danger the way she did when they were in the wood and can’t summon her craft. In the meantime, Sirscha has been trying to uncover the secrets of the Dead Wood believing that in order to fulfil her bargain with Ronin, the best thing is to deal with the source of the problem but he doesn’t even think on this for a moment. Things become more pressing when it turns out that Saengo has the rot, a disease caused by the Dead Wood that attacks the familiar of shaman and eventually kills them but they have caught it early. This drives Sirscha more to destroy the Dead Wood for good thinking it will cure the rot but she needs to learn her craft quickly so she seeks to visit the most knowledgeable person she knows, Kendara. She accompanies Ronin to his encampment where escaped shaman are looking for sanctuary he can’t offer because of his role as the peace keeper but he does direct them north. However, the shaman refers to Sirscha as the Little Sun God because of her rare calling but among them is one of the would be assassins. He is shot with an arrow but before he can die, he tells Sirscha that they were betrayed as they were promised sanctuary by the Queen which doesn’t make any sense to her.
Now having left Saengo behind at Spinner’s End to receive treatment, she needs to seek out Kendara and find out what is going on in order to summon her craft, fulfil her bargain with the Spider King and save her best friend and familiar. Sirscha is desperately trying to learn her craft but even going back into the Dead Wood, the only place she has summoned it outside of saving Saengo doesn’t work. She decides to ask Ronin about getting rid of the wood altogether but he immediately shuts her down and tells her not to pursue this line of thinking any more making her more curious about what he is hiding. She does some more investigating and feels something in Spinner’s End calling out to her and assumes it is Ronin’s familiar. Things definitely aren’t adding up and Sirscha wants to know why so she tries to seek out Kendara in the port city only to be arrested as faced with Prince Meilek once more. The Prince ends up telling her that Kendara is missing and left her a note which seems to be guiding her to a book in Spinner’s End. She uses this time to help some shamanborn escape but it does lead to her battling the Prince before he allows them to escape. She ends up realising the one helping the Shamanborn wasn’t Kendara but the Prince all along.
Upon returning to Spinner’s End, Sirscha seeks out Theyen for help in figuring out what is happening. The pair try to get into the part of Spinner’s End the magic is coming from but end up being caught by Ronin and warned not to enter there again. Sirscha is now sure Ronin is hiding something there but more pressing matters concern her since Saengo’s rot has progressed to a point where healers can no longer help and they are heading North to meet with the other leaders the following morning. Sirscha is convinced that destroying the Dead Wood will save Saengo and decides to head back to Spinner’s End when everyone is North to find out what Ronin is hiding and to try and destroy the wood. In the North, there is an assassination attempt on Sirscha and Prince during the meeting at the grasslands since they have discovered a plot created by Queen Meilyr to create war between the nations and Ronin is helping her. They end up confronting Jonyah who confirms this before Sirscha kills him but she also comes to realisation that she is a soulrender not a soulguide. Sirscha sends the Prince to warn the others, as well as protect saengo and stop the Queen if he can while Yandor and sirscha head back to Spinner’s End to find out the truth while Ronin is occupied.
Getting through the Dead Wood seems to be a problem but Theyen appears and uses his shadow gate to get them safely to Spinner’s End while Sirscha goes after the magic summoning her. She is frantic during this as she can feel Saengo dying with each passing hour and knows if she doesn’t succeed her another friend will be taken from her. What she finds Ronin hiding the something no one would have ever considered and it is more deadly than anything Sirscha imagined. Ronin then makes an appearance knowing that their plan for an ambush has been rumbled and knowing Sirscha would head back. A battle takes place between the pair and Sirscha ends up using her craft in order to kill him before setting fire to the abomination there and thinking she has succeeded in destroying the Dead Wood. Upon returning back north there is chaos but she finds Prince Meilek and Saengo but she is still dying. Sirscha calls upon her craft again to save her friend and while she pushes the infection back it doesn’t appear to have vanished. This turns the tide of the battle especially since the Prince has now turned himself against the Queen and Sirscha seems to leaning towards the Sun Warriors since that was the crest of her mother and Kendara. However, in the final pages Sirscha realises she has made a grave mistake in killing Ronin since his power was the only thing containing the evil within Spinner’s End and now it is awake and claiming back the souls of the Dead Wood. Going forward into book two, I think Sirscha is going to learn about her mother, Kendara and her own personal history while working on her craft to stop the evil she unleashed and the big battle will take place in book three.

> Western Fantasy w/ Asian Rep
> Elemental Magic w/ a mixture western/pagan inspired magic
> Creepy & Dangerous Forest
> Tyrannical Government & fractured kingdoms
> Single POV

This was a fun & easy read! I enjoyed the dark atmosphere and the magic that Sirscha gains. I think Sirscha can be a little repetitive, but ultimately she's really unsure of herself from the jump. She's dealt with being an orphan, lower on the hierarchical scale, always put down for her appearance and status. She gains a power that goes beyond herself and I'm wondering how she'll handle it in the next two books! Her love for Sango is the main reason she keeps going and along the way she learns new things about the government she was once meant to serve, & about herself.

I'd definitely recommend if you want a dark ya fantasy (inspired by traditional western fantasy) written by a bipoc author!