I so loved the start to this fantasy world and enjoyed the set up for the next one! I was taken away in this book and loved diving into the world building!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

(i received an arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

while Forestborn had a promising start, i just could not really get into the world-building. and normally, i love myself a slow-burn, but this was dragging itself out for far too long.

Cover Story: If I’m Too Much, Go Find Less

There is a lot going on here! A bird, that I now realize is a Goshawk, and an outline of our main character, Rora, which I am embarrassed to say took me forever to notice, probably because I was distracted by all the stars and the trees (which are a lovely matte gold on the physical book). Underneath the dust jacket is a navy blue cover and a small gold foil Goshawk in the middle, which is more impactful and beautiful than said dust jacket.

The Deal:

Rora is a shifter in the Kingdom of Telyan in the city of Roanin, who works as a spy for King Gerar. Feared by the people for her magical ability, she has only her shifter brother, Helos, and close friend, Prince Finley, by her side. Rora has been charged to investigate a new magical sickness that is killing off the people in the kingdom called the Fallow Throes. She soon discovers Finley is infected and when the King learns of his youngest’s diagnosis, he sends Rora off to find the only cure, stardust. Getting stardust is easier said than done and it means venturing into The Vale, a magical wilderness where Rora and her brother grew up and swore never to return.

Unable to refuse the King’s command and also to save her dear friend Finely, Rora, Helos and Prince Weslyn, Finley’s older brother, head into the Vale to procure the stardust from the giants (yes, there is all manner of magical beings in this book) They encounter not only a magical ever-changing landscape, but also humans who want nothing more than to see magic gone from their land. It’s a race against the clock to secure the stardust and save the people from the Fallow Throes while also staying alive themselves.

BFF Charm: Yay

Yay BFF Charm
Rora is the definition of strong female lead and like any good character, there is growth from her. She is her own therapist and I am in awe. Growing up in The Vale definitely added to her resilience and determination. Although she can be a bit headstrong and stubborn, it is not without merit. I would absolutely be best friends with a badass shifter.

Swoonworthy Scale: 6

Rora’s on a mission to save her only friend! She doesn’t have time for wandering eyes…or does she?! There are some lingering glances and confusion from Rora because Weslyn has been nothing but a royal ass to her since she showed up in Roanin. It’s less hostile than enemies to lovers, and it’s nice that you get to see Rora and Weslyn get to know each other more and open up to one another since they’re both so guarded. There’s a kiss that is 100% worth the wait and that is all I will say about that!

Talky Talk: Poetic AF

I really love Becker’s writing; it’s almost melodic and flows nicely (especially if you’re audiobooking). The dialogue is great but it’s Rora’s narration that is the driving force of this book. Getting to know what she’s thinking and getting her perspective on everything helps bring you into her world and helps rally you to her cause. She is such a likable character. Any other perspective and I think it would have taken me completely out of the story. Becker was great at getting across the urgency of situations without making them feel rushed or messy. I loved how lush and vibrant the ever changing settings were, or as vibrant as medieval times can get. Because of the fantasy setting, you never got the cringe dialogue that would happen in a modern high school. Everyone spoke like adults because they all had to grow up quickly.

Bonus Factor: Magical Animals and Magical Forest

A forest of tree trunks with glowing lights all around near the ground
Marrow sheep, widow bats and changeling wolves, OH MY! There are so many interesting, dangerous, and magical animals inside the vale and Rora and co. encounter them all. I loved that the magic was so strong in the vale it caused the land to shift. Learning about the different magical animals, herbs and people inside The Vale definitely made me love this book even more.

Relationship Status: Another!! *Smashes Cup Like Thor*


The book leaves us on a cliffhanger with like zero closure and a war brewing *grumble* but since the next book in this duology is out already, you don’t need to wait to find out what happens! How exciting! I loved this book. The well developed characters, the magic (it gets me every time), and the plot were so compelling. It’s impossible not to be captivated with the world Becker has created.

Literary Matchmaking

Seven Endless Forests
Check out Seven Endless Forests by April Genevieve Tucholke for a strong female lead on a quest to save a loved one.


House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1)
For more magical beings and a fantasy setting, you should read House of Earth and Blood (Crescent City #1) by Sarah J. Maas.


Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha #1)
Need another story of a king outlawing magic and threatening magical people? Read Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha #1) by Tomi Adeyemi.

FTC Full Disclosure: I received this book from Macmillan and have not received payment or stardust for this review. Forestborn is available now.

Forestborn is a delightful and atmospheric young adult fantasy that balances the power of friendship, traversing political schemes and traps, and slow burn romance well.

Readers will be treated to an interesting magic system, well developed world building and political maps, and craftful storytelling.

Looking forward to the next!

Forestborn is a very mesmerizing fantasy novel! The story is written in a gorgeous prose and immediately pulls you in. The story is very fast-paced, and all the characters are complex. The novel also has a fairytale feel. Therefore, I recommend this fans of Juliet Marillier, Robin McKinley, and Margaret Rogerson!

This did not hold my attention. The plot was vague and yet all too familiar. I do not recommend YA librarians purchase this book.

Although parts of this one was slower and a little draggy I still enjoyed the read. And I am glad I have book two. The characters were great and the fantasy aspect worked well.

I unfortunately couldn't get into this title. It was pretty bland to me. I'm sure it will appeal to fans of fantasy.

I was really excited for Forestborn because it seemed to be everything I love in a fantasy novel. Hate to love romance, with the added element of being in a forest for most of the book? Sign me up. Unfortunately, this felt way too much like a cliché YA novel that has been printed a dozen hundred times. It was sitting at a 3 star for most of the book, when something bumped it up a tiny notch at a 3.5. I do not think I will be continuing with this series, sadly.

forestborn was a lush tale of magic, shape-shifting, and adventure. i am always a sucker for a quest and slow-burn romance, and i was very excited when i received an advance copy of this book. unfortunately, it did not end up being a standout YA fantasy novel for me, so i'm going to keep this review short.

i liked wes's character - i found him endearing - and rora was a compelling narrator at times; however, the parts i enjoyed were subsumed by the story's slow pacing.

that being said, i did very much appreciate elayne audrey becker's prose, and i look forward to reading more of her work! i would recommend this book for fans of "for the wolf" by hannah whitten and the queens of renthia series by sarah beth durst.

many thanks to netgalley, macmillan-tor/forge, and tor teen for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Just a classic adventure quest to save the prince and cure a plague YA fantasy. However, it is beautifully written with excellent descriptions. Reminded me of The Books of Bayern series by Shannon Hale.

Rora is a shifter - able to change her appearance as well as shift into three different animal forms. With her brother Helos, also a shifter, she fled their home in Caela Ridge when they were just children, from a massacre that killed not only her family, but destroyed their entire village. Eventually finding their way to Telyan, the capitol city of a neighboring kingdom, where each finds their own place, Rora as a spy for the king and Helos as an apprentice healer. Unlike Rora, who uses her shifting ability to help in her job as a spy, Helos does not use his abilities openly; magic, and magic users, are not well thought of in Telyan. Along with Weslyn, the king's middle child, they are sent on a quest to find a cure for a rapidly spreading illness that seems to be magical in nature.

Set in a fantasy world, where prejudice against those with magic is common, this novel explores the issues of prejudice, against refugees, and against those who are different, as the three quest to find the cure for the illness; it also explores how exposure to members of a stereotyped group can break down the walls of prejudice and change minds. For the most part, I quite enjoyed this novel, and looked forward to seeing if the three could find a cure, bring it back, and see if it worked - but like so many first novels today that are written as the first of a series, this novel doesn't come to a conclusion; it is, rather, the first part of a serial. Rather than conclude the quest and start another, the quest is left unfinished, and yet another quest will be needed to develop a conclusion to the first novel, and I always find that unsatisfying. It is one thing to leave an opening for a continuation; it's something else to leave a story incomplete. It is that issue more than anything else that dropped this novel from 5 stars to 4.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A delightful book full of adventure, action, and thrills. Fun to read, engrossing world building, and very descriptive imagery made it feel like it was cinematic. It's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. Would recommend.

Historically, I don't really love the concept of "shifters". I've always found it a bit strange, and not in a good way. But the author managed to keep my interest despite my awkward feelings about the main character.

I've been on a big fantasy kick, and this did not disappoint! I fell in love with the intriguing magic system,and the characters were so interesting! I really appreciated the incorporation of nature. I can't wait to purchase a copy for myself and recommend this book for our library's collection!

DNF at 20%. I'm afraid I just didn't click with the main character of this book; this being a fairly typical YA fantasy quest, I really needed something strong to hook me in the opening chapters, but my failure to get on with Rora's narration made it difficult for me to enjoy the plot. Those not burnt out on the YA fantasy genre will likely enjoy this a lot, though, as it seems like all the seeds are there for a very traditional story - this is very much a personal preference and not an indictment of the writing!

4.5/5 Rounded up

FORESTBORN ended up being such an unexpected delight. I knew I would like it, but I liked it SO much more than I expected. Honestly, this book has so many unique things about it that it honestly felt refreshing. The world-building, magic system, plot and characters all hooked me and really held my interest very well. This is a world filled with mystical creatures, giants, and shifters, all portrayed by the author in ways I haven't seen before. I adored Rora so much. Her character is really relatable and you can't help but root for her as she finds herself teaming up with her brother and a grumpy prince to save her best friend from a magical illness that plagues the land. She's really well-developed and really gripping to watch. I am a big fan of Weslyn and Rora as a romance, the antagonists to friends to maybe lovers someday dynamic was something I loved to watch. Rora's relationship with her brother was sweet too. A quest for stardust and a cure to the Fallow Throes turns into a quest where the destiny of nations and all of humanity is at stake, and Rora must overcome the prejudices she is faced with as a shifter and embrace the strengths that makes others hate her to prevail . The plot keeps trucking along and never lags, which I will tell you is a feat. And there's a major plot twist towards the end of the book I didn't see coming at all, which is a big deal coming from me. FORESTBORN is a story about doing the right thing when it costs you, and was a vividly imagined YA Fantasy debut I really enjoyed, and I can't wait for the next book to see where Rora, Helos and Weslyn all go.

I really enjoyed this book and I really want to read more books from this author in the future. I really loved the book cover as well.

Really tried to love this book and really tried to push through, this book is written in first person, which I believe is the main reason I didn't enjoy this book. I think the book would have flowed better if written in third although that's my personal opinion and I know that's not other people's cups of tea. The writing from what I read was very good and the story flowed nicely with the dialog. However, I did not finish this book, hence the 3 star review rather than higher or lower. I believe this story will be enjoyed by other's especially those who like and enjoy reading first person books. The cover of the book is stunning and I believe the general public will also adore the cover.