THE FORGOTTEN EARTH BY BRILYNN O’NEAL
He is the solider who is supposed to kill her for the knowledge she stole but she is the one that gets him to fight for her instead. In Coria where the elite have so much power, food supply, access to education and all they could ever have. They treated other people awfully rationing their food their movements and also their access to information. In a region where information is burned, and solders are ruthless and the forgotten are treated terribly their resources all taken their food rationed.
Willow is like a guardian angel helping those who need she is just another forgotten but she helps everyone even if she is left with nothing. While Liam may not be an elite, he is their solider probably their best solider if you believe the rumours. Liam just wants to escape the elite and not work for them anymore but Willow during a dire situation convinces him to help her and her friend.
Power and authority- those in power in coria tend to misuse it all the time for instance the way the elite treat the forgotten draining from their supplies and subjecting them to labour while they enjoy all the good stuff. The emperor all used his power terribly by controlling the Claeg to destroy any threatening communities. We also see willow use her power to actually do some good in the world build hope.
Conflict in these world they are always pledged with conflict for instance the forgotten fight each day to survive the ruthlessness of the elite. The people fight for the resources as the land is completely dead. The battle of Claeg who are vicious and essentially killing machines. Every single situation was hight stakes
Love and friendships in these world where things are uncertain bonds of friendships are made in unlikely places for instance Liam’s friendship with Marvin who work together and don’t even seem to like each other turn out not to be just the best of friends but also allies. Willow who is a forgotten and Marcus who is an elite working above her become such close friends that they end up becoming allies and lastly Liam and Leeann, going from unlikely allies to friends. Finally, Willow and Liam falling in love with each other.
Willow is kind to the point of giving someone else who has no food her food. She is absolutely brave and hopeful maybe too much hopeful, annoyingly stubborn to the people around her but they love her for it. She loves reading and that was one of the qualities I loved the most about her.
Liam is a soldier, so he is driven and motivated and also very determined. He is emotionally closed off due to trauma and hence very robotic. He is selfless as in many occasions he has offered himself as the last line of defence. He is just as stubborn as willow direct quote from a character who knows Willow so well
The story was intriguing from the beginning to the end. It kept me at the edge of my seat, as it was always action-packed and adventurous. The sentences were easy to follow, and the story was well-curated. I also loved every supporting character in the book.
The most memorable thing in the book was when Olivia told Liam he is as stubborn as Willow. The use of willow reading knowledge to help solve their problems. When Liam offers himself up as bait to save everyone even when most of them hated him that so slayed.

I loved the book the setting was amazing. The magic system was simple but easily understandable you get to learn a lot that is happening in this world as the characters are also learning it. The characters were different had layers to them and were likable. Even the supporting characters had depth and some back story.
There were things I wanted to know that were just glazed over for instance we are told the world started dying I wanted to know what caused the world to start dying in the first place. I wanted to here more about what the world was during Circe’s time. I wanted to know why Liam was the way he was. What happened to all the elites? We know they didn’t just disappear. I have a lot of questions but that is normal with a fantasy. I do not know if there will be a sequel but if there is I will read it for sure

The Forgotten Earth by Brilynn O'Neal is a gripping dystopian fantasy romance packed full of hidden magic, rebellion and top notch banter with a sprinkle of spice.

I'm usually not one to pick up a dystopian fantasy, but this one was hands down one of my favorites and I can't wait for book 2! I will admit that it was slightly slow in the beginning but picked the pace up fast and had me devouring the whole story. Willow, the FMC, is my favorite being she's a booktrovert and yearns for the knowledge to bring Earth back to its once glorious state. The other main characters Liam and Olivia are also amazing and the banter between the 3 of them had me bursting out with laughter at part.

The world-building and magic system is far better then I expected for a debut novel and we get to see more of how the magics work farther into the book which was nice to see. Overall, I really enjoyed this read and would recommend it to anyone who loves dystopian fantasy, banter, and rebellion in their books!

Thank you to NetGalley, Regenerative Lives and Brilynn O'Neal for providing the eARC!

The Forgotten Earth by Brilynn O’Neal is a captivating debut novel that masterfully blends dystopian elements with a touch of romance and fantasy. Set in a world where Earth magic pulses through the land, the story follows Willow a smart, fierce and determined FMC as she navigates a society divided by elites and plagued by terrifying creatures known as Claeg —reminiscent of zombies.

Willow’s journey is complicated by her forbidden love for Liam, a broody and broken MMC whose mysterious past adds depth to their relationship. O’Neal excels in developing well-rounded, emotionally complex characters that make their struggles both relatable and compelling. The world-building is immersive, weaving together themes of power, survival, and connection with a touch of magical realism.

This NetGalley ARC was a thrilling read, showcasing O’Neal’s ability to craft a rich, tense atmosphere while keeping readers invested in the characters’ fates. If you’re a fan of dystopian romantasy with strong world-building, Earth magic, and intense character dynamics, The Forgotten Earth is definitely worth picking up.

This was an interesting read, I enjoyed the story line and how it kept you wondering throughout the story. The characters were dinamic and captivating.

2/5 ⭐

Disappointed is how I felt at the end of the book. I was really thinking to DNF it by the middle but I was hoping that the situation might become better which never did.

The story is not very well written with a lot of plot holes and too many questions left unanswered. The romance is almost non existent and where there is hope for it feels so unnatural and flat. I couldn't care about the characters. When it comes to world building you can get a glimpse of it by the end of the book but by that time it is a bit too late.

Overall, it seemed that there is no purpose of all the actions of the characters.

I come to think after this book that maybe I dropped out of the dystopian books and I don't find them so interesting. Maybe this will be a hit for someone in their dystopian era.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis for ‘The Forgotten Earth’ drew me in immediately and I was quite excited to read about the smart woman stealing forbidden books, the soldier tasked with killing her, and their dystopian society. The story sounded intriguing.

Characterisation is extremely important to me as a reader. There are two protagonists in ‘The Forgotten Earth’: Willow, the woman who steals forbidden books, and Liam, the soldier who is supposed to kill her. They are the most developed characters in the story and while both have their good points I found a lot of important aspects of their backstory and their arcs to be glossed over or ignored. This meant they felt incomplete as main characters. The secondary characters fared even worse with their development never being more than surface level. This includes the main antagonist, who I can only describe as a ‘cartoon-villain’. This meant I never really cared much about what happened to any of them.

The world-building and setting in this novel can also be described as under-developed. There is only one paragraph towards the end of the book which offers a possible explanation for how the world ended up barren and full of Claeg, without really explaining anything at all. There is no explanation of who the Elite are or how they got to be in positions of power. There is no explanation of why only three people managed to develop elemental powers or how it was possible.

Which leads me to the plot. This was probably the strongest part of the storytelling and even then it fell extremely flat. The first half of the book set up the romance and the introduction of elemental magic. The second half of the book was rushed to squeeze in a heap of action and obstacles for the protagonists to overcome while showcasing their growing power and why they are the ‘chosen ones’. The ending itself was somewhat satisfying but because of all the previous problems mentioned I was also glad to have finished it.

Overall, ‘The Forgotten Earth’ has an excellent premise but unfortunately the execution is disappointing.

I absolutely loved this book. The style was impressive and the general story kept me entertained.

Willow was an absolute favorite of mine and I really enjoyed that the author took the time to dive deep into each character in the story.

I look forward to book 2 and the promises that it’ll be even better than the first!

I thoroughly enjoyed this dystopian romantasy novel!! It had a huge broken earth with magic healing being a main counterpart to this juxtaposed world. The earth is dying due to the actions of humans and Willow is determined to find a way to help. She has a run in with Liam, a young man questioning the government he’d been loyal to for so long.
I feel for Liam. He goes through so much from the very beginning by being broken down and lied to from the beginning. The side characters were all amazing as well! They had huge contributions to the story.

I really wanted to like this book, but it missed the mark on almost every level. The premise had so much potential—set in a post-apocalyptic world with a desperate quest to revive life on Earth—but unfortunately, the story fell flat.

The writing felt stiff and uninspired, often relying on awkward, overused phrases to express emotions, leaving me disconnected from the characters. I couldn’t feel any of the supposed intensity because the descriptions of how the characters were feeling became repetitive and mechanical. Every time the characters smiled, smirked, or frowned, it felt like it was just a placeholder for actual emotional depth.

The pacing was another problem. It was like the author was checking off boxes rather than letting the plot flow naturally. Things happened when they were supposed to, but not in a way that felt earned. There was no organic buildup to the supposed “big moments,” and it was so easy to predict what would happen next.

The world-building was weak at best. There are too many questions left unanswered. Why are some characters considered "special"? Why are there vague references to a secret society or world-ending events that are never fully explained? It left me frustrated, unable to connect with the world or its rules.

The characters were all one-dimensional and unrealistic. Liam’s character was particularly troubling. As a captain, he was complicit in terrible actions that he never tried to stop, yet he’s the supposed love interest? That’s just not okay. Willow, the protagonist, is just as problematic. Despite her tragic backstory, she brushes over major issues and doesn’t process anything in a way that makes sense. It felt like the author was trying to create complex characters but instead ended up with flat, unlikable figures who had no real emotional depth.

The romance was non-existent. There was no chemistry between Willow and Liam, and it came out of nowhere. I didn’t understand why they were suddenly involved, and even when they were supposed to be having a tender moment, it just felt forced.

Overall, this book had serious issues. It lacked the thoughtful character development, world-building, and writing needed to make it even remotely enjoyable. It was full of tropes, missed opportunities, and, frankly, bad writing. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. 1 aka 0 ⭐.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. Willow, Liam, and Oliva are each likeable, well developed and work well together. I love the comic relife Olivia brings to an otherwise dark world with her sarcasm and wit. I love that Willow is a smart FMC and Liam is a broken flawed MMC that you can root for. There was some dialogue between the two that felt rushed and more of an info dump to move the relationship forward than an organic conversation but other than that I enjoyed their romantic subplot and loved what each of them brought to the table.

I liked the combination of a destroyed dystopian wasteland with restorative elemental magic. I felt like there were some consistency and logic issues that pulled me out of the story but at the end of the day I think this was a solid debut novel and O'Neal is an author to watch.


3.5 rounded up

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book didn’t hit the landing for me, there were issues in too many areas for me to enjoy the reading experience and become immersed in the story.

- while we’re in an apocalyptic setting with zombie like creatures, at no point did I feel any real sense or danger or urgency. I didn’t worry about our characters because I didn’t feel like they were ever really in danger

- too many plot conveniences/telling not showing. Problems were solved instantly and I didn’t form any attachment to the characters because everything was told instead of being shown by their actions

- the characters were very flat, again I didn’t feel like I was getting to know them much, especially Olivia who just popped up for a line or two to continue the story

- the magic and world building was not explained in a way that was compelling - this was such an interesting concept and I wanted to know way more, especially when they first left the city and were out in the wild.

*The Forgotten Earth* by Brilynn O'Neal explores a post-apocalyptic world where environmental collapse has left humanity struggling to survive. As a group of survivors navigates the remnants of the earth, themes of rediscovery, survival, and rebuilding lost knowledge emerge. The novel blends intriguing world-building with a focus on survival, but its pacing and character development may leave some readers wanting more.

While the concept of a forgotten earth and its ecological challenges is captivating, the pacing is uneven, and some sections feel slow or overly detailed. The characters, though interesting, aren't always fully developed, making it harder to connect with their journey. However, O'Neal excels at creating a vivid world, offering a fresh take on the consequences of environmental decline. Overall, *The Forgotten Earth* presents an engaging premise, but its execution may not resonate with everyone.

**Rating:** ★★★ (3/5)

If you enjoy strong world-building and environmental themes, *The Forgotten Earth* has its moments, but uneven pacing and character depth may limit its impact for some readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Regeneration Lives for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review!

The Forgotten Earth feels like the start of something truly extraordinary. Brilynn O’Neal crafts a haunting world teetering on extinction—where plant life is a myth, the earth is barren, and humanity’s survival is a fragile thread. Compelling characters, rich world-building, and a plot that refuses to let go.

At the heart of this story is Willow, a fiercely intelligent protagonist with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Desperate to save her starving community, she risks everything to uncover forbidden truths hidden in ancient books—truths that could rewrite the future. Joining her is Liam, initially tasked with stopping her but instead becoming her unlikely ally, and Olivia, her unwavering best friend. Together, they ignite a rebellion that challenges the decaying status quo.

The characters are the soul of this book- complex, relatable, and brimming with life. Willow’s determination is infectious, Liam’s moral conflict adds depth, and Olivia’s loyalty ties it all together. The pacing kept me hooked, even if a few moments lingered longer than necessary. Every scene felt purposeful, and I devoured this story like a feast in a famine-stricken world.

O’Neal’s world-building is masterful, painting a stark yet vivid landscape of despair and hope. The contrast between the desolation of the earth and the vibrancy of knowledge and resistance is beautifully executed.

This book isn’t just a story—it’s a call to imagine what we could lose and fight for what matters most. I’m already counting the days until book two. If you love dystopian tales with high stakes, unforgettable characters, and a glimmer of hope in the darkness, The Forgotten Earth should be your next read. Highly recommend

The Forgotten Earth is a dystopian novel that follows two characters in alternating points of view. We learn about this desolate land from the points of Willow and Liam and their interactions with different characters. I wish there was more information about the background, why is the world like this, who are the Claeg, what is the motivation for all these characters. It was a super interesting premise I just was not hooked on the book. For fans of dystopian Earth, this will be a sure hit.

" He is fighting off a horde of flesh eating monsters, his wounds are so severe that he's dying, you are miles away and can feel him struggling to survive through your bond. With your new found powers you beg for the earth magic to save him "

The Forgotten Earth by Brylin O'Neal is a post-apocalyptic adventure with dystopian setting , dangerous creatures, magic, creating a fast-paced fun read. If you’re a fan of The Maze Runner, Fallout, or anything in the post-apocalyptic genre with supernatural elements, then you will probably like this book.

The story is set with humans on the brink of extinction. With the planet dying and the population fighting disease, starvation, and the Glaeg flesh a eating monster , making survival a daily battle. To make matters worse "The Elites" have taken control, enslaving the remaining humans and assigning them to roles within society. Our FMC Willow, works in a laboratory but secretly sneaks into a forbidden library to learn about the old world in the hope of finding a way to restore life to Earth.

Liam our brooding and deadly MMC has been sent by the Elites to kill our girl Willow. Liam is struggling with inner turmoil as he carries the weight of innocent blood on his hands, I mean ......we are introduced to Liam assassinating poor innocent people right off the rip 😅. When Liam meets Willow, he finds himself unable to carry out his mission. There's something about her that sparks hope, and he begins to question everything


A Gleag horde attack the city and Willow and her best friend, Olivia, seize the opportunity to escape. During their escape Willow gets caught by a Cleag. Liam finds and saves Willow from the Gleag, cutting off its head and dragging her back to safety. I mean who doesn't love a knight in not so shiny armor coming to save the day 😝

The only thing I would have liked more would have been more interaction or development between Willow and Liams relationship. I felt it was a quick and would have loved more ❤️

There is so much more about this book I loved and would love to discuss but I don't want to spoil it all 😂 guess you will have to read it 😘

Im excited for more books from this author! I love me a dystopian post-apocalyptic ride or die romance!!!

Post apocalyptic, or maybe more accurately mid-apocalyptic, this story has creatures that hunt humans, a ruler who fancies himself a new “Roman” emperor and a cast of rebels who try to bring life back to barren land. This is a great story for fantasy, sci-fi, and fans of the under dogs. I would love to read a sequel!

*PG-13 romantic scene

What a surprising read this was! Brilynn transports us into a dystopian world that is on the brink of extinction, humanity is dwindling and all plants have vanished. From the very first chapter I was drawn in and incredibly immersed the whole time.

I adored the beautiful references to plants and their uses, I definitely learnt something. The pacing of this story is fast and easy to follow although I wouldn’t mind if it were slower so I could spend more time with these wonderful characters and feel more depth to their journey/past experiences.

I have had 24hours to sit with this book before writing my review and I have so many questions!! (Book 2, please!!)

As I mentioned earlier in regards to the pacing of the story, it was extremely fast but that is not a bad thing as not all books need intense depth but I desperately wanted more, I could have read 600+ pages of this. I have so many questions about our main characters, the world itself but in hindsight I realise Brilynn has done a wonderful job setting up a universe that has captivated me and is definitely going to make me pick up book 2.

The Forgotten Earth releases on February 5th, 2025 and I want to thank NetGalley and Brilynn O’Neal for the opportunity to read this ARC

This is a unique and well written dystopian fantasy, with some dark and heavy themes throughout. For a debut novel, the world building is done well, but slowly throughout the story. I felt at times the book could have been a little faster paced but it held my interest the whole way and I am excited for the next book in the series!📚
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In a world where the dwindling human race is broken into a hierarchy and guarded against the Claeg, a nomadic group of monsters that arrived around the time plant life and vegetation died out across the world, Willow devotes her life to finding a way to bring back the greenery that once covered the earth providing food and medicine. Willow is driven by a thirst for knowledge and a desire to help those around her, even going so far as to evade the military and sneak out of the city and into the abandoned library of banned books in search of answers. However, when she is discovered by the military, the soldier sent to kill her finds himself fighting with her to bring back the rich green world she reads about setting them off on a journey in which they must trust and rely on one another to survive.
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Liam found himself a soldier in a regime that caused him to burry his morals deep down in order to carry out his orders and survive in their troubling world. When he and Willow are thrown together, he is surprised to find an intelligent, brave, and empathetic person who hasn’t been broken by their world of her desire to help others any way she can, even if it means risking her life or her safety to do so. Willow leads him to begin to hope for a different world. The characters are compelling and each have their own trauma and flaws they bring into the story. I enjoyed Willow and Liam’s character development and look forward to reading where O’Neal takes them with this series!!
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🌿Debut novel
✨Dystopian romantasy
🌿Dual POV
✨Open-door
🌿Trigger warnings
✨Banned books
🌿Green thumb
✨Opposing sides to partners/friends to lovers
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Thank you Brilynn O’Neal and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review!
Publishers release date 2/5/2025📚
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“It’s easy to take the things you value for granted and forget how easily they can be taken away. Humans are notoriously forgetful, and we’ve forgotten what we’ve lost.”
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“Books are dangerous. They give you ideas. They give you possibilities. They open doors. They allow you to see what the world could be. And most dangerous of all, they give you hope.”📚
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“I will fight for the world you dream of. I will fight with all I have to make sure you get the chance to live in that world.” 💐

Willow lives her life as a food scientist in a walled city - doing what she can to feed the less fortunate and trying to get as much information as she can from books. But when she attracts the attention of a soldier, Liam, her life changes...and the two must work together to survive what's next.

The book is a really interesting and unusual mix of fantasy and urban dystopian. The Claeg are interesting zombie-like antagonists, and the mix of the fantasy like elements of the plants the Fae and the urban dystopia (with a Mad Max style villain). I think some of the messages of the book, about the importance of caring for each other and our world, is incredibly timely.

Willow and Liam are both very three dimensional characters - Willow is compassionate, but a bit reckless, struggling with long term planning, while Liam is incredibly broody. I wish the rest of the characters had been given such depth. Almost every soldier is a one note character, threatening intimidation and rape, while there is a throwaway line about how Elites mistreat each other which is never really expounded on. What is really the benefit of being an Elite? How does the city of Tarraco survive without crops and by excluding much of the potential workforce? I wish these questions had been answered, and we'd gotten a bit more of a sense of a well-developed, nuanced world.

Set in the future. The earth is barren and food is created in labs. Willow sneaks around stealing books, which are forbidden, and Liam is a solider who is supposed to kill her. Then things in the city fall apart, and they end up having to work together to survive. They both have some kind of unexplained powers with Liam being something of a super soldier and Willow being able to grow plants by will alone. That is never really explained. The book marches on somewhat mechanically and quickly, the romance was unrealistic, and the ending was too abrupt. 2 stars because somehow I was engaged while reading it, but it was overall disappointing.