Stunning photo by @once._upon_a_flower
Hello everyone and welcome to the 5th and final day of the readalong! I’m sad it’s coming to an end already but I’m so excited to find out what is going to happen!
I have really loved this readalong and I hope you have all enjoyed reading this book with me!
Today we’re reading chapters 21 – the end!
Please be warned, the following will include spoilers for Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee. Read only if you have finished the book!
-!SPOILERS!-
The group head off to the North with Saengo really struggling now but putting on a brave face.
Wow, I can’t believe so many people have shown up for this meeting!
Ohh the whole house was made with troll bones to weaken magic users while they’re inside…if I was Sirscha that would definitely make me feel uncomfortable!
So Sirscha plans to sneak away back to spinners end to break Ronin’s bond with his familiar while everyone is still in the north! She only has to leave unnoticed make it through the dead wood alone and figure out how to actually break the bond…simple!
Ohhh if the queen isn’t there already, where could she be? Awaiting the perfect time to attack? Ahh Sirscha is going to find prince Meilek, is she going to tell him what Sanegos father told them?
Okay so the Queen isn’t bringing all of her soldiers so where have the rest of them gone? This is very fishy!
Eyebrow Tattoos! What is he doing here! Whaaaat the queen has sent him and other soldiers to be stationed in the camp and in the Manor House but they’ve not to be seen by the prince?!
Ohhhh they’re going to attack in the house where magic is dampened!
And Ronin is in on it ??
Uh oh, they’ve been led into a trap, and Jonyah is alive! He’s been sent as the queens shadow to retrieve Sirscha alive.
OMG yaaaas Phaut has come to help! But nooo all too quickly she’s been stabbed! This can’t be happening!
Sirscha is trying to fight off one of the knife throwers but he’s too strong and heavy for her and she’s not going to be able to stop him strangling her…except she manages to summon her craft and she just ripped out his soul ? that was crazy!
No way! Sirscha isn’t a soul guide, she’s a soul render! Just like the most powerful shaman before Ronin, the Soulless!
Sirscha almost manages to grab his soul but isn’t quite able to. Oh no, it’s because Saengo is growing weaker causing Sirscha’s magic to weaken also, this isn’t good!
But Sirscha has trained all of her life for this and eventually manages to fight him off before she passes out.
Srischa is so tough! After all she’s just been through she’s still heading off into the dead wood with only Yandor by her side and a semi plan to defeat Ronin!
I also really hope the prince is able to keep Saengo safe while Sirscha is away.
Uh oh, the trees took their time but they start to attack and Yandor and Sirscha go down!
Yaaaas we love the self confidence, you got this Sirscha!
Ooo yaay Theyen and his sass are back ? I really hope he is actually here to help Sirscha cos I do love him a lil bit!
I’d rather not face a giant spider with only my fists either Sirscha but I’d also rather not face a giant spider full stop ? but Sirscha manages to remain so calm while walking towards where she thinks the spinner is!
No, no, no what’s gonna be in the cocoon? I’m not a fan of this ?oh no it’s a body!
The Soulless?? He’s dead but his power is still seeping out! Is that what is causing the woods to expand?
Ahhhh Ronin has caught her! And he’s suspected from the beginning that she’s a soulrender which is why he sent the assasin to try and kill her.
Did Ronin just turn part human part spinner?? How can she defeat that!
Ohh she’s let the soulless’ power in, making it easier for her to summon her craft!
Sirscha manages to defeat Ronin and then sets the cocoon holding the soulless ablaze! I hope the little magic she used won’t corrupt her though!
Anyone else worried that nothing has happened to the woods yet? And now Theyen is mad at her for killing Ronin since he has been the peacekeeper for so long. She can’t catch a break!
Nooo they’re too late! The queen has already attacked!
Poor Saengo isn’t getting better but Sirscha won’t let her die! She somehow manages to grab her soul and temporarily fix the broken bits, reducing the rot to a small cluster. Not only that but witnesses spread the word that the soul guide is here, making the queens soldiers retreat!
Omgggg she’s released the Soulless! He’s back!
Wow wow wow! There was so much excitement at the end there, that was insane! There’s still so many questions though! Where has Kendara been the whole time? What happened to Sirscha’s mother and why did Kendara agree to look after her? Ahh!
Let me know all of your thoughts!
I really hope you enjoyed this readalong and I hope you all have a lovely weekend planned!
We’ll see you soon for another readalong!
Love,
Amy
aaah what?! It can’t end like this, I mean Sirscha is actually a soulrender? The kingdoms are on the brink of war?? The soulless is still alive??? And what about Kendara????
We had more questions than answers, I’m really looking forward for book two!
Thank you for the readalong, it’s always a fun experience~
that was an intense ending! so much happened!
omg, so many questions are left! ):
I need the sequel now!
I really enjoyed this book!! I would’ve loved it if it were a standalone because of all the questions that remained….. (I hate waiting ?)
I loved it when Theyen said “ this friendship business is a lot more troublesome than I was led to believe” ?
Thank you for organising the readalong!
Love Sandy
This book was so so good!! Can’t even deal! Now I really want to read the next one. Why isn’t it here yet? You guys at FairyLoot sure know how to pick your books. My tbr pile never dissappears at this rate haha
Oh my gosh I can’t handle that ending!!! When Ronin transformed into the half-spider, I was equally happy that my suspicions were right as I was freaked out because NO I DON‘T WANT TO READ ABOUT A HUGE SPIDER ?
But honestly, so much has happened and yet so many of my questions are left unanswered and I neeeeeed the next book right now! The wait will be unbearable ?
Generally, this book was loads of fun! I guessed a lot of the plottwists, but I was so engaged in this world, it’s unbelievable! This might be one of the most fascinating magic systems I‘ve ever read about and I loved the Asian representation! ? The characters were awesome, the story intriguing, I just had a great time!
Thank you for hosting this lovely readalong, Amy! ?
Omg I need to know what happens now. This was such an awesome story. I love the magic system used in the book. I can’t wait for the next book
THE END OF THIS BOOK. I was absolutely SCREAMING. I really liked how the end came together and appreciated the fact that it didn’t try to “surprise” us too much– we were meant to be suspicious of the “bad guys” but just didn’t know exactly what they had in store. And the huge half spider transformation thing definitely freaked me out a bit ?
I cannot wait for the sequel! What an excellent read!
Omg that ending!!!
I need book two now, so many questions still.
I have a phobia of spiders so that chapter with the spider king was freaking me out. ?
Great read along, I hope FL get book two for us ?
It was mind blowing! Sirscha is a soulrender, kingdoms are going to the war and the Soulless is back….and now you told me that it is the end?!
Ronin was frightening, half human – half spinner. The worst chapter for person with arachnophobia! But I love it!!
I need 2nd book now!! I still have a lot of questions!
I enjoyed this read so much!! I’m so excited for the next book (but the waiting uhhh)
Also is it just me or will there be a love triangle between Sirscha, Prince Meilek and Theyen?? Cause that would be interesting.
Also I need all my questions answered soon! There’s too many!
I’m waiting for that triangle! Since there was not much love in this book maybe in the next one
OMG Sirscha what did you do I know she had to kill Ronin otherwise he would have killed her but dam the Soulless I have a feeling she will be the one who will have to stop him somehow
Damn so many questions left un answered I soo need the second book now!!!
Oh Fairyloot you’re killing me with this kind of endings yet another excellent book good job choosing it
I really loved the book even tho I struggled with the begging and for some reason unknown to me I still can connect with the Asian environment but its such a good book regardless of that. Second book where are you I need to know what happens oooh the torture of waiting 🙂
I NEED SO MANY ANSWERS! I need book 2 ASAP lol
Wow, I’m speechless. This book was so good! I hope to see more Theyen in the next one! Can’t wait for it to be released!!
I know someone mentioned a cliff hanger earlier this week, but I was not ready! I have so many questions. Cannot wait for the next sequel!
I CAN’T BELIEVE IT JUST…ENDED. WOW. That was wild! I’m excited that my theory about Ronin and the spiderwerewolf thing was correct! But I definitely didn’t expect the soulrender and that ending!!!!
I enjoyed this one a lot, I thought with Ronin’s last word he meant she had woken the soulrender up and that looks like the major enemey for the rest of the series. Sirscha was such a fierce hero in this which I really loved, she was pretty badass. Even though she didn’t fully cure the rot from Saengo I think she has the capability to do so. I also hope she reclaims the soulrender name, I think she has the power and strength to resist devouring souls for strength and will focus on light work. I wonder what will happen next
I rated this one 4 stars, the worldbuilding and pacing was really good and I liked a lot of the characters.
It was so good!
The prince, Theyen, Sirscha and Saengo are still alive. All I could wish for.
The fight with Spinner-Ronin was intens. And I’m so excited wht will happen in the next two books!
This was one of thebest books I read this year.
I really enjoyed it!
This book was SO GOOD! I loved it! This end section was amazing I was onthe edge of my seat! There were so many twists at the end, and there are still so many unanswered questions… I need the sequel!!
I loved this book! Can’t wait for the sequel!
That ending! I need the next book, still so many questions! I have to say I wasn’t anticipating Ronin to die quite that quickly.
Overall I though it was a great read, and has set up nicely for the sequel – I mean I need to know so many things. Who is/was Sircha’s mother? I’m also eagerly awaiting to explore more of this world; I’m hoping a map is added.
fingers crossed that fairyloot does editions of the next books with more artwork like THAT on the dust jackets!!