Ahhhhh I tried so hard to get into this one and I actually feel really bad for not getting into it because from what I can tell, the author seems like a lovely person, but this just wasn’t my cup of tea. It’s not really the book’s fault at all, but more about personal preference. When I saw this on Netgalley, I decided to download it at the recommendations of friends despite sounding a little outside of my tastes. Plus, I was so intrigued by all the underworld stuff! In the end though, this story was very fantasy dystopia which isn’t really a genre I’m into.

The story was actually really interesting and I love the way Kerin handled the plot because it’s so unlike anything I’ve read. So hats off for that! The characters, however, seemed to lean a little on the 2-dimensional side and I couldn’t help wanting more from them. I was dying to know more about their life before General Simeon like how they grew up and what their parents were like. And I think I just wanted a little more emotion to connect with as a reader. I didn’t really perk up until we heard from General Simeon’s point of view because he’s so vile, but yet interesting at the same time—complex and layered. I also wanted to know more about the world Seycia and Miko live in. But we don’t get to see much of the world before the story shifts towards the Underworld and I was dying to know more about the universe.

Overall, this was such an interesting story but it fell a little flat for me and was outside of my tastes as a reader.

I was given a digital ARC of this book by Net Galley.

Phantom Forest is a journey to the future where civilization as we know it has ceased to exist due to mans discovery of the underworld. No longer a place of myths and stories, the people of this time live in a world that is now fully aware of its existence. This book tells the story of a girl named Seycia and her younger brother, Miko, who lost their parents to the war- now they live a guarded and secluded life in their village Khronasa under the rule of evil tyrants.

The forest of Laida is where Seycia and Miko’s father told them souls go to regenerate when we die-I imagine it to be their version of heaven. They find solace in knowing that their loved ones souls return to the trees of the forest to regenerate into someone else never truly leaving us.
Even though the people of this time are fully aware of the underworld they are still restricted from praising and worshipping any gods in Khronasa, however, Simeon, the emperor’s general still sacrifices the villagers to The Savage so that Dohv will answer his prayers.
Unfortunately for Seycia and Miko, Simeon seeks revenge against their family for a grievance he had with their father. And because of this, they keep to themselves, until one day their luck runs out and Seycia is chosen as Simeon’s sacrifice. She is thrust into the underworld to fight not only for her life, but also she is still fighting to save her brother, even though he is still in our world. This is when she actually meets The Savage, the one who Simeon summoned to kill her, and her journey truly begins.

This story is paced perfectly. The author uses the perfect words and dialogue to paint the picture for the reader while advancing the story. Nothing is worse in fantasy books than all of the words used to describe settings, characters, and scenery. I also LOVE that the character’s physiology, for me, seemed ambiguous. I read the first few chapters assuming that this book was written by an African author or author of African decent because of the names and the world. Amber skin and black hair, to me, can be interpreted many ways. I loved that I was able to imagine the characters on my own without the author having to describe every single detail. In my opinion, the ability for readers to be able to see themselves, or whomever, in a story or character is important. I read so many books that the authors need to flesh out the characters appearance sometimes takes away from the story for me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I truly did not know what to expect at first because of the mention of demons and the underworld, but I was pleasantly surprised.
I look forward to reading more from Liz Kerin!

Not really my style. I had the pleasure of not knowing whether we were in the past or present during flashbacks. Also, the words seemed to run together. I would have liked a more action-packed beginning to start the story off with a bang.

I just honestly couldn't get into it. It was confusing, boring and I didn't care for the writing. The concept is interesting - probably a good fit for someone else. DNF 30%

The book is well written and the world building is amazing but unfortunately I couldn't connect to the characters.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

First I want to say I absolutely love this cover it is eye catching. The novel
world was brilliantly built. The characters were strong and enjoyable. I love a great dystopian novel. Though I did feel parts of the story were rushed, the romance. Overall it was quite enjoyable and I would love to see a sequel or other novels from this author. Thank you Netgally for the arc

Friends, I loved reading this debut fantasy novel so much! The Phantom Forest has all the ingredients that I live for in a good story: rich worldbuilding with an emphasis on religion and lyrical writing that sucked me in on the first page. This is a dark, gruesome, and bloody story that won’t be for everyone so please do check the content warnings at the bottom of the review.
“In this place meant for the dead, she finally felt the weight of life, of connection, of eternity. Nothing was ever lost.”

I had so many questions while reading this book, but not in a bad way if that makes sense. The world the Kerin crafted for us is so intricately disturbing that it is like a car wreck that we cannot look away from. Who are these people? What are they being punished for? The worldbuilding is both slow and all at once as the reader is thrust into the deep end of the world but never given too much at any given time. I was hungry for more much like the Savage hungers.

The Phantom Forest is told mostly in the three alternating third-person perspectives of Seycia, Miko, and Haben, with the addition of a couple chapters from General Simeon’s perspective.

✨ Seycia is a brave and selfless nineteen year old who’s seen her fair share of heartache over the last seven years. With both her parents killed by General Simeon during the initial occupation, she’s been taking care of her brother as best as she can. The love that she feels for Miko is palpable and I appreciate how so much of this story centers on their sibling love and willingness to sacrifice themselves for the other.

✨ Miko is full of the naivete and rigid belief of right prevailing that one can expect from a twelve year old. He’s a child who’s lost everything and everyone, who wants to take matters into his own hands. While headstrong characters who do whatever they want without thinking first typically drive me bonkers, these characteristics really endeared Miko to me and I was rooting for him. But I was also glad that he wasn’t an instant sharpshooter.

✨ Haben is a demon known as The Savage, Dhov’s messenger whose purpose is to scare humans so they continue to fear the Underworld. The book opens with his perspective and I was honestly drawn to him right away; he hasn’t retained much of his humanity since taking Dhov’s curse and his character arc is by far my favorite. I love Haben and he must be protected at all costs.

We all know that I struggle a bit with multiple POV narratives and I will admit that it took a bit of time for me to adjust. The first 20% of the book was solely told from Seycia’s and Haben’s perspectives as their paths inevitably converge, after which we have two storylines: one in the Underworld and following the family that Seycia left behind (Miko). By this point I was fully invested in Seycia and her story, so it did take some time for me to warm up to Miko’s own journey but once I did I was hooked and finished the rest of the book in one sitting.

This is an action-packed story and there is so much within its 300 pages. I felt most connected with Haben and his character development; I feel like Miko and Seycia’s arcs and stories are just getting started in comparison. I still adore them both and am incredibly invested in what happens next for them.
“Discovery of the afterlife had had irreparable consequences, so the Coalition abolished the notion of gods, fate, and prayer, worldwide. And yet, people worshiped the emperor now. Their proverb promoted the very thing they had destroyed: blind faith.”

The Phantom Forest is definitely a philosophical exploration into the afterlife, but it also explores the power dynamics of an oppressive conquering regime, the erosion of cultural practices, and the glimmer of hope at the sight of rebellion. The book takes place seven years after The Coalition came into power and religious practices were outlawed… expect in Khronasa where General Simeon kept up the annual sacrifice to the Savage ritual going as a means of control. But Simeon’s control is weakening.

But this is also a story about love and sacrifice, about good and evil, about redemption. A thread in much of the story is whether or not a soul starts life with a tabula rasa or and if a bad soul can atone in the next life. Who becomes worthy of second chances and who gets to make those decisions?
“She glanced over the edge of the boat at the misty river and swallowed a shriek as she watched a translucent hand emerge from the water to nudge the boat along.”

I really connected with Kerin’s writing style, her descriptions are so detailed and vivid that I was able to picture everything without it feeling too cumbersome. You can definitely tell that she is a storyteller and I look forward to watching her continue to hone her craft. People who struggle with purple prose and heavy imagery may have a tough time with this book, but it really worked for me.

I was left wanting to know a bit more about how the sacrifices were chosen by Simeon, his motives, and his history. We got a couple of chapters from his perspective but I didn’t find that they really added to the story in a meaningful way for me. (Although we got some crucial information by one of these chapters that explains a lot but also leaves me with some questions.) His villainy never really felt fully realized to me.

Overall, The Phantom Forest delivered on what I was expecting and I really enjoyed my time reading it (barring those rough couple of chapters)! I love stories that explore concepts of the afterlife and encourage me to wax poetic, this book weaves its own mythology so vast that it’s impressive it’s all packed into 300 pages. If you like epic adventures, redemption arcs, mythology, and vivid imagery then I encourage you to give this book a try!

CONTENT WARNINGS: (from author’s website) ritual human sacrifice, suicidal ideation, metaphors about disordered eating, brief threat of sexual violence, cannibalism, child abduction, genocide, dead parents, gun violence

Many thanks to Inkshares for sending me an ARC for my honest review! Quotes are taken from an unfinished ARC and may not match final publication.

Unfortunately DNF at 25%.

The writing style & chapters are not jivving at all with me. I really wanted to love it because of the Greek mythology twist, but like other reviewers here, I am just unable to get emotionally invested.

You should never judge a book by its cover but I couldn’t not in this case. The cover was what made me read The Phantom Forest in the first place. And than I started reading it and after the very first sentence I was enthralled.

Seycia and her brother Miko are orphans. They live in Khronasa. Once it was a world just like ours. But than something happened. And that led to this post-apocalyptic world people live in. This world is tied to the Underworld in a very disturbing way. After the head of the local government sacrifices Seycia to the Savage - the other lead character -, she ends up in the Underworld where the Forest of Laida is located. The trees there houses a soul of every people. Seycia has to go there in order to destroy the tree of the man who killed her. To do that she has to team up with the same demon she was sacrificed to. His name is Haben and their journey begins…

The world-building is something amazing, it really is extraordinary. The way Liz Kerin mixed Khronasa with its past - our world - is just exceptional. I enjoyed finding out everything about this strange place. And after Seycia ended up in the Underworld well that was even better.

Writing style...let’s see...the story wasn’t too complicated, it was easy to read, easy to follow. The story is told from the main characters’ points of view, from 4 differents perspectives and that made sense, it didn’t bother me at all.

And the fact that I liked the characters also helped. If I had to chose a favourite I think it is Haben. He is the most mysterious, the most interesting one.

I can hardly wait for the sequel to this book or maybe a prequel about Haben’s past, how he did what he did.

Thanks to NetGalley, Inkshares and Liz Kerin for my copy. All opinions are my own.

This YA fantasy is unlike anything I’ve read before. Set in a distant future where society has collapsed because of the revelation that all religions had gotten VERY little right, a young woman and her younger brother survive on the edges of their village. Ruled by a military state “government,” life is bleak. When one of the siblings is chosen as a human sacrifice to the demon known as The Savage, all *hell* breaks loose. Wonderfully dark and subversive, I couldn’t put this book down.

DNF at 35%.

Although the premise and worldbuilding are terrific, I'm really not a fan of the writing style or any of the characters. Obviously characters don't have to be likable to be well-written, but in this case I just can't get emotionally invested in what's going on, so I'm just going to move on. (Though I may ask friends to give me a SparkNotes version once they've finished, because I'm curious about the rest of the story — just not enough to read it myself.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkshares for an eARC in exchange for a review..

‘The Phantom Forest’ really captured my attention right from the very first page. The premise was intriguing and I was really excited about this book. A post-apocalyptic Earth tied together with the Underworld? How could I not be excited! The synopsis promised a really interesting read, and thankfully, it really delivered.

The worldbuilding was really interesting and I enjoyed the little nods to our current earth; a MacBook found in the dirt, technology and materials that were familiar, and the fact that these gave a sense that despite all the differences, the world had been ours. Now it was a Hunter-Gatherer wasteland controlled by an evil coalition and filled with starving villagers and ritual sacrifice. This setting brought up questions and made me want to keep reading to find out why and how this happened. The appearance of The Savage and the mythos behind him was the point at which this book really caught me though. I really enjoyed the way that punishment, transformation and control were used here, and that they really became themes within the book. The Savage/Haben is a really interesting character, and his constant struggle and battle with his past, body and mind was really engaging. Though Seycia was the main character and took centre stage for most of the novel, it was Haben I connected with most. He was afraid, tormented and selfish, but despite everything that he had been through, some humanity still remains. Seycia on the other hand, was a fighter and wanted to do the right thing. Even though her character was still really interesting and enjoyable to read, I was never worried that she was anything but a hero.

I really enjoyed the writing style in ‘The Phantom Forest’ because it carried with it a sense of urgency. Even in the slower moments, I wanted to know what was happening, and didn’t want to stop reading. The story was fun and engaging, and though I wasn’t a fan of all of the characters (mainly Miko), I cared about what happened to them because of how that would affect the other characters I HAD grown to care about. The plot seemed to start as fairly standard ‘hero rises up to help their downtrodden people’ but it wasn’t done quite the way I had expected. It still brought something new and interesting to the table, and made for a really fun read. Though I had a few tiny issues with the book (e.g. ’instalove’ is a trope I really don’t enjoy) they didn’t really detract from the story much and were easy to skip over or ignore, meaning that this was a pretty solid 4 star read for me and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys post-apocalyptic worlds or mythology.

If you’re looking for a read which mixes horror, fantasy and a dash of ancient mythology then Liz Kerin’s The Phantom Forest is well worth investigating. Part of the novel is set in a Hell type place called the Underworld where a cursed demon called Haben lives. He’s a sympathetic character, whom at certain times turns into a creature called The Savage, when this transformation occurs he is unable to resist the taste of human flesh. Above ground, in the town of Khronasa where the majority of the novel is set, several times a year, there is a human sacrifice to this creature. When the novel opens a teenage girl Seycia gets into a fight and catches the eye of General Simeon who is the feared dignitary in charge of the area. Due to bad blood with Seycia’s dead father soon the girl and her little brother are next in line to be lunch for The Savage. Thrown into the pit, which fills with water, everyone awaits the appearance of the fearful creature. Seycia is one tough girl and is not going to be an easy kill for anyone, not even an immortal demon!

There were many plot strands in this engaging novel which had me guessing where and when it might be set? I liked the vagueness of it all… There were guns and cars, but there was also talk of long wars, but ultimately it was hard to exactly pinpoint it as post-apocalyptic. Interestingly, the overruling empire had banned human sacrifices, but General Simeon allowed the practice to go on anyway. He was a great character with a horribly deformed face and a long memory; throw in a spunky little brother, the seeds of rebellion and the quest to discover the Forest of Laida where human souls were kept it was all entertaining stuff. At a point human and demon get confused and the developing friendship of the demon Haden and Seycia was a major highlight. Highly recommended for fantasy and horror lovers aged thirteen or older.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book.

Some time ago humans managed to find and see into the underworld, the actual literal afterlife. This of course lead to a massive religious war that devastated the planet and the human population. It had some impact in the underworld as well. And I think that is what makes this such an interesting story. This idea would normally focus almost exclusively on the human side of things and not even consider if there was an impact on the other side. This book though takes us into the underworld and one of its denizens is a main character. We learn what some of the awful consequences were for the afterlife, as well as for the human world.

I was a little deceived as to how we saw or entered the underworld. In the first half at least once it is noted that humans no longer have the technology to see into the underworld..... But then later on we find out that the underworld was viewed through a literal hole. Sure this was somehow closed later on, but digging a hole, even with advanced machinery, is not really impossible to do with primitive tools. Just very difficult. I had hoped they meant we actually invented some device that connected with the underworld or something. Oh well.

I did feel this book was perhaps a little rushed. The characters lacked a little something, Seycia ends up in some pretty extreme circumstances and seems to just shrug them off like they are nothing, feeling no real fear or grief or anything. Her brother also seems to only note his loss but not really feel anything about it. It's like saying you're sad but not actually feeling sad. There is a difference. Haben was probably the more interesting character in this story, his background story and internal conflict over what he has done and continues to do gives us a bit more depth than the other characters seem to show.

The romance annoyed the heck out of me. Sorry, I know some people have noted the romance as being non-forced, not insta-love, makes sense, whatever. But no, this story seems to take place over a very small period of time, like a week maybe. Seycia falls in love with a demon who kidnaps her and intended to eat her, the demon manages to find his centuries old humanity by falling for this 19 year old girl.... It is practically insta-love, it's not needed because a brotherly or even fatherly love would have worked just as well for Habens humanity. Fatherly would have been better given the age differences. It doesn't make sense either. I am not really sure how watching a child-eating demon get punished with pain somehow makes him worthy of love? I don't know, I didn't feel it at all. It seemed like it was added because every story must have love.

I had a few other issues with the book as well, like how the General interacted with some people - it seemed a bit odd, and there was certainly more telling than showing. Simeon tells us that he trusts Gil implicitly. Moments later Gil tells Simeon that he should give up, apologise for all he has done and go into exile..... hmmm I am not really connecting the idea of trust and Gil right here. I am also curious how the emperor (view spoiler) - did someone tell him? Who was it? Or was it nobody important? And why didn't he deal with it immediately?

But overall, despite what looks like a big wall of complaints, I really enjoyed this book and give it 4 stars. I look forward to future instalments, especially a sequel. This book has a good amount of darkness to it, without being grimdark, and the mythology is fascinating. I would love to learn more about the three sisters, love them. I managed to devour it in one sitting last night, so it's obviously quite easy to read, nice and approachable and not weighed down with too many issues. The background story of the world and the characters is given as we go along and is easy to understand, easy to remember, easy to understand, and easy to connect later on to moments, objects, and people.

I don't know what more to add - it's a good book, with a fascinating concept that is executed relatively well, though could be slightly improved. I will read more.

Thanks to NetGalley, Liz Kerin and Inkshares for providing an e-book for my honest opinion!

My overall thoughts: 4/5 Stars!

The Phantom Forest has a bit of every good fantasy story weaved into it - Gods/Goddesses, a post-apocalyptic setting, evil overlords, premonitions of the future, and a brave heroine to tie everything together. The dark & haunting mood sets this story about the nature of humanity and what we'd do for love apart. I can't wait for the sequel!

A Deep Dive:

- The Plot: Seycia believes that all souls are either good or evil, and that they all come from the Forest of Laida. Simeon believes Dohv, the ruler of the underworld, wants him to rule over his land with an iron fist, and sacrifices innocent youths to keep his power. Haben is a demon, cursed by and bound to Dohv. Miko is a 12 year old boy, destined for greatness. They all come together in a battle between good and evil, living and dead, and it does not disappoint. While I wish events were sped up just a bit, I can't complain about the movie that immediately started to play in my head while reading this book! If you love mythical lore, magical beings, and epic journeys, you'll love this book.

- The Characters: I found myself forgetting that half the characters in this book are children! So many brutal, sad things happen and yet Miko, Minari, and Seycia all manage to pull through and revolt against their captors and torturers. They are stead-fast in their beliefs and still manage to make the mistakes you would expect of younger characters. I also love that there are multiple villainous characters to contend with. It keeps action coming from every angle. My only wish is that character growth and the relationships between them would have had more time to evolve and blossom. The relationship between Haben and Seycia seemed a bit rushed into, and it has so much potential!

- The Writing: Liz Kerin's writing is solid. Also, shoutout to the editor. I'm so glad I didn't have to read through a mess of typos and grammatical errors! if you like dark, eerie moods and questions about our humanity and after-death, you'll enjoy The Phantom Forest.

What would happen if we got a glimpse of the afterlife? In this story, “Discovery of the afterlife had had irreparable consequences, so the Coalition abolished the notion of gods, fate, and prayer, worldwide.” Liz Kerin gives us a fresh take on what the world may look like if we saw beyond our realm in her book The Phantom Forest. Kerin intertwines her version of the afterlife and a fantastical twist on the modern day in such a way that captivates you and forces you to keep reading.
We follow Seycia, her brother Miko, and the demon Haben on their separate but entwined journeys for freedom and justice. Miko leads a revolution to overthrow the corrupt powers controlling the world, while Seycia learns how to navigate the underworld and destroy her own demons as well. Haben is a messenger between worlds bestowed with a sick punishment by the devil-like figure Dohv. Haben is tasked with consuming the flesh of sacrifices made in the living world, regardless of age. In the passage where we meet Haben we see him after the sacrifice of a young boy, “He cried as he gorged himself on the entrails, choking back sobs as he swallowed mouthful after mouthful. There was nothing lower than this. This— this was hell.” He fills his belly with the flesh of the sacrifice and starves the rest of the time. But, this is not the only dark secret he possesses, his destructive past is the key to the present. He joins Seycia on her quest to avenge not only herself but her parents.
On occasion, Haben’s character loses some of the tortured mentality and seems not to suffer as much as originally let on. I found that bothersome in a few ways, the first being that he doesn’t behave like someone who is constantly starving, secondly his pain seems downplayed, and lastly, this characteristic mostly disappears in the second half of the book.
Through The Phantom Forest, we see how changes in the afterlife have an impact on the world of the living, altering people’s fates and the outcome of a revolution. My only critique on this is that I wish I could have seen more. We see Seycia’s decisions change the trajectory of Miko, they flow together beautifully and I would have loved to see this expand. The author is the strongest when she is tangling and untangling the two storylines, her ability to connect character arcs left me satisfied.
At first, I had a hard time connecting to Miko. I didn’t see his relevance to the plot until later in the book. I kept asking myself, why is this character important? This question was eventually made clear, but I would have liked to felt a connection to him earlier in the book so that he was a well-rounded character.
Kerin does imagery very well, she will paint fantastic settings in your mind. I could see so much color and life in her story that it was hard to put down, I wanted to see where we would end up next. She creates her own lore that isn’t overpowering or hard to keep straight and puts you at the center of her beautiful world. The plot is easy to follow, unlike a lot of fantasy stories, you will not veer off in a thousand different directions. Overall the story is enjoyable and you will fall in love with Seycia’s all or nothing attitude and Haben’s heart wrenching back story.
This story is a fresh take on how government and religion clash. Kerin creates this world that seems like it’s going to be your typical fantasy style novel and it turns out to be something entirely different. It tackles the problems that arise when a government decides to eradicate religion, we see how it affects the people, and how it can change entire societal structures. One glimpse of the afterlife leads to war, poverty, and the destruction of history. This all plays out in this twisting tale of adventure, redemption, and vengeance.

this book was absolutely beautiful. i loved the worlds, the characters, the name seycia, honestly all the names were so good. the innocence and the love were so refreshing to read amongst all the loss and fear. the purity that existed despite all the hardships made this so much More. i can see a second book being written and i'm intrigued because the ending left me really wanting something, more information, more closure.

This book was a mixed bag for me. While I liked the characters and the uniquely creepy worldbuilding, I didn't really enjoy the conflict/plot. Don't get me wrong, the concept was absolutely brilliant but the plot was seemed rushed and underdeveloped.

The Phantom Forest is set in a dystopian world where once a year, the community select a person to sacrifice to the Savage "But why would they perform this barbaric act?" you might ask. Well, my friend, it's because they've discovered what happens to their souls when they die and so the General uses the human sacrifices to maintain power over the community. However, when the protagonist, Seycia gets involved in a conflict with the General, she winds up slated for the Savage's next meal. Yet, unlike the past victims, she doesn't die when she goes to the Underworld... Now Seycia wants revenge on the General who took her life while navigating through the Underworld with a demon with a kind of sketchy agenda.

I absolutely loved the discussion of death and the blend of different afterlife beliefs as well as the juxtaposition of the parallel worlds between mortals and immortals. Also, I really enjoyed the supernatural creatures and the creepy writing style which set up the perfect atmosphere for a dark, foreboding tone. Character-wise, I adored Seycia because she was such a well-rounded character and loved her character arc with her little brother, Miko following close behind. However, I wasn't as invested in the Haben because he came off as flat and wasn't as developed. Overall, I enjoyed reading Phantom Forest and would definitely look forward to reading a sequel because of that last sentence... I need answers ASAP!

*Thank you to NetGalley and its publishers for providing a free ARC

One of the most unique and interesting reads I have enjoyed in a long time. Really interesting premise and it didn’t disappoint. Wonderful world building, even better characters , amazingly beautiful writing. Go read this book, it’s wonderful

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

While this had an extremely interesting premise, it was ultimately not an good read. The storytelling felt stiff and rushed to me, more like a secondary draft than a completed novel. Even the grammar felt a bit off, detracting a lot of enjoyment for me. I wanted to like this more because I was interested in the concepts and character ideas in here, but it felt like I was looking at a pencil sketch instead of a finished painting. If more time had been taken to develop this, to flesh out the plot and characters and world-building instead of just rushing from one thing to another, I really would have loved this. I did like Haben because I'm always a sucker for brooding, monstrous characters, and I thought his arc was the best of the entire book . . . but again ultimately everything just fell really short of what it could have been if more time and editing had been taken to the fascinating concepts in this book.