Broken Web picks up right where Forest of Souls ends. It immediately had a different feel to me, focusing more on ruling the kingdom, rebellion, and political maneuvers. Whereas I associated Forest of Souls more with secrets behind closed doors and clashes of will. Broken Web examines all the hidden pieces of the past, those who conceal them, and take choices away from others. It asks - what is the price for rebellion and magic, for wanting to set wrongs to right? I was immediately immersed in the action and swept back into the world.

While I was immediately loving be back in the world, I felt like in the middle the pacing lulled a bit. Nothing that stopped me from continuing, but it had me wondering if this was going to be a classic, "second book syndrome" of a trilogy. Until the last 25% had me absolutely reeling. The pace picked up and hooked me again for the finale. Even though there was action within Broken Web, I felt like this sequel was a bit more introspective. It felt more thoughtful as it questions how monstrous our enemies are - and how human they could become. All while also subtly probing at Saengo and Sirscha's relationship.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Page Street Publishing and Page Street Kids, for the chance to read and review this book!

The Soulless has woken from his imprisonment and now he lurks in the Dead Wood, recovering his strength and looking for Sircha, while plotting his revenge. Sircha is journeying with Saengo, to the shaman empire of Nuvalyn, hiding her identity. If someone discovers she's a soulrender, as the Soulless and not a soulguide, she will be executed. Determined to stop the rot that's killing her best friend and familiar, to find the Soulless' familiar, Sircha would do anything. With Queen Meilyr who wants to destroy the magical kingdoms, Sircha is caught up between enemies, loyalties and lies and in her journey she will discover who her enemies really are and who is part of her found family.

I LOVED reading Broken Web! I was so fascinated and in love with the worldbuilding since the first book and now, through Sircha's eyes, the reader is able to see more of the shaman's country, getting to know more about the past's crimes and lies. Sircha is a wonderfully complex character, weighed down by her secret, by her connection with the Soulless, her determination and desperation in saving Saengo's life, her desire to belong to somewhere and the struggle to know enemies from friends in a complex and intricate battle between kingdoms.

It's a tale of sisterhood and destiny, power and lies, mysteries and clues and Sircha is surrounded by complex characters, like Theyen, Meilek and, of course, Saengo. I love her bond, how much they love one other, what they would do to help, protect and support each other.
The Soulless, Queen Meilyr, are creepy and intense antagonists, but, above all, the Soulless is such an intriguing character and I really want to know more about him and his motives.
The characterization, the worldbuilding, the story full of secrets and mysteries and plot twists, Broken Web is a compelling and amazing sequel and I can't wait to know what will happen next!

Broken Web is the sequel to Forest of Souls, where we meet Sirscha and her best friend, Saengo. Sirscha has now set the Soulless free, and the peace between the nations of Thiy is crumbling without Ronnin to keep the deadwood in check. Sirscha has been deemed a soul guide, but she hides the dark secret that she a soul render, which makes her no better than the soulless destroying the world. The broken web is a political-based fantasy, and Sirscha is determined to discover what the empire is hiding. With a brother and sister at odds on best solving the problems plaguing the world, Sirscha is determined to make it right. I am highly invested in how everything plays out in the final book.

A worthy sequel to one of my favourite books of 2020.
Filled with intrigue, politics, magic, found family, twists and turns, betrayals, banter, big dog/horse/dragon sidekicks, and cliffhangers.
Can’t wait to read the final book.

Fantastic sequel to Forest of Souls. I love the found family dynamics and Sirscha is great heroine – very easy to root for. It’s also really refreshing to see YA fantasy that is politically driven rather than relying on a love interest/ romance to drive the plot. The dynamics between friends and allies is so rewarding here. Highly recommend this series.

“From her blood came the shadowblessed, from her bone the humans, and from the fragment of her soul, the shamans were born.” #LoriMLee #BrokenWeb #Shamanborn #PageStreetPublishing

Genre: #Fantasy #YA #AsianLiterature

My rating: 4 /5 GR: 4,67 /5

This book is a great example of a good YA fantasy, without all the romance that often takes over the main story. This is a second book of a “Shamanborn” trilogy, where to find patience before the last one comes out? But this book was worth the wait, I’m extremely grateful to @PageStreetYa for an E-Arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. I've been waiting for this book since the last summer (happy tears).

Why do I like these book series so much? Well, it’s genuine. I’m honestly tired of all “bad ass” heroines and vulgarity in YA fantasy books. There is wonderful magical world, and characters, especially antagonists that remind me a bit of Grimm's fairytales, with their darkness. Magical creatures (Loved that author hasn’t simply used “dragons” but whole varieties of similar creatures, such as drakes and wyverns).

In the previous book #ForestOfSouls Sirscha Ashwyn has woken up some dark power and discovered that she’s possessing special powers. As well as got bonded with her best friend, and now her friend is dying from the uncurable rot. Sirscha and her friends are on the way to the Shaman empire to find answers, destroy evil and cure her friend. She arrives there as a hero, but would she leave as one too? What does Empire hide?

My favorite part of the second book are Sirschas dreams! I wish there was more darkness like in those dreams through the whole book, but I have a feeling that it’s still coming in the last book, hopefully next year!

As you have probably guessed it’s a story of finding yourself and your priorities, there are some difficult choices that characters have to endure. It’s also a story about friendship, old friends, and new people, about discovering your past (Difficult when you're no one from nowhere) , some truths might not be worth knowing...

I highly recommend this book. It’s just so easy to read, you just flow through the pages! And those places, creatures, characters... The only reason I didn’t rate this book with 5 stars, it slightly reminded me of the last Sabaa Tahir books, especially the Dead Forest part, and Darkness, I somehow really wanted some scenes to be darker, but that’s just my preference.

In this wonderful sequel to the Forest of Souls, Lori M. Lee once again creates a world balanced along politics and magic, of found family and finding worth.

I've been anxiously awaiting this book since I read the first one last year. This one, like the first, is an easy-to-read page-turner, with action nearly every-other chapter and beautiful character relationships. These relationships are my favorite part of the book — I love that this book nails home the found-family ideal and that our protagonist, Sirscha, has rich friendships built on mutual trust. It's also refreshing to read a book without a love interest because our kick-butt female protag is too busy saving the world.

Lee's ability to create rich lore and magic contributes to how enthralling this series is; the different types of magic and the ancient history of the continent are clues Sirscha must navigate to understand the chain of events set in motion.

My only complaint is that, at times, Lee tends to use the "I got captured/I must escape/I will work with the bad guy for now" plot devices to move the story forward. While I understand this forward movement is necessary, I wish there had been different ways to do it since this happens several times throughout the story.

Overall, a satisfying sequel in this trilogy that didn't feel like it dragged or was just filler, which is a feat in itself.

I really liked the first book of this series so I was very excited to read the second. It was just as good and I flew through it! The plot was easy to read but was full of action and adventure. I really hate books that are slow to the point but this book was nothing like that. I will be recommending it to all of my friends.

Oh, one of the books I've been waiting for. The sequel to Forest of Souls. What can I say? THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING! I LOVE Lori's writing. She captures the true essence of a story. Amazing characters. Magic. Darkness. Stellar plot. This one truly takes you into a what feels like a new world. Lori's ability to mold, captivating characterizations is amazing. I strongly recommend this one to everyone who loved Forest of Souls. DON'T MISS OUT ON THE SEQUEL!