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.

I really loved this first installment in a new fantasy duology. There are many familiar elements (persecuted magical beings, royal figures who are more than they seem, an enemies-to-lovers romance), but Becker strings all of these elements together in such a way that the story still felt fresh and new. Her writing was also perfectly suited for my preferences, being both lyrical and character-focused. I pretty much binge read this book and am anxiously awaiting the second book’s release

Forestborn by Elayne Audrey Becker, the first book in a duology, is a young adult fantasy that features the enemies-to-lovers trope, mythical creatures, and an impossible quest. When a magical sickness targets all the humans in the realm, Rora, a shapeshifter and spy for the kingdom, is tasked with finding a cure. Flanked only by her older brother, the only person in the world she trusts, and a surly prince who doesn’t trust her at all, Rora must traverse a mysterious forest and come to terms with a past that haunts her in order to understand why magic has turned on them and how to restore balance before it’s too late.

As a shifter who lives among people who fear magic, Rora makes for a fascinating main character because she is neither human enough for the people in her kingdom nor creature enough for the magical beings with whom she identifies. It’s an extended metaphor for the hybrid existence many readers also experience, which makes Rora especially relatable and refreshing. Even better is how Becker allows her to agonize over her fears and anxieties but never actually forces her to change who she is in order to be accepted. Instead, Weslyn, the human prince who starts out detesting Rora’s very existence, is the one who must evolve his mindset. I adore both characters and their journey in this book. They’re frustrating and funny and both gentle and strong, and they’re everything you want to root for in an epic fantasy romance.

In addition to character development, Becker excels at world building. There is so much that readers need to learn—rules for a magic system even the characters find difficult to grasp at times as it’s part of the core mystery, shapeshifter logic, politics and alliances, relationships and backstories—but it never feels as though Becker is info-dumping. The pacing is perfect, and I never found myself thinking about issues with show vs. tell. Also, Becker’s beautiful prose is absolutely captivating and is the first thing that drew me into this novel. Her words paint a picture of a forest both easy to imagine and impossible to find in real life. This balance is absolutely vital to setting the tone in a novel that relies on the stark contrast between nature and civilization in order to illustrate the transformative magic of green spaces and how in our world, too, we are all “forestborn” to some extent.

Forestborn also features great representation, from both platonic and romantic relationships (m/f and m/m), old and young partners, sibling bonds, and parental love. I love it when authors understand fantasy means you can give the characters we love an inclusive world that doesn’t discriminate based on sex, sexuality, or gender. I’m especially drawn to Helos, Rora’s older brother, and his love story with Prince Finley, Weslyn’s younger brother. We don’t see enough of Helos or Finley in this book, but their love for each other underscores the main quest and, therefore, is a central part of the plot. We start to see more of Helos’ personality at the end of this book, and I have a feeling we’ll see more of him and Finley in the next installment.

Growing up, The Merlin Saga by T.A. Baron and The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander were among the books I checked out over and over again at the library. I loved the epic quests and world building, the grueling treks across unknown terrain, the mysterious magic and creatures, the packs of equipment and food (and tunics!), and the camaraderie around the fire each night. I’m always looking for stories that can measure up to the adventures that made me love books in the first place, and Forestborn absolutely scratches that itch. I couldn’t stop thinking about these characters for days after I finished the book, and I can’t wait until the next one is released. If you love old school epic fantasy adventures like I do, Forestborn is a must-read!

I'm a sucker for a good magical story, and this one sounded intriguing. And I'd like to give it 3.75 stars, but I can't, and I just can't give it 4. It's a good, solid story, but it's full of purple prose. And purple prose is deadly. However, despite the purple (and to be fair, it did taper off a bit as the book progressed), the story hooked me enough that I want to read the next one.

However, the fact that this feels like it's only half and not a complete story is also annoying (and another factor in the can't give it 4 stars). Just know that it's only half a story, and while it is a nice stopping point, it's still a thorn in my side that it's marketed as a first book instead of a first half...there's a big difference.

It is a quick read, has some compelling characters, and the magic system and world building is solid. Good for casual fantasy and magic fans age 14 and up.

I enjoyed this one a lot. I normally dont go for shifter type books but the world that the author created sucked me right in. I also really enjoyed the characters and their developing relationships. The enemies to lovers trope is my favorite and this did not disappoint! I'm really excited to see where book two goes, the ending was giving me anxiety haha!

A beautiful, poignant fantasy that kept me gripped from beginning to end. The prose was lovely and the depiction of many different kinds of love, of duty, of personal wants versus the needs of others was extremely well done. I am eagerly awaiting the next volume.

I'm kind of conflicted on how to feel about this one. It's not a bad book, by any means. There were actually quite a few aspects I really enjoyed, such as the magical forest and the discussion of selfish vs selfless not always being a black and white thing.

However, I really didn't enjoy reading it. I'm not sure if the fault lies with me or the book itself, but reading this felt like trudging through quicksand. From a completely logical perspective, this book was well-written with pretty good pacing and an easy to follow plot, and yet I felt completely and totally disconnected the entire time I read. It just didn't captivate me, in any way. I felt like I couldn't connect with the characters. Try as I might, I just didn't enjoy.

I'm a little 50/50 about this book. Is it a bad book, absolutely not, I would actually say it's a great book. There were several qualities about it that I enjoyed. I.e. the inclusive and representative world, the magic, and the debate about selfish and selflessness.

However, I really for whatever reason, I'm left a little... miffed about it...? I think there was just something lacking about it but I can't put my finger on it. The only thing I can say for certainty is that I didn't feel completely immersed by the book. I couldn't see the images in my head as vividly as I normally do, so maybe the writing style didn't gel with me...? I have no idea TBH.

Do I recommend the book and the author, 100%

I absolutely LOVED this book. It hooked me from the beginning and never let go. I think readers who liked Uprooted by Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden’s Winternight trilogy will adore this novel.

Title: Forestborn
Author: Elayne Audrey Becker
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

TO BE BORN OF THE FOREST IS A GIFT AND A CURSE.

Rora is a shifter, as magical as all those born in the wilderness--and as feared. She uses her abilities to spy for the king, traveling under different guises and listening for signs of trouble.

When a magical illness surfaces across the kingdom, Rora uncovers a devastating truth: Finley, the young prince and her best friend, has caught it, too. His only hope is stardust, the rarest of magical elements, found deep in the wilderness where Rora grew up--and to which she swore never to return.

But for her only friend, Rora will face her past and brave the dark, magical wood, journeying with her brother and the obstinate, older prince who insists on coming. Together, they must survive sentient forests and creatures unknown, battling an ever-changing landscape while escaping human pursuers who want them dead. With illness gripping the kingdom and war on the horizon, Finley's is not the only life that hangs in the balance.

It took me a little bit to ground myself in this world, but I enjoyed the read a lot. I enjoyed how Rora grew from being shy and unsure of herself to confident and strong. The setting was fascinating to me, and while I don’t usually enjoy politics, in this case they were and integral—and well-done—part of the story. This is a solid fantasy read.

Elayne Audrey Becker was born and raised in Georgia. Forestborn is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan-Tor/Forge in exchange for an honest review.)

Forestborn was a really good read! The main romance is enemies (mildly) to lovers, a trope a really enjoy! I loved the way it was developed this time around, more believable than other times I've encountered this trope! If you love a quest adventure this is definitely for you, set in a magical forest with a variety of characters this is definitely a lot of fun! I had some mild issues, but since this is the first book I expect a lot of time was given to world-building to set up the next book.

Everything about this book promo worked to lure me in. The cover is gorgeous and speaks to the fairytale-like fantasy novels that I’m always on the search for. And the book description just cemented it for me. A young woman with magical abilities setting off on a dangerous quest? Yep! Siblings relationships? Yep! Friendship and potential romance? Yep! But even with all of these high expectations, I wasn’t prepared for just how much I was going to enjoy this book.

Though the last several years have seen Rora and her brother taken under the wing of the royal family, there life before this was very different. As shifters, they have been hated and feared almost their entire life and grew up struggling to remain alive in a land riddled with dangerous magic. Nothing could compel Rora to return to that frightful land. Or so she thinks. When her best friend, the young prince Finley comes down with a deadly illness that is sweeping the country, Rora knows there is only one hope of saving him. Now, she, her brother, and Finley’s older, serious brother must set out on a quest to retrieve the cure. But along the way, they discover that more is going wrong in the land than just this illness. And soon, the choices before them will become more and more impossible as they fight for all they love.

I really, really enjoyed this book. From the very beginning, I could tell the writing style was exactly of the sort that I prefer: descriptive, lyrical, and confident in its readers to pick up on small lines here and there to build a picture of the world around them. It’s always so nice when authors trust their readers. It allows the story to play out slowly and in a more natural way, with reveals about past events perhaps being referenced early but not made clear until a more organic moment later in the book. It’s quite a ways into the book before we fully understand Rora’s past and how (and why) it affects her views of herself in the present. But not only do we piece together these past revelations, but there are number of twists and turns within the story as well. I could predict one or two, but there were a number that were genuinely surprising, especially how they interwove with each other and our characters.

I also really enjoyed the fantasy and magical elements of the story. While we’ve all read “humans are afraid of those with magic and thus persecution” stories, this one played this out in a rather unique way. The magic itself was also appropriately wild and dangerous. While there are wonderous aspects of it, it’s also seen to be dark and terrifying. Like the tag line on the cover, magic is neither good or bad, but instead is a force of nature unto itself. Even those with magical abilities, like Rora and her brother, both fear and respect the forces of magic around them. There were some magical encounters that were truly creepy, and the fantasy creatures were also very unique and interesting.

Overall, the story was darker than I had expected going in. There is violence, death, and loss. Especially towards the end of the book, things became much more grim than I was expecting. But all of this darkness is nicely woven into Rora’s personal arch of self-acceptance and her struggles with abandonment, loyalty, and trust. She was an excellent character all around, and I really enjoyed her narration of the story. Not only does she go through a lot of self-reflection, but we see her readjust her opinions of those few individuals who have gotten close to her through her life. She learns that not everyone is who she believed them to be, for better and for worse. This translates best into her relationship with her brother, one that goes through the natural ups and downs of two siblings transitioning from the simply relationship they had as children to the more complicated one they share as adults. But we also see these themes play out in the lovely slow-burn romance.

There were a lot of big events towards the end of this story. Much of what feels like the main arch is somewhat resolved halfway through, and then we see the story shift into an entire new gear. I don’t see a sequel currently planned on Goodreads, but I think it must be a duology given the end of this book. It’s not a straight-up cliffhanger, but there is definitely a strong set-up for a continuing story. I’ll be keeping my eyes out for sure. And in the meantime, I strongly recommend this book for fantasy fans of all sorts!

Rating 9: So, so good! Strong, confident writing mixed with excellent characters and dark fantasy elements result in a near-perfect debut book!

This book was good.
The story itself is interesting, with a lot of interesting conversations (selfishness vs selflessness, trust etc.), and it had just the right amount of magic in my opinion.
I really liked the central relationship - mild enemies to lovers but done well, it didn't feel rushed to me, and I'm generally not a fan of the trope. I will say that the Fin & Helos relationship is very much in the background, but I'm hoping it will be developed more in the second book.
I liked the quest, the magical forest setting, and the variety of characters we meet along the way. It is clear that a lot of thought has gone into the worldbuilding in this book, and that is definitely a positive. The pacing and structure felt a little off to me, but I think it was likely an attempt to ensure everything was set up for the next book, and so won't be as noticeable once the series is complete.
Alone, I'd say this book is a 3.5/5, but it has huge potential to be 5 stars alongside the next book.

Thank you Macmillan-Tor/Forge, Tor Teen, and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of Forestborn to review and share across my platforms.

"All of it is rotten, the world a hunter that rivals the best of them - a ruinous beauty that ensnares my heart and sets me aflame before reminding me, over and again, that none of it is meant for someone like me."

This book was surprising for me! I expected it to be much more boring and obvious that this was the author's debut. However, I am SO thankful to say it was a great read! At first, I was super worried because the idea was the same as a DNF I had last month in August, The Endless Skies - a shapeshifter who goes on a quest to save the people of her kingdom from a mysterious illness. However, thank goodness that Rora, the main character, and the story were nothing like The Endless Skies. Not only is Rora a shapeshifter, but she is also a spy for the king. Using her shapeshifting powers, she travels under different shifts to gather intel and report signs of trouble. When a worrisome, magical illness begins popping up in people across the kingdom, slowly or quickly killing them, Rora finds out a devastating truth: her best friend, Prince Finley has the Fallow Throes (the disease). The only hope for him and the ill people of the kingdom is stardust. Only the giants who live in the terrifying wilderness that Rora and her brother, Helos, struggled to survive in after their hometown was massacred and destroyed.
But for Fin, Rora will get over her fear and brave the dark wild with Helos and the middle child of the king - Prince Weslyn (Wes, eventually). In addition to the dangerous and deadly plants and animals in the wild, they face an ever-changing landscape and human enemies along their route. And with war on the horizon along with the sickness, Finley's life isn't the only one hanging in the balance.

I enjoyed this book! I liked the characters and Wes and Rora's relationship was believable (it took time for them to hook up). Sometimes I thought the characters' actions/reactions were strange though, and several times, Rora's thoughts didn't enhance the scene. One of the twists was predictable, while the other one wasn't obvious (I was surprised by it). Becker's writing style was nice too - not overly flowery. I think there was a lot of description in some parts, but overall it was well-written. The ending was a total kick to the gut - I can't believe I have to wait a year for the sequel! I need it NOW.

In summary, Forestborn is a nice story that I would recommend.

I LOVE those high-stakes, underdog quest vibes and this book DELIVERS on that front. It has all kinds of good magical adventure goodies: special seeds traded for stardust, an unpredictable, untamed magic forest, and the cure for a spreading, mysterious disease on the line.

The world-building includes shifters, who get three animal forms and can mimic any human, whisperers who can compel animals, and forest walkers who have an affinity for plants. And then there are the giants and the myriad magical creatures that fill the Vale, beautiful and dangerous.

The story has a cast of complex, flawed, easy-to-love characters. At the forefront is shifter Rora. She's a survivor, a spy, and perhaps most of all, a sister. Rora must return to the magic forest that haunts her nightmares, confront her past, and make the trade that can save her best friend's life. She will gain a new understanding of magic and disturbing information about violent, political moves being carried out in secret. Rora will reevaluate her relationships with her brother and dead mother as well as form a new friendship based on mutual trust that might slow-burn its way into something more romancey.

I loved the message about the cost of keeping the peace instead of protecting everyone's rights. There is no neutrality, just willful ignoring of existing inequalities. These facts light a fire in Rora to seek change and take action. I can't wait to see where her story goes next.

Thanks to Tor Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. It's out now, so go get your hands on a copy!

{3.5 stars}

Another fantasy world where those with magic are feared and exiled, but right in the King's court hiding in plain sight is Rora. Serving as a spy for the King she is sent on a mission to negotiate with the giants for stardust. Stardust to stop a magic plague and save the King's son who also happens to be the love of her brother's life. For the trip, Rora and her brother are saddled with the King's elder son who despises them. Enter witty banter and strife for their journey through the wilderness. Along the way they suffer all sorts of hardships and realize that the battle against magic is much more widespread and personal than they ever knew.

The first quarter of this story was quite an information dump as we get familiar with this world. It's worth sticking with as once they start their journey the action is good. The journey reminded me a lot of Frodo and Sam on a selfless mission facing all manner of danger.

I enjoyed the read although it's fairly formulaic YA fantasy. I liked the characters and their magic. I wished the ending was less of a cliffhanger and more of a natural end. I promise, I'll read your second book, you don't need to give me an aggressively sad ending with overtures to a much bigger adventure.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

I will scream about this book until I have the sequel in my hands. Becker has an INCREDIBLE debut on her hands. The world is lush, the prose incredible and the characters are ones that I want to live beside. This is an incredible book.

I really tried to like this book but I just couldn't get into the story and couldn't make it through the book.

I felt like there were too many things thrown at us without much of a backstory so I couldn't really connect with the story nor the characters.

But the writing was great and I'm thinking this book just wasn't for me.

I enjoyed this YA Fantasy. It picks up very quickly which dives you into the story and keeps on dragging you in. I liked the world building and can't wait to see more of it in book two.

Rora was a great MC. She's fierce and no nonsense but she also knows she's not perfect. I liked learning about her magic and seeing her shapeshift when she needed to. The relationship between Rora and her brother Helos was my favorite. I think it's important to showcase sibling relationships because so many people can relate to them. It's not always about romantic relationships and I'm glad that wasn't the focus of Rora's journey.

Weslyn is such a serious personality. He is opposite of Rora and I think that's why she doesn't understand him in the beginning. It's a classic enemies to lovers slow burn romance for sure. You can tell they grow on each other throughout their journey but it isn't the forefront of the story either which made it more intriguing. I'm curious to see where their relationship goes in book two because there's definitely something there.

So much happens in this book and we see so many parts of the world, along with some interesting creatures, but the ending I will warn you is on the sad side. I'm curious to see where the journey takes these three characters next.

definitely recommend this to anyone looking for their next YA Fantasy and the bonus of it only being a duology. The wait for book two may be long but at least we know we'll get the answers we're looking for!

Forestborn is the first instalment in the eponymous epic fantasy duology and a compelling and deeply ambitious debut from Becker. Rora and her brother Helos are shapeshifters, but only olive-skinned Rora is welcome in the Telyan court after they both fled their home in the Western Vale. She can morph into a goshawk, a mouse and a lynx but also has the ability to disguise herself using another person’s face. She uses her spectacular abilities to spy on behalf of the royal court of King Gerar whilst Helos is employed as a healer. Tensions are high between those with magic and those without, with the Eradain king up north proposing ultimatums to surrounding kingdoms about their allowance of magic and a magic sickness known as the Follow Throes seemingly sweeping over nonmagical people.

When the youngest crown prince of Telyan and Rora’s closest queer friend, Finley, begins to show symptoms, Rora, Helos and older prince Weslyn are sent to the Vale, the dangerous, magic-infused forest Rora and Helos left as children, to barter for stardust to heal the ill. Between Weslyn’s seeming hatred and mistrust of the shifters, childhood traumas resurfacing and the presence of magical and human threats, the three may be forever changed. It's a mission fraught with danger and they soon discover that one of Telyan’s neighbouring autocratic kingdoms is threatening war in a disturbing attempt to exterminate all forestborn magical entities. Will they make it out alive? This is a truly bewitching and exquisite fantasy that is filled with a nature-centred fantasy aesthetic, emotional arcs centred on processing trauma, an enchanted forest, engaging sibling bonds, royalty, interesting shapeshifters, a slow-burn enemies to lovers scenario and an overall adventure saga in which the clocks are ticking to save their magical kind.

The worldbuilding is intricate and in the Forestborn world, one tradition spans the 3 realms—an annual Prediction reading offering guidance or warnings for the year ahead; this is the one day each year Rora dreads above the rest. The characters are complex, diverse and Rora and Helos are determined to succeed despite their traumatic pasts; the whole story is a potent blend of self-reflection, grim realities, dark atmospherics and a series of challenges with personal growth and much-needed hope. I see many of my favourite fantasy elements collected in one—danger and action, friendship and romance, high stakes and magic. A slow-burning, enthralling and entertaining tale both of survival and self-discovery. Highly recommended.