Take a duel-wielding “girl with a sword”…

Add a newly awakened ancient magic triggered by her best friend’s death…

Add a forest, haunted and malignant, tamed by the Spider King…

Sprinkle in a bit of the “orphan with unknown powers” but jumble it up and turn it on its head…

Simmer over a low flame of a fracturing truce and kingdoms on the brink of war…

Pour in a quest to save your best friend while the world is expecting you to be the solution, to save it…

And you get Forest of Souls.

Sirscha. I’ve never felt as seen as I do in her. I see myself in the battles she has with herself. In her insecurities, her determination. And then I see myself in her face. I say it over and over and I won’t stop: It means the world to me to have a character I love look like me on the inside and the outside.

The other thing I love about this book is that the sister-bond between Sirscha and Saengo (her best friend) rules the book. A deep, platonic love drives Sirscha and I so enjoyed seeing female friendship at the center of a book rather than a romance.