Welcome to Thursday Quotables! This feature is the place to highlight a great quote, line, or passage discovered during your reading each week.  Whether it’s something funny, startling, gut-wrenching, or just really beautifully written, Thursday Quotables is where my favorite lines will be, and you’re invited to join in! Hosted by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies.

We used to be a team, she said at Spinner’s End. Now all I am is a piece of you. A shadow tethered to your soles, looking at your back.

This is a quote that Sirscha is reminiscing on during this scene between her and Saengo outside of the Dead Wood. The scene that she is thinking about takes place in the first novel, Forest of Souls, in case you want to read it for yourself! After the events of the beginning of the first novel, the dynamics between Sirscha and Saengo ended up changing permanently, with unexpected results. Yes, I believe that this change made them even closer than before, but like Saengo says in this quote, it feels like it took away a lot of Saengo’s autonomy. It’s really unfortunate, but I also believe she’s right in that sense… and this is something that Sirscha can never take away no matter how much she wants to.

I know that Sirscha does what she can to ensure that Saengo isn’t a shadow, and can do whatever she wants to do, but it’s also difficult to ensure that she stays safe because of their connection. It’s just an unfortunate situation all around, but it’s better than the alternative… that’s all I have to say on that. I hope that after this part in the book, Saengo is able to feel more like her own person again, because she truly is amazing.

I can’t really say much more without getting into spoiler territory, and I don’t know if everyone has read the first book yet either, so I’ll keep it as vague as I can. What I CAN say is that this sequel is killing it, and I’m so freaking honored to have the chance to read it early. Thank you again so much!

The sequel to the hotly-anticipated Forest of Souls, an epic and immersive tale of destiny and sisterhood. Perfect for fans of Susan Dennard, Sarah J. Maas, and Netflix’s The Witcher!

The Soulless has woken from his centuries-long imprisonment. Now, he lurks in the Dead Wood recovering his strength, while Sirscha and her allies journey east to the shaman empire of Nuvalyn. Everyone believes she is a soulguide—a savior—but Sirscha knows the truth. She’s a monster, a soulrender like the Soulless, and if anyone discovers the truth, she’ll be executed.

But there’s nothing Sirscha won’t risk to stop the shaman responsible for the rot that’s killing her best friend. While the Soulless is formidable, like all shamans, his magic must be channeled through a familiar. If Sirscha can discover what—or who—that is, she might be able to cut him off from his power.

With Queen Meilyr bent on destroying the magical kingdoms, Sirscha finds herself caught between a war brewing in the east and the Soulless waiting in the west. She should be trying to unite what peoples she can to face their common enemies, but instead, her hunt for clues about the Soulless leads to a grim discovery, forcing Sirscha to question who her enemies really are.

For those that have already had the pleasure of reading this… what are your thoughts on it?? Did you enjoy it as much as I’m enjoying it right now?

For those that haven’t yet…. did you read Forest of Souls? Are you planning on picking this on up in a couple of weeks? I’m so freaking excited for this to come out already! I need to talk about it with people so let me know if you want to talk about it while you’re reading it.