I won both books in this series from the publisher in an Instagram contest. The second book, The Iron Flower, comes out in September.

So, I’m a little late to the party when it comes to The Black Witch Chronicles. How on earth did I miss out on the first book?! I’m super happy I’ve had the opportunity to read it now, and to also read the second!

This series is YA, of the epic fantasy variety. Basically, it’s about a world tearing itself apart through racism and hatred. Yes, it’s dystopian. And yes, it does have a prophecy, and a central female character that starts out ordinary but quickly becomes exceptional. But even with these common YA tropes, this story is so well written that it feels pretty fresh and new.

Forest has created a world that is incredibly detailed - from the setting, all the way to the individual races and religions. It’s very unique. I loved the strong female characters, even with their many flaws. Really, it was the complexity of it all that impressed me. I couldn’t see where the conflict was heading, and there were some pretty heart-wrenching twists that were a total surprise.

The Iron Flower is definitely not the last book in the series, and I’m looking forward to reading the next one!