Although The Forest of Moonshade series as a whole is about the fate of the forest, and how the group of friends influence what happens, the first book, The Fall, is primarily about betrayal.
Now this isn’t a particularly fresh theme. Indeed, I have read some books where there is a betrayal of family/friends within the first chapter. However, this whole book is the story of how and why people got betrayed, and sets up the series for the consequences of those betrayals. I’m very much influenced by Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, and I like to set up proper betrayals. Primarily my main concern with a good betrayal is that readers care about the betrayals when they happen.
I dislike betrayals or deaths that are clearly supposed to impact you before you have really gotten to know the character. I just don’t understand how you’re supposed to care what has happened.
The Forest Of Moonshade 