There are a lot of books being put out in this genre. Some are so so, others awful and a few leave you hoping they are the start of a series. This is one of those. It contains the usual, but also the unusual. It challenges the validity of preconceptions. Something we could all use more of. Recommended for an entirely enjoyable read. And hopefully more to come.

If you are a fan of epic fantasies like The Bird and the Sword series by Amy Harmon or the Chronicles of the Warlands by Elizabeth Vaughan, you will love Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope, book one in the Earthsinger Chronicles. This story features an unconventional heroine, who is treated almost like a stranger in her own land. Jasminda is alone to survive on the family farm after the death of her mother and the disappearance of the father and brothers. She is a biracial child and is treated with suspicion by the village people because she possesses magical abilities. She rescues a prisoner of war from the clutches of the enemy army – a group of soldiers that are not supposed to be on this side of the border. She is soon embroiled in the long-standing fight between the non-magical Elserians (her homeland) and their mortal enemies, the Lagrimari.

I love how the story unfolds. Each chapter provides context for the modern day conflict told through folklore. It is easy, at first, to think that these are merely fables, but they represent the mindset and history of the war. The plot has plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader highly engaged. However, the real beauty is in the relationship between Jasminda and Jack. On the surface, they are complete opposites. She is shunned for being a dark-skinned like the Lagrimari. He is the golden boy Elserian. Underneath, however, they were like yin and yang. They complement each other and their relationship overcomes social convention.

This book is a great representation of an #ownvoices book. Created by author Corinne Duyvis, this hashtag is used as a shorthand for books with diverse characters written by those who share that identity. The thought is that readers can get deeper perceptions of the diverse characters. It is especially true for this book. There are themes of biracial alienation, class discrimination, and majority privilege. L. Penelope has a magical way of offering a nuanced presentation that is not heavy-handed but provides keen insight. This story makes a strong case for why we should all be reading more books written by diverse authors with varying perspectives. It is a fantastic ride.

I'm not sure where to start with this because there were so many elements that I loved.
Overall the writing and themes of the book were the best I've read so far as the writing easily sucked me in and I just kept turning the pages to read the next page and so forth while the themes are very close to real life as a nation is torn into two with both sides hating and mistrusting of each other without knowing the reason behind the hate, behind the story of the nation that used to be one.

Told through a third person narrative, this allows the reader to be able to see the world in which the characters inhabit much better than a a first person point of view could do as there are multiple layers in this story that allow for various characters to have a voice and narrative, some for a short spell, as the story progresses.

To which I bring up because I loved the layers and would have liked for those same layers, especially the romance between the main two characters, to have been explored further. I believe that Penelope was trying to fit as much as possible to tie up ends, which she did do, but it left some scenes wanting as there were so many good points and ideas that could have been explored further and at a slower pace to really let those ideas breathe. I'm not against insta-love, but I felt that at certain moments it became a focus and took away from the scene or the previous chapter which was starting to set up a nice flow into the story itself.

The romance was well written, although not my favorite, as I read this to be more of a fantasy book and the romance felt a bit off in some scenes while other moments felt like Jack had a Florence Nightingale crush and fell for his nurse while with Jasminda, I got a bit more of a realistic route as she questioned her emotions which made the romance a bit more believable to me.

I'm intrigued to see where Penelope takes this world and it's characters if she decides to further proceed as I believe she has a good amount of attributes from this one book that she can use for the next one.

Song Of Blood And Stone revolves around a girl with magic powers (termed as a song) and a skin color that makes her stand out from the crowd of non-majis. The world here can be divided into two groups: one with magic powers strong enough to change wind directions or speed, called the Lagimaris and the second with no songs but powerful people nonetheless, called the Elsirans. Both the cities are separated by a magical wall that prevents a cruel leader from breaching a clause to not take over the Lagimaris.

I really liked this book for quite a few things. One, the main protagonist, Jasminda, is a strong, confident female who does emotionally break at times but stands up again. She’s built to be the loneliest person because her parents and brothers are all dead, leaving her behind to suffer the abuse of people around her, pointing her out as a grol witch because of her Earthsong (magical power). Not only this, she’s not financially stable and struggles to keep her house at the farm because of the unpaid tax debt. While her character arc was resonating a saddened vibe, her personality was quite balanced between a strongly opinionated but sensitive human.

The world set up is interesting, though the world building isn’t the best. Some things might get confusing and it takes time to get completely engrossed in the fictional setting. However, the myths or legends created in this world are intriguing--there’s a saviour waiting to be awoken called the Queen Who Sleeps and is considered almost equal to God; sometimes Lagimaris might receive this Queen’s orders in their dreams and that’s how a war is fought. So, needless to say, hardt work has been put into the story.

There are a few topics that aren’t particularly ‘dealt’ with but they are given a limelight to show the harsh realism in this fictional world and I think that deserves appreciation. Like I already mentioned, there are racism induced actions against Jasminda so that’s a struggle for her in itself. Though, the way her character dealt with it is different and definitely not everyone can relate to her responses so I won’t say much about it.

There are refugee and interracial issues highlighted. At one point, refugees are being shot by the military unless a senior officer steps in, which shows the brutal reality of the hardened stigma surrounding refugees--they aren’t the country’s own so why should they be treated fairly. Similarly, Jasminda belongs to the Lagimaris but lives in the Elsira and this sets up another reason for her to be picked at. A true biracial struggle that leaves her feeling isolated.

The male protagonist, Jack, might not be my book-boyfriend material but he was admiring, no doubt. It’s so difficult to write about him without spoiling anything..ugh. Anyway, he’s a wounded soldier found and treated by Jasminda who soon falls in love with her. His personality is that of a gentleman and he’s intelligent--uses reasoning and logic while keeping up his morals.

Each chapter has these two to three lines of collected folk tales that somehow resonate with the chapter’s content. This impressed me, definitely! The writing is a first person, alternate PoV that’s pretty beautiful at times and a pleasure to read.

However, the story had so many tropes! Some of them were my pet peeves so while they don’t affect an overall reader’s point of view, they do affect mine. For example, insta-love and the evidently chosen one trope. The romance between Jasminda and Jack was fine for me; it didn’t make me cringe but it didn’t make me swoon either. They had respect for each other and hot scenes but I felt like they loved each other too quickly.

The pacing was tiring at the start and it was only halfway through that I felt the most captivated. The disclosures or revelations weren’t that unpredictable and sometimes just made me turn page without any hint of expressions because “yup, totally knew that was gonna happen!”.

Whatever be the case, I do recommend this to those who are looking for a magical realism fantasy with diversity and a good enough plot.

This is a really interesting and compelling read, unlike anything I've read before. It starts off slow, but I really enjoyed it as it went on.

SONG OF BLOOD AND STONE is a novel I wanted to love. The back copy promised extraordinary magic along with an intriguing bond between characters that would be tested by the politics of their world. I was excited to crack open the beautiful cover and get lost in the first book of a fantasy trilogy.

Unfortunately, I found the book’s description a little misleading. While the first chapter provides a light introduction of Jasminda’s magic and the world she inhabits, the novel never digs much deeper. I found myself increasingly confused as the story progressed. I wanted to know more about how her magic worked and why and how technology existed alongside Jasminda’s magic. SONG OF BLOOD AND STONE doesn’t provide much explanation or world building besides telling the reader that cars exist and Jasminda is capable of magic, but the descriptions feel pointedly generic fantasy world. Perhaps greater description and explanation is provided in later books.

The overall flow of the story is also muddled. After the initial chapter, which sets up a fantasy story with clear goals and stakes for Jasminda, the narrative meanders into a love story. Jasminda’s goals then become Jack’s goals. Though there are hints of barriers and some misunderstandings, their romance is never in question.

Readers looking for heavy romance and light fantasy will be pleased with the world in SONG OF BLOOD AND STONE as the strongest parts of the novel are the romantic elements. Jasminda is a remarkable and interesting character with a magical ability I still wish to know more about. With two sequels on the way, there is plenty of room for Penelope to expand the world she’s built in this first novel.

I received this book through Netgalley as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am generally a big fan of the fantasy genre and particularly liked the way that this book started. The creation story was interesting and the writing style was concise but didn't feel lacking at first so I was disappointed when it started to drag about 30% in.  Once Jasminda and Jack started on their journey, events happened rather quickly and abruptly without enough development. This includes their relationship which started to feel like a forced love story. The magic aspect was an integral part of the story but I felt very disconnected from it and as a result, stopped caring much for the characters. The refugee group was off putting and everyone's relationships just didn't feel natural. There was something missing in the crafting of the story, like I was supposed to know more about the world and the magic than was explained so it ultimately fell flat. The whole spell singing thing just happens instead of being developed in a cohesive manner; character development was awkward (especially Jack suddenly being some important military captain) and overall, there was a lack of smooth, well thought out connections between events. I really thought that I would enjoy this book but the fantasy aspect ultimately didn't work for me and I felt like I was forcing myself to finish the book just to finish.

From the very beginning, Song of Blood & Stone sucked me in. There is so much mystery and action that fills the first chapter, and I definitely wanted to know what was going on. Additionally, the book contains such elegant world-building, a unique magic called Earthsong, and, of course, the most intriguing characters. And with so many secrets and intrigue littering every page, I was on the edge of my seat to see how the story unfolded.

In addition to the magic and beautiful world-building in Song of Blood & Stone, I really loved the two main characters, Jasminda and Jack. Jasminda is powerful, independent, caring, and has so much heart. And I found Jack to also be bold, mysterious, and kindhearted. The chemistry between these characters is a slow burn, but near the middle and end of the book, their relationship sizzles in the best possible ways.

If you are fan of fantasy books with great world-building, a dash of swoons, and unique magic, you need to pick up Song of Blood & Stone. This book surprised me in the best possible ways. Every page held my attention, and I strongly wanted to know what was going to happen from beginning to end. I am very much looking forward to continuing this series.

In the days of old, a Lord and Lady arrived from a distant, dying world. Upon their arrival, they used their Earthsong magic to bring life to the withered land. The Lord and Lady and their nine children lived among the native cave dwellers and eventually, the children mated with the original inhabitants. Their offspring were either Earthsingers, or Silents (those without magic). Many centuries later, the two lands are at constant war, with only a magical wall helping keep the peace.

Jasminda lives in Elsira and is the daughter of an Elsiran (Silent) mother and a refugee Lagrmarian father, who was a POW of the Fifth Breach. She shares her father’s dark skin and magical abilities, making her an outcast in her mother’s homeland. On her own after losing her entire family, Jasminda is being forced off her land by her estranged grandfather.

As a member of the Elsiran Army, Jack is on a return trip from his spy mission into Lagrmari when his pursuers wound him. Jasminda saves the stranger with her Earthsong, and the pair works together to escape their rough Lagrmari captors. Jack knows he must make it back to the capital to share the horrible plans of the True Father and his designs to take down the Mantle, starting another Breach War.

Song of Blood and Stone shares with readers a unique and interesting new world. I found myself engrossed in the intricacies of the mythology, which is grounded in a solid, familiar story, yet wholly different from what I’ve read before. Like many first books in a series, Song of Blood and Stone spends much of the book building its world and solidifying the background and lore. The flow is smooth, although the first half of the book is much slower due to the development of the world and characters.

From the start, I found myself fascinated with Jasminda. She’s a stranger of her people (the Lagrmari), having grown up in Elsira. Her father rarely talked about his homeland, and didn’t teach Jasminda about her Earthsong or the customs of the Earthsingers. Unfortunately, at times Jasminda’s naivety and isolation made her seem too young and out of sync with her physical self. While it worked for her as she learned more of her people, I felt it worked against her in the romantic aspect of the story.

Jasminda is also not accepted by the fair-skinned Elsirans who are fearful of her magic and see her as a threat to their safety and way of life. The story is a commentary on racial issues without preaching. The author gives insight into the problems through Jasminda’s thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Jack is an interesting character, one with hidden truths, but full of optimism and idealism. He carries his values in his heart and doesn’t let politics sway his compassion and desire to fix the world. But he is also in a position that requires political maneuvering, which adds conflict to the romance and plotline. He’s a great fit for Jasminda because he sees past her skin color and magical abilities.

I did feel like Jack and Jasminda’s relationship was rushed, with their declarations of love a bit too much “instalove” for me. Yet some of the best romances are borne from dire situations, and Jasminda and Jack were certainly tossed together and in danger. Additionally, Jasminda came across so young, it seemed like she was just wide-eyed and experiencing her first crush rather than true love. We’ll see how it develops in book two.

In the end, I enjoyed Song of Blood and Stone. I loved the mix of magic/fantasy and the realism of hatred and bigotry. The mythology of the Earthsingers was fascinating. While I felt the beginning half moved a bit slow as the author set the word, the storyline picked up as the action intensified. I look forward to reading the next book as we hopefully see the pair work through the years of mistrust and hatred to help mend the land.

My Rating: B, Liked It

ARC from Netgalley

The cover of this book is far more appealing than the story inside it, alas. Weak world-building, non-existent character construction, and plodding prose combined with the cheesiest elements of romance make for a less than rewarding read.

Biracial Jasminda has lived in Elsira, the land of her mother, all her life. Across the "Mantle," a magical border, is the land of her father, Lagrimari, a country ruled by the "True Father," who steals "Earthsong" magic from his citizens in order to maintain his power. In the past, the "Mantle" has been breached several times leading to war between the two countries.

At the start of the story, Jasminda lives alone, her mother long-dead, her father and twin brothers two years missing. She stumbles upon a wounded stranger on the path from town to her homestead, a man she heals with her limited stores of Earthsong. The stranger, a military man named Jack, is being pursued, though, and the two escape, hoping to shore up the Mantle border and protect Elsira via a magical stone that Jack has been given. But their quest goes woefully astray, weakening rather than strengthening the Mantle. They later encounter a group of refugees from Lagrimari, and Jasminda is given a different magical stone, one that reveals in a slow series of visions another way to save Elsira: by reviving the dormant "Queen Who Sleeps," whom prophecy says will one day awaken and defeat the True Father.

Secret identities, insta-lust romance, evil other women, and plot twists one can see coming from miles away ensue.

I liked this book, it engaged me quickly and thoroughly and I will defiantly look for more to read from this series and writer!

I’d like to thank St. Martin’s Press for providing me an early copy as a part of the blog tour. My review is 100% honest!

I was definitely interested in this book, especially because of the cover. It was incredibly gorgeous and I loved the fact that, just by the cover alone, the main character was going to be a POC. I want to mention that her skin color is hardly mentioned and I’m glad it wasn’t mentioned because I couldn’t picture any other person than the model on the cover the entire time. Props to Miss Penelope.

So, Jasminda is alone in a cabin as an Earthsinger, someone who is pretty much looked down upon as a witch. She is an outcast among her town until she meets Jack, a soldier that is captured and who sees her as a person.

When Jack and Jasminda escape from the captors and meet refugees, a crazy journey begins that leads them all to the royal castle where secrets unfold and visions are revealed of the past thanks to a tiny stone.

I really enjoyed Jasminda’s character, though I didn’t feel the biggest connection to her that I feel like I should have. She is a strong girl and has a big heart. She has been through so much trauma, but it’s only given her a thicker skin. She does put herself down sometimes, especially when it comes to Jack and their feelings for each other. However, something didn’t click with me. I didn’t feel that 100% connection with her character. I don’t know if it was the fact that I didn’t get enough backstory or character building, but I’d like to see if that connection will build in the second book.

Jack was an interesting character, but like Jasminda, it feels like he is still a stranger to me. His personality matches Jasminda’s and I will go ahead and point out that their relationship is definitely insta-love. It wasn’t really that big of a deal to me because they match with each other, but I do think the ending of the book was kind of rushed and too cheesy for my taste.

Back to Jack’s character. He is definitely not the normal kind of soldier that he appears to be in the beginning of the book. I was honestly surprised and then not surprised when his secret was revealed. It was the kind of moment where I was like “Holy crap, what?!” to “Oh, that totally makes sense.” I think L. Penelope framed his character really well, but she does have the opportunity to be more in depth with his life than she was in this book.

The book itself was interesting. This entire book was just all together interesting, okay? You know how you are reading a book and you can’t put it down and you don’t even know why? That’s how it felt to read this book. It was really good, but I couldn’t figure out what was so good about it. Sometimes, the pacing would be slow or too fast. Not much would happen. Characters would get kind of slow. Yet, I didn’t want to put it down. it just has that certain appeal that is hard to explain, hence my four-star rating. It may be the cover that stuck in my mind the entire time or maybe it was the elements and how intriguing it was. I mean, the setting makes it seem like this is the Middle Ages yet it gets kind of futuristic with having actual motor vehicles and freaking airplanes and cables and all that stuff.

All in all, I did enjoy this book for some mysterious reason that I can’t grasp on to right now. It just has that appeal and I think it has the appeal for fans of high fantasy, especially those who enjoy Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. I know I’ll definitely be waiting for the second book.

3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good first book in this new series. There is minimal worldbuilding, but that's pretty typical for a YA Fantasy book. The main characters are likeable and earnest. There is plenty of action and the storyline moves along at a decent pace. I recommend reading this book.

The story is set in two countries called Elsira and Lagamiri. The 2 countries are separated by a mystical "mantle" that is an invisible wall. Throughout the years, breaches have appeared in the mantle allowing the armies of the countries to slip through and fight each other. The main female character, Jasminda, lives in Elsira. One parent was from Elsira and the other from Lagamiri. Jasminda is an orphan and outcast because she has a gift called Earthsong that gives her special abilities. Apparently there are different strengths and abilities of Earthsong, but this is never really explained in any detail and remains a mystery.

When soldiers invade her isolated cabin with an injured prisoner spy named Jack, Jasminda uses her gift to heal Jack and help him escape. Jack has discovered that the mantle is about to permanently fail and he must do whatever is necessary to save his people. The couple must rely on each other in an effort to save the countries from death and war.

I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Song of Blood & Stone is a lovely read that definitely deserves a second look. Though some readers took issue with the predictable storyline and “too perfect” romance, it does not detract from the novel. Not all romance has to be riddled with drama and trouble just as a story does not have to have more twist and turns than a mountain road to be entertaining.

Overall, this novel has everything: an interracial couple with a strong dark skinned female lead, an LGBT couple, a fantastical world, romance, and action. While the reader hungers for more world building and background develop, it still feels like a complete story.

This follows Jasminda, a girl torn between to worlds.The book starts out with Jasminda’s grandfather trying to pay her off to erase her mother’s name. Her parents come from warring cultures; Jasminda's mother was Elsiran, and her father was Lagamiri. The Lagamiri people are dark skinned, and can wield magic. The Elsira people are light skinned, and magicless.

This authors writing was A+. I could feel how Jasminda felt. Every emotion was so powerful, and I loved it a lot. I really adored Jasminda! She is everything I look for in a MC: smart, empathetic, brave. Then we have Jack. He had so many secrets I wanted to shake him! He made questionable decisions, but he was kind and courageous.

It was a bit slow at the beginning, but it picks up quickly. I definitely recommend it!

multifaceted fantasy, Song of Blood and Stone’s main character, Jasminda, is an orphaned goat farmer attempting to survive in a land where her race and magical ability mean she is a pariah. When she saves the life of soldier Jack she is thrust into an epic journey to save the nations of Lagrimari and Elsira and set right a century’s old wrong.

Jack is more than a spy or soldier, he’s the prince regent of Elsira and in the kindness and resolve of Jasminda, he’s found love, but can he and Jasminda be together when the nation, history and his own mistakes work against them?

More than once I’ve reviewed a book and complained about too much going on within the plot. While Song of Blood and Stone has a lot (A LOT!) going on, including the romance of Jack and Jasminda, Jasminda finding belonging, the story of Oola and Eero, the war with the True Father, etc, all are woven together to create what really is a complicated, but cohesive and truly epic story. I never once felt overwhelmed with the amount of plot points, but was eager to read more.

Within the complicated plot of Song of Blood and Stone are themes from recent history and the current news cycle including the horrors of living under a dictatorship, racism, fighting between religious groups, refugees fleeing oppression only to face media scrutiny and indifference among others. These elements aren’t included in a preachy or overwhelming way, but are part of the extensive and detailed world building of Song of Blood and Stone. The fact that the elements mirror our own existence allows for a stronger connection between readers and the characters of the story.

Song of Blood and Stone is listed as Fantasy, but, to me it’s more than that. There is definitely magic, mysticism and a kind of epicness that one finds in Fantasy novels, but also technology and media that gave it a Steampunk kind of vibe, as well as a fantastic Romance element. This is the kind of book fans of Amanda Bouchet’s Kingmaker Chronicles series, Ilona Andrews’ Edge series and Cora Carmack’s Stormheart series will enjoy.

Song of Blood and Stone really is a fantastic, original story with many great world building and elements that create a closer connection between reader and characters. I can’t wait for the next in the series.

Rating: A+

Fantastic read, well written with a great plot and characters. I was engrossed from start to finish. I couldn't put it down. This book has elements of magic, action, romance and great world building. I can't wait to read the next book! I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Netgalley.

I loved this novel! If you are looking for a fast paced, mulitlayered fantasy reading experience, I cannot recommend this more!

So, um, Song of Blood & Stone did not turn out to be the epic we hoped it to be and while we're disappointed, we're curious enough to see if the author has any other work that we might find ourselves interested in.

Penelope’s SONG OF BLOOD & STONE is the first book in a fantasy romance series that explores racial discrimination, the atrocities of war, and what it means to belong.

Set in an alternate 1920s, SONG OF BLOOD & STONE follows two very different young people trying to save their kingdom from invasion. As a mixed-race young woman with the ability to wield Earthsong, Jasminda is hated in the majority-white, magic-fearing kingdom of Elsira. When she rescues Jack, a fellow Elsiran and a military man just returned from a dangerous mission in their enemy nation Lagrimar, she sets events in motion that will change the world as she knows it.

Ruled by a cruel dictator known as the True Father, Lagrimar represents the other in SONG OF BLOOD & STONE. Elsirans hate and fear the Lagrimari for their religion, their magic, and the colour of their skin…even the refugees who have escaped certain death in Lagrimar to seek sanctuary in Elsira. The commentary on the treatment of refugees is clear, but I didn’t find it heavy-handed. Try as they might, Elsirans can’t ignore or oversimplify the Lagrimari forever: the magical barrier known as the Mantle that prevents the True Father’s armies from invading Elsira is weakening with each passing day. If Jasminda can’t harness her weak Earthsong magic to shore up the Mantle, her life, such as it is, will be over.

Jasminda is far and away the best developed character, and she’s a very easy one to love. Despite how often she’s belittled and excluded, Jasminda remains empathetic and brave. It disgusted me to see how her neighbours treated her with contempt, hatred, and fear, but I felt so proud of her every time she stood her ground. And more than anything, I respect a heroine with such a practical nature! Jasminda’s so practical, in fact, that she’s shocked when she finds herself falling in love with Jack as their mission progresses. Her own family history has taught her that a romance between a full-blooded Elsiran and someone who’s half-Lagrimari will never be supported by society.

SONG OF BLOOD & STONE being a fantasy romance, the relationship between Jasminda and Jack is the main feature of the story. Thankfully I found them pretty cute together despite my initial wariness (there’s some major insta-lust), and their feelings for one another were well-developed. The prejudice Jasminda faces as a mixed-race person aside, Jack’s background is also a considerable obstacle for them; I was quite pleased that Jasminda in particular showed a lot of maturity when dealing with the imbalance of power in their relationship. Jack is a sweet guy and I liked him, but I found his naivety in the face of all he’d seen in war quite frustrating. Wake up and realize that your country is deeply racist!

My only serious complaint about SONG OF BLOOD & STONE is its anti-climactic “final battle” scene. Jasminda and Jack spend almost the entire book journeying, training, and preparing to face off against the Lagrimari forces trying to break through the Mantle…but the battle itself is over in the blink of an eye. Come on, y’all! I was also disappointed by the borderline deus ex machina that allowed Jasminda and Jack to be together formally and officially, but I can let that one go. Especially in light of the explosive epilogue!

Overall, SONG OF BLOOD & STONE by L. Penelope is a strong, if flawed, start to an intriguing new fantasy romance series. People looking for lovable characters, solid writing, and an exploration of social issues in fantasy should pick this one up!