I feel like this series just keeps getting better! Since Cry of Metal & Bone is the third book in the series, I won't go into too much detail, but I think this is my favorite installment so far. If you are looking for a smart fantasy series with a diverse cast of characters, deep thematic content, a strong dash of romance, political intrigue, and a world that blends magic and technology, then this is definitely one to try.

The author does an incredible job of weaving together plot threads from all of the different perspectives, further developing the world and magic system, creating nuanced, interesting, and diverse characters, placing plot elements in juxtaposition to create tension, and addressing bigger issues such as racism, misogyny, and attitudes toward immigration, all from within this unique fantasy story. She's just doing so much here, even dealing with things like interracial adoption and how that can be affected by bigoted family members. And while I wouldn't quite call this a fantasy romance, it does have a strong romantic element to it. I would love to see more people pick up this series. I received an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Cry of Metal & Bone by L. Penelope is the Earthsinger Chronicles, Book 3. This edition to the epic fantasy series reads well as a standalone.

The Mantle, the magical barrier which separates the countries of Lagrimar and Elsira, has fallen. Two powerful factions have formed. One wants to unite the Lagrimari and the Elsirans as one harmonious country. The other seeks to keep the countries separate and force the Lagrimari to a far off land. To further agitate the populace someone has bombed a sacred Elsiran site. The Elsiran monarchs assemble a ragtag team to investigate the bombing and other matters of state. Rich girl gone bad, Lizvette Nirall, bad boy trying to make good, Tai Summerhawk and Earthsinger, Darvyn ol-Tahlyro, embark on a mission that unearths magic and secrets that have long been buried. Magical forces align foretelling devastating events to come.

Author, L. Penelope, enhances the fascinating world of vast wonders she’s built in the Earthsinger Chronicles. Cry of Metal & Bone picks up right where Whispers of Shadow & Flame left off without losing the continuity of the series. L. Penelope expertly handles the complex intertwining of the numerous well-developed characters she’s created without confusing the reader. The plot is engrossing and held my attention from the first page to the last. The ending is a perfect lead-in for future installments. Earthsinger Chronicles Book 3, Cry of Metal & Bone, is a strong 5 out of 5 star read that I throughly enjoyed. I recommend it to those who enjoy in-depth fantasy/sci-fi.

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.

I've essentially binge read this series in the lead up to the release of this book and it was a fantastic journey. I think for many people, this will be the strongest installment yet. For me, the reader who really likes a dash of fantasy with her romance about 85% of the time, I would say that this particular installment advances the romantic arc resolution of the second book and develops a new one. Unfortunately, after loving the novella right before this one because I adore Ani, there was a serious dearth of her in this book. That said, we did get to see Ella again, who aside from Ani is my favorite character!

So now that I've told you more about what I wanted that I didn't get, let me tell you about all of the things we did get that I enjoyed. There are several perspectives in this novel and I really liked seeing some of the storylines start to intersect more in comparison to the second novel. There are still a few distinct storylines happening here that don't feel like there is cursory rather than true intersections. Also, what this solidified for me is my hatred of the Goddess. I dislike her immensely and I want her de-platformed immediately.

I think the world L. Penelope has created is vast and I'm so delighted to be exploring more of it. I am so keen to find out what happens next because there is a lot of work to do and we've got a new war looming on the horizon that I do not quite understand. And then there was that epilogue??? I have questions.

So, all in all, this is a delightful series and a great continuation of the series and I am so excited for the next one! Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and Netgalley for the advanced copy for review.

Following the fall of the Mantle, Lagrimari flee to Elsira. A group with ties to the Elsiran government starts launching attacks, so a team has to investigate them. Disgraced socialite Lizvette Nirale and smuggler Tai Summerhawk must team up to look into deadly magic, secret agendas, and court intrigue to discover the truth.

Cry of Metal and Bone is the third book in the Earthsinger Chronicles, and it definitely helps to have read the first two novels first, because the stars of those appear here as well. This novel is focused on Tai and Lizvette, but it still starts in Elsira weeks after the fall of the Mantle. Intrigue abounds, as there are factions that don't want the Langrimari to live in Elsira, whether by expelling them forcefully or creating a second separate kingdom for them to live in. On top of that, the other neighboring kingdoms still exist and have their own motives for clandestinely sending operatives to Elsira.

As the book progresses, we see more of other kingdoms besides Elsira and Langrimar. Racism is rampant in all of the countries, especially Elsira. Classism is also present, and there are those who look down on the Physicks, those who combine magic and machinery into amalgams. These feature in multiple story threads, as well as explaining some mysterious events from earlier books. There's danger in every story thread, from those staying behind in Elsira and unearthing a conspiracy involving high ranking officials, to those heading to Yaly to find Lizvette's father. It's a novel with more political and racial overtones than prior novels because now Jack and Jessaminda are in power when so many others disapprove of that.

There will be more in this series of novels, as we're seeing more of the broader world. It's fascinating, and it's difficult to avoid drawing parallels to our world.

As with our world, it's going to take the dedicated work of those seeking justice and the betterment of the people to effect change.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at NerdGirlLovesBooks.

Once again we are treated with an exciting, action-packed book about the struggle of Elsira and Lagrimar, two nations that have been at war for centuries. The book starts fast and doesn't slow down until the satisfying cliffhanger. (I mistakenly thought this was the last book in the series, but no, we will be treated to at least one more book!)

It's been six weeks since the Mantle fell and Lagrimar refugees are fleeing their barren land and flooding into Elsira looking for a better life. Despite the Goddess wanting the countries to unite into one country as it once was, a faction of citizens in Elsira are dead set against Lagrimar citizens living in their country. This is the over arching focus of this book, with a few side story lines sprinkled throughout.

Between helping the new King and Queen set up their government, and his "errands" for the Goddess, Darvyn, the Shadow Fox, searches for his love Kyara, the Poison Flame. She was captured at the end of the last book by a group of people that want to use her Neathersong to power their inventions. Two characters that also play a big part in the book are Lizvette and Tai. Lizvette is a disgraced socialite who was charged with treason, along with her father. She ventures on a journey for redemption. Tai is a foreign smuggler that is determined to keep a promise he made to a dead man.

Darvyn, Tai and Lizvetter are sent on a mission by the King and Queen to try to find Lizvette's father and bring him to justice. Darvyn and Tai both have secret missions to also carry out. Meanwhile, a covert investigation is undertaken in Elsira to root out the group that wants to carve out a northern part of Elsira and force the refugees to live there.

This book is fast-paced and thankfully doesn't lag in the middle. We discover more information about the Goddess and her motives, and Kyara learns more about her power and how to harness it. This book is character driven and has interesting ones that I could get invested in. The villains are rather one note and their motives aren't clearly explained, but based on how the book ended, we may get into that more in the next book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read the next one. I recommend you get into this series. It's creative, full of action and has interesting characters.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

L. Penelope is a master at telling a story that will keep you on the edge of your reading chair, at least for me she did. Plots from previous books are revealed and some still left me a bit bereft BUT listen, I am all into this series. It’s one of the better fantasy stories being told right now. And ya’ll know what’s so amazing about this story all through-out the series? Is the current world themes portrayed. Xenophobia, racism and poli-tricks are strong subject matters that remain front and center. The bringing of people and their differences together shouldn’t be so hard BUT it's never easy, is it? Our author weaves magic and fantasy with real world issues that will have its readers wanting more. L. Penelope's telling of this story is much needed.

I liked both of the previous books, and was excited to read this one. But for some reason I had a hard time getting into this one. I feel like it took me a lot of time and effort to reach 20%. After that it flew by and I loved it! Not sure if it was me or the pacing, but either way I’m glad I stuck it out. Beyond that I think the way the reader was reminded of past events and characters was great. And I enjoyed the romances that evolved. I’m anxiously awaiting the next book!

I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Cry of Metal & Bone represents a bit of a switch in style for the series to a larger cast, epic fantasy feel, compared to the first two books, where things were fairly contained to the main couple and their central issue within the larger world. As a result, while those two could stand alone, I do recommend picking up the previous two books (and the novellas if you can) prior to picking up this one, as it will provide more insight into who all of the characters are, especially the ones who were protagonists in the previous two books.

And while I was initially taken aback by this shift, even being more or less familiar with everyone, I soon found myself engrossed in the story and following each of the characters.

The new lead characters, Lizvette and Tai, were both interesting. I found Lizvette’s arc fascinating due to her story being that of a defeated claimant to the throne, and working to redeem herself following this failure, with smuggler Tai’s help.

But they also share the spotlight very well with major characters from the previous books. I wasn’t the biggest Jasminda/Jack fan upon finishing Song of Blood and Stone, but what I’ve seen here of them as rulers has made me appreciate them more, both as characters (although I already really liked Jasminda, I had more issues with Jack) and as a couple.

I also love that the book (and the series as a whole) sees its characters tackling real world issues like racism and bigotry, and the complexity of world politics. I like how, while the story in general tries to provide a hopeful tone, it also shows that oppression isn’t an easy thing to solve.

I’m really enjoying the series so far, and I’m excited to see where it goes next. If you love immersive, fast-paced, culturally rich fantasy romance, then I recommend this highly.

CRY OF METAL & BONE is a great third book in the EARTHSINGER CHRONICLES series. This book launches us forward, whereas the last two took place at the same time, this one takes place after and combines all the characters we know and love, while diving deeper on some characters we knew a bit from the earlier books. There are a lot of well-constructed characters in this series, and this book does a great job of reminding us who everyone is when it begins.

The Mantle has fallen and Elsira and Lagrimar are struggling to become one nation. People are protesting their unification, sometimes violently, and the refugees are struggling to make their way in this difficult new world. There is a lot of fear over refugees and immigration that reflect the current times.

A group has been given a mission thought to lead them to the head of the violent protest group that bombed a temple- and some of the group have a side mission bestowed on them by the awoken goddess to find Jasminda's family and bring them home safely. They venture into the world of the dangerous Physicks and their religious fanaticism of forged magic. Lizvette takes a more leading role here as she navigates her future separate from her family, trying to decide who to trust and to make herself trustworthy. I really appreciated her character growth.

There are some really interesting themes here of human nature, the cost of blind goal-seeking, politics, and fear of strangers among others. It's a faster-paced book that really takes us on an action-filled ride through the new world created after the mantle fell. I love the characters, and I appreciated the insight into those we know from the past, as well as the new stars of this book who I would love to see again (Lizvette and Tai, the Raunian). The romance is built well, and I love every second spent in this world of danger and magic- which still manages to parallel our own.

Overall, this is a great fantasy read that I would highly recommend. Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly August New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached).

I really love his series and book 3 was no exception! The suspense, intrigue, characters POV and development all were amazing! This romantic fantasy has such a rich world that pulls you in and a magical realm that is full of life! I highly recommend this series!!!

"L. Penelope's stunning epic fantasy Earthsinger Chronicles continues with Cry of Metal and Bone.

The Mantle dividing Elsira and Lagrimar has fallen. As the two kingdoms struggle to unify, one threat stands above them all.

As desperate Lagrimari flee their barren land for a chance at a better life in Elsira, a shadowy group with ties to the Elsiran government launches an attack on their own soil. With threats of more violence, an unlikely crew is assembled to investigate. Among them are Lizvette Nirall, a disgraced socialite seeking redemption for past mistakes, and Tai Summerhawk, a foreign smuggler determined to keep a promise he made to a dead man.

It’s a race against time in this world of deadly magic, secret agendas and court intrigue to discover those responsible before the next assault. And in another land a new enemy awakens - one that will strike terror into the hearts of gods and men."

I'm always down for court intrigue!

The two kingdoms of Elsira and Lagrimar have been united after the barrier known as the Mantle has fallen; however, all is not joyous in Elsira where many refugees have taken up residence. The deep prejudices and xenophobia of the people including the wealthy, aristocratic Elsira upper echelon has caused discord and even some deadly protesting. The new king and queen, Jack and Jasminda, have a lot of work to do in order to rule with the help, if it can be called that, of their newly awoken goddess,Oola.

This story has several protagonists, most of whom were introduced in the first book, which makes it a complex read. Lizvette thought she was destined to be queen of Elsira; however, after the failure of plans with her scheming father, disgrace has replaced all hopes and dreams. Lizette is determined to redeem herself with the help of Tai Summerhawk, a Raunian pirate who is enlisted to assist in finding out the identity of the leaders running the subversive groups.

Also prominent in this story, are Daryn, Kyara, Benn and Ella, as well as several other characters introduced in SONG OF BLOOD AND STONE. The multiple POVS flow reasonably well while making this story a multifaceted read although all the characters are working towards the same goal of trying to unify the two disparate kingdoms as well as some of the characters trying to rescue those taken by one of the groups who seek to overthrow the new government. Besides Lizvette's plans for redemption, another reviled person Kyara wants to make up for all the evil she has done when working for the True Father who is currently in prison. There much work to do to foment the unification between people who are very different especially since the Lagrimari have magical talents that the Elsirians do not causing fear and prejudice in Elsira.

It is really essential to have read the first book in the series to understand all that is going on and understand who the major players are in order to make sense of all the disparate groups and their backgrounds. Ms. Penelope’s story is deeply imbued with the ideas of pride, prejudice, and the courage of those trying to bring light out of the darkness while fighting injustices and protecting the most vulnerable in their society.

L. Penelope’s CRY OF METAL AND BONE continues the fascinating and strife-ridden world she has created as two warring factions struggle to unite. Overcoming their old animosities isn’t easy and trust is still far off as a dangerous group opposed to unification threatens to undo any progress made.

Court intrigues, political machinations, magical powers and old traditions color each scene as strong characters come together to uncover the evil cancer in a world struggling to heal old wounds. Who can be counted on to stand for justice and unity? Who can be trusted? Can an unlikely group expose and bring down the enemy of peace?

Once again, I was drawn in by the attention to detail, the melding of magic and machine and the power of L. Penelope’s pen to weave a tale rich in diverse subplots. This is fantasy with something for everyone.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from St. Martin's Griffin! This is my honest and voluntary review.

A great end to the series. Solid conclusion, cannot recommend this series enough. Diverse cast, wonderful fantasy world, diverse m/f romance.

I really enjoyed coming back to these characters. I felt that the plot had some interesting developments. I really liked some of the "magic" elements that were almost technologically based. It sort of had a steampunk feel to it, which was really different than what I pictured in book two. I also liked the romance elements. They didn't feel forced or overbearing; I thought they were natural. I really hope that Kyara and Darvyn get their happy ending.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

Six weeks after the fall of the Mantle, the two former hostile countries are struggeling to keep up the peace amid terrorist attacks. Very different people have to work together to find out who is responsible in order to protect the fragile peace.

I couldn't really get into this one and was super confused. I didn't enjoy the main plotline and didn't like the new characters. I skim-read the majority, but I also didn't really root for any of the characters and didn't really care. World-Building confused me as well, but I'm pretty sure the majority of this was on me. I didn't remember all the details from #1 and #2 and maybe I should've reread them first. I am sorry!

L Penelope's third installment from Earthsinger Chronicles series, Cry of Metal & Bone, was a pretty good read. I would love to read the other books in the series.
Four stars.

This book was a surprise to me - I thought this was part of a different series. That said, the writing is very well done and even though I haven't read the first 2 books in the series, I really enjoyed 'Cry of Metal & Bone'. The story involves magic but also has elements of reality (cars) which is a great for a fantasy book. The only negative was the many intersecting storylines in the book. It was difficult to keep track of the characters and their stories at points in the novel. However, that might be due to coming in at book 3. Overall, the writing was terrific!

This series has quickly become an all-time favorite series. The characters are always a stand out in her books, and this book added more fantastic characters while not overshadowing characters introduced in past books. This book does a great job of expanding not only the world but the characters introduced previously. The world itself was always the part of this series that I struggled the most in visualizing, but this book really added so much to the world that I was finally able to see more of it. This book had a lot of storylines and POVs, and that is probably my only complaint. They were all done well, but for me, some of the storylines that I expected to get more page time were left to the wayside a little. Nobody was ignored, outright not really, but there were just somethings that I thought were going to be covered in this book that aren't, or just glossed over.

Since it's been a while since I've read the first book in this series, I didn't instantly remember who Lizvette was. And it took me a while to care about her character and to connect with her. Tai was a great addition to this series and needed foil to her character and being her complete opposite in many ways. I wish I had read the novella that takes place before the start of this book. I think it could have added just that much more to his character and understand better whey he was so motivated in his task.

I was happy to see Darvyn back, his character arc has been one of the more interesting in this series. I look forward to where it goes from here. His waining allegiance to the Keepers felt like ti was a longtime coming scenario, and I am starting to see that they might not be as altruistic as they let on. Based on the morally gray things they've already done brings me to wonder if they are going to become an antagonist for the rest of the series, however many books this is going to be. Kyara continues being a favorite character. With her backstory, and even how through a lifetime of manipulation she at her core is still a good person. I really loved reading the chapters of her in that facility. I thought it brought more to her character arc.

The investigation that Ella and Benn were doing, I wish that plotline had more focus than it was given. I am unsure how much importance the adoption plot is going to have in the next book, I hope it wasn't wasted page time that could have been given to them doing a more thorough investigation. The kids were cute, yes, but I was very interested in the mystery they were trying to solve.

Clove and Vanesse, I wish they had more page time than they were given. The race that Clove was participating in, I assumed that it was going to have a little more importance than it seemed to. But I love those characters, and can't wait to see more of them in future books.

Oola, The Awakened Goddess, for most of this book, I was highly suspicious of her. Not really sure what her deal is. She's very much a "person out of her time" and comes across as cold and detached most of the time. I am very curious about where her story is headed in the next book.