I dunno. It took a while to actually get into this. It felt like the first three chapters were such a slog to get into. Is it because it’s steampunk? Is it because of the exposition? Is it because of the voice? I don’t know! It kinda bugged me a bit because I really wanted to like this book like super a lot because hey, it’s JM Frey. Lol (Sorry, I know I have biases). Maybe my head just wasn’t in the right place at the beginning, when it takes off, it takes off.

Robin Arianhod dances the sky with the Coyote despite all the factors against her: that she’s poor, female, and a Sealie. She knows she isn’t supposed to be there—but she’s fought her way through and she’s a survivor. She’s not going to let any Benne take her dreams away, now that she’s got it. But then the unexpected happens, and now the Klonn have her.

Frey delves into difficult themes in this duology, though it’s all very prettily packaged into an exciting adventure of one Sealie woman defeating the odds (and maybe falling in love). As much as wealthy white men try to tell the rest of the world that anyone can make it through hard work and grit, there are many factors that can keep a person down, no matter how hard they try. Wealth is one of them, and how its distributed. Education is another—and how much access someone has to it, which is usually due to wealth and opportunity. Talking about opportunity, that comes down to what is and isn’t open to you depending on where you come from (ethnicity), what you believe in (religion), or how much money you have to bribe your way in (oh look, wealth again). And luck, of course. Being in the right place at the right time, or knowing the right people—not just knowing, but having them like you as a person and not just as a token.

Aaaaannnywaaayyyy, Skylark’s Song is a fascinating dance of culture clashes, subterfuge and sabotage. There’s layer upon layer of meaning hidden between the lines, whether it’s marriage lines and honey, gliders and religious songs, or hairpins and chess. And then there is the hum of quiet respect, the buzz of distrust, and the tender pulses of new love. And the awful, awful question. Would you betray your country for love? Or would you betray your love for your country?

And how do you know if that love is real?

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from REUTS Publications via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Robin Arianhod is a seventeen year flight mechanic fighting in the decade long war between the Saskwyan’s and the Klonn’s. Alongside her Captain, Wade, they take to the skies in gliders to defend their people. The skies are stalked by a ruthless Klonn pilot known only as the Coyote. Robin and Wade have an almost deadly run-in with the Coyote and when she manages to evade and bring her ship and Captain home she is rewarded by becoming the first flight mechanic to ever be promoted to Captain.

It becomes Robin’s mission to destroy the Klonn but particularly the Coyote who seems happy to toy with her each time she takes to the sky. When they finally meet face to face again the Coyote manages to shoot her down and takes Robin as his prisoner. But not all is as it seems and Robin will have to make some choices she never thought possible.

J.M. Frey has created a really intriguing world. It has a distinct science fiction vibe with a steampunk flair which was unique and exciting. It was interesting that there was little to no world building involved in this book and instead the reader is thrown straight into the action of Robin’s world. Characters use slang and mention places and historic moments and the reader is simply along for the ride learning on the fly. This is a really fun way to introduce a new world and it really demonstrates how tenuous this world is. As the story progresses we learn more about the war, the surroundings and the main character Robin.

Robin Arianhod is a truly wonderful character. She is strong both mentally and physically and talented in her role as a flight mechanic but also as a friend and a daughter. Frey has put a lot of work into Robin and her personality and motivations are well described. The other characters, including the Coyote, lacked the detail and depth that Robin had but since this book is told from her point of view it wasn’t a huge problem. It did however make the enemies to lovers “romance” plot fall a bit flat for me but I hope there will be more in the second and final installment of this series.

The Skylark’s Song is a quick, enjoyable read for lovers of steampunk, science fiction and fierce female characters.

It's been a while since I read a decent steampunk novel.

The beginning of the book was confusing as the author threw a bunch of terms that didn't make sense without the proper worldbuilding, so I was left disoriented.

Robin is a likeable and relatable lead, one who is passionate and determined to follow her dreams and fight for her people. She's a pilot fighting in a war over religious intolerance. Even in steampunk, this exists! The Coyote is on the other side of the far, seemingly fighting for his own people. While Robin is interesting and fun to read about, the Coyote on the other hand seems two dimensional, weak (writing-wise), and irritating.

We don't really read much about the history of the two nations at war, but what we get is enough to understand that everyone is fighting for what they believe in - and they believe that what they believe in is superior to the other religions. The world became interesting as I read more about it, but for more than half the book Robin is in captivity so we don't get much more than the first part of the book. I am willing to read the second book so hopefully we learn more there.

The romance was a bit lighter than expected from the synopsis of the book. The romance itself was OK if a bit unbelievable, but if you pick up the book wanting to focus on the romance then you will be disappointed. The relationship between Robin and the Coyote was also not really captivating and felt a bit weak. I felt like it was mostly obsession on the Coyote's part and Robin had slight Stockholm syndrome. It also felt a bit more rushed and we don't really have enough conversation between the two to see it develop,

All in all the book was OK, I'll probably be reading the second time soon (not any time soon but still), but the premise had a lot of potential that could have been done better.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy to read for an honest review.

I was intrigued from the description because I enjoy steampunk stories, their combination of old fashioned customs and innovation are often times a lot of fun to read. This book was indeed a great example of the Steampunk genre with it's gritty description of a war torn country to it's flight technology and I found myself reading this through the night to see what was going to happen next.

The characters are young participants in an ongoing war based on prejudice and religious intolerance. I found myself liking them except I didn't feel like anybody was fully fleshed out and most characters are only seen a few times so you don't feel a connection to anyone except for our main character Robin. She is a likable lead whose main motivation is survival and taking care of those she loves. In fact the overall tone of the story reminded me of the Hunger Games with it's focus on war and it's costs.

I also picked this book to read on Netgalley because it seemed like it involved a bit of romance which it did. However I found myself conflicted as to how to feel about it since the main content of it involved a hostage situation and the overall pacing of the story felt a little rushed.
In the end I would recommend The Skylarks's Song for Steampunk lovers who like a dash of romance. This is the 1st of a duology so also keep that in mind.

• I’ve received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review •

Great fantasy/steampunk novel, with good writing and interesting characters.
Will read the second book eventually.

4.25/5 stars I really enjoyed this. It has everything I love. A strong female protagonist, a hate to love romance, and an interesting world. There were a couple of issues I had. I wished there was more world building, especially with the races. There are three main races in this series, and I wish I knew more about why they hate each other, especially the two within the same country. The main character's race is associated with bees, and I wish I could've learned more about it. The other thing I didn't like was most of the men. They were possessive, annoying, and treated our main character like she was an object. What I loved though, is that she didn't take it. She fought back against every man trying to get her to do what they want. One of the most satisfying parts was when she told her father she's either a young girl who has to stay at home, or she's a woman old enough to marry, and therefore make her own choices. It's one of those moments that I wish for in a lot of other books and the protagonist usually disappoints. I also loved, when a character died, the protagonist started thinking about what they would have wanted, and then realized that she can't let a dead person be her moral code. This is another thing that happens in so many books, and it just drives me crazy. I was so impressed with the subverted tropes, and the way the author almost obviously (in a good way) turns their back on what the reader may expect.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First off, I really like this one. It has a wonderful blend of action, emotion, and worldbuilding. I don’t normally make lists in my reviews, but I think that’s the easiest way to explain how I felt about this book, so here you go.

Things I really liked:
1. Robin Arianhod. I know she’s the main character and I’m supposed to like her, but she was very well done. She showed a depth of emotion that I feel like I haven’t seen in a while. Her grief, confusion, and love were all clear to see, and well-written.
2. The way religion was portrayed. There are three major religions portrayed in this book, and I think Frey did a great job with them. The way people from each religion interacted with each other was painful but felt realistic. The different customs people had was fun to see, and I liked how it didn’t feel like the author was trying to convince me which one was right, but simply showed the way they are. They are not at all related to any religion I know of, which was refreshing.
3. Flying. The characters love the sky. Does anything else need to be said?
4. The way Robin puts herself first. Robin isn’t constantly trying to be a heroine. She is trying to survive, and that means she is looking out for herself first. She cares about her family and her friends, but she doesn’t sacrifice herself for no reason, which was a nice change from most YA these days.
5. The author’s style. I really enjoyed Frey’s writing. This book is written in third-person, but it still feels immediate and exciting without becoming rushed. I think that can be a difficult balance to find, but Frey did a good job of it.

But there are three major problems I had with this book:
1. The lack of explanations. I think the best way to explain this is to bring in the idea of hard and soft magic. Hard magic is where the magic is understandable; there are rules and limitations, and the reader knows what they are (for example Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson). Soft magic is when the reader doesn’t understand how the magic works or what the limitations are (for example Gandalf’s magic in the Lord of the Rings). Strictly speaking, there isn’t magic in The Skylark’s Song, but I think some of the same concepts apply. The entire plot is based on two countries being at war, but we don’t know anything about why the war started, who is winning, major strategy. All we know is that there are some skirmishes in the air, and the war is somehow about cultural domination. That’s it. This is a soft-magic kind of book. Suspension of disbelief is very necessary. There are a lot of holes, both in the worldbuilding and the plot. Which brings me to my next problem.
2. The romance. J.M. Frey says in the acknowledgements that her agent “demanded that there be” a love interest, so she had to include one, but it didn’t go very well. The romance feels more like Stockholm syndrome than anything else. We are told they fall in love, but all of the incremental steps showing how they got there -- conversations and jokes and the interactions that let us get to know a character -- are glossed over. I wasn’t shown why the love interest was a person that deserved Robin, why I should root for him to woo her. It made it feel like Robin was being manipulated into loving him, rather than mutual attraction. I didn’t like it.
3. The way Robin enjoyed it when boys made coarse jokes about her to her face. I understand that when you have a girl spending a lot of time with some of those boys every day, there might be jokes. I get that some of this needed to be included for the book to feel authentic. But I do not understand why Robin laughs when her best friend sticks his hand down her shirt or makes fun of her behind with no warning. Her opinion that “boys were stupid… a fact of nature and the will of the gods” just doesn’t cut it. With the way this is about a woman pilot and mechanic, I thought that the author would show some respect for women’s boundaries, but that doesn’t happen.

So, to conclude, if you like steampunk about independent heroines and don’t mind some worldbuilding holes and plot holes, this is for you. That sounds really negative, but this was still enjoyable. I finished it in less than 24 hours, and I’m pretty eager to get my hands on the next one. It’s unique and exciting, with action, romance, and some real-world issues thrown in for good measure.

3.5 / 5 stars

A great steampunk romp of a book, with a memorable protagonist and a believable setting - a war between two countries that has lasted too long and become an end in itself. It's an origins story really, I'd love to read the sequel.

I am torn and unsure about this book or how to feel, I wasn’t keen on what felt like Stockholm Syndrome on the female lead, but I actually did quite enjoy the story, just those aspects made me feel uncomfortable and unsure. There also seemed to be a distinct lack of chemistry which then made it more uncomfortable reading to me. Hopefully the second may change my mind

The Skylark's Song is about a young Seelie woman named Robin AKA Skylark as she lives her life amidst a war. All the young flight mechanic dreams about is flying among the clouds. After a series of events, her dream to be a pilot comes true. However, the enemy, Coyote has taken an interest in her and chases her across the sky without ever attacking. When her plane crashes and she's taken as captive, Robin must figure out how to get back home and figure out her feelings for the enemy along the way.

I'm not really sure what to think about this book. I wasn't wowed by it but I am curious to see how the series continues so I guess it was a decent start. Robin is a very strong female character and isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in and will do anything to protect her family and friends. She works hard to fight social injustice and prove to everyone she is just as deserving to be where she is. Her relationship with Coyote wasn't very convincing. It was a bit Stockholm Syndrome-y but the chemistry for me just wasn't there. However, the book ends on a major cliff hanger so I'm hoping the second book ties everything together.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

An uncomfortably romanticized account of a woman's relationships with men, both supposed friends and enemies, who assume that bodies and physical actions can and should be traded for other favors or help, and an even more romanticized example of how Stockholm Syndrome might develop between a captor and a prisoner. The book does demonstrate how women can be pushed into such trading and psychological states. In more specifics, the novel recreates the French-German part of WWII in a fantasy world with names borrowed from Canadian place names, albeit without doing the work of acknowledging the origins or settler-colonialist histories of them. The author may be enthusiastic about steampunk and having written the book on a bet, but neither is to be celebrated in this poorly thought-out pastiche.

The Skylark's Song is the first book in a steampunk duology by J.M.Frey. It follows Robin, a plane mechanic, during a war between her people and the Klonn, an enemy nation.

It took me some time to get into, but once I did, I sucked the rest in during one night. The reason for that was probably the info dump at the beginning, which wasn't critically long, but it still discouraged me. I simply got over not understanding half the terms and focused on the plot instead - which was a wise choice, because I still didn't really understand who the Benne and the Sealie were - I think it was the nation of Saskwaya, but they had two religions. Anyways, a better explanation of the hierarchy would be practical. Also, there was this war which it was basically all about, but they hadn't explained why they were fighting.
As for the plot, although the beginning was quite uneventful, I welcomed it, because it's really convenient to SEE the character's life before the big change happens (looking at you, The King's 100). Then, the "twist" happened, which brought an even bigger twist which I DID NOT ANTICIPATE at ALL. Thumbs up for that!! Then the rest was predictable again, but I liked it anyway.
I'd also like to bring up Robin's character. She was (even though not my favourite type of heroine) strong and admirable and most important of all, EXPLAINED. We got to know her motivation and her fears, yadayada, and it was so refreshing. After reading a few books where the heroine was either plain as paper so she needed no explanation, incomprehensible because the author offered no explanation or all over the place because the author themselves hadn't decided who she is, Robin was absolutely delightful to read.

I'd recommend this totally underrated fantasy to anyone, who likes steampunk or adventurous novels. You won't regret it!

The Skylark's Song had many interesting aspects, to it, and as a whole, the book was very good, The plot was new and original, whilst retaining the features of a good book - the pace of the story and the storyline. Overall, I would highly recommend this to others who enjoy the dystopian/SF genres.

Looking forward to the second book in the series!

(written by 14yr old reviewer)

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

A good start for a duology but I did‘t enjoy it as much as I thought I would; ironically it was the second part that ruined my enjoyment because the first one was really good. I knew the relationship between Robin and the Coyote would have played an important role in the story but it basically became a romance after the first half and I didn't want that to happen. Plus, the enemies to lovers is a trope I usually like to read but in this case it turned out to be too insta-lovey (at least on the Coyotes‘ side) and I would have liked more conflict between the two of them, I never felt like very were really enemies. This is obviously related to my own reading tastes, I‘m sure there are a lot of readers that would enjoy this kind of development.
I enjoyed a lot the first part with all the showing about Robin‘s relationships with her colleagues and fellow pilots and her struggle to emerge in the ranks because of her origin and the conflict she felt when she was promoted because it felt like her people saw her as a sort of traitor. Very compelling!
Another thing is about the world building: the steampunk setting was very cool but I feel that we needed a lot more information about... well, everything! For example, we know almost nothing about the reasons behind the war and the reasons why Robin‘s people are discriminated by everyone. I hope things are explained more in the next book!

Seventeen year old Robin has been working on Saskwyan's battle gliders since she was a child, first as a mid-flight (a mechanic) and then, by chance, as a pilot. She's the only one to survive a skydance with the enemy Klonn pilot flying ace, known only as the Coyote. From then on he's obsessed with her, stalking her in the skies until the fateful day when he shoots her down and takes her prisoner. He needs her expertise to fix a rocket pack – the enemy's secret weapon (if it can be made to work). Robin, known only as Skylark, is drawn in by the man, but also wary of his attentions. How much can she believe. Can she trust her feelings? How can she escape?

This steampunky YA story is a thing of two halves. Firstly there's Saskwayan culture of two castes/classes. Robin is low status, and struggles to gain acceptance as a pilot when she's promoted out of her comfort zone. (And is only captured because a fellow pilot sabotages her machine.) Then there's her relationship with her friend, Al, who would like to be much more. Midway, there's a complete change as all the first part of the book becomes irrelevant after Robin is captured by the Coyote and becomes 'Skylark.' We're never really sure whose side Coyote is on. Is he trying to seduce Robin because he genuinely has affection, or is he using her? (He calls her 'my dear' all the time, which is uber-creepy.) She spends a lot of page time trying to work out whether she can love an enemy who has killed so many of her fellow aeronauts.

It’s the first novel in a duology, and I'll have to read the second book to discover whether the first half of this book is relevant to the story as a whole. There were odd things in the worldbuilding which I found frustrating. For instance the Saskwyans fly gliders into battle against powered aircraft, but we'd been in the air with protagonist several times before we discovered that the gliders were launched from a Zeppelin.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Skylark’s Song is an enemy to lovers’ book about Robin who is a poor midflight mechanic in a war that has been going on for 10 years with no end in sight. She becomes an accidental hero pilot when she is the first to survive a mid-air flight (dance) with the Coyote the enemy’s most notorious pilot. She is shot down and imprisoned by him. But all is not as it seems.

Robin is a wonderful protagonist. She is strong both physically and mentally. She is kind and never stops fighting for freedom for the downtrodden. She is spunky and brave and isn’t afraid to tell someone off if they need it.

The Coyote, I sometimes had a hard time reading him. I was left guessing the whole book on that side he stood. I wanted him and Robin to get together but at the same time I thought he was unnecessarily cruel at times. I wished he would leave her less in the dark with what was really going on in this prison. (I’m trying to be careful not to give away any spoilers.) He tried to give her hints but they were so vague I’m not surprised she misunderstood some. In parts, I was sure Robin was suffering from a case of Stockholms Syndrome and It made me very mad that this strong woman was falling for this man who kept going a bit unhinged around her. There were times I wondered if he was a little bipolar. Don’t get me wrong. I was totally rooting for him being the secret good guy he seemed to be. I think the constant question about his allegiance was intentional. Man was the chemistry and anticipation between them HOT!
Overall this story was very well written, there were a few mistakes that I was easily able to get past because the story was so engaging. For example. There were quite a few times the narrative was cyclical. “I like him but I don’t trust him” for a page and a half. Or times where timeline seemed to jump around… Like she was working on fixing something for a few weeks into her captivity then it would jump to something that happened 3 days into her captivity then back again.
Not many books lately have had me up past my bedtime but this book and book #2 BOTH made me stay up way too late. I was extremely glad to be able to read and review book #2 Right away. Please see my profile for the review for my review of Skylark’s Sacrifice.

Robin is a strong heroine both physically and mentally. She loves to fly and scavenges the city for parts to do so. Her flying skills find her serving in the Air Force of her country during war time.

I loved my introduction to this story and this author. The cliff hanger ending makes me thankful that I get to read the next book in the series right away!

If you like Beauty and the Beast and espionage stories, this might be your next favorite.

There is a many years old war between Saskwyan and Klonn and Robin, a mid-flight, is pushed right into the thick of it when she out flies Coyote, the Klonn best pilot, trying to save herself and her injured pilot. Turns out she’s a natural flyer (of gliders) and is promoted to a Captain where she now flies and hunts Klonn airships. However, Robin’s luck ends when her glider may have been compromised and she is captured by the Coyote. Coyote may not be what he seems as Robin is kept prisoner. The book takes you on a adventure that I enjoyed and I look forward to the next book.

I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.