4.5/5

THIS WAS AMAZING... PERIOD.. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MY TED TALK.. I have to make this review longer all I have to say is this duology is amazing PERIOD

My initial reaction after reading was that it was a bit underwhelming compared to the first book. I felt like there were so many missed opportunities to the plot especially with The Faceless King who seemed like he should have had such a bigger role in this book but was put on the back burner and forgotten for most of it. The ending also was left to interpretation and for some books that is ok but for this one when so much was at stake, I felt like there needed to be more. I'm not referring to the romance aspect (even though it would have been nice to know for sure if Karina and Malik ended up together) but I was really hoping we would have gotten more on how everything political wise occurred after the shift in power and things were restored.

incredible, amazing, 10/10, would recommend, stunning, Rosie does it again, etc. etc. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about this duology and only that I love these characters to pieces

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Great. I hate hate hate Farid. I also didn’t like this quite as much as the first one, but I also got covid in the middle of reading this one so that might be a bit responsible for it.

Roseanne Brown's debut novel was absolutely fantastic and the sequel is equally as fantastic. She's really grasped the concept of worldbuilding, suspense, and dynamic characters. In this sequel, she expands on more of the lore and the religious aspects that couldn't be as fleshed out in the first one, and kills it in the process. The sequel is nearly as unputdownable as the first one and a fantastic read.

Another powerful story by Roseanne A. Brown that shows why she's a true mistress of storytelling and worldbuilding. The plot, characters, and landscapes feel cinematographic in their epicness. I don't know how Brown kept track of all these intricate plot lines and magic rules but hats off to her! Brown is easily the future of the fantasy genre.

Sadly his series lost me. I may eventually go back and finish this, but only if there is nothing else to read

This conclusion was well done and as an avid reader, I was able to really enjoy it personally.

That said, I review as an educator, and I think this book series is one that avid fantasy readers will enjoy and that's about it. This book, in particular, ran so long and had downtimes where even I struggled. The author made up for it in spades, but it was still the kind of lull that losses teenagers.

I wish I'd read this closer to pub date, but my brain decided that it would only accept feel good romances for the past six months.

This book was so good, but the characters go through so much and live in such dark moments that I just…I couldn’t read it consistently. I wanted lovers who I knew would end up with a happily ever after, so I took breaks and read those! (Not telling you if these characters did or did not end up with a happily ever after, only that it was not guaranteed for me!)

I have read 39 books this year, 23 of which have been romances. At least four of those romances I finished while actively reading this book. Again, it’s nothing against the book except that IT MADE ME FEEL TOO MUCH!

If you’re in the mood for apocalypse and morally gray characters, check the content warnings and check this duology out!

I am really glad that I got the chance to read this book. I highlighted so many lines, but I don’t want to spoil anything for you!

Highlights:
✨ enemies to lovers to enemies to ….
✨ Diverse characters
✨ intricate world building - inspired by West African folklore

Thank you to @harpercollinsch and @netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Psalm of Storms and Silence is the stellar conclusion to a duology inspired by West African folklore and brings us back into the world created by Roseanne A. Brown in A Song of Wraiths and Ruin. The events in this book take place immediately following the end of book one and our narrators Karina and Malik have both found themselves in precarious situations where they not only have to learn how to master their magic, but also to figure out a way to save Sonande from the destruction caused by Farid's resurrection of a dead princess. In A Psalm of Storms and Silence, Roseanne A. Brown weaves together a world that mirrors the illusions that Malik is able to craft with his magic. With such rich detail and character development it feels like you are really watching the story unfold before your eyes. This story deals with forgiveness, self-acceptance, and the ability to embrace your flaws to move forward and not repeat the same mistakes as your ancestors and the past. I cannot wait to read whatever Roseanne A. Brown puts out next because this conclusion to her debut duology has cemented just how strong her writing is.

This book was excellent. I will gladly read anything Roseanne A. Brown puts out. I love this world and characters that she created and was sad that it was only two books. Would've loved at least one more!

Excellent ending to a masterful duology! Even better than the first. I purchased a hard copy as soon as it was available.

I'll be doing a review on my YouTube probably, but I truly, truly enjoyed this sequel and finale to the A Song of Wraiths and Ruin series! I enjoyed it from the first page all the way through, and though there were some slow moments, it definitely kept my interest. I loved the growth of both Karina and Malik in this novel; they both hit tremendous lows, but were to able to truly come back stronger than before. I also think that Ms. Brown did a great job of including the uncomfortable topics that arose within the story that did not make it cringey or awkward, but acknowledged that these things exist and while scary at times, we should not hold it against anyone, not even ourselves. This book also praised the importance of self-acceptance and to acknowledge that even if we do something really bad, even to the point that we believe we can no longer be redeemable, we can move forward and do better in the future. I just really loved this book, and thought it was very well-written. I wish we could get another book, but I think the ending did the series proud and our MCs proud as well. I look forward to seeing what else Ms. Brown has up her sleeves.

YouTube review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztMdiCeFBsQ&t=10s

I love this series so much. I am so excited for book 3. I love the characters, the plot, world building, betrayal. Whew this was a roller coaster.

THE most underrated YA fantasy author working today. Mark my words. This duology is a masterpiece. It has everything you could every want and I can't wait to recommend it to everyone I know forever and ever.

The startling conclusion to Roseanne A. Brown's duology, A Psalm of Storms and Silence picks up right where Wraiths and Ruin left off.
Summary:
Karina lost everything after a violent coup left her without her kingdom or her throne. Now the most wanted person in Sonande, her only hope of reclaiming what is rightfully hers lies in a divine power hidden in the long-lost city of her ancestors.

Meanwhile, the resurrection of Karina’s sister has spiraled the world into chaos, with disaster after disaster threatening the hard-won peace Malik has found as Farid’s apprentice. When they discover that Karina herself is the key to restoring balance, Malik must use his magic to lure her back to their side. But how do you regain the trust of someone you once tried to kill?

As the fabric holding Sonande together begins to tear, Malik and Karina once again find themselves torn between their duties and their desires. And when the fate of everything hangs on a single, horrifying choice, they each must decide what they value most—a power that could transform the world or a love that could transform their lives.

I overall enjoyed this conclusion, even though the middle of the novel ran long for me. I do know that I will pick up whatever Brown writes because her prose is beautiful and purposeful, and my kids really enjoy her worldbuilding!

Like most people, I was absolutely enthralled by ASOWAR and was so excited for A Psalm of Storms and Silence but something about it just fell flat for me. I can't quite articulate what exactly felt different about this one. The plot wasn't as intriguing to me as the first book and felt like an entirely different storyline but the writing was just as stunning as the first. I know it's not fair to compare a first book with its sequel but I really think the first book shone brighter in this duology. I will absolutely continue to pick up whatever Roseanne A. Brown writes in the future because her writing is beautiful and her worldbuilding is fascinating.

The audio of this is also very well done!

I was so excited to get this book. The first book pulled me in quickly, and I must say book 2 did the same. While fantasy can be very easy to predict, I was happy the plot wasn’t something I could have figured out!

Rating: 3.5 stars

I absolutely loved A Song of Wraiths and Ruin so I was really excited for A Psalm of Storms and Silence. While there was plenty to love in this sequel, it never quite reached the magic of the first book for me.

My favorite part of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin was the interactions between Malik and Karina (particularly Malik’s inner turmoil). In this book, the two are mostly separated, although there is a lot of “are we enemies or allies?”. This book had a rather slow plot, particularly in the middle of the book. While I did really enjoy learning more about this world and the history of magic, the middle portion just felt incredibly long. I did like how all of the characters were further developed in this novel (particularly Idir, who I would happily read an entirely separate novel about). But I will warn that there are some incredibly dark portions dealing with one character’s mental health.

Overall, A Psalm of Storms and Silence was a good ending to this duology. I’ve been leaning towards lighter books lately, so I do think that I would have enjoyed it more had I read it at a different time. I’ll definitely be picking up Roseanne A. Brown’s next novel though!