Thanks to Netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!!
I love the cover, I was in love with it when I saw it. The story had every moment where they are essential to the story, with no plot holes or anything. I was invested in this story and even enjoyed it.

This story is filled with the difference between being good and being evil, containing religious themes too. I loved the magic system and the world-building, and how the main character is struggling to understand her status. I love Elissa because she's kind and caring. I have so much faith in her and she grew on me by the end. I also loved her brotherly relationship with Lucio. The plot was interesting, especially from the point of view of a young child.

ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
We are the song was a lovely and fast story. Loved the way the author revolved the story around music, and built a magical system with base on it.
I am not a religious person, but I do love to read books who duel on the moral of religions and spirituality, “we are the song” did it in a beautiful and heartfelt way. A powerful story for a middle grade book, but that explains so well the intricates of a child’s mind growing up and questioning its upcoming and education and the moral values of the society, and therefore religion, in which it grows.
Without getting into the story, I liked the characters and setting. And although I like when there is worldbuilding and understanding the culture and mythology, and there isn’t much of it in this book, I did not miss it, I think it wasn’t really important for this story in particular.
I liked this book and hope more people give it a try and enjoy it as much as me.

I had high hopes for this and my kids were super excited to have this be our read aloud for the end of the school year. Sadly, it just didn't hold our attention and when we put it down, it was hard to remember what had happened and who everyone was. It was very forgettable. I t was also really annoying that all this pressure to fix the two warring nations was put on this little girls shoulders.

The story was so choppy and specific scenes were just one and done and on to the next. Our main girl Elissa had no character growth what so ever.

4/5 stars, this was a really fun story with a really unique magic system

Thank you Holiday House for the arc through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

"When I sang, I was never alone" (27).

When I first saw that cover I was in love, and I knew that I had to try this book out as well. I also wasn't aware going in that it was a middle-grade novel. There were some moments where I wished for a bit more darkness, or depth, but everything was handled fairly well considering the age range. While I was reading, it was a pretty interesting story and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it overall.

The large theme of this story is how it discusses the difference between good and evil, as well as the difference between being religious and spiritual. Throughout the story, Elissa struggles with understanding her goddess and her wishes, as well as what the church is telling her. There is a large power struggle with that aspect in the story, one that was important in my opinion to read about. While I enjoyed how the author handled it, especially in an age-appropriate manor, I think the plot became a little repetitive over time, and the pacing became inconsistent. That was only towards the end part of the book though, and even then there were aspects that saved the story.

My favorite part of this book was the magic system and world building, which was always growing between the pages and in what Elissa learned. I loved how song was used as a form of magic in this story, and how when a song has been sung a certain amount of times, it looses the magic and a new one must be composed. While it created some problems for the main characters, I thought it was a nice limit placed on the magic so that there could be balance. I also love that there was a collection of singers and composers that traveled with them, that was a lot of fun.

Cae Elissa was the main character, a bit naive but a fantastic singer nonetheless. Oftentimes I could see her falling into the "chosen one" trope but it's not one that I have a big problem with. She was very caring and empathetic towards everyone she met, which I really appreciated as a whole. As the story went on, I really enjoyed watching her have faith in herself and her abilities, as well as her goddess. She began to take over her own story and I'm really happy she was able to.

Lucio was a very fun character in the beginning, but soon began to grow vain and jealous when they visited a noble. I thought this was very disappointing, as in the beginning he seemed to have almost a brotherly relationship with Elissa. They took care of one another and it was very wonderful to see. I understand though that his behavior was needed to push Elissa to realize herself, and what her goddess truly wanted. I just wish he had turned out to be a different character.

Overall, it was a very fun and quick story, that handled some complex themes in an age-appropriate and wonderful manor. The characters were interesting, the plot was fun, and the world building was absolutely marvelous. It's been rumored that there will be a sequel, and I will definitely be looking out for it.

[TW: war themes, death of loved ones, manipulation, use of alcohol, starvation (mentioned), physical harm]

Thank you Holiday House and NetGalley for this eARC copy for review!

4/5 stars. Despite being an MG book, mature readers will still heartily enjoy the story and fall in love with the character's journey. The author does a wonderful job handling the topic of conflict between one's self/personal beliefs, in comparison to what their organized religion tells them and how they handle that conflict. The power in the MC's gift for music and song being threaded throughout the entire story kept the pace moving nicely, and will keep readers turning pages for more. This was lyrical, atmospheric, and surprisingly poignant.

The cover? Absolutely beautiful. The writing? Absolutely beautiful. The story? Too adult to actually be a 12 year old, it was hard to believe I was reading in that mindset. The religious tones that set up the world was also just a lot. I love me a good fantasy but this took a different journey and it wasn’t one I wanted to be on. This is probably more YA than it is middle school.

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

From the description, I expected this to be a dark, political fantasy. Unfortunately, this book didn’t meet up to those expectations, particularly the dark aspect. However. I did enjoy this book from a middle-grade standpoint.

Being a middle school book, it did touch a lot of dark themes as well as gave an interesting commentary on religion and spirituality along with the main message; to listen to one's own voice. When I first read the premise of this book, I didn't expect it to be heavy on the religious side, especially when the intended age group is fairly young. A couple of dark scenes made me question whether or not it was intended for teens, but the overall symbolism and message in this book is dependent on these situations so I'll let it slide.

I'll applaud the author for making me hate a lot of the side characters. As previously said; "If Lucio has a million haters, I’m one of them. If Lucio has one hater, that is me. If Lucio has zero haters, I am no longer in this world." Riling me up with feelings of hate is really what gets to me. Bravo!

Overall, We Are the Song was a solid book, which I don't really like, but don't dislike either. It's right in the middle zone. However, it was a quick and easy read. Yet I can't stop thinking about the possibility this story could have had if it had been a young adult fantasy. I found the world interesting, as well as the system of magic, and would have liked to see it at a larger scale with a wide gallery of characters. This premise really had the potential to become a great story.

Over and out. -Nora<3

Unfortunately I am going to have to call this a DNF at this point. I keep having to force myself to read a little bit at a time but haven't been looking forward to it. I can't put my finger on exactly what it is - I just haven't felt that pull that makes me care to complete it. I might try this again later if I feel like I am in the mood.

Thank you so much Holiday House for sending me an eARC through Netgalley for review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Nothing is impossible for us. You told me that we were part of Caé Herself . . . We have no proof we are part of Caé. But the twelve of us, we know it's true. We are the song She wrote, and we will not end until She decides it's time."

*3.5 stars*

CWs: death, death of a parent, war, manipulation, use of alcohol, starvation (mentioned), physical harm

This book was a pleasant surprise! I was expecting an average, boring middle grade, but this was definitely more. I mean, it obviously wasn't as detailed or deep as Young Adult is with character arcs, worldbuilding, etc. but it was a nice change. It reminded me of what got me into reading books in the first place - the simplicity of being transported to another world.

We Are the Song was atmospheric and dealt with the much more mature idea of religious beliefs. As another reviewer said, this book emphasizes listening to your own understanding of what is right and your own unique connection with a higher power. It was very interesting to see the connection between the Singers and Caé, as well as how their magic worked. I wish there had been limits to their powers versus just the classic good and bad parts.

At first, I thought the purpose of the story might be lost as the narrator is a 12-year-old girl. Elissa was a good narrator for the story - her naivete made her a believable and likable character. It was lyrical and well-written. I really enjoyed the twist near the end, but I also predicted an earlier twist. My only complaint really was the ending; it felt very rushed and anti-climatic.

Overall, an interesting story!

Elissa is a Singer, one of twelve people throughout the land whose voices channel the goddess Caé’s magic. Hidden by her parents until she was seven, the church found her and threw her parents in jail for heresy. Now she collects gifts from those she sings to to one day buy her parents’ freedom. Pulled between two sides of the war raging over the land, she learns that maybe her voice can be used as more than a weapon.

I enjoyed the use of music in this book, the way the world was created with the three notes C-A-E. Elissa was a good protagonist, if a bit naive.

I will note that this book is very, very Catholic. I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I understand that this book is probably very meaningful for people who had have complicated relationships with their faith. However, for me, some of the things didn’t sit right. At one point a selfish king claims the divine right of kings as to why he is in charge — a point which Caé herself backs up later, saying that she gave his family the throne so he could look after her people, not take advantage of them. BUT THAT STILL MEANS HE WAS KING BY DIVINE RIGHT. It seems that the only issue was that they used their power badly — and not that they hoarded all the power in the first place and that monarchies are a horrible way to run a country? Also, Elissa harms herself a couple times (putting her hands outside in the cold, putting a bead in her shoe) as penance, which is never really dealt with. I really expected Caé at some point to be like “don’t hurt yourself for me” but I guess that’s too much to ask.

Similarly, the Church changes drastically thought the book. They steal Elissa from her parents and leave them to die in prison, which they are never condemned for. Around two-thirds of the way through the book, Elissa tells the other Singers that she found a way to end the war and the church is like “great, go ahead” which is so different from the cruel, rigid church from the first half.

I think there were a lot of great ideas in this book, but I’m not certain I really enjoyed the execution. The first half was very slow for me, it picked up at the middle, and then I felt a bit disappointed by the end. I honestly wished I DNF’d the book as it threw me into a bit of a reading slump.

Elissa was the youngest of the Mother Goddess's gifted Singers. She was one of the 12 singers who gave life to songs with her voice, repaired roads with these songs, and healed diseases. The rulers who wanted to bring peace in the name of the Goddess started a war among themselves and claimed that they were doing this war in the name of the Goddess. Elissa would have to contend with Kings and Queens who want to use her voice for evil on her way out to help war-affected people. This struggle would also learn that she was the key person to ending the war, and she would have to deal with the challenges that came her way.

The music theme in the book made it a book with a high reading pleasure for me.
The idea that even the closest person to you may try to make you look bad and try to get in your way while doing what you know is right is very well explained.

"There is only one voice you must listen to, Caé Elissa. And that is your own."

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC!
First of all, this was so promising! I love the premise, how magic is imbued in music and the roles of the singer and composer, the different songs and their effects....the political aspect of the book is simplistic, but it serves the purpose of creating tension and driving a wedge between Elissa and Lucio, as well as give purpose to our MC.

At first, I found Elissa's naiveté cute, it quickly transformed into stupidity and started to annoy me. I don't care much for the preachy tone of the novel as well. The pacing was very off as well, and that was probably what made this fall flat for me - up till almost 50% of the book, nothing much happens, there's no plot so to speak. And then, everything starts happening at once, the 'big' plot is revealed and in 100 pages or so our MC is able to not only find her way and her purpose but meet everyone she needs to meet AND end a war. Not only was everything extremely rushed, but it was oh so easy as well. Everything felt as if, literally, delivered by a higher power, and though I think some of it was the intended purpose, it could've been done better.

As I was approaching the end, I thought that maybe this would benefit as a duology, with this first book as an introduction and the start of Elissa's journey to find all the Voices and hone her magic and compositions. And by book two we would have Lucio struggling with his choices, maybe falling deeper or even trying to redeem himself somehow. The ending could've been the same, but it lacked development to get there.

*My thanks to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for the review copy*

*3.5 stars*

12-year-old Elissa was more than a good singer. Her song carried the magic power of the Goddess. As the war raged on, she found herself deep in the center of two power-hungry monarchies…

We Are The Song is a decent middle grade fantasy about trusting your inner voice and doing the right thing. Elissa was told to be a “good girl” and not to question things. Her opinions were ignored because she was young. As readers follow her adventure, they would understand that the opinion of young people are as important as that of adults. I love the strong message conveyed through this simple and quick read.

Another thing I liked about the book was the magic. As a lover of music, the idea of human songs being magical was very appealing to me. I also liked how the author played with the notion that the line between good and bad wasn’t as clear as we think, and that some powers, when used in the wrong way, might become a deadly weapon.

As much as I liked the themes, I found this book a bit hard to get into. The premise about magical songs was what drew me in, yet the fantasy aspect felt a bit flat. I wish there was a more complex magical system, but as this was meant to be a middle grade novel, I did understand why things were kept simple. Another thing was that I didn’t feel attached to the characters, partly because of the long monologue of Elissa. I know the monologue showed her struggle and self-doubt, but it could feel slow and dull at times. It did pick up at the last 30%, though, at which point I really enjoyed.

Overall, I like We Are The Song but didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I do believe it would be an inspiring standalone fantasy for younger readers.

First of all, this cover!!! Is absolutely stunning!! I'm obsessed, the artwork is incredible.
I picked this one up after seeing it around bookstagram, I've been following the author on Instagram for a while and I couldn't wait! I honestly picked this one up mostly for how stunning the cover was, and didn't realise how religious it was, but I found it worked quite well in the story and I didn't mind it.

One of the things that first captured me was the magic system and the plot, I don't want to say too much about it, but I thought it was so unique! Things started off a little slow, but things picked up quickly after. The writing was so lovely, and I really enjoyed it. It's a middle-grade book, and I was pleasantly surprised at how atmospheric Catherine's prose was! I really liked Elissa as the protagonist, and she was actually a lot more relatable than I thought she'd be. It was quite interesting seeing her progress through the story, and I really enjoyed her growth throughout.

Thank you so much to the publisher & Catherine for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Release Date: 5.3.2022
Review Date: 5.7.2022

This one was a decent read. Neither amazing nor horrid. I enjoyed myself enough while reading it to finish but it did take me a while.

A lush and beautiful fantasy set in a world where music is magic and the fate of many thrones lies with one girl…

Twelve-year-old Elissa has been raised in seclusion as a devotee of the Mother Goddess. She is a special child, a blessed child, a child who can sing miracles into being. Her voice can heal wounds, halt landslides, cure hunger—and even end wars. But there are those who would use her gift for darker things. And when Elissa finds herself the farthest from home she’s ever been—along with her vain and jealous music tutor, Lucio—she will have to develop the judgment to decide who wants to use her song to heal… and who wants to use her song to hurt.


Christianity heavily inspired narrative. It's great and look at that gorgeous cover!
I like it just fine even though it's bit 'off'. It's the author's debut book after all. The magic system is okay too.
If you like YA fantasy, music, and magic mixed in one, please do read this book!
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

3.5 stars

Redefining what to expect from middle-grade fiction, We Are the Song is so much more than meets the eye.

Sure, it was probably a little too religion-y at times, but I appreciated that Bakewell's characters spanned the spirituality scale. Some twist others' beliefs to fit their motives, while others are more humble in their understanding of these beliefs - with characters ranging from questioning to fanatic, it was easier to stomach.

I was surprised this was a standalone. It took some time to build up to Elissa's quest, and it didn't feel like there were enough pages left to complete it satisfactorily. In the end, it may have seemed a little rushed, but I was pretty happy with the story as a whole. Elissa's determination and perseverance against all the odds is inspiring.

It can be pretty easy to discount middle-grade fiction within the YA genre, but I was impressed with the level of detail in this world. While they're very different stories, I wouldn't hesitate to put We Are the Song in the same category as Pierce's Circle of Magic series or the first couple books in Pullman's His Dark Materials series. Despite their youth, these characters are well-developed and have difficult decisions to make that impact more than themselves.

I am a day late to this but Happy Pub Day to Catherine Bakewell. This is her debut middle grade fantasy and what a stunning cover!

This fantasy follows twelve year old Elissa, who sings blessings from the creator of the world, Cae. As a voice of the goddess, she needs to be accompanied by her composer, Lucio and never leave his side. Together, they are tasked with helping people in need through music. Elissa discovered that her voice has the ability to heal and transform the world around her but with that comes powerful people who request her to sing for their greed. Elissa begins to wonder where her true purpose lies and looks to Cae for guidance.

I actually enjoyed the story more than I thought I would. The plot is refreshing and I love the concept of using music as as the main focus in the story. I also love the emotions portrayed by Elissa. She is torn for her love of singing but also bounded by her loyalty to help people who asked for it even when it seems wrong. There were times where I thought Elissa to be naive but then I was reminded that she only twelve.

I felt the pacing was great throughout the story but the part of the story felt a little rushed to me. Everything happened too quickly for my liking. There are some religious aspect in the story that I don’t particularly like but it does tie in well with the songs and blessings in the story. Overall, I still enjoyed reading this and I would recommend this if you are looking for something a little different in fantasy.

Thank you Netgalley and Holiday House for the arc.

A middle grade fantasy novel about Elissa, music and her journey. It was a unique book for me, with concept around music and religion.

Music is magical.

This. I never thought this line can be so deep but we are the song proved me wrong! Music has it's own power, it's as strong as spell. The world building, the use of music, everything was mesmerizing here!

The story was of lyrical feel for me. Like a carrying wind. I liked the plot and uniqueness of it. I liked the way it was threaded, with an amazing writing style. Though, the story is conveyed through a twelve year old, her points and opinion seemed matured to me.

I enjoyed this book! And I really liked how it had a beautiful meaning of music and a world revolving around music.

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for providing me with e-ARC in exchange for honest review!