An interesting story, I love the beginning!I was so into the story from the beginning and I was so intrigued to see what will happen next!I loved that it has action and the romance was sweet and I like the characters!What make me not love it as much as I wanted is that it was more focused in the romance that I didn't expected in a book like this!Overall, it was a great story!

I honestly was expecting this to be just another fantasy story like hundreds of others I've read before and in some ways it was, but in most ways it was so much more and I found myself absolutely in love with it! I can't wait to read more from this author!

I was so excited to start reading this book. It had such high promise due to the description and the main protagonist sounded really interesting as well. However. I unfortunately ended up DNF-ing (did not finish) the book, due to it being to cheesy, predictable and boring.
I've read so many other books like this, it did not feel original the slightest :/ which I'm gutted for as I was really looking forward to love and adore this book.
When I say cheesy sentences, i mean: "She closed her eyes, and once again the warm buzz of Earthsong poured into him like a fizzy cola" I mean what???
Therefore, I just could not force myself to read the book. But I really appreciate that I was sent an ARC early copy.

***Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book.


A fantasy book with a dash of romance and a modern twist. The story is told in alternating POVs of the main characters Jasminda and Jack. We meet Jasminda at the beginning of the book. The poor girl is up-to her neck in problems and this is made worse by the fact that she is orphaned and alone. Things take a dramatic turn when she meets an injured spy and she is thrust into a different life where she holds the fate of her people in her hands.

This book had my attention because of the writing. It was different from what I am used to. Normally I separate fantasy from anything in the modern world, so it was weird to read about telephones and have words like Intel, airplanes and fourwheel drive vehicles in here.

My favorite parts of this book were the collected folk tales at the beginning of each chapter.Talk of humor and wisdom, who knew they would make such a good combination. Another positive was that it was nice to finally see a non Caucasian female mc in a fantasy book. The model on the cover looks a lot like Jasminda in case you were wondering.

There is also some romance for the romance lovers. It is a sweet kind of romance where they fall for each other and nobody says a thing about the attraction.

My main problem with this book started somewhere in the middle. The book dragged on and on. I honestly did not even see the point to some of the chapters. Then there was the ending, after all that build up?
Anticlimactic is the word people.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital arc of "Song of Blood & Stone" by L. Penelope. I really like the world building and the magic system. They were both original and full of imagination. The main characters are very interesting and the story kept me reading. This book is perfect for those who enjoy fantasy.

I wanted so badly to like this book, especially after I found out it was self-published (as a self-published author myself). The premise is good, the cover is gorgeous, the world is interesting, and the beginning is actually not bad. But once Jasminda and Jack start their journey over the mountain, everything went kind of downhill.

The world that I found so interesting was poorly developed. I don't know anything about it, or this mysterious Earthsong. Why is it called Earthsong? Where does the "song" part come in? I read somewhere that this is an alternate 1920s, which is so cool, but it's just so flat. I can't picture it in my head, except for the mountains, because that's pretty self-explanatory.

The author introduces a pretty decent (and topical) racial disparity that is also never really explored further. The Lagrimari are clearly POC and the Elsirans are coded white, and it seems like only Lagrimari have whatever magic this Earthsong is, and it's been like that for hundreds of years. The countries are separated, so that's kind of understandable, and later you find out how and why all the Earthsingers are in Lagrimari, but, like, was it always like that? All the POC had magic and none of the white people did? That's actually fascinating, and we don't learn anything about it, which is disappointing.

As interesting as the first few chapters were, the last few chapters I had to skim, because at that point I didn't really care anymore but I wanted to finish the book. The plot is very contrived, and I don't like how things that are supposed to feel important just aren't given the importance they deserve. Oh, it turns out this guy is the prince. Oh, I just so happen to meet my estranged aunt that I've never mentioned before at this refugee camp. Oh, wouldn't you know, you need a pilot and my girlfriend is a pilot. This is the first book in a series, so I wasn't expecting basically everything to be resolved by the end of the book, and then it was, and it was just super anticlimactic. Once Jasminda and Jack leave her own plot of land, everything kind of rushes along from one plot point to the next.

Props for an interracial romance that neither of the characters really thinks twice about, but it is clearly a problem in this world, and that's also something that we don't spend any decent amount of time on. But the romance doesn't win any other points, because it's just so rushed and trope-y. They're in love with each other after a few days, which is typical, but the way Jack describes Jasminda is kind of cringe-y. It's all about her appearance and her touch, and that just doesn't say "love" to me, it says something else.

Title: Song of Blood and Stone (Book 1)
Author: L. Penticoff (?)
Series: 1 of ?
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher:
Page Count: 338
Type of Book: Uncorrected Proof, Kindle ARC
Rated: 5/5 stars


This book was a highly anticipated read for me, and while it was vastly different than what I expected, it was still a phenomenal read. Full of darkness, magic, characters struggling to survive in harsh environments, and other things still, I really enjoyed this book and thank the publisher on Netgalley for providing me a copy of it. Eventually, I want to get a physical copy of the book because it’s just that good.

While it does the annoying thing of swapping between two characters, it does so effortlessly to the point that I don’t really mind it. It tells the story of Jasminda (cool name!) and Jack, two characters that meet by chance, it seems. Jack is beaten and unconscious when she finds him out by her cabin in the wilderness away from town. Jack is convinced he comes from the other side of the Mantle, a barrier that’s been between two countries at war for decades it sounds like.

Jasminda’s father was from the other side, while her mother was originally Lagrimari. It seems that such pairings were unheard of, and Jasminda is looked down upon in the town because of it. Most folk in town think of her as a witch, though she only ever uses her Earthsong for good. When she meets Jack, she is already going on 24 hours of no sleep due to searching the mountain for her missing Papa and two brothers, whom she believes to have perished years ago in a dreadful storm but were never found. Her mother also gone, due to an illness in the body, Jasminda has been alone for years now, and is fighting off the tax collectors who want to take her farm and land. She has less than ten days to come up with enough money to save her family’s farm.

But when she finds Jack, the farm somehow becomes less of a problem than it has been, as the two of them struggle to survive against the soldiers from the other side who want to take Jack back for questioning as he’s considered a spy. Jasminda attempts to help him as best as she can, and the two of them play their parts as best as they are able.

*There is one brief scene that alludes to Jack nearly being sexually abused by the male soldiers, but Jasminda saves him, and a more graphic scene as well of Jasminda almost getting the same treatment at her farm as well. Nothing overly detailed, but it might be triggersome for some readers.

We watch as Jasminda and Jack leave a burning home behind, and Jasminda is forced to follow Jack into a country she knows next to nothing about, with only her Earthsong to help her along the way. Together, the two of them attempt to stop a tyrannical man who has been stealing Earthsong from people-babies even-for decades, building up his power so that he is unstoppable. It will take courage, strength, and all the powers combined to help the two of them survive.

I highly recommend this book, because it’s full of unique characters, an interesting magic system, and it makes me think vaguely if The Legend of Shannara meets The Sword of Truth series, then it would be a perfect child of those two combined series. It’s a strong, well written novel that contains several interesting characters with a storyline that I’m sure many will love.

Five out of five stars!

{review posted also on my blog and goodreads} at http://www.passmethatbook.wordpress.com}

Jasminda has always been shunned by those in the village; her dark skin marks her out as a foreign witch. Only when she rescues injured soldier Jack, does she find people that accept her. Together, they are pulled along a path to bring about an ancient prophecy.

I received a free copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows Jasminda, who inherited her dark looks from her father - a man native to Lagamiri, the eternal enemy of her homeland Elsira. Her mother's family have practically disowned her, and would like nothing more than to scrub her from existence.
After her parents are brothers die, Jasminda has to work hard to keep their little family farm running; made all the more difficult by a sudden and unexpected tax bill, that threatens to bankrupt her.
She has grown up with constant racist abuse and distrust from the local town, who can't abide her magic, and her looks.

Jasminda has no interest or ambitions beyond keeping her head down, and saving her farm from being repossessed. Until a chance encounter with an injured soldier suddenly makes her a necessary part in a scheme to refortify the barrier that stops the enemy True Father from attacking and enslaving Elsira.

The soldier, Jack, quickly becomes the most solid friend she's ever had. Despite the fact that his identity is a shifting blur from "gentle poet" to "warrior", "general" and... well, something else. He is the first person that truly believes in Jasminda.
There is an undeniable attraction between the two of them, and you know that it's only a matter of time before passion consumes them, even amidst the threat of war, and political drama.

There's a distinct change in tone, as the plot moves away from the adventure of seeking a way to protect Elsira, and avoiding a magical enemy; to the luxuries of the capital. Here, it focuses more on dances, dresses, political intrigue, and returns to Jasminda's desire to save the farm.
There is also the romance between Jasminda and Jack, as the real world threatens to ruin the connection between them.

I really enjoyed this story. It provided a lot of history and background, so even though the plot skipped along lightly, it felt well-rounded.
I like how it tackled topics like racism and the attitudes towards asylum seekers. It really built up the tension gradually, and flared in all the right places.
I also liked how Jasminda is not the most powerful witch. Her own magic is weak compared to her father and other full-blooded Lagamiri; but she still steps up to do anything she can to help stop the True Father.

This book can be read as a standalone, but does set up for a series to follow.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I found this to be an solid fantasy novel. It has a number of fantastic elements, including a main character who is a woman of color, an interracial couple as the main romantic focus and other fabulous elements of diversity (such as a same sex couple) that are often missing in fantasy novels. I enjoyed the overarching plot and there were a number of themes that had clear and present parallels to issues in modern culture. And the cover...my goodness, it's spectacular. Who wouldn't want that on their shelf?

My complaint is this: the book never seemed to quite live up to it's potential. All the elements were there, but the whole novel never added up to the sum of all its wonderful parts. For all the positive diversity there was
a distinct lack of women in this book, and the world-building was paper thin in places. So many minor twists and turns through the book were never fulfilled, and the author relied on tropes and cliches much more than necessary given the originality of the other elements. And from a technical perspective, the writing could have been better.

By the end I was left a little disappointed. I wanted to LOVE this book, but it didn't come up to that benchmark for me. But those who love the YA fantasy romance genre will find this a solid option.


As a side note, this book was previously published so you are not going crazy if you think you might have read it before.

A different sci fi fantasy story.
Parts of it was good yet some didn't realy interest me.
Characters were okay.
In all it was an okay book.

Orphaned and alone, Jasminda lives in a land where cold whispers of invasion and war linger on the wind. Jasminda herself is an outcast in her homeland of Elsira, where her gift of Earthsong is feared. When ruthless soldiers seek refuge in her isolated cabin, they bring with them a captive--an injured spy who threatens to steal her heart. 

Jack's mission behind enemy lines to prove that the Mantle between Elsira and Lagamiri is about to fall nearly cost him his life, but he is saved by the healing Song of a mysterious young woman. Now he must do whatever it takes to save Elsira and it's people from the True Father and he needs Jasminda's Earthsong to do it. They escape their ruthless captors and together they embark on a perilous journey to save Elsira and to uncover the secrets of The Queen Who Sleeps. 

Thrust into a hostile society, Jasminda and Jack must rely on one another even as secrets jeopardize their bond. As an ancient evil gains power, Jasminda races to unlock a mystery that promises salvation. 

The fates of two nations hang in the balance as Jasminda and Jack must choose between love and duty to fulfill their destinies and end the war.- Goodreads

Firstly, the overall story is told very well. It isn't as complicated as you would think; it is straight forward to a certain extent. But it wasn't fast pace; you don't feel as if the story is rushed.

Jasminda is hard to like and that is because she is a weak individual and that doesn't really change. I don't believe the decisions she made was because of a newfound strength but it was really due to having no real alternative. I wanted to like her. I really did but she made excuses and didn't try. 

I liked Jack more than Jasminda but he was losing focus a lot throughout the book. Compared to Jasminda, he had more substance, strength and heart. 

There were two issues with this book. For one, it is heavy on the romance. I have no issue with this other than it takes away from the magic, the fantasy of the novel. I like Jack and Jasminda together but there isn't enough history. Do not get me wrong what you need to know is there but there are holes in the story regarding Jasminda past. It is slightly touched upon but if the author added more of her past then there would have been a better balance and the questions I had after finishing the book would have been more of what next and I think someone knows something. 

Secondly, Jasminda didn't work to become better. She accepted the fact that her Earthsong was weak and did nothing to change it. But the worst part of that is everyone around her accepted that. I was disappointed in that. Did she use her Earthsong to the best of her ability to do some good? Yes, she did but was things pretty much handed to her with no real explanation? Yes.

These are two huge concerns with the book, however, I stayed up until 2:30 in the morning to finish this book. I couldn't put it down. You get sucked into the conflict between those who have the Earthsong and those who do not. You want more and you keep reading because there is a promise of more. Does the author deliver? Yes and no. There are whole within the plot but there is a promise in book two that there will be more. 

I loved the romance, loved the world this story takes place in but I wanted more details, history and fight in this book. However, I was impressed and even when writing this review, I smile with how much I love this story and cannot wait for book two. 

This series with some work is going to be amazing. 

4 Pickles

Sadly, this book was not for me. The book's blurb gave me high hopes for a magic/fantasy tale, however, the writing was clunky and too much world building/history was explained all at once. Also, the overwhelming religious presence was a turn-off.

I started out enjoying Song of Blood & Stone and then around the 30% marker, I ran into a flashback to another life and I was done. Pulling that trope ruined the story for me, I could already see how the book was going to play out from there. I liked the characters and the storyline was going great. But that trope just makes the entire story as predictable as a Nick Jr television show episode. I think maybe I'll return to the story one day, maybe bring it along for a hospital stay or a plane ride? But I won't be finishing it right now.

I received a copy of Song of Blood & Stone from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. As I was unable to finish the book, I mark it as a DNF and hope one day I'll revisit it and try again. I do give it 3 stars for the fact that I loved the characters and the storyline and the writing was well-executed.

DNF
Itwas hard to DNF this on considering how much I'd be in over with the plot description. I was enticed by the promise Earth shattering magic and I just didn't feel it. Speaking of not feeling it,I just could not connect with Jasminda. Trust me I tried. I craved that out of world experience you get when a good book transports you somewhere new, and Song of Blood and Stone did not deliver.

So why am I rating the book 3 stars if it's a DNF? Because I see this book's merit and I raise my glass to L. Penelope. The writing itself was well done, I just don't think I was in the right mind set for this book. Maybe. I may come back to it some day, but for now, I cannot force myself through it.

Overall, a decent fantasy with a rather interesting mythology.

The cover to this book is beautiful and I am sad to say it took me a while to get into this book. Do you ever have those moments when you see the cover of a book and go this is going to be great? That is what I thought and I so wanted this to be one of my top picks of this year but it didn’t work out that way for me. It isn’t a bad book it just wasn’t for me. The start was dull and I wanted it to speed up.

The things I did like was that this is a diverse book and it deals with issues of xenophobia and racism. It is love story with aspects of magic. A sleeping queen and the True Father who is trying to escape. They are the key players behind the war affecting Elisra and Lagamiri. There is something special about Jasminda that makes her able to receive visions about what occurred in the past. Jack the handsome man who Jasminda loves and will need his help.

Like I said it isn’t a bad book it just wasn’t for me. It was just missing something to keep me wanting more.

Outstanding story! I really enjoyed the world the author built and found myself so involved in the book that I couldn't put it down. The characters are complex and had so much depth that it was easy to become engrossed in the story. I have enjoyed other books by this author, but found this to be the best thus far. I would definitely recommend reading it. I hope there's more to come. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled to the half=way point of Song of Blood & Stone ultimately reaching the conclusion that this one is not for me. While I appreciate the diversity of characters and world that the author was creating I struggled to stay interested in the story and the characters. The instant romantic connection between Jasminda and Jack wasn't my favourite, but I was expecting their relationship to have more meat or depth by the half-way point. This one was not for me.

This is exactly the book that I needed at this moment in time. The world L. Penelope creates is interesting, gripping and so real. I really enjoyed the magic in this story and found myself falling in love with the main characters right away. There are so many things I felt while reading this from excitement to anxiousness to sheer frustration at the close mindedness of the societies. The romance made my heart full and I didn't want the story to end. I think fans of fantasy, magic and romance would enjoy this book. Full review will go live on my blog 30 days from the release date. Check it out on http:/www.readandwander.com in April.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this story, as I didn’t know what to expect going into it. It has such an imaginative narrative, and the immersion of the world-building begins right off the bat. While it takes a moment to acquaint yourself with the ways of the world, once you take it in, the story becomes all the more rich and enchanting. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.