I read the first book and enjoyed it but when I tried to pick up the second book I found that I was no longer invested in the characters or story. I had to DNF this one.

It took me a while to finish this because I had to read book 1 first which wasn't in my galleys but it was worth the wait. The sequel keeps up the pacing, intrigue, and excellent charicterization!

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Song of the Abyss

Author: Makiia Lucier

Book Series: Tower of Winds Book 2

Rating: 2/5

Publication Date: August 27, 2019

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 15+ (some violence, some gore)

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Pages: 352

Amazon Link

Synopsis: They came in the night as she dreamt, in her berth, on a ship sailing home to del Mar. After, they would be all Reyna thought about: two carracks painted scorpion black. No emblem on either forecastle, no pennants flying above the mainmasts to hint at a kingdom of origin.

Never a good sign.

As the granddaughter of a famed navigator, seventeen-year-old Reyna has always lived life on her own terms, despite those who say a girl could never be an explorer for the royal house of St. John del Mar. She is determined to prove them wrong, and as she returns home after a year-long expedition, she knows her dream is within reach. No longer an apprentice, instead: Reyna, Master Explorer.

But when menacing raiders attack her ship, those dreams are pushed aside. Reyna's escape is both desperate and dangerous, and when next she sees her ship, a mystery rises from the deep. The sailors--her captain, her countrymen--have vanished. To find them, Reyna must use every resource at her disposal . . . including placing her trust in a handsome prince from a rival kingdom.

Together they uncover a disturbing truth. The attack was no isolated incident. Troubling signs point to a shadowy kingdom in the north, and for once, the rulers of the Sea of Magdalen agree: something must be done. But can Reyna be brave enough to find a way?

Review: This book was a gorgeous read. The world building was very well done and the plot was what drew me to this book.

However, this book just fell flat for me. The story was very flat, it had almost a textbook reading to it. The book actually kind of reads like a historical fiction, which doesn’t do well for the genre it is (YA Fantasy). The characters are also very flat and uninteresting in my opinion and the pacing was very discombobulated. The book felt so slow throughout the majority of it, and then at the end it felt super rushed and disjointed. It really could have used some more depth and more development, with the story leaning away from the historical aspects of the book and into the story at hand.

Verdict: Not for me, but gorgeous at least!

I appreciate that Renya is ambitious, knows what she wants, and takes steps to make that happen. That being said, I'm not entirely sure there's a massive conflict here and thus I didn't feel a sense of urgency.

I read this not realizing it was a sequel Fortunately, the writing made complete sense as a standalone; I was delighted to have another story by this author when I read the first book (Isle of Blood and Stone). Song of the Abyss is fast-paced and exciting and has intriguing characters in a well-portrayed world. Reyna exemplifies the strong female protagonist without invoking a stereotypical personae.. The sense of adventure and mystery make this a satisfying page-turner.

DNF @ 21%

Song of the Abyss had such potential, but struggled in its pace and draw. I found it difficult to keep my attention and I kept waiting for something to grab me and suck me in, but it never happened. I saw many mention it took awhile to get to the point where it was unputdownable, but there wasn't enough of a draw in what I had already read to make me want to push myself to that point. Unfortunately, for that reason, this was not a book for me although I wish it was.

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley and Edelweiss for an honest review.

This was another magnificent story from the beautiful world of del Mar. Lucier just does an awesome job of telling a story that immerses you in the tale. Reyna's tale is a little more action packed than the story of Elias and Mercedes but was still just as good. The world building is fantastic, the characters are wonderful, I really just have nothing bad to say. If Lucier keeps writing books I will keep reading them.

Song of the Abyss follows the story of Reyna, an apprentice mapmaker, as she braves through the seas to find her kidnapped friends and family after her ship is mysteriously attacked in the dead of the night, with the help of Levi, the Captain of the Navy of the country of Lunes that her country, St. John del Mar has a bit of frenemy relationship with.

This is the second book in the Tower of Winds duology, but can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read the first book, An Isle of Blood & Stone, and did not find it difficult to follow this book. After looking up stuff online, I know that Reyna, who is the 17 year old protag of this story was a 9 year old in the first book and that she was a somewhat important secondary character in it. So, this is more like a spinoff than an actual sequel, which is why you shouldn’t have trouble following it if you haven’t read the first book.

I liked the characters in this. Reyna is awesome. She’s definitely the best character out of the bunch and I absolutely adored her! She’s kickass and trying to smash the patriarchy for which I have a deep respect for her. Sexism was very deeply rooted in this book, and it annoyed the heck out of me, but Reyna was a befitting reply to those idiots, even if I hated the continuous stream of “you’re good at [xyz] for a girl” comments that followed her everywhere.

The writing style of the book is really good. We get a lot of lush descriptions that wowed me throughout the story. The way Lucier has built her world is amazing. It’s absolutely beautiful. If it were a real place, I would definitely go visit St. John del Mar ASAP!

The hugest issue I had this book was the pacing. It was the downfall, at least for me. Like, the book was really very slow to pick up in the first few chapters even though we dove right into the action from the word go. Yet, things mellowed down and the first 70-80 pages were slow. It picked up a little pace after that and things got really interesting, but then the last few chapters were rushed. So, basically, a lot of the book was unevenly paced and could have been better. Also, while I liked the fantastical elements, they weren’t woven into the book properly and could have been written in better to make them feel like more of a part of the story and not stuff added in later to make it more interesting. The romance was a little too tropey for my liking, but still well written.

All in all, this was a very relaxed book with not a lot of high stakes and a lot of gorgeous descriptions along with an amazing MC. Definitely not for everyone, even if a good read overall.

When her ship traveling to del Mar is hijacked, Reyna is the only person to escape. Her escape sparks an investigation involving rival kingdoms, disappearing ships, and mythical creatures. In order to learn what happened she must team with a rival kingdom and its handsome prince. Book two of the Tower of Winds series takes place eight years after the first. The focus is now on Reyna, now a seventeen year old apprentice mapmaker. Although this is the second book of a duology this is a standalone, with characters from the first making reappearances. Like the first book this is a police procedural which takes place in a fantasy world, although more of a thriller than a fair play mystery. Although a fast read some readers may object to the slow pacing as the characters do not really start to tackle the problem presented early in the novel until more than halfway into the book. While some may appreciate the character building, including a slow build romance, some may be relieved once the investigation begins. Overall Song of the Abyss is an enjoyable book with likeable characters, a compelling problem to solve once the book starts focusing on it, and a cute romance even though it happens a bit too quickly for my tastes. Readers who enjoyed The Cruel Prince by Holly Black or Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson may enjoy this book.

Thank you NetGalley for providing a digital ARC for this book.

Well, I came here to write about how much I loved this book only to realize it’s a second in a series and now I have some work to do. The writing is absolutely incredible. The world building is completely immersive. The dialogue is brilliant. I’m looking forward to reading the first one. It is a credit to Lucier’s writing that I didn’t even know I was in the wrong book. The characters stood on their own without the history the first book provided.

I love sequels that don't focus on the old main characters but bring someone from the background into focus and Song of the Abyss absolutely delivers. A very quick, good read - even though I saw the plot twist coming I really enjoyed myself and it's all about the journey not the destination!

Although it didn’t grab my interest quite as strongly as her previous book, Song of the Abyss is another solid fantasy read from Makiia Lucier.

The story takes place eight years after the end of the first novel and centers on Reyna, who played an important role in the earlier book. Reyna is now seventeen and dreams of becoming a master cartographer, although not everyone thinks a woman is capable of going on the expeditions required for the position. She gets a chance to prove herself when unknown raiders abduct sailors and travelers from several nations, among them some of Reyna’s friends. All the clues lead to a nation that has closed itself off from outsiders. Posing as a scribe, Reyna joins a ship captained by Prince Levi of Lunes, who has business to conduct with the crown prince of the mysterious nation. Levi has also lost someone dear to him to the raiders, and together they hope to discover what has happened to the missing men.

Lucier crafts a story that is a nice mix of fantasy, mystery, and romance. Reyna and Levi are obviously destined to be together, but their romance doesn’t distract from the action as they try to find their loved ones. Readers do find out relatively early on who the person behind the raids is, but the why was nothing I could have guessed (even though there are hints). Sometimes the story felt more like historical fiction than fantasy, but I enjoyed the fantastical elements that are incorporated into the course of the story, as when Reyna encounters the ghosts of her parents as her ship sails past the location of their deaths.

I do wish the worldbuilding hadn’t leaned quite so heavily on our world in the case of the isolated nation, which is very clearly modeled on Japan. The author does throw in some elements from other cultures as well, but that country still felt so much like Japan that it unfortunately took me out of the fantasy realm at times.

That aside, I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to readers of YA fantasy. I’m curious as to what Lucier has planned for her next book, assuming she’s doing another one set in this world, and am looking forward to finding out. (I’d really like a story about King Ulises, but that wouldn’t be YA, so . . .)

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

I loved Isle of Blood and Stone and even though this is the second book in the Tower of Winds series, you don’t need the first in order to read Song of the Abyss. They happen in the same world and some characters make reappearances (which of course makes me smile) but this is Reyna’s story.

I loved the characters! Especially Reyna, Levi and Blaise. I would also like to see more with Vashti in a future book. If there are not going to be anymore books. I would be very very sad.

So Reyna was a little fireball in Isle of Blood and Stone, which she continues here. She’s been studying to be a Master Explorer and doesn’t let her gender get in the way. She’s dealt with some very serious prejudice against her but she still prevails. She has a strong will and won’t let anything get in her way of protecting her maps. Which shows her dedication to her work.

I love the interactions between her and Levi. Levi is a Captain of his own ship but also second born son to the King of Lunes. In his country, the oldest his heir and it doesn’t matter if you are a boy or girl. So his sister Vashti takes up the throne when their father passes away. You kind of expect him to be either rough or snotty. He is neither and his actually very kind and even a little sensitive. He cares greatly about his crew and works hard as captain of his ship. The way he treats Reyna is so cute at times. Even though their little romance is not a main focus of the story, it’s very sweet and the perfect amount to dose you with.

The plot is great. Crews of ships are going missing and nobody knows why but there is suspicion that they might be taken for the human trafficking. Reyna is sent to investigate with the help of Levi. I really enjoyed the mystery behind the story and where it would take us. As pieces fall together, I’m like I know. I know what is happening and I am itching to tell someone. I wish I was buddy reading because I really want to tell someone and then I thought about how clever it was.

So Miramar and the Miranese are a very interesting culture and I like the way their world was built. We know they are isolated and that it reminded me of the first emperor of China’s domain. Especially something in particular……. So I really enjoyed getting not only to see Miramar but a little bit of Lunes too. Again we need another book to explore more!!!!

I really loved Song of the Abyss. I recommend both books, but of course you can read either alone.

I didn't realize Song of the Abyss was a sequel when I accepted it for review. That said, I'm happy to report it does work pretty well as a standalone. Reyna, the protagonist, was only a 9 year old child in the first book and in this new installment we're with her quite a few years later where she's a mapmaker on her way to becoming a Master Explorer. She barely survives a pirate attack, and when many of her friends and family go missing at sea, she embarks on a quest to find out what happened to them. With exquisite world building, a badass heroine, an exciting quest, and a sweet romance between Reyna and Levi, Song of the Abyss makes for a perfect summer or weekend read.

Disclaimer: I didn't realize that this was a sequel until after I had both requested and started to read it. I'm not sure that it's necessary to read the first one or not. I'll decide if I am going to do that one later.

Overall I enjoyed this book, but it did have a slower beginning than I normally enjoy. This could be because I didn't read the first book. However, after about the first 75 pages or so I was rewarded with a pace pick-up. I enjoyed Reyna and Levi as a duo. They had a really good chemistry. I can see where some readers would comment that it was a bit insta-love though. I also appreciate that by herself Reyna had a lot of personality and agency. I did find it disappointing that the thing that most characters highlighted about her was that she was pretty though.

If you like adventures with mapmakers, sea monsters, and slow burn romance, this would be a great quick summer read for you. Just make it past the first 75 pages... or better yet, perhaps read the first one first unlike me.

Sole survivor of a pirate raid

Reyna, an apprentice mapmaker and geographer, is on her way home from her latest expedition when the ship is attacked by raiders. All of the crew mysteriously put up no resistance, and only Reyna is able to escape by jumping into the sea. After a few hurdles, she makes it back home and finds out hers isn't the only ship to have suffered such a fate: all around the sea others have turned up, missing only the crew but otherwise un-raided and un-harmed. Reyna is added to an expedition to an isolationist country, along with a vexing prince and a hope that they'll find the missing men during the journey.
Characters that make me giddy

Reyna is so much fun. She was a minor character in the previous book, and she hasn't lost a bit of her precocious spirit or energy here. Once again the author has managed to make both main and side characters incredibly warm and lively without seeming to even try, because people who only show up for a few pages still wind up memorable.


The mystery and adventure aspect of this book is ramped up relative to the first, with everyone constantly on the move and discovering new place and new clues. The romance continues to shine, although it's another pair of "adorable dorks who need to just admit it already." My favorite, so I don't care. Give me all the stubborn pining fools! I was absolutely giddy while reading this. Well...most of this...
So, about that world...

Yeah, you knew there was a but coming. In the last book, there was a little bit of "every country has one trait," but it was more of a reputation than a literal thing. del Mar was explorers because they had the famous geography school. Caffeesh was scholars because they had the big famous college. Etc, etc. Because none of the characters traveled, that was perfectly fine, as we got to meet plenty of people in our one country of focus and see the variety of persons within. In Song of the Abyss, however, there's a lot of moving around and...yeah, every country gets one personality trait.


Even worse is the new country they visit, based on ancient China, which is portrayed as backwards, superstitious, and brutal. We spend a bit more time in this place and get to see a greater variety of individuals, but the overall culture is presented relentlessly negatively and they even wind up colonized by the end. (Ish. More or less. Colonized in all but name.) The whole thing left such a bad taste for me that for the later half of the book I had a real hard time finishing, and I know others (especially any Chinese readers) will probably take issue with it even more than I did.



Will I read this author again? I still like her characters, but I'll be more picky going forward

Will I continue this series? Alas, no more have been announced for this series yet

(to be posted 8/19)

Seventeen-year-old Reyna is the daughter of an esteemed navigator. While on an adventure to prove her ability to be a female explorer for the royal house of St. John del Mar, Reyna’s ship is attacked by pirates and she is left to swim to shore in sea serpent infested waters.

Enter Captain Levi, the second child of the king of Lunes. I enjoyed how Lucier originally introduced this character as weeping in public on the port than Reyna swims to. Levi is a strong, independent man who is captain of his own ship and leads many men to battle. However, Lucier took this introduction to depict this ‘manly man’ as crying, which is something that is not often seen in teen books. I found that this opening scene allows for Levi to feel his emotions and embrace grief while still being a strong male lead. YA readers, male especially, should be able to view Levi as a character to look up to and not just someone who needs to ‘man up’ and stop crying.

This novel also features a lost island that has been isolated from society and other explorers. The kingdom of Miramar is self-sufficient but is depicted as ruthless and violent. The only known fact of this kingdom is that they used to trade with the other esteemed islands for clay. Reyna quickly recognises the Miranese as the raiders who stole her ship in the beginning of the novel. This isolated kingdom seems to hold the answers of why her ship was stolen and where her kidnapped sailors are.

Lucier has a way with writing settings so vibrantly that they come to life in the reader’s head. The kingdoms of Lunes and St. John del Mar are so well written that I could practically smell the salty breeze as Reyna walks along the port of call. If your book buzzwords are sea, kingdoms or exploring, you have to pick up the Tower of Winds books. These books are action packed, witty, and full of political intrigue, all of which are well executed and simple enough to grasp the reader without info-dumping.

Although this is a companion novel, I would recommend reading Isle of Blood and Stone first as some characters reappear and it would be helpful and fun to have the background of their narratives. At a rating of 8/10 stars, I liked Isle of Blood and Stone more but also thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked the storyline of King Ulises and Elias more than Reyna, therefore, if you are only going to read one of Lucier’s novels, I would recommend the first of the duology. With that being said, I would highly recommend both for YA and middle-grade readers.

Song of the Abyss, the followup to Isle of Blood and Stone (Tower of the Winds series), introduces Reyna, who is an explorer and mapmaker for her royal homeland of St. Jon Del Mar. As the story opens, she is sailing home, when pirates attack her ship and take the sailors prisoner by bewitching them with a siren song. Reyna escapes with her maps and swims to shore where she meets Prince Levi of Lunes, who is grieving the death of his father. After hearing her story, he insists on taking her to her ship, which they find abandoned, aside from the corpses of sailors who were old or infirm. Levi insists she return to Lunes with one of his men, but she, fearing he will steal her maps, escapes when they get to the harbor and boards a ship bound for home. When the emissaries from her kingdom sail to the Lunerian king's funeral, they, too are abducted. Together Reyna and Levi uncover the disturbing truth about all the missing men, who have been taken to a kingdom in the north. They travel to the kingdom under the guise of delivering a shipment of clay and devise a rescue plan once they find the men. This romantic sea-faring adventure, complete with ghosts, sirens, magic and romance, will keep readers on the edge of their seat. Although set in the Tower of the Winds world with some recognizable characters, this book is a standalone fantasy with an exciting new plot and cast of characters.

(Note: This book includes graphic depictions of violence and mild body horror.)

I very much enjoyed Makiia Lucier’s previous Tower of Winds novel, Isle of Blood and Stone, so I was thrilled to get an eARC of Song of the Abyss. While Song is a sequel, both books are standalone. Characters from Isle do make appearances, but they’re secondary to Reyna, who is no longer a child and has become a mapmaker. One of the things I love most about this book is the world that Lucier built, where mapmakers and mythological creatures all vie for attention on the page. There is a sense of wonder and magic in this world, from whirlpools that hold onto the spirits of those that drowned within them to the excitement of finding a topographical feature that no one else has recorded before. This is a wide world filled with pirates and secretive courts and the possibility of finding something or someone new if you just look far enough.

Reyna is a fantastic protagonist and an excellent mapmaker: smart, resourceful, and unquestionably brave even when some pretty terrifying stuff is going on around her. On top of that, her compassion and kindness are significant assets to her as she tries to figure out exactly who has been kidnapping crews at sea and why. Those qualities frequently help her obtain allies where she would otherwise flounder or miss out on key information or help.

I also enjoyed Reyna’s developing relationship with Levi. It was easy to see why they could be drawn to one another at the start of the book, so I didn’t feel like their separation in the first part of the book negatively impacted my ability to buy into their romance later on. I enjoyed their dynamic, especially as they had opportunities to trust in and learn about one another throughout the story. I was particularly pleased with the trust Levi showed in Reyna at the climax and the state of their relationship at the very end of the book.

That said, I do wish Reyna and Levi had spent more time together, if only because I wanted to see more of them. However, the separation allowed the chance to flesh out the supporting cast, most of whom were solid characters in their own right. I was particularly fond of Blaise and her character arc.

Recommendation: Get it soon. Song of the Abyss is a solid fantasy book, especially if you like tales about exploration. Reyna’s quest to unravel the mystery of the disappearances at sea is well worth the journey, and the world that Makiia Lucier built is easy to dive into. Even if you haven’t read the first novel, you should give Song of the Abyss a chance.

I give the book three and half stars. I had trouble with the story. I had trouble reading the first 100 pages. The story picked up and I was able to finish the book. I just felt the pacing of the story was off balance. However, I would still recommend the book because I loved the characters.