Ruinsong by Julia Ember is a fascinating and fantastical queer read featuring a magic system with religious connotations that showcases the capability and capacity of song and how someone with a powerful voice could use their gift to heal or to harm, or both. The two main characters, Cadence (a singer/mage) and Remi (the daughter of nobles) are former childhood friends who are reunited by chance (or was it through fate?), who after being reunited, begin traveling down converging paths of self-discovery and redemption, all the while uncovering the horrors that the current queen and her mages are conducting against the former nobility and any who attempt to help them in the country of Cavalia. All in all, Ruinsong is the perfect example of the saying, two sides of the same coin, with a villainous queen who, spurned and heartbroken, rebelled against her queen and country in order to implement a “better” system of rule/order, while getting revenge against those who caused her harm, to only experience being overthrown herself by her own protégé. While Ruinsong is full of dualities, its strengths include a deep focus on character building and the idea that factions need to work together in order to prosper; however, its weaknesses include a complete lack of worldbuilding, which is entirely essential for a fantasy novel, particularly what appears to be a standalone novel and not a series. While reading Ruinsong, I could not help but wonder a bit more about Queen Elene's background and the history behind her tyranny, as is alluded to multiple times within the novel; having chapters from her point-of-view would have been brilliant. Also, it would have been really great to have more childhood flashbacks and connections between Cadence and Remi to assist with their romance.

A warm-hearted and much-appreciated thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), and NetGalley for providing an advance copy! Please make sure to pick up a copy of Ruinsong at your local book depository.

Overall I liked the book. I wish there was more world building. I liked the characters and the fantasy in the book,

I enjoyed the idea of a magic system based on singing, the LGBTQ representation, and thought provoking queerness acceptance in this world. I also have to add that the Queen was a great villain! Very early on we see one of the main characters, the Queen’s principal singer Cadence, forced to torture nobles who must attend a yearly concert as penance for their support of the prior Queen. It was breathtakingly cruel and descriptive. There were some slow parts, but if you like more character driven and slow burn romance stories, then this one is for you.

Ruinsong is a YA fantasy in which the voice is a central part of the magic system. I'm not familiar at all with The Phantom of the Opera, but apparently this is being marketed as a queer The Phantom of the Opera retelling. However, I wanted to read it because it's sapphic fantasy and that cover is amazing.

Cadence is a mage who has been forced to use her voice to torture her country's nobility at the queen's bidding to make them compliant. When she and her family are discovered to be part of the rebellion, Remi is imprisoned and discovers that her childhood friend, Cadence, is no longer the person she remembers. Remi's return helps Cadence find her voice (literally and figuratively) underneath the ruthless, power-hungry queen's gaze, and they both navigate the more conservative nobility's society compared to the more open outlook of the rebellion.

I enjoyed reading this! I don't think the concepts of the novel were anything new or revolutionary, but it was well done for what it was and I loved the main characters a lot. The magic system is the most developed part of the world-building, but with the power of the voice being such a central theme to the story, I didn't mind that I didn't know much about the world in which they inhabited outside of the palace because I think I would have felt that knowing much more would have been too much. All I know is that I would have devoured this even more fifteen years ago, and I'm so glad that readers younger than me have the opportunity to read a fantasy book like this, with wlw, fancy dresses, high stakes, and learning how to harness one's voice for the right thing, no matter how difficult it seems to be.

Hated the cover; but loved the book... even if I was a bit nervous that it would not have a resolution.

The aptly named Cadence has been taught to use her voice to inflict pain upon the noble people that could take the despotic queen out of power. However, she despises her job and pays penance by singing a second song that lessens the pain she inflicted and by going to the local hospital and helping out with tough cases.

Remi was Cadence's childhood friend. As part of the nobility, she finds that she has to take her mother's place at the pain-inflicting performances. She cannot believe that Cadence has turned into such a monster.

One fateful night their paths cross again and the vengeful queen decides to use Remi as a pawn to control Cadence. The two women find themselves entangled in a situation neither of them expected and as a result their dormant feelings for one another will resurface.

I did not read The Phantom of Opera, so I do not know if there's similarities between these two. But this book is cool. The romance is well developed. I recommend it.

Ruinsong is a wonderfully built majestic book with a fantastic magic system that transports you to a world where music is magic. We follow Cadence, a singer for the queen who grew up an orphan until her powers were realized. Cadence is forced to use her magic to torture the subjects of the country. With no choice but to obey the Queen she continues the queen's evil reign over the country. In comes Remi, a noble who lives out of the city with her mother and father, and Cadence’s childhood best friend. When circumstances cause their paths to align again they must work to overcome their differences and overthrow the queen. Sparks fly as undiscovered feelings rise up between the two, they might get more than just freedom from this journey.
Ruinsong was stunning. I, of course, was drawn in by the beautiful cover. But it was the plot which caused me to request it on Netgalley. I’ve been trying to read more pphic novels so this was a perfect choice! The magic system is definitely my favorite part of this book, it’s absolutely fascinating and so unique! It reminded me slightly of the magic system in This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab, but there were also elements that reminded me of the Shadow and Bone trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. I think overall the world building was the best part of this book. Although we didn’t learn too much about the world outside of the country that Cadence and Remi live in, there was a nice establishment of a religion and a reason for the magic system. I thought the magic was also really nicely developed. It made sense and wasn’t too complicated but also retained a sense of whimsy and uniqueness.
My main critique of this book is the pacing and characters. The book definitely has a slow start, the main plot doesn’t occur until a little over halfway through the book which made it a little difficult to get through at first. Overall, the plot was a bit predictable but still had twists that I could appreciate with the added intrigue of the magic system. As far as the characters, they didn’t feel very developed to me. Cadence and Remi were reasonably well mapped out but they fell into some pretty predictable and stereotypical roles. I wish there had been a bigger cast. While there were some other characters none of them made a huge impact and some felt unnecessary and seemed to just be plot devices.
While I do have some critiques of this book I still highly recommend it. I think it can definitely be enjoyed by a younger audience and the diverse representation is always very appreciated!

'Ruinsong' by Julia Ember is the story of a girl with the magic of spellsong. A birth trait that can be a gift or a curse under the ruthless Queen Elene of Cavalia, it earns our main character.. Cadence.. the spot of Principal singer in her Court.

As an orphan, Cadence has no real attachments outside the queen's court. She has a fondness for her old tutor, Madam.. warm, distant memories of a girl named Remi.. and love for her little dog, Nip.. the only being she feels is family. That love is a weakness to be exploited though and she's a powerful spellsinger, which makes for a uniquely dangerous tug-of-war with her emotions.

Having been forced to torture Cavalia's disgraced nobles over the queen's personal grudge against their kind, she does what she can to atone along the way. Either insisting on being allowed to include healing spells or giving her time and her voice to the point of her own suffering to those most heavily in need.

When she and Remi are united, all is not well between them. Remi's view of Cadence has been colored by the queen's hand and the two couldn't be on more opposing sides of an issue. Their chance meeting is a crossroads of sorts.. leading to decisions that can affect everyone in their country for a long time to come.

This book is a very dark lgbtq+ fantasy full of richly textured characters and world-building. Though the magic induced torture isn't frequent, it's certainly grisly.. but it's also only done with purpose within the plot. It's not gratuitous, but it impacted the story and myself as the reader, quite strongly. If graphic scenes regarding people or pets bother you, be wary.. but it's a wonderfully told tale of forbidden romance and the horrors of a totalitarian queen obsessed with vengeance.

I became deeply invested in this story rather quickly. Cadence is a sweet girl, despite the things she's forced to do. Sweet enough, that even understanding how the suffering affects the citizens.. it's still difficult to see her treated unkindly for it.

The magic can be beautiful or brutal, but is fascinating in it's structure.. and in the perseverance of those who wield it, or perhaps the stubbornness of the goddess who bestows it.

Of the broad cast of supporting characters, I found Remi's suitor.. Nolan to be quite a surprise. He could have been a far more typical male role, but he thought of others first.. sometimes at great risk to himself. Likewise, the queen's right-hand man is a wonderfully vicious villain. In fact, I both dreaded and eagerly waited each of his appearances throughout the book.

It seems to be a nice standalone story, as the conflict all wraps up nicely by the end.. so no concerns here about cliffhangers or anything of the like. I'm definitely eager to see what else Ember might have up her proverbial sleeve. I'm extremely impressed with her style and structure, but especially her willingness to push the envelope with the darkness of her content. I loved this book.

I received a complimentary copy of Ruinsong by Julia Ember from Farrar, Straus, and Giroux through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Ruinsong came out in November 2020!

Cadence is the Queen's Principal singer, forced to use the magic in her voice to torture the nobility and keep them under the Queen's thumb. When her childhood friend Remi is subjected to Cadence's song along with an auditorium full of nobles, Remi knows Cadence is no longer the girl she knew. When a chance meeting throws Cadence and Remi together and leads to the queen imprisoning Remi and her father, the girls begin to see their goals may not be so different. Can Cadence find the strength to stand up to the Queen, her benefactor and worst enemy?

This story is marketed as a Phantom of the Opera retelling, which I was very excited about. Unfortunately, I think that is misleading: this story has very little to do with The Phantom of the Opera. There's singing, masks, and some imprisonment. That's about it. Still, I loved that the magic system focused on singing and I enjoyed this dark queer fantasy. Cadence and Remi follow a friends to enemies to lovers arc, which I enjoy, but I think because of the childhood friends aspect we really missed out on seeing their relationship develop. I enjoyed this book, but I wanted more from it. I wanted the world and Cadence and Remi's relationship to be more developed. I did really like Cadence's character arc and growth throughout the story though! Trigger warnings for animal death, torture, and gore. I'd recommend this one if you're interested in a wlw fantasy with a music-based magic system!

Thank you to Expresso Book Tours for supplying me with a review copy in exchange for a blog tour stop and honest review!

3/5 stars!

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would! I honestly didn't have very high expectations, but this was a very entertaining read that I loved for the worldbuilding and unique magic system. I didn't really care for a couple of other elements, but I'll get to that later.

We follow Cadence, the Principal singer of a cruel queen and Remi, a viscount's daughter and member of the nobility. Cadence and other mage singers have magic in their songs that the queen exploits for her own gain. She forces Cadence to sing to torture the nobility, whom the queen hates from a slight in her past. Remi and Cadence were childhood friends, but when Remi sees what Cadence has become, she feels like she no longer knows her.

The absolute best part of this book was the magic system. I have not read a single review where the reader did not like the magic system. I love when a book has magic in music, and Ruinsong didn't disappoint! Don't think me macabre, but the scene at the beginning of the book with Cadence torturing the nobles with her song? That kind of crazy display of power is awesome. But then we didn't really get any cool crazy dark magic. The magic system is awesome, but I would have liked to see more of it.

The world was pretty basic. It was enjoyable enough, but it was bland. Just a run of the mill high fantasy world. What I did like was that the queen and the nobles were at odds. Normally the royals have the nobility in their pocket for whenever needed, but the queen literally tortured them here.

I thought Cadence was a great character. She was a bit of a morally grey character, with a good heart but a bit of a weak outlook on life. She had a character arc. Remi on the other hand... annoying, and no character arc whatsoever. Not a fan. And for the romance? There was instalove. I guess we missed them meeting and getting to know each other because they were childhood best friends, but I feel like I missed out.

The writing was fine. I normally prefer fantasy to be written in third person for more of that magical feel, but that's not really a big thing. Again, another thing that was just fine but not great. She didn't segue between different plot points very well either, but it was fine.

What I didn't like was how Julia Ember felt like she had to introduce every tiny side character, some of which didn't even get the chance to talk or do anything, by their race. And they were only white or black, nothing else. It was...weird. I don't quite know what to make of it, but I'm not a fan.

Ruinsong is marketed as a Phantom of the Opera retelling, but I didn't get that vibe at all. There were music and masks. I just don't really feel like that makes it a Phantom retelling. More of a half-abandoned attempt and a marketing ploy.

All in all, though I didn't exactly regret my read, I wouldn't recommend it. It had so much potential, but it fell flat. If you do end up reading it, I hope you have a better time than I did!

I really enjoyed this story. The queer love interests was a huge selling point even if it never developed into much, I appreciate the sentiment. The first half of the book seemed a bit slow to me but still held my interest. The ending however, flew by so fast and I wish there was a bit more plot development there. It felt rushed. Maybe I just really needed more of the story. But, still a solid 4.5 stars

My biggest problem with Ruinsong is that I do not like Remi. Not even a little bit. I think it would have benefited from being just from Cadence’s perspective, with more fleshed out scenes. Remi is naïve and annoying; she knows nothing about how magic works but somehow points out that “Cadence, of course, there are spells to protect yourself. Why don’t you learn some? It can’t be that hard.” For someone who has also done nothing to stand up to the queen and has been in relative safety, she’s swift to judge Cadence and expect the worst.
The magic was cool, but I think it would have been even better with more development. I love more exploration of the other types of song magic. Why is the magic sung? What happens if you sing a song differently?
The whole world should be more developed. More explanation of the belief system. Why is such a big deal the Elene worships a different goddess? How big is this country? There was too much time angsting over what Remi thinks of Cadence and not enough time spent making their world make sense.
It seemed like the book was very rushed in regards to the time frame. It’s been, what, a month from the beginning to end, and they’re going to try to start a revolution, but Remi and Cadence can’t talk to each other and work out some issues?
Ruinsong sounded very promising but fell short for me.

What a year for dark, lush, and sapphic fantasies! 2020 has given some amazingly dark and twisted fantasies, and Ruinsong is a strong addition to that list! Told in the perspectives of two very different characters in the middle of a rebellion against a tyrant evil queen, the Phantom of the Opera retelling creates a world of deadly musical magic, the politics of class and power, and a world where choices hold so much weight – and consequences.

I have read and loved Julia Ember’s books for so long now, and this is probably my favourite book of hers! The worldbuiding is so interesting – and I was so fascinated with the idea of nobility/upper middle class having the tables turned on them, and suddenly becoming the oppressed. There’s a line that Remi’s father says that struck me the most – “Don’t look away, we all did that for too long. It’s why we’re in this mess now.” It’s the kind of thought process behind being complicit and comfortable in one’s select privileges that is so relevant in the society we live in right now.

But the book isn’t all politics. The concept and execution of music magic is so good, and the tender romance provides such a sweet relief in the midst of a rebellion. I also really liked getting the thoughts of both Cadence and Remi – they’re such polar opposites, and it helps us to be more empathetic and understanding of their actions and choices.

I would totally recommend Ruinsong to any fantasy fan, especially if you like royal and political intrigue, rebellions, and lush magic systems. I would give a content warning for torture and death of an animal.

If you’re looking for a YA sapphic fantasy novel inspired by phantom of the opera, this is the book for you!! It just came out this past Tuesday and I really enjoyed it. This novel had such a beautiful (sometimes brutal) and original form of magic and I found the characters to be absolutely delightful. The two main characters were both so unique and their voices came across the page wonderfully. I never forgot whose pov I was in and I found it very easy to sympathise with both of them. They also had tremendous chemistry and I loved the romance aspect of this book.

The thing that did bring it down one star for me was the nature of this book being a slow-burn. I don’t dislike slow burns, but both the pacing of the main plot and the romance subplot felt a little slow at times, especially during the middle. There was a lot to explain to the reader and while it was never boring, there were a few times where I feel like I would’ve loved a bit more spice in the actions and dialogue. There were also several scenes where physical descriptions were a little left out, though not to a great extent. All of that being said, I really enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to any YA fantasy fan. Thank you so much to @xpressotours for the review copy!

This book had so many exciting ideas that I wish had been explored more in-depth than they were.
Ruinsong has one of the most unique magic systems I have encountered in a fantasy novel. I wanted to know so much more about the different branches of magic that exist. While this is such an integral part of the story, this was brushed over,

Cadence is... remarkably uninteresting as a character to follow; her motivations are entirely self-centered. She commits acts that are very much war crimes, and this book does not address it.
Cadence as a character is the exemplary example of the discussion of if someone turned a blind eye to the things happening in Germany during WW2, can we really say they weren't a Nazi? Especially with Cadence being in such a high position of power.
There are undertones of the argument of how she was raised, and because she awas never taught how to defend herself, how could she possibly fight this higher power.
In reality, Cadence doesn't seek out the need to learn how she can help; she is pressured into it and is pressured into everything she does to counter the Queen.
In the end, Cadence doesn't answer to any of the above; the book kind of shrugs and is like, well, she gets pardoned by her GF's mom, and everything is just hunky-dory.

What I will sing praises for is the queer representation, alongside the representation of non-monogamous relationships. Non-monogamy is rarely shown in books as an option, which is the biggest annoyance when it comes to Love Triangles because I'm like, WHY NOT BOTH?
But to read a story where it is 'mostly' normal to have queer and non-monogamous relationships and straight monogamy isn't the default was incredibly refreshing. Even if it also features insta-love.

All in All:
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting read with a nice side of romance. But isn't wanting to think too deeply about things going on in the book,
But don't expect it to follow through on:
Her voice was her prison…
Now it’s her weapon.

This book was ok, the characters where somewhat interesting but they seemed surface level. There was nothing compelling me to care about these characters and there actions, there actions in the book seemed counter intuitive to what they wanted.

I enjoyed this world of musical magic. The different types of mages who held different powers and could sing different songs to hurt or heal at will. Cadence is the principal singer, the most powerful of the corporeal mages. She is an orphan and is easily intimidated since the punishment for not performing is to have your vocal cords cut and to be moved to the Expelled settlement. The current queen rules by fear and threats. But seems to think she is everyones savior since the nobles weren't treating the commoners that well before her. It seems like out of the frying pan into the fire.
There is also a different class system under this queen which is interesting. She has stripped the power from nobles and given commoners more power. Before this new queen was a class system we are more familiar with and under that system Remi, a young viscountess visited the palace and became friends with Cadence.
Some magical incidents occur to thrust these two back into eachothers lives as young adults, unsure of each other's preferences but hopeful, after they come to terms with where they ended up. Can they save their land from this terrorful queen and her head justicar who is just awful? Is there any hope?

Thank you Netgalley and FarrarStrausGiroux for the arc copy for my voluntary and honest review.

TW: animal abuse, torture

I really enjoyed this book. The world building and magic system felt fresh and unique but believable and fully formed, not gimicky. I liked the complexity of Cadence's character and the fact that she doesn't burst out of the gate ready to burn it all down, but is more realistically portrayed as being afraid of the very real and severe consequences of rebellion. The approach to queer sexuality feels honest and relatable while offering up a satisfying slow-burn romance. Highly recommend!

Title: Ruinsong
Author: Julia Ember
Pub Date: November 24, 2020

First Impression:
Ruinsong was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I found the blurb for it way back in March and was immediately impressed by the unique magic system and excited for a queer romance. Song-based magic in a dystopian setting is so fresh and new and I feel like it really lived up to my hopes and expectations.

What I liked:
The magic system was interesting and the world building was efficient and creative. For the most part the characters were well rounded and easy to get invested in. I got sucked in and read the whole books over 24 hours.

One thing I didn’t love:
There were just a couple times that overdone tropes and themes were leaned on a bit too heavily, and I would have liked to see a slightly slower burn with a little more angst between the love interests, but overall I truly loved this book.

If you liked The Hunger Games, To Best The Boys, Shadow and Bone, or The Lunar Chronicles, I think you will really enjoy this one.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for both an early digital arc and finished copy of this one.

BOOK REPORT for Ruinsong by Julia Ember

Cover Story: Witchy Woman
BFF Charms: Caution!, Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: She Said, She Said
Bonus Factor: LGBTQ+
Relationship Status: Left Wanting More

Content Warning: Ruinsong features scenes of torture (through magic) and the gruesome death of a pet.

Cover Story: Witchy Woman
This cover is SO striking. It's got a modern feel, with her very on-trend baby bangs, but her dress and the sparkle elements, in addition to the gold border, give it a really magical feel. And I swear the girl's looking straight into my soul.

The Deal:
Cadence is a Singer, gifted by the gods with the ability to do magic through song. But her gifts aren't her own to use; Queen Elene is a brutal ruler who uses Cadence and other mages to keep her people in line.

Remi is the daughter of a noble family who fell from grace after Elene took the throne. She and Cadence used to be friends when they were young, but they haven't seen each other in many years. Until the day Remi's forced to attend a Perfoming—an event during which a Singer tortures the nobility through magic—and she recognizes Cadence as her torturer.

BFF Charms: Caution!, Yay
Although she's been put into a position she can't see a way out of, Cadence's gifts make her a frightening person. She doesn't want to hurt people, but she feels like she can't say no to Elene without serious consequences—and she knows from experience how terrible those consequences can be. She's a sweet young woman, but also extremely dangerous, which is a combination I'm wary of in a friend.

Remi's a bit naive, having grown up as a member of the nobility, but she has a definite grasp on right and wrong. She's willing to get her hands dirty, even if that means she has to put herself in danger. She's the right kind of tenacious and someone I'd give a BFF charm to in a hot second.

Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Cadence and Remi are both interested in people of the female persuasion, but neither have much experience acting on their interests. Being a mage, Cadence is able to love who she loves—mages in this world often have polyamorous relationships with people of all genders—but Remi's not so free to be herself; at least, that's how she feels—the nobility is old-fashioned and not exactly open to change. Their relationship is complicated, and the swoon comes more from them thinking about possibilities than any actual action, which is disappointing for all of us.

Talky Talk: She Said, She Said
Ruinsong is split into the POVs of both Cadence and Remi, which creates a well-rounded picture of the plot. But the story definitely gives more time to Cadence, which makes Remi feel like a secondary character. Ember's worldbuilding leaves a little to be desired—the explanation of Elene's rise to power, specifically, is really thin—but the magical system in which singing is vital to perform spells is fascinating. The ending of the story also seems a bit rushed and a little too easy. All in all, there are a lot of good things in this book that would benefit from being more fleshed out to create a more robust story.

Bonus Factor: LGBTQ+
It's becoming less and less of an unusual occurrence to read YA books that aren't focused on a heterosexual couple and include elements of the queer experience. Remi, unfortunately, has to deal with a fear of coming out to her parents, but her larger world is already cool with it. I am here for this kind of representation and inclusivity!

Relationship Status: Left Wanting More
We had a nice date, Book, but I can't help but feel like you were holding a lot back. I would have loved to hear more of your details, even if it took longer!