This book was interesting, I didn’t enjoy it too much, the ending felt abrupt and rushed. I would’ve liked for the side characters to have more development and explored them more.
The romance was a subplot and I wanted more of Cody and Leisha

I really enjoyed this one! I'll admit I didn't read the synopsis, so when the whole disappearance plotline showed up, I was a bit confused. I ended up loving this though, even though I expected more of a romance.

The ending was probably my least favorite part of this. It felt super rushed, and even though all of the plotlines were concluded, I wanted more. After all Leisha had done to fine Ms Wells, I really wanted more interaction between them. We're told how much they meant to each other, but we're never able to see this. I feel like seeing it would've made the mystery way more compelling, but it wasn't a big deal.

I also wasn't the hugest fan of the romance. I liked Cody and Leisha separately, but I never connected to them as a couple. I felt like the problems facing them at the end were also hastily resolved, but I did still enjoy this.

My favorite part was the focus on music. As a violist myself, I really enjoyed reading about Leisha, Randall, and Cody's practices. I hated how Gramps held Leisha back from her dreams, but in my mind, he came around and supported her fully.

Although I had some problems with this one, I still really enjoyed it! It was a super fast read, and was the perfect mix of suspense and romance.

Thanks to Books Forward for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review
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3.5 stars.

This book had a really fascinating premise that did not disappoint, especially on the mystery side of things. There were several times where I thought I had guessed the plot, and the ending was a twist that I didn't see coming. I loved the characters, and Leisha as the narrator had a unique attitude that was really well conveyed with the writing style.

I found the side characters super interesting, but I wish that some of them had been explored more as the book went on. The romance felt a tad bit unrealistic, but I still loved some of the scenes with Cody and Leisha's relationship. The ending was also a little bit rushed and left me wishing for more development of the relationship between Leisha and Ms Wells.

Overall, a quick fun read that I'd definitely recommend for people looking for a good mystery plot, perhaps more so than a romance plot.

When Leisha's vocal teacher, Ms. Wells, abruptly leaves Stonefield Academy, Leisha instantly knows something is wrong. Ms. Wells is her favorite teacher and Leisha knows that she wouldn't leave her students before a vocal competition. Leisha's friends and the school administration tell her to let Ms. Wells go. Leisha can't shake the feeling that something is wrong and decides to investigate on her own. Cody, a cellist at the Academy, has feelings for Leisha and wants to help her. Together, they uncover a series a clues that indicate that Ms. Wells is in danger. However, Leisha's grandfather and Cody's parents care more about keeping Leisha and Cody apart as well as making sure their future careers are not in music.

Leisha's Song is a young adult mystery combined with romance and family drama. I was pulled in immediately by the prologue. The mystery was very well crafted. I liked the progression of the clues and had no idea of the culprit until the end. Leisha is an interesting character. As a black student at a prestigious Academy, Leisha is different, she is trying to uphold all of the standards placed on her by her grandfather who wants her to be a doctor and stay away from boys, especially white boys. I could easily relate to Leisha's predicament and wanted her to follow her dreams of singing. I did think her voice sounded a little off, not a genuine modern black high school student dealing with pressures from every side. I did appreciate Leisha's point of view, how she was dealing with the challenges in her life and her determination to move forward despite being pushed back. The romance between Leisha and Cody ended up being really sweet. Cody took me some time to warm up to, he was persistent in his pursuit of Leisha even after she said 'no' several times. I could tell that there was a spark between the two of them, but Cody needed to respect when she said no. The writing style built the mystery and suspense of Ms. Wells' disappearance as pressure was being put on Leisha from her school and her grandfather to create an exciting and unexpected conclusion.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

•I’ve received this ARC from BooksForward and NetGalley. In this review all thoughts and opinions are my own. •

Leisha’s song is a nice mystery book with just the right amount of romance.
I love music and I play an instrument too, so I was really excited by the premise.
I think that the strongest part of the book were the characters, they were not just well written but also relatable in some parts.
All in all Leisha’s song was a quick nice read that I recommend!

Thank you to Books Forward for letting me read this!

I was hooked on this book! It was so fast-paced and the romance in it is so cute. I loved Leisha and Cody.
Leisha is such a strong female character and the story deals with very real-life events, with a bit of mystery thrown into the mix. I recommend this one!

A mystery, musical prodigies, and family drama - what’s not to love? In a story reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, Leisha, a young Black soloist, and Cody, a white cellist, work to overcome the racial prejudices of their families. The overarching mystery is the sudden disappearance of Leisha’s beloved vocal teacher - singing is so important to Leisha, and she loved Mrs. Wells so much that she became a little obsessed with investigating her disappearance. The story was definitely fun to read, though the ultimate culprit was easy to guess; I also wanted a little more interaction at the end between Mrs. Wells and Leisha, since Leisha spent the entire story looking for her. I felt it was not completely wrapped up as it could have been, which was disappointing. It was a good read, and I would recommend it for fans of mystery, classical music, and young romance.

Leisha's song was beautiful book. I really enjoyed reading it. I love it how the characters aren't stereotypical vise versa for example Leisha, main character.
I don't usually read this kind of books but this was perfect. It was interesting and kept me hooked from the first page.

Leisha’s Song
by Lynn Slaughter
Melange Books/Fire and Ice
Teens & YA
Pub Date 22 Jun 2021

I am reviewing a copy of Leisha’s Song through Melange Books/Fire and Ice and Netgalley:


Leisha knows something is not right. Her beloved vocal coach at boarding school would never have resigned and disappeared like this in the midst of preparing her prize students for a major vocal competition. Leaving Leisha determined to find her and make sure she’s okay.


Cody who is a sensitive cellist, insists on helping her. It isn’t long before Sparks fly, clues multiply, and romance blossoms, despite the disapproval of their families.


When Leisha desires to be with Cody and pursue music rather than medicine puts her on a direct collision course with her grandfather, the only parent she’s ever had. But an even more immediate threat looms, because as Leisha draws closer to the truth about her teacher’s disappearance, she ends up putting her own life in danger.


I give Leisha’s Song four out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Thanks to Books Forward for sending me an ARC of this novel, set to release on June 22nd!

Plot: This is a fun mystery story which will keep you interested as you try to guess what’s going on. Opera student Leisha and her sidekick-boyfriend Cody investigate the disappearance of her vocal coach, who vanished overnight without taking any of her belongings. The book keeps you guessing as to whether Ms.Wells took off of her own free will or something more sinister is at play. It was never predictable who was behind the disappearance, and there is a good number of shady characters, so it’s not too obvious. The ending did feel a bit rushed and I wish more had been explained about how the culprit orchestrated the disappearance.

Language/tone: I understand that the author has grandchildren of more than one race, but it feels like she did not share her work with any of them to understand that the language and references used were very outdated. Yet at the same time, the film “Legally Blonde” was described in the text as an “old film”. The expression “gang banger” is also used and I had to google whether this means something different in the US. I wouldn’t really use something so similar to porn terminology in a book aimed at teenagers, even if it means something different.

Characters: Probably the strongest point in the book. It is rare to see situations of conflict with a parent or other authority figure that are resolved by the young person actually seeking emancipation or following their heart. Usually, authors opt for the much simpler resolution of “the adult coming round”. I really enjoyed that this didn’t happen here, there wasn’t a magical resolution of years of conflict overnight, there were just two young people really believing in their convictions and refusing to be someone else’s puppet. The grandfather character was absolutely detestable, and it’s really sad that for the first half of the book Leisha doesn’t date a white boy, not because of her own bad experiences, but someone else’s which have been lorded over her for her entire life as _the_ ultimate bad example. I actually really enjoyed how the couple grew together and were supportive of each other.

4.5 Stars

This book had me hooked from the beginning. It was so captivating and had so many fun twists along the way. I love the fast moving plot which makes for a really fun read. The mix of romance and mystery was such a fun incorporation to advancing the plot!

We follow our main character Leisha who’s vocal teacher suddenly resigns leaving Leisha wondering if she’s ok. While trying to figure out what happened to her vocal teacher her relationship with Cody grows.

The characters in this books really make the story so great. Leisha comes to terms that by taking the risk to confess her love for Cody she opens up her life to new possibilities. Leisha and Cody make for such an amazing couple. They come from very different backgrounds but come together through love and music.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and was and loved the ending! It is such a fun read and I would definitely recommend!