This is my first book by Alechia, and it will most definitely not be my last! ⁣⁣
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This story alternates POVs between Zaira and Wesley, with our lovable extrovert and podcast celebrity Rubin rounding out the trio (and having his own podcast chapters).⁣⁣
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While it did take a bit for the story to get going, by the half way point, I was hooked as Zaira, Wesley, and Rubin were on the run for their lives. The stakes were hang and ALL of the shenanigans ensued. ⁣⁣
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I absolutely loved the normalized queerness as well as Zaira being fat and Black!⁣⁣
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Overall, if you’re looking for a fun, gay, space romp…this is it!

I didn’t think space operas were my thing; however, I had to join the tour when I saw a woman of color on the cover. I have to say; I thoroughly enjoyed this. The three main characters, Zaira, Wesley and Rubin are fantastic. The world-building is amazing. It was fast-paced, and I can’t believe that this is the first book I’ve read from her, but it was totally worth it. I don’t know if this is part of a series because it did feel like I was missing something; however, I was so immersed in this story that I didn’t mind. The writing is phenomenal, and I can’t wait to read more of her work.

I love Alechia Dow's approach to sci-fi. It's joyful and hopeful and fun, even while it deals with trauma. A Song of Salvation is supposedly a standalone, but really it's the conclusion of a trilogy and you would do yourself a disservice by not reading the previous two companion novels first. This offers a lovely and very satisfying conclusion to the series, complete with appearances from the main characters in previous books. This time the main characters are the reincarnated embodiment of a goddess and a gay smuggler who helps her on her journey and finds love along the way. There is an intergalactic war, lots of aliens, and the search for cosmic balance with a good dose of romance as well. I really enjoyed it and would recommend the entire series! I received a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own.

I loved the first two books I read by this author and their newest is no different. I think it's really interesting that her three books are marked as stand-alone's but they read like a trilogy. I really loved the two romances we follow in this one. There was a big focus on the found family trope, and I was very invested in these three. They were a good balance of serious and ridiculous.

This was such a fun space opera! My favorite trope is found family and this story leaves you filled to the brim. The inclusion, the lush magic system, and the growth each character experienced were so satisfying. I do feel like the pacing was a bit off at times with things either slowing down or progressing too quickly. But that would be my only issue with this story. The stakes were certainly high, but there was so much warmth between the characters that it honestly felt like a cozy sci-fi ready for me personally. I loved it! 4.5 stars

This is my second book by Alechia Dow, and she is quickly becoming a favorite author. I believe it is a condition of the story started in the Sound of Stars. I now see I need to read Kindred too, A Song of Salvation can be read as a standalone perfectly well though.
I loved the characters and their flaws, and in some ways Wesley seemed to channel my husband with his stoic cynicism. Which of course endeared me to him more. Again Alechia fills me with the possibility of hope, and the power of compassion and love.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

The god Indigo had created the universe and united people across galaxies to banish Ozvios, the god of destruction. Zaira Citlali is Indigo reborn, but hadn't ever harnessed those powers. Because of her power, the Ilori Emperor will sacrifice her in Ozvios’s honor unless she finds Wesley, the boy prophesized to help her defeat Ozvios and the Ilori. Wesley Daniels is a smuggler so he can explore the stars. He didn't plan on being part of an intergalactic war or helping to unlock Zaira’s powers to save the universe from total destruction.

Though A Song of Salvation is set in the same universe as The Kindred, you don't have to have read that one in order to understand this one. It's just a fun shout out to see names from that book in this one and see how the story continues. In this one, Zaira is on the run, and when we meet ne'er-do-well Wesley, we assume it's going to be a sudden romance between teenagers. While they have intense emotions due to their ages and the desperate situation that they're in, the focus is more on the escape from the Ilori and the meaning of destiny. The Ilori had brought war to various worlds in the galaxy, and now many planets are finally stepping up to put a stop to it. They figure prominently in this plan because of the roles they play, not necessarily because they fix everything on their own.

I really like the message that it's connection that solves problems. People don't have to be perfect or have all the answers. Life is meant to be lived, and there doesn't always have to be a grand purpose. It helps, sure, but for most of us the whole point is to experience and connect, to have and live love.

I've been in love with Alechia Dow's writing since the release of The Sound of Stars, and with each new book set in the same universe, I fall a bit more in love.

I do want to preface my review by saying that while these are technically marketed as standalones, I think they will be more enjoyable and more understandable if you read them as a series. It is both enjoyable and understandable as a standalone, but you get so many little details and snippets if you've read the others.

A Song of Salvation starts out with Zaria, a fat Black demisexual/grayace god who has to save her home. She sets out to do so with the help of grumpy smuggler Wesley (who just happens to be the brother of boy and star Alistair Daniels) and sunshine incarnate podcast host Rubin. The three have no idea that they're about to be smack dab in the middle of an intergalactic war and that their connections, friendship, and relationships hold the fate of the universe in their hands.

My favorite part of Alechia's books is all the aspec characters. Like I said, Zaira is fat, Black, and aspec. Rubin is also fat, Black, and demisexual/demiromantic and Wesley is Black and demisexual/demiromantic as well. We also get cameos from our Sound of Stars crew Ellie and Morris, as well as Felix and Joy from The Kindred. I think I will eventually go back and reread them all in order because my brain forgets details a lot, but I still loved this one. Rubin and Wesley are hilarious and adorable, Zaria is badass and has a wonderful coming of age arc, and all the cameos brought me so much joy.

Thanks so much to @coloredpagesbt @inkyardpress and @alechiadow for a finished copy and a chance to be a part of this book tour 🖤🩶🤍💜

Having read The Kindred by Dow and loving it, I was super excited to read Song of Salvation and it totally lived up to expectations for me!

I loved our cast this time around and I was thrilled that we had cameos of previous characters in this book too! It was also super cool to hear about (and visit) some of the other planets in the universe and revisit some- like Earth!

Wesley and Ruben are adorable and I loved their character developments. The found family aspect of this book was truly heartwarming and I loved seeing them interact with our goddess Zaira.

The lore surrounding Indigo was really intriguing and I really enjoyed getting to understand everything more as Zaira kept learning.

I was always impressed by the group’s perseverance, especially since they were all teenagers with tough lives. It made me so happy to see them all bond and find people who truly cared for them.

There was quite a bit of plot in the book, however I feel that the characters really drove the story in a great way!

Overall, I loved the book and think that Dow is such a great addition to the sci-fi scene with her queer characters and her Black ones- the representation is truly beautiful and so appreciated in this genre. I highly recommend this book, as well as Dow’s other works!

{3.5 stars}

A found family romp through space to save the universe… it’s as fun as it sounds. Zaira is the reincarnation of a god out to destroy her nemesis and save the universe. Wesley is a young, gay boy skipping high school to make money doing risky space deliveries. His brother is destined to save the universe and he has always been second fiddle. He is hired to deliver a famous space podcaster to Earth and their paths cross with Zaira as they fight to save the universe from the most recent oppressors.

This one was a fun read. The found family part reminded me of TJ Klune but unlike Klune there was a fast moving plot and fun galactic space building. There is a lot of space / alien jargon so that takes a while to settle with but once you do, it’s an entertaining and heartfelt read. Using music as a weapon was very creative. Lots of good LGBTQ rep too.

Thanks to Inkyard Press for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

To talk about this book I can’t only talk about it in isolation. I’ve binged this saga and it was a roller coaster of a ride.

If you like sci-fi, justice, and romance featuring Queer people of color then this series is for you.

Each story building upon each other but with a whole new story was a beautiful montage of exploring what it means to be human (even though the stories are mostly about aliens) Yet justice looks the same in all universes.

This saga and A Song of Salvation specifically explore what the costs are of justice and how they look different for everyone. If there was a book I could recommend to activists it’s this one. There are questions that this saga demands us to ask ourselves and the way it’s explored through an intense space background makes us drop our guard and explore it through a different system of being even though there are always drops of how our world is not very different.

Justice, Romance, Aliens, Queer BIPOC, is the book I needed when I was a teenager and I hope it gets into the hands of the teens who need it the most.

I will be talking about this book for years to come.

The quick cut: A pilot, famous podcaster, and female reincarnated god work together to defeat their enemies, the Ilori.

A real review:
Thank you to Inkyard Press for providing the arc for an honest review.

There are many stories about how the universe came to be, but in this story it's one everyone knows: a god named Indigo created while another one named Ozvios destroyed. It's a battle that continues every time Indigo is reincarnated and sacrificed in the hopes of utilizing her power. Zaira is the reincarnated Indigo and finds herself looking for a boy named Wesley to help her defeat Ozvios for good. Can it be done?

This is the third book written in this universe, but it is meant to be a standalone story. It did take quite a bit to truly get started, but once it did the action continued at a steady pace.

A majority of the action revolves around the new Indigo named Zaira, but the pilot Wesley also narrates with her every other chapter. There's also a podcaster, but he doesn't narrate chapters thank goodness. Maybe it's just me, but I found the podcaster named Rubin absolutely insufferable.

At the core of this space opera is the battle between 2 opposing forces, Indigo and Ozvios. Indigo created while Ozvios ate what she made and destroyed the rest. They're very much written as opposites and while Indigo is written to be the good guy, she's also incredibly naive and gullible. It's one thing to see the best in people, it's another to not attempt at all to evaluate what's going on.

A fun space opera with a slow start.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Zaira is both a god and not. Wesley is a misfit space pilot who hates school. Can they team up to somehow save the universe?

This story has hope, magic, found family, action, and adventure. I didn't realize it took place in the same universe as the author's previous novels (one of which I've read, while the other is on my list). They don't need to be read in order, but I think it would definitely help, and would be beneficial to have background knowledge going into this story.

There's queer, POC, normalized body rep, and it was all beautiful and casual as opposed to being forced. You want to see these characters succeed! It's a fun adventure.

a 'space opera' what a fun read!

thank you to netgalley and to the publisher for this review copy.

So, I have enjoyed all of the novels that Alechia Dow has written in this world. They are certainly able to be read on their own, but I think the reader probably gets a lot more out of it if you know the other characters that pop up from the other books. Anyway, that said, this one was not quite my favorite of the bunch. I still liked it, don't get me wrong! I just felt that at times, it felt a bit safe, even though the characters were certainly in peril, and I just didn't feel quite the same pull. Add to it, the pacing was a little off for me- at parts seeming a bit slow, and then parts almost feeling a bit too quick and easy. But, like I said, there was still plenty of good here!

First, as always, I loved the characters. They were all quite different and well developed, and they worked well together because they all had different strengths. And, I loved all the cameos from characters from the other books, too! It's great to catch up with old favorites while trying to save the universe, eh? There were a lot of great character growth moments, a lot of relationship development (romantic and friendships alike), and the messages are always fabulous. It is very heartfelt, and you will definitely come to love all of the characters.

Bottom Line: While I didn't feel the same intensity as the other books, it was still a solid addition to this world with wonderful characters and some nods to old favorites, too.

There were some fun moments sprinkled throughout, unfortunately, the pacing was rough and it read more middle grade to me than YA. Loved Wesley’s POV and Rubin’s commentary, just didn’t feel a connection with Zaira. I loved the world the author created, but the repetitive thoughts/dialogue and the writing style made me not enjoy this as much as I wanted to.

4.5 stars

Despite having the god Indigo's powers inside her, Zaira can't use them - not to save her dying planet, stop the brewing war, or even save herself from being sacrificed. She's fated to meet Wesley (who only cares about making enough money to be free and on his own) and save the universe. Indigo already did once, but what if Zaira doesn't want to now?

I've been looking forward to reading this ever since I finished The Sound of Stars (so about 3 years ago), and I really enjoyed returning to this universe. It also reminded me of Aurora Rising, so if you enjoyed that I recommend you read this. A Song of Salvation is technically a standalone but I think it's best read as a trilogy in order to best understand the world and characters (that being said, this can still be enjoyed without having read the other 2 books!)

I found so many things about this book intriguing. Balance is a big thing - between life and death, creation and destruction, emotions, Zaira's own memories with those of Indigo, and so on. Besides that, I loved the emphasis on friendships, found family, and Black characters. There weren't any real cons but a few things did bug me: first, I thought Wesley warmed up a little too quickly to Zaira and Rubin. There were also elements of instant love, which I'm not a fan of. Finally, there was one instance where the wrong name was used for a minor character (which hopefully was already caught and fixed!)

Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the arc!

For me, Alechia Dow just never misses. She writes the most delightful teen fiction space opera I've ever read and this did not disappoint!

This is the third book in an unofficial series (they do not need to be read in order but they take place in the same galaxy). It can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading in publishing order anyway, just because they're so much fun and you'll have a blast!

General Premise:
-Zaira is a 17-year-old Mal Aresan who is one of the last living being of her kind, since the Ilori colonized her home and committed genocide on the people. She also is part reincarnation of a god Indigo, and she has godlike-powers!
-Wesley is an Andarran who was shunned from his home almost a decade ago and takes a job to escort high-profile podcaster Rubin to Terra (Earth) safely
-The three of them find each other quite quickly -with the intention of saving Zaira's home- and become a sort of found family along the way :)

I didn't realize that the characters from The Sound of Stars and The Kindred would show up here, and when they made their cameos, I squealed!!!

The worldbuilding was fantastic per usual and I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of adventure, self-discovery, forgiveness, societal commentary, hope, and purpose. I'll absolutely continue to read from Alechia Dow in whatever world she decides to bring us to next!

I'll admit, it took me until the midpoint to really get into this story. I had issues with the writing. It just... wasn't good. But I stuck with it because the world building and characters were quite interesting.

After the midpoint (and when the story really became high stakes), something clicked and the novel really drew me in. Sure, it's very YA, and the FMC, Zaira, is pretty OP as a character with godlike powers, but I still had fun with the MCs traveling through space and going to different settings (such as the space station, Andarra, Mal Ares, and even Earth under Ilori colonization). It was all very creative and fun.

I ended up liking both POV characters, Zaira and Wesley, and while Rubin Rima was that annoying extrovert that rounded up the trio, hell, I even ended up liking him too. His podcast POV chapters were pretty fun to read.

The romance between Wesley and Rubin felt sort of insta-love, but I'll give it a pass since their scenes weren't terrible to read. This next bit is just me projecting, but I do wish Zaira was written as aromantic though. Her romance was definitely insta-love since it was straight up fated mates. Like with every piece of media that tends to put literally every character into a romance, I just wish this could've been the exception.

Unlike some reviewers, I didn't really have an issue with the fact that this was billed as a standalone in a series. The first few chapters left me confused because of the world building, but the more I read on, it became easier to understand how everything pieced together. It pretty much ended up being everyone in the universe vs. the Big Bad Ilori, so it wasn't hard to grasp.

I'd love to pick up the other two novels in this series/universe.

Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for this arc.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
A Song of Salvation just might be my favorite Alechia Dow book yet, although this is very much a case where each one is beautiful in its own right. While not a trilogy in a traditional sense, I love how the books inhabit a shared world, building on each other, with the leads of the prior book even playing major supporting roles in this book. I will note that, because of the unique nature of the book, it can work as a standalone, but you will enjoy it a lot more if you’ve read the first two.
The world building continues to be absolutely immersive, and I love how the theme of music remains constant, conveyed in subtly different ways from book to book. This particularly comes through in the interstitials, which help to contextualize the world in a fun, beautiful way. And with absolutely towering stakes, the danger the characters are in is really well-conveyed.
Zaira, Wesley, and Rubin are all intriguing characters. Zaira’s heritage and role as a reincarnated god are interesting to follow. Wes definitely gives off “Han Solo” semi-scoundrel-with-a-heart vibes. I was most curious how Rubin would come into play as a space DJ (I love that concept!), and I was not disappointed…the transcripts of his podcast are particularly cool ways of both adding character and demonstrating the severity of the situation from his perspective. Ultimately, despite their different backgrounds and how they’re impacted by the crisis at hand, I love how each of them is searching for belonging as queer BIPOC, and finds that in each other.
This is another brilliant book from Alechia Dow, and I’d recommend it, and her other work, to anyone looking for diverse sci-fi.