Although the premise of this book was intriguing, I found myself not fully enjoying the story. I had a hard time with the pacing. I struggled getting through the middle of the book. By the time the pacing picked up towards the (chaotic) end, I was pretty checked out. I wish there was more closure to the ending. I also had a difficult time following the Celestial history. I thought there were some neat magical elements to the story such as Jinglang's dreaming abilities. I felt that Jinglang could have been a little more developed. As for the FMC, I thought Xue was okay. I didn't fully connect with her. I wanted to see more fight from her! She was a little too naive for my liking. I did like Lin's writing style. I thought she did a fantastic job describing the setting and character's outfits. Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC.

I was really looking forward to reading this book after reading and loving the author's other series The Book of Tea. Lin's writing is so immersive, and like The Book of Tea series, I was immediately transported into this unique magical world where the main character has incredible musical abilities and catches the attention of a mysterious Lord. This man offers Xue a way out of her contract if she agrees to spend one year at his home as his musical performer. Xue, determined to regain her status in society, agrees and quickly realizes that everything is not as it seems.

Lush and magical and steeped in Chinese mythology, the story also has some Beauty and the Beast and Gothic vibes with a mysterious MMC, the grumpy/sunshine dynamics, the dark and ominous setting, and the magic. It's a richly developed and fascinating world, and the author's use of imagery is fantastic. I love her writing style and how it brings the story to life.

The characters are intriguing, too, especially Xue and Duke Meng. An orphan who recently lost her only other family, Xue has a tragic story backstory, and her present is spent indebted to another. She has every reason to be bitter and angry, but Xue never gives up hope for a better future. She grows and changes so much, and her journey from quiet and insecure to strong and more self-assured is great. And the duke is so mysterious and moody and broody, which I always love in a MMC. Their slow-building romance is also lovely, and it's a bright spot in the lives of two people who go through some very dark situations. They have a lot of chemistry and an interesting connection that brings them even closer.

With the mystery of her uncle's murder yet to be solved, a war looming, an enigmatic benefactor with more than his fair share of secrets, and demons, beasts, celestials, and secondary characters whose intentions aren't always clear, there's a lot of intrigue, action, and suspense. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and though it's a standalone, I could easily see this (and really want it to be!) expanded into a series. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Unbelievably beauty magical Wuxia tale of a girl, Qin, and history of Celestial beings. A novel quick-paced filled with mystery, past memories, and help from spirits to discover the corruption of the heavenly world.

Broken in down into four verse like in music, we see different acts of Guxue’s life. How she came to be at the House of Flowing Water. How she comes to cross path with Celestial beings and how her life thread is so closely fated with their path and finally her purpose in saving the world.

This is Judy’s third novel and I devoured this story in one sitting. I actually adore it more than the Book of Tea duology. The craft of her writing has honed with clarity and purposeful storytelling. The world is beautifully crafted. It really felt like I was watching a Chinese fantasy drama. The ending was beautiful if not wistful. As delicately watercolor cover art reflects the story perfectly.

A novel I would definitely recommend!!

Lin transports readers through realms of dreams and magic and into a lush and whimsical fantasy escape in her new tale, Song of the Six Realms.

Orphaned at a young age, Xue is a bright and talented musician working in one of the esteemed entertainment houses in the kingdom. With no hope for a distinguishing future, she plays her qin for guests until one night changes everything. An unexpected visitor makes her an offer she can’t refuse and an opportunity to have a future she had never dreamed of before.

Lin excels in crafting a dreamy and truly beautiful story full of hopes, dreams, and music. The pages of this novel came to life through her romantic, whimsical prose and elegant descriptions, working in tune with her themes of song, storytelling, and poetry.

I loved seeing the romance develop into a quite adorable, bittersweet love story. And the unraveling mystery kept me hooked and flipping pages to see what would happen next. The story itself is one of a complete slow burn. Lin allows her prose and characters to shine by building them up gradually within the plot with simmering intrigue and enthralling mythology.

3.25/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I think this book holds a place in the modern trend of Chinese mythology young adult books. This book has the great task of explaining and exploring a complicated world filled with all kinds of beings whilst containing compelling characters, political/social unrest and a believable love story. I think it accomplishes nearly all of it in beautifully written prose and poetry. The story quickly grows into something much greater than a girl trying to find comfort in the world she is stuck in. That alone would have been an interesting premise as the mortal world felt real. Throw in a few terrifying monsters and a magical being who is trying to discover behind the truth of two deaths and the story is enriched with an even greater world. The world building details were at first a little overwhelming, especially as I was trying to pick out which information was important to understand and what was just flavor text, but as I got farther in I realized it was the little details along the way that actually made me appreciate the setting and characters. The food also always sounded delicious. If anything, I wish there was more time on the main romantic relationship, but that is partly because I liked the two characters. Whether or not this is a standalone (which I hope it remains), I think this story adds to the genre with its focus on the power of music and poetry. It is a luscious story filled with fantastic ideas and a compelling examination of who can we really believe in a dynamic and corruptible world.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book!

Song of the Six Realms by Judy I Lin is a new book from the author that wrote Magic Steeped In Poison. I initially read the first series and fell in love with the author's writing style - something I'm glad to say continues in this book.

Song of the Six Realms is the story of a girl with a great talent for music. She was taken in by her uncle after her family was executed for supporting the wrong side in a political feud. Because of this she is not allowed a proper social standing. Her one hope is joining an entertaining house and gaining enough renown to earn a pardon for her name.

The story starts properly when she catches the eye of a mysterious lord, who wants to buy out her contract. While the owner of her entertainment house is dubious of the lord's intentions, It turns out that the lord might be more than he seems and Xue is in for a big surprise.

This book took a lot of mythological elements and wove it into a great story. It also incorporates poetry and music into the plot which was a nice addition. Judy Lin tends to choose magic systems that are a bit different than the norm, and this one was no exception.

While I did enjoy this book a lot, the first two thirds of the book felt very different from the last third. Things ramped up and became quite complicated quite quickly. It did catch me a little off guard and left me a little confused at first. And there are a few questions left unanswered.

In general, this book was very atmospheric and comforting to read. Not quite a cozy read, but very close. If you love historical K-drama or C-dramas, this is definitely something to pick up. I am looking forward to what Judy I Lin will release in the future!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for allowing me to receive an ebook arc of this book.

I loved Judy Lin’s previous books and I wanted to read this one as soon as I saw it. This book was excellent. There’s adventure magic, mystery, intrigue, and I devoured it.

Xue is just a mortal, who ends up becoming an extraordinary person with an extraordinary fate. Unbeknownst to her, she will change the destiny of all six realms.

I loved the book. It reminded me of all the historical Chinese dramas that I’ve watched. The images were vivid because the descriptions were amazing. I couldn’t wait to see what happened as each chapter progressed. I loved the little interludes between some of the chapters, which gave context to the rest of the story. I like how Judy gives real life feelings to her characters as well as real life situations in her plot.

I don’t know if there’s going to be a second novel in this world but I’m hoping there will be if not with these characters, then with new ones.

Thank you again, NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for letting me review this wonderful book.

Song of the Six Realms was a book that kept me on my toes. Even when some of my predictions of intrigue were correct, there were plenty of twists that kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters drew me in, and the world-building was amazing. I hope to keep reading more from Judy I. Lin in the future, and hopefully return to this world again too!

*potential spoilers*
Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for my egalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The "Song of the Six Realms" by Judy I. Lin was one that I knew I needed to request because I loved her Book of Tea duology. I think Lin's writing is very lyrical, poetic, and just pleasant to read and this standalone was in no shortage of those traits. The book follows Xue, a young woman with no prospects. She was orphaned at a young age and taken in by her uncle who leaves her in the care of the House of Flowing Water while he travels the kingdom as a poet. Xue's uncle is killed in a bandit attack that sets Xue up with a prospect she never thought to be considered for.

I really enjoyed this book. It was kind of a slow start for me but that's likely because I was in the process of revising my MA capstone and starting research on course papers. This book reminded me a lot of a fantasy CDrama. You know the kind: flowing robes, wings, cool magic effects, and gorgeous people. I LOVED the way that Lin explained the world of the Six Realms. The Interludes helped a lot not just to contextualize what Xue was learning but to further entice the reader to keep reading and want more information. I also loved how Lin set up the romance in this. The ML, Jinglang, is so sweet and kind. He was a nice reprieve from YA's epidemic of the mysterious and brooding love interest who is also emotionally and sometimes physically abusive. Xue and Jinglang are sweet and the way that they really open up communications between the two was, again, a nice reprieve. In general there were a lot of healthy couples in this book and I love that for readers.

I will say that the ending was a gut punch. Like. Why. Just why. I mean, I would a hundred percent read a novella of things being resolved...Just saying.

Go pick this up when it comes out on April 23rd.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story!
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW

I've read all of Judy Lin's stories so far and this is the best one yet. The world building seemed like it would be intense for one story but because of all the Interludes within the book, it all came together very seamlessly. I throughly enjoyed this story and its characters. The romance was a bit slow but this is understandable because there's so much going on in the story to begin with. I loved how sweet Xue and Jinglang. He was very earnest and kind which I liked because a lot of boys in YA Fantasy novels seem to be very intense/mysterious. Where all my soft boys like my Duke Jinglang here!!! Anyways, I had more fun reading this novel than I expected. It was fairly lighthearted and easy to read without bogging the reader down with mythos and background stories. I'm happy it was a standalone too so I won't be waiting for a second (or even a third novel) to come out to finish this story. That being said, THAT ENDING THOUGH. How could Judy do this to me?? How do I move on??? What do I do now??? UGH!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed Judy I. Lin’s debut duology, so I was excited to read more from her. Song of the Six Realms is a promising follow-up effort, showing her talent, but I also found it slightly lacking in places. Other reviewers have said this is the epitome of a book that leans more toward “vibes” than anything else, and I have to agree.
The world building is the best part, and given it’s also something I liked in The Book of Tea duology, that’s a plus. I enjoyed the history and lore conveyed throughout the book, even if at times it overwhelmed the rest of the story, sometimes to its own detriment. And the author’s note providing more insight into the explicit Tang Dynasty influences was great, given it’s the first period of Chinese history that I fell in love with through fiction.
The characters were ok, but not super spectacular. Xue was fine as YA protagonist, but I didn’t feel she had the “it” factor that a lot of truly great fantasy protagonists have that endear me to them. And considering the blurb calls this a romance (at least in a loose sense) and Judy I. Lin was one of the authors who was vocal about her concern about the confusing marketing of “romantasy” on Threads not too long ago, it’s not shocking that while the love interest isn’t offensive or anything, he’s also kind of just there, and the romance isn’t super impactful.
The plot is also fairly simple and predictable, and I found myself finishing the book feeling rather conflicted as to whether I wanted more of this story or not, given how underbaked and underwhelming it was.
While I didn’t care for this book, I also acknowledge I’m not exactly the audience for it. But I would recommend it to readers interested in Chinese-inspired YA fantasy with a heavy emphasis on aesthetics and “vibes.”

3.5 Stars out of 5.


I was really captivated by the mixture of mythology and music that played into this story- it was unique and enticing the further I read. The main character definitely could have been given more depth as I felt no connection whatsoever with her.
It felt very drawn out in the beginning- to where towards the last 25% so many revelations were just dumped on us within two chapters it was a lot to take in. I feel it could have been executed a bit better. Also one of the big mysteries we as readers unravel was so obvious from the beginning so for shock value there barely was any for me at least.
Not to mention the ending left me unsatisfied and rushed- or as if it could be made into a duology yet it’s only a standalone. I think this is just one of the times I fell victim to a very beautiful cover, but nonetheless I am pleased to have given this author a chance.

Thank you netgalley for letting me read an eARC of this book for an honest review.

A quick, easy read, this one wasn't anything memorable for me. I enjoyed the music elements and the mythology interspersed throughout. The world building was lackluster, the characters weren't very engaging, and the plot didn't really seem to pick up until about 70% in.

All that said, I did enjoy the story itself and would've really been enamored if it had just dove into the action a bit sooner.

Overall: 3 stars (I liked it)

I'll tell my students about: LGBT+, parental death, violence/gore, supernatural, trauma,

**Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the free ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for the gifted ARC!

Xue is a talented musician left with no family and no patron when Duke Meng steps in with an offer for her to serve as a musician in his manor for a year and receive freedom after. An irresistable offer, Xue accepts, but starts to question Duke Meng's motives when nightmarish creatures come to play and they head to the Celestial Realm.

I am an absolute SUCKER for music magic and dreamwalking and SONG OF THE SIX REALMS delivered on both of those fronts. Xue has a tragic backstory, but her prolifity for playing the qín puts her on a trajectory toward hope and independence. I loved the dynamic Xue and Duke Meng, and the simple world-building of the realms and power structure. The lyrical and descriptive writing pulled me right in, and I absolutely loved reading it!

When I first started to read this book, I thought it was just going to be a type of Beauty and the Beast retelling, but it quickly became evident that this story was so much more than that. I was immersed in this world and it's characters. The imagery was vivid and at times I felt I could see how the author imagined it to be, and could hear the music being played. I loved this author's first duology, and I'm so happy to report that this one is just as good!

This book was so good! With the way it ended, I am hoping for a sequel 🤞🏼🤞🏼

Here was a twist and the climax battle was a unique way to have a battle of the Six Realms, as well as the transformations of the ravagers and other beings. This was a fun world to be in. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I wanted to give this book a try after reading the author’s debut duology. It was good and I like how she weaves mythology.

The book is told from Xue’s perspective. I was very intrigued by her story from the beginning. She lost everything, including her last family member, and still didn’t let that get her down. She is a great musician and loves poetry. I enjoy reading stories with these present. It’s very different than the usual.

The problem with this story for me was that it started to drag eventually. It didn’t hold my attention because there wasn’t much going on. There would be bits here and there but nothing to grasp and hold onto. I just needed something more from the plot, especially with the romance.

Although I did enjoy the mythology and the overall idea of the story, the execution just missed the mark for me.

I really enjoyed this. Such a lush world, and Judy I. Lin's writing is beautiful (as always). I thought the characters were compelling and engaging, and I can't wait to add this to my classroom library.

I'm a sucker for Asian-inspired fantasy, and I absolutely enjoyed this one. It was easy to follow, the descriptions of the world (and FOOD!) were amazing! It was fast-paced for the most part, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story line.

Xue is an outcast, an orphan whose parents lost their rights to citizenship, in a society where such a loss is inherited by children. Adopted by her uncle, who recognized her musical talent and found her an apprenticeship in the House of Flowing Water, a facility dedicated to training performers. As a societal outcast, with a contract to the House for her training and upkeep, Xue has little to look forward to other than a life in the House she has come to love - until one day, a scholar, possibly the son of a noble line, appears at the House of Flowing Water and offers her an option: perform at his house for three years, and he’ll pay off her indenture. But all is not as it seems, and the scholar’s house is not what Xue expects.

Based on Chinese mythology, Song of Sic Realms is a complex fantasy full of intrigue and mystery. Xue finds herself at the center of a conflict that she may be able to help end, but it could also lead to war. Hopefully, there will be a sequel, because a plot twist at the end of this volume left it feeling unfinished. Recommended for readers ages middle school to adult.

I voluntarily read and reviewed and advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.