Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 3.5 stars! ⊹ ࣪ ˖

This was my first Ann Liang book and it was really good!

This book was really slow at some parts and really fast paced at others and I liked that! This was a really good fantasy book with a great plot!

Ann Liang’s writing was amazing! I loved how she described things in this book, it felt very visual to me!

the little bits of romance that you get are a <i>Chefs kiss!<i>

And the plot twist at the end had me <i>SHOOK<i>
It was a sad and bittersweet ending but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I would totally recommend this if you like Ann Liang or a good fantasy book! 💕

4 Stars Thank you to netgalley for this audio arc
Let me start this off by saying this is not a happy ending in the sense that I would consider and if you've seen a lot of ancient Chinese dramas you probably know what I mean.

I am pretty sure the reason this was named A Song To Drown Rivers was due to the fact that the last two hours of this book will be spent drowning yourself in tears. I mean really they should offer a free box of tissues with purchase of this.

My issues with this book are mostly the plot felt like it was missing a bit and it was mostly telling vs showing. I also felt let down about how a certain scenario played out that I really didn't agree with. But this book was something I couldn't put down I listened all yesterday and today because it was so good. In the end I highly recommend this book and you should probably order two editions since one copy will be covered in tears. I for one can't wait to read the physical edition while my playlist of cdrama Ost's plays in the background.

This book was absolutely captivating! It was fantasy and a bit of romance rolled up to form a beautiful story of Xishi. The FMC is scouted by Fanli, a military advisor, to use her beauty to overthrow the rival kingdom's king. Fanli trains Xishi in order to be a spy and entice the rival king. This story had me crying in some parts, which is a testament to the author's ability to get us as readers invested in their characters. I could not stop thinking about this book after I had finished!

A Song to Drown Rivers is an excellent historical fantasy. I was a bit skeptical about the plot - really our main character is so BEAUTIFUL it’s to her detriment? However, when she is presented with an opportunity to use her beauty as a weapon and avenge her sister’s death she jumps at the chance. Okay, so I definitely felt like I knew where this story was going, and while there were certain things I knew were going to happen, I was also pleasantly surprised by where the book ended up.

The pacing was really strong and the world building was very well done. More importantly, I was super invested by the plot AND the writing itself was really well done. I have not read anything else by this author, but apparently she also writes YA rom coms and I love those so I will have to check them out!

Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lived this book, listening added a diffrent level to the experiance. It felt immersion and thrilling . Lived the narration

I AM UNWELL! SCREAMING, CRYING, THROWING UP.

This ripped my heart out and shredded it. But it did it so beautifully. This story is so well-written, and Natalie Naudus' narration is absolute perfection. Truly one of the best books I've read all year. I will never recover.

Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the preview. All opinions are my own.

A Song To Drown Rivers
By: Ann Liang

A Song to Drown Rivers is a beautiful heartbreaking story of war. Xishi is a beautiful young woman who has experienced the worst of war. After losing her little sister to the kingdom of Wu, Xishi picks up the pieces of her family and takes care of her parents. Xishis’ beauty is known throughout her small village, which is brought to the attention of a Military Advisor ,Fanli. Fanli gives Xishi an offer she cannot refuse, become a spy and get revenge against the Wu. While Fanli trains Xishi to use her beauty to break down the Wu King, Xishi starts to fall for Fanli. Before Xishi is able to share her feelings for Fanli it is time to be taken to the King of the Wu. There in court Xishi uses her training to scale the ranks and gain the Kings’ trust.

I listened to A Song to Drown Rivers on Audio and the pacing of the book was great. The story feels very immersive. A Song to Drown Rivers is a thought-provoking story about the tides of war.

I rate A Song to Drown Rivers 5/5 stars. This book is an adult book, it contains violence and death. Truly heartbreaking, bring the tissues while you read.

I’m not normally that into romance novels, but I find them greatly enhanced when they are propelled by a plot beyond the love of the protagonists. I find this to be a book with a compelling narrative with emotional weight and depth given by the romance.

In a time when women are pretty much property, not politically valuable beyond their use as pawns to be traded, Xishi is still a significant agent of her own, using her position to change the world in subtle but significant ways. While I enjoy and see value in stories like Mulan in which a woman of these times is powerful by way of reaching for masculinity, Xishi’s story is really meaningful to me as one in which she derives her power from her femininity, and not in spite of it.

Without wishing to spoil the ending, I will simply say that the fate of our protagonists left me absolutely reeling and a little bit in awe. I don’t think many authors would be brave enough to that strongly shirk the conventions of the romance genre.

Also, I listened to the audiobook narrated by Natalie Naudus and I can’t recommend it strongly enough. The performance really brings you into Xishi’s head and the world in an amazing way.

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is supposed to be a romantic fantasy. The fantasy element is only at the end? And the romance was really more of longing since they spend the majority of the book apart. That being said, it is an interesting story and I like Ann Liang’s writing but I feel a bit betrayed, not gonna lie. 3.5 stars. Thank you to Net Galley #netgalley and Macmillan Audio for my advance copy.

In ancient China, where a beautiful woman becomes a formidable weapon in an espionage and political vengeance tale. Xishi's beauty is celebrated in her village. Fan Li, a brilliant military advisor, recognizes her potential as a spy. She must infiltrate the rival kingdom, seduce its corrupt king, and dismantle their power from within. Xishi struggles with the idea of one's gifts, her beauty, for noble purposes, and the personal and emotional cost of it. Her evolution from a village girl to a possible queen reflects the strength of her character and her internal conflict and resilience. Fan Li falls in love with Xishi, which adds a layer of tension and complexity to her current mission.

The author captures the nuances of Xishi's world with lyrical grace. The atmosphere is rich with historical detail, where intrigue and danger lurk behind every corner. The pacing is well-crafted, maintaining a steady build-up of tension until the last page. The fact that the book is based on the legends of the Four Beauties of China makes this a thrilling tale of a strong historic heroine. The audiobook narration brings to life the struggles of the characters' and their duties, making an immersive experience for the reader.

I received an ARC audiobook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.

This was a really beautiful retelling of a Chinese myth. I was not familiar with the original myth, but this retelling is stunning. Xishi is brave and clever, and I rooted for her from page one. The story is heartbreaking and poignantly illustrates the problems with putting men in positions of ultimate power. The writing is almost musical, and the entire reading experience felt almost trancelike for me. Really stunning.