Book Stop Corner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars




"We don't create a fantasy world to escape reality. We create it to be able to stay."





Leslye Penelope, an American author, pens her debut YA fantasy book, Song of Blood & Stone that happens to be the first book in the Earthsinger Chronicles series. This book is set in an enchanting parallel universe where a young black woman tries to save her kingdom with her magical powers despite of all those discrimination about her skin color. It is basically an interracial love story which is torn between war and responsibilities towards one's kingdom.




Synopsis:

Enter an alternate 1920's world of magic and adventure in this gripping, new adult, fantasy romance...

Orphaned and alone, Jasminda is an outcast in her homeland of Elsira, where her magical abilities are feared. When ruthless soldiers seek refuge in her isolated cabin, they bring with them a captive – an injured spy who steals her heart.

Jack’s mission behind enemy lines nearly cost him his life but he is saved by the healing power of a mysterious young woman. Together they embark on a perilous journey straight into the heart of a centuries-old conflict.

Thrust into a hostile society, Jasminda and Jack must rely on one another even as secrets jeopardize their bond. As an ancient evil gains power, Jasminda races to unlock a mystery that promises salvation.

The fates of two nations hang in the balance as Jasminda and Jack must choose between love and duty to fulfill their destinies and end the war.


The book starts off with a lot of fantasy world building. So Elsira and Lagrimar are two countries in a parallel universe. Jasminda is a citizen of Elsira but unfortunately she is a black woman and since only white people resides in Elsira, she was despised by the Elsirans. A magical barrier separates the two countries and only people who can Earthsing (a special magical power to say thanks to the mother nature) can cross that barrier, and Jasminda is one of those people with that special ability. Moreover, in Elsira, there is no song to dedicate to mother nature, whereas in Lagrimar, there is a song and people were scared of Jasminda because of Earthsinging talent. So welcome to Jasminda's world and as she meets and falls for Jack- a white guy, the story progresses with great pace and lots of power-packed actions.

The writing is quite fine, although in the beginning, it was bit difficult for me to grasp and understand all those world building and character introduction. Moreover, I wished the author would have included more about that fantasy world and about that magical ability.

The pace is quite fast given the fact that there are lot of adrenaline-rushing moments that completely kept me engaged to the storyline. Both the countries run into war when the leader from Lagrimar wants to invade Elsira and that is when Jasminda is required to use her special skills whereas Jack from Lagrimar have to fight with the people from Elsira. Caught between the war of cultures and invasion of power, Jasminda and Jack both fall victim to these prejudices but I really loved how the author kept them moving forward despite of the challenges.

The author have layered her plot with great intricacy in it's details, thus it can be a bit overwhelming at times. The characters- both Jasminda and Jack are featured in their strongest demeanor and they have been crafted by drawing a lot of realism from the real world, so at times, I felt I could connect with the characters.

The relationship between Jack and Jasminda is way too hot and are intricated with steamy make out scenes. Moreover, because of the author's striking portrayal of their relationship, I believe the passion was very evident from the pages of the book.

Well, in short, it's a wonderful little book although the author tried to rush the climax. And to be clear, this book is mostly about Jasminda and Jack's love affair and it is not much about the war running in the background. So be careful, read it only if you want to experince a fantasy love story.

Verdict: Ignoring the negative aspects of the book, I believe it's a must-read for all the YA fans.

Courtesy: Thanks to the author, L. Penelope, for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book. 
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Author Info:
Leslye Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She's a romance junkie who self-medicates with happily-ever-afters and steaming mugs of green tea. She lives in Maryland with her husband, an eighty-pound lap dog, and an attack cat.  
Visit her here


Book Purchase Links:

• Amazon US 
• Amazon India