Hi friends! It’s been a very busy fall and I’m still elbow deep in writing. But – Merry Christmas! Hope you’re having a great holiday season, and to celebrate I thought I’d post a new book review! I’m super excited to share it with y’all – it’s one of my favorite books: SISTERS OF SWORD AND SONG by Rebecca Ross!
If you love sisterhood, lush worldbuilding, intellectual/thoughtful/slightly grumpy love interests, and Ancient Greece, then this book is for you. Here’s the official summary:
From the author of The Queen’s Rising comes a thrilling YA stand-alone fantasy about the unbreakable bond between sisters. Perfect for fans of Ember in the Ashes, Sky in the Deep, and Court of Fives.
After eight long years, Evadne will finally be reunited with her older sister, Halcyon, who has been proudly serving in the queen’s army. But when Halcyon appears earlier than expected, Eva knows something has gone terribly wrong. Halcyon is on the run, hunted by her commander and charged with murder.
Though Halcyon’s life is spared during her trial, the punishment is heavy. And when Eva volunteers to serve part of Halcyon’s sentence, she’s determined to find out exactly what happened. But as Eva begins her sentence, she quickly learns that there are fates much worse than death.
Let’s start with the worldbuilding.
The kingdom of Corisande swept me away with lush imagery, culture, and prose. It’s an Ancient Greece-inspired setting, and I have to admit, being a buff of all things Ancient Greece I had high expectations coming into this book. And. . .it surpassed every one of them. From the beautiful names to the olive groves to the sweeping architecture and the richly-imagined mythology, Rebecca Ross carried me on such a sensational ride that I gulped down the entire story when I ought to have sipped and savored every word.
One reason this was accomplished so well was because of the writing. Rebecca’s voice is so lush and lyrical that my jaw dropped whenever I read a beautiful piece of prose. It’s simple, yet elegant; an old style combined with a new. And it completely stole my breath.
Then the characters. I loved, loved, loved Evadne. I loved how Ross crafted a strong heroine that was quiet and more introverted. I feel like we need more heroines in YA like Evadne.
I also adored Halcyon. I loved how protective she was of Evadne, and how loyal she was to her family and her kingdom. I do wish that Ross had elaborated more on the eight years of training she had with the legion and her relationship with Xander (I think it would make readers more involved with her plotline), but overall, she was an amazing character to follow.
The romance was amazing as well. I loved Damon and his growing relationship with Evadne, and I loved the actual connection and bond that formed between them – one that wasn’t stemmed from physical attraction and insta-love, which I feel like a lot of YA romances these days are.
The plot was intriguing as well. It’s slow-burn, though laced with tension that snatches you by the throat and relentlessly tugs you towards the action-filled climax. The dash of court intrigue and mystery, all circulating around a strong mythological element – I was breathless; my head spun after the last page and I was on book hangover for the next couple days. (Which always means that that book was astounding).
In conclusion, like I said before, SISTERS OF SWORD AND SONG is one of my favorite books. The lush setting, the evocative prose, the well-developed characters, and the gripping plot wove together to form a beautiful tapestry of a book. It was also refreshing to read a fantasy standalone that wasn’t overlong and still packed a punch.
Rebecca Ross’s other novels do not disappoint either. (I just finished her latest, DREAMS LIE BENEATH, and it was amazing!)
Lastly, here’s a list of CONTENT WARNINGS:
Sexual content: Nothing more than kissing.
Violence: Fights with swords, arrows, knives. A climatic battle is bloody and slightly gory, but the author provides just enough detail to not be vague but also to not make the scenes graphic. No sexual situations in this category.
Language: None
I hope y’all enjoy SISTERS – and happy writing!
*What are some of your favorite book settings?*