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Song of Blood & Stone
(Earthsinger Chronicles #1)
by
Winner of the 2016 Self-Publishing Ebook Award for Best Fiction.
"Penelope delivers an engrossing story with delightful characters in this fantastic opening to [the Earthsinger Chronicles]."--Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Great characters, beautiful writing, incredible world-building."--Ann Aguirre, New York Times bestselling author
Romeo and Juliet meets Return of the K ...more
"Penelope delivers an engrossing story with delightful characters in this fantastic opening to [the Earthsinger Chronicles]."--Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Great characters, beautiful writing, incredible world-building."--Ann Aguirre, New York Times bestselling author
Romeo and Juliet meets Return of the K ...more
Paperback, First Edition, 257 pages
Published
January 13th 2015
by Heartspell Media
(first published January 8th 2015)
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Start your review of Song of Blood & Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles, #1)


ARC provided by St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.
Song of Blood & Stone is the historical fantasy I’ve been looking for. This story is set in an alternate 1920 and has a really unexpected wild west feel to it, but I loved it. The romance was so good, the topics were so important, and the characters completely stole my heart. This book has a lot to love within its pages, and I completely recommend this story to you all.
“Most folks hate easy and love hard. Should be the...more

Feb 10, 2018
Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller
added it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
giveaways-goodreads
[No Rating] DNF at 25%. I won this as a Goodreads giveaway (yay, right??!) so I'm really bummed to report that I just couldn't get into it. There's nothing wrong with the book - it had a cool concept and an interesting main character - I just must not have been in the right mood to read it. I'll definitely try again at a later date with this one.
...more

ARC from St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for a fair review.
Let me begin this review with a few trigger warnings. Near the beginning of the story there is a lot of racism, some abuse, and attempted rape. I will also say that this is very much NA and not YA as there are some pretty detailed sexual scenes. If these are not for you, I would suggest passing this book up.
That being said I feel like this book focused strongly on the idea of finding peace and beauty no matter your skin color or where ...more
Let me begin this review with a few trigger warnings. Near the beginning of the story there is a lot of racism, some abuse, and attempted rape. I will also say that this is very much NA and not YA as there are some pretty detailed sexual scenes. If these are not for you, I would suggest passing this book up.
That being said I feel like this book focused strongly on the idea of finding peace and beauty no matter your skin color or where ...more

This fantasy tells of a land split between two “tribes”, separated by their appearance and abilities. The similarities between this story and our current stand on race and immigration cannot be missed.
The plot was not easy to follow and the visions made parts of the story more confusing. The romance between our main characters was always at the forefront. You may find this as an added selling point; I prefer action to romance so to me, it was a distraction.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and publis ...more
The plot was not easy to follow and the visions made parts of the story more confusing. The romance between our main characters was always at the forefront. You may find this as an added selling point; I prefer action to romance so to me, it was a distraction.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and publis ...more

I gave Song of Blood & Stone a try on a whim and I am so glad that I did! Although the story is fantasy it often felt like a romance with fantasy elements. Jasminda and Jack come from completely different backgrounds, yet quickly find themselves deeply connected in a surprising way which plays into the New Adult romance feel. If you are a romance reader who hasn't read much fantasy, or just new to the genre and would like to give fantasy a try, Song of Blood & Stone would be a good place to star
...more

3.5, close to a four thanks to the epilogue, but not quite there.
I had a hard time rating this one. So I decided to give you the pros & cons and let you decide for yourself.
PROS
- DID YOU SEE THAT COVER?! It's gorgeous. It's perfect. It's going up in my "BEST COVER EVAH!" list.
- The main character is a dark skinned girl (and the cover reflects that!) Not only that, but there's an interracial couple, and even a same sex couple later on. Hurray for diversity!
- This is a self contained novel ...more
I had a hard time rating this one. So I decided to give you the pros & cons and let you decide for yourself.
PROS
- DID YOU SEE THAT COVER?! It's gorgeous. It's perfect. It's going up in my "BEST COVER EVAH!" list.
- The main character is a dark skinned girl (and the cover reflects that!) Not only that, but there's an interracial couple, and even a same sex couple later on. Hurray for diversity!
- This is a self contained novel ...more

ARC from St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for a fair review.
The Story
This book has so many good things about it, the problem I found is that I think having it all in one book ended up taking away from the importance of each issue. Racial, refugee/immigration, power struggle, star crossed love, magical, social status, LGBTQ, and even good vs. evil all became too many good ingredients in the pot. Truly, there was so much good stuff in here, but I thought that they didn't get the time spent for eac ...more
The Story
This book has so many good things about it, the problem I found is that I think having it all in one book ended up taking away from the importance of each issue. Racial, refugee/immigration, power struggle, star crossed love, magical, social status, LGBTQ, and even good vs. evil all became too many good ingredients in the pot. Truly, there was so much good stuff in here, but I thought that they didn't get the time spent for eac ...more

Song of Blood and Stone is a fantasy novel with a bad case of bookish identity crisis. It seemed to have no idea of where it was going, what it was doing or what it was trying to be.
This book read as a cute, tropey fantasy romance with cheesy surprise royals, but at the same time it had mythological components and a 1920s-inspired setting, and also tried to be gritty because I guess nothing is serious if it isn't graphic. These are good ideas, if you do not try to make all of them work inside th ...more
This book read as a cute, tropey fantasy romance with cheesy surprise royals, but at the same time it had mythological components and a 1920s-inspired setting, and also tried to be gritty because I guess nothing is serious if it isn't graphic. These are good ideas, if you do not try to make all of them work inside th ...more

Find this and other Reviews at In Tori Lex
Actual Rating 4.5
Jasminda and Jack go on a journey full of magic and romance I enjoyed. In this fantasy the layers of Jasminda and Jack are slowly peeled back as they face danger and fall in love. Jasminda is a wonderful protagonist who wants to find a place to belong in Elsira although her Lagarimi heritage gives her healing powers and a distinctive appearance. She goes on a adventure with Jack to help Elsirian's rise up against Lagarimi's mad King, the ...more
Actual Rating 4.5
Jasminda and Jack go on a journey full of magic and romance I enjoyed. In this fantasy the layers of Jasminda and Jack are slowly peeled back as they face danger and fall in love. Jasminda is a wonderful protagonist who wants to find a place to belong in Elsira although her Lagarimi heritage gives her healing powers and a distinctive appearance. She goes on a adventure with Jack to help Elsirian's rise up against Lagarimi's mad King, the ...more

"We don't create a fantasy world to escape reality. We create it to be able to stay."
----Lynda Jean Barry, an American cartoonist and author
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 ba ...more
----Lynda Jean Barry, an American cartoonist and author
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 ba ...more

3.5 stars
I ended up really enjoying this while I read it. The book is written in alternating POVs, with very short chapters that give a nice episodic feel to the story. I liked the unique setting - they seem to have earlyish 20th century technology but combined with more familiar fantasy elements like magic. I also liked the characters; the main female character is biracial and engaged in an interracial relationship, and race is an absolutely central issue in the story.
This is also very much a ...more
I ended up really enjoying this while I read it. The book is written in alternating POVs, with very short chapters that give a nice episodic feel to the story. I liked the unique setting - they seem to have earlyish 20th century technology but combined with more familiar fantasy elements like magic. I also liked the characters; the main female character is biracial and engaged in an interracial relationship, and race is an absolutely central issue in the story.
This is also very much a ...more

May 06, 2018
Juli
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-review-copies-2018
Jasminda has lost her entire family. She now lives alone in Elsira, where her powers as an Earthsinger are met with fear and disdain. She keeps to herself, avoiding the nearby village as much as possible. The people there dislike her because of her magic, and also because of who here parents were. Her mother was Elsiran and her father was from Lagamiri. The two lands are separated by a magical mantle, which has only been breached a few times in history. Every time, a breach was followed by war a
...more

Look at me! Knocking off another one of my RTC reviews xD!
This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchanged for an honest review!
Song of Blood & Stone was an emotional roller coaster. It was so freaking good though! I shipped the heck out of Jasminda and Jake. Jasminda is basically an outcast while Jake is a rebel soldier. They are basically made for each other and two peas in a freaking pod. Again, I shipped the heck out of these two!
I could probably talk all day and every day about this couple b ...more
This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchanged for an honest review!
Song of Blood & Stone was an emotional roller coaster. It was so freaking good though! I shipped the heck out of Jasminda and Jake. Jasminda is basically an outcast while Jake is a rebel soldier. They are basically made for each other and two peas in a freaking pod. Again, I shipped the heck out of these two!
I could probably talk all day and every day about this couple b ...more

I enjoyed this one, but I couldn't help but feel something was missing. Some spark or chemistry or something to push it from good to great.
Song of Blood & Stone is a fantasy lite read that centers around Jasminda, a bi-racial Earthsinger, and Jack, a military man that is more than what meets the eye. I did like the two of them together and felt their connection. Their romance feels like a slow burn (even though it really happens pretty quickly) and it added a good dynamic and subplot to the sto ...more
Song of Blood & Stone is a fantasy lite read that centers around Jasminda, a bi-racial Earthsinger, and Jack, a military man that is more than what meets the eye. I did like the two of them together and felt their connection. Their romance feels like a slow burn (even though it really happens pretty quickly) and it added a good dynamic and subplot to the sto ...more

Oct 03, 2020
Erin
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
october-2020,
written-by-women
Black O Ween: A book with a Black witch
I loved this book!
I'm just gonna let you know that this is a review based solely on my enjoyment of reading this book. I didn't read this book critically, I just opened the book and let it sweep me away.
Jasminda is an orphaned and alone. She's about to lose the only home she's ever known and she's an outcast among her people. When ruthless soldiers seek refuge in her isolated cabin they bring with them and injured spy named Jack. Jasminda saves Jack's lif ...more
I loved this book!
I'm just gonna let you know that this is a review based solely on my enjoyment of reading this book. I didn't read this book critically, I just opened the book and let it sweep me away.
Jasminda is an orphaned and alone. She's about to lose the only home she's ever known and she's an outcast among her people. When ruthless soldiers seek refuge in her isolated cabin they bring with them and injured spy named Jack. Jasminda saves Jack's lif ...more

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm trying to write this review in a respectful manner. I know that probably a lot of people don't agree with me, because I've seen a lot of very positive reviews, but I'm not that positive at all. I really liked the start of the story, but while I was reading, it felt like more of the same. A girl with her own struggles, meets a boy, gets in a romance and plays a very large ro ...more
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm trying to write this review in a respectful manner. I know that probably a lot of people don't agree with me, because I've seen a lot of very positive reviews, but I'm not that positive at all. I really liked the start of the story, but while I was reading, it felt like more of the same. A girl with her own struggles, meets a boy, gets in a romance and plays a very large ro ...more

I think this is the last book I read in August that still needs to be reviewed! So read the Goodreads description then come back here...
Honestly this book left me feeling more confused than anything. First the constable is riding on a horse, then there are telephones, an arid desert land ?devoid of technology? next door, then skyscrapers and modern electricity in the capitol? I couldn't tell which era the book wanted to place itself in😳
I also thought that things seemed REALLY convenient, like on ...more
Honestly this book left me feeling more confused than anything. First the constable is riding on a horse, then there are telephones, an arid desert land ?devoid of technology? next door, then skyscrapers and modern electricity in the capitol? I couldn't tell which era the book wanted to place itself in😳
I also thought that things seemed REALLY convenient, like on ...more

Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not impact my rating or review.
Ehh I was just bored while reading this. There is a reason why I went screaming off to read books by Rosamunde Pilcher. I kept hoping that the story would improve, but it did not. I read elsewhere this was originally a self-published book (back in 2015) that was re-published again this year. I don't know why that was, maybe the publishers were hoping to hop on some of the Young Adult fantasy with charact ...more
Ehh I was just bored while reading this. There is a reason why I went screaming off to read books by Rosamunde Pilcher. I kept hoping that the story would improve, but it did not. I read elsewhere this was originally a self-published book (back in 2015) that was re-published again this year. I don't know why that was, maybe the publishers were hoping to hop on some of the Young Adult fantasy with charact ...more

Apr 16, 2018
Sarah Marie
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
arc,
fantasy,
provided-by-author-publisher,
books-i-own,
ohhh-la-la,
romance,
gods-goddess,
magic,
pretty-covers,
meh
Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope
First in the Earthsinger Chronicles
3.25 stars
First in the Earthsinger Chronicles
3.25 stars
Jasminda lives close the border of Elsira and Lagrimar. She looks Lagrimarian and has the talents of their people. She is an Earthsinger—able to heal, read emotions, and control things, but her powers are weak and she limited in what she can control. She has lived life in Elsira facing persecution and now her family’s farm faces being taken away from her. When she is traveling back from the city she comes across an
...more
4.25 stars! View review on my blog, Library in the Country
I received this copy from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"The blue of the day's sky and the black of the night's are different, but one is not better than the other. We need both."
I was pleasantly surprised by this one, I found the story to be so satisfying. It ended up being exactly what I needed to read! If you're looking for a fantasy novel that pushes the boundaries of young adult into new adult without being ...more
I received this copy from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"The blue of the day's sky and the black of the night's are different, but one is not better than the other. We need both."
I was pleasantly surprised by this one, I found the story to be so satisfying. It ended up being exactly what I needed to read! If you're looking for a fantasy novel that pushes the boundaries of young adult into new adult without being ...more

If you are a fan of epic fantasies like The Bird and the Sword series by Amy Harmon or the Chronicles of the Warlands by Elizabeth Vaughan, you will love Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope, book one in the Earthsinger Chronicles. This story features an unconventional heroine, who is treated almost like a stranger in her own land. Jasminda is alone to survive on the family farm after the death of her mother and the disappearance of the father and brothers. She is a biracial child and is treated
...more

3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2018/05/21/...
Although this book is now published by St. Martin’s Press, my first encounter with Song of Blood & Stone was in 2016 when an earlier version of it was entered into the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off, the writing competition created by author Mark Lawrence. Ever since the SPFBO’s launch, several of its alum have already been picked up by traditional publishing, and it’s always great to see that number grow by the day. As I ...more
Although this book is now published by St. Martin’s Press, my first encounter with Song of Blood & Stone was in 2016 when an earlier version of it was entered into the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off, the writing competition created by author Mark Lawrence. Ever since the SPFBO’s launch, several of its alum have already been picked up by traditional publishing, and it’s always great to see that number grow by the day. As I ...more


I've been looking forward to sitting down to write this review, because this was one of the better fantasy titles I have read this year.
In this novel you get the current (present) POVs of both Jasminda and Jack. Jasminda is such a strong female lead--she's independent, strong, fierce, loyal, intelligent, and has no problem with sacrificing or own wants for the greater good. And Jack... without revealing too much about him.. he stands out from the norm for his situation in life. He tends to s ...more

**ARC provided by St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.**
True rating: 3.5
Song of Blood & Stone is a previously self-published historical fantasy that is now being traditionally published and is the start of a series. In this fantasy world, there is a veil between two worlds, one without and one with magic. On one side is a tyrannical ruler who strips magic users of their magic, keeping it for his own. On the other, the Queen Who Sleeps has been dormant for 500 years waiting to be ...more
True rating: 3.5
Song of Blood & Stone is a previously self-published historical fantasy that is now being traditionally published and is the start of a series. In this fantasy world, there is a veil between two worlds, one without and one with magic. On one side is a tyrannical ruler who strips magic users of their magic, keeping it for his own. On the other, the Queen Who Sleeps has been dormant for 500 years waiting to be ...more

In an alternate world, where magic exists, the 1920’s aren’t a time of flappers and high times. In this world is a combination of contemporary props and the feel of ancient times with cabins in the woods.
Jasminda is alone, her family is gone and her magic makes her an outcast in Elsira, her homeland, as does the color of her skin. Her parents didn’t let country boundaries stop their love from growing and they may have finally the price. When soldiers arrive with a severely wounded prisoner, a ma ...more
Jasminda is alone, her family is gone and her magic makes her an outcast in Elsira, her homeland, as does the color of her skin. Her parents didn’t let country boundaries stop their love from growing and they may have finally the price. When soldiers arrive with a severely wounded prisoner, a ma ...more

“Our destiny can be taken in hand, molded, and shaped, while chance makes foolishness out of whatever attempts to control it. Does this make destiny the master of luck?”
That was a super fun quick read! I really enjoyed the story and the characters, even though the overall plot felt a little bit flat for me. Jasminda was a great strong main character, and I loved reading from her perspective! She and Jack had insane chemistry, and their romance was SO good😍
After that ending, I'm actually really e ...more
That was a super fun quick read! I really enjoyed the story and the characters, even though the overall plot felt a little bit flat for me. Jasminda was a great strong main character, and I loved reading from her perspective! She and Jack had insane chemistry, and their romance was SO good😍
After that ending, I'm actually really e ...more

I'm somewhere between 4-5 stars but this is definitely a favorite for me now and Jasminda is among my top 3 heroines with Shazi(The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh) and Vasya(The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden). It would have been a full 5 for sure if the author had balanced the romance more with more world-building and action but I do understand that she had a much more important topic, several actually, to tackle with some of the parallels to social injustices in our world toda
...more

See my FULL review of this book on my blog along with others at: shesgoingbookcrazy.com

All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.

DNFing at 30%
Content Warning: Brutality, Attempted Rape, Prejudism, Violence, Death (the attempted rape scene especially pushes this book into the New Adult genre and not YA.)
I'm not sure if it was the ...more

All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.

"Not just cracks, not just a breach--the entire Mantle will fall. Soon. And the True Father will be unleashed on us all."
DNFing at 30%
Content Warning: Brutality, Attempted Rape, Prejudism, Violence, Death (the attempted rape scene especially pushes this book into the New Adult genre and not YA.)
I'm not sure if it was the ...more

Song of Blood & Stone is a very good fantasy. The world-building made things a little bit slow at times, but the overall story, as well as the main plot were well done.
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Vaginal Fantasy B...: Song of Blood & Stone Discussion *Spoilers* | 1 | 65 | Jul 02, 2019 05:44PM | |
Vaginal Fantasy B...: Earthsinger Chronicles Series Discussion *Spoilers* | 1 | 28 | Jul 02, 2019 05:40PM | |
YA Buddy Readers'...: Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope -> Starting March 25th, 2018 | 2 | 13 | Apr 12, 2018 06:55PM | |
Challenge Corner: Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope -> Starting March 25th, 2018 | 2 | 7 | Apr 12, 2018 06:55PM | |
YA Buddy Readers'...: Song of Blood & Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles #1) by L. Penelope - Starting March 2018 | 1 | 7 | Mar 01, 2018 04:12AM | |
Book Bloggers of ...: [Ends March 21] Win SIGNED COPY OR GREAT SWAG PACK | 1 | 7 | Mar 07, 2016 05:27AM |
Leslye Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She is an award-winning author of fantasy and paranormal romance.
She was born in the Bronx, just after the birth of hip hop, but left before she could acquire an accent. Equally left and right-brained, she studied Film at Howard University and minored in Computer Science. This led to a gr ...more
She was born in the Bronx, just after the birth of hip hop, but left before she could acquire an accent. Equally left and right-brained, she studied Film at Howard University and minored in Computer Science. This led to a gr ...more
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“New worlds are born out of destruction.”
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