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Nightingale Songs #1
Under A Lavender Moon
Sixteen-year-old Rilla Marseas believes she has a calling to become a healer. Her soul yearns to help people and save lives. Why else would Heaven grant her a singing voice that can heal any ailment? But if the palace discovers her power, she’ll be selected for the annual Showcase, where the most beautiful and magically gifted girls in Seracedar Kingdom compete for the chance to enter the emperor’s harem. That’s the last thing Rilla wants. To avoid such a fate, she hides her power. No matter how the other villagers ridicule her for being worthless and talentless, she suppresses the urge to reveal her powerful voice and prove them wrong. When a palace scout poisons Rilla’s auntie and coerces her into revealing her power, she’s thrown into the competition. The scout threatens to harm her family if she doesn’t win. But Rilla learns there really is no winning. The emperor and empress keep girls with magical powers as pets. In cages. With some help from a handsome, but brooding prince and his mysterious bodyguard, Rilla must outsmart the palace and escape. If she fails, she’ll spend the rest of her life as the royal couple’s puppet, using her voice to grant them eternal youth.
- GenresFantasyYoung Adult
282 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 11, 2021
1 person is currently reading
299 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
April 18, 2021
Blog Review: https://trishadoeseverythingbutstudy2...
I requested and received a free Digital Review Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
Well, this was a disappointment. It wasn't completely bad, but it had so little of what I actually wanted. And it had such irritating characters. And this was my first email request *wipes tear* this does not bode well for my future requests.
The first problem I had was that when I read that this was going to have a character forced to become a part of the Emperor's harem, my expectation was that the book would constitute of a girl learning various seduction techniques, thus securing her win and protecting her family and herself.
What I got was a very irritating MC who would get into various kind sof troubles, wholly dependent on someone coming to rescue her (while I am a fan of the damsel in distress trope, there's a limit to which one can tolerate it), and then proceed to make stupid decisions to once again get into unsafe and fatal situations, where, once again, someone would rescue her.
And honestly, the fact that there was no hope of Rilla learning seduction techniques or espionage techniques, or literally any useful skill that could benefit you in a court was the biggest disappointment. The fact that she got a teacher, who would then proceed to just do the bare minimum, and Rilla herself didn't want to know more about anything, really rubbed salt in the wound.
The other things I didn't like are all quite minor by themselves, but adding it all up, it made for a very hard to get through book. One of these things was the love triangle, which I'm not even going to elaborate on because I will take too long ranting about something that's in every other book for some reason. And on that note, I'm not even going to rant about the instalove because I've already done that in a lot of reviews, and it's a bit late and I want to sleep, and I've been procrastinating on this review for nearly two months now, so I'm just going to write what needs to be written, and not go off on spiels about the irritating tropes in YA.
I did have fun in this book, and I'm optimistic that this author will only get better, since this is just the debut. While this is a very average book, the concept is interesting, and has a lot of scope to expand and build on, especially if the author writes the sequel.
Mostly though, this book was just nothing very out of this world to remark on. I loved the healing abilities, but I would get irritated with the song lyrics...this, though, is a personal shortcoming, because for me the lyrics would mess with my focus and make me lose track of the events....I do this with songfics too, so this is not exactly a problem.
What was a problem, though, was the extremely forthcoming characters, and some not so obvious plot reveals. For example, it was pretty obvious who the secret identity characters were, and the characters were in general just ready to pour out their backstories to the MC, who shouldn't exactly inspire a lot of trust because they don't even know her?
I loved the competition part of this, and I just wish that had had more focus? I love the tournament/competition trope, and that was another thing I was looking forward to in this, but it failed to play as big a role as I was expecting, especially because it would just pop up in places and feel jarring because I'd have forgotten that it was the overarching plot.
While this does explore quite a lot of serious issues, like underage prostitution and rape, I found the exploration itself lacking. This book offered a lot of insight into the grim aspects of these issues, but it would be glossed over very quickly with something or the other, and I would forget about it.
On the whole, an intriguing debut, with an amazing concept, but maybe just not for me. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys love triangles, doesn't mind insta-love, and wants to read little something light to pass the time.
I requested and received a free Digital Review Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
Well, this was a disappointment. It wasn't completely bad, but it had so little of what I actually wanted. And it had such irritating characters. And this was my first email request *wipes tear* this does not bode well for my future requests.
The first problem I had was that when I read that this was going to have a character forced to become a part of the Emperor's harem, my expectation was that the book would constitute of a girl learning various seduction techniques, thus securing her win and protecting her family and herself.
What I got was a very irritating MC who would get into various kind sof troubles, wholly dependent on someone coming to rescue her (while I am a fan of the damsel in distress trope, there's a limit to which one can tolerate it), and then proceed to make stupid decisions to once again get into unsafe and fatal situations, where, once again, someone would rescue her.
And honestly, the fact that there was no hope of Rilla learning seduction techniques or espionage techniques, or literally any useful skill that could benefit you in a court was the biggest disappointment. The fact that she got a teacher, who would then proceed to just do the bare minimum, and Rilla herself didn't want to know more about anything, really rubbed salt in the wound.
The other things I didn't like are all quite minor by themselves, but adding it all up, it made for a very hard to get through book. One of these things was the love triangle, which I'm not even going to elaborate on because I will take too long ranting about something that's in every other book for some reason. And on that note, I'm not even going to rant about the instalove because I've already done that in a lot of reviews, and it's a bit late and I want to sleep, and I've been procrastinating on this review for nearly two months now, so I'm just going to write what needs to be written, and not go off on spiels about the irritating tropes in YA.
I did have fun in this book, and I'm optimistic that this author will only get better, since this is just the debut. While this is a very average book, the concept is interesting, and has a lot of scope to expand and build on, especially if the author writes the sequel.
Mostly though, this book was just nothing very out of this world to remark on. I loved the healing abilities, but I would get irritated with the song lyrics...this, though, is a personal shortcoming, because for me the lyrics would mess with my focus and make me lose track of the events....I do this with songfics too, so this is not exactly a problem.
What was a problem, though, was the extremely forthcoming characters, and some not so obvious plot reveals. For example, it was pretty obvious who the secret identity characters were, and the characters were in general just ready to pour out their backstories to the MC, who shouldn't exactly inspire a lot of trust because they don't even know her?
I loved the competition part of this, and I just wish that had had more focus? I love the tournament/competition trope, and that was another thing I was looking forward to in this, but it failed to play as big a role as I was expecting, especially because it would just pop up in places and feel jarring because I'd have forgotten that it was the overarching plot.
While this does explore quite a lot of serious issues, like underage prostitution and rape, I found the exploration itself lacking. This book offered a lot of insight into the grim aspects of these issues, but it would be glossed over very quickly with something or the other, and I would forget about it.
On the whole, an intriguing debut, with an amazing concept, but maybe just not for me. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys love triangles, doesn't mind insta-love, and wants to read little something light to pass the time.
February 13, 2021
Magic (YA fantasy) and POC author are the two main reasons I chose to join in this blog tour & to read this book for the purpose of providing a review. The description was quite appealing to me personally and the cover is really quite gorgeous. I thought this would be one I'd easily enjoy.
I was quite fascinated by this universe. It was a lot darker and painful than I thought it would be. The opulence of the background in contrast to the unhappiness & tortuous existence of most of the characters in this novel was intriguing. However, I found characters to be a little bit flat. I found protagonist to be mostly okay; a bit frustrating at times with her choices but that's my personal opinion - you may agree with her choices. Hints at a love triangle, however, was my biggest beef with this book. If I'd known, I'd probably wouldn't read it.
Under the Lavender Moon was a pretty enjoyable read as I was truly drawn into this world. I just wish there was more emphasis on the protagonist friendship with another than the romance.
My thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for having me on this tour and copy of ebook in exchange of honest review
I was quite fascinated by this universe. It was a lot darker and painful than I thought it would be. The opulence of the background in contrast to the unhappiness & tortuous existence of most of the characters in this novel was intriguing. However, I found characters to be a little bit flat. I found protagonist to be mostly okay; a bit frustrating at times with her choices but that's my personal opinion - you may agree with her choices. Hints at a love triangle, however, was my biggest beef with this book. If I'd known, I'd probably wouldn't read it.
Under the Lavender Moon was a pretty enjoyable read as I was truly drawn into this world. I just wish there was more emphasis on the protagonist friendship with another than the romance.
My thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for having me on this tour and copy of ebook in exchange of honest review
May 11, 2021
A breathless fantasy filled with amazing characters and a story that has to be told.
This was a complete cover read. I knew that I wanted to give it a shot and my library picked up a copy. I finally got around to it yesterday and I was sucked in from the very beginning. This reads like a popular book but this is criminally underrated. This is one of the best YA fantasy books that I have read for a while. It's packed full of originality and perfection. I just can't believe that this was everything it was. Wow... I am definitely looking forward to book two and I can't wait for all the things this author releases.
This was a complete cover read. I knew that I wanted to give it a shot and my library picked up a copy. I finally got around to it yesterday and I was sucked in from the very beginning. This reads like a popular book but this is criminally underrated. This is one of the best YA fantasy books that I have read for a while. It's packed full of originality and perfection. I just can't believe that this was everything it was. Wow... I am definitely looking forward to book two and I can't wait for all the things this author releases.
February 9, 2021
UNDER A LAVENDER MOON is the first book in the Nightingale Songs series, and we enter a world where magic is called tin-chai and can take many forms. Rilla has kept her tin-chai a secret but is found by scouts anyway. With no options available to her, she is taken to the emperor, along with a group of other girls, to compete for the 'honour' of becoming one of his wives,
There are hints of romance in this book, between Rilla, Friend, and Carrick. However, that is very much in the background as the story moves along. The main characters are fully supported by an interesting group of secondary characters, some you will like, some you definitely won't. This is part and parcel of the story though, and is what will keep you turning the pages.
The pacing is smooth, leading you to the cliff-hanger ending, and will also leave you wanting more. For a debut novel, this is incredibly intricate and intriguing. I can't wait to continue with this series, and have no hesitation in recommending it.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
There are hints of romance in this book, between Rilla, Friend, and Carrick. However, that is very much in the background as the story moves along. The main characters are fully supported by an interesting group of secondary characters, some you will like, some you definitely won't. This is part and parcel of the story though, and is what will keep you turning the pages.
The pacing is smooth, leading you to the cliff-hanger ending, and will also leave you wanting more. For a debut novel, this is incredibly intricate and intriguing. I can't wait to continue with this series, and have no hesitation in recommending it.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
March 5, 2021
Ok so I actually bought this book and I disagree with most of one of the last written reviews by Sunny Days, but to give a rebuttal I would have to talk about some bigger spoilers, so here is a review summary without big spoilers first. This is why I give this book four stars:
* How often do you find an heroine like this in a YA, who starts off already normalized and living in a magical world, fully aware of her powers, and headed for a life long prison term with her family held hostage by her own country? This story starts out with ALL of that while most YA’s use up book one just developing the heroine’s awareness of / entering the new magical world and finding that she has powers or from some special lineage. An excellent start in my opinion.
* The main Character is flawed, makes mistakes, has more than one antagonist, and is therefore not a Mary Sue, thank God!
* The prose poetically expresses intricate Chinese and Asian imagery; its semiology and American influences gives the reader an idea of the world and premonition of the plot and societal standings of the characters. For me, some of it reminds me of the style of Maxine Hong Kingston’s “Warrior Woman.”
* The plot has enough twists to keep you guessing and although rules don’t appear consistent in the beginning the reasons for that are uncovered towards the middle and end
* The author cleverly builds an intricate integration of two cultures we are familiar with, slightly similar to Firefly- the TV series (the non-English parts of the terminology are from actual languages -you didn’t think the author just made up randomly interesting sounding words did you?)
* My one criticism is that the ending left me wanting in that although it’s meant to be a cliff hanger it doesn’t quite feel like at least a conclusion to the first book; it cut off pretty short, which in my opinion should at least tie off nicely in case a reader doesn’t go beyond it into the second novel. However, this did leave me wanting the second book IMMEDIATELY because of unanswered questions- especially about the changes the main character went through
* Overall it was a refreshing read from the crowd of YA’s filled with characters acquiring supernatural and fairy magic. I’m fully anticipating the second book to see what’s next!
Got it? Good. Now if you don’t mind spoilers (which I’ll try to keep to a minimum) I’ll dive right into the rebuttal:
1. Not a fan of romance? I’m not a fan either, unless it’s without the stereotypical boy meets girl archetype and plenty of intrigue. My preferences for romances come close to Charlotte E. English’s Aylfenhame series. But for me, this book is not a romance. It has romantic elements, but the whole message of this book is not about romance. What is it then? You should read it to find out!
2. The protagonist has plenty of personality: For a person who comes from a Asian influenced culture the main character does have a lot of personality. Although she may appear bland in the beginning, it is because she is true to her principals of familial preservation. Going with societal pressures is mainly for self preservation in a country where losing face in a communal society affects families’ livelihood. Sure, maybe Rilla doesn’t fit the Western perception for what passes off as “personality,” but if you don’t count stubborn bravery as personality, and grey areas in her principles, you probably won’t enjoy her character.
3. This is not an over told story we’ve seen before: it might seem similar to historical/ fantasy Chinese dramas but it has enough Western flair and thought that makes this story unique in its own right. The world building and the complexities of the story are as original as Rachel Aaron’s DFZ series that has strong themes from American, Asian and Korean culture. And it’s not like Rilla’s powers come from an exceptional blood line or she’s of noble/ royal blood that allows her to claim power and play a part in the royal court as a contender like countless YA protagonists saturating the market.
4. I wouldn’t call this a feminist book, but rather a book about grappling for equality and freedom- after all, anyone with a sense of humanity would stand up and fight like the primary characters do. Rilla’s culture of men and women’s specific and defined roles still exist today in many countries and many people agree with that mind set.
5. This book is not an “airy” light novel: I definitely would not label anything with violence or violation of human rights as “airy” fluff but rather a dark and heavy reflection of human nature, which is explored in this novel.
6. Musical Errors? I think not!
To be fair I am going to list out my credentials here, not to brag, but so that other readers can understand that I also come from a legitimate musical background. I come from a family that all can play instruments, and my siblings and I can all play 2-3 instruments; my cousin and her siblings were named after Italian dynamics and you can find her touring band on Spotify, not to mentioned we sing in different languages. As for my own personal background I play three different instruments, and took voice lessons from a Vienna trained voice instructor who also has a Master’s degree in music, and I can speak/sing in multiple languages. I also used to write songs with a Taiwanese pop singer who worked with major music labels overseas.
That being said- a musician and a vocalist does not a song writer make. Just because you are musically talented in playing an instrument doesn’t necessarily mean you are good at composing music for it. Same thing for singing -Lady Gaga writing songs for Britney Spears is proof of that. As far as I can tell, these songs the author composed were thoughtfully crafted and not “poorly done” nor should be counted as “errors”.
Here is why: the fact that the author mixes both English and Chinese languages in her world building indicates that this society mixes Western and Eastern cultures that reflect the author’s background of American Chinese (you can tell by her name), it’s possible that the parts of the song that don’t seem to rhyme are in an Asian dialect but are translated into English. This is probably for the benefit of the reader because communicating the actual meaning of a crucial song is more important than for it to fit lyrically. It’s also highly probable that if Rilla codeswitched in her songs the lyrics would work well together in a Western rhyming scheme. But we also have to consider that:
A) Rhyme and rhythm is not necessary for a fantasy world- musically they may not have the same rules, much less the same music theory that we do. If you listen to the natives in Papua New Guinea you’ll know that they don’t follow the same rules as Western music. Plus, what rule is there that says in a fantasy world you have to consistently rhyme?
B) If Rilla is code switching you have to consider that lots of Chinese Mandarin lyrics don’t rhyme in the same scheme as English rhymes/ limericks/ lyrics at the end of lyrical phrases like the ABAB or AABB BBAA rhyming patterns. Case in point, one of the Modern Chinese songs you can find here: https://youtu.be/gGGoUmlPzKo
has this rhyming scheme in its verses: ABBCBBDBBEBB and only has the ABAB pattern in the chorus. These irregularities are also present in lyrics in other Asian languages and many songs in Asia mix native languages with English in their lyrics, occasionally mixing Eastern and Western principles of rhyming/ lyrical phrasing.
D) Just because one person can’t sing it doesn’t mean another can’t.
5. Characters acting dumb- um, the main protagonist and her peers are teenagers; what sixteen year old hasn’t done anything dumb? Sometimes dumb actions drive a plot like a horror movie. Also, the characters are in the process of building character and growing up so to speak. You can’t grow without making a few mistakes. And we do see quite a few adults with stunted character and maturity which affects their actions. I wouldn’t call that dumb, just immature.
Bottom line: Those with Asian backgrounds / cultural influences may better understand the full artistry of the story because the cultural references are familiar to them. But if you don’t have that, don’t let that stop you from keeping an open mind and exploring this fantasy world, as you would with exploring a different culture. Even though I find myself identifying with the story and familiar with the terminology as an Asian American, I find it unique and exciting enough to want to know what happens in the next book.
* How often do you find an heroine like this in a YA, who starts off already normalized and living in a magical world, fully aware of her powers, and headed for a life long prison term with her family held hostage by her own country? This story starts out with ALL of that while most YA’s use up book one just developing the heroine’s awareness of / entering the new magical world and finding that she has powers or from some special lineage. An excellent start in my opinion.
* The main Character is flawed, makes mistakes, has more than one antagonist, and is therefore not a Mary Sue, thank God!
* The prose poetically expresses intricate Chinese and Asian imagery; its semiology and American influences gives the reader an idea of the world and premonition of the plot and societal standings of the characters. For me, some of it reminds me of the style of Maxine Hong Kingston’s “Warrior Woman.”
* The plot has enough twists to keep you guessing and although rules don’t appear consistent in the beginning the reasons for that are uncovered towards the middle and end
* The author cleverly builds an intricate integration of two cultures we are familiar with, slightly similar to Firefly- the TV series (the non-English parts of the terminology are from actual languages -you didn’t think the author just made up randomly interesting sounding words did you?)
* My one criticism is that the ending left me wanting in that although it’s meant to be a cliff hanger it doesn’t quite feel like at least a conclusion to the first book; it cut off pretty short, which in my opinion should at least tie off nicely in case a reader doesn’t go beyond it into the second novel. However, this did leave me wanting the second book IMMEDIATELY because of unanswered questions- especially about the changes the main character went through
* Overall it was a refreshing read from the crowd of YA’s filled with characters acquiring supernatural and fairy magic. I’m fully anticipating the second book to see what’s next!
Got it? Good. Now if you don’t mind spoilers (which I’ll try to keep to a minimum) I’ll dive right into the rebuttal:
1. Not a fan of romance? I’m not a fan either, unless it’s without the stereotypical boy meets girl archetype and plenty of intrigue. My preferences for romances come close to Charlotte E. English’s Aylfenhame series. But for me, this book is not a romance. It has romantic elements, but the whole message of this book is not about romance. What is it then? You should read it to find out!
2. The protagonist has plenty of personality: For a person who comes from a Asian influenced culture the main character does have a lot of personality. Although she may appear bland in the beginning, it is because she is true to her principals of familial preservation. Going with societal pressures is mainly for self preservation in a country where losing face in a communal society affects families’ livelihood. Sure, maybe Rilla doesn’t fit the Western perception for what passes off as “personality,” but if you don’t count stubborn bravery as personality, and grey areas in her principles, you probably won’t enjoy her character.
3. This is not an over told story we’ve seen before: it might seem similar to historical/ fantasy Chinese dramas but it has enough Western flair and thought that makes this story unique in its own right. The world building and the complexities of the story are as original as Rachel Aaron’s DFZ series that has strong themes from American, Asian and Korean culture. And it’s not like Rilla’s powers come from an exceptional blood line or she’s of noble/ royal blood that allows her to claim power and play a part in the royal court as a contender like countless YA protagonists saturating the market.
4. I wouldn’t call this a feminist book, but rather a book about grappling for equality and freedom- after all, anyone with a sense of humanity would stand up and fight like the primary characters do. Rilla’s culture of men and women’s specific and defined roles still exist today in many countries and many people agree with that mind set.
5. This book is not an “airy” light novel: I definitely would not label anything with violence or violation of human rights as “airy” fluff but rather a dark and heavy reflection of human nature, which is explored in this novel.
6. Musical Errors? I think not!
To be fair I am going to list out my credentials here, not to brag, but so that other readers can understand that I also come from a legitimate musical background. I come from a family that all can play instruments, and my siblings and I can all play 2-3 instruments; my cousin and her siblings were named after Italian dynamics and you can find her touring band on Spotify, not to mentioned we sing in different languages. As for my own personal background I play three different instruments, and took voice lessons from a Vienna trained voice instructor who also has a Master’s degree in music, and I can speak/sing in multiple languages. I also used to write songs with a Taiwanese pop singer who worked with major music labels overseas.
That being said- a musician and a vocalist does not a song writer make. Just because you are musically talented in playing an instrument doesn’t necessarily mean you are good at composing music for it. Same thing for singing -Lady Gaga writing songs for Britney Spears is proof of that. As far as I can tell, these songs the author composed were thoughtfully crafted and not “poorly done” nor should be counted as “errors”.
Here is why: the fact that the author mixes both English and Chinese languages in her world building indicates that this society mixes Western and Eastern cultures that reflect the author’s background of American Chinese (you can tell by her name), it’s possible that the parts of the song that don’t seem to rhyme are in an Asian dialect but are translated into English. This is probably for the benefit of the reader because communicating the actual meaning of a crucial song is more important than for it to fit lyrically. It’s also highly probable that if Rilla codeswitched in her songs the lyrics would work well together in a Western rhyming scheme. But we also have to consider that:
A) Rhyme and rhythm is not necessary for a fantasy world- musically they may not have the same rules, much less the same music theory that we do. If you listen to the natives in Papua New Guinea you’ll know that they don’t follow the same rules as Western music. Plus, what rule is there that says in a fantasy world you have to consistently rhyme?
B) If Rilla is code switching you have to consider that lots of Chinese Mandarin lyrics don’t rhyme in the same scheme as English rhymes/ limericks/ lyrics at the end of lyrical phrases like the ABAB or AABB BBAA rhyming patterns. Case in point, one of the Modern Chinese songs you can find here: https://youtu.be/gGGoUmlPzKo
has this rhyming scheme in its verses: ABBCBBDBBEBB and only has the ABAB pattern in the chorus. These irregularities are also present in lyrics in other Asian languages and many songs in Asia mix native languages with English in their lyrics, occasionally mixing Eastern and Western principles of rhyming/ lyrical phrasing.
D) Just because one person can’t sing it doesn’t mean another can’t.
5. Characters acting dumb- um, the main protagonist and her peers are teenagers; what sixteen year old hasn’t done anything dumb? Sometimes dumb actions drive a plot like a horror movie. Also, the characters are in the process of building character and growing up so to speak. You can’t grow without making a few mistakes. And we do see quite a few adults with stunted character and maturity which affects their actions. I wouldn’t call that dumb, just immature.
Bottom line: Those with Asian backgrounds / cultural influences may better understand the full artistry of the story because the cultural references are familiar to them. But if you don’t have that, don’t let that stop you from keeping an open mind and exploring this fantasy world, as you would with exploring a different culture. Even though I find myself identifying with the story and familiar with the terminology as an Asian American, I find it unique and exciting enough to want to know what happens in the next book.
February 17, 2021
https://thecaffeinatedreader.com/2021...
Content/Trigger Warnings: Extremely gory, death, rape, assault, abuse, suicidal thoughts, mental health, body mutilation and branding, death of babies, loss of pregnancy.
Funnily enough, I always wanted to write a retelling of The Nightingale, so, I was pretty happy to see this in a YA fantasy format!
This book has a lot of potential. The world is really interesting and I liked how powers were the norm but there was also such a vast variety. Also, those without powers weren’t looked at differently, and I rather liked that.
The only thing is those girls without any power can’t audition to become part of the Emperor’s harem, and Rilla’s mom made sure she hid her powers to avoid the fate everyone wants.
So why didn’t Rilla’s mom want her to become part of the Emperor’s harem? Well, the answer for that is in the book haha but it was pretty cool how her mom ended up knowing something more than the rest and I loved how that played into the family history in a way.
Rilla’s power should never be at the hands of another but unfortunately it wouldn’t be much of a book if she was able to hide her powers and live peacefully with her family.
Our MC is taken to the Emperor’s estate with a multitude of other girls and they’re all trained and prepped to either serve the Emperor or serve those other women that serve him.
Rilla goes through many highs and lows, there’s so much to unbox both for her and for us and it gets dark so quick. I think I had a hard time with the writing style and the characters maybe seemed to be too fluid for me in their personalities.
This book ended up not really being a book for me but I really enjoyed the pacing and the ending definitely intrigues you to want to read what happens next. Rilla certainly does a huge change from page 1 to the final chapter.
Thank you so much to Acorn Publishing and Xpresso Tours for an eARC of this, it’s sure to be a really intense series so I would suggest it to those who love Romance and Darkness with a really awesome world and powers.
Content/Trigger Warnings: Extremely gory, death, rape, assault, abuse, suicidal thoughts, mental health, body mutilation and branding, death of babies, loss of pregnancy.
Funnily enough, I always wanted to write a retelling of The Nightingale, so, I was pretty happy to see this in a YA fantasy format!
This book has a lot of potential. The world is really interesting and I liked how powers were the norm but there was also such a vast variety. Also, those without powers weren’t looked at differently, and I rather liked that.
The only thing is those girls without any power can’t audition to become part of the Emperor’s harem, and Rilla’s mom made sure she hid her powers to avoid the fate everyone wants.
So why didn’t Rilla’s mom want her to become part of the Emperor’s harem? Well, the answer for that is in the book haha but it was pretty cool how her mom ended up knowing something more than the rest and I loved how that played into the family history in a way.
Rilla’s power should never be at the hands of another but unfortunately it wouldn’t be much of a book if she was able to hide her powers and live peacefully with her family.
Our MC is taken to the Emperor’s estate with a multitude of other girls and they’re all trained and prepped to either serve the Emperor or serve those other women that serve him.
Rilla goes through many highs and lows, there’s so much to unbox both for her and for us and it gets dark so quick. I think I had a hard time with the writing style and the characters maybe seemed to be too fluid for me in their personalities.
This book ended up not really being a book for me but I really enjoyed the pacing and the ending definitely intrigues you to want to read what happens next. Rilla certainly does a huge change from page 1 to the final chapter.
Thank you so much to Acorn Publishing and Xpresso Tours for an eARC of this, it’s sure to be a really intense series so I would suggest it to those who love Romance and Darkness with a really awesome world and powers.
September 28, 2022
Literally AMAZING!!! Fong did a superb job & I will read ANYTHING she writes!
February 10, 2021
The moment I saw this one, I was eager to dive in, and I wasn't disappointed.
Rilla has grown-up in a fishing village, her parents both dead at the hands of pirates, and her brother and his wife taking care of her. Her brother has the magic of a healer, but his talents aren't nearly as strong as hers. She wants to heal but knows that would land her in the hands of the emperor and, probably, in his harem. While every other girl in the kingdom dreams of this chance, she does her best to avoid it. But one tiny slip lands her in the yearly contest, where the top 30 girls compete to gain the highest positions in the harem. And taking part in it is not a choice. She'll do anything to avoid winning...until she discovers that no matter what she does....win or lose...her life is over.
This is a very rich world with characters to love and hate, situations to make the skin crawl, and determination as true hero has to have. It starts out with the simple life of a fishing village and Rilla's impossible dreams to become a healer, a profession which only men can have. This one follows a culture, where women rank low...especially when it comes to the king and the surrounding court.
Light is not something found often in this book as darkness drips from every seam. While the story begins fine, the darker tones are quickly hinted at. And these take their time to build and sink in as Rilla's own life warps from happiness to an endless fight to survive. The world she faces is more than cruel, and leaves women at the bottom of the food chain. And worse. There are more than a few rough scenes in this book as it hits hard on difficult themes. So sensitive readers definitely need to be aware of that before grabbing this one up. Triggers such as rape, slavery, self-mutilation, and more are more of a obvious fact than a rarity in these pages. Rilla faces a deadly, vicious game, where making a mistake means horrible suffering to the evilest degree.
While this is book packed with darkness, Rilla beams like a light of hope. She carries an innocence with her, which sticks until the last pages, and yet, she's not stupid. She does have extreme powers, but these don't unfold until later on, giving the reader time to grow with her. There are messages of friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice, and Rilla's character does learn and mature during the story, which sets a perfect state for books to come.
There is also romance, but this plays on the sidelines as there's more important things for Rilla to concentrate on. However, even here there are solid strings, which promise much more on that end...but it's really not clear completely which direction these will lead as there's more than a tiny hint at a possible triangle.
Fans of fantasy, magic, intrigue, and impossible situations, where hope seems out of reach, will enjoy this one quite a bit.
I received an ARC and can't wait for book two to appear.
Rilla has grown-up in a fishing village, her parents both dead at the hands of pirates, and her brother and his wife taking care of her. Her brother has the magic of a healer, but his talents aren't nearly as strong as hers. She wants to heal but knows that would land her in the hands of the emperor and, probably, in his harem. While every other girl in the kingdom dreams of this chance, she does her best to avoid it. But one tiny slip lands her in the yearly contest, where the top 30 girls compete to gain the highest positions in the harem. And taking part in it is not a choice. She'll do anything to avoid winning...until she discovers that no matter what she does....win or lose...her life is over.
This is a very rich world with characters to love and hate, situations to make the skin crawl, and determination as true hero has to have. It starts out with the simple life of a fishing village and Rilla's impossible dreams to become a healer, a profession which only men can have. This one follows a culture, where women rank low...especially when it comes to the king and the surrounding court.
Light is not something found often in this book as darkness drips from every seam. While the story begins fine, the darker tones are quickly hinted at. And these take their time to build and sink in as Rilla's own life warps from happiness to an endless fight to survive. The world she faces is more than cruel, and leaves women at the bottom of the food chain. And worse. There are more than a few rough scenes in this book as it hits hard on difficult themes. So sensitive readers definitely need to be aware of that before grabbing this one up. Triggers such as rape, slavery, self-mutilation, and more are more of a obvious fact than a rarity in these pages. Rilla faces a deadly, vicious game, where making a mistake means horrible suffering to the evilest degree.
While this is book packed with darkness, Rilla beams like a light of hope. She carries an innocence with her, which sticks until the last pages, and yet, she's not stupid. She does have extreme powers, but these don't unfold until later on, giving the reader time to grow with her. There are messages of friendship, loyalty, and sacrifice, and Rilla's character does learn and mature during the story, which sets a perfect state for books to come.
There is also romance, but this plays on the sidelines as there's more important things for Rilla to concentrate on. However, even here there are solid strings, which promise much more on that end...but it's really not clear completely which direction these will lead as there's more than a tiny hint at a possible triangle.
Fans of fantasy, magic, intrigue, and impossible situations, where hope seems out of reach, will enjoy this one quite a bit.
I received an ARC and can't wait for book two to appear.
February 9, 2021
She was thought from a young age to keep her voice and her magic hidden because it could draw attention. When the scouts come to the village, to find beautiful and talented girls for the emperor, it's especially vital that she stayed hidden. And then she saves an animal in the remote part, sure no one can hear her, and by the worst of luck, one of them does.
She is soon found and forced to join, or her family will be hurt. When the girls arrive they have to prepare and train, to impress the emperor. The more they do, the better their status is.
She needs to stay low and hide, but there is the side of her, that can't stay low and can't stand still when people she cares about are in trouble. :)
It's a very complex story, set in a very interesting fantasy world. The world-building is great, the pieces of the world, and who it works are revealed through the story, just enough to make you want more. :) And the storyline is well thought out, with many unexpected twists and turn.
I didn't like Rilla at first, but towards the middle of the story, she seems to get a backbone and got a whole lot more interesting. :) I love that she has a dark side. :)
What I didn't like at all, is the prince. I'm still not sure if he is all bad, or just sometimes bad, but there is something about him, that irks me.
There are many characters, some more, some less important, but all very well thought out.
As I read the story, it jumped from the pages, I felt like I was there in the middle of the story with them.
The story stayed in my mind for a long time. Can't wait to read what happens next. :)
Highly recommend it!
received from Xpresso Book Tours
She is soon found and forced to join, or her family will be hurt. When the girls arrive they have to prepare and train, to impress the emperor. The more they do, the better their status is.
She needs to stay low and hide, but there is the side of her, that can't stay low and can't stand still when people she cares about are in trouble. :)
It's a very complex story, set in a very interesting fantasy world. The world-building is great, the pieces of the world, and who it works are revealed through the story, just enough to make you want more. :) And the storyline is well thought out, with many unexpected twists and turn.
I didn't like Rilla at first, but towards the middle of the story, she seems to get a backbone and got a whole lot more interesting. :) I love that she has a dark side. :)
What I didn't like at all, is the prince. I'm still not sure if he is all bad, or just sometimes bad, but there is something about him, that irks me.
There are many characters, some more, some less important, but all very well thought out.
As I read the story, it jumped from the pages, I felt like I was there in the middle of the story with them.
The story stayed in my mind for a long time. Can't wait to read what happens next. :)
Highly recommend it!
received from Xpresso Book Tours
May 2, 2021
Under the Lavender Moon, Christina Mai Fong’s debut young-adult fantasy novel, is a heart-breaking coming of age story set in a magical, but bleak land known as the Seracedar Kingdom. Not only has the heroine, Rilla Marseas, just begun to explore her ability to heal illness with the power of her voice, but she’s turned old enough to qualify for the annual Showcase - a talent competition on steroids that no one in their right mind would want to win. Imagine Miss America meets the Hunger Games, then throw in vindictive concubines, enslaved eunuchs, oppressed women known as trinkets, mysterious princes with their own agendas, and an emperor who will do anything to stay in power. Beyond the highest of stakes within Rilla’s journey, author Fong has also created a glorious realm, complete with intricately painted landscapes, history, and mythology, the kind of land a reader wants to return to again and again with the hope that Rilla’s magic can be finally turned toward healing her fantastic world.
April 27, 2021
Initially the story appears to be a modern Chinese fairy-tale. A battle against good and evil. Rilla a young 16 year old girl has a special gift, the gift of song. Against her will she is forced to participate in a “showcase”. An event where young pretty girls are selected to become the Emperors new concubines.
However as you read this book you realise there is a second underlying story which gives the book more depth.
Christina’s writing is beautiful and evocative. You are transported into a fantasy world with magic and witchcraft. The beautiful imagery of cherry blossom is cut through with the description of a smell of death and decay.
Women are reduced to – trifles, trinkets and baubles. Those that disobey or fail to please the Emperor are put in cages like animals. Always the feeling that beneath beauty and perfection is ugliness and cruelty.
Women are muzzled if they speak out.
I can to a realisation that Mai Fong was writing a far more clever and satirical book then a fairy tale. I will leave other readers to draw their own conclusion.
The idea of a young pretty girl being more than just that is great. And Rilla’s kick arse change from wanting to be a healer to becoming a reluctant warrior makes the story more believable.
This is the first book in the series. And I can see that there are going to be many challenges ahead for the young girl.
Great writing, and great imagination from the writer.
However as you read this book you realise there is a second underlying story which gives the book more depth.
Christina’s writing is beautiful and evocative. You are transported into a fantasy world with magic and witchcraft. The beautiful imagery of cherry blossom is cut through with the description of a smell of death and decay.
Women are reduced to – trifles, trinkets and baubles. Those that disobey or fail to please the Emperor are put in cages like animals. Always the feeling that beneath beauty and perfection is ugliness and cruelty.
Women are muzzled if they speak out.
I can to a realisation that Mai Fong was writing a far more clever and satirical book then a fairy tale. I will leave other readers to draw their own conclusion.
The idea of a young pretty girl being more than just that is great. And Rilla’s kick arse change from wanting to be a healer to becoming a reluctant warrior makes the story more believable.
This is the first book in the series. And I can see that there are going to be many challenges ahead for the young girl.
Great writing, and great imagination from the writer.
February 6, 2021
5 Cranky Stars
This is a non-stop action, suspense and fantasy novel. The world building is great and you are sure you are reading about China or Japan.
The Emperor lives in his city far at the other end of their province. The custom is for the girls in all the small towns to rehearse to audition for his representatives for a coveted slot in his harem. If you win the whole competition, you may have a chance to become his Favorite. Yasmina was now the age for the Showcase. At sixteen, she had her tai-chi but had to hide it. Her mother had warned her since it manifested that the opportunity wasn't all that it was promoted to be. All she wanted anyway was to be a healer. However, when the scouts were there, she made a tragic mistake. Thus she was taken from her brother, learned her family secrets and was sent to the temple. What happens there will keep you on the edge of your seat. Old friends have become enemies but through it all, Yasmina stays true to her beliefs. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
This is a non-stop action, suspense and fantasy novel. The world building is great and you are sure you are reading about China or Japan.
The Emperor lives in his city far at the other end of their province. The custom is for the girls in all the small towns to rehearse to audition for his representatives for a coveted slot in his harem. If you win the whole competition, you may have a chance to become his Favorite. Yasmina was now the age for the Showcase. At sixteen, she had her tai-chi but had to hide it. Her mother had warned her since it manifested that the opportunity wasn't all that it was promoted to be. All she wanted anyway was to be a healer. However, when the scouts were there, she made a tragic mistake. Thus she was taken from her brother, learned her family secrets and was sent to the temple. What happens there will keep you on the edge of your seat. Old friends have become enemies but through it all, Yasmina stays true to her beliefs. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
June 1, 2021
Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Rilla Marseas must hide her magically healing voice so she’s not selected to compete in the annual Showcase for a prize she doesn’t want. When her powerful voice is ruthlessly discovered, she must outsmart the palace to save her family…and herself from a life as the royal couple’s prisoner using her voice to grant them eternal youth.
Review: I enjoyed this book so much! UNDER THE LAVENDER MOON is a beautifully written, fast-paced novel about finding your voice, the painful realization that you always had it when it might be too late, trusting the power within, and the difficult choices that must be made for the right reasons.
Fong’s rich world building of a magic system that decides your fate is unique and foreboding. I can’t get the palace’s four seasonal gardens (that hide alarming secrets) out of my mind! The main character Rilla Marseas is full of surprises. Her inner journey was fascinating as she struggles with hiding her magic to protect those she loves but also yearning to see who she could be.
Looking forward to Book 2!!
Sixteen-year-old Rilla Marseas must hide her magically healing voice so she’s not selected to compete in the annual Showcase for a prize she doesn’t want. When her powerful voice is ruthlessly discovered, she must outsmart the palace to save her family…and herself from a life as the royal couple’s prisoner using her voice to grant them eternal youth.
Review: I enjoyed this book so much! UNDER THE LAVENDER MOON is a beautifully written, fast-paced novel about finding your voice, the painful realization that you always had it when it might be too late, trusting the power within, and the difficult choices that must be made for the right reasons.
Fong’s rich world building of a magic system that decides your fate is unique and foreboding. I can’t get the palace’s four seasonal gardens (that hide alarming secrets) out of my mind! The main character Rilla Marseas is full of surprises. Her inner journey was fascinating as she struggles with hiding her magic to protect those she loves but also yearning to see who she could be.
Looking forward to Book 2!!
February 12, 2021
I loved this story! I loved the unique magic system, where different gifts manifest and are utilised by the girls through song or dance. It seems that song and dance are not the only ways to channel the magic though.
Girls of a certain age are chosen each year in order to compete to become one of the emperor's faela, and enter the harem. Rilla has an amazing gift, but she has hidden it because her family did not want her chosen for the competition. Those who do not become faela themselves become servants to the faela. Neither are allowed to leave and return to their families. Unfortunately, Rilla's gift is discovered and she isn't given a choice about entering the competition.
Once on the inside, Rilla learns the true extent of the rot behind the throne. With the help of several on the inside, Rilla takes a stand to help the other girls and women trapped beneath the emperor's thumb.
Highly recommended! I'm looking forward to the next one.
Girls of a certain age are chosen each year in order to compete to become one of the emperor's faela, and enter the harem. Rilla has an amazing gift, but she has hidden it because her family did not want her chosen for the competition. Those who do not become faela themselves become servants to the faela. Neither are allowed to leave and return to their families. Unfortunately, Rilla's gift is discovered and she isn't given a choice about entering the competition.
Once on the inside, Rilla learns the true extent of the rot behind the throne. With the help of several on the inside, Rilla takes a stand to help the other girls and women trapped beneath the emperor's thumb.
Highly recommended! I'm looking forward to the next one.
April 25, 2021
This book was really interesting. I love the fantasy elements put in this book by the author.
Rilla is a strong character. Character development is seen throughout this book. Rilla is seen as a weak character with no personality in the beginning, but as you read the book she becomes a strong person.
Plot development is great. I love the plot twists throughout this book. It made this book a page turner and easy to read. I was a bit sad with the cliffhanger at the end, but hopefully book 2 will answer some questions.
There is quite a bit of romance in this book. I didn't really like the prince. Some of his actions were weird and confusing.
Overall, I loved reading this book. It was highly enjoyable and I would recommend it to fans of Sarah J Maas and the Shadow and Bone series. There were disappointing elements to this book, but the good outweighed the bad.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Rilla is a strong character. Character development is seen throughout this book. Rilla is seen as a weak character with no personality in the beginning, but as you read the book she becomes a strong person.
Plot development is great. I love the plot twists throughout this book. It made this book a page turner and easy to read. I was a bit sad with the cliffhanger at the end, but hopefully book 2 will answer some questions.
There is quite a bit of romance in this book. I didn't really like the prince. Some of his actions were weird and confusing.
Overall, I loved reading this book. It was highly enjoyable and I would recommend it to fans of Sarah J Maas and the Shadow and Bone series. There were disappointing elements to this book, but the good outweighed the bad.
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2021
What a powerful YA fantasy about a 16 yo protagonist, Rilla, who must hide her power so that she doesn’t get chosen for the Emperor’s Showcase, an event where young gifted girls are shown off for their beauty and magic. The character development in this novel is outstanding. Throughout the entire story, I felt every emotion for Rilla: anger, angst, confusion, anger, etc. I loved this novel so much that I wished I could take her out of her world. Alas, she was in it and she did what she had to! The trials and. tribulations of Rilla’s journey are so realistic, the reader feels like they’re in the pages. Rilla is realistic and relatable!
The plot was so well written. The stakes never let down. I was on a journey with this story. I didn’t want to put it down. I easily give this story a 5/5 rating. It’ll take you on a journey. Plus, the cover is amazing!
The plot was so well written. The stakes never let down. I was on a journey with this story. I didn’t want to put it down. I easily give this story a 5/5 rating. It’ll take you on a journey. Plus, the cover is amazing!
February 14, 2021
I can only say my 'WOW' to this book. It's awsome and I finished it within a day.
All I can say is this book has the vibe of Hunger Games, Selection and Red Queen mixed in Asian taste (which is great!) One thing that makes me almost eat my phone, it's a cliffhanger!!!!!
I love how Christina writes this book. The words she used are easy to understand and I rarely open a dictionary book because I have no found any difficult words. Ohhh and the plot? It's driving me crazy because the chemistry between the lead-female and her affection was less shown. Although they cute when they're together. I hope on the second book I'll find more interesting relationship between they two hahaha...
I promise you, if you read this book, it will not dissapointed you. Maybe in the next book Christina can add some drawing or maps inside the castle. I can't wait for book two!!
All I can say is this book has the vibe of Hunger Games, Selection and Red Queen mixed in Asian taste (which is great!) One thing that makes me almost eat my phone, it's a cliffhanger!!!!!
I love how Christina writes this book. The words she used are easy to understand and I rarely open a dictionary book because I have no found any difficult words. Ohhh and the plot? It's driving me crazy because the chemistry between the lead-female and her affection was less shown. Although they cute when they're together. I hope on the second book I'll find more interesting relationship between they two hahaha...
I promise you, if you read this book, it will not dissapointed you. Maybe in the next book Christina can add some drawing or maps inside the castle. I can't wait for book two!!
February 12, 2021
“What I really admire about this book is the inclusion of social expectations of beauty, obedience and servitude to male authority, that many women – even centuries ago – in all cultures around the world might still experience. The story follows this young woman finding ways to escape the reality of society’s pre-determined plans for her life.”
“Every part of this world has a reason for its existence, and it makes the story all the more captivating and unique. This is a great read for those who enjoy fantasy stories with a heroine who fights to right wrongs.”
I received an ARC of this book as part of the tour; all thoughts are my own.
Read the full review on my blog here: https://www.bookishtrisha.com/2021/02...
“Every part of this world has a reason for its existence, and it makes the story all the more captivating and unique. This is a great read for those who enjoy fantasy stories with a heroine who fights to right wrongs.”
I received an ARC of this book as part of the tour; all thoughts are my own.
Read the full review on my blog here: https://www.bookishtrisha.com/2021/02...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2021
I loved this book! The author does an incredible job building the world for the characters and the entire story played out like a movie in my head. It is very well-written and consistent in character and story.
There were enough surprises to keep me guessing throughout, and I love the main character—she’s special but also real and she suffers from common flaws such as insecurity and perceived cowardice but she is truly a strong female protagonist. I was rooting for her all the way!
If you like stories with adventure, mystery, romance, and a little fantasy and thrill thrown in for good measure, you will enjoy this book!
There were enough surprises to keep me guessing throughout, and I love the main character—she’s special but also real and she suffers from common flaws such as insecurity and perceived cowardice but she is truly a strong female protagonist. I was rooting for her all the way!
If you like stories with adventure, mystery, romance, and a little fantasy and thrill thrown in for good measure, you will enjoy this book!
February 11, 2021
From Old friends to becoming enemies while staying true to yourself among such outstanding character development that will have you feeling their emotions along with having empathy for them. Between the plot and the journey within Under the Lavender Moon is one that you will not able to put down. A thoroughly enjoyed this book with how every description painted such a vivid idea that was refreshing to read.
See the full review on Pineenshrined.com
See the full review on Pineenshrined.com
February 22, 2021
Fans of books like "Shadow and Bone," "A Court of Thorns and Roses" and "An Ember in the Ashes" will find another great read with Christina Mai Fong's debut novel. Good writing, rich worldbuilding, a complex protagonist, and enjoyable twists make this a quick and easy read. Gripping and fun, I read it in one sitting! Highly recommend this book.
February 22, 2021
Unique world!
Great new voice, with a very well developed, creative world to explore. I look forward to following Rilla on her next journey.
Great new voice, with a very well developed, creative world to explore. I look forward to following Rilla on her next journey.
March 6, 2021
Innovative and sweet Magical Realism
February 16, 2021
I received this Advanced Reader's Copy from Xpresso Book Tours and the author in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 2.5 - 3 stars
I'm looking over at my notes at Notion and as I am reviewing it, I am torn between casting a two or a three-star rating. I wish GoodReads allowed for the .5 increments because that makes such a huge difference. In the end, I was more comfortable giving it a two-star rating.
The things I liked about this book are:
1) Pacing - chapters are really sectioned off nicely and trickle smoothly from one chapter to the next.
2) Radi - protagonist's best friend. She is a really well-rounded character and she felt authentic and real - even better than the protagonist in my opinion. Usually, I don't really like bubbly characters but she was the only character I cared about that has convinced me to stick around and finish the entire book and she's also the big reason why I kinda don't want to give this book less than a three-star rating. Actually, the very first time I rated the book I gave it a four-star rating, simply because of her. I hope we get to see more of her in action in Book II or in Book III. Not sure if the Nightingale series is a trilogy or if there are a lot more volumes to be made.
3) I liked the concept of the story and this book started off really strong. There were also maps and a glossary included with pronunciations of every character's name with a small dossier profile at the back of the book which was helpful in navigating the story. The cover is also well-done.
4) The author's writing skill is quite decent and I enjoyed her writing style. Someone noted in one of the reviews that the songs placed by the author lacked a rhythmic direction, and that could very well be true (because they are coming from a musical background), but it didn't bother me while I was reading it. I already had this expectation of the songs embedded in the story to be similar to early song compositions where it sang more like a lore/ballad/poem than an actual song.
What I didn't like from this book:
1) The development of friendship between the MC and the Supporting Character (her best friend) has been shoved to the side in favor of building a romantic connection with one of the moody, brooding princes. It's such a missed opportunity because it had this perfect setup at the beginning for female alliance/female bonding to defeat the evil emperor but somewhere down the line, it discarded it for a shallow, romantic subplot that I honestly could have lived without.
2) The romantic dialogues need a lot of work. They didn't feel zingy at all and I couldn't feel the chemistry between the MC and the prince. I'm not angry at the prince being included as a romantic partner, but I need that slow-build chemistry to really believe that these two characters are attached to each other and that they care for one another. The author could have even made a golden trio with the MC, the Prince, and her best friend, but she opted for a wonky romantic triangle instead with the Prince's bodyguard. The Prince paired with the MC also gave off very manipulative and toxic vibes. I know they're meant to be teenagers and there is supposed to be a conflict between them to inject some sort of realism, but it just feels like it's semi-bordering on a manipulative relationship ground.
3) There is this Seduction Training that almost feels similar to Memoirs of a Geisha which was cool at first, but the author didn't really go into depth with it (Not saying it had to be an R-rating kind of thing) but it made me wonder what was the point of emphasizing the difficult training at the very beginning of the story when it turns out the MC just ended up having a lot of free time, exploring the palace. The MC was bored most of the time, and she could've used that time to help Radi with her healing powers, who IMHO, was suffering a lot of abuse more so than any other maiden imprisoned in the palace. She could have healed Radi’s wounds and cover them up with fake bruises using resources from the painter lady with who she’s shadowing. It would have given the MC a way to return the kindness of Radi during the lake scene.
4) There are spoilers ahead sort of? But not really. I mean I feel like TW needs to be included somewhere in a book or a review for someone before picking up the book so that before they decide to invest time in it, they've been adequately warned. So if you don't mind a light spoiler, then please go on ahead. If you would like to try the book out for yourself, the list I made above with the bullet points should suffice in conveying to you how I felt about this book. //Light Spoiler Warning// This scene bothered me a lot after finishing the book. There is no way in hell, after experiencing something as heavily traumatizing as a gang rape episode, would you be able to trust a male after it's happened. And yet Prince Carrick is able to soothe her like she's a deranged animal when the chaos in the palace erupted? No, just no. I'm not trying to be an asshole to the author or the publisher, but this is such an egregious oversight. We're in 2021 now. Surely, the scene could've been re-written where the MC is the one who saves her friend and stays with her instead.
5) MC's relationship with Radi. I know I touched up on this earlier, but this is a completely separate thing. For the first bullet point, I was asking for a space in however many chapters needed (maybe three or five) for a friendship to blossom deeper between the two. Instead, we get so many chapters of the MC abandoning Radi over and over again. See Bullet #4. You'll know what I'm talking about once you get to the lake scene and compare it to the chapters ahead. I wouldn't mind if the author releases a companion book to the first one, where the MC and Radi actually interacted with each other a lot more. Because then it would make more sense why they were introduced to each another in the first place.
6) There was a scene at the beginning where the protagonist was trying to come off as unattractive as possible to the scouts. And she decided to get a chest binder to make her chest flatter. I'm not overly sensitive about this kind of thing. I know that in this fantasy world, it's trying to mimic our society where it has these absurd beauty standards, but that could possibly be a trigger for someone who is struggling with their body image/identity. Like why couldn't this novel's universe be remade to where having a smaller chest doesn't equate to being ugly or hideous? It's a fantasy world. It should be easy to make those arrangements.
Please note that book reviews are meant to be biased and subjective by nature. So my experience with this book may not resonate with yours and that's completely okay.
Trigger Warnings: rape scene, gang rape, death of parents, humiliation, violence, impossible beauty standards, abuse, negative body image
You might like this book if you like the following tags: hero to villain arc; magical abilities, elemental powers
Full Review can also be found at: www.dazedmari.com
Rating: 2.5 - 3 stars
I'm looking over at my notes at Notion and as I am reviewing it, I am torn between casting a two or a three-star rating. I wish GoodReads allowed for the .5 increments because that makes such a huge difference. In the end, I was more comfortable giving it a two-star rating.
The things I liked about this book are:
1) Pacing - chapters are really sectioned off nicely and trickle smoothly from one chapter to the next.
2) Radi - protagonist's best friend. She is a really well-rounded character and she felt authentic and real - even better than the protagonist in my opinion. Usually, I don't really like bubbly characters but she was the only character I cared about that has convinced me to stick around and finish the entire book and she's also the big reason why I kinda don't want to give this book less than a three-star rating. Actually, the very first time I rated the book I gave it a four-star rating, simply because of her. I hope we get to see more of her in action in Book II or in Book III. Not sure if the Nightingale series is a trilogy or if there are a lot more volumes to be made.
3) I liked the concept of the story and this book started off really strong. There were also maps and a glossary included with pronunciations of every character's name with a small dossier profile at the back of the book which was helpful in navigating the story. The cover is also well-done.
4) The author's writing skill is quite decent and I enjoyed her writing style. Someone noted in one of the reviews that the songs placed by the author lacked a rhythmic direction, and that could very well be true (because they are coming from a musical background), but it didn't bother me while I was reading it. I already had this expectation of the songs embedded in the story to be similar to early song compositions where it sang more like a lore/ballad/poem than an actual song.
What I didn't like from this book:
1) The development of friendship between the MC and the Supporting Character (her best friend) has been shoved to the side in favor of building a romantic connection with one of the moody, brooding princes. It's such a missed opportunity because it had this perfect setup at the beginning for female alliance/female bonding to defeat the evil emperor but somewhere down the line, it discarded it for a shallow, romantic subplot that I honestly could have lived without.
2) The romantic dialogues need a lot of work. They didn't feel zingy at all and I couldn't feel the chemistry between the MC and the prince. I'm not angry at the prince being included as a romantic partner, but I need that slow-build chemistry to really believe that these two characters are attached to each other and that they care for one another. The author could have even made a golden trio with the MC, the Prince, and her best friend, but she opted for a wonky romantic triangle instead with the Prince's bodyguard. The Prince paired with the MC also gave off very manipulative and toxic vibes. I know they're meant to be teenagers and there is supposed to be a conflict between them to inject some sort of realism, but it just feels like it's semi-bordering on a manipulative relationship ground.
3) There is this Seduction Training that almost feels similar to Memoirs of a Geisha which was cool at first, but the author didn't really go into depth with it (Not saying it had to be an R-rating kind of thing) but it made me wonder what was the point of emphasizing the difficult training at the very beginning of the story when it turns out the MC just ended up having a lot of free time, exploring the palace. The MC was bored most of the time, and she could've used that time to help Radi with her healing powers, who IMHO, was suffering a lot of abuse more so than any other maiden imprisoned in the palace. She could have healed Radi’s wounds and cover them up with fake bruises using resources from the painter lady with who she’s shadowing. It would have given the MC a way to return the kindness of Radi during the lake scene.
4) There are spoilers ahead sort of? But not really. I mean I feel like TW needs to be included somewhere in a book or a review for someone before picking up the book so that before they decide to invest time in it, they've been adequately warned. So if you don't mind a light spoiler, then please go on ahead. If you would like to try the book out for yourself, the list I made above with the bullet points should suffice in conveying to you how I felt about this book. //Light Spoiler Warning// This scene bothered me a lot after finishing the book. There is no way in hell, after experiencing something as heavily traumatizing as a gang rape episode, would you be able to trust a male after it's happened. And yet Prince Carrick is able to soothe her like she's a deranged animal when the chaos in the palace erupted? No, just no. I'm not trying to be an asshole to the author or the publisher, but this is such an egregious oversight. We're in 2021 now. Surely, the scene could've been re-written where the MC is the one who saves her friend and stays with her instead.
5) MC's relationship with Radi. I know I touched up on this earlier, but this is a completely separate thing. For the first bullet point, I was asking for a space in however many chapters needed (maybe three or five) for a friendship to blossom deeper between the two. Instead, we get so many chapters of the MC abandoning Radi over and over again. See Bullet #4. You'll know what I'm talking about once you get to the lake scene and compare it to the chapters ahead. I wouldn't mind if the author releases a companion book to the first one, where the MC and Radi actually interacted with each other a lot more. Because then it would make more sense why they were introduced to each another in the first place.
6) There was a scene at the beginning where the protagonist was trying to come off as unattractive as possible to the scouts. And she decided to get a chest binder to make her chest flatter. I'm not overly sensitive about this kind of thing. I know that in this fantasy world, it's trying to mimic our society where it has these absurd beauty standards, but that could possibly be a trigger for someone who is struggling with their body image/identity. Like why couldn't this novel's universe be remade to where having a smaller chest doesn't equate to being ugly or hideous? It's a fantasy world. It should be easy to make those arrangements.
Please note that book reviews are meant to be biased and subjective by nature. So my experience with this book may not resonate with yours and that's completely okay.
Trigger Warnings: rape scene, gang rape, death of parents, humiliation, violence, impossible beauty standards, abuse, negative body image
You might like this book if you like the following tags: hero to villain arc; magical abilities, elemental powers
Full Review can also be found at: www.dazedmari.com
June 9, 2021
Blog Review: https://trishadoeseverythingbutstudy2...
I requested and received a free Digital Review Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
Well, this was a disappointment. It wasn't completely bad, but it had so little of what I actually wanted. And it had such irritating characters. And this was my first email request *wipes tear* this does not bode well for my future requests.
The first problem I had was that when I read that this was going to have a character forced to become a part of the Emperor's harem, my expectation was that the book would constitute of a girl learning various seduction techniques, thus securing her win and protecting her family and herself.
What I got was a very irritating MC who would get into various kind sof troubles, wholly dependent on someone coming to rescue her (while I am a fan of the damsel in distress trope, there's a limit to which one can tolerate it), and then proceed to make stupid decisions to once again get into unsafe and fatal situations, where, once again, someone would rescue her.
And honestly, the fact that there was no hope of Rilla learning seduction techniques or espionage techniques, or literally any useful skill that could benefit you in a court was the biggest disappointment. The fact that she got a teacher, who would then proceed to just do the bare minimum, and Rilla herself didn't want to know more about anything, really rubbed salt in the wound.
The other things I didn't like are all quite minor by themselves, but adding it all up, it made for a very hard to get through book. One of these things was the love triangle, which I'm not even going to elaborate on because I will take too long ranting about something that's in every other book for some reason. And on that note, I'm not even going to rant about the instalove because I've already done that in a lot of reviews, and it's a bit late and I want to sleep, and I've been procrastinating on this review for nearly two months now, so I'm just going to write what needs to be written, and not go off on spiels about the irritating tropes in YA.
I did have fun in this book, and I'm optimistic that this author will only get better, since this is just the debut. While this is a very average book, the concept is interesting, and has a lot of scope to expand and build on, especially if the author writes the sequel.
Mostly though, this book was just nothing very out of this world to remark on. I loved the healing abilities, but I would get irritated with the song lyrics...this, though, is a personal shortcoming, because for me the lyrics would mess with my focus and make me lose track of the events....I do this with songfics too, so this is not exactly a problem.
What was a problem, though, was the extremely forthcoming characters, and some not so obvious plot reveals. For example, it was pretty obvious who the secret identity characters were, and the characters were in general just ready to pour out their backstories to the MC, who shouldn't exactly inspire a lot of trust because they don't even know her?
I loved the competition part of this, and I just wish that had had more focus? I love the tournament/competition trope, and that was another thing I was looking forward to in this, but it failed to play as big a role as I was expecting, especially because it would just pop up in places and feel jarring because I'd have forgotten that it was the overarching plot.
While this does explore quite a lot of serious issues, like underage prostitution and rape, I found the exploration itself lacking. This book offered a lot of insight into the grim aspects of these issues, but it would be glossed over very quickly with something or the other, and I would forget about it.
On the whole, an intriguing debut, with an amazing concept, but maybe just not for me. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys love triangles, doesn't mind insta-love, and wants to read little something light to pass the time.
I requested and received a free Digital Review Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review!
Well, this was a disappointment. It wasn't completely bad, but it had so little of what I actually wanted. And it had such irritating characters. And this was my first email request *wipes tear* this does not bode well for my future requests.
The first problem I had was that when I read that this was going to have a character forced to become a part of the Emperor's harem, my expectation was that the book would constitute of a girl learning various seduction techniques, thus securing her win and protecting her family and herself.
What I got was a very irritating MC who would get into various kind sof troubles, wholly dependent on someone coming to rescue her (while I am a fan of the damsel in distress trope, there's a limit to which one can tolerate it), and then proceed to make stupid decisions to once again get into unsafe and fatal situations, where, once again, someone would rescue her.
And honestly, the fact that there was no hope of Rilla learning seduction techniques or espionage techniques, or literally any useful skill that could benefit you in a court was the biggest disappointment. The fact that she got a teacher, who would then proceed to just do the bare minimum, and Rilla herself didn't want to know more about anything, really rubbed salt in the wound.
The other things I didn't like are all quite minor by themselves, but adding it all up, it made for a very hard to get through book. One of these things was the love triangle, which I'm not even going to elaborate on because I will take too long ranting about something that's in every other book for some reason. And on that note, I'm not even going to rant about the instalove because I've already done that in a lot of reviews, and it's a bit late and I want to sleep, and I've been procrastinating on this review for nearly two months now, so I'm just going to write what needs to be written, and not go off on spiels about the irritating tropes in YA.
I did have fun in this book, and I'm optimistic that this author will only get better, since this is just the debut. While this is a very average book, the concept is interesting, and has a lot of scope to expand and build on, especially if the author writes the sequel.
Mostly though, this book was just nothing very out of this world to remark on. I loved the healing abilities, but I would get irritated with the song lyrics...this, though, is a personal shortcoming, because for me the lyrics would mess with my focus and make me lose track of the events....I do this with songfics too, so this is not exactly a problem.
What was a problem, though, was the extremely forthcoming characters, and some not so obvious plot reveals. For example, it was pretty obvious who the secret identity characters were, and the characters were in general just ready to pour out their backstories to the MC, who shouldn't exactly inspire a lot of trust because they don't even know her?
I loved the competition part of this, and I just wish that had had more focus? I love the tournament/competition trope, and that was another thing I was looking forward to in this, but it failed to play as big a role as I was expecting, especially because it would just pop up in places and feel jarring because I'd have forgotten that it was the overarching plot.
While this does explore quite a lot of serious issues, like underage prostitution and rape, I found the exploration itself lacking. This book offered a lot of insight into the grim aspects of these issues, but it would be glossed over very quickly with something or the other, and I would forget about it.
On the whole, an intriguing debut, with an amazing concept, but maybe just not for me. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys love triangles, doesn't mind insta-love, and wants to read little something light to pass the time.
June 16, 2021
Such a brilliant book! One of the best twists on traditional fairy tales from the East. You won't believe how underground and shrewdly feminist this book is! Sure, you might begin the reading with the belief that our heroine will catch the Prince or Emperor's eye against all odds and live happily ever after. You'd be forgiven that since it has the trappings of a more traditional YA fantasy, but your illusions about a women-as-property world will be stripped away just as our plucky heroine's are. This isn't just sparkingly written (though it is); it has the biggest and powerful villain women have faced across millenia and cultures -- men as their masters and lords. If you insist on believing any good came of that world, this isn't the book for you. But if you want to experience the fight back from inside a great, magical character's skin, look no further. A modern must-read for 15 and older IMO; be aware of some pretty realistic (though not terribly graphic) violence against women if considering for younger readers. But also, some bad-ass finding of one's own voice and power.
July 1, 2021
This is amazingly well thought-out fantastic world with incredible stakes. Rilla has a rare tin-chai that allows her to heal people by singing, and because of this is selected to compete to join the emperor's harem in a contest with no winners. She's thrust into the palace with dozens of other girls, and she has to keep her ability secret or she'll be either chosen for harem (ew) or confined to a cage to heal dignitaries and noblemen. If she steps out of line, her family will be executed. It's an impossible situation in a gorgeous world that kept me glued to the page. Highly recommend!
June 25, 2021
I was lucky enough to win a copy of this beautiful book by Ms. Fong. I recommend it for everyone who likes a good adventure story, well told, by a true artist of the genre. Thanks, Christina for birthing this wonderful child into our world! Waiting with bated breath for the next installment.
November 5, 2021
The writing was very juvenile and stilted; the dialogue was the weakest part and did not sound natural at all. The book had a decent concept, but the execution is lacking.
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