Blood Song (Lharmell, #1) in Aussie Readers

May 20, 2011 Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: publisher-sent, covers-to-die-for, i-own, arc-s, for-review, random-house-sent

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. *Firstly, thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review*

An enchantingly eerie ride from start to finish, Blood Song captivated me with its rich, magical details, and refused to let me go the entire tale!
Australian author Rihannon Hart has created a stunning world with her debut novel. The story weaves together beautifully, flowing from one brilliant moment to the next, and the otherworldly feel draws you in from the very beginning. A far cry from all the vampire and supern *Firstly, thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review*

An enchantingly eerie ride from start to finish, Blood Song captivated me with its rich, magical details, and refused to let me go the entire tale!
Australian author Rihannon Hart has created a stunning world with her debut novel. The story weaves together beautifully, flowing from one brilliant moment to the next, and the otherworldly feel draws you in from the very beginning. A far cry from all the vampire and supernatural books that litter the YA market right now, Blood Song, and the creatures within it, prove to be one of a kind!
From the opening line on the very first page, this book had me. I was hooked. And then as the story evolved and more elements came into play, it was a fight to simply put the book down. The idea behind this story and even the one that surrounds Zeraphina herself was fascinating to me and I enjoyed every moment I got to unravel the worlds of Pergamia and Lharmell.

Apart from the fabulous storyline which is surrounded by mystery and keeps you on your toes, the characters in this book will draw you in as you follow Zeraphina on her journey.
A great new heroine, Zeraphina truly was a joy to follow and read about. She held all the traits of a true princess, but was strong willed and independent, willing to defy what was expected of her to follow her instincts. She never backed down and wasn’t afraid to take a risk; instead ready to face her fear and issues head on. She isn’t obsessed with the norms of royal life and truly is different than her sister and mother.
Queen Renata and Princess Lilith were nice editions to the tale, adding some depth, but I must admit I didn’t feel too much for them. Although it’s clear that despite all of Renata’s faults, she loves both of her daughter very much.
I couldn’t get enough of Leap and Griffin in this book. The animal aspect and the way it was written into the story was just perfect. They were terrific little characters that added personality to the story without the unnecessary drama you sometimes get from actual people.

Honestly, I can’t talk about this book and not talk about the relationship that develops between Zeraphina and Rodden. It was a highlight in this book for me. It’s not an outright focal point in the story, but there’s no denying that it’s there. It’s very effortless and doesn’t seem forced or unrealistic at all. Rodden, who is a few years older than Zeraphina, is arrogant, brooding and oh, so intriguing. He’s sexy and appealing without trying, and there’s a chemistry there between him and Zeraphina—even if they don’t always see it. The two of them had a love/hate relationship, heavy on the hate that I adored. The way they bicker and bait each other and the constant biting comments they made towards one another had me smiling in that all too knowing way. It was kind of like being back in high school when you know two people like each other in a morbid sort of way (even if they deny it) and know eventually they’re going to give into that. The thing I love the most about how Hart has written their romance is that there’s no rush to it. They’re not declaring their feelings straight off the bat and are madly in love—they’re fighting and disagreeing and slowing beginning to get past each other’s walls.

The pace and tone of this book flowed and fit perfectly. It all moved along nicely and the events and certain scenes in this book (mostly between Zeraphina and Rodden) had me entertained and captivated, eagerly turning each page until there was no more to turn. This book will thrill fans of Maria V. Snyder's Study series and Kristen Cashore’s Graceling and I foresee it being a hit!

Now, everyone say it with me.....S-e-q-u-e-l!
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Sep 21, 2011 Nicki Markus rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-paranormal

I began to see this book mentioned on blogs some months back and tried several times to win a copy in giveaways but was unsuccessful. The cover drew me in and the blurb sounded interesting, plus I'd seen some great reviews coming out. Then I saw it in KMart for $14 and quickly grabbed a copy.

I certainly wasn't disappointed with my purchase as I found this book to be a great read and finished it in one sitting. It is a fairly simplistic tale, but then it is aimed at a YA audience and not adults l ...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Marg rated it liked it

Blood Song is the debut novel from Australian author Rhiannon Hart. I was interested in reading it when it first came out, but I hadn't quite gotten around to it yet. A couple of weeks ago I received the second book in this series for review, but I can't knowingly do the whole reading out of order thing so I borrowed this book from the library.

Shortly afterwards, the author offered me the chance to participated in a blog tour for the two books. Given that I read so much better to a deadline, I a ...more

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