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gbeangold's review
3.0
Hmm, I liked this book but I wish it had more. The concept was really cool and I really liked Cadence’s character, but I really wish there was more world-building because I was super interested in the magic system and hierarchy and all that, but it wasn’t a main point of the book. If there was more development of the world I think it would’ve been a lot more to my liking. Also, I kind of wish we got to see more of Cadence and Remi’s relationship, I feel like I got robbed. But overall I enjoyed Ruinsong!
booksandladders's review
4.0
See this review and more on Books and Ladders!
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book, but read it as a finished audiobook, and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.
Content Warning: mentions of cancer, animal death (the death itself is not on page but the scene of the main character discovering the animal is very graphic), blood, torture, vomiting.
I've never seen Phantom of the Opera, so I have no idea how close to a retelling Ruinsong is, but oh my, it is SO good! While there are VERY triggering aspects of animal and pet deaths, as well as not being super nice to animals in general, I did quite enjoy the entire experience of reading (I just kept my cat super close - she was a little annoyed).
I loved this magic system, and how it was used for plot and character development. I definitely wanted a hundred more magical showdowns and it would be AMAZING to see as a Netflix show (please).
I always love Julia Ember's books for the inclusion of fat characters who are unapologetically fat. I thought Remi was a great character, a perfect counterpart to Cadence, and overall I loved reading about their relationship. Both girls were so strong and independent, but knew how to rely on others and ask for help when necessary. I loved watching them fall in love and I always love the "childhood friends to lovers" trope, which I thought was really well done here.
I would have liked a bit better pacing, and listening as an audiobook made it a little difficult because there was one narrator for two perspectives, but this is such a good build of suspense, magic, and fantasy that it is definitely worth the read.
If you can handle animal death and torture, please pick this up!
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Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book, but read it as a finished audiobook, and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.
Content Warning: mentions of cancer, animal death (the death itself is not on page but the scene of the main character discovering the animal is very graphic), blood, torture, vomiting.
I've never seen Phantom of the Opera, so I have no idea how close to a retelling Ruinsong is, but oh my, it is SO good! While there are VERY triggering aspects of animal and pet deaths, as well as not being super nice to animals in general, I did quite enjoy the entire experience of reading (I just kept my cat super close - she was a little annoyed).
I loved this magic system, and how it was used for plot and character development. I definitely wanted a hundred more magical showdowns and it would be AMAZING to see as a Netflix show (please).
I always love Julia Ember's books for the inclusion of fat characters who are unapologetically fat. I thought Remi was a great character, a perfect counterpart to Cadence, and overall I loved reading about their relationship. Both girls were so strong and independent, but knew how to rely on others and ask for help when necessary. I loved watching them fall in love and I always love the "childhood friends to lovers" trope, which I thought was really well done here.
I would have liked a bit better pacing, and listening as an audiobook made it a little difficult because there was one narrator for two perspectives, but this is such a good build of suspense, magic, and fantasy that it is definitely worth the read.
If you can handle animal death and torture, please pick this up!
Like my reviews? Buy me a Ko-Fi!
persnickety_9's review
4.0
3.5 stars, so I’ve rounded it up to 4 because I enjoyed this book a lot. I love how character-driven this story is, and I adore Cadence and Remi. I wish the world had been built a little more, and I think the ending was a bit rushed, but I still enjoyed this book immensely. I mean, I read 240 pages in one day and would’ve stayed up all night reading if my mom wasn’t here. Hopeful for a sequel!
thindbooks's review
3.0
*This e-arc was given to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*
I liked this book. It's about a powerful mage, Candence, who is forced to torture her kingdom by the queen until she meets her childhood friend and they try to find a way for Candence to defeat the queen. I thought the book was basic and wish there was more to the story. There was little information about the world and I wish the author did well with the world-building. I did enjoy the story but wish there was more to it. The pacing went well in the beginning but got rushed at the end.
I enjoyed the characters in this book both Candence and Kemi. I love how the author wrote the book in both of their povs and I felt connected to these characters. Though I felt that the antagonist was a little weak but I did enjoy the queen. I thought the romance in this book was cute but I wanted more of it.
This was an enjoyable read but I was expecting more. I think this is a perfect short read if someone feels like reading something that doesn't have a complex world. This is perfect for those who love LGBTQ+ with fantasy.
Blog Tour coming on Thindbooks Blog (www.thindbooks.blogspot.com) on the week of the release date.
I liked this book. It's about a powerful mage, Candence, who is forced to torture her kingdom by the queen until she meets her childhood friend and they try to find a way for Candence to defeat the queen. I thought the book was basic and wish there was more to the story. There was little information about the world and I wish the author did well with the world-building. I did enjoy the story but wish there was more to it. The pacing went well in the beginning but got rushed at the end.
I enjoyed the characters in this book both Candence and Kemi. I love how the author wrote the book in both of their povs and I felt connected to these characters. Though I felt that the antagonist was a little weak but I did enjoy the queen. I thought the romance in this book was cute but I wanted more of it.
This was an enjoyable read but I was expecting more. I think this is a perfect short read if someone feels like reading something that doesn't have a complex world. This is perfect for those who love LGBTQ+ with fantasy.
Blog Tour coming on Thindbooks Blog (www.thindbooks.blogspot.com) on the week of the release date.
chillvamp's review
2.0
This book had a lot of potential but unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. The pacing is just horrendous. Part of it is possibly me being a story structure nerd, but it really felt like there was no tension and the important moments had very little impact.
The problem I think lies in that Cadence's choice (whether to rebel or not) is dragged out throughout the whole book and only really resolved at the very end. The choice whether to act or not is interesting as character conflict for about a third of the book, but it can't sustain a whole novel. It has to be forced sooner, otherwise it just feels like this: like the choice was isolated and didn't really change who she is as a character, and it's boring to read about characters that don't change. Remi has a similar problem.
It's just very static and that's sad, because I do like the setting, but it just felt like a succession of catalysts thrown at Cadence (this bad thing happens! then this bad thing happens! then this other bad thing!) but at a certain point it's difficult to care because it seems no matter what happens she won't act.
Since it was marketed as Phantom of the Opera-ish, I had expected that the stakes would be much higher, that Cadence would be expelled (could have introduced the factoid about Expelled mages rediscovering their power through the main character!) and maybe then return for the ball (how cool would it be to have a silent singer sneaking back into the ball hidden by a mask!) but unfortunately the author seemed afraid to truly push her characters to breaking point. Nothing wrong with a softer tale, it just seemed to want to be very dark at times and at others it lost its nerve. I almost didn't finish it, but well, I will do anything for lesbian romance books, as it turns out.
The problem I think lies in that Cadence's choice (whether to rebel or not) is dragged out throughout the whole book and only really resolved at the very end. The choice whether to act or not is interesting as character conflict for about a third of the book, but it can't sustain a whole novel. It has to be forced sooner, otherwise it just feels like this: like the choice was isolated and didn't really change who she is as a character, and it's boring to read about characters that don't change. Remi has a similar problem.
It's just very static and that's sad, because I do like the setting, but it just felt like a succession of catalysts thrown at Cadence (this bad thing happens! then this bad thing happens! then this other bad thing!) but at a certain point it's difficult to care because it seems no matter what happens she won't act.
Since it was marketed as Phantom of the Opera-ish, I had expected that the stakes would be much higher, that Cadence would be expelled (could have introduced the factoid about Expelled mages rediscovering their power through the main character!) and maybe then return for the ball (how cool would it be to have a silent singer sneaking back into the ball hidden by a mask!) but unfortunately the author seemed afraid to truly push her characters to breaking point. Nothing wrong with a softer tale, it just seemed to want to be very dark at times and at others it lost its nerve. I almost didn't finish it, but well, I will do anything for lesbian romance books, as it turns out.
aminaelisa's review
3.0
as of now this is a 2.75 rounded up.
did i love it? no.
was it okay? yeah, i guess.
SPOILERS
i liked the magic system but the court politics and underground rebellion felt like they lacked depth, we focused too much on two singular characters and their part in the counter movement instead of getting a proper explanation of how everything went down.
the super powerful mage that left the court that delivers a great poisonous weapon off screen right when we need it is mentioned only in that moment and other stuff like that were also... a bit eh
did i love it? no.
was it okay? yeah, i guess.
SPOILERS
i liked the magic system but the court politics and underground rebellion felt like they lacked depth, we focused too much on two singular characters and their part in the counter movement instead of getting a proper explanation of how everything went down.
the super powerful mage that left the court that delivers a great poisonous weapon off screen right when we need it is mentioned only in that moment and other stuff like that were also... a bit eh
madlysoph's review
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book took an interesting premise and then just threw it in a shredder. It feels violently underdeveloped and far too fast-paced past the first third or fourth of the book. The relationship between the main characters develops unrealistically and they genuinely should not be together. This book could genuinely be middle grade if not for a few minor sexual references. The way Elenes traumatizing upbringing is treated is so confusing because the author switches between condemning her and sympathizing with her. The climax makes no sense and feels like it was quickly thrown together to wrap up the book. It feels like the author had a very short amount of time to write this and was just trying to get words on paper. If this concept was given more space and development it genuinely could have been good but it was very underdeveloped and couldn’t decide where it was going after the halfway point.
mariepty's review
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
kezemu's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
thebookwormsfeast's review
5.0
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book - but I would have liked a little more Phantom of the Opera-ness, hence the .5 of a star. It follows two women doing their best to survive in a kingdom ruled through terror - where magic is wrought through songs. I really liked the magic system, and the bits of intrigue peppered throughout. I'd loved to have dipped more into the supporting cast of characters, so if any other stories came from this world in the future I'd be very keen to delve back on in.
I really enjoyed this book - but I would have liked a little more Phantom of the Opera-ness, hence the .5 of a star. It follows two women doing their best to survive in a kingdom ruled through terror - where magic is wrought through songs. I really liked the magic system, and the bits of intrigue peppered throughout. I'd loved to have dipped more into the supporting cast of characters, so if any other stories came from this world in the future I'd be very keen to delve back on in.