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licensetoshelbs's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
vctoriaa's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
argentrabe's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
luna_staci's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
the_mew_of_cathulhu's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
misterintensity's review against another edition
4.0
When her ship traveling to del Mar is hijacked, Reyna is the only person to escape. Her escape sparks an investigation involving rival kingdoms, disappearing ships, and mythical creatures. In order to learn what happened she must team with a rival kingdom and its handsome prince. Book two of the Tower of Winds series takes place eight years after the first. The focus is now on Reyna, now a seventeen year old apprentice mapmaker. Although this is the second book of a duology this is a standalone, with characters from the first making reappearances. Like the first book this is a police procedural which takes place in a fantasy world, although more of a thriller than a fair play mystery. Although a fast read some readers may object to the slow pacing as the characters do not really start to tackle the problem presented early in the novel until more than halfway into the book. While some may appreciate the character building, including a slow build romance, some may be relieved once the investigation begins. Overall Song of the Abyss is an enjoyable book with likeable characters, a compelling problem to solve once the book starts focusing on it, and a cute romance even though it happens a bit too quickly for my tastes. Readers who enjoyed The Cruel Prince by Holly Black or Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson may enjoy this book.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a digital ARC for this book.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a digital ARC for this book.
popthebutterfly's review against another edition
2.0
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and netgalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Song of the Abyss
Author: Makiia Lucier
Book Series: Tower of Winds Book 2
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: August 27, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (some violence, some gore)
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: They came in the night as she dreamt, in her berth, on a ship sailing home to del Mar. After, they would be all Reyna thought about: two carracks painted scorpion black. No emblem on either forecastle, no pennants flying above the mainmasts to hint at a kingdom of origin.
Never a good sign.
As the granddaughter of a famed navigator, seventeen-year-old Reyna has always lived life on her own terms, despite those who say a girl could never be an explorer for the royal house of St. John del Mar. She is determined to prove them wrong, and as she returns home after a year-long expedition, she knows her dream is within reach. No longer an apprentice, instead: Reyna, Master Explorer.
But when menacing raiders attack her ship, those dreams are pushed aside. Reyna's escape is both desperate and dangerous, and when next she sees her ship, a mystery rises from the deep. The sailors--her captain, her countrymen--have vanished. To find them, Reyna must use every resource at her disposal . . . including placing her trust in a handsome prince from a rival kingdom.
Together they uncover a disturbing truth. The attack was no isolated incident. Troubling signs point to a shadowy kingdom in the north, and for once, the rulers of the Sea of Magdalen agree: something must be done. But can Reyna be brave enough to find a way?
Review: This book was a gorgeous read. The world building was very well done and the plot was what drew me to this book.
However, this book just fell flat for me. The story was very flat, it had almost a textbook reading to it. The book actually kind of reads like a historical fiction, which doesn’t do well for the genre it is (YA Fantasy). The characters are also very flat and uninteresting in my opinion and the pacing was very discombobulated. The book felt so slow throughout the majority of it, and then at the end it felt super rushed and disjointed. It really could have used some more depth and more development, with the story leaning away from the historical aspects of the book and into the story at hand.
Verdict: Not for me, but gorgeous at least!
Book: Song of the Abyss
Author: Makiia Lucier
Book Series: Tower of Winds Book 2
Rating: 2/5
Publication Date: August 27, 2019
Genre: YA Fantasy
Recommended Age: 15+ (some violence, some gore)
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Pages: 352
Amazon Link
Synopsis: They came in the night as she dreamt, in her berth, on a ship sailing home to del Mar. After, they would be all Reyna thought about: two carracks painted scorpion black. No emblem on either forecastle, no pennants flying above the mainmasts to hint at a kingdom of origin.
Never a good sign.
As the granddaughter of a famed navigator, seventeen-year-old Reyna has always lived life on her own terms, despite those who say a girl could never be an explorer for the royal house of St. John del Mar. She is determined to prove them wrong, and as she returns home after a year-long expedition, she knows her dream is within reach. No longer an apprentice, instead: Reyna, Master Explorer.
But when menacing raiders attack her ship, those dreams are pushed aside. Reyna's escape is both desperate and dangerous, and when next she sees her ship, a mystery rises from the deep. The sailors--her captain, her countrymen--have vanished. To find them, Reyna must use every resource at her disposal . . . including placing her trust in a handsome prince from a rival kingdom.
Together they uncover a disturbing truth. The attack was no isolated incident. Troubling signs point to a shadowy kingdom in the north, and for once, the rulers of the Sea of Magdalen agree: something must be done. But can Reyna be brave enough to find a way?
Review: This book was a gorgeous read. The world building was very well done and the plot was what drew me to this book.
However, this book just fell flat for me. The story was very flat, it had almost a textbook reading to it. The book actually kind of reads like a historical fiction, which doesn’t do well for the genre it is (YA Fantasy). The characters are also very flat and uninteresting in my opinion and the pacing was very discombobulated. The book felt so slow throughout the majority of it, and then at the end it felt super rushed and disjointed. It really could have used some more depth and more development, with the story leaning away from the historical aspects of the book and into the story at hand.
Verdict: Not for me, but gorgeous at least!
lehc1984's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
emmascc's review against another edition
4.0
Just really good, solid YA fantasy. I've enjoyed everything Makiia Lucier has written and will continue to follow her work.