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A review by indigoquill
Song of the Forever Rains by E.J. Mellow
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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
Beware when the songbird sings.
I really, really wanted to like this book. The blurb was interesting, promising a tale of intrigue and thievery. While those things certainly were present, it all felt a little flat.
There was such phenomenal potential with this book. Both the worldbuilding and magic system fell flat for me, however. Not much is explained, and if it is, it's usually through witty banter between our main character, Larkyra, and her ally-turned-love interest Darius. Now, there's nothing wrong with banter, and it makes for a lighthearted break among the heavier topics present in this book, but nearly every conversation was full of quips and turns of phrase. Sometimes nothing would be explained, and your left just going along with whatever new magical item pops up to move the story along. Where are the rules to using these items? Can just anyone use them, or only those gifted with magic?
I truly didn't take much issue with the romance--I appreciate that is was insta-attraction, not insta-love. Larkyra and Darius do have a natural progression of their relationship, forbidden feelings and all.
What fell flat the most for me was the writing style. It's not horrible, simply lackluster. Even action scenes didn't hold enough tension to keep me interested. I found myself skipping lines here and there, and I still was able to follow the plot well enough. There were some beautifully written paragraphs, mostly related to Larkyra and her feelings toward her magic. The growth she experiences at the end felt earned.
Over all, Song of the Forever Rains is not a bad book. The themes explored do carry weight and are handled appropriately, with the characters reacting in natural and different ways to the horrors they discover. Will I read the sequels? Potentially.
If you're looking for a romance book with a dash of magic, this is for you.
I really, really wanted to like this book. The blurb was interesting, promising a tale of intrigue and thievery. While those things certainly were present, it all felt a little flat.
There was such phenomenal potential with this book. Both the worldbuilding and magic system fell flat for me, however. Not much is explained, and if it is, it's usually through witty banter between our main character, Larkyra, and her ally-turned-love interest Darius. Now, there's nothing wrong with banter, and it makes for a lighthearted break among the heavier topics present in this book, but nearly every conversation was full of quips and turns of phrase. Sometimes nothing would be explained, and your left just going along with whatever new magical item pops up to move the story along. Where are the rules to using these items? Can just anyone use them, or only those gifted with magic?
I truly didn't take much issue with the romance--I appreciate that is was insta-attraction, not insta-love. Larkyra and Darius do have a natural progression of their relationship, forbidden feelings and all.
What fell flat the most for me was the writing style. It's not horrible, simply lackluster. Even action scenes didn't hold enough tension to keep me interested. I found myself skipping lines here and there, and I still was able to follow the plot well enough. There were some beautifully written paragraphs, mostly related to Larkyra and her feelings toward her magic. The growth she experiences at the end felt earned.
Over all, Song of the Forever Rains is not a bad book. The themes explored do carry weight and are handled appropriately, with the characters reacting in natural and different ways to the horrors they discover. Will I read the sequels? Potentially.
If you're looking for a romance book with a dash of magic, this is for you.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction and Physical abuse