Can you hear it?
That siren's song disguised in emerald and gold and where the wielder of the crown is never the victor.
This...is a song of Wraiths and Ruin.
At the end of a fantastic read, you are left with a moment of reflection when you need to set the book down for a moment. This allows you to absorb the remaining effects of the adventure you just underwent and the lingering emotional experiences of the characters that just became a part of your life. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne “Rosie” A. Brown was an elaborate work full of diversity and an excellent amount of research into West African folklore. I found myself absolutely embracing the rich narrative and characters that Rosie wove from her great tapestry that comprises of Ziran.
Our main protagonists, Karina and Malik, both are individuals that hold your heart and captivate you to the last page. Karina's royal blood thrums through her very existence and the pressure at times evokes moments of mental duress. She wishes to be free from the responsibilities of one day being a ruler like her mother, the Sultana, and yearns for a life outside the wall of Ziran. Yet the blood in her veins ties her more to Ziran than she know and when her mother is assasinated, Karina forms a plan to bring her mother back through a long forgotten spell...she just needs a king's heart first.
As newcomers to the city, Malik and his sisters are immigrants that aspire to have a better life and eventually send for their mother and grandmother to join them. However, when their plans are compromised by light hands and Malik fails to heed the advice of his older sister, their plans unravel and he finds himself at the mercy of an ancient spirit whose name breathes the dust of ancient prophecy.
Both protagonists have prices to pay for what they are seeking and only the end of Ziran's festival of Solstasia can show to what end they are willing to traverse. Brown is able to eloquently chronicle the depths of sacrifice and how the thorns of affection and love can both spur us on and wound us. I loved how Brown was able to impart the intricacies of her world world in a great detail that sends us directly to Ziran's vibrant celebration, the dark corners of an ancient's forgotten realm, and the inner hearts of Karina and Malik. Karina has a true sense of selflessness and strength while Malik's kind nature complements the storyline and moves it to a resolute ending that will have you reeling for the immediate release of the sequel.
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is a solid debut that I'd definitely mark as a 5 star read!
BOOK INFORMATION
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin
by Roseanne A. Brown Publisher: Balzer + Bray Release Date: June 2nd 2020
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Synopsis:
The first in an fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction.
For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, as payment into the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.
But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.
When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?
BOOK LINKS
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Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/Roseanne_A_Brown_A_Song_of_Wraiths_and_Ruin?id=AQAAAEBs_nG-DM
AUTHOR INFORMATION
Roseanne “Rosie” A. Brown was born in Kumasi, Ghana and immigrated to the wild jungles of central Maryland as a child. Writing was her first love, and she knew from a young age that she wanted to use the power of writing—creative and otherwise—to connect the different cultures she called home. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor’s in Journalism and was also a teaching assistant for the school’s Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House program. Her journalistic work has been featured by Voice of America among other outlets.
On the publishing side of things, she has worked as an editorial intern at Entangled Publishing. Rosie was a 2017 Pitch Wars mentee and 2018 Pitch Wars mentor. Never content to stay in any one place for too long, Rosie currently teaches in Japan, where in her free time she can usually be found exploring the local mountains, explaining memes to her students, or thinking about Star Wars.
AUTHOR LINKS
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PRE-ORDER CAMPAIGN
Images for Twitter and Instagram available on the dropbox folder.
Link to the pre-order submission form: bit.ly/ASOWARCampaign
A pre-order/order from any retailer or a request to your local library will get you: * A bookmark! * 2 character cards featuring Karina and Malik! * A limited edition signed bookplate * An exclusive digital fairy tale from the A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN world! An order from indie bookstore Books With a Past will get you: * A bookmark! * 2 character cards featuring Karina and Malik! * A limited edition signed bookplate * An exclusive digital fairy tale from the A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN world! * A handwritten note and personalization from the author! Rules: * You must submit proof of purchase/library request. Screenshots and photos of receipts are fine. * Only orders and library requests dated through June 30, 2020 are eligible * Only orders made through Books With a Past (https://bookswithapast.com/home/bookdetailsin/0062891499) will receive the note and personalization. * All swag will be sent out on a rolling basis starting June 2nd * Entrants under the age of 18 must obtain parent/guardian permission before entering
EXCERPT
TOUR SCHEDULE
Prize:
Win an ASOWAR bookplate,
bookmark, two trading cards,
and access to the exclusive short story (INT)
Starts: June 2nd 2020
Ends: June 16th 2020
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