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Monday, October 3, 2016

Book Tour, Review, Giveaway: "Songs of Seraphina"





Description



Songs of Seraphina
by 
Jude Houghton
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: June 30th 2015
Tenebris Books, Grimbold Books

Summary from Goodreads:


Some battles bleed so much, and for so long, that the earth never truly forgets their dead. Some battles are born of oppression, and some of greed, and some simply because it was written in the stars.

Three sisters—Charlemagne, Cairo and Pendragon Agonistes—are sent from America to England to live with their eccentric grandparents after their mother disappears and their father falls to pieces. But before the girls have time to find their feet, Charlemagne is married off to a dead man, Penny takes a nap and wakes up as a boy, and Cairo is swept into a dangerous romance with a man who wants her for more than her considerable charm. With the girls wrapped up in a conflict they barely understand, they don’t notice that their grandmother is transforming, or that the two demigod assassins who took their mother are now coming for them—if one of them can get over his crisis of conscience.

In this richly painted tale, at whose heart is the unbreakable bond of family and blood, the world of Seraphina collides with our own as three unique girls are dragged into twilight lives past, fighting for vengeance, retribution, and the survival of their exiled people.

About the Author


Jude Houghton developed a love of fantasy from a relatively early age after realising an innate talent for making stuff up could result in something other than detention. Working across the globe in fields as diverse as journalism, data entry, sales, management consultancy and babysitting, Jude has partially succeeded in putting an English and History degree from Oxford University to good use. A somnambulist, insomniac, lover of letters, Jude writes late into the night, most nights, tumbling down the rabbit hole to dream of other lives. Jude currently lives in Pennsylvania with an over-enthusiastic family and absurdly entitled dog.


Review


After their mother’s disappearance, their father sent his three girls—Charlemagne, Cairo, and Pendragon—to live with their grandparents in England, who they haven’t spoken to in years. Many surprises occur for the teens, not the least of which are visions, magical crystals, wakes, an alternate world, and gods and demigods out to kill them for reasons they are only beginning to understand.

Songs of Seraphina was very interesting. I dare say, it was unlike any book I have ever read in some ways. I read the description, and it sounded to quirky I just had to try it, and I truly enjoyed it. It was very much a mystery, in which the three sisters fought to understand all the supernatural events going on, such as the visions and dreams each of them keep having. I liked the use of the visions to reveal bits of the past. Each of the visions took one of the sisters literally into the mind and perspective of someone in the past in the alternate world called Seraphina. The bits and pieces of information revealed in each vision were masterfully tied in to the larger story, spanning two worlds and multiple generations. There was much deception that the sisters fell prey to before they were able to discover the truth, and with multiple versions of the truth being presented and tied with manipulation and almost-hypnosis, it was no easy task. And the biggest question of the story was discovering who the real enemy was, which had a layered answer no matter how you look at it. I liked the world-building, with the gods, nations, crystals, and generations, but there could have been a little more to it—more description of the lands themselves and what makes Seraphina unique from Earth. Songs of Seraphina was a little dark in some ways; you know, a wake, plots to murder the main characters, deceit, and two demigods who are the assassins for the gods. All of it added up to a pretty epic book, too. But I must add, the book ended with a lot of unanswered questions and a giant cliffhanger, so I am really hoping for a second book.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy YA fantasy with some paranormal effects.

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. 


Giveaway



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