The Song of the Marked (Shadows and Crowns)

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But how can they save a world where nothing and no one is what they seem to be— including Cas herself? The magic system is interesting and in The Song of the Marked, we got glimpses of how powerful the magic can be. I am really looking forward to seeing these powers displayed fully. The world-building is impressively atmospheric and intricate. I'm aware that it takes place in the same universe as another prequel series and builds up on that, it could be why I felt a tad overwhelmed by it but it didn't cause much confusion for me.

The found family trope in The Song of the Marked suits the story perfectly and was well-executed. I wanted even more of Casia’s friends, and I hope we’ll get that in the next book. I also quite liked Elander’s character and liked his and Casia’s chemistry. I’m curious, to see what his motives are and who he really is. However, Casia will have to work closely with the infuriatingly charming Captain of the Peace Keeping regiment of the King's army, Elander Revenmar. So when the king himself offers her a job, she can't resist the massive reward he offers-even if it means working with Captain Elander, the arrogant, mysterious right-hand to that king.As someone who's sworn off YA books for good -with a few exceptions, of course-, that was definitely one of the reason I ended up struggling with this book. But in a land brimming with old magic and meddling gods, nothing is ever that simple, and nothing is ever what it seems. If Throne of Glass and From Blood and Ash had a baby, it would be this book. That does not mean it's a carbon copy, the world and the characters just come off original and vibrant. The mythology within the country of Kethra was absolutely magnificent. There was a whole pagan set of gods and goddesses. I loved all the different "levels"(?), might not be the right word. Can I please have an encyclopedia of all the gods in this world? I want to learn more right now.

For decades, the Kethran Empire has been plagued by a strange illness that leaches the very life and soul from its victims.

Overall, there isn't anything in particular that I strongly disliked about this book. I think it did everything well but it didn't have anything that stood out to me as being amazing. I recommend this if you're looking for a fantasy-romance series with a badass female main character. I'll definitely keep reading the rest of the series! Casia works as a mercenary with a group of outlaws thanks to their magic. Trouble stirs and they are caught by the guards of the King-Emperor Varen. It was so much fun revisiting the world from the Serpents and Kings trilogy, with all the gods, myths and magic! New characters and new events, so you don't have to read the former trilogy before you read this book (although I highly recommend that you do, because it's damn good!). If you haven't read the Serpents and Kings trilogy you might have to spend some time getting to know the world, but no more than you usually do when starting a new series.

The first chapter sounded interesting, although I should have read into the signs the universe was giving me when I caught myself reading the same few paragraphs over and over again because I couldn't focus on the things my braian was trying to process. But as the death toll rises and strange monsters wreak havoc across the realms, Cas and Elander find themselves up against meddling gods and very old magic. The ending was a HUGE twist, like I figured out the one part and was focusing on trying to figure how it all fit together I completely did not see the other big reveal coming. The ending was incredible and the problems it complicates for the next books is exactly what I needed. This is the first book I've read in a while after a mini reading hiatus... but it was really good! Glad I could start reading again with a strong seriesSo when the king himself offers her a job, she can't resist the massive reward he offers - even if it means working with Captain Elander, the arrogant, mysterious right-hand to that king. THERE WAS A GOOD mixture of fantasy and romance, my favorite combination in a book ❤️ The fantasy world was interesting, not like anything I've previously read before so that's always good. I originally bought the Kindle version of The Song of the Marked but didn't even start it because I knew I would enjoy listening more. I am SOOOO glad I listened to it. The narrator was AWESOME! She is a very talented voice actor and had some great accents in her repertoire.

Unfortunately, working alongside him also means working with the handsome but infuriating captain of one of the most prestigious branches of the Kethran Army.

Customer reviews

Another thing to note is the great work of the narrator Jesse Vilinsky. I absolutely loved the way she narrated Elander’s voice. I love this book, so much, no it wasn’t overly spicy, there was maybe one scene but the build up to that scene was so well done! SM does slow burn so well! She also does world building, character building, and twists that you really aren’t expecting so so well. It was just truly magical and I can’t wait for the ride the rest of the series has in store! Mercenary Casia Greythorne cares about two things: completing whatever her latest job is and earning enough coin to buy the expensive medicine that's keeping her mentor alive. Elander is broody, smart, powerful and his sarcasm is immaculate. I can’t even. I am in love. I have a new book boyfriend.