Arc review – A Song Of Wraiths And Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

June 2, 2020 by ceresbooksworld

A Song Of Wraiths And Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown

Book One in A Song Of Wraiths And Ruin series

Publisher : Balzer + Bray

Publication date : June 2^nd, 2020

Source : eArc from Edelweiss

Rating : 4 hearts

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?

Review

Malik, Leila and Nadia go to the Solstasia festival hoping to enter the city of Ziran and find work. Unfortunately, Nadia is kidnapped and Malik makes a pact with a vengeful spirit, to save his little sister, he must kill Princess Karina.

On the side of the princess, the Sultana, her mother is dead. Until Solstasia’s games are over, few people know about it. Karina wants to resurrect her at all costs and for that she will have to kill the winner after she marries him.

Malik is a good and kind young man, he doesn’t want to hurt anyone but he would do anything to save his sister. He really touched me and even his naivety is adorable. He comes from a tribe oppressed by the Sultana and finds it hard not to defend his people.

Karina on her side lost her father and sister in a tragic accident, the only one left is her mother who doesn’t have time to take care of her. So she has become a princess who doesn’t want to live in Ziran anymore and who does whatever she wants, no matter the consequences. Described this way you’ll tell me that it’s not very attractive but it is because she is improving and becoming aware of her flaws. I liked Karina a lot because she is not afraid of a small challenge and at the same time she lets her weaknesses show.

The story is very nice, I will not hide that the beginning is a little slow because it is the setting up of the world itself. But once everything is launched, it’s hard to stop reading.

I would read the second volume with pleasure in order to discover what will happen to all the characters.

Roseanne A. Brown has a fluid style and she has created an interesting story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end.

Quick word: A story to read if you like female characters of character and in today’s times it’s also a story with black characters written by an African woman. #BlackLivesMatter

Chronique

Malik, Leila et Nadia vont au festival Solstasia en espérant pouvoir entrer dans la ville de Ziran et trouver du travail. Malheureusement, Nadia est enlevée et Malik fait un pacte avec un esprit vengeur, pour sauver sa petite sœur, il doit tuer la princesse Karina.

Du côté de la princesse, la Sultana, sa mère est morte. Tant que les jeux de Solstasia ne sont pas finis, peu de gens sont au courant. Karina veut à tout prix la ressusciter et pour cela elle va devoir tuer le gagnant après l’avoir épousé.

Malik est un jeune homme bon et gentil, il ne veut faire de mal à personne mais il ferait tout pour sauver sa sœur. Il m’a vraiment attendri et même sa naïveté est adorable. Il vient d’une tribu opprimée par le Sultana et a beaucoup de mal à ne pas défendre son peuple.

Karina de son côté à perdu son père et sa sœur dans un tragique accident, il ne lui reste que sa mère qui n’a pas le temps de s’occuper d’elle. Elle est donc devenue une princesse qui ne veut plus vivre à Ziran et qui fait tout ce qu’elle veut, peut importe les conséquences. Décrit comme ça vous me direz que ce n’est pas très attirant mais si parce que justement elle s’améliore et prends conscience de ses défauts. J’ai beaucoup aimé Karina car elle n’a pas peur d’un petit défi et en même temps elle laisse apparaitre ses faiblesses.

L’histoire est très sympathique, je ne vous cache pas que le début est un peu lent car c’est la mise en place du monde en lui-même. Mais une fois que tout est lancé on a du mal à s’arrêter de lire.

Je lirais le deuxième tome avec plaisir afin de découvrir ce qu’il va arriver à tous les personnages.

Roseanne A. Brown à un style fluide et elle a su créer une histoire intéressante qui vous tiens en haleine jusqu’à la fin.

En bref : Une histoire à lire si vous aimez les personnages féminins de caractère et dans les temps actuels c’est aussi une histoire avec des personnages noirs écrit par une Africaine. #BlackLivesMatter

About the author

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. Rosie currently lives outside Washington D.C., where in her free time she can usually be found wandering the woods, making memes, or thinking about Star Wars.

Rosie is represented by Quressa Robinson of Nelson Literary Agency.

Ceres Books World