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Shadows and Crowns #1
The Song of the Marked
The old gods are growing restless...
Mercenary Casia Greythorne cares about two things: completing her latest job and earning enough coin for the expensive medicine that's keeping her mentor alive.
So when the king commands her to investigate a strange plague devastating the empire, she can't resist the massive reward he offers - even if it does mean working with the arrogant and infuriating Captain Elander.
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.
Because an ancient evil is stirring in the shadows.
And their empire will not survive its full unleashing.
The first book in the thrilling Shadows & Crowns series - perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows!
Mercenary Casia Greythorne cares about two things: completing her latest job and earning enough coin for the expensive medicine that's keeping her mentor alive.
So when the king commands her to investigate a strange plague devastating the empire, she can't resist the massive reward he offers - even if it does mean working with the arrogant and infuriating Captain Elander.
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.
Because an ancient evil is stirring in the shadows.
And their empire will not survive its full unleashing.
The first book in the thrilling Shadows & Crowns series - perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows!
437 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 17, 2020
About the author
S.M. Gaither
26 books1,741 followersI don't check Goodreads regularly, but you're welcome to send me an email (smgaitherbooks@gmail.com) anytime!
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As a kid, S.M. Gaither spent way too much time playing video games like Final Fantasy and reading every book she could get her hands on instead of doing silly things like her assigned homework. As an adult…Well, not much has changed. Her goal is to write books that distract others from their life’s obligations, too, thus creating an army of fellow procrastinators over which she can reign supreme. These days, her personal favorite places to procrastinate are in the mountains near her North Carolina home, in the company of her husband, their daughter, and their very spoiled dog.
--
As a kid, S.M. Gaither spent way too much time playing video games like Final Fantasy and reading every book she could get her hands on instead of doing silly things like her assigned homework. As an adult…Well, not much has changed. Her goal is to write books that distract others from their life’s obligations, too, thus creating an army of fellow procrastinators over which she can reign supreme. These days, her personal favorite places to procrastinate are in the mountains near her North Carolina home, in the company of her husband, their daughter, and their very spoiled dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,261 reviews
September 16, 2020
I think it's a pretty good book.
(I'm probably biased tho.)
(I'm probably biased tho.)
July 21, 2021
This is what From Blood and Ash wanted to be so badly except That JLA will never grow out of her virginity fetish, childish prose, non existent world building, and racism lmao I said what I said
January 8, 2022
4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“You’re much nicer after you’ve had a near-death experience. You should almost die more often, maybe.”
The Song of the Marked is a book I could not put down because I was immediately drawn to the story and the characters.
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.
—Enemies-to-Lovers
— Found Family
— Unique Magic System
— Intricate World-building
— One-Bed Trope
— Action-packed
— Gods and Goddesses
— Court Intrigue
— Dynamic Characters
— FMC with Anxiety Disorder
Casia Greythorne survived the Fading Sickness as a child, a vicious sickness that plagued the Kethran Empire for the past few decades. There are very few survivors but the sickness leaves its mark, which is why they are called Fade-marked, by altering the shade of their hair and eyes to grey, even their skin turns grayish pale.
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.
The King-Emperor offers Casia a deal: find a cure for the Fading Sickness, and in return she and her friends will be spared and their records cleared.
However, Casia will have to work closely with the infuriatingly charming Captain of the Peace Keeping regiment of the King's army, Elander Revenmar.
In a world infested by magic and shaped by gods and goddesses of different hierarchies, there are many secrets and hidden truths that will challenge and change all of what Casia had ever known about her life.
Even the enigmatic Captain has his own fair share of secrets and mysterious powers.
“You’re a rather…captivating combination of fearless and faint-hearted.”
I adored the characters in this book! They were radiant and alive and each was tinged with a unique personality and a voice. The author did an excellent job at setting them apart and creating such an amazing chemistry between not only the couple, but all the characters.
“Because nothing says friendship like being willing to murder on your behalf, right?”
Speaking of the couple, Cas and Elander's chemistry was off the roof the moment they met. They served delicious banter, slowburn tension, and all of that added so much to the amazing chemistry between them.
The romance develops at a steady pace and I'm happy it wasn't rushed because it was fun to see them face a battle of wits every time they were around each other.
They were an interesting pair, weren’t they? Nothing but questions and doubts between them, it seemed like.
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.
I think the pacing in general was good but sometimes it felt off especially midway. The action-scenes helped in keeping me invested in the story and the tension-building kept me on edge about what's to happen.
And oh boy, expect quite a few plot-twists.
“No, Thorn. I am not immune to death. I am just very good at negotiating with him.”
“Well, I hope you’ll negotiate on my behalf if the need ever arises.”
I look forward to reading the sequel, I'm already attached to these characters and after that amazing ending, I'm more than thrilled to follow them on their next journey.
“You’re much nicer after you’ve had a near-death experience. You should almost die more often, maybe.”
The Song of the Marked is a book I could not put down because I was immediately drawn to the story and the characters.
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.
—Enemies-to-Lovers
— Found Family
— Unique Magic System
— Intricate World-building
— One-Bed Trope
— Action-packed
— Gods and Goddesses
— Court Intrigue
— Dynamic Characters
— FMC with Anxiety Disorder
Casia Greythorne survived the Fading Sickness as a child, a vicious sickness that plagued the Kethran Empire for the past few decades. There are very few survivors but the sickness leaves its mark, which is why they are called Fade-marked, by altering the shade of their hair and eyes to grey, even their skin turns grayish pale.
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.
The King-Emperor offers Casia a deal: find a cure for the Fading Sickness, and in return she and her friends will be spared and their records cleared.
However, Casia will have to work closely with the infuriatingly charming Captain of the Peace Keeping regiment of the King's army, Elander Revenmar.
In a world infested by magic and shaped by gods and goddesses of different hierarchies, there are many secrets and hidden truths that will challenge and change all of what Casia had ever known about her life.
Even the enigmatic Captain has his own fair share of secrets and mysterious powers.
“You’re a rather…captivating combination of fearless and faint-hearted.”
I adored the characters in this book! They were radiant and alive and each was tinged with a unique personality and a voice. The author did an excellent job at setting them apart and creating such an amazing chemistry between not only the couple, but all the characters.
“Because nothing says friendship like being willing to murder on your behalf, right?”
Speaking of the couple, Cas and Elander's chemistry was off the roof the moment they met. They served delicious banter, slowburn tension, and all of that added so much to the amazing chemistry between them.
The romance develops at a steady pace and I'm happy it wasn't rushed because it was fun to see them face a battle of wits every time they were around each other.
They were an interesting pair, weren’t they? Nothing but questions and doubts between them, it seemed like.
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.
I think the pacing in general was good but sometimes it felt off especially midway. The action-scenes helped in keeping me invested in the story and the tension-building kept me on edge about what's to happen.
And oh boy, expect quite a few plot-twists.
“No, Thorn. I am not immune to death. I am just very good at negotiating with him.”
“Well, I hope you’ll negotiate on my behalf if the need ever arises.”
I look forward to reading the sequel, I'm already attached to these characters and after that amazing ending, I'm more than thrilled to follow them on their next journey.
Read
April 11, 2023Hard DNF.
Boring. Boring. Boring. Confusing. Boooooring.
Looking at this cover, there were many things I could have predicted about the book, except maybe that I'd end up not enjoying this one bit and actually giving up on it after barely 100 pages.
The story itself wasn't that bad.
I'll give the author that, but the writing was dull and it felt very YA-ish, which caused both the characters and their dialogues to also read as YA.
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.
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.
I also feel like I should mention that Gaither goes pretty heavy on info-dumping in the very first chapters. Add to it that their writing was overly descriptive, stiff and impossibly impersonal, and you'll get why I was in so much pain.
Like I said before, the plot had lots of potential.
It gives off major Throne of Glass vibes (which, okay, I didn't like either - but in my defense, I was at least able to finish that one), and hadn't it been for the unsufferable MC, the confusing world-building and the tedious way it was described, I probably would have tried harder to make it at least to the halfway mark.
I'm sure lots of other readers will enjoy this, and I can understand why to an extent, but unofrtunately for me, I'm not among them.
Boring. Boring. Boring. Confusing. Boooooring.
Looking at this cover, there were many things I could have predicted about the book, except maybe that I'd end up not enjoying this one bit and actually giving up on it after barely 100 pages.
The story itself wasn't that bad.
I'll give the author that, but the writing was dull and it felt very YA-ish, which caused both the characters and their dialogues to also read as YA.
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.
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.
I also feel like I should mention that Gaither goes pretty heavy on info-dumping in the very first chapters. Add to it that their writing was overly descriptive, stiff and impossibly impersonal, and you'll get why I was in so much pain.
Like I said before, the plot had lots of potential.
It gives off major Throne of Glass vibes (which, okay, I didn't like either - but in my defense, I was at least able to finish that one), and hadn't it been for the unsufferable MC, the confusing world-building and the tedious way it was described, I probably would have tried harder to make it at least to the halfway mark.
I'm sure lots of other readers will enjoy this, and I can understand why to an extent, but unofrtunately for me, I'm not among them.
August 20, 2022
Eh this was just okay. It had all of the elements of a really good fantasy novel, but everything fell short and just wasn't fleshed out enough. The heroine had a friend group that was kind of there to be there and their relationships weren't really developed, and they conveniently went away when the plot needed them gone. The romance started off so strong, but then that also kind of took a back burner to the plot and I wasn't dying to see how that would play out. There is still a lot about this world that wasn't explained and I didn't love this enough to want to continue on in the series.
May 23, 2022
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 series
✅ 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.
🆗 THE STORYLINE AND ROMANCE were a bit cliche and had a ton of tropes, but it was still really enjoyable. I don't mind tropes and things being cliche as long as there's enough nuance for it to still be unique.
✅ THE ROMANCE WAS really good! I would describe the pacing as a medium burn because it wasn't overly drawn out but it also didn't feel like insta-lust. It was a good in-between. It wasn't very steamy, some things happened on page but it wasn't overly described or lengthy. And their banter was A+ 😅
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!
Steam Scale: 🔥🔥/3
Swoon Scale: ❤️❤️/3
✅ 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.
🆗 THE STORYLINE AND ROMANCE were a bit cliche and had a ton of tropes, but it was still really enjoyable. I don't mind tropes and things being cliche as long as there's enough nuance for it to still be unique.
✅ THE ROMANCE WAS really good! I would describe the pacing as a medium burn because it wasn't overly drawn out but it also didn't feel like insta-lust. It was a good in-between. It wasn't very steamy, some things happened on page but it wasn't overly described or lengthy. And their banter was A+ 😅
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!
Steam Scale: 🔥🔥/3
Swoon Scale: ❤️❤️/3
October 30, 2024
My jaw DROPPED at that ending. 🫣
March 7, 2023
*0.5
Honestly, it was terrible. From start to finish, I just couldn't bring myself to invest in any of the aspects of the book. In fact, if I could rate it a zero, I would, but since that's not an option, I had no choice but to give it the lowest rating possible.
Honestly, it was terrible. From start to finish, I just couldn't bring myself to invest in any of the aspects of the book. In fact, if I could rate it a zero, I would, but since that's not an option, I had no choice but to give it the lowest rating possible.
Read
July 24, 2022DNF
I started this book twice over the last month and could not get into it. The writing leaned towards juvenille and the world building was shaky at best and the fantasy elements felt a bit. . . Thrown together at random. This is the type of fantasy that drops you into a fully established world and expects you to care about the characters and stakes with no build up or background, it's the opposite of info dumping. Neither are ideal. I wish more fantasy romance authors would take the time to build their world more convincingly. The drop you in type of fantasy is risky because it doesn't give you a strong enough reason to care about the fate of the world or the characters and relies on keeping your interest through action alone. Which is definitely not my preference and isn't a strong enough reason for me to keep reading.
I'm picky about world building and plot in fantasy and this was a miss for me in those areas.
I started this book twice over the last month and could not get into it. The writing leaned towards juvenille and the world building was shaky at best and the fantasy elements felt a bit. . . Thrown together at random. This is the type of fantasy that drops you into a fully established world and expects you to care about the characters and stakes with no build up or background, it's the opposite of info dumping. Neither are ideal. I wish more fantasy romance authors would take the time to build their world more convincingly. The drop you in type of fantasy is risky because it doesn't give you a strong enough reason to care about the fate of the world or the characters and relies on keeping your interest through action alone. Which is definitely not my preference and isn't a strong enough reason for me to keep reading.
I'm picky about world building and plot in fantasy and this was a miss for me in those areas.
March 28, 2022
I really liked this one, the world building was good, the system of gods was interesting and I loved the chemistry and banter between Casia and Elander:
""It´s another anxiety thing. Touching things, tapping things..it helps me feel anchored. Keeps my thoughts from flying and carrying me away with them." He closed his eyes once more. "You don´t have to stop. I kind of like the feel of your fingers against me."
Her breath hitched. Audibly.
He smiled without opening his eyes "Sorry. Did that make you more anxious?"
"No" she lied.""
This book reminds me of Throne of Glass, there are also a few parallels between Casia and Aelin and in the storyline. So if you liked Throne of Glass, I think you´ll like this one as well.
""It´s another anxiety thing. Touching things, tapping things..it helps me feel anchored. Keeps my thoughts from flying and carrying me away with them." He closed his eyes once more. "You don´t have to stop. I kind of like the feel of your fingers against me."
Her breath hitched. Audibly.
He smiled without opening his eyes "Sorry. Did that make you more anxious?"
"No" she lied.""
This book reminds me of Throne of Glass, there are also a few parallels between Casia and Aelin and in the storyline. So if you liked Throne of Glass, I think you´ll like this one as well.
July 30, 2022
funny that the last 1% was the only interesting part after suffering at 60% for almost 3 months😭 IM NOT JOKING LITERALLY AT 99% THERE WAS A HUGE REVELATION.
anyways yes that was absolute torture🤡 and i was actually enjoying the first half too but then??? THE PACING GOT SO BAD I DIED. i struggled so much :/
i really dont care abt any of these characters and especially the romance😭 at least it's over now !!
anyways yes that was absolute torture🤡 and i was actually enjoying the first half too but then??? THE PACING GOT SO BAD I DIED. i struggled so much :/
i really dont care abt any of these characters and especially the romance😭 at least it's over now !!
June 20, 2023
that ending. THAT ENDING. i saw one of the plottwists coming but the other one made me gasp and scream
October 8, 2020
3.5-4/5
Thank you to Book of Matches Media and the author for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I usually start off my reviews with a summary, but I've been struggling with this one because I have no idea how to summarize this. Part of my struggles with this book was that there wasn't an overwhelming uniting plot to me. Sure Casia went on different quests and was always doing something, but for me the driving force that should unite all these singular events was not there.
Let's backtrack a bit. Casia Greythorne is a mercenary and she does what she must to protect herself and her family. But she has a dangerous secret: she's fade-marked. The devastating illness called the Fading Sickness has been ravaging the country and she is only survivor, and that has come with a cost: her entire physical appearance has been altered to shades of gray. The King is known to be a persecutor of anyone who carries magic and Casia knows being fade-marked makes her a target, but when she's put in a tough situation she has no choice but to work with the King and his Captain of the Guard, Elander.
If you're looking for a plot I guess the main thing is Casia and Elander trying to investigate the Fade sickness and find a cure, but the way this mystery was set out was jumbled. It also could've been my mood. Lately, I haven't been feeling reading, unless the book is unapologetically queer. And that's totally on me, not this book. None of these things were deal breakers for me, and given my weird brain funk lately I'm chalking it all up to being the wrong time for this book. Let's talk about all the great things this story has to offer!
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.
Then there's Cas. I really liked Cas. She struggles with PTSD and anxiety and it's never shied away from in this book. Cas has several ways of coping with her anxiety attacks and she uses them throughout the story. Having such a badass as an MC, but someone who also suffers from mental illness was absolutely awesome. It really shows that people with mental illness are still people. They're still amazing, strong and can be badass.
Cas has several close friends she brings with her to the castle. I loved how close she was with Rhea and Zev. And then her sort of adoptive mother Asra. It was so precious. They were all so caring for each other and that is absolutely what I wanted more of.
Then there's Elander. I wasn't sure what to think of him at first. The way his relationship with Cas developed was really well done. They had some good jibs and banter, but also a couple soft moments, including a steamy scene. The ending was a bit wild. I was confused at parts, even though I guessed the "big reveal". The way the "villain" was revealed was kind of anti-climactic, because I was just so confused to their motivations in the moment.
All in all, this was a pretty interesting read: great characters, awesome world building, choppy plot though still entertaining. I'd be interested in reading the second book.
Thank you to Book of Matches Media and the author for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I usually start off my reviews with a summary, but I've been struggling with this one because I have no idea how to summarize this. Part of my struggles with this book was that there wasn't an overwhelming uniting plot to me. Sure Casia went on different quests and was always doing something, but for me the driving force that should unite all these singular events was not there.
Let's backtrack a bit. Casia Greythorne is a mercenary and she does what she must to protect herself and her family. But she has a dangerous secret: she's fade-marked. The devastating illness called the Fading Sickness has been ravaging the country and she is only survivor, and that has come with a cost: her entire physical appearance has been altered to shades of gray. The King is known to be a persecutor of anyone who carries magic and Casia knows being fade-marked makes her a target, but when she's put in a tough situation she has no choice but to work with the King and his Captain of the Guard, Elander.
If you're looking for a plot I guess the main thing is Casia and Elander trying to investigate the Fade sickness and find a cure, but the way this mystery was set out was jumbled. It also could've been my mood. Lately, I haven't been feeling reading, unless the book is unapologetically queer. And that's totally on me, not this book. None of these things were deal breakers for me, and given my weird brain funk lately I'm chalking it all up to being the wrong time for this book. Let's talk about all the great things this story has to offer!
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.
Then there's Cas. I really liked Cas. She struggles with PTSD and anxiety and it's never shied away from in this book. Cas has several ways of coping with her anxiety attacks and she uses them throughout the story. Having such a badass as an MC, but someone who also suffers from mental illness was absolutely awesome. It really shows that people with mental illness are still people. They're still amazing, strong and can be badass.
Cas has several close friends she brings with her to the castle. I loved how close she was with Rhea and Zev. And then her sort of adoptive mother Asra. It was so precious. They were all so caring for each other and that is absolutely what I wanted more of.
Then there's Elander. I wasn't sure what to think of him at first. The way his relationship with Cas developed was really well done. They had some good jibs and banter, but also a couple soft moments, including a steamy scene. The ending was a bit wild. I was confused at parts, even though I guessed the "big reveal". The way the "villain" was revealed was kind of anti-climactic, because I was just so confused to their motivations in the moment.
All in all, this was a pretty interesting read: great characters, awesome world building, choppy plot though still entertaining. I'd be interested in reading the second book.
February 18, 2021
Cas is trusting Elander from the beginning but he never gave her any reason to, none so ever. So the second part of this book was basically like this:
Elander : come with me, don't ask questions
Cas : of course, why not...
Elander : I want to help you, I'm on your side, the emperor-king is not
Cas : oh, ok, but he doesn't seems bad, are you sure?
Elander : it's complicated ,the emperor is not trustworthy, I am
Cas : I know, I don't trust him, but why?
Elander : I'll explain later, maybe never but you must trust me
Cas : yeah, sure
Are you for real?? The first few chapters were great and then suddenly all went to wrong, like a very different person took over and finished writing the book. More than half of the book seems undeveloped, unrealistic dialogues, situations that seem to be accepted as they are without any other explanation.
Honestly I can not explain how I managed to hold on to read the entire book.
Elander : come with me, don't ask questions
Cas : of course, why not...
Elander : I want to help you, I'm on your side, the emperor-king is not
Cas : oh, ok, but he doesn't seems bad, are you sure?
Elander : it's complicated ,the emperor is not trustworthy, I am
Cas : I know, I don't trust him, but why?
Elander : I'll explain later, maybe never but you must trust me
Cas : yeah, sure
Are you for real?? The first few chapters were great and then suddenly all went to wrong, like a very different person took over and finished writing the book. More than half of the book seems undeveloped, unrealistic dialogues, situations that seem to be accepted as they are without any other explanation.
Honestly I can not explain how I managed to hold on to read the entire book.
July 21, 2022
4.75/5
This was SO good
RTC
This was SO good
RTC
October 12, 2024
✅ First few chapters
✅🆗 World-building
🆗 Characters
🆗 Pace
🆗 Plot
🆗❌ Casia's interactions/relationship development with the King
❗️❗️ Trigger warning: mention of past lashing and beating, death of loved ones, sickness
1.5 stars
DNF at 50%
I kept on waiting for something to happen, which sucks because the first few chapters were fast-paced, mysterious, and engaging, but the rest of the book is bland.
Casia Greythorne is a mercenary who is desperate to complete her latest job so she can get enough money to buy medicine for her adoptive mother. When things don’t go as planned, she resorts to stealing jewelry from a soldier she met at a tavern, hoping she will get enough coin from it to buy the medicine, but what she doesn’t know is that this mysterious man is much more than a simple soldier, and Casia just bought herself a one-way ticket to the royal dungeons.
Cass appeared as a strong-willed character at first, but it was all an illusion. She seemed like the type that stands up for her friends, is independent and wary of everyone, the type that does not trust anyone besides her family and close friends. Yet, she trusts Captain Elander almost instantly, despite their rocky start, and she also trusts the King because, despite her reticence toward him, he seems nice and kind. She is told things and presented facts, and she just accepts the situations without any real explanation. This naïve trusting of everyone around her does not fit with the character we met in the first chapters.
I don’t really care about the characters, nor am I invested in their mission. It also sucks that Cass’s group of friends just got thrown into the background when they were not needed anymore, and they will probably be brought back into the story only if and when it is convenient to move the plot forward. They felt like tools rather than a part of the story.
The setting and world-building are promising but lack some development to truly be interesting. I was invested in the book and enjoyed it until Cass met with the King-Emperor.
I find their interactions to have a very YA and simplistic vibe, and it bugged me how it was all too easy and convenient, and made no sense. Cass was arrested, imprisoned, and killed many soldiers while escaping, yet the King Emperor decides that he wants her to stay for brunch and talk with him.
-Didn’t he know that she killed people? Did nobody tell him? Didn’t he hear the commotion in the castle?
-They were left on their own to eat with no guard near them, even though they knew nothing about Cass.
-Cass could see the King Emperor whenever she wanted to and was left alone with him many times.
-The King immediately trusted her and told her all of his hypotheses and plans regarding the fading sickness.
It just doesn’t make any sense to me. The King Emperor should have guards with him at all times, and he should not have been left alone with an escaped and dangerous prisoner. It felt as if those plot holes were just conveniently swept under the rug because the author needed Cass and the King to spend time alone together for their relationship to develop faster and to make the plot progress faster too.
After a while, it started to drag on, and the story was just not engaging enough anymore to keep me hooked. I decided to DNF this book for now, as I don’t particularly want to continue it, and I am very annoyed with the too-forward and simplistic way the plot and Cas and the King’s relationship develop.
Overall, the plot had potential, and the ideas were interesting, but the execution was lacking. On a side note, I am not certain that the audiobook was the best way for me to discover this story for the first time, because Captain Elander has a very strong accent (Scottish or Irish? I am so sorry, I am not good at differentiating accents) and it was hard to understand him at times.
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✅🆗 World-building
🆗 Characters
🆗 Pace
🆗 Plot
🆗❌ Casia's interactions/relationship development with the King
❗️❗️ Trigger warning: mention of past lashing and beating, death of loved ones, sickness
1.5 stars
DNF at 50%
I kept on waiting for something to happen, which sucks because the first few chapters were fast-paced, mysterious, and engaging, but the rest of the book is bland.
Casia Greythorne is a mercenary who is desperate to complete her latest job so she can get enough money to buy medicine for her adoptive mother. When things don’t go as planned, she resorts to stealing jewelry from a soldier she met at a tavern, hoping she will get enough coin from it to buy the medicine, but what she doesn’t know is that this mysterious man is much more than a simple soldier, and Casia just bought herself a one-way ticket to the royal dungeons.
Cass appeared as a strong-willed character at first, but it was all an illusion. She seemed like the type that stands up for her friends, is independent and wary of everyone, the type that does not trust anyone besides her family and close friends. Yet, she trusts Captain Elander almost instantly, despite their rocky start, and she also trusts the King because, despite her reticence toward him, he seems nice and kind. She is told things and presented facts, and she just accepts the situations without any real explanation. This naïve trusting of everyone around her does not fit with the character we met in the first chapters.
I don’t really care about the characters, nor am I invested in their mission. It also sucks that Cass’s group of friends just got thrown into the background when they were not needed anymore, and they will probably be brought back into the story only if and when it is convenient to move the plot forward. They felt like tools rather than a part of the story.
The setting and world-building are promising but lack some development to truly be interesting. I was invested in the book and enjoyed it until Cass met with the King-Emperor.
I find their interactions to have a very YA and simplistic vibe, and it bugged me how it was all too easy and convenient, and made no sense. Cass was arrested, imprisoned, and killed many soldiers while escaping, yet the King Emperor decides that he wants her to stay for brunch and talk with him.
-Didn’t he know that she killed people? Did nobody tell him? Didn’t he hear the commotion in the castle?
-They were left on their own to eat with no guard near them, even though they knew nothing about Cass.
-Cass could see the King Emperor whenever she wanted to and was left alone with him many times.
-The King immediately trusted her and told her all of his hypotheses and plans regarding the fading sickness.
It just doesn’t make any sense to me. The King Emperor should have guards with him at all times, and he should not have been left alone with an escaped and dangerous prisoner. It felt as if those plot holes were just conveniently swept under the rug because the author needed Cass and the King to spend time alone together for their relationship to develop faster and to make the plot progress faster too.
After a while, it started to drag on, and the story was just not engaging enough anymore to keep me hooked. I decided to DNF this book for now, as I don’t particularly want to continue it, and I am very annoyed with the too-forward and simplistic way the plot and Cas and the King’s relationship develop.
Overall, the plot had potential, and the ideas were interesting, but the execution was lacking. On a side note, I am not certain that the audiobook was the best way for me to discover this story for the first time, because Captain Elander has a very strong accent (Scottish or Irish? I am so sorry, I am not good at differentiating accents) and it was hard to understand him at times.
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September 20, 2023
This was wild because while I felt this book had so many elements I would usually enjoy, I found the writing to be so unengaging that I really struggled to pay attention to the story and retain anything.
Weirdly though, I kind of want to read the sequel...
Weirdly though, I kind of want to read the sequel...
May 6, 2023
**Edited review**
I. Am. Obsessed!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5
Angst/tension: 🔥🔥🔥/5
Spice: 🌶.5/5
What to expect:
✔️ Enchanting world-building
✔️ Enemies-to-lovers-enemies/it’s complicated 😩🤌🏻
✔️ Gods/goddesses 🏔
✔️ Unique magic system 🔮
✔️ Forced proximity
✔️ So. Much. Tension and angst it hurts 🙈
✔️ Incredible spice payoff🌶 (I would class this as NA for sure, same spice level as ACOMAF imo)
✔️ Found family
✔️ Secrets and betrayals 🙃
✔️ Protective MMC with a bucket-load of wit and sarcasm ⚔️
✔️ A determined and feisty FMC who will do anything to protect the ones she loves
I can’t even begin to explain how much I enjoyed this book. Firstly, I would consider this book NA for sure (even though I found it in the YA section on the Amazon site) given the spice content and detail which was a very pleasant surprise ngl. Secondly, I can’t even begin to explain how obsessed I am with Casia and Elander’s characters. The wit. The banter. The tension. Just so perfect. And the cliffhanger?!? What an ending!! Needless to say I started the next book immediately after this one.
Casia is so fiercely loyal, determined and brave. I loved her from page one. Her comebacks had me laughing out loud on several occasions, as did her antics. I can’t wait to see where her story goes next!
Elander is broody, smart, powerful and his sarcasm is immaculate. I can’t even. I am in love. I have a new book boyfriend.
See my review -⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 on Twist of the blade 💖
I. Am. Obsessed!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5
Angst/tension: 🔥🔥🔥/5
Spice: 🌶.5/5
What to expect:
✔️ Enchanting world-building
✔️ Enemies-to-lovers-enemies/it’s complicated 😩🤌🏻
✔️ Gods/goddesses 🏔
✔️ Unique magic system 🔮
✔️ Forced proximity
✔️ So. Much. Tension and angst it hurts 🙈
✔️ Incredible spice payoff🌶 (I would class this as NA for sure, same spice level as ACOMAF imo)
✔️ Found family
✔️ Secrets and betrayals 🙃
✔️ Protective MMC with a bucket-load of wit and sarcasm ⚔️
✔️ A determined and feisty FMC who will do anything to protect the ones she loves
I can’t even begin to explain how much I enjoyed this book. Firstly, I would consider this book NA for sure (even though I found it in the YA section on the Amazon site) given the spice content and detail which was a very pleasant surprise ngl. Secondly, I can’t even begin to explain how obsessed I am with Casia and Elander’s characters. The wit. The banter. The tension. Just so perfect. And the cliffhanger?!? What an ending!! Needless to say I started the next book immediately after this one.
Casia is so fiercely loyal, determined and brave. I loved her from page one. Her comebacks had me laughing out loud on several occasions, as did her antics. I can’t wait to see where her story goes next!
Elander is broody, smart, powerful and his sarcasm is immaculate. I can’t even. I am in love. I have a new book boyfriend.
See my review -⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 on Twist of the blade 💖
April 15, 2024
4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow everyone needs to go and read this series right now.
This is my first read by this author and I knew nothing about this series and went in blind and I’m so glad I read it.
I love the main character she’s strong and I’m loving that she already has her found family and their friendships are full of banter. The magic system in this story is unique and I like that only a select number of characters have it ✨ The series is set in a world where there is a sickness killing people and Cas (FMC) somehow caught this sickness but didn’t die. Her group get entangled with the king who’s want to find out what’s causing the sickness and as the story evolves they discover Cas may also have magic 🪄👀….
The tension and banter between the FMC and MMC is unmatched 👌🏻 I love enemies to lovers and will they won’t they and this book really delivers! “Take these off, or else I swear I will—” “You’ll do what?” Those bright blue eyes danced with dark amusement once more as he got to his feet. “You’ll try seducing me again? Please don’t; it was painful enough the first time around.” “You didn’t seem like you were in pain when you were kissing me last night. In fact, I’m quite sure you were enjoying yourself.” “Well, I was slightly intoxicated and acting generous, now, wasn’t I?” “I am going to stab you,” she huffed. “And now I’m going to add threats against the crown to your arrest documents.” 🤭
The banter she has with her friends 👌🏻 “Just be careful,” he continued. “Because if he hurts you, you know I’m obligated to murder him, right?” “And I’m obligated to help,” added Laurent. Nessa gave them both a withering look before turning back to Cas with a slight grin. “Because nothing says friendship like being willing to murder on your behalf, right?” “She’s right, you know,” Zev insisted. “And I’m really not in the mood for murder today,” said Laurent with a yawn. “So yes, do be careful.”
A few more of my fave quotes:
“Not only had he shown up here and insisted on barging into her room, but he had also decided to look even better than usual while he did it. The audacity.” THE AUDACITY 🤭😮💨
“You’re much nicer after you’ve had a near-death experience. You should almost die more often.” He should 😅
I’m not going to bite you.” A corner of his mouth hitched. “Not unless you want me to.” 😮💨👀
Wow everyone needs to go and read this series right now.
This is my first read by this author and I knew nothing about this series and went in blind and I’m so glad I read it.
I love the main character she’s strong and I’m loving that she already has her found family and their friendships are full of banter. The magic system in this story is unique and I like that only a select number of characters have it ✨ The series is set in a world where there is a sickness killing people and Cas (FMC) somehow caught this sickness but didn’t die. Her group get entangled with the king who’s want to find out what’s causing the sickness and as the story evolves they discover Cas may also have magic 🪄👀….
The tension and banter between the FMC and MMC is unmatched 👌🏻 I love enemies to lovers and will they won’t they and this book really delivers! “Take these off, or else I swear I will—” “You’ll do what?” Those bright blue eyes danced with dark amusement once more as he got to his feet. “You’ll try seducing me again? Please don’t; it was painful enough the first time around.” “You didn’t seem like you were in pain when you were kissing me last night. In fact, I’m quite sure you were enjoying yourself.” “Well, I was slightly intoxicated and acting generous, now, wasn’t I?” “I am going to stab you,” she huffed. “And now I’m going to add threats against the crown to your arrest documents.” 🤭
The banter she has with her friends 👌🏻 “Just be careful,” he continued. “Because if he hurts you, you know I’m obligated to murder him, right?” “And I’m obligated to help,” added Laurent. Nessa gave them both a withering look before turning back to Cas with a slight grin. “Because nothing says friendship like being willing to murder on your behalf, right?” “She’s right, you know,” Zev insisted. “And I’m really not in the mood for murder today,” said Laurent with a yawn. “So yes, do be careful.”
A few more of my fave quotes:
“Not only had he shown up here and insisted on barging into her room, but he had also decided to look even better than usual while he did it. The audacity.” THE AUDACITY 🤭😮💨
“You’re much nicer after you’ve had a near-death experience. You should almost die more often.” He should 😅
I’m not going to bite you.” A corner of his mouth hitched. “Not unless you want me to.” 😮💨👀
April 19, 2022
4 1/2 stars
September 10, 2020
Warning: This review is rather long and a bit incoherent. If you prefer shorter, less muddled, reviews: READ THIS BOOK! Okay?!
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 characters are well described, and Cas reminds me of the main character from Sarah J Maas' Throne of Glass series, so no surprise that I liked her from the start. Sometimes Cas behaves rather reckless and I feel the urge to jump into the book and shake her, but that's a sign of the author's ability to create believeable scenes. There's a few mysteries surrounding Cas, one of them being how she survived the Fade sickness, when almost everyone else affected died. But Captain Elander is an even bigger enigma. There's rather a lot of things that's not what it seems to begin with, making it hard for Cas and her friends to know whom to trust. This makes it difficult to put the book down, of course... And without revealing too much, I DID NOT see those twists coming!
The language is fluid and nothing I really think about, which tend to be a good thing. For those of you who avoid reading self-publishing authors because you think it's poor quality - think again! I've discovered several new favourites since I started reading indie/self-publishing authors; S M Gaither is definitely one of them! I'm not saying this just because I'm part of her Advanced Reader team and get the opportunity to read the books before they're published. I think of it as a great honour and privilege, really, and I'm very grateful. I've by now read several of Gaither's books and I think they keep getting better and better! I'm afraid it doesn't always show in my reviews WHY I love the books, but it's not always easy to put into words, especially since English isn't my native language. Not that my reviews in Swedish are any better, but they are at least a bit less complicated to write!
(If it wasn't clear in the last section: I received an ARC from the author and I'm giving my honest review)
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 characters are well described, and Cas reminds me of the main character from Sarah J Maas' Throne of Glass series, so no surprise that I liked her from the start. Sometimes Cas behaves rather reckless and I feel the urge to jump into the book and shake her, but that's a sign of the author's ability to create believeable scenes. There's a few mysteries surrounding Cas, one of them being how she survived the Fade sickness, when almost everyone else affected died. But Captain Elander is an even bigger enigma. There's rather a lot of things that's not what it seems to begin with, making it hard for Cas and her friends to know whom to trust. This makes it difficult to put the book down, of course... And without revealing too much, I DID NOT see those twists coming!
The language is fluid and nothing I really think about, which tend to be a good thing. For those of you who avoid reading self-publishing authors because you think it's poor quality - think again! I've discovered several new favourites since I started reading indie/self-publishing authors; S M Gaither is definitely one of them! I'm not saying this just because I'm part of her Advanced Reader team and get the opportunity to read the books before they're published. I think of it as a great honour and privilege, really, and I'm very grateful. I've by now read several of Gaither's books and I think they keep getting better and better! I'm afraid it doesn't always show in my reviews WHY I love the books, but it's not always easy to put into words, especially since English isn't my native language. Not that my reviews in Swedish are any better, but they are at least a bit less complicated to write!
(If it wasn't clear in the last section: I received an ARC from the author and I'm giving my honest review)
December 16, 2021
WOW!!!
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.
I absolutely love a good kick-butt storyline where the female characters are just as strong, smart and talented as the male characters. Casia was an excellent heroine, faults and all. She has a very bad habit of jumping into situations and thinking, 'that wasn't such a good idea' after the fact. Luckily, she manages to get out of most of the scrapes she accidentally falls into. Casia is also lucky to have protective friends and an unlikely partner to help her get out of bad situations.
Elander is very mysterious but very, very appealing. That appeal could have a LOT to do with Jesse Vilinsky's performance of Elander, with a very sexy brogue that was magic to my ears. Elander is my favourite kind of hero where he is all gruff, guarded and bossy, but shows vulnerability in his desire for Cassie. The slow-moving relationship between Elander and Cassie was perfectly timed considering all that was going on around them.
Honestly, I was going to write a two-line review after finishing The Song of the Marked because I was completely bamboozled by the ending. I finished it a couple of hours ago and I'm still in complete shock and finding it hard to process it all.
THAT ENDING CHANGES EVERYTHING!
I will definitely be going on with the story and hopefully S.M. Gaither and Jesse Vilinsky partner up again for the second instalment. I'm so glad that cover tempted me closer and I will be checking out further work from this author.
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.
I absolutely love a good kick-butt storyline where the female characters are just as strong, smart and talented as the male characters. Casia was an excellent heroine, faults and all. She has a very bad habit of jumping into situations and thinking, 'that wasn't such a good idea' after the fact. Luckily, she manages to get out of most of the scrapes she accidentally falls into. Casia is also lucky to have protective friends and an unlikely partner to help her get out of bad situations.
Elander is very mysterious but very, very appealing. That appeal could have a LOT to do with Jesse Vilinsky's performance of Elander, with a very sexy brogue that was magic to my ears. Elander is my favourite kind of hero where he is all gruff, guarded and bossy, but shows vulnerability in his desire for Cassie. The slow-moving relationship between Elander and Cassie was perfectly timed considering all that was going on around them.
Honestly, I was going to write a two-line review after finishing The Song of the Marked because I was completely bamboozled by the ending. I finished it a couple of hours ago and I'm still in complete shock and finding it hard to process it all.
THAT ENDING CHANGES EVERYTHING!
I will definitely be going on with the story and hopefully S.M. Gaither and Jesse Vilinsky partner up again for the second instalment. I'm so glad that cover tempted me closer and I will be checking out further work from this author.
Want to read
May 6, 2024Nothing makes me say yes faster than when someone asks if I'd read a book they're going to recommend to me.
July 16, 2021
The coolest magic system EVER
March 3, 2024
FLIPPING WHATTT??!?!?!?!? bruhhhh
January 19, 2022
The beginning of an epic fantasy romance! Gaither's talent for banter and building characters you'll root for, from beginning to end, is truly exceptional. Do yourself a favor and dive into Shadows and Crowns.
March 16, 2021
I really enjoyed this book.
It was a bit much to get into as there is a prequel series? that sort of delves into the various gods and their power, this book doesn't really give you the background of the gods, it seems the author expects you to know who's who because there is glossary in this book.
After a little bit of struggle I was able to figure things out. The plot is brilliant and though you can sort of figure out what is going on especially in regards to Cassia, it was still pleasant to read.
It ends in a cliffhanger which sucks, though the second book is out I'm trying to hold on till the third is released so I don't wallow in misery.
It was a bit much to get into as there is a prequel series? that sort of delves into the various gods and their power, this book doesn't really give you the background of the gods, it seems the author expects you to know who's who because there is glossary in this book.
After a little bit of struggle I was able to figure things out. The plot is brilliant and though you can sort of figure out what is going on especially in regards to Cassia, it was still pleasant to read.
It ends in a cliffhanger which sucks, though the second book is out I'm trying to hold on till the third is released so I don't wallow in misery.
November 14, 2023
I'm not sure why I didn't connect to this one because it has a lot of elements I love in fanro but it just didn't hit the mark.
- it has good banter
- it has good plot
- it has a cool world
But I found myself bored at time. I struggled with our two characters although this is a "slow burn" they don't kiss for a very long time in this. It also felt insta lovey to me. They instantly were wanting eachother and clearly into eachother so it didn't feel as slowburn as I like it to be. But I did love their banter and think this author specializes in banter.
I'm interested in continuing but not sure when I will.
- it has good banter
- it has good plot
- it has a cool world
But I found myself bored at time. I struggled with our two characters although this is a "slow burn" they don't kiss for a very long time in this. It also felt insta lovey to me. They instantly were wanting eachother and clearly into eachother so it didn't feel as slowburn as I like it to be. But I did love their banter and think this author specializes in banter.
I'm interested in continuing but not sure when I will.
February 5, 2024
This was such a fun read especially for those you grew up reading TOG! I am super excited to finish the series!
March 24, 2021
4.5/5 🌟
Let me get one thing straight I better find fanfic of this.
Now proceeding to say that I loved the world building so much. Her finding a family of her own was so tearfully beautiful. However, I would've liked to see more of them and more of their dynamic. And definitely more of their magic.
Now off to the plot twists. There were two reveals at the end of the book. I saw one coming, the other one hit me right in the face and heart. You know Elander being a ( Spoiler Alert) fallen god Yeah that was shocking I didn't see it coming. And the fact that they turned from I hate your face to you kinda give me butterflies to I'm gonna have to kill you. 😂😂 Ughh, I just know that the next book will be so painful. Imma love it so much.
Btw, that's how I imagined Silverfoot 👇
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I just saw a fanart from this world on insta and I'm completely taken by it.
Let me get one thing straight I better find fanfic of this.
Now proceeding to say that I loved the world building so much. Her finding a family of her own was so tearfully beautiful. However, I would've liked to see more of them and more of their dynamic. And definitely more of their magic.
Now off to the plot twists. There were two reveals at the end of the book. I saw one coming, the other one hit me right in the face and heart. You know Elander being a ( Spoiler Alert) fallen god Yeah that was shocking I didn't see it coming. And the fact that they turned from I hate your face to you kinda give me butterflies to I'm gonna have to kill you. 😂😂 Ughh, I just know that the next book will be so painful. Imma love it so much.
Btw, that's how I imagined Silverfoot 👇
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I just saw a fanart from this world on insta and I'm completely taken by it.
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