Published Date: September 1st, 2011
Finished Date: September 18th, 2011
Publishers: Random House Australia
Series: Lharmell Book One
Blurb from Goodreads: I wanted to turn but I was held captive by the song on the wind. I’m coming, I told the voices. Please, wait for me.
When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.
Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.
Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?
My Review
From the very first page, BLOOD SONG managed to capture my attention. Quite wholly, I might add.
It started out describing our protagonist's, Zeraphina's, home. Which is a run-down castle in some landlocked country suffering very bad weathers and thus, bad crop yields. Things are looking bad for the three of them - Zeraphina, her sister and their mother (princess, princess, and queen) - when the prince of the wealthiest country sends them a letter requesting Fina's sister's hand in marriage.
The weird stuff happens here. Fina suddenly has this sudden urge to go to the North (where said wealthiest country lies), and a blue-eyed apparition keeps appearing before her.
Who is he? And does this urge and mysterious blue-eyes have any connection to the illness that took her when she was but a babe and has thus made her crave for blood?
Once in the northern nation, she tries to find out more about this much-unknown country which lies on the opposite side of the strait from Lharmell, and which waged wars against Lharmell time and again. But Rodden, the King's young, handsome and reclusive advisor, is on to her. But what does he do up in his turret where he coops himself all the time?
Well, of course they're all connected. This is YA Lit we're talking about.
Even tho this novel is based on a (kinda sad) variation of vampires, I did like it. Very much. Hart didn't focus on the romanctic relationship between Zeraphina and Rodden, but the sparks that flew between them were as clear as day. And I loved every single moment of it. Both were so smart and witty, trying to outsmart the other every time they saw each other. When they weren't, well, those scenes are just absolutely heart-wrenching. And when Rodden caught Fina trying to flirt with the other guards to try and worm out information, that scene was priceless. PRICELESS. lol.
There was plenty of suspense and action. Rodden was a top-notch archer; Fina is a stupendously good archer. Put them together and you have many funny challenges thrown at each other.
Oh, and I loved it when they were fighting side by side when they were trapped in Lharmell. The land and its inhabitants were depicted absolutely vividly. The land had this withering, dying feel to it, and its inhabitants - the "vampires" - were downright freaky. So when they were fighting back-to-back, quarelling side-by-side - in short, spending some quality time together, it was sweet.
However, one thing I found rather annoying was Fina's self-centeredness at the start of the book. Her sister was worrying her nuts off about her fiance being killed in a hunt, and was going to be carted off to the far northern nation to marry another prince she has never met, but Fina just kept lobbying her to go, just because she had this urge to see the North. All under the mask of thinking for their dying, bankrupt country. She's being such a bad sister. There's such a thing called empathy, yo!
That aside, I did love the book. There was definitely much action and thrill reading this, and the subtle hint of romance between 2 very stubborn, very awesome protagonists was such joy to read. Loved it!
My Rating
It started out describing our protagonist's, Zeraphina's, home. Which is a run-down castle in some landlocked country suffering very bad weathers and thus, bad crop yields. Things are looking bad for the three of them - Zeraphina, her sister and their mother (princess, princess, and queen) - when the prince of the wealthiest country sends them a letter requesting Fina's sister's hand in marriage.
The weird stuff happens here. Fina suddenly has this sudden urge to go to the North (where said wealthiest country lies), and a blue-eyed apparition keeps appearing before her.
Who is he? And does this urge and mysterious blue-eyes have any connection to the illness that took her when she was but a babe and has thus made her crave for blood?
Once in the northern nation, she tries to find out more about this much-unknown country which lies on the opposite side of the strait from Lharmell, and which waged wars against Lharmell time and again. But Rodden, the King's young, handsome and reclusive advisor, is on to her. But what does he do up in his turret where he coops himself all the time?
Well, of course they're all connected. This is YA Lit we're talking about.
Even tho this novel is based on a (kinda sad) variation of vampires, I did like it. Very much. Hart didn't focus on the romanctic relationship between Zeraphina and Rodden, but the sparks that flew between them were as clear as day. And I loved every single moment of it. Both were so smart and witty, trying to outsmart the other every time they saw each other. When they weren't, well, those scenes are just absolutely heart-wrenching. And when Rodden caught Fina trying to flirt with the other guards to try and worm out information, that scene was priceless. PRICELESS. lol.
There was plenty of suspense and action. Rodden was a top-notch archer; Fina is a stupendously good archer. Put them together and you have many funny challenges thrown at each other.
Oh, and I loved it when they were fighting side by side when they were trapped in Lharmell. The land and its inhabitants were depicted absolutely vividly. The land had this withering, dying feel to it, and its inhabitants - the "vampires" - were downright freaky. So when they were fighting back-to-back, quarelling side-by-side - in short, spending some quality time together, it was sweet.
However, one thing I found rather annoying was Fina's self-centeredness at the start of the book. Her sister was worrying her nuts off about her fiance being killed in a hunt, and was going to be carted off to the far northern nation to marry another prince she has never met, but Fina just kept lobbying her to go, just because she had this urge to see the North. All under the mask of thinking for their dying, bankrupt country. She's being such a bad sister. There's such a thing called empathy, yo!
That aside, I did love the book. There was definitely much action and thrill reading this, and the subtle hint of romance between 2 very stubborn, very awesome protagonists was such joy to read. Loved it!
My Rating
New follower here! Lovely review, I will have to add this to my to-read list!
ReplyDeleteAmy @ Following The Reader
Hey thanks, Amy!:D
ReplyDelete