Book Title: A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin #1)

Author: Roseanne A. Brown

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Release Date: June 2nd 2020

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

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?

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Author Information

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. Never content to stay in any one place for too long, Rosie currently teaches in Japan, where in her free time she can usually be found exploring the local mountains, explaining memes to her students, or thinking about Star Wars.

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Review

“To aid even one person is to save an entire world.”

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin deserves all the praise and so much more. It’s a wild ride that had me hooked from page one. This is a book overflowing with beautiful world building and characterization, shocking discoveries and tender moments. It’s an intriguing story and I loved every part of this book.

This enticing story is one of those stories that stays with you long after you’ve read it. I was loving every part of the plot, and loved the competition and life and death aspect of the story: it made for an interesting turn of events with the two main characters. The plot was complex and always thickening, and filled to the brim with twists and turns. ASOWAR’s plot was everything I look for in a young adult fantasy novel and more.

“The past devours those naive enough to forget it.”

And the world building. Holy crap, what a lush and deliciously captivating world Brown has created. It’s steeped in West African Folklore and I was beyond mesmerized by how  intertwined everything was. Brown has a way with bringing a world (and a story) to life. Her writing intricately describes this exquisite world and I was blown away by her skills. This was a world filled with luxuries, but also stricken with grief and poverty. Brown describes the hardships, the good and the bad, so well that I could feel some of the pain from the commoners and both the main characters. Her writing brings to the genre a new voice, one that needs to be heard and one that is powerful.

“There are moments in life words were never meant to reach. Moments of immeasurable joy and unspeakable loss, birth and death and all the strange twists and turns in between.”

I was all here for the characters (and, of course, the world building). Princess Karina is wickedly smart and someone I would not want to cross. Same goes for Malik. Both of these characters have something at stake and both will do whatever it takes. But between the two, I was loving Karina’s character growth. She grows into the person she’s always wanted to be; she starts to realize her strengths and the power she has in her voice and it was absolutely beautiful. But Malik was also struggling, especially with his anxiety. Seeing everything he also overcomes was amazing, and seeing these two characters grow together was breathtaking.

Trust me when I say this is a strong fantasy debut; it absolutely had me sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin is by far one of my favorite reads of 2020. I really wish I had the sequel because I already miss these characters and this world deeply. If you’re looking for a fantasy debut brimming with enchanting characters, strong world building, and a dazzling story with surprising twists, then I highly recommend this book!

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Pre-Order Campaign

A pre-order/order from any retailer or a request to your local library will get you:
* A bookmark!
* 2 character cards featuring Karina and Malik!
* A limited edition signed bookplate
* An exclusive digital fairy tale from the A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN world!

An order from indie bookstore Books With a Past will get you:
* A bookmark!
* 2 character cards featuring Karina and Malik!
* A limited edition signed bookplate
* An exclusive digital fairy tale from the A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN world!
* A handwritten note and personalization from the author!

Rules:
* You must submit proof of purchase/library request. Screenshots and photos of receipts are fine.
* Only orders and library requests dated through June 30, 2020 are eligible
* Only orders made through Books With a Past (https://bookswithapast.com/home/bookdetailsin/0062891499) will receive the note and personalization.
* All swag will be sent out on a rolling basis starting June 2nd
* Entrants under the age of 18 must obtain parent/guardian permission before entering.

Tour Schedule

Check out the amazing bloggers part of this tour:

Giveaway

Prize: Win an ASOWAR bookplate, bookmark, two trading cards, and access to the exclusive short story (INT)

Starts: June 2^nd 2020

Ends: June 16^th 2020

Thank you, Fantastic Flying Book Club, for having us on this wonderful blog tour!