“Earthsong moved across his skin like the lips of a lover.”

Song of Blood & Stone is the first novel in the Earthsinger Chronicles, a new adult epic fantasy romance. It follows the story of Jasminda, an outcast endowed with Earthsong, and her fateful encounter with the injured spy Jack. Jasminda lives on the border between Elsira and Lagamiri, nations caught in a centuries-long feud, separated by a magical barrier known as the Mantle. Thrust together one fateful winter night, Jasminda and Jack set off to stop the impending war and fall in love.

“The two sides she’d seen before—soulful Jack and warrior Jack—merged before her, giving a complete picture for the first time.”

This novel contains the familiar tropes of the hero’s—and in this case, heroine’s—journey popularized by Joseph Campbell. However, unlike many entries in the mythopoeia subgenre, L. Penelope’s story feels fresh. Folklore and romance are interwoven into Jasminda’s coming-of-age and blossoming romance with Jack. Jasminda, a mixed-race Earthsong practitioner, embodies her divided arcanepunk world. While the novel lagged near the end and introduced the dreaded “jealous childhood friend” female antagonist, the ending will keep readers on their toes. Song of Blood & Stone is a daring epic fantasy romance delivering fresh twists on stale tropes! I highly recommend this novel.

Recommended for Readers who Love:

— new adult romantasy,
— a soaring epic fantasy,
— and, literal #BlackGirlMagic

Thank you, St. Martin’s Press, for sending a digital advance reader copy via NetGalley. Find more of my reviews on social media @crownebooks or ww.crownebooks.com.