A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, #1)

by Roseanne A. Brown

An instant New York Times bestseller!

The first in a gripping 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—from debut author Roseanne A. Brown. This New York Times bestseller is perfect for fans of Tomi Adeyemi, Renée Ahdieh, and Sabaa Tahir.

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 his younger sister, Nadia, as payment to enter 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 heart-pounding 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?

"Magic creates a centuries-long divide between peoples in this stunning debut novel inspired by North African and West African folklore. An action-packed tale of injustice, magic, and romance, this novel immerses readers in a thrilling world and narrative reminiscent of Children of Blood and Bone." (Publishers Weekly, "An Anti-Racist Children's and YA Reading List")

Don't miss the second book in this epic duology, A Psalm of Storms and Silence!

• ISBN10: 0062891499
• ISBN13: 9780062891495
• Publish Date: 9 July 2020 (first published 2 June 2020)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 28 February 2024
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
• Imprint: Balzer and Bray
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 480
• Language: English

Reviews

[anne]

Just not liking the writing style...stopping page 155 of 776

I was so excited to like this book! ... but I was dissapointed. The setting was great, the representation for POC (as far as I can tell) and panic attacks was absolutely amazing, and the stories that were told within the story... wow.
But the characters felt underdeveloped. I did not have the idea that I knew their distinct personality well, but rather that their choices were made for furthering the plot. I found it difficult to understand their reasoning since it wasn't given to the reader and I didn't know them well enough to understand it myself.

Also, there was a trope that I absolutely hate. (The resurrection trope...) This, and the fact that the plot twists were predictable, really pushed it down to two stars for me.

However, I am interested in other upcoming books by Roseanne A. Brown (outside of this series) since I can definitely see myself loving other books and worlds by her.

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

I am always here for a rich fantasy world, and A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN has that in spades. This novel bubbles with darkness - desperation, blood, and vengeance run rivers of red through the streets of this city, and I loved it.

Well, by the end, I loved it.

Fact of the matter is that the pacing in this book is really fast and it took me for a ride. There were bumps along the way - every road has bumps - but by the end, I'm singing the praises of A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN like everyone else. The world here is so cool and I wish I could have spent more time with the world and not just running around with Karina and Malik, but there will be other books for that. The ending itself wrapped up everything with a new emerald ribbon while also opening a Pandora's box of nightmares to contend with in book two. Whatever complaints I had while reading were resolved by the end, and with the new turn of events, I seriously can't wait for the next one. It's going to be a wild ride.

For a more detailed review of this book and other, and for more bookish content, come visit me at The Literary Phoenix!

[tweetybugshouse]

This debut totally lived up to what i was expecting. Karina is the daughter of the Sultana and basically feels like she worth nothing since the death of her farther and sister in a horrible fire that she takes all the blame for, so much so that their a huge gulf of loneliness between herself and her mother. Malik and his sisters are outsiders who due to unforeseen magic are swallowed into a competition that grips you by the teeth with it imagery. The author does a fabulous job of describing this land, painting pictures of what transpires during the competition and never once forgets about the debilitating panic that plagues the characters. Their a lot of character growth throughout the story and the pages fly by as your immersed in the intertwining tale of Karina and Malik. The anguish i feel for both characters as in their own ways they are fighting for family and are pushed into what transpires by unseen forces. This is truly what i enjoy in YA fantasy traveling to new lands, battling unimaginable horrors and maybe learning a lesson or two along the way. I can’t wait to read the sequel.

[writehollydavis]

THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING. I'd give it 6 out of 5 stars if I could! The worldbuilding was so strong, pulling from Ghana and West African lore. Rosie's prose was strong, and I can't tell you how many lines I stopped to admire or quotes I jotted down. The parallels with the injustices Eshrans underwent in Ziran and those of Blacks in present day were a necessary and important inclusion. I loved the dual POV, and the weaving of Karina and Malik's arcs and the tension and conflict left me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book. I need the sequel stat!!

[cornerfolds]

Review to come!

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

Roseanne A. Brown creates a beautiful flawed world waiting to be healed by two strong independent souls.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[bookperson]

Rich and beautiful story, I really liked it

[whisperingchapters]

At the very beginning, I was kind of wondering where everything would go in the story and how it would come to fruition. But then, the world building sucks you in! It's very developed, not confusing at all, and intriguing from the start! There's lots of intrigue and suspense to keep you on your toes, which I loved!

Each patron deity ruled over a single day of the week, and when a child was born, the midwife would carve the emblem of one of the seven gods into their left palm so every person could know their Alignment.

This fantasy surprised me because it portrays Mental Health, one that's so close to my life, so I was able to relate in that aspect with Malik. I loved that while the MH is talked about, it's not the forefront of Malik's character. It also ends up being such a strength! I loved the twist the author did on this.

"This is my mind. I am the strongest person here."

While this has romance, it's not FULLY the focus. There's also a focus on the family. Malik and his sisters have such a bond that they'd do ANYTHING for each other!

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

I feel like a broken record where I say over and over that fantasy is so hit or miss for me, but I feel like it is important for me to say this so that when I tell you that I adored this book, you won't take my praise lightly! So I shall now tell you all the stuff that made this such a win for me!

• ► First of all, I had no freaking clue that it was nearly 500 pages, because it flew by! When I went to mark as "read" on Goodreads, I was shooketh, because no WAY was it that long- it flowed so perfectly!



• ►Such a glorious family focus! Malik would do, quite literally, anything for his sisters. Their bond is really incredible. Karina's familial situation is a bit messier, but she absolutely wants to do right by hers as well. I don't want to get into it too much because we learn a ton about her family as the story progresses, but even though it's more complex, it's still moving.



• ►The characters were great and I was rooting for them wholly. They are so incredibly sympathetic and relatable! Even though you don't necessarily want them to follow through on their assassination plans, you can totally understand why they would be considering such drastic measures. It's certainly morally gray, and very thought provoking. They also learn so much about themselves and others during the book, I loved that.



• ►The West African folklore inspiration was amazing! It is new to me, but I am here for it. So many incredible messages, and the way the author weaves them into the entirety of the story was great too. It wasn't just a footnote, it was a huge component.



• ►Add to it, the author did a phenomenal job of world building. I was never confused or overwhelmed, yet there was definitely enough mystery and intrigue to keep me excited. Everything about this world made me excited to learn more, and if you ask me that's kind of perfect worldbuilding.



• ► Mental health is involved. Oh, there are way too few fantasies out there with good mental health rep, and I am so happy to count this among them! The author does such a great job of making it part of Malik's story, but not what defines him.



• ►I am an absolute sucker for competitions. Like anyone is fighting to win anything, and you can go ahead and sign me up. The stakes in this competition are super high, because both competitors and not have a lot at stake in the outcome.



• ►The sparks of a romance are definitely there. You can see that these two would be perfect together, tbh. If they don't kill each other first, of course. I love that Karina can just tell what a genuinely good person Malik is, and vice versa, even as their agendas don't align.

Bottom Line: I absolutely fell in love with this high stakes adventure, and I cannot wait to continue the story!