Sofi and the Bone Song

by Adrienne Tooley

In this gorgeous, queer standalone fantasy, a young musician sets out to expose her rival for illegal use of magic only to discover the deception goes deeper than she could have imagined—perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens!

Music runs in Sofi’s blood.

Her father is a Musik, one of only five musicians in the country licensed to compose and perform original songs. In the kingdom of Aell, where winter is endless and magic is accessible to all, there are strict anti-magic laws ensuring music remains the last untouched art.

Sofi has spent her entire life training to inherit her father’s title. But on the day of the auditions, she is presented with unexpected competition in the form of Lara, a girl who has never before played the lute. Yet somehow, to Sofi’s horror, Lara puts on a performance that thoroughly enchants the judges.

Almost like magic.

The same day Lara wins the title of Musik, Sofi’s father dies, and a grieving Sofi sets out to prove Lara is using illegal magic in her performances. But the more time she spends with Lara, the more Sofi begins to doubt everything she knows about her family, her music, and the girl she thought was her enemy.

As Sofi works to reclaim her rightful place as a Musik, she is forced to face the dark secrets of her past and the magic she was trained to avoid—all while trying not to fall for the girl who stole her future.

• ISBN10: 1534484361
• ISBN13: 9781534484368
• Publish Date: 9 June 2022 (first published 19 April 2022)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Simon & Schuster
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 416
• Language: English

Reviews

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“To Sofi, effortlessness and magic went hand in hand. There was no hard work associated with spilling a drop of blood to conjure fire-no gathering of wood or sparking of tinder or careful tending to a small flame.”

 

Thank you @tbrandbeyondtours for the chance to read and review Sofi and the Bone Song by Adrienne Tooley.

 

Sofi and the bone song is a YA, queer, standalone fantasy that comes out on the 19th of April, 2022. It was published by Margaret K. McElderry Books and all 416 pages go by in the blink of an eye.

 

It's a YA standalone, and between that and the blurb and the sapphic romance part you can kinda piece together what’ll happen. You’ll really want to read this book because of all the details that make it magical. Music might be the last untouched art, but that doesn’t mean it’s practitioners are above doing what it takes to be the best; after all, there are only a select 5 and their apprentices.

 

While the book is about Sofi, and her learning that music is a bit more than repenting and prayer and license, the book is also about her father and how his selfishness almost ruined all of them. As Tooley slowly lets Sofi piece things together, you feel really very sorry for how she suffered; even if she thought it was all for music. I loved how for the longest time you’re so confused, wondering if what Lara is doing is really magic or if music just comes naturally to her.

 

"I mean this with the utmost politeness, Sofi," Lara huffed as they made their way up the deceptively steep road, "but it's called being friendly. Just because you don't understand something doesn't make it magic."

 

I adored the magic system in this book; between the papers, marrow and witches themselves it was fascinating! I also loved the close relationship the king had with the Musik and their children. It was also just a very different world to get used to; I feel like we do take music for granted a little bit; it has to exist. In this book when all performance is so strictly regulated, we can see that it’s been years since some people were able to hear music!

 

All in all, a solid 4 star read that is definitely worth a reread as well! I can’t wait to get my hands on one to add to my bookshelf!