Ballad for Jasmine Town

Eidolonia #2

by Molly Ringle

The town of Miryoku has ocean views, fragrant jasmine vines, and a thriving arts scene, including a popular nineties cover band. It also sits on the verge, sharing a border with fae territory, a realm of both enchantments and dangers.

Rafi has been unusual all his life: a human born to a fae mother, a mortal denizen of the fae realm, a form-changer. He aches to join the human world, but prejudices and legal tangles stand in his way. After the death of his beloved human grandmother at the careless hands of fae, his only connection to humans is the cover band he plays with—until he meets Roxana.

Roxana is a dutiful single parent and a metalworking witch specializing in healing charms. When she meets Rafi one summer night and repairs an instrument string for him, they strike up a friendship that soon kindles into love. But she’s moving away from Miryoku at summer’s end, and Rafi must stay, determined to stop the fae who keep hurting townsfolk. Together, Roxana and Rafi formulate an idea that might tame the most dangerous offenders—or might only accelerate the doom of their hometown.

[Queer romance elements: trans-via-magic man, bi woman]

Genres: Fantasy, Queer, Romance, Adult, Witches, LGBT, Fae

320 pages, Paperback

First published March 12, 2024

About the author

[Aug. 2022 note: I'm going dormant on Goodreads and moving over to Storygraph. Find me there! I'm under username mollyringle and would love to connect.]
Bio: Molly Ringle was one of the quiet, weird kids in school, and is now one of the quiet, weird writers of the world. She/her, demi, bi.

Reviews

[Molly Ringle]

In Lava Red Feather Blue we hear mention of a town completely destroyed by fae, overtaken by the forest. This is the story of that town, told through the eyes of two lovers.

Some of this book's events overlap with the events of Lava Red Feather Blue, but you do not need to have read that book to make sense of this one, nor vice versa. They should both stand alone, or at least that is the hope.

Rafi is trans (via magic), but because I am a cis writer, the story is not about the trans experience. Happening to be trans is merely an incidental characteristic of his; the story would not be any different if he were cis. I chose this characteristic for him out of fierce loyalty to my trans and NB friends, and out of anger at the amount of hatred directed at the trans community in recent years. Representation, I figured, was at least one thing we cis writers can do to help. I'm queer by some people's definition (demi and at least a little bi), but am frequently talking with my other queer friends about how best to handle queer characters, in this world of ever-evolving preferences on the subject. I aim to always be learning. Thank you to everyone who has helped by giving feedback!

[Kate]

DNF 27%
My brain refuses to focus on this one. :(

[Monet Daffodil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it!!! This was so unique. An urban fantasy mixed with rockstar romance and fae, and Asian background. I loved it. I was pleasantly surprised. Also I did not need to read book 1 to read this. The story flowed so well. There was also a hint of spice which was nice since I’m a spicy book gal. I really hope she writes more. This series needs to be more talked about. I adored it so much! The romance and plot was evenly mixed to me. I enjoyed Roxana’s character so much and loved that she was a single parent and a metal working witch. The magic system was so cool. I really enjoyed this read and hope they make an audio version soon.

[Donna Bull · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Central Avenue Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC.

What a lovely story!! I so enjoyed Roxana and Rafi's journey and the family that they discover. Ballad is a companion novel to Lava Red Feather Blue, and I am glad I read Lava first. Even though knowing the over-arching events there is still a lot of tension not knowing what happens to the individual characters as events play out. The setting for this story is Miryoku, an idyllic setting where Roxana and her daughter live mostly in harmony with the local fae, including Rafi, a half-fae. Rafi struggles to find whether his place is with humans or the fae, and Roxana is soon to move away to further her career. As an unlikely friendship blossoms into more, they have to deal with nasty korreds, and increasing political tensions and how to manage their relationship. As the destructive events begin to unfold, the tension ramps up as characters fight for survival and Molly does hit your emotions repeatedly. I certainly recommend this duology to fantasy fans who are looking for stories that focus on the characters and which also include wonderful magic and a host of fae creatures. Would love to come back to Eidolonia again in the future!!

[Julie Pesik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot 8/10
Characters 5/10
Enjoyment 8/10
Overall Flow 9/10
Diction 7/10

What a fun read about a new fae territory for me! I didn’t have any issues jumping into this book 2 without reading the first. The points were easy to follow and concepts were easy to grasp, which I find crucial in a fantasy book.

The characters didn’t jive with me, and I feel this could have been a higher rating read if I could have connected a bit more on that front. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Rafi and Roxana, given THEY were so unsure of their relationship themselves. I also felt the fae were super naive technology and socially for living in the 21st century.

Overall it was a fun read, and a nice take on modern fantasy. I loved that I could imagine this island occurring real time with my time table. The LGBTQ was tastefully represented. I look forward to seeing the author extend this series further - I think they have a wonderful world built up. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cosy fantasy tells the tale of two lovers, a nineties band, a magical island, a gang of malevolent fae and a town completely overtaken by plants.

It's full of the soft, vulnerable yet extremely powerful characters Molly Ringle writes so well, and brims with the strength of family and community in the face of divisive politics and discrimination.

I love the central couple. They're adorable from the moment they meet. Their chemistry is undeniable, they support each other through trauma and they manage to stay kind even when they disagree or fail to understand each other. The side characters pull on your heartstrings in relatable ways too, from perfectionist water fae Tash to brave mayor Amaris, to the ever-helpful rock giant Mukut, who is definitely the MVP.

The magic is brilliantly varied, with each character having skills, traits and abilities as unique as they are. Watching groups of them solve problems is always interesting and it's clear how much creative thought has been put in by the author. The magic system is also a great way of weaving in a lot of great representation, and sensitively acknowledging the challenges faced by marginalised groups.

You don't have to have read Molly Ringle's other book, Lava Red Feather Blue, in order to pick this up, but I fully recommend it because the overlap is awesome. Check out my review of that one on goodreads if you're interested! The world building is done so well that no matter the order you read them in you'll be glad to find mentions of your favourite characters, magic systems and locations in both books.

A massive thank you to the author and NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Shawna McHugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC**

I didn’t read the first book in the series however the author does a great job recapping and explaining the storyline and characters so I didn’t feel lost at all.

The author writes with such description that the characters and world were easy to imagine and dive into. The story was great and has me interested in reading more from the author.

[Kit Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been on the edge of my seat waiting for this book since I finished Lava Red, Feather Blue, and it did not disappoint.
I really loved that we got more of the magic in this companion novel, both from a sciency explanation and from mystical and personal interpretations of it.
Some of it was hard, not from a writing standpoint, just from the allegories and the real life similarities that we all went through this past couple of years, *but* that made it even more of an emotional payoff to work through those scenes and then finishing the book.
Rafi and Roxana were amazing together once they *finally* let themselves be together (stubborn, self depreciating, adorable, FOOLS, I love them). I really loved seeing a transmasc character being romanced.
If I could I would absolutely live in this world, with these wonderful, weird, and strange people and their equally amazing fae counterparts.

[Main Street Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful adventure by Molly Ringle, weaved with fantastical faery creatures that will leave you dazzled and ready to travel to their land...even without their enchantments. For this story, we're living half in/half out of the faery realm and dealing with much of the same issues our world is dealing with today (like racism against members of your own community and harsh immigration laws, you might even recognize some similarities in a certain leader shockingly elected despite outcry). I love all the characters, good and bad, each with unique talents and traits, and want to learn about every inch of Eidolonia!! And while not necessary, it helps to read about Ringle's first trip to Eidolonia in Lava Red Feather Blue.

[Metaphorosis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars, Metaphorosis reviews

Summary
Rafi, a half-fae 'counted as human' becomes involved with a fully human witch and her family, just as political and social forces in the fae and human communities are driving renewed tensions.

Review
Ballad for Jasmine Town has a very rocky start – an awkward wiki entry on faery and then a plunge into the world with haphazard introduction of elements and concepts. There are also two completely different names for a key character (a grandmother) who is sometimes referred to by one, sometimes by the other, with the usage never clarified. Hard as I tried, it took a long time for me to be certain that the two names referred to the same grandmother. As with most infodumps, the wiki didn’t work. And it was only at the very end of the book that I realized that this was a sequel, which perhaps explains some of the trouble. It does in many ways function as a standalone book, but only once you’ve managed to get through the first 25% or so. For me, that opening left a distaste that lingered.

I’m not quite sure what ‘romantasy’ really is, but this might qualify, at least on the fringes. It’s not bodice ripping, but there’s a small amount of bosom-heaving sex, and there’s a central romantic relationship. I liked the relationship, though it did border a little too often on wish fulfillment and faced no major obstacles.

Romance aside, the main plot is tension between human and fae, with what I took to be some not too disguised to real world events in one country or another. The concept was good, but the execution not as successful as one might hope. For a book that clearly leans heavily toward a progressive, politically correct view of the world, it fell quickly into a bit of a racism trap. A group of korreds (a type of fae) are just bad news. Not all korreds, the book is quick to point out, just this group (with one exception). But the story quickly settles into a shortcut that korred = bad, which seems more reductionist than seemed to fit the story. Similarly, a solution that the protagonists come up with is not explored as deeply as I might have hoped. They do debate its propriety and justice, but I felt the ending didn’t come to grips with the drawbacks as directly as I thought it should have.

I’m not usually a skimmer, but even after I felt grounded in the world at the 1/4 mark, by the 2/3 mark I found myself wanting to skim. I couldn’t quite pin down the issue beyond just not feeling as interested in the story as I wanted – perhaps because, ethically difficult solution aside, the emotional and moral issues all seemed so cut and dried; there was never much question of how things would work out. It also, despite being set in a fae world with humans there on sufferance, seemed peculiarly focused on impacts to humans. Perhaps for those who enjoy angsty voyages to happy romantic endings, this will be a joy. For me, I found it just didn’t keep my attention.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for the eARC! This is my honest review.

Molly Ringle guides the reader through a world of magic, fae folk, and danger in her novel Ballad for Jasmine Town. This is, technically, the second book in Ringle’s Eidolonia Series, but functions as a standalone novel. I have not read Lava Red Feather Blue, the first book in the series, and did not at all feel out of my depth or confused. I have, however, added it to my TBR based on how much I enjoyed Ballad for Jasmine Town!

This novel is set on the enchanted island Eidolonia, which is inhabited by both humans and fae, in the border town of Miryoku. Seated right on what is called “the Verge” - the border which separates the human and fae territories. In Miryoki - also affectionately called “Jasmine Town” by its inhabitants - the half-fae musician Rafi struggles to reconcile his unconventional childhood and youth in the fae realm with his friends, connections, and emotional ties to the human town, feeling like he doesn’t truly belong in either. Similarly, human witch Roxanna works to secure a fulfilling life for both herself, and her daughter Esther. Roxana and Rafi fall for each other and strive to build something they can hold onto in the midst of human/fae tension, a changing world, and a political climate that feels, at times, uncomfortably familiar.

Ringle handles themes of trauma, grief, friendship, and forgiveness deftly, while crafting a world that balances on enchanting and dangerous. It’s a world that I want to spend more time in, hence my adding Lava Red Feather Blue to my TBR.

My chief…I don’t know if I’d even call it a ‘complaint’ per se, but I suppose the one aspect that didn’t quite work for me was that the last portion of the book didn’t quite work for me. Once Rafi and Roxana and Miryoku’s story is largely wrapped up, we, the audience, get a crash course through major events (or, at least a handful of major events) of Lava Red Feather Blue so that we can know the fate of The Big Bad and the general safety of Eidolonia. Frankly, I can’t think of how else Ringle could have handled it, and it might have only felt like a bunch of rushed, new information to me since I wasn’t familiar with the first book, but either way, the vibes didn’t quite match the rest of the novel.

I would absolutely not let this keep me from recommending Ballad for Jasmine Town to anyone else, though. I still loved the novel. I found its exploration of childhood trauma and falling in love as an adult to be insightful. I, once again, loved the world that Ringle has built in Eidolonia. The diversity and representation that Ringle writes into her world also feels very natural and comfortable, and, overall, I’m very excited to read Ringle’s first Eidolonia novel, and to keep my eye out for any new stories set in this world in the future.

[Rebecca Veight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miryoku is a town that sits on the verge, the border between fae and human territory. Rafi is a mortal denizen, a form-changer, relative to the fire fae, part of a 90s cover band, and his human grandmother has died from the carelessness of the fae. Roxana is a metalworking witch, healing charms her specialty, and a single parent. They meet by chance and she fixes his instrument. The become fast friends, then fall for each other. Determined to stop the fae from hurting the townsfolk they come up with an idea that might just work or doom the town.

I was so excited to return to the world of Eidolonia for Lava Red Feather Blue was brilliant, one of my faves the year it came out. As the narrative draws you into this enchanting but dangerous world, it feels like an ethereal breeze that embraces you lovingly. It oddly but welcomely gives you that warm feeling of homecoming.

I loved the way the author describes things — giving you insight into the pictures in her head while sparking your imagination, so it can roar. There is a dreamlike quality to her descriptions and an eccentric flair to the vibrant details that constitute the worldbuilding. Her unique use of words can be simultaneously to the point and poetic.

You will enjoy seeing both sides to the protagonists' relationship. The POVs are wonderfully grounded in this fantastical world and both leads are so relatable and endearingly honest in their thoughts. There are shades of tenderness and loneliness and utter kindheartedness. The counterbalance is the selfishness and cruelty found in the faefolk. But like all fae folk are not bad, all humans are not good. You will feel your heart squeeze for what Rafi has to go through. Actually the book will make you feel so much.

A cheeky nature permeates this mostly beautifully paced story. There were a few instances where I wished things would come to fruition a little faster, and the pining, unfortunately, turned a little whiny. Then as the fae-human balance shifts and the political tapestry changes, tolerance and decency and the need for justice tint the story, as things get intense. The book then becomes beyond awesome. Also for fans like me of Lava Red Feather Blue, there are some wonderful little gifts. We are also rewarded with this tale ending up being a beacon of hope.

This book is about being yourself and accepting others for who they are. About doing what is right, challenging the so-called order of things. About respecting others and not taking advantage, even if you have more power. It also touches on themes of free will and control.

This is a story of quiet power but powerful just the same. A warm blanket and storytelling near the campfire, enticing and full of magic not only of the fae, witches, etc but also of relationships and humanity. Molly Ringle, I need more stories in Eidolonia.

[Darkling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ballad of Jasmine Town by @writermollyringle

Thoughts (What’s above and extended) :
I actually LOVED this book. I really like the take on normal people’s life during a fantasy novel. Being able to see Roxanna and Rafi’s lives and them getting through the events of the book while not being the ‘protagonist’ in a sense was refreshing and I’d like to see more books with this take. I found the writing enjoyable and the book really plucks up in the later half, so I’m glad I stuck it out. I also love Kepelo’s character growth! This was a good comfy read in my opinion and I definitely recommend the book! I look forward to reading Merrick and Larkin’s story in Lava Red Feather Blue which is part of this story universe!!!

Quotes Extended :
“I will grieve with you, I will rage with you, I will stay quietly with you, I will do whatever you need. I will be with you.”

I commit to you, if you’re in.” He pulled her close until their foreheads touched. “I grant you this deal.”

“Well, if you think I should be forgiven because I didn’t mean to do what I did, then shouldn’t you be forgiven too?”

“You two glow around each other. Like, literally, in his case.”

“You know, you’re about five thousand times better a father than mine ever was.” “If you need a surrogate, I’m here.” Timo sniffled.

“Gods know I am not fond of how it turned out, my attempt to become a parent.” Kepelo slipped her wing around Rafi. “I agree the encounter between us was disappointing, but I will gladly take all the treasure that issued from it, if you aren’t wise enough to see its value.”

‘You told me once to remember all the things you love that you can’t lose. It really helped me when you said that. I know the town’s gone and we lost people, but there’s still going to be music and festivals and cool things humans make, and we want you there enjoying it.’ I was gathering the strength to answer, which took me a while. Then I heard the liuqin.”

#balladforjasminetown #eidolonia #transprotagonist #biprotagonist #queerfantasy #bookstagram #urbanfantasy #fae #witches

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I can see how someone would write this book with five stars. To put it simply, this is a very well written book about two people healing from personal traumas with support from family and friends. The world is very well built and charming. I enjoyed both the fae and human parts of the world. I felt like both parts and the conflict between people was carefully presented. The author did well to show both sides of the conflict and how different actions are perceived. The depiction of fae was definitely less human than some other books. The characters are also very well written and diverse. The main characters’ relationship was cute and healthy (or if not, they worked through it). Personally, the book just didn’t click with me. It had a slower pace and was romance forward than I usually enjoy. I was waiting for the hinted at disaster but it didn’t come until much later. The style of writing was also not to my taste. I can’t point what I didn’t like, but it was just difficult for me to get into. Good book but not for me. Would recommend to someone looking for a cozy-ish romance read about healing and angst.

Spicy level: kissing and several vague sex scenes which last a few pages. All kisses and sex scenes are between adults.

Tw: mentioned of depression, mentioned of rape/forced pregnancy, described child abuse, mentioned murder of family member, scenes with verbal abuse, scenes with physical abuse, etc (this is a book about healing but there is gonna be a lot along the way)

For the record , the author says that you can read this book without reading the previous book of this series but I would not recommend. The last two chapters have major spoilers from the first book, including about the ending of the first. Again, this is an arc so it might be taken out. But I felt it was fair to warn people because if I had really enjoyed this book and wanted to read the first one, I would be disappointed.

[Book_withquotes · Rating 4 out of 5]

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First, thank you NetGalley and Central Avenue Publishing for providing an arc of the book. This book was released on 4th June 2024.

In “Ballad for Jasmine Town” by Molly Ringle, the town of Miryoku offers ocean views, fragrant jasmine vines, and a thriving arts scene, despite sharing a precarious border with the fae realm. Rafi, born to a fae mother but longing to belong in the human world, faces prejudices and legal hurdles. After his grandmother’s death due to fae carelessness, his only human connection is through his nineties cover band—until he meets Roxana. A single parent and metalworking witch, Roxana repairs Rafi’s instrument string one summer night, sparking a friendship that grows into love. As Roxana plans to move away, they must confront the fae dangers threatening Miryoku and devise a plan to protect their town, risking everything for a chance at peace and love.

Because of the excellent world-building, you’ll be happy to discover references to your favorite characters, magical systems, and locales in both volumes, regardless of the order you read them. I adored that this companion book gave us additional magic—both in terms of scientific reasons and mystical, individual interpretations. The author included genuine difficulties and conflict, even though this is a fantasy novel, which made the plot feel very accessible.

All in all, I enjoyed reading it and thought it was a good modern fantasy. Despite not having read the series’ first book, I didn’t feel as if I was missing anything. There’s enough information up front so you won’t have any trouble following along. Because of the author’s vivid descriptions, it is simple to picture and immerse oneself in the environment and people. I’d want to read more from this author because the narrative was so good.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC through NetGalley from the publisher.

Ballad for Jasmine Town is a story set on an enchanted island divided between humans and fae, who live together with considerable tension. It starts out as a cozy fantasy story with mental health charms and music, but it gets darker as the tensions between the two sides grow.

It was interesting now not-human the fae are - they are not "evil" as such, but they cause harm because they have a completely different psychology and way of thinking from humans. I also liked the worldbuilding and the magic system, the different types of fae and human witches, and how half-fae can be counted as either fae or human based on their abilities. The two main characters are a human witch and a half-fae shapeshifter, who is counted human but still lives more like a fae, stuck between the two worlds.

I especially liked that Rafi and Roxana are not the heroes who go on an epic quest - they are the people who stay behind and try to pick up the pieces while the heroes are out trying to stop the Big Bad. That was an interesting point of view that is often missing from fantasy stories.

Despite all of that, it did take me several weeks to get through this book, and I can't really explain why. There was a constant air of anxiety and oppression that made the cozy and happy parts difficult to appreciate, especially from Rafi's POV. All the talk of empathy and how empathy can be forced on people was also kind of uncomfortable. The relationships of the characters were interesting, but the characters themselves felt a little flat and more like archetypes than people. I do recommend this book, but I have to note that it's not as fluffy or cozy as it might seem, and besides the fantasy racial tension, it also has some uncomfortable parallels to real-world human politics.

[Ellie Red · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚Ballad for Jasmine Town
🖋️Author: Molly Ringle
📆Publication date: June 4
🖌️Publilsher: Central Avenue
🗂️Genre: Magical Romance

•ARC REVIEW•

4,5/⭐️

📌Summary:
“Ballad for Jasmine Town” by Molly Ringle is the second installment in the series “Eidolonia” and follows the story of Rafi, a human born to a fae mother, a mortal denizen of the fae realm, a form-shifter who aches to join the human world, but prejudices and legal tangles stand in his way. After the death of his beloved human grandmother at the careless hands of fae, his only connection to humans is the cover band he plays with—until he meets Roxana. The second protagonist is Roxana who is a dutiful single parent and a metalworking witch specializing in healing charms. When she meets Rafi one summer night and repairs an instrument string for him, they strike up a friendship that soon kindles into love. But she’s moving away from Miryoku at summer’s end, and Rafi must stay, determined to stop the fae who keep hurting townsfolk. Together, Roxana and Rafi formulate an idea that might tame the most dangerous offenders—or might only accelerate the doom of their hometown.

📌Review:
I read the book without having read the first one in the series and I was not disappointed. The author explained all the details in the book so I wasn’t lost. I loved the setting of the world and the characters. One main thing is you do not get bored with the world building as it may happen to a lot of books.

📌Thoughts:
I am thinking about reading the first book in the series to get the complete view.

Thank you NetGalley and @centavebooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Meli F · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I will grieve with you, I will rage with you, I will stay quietly with you, I will do whatever you need. I will be with you.”

Queer fantasy featuring witches, a magical island, evil fae, and family/community feels? Count me in!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing access to a digital copy.

I gotta clarify, I didn’t read the first book in the series. That wasn't a problem in the end because we're provided with enough context to understand the story and the characters. But I think it's important to mention.

Loved the social commentary! The author handles heavy topics like racism and discrimination while thoroughly developing the magic system and creating a complex, layered world. That's no easy feat!

The romance was cute, and the relationship between the main pair has a very healthy, mature pattern of "we work through our issues" that I appreciated. Though I gotta say, the chemistry wasn't always sparking for me. But hey, perception is a tricky, very personal little monster. So, who knows?

Also, I think it's important to mention this is a slow-paced story. Pas de problème on my side, but I know this is relevant to some readers.

Overall an interesting reading experience with social and psychological insight, angst, "one for all and all for one", healthy romance and LGBTQ+ rep.

4.5 our of 5 stars

[Oblivionsdream · Rating 3 out of 5]

Any story about faeries are immediate must reads for me. I had not read the previous book in this same world 'Lava Red Feather Blue' but the author did a great job of making it easy for readers to read them separately and to jump in without prior knowledge. I absolutely loved the world building with this island where fae and humans mingle in this urban fantasy setting. Especially given the magical element of once you leave the island any memory of it fades from you. I fully appreciate that the author leaned into the element of fae that are tricksters that don't carry the same morals as humans as I just find it so much more interesting when they are so clearly inhuman.
The pace of the story itself was very slow which while not a bad thing I also unfortunately didn't grow as attached to the characters as I had hoped which made it more difficult to enjoy the more slow character driven moments.
Overall it was a fun read just more slowly paced.

[Matthew Molinari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Island small town vibes, magic in the air, love of all types, strong women, caring men, tasteful LGBT+ representation sprinkled in naturally (including the main couple!), the fear of losing who you love, the power of music, of art, of scent—it’s all there.

Molly Ringle brings a world alive, her words touching all the senses and tugging at my heart. I became so attached to the characters as I read, rooting for them more and more with each word. The descriptions are so immersive and even in the action and fearful moments, I count this as a safe, comfort book. It can absolutely be read without Red Lave, Blue Feather but the connection between the separate stories is so thrilling and well thought out. We’re seeing the ripple effects, which makes the world that much richer. Either order is fine to read them in, but I highly recommend them both and I have my fingers crossed for even more in the beautiful world of Eidolonia!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-copy of this novel!

This book is the second in a series but can be read as a stand alone. I had originally planned to read its predecessor (Lava Red Feather Blue) beforehand, but just never got around to it. On a whole, I would say this book stands well on its own. However, the last 20-ish percent kinda felt out of nowhere and I feel like that wouldn't have been the case had I read Lava Red Feather Blue first. I would call the majority of this book a cozy fantasy (maybe romantasy?). As it basically follows two characters as they fall in love and try to navigate a changing political climate. It's a slow, slice-of-life type narrative, until it suddenly isn't. If I had read its predecessor, I would have known where this story was going and wouldn't have felt so blind sided by the shift. I thought this book was written well and I liked the story, I just think I'm not really cut out for cozy fantasy.

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a lover of all things fae, I just knew I was going to enjoy this book! Ballad for Jasmine Town is a wonderful and creative fantasy, the second installment of the Eidolonia series, with Lava Red Feather Blue being the first. I did not get a chance to read the first book yet, however I wasn't completely clueless as to what was going on in this second book. The author added enough backstory and detail to fill the reader in, which I appreciated. The story just seemed to just flow, making this fantasy easy to read. I also love the creativity in this book. Not only is the magical land appreciated, but the characters are all unique in their own way, with unique abilities. Although this is a fantasy, the author did include very realistic issues and conflict, which gave the story a very relatable feel. I loved it!
Thank you NetGalley, Central Avenue Publishing, and Molly Ringle for this read!

[Crystal Palmisano-Dillard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rafi is half fae/half human but counted as human due to his mortal nature. He’s lived his life flitting in and out of the fae world into the mortal world never quite feeling at home in either.

When his beloved human grandmother is killed by his paternal family of fae, he leaves the fae world for an extended period.

In the village of Miryoku, he makes friend, joins a band and begins a relationship with Roxana, a materials witch.

But Roxana is leaving town to further her education, their island is upheaval as a hate filled president takes charge, and a long asleep violent fae awakens to wreak havoc.

I loved the concept of found family, the magical realism and how the mortal and fae world existed side by side. The world building too a bit of time to make sense to me, but once it did I was all in.

[LaraN · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Thanks to NetGalley & the author for providing me with this ARC]

What a unique take on the popular fae & fantasy trope. When I started the book I did not expect to be confronted with rockstar romance elements but somehow it worked.
A lot of the twists and turns were very surprising due to the unusual mix of tropes, which I found very refreshing. It did however rip me out of the story a few times because I had to take a moment to wrap my head around this new direction. All of this made it a very interesting and exciting read and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in expanding their perception of the fantasy genre.

Disclaimer: The ARC was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The ARC category in no way impacts the rating of the book. All of my reviews contain my honest opinions.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I will grieve with you, I will rage with you, I will stay quietly with you, I will do whatever you need. I will be with you.”

“Ballad for Jasmine Town,” by Molly Ringle

I loved this book so much. The Fae in this book have a hard time; there are mental illness problems, and they are treated like second class citizens. One of the main characters is transgender but with a magical spin which was super unique. The Fae gets reincarnated when they die which was interesting. I liked that the book is about a Fae who is trying to fit in as a human in a human world. The romance was good and heartwarming. 5 out of 5 stars, so good. The cover is also beautiful.

-Fae
-Transgender
-Magic
-Musician
-Multi POV

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

[Esperancita 💜 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been amazing the way the author has kept me hooked in this story, she has a way of immersing you in the plot where you can't stop thinking about the adventure that is unfolding around you.

That combination between humans and fairies and the balance in a society has provided a great touch to the story, here following several characters we get into their struggles, goals and emotions, and it takes you on a roller coaster ride that you can't get off until the end.

I highly recommend the world the author has created and the diversity she presents in such an enjoyable and natural way.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this fabulous story.

#BalladforJasmineTown #NetGalley

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would read anything Molly Ringle writes, but I especially enjoyed this one. It can absolutely be read without reading the previous book (but why would you want to skip it?). I loved the characters and got sucked in immediately. I had to force myself to put it down so I could get some sleep before work the next day-which happens a lot whenever I read Ringle's books. I should know by now to start them on a weekend! The worldbuilding is wonderful without feeling like there's been an info dump of details-something that always takes away the realism. Ringle's writing is as magical as the worlds she's created. I highly recommend this book, as well as her other books, especially the Chrysomelia series.

[Darlene Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enchanting escape to Eldonia, a land inhabited by humans and fae. The world-building in this story is amazing as are the unique descriptions of the various characters. The main character is Rafi - part human, part fae, - who doesn't fit in either world. I love this cool character, especially as he is a musician in the human world and plays in a band called "Meloncollie". He meets single mom Roxana, a matter witch who designs jewellery. There is an immediate attraction, but neither of them knows if hooking up is a very good idea. Besides, Roxana is moving away. Then things happen, some good, some bad, some very bad. This is a fantasy, an adventure, and a love story; and the way the author brings it all together makes it a most enjoyable read.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this second venture into Eidolonia. The tale itself was at times both delightful and heart wrenching, an exploration of love and power and connection. I particularly enjoyed Roxana -- seeing a self assured, plus sized mother as the main character in a fantasy novel felt so refreshing.

I also thought that the idea to place a story in the background of the events of Lava Red Feather Blue was a wonderful choice, I loved seeing what happened in other parts of the island.

Will definitely read again!

[Navi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Molly Ringle for this wonderful ARC! I absolutely loved this book! The author does a fantastic job of making sure that the reader understands the story without needing to read book one. I have not read the first book, but I really want to now that I've read this book. I love the world building and just how thoughtfully the author has approached creating a world that the reader can immerse themselves in. I love how complex she makes her characters and really creates characters that the reader can connect with, especially Roxanna and Rafi.