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Song of Earth and Claws

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In a world where kingdoms are won in a game, believing that everyone will follow the rules is hazardous…


A powerless daughter of a powerful king. A swordsman who doesn’t serve anyone. An enchanter for whom pride is everything.


“You will look beautiful in a diadem… and a leash.”


When Lannahi discovers that she is a pawn in the perfidious plan of the man she once loved, she has only one option—in order to save her family, she must take part in the Royal Game.


But no one can win alone.


Lannahi has to duel to take power, but she will need allies to retain it. The interest she sees in the wolfish eyes of a recognized warrior gives her hope, though she doesn’t lower her guard. The man has connections with powerful rulers from the region where lies the city she intends to conquer. She doesn’t know where his loyalty truly belongs, but she knows that the love of a fae usually has fangs.


“That he knew one of her weaknesses disturbed her. That he wanted to help her overcome it touched her. The thought that he might wish to gain her trust only to betray it later paralyzed her.”


The Game starts.


Losing means slavery.


Losing means death.


“You will have to be cruel, Lannahi.”
“I know.”


For the fae there is no good or evil, only pride and fear.

ebook

Published December 28, 2023

3 people are currently reading
62 people want to read

About the author

Lena Abram

8 books10 followers

Lena Abram writes plotty romantasy stories where the world is complicated, magic is taken seriously and emotions fight beastly duels with reason. She often sends her characters on a journey, but they are characterful and don’t always agree to take the designated path. So, though she enjoys reading about travel adventures and love burning slowly, it may happen that the plot of her own book will get stuck in one place and produce sparks sooner rather than later (but it is not guaranteed that the place will not move on its own or that the sparks will not ignite hatred). Lena has also a weakness for fairies, so if you decide to enter the portal leading to the worlds created by her whimsical imagination, be prepared to meet at least their mixed-blood descendants.


Or wizards. She likes wizards too.


More writing secrets and musings are available in Lena’s newsletter.


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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
Profile Image for Liz | lizzuplans.
510 reviews22 followers
December 31, 2024
I am really not invested, I have no idea what is going on, and who are all these people?

I understand the need for world building and explanation (the challenges sounded interesting) but if a book does not grab my attention at this point already, I am unfortunately out.

DNF at 17%. 1.5 stars rounded down.

I received an ARC of this book (thanks!) and these are my own opinions.
Profile Image for Misha.
646 reviews21 followers
February 11, 2025
5 stars

LOVED this. The crazy games played in the fae high nobility world were top notch. Just showing up early to a meal could be seen as a weakness, showing insecurity, to which there were moves and countermoves, even or maybe, especially, among siblings. Lannahi was the best character I've met in a long time. She understands what she needs to do to get and maintain power.

The story is focused on Lannahi, the youngest princess in a powerful kingdom. She has been perceived as weak, without much magic, not much more than a singer. In this fae world, kingdoms are won and lost by challenging a ruler to a duel. She has been threatened by a powerful son of a prince who wants to have her as his royal consort and to keep her on a leash. Her plan, in order to avoid this, is to challenge a ruler in a far away kingdom so that she is no longer a pawn, but a queen on the board, with her own power. And so the power struggle starts....

The way she got power and then held on to it was genius. I wanted to cheer her on each step and I loved how she played the short game but also the long game - actually trying to make positive changes in her new kingdom. I loved how her relationship developed with Ashared. It was sweet and I loved how jealous he was when men came sniffing around her.

Top marks for this one. I adored the story and can't wait to read more by this author. That being said, I felt the story is pretty much a stand alone with an HEA. There are no more loose ends to tie up. Just awesome.
Profile Image for Lucinda.
591 reviews10 followers
January 2, 2024
Song of Earth and Claws starts a bit slow as there is quite a bit of world-building, as is usual in stories of the Fae. The reader needs to be able to understand the rules to understand the motivations of the main character.
Lannahi is the youngest daughter of King Sarkal, king of Goldenshadows and Queen Asirri, Sarkal's wife and Knight. Her older siblings are princes & princesses of their kingdoms under King Sarkal.
Kingdoms are won and lost in the Moon Games that happen every month, according to the Rules, but not everyone plays by the rules.
Lannahi is a musician with little power, but she realises that she cannot trust anyone, not even her family, as they will all use her as a pawn to gain and keep their own power and kingdoms.
When Lannahi is betrayed by Nihhal, an enchanter she loves, she is forced to participate in the Game and duel for a kingdom to protect herself from him and his plans for her. Losing is not an option as losing means slavery.
Winning the duel is just the start of Lannahi finding herself and her power in a kingdom quite different to her home, and with people who view her and her friends with much suspicion.
Navigating a hostile ex-queen, the man she is attracted to but cannot trust, wild werewolf factions, an ex-lover who betrayed her, and siblings she cannot trust, whilst holding onto her kingdom is a delicate balancing act.
Lena Abram has crafted a fine stand-alone novel that could just as easily become the first in a series
Profile Image for Emily.
5,830 reviews543 followers
January 1, 2024
Lannahi finds herself betrayed and part of a bigger plan from one who would do her family harm. Everyone overlooked Lannahi, yes her voice was beautiful, but she was sheltered and underestimated. In order to take control of her own destiny, Lannahi issues a duel for the kingdom of Goldfrost. If she wins she has a new battle in front of her, gaining the trust of the people who live there. If she loses she will be a slave or worst, lose her life. The game is set, will she meet her match?

What a terrific story. So many different facets to this story. Lannahi trusts very few and she finds herself betrayed by one she thought she could trust. She makes a play that changes everything and her determination is astounding. At times Lannahi can come off as cold but there is so much to her, couldn't put the story down. If you like fantasy's that have to do with the royal court this one is a must read.
Profile Image for Heath Steph Smith.
278 reviews10 followers
December 25, 2023
It seems like Lannahi can’t even trust her siblings in this world. I honestly wanted to slap all of them lol like they are just waiting for the perfect moment to stab her in the back.
On another note, Nihhal is a total douche! This is a king and queens world meets fantasy where watching your back seems like an everyday activity. Strong MFC who doesn’t back down which we love! There is wit and dueling and romance! There was definitely a lot of “oh no she didn’t!” that popped in my head lol this book is a big one but it’s great! I would definitely give it a read if you want to go on woman power journey, fairies included!
Profile Image for Daenerys Targaryen.
902 reviews4 followers
December 31, 2023
Beautifully written book that depicts a world were kingdoms were won or lost by challenging a king or queen of an existing kingdom. The story revolves around a young princess who challenges the ruler of another kingdom in a last ditch effort to survive. The love between the main characters felt real, the challenges they faced realistic and we feel the pain & desperation of the heroine on a cellular level!
Profile Image for Helen Dawkins.
245 reviews5 followers
December 31, 2023
Let me start off by saying this is a wonderful book. With that being said, I wanted to like it so much more than I actually did. This book is a stand-alone romantic fantasy novel, but it does have two other books in the same universe.

Song of Earth and Claws has a good amount of the "regular" fantasy elements, such as drama, danger, magic and mystical characters (in this case Fae - as well as shapeshifters). But there are also a few elements that the author adds that I find are quite unique and interesting, the main one being the way the fae differ from one another. They all have the deeper connection as far a morals go, but they couldn't be any more different regarding powers, personalities, and physical attributes.

There is A LOT, and I do mean A LOT of information to take in that is honestly pretty necessary to keep the story line straight. This is a chacteristic most dystopian books have, especially in the very first book introducing the world, so I don't have a problem with the amount of info but, my issue is more so with how much of the information if very alike. There are only very small differences, but those small differences are crucial at understanding and comprehending. Another issue I have is the names are very similar as well. Which would have been fine if they were characters on the same side, or for smaller characters, if a small description (without necessarily being redundant) was included when mentioning them. I completely understand this is easier said than actually done when it comes to writing characters lol.

There are several characters that I would consider "main" characters, but as far as the romantic story line of the book, it is focused on Lannahi and Ashared. I do deeply love their connection both physical and mental. The romantic part doesn't really have momentum though until over half way, and I feel there was a lot of missed opportunity there because the book is focused on explaining in depth the rules of the fae universe as well as Lannahi as a person. I feel like the author was torn in two directions - the romantic portion of the story vs. the universe the romance took place in. I think the book generally would have been better if there was just one direction the author focused on. Because of this, the flow of the story was a little choppy.

The beginning of the story focuses on Lannahi only and the "games". But the "games" are not really well explained and left me a little confused on why exactly they existed besides the fact to keep the fae from just murdering each other at random. Another large aspect of this book that heavily confused me was what the ACTUAL plot was, out of the plethora of things that could be considered, none of them really made enough sense to be the MAIN one. Yes, Lannahi wanted protection from Nihhal and she couldn't speak of what he aspired to do, as well as she did not wish to become a slave. But wouldn't becoming a Queen solve these issues? Isn't that the whole point of why she became Queen? Not to mention, after she becomes Queen, it barely mentions him again until almost 3/4 ways through.

The element of danger is never missing, there is always a slight worry that someone might lose their life at any given moment. Has Lannahi bit of more than she could chew? Who knew being Queen would be just as dangerous as her future looked with Nihhal. Loyalties are tested, secrets are kept.. and broken, family members cannot always be trusted, and greed is not always the motivation behind a person's intentions.

The universe itself is easily imagined; the author does a wonderful job of explaining the world. It is a BEAUTIFUL world, and I think this is one of the best things about this book. It is just enough similar to other fae worlds that makes it easy to imagine fae living there, but so different that you might just take a step back and imagine fae, as a whole, differently than before.
 
The underlying story had SO much potential, and I feel like it did not really meet its mark for me. But regardless, it is a good story and I encourage you to pick it up and read if you love fantasy romance!
Profile Image for Ayla Phipps.
363 reviews10 followers
January 2, 2024
Taking control of her own fate. This is the first book I have read by the immensely talented Lena Abram’s and all I gotta say is wow. Day one of 2024 and I already have a favorite author of the year. Lannahi, daughter of King Sarkal and Queen Asirri of Goldenshadows is more than just a singer.
Lannahi is the youngest of three, brother Maal fifteen years older and sister Letiri ten years older. Due to the large age gaps, she was never very close to her siblings but when she became twenty years old both took great interest in her along with many others. The purpose was to see how powerful she was. Alas the interest in her was short lived when their father introduced her to the court as a singer and not a princess. Both felt she was no longer a threat but could be a pawn in the Royal Games. Nihhal, is the son of prince reigning over one of her fathers’ cities and due to his father’s enslavement after a loss has a grand plan of revenge that Lannahi is key. When he reveals his ultimate plans to her, he does so with a charm, if she tries to warn or tell anyone of his plans she will suffocate before she can finish. With no other choice Lannahi is truly her mother’s daughter and decides to take her survival and thus her fate into her own hands. She has finally reached the age of twenty-five and is now old enough to attend the Royal Sabbaths and can declare a challenge to another royal for their title and lands. Only she meets someone unexpected, Ashared, a mixed blood landshaper/shapeshifter. With whom has ties to the woman she has challenged. The Queen of Goldfrost is her target and the date is set… her only brief hesitation to her surprise is how Ashared will see the challenge.
What will happen after the duel? Can she truly win against a landshaper? Will Nihhal accept that she is out of his reach, or will he follow her to enact his revenge? The world the author builds is one built of magic, and fae but also reality in how people only ever let you see what they want you to. Secrets don’t only hide in the shadows, sometimes the friend beside you turns out to be the enemy you were fighting. She searched and dreamed of a love like her parents’ and found it in a place she never thought possible. I will certainly be keeping an eye out for more from this author. Can’t wait to see what she has in store next.
968 reviews12 followers
January 19, 2024
In the lands of the fae, there are rules of engagement, in this area, they are the Rules of the Black Tower, a dangerous game of challenges and conquests where lands, titles and kingdoms can be won or lost in a single fight, or war and revenge can be taken in some cases and not in others. It is a complicated Game and Challenges lead to repercussions whether won or lost and the penalty for improper use or behaviour is deadly.

Lannahi is a young woman who is just entering the age where she can participate in the Game, she has seen it played and heard stories of the winners, losers and the consequences, but she has never played before and didn't really want to, albeit her family has. One day, a man whom she thought she could maybe see a future with showed his true colours and made it known to her of his intentions, she knows that her life as she knows it is about to undergo a drastic change, he is wanting to use her as a pawn to gain power, but he is not the only one.

On the days leading up to one of the main Game events in a central arena, Lannahi makes a plan to fulfil her need to escape her first love, she plans to enter the game, she plans on making a Challenge and hoping she will win. One slight change to the plan is being called upon to perform in front of the gathering, it is something she neither expected or wanted, but knowing she cannot back down, she accepts the invitation and performs to her best ability, however, she is seen trying to gather herself by another fae, but whether his intentions are honourable or not, Lannahi cannot tell.

It is after this performance where it is announced that she has made a formal challenge, much to her family's distress and confusion, it surprises all of the gathered audience, but all she knows is that she must win, or she will die, or even worse, become a slave, the exact fate she is trying to escape. Will she be able to succeed in her challenge against an interesting choice of adversary, or will she lose and face the forfeit the Game demands, not to mention what will happen after the challenge finishes, will her life still be her own, or will it belong to another? This is a fast-paced fantasy in a land of fae, games, consequences, trust, loyalty and masks, as a young woman makes a choice to change her life, as well as those around her in a land of magic, games and determination.
Profile Image for Angela.
7,686 reviews114 followers
December 30, 2023
2.5 - 3 Stars

Song of Earth and Claws by Lena Abram is a high-fantasy adventure with Fae, complex world-building, drama, danger, agendas, family dynamics, challenges, and more.
This is the first book that I have read by Ms. Abram, so I really didn’t know what to expect from one of her books- but as fantasy is one of my absolute favourite genres, and the blurb sounded quite promising, I one-clicked myself a copy and dove right in.
I have to be honest here, there is a LOT of information and details in this story, and the start proved to be quite slow and somewhat confusing. The story jumps right into aspects of the ‘Game’, but nothing (about the Game) is really explained enough to know how it works and what’s going on… I felt like I was starting a book in the ‘middle’ and was missing a lot of details. The flow was also slow and a bit choppy, which added another challenge to my reading experience. These issues did improve as the story unfolded, but I still struggled to stay in the ‘groove’ or invest in the character/s and the story. There were quite a few frustrating moments for me and quite a few characters that I detested or wanted to kick/shake.
The underlying story had so much more potential, which for me, it just didn’t quite reach. I have been on a bit of a dark fantasy binge lately, along with some gritty thrillers thrown into the mix- so I’m really not sure if that has coloured my opinion of this book, or not. Taking that into account, I have decided to revisit it again in a few weeks to see if I still feel the same way about it- or if my opinion will change. So, stay tuned.
But don’t let my opinion put you off reading this book, because looking at other reviews, I seem to be the only one with any issues. So, if this book interests you at all, I suggest you grab a copy and decide for yourself.
Happy Reading…

Thank you, Lena Abrams!
Profile Image for Carolyn Schaeperkoetter.
215 reviews1 follower
January 10, 2024
Thank you BookSirens for the chance to read and review this arc. Outstanding book with alot of well-thought out world building and an original story.

Lannahi is a fae princess who is in the battle of her life after being cursed by a man she had once loved who apparently holds an old grudge over her father because of his own father's fate. The only way for her to escape it is to play a game during the Royal Sabbath and basically take over a Kingdom that does not want her as the people who inhabit it and her people are enemies. What follows are games, hostilities as Lannahi tries to figure out her new role, while also struggling to figure out who to trust, especially where a certain warrior is concerned.

As I've said before, the story is very original. I find myself sympathizing for Lannahi who tries to escape a horrible fate by taking a kingdom away from a queen who had done her no wrong. The queen, understandably, is very hostile and bitter about losing her kingdom, and worse yes, becoming Lannahi's slave, and I love how author paints her in a sympathetic light and how even Lannahi at times questions how in the right she is taking away the kingdom and freedom of one woman in order to save herself.

Making things further complicated is her attraction to Ashared, who she met during the Royal Sabbath before she took over the kingdom of Goldfrost. They had a chance encounter after Lannahi was challenged to a musical showdown of sorts, and then would later on be inadvertently be reunited with him when she takes over his cousin's crown. As her feelings for him go deeper, she has moments when she does not know if she can even trust him as he may have his own ulterior motive, and you find yourself questioning everyone around you.

The ending of course, surprised and thrilled me, and Ashared's and Lannahi's connection made sense as it came full circle.

Now, the only reason why I'd give this book 4 stars instead of five is that at times the writing and prose is very passive and kind of dull as we're merely getting a summary of what's going on versus feeling a sense of urgency and being the action. Also, at times it got distracting reading "When" at the beginning of multiple sentences, such as "When everyone got their plates, they sat down at the table." or "When the alarm sounded, everyone became silent." Multiple sentences like this. The story could have been more exciting if the prose was a bit more descriptive and active.

Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the slow burn romance between Lannahi and Ashared as well as the complexities offered in the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Kerry  carr.
1,895 reviews24 followers
January 1, 2024
This is a really entertaining fantasy read. It contains everything you would expect from a fantasy adventure, fantasy beings, danger, excitement, enemies from far and wide and some even closer to home, and romance. In this story there is also family angst and drama as it felt to me that all of Lannahi's siblings were constantly waiting for the moment to turn against her and stab her in the back.

Lannahi wants to make her own way in the world. She doesn't want to be under someone else rule for the rest of her life so to do that she needs to either take over someone else's kingdom or create her own. However that isn't as simple as it sounds as even the parts not under the control of a ruler still have their own supernatural beings who aren't to happy to have someone trying to take control over them.

So now Lannahi has to gather people around her to help her succeed in this game and progress herself further so she can become a ruler. But with everyone wanting the same thing can she really trust the people around her or are they just using her as a stepping stone to get ahead in the game.

The author goes into a lot of detail that really brings the world to life however for me I got a bit lost with the Game. I felt it wasn't explained as well as it could have been whereas other aspects of the story were explained in greater depth.

Overall it was an enjoyable read which a strong female character which I love and I am excited to see what else the author has planned for this fantasy world.
Profile Image for Brandy Jo Rymer.
277 reviews2 followers
January 20, 2024
Song of Earth and Claws did start a little slow, it took me a short while to get the gist of what it was about, but the build-up of information was key to understanding the story. As I continued to read along, the book started picking up the pace, and by the time I was a quarter of the way in, I couldn't stop reading. I needed to continue to read on, I was so invested in the characters and what was going to happen to them. Lannahi was an amazing choice for the heroine of this book, and the romance between her and Ashared was something I had been hoping for right from their first meeting! I felt so bad for Lannahi in the way that everyone treated her throughout the story, she had to fight for everything in life, being looked past as weak due to her love of singing and the arts. Boy, was I impressed by the end of the book, she turns out to be everything that I had hoped for and more. I loved the thrill of this read so much, the different types of characters in the book were a refreshing take on mythical creatures. The dramatic battles and the rules of the kingdoms were a lot to learn in the beginning, but once I got into the book, I completely understood the need for all the logistics to follow along with the storyline. I am so glad that I kept on reading because otherwise, I would have missed out on a fantastic book. I hope that there will be more books with these characters, I am so invested in hearing more adventures with them all, and I want more!
@Brandy Rymer
01/2024
Profile Image for Darla Yocom.
152 reviews4 followers
January 20, 2024
You had me at Faelands! I love reading fantasy fiction books. I found this one is part of a series, Faelands Series, and was immediately on board. I am new to the author and after finishing this fantastic book, I am a fan!

First off, the cover art is eye-catching and I think it works perfectly for this story. Secondly, the main character is a female named Lannahi who grows into her own and I feel is a real badass, so this checked off another item found on my favorite things to see in a fantasy fiction book.

I really enjoyed how the story began with a bit of drama leading up to the day Lannahi was dreading. I seriously felt as if her character has a good steady head on her shoulders, even if her lack of experience in most things has caused her to be a bit naive, which is understandable and relatable.

The author also did a fabulous job working on some of the other characters, including those that only played a small part. I felt as if you were getting to know them as real individuals, which helped you determine on your own if you liked or disliked them. I always love to see if an author can write such good deep content that you honestly hate some of the situations and characters in a story, just like in this book.

Overall, I think this book was well written, had a good pace and left things in a way that could continue this series for the long haul. I cannot wait to read more from this gifted author. I give this 4 out of 5 stars.
496 reviews7 followers
January 17, 2024
Song of Earth and Claws is a fantasy story set in a world of fae where clear rules and procedures dictate how politics and justice are acted out. This includes how and in what circumstances revenge should be taken, and how kingdoms can be lost and run.

The main character, Lannahi, is a young adult and daughter of a powerful king. Secrets from her past mean that she has to work strategically to keep her family safe. She has to make a bold and dramatic gesture that will make her vulnerable and isolate her, but could also bring her power and, eventually, safety.

I enjoy the world created in this story. There are clear social structures which mean that actions and decisions have inevitable consequences. This adds to the tension of some of the more dramatic scenes as we wonder what the knock-on effects will be.

The over-the-shoulder narrative lets us see how Lannahi analyses different situations and chooses her course of action. Her naivety can be frustrating at times but serves as a reminder of her youth, and that she wasn’t intended and therefore adequately prepared for the world she has ended up in.

This book gets five stars from me, and I look forward to reading more Faelands books! I’d recommend it to fans of high fantasy who enjoy stories with intrigue and romance. Particularly if you like books with lots of music in them, this is for you!
Profile Image for Santana.
378 reviews7 followers
January 5, 2024
Lannahi once thought she was in love with a man, that is until she finds out that he was using her to take revenge on those who had wronged his father. Then he cursed her so that she could never tell anyone of his plans or escape him in the future. The Fae win kingdoms by challenging the current ruler. Lannahi decides the only way to escape her ex is by challenging the Queen of a winter kingdom mostly inhabited by landshapers. She wins but the former queen tells her that she will never be accepted. Lannahi fears that she was right. She can’t trust anyone within her new Kingdom. They are either loyal to the former queen or to the land.

Lannahi needs to watch her back no matter where she goes. Without allies she could easily lose her throne just as fast as she took it. Will she be able to retain her throne or die trying?

I enjoyed this book. The author took the time to let us get to know Lannahi as a person before she came into power. The author voiced Lannahi’s thought process to show where she was coming from with all of her decisions and to show that she is a strong, independent woman who doesn’t need a prince or king to make her name known. She will stop at nothing to live free.
Profile Image for Lorralei Hoerner.
920 reviews24 followers
January 16, 2024
3 1/2 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Song of Earth and Claws is a fae fantasy romance with magic, danger, betrayal, kingdoms and powers. I truly enjoy fantasy, this was overall a good story, but a bit complex and there is a lot of information to try and navigate. The author did a good job providing appendix for glossary of terms, character (as there were many) and kingdoms that was helpful to me, but there were parts of the story that I feel like I was missing some valuable pieces. Overall, this was a good story and I really liked Lannahi as a character as she was underestimated many times.

Lannahi is betrayed by a man she thought she once loved...and this betrayal also would put her family in harms way, his plan is devious. Lannahi is now under Nihhal's curse and she cannot speak of his deceit and betrayal or there is an ultimate price. As Lannahi finds courage to challenge a Queen for power of her land.......will Lannahi find she is as strong as she think she is...
or will this not be as simple as she believes...will she be able to trust anyone or is she in this alone..

This is a good story, overall, it does take time to absorb...I am looking forward to seeing what this author brings next.
Profile Image for Jenni.
6,035 reviews72 followers
December 30, 2023
Song of Earth and Claws is Lena Abrams new romantasy world book. This is a good start to this series.
This high fantasy tale is set in a world where magic is the norm and the worldbuilding is done well. The story is well-written and easily imagined.
Lena certainly puts the characters through their paces in this magical journey. It kind of reminds me of a cross between Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games and GOT all rolled into one. There are strong heroines that are interesting and intriguing characters.
With Games a foot it’s do or die time, but does Lannahi have what it takes to win or will all be lost with her. Rules, what rules? Has she taken on more than she can handle? To find out you will need to read this little gem.
The stakes are high in this magical world where enemies have their own agendas, power, and greed. A world with elemental magic, magical creatures, wolves, Fae, games, slavery, along with lies, secrets, deceit, danger, death, hopes, dreams and more. Loyalties will be tested. Trust needs to be gained and want is a powerful motivator.
I enjoyed the story and look forward to the next book and the story becoming more settled in terms of build-up and pacing.
Profile Image for Deb Robinson.
289 reviews
January 13, 2024
What a fabulous journey I went on with this amazing book. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will certainly look for more.

The world the author created was complex and I absolutely loved that.

Lannahi is our MC and seen by her family as the weakest among them. They do not consider her a threat for taking over their land as her fae talent is the gift of song. Everyone in her family seems to want to protect her.

Lannahi finds herself under a curse from Nihhal who wants her as a slave at his feet. She can’t speak of his deceit to anyone due to the curse or she will die. The curse prevents her from doing so. This leaves Lannahi no choice but to challenge someone at the Blacktower for her own piece of land. When she wins and becomes Queen she finds herself in over her head.

She has been taught not to trust anyone. Ashared is the head of the guard but can he be trusted? Read this amazing book to find out more. You won’t be disappointed. In fact you will want more.
1,869 reviews24 followers
January 14, 2024
Song of Earth and Claws (Faelands Series) by Lena Abram. This is a fae, romance and it is loaded with information that you need to know but kind of bogged down the first little bit of the book. You have to really pay attention to keep all the players in line and where they fit into the story. The romance part focuses on Lannahi and Ashared. Lannahi is in the game to become the leader and the games are a big part of the story. Lannahi doesn't want to be leader but for the sake of her family she has to try and being betrayed by someone she though was her friend is heartbreaking. Lannahi is afraid she has taken on more than she can handle but she also knows if she doesn't at least try she and her family will be destroyed. There are all kinds of danger around every corner including, fantasy, romance, fae, shape shifters and mystery, Its a deep book but if you stick with it you will enjoy the games and seeing if Lannahi can save herself and her people and marry the love of her life which is all she really wants!
Profile Image for Lisa.
3,707 reviews20 followers
January 14, 2024
What a wonderfully complex story. It has a slow start but once it gets going I was completely hooked. This is a fantasy story with romance and a lot of suspense. I was held captive while reading and struggled to put this one down. The world building is phenomenally done. The different layers of fae and how they all interact was superbly done. I was excited to meet new and figure out their powers and how they are involved. How everything someone says or does has an underlying reason or hidden agenda would drive me crazy because the characters have to always be on their toes and thinking of different angles. Tiring for me but great for the story.

The female MC impressed me immensely. She is portrayed as meek and a follower but once she makes her move she is the complete opposite. Her growth is huge! Watching her change and learn for every situation always left me wondering what can’t she do. The answer is Nothing! She has learned from her family more than she ever thought she did.

I hope there is more to come in this series.

292 reviews7 followers
January 7, 2024
This was the first book I have read from this author and I am very excited to get to read more of her works! This was a well written story that drew me in, right from the beginning. We jump almost right into the Games and as the story unfolds, the author does an amazing job of revealing more of the story and the characters. Lannahi was a wonderful heroine that you absolutely want to see succeed. As she gets older she sees how little she can trust those even closest to her and how hard she will need to work to find her place in this fantasy world. This fantasy story definitely kept me enthralled and I couldn’t stop reading until the end. The author takes you on all sorts of twists and turns, keeping you wondering how it will all end. I definitely recommend this to anyone who loves fantasy, adventure, mystery, secrets, lies, romance, and magic. I definitely plan to check out the other books the author has written and I look forward to more of her works.
Profile Image for Julie.
1,052 reviews69 followers
January 19, 2024
In a world where slavery and death are on the line, Lannahi is going to have to fight for her kingdom and her freedom. She is the youngest sibling of 3, and her siblings are, well to put it mildly, jerks. They don't really care about her outcome. She thinks she's in love with this guy until his true colors come to light and he enchants her, to the point that if she does not comply, death will be her outcome. To get out from under his spell, she must participate in the Moon Games. These games are held monthly and there are strict rules. Not everyone plays by the rules though. Lannahi is going to need some help from an ally, but who can really be trusted?

This was an interesting and fun read. There is lots of adventure, fantasy, some romance, and power grabs. I love the time and attention the author took to developing the characters. While it did slow down the pace of the book a bit, it was much needed and appreciated!
Profile Image for Maikalani.
120 reviews6 followers
January 24, 2024
Love a good fae book and this is definitely intrigued it was a bit slow to start and I had push through the world building but it really sets the background. Perhaps it has a touch of dystopian (not a huge fan of that genre which is maybe why I muscled through)

It’s hunger games meets the fae. Epic twists and turns for a what will you do for love ? What will you do to rescue those that you love. The strong lead female character draws you in and by the time your 25% through you’re wanting to keep going and see the life she lays out for herself. She wi stop at nothing. Always the under dog till the end.
The creatures and characters introduced are marvelous.

The main reason it’s a 4 is because I felt some of the story was missing key information or could be used to provide more.

I’ll definitely read her other stories that are left in the same universe but different worlds cause she’s intriguing.
Profile Image for Melancholy Rose.
43 reviews
January 14, 2024
Lannahi knows the fate of her fathers kingdom is in danger. Being Sarkal's youngest child without powers, leaves her open to the other kingdoms.
Nihhal is experienced and has powers, he has been all over the kingdoms plotting revenge against her and her family. When he sees her alone at the Moon Games, he makes his ghastly move. He let's her live but he has cursed her to be his slave. Little did he know Lannahi isn't as weak as he thought. She has her own plan to dominate and run from him to never be made a slave.
Song of Earth and Claws by Lena Abram is a beautifully written fantasy romance. Full of betrayal and captivating combat, both magical and physical. It is full of details and amazing character and world building. The author thought of it all, she even has the rules of the lands and a glossary in the back as helpful tools.
Profile Image for Jennifer Reimer.
382 reviews10 followers
January 20, 2024
I usually love reading this type of books of supernatural, but it really took me sometime to get into this book. It was very slow of me in the beginning, and I was very almost bored, but I trucked thou it. honestly, thou it did start to pick up and I really was enjoying it more and more. I really enjoyed how the book was very well written thou, it flowed very nicely. The world building o this book was like I was right there in the book, along with Lannahi and her adventure to challenge queens and the Fae worlds. Once this book got going with the life Lannahi needed to change and then challenge it was starting to be enjoyable. Lannahi was a very well thought out character and I really liked the fact that we could be along for this adventure so had to go though, this strong independent woman that doesn’t want to be held down by a man, really was a wonderful enjoyment.
Profile Image for Susan Ratchford.
193 reviews1 follower
January 16, 2024
Praise for Lena Abram’s, Song Of Earth and Claws, for bringing a unique twist to a classic genre! I absolutely loved this book and the immense journey that it took me on! The characters all felt so real! I got so angry at some of them like they were right beside me. Lannahi was such a relatable character with her intense motives and the feelings brought about by her family. There were times where if I were her I would be so tempted to give up, but she never did and I found that inspiring. Abram’s created an immaculate world with so much detail, her kingdoms, her politics, her games, her twists and turns, all absolutely stunning. I can’t wait to see what else she has in store! My first favorite book for the year!
Profile Image for Hannah.
392 reviews7 followers
January 19, 2024
When it comes to reading fantasy books, I really only have read about 2 handfuls of them. So when I came across this Book i really wanted to give it a try and add it to my read pile. Omg I am so glad I did!! Lena Abram has built such a beautifully unique world, with some complex characters that you'll sympathize with and hope everything turns out okay for them. Lol most of them lol. But with powers and curses and a thrilling Ending what's not to love ❤️I truly look forward to reading the Dominions series by this author its part of this universe🥰 Can't wait to step foot back In the this one. I would love to see how they expand on this already great world.
Ps I love how the author had a go to glossary for the book just in case you got confused on something.
Profile Image for Shannen.
1,010 reviews23 followers
January 20, 2024
This was my first book by this author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The cover caught my eye immediately, and once I read the summary, I knew I had to give it a go. While the beginning can feel slow to some, I think it gave an amazing background and build of the world which is incredibly important for fantasies/fae books in particular. I always love it when they include the glossary to help keep track of different characters and terms because I like to take breaks with complex books and those are a nice reminder for when I pick back up. Lannahi is a strong character but somehow her family sees her as weak. There is plenty of danger, action, suspense, and magic throughout this wonderfully complex book. I highly recommend picking it up, and I’m off to find more of this author’s magic!
288 reviews4 followers
January 20, 2024
Themes are of fae, romantasy, heroine, battle for the kingdom dominate this novel and intended for mature readers as there are stronger scenarios. Lannahi has been betrayed by a former love and now her family is entangled in danger. She needs to make her own plan to protect her family. Although she’s grown up as reserved and sheltered, her character emerges as such a strong female force. What emerges from the timid Lannahi is the challenge to go up against the Queen to take over the land. Besides the usual challenge, Lannahi is also conflicted with learning who to trust, betrayal and loyalty. To get a better view of the storyline and Lannahi’s character, you must read this novel. Very much worth the read!
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