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Divine Songs #1
Oblivion's Hymn
In a world where magic is ruled by bargains, how much would you pay for the thing you want most?
Echo’s shapeshifting has been a curse all her life. The secret police hunt her for her magical blood, and the rest of the world believes she’s a monster. To prove them wrong and escape capture, Echo bargained with a god to become a famous bard. But when she didn’t uphold her end of the deal, he took her singing voice away. Now the police are closing in, and her childhood friend, Rhienne, is the only one loyal and reckless enough to help get her voice back.
But Rhienne’s lust for power has her in trouble of her own. Her mother is dead, her scheme to steal magic from the head of the secret police failed, and time is running out before the gods come to collect her soul. If she can’t resurrect her mother—who has a history of finding contract loopholes—Rhienne belongs to the God of the Void forever. Using Echo’s innate talents might be Rhienne’s last chance at freedom.
Echo and Rhienne will search continents and dimensions for power strong enough to thwart their enemies and undo their mistakes. But the gods have their own plans to maintain balance. One way or another, they always get what they’re owed.
Echo’s shapeshifting has been a curse all her life. The secret police hunt her for her magical blood, and the rest of the world believes she’s a monster. To prove them wrong and escape capture, Echo bargained with a god to become a famous bard. But when she didn’t uphold her end of the deal, he took her singing voice away. Now the police are closing in, and her childhood friend, Rhienne, is the only one loyal and reckless enough to help get her voice back.
But Rhienne’s lust for power has her in trouble of her own. Her mother is dead, her scheme to steal magic from the head of the secret police failed, and time is running out before the gods come to collect her soul. If she can’t resurrect her mother—who has a history of finding contract loopholes—Rhienne belongs to the God of the Void forever. Using Echo’s innate talents might be Rhienne’s last chance at freedom.
Echo and Rhienne will search continents and dimensions for power strong enough to thwart their enemies and undo their mistakes. But the gods have their own plans to maintain balance. One way or another, they always get what they’re owed.
458 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 28, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
October 18, 2025
Guys. GUYS. This book is a must read. You hear me? MUST READ. This is everything that fantasy should be and is, and it’s beautiful, and I’m typing this through tears because IT IS BEAUTIFUL. It broke my heart and put it back together with threads of gold. I..don’t know how else to describe this. I adored the characters, the world, the gods… oh, the gods. The way they toyed with the humans, and the magical system was just… chef’s kiss.
I needed this book right now. I needed to believe in the power of more than one. I needed to see found family as more than a trope. I needed it to be strength. And this had everything of that and more. Anyone that feels like they are less, or just not enough, that they are the sum of their mistakes, you need to read this. You need to read this and feel the truth of being more whole than you realize. You need this. (This goes triple if you are a musician of any type. Trust me.)
And that this is the first book in a series? SIGN ME UP FOREVER. A. J. Peterson, you just got yourself a fan. 10/10. No notes. Not a single damn note.
Oblivion’s Hymn hits shelves Oct 28. You do not want to sleep on this one.
Thank you to author A.J. Peterson and The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #oblivionshymn #thenerdfam
I needed this book right now. I needed to believe in the power of more than one. I needed to see found family as more than a trope. I needed it to be strength. And this had everything of that and more. Anyone that feels like they are less, or just not enough, that they are the sum of their mistakes, you need to read this. You need to read this and feel the truth of being more whole than you realize. You need this. (This goes triple if you are a musician of any type. Trust me.)
And that this is the first book in a series? SIGN ME UP FOREVER. A. J. Peterson, you just got yourself a fan. 10/10. No notes. Not a single damn note.
Oblivion’s Hymn hits shelves Oct 28. You do not want to sleep on this one.
Thank you to author A.J. Peterson and The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #oblivionshymn #thenerdfam
September 16, 2026
Where do I start with reviewing this book? It deals with so much: grief, feeling lost, starting over and all in such a wonderful world.
I adored the melding of bargains and gods with the really human struggles of finding your place in the world.
Having women who have lived, made mistakes, and have to deal with those consequences is incredible to read. So often the fantasy I read centers on young women, barely into their adult lives so it was really refreshing to read about women in their 30s who are at such a different stage in life.
The found family was so brilliant, especially Irelia and Tash.
What I loved most though, was that Rhienne and Echo were not by any means perfect characters. They were flawed, they had messed up, and even within their friendship there was tension at times. Them working through and communicating to hold onto their deep bond of friendship was so beautifully written.
It was really nice to read a book where female friendship over romantic relationships was centred too.
A fantastic read for anyone who loves fantasy and especially for d&d fans.
I adored the melding of bargains and gods with the really human struggles of finding your place in the world.
Having women who have lived, made mistakes, and have to deal with those consequences is incredible to read. So often the fantasy I read centers on young women, barely into their adult lives so it was really refreshing to read about women in their 30s who are at such a different stage in life.
The found family was so brilliant, especially Irelia and Tash.
What I loved most though, was that Rhienne and Echo were not by any means perfect characters. They were flawed, they had messed up, and even within their friendship there was tension at times. Them working through and communicating to hold onto their deep bond of friendship was so beautifully written.
It was really nice to read a book where female friendship over romantic relationships was centred too.
A fantastic read for anyone who loves fantasy and especially for d&d fans.
September 7, 2025
Echo and Rhienne are found family that separate to travel their own paths. But re-join as they have both made deals with gods that have not went to plan. This is a strong debut, I loved our FMCs they were interesting, complicated and they were just trying to survive which made them compelling to read about. I loved this world, the author has cited DnD and Treasure Planet as comparisons and I adored that. This is a vast fantasy world where we have many magical beings, from mimics, dream walkers, gods and more. We have beings called the Untold who hunt magical beings, I wish we found out more about the untold as they intrigued me. What happened to drive them to that path, where they born that way or did they choose dark magic and slowly wither away. This shows you how detailed the background characters are that I started to want more and more. My favourite part was the airship and the crew aboard it, they all had complicated relationships with the gods and I wanted to just spend a book with them, how did they get together, what adventures have they been on. Don't misunderstand me, I know its sounds like I just wanted more of everything but thats because I loved this world and characters. I cant wait for the author to hopefully write more in this universe. This story abut Echo and Rhienne was fantastic, the pace is medium which lets you sit with their decisions without it dragging. I loved it, I think this is a really strong debut that many people like myself are gonna adore.
May 16, 2026
I wish I had read this sooner!! I really enjoyed that this had an interesting take on the gods and universe. I especially loved the character growth throughout the story. Seeing Rhienne slowly learn how to deal with her anger instead of letting it completely control her made her arc feel really satisfying. Echo’s journey was probably one of my favorite parts though. Watching her finally start overcoming her insecurities and believing in herself was so rewarding after everything she had been through. I loved seeing how much stronger and more confident she became over the course of the book.
I also really loved the gods and how much their presence shaped the world and the story itself. There was something so fascinating about the way they interacted with everything going on, and it added a really immersive layer to the worldbuilding. The deals and bargains they made added so much tension because there always felt like there was a hidden cost lurking underneath everything. The magic system felt well woven into the story without becoming overly complicated.
Thank you to the author and The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #oblivionshymn #thenerdfam
I also really loved the gods and how much their presence shaped the world and the story itself. There was something so fascinating about the way they interacted with everything going on, and it added a really immersive layer to the worldbuilding. The deals and bargains they made added so much tension because there always felt like there was a hidden cost lurking underneath everything. The magic system felt well woven into the story without becoming overly complicated.
Thank you to the author and The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. #oblivionshymn #thenerdfam
October 23, 2025
3.75⭐ rounded up because that ending was beautiful.
**I've received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author!**
This was a very interesting, original and compelling story. I really enjoyed how ride-or-die these two FMCs are and how their beautiful friendship was the base of the story (and I'm a huge fan of romance, but we did get some very nice romantic -and what a healthy romance- scenes as well). They are both very very flawed people who have made lots of mistakes... Yet individually, each one has a lesson to learn, and it all matches beautifully with the end of the story.
Yes, the book has flaws, but the magical aspect of it makes you forget about them and keep reading, so I highly recommend it to people who enjoy friendship stories, a little quest, deities and soft magic systems. Perfect if you enjoyed The Tainted Cup.
--
❗Beware for spoilers below❗
My favourite part was the gods! Bastion was like a big kid; on one hand, he seemed slightly mature, seeing the beauty in the mundane, and yet still childish at times. But Exodus was, by far, my favourite character 🔥 He was fun, sassy, and with an array of emotions that screamed "I'm human" more than some of the other characters. His love and appreciation for Echo made him even better, and that has me excited for what the next book will bring. Now their descriptions were some of the most wondrous I've ever read! I won't even spoil them, you have to see it for yourself. This pantheon of deities is one of the best I've encountered in fantasy.
Now, this wasn't perfect by any means. It started strong, but then the magic system became too complex without proper explanations, which could be a me-problem because I prefer hard magic systems (properly explained), but there were lots of things that didn't make sense and had me wondering "how TF was that possible?!" too many times. There is a lot we missed here, especially about the Untold and, how come the Gods let them be? How do they siphon magic? How does blood magic work? How do deals work? How do mimics and immortals have magic and yet Echo still needed the mandolin to get hers? And if there are gods here, what is "hell" and are there "demons" too?
The plot felt slow at the beginning as well, and there was a lot of focus on the friendship and these two characters emotions, that we ended up too much inside their heads and not enough enjoying their journey and other characters. I completely understand why though, but it made the story feel way too slow at first, and the fun bits were way too quick afterwards.
As for the writing, while I enjoyed the descriptions, worldbuilding and character development, the writing itself felt a little wonky. At times (especially towards the ending), it felt like "white room syndrome" because I couldn't picture the surroundings, or how some things just happened (how did her dad get there?!), and some things didn't fully make sense. However, I feel like I need to state I have a 16 month old and sometimes, the brain is not braining properly, so this, too, could be a me-problem.
I'm a sucker for mental health depictions in fantasy, and I feel this one tackled two things that I've experienced myself too: the lack of purpose, and the lack of will to go on (to say it nicely). And with that ending, this book was a masterpiece to me.
The world is an absolute gem, original and creative and inspiring, making me want to go and work on my own stories! It felt so fresh and new, that not having enough of it made me a little upset. That ending was beautifully written, with the Origin and her descriptions and how it felt, so whimsical and magical that it's a great reminder of why I love fantasy stories.
And yet, the best part was how the characters changed, let go of their fears and wants to embrace their needs... a tale so old, we all live through these things over and over in our lifetime, but seeing it so clear in a book always hit differently. People see us as less, as not worthy, as monsters... to the point that their voices mingle with ours, making it hard to see who we really are. Being in the Origin and the concept of opening up to show who you truly are, how people influence that too, as a way to connect with the "thing" we're constantly looking for, it was just... wonderful.
That Epilogue was absolutely SAVAGE! It made me really excited for the next book because it feels we're going to get a lot more worldbuilding, and not just this world but the pantheon, and perhaps other realms?! Can't wait 🙌🏽
**I've received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author!**
This was a very interesting, original and compelling story. I really enjoyed how ride-or-die these two FMCs are and how their beautiful friendship was the base of the story (and I'm a huge fan of romance, but we did get some very nice romantic -and what a healthy romance- scenes as well). They are both very very flawed people who have made lots of mistakes... Yet individually, each one has a lesson to learn, and it all matches beautifully with the end of the story.
Yes, the book has flaws, but the magical aspect of it makes you forget about them and keep reading, so I highly recommend it to people who enjoy friendship stories, a little quest, deities and soft magic systems. Perfect if you enjoyed The Tainted Cup.
--
❗Beware for spoilers below❗
My favourite part was the gods! Bastion was like a big kid; on one hand, he seemed slightly mature, seeing the beauty in the mundane, and yet still childish at times. But Exodus was, by far, my favourite character 🔥 He was fun, sassy, and with an array of emotions that screamed "I'm human" more than some of the other characters. His love and appreciation for Echo made him even better, and that has me excited for what the next book will bring. Now their descriptions were some of the most wondrous I've ever read! I won't even spoil them, you have to see it for yourself. This pantheon of deities is one of the best I've encountered in fantasy.
Now, this wasn't perfect by any means. It started strong, but then the magic system became too complex without proper explanations, which could be a me-problem because I prefer hard magic systems (properly explained), but there were lots of things that didn't make sense and had me wondering "how TF was that possible?!" too many times. There is a lot we missed here, especially about the Untold and, how come the Gods let them be? How do they siphon magic? How does blood magic work? How do deals work? How do mimics and immortals have magic and yet Echo still needed the mandolin to get hers? And if there are gods here, what is "hell" and are there "demons" too?
The plot felt slow at the beginning as well, and there was a lot of focus on the friendship and these two characters emotions, that we ended up too much inside their heads and not enough enjoying their journey and other characters. I completely understand why though, but it made the story feel way too slow at first, and the fun bits were way too quick afterwards.
As for the writing, while I enjoyed the descriptions, worldbuilding and character development, the writing itself felt a little wonky. At times (especially towards the ending), it felt like "white room syndrome" because I couldn't picture the surroundings, or how some things just happened (how did her dad get there?!), and some things didn't fully make sense. However, I feel like I need to state I have a 16 month old and sometimes, the brain is not braining properly, so this, too, could be a me-problem.
"When I couldn’t see another way forward except to… not go forward.”
I'm a sucker for mental health depictions in fantasy, and I feel this one tackled two things that I've experienced myself too: the lack of purpose, and the lack of will to go on (to say it nicely). And with that ending, this book was a masterpiece to me.
"They’d wanted to see what she could do, see what she truly was. Well, it was all out on the table. A monster at worst, a copy at best, with nothing to say that hadn’t already been said, nothing worth noticing."
The world is an absolute gem, original and creative and inspiring, making me want to go and work on my own stories! It felt so fresh and new, that not having enough of it made me a little upset. That ending was beautifully written, with the Origin and her descriptions and how it felt, so whimsical and magical that it's a great reminder of why I love fantasy stories.
And yet, the best part was how the characters changed, let go of their fears and wants to embrace their needs... a tale so old, we all live through these things over and over in our lifetime, but seeing it so clear in a book always hit differently. People see us as less, as not worthy, as monsters... to the point that their voices mingle with ours, making it hard to see who we really are. Being in the Origin and the concept of opening up to show who you truly are, how people influence that too, as a way to connect with the "thing" we're constantly looking for, it was just... wonderful.
"Everyone here was a collage of who they’d met and where they’d been. That didn’t make them monsters, or frauds, or anything other than who they were."
That Epilogue was absolutely SAVAGE! It made me really excited for the next book because it feels we're going to get a lot more worldbuilding, and not just this world but the pantheon, and perhaps other realms?! Can't wait 🙌🏽
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2025
Rating: 6 Stars (impossible)
2026 Reread
I don't know where to start. When I first read Oblivion's Hymn last year when it came out I had to hit it twice in a row because it was just too much for me to really take in at one time. This is my favorite book. Nobody ever really has an answer to that question, but I do. I've given six stars to maybe three books ever, and this is one of them. So needless to say reading it again before Exodus's Chorus was just as powerful, just as lovely and meaningful and perfect, as it was the first two times.
"Equal trade is the most basic law of magic"
There are so many things that set this book apart - Rhienne and Echo are two of my favorite protagonists ever, they have a degree of realism to them that is maybe surprising to find in a fantasy novel (I mean Echo isn't even human). The way A.J. wrote their internal conflicts and the question of deservingness - whether they deserve happiness, to be loved - was fantastic, and some of the most insightful writing I've ever encountered in any genre (and the way she brings D&D into it had me cracking up every time. I mean. A warlock isn't gonna get more spell slots but I know what a level up with an invocation looks like!)
Rhienne and Echo are such believable best friends; like, while A.J. hasn't actually written stories of their childhood mischief they exist somewhere in the aether. There's a very specific dynamic that occurs when formerly inseparable best friends come together after years apart, and she captured it in a way that did justice to that while incorporating the legacy of trauma in the ten years they'd been apart. These are two women who love each other so deeply even if they are both sometimes silly gooses about it. The same feeling of being fully fleshed out off-screen goes for Irelia, Tash, and the rest of the crew. I'm so looking forward to getting an Irelia PoV in the next book (Exodus as well, I need to see the god of travel join the quest)!
The Untold are terrifying fascist garbage (THEIR BONES GLOW THROUGH THEIR SKIN), and Mishara is an incredible villain with an arc of her own that I can't really say anything about but oh my lord she is so fleshed out; like, again, Mishara might not have her own stories but they surely exist as like an unwritten immanence (but maybe we could have some as a treat >.>). Oblivion, too, such an excellent villain - his fingerprints are all over the story even where he isn't present, and he's a very specific kind of "evil" that is utterly inhuman.
And of course, my favorite of favorites, the fourth god
Brilliant.
Beyond the characters themselves, this is also the most accurate depiction of suicidal ideation I have ever seen, and the way
This is just a beautiful world that A.J. has created for us, and I'm so grateful I get to be a super fan over something so full of hope. Adult women facing trauma together and finding life on the other side isn't a story that gets told with this degree of love and care often enough. If you love adventure stories, if you love stories about queer friendship, or shit - even if you just love stories about airships - you need to pick up Oblivion's Hymn. There's so much more going on than I can even begin to touch on here and you deserve to see it for yourself!
2026 Reread
I don't know where to start. When I first read Oblivion's Hymn last year when it came out I had to hit it twice in a row because it was just too much for me to really take in at one time. This is my favorite book. Nobody ever really has an answer to that question, but I do. I've given six stars to maybe three books ever, and this is one of them. So needless to say reading it again before Exodus's Chorus was just as powerful, just as lovely and meaningful and perfect, as it was the first two times.
"Equal trade is the most basic law of magic"
There are so many things that set this book apart - Rhienne and Echo are two of my favorite protagonists ever, they have a degree of realism to them that is maybe surprising to find in a fantasy novel (I mean Echo isn't even human). The way A.J. wrote their internal conflicts and the question of deservingness - whether they deserve happiness, to be loved - was fantastic, and some of the most insightful writing I've ever encountered in any genre (and the way she brings D&D into it had me cracking up every time. I mean. A warlock isn't gonna get more spell slots but I know what a level up with an invocation looks like!)
Rhienne and Echo are such believable best friends; like, while A.J. hasn't actually written stories of their childhood mischief they exist somewhere in the aether. There's a very specific dynamic that occurs when formerly inseparable best friends come together after years apart, and she captured it in a way that did justice to that while incorporating the legacy of trauma in the ten years they'd been apart. These are two women who love each other so deeply even if they are both sometimes silly gooses about it. The same feeling of being fully fleshed out off-screen goes for Irelia, Tash, and the rest of the crew. I'm so looking forward to getting an Irelia PoV in the next book (Exodus as well, I need to see the god of travel join the quest)!
The Untold are terrifying fascist garbage (THEIR BONES GLOW THROUGH THEIR SKIN), and Mishara is an incredible villain with an arc of her own that I can't really say anything about but oh my lord she is so fleshed out; like, again, Mishara might not have her own stories but they surely exist as like an unwritten immanence (but maybe we could have some as a treat >.>). Oblivion, too, such an excellent villain - his fingerprints are all over the story even where he isn't present, and he's a very specific kind of "evil" that is utterly inhuman.
And of course, my favorite of favorites, the fourth god
Brilliant.
Beyond the characters themselves, this is also the most accurate depiction of suicidal ideation I have ever seen, and the way
This is just a beautiful world that A.J. has created for us, and I'm so grateful I get to be a super fan over something so full of hope. Adult women facing trauma together and finding life on the other side isn't a story that gets told with this degree of love and care often enough. If you love adventure stories, if you love stories about queer friendship, or shit - even if you just love stories about airships - you need to pick up Oblivion's Hymn. There's so much more going on than I can even begin to touch on here and you deserve to see it for yourself!
September 20, 2025
☕✨ Review ✨📚
Reading Oblivion’s Hymn by AJ Peterson felt a little like joining a D&D campaign that’s already in progress—you might feel like a quiet observer at first, but once the quest unfolds, you’re drawn right in.
The world-building was truly beautiful. Peterson’s writing made each setting feel alive, like somewhere I could curl up with a cup of tea and stay awhile. The characters—especially the strong, morally grey women—brought such depth and grit to the story. While I did find myself wishing for a little “more” in some parts, once the journey found its rhythm, it carried me along with it.
✨ A slower start that blooms into a rich, atmospheric adventure. ✨
Reading Oblivion’s Hymn by AJ Peterson felt a little like joining a D&D campaign that’s already in progress—you might feel like a quiet observer at first, but once the quest unfolds, you’re drawn right in.
The world-building was truly beautiful. Peterson’s writing made each setting feel alive, like somewhere I could curl up with a cup of tea and stay awhile. The characters—especially the strong, morally grey women—brought such depth and grit to the story. While I did find myself wishing for a little “more” in some parts, once the journey found its rhythm, it carried me along with it.
✨ A slower start that blooms into a rich, atmospheric adventure. ✨
August 11, 2025
I have read this as an ARC, and I enjoyed the concept, but I found the book a bit lack lustre.
The characters were fine, I was a little confused to begin with about Echo and Rhienne, as I thought when it said they had broken up that it had meant they had been in a romantic relationship,
but it turned out it was more a family bond. I enjoyed their dynamic; their ride or die mentality.
What bothered me was that there wasn't really any clear explanation for Mishara. Why was she a lead inquisitor using blood magic? What led her down that road? Her character felt unnecessary, as she just wanted revenge on Rhienne for using her, which felt like teenage drama reasons for someone who was higher up in the untold leadership chain. Then, she died in such a simple and sort of boring way.
I also felt like the police/untold weren't very well explained. Why are they called the untold? What does that mean?
The bracelets at the beginning of the book weren't explained very well, like how did Echo escape the alleyway with the untold closing in on her? How did she get to Rhienne so quickly and easily, if she was running away from the untold and contemplating using the bracelet herself for help, how did she just suddenly manage to get herself out of that situation and into a worse one? She then had no trouble getting herself and Rhienne out of the catacombs with much more untold than she was facing in the alleyway. It didn't make sense.
Nearer the end of the book when they were trying to form the tapestry of light to join the origin, their father just appearing didn't make a huge amount of sense, like how did he and the townspeople get to same place as rhienne and the crew.
I also felt that there was an emphasis on Rhienne and potentially Echo using the dawnglow to solve all their problems, then when they found some, it was quite anticlimactic. When they used it, I was throughly underwhelmed. I was expecting more from this supposed amazing magic.
Tash had a fair bit of dawnglow, so why didn't they use that later on when things got bad?
In summary, I didn't hate the book, I just felt it didn't quite hit the mark for me.
The characters were fine, I was a little confused to begin with about Echo and Rhienne, as I thought when it said they had broken up that it had meant they had been in a romantic relationship,
but it turned out it was more a family bond. I enjoyed their dynamic; their ride or die mentality.
What bothered me was that there wasn't really any clear explanation for Mishara. Why was she a lead inquisitor using blood magic? What led her down that road? Her character felt unnecessary, as she just wanted revenge on Rhienne for using her, which felt like teenage drama reasons for someone who was higher up in the untold leadership chain. Then, she died in such a simple and sort of boring way.
I also felt like the police/untold weren't very well explained. Why are they called the untold? What does that mean?
The bracelets at the beginning of the book weren't explained very well, like how did Echo escape the alleyway with the untold closing in on her? How did she get to Rhienne so quickly and easily, if she was running away from the untold and contemplating using the bracelet herself for help, how did she just suddenly manage to get herself out of that situation and into a worse one? She then had no trouble getting herself and Rhienne out of the catacombs with much more untold than she was facing in the alleyway. It didn't make sense.
Nearer the end of the book when they were trying to form the tapestry of light to join the origin, their father just appearing didn't make a huge amount of sense, like how did he and the townspeople get to same place as rhienne and the crew.
I also felt that there was an emphasis on Rhienne and potentially Echo using the dawnglow to solve all their problems, then when they found some, it was quite anticlimactic. When they used it, I was throughly underwhelmed. I was expecting more from this supposed amazing magic.
Tash had a fair bit of dawnglow, so why didn't they use that later on when things got bad?
In summary, I didn't hate the book, I just felt it didn't quite hit the mark for me.
October 24, 2025
There’s nothing wrong with this one, but nothing especially ‘right’ either – the prose is fairly plain, the characters don’t feel very vivid, there’s nothing really special about the setting. There’s a D&D flavour to it that some readers will love but that I always find a turn-off. That striking a bargain in this world, of any kind and with anyone, gives everyone involved magic is really cool, but felt incredibly underutilised as on aspect of the worldbuilding (why hasn’t your world evolved a completely unfamiliar-to-me system of commerce, apprenticeship/adoption, contract law, etc, if this has been a natural law since the dawn of civilisation?)
And maybe I’m just being Very Autistic, but I didn’t understand the strain between the main characters at all.
I read the first third and alas, it just didn’t grip me. I don’t think it’s objectively bad at all, but it didn’t give me any incentive to keep reading, either. Sigh.
And maybe I’m just being Very Autistic, but I didn’t understand the strain between the main characters at all.
I read the first third and alas, it just didn’t grip me. I don’t think it’s objectively bad at all, but it didn’t give me any incentive to keep reading, either. Sigh.
October 24, 2025
First, I just want to say how gorgeous this book is 😍
This one took found family to a new level 🥹 the bond Echo and Rhienne shared was so touching to read, and I really enjoyed their relationship.
I found the world to be confusing at times, but I liked the concept of the gods and the bargains being made between them and the characters we’re introduced to. The magic system was unique, and it brought something different I hadn’t read yet( especially with Echo’s musical magic). I did feel like it was a little much to keep up with at times, because there were a lot of characters, and they all went by multiple names, and they all had many different changing magical abilities. Overall, this one was very fast paced and entertaining, despite wanting a little more backstory! A good start to the series for sure.
Thank you to the author A.J. Peterson as well as Tales & Teacups for this gifted Arc copy 💙
This one took found family to a new level 🥹 the bond Echo and Rhienne shared was so touching to read, and I really enjoyed their relationship.
I found the world to be confusing at times, but I liked the concept of the gods and the bargains being made between them and the characters we’re introduced to. The magic system was unique, and it brought something different I hadn’t read yet( especially with Echo’s musical magic). I did feel like it was a little much to keep up with at times, because there were a lot of characters, and they all went by multiple names, and they all had many different changing magical abilities. Overall, this one was very fast paced and entertaining, despite wanting a little more backstory! A good start to the series for sure.
Thank you to the author A.J. Peterson as well as Tales & Teacups for this gifted Arc copy 💙
Read
October 22, 2025Um loved the airship and the crew! I prefer a bit more weight to the prose in my fantasy, but overall the world building and characters were fun and adventurous. Definitely a good one for those dnd aligned or dnd curious, is that a thing?
ARC review disclaimer :)
ARC review disclaimer :)
October 8, 2025
Thank you to A.J. Peterson for the advanced copy of this book!
I absolutely loved this 🥹 it was so refreshing to read a fantasy focused on female friendship and the love that stems from it, as I feel that platonic relationships can often take a backseat in fantasy novels. Echo and Rhienne were such dynamic, flawed, hilarious characters and I had so much fun getting to know them!
This book had the chaos of a D&D campaign with your besties mixed with top tier storytelling and plot twists that kept me engaged and intrigued the entire time! I love a story that involves meddling gods, and Oblivion’s Hymn had them in spades! It was such a fun read that tugged on the heartstrings, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes.
I’d highly recommend any fantasy lover picking this up, but especially if you are a woman in your 30’s who loves shenanigans with friends 🥰
I absolutely loved this 🥹 it was so refreshing to read a fantasy focused on female friendship and the love that stems from it, as I feel that platonic relationships can often take a backseat in fantasy novels. Echo and Rhienne were such dynamic, flawed, hilarious characters and I had so much fun getting to know them!
This book had the chaos of a D&D campaign with your besties mixed with top tier storytelling and plot twists that kept me engaged and intrigued the entire time! I love a story that involves meddling gods, and Oblivion’s Hymn had them in spades! It was such a fun read that tugged on the heartstrings, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes.
I’d highly recommend any fantasy lover picking this up, but especially if you are a woman in your 30’s who loves shenanigans with friends 🥰
October 26, 2025
I received an ARC of Oblivion’s Hymn and highly recommend it to anyone looking for their next fantasy read. It’s so refreshing to read a fantasy book about female friendship, particularly a friendship as chaotic and hilarious as Echo and Rhienne’s.
The characters in the book are beautifully written with lots of nuance. In particular, our main characters are brilliant and calculated, but can be a bit of a mess. Hilarious and witty, but still earnest. Adventurous and brave, but still working through their respective issues. Above all, they are fiercely loyal to each other, which I loved.
The journey our characters go on is filled with twists and turns and I never really could tell where it was headed next (likely because our characters fly by the seat of their pants most of the time), but I loved being along for the ride.
The magic system is based on bargains, which gets Echo and Rhienne into quite a bit of trouble, both before the book begins, and throughout the entire story. I enjoyed learning how the magic system works in this world. Of course, there are also meddling gods, which only added to the chaos.
There is some romance in the book, but it is very minor in the overall storyline.
Really, this is a book about friends as close as sisters making their way on a long and treacherous journey with the ultimate goal of undoing their mistakes (bargains gone wrong, in most cases) in order to save the world as they know it.
I highly recommend!
The characters in the book are beautifully written with lots of nuance. In particular, our main characters are brilliant and calculated, but can be a bit of a mess. Hilarious and witty, but still earnest. Adventurous and brave, but still working through their respective issues. Above all, they are fiercely loyal to each other, which I loved.
The journey our characters go on is filled with twists and turns and I never really could tell where it was headed next (likely because our characters fly by the seat of their pants most of the time), but I loved being along for the ride.
The magic system is based on bargains, which gets Echo and Rhienne into quite a bit of trouble, both before the book begins, and throughout the entire story. I enjoyed learning how the magic system works in this world. Of course, there are also meddling gods, which only added to the chaos.
There is some romance in the book, but it is very minor in the overall storyline.
Really, this is a book about friends as close as sisters making their way on a long and treacherous journey with the ultimate goal of undoing their mistakes (bargains gone wrong, in most cases) in order to save the world as they know it.
I highly recommend!
August 13, 2025
This book started with so much excitement.
I loved the Arcane like setup, the world building is really amazing! The magic system is complex and have a lot of thought put into it. There's a feeling that at any point something could change and the characters will have to adapt and that's an exciting idea. The ever changing parameters including the limitations to magic creates some very exciting scenes.
Both FMCs are written very well. The motivations and choices are showed very nicely. Overall, as a debut, it was not that bad.
I loved the Arcane like setup, the world building is really amazing! The magic system is complex and have a lot of thought put into it. There's a feeling that at any point something could change and the characters will have to adapt and that's an exciting idea. The ever changing parameters including the limitations to magic creates some very exciting scenes.
Both FMCs are written very well. The motivations and choices are showed very nicely. Overall, as a debut, it was not that bad.
September 8, 2025
Thank you to A.J. Peterson and Tales and Teacups for providing me with an eARC of Oblivion’s Hymn. I was not paid to read or review this book, and all thoughts are my own.
4.5 ⭐
Oblivion’s Hymn is so much more than a queer fantasy, it’s a piercing exploration of grief, identity, and what it costs to let yourself be truly seen. At its heart, this is not a story about falling in love but about living in the platonic kind of love: what happens when facing it again is as dangerous as it is inevitable.
Echo, the bard who has lost her voice, is one of the most compellingly flawed characters I’ve read in recent fantasy. She is not written to be easy or likeable as her survival is built on manipulation, performance, and emotional self-protection so sharp it often wounds the people closest to her. Yet it’s precisely this refusal to make her palatable that makes her arc so magnetic. Peterson doesn’t promise neat redemption. Instead, Echo must strip away the lies she tells herself and others, and what’s left is something raw, jagged, and painfully human. Watching her confront the difference between being adored and being truly loved is devastating in the best way.
Rhienne, her foil and her soul sister, is equally nuanced. A paladin bound by faith and silence, she begins the story as rigid and unreachable, her repression a kind of armor. But Oblivion’s Hymn takes care to show us that this isn’t just Echo’s tale. Rhienne’s gradual unraveling, the shift from duty to vulnerability, from silence to truth, is quieter but no less powerful. Where Echo hides behind masks, Rhienne hides behind vows. Both must learn how to face their pain without the protection of performance or obligation, and this is in part why Rhienne is my favourite character.
What lingers most, though, is how Peterson writes about love. This isn’t the “meant-to-be,” destined-for-eternity romance so common in the genre. Their bond is electric and aching, but the book refuses to indulge in easy reconciliations or happily-ever-afters. Instead, it asks harder questions and Oblivion’s Hymn answers these questions with brutal honesty: this is not a story of rekindling but of the sisterly bond. Echo and Rhienne are not written as “endgame” lovers. They are mirrors—reflecting each other’s wounds, growth, and resilience. Their story honors what was while carving space for what might be, reminding us that some loves are meant to be carried forward, but they are never wasted.
Peterson’s prose is lush, lyrical, and unflinching. Every page thrums with queerness, not as a theme but as the very fabric of the story. It’s a book that refuses easy answers, that lingers in your chest long after the last line.
If you’re drawn to stories of messy women, flawed devotion, faith and identity under fire, and the complicated beauty of letting go, Oblivion’s Hymn is a hymn worth hearing.
4.5 ⭐
Oblivion’s Hymn is so much more than a queer fantasy, it’s a piercing exploration of grief, identity, and what it costs to let yourself be truly seen. At its heart, this is not a story about falling in love but about living in the platonic kind of love: what happens when facing it again is as dangerous as it is inevitable.
Echo, the bard who has lost her voice, is one of the most compellingly flawed characters I’ve read in recent fantasy. She is not written to be easy or likeable as her survival is built on manipulation, performance, and emotional self-protection so sharp it often wounds the people closest to her. Yet it’s precisely this refusal to make her palatable that makes her arc so magnetic. Peterson doesn’t promise neat redemption. Instead, Echo must strip away the lies she tells herself and others, and what’s left is something raw, jagged, and painfully human. Watching her confront the difference between being adored and being truly loved is devastating in the best way.
Rhienne, her foil and her soul sister, is equally nuanced. A paladin bound by faith and silence, she begins the story as rigid and unreachable, her repression a kind of armor. But Oblivion’s Hymn takes care to show us that this isn’t just Echo’s tale. Rhienne’s gradual unraveling, the shift from duty to vulnerability, from silence to truth, is quieter but no less powerful. Where Echo hides behind masks, Rhienne hides behind vows. Both must learn how to face their pain without the protection of performance or obligation, and this is in part why Rhienne is my favourite character.
What lingers most, though, is how Peterson writes about love. This isn’t the “meant-to-be,” destined-for-eternity romance so common in the genre. Their bond is electric and aching, but the book refuses to indulge in easy reconciliations or happily-ever-afters. Instead, it asks harder questions and Oblivion’s Hymn answers these questions with brutal honesty: this is not a story of rekindling but of the sisterly bond. Echo and Rhienne are not written as “endgame” lovers. They are mirrors—reflecting each other’s wounds, growth, and resilience. Their story honors what was while carving space for what might be, reminding us that some loves are meant to be carried forward, but they are never wasted.
Peterson’s prose is lush, lyrical, and unflinching. Every page thrums with queerness, not as a theme but as the very fabric of the story. It’s a book that refuses easy answers, that lingers in your chest long after the last line.
If you’re drawn to stories of messy women, flawed devotion, faith and identity under fire, and the complicated beauty of letting go, Oblivion’s Hymn is a hymn worth hearing.
September 25, 2026
Reading Oblivion’s Hymn felt like being dropped into a world that is stitched together with bargains, broken promises, and magic that hums under your skin long after the final chapter. Echo and Rhienne’s story had me hooked instantly. They are two women clawing their way through danger, debt and divine consequences, while bound by a friendship that is gloriously messy, fiercely loyal, and wonderfully complex.
What I loved most was how truly alive Peterson’s world feels. Every choice Echo makes lands with real, bone deep weight, and every mistake Rhienne tries to outrun ticks louder and louder, like fate breathing down her neck. The gods lurking at the edges of the story add this delicious, ever present tension, creating an unease that never quite lets you settle. The shapeshifting, the bargains, the desperate bid for freedom all weave together into a fantasy that manages to be both sweeping and intimate. Epic in scope yet deeply personal at its core.
I also adored how even the gods were chaotic and messy. We’re so used to divine beings being portrayed as flawless, aloof, and unbearably haughty. However, Peterson flips that on its head. In this world, the gods are just as gloriously f*cked up as everyone else, stumbling through their own disasters and divine drama. It adds such a fun, unpredictable edge to the story.
Oblivion’s Hymn is the kind of story that makes you feel every heartbeat of its characters. You’ll find yourself empathising with them, aching for them, rooting for them even when they stumble spectacularly. It had me whispering “just one more chapter” until the early hours of the morning, completely swept up in its atmosphere, emotional turmoil, and gorgeously layered magic system. I was hooked right up to the final page. I genuinely cannot wait to dive into the next instalment, Exodus’s Chorus. Watch this space for my review!
What I loved most was how truly alive Peterson’s world feels. Every choice Echo makes lands with real, bone deep weight, and every mistake Rhienne tries to outrun ticks louder and louder, like fate breathing down her neck. The gods lurking at the edges of the story add this delicious, ever present tension, creating an unease that never quite lets you settle. The shapeshifting, the bargains, the desperate bid for freedom all weave together into a fantasy that manages to be both sweeping and intimate. Epic in scope yet deeply personal at its core.
I also adored how even the gods were chaotic and messy. We’re so used to divine beings being portrayed as flawless, aloof, and unbearably haughty. However, Peterson flips that on its head. In this world, the gods are just as gloriously f*cked up as everyone else, stumbling through their own disasters and divine drama. It adds such a fun, unpredictable edge to the story.
Oblivion’s Hymn is the kind of story that makes you feel every heartbeat of its characters. You’ll find yourself empathising with them, aching for them, rooting for them even when they stumble spectacularly. It had me whispering “just one more chapter” until the early hours of the morning, completely swept up in its atmosphere, emotional turmoil, and gorgeously layered magic system. I was hooked right up to the final page. I genuinely cannot wait to dive into the next instalment, Exodus’s Chorus. Watch this space for my review!
December 15, 2025
”There were too many ways to move through the world to fear something as small as the end of a path.”
This book has it all: a unique magic system, flawed but lovable main characters, dying gods and priceless bargains.
After spending a decade apart chasing down their own dreams, Rhienne and Echo reunite in the most chaotic of ways to find that their dreams haven’t really played out the way they imagined. Echo, a mimic who can take on the form of other people, is being ruthlessly hunted for her nature by the Untold - a militaristic group that siphons magic from those like her. When she is cornered and on the run, in the peak of the chase she gets a message from Rhienne asking for help… to stop her execution. Rhienne, a magic user and half dreamwalker, has found herself being dragged to execution by her ex-lover Mishara after finding out Rhienne is not exactly who she says she is. Thus begins a tale of a lifetime - of two best friends who hunt for a way to fulfill their dreams and maybe fix some mistakes in the process.
This book is so insanely good it’s hard for me to put into words. The magic system is dependent on magical bargains people make with the gods. The gods (Oblivion, Exodus, Reckoning, and Harvest) have a habit of taking more than the humans can give despite it being an ‘equal’ exchange. Rhienne has traded her soul to Oblivion and in turn has to dreamwalk and do his bidding. Exodus has taken Echo’s greatest gift and magical transmitter - her singing voice.
There is a lot that happens in this book: revenge, loss, love, incredible tales, depressing truths, and more. I can’t say much more other than: READ THIS BOOK!!!!! I can’t wait for book 2 and it is SO SO incredible!
This book has it all: a unique magic system, flawed but lovable main characters, dying gods and priceless bargains.
After spending a decade apart chasing down their own dreams, Rhienne and Echo reunite in the most chaotic of ways to find that their dreams haven’t really played out the way they imagined. Echo, a mimic who can take on the form of other people, is being ruthlessly hunted for her nature by the Untold - a militaristic group that siphons magic from those like her. When she is cornered and on the run, in the peak of the chase she gets a message from Rhienne asking for help… to stop her execution. Rhienne, a magic user and half dreamwalker, has found herself being dragged to execution by her ex-lover Mishara after finding out Rhienne is not exactly who she says she is. Thus begins a tale of a lifetime - of two best friends who hunt for a way to fulfill their dreams and maybe fix some mistakes in the process.
This book is so insanely good it’s hard for me to put into words. The magic system is dependent on magical bargains people make with the gods. The gods (Oblivion, Exodus, Reckoning, and Harvest) have a habit of taking more than the humans can give despite it being an ‘equal’ exchange. Rhienne has traded her soul to Oblivion and in turn has to dreamwalk and do his bidding. Exodus has taken Echo’s greatest gift and magical transmitter - her singing voice.
There is a lot that happens in this book: revenge, loss, love, incredible tales, depressing truths, and more. I can’t say much more other than: READ THIS BOOK!!!!! I can’t wait for book 2 and it is SO SO incredible!
October 29, 2025
This book was so good and will definitely be a contender for my top book of the year.
At the start, the reader is just thrown into this already established world, and you have to grasp each hint at how the magic works as it comes along, during which one of the main characters is rescuing the other. However, this is done so well that I didn't feel lost, nor did I have to drag my way through a long "history of magic" monologue.
Now let's go back to the main characters. Both of them are so fantastically flawed and so devoted to each other. This is the perfect use of the found family trope because even though they've been separated and their goals were different, they are there for each other in a heartbeat.
The magic and the gods were also just so incredibly thought out. I love anything that works music into the magic system, and the bargaining aspect of the magic was also really cool. Plus more types of magical beings and some cool steampunky magic/technology mashups? Yes, please.
I was completely taken in by this book and did not want to set it down for a moment. Now that it's over, all I want to do is start over on page one.
If you've read anything by S.M. Gaither, I suggest you pick this up immediately. I'm left in the same mental state I'm in after finishing one of her books without the anguish of a huge cliffhanger. Not that this doesn't have a great tie into the next book. I'm super excited to see where this series goes and am immediately following the author so I can find out about the release schedule ASAP.
At the start, the reader is just thrown into this already established world, and you have to grasp each hint at how the magic works as it comes along, during which one of the main characters is rescuing the other. However, this is done so well that I didn't feel lost, nor did I have to drag my way through a long "history of magic" monologue.
Now let's go back to the main characters. Both of them are so fantastically flawed and so devoted to each other. This is the perfect use of the found family trope because even though they've been separated and their goals were different, they are there for each other in a heartbeat.
The magic and the gods were also just so incredibly thought out. I love anything that works music into the magic system, and the bargaining aspect of the magic was also really cool. Plus more types of magical beings and some cool steampunky magic/technology mashups? Yes, please.
I was completely taken in by this book and did not want to set it down for a moment. Now that it's over, all I want to do is start over on page one.
If you've read anything by S.M. Gaither, I suggest you pick this up immediately. I'm left in the same mental state I'm in after finishing one of her books without the anguish of a huge cliffhanger. Not that this doesn't have a great tie into the next book. I'm super excited to see where this series goes and am immediately following the author so I can find out about the release schedule ASAP.
October 25, 2025
As a non-traditional fantasy reader aka generally preferring other genres, "Oblivious Hymn" has shown me yet again that fantasy novels can catch a reader with their world and their characters and what makes them so special to so many people.
As someone who went into reading without much background knowledge (never played DnD in my entire life) I especially loved the character dynamics and the development of friend- and kinship in this story. Also, I developed a soft-spot for Exodus, so seemed to be one of the anatogists in the beginning...but you wait and see! I am really looking forward to read what becomes of him and Echo as well as of her friendship with Rhienne.
I gave it 4.75/5 stars because the ending seemed a bit long to me...but maybe that was also the case because I was desperate to find out about the great showdown.
This is, however, not only a story of friendship and the battle with gods. It is a story about finding oneself and finding purpose and how we are shaped and influenced by the people we meet in our lives. It also has an immaculate world building, so I highly recommend you'll give it a try!
As someone who went into reading without much background knowledge (never played DnD in my entire life) I especially loved the character dynamics and the development of friend- and kinship in this story. Also, I developed a soft-spot for Exodus, so seemed to be one of the anatogists in the beginning...but you wait and see! I am really looking forward to read what becomes of him and Echo as well as of her friendship with Rhienne.
I gave it 4.75/5 stars because the ending seemed a bit long to me...but maybe that was also the case because I was desperate to find out about the great showdown.
This is, however, not only a story of friendship and the battle with gods. It is a story about finding oneself and finding purpose and how we are shaped and influenced by the people we meet in our lives. It also has an immaculate world building, so I highly recommend you'll give it a try!
October 30, 2025
3.5 rounded up for vibes
I enjoyed a lot of things about this read…FMCs that aren’t children in their 20’s but still chaotic and interesting, found family, the overarching theme of acceptance and growth, the sapphic romance sub-plot. All left me feeling like I wanted to continue to read.
I loved loved loved the gods and the bargain magic that was introduced. I also adored Echo’s magic as it felt fresh and something new that I hadn’t read before.
I did struggle at a few points with keeping up with the shifting scenes especially when the magic came into play towards the end. I had to pause and reread a few times to get my bearings.
Overall this is a wonderful start to whah I believe will be a great series. Looking forward to continuing the journey!
I enjoyed a lot of things about this read…FMCs that aren’t children in their 20’s but still chaotic and interesting, found family, the overarching theme of acceptance and growth, the sapphic romance sub-plot. All left me feeling like I wanted to continue to read.
I loved loved loved the gods and the bargain magic that was introduced. I also adored Echo’s magic as it felt fresh and something new that I hadn’t read before.
I did struggle at a few points with keeping up with the shifting scenes especially when the magic came into play towards the end. I had to pause and reread a few times to get my bearings.
Overall this is a wonderful start to whah I believe will be a great series. Looking forward to continuing the journey!
September 18, 2025
Thankyou nerdfam & author for this arc copy in return for my honest review.
I loved the concept of the book the found family, the set up of the magic system and the concept of music playing a part in this book. As the story progressed I found myself finding it hard to differentiate between echo and rihane as the constant skip of chapters between each character became too much at times. Towards the end of the book I felt it lacked the necessary plot it needed to keep me engaged as I felt like the plot of the book was lacking substance. I however didn’t dislike the book and think it has a lot of potential.
I loved the concept of the book the found family, the set up of the magic system and the concept of music playing a part in this book. As the story progressed I found myself finding it hard to differentiate between echo and rihane as the constant skip of chapters between each character became too much at times. Towards the end of the book I felt it lacked the necessary plot it needed to keep me engaged as I felt like the plot of the book was lacking substance. I however didn’t dislike the book and think it has a lot of potential.
September 16, 2026
The found family and character development in this book blew my mind.
October 18, 2025
Despite a slightly slow start, this was a story that truly captured the feeling of a D&D campaign - something that I think a lot of books try to do, but so often miss the mark! I absolutely loved the dual perspectives of our main characters, Echo (a shapeshifting mimic) and Rhienne (the daughter of a dream spirit), and found them both immensely lovable and relatable. These two both being over 30 was a breath of fresh air after reading so many fantasy novels where nobody seems to have aged above 25! The worldbuilding in this novel is fantastic, and I'm really looking forward to reading more in this series, as I'd love to see some aspects of the world explored in more depth.
Overall, this book was a joy to read - cozy vibes and the feeling of playing a TTRPG with friends, while still keeping the stakes high and the plot exciting. If you like the sound of a rag-tag Treasure Planet-inspired crew of characters on a D&D-inspired quest, then this book is for you!
Thank you to A.J. Peterson and Tales and Teacups for providing me with an eARC of Oblivion’s Hymn!
Overall, this book was a joy to read - cozy vibes and the feeling of playing a TTRPG with friends, while still keeping the stakes high and the plot exciting. If you like the sound of a rag-tag Treasure Planet-inspired crew of characters on a D&D-inspired quest, then this book is for you!
Thank you to A.J. Peterson and Tales and Teacups for providing me with an eARC of Oblivion’s Hymn!
November 14, 2025
4 stars!!! ✨️
This novel's a story of genuine connection, strength, courage, and love. The messiness and realness of it all made the whole story compIicated yet forgiving in such a way that warms your heart.
I adored the friendship between Rhienne and Echo and I love how it signified beautiful yet still flourishing and accepting kind of relationship, flawed and all. Its whole premise, the magic system, this fantasy world, and the link with the gods were all done incredibly.
Though it may have started slow for me but overall, it was a cosy read filled with crazy adventures which I, then, truly enjoyed. With this inspiring storytelling, I cannot wait to see what's in store for all our characters.
Huge thank you to the lovely author for this e-ARC and a massive congratulations on the continuous success since the book's release! 💖
This novel's a story of genuine connection, strength, courage, and love. The messiness and realness of it all made the whole story compIicated yet forgiving in such a way that warms your heart.
I adored the friendship between Rhienne and Echo and I love how it signified beautiful yet still flourishing and accepting kind of relationship, flawed and all. Its whole premise, the magic system, this fantasy world, and the link with the gods were all done incredibly.
Though it may have started slow for me but overall, it was a cosy read filled with crazy adventures which I, then, truly enjoyed. With this inspiring storytelling, I cannot wait to see what's in store for all our characters.
Huge thank you to the lovely author for this e-ARC and a massive congratulations on the continuous success since the book's release! 💖
August 15, 2025
ARC Review — Oblivion’s Hymn by A.J. Peterson
Oblivion’s Hymn is a chaotic, adventurous fantasy filled with morally grey women, ride-or-die friendships, airships, and gods who always collect what they are owed. The banter is sharp and entertaining, the worldbuilding is rich without becoming overwhelming, and the Treasure Planet-inspired atmosphere is utterly captivating.
The pacing is strong overall, though a few chapters felt slightly longer than necessary for my personal taste. I also tend to prefer my fantasy with a bit more romance and spice, whereas this leans firmly towards low spice. Neither of these points reflect poorly on the writing itself, both are simply matters of preference.
If you enjoy queer-normative worlds, found family, D&D-style adventures and a seamless mix of humour with the occasional emotional gut-punch, Oblivion’s Hymn is well worth adding to your TBR.
Oblivion’s Hymn is a chaotic, adventurous fantasy filled with morally grey women, ride-or-die friendships, airships, and gods who always collect what they are owed. The banter is sharp and entertaining, the worldbuilding is rich without becoming overwhelming, and the Treasure Planet-inspired atmosphere is utterly captivating.
The pacing is strong overall, though a few chapters felt slightly longer than necessary for my personal taste. I also tend to prefer my fantasy with a bit more romance and spice, whereas this leans firmly towards low spice. Neither of these points reflect poorly on the writing itself, both are simply matters of preference.
If you enjoy queer-normative worlds, found family, D&D-style adventures and a seamless mix of humour with the occasional emotional gut-punch, Oblivion’s Hymn is well worth adding to your TBR.
September 26, 2025
I received this book for free as an e-ARC. I am giving my honest review.
Oblivion’s Hymn start in media res and really feels a lot like dropping in on someone’s DnD actual play. This is a great idea, but in practice the pace and the near apocalyptic upping of stakes within a single book really left me a bit lost, because I didn’t feel invested enough in the world or what might happen to it or the characters. I also often felt I didn’t have a strong enough sense of place for various scenes, and in general I wished I just had a bit more to immerse me in this inventive world and its conceptually interesting characters. There were also just a few too many scenes of characters filling each other in on what was happening for my taste.
I think a lot of the things I didn’t enjoy about this book will be things that other readers like: for instance, I found the idea of the ‘Untold’ to be distracting, as I must have missed why they were called that, and I just found myself saying, “They cannot be Untold, everyone is telling each other about it.” In general this book will take the dubious honor of being the one to make me admit once and for all that for all I enjoy a lot of fantasy and romantasy, I simply dislike the tendency of a lot of stories to give things Vague Capitalized Names like that. I’d suspected for awhile that I’m needlessly harsh on this convention. So take some of my lack of enjoyment of this book with a grain of salt because I kept reading even after I quickly realized it did some things that made me want to bounce. It’s on me for keeping up with it at some point, isn’t it? That being said, while I liked the idea of the gods simply being named with the words that mean what their domain is, I sometimes found myself feeling they were so similar that I struggled to keep track.
There are some set piece moments that I really enjoyed and at times the writing was beautiful and inventive. I think some of the dialogue is strong, while other times it felt like characters were simply spitting out cliches – particularly on the part of one of the main antagonists.
This strikes me as a promising debut. I’d recommend anyone who is curious about it to check it out on their own.
Oblivion’s Hymn start in media res and really feels a lot like dropping in on someone’s DnD actual play. This is a great idea, but in practice the pace and the near apocalyptic upping of stakes within a single book really left me a bit lost, because I didn’t feel invested enough in the world or what might happen to it or the characters. I also often felt I didn’t have a strong enough sense of place for various scenes, and in general I wished I just had a bit more to immerse me in this inventive world and its conceptually interesting characters. There were also just a few too many scenes of characters filling each other in on what was happening for my taste.
I think a lot of the things I didn’t enjoy about this book will be things that other readers like: for instance, I found the idea of the ‘Untold’ to be distracting, as I must have missed why they were called that, and I just found myself saying, “They cannot be Untold, everyone is telling each other about it.” In general this book will take the dubious honor of being the one to make me admit once and for all that for all I enjoy a lot of fantasy and romantasy, I simply dislike the tendency of a lot of stories to give things Vague Capitalized Names like that. I’d suspected for awhile that I’m needlessly harsh on this convention. So take some of my lack of enjoyment of this book with a grain of salt because I kept reading even after I quickly realized it did some things that made me want to bounce. It’s on me for keeping up with it at some point, isn’t it? That being said, while I liked the idea of the gods simply being named with the words that mean what their domain is, I sometimes found myself feeling they were so similar that I struggled to keep track.
There are some set piece moments that I really enjoyed and at times the writing was beautiful and inventive. I think some of the dialogue is strong, while other times it felt like characters were simply spitting out cliches – particularly on the part of one of the main antagonists.
This strikes me as a promising debut. I’d recommend anyone who is curious about it to check it out on their own.
September 2, 2025
3/5!
I really wanted to loved this book as it was a little out of my comfort zone but it didn’t quite hit the mark with me.
I found the world building fantastic and really descriptive as we’re introduced the arcane magic system however, the character descriptions confused me a little as they all have multiple names and abilities.
What I did love was the found family vibe and the loyalty specifically between Rhienne and Echo, their sister bond is like no other.
Call me crazy but I really enjoyed Exodus and Echo’s dynamic, I wish we saw more of that.
Thank you A.J Peterson, Tales & Teacups and Dreamscape publishing for the Arc!
I really wanted to loved this book as it was a little out of my comfort zone but it didn’t quite hit the mark with me.
I found the world building fantastic and really descriptive as we’re introduced the arcane magic system however, the character descriptions confused me a little as they all have multiple names and abilities.
What I did love was the found family vibe and the loyalty specifically between Rhienne and Echo, their sister bond is like no other.
Call me crazy but I really enjoyed Exodus and Echo’s dynamic, I wish we saw more of that.
Thank you A.J Peterson, Tales & Teacups and Dreamscape publishing for the Arc!
October 1, 2025
A full-blown fantasy adventure filled with magic, music, and meddling gods. What really stood out to me was the focus on friendship and found family. Even though there’s a small sapphic romance subplot, the heart of the story is about loyalty, mistakes, and how far friends will go for each other.
I loved the world-building, the magic tied to music, the divine bargains, and especially the airship and its crew. The journey through cities and even other dimensions made it feel like a true adventure from start to finish.
It’s a story about finding yourself, finding purpose, and the bonds that shape who we become. A fun, heartfelt fantasy that I really enjoyed!
Thank you to the author, The Nerd Fam, and Tales and Teacups PR for the gifted advance copies of this book.
I loved the world-building, the magic tied to music, the divine bargains, and especially the airship and its crew. The journey through cities and even other dimensions made it feel like a true adventure from start to finish.
It’s a story about finding yourself, finding purpose, and the bonds that shape who we become. A fun, heartfelt fantasy that I really enjoyed!
Thank you to the author, The Nerd Fam, and Tales and Teacups PR for the gifted advance copies of this book.
November 23, 2025
4.25/5 stars
Echo and Rhienne are absolutely the heart of this book. They are childhood friends that were once as close as sisters, but they've gone while apart. They are fiercely loyal to one another, but are still a little uncertain where they stand with one another. They clearly love each other in that tangled, messy, sibling-adjacent way, but they’re also both holding onto secrets. The nice thing is that the book doesn’t drag out these secrets for long; everything gets aired out fairly early. A tiny part of me wishes some of those reveals simmered longer for tension’s sake, but I also appreciate that the story isn’t built around withholding. It’s much more interested in what healing looks like after honesty.
There’s romance (some sapphic!) in the margins, but friendship absolutely takes center stage, which I adored. The tone is oddly comforting for a story full of high stakes and existential threats. Possibly because I am so comfortable in the D&D spaces. It’s disarmingly charming and, as a reader, you’re rooting for everyone to find a future better than what they bargained for.
Where the book shines is its emotional core. The found family is soft and quietly lovely. The friendship between Echo and Rhienne is written with so much affection and bruised history. And the book uses fantasy to talk about very real things: identity, shame, acceptance, past mistakes, and the idea that “who you used to be” doesn’t have to define your entire future. It hits hard.
This is a bit like being dropped into the middle of a D&D campaign where the characters have extensive backstories, which can be a bit jarring at times. But once I settled into its rhythm (pretty quickly), it really won me over. The world-building has gods with competing agendas, strange magic, bargains, and a society that treats some like both a threat and a commodity. It’s confusing, sure, but not in a way that pushed me out. More like the story expected me to catch up on my own time. And that honestly worked well.
The metaphors underneath this story: the weight of expectation, the cost of mistakes, the pressure to be “worthy", land beautifully.
Some world-building threads feel loose, and the magic can be hard to pin down at times, but it’s full of heart, unique ideas, and a duo whose devotion carries the whole book.
Thanks so much to the author and Nerd Fam for the complimentary pre-released copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
Echo and Rhienne are absolutely the heart of this book. They are childhood friends that were once as close as sisters, but they've gone while apart. They are fiercely loyal to one another, but are still a little uncertain where they stand with one another. They clearly love each other in that tangled, messy, sibling-adjacent way, but they’re also both holding onto secrets. The nice thing is that the book doesn’t drag out these secrets for long; everything gets aired out fairly early. A tiny part of me wishes some of those reveals simmered longer for tension’s sake, but I also appreciate that the story isn’t built around withholding. It’s much more interested in what healing looks like after honesty.
There’s romance (some sapphic!) in the margins, but friendship absolutely takes center stage, which I adored. The tone is oddly comforting for a story full of high stakes and existential threats. Possibly because I am so comfortable in the D&D spaces. It’s disarmingly charming and, as a reader, you’re rooting for everyone to find a future better than what they bargained for.
Where the book shines is its emotional core. The found family is soft and quietly lovely. The friendship between Echo and Rhienne is written with so much affection and bruised history. And the book uses fantasy to talk about very real things: identity, shame, acceptance, past mistakes, and the idea that “who you used to be” doesn’t have to define your entire future. It hits hard.
This is a bit like being dropped into the middle of a D&D campaign where the characters have extensive backstories, which can be a bit jarring at times. But once I settled into its rhythm (pretty quickly), it really won me over. The world-building has gods with competing agendas, strange magic, bargains, and a society that treats some like both a threat and a commodity. It’s confusing, sure, but not in a way that pushed me out. More like the story expected me to catch up on my own time. And that honestly worked well.
The metaphors underneath this story: the weight of expectation, the cost of mistakes, the pressure to be “worthy", land beautifully.
Some world-building threads feel loose, and the magic can be hard to pin down at times, but it’s full of heart, unique ideas, and a duo whose devotion carries the whole book.
Thanks so much to the author and Nerd Fam for the complimentary pre-released copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
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