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Songs of Broken Bells
The hungry flame inside Líadan has been silent, kept hidden, for the last fifteen years. But something has called out to it, awakening it from its slumber. And it is oh so ready to burn.
Vasil, her best friend and the one sworn to end her life should her magic reappear, defies his pact and spares her life. He vows to keep her safe, no matter the cost.
Minno, a follower of the saint of truth, was never meant to find themselves caught up in the wildfire of Líadan’s life. But the fates must have had another path in mind for them.
Aila, daughter of the god of entropy, promises herself as Líadan’s only chance at surviving the torment of the hungry flame. Though, perhaps even the child of a god lacks faith sometimes.
Their fates are intertwined in the never ending motion of the Maelstrom, and it is their choice alone to decide if they walk the road the fates set before them, or choose another path.
Vasil, her best friend and the one sworn to end her life should her magic reappear, defies his pact and spares her life. He vows to keep her safe, no matter the cost.
Minno, a follower of the saint of truth, was never meant to find themselves caught up in the wildfire of Líadan’s life. But the fates must have had another path in mind for them.
Aila, daughter of the god of entropy, promises herself as Líadan’s only chance at surviving the torment of the hungry flame. Though, perhaps even the child of a god lacks faith sometimes.
Their fates are intertwined in the never ending motion of the Maelstrom, and it is their choice alone to decide if they walk the road the fates set before them, or choose another path.
409 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2025
42 people want to read
About the author
Lilly Lockwood
3 books7 followersLilly Lockwood (they/them) is a fantasy novelist, veterinary student, and aspiring hobbit. Born in southern California, Lilly now lives in western Michigan with their partner and three cats (Publius, Livia, and Pete). The world of Val'hoon was born out of a Pathfinder 2e game that they run for friends and after years of playing in the world, Lilly decided that it was high time to tell the stories of the beings inhabiting Val'hoon. In the precious free time that they have outside of vet school where they aren't writing, Lilly can be found playing board games and video games, hiking, or playing any kind of tabletop roleplaying game they can get their hands on.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 30, 2025
it took me longer than planned to read this book but that didnt mean it wasn't enjoyable! I loved the found family vibe the slow burn romance and the inner struggles everyone faced. The way everyone was intertwined made jumping between pov's feel effortless and added more to the already rich world. The footnotes and all didnt bother me much either. Overall, it was an interesting world with a journey that felt like a dnd campaign and an ending that although fitting still stung.
October 10, 2025
Note: I received a free ARC of this book and it did not influence my opinion.
When I first heard of Songs of Broken Bells, it was through the author's social media posts describing the world it takes place in: Val'hoon, with its largely absent gods and saints and different types of magic-users, and the Maelstrom, this whirling tornado of power somewhere in the middle of the sea. I was instantly enamored. Then, there came the characters: Líadan, with a dangerous power inside her, Vasil, her guardian and best friend, Minno, a dwarven past-lover of Vasil, and Aila, the disciple of a god they turn to help for when Líadan's violent powers start acting up. And oh, I love a story about hostile magic!
It is clear from the first page that the world of this novel is vast, full of carefully built, unique creatures, cultures, and settings. The magic system is also special, with its saints and oerents and Tethers, and Hagiographers, all marking different aspects and ways of handling powers that are often destructive and dangerous, but as always, can be also used for good. We step into a living, breathing universe. I also loved the framing device and the little epigraph-like chapters that helped us step outside of the immediate plot and conflict to hear more from a medley of connecting (or disparate) characters and events. Val'hoon and its nations are diverse and intriguing, and even though we only see small slices of it through the span of the story, and a lot of the time, what we find is scary and pretty dark, I felt at home and ready for adventure.
And that's mostly because of the characters. As the little team journeys to find ways of get Líadan free of her dark fate, her power being claimed by a truly despicable antagonist, the relationships they have and make carry the reader through all the horrible adversities. It was heart-warming and wholesome to watch them become a true unit, even when they had differences and conflicts, and secrets and lies separating them sometimes. And the people they meet also bring bits of joy to what at first feels like a hopeless battle, be it a somewhat standoffish lizardkin healer or a grumpy, dangerous swamp witch. :D There is a lot of warmth to be found among the suffering, contrasting really well with the feeling of vulnerability and despair, tragic pasts and even more tragic possible futures. Even with unhinged saints and often indifferent gods in control, and a magic that can just as easily take as it gives, it's people, community, and their kindness that shows us the way. I especially loved Minno's conflict with their principles and how that could fit into the help they wanted to provide to their friends. I also adored Aila and Líadan's relationship.
The main plot thread was an interesting mix of lightness and cozy moments with the urgency of world-ending danger and harm all throughout. This book could probably be twice the size and even then so many things could be further written about the world and characters. Probably because the setting was so rich, some aspects remained less developed than others, and since the focus was both on the world and the characters, sometimes I wished we could lengthen the characterful moments, take some more time with them to get to know them better outside of what they were in the context of the conflict, and have the space to resolve their individual little struggles in a more detailed way. I had a similar feeling with the antagonist's final plan: it came together well and logically, but I wished for more details!
All in all, I really enjoyed immersing myself in this lore and the journey of the main four. I will also never, ever forgive that ending—reader, expect anything and everything! Songs of Broken Bells is a lovingly presented story of loyalty, love, and perseverence, in a carefully built world with a classic fantasy feel but with many unique ideas. I'd love to return to Val'hoon one day.
When I first heard of Songs of Broken Bells, it was through the author's social media posts describing the world it takes place in: Val'hoon, with its largely absent gods and saints and different types of magic-users, and the Maelstrom, this whirling tornado of power somewhere in the middle of the sea. I was instantly enamored. Then, there came the characters: Líadan, with a dangerous power inside her, Vasil, her guardian and best friend, Minno, a dwarven past-lover of Vasil, and Aila, the disciple of a god they turn to help for when Líadan's violent powers start acting up. And oh, I love a story about hostile magic!
It is clear from the first page that the world of this novel is vast, full of carefully built, unique creatures, cultures, and settings. The magic system is also special, with its saints and oerents and Tethers, and Hagiographers, all marking different aspects and ways of handling powers that are often destructive and dangerous, but as always, can be also used for good. We step into a living, breathing universe. I also loved the framing device and the little epigraph-like chapters that helped us step outside of the immediate plot and conflict to hear more from a medley of connecting (or disparate) characters and events. Val'hoon and its nations are diverse and intriguing, and even though we only see small slices of it through the span of the story, and a lot of the time, what we find is scary and pretty dark, I felt at home and ready for adventure.
And that's mostly because of the characters. As the little team journeys to find ways of get Líadan free of her dark fate, her power being claimed by a truly despicable antagonist, the relationships they have and make carry the reader through all the horrible adversities. It was heart-warming and wholesome to watch them become a true unit, even when they had differences and conflicts, and secrets and lies separating them sometimes. And the people they meet also bring bits of joy to what at first feels like a hopeless battle, be it a somewhat standoffish lizardkin healer or a grumpy, dangerous swamp witch. :D There is a lot of warmth to be found among the suffering, contrasting really well with the feeling of vulnerability and despair, tragic pasts and even more tragic possible futures. Even with unhinged saints and often indifferent gods in control, and a magic that can just as easily take as it gives, it's people, community, and their kindness that shows us the way. I especially loved Minno's conflict with their principles and how that could fit into the help they wanted to provide to their friends. I also adored Aila and Líadan's relationship.
The main plot thread was an interesting mix of lightness and cozy moments with the urgency of world-ending danger and harm all throughout. This book could probably be twice the size and even then so many things could be further written about the world and characters. Probably because the setting was so rich, some aspects remained less developed than others, and since the focus was both on the world and the characters, sometimes I wished we could lengthen the characterful moments, take some more time with them to get to know them better outside of what they were in the context of the conflict, and have the space to resolve their individual little struggles in a more detailed way. I had a similar feeling with the antagonist's final plan: it came together well and logically, but I wished for more details!
All in all, I really enjoyed immersing myself in this lore and the journey of the main four. I will also never, ever forgive that ending—reader, expect anything and everything! Songs of Broken Bells is a lovingly presented story of loyalty, love, and perseverence, in a carefully built world with a classic fantasy feel but with many unique ideas. I'd love to return to Val'hoon one day.
September 18, 2025
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
This is an easy recommend for folks looking for rich queer-normative worlds with lots of diversity and world-building, cozy-but-not-cozy fantasy (I'll explain what I mean by that in a moment), and lighter romance/friendship subplots that aren't the central focus.
We get a lot of fantasy words thrown at us from the get-go, but this is made much more palatable by the framing of the story and the epistemological excerpts that occur every few chapters (this may be a trope nowadays but it's one I love). This leads to a fully fleshed out bit of world-building, and a lot of richness and diversity in the setting. Particularly interesting is the religious hierarchy and how it manifests across cultures & intersects with the plot.
The characters are compelling as is are relationships that grow between them, most of the side characters (especially the goblins) are fun too. Líadan's quest to control her flame is the central narrative, but she has plenty of friends who help along the way.
Which brings me back to what I mean by cozy-but-not-cozy fantasy: the plot reads more dark fantasy, but ultimately this world is generally filled with people being decent to each other. We see much of the world being in harmony with nature and having generally just and egalitarian societies. In a sense it's another subgenre wearing a cozy coat, and I think this will scratch an itch for a lot of readers who like their fantasy on the wholesome side but find typical cozy fantasy to be too low in conflict.
One very specific thing that didn't super work for me - but I think will work for other readers - is the main cast's anxiety/accountability. What do I mean by that? Something bad happens, it isn't really anyone's fault. Character A: 'this is my fault, I'm so sorry'. Character B: 'No, it's my fault.' etc. I really appreciate what the writer was going for here - this is a pretty accurate description of a neurodivergent friend group and I love that it's being represented. It's realistic, but ultimately it didn't fully land for me.
In any case, kudos to the author – this is their debut novel & I'll be keeping an eye on what they do next!
This is an easy recommend for folks looking for rich queer-normative worlds with lots of diversity and world-building, cozy-but-not-cozy fantasy (I'll explain what I mean by that in a moment), and lighter romance/friendship subplots that aren't the central focus.
We get a lot of fantasy words thrown at us from the get-go, but this is made much more palatable by the framing of the story and the epistemological excerpts that occur every few chapters (this may be a trope nowadays but it's one I love). This leads to a fully fleshed out bit of world-building, and a lot of richness and diversity in the setting. Particularly interesting is the religious hierarchy and how it manifests across cultures & intersects with the plot.
The characters are compelling as is are relationships that grow between them, most of the side characters (especially the goblins) are fun too. Líadan's quest to control her flame is the central narrative, but she has plenty of friends who help along the way.
Which brings me back to what I mean by cozy-but-not-cozy fantasy: the plot reads more dark fantasy, but ultimately this world is generally filled with people being decent to each other. We see much of the world being in harmony with nature and having generally just and egalitarian societies. In a sense it's another subgenre wearing a cozy coat, and I think this will scratch an itch for a lot of readers who like their fantasy on the wholesome side but find typical cozy fantasy to be too low in conflict.
One very specific thing that didn't super work for me - but I think will work for other readers - is the main cast's anxiety/accountability. What do I mean by that? Something bad happens, it isn't really anyone's fault. Character A: 'this is my fault, I'm so sorry'. Character B: 'No, it's my fault.' etc. I really appreciate what the writer was going for here - this is a pretty accurate description of a neurodivergent friend group and I love that it's being represented. It's realistic, but ultimately it didn't fully land for me.
In any case, kudos to the author – this is their debut novel & I'll be keeping an eye on what they do next!
September 18, 2025
This book made me cry—and books don’t generally make me cry easily.
I had the pleasure of being an ARC reader for this book. From the very beginning, this book establishes characters with strong, likeable personalities and realistic struggles. The world of Val’hoon’s intricacies and social/political structures were well established and believable. And the plot??? Ohhh, the plot. I was hooked from page one. It was well paced, well written, and struggled to put the book down! The mystery and intrigue about the saints and the magic system were fascinating to me.
I greatly appreciated how emotionally open the characters were with each other. Even Líadan, who spends a lot of time struggling to understand her emotions, allows herself to be open and vulnerable with her companions. Also, the level of queernorm in this world was extremely refreshing. My only downside of this book was the constant back and forth of “oh, this is my fault.” “No, it’s not your fault, it’s my fault.” “No, it’s my fault,” etc. I found those conversations a bit tiring to read through, even if I did appreciate the emotional honesty of these characters.
Overall, I can tell a lot of love went into this novel. I will absolutely be recommending it to everyone I know.
I had the pleasure of being an ARC reader for this book. From the very beginning, this book establishes characters with strong, likeable personalities and realistic struggles. The world of Val’hoon’s intricacies and social/political structures were well established and believable. And the plot??? Ohhh, the plot. I was hooked from page one. It was well paced, well written, and struggled to put the book down! The mystery and intrigue about the saints and the magic system were fascinating to me.
I greatly appreciated how emotionally open the characters were with each other. Even Líadan, who spends a lot of time struggling to understand her emotions, allows herself to be open and vulnerable with her companions. Also, the level of queernorm in this world was extremely refreshing. My only downside of this book was the constant back and forth of “oh, this is my fault.” “No, it’s not your fault, it’s my fault.” “No, it’s my fault,” etc. I found those conversations a bit tiring to read through, even if I did appreciate the emotional honesty of these characters.
Overall, I can tell a lot of love went into this novel. I will absolutely be recommending it to everyone I know.
September 18, 2025
Warning up front, this review is coming from close personal relation of the author, so I am probably biased.
That being said, this book is fabulous. Very character focused, it excels at creating a cast of characters that you want to get to know, and each one of the four main characters gets their turn in the spotlight. Furthermore, every individual relationship between the four main characters are developed throughout the book.
If you like very descriptive language, I think the book is great at that too, the prose here can often utilize extremely creative metaphors in order to describe emotions, and most impressively, the casting of magic in order to convey things that are difficult to describe literally.
Finally, you will love the world. Lilly’s world is unique and well-thought out. We have played multiple rpg campaigns in that world, and so before they even began writing this book, the world of Val’hoon was already fully formed and fleshed out. So, the world in the book feels very immersive, and will probably get you hype for whatever other books they set in this world.
That being said, this book is fabulous. Very character focused, it excels at creating a cast of characters that you want to get to know, and each one of the four main characters gets their turn in the spotlight. Furthermore, every individual relationship between the four main characters are developed throughout the book.
If you like very descriptive language, I think the book is great at that too, the prose here can often utilize extremely creative metaphors in order to describe emotions, and most impressively, the casting of magic in order to convey things that are difficult to describe literally.
Finally, you will love the world. Lilly’s world is unique and well-thought out. We have played multiple rpg campaigns in that world, and so before they even began writing this book, the world of Val’hoon was already fully formed and fleshed out. So, the world in the book feels very immersive, and will probably get you hype for whatever other books they set in this world.
October 9, 2025
I was given an ARC of this book for an honest review :).
I felt truly immersed while reading this. I loved that the world was explained with footnotes. It really felt like reading a record of the events that take place.
I liked that the story had darker/serious elements, whilst the cast of characters were wholesome. It made this a comfy read, especially the found family aspect. I wish there were a little more conflict with the characters, but overall I enjoyed their dynamics. I definitely recommend this!
I felt truly immersed while reading this. I loved that the world was explained with footnotes. It really felt like reading a record of the events that take place.
I liked that the story had darker/serious elements, whilst the cast of characters were wholesome. It made this a comfy read, especially the found family aspect. I wish there were a little more conflict with the characters, but overall I enjoyed their dynamics. I definitely recommend this!
November 1, 2025
I have never had the pleasure of reading and immersing myself in an adventure or quest that has been defined by a tenderness and authenticity that left me, the reader, feeling seen and safe. These characters genuinely feel like true people with understandable personalities and motivations as I fell in love with the dynamics between our heroes. This isn't even touching on the lore and worldbuilding that will hook you and leave you asking; What other tales are lost in the swirling Maelstrom that Lilly will someday bring to us?
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews