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Sofi and the Bone Song
In this gorgeous standalone fantasy with a “sweet sapphic romance” ( Booklist ), a young musician sets out to expose her rival for illegal use of magic only to discover the deception goes deeper than she could have imagined—perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens !
Music runs in Sofi’s blood.
Her father is a Musik, one of only five musicians in the country licensed to compose and perform original songs. In the kingdom of Aell, where winter is endless and magic is accessible to all, there are strict anti-magic laws ensuring music remains the last untouched art.
Sofi has spent her entire life training to inherit her father’s title. But on the day of the auditions, she is presented with unexpected competition in the form of Lara, a girl who has never before played the lute. Yet somehow, to Sofi’s horror, Lara puts on a performance that thoroughly enchants the judges.
Almost like magic.
The same day Lara wins the title of Musik, Sofi’s father dies, and a grieving Sofi sets out to prove Lara is using illegal magic in her performances. But the more time she spends with Lara, the more Sofi begins to doubt everything she knows about her family, her music, and the girl she thought was her enemy.
As Sofi works to reclaim her rightful place as a Musik, she is forced to face the dark secrets of her past and the magic she was trained to avoid—all while trying not to fall for the girl who stole her future.
Music runs in Sofi’s blood.
Her father is a Musik, one of only five musicians in the country licensed to compose and perform original songs. In the kingdom of Aell, where winter is endless and magic is accessible to all, there are strict anti-magic laws ensuring music remains the last untouched art.
Sofi has spent her entire life training to inherit her father’s title. But on the day of the auditions, she is presented with unexpected competition in the form of Lara, a girl who has never before played the lute. Yet somehow, to Sofi’s horror, Lara puts on a performance that thoroughly enchants the judges.
Almost like magic.
The same day Lara wins the title of Musik, Sofi’s father dies, and a grieving Sofi sets out to prove Lara is using illegal magic in her performances. But the more time she spends with Lara, the more Sofi begins to doubt everything she knows about her family, her music, and the girl she thought was her enemy.
As Sofi works to reclaim her rightful place as a Musik, she is forced to face the dark secrets of her past and the magic she was trained to avoid—all while trying not to fall for the girl who stole her future.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published April 19, 2022
88 people are currently reading
13072 people want to read
About the author
Adrienne Tooley
5 books749 followersAdrienne Tooley grew up in Southern California, majored in musical theater in Pittsburgh, and now lives in Brooklyn with her wife and dog, six guitars, and a banjo. In addition to writing novels, she is an occasional singer/songwriter who has currently released three indie-folk EPs. Find her @adriennetooley.
author photo by Jaclyn Le
https://www.lejaclyn.com
author photo by Jaclyn Le
https://www.lejaclyn.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 448 reviews
December 20, 2025
In the kingdom of Aell, magic exists and is easily accessible, however, there are strict laws surrounding the use of magic when it comes to music. This leaves music as the last untouched art.
In fact, the rules are so strict surrounding music that only five individuals are given the roles of Musik; someone who is allowed to compose their own songs and perform them throughout the land.
Each of the five Musiks is paired with a particular instrument. It's all quite regimented, but regardless, the Musiks are celebrated throughout the kingdom.
Sofi's father is a Musik, who plays a very special bone lute. Sofi has been groomed her whole life to follow in his footsteps. He's been rigid in her training and Sofi has never erred from her path; she wants to be a Musik more than anything.
Unfortunately, it's not as simple as wanting. In order to be named a Musik, there is an audition process. Sofi remains confident she will be named Musik. No one works harder, or wants it more than she does.
Things are thrown for a loop, however, when on the day of the audition, a stranger arrives unannounced to perform; a beautiful girl named, Lara. It seems she's ill-prepared, as she's never played the lute before and doesn't even have one with her. Sofi's confused. Is this some sort of joke?
To Sofi's horror, Lara's performance is absolutely incredible. She has the judges, and all else in attendance, in the palm of her hand.
Before she knows it, Sofi's life has come crashing down around her. Lara has been named a rising Musik, she will inherit Sofi's father's position. Then in a most surprising turn of events, Sofi's father dies quite suddenly.
Sofi cannot believe what is happening. Magic has to be at play. This cannot all be a coincidence. She agrees to travel with Lara, who knows absolutely nothing about being a Musik, to help her get her bearings.
The truth is, Sofi suspects Lara of using illegal magic to win the position and feels like traveling with her will be the best way to get the evidence she needs. She wants to be able to prove Lara is a fraud. With Lara out of the way, Sofi would finally be able to take her proper place as a Musik.
Sofi and Lara's journey bring lots of discoveries, most of them involving Sofi and her life, not so much about Lara's potential use of magic. It's eye-opening for Sofi in many ways, to say the least, with startling consequences.
Sofi and the Bone Song is a beautiful YA-Fantasy standalone novel that is like a love letter to music itself.
It's understated and quiet, yet it drew me in from the very start. It's quite character-driven, with all of the characters being well-developed and likable.
I love stories involving music, or musicians. This one dives deep into that art form. I was eating it up. I'm not sure how impactful this will be for individuals who haven't been involved with playing music at some point in their lives, but for those who have, I think they'll definitely be able to connect with this story.
The romance aspect didn't grab me quite as much as I had hoped. I was mostly interested in the romance of the music and of watching Sofi strive to reach her potential, but I can see how others may fall for the innocence of this young love.
I really enjoyed the sections that explored Sofi's childhood and the training she experienced at the hands of her father. Having that included helped me to understand more about Sofi as a character, as well as building out the relationship she had with her father.
I also enjoyed the fact that Sofi and Lara were traveling for much of the story; it's like an old-timey road trip. Their journey was never dull and each stop brought Sofi closer to answers regarding Lara's sudden rise to success.
Overall, I think this is a soft, subtle, beautiful story that was wrapped up so nicely. Some standalones, you get to the end and wonder, is this really it? I feel like you can walk away satisfied that you have reached the end of this tale. Well done by Tooley.
Thank you to the publisher, Margaret K. McElderry Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Sofi delivered everything I was hoping for!
In fact, the rules are so strict surrounding music that only five individuals are given the roles of Musik; someone who is allowed to compose their own songs and perform them throughout the land.
Each of the five Musiks is paired with a particular instrument. It's all quite regimented, but regardless, the Musiks are celebrated throughout the kingdom.
Sofi's father is a Musik, who plays a very special bone lute. Sofi has been groomed her whole life to follow in his footsteps. He's been rigid in her training and Sofi has never erred from her path; she wants to be a Musik more than anything.
Unfortunately, it's not as simple as wanting. In order to be named a Musik, there is an audition process. Sofi remains confident she will be named Musik. No one works harder, or wants it more than she does.
Things are thrown for a loop, however, when on the day of the audition, a stranger arrives unannounced to perform; a beautiful girl named, Lara. It seems she's ill-prepared, as she's never played the lute before and doesn't even have one with her. Sofi's confused. Is this some sort of joke?
To Sofi's horror, Lara's performance is absolutely incredible. She has the judges, and all else in attendance, in the palm of her hand.
Before she knows it, Sofi's life has come crashing down around her. Lara has been named a rising Musik, she will inherit Sofi's father's position. Then in a most surprising turn of events, Sofi's father dies quite suddenly.
Sofi cannot believe what is happening. Magic has to be at play. This cannot all be a coincidence. She agrees to travel with Lara, who knows absolutely nothing about being a Musik, to help her get her bearings.
The truth is, Sofi suspects Lara of using illegal magic to win the position and feels like traveling with her will be the best way to get the evidence she needs. She wants to be able to prove Lara is a fraud. With Lara out of the way, Sofi would finally be able to take her proper place as a Musik.
Sofi and Lara's journey bring lots of discoveries, most of them involving Sofi and her life, not so much about Lara's potential use of magic. It's eye-opening for Sofi in many ways, to say the least, with startling consequences.
Sofi and the Bone Song is a beautiful YA-Fantasy standalone novel that is like a love letter to music itself.
It's understated and quiet, yet it drew me in from the very start. It's quite character-driven, with all of the characters being well-developed and likable.
I love stories involving music, or musicians. This one dives deep into that art form. I was eating it up. I'm not sure how impactful this will be for individuals who haven't been involved with playing music at some point in their lives, but for those who have, I think they'll definitely be able to connect with this story.
The romance aspect didn't grab me quite as much as I had hoped. I was mostly interested in the romance of the music and of watching Sofi strive to reach her potential, but I can see how others may fall for the innocence of this young love.
I really enjoyed the sections that explored Sofi's childhood and the training she experienced at the hands of her father. Having that included helped me to understand more about Sofi as a character, as well as building out the relationship she had with her father.
I also enjoyed the fact that Sofi and Lara were traveling for much of the story; it's like an old-timey road trip. Their journey was never dull and each stop brought Sofi closer to answers regarding Lara's sudden rise to success.
Overall, I think this is a soft, subtle, beautiful story that was wrapped up so nicely. Some standalones, you get to the end and wonder, is this really it? I feel like you can walk away satisfied that you have reached the end of this tale. Well done by Tooley.
Thank you to the publisher, Margaret K. McElderry Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. Sofi delivered everything I was hoping for!
May 13, 2022
The myth of the tortured artist has turned real for many creatives all through past and present, like Vincent van Gogh who battled mental illness and secured his spot as the suffering artist when he chopped off his ear with a razor blade. But at the core of a creative world, the idea of suffering producing great art is absolutely false and often an overused justification of emotional abuse by something or from within. Apologies for subjecting you to some unfiltered thoughts but reading Adrienne Tooley’s recent release, Sofi and the Bone Song demanded such churning.
In a magical world where music is considered sacred and untouched by magic, only a few people are allowed to compose and perform. Each of these Musiks, respected and celebrated throughout the kingdom, are paired with a particular instrument. Sofi’s father is a lutist and has been training her since forever to take his place as a member of the prestigious Guild of Musiks in the future. Then he quietly dies and both the apprenticeship and his title are open to auditions. Still, Sofi is confident she’s meant for this. But Lara, a stranger, arrives unannounced to perform and wins hearts.
Sofi is convinced Lara was aided by magic, which is strictly prohibited. She wants to prove this beautiful girl a fraud and finally deservedly take her place as a Musik. Lara knows nothing about the workings of this community so she agrees. Over time, in a complex winter-ridden world, the two grow close and find what art individually means to them while secrets unfold. The story truly demands attention for how it brings together magic and music in the midst of ambitions and love. But the star of this sophomore novel is the exploration and dismantling of an emotional idea: that people should suffer for their art.
Rightly focusing more on the characters than the plot, the illusion of an upbringing and pain is torn away by the cries of truth. Sofi’s father believed in something she didn’t even have a chance to think about as a young girl simply learning for a destiny set for her—a title to take over, a genius to be cultivated. But it’d be a disservice to the passion that creation carries if Sofi’s music is simply described in the context of her childhood. Music is truly spotlighted in all its beautiful, evocative glory. Not just a driving force but a protagonist itself, the music evolves in the midst of Sofi’s inner turmoil and also influences the growing romance between her and Lara. This idea of a main character losing everything she thought the world had already planned for her and being forced to forge her path again shows the greatness of character-oriented stories, and also reinstates the comfort that art brings during distress and forever.
With a light romance, Sofi and Lara do give an interesting rivals-to-lovers trope but what impresses more are the opposite emotional personalities of the two: Sofi being more stern, objective, and determinedly grumpy while Lara being more innocent, softer, and simply easier to love. For a young adult fantasy, the romance does take a backseat and understandably so, but the story delivers on its promise of a girl whose plan for the future falls apart —and the journey she must make to uncover dark secrets and political deception while trying to not fall for the girl who stole her future. Also, it’s exciting to see a sapphic romance unfold in this story of queer characters where Sofi is lesbian, Lara is (probably) lesbian, and some side characters are non-binary and gay. Overall, Sofi and the Bone Song hits the right notes on euphoric creativity, a heartwarming love, rediscovering one’s path, and finding comfort in passion and people.
13.03.2022 sapphic rivals to lovers? OKAY. time to be obsessed.
In a magical world where music is considered sacred and untouched by magic, only a few people are allowed to compose and perform. Each of these Musiks, respected and celebrated throughout the kingdom, are paired with a particular instrument. Sofi’s father is a lutist and has been training her since forever to take his place as a member of the prestigious Guild of Musiks in the future. Then he quietly dies and both the apprenticeship and his title are open to auditions. Still, Sofi is confident she’s meant for this. But Lara, a stranger, arrives unannounced to perform and wins hearts.
Consider reading this review over on my blog.
Sofi is convinced Lara was aided by magic, which is strictly prohibited. She wants to prove this beautiful girl a fraud and finally deservedly take her place as a Musik. Lara knows nothing about the workings of this community so she agrees. Over time, in a complex winter-ridden world, the two grow close and find what art individually means to them while secrets unfold. The story truly demands attention for how it brings together magic and music in the midst of ambitions and love. But the star of this sophomore novel is the exploration and dismantling of an emotional idea: that people should suffer for their art.
Rightly focusing more on the characters than the plot, the illusion of an upbringing and pain is torn away by the cries of truth. Sofi’s father believed in something she didn’t even have a chance to think about as a young girl simply learning for a destiny set for her—a title to take over, a genius to be cultivated. But it’d be a disservice to the passion that creation carries if Sofi’s music is simply described in the context of her childhood. Music is truly spotlighted in all its beautiful, evocative glory. Not just a driving force but a protagonist itself, the music evolves in the midst of Sofi’s inner turmoil and also influences the growing romance between her and Lara. This idea of a main character losing everything she thought the world had already planned for her and being forced to forge her path again shows the greatness of character-oriented stories, and also reinstates the comfort that art brings during distress and forever.
With a light romance, Sofi and Lara do give an interesting rivals-to-lovers trope but what impresses more are the opposite emotional personalities of the two: Sofi being more stern, objective, and determinedly grumpy while Lara being more innocent, softer, and simply easier to love. For a young adult fantasy, the romance does take a backseat and understandably so, but the story delivers on its promise of a girl whose plan for the future falls apart —and the journey she must make to uncover dark secrets and political deception while trying to not fall for the girl who stole her future. Also, it’s exciting to see a sapphic romance unfold in this story of queer characters where Sofi is lesbian, Lara is (probably) lesbian, and some side characters are non-binary and gay. Overall, Sofi and the Bone Song hits the right notes on euphoric creativity, a heartwarming love, rediscovering one’s path, and finding comfort in passion and people.
Thank you, Margaret K. McElderry Books, for the review copy!
13.03.2022 sapphic rivals to lovers? OKAY. time to be obsessed.
September 22, 2020
July 2020 - I read a draft of this book and LOVED it. I can't stop thinking about it. I can't wait to see how Adrienne polishes it even further. The world is already SO developed and Sofi and Lara are both stamped on my heart.
April 7, 2022
Sofi has been training all her life to replace her father as Musik, but when beautiful, untrained Lara wins the role instead, she suspects there may be illegal magic involved.
A long while ago I read about the Polgár sisters, a trio of Hungarian chess prodigies who were very carefully reared by their father to eat, sleep, and breath chess. I found myself simultaneously fascinated and horrified at this single-minded cultivation of genius, because it sounded like a terrible thing to do to children, robbing them of a way of their childhoods.
As I read this book, I wondered if the author had also read about them, because the relationship between Sofi and her father is this precisely, only taken to extremes. After suffering for her art all her life, physically and emotionally harming herself to heighten her talent, Sofi is horrified to lose the apprenticeship to Lara, but she can’t help but admire her as well.
There’s the romance between Lara and Sofi, and a mystery around magic as well, but what really stood out to me in this standalone fantasy is the themes of creation and suffering. As a writer myself (… no comment on my talent, of course) I was really interested in how Sofi approached her composing, and there is a lot of commentary on the love of creation, and how one needn’t despair for it to be worthwhile, a lesson Sofi slowly learns. The author is a musician herself, and her knowledge of the field clearly came through in the book.
Of course there were flaws. I thought the world-building was a touch convoluted, with the different kinds of magic, the endless winter, the closed borders of the country and the Musiks as ambassadors. I wish we could have gotten to know Lara better, and I thought Sofi’s unlearning of her father’s teachings progressed in unrealistic leaps and bounds. She is a character who would be served well by therapy!
So why five stars? Quite simply, though this is a fantasy, I felt that the focus was on Sofi’s emotional journey as a musician and a girl, and that I thought was handled incredibly well. I felt myself struck to the quick over and over again emotionally as Sofi reevaluates her relationship with music, though she loves it all the while. As a person who loves her own creative outlet, it struck a chord with me, and I feel that it will similarly strike a chord with many readers.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
A long while ago I read about the Polgár sisters, a trio of Hungarian chess prodigies who were very carefully reared by their father to eat, sleep, and breath chess. I found myself simultaneously fascinated and horrified at this single-minded cultivation of genius, because it sounded like a terrible thing to do to children, robbing them of a way of their childhoods.
As I read this book, I wondered if the author had also read about them, because the relationship between Sofi and her father is this precisely, only taken to extremes. After suffering for her art all her life, physically and emotionally harming herself to heighten her talent, Sofi is horrified to lose the apprenticeship to Lara, but she can’t help but admire her as well.
There’s the romance between Lara and Sofi, and a mystery around magic as well, but what really stood out to me in this standalone fantasy is the themes of creation and suffering. As a writer myself (… no comment on my talent, of course) I was really interested in how Sofi approached her composing, and there is a lot of commentary on the love of creation, and how one needn’t despair for it to be worthwhile, a lesson Sofi slowly learns. The author is a musician herself, and her knowledge of the field clearly came through in the book.
Of course there were flaws. I thought the world-building was a touch convoluted, with the different kinds of magic, the endless winter, the closed borders of the country and the Musiks as ambassadors. I wish we could have gotten to know Lara better, and I thought Sofi’s unlearning of her father’s teachings progressed in unrealistic leaps and bounds. She is a character who would be served well by therapy!
So why five stars? Quite simply, though this is a fantasy, I felt that the focus was on Sofi’s emotional journey as a musician and a girl, and that I thought was handled incredibly well. I felt myself struck to the quick over and over again emotionally as Sofi reevaluates her relationship with music, though she loves it all the while. As a person who loves her own creative outlet, it struck a chord with me, and I feel that it will similarly strike a chord with many readers.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.
May 4, 2022
While I have been meaning to read “Sweet & Bitter Magic” I still haven’t gotten to it, but when I saw this new book I decided to start here and this will not be the last book by Tooley I’ll read (or listened to, to be more accurate). As a big fan of fantasy books this was very much to my liking. Sofi’s story, her growth as a person, is the star of the book, her story also includes a sapphic romance which is cute albeit on the light side.
This is a YA book, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any serious themes. Sofi’s upbringing by her father ‘a musik’ is emotionally abusive and has made Sofi a super focused and ambitious person, and also not a very pleasant person. Magic is everywhere in the kingdom of Aell, but music is the only artform which has to stay pure and magic is not allowed. Only a few people ‘the musiks’ are allowed to play in public and Sofi wants to become a musik like her father. To get this title she has to earn the right to become his apprentice. On the day of the auditions though, newcomer ‘Lara’ enchants everybody and becomes her father’s new apprentice. Sofi is determined to reclaim her right to become a musik though and expose Lara for the fraud she has to be.
The worldbuilding in this book is rather light and I think it’s also suitable for those that are not die-hard fantasy fans. There were some choices that I did not fully understand like why was music the only artform that had to remain magic-less, and there were parts of the story where I wanted more info, like what will Sofi do if she can’t live as a musik (she never seems to consider this). But there was enough worldbuilding to get a general understanding of the kingdom, its love-hate relationship with magic, and the way the magic system works.
The strongest part of the book is how Sofi discovers herself when she loses everything and is forced to reconsider all she has learned and what wants in life. There are some really nice twists along the way too that I didn’t see coming.
The romance is light and very PG, but it is important to the storyline. It’s an enemies to lovers storyline and they stay enemies for quite some time, but the turning point went rather fast. The latter didn’t bother me much though, because I did not think the romance was the most important part of this story. It’s more Lara’s character, the opposite of Sofi, and her interactions with Sofi that are important to the storyline. Lara is easy to love and besides Lara there were also some other characters that I really liked, or loved to hate.
I can easily recommend this to those looking for a YA and/or fantasy book.
This is a YA book, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any serious themes. Sofi’s upbringing by her father ‘a musik’ is emotionally abusive and has made Sofi a super focused and ambitious person, and also not a very pleasant person. Magic is everywhere in the kingdom of Aell, but music is the only artform which has to stay pure and magic is not allowed. Only a few people ‘the musiks’ are allowed to play in public and Sofi wants to become a musik like her father. To get this title she has to earn the right to become his apprentice. On the day of the auditions though, newcomer ‘Lara’ enchants everybody and becomes her father’s new apprentice. Sofi is determined to reclaim her right to become a musik though and expose Lara for the fraud she has to be.
The worldbuilding in this book is rather light and I think it’s also suitable for those that are not die-hard fantasy fans. There were some choices that I did not fully understand like why was music the only artform that had to remain magic-less, and there were parts of the story where I wanted more info, like what will Sofi do if she can’t live as a musik (she never seems to consider this). But there was enough worldbuilding to get a general understanding of the kingdom, its love-hate relationship with magic, and the way the magic system works.
The strongest part of the book is how Sofi discovers herself when she loses everything and is forced to reconsider all she has learned and what wants in life. There are some really nice twists along the way too that I didn’t see coming.
The romance is light and very PG, but it is important to the storyline. It’s an enemies to lovers storyline and they stay enemies for quite some time, but the turning point went rather fast. The latter didn’t bother me much though, because I did not think the romance was the most important part of this story. It’s more Lara’s character, the opposite of Sofi, and her interactions with Sofi that are important to the storyline. Lara is easy to love and besides Lara there were also some other characters that I really liked, or loved to hate.
I can easily recommend this to those looking for a YA and/or fantasy book.
May 10, 2022
Perhaps the perfect book?????????
December 24, 2024
My favourite thing about this book is the way Adrienne Tooley was unafraid to make her characters flawed. Reading about Sofi, Lara, Frederik, and other characters was such a breath of fresh air; that's how well-written they were.
But it has other good aspects, too; simple yet interesting writing style, very well done world-building, and a unique plot. The perfect book for winter.
But it has other good aspects, too; simple yet interesting writing style, very well done world-building, and a unique plot. The perfect book for winter.
July 30, 2025
“This is ‘The Bone Song,’” Sofi said, the way a Musik would.
She closed her eyes and focused on feeling all the way down to her bones, the way a witch would.
And then she began to sing.
1 Sentence Summary: Sofi has spent her entire life training to take over the title of Musik from her father, but on the day of the auditions, a girl named Lara, who has never even played the lute, somehow wins—it’s almost like magic, which is strictly forbidden for Musiks, so Sofi decides to prove Lara is using illegal magic in order to reclaim the future that was stolen from her.
My Thoughts: I was so indignant on Sofi’s behalf, I wanted to punch Lara myself haha. I guess that’s how I know Sofi’s character was well written—I understood her motivations and could really sympathize with her. Sofi was such a great character. She wasn’t perfect, but you could understand why she did everything that she did. I loved the flashbacks into Sofi’s past, too.
I wasn’t that invested in the romance. It was cute, I guess, but also it didn’t really seem that necessary. Also, I wasn’t really a big fan of Lara. She was fine, just not as well developed. More than Sofi’s relationship with Lara, I found Sofi’s relationship with her father so much more fascinating. It was very complex.
The worldbuilding was okay, but nothing amazing. Also, I was a little confused about the magic system. The road trip vibes were fun, though. And I loved all the emphasis on the magic of music. I want to hear the songs they wrote!!!
Overall, this was a fun and atmospheric YA fantasy novel. The ending seemed a bit too easily resolved, but I did still like it.
Recommend to: Fans of music and magic.
(Warnings: death)
“Music could take a heart apart and put it back together again.”
April 2, 2022
4.5 stars
Adrienne Tooley’s newest release is a beautifully crafted and endearing YA fantasy that definitely tugged at my heartstrings in this vividly descriptive, magic infused standalone.
Sofi longs to become a Musik like her father, one of only five musicians in the country licensed to write and perform original songs. In the Kingdom of Aell, where winter is endless and magic is accessible to all, there are strict anti-magic laws ensuring music remains the last untouched art.
Sofi has spent her entire life training to inherit her father’s title. But on the day of the auditions she encounters unexpected competition from Lara, a girl who’s never before played the lute. And to Sofi’s horror, Lar’s performance enchants thhe judges… Almost like magic.
On the day Lara wins the title of Musik, Sofi’s father dies and a grieving Sofi is determined to prove Lara cheated with an illegal use of magic. But, the more time she spends with Lara, thhe more Sofi begins to doubt everything she’s ever been told—about her family, and the girl she thought was her enemy. A girl she’s slowly begun to fall for…
I honestly couldn’t put this down it was soo good! The world-building is enchanting and the magic system enchanting (and incredibly easy to follow along with.) I loved Tooley’s writing style which I found incredibly lyrical at times. The pacing is a little slow but incredibly detailed and imbued to with a rather melodious tone that complemented Sofi’s emotional endeavours and the juxtaposed dual timelines of Sofi’s journey. In her time accompanying Lara on her first Musik tour and Sofi’s years of intense training implemented by her rather dislikable and mostly absentee father.
It’s through those childhood scenes and the difference in Lara’s passionate but laidback approach to music that really brings the complexity of Sofi (and her thought processes) to life—honestly seeing the intentionally cruel “training” and the blind faith Sofi placed in it (an in turn her father) was absolutely heart breaking especially when directly compared to what she learns/ witnesses in Lara’s performances.
Lara, though not given as detailed a backstory as Sofi was still and incredibly well crafted character that I was utterly prepared to dislike but ended up absolutely loving. honestly she’s just such a wonderfully caring and empathetic character that despite being Sofi’s rival I did really feel for her and her reasons for wanting to pursue music as an escape.
Overall, this is a beautifully written and spellbinding story that teaches the importance of acceptance and self love and that passion is what truly makes an artist stand out, not self-inflicted suffering. Fans of An Enchantment Of Ravens should definitely check this out—it’s absolutely wonderful!
Also, a huge thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours and Margaret K. McElderry Books for the e-arc.
Adrienne Tooley’s newest release is a beautifully crafted and endearing YA fantasy that definitely tugged at my heartstrings in this vividly descriptive, magic infused standalone.
Sofi longs to become a Musik like her father, one of only five musicians in the country licensed to write and perform original songs. In the Kingdom of Aell, where winter is endless and magic is accessible to all, there are strict anti-magic laws ensuring music remains the last untouched art.
Sofi has spent her entire life training to inherit her father’s title. But on the day of the auditions she encounters unexpected competition from Lara, a girl who’s never before played the lute. And to Sofi’s horror, Lar’s performance enchants thhe judges… Almost like magic.
On the day Lara wins the title of Musik, Sofi’s father dies and a grieving Sofi is determined to prove Lara cheated with an illegal use of magic. But, the more time she spends with Lara, thhe more Sofi begins to doubt everything she’s ever been told—about her family, and the girl she thought was her enemy. A girl she’s slowly begun to fall for…
I honestly couldn’t put this down it was soo good! The world-building is enchanting and the magic system enchanting (and incredibly easy to follow along with.) I loved Tooley’s writing style which I found incredibly lyrical at times. The pacing is a little slow but incredibly detailed and imbued to with a rather melodious tone that complemented Sofi’s emotional endeavours and the juxtaposed dual timelines of Sofi’s journey. In her time accompanying Lara on her first Musik tour and Sofi’s years of intense training implemented by her rather dislikable and mostly absentee father.
It’s through those childhood scenes and the difference in Lara’s passionate but laidback approach to music that really brings the complexity of Sofi (and her thought processes) to life—honestly seeing the intentionally cruel “training” and the blind faith Sofi placed in it (an in turn her father) was absolutely heart breaking especially when directly compared to what she learns/ witnesses in Lara’s performances.
Lara, though not given as detailed a backstory as Sofi was still and incredibly well crafted character that I was utterly prepared to dislike but ended up absolutely loving. honestly she’s just such a wonderfully caring and empathetic character that despite being Sofi’s rival I did really feel for her and her reasons for wanting to pursue music as an escape.
Overall, this is a beautifully written and spellbinding story that teaches the importance of acceptance and self love and that passion is what truly makes an artist stand out, not self-inflicted suffering. Fans of An Enchantment Of Ravens should definitely check this out—it’s absolutely wonderful!
Also, a huge thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours and Margaret K. McElderry Books for the e-arc.
April 21, 2022
3.5/5 Stars
Sofi and the Bone Song is Adrienne Tooley’s sophomore stand-alone YA novel which follows Sofi who has trained her whole life to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a revered Musik – one of the only people in the land able to compose and play songs on her preferred instrument, the lute. However, on the day that the choice is made as to who is to replace her father, despite Sofi’s technically perfect performance, a beautiful girl who has never even held a lute in her hands – Lara – sweeps into the audition, somehow gaining the title of Musik. That same night, Sofi’s father is found dead. Desperate for answers and to gain the title she feels she is entitled to, Sofi travels alongside Lara across the country as she performs in various inns, and discovers more about herself than she ever thought that she would.
Since her debut release, I have been dying to read Adrienne Tooley’s words, and I’m so glad I was finally able to! This is a vibrant and exciting YA novel that features some of the most intriguing characters I’ve read about in a while, as well as a slow-burn hate to love sapphic romance.
I really enjoyed Tooley’s world building and her creation of the Kingdom of Aell – a land shrouded in permanent winter with heavy regulations on the use of magic. I think she did a wonderful job of drawing the reader into Sofi and Lara’s world and the iciness – both literal and metaphorical – that surrounded them. I also really loved Sofi and Lara as main characters and the juxtaposition between them both – Sofi is unflinching and loyal to her love of music, it is what she cares most about and will let nothing get in her way of her achievements, whereas Lara is soft where Sofi is all hard lines, she believes in herself and in love and won’t let the harshness of everlasting winter get to her. As well as that, they complimented each other so well – they are both so strong-willed and passionate and I really did love them together. Alongside that, Adrienne Tooley also managed to get me to care for the side characters, even though we didn’t see a whole lot of them throughout the book (and the casual queer rep throughout was so great!).
That being said, I did think that, despite the romance being slowburn, there needed to be more time spent on the friendship in between the hate and the love parts of it. As the reader it felt like for a good three-quarters of the book there was a sense of dislike, albeit one-sided, between the characters, then there was maybe 60 pages or so of friendship and then all of a sudden, romance. It didn’t feel like enough and as a friends-to-lovers supremacist, I needed more!
I was also a little sceptical at times that this book needed to be a duology for the amount that Adrienne Tooley wanted to explore, but upon finishing the novel, I think that a standalone was perfect for the story! As the synopsis states, I do think that this is perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens, and I also think that those who loved The Flames of Albiyon and The Winter Duke will also really enjoy Sofi’s story!
Overall, this was a really exciting and fun read, and I loved how music and magic weaved into this sapphic fantasy story. I can well and truly say that I am a fan of Adrienne Tooley’s writing and I’m already excited to get started on her debut novel!
Thanks to TBR and Beyond Tours, Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Netgalley for an eARC - all opinions are my own!
Sofi and the Bone Song is Adrienne Tooley’s sophomore stand-alone YA novel which follows Sofi who has trained her whole life to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a revered Musik – one of the only people in the land able to compose and play songs on her preferred instrument, the lute. However, on the day that the choice is made as to who is to replace her father, despite Sofi’s technically perfect performance, a beautiful girl who has never even held a lute in her hands – Lara – sweeps into the audition, somehow gaining the title of Musik. That same night, Sofi’s father is found dead. Desperate for answers and to gain the title she feels she is entitled to, Sofi travels alongside Lara across the country as she performs in various inns, and discovers more about herself than she ever thought that she would.
Since her debut release, I have been dying to read Adrienne Tooley’s words, and I’m so glad I was finally able to! This is a vibrant and exciting YA novel that features some of the most intriguing characters I’ve read about in a while, as well as a slow-burn hate to love sapphic romance.
I really enjoyed Tooley’s world building and her creation of the Kingdom of Aell – a land shrouded in permanent winter with heavy regulations on the use of magic. I think she did a wonderful job of drawing the reader into Sofi and Lara’s world and the iciness – both literal and metaphorical – that surrounded them. I also really loved Sofi and Lara as main characters and the juxtaposition between them both – Sofi is unflinching and loyal to her love of music, it is what she cares most about and will let nothing get in her way of her achievements, whereas Lara is soft where Sofi is all hard lines, she believes in herself and in love and won’t let the harshness of everlasting winter get to her. As well as that, they complimented each other so well – they are both so strong-willed and passionate and I really did love them together. Alongside that, Adrienne Tooley also managed to get me to care for the side characters, even though we didn’t see a whole lot of them throughout the book (and the casual queer rep throughout was so great!).
That being said, I did think that, despite the romance being slowburn, there needed to be more time spent on the friendship in between the hate and the love parts of it. As the reader it felt like for a good three-quarters of the book there was a sense of dislike, albeit one-sided, between the characters, then there was maybe 60 pages or so of friendship and then all of a sudden, romance. It didn’t feel like enough and as a friends-to-lovers supremacist, I needed more!
I was also a little sceptical at times that this book needed to be a duology for the amount that Adrienne Tooley wanted to explore, but upon finishing the novel, I think that a standalone was perfect for the story! As the synopsis states, I do think that this is perfect for fans of An Enchantment of Ravens, and I also think that those who loved The Flames of Albiyon and The Winter Duke will also really enjoy Sofi’s story!
Overall, this was a really exciting and fun read, and I loved how music and magic weaved into this sapphic fantasy story. I can well and truly say that I am a fan of Adrienne Tooley’s writing and I’m already excited to get started on her debut novel!
Thanks to TBR and Beyond Tours, Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Netgalley for an eARC - all opinions are my own!
Want to read
March 22, 2021I wish I could read every draft of this book! Sweet & Bitter Magic is already one of my favorite books of 2021 and the themes of this one have me screaming!
June 2, 2022
As one of my most anticipated reads, this one missed the mark for me.
The first issue I had was the lack of world-building and I did not understand the Guild and its purpose. They are the only ones allowed to give performances and there are only five in the entire kingdom? It all felt really loose, but I understand it had to be done that way in order to have Sofi suffer so much to become a Musik; it merely fell flat for me.
I was also confused about the perpetual winter and how nobody had been trying to solve it. At all. It was just, "Oh, another snowy day, like every day for the past sixteen years." I got the twist as soon as that was said.
I still don't understand why Lara had come to the audition. her reasoning was very strange and didn't really answer any of my lingering questions.
The romance wasn't believable at all. Sofi went from hating her to falling for her without much in between.
Other than that, i did enjoy Sofi's journey of self-realization and the writing was beautiful. I was hoping for a little bit more tension to keep me looking forward to hopping into bed at night to read it.
The first issue I had was the lack of world-building and I did not understand the Guild and its purpose. They are the only ones allowed to give performances and there are only five in the entire kingdom? It all felt really loose, but I understand it had to be done that way in order to have Sofi suffer so much to become a Musik; it merely fell flat for me.
I was also confused about the perpetual winter and how nobody had been trying to solve it. At all. It was just, "Oh, another snowy day, like every day for the past sixteen years." I got the twist as soon as that was said.
I still don't understand why Lara had come to the audition. her reasoning was very strange and didn't really answer any of my lingering questions.
The romance wasn't believable at all. Sofi went from hating her to falling for her without much in between.
Other than that, i did enjoy Sofi's journey of self-realization and the writing was beautiful. I was hoping for a little bit more tension to keep me looking forward to hopping into bed at night to read it.
July 25, 2022
her whole life, sofi has trained to become “musik,” a title bestowed upon the best musicians and the only musicians allowed to compose and perform original songs. currently, her father holds the title and sofi is sure she’ll inherit it from him. but on the day of auditions, a mysterious girl with no prior experience tries out…and wins. this girl is supposed to train under sofi’s father, but prematurely becomes musik when he dies. sofi is sure that this girl, lara, used magic in her performance (which is forbidden) and sets out to prove her theory right…but uncovers some secrets of her father’s along the way.
this is the perfect fantasy for music lovers!! i really enjoyed all the discussions of sacrificing yourself for art and whether art should even require such a sacrifice. i haven’t read a fantasy book that so thoroughly incorporates music before (at least, not that i can remember?), so i really enjoyed this book!
i also loved the characters. although we didn’t get to learn much about lara, i still really felt for her. sofi was a great mc and i’m glad we got to see the world through her eyes. they were also really cute together!
this is the perfect fantasy for music lovers!! i really enjoyed all the discussions of sacrificing yourself for art and whether art should even require such a sacrifice. i haven’t read a fantasy book that so thoroughly incorporates music before (at least, not that i can remember?), so i really enjoyed this book!
i also loved the characters. although we didn’t get to learn much about lara, i still really felt for her. sofi was a great mc and i’m glad we got to see the world through her eyes. they were also really cute together!
July 5, 2022
4 ⭐️
Honestly, this was a great YA fantasy and it reminded me of how much I love and miss reading fantasy!♥️
Honestly, this was a great YA fantasy and it reminded me of how much I love and miss reading fantasy!♥️
April 20, 2022
We all deal differently with loss. Sofi was told how to deal with it from her father. She has a routine, with new steps that seem to have been added on the spot with each passing year. This routine of suffering is supposed to bring her closer to the Muse, to help her achieve a perfection in her art. But in truth, it's disguised abuse. When she realized that, it could've gone two ways: she could've continue in this path, because it's what she's always known, or emerge from this and create her own path.
I am a firmer believer that everything happens to us for a reason, and that we can overcome each obstacle that is put in our way. We grow stronger with each of those steps, with each of those achievement. In blowing up the walls her father made her build around her, Sofi tells a tale of hope: we all contain what is needed inside of us to achieve our goals. We just have to believe it.
Many thanks to TBR and Beyond Tours for including me in this book tour, in which I received a complimentary e-copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I am a firmer believer that everything happens to us for a reason, and that we can overcome each obstacle that is put in our way. We grow stronger with each of those steps, with each of those achievement. In blowing up the walls her father made her build around her, Sofi tells a tale of hope: we all contain what is needed inside of us to achieve our goals. We just have to believe it.
Many thanks to TBR and Beyond Tours for including me in this book tour, in which I received a complimentary e-copy from the publisher, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
April 10, 2023
Super predictable :/ Instant, unbelievable attraction between the two female leads. They don't have any chemistry. One of them is very Mary Sue -too perfect to be real. Tooley's first novel suffered from these same problems and I was hoping her sophomore novel would have improved...but I honestly still prefer her first book.
The take on abusive parents and what Sofi's father put her through to earn his love was unique and done well, although Sofi getting over it in a matter of days is unbelievable.
The take on abusive parents and what Sofi's father put her through to earn his love was unique and done well, although Sofi getting over it in a matter of days is unbelievable.
on-hiatus
April 29, 2022DID SOMEONE SAY SAPPHIC RIVALS-TO-LOVERS FANTASY *promptly dies*
December 31, 2022
There were definitely great things about this story, but the basis of these characters and their relationships felt so wrong to me.
Sofi has spent her entire life training and dedicating everything to music and becoming a Musik. Lara comes in thinking it’s just an audition to learn from a music but gets the apprentice spot even if she has never done anything music related before.
My issue in this is Lara is portrayed as having not done anything wrong. Swoops in, takes a highly coveted title and then is ok letting Sofi writes songs for her to pass off as her own. Acts all innocent and like she did nothing wrong.
Sofi eventually comes to think the same thing because apparently not having any training and pretending to be a great musician using someone else’s songs isn’t frowned upon????? Oh, but being upset that she lost the position is and apparently makes her selfish and not care about others.
Idk, it just seriously rubs me the wrong way.
Sofi has spent her entire life training and dedicating everything to music and becoming a Musik. Lara comes in thinking it’s just an audition to learn from a music but gets the apprentice spot even if she has never done anything music related before.
My issue in this is Lara is portrayed as having not done anything wrong. Swoops in, takes a highly coveted title and then is ok letting Sofi writes songs for her to pass off as her own. Acts all innocent and like she did nothing wrong.
Sofi eventually comes to think the same thing because apparently not having any training and pretending to be a great musician using someone else’s songs isn’t frowned upon????? Oh, but being upset that she lost the position is and apparently makes her selfish and not care about others.
Idk, it just seriously rubs me the wrong way.
December 19, 2021
4.5/5 stars
Received an arc thanks to a Twitter friendship with the author!
This was really good y’all! The first chapter was a little hand-holdy with the worldbuilding, ie a lot of “telling” and less showing and I wasn’t quite sure this was gonna be for me but boy was I wrong! It shrugs that off pretty quickly and instead lapses into some gorgeous prose.
This ended up being a perfect winter read and I feel so bad for everyone who has to wait until April to read it. So if you like gorgeous high fantasy with interesting worldbuilding, sapphic rivals-to-lovers, and a protagonist learning to overcome emotional abuse (which hit had for me at times like wow come for my throat huh) then I highly recommend this one!
Received an arc thanks to a Twitter friendship with the author!
This was really good y’all! The first chapter was a little hand-holdy with the worldbuilding, ie a lot of “telling” and less showing and I wasn’t quite sure this was gonna be for me but boy was I wrong! It shrugs that off pretty quickly and instead lapses into some gorgeous prose.
This ended up being a perfect winter read and I feel so bad for everyone who has to wait until April to read it. So if you like gorgeous high fantasy with interesting worldbuilding, sapphic rivals-to-lovers, and a protagonist learning to overcome emotional abuse (which hit had for me at times like wow come for my throat huh) then I highly recommend this one!
April 19, 2022
4.5 stars
Oh wow, I loved this. The world building and the magic system was amazing. I mean, magic and music — it doesn’t get any better than that. Not only that, but the characters were super compelling; I really enjoyed seeing Sofi grow throughout the book, through all the trials and tribulations she has to go through. And I fell in love with Lara and her beautiful, charming personality.
There’s so much I could say, but I can probably surmise it by saying that this book has so much heart. It’s got love, friendship, found family, real family, crows, witches, and of course, lots of magic and music. What a wonderful read.
Oh wow, I loved this. The world building and the magic system was amazing. I mean, magic and music — it doesn’t get any better than that. Not only that, but the characters were super compelling; I really enjoyed seeing Sofi grow throughout the book, through all the trials and tribulations she has to go through. And I fell in love with Lara and her beautiful, charming personality.
There’s so much I could say, but I can probably surmise it by saying that this book has so much heart. It’s got love, friendship, found family, real family, crows, witches, and of course, lots of magic and music. What a wonderful read.
April 28, 2022
[Non-Spoiler Review]
I reallyyy love the cover and the map, LIKE THEY'RE SOO BEAUTIFUL. The writing style is alsooo soo brilliant, it's so enchanting and heavenly at the same time. The characters are very well-crafted, especially Sofi! Sofi's lifestyle and her relationship with her dad pained me because of how very well written it was! I could see the author's devotion into this book, it was obvious that she had put a lot of thought into all of these. The worldbuilding is also very magical! I really loved reading about it, It's now one of my favorite worldbuildings!! I hope the author will write another book revolving the worldbuilding someday 😌👌. I JUST LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS AAAA. I CANNOT FIND A SINGLE FAULT. And the PLOTTWISTSS?!?!? amazing! 😳💋. I did not expect those plottwists, I needed a bit of time to think about it, and that's why I love it! I also love the ending, it was very satisfying, especially with Sofi & Lara's relationship, I'll miss them sooo much, I'd honestly kill for them 😭. And so I gave this an easy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, it was just sooo hard not to get intrigued, BECAUSE ITS AMAZING. I haven't read anything like this! And sooo, please read itt, you'll never regret your time spent upon it 🙈.
[A review with a bit of ranting and spoilers]
One of the best scenes to read was the part where the book narrated toward the meanings/backstories of Sofi's routine. It was really nice to get to know Sofi's past and her relationship with her father, but it was also painful. This book had meee tearing up for Sofi, i could feel all of the emotions she was feeling and I felt so bad for her, I wanted to envelope her into a warm hug :<, i really hated the fact that Frederick made her go through all of those things, any child should never ever experience any of these! I've thought about this book 24/7, always curious and interested. I also had a feeling that Sofi was a witch, BUT LIKE DAMN, I STILL MANAGED TO BE SUPRISED!! I already knew there was something up about her and why Lara, a girl who doesn't know how to play a lute, suddenly is a pro and became a Musik, but LIKE OMG. Still can't move on 😳. But one of my favorite scenes was the part where Sofi first met her Gran & Viiv, it was soo wholesome and I love it soo much. And also the end where Sofi sang "The Bone Song"?? I couldn't get that part out of my mind, it was wayy too amazing! And nothing like feeling satisfied when you now understand where the title came from 😌☝️ but yesss, now one of my favorite fantasy standalones ever, I'll for sure be reading the Author's other book ^^
I reallyyy love the cover and the map, LIKE THEY'RE SOO BEAUTIFUL. The writing style is alsooo soo brilliant, it's so enchanting and heavenly at the same time. The characters are very well-crafted, especially Sofi! Sofi's lifestyle and her relationship with her dad pained me because of how very well written it was! I could see the author's devotion into this book, it was obvious that she had put a lot of thought into all of these. The worldbuilding is also very magical! I really loved reading about it, It's now one of my favorite worldbuildings!! I hope the author will write another book revolving the worldbuilding someday 😌👌. I JUST LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS AAAA. I CANNOT FIND A SINGLE FAULT. And the PLOTTWISTSS?!?!? amazing! 😳💋. I did not expect those plottwists, I needed a bit of time to think about it, and that's why I love it! I also love the ending, it was very satisfying, especially with Sofi & Lara's relationship, I'll miss them sooo much, I'd honestly kill for them 😭. And so I gave this an easy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, it was just sooo hard not to get intrigued, BECAUSE ITS AMAZING. I haven't read anything like this! And sooo, please read itt, you'll never regret your time spent upon it 🙈.
[A review with a bit of ranting and spoilers]
One of the best scenes to read was the part where the book narrated toward the meanings/backstories of Sofi's routine. It was really nice to get to know Sofi's past and her relationship with her father, but it was also painful. This book had meee tearing up for Sofi, i could feel all of the emotions she was feeling and I felt so bad for her, I wanted to envelope her into a warm hug :<, i really hated the fact that Frederick made her go through all of those things, any child should never ever experience any of these! I've thought about this book 24/7, always curious and interested. I also had a feeling that Sofi was a witch, BUT LIKE DAMN, I STILL MANAGED TO BE SUPRISED!! I already knew there was something up about her and why Lara, a girl who doesn't know how to play a lute, suddenly is a pro and became a Musik, but LIKE OMG. Still can't move on 😳. But one of my favorite scenes was the part where Sofi first met her Gran & Viiv, it was soo wholesome and I love it soo much. And also the end where Sofi sang "The Bone Song"?? I couldn't get that part out of my mind, it was wayy too amazing! And nothing like feeling satisfied when you now understand where the title came from 😌☝️ but yesss, now one of my favorite fantasy standalones ever, I'll for sure be reading the Author's other book ^^
July 5, 2022
“sofi had never realized how freeing it was to be loved. how the warmth that flowed through her, a warmth that felt like magic, cleared the fog from the windows of her heart.”
there is no question that this book is firmly rooted in music. in it’s story, and passion, and ambition, music is what makes sofi whole, and what makes this novel whole. the worldbuilding itself, the magic system, it’s all so fluent in the beauty of music. the musician in me flourished not just at sofi’s determination to become a musik, one of the few members of the kingdom allowed to perform music for others, telling tales and travelling past the gate, but also at what it means to love and understand the creation and curation of this beauty.
lara, the sunshine to sofi’s grump, her total foil, said, “you don’t have to suffer in order to create,” and yes, she was talking about sofi’s obsession, her constant pain and self-ham in order to become something, but the word create isn’t just music. there’s a heavy theme of abuse in this story; heavy in both abundance and extremity. sofi’s father instilled a never-faltering routine for her to become even close to as good as him, and sofi had known nothing else. so suffering to create isn’t just music. it’s to create another breathe, suffering to live, to continue living, to smile. to feel emotions. and let them overcome you. you don’t have to suffer to feel, and you don’t have to suffer to create. i loved lara, she was a great love interest, and this reminder rang so, so true in me.
i don’t read that many fantasy books anymore, but the magic and the characters and the strength of this story felt simple, in a this-makes-total-sense kind of way? there was the story, there was the goddamn bone song, and yes, a land of eternal winter isn’t where we find ourselves normally, but it was easy. it was convincing. i appreciated it endlessly, and recommend it so much. this book… it feels a lot. it made me feel a lot. just go into it being aware of content warnings please, it’s not a happy-go-lucky sapphic fantasy. also know that it reminded me a tonnn of frozen and i’m not mad about it. <3
content warnings: depictions of emotional abuse at the hand of a parent, parental death by suicide (off-page), descriptions of self-harm
there is no question that this book is firmly rooted in music. in it’s story, and passion, and ambition, music is what makes sofi whole, and what makes this novel whole. the worldbuilding itself, the magic system, it’s all so fluent in the beauty of music. the musician in me flourished not just at sofi’s determination to become a musik, one of the few members of the kingdom allowed to perform music for others, telling tales and travelling past the gate, but also at what it means to love and understand the creation and curation of this beauty.
lara, the sunshine to sofi’s grump, her total foil, said, “you don’t have to suffer in order to create,” and yes, she was talking about sofi’s obsession, her constant pain and self-ham in order to become something, but the word create isn’t just music. there’s a heavy theme of abuse in this story; heavy in both abundance and extremity. sofi’s father instilled a never-faltering routine for her to become even close to as good as him, and sofi had known nothing else. so suffering to create isn’t just music. it’s to create another breathe, suffering to live, to continue living, to smile. to feel emotions. and let them overcome you. you don’t have to suffer to feel, and you don’t have to suffer to create. i loved lara, she was a great love interest, and this reminder rang so, so true in me.
i don’t read that many fantasy books anymore, but the magic and the characters and the strength of this story felt simple, in a this-makes-total-sense kind of way? there was the story, there was the goddamn bone song, and yes, a land of eternal winter isn’t where we find ourselves normally, but it was easy. it was convincing. i appreciated it endlessly, and recommend it so much. this book… it feels a lot. it made me feel a lot. just go into it being aware of content warnings please, it’s not a happy-go-lucky sapphic fantasy. also know that it reminded me a tonnn of frozen and i’m not mad about it. <3
content warnings: depictions of emotional abuse at the hand of a parent, parental death by suicide (off-page), descriptions of self-harm
May 7, 2023
[EN] What a wonderful book! The magic system and plot were so original and the writing was so good! Really enjoyed the romance part too, even though I'm usually not a fan.
[PL] Jaka to była wspaniała książka! System magiczny i fabuła niezwykle oryginalne, a styl pisania autorki również na plus! Nawet część romantyczna mi się podobała chociaż zwykle nie jestem ich fanką.
[PL] Jaka to była wspaniała książka! System magiczny i fabuła niezwykle oryginalne, a styl pisania autorki również na plus! Nawet część romantyczna mi się podobała chociaż zwykle nie jestem ich fanką.
July 7, 2022
oh. my. god. I loved this book so so so much! Sofi's character arc is done so well. this book almost brought me to tears, which is something books have no managed to do for a long time. Sofi was a really flawed but really good protagonist. her journey from suffering for her art to learning that what her father put her through was abuse to realizing music doesn't need to be perfect it's just so well done. I absolutely love this book and I could say so much more about it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2023
Rep: lesbian mc & li, gay side character, nonbinary side character
February 18, 2022
*Spoiler free*
I really liked Sweet And Bitter Magic, and you only have to whisper "queer witches" and I am there and ready to scream. So, I was ready to read this book before I even knew much about it! Though, learning that it was about the idea of having to suffer for art, and a world where music can only be played by a select few, only made more and more eager to read it. Trigger warnings: emotional abuse, grief, self-harm
This book hit me like a ton of bricks, and every time I think of it I kinda want to sob. It's a book I did not know that I needed. But I needed it. I have a lot of feelings about it, but a big one is gratitude that it exists.
A lot of my love for this book comes from deeply personal reasons. It resembles a time in my life that I always thought I would look back on as something prickly and uncomfortable. But to be able to reflect on it, through the lens of a fantasy, was such a gift. To be able to fall in love with Sofi, to experience what she does alongside her, it was, just something incredible. It felt like a balm to a piece of me that has been raw for a very long time.
The way that it depicts the idea of suffering, of pain, of pushing and pushing and pushing, felt like it was done with such a kindness. It was a story of healing, and this entire aspect felt like it was done with care and understanding to everybody who has ever felt the way that Sofi has. It was understanding and love and empathy all wrapped into one book.
And then on top of that, I just really freaking loved the book in general.
It is so, so gorgeously written. The whole book felt like music seeped off the page, rising and flowing and creating something completely beautiful. The scenery, the songs, the magic, just utterly stunning.
The world, oh gosh, the world was so freaking cool. The magic, the music, the political system. It felt very contained, and yet very vast as well. Plus, it was just downright interesting. Only one person has the right to compose and perform music in public. A gate that cuts this country off from the rest of the world. A country that is stuck in a years long winter. It's so, so well done.
And the plot!!! My jaw dropped multiple times, because WOW. Everything fits, falling into place and creating a picture that I was shocked to see. I loved how everything came together, because wow it is so good.
The characters, oh I adore them. Sofi, I love her so much. And the way she was written, and the way this book was written in general, was amazing. I saw the world through her eyes, I got her, I got what she was feeling, and I was surprised at certain things because Sofi's view was so strong. It was brilliant. And then there's Lara and Jakko and the Musiks who don't suck and Marie and I want to give them all a hug. The characters were so strong and I cared for them so much.
And this book is sapphic. Like, on top of everything else amazing about it, it's also so gay. And it's clueless sapphics falling for each other while trying not to fall for each other, which is freaking amazing!!!
Yes, I really, really adored this book. It was so gorgeously written, and so wonderfully crafted. It's gay and has music and magic, and it's just, a really incredible book.
I really liked Sweet And Bitter Magic, and you only have to whisper "queer witches" and I am there and ready to scream. So, I was ready to read this book before I even knew much about it! Though, learning that it was about the idea of having to suffer for art, and a world where music can only be played by a select few, only made more and more eager to read it. Trigger warnings: emotional abuse, grief, self-harm
This book hit me like a ton of bricks, and every time I think of it I kinda want to sob. It's a book I did not know that I needed. But I needed it. I have a lot of feelings about it, but a big one is gratitude that it exists.
A lot of my love for this book comes from deeply personal reasons. It resembles a time in my life that I always thought I would look back on as something prickly and uncomfortable. But to be able to reflect on it, through the lens of a fantasy, was such a gift. To be able to fall in love with Sofi, to experience what she does alongside her, it was, just something incredible. It felt like a balm to a piece of me that has been raw for a very long time.
The way that it depicts the idea of suffering, of pain, of pushing and pushing and pushing, felt like it was done with such a kindness. It was a story of healing, and this entire aspect felt like it was done with care and understanding to everybody who has ever felt the way that Sofi has. It was understanding and love and empathy all wrapped into one book.
And then on top of that, I just really freaking loved the book in general.
It is so, so gorgeously written. The whole book felt like music seeped off the page, rising and flowing and creating something completely beautiful. The scenery, the songs, the magic, just utterly stunning.
The world, oh gosh, the world was so freaking cool. The magic, the music, the political system. It felt very contained, and yet very vast as well. Plus, it was just downright interesting. Only one person has the right to compose and perform music in public. A gate that cuts this country off from the rest of the world. A country that is stuck in a years long winter. It's so, so well done.
And the plot!!! My jaw dropped multiple times, because WOW. Everything fits, falling into place and creating a picture that I was shocked to see. I loved how everything came together, because wow it is so good.
The characters, oh I adore them. Sofi, I love her so much. And the way she was written, and the way this book was written in general, was amazing. I saw the world through her eyes, I got her, I got what she was feeling, and I was surprised at certain things because Sofi's view was so strong. It was brilliant. And then there's Lara and Jakko and the Musiks who don't suck and Marie and I want to give them all a hug. The characters were so strong and I cared for them so much.
And this book is sapphic. Like, on top of everything else amazing about it, it's also so gay. And it's clueless sapphics falling for each other while trying not to fall for each other, which is freaking amazing!!!
Yes, I really, really adored this book. It was so gorgeously written, and so wonderfully crafted. It's gay and has music and magic, and it's just, a really incredible book.
Want to read
September 3, 2021i heard sapphic rivals to lovers and i came sprinting
May 16, 2022
uhm no. O_o
December 21, 2022
There are times when you start a book and know from the very first page that it’s going to be something special. For me, that was Sofi & the Bone Song. Side note: I also kept thinking, “Why did it take me so long to read this?”
Sofi is the daughter of a master Lute player. She’s one of the 2 people training under him, but she isn’t guaranteed to become an apprentice unless the guild votes to choose her. But when the time comes to compete for the spot, she’s sadly beaten by a novice. When her father takes his own life, secrets from his past begin to come to light, but yet his apprentice inherits his title of “Musik.” In essence, Lara, the novice, is now the master lutist for the kingdom.
When Lara’s invited to tour, creating music along the way, Sofi takes it upon herself to help her out, while also finding out if this novice used magic to steal the spot that was rightfully hers… only to discover something more sparking between them.
I really loved the magic system in this book. Witches using bones to create spells is not something I’ve read before. I’m always wanting interesting plots and this definitely gave me the intrigue I was looking for. Plus, it’s queer! Which I’m ALWAYS here for!
Sofi is the daughter of a master Lute player. She’s one of the 2 people training under him, but she isn’t guaranteed to become an apprentice unless the guild votes to choose her. But when the time comes to compete for the spot, she’s sadly beaten by a novice. When her father takes his own life, secrets from his past begin to come to light, but yet his apprentice inherits his title of “Musik.” In essence, Lara, the novice, is now the master lutist for the kingdom.
When Lara’s invited to tour, creating music along the way, Sofi takes it upon herself to help her out, while also finding out if this novice used magic to steal the spot that was rightfully hers… only to discover something more sparking between them.
I really loved the magic system in this book. Witches using bones to create spells is not something I’ve read before. I’m always wanting interesting plots and this definitely gave me the intrigue I was looking for. Plus, it’s queer! Which I’m ALWAYS here for!
March 6, 2023
4.5 stars
Sapphic
Two girls are on a journey together. Grumpy sunshine trope.
The beginning was a bit hard to get into, it was a slow start. But a few chapters in I was enjoying it so much!
Sapphic
Two girls are on a journey together. Grumpy sunshine trope.
The beginning was a bit hard to get into, it was a slow start. But a few chapters in I was enjoying it so much!
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