What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sound of Battle - Dark Edition #1
The Sound of Steel
WARNING: This book exists in two editions: the dark edition is NA and the light edition is YA-friendly.
Tasha has almost finished paying her debt to the awful master that adopted her. There are only a few missions left and she will be free.
But when he sends her on a big mission with her best friend Misha, she feels like it might be big enough for them to be over with all of that.
The king of the neighboring kingdom, the fey kingdom, is visiting the king of Bellen, and no one knows why. The master wants to know. That’s their mission. Even if it’s not a short mission, it’s supposed to be an easy one, but the first prince is as flirty as the second prince is secretive. And to add to that, Tasha doesn’t seem to be able to avoid trouble.
But is the mission that important if it can cost her life?
Follow Tasha and discover what are the secrets hidden by the royal families, and how deep she gets tangled in all their mess. Will she survive all of this?
Tasha has almost finished paying her debt to the awful master that adopted her. There are only a few missions left and she will be free.
But when he sends her on a big mission with her best friend Misha, she feels like it might be big enough for them to be over with all of that.
The king of the neighboring kingdom, the fey kingdom, is visiting the king of Bellen, and no one knows why. The master wants to know. That’s their mission. Even if it’s not a short mission, it’s supposed to be an easy one, but the first prince is as flirty as the second prince is secretive. And to add to that, Tasha doesn’t seem to be able to avoid trouble.
But is the mission that important if it can cost her life?
Follow Tasha and discover what are the secrets hidden by the royal families, and how deep she gets tangled in all their mess. Will she survive all of this?
400 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 18, 2022
12 people are currently reading
905 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
March 10, 2023
Holy smokes! This is one of the best written and underrated #Romantasy books EVER! You guys are sleeping on this gem!
Sound of Steel is a dark romantic fantasy novel with a strong but vulnerable shapeshifter heroine who has overcome incredible personal difficulties with impressive combat skills and a manipulative Fae prince (Adam) who has a brooding attitude and lots of secrets. Despite his obvious face scar, he's still handsome and deadly. And he's is my new book boyfriend. And no friends, I don't share.
In Erithea, anyone who was given to the adoption system, ended up stuck in Master Georges keep. On the outside, he's the successful merchant with a big heart that looks after many orphans. Little did people know, that he use these kids as his spies and calls them the Magpies after training them in everything if it means getting the information he needed.
When the Master sends his two favorite girls to spy on the Princes of Irisda, Tasha soon finds herself caught in the midst of a subtle mayhem of politics, spies, assassins, conspiracies, secrets, treacheries, and magic where she tries her best to survive in order not to be executed.
Tasha is such an extremely likable MC. She constantly fights over and over for her own survival, never allowing herself to wallow in self pity. When there were numerous attempts on her life, she went out of her way and learned how to defend herself. From hand to hand combat, bows, swords, picking locks, spying, and finally mastering the art of POTIONS! (BIG Celaena Sardothien vibes)
Sauvage's writing was amazing and captured the medieval setting perfectly. The way she writes her sentences and wordings transport you back to the old, dingy, torch lit castles era.
I literally have nothing but PURE LOVE for The Sound of Steel! I highly recommend it for everyone who lives for the Fantasy Romance genre like me!
Huge thanks to the author for gifting me a copy to review. What a great journey💜
First thoughts:
OH. ME. OH. MY!!
A scarred prince who leaves you his lemon cookies, teaches you how to ride a horse, pay your debt (AND YOUR FRIEND'S) to the master who raised you, gifts you "smutty" books, gets you a fancy sword to protect yourself, writes you (CUTE) handwritten notes, let you share his bathtub, keep an eye on you wherever you go just to make sure his psychotic brother won't kill you, and on top of it all, he kissed you passionately and made you FORGET IT!! Gimme all the cruel wicked Damon vibes!!!
This is it! This is my review. And if this doesn't make you get the book now, I don't know what will!!
Sound of Steel is a dark romantic fantasy novel with a strong but vulnerable shapeshifter heroine who has overcome incredible personal difficulties with impressive combat skills and a manipulative Fae prince (Adam) who has a brooding attitude and lots of secrets. Despite his obvious face scar, he's still handsome and deadly. And he's is my new book boyfriend. And no friends, I don't share.
In Erithea, anyone who was given to the adoption system, ended up stuck in Master Georges keep. On the outside, he's the successful merchant with a big heart that looks after many orphans. Little did people know, that he use these kids as his spies and calls them the Magpies after training them in everything if it means getting the information he needed.
When the Master sends his two favorite girls to spy on the Princes of Irisda, Tasha soon finds herself caught in the midst of a subtle mayhem of politics, spies, assassins, conspiracies, secrets, treacheries, and magic where she tries her best to survive in order not to be executed.
Tasha is such an extremely likable MC. She constantly fights over and over for her own survival, never allowing herself to wallow in self pity. When there were numerous attempts on her life, she went out of her way and learned how to defend herself. From hand to hand combat, bows, swords, picking locks, spying, and finally mastering the art of POTIONS! (BIG Celaena Sardothien vibes)
Sauvage's writing was amazing and captured the medieval setting perfectly. The way she writes her sentences and wordings transport you back to the old, dingy, torch lit castles era.
I literally have nothing but PURE LOVE for The Sound of Steel! I highly recommend it for everyone who lives for the Fantasy Romance genre like me!
Huge thanks to the author for gifting me a copy to review. What a great journey💜
First thoughts:
OH. ME. OH. MY!!
A scarred prince who leaves you his lemon cookies, teaches you how to ride a horse, pay your debt (AND YOUR FRIEND'S) to the master who raised you, gifts you "smutty" books, gets you a fancy sword to protect yourself, writes you (CUTE) handwritten notes, let you share his bathtub, keep an eye on you wherever you go just to make sure his psychotic brother won't kill you, and on top of it all, he kissed you passionately and made you FORGET IT!! Gimme all the cruel wicked Damon vibes!!!
This is it! This is my review. And if this doesn't make you get the book now, I don't know what will!!
June 10, 2022
It’s my own book, but I thought I would make a review !
If you search a book with magic, fey, potions, shapeshifters, court intrigues, found family and morally grey characters this one is for you!
If you search a book with magic, fey, potions, shapeshifters, court intrigues, found family and morally grey characters this one is for you!
May 6, 2022
You know those books you simply don't want to put down? The Sound of Steel is one of them.
I literally resented the times I had to put it down because chores were to be done. And my thoughts kept drifting towards it throughout those reading breaks too.
This book exists in two editions: the dark edition, which is NA and the light edition, which is YA-friendly. And my review is for the dark one.
I picked it up for my 'Female MCs Who Aren't Perfect Beauties' feature and man oh man! It was quite a surprise. The addictive unputdownable kind.
The Sound of Steel is the story of two sisters. Not by blood but by choice. Tasha and Misha, two orphans adopted by a so called 'benevolent merchant' who made it a business to take in orphans as a rule and turn them into his very own spies: the Magpies. More like tools than human beings, they were forced to submit to the Master, reaping hard punishments if they refused.
I liked both girls from the very beginning. Beautiful Misha who always smiled was a perfect counterpart to the brooding Tasha. Their dynamic was one of the best parts of this tale.
Sent on an mission together, to ferret secrets from two foreign fey princes, the two girls are placed among the palace servants. It should be an easy mission, but getting to the princes proves to be not quite as easy as they thought it would be, and trouble seems to be sticking onto Tasha's heels.
This is how their story starts. One full of mystery and intrigue, unpredictable twists and surprising reveals, danger and adventure, friendship, fun and totally awesome gryphons. :D I loved the characters and their witty banter, especially the tongue in cheek humour between a certain cookie-stealing sneaky servant and her 'Number Two' prince.
Tasha's trials almost broke my heart and the love between the girls sang to my soul.
'If I can't be a pain in the ass, where will be the fun?'
I bet you're going to love Tasha too. :D
The pacing is great and gradually picks up, while the plot thickens, the tension is upped, and the mystery deepens. The wordbuilding is great at times, but could be better at others, while the flow of prose may not be quite the best. And yet, despite all of this, I just couldn't stop reading!
Because the story itself is simply Chef's kiss!
The Sound of Steel is hands down one of the most gripping books I've read this year!
And I'm looking forward to the sequel.
or, plainly put:
I freaking LOVED it and wish the sequel was already in my hands!
I literally resented the times I had to put it down because chores were to be done. And my thoughts kept drifting towards it throughout those reading breaks too.
This book exists in two editions: the dark edition, which is NA and the light edition, which is YA-friendly. And my review is for the dark one.
I picked it up for my 'Female MCs Who Aren't Perfect Beauties' feature and man oh man! It was quite a surprise. The addictive unputdownable kind.
The Sound of Steel is the story of two sisters. Not by blood but by choice. Tasha and Misha, two orphans adopted by a so called 'benevolent merchant' who made it a business to take in orphans as a rule and turn them into his very own spies: the Magpies. More like tools than human beings, they were forced to submit to the Master, reaping hard punishments if they refused.
I liked both girls from the very beginning. Beautiful Misha who always smiled was a perfect counterpart to the brooding Tasha. Their dynamic was one of the best parts of this tale.
Sent on an mission together, to ferret secrets from two foreign fey princes, the two girls are placed among the palace servants. It should be an easy mission, but getting to the princes proves to be not quite as easy as they thought it would be, and trouble seems to be sticking onto Tasha's heels.
This is how their story starts. One full of mystery and intrigue, unpredictable twists and surprising reveals, danger and adventure, friendship, fun and totally awesome gryphons. :D I loved the characters and their witty banter, especially the tongue in cheek humour between a certain cookie-stealing sneaky servant and her 'Number Two' prince.
Tasha's trials almost broke my heart and the love between the girls sang to my soul.
'If I can't be a pain in the ass, where will be the fun?'
I bet you're going to love Tasha too. :D
The pacing is great and gradually picks up, while the plot thickens, the tension is upped, and the mystery deepens. The wordbuilding is great at times, but could be better at others, while the flow of prose may not be quite the best. And yet, despite all of this, I just couldn't stop reading!
Because the story itself is simply Chef's kiss!
The Sound of Steel is hands down one of the most gripping books I've read this year!
And I'm looking forward to the sequel.
or, plainly put:
I freaking LOVED it and wish the sequel was already in my hands!
Read
June 5, 2022I can't give this a star rating because I didn't even get to the 10% mark, but this was not good.
I generally don't feel that writers should be bogged down by arbitrary rules, but 'show, don't tell' is one that I think most people should actually abide by. I'm 7% into this book, and everything has been told. I'm capable of using my brain to suss things out. I don't need to have everything explained to me. It makes things boring.
This book could also use an edit. There are far too many unnecessary commas.
Additionally, it reads incredibly young thus far. It reads like the girls are 12.
I'm peaceing out at chapter 3 where Tasha is awoken by Misha jumping on her bed. Tasha apparently doesn't have the strength or motivation to roll her eyes, so instead she grabs her pillow and puts it over her eyes, because rolling your eyes is so much more physically strenuous? They have somehow worked it out with the head of the servants (or whatever her job is) to clean the princes rooms... on their second day. A royal whatever the hell you call someone who runs the shit would absolutely not let two random new girls clean the rooms of visiting royalty on their second day. Not even really the second day. They arrived at like 5 p.m. the day prior. It would not fucking happen.
The grammar issues, generally crappy writing, unrealistic happenings, and juvenile voice are a big nope from me dawg.
I generally don't feel that writers should be bogged down by arbitrary rules, but 'show, don't tell' is one that I think most people should actually abide by. I'm 7% into this book, and everything has been told. I'm capable of using my brain to suss things out. I don't need to have everything explained to me. It makes things boring.
This book could also use an edit. There are far too many unnecessary commas.
Additionally, it reads incredibly young thus far. It reads like the girls are 12.
I'm peaceing out at chapter 3 where Tasha is awoken by Misha jumping on her bed. Tasha apparently doesn't have the strength or motivation to roll her eyes, so instead she grabs her pillow and puts it over her eyes, because rolling your eyes is so much more physically strenuous? They have somehow worked it out with the head of the servants (or whatever her job is) to clean the princes rooms... on their second day. A royal whatever the hell you call someone who runs the shit would absolutely not let two random new girls clean the rooms of visiting royalty on their second day. Not even really the second day. They arrived at like 5 p.m. the day prior. It would not fucking happen.
The grammar issues, generally crappy writing, unrealistic happenings, and juvenile voice are a big nope from me dawg.
March 19, 2022
Do you prefer YA or NA books?
A: I prefer NA but with this novel you don’t have to choose.
☽
꧁ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎꧂
The Sound of Steel - Dark Version
By: Emeline Vey
☽
Emmeline decided to make a Light and a Dark version of her story. If you prefer to read YA you can order the Light version. If you prefer NA like me, you can get the Dark version.
☽
Tasha and Misha were bought by their master as servants, but trained as spies. When the Fey king arrives at the human castle in their bordering town, their master wants to know why. Finding work in the castle isn’t difficult and the girls think the mission will be easy, until they meet the princes. When they start to uncover some sinister secrets the royal families are holding they realize this mission might cost them their lives.
☽
I was lucky enough to be a Beta reader for The Sound of Steel. It took me a little bit to feel connected to the characters but I was ready for book 2 by the time I ended book 1. I read the Dark version which did include some smut scenes. It started off light and got more intense as the book went on. As a debut novel I think this was great. I kept going back and forth between 3.5-4 stars but since I’m looking forward to book 2 I went with a 4!
☽
Rating: 4/5
Smut: 3/5
☽
A: I prefer NA but with this novel you don’t have to choose.
☽
꧁ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎꧂
The Sound of Steel - Dark Version
By: Emeline Vey
☽
Emmeline decided to make a Light and a Dark version of her story. If you prefer to read YA you can order the Light version. If you prefer NA like me, you can get the Dark version.
☽
Tasha and Misha were bought by their master as servants, but trained as spies. When the Fey king arrives at the human castle in their bordering town, their master wants to know why. Finding work in the castle isn’t difficult and the girls think the mission will be easy, until they meet the princes. When they start to uncover some sinister secrets the royal families are holding they realize this mission might cost them their lives.
☽
I was lucky enough to be a Beta reader for The Sound of Steel. It took me a little bit to feel connected to the characters but I was ready for book 2 by the time I ended book 1. I read the Dark version which did include some smut scenes. It started off light and got more intense as the book went on. As a debut novel I think this was great. I kept going back and forth between 3.5-4 stars but since I’m looking forward to book 2 I went with a 4!
☽
Rating: 4/5
Smut: 3/5
☽
June 4, 2022
BOY DID I NOT WANT IT TO END 😩😭💔 The Sound of Steel was simply a delight to read 😍❤
I loved how easy it was to understand what was happening. There was no complexity or heavy world building, which suited my current reading mood! This book was so light, magical and funny, needless to say I enjoyed every second ❤
I fell in love with Adam's character the minute he was introduced 🤣 he's definitely a piece of work. I love how caring he is, even if he's got a weird way of showing it. Loved the fact that he was a king at pretending he didn't give a s**t when in reality, he probably care more than he should. Here's your dark haired morally grey MC 😍❤
"...I know scars aren't supposed to be beautiful, but you should wear that one like you're proud of it..." - Adam.
Tasha's character was amazing and for once, I didn't hate the female character. I actually LOVED her! She'd seen all shades of pain, yet she would bow down to nobody! The real definition of a bada$$ woman🔥her teasing ways towards the prince were just too funny 🤣 I loved how she counted on no one and only cared about her friend Misha and Leon❤ found family trope 😍😍😍
"...I don’t plan anything, your majesty. I’m just trying to survive..." Tasha.
The bond between Adam and Tasha was unmissable 👌 they LOVED making each other's blood boil 🤣 I simply loved their chemistry. This book was a little piece of happiness I'm glad I asked for ❤
If you guys haven't read it yet, please do yourselves a favor and check it out RIGHT NOW! I'll be sitting here, patiently yet painfully waiting for the second book in the series to arrive.
In the meantime, I'd like to thank the author for giving me the chance of getting an ARC and sticking around for all of my crazy reactions 🤣
I loved how easy it was to understand what was happening. There was no complexity or heavy world building, which suited my current reading mood! This book was so light, magical and funny, needless to say I enjoyed every second ❤
I fell in love with Adam's character the minute he was introduced 🤣 he's definitely a piece of work. I love how caring he is, even if he's got a weird way of showing it. Loved the fact that he was a king at pretending he didn't give a s**t when in reality, he probably care more than he should. Here's your dark haired morally grey MC 😍❤
"...I know scars aren't supposed to be beautiful, but you should wear that one like you're proud of it..." - Adam.
Tasha's character was amazing and for once, I didn't hate the female character. I actually LOVED her! She'd seen all shades of pain, yet she would bow down to nobody! The real definition of a bada$$ woman🔥her teasing ways towards the prince were just too funny 🤣 I loved how she counted on no one and only cared about her friend Misha and Leon❤ found family trope 😍😍😍
"...I don’t plan anything, your majesty. I’m just trying to survive..." Tasha.
The bond between Adam and Tasha was unmissable 👌 they LOVED making each other's blood boil 🤣 I simply loved their chemistry. This book was a little piece of happiness I'm glad I asked for ❤
If you guys haven't read it yet, please do yourselves a favor and check it out RIGHT NOW! I'll be sitting here, patiently yet painfully waiting for the second book in the series to arrive.
In the meantime, I'd like to thank the author for giving me the chance of getting an ARC and sticking around for all of my crazy reactions 🤣
April 23, 2023
DNF @ 51%
I thought I would try to come back to this after taking a break for a bit but I just can’t. It’s really stupid. I don’t have a real review but here are some notes I made while reading:
Just me waiting for this to magically shift into this amazing book the reviews are calling it because right now all I got is 2 really annoying and immature characters, a plot that makes no sense and an author that thinks l'm an idiot because l've been told, told, told, told, TOLD every detail. Just SHOW me some shit already.
“Bubble butt”??? Seriously??
For two people who are supposed to be employed in the castle as servants, they sure don’t do any work. Just Snack, snack, snack, snack, snack and fuck off.
The words train/training were used 11 times in 3 damn paragraphs. Hire an editor, buy a thesaurus.
Happy birthday song wasn’t written until 1893
Mascara wasn’t invented until 1872
“Rocking that look”
“My bad”
“Adulting”
STOP WITH THIS
I thought I would try to come back to this after taking a break for a bit but I just can’t. It’s really stupid. I don’t have a real review but here are some notes I made while reading:
Just me waiting for this to magically shift into this amazing book the reviews are calling it because right now all I got is 2 really annoying and immature characters, a plot that makes no sense and an author that thinks l'm an idiot because l've been told, told, told, told, TOLD every detail. Just SHOW me some shit already.
“Bubble butt”??? Seriously??
For two people who are supposed to be employed in the castle as servants, they sure don’t do any work. Just Snack, snack, snack, snack, snack and fuck off.
The words train/training were used 11 times in 3 damn paragraphs. Hire an editor, buy a thesaurus.
Happy birthday song wasn’t written until 1893
Mascara wasn’t invented until 1872
“Rocking that look”
“My bad”
“Adulting”
STOP WITH THIS
May 21, 2022
The Sound of Steel : By E.V. Sauvage
My Rating : 4.8/5
First of all, the cover of this book is an absolute beauty. The Sound of Steel exists in two versions - a dark edition which is the NA version and a light edition which is the YA version. I read the light edition - YA version of The Sound Of Steel and it completely blew away my mind. This book is as good as its cover or even more.
As all good fantasy books begin with a map, so does this one. Welcome to Erithea! Tasha is a part fey and Misha is a part nymph, both of them have been brought up at Master Georges' keep and now act as his spies. King of Irisda is arriving at Erithea with his two sons and no one knows the real purpose of his visit. Tasha and Misha are assigned the mission of finding the true reason. They have to go behind the twin princes and find out the reason for the Master by any method and way. Will they succeed?
I loved The Sound Of Steel, it is a captivating book to say the least. I have fallen in love with the writing style of the author, E.V. Sauvage. I thought Tasha would be just a beautiful and fierce character but she is so much more. Tasha and Misha are absolutely opposite of each other, Tasha is the brooding type while Misha is Miss Sunshine and yet they are besties. All other characters have distinct personalities and are very well written.
The book is very easy to get into and you become a part of that world without any efforts, rooting for the girls, waiting to see what happens next. This is a mesmerizing book indeed, and a treat for any YA and fantasy lover. Trust me on this one and read it asap!
My Rating : 4.8/5
First of all, the cover of this book is an absolute beauty. The Sound of Steel exists in two versions - a dark edition which is the NA version and a light edition which is the YA version. I read the light edition - YA version of The Sound Of Steel and it completely blew away my mind. This book is as good as its cover or even more.
As all good fantasy books begin with a map, so does this one. Welcome to Erithea! Tasha is a part fey and Misha is a part nymph, both of them have been brought up at Master Georges' keep and now act as his spies. King of Irisda is arriving at Erithea with his two sons and no one knows the real purpose of his visit. Tasha and Misha are assigned the mission of finding the true reason. They have to go behind the twin princes and find out the reason for the Master by any method and way. Will they succeed?
I loved The Sound Of Steel, it is a captivating book to say the least. I have fallen in love with the writing style of the author, E.V. Sauvage. I thought Tasha would be just a beautiful and fierce character but she is so much more. Tasha and Misha are absolutely opposite of each other, Tasha is the brooding type while Misha is Miss Sunshine and yet they are besties. All other characters have distinct personalities and are very well written.
The book is very easy to get into and you become a part of that world without any efforts, rooting for the girls, waiting to see what happens next. This is a mesmerizing book indeed, and a treat for any YA and fantasy lover. Trust me on this one and read it asap!
March 19, 2023
What a fantastic journey this book took me on! I really enjoyed all of the characters, but especially Tasha and her determination to do what she thinks is right. Her friendship with Misha was my favorite part of the whole book! Looking forward to reading book 2!
May 28, 2022
The Sound of Steel is one of those books where you really can't put it down. I read this book in a little over a week, and was captivated by the main character, Tasha's snarkiness and the mystery behind where she came from and what she is. This book keeps you on your toes with great twists and compelling characters!
May 1, 2022
Congratulations to E.V. Sauvage on her debut novel, The Sound of Steel. It was an honor to receive an arc of your baby, and I can't wait for the next story in this series. I wish you a long, successful career.
This fantastical fantasy begins in the land of Erithea, where we quickly meet our two main characters, Tasha and Misha. Tasha is a young lady with Fey blood but lacks the elemental powers that most Fey possess. Misha is half nymph, and both reside in the keep of Master Georges, a pervy jackass who dabbles in blackmail and bribery. When the King comes to visit, Tasha and Misha are sent on a mission to learn the truth about the royal's visit. Soon their mission turns into an adventure.
It's been a long time since I have read a fantasy novel, and The Sound of Steel reminded me of how much I enjoy them. You have two options to choose from depending on your reading preference. E.V.S offers her stories in YA (Young Adult) or a darker, more adult version. I read the dark version but did not think it was too extreme by any means. There are so many aspects of this book to love, and the end will leave you wanting book two NOW! I think E.V.S did a great job creating fun, compelling characters and building a world in 346 pages; you won't want to leave. She even gives you a map!
If you're looking for a great fantasy story by a brand new author, you must get The Sound of Steel by E.V. Sauvage. It's worth your time and your hard-earned money. So I'm giving it Five Stars!
This fantastical fantasy begins in the land of Erithea, where we quickly meet our two main characters, Tasha and Misha. Tasha is a young lady with Fey blood but lacks the elemental powers that most Fey possess. Misha is half nymph, and both reside in the keep of Master Georges, a pervy jackass who dabbles in blackmail and bribery. When the King comes to visit, Tasha and Misha are sent on a mission to learn the truth about the royal's visit. Soon their mission turns into an adventure.
It's been a long time since I have read a fantasy novel, and The Sound of Steel reminded me of how much I enjoy them. You have two options to choose from depending on your reading preference. E.V.S offers her stories in YA (Young Adult) or a darker, more adult version. I read the dark version but did not think it was too extreme by any means. There are so many aspects of this book to love, and the end will leave you wanting book two NOW! I think E.V.S did a great job creating fun, compelling characters and building a world in 346 pages; you won't want to leave. She even gives you a map!
If you're looking for a great fantasy story by a brand new author, you must get The Sound of Steel by E.V. Sauvage. It's worth your time and your hard-earned money. So I'm giving it Five Stars!
May 3, 2022
I was a beta reader for this book, all opinions are my own.
I loved this book. The pacing was amazing. The plot was super interesting. It definitely had twists that I didn’t see coming! I can’t wait for book 2.
I loved this book. The pacing was amazing. The plot was super interesting. It definitely had twists that I didn’t see coming! I can’t wait for book 2.
April 20, 2022
Rounding up from 3.5 stars as this is a debut novel and writing a book is an impressive feat.
What I liked:
The last 20% of this novel really grabbed me. The plot expanded so much and the interactions between the characters were much more satisfying.
The two FMCs are great and once they were separated and the perspectives shifted I enjoyed them so much more.
THE BOYS. There are many swoony men in this book and I love them all, Ezequiel being probably my favourite but I can’t turn down a scarred broody Fey prince, can I?
The magic system is very interesting, there are a wide variety of species (nymphs, witches, Fey, mortals), and the broader plot is fascinating.
What could be improved in future books:
I struggled with the writhing style a bit. This is the dark version of the story, the more adult version, but it still leans YA in many ways. That’s not my favourite as a personal preference.
I also found that some of the descriptions leaned on “tell” instead of “show” which is difficult to balance in a third-person perspective.
Definitely worth a read and I will be picking up the sequel.
What I liked:
The last 20% of this novel really grabbed me. The plot expanded so much and the interactions between the characters were much more satisfying.
The two FMCs are great and once they were separated and the perspectives shifted I enjoyed them so much more.
THE BOYS. There are many swoony men in this book and I love them all, Ezequiel being probably my favourite but I can’t turn down a scarred broody Fey prince, can I?
The magic system is very interesting, there are a wide variety of species (nymphs, witches, Fey, mortals), and the broader plot is fascinating.
What could be improved in future books:
I struggled with the writhing style a bit. This is the dark version of the story, the more adult version, but it still leans YA in many ways. That’s not my favourite as a personal preference.
I also found that some of the descriptions leaned on “tell” instead of “show” which is difficult to balance in a third-person perspective.
Definitely worth a read and I will be picking up the sequel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2022
✨ 𝙷𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚗 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍. 𝙰 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚕, 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚞𝚗𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚗. ✨
Tasha, a part fey, has been living in the Master’s keep with other magpies. They are Master’s spies and are indebted to him. Both Tasha and Misha want to finish their remaining assignments to become free. Master assigns them an important mission when the king of Irisda, the Fey kingdom is about to visit Bellen with twin princes. Their mission is to find out the purpose of this visit and what's cooking between the two kings.
They enter the palace as the extra cleaning staff that has been hired due to the important royal visit. Now, it's upto them to find out the information. Tasha hears something about a deal from the mouth of the drunk princess leaning on the shoulder of the second prince, Adam. Then, she finds out that the king of Irisda is here to fix marriage between one of the twins and the princess of kingdom of Bellen, but he wants something in return. The secret makes Tasha anxious for the security of their world. The assignment turns into something Tasha would have never imagined and transforms both Tasha's and Misha's life.
I rarely read fantasy books but books like this are always a treat for any reader. From the world building to the characters, from the story to the dialogues, this book is a masterpiece and a great start of the series. The character of the second prince, Adam was the most interesting. He was shrouded in mystery, had a cold exterior but a caring heart. This book was magical and had court and political intrigue which intensified in the second half of the book. The first half was much lighter and had many cute and funny scenes. It is a gripping and enjoyable book with many memorable quotes (most of which were by or about the second prince). The end left me wanting for more, so I am excited for the sequel.
Tasha, a part fey, has been living in the Master’s keep with other magpies. They are Master’s spies and are indebted to him. Both Tasha and Misha want to finish their remaining assignments to become free. Master assigns them an important mission when the king of Irisda, the Fey kingdom is about to visit Bellen with twin princes. Their mission is to find out the purpose of this visit and what's cooking between the two kings.
They enter the palace as the extra cleaning staff that has been hired due to the important royal visit. Now, it's upto them to find out the information. Tasha hears something about a deal from the mouth of the drunk princess leaning on the shoulder of the second prince, Adam. Then, she finds out that the king of Irisda is here to fix marriage between one of the twins and the princess of kingdom of Bellen, but he wants something in return. The secret makes Tasha anxious for the security of their world. The assignment turns into something Tasha would have never imagined and transforms both Tasha's and Misha's life.
I rarely read fantasy books but books like this are always a treat for any reader. From the world building to the characters, from the story to the dialogues, this book is a masterpiece and a great start of the series. The character of the second prince, Adam was the most interesting. He was shrouded in mystery, had a cold exterior but a caring heart. This book was magical and had court and political intrigue which intensified in the second half of the book. The first half was much lighter and had many cute and funny scenes. It is a gripping and enjoyable book with many memorable quotes (most of which were by or about the second prince). The end left me wanting for more, so I am excited for the sequel.
June 15, 2022
I knew it was going to be a good fantasy book because it started with a map. Tasha, a part fey, doesn't have any natural fey power apart from good hearing and a good eye sight but she has mastered the skill of potion making. Misha, a part nymph and Tasha's best friend is a skilled spy and knows how to use her social skills and the power of seduction to complete her missions.
Master has brought them up in his keep and they work as his spies. Tasha and Misha are assigned a new task, this time they have to find out why the king of Fey kingdom is visiting Bellen. They have to find out why the twin princes have come with their father? The two princes had been kept hidden so perfectly that no one knows their age or even what they look like, much less the kind of power they wield, so this is a tough task. Moreover, Tasha and Misha enter palace as cleaning staff and they have to figure out everything else on their own. Will they succeed?
This book left me spellbounded. It has a prince with a cold attitude but a warm heart, a fierce heroine on a mission, a political deal and a lurking danger. It is just perfect in terms of world building, in terms of story, in terms of writing and in terms of characters. The Sound of Steel has made it to the list of my favorite books. I loved the writing style and loved the characters, especially that of Tasha. She is fierce and mischievous. I also liked her bond of friendship with Misha. The book has many things to love about it, the story takes many twists and turns and the author has done a great job with revealing things in right proportions at the right time. It was a great read.
Master has brought them up in his keep and they work as his spies. Tasha and Misha are assigned a new task, this time they have to find out why the king of Fey kingdom is visiting Bellen. They have to find out why the twin princes have come with their father? The two princes had been kept hidden so perfectly that no one knows their age or even what they look like, much less the kind of power they wield, so this is a tough task. Moreover, Tasha and Misha enter palace as cleaning staff and they have to figure out everything else on their own. Will they succeed?
This book left me spellbounded. It has a prince with a cold attitude but a warm heart, a fierce heroine on a mission, a political deal and a lurking danger. It is just perfect in terms of world building, in terms of story, in terms of writing and in terms of characters. The Sound of Steel has made it to the list of my favorite books. I loved the writing style and loved the characters, especially that of Tasha. She is fierce and mischievous. I also liked her bond of friendship with Misha. The book has many things to love about it, the story takes many twists and turns and the author has done a great job with revealing things in right proportions at the right time. It was a great read.
February 4, 2024
"Am I going to need to wear handcuffs?"
"Depends. Will you be a good girl?"
Why did he have to make it sound so... kinky?
"Maybe."
"Oh my gods, you wicked woman. You're going to be the death of me."
This book was … WOW !!! I am a fan!!! I have to be honest with y’all, I read a Punch of Magic before reading this one but since it’s a story that is only slightly connected to the story happening here … there is not a chance that I could grow bored because I already knew everything. But I would still recommend you to read the books in this series in order. This is the NA story of Tasha and Misha, two orphan girls, as close as sister could be who are supposed to seduce the Princes in the fey court. What starts as a story of political intrigue and action and fey and shifters and seduction ends up being so so much more!!!! With spicy scenes that are 🔥, Misha in an MFM dynamic (you’ll get to it only reading the book, I won’t add anything more) and Tasha in a very complicated bit tensed enemies to unwillingly bound together allies dynamic with the dark, scarred second Prince Adam!!! I’ll only tell you there is a dagger to the throat scene … so so so good!!! Tasha is the badass FMC, sassy and a mouthful but also determined to get freedom for herself Misha and she is the one character we usually love in a book!! While Prince Adam is the morally grey dark scarred handsome Prince we all want… there is not one thing about him I didn’t fall hard for!!! Plus the book is mainly double povs(Tasha and Misha) but the bonus chapters … OMG THOSE WERE SO SO GOOD!! And after the cliffhanger that was the ending of this book … I can’t wait to get to the next one!!!
"Then good night princess."
Was it her, or was there a lot less bite to his tone
tonight?
"Good night, Number Two."
“I know scars aren't supposed to be beautiful, but you should wear that one like you're proud of it. It is part of you. On the outside like on the inside."
"Depends. Will you be a good girl?"
Why did he have to make it sound so... kinky?
"Maybe."
"Oh my gods, you wicked woman. You're going to be the death of me."
This book was … WOW !!! I am a fan!!! I have to be honest with y’all, I read a Punch of Magic before reading this one but since it’s a story that is only slightly connected to the story happening here … there is not a chance that I could grow bored because I already knew everything. But I would still recommend you to read the books in this series in order. This is the NA story of Tasha and Misha, two orphan girls, as close as sister could be who are supposed to seduce the Princes in the fey court. What starts as a story of political intrigue and action and fey and shifters and seduction ends up being so so much more!!!! With spicy scenes that are 🔥, Misha in an MFM dynamic (you’ll get to it only reading the book, I won’t add anything more) and Tasha in a very complicated bit tensed enemies to unwillingly bound together allies dynamic with the dark, scarred second Prince Adam!!! I’ll only tell you there is a dagger to the throat scene … so so so good!!! Tasha is the badass FMC, sassy and a mouthful but also determined to get freedom for herself Misha and she is the one character we usually love in a book!! While Prince Adam is the morally grey dark scarred handsome Prince we all want… there is not one thing about him I didn’t fall hard for!!! Plus the book is mainly double povs(Tasha and Misha) but the bonus chapters … OMG THOSE WERE SO SO GOOD!! And after the cliffhanger that was the ending of this book … I can’t wait to get to the next one!!!
"Then good night princess."
Was it her, or was there a lot less bite to his tone
tonight?
"Good night, Number Two."
“I know scars aren't supposed to be beautiful, but you should wear that one like you're proud of it. It is part of you. On the outside like on the inside."
May 3, 2022
Thanks to Emeline for the E-ARC of The Sound of Steel, the dark edition. (There is a light edition of this novel as well)
The below is my honest review.
My summed up blurb; The story follows 2 girls Tasha and Misha, who are orphaned and are in debt to their master. The Master gives them a job that should be their final job to pay their debts off. Find out what the King is doing in the city and get close to the 2 Princes'. Simples.....not simples. Plans don't always work out.
So I enjoyed the concept of this novel but I did sometimes struggle with the word flow and my attention drifting off. I personally found that some of the information given was too much (size of jars etc) and repetitive at times, when it switched between characters.(It was just the same thing being said)
It just felt hard to keep up.
However that being said! The storyline/storylines there was too many going on at once. I did enjoy them all but I would have enjoyed them more if it was a separate novel maybe or if it tied in a bit more smoothly. Yes I want to know what happens with Misha and the Gryffons!
And as soon as the action started I couldn't put the ebook down. I did find myself wanting to read more about Adam and Tasha.
And omg that twist! I did not expect that.
Overall I think this is a good read and I think what Emeline has achieved with her debut novel is amazing.
Hopefully book 2 will clear up any outstanding questions
The below is my honest review.
My summed up blurb; The story follows 2 girls Tasha and Misha, who are orphaned and are in debt to their master. The Master gives them a job that should be their final job to pay their debts off. Find out what the King is doing in the city and get close to the 2 Princes'. Simples.....not simples. Plans don't always work out.
So I enjoyed the concept of this novel but I did sometimes struggle with the word flow and my attention drifting off. I personally found that some of the information given was too much (size of jars etc) and repetitive at times, when it switched between characters.(It was just the same thing being said)
It just felt hard to keep up.
However that being said! The storyline/storylines there was too many going on at once. I did enjoy them all but I would have enjoyed them more if it was a separate novel maybe or if it tied in a bit more smoothly. Yes I want to know what happens with Misha and the Gryffons!
And as soon as the action started I couldn't put the ebook down. I did find myself wanting to read more about Adam and Tasha.
And omg that twist! I did not expect that.
Overall I think this is a good read and I think what Emeline has achieved with her debut novel is amazing.
Hopefully book 2 will clear up any outstanding questions
June 15, 2022
Tasha and Misha have grown up together in the Master’s keep. They have completed almost all the missions to regain their freedom and be free of debt, only a few more missions and then they will be free. They are assigned a big mission, to find out the purpose of King of Irisda's visit with his two princes. The mission is a hard one and the two girls have to succeed anyhow!
Skilfully, they find out about the two princes - their names and how they look like. Tasha overhears a conversation between princess Elena and the second prince Adam about a deal. What kind of deal does the King of Fey kingdom wants to make with the King of Bellen? The book only gets more and more interesting with more secrets coming out and Tasha getting to know about the truth.
This book is a treat for any fantasy lover. It has feys, nymphs, magical creatures and potions! Although there isn't a magic system in this book, it still is a good read due to a story that is both interesting and gripping. There is some romance and angst as well as two fierce heroines in the form of Tasha and Misha. The princes, kings and kingdoms and all the other elements will make you a part of this world that has been beautifully crafted by the author. This book is very entertaining, a page turner and a must read.
Skilfully, they find out about the two princes - their names and how they look like. Tasha overhears a conversation between princess Elena and the second prince Adam about a deal. What kind of deal does the King of Fey kingdom wants to make with the King of Bellen? The book only gets more and more interesting with more secrets coming out and Tasha getting to know about the truth.
This book is a treat for any fantasy lover. It has feys, nymphs, magical creatures and potions! Although there isn't a magic system in this book, it still is a good read due to a story that is both interesting and gripping. There is some romance and angst as well as two fierce heroines in the form of Tasha and Misha. The princes, kings and kingdoms and all the other elements will make you a part of this world that has been beautifully crafted by the author. This book is very entertaining, a page turner and a must read.
June 15, 2022
The Sound of Steel is a fantasy drama/adventure book written by E. V. Sauvage. Tasha along with her friend Misha are spies of their Master. Their task is to find out the hidden purpose of the Fey king's visit to the Kingdom of Bellen. The girls have been trained in many skills since teenage making them excellent spies. What is the purpose of Fey king's visit?
I am so glad that The Sound of Steel didn't turn out to be just another fantasy romance or smut. It pleasantly surprised me with its unique storyline. I really liked the characters of Tasha, Misha and the second prince Adam. The characters weren't one dimensional and I actually started caring about them and genuinely became interested in what happens to them.
The story started getting more intense with each turning page. There were such twists and turns which I couldn't have predicted even upon trying. The book is truly captivating. The author's writing style is descriptive and the scenes and characters can be easily visualized in the mind. I would love to see a movie/TV series adaptation of this book. I am very excited to read the next part and see what happens next.
I am so glad that The Sound of Steel didn't turn out to be just another fantasy romance or smut. It pleasantly surprised me with its unique storyline. I really liked the characters of Tasha, Misha and the second prince Adam. The characters weren't one dimensional and I actually started caring about them and genuinely became interested in what happens to them.
The story started getting more intense with each turning page. There were such twists and turns which I couldn't have predicted even upon trying. The book is truly captivating. The author's writing style is descriptive and the scenes and characters can be easily visualized in the mind. I would love to see a movie/TV series adaptation of this book. I am very excited to read the next part and see what happens next.
June 15, 2022
The Sound of Steel : A Sound Of Battle novel by E. V. Sauvage is a gorgeous book inside out. It has an unputdownable story told in a perfect pace to keep you interested from the first page to the last. The story starts with Tasha and Misha being assigned a spy mission by the Master. They have to find out why the twin princes of the fey kingdom are visiting Bellen with the king of Irisda. The task keeps getting complicated and ultimately becomes a battle of survival for the girls.
This book is a rollercoaster ride where you don't know what's going to come next. It is so unpredictable that reading it feels like a thrilling ride. The author really has a vivid imagination to be able to create such a world and a story with so many dimensions. It has everything that you can think of romance, action, secrets, deceit, magical and mythical beings and such twists and turns that will leave your mouth wide open. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and can't wait to read the next part!
This book is a rollercoaster ride where you don't know what's going to come next. It is so unpredictable that reading it feels like a thrilling ride. The author really has a vivid imagination to be able to create such a world and a story with so many dimensions. It has everything that you can think of romance, action, secrets, deceit, magical and mythical beings and such twists and turns that will leave your mouth wide open. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and can't wait to read the next part!
March 12, 2023
The story was pretty good but I felt the writing was kind of bland. Lots of random details with no explanations, very little background, some things happened too fast or seemed forced, and some of the dialogue was off. There were several characters, and even some attempted lore, that could’ve been left out and were made to seem like a bigger deal than they ended up being. I hope stuff like that is cleaned up better in future books. I also found the girls sudden abilities unnecessary.
The book got better in the second half, even the spice. At first there was just no details or it faded to black, and later scenes were very hot and detailed. I am hoping more background will be provided and world building will take place as the series continues.
The book got better in the second half, even the spice. At first there was just no details or it faded to black, and later scenes were very hot and detailed. I am hoping more background will be provided and world building will take place as the series continues.
June 25, 2022
When E.V Sauvage asked me if I wanted to read this book, I jumped on the chance. It sounded right up my alley and I had been wanting to read a fantasy book for a while. Then, I found out there are two version? A dark and light edition? That's so cool. Obviously, I picked the dark new adult one.
This book was unputdownable. The dynamic of the sisters, Misha and Tasha, were amazing. It was really fun to see the trouble they got into especially with the two princes. I loved the banter. The world building was good, but it lacked sometimes. For a debut novel. this was freaking amazing. I didn't want it to end. I can't wait for the next one!
March 5, 2023
This is a rollercoaster of emotions, action and spice! The author did a great job building the world, the different characters, the human/fae relationship, and the intelligent creatures (one of my favourite parts that I’m sure will be more in depth in the next book). In reading the story you’ll find battle, spying, found family, different types of magic, shifters, spice, mysteries and a lot more.
I loved how the story developed with the MCs on their journey to finding their purpose and finding out who they really are. There are some little foreshadowing tidbits, so pay attention to the details! I am super excited to dive back into the story in the next book.
I loved how the story developed with the MCs on their journey to finding their purpose and finding out who they really are. There are some little foreshadowing tidbits, so pay attention to the details! I am super excited to dive back into the story in the next book.
June 5, 2022
I have a lot of respect for anyone who attempts to write a book. The storyline was interesting but I felt a lot was left incomplete and it did feel like switching POV was used for certain... scenarios... But I would have loved to see more plot with Misha. The writing style took me a bit to find a rhythm to and felt a little out of place for the plot.
Overall, I'll probably read the next installment and I think with some editing and refinement, this could be a really cool series.
Overall, I'll probably read the next installment and I think with some editing and refinement, this could be a really cool series.
December 15, 2025
two princes ✔️
two maids ✔️
one rambunctious castle ✔️
sounds amazing right? and it was for about 30%, but then the plot got away from the setting and plot that really made me fall in love with it in the beginning. If you don't get too attached, maybe you'll like this. Unfortunately, I wanted more of the beginning and less of where it went.
two maids ✔️
one rambunctious castle ✔️
sounds amazing right? and it was for about 30%, but then the plot got away from the setting and plot that really made me fall in love with it in the beginning. If you don't get too attached, maybe you'll like this. Unfortunately, I wanted more of the beginning and less of where it went.
May 12, 2022
I was a beta reader for the NA version of this book.
Good female lead. It has enough twists to keep you guessing. A certain romantic scene is still stuck in my head, making me wonder how book 2 is going to go.
A good read, worth the time.
Good female lead. It has enough twists to keep you guessing. A certain romantic scene is still stuck in my head, making me wonder how book 2 is going to go.
A good read, worth the time.
February 28, 2023
First point because I didn't know and it annoyed me - NA means New Adult, meaning, at least in this context, there's sex and it's remarkably well written for a fantasy (fey and shapeshifters type fantasy rather than erotica)
I enjoyed this book and didn't want it to end. I very much look forward to reading more about Misha, Tasha, Adam and the rest.
I enjoyed this book and didn't want it to end. I very much look forward to reading more about Misha, Tasha, Adam and the rest.
July 9, 2023
Hmm not sure why this has good ratings. Very little spice FMC finally gets it on and it’s a sentence. Lots of misspellings and wrong words. Finally there was too much modern slang. Okay “bubble butt” it has potential but was poorly executed.
Misha was the best part of this with the gryffins.
Misha was the best part of this with the gryffins.
February 29, 2024
This book had potential. However the writing was stilted and unpolished. It read like a rough draft. At times the characters were a bit childish, which would have been cute if the writing/editing was better.
August 28, 2024
Beautiful written story. The world has absolutely locked me in, and for the first time in a while I was equally hypnotized by both storyline in the book. The poly representation was such a lovely surprise. I feel excited for the second book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews