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The War of Wild Ones #1
The Song of Forsaken Souls
For as long as the Daemon Queen could remember, she had been the villain in everyone's story. A witch born into a world of angels, she was forced to seek refuge within the dark shadows of distant lands. Not that it bothered her, of course, she found them all insufferable anyway.
But when the veil between Maldena and the daemon realm of Aecarus is torn once again, Adelyn learns that a foe greater than any other is responsible. And to keep him at bay, she must not only win the trust of the angel prince that is her frightfully dashing nemesis, but convince him to fulfil the ancient prophecy that binds them.
But Thace, the holy hero, has a secret of his own...
His scandalous past cannot help but claw its way back to the surface, while his faith and vow of celibacy is tested with every moment he is forced to spend with the gloomy yet entrancing sorceress.
Together, Adelyn and Thace must overcome their prejudices and the centuries of suffering that shaped them. And as boundaries are broken and feelings blossom, they will learn that the definitions of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ are not as clear as they once thought.
But when the veil between Maldena and the daemon realm of Aecarus is torn once again, Adelyn learns that a foe greater than any other is responsible. And to keep him at bay, she must not only win the trust of the angel prince that is her frightfully dashing nemesis, but convince him to fulfil the ancient prophecy that binds them.
But Thace, the holy hero, has a secret of his own...
His scandalous past cannot help but claw its way back to the surface, while his faith and vow of celibacy is tested with every moment he is forced to spend with the gloomy yet entrancing sorceress.
Together, Adelyn and Thace must overcome their prejudices and the centuries of suffering that shaped them. And as boundaries are broken and feelings blossom, they will learn that the definitions of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ are not as clear as they once thought.
603 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 30, 2023
3 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 25, 2023
The Song of Forsaken Souls is a fantastic debut by author Robyn H. Kendall. Thank you to the author for an ARC copy. The story pulled me in and I immediately loved both Adi and Thace. The world felt rich and vibrant to me, and I especially enjoyed learning more about the demons of the world. I also liked the play on religion - the old gods of Adi's versus the religion of the new god of Thace's. The story lagged a little at about the three-quarter mark, but after that it was full-steam ahead and has left me wanting to read more. The author has created the sort of world where I want novellas/short stories about all of the locations that were mentioned so I can learn more about them.
April 28, 2023
This is a 3.5 for me
It’s well written and the plot is so interesting. The world is interesting too.. except there is little world building. To the point I was frustrated because I was so interested in this story.. but I had no idea what was happening. I read a lot of high fantasy and usually there’s paragraphs of set up, which can be too much, this book had none lol. There’s no explanation for anything. There’s no set up, things are just happening. I honestly kept dnf’ing it because of my frustration… but I kept picking it back up because I was so interested 😂 which should tell you how great the plot is (once I DNF, I’m done). I just really wish the author explained some things a bit; no big info dumps, but things here and there so it keeps the reader invested.
It’s well written and the plot is so interesting. The world is interesting too.. except there is little world building. To the point I was frustrated because I was so interested in this story.. but I had no idea what was happening. I read a lot of high fantasy and usually there’s paragraphs of set up, which can be too much, this book had none lol. There’s no explanation for anything. There’s no set up, things are just happening. I honestly kept dnf’ing it because of my frustration… but I kept picking it back up because I was so interested 😂 which should tell you how great the plot is (once I DNF, I’m done). I just really wish the author explained some things a bit; no big info dumps, but things here and there so it keeps the reader invested.
April 22, 2023
3.5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
"You're not the villain, Adi...not to me."
"Then what am I to you?"
"Everything I've ever searched for."
The Song of the Forsaken Souls is the first novel in the fantasy romance series, The War of Wild Ones which follows journey of two unlikely people forced to work together from the protection of their homes. Adelyn is the villain of this story - a terrifying Daemon Queen in a world of angels - but when the veil between her realm and the daemon realm is torn open she finds herself looking to the one being she abhors for help...an angel prince. Thrace has only thought of the powerful witch as a being of evil who threatens his way of life. Yet as the two are forced to work together, good and evil becomes blurred and prophecies bind them further than they ever imagined. They must decide if they will let go centuries of hate and belief to embrace hope or if they will remain locked in the past...
This story boasts a lot of promise. The world is large and growing with lore that is intriguing, especially with the meddling gods. Adelyn is a fun character that inverts the morally grey and I liked her juxtaposition with Thrace as the angelic being. They romance can be incredibly sweet at time and it tugged on my soul. Multiple POVS helped expand the world.
This book has spice. I would say 1.5 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. It is an SLOW burn so expect a lot of tension building up to this. The book is an enemies to lovers situation and I found the transition between this to be a little tricky as it kind jumped suddenly.
"You deserve the world...and I will give it to you...and if it does not bow to you, then I will burn it to the ground..."
Now, one caveat, which was a big one, was the pacing. The first 60% of the book was incredibly hard to retain focus on. I think it just took too long to get where we needed to go and I was close of DNFing quite a few times. Once we saw the characters begin to act and move I felt more connected but I was a little lost because of my struggle with the first half. In addition, the romance sometimes went places I was not happy with before doing a 180 to where I wanted it. I felt the story in the second half was strong with twist, tension, and an ending that definitely has me intrigued.
Overall if you're looking for a slow journey fantasy that has grit to it and a light romance, this is something to check out!
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
"You're not the villain, Adi...not to me."
"Then what am I to you?"
"Everything I've ever searched for."
The Song of the Forsaken Souls is the first novel in the fantasy romance series, The War of Wild Ones which follows journey of two unlikely people forced to work together from the protection of their homes. Adelyn is the villain of this story - a terrifying Daemon Queen in a world of angels - but when the veil between her realm and the daemon realm is torn open she finds herself looking to the one being she abhors for help...an angel prince. Thrace has only thought of the powerful witch as a being of evil who threatens his way of life. Yet as the two are forced to work together, good and evil becomes blurred and prophecies bind them further than they ever imagined. They must decide if they will let go centuries of hate and belief to embrace hope or if they will remain locked in the past...
This story boasts a lot of promise. The world is large and growing with lore that is intriguing, especially with the meddling gods. Adelyn is a fun character that inverts the morally grey and I liked her juxtaposition with Thrace as the angelic being. They romance can be incredibly sweet at time and it tugged on my soul. Multiple POVS helped expand the world.
This book has spice. I would say 1.5 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. It is an SLOW burn so expect a lot of tension building up to this. The book is an enemies to lovers situation and I found the transition between this to be a little tricky as it kind jumped suddenly.
"You deserve the world...and I will give it to you...and if it does not bow to you, then I will burn it to the ground..."
Now, one caveat, which was a big one, was the pacing. The first 60% of the book was incredibly hard to retain focus on. I think it just took too long to get where we needed to go and I was close of DNFing quite a few times. Once we saw the characters begin to act and move I felt more connected but I was a little lost because of my struggle with the first half. In addition, the romance sometimes went places I was not happy with before doing a 180 to where I wanted it. I felt the story in the second half was strong with twist, tension, and an ending that definitely has me intrigued.
Overall if you're looking for a slow journey fantasy that has grit to it and a light romance, this is something to check out!
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
May 9, 2023
Here is the thing, for me to read a high fantasy book and actually finish reading it, is not something that always happens. However, I decided to give this book a chance and I honestly don't regret it.
Adelyn, who many in the story refer to as the evil witch and the Daemon Queen, is our main protagonist. She knows how the world views her and embraces it wholly. If her being called a monster is the price she has to pay for her to protect her family and people then so be it.
The opposite of her would be Thace, the holy fire drake and angel whose family has been fighting demons and the demon queen who controls them (ie Adelyn).
While these two might now have much in common, they must come together as one to defeat the real evil that exists in their world. In order to do this, Thace must realize the truth of who Adelyn is and the reality that his people have been blind to for so long.
While I did enjoy reading this book, the only real negative I have is that there is no world building at the beginning of the book. You straight jump into the action and at times are lost as to why things are happening. Here is the thing though, while the world building is not at the forefront of the book as you continue reading you can see that the author incorporates the world building throughout the whole story. The more you read the book, the more things start to make sense.
I hope others give this book a chance and read it.
Adelyn, who many in the story refer to as the evil witch and the Daemon Queen, is our main protagonist. She knows how the world views her and embraces it wholly. If her being called a monster is the price she has to pay for her to protect her family and people then so be it.
The opposite of her would be Thace, the holy fire drake and angel whose family has been fighting demons and the demon queen who controls them (ie Adelyn).
While these two might now have much in common, they must come together as one to defeat the real evil that exists in their world. In order to do this, Thace must realize the truth of who Adelyn is and the reality that his people have been blind to for so long.
While I did enjoy reading this book, the only real negative I have is that there is no world building at the beginning of the book. You straight jump into the action and at times are lost as to why things are happening. Here is the thing though, while the world building is not at the forefront of the book as you continue reading you can see that the author incorporates the world building throughout the whole story. The more you read the book, the more things start to make sense.
I hope others give this book a chance and read it.
May 31, 2023
I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!
A little late to the ARC party because of of life, but when I say I LOVED this book enough, I mean it. I give every book 5 chapters to hook me and sure enough 5 chapters in, I could not put it down.
A complete book - a rarity for series these days
As a reader, especially when a series is new or not completed, I cannot STAND when a book doesn't feel like it's own. This isn't to say I want every book in a series to be a stand-alone, but especially with a first book, I want to feel like I accomplished something by reading it.
This book scratched all the itches I'd been missing from other debut authors:
1. The slow burn, BURNED
2. Most of the characters had their own personalities and backstories that I appreciated getting to know.
3. I could tell this book was read by a sensitivity reader - read the TWs but as someone who relates to the FMC's actions and depression, I personally loved how it was handled.
Don't read this book if
1. You don't like multiple POVs
2. Pacing is important to you - some parts felt rushed while others were slow but not in a way that made sense
3. You have a hard time imagining/seeing pictures when you read. I had a hard time picturing the scenery and how the demons looked which was a little disorienting, especially during fight scenes.
A little late to the ARC party because of of life, but when I say I LOVED this book enough, I mean it. I give every book 5 chapters to hook me and sure enough 5 chapters in, I could not put it down.
A complete book - a rarity for series these days
As a reader, especially when a series is new or not completed, I cannot STAND when a book doesn't feel like it's own. This isn't to say I want every book in a series to be a stand-alone, but especially with a first book, I want to feel like I accomplished something by reading it.
This book scratched all the itches I'd been missing from other debut authors:
1. The slow burn, BURNED
2. Most of the characters had their own personalities and backstories that I appreciated getting to know.
3. I could tell this book was read by a sensitivity reader - read the TWs but as someone who relates to the FMC's actions and depression, I personally loved how it was handled.
Don't read this book if
1. You don't like multiple POVs
2. Pacing is important to you - some parts felt rushed while others were slow but not in a way that made sense
3. You have a hard time imagining/seeing pictures when you read. I had a hard time picturing the scenery and how the demons looked which was a little disorienting, especially during fight scenes.
May 1, 2023
This story was a salp in this face visual of what everyone probably perceives as good and evil to look like. The problem is looks can be deceiving, and things aren't always black and white. There is grey. Who is to say though that one person's wrong is not another person's right? You can watch the story unfold and how the different worlds view things.
The world-building was a little lacking, which was a shame because this story has some great snippets of things with so much potential. It is there, though, sprinkled throughout the story, just in tiny doses. The love between the MCs sort of felt rushed like they can't stand each other one minute, and the next they're leaning on each other.
I really enjoyed the banter between the two families when they finally work together or even just between themselves.
I received this as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this review
The world-building was a little lacking, which was a shame because this story has some great snippets of things with so much potential. It is there, though, sprinkled throughout the story, just in tiny doses. The love between the MCs sort of felt rushed like they can't stand each other one minute, and the next they're leaning on each other.
I really enjoyed the banter between the two families when they finally work together or even just between themselves.
I received this as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this review
May 1, 2023
The Song of Forsaken Souls is a great read, but I don't think it's for everyone. The author's voice is detail-oriented and powerful, and the characters are unique and believable. Personally, I think the characters are difficult to connect with, but well-constructed. I wish there were more worldbuilding, as a lot of the nature of the characters is based on their role in society, but the reader only has a weak understanding of what those roles really mean. Plot-wise, I think the plot is fairly simple, but interesting once you get well into the book. Overall, I would consider the book middle of the road as far as fantasy books go, but I think the right person would really enjoy it.
April 30, 2023
I was excited to read this thrilling and fantastic story. It has a respectable world structure, I have not read fantasy in awhile, so I had to get
There is a lot of potential in this story. I enjoyed the contrast of Thrace, the angelic entity, and Adelyn, a humorous character who inverts the ethically gray. The world was enlarged thanks to numerous POVS.
There is a lot of potential in this story. I enjoyed the contrast of Thrace, the angelic entity, and Adelyn, a humorous character who inverts the ethically gray. The world was enlarged thanks to numerous POVS.
May 2, 2023
This review is based on the ARC I received.
3.5⭐️
This book was very well written and had an interesting plot and characters. The books full of everyone’s favorite tropes. I did have a hard time getting into this book though due to the multiple POV (I really have a hard time when the POV jumps around so much when I don’t know enough about the characters). I also felt the world building was a little lacking, I definitely wanted to know more about where everything was taking place and the history of this world.
3.5⭐️
This book was very well written and had an interesting plot and characters. The books full of everyone’s favorite tropes. I did have a hard time getting into this book though due to the multiple POV (I really have a hard time when the POV jumps around so much when I don’t know enough about the characters). I also felt the world building was a little lacking, I definitely wanted to know more about where everything was taking place and the history of this world.
May 1, 2023
I loved this book! The plot was nicely paced and I really enjoyed the main character. And let’s not forget about the side character either! I can’t wait to see where the author goes next! Plenty of swoon worthy lines for my romance girls as well.
April 30, 2023
I was so privileged to receive an arc copy of this book. From the first page I was pulled into this world and did not want the story to end.
Adelyn is connected to the 7 old gods that were long ago Banished to a demon realm. She was born an angel but is now the queen of the demons in a kingdom hidden away. Thace is an angel prince and general sent to build an army to defeat the demon queen who they all believe is opening portals into their world for evil demons to enter and attack their world. When in reality it is Adelyn and her court protecting their world for these attacks. Now a prophecy is bringing them together to save their world.
Angels, demons, old gods, false religion, found family, enemies to lovers, unexpected revelations, magic, love friendship, deception and loss. And my favorite blurred lines between what is good and what is evil.
This book was easily one of my favorites this year and I already cannot wait for book 2 ♥️
Adelyn is connected to the 7 old gods that were long ago Banished to a demon realm. She was born an angel but is now the queen of the demons in a kingdom hidden away. Thace is an angel prince and general sent to build an army to defeat the demon queen who they all believe is opening portals into their world for evil demons to enter and attack their world. When in reality it is Adelyn and her court protecting their world for these attacks. Now a prophecy is bringing them together to save their world.
Angels, demons, old gods, false religion, found family, enemies to lovers, unexpected revelations, magic, love friendship, deception and loss. And my favorite blurred lines between what is good and what is evil.
This book was easily one of my favorites this year and I already cannot wait for book 2 ♥️
April 30, 2023
This is an exciting and excellent story, and I can't wait for the rest to come. It has a decent world build and the writing style is one I could easily follow.
April 30, 2023
I lived this book from start to finish!!
Was a beautiful story.
Was a beautiful story.
June 20, 2023
I almost never write book reviews but OH.MY.GOD. This is the best one I’ve read all year. I couldn’t help but but the paperback after reading my ARC copy
April 30, 2023
W ow this is fantastic! I had no idea what I was getting into, loved the world building - was descriptive but organic within the storyline. The characters Adi, Thace and the first line, fell in love with all of them. I can’t wait to follow along with the story. I’m hoping it follows on with Adi and Thace I definitely don’t think their story is finished, well I’m hoping it isn’t!
May 21, 2023
Can't wait for the next one! It was a great read, I love the characters and how they interact with each other. The plot was great. I think the book needs a preface to explain the world and it's lay out and people a little, just to make reading a bit smoother. Definitely recommend.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews