The Song of the Marked: The thrilling, enemies to lovers, romantic fantasy and TikTok sensation (Shadows & Crowns Book 1)

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But in a land brimming with old magic and meddling gods, nothing is ever that simple, and nothing is ever what it seems.

You’re much nicer after you’ve had a near-death experience. You should almost die more often, maybe.”Another thing to note is the great work of the narrator Jesse Vilinsky. I absolutely loved the way she narrated Elander’s voice. Casia works as a mercenary with a group of outlaws thanks to their magic. Trouble stirs and they are caught by the guards of the King-Emperor Varen.

But how can they save a world where nothing and no one is what they seem to be— including Cas herself? Cas has several close friends she brings with her to the castle. I loved how close she was with Rhea and Zev. And then her sort of adoptive mother Asra. It was so precious. They were all so caring for each other and that is absolutely what I wanted more of.My new year’s resolution is to read more books published independently, and I’m starting this resolution off by reviewing The Song of the Marked by S.M. Gaither. THERE WAS A GOOD mixture of fantasy and romance, my favorite combination in a book ❤️ The fantasy world was interesting, not like anything I've previously read before so that's always good. I also feel like I should mention that Gaither goes pretty heavy on info-dumping in the very first chapters. Add to it that their writing was overly descriptive, stiff and impossibly impersonal, and you'll get why I was in so much pain. I originally bought the Kindle version of The Song of the Marked but didn't even start it because I knew I would enjoy listening more. I am SOOOO glad I listened to it. The narrator was AWESOME! She is a very talented voice actor and had some great accents in her repertoire.

So when the king commands her to investigate a strange plague devastating the empire, she can't resist the massive reward he offers - even if it does mean working with the arrogant and infuriating Captain Elander. This is the first book I've read in a while after a mini reading hiatus... but it was really good! Glad I could start reading again with a strong series

Customer reviews

The ending was a HUGE twist, like I figured out the one part and was focusing on trying to figure how it all fit together I completely did not see the other big reveal coming. The ending was incredible and the problems it complicates for the next books is exactly what I needed. Mercenary Casia Greythorne cares about two things: completing whatever her latest job is and earning enough coin to buy the expensive medicine that's keeping her mentor alive. So when the king himself offers her a job, she can't resist the massive reward he offers - even if it means working with Captain Elander, the arrogant, mysterious right-hand to that king. As the bodies pile up and strange monsters begin to wreak havoc throughout the realms, Cas and Elander will have to work together to protect their world whether they like it or not. Because one thing is clear: Something ancient and evil is stirring in the shadows of that world.

Thank you to Book of Matches Media and the author for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I wasn’t super big on the narrator of the audiobook. She wasn’t awful or anything but idk there was something I just didn’t like. I think she made Cas sound way too much like an awkward teenager almost like a Bella Swan kind of awkward. And also she made Varen sound like a Disney villain but I only listen to the audiobook occasionally, most of the time I read the physical book so it was bearable when I needed to listen to a chapter or 2 Read more

I do feel like this book is really an introduction to this series. It wasn’t that plot-heavy. We got little pieces of the plot but it wasn’t all that clear why the characters did what they did. For decades, the Kethran Empire has been plagued by a strange illness that leaches the very life and soul from its victims. They were an interesting pair, weren’t they? Nothing but questions and doubts between them, it seemed like. Unfortunately, working alongside him also means working with the handsome but infuriating captain of one of the most prestigious branches of the Kethran Army. This infuriating Captain Elander also has secrets: A past that Cas can’t seem to uncover, a powerful but strange brand of magic, and a deep distrust of the very monarch that he’s sworn to serve. She feels oddly drawn to him in spite of these things…