Hi, book loves! It is an honor to be a part of the Sisters of Sword and Song blog tour with The Fantastic Flying Book Club. I'm happy this is another way for me to support my dear friend, Rebecca Ross. I love her writing style and the incredible stories she tells. Becca is the YA fantasy author of The Queen's Rising, The Queen's Resistance, and her new standalone YA fantasy novel, Sisters of Sword and Song that releases on June 23, 2020! I am so grateful to Becca for sending me an Advanced Reader's Copy which took the breath from lungs over how gorgeous the cover is and the beautiful story within its pages.
In this blog post you will learn more about the book and Rebecca Ross, read an excerpt of the first three chapters of Sisters of Sword and Song, and browse some of my favorite quotes! Visit The Fantastic Flying Book Club's blog post to view the tour schedule and read other amazing blogs from bookstagrammers and bloggers to see what they think about the book! Be sure to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a copy of SOSAS + four myth cards inspired by the mythology found in the book!<3 About the Book
BOOK INFORMATION
Title: Sisters of Sword and Song by Rebecca Ross Publisher: HarperTeen Release Date: June 23rd, 2020 Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Synopsis: From the author of The Queenâs Rising comes a thrilling YA stand-alone fantasy about the unbreakable bond between sisters. Perfect for fans of Ember in the Ashes, Sky in the Deep, and Court of Fives. After eight long years, Evadne will finally be reunited with her older sister, Halcyon, who has been proudly serving in the queenâs army. But when Halcyon appears earlier than expected, Eva knows something has gone terribly wrong. Halcyon is on the run, hunted by her commander and charged with murder. Though Halcyonâs life is spared during her trial, the punishment is heavy. And when Eva volunteers to serve part of Halcyonâs sentence, sheâs determined to find out exactly what happened. But as Eva begins her sentence, she quickly learns that there are fates much worse than death. Enter the Giveaway!
Win a copy of SISTERS OF SWORD AND SONG by Rebecca Ross + 4 myth cards (The Fall of Kirkos, Ariâs Shawl of Stars, The Entrapment of Pyrrhus, and Acanthaâs Crown)!
**[US Only]** Starts: June 17th 2020 Ends: July 1st 2020 Enter Here:Read an Excerpt
Enjoy the first 44 pages of Sisters of Sword and Song! The first three chapters are amazing and the book gets more magical with each turn of the page. I was hooked from page 1 and I hope you love what you read enough to order a copy today! :)
Purchase a CopyFavorite Quotes
It was incredibly fun annotating all my favorite quotes in my ARC (with pencil, of course!). It was ridiculously difficult not to annotate every sentence because of how much I adored this book! Here are a TON of my favorite quotes from Sisters of Sword and Song...I've bolded my legit favorites which was also hard to narrow down!
**USE CAUTION** There may be spoilery content in some quotes even if you do not know the context.
â"Truly, her anger stemmed from the fact that she was magicless and common and bound to live the same dull life every day until she returned to the dust." (Page 3)
"The firelight flickered through the room, a dance of gold and shadows." (Page 12) "There is always more strength to draw from. You must find where it hides and wield it." (Page 23) "I trust you with my life, Evadne. That is why I chose your window to climb through." (Page 27) "Do not be afraid, little sister." (Page 30) "'Failure is never final unless you choose it to be,' Bacchus said. 'Where there is life, hope can be found. Do not give up, Halcyon.'" (Page 53) "You have only trained me the past eight years. You chose me for this, Commander. You chose me, and you chose Xander, and if you think I have changed overnight, that I have morphed into a creature that holds no morals, no feelings, then you are not the man I believed you to be, either." (Page 59 ) "You cast me into a mold that I do not fit, and you know it and should be ashamed of such lies!" (Page 60) "If I had magic, I could save you." (Page 67) "She watched as her letters began to tremble, growing wings and scales, morphing into creations that moved off the wax, vanishing into golden dust. Magic." (Page 70) "For what could a man with a blade do against a man with magic?" (Page 71) "'Be strong, Sprout,' Gregor whispered so low and gentle that Evadne almost missed the words. And she would always wonder if the gods drew that whisper across the marble floor, up the stand and up the chains to Halcyonâs ears. A sightless comfort. Because she opened her eyes and looked directly at Gregor." (Page 86) "She was planning to pour her words out like precious oil before the archon, to plead for Halcyonâs life." (Page 95) "It looked like a nightingale, its cream and tawny feathers gilded in starlight." (Page 99) "At first, I could not understand why you had to go to the legion. But then I did, and I was proud of you. And then I envied you, because you had ascended; you were the joy of our parents. You were destined to great things, and I was destined to remain in the grove, forgottenâŚ.I felt it again. The pain of you leaving. I told myself that I would not be left behind this time. That I would follow you, that I would go wherever you went, even if that meant helping you carry a punishment you do not deserve." (Page 106-107) â'You are brave, Eva,' Halcyon whispered. 'Far braver than me. There is such steal within you, little sister.'â (Page 107) "You came into the world so quietly, so still that I thought the gods had already taken your breath. But then you reached out and held fast to my finger, and I thought that I would never let you go. Sometimes I forget that we have descended from the god of wind. A god who broke himself for love of another. But every now and then, a generation will remember what it is like to fly, and they will grow their wings. Such as Halcyon. Such as you, Eva." (Page 112) "'You are your own self. No one owns your soul or your body or your fate. No one but you, Evadne.' Evadne breathed in those words, let them twine with her blood and her bones, so she would never forget them." (Page 114) "And each step Evadne took drew her farther from her former life. Fear and doubt warred within her until she thought of Halcyon, who had always been the symbol of valor, a constellation for Evadne to chart her course." (Page 115) "A promise rose from the earth, from the wind, moving through her like a chorus. There is steal within me. I will not bend. I will not break." (Page 115) "Fears are intimate." (Page 138) "When you had an enemy in your house, you did not make them scrub the excrement from your chamber pots. You gave them a position of honor, of trust. You kept them close. You kept them just within your reach." (Page 140) "She did not meet the mageâs eyes, but oh, how she wanted to return Seleneâs cold stare, to reveal that there was nothing less about her for descending from a broken god. Indeed, it only made Evadne all the more dangerous, for she had come from the one divine who was not afraid to break." (Page 148) "All my life, I have wanted to be more than what I am. I wanted to be fast and strong, like my sister. I wanted magic, to have the ability to speak and sing charms to life. I wanted to be someone who made a mark on the world, even if it was a small one." (Page 171) â'You are making your mark, Evadne,' he whispered." (Page 171) "No. I see only a mage who irritates me from time to time." (Page 172) "If you find yourself to be strong, use that strength not just for yourself but for those around you. And if you find yourself to be smart, use that knowledge to uplift others." (Page 207) "What I would give to be able to write, to see my words shaped perfectly by my own hand, to know they will remain long after I am gone." (Page 211) "And what I would give to be able to cast magic, to see my words transform into spoken and sung power." (Page 211) "And she began to see the gift she held, this ability to write in beautiful strokes, to write as much as she wanted. There was power within it, a small seed. But how it could grow, should she allow it to." (Page 211) "Halcyon of Isaura and I never forgot your name, the way it rang in the air, like a blade leaving its scabbard. I knew it would return to me one day, and that you would either be a sword in my hand or a thorn in my side." (Page 234) "But what I do not deserve is to be poisoned and mind-swept without my consent, to be treated less than because I am a woman among a horde of men." (Page 234) "Anything I obtain is to be earned. Not stolen or undeserved." (Page 235) "Evadne could see his words building as a storm, as a mountain, something for their voices to climb." (Page 259) "Because I love you as if you are my daughter. The world would darken without you." (Page 262) "The constellations gathered about them, bright and glorious, and Evadne felt as if she were walking in the night sky with stars in her hair. She did not sing for Damon, or for the mountain, or for Acanthaâs crown. She sang for Halcyon." (Page 263) "You are not weak. There is steal within you." (Page 266) "If my voice should falter, if I should forget the words, above all else, do not cease your singing. Your voice will be my guide, Evadne." (Page 283) "She stepped into the water with him, and joined his song. Her voice soft where his was rough. She was his balance, his accompaniment. And the stars began to multiply; they gathered around them and lit their path, their reflections just as luminous on the trembling surface of the water." (Page 285) "This is your moment, Eva. Stand and meet it. For it belongs to you." (Page 324) "Evadne of Isaura, girl of flight. It is time for you to remake yourself." (Page 331) "Remember how we like to sing, Father? We sing all of the stanzas or else the song hangs unfinished in the air. And so I must go now, to finish something I began. I must honor my word, as you have taught me to do." (Page 357) "All this time she had been telling herself to let go, let go. But there was beauty and strength in the holding on." (Page 363) "You must forgive me, Halcyon. In anger, I wounded you. In anger, I struck your spirit when you were broken. I have wronged you. I do not deserve to have you in my legion. And I must ask you to forgive me." (Page 367) "DamonâŚI swear, if you make me cross out another wordâŚI will kill you." (Page 370) "It was not until the sun rose and the camp began to disassemble that Evadne finally realized itâwhy he had been so attentive when he looked at her. Parts of Damonâs lyrics were mysteries, concealed within the image of nature. But then there were other parts, words that resonated within her when she read them, as if she were seeing a reflection of herself, a gleam of her soul. And she knew one of the things had made him stronger, something that had inspired an entire stanza of magic⌠It was inspired by her." (Page 388) "One by one, the griffins landed. They bowed to Evadne and to Damon as if they were the queen and king of myths and wings." (Page 417) "Yes, Sister. I will take you home. And Evadne finally understood the pain of breaking, the pain of trying to mend after loss. She felt an echo of Kirkosâs anguish, and she wept as she finally understood the cost of his fall." (Page 443) "For Evadneâs eyes only." (Page 447) "Seventh Day of Olive Moon Evadne, my heart. My chorus. I would sing with you until the end of days. I would sing with you until my bones turned to dust." (Page 453) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in SOSAS To Taylor at The Bookish Ballad, for all of your love and support and excitement for my books. I am so happy you and I met at Comic Con, and I hope to see your own book on the shelf soon! About the Authorâshe was a girl of words and stars and ironâŚ
Rebecca Ross was born and raised in Georgia, where she continues to reside with her husband, her lively Australian Shepherd, and her endless piles of books. She loves coffee, the night sky, chalk art, maps, the mountains, and growing wildflowers in her yard. And a good story, of course.
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I'd like to brag about how amazing bookstagrammers are because they make me feel so loved on a daily basis and I really want to give that love back to them! 😘 So...I've developed a little segment to my blog called "The Bookstagrammer Ballads." This Monday I am featuring an awesome bookstagrammer who has such a beautiful aesthetic! Welcome Steph, @crypticartisan!<3 Meet Steph, @crypticartisan!Why did you decide to start a Bookstagram? I remember coming across this stunning book that just attracted me so much I didn’t realize how many people had amazing book dedicated profiles. What is your favorite genre? Fantasy, young adult recently I’ve been really into older contemporary. What are you currently reading? Regretting You by Colleen Hoover What are some of your favorite fandoms? Acotar, ToG, Grisha verse, renegades, the lunar chronicles, vampire academy black dagger brotherhood. What's your favorite color, movie, song, band, TV show, food, animal, etc? Favorite colors are purple, white, blue, and black; I don’t have just one. My favorite song is hard to choose but I’m a full hardcore fan of Imagine Dragons, One Republic, for Kpop fans. I’m a hardcore red velvet fan lol My favorite food is Asian food just in general that region food. Favorite animal I would have to say dog if we’re talking realistically and fantastically dragons. Who are your Top 5 favorite characters in literature? Top favorite characters in lit. This one is controversial with people but Nesta Archeron I relate so much with her. Alex Stern from ninth house my love for her literally started realizing that she is Mexican and representation is honestly so much needed in books. Vasilisa Dragomir from Vampire Academy I know she has more potential in her that people don’t give her enough credit. Nova Artino a girl stuck in such a struggling situation on bad and good and I adored her. Mary Madonna Luce from The Black Sage Brotherhood series she’s the most realistic in the series and I just resignated with her. What do you love about being a bookstagrammer? The community OMG the amount of wonderful friends I have met on there is insane they make me want to become better not only with my reading but my creativity. What are your hobbies outside of Bookstagram? Writing I think like most intense book readers I do enjoy creating my own worlds... cos-playing is a new hobby I got into due to the book cosplay community and I hope to expand on that one day. List some bookstagrammers that have inspired you on this bookish journey! Beautyandthelibrary Kingdombysea ._wilhelmine._ Aboutabook_ What are some bookish shops you love buying merch from? Blissfullybookish has been my guilty pleasure for clothing, Wick and Fable has been my downfall for candles lol What are some important things you've learned as a bookstagrammer? Patience, we all see these amazing pages and we don’t ever think that we can get to that point. I remember when I first made my account I put my books next to house plants with no aesthetic purpose or when I laid my books on a white blanket and washed out a lot of color to achieve that white theme look and it just wouldn’t come o lien I wish we all find out style mine turned out to be a cool dark theme blue lol Follow Steph on Instagram at @crypticartisan!! Be sure to check out my stories on Instagram @the_bookish_ballad all week for a more interactive feature and get to know Steph more.
Next Monday, I'm singing the ballad of @thelibraryenchantress! Stay tuned... I'd like to brag about how amazing bookstagrammers are because they make me feel so loved on a daily basis and I really want to give that love back to them! 😘 So...I've developed a little segment to my blog called "The Bookstagrammer Ballads." This week I am featuring the amazingly talented Rae, @createdbyraemn who makes some incredibly beautiful book sleeves!!<3 Meet Rae, @createdbyraemn!Why did you decide to start a Bookstagram? I started by Instagram when I started getting more interested in putting bookish items in my shop and wanted a separate way to share. Bookstagrammers found and adopted me. I didn't even know it was a thing until after I had been on for a few months. What is your favorite genre? Mystery, Historical Fiction, and Fantasy What are you currently reading? I'm between reads at this moment. I just finished A Murderous Relation by Deanna Raybourn What are some of your favorite fandoms? Harry Potter for sure! I haven't read much from a lot of the more well known fandoms, so that's the only one I can really relate to. What's your favorite color, movie, song, band, TV show, food, animal, etc? My favorite color is green or gray. Favorite music genre is rock. My favorite foods are pickles, cheese, potatoes, and gummy bears. I love most animals. Favorite shows are true crime documentaries, Game of Thrones, Deadwood, Outlander, Downton Abbey, Friends, and Big Bang Theory. Who are your Top 5 favorite characters in literature? Jo March, Hermione Granger, Veronica Speedwell, Sherlock Holmes, and the Greek Goddess Persephone. What do you love about being a bookstagrammer? I love all of the friends I've made. And I love that everyone is different and able to share their unique tastes and nerdiness under this supportive umbrella where we all have that connecting thread. I've gotten to know so many wonderful new books and shop owners and people because of this platform. What are your hobbies outside of Bookstagram? Sewing.... lol. Swimming, drinking too much coffee, snuggles with my kitties, travel, taking care of my plants, naps, and shopping. List some bookstagrammers that have inspired you on this bookish journey! I have some of the best and most supportive friends on bookstagram. I'm so grateful for all of them. Carlie @theschadlershelves, Andrea @foreverinastory, Melanie @melaniereadsbooks, Erin @the.word.traveler, Jordan @bookish_pineapple, Estee @thelibraryenchantress, and Jill @_bookwormed (who sadly isn't among us anymore) and I'm making new friends every day! What are some bookish shops you love buying merch from? I love my stuff! I think it's pretty great! But I love supporting other shops too! Wick and Jane Candles, Wandering Whimsy Creations, Pineapple Miracles, Bookish Star Designs, Caffeine and Legends, Bookish Signs, and Fable Grounds Coffee are some of my go-tos. What are some important things you've learned as a bookstagrammer? I've learned that you don't need to try and be anyone but yourself. You'll fit in. Just take the time to interact and engage with people. And be kind. Our uniqueness is what makes this place and all of the people so special. Follow Rae on Instagram at @createdbyraemn!! Be sure to check out my stories on Instagram @the_bookish_ballad all week for a more interactive feature and get to know Rae more.
Next Monday, I'm singing the ballad of @crypticartisan! Stay tuned... |
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