2. Allaigna’s Song: Aria (digital)

Description

Allaigna’s Song: Aria by JM Landels

At the end of Allaigna’s Song: Overture, Allaigna discovered that her family had lied to about her parentage all her life.  Fueled by anger and spurred by her betrothal to a neighbouring lord, Allaigna packed her saddle bags and stole away in the night, turning her horse’s nose to the road her mother had taken so many years before.

Allaigna’s Song: Aria picks up three days after Overture leaves off.  Allaigna’s ire hasn’t cooled, but the perils of the road provide more than a distraction.  An encounter with a wild boar escalates to a run-in with poachers, leading to unlikely allies, subterfuge, captivity, and assault, which changes Allaigna’s status from mere runaway to fugitive.

What readers are saying about
Allaigna’s Song: Aria

As most fantasy fans know, the second novel in a trilogy is often weaker than the first. This book is that rare and happy case of a second novel that’s even better than the first. JM Landels hits the ground running in Aria and never slows down. She draws us in, making us care deeply about her complex and flawed characters, and steeps us in the reality of her world through wonderfully rich and well-chosen details.

Landels’s deft handling of non-linear storytelling from the points of view of Allaigna, her mother Lauresa, and her grandmother Irdaign gives readers the thrill of putting together the pieces of the past to discover the true shape of the present. We’re treated to jaw-dropping moments of understanding, shifting our perceptions of characters and world-changing events, even as we continue to follow Allaigna’s adventures in the present.  And for once, we’re treated to a high fantasy tale that’s about three generations of women.  Aria doesn’t just pass the Bechdel test; it casually stomps it into the ground and strides forward to set a new bar.

Allaigna’s Song: Aria is simply a joy to read; the words seem to flow off the page, making it very difficult to put down. I can’t wait for the final installment of the trilogy. I need to know what Allaigna does next, and what happens not only to her family and friends, but to the fragile peace in the land of the Ilmar.   – Alana K, 5-star Goodreads review

I so enjoyed the first novel in this series, Overture, and have been eagerly waiting for this one to come out. I was not disappointed at all. I was quite the fantasy series buff once upon a time but this is the first saga to grab and keep my attention on a long while. I was a bit worried that I’d have lost many of the threads established in the first book but I jumped right in to this one without any issues. The short recap at the beginning was all I needed to catch up on the plot. Last book I needed to flip back to the Dramatis Personae several times but this round I sailed through. There’s no sophomore novel slump here, Aria keeps you turning pages from beginning to end. Now to find the patience to wait for the last book in the series to be written. – Lyz, 5-star Goodreads review

I was hooked reading Allaigna’s Song: Aria, the second in a trilogy. I enjoyed the interweaving of the lives and stories of Allaigna, her mother, and her grandmother. Allaigna’s journey is a coming of age tale as she discovers more about her magical singing and the deceptions that exist everywhere in her life. I am looking forward to reading the conclusion to Allaigna’s Song. I highly recommend it! – Victoria Lee, Goodreads

Goodreads reviews for Allaigna’s Song: Overture