Release Date: June 23rd 2022
Publisher: Orbit Books
Pages: 480
Find it on: Goodreads. BookDepository. Waterstones.
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4.25/5 stars
Synopsis
Put on your dancing shoes and step into New Orleans as you’ve never seen it before in this vibrant and imaginative debut.
Nola is a city of wonders. A place where haints dance the night away, Wise Women keep the order and songs walk, talk and keep the spirit of the city alive. To those from Away, Nola might seem strange. To failed magician Perilous Graves, it’s simply home.
Then the rhythm of the city stutters.
Nine songs of power have escaped from the magical piano that maintains the city’s beat, and without them, Nola will fail. Unexpectedly, Perry and his sister, Brendy, are tasked with saving the city. But a storm is brewing and even if they capture the songs, Nola’s time might be coming to an end.
Review
The Ballad of Perilous Graves is one of those books that sucks you in right from the very first chapter and absolutely does not let you go. It was a joy to read, and I did not want it to end.
Set in a magical New Orleans, Nola is held together by nine songs of power – without these Nola will fall apart. When the songs escape Perry and his sister Brendy must do everything they can to save their city – but will it be enough?
The Ballad of Perilous Graves is without a doubt, unlike anything I’ve ever read. This story completely captured my attention and I still think about it even after finishing it a few weeks ago. This story felt like such a fresh take and I know this crazy, wild ride of a story is going to be adored by fantasy fans. The story is fast paced with multiple points of view and there were some moments where I had no idea where the story was going to go. Jennings has a brilliantly vivid writing style and the world of Nola absolutely lept off the page. I loved the amount of detail put into creating the world and the magic.
This complex story has absolutely tons going on, but it’s definitely one of those books you’re best going into blind. The Ballad of Perilous Graves is a compelling magical read full of incredibly crafted characters. I adored Brendy, Perry and Peaches and it was so entertaining to see the world through their eyes. If you’re looking for a book full of beautiful, lyrical writing with a world you cannot get enough of, this one is an absolute must read.
The Bone Shard Emperor is the stunning second instalment in Andrea Stewart’s The Drowned Empire series. Book one The Bone Shard Daughter was one of my favourite reads of 2020 (and all-time) so I was incredibly excited to get my hands on the sequel. Picking up where we left off in book one, Lin now sits on the throne, but her troubles are far from over. A rebel army of constructs is on the way, determined to take the throne, her alliances are far from strong and she is unsure who to trust. When the Alanga return to the Empire and claim to come in peace, Lin knows she will need their help if she has any hope of bringing peace to the Empire, but can she really trust them?
A Master of Djinn is the first book in P. Djèlí Clark’s Dead Djinn Universe. I’ve been making my way through the novellas and short stories in this world and I was incredibly excited to pick up this full-length novel. The story follows Fatma el-Sha’arawi, an agent in Egypt’s Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities. When a secret brotherhood ends up murdered in mysterious circumstances, Agent Fatma is on the case. When the murderer claims to be al-Jahiz returned, Fatma must work with her colleagues and girlfriend Siti to uncover who the imposter is or risk the civil unrest in Cairo spreading over the globe.
Notes From the Burning Age is the newest release from Claire North, author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. The story follows Ven who is tasked with interpreting ancient texts and sorting through the information inside. The information inside is closely guarded to stop a repeat of the burning age. When the Brotherhood persuade Ven to translate stolen texts, Ven has everything he knows turned upside down and Ven will have to use everything he knows to save the world.
The Unbroken is the first book in an all new fantasy series. This is a dark and brutal story that follows Touraine, who was stolen from her home as a child and raised to be a soldier for the empire. Now she is returning to her homeland to help put a stop to the rebellion. As Touraine fights alongside her battalion she begins to question where her loyalties really lie – to the empire who trained her or the homeland she barely remembers? Luca is a princess doing everything she can to quash the rebellion, but she needs help to stop it while she attempts to remove her uncle from the throne. Touraine and Luca form an alliance, but will it be enough?
The Black Coast is the first in an all new fantasy series by Mike Brooks. This is my first time reading a book by Mike Brooks and I was completely sucked in by that absolutely stunning cover. The story follows two different cultures in their attempts to make peace, The people of the Black Keep see ships on the horizon and immediately prepare for an invasion. But the people aren’t coming to raid as they normally would, they’re looking to stay there and flee the horrors of their homeland. As the two cultures attempt to live together war looms on the horizon and the Black Keep will become caught in the middle – but will they be able to survive?
The Mask of Mirrors is the first in an all new adult fantasy trilogy from authors Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms. The story follows Ren, a street rat and con artist who is attempting to scheme her way into one of the noble families of Nadezra. As she becomes drawn into the world of House Traementis she becomes ensnared in a web of secrets and nightmare magic.
The Once and Future Witches is the new book from acclaimed author Alix E. Harrow. The Ten Thousand Doors of January is a book I’ve been really excited to read, I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. When I heard she was coming out with a new book about witches and the suffragettes movement it immediately went straight to the top of my anticipated releases list.
The Book of Koli was one of my favourite books of 2019 and I’ve been eagerly anticipating the release of book two in the series. The first book ended on such a cliffhanger that I was desperate to find out what was going to happen to Koli next. The Trials of Koli is even more compelling and addictive and I absolutely did not want it to end.
As soon as I read the synopsis for The Bone Shard Daughter I knew it was going to be a book I would love. The premise sounds fascinating and coupled with that absolutely stunning cover, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. The Bone Shard Daughter is an absolutely incredible debut, and without a doubt one of my favourite books of the year.
The Bibliophile Chronicles 