I really enjoyed this debut fantasy novel. It’s written in multiple POVs and it allows us a deeper understanding of the characters, and there are many of them! Obviously this includes lots of world building and can sometimes be a lot to digest, but it’s normal as it’s the first in the series. Such a diverse cast of characters, different magic systems, gods, clans, with romance sprinkled throughout. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC, and here’s to hoping the sequel doesn’t take too long to arrive! If you love a good adventure quest with unique characters and storylines, add to TBR.

I really wanted to love this book. The world-building was incredible, and having so many characters followed throughout the book was great. The memory magic and storm magic were so well done. It is clear that the writer took such great care in writing this book. I hate to give a low rating to a book and an author with so much clear potential, but a few things about the book made it so I could not finish it, and I really did try.

I made it more than 30% of the way through the book and it is still unclear what the overarching conflict is of this book. It felt a bit as if reading Lord of the Rings for the first time, except instead of telling you that the ring was evil or about the Eye of Sauron, the characters just keep encountering things. I need to know who the "bad guy" is- is it the king? Does it have to do with the war? I'm sure we find out, but it needs to be so much earlier in the book. Without a common conflict, the story feels disjointed.

Because of this, and other reasons, I think it is hard to tell what motivates the characters besides Fionn. The book seems to bring up how each character is important in some way by this point, but besides Fionn I feel that we also really don't know how their "important titles" actually translate to this life. At this point, I also don't feel like I know much about the characters besides their supposed titles and what they DO. What do they like and dislike? What are their hopes and dreams? Have they loved and lost? Wulf and Arsene have to be driven by at least one thing other than money, right?

That being said, I greatly appreciate having had the opportunity to read this book. I think the author will go on to do great things, even if this book is just a stepstone to bigger better books in the future.

This was a really enjoyable read. The worldbuilding was immersive, it had many fascinating places rich with culture and magic. There was a great diverse cast, and I enjoyed the multiple povs. The plot was a bit slow to build, but it was interesting to discover how everything connected.

My only issue was that I felt a bit disorientated at times as the world is so complex, something like a glossary would have been really helpful. Overall, a fantastic story. I’m eager to find out what happens next.

My review will be on Goodreads and Storygraph on March 8th.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC for an honest review.

This book is a great debut novel. My first time reading the works of the author and overall I did have a good time reading the book. Loved the character depths, world-building, and also the history/kingdom/fantasy world feel that this book has. If you love a highly rich and complex fantasy read, this one is definitely a must read for you!!

That being said, because it is so rich and complex, there were multiple times throughout the book that made it difficult for me to figure out what was happening and truly felt connected to the characters because so many things and descriptions were happening.

Regardless, despite having to push through the book a little bit, it's still a solid book, esp for a debut.

#ASongintheStorm #NetGalley

Thank you for allowing me to access this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I feel like this book would be perfect for those who love high fantasy, and extensive magical systems. I felt that it was well written, and a very impressive debut. At times, I struggled to understand what was happening due to its complexity.

A Song in the Storm immediately caught my attention with its intriguing premise of a fae king’s soiree, a thief posing as a bard, and a prince with a forgotten kingdom. The idea of an impossible heist and ancient magic connected to long-forgotten gods sounded like the perfect setup for an immersive fantasy adventure. The book cover was beautifully illustrated, and I was excited to dive in.

However, after a few chapters, I found myself getting lost in the number of different races and places introduced, and my attention began to wander. While the world-building is rich and complex, it became a bit overwhelming for me, and I decided not to continue. That said, readers who love high fantasy with intricate lore, morally complex characters, and ancient magic will likely enjoy this book—it just wasn’t the right fit for me.

This book was an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from NetGalley, and this review is being provided voluntarily. This book was a DNF (Did Not Finish).

A Song in the Storm is an amazing debut novel!

I really enjoyed the multiple POVs from characters that each had depth, cultural differences and excellent dialogue. The unique world has been richly built up, using lots of detail to transport the readers into different towns, cities and wilderness. Of course, the characters and are intertwined in the overarching storyline that was beautifully written.

This is definitely a book for those who like a BIG fantasy novel. It is long and detailed which won't appeal to everyone but I found the pace quick enough and magic and world building plenty to keep me turning pages. I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this really good book in return for an honest review!

My review will be on Amazon, TikTok and Storygraph when the book releases.

Knight's debut novel is fantastic! She crafts a detailed, unique world and fills it with a diverse but interconnected cast. Knight combines powerful character driven stories with a captivating mystery, and no shortage of exciting action. Knight's prose is artistic, painting a detailed image of the world around the characters, and giving deep insights into their personal struggles. The plot follows a quick pace, slowing only occassionally to delve into the minds of the point of view characters, before speeding back up.

A Song in the Storm follows a snarky exiled heir and his no-nonsense mercenary companion, a sticky fingered bard with a powerful patron, and half-breed bastard who will do anything to protect his best friend. The characters are unique and lively, and each gives a unique perspective on the amazing world that Knight has come up with. It is a world filled with magic, both in the people and in the land itself. Fans of stories with unique magic systems that themselves are a part of the story will love what Knight has done with this world and its magic.

A Song in the Storm begins as a seemingly simple fantasy adventure, however the characters quickly find themselves embroiled in a war that they want nothing to do with, and at the center of a dangerous conspiracy. Knight combines elements of classic fantasy, mystery, and character driven drama effortlessly into a seemless story sure to resonate with any fantasy reader.

Fans of Mistborn, Wheel of Time, and Lord of the Rings will love A Song in the Storm.

Thank you for this arc! I enjoyed reading it. But the story was a little bit to complicated pic ways. But I still enjoyed it.

4/5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed A Song in the Storm. Even though the first half of the book was a bit confusing, having multiple POVs and the action having taken place in such a complex world, the story was written beautifully. The descriptions were magical and I could see the work that was put into this book.

I was amazed with how incredibly intertwined the characters were, each having shared past memories with at least one other person in their group. It made their connection all the more beautiful. I am really curious to see what adventure they end up embarking on in the next book!

Even so, I would have appreciated a glossary at the beginning of the book, with all the types of races and places described, but it all started making sense the more I got into the story.

The ending was interesting, leaving me to wonder what is going to happen next in the series.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with this book's uniqueness. It was without a doubt a breath of fresh air :)

Many thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this really good book. However, I didn't really connect to this book and the characters of this book. It was a really good premise of a new fantasy series but i don't think this book was for me.

Overall this was an enjoyable read. It has numerous points of view, which can feel a little difficult to follow to start: trying to recall who is travelling with who and why but as the story lines converge this gets easier. The lands created within this world are distinct and fascinating. The plot was well crafted and intriguing, although a little slow paced at times.

It would benefit from maps, I'd have liked to have them to draw reference to throughout the journey of the characters, to see how these lands fit together and make sense of the journeys the characters were taking.

A Song in the Storm by Riley Knight is such a good story. I loved every single second of this amazing book. Such a cool story. I totally recommend everyone to read this book.

DNF at 50%.

"A Song in the Storm" has many interesting ideas and a professional writing style which I enjoyed. There is obvious effort put into the world-building and definite originality, The prologue has an exciting hook and chapter 2 introduced an interesting duo. However, halfway through the book I feel that it lacks any clear direction, and despite having a strong start, the slow pace makes for a difficult read.

I appreciate the diverse cast of characters, but it seems like more effort has been put into building Arsene's personality than any of the others. Their relationships to each-other are surface level and while I know a bit of their backgrounds, I don't know much about who they are as people, making them unrelatable and hard to care for. Who are the characters fighting, and what are they fighting for? What drives each of them? Several hundred pages in and I'm still not sure.

Without giving too much away, major concepts such as evoking seem to be a bit contradictory or confusing as someone who is just being introduced to this world. The different tribes and their histories or relationships to each other could also use a more thorough explanation.

The unique world this author has created reminds me of the Witcher and Baldur's Gate, with less action. This book may be ideal for someone who enjoys a slower pace. I really wanted to love it, but for the reasons above I wasn't able to finish it.

My review will be available on Goodreads on March 10th, 2025.