Sophie Reads YA: Danielle L. Jensen

Review: Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy #1) by Danielle L. Jensen

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Stolen Songbird
Series: The Malediction Trilogy #1
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Published April 3rd 2014 by Strange Chemistry

Goodreads Synopsis
For those who have loved Seraphina and Graceling comes another truly fabulous fantasy...
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.
Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.
But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.
As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.
Goodreads

Review

This book was absolutely amazing. I'd had quite a bad book hangover following The Winner's Crime and this was the perfect cure. It was different, but just as enjoyable.

I knew as soon as I'd seen the synopsis that this was a story I would enjoy, but I was not expecting to be as invested in the characters as I was. Cecile and Tristan were amazing protagonists, and I was so happy that we had POVs from both characters as it added an extra element to the story that wouldn't have been there if only one narrated.

The world building was so detailed, and I loved the way the magic was described, as if it was a physical entity. Some of the characters were so sweet, whilst others were the worst. The ending was surprising, and predictable, in some ways, but it was still like a sucker-punch to my heart to know that I have to wait for book 2. I would definitely recommend this book to any YA Fantasy lovers!