SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile
A young adult fantasy about the unbreakable bond between sisters will appeal equally to adults. Each sister tells her tale in interwoven chapters with narrator Caitlin Kelly speaking for the younger sister, Evadne, and Katherine Littrell, for the older, Halcyon. Kelly depicts the evolution of Evadne from a sheltered, sweet (but underestimated) girl to a scribe for a mage who relies on her to support him and his magic under dire circumstances. In contrast, Littrell shows the devolution of Halcyon from a proud, accomplished warrior to a state of disgrace and near death, followed by her near-miraculous recovery. At their core, the sisters are much alike, and the narrators appropriately adopt a comparable tone and pace. They also help unify the story with their similar portrayals of the multiple characters throughout. J.E.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
"An exquisitely beautiful, heartfelt tale of magic, love, and family. Ross's masterful storytelling kept me enthralled from the very beginning to the perfectly rendered ending. And yet I find myself wanting more time with these fierce and inspiring pair of sisters." — Mindee Arnett, author of Onyx and Ivory
"Lyrical and limned with magic, Sisters of Sword and Song is a gorgeously crafted alchemy of gods, mages, and a lush world you will wish was real." — Heather Lyons, author of The Collectors' Society
"A beautifully-crafted story of sacrifice, growth, and redemption, with the fierce bond between sisters at its heart." — Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of the Frostblood Series
“I adored this magical story about the unbreakable bond between sisters.” — Kristen Ciccarelli, internationally bestselling author of The Last Namsara
“Sisters of Sword and Song is an intimate portrait of sisterhood and the feminine spirit. Ross’s delicate prose paints strong, yet vulnerable characters in Evadne and Halcyon that will capture readers from the start.” — Adrienne Young, New York Times bestselling author of Sky in the Deep
“Classical heroism in a magical antiquity makes for a fresh read.” — Kirkus Reviews
"An immersive new fantasy that readers will want to curl up with. Will fascinate and draw in both fantasy readers and mythology lovers alike. This lyrical novel will have an eager, built-in audience in fans of “The Queen’s Rising” duology and will find new readers for Ross as well." — School Library Journal (starred review)
“Ross’ heroic epic is vividly inspired by ancient Greece, down to its poetic language…it revels in intricate plotting, political intrigue, and fascinating divinity-based magic.” — Booklist
“The story feels like a myth itself, with an emphasis on family dynamics and Herculean trials with some clever twists, including the innovative magic system...Fans of strong world building will appreciate Ross’ fond, meandering development, and fans of slow burn romances will likely swoon.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Adrienne Young
Sisters of Sword and Song is an intimate portrait of sisterhood and the feminine spirit. Ross’s delicate prose paints strong, yet vulnerable characters in Evadne and Halcyon that will capture readers from the start.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
The story feels like a myth itself, with an emphasis on family dynamics and Herculean trials with some clever twists, including the innovative magic system...Fans of strong world building will appreciate Ross’ fond, meandering development, and fans of slow burn romances will likely swoon.”
Elly Blake
"A beautifully-crafted story of sacrifice, growth, and redemption, with the fierce bond between sisters at its heart."
Kristen Ciccarelli
I adored this magical story about the unbreakable bond between sisters.”
Mindee Arnett
"An exquisitely beautiful, heartfelt tale of magic, love, and family. Ross's masterful storytelling kept me enthralled from the very beginning to the perfectly rendered ending. And yet I find myself wanting more time with these fierce and inspiring pair of sisters."
Booklist
Ross’ heroic epic is vividly inspired by ancient Greece, down to its poetic language…it revels in intricate plotting, political intrigue, and fascinating divinity-based magic.
Heather Lyons
"Lyrical and limned with magic, Sisters of Sword and Song is a gorgeously crafted alchemy of gods, mages, and a lush world you will wish was real."
Booklist
Ross’ heroic epic is vividly inspired by ancient Greece, down to its poetic language…it revels in intricate plotting, political intrigue, and fascinating divinity-based magic.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
The story feels like a myth itself, with an emphasis on family dynamics and Herculean trials with some clever twists, including the innovative magic system...Fans of strong world building will appreciate Ross’ fond, meandering development, and fans of slow burn romances will likely swoon.”
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
The story feels like a myth itself, with an emphasis on family dynamics and Herculean trials with some clever twists, including the innovative magic system...Fans of strong world building will appreciate Ross’ fond, meandering development, and fans of slow burn romances will likely swoon.”
Elly Blake
"A beautifully-crafted story of sacrifice, growth, and redemption, with the fierce bond between sisters at its heart."
School Library Journal
★ 04/01/2020
Gr 9 Up—An immersive new fantasy based on Greek mythology, and one that readers will want to curl up with. Set in the Kingdom of Corisande, which sounds similar to ancient Greece, is the story of two sisters. When Halcyon is convicted of murder, her sister, Evadne, immediately volunteers to serve part of her sentence. From this moment Evadne's life is forever changed as she leaves her bucolic life in her family's olive orchard to enter a world filled with powerful mages, gods, and plenty of royal intrigue. Evadne and Halcyon must use their wits in order to survive and to one day reunite. Evadne has a particularly poignant story, in that she becomes more confident in herself and her abilities while navigating a limp caused by a childhood trauma. A romantic interest, in the guise of a slow-burn relationship, is woven seamlessly into the plot. The history and backstories for the Nine Divines, the gods of this realm, will fascinate and draw in both fantasy readers and mythology lovers alike. VERDICT This lyrical novel will have an eager, built-in audience in fans of "The Queen's Rising" duology and will find new readers for Ross as well.—Zoe Leonarczyk, Florida State University, Tallahassee
SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile
A young adult fantasy about the unbreakable bond between sisters will appeal equally to adults. Each sister tells her tale in interwoven chapters with narrator Caitlin Kelly speaking for the younger sister, Evadne, and Katherine Littrell, for the older, Halcyon. Kelly depicts the evolution of Evadne from a sheltered, sweet (but underestimated) girl to a scribe for a mage who relies on her to support him and his magic under dire circumstances. In contrast, Littrell shows the devolution of Halcyon from a proud, accomplished warrior to a state of disgrace and near death, followed by her near-miraculous recovery. At their core, the sisters are much alike, and the narrators appropriately adopt a comparable tone and pace. They also help unify the story with their similar portrayals of the multiple characters throughout. J.E.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2020-03-25
An ancient Greece–inspired fantasy starring two very different sisters.
Halcyon was destined from an early age to become legendary, plucked from lower-class obscurity to rise through the hoplite ranks. But the night before her first scheduled visit home in eight years, she shows up in her younger sister Evadne’s room—haunted, hunted, and on the run. She’s followed by her former commander, Lord Straton, ending up on trial for the accidental murder of her shield mate, Straton’s son. Evadne pleads to take part of Halcyon’s sentence, ending up serving Straton’s family. Always longing for magic and jealous of her sister’s specialness, Evadne’s drawn to Straton’s younger son, Damon, a mage. From his family, Evadne learns of a mage conspiracy behind the queen’s unpopular decrees—unmanageable taxes, banning commoners from owning magical relics of the gods—and of a secret group opposing them. Meanwhile, in a hard-labor quarry sentence, Halcyon—whose identity as a member of the pro-queen faction is uncovered—is challenged to keep the group’s secrets from the conspiracy. While athletic Halcyon physically languishes, Evadne, whose abilities are underestimated due to an old ankle injury that causes her to limp, must step into a quest that challenges the heroes’ magical resources, cleverness, and strength of character. While flawed and capable of mistakes, the heroes are quintessentially good. The characters default to white.
Classical heroism in a magical antiquity makes for a fresh read. (Fantasy. 12-adult)
