Book Review- Orphan's Song (Songkeeper Chronicles)

Who Will Keep the Song Alive? Every generation has a Songkeeper – one chosen to keep the memory of the Song alive. And in every generation, there are those who seek to destroy the chosen one. When Birdie's song draws the attention of a dangerous Khelari soldier, she is kidnapped and thrust into a world of ancient secrets and betrayals. Rescued by her old friend, traveling peddler Amos McElhenny, Birdie flees the clutches of her enemies in pursuit of the truth behind the Song’s power. Ky is a street–wise thief and a member of the Underground—a group of orphans banded together to survive . . . and to fight the Khelari. Haunted by a tragic raid, Ky joins Birdie and Amos in hopes of a new life beyond the reach of the soldiers. But the enemy is closing in, and when Amos’ shadowed past threatens to undo them all, Birdie is forced to face the destiny that awaits her as the Songkeeper of Leira. Book one of the Songkeeper Chronicles.


I am not as big a fan of the fantasy genre as many of my fellow writers/readers are. I often find myself feeling overwhelmed sometimes by the number of strange places and creatures, un-pronounceable names with impossible spellings, and weird rules that govern the world. 

However, when I do come across a work of fantasy that is handled with grace and intelligence, I enjoy myself immensely. Orphan's Song was one of these such gems from the fantasy genre that both surprised and delighted me. Gillian Bronte Adams created a lovely world of fantasy that was not overwhelming, un-pronounceable, and even though there was the cliche of "the chosen one", Adams created such a compelling and unique role for Birdie that I didn't care.

The story pulled me in from the very first sentence - They were coming - until the very last sentence, which I will leave unmentioned to avoid spoilers.

The characters were each well-rounded and unique, both heroes and villains. Birdie was a sympathetic character that I loved immediately, and never once did she frustrate me like oh-so-many dramatic and sarcastic heroines.

Ky was instantly my favorite. His compassion and desire to protect instantly made him appealing. And his street smarts? I really geek out over skills like that.

Amos....oh Amos. Half of the time I wanted to hug him, and the other half I wanted to hit him over the head with Rapunzel's frying pan. My reaction tells me one thing- Gillian Bronte Adams hit the nail on the head with this character.

I cannot write a review about this book without mentioning the key feature: The Song.

The Song was what wove this book together beautifully into a rich and compelling story. Adams did such a beautiful job describing the Song and how it affected the various characters. I have had moments where my mind is overtaken with a piece of a song or a melody that maybe I have heard before, and the music surrounds me like a warm, spring wind. I could connect with the characters in the moments that the Song was being sung. And as for Birdie's ability to know who is approaching (bad or good) based upon the song, well, I have often said that life would be so much easier to predict if we just had a constantly running soundtrack. 

I enjoyed every moment of this book, it never lost my interest. And guess what? The next one, Songkeeper, is going to be released next month! I highly recommend that you read Orphan's Song before Songkeeper is released.

If you want to find out more about the author, you can check her out on her blog, Facebook, or Twitter! If want to purchase Orphan's Song, check it out Amazon.

And here's a sneak peek of Songkeeper just to wet your appetites. I don't know about you, but this cover just sends chills down my spine, those lions are practically leaping off of the page. Want to find out more about Songkeeper? And if you're already sold, awesome! You can be one of the first to get it because it is available for pre-order on Amazon.