Song of the Dead [REVIEW]

Song of the Dead (Reign of Fallen #2) by Sarah Glenn Marsh

"The Dead must stay buried.

Karthia is nothing like it used to be. The kingdom's borders are open for the first time in nearly three hundred years, and raising the dead has been outlawed. Odessa is determined to explore the world beyond Karthia's waters, hoping to heal a heart broken in more ways than she can count. But with Meredy joining the ocean voyage, vanquishing her sorrow will be a difficult task.

Despite the daily reminder of the history they share, Odessa and Meredy are fascinated when their journey takes them to a land where the Dead rule the night and dragons roam the streets. Odessa can't help being mesmerized by the new magic--and by the girl at her side. But just as she and Meredy are beginning to explore the new world, a terrifying development in Karthia summons them home at once.

Growing political unrest on top of threats from foreign invaders means Odessa and Meredy are thrust back into the lives they tried to leave behind while specters from their past haunt their tenuous relationship. Gathering a force big enough to ward off enemies seems impossible, until one of Queen Valoria's mages creates a weapon that could make them invincible. As danger continues to mount inside the palace, Odessa fears that without the Dead, even the greatest invention won't be enough to save their fates.

In this enthralling, heartrending sequel to Reign of the Fallen, Odessa faces the fight of her life as the boundaries between the Dead and the living are challenged in a way more gruesome than ever before."

I was sent a copy of Song of the Dead by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Please note this is a sequel so the review + description contain SPOILERS.

Edition: Hardcover, E-book

Release Date: January 22nd, 2019

Page Count: 416

Publisher: Razorbill

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Before we get into the review, I would like to highlight that this book is #OwnVoices and contains a f/f relationship! Yay for diversity in YA :-)

I went into these books not knowing it was only a duology and now that I've finished Song of the Dead, I totally feel like there could be more built onto this world?! I haven't read such a lovely YA fantasy in quite some time so these books were a breathe of fresh air for me. I loved the romance dearly, the world was new and interesting, and it kind of gave me A Darker Shade of Magic vibes? It might've been all the ship traveling, the magic, and a chase for romance. Oh, and Sarah Glenn Marsh doesn't mind killing her characters off!

I loved seeing Odessa and Meredy's relationship grow into something much more than it was in book one. I was thrown off at first because I mean, it was a sudden romance with her exes sister. But, I don't judge. I lived for their relationship from beginning to end. I don't want to say it was predictable but maybe just a bit. Am I mad? Definitely not. I like how they were able to bond and help each other through Evander's death. Their grieving was written so well and made me truly feel for them. The chapter where they hear Evander's voice again even though it's not him was heartbreaking! I can't forget to mention that this is a f/f relationship in a Young Adult book done right. It felt so right and I'm so glad I get to see these things in the books I read. 

As for the writing, it was fantastic. There's so many "I need to mark this with my sticky notes" moments. She captures feeling so well and brings her characters to life. Odessa was written as such a strong, caring and ambitious lead. Her actions were always justified and she wasn't afraid of anything. Odessa is definitely my favorite type of main character. 

The only problem I had with this book is that I loved the world, but I wish it were more in-depth. For Fantasy novels, I appreciate a connected, in-depth world that's descriptive, fascinating, and makes sense. It was sometimes hard to follow whenever they were talking about magic, the world, etc. because it didn't feel like enough. The world seems so complex but I still don't understand it completely. This is my only reason I bumped it down .5 stars! It was still an incredibly interesting world to read about but I need more!

Overall, I enjoyed reading this duology but obviously, I wouldn't mind another book. The world was so fascinating, the romance was captivating and the writing was so well-done. This sequel was SO much better than the first book and definitely worth reading. 



Have you read Reign of the Fallen? Let me know! 

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February Young Adult Releases of 2019

It's finally February! February is one of my favorite months because I host #FeministFebruary and my birthday may or may not be in the middle of this month. I've realized I kind of love Spring and of course, all the new releases that come with it. Here's a list of some of my anticipated Young Adult releases for February, 2019!

• Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson & Ellen Hagan [February 12th, 2019]
• Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte [February 26th, 2019]
• On the Come Up by Angie Thomas [February 5th, 2019]
• Enchantee by Gita Trelease [February 5th, 2019]
• The Past and Other Things That Should Stay Buried by Shaun David Hutchingson [February 19th, 2019]
• The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samatha Shannon [February 26th, 2019]
• The Art of Losing by Lizzy Mason [February 19th, 2019]
• Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard [February 12th, 2019]

Are you anticipating any of these February releases?! Let me know in the comments or on my latest Instagram post. :-)

Feminist February ANNOUNCEMENT

As I did last, I'll be hosting a #FeministFebruary where I only read feminist writing and topics related to feminism. This can vary from a book specifically about Feminism, a memoir, or a book that's considered Feminist Lit (Handmaids Tale, for example). I also want to talk about how Feminist February is intersectional and I'll be reading several diverse books with Own Voices authors and books relating to activism whether it be gender, race, LGBT+ rights, etc. Listening to all minority stories is just as important as listening to the own you experience. It's always important to be educated on the experiences of others. Feminist February is about understanding Feminism and teaching it to others. It's like a little extension to Women's History month in March!

You can expect things a long the line of...

• Get to Know the Author 
• My TBR for February
• Book Recommendations galore 
• Books on Feminism
• Books inspired by Feminism
• Female Writers + Activists
• LGBT+ Activists and Writers
• POC Writers 
• Feminist Book Tag
• Women Ran Businesses
• Perhaps interviews?
• Giveaway
• Etc.

Help pick the book club pick with this Google form! This might help you in the future giveaway.

I will be participating for the entire month of February and I'll be sharing with my bookish goals soon!

You can follow me along #FeministFebruary on all my social medias. Here's a list:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Tumblr
• My Blog
• Goodreads (I'll be doing the book club here and on Instagram!)

You can also help pick the book club pick on my #FeministFebruary story and be sure to hashtag any posts you share related to Feminist February with #FeministFebruary! I'll be checking them all out. :-)

How to Be Eco-Friendly in 2019

It seems to be trendy to be eco-friendly but is it really that hard? It's only right for us to treat our planet with respect. We're given this beautiful world to live in but we do things so carelessly without thinking of it's future affect on our planet. The idea of being completely waste-free or eco-friendly may seem daunting -- but, it's truly not that hard. You can start in small easy steps and the difference will matter. I decided to share with you some of the ways you can slowly start to become more eco-friendly and love our planet. If you already do some of these, congrats! The Earth appreciates you. If you're reading this, there's a chance you're hopeful and the Earth appreciates you too. 


1. Get a Reusable Water Bottle

The amount of waste you make when buying a flat of plastic water bottles is insane and it's so easy to combat. Buy yourself a reusable water bottle. Whenever you have a reusable water bottle, it's more likely you'll even drink more water. You won't have plastic water bottles laying all over your car or bedroom floor. Trust me, I've been there. I bought a Klean Kanteen last year and it comes with me everywhere. It literally goes everywhere with me and you can tell by the way it floats in the background of my photos.

Similarly, you should think about getting a reusable coffee cup to cut your morning waste down. You might buy coffee everyday and you're throwing away a plastic or paper cup into the garbage creating more waste. How about you just get a reusable cup? It's easier and you can sometimes get a discount at coffee places for doing so. For example, Starbucks!

2. Bring Your Own Grocery Bags

I know you've come across a plastic bag stuck in a tree, floating across the street, or simply in another plastic bag hanging on a door in your kitchen. I'm aware that you can re-use these bags around your home but they always end up in the trash and then eventually, the ocean. "...plastic shopping bags kill large numbers of wildlife each year. In the water, plastic bags can be mistaken for jellyfish by wildlife. This makes plastic bag pollution in marine environments particularly dangerous, as birds, whales, seals and turtles ingest the bags then die from intestinal blockages."1 Another large problem that comes with plastic bags, they don't decompose quickly at all. In fact, there's estimates that state it could take a plastic bag 20-1,000 years to decompose.2 Instead, I recommend using your own grocery bags. You can even purchase insulated grocery bags to help keep specific items cold. This also goes for produce bags. You can invest or even make your own. For the non-crafty, here's a link to some affordable re-usable grocery bags. For others, here's a little DIY on how to make your own.

As for produce bags, you can make them but also here's a link to shop. 

3. Use Rechargeable Batteries

Batteries are extremely harmful to the environment and it only makes it worse whenever they're not thrown away correctly. If you didn't know, there is a proper way to dispose of batteries. Hint: Most Ikea stores have a bin to recycle batteries. It's better to use rechargeable batteries because you're not buying new product and throwing old out. Rechargeable batteries consume less non-renewable resources and make for an easier solution to batteries. Whenever you throw out old batteries, you're allowing toxic waste into the environment. It's also way more convenient to always have batteries instead of constantly searching your house whenever the batteries in your remote die. 

Here's a link.


4. Use Cloth Instead of Paper Towels

I feel like this is pretty self explanatory but there's so many things in your daily life that create so much waste. It's frustrating because there's almost always an alternative but we tend to use more wasteful products. Paper towels are one of these things. You use so many in a day and you seem to add them often to your grocery lists. You can use old towels and cut them instead pieces to use for cleaning. (You do have your own DIY cleaning products right?) It's so much less wasteful to just use fabric and cloths instead of paper towels. Not to mention, it's not that hard to replace them either.

5. Buy in Bulk

This one might seem a little advanced for those who are just now dedicating their lives to being eco-friendly but don't worry, I got you. Whenever you buy in bulk, you're getting more for your money and you're not creating wasteful packaging. You can buy or even thrift things like reusable glass jars and buy things like quinoa, coffee, or rice in bulk. It makes things so much easier and it's not that hard. Whenever you go into the store, you subtract the weight of your jar from the weight of the product. That's it! Here's a list of a few stores that allow things in bulk:

- Whole Foods
- The Fresh Market
- Bulk Nation
- Lucky's
- Earth Fare

Here's a list showing you places specific to your state.

6. Recycle 

I've been learning this phrase since I was in kindergarten but just to remind you: Reduce, Reusable, Recycle. Recycling has gotten a bad rep recently and I still truly believe that you should still recycle. In terms of plastic bottles and paper, of course you should recycle these things. But, there's other ways to recycle like recycling your favorite pair of jeans into shorts and making the old into new.

7. Step Away from Fast Fashion

In 2018, I became conscious of the fashion industry and how harmful it can be to people and the environment. I began investing in pieces I felt would truly last and my main source of clothes shopping became thrifting. Fast fashion allows for exploitation of people in foreign countries (mostly women and children), creates more waste, and proves to be low quality clothing. Whenever this quality is so low, you're forced to throw it away (I HIGHLY recommend donating) or continuously buy more. You should watch the documentary called The True Cost to truly see the horror that is fast fashion. To avoid supporting such an industry, thrift your clothing. It's cheaper and you can find great quality items at half the cost. You're also reusing clothing instead of constantly allowing for more manufactured clothing. 

8. Buy Reusable Straws

I'm so glad that this was brought up in 2018 because it makes more people aware of how wasteful some simple things in our lives are. Plastic straws are plastic and are harmful to the environment but there's always an alternative. You can use paper straws or metal straws instead. You can easily buy these things on Amazon and even some sets that include a spoon, knife and fork as well. 

9. Try a Bamboo Tooth Brush

I think you're seeing a pattern now, right? Tooth Brushes are made out of plastic and you should be throwing it out and replacing it every few months or so. This is incredibly wasteful and there's always a better way to go about brushing your teeth. Bamboo toothbrushes are better for the environment and barely feel any different. They last longer and are better for the environment. What more could you ask for?


10. Cut Wasteful Makeup Remover

Whenever you remove makeup, you're using things like cotton pads, cotton swabs, makeup wipes, etc. that you just throw out after one use. It's better if you just use something like Micellar water and a reusable rag to remove your makeup. I actually use cold cream because it genuinely removes makeup so much more than a wipe and you're not tugging down on your skin. Isn't that a win?

11. Get a Plant Friend

Save the environment, plant some trees! But also, plants in your home are incredibly beneficial as well. There's so many different species of plants that can improve your home life by clearing the air of toxins and even helping you sleep better. They're stress relievers that also reduce carbon dioxide levels! Not to mention, having green foliage in your home is a staple if you want to feel like you're an interior designer. If you're not great with plants, I plan on making a post soon on the best plants to start with. Keep up with my blog if you're interested in that! Also, did you know you can grow a Lemon tree indoors? Talk about multi-tasking. 

13. Don't Take the Paper Receipt 

It really is that simple. When asked for an emailed or paper receipt, go for the digital receipt. You're not creating waste but you'll have the receipt just in case. You can just ask for no receipt at all as well! This way, you're not taking home extra paper that you know will just end up in the trash.

14. Become Mindful


Easy, right? These are the small steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint and live an eco-friendly lifestyle. Once you start doing small things like use a reusable water bottle and get rid of plastic straws, you'll become more aware of the things in your life that are wasteful and find alternatives yourself. You won't need an online guide on what to look out for -- it'll become an instinct. That's the goal you should be looking forward to. You'll go grocery shopping and chose the less wasteful option and maybe you'll have your reusable grocery bags on hand. You'll find yourself thrifting more whether it be online or at your local Goodwill. Whatever small step you're taking, the Earth is thanking you! 

Let me know how you plan to start your eco-friendly journey and tag me in any posts relating to this one! I'd love to see it. 

How do you live an eco-friendly life? 

January Young Adult Releases of 2019

1. The Wicked King by Holly Black (The Folk of the Air #2) [January 8th, 2019]
2. Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus [January 8th, 2019]
3. Bloodwitch by Susan Dennard (The Witchlands #3)   This comes out in February. I apologize for accidently adding it into the photo.
4. Evermore by Sara Holland [December 31st, 2018] oops
5. The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi [January 15th, 2019]
6. King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo [January 29th, 2019]
7. Song of the Dead by Sarah Glenn Marsh [January 22nd, 2019]
8. Let's Go Swimming on Doomsday by Natalie C. Anderson [January 15th, 2019]