The Song of the Marked: The thrilling, enemies to lovers, romantic fantasy and TikTok sensation (Shadows & Crowns Book 1)

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It gives off major Throne of Glass vibes (which, okay, I didn't like either - but in my defense, I was at least able to finish that one), and hadn't it been for the unsufferable MC, the confusing world-building and the tedious way it was described, I probably would have tried harder to make it at least to the halfway mark. Then there's Elander. I wasn't sure what to think of him at first. The way his relationship with Cas developed was really well done. They had some good jibs and banter, but also a couple soft moments, including a steamy scene. The ending was a bit wild. I was confused at parts, even though I guessed the "big reveal". The way the "villain" was revealed was kind of anti-climactic, because I was just so confused to their motivations in the moment. So when the king commands her to investigate a strange plague devastating the empire, she can't resist the massive reward he offers - even if it does mean working with the arrogant and infuriating Captain Elander.

I'll give the author that, but the writing was dull and it felt very YA-ish, which caused both the characters and their dialogues to also read as YA. As the bodies pile up and strange monsters begin to wreak havoc throughout the realms, Cas and Elander will have to work together to protect their world whether they trust one another or not. Because one thing is clear: Something ancient and evil is stirring in the shadows of Kethra.

I originally bought the Kindle version of The Song of the Marked but didn't even start it because I knew I would enjoy listening more. I am SOOOO glad I listened to it. The narrator was AWESOME! She is a very talented voice actor and had some great accents in her repertoire. Mercenary Casia Greythorne cares about two things: completing whatever her latest job is, and earning enough coin to buy the expensive medicine that's keeping her mentor alive.

Thank you to Book of Matches Media and the author for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. But in a land brimming with old magic and meddling gods, nothing is ever that simple, and nothing is ever what it seems. You’re much nicer after you’ve had a near-death experience. You should almost die more often, maybe.”Mercenary Casia Greythorne cares about two things: completing whatever her latest job is and earning enough coin to buy the expensive medicine that's keeping her mentor alive. The magic system is interesting and in The Song of the Marked, we got glimpses of how powerful the magic can be. I am really looking forward to seeing these powers displayed fully. Another thing to note is the great work of the narrator Jesse Vilinsky. I absolutely loved the way she narrated Elander’s voice. The romance develops at a steady pace and I'm happy it wasn't rushed because it was fun to see them face a battle of wits every time they were around each other. Speaking of the couple, Cas and Elander's chemistry was off the roof the moment they met. They served delicious banter, slowburn tension, and all of that added so much to the amazing chemistry between them.

So when the king himself offers her a job, she can't resist the massive reward he offers - even if it means working with Captain Elander, the arrogant, mysterious right-hand to that king. The first chapter sounded interesting, although I should have read into the signs the universe was giving me when I caught myself reading the same few paragraphs over and over again because I couldn't focus on the things my braian was trying to process. My new year’s resolution is to read more books published independently, and I’m starting this resolution off by reviewing The Song of the Marked by S.M. Gaither. As the bodies pile up and strange monsters begin to wreak havoc throughout the realms, Cas and Elander will have to work together to protect their world whether they like it or not. Because one thing is clear: something ancient and evil is stirring in the shadows of that world.

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So when the king himself offers her a job, she can't resist the massive reward he offers-even if it means working with Captain Elander, the arrogant, mysterious right-hand to that king.

Casia works as a mercenary with a group of outlaws thanks to their magic. Trouble stirs and they are caught by the guards of the King-Emperor Varen. I also feel like I should mention that Gaither goes pretty heavy on info-dumping in the very first chapters. Add to it that their writing was overly descriptive, stiff and impossibly impersonal, and you'll get why I was in so much pain. It was so much fun revisiting the world from the Serpents and Kings trilogy, with all the gods, myths and magic! New characters and new events, so you don't have to read the former trilogy before you read this book (although I highly recommend that you do, because it's damn good!). If you haven't read the Serpents and Kings trilogy you might have to spend some time getting to know the world, but no more than you usually do when starting a new series. Unfortunately, working alongside him also means working with the handsome but infuriating captain of one of the most prestigious branches of the Kethran Army.I adored the characters in this book! They were radiant and alive and each was tinged with a unique personality and a voice. The author did an excellent job at setting them apart and creating such an amazing chemistry between not only the couple, but all the characters.