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bookandcoffeeaddict's review against another edition
5.0
Creepy and captivating, Sing Sweet Nightingale is a YA paranormal horror story embodying some very important pieces of wisdom:
- If something seems too good to be true, it probably is: Seemingly benevolent, wise creatures come to specially chosen youths at night, drawing them into a dream world and offering them something in exchange for a simple promise. Hudson promises not to get into fights in exchange for the mentoring he needs to keep him out of trouble. Mariella promises not to utter a single word and in return she gets a nightly Paradise escape and a handsome man who loves her.
- What you don’t know, can hurt you: These beings have an agenda of their own, they lie and manipulate, using the promises made to steal the extraordinary skills these chosen ones possess. Hudson is a born fighter, and Mariella, a born leader – their respective promises steal this from them.
- Be careful what you wish for: Hudson’s promise not to fight results in him standing helplessly by while his little (4 years old!) brother is killed right in front of him. When he finds out he’s been lied to, he reacts by turning on his dream world and its creator, destroying them both and coming out changed – solid black eyes, visions, and various very useful abilities. It’s the visions that lead him to Mariella, whose promise not to speak has isolated her from friends and family and almost completely kept her insulated from the real world – just the way her dream world creator, Orane, wants it.
Sing Sweet Nightingale is told through the alternating first person perspectives of Hudson and Mariella. The book focuses on Hudson trying his damnedest to find a way to get Mariella out of Orane’s grasp, and Mariella resisting for all she’s worth.
There were two things in this book that really stuck with me. The first was the opening chapter in which Hudson’s brother, 4 year old J.R., dies. I’ve read books where little kids have died before, but I don’t remember ever reading an actual scene involving the killing of a child and then watching them die. I was really affected by that, a lot, so I want to add a trigger warning here. The second thing that got to me was Orane’s predatory nature. I mean, I get that he was a demon and evil and all that, but he started bringing Mariella to his dream world when she was 8 and then started a romantic relationship with her when she turned 16. I was really creeped out by that. So much so, I cringed, actually, physically cringed, whenever they kissed. Knowing it was a way to manipulate her against seeking an outside relationship in the real world rather than any kind pedophilic nature didn’t really help. Even Hudson recoiled in disgust when he finds out the kind of relationship between Orane and Mariella.
I was not surprised to learn the author has a degree in Psychology, it definitely shows in the dream demon’s M.O. and in how well fleshed out the characters were in their actions and motivations. I loved the cast of characters in this one. The main characters were great, don’t get me wrong, but it was the supporting cast that really made the book for me. I especially liked Dawn, the short, nearsighted, 14 year old who worked at the New Age store and was always handy with the knowledge and K.T., Mariella’s friend from childhood who’s never given up on a friend who hasn’t spoken to her in years and who doesn’t even know who she is. I also really loved that the parental units were interesting and part of the plot AND let into the loop of the paranormal goings-on – something we don’t see too often in YA books.
Sing Sweet Nightingale is the first book in the Dream War Sage, which looks to be a promising series. From relatable characters to such a unique plot, this is definitely one to follow. I eagerly look forward to the next book in this series.
*I received an ARC of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
- If something seems too good to be true, it probably is: Seemingly benevolent, wise creatures come to specially chosen youths at night, drawing them into a dream world and offering them something in exchange for a simple promise. Hudson promises not to get into fights in exchange for the mentoring he needs to keep him out of trouble. Mariella promises not to utter a single word and in return she gets a nightly Paradise escape and a handsome man who loves her.
- What you don’t know, can hurt you: These beings have an agenda of their own, they lie and manipulate, using the promises made to steal the extraordinary skills these chosen ones possess. Hudson is a born fighter, and Mariella, a born leader – their respective promises steal this from them.
- Be careful what you wish for: Hudson’s promise not to fight results in him standing helplessly by while his little (4 years old!) brother is killed right in front of him. When he finds out he’s been lied to, he reacts by turning on his dream world and its creator, destroying them both and coming out changed – solid black eyes, visions, and various very useful abilities. It’s the visions that lead him to Mariella, whose promise not to speak has isolated her from friends and family and almost completely kept her insulated from the real world – just the way her dream world creator, Orane, wants it.
Sing Sweet Nightingale is told through the alternating first person perspectives of Hudson and Mariella. The book focuses on Hudson trying his damnedest to find a way to get Mariella out of Orane’s grasp, and Mariella resisting for all she’s worth.
There were two things in this book that really stuck with me. The first was the opening chapter in which Hudson’s brother, 4 year old J.R., dies. I’ve read books where little kids have died before, but I don’t remember ever reading an actual scene involving the killing of a child and then watching them die. I was really affected by that, a lot, so I want to add a trigger warning here. The second thing that got to me was Orane’s predatory nature. I mean, I get that he was a demon and evil and all that, but he started bringing Mariella to his dream world when she was 8 and then started a romantic relationship with her when she turned 16. I was really creeped out by that. So much so, I cringed, actually, physically cringed, whenever they kissed. Knowing it was a way to manipulate her against seeking an outside relationship in the real world rather than any kind pedophilic nature didn’t really help. Even Hudson recoiled in disgust when he finds out the kind of relationship between Orane and Mariella.
I was not surprised to learn the author has a degree in Psychology, it definitely shows in the dream demon’s M.O. and in how well fleshed out the characters were in their actions and motivations. I loved the cast of characters in this one. The main characters were great, don’t get me wrong, but it was the supporting cast that really made the book for me. I especially liked Dawn, the short, nearsighted, 14 year old who worked at the New Age store and was always handy with the knowledge and K.T., Mariella’s friend from childhood who’s never given up on a friend who hasn’t spoken to her in years and who doesn’t even know who she is. I also really loved that the parental units were interesting and part of the plot AND let into the loop of the paranormal goings-on – something we don’t see too often in YA books.
Sing Sweet Nightingale is the first book in the Dream War Sage, which looks to be a promising series. From relatable characters to such a unique plot, this is definitely one to follow. I eagerly look forward to the next book in this series.
*I received an ARC of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
hannah_tbv's review against another edition
4.0
When I started to read Sing Sweet Nightingale I had no idea that I would like it as much as I did. I had come off of a string of books that didn’t capture my interest and that was after over a year long dry spell of not being able to read, both because of school and because of lack of interest. I liked the description of the book well enough to give it a go, but I was cautious of getting excited. I didn’t want to love this book only to be disappointed. Ultimately I had nothing to worry about because I loved this book and cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel.
As the description states the book follows two people, Mariella and Hudson, as they each battle their own demons. Literally.
Each night Mariella goes into a dream world where she’s promised her voice to an angel names Orane. It’s a world she loves enough to give up her life for. When she finds out she has the opportunity to stay with Orane forever she is elated and doesn’t give a second thought to the world she would be leaving behind.
Hudson had an angel too, named Calease who came to him while he was hiding, hurt and alone, in a library. The truth hit him hard when he discovered that Calease was far from the angel he originally thought. She was a demon. When his younger brother was killed because of the demon his entire life changed.
Fast forward to the start of the book and we find out that it is Hudson’s mission to rescue Mariella from Orane before it’s too late. One of the things I loved most about Cameron’s writing is her ability to seamlessly write in two different point of views. We see each of the characters as separate voices and the transitions between the two are not jarring. This sadly isn’t a talent we see from many authors and is normally something that turns me off from books, but just a few chapters in taught me this was different.
The story itself and the development of the characters feels really organic. When bringing fantasy into the real world Cameron gives a natural progression of discovery. Mariella’s journey to discovering the truth about Orane is planned out so well. It doesn’t happen all at once, it happens in pieces as she gains more and more information every day. I loved getting to see a suspicious Mariella gaining her own strength and sparing with Orane’s angel image. She always wanted to beat him at his own game in a world of his own creation, regardless of whether or not the outcome was in her favor the feistiness she showed was great. Her progression towards natural discovery slids backwards and forwards over and over again as Orane keeps wiping her memory when she comes close to realizing the truth.
Cameron kept the momentum up through the entire story with a really organic pace. As I got nearer and nearer to the end I was waiting for the moment to come where I grew to dislike the book. Again, this was something I had become used to over the past year. The smaller the percentage of the book left became the more and more amazed that I was with Cameron’s ability to keep me satisfied with everything that was going on.
I knew about halfway through the book there was a sequel and I realized at the very end she was setting up for it. I don’t think it would have been obvious at all to someone who hadn’t of known who the characters in the sequel were and I definitely have to commend Cameron for her ability to do that. I really enjoyed this book, the story and the characters, and I can’t wait to read more from Cameron soon!
As the description states the book follows two people, Mariella and Hudson, as they each battle their own demons. Literally.
Each night Mariella goes into a dream world where she’s promised her voice to an angel names Orane. It’s a world she loves enough to give up her life for. When she finds out she has the opportunity to stay with Orane forever she is elated and doesn’t give a second thought to the world she would be leaving behind.
Hudson had an angel too, named Calease who came to him while he was hiding, hurt and alone, in a library. The truth hit him hard when he discovered that Calease was far from the angel he originally thought. She was a demon. When his younger brother was killed because of the demon his entire life changed.
Fast forward to the start of the book and we find out that it is Hudson’s mission to rescue Mariella from Orane before it’s too late. One of the things I loved most about Cameron’s writing is her ability to seamlessly write in two different point of views. We see each of the characters as separate voices and the transitions between the two are not jarring. This sadly isn’t a talent we see from many authors and is normally something that turns me off from books, but just a few chapters in taught me this was different.
The story itself and the development of the characters feels really organic. When bringing fantasy into the real world Cameron gives a natural progression of discovery. Mariella’s journey to discovering the truth about Orane is planned out so well. It doesn’t happen all at once, it happens in pieces as she gains more and more information every day. I loved getting to see a suspicious Mariella gaining her own strength and sparing with Orane’s angel image. She always wanted to beat him at his own game in a world of his own creation, regardless of whether or not the outcome was in her favor the feistiness she showed was great. Her progression towards natural discovery slids backwards and forwards over and over again as Orane keeps wiping her memory when she comes close to realizing the truth.
Cameron kept the momentum up through the entire story with a really organic pace. As I got nearer and nearer to the end I was waiting for the moment to come where I grew to dislike the book. Again, this was something I had become used to over the past year. The smaller the percentage of the book left became the more and more amazed that I was with Cameron’s ability to keep me satisfied with everything that was going on.
I knew about halfway through the book there was a sequel and I realized at the very end she was setting up for it. I don’t think it would have been obvious at all to someone who hadn’t of known who the characters in the sequel were and I definitely have to commend Cameron for her ability to do that. I really enjoyed this book, the story and the characters, and I can’t wait to read more from Cameron soon!
laughlinesandliterature's review
4.0
*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Sing Sweet Nightingale was a surprisingly refreshing book. I didn’t start out with high expectations, but they definitely were exceeded. I ended up really liking Hudson, and Mariella ended up growing on me. At first she seemed incredibly selfish and I didn’t understand her reasoning at all. However, as we learned more about Orane it became easier to see why she was so taken in.
Hudson was a great guy, and I always hate it when people like him have such bad things happen. There was no reason his parents should have disowned him, and I can understand grieving the loss of another son. However, who wouldn’t be proud to have a son who stands up for people? Yes, it may cause problems but what a good person!
Mariella was harder for me to enjoy because at the beginning, she really was horribly selfish. It was hard to see at first how brainwashed she was because it was such subtle manipulation. Over the course of the book though the manipulations became so blatant and obvious that it started to make me cranky that Mariella wouldn’t see it.
Erica Cameron created some great side characters too. I enjoyed K.T., Dawn, Hudson, and even Mariella’s parents. There were some things that detracted from the story for me. The crystals and rocks used too fight against the “demons” were just a little weird. It was hard to believe any sane person could believe that or start to accept it.
Overall I would give the book 3.5 out of 5 stars. Erica Cameron’s writing definitely drew me in even if parts seemed childish. I will definitely keep an eye out for the sequel
*This review was first posted to Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2014/04/sing-sweet-nightingale-by-erica-cameron.html*
Sing Sweet Nightingale was a surprisingly refreshing book. I didn’t start out with high expectations, but they definitely were exceeded. I ended up really liking Hudson, and Mariella ended up growing on me. At first she seemed incredibly selfish and I didn’t understand her reasoning at all. However, as we learned more about Orane it became easier to see why she was so taken in.
Hudson was a great guy, and I always hate it when people like him have such bad things happen. There was no reason his parents should have disowned him, and I can understand grieving the loss of another son. However, who wouldn’t be proud to have a son who stands up for people? Yes, it may cause problems but what a good person!
Mariella was harder for me to enjoy because at the beginning, she really was horribly selfish. It was hard to see at first how brainwashed she was because it was such subtle manipulation. Over the course of the book though the manipulations became so blatant and obvious that it started to make me cranky that Mariella wouldn’t see it.
Erica Cameron created some great side characters too. I enjoyed K.T., Dawn, Hudson, and even Mariella’s parents. There were some things that detracted from the story for me. The crystals and rocks used too fight against the “demons” were just a little weird. It was hard to believe any sane person could believe that or start to accept it.
Overall I would give the book 3.5 out of 5 stars. Erica Cameron’s writing definitely drew me in even if parts seemed childish. I will definitely keep an eye out for the sequel
*This review was first posted to Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2014/04/sing-sweet-nightingale-by-erica-cameron.html*
lolasreviews's review
5.0
I got a copy in exchange for an honest review
Since I first read the blurb for this book I knew I ahd to read it. It sounds so original and combined with the awesome cover it sounded like a great book. And it certainly is a great book, it grabbed my attention from the first chapter and after that I just didn't want to put it down.
When I picked up this book I didn't expect it to pull me into the story like it did. The first chapter is emotions, pulls you into the story and it just made me want to know ore. I instantly liked Hudson and I wanted to know more about him. I also really liked the dual perspective, with some chapters from Hudson's point of view and others form Mariella. It's not only great to see both their perspectives, but it's also nessecary for the story. Erica her writing style is really addictive and I found myself thinking about this book and wanting to read more every time I put it down.
While I really enjoyed this book there where some small issues I ahd with it. There where some palces that where a bit slow, these weren't really bad as the story was just so interesting, but I felt like the pace could be just a bit faster in some places. Also the last 20% of the book felt a bit off to me. I think the author had a great point to end the book, but the story continues afterwards, while this does prevent a cliffhanger ending and helped set things up for the next book it just felt a bit off to me. Maybe it's because I expect books to end at a certain point or maybe it was just some of the events that happened in this part. There where some developments that felt a bit off to me and I didn't like doctor Carroll and the brain issues and questions he added and how Mariella changed. It just bugged me a bit.
The characters are great and likeable and I think it's great how the parent and parent figures palyed an important role in this book and weren't just ignored or put away. Horace knows from the beginning what's up with Hudson and the existence of the dreamworld, even thought he has never been there. I really liked this, as normally in YA books everything is kept a secret from parents and parent figures. I really could get a good image from most characters and even the side characters felt real and not just as some fill-up. Everyone had their own goals and reasons and I loved how many different characters played a part in this book. I really liked K.T. she was one of my favourite side characters, she has been through a lot, but she is still fighting and trying. I also really liked both main characters, Hudson and Mariella, both are likeable characters and it was easy to understand why they behaved the way they did. Other side characters like Horace, Mariella her parents and Dawn really filled up the story. This book has a great cast of characters and I really liked almost all of them. The only character I didn't like was Doctor Carroll, I don't know why, but he just didn't really fit into the story in my opinion.
At first I thought the romance would play a big part in this story, but it was less important then I expected at first. On the other hand I really liked how the romance was handled. Hudson isn't helping Mariella because he fell crazy in love with her at first sight. He helped her because that was just the kind of person he is. The romance came later and developed really slowly. It was woven into the plot really well. Although when it finally developed it fell a bit off to me, while I liked them together, the way their romance developed at the end could've been done a bit better.
Erica has created an amazing world that looks like ours, but with small differences. There is another world, called the Dreamworld and creatures from that world try to lure humans in their world. The concept was so original. The world buulding is done really well, really subtly and the character themselves actually didn't know a lot about the Dreamworld and we learn more about it alongside them. Even so at the end of the book there are still a lot of questions left about the Dreamworld, but in this book I liked the mystery. It wasn't like the answers weren't given, it was more that we found out how much the character knew, but not more. I can't wait to learn more about this world in the next book in this series.
To conclude: I loved this book! It grabbed me from the first page and I couldn't and didn't want to stop reading it. The story is intriguing and the world building is done really well. The plot is original and all the characters where likeable. There where a few things I thought could've done better, the plot was a bit slow in some places and some events in the last 20% felt a bit off to me. But beside that I love this book and I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
Since I first read the blurb for this book I knew I ahd to read it. It sounds so original and combined with the awesome cover it sounded like a great book. And it certainly is a great book, it grabbed my attention from the first chapter and after that I just didn't want to put it down.
When I picked up this book I didn't expect it to pull me into the story like it did. The first chapter is emotions, pulls you into the story and it just made me want to know ore. I instantly liked Hudson and I wanted to know more about him. I also really liked the dual perspective, with some chapters from Hudson's point of view and others form Mariella. It's not only great to see both their perspectives, but it's also nessecary for the story. Erica her writing style is really addictive and I found myself thinking about this book and wanting to read more every time I put it down.
While I really enjoyed this book there where some small issues I ahd with it. There where some palces that where a bit slow, these weren't really bad as the story was just so interesting, but I felt like the pace could be just a bit faster in some places. Also the last 20% of the book felt a bit off to me. I think the author had a great point to end the book, but the story continues afterwards, while this does prevent a cliffhanger ending and helped set things up for the next book it just felt a bit off to me. Maybe it's because I expect books to end at a certain point or maybe it was just some of the events that happened in this part. There where some developments that felt a bit off to me and I didn't like doctor Carroll and the brain issues and questions he added and how Mariella changed. It just bugged me a bit.
The characters are great and likeable and I think it's great how the parent and parent figures palyed an important role in this book and weren't just ignored or put away. Horace knows from the beginning what's up with Hudson and the existence of the dreamworld, even thought he has never been there. I really liked this, as normally in YA books everything is kept a secret from parents and parent figures. I really could get a good image from most characters and even the side characters felt real and not just as some fill-up. Everyone had their own goals and reasons and I loved how many different characters played a part in this book. I really liked K.T. she was one of my favourite side characters, she has been through a lot, but she is still fighting and trying. I also really liked both main characters, Hudson and Mariella, both are likeable characters and it was easy to understand why they behaved the way they did. Other side characters like Horace, Mariella her parents and Dawn really filled up the story. This book has a great cast of characters and I really liked almost all of them. The only character I didn't like was Doctor Carroll, I don't know why, but he just didn't really fit into the story in my opinion.
At first I thought the romance would play a big part in this story, but it was less important then I expected at first. On the other hand I really liked how the romance was handled. Hudson isn't helping Mariella because he fell crazy in love with her at first sight. He helped her because that was just the kind of person he is. The romance came later and developed really slowly. It was woven into the plot really well. Although when it finally developed it fell a bit off to me, while I liked them together, the way their romance developed at the end could've been done a bit better.
Erica has created an amazing world that looks like ours, but with small differences. There is another world, called the Dreamworld and creatures from that world try to lure humans in their world. The concept was so original. The world buulding is done really well, really subtly and the character themselves actually didn't know a lot about the Dreamworld and we learn more about it alongside them. Even so at the end of the book there are still a lot of questions left about the Dreamworld, but in this book I liked the mystery. It wasn't like the answers weren't given, it was more that we found out how much the character knew, but not more. I can't wait to learn more about this world in the next book in this series.
To conclude: I loved this book! It grabbed me from the first page and I couldn't and didn't want to stop reading it. The story is intriguing and the world building is done really well. The plot is original and all the characters where likeable. There where a few things I thought could've done better, the plot was a bit slow in some places and some events in the last 20% felt a bit off to me. But beside that I love this book and I can't wait to read the next book in this series!
daisy_c_bel's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent read, I had a lot of fun with getting to know the characters and the world. Erica's writing grips you really fast really good. I hope she keeps this story going cause I want to know what happens next!
what_risa_is_reading's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
xokristim's review against another edition
4.0
(Thanks to Spencer Hill Press and NetGalley, I received an ebook copy of this book for free to review.)
“It’s amazing how fast something that seems like paradise can turn into a nightmare.”
The synopsis of this book is what really intrigued me. This book started off with a bang and a lot of mystery. It really sucked me in. The world building was tremendous. I can only imagine how hard it is to depict a fantasy world, but Erica did an amazing job. She was so descriptive I felt like I was on the sidelines physically watching the story unfold.
I love when books are narrated from multiple points of view so I was already pretty excited about reading this book. Erica did such an amazing job narrating from multiple points (Mariella and Hudson) that I was blown away. I feel like I got a better sense of each character’s personality. I’m also drawn toward books with time stamps, I feel it really gives you a wonderful sense of when each plot twist was taking place.
Overall I really loved this book and would recommend it to any reader that likes fantasy books.
“It’s amazing how fast something that seems like paradise can turn into a nightmare.”
The synopsis of this book is what really intrigued me. This book started off with a bang and a lot of mystery. It really sucked me in. The world building was tremendous. I can only imagine how hard it is to depict a fantasy world, but Erica did an amazing job. She was so descriptive I felt like I was on the sidelines physically watching the story unfold.
I love when books are narrated from multiple points of view so I was already pretty excited about reading this book. Erica did such an amazing job narrating from multiple points (Mariella and Hudson) that I was blown away. I feel like I got a better sense of each character’s personality. I’m also drawn toward books with time stamps, I feel it really gives you a wonderful sense of when each plot twist was taking place.
Overall I really loved this book and would recommend it to any reader that likes fantasy books.
anjalikay's review against another edition
3.0
Sing Sweet Nightingale tells the story of Mariella Teagen and Hudson Vincent, who are connected by a dream world. We meet Hudson as he has just failed to protect his brother against violence, a move that results in death. In all his grief, Hudson turns all the built-up rage against Calease, a creature from the dream world he visited every night when we fell asleep. He destroyed the world he visited in his dreams, but gained him strange abilities, and visions of a girl trapped and silent.
Mariella Teagen hasn't spoken a word in four years. The love her life, Orane, asked her to stop speaking so that her beautiful singing voice would be for him alone. Orane is a creature in Mariella's dream world, and though she believes everything is fine and dandy, she is actually in danger. One day she meets Hudson, the new boy in town, and everything starts to change. Hudson seems to know about the world in her dreams, and she becomes both weary and scared of him.
Read the full review on This Splendid Shambles.
Mariella Teagen hasn't spoken a word in four years. The love her life, Orane, asked her to stop speaking so that her beautiful singing voice would be for him alone. Orane is a creature in Mariella's dream world, and though she believes everything is fine and dandy, she is actually in danger. One day she meets Hudson, the new boy in town, and everything starts to change. Hudson seems to know about the world in her dreams, and she becomes both weary and scared of him.
Read the full review on This Splendid Shambles.