Book Review: Stolen Songbird by Danielle Jensen

Stolen Songbird
Author:  Danielle Jensen
Publisher:  Strange Chemistry, 436 pages
Expected Publication Date:  April 1, 2014
*Received ARC from publisher via NetGalley

From Goodreads:
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.

Review:
I absolutely loved this book, I couldn't put it down.  I loved everything about it, the world-building, the characters, the romance, the action, the political intrigue.  Trollus is a fascinating and magical world filled with trolls, half-bloods, a class system, and a curse.  The author has created such a strong and vivid world, I could visualize what it looked like, even what it smelled like.  So detailed and rich, it was stunning.

I fell in love with the main characters, Cécile and Tristan.  Cécile is such an amazing heroine, she's strong, but it's an inner strength, and she really wants to help people even when doing so risks her own safety.  She's not perfect, she makes mistakes, but she doesn't whine and she takes responsibility for her actions.  And Tristan...love love love this guy.  He starts off being cold and uncaring, sly and a bit snarky, but as you get to know him you realize there's so much going on that he has to hide his true feelings from everyone.  The politics of this world are so well done, with different factions having their own agendas and Tristan walking a fine line, keeping secrets in order to do what he believes is right. I loved that we get a few chapters from his POV, knowing his thoughts made me just love him even more.  The romance is not insta-love, it's slow building with tons of chemistry and the progression of their relationship was just perfect.  And not even a hint of a love triangle.  Even the secondary characters are well developed and memorable.  I became so invested in these characters.

I can't rave enough about this book.  It. Has. All. The. Feels.  Highly recommend. 

Posted by:  Pam