The first book in the thrilling Shadows & Crowns series - perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas' Throne of Glass and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows ! 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. 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 mythology within the country of Kethra was absolutely magnificent. There was a whole pagan set of gods and goddesses. I loved all the different "levels"(?), might not be the right word. Can I please have an encyclopedia of all the gods in this world? I want to learn more right now.

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They were an interesting pair, weren’t they? Nothing but questions and doubts between them, it seemed like. 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. 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.

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. For decades, the Kethran Empire has been plagued by a strange illness that leaches the very life and soul from its victims.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. In a world infested by magic and shaped by gods and goddesses of different hierarchies, there are many secrets and hidden truths that will challenge and change all of what Casia had ever known about her life.

This infuriating Captain Elander also has secrets: A past that Cas can’t seem to uncover, a powerful but strange brand of magic, and a deep distrust of the very monarch that he’s sworn to serve. She feels oddly drawn to him in spite of these things… Elander is very mysterious but very, very appealing. That appeal could have a LOT to do with Jesse Vilinsky's performance of Elander, with a very sexy brogue that was magic to my ears. Elander is my favourite kind of hero where he is all gruff, guarded and bossy, but shows vulnerability in his desire for Cassie. The slow-moving relationship between Elander and Cassie was perfectly timed considering all that was going on around them.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. The world-building is impressively atmospheric and intricate. I'm aware that it takes place in the same universe as another prequel series and builds up on that, it could be why I felt a tad overwhelmed by it but it didn't cause much confusion for me. As someone who's sworn off YA books for good -with a few exceptions, of course-, that was definitely one of the reason I ended up struggling with this book. 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. 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.