Author: Braidee Otto

Series: Myths of the Empyrieos

First Published: 18 June 2024

“We don’t get to choose the things that happen to us. Those decisions lie solely in fate. What we do get to choose is how we respond to them. Whether we stay the same or let them change us.”

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. Thank you so much to Braidee for sending a copy my way!

Ask no questions. Obey your orders. Respect your masters. But most of all… Love no one.

Born without breath, Aella’s life began with a solemn promise etched in fate. Ousted from the Palace of Sorrows and gifted to the Aviary at a young age, she was shaped to fit the mold they made for her.

Spy. Thief. Princess. Songbird.

After Aella completes her training and passes the Naming ceremony, she is assigned to the prestigious Alpha Flight, led by none other than her former flame. Everything about Raven calls to her. He is brave, loyal, and lethal. But love is forbidden within the Aviary.

When Alpha Flight is tasked with infiltrating the eastern kingdom’s royal trials to seek a weapon hidden deep within its court, Aella struggles with the expectations placed on her.

As old sparks reignite and the harsh realities of the realm reveal themselves, she must decide whether to follow orders or defy them.

The minute I saw this book advertised on Instagram, I knew I needed to read it. The world-building here is incredible. I cannot wait to see more. I was not expecting that ending, my poor heart. I have so many questions! I will need to sequel stat!

Aella has completed her training and passes the Naming ceremony to join the rank of spies of the Aviary. Her life turns upside down when she is assigned to her first mission with the Alpha Flight. Her hidden identity as Princess of the Sorrows is now colliding with her new life as she must compete in Eretira’s Royal Trials to win the hand of the Autumn Prince, Keres. Losing is not an option. Aella’s participation in the trial is the perfect distraction for the Alpha Flight to infiltrate the Autumn Court to find a powerful weapon. A weapon which would give the Autumn Court the power to take over all the Empyrieos. As the trial gets underway and secrets start to unravel, Aella must decide whether she will continue to blindly follow orders or defy them and forge her own path.

Aella went through so much. She has been trained as a spy, and while she thinks she is in control, we can quickly see that she is nothing but a pawn to her father, the Aviary and Keres. I hope she gets the chance to heal – both her body and soul – in the sequel before she can take on the world. There have been hints that Aella is not your standard tycherio – the common race of Empyrieos – so I hope she gets to explore who she is.

I am completely captivated by the world. The way Briadee wove in Greek myth elements into a traditional fae-type world with season courts was incredible. I ate that up and could not get enough. The way the Autumn Court is described as this lush green land with an undercurrent of rot and decay perfectly mimics the royals of the court. I hope we see more seasonal courts in the rest of the series. Also, I would love to learn more about the God War which created this world.

Aella was given to the Aviary as a child. The Aviary is the spy network that the King of the Sorrows – the common name of the Summer Court – uses to hoard information about the other courts. They spend years training, and if they pass their final trials, they are given a new name and must give their lives to the Aviary. Aella struggles with the whole blind loyalty, especially after her role in the Alpha Flight’s next mission is revealed. All flight members will do everything to ensure the mission goes ahead or die trying. The commander of the Flight is Raven. He is our dreamy love interest. The pair have seemed to be interested in each other for ages, but Aella has kept her distance because those she loves end up harmed to keep her in line. Now he says all the right things – like he would die for Aella and she is his world – but it is obvious that Raven is a good spy and the Aviary and the mission will always come first. So, I feel that Raven might not be our end-game love interest.

Songbird and The Sorrows is a fantastic debut fantasy romance. I am hooked on the world, and the intrigue is building. I cannot wait to see where Aella ends up and what she discovers. If you are a fan of slow-burn fantasy romance with political intrigue like The Serpents and The Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent, you need to pick this one up!