I received an ARC from Talem press as part of the Caffeine Book Tour. It has not affected my opinions. The book was published on 12th September by Talem Press.
Genre: Fantasy Age Range: YA Series: Yes - first book of trilogy
Synopsis:
In the city of Edriast, there is no deadlier duty than to serve as the Shadow.
As the personal servant of the powerful Lord Rennard, the Shadow’s life is all but forfeit. Rennard possesses one of five rare and dangerous Relics – a jewel that protects his bloodline, but slowly poisons everyone else in its proximity. When the current Shadow succumbs to its magic, nineteen-year-old blacksmith Kaylan is summoned to take his place.
It’s an appointment that will kill her.
As the time Kaylan has left ebbs away, hope begins to fade… That is, until she discovers a plot to destroy all five bloodlines in possession of the Relics.
A rebel force plans to put an end to Rennard’s rule and Kaylan suddenly finds herself embroiled in a cause that might just be worth fighting for. But no cause is without its costs…
As her life hangs in the balance and rebellion bears down on Edriast, Kaylan must decide where her loyalties lie – and how she’ll leave her mark on the world.
Synopsis taken from Goodreads. Add to your shelves here or buy from Amazon here.
I listen to a fair bit of music – it helps me concentrate as it blocks out other sounds. I also adore movie music, the way it adds and builds the story up. Books don’t have built in music, unfortunately, but we can add our own.
I’ve taken each letter of the title, and recommended a piece of music I love that in some way sums up the book.
This post is a fair representation of my music tastes. I mostly listen to movie sound tracks and classical music. I don’t really like songs with words, because I like to listen to the harmonies and rhythms rather than the words. If there are words, then I tend to favour Latin or any other language I can’t understand (anything that isn’t English, basically!).
All link are to Youtube.
Remind her who the Enemy is
Artist: James Newton Howard From: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (Original Motion Picture Score)
Listen to it here.
This piece begins with a rather uneasy tone, one that builds even as the tone gets bolder (ahem, rebellion). Even still, there’s a constant menace and sense of loss throughout before the ending smacks of consequence and trouble. Considering Kaylan’s dying throughout RELIC, and the book starts with the death of the previous Shadow…
Emergency Launch
Artist: Harry Gregson-Williams From: The Martian (Original Motion Picture Score)
Listen to it here.
This piece sounds so like the magic to me, that initial high string and ‘tremble’ of the lower strings (Excuse my non-technical language. I’m a scientist!). It puts me immediately on edge. Then the constant, rising beats are like the magic’s attrition as it wears away at the body. The sweeping strings and brass towards the end, the loss and destruction it brings with those ethereal final few bars.
The Last Jedi
Artist: John Williams From: Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Listen to it here.
This is Rennard’s theme. The threatening brass immediately in your face and impossible to ignore. It’s martial and abrupt, full of force and power. The smoother, more heroic and familiar themes corrupted are the loyalty and devotion his closest friends have in him, the belief that he can be great, but that this is a poor time.
I Giorni
Artist: Ludovico Einauldi From: Islands
Listen to it here.
A much softer piece than the others, this one is Kaylan’s relationships with Jesper and Marcus. Slow, steady and beautiful. Yes, she and Marcus have a few blips, but it’s never toxic. These two central relationships are so lovely to read about, hope and light in the otherwise stressful, deadly environment.
Credo (Puccini’s Messa de Gloria)
Composer: Puccini From: Messa (di Gloria) Performed by: UCLA
Listen to it here.
This is a piece with so many parts (also the longest one on here by a while). RELIC goes through many different phases, with all these plot elements weaving together. Some are threatening, others sweet. There’s danger and friendship. At times, it can feel almost claustrophobic with all these parts singing together, which is how Kaylan’s situation comes across as.
Twitter Chat
Interested to hear more about RELIC? Then please join us in a twitter chat where we’ll discuss the book in far more detail, and you’ll get far more perspectives than just mine.
It will be on Saturday 21st September at 9am EST, 9PM PH and 2pm BST. Caffeine Book Tours (@CaffeineTours) will be hosting the chat.
About the Author
Bronwyn joined the military right out of high school, where she learnt (among other things) to disassemble and reassemble a rifle blindfolded. After that, she spent a lot of her time travelling around the world. Her favourite places (so far) are Scotland, Mongolia, Iceland, and Ireland.
Bronwyn finally found her natural habitat when she landed her first job in the publishing industry. While she has always been a writer, it was only when surrounding herself with books that she realised her life’s dream was to become an author. Relic is her first novel.
Bronwyn lives in Sydney and spends her time eating chocolate, reading and practicing her martial arts.
Fine her on her website, Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook or Instagram.
To see the full schedule of posts, please click here.
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 
This is so well done and creative. Amazing!💚
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