Hello, my dear Page Dreamers!
I’m absurdly pleased to be a part of the Minstrel’s Call release blog tour. It just came out last week, and I’m here today to share my review for this book, which is the fourth and final (!!) book in Jenelle Leanne Schmidt‘s family-friendly, epic fantasy series, The Minstrel’s Song. (Hint: I ADORE THIS SERIES. ❤ )
Be sure to scroll to the end of the post for the fabulous giveaway Jenelle is hosting, and to check out the other stops on the tour!
So. My review. 😀
SALE NOTE FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOKS (LAST DAY): King’s Warrior and Second Son are on sale for 99 cents each, and Yorien’s Hand is on sale for $1.99, from Feb. 27 – March 6.
Title: Minstrel’s Call
Author: Jenelle Leanne Schmidt
- Date read: March 5, 2018
- Rating: 5 stars
- Genre: Epic Fantasy / Christian
- Age: Any
- Year pub: 2018
- Pages: 552 (ebook)
- Series: The Minstrel’s Song, #4 (previous books: King’s Warrior, Second Son (prequel), Yorien’s Hand)
- Fave character: Kiernan Kane and Brant! ❤
- Source: The author
- Notes: I received a free e-ARC from the author and these opinions are entirely my own.
THIS BOOK. AAAAAAAAAAAHH.
I will be calm, I will, but… just… I have no words, okay? I’m trying to, but all my thoughts are just swirling around in my head in a kaleidescope of sweeping-fantasy-epic and happiness and character love. MY FEELS.
When I finished reading it, I made a lot of incoherent noises of happiness, and hugged my cat and my sister, and danced around, pretty much in the clouds. ^_^ And then I just wanted to curl up and hug the book (which is awkward when it’s on my laptop… *cough*), and feel HAPPY BOOKISH THOUGHTS and think about everything that happened in it, and basically be ABSURDLY PLEASED WITH LIFE. But instead I’m going to write my review so that I can tell you all how much I liked this book, and why you have to read it too! 😀
I love this series so, so much and this book was absolutely the PERFECT conclusion to it. I’ve just grown so fond and attached to this series and these characters and all of it! ❤
Firstly, excuse me while I talk about SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS of all time, namely Brant and KIERNAN KANE. Just—words do not suffice to talk about these awesome characters! I LOVE THEM SO. I’ve loved following their stories through this series and—this final book!! O_O SO much goes down in this volume. SO. MUCH. Reveals and twists and hardships and epicness… And I love them all the more for it. ❤ These two characters ALONE are well worth reading this series in order to meet. 😀 As much as I love each of them on their own, their friendship-that’s-kinda-not IS MY FAVORITE THING. But Brant is the best warrior/king type of character, and Kiernan Kane is the bestest Minstrel ever and is so much more than he seems, and I can’t talk about him but JUST GO MEET HIM, OKAY.
The story itself is epic. EPIC, I TELL YOU. I was wondering, since it’s the last in a series and all, how it was going to pull this off. But I need not have worried, because it totally fulfilled my expectations. It’s a glorious sweeping epic and it was quite the adventure. I was absorbed in it, even in the slower parts, and by the end I was absolutely on the edge of my seat and SO EXTREMELY WORRIED about my precious friends and quite emotionally invested. Like. Just. THE TENSION. *collapses* This is final-book-wowness on a grand scale. Meep.
SO many things happen in this book, I don’t even know where to start! And also there are so many spoilers. O_O So… I probably can’t even say very much, because I don’t want to spoil them! (I mean, even things that are spoilers from previous books which are so much a part of this story… Reviewing the last book in a series is hard, guys. XD)
Suffice it to say that there is catastrophe and eucatastrophe, laughter and tears and soul-stirring calls to battle, cataclysmic fights and epic quests, music and light and darkness and hope and triumph. And it’s all so BEAUTIFUL. *sniffs* *hugs book* It can be fun and epic in turns (I know I keep using that word but I’m NOT EVEN SORRY), and just—words fail. It’s just the kind of fantasy I like, I suppose. ^_^ There’s even a thread of Christian allegory, in the best way possible. So well done!
I love this world, and the unique fantasy elements, like the dreamworld things and the portal prison and just EVERYTHING. So intriguing. Twissssts caught me off my guard, were fascinating, or I bounced up and down because I suspected them and YES. The quest to an arctic-like place (sooo cool!). I loved the ship!! 😀 (See gorgeous cover for details.) And oh, the prophecy THINGS! O_O Wow, wow, wow. Such reveals going on! And the Corridor, and just EVERYTHING HAPPENED. And the dragonssss, and other fantastical creatures! (The wind!) Absolutely brilliant and delightful.
Oh, and a random thing, but I LOVE the little almost-Arthurian dashes of mythology thrown around here and there in the series. 😀 And I also really enjoyed the snatches of quotes etc. at the beginning of the chapters (new in this book). They were fascinating, and showed such a depth to the history of the world of Tellurae Aquaous, like a rich tapestry we catch glimpses of. It really gave me a feel for that, and made me long to know more about all the stories hinted at!
All my character friends! I love them all and they’ve come so far and just— *HUGS THEM* They go through SO much in this book, but I loved standing with them and watching them come through it all. Kitry is an adorable new heroine, and I love continuing to follow the adventures of Kamarie and Oraeyn, Brant and Dylanna, Yole, Leila, Kiernan Kane, Jemson, Devrin, and the rest. ❤ I could talk about each at length but this is getting long and also there would be so many spoilers. XD BUT I LOVE THEM. MY HEART.
Each book in The Minstrel’s Song series is more amazing than the last. I keep thinking “the next one can’t be better than this.” But they ARE. And the writing, too, is getting even better in each new installment! Yorien’s Hand was my favorite (it was also the first one I read, since I read them out of order… Oops.) and I re-read it and loved it all over again. And as I was reading Minstrel’s Call, I was like “Eh… it probably can’t be better than Yorien’s Hand.” BUT THEN SO MANY THINGS HAPPENED AND JUST. Every book builds on the previous one and becomes so much more epic and fantastic and it’s basically a climbing stair of awesome and I LOVE IT.
I love that this book and series are family-friendly fantasy, while still being epic and thrilling, and I fully intend to read these aloud to my siblings. (And also to get a shiny paperback of this one someday because I neeeed it on my shelf.)
It’s an enormous book, but I’m glad I got to spend a little more time with these beloved characters in this beautiful and perilous world. (BUT BRANT. AND KIERNAN. KIIIIERNAN!)
It’s practically perfect and I love it, and it was intense but made me absurdly happy, and just go read this series now. (And then come tell me so that we can flail about the spoilers in this book and how amazing Minstrel’s Call was. :D)
About Minstrel’s Call
War threatens. The game board is set. But the Minstrel is missing…
Advancing his growing power, the Dread Prince breaks free of his prison and brings a faction of dragons under his control, stirring unrest and hatred in the newly united kingdoms of Tellurae Aquaous.
When the dragon wards of Kallayohm are targeted in a ruthless attack, the High King travels there to administer justice. But the trial results in a crippling blow that leaves him reeling.
On the heels of defeat, an unexpected message from the erstwhile Minstrel arrives, pleading with his friends for rescue. Together, the High King and his companions must follow the fragile trail, braving peril and darkness that will test the measure of them all…
Rafflecopter Giveaway From Jenelle:
I am giving away 1 Dragon Sword, 1 252-piece puzzle of the artwork for Minstrel’s Call, and 1 signed paperback copy of Minstrel’s Call. (Due to standard-postal shipping restrictions of blades outside the continental USA, and the lack of reliable dragons these days, I cannot offer the sword to winners outside the U.S. However, if someone outside the U.S. wins that particular item, I will send them a $35 Amazon Gift Card instead).
Enter the giveaway HERE!
Visit Jenelle Online at:
Website/Blog • Facebook • Twitter • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads
Tour Schedule
Monday, February 26
Tuesday, February 27
Wednesday, February 28
Thursday, March 1
Friday, March 2
Monday, March 5
Tuesday, March 6
- ARC Review from Deborah O’Carroll (You are here!)
Wednesday, March 7
Thursday, March 8
Friday, March 9
Have you checked out this series yet? I love it so much! ❤
Thanks for reading! 🙂
Dream away in those pages . . .
~ The Page Dreamer / Deborah O’Carroll
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The Page Dreamer (Deborah O'Carroll) 
This series is on my TBR list! It sounds super fun. I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.
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Huzzah! It’s so good! 😀 Haha, I totally know that feeling. XD *stares at mile-long TBR*
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AWP! DEBORAH!
*tears absolutely streaming down my face* this was SO NICE! Thank you 🙂
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Aww, you’re so welcome! ^_^ It was just SO INCREDIBLY SATISFYING of a series ending, y’know? ❤
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Pingback: Jenelle Schmidt Minstrel’s Call Blog Tour + Giveaway Extravaganza!
Oh my goodness, your enthusiasm and happiness made ME happy! I was literally grinning to myself while reading this whole review. And asking myself whyyyyyyy I haven’t read these books yet?!?!?! Now that they’re all out, I need to get them and do a marathon read because I THINK I’LL LOVE THEM. I mean, FANTASY AND DRAGONS AND AMAZING CHARACTERS AND JUST YESSSS.
This whole review was perfect and adorable and I loved everything about it! <333
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Aww, that makes my day! 😀 And yes, you’ll love them! You definitely need to try them out sometime! ^_^ YOU NEED THESE CHARACTERS IN YOUR LIFE. Plus, they’re perfect for you because dragons. 😉 😉
Thank you so much! ❤
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