Review: Sing Sweet Nightingale by Erica Cameron

Goodreads Summary:

Mariella Teagen hasn't spoken a word in four years.

She pledged her voice to Orane, the man she loves—someone she only sees in her dreams. Each night, she escapes to Paradise, the world Orane created for her, and she sings for him. Mariella never believed she could stay in Paradise longer than a night, but two weeks before her eighteenth birthday, Orane hints that she may be able to stay forever.

Hudson Vincent made a pledge to never fight again.

Calease, the creature who created his dream world, swore that giving up violence would protect Hudson. But when his vow caused the death of his little brother, Hudson turned his grief on Calease and destroyed the dream world. The battle left him with new abilities and disturbing visions of a silent girl in grave danger—Mariella.

Now, Hudson is fighting to save Mariella's life while she fights to give it away. And he must find a way to show her Orane’s true intentions before she is lost to Paradise forever.

Publication Date: March 4, 2014

I loved Sing Sweet Nightingale and I can’t find one single critical thing to say about it. It was that good! I loved the characters, the imagery and the world building. I can’t wait for the series to continue and I hope to read more about Mari and Hudson.

Sing Sweet Nightingale hooked me from the beginning. The first chapter is set in Trenton (a very exciting detail for a Jersey girl who lives next to Trenton). Hudson captured my heart from the very first page and my heart broke for him when he lost his brother. He heads off on a revenge quest and it brings him into Mari’s life.

Mari was hard to get a read on at first and you could see how much Orane had entranced her to believe whatever he said. I enjoyed the scenes with Orane and Mari in the Dreamworld and loved the descriptive writing. It was fun to imagine being inside a world where anything is possible.

The romance was understated in Sing Sweet Nightingale, but I was still pleased with it. I found Hudson and Mari so likable and I loved their chemistry. The duo shared some really sweet moments especially when Hudson tries to protect Mari without freaking her out.

The pacing was excellent and I was anxious to see how everything would be resolved. There was such a strong sense of foreboding as I read and I couldn’t figure out how Hudson would be able to save Mari. The climax was exciting and I was glad the book concluded where it did.

It is a young adult novel, but definitely had crossover appeal. The novel is going on my favorites shelf and I can’t praise it enough.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!