Songbird of the Sorrows

By: Braidee Otto

Narrated by: Imani Jade Powers

In a magical world of gods and mythical races, an outcast princess turned spy infiltrates a rival kingdom—uncovering secrets that force her to choose between obedience and defiance—in the first book of a propulsive romantic fantasy series for fans of Danielle L. Jensen’s The Bridge Kingdom series.

“An addictive new romantic fantasy that combines beautiful world-building, a thrilling combination of heist and trials, and a toe-curling forbidden romance.”—Demi Winters, author of The Ashen Series

Ask no questions. Obey your orders. Respect your masters. But most of all, love no one.

Spy. Thief. Princess. Songbird.

Banished from the Palace of Sorrows as a child, Princess Aella was taken in by the Aviary, a secret intelligence network embedded throughout the Empyrieos that trains orphans as professional spies. Now twenty-three years old, she has finally earned her place as a Songbird on the most elite team of assassins, led by none other than her former flame, Raven. Everything about him calls to her—he’s brave, loyal, and lethal—but their relationship is also the greatest threat to her standing as a Songbird.

Before Aella can untangle her feelings, their team is sent on a dangerous mission to the eastern kingdom, a land that ever since the horrific God War has been the enemy of her homeland. Aella’s role is crucial yet troublesome: she must assume her former title of Princess of the Sorrows to compete in a series of bridal trials. But when the trials turn deadly and the mission is threatened, Aella must decide whether to follow orders or defy them.

Songbird of the Sorrows is the first novel in the sweeping, romantic Myths of the Empyrieos series, following Aella through an epic journey of self-discovery, true love, redemption, and ultimately a great war that promises to upend the lives of everyone in the realm.

*Includes a downloadable PDF featuring a glossary, character pronunciations, and a map of the realm to guide you on your journey.

Critic reviews

“Songbird of the Sorrows is a new addictive romantic fantasy that combines beautiful world-building, a thrilling combination of heist and trials, and a toe-curling forbidden romance. Between the romantic intrigue and the unraveling mysteries, it kept me guessing until the very last page!”—Demi Winters, author of The Road of Bones

“Simmering with tension and intrigue, Songbird of the Sorrows is about to become your new romantasy obsession. Braidee Otto has crafted a gorgeous tale with effortless writing and lovable characters who come alive on the page. Trials and heists, friendship and forbidden romance, secrets and banter—this has it all.”—Nisha J. Tuli, USA Today bestselling author of Trial of the Sun Queen

“Treacherous, alluring, and immersive, Braidee Otto’s debut is not to be missed! I flew through Songbird of the Sorrows, and the ending left me craving more.”—Alina Bellchambers, author of The Order of Masks duology

“Masterful world-building, engaging characters, perilous circumstances, and star-crossed lovers—what else could we ask for? In this world where war simmers on the horizon and betrayal lurks around every corner, I wasn’t sure who to trust, but the romantic tension had me yearning for the loaded glances and secret touches. The end left me gasping aloud and hungry for more.”—Madeline Te Whiu, author of The Assassin Thief

“An enticing blend of espionage, romance, and rebellion animates Braidee Otto’s debut and Myths of the Empyrieos series launch. . . . With rich sensory descriptions, Otto crafts an immersive world of coded messages and whispered betrayals. . . . Aella’s growth from an obedient agent of the Aviary to a self-possessed leader anchors the story. Fans of Carissa Broadbent’s The Serpent & the Wings of Night will want to check this out.”—Publishers Weekly

Great Book

I enjoyed this book very much. The reading of the book was good and the storyline was unique and interesting. Looking forward to the next book.

Pretty Okay

I didn't read any of the reviews, picked this up purely on the cover copy so I had 0 expectations. It's a pretty enjoyable read not like massively jaw dropping but still fairly good. World building was done really well I felt like everything was given in bites and not dumped on the reader. Enjoyed the story all together. But there were 2 chapters (i think it was 32&33 was definitely in the 30s) that made me almost DNF the book. Narrator was perfect wonderful job.

Theres a bordering assault moment that goes on for way too long where its almost natural that you assume its going to get very dark and it bordered on it for way too long for me. It didn't happen but then the next chapter it starts then almost immediately stops. I don't remember why it did because I started tuning it out. But I almost DNFed because of it. So be aware of that.

What a wild ride!

The overall premise of this story was super interesting and the cliff hanger left me wanting more. I struggled a bit with the characters at times as they seem a bit immature and I was getting YA vibes but then there was some spice scenes. I did not love the narrator of this and always have a hard time when it is a single narrator.

Wonderful!

The story starts off slow, and there are definitely more details than necessary in places. I ended up increasing the reading speed, which actually helped—because underneath it all, the story itself is quite magical.

I really enjoyed the overall plot, especially since it felt different from your typical romantasy. This is a second-chance love story, and I appreciated that the prince was truly evil and fully embraced the villain role rather than being another morally gray character who turns out to be good. There are also mentions of trials for potential brides, but they aren’t the main focus of the plot, which was a refreshing change.

Looking ahead, I’m hoping the love interest shifts in the next book. I’d love to see the new MMC character introduction help the FMC heal, sharpen her skills, and grow into the powerful character she has the potential to be. She’s undergone extensive training, yet much of that felt underutilized in this first installment. Instead, the story focused more on her kind nature than on her capabilities.

Despite its flaws, this book has definitely earned a spot on my “watchlist.” I’m looking forward to book two and excited to see how the story—and the FMC—evolves.

Unlike Anything Else I've Read

This book started with a glossary, name pronunciations, and a map. LOVE! That tells me that the author wants her story to be understood.

The magic system was unique.
The MFC was competent and strong.
The world building was easy to follow, and not overly vast.
The characters were well-developed, with room for growth in future books.
Found family.
GIRL POWER.

Ends on a cliffhanger and I need MORE!