About the Book:
Title: Songs of Vice
Author: Nicole Bailey
Series: The Siren’s Call #1
Page Length: 320
Publication Date: Feb. 16, 2023
Synopsis: A siren with death in her song
A con artist with dark magic at his fingers
And a heist only they can pull off…
… if they don’t betray each other first.
Lira has until the blood moon to escape her mother’s cruel siren troupe.
Attempting to flee, she gets mixed up with a handsome stranger set on a dangerous mission to reclaim stolen magic.
A heist that pays enough gold to disappear with.
As their group of magical misfits tumbles through unexpected obstacles, Lira is pushed deeper into a mystical world she wants no part of. A realm filled with wrathful fairy courts and dangerous creatures. But when attraction builds and twists are unveiled, Lira isn’t sure where she belongs anymore.
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My Review:
A story of sirens, fairies, heists, friendship, and romance, Songs of Vice immersed me into a dangerous fantasy world that I didn’t want to leave. The story follows Lira, a siren determined to escape her fate, and Sai, a fairy undertaking a dangerous heist. Told from several perspectives, the story is engrossing and unique and my favorite book of the month!
Like Bailey’s other books, the world-building in this is fantastic. The imagery and sensory language create such a vivid and unique world of magic, faeries, sirens, and more. Lira is the daughter of a siren leader and is in line to take her mother’s role. Desperate to get away, Lira implores the help of the man she meant to deceive. Sai is drawn to Lira despite the fact that she tried to trick him, and he wants to help her. But he and his crew are in the middle of a dangerous heist, and there’s no time for distractions.
Lira looked like a goddess or a ghost in the creeping mist of the forest. She was a scepter that would drag me towards the pits of Naraka, and I wouldn’t fight. I’d follow her and face my fate and be reborn into some lesser reality all to feel the warmth of her flesh against mine one more time.
Lira and Sai have a chemistry-laden relationship that begins with nefarious purposes but quickly changes into a reluctant truce as Sai helps Lira escape her mother’s clutches and demands. They can’t help but be attracted and drawn to each other, and there are major insta-love vibes. I’m all about the fated mates trope, so I liked that they might be bound to each other in this way. I also like that they both question their connection. They have worries and doubts, and neither knows what the future will hold.
I also enjoyed Lira and Sai’s individual stories as much as their journey together, and I like that we learn a lot about their lives before they met each other. It explains so much about their actions and motivations. Lira is very naïve, and she knows little about the supernatural world even though she’s part of it. She seems very vulnerable, especially since she’s been kept ignorant of her past, her powers, and more. She is so different from Sai, who is much more experienced and wise to the ways of society. They come from very different worlds and families, but they fit together well. So much happened to this couple, and their new dynamics are really being put to the test.
You’re a lioness who’s been raised to believe she’s a kitten. You could tear this world apart if you wanted it.
The secondary characters are also great, and I adore Sai’s crew. They are all so unique and interesting, each with distinct personalities, goals, and motivations. I’m always a softie for a good found family. Luz is fantastic, and they have such a dynamic personality. And Elisa and Neia are the best!! I love how deeply they love each other, and I need more of them in my life! Bailey really knows how to bring characters to life, and I always become so invested in their stories. In this book, I was just as interested in the secondary group as I was in Sai and Lira, and there are so many subplots and perspectives I’m eager to see explored. There’s also a potential enemies-to-lovers story that sounds like it could be super swoon-worthy,
It helped, in a world full of hatred, to have a safe place among friends.
The plot is so well-layered and includes a bunch of court intrigue, mystery, and danger, and Lira learns that her freedom comes at a cost, especially after she uncovers several shocking revelations about herself, her past, and the people she cares about. And that ending! The pacing throughout the book is great, but that ending was a twist I totally didn’t see coming. I’m so curious to find out how Lira and Sai deal with all of the battles ahead of them, and I can’t wait to learn what happens to many of the other characters too.
I loved Songs of Vice and think it’s a brilliant start to Nicole Bailey’s new series! I admit, I’m kind of obsessed with all of Bailey’s books. The stories are so captivating, layered, and immersive, and the characters are always dynamically developed and easy to fall in love with. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, and I’m so grateful to Nicole bailey for gifting me a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Rating:
Favorite Parts:
- The romance!
- The world-building.
- The secondary characters.
- The intrigue!
- Did I say the romanceS? I loved them all!
Favorite Lines:
My life story had two phases. Chapter one was before I’d met Elisa, and chapter two was after. The only thing I cared about was living in the second one for as long as possible.
My heart galloped against her fingers as she moved closer so that our noses brushed. Her eyes dropped to my lips again, and she either needed to kiss me or stab me and put me out of my misery.
Tropes:
- found family
- fated mates
- enemies to lovers
- court intrigue
- heist
Fairies, heists, and romance always sounds like a good time. This was already on my TBR, but you have me more anxious to pick it up now. So glad you loved it!!
Thank you! I hope you do too, if you get a chance to read it!
This sounds so exciting (those quotes! omg), definitely putting this one on my tbr!
Right! I love Bailey’s writing! Her Apollo Ascending series is fantastic too!