Book Review: Solstice Festival (The Dreamsong Saga #1)
Author: Jean DiFalco
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
$$$: $0.91 AUD for Kindle,
(at 3/8/2020)
Publisher: Amazon.com Services LLC (18 May 2017) ASIN: B072BZKHDB
I give it: 5 stars
Partial Blurb from Amazon:
“Sixteen-year-old Solé Covari has no real reason to believe her father, disappeared into Alterra’s Fog nearly a decade ago, is somewhere out there alive. There’s been no sign of him. And everyone knows, those lost in the mists rarely return.
Worse still, Maman suffers a strange malady that makes her eyes glow with yellow light. And as much as Solé hates keeping secrets, she knows no one must find out about Maman’s condition—just like the forbidden gift her daughters were born with, some things must be kept under wraps.
For her family, there’s not much Solé wouldn’t do–even if it means facing the Fog alone, and finally embracing the magick she’s hidden her entire life. Could a power that’s never brought her anything but grief truly be her saving grace?”
I don’t read a lot of YA (Young Adult) fiction anymore but I really enjoyed this book, and it’s sequel. I think I picked this book up as a freebie somewhere, but I bought the sequel: that’s how much I enjoyed this series. In the interest of transparency, I am not getting paid for this, and the book wasn’t a freebie in return for a review. I just really enjoyed it and thought you might too.
So, about the book. Solé and her family are Romani-style travellers, with psychic abilities in an alternate steampunk style universe called Alterra. There’s a lot of mystery in Solé’s world. There are things in the fog (The Old Ones: think like the Fae) and people who disappear into it are never seen again. The society is reminiscent of the Victorian Era or perhaps slightly earlier, with little in the way of technology. When the story starts Solé has taken her mother’s place in the family business, reading fortunes as they travel across Alterra. But when her little sister is taken into the fog by the Old Ones Solé must brave her own fears, and the chance that she will never see her family again, to save Dora.
I really enjoyed the blending of fantasy, Romani, and other elements. The hand painted tarot cards and braided hair ribbon were nice touches. DiFalco has a real talent for world building and creating colourful characters. I’ve always been obsessed with stories about this kind of society and Solstice Festival was an extremely satisfying read. Definitely recommend this book for lovers of fantasy, steampunk, and more.
Interested in this book? Here’s a link to it’s Amazon page 🙂
B. Forrester 
Sounds good 👌
LikeLike