Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield

Goodreads Blurb

"Sing, and the darkness will find you.” This warning has haunted fifteen-year-old Lucy ever since she was eight and shipwrecked on a lonely island. Lucy’s guardian, Norrie, has lots of rules, but the most important is that Lucy must never sing. Not ever. Now it is 1667, Lucy is fifteen, and on All Hallows’ Eve, Lucy hears a tantalizing melody on the wind. She can’t help but sing—and she is swept into darkness. 
When she awakes in England, Lucy hears powerful men discussing Chantresses—women who can sing magic into the world. They are hunting her, but she escapes and finds sanctuary with the Invisible College, an organization plotting to overthrow the nefarious Lord Protector. The only person powerful enough to bring about his downfall is a Chantress. And Lucy is the last one in England. 
Lucy struggles to master the song-spells and harness her power, but the Lord Protector is moving quickly. And her feelings for Nat, an Invisible College apprentice and scientist who deeply distrusts her magic, only add to her confusion... 
Time is running out, and the fate of England hangs in the balance in this entrancing novel that is atmospheric and lyrical, dangerous and romantic.

Oh my God. The cover. The synopsis. Is it any wonder I've been dying for this since the reveal? I loved the idea of this, the magic, and historical is one of my favorite genres! Of course I had to read it.
And, you guys, it did not disappoint.

I loved the worldbuilding in this, though I do wish we had dug a little deeper into it. But it was wonderfully thought out and had a haunting atmosphere that made the book so much more enjoyable than it already was! Historical fantasy is always something I find fascinating since you're both creating a world and mixing in historical references and places. Sometimes, the world is horrible--Chantress's was far from terrible!

I loved Lucy. She was a wonderful character who was real enough to believe in--she wasn't selfish and mean or whiny, but she wasn't Miss Perfect, selfless to the core, and that was a relief!
Our minor characters were my favorite though! They each had such quirky traits and individual personalities! They brought the story to life!

There was, honestly, barely any romance except on the last page. And, sadly, only one kissing scene. THIS ROMANTIC NEEDS MORE KISSING! I did love how their relationship was slow, though, and not rushed like how it usually is in YA. I can't wait to see the couple in the sequel!

The plot was, admittedly, a bit slow in the middle. It started out wonderfully, action packed already, but the pacing slowed distinctively after a hundred pages or so. Not to say it wasn't fascinating and entertaining. It was! It just wasnt as action packed as I hoped.

Absolutely enchanting and magical, Chantress is a book that will leave you absolutely speechless and dying until the sequel!

Pages:336
Genre: Historical/Fantasy
Series: Chantress Trilogy #1
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Rating: 3.5-->4 stars