The Mousai Series is a seductive and adventurous fantasy trilogy by E.J. Mellow. We loved the books so much they are the focus of this week’s LitStack Rec.
In This LitStack Rec of The Mousai Series
Romantasy at its Finest
I love dark romance fantasy, intricate magic systems, and strong women characters, serious women, vulnerable and humorous, seductive, who are emotionally and morally tested. I found that and more in the ingeniously crafted trio of Bassette sisters, their wit, their honesty, humor and perseverance providing a witty and solid foundation for E.J. Mellow’s The Mousai Series. The three books—Song of the Forever Rains, Dance of a Burning Sea, and Symphony for a Deadly Throne, are top notch romance fantasy, and quite a seductive read.
The Mousai Series is a journey into the vivid and captivating world of Aadilor, into the hidden and dangerous dark corners of the Thief Kingdom where secret desires are made manifest, and into the singular lives of three captivating sister sorceresses who each struggle to step into their power, their love, and their identity. As someone who devoured The Mousai Series, I can confidently say that Mellow has crafted a fantasy series that is intelligent, emotional, humorous, adventurous and, ultimately, seductive and sexy.
The Heart of the Series – Sisterhood Unbroken
E.J. Mellow’s The Mousai Series is a celebration of sisterhood, and the books shine brightest when the three main Bassette sister characters share scenes on the page together. The relationship between the three sisters is the heart and soul of this series. We very quickly meet the three sisters when they are children and we’re easily enchanted by their grit, witty dialogue, camaraderie, and distinct personalities. As their relationship unfolds, their bantering, teasing, and sometimes brutal sisterly honesty builds a trio of women who have genuine affection and love for each other, and who are each driven by their own versions of zest and mystery of life, each brimming with a unique joie de vivre. The youngest sister Larkyra, the middle sister Niya, and the eldest sister Arabessa, are each a powerful sorceress and fighter. But it is when they join together and perform their music that their combined magic transforms them into the formidable trio “the Mousai.”
The unique musical magic of the Mousai sets them apart—the youngest sister Larkyra (Lark) whose magic is her voice, the middle sister Niya whose magic is dance and body movement, and the eldest sister, Arabessa whose magic lies in control and discipline, her playing of music on any instrument invoking her magic and directing the focus of the magic of the other two.
Each book can be read as a standalone, but why would you do that? Read all three in a row, they are a fast read, humorous, sexy, and fantastical. The series transports you to a world inhabited by relatable and entertaining characters, some who have passionate and steamy physical encounters, and all who have moral and social flaws which render them human. Each book focuses on one sister’s journey, beginning with the youngest and ending with the eldest. The overarching narrative of the sisterhood’s unbreakable bond, their shared history, and their unwavering support for one another is a shimmering and grounding thread throughout the series. It’s refreshing to see complex female relationships where love and loyalty extend beyond romantic entanglements, where the real sister talk occurs, as it does here in the scenes with the three sisters together.
The Mousai Series Book 1 – Song of the Forever Rains
A Voice to Be Reckoned With | The Compelling Melody of Song of the Forever Rains
Song of the Forever Rains is the youngest sister’s, Larkyra’s, story, and it is an exciting and magical, and humorous, introduction to the series. Larkyra wields the magic of a devastating voice that can entice and manipulate and slay. She’s young, just having passed into womanhood through her Lierenfast—a rite of passage where she has been made to survive for a period of time without use of her magic. She’s bright, talented, smart, sexy and humorous. Beneath her witty facade, though, lies a young woman yearning to prove her worth and confidence to her sisters and father, and also grappling with the destructive potential of her gift.
Her father (secretly the Thief King), sends her on her first mission. She is to infiltrate the Duke of Lachlan’s estate, and to charm and seduce him, posing as a potential bride. The sun used to shine in Lachlan but the land is now covered in an oppressive magic rendering the land grey and inundated with daily rains. In Lachlan, people suffer under the Duke’s corrupt rule, and Larkyra is sent to investigate and uncover a suspected black market in phorria—a magical serum created by draining magic from others but that is only allowed to be used and abused in the Thief Kingdom—the magical Kubrickian, masked kingdom, where all lascivious, criminal, decadent and hidden behaviors go to secretly thrive. Phorria allows non-magic users to drain and absorb magic from those who possess magic, and the Duke of Lachlan is addicted to phorria though he barely retains any of the magic he absorbs.
Interfering with Larkyra’s mission to enchant the phorria-addled Duke is the dynamic and sexy Lord Darius Mekenna, the very son of the Duke. Lachlan, Darius’ homeland, is grey and rainy and in clear decline, and Darius is intent on restoring its former glory. He faces extreme odds, including his father—the Duke—who heaps emotional and physical abuse on his son to render him ineffectual and thereby retain the oppressive status quo. The romantic relationship that develops between Larkyra and Darius is fraught with initial mistrust and opposing loyalties, but slowly blossoms into a hard-won alliance. Mellow masterfully builds their connection, making you root for them to hook up every step of the way. (And when the characters in these books do hook up, let me say, in each novel the scenes are steamy and sensual and well worth the wait.) Song of the Forever Rains is a thrilling blend of espionage, political intrigue, and a simmering, burgeoning, and then fulfilled romance. It’s a powerful start to a series that gets even better.
The Mousai Series Book 2 – Dance of a Burning Sea
A Fiery Dance on the High Seas | The Adventurous Moves of Dance of a Burning Sea
Next in The Mousai Series, we set sail with Dance of a Burning Sea, Niya’s narrative, an entirely different adventure in this second book. Here, the middle sister’s, Niya’s, magic manifests in her fiery dance and movements–and trust us, her fiery personality is as much or even more potent, giving the reader a singular woman to root for.
This book plunges us into the world of pirates and open seas, as Niya finds herself reluctantly bound by blood oath to the infamous pirate lord, Alōs Ezra. She must help Alōs and his grimy crew of pirate misfits recover a sacred family jewel which Alōs stole when he was young (for hidden reasons that are unearthed) and then lost. His initial crime of stealing the jewel led to his banishment from his home country and led him to the life of a pirate. The romantic relationship between Niya and Alōs, at the heart of the novel, is a shining example of the enemies-to-lovers trope. Executed with much skill, the romance provides a delicious slow burn, crackling banter, and lusty physical encounters.
Niya’s fierce independence clashes magnificently with Alōs’s roguish charm and hidden depths. As they navigate treacherous waters with a crew of morally gray characters, to recover the sacred family jewel, Niya learns to trust in unexpected alliances and to confront long-held secrets of her past with Alōs. The world-building of Aadilor expands beyond the confines of the Thief Kingdom, introducing fascinating new locations and deepening our understanding of Aadilor’s diverse landscape. This book is a whirlwind of action, adventure, magic and undeniable chemistry that is a great middle arc in this fine series. And yes, there are giants in this one, and they’re cannibals, though the giants argue they’re not cannibals because they don’t eat any of their own.
As with the first book in The Mousai Series, the sisterhood of the three Bassettes grounds Dance of a Burning Sea in a strong women’s perspective, and once again, the three sisters find they survive and thrive when they are in league with each other. The Mousai here spread their magic again, and Niya must overcome her flaws to step fully into her unique identity and personality.
The Mousai Series Book 3 – Symphony for a Deadly Throne
A Crescendo of Duty and Desire | The Discipline of Kings and Beating of Hearts in Symphony for a Deadly Throne
The Mousai Series concludes with Symphony for a Deadly Throne, the eldest sister’s, Arabessa’s, climactic tale of ambition and love vs. duty. Arabessa, the eldest sister and the stoic leader of the Mousai, embodies control and duty. Her magic, the ability to conduct her and her sisters’ magical gifts through her playing of a musical instrument, perfectly reflects her measured demeanor and her sense of perspective. However, beneath Arabessa’s composed and disciplined exterior lies a complex, fiery, and passionate woman who must negotiate an emotionally charged path between her long-standing love for Zimri D’Enieu (her father’s trusted right hand), and her burgeoning ambition to become the next Thief King. The stakes rise as Arabessa finds herself in a life and death (called the Fade) competition for the Thief King throne. Three challenges await Arabessa, magical tests that know and will exploit her deepest fears.
But she is forced, by magical binding spell, to keep this all a secret. She is unable to tell her lover Zimri of her quest for the throne, and she must sacrifice his love and possible future in order to succeed. Will Zimri marry the wrong woman, will Arabessa consent to be Zimri’s mistress outside of the arranged marriage that could fulfill Zimri’s life quest by gaining him an important dowry—a majority share in Macaris, a roguish club in the Thief Kingdom where Zimri is known as “the Collector” and that comprises his (and his parents’) lifelong ambition and livelihood? Will Arabessa’s quest to be Thief King doom the Mousai? These are the stakes.
Symphony for a Deadly Throne delves even further into the politics of the Thief Kingdom, revealing long-held secrets of the kingdom, and challenging the characters’ and our preconceived notions of what is important and what must be sacrificed. The friends-to-lovers dynamic between Arabessa and Zimri is exquisitely crafted, full of unspoken desires and heartbreaking choices. Will Arabessa and Zimri consummate their love or will the price for Arabessa to be Thief King demand they sacrifice their love and future. Symphony for a Deadly Throne is a poignant exploration of sacrifice, the weight of responsibility, and the ultimate pursuit of one’s own heart and destiny, and it brings the series to a wholly satisfying and seductive conclusion.
The Mousai Series Soars
Mellow’s writing itself is a major draw here. Her prose is evocative and descriptive, painting a vivid rendition of the Thief Kingdom’s hidden passages, the tumultuous seas, and the raw emotions of her characters. The magic system, tied to music and performance, is not only unique but also beautifully integrated into the narrative, adding layers of nuance and creativity. The dialogue and banter between the sisters is most welcome, oftentimes hilarious, and draws clear pictures of these three distinct women and their love for each other.
The Mousai Series offers powerful magic, thrilling adventures, intricate political landscapes, enticing romance and passionate sexual encounters, but perhaps most importantly, well-developed characters with stories you invest in. Whether you’re drawn to Larkyra’s thrilling espionage mystery, Niya’s high-stakes pirate romance, or Arabessa’s tale of royal ambition vs. enduring love, this series delivers satisfying reads from all three novels. Step into the world of Aadilor and let the Mousai Series enchant you.
We are hoping for a fourth book in The Mousai Series. (What could be better than a fourth book?) We’d love to experience a story with the three sisters, and their father and husbands, together on the page. A fourth novel with the Mousai working together offers a golden opportunity for E.J. Mellow to enchant and beguile us with more scenes of these three magical sisters moving towards a common goal, rekindling and deepening for us the seductive music of the Mousai.
About E.J. Mellow, Author of The Mousai Series
E.J. Mellow is an award-winning, bestselling author of five novels. She grew up in a household of artists, surrounded by three sisters who were often found traipsing through the small grove of trees near their home. There they morphed into wolves and wild horses, escaping capture from many foes. Today, E.J. has taken her imagination to the page where readers have said her “lyrical, vibrant, and imaginative” writing sweeps them into “stunning worlds”. She is also the co-founder of She Is Booked, a literary themed fundraising organization that supports women’s charities.
Residing in Colorado, when E.J. is not writing she is out hiking and enjoying the company of her husband and son.
You can connect with E.J. Mellow on her website, on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Source: www.ejmellow.com
Publisher: Montlake | Brilliance Publishing
ISBN: Book 1 Softcover 9781542026055
ISBN: Book 2 Softcover 9781542026079
ISBN: Book 3 Softcover 9781662500992
Other Titles by E.J. Mellow
Other LitStack Resources
Be sure and look at our other LitStack Recs and LitStack Reviews for our recommendations on books you should read, including reviews by Lewis Buzbee, Lauren Alwan, Allie Coker, Rylie Fong, and Sharon Browning.
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