A book about trolls sounded like something not over done. I thought this one could be different, a story which may rise to the top because of its uniqueness. I anticipated goodness going into this one and Stolen Songbird delivered. When a young farmer's daughter gets abducted on her birthday, she's baffled to find herself being sold to the King of Trollus, a troll. It is now her destiny to be bound to Tristan, the King's son in hopes to break a century old curse which binds the trolls to an underground cave. Tristan is a troll and growing up Cecile been told evil story about how horrific trolls are. She's held against her will, forced to live as a wife of a Prince who appears to detest her. The strange thing is, the stories she's been told don't seem to match up. For starters, Tristan isn't ugly. In fact, he's the most gorgeous guy Cecile's ever set eyes on and that's just the beginning. Stolen Songbird is told in a first person narrative. What's extra special is its and alternating first person narrative. Sometime's its Tristan who's narrating while other times its Cecile's turn. I loved that the story was told in this fashion because it gave you insight into how both main characters thought processes. The book length is over 400 pages, but this is a fast paced read. The world building and troll mythology worked so well. I loved finding out the laws that governed the trolls. The fact that they cannot tell a lie was intriguing. Cecile, the heroine, had her whole life ahead of her. She planned to leave for the big city and sing along side her mother. After she was abducted and sold to the trolls, I admired how she never gave up. She was strong willed and determined, even very fearless at times. I liked how she was a fair person and wanted to find out as much as she could about the trolls and the half-bloods. Tristan, the troll prince, was troubled. He has the weight of the world on his shoulders. I liked how he thought more about the future than the present. He was someone who wasn't afraid to make sacrifices for the greater good. Romance in this one was perfect. It was in the background and slow burning. In the beginning, Cecile detested Tristan, but over the course of the novel, her feeling changed. For most of the book they had to pretend they detested each other. I loved how they attacked and counter attacked each other. Both characters were quick witted, sarcastic and fantastic at comebacks. Some of my favorite parts of the novel were how each one-upped the other. This book is mostly fantasy, but it also has romance and action. There is also a great deal of suspense. The mood was semi-serious, but even in times of extreme danger, the main characters managed to make light of situations and infuse humor into the plot lines. I don't usually follow politics very well, but Jensen was with Trollus able to create a troll world I could fathom. This book has just a little bit of everything even magic and witches. Its a thick plot and and action packed ending. The book ends in a precarious spot. It leaves the reader wanting more. I really appreciate the direction the author is taking this one and can't wait for the next installment in the series.