ARC Review: Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge

Title: Bright Smoke, Cold Fire
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Publication: September 27th 2016 by Balzer + Bray
Genre: Young Adult ~ Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Play | Kobo
Rating: 3/5

Review copy received in exchange for an honest review.

When the mysterious fog of the Ruining crept over the world, the living died and the dead rose. Only the walled city of Viyara was left untouched.

The heirs of the city’s most powerful—and warring—families, Mahyanai Romeo and Juliet Catresou share a love deeper than duty, honor, even life itself. But the magic laid on Juliet at birth compels her to punish the enemies of her clan—and Romeo has just killed her cousin Tybalt. Which means he must die.

Paris Catresou has always wanted to serve his family by guarding Juliet. But when his ward tries to escape her fate, magic goes terribly wrong—killing her and leaving Paris bound to Romeo. If he wants to discover the truth of what happened, Paris must delve deep into the city, ally with his worst enemy . . . and perhaps turn against his own clan.

Mahyanai Runajo just wants to protect her city—but she’s the only one who believes it’s in peril. In her desperate hunt for information, she accidentally pulls Juliet from the mouth of death—and finds herself bound to the bitter, angry girl. Runajo quickly discovers Juliet might be the one person who can help her recover the secret to saving Viyara.

Both pairs will find friendship where they least expect it. Both will find that Viyara holds more secrets and dangers than anyone ever expected. And outside the walls, death is waiting. . . .

Inspired by Romeo and Juliet, Bright Smoke, Cold Fire is a darkly romantic and atmospheric fantasy from acclaimed author Rosamund Hodge. It will be released on September 27th, 2016.

Three stars might not seem like a very high rating for a Rosamund Hodge book from me considering I absolutely loved her previous books. I didn't hate Bright Smoke, Cold Fire but I can't help but feel slightly disappointed. It fell somewhere in the middle between good and bad for me.

Starting the book I was very confused because the world in it, though it was pretty brilliant, was quite a lot to take in. And it took me a while (at least 40-50% in the book) to really got what was going on. And I was also pretty disappinted with the writing. It just didn't feel as amazing as in the other books like Cruel Beauty.

The points of view were writting in Paris and Runajo's. I did like the friendship (not even sure I can call it that, maybe partnership?) that Paris formed with Romeo and Runajo with Juliet. I didn't care much for the chapters featuring Paris and Romeo. I just didn't like them as characters. I did, however, love Runajo and I eventually warmed up to Juliet also. Their connection and friendship (I'll just call it that) was pretty amazing as it grew.

I do want to give the author points for the complex and dark world she has created in this book. It was also a very original reimagining of Romeo and Juliet. And I do want to find out what happens next of course, even though it was not as great as I thought it would be. It's still a good enough YA fantasy, in my opinion.

       About the Author:

       Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Rosamund Hodge grew up as a homeschooler in Los Angeles, where she spent her time reading everything she could lay hands on, but especially fantasy and mythology. She got a BA in English from the University of Dallas and an MSt in Medieval English from Oxford, and she now lives in Seattle with seven toy cats and a plush Cthulhu. Visit her on the web at http://www.rosamundhodge.net/

Review: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

Title: Crimson Bound
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Publication: May 5th 2015 by Balzer + Bray
Genre: Young Adult ~ Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
Rating: 5/5

Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

 

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

On the edge of destruction, at the end of all things, we still dance. And hope.

Crimson Bound absolutely was one of the most epic, beautifully written and captivating fantasy books that I have read. It was one of those books that you just want to keep reading and never put down. 

So Cruel Beauty was one of my favorite books that I read in 2013 but I am so pleased to say that I thought Crimson Bound was even better. But these two books can't really be compared, in my opinion, because they were very different. Crimson Bound definitely is more "fantasy" than Cruel Beauty. Though at first when I started the book it was a bit much and confusing I quickly came into the story more and just read it so freaking fast, devouring every page because it was such a great story. And yes, it has some elements from little red riding hood, which I enjoyed a lot but keep in mind it's only slightly based on it.

Crimson Bound is about  Rachelle who got marked by a creature called a forestborn when she was fifteen. Which led to having to make the terrible decision of either dying in three days or killing someone and living on as a bloodbound. A horrible choice, but one she made nonetheless. Three years later she works for the king, serving the realm and fighting forestborns. It's then that she learns the Devourer will soon rise and that the endless night will come. Her only hope is to find Joyeuse, a sword of legend that is the only chance to stop it. When the king orders Rachelle to guard his son, Armand, who is called a saint, she is forced to make him help her. Romance, mystery, betrayal and darkness follow soon.

I absolutely liked Rachelle. She could kick ass, was willing to do anything to save the realm even if she had to die and even beneath all that she definitely had a heart. At first I wasn't so sure what to think about Armand but I ended up liking him a lot the more we got to know him. Then there's also Erec, captain of the king's bloodbound and Rachelle's friend. I liked him the most, to be honest. There is some romance in this book, though it's not the biggest element in the book. But I did enjoy the romance aspect, even though it was a bit of a love triangle, but it's not a huge one.

A lot happened in this book and there's a lot of action, which I loved. Also there are twists at every turn. People you think that are good guys end up being kind of bad so there's quite a lot of heartstopping betrayal. I hate it but I love it at the same time. At some point I even think it would have a slightly bad ending. It was that intense and nailbiting suspenseful!

And of course let's not forget the gorgeous way this author writes. It's my absolutely favorite thing from her books and it's even more noticable in Crimson Bound. Her writing is so beautifully descriptive and just took me away. I couldn't get enough of it and actually felt like I had crawled inside the book and not wanting to come out. 

Gorgeous with vivid details and eloquent writing, Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge is one of the finest fantasy books I have ever read. Seriously, this is how you write a good fantasy book, people! Also the deceit, passion and all the fascinating characters made this book simply perfection. I loved reading every single page and I'm so very curious as to what this author will come up next!

About the Author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

I love mythology, Hello Kitty, and T. S. Eliot. I also write YA fantasy novels: CRUEL BEAUTY, where Greek mythology meets Beauty and the Beast, and CRIMSON BOUND, where Little Red Riding Hood meets . . . many strange things.

Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Title: Cruel Beauty

Author: Rosamund Hodge

Publication: January 28th 2014 by Balzer & Bray

Genre: Young Adult ~ Fantasy

Format: e-arc from Edelweiss

Cover Rating: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5/5

e-arc provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

  

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

~My Thoughts:

A mix of fairytale retelling and greek mythology, Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge is a fantastically, imaginative story that blew me away!

The reason I started this book was actually sort of random. I wanted to read a book that I had received from Edelweiss because I've gotten quite some great books and I said to myself I should make work of them. Cruel Beauty was the one that spoke to me the most because of the amazing description and gorgeous cover. I just want to jump in the air and yell thank you for whichever other reason I decided to read it. 

Cruel Beauty features a seventeen year-old girl named Nyx. She's been betrothed to a monster, a demon lord, all her life thanks to a bargain that her father made with the Gentle Lord who rules the kingdom. But until the day of her wedding which is on her 17th birthday she's been taught by her father how to try and destroy the Gentle Lord (a.k.a. Ignifex), avenge her mother and break the curse, with which the kingdom has suffered for over 900 years. When the day finally comes and Nyx marries Ignifex he seems different from what she has expected all her life, which was a cruel monster. Instead she finds herself drawn to him. As she struggles to find a way to free her people of the curse and uncover the Gentle Lord's secrets, she finds it hard to keep going on the right track and her heart protected from him.



"A virgin knife in a virgin's hand can kill the beast that rules the land."

This book... My favorite one of the year so far. By far. It left such a huge impression on me, especially because it's the author's debut! I can hardly believe it. The story itself was so fascinating. I couldn't stop reading at all and finished in two days time. At one point I was even walking and reading (don't try this at home, kids!) because I didn't want to stop. Yes, it was THAT good. The writing was unbelievable gorgeous. I all but inhaled word for word and loved it beyond believe. I was very engrossed by the enchanting world Rosamind Hodge has created with this book. The allure! 

I knew that soon I would realize what I had done, that the acid of my self-loathing would eat through my walls and burn me down to the bone.

Nyx has got to be one of my favorite young adult characters EVER. I might say this with every good book I read but this book wasn't just good or great or awesome it was the most enticing book I have read lately and I've read a lot of compelling books this year already. Unlike so many other young adult books, Nyx was actually not a damsel in distress or got caught up in a insta-love spell, no, she knew who she was and what she had to do. Kill her husband to save the kingdom. It was only slowly, but surely that she fell for Ignifex. And even then, when she had fallen in love she knew that at some point she might have to hurt him. If she's done it, I will let you guess because I'm sure as hell not giving that away. 
Ignifex's (or the Gentle Lord) character was very interesting to say the least. I'm not sure what I expected from him. I had also expected a monster just like Nyx but I found myself liking him right away. He was so charming but more than that he was a different character on his own. The way the author wrote him was very nicely done. I loved how he also had his vulnerabilities. But, gods, him and Nyx were perfect together.


Demons are made of shadow. Don't look at the shadows too long or a demon might look back.

So Cruel Beauty is based on the fairytale of Beauty and the Beast (which is one of my favorite fairytales every) but it also has Greek mythology (also one of my favorite things ever!) intregrated in it. I must say that makes an interesting mix and I can only bow down to Rosamund Hodge's brilliance for she has written this book with so much ingenuity and freshness that I was rocked off my socks by it and this doesn't often happen. 
The world in Cruel Beauty was wonderful to read about. Stunningly beautiful but yet mysteriously dark also. Gotta love that! 

In my family, nobody's love had given anything but cruelty and sorrow, and nobody's love had ever stopped giving.


Overall Cruel Beauty is pure perfection. It's as simple as that. There were no negatives for me at all. The story, the writing, the characters, the world. Amazing! I'm sure it's going to be a huge hit with almost everyone. I'm absolutely looking forward when this book actually comes out and I will definitely get a physical copy of my own. Also doesn't often happen when I read an e-arc that I want to get the actually printed version too. I just need it. I also feel like I will reread this in the near future. I almost started it right away again after finishing. And I can't wait to read more books by this author in the future. I am more than sure we will see great things from her. 5 stars more than deserved for Cruel Beauty!

Favorite Quotes:

Every half-educated child knew about the Sibyl's Rhyme. In the ancient days, Apollo would sometimes touch a woman with his power, granting her wisdom and driving her mad at once, and she would live in his sacred grotto and prophesy on his behalf.

The ancient poems, written before the Sundering, said that the sun—the true sun, chariot of Helios—was so bright it blinded all who looked upon it. They spoke of rose-fingered Dawn, who painted the east in shades of pink and gold. They praised the boundless blue dome of the sky.

They said that love was terrifying and tender, wild and sweet, and none of it made any sense. But now I knew what every mad word was true.

When I was much younger, I sometimes imagined that the sky was in illustration in a book, that we were all nestled safely between the covers, and that if I could only find the book and open it, we would all escape without having to fight the Gentle Lord.

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