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3.15 AVERAGE
3.15 AVERAGE
A poorly written novel in the guise of sexual tension. ~ There were so many issues I had with this novel. I so desperately wanted to love it, the opening drew me in. Then it just kept getting worse and worse.
I finished Stained right before I read this book and it had lots of details and even though I loved it it was a long book. Then I read this one and now that it’s over I wish it was longer Lol!
It was a fun different spin on the phantoms and I really enjoyed it
It was a fun different spin on the phantoms and I really enjoyed it
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Backstory: When RoseBlood first came out and hit the shelves I purchased it, so excited to read another one of AG Howard’s books! When I finally got the chance to actually sit down and read it, I wasn’t in the mood for that type of story. The timing was off, and it felt like I couldn’t get my mind straight on the beginning. Rereading the first couple of pages 2-3 times was rough! So I put it down and I picked it up about 4 times since then. Now it’s been SIX WHOLE YEARS and I’ve finally finished this book and boy was it worth it!
Artwork: I can not help but stare at the cover of this book! As an artist myself I find myself buying books based on covers knowing full well that I shouldn’t do that unless I plan to read it for sure! But I just can’t help myself! AG Howard’s books have always been so beautifully done and if I only buy her books just for the artwork, so be it! I think the artist did an AMAZING job in capturing Runes identity and the dark aesthetic feeling of the book itself into the cover ❤️
My review: As I stated before, it took me years to finally get to this book but I’m so glad I did! I started it in November of 2022 so it took me 3 months to finally finish the book, not because it wasn’t good but due to personal and work related reasons it took me a while to keep picking it back up. This book is both aesthetically dark and hauntingly beautiful! I love the phantom of the opera musical and this book definitely brought back memories when I first saw the film! The fact that the author could create a more personal and human experience to the opera ghost makes you fall in love with his character and yearn for peace within his soul.
Runes loving personality towards anyone she meets is awing, the fact that she tries to see the good in most of the other characters instead of what they’re trying to do against her makes her so naive but also shows compassion. I love Rune and Thorns connection even though it seems a bit fast. Their connection to one another drew me even more into the story.
This book is beautifully written and is safe for those not looking for /or that are against strong language and smut. But can have some trigger warnings due to human trafficking, and mentioning of drugs (is not explicit when mentioning drugs or drug use)
Overall thought: I loved this book, I don’t necessarily see myself rereading this one as much as I would other books I have but I’m thrilled to have it with my collection on my shelf and am extremely happy i had the chance to read it!
Artwork: I can not help but stare at the cover of this book! As an artist myself I find myself buying books based on covers knowing full well that I shouldn’t do that unless I plan to read it for sure! But I just can’t help myself! AG Howard’s books have always been so beautifully done and if I only buy her books just for the artwork, so be it! I think the artist did an AMAZING job in capturing Runes identity and the dark aesthetic feeling of the book itself into the cover ❤️
My review: As I stated before, it took me years to finally get to this book but I’m so glad I did! I started it in November of 2022 so it took me 3 months to finally finish the book, not because it wasn’t good but due to personal and work related reasons it took me a while to keep picking it back up. This book is both aesthetically dark and hauntingly beautiful! I love the phantom of the opera musical and this book definitely brought back memories when I first saw the film! The fact that the author could create a more personal and human experience to the opera ghost makes you fall in love with his character and yearn for peace within his soul.
Runes loving personality towards anyone she meets is awing, the fact that she tries to see the good in most of the other characters instead of what they’re trying to do against her makes her so naive but also shows compassion. I love Rune and Thorns connection even though it seems a bit fast. Their connection to one another drew me even more into the story.
This book is beautifully written and is safe for those not looking for /or that are against strong language and smut. But can have some trigger warnings due to human trafficking, and mentioning of drugs (is not explicit when mentioning drugs or drug use)
Overall thought: I loved this book, I don’t necessarily see myself rereading this one as much as I would other books I have but I’m thrilled to have it with my collection on my shelf and am extremely happy i had the chance to read it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content, Death of parent
Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Blood, Trafficking
After reading the Splintered trilogy, I knew that I wanted to read everything that A. G. Howard would write. When I found out that she was going to write a book that pertained to the Phantom of the Opera, I was beyond excited. I've always loved it and I knew that she could do it justice!
This book is very different from the Splintered trilogy. It still has a creepy edge to it that I believe to be classic A. G. Howard. Roseblood isn't as action packed but it packs a punch in a different way. There is a certain amount of intrigue and mystery surrounding the Phantom, Thorn, and Rune and what will happen as the story goes on.It is difficult at times to figure out the motives behind the actions of the characters and who is on Rune's side during the course of the book. I believe that adds to the tension and makes the book more interesting.
To read the entire review go to: https://fictionedtodeath.blogspot.com/
This book is very different from the Splintered trilogy. It still has a creepy edge to it that I believe to be classic A. G. Howard. Roseblood isn't as action packed but it packs a punch in a different way. There is a certain amount of intrigue and mystery surrounding the Phantom, Thorn, and Rune and what will happen as the story goes on.It is difficult at times to figure out the motives behind the actions of the characters and who is on Rune's side during the course of the book. I believe that adds to the tension and makes the book more interesting.
To read the entire review go to: https://fictionedtodeath.blogspot.com/
2.5 stars
Hmm.. this is going to be an interesting review to write because I have very mixed feelings about it. I had read a few mixed reviews so I had prepared myself that I might not like this story. I always like to give a book a go though, so I did. I wasn’t sure about a Phantom Of The Opera reimagining. However, I thought it was something unique and A.G Howard’s story was definitely that.
In A.G. Howard’s reimagining, The Phantom is very much live and kicking. There are references to the original story, but RoseBlood definitely doesn’t read like a retelling. It’s A.G. Howard imagining what could happen next. There are some very ‘interesting’ plot twists which I don’t want to mention, as I don’t want to spoil the story for those that do want to give it a go. There are also some very heavy issues included in the story, making me think that this story would be best for the higher age range of YA.
Rune is the main character and I can imagine she’s going to grate on some readers. I didn’t mind her though. I enjoyed her interactions with her new friends and I felt like she grew throughout the story. I actually preferred reading from the point of view of the Phantom’s adopted son. I wonder if the narrative had followed him alone, whether I would have enjoyed this book more?
I think this book is far too long. I felt like if it was 100 pages lighter, then my rating might have been higher. I just felt like some of the events were dragged out and unnecessary which is a shame. It affected the pace and I think if it had been shorter, the pace would have picked up, for sure!. I think RoseBlood is worth a try, especially if you’re a fan of the author’s writing.
Hmm.. this is going to be an interesting review to write because I have very mixed feelings about it. I had read a few mixed reviews so I had prepared myself that I might not like this story. I always like to give a book a go though, so I did. I wasn’t sure about a Phantom Of The Opera reimagining. However, I thought it was something unique and A.G Howard’s story was definitely that.
In A.G. Howard’s reimagining, The Phantom is very much live and kicking. There are references to the original story, but RoseBlood definitely doesn’t read like a retelling. It’s A.G. Howard imagining what could happen next. There are some very ‘interesting’ plot twists which I don’t want to mention, as I don’t want to spoil the story for those that do want to give it a go. There are also some very heavy issues included in the story, making me think that this story would be best for the higher age range of YA.
Rune is the main character and I can imagine she’s going to grate on some readers. I didn’t mind her though. I enjoyed her interactions with her new friends and I felt like she grew throughout the story. I actually preferred reading from the point of view of the Phantom’s adopted son. I wonder if the narrative had followed him alone, whether I would have enjoyed this book more?
I think this book is far too long. I felt like if it was 100 pages lighter, then my rating might have been higher. I just felt like some of the events were dragged out and unnecessary which is a shame. It affected the pace and I think if it had been shorter, the pace would have picked up, for sure!. I think RoseBlood is worth a try, especially if you’re a fan of the author’s writing.
Oh, I so wanted to love this: set in France, based on The Phantom of the Opera? Please! But... well... not so much. If the interweaving of the two stories had been slighter, and there was less of a feeling of "was there a first book I missed?", it might have been better. As it is, however, there's a strong sense that there's something that we're missing (perhaps to be revealed later? perhaps never to be revealed) and far too many adjectives and adverbs for my taste. DNF.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The day that my first OwlCrate arrived I made sure that I was ready to jump right into my first book from my first subscription box. I couldn't wait to get started.
I opened my box, was thrilled with the book, because I love A.G. Howard's Splintered series and jumped right in. I read the first 100 pages and set it down for ten days. The plot was slow, Rune was not that interesting, and the entire thing seemed to take forever to get started.
After two more days, I was barely another hundred pages in and was having to force myself to finish it. Once I made it to the last 100 pages, it finally picked up and didn't let go. When talking about this book with other readers, I explained that I felt like it should have been a lot shorter. The first fifty pages and the last 150 would have been plenty to go through, and would have still enjoyed the story.
I'm sure for many out there it was exactly what they hoped for, and while I did finish the book, it's definitely not one I'll be revisiting.
Enjoy my review? Read all of them at the-pink-moose.com
I opened my box, was thrilled with the book, because I love A.G. Howard's Splintered series and jumped right in. I read the first 100 pages and set it down for ten days. The plot was slow, Rune was not that interesting, and the entire thing seemed to take forever to get started.
After two more days, I was barely another hundred pages in and was having to force myself to finish it. Once I made it to the last 100 pages, it finally picked up and didn't let go. When talking about this book with other readers, I explained that I felt like it should have been a lot shorter. The first fifty pages and the last 150 would have been plenty to go through, and would have still enjoyed the story.
I'm sure for many out there it was exactly what they hoped for, and while I did finish the book, it's definitely not one I'll be revisiting.
Enjoy my review? Read all of them at the-pink-moose.com