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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
I love this adult, gothic retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. The dark atmosphere was beautifully developed/described, the characters were engaging, and the mystery and tension were just right. The Wolf was such an intriguing and dynamic character. Rowan’s rebellious nature was perfect and the feminine rage was incredibly satisfying to read. I’ll definitely be adding a physical copy of this book to my shelf!
**Thanks so much to the author for providing an advanced copy for review. All thoughts are my own and given of my own accord.**
**Thanks so much to the author for providing an advanced copy for review. All thoughts are my own and given of my own accord.**
ARC Review
This was a very unique concept. This is based on the little red riding hood and the big bad wolf. The way this story was tied in was very intricate and had a ton of details.
We have Rowan who was never given anything in her life and has always been treated as an object or a means to an end. The way that religion is intertwined to this story was very interesting as it portrays how quickly religion can turn into more than devotion and it becomes convenient and corrupted. Some things that Rowan is exposed to is very disturbing but noone seems to care.
The romance in this book is also super unique. Conor and Rowan
This was a very unique concept. This is based on the little red riding hood and the big bad wolf. The way this story was tied in was very intricate and had a ton of details.
We have Rowan who was never given anything in her life and has always been treated as an object or a means to an end. The way that religion is intertwined to this story was very interesting as it portrays how quickly religion can turn into more than devotion and it becomes convenient and corrupted. Some things that Rowan is exposed to is very disturbing but noone seems to care.
The romance in this book is also super unique. Conor and Rowan
fast-paced
Song of the Dark Wood is a dark and enchanting twist on Red Riding Hood with a touch of Hades and Persephone vibes! Rowan’s journey as a Red Maiden, determined to survive where others haven’t, pulls you in from the start. The mysterious Wolf isn’t what he seems, and their chemistry is intense. With gothic atmosphere, danger, and magic woven through every page, this book has the perfect mix of mystery and romance. If you love fairy tale retellings with a brooding edge and a strong heroine, this one’s for you!
I absolutely loved this book! We’ve got Little Red Riding Hood meets Hades & Persephone with a dark gothic fantasy romance flare! Look, I have a weakness for hot death gods and any sort of Hades & Persephone retelling, but then throw in the classic elements of one of my favorite fairytales too?
This book was a very interesting read for me. I was intrigued by the characters and found myself trying to understand the why behind a lot of what was going on. I guess what I am about to say would be considered a spoiler, so reader beware.
***MILD SPOILER***
It was really interesting seeing how this religion that is founded on loving a matriarch type being, is surrounded by men who do exactly what they want.. in the name of this god. So weird. But also. So real… almost… TOO real lol.
I do think there are a LOT of tropes to follow. And I do think that sometimes the plot got lost in some of those tropes. But that also could just be me. The spice was… interesting, kinda felt rushed but also that it took too long?
I’d say the first like 40% of the book for me had great pacing and I followed everything, after that it picked up quickly and sometimes I got lost. (In hindsight I was also trying to read on lunch breaks and such so my pacing may have spread up due to that as well)
This was an ARC read for me, and I believe my first time reading a book by this author.
All in all I enjoyed it.
***MILD SPOILER***
It was really interesting seeing how this religion that is founded on loving a matriarch type being, is surrounded by men who do exactly what they want.. in the name of this god. So weird. But also. So real… almost… TOO real lol.
I do think there are a LOT of tropes to follow. And I do think that sometimes the plot got lost in some of those tropes. But that also could just be me. The spice was… interesting, kinda felt rushed but also that it took too long?
I’d say the first like 40% of the book for me had great pacing and I followed everything, after that it picked up quickly and sometimes I got lost. (In hindsight I was also trying to read on lunch breaks and such so my pacing may have spread up due to that as well)
This was an ARC read for me, and I believe my first time reading a book by this author.
All in all I enjoyed it.
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Where do I begin?
This book was immaculately poetic in its own right.
I was invested from the first chapter. The emotional brilliance and intensity of the characters was unmatched.
I am beyond speechless as to how beautiful and how enchanting I found this read.
All the characters were written with such depth and clarity. I could not have asked for more.
Rowan was the epitome of a strong FMC. Conor, the broody MMC was written so eloquently.
I am overwhelmed by the emotions I felt reading this book and honestly, I just adored the whole story!
"Before you strike, Rowan, you should know that I have been in love with you for quite some time now. Your love is a beautiful weapon that I feel unworthy of. I can think of no better way to go."
Definitely a 5 star from me.
I throughly enjoyed it and highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an intense, romantic and magical read!
This book was immaculately poetic in its own right.
I was invested from the first chapter. The emotional brilliance and intensity of the characters was unmatched.
I am beyond speechless as to how beautiful and how enchanting I found this read.
All the characters were written with such depth and clarity. I could not have asked for more.
Rowan was the epitome of a strong FMC. Conor, the broody MMC was written so eloquently.
I am overwhelmed by the emotions I felt reading this book and honestly, I just adored the whole story!
"Before you strike, Rowan, you should know that I have been in love with you for quite some time now. Your love is a beautiful weapon that I feel unworthy of. I can think of no better way to go."
Definitely a 5 star from me.
I throughly enjoyed it and highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an intense, romantic and magical read!
5 Stars. Easily. Possible Spoilers below (via a quote). ARC- September 20, 2024 release date.
Thank you Sheila for the eARC, I can't wait to get my hands on the physical copy!!!
I just finished this book and let me tell you what, I loved every second of it, and I already wish I could read it for the first time again. If you're looking for female rage, vengeance, some gods fighting for power... you're going to want to read this book.
This is a standalone and after reading it, I feel like I read an entire series. So much happened within the pages of this book but it was written perfectly (from my point of view). Nothing seemed rushed to me, and I learned about the characters and their own personal stories in, what I feel, is a bunch of perfect arcs. What a wonderful story, a twist on Red Riding Hood, a twist on sacrificial maidens, and some female vengeance- which I feel like I exist for these days.
"Rowan would try for Orla and Aeoife- for all the Maidens who had come before her. She would try for Sarai, who deserved to love who she loved and live a life that allowed her to be who she truly was. She would try for their small, sheltered village that needed to acknowledge the damage done, grow from their mistakes, and never forget them so that they would not be repeated. Most of all, Rowan would try for herself. She'd been alone her whole life, but she wasn't anymore, and she never would be again, because the forest had always been listening, and it knew her pain well."
Rowan has lived her life since age 5 in the Maiden Tower, learning what she needs to do to ferry the souls of the dead to the God of Death, the Wolf, in the Dark Wood. In her 15 years of learning, most of what she has done is resign herself to her fate. Throughout the story she is mainly focused on keeping Aeoife unaware of what is going on since she is the youngest Maiden in the tower (10). However, when things go south for the Red Maiden before her she's thrust into the role much sooner than anticipated. She must find a way to be the last Red Maiden and keep Aeoife safe.
Thank you Sheila for the eARC, I can't wait to get my hands on the physical copy!!!
I just finished this book and let me tell you what, I loved every second of it, and I already wish I could read it for the first time again. If you're looking for female rage, vengeance, some gods fighting for power... you're going to want to read this book.
This is a standalone and after reading it, I feel like I read an entire series. So much happened within the pages of this book but it was written perfectly (from my point of view). Nothing seemed rushed to me, and I learned about the characters and their own personal stories in, what I feel, is a bunch of perfect arcs. What a wonderful story, a twist on Red Riding Hood, a twist on sacrificial maidens, and some female vengeance- which I feel like I exist for these days.
"Rowan would try for Orla and Aeoife- for all the Maidens who had come before her. She would try for Sarai, who deserved to love who she loved and live a life that allowed her to be who she truly was. She would try for their small, sheltered village that needed to acknowledge the damage done, grow from their mistakes, and never forget them so that they would not be repeated. Most of all, Rowan would try for herself. She'd been alone her whole life, but she wasn't anymore, and she never would be again, because the forest had always been listening, and it knew her pain well."
Rowan has lived her life since age 5 in the Maiden Tower, learning what she needs to do to ferry the souls of the dead to the God of Death, the Wolf, in the Dark Wood. In her 15 years of learning, most of what she has done is resign herself to her fate. Throughout the story she is mainly focused on keeping Aeoife unaware of what is going on since she is the youngest Maiden in the tower (10). However, when things go south for the Red Maiden before her she's thrust into the role much sooner than anticipated. She must find a way to be the last Red Maiden and keep Aeoife safe.