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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Song of the Dark Wood by Sheila Masterson is an exciting, unique re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood that takes you on a journey that let's the reader decide if they want to think deeper about the themes within, or just enjoy it for the beautiful tale that it is.
๐ I loved the plot. I found it enthralling and couldn't stop reading. I appreciate the twists and turns it took me on. This was my 1st Sheila Masterson book and I can't wait to read more of her books! The meaning of the MCs names and the importance names carry was a nice, unexpected topic.
I love that Masterson focuses on ensuring the FMC gives consent - the ways that can look and the impact it can have on a person. I adore one of the ways she wove one aspect of consent into the plot. The good vs evil discussion is great. Maybe my favorite is how Masterson touches on choice, privilege, being a true ally vs staying silent. It really makes you think and re-evaluate your life.
โณ๏ธ The pacing is great. I would've read it in one sitting if life had allowed.
๐บ I loved the world building and felt it was immersive. A nice fantasy-land to get lost in. I appreciate that Masterson described everything well as a big picture, but at times left itty-bitty, inconsequential details up to the reader. Things that genuinely don't matter and would be tedious to read (especially more than once), like door colors, or intricate details of clothing, decor, etc.
๐ฎ I thought the magic was unique and well designed. I love the sentient forest, and how each maiden has their own special gift.
๐ช I loved the book so much that it didn't matter to me that the magic wasn't super thoroughly explained. To me, I didn't feel the specifics of it mattered. However, I know some would disagree. I would've loved a bit more explanation, but I'm fine with it as is.
โ๏ธ๐ผ I love the way Masterson writes. It almost feels like a good friend telling you a story. It's clear and concise, with details added but not full of unnecessary detail or info.
The way Masterson worked in a number of "wolf" related and/or adjacent words was masterful (๐) and I really got a kick out of it. Lupine, as in lupine smile, is the only one I can think of right off.
๐ฅ The characters are divine, so well done. They're so packed with personality and nuance that, to me, they're real. Rowan is so strong and resilient, so full of love and magic. When she speaks up to the elders and tells them it's her turn to talk now, I wanted to full on cheer. And the Wolf (Conor) - There's so much I want to say but I don't want to risk spoilers. He's great. I appreciate the LGBTQ+ rep in the cast.
The book has a handful of character art scenes and I really appreciate that.
๐ I enjoyed the romance a lot - especially the kinda, sorta, maybe love triangle situation. I feel like triangles are so hard to do well, but this one worked quite well for me. Maybe partially due to it not being a true love triangle, idk.
๐ถ I'm take it or leave it, generally, with spice in fantasy. The build up is delicious and when it finally goes into spice that is so well done - perfection. It's well timed, placed, and realistic. The tension is palpable in the build up, morphing into visceral once the spice occurs.
CW/TW: Please be advised this does contain SA (to FMC but not by MMC) and ๐ of a child (not cause by MCs). Masterson handles both with grace, and provides an extensive list in the beginning of the book.
๐ If you like book 1 of ACOTAR, One Dark Window, Belladonna, The Familiar, A River Enchanted, From Blood & Ash, and/or The Foxglove King - I think you would enjoy this book.
Thank you @sheilareadsandwrites for the opportunity to read this eARC. Opinions expressed are my my own and I'm choosing to give them.
๐ I loved the plot. I found it enthralling and couldn't stop reading. I appreciate the twists and turns it took me on. This was my 1st Sheila Masterson book and I can't wait to read more of her books! The meaning of the MCs names and the importance names carry was a nice, unexpected topic.
I love that Masterson focuses on ensuring the FMC gives consent - the ways that can look and the impact it can have on a person. I adore one of the ways she wove one aspect of consent into the plot. The good vs evil discussion is great. Maybe my favorite is how Masterson touches on choice, privilege, being a true ally vs staying silent. It really makes you think and re-evaluate your life.
โณ๏ธ The pacing is great. I would've read it in one sitting if life had allowed.
๐บ I loved the world building and felt it was immersive. A nice fantasy-land to get lost in. I appreciate that Masterson described everything well as a big picture, but at times left itty-bitty, inconsequential details up to the reader. Things that genuinely don't matter and would be tedious to read (especially more than once), like door colors, or intricate details of clothing, decor, etc.
๐ฎ I thought the magic was unique and well designed. I love the sentient forest, and how each maiden has their own special gift.
๐ช I loved the book so much that it didn't matter to me that the magic wasn't super thoroughly explained. To me, I didn't feel the specifics of it mattered. However, I know some would disagree. I would've loved a bit more explanation, but I'm fine with it as is.
โ๏ธ๐ผ I love the way Masterson writes. It almost feels like a good friend telling you a story. It's clear and concise, with details added but not full of unnecessary detail or info.
The way Masterson worked in a number of "wolf" related and/or adjacent words was masterful (๐) and I really got a kick out of it. Lupine, as in lupine smile, is the only one I can think of right off.
๐ฅ The characters are divine, so well done. They're so packed with personality and nuance that, to me, they're real. Rowan is so strong and resilient, so full of love and magic. When she speaks up to the elders and tells them it's her turn to talk now, I wanted to full on cheer. And the Wolf (Conor) - There's so much I want to say but I don't want to risk spoilers. He's great. I appreciate the LGBTQ+ rep in the cast.
The book has a handful of character art scenes and I really appreciate that.
๐ I enjoyed the romance a lot - especially the kinda, sorta, maybe love triangle situation. I feel like triangles are so hard to do well, but this one worked quite well for me. Maybe partially due to it not being a true love triangle, idk.
๐ถ I'm take it or leave it, generally, with spice in fantasy. The build up is delicious and when it finally goes into spice that is so well done - perfection. It's well timed, placed, and realistic. The tension is palpable in the build up, morphing into visceral once the spice occurs.
CW/TW: Please be advised this does contain SA (to FMC but not by MMC) and ๐ of a child (not cause by MCs). Masterson handles both with grace, and provides an extensive list in the beginning of the book.
๐ If you like book 1 of ACOTAR, One Dark Window, Belladonna, The Familiar, A River Enchanted, From Blood & Ash, and/or The Foxglove King - I think you would enjoy this book.
Thank you @sheilareadsandwrites for the opportunity to read this eARC. Opinions expressed are my my own and I'm choosing to give them.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
โYou know I would make the whole world dark for you so that you can be the only bright light.โ
*-*-*-*-*
Ugh...you guys what a quote! This book was simply amazing. From the first chapter, I was captivated. The world-building was brilliant, and those surprise illustrations had me laughing out loud. Rowan is such a dynamic characterโstrong, loving, and defiantly herself. Conor and the side characters were also fantastic.
โSong of the Dark Woodโ is a dark twist on Red Riding Hood, with Rowan guiding souls through magical woods. I devoured it in a day, staying up way too late. Sheilaโs world is filled with unique magic and emotional depth. If you love fairy tale retellings, fierce heroines, and slow-burn romance, this book is a must-read!
Thank you to Sheila and RR Book Tours for my early copy of this wonderful novel, it was amazing!!
*-*-*-*-*
Ugh...you guys what a quote! This book was simply amazing. From the first chapter, I was captivated. The world-building was brilliant, and those surprise illustrations had me laughing out loud. Rowan is such a dynamic characterโstrong, loving, and defiantly herself. Conor and the side characters were also fantastic.
โSong of the Dark Woodโ is a dark twist on Red Riding Hood, with Rowan guiding souls through magical woods. I devoured it in a day, staying up way too late. Sheilaโs world is filled with unique magic and emotional depth. If you love fairy tale retellings, fierce heroines, and slow-burn romance, this book is a must-read!
Thank you to Sheila and RR Book Tours for my early copy of this wonderful novel, it was amazing!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
This has to be the perfect read for this time of year a dark fantasy romance that gives so many spooky vibes based around a little red riding hood retelling and Hades and Persephone vibes. It is thought provoking and tough to read at some points the fact that to protect their small village the council decides to sacrifice a maiden to the wolf..these girls are taken from their home at a young age and sent to live in a tower where they learn to become the perfect seductress for the wolf in the woods.
The writing is absolutely beautiful and really pulls you in with every little description..the world building was developed so so well and I loved everything about this book. This is my first book from Sheila Masterson but Iโm looking forward to going back and reading her previous series.
If your looking for a standalone to get lost in then this dark fantasy romance is perfect..the characters, slow burn romance, world building, the sentient forest and the unique magic system and just the overall feeling of reading about a fmc who is trying to choose her own path in life.
The writing is absolutely beautiful and really pulls you in with every little description..the world building was developed so so well and I loved everything about this book. This is my first book from Sheila Masterson but Iโm looking forward to going back and reading her previous series.
If your looking for a standalone to get lost in then this dark fantasy romance is perfect..the characters, slow burn romance, world building, the sentient forest and the unique magic system and just the overall feeling of reading about a fmc who is trying to choose her own path in life.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-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
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Let me just start by saying, Iโve been in a book slump for a WHILE! This book by Sheila Masterson cured it! Song of the Dark World was written beautiful with wonderful storytelling. The evolution of the characters and the mystery of the magic and all the questions you have while reading all get answered. The spice is fantastic without being overdone and doesnโt take away from the story, but adds to it. The range of emotions I had while reading this was a welcomed surprise. I have a feeling this story will stick with me for a while. Be mindful of the trigger warnings at the beginning. Take care of yourself!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Death, Blood
Religious Trama
adventurous
dark
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*Thank you to The Realm Archives and Sheila Masterson for this ARC in exchange for my review.*
This is a fantasy stand alone based on Little Red Riding Hood. It was a very unique concept and in a world of romantasy/fantasy it truly stands out.
The first third of the book was a little "tell, don't show" for me and is the only reason I'm not rating this book 5 stars. However, I got over that quickly because the plot and characters sucked me in.
Rowan and Connor were a great pairing. They have just enough push and pull for the story to really hook you in. I really enjoyed the magical system the author created and how the church/religion was dealt with in this book.
I would not have been mad in the slightest if this had been a duology/trilogy, but sometimes it's really nice to know that the whole story is contained. I would love a prequel for some of the other Red Maidens.
During the last chapters I found myself humming "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me", so if you're a fan of Female Rage The Musical- you might want to read this book!
Spicy, but not smutty.
This is a fantasy stand alone based on Little Red Riding Hood. It was a very unique concept and in a world of romantasy/fantasy it truly stands out.
The first third of the book was a little "tell, don't show" for me and is the only reason I'm not rating this book 5 stars. However, I got over that quickly because the plot and characters sucked me in.
Rowan and Connor were a great pairing. They have just enough push and pull for the story to really hook you in. I really enjoyed the magical system the author created and how the church/religion was dealt with in this book.
I would not have been mad in the slightest if this had been a duology/trilogy, but sometimes it's really nice to know that the whole story is contained. I would love a prequel for some of the other Red Maidens.
During the last chapters I found myself humming "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me", so if you're a fan of Female Rage The Musical- you might want to read this book!
Spicy, but not smutty.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Religious bigotry, Murder, Sexual harassment
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
This book was so much more than I thought it was going to be! I was expecting a dark read, but I was not expecting to feel as angry as I did for Rowan. Or feel her revenge like it was my own at the end๐ค
Rowan is the next Red Maiden. She will be the one to cart souls into the Dark Wood to the God of Death, the Wolf. She's supposed to keep the Wolf happy and carry souls for the next 5 years, but there is something sinister plaguing the Woods and stretching to her town.
Rowan is fierce, asks questions she shouldn't, and would do anything to protect those she loves. I was so angry for everything that Rowan was forced to go through and how she was made to feel. The feminine rage that she has by the end is exquisite ๐๐ซถ๐ป
I loves this book and everything that it represented. I'll definitely be rereading it. I was angry or stressing the first half of the book, but by the end I was screaming and cheering for Rowan and the Wolf ๐ซถ๐ป
๐บFAVORITE QUOTES๐บ
And to all those who cultivate wildness in a world made to tame. Go forth and be a menace.
She knew she would disappear in a matter of years, but at least the Dark Wood would remember her.
โI think I donโt want to die to hold up a world that doesnโt care about me.โ
โLove is the thing that holds back the dark.โ
โI donโt think we know yet what I might become to protect the people I love.โ
How had he ever felt the predator in their relationship when he was so obviously prey to the exquisite woman in front of him?
Sheโd been alone her whole life, but she wasnโt anymore, and she never would be again, because the forest had always been listening, and it knew her pain well.
Rowan is the next Red Maiden. She will be the one to cart souls into the Dark Wood to the God of Death, the Wolf. She's supposed to keep the Wolf happy and carry souls for the next 5 years, but there is something sinister plaguing the Woods and stretching to her town.
Rowan is fierce, asks questions she shouldn't, and would do anything to protect those she loves. I was so angry for everything that Rowan was forced to go through and how she was made to feel. The feminine rage that she has by the end is exquisite ๐๐ซถ๐ป
I loves this book and everything that it represented. I'll definitely be rereading it. I was angry or stressing the first half of the book, but by the end I was screaming and cheering for Rowan and the Wolf ๐ซถ๐ป
๐บFAVORITE QUOTES๐บ
And to all those who cultivate wildness in a world made to tame. Go forth and be a menace.
She knew she would disappear in a matter of years, but at least the Dark Wood would remember her.
โI think I donโt want to die to hold up a world that doesnโt care about me.โ
โLove is the thing that holds back the dark.โ
โI donโt think we know yet what I might become to protect the people I love.โ
How had he ever felt the predator in their relationship when he was so obviously prey to the exquisite woman in front of him?
Sheโd been alone her whole life, but she wasnโt anymore, and she never would be again, because the forest had always been listening, and it knew her pain well.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ค ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง
โญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธโญ๏ธ
๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐พ๐๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐น, ๐
๐๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐พ๐๐
๐๐๐๐น ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐น, ๐ถ๐๐น ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐๐๐น ๐๐ฝ๐พ๐๐
๐๐๐๐น ๐พ๐ ๐ท๐ถ๐ธ๐.
SHEILA SHEILA SHEILA! Once again, youโve proven that your writing is phenomenal! The very first line from ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ค ๐๐จ๐จ๐ had me hooked.
I havenโt read many Little Red Riding Hood retellings, but I can say that this one was a favorite. And the illustrations included?? Perfection!
I enjoyed seeing Rowan embrace her wild side throughout this story and Iโll always be a fan of an MMC who encourages the FMC to be exactly who she is instead of putting her in a box, and Conor is one of the good ones.
Thereโs a few side characters I absolutely adored, but Charlie is my favorite! Heโs loyal and funny and he always seems to be lurking around, just waiting for someone to need him.
Of course, it wouldnโt be a Sheila novel if she didnโt cause a little bit of emotional damage (you know what you did).. but I understand the โwhyโ of it, even if it still stings.
*Note: All content is written with care, but please check the CWโs for the specifics.
Overall, I enjoyed this story and if you like dark fantasy retellings, you will too. I canโt wait to see what Sheila writes next!
I received this book as an ARC.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Omg this book is 5 starts no doubt!! Love it!!! Kinda reminds of Harry Potter, the mummy with a little bit of spice! Love the rollercoaster of emotions that Rowan goes through out this book from his live for someone she shouldnโt, from being treated horrible and from being pitied by someone whoโs says they love her! Itโs just emotion after emotion but the way it is portrayed and explained made me love it so much!!! Just was super entertaining!!! Iโd recommend it to anyone that loves magic, love and a little bit of spice!! Loved it!!
Format: ARC Ebook