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4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
“You know, I would make the whole world dark for you so that you can be the only bright light.”
I loooved the concept of this book! it's giving red riding hood mixed with a handmaid's tale, hades x Persephone, and something else that isn't coming to mind right now. I devoured this book. some parts were a bit frustrating, but it was character building, but overall, I really enjoyed this book, especially the audio. the narrators were phenomenal.
Thank you to netgalley for the advanced audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loooved the concept of this book! it's giving red riding hood mixed with a handmaid's tale, hades x Persephone, and something else that isn't coming to mind right now. I devoured this book. some parts were a bit frustrating, but it was character building, but overall, I really enjoyed this book, especially the audio. the narrators were phenomenal.
Thank you to netgalley for the advanced audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely devoured this story (see what I did there? 😉) But seriously, I had to force myself to turn the audiobook off last night in order to get other things done and actually sleep. I wanted to just listen until I finished.
The narrators - Aoife McMahon and Dermit Magennis - are fantastic! I of course love their voices and their accents, but they also do such a fantastic job with the story. Aoife is so good at projecting emotions with her tones and volume. Dermit has the perfect voice for a dark and broody god and manages to inflect the insecure or manic-y moments too. Wonderful casting!
The story itself was captivating. I love their voices red riding hood retelling and the fact that there’s even a direct nod to the origin tale during one of the conversations. The added facet of Hades x Persephone took this up a notch and has me hooked.
I love Rowan and all her feminine rage. She’s stubborn, and blunt, but also sensitive and deeply loyal to those she care about. Her and Wolf are a very fun combination together and I love when Charlie is around to stir things up.
I am really excited for this to be a series of interconnected standalones because
1. I love those in general.
2. I have questions even though Rowan and Wolf’s story was resolved.
I want to know where the missing red cloak is hidden and what her story might be. I also would love to get more of Cade as well as Sarai in the coming books.
The narrators - Aoife McMahon and Dermit Magennis - are fantastic! I of course love their voices and their accents, but they also do such a fantastic job with the story. Aoife is so good at projecting emotions with her tones and volume. Dermit has the perfect voice for a dark and broody god and manages to inflect the insecure or manic-y moments too. Wonderful casting!
The story itself was captivating. I love their voices red riding hood retelling and the fact that there’s even a direct nod to the origin tale during one of the conversations. The added facet of Hades x Persephone took this up a notch and has me hooked.
I love Rowan and all her feminine rage. She’s stubborn, and blunt, but also sensitive and deeply loyal to those she care about. Her and Wolf are a very fun combination together and I love when Charlie is around to stir things up.
I am really excited for this to be a series of interconnected standalones because
1. I love those in general.
2. I have questions even though Rowan and Wolf’s story was resolved.
I want to know where the missing red cloak is hidden and what her story might be. I also would love to get more of Cade as well as Sarai in the coming books.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5/5. Releases 3/18/2025 in audio.
—Little Red Riding Hood but make it dark-ish
—virgin sacrifice
—wolf but is it wolf but he's kinda wolf but he's kinda not but
Heat Index: 7/10
The Basics:
Rowan is set to begin her time as the Red Maiden, a term in which ferries souls to the God of Death, The Wolf; and while she could theoretically make it through her term alive, many maidens, including her direct predecessor, have not. Her only hope may lie in "pleasing" him, a task she's been prepared to execute her entire life. But just as she discovers there may be more to The Wolf than meets the eye, Rowan is offered the chance to free herself—and potentially future maidens—from this fate. Is she willing to make one final sacrifice?
The Review:
This got off to a great start. There's no doubt that Masterson knows how to write, and she describes a vivid fantasy world, full of weird rituals (veils!), creepy grooming, culty fundamentalism, and that classic "we worship a goddess yet we somehow manage to be massive misogynists" practice upheld by so many men.
One thing this did from the start, and managed to carry through, was add an air of creepiness while remaining a romance. A lot of "darker fantasy" romances out right now try this and don't really hit it. Masterson is committed to atmosphere, and aside from the occasional turn of phrase that I felt betrayed it—"I'm crazy about you", for example—overall I felt it worked.
And I did like the chemistry between Rowan and The Wolf, even if I wasn't a huge fan of the fact that he had like, a normal guy name. I don't want him to be Just A Guy, but I guess it's easier than calling him The Wolf the whole time. I'm still going to call him that throughout this review for the sake of consistency.
Anyway, there's the classic wolfy "SHE SMELLS SO GOOD" dilemma, and by God, it was so refreshing and such a good choice to have The Wolf's perspective as well as Rowan's. I loved his obsessive desire to have her, the death entangled in this orld.
But... This back and forth started, and it never really stopped. To me, Rowan and The Wolf needed a degree of trust or none at all. It felt like it was established somewhat quickly, then it was betrayed, then they got it back, then it was betrayed. It felt as if Masterson was afraid of committing one way or the other. And the thing is that Rowan in particular felt so easily manipulated! I get it, she's very sheltered, but her inability to read a room caused so many problems.
To be clear, I'm not against problems. These problems were just... contrived. They kept me from believing that Rowan was ever truly emotionally with The Wolf, and if she wasn't there, then how could she possibly fall for him?
Nonetheless, because the writing quality was good and I enjoyed the story, I was willing to brush some things aside... But at about the 75% mark, we got a move and an argument that did not feel at all like something of the world Masterson had been writing. It felt... like something an immortal death god would not say. It felt, really, like I was suddenly reading about a pretty young contemporary couple. I got snapped out of the story.
While the book wrapped up well, I couldn't really shake that blowup. It took me out of what felt like, until then, something of a fairy tale.
The Sex:
I really loved the concept of a Little Red Riding Hood being prepared to PLEASE the wolf, as opposed to simply being a sacrifice that would lie there on an altar waiting. It added to the eeriness and Rowan's conflict over her agency. That being said, Connor did a lot of like... educating her about consent and sexuality at one point, to the degree that I again felt sort of pulled from the story. I was like "Okay dude, you are supposed to be a threatening death god, you're being feminist boyfriend right now". I get the sentiment, but it was a little much.
That said, the sex scenes themselves were really good. And I did love that at one point, Rowan was like "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD JUST BE A DEATH WOLF GOD GUY AND RAVISH ME". Same, girl.
Conclusion:
I think I'm a bit more bugged than I would've been if this was just straight-up mediocre. Because there's a lot I like here! It just kind of fell apart. There was some piecing back together, and I do think that it's pretty good for what it is. I just thought what it is was... more?
All that being said, very good audio narration on both sides!
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
—Little Red Riding Hood but make it dark-ish
—virgin sacrifice
—wolf but is it wolf but he's kinda wolf but he's kinda not but
Heat Index: 7/10
The Basics:
Rowan is set to begin her time as the Red Maiden, a term in which ferries souls to the God of Death, The Wolf; and while she could theoretically make it through her term alive, many maidens, including her direct predecessor, have not. Her only hope may lie in "pleasing" him, a task she's been prepared to execute her entire life. But just as she discovers there may be more to The Wolf than meets the eye, Rowan is offered the chance to free herself—and potentially future maidens—from this fate. Is she willing to make one final sacrifice?
The Review:
This got off to a great start. There's no doubt that Masterson knows how to write, and she describes a vivid fantasy world, full of weird rituals (veils!), creepy grooming, culty fundamentalism, and that classic "we worship a goddess yet we somehow manage to be massive misogynists" practice upheld by so many men.
One thing this did from the start, and managed to carry through, was add an air of creepiness while remaining a romance. A lot of "darker fantasy" romances out right now try this and don't really hit it. Masterson is committed to atmosphere, and aside from the occasional turn of phrase that I felt betrayed it—"I'm crazy about you", for example—overall I felt it worked.
And I did like the chemistry between Rowan and The Wolf, even if I wasn't a huge fan of the fact that he had like, a normal guy name. I don't want him to be Just A Guy, but I guess it's easier than calling him The Wolf the whole time. I'm still going to call him that throughout this review for the sake of consistency.
Anyway, there's the classic wolfy "SHE SMELLS SO GOOD" dilemma, and by God, it was so refreshing and such a good choice to have The Wolf's perspective as well as Rowan's. I loved his obsessive desire to have her, the death entangled in this orld.
But... This back and forth started, and it never really stopped. To me, Rowan and The Wolf needed a degree of trust or none at all. It felt like it was established somewhat quickly, then it was betrayed, then they got it back, then it was betrayed. It felt as if Masterson was afraid of committing one way or the other. And the thing is that Rowan in particular felt so easily manipulated! I get it, she's very sheltered, but her inability to read a room caused so many problems.
To be clear, I'm not against problems. These problems were just... contrived. They kept me from believing that Rowan was ever truly emotionally with The Wolf, and if she wasn't there, then how could she possibly fall for him?
Nonetheless, because the writing quality was good and I enjoyed the story, I was willing to brush some things aside... But at about the 75% mark, we got a move and an argument that did not feel at all like something of the world Masterson had been writing. It felt... like something an immortal death god would not say. It felt, really, like I was suddenly reading about a pretty young contemporary couple. I got snapped out of the story.
While the book wrapped up well, I couldn't really shake that blowup. It took me out of what felt like, until then, something of a fairy tale.
The Sex:
I really loved the concept of a Little Red Riding Hood being prepared to PLEASE the wolf, as opposed to simply being a sacrifice that would lie there on an altar waiting. It added to the eeriness and Rowan's conflict over her agency. That being said, Connor did a lot of like... educating her about consent and sexuality at one point, to the degree that I again felt sort of pulled from the story. I was like "Okay dude, you are supposed to be a threatening death god, you're being feminist boyfriend right now". I get the sentiment, but it was a little much.
That said, the sex scenes themselves were really good. And I did love that at one point, Rowan was like "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD JUST BE A DEATH WOLF GOD GUY AND RAVISH ME". Same, girl.
Conclusion:
I think I'm a bit more bugged than I would've been if this was just straight-up mediocre. Because there's a lot I like here! It just kind of fell apart. There was some piecing back together, and I do think that it's pretty good for what it is. I just thought what it is was... more?
All that being said, very good audio narration on both sides!
Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶🌶🌶🌶
Song of the Dark Wood is a standalone gothic fairytale fantasy romance, and I absolutely devoured it! It’s the perfect spooky read with a refreshing magic system. Rowan, the FMC, has a beautiful song-based magic ✨ and the story includes all the classics - gods, goddesses, and demons.
The eerie forest and Rowan’s fate as the Red Maiden, destined for sacrifice to the Wolf, were described so well that I felt completely drawn into her world.
I also loved Rowan’s journey. She faces so many challenges in a male-dominated world, and it was so satisfying to see her grow by the end.
The side characters were great too. They all added something special to the story 🫶
Overall, this was such a great read, and I highly recommend it! Sheila did an amazing job bringing this dark and magical tale to life.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was very excited for this Red-Riding Hood retelling with Hades and Persephone themes. From the get-go it seemed like we were thrust into the plot and into the world and I was immediately hooked. However, as the chapters progressed, I felt more and more disappointed.
There is a bargain between the Mother and the Wolf that every five years a maiden is sacrificed to the wood to ferry souls to their final resting place and to be devoured by the Wolf at the end of their term. Rowan is devoutly raised for this position as she possesses this magical ability. However, she is determined to change that fate for herself and future maidens by seducing the Wolf to change his bargain.
The plot, though with a lot of potential, was confusing at times. We lost Rowan’s goal to shocking scenes of r*pe threats and then progressively more intimate scenes between her and the Wolf. In this vein, it made the overall pacing feel awkward and jilted.
I was most excited for Rowan’s “coming of rage” but overall her character felt one dimensional and her development unconvincing. I would say the same of the MMC and their romance; it was incredibly underdeveloped which made it hard for me to connect to them. However, I did like Rowan’s female friendships the most. The love they had for each other leapt of the page.
I did appreciate the themes of dismantling an oppressive religion, and shining the light on the dangers of power mixed with hypocrisy and social status. This was evident in the last 10% which is where Rowan and the plot shined and I wish that was carried throughout the entirety of the book.
I can see how this would resonate with a lot of readers, but unfortunately it was not for me. If I had read this as an ebook, I might have dnf’d it but the narrator did a fantastic job in her storytelling which kept me the most captivated.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the eALC. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Religious bigotry
Moderate: Rape
My rating 3.5
Thank you to The Realm Archives and Sheila Masterson for providing me with an ARC copy of Song of the Dark Wood in e-book format. This is my first time reading Sheila Masterson’s work, and I was not disappointed. The story was incredibly entertaining, with a unique twist that blends Red Riding Hood with a Hades and Persephone retelling.
The Song of the Dark Wood was extremely entertaining to read but very predictable. While I appreciated Masterson’s spin on these classic tales, some of the parallels between Rowan, the main character, and Persephone felt a bit heavy-handed for my personal taste. That said, Rowan's journey through the male-dominated world she navigates was deeply relatable, and I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing her character growth by the novel’s end.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone seeking a fun, short romantasy read.
What to expect:
Thank you to The Realm Archives and Sheila Masterson for providing me with an ARC copy of Song of the Dark Wood in e-book format. This is my first time reading Sheila Masterson’s work, and I was not disappointed. The story was incredibly entertaining, with a unique twist that blends Red Riding Hood with a Hades and Persephone retelling.
The Song of the Dark Wood was extremely entertaining to read but very predictable. While I appreciated Masterson’s spin on these classic tales, some of the parallels between Rowan, the main character, and Persephone felt a bit heavy-handed for my personal taste. That said, Rowan's journey through the male-dominated world she navigates was deeply relatable, and I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing her character growth by the novel’s end.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone seeking a fun, short romantasy read.
What to expect:
2.5/5 ⭐️
I think this book 1000% will be loved by many (just look at the other reviews). Unfortunately, my timing is off. I think I would’ve loved this book a couple years ago. Like when I was reading SJM and From Blood and Ash. But now, I’ve discovered I’m kind of over these kind of stories where women are kept “pure” only to be given as sexual sacrifice and there’s a whole lot of sexual harassment. Yeah I probably should’ve realized this might be the case from the description, but I was hopeful. In addition I found myself often cringing at the heavy handedness when it came to the themes and concepts. The brillance of allegories is that they’re vague enough to be left to be interpreted by the readers. Here it felt like the author was spoon feeding us the lesson and what the allegories meant.
In all honesty, it was a lot like For the Wolf, but I would probably recommend that book over this first. However, I would probably still recommend this book to anyone who did love For the Wolf and wanted more and are in like their FBAA/SJM phase.
Thank you to the author and The Realm archive for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.
I think this book 1000% will be loved by many (just look at the other reviews). Unfortunately, my timing is off. I think I would’ve loved this book a couple years ago. Like when I was reading SJM and From Blood and Ash. But now, I’ve discovered I’m kind of over these kind of stories where women are kept “pure” only to be given as sexual sacrifice and there’s a whole lot of sexual harassment. Yeah I probably should’ve realized this might be the case from the description, but I was hopeful. In addition I found myself often cringing at the heavy handedness when it came to the themes and concepts. The brillance of allegories is that they’re vague enough to be left to be interpreted by the readers. Here it felt like the author was spoon feeding us the lesson and what the allegories meant.
In all honesty, it was a lot like For the Wolf, but I would probably recommend that book over this first. However, I would probably still recommend this book to anyone who did love For the Wolf and wanted more and are in like their FBAA/SJM phase.
Thank you to the author and The Realm archive for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No