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3.15 AVERAGE
3.15 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A sob lodges in my throat. I peel my gaze away, unable to watch another second. It’s not the deformity that makes it unbearable. It’s the unquenchable agony inside those glimmering deep-set eyes—over a century’s worth of dejection, sorrow, and rage.
i honestly hated every second of this book. i didn’t mind that it was long, but i minded that it was filled with endless drivel. there was simply way too much exposition, especially in thorn’s povs. speaking of, whose book this is even? is it thorn’s? or rune’s? because i could have sworn that i got more thorn’s povs than rune’s.
or maybe his povs were too long that it felt like they went on forever. i would also like to mention a few things that i was confused about:
there was a scene in the book where rune, a succubus, kissed her friend, jax (someone who already has a special someone) to suck his energy. her kissing her friend’s man was already bad enough but the guy was high out of his minds. he couldn’t possibly consent to that kiss. so, rune essentially sexually assaulted him, which grossed me out.
the heavy use of the word g*psy in place of yemeni. we all know this is racist as hell.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, Stalking, Gaslighting
This was a decent story, with a very interesting concept. The only reason I'm giving 3 stars is cause it wasn't really my thing. It didnt hook me like other books have.
I hate to said it, but I didn't enjoy it as much as I hope I would. Maybe this book was just too weird for me? I'm pretty sure others will enjoy it more than I did. The whole Phantom of the Opera concept was interesting, but the pacing of this book was just so slow.
Rune is our main gal, but I feel her character was kind of dull to me, I feel like she didn't really have a personality at all. The only character I found interesting was Rune's friend - Sunny, haha, because she was funny and smart.
And the whole thing of Etalon stalking Rune and Rune kind of romanticizing it was very odd. Like... NOOOOO, it's creepy. The insta-love between them because they are "twin flames" or half of each other soul didn't work for me, it was still insta-love. The whole incubus Vampire thing was interesting, but also kind of strange.
Don't let me ruin it for you guys though, you probably should still read it, because you might like it more than I did.
And why is Rune wearing the mask on the cover? Did I missed something? Because I don't remember her wearing a mask at all in the book or is it just for the cover?
Rune is our main gal, but I feel her character was kind of dull to me, I feel like she didn't really have a personality at all. The only character I found interesting was Rune's friend - Sunny, haha, because she was funny and smart.
And the whole thing of Etalon stalking Rune and Rune kind of romanticizing it was very odd. Like... NOOOOO, it's creepy. The insta-love between them because they are "twin flames" or half of each other soul didn't work for me, it was still insta-love. The whole incubus Vampire thing was interesting, but also kind of strange.
Don't let me ruin it for you guys though, you probably should still read it, because you might like it more than I did.
And why is Rune wearing the mask on the cover? Did I missed something? Because I don't remember her wearing a mask at all in the book or is it just for the cover?
Anyone who knows me even a little bit could tell you what my favorite musical is: Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. Naturally, I was instantly excited by A. G. Howard's book RoseBlood as soon as I saw the cover. My anticipation only grew once I read the synopsis and learned it was something of a retelling/sequel to Gaston Leroux's original book, which inspired the musical. So, I immediately bought it, and it has been taunting me from my bookshelf until I finally had time to read it.
Rune Germaine has a voice unlike any other teenager, comparable to an angel's, but with one caveat: every performance leaves her sick and drained. While most people around her consider her voice a gift, Rune wants nothing to do with it because of past tragic events. In an effort to cure the affliction by providing creative direction, Rune's mother sends her to a French boarding school, RoseBlood, housed in an old opera house rumored to have been the inspiration for the setting of Gaston Leroux's famous novel. Upon arrival, Rune starts to suspect there is something otherworldly at RoseBlood, tied to the mysterious boy only she has seen roaming the grounds.
Meanwhile, Thorn has been tasked by Erik, the Phantom, to grow close to Rune and lead her down a very specific path that will end with her destruction. Having pledged his allegiance to the Phantom years before after a haunted childhood, Thorn is prepared to do whatever he says—until he meets Rune and feels an undeniable connection to her. As the two of them grow closer and Rune begins to feel cured of her illness, Thorn must decide whether to remain loyal to the only father he's ever known or save Rune.
Most of the issues I had with this book are mainly personal preferences and have little literary merit, such as the over-dramatic lines. As a fantasy YA book with a bit of a "Chosen One" narrative, it is only natural that Rune goes through the usual realization that she is at the center of some sinister plot and must uncover all the secrets to stop it. However, at times it felt like I was being hit over the head with unnecessarily dramatic paragraphs such as:
Another thing that tripped me up while reading was the point of view changes. The book is told through both Rune and Thorn's POVs, but instead of alternating chapters, the shifts usually occur within a chapter. Rune's POV is told in the first-person present while Thorn's is in the third-person past, so that helps to distinguish them, but it was still jarring and difficult to get used to at first.
Lastly, the pacing seemed a little too fast. Things happened, or relationships developed quicker than I expected. It seemed as though Rune and Thorn had just met in one chapter, and in the next, they had already fallen in love. Granted, some details of their backstories play a hand in their accelerated relationship, but it still felt a little unearned.
Overall, however, I did enjoy this book. Rune and Thorn are compelling characters with complicated pasts that made me feel for them. The adherence to The Phantom of the Opera lore is comforting while expanding upon it and becoming its own story. Tidbits of the Phantom's plan are dropped throughout the story, which captured my attention and made me want to keep reading to find out how it would all come together. I was rooting for Rune and her friends, hoping everything would work out in their favor. The fantastical elements were an enticing bonus I wasn't expecting.
Most of my issues with the book are probably the result of my unreasonably high expectations for the book due to my fierce love of the musical. I still enjoyed reading every page, and I expect many YA fantasy readers will as well. I rate RoseBlood by A. G. Howard 4/5 stars.
Rune Germaine has a voice unlike any other teenager, comparable to an angel's, but with one caveat: every performance leaves her sick and drained. While most people around her consider her voice a gift, Rune wants nothing to do with it because of past tragic events. In an effort to cure the affliction by providing creative direction, Rune's mother sends her to a French boarding school, RoseBlood, housed in an old opera house rumored to have been the inspiration for the setting of Gaston Leroux's famous novel. Upon arrival, Rune starts to suspect there is something otherworldly at RoseBlood, tied to the mysterious boy only she has seen roaming the grounds.
Meanwhile, Thorn has been tasked by Erik, the Phantom, to grow close to Rune and lead her down a very specific path that will end with her destruction. Having pledged his allegiance to the Phantom years before after a haunted childhood, Thorn is prepared to do whatever he says—until he meets Rune and feels an undeniable connection to her. As the two of them grow closer and Rune begins to feel cured of her illness, Thorn must decide whether to remain loyal to the only father he's ever known or save Rune.
Most of the issues I had with this book are mainly personal preferences and have little literary merit, such as the over-dramatic lines. As a fantasy YA book with a bit of a "Chosen One" narrative, it is only natural that Rune goes through the usual realization that she is at the center of some sinister plot and must uncover all the secrets to stop it. However, at times it felt like I was being hit over the head with unnecessarily dramatic paragraphs such as:
It's time to figure out why this overpowering ability to sing—that once brought me so much satisfaction—is gnawing away at me like a sickness. I need to know why I'm broken, so I can fix myself. . . then I can finally look forward to my future. Because I'm starting to realize there's something worse than stepping up and facing your fears—and that's living as if you're already dead. (77)
Another thing that tripped me up while reading was the point of view changes. The book is told through both Rune and Thorn's POVs, but instead of alternating chapters, the shifts usually occur within a chapter. Rune's POV is told in the first-person present while Thorn's is in the third-person past, so that helps to distinguish them, but it was still jarring and difficult to get used to at first.
Lastly, the pacing seemed a little too fast. Things happened, or relationships developed quicker than I expected. It seemed as though Rune and Thorn had just met in one chapter, and in the next, they had already fallen in love. Granted, some details of their backstories play a hand in their accelerated relationship, but it still felt a little unearned.
Overall, however, I did enjoy this book. Rune and Thorn are compelling characters with complicated pasts that made me feel for them. The adherence to The Phantom of the Opera lore is comforting while expanding upon it and becoming its own story. Tidbits of the Phantom's plan are dropped throughout the story, which captured my attention and made me want to keep reading to find out how it would all come together. I was rooting for Rune and her friends, hoping everything would work out in their favor. The fantastical elements were an enticing bonus I wasn't expecting.
Most of my issues with the book are probably the result of my unreasonably high expectations for the book due to my fierce love of the musical. I still enjoyed reading every page, and I expect many YA fantasy readers will as well. I rate RoseBlood by A. G. Howard 4/5 stars.
3.5 stars
Wow... this was quite different and unexpected from what I usually read. [b:RoseBlood|28818314|RoseBlood|A.G. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457527657s/28818314.jpg|46757820] by [a:A.G. Howard|5186274|A.G. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1325561918p2/5186274.jpg] is a retelling of a famous classic (one of my favorites) [b:The Phantom of the Opera|480204|The Phantom of the Opera|Gaston Leroux|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327867727s/480204.jpg|2259720] by [a:Gaston Leroux|9057|Gaston Leroux|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1207312409p2/9057.jpg]. The retelling follows the story of a girl by the name of Rune Germain. Ever since she was a little girl she had a beautiful voice that only grew to be more beautiful with time. Now, her mother sends her to the RoseBlood academy. It was rumored that this was the place that inspired the famous Gaston Leroux to write The Phantom of the Opera. Upon her arrival at RoseBlood, Rune keeps on sighting a man with the Phantom's mask, but it seems that no one else sees him. Will she find out the truth about RoseBlood?
Before reading this book I did read some non-spoilery reviews. Most people said that it was a "bad" book. I don't really agree. I can see why that is, but I look at it in a different point of view. People must read [b:The Phantom of the Opera|480204|The Phantom of the Opera|Gaston Leroux|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327867727s/480204.jpg|2259720] before they read this book, or they won't really understand some of the concepts of this book. Readers that are feeling sad, because they just read [b:Me Before You|15507958|Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)|Jojo Moyes|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1357108762s/15507958.jpg|17763198] or [b:The Fault in Our Stars|11870085|The Fault in Our Stars|John Green|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1360206420s/11870085.jpg|16827462] are inclined to read this book, as it leaves the reader with "warm fuzzy feelings." However, there were some definite flaws that made my rating drop.
A thing that I hated about this book was that the points of views alternated in chapters. I was really confused when Thorn's POV (the other main character except for Rune) suddenly ended in a cliffhanger. It could've easily been the end of the chapter, but instead, [a:A.G. Howard|5186274|A.G. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1325561918p2/5186274.jpg] decided that she should continue the chapters. Another feature that I found to be annoying was that was that the chapters were really long. I found it hard to concentrate for about 15 pages strait while also knowing that the POV can change at any moment. This made me disoriented, which occasionally lead to me forgetting what was happening and having to reread the past page. Other people say that this book is very clichéd. I agree, but I will come back to the clichés in a second, because I disliked them, but also found them very interesting. Sometimes, the author didn't explain an occurrence in the plot, so I was lost. This didn't happen a lot though, so this didn't really make my rating drop.
As I have mentioned before, this book is really clichéd, but in this book this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The clichés are here presented in a new way. What I mean by this is that, for example, a lot of characters in books have a "curse" or a "special talent," (Clary can in [b:City of Bones|256683|City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)|Cassandra Clare|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1432730315s/256683.jpg|2267189], or how Emma is actually a syrena in [b:Of Poseidon|12425532|Of Poseidon (The Syrena Legacy, #1)|Anna Banks|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327879889s/12425532.jpg|17375535]), but in this story the "curse," which is placed on Rune is her voice. After she sings she becomes weak... HOW ORIGINAL IS THAT?! This book gave me a sense of nostalgia as if I have read it before, but it was reinterpreted in a different way. In a way, this is not only a retelling of The Phantom of the Opera, but all of the other stories too.
Another thing that I liked about this book was that the characters were first well developed before any sort of love interest started to form. Unlike in some other books were the characters meet up in the first chapter and fall in love with the next, this book took the time of around two hundred pages to build up our love for the characters. I rooted for Thorn and Rune, because I loved both of their characters, and knew, from their character development that they were perfect for each other. I wish that all the other books would do this, instead of just forming a so-so relationship.
Just like when I finished reading The Phantom of the Opera, the retelling of that marvellous tale left me with a nice, warm feeling of gratitude for the plot and characters of the original (as well as new story).
Wow... this was quite different and unexpected from what I usually read. [b:RoseBlood|28818314|RoseBlood|A.G. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457527657s/28818314.jpg|46757820] by [a:A.G. Howard|5186274|A.G. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1325561918p2/5186274.jpg] is a retelling of a famous classic (one of my favorites) [b:The Phantom of the Opera|480204|The Phantom of the Opera|Gaston Leroux|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327867727s/480204.jpg|2259720] by [a:Gaston Leroux|9057|Gaston Leroux|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1207312409p2/9057.jpg]. The retelling follows the story of a girl by the name of Rune Germain. Ever since she was a little girl she had a beautiful voice that only grew to be more beautiful with time. Now, her mother sends her to the RoseBlood academy. It was rumored that this was the place that inspired the famous Gaston Leroux to write The Phantom of the Opera. Upon her arrival at RoseBlood, Rune keeps on sighting a man with the Phantom's mask, but it seems that no one else sees him. Will she find out the truth about RoseBlood?
Before reading this book I did read some non-spoilery reviews. Most people said that it was a "bad" book. I don't really agree. I can see why that is, but I look at it in a different point of view. People must read [b:The Phantom of the Opera|480204|The Phantom of the Opera|Gaston Leroux|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1327867727s/480204.jpg|2259720] before they read this book, or they won't really understand some of the concepts of this book. Readers that are feeling sad, because they just read [b:Me Before You|15507958|Me Before You (Me Before You, #1)|Jojo Moyes|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1357108762s/15507958.jpg|17763198] or [b:The Fault in Our Stars|11870085|The Fault in Our Stars|John Green|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1360206420s/11870085.jpg|16827462] are inclined to read this book, as it leaves the reader with "warm fuzzy feelings." However, there were some definite flaws that made my rating drop.
"A disturbing mix of anticipation and dread grated along his spine. Mud sucking at his boot soles, he scaled the embankment’s slope toward the window.
Let the dance begin."
A thing that I hated about this book was that the points of views alternated in chapters. I was really confused when Thorn's POV (the other main character except for Rune) suddenly ended in a cliffhanger. It could've easily been the end of the chapter, but instead, [a:A.G. Howard|5186274|A.G. Howard|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1325561918p2/5186274.jpg] decided that she should continue the chapters. Another feature that I found to be annoying was that was that the chapters were really long. I found it hard to concentrate for about 15 pages strait while also knowing that the POV can change at any moment. This made me disoriented, which occasionally lead to me forgetting what was happening and having to reread the past page. Other people say that this book is very clichéd. I agree, but I will come back to the clichés in a second, because I disliked them, but also found them very interesting. Sometimes, the author didn't explain an occurrence in the plot, so I was lost. This didn't happen a lot though, so this didn't really make my rating drop.
“Once a song speaks to my subconscious, the notes become a toxin I have to release through my diaphragm, my vocal cords, my tongue.”
As I have mentioned before, this book is really clichéd, but in this book this isn't necessarily a bad thing. The clichés are here presented in a new way. What I mean by this is that, for example, a lot of characters in books have a "curse" or a "special talent," (Clary can
Spoiler
make new runesAnother thing that I liked about this book was that the characters were first well developed before any sort of love interest started to form. Unlike in some other books were the characters meet up in the first chapter and fall in love with the next, this book took the time of around two hundred pages to build up our love for the characters. I rooted for Thorn and Rune, because I loved both of their characters, and knew, from their character development that they were perfect for each other. I wish that all the other books would do this, instead of just forming a so-so relationship.
Just like when I finished reading The Phantom of the Opera, the retelling of that marvellous tale left me with a nice, warm feeling of gratitude for the plot and characters of the original (as well as new story).
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I love The Phantom of the Opera, so I was excited to read this. But it was sooo slow for a little over half the book that I considered making it a DNF a few times and moving onto a new book. I kept reading though, and it did pick up some, but it was just okay to me.
this book was balls to the wall BONKERS. and i'm about to spoil the whole thing. so.... if you think you wanna read this book someday..... first of all, please reconsider, because it was pretty terrible, but second of all, if you care about spoilers, turn your mother effing computer off now!
this book is pitched as a phantom of the opera retelling, but really it's more of a phantom of the opera fanfiction, only it's a kid!fic, which, if you know anything about fanfiction, you know is the worst kind of fic. no one cares about a kid!fic. if you say you do, that's because you wrote one at one point and are embarrassed that i just said they're bad, even though you know i'm right.
our main character is rune. yes, that's her Christian Name. she is Not Like Other Girls because she's able to perfectly sing any opera song and also she can see people's auras. now she's attending a french opera school that for some unexplained reason only takes american students (seriously - never explained!!) also, rune is obsessed with the book, the phantom of the opera. maybe you've heard of it?? (THIS IS MY LEAST FAVORITE THING!!!! i read a LOT of retellings and i absolutely HATE IT when the source material EXISTS WITHIN THE RETELLING!!!! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!!!!)
anyway, rune sees a mysterious boy wearing a mask as she's entering the school, and she assumes it's the gardener.... for some reason... but there IS NO GARDENER!!! don't worry, this isn't a mystery to the reader for long, because we now get Mysterious Boy's pov as well (which is in third person, while rune's is in first. another thing i hate!) his name is thorn, he was born to a prostitute, then almost sold into a child sex trafficking ring until he was rescued by the man he now calls Father Erik. oh yeah, and he only wears the mask for the Aesthetic. he's actually totally gorgeous.
now, i know what you're thinking: isn't erik the name of the original phantom? you would be RIGHT!!! BECAUSE THIS ABSOLUTELY BONKERS BOOK HAS DECIDED THAT THE PHANTOM IS NOT ONLY ALIVE AFTER OVER A HUNDRED YEARS HAVE PASSED BUT HE'S ALSO A PSYCHIC VAMPIRE WHO FEEDS OFF OF PEOPLE'S AURAS OR SOME BULLSHIT!!!!
thorn and rune are also psychic vampires, but more than that, they're Soul Mates, only the author has decided that soul mates are overdone i guess and calls them Twin Flames instead, but it's the same thing. i promise. i can't go into the intricacies of this plot further than the baffling broad strokes i'm providing here 1) because i quite literally could not bring myself to care 2) there's just too much. so here are some highlights:
- the author repeatedly calls these psychic vampires incubuses and succubuses interchangeably. granted, it's been a while since my vampire lit class i took in college, but this feels incorrect.
- they also have familiars? which i also believe is incorrect? isn't that a witch thing?
- jippetto from PINOCCHIO WAS RANDOMLY IN THIS BOOK????? it's definitely the same jippetto because he makes wooden mannequins but i genuinely am baffled as to why he was here!!! two of my friends compared it to the trainwreck that was the show once upon a time, and honestly they are absolutely correct.
- the absolute KICKER was that to harvest energy for thorn so that he doesn't have to murder people is that the OG PHANTOM OF THE OPERA owns a RAVE CLUB. and it's INVITATION ONLY. the phantom of the opera owns a rave club where he drains the energy of parisian youths!!! i wish to GOD i was making this up!!!
- both rune and thorn are so forgettable that i could not give a single hoot about them
- the final showdown or whatever was literally summarized and for WHAT??? FOR WHAT!!!
this was so bad but was honestly still kind of fun just because it was truly insane, and it was clear that it was an unintentional insanity. i still don't recommend reading it. reading this review is a better use of your time.
this book is pitched as a phantom of the opera retelling, but really it's more of a phantom of the opera fanfiction, only it's a kid!fic, which, if you know anything about fanfiction, you know is the worst kind of fic. no one cares about a kid!fic. if you say you do, that's because you wrote one at one point and are embarrassed that i just said they're bad, even though you know i'm right.
our main character is rune. yes, that's her Christian Name. she is Not Like Other Girls because she's able to perfectly sing any opera song and also she can see people's auras. now she's attending a french opera school that for some unexplained reason only takes american students (seriously - never explained!!) also, rune is obsessed with the book, the phantom of the opera. maybe you've heard of it?? (THIS IS MY LEAST FAVORITE THING!!!! i read a LOT of retellings and i absolutely HATE IT when the source material EXISTS WITHIN THE RETELLING!!!! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!!!!)
anyway, rune sees a mysterious boy wearing a mask as she's entering the school, and she assumes it's the gardener.... for some reason... but there IS NO GARDENER!!! don't worry, this isn't a mystery to the reader for long, because we now get Mysterious Boy's pov as well (which is in third person, while rune's is in first. another thing i hate!) his name is thorn, he was born to a prostitute, then almost sold into a child sex trafficking ring until he was rescued by the man he now calls Father Erik. oh yeah, and he only wears the mask for the Aesthetic. he's actually totally gorgeous.
now, i know what you're thinking: isn't erik the name of the original phantom? you would be RIGHT!!! BECAUSE THIS ABSOLUTELY BONKERS BOOK HAS DECIDED THAT THE PHANTOM IS NOT ONLY ALIVE AFTER OVER A HUNDRED YEARS HAVE PASSED BUT HE'S ALSO A PSYCHIC VAMPIRE WHO FEEDS OFF OF PEOPLE'S AURAS OR SOME BULLSHIT!!!!
thorn and rune are also psychic vampires, but more than that, they're Soul Mates, only the author has decided that soul mates are overdone i guess and calls them Twin Flames instead, but it's the same thing. i promise. i can't go into the intricacies of this plot further than the baffling broad strokes i'm providing here 1) because i quite literally could not bring myself to care 2) there's just too much. so here are some highlights:
- the author repeatedly calls these psychic vampires incubuses and succubuses interchangeably. granted, it's been a while since my vampire lit class i took in college, but this feels incorrect.
- they also have familiars? which i also believe is incorrect? isn't that a witch thing?
- jippetto from PINOCCHIO WAS RANDOMLY IN THIS BOOK????? it's definitely the same jippetto because he makes wooden mannequins but i genuinely am baffled as to why he was here!!! two of my friends compared it to the trainwreck that was the show once upon a time, and honestly they are absolutely correct.
- the absolute KICKER was that to harvest energy for thorn so that he doesn't have to murder people is that the OG PHANTOM OF THE OPERA owns a RAVE CLUB. and it's INVITATION ONLY. the phantom of the opera owns a rave club where he drains the energy of parisian youths!!! i wish to GOD i was making this up!!!
- both rune and thorn are so forgettable that i could not give a single hoot about them
- the final showdown or whatever was literally summarized and for WHAT??? FOR WHAT!!!
this was so bad but was honestly still kind of fun just because it was truly insane, and it was clear that it was an unintentional insanity. i still don't recommend reading it. reading this review is a better use of your time.
| I really wanted to like this book more than I did. There were parts that were promising but I felt like it dragged way too much. I love twists on popular stories and fairy tales but this one just didn't do it for me.