Bright Smoke, Cold Fire

Presenting Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge.

Here is the summary of the book:

When the mysterious fog of the Ruining crept over the world, the living died and the dead rose. Only the walled city of Viyara was left untouched.

The heirs of the city’s most powerful—and warring—families, Mahyanai Romeo and Juliet Catresou share a love deeper than duty, honor, even life itself. But the magic laid on Juliet at birth compels her to punish the enemies of her clan—and Romeo has just killed her cousin Tybalt. Which means he must die.

Paris Catresou has always wanted to serve his family by guarding Juliet. But when his ward tries to escape her fate, magic goes terribly wrong—killing her and leaving Paris bound to Romeo. If he wants to discover the truth of what happened, Paris must delve deep into the city, ally with his worst enemy . . . and perhaps turn against his own clan.

Mahyanai Runajo just wants to protect her city—but she’s the only one who believes it’s in peril. In her desperate hunt for information, she accidentally pulls Juliet from the mouth of death—and finds herself bound to the bitter, angry girl. Runajo quickly discovers Juliet might be the one person who can help her recover the secret to saving Viyara.

Both pairs will find friendship where they least expect it. Both will find that Viyara holds more secrets and dangers than anyone ever expected. And outside the walls, death is waiting. . .

REVIEW ==

I like Mr. Shakespeare. I respect the playwright really and admire his work very much but ..... Romeo & Juliet ..... I always keep at a distance. Un-uh no way, this play just somehow rubs me in the wrong direction but this is a retelling in author Rosamund Hodge's unique and cool way of adding fantasy and a little bit of darkness like in her books 'Cruel Beauty' & 'Crimson Bound'. Sadly the end result had me bored out of my life with Bright Smoke Cold Fire.

Its not really the fault of the book. I was still nursing a bookish hangover from the awesomeness of Lady Midnight. So I didn't feel that into the book either. I will point out that Hodge does a great job of setting up this world. She also plays around with the original script of the source material, putting her own spin on things. But its well within the confines of the story.

I also liked the parameters of the unusual friendship between Romeo & Paris and Juliet & Runajo. How they all begin with hate slowly evolving into a grudging respect and almost friendship. But i didn't care much for them characters at all. It just felt too tedious. One of the main reasons for that was definitely because of the rich mythology the author created for this series.

Its good that Hodge was trying to set the world but it was only when we reach some chapters further does the world start making sense. I don't usually mind it but it all just felt too heavy this time. Resulting in me not really enjoying the book. Maybe it was also because i just don't like Romeo & Juliet. Maybe thats why I didn't enjoy this book as I was expecting it too ..... come on just look at that gorgeous cover.

"Romeo & Juliet in a world of magic & fantasy"

Genre :      Young Adult, Fairy Tale re-tellings, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Balzer+Bray

Release Date: 27th September, 2016

My Copy: publisher & edelweiss

Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

Other Books from Author (review links):
            Cruel Beauty 
            Crimson Bound

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

Crimson Bound

Presenting Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge.

Here is the summary of the book:

When Rachelle was fifteen, she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

'Crimson Bound' sure had us bound since the first glance at the cover. Of course a closer look revealed that Crimson Bound is not a sequel to the author's debut 'Cruel Beauty'. Of course we rejoice in the happy ending of Nyx & Ignifex and proceed to Rachelle's journey as she looks for retribution and redemption as she battles her calling as a bloodbound, guarding the bastard Prince Armand and trying to destroy the Devourer himself before he is able to usher in the endless nights.

A reckless decision made her a blood bound. Bound her to the forest. An act of being marked and chosen by a Forestborn. Not quite human anymore but with the added abilities, accelerated speed and healing, Rachelle hunts the woodspawn, creatures of the forest of all shapes and sizes and protects the humans. And Rachelle has proven she is no waif. Tough, kick-ass, intrepid and a warrior with a conscious is how I would categorize her. With a calculating personality and an impulsive streak, she along with her Erec are very good at their job.

Rachelle and Erec have a hot and cold relationship. Erec is a flirt and Rachelle sees her giving in to him as becoming just a number on his long list of conquests and she doesn't want that of course, things take an interesting turn when she is ordered to guard Armand. A saint to the people and apparently the only one to resist the mark of the Forest.

While not as strong or as buff as a bloodbound, Armand can hold his own. Intelligent, shrewd and really we readers and for that matter Rachelle can't help but be intrigued by him. Amidst all the darkness and destruction it is refreshing to witness the rapport between Armand and Rachelle, from snippy and suspicious they began and prolonged exposure turned that into something beautiful and compatible. Secrets and secrets later, they began to understand and stood tall together to face the coming of the enemy.

The romance is there of course but a much muted version and rather up-in-the-air sort. Unlike 'Cruel Beauty', 'Crimson Bound' takes its cues from the story of Red Riding Hood and it is more grittier. The book is long and felt lagging in places but the action and the lore and the secrets revealed are well worth the hassle. With Rosamund Hodge expertly pulling the reign with her mystical writing and intense characters, you just can't help but be one with her original ideas of fairy tale re-tellings. Eager to see what she does next.

"Make way for the new kick-ass Red Riding Hood"

Genre :      Young Adult, Fairy Tale re-tellings, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Balzer+Bray

Release Date: 5th May, 2015

My Copy: publisher & edelweiss

Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Other Books from Author (review links):
            Cruel Beauty

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

Cruel Beauty

HAPPY RELEASE DAY!! Presenting Cruel Beauty Universe: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge.

Here is the summary of the book:

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

HOLY HELL THIS IS ONE AMAZING STORY!!  I try to go into books  with the least amount of expectations as possible and when they prove their wort, LIKE THIS ONE did then I get the most satisfactions out of it as possible. The synopsis compares it to a mix of 'Graceling' and 'Beauty & the Beast' but since I haven't read Graceling...... I'd go with 'Greek Mythology' meets 'Beauty & the Beast'.

Nyx and the Gentle Lord. They definitely were a pair. Nyx for her part was the quite and reserved person, trained all her life to destroy her to-be husband, the Gentle Lord, the Lord of Bargains and land of the presence of evil and bring back the clear blue skies. She is stubborn, quite determined. She may have never desired anything from others but a part of her does crave..... crave the love and adoration that her younger sister got. But one thing I liked of her..... she is compassionate.

The Gentle Lord, Ignifex (as he is called) on the other hand is every bit mischievous, dark devilish and of course beguiling as you would expect him to be. But as we see Nyx and him interact and gradually come to know each other. We find that there is a bit of vulnerability to him as well and their gradual love and passion actually felt more real than ever. Its palpable enough to make us swoon and diligently root for them to be together even if the situation feels more bleak than ever.

Most of all I liked the way Hodge blends Greek Mythology throughout the story to make it look even more fantasy-like. And the jaw dropping twists & turns and how our characters deal with deceptions throughout the stretch of it,  that gave it a new meaning. Rosamund Hodge's debut surely makes it with the big names out there...... This is a fairytale re-telling I recommend you would love and covet.

"A perfect blend of Greek Mythology and Beauty & the Beast. Fans of Alex Flinn will definitely love this"

Genre :      Young Adult, Fairytale re-telling, Paranormal, Romance

Publisher: Balzer+Bray

Release Date: 28th January, 2014

My Copy: publisher and edelweiss

Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository