ARC Review: Crimson Bound



Title: Crimson Bound
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Series: N/A, Standalone
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Fantasy
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: May 5th, 2015
Pages: 445
My Rating: 4.5 Stars

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.

  I was given an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

After enjoying Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge, I couldn't help but request a review copy of this one, and when I was approved, I did a mental happy dance. I wanted to dive into it immediately, but school kept me busy. Now I finally had the time to read it, and oh my gosh, it was such an amazing read!

Crimson Bound was such a great sophomore novel for Rosamund Hodge. This one's so much better than Cruel Beauty, and I already enjoyed Cruel Beauty! The story was captivating and beautifully written, and I wasn't able to put the book down. I really connected with the characters too and I felt everything the characters were feeling even though there weren't scenes I could relate to, and I definitely felt all the feels!

The story was amazing and unique, and the world building was impeccable. Even though I'm new to fantasy, I was able to get everything more or less. There were unexpected twists - at least for me - and I was caught off guard in a good way.

There were things I didn't like though. First, the saying of the I love you seemed off to me. Maybe it's just me because it was already shown that they liked each other, but felt really off to me. Second, I didn't like how Rachelle kept repeating over and over again how she's evil and Amelie is innocent and how she has to save her. Lastly, I think this isn't anyone's fault, but I just don't like how this one is marketed as a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood because it's a misconception, and honestly, I was thrown off guard at first because I was expecting Little Red Riding Hood.

Overall, this one's an amazing novel, and really a lot better than Cruel Beauty. I definitely recommend this to those looking for a unique read. 


4.5 all-the-feels stars


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