RoseBlood by A.G. Howard
Blurb:
Rune, whose voice has been compared to that of an angel, has a mysterious affliction linked to her talent that leaves her sick and drained at the end of every performance. Convinced creative direction will cure her, her mother ships her off to a French boarding school for the arts, rumored to have a haunted past.
Shortly after arriving at RoseBlood conservatory, Rune starts to believe something otherworldly is indeed afoot. The mystery boy she’s seen frequenting the graveyard beside the opera house doesn’t have any classes at the school, and vanishes almost as quickly as he appears. When Rune begins to develop a secret friendship with the elusive Thorn, who dresses in clothing straight out of the 19th century, she realizes that in his presence she feels cured. Thorn may be falling for Rune, but the phantom haunting RoseBlood wants her for a very specific and dangerous purpose. As their love continues to grow, Thorn is faced with an impossible choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or save her and face the wrath of the phantom, the only father he’s ever known.
My Review:
I received an e-ARC of RoseBlood in exchange for an honest review.
17-year-old Rune Germain is being shipped off to a prestigious music conservatory in Paris to get over her "stage fright" at the suggestion of her grandmother - who tried to kill her - and her aunt - who she has never met, not even when her father died.
RoseBlood Academy is housed within the renovated opera house that inspired the famous "The Phantom of the Opera." Rune already doesn't want to attend RoseBlood. To be surrounded by the very music that drives her to the compulsion to sing until she gets sick is her worst nightmare, but then to find out she's going to be housed in the historic opera house that inspired the novel? Horrifying! Who wouldn't want to go to school there?
When Rune thinks she sees the phantom as the limo pulls up to RoseBlood her mother brushes it off as her imagination. Soon that's the least of her worries as she crashes into auditions for the school production and is forced to sing out the lead role, completely overshadowing the top prospect before she faints into the hottest guy in school's arms. Rune can't help it, once she gets a song stuck in her head sooner or later she must perform it... like musical purging. Try telling that to the mean girl who's spotlight she stole.
19-year-old Etalon "Thorn" did not intend for Rune to see him, especially in his unmasked state. Rune is at the school for one purpose, to give her voice toward Thorn's father's dark purpose. Thorn's "father" is the Phantom and he's never forgotten his lost love, Christine. He will go to any length to regain a piece of Christine again.
When a trick brings Rune and Thorn face-to-face Thorn realizes Rune is his "flamme jumelle," his twin flame. To Rune, Thorn is the guy who's been playing to her in her dreams since she was seven. From this one not-so-accidental encounter their bond strengthens and Thorn helps Rune to not fear the music anymore. But the Phantom still wants Rune for his horrible plot - and he'll do anything to get her!
As Thorn begins to fall in love with Rune will he choose to save her from the Phantom's plot? Even if that means turning his back on the only father he's ever known? As Rune settles into her new life she realizes that not everything is as it seems, but how does her family's history intertwine with the Phantom? How does her mysterious maestro fit in with everything? What is he hiding beneath his mask? Is their growing love real? Or is he buttering her up for some evil end? Can she unravel the mystery before it is too late?
RoseBlood is an intriguing retelling of The Phantom of the Opera, with a slight touch of Frankenstein added into the mix. Filled with reincarnation, separated soul mates, incubuses/succubuses, and unusual animals all set in a dark, historical background where secret passageways and double-sided mirrors are the norm, RoseBlood will slowly draw you into its' web and keep you enthralled until the very end.
I found the story a bit slow at first, and there was a lot of description and the characters were in their head a lot, versus more dialogue but when the story does pick up you don't want to put it down. From Thorn's tragic past to his joining with the phantom and working toward his purpose and Rune's story leading up to their first meeting you fall in love with the characters. My favorite of the secondary characters was definitely Diable, even if he was a cat - he was an awesome cat!
RoseBlood haunted my dreams and I loved every minute of it! This is a must read for fans of the Phantom of the Opera and people that are new to the story alike, as well as anyone that loves retellings.
My rating:
4.90 of 5 Stars
RoseBlood is available today, Tuesday, January 10, 2017, from Amulet Books and ABRAMS Kids! Pick up your copy in eBook or Hardcover today:
As you can tell from my review I am so excited that ROSEBLOOD by A.G. Howard releases today and that I get to share the news!
If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author A.G. Howard, be sure to check out all the details below.
This blitz also includes a giveaway for a signed ROSEBLOOD poster and a mask courtesy of A.G. and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.
About The Book:
Title: ROSEBLOOD
Author: A.G. Howard
Pub. Date: January 10, 2017
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 432
Formats: Hardcover, paperback, eBook
In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.
At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.
About A.G. Howard
A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. She always wondered what would've happened had the subtle creepiness of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland taken center stage, and she hopes her darker and funkier tribute to Carroll will inspire readers to seek out the stories that won her heart as a child.
When she's not writing, A.G.'s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.
Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a signed ROSEBLOOD poster and a Mask. US Only.
Ends on January 17th at Midnight EST!
No comments:
Post a Comment