2.5 rounded to 3 Stars.
This really did have a lot of promise. The first 40% was entertaining, if a bit juvenile. Then it immediately switched to romantasy fodder, interspersed with a bit of plot.

Jules being a demon was seen from a mile away and the Uncle character being corrupt was easy to spot too. The random Latin and French words really felt disconnected from the story and since this was a fantasy world I'm a little confused as to why they were included.

This setting is ripe for a better fantasy series. Van Helsing for demons in a Catholic setting is awesome, but deserves a more developed plot.

A fun romantasy full of angst, tension, and adventure. I am eager to see what happens in the next installment!

Cruel is the Light is an upper YA romantic fantasy taking place in an alternate history Europe where the Vatican Empire wages a war with demons.

Selene is the most powerful of the Exorcists with mysterious power embedded in her bones. But even her power isn't enough when she faces a duke of Hell, Baliel. Nearly defeated, she is saved by a foot soldier, Jules, who seems too powerful for an ordinary human. Yet his past is a mystery. The two of them invent a fake dating, fake identity scheme to infiltrate the heart of Vatican to discover the secret behind Jules' invincibility and unravel the plans of Baliel. What follows is a lot of romantic tension, big reveals and dramatic battles.

The romance plot was well developed, the protagonists likeable, and the setting unique, since it's neither fully historical nor fully a fantasy world.

My only complaint is the book feels too long for the amount of story contained in it. It could have been edited down a bit. I also hope Selene's powers are better explained in the sequel, because currently it's not clear how did she obtain them and how do these work exactly. Nonetheless, this was an entertaining read.

I wonder whether the author ever played the Diablo video game series, because some of the lore behind demons and humans reminded me of it.

I would recommend it for ages 16+ due to bloody & violent scenes, romance that doesn't fade to black, foul language, alcohol and tobacco use (the characters are 18+ and it takes place in Europe so I assume they're legal to drink).

I received an ARC from Netgalley & Knopf Books for Young Readers for the purpose of leaving a honest review.

I adore stories about demons and angels. Light and dark. Good verses evil. Especially when the sides and warped and twisted. Those where, in the end, you don't really know which is which.
The large ensemble cast of characters was extremely well done. I adored them all. From Lucia and Caterina, to Sparrow and Kian. I loved the duel POVs.

I really wanted to love this book. I think the premise is so interesting and I loved the groundwork at the beginning breaking down the empire, the important classifications and players, and the Dramatis Personae. There were so many interesting tidbits there relating to who the characters could be and their relationships to each other and the world and plot but it ultimately felt like I was given a really cool D&D guidebook but was disappointed by the actual gameplay.

The anime vibes are strong in this and I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing but the way the story is paced and the way the characters are developed, it’s an anime that I would love to watch hours of 2000’s style AMVs for but not necessarily the source material.

The Evangelion vibes were obvious but endearing but the alternate history, FGO-style inclusion of Anastasia as one of the demons lost me a little. Without name-dropping anyone else like this, it felt really disjointed and unnecessary. I think including other historical figures could have been a cool angle but by just using Anastasia and for so briefly it felt a little pointless.

I never truly connected to Selene and Jules as the main characters in the same way that I felt immediately connected to some of the side characters, like Sparrow, Caterina, Kian, and Elliot. But these characters were all off page for the majority of the book and I would have liked to have seen more of them.

That all said, I adored the side characters and the last 40% or so was much more quickly paced and I found myself a lot more engaged. I would definitely read the sequel if some of the side characters, especially Sparrow, are going the be playing a bigger role and I am curious to learn more about the College.

Important side note- there is a lot of self harm in this book. It’s not graphic but references to it are much more frequent than I was expecting based off of the content warning. I think that it could do with a stronger/more clear content warning than what’s provided.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for the ARC!!!

First and foremost, thank you to the publisher for providing an e-ARC of this title. I absolutely love this author—her storytelling never fails to pull me in. I had such a fun time exploring the world she created in this book. The unique and engaging magic system always kept me guessing, which made the reading experience all the more enjoyable. It was immersive, inventive, and full of charm. A solid four-star read, and yet another reason I’ll keep returning to this author’s work.

This was one of my most anticipated releases since the cover dropped because it was gorgeous. The premise sounded perfect for me too! Demon hunting, fake dating, powerful FMC, all of my favorite things. Unfortunately, it didn't end up working for me. I was confused for the most part with the hierarchy of the demons/exorcist AND I wasn't interested in the characters at all. So sad about it, but maybe it will work for others! As always, im still so appreciative and thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!

I had a really fun time reading this. The world-building was super intriguing and I really enjoyed how the author puts a new and refreshing twist on demons and religion. It's action-packed and kept my attention. Selene and Jules were compelling characters and the banter between them was amusing to read. The story was a bit confusing in the beginning with the extensive info-dump, and constantly flipping back to the first few pages explaining the different positions within the Vatican took me out of reading. The plot was easy to follow and full of action but was a bit predictable. Regardless, this was a fast and entertaining read if you enjoy romantasy.

This book was actually one of my most anticipated reads this year, so I was really thrilled when I got approved for the ARC. The cover looked stunning, and the premise sounded super promising, so it’s a bit of a letdown that the execution didn’t quite hit the mark. I usually enjoy fantasy stories involving exorcists and demons, so I was hoping for some solid world-building here. But honestly, the way the world was explained felt confusing at times. I had to go back and reread some parts just to make sense of what was happening.

The characters didn’t really stand out to me either. They felt kind of flat, and I think giving them more backstory could’ve made them way more compelling. The romance was another thing that didn’t quite work. I’m a big fan of fake relationship plots and love a good grumpy-sunshine dynamic, and I did enjoy the initial banter between Jules and Selene. But it just jumped straight into “we’re in love”, and it didn’t feel earned. A slower build-up would’ve helped a lot in making their connection feel real.

Pacing-wise, it also felt a bit uneven, and I won’t lie, the glossary at the beginning was kind of overwhelming. That said, I do appreciate the Roman setting and the way the story touches on themes like religion and belief. It definitely had potential and some interesting twists. So while this wasn’t a standout read for me, it wasn’t a complete miss either. I’m still curious enough that I might check out the sequel and see where things go from here.

This book consumed me, just as I knew it would. Have I ever read a book with a slow burn enemies to lovers romance between an exorcist and a soldier? I can’t say that I have. Did I enjoy it? I have to say, I did! Thoroughly! It’s been a long time since I’ve picked up a Young adult book that has hooked me the way this one has. Our main characters Jules and Selene were incredibly fun to follow, as was the romance. Slow burn enemies to lovers with a side of fake engagement, well consider me intrigued. While most books I have read do the opposite, it was incredibly fun reading about a dynamic where the female character gets to sulk while the male character is an ocean of smiles. The development of their relationship was very well done and I found myself rooting for them both several times throughout. The plot itself focuses on two incredibly different characters from two incredibly different worlds, who come together to form an alliance that you can’t help but root for. Our leading lady Selene is an exorcist, while our leading man Jules, is a reluctant soldier, questioning his own life choices. Of course, the problem? A war that has devastated the world forces to individuals on the opposite sides of it to reluctantly surrender to each other before its too late. Once again, I believe this is the perfect fall read. I loved the characters and our characters laced into the story that are more so in the background, but each so different and so easy to love. With the way things ended, I cannot wait to read the next book next year. I had a blast with this one! 5 stars.

𝙊𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙, 𝙬𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝.

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and it delivered such a fun and unique story! Set in what feels like early 1900s Rome—with a few detours through France—you’re dropped into a richly imagined world where monstrous demons roam, and Vatican-sanctioned exorcists are the last line of defense protecting the Holy City and their Deathless God. There’s a lot of lore to sink your teeth into—from different classes of exorcists to demon hierarchies and the intricate pecking order of Vatican leadership—so I highly recommend giving the glossary and map a quick skim before diving in.

Selene and Jules had a ton of personality! Their chemistry really starts to spark around the halfway point, and from there it just takes off. Where Selene was cold and distanced, Jules was outgoing with swagger, charm, and definitely had that air of 𝘫𝘦 𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘰𝘪. Things are a little awkward between them at first, but by the end, there was so much tension, longing, and little moments I loved that I NEEDED them to be together (and NOT under false pretenses).

“𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦.”
“𝘓𝘪𝘢𝘳,” 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘥.
“𝘠𝘦𝘴.” 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥. “𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴.”

I also have to shout out some standout side characters—Kian, Caterina, Sparrow, and Lucia—as they added additional levels of complexity to the casting and interactions with Jules and Selene. They were also some of the most entertaining and loyal personalities in the whole book. Kian really stole my heart, though. I loved his brotherly bond with Jules, and some of their banter was just too good.

“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘐 𝘥𝘰.”
“𝘋𝘪𝘥 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘥? 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺, 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘰, 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘱. 𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴.”
𝘑𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬. “𝘕𝘰. 𝘈𝘯𝘥, 𝘯𝘰, 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵.”

ALSO...THIS BOOK HAS SO MANY PLOT TWISTS! I loved that almost everything in the story was not as it first seemed. Maybe you'll see them coming, and maybe you won't, but for me, all of the hidden identities, agendas, and backgrounds were so, so good! I would never have guessed a few of them, and it made me so much more invested in the progression of the plot. Not to mention how some of these reveals impacted Jules and Selene's love...ugh, my heart.

Came for the demons and exorcists, stayed for the tension and love story. 🫶🏻

“𝘈𝘯𝘥? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦?”
“𝘈𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.”
𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥.
𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥.

✨ Demons x Exorcists
🤌🏻 Forced Proximity
❤️‍🔥 Forbidden Love
💍 Fake Engagement
🧑🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏻 Annoyances To Lovers
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine (she's the grump)
🗡️ Knife To Throat

3⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Cruel is the light was a fun read! It did take me longer to get through because the whole god and demon idea is not really my thing, but I did end up enjoying it. This book also had a lot of world building and magic system ideas that were not coherent or greatly executed. I even found myself lost towards the end of the book, when I thought I finally had an understanding of all the rules. It felt like ideas/rules were added or changed, making it a harder book to read.

Now for the story, which I enjoyed. This book mostly felt like a romance, while the plot took a backseat, but the idea of a trapped god and demons trying to take over was fun to read about.

Our main characters Selene and Jules were amazing, I really loved them. They met at around the 20% mark, and got together kinda fast (at least in my opinion; I prefer a slow burn romance), but there was enough conflict to keep things interesting.

Overall this book definitely had its flaws, but it was entertaining and I had fun toward the end with all of the plot twists.

Cruel is the Light is probably the most talked-about debut romantasy of the first half of the year—featured everywhere from Waterstones to FairyLoot special editions, and constantly popping up on Instagram and TikTok feeds. And while I share the excitement, I don’t think the final product fully delivered on everything that was promised—or at least not on what I was expecting after all the hype.

The book takes us into a familiar lore: angels and humans versus demons, with humanity struggling to survive. Enter our FMC, Selene Alleva, who's fighting for the "good" side, and our MMC, Jules Lacroix—a gray character. Beyond being an orphan on the front lines battling demons, we don't get much insight into Jules' convictions, which I guess kinda gives away on whose side Jules will be.

What really stood out for me was the worldbuilding and its unique concept. Yes, the “light vs. dark” lore has been done before, but Sophie Clark explores religion, gods, and belief in a way that feels fresh and really interesting. That’s what kept me turning the pages—it’s such a cool concept the one that we are reading about deathless gods.

That said, the pacing felt a little off. Since it’s part of a duology, I get that there’s more story coming, but a lot of this book felt slow. Some chapters didn’t add much in terms of plot, character development, or even worldbuilding—they just felt like filler. And the romance? It was a bit too instant for me. I do love a good romantasy, but the moment Selene and Jules were alone, emotional walls suddenly started to come crashing down between two near-strangers—despite having little reason to trust each other based on what they knew. It didn’t feel earned.

Individually, though, the characters had strong development. I genuinely laughed out loud several times, especially toward the end when new characters were introduced. For much of the book, it feels like Selene and Jules are the only ones who exist, so it was refreshing to meet others with unique voices. These secondary characters hinted at a much larger world and conflict—one I suspect will become more central in the next book.

I’ll definitely be reading the sequel. Part of me thinks this could’ve worked as a standalone, with maybe a sequel or prequel focused on different characters. But I’m still really curious to see where the story goes. The concept Sophie Clark is playing with is exquisite, and I need to know how things end for Selene and Jules.

An interesting ya fantasy, with elements of political intrigue, romance and identity searching.

The plot was a little underwhelming at times, with a lack of urgency behind some of the actions of the characters. It slowed down the pace for the first half of the book, but I definitely enjoyed the second part more. The character perspectives switched very quickly, which often got confusing when it happened half way through the chapter.

Nevertheless, Selene and Jules were both strongly written characters, with the clear aim of showing their development throughout. At times they were slightly too naive considering their experience (and Selene’s seniority), but this was used as a plot device. They both offer an intriguing comparison of the difference in indoctrination into organised militant religion, and I enjoyed the discussion around that.

The two leads had undeniable chemistry, and while parts were predictable, I still enjoyed reading it. I think Jules and Selene were a good fit for each other, especially as they’re both equally flawed individuals. I particularly loved how they both sharp-tongued but gentle, with Jules being an emotionally intelligent male character (which is sometimes rare in fantasy books).

This book definitely grew on me as I was reading it. There’s a lot I’m excited for in the sequel, and I have high hopes for what comes next.

I was initially drawn to this book by the cover. I was in the mood for a fantasy read and decided to give this one a try. It did NOT disappoint!!!

CRUEL IS THE LIGHT is a captivating debut novel from @sophieclark. It immediately grabbed my attention and never let it go! There is a slow burn romance, with witty banter, a fake relationship, hidden identity, secrets, lies, politics, magic and a cast of some amazing characters. But don’t get too attached…. She isn’t afraid to kill someone off!

Fans of the Shadowhunter universe, this is your sign to go pre-order or purchase this on! The vibe was so similar, in all the best ways but is wholly its own. It had me giddy! I am looking forward to more.

Thank you NetGalley for this amazing e-arc! This was a 4.5 ⭐ read for me. I was obsessed with the gothic setting of the book and being placed in the Vatican and in France. I loved the mystery of Jules and figuring out who and where he comes from. Most importantly, I was a big fan of the banter between Jules and Selene - there were several times I was laughing out loud. I truly love a good fake engagement trope and a good enemies to lovers. I think I would've loved a little bit more character development for the side characters, however I still enjoyed them all. I want more of Sparrow, I hope the second book dives a little more into him and his story. I highly recommend this for your next romantasy read.

3.5 stars

This book has a really good concept - a war between humans and demons, exorcists with magical abilities, mysteries, and forbidden romance in a Roman setting. It starts off with a huge list of terms and characters which was definitely a lot to take in. While I appreciate the effort put into the world building, I felt like it was a little difficult to follow at times and I didn’t always fully know what was going on.

The romance really saved this book for me, Jules specifically. I thought he was so precious and I loved his playfulness and flirty comments especially in dire situations. Jules and Selene were both badass tbh and the fake engagement & forced proximity were a lot of fun. Although this didn’t completely live up to the hype for me, I would still continue the series for more Jules and Selene.

Thank you to Random House & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark is an action packed adventure involving a young adult forbidden romance.

Selene is an exorcist leading the fight against the demons in the Vatican City who creates an alliance with soldier Jules Lacroix after they both survive a demon attack. Jules goes "undercover" so to speak as Selene's childhood friend/fiance Eliot. Jules wants to learn more about himself and hopes that Selene's connections can help him access the library and get the information that he's craving.

I had so much fun with this book - Selene & Jules' witty banter was chefs kiss. The two of them have forced proximity which was so delightful. I will admit I did get a bit confused with keeping some of the other characters straight, but all in all this was a quick and satisfying read with more romance than I was anticipating for a YA novel - thanks Sophie!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I look forward to reading more from the author & recommend this book to the romantasy girlies who enjoy action packed YA novels.

Cruel is the light had a really interesting concept, but was poorly executed. Had I not received an arc and a bought physical fairy loot copy, I would’ve DNFed it.

I know authors are often told to start in medias res, but being dropped right into the middle of separate action scenes for each character made the story disorienting. I was confused about what was going on and it didn’t give me any time to care about the characters. Because this is dual pov, the reader is introduced to a lot of characters in the opening chapters. It was difficult to keep track of everyone and what was happening.

This book also did not need to be nearly 500 pages. There was SO. MUCH. FILLER. Too many scenes were either repetitive or wholly unnecessary. A lot could’ve been cut. The middle was very saggy and the pacing overall was off.

The characters were also bland. Jules and Kian were the only interesting ones. But even at that, Jules was inconsistent and Kian was hardly present. Selene was a romantasy cardboard FMC with no real personality. The side characters had no differentiating qualities. Ultimately, I didn’t care about them and that’s something I need in a book.

The romance was rushed and happened over a matter of days. After some initial hostility and a couple rounds of 20 questions, Jules and Selene fall hard. Except, their relationship never felt believable. The “banter” was clunky and cringey and often didn’t match the pacing of their relationship. They didn’t have chemistry either. On the contrary, Jules and Kian had more chemistry than Jules and Selene.

The time period was also confusing. I think it’s meant to be modern based on the dates on some letters, but at times it didn’t feel that way. The inclusion of Anastasia Romanov also really threw me off. Her character was SO random and was never fully addressed.

Overall, I personally did not enjoy this book. However, I think readers who liked Powerless by Lauren Roberts would enjoy it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc. All thoughts are my own.

Okay I admit, I was sucked into this by the beautiful cover and Italian setting. It actually kind of reminded me of the Devil May Cry series but give it an Italian spin. Which honestly, I like both of those things, but for some reason I never fully connected with the characters or story.

Overall, this was an okay read but I dont see myself continuing with the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for a copy of this ARC. All opinions are my own.