Review: Crimson Bound

I received this book for free from FTC: Exchange for honest opinion, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge
Published by Balzer + Bray on June 11, 2015
Genres: Young Adult -Fantasy
Source: FTC: Exchange for honest opinion, Publisher
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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 a vain effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her hunt for the legendary sword that might save their world. Together, they navigate the opulent world of the courtly elite, where beauty and power reign and no one can be trusted. And as the two become unexpected allies, they discover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic . . . and a love that may be their undoing. Within a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

I always love retellings of fairy tales because every different author that decides to take this chance, always finds a new way of retelling it. For Crimson Bound, Rosamund Hodge decides to tackle the girl in the red hood. The cover looked amazing and I knew that this was going to be a good read.

The story follows a young 15 year old girl whose destiny is to destroy the darkness that is building in the forest. However, testing her fate she enters the forest and before she knows it she now belongs to the forest. The story flash forwards three years later and now working for the Kings guard she is asked to serve as the king’s son, Armand, guard.

Rachelle is such an amazing character. She is bold, fearless, courageous, but of course she is at the age where falling in love is just part of the journey. Rachelle is a girl with a dark past and every day she must live with it and becoming part of the King’s son guard is not helping. There is a love tension between them and this is where feelings start to become more and more evident.

The story is a slow start but once you start hitting the middle it a book that is hard to put down. I loved the retelling even though I was hoping for more. I felt there was another hint of another fairy tale in the midst making me smile.

Overall I am highly impressed with my first book reading of Ms. Rosamund Hodge. I will definitely be keeping an eye for her and any other books of hers.

Happy Reading!