This was a bit of a swing and a miss for me. The premise was cool and pretty original, but the execution could have been better. The front half was very slow, and I was at 70% thinking, "Oh, the story is finally starting," because the front half could have easily been condensed. In turn, the last 20% felt a bit overloaded with reveals and big events, which made it all feel a bit too confusing. I thought the reveal about God's identity was cool as hell but it sort of lost the plot by the end with how literally everyone ended up having demon blood.


I also think it's annoying and weird that this book has been marketed as 'enemies to lovers' because it's a demon x exorcist romance but like, Jules being a demon is a big reveal towards the end of the book, shortly followed by the reveal that Serena has demon blood too? So there was no real gravitas to that reveal.

Thank you to Netgally and Penguin Random House UK Children's for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This review is for Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark which was released in the UK on the 23rd January! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Penguin Random House UK for giving me an eArc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first novel from Sophie Clark, and oh my god it was great! Honestly can’t wait for the second to come out, I need to know what happens next. 👀

It’s exorcists vs demons, but with a plot twist that will leave you shocked!! It was a super fun, yet trauma filled book following Selene, a badass exorcist and Jules. It has fake dating and grumpy x sunshine. Their relationship was so cute, it had me kicking my feet and giggling at times.

It did feel a little rushed, and the ending was kinda anticlimactic. There was this massive build up to the scene at the end where they confront someone… and then ehh.
I loved the characters and their build up in relationships, as well as Selene character growth, but some of the scenes were a little hard to follow. Like right at the start of the book, we’re thrown into the middle of an action scene but it feels like you don’t have enough information to keep up with what was happening. You also don’t get a lot of detail on the type of magic used throughout the book, and would have loved more exploration of Selenes power in particular and how/what makes it so much stronger than everyone else’s.

As I said, cannot wait to read the next one in the series!! Would highly recommend this to any YA fantasy readers out there!

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book. All of my thoughts are my own.

Jules and Selene were great. I loved their reluctant attraction to one another, I like that this developed into more. Every interaction between them was great. Jules should annoy me, but I loved him. He was a bit like a whipped puppy dog. Selene was fiery, very firm in her beliefs. Interesting to see that'll happen as I still don't think Jules is aware of her secrets.

I found the magic system a little confusing, I don't think it was explained that well and the worldbuilding could have been done a bit better. The lore was interesting. I saw a lot of the twists coming.

I enjoyed this book, wasn't aware it was the start of a series. Intrigued to see where it'll go next.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Penguin Random House for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: self harm, death, violence, war, injury, blood, demons, religion

‘Cruel Is The Light’ is set in a version of our world where God was killed and now exorcists have to hunt demon armies, led by the Vatican. This has been going on for over a century, and attacks by demons keeping getting worse and more unpredictable. Selene Alleva is a high ranking exorcist with close connection to the divine war because of her family and her hidden, terrifying powers. Hunting a dangerous enemy, the demonic Duke of Briars Baliel, Selene travels from Rome to Nice. Jules Lacroix is an orphan, abandoned at birth and now a foot soldier in the never ending war against demonkind. He is unrivalled in battle, known for surviving the impossible, but when tragedy strikes, Jules abandons his role. Fleeing to his hometown of Nice, he crosses paths with Selene in the midst of terrible demon attacks led by Baliel. Striking an uneasy alliance to solve the mystery- and why Jules always seems to survive- Selene convinces Jules to appear as her estranged fiance, allowing them both to return to the dangerous politics of the Vatican. As Selene starts to doubt her connections and Jules is forced to question everything he knows about himself, it becomes clear that Jules might be the threat Selene needs to be wary of, even as they fall in love.

This book really took me by surprise with our furiously fast it starts, and even though you’re dropped into the action, I found I liked Selene straight away. Her determination to be great and her willingness to sacrifice herself just to protect people was well written, I liked how there was a real conflict between what using her powers does and the damage it did to her. Jules is a different character to Selene, abandoned at birth and forced to fight on the deadly battlefield for years. He’s traumatised but sees the humour in things, while also trying to solve why he seems to survive the impossible. Their scenes are some of the highlights of the book, especially when Jules takes on the identity of Selene’s fiance, the banter, chemistry and growing tension was great as things worsened and came to light. I loved the world building, though it’s not explained a lot initially, and the way that religion and exorcism is used to fight demons. I took to the demon character of Sparrow really quickly and I hope that he has a larger role going forward, his interest in Jules was such a fascinating plot line. One of the best parts of this book is the way that twisted politics and internal conflict has made everything tense, worsened by the increasing threat of demons. I wish the side characters had been expanded on more, they didn’t feel as significant in scenes as they should, especially the ones that make up Selene’s team. This was a fun, dark YA with a really original take on religion and demons, I’m interested to see how the sequel might go.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK Children's for the ARC

Enemies to lovers, magic, demons, fake engagement? Yes, please! Cruel is the Light was a ride and I really enjoyed it! The characters were well-developed and even the side characters were awesome and fleshed out. The tension between our main couple was sizzling and war brought the book's intensity to a new novel. Really liked this one and would highly recommend!

Honestly, the cover is one of the prettiest covers I've ever seen and that was what made me want to request for an ARC immediately. When I got the news that I was approved for a copy, I couldn't contain my excitement and started reading immediately. The story was intriguing; however, I was left confused most of the time. I believe the info dumping at the start was pretty intense and though as I continued to progress, and became more familiar with some of the terms, I was still ultimately lost even until the end. The main draw of this story was the enemies to lovers trope, which I feel could've been done a little bit better. Though the chemistry between Selene and Jules was present, I felt that they were more of reluctant partners than enemies at any point. Overall, this book wasn't too bad but it also didn't stand out for me amongst many other romantasy books.

I absolutely love this book!
5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

OMG, this was amazing!! Now, I'm usually one for quite a bit of spice, but the tension in this book ATE!! I didn't need the spice; this book had lust, desire, epic battle scenes that I could literally picture in my head like a movie, an amazing backstory that I couldn't get enough of, and THE MOST PERFECT MMC (Jules) EVER WRITTEN!

@sophieclark GIVE ME MORE ASAP PLEASE 🙏 😭

This story heavily revolves around demons and this world's religion, in the best way, entwined with a deathless God and some crazy powerful demons. The morally gray FMC Selene is an exorcist, and Jules is...well, you will find out.

Honestly, I won't say too much as I don't want to spoil anything, but please go read this book. It's perfect, and I can't wait for the next book.

Also, so so glad I have two special editions of this book already. Keep them coming, as this story is my new obsession.

Thank you for the opportunity to read an early ARC; please consider me for the next installment as I am obsessed 😍

A new fantasy about a demon hunter and a soldier thrown together in a centuries-old war.
We’ve got enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, an interesting world with a Deathless God, demons, and a brutal war.

I liked Selene as a character , she was incredibly head-strong, with a will of steel. Jules was funny and charismatic, but I wish there was a bit more chemistry between them, I personally didn’t always see it.

While I thought the premise and magic system were compelling, I did struggle to properly understand it at times and at other times I lost focus in what was happening.

I think this is definitely a case of “this is not the book for me”, since I really struggled to connect to the story. Many things were happening, but nothing properly hooked me. I know it’s a well loved book, so don’t hesitate to read it if it sounds like your thing.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and author for this e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book felt kind of like those dreams that are incredibly epic while you're asleep but then fall apart confusingly when you try to put them into words and make absolutely zero sense.

I loved the concept of the world, but was not how it was developed throughout the story.

That being said, I think this is a debut novel and I could tell that a lot of passion and time had been poured into it.

From the moment I first heard about Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark from my friend, I was beyond excited! What’s not to love? This book has everything you could ever want in the perfect romantasy—enemies to lovers, grumpy-sunshine dynamics, a beautiful slow burn, and did I mention a fake engagement?! And if you're a fan of knife-to-throat scenes, you’ll find those too!

But what truly stole my heart were Jules and Selene. I fell in love with them from the very first page! Selene, our fierce and intimidating girl with a gentle heart, is ambitious yet deeply loyal and faithful, always striving to prove herself. And Jules? Oh, my poor tortured boy. What I love most about him is that, from the very beginning, he truly sees Selene for who she is. He recognizes the darkness in her soul, accepts it, and loves her even more because of it.

Sophie Clark’s writing is beautifully immersive, with rich world-building and complex, unforgettable characters. She left me completely captivated, and I simply can’t wait to read the sequel!

This book was intense, but in the best way imaginable. Cruel is the Light has completely blown my mind and expectations out of the water.

This was a HUGE release for me; I was pumped ever since the smallest info about it started making waves. I was BEYOND excited and intrigued by the premise; it sounded really unique and interesting. It really has exceeded any excitement that I had.

Cruel is so well-written that it is SO hard to conceive that this is Sophie's debut; The style is flawless and very atmospheric; it's quite a visceral book. It's a shame that the battle scenes near the beginning were so short, because Sophie really knows how to right powerful fighting! There is lots of action, however, sprinkled throughout to keep you on your toes.

There are so many twists, turns and secrets revealed in this book, that you don't feel that happy contentment and, I suppose, almost smugness that you have the plot mapped out; you can see where it's going. This book will surprise the hell out of you; there is a twist that I swear I did not see coming at all. It was incredible.

Selene and Jules are the greatest; Jules truly has my heart and unyielding affection. They are one of the best enemies-to-lovers couples that I have read in a very long time; they're just so believable. They're not phoney in the sense that they lose the enemy aspect pretty easily; the fury and chemistry is palpable. Jules is the greatest; I adored him. He's such an interesting character with a fascinating background that unravels throughout the story. And Selene is fantastic; we love a terrifying and powerful queen! I also really enjoyed that they're both such different characters with very different backgrounds.

The world-building is intense; I will admit that at the beginning I was a little confused as the plot and magic system were set up. I was slightly worried that I was too stupid to understand it. I think it just feels confusing because it's so complex and extensive; a lot of effort has been put into the creation of the world and it shows.

This was a spectacular debut!

I highly recommend this book; I think it will set the bookish world on fire.

I want to preface this review with thanking Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was massively drawn in by the premise of this book. Who isn't intrigued by demons, exorcists and an alternate Rome? The backdrop of the Eternal City was a really great idea, and Sophie's writing was really evocative of the locations. Selene and Jules were both flawed as characters, and written in a way that made you want to get to know them all the more.

The story takes us to some interesting places in Europe; Ostrava in the Czech Republic, Nice in France being the main destinations aside from Rome. The events of the book are intriguing, and some of the plot twists really got me.

I am already desperate for the sequel!

This was an engaging read that kept me hooked through most of the book. I really enjoyed the characters and the tension in the romance and it kept me turning pages to see what would happen next. I really enjoyed the train scenes and dialogue as well as the setup of the story.

However, I did find myself a little lost in the world-building at times. There were a lot of names and terms introduced that made it tricky to fully immerse myself in the setting. I had to reread a few sections to keep track of everything, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the overall plot and the romance. The fountain scene, in particular, was 🥵

I gave it an overall 3.5 stars so all in all, a great book and I’ll definitely be looking forward to more from Sophie Clark!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC copy. I was really excited to read this book and although I did enjoy it, I personally feel that it could have made more of the world-building and the magic system than it did.

The plot was a bit jumpy for me and sometimes I felt that I had missed something and ended up going back a few pages to find that I hadn't. Saying that I found this book highly addictive and I was very much invested in the main romance. I loved the male lead character although I know that others have labelled him annoying. Generally if you are a romantasy fan then definitely give this a go - I'm not sure it is a YA though as there is a fair amount of spice!

3.5/5

Many thanks to Penguin and NetGalley UK for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book really brought me back to the YA books and tv that I loved as a teenager. I didn’t realise I’d been missing that until I started Cruel is the Light and it filled an apparent hole.

As a story, it felt very fresh. I couldn’t put my finger on anything else that I’d read quite like it which was really exciting. Exorcists v demons feels new and I loved the mythology Sophie Lark created around the whole world. It definitely feels like there is more to learn and I can’t wait to keep exploring the world.

I loved the romance in this. It got its claws in me straight away and it had the back and forth banter that I love for in books. It really helped build the tension and I just needed to keep reading to see it continue to develop.

Really looking forward to the next book to see where things go next.

Thank you to Penguin Random House UK, Sophie Clark and NetGalley for sending me the ARC of this book..

This book had a great premise - conspiracy in the Vatican, demons vs exorcists - it was there. And that core plot is what kept me reading til the end.

However, I just didn’t fall in love this this book. I felt like it was a bit hard to follow and that things in the story happened with little to no explanation. I feel like it needed more editing / polishing.

I liked the characters, particularly Jules, Kian and Sparrow. But I don’t feel like some of the characters had enough depth too them, or reacted to situations in a normal way. Selene in particular had little depth. She’d been brought up with demons being the enemy. She’d sacrificed her family for it. But she accepts Jules with very little effort.

Something in the story did grip me, but I felt the execution needed work.

This was sadly not quite as good as I'd hoped it would be.
The concept was all there and I think it could have been something really good, but it just missed on the execution for me.

Worldbuilding wise, even using established places and setting we still seemed to struggle slightly and there were definitely unfamilar words used that weren't explained. It wasn't bad but just not as visual as it could have been.
I liked the idea of the POV but it wasn't always clear whos POV you were in right away which was a bit complicated until you caught on.

The magic system was an excellent idea in theory and I can see what the author ha intended but again, sadly slightly confusing and just left me wanting a bit more explanation.

That being said, i loved the main characters. I felt they were really good and they definietly are what kept me reading., They felt much more fleshed out than the world and I could understand them and their actions made sense to who they were as characters. I also quite liked their romance and the direction it took (although i think it's wrongly advertised as enemies to lovers, they were never quite enemies).

The plot itself I quite enjoyed too and I did want to keep reading to find out what would happen and that's always a really good sign!

Overall, it was okay but just needed a tad more polishing.

3.5 stars.

it took me a little while to get into this story, but when i did, i enjoyed it. i particularly enjoyed the dynamic between our two main characters—the tension was delicious. i also really loved the world, the imagery. the one remark i have to give though, is that the different povs were really confusing at times.

Sophie Clark’s Cruel is the Light presents an intriguing premise: an exorcist and a foot solider in a world where demons are locked in a century-long war against the Vatican. God has long since been felled and yet humanity has found ways to persist.

This book blends religious conflict with a near modern, dystopian aesthetic. The creative world and unique lore is the strongest element to this story and makes it stand out in the romantasy genre.

Despite my love for the concept, I found the pacing slow and struggled to engage in the story.

I may recommend this book to readers looking for a magic system similar to Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter universe in a setting reminiscent of Rebecca Ross’s Divine Rivals.

Thank you to Penguin Random House UK, Sophie Clark and NetGalley for allowin me to read this ahead of it’s release and share my review.

Thank you to Sophie Clark and Penguin Random House for providing me with a copy of this book!

Honestly, where to begin with this story? I found it to be fast-paced and very engaging. The tension between the female main character (FMC) and the male main character (MMC) captured my attention right from the start. I enjoyed watching their development and connecting with them throughout the narrative.

I will definitely be reading more of Sophie's books in the future.