I love a good fast paced romantasy, so Cruel is the Light was right up my alley. I loved the world building, there's a lot of action, tension and intrigue. At times I had trouble following what was going on, but I still enjoyed it a lot. The romance was really good, and the side characters made the story so much better. I'm looking forward to the sequel!

Cruel is the Light has a very unique and intriguing storyline following demons and exorcists in a fictionalised world based in the Vatican. There is initially a lot of world building which did take me a bit of time to get into. I found it a little bit difficult to follow at times. I enjoyed the second half of the book more as I enjoyed the reveal of twists and betrayals and alliances. Jules and Selene make great main characters and I enjoyed their character development individually and as a couple.
Overall this is a fun and unique read and I look forward to seeing what happens next in this series!

Cruel is the Light is an action-packed fantasy featuring a centuries-old war between demons and the Vatican, a reluctant alliance, and a forbidden romance. Selene Alleva, a high-ranking exorcist with a dark family legacy, and Jules Lacroix, an orphaned deserter, are forced to work together despite their immediate distrust—and undeniable attraction.

Tropes:
📖 Fake engagement
⚔️ Enemies to lovers
⛔ Forbidden romance
🌞 Reverse grumpy x sunshine
🗡️ Knife to throat
🏰 Forced proximity

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the banter. It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed such a high-quality level of witty, engaging dialogue. The dynamic between Selene and Jules made for an incredibly fun reading experience, adding both humour and depth to their relationship. Their push-and-pull tension kept me hooked, and I loved the way their interactions evolved over time.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, there were a few areas where I would have loved a bit more development. The transition from banter and flirtation to love happened a little quickly, and I think a slower progression would have made their relationship even more impactful. Given the horrors both characters endured, I would have also liked to see more exploration of trauma and emotional aftermath, which could add even more depth—perhaps in the sequel! Additionally, some parts of the world-building left me with questions, and a bit more clarity in certain areas would have helped ground me in the setting.

That said, Cruel is the Light is an intense, thrilling, and romantic fantasy with fantastic character dynamics, gripping tension, and plenty of action. I loved the chemistry between the leads and the high-stakes plot, and I’ll definitely be looking forward to the sequel!

Cruel is the Light had a lot of elements I usually love in a fantasy read: a gritty, war-torn world, a forbidden romance, and a deep dive into the battle between good and evil. Sophie Clarke has crafted a fascinating world here, with a centuries-long war between demons and humanity providing a rich backdrop for the story. The Vatican Academy and the the exorcist training were particularly well-developed, and I appreciated the thought that went into the lore.

The premise of Selene and Jules, two soldiers on opposing sides finding themselves drawn together despite their duty, had a lot of potential. However, while I enjoyed their initial interactions and the building tension, the romance unfortunately fell a little flat for me. I didn't quite feel the spark between them that I was hoping for, and some of the romantic moments felt a bit rushed.

The action sequences, while frequent, were sometimes a little muddled. It was occasionally difficult to follow the choreography of the fights, and I found myself having to reread passages to fully understand what was happening. This did detract somewhat from the overall enjoyment, as the battles are a key component of the story.

Despite these issues, I was invested enough in the world and the overall plot to keep turning the pages. The mystery surrounding the Vatican's secrets was intriguing, and I'm curious to see where the story goes next. If you're a fan of dark fantasy with intricate world-building, Cruel is the Light might be worth checking out.

🪽🏛️ Cruel is the Light 🏛️🪽

- Sophie Clark

⭐️⭐️.5

Demon exorcists meet the Roman Vatican in this YA fantasy romance that’s taken the world by storm. We follow Selene, an exorcist at the prestigious Vatican academy and Jules, a foot soldier with a mysterious past, as their unlikely paths intertwine in the course of a bloody war.

I’m so sad I didn’t love this more, because on paper, it sounds exactly the sort of thing I would love. I spent a large majority of the book confused. We are thrown into the middle of the action, which normally I wouldn’t have an issue with, but it felt like things never really got explained and we were left in that state of confusion, which is a feeling I don’t particularly like when I’m reading (even when it’s intentional!) Occasionally, I felt like the time and setting jumps were jarring. One minute we would be in the middle of a scene and the next we would somewhere completely different, in another characters POV.

I liked the characters, especially some of the side characters (shoutout to Caterina and Lucia). Selene was well-rounded and the author did a good job of toeing the line between her reputation as fierce and feared and moments of vulnerability and tenderness. The romance between Selene and Jules definitely drove me to finish the book. It’s just such a shame I felt the other aspects were a bit let down by the worldbuilding and writing.

Cruel is the Light had so much potential but unfortunately the execution just didn’t land for me and I’m so disappointed! I will still be continuing the series, just to see if any of the aesthetic writing and worldbuilding errors might be resolved. In which case, I think this could be amazing!

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC! 🙏

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Cruel is the Light is a perfect read for people that like action, tension and intrigue. The plot is very fast moving, and I sometimes had trouble understanding what was happening, escpially since a part of the characters weren't very memorable. But the author included a list of them which was very helpfull!

Cruel is the Light throws you straight into the action right from the very first page, and while that is an immediate hook, it also left me feeling slightly disoriented. The story kicks off at full speed, pulling you into a world of chaos and intrigue, but it took me a little while to figure out the dynamics. The setting, a dystopian Earth intertwined with demons and a powerful presence of God within Vatican City, is unique and fascinating, but the fast-paced introduction left me scrambling to understand who the characters were and how the world was structured, especially from two different POVs in different places. The mixture of supernatural elements, religion, and dystopian themes made for an intriguing premise, but it was sometimes a challenge to grasp all of the details.

One of the main reasons I gave this book a lower rating was due to its narrative structure. It's written in the third person but switches between two points of view. While this could have been an interesting approach, I found it confusing at times to figure out whose POV I was currently in. There were moments where I had to pause and reread a section just to figure out who was speaking, and that disruption made it harder for me to stay fully immersed in the story. The transitions between these two perspectives weren’t always clear, and I personally struggled with how fluidly the story flowed because of this.

Despite these structural issues, the story did keep me engaged overall. Cruel is the Light has a lot of potential, especially for readers who enjoy supernatural elements with deep layers of conflict. However, for me, the disorientation caused by the fast pace and POV shifts held me back from fully connecting with the book.

4 Star
YA Romantasy
Enemies to lovers
Fake dating
3rd person Dual POV

Loved the world building, it takes place in Rome, and it surrounded by demons and the Vatican.

The plot twists were quite surprising, and I enjoyed how strong Selene is.

It was pretty fast paced so keeps you really engaged. I cant wait for the next book.


Thank you for the eArc.

I could not put this book down, I gave everything that I wanted and more. The characters and the plot were just perfection.

I will 100% be recommending this book to anyone seeking ... well just anyone.

If I were to knit pick I would have a few minor fault but nothing really noteworthy, and certainly nothing that diminished my enjoyment of this book.

I loved this book by Sophie Clark. Cruel is the Light was such an interesting read and I loved our main characters Jules and Selene. I loved the setting in the story and the character development throughout the book. The only reason this wasn’t 5 stars is because throughout the book there would be times that felt kind of confusing at what I had just read. But going back to re-read I then was able to move on.

I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children’s for the eARC of this book. I look forward to reading more from Sophie Clark.

4.25 ⭐

This book drew me in initially with the JudeCardan-esque cover and I knew I had to read it.

Cruel is the Light follows Selene, a high-ranking vatican exorcist, and Jules, an orphaned soldier. The two begin as enemies and form an alliance to seek answers to Jules’s unknown origins—answers that have them questioning everything they thought they knew.

The dynamic between these two was a reverse grumpy x sunshine done well—Selene stern and stoic to Jules’ sharp wit and charm. The friendship formed following their alliance was humorous and tension-filled, leading to their eventual relationship; I enjoyed the development of their relationship with one another throughout the book, and their development individually too.

The story is set across Europe—initially starting in France before heading to Rome for the better part of the story—and we’re thrust into a world with an ongoing centuries-long war between humans and demons. There were a lot of combat scenes throughout, and I enjoyed these a lot and found them to be well executed.

The magic usage was there, but I would’ve preferred more detail on the exorcist’s powers, how they acquire them etc… We’re told a few times of their power and the avoidance of using too much power but otherwise I didn’t feel like there was any further explanation. Further to this, I felt there was a lack of explanation on Selene’s magic; it’s hinted at different parts throughout the story that Selene’s magic was special, or different, to that of other exorcists—and yes we later find out why—but it’s also mentioned about Selene’s runes for her magic being on her bones—different from other exorcists, who have them on their skin—yet there is no further explanation for why this is the case, or how it came to be.

The book started off quite slow and it certainly took me a while to get immersed into this world—when I first started, I got 10% before needing to restart as I got confused. There were parts of the book further in where I found it hard to follow or got confused by detail or terminology too. The last half of the book however, truly pulled me in and I didn’t want to put it down; it switched up the action and pace, and it definitely made the earlier issues worth it for me. Overall, this was quite a good read!

It took me a while to get into this book, and even then I steadily made progress only after the 50% mark. Don't get me wrong, it's set in a thoroughly crafted world with well rounded main characters (even if the secondary cast felt a smidge underdeveloped (they had so much potential left untouched!)) and the plot subtly moves forward since the very first pages. Maybe if it were a little shorter and the events more condensed I would've enjoyed it more; but as it is, at almost 500 pages, I feel like the story slips through the fingers of the reader, leaving behind only the main plot points (which are really well done). I would've liked for the book to get more into the story behind the demons, since the little we know about their history felt a bit rushed, but I loved the god of this story and the religion built around him, the controversy of worshipping a higher being while actively gaining something from its suffering.
All thing considered this was a very solid story, with good chemistry between the characters, but one that takes its time unfolding.

Between the two POV characters, Cruel is the Light instantly throws us into the action, and I found it difficult to follow. I’m usually not one to say this, but I wish it would have started a bit slower. You don’t have enough time to grasp the world or the characters, and then, boom, more action occurs. “Why is this happening?” is what I kept thinking to myself while reading. Especially with a world as complex as the one in Cruel is the Light, I would expect the author to understand that we, as a reader, are not familiar with it yet. I’ve been following this book for a while, and I was so sure I would love it, but unfortunately, I don’t feel like it’s for me. The concept Sophie Clark presents in her debut is very compelling and quite original compared to your standard YA romantasy, but I’m not sure this is how I would have liked the book to be written. Combined with the instant action and the confusing worldbuilding, I couldn’t completely vibe with the writing style either. It felt a bit too clunky for my liking. I much preferred Jules’ chapters to Selene’s as well. The demons were intriguing, and I appreciated how there was a handbook in the beginning detailing all the relevant information about them. I think Cruel is the Light will be best suited for fans of the Shadowhunters series, Powerless, and Legendborn. I had high hopes for this debut, but unfortunately, it wasn’t a hit. Maybe I’ll give it another try in the future when there’s more hype or reviews.

Selene and Jules were both strongly written characters, with the clear aim of showing their development throughout. I'm surprised this is published as YA. It felt more like new adult to me but as a 32 yr old woman, that suited me just fine. I thoroughly enjoyed it but did take a star off as I felt the writing undercut its own reveals sometimes and showed its hand before it needed to.

My first 5⭐️ read of the year, I LOOOOVED Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark!

I thought this book has a really intriguing, unique and new story that was beautifully written with characters that felt real. Jules and Selene are well thought through with flaws and qualities and are beautiful, bold and realistic! This is a story of power, magic, deception, secrets, death, fake engagement and demons which was so enthralling I just could not put it down.

Honestly, read this book! Whoever you are, whatever you normally read, just do it!

Summary: In war-torn Rome, exorcist Selene and soldier Jules uncover a Vatican secret, forcing them to choose between love and duty.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book, all thoughts are my own.

It took me sometime to get into this but i really enjoyed it in the end. The world building was soooo good and the tension between the two main characters is perfect.

I loved the multiple perspectives within the book as works so well and the action and politics within the book is really good.

4.5 ⭐️

Well this is definitely a new obsession that I'm taking into the new year with me. Although I kinda suspected it would be which is exactly why I waited until now to read it! 😉🤭🤭

This sensational story is filled with Demons, deception and death and I absolutely loved it! Jules and Selene are both such beautiful and bold characters that are so genuine, I couldnt get enough! Also, their chemistry is off the scale 🔥🔥

However, I also adored Sparrow and I'm really really hoping we see/hear more from him in book 2!

If you're in the mood for a fast paced romantasy that includes trickery and a barrel full of tension, then you definitely need this book in your life!!

✨️ Enemies to Lovers
✨️ Forced Proximity
✨️ Only One Bed
✨️ Fake Engagement
✨️ Good vs Evil

A massive thank you to the author for sending me an e copy of this beautiful book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC of this!

What a delight this turned out to be!

I thoroughly enjoyed almost every moment of this book and am excited to see where the next book goes!

We've got a fictionalised version of Rome, which the Holy Vatican Empire runs. Two centuries ago, God walked the Earth to help protect humans from demons before being impaled. He's now neither alive nor dead, instead called the Deathless God. Rome and Europe (we don't see other countries) are turned upside down by this, and their religion changes accordingly. Exorcists train to fight demons with the help of artificers who wield weaker forms of magic in weapons.

Selene is an exorcist from a noble Roman family - her father was an exorcist, too, but he betrayed the Vatican. Her uncle is the current Imperium Bellum, the head of the Vatican's exorcists and the most powerful man. Selene's nickname is the Butcher of Rome due to her impressive ability to kill demons and her utter sense of confidence. Selene knows that she's good - she graduated top of her class at the academy and has utter faith in herself, her God and her abilities.

Jules is an orphan conscript into the Vatican Army, who ends up entangled in the world of Selene and the Vatican after deserting his post after a horrible battle with demons. There's a Demon Duke on the loose, the highest rank of demon, and it seems to be interested in Jules. To figure out what's going on, Jules and Selene return to the Vatican to unravel more than one mystery relating to their past and current events.

I adored Jules. He was sassy and exceptionally witty—the kind of wit that makes you laugh out loud and effortlessly charming. Yet he has an undercurrent of softness, a desire to find out who he is, and a deep love for friends. He's a great character filled with insecurities, concerns, strength, and pride.

Selene is everything Jules isn't - self-assured, confident and with a solid sense of self-belief. She's also much more serious than him, despite Jules having been on a literal battlefield for the last four years of his life. Maybe that's why Jules is more lackadaisical - he's seen what he has to lose and knows to grasp every day for the gift it is. Still, he manages to worm his way into Selene's heart and mind to help her see that things aren't what they seem.

My only criticism of this book is that the side characters don't feel hugely fleshed out - Sparrow, Catarina, Kian and Lucia deserved more page time than they got. On top of this, it would have been nice to get a little more explanation about the overall world as well - is it just Europe or outside of Europe? We're told that demons are more likely to attack Rome due to the Deathless God being there, but does this mean there are not any demons in, say, Canada?

Another criticism is that I can't believe that Jules and Selene fell in love within, like...what...a week? But that's just a trope of these kind of books. A final critique is that I can't take their ages seriously - Jules was conscripted at 15, so he's only 19 in the book, and Selene is 17 or something, yet they both feel like they're in their mid-to-late 20s. This is a bizarre thing to say, as most of the time it's complaining that people read younger than they are, but these two felt like they had way too much experience to be so young and confident. Not only that, but it felt like it should be categorised as NA - not sure if it's described as YA, but it's not!

This book was one of my most anticipated reads for 2025 and it did not disappoint, can you give a book a prolonged round of applause, because I’d like to give this book one. For me this book was the epitome of a perfect blend between fantasy and romance. Set in both an opulent and dark fantasy world inspired by Europe and specifically the Vatican where exorcists hunt demons like it is their job; we follow Selene and Jules as they journey to look past the curtain of information they’ve been forced to accept to the truth that lies beneath.

As mentioned our tale follows Selene and Jules, originally apart before a series of events drives them together, this initial time apart allows us to really understand the origins of both characters and who they start the story as. This fundamental work beautifully crafted by Sophie feels so important, and sets up the foundation for the remainder of an action packed story filled with twists and turns. Once Selene and Jules collide they have to make a decision to pretend to be engaged in order to return to Rome and the Vatican to answer the question, who really is Jules Lacroix? However, this isn’t the only mystery this pair will face and for Selene when love and duty are both on the line in a world where demons and exorcists are at war which path will she choose, and can love conquer all.

The world building is absolutely fabulous, set in Europe where exorcists and demons are at war, there is a contrast between the extreme carnage of the battle front alongside the opulence, wealth and exuberance of Rome and the Vatican where the exorcists are trained makes for the most intriguing mysterious world. I adore the historical almost steampunk vibes I get from this book, mixed in what the magic and demonic. Alongside this the magical system is fabulous, with the lore around the exorcists, their blades, the demons and the Deathless God it all works harmoniously to create an enticing and gripping tale packed with romance and action.

In terms of characters, Selene and Jules are both amazing, the grumpy and sunshine vibes that their dynamic provides is incredible. While reading this book I positively lived for their heated interactions and banter. Selene is so no nonsense and I respect her so much, despite her beliefs when faced with new information she challenges the status quo. Her character development is definitely the biggest throughout the story and it was a joy to read. Jules is my beautify ray of sunshine, I love how he pushes Selene’s buttons and brings out a more playful side of her. Also, I want to shout out Sparrow, I would have loved to see more of him but the content I did have was incredible.

I can’t understate how much I enjoyed this book, and I would love to read more of a story set in this world! Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me a copy to read and review.

Wow, what a book!!!

First I want to thank NetGalley & Penguin Random House for an arc copy of this book <3

This book was such a fun & refreshing read! From the very first page of the book, we are thrown into the action, which I will admit, can be sometimes hard to follow as we are not familiar with the characters, but i love when books don’t waste time and just hit us with the plot!

The book is set in Rome & Vatican City, which is being protected from demons by the magically trained exorcists. Our FMC Selene is a high rank exorcist, also called the Butcher of Rome. Our MMC Jules is a war deserter who’s killed more demons than anyone else. As Selene is hunting one of the most powerful demons, their paths cross and Selene is immediately intrigued by Jules’ potential link to the demon.

This book delivered everything I wanted: the fantasy world, the magic system, the romance, and i cannot forget the fake relationship trope??? I was gagged.

Can’t recommend this book enough & can’t wait for the second book to come out!!! <3