I'm speechless. There are so many things I want to say about this book, and yet there are not enough words to describe just how much I loved it.
Sophie managed to find a perfect combination of world-building and plot, and character development to hold us in her grip from the very first page.
The characters were a chef’s kiss - all flawed in their own ways, but utterly captivating and with the found family trope, seared into my heart long after finishing the last page.
I cannot recommend it enough!

I have never expected more from a book than I did with this one. My expectations were through the roof. To say I was obsessed with this the first time I heard about it was an understatement. Unfortunately, it didn't work out as well as I hoped.

I expected enemies to lovers but really it was more strangers to reluctant allies to lovers. The romance felt mostly bland to me. I did not feel the chemistry. I did not swoon so hard that had my feet kicking. Nor did I find myself squealing with delight.

I found it really hard to get lost in the story. I thought I just needed to get used to the writing style but I guess I never did.

The action scenes needed more... action. If that makes sense?

Overall, this was... okay? And if it's in your radar I'd say go for it. As for me, I'm just really sad and a bit disappointed.

I absolutely adored Cruel is the Light! Five stars, no notes.
It’s been a long time since I got sucked into a YA novel like this. I was instantly hooked on the world, an alternate history Rome where the Vatican rules Europe and fights a holy war against demons, as well as the multi dimensional characters.
We switch between two POVs and I found myself enjoying both of them equally, which is rare. Selene is a badass heroine who works as an exorcist for the Vatican and carries a lot of trauma from her past. Jules is a French foot soldier who has been fighting in a war he doesn’t really understand for years.
Once their paths inevitably collide we get a fake dating scenario, lots of great banter and a really quite wholesome love story.
Jules is absolutely peak book boyfriend material, He’s gentle, flirty, bisexual and not afraid to feel his feelings, the latter two are both not something you find often with YA or even adult love interests.
There were some really interesting side characters that I hope we see more of in the sequel, especially Sparrow.

If I had to find a criticism, I’d say that the final battle went on a little too long and was a touch too convoluted. I lost track of some of the characters motivations and there were repeated instances when a character was ready to give up and then of course they found more strength and so on MULTIPLE times. This didn’t however affect my enjoyment of everything else and I cannot wait for the second instalment to see these characters again.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy for review!

⭐⭐⭐⭐.75/5

Cruel is the Light is an exhilarating, magical YA fantasy debut with captivating characters and a propulsive plot.

From the first page, I knew I would love this one. I read Cruel for the December book club pick for Musings of the Nine on Fable, and it captivated me. The characters radiate with energy and personality, and I instantly fell in love with Jules and Selene. The story is atmospheric, moody, and immersive, with beautiful descriptions, outstanding action scenes, and a swoony romance. Sophie’s prose is gorgeous, and the pacing fits the story well. This is a brilliant fantasy debut!

Thank you to the publisher and Sophie for the ARC!

Cruel Is The Light lives up to the hype! We follow our two main characters, Selene & Jules. Selene from a prominent exorcist family tasked with hunting down a demon outside of Rome whilst limiting use of her power. Jules is in the trenches fighting against demons but hears something that makes him start to investigate his past. The two collide as everywhere Jules investigates leads to a disaster, resulting in an unlikely alliance. Posing as Selene's exiled fiancé the two dig into the secrets of the Vatican to uncover his past and how it ties into Selene's own investigation.

The rich & well crafted world building, vibrant cast of characters (Sparrow, my favourite!), an enthralling mystery, witty banter and a tension filled romance all come together to make a fantastic action-packed novel. The visuals of the Deathless God immediately had me hooked into this world. Cruel Is The Light did not disappoint and I'm sure will be on many lists of their top books of 2025!

Thanks to Netgalley & Penguin Random House for this arc!

Wow! What a book. From the beginning you are pulled into the story and the world. You get to know both main characters and the story enables you to connect with them both and be invested in their story and relationship.

The world building is brilliant. The author does a fantastic job of bringing you into the world and describing where the characters are. The length of the book was good for the amount of world building involved.

I can't wait to see if there is a book two. The ending hints at it. I will be reading more by this author.

Sometimes all I want to write in a review is: I loved this book. I just LOVED this book, cruel is the Light 🤝My top 10 reads of 2024! But alas, I think I own everyone a little more developed review to show you why and how I came to love this book!

We follow Selene Alleva and Jules Lacroix, two very different characters that makes you want to cheer for them and fall for them! Selene is a renounce roman exorcist with her own inner demons to battle and Jules is a french foot soldier in the trenches, living day by day and questioning his morality. There’s this brutal holy war devastating Europe for the last century and they have been having very different roles in it. When their lives crash together, we find a Selene with a big armour around herself and a Jules that is as resilient as he is gentle. They don’t trust each other in the beginning but as they start discovering some secrets inside the Vatican, they need to rely on each other, they start getting to know each other, sparks start flying around and they start questioning everything. Selene wants to protect her Roma from the evil and Jules wants to protect his Selene from everything. Aaaaah I LOVED THIS! It also has some of my favourite tropes: fake engagements (that was spot on very well done!), forbidden romance, one bed only (yes please!), grumpy x sunshine (he’s the sunshine!) and magical academy!

We have this whole array of characters that have their own back story - Kian, Sparrow, Lucia, Caterina and even both of the Imperiums - and I felt that all characters were very much needed in the story! I will be honest, I have a weak spot for good guys and Jules is exactly my type of book boyfriend: he has so much love to give, he’s mentally strong and I love all the Flynn Rider vibes coming from him! Selene will also conquer you with her growth during the book and how she allows herself some forgiveness, how she learns to accept who she is and who she can become once her fear is overcome.

I want to dedicate a phase or two to the romance: the tension, the yearning, the soft scenes were EVERYTHING! The train, the fountain, the Belltower, I loved the romance and how it squeezed your heart! The gentleness in it, the softness, the this-makes-so-much-sense-but-i-can’t-say-why situations were very heartwarming and to see them - specially Selene - coming out of her shell and finally allowing herself to feel love was amazing!

Sophie’s writing follows my own chaotic resolution of plot theorising, the process of falling for the characters and it made me feel part of the whole process that is enjoying and devouring a book in two bites - the quickest the better because I simply could not put this down! The world building, this new alternative Roma and the Vatican Empire that Sophie created is enchanting, lush and vivid in her well done descriptions and our familiarity with the Roma in our minds. The map is beautiful! She really fleshed out good versus evil, what is good and what is evil, are monsters born or made? I feel that she really did well with the concept of power and what it makes people do; this concept of demons being evil and must be destroyed, of exorcists and artificers being a strong force but leaving a long trail of causalities behind; of this war that takes everything and leaves emptiness behind.

Cruel is the Light is a book for fans of the yearning in Divine Rivals, the political intrigue of The Cruel Prince and the star crossed love from The Serpent and the Dove! It’s a beautiful mix between good and evil, with exorcists, demons and a love that makes you courageous to fight for what it’s right! It has a beautiful take into ‘are monster born or made?’ and it’s characters not only have unique voices as they also have complex personalities, making them relatable and organic! If all of this sounds right up your alley, then my friend look no more and grab yourself a copy of CRUEL!

Wow, this book definitely got me hooked from the start I love the strategy of the no nonsense from the characters, i absolutely loved the POV from both of the characters and the trials and tribulations they faced, this hands down is going to be the next viral popular book purely because of the detail and plot of the book. From the first page it has you hooked wanting and needing more, I’ve already pre ordered for my physical copy because it’s definitely a book I will be reading again in the near future.

I was really surprised by this book and I found myself trying to read it slowly because I didn't want it to end!

I loved the premise and setting of this book. It primarily takes place in Rome, a city that I love and I'm eternally jealous of my brother for living there. This set me up perfectly to be sucked right into the world.

The first 25% threw me off a little because it felt like it was almost entirely combat, but it ended up setting the plot up well and allowed the story to unfold quite quickly afterwards. There were quite a few twists and turns, secrets being revealed and faith being questioned, which kept me interested from start to finish.

I loved the characterisation of Selene, a high ranking Vatican exorcist from a powerful family, and Jules, an orphan soldier with a sharp wit. Their dialogue was snappy and the tension between them throughout was brilliant.

The side characters are also fantastic, they were well developed and involved enough in the plot to make them feel really integral to the story. I loved Sparrow in particular.

I personally feel this book isn't really YA, it feels a little older, so perhaps New Adult is a better age bracket for it.

My only criticism is that some parts were hard to follow. I think some of the dialogue is incorrectly formatted, there were missing line breaks which left me confused about who was speaking on multiple occasions. I had to reread whole sections to take my best guess at who was saying what. There are also a few sentences that are repeated twice and some stray punctuation. This could just be in the early copy I read - I assume these have been, or will be edited out before release day.

I'll definitely be buying the physical copy of this when it gets released in January.

I highly recommend this book if you're interested in fantasy, gods, demons and tense romantic sub plots!

Thank you to NetGalley / Puffin Books for the ARC!

(All views are my own and have not been influenced by receiving an advanced copy)

An Incredibly Immersive Fantasy from a Debut Author

This debut fantasy novel is a truly immersive experience. It features a captivating enemies-to-lovers romance, intense action scenes, and a gripping mystery involving exorcists. The story is packed with action and keeps you on the edge of your seat. The characters are well-developed and easy to connect with, making their motivations and struggles deeply relatable. The storyline is complex, with excellent worldbuilding that avoids overwhelming infodumps. I highly recommend this book and eagerly await the release of book two.

Jules and Selene are both great characters. A great slow burn love story with plenty of fantasy. The world building as you read the book is great and you can feel completely immersed.

I had an absolutely amazing time reading this book. Clark effortlessly weaves together romance, fantasy, and intrigue where concepts of good and evil are explored and the question posed to the reader who the true demons are.

The pacing of this book is excellent, moving at a steady clip but never feeling as though it is giving the reader whiplash and plenty of time is given for the readers to enjoy the truly top tier banter between the characters. It is clear that a lot of attention to detail has been given to make all of the character fully-realised people and it becomes all too easy to forget that Jules and Selene aren’t actually battling demons right this moment.

This book really takes you on a journey and now I am immediately desperate to see where the conclusion of this duology takes us.

You just know this book is gonna be exploding on BookTok and Bookstagram when it releases next year so come join the cool kids and read it now!

I don't like DNF-ing books, mostly because I don't like leaving things unfinished and it also makes me feel like a failure a bit. At the same time, though, I'm of the opinion that if something doesn't work, there's no point forcing yourself to go on.
Even with my brain tired and overwhelmed after long days at work, I couldn't help but notice the problems there are in this book. It's such a shame because the premise sounded intriguing; it's been a while since we had some good fantasy with the topic of demons and exorcists and despite the fact this is merchandised as YA, I was excited when NetGallery approved me for and ARC.
However, apart from the big talk about the whole exorcist society and the barest hint of actual demons at the begining, I got almost nothing of the topic I was promised in the annotation. The whole time it was just this awkward dance between Selene and Jules and their anger issues, and changing attitutudes that would put even Batman's Two-Face to shame. Honestly, those two could switch between multiple personalities in a matter of one page. A feat I'd consider impressive if it weren't so damn annoying.
Selene - one moment she was all like I'm such a tough cookie! and then she got angry and hurt that people were scared of her. Then she would get angry all over again, curse out the world and make everyone around her hate her even more. And with them, me too because it was honestly really tiring trying to keep up with her mood swings.
Jules started off well, he had some personality unlike his female counterpart. He was dealing with a lot and carried the whole plot on his shoulders basically. But the whole concept got kicked under the table due to the "romance" part of the story that took center stage, and it was rather dumb because I couldn't even feel the proper chemistry between the leads. It felt forced most of the time and I just wasn't buying it. As it also overshadowed all the plot, I simply ran out of excuses why to keep pushing foward. I lost hope it will get better, and perhaps it will, though in my opinion, a novel shouldn't wait until it's last 100 pages to get interesting and juicy.
Another problem I had was that this was marketed as YA and Selene is only 17, but it tried to feel too mature and more new adult than anything. The characters were cursing back and forth; they were making crude and sexual references and frankly, even the whole demon fighting business wasn't exactly PG.
Like I said, it's a shame because it had potential. I like the idea of the Deathless God and the Vatican having its own exorcits faction fighting against demons. The setting was also incredibly well established and if the author didn't focus on the romance part instead of the fantasy element, my rating would have been much more favourable.


Thank you to the publisher and NetGallery for sending me the ARC. However, sadly, this book did not work for me.

I was so thrilled to be a part of the street team for this gorgeous book which I did at first judge by its cover, but then I read it and I am a now in love with it.
I loved the dynamic between Jules and Selene, the mystery part, the visuals created by the author.
I would have loved to see more about the academic life that Selene had, I need more information on the demon world.
I was shocked by the ending and I need book 2 now!
I am excited to see where the story will take Jules and Selene and I need all the special editions!

Fantasy readers, your new obsession is here. Look no further than Cruel is the Light by Sophie Clark; it is a fast paced and exciting whirlwind of a book that well and truly swept me off of my feet.

It is rare for me to find a book that resonates so deeply within me, from the first look at the gorgeous shiny red UK proof I knew this was going to be THE 2024 read for me, and possibly my favourite release for 2025.

Cruel is the Light is Sophie Clark's debut book, this fact alone completely blows my mind. Sophie has such a phenomenal way of telling her story, the world building was immersive, yet wasn't over descriptive. This helped me to focus primarily on Selene and Jules, our main characters.

From the very first page we are pushed into the forefront of the action, there are so many well thought out out fight scenes, non-stop action, and twists that had my jaw dropping throughout the book.

Cruel is written in a dual POV, this means we get to understand the feelings, thoughts, and actions of our characters. Selene and Jules are exceptional.. I honestly have no words to describe just how much I love them both.

Selene with her complex personality, skills as an exorcist, and her tough shell to crack, and her character development throughout the book was captivating. I lived for the moments where she dropped her guard.

Jules. BOY. Jules Lacroix is the man of my dreams.. he's a top notch flirty, handsome man, tragedy follows him everywhere and he is like a lovesick, adorable puppy. I am head over heels for him, a woman OBSESSED.

The secondary characters are such fun to read about in addition; Sparrow particularly was such an enigmatic character and I really hope we see even more of him in book two.

The plot is incredibly detailed and everything I have ever dreamed for in a book. Sophie paced it really well, not for one moment was I left feeling confused or wanting for anything.

The romance is epically written, an epic slow burn love between the prettiest exorcist and the smoothest solider. The relationship between Jules and Selene is developed really well, you can tell a lot of thought has gone into the each interaction they have. I have so many favourite scenes that had me screaming and kicking my feet like a mad woman (the fountain scene... chefs kiss).

Overall, Cruel is the Light is a book you NEED to be picking up. I would quite happily scream and shout about this book to anyone who will listen. For me, Cruel is THE top book I've read in 2024 - it's filled a void in me that I didn't know I had, and I can't wait for January so that I can share this book with you all.

I want to start off by saying how much I loved this book and it’s easily one of my favourite reads of the year, if not ever.

We’re thrown straight into a world much like our own only demons are plaguing it, and it’s the job of highly trained exorcists to stop them.

Enter our fmc Selene, and what a lead she is. She does not mess around and if that means someone ends up hurt, well that’s on them. She is the grumpy to Jules sunshine and it works so damn well. Jules is our mmc and ugh I just adore him. Despite being a soldier he has not let the war change him and is incredibly empathetic to others. He’s also a huge simp for Selene but who can blame him?! Their banter is 🤌 and had me laughing and kicking my feet, especially one scene, which I had to message about as I couldn’t stop laughing and was so happy that it was included.

Alongside our two main leads are a host of side characters who help build the world and banter. This is where I give Sparrow an honourable mention, he has no right to be so charismatic and caring as he is. I cannot wait to see more of him in the second book. Kian is Jules’s childhood best friend and lit up every scene he was in for me. Fellow exorcists Caterina and Lucia were kick ass and hilarious, but what else you can expect from gun wielding nuns?

The plot itself is fast pace and keeps you interested throughout with many twists and turns. It never at any point felt info dumpy, which is a testament to the skill of the author as there is a lot of history to the world.

I cannot recommend this as your next romantasy read enough ❤️‍🔥

Thank you to Sophie Clark and the publishers for gifting me an ARC ❣️

This was everything I hoped it to be and more! Ever since I saw the cover reveal, I’ve wanted to read this book and I was so excited to get approved for the arc. And let me tell you, this did not disappoint!

I loved every single moment of this book! The world building was immaculately done, the characters so beautifully layered and complex, and with a unique storyline, Sophie Clark has given us a story that felt like such a breath of fresh air in the romantasy genre.

There was not one single moment where I didn’t feel utterly hooked, and the fast paced and action packed storyline made me unable to stop turning the pages. Unputdownable! And the banter. My goodness, the banter! It got better and better with every interaction and it made me swoon so hard over these characters,

Easiest 5 star of the year!

Oh my goodness, the world building and magic system were incredible. So detailed and well constructed. The only flaw was that the ending felt so chaotic and rushed, a lot of things didn't tie together. And the romance, while good.... also seemed a bit fast-paced for the characters. Even so, the writing felt descriptive and thorough. I loved the side character Sparrow SO MUCH. I need more of him in the next book please

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

WOW!!!!! I still haven't been able to gather my braincells because this book is PERFECTION!!! A captivating, swoonworthy perfection that I can't get enough of!

We have two povs, of Selene's and of Jules's. Selene is an elite exorcist, who is dedicated to her duty and to protecting Rome. She is the most powerful exorcist and the niece of the most powerful man in the Vatican, and yet, many of her fellow exorcists shun her. She has been feeling alone for a long time, but she hasn't let anyone and anything stop her from fulfilling her duty. She is a no nonsense girl, and she abhors incompetence, which I really loved about her. However, what I really, really, really loved about her was her choices. She made the hard choices for the cause and her duty, but when everything went upside down, when everything she knew fell apart, when she had to choose between an unjust duty and love, she made the right decision. She didn't stay idle, she didn't keep going on the same path just because that's what she's been doing so far. I felt such elation at her choices throughout the book because I am so tired of characters not choosing the right side because that would mean that they had been wrong all along (you know which ones I mean, for sure).

Jules is the soldier we are all thirsting for. He is absolutely gorgeous and devastatingly charming. I'm not sure if he disarms us faster with his looks and words or with his hand-to-hand combat skills. He has been in so much pain that all of our hearts broke. He has been an orphan, abandoned at a church and grown up at an orphanage without a kind adult around him. He decided to join the war to find meaning, purpose, and a sense of belonging, but the war was brutal. He may have killed hundreds of demons, but he is also the only one still standing and breathing, with which he struggles throughout the book. He protects those he cares about and the innocent without hesitation, and everyone loves him (in different ways hehe) Jules has captured my heart and soul, I must admit.

Sparrow is our scene stealer, our bias wrecker. He is someone who is smart and caring, someone who has stepped up to protect the innocent, and someone who felt like a beacon of hope in the corrupted Vatican. He is my new Magnus Bane, which is a superhigh compliment I have never given before because Magnus is my precious legendary character on the highest pedestal I can find. Sparrow, you are up there, too. Your cheeky attitude, your insightful eye, your protectiveness and *coughs* other feelings over our Jules, you are a gem, and I hope we see a lot of you in the next books! Heck, I would read an entire spinoff series about you!

The romance is just perfection!!! Star-crossed, swoonworthy, exciting, witty, sizzling, undeniable!
❤️ Arguing is flirting, people, and no one does it better than Jules and Selene.
❤️ Selene:
I know he's gorgeous but how dare you look at him when my super intimidating self is right here?!
and
It's unfair and totally illegal how gorgeous he looks in anything he wears.
❤️ Jules:
She's terrifyingly beautiful and terrifying, in general😍😍😍
and
Will she continue to want me when she learns the truth? 😭

The worldbuilding was very detailed and compelling. It felt fresh and engaging, even though we have all read demon books before. Exorcists are demon hunters who are based in the Vatican and Rome, but they also fight the Caspian people, too. I enjoyed how the author weaved in crucifiction and demonic magic in a way that felt exciting for fantasy lovers but also made us question the morality of it all and what it means to be complacent.

I found the plot to be clever and interesting. In fact, I thought that it was so clever that I bagan questioning whether this is the author's debut. While a couple of things I figured out, I didn't mind because I had no idea how they would be revealed and how Jules and Selene would react. And that's what's amazing, isn't it? Even though you see the facts, you don't know what these characters will do when they discover the truth, and that's masterful storytelling if you ask me. Avid readers will likely predict some things in books, but the heart of the book is the characters, at least for me. I couldn't put it down, I have been reading a little every day on the bus to work during the workdays because I just had to keep going. Loved the plotlines, loved the engaging pacing, and loved the expert and compelling prose.

CRUEL IS THE LIGHT is the BOOK OF THE YEAR. Prepare to fall for Jules and Selene and Sparrow!

Cruel is the Light is part of a series, but it doesn't end with a cliffhanger. (another thing I loved!)

The moment I started this book it completely consumed me and I didn’t want it to end. It’s been a long time that a book has entranced me as much as this one has it is a fantastic YA/Na Romantasy and my new obsession, I will never stop recommending this book!

It has everything I have ever wanted in a book, enemies to lovers, fake engagement, the most beautiful slow burn romance between a exorcist and soldier in a time of war who have to work together while at the same time fight the growing feelings between them, fantasy, magic, demons and twists and turns that you honestly are not prepared for. The turmoil that both Selene and Jules go through as they find themselves trying to navigate and learn secrets and truths when the world that they are living in would separate them is captured within the beautiful way it is written as is the development of their relationship it was so well done and I loved that we had the reverse grumpy/sunshine with them. Added in with one of the most enchanting side characters in Sparrow that you can’t help but love..this book is every fantasy lovers dream. There is a mild descriptive and brief scene with Sexual content which isn’t overly graphic so please be aware of that if you do pick up Cruel Is The Light.

The writing is so exceptional and engaging with amazing worldbuilding that is vivid and descriptive. The pacing was great, the plot development as well as the magic were so good. I honestly am just so obsessed with the characters, world and the writing and just everything about this book.

I honestly can’t recommend this book enough it is brilliant and an amazing debut if your looking for a fantasy with all the vibes then please add this book!