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.

Thank you to the House of YA besties for sending me this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. I struggled to get into it and I found myself disinterested in the characters and the world. However, I did like the premise and think the idea was there, it just didn't hit the way I wanted it too.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sophie Clark and Penguin for a complimentary e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 10% / 51 pages in.
This book wasn't for me unfortunately - the writing style didn't gel with me at all and I found it to be written in an overly wordy, confusing manner which made me keep having to reread sentences as I found them so jarring. This meant the book didn't flow well. I was hoping the characters would save it for me but whilst both protagonists are interesting on paper, I didn't empathize with either of them and got very little feelings from them - it was very tell don't show.
A real shame as this book had such a fun premise and I was excited for the use of the Vatican and hunting of demons in the worldbuilding but the worldbuilding itself was very vague and not particularly explained so it lost my interest fast.
I'm leaving this book unrated as it was a DNF.

I was immediately drawn in by the premise and gorgeous cover and the writing hooked me. Selene and Jules are main characters that I missed the second I put the book down and I flew through it (even though it was 500-600 pages long, it didn’t feel like it!) Action-packed and full of yearning.

I rate this book 4.5 stars!

This book felt fresh and took me back to fantasy stories from a few years ago. I was hooked from the beginning and fell in love with the world and the characters. I love Jules and his cockiness. He's exactly the type of character i always fall for when reading a book.

The plot was nicely paced and i enjoyed all the action scenes. There was never a dull moment for me which is why i rated it high. You can expect forbidden romance, hunter x demon, fake engagement, knife to throat, one bed and many other tropes in this. So, if you are into all of that then this book is for you.

The only issue for me was that at times it wasn't clear whose pov we were reading from which had me confused at times so i would have to go back a little bit and re-read it. The writing could have flowed a bit better but i still enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading the next one when it comes out.

Thank you to netgalley and penguin random house for the e-arc.

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.