The fact that fanfiction is now entering the mainstream is such a weird concept for me to grapple with, considering I was in the fanfiction trenches as a teenager.

I recently read 'The Auction' and I was very curious to see how Soto would take the very familiar world, characters & plot from the original fic and transform them into something new. The plot was very much beat for beat the same and one could recognize the individual characters from the original work within the characters of the new story but I feel like the book can stand on its own without having the fanfiction there to hold it up. I did catch myself trying to figure out who was who but that quickly became tiring and not at all the point of this work being published.

The main thing that attracts people to fanfiction works in the first place is the fact that you, as a reader, have to do little work to understand the worldbuilding, the overarching plot or the character dynamics. You are already familiar with key elements so it's almost effortless to dip into a story because it's like spending time with people you already know and love. Translating that feeling into an original reworking is very difficult. I do feel like the book needed a bit more explanation or exposition on some of the magical elements & the political standings of some of the neighboring countries.

Both Briony & Toven were fantastically written but I wonder how people who have not read the original work, would interpret the Hearst's grey morality & their motivations. The fact that a fanfiction relies heavily on preconceived personality traits and relationships, it's easy to write within those set dynamics. Transforming it into something new without having that base is tricky. Will others, who are not familiar with the fic interpret the characters motivations the way we do? Does the writing allow for it?

I feel like I should not have read the original fanfic before picking this up because it definitely affected the way I see this book. I feel like if you know that this is based off of a fanfiction, you'll purposefully look for those distinguishing elements instead of focusing on this original work.

I do think that Julie Soto is a talented and crafty author and I can see her vision clearly in my mind. It's one thing to write a book, it's another to take a passion project from the internet and turn it into something new and exciting. I find that this book will garner a lot of success by standing on its own merit, removed from its past. But I do think the original fic will come in the way if people are aware of it or have read it in the past.

All in all, I had a great time reading it and I was hooked from the very start. Curious to see how the trilogy will end considering some plot points that were altered to fit this narrative.

Netgalley eArc review - Please check the trigger warnings before starting this book.
4.75 ⭐

OH MY GOODNESS ME!!!! My heart is still racing from all the tension the book has put me through the past 24 hours, especially after that cliffhanger after the epilogue.
Wow.
My mind is reeling from all the possibilities of where this book will go into the series, while also trying to wrap up my feelings and thoughts.

I must say that this book blew anything I thought this book would be out of the park. I have loved Julie Soto's previous romance books with a burning passion, so I thought I might know what I would be getting with her first fantasy, but I was wrong. This was everything and more.
There were times when certain scenes unnerved me (so please check trigger warnings), but the general story plot was super gripping and I was putty in this narrative's hands.

The dynamics between Briony and Toven throughout this book are constantly changing. They were enemies to barely peers, to family and the slow burn of something potentially more. I found their dynamics interesting, they are both complete opposites but at their core, there are so many things that make them similar (no spoilers from me).

If you like these tropes, then you should read this book:
- Slow burn
- Dark Romantasy
- Adult
- A deal of convenience
- Dragons (or should I say one dragon 👀)
- Familiars
- Enemies to lovers
- Mind vs Heart Magic

I have mixed feelings that I can’t quite seem to sort through.

I’d never read the Auction before so I didn’t know anything about the plot (read content warnings if needed) but struggled a little to separate it from the source material that I have read previously. Cough cough. It was hard to follow the world/politics/magic system, but I think it was because of that. I also kept misnaming the characters (whoops.) I almost wish I didn’t know what it was based on first so it was a totally fresh experience and maybe it would’ve been different(?).

What I did like:
- Palpable tension between characters that wasn’t immediately solved or confessed!!!
- Reading from one characters’ POV so the feelings from the other aren’t completely obvious right away (yay!).
- Oh my god the villains are straight up evil and so easy to hate.
- Felt super quick to read, the way the story flowed with the flashbacks cut the plot up nicely.

It’s taken me a while to write this after reading because despite my waffling I don’t feel particularly strongly about it. It was good, I think? Just one of those times where it didn’t completely click for me! But I’m sure that people who previously loved the fic will really enjoy it!!!

May reread in future and edit review? I don’t know (I’ve been thinking about it for so long I am confusing myself.)

I had the pleasure of reading "The Auction" on AO3 a year or so ago. "Rose in Chains" is such an evocative and gorgeously written piece. If I could leave kudos here as well, I would! Thank you for giving us these stories and characters <3

Rose in Chains by Julie Soto

I had certain expectations going into this and they were surpassed. If you’re looking for a Dramione-esque fantasy romance filled with longing, tension, adventure and a courageous lead, this is the book for you. And with that ending,I can only imagine what’s to come!

Infinity stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I devoured this. What a masterpiece! Such a brilliant story filled with tension, intrigue, magic and simmering romance. I need the next book immediately but I’ll have to wait very patiently 😅. I cannot recommend this enough - the best romantasy I’ve read in a very long time.

I absolutely loved The Auction, the AO3 fic that this story was born from. To say I was hyped for Rose in Chains is an understatement.

Was I slightly worried going in that it couldn’t impact me in the same way as The Auction? Yes. But I didn’t need to be. Soto is a genius and what she’s achieved here is seriously impressive.

I’m confident that both fans of The Auction and new readers will be blown away by this story. The original fantasy world that’s been created, the complex and intricate magic systems that have been designed and the characters that feel familiar but new and exciting.

From the first page I was completely drawn in and I could not have stopped if I wanted. Soto’s writing is like a drug, keeping you addicted with tension, horror and hope.

This is a dark story so please do keep that in mind and be sure to check any trigger warnings, certain scenes were extremely uncomfortable to read, a testament to how well written they were.

Serena, much like the character that inspired her in The Auction, was my favourite 🥺 praying for even more of her in the next instalment.

I was devastated when I finished and remembered that it had been split into a trilogy. It will be a long wait for book two!