Once again, author Rosamund Hodge does what she does best, creates an elaborate fantasy world around a well-known fairy tale, and the result is pure magic. ‘What Monstrous Gods’ is a wonderful fantasy novel which begins as a gender-swapped re-telling of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ and evolves into so much more.

For 500 years, the royal family has been trapped in a sleeping curse, frozen in time inside their castle, with all of their court and servants, wrapped in thorny briars. For 500 years, the Old Gods have been silent and New Gods have become popular with masses.

Lia is born into this world, of silent Old Gods and a cursed royal family, and an unstoppable plague. Orphaned as a child, she was raised at a convent and taught to worship the Old Gods, for the nuns see in her the Royal Gift, which means Lia has a chance to enter the briars are save the royal family, and the Old Gods.

And she does. Lia is the first person in 500 years to survive the moving, living briars, deal with the sorcerer who controls the curse, Ruven, and wakes the royal family.

Thus begins a long adventure of Lia, Price Araunn, and his sister traveling to awaken the Old Gods, and learning their true nature. Then comes navigating the royal family, as they struggle to find their place in this new world, 500 years into the future, from their perspective. All with Ruven’s ghost actively haunting her and trying to make her question everything she was ever taught about her Gods.

This was such an amazing read! I flew through this book in one afternoon because I could not stop! The characters were so unique and gripping that I really adored them. The author did a great job with keeping the plot moving and avoiding any stale moments. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know!

I really liked Ruven and the dynamic between him and Lia. They were true enemies-to-lovers, with her killing him at the very start. I love a ghost romance, so their interactions were my favorite. Although it was hard to believe how quickly they fell for each other, they were both lonely and damaged souls.

The pace of the story is brisk, but a lot of this book feels like theology. It’s religion, religion, religion, so if that’s not your cup of tea, you may want to avoid this.

I consumed this in one night. I honestly had no idea where this was going and nothing to compare it to. It’s not a retelling and certainly no fairy tale, but it felt like an epic story.

Okay, I'll admit that I chose this book simply because of the cover. The cover is gorgeous. The book itself though, just wasn't my style. I am not a fan of fantasy that focuses very heavily on religion. I don't know why, I just see religion = real world, fantasy = obviously not real world. Even if its a made up religion, I just really don't like it. Its also very heavy on detail and descriptions, which I'm also not the biggest fan of. There's a fine line between enough to tell the story and way overboard. I think people who really enjoy fantasy and younger audiences will eat this up. It just wasn't my style, but I appreciate the opportunity to review it!

Centuries ago, the heretic sorcerer Ruven raised a deadly briar around Runakhia's palace, casting the royal family into an enchanted sleep - and silencing the kingdom's gods.

This was a good Sleeping Beauty retelling. Not my favorite book ever, but I enjoyed it.

This was such a fun read! I really like the way that Rosamund Hodge develops fantasy religions and integrates them into the worldbuilding. In a way, this book seemed to be inspired by Sleeping Beauty, except the main character, Lia, is more like the prince than Aurora, and the love interest is the sorcerer who trapped the royal family in stasis. I liked Lia as a main character, but she was really going through it. She was pretty much constantly trapped in an internal struggle with herself about her faith and her gods, on top of the political issues she had to deal with. I absolutely loved Ruven. Even though he was a ghost for most of the book, he had more presence than most of the other characters. The religion and the way that it tied into the magic system was also really interesting and a lot more brutal than I was expecting.

"What Monstrous Gods" by Rosamund Hodge is a mesmerizing and richly woven standalone fantasy that skillfully combines elements of a classic Sleeping Beauty tale with a unique and enthralling narrative. In this imaginative retelling, Hodge takes readers on a journey through a world filled with magic, intrigue, and intricate relationships.

The story revolves around Lia, a young woman gifted with a miraculous power, and her destiny to wake the royal family from their enchanted slumber. However, the path to fulfill her destiny is far from straightforward. Lia's journey is laden with challenges, unexpected alliances, and difficult choices. The intricate layers of the plot and the depth of the characters contribute to a captivating narrative that holds the reader's attention from beginning to end.

Hodge's prose is enchanting, and her world-building is vividly detailed. The descriptions of the magical elements, the lush settings, and the intricate dynamics between characters create a fully immersive reading experience. The story explores themes of duty, destiny, love, and the complexity of moral choices.

One of the standout aspects of the novel is the character development. Lia is a multifaceted protagonist who grapples with her own power, her role in the kingdom, and the choices she must make. The relationship between Lia and Prince Araunn is nuanced and beautifully portrayed, evolving from a sense of duty to a deep emotional connection.

The presence of the sorcerer Ruven's spirit adds an element of darkness and mystery to the story, blurring the lines between villain and victim. The exploration of gods and their power further adds depth to the narrative, raising thought-provoking questions about faith and the influence of higher powers.

Overall, "What Monstrous Gods" is a compelling fantasy novel that skillfully blends a classic fairy tale with fresh twists, intricate world-building, and well-developed characters. Rosamund Hodge's storytelling prowess shines through, offering readers a captivating and thought-provoking reading experience that lingers even after the final page is turned. Fans of fantasy, romance, and reimagined fairy tales will find much to love in this enchanting novel.

I imagine this will go over well with teenage audiences. I could see it being put in the Bookbox subscriptions. I personally found it exposition-heavy, which I'm not a fan of.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC.

Never judge a book by its cover....and this cover is GORGEOUS. Okay, just wanted to get that out there before everything starts.

A Sleeping Beauty retelling with gods, heretics, some magic and lots of politics.

Rosamund Hodge has a talent of keeping the fairytales soul but expanding the story to points you didn't think it would go. I really enjoyed this story but not as much as her others.

What I liked:
-The Sleeping Beauty tale that we know ends early so for most of the book you're not following the graph of expectations.
- I liked the way the gods were written and explained
-Ruven and his smart-ass comments


What I thought could use some work:
-I get the main character is 17/18 in age but come on...she needed to learn a little quicker when things went wrong. Lia had such a small worldview even when her world expanded. She clung to it, annoyingly so.
-I'm all the main character learning what's going on with the plot, but I feel like EVERYTHING was kept from her until the climax and I don't like being left in the dark for most of the story.

Overall, a good, swift read and so happy to have Hodge back!

My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's Books: Balzer + Bray for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sleeping beauty was a favorite of mine so it's so cool to see a new fantasy inspired it! I definitely think it did it justice. The characters were great, the storytelling was wonderful, and the romance was perfectly swoony.

Thank you to the publisher for my arc!


I’m going to try & keep this as non spoilery as possible but I really enjoyed this. It was my first Rosemund Hodge book and I had a fun time read it. However the main character needs to get her shit together, she was so annoying with how she kept flip flopping and then would cry because of her own mistakes. The love interest was literally the only reason I kept reading.

Oh how I have had waited so long for this baby!! Rosamund Hodge we missed you. I love how does not do simple characters; meaning, they are all tangled up in a bizarre web of friendship, fear, love, hate, desire and loyalty. You can never quite be sure which characters are trustworthy; if, indeed, any of them are? The twists and turns had me gasping. And ending had me shooketh. Overall definitely worth the wait!

When I first picked up the novel, I was intrigued by the premise. This was to be a darker retelling of the Sleeping Beauty myth.

A darker, forbidding castle hidden where time has completely stopped. A place where others have tried and failed to infiltrate.

A country once the home of the sitting Gods where saints were blessed and made. Now a place where the Gods have abandoned and forsaken. A plague rages through the country and no hope is in sight. A dark, forbidden castle hidden by the briars. A place where many have died to reach the castle doors.

Inside, a heretic sorcerer awaits within the walls aware of time's halt, waiting for the one who would manage to break through the briars. In this, he finds Lia, who so reverently wishes to be one of Nin-Anna's saints. When she kills him and awakens the castle occupants, Lia finds herself not only engaged to the newly awakened prince but Ruven's ghost now attached to her.

As Lia navigates through court politics and hopes to become one of Nin-Anna's saints, one word changes everything and Lia finds herself forsaken by her Goddess and made to be another's. Lia now has to find a way to change her fate and Ruven's.

The plot was full of twists and turns, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire novel. The author expertly weaved elements of fantasy, suspense, and romance together to create a wholly unique and engaging story.

The only downside was Lia. I did not care too much for her character and found her annoying at times. Though I do understand her devotion to the Goddess, Nin-Anna, I did not see her looking at the bigger picture outside of her little box. That is until she has no choice but to seek help with Ruven. I just could not find any connection to her character.


Final Thought:


Although a unique take on the Sleeping Beauty myth, the Gods easily abandoned those who were devoted to them. Even when they set out to meet them, they still abandoned them. And though I do understand that Nin-Anna seemed to abhor killings, she did nothing but mark Lia with death. Never once asking why she would do a thing. I get it - death is not what Nin-Anna is, but at the same time she seems to be a bit of a hypocrite as she seemed to let people die of a plague.

*Disclaimer: Thank you to the author, her publishers, and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions of this review are mine and mine alone.

Fantastic! Perfect! Please give me more with these characters!

I loved every second of this book. Lia and Ruven were such interesting characters to follow. Just their odd dynamic and messed up actions were hard to ignore or resist. I loved how dark and morbid this story went and how flawed every person involved showed themselves to be. This story showed the horrors and desperation that can come as a result of yearning for love and acceptance.

Previously I had read Cruel Beauty from this author. And while I enjoyed it, this one was even better. I would highly recommend people pick this one up. Even if you are hesitant about it being a Sleeping Beauty retelling, it takes it to new dimensions.


*Received through Netgalley for my honest opinions*

The style felt a little young. The world is surely intriguing but I didn't quite feel the spark with this one. Might be a better fit for readers who tend to prefer younger YA.