Review: Bright Smoke Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge

Title: Bright Smoke Cold Fire
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Series: Book One (series untitled)
Published By: Balzer & Bray (September 27, 2016)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Rating: 4 Stars!


Book Description:
When the mysterious fog of the Ruining crept over the world, the living died and the dead rose. Only the walled city of Viyara was left untouched.

The heirs of the city’s most powerful—and warring—families, Mahyanai Romeo and Juliet Catresou share a love deeper than duty, honor, even life itself. But the magic laid on Juliet at birth compels her to punish the enemies of her clan—and Romeo has just killed her cousin Tybalt. Which means he must die.

Paris Catresou has always wanted to serve his family by guarding Juliet. But when his ward tries to escape her fate, magic goes terribly wrong—killing her and leaving Paris bound to Romeo. If he wants to discover the truth of what happened, Paris must delve deep into the city, ally with his worst enemy . . . and perhaps turn against his own clan.

Mahyanai Runajo just wants to protect her city—but she’s the only one who believes it’s in peril. In her desperate hunt for information, she accidentally pulls Juliet from the mouth of death—and finds herself bound to the bitter, angry girl. Runajo quickly discovers Juliet might be the one person who can help her recover the secret to saving Viyara.


Both pairs will find friendship where they least expect it. Both will find that Viyara holds more secrets and dangers than anyone ever expected. And outside the walls, death is waiting. . . . 

*Amazon*B&N*

What we've all come to love, trust, and even respect about Hodge's writing is her ability to weave a familiar tale, put a beautifully dark twist on it and make it all her own and her latest release is no exception to her brilliance.

Wonderfully told with twists around ever bend including the very fact that this tale is not told from Juliet and her Romeo's point of view but instead from Paris and Runajo, our hero and heroine of the story. Don't get me wrong, Juliet and Romeo play a very big part in this story, but this story isn't all about them nor their star crossed love. After all, if it was, how ordinary would that be? And if Hodge has taught us anything over the years, it is that her writing is anything bur ordinary.

Rich is detail, imaginative, creative, and wonderfully dark, this tale will leave your imagination running wild, your expectations high and most of all by the end, leave you longing for the rest of the story. 

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or the publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*