Song of the Dark Wood

Fable Song #1

by Sheila Masterson

For centuries, the people of remote Ballybrine have kept the peace with their gods by sacrificing a Red Maiden to ferry souls from the Mother’s realm of the living, through the Dark Wood, to the Wolf’s realm of the dead. Soon it will be Rowan’s turn.

Ripped from her family as a young girl, Rowan Cleary has been forced into a cloistered life learning to please the wolf and wield her spirit-enchanting voice. Though none of the previous maidens have survived their five-year term, Rowan is determined to beat the odds and protect the women who have become family to her.

When a deathly blight breaks out in the Dark Wood, and the acting maiden is murdered, Rowan vows to strike a new bargain with the god of death to ensure her survival. The Wolf has always been someone to fear—even more so now that the townspeople blame him for the blight—but he’s far from the vengeful death god she expects.

To unravel the mystery, Rowan must seduce the Wolf. Soon, the attraction between them grows into a relentless magical force, threatening to shatter the delicate balance between realms and unleash a darkness eager to swallow their world.

SONG OF THE DARK WOOD is the first in a series of interconnected standalone gothic fairy tale fantasy romances. SONG blends a fractured Red Riding Hood retelling with a hint of Hades and Persephone. This "coming of rage" character-driven romance follows Rowan Cleary as she tries to free herself from an oppressive religion and seduce the grumpy god of death Wolf. SONG is a spicy, dark romantasy perfect for fans of feminine rage, strong female friendships, unique magic systems, angsty romance, and ominous mysteries. This book will appeal to readers who enjoyed Rachel Gillig's ONE DARK WINDOW, Rebecca Ross's A RIVER ENCHANTED, and Hannah Whitten's FOXGLOVE KING.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Retellings, Fantasy Romance, Gothic, Audiobook

400 pages, Paperback

Published September 20, 2024

About the author

When Sheila's not busy stabbing beloved side characters and dreaming up new ways to make her readers cry, you can find her practicing yoga, drinking fancy cocktails with friends, or curled up reading books or tarot. She lives outside Philadelphia with a small army of underwatered houseplants that survive out of spite.

Reviews

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (New House-Hiatus) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Female rage where? Weak feeble fmc who hands over her power to a fuck boy. Sick of that shit already.

Underdeveloped characters. One dimensional. Heard this is like For the Wolf which I avoided so if you enjoyed that one maybe this will be your jam.

Too bad bc this cover is stunning and I was hoping to love it. Full review in just a bit (#100 for NetGalley 🍾)

❤️Dual POV
❤️Forced Proximity
🐺Little Red Riding Hood Re-Telling
❤️Dark, Gothic Romantasy
❤️Slow Burn
❤️Feminine Rage
❤️Sentient Forest
❤️Strong FMC

Expected Pub Date - 03/18/25


Many thanks to Dreamscape Media for the last minute advanced audio copy, all thoughts are my own. 💐

[mica · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

chicas yo entre con la mejor de las ondas pero a medida que iba pasando el libro más me decepcionaba, objetivamente no creo que sea un mal libro, subjetivamente no me dio absolutamente nada.

antes que me olvide y me enoje más: este libro lo están vendiendo como un romance gótico a la onda one dark window..... flaca necesito que te tomes enserió tu trabajo dos segundos, lo gótico es que hay una mansión hasta ahí llego, y para usar el nombre de la única inigualable diosa idola de ONE DARK WINDOW.... te falta mucha calle.

ahora si dejando de lado las boludeces: el protagonista principal es un inútil, nunca leí a un hombre que se supone que tiene todo este poder y es una re entidad religiosa etc etc que sea tan PETE, encima es un bipolar estúpido de mierda, a la mitad del libro yo ya lo tenia montado en un huevo

la protagonista me gustó, pero hasta ahí, OTRA COSA, a este libro también lo venden como "siii female rage!!!!" necesito que de vuelta te tomes tu trabajo enserió, de female rage no tuvo un pito, hay más female rage en esta reseña que en las 400 páginas de tu libro. No digo que no haya tenido temas feministas que están buenos leer pero flaca te falta leerte un iron widow mínimo para entender que es female rage.

el desarollo de su relación fue una poronga, el desarollo de la historia también, no te explican nunca nada, yo entiendo que hay libros donde decir menos es lo que le agrega el misterio y el mambo místico pero este simplemente fue una poronga, hay mínimo 20 cuestiones que quedaron asi ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿???????? el lore no está explicado bien, hay espacios en blancos qué la autora dijo "naaahh la gente es muy estúpida no van a necesitar saber esto" FLACA TE VOY A MATAR

la resolución del problema fue otra poronga más, yo les juro que pensé que iba a ser una duologia porque llegué al 95% del libro y dije naaaa acá no alcanza el tiempo para que todo termine bien... pero bueno no todas priorizan buen desarrollo en sus libros esta bien cada uno hace lo que puede reinas

en fin, la idea supongo que estaba buena pero la ejecución fue una poronga, fin

mentira no fin, COMO VAS A DECIR "PARA FANS DE ONE DARK WINDOW" TE VOY A MATAR!!!! perdón me quedé enojada con eso

[✨Julie✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

✩ 2.25 stars ✩

What to Expect:
➼ She Ferries Ghosts
➼ He’s the God of Death
➼ Music Based Magic
➼ He Falls First
➼ Touch Her & Die
➼ Haunted Forest
➼ Mystery
➼ Feminine Rage
➼ Dark Red Riding Hood Retelling
➼ Hades & Persephone Inspired
➼ Dual Narration
➼ Dual Third Person POV

A dark and atmospheric Red Riding Hood retelling with nods to Hades & Persephone. Reader’s familiar with JLA’s work, will also notice many similarities to From Blood & Ash.

Because of her magical singing voice, Rowan must serve a 5 year term ferrying the dead through the Dark Wood to the God of Death. She spent her childhood training to “please” the God of Death and was expected to maintain her virginity to offer to him and eventually serve as a sacrifice to protect the rest of her people. The virgin sacrifice bit did not need to be included and frankly didn’t make a lot of sense. How did she “train” to please him if she must remain pure? Don’t answer that. 😂.

With a plot like this, it was already going to be a hard sell for me, but the characters felt underdeveloped and the romance lacked any real spark. If you’re here for the “feminine rage” promised, turn back now because you won’t find that here. I understand wanting to keep Aoife safe, but why not try to escape with her? The romance was very hot and cold on both sides. She planned to kill him so she was fighting her feelings the whole time and anytime there was any intimacy between them, he would say he couldn’t go further and then get all broody and run off and push her away for a few days. This cycle repeated itself several times, but I never really felt like they got to know each other or formed any real connection in the process. It all felt very immature and not at all what I would expect from the God of Death. I found myself counting the amount of times the word “devoured” was used until I got curious enough to look it up. The total, forty-two times. Forty-two times that the author wrote about the wolf devouring her. 🙄 About 30 times too many in my opinion.

Ultimately, while this did promise, it didn’t quite win me over. I might still recommend this to those who love Gothic Fairytales. They are definitely not my preference so perhaps others will enjoy this more. I listened to the audio and I also struggled with the choppy feel of the dialogue. It is hard to say if this was the fault of the narrator or the way the dialogue was written, but I am leaning towards the latter.

Thank you to Libro.FM for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼　 ҉ 　✼

Pre-read: haven’t requested many ARC’s/ALC’s in the past and now suddenly I have 7. 😅

Oops… better get to reading!

≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫

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[kaila | kd.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila, Sheila, Sheila.
I love your writing so much it hurts.

“Perhaps loving someone so much made small moments larger.” ❤️‍🔥
—

This book was such a breath of fresh air!! I knew as soon as you said you were releasing a gothic fairy tale fantasy romance I was going to stop everything I was doing to read it (which I did). My favorite FMC’s have been written by Sheila and I need her to keep writing them.

I was hooked from the very first chapters and I instantly just had to know what was going on!! I loved the world building and the illustrations randomly throughout the book had me on the FLOOR. Rowan is such an interesting character and I could see little parts of her in myself. She is such a force and you can tell that she loves deeply, while also not wanting the stress of her society’s standards to dim her light. I also love Conor, and all of the other side characters in this story. (Once again Sheila…c’mon, why did you do this to ME?????)

Sheila’s writing is so beautiful and you can tell she puts so much care, love, and warmth into her characters. Even if it’s a character that you are supposed to dislike — I cannot help but feel empathy towards them in some way.

The slight nods to The Lost God series broke my heart and put it back together again. I laughed, I cried, and I got reaaaally close to throwing my kindle but I wouldn’t want to experience a Sheila book any other way. No one can write sad horny like Sheila can.

“You know I would make the whole world dark for you so that you can be the only bright light.” ✨

Song of the Dark Wood coming September 20, 2024.

————————————
thank you so much Sheila for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review. all thoughts are my own.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tropes:

♥️ Retelling
♥️ Dark Romantasy
♥️ An old bargain between gods
♥️ He falls first
♥️ Spooky vibes and autumn setting

Little Red riding hood meets Beauty and the beast in this gripping standalone tale of sacrifice, loneliness, betrayal and hope.
I was hooked from the first page and the vibes were giving!!!

Rowan has been secluded in the Maiden tower from a very young age, with little to no interaction with her town’s people. She is the Red Maiden, a girl destined to be sacrificed to the dark wood and its lord, The Wolf, and to ferry souls into the forest.
Not accepting her fate, she dreams of a future without her duty, and without any future sacrifices to be made. For that, she wants to strike a new deal with the wolf…

I loved every minute of it and even finished it in one sitting! It’s a perfect read for spooky season, with a romance full of tension.


Thank you so much Sheila for giving me an ARC of this book!!!

[Kindle · Rating 1 out of 5]

EDIT: If you write a negative review for this author, a friend of hers will leave a snarky comment. I do not know if this was done with her consent, but Sheila Masterson’s reviews are not a place where honest opinions are valued.

I read SOTDW after reading Masterson’s Lost God series and the similarities between the two are so much so that SOTDW reads like Masterson wrote her characters from The Lost God into this new world, that’s a mix of Little Red Riding Hood but less intriguing.

After reading some of the positive reviews, I am glad people enjoyed it but I’m not entirely certain we read the same book based on what they’re saying. I don’t even typically review on GoodReads, but I made an account because this book is being falsely portrayed.
The whole plot rests on this idea of feminine rage, however the FMC, Rowan, never saves herself and when she does act it’s unfortunately the stereotypical “woman says something dumb and acts like its political commentary” that has become commonplace in fantasy. The book doesn’t even accomplish to portray the basic tenets of feminism but somehow the marketing makes it come off as a fictional world where women overcome their patriarchal systems and get to act with rage serving as a catalyst. I wish this book was the one that the author makes it seem-that seems like a good book.
But there’s no rage, she’s just a brat. And at least in The Lost God, the smut was good but the romance in this book was rushed. Nothing in this world makes sense. The main couple doesn’t make sense. And Masterson has a habit of telling the most interesting parts of her story in less than a paragraph and drawing out the most boring moments.

I decided to read this book because I saw growth in the author’s craft throughout her last series and she does have interesting initial ideas but after reading this book, it is more than a trend that she never does anything with them. Masterson would benefit from having a tougher editor that pushes her to explore her characters more instead of good ideas being reduced to surface level commentary on women’s rights. Writing a book is difficult but coming up with ideas, writing the book, and editing your work are all different skills. A good editor with a harsh red pen is worth their weight in gold and I sincerely hope she’s able to find one because the concepts are atleast interesting.

Thank you to the author for the early review copy but I will not be reading anymore of her work. My thoughts are my own.

[Eternity's Raven · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was less an enchanting Red Riding Hood reimagining, and more an enchantingly horrific disaster that was crushed by it's own potential.

It was a compelling concept for a story that fell utterly flat and was buried by the trampled feet of faux feminine rage. Because not one part of the "rage" felt believable when it was coming from a female main character who just got shoved this way and that by every other character, and seemed to lack any sense of agency, even when insisting she would save herself. All the while, running to any male that could help at times it was convient to her, only to be mad when they weren't there in the way she demanded they be, at precisely the moment she needed them.

Then, as if to make all the above more blatant and to showcase brilliantly how this author has radically misunderstood how to do strong female empowerment and rage in a book, we get to when Rowan finally saves herself in this grand tale. And does she do this by embracing her love for herself, or by realising she's always been strong, or by using her wits and bravery? No. She does it by a male character telling her how much he loves to her and how he lied to her about never loving her. And that gives her the strength to break the thrall she is being held under. Because of course it does, why wouldn't she need a man to prop her up in this great tale.

I didn't overly enjoy the prose in this book. It felt oddly modern at times. The dialogue was stilted and awkward. Certain phrases and wording were repeated to death. Honestly, how many times did we have to be told her lies tasted like burnt sugar. We get it. Once it's been said once, we don't need it shoved down our throat as much as it's acrid taste was being shoved down Conors. Which is to say, incessantly.

The actual world building felt incoherent at times and like the author had far to much to wrangle to try and make the story work. There was the two gods, the crone and her daughter, the huntsman, the maidens, the spirits and monsters in the forest and the clearly corrupt church. And that would have, and should have, been enough. But then for some reason we also got a demon, a vampire and an unnamed, mystery religion across the land. And the townsfolk turning into menaces as they were scared. And because of that, not one of those things I listed was properly explored or expanded on in any interesting way. Instead we got smatterings of information about some of these things and only brief, lackluster descriptions of others.

There was also a lot of telling not showing in this book. We are told Finn loves Rowan, nothing at all shows it. We are told Rowan cares deeply for Aoife but other than being told she reads her stories at bedtime and sometimes they go get buns together, but there's nothing REAL that shows their bond. We are told Rowan and the crones daughter are best friends, again it does not feel like it's shown in any meaningful way. Their interactions are very sparse and not what you'd expect from best friends.

The characters themselves were disappointing. Her friend, the crones daughter, is described as wild and ready to burn the world yet is barely relevant to the story and exhibits none of those traits when we do see her. We are told over and over how important Aoife is to Rowan yet she's not really relevant to the story at all so she feels like a waste of a character and a chance to show us how training for being a maiden works. Orla was barely alive long enough for her to be relevant to the story which is a shame as she seems like she would have been the most fun character to read about.

Rowan herself is just a walking contradiction. As I mentioned above, she lacks any agency at all and just throws her trust at anyone and anything she can find, seemingly at random. She goes from thinking she wants to change things, to thinking she can't change anything. She goes from wanting no ones help, to running to others to get information or to ask for assistance. And there's a really weird bit at the end of the book where she's somehow surprised Conor had killed the other red maidens, yet at the start of the book it's made clear the maidens never live out their 5 years and the wolf always seems to kill them. It's why she herself dreads the job and doesn't believe Finn should wait for her, because she won't survive her tenure.

And that's just the female characters. The males? None of them are likeable. Not a one. Which is an impressive feat and also feels mildly misogynistic. It's certainly a choice to write a tale in which every male character believes themselves to know best or is shown to be an abuser either by physically doing it or being complicit in it happening. Even the characters you would expect to be shown in a good light, like Finn, just allow this cycle of disaster to be repeated against Rowan. To the point where at one stage she is almost raped in an alley and Finns words to her straight after are "They're scared, Rowan." As if their fear makes their assault on her fine? But this is the character who claims to love her. Okay.

Then there was the romance of the book. It was utterly unbelievable and disinteresting. The constant, let me kiss her, run away and then return cause me nothing but annoyance. There was no longing, no tension. Just frustration that this insta-lust connection seemed designed just to cause whiplash to both Rowan and the reader. Something she ironically thinks to herself about 81% into this book. Another thought Rowan has at about 85% into this book is that they are mutually destructive. And boy is she not wrong. As she forgives him everything, almost instantly (despite us constantly being told how she's rage incarnate, under the skin, the entire book) and he doesn't even really blink when she tries to stab him during sex and then doesn't go through with it. And in any other romance this could be a fun dynamic to read, if it was built up to, but this story didn't build to that in any natural or good way.

The intimate scenes also were not great I will be honest. It was very, he moved his hand here, she shifted her leg there. It reads like a clinical observation of intimacy not a sex scene between two characters falling in love.

And finally, to top it all off. The ending of the book. After dragging this story out over 400 or so excruciating pages, it was finished in about 47. And wrapped up in such a poorly described way. The battle scene was so anticlimactic and poorly described I almost didn't believe the book was nearly done. Conor just vanished for half the fight for no discernable reason. The village people just accepted this new deal blindly, didn't question the death and destruction around them at all. Did she forgive Finn? Who knows, he was unconscious for the final fight and never mentioned again.

One of my most disappointing reads of the year

[Silvy · Rating 5 out of 5]

do you:

a) love when a hot death god gets on his knees for the FMC?
b) have 8th house or scorpio placements?
c) have a green thumb — or wish you did?
d) enjoy the sound of a feminine-rage inspired little red riding hood retelling with a dash of hades/persephone?
e) all of the above?

THEN RUN, DON’T WALK TO KINDLE UNLIMITED AND READ THIS ONE RN.

y’all this was delicious. not only was it fun and fresh — song-based magic! sentient forests! soul-ferrying maidens in red cloaks! — and it’s written with such lovely prose (in typical sheila fashion) that every single quote i want imprinted on my own TTPD-inspired dress.

the concept here is that rowan — a red maiden, one of many throughout time — is plucked from her childhood of poverty to be raised as a town sacrifice to the wolf of the dark wood — the god of death. her responsibilities? ferrying departed souls to his keep for Processing, and being devoured by him in every way imaginable. sign me up. respectfully.

there’s a beautiful story told here about societal expectations of women, about no longer whittling parts of yourself down to appease the masses, and about stepping into who you are unapologetically and filled with righteous rage over years of being looked at as an object.

TLDR, IT HAS LAYERS, PEOPLE. DELICIOUS ONES. it’s spicy, romantic, spooky, twisty, and satisfying in that primal rage sort of way that any person who’s ever been taught to shrink themselves, to shut up and do as they're told, will find deeply relatable.

pick this up if you’re looking for a standalone romantasy that hits all the best trope boxes while also fueling the pyre of your feminist rage in a painfully allegorical way.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ started off as a solid 3 star read but at the half way point it started to go down hill for me.

I think lots of people will enjoy this book, it’s a spicy gothic standalone with an interesting premise.. but the dialogue felt a bit awkward at times and I didn’t really feel the connection between Rowan and The Wolf. The back and forth between them was a bit annoying- he would kiss her, run away, kiss her again, run away..again.

The problems which the characters faced were solved quickly and conveniently- so a bit boring, also this needed to be about 50 pages shorter.

I liked the spooky atmosphere and I appreciated how the book ended, I liked the epilogue- for everything that happened it felt very right.

It’s on kindle unlimited💫

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila has done it again! I finished this book in less than 12 hours from the release of the arcs. I was HOOKED!!!! this book was everything I hoped it would be and so much more! every time I said "one more chapter" I found myself five chapters deep because I did not want to put it down. adding more offenses to crimes against humanity (Sheila’s version) but who would she be if she didn’t cause her readers pain and suffering??? BUT ONCE AGAIN THAT WAS SO FOUL. literally don’t get attached to any of the characters unless you like having your heart ripped out of your chest and STOMPED on. that was a bit dramatic, I fear; however, you will probably cry. this book is the perfect fall vibe and must have for your spooky season tbr.

[Phoebe ❀ ✩ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Song of the Dark wood has a similar feel to books such as One Dark Window and For the Wolf. It is based on Little Red Riding Hood with a touch of Hades and Persephone. For the first 40% or so I was captivated. This was mostly by the lush and eerie descriptions of the Dark Woods, the yet-to-be-defined relationship between the Red Maidens and the mysterious Wolf, and the general haunting atmosphere of the story.

However, once our main character Rowan was officially sacrificed to the Wolf's realm, things started to fall flat. I had high hopes for an interesting dynamic between Rowan and the Wolf, Conor, but instead it relies heavily on the Insta-lust between him and Rowan, with the explanation that all red maidens have a scent that makes them irresistible to wolves (but for some unknown reason Rowan's scent is stronger than any of the others...?). Almost immediately, this back and forth between Conor and Rowan is established, and it is constant. They'd kiss, and she'd run away. They'd kiss again, and he'd run away. This happened multiple times-- the push and pull was a bit overdone.

In addition, everything at the end resolved VERY quickly and for almost every character to the point where it seemed too perfect -- I just didn't buy it and it happened all at once. I also was left with several unanswered questions, such as what the soul ferrying process actually looks like. The main reason red maidens are sacrificed is to guide and "ferry" souls to the underworld through the gates with the help of the Wolf. Considering this is such a key aspect, I wish we had some sort of insight into what it entails. Also -- I didn't understand what was happening with this mysterious and evil new religion that was becoming more of a threat but was never touched upon further than that. I'm unsure if this book will have a osequel, but if it will this could be something the author plans to explore.

I'm rating this book three stars because the first half (roughly) was incredibly strong, and the world itself was so darkly beautiful. There were certain things I couldn't overlook, but I do think it will be popular among readers looking for a One Dark Window type of vibe.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely captivated me from start to finish! It’s a dark, gothic romantasy inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, but it also gave me Hades and Persephone vibes. The story follows a FMC who has been isolated and trained her entire life to please the Wolf because she has a special magical gift. She finds herself tangled between two opposing gods and a sinister mortal society.

The writing is lush and poetic, the world-building is rich with dark, gothic elements, the magic system is incredibly unique, and the characters are vivid and unforgettable. By the time I reached the final pages, I was in awe of how the author tied everything together. The ending is satisfying in the best possible way—an absolutely perfect conclusion to a phenomenal story!

This book has earned a permanent place on my favorites shelf. It’s an emotional, thrilling, and romantic masterpiece, and without a doubt, one of my top reads of the year! I cannot recommend it enough!

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 56%
The first half had me interested, but I wasn't compelled enough to keep going.
My bestie had to give me the TLDR. The book was far too long for nothing to have really happened

[Abbi Genova · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I say I DEVOURED this book, I mean it! Been in a hardcore reading slump for 2ish months, then I received this ARC and finished it in one 8 hour sitting.

This is a unique twist & retelling of “Little Red Riding hood” with a sprinkle of “Beauty & The Beast”. This book has everything I’m looking for in a romantasy that stands out from the rest. The magic system for the characters and the world they live in is creative and mysterious, the reader learns more as you read along. This books conflicts not only focusing on the magical discord between gods but the adversity minorities (especially females and LGBTQ+) face in a oppressive patrichary that is heavy rooted in religious beliefs that reflect a lot of the world we live in.

The characters are flawed and multifaceted which makes them 100% more times relatable and enjoyable to read, even if they are doing something foolish. The journey the FMC and MMC go through to fight past the boundaries and expectations society has thrust upon them while finding strength in themselves and each others was empowering. I loved that these 2 characters had a bond outside of the romance and spice. It took time, yes a slow burn with tension along the way, but it made their intensity so much more realistic than if it were insta-love or driven purely from the magic within them.

I absolutely LOVED this book and wanted to continue with these characters and this world forever.

Tropes:
- little red riding hood retelling
- forbidden romance
- slow burn
- grumpy mmc
- he falls first
- he’s soft only for her
- touch her and die

Triggers:
- death
- gore/blood
- sexually explicit content
- SA attempts
**(Author does put a disclaimer of a list before the story. I feel she handled these situations with extreme care.)

Thank you The Realm Studios & Sheila Masterson for my ARC and the spark I needed to get out of a reading slump.

[Δανάη Ιμπραχήμ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Γκόθικ romantasy με δόση spice και φεμινιστικά στοιχεία. Από μένα είναι ναι.

[Brooke Rothenbuhler · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Song of the Dark Wood is a spicy red riding hood retelling with Hades and Persephone vibes. It’s a gothic fairy tale with singing magic. I think this is a good book for Fall vibes because if it’s gothic atmosphere. I will say to check your trigger warnings as there are a few things in here that were hard to read at times.

The first 40% was amazing and I was immediately hooked. The middle and ending fell a bit flat to me. I wasn’t that sold on the romance aspect of it I think because it was a bit insta-lust. This is a standalone so that could have played a part in it as well.

If you are looking for a gothic spicy standalone then I think this will be up your alley. I really enjoyed reading it, and it has great vibes.

I want to thank the Realm Studios and Sheila Masterson for sending me the e-arc!

[Jade Lawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 ⭐️
I think this book 1000% will be loved by many (just look at the other reviews). Unfortunately, my timing is off. I think I would’ve loved this book a couple years ago. Like when I was reading SJM and From Blood and Ash. But now, I’ve discovered I’m kind of over these kind of stories where women are kept “pure” only to be given as sexual sacrifice and there’s a whole lot of sexual harassment. Yeah I probably should’ve realized this might be the case from the description, but I was hopeful. In addition I found myself often cringing at the heavy handedness when it came to the themes and concepts. The brillance of allegories is that they’re vague enough to be left to be interpreted by the readers. Here it felt like the author was spoon feeding us the lesson and what the allegories meant.
In all honesty, it was a lot like For the Wolf, but I would probably recommend that book over this first. However, I would probably still recommend this book to anyone who did love For the Wolf and wanted more and are in like their FBAA/SJM phase.
Thank you to the author and The Realm archive for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

[Gabriela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spellbound and Intriguing

I fell in love with this book the moment I saw its beautiful cover. The description drew me in, and the story did not disappoint. What I thought would be a spin on Little Red Riding Hood turned out to be a magical tale of female rage, power, and sacrifice—or love, if you're feeling romantic. I received the audiobook from Dreamscape Media through NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
"Nothing was more threatening to a man than a woman who wanted nothing to do with him."
While it had some Beauty and the Beast elements that I adored, this book is very much its own thing. I was captivated by the magic system, the eerie woods, the sacrificial maidens, and the Wolf. I didn’t expect gods and demons to play a role, which was a nice surprise.

In Ballybrine, a bargain between two gods has condemned the town’s girls to a life of servitude, ferrying souls of the dead into the Wolf’s lair. Every five years, a girl is born with magic in her veins, destined to live without family or a name until it’s her turn to serve. The town is content to let one girl bear their punishment—until we meet Rowan, a maiden with the will of fire.
"Rowan was a stranger to temperance. She only knew how to burn. Her life was a constant struggle to remain composed while she knew herself to be incendiary."

I liked Rowan. She starts off weak and naive, but watching her grow into a force to be reckoned with was immensely satisfying. Connor, the Wolf, is a tortured soul—tired of being the villain but bound by his nature to darkness. Their romance had its moments. While it didn’t completely blow me away, I appreciated the way it balanced power and vulnerability, making their connection feel believable.

The climax was everything. Rowan becomes a total BAMF, finally claiming what was rightfully hers through her own power. I was rooting for her the whole time, and she ate!

That said, there were a few things I wish had been handled better. Cade, the demon friend, had the potential to be an incredible side character, but I was disappointed at how underdeveloped his role was. There was also mention of a missing maiden, which I thought would lead to a big reveal—maybe even a villain arc—but it was left there hanging. The story drags a little around the halfway mark, where the romance gets stuck in a repetitive will-they-won’t-they loop. I was tempted to skim a few pages, but once the pace picks up again, it doesn’t let go until the satisfying ending.

Overall, Song of the Dark Wood is an excellent tale of small-town magic, sinister woods, and the viciousness of a woman slighted. If you can, get the audiobook—the narrator’s accent makes you feel like you're living in Ballybrine, with the Dark Wood just beyond your doorstep.

[Bree Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ladies and gentleman, Sheila has DONE IT AGAIN.

"Before you strike, Rowan, you should know that I have been in love with you for quite some time now. Your love is a beautiful weapon that I feel unworthy of. I can think of no better way to go."

Rowans story brims with love and emotion. She truly is the hero of her own story and her trials and tribulations speak of traumas committed in real, true life. Each character represents wrongs and rights that happened and speaks to how we can be the hero's of our own stories.

Thank you, SheShe, for the trauma again but for giving me another book to treasure and guard 🥹

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not sure this can be a true review because I called it quits at 50%, So I’m calling it a partial review of a DNF. I had really high hopes based off the summary for this book, but it wasn’t my cup of tea.

Because it was a DNF, everything I say, just take with a grain of salt, or spoon full, because I didn’t read the whole thing. The gripes I have could be resolved by the end, unfortunately, I didn’t like the first half enough to find out.

**Short review:** Poppy Balfeaur the maiden… ooops I mean Sellah the Choosen…. Oops I mean Rowan the other maiden is… *takes big sigh and rubs temple* yet another virgin set aside to offer up to the death god-whose name is freaking Conor- for reasons that are kinda sorta explained but like I don’t understand. Could it be because I didn’t finish the book? Totally. Could it be because the writing was all over the place? Totally. It’s a play on little red riding hood and the six sense. She sees dead people and her job is to Uber their souls to the big bad wolf in the forest. At some point, for reasons, they gotta bang. We’ve got: a sassy demon, a mysterious blight, religious cults, a vague but important bargain, and a haunted forest.

**What I liked:**
- **Cade:** her demon friend was great. Sassy, pragmatic, mischievous. Everything I could want in a demon.
- **Red riding hood premise:** I think this could’ve been fun, but there were too many other pieces thrown into the mix and it got messy.

**What I didn’t like:**
- **The bargain:** I felt like this was unnecessarily complex. You’ve got a bargain between the wolf (death god) and the mother (life god?) but for some reason there needs to be a magical virgin, elders, and the crone (witch) as part of the line of command for things to work? Way too many pieces.
- **Choppy writing:** the only way this author moved the plot forward was by aggressive turns, random dialogue, abrupt questions, the worst timed spice, and things happening in a way that felt jarring rather than exciting. It felt like what I imagine a first time a chiropractor nervously trying to crack a neck vs a seasoned pro. Even left field out-of-nowhere plot twists, if the writing is good (in my opinion), still have a smooth lead up and unfold seamlessly. The writing was so abrupt I kept going back thinking I missed paragraphs and pages. Instead of being shocked I was just confused.
- **The MMC:** this dude is a baby back bitch. Look Im sorry, but he sucks. I get the whole moody broody misunderstood powerful god thing, and I could tell that was her *intention* for his character but instead he came out the wish version of what she wanted: immature, unstable, and dumbbbbb. An immortal death god slamming doors, yelling, abruptly leaving social settings to pout in his room and go all emo on his piano? No thank you (well… actually now that I write it out it sounds fun, but again.. the execution was not 🥲)
- **The spice/romance:** so I didn’t get very far into this aspect but what I did get was he’s magically horny for her (something to do with the explained but still vague bargain) and will abruptly make out then abruptly stop and hide (see above). It felt like a cheap cop-out for writing real attraction and tension, but oh well. She gets all hot and bothered when they are literally in the middle of helping a soul pass on to the other side. Like a dying entity is a turn on? What??? I DNF’d shortly after this because if my souls resting place was being held in her hands (whether or not I rested in peace or forever roamed) and she was rubbing her thighs together distracting the death god, I’d be so pissed that id purposely stay behind and haunt her, cause that’s RUDE.
- **The names:** this truly is nitpicking and such a personal annoyance and doesn’t take away from the book, and maybe I’m being too mean, BUT it took me to the 50% mark of the book to make the connection that all the names were Celtic/Irish and that maybe perhaps the vibe and tone of this book would’ve been different if there were more contextual clues that this was the culture inspiring the book? But was it?… because it was just the names? There’s nothing else Irish in here except their names, and the word “lass”? And it made me mad for no reason, but I needed to know, DO I OR DO I NOT READ WITH CILLIAN MURPHY’S VOICE IN MY HEAD?

So in all, not for me. But I think I might still recommend this, and I think some people might love this, because the premise has promise.

I didn’t like it for the reason that I like my books to unfold without me noticing. From the first word to the last I want it to feel like everything just flows and the dominos fall seamlessly (even with plot twists). But this felt more like when I had to learn to drive stick shift, on a mountain road, as a teenager, and my dad yelling at me. As chaotic as you can imagine, but not the fun kind.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely ADORE fairy tale retellings and this one was fantastic!

Red Riding Hood meets Hades & Persephone...and I also felt a lot of Beauty and the Beast vibes personally.

"Her life was a constant struggle to remain composed while she knew herself to be incendiary."

The writing was powerful and I have so many highlighted passages. There was even art interspersed throughout which was so pretty! The last 20% had me utterly captivated trying to figure out what was going to happen and how everything was going to be resolved.

"Reinvention required what was dead in her to stay dead, allowing what was left to rise like a phoenix and burn the world down for killing her in the first place."

There were so many dark elements in this book and so many horrific things that made the FMC Rowan filled with feminine rage. Gross old man Elders trying to do gross things. The MMC Conor (The Wolf) had a depth to him that was fun to discover and he definitely fell for her first. The heat and tension between them was great! I really enjoyed watching their romance blossom and how beautiful it turned out to be.

"She wanted him to raze her completely- burn through her like wildfire until nothing of what she was before existed."

Also the music magic was so beautiful. Rowan and Conor both had music as such an important element to them and I loved how much it resonated with each other...and also affected the world around them.

I do have a bunch of unanswered questions about side aspects in the story. The main plot was resolved, but I can always use more. What happened to the other Red girl they couldn't find? Where are all the refugees coming from? What is the nightmare? It would be really neat to see another story come out of this focusing on a different character in this world.

Read if you love:
-Dual POV
-"Good lass"
-Gothic fairy tales
-Haunted forests
-Music based magic
-Feminine rage

I received an eARC of this book from the author. My thoughts are all my own.

[Drew Undercoverfae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sheila is truly a master at her craft, she always delivers on a heartfelt love story with so much intricate character development you feel like you just had a deep dive with your therapist. This book is perfect for fall/spooky vibes we have coming up and has just the right dose of religious trauma. Idk how to say any more without giving away spoilers but pls just read it and thank me later

[Jenny Lampe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC), but my review is honest and voluntary.

I loved Song of the Dark Wood. It is a fantasy romance standalone, perfect for the fall season. With some hints of Red Riding Hood, this book follows Rowan, a red maiden raised to serve the God of Death aka the Wolf. Rowan is rebellious and questioning and is frustrated with feeling out of control with her life and her choices.

I love seeing how Sheila develops the characters and how they grow throughout the book. The Wolf, Conor, is not as evil as he's perceived, and Rowan isn't as innocent as she's perceived. We also get some really fun side characters including a few friends for Rowan, both human and demon... yes, one of her best friends is a demon, and he's hilarious. Conor even has a friend or two in the Dark Woods.

There's something so nice about a standalone. While I'm sad the story is over, I love the feeling of everything being complete. I loved this journey and can't wait to revisit it year after year.

[Erin Larson-Burnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Song of the Dark Wood, Sheila Masterson doesn’t just retell Red Riding Hood – she tears it apart and stitches it back together with thorns and shadows. It’s at once a haunting melody and a primal howl, and it. is. beautiful.

Rowan is a heroine whose fierce determination crackles off the page, equal parts grit and grace as she claws her way through the world in a journey that will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt hemmed in by expectations. Conor struggles similarly with the weight of expectation, and his raw vulnerability and fight for control made my heart ache. Together, they were such an impossible yet inevitable force. I loved seeing them both in their fairy-tale bubble and out shattering the world.

Masterson is truly a master of enchantment. The easy writing, effortless worldbuilding, compelling characters, and top-tier spice make for a story that really does sink its teeth into you and feels both ancient and startlingly new. Like I said – beautiful.

[Mary Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
ARC Review
Release Date: 9/20/2024

“𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘙𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘯.”
“𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮.”

I’ve been sitting here for an alarming amount of time trying to put into words how much I love this book. It’s like Sheila wrote it just for me: a sassy, angry FMC and the saddest, gooiest cinnamon roll MMC? YES PLEASE. I couldn’t put this book down. I wanted to call off a date just so I could finish it.

Rowan’s story may be fantasy, but there are so many elements that are all too real that pulled me apart and put me back together again. We all know I love angst, and SotDW has it in spades. It also has fear, hope, loss, love, feminine rage, a demon BFF, scheming gods, sisterhood, and YEARNING. I really can’t express how thoroughly I enjoyed Rowan’s journey. It hurt so good, and that is a compliment of the highest order.

Now, be a good lass for me and add this phenomenal book to your fall TBR🌲🐺👻♥️🎶

𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘮𝘦.

[Megan (Midwest Reading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red Riding Hood meets Beauty and the Beast meets Hades and Persephone with a dash of The Handmaiden’s Tale and From Blood and Ash.

With libraries and spice.

Do I have your attention?

Feminine oppression turns to feminine rage and eventually resistance: in so many ways, that’s tale as old as time. But Masterson’s take is fresh one, from the storyline to the fact that this is a STANDALONE Romantasy.

I think so many readers will resonate with this story — the move from powerlessness and hopelessness to defiance and healing.


Thank you, Sheila, for letting me be a part of your awesome ARC team.

[🌙henny✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t dislike this book but it definitely didn’t grab my attention as much as I was hoping. In theory the plot sounds great but in practice it was kind of boring and none of the characters were particularly interesting.

I did enjoy the tension, but the mmc was kind of immediately obsessed with her and it’s one of those books where the chemistry is lacking and I have no idea how they became lovers. The fmc is also very forgettable, I just kind of got nothing vibes from her. But the story was enjoyable enough

[Bre]

DNF 30%. Definitely not for me. This whole thing revolves around her virginity. Not yucking anyone’s yum- just not for me.

[Jenessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Beyond that, it was frustrating to be raised in a community that asked her to only be strong at the exact time and in the exact way that it benefited them and to act meek the rest of the time."

THIS BOOK 😩
You know what I love about a well written story? When it has depth—when it has layers within it. When you can reread it and gain something new each time. And man, does this book have that in spades.

SOTDW follows Rowan, a young woman raised to be the Maiden, which is essentially a sacrifice to the god of Death. That has been her whole life's purpose and one Rowan struggles with accepting. She cares about those around her, sometimes to her own detriment, but at her heart, Rowan knows there is more to her and her fate.
Enter Conor— our broody, grumpy, angry god of Death. Listen, there's something to be said about an MMC who can't control his urges despite how he wants to. And Rowan? She's like an irresistible dessert to him... and he sorta hates it 🫦
It makes for the most delicious tension and banter between these two.

I don't want to spoil anything else, but I DO want to touch on the magic because Sheila does a fantastic job creating something unique and beautiful in this retelling. The magic system is multifaceted, and Rowan's magic, in particular, is music based. It's so freaking cool and something I haven't seen used in this way before!

Ok, one more thing. There's a scene with Conor on his knees, and ... yeah, you gotta read it.
Perfect vibes for all you Fall girlies.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶.5

[Ashley | A Pair of Readers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This tale is a tale of feminine rage at its finest. I loved everything about this book. Sheila Masterson does a brilliant job of building this absolutely flawed world where people are willing to sacrifice one another to save themselves to tear through it in a blaze of rage and power. The world she builds is horrifying to watch, especially as you interact more with its so-called religious figures who are rife with hypocrisy.

The book follows the story of Rowan, a Red Maiden, chosen as a sacrifice to the God of Death. Filled with simmering rage at the lot she's been cast in life, Rowan challenges of the God at every step. But he enjoys (he does). Together, they will learn what it means to rely on each other and to forge a new path for themselves. Masterson's world is so lush and dark that it has you cringe right along with Rowan as she battles back against the elders, the town, and some many other forces. I loved watching the relationship between Rowan and Wolf grow.

I loved the themes of sacrifice, empowerment, and consent that are woven throughout this book. Masterson has brilliant story on her hands and I am hungry for more.