RoseBlood

A. G. Howard returns with a creepy, clever novel that will thrill readers. Rune has a mysterious affliction that's linked to her musical talent. Her mother believes creative direction will help, so she sends Rune to a French arts conservatory rumored to have inspired The Phantom of the Opera. When Rune begins to develop a friendship with the elusive Thorn, she realizes that with him, she feels cured. But as their love grows, Thorn is faced with an impossible choice: save Rune or protect the phantom haunting RoseBlood, the only father he's ever known. Fans of Daughter of Smoke & Bone and the Splintered series will adore this retelling of one of the most famous stories of all time. "Part vampire lore and part love story, this will appeal to those who enjoyed titles like Beautiful Creatures and Vampire Academy." - School Library Connection. "The mysteries and the ingenious ties to Leroux's work are enough to attract plenty of fans, and the lush, sensual details complete the atmospherics of the neogothic settings." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 11/01/2016. Gr 7 Up--Rune Germain has sung opera since she was four years old, as her father played arias on his violin. She sings beautifully, and often the music becomes so strong that it bursts out of her, but each performance leaves her feeling ill, especially following her father's death. After Rune has a devastating encounter with a boy at a party, her mother sends her to her aunt's music conservatory, RoseBlood, near Paris, hoping that it will cure Rune of her "affliction." The school has a past that scares Rune. Originally a theater modeled after the one in Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera, the building burned down and has been partially rebuilt with funds from an anonymous benefactor. At RoseBlood, Rune experiences cruelty from jealous classmates, but she also makes good friends, and at night, lovely violin music lulls her to sleep. Then, in a secret encounter, she meets violin-playing Etalon, who helps her understand the mysteries surrounding the school as well as her own identity. In a complex interweaving of teen school story, romance, and horror, the novel combines Phantom narrative elements with a cast of energy-sucking psychic vampires. Rune is a multifaceted, artistic character whose actions and reactions feel believably young adult as she confronts questions about family secrets and heredity. This is an accomplished undertaking, although the slow reveal may fail to engage some readers, especially those unfamiliar with the source material. VERDICT A good purchase for paranormal romance collections, and the connections to a classic work of literature add appeal.--Janet Hilbun, University of North Texas, Denton - School Library Journal. 2016-09-19. The Phantom of the Opera is reborn in this supernatural tale of music, passions, and love.When Rune sings opera, everyone is captivated, but her gift comes with a price. Singing is a compulsion she can't ignore, and each song sickens and weakens her. In an effort to cure Rune, her mother sends her to RoseBlood, a performing arts boarding school in France that is rumored to have ties to the legend. Not long after Rune's arrival, the mysteries start accumulating, and at the center of them all is her gift. When she meets Thorn, a masked figure who seemingly appears out of nowhere and teaches her to control her mysterious ability, she is convinced she's found the Phantom. But Thorn has spent most of his life serving the real Phantom--and the Phantom has plans for Rune. The harder Thorn falls for Rune, the more dangerous his path. Howard combines Gaston Leroux's original Phantom of the Opera with the legend's real-life inspirations to create an original story that is both beautiful and haunting. Through Rune's and Thorn's alternating narratives, readers are treated to colorful descriptions and intriguing back stories that come together in an unexpected twist. Thorn is French and described as olive-complected, while Rune is white with a "gypsy" heritage that plays a role in her character. A rich, atmospheric story that readers will be hard-pressed to put down. (Fantasy. 13 & up) - Kirkus Reviews