Name: Music of the Night
Rating: 3.75 (6 reviews)

Angela J. Ford

Music of the Night

Andrea

— It’s a retelling of The Phantom of the Opera. I’ve never seen the movie nor read the book, but I liked this retelling.
— This was a really short story buy full of drama, magic and music.
— It has somewhat of a forbidden love trope and that got me, as always.
— I loved the fact that it’s insta attraction but not instalove. The characters crave each other and it shows that it’s ok to be hot for someone you’ve just met.
— Music is used as a weapon and not only that, but it’s used to induce lust on people, weird but kinda intriguing.
— It has representation.
— It was pretty good at the end, I liked it.
— The only perk is that it’s short so things are a little rushed, and that it has a LOT of inner monologue.
— Warnings: this is an adult book. It has a little smut and violence.

[Collaboration with the author]

Angela J Ford

Phantom of the Opera meets Beauty and the Beast in this gothic-inspired dark fantasy romance. A haunted tower, a mysterious instructor, and the lure of the music of the night. . . After the death of her father, Aria is left penniless and destitute. To avoid working the streets, she becomes the ward of a Count and moves to a remote town called High Tower. High Tower is a gloomy place with one vivid attraction: the theater. Lords and ladies come from afar to be seduced by a night of unforgettable entertainment. Many are warned to stay away from High Tower's dangerous enchantments, but it's a warning Aria is forced to ignore. Determined to take her life back into her hands, she and the Count make a deal. She can avoid an arranged marriage if she learns to sing for him. When Aria stumbles across a mysterious man in a dark tower, she begs to learn the power of song from him. Although reluctant, the man agrees to teach her the music of the night. Between midnight meetings and emotional singing lessons, Aria falls in love with her alluring instructor despite his shadowy past. But something deadly stirs, awoken by the desire of its master. Evening reveries become haunted with terror, blood, and murder. Rumors claim the man in the tower is behind the madness that haunts High Tower, a truth Aria is loath to believe. For she just gained the desire of her heart. What she doesn't know is that her haunted instructor intends to use her for his own purposes. . . Music of the Night is a complete, stand-alone novel inspired by Phantom of the Opera. Perfect for fans of dark and steamy fantasy romance.

A Gothic Romance

Maria Elena Vitale Zelaia

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

Check my fan. I think I’m overheating. (If you got the Iko reference, I love you.)

I have found the perfect read to feed my romance-loving heart. Music of the Night intrigued me since I first saw the artist share the cover on her page. The artwork is stunning, and artwork plus the mention of mysterious men in the synopsis are enough to sell me on a book. Furthermore, this book is a Phantom of the Opera retelling, and though it’s been a long time since I last saw the movie, I remember I loved it! Needless to say, I was excited to start this. 

And I was not disappointed. 

The story follows Aria, a young woman left orphaned after her father’s passing. Orphaned and with no money to her name. A distant relative, Count Zorik, takes Aria in, and Aria moves to High Tower. Zorik would very much like to have Aria marry, but Aria has dreams she’d like to nurture and no intention of marrying. Zorik and Aria reach a compromise: Aria will work a year in the Count’s theater and marry once the year is up. But Aria hears stories of a ghost who haunts the night with song, and seeing as she’s desperate to take control of her narrative, Aria follows the music and finds Uriah, the mysterious “ghost”. Uriah agrees to teach Aria the Music of the Night, but he may have his own reasons for agreeing…

The story of the Phantom of the Opera has always fascinated me. The figure of the Phantom is so dark, mysterious, unhappy. My heart breaks for him. What I liked about this book is that it shines a spotlight on his figure, giving him the story he deserves. Uriah is exactly the kind of character that stays with me long after a story is over, and his chemistry with Aria—a passionate and determined leading lady—was off the charts. I loved their romance, and I wish I could have had another one hundred pages of them. 

The plot was fast-paced and at parts thick with tension and mystery. I enjoyed the dark atmosphere of the book that fit Uriah so well. (Can you tell I’m in love?) My only issue with this book was that it ended too soon. *sobs* Perhaps if it had been a little bit longer, we could have had the opportunity to see a tiny bit more build up between Aria and Uriah. 

*sings* I want more.

I highly recommend this to everyone. Lovers of fantasy, retellings and romance will surely enjoy this gem. I cannot wait to shove it in every one of my photos. (The hardback, by the way, is gorgeous! The naked cover has a design that is to die for.)

Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy to review.

Music of the Night

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