Tag: Divine Rivals

Review: Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross

Anna and AlexisLeave a comment
Alexis' hand holds up the Barnes & Noble edition of Ruthless Vows above a lush line of mountains

Alexis:

Divine Rivals is one of my all-time faves, so it’s an understatement to say I was looking forward to its sequel, Ruthless Vows.

Rebecca Ross’s writing is always lyrical and gorgeous—and it was in Ruthless Vows, as well. I really loved reading this book, but my favorite was definitely the last 3/4. Without going into spoilers, it was heartbreaking, and I loved seeing Iris embrace her badass self.

I docked off a star for 1 main reason:

The pacing in the first half felt off. Certain parts felt too drawn out, and I expected this sequel to be faster paced and more action-packed than the first book, considering the buildup in Divine Rivals and the war.

It’s worth saying that I normally really despise the amnesia trope, but it’s a testimony to Ross’s writing skills that I think she 100% pulled it off.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and I’m glad it had a satisfying ending! I’m also grateful that I was able to read this book while I was on my winter vacation.

If you’re looking for a beautifully written upper-YA low fantasy book with WW1 vibes, a war between gods, magical letter writing, and romance, then I highly recommend this duology.

VERDICT: 📚📚📚📚/5 

Review: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Anna and Alexis1 Comment
A Kindle rests on a white marble table. A white pumpkin is to its left. A package of pumpkin chai tea sits to its right. A lit Sweater Weather candle sits above it.

Alexis:

I adored Divine Rivals...and yes, it did emotionally destroy me.

Divine Rivals is an upper YA/NA historical fantasy novel that follows two main characters. Iris Winnow is a new journalist at a newspaper called the Oath Gazette. Roman Kitt is her rival—a fellow journalist who is competing against her for a promotion as a columnist. 

But after centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again, and Iris’ own brother, Forest, has joined the armed forces of one of the gods. Iris, who is worried sick about him, writes him letters. But Iris doesn’t know where her brother is. All she knows is that her letters magically disappear when she slips them underneath her wardrobe door. 

What she also doesn’t know is that Roman is the one receiving them, and then he begins anonymously answering her letters. 

THIS BOOK. I’ve always loved Ross’ writing style. I’ve read both A River Enchanted and Dreams Lie Beneath and enjoyed both of them, but Divine Rivals hits differently; I connected with the characters on another level. 

This book is a masterpiece. I love Ross’ lyrical, beautiful, and emotional writing. The book is so atmospheric, and layered with tension that you can feel on every page.

I adore both Iris and Roman. They have so much chemistry, and I love their banter and rivalry. 

Divine Rivals reads like a fantasy version of a World War I/World War II story. Ross writes about the horrors of war in such an effective way. The story is about grief, both Iris’ and Roman’s. It’s about being trapped in a life where you can’t make your own decisions. It’s about loneliness and connection. It’s about finding love, but also about the messiness of loving your flawed family. It’s about the power of writing and letters. Throw some mythology about the world’s gods in the mix and you have this perfect book.

VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Divine Rivals comes out on April 4, 2023.

Of course that means I have to wait even longer for the sequel. Please pray for my impatient reading brain. (Cliffhangers should be illegal.)

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the e-ARC!