Genre: YA Fantasy / Romance / Historical
Release Date: April 4th, 2023
Pages: 368
Publisher: Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press)
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher’s Synopsis:
“After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.
To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish―into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.
When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever. Shadow and Bone meets Lore in this epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.”
My Review:
I’m in love with everything about this book – the lyrical writing, the cheeky banter, the historical elements, and the magical realism. This is an enchanting story and I couldn’t get enough.
It’s a warm and heartfelt tale set against a ruthless and agonizing backdrop.
Enva and Dacre, two gods that were slain and buried, have suddenly reawakened. As rivals they have begun a war that is tearing apart the human world. They are magically recruiting mortal citizens to fight for their cause. As the story progresses, we learn more and more about these gods and their backstories. The lore is captivating and adds fascinating layers to the plot.
The world-building is engrossing, with its legends of old gods mixed up in a tumultuous atmosphere of war-torn society. It’s such a unique setting and I adored the genre mash-up of it all. Their society is ravaged by the funding of propaganda and opposing beliefs. It is an emotional climate while everyone is worried about their relatives and loved ones.
This story is told from two perspectives. Both of our main characters, Iris and Roman, are competing for a columnist position at a newspaper.
I love stories about books, writing, and reading. It’s a fun experience and instantly relatable when characters enjoy it as much as I do. I enjoyed the dual perspectives that gave us a more in-depth look into their personal lives and motivations.
This is enemies-to-lovers at its finest. Divine rivals is the perfect way to describe our two main characters. The banter and animosity between them only heightens the tension as they reluctantly grow closer.
Their relationship is the perfect contrast and compliment to the harrowing environment that it takes place in – that something so good can bloom and develop even under such circumstances.
It’s a light and airy love story that will leave you with tears of both sadness and joy.
I was introduced to this author by her book, A River Enchanted, where I was swept away by her writing style. There was something flowy that just drew me in. So when I saw the arc available for her newest book, I was excited to immediately request it. And after reading this one, I will definitely be checking out some of her other backlist books soon.
I couldn’t recommend this book more highly and it is sure to be an instant hit. Readers of fantasy, romance, and historical genres will all love this one.
Disclaimers:
Huge thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press (Wednesday Books) for gifting me an early copy of this amazing story! I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This post may contain affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from with no additional cost to you. You can read my full disclaimer here. Thank you for your support 🙂
Shop online while supporting local bookstores:
Their mission is to help support local, independent bookstores while still offering readers the e-commerce experience. This is a great way to easily get the books you crave while supporting other fabulous members of our bookish community!
Have you read this book? Planning to add it to your TBR?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
I love a good book discussion. 🙂
Leave a Reply