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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
I’m obviously writing this for myself, for when I inevitably scroll back down my read shelf and ask, what was this book?
Well that’s a question that won’t get answered. Maybe I need to decompress, but this was HEAVY. I also had a really hard time getting into it cuz of the writing, but in a way, it feels like I got hit in the head with an anvil... made out of styrofoam.
I don’t even know. Nadya was... fine, I guess. Bland af. More character was given to the prince dude. Honestly, rambling done, the story was hard to follow, but the romance was an anvil to the head.
Well that’s a question that won’t get answered. Maybe I need to decompress, but this was HEAVY. I also had a really hard time getting into it cuz of the writing, but in a way, it feels like I got hit in the head with an anvil... made out of styrofoam.
I don’t even know. Nadya was... fine, I guess. Bland af. More character was given to the prince dude. Honestly, rambling done, the story was hard to follow, but the romance was an anvil to the head.
How could you not want to read this book after reading the synopsis above? The story has all the elements of a good story. Intrigue, adventure, magic, but the story wasn't quite what I expected. In the beginning, the main female character was strong and witty. She commanded the story line like a seasoned veteran. Toward the end of the book, we kind of lose her and she becomes just another love interest. Even with this flip flop of roles, I still loved this story. It had a wonderful vibe about the world that drew you in and kept you reading.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
The sequel for this book cannot come soon enough. All the characters are wicked, divine, distraught, and entirely nihilistic in the best way. My heart is clinging to these children and their ravaged world. I'm still so lost as to who is good and who is bad and that, is entirely the point. They absolutely pulled me into this narrative and ripped out my beating heart. TW for blood. So, so much blood.
Wicked Saints ends up being a dark, twisted, and bloody story that will leave readers dying for more. Action packed and yet a bit slow to get through, Wicked Saints manages to get its readers completely immersed in the story once they manage to fully get their grasp of the world building and the characters. Thankfully, the story the author brings to life feels like something fresh that will call up to readers who are looking for a change.
The war, the blood, the magic and the character growth that are present in the story end up being darker than they sound. As we travel through Kalyazin and Tranavia with our group of main characters known as Nadya, Serefin, Malachiaz, Parijahan and Rashid, the world that comes to life ends up being quite an intriguing battlefield. Thanks to the dual point of view, we’re able to see the two sides of the story, something that definitely helps when it comes to understanding the characters, their beliefs and motifs, and their different magic systems, which eventually led to their current war. An enjoyable thing about this story is how the author manages to not only portray and explain this war-ravaged world but also show us how this affects our main characters and their actions, showing us just how far they’re willing to go to get things done and survive.
If you’re looking for a new dark fantasy full of secrets, forbidden romance, and an intriguing world building, then you might want to keep Wicked Saints under your radar. For once you get the hang of things during the first few slow chapters you might actually end up devouring...or dropping it.
The war, the blood, the magic and the character growth that are present in the story end up being darker than they sound. As we travel through Kalyazin and Tranavia with our group of main characters known as Nadya, Serefin, Malachiaz, Parijahan and Rashid, the world that comes to life ends up being quite an intriguing battlefield. Thanks to the dual point of view, we’re able to see the two sides of the story, something that definitely helps when it comes to understanding the characters, their beliefs and motifs, and their different magic systems, which eventually led to their current war. An enjoyable thing about this story is how the author manages to not only portray and explain this war-ravaged world but also show us how this affects our main characters and their actions, showing us just how far they’re willing to go to get things done and survive.
If you’re looking for a new dark fantasy full of secrets, forbidden romance, and an intriguing world building, then you might want to keep Wicked Saints under your radar. For once you get the hang of things during the first few slow chapters you might actually end up devouring...or dropping it.
I wanted to like this book but I’m not entirely sure the logic behind it makes sense. The two opposing countries, Kalyazin and Tranavia, have differing ideas in gods. The former believes in gods and that clerics are humans that have been blessed to speak to them, whereas the latter do not believe in gods at all. Kalyazin clerics have magic given to them by the gods and Tranavians are heretics that use blood magic. It is said that that Tranavians are this way because they rejected the gods but we are never given a reason. So these countries are essentially fighting against one another just because.
The characters are also kind of boring. I don’t dislike them but I don’t particularly like them either. I will say that I loved the part when when Nadya comes to court to meet Serefin as a potential suitor and he takes notice of her. I wish the story would have went in a different direction from that moment on because I would have forgiven the “battle of nothing” between the two countries.
Overall, I didn’t hate this book, but I could see why others might not like it.
The characters are also kind of boring. I don’t dislike them but I don’t particularly like them either. I will say that I loved the part when when Nadya comes to court to meet Serefin as a potential suitor and he takes notice of her. I wish the story would have went in a different direction from that moment on because I would have forgiven the “battle of nothing” between the two countries.
Overall, I didn’t hate this book, but I could see why others might not like it.
Trigger Warning: Blood, self harm
Dark and twisted. I really enjoyed the magic system. It sets up for a great fantasy series full of blood and betrayals. I will d finely pick up the next one.
**I was given an e- arc through Netgalley. This in no way affects my rating or review.
Dark and twisted. I really enjoyed the magic system. It sets up for a great fantasy series full of blood and betrayals. I will d finely pick up the next one.
**I was given an e- arc through Netgalley. This in no way affects my rating or review.
This book was a solid fantasy novel. There were some slow parts. The different character POVs weren’t bad. I like seeing things from both sides of the spectrum. The book was pretty good. I liked Nadya’s POV best. She was a well developed character and so was Serefin. I liked the monster the best! He was my favorite character. I would probably not read her next book because it was so slow in the beginning.
2.5 stars. A cleric infiltrates her enemy's capital, aiming to assassinate their king. Okay: the writing here is atrocious. I can't say if it's objectively worse than most YA or just more evidence of why I avoid the genre (although it at least isn't another example of the first person present tense curse). It does its best to undermine all its potential, but there's a lot of that: A conflict between divine magic (from questionable gods) and blood magic (with overtly problematic ethics); aesthetic gore and wintery war-torn nations; the tension of courtly politics, doomed desires, and deception. I dig the vibes; the worldbuilding developments at the 60% mark recaptured much of my attention. But I sure hope the sequels are better written, because there's only so much "he was a glorious monster, tragically beautiful"-style writing I can take.
4.5 stars. Holy... This is exactly what I was looking for in a young adult novel. The character development and plot are so intricately spun within this world that the author created. I don’t think I can stand waiting a year to see where the characters go next. But, I will try. So good!!!!!
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I wanted something light to read within the fantasy genre, and this book gave me just that. It's a light read. The main character, Nadya wasn't as complex as I had hoped she would be, and at certain points I was frustrated with her inability to take charge of her own narrative. It seems as though the writer tried to convey a girl learning to make her own choices, despite having to be a vessel to the gods that exclusively communicate to her and govern her actions. That plot didn't translate well into the narrative, it seemed as though this poor girl couldn't catch a break, getting dragged from one decision to the other by literally everybody. She gets yanked this way and that, and her indecisiveness, although warranted, was tiring.
Furthermore, the romance aspect of it? came out of nowhere, I expected to sit back and enjoy what started as a timid friendship and a beautifully written slow burn, only for it to become fully established all too soon. There was an opportunity to draw it out longer, especially given how complex the nature of the connection is, but I'm beginning to think that the main character will always have her knees give out for this love interest. It's frustrating when a character can't think straight or make rational decisions simply because they're inches away from their love interest, but to make it a pattern? Girl. Most of these problems wouldn't arise if she had chosen herself instead of him.
the other characters never really get their chance to shine on their own, and their personalities rarely stood out to me. Even though their backgrounds were established, they all seem to melt into each other. It's as if I could pick a line someone says and there's a good chance any character would have said it. I would still like to see this series through, the ending surprised me, and I am hopeful the characters will all have a chance to bloom.
Furthermore, the romance aspect of it? came out of nowhere, I expected to sit back and enjoy what started as a timid friendship and a beautifully written slow burn, only for it to become fully established all too soon. There was an opportunity to draw it out longer, especially given how complex the nature of the connection is, but I'm beginning to think that the main character will always have her knees give out for this love interest. It's frustrating when a character can't think straight or make rational decisions simply because they're inches away from their love interest, but to make it a pattern? Girl. Most of these problems wouldn't arise if she had chosen herself instead of him.
the other characters never really get their chance to shine on their own, and their personalities rarely stood out to me. Even though their backgrounds were established, they all seem to melt into each other. It's as if I could pick a line someone says and there's a good chance any character would have said it. I would still like to see this series through, the ending surprised me, and I am hopeful the characters will all have a chance to bloom.