A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.

A prince in danger must decide who to trust.

A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.

Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.

In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy

Trigger Warnings: Self-harm.

This is a wonderful dark fantasy, blood magic, princes, god’s, a war about religion. The main characters Nadya and Serefin both ave their own POVs and are written beautifully, they are incredibly different and I like how their personalities come through on the page.

The secondary character are also well written and add depth to the main character and they give them a good banter through the story. I came to love all the characters and hoped them all well but I always had a sense of dread that something awful might happen to them all, to me this is a sign of a great story teller.

The world building what can I say but I was transported to Tranavia, the worn torn country, travelling through it and seeing all that it has to offer was well built and immersive.

The story, was amazing. You warmed to the characters and so you wanted them all to succeed but the plot twists just come out of nowhere, just when you think you have it all sorted in your head, bam it all changes and it’s oh so good!!

This is a must read, and I can not wait for the next instalment!

WICKED SAINTS is an ambitious novel with political intrigue, fascinating magic systems, and fun banter.

The first chapter absolutely blew me away. I am highly impressed by how it accomplished so much--character introductions, world-building, action, and more--in just one chapter, and how it did so in a way that wasn’t confusing. With a wealth of information thrown at the reader, it could’ve easily become a mess right at the beginning, but I had no problem following along. And it wasn’t just understandable--it was intriguing, enjoyable, and perfectly paced. I was entirely hooked after that opening.

I will say that the middle got a bit muddled for me. Sometimes the pacing seemed too fast or too slow, sometimes there were multiple long paragraphs of telling instead of showing, and sometimes there were large swaths of unnecessary dialogue. But I do appreciate that Duncan obviously worked hard to make this a rich, multi-layered world.

Besides the first chapter, my other favorite aspect was the concept of how the main character communicates with the gods, and how they may or may not grant her spells and powers. I adored learning about all the different gods and their personalities, and their interactions with the main character were always entertaining. I actually wish there had been even more of that!

The POC representation could’ve been better. There were maybe two POC in the whole book (the “desert people”), and they barely had any purpose. They just seemed like the token POC who were thrown in so that the book wasn’t all white characters. Although, I’m not even 100% sure they *were* POC; there was a mention of one whose face went “white as chalk.” Maybe they were light-skinned POC? That could’ve been clearer.

I also have misgivings about authors who use Slavic names but don’t include much (or any) Slavic cultural elements. It just feels kind of...cheap.

Anyway, I liked the ending, especially how the main characters’ stories were woven together. I won’t give away spoilers, but I will say that there was a plot element I thought was going to be predictable, and then it was turned on its head to my surprise and delight.

Overall, I recommend WICKED SAINTS. Check it out!

ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

We're all monsters...some of us just hide it better than others.

This was such a slow start to me. It was epic and full of blood magic. Yes, exactly what you're thinking. But it was just so slow for me. I don't know if it was too much world building or too many characters or...honestly I don't know. It was just too much too soon and I was overwhelmed. I also didn't have enough time to care for the main characters. It wasn't until Malachiasz Czechowicz showed up that I got interested. Here's the problem with that. The chapters are split somewhat equally between Nadezhda (Nadya) Lapteva and Serefin Meleski. Yet, Malachiasz stole the show for me. Hands down he was the best part of the whole thing. *sigh* I mean Serefin is the Tranavian High Prince who is one of the strongest wielder of blood magic in the world. I mean, come on! So much power. He's also vulnerable in a way that only a tortured royal who was forced to become a monster can be. I feel like there's a theme here. And Nadya! This girl who is so strong and so brave. Clearly these two should have been everything. But no, it wasn't until Malachiasz showed up that I really cared. And even then it was slow coming. But then that's all I cared about.

"My name is Malachiasz Czechowicz," he said, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she had just been given something.

All the best book boys are monsters. I mean bad guys. No, I really do mean monsters.Trust me, monster.

The girl, the monster and the prince...this was an an epic story. Once I got into it I couldn't stop I just wish it would have grabbed my attention earlier. The main characters were suffering and losing loved ones and I didn't care. I wasn't invested. However it is a great dark fantasy, full of girls with daggers, broody powerful princes, and monsters. I mean, "Blood and blood and bone. Magic monsters and tragic power." is repeated a lot. So is heresy. I didn't count but this word is said by almost every character at least 3 times. I was so tired of it. Anyways, still recommend it and I'm definitely picking up book two but this was just meh for me.

I have so much love for this book and for the world building that author Emily A. Duncan created for it. I didn't want to leave the world once I finished reading. I can't wait for the next book and this one isn't even released yet. My post for the blog tour will be live tomorrow and I'll add my link then. But I need more books like this one!

This was a deliciously dark fantasy read an di loved every minute of it. But before I get too into it I will suggest this for older teens. Purely based on the details in the gore and bloodiness. Lets move on. Wicked Saints is told in two POV's our MC Nadya is a very sheltered cleric who has lived in a monastery all her life and is one the only person who can communicate with all her countries gods. Which makes Nadya a very valuable person as she can also acquire the gifts the gods bestow upon her to help win the war her country Kalyazin who has been in conflict with Tranavia for years. I loved the relationship Nadya had with the gods. They were also peculiar and fun I loved how Nadya bantered with them and had to pray to them in order to use their gifts. So fascinating. Our other MC/POV Serefin is the prince of the Tranavia who is tasked with killing Nadya he is one of the more complex villains out there but I am not even sure I can call him a villain I can totally understand why he did some of the things he did. There is another character Malachiaz who is a bloodmage that Nadya befriends after her monastery is attacked. Malachiasz has to be one of the most complex characters there is so much to him that we haven't even scratched yet. The worldbuilding was fantastic I loved the gothic European feel and the I think the magis system Ms. Duncan wrote was super fascinating I can't wait to read more. One of my favourites though was the relationship between Nadya and Malachiaz, yes there is some instalove and that is usually a huge turnoff, but I can see why it happened. Nadya lived in a monastery pretty much had everything handed or told to her. After a vilent attack Nadya is now on her own for the fist time I am not surprised she formed such a huge relationship with Malachiaz.

Overall Wicked Saints is a gothic, dark and gritty fantasy, filled with complex characters and amazing worldbuilding.

First off, how cool is this cover? I absolutely love it! As someone who doesn’t read fantasy books often, this was powerful. It’s full of quarrelsome in every which manner: magic, politics, religion…it’s heavy, but in a good way. I feel like there are a lot of layers to the story, which intrigued me for some parts, but lost my interest in others. I am always fond of a strong female lead in a story and a nice love triangle, but the characters never really pulled me in. I didn’t feel like I was in a rush to get to the end to find out what happens. It is a dark book which captured my attention as something that pulls me from my ordinary reads. I did really enjoy the villain…any author that can successfully do that is a win in my book! Like I said, it’s dark, so enter at your own risk. Congrats to Emily as this book was chosen as one of the Young Adult Book of the Month Club picks for the month of April. I look forward to hearing what you all think of it!

A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself. A prince in danger must decide who to trust. A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.  Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war. In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. 

I received this book in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley. I was initially drawn to this book by the title. The juxtaposition of “wicked” and “saint” is just a tantalizing concept that I could not pass up. I was especially lucky in this case, as the concept of the plot (not just a good title) also peaked my interest, as politics, magic and religion collided.

The plot of this book really takes off from the first few pages. Usually in Young Adult Fantasy novels, you have about a chapter of getting to know the character, her friends, her life, and then the action starts up at the end. Instead, we’re thrown into the chaos of the situation just as the main character, Nadya is. And things do not slow down from there. The book is a constant roller coast of suspicion, mystery, magic and just a tinge of romance. It was nearly impossible for me to put this book down as I was constantly left on edge from the events that had just happened. I was really impressed by the intricacies of the story and could not predict what was going to happen next.

The setting of the book was equally well done. The world this book takes place in is entirely unique. Nadya’s powers of a cleric are original and interesting to learn about, and the system of blood magic that others use in the book was equally disturbing and intriguing. I appreciated the presence of the gods in the book, especially when so many stories just elude to their existence, and the religion of this world plays a pivotal role in the story from beginning to end. The author also does a great job with her description of the locations the characters are in. Everything felt visceral and real to me as I read through the scenes.

haracter, Nadya was a bit difficult to understand in the opening chapters. Part of this is due to the fast -paced nature of the book. Since we only ever know her in crisis, it’s hard to know who she really is. The other issue is that’s going through a large change in her beliefs and world-outlook during these beginning chapters too. By about 40% I had a good sense for who she was and what her goal for the story was, but I think that may have been too far in for many. Regardless, I enjoyed having her a narrator and thought she and her relationships with other characters developed well over the coarse of the story.

Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy. The plot was complex and exciting from start to finish. I especially loved the setting of the book, with it’s intricate politics, magic systems and religion. I enjoyed Nadya as a narrator and protagonist, but it did take me a long time to get to know her. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next book in the Something Dark and Holy trilogy.

This novel has really beautiful, creative world-building but stumbles in its execution. It follows Nadezhda Lapteva (Nadya), a cleric — or a sort of magician whose power is granted by the gods — and Serefin Meleski, the prince of a neighboring country at war with Nadezdha's country. They both long to save their homes from the war they've been entangled in for 100 years, and both face torture, love, and betrayal as they grasp towards their own versions of divinity and heresy.

But there's a romance in this novel that doesn't feel earned, and that detracts from it significantly; I think if there were 75% fewer scenes of sighing and pining, Wicked Saints would be much stronger. I'd also love if the action scenes flowed a bit better, because as they stand they're a bit choppy and hard to follow.

The magic, though, is really fascinating and unique: Nadya can only draw her power when it's granted by the gods, which I don't believe I've ever read in a novel before. Serefin's power, known as blood magic, is cast by combining one's own blood with a page ripped from a spell book. I found the pantheon of the gods intriguing as well, and I hope we learn more about them in future books.

All in all, a promising debut with some caveats. I look forward to the next book in the series!

Dang it, this has not been a good year for my anticipated releases. Wicked Saints was one of my top anticipated releases, if not the very top. I loved the premise of this book—it had SO MANY COOL THINGS going for it—but the execution was extremely disappointment. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this isn’t setting a precedent for the rest of the year for me.

Wicked Saints follows two protagonists. Nadya Lapteva is a cleric and can commune with not only one god, but all of them. Her country, Kalyazin, believes she’s the secret to stopping the war. The novel also follows Serefin Meleski, a powerful blood mage and the High Prince of Tranavia, the country at war with Kalyazin. When Serefin and his army attacks Nadya’s monastery, Nadya is forced to flee the only place she’s ever known. Soon after, she stumbles upon a ragtag group of teens and together they decide that the only way to the end the war is to kill the Tranavian king. Meanwhile, Serefin is called back to Tranavia for the Rawalyk, a traditional competition to find the next queen, but he soon discovers that his father’s intentions behind the sudden summons are much darker than they seem.

Like I said, there were so many unique and intriguing concepts that this book had! But the execution did not live up to its potential. Instead, the execution felt choppy, rushed, and honestly, kinda cheap. There were so many instances where these jumps in logics occurred and I felt like I was missing a whole set of transition scenes.

Another element that I found aggravating was the characters. Nadya was definitely a special snowflake; I’m not even sure that she had a personality. And then there was Malachiasz. Instead of having no personality, I swear this boy had completely two different personalities and alternated between them every other scene. I know characters can act different in various situations, but dang, these personalities were in such stark contrast to each other that they could have been two different characters. And then there was Serefin. He read like a stereotypical YA prince character with no depth other than a drinking problem that just felt like a gimmick.

And then there was the last third of the book. I was SO CONFUSED about what was happening. I mean, I understood what was happening, but I didn’t understand why. It was like the author threw in all these twists without explaining how they were grounded in the worldbuilding.

Overall, I wish my hopes hadn’t been so high for this book. Wicked Saints had so much potential to be a new favorite of mine, but I had so many issues with it. I don’t think I would recommend it, but if you’re intrigued by the synopsis and you don’t have that high of expectations, I say give it a try. I doubt I’ll continue with this series when more books release in the future.

Trigger Warnings: Murder, torture, lots of cutting and bleeding (for the purpose of magic, not self-harm)

I went into this one not knowing what to expect and came out pleasantly surprised! Dark, cruel, twisty, bloody, magic and oh so good.

It took me a little bit to get used to all of the Russian type names and such, but once I decided to just babble my way through them it got easier.

There were quite a few elements to this story and thought there were moments where I felt like they skipped ahead or rushed, for the most part I was really impressed with the complexity and how elaborate the plot was.

I was completely intrigued and thought I didn’t really feel “connected” with any specific characters, I loved them all – especially Malachiasz.

The ending crushed me and sent me for a whirl. I feel like I couldn’t read fast enough, but I also felt like I had to reread because my mind was blown and I was just left in a WTF state for a while. I have so. Many. Questions. And I need answers. I definitely can’t wait for the rest of the series and will be buying this book.

It's no secret how much I love Russia. But, usually, I only read nonfiction, because, well... it's hard to find the good, accurate shit. I slurp that up like Starbucks. I think if you're not interested in Deathless (not from a native, but excellently researched), or Uprooted, or you just need some more YA in your Slavic folklore.... Wicked Saints is for you.

This book is absolutely perfect for you if you like messy dark broody emo bad boys, villain love interests, the Grisha trilogy, blood-splattered fantasy magic, Reylo, if you wanted to read Blood Heir (🙊)... I personally found my favorite aspect to be the Eastern European influences of the setting. Though I felt the worldbuilding was a little derivative, at least the characters’ surnames were properly gendered. Eastern Europe, especially Russia, is very en vogue at the moment, and as an avid reader of nonfic... well, I tend to be a little harsher.

That being said, Wicked Saints is still a fair offering. Honestly, if you wanted Alarking to happen, here you go. This one’s for you. However, my biggest issue was the utter lack of agency on Nadya's part. Nadya’s story was often overshadowed by her two male counterparts, Malachiasz (love interest) and Serefin (prince/other POV character). Nadya was left with little to do because of how much her love interest stole the storyline, and the book unfortunately suffered with how passive and uninteresting she ended up being. I do love that she can speak to the gods/saints. It’s a really unique and interesting concept, but I struggled empathizing with her because of how little she truly featured in her own story.

Speaking of Malachiasz... let’s just not. I’m over brooding evil “stabby stabby” boy love interests. Thank you, next.

Overall, I think other readers will enjoy this a lot more than me. As much as I wanted to love this (hello!! obsessed with Slavic-inspired!!!!) I had trouble with aspects of the story and the characters. 100% recommend for fans of the Grisha trilogy and Reylo!

Wicked Saints was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, which is such a stressful way to feel about a book when you read it, really — it can either go brilliantly and live up to all of your hopes and dreams, or crash and burn in your hands. Coupling the nerves of the ridiculous level of hype I created for myself with this release with the fact that I’d been in a fantasy slump for months, I had no idea what to expect.


“We’re all monsters … some of us just hide it better than others.”
Starting out, the first couple of chapters hadn’t fully hooked me yet, you know? I was in, but I wasn’t obsessed (YET). Honestly, though, around the 15% mark, something “clicked” for me and I was all in. I could barely be wrenched away from my kindle to do anything because all I wanted was to devour this gorgeous, gothic little fantasy story with its lovable, magical characters and intricate world.

“My name is Malachiasz Czechowicz,” he said, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had just been given something.
First, these characters are beyond incredible. It’s so clear that Emily grew up in fandoms, knowing how characters could best hit a reader’s buttons to make them melt, because these little cinnamon rolls are some of the best I’ve ever met in my life.

🙏 Nadya Lapteva is a fantastic protagonist, because she’s so easy to root for, even when I found myself disagreeing with her motives and beliefs. I couldn’t get behind how blindly she followed her faith, but I loved her all the more for it.

👑 Serefin Meleski, the sweet, wounded prince. He tries so hard to do what he thinks is best for the Tranavian people, and he just wants someone to do right by him for once (or to at least leave him alone to his booze), and he just broke my heart over and over.

🖤 Malachiasz Czechowicz, finally: I didn’t know how much I needed a gothy little smoosh like him in my life until now, and I just want to hug him and protect him at all costs, because let’s be honest, I don’t care how powerful of a blood mage he is, Malachiasz needs someone to love on him like he deserves. I honestly had to restrain myself from making this entire review about him because WOW, I LOVE HIM SO MUCH and he is easily going into my list of best book characters ever, with his sad little tattooed face and all his monstrous secrets. (I need a t-shirt that says “the best book boyfriends are monsters”, can we make this happen please)

"He was tired, beginning to fray at the edges, as if the barest touch would shatter him."

Of course, there are also these brilliant side characters, like Parijahan (who wants nothing to do with your nonsense, thank you very much), Rashid (how precious, what a bean), Ostyia (we stan a queer girl charming the pants off all the other girls in town)—the list goes on. They’re all so ridiculously lovable (except the few who aren’t, in which case, they’re terrifying and awful and the best sorts of villains).

“Blood and blood and bone. Magic and monsters and tragic power.”
The last thing I have to point out is how fantastic the settings and descriptions are. Emily really is a Goth Queen™ and her writing is soaked in it, and frankly, my “no, it really wasn’t a phase, Mom” self is LIVING for it. I mean, the pictures the writing paints of the Vultures and their dwelling places? YO, give me all those creepy goth vibes forever, please and thank you.

“I am so very young by comparison, and there are evils in this world far greater than I.”
Rambling aside, there are just so many good things I have to say about Wicked Saints, whether it’s the writing, plot, or characters, but the biggest thing I have to say is that, regardless of whether you’re a long-time fantasy lover or someone who typically steers clear of the genre altogether, you gotta give Emily A. Duncan a chance, because this debut is so damn powerful and I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel. 🖤

Content warnings for violence, murder, self-harm for blood magic

All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to Wednesday Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Emily A. Duncan's Wicked Saints did not disappoint my fantasy-loving heart. Tossed into chaos from page one, Nadya is a cleric and has been kept a secret for most of her life. She has a brilliant power, a power that can one day change the world. She can speak to the gods. When her home, the monastery is under attack, Nadya must flee for her life. While on the run she encounters rebels including Malachiaz, and together they begin to plan to kill the king. But soon Nadya realizes that those around her are not what they seem.

While I enjoyed most of the book, I was slightly let down by the characters. Nadya was not my favorite, but that could be due to her being the main character and slipping into a side character role. The story was much more focused on the men in the story which was a bit frustrating at times. Nadya still remains a strong character in my eyes, I just wish she wasn't easily swayed. And as for Serefin, I really enjoyed his character. I thought he had a brilliant character arc and fantastic growth.

While some of the plots got confusing and some plots didn't feel wrapped up, I still very much enjoyed the book. The ending was a bit predictable but overall still really fantastic. I seriously cannot wait to learn more about this dark twisted world.

But I do highly recommend reading this book. I think if you enjoy blood, war, politics, and religion then definitely give this a go. Enemies to lovers plus magic? Who doesn't want to read that!  Literally on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book already.

Ok. So. I’ve had a bit of a difficult time giving this one a star rating, because I didn’t COMPLETELY love the story itself, but I LOVED some of the characters and the authors writing. That said, what I can say is that this author can write like it’s nobodies business. From the overall imagery, the dark and bloody world building, to the unexpected banter... I just. I’m pretty dang impressed. I can say that the story itself isn’t what usually strikes my fancy as it focuses on the religion and politics of this fictional world at war, but Emily A. Duncan kept me captivated and dying to find out what would come next, because honestly... things just kept happening.

All in all this is a good dark themed YA fantasy. There are some triggering themes and moments, but they feel necessary to the plot and characters. The romance did have a bit of a fan fiction undertone to me, but I also don’t read YA as heavily as some, so that could be the norm and I’m not used to it. Like I said the writing is good, and although I did find a few things problematic I continued on because some of the characters were worth looking past those issues.

This author can write. I can’t wait to see what else is to come!

Filled with a wintery landscape and lush writing, WICKED SAINTS paints a vivid picture of a world inhabited by mysterious gods where a centuries-long war brings together the lives of three unlikely allies. It is a world of clerics and blood mages, of assassinations and forbidden romance.

Emily A. Duncan creates such an exciting new world to escape to. Set in a fantasy landscape that takes inspiration from Russian and Polish folklore with a decidedly medieval feel, where monasteries and palaces tower and war rages, readers with feel the cold swept winds and the fiery sting of a blade.

“The girl, the monster, and the prince.”

Told through the dual points-of-view of Nadezhda, the girl who can speak to the gods and Serefin, the prince who walks a dangerous line between life and death, WICKED SAINTS has so many twists and turns with morally grey characterization and theological musings, readers will lose themselves in this read. The monstrous-boy who threatens all Nadezhda believes in will have readers swooning and worrying if their heart is about to be ripped out. Nothing is as it seems and I loved it.

In the End

WICKED SAINTS is an exciting start to the Something Dark and Holy series where two different types of magic, one divinely inspire and one that uses blood, set the stage for a war that neither outcome nor either one’s victory is the ending. Breathing, multifaceted characters and morally grey areas make it a standout and enticing read.

This book. I was intrigued since I first heard of it and honestly? It did not disappoint.
The world was well built, the characters complex.
And the magic system was amazing!
The contrast between Nadyas divine powers and the unholy blood magic was well done, yet you could see some parallels, hints that the magic must have had the same origin.
In the beginning, the story reminded me an awful lot of the Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. Not a bad thing for me, since I loved those books, but Nadya felt like Alina sometimes. And Malachiasz could definitely be the Darkling 2.0
The universe itself seems to be based on Russian culture (not that I am an expert, but the names are strongly suggesting it as well as the whole cult around Saints), and here comes my first problem with this book: The names. It's little trouble for me, because I have a faint idea how to pronounce the names. But anyone without an Eastern European / Slavic / Russian background might be lost there. A pronounciation guide would have come handy, but maybe the finished copies have that?
Then, all the Saints and Gods. I loved that each chapter gave you a little blurb of background history for them, but over all, I wished that we got at least an index of the Gods and their powers, since I found myself struggling with that when they were mentioned in Nadyas perspective and when she called on them to get their powers.
Seriously, those were my main issues with the book - aside from the formatting sometimes, which I will blame on the eARC for now (hoping that the finished copies will have proper spacing). Because occasionally, the paragraphs weren't clearly indicated when there was a little skip and it wasn't instantly clear for me that an amount of time (usually 30 minutes to 5 hours) had passed between the two paragraphs.

Now more onto the plot and the writing itself.
The pacing wasn't off (bless) and the story was easy to follow.
By giving the reader two perspectives, one of the "holy" and one of the "unholy" side, you got a nice insight - and in the end, maybe those two aren't so different as once thought?
But, listen: the story isn't something completely new. The plot feels familiar, though the setting saved that for me. It is an enjoyable story, especially if you like Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse.
SPOILER INCOMING
But we have an unlikely heroine, who falls for the bad guy (aka her enemy) and should have killed him when she first got the chance. Ohhhhh but her feelings! -insert dramatic sigh- Her feelings betray her beliefs and she betrays her gods to save him.
Even when he clearly betrayed her, she believes in the good inside of him and STILL lets that guy live. Why? Dude, if I were you, I had collected all the red flags dropped on your journey together and stabbed him with those. But apparently, that guy was immortal unless you killed him in a specific way? Not too sure on that aspect, though, so don't credit me on that.
Nadya, I hope in the sequel(s) you get the guts to kill him. If not, I'll gladly take the job and kill Malachiasz aka Darkling 2.0 (oh. And he's related to the High Prince. and the most evil being you could imagine.)

Despite me trashing the romance (as I almost always do), I couldn't put the book down and read the last third in one sitting. And I fully enjoyed the book, because Blood Magic is just too intriguing and this had a whole new take to it!
So - if you don't mind a bit of gore (I've seen worse in books, so most of you should be fine) and like the Darkling, chances are that you will love this book.

I gave it 75 / 100 or a solid 4 /5 Goodreads rating!

Wicked Saints was a darker YA fantasy than most, but so interesting. We get to read from Nadya’s and Serefin’s POV. I love it when stories do this, especially when characters are so different like they are in this story! It makes this so interesting and I didn’t want to put this book down. I won’t talk too much about who and what we follow, because Isabelle just did!

Wicked Saints is the first book in the trilogy and it doesn’t disappoint. There is plenty of world building and character development and I really enjoyed this unique story. Nadya is the last cleric and stands behind the gods for magic. Serefin is the crown prince and doesn’t believe in gods. They use blood magic instead. I loved all the different aspects of magic use. Learning how it worked and their beliefs behind it made it very interesting.

Because of the two POVs we got to see how the characters’ beliefs developed during this story. Nadya starts to learn that her people aren’t always right and Serefin starts doubting everything his father is doing. While interacting with each other and others they meet along the way, a whole new world kind of opens up. I loved this aspect of the story.

Wicked Saints is definitely a book I would recommend. It has a good plot, great world building, interesting characters, lots of action and some very interesting plot twists. I’m rather sad I have to wait so long to read the sequel!

“If you fall to him the war will be lost. You have to live, Nadya.”

I’m going to be really honest with you all; I feel like Wicked Saints is the book of my heart. From the lyrical writing, to the cold atmosphere, to the beautiful themes, to the characters that I’d already be willing to give my life for; this book just felt like it was written for me. This debut fantasy, all about blood magic and a cleric who can speak to all the gods (be still, my wishful D&D heart), blew me and my expectations out of the water.

The author very much pulls from Russian and Polish inspiration and we get to see two countries, the Russian inspired Kalyazin, and the Polish inspired Tranavia. There is also the desert lands of Akola, which we meet a few characters from, but I think the land will be explored much more in later books! But we quickly see how differently the first two places view religion, and how both nations are willing to do whatever it takes in the name of their beliefs. These two countries are warring, and the author never shies away from that, but they are also beautifully woven together to create such an immersive and captivating world and setting.

“Cannons only meant one thing: blood magic. And blood magic meant Tranavians.”

But this tale starts out with a girl who has lived and hidden within the protection of a monastery’s walls her entire life. She has a power unlike any other, and it is her people’s hope to not only restore the faith of the gods, but bring them back into power. Yet, there are people who are willing to do anything to make sure the gods and their religion(s) stay silenced forever. And one night, the girl’s monastery is brutally attacked, and she and her friend barely escape with their lives, while everyone else stayed back to ensure they could run away. Yet, the war commander prince notices that this girl is not among the dead. The girl, desperate to live and to not have the gods be silenced, is willing to do anything it takes to live. Even if that means getting help from a powerful rebel mage, who is harboring many secrets of his own.

“The girl, the monster, and the prince…”

➽ Nadya – The cleric who can speak to all of the gods.
➽ Malachiasz – A blood mage, who believes he is a monster.
➽ Serefin – Bisexual icon. Also, a blood mage prince of one of the most powerful realms in this world, but the king is trying to ensure that no one can contest his power, while also wanting to use his son as a martial pawn. He also has a visual impairment and is unable to see out of one of his eyes.

And all three of these characters? As morally grey as they come. And they all equally stole my heart. Okay, maybe I have a little bit of a soft spot for Serefin, but I can’t help it, okay? But there is more disability and sexual representation with some of the side characters, and many characters of color. I am truly in love with all the side characters, and I can’t wait to see them develop even more, but Ostyia was easily my favorite and the author confirmed she is a tiny murder lesbian, and I’ve never read anything so perfect in all my life.

Okay, I’m going to spend a little more time talking about Nadya because I truly was obsessed with how the author crafted religion and the saints in this book. First off, I’m Catholic, so you know that I fuck hard with saints, anyways. But, on the opposite end of the spectrum, I have played probably over a hundred D&D campaigns in my life, and I swear to all the gods that I have probably rolled a cleric at least 50 of those campaigns. Seriously, teenage Melanie (and her Pathfinder loving friends) was obsessed with Sarenrae. But reading a book about a cleric who could speak to ALL the gods, and harness their powers if they allowed it? I am quaking. Also, the banter between Nadya and all the different gods, all of whom have very different personalities, was probably my favorite element of the entire book.

Again, this is a very dark book and I implore you to read my trigger and content warnings listed down below if you are on the fence if you are in the right headspace or not. But one of the major magic systems in this book is blood magic, where people will use their own blood (most of the time, freshly cut) and merge it with pages of a spell book to be able to wield their prepared spells and harness their magic. I loved this. I loved this so much. It is something that I feel you see so much in D&D and videogames, but never in literature and I really think it was expertly done and completely made the book for me.

I feel like I should talk about the romance, since I see many early reviewers not loving it as much as I seemed to. I always thought Nadya was the star of this book, regardless of who she was developing feelings for. I mean, you all know I always fall in love with the one the main character doesn’t pick, so there is that, but I still loved the romance in this book. Also, I kind of hinted a bit about this in the character breakdowns, but when Serefin was following the king’s wishes to find a marriage? I was invested, friends. Too invested, probably. But during all the situations, the angst almost killed me, in the best way possible, and I can’t wait to see where the author takes everything in book two. It was the perfect slow burn feeling, while giving us so many breadcrumbs that all tasted delicious.

Overall, this book just had too many things in my personal wheelhouse for me not to completely fall in love with it. I mean, I originally heard this pitched as “a gothic Joan of Arc” and I knew from that moment my life was going to be changed. I think Emily A. Duncan has really crafted such a unique story, and such a beautiful debut and start of a series. I can’t wait to see what comes next, especially because the end of this book truly slayed me and every emotion I have ever had.

Thank you, Macmillan, for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

HE HAD LIED, HE WAS A MONSTER, BUT STILL SHE CARED.

I became interested in this book mainly because of its paradoxical title. As a lover of words, I found it very clever. Moreover, trusted reviewers were spreading much hype on social media, so I became all the more curious. Sadly, I was a bit disappointed.

Wicked Saints is about two kingdoms, Kalyazin and Tranavia. They have been at war for a century because of differences in theology. The Kalyazi are devout believers in a pantheon of gods, while the Tranavians are practically atheists who value human agency above all else. Nadya, the heroine, is the last cleric of Kalyazin. Before her birth, her kingdom didn’t have any holy magician for around 30 years, thanks to the heretics (blood mages) of Tranavia. One day, Serefin, the Tranavian High Prince, invades Nadya’s monastery, killing her loved ones and forcing her to flee to the snowy mountains. There, she meets Malachiasz, a boy with so many dangerous secrets. Little does she know that he might be the key to ending the war for good.

While reading, my first impression was that the plot was reminiscent of Avatar: the Last Airbender. Here are the most glaring similarities:

1. Kalyazi, Tranavia, and Akola = Air Nomads, the Fire Nation, and the Water Tribe respectively
2. Nadya = Aang (both of them were Chosen Ones who lived in elevated locations)
3. Serefin = Zuko (both of them were literally scarred princes with bad fathers)
4. Parijahan and Rashid = Katara and Sokka respectively (both heterosexual pairs were loyal sidekicks)

I honestly didn’t want to compare the author’s debut novel to the Avatar series since I knew that doing so would diminish my enjoyment. Nonetheless, my brain kept on making the connections; I constantly imagined the protagonists as Avatar characters. As a result, I couldn’t shake off my jadedness until I discovered original plot points in the second half of the book. Thankfully, the given comparisons won’t matter to readers who aren’t familiar with Aang and his world of elemental powers. I didn’t put Malachiasz on the list because he was similar to someone from a different series: the Darkling from the Grisha trilogy. Hmm…before I forget, Nadya also reminded me of Percy Jackson in that her powers also came from mythical gods. Gah, I should stop making comparisons! Hahaha.

My second problem was the abundance of graphic descriptions. Since two of the three MCs were mages who required blood to cast spells, there were many scenes in which they cut their arms, fingers, and palms with razors sewn into their long-sleeved outfits. I was particularly perturbed when one of the protagonists was placed on a platform full of glass shards. It was difficult to imagine all the blood that flowed from the numerous cuts on his/her back. You can call me a squeamish reader, but you need to understand that such descriptions might trigger self-harm, especially among those with mental health issues. It probably wouldn’t hurt if the author didn’t explicitly mention the act of cutting whenever the characters performed magic. After all, as blood mages, the act was already implied.

My last complaint was that the penultimate part of the book seemed fragmented. The missing pieces made it challenging to comprehend the sudden change in Nadya and Malachiasz’s relationship. To be fair, I read an advance copy, so perhaps I can be enlightened when I check out the final edition. Still, as someone who has been blogging for two years, I know that it’s rare for ARCs to be this confusing. It would be a shame if the omission of details turned out to be deliberate.

Looking at the glass half-full, the book didn’t suffer from slow pacing or uneventfulness. It might have been because Nadya and her friends were always plotting something and executing their plans without delay. With that said, there was a perfect balance between showing and telling. Furthermore, I enjoyed the Russian setting/vibe of the story even though some of the names and terms were hard to pronounce. Come to think of it, the similarities I detected weren’t necessarily detrimental since they enabled me to comprehend the complex world quickly.

Overall, Wicked Saints is a fast-paced fantasy with lots of familiar faces. The sense of déjà vu that I had was predominantly negative, but it might be positive for readers who intentionally look for books that remind them of their favorite fictional characters. If you plan to read this novel someday, be sure not to dwell on its bloody content.

I received a digital arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin Press.
I’m trying to read more of everything in this 2019. I heard about this book because of Reagan of PeruseProject you tube channel had it in her 2019 books to read. When I saw that Netgalley had for the grab I couldn’t help but to request and oh boy it was quiet a read.

This book has been quite difficult for me to read, I have a love and hate, no hate is a too strong word maybe a love and frustration relationship with it.

Why Love? I loved everything about this world the politics, the magic system, the relationship between Nadya and the gods. Kuddos to the author that was one of the must original thing that I have ever read.
The author did a wonderful job building this world and bringing it to life and for that she have my most utter respect

Why frustration? After all this world building the characters felt a little flat for me except from Malachiasz because he intrigued me from the first moment he appeared and there was some substance to his character, and I’m not the type of reader who falls for the torture soul but Mal was interesting and dark and complex which I couldn’t resist but the other characters, including Nadya didn’t quite make totally to care for them, and after building such a complex and gritty world I expected more in the their development as characters.

Also the pace, it started with a bang and then it got so slow and when I thought I was going to give up reading in that moment something happened and BOOM I was hooked up again, there’s a lot of twist and turns but sometimes it got a little slow for me and I had to struggle in some parts.

I can see why people compare this to the grisha world but I don’t think the tone is the same so I don’t think you should go read this book thinking this is similar because is not.

So my real punctuation for this book is 3.75, I liked it and I would definitely read the sequel hoping the author will improve in those areas. This is a solid debut novel hopefully we will see more development in her sophomore release.