Can't wait for the final book! I just know that it will be epic and I just can't contain my excitement over this. Where will it go, how will it end? And most important how will our plucky protagonists be able to cope with it all!!!!

Ruthless Gods was relentless and completely without mercy! The angst level, the internal struggle of right and wrong, evil vs good is tireless and will drive you crazy but in a good way.

It was a lot longer than Wicked Saints and the middle tended to drag on and be a bit repetitive but the beginning was alive with revelations, new deceptions and unexpected alliances and the ending will be freakin worth it, trust me.

This story is all kinds of over the top with it's blood and gore, push and pull and intertwinning story lines. I will say I loved Serefin and Kacper and was glad to see Rashid and Parijahan again. Nadia and Malachiasz could have used more page time together but what we get was enough to keep me glued to the pages.

Overall an amazing emotional roller coaster ride. Things were a little too crazy or vague at times but I will be reading the next because this story is too amazing to pass up. I'm left counting the days until the release of Ruthless Gods and the release date for the Untitled book 3!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Holy cannoli people! Ruthless Gods was one wild ass roller coaster ride. Sort of emotional for me because I kept shipping (and will probably continue to do so for the rest of my life) two people that just NEVER did anything romantic (yet). I still have high hopes and that's that.

In this, you are reunited with the gang again: Nadya, Serefin, and Malachiasz. Of course there are other important and lovable people but then I would never get to the actual review. So let's just focus on these people who either get betrayed or backstab some one. Seriously, this book straight up tortued me. There was so much betrayal in this thing that I didn't know if I was going to make it out alive.

Now I thought the first book tortured me.. but no, this one definitely takes the cake! Sweet Jesus - I don't think I've recovered yet and I finished this thing yesterday!

Besides betrayal on every page, there's romance in the air! Of course it wasn't my ship but HEY - I can dream people! It was cute to see some people get together but dammit - I just want my damn ship!!

Then there's the cliffhanger ending - oh lord, I'm dead over it. I NEED the next book stat! I have endless questions that demand answers because I am slightly dying over how this one ended. I need everyone to be safe and happy but I also need some revenge because what went down - I'm just not okay with.

Thank you so much to Edelweiss, NetGalley, and Wednesday books for the opportunity to read and review Ruthless Gods.
#RuthlessGods #NetGalley
#WickedSaintsseries
I loved Wicked Saints. I knew going into this book that there might be a second book slump or "filler" for the third since it is a trilogy. I have even read several reviews where people have said this about Ruthless Gods. I have read many series in my time and sadly have read many second and third book "fillers" this is not one of those books. Duncan does an excellent job of giving each of her characters forward movement. I found this one just as thought-provoking if not better than the first. The writing is a little more paced out, but it allows more depth and comprehension to the plot. The ending is absolutely gut wrenching. I am still processing this novel. Must Read YA!

**Review will be published on my blog, Goodreads, and Instagram March 31st, 2020 (a week before publication, will alter if publication date changes). I will update my links then!**

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.

TRUE TO ITS NATURE.

I should first acknowledge, will I read this third book? YES. While Ruthless Gods let me down a bit (and was way too long), there is still enough in here for me to need a conclusion to this wicked tale.

The desperation and darkness that leaked from these pages was astounding. This isn’t some cute fairytale y’all. This will hurt your soul most of the time and leave you questioning if a happy ending is ever possible. And honestly, I’M NOT SURE THAT IT IS. The scope of what someone is willing to do for love of country, and person pushed boundaries that left me reeling by the end. I was pulled in from the beginning, the middle definitely dragged on way too long, and then the ending gave me a interesting enough conclusion that I know I want more. This was a big case of book two syndrome.

This was reallllll creepy and realllll bloody. Every time Malachiasz showed his truly monstrous self I cringed because the mental picture is WEIRD Y’ALL. My boy Malachiasz was *almost* everything I needed him to be. I felt we were missing a chunk of his personality that didn’t come out until the very end. I wanted more heavily wicked banter and more intriguing moments with Nadya. I love this wicked cinnamon roll though and wonder what he’s planning next, because I know it’ll destroy my soul.

Serefin and Kacper. Saw it coming. LOVE IT. And that is about the only tiny moment of happiness Serefin saw this entire book (I told y’all, nothing good happens in Ruthless Gods). His continual battle with a god was intriguing, but here is my real gripe from the whole book; There were way too many visions and flashbacks. They often confused me because the segue into them was abrupt to the story.

My complaint from Wicked Saints was that Nadya wasn’t nefarious enough. She did up her ante in this installment!! YAY. I loved seeing her wield some dark magic and fight her demons. What I didn’t love was how wishy-washy she was about her relationship with Malachiasz. I get that it’s supposed to be this push and pull because he’s wicked, cool. BUT FOR REAL. I had a hard time getting on board with how often Nadya was flip-flopping and using pages to be a bit melodramatic about it all. I think some COMMUNICATION would solve most of these issues, it’s not even a matter of who’s wicked enough, it’s a matter of flat out talking to someone.

While I did enjoy the writing, some scene changes and chapter turnover was not in any sort of flow. It felt like small scenes were being jumped over and I was being tossed into the *next big thing* when I would have liked a bit more movement between scenes. I really loved the last 100 pages and am very curious about the last book. How the gods will play a role, what will happen between the countries, who is going to betray who last, SO MANY QUESTIONS. It’ll be a showstopper I’m sure.

Overall audience notes:

Young adult fantasy
Language: very little, in the second half of the book
Romance: a few kisses/make-outs, one almost scene that has a little heat
Violence: everything is bloody and gory y’all; murder, knives, magic, monsters, it’s all here
Trigger warnings: alcoholism, self-mutilation through cutting (for use of blood magic), self-mutilation through removing an eye

Holy hell. This book was so good. There is no second book slump whatsoever with Ruthless Gods. Emily Duncan is a master and this book will wreck you.

Omg this book!! I'm so excited for this to be released so the entire world can see just how amazing this book is.
I loved diving back in to this world and seeing where these amazing characters ended up.
Malachiasz is my favorite.

This is a great continuation of the first book. I'm avoiding saying too much in hopes of not spoiling book one, but I will say this: an amazing sequel that's certainly a must read.

If dark, sinister, blood, dark, heart-breaking, dark, evil, and dark fantasy are your thing, then this is definitely a must read.

Nadya is at a loss in so many ways. Her connection to the gods and her powers are gone; her heart is breaking, and she's not sure why; her people are still unsafe; and she's living behind enemy lines knowing every day could be her last. Worse yet, the scar on her hand holds a connection to the most horrible monster of all. Serefin is now king but fighting to gain any respect and trust. His powers are beyond his understanding, and his eye threatens his sanity...or worse. He doesn't know what to do with Nadya or his kingdom. And Malachiasz has achieved his dreams and nightmare. He's a monster of the worst kind, a threat to himself and others, and the whisper of coming doom.

I read the first book and loved it as well as found a few problems with it. This second one grabbed me more, thanks to the deeper dive into the characters and their broken souls. This is a twisted tale, which knows no pardon. The emotions are raw, blood flows freely, and terrors are real and deadly. But each of the three characters has such a bitter-sweetness that's it's hard not to like every single one, despite how horrid some of their actions and plans are. There is a beam of hope, and it's this which makes this book so wonderful. Nadya's desire to see good, when she doesn't know it or can't see it, makes her hard not to feel for. Serefin has become beautiful in his own sad way. And Malachiasz...well, he's a class for himself.

The writing is a bit slower in this book, but that doesn't make it boring. Definitely not. Every page weeps and bleeds...not in a character sobbing sort of way. But in darkness, plots, hopes, secrets, plans, failure, and danger. It's not a read for the sensitive fantasy fans and carries descriptive morbid scenes, pain and true evil. But it's the beauty in this which draws in. There is always light in even the darkest places.

Good continuation of book one though I feel things were hard to understand at times like I was missing snippets of sentences or just not following what the characters were figuring out. Looking forward to more with the Tsarevna!

I honestly don't even remember wishing for this, seeing as I wasn't the biggest fan of Wicked Saints, but here we are so thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I feel like this book carries the same faults as its previous book: it feels at least 150 pages too long and keeping up with complicated characters/lore is a struggle. I also feel that the villain character is just a corny, poorly written cliche. And from following the author years ago it reads as a cheap 'The Grisha Trilogy' fulfilment.

Once again: thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC of this.
For some reason, I barely remembered ANYTHING from the first novel even though I only read it earlier this year so apparently it didn’t stick very well so I was pretty confused in the beginning of this novel waiting for some recap explanations. Reading my review of the previous novel, apparently it’s a theme for this series.
And the relationship dynamics between Nadya and Mal-blah-blah-blah do NOT improve in this book. Lies, betrayal, suspicions, mistrust, but they still somehow just have to keep colliding together. I admit they do have some chemistry but there’s a very delicate balance between the bad and the good for complicated fictional relationships that has to be followed to be compelling and worth reading, mostly with the love interest having actual redeemable qualities that tip the balance, and the author hasn’t quite gotten the formula down. I just opened the ebook and began it by taking a steadying breath and reassuring myself “yes Mal is going to be a complete bastard and villain in this one too” so I was right, I guess *insert Oprah gif of her shrugging with her hands*
The plot however was very intriguing and quickly paced so it was easy for me to get through and entertaining. I will probably read the next book but my wishes for the end game relationship (which so happens to take up a significant amount of the conflict in the series) can be summed up as: kill him permanently and be done with him and call it a day. Nadya would feel so much better

This book was so well-written, just like the first one! But I just found myself not really in love with the story or the characters. The concept is very cool and unique, though! I’m sure plenty of others will love it!

I love love love this series and i could not wait for this one! it did not disappoint. I think this story is so weird but so good. My library will be purchasing this book. I will also be recommending this book to my friends and family.

“Can you love someone and ask them to shatter themselves for you?”

I… honestly don’t know what to say. Rest assured though, that whatever dark magic Emily Duncan had woven into writing Wicked Saints, it has become tenfold in this one.

Ruthless Gods is everything dark, terrifying, and bloody but also ironically, impossibly sweet and funny and so very endearing. It was everything I wanted in a sequel. As a follow-up to one of my most loved reads of 2019 I didn’t think it possible that I could love the characters more than I already did. But blood and bone, I do. I DO.

I’m terribly sorry for keeping this review vague but this is one of those books you just have to read for yourself to fully grasp how utterly amazing it is. How utterly terrifyingly brilliant it is. Suffice it to say, Serefin is still just as drunk and lovable and a heart stealer. Nadya is still the most badass, reckless heroine I’ve come across. Malachiasz is just as broken and charming and beautiful and I just want to give him the biggest hug. Rounding out the trio were Parj, Kacper and Ostyia, who were just as incredible.

Ruthless Gods had so much going for it. SO MUCH. Turning every page was both scary and exciting at the same time. My heart barely survived reading this. But dammit I want book three now. (2020 is gonna be a very, very long year for me)

Book 2 and im just still wishing for more Serefin. I feel like his story is the strongest and there is just still a lot about him we don't know. Nadya and Malachiasz are so toxic to me. And he's nearly it's kind of boring. I really wish I liked these books better because they are good stories. I also really hoped for more backstory into the gods and stuff

This is a hard one to write, as I did DNF this one. But I want to explain why, hopefully in a way that is fair to the author.
I read Wicked Saints and felt a bit on the fence after reading it. On one hand, I loved the premise and the magically dark world Duncan created. I really digged the love interest and how dark and dysfunctional it was. However, I never felt fully pulled into the story, as the character dialogue got a bit confusing in parts and the multiple viewpoints just didn't feel cohesive to me. I think telling a story from multiple viewpoints requires a lot of skill by the author and I just felt lost in WS.
Going into Ruthless Gods, I was hoping that maybe I would have a different experience and get back into the story. I had to go back to my copy of WS to remember where things left off, and despite feeling disjointed at first, I just chalked it up to getting into a sequel when you've been away from the action for a while. However, even a fourth of the way through the book, I was still lost. There is something so disjointed and confusing about the way character dialogue is set up that I found it hard to emotionally connect to any of the characters or even understand their thought process. It really could just be me, but I felt like there were gaps in the storytelling that made this book hard to read. I like reading complex stories, but they can't be so complex that I have a hard time following the action. Like I said, really could just be that Duncan's style of writing isn't for me.

<i>*This book was given to me by NetGalley in return for a honest review*</i>

This time around, I feel like my heart was breaking for everyone. New characters were introduced and old characters become more multidimensional for me. I think this book was even better than the first, and honestly the scene in the forest?! It seriously crossed over from fantasy to horror there! Again, the ending left me broken and am really terrified. Can Emily be more cruel? (yes!! 😭) How will they move past this? Can they ever find happiness? Are we all doomed?!?

Amazing sequel to Wicked Saints! It was dark and intense! I was in the edge of my seat the whole time! I loved all the characters!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own

Just sitting here, trying to think of how best to describe this book. Once again, the characters are just incredible. They are complex, shrouded in all kinds of shades of gray. I don't know who to trust. I know that someone will betray someone, or several someones, but still I read and I hope that somehow, they will overcome their different end goals to just work together. The thing is, each one of these characters has likable and redeeming qualities and each one has made some terrible and desperate decisions of which would normally paint them the villain of the story. And yet- I can't quite call any of them a villain.

Except these damn beings calling themselves 'gods'. *Shakes my fists*

<i>In this stunning sequel to Wicked Saints, Nadya is struggling to understand what it is she can do, wresting with distrust of her own dark magic, the boy she loves and shouldn't, and what it is her goddess is asking of her. Serefin finds himself fending off beings in his head as he fights for control of himself and his mind. And then there is Malachiasz, at the front of complicated war within himself and what he is becoming.

They find themselves entwined together, each on the path to the same place with different goals, manipulated by beings and monsters. But who is it who is controlling the pieces on the board, hidden in the dark?</i>

Listen, there were times when I was a bit confused as to what was happening. The world of these gods and monsters keeps expanding to the point where I am not quite sure who is truly the ones we are meant to be afraid of, but maybe that is the point? Although I felt that the plot and pacing of the story stumbled a couple of times, it all came together beautifully in the last third to quarter of the book.

And of course, I am so weak for Malachiasz and Nadya. Their relationship is just so complicated and infuriating and I love it all at the same time. The character building I think is truly phenomenal. I can see their struggled, their development, for better or worse, and it's believable and palpable and I feel as if I could pluck these characters right off of the page and they would hold up in the real world.

The climax and ending of course had me taut with suspense and even though a lot was happening, it all came together in an explosive, exciting finale that has left me eagerly anticipating the third and final installment.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Wednesday Books for the e-arc to review!

Ruthless Gods continues Duncan's deep dive into cosmic horror while also deftly balancing teenagers who are coming of age in war and political/religious/magical upheaval around them.

After finishing the Ruthless Gods, I was genuinely upset, but I couldn't pin why. I took a week or so to ponder and realized it wasn't because I didn't like the book, but because the actions and reactions of these characters, while at times completely enraging, are SO accurate. Adults who read this book need to keep in mind that this is written for and includes characters who are still figuring out where their morals, beliefs, and emotions stand. These are characters who are truly dealing with trauma from the past and present––trust, family, beliefs–– while grappling with real-world confusions regarding their sexual and emotional awakenings. The fact that Duncan is able to balance all of that is a huge feat, a testament to her keen eye for telling stories of humanity and love but in a blood-soaked, war-torn, fantasy world. Duncan is introducing a whole new genre and generation of cosmic horror in YA.