Why? Just why? Omg, why would you do that to Malachiasz and Nadya? I need the third book in my hands right now. You can't end it like that.

Emily Duncan’s writing is beautiful, her ability to bring characters to life is unparalleled. Her ability to make her characters feel so human and real despite the fantastical setting is a difficult task. I am hoping that this book is only going through “second book slump” for the sake of the characters. The first half of the book felt like a world building exercise gone awry. It took forever to muddle through the names and theology and how individual pieces fit together. It was so confusing that I almost decided to take notes to keep everything straight. Because of the confusion, I had a difficult time seeing the point. I had to read in increments building on what I knew and eventually the book picked back up about halfway through. It felt very messy. The latter half of the book was much better. I felt like there was finally a direction for the plot and the “end goal” of the book was much clearer. The overall goals of the characters felt cyclical and very similar to ending of Wicked Saints in a tragically messy way. But, the ending left me wanting more, and whether or not the last book is a hot mess or a mind blower, I’m in too deep to back out now.

I loved the second book in this series way more than the first. The characters developed so much and loved the direction their stories were going. The ending was amazing and I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next book.

**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.**

Title Ruthless Gods (Something Dark and Holy #2)

Author Emily A. Duncan

Description from Amazon

Darkness never works alone…

Nadya doesn’t trust her magic anymore. Serefin is fighting off a voice in his head that doesn’t belong to him. Malachiasz is at war with who–and what–he’s become. 

As their group is continually torn apart, the girl, the prince, and the monster find their fates irrevocably intertwined. They’re pieces on a board, being orchestrated by someone… or something. The voices that Serefin hears in the darkness, the ones that Nadya believes are her gods, the ones that Malachiasz is desperate to meet—those voices want a stake in the world, and they refuse to stay quiet any longer.

Release Date April 7, 2020

Initial Thoughts

The ending of Wicked Saints left me absolutely destroyed. That. ending. Wicked Saints was one of my most anticipated reads of the Spring and it did not disappoint. I was so excited to receive the email that I snagged an ARC of the sequel.

Some Things I Liked

Interlude chapters. I loved the structure of this book and I loved that the interlude chapters allowed the reader to see small insights into the minor characters’ POVs.
SO MUCH BETRAYAL. In a semi-twisted way, I loved that everybody was planning on stabbing everyone else in the back. Everyone in this book was totally ruthless and I loved every page.
THAT. ENDING. AGAIN. Fool me once… so Emily A. Duncan totally fooled me again. I totally thought I knew where the story was going but no, she had to throw in an amazing twist right at the end. I loved how the story kept me on my toes. And, furthermore, I am absolutely and utterly ruined now because I don’t have an ARC of the third book (which, from what I understand, isn’t even fully written yet).

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About

Gore. The story was a little gory for my taste. I can embrace it, because the rest of the story is stellar, but fair warning, it’s pretty dark and full of blood. This is not a book for the faint of heart.

Series Value

I thought the end of Kingsbane by Claire Legrand left me destroyed. Boy, was I wrong. Nothing could have prepared me for this ending and the inevitable waiting period I must now endure while I wait for Wicked Saints #3. I am totally hooked on this series.

Final Thoughts

Ok, confession time. I have had this book in my NetGalley queue since August. I just finished it yesterday. It was a slow start but I’m so glad I pushed through. This book was a fantastic sequel and I loved it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

The Crown’s Game and The Crown’s Fate by Evelyn Skye – if you like Russian inspired, magic infused, romances, definitely check this duology out.  It also uses alternating POV structure.
The Grisha Series by Leigh Bardugo – this is another series set in a Russia inspired world.  Also, as an added bonus, there is a very charismatic and magnetic villain (remind you of anyone ).
Burning Glass by Kathryn Purdie – what a surprise, I am recommending another Russian inspired series.  I can’t help the fact that all of these books have that in common.  But, there’s more than setting that makes me want to recommend this one.  Romance, setting, magic, and the politics all made me think of this book while I was reading Wicked Saints.  Definitely give it a try.

I tore through the first two books in this series at a breakneck pace. I was so overjoyed to get approved for this one as an early review. 

It's truly embarrassing to get caught crying on an airplane while reading - and this happened to me with this one. I'm glad to say that I was super engaged in this from beginning to end and I can't wait to see how the series concludes. 

I'm in love with the characters and their complex motivations. They are truly multidimensional - I keep waiting for people to change their minds, but they are steadfast in their beliefs. It pushes the narrative forward and keeps people questioning motives throughout the novel.

𝖱𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗅𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝖦𝗈𝖽𝗌 𝖻𝗒 𝖤𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗒 𝖠. 𝖣𝗎𝗇𝖼𝖺𝗇
𝖱𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀: 5stars 

Ruthless Gods was such a dark and cruel sequel to Wicked Saints. There is so much sadness, pain and betrayal, and I fell so much more inlove with all these tortured characters. 

Nadya, Serefin and Malachiasz are so damaged and irredeemable, but you can't help but love them so much. 
I adored all the Malachiasz and Nadya scenes. They're both so broken, so when they come together you get a beautiful and terrible relationship, where they're constantly hurting eachother, even though they don't want to. And Malachiasz is so monstrous, yet so sweet with Nadya, so how could I hate him!? 

Also, poor Serefin! I love the direction his story is going, and Kacper and him are so amazing! 

I loved how complicated and unique the plot was. All the Gods and myths made it stand out from other books and THAT ENDING!!! 

Would recommend if you want a book full of evil characters that you love, star-crossed + enemies to lovers and some lgbt rep!

Thank you Netgalley, St Martin's Press, Macmillan USA, and Wednesday Books for providing me with the arc of this book. I was really excited to read this book and wanted to waste no time diving deep into Kalyazin and Tranavia. I have to say that this was a slower read for me than Wicked Saints. There was a lot of shifting taking place within the characters and their dynamics. The book is filled with body horror and for some weird reason, it didn't necessarily faze me as much as I thought I would be. I guess Emily did tone it down for the YA audience. I think the gore, the horrors could have been better if it wasn't for YA. A lot of questions lingering around events from Wicked Saints needed answers and I felt I had to wait a long time to even get to the surface of it. The new set of powers and the power structure is bound to bring in more chaos and horror that will destroy their nations despite their effort to keep the peace. Malachiasz and Serefin and their band of misfits were just as entertaining as usual. I believe more backstory for the Gods, the Saints, and other clerics would have been a great addition. The snippets about various Saints and clerics were definitely informative, but I think it would have been amazing if we had more information about the Pantheon and their backstory. The reason this book is not 5 stars is that I wanted more chaos and overall horror to keep up, but I didn't feel the terror the author wanted to evoke in the readers. I have to say it was very much enjoyable, though a slower read than Wicked Saints. I definitely recommend it and I would consider it a great book in the series. My favorite of the two is still Wicked Saints. I can't wait to read the next book and I am really excited to know how the whole chaos and war will end.

An amazing sequel to the previous book. The more I read the more invested I get into the world and the characters. Please tell me there is going to be more to this.

Wow, this was SO so good. The story really takes a turn in this one, and each of the lives of our main characters intersects in surprising ways. This is a brilliant, blood sequel to Wicked Saints and so much happens in this book. I was very invested in Serefin's story and what he was going to do, and what he had done will change everything.

Eagerly anticipating the next one!

What a ride! This is what I wanted from Grisha Trilogy. Wicked Saints were good. Emily A. Duncan created amazing fantasy world based on Slavic mythology and Eastern orthodox church, which by itself is truly amazing. Being Slavic myself, I'm close to these topics, and having them in fantasy? Dream come true. So... why are Ruthless Gods so much better than first book?

First of all, world building. Author built up pretty good base in the first now and now just expanded on it. I couldn't believe what she came up with though. I love the whole pantheon but I think that the "older beings" are even much more interesting. I mean... it was insane! I also love how dark and bloody this book. Even more than the first one. It's exactly what I wanted from "gothic" fantasy, if you could call that. It's hard to sort it into some genre because honestly, I think author created something new.

Second of all, characters. We still get bunch of PoVs, which is totally understandable. Also, we get some new characters. I wasn't big fan of Serefin in the first book and I'm still not. BUT. His story arc was insane and I was just amazed what author came up with. I mean... Velyos? Hello! Nadya is still my favorite, especially because of her relationship with Malachiasz. Don't take me wrong, I know they "love" is twisted, dark and unnatural, but... I LOVE IT. That's what I wanted from Darkling and Alina. And Ruthless Gods gave me exactly what I wanted. I loved every scene and I need more. Talking about new characters, I adore Katya. Badass.

I didn't expect this book to be so good but it easily became one of my favorites of 2019.

This book broke my heart a million times! Completely unable to put it down, wondering what was going to happen next! 
Ruthless Gods picks up 6 months after wicked saints ends. Follows the original characters along with adding a few new perspectives as well. Throws in some unexpected romance along they way, along with new riddles and betrayals. I need the 3rd book now!

4.5 stars out of 5

Holy crap, Batman, this book is emotional as all hell. Strap yourselves in guys, because, wow. Wicked Saints barely scratched the surface of how dark this series was going to get.

I don't really want to spoil anything, because a lot happens in this book, so this review is going to be short and to the point.

Ruthless Gods, in my opinion, is leaps and bounds better then its predecessor. Where the drama is Wicked Saints led to a very bad few days for our main characters, the drama in this book was world altering and grand in its scope. Everything sucked for our main characters, and I did not disagree with that message.

Also, even though the doom and gloom was turned all the way up to 100, I didn't really mind, because the tone of the book, and everything that was going on, could not have been conveyed properly if everything wasn't going horribly for Serefin, Nadya, and Malachiasz. To put it simply, this book was beautifully horrifying.

As for why this book lost a half star, that would have to be because of the constant reuse of the word monster, and darkness, and blood. Yes, this is a dark YA fantasy novel, but the number of times certain characters are referred to as monsters, gets a little repetitive by the half way point of this book. Also, the magic of the gods themselves is never really explained very well. I really don't want to give anything away, but I grew a bit frustrated by the end of the book, because, it is made clear, that the things that people call Gods in Kalyazin, are potentially something else. However, it is never made clear about what is going on by the end of this book. Yes, there is going to be a sequel, so I am desperately hoping things are explained better in the next book.

All in all, this was a fabulous second book to a series I was hoping would grow with each installment. Duncan does a fabulous job of mixing horror, fantasy and religion together to create a terrifying world that is barely hanging on to its last scrap of hope. Also, the ending does not inspire hopefulness for our main trio, because things kind of went from bad to worse by the end of this novel, so I am very excited to see what happens next, since I do not know how it can get any worse. I strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoy dark fantasy novels, because this is an emotional treat.

had the privilege of receiving an advanced copy of Ruthless Gods through NetGalley in exchange for a review. For those who might not know, Ruthless Gods is the sequel to the NewYork Times bestseller Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan. As this novel will not be released until April 7, 2020, I will not be adding any spoilers. 
A blurb from Emily’s website regarding Ruthless Gods

Nadya doesn’t trust her magic anymore. Serefin is fighting off a voice in his head that doesn’t belong to him. Malachiasz is at war with who–and what–he’s become.
As their group is continually torn apart, the girl, the prince, and the monster find their fates irrevocably intertwined. They’re pieces on a board, being orchestrated by someone… or something. The voices that Serefin hears in the darkness, the ones that Nadya believes are her gods, the ones that Malachiasz is desperate to meet―those voices want a stake in the world, and they refuse to stay quiet any longer.

After reading this blurb and then the novel, let me just say. The ending will leave you wanting more! This novel is so dark and twisty I love it! For anyone who is questioning the novel, don’t! The story development, as well as character development, is amazing! How I wish to spoil the novel, but alas I can only sing praises! Emily did a fantastic job with Ruthless Gods, while some might not notice, her writing style has progressed as all authors do! I cannot wait for the third novel to come out in hopefully 2021 (fingers crossed)!!!

Ruthless Gods features blood magic, monstrous lovers, tortured princes, cosmic horror and a cliffhanger that leaves you breathless. In this sequel, Duncan dives into her dark and fantastical world, expanding it beyond the Empire and showing the consequences of messing with the gods. 

I felt like I had a better handle on the characters in the sequel. Malachiasz and Nadya's continued dance around each other in the will they or won't they will keep readers entertained and wanting more. I enjoyed Serefin's time in the spotlight, even when the character himself did most certainly not. 

The narrative covered a long amount of travel time, which can be a little hard to follow if you're not paying attention. However, I found that this added a fun element to the underlining threat of unfettered chaos that ran through the story. 

In conclusion, an excellent sequel that stands on its own while still racing towards the epic conclusion of the trilogy.

RUTHLESS GODS is dark, atmospheric, and completely enchanting. It was everything I hoped a sequel to WICKED SAINTS would be and then some. Everyone is completely broken and yet somehow forging a way forward. After the first book, Nadya is still reeling from the betrayal by Malachiasz, Serefin is trying to hold the kingdom together as its new ruler while also fighting the powers speaking to him and corrupting his vision, and Malachiasz is something else entirely.

Their journeys all feel different and yet somehow aligned. Motivations are unclear and ever changing. The gods that are revered in one country and scorned in another are hiding secrets which are deeper than expected and raise more and more questions. The complexity of the plot is matched by the complexity of the characters, and this book is completely impossible to put down.

What I loved: It is hard to even say how many things I loved about this book. It is atmospheric and engrossing, and I felt completely transported to this unique world. The characters are deep, complex, and evolving. All flawed, all gorgeous, and all fantastically well crafted. Secrets cover secrets and questions grow in a completely amazing way. Dark and beautiful, this book is an absolutely incredible sequel that I highly recommend picking up. This is a book that you need to experience for yourself.

Final verdict: Fans of dark and compelling fantasies will delight in this gorgeously crafted series. Atmospheric, enchanting, and engrossing, RUTHLESS GODS is a powerful sequel in a must-read series. I highly recommend for fans of Roshani Chokshi, Sabaa Tahir, Leigh Bardugo, and Adrienne Young.

Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love this series so much. Gothic, otherworldly and cruel in its most emotional parts, this is worthy follow up to Wicked Saints. I completely devoured this book – my kind of darkness.

Oh my gracious. The lack of words I have for this book is not because it wasn't amazing, it is because so many feelings after finishing this gem of a book. There is a reason the first book became an instant bestseller and it is because of the beautiful prose, the masterful storytelling, the wicked (see what I did there) characters. So much love yet so few words give this sequel justice.

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

I loved Wicked Saints so it's no surprise that I love Ruthless Gods. This book is epic!

Nadya doesn’t trust her magic anymore. Serefin is fighting off a voice in his head that doesn’t belong to him. Malachiasz is at war with who--and what--he’s become. 

As their group is continually torn apart, the girl, the prince, and the monster find their fates irrevocably intertwined. They’re pieces on a board, being orchestrated by someone… or something. The voices that Serefin hears in the darkness, the ones that Nadya believes are her gods, the ones that Malachiasz is desperate to meet—those voices want a stake in the world, and they refuse to stay quiet any longer.

Usually the 2nd book in a series ends up being my least favorite,. Not Ruthless Gods! It's dark and intense and horrifying and impossible to put down. This book will challenge everything you think you know about Nadya, Serefin and Malachiasz. Each of them are fighting an internal struggle and learning that things aren't always what they seem. 

I really enjoyed the character development. Nadya's anguish at not being able to communicate with her gods is heart-wrenching and her battle to fight her feelings for Malachiasz is so perfectly on point for YA. The fact that she is fighting her attraction to this dark, brooding boy - who also happens to be a monster - doesn't make her weak or silly.  It makes her very relatable! I can't wait to find out exactly what she is and where her magic comes from.

Ruthless Gods is darker and bloodier than Wicked Saints, with more magic, more monsters, more gods, fallen gods and more chaos. The ending is brilliant and devastating and will wreck you,  I'm already counting down the days until the next book!

I love this series, with blood magic and the higher power of gods make it for a riviting ride. I could not get enough and finished the read in 2 days. I thank you so much for the early read.

I am just as impressed with this book, as I was with the first book! I love the character development of Serefin and Malachasiz and Nadya.