Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this on ebook from NetGalley for review.

Thoughts: This was decent and I finished it, so that says something. Although I will admit by the end I was skimming portions of the book because it was fairly predictable and not much actually happened here.

We follow the lead dancer Emberlyn throughout the story, she is one of the Marionettes trapped and controlled by the Puppet Master, Malcolm. She is determined to escape his curse with or without her Marionette sisters.

This is beautifully written, and the darkly magical settings really come alive. You can almost taste and feel the items in this book. It has serious Phantom of the Opera vibes, which is cool. However, it is very slow. There isn't much that actually happens in this book.

This is a simple and predictable story. The descriptions were beautiful and magical; there are some very sweet interactions between Emberlyn and the shadow. I liked the setting and the idea of the curse.

However, I struggled with how the curse was described...was this the only magic in this world? I never got a good feel for this world; was it a modern world, a historical world? I also struggled with how the curse was resolved. This seemed contrived and felt a bit grasping to me.

The other Marionettes definitely felt like background characters; they didn't have much depth and were given token stereotypical personalities (caring one, difficult one, perky one). I also thought it was strange how Grace was set up to be a more major character and just dropped partway through the story. I did like that there is a focus on sisterhood and young women who are helping each other to survive.

As I said, I finished it. This was a quick and easy read. However, I was skimming a lot towards the end and was a bit disappointed when it wrapped up how I thought it would. If you are looking for a fairly simple dark, glittering YA read, this is a decent one. There isn't a lot of depth here or really any unexpected twists. This is a very forgettable read, and I doubt I will ever think about it again or even remember that I read it in a few months.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this was okay. I loved the dark, glittering description throughout the story and thought the idea of the curse was intriguing. However, the story is predictable, and the way things wrapped up felt forced and contrived. There really wasn't any world-building, and the side characters are paper thin. This was an easy enough read, but I found myself skimming towards the end...it was just such a simple story. I probably won't seek out more books by Woods, but if you are looking for a dark, glittering YA read this is a decent one.

4 stars! Great debut novel from the author. Loved the strength emberlyn portrayed throughout the book.

What a hauntingly dark and beautiful gothic fantasy.

The concept of this book reeled me in but the gorgeous writing and gothic fantasy elements made me stay. The concept itself is unlike anything I’ve read before. I mean cursed marionette dolls?? Sign me up. But the writing is so lush and mystic and does such a beautiful job at conveying the light and dark themes in the story.

I appreciated how feisty of a main character Emberlyn was. I adored the sisterly bond between the dancers and the way Emberlyn loved them like all fire. As the oldest sibling in my family I connected with Ember in a way that made me appreciate how brave and resilient she was. She was willing to go to any length to save her sisters and it made that connection to her as a character deeper.

My favorite thing about this book though was the gothic fantasy elements. Everything from the curse, the marionettes, the theater setting, everything had me hooked right from the beginning and I didn’t want to put it down.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the themes, writing and characters. This would be the perfect book to read on a cloudy October night with a candle lit and a hot drink. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoyed A Treachery of Swans by A.B Poranek as they both have similar dark, theatrical vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

It has a lot of potential but it didn't deliver on all fronts. The biggest issue is the bloated storytelling. Many of these Gothic stories have seeds of absolutely darkly fantastic plots however they become dragged down by details and narration that broke my interest because it just kept going.

Intrigued by this dark, disturbing figure of a man, Malcolm, who has a troupe of girls who are his ballerinas that he controls like marionets because of a spell. The girls often don't last long because of this curse and our main character, Eberlyn, has had enough and wants to end Malcolm and end the control before it goes any further. Thus an opportunity presents itself to help the girls with a new performance but also a boy, Etienne, enters the picture as well. Will this all be enough to end the curse and end the control?

It's a mix of [author:R.M. Romero|15996026] and every dark fantasy series with a cryptic title and it has the opportunity to be unique but it didn't execute fully for me as a reader. The setting though has the hallmarks of disturbing control which I loved. Again, because the story itself it curious and fresh while the writing needed tightening.

This gothic novel is amazing. With hints of Faust and Phantom of the Opera, the story of Ember and her fellow dancers is absolutely engaging. Ember remembers nothing about her life before joining the Marionettes, but she knows the life she is living is a trap. As she searches for freedom and a way to free herself from her curse, you learn about the relationships with the other dancers, whom she calls sisters. There is a bit of romance, which is surface level and sweet, nothing too exciting, but it does make for a bittersweet ending that I personally loved.

I had such a fun time with this book. I think this is a very atomsperic early fall read. I loved the almost gothic vibes and also the ghostish vibes. I also liked the dance focued in this read. I though for a standalone, it was a quick read, I also really enoyed the plot and the vibes. I felt a bit disconnected fromt he character but it was great early fall reads!! would read more by this author in the future.

Oh my, this was deliciously dark. As a fan of books with characters under the control and domination of a curse or trapped by an evil villain, I loved that this one is set on a theatre/dancers theme. The idea that they become marionettes to be controlled makes the journey to rebellion exciting and dark. I love the Phantom of the Opera, and it gives me a lot of the same dark vibes. Has some plot twists that add to the story. Plus: awesome cover.

This book gripped me from the very beginning and didn’t let go. It’s dark, it’s gothic, it’s sweeping. It’s about recognizing and surviving abuse, standing up for the life you deserve, and the power of sisterhood. It made my Phantom of the Opera loving heart so incredibly happy, and that ending… The ending wrecked me in the best possible way.

Unfortunately, Girls of Dark Divine just wasn't for me. I really loved the idea behind the overall story and it felt original. But I struggled reading it. The pacing was unfortunately slow. Which I didn't think would be the case. The book starts really strong with a bang. But then it just kind of limps along until the end. I had a really hard time staying engaged. The characters were all likeable enough and well developed. The writing was really beautiful. As a read overall it was dark and atmospheric. The author did an amazing job of making you feel like you were there. The descriptions were so well done. Maybe that is what made the pacing feel slow? I'm not sure.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is dark, haunting, but so beautiful. I loved every minute of this story and the adventure that Emberlyn undertakes to get back a piece of her life. I think this book will enchant so many readers and I am so excited to start recommending it. I don’t want to say too much because you need to experience this book for yourself.
Thank you to Random House Children’s and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Girls of Dark Divine by E.V. Woods
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: YA Fantasy
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: August 5, 2025

Magical, Deadly Curse
Marionette Troupe
Mysterious MMC
Gothic + Atmospheric

Girls of Dark Divine is a gorgeous, atmospheric YA gothic fantasy. The prose felt almost poetic, the descriptive language making you feel like you're actually sitting in the theater.

The evil puppet master and Emberlyn's struggle against their debilitating curse made this an absolutely unputdownable, intriguing read. I loved every second of it.
Though the romance is only a subplot, I felt it added so much to Emberlyn's character, giving her even more reason to fight for a life she could truly live and enjoy. Her development throughout and loyalty she felt to her troupe family made her so loveable, even with the darkness she finds she harbors.

If you love Phantom of the Opera x Black Swan, and dark fantasy, you will devour Girls of Dark Divine like I did!

Thank you so much, @topplingstackstours & @evwoodsauthor for the digital review copy!

Beautiful prose and an excellent mix of body horror and mystery, I flew through this book. Ultimately I found it a little underwhelming but would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a darker read.

What a thrilling dark gothic suspense novel that entranced me from the start. I loved how the story blended horror, suspense, romance, and fantasy into this dark ya tale.

The concept was the first thing to grab me. The idea of a puppet master and curses was eerie and let me say this one does not disappoint.

This emotionally charged take follows Emberlyn and a trope of dancers under this dark curse.

Emberlyn was a flawed character who you wanted to root for. Her journey was full of ups and downs and I loved how she grew and fought for what she believed in and loved.

If you enjoy tropes like supernatural dark fantasies, angst, high stakes, curses, Phantom of the Opera vibes, a touch of sweet romance, found family, suspense, haunting stories, and so much more then check this one out.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

I've found that YA Horror is generally a mixed bag for me. It's either not quite scary enough or it's more suspenseful and eerie rather then a true horror novel. It actually starts out quite grisly with the death of a girl from the curse. I do think its unusual that no one seems to notice that girls keep dying under Malcolm although perhaps it could be the nature of the curse.

I'm also not sure how the girls are able to write home to their families to prevent their families from knowing, yet they are also losing their memories to the curse. I was confused on why Emberlyn was so insistent on running away specifically with Aleida. Their relationship needed more building to show why Emberlyn was so dedicated to her in comparison to the other girls. I did like the shared sisterhood between the Emberlyn and the rest of the girls. It was nice to see how they helped and supported each other.

The story was quite dark and delves into body horror with girls having no control over their bodies and being forced to dance until they die. That's where I could truly feel some of the creepiness, with the showing of the lack of autonomy and ability to escape. There was also questions brought up about what limits they would go to, to escape, which were thought-provoking.

Etienne, the shadow boy, was such an interesting character. He reveals a lot more information regarding the history and nature of the curse. I also thought his particular curse was very unique. However, I thought the romance between him and Emberlyn was very sudden as there didn't seem to be very much buildup. I also thought the way they broke the curse was somewhat anti-climatic and I kept expecting there to be more.

Overall, this is definitely a creepy and fun read! I'd highly recommend it to people who love YA horror.

A Puppetmaster entices young girls with the gift of dance to join his ballet troupe. He instills "the curse" into them where they forget their pasts and become his puppets until their painful deaths.

I was enthralled from the first page to the last. The author's prose keeps you entranced through this dark, gothic tale.

Thank you for this ARC, allowing me to read and review this book.

This is a wonderfully crafted story of an evil man with the power to control his performers through an ancient curse and one of his performers who is trying to figure a way out. The curse does not allow them to leave or speak of it to anyone outside of those afflicted with it as well. This is Emberlyn's story of attempting to gain freedom without jeopardizing the lives of her "sister" performers.

The reader is pulled into this story by Emberlyn's desire to find her way out from the curse and away from the "Puppet Master". The characters have depth. This reader felt compassion for Emberlyn and her "sisters". The story has good rhythm and flow. I would say it is an amazing first novel.

Title: Girls of Dark Divine   
Author: E. V. Woods         
Genre: Fantasy, YA    
Rating: 4 out of 5 

In the legendary ballet theatre of New Kora, the girls on stage enchant the audience each night with their grace and divine beauty. Before Emberlyn became the show’s star, it was her dream to become one of the ballerinas… until she learned the price of their living nightmare.

A curse has bound the girls to the show’s mastermind, Malcolm, so they must obey his every command. They are controlled by the magic’s invisible strings that has the power to wield their limbs like marionette dolls. Only the commands don’t stop when the curtain comes down, and the girls live a life of fear from Malcolm’s wickedness and the twisted truth that each dancer is destined to turn to dust when the curse finally consumes her.

When the troupe is invited to perform in the glitzy city of Parlizia, Emberlyn knows this could be her best chance to save them all. She meets an elusive boy made of shadows with a magical connection to the girls. Together, they work to unravel the haunting truth about their creation and fight for their survival. But the cost of freedom might be too high, and as she dances closer to the edge of darkness she realizes she might break the curse… or break her own heart forever.

I do love ballet, so when you combine it with fantasy, I definitely wanted to read this! Ember was a great character, and from the very first of the book, it was easy to be fascinated by her POV and her world. I liked all the Marionettes, and their friendship was what drew me into the story—and kept me reading, eager to find out if they were going to escape their dark curse.

E. V. Woods is from the U.K. Girls of Dark Divine is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House Children/Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 8/4).

I love a book with a unique and interesting premise and Girls of Dark Divine took center stage in one of the most unique storylines I’ve seen all year. A troupe of dancers trapped by a curse that leaves them under the full control of their theater manager or as they know him, the Puppet Master. Recruited for their beauty and their beauty and their brilliance onstage, if they accept his offer to join the troupe, he places a curse on them that leaves him in total control of their physical bodies. The curse takes their autonomy until eventually, it takes their life.

This book feels a bit like a supernatural Phantom of the Opera where the phantom was the savior and the patron is the psychopath. I enjoyed the story, but I do think the pacing dragged in places. That being said, I was invested in the storyline and I appreciated the story arc of Emberlyn as she found her fire and unleashed an inferno.

I would like to thank Random House Children’s and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had really hoped I'd like this book, but it just wasn't for me. I DNF'd at the 40% mark, and while I don't typically review DNFs at all, this is one I have some thoughts on. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to submit my honest review.

What I liked:
-Lovely settings
-The curse itself was fun and unique, and Woods did a fantastic job describing the curse taking hold and conveying that feel to the reader.
-I got some Phantom of the Opera vibes here and there, which was unexpected and fun

Now, for what I didn't like:
-Emberlynn. She just wasn't a very likeable protagonist, and I found her to be selfish and annoying. Particularly the way she acted toward her 'sisters' in the troupe. The Marionettes are all in this situation together, and I would expect that alone to bond them, but Emberlynn didn't seem to genuinely care about any of them, even her 'closest friend' Aleida. Her disdain and judgement toward the other Marionettes who were excited to go to Parlizia also struck me as odd--that she would fault them for attempting to find some small bit of happiness in this life that seems so bleak. Just because you're miserable doesn't mean everyone else needs to be as well. If they want to process their situation by trying to find little crumbs of joy and excitement, LET THEM.
-Malcom. His character had the potential to be really strong and unsettling, but unfortunately he was a cartoon villain I couldn't take seriously, even with the power he wielded through the curse. I found myself rolling my eyes every time he tried to flex his 'bad guy muscles' to intimidate Emberlyn.
-The pacing dragged and the characters were not interesting enough to keep me reading. The only member of the cast who was anywhere close to interesting for me was Grace, who we saw tricked and trapped to be a Marionette.
-I was just...bored. Which surprised me because it's not that Woods wasn't including action. There was plenty happening but it just wasn't compelling enough. And I imagine my strong dislike of Emberlynn likely played a large role in this. I haven't been this annoyed by a protagonist in a while.

A DNF is a rare thing for me. I really did try to get through this one, trying to slog my way through in order to say I made it to the end. But I can't.
2/5 stars.

I loved this book! It was everything i hoped for and somehow more! I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it. I didn't want to have to put it down! I couldnt! This book became my entire life until I finished it. I wish I had a time machine and could read it again for the first time.