Thank you to Delacorte Press for this ARC!

This was creepy, scary, and beautiful. I loved the way the author set up the curse, the horror of what Malcolm was doing. Emberlyn was such a great FMC, she was complex and you just wanted her to make it out alive. The ending absolutely destroyed me, it was so perfect and so bittersweet. The themes of rage, freedom, and hope are so important, and I loved how the author used the gothic setting to communicate them.

If you liked A Treachery of Swans, you'll like this one, but this one is even darker.

I had high hopes for this book, but I did not like the main character. The book opens with the girls burying one of their own who has succumbed to "the curse". It was ages before the book described a performance of the marionettes or what actually happened on stage. I know the book blurb told the reader Malcolm controls the girls as if they are marionettes, but the theater troupe is literally called Manrow's Marionettes. I wanted to know right away how does he hide the magic from the audience? What does the audience think they're seeing? I thought it would have been so much more exciting and given the reader a much better backdrop to have started the book in the middle of a performance describing what the audience was seeing versus what the girls were feeling and the magic slipping a little as one dancer was overtaken by the curse. Malcolm having to work a cover-up into the show and forcing the other girls to finish the act as their companion was taken by the curse. It would have set the backdrop for the reader, highlighted Malcolm's cruelty, and given the reader a first-hand look at what goes on in the troupe if the author had just backed the start of the story up a few hours and described what was happening. I kept thinking if the author would just widen the lens a bit - broaden the focus area - get past Emberlyn - the book would be so much better.
But as the story went on, the descriptions of any scenery, even the show and the theater, were minimized for the reader. The troupe took a train journey for the first time, some of the girls leaving the city for the very first time, and there was zero description of the train, the train ride, anyone's thoughts about the train, no description of the change in landscape leaving the city or what looked different about where they were going. Just Emberlyn brooding. It's like I can't see the big picture because her face is always right in front of the camera. And I don't even like her.
As evil as Malcolm was I just didn't feel like I cared whether these girls ever solved the curse or not.

Absolutely Black Swan meets Phantom of the Opera.

Loving this season of Gothic romantasy books. I fell in love with our FMC, Emberlyn, right away. Just as I fell doe this book in those first pages. Opening right away to the loss of one of her found sisters, Emberlyn comes in hot with wanting to cut her puppeteers strings before any more perish.

My only issues is instant love. I've found I need a bit of build and roll my eyes when it happens so quick. Then again who wouldn't fall for shadows boy?

I think this is a perfect book for the season upon us but I'll be reading this again regardless of the time of the year.

Overall Book Review:
This book should come with several trigger warnings for abuse and brief scenes of frightening encounters between the master and the dancers themselves. This is a pretty dark book that tells a gloomy, somewhat hopeless story. One that some will appreciate and crave more of, and some will read the synopsis and turn to another book with a different story that is more lighthearted.

I’ve never been a dancer but have been an avid reader of fictional books about ballerinas especially, since a young age. Something about the lifestyle is both dreamy and somewhat frightening, as most ballerinas are forced, in a roundabout way, to be disciplined with their appearance while dancing and also while living their day-to-day lives.

Girls of Dark Divine takes the ballet theme in a bit of a different direction, one that places a group of dancers called the Marionettes under the abusive and terrifying eye of a master named Malcolm, who couldn’t care less about how his dancers are cared and provided for. In fact, throughout the book it is made very clear that he cares more about what he can gain personally from his troupe than keeping them alive and well and able to dance their beautiful footwork.

Emberlyn has been a Marionette for a while now and has seen the ins and outs of how the girls are treated, often falling under the wrathful hand of Malcolm herself. It was easy to pick up on the idea that Emberlyn was a big sister figure to the rest of the dancers–trying to encourage them to keep their chins up and continue on, no matter what the cost. However, Malcolm is a greedy man who has no fear of others. Even when it seems things might not be going his way, somehow, he always manages the upper hand.

The parts of this book I enjoyed the most were the ones that are more grounded in reality–descriptions of architecture and books that gave me a nice little image in my head of the safer side of things the world in Girls of Dark Divine has to offer. I look forward to seeing more from E.V. Woods and what books she will write in the future!

Review of a Digital Advance Reading Copy from Random House Children’s Books

Girls of Dark Divine is a gorgeously gothic YA fantasy intertwining ballet, curses, and sisterhood in a hauntingly atmospheric tale. Emberlyn, trapped as a marionette dancer under the cruel control of Malcolm, fights for freedom and connection alongside her “sisters” and a mysterious boy who shares her plight. The lyrical prose, compelling premise, and evocative setting set it apart—perfect for fans of Phantom of the Opera and Black Swan. Ultimately, it’s an eerie, captivating story about autonomy, sacrifice, and the cost of reclaiming your life from the darkness.

“Soon the air became thick with their hopes, like the perfume of a field of flowers, their petals turning to the burning sun after a long winter.”

All Emberlyn ever wanted was to be a renowned ballerina. Her burning passion for dancing landed her in the most revered ballet theater of New Kora, where she reigns as the principal dancer of Malcolm Manrow’s troupe, The Marionettes. She achieved her greatest dream—only to learn that she has been trapped in a nightmare. Emberlyn is not a dancer; she’s a puppet. When she joined The Marionettes, Malcolm bound her to him with a curse that allows him to control her, and all of the other Marionettes, with invisible strings. With the curse also preventing the girls from talking about their entrapment, they are condemned to dance—and bend—at Malcolm’s will until it eventually rots them from the inside out. When the troupe is invited to perform in the city of Parlizia, however, Emberlyn sees a glimmer of hope amidst the sparkle of the city’s chandeliers. There, she might be able to break the Marionettes free of Malcolm’s grasp, a conviction that only grows stronger when she encounters a mysterious boy of shadow who seems to know more about their affliction than she does. But the cost of freedom is staggering, and Emberlyn will have to decide whether it’s worth the price.

I was drawn in by this book’s promises of gothic fantasy goodness, and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed. From descriptions of the dusty theater underbelly to scenes with the specter in the rafters, E.V. Woods delivered. I loved that Woods included several of the Marionettes’ performances in the story, which added to the tension of the novel while allowing the reader to really see the girls as dancers. During these performances, Woods also dug deeper into the issue of autonomy, or what it’s like to lack it, which I thought honored the girls by making the horror of Malcolm’s curse feel real to the reader, instead of allowing it to be a mere conflict in the story. That being said, I appreciated the heart-warming elements of the story just as much. The sisterly bond between the Marionettes was touching, and the romance was charming. Though the pacing occasionally felt stagnant and I found the writing style to be stilted at times, Woods made up for it by using her voice to craft a delightfully eerie and magical atmosphere. Fans of media like Phantom of the Opera and Black Swan are sure to love this debut novel.

✨✨Tour Stop✨✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5 stars
💕💕Quotes I Loved💕💕
- The only way to become a Wielder is to shatter your soul into pieces. To take away a part of yourself and fill it with an indisputable darkness that you can manipulate.
- Two drifting wraiths trying to work out how to save themselves from the endless gray of their existence, finding solace in each other as their arms entwined, their hearts synced.
✨✨Onto the Review✨✨
This story was hauntingly beautiful. If you’re looking for a gothic style fantasy book with a romance subplot this would definitely be a good choice! The FMC in this book Emberlyn is part of a dancing trope, but this dancing trope isn’t your average group of girls. They are under a spell casted by their manager who has lived for years entrapping young women craving fame and making them his marionettes. When the manager looses interest in one of the women or when they start to become volatile he cuts their strings and they turn into dust. Emberlyn and her trope try to find a way to cut ties with their puppet master and also stay alive.
There is a love interest who is also affected by the puppet master and he gives off phantom of the opera vibes because he’s always slinking around in the shadows and can only be seen at night.
If you loved the movie Black Swan or Phantom of the Opera youre definitely going to be a fan of this book! Thank you to Toppling Stacks Tours and the author for sending me a copy of this book! If you would like to keep up with the rest of the tour and see posts from other creators head over to Toppling Stack’s website to see the tour schedule! https://topplingstackstours.com/#GirlsofDarkDivine #TopplingStacksTours #EVWoods
#yabook #mysterybooks #fantasybooklover

Girls of Dark Divine was a dark, gothic fantasy about a group of ballerinas who are cursed to obey their master's every command. I really liked the connection Emberlyn had with the fellow ballerinas (who were referred to as sisters) and her tenacity to break the curse before another one of her sisters perished. The story was intriguing from the start, but the plot stalled once the dance troupe arrived in Parlizia. The mystery surrounding the curse and Emberlyn's quest to break it was set aside to focus on a mysterious boy made of dust and shadows. I was hoping for more focus on breaking the curse instead of the instant-love long walks through the theater after midnight. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

This is like The Phantom of the Opera meets Black Swan. Mixing body horror with mystery, we follow a group of girls who are dancers and they are bound together by not just friendship but a curse as well. They have no control over their bodies and are being forced to dance until they die all by the evil puppet master and of course, one of the girls is ready to unravel the curse, face the horror head-on, and challenge the evil pulling the strings—no matter what it costs her. Definitely something to check out if you enjoy darker stories, found family, and even ballet maybe.

This is a haunting gothic fantasy that drew me in with its lush atmosphere and eerie ballet setting. The story follows Emberlyn, a dancer trapped by a cruel curse that binds her and her sisters to Malcolm, the Puppetmaster who controls them like marionettes. Onstage, they dazzle with beauty and grace, but behind the curtain, lies a nightmare of control and decay. I loved the eerie, Phantom of the Opera meets Black Swan vibe and the lyrical writing, which made the performances feel both dazzling and terrifying. However, the plot felt predictable at times, and some side characters lacked depth. Still, the themes of sisterhood and survival made this a darkly enchanting, unforgettable read.

This is seriously one of the coolest ideas for a story! I love the magic and the mystery behind the Puppet Master and the dancers. The girls are so delicate and lovely while being tortured silently by a total monster. Malcolm is honestly SO evil, but in a perfectly written way. He is a fantastic bad guy with a great backstory. And still totally unredeemable.
Emberlyn was good, I loved her sisterly bond with the other dancers. She was a rebel, but not in an annoying way at all. I did think she should have looped everyone in on her plans sooner. I didn't fully understand why she kept them in the dark for so long.
I did think the romance was DUMB. I know, I know, I usually need romance in a story. But this was completely unnecessary and so rushed. As soon as they confessed secrets they had insta-love. No thank you.

The ending was a perfect amount of exciting and a good few surprises. I would for sure suggest this to others. Especially with the YA feel and no spice at all.

Atmospheric, eerie, and beautifully haunting, GIRLS OF DARK DIVINE hit so many high marks for me. A gripping story that hooked me from the very first chapter, I loved following along with Emberlyn and the rest of the girls as they dance their way from one glittering event to another, their invisible marionette strings being tugged constantly by their cruel puppet master.

This was a darkly gothic YA tale that will appear to lovers of fantasy with touches of light horror. There’s also a bit of romance thrown in for good measure, though it’s certainly not the focus of this book. The focus and the shining star of this story truly are the girls and their relationship and the bonds they form under trauma. It’s heartbreaking when they lose one of their own and that grief is definitely felt by the reader. Or at least it was for me.

All told, this was a dark and delightful book filled with curses, beautiful ballerinas and dances with a dark side, and an overwhelming sense of gloom that runs throughout. There are some bright spots peppered through the story, but don’t expect rainbows and sunshine because you won’t get that here. Instead, you’ll get a story with an ending that will haunt you long after you’ve turned the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley, E. V. Woods, and Random House Children's for the eARC. This was such a wild, action-packed story full of twists and turmoil. The ending left me in tears—heartbroken, yet also hopeful.

The Marionettes are the city of New Kora’s most well-known ballet troupe, with Emberline as their beautiful lead dancer. What the city doesn’t know is that while on stage the girls’ every move is controlled by their puppet master, through a curse that is slowly destroying them. Can Emberline free her sisters before it’s too late?

This was such a unique YA fantasy horror, and I so felt for these girls! They were tricked into this terrible situation using their love of ballet, and it was so sad to see their passions leave them. They were so easy to root for. Emberline was a great protagonist, so protective of her sisters and willing to do whatever it takes to free them.

I loved the gothic setting, exploring the dark hallways of this beautiful theater. The shows were simultaneously beautiful and horrifying, knowing that the girls aren’t in control. It all had a very eerie feel without being outright scary (perfect for chickens like me 😂)

The romance was also lovely, giving phantom of the opera vibes. He was so supportive and I loved their little rendezvouses in the bowels of the theater

Overall, a good read for anyone wanting some eerie theater vibes while trying to break a curse!

Thanks to the publisher for the copy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s Publishing for this eARC. I didn’t fully understand what I was getting myself into when starting this book. The beginning pulls you into exactly what the girls are going through and how deadly it is! The fact that they had to live through this suffering and even deal with their own that succumbed to it? Insane. I sympathized with Emberyln and understood she wanted to run away from the curse no matter what, but I could also understand everyone else just accepting their fate. Malcom is a monster! Now Etienne.. I absolutely loved him, though wish there was more of him. His connection with Emberlyn was undeniable, I loved their moments. He also had to go through so much because of Malcom :(. The way the curse was broken was interesting! It truly goes against the exact thing that let Malcom have the curse in the first place. I don’t think it ever got explained as the why his was extremely powerful though? I’m glad the girls got rid of the curse at the end and they could finally live their lives, (spoilers) but the ending still breaks my heart! But at least Etienne got to make Malcom suffer just as he wanted to.

The concept for this had a lot of potential and I liked the tone of the writing, but sadly there’s not much else going on here.

I suppose it needed more dance and less dialogue (Emberlyn and Etienne seem to be engaged in endless, repetitive discussion), and the book has almost no atmosphere. This could have been such a fun immersive theater/ballet experience, but it mostly seems to be existing outside of any concrete space.

I liked the idea of the marionettes, but again the execution just wasn’t there. The magic involved is vague and uninteresting, and the villain (while briefly, intriguingly mysterious at the very beginning) is pretty one-dimensional and borderline cartoonish. He talks a lot (unfortunately), and he’s pretty much saying the same thing over and over. He’s not especially convincing as someone capable of attaining or wielding this type of power.

Emberlyn gets a bit more of a personality than the other girls (who are essentially all interchangeable), but even she doesn’t boast any particularly nuanced or interesting traits.

In all, while not an unpleasant read, aside from the tone there isn’t much to recommend here.

Phantom of the Opera with hints of Black Swan in this gorgeous devastating gothic fantasy about a group of beautiful ballerinas being cursed by a monstrous master... and the unlikely romance between the lead ballerina looking to escape and the boy made of shadow and dust that's been watching her. The Marionettes are famed ballerinas, beautiful talented dancers who perform at the legendary ballet theater of New Kora, yet they're hiding a dark secret: they've all been cursed by the show's mastermind, Malcolm, who uses invisible strings to control their bodies, who has absolute control over them... who's curse uses them up and kills them only for him to replace them with a new girl... this curse is a relentless cycle and Emberlyn, his star dancer is tired of it and is determined to escape. No matter how many times Malcolm beats them, the curse heals them... and Emberlyn will do everything she can to kill him. The girls are cursed never to be able to talk about the curse and if they try to escape it wont allow them... Emberlyn's only option is to find a way to kill Malcom but before she can she meets a mysterious boy in the shadows of the theater, a boy who's eyes have been watching her dance. He knows about her curse and about Malcolm and he's cursed himself. Together they have to find a way to save the ballerinas before Malcolm kills them... but no path to freedom is without sacrifice and Emberlyn might just lose the love she's just discovered. Oh this was a gorgeously gothic romance and story. I was completely pulled in. It's a story about female rage, about fighting for your passion, and about the lengths you'd go to for freedom. The story completely pulls you in and I adored Emberlyn as a protagonist so much. This will definitely one I will be recommending!!

Release Date: August 5, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I truly tried to read and enjoy this book, but unfortunately, it was a “no” for me. The Mastermind, Malcolm, was skeezy and unsettling—he gave me the creeps as a woman in my forties, and I can’t imagine how a younger reader might perceive him. I disliked him from the start and kept dreading that his behavior would escalate. The only small relief was that he never sexually abused the girls, though honestly, he was so revolting I wouldn’t have put it past him.

I wanted to like this book because the premise was promising and felt like a fresh idea. However, the character development fell short. I found myself repeatedly frustrated with Emberlyn’s lack of action, and the pacing made it a challenge to stay engaged. I often had to set the book down and come back to it later, which made it a slow read for me.

The Shadow character had potential, but the dynamic between them was often confusing, and I wish more of the focus had been on taking down Malcolm. The ending was also underwhelming. While there were moments of good writing and hints of potential, the story overall felt uneven. I would have liked to see stronger, more empowered female characters that young women could look up to and be inspired by.

Sadly, this one just didn’t work for me, even though I had high hopes going in.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The girls of the New Kora ballet company are ethereal and beautiful. Emberlyn wanted to become one of them, and learns the hard way the price of this grace. The shows mastermind Malcolm bound them with a curse that has him controlling them as if they're his marionettes, even when not dancing. Once the curse runs its course, the girls turn to dust. When the troupe is invited to perform in Parlizia, Emberlyn meets with a boy that has a magical connection to the girls. Trying to unravel the curse might have a price too high to pay.

Emberlyn is angry at being trapped by the curse and forced to perform at Malcolm's behest. Even though she is a dancer, there's a difference when she isn't given the choice to perform or not, there's no chance to practice, and she's used to lure in other victims to join the troupe. This is understandable. The other girls in the troupe are more afraid of the torture that comes in response to noncompliance, which is also a valid response. She is so angry that she doesn't consider consequences to the other marionettes until it's pointed out to her, then she understands there are risks to them all, not just herself. The curse involves life energy and ties them to Malcolm, so cutting the ties can lead to intense blowback.

For all her anger, Ember loves the other girls and does what she thinks will help them. She has a great capacity for love despite her trauma, which we get a chance to see once she opens up to them and Étienne. The finale is as theatrical as the story implies it will be, with sacrifices made. At the same time, we also get a chance to see that healing and recovery is possible, a light for the future that will carry the characters forward.

Will Emberlyn find a way for herself and her "sisters" to escape from Malcom's clutches?

Malcom Manrow's Marvelous Marionettes are cursed by Malcom to obey his every whim and command in exchange for becoming the famous dancing troupe of New Kora. However, there is an even greater danger for the marionettes: the curse can kill them. Heather was the second to fall victim to this curse. Emberlyn, the lead dancer, has had enough. When an opportunity arises for the marionettes to perform in Pariliza, will Emberlyn be able to seize her chance to escape?

Initially, this book unfolds at a leisurely pace, almost like a gentle breeze that gradually transforms into a tempest of intrigue. As the story progresses, it reveals layers of captivating narratives that draw you deep into its dark and twisted depths. The atmosphere shifts from calm to chilling, with moments that linger in the shadows and evoke a sense of suspense.

The characters are intricately crafted, each one painted with depth and nuance. Emberlyn stands out with her daring spirit and an innate empathy that makes her incredibly relatable. I found myself cheering for her, longing to see her triumph against the odds. However, I couldn’t help but feel that the other marionettes deserved more attention; their stories beckoned for exploration and elaboration.
On the other hand, Malcom emerged as the embodiment of villainy, a character so loathsome that he ignited fierce emotions within me. I suspect many readers, like myself, found themselves fervently wishing for his inevitable downfall.
This book is a must-read for those who revel in gothic tales enriched with compelling twists and unexpected turns, promising a journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Happy Reading, Paige ❤️ 📚