Loved this book and the cover had me hooked before I even opened the first page. Its emotional, high stakes and has an epic romance. I loved a fated mates with a grumpy character and a slow burn. I don't read many urban fantasies but the world building on this one is unique and I really enjoyed how magic was blended into the real world. There were major dark fairytale vibes mixed with a modern world that interesting. I love the main characters and a good mysterious curse to keep you intrigued.

Audiobooks are usually not really my thing! My mind keeps wandering and I usually just can't concentrate on it! But that doesn't mean I stop trying!

I've gotten a lot of tips, like experimenting with the speed and also to try to read along. Luckily I have the physical copy (cause how could I not, I mean look at it!) so I did!

It certainly went better than most times. The voices of the narrators were very pleasant and I think they did a great job! They really brought their MC's to life!

I was a bit dissapointed when I found out the male narrator only comes in at the end and doesn't do all the male voices but I guess it makes sense as it was still Naia's POV. It did take me a bit out of the story everytime, but I mean it could be a me thing? Maybe I just need to get used to it? Anyway this is the first time I finished an audiobook so that says something!

The story itself was amazing! It took me awhile to get into it but once I was it was really good! My heart broke for Naia and I was fuming during the flashbacks! I really loved the unique take on Gods and Goddesses and the love story between Naia and Ronin was everything! The ending dragged a bit but I love how everything came together.

Naia is 800 years old without power, a title or a place that feels like home. Her mother is forcing her to marry, and on the night of her escape she blindly accepts a curse to flee to the mortal land.

The audiobook and narrator was very well done, the voices were very distinct and it made the story easy to follow along!

The story and the writing is beautiful – no doubt. The Goddess Of does a deep dive into extremely complex family dynamics, trauma, abuse, but also healing. But the world building fell a bit short for me. The magic and all the gods and goddesses and witches sounded so interesting, but I felt like that could have been explored a little more.

Naia also went through a lot for the sake of conflict and not plot advancement, so that was a little difficult to follow along. Also, I was a bit confused that she had ‘read’ so much about the mortal world but was always confused. Her siblings had mobile phones but she called it a ‘communication device’ when she was in the mortal lands which stuck out to me. The multiple timelines of the book was a little difficult to follow along to, but didn’t take me out of the story completely.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you so much @dreamscape_media and @netgalley for this ALC! 🥹

I'm so happy I listened to @mspaulaa_reads and listened to the audiobook while reading it because this was THE book to do it with! Naia and Ronin's story had me angry for them, crying, and falling in love so much that I'm buying a physical copy 😫🖤 What a heartbreaking and beautiful book. I am obsessed with this world and all of the characters!

🖤 Hurt/Comfort
🖤 Dual Timelines
🖤 Touch Him/Her and Die
🖤 Found Family
🖤 Mental Health Rep
🖤 Dark Urban Fantasy Romance
🖤 Hidden Identity

It took awhile for me to get into this book. I wasn't really enjoying it in the beginning and almost DNF'd a few times. The modern day setting isn't my preference for this type of magic in books, and our main character was presented as ignorant of the human world, yet was aware of most things which, in my opinion, takes away from the opportunity for interesting moments in which she would experience the new, human world oddities. The addition of Japanese culture and setting felt forced to me and was unnecessary and a bit overdone. I wasn't particularly enjoying the interactions between our main couple for the first 25% of the book and was losing interest, as I had thought of this as a romance novel.

HOWEVER.

As I stuck with it and continued listening to the audiobook, it transformed into more of a family drama full of gods and goddesses, with unhealthy and damaging relationships, messy pasts and emotional turmoil. I live for this shit. I love nothing more than messy gods ACTUALLY being messy and over-confident/proud and entitled. This d e l i v e r e d. I think of this book as more of a family drama than a romance, with lots of dramatics between family members, curses and brutally harsh lessons.

I absolutely loved the flash backs in time where we see how Naia grew up and the pain she endured. How she was forced into terrible situations and endured. Her relationship with her father and brother (and mom) and how it changed (or didn't) over time. The tragedy and love (and tension and blame) I really loved the insights and depth of character, as well as how realistic it was for her relationships to end up as they did. There wasn't much active world building but, in the creation of the character, I feel like we the readers ended up with a lot of information on the world and types of gods and their abilities and what we knew was acceptable behavior (in the world) and not. The writing is very good and enjoyable. As previously mentioned, it took awhile for me to get used to our main character, and I don't know if I particularly LIKE her, but the story and her adventures through life made me like her and the book as a whole. The audiobook was great and the set up for book two is absolutely enthralling. I need more books with actual meddling gods who are vengeful just because they can be. I loved this in the end, but it took awhile for me to get there.

Overall, I recommend for those who like high fantasy, character driven stories, family and "rich people" drama, and friends to lovers with a side of family turmoil and call-outs to the Hades-Persephone mythos, plus some Japanese culture, food, and mythos.

Omgosh this book. Let's start with the amazing character development, you really get to know Naia and there is so much depth to her. There are flash backs (normally not my thing) that gave such incredible insight into our FMC, how she grew up and her relationship with her family. You immediately feel for her and engage with her trauma. Naia is a Goddess with no title/power but she is so strong in every other way and incredibly written.

She escapes her hellish mother and arranged marriage, finding herself in the mortal realm. Here we meet Ronin, he's got his own trauma, is extremely kind and so supportive of Naia. Their relationship is very slow burn but so worth the journey. He supports her, doesn't push and will do anything to make sure she finds happiness.

The found family and Naias relationship with Finny is wonderful and I loved the magic system. I wanted even more information on it! Curses, Deities that are often deplorable in their actions and adventure is present throughout the story. You become engrossed in the book and invested in the characters and outcome.

This journey will have you feel all the emotions from warmth, happiness, to sitting there upset!

The book was not what I expected at all going in but was a wonderful surprise.
As a spoiler free review I don't want to say too much but hopefully I've convinced you this needs to be on your TBR! A true story of strength and endurance.

Thank you Netgalley for this ALC! The audio book was great, I loved the narration.

This is a new dark fantasy series that will have you captivated from the start. Naia is a goddess without a title or power. As the firstborn daughter, she is the key to breaking a curse that haunts her mother. This curse leaves them both trapped in the undersea kingdom. In order to break it, Naia is arranged to marry a god from the opposing family. Naia calls upon the High God of Death and Curses for help. She blindly accepts another curse in order to escape her kingdom and marriage. She is thrown head first into the mortal world.

I finished this and immediately wanted to start the second book. This story was so heartbreaking throughout with what Naia has endured over her 800 years. There were a few unexpected twists that really made the book. That ending almost destroyed me not once but TWICE. I can’t wait to see what happens in the second book.

I really enjoyed this book as it is a standalone and not a series. However, that epilogue made me want to preorder the next book to hear finnian's story with cassian.

I enjoyed the gothic vibes of this book and that there were several classes of different gods. The book was a bit slow for me up until the last 5 chapters. I don't mind a book that details the lives and getting to know the characters, but I found myself not wanting to keep reading. I am very glad I did though because it wrapped up very nicely!

The Goddess Of by Randi Garner

ALC VERSION (FEBRUARY 2025)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved this book so much I wanted to check out the ALC version as well. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to get an early copy of this audiobook. The ALC version is just as amazing as the ebook version. Abigail Reno and Benjamin Crow do an excellent job with the narrations and the multiple POVs. They are a perfect fit and exactly how I’d imagine the narration sounding. The Fragile Divine series is one of my favorite series this year. Such an emotional rollercoaster in the best way possible. I can’t wait for the release of Even In Death!

Thank you, Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Randi Garner for the opportunity!

EARC VERSION (January 2025)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A different kind of five star. This is not a cozy read. It is a story of hard reality, an adult fantasy with magic and gods. The truth of real life, of loss, of love, of heartbreak, and of survival. When you want to succumb to darkness, but still have a sliver of hope that things can't remain like they are forever. That you must in the end believe in yourself and always push forward, no matter how bleak it may seem. Randi does an amazing job of making you FEEL for the characters, and every emotion they are experiencing. I definitely had tears throughout this story. It is beautifully written. Please check for your triggers before reading.

**Can I just point out, how gorgeous is this cover?!**

"After numerous decades of practice, she was exceptionally skilled at dissociating. A coping mechanism to avoid her demons and pretend they did not exist."

“Life was cruel. Hopeless. Full of anguish. The bleak heaviness Naia had run from her whole life settled in her bones yet again. It was too much to bear this time."

‘“I don’t want this moment to end, Father,” she murmured. “I feel sad.”
“My darling.” He lightly flicked her nose as they continued to spin around the dance floor. “That is the definition of love.”
“You don't want this moment to end because you love me.” She pursed her lips, thinking on it. “Does love last?” “Love lasts eternally.” Naia shook her head, expression growing serious. “Then why is it painful?” He studied her face, brow creasing, as if he wasn’t sure how to phrase his reply. “Love lasts forever, but people and moments do not.” Naia dropped her gaze shamefully, staring at the back of her own hand resting on her father’s shoulder. “I suppose it makes me weak.”
“I believe it makes you quite the opposite, my darling.”’

This is hands down my favorite book, and the audio version truly brought it to life. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the Goddess Of.

The writing in this book is stunning. I was hooked from the start and couldn’t stop until I finished. Naia’s journey was inspiring, and seeing her growth was so rewarding. Ronin is an incredible MMC, and I absolutely adore him. The ending hit me hard, but in the best way—it took me on an emotional rollercoaster that ultimately left me healed.

An absolutely AMAZING dark fantasy. This is exactly what I think dark fantasy should be: compelling characters, the engaging storyline, the storytelling method of using flashbacks to explain circumstances. A romance which is genuinely incredible and so healthy !!

I found the writing excellent and the narration equally so - the narrator really did a lot to pull you into the moment and capture the feeling of the scene so I would definitely recommend this way of engaging with reading it.

It is medium-paced which allowed for a lot of fleshing out of our main character in particular. I wish some of the side characters had been fleshed out more, but I don't think this took away at all from the primary focus of the story. I will say that there was an air of mystery surrounding one character who I have just seen has his own book as an interconnected story (alongside one of the most mysterious secondary characters also), so I cannot WAIT to read that.

Incredible, will be picking up the next installment ASAP!

<i>I was provided with a complimentary copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily</i>

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐛𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫

“𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙮 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Thank you to Dreamscape Media, the author and NetGalley for the ALC of 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐟, narrated by Abigail Reno & Benjamin Crow 🎧 I really enjoyed the emotion and variety that the narrators put into this audiobook!

This book was phenomenal! Between the dual timelines (past & present), the amount of characters and the ability to keep the reader hooked from start to finish… is no easy feat, but Randi surpassed all expectations and accomplished it beautifully!

The magic system created within this world is so creative and extensive because of all of the characters who possess it, but it’s written in a way that’s very easy to follow and keep track of.

Naia and Ronin are so sweet together. Their story is heartbreakingly tragic. They face obstacle after obstacle, but through it all, they come out stronger.

Ronin has a hard exterior, but for those closest to him, he would burn the world down or die trying. And as for Naia, she has accepted that her circumstances are her reality. The character growth she goes through and how her past factors in with who she comes out on the other side as, was a favorite aspect of mine in this story.

It’s heartbreaking and tender, emotional and inspiring, and I can’t wait to read more from this world with the upcoming release of 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘐𝘯 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩.

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙚’𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙨𝙝𝙚’𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙢.

I really enjoyed this book! The pacing of the story was great, with flashbacks that gave the readers more context for events. It is hard to navigate a character that is over 900 years old, but it worked well in this book. I also enjoyed the narrator-- they did a great job navigating the story, reading clearly, and creating characters. I also loved the characters and enjoyed the plot twist at the end over what type of goddess the character ends up being. I hope for a second book!

⭐️⭐️

Where to begin… I just didn’t connect w/ the story, like at all. I felt like it really lacked in a lot of aspects- Which sucks ‘cause I was really looking forward to this book. Even 50% in, nothing really drew me to this 🎧 It sorta was just background noise at the point.
And I think there were 2 narrators- But this wasn’t a duet like I expected. So that was a major let down…

Set in a modern world with gods and goddesses, this story follows Naia, daughter of the High Seas Goddess. Naia does whatever she must to escape her mother's kingdom, including blindly accepting a curse.

While in the Mortal Land, Naia comes up against humans, witches, and ghouls as she tries to outrun her destiny, gain true freedom, and find herself, title and power.

I really enjoyed this romantic fantasy. It had a great dual-timeline narration that helped explain the backstory and intricate details between the characters. Plus, how gorgeous is this cover?

"Grief was a heavy burden without a cure."

I will be reading the second novel in The Fragile Divine series, Even After Death, which comes out March 5, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley for access to this audiobook.

https://www.goodreads.com/revieDays later, I've now finished rereading this stunning book through the audio, and I'm still struggling to find the words to describe how perfect it is.

The premise of the story drew me in right away. Randi Garner intricately weaves the FMC, Naia's, story in dual timelines, following her emotional journey of growing up as a soft but strong goddess in a world of other gods we love, and selfish ones we love to hate. If you're a fan of morally grey characters, you'll find an abundance here.

The Goddess Of is THE PERFECT standalone romantasy. It's balanced well between being character- and plot-driven, has exactly the right amount of world building, PLUS tension-filled romance and found family. The writing itself elicited all the emotions in me - bordering on gothic, but with a modern spin due to the setting.
Note: TGO is the first in a series of interconnected standalones, so you will still finish with characters you're desperate to know more about.

Ultimately, this is a story about how the FMC creates a space for herself in a world where there seemingly is none. Garner doesn't shy away from the dark and gritty details, showing us exactly what Naia goes through to make this happen. However, she also gives us the little beautiful moments to heal along with her.

The Goddess Of gets a HIGH re-readability score from me, as I found a ton of intricate details on my listen that had me tearing up all over again. This tells me exactly how careful the author was at choosing how to tell Naia and Ronin's story, not a single word written without purpose.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape for an advanced copy of the audiobook, so I could jump right back in and read again. The narrator did a fantastic job of portraying Naia with a full range of emotions, as well as choosing unique voices for Ronin and each of the side characters. The epilogue chapter, done from a different POV, was also done well, and I'm very excited to hear more from this narrator in the next book!w/show/6782118910

I had the pleasure of receiving an early copy of the audiobook of "The Goddess Of" by Randi Garner, and I must say, it was a delightful surprise.

The story is a fascinating blend of ancient gods mingling in the modern world. This unique premise sets the stage for a tale full of wonder and intrigue.

The narrative masterfully explores themes of mythology, power dynamics, and the struggle between old and new worlds. The presence of gods in contemporary settings provides a fresh perspective on the fantasy genre.

The central tension between Ronin and Niah is palpable and compelling. Their relationship is nuanced and adds depth to the story, making it easy to become invested in their journey.

Garner’s writing is nothing short of magical. Her world-building is vivid and enchanting, drawing you into the story from the very beginning. The descriptions are so lush and detailed that it feels as though you’re experiencing the world firsthand.

What stood out to me the most was the balance the author achieved between the old and the modern. The narrative kept me on the edge of my seat with its constant tension and unexpected twists. The audiobook experience was especially immersive, making it hard to pause the story even for a moment.

When it was all over, I found myself wanting to start the story all over again. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves mythology, fantasy, and intricate world-building. Highly recommended!

This captivating book offers a thrilling fusion of suspense and breathtaking moments. Evoking comparisons to “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue” which was notable for its lyrical prose tied to its otherworldly narrative. With a gradually unfolding plot being enriched with mythological elements, it ends up creating a fairytale ambiance that is dark, yet dreamlike. It weaves together themes of magic, curses, deities, and witches within a deeply emotional and increasingly romantic fantasy. At first glance I was in love with the cover, and after finishing it, I eagerly anticipate the next audiobook; the narration of this one carried a gothic quality that had me completely raptured.

The audiobook narration was wonderful. Abigail Reno did a fantastic job reading all of the different characters. I loved everything about this story. How have I not heard about this book before now?! This story was so intriguing and I loved every bit of the story. I was surprised by all of the twists and turns. I even gasped out loud several times while I was listening to the last half of the book. I cannot wait for book two, Even in Death, which will be released on 3/5/2025. The beginning was slightly confusing but as you learn more about the immortal world, things start to make sense.

This is exactly how I want my fantasy mixed with modern elements. This was so absolutely wonderfully crafted. The world building was as lush as any high fantasy while still pulling in modernization. A cute MMC with a nitro cold brew addiction and magic blood! Chefs kiss
This was a wonderful read from start to finish!