Simply could not put this book down! Had to re-read several sections to make sure I didn't miss a single thing! Imaginative storytelling that blends ancient myth, religion, fantasy, and dark romance. Not for the faint of heart!

I need another installment immediately. This was a perfect blend between Rafael Nicolás's 'Angels Before Man' and Anthony Oliviera's 'Dayspring'. 'God's Scar' is a lyrical contemporary spin on an ancient myth.

God’s Scar
An incredibly dense layered fantasy using biblical characters as well as new ones . For example
Asmodeus who is portrayed differently in different sources but is commonly known as the king of demons is a major player. Beelzebub is waiting in the wings . Tragic Archangels . This is as much a book about loss and grief as it is about love I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A great love story, where the “good” side are not so good. It builds to an epic climax well worth reading

This is not just fantasy. This is theological angst, forbidden devotion, and cosmic rebellion wrapped in lyrical darkness.

📚 God’s Scar by Ivy Margriette
Genre: Literary dark fantasy
Vibes: forbidden love, angel and demon lore, moral complexity, aching slow burn

Angels do not fall from grace here. They fall into love. And Heaven is not kind.

At the center of this story is a half breed born of angel and demon. A living heresy. Raised in captivity. Shaped by cruelty. Sustained by one forbidden act of tenderness from a healer angel who risked everything just to hold him.

And when that angel is taken into the Demon Realm as a sacrifice, he does not mourn quietly.

He burns realms down.

What makes this stand out:

🔥 A cosmos where Heaven is rigid and merciless
🩸 Hell that devours the weak and rewards brutality
🕊️ A protagonist torn between monstrosity and gentleness
💔 Devotion that feels sacred and ruinous at the same time
👑 An arena soaked in blood and divine politics

This is slow burn in the truest sense. The love is non explicit but emotionally relentless. It aches. It lingers. It feels like standing at the edge of something holy and profane all at once.

What struck me most is how deeply philosophical this feels. It asks whether a soul labeled as wrong from birth has the right to exist as he is. To love without shame. To choose himself in a system designed to erase him.

This is not a light read. It is gritty. It is introspective. It leans into trauma and identity and what happens when sacred systems become cruel.

If you love morally complex fantasy, forbidden M M devotion, and lyrical storytelling that feels almost mythic, this will be for you.

💬 Do you prefer your fantasy rooted in romance, philosophy, or full scale chaos?

#IvyMargriette #GodsScar #DarkFantasy #MMFantasy #IndieFantasy

This one felt heavy — but in that powerful, can’t-look-away kind of way.

God’s Scar has a raw intensity to it. From the very beginning, there’s this sense that something sacred has been fractured — and everything that follows is about the fallout. It’s dark, emotional, and layered with questions about faith, identity, and the marks we carry long after the moment that made them.

What really stayed with me was the atmosphere. It feels almost reverent at times, and then suddenly deeply unsettling. That contrast makes the emotional beats hit harder. The story doesn’t rush to comfort you — it lets you sit with discomfort, doubt, and complicated truths.

The characters feel scarred in ways that go beyond the physical. Their struggles feel internal and spiritual as much as external, which gave the story real weight. You’re not just watching events unfold — you’re watching belief systems shift and crack.

The writing has this sharp, almost poetic edge. Certain lines linger, especially the ones that explore pain and redemption. It’s not an easy read, but it’s a meaningful one.

If you’re in the mood for something intense, thought-provoking, and emotionally fearless — a story that challenges as much as it moves you — God’s Scar definitely leaves a mark.

God's scar plunges into a dark, captivating world where power, betrayal and divine intrigue collide. Ivy weaves a story that is both epic in scope and intimate in it's emotional stakes, exploring the complexities of faith, sin and ambition in a world teetering on the edge of chaos.

The pacing is generally strong, though there are moments where exposition and repeated explanations slightly slow the momentum. still, the intricate world building, divine politics and tension filled plot more than compensate.

I feel very in-between about this book. When I first started it, the story felt a bit slow because of the writing style. However, after about two chapters I started to get into it and things began to click for me.
Some aspects definitely worked for me, while others didn’t. I enjoyed the world of angels and demons, it does not followsthe familiar trope of Lucifer or the fallen angel who falls in love with a normal person and all the drama that comes with it. What I appreciated most was this novelty of the book. Because the story takes place in the angel/demon world, the boundaries of what is acceptable are stretched, which made the story feel different.
That said, there were also things I didn’t enjoy as much. Without going too deep into spoilers, the ZxL relationship felt a bit too much for me considering Z’s family relationships. I also felt that around the halfway point the book became a bit too text-heavy.
Overall, if I’m being fair, I did enjoy the book, especially considering I ended up crying a bit at the end, even though I kept telling myself I wasn’t that invested. The story is definitely very emotional, so if you’re looking for a book that will completely consume you and leave you emotionally wrecked, this one might be for you.

3.5/5

This nonfiction book starts with an interesting story that hooks me up. I like the book cover, the art within the book, and the angelic theme in the story. I can easily relate to the emotions in the story and reflect on those emotions long after having a break from reading. I am currently reading using my tablet / phone with no issue. I am looking forward to the publication so I can buy the book as well!

God’s Scar is a beautifully told story of faith, betrayal, hope and love. It’s imbued with longing, set in an intricately crafted world of heaven and hell. This story stirred a wide range of emotions in me, so much so that I could not put it down, yet felt compelled to slow down and savour every detail and the lyrical prose. The remarkable depth of the characters is something I appreciated throughout the novel. Truly a great read. Not a light one, but a very well written one.

I received this as an ARC, and this review is spoiler-free.

This ended up being a 5-star read for me, but not a flawless one.

The worldbuilding is easily one of the strongest elements. Heaven isn’t soft or decorative here; it feels hierarchical, tense, and fully functioning. There’s structure, politics, labor, and consequence. The theological elements, including direct Catholic prayers and biblical references, are deeply embedded into the fabric of the story. Some readers may find parts of it provocative or uncomfortable, but the thematic commitment is unwavering.

There are familiar romance tropes : insta-love, jealousy, obsessive devotion, protective fury, love triangles , but the emotional intensity behind them feels sincere rather than dramatic for drama’s sake. The yearning is palpable. The devotion borders on destructive at times, but that’s part of what makes it compelling. The characters don’t just fall in love; they wrestle with it, resist it, suffer for it. There’s a constant tension between desire and consequence that keeps the relationship dynamic charged.

I also appreciated that the intimacy is emotional rather than explicit. There are no graphic sexual scenes; instead, the connection comes through in quieter, most tender moments that feel earned.

This is a slow burn. It takes its time, and the romance develops amid chaos, conflict, and moral struggle. It’s messy in a way that feels intentional.

Structurally, the POV shifts from single first person early on to multiple third person later, which expands the scope but can take some adjustment. Every character has complexity; they all encounter difficulties and pain.

The battle scenes also vary in cadence, sometimes sharp and vividly detailed, other times more impressionistic and drawn out. It’s stylistic rather than conventional.

The writing is excellent, lyrical without becoming incomprehensible. It leans poetic but maintains clarity.

This won’t be for readers looking for light romantasy or fast-paced action fantasy. It’s heavier, darker, and more philosophical. But if you’re willing to sit with the complexity, the payoff is powerful.

Arc Review
God's Scar by Ivy Margriette
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you Eden Quill Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book was very well written, I could tell the author put in so much hard work and effort. The book is so very detailed and discriptive that it just captivates you and holds you hostage till the very end.
I really enjoyed reading the book and thank the author for writing it!!
#GodsScar #NetGalley

'Because love was not the warmth they sang about in hymns. Love made you vulnerable, exposed to the sheer, naked terror of caring enough to lose everything'

This was an amazing story about love, belonging and acceptance.

After reading the blurb I knew I would enjoy reading this book but I wasn't prepared for how mind blowing it was.

The story starts when a newborn half breed angel TzimRael opens his eyes in Heaven. As the story progresses he has to struggle with being shunned for his demon blood, trying to find a place he belongs and finally finding solace after meeting Lyriel.

The story is told from multiple POVs, each with a distinct personality and unique story. Every character is well fleshed out and easy to empathize with. It was good to see how different characters saw and reacted to what was happening. Both angels and demons were portrayed as morally gray, flawed and desiring acceptance. Each of their stories was very emotional. Especially Caelan's POV was very heartbreaking.

The world building was atmospheric and immersive. The battle scenes were described so well, it was like watching a film not reading a book. The writing style was very beautiful and evocative.

Overall, it was an amazing read, one of my favorites this year for sure. The unique portrayal of Heaven and Hell and complex characters make this book a must read for people who love books with high stakes and lyrical writing. I am looking forward to read more by this author.

'They'd built their purity on deprivation and called it holy'

'Another rule, another law carved into Heaven's bones and never questioned'

Thank you to NetGalley and to the author for the ARC in return for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐ rounded up

His wings had always been pure, always divine. He never fell from grace. He only fell in love.

God's scar follows the half angel, half demon Tzimrael and follows his life and love as he discovers his place in the world as an outcast from birth.

The overall story of the book has a lot of heart and is a detailed exploration of grief, unrequited love and abuse, to name only a few of the key elements. The prose are written beautifully and it's clear that the author has a talent for descriptions of feelings but I do feel like sometimes they can be a bit lengthy and can pull away from the plot.

My other criticism is around the sentence formatting for a lot of the book. The quick pacing of the sentences works really well for the more fast paced fights and moments, but when it's used for general descriptions it can feel repetitive and doesn't flow smoothly. It would benefit greatly for more connecting words used in places of commas.

Saying all of this, the book is clearly a whole-hearted labour of love and it very much showed as I was reading it. I think with some more editing and shortening of some parts it could really be something special. I very much look forward to seeing what the author does in the future as well as their writing style and vision really is beautiful.