Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - Divine Rivals

At first, I LOVED this book. 50% of the way in I still loved this book. But as soon as the love story resolves, there’s still 25% of the book left and it feels like pushing a tertiary storyline from ground zero to go-mode. I was eating this book up, wrapped around its little pages like a phone charger around the beaterbrush of my dyson vacuum.

It slowed all the way down and then threw a curveball that I saw coming and expected me to care. Maybe the author needed more time than the deadline allowed to flesh out the end like the rest of the book. She’s an incredible writer so I’m not done with her works yet. But jeez did that pacing shift and sudden story arc shift impact the ride.

Content Warnings

louhide's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Content Warnings

kutub_qahwa's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

I haven't binged a book like this in ages. Such a great book. The writing was divine, the story was transcendent, and the characters were sublime. Overall an incredible book that didn't shy from grief, death, and war.

Content Warnings

rachelshubin's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

What a fabulous story that I am so glad I read, thanks to the suggestion of my friends Savannah and Sam. I’m not huge into fantasy and try to stay away from YA these days, but this book was just the most perfect light enough dabble into both of those aspects! It did start off slow for me, and I was intrigued but also didn’t find myself unable to put it down until part two. Chapter 25 was when I was like okay, I’m thoroughly enjoying the story. And by chapter 35, I was smitten with Iris and Roman.

I cannot wait for the sequel!

Content Warnings

misskitty14's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

Overall, an enjoyable read but not as amazing as everyone makes it out to be.

The characters are fun and multi-layered, though I do find the romance to feel a little forced. We just accept that they have fallen in love with each other though I'm not sure if I believe their intensity. I definitely identified with Iris, specifically her struggle to start her life on her own terms. Roman is, IMO, more fun and interesting when he challenges Iris. This might be why I was a little less excited about their relationship towards the end.

I suppose I'm most disappointed in the lack of world-building. I love the idea of the novel taking place in an alternate version of the 1910s/1920s, but rather than weaving the magic throughout the world Ross sort of inserts it (it's a difference between telling and showing). The general plot is not new, so I was expecting the author to lean more heavily into the fantasy aspects. Based on the book's ending, I am hopeful that the sequel (spoiler?) will expand on the world-building.

Content Warnings