I received an advanced digital copy of this book from Netgalley.com and the publisher St. Martin's Press. Thank you to both along with the author for the opportunity to read and review.

Wicked Saints starts with cannon fire and doesn't let up until the very end. Violent and bloody, this imaginative debut will easily find fans who want fantasy without dragons and incest. Well written and excellently executed, Ms. Duncan has created a new trilogy which should enter the pantheon of classic fantasy books.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.

I feel like my review will be all over the place cause that’s how my emotions are right now after reading this STUNNINGLY BEWITCHING story.

This book played with my emotions and left my heart bleeding… but it was all worth it! Aside from some parts that were a bit slow, I found myself undeniably and utterly enthralled with this bone-chilling fairy tale and deliciously bloody world. The writing was dangerously enticing, and incredibly engrossing that once I was sucked in, I never wanted this magical adventure to end. I loved the delicious, lush, and immersive world-building! Even if there were a few parts that was kind of confusing, I was absolutely enchanted by everything. The plot was just AMAZING and I loved all the wicked twists and turns and never really knowing what would happen next. The battle between dark and light, good and evil, and right and wrong have all been done before, but this book threw in so much more than I ever expected.

The story had two POVs and I thought they were really well-written and intriguing. However, for most of the time, I enjoyed Nadya’s a bit more. I was just so fascinated by her, Malachiasz, and their budding romance that I couldn’t wait to get to her chapters. I did like Serefin’s sections and they were enjoyable to some extent, but there was just more FEELS for me and excitement when it came to Nadya’s journey and her relationship with Malachiasz.

Speaking of Nadya and Malachiasz… those two just emotionally messed me up. I have always been drawn to the “bad boy” type (or in this case the monster) and I just think there’s something so satisfying when the villain isn’t really who he seems to be. I loved that they both saw something in each other that changed them for the better. I loved how sweet Malachiasz can be towards Nadya. I loved seeing him so gentle and really vulnerable. He was everything but a monster to me and that twist just made me fall head over heels for him. Nadya was likable and I enjoyed her character development a lot. I loved that she was willing to see someone other than the monster and how she struggled to reconcile her feelings for Malachiasz. I absolutely adored them and really loved their forbidden romance with all the angst and tension. Their interactions were thrilling, sometimes humorous, swoony even, and just so darn addictive. The slow-burn was totally titillating and will not disappoint if you love this kind of trope.

Honestly, I wasn’t too fond of Serefin at first. I just wasn’t charmed by him the way I was with Malaciasz, so I didn’t really care so much for him in the beginning. BUT, somewhere past the middle of the book I started to warm up to him and I eventually saw that he can be caring, sweet, and funny too. There were also things that happened to him that just broke my heart and that’s when I knew I was done for. I no longer saw him as the drunk, selfish, arrogant High Prince. He was this wounded and misunderstood boy that was trying to do whatever he thinks was good for his Kingdom.

I truly had fun reading this book and there’s just too many things I loved about this story and absolutely cannot wait to see what happens next.

Enchantingly dark, viciously captivating, and bloody romantic, Wicked Saints by Emily Duncan was one magically awesome and fantastically thrilling tale. Duncan masterfully created a bloody dangerous world filled with wicked mysteries, twists and turns, characters who surprised me like no other, a storyline that had me on edge and holding my breath, and a hauntingly beautiful enemies to lovers forbidden romance that had me feeling so many emotions. I LOVEDDDD this book. It was utterly mesmerizing and exciting, but also such wonderfully written story about faith, redemption, forgiveness, hope, and love and I really loved this book and I don’t think I can rave enough about it.

Just do yourself a favor. Pick this book up right now. I’m positive it will completely blow your mind away!

I received an advance reader copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughs and opinions are my own.

I received an ARC from the publisher St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2,5 stars.
An okay book, needed some more work tho.

CHARACTERS:

I never truly connected with the characters, I could clearly see their potential and while I think they were fairly fleshed out in complexity and flaws, I could never truly care about them.
Excluding the “main” three protagonists, I felt like the secondary characters were rather superficial to the story because when it came down to business, they didn’t contribute anything to the story.
Speaking of the main three: I had a major complain: I often felt like Nadya took a backseat in her own story: the moment she meets Malachiasz, he kicks her to the sidelines and pretty much takes the spotlight.
Nadya is naive and blind when it comes to him (yeah, he’s the main love interest of the story), and pretty much everything else, so having to watch her fall for his machinations is frustrating....which brings me to this point: female characters don’t need to be reduced to love interests and renounce to have strong stories.
Serefin was a true delight instead: he’s the only character I was genuinely interested in and I might continue the series just for his sake because I want to see what is going to happen to him (and his companions).
Malachiasz....I hated him, I did not give a flying damn about his motivations or reasoning; his attitude grated on my nerves from the beginning and when the thing happens I was not surprised and just wanted to be over so I could be done.
The question now is what his arc is going to be: redemption or destruction? I know which one I want....

THE WORLD-BUILDING AND PLOT:

The magic system worked well because of how it related to religion and politics, on a practical level, it did fall apart at the end: there was never a set of rules established for how the magic worked. I think that giving it parameters and letting us know what could and couldn’t be done with it would have provided a lot of insight necessary to fully comprehend the world.
As for the plot: fast paced and action filled but with a side of deus ex machina: lot of build up for certain things and then nothing would happen because the protagonists would just accidentally slide into convenient situations that would solve the problem.
It felt quite anticlimactic.

WRITING:

The writing lacked harmony: to me it needed some more editing and a good eye to spot the bits where the flow of the text appeared too jagged and inconsistent.
The pacing felt off to me at times, specifically with the relationships developing and even if I guessed pretty early what was going to happen, I expected certain things to go more slowly than they did, and that left me a little disappointed.
I will say this tho: the braiding of religion, magic, and politics was extremely well done and handled with respect and carefully.
The book is a great medium to starts an important discussion about questioning our beliefs, opening our minds to others and thinking/deciding for ourselves instead of simply following the things we’re taught.
It’s the kind of YA book that is truly written for teenagers because it has the dialogues they should be reading about, without passing judgement or shying away from the various arguments.

THIS BOOK WAS ABSOLUTELY MARVELLOUS.

It was a dark fantasy novel, with a complicated forbidden romance, intense world-building, complicated, multi-faced characters, power and OH SO MANY TWISTS AND LIES and I loved every minute that I was immersed in Emily Duncan’s debut novel.

THINGS I LOVED ABOUT WICKED SAINTS:

1. THE PLOT: I’m always afraid that fantasy with romance means that the romance will overshadow the plot but despite the fact that romance was a big part of Wicked Saints, the plot, the reason behind the war, the progression, the power-seeking was ALL SO WELL DONE. I was not only invested in the characters but also the story and NOW THAT I’M DONE, I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF.

2. THE GIRL, THE PRINCE, AND THE MONSTER: I LOVED Serefin, Nadya and Malachiasz as individual characters and together. I can’t start explaining them, and their growth through the book without spoilers but THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE REAL CHARACTERS, trying to understand their purpose, with unwavering love to save their country and immense power and I loved it.

3. THE MAGIC: By the time the end (and the moths) came, I was a little lost, but I loved every minute of discovering the different magic that existed in this world. It’s always intriguing when magic that doesn’t follow standard rules and Emily Duncan’s world was definitely different.

4. THE ROMANCE: I think I more love how the romance developed as the two characters traveled and schemed together. They were such polar opposites, in terms of loyalty and power, and I loved seeing how Emily Duncan played with that in the book.

I feel like my review hasn’t done justice to the magnificence that is Wicked Saints. I was HOOKED at every turn, invested in the plot, the war, and the romance and totally in love with the characters. It is one of the best debut novels I’ve read in a while and I CANNOT RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH.

Wicked freaking Saints, wow.
I have never read such a dark almost Gothic fantasy like this ever.
I had so much fun reading this book from beginning to end, there was a single moment I wasn't
thinking about this book since i started it.

I got an ARC of this book Via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Everything about this felt so concrete and well written : The characters and character development, The plot, The world building, and the questions left unanswered in this book felt like they were left unanswered only for now.

I would kill for a map of the world in this series, I read the E book so I'm not sure if the published version has one but if it doesn't it definitely should going forward. Let me not forget to mention that Nadya is such a fun character to read - shes brave but not stupid or irrational, regardless of how she was raised to think she is still her own person and not blinded by stubbornness. Honestly she's everything I want in a main character in a fantasy book.

Of course I can't NOT mention Malachiasz.
Wow Wow Wow 'm not sure how Emily Duncan managed it but she made me love
his character so so much. I don't want to give too much away so I'm just going to say his story feels like it was thought out very well and it unravels perfectly.

The story is so much fun to read of course like any YA there is playful banter between the
characters and there's a chin grab here and there because why not but over all I have no complaints about this book. I'm so happy is a trilogy because three books feels perfect for this series.


This book definitely gets 5 out of 5 stars from me and is absolutely one of my new favorites.

This book started off with so much action that it immediately drew my attention. Emily A. Duncan's writing style is beautiful and descriptive. This is the kind of book that will suck you in, and you won't be able to put it down until it's finished.

Wicked Saints follows two characters through (in the author's words) "two countries, Kalyazin, which is a Russian analogue, and Tranavia, which is Polish."

The magic system was dark, but entertaining. You have never met a heroine like Nadya before.

One of the things I like most about this book is that it's entertaining and it isn't all action. There is some downtime, which I think makes for a great read!

I can't wait to see where this story goes! I will definitely be continuing this series!

With so many mixed reviews flying around, I was both anxious and excited to dive into Wicked Saints. On the surface it seemed like exactly the kind of book I love, with a Gothic sensibility, horrific elements, blood magic, warring religions and even monsters. And the verdict? I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and even though there are elements that didn’t quite work for me, overall I had fun reading it and I’m invested enough to continue the series.

Nadezhda Lapteva, or Nadya as she’s called, is a cleric, one of the last of her kind who can speak to the gods and channel their magic. Because of a drawn out war between the Kalyazins and the heretical Tranavians, Nadya has been in hiding for years, trying to stay one step ahead of the Tranavians who have nearly killed off all the clerics. But one day, presumably safe in a monastery at the top of the Baikkle Mountains, an alarm goes off. Tranavians have breached the grounds and Nadya must run for her life.

One of the Tranavians, a prince named Serefin Meleski, is searching for a cleric who is rumored to live in the monastery. But before they can find her, Serefin is called home to the palace by his father.And as Nadya runs from her pursuers, she meets a band of rebels who are determined to kill the king in order to stop the war. Nadya reluctantly joins them on the way to the palace, but can she trust the handsome Malachiasz Czechowicz, a blood mage who seems to have an ulterior motive? She’s about to find out, as Nadya, Malachiasz and Serefin converge on the palace, and a centuries old war comes to a head.

Duncan has created a wonderfully Gothic and dark atmosphere, full of morally gray characters who do not always behave the way you expect them to. She’s pulled her character names from the Russian/Slavic culture, which added a nice dimension to her tale. The story revolves around blood magic, and be warned if you’re squeamish when it comes to blood, because this story is dripping with it. The blood mages carry around spellbooks wherever they go, and their magic works by cutting themselves and smearing blood on the pages of the book. Because there is danger at every turn, mages sew razor blades into the sleeves of their jackets so they always have a quick way of drawing blood. The story becomes more and more blood-soaked as it goes along, and to be honest I found myself a little disgusted at times, especially since the characters always seem to have blood dripping down their arms and they are constantly wiping that blood off on their clothing.

Nadya’s magic is of a completely different type. She can speak to all the gods of her religion and by rubbing a particular bead on a necklace, she can ask for their help whenever she needs it. I loved the descriptions of what each god can do for her, although I have to admit I was disappointed when the sections where she talks to the gods stopped halfway through the book. I would have liked that idea developed even more.

I did enjoy Nadya’s character, but in all honesty the star of the show is Malachiasz, a tortured Tranavian who used to be one of the Vultures, blood mages who have misused their power and have literally become monsters, with iron claws and teeth and ferocious, evil powers. Malachiasz is fighting with his monstrous side, and this made his character so much more interesting that everyone else. And fan artists are going to have a field day with him! I’m not even an artist and I could see every paint stroke in my head as I was reading.

I also liked Serefin, the prince who is tired of doing his father’s bidding, and when he discovers his father is hiding a big secret, he wants to distance himself from his heritage even more. I really loved the interactions between Serefin and Nadya, which luckily didn’t stray into a romantic entanglement. (The same cannot be said for the burgeoning romance between Nadya and Malachiasz!) A couple of side characters also added a lot to the story, in particular Malachiasz’s friends Rashid and Parijahan.

I did find the first half of the story to be rather slow and aimless, but at about the halfway point, all the main characters converge in the palace and that’s when the action really takes off. The second half is a breathless, bloody showdown with just about every character facing some kind of mortal danger. I wasn’t sure how I would feel at the end of the story, but I’m actually looking forward to the next book!

I'm not gonna, the first thing that came to my mind when I read the synopsis of this book was: AHHH! IT SOUNDS LIKE SIX OF CROWS/THE GRISHA TRILOGY!! Which, if you don't know, is one of my all time favorites, but this book turned out to be much, much darker, which is not a bad thing. The world Duncan creates is both beautiful and brutal, with the lands being ravished by a seemingly endless holy war. Our main characters are Nadya, a cleric who can speak to all of the gods, Malachiasz, a blood mage who leads a group of rebels, and Serefin, a blood mage prince who is hunting Nadya, who I actually all really enjoyed (an impressive feat considering I always seem to find something to hate on hahaha). I will say I think Serefin is my favorite considering he is both a bisexual icon and one of my new favorite villains.


The book starts off by throwing the reader into the middle of an invasion which really sets the tone for the rest of the book. The pace is quick and the pages are full of action which makes this a hard book to put down. I will say that as someone who hates blood and needles and all things of that manner I was a little put off by the blood magic in the beginning, but I think it's something really cool that a lot of other authors haven't really explored. I also really enjoyed the Russian and Slavic influences on the story/world, and though Duncan did a great job in incorporating it naturally into the story. I also think she did a great job at setting up the religions of this world, something that actually reminded me of Bardugo's other series the Grisha Trilogy, because that is extremely difficult to do! Despite all of my and other's comparisons to Bardugo's books I truly believe this book stands on its own, and that Emily A. Duncan is going to be the next YA dark fantasy queen. I really want to talk about everything I loved in incredible detail, but, as this book doesn't come out till April 4th, I shall restrain myself till then.


Overall, Wicked Saints is an amazing book filled to the brim with beautiful writing, brutal action, and an incredible story. I cannot recommend this book enough to anyone who loves fantasy--especially dark fantasy--and I need to get my hands on the next book asap!! I'm giving Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan 5/5 stars for being my, and probably everyone else's, newest obsession.

4.5

Tranavians and Kalyazins have been in a centuries-long holy war ever since the Tranavians had forsaken belief in the gods, and their power, to harness their own blood magic. Kalyazins view Tranavians as heretics as opposed to their own clerics—those who can commune directly with the gods who in turn imbue them with often unimaginable power. All the clerics are believed to be dead…except one.

Nadezhda Lapteva (Nadya) has been living in secret at a Kalyazin monastery, training until her time comes to be the salvation the Kalyazins believe her to be in the war. But when the monastery is attacked—by the Tranavian High Prince—and Nadya has to flee for her life, she runs into a ragtag group of rebels bent on seeing the war end one way or another—up to and including assassinating the King of Tranavian.

Out of other options, Nadya will have to put her trust in these people, including a mysterious boy with dark magic of his own that makes her start to question the beliefs she’s always held true.

I went into Wicked Saints not knowing what to expect. I honestly don’t think I even gave the blurb anything but a glancing read through, but it was enough that I was interested in reading Emily A. Duncan’s debut. I can only say that I was thoroughly blown away by Wicked Saints.

The world is so realized. The push and pull between the belief in gods or the use of one’s own blood as a source of power is so completely conceptualized.

The narrative switches between Nadya’s perspective and that of the Tranavian High Prince Serefin, and gives readers a good glimpse of both sides of the conflict. While Tranvaians are painted as more of the villains in this one, you come to see where they’re coming from with their beliefs. I loved that Emily A. Duncan was very precise in giving both sides and bringing up good counterpoints to both. You see that sometimes not everyone’s beliefs necessarily align with the side their fighting on.

In this way you also see the characters as more than just good or bad. Depending on which side, you understand that people can inhabit both qualities. Nadya has this immense power from the gods, and she wants to use it to end the war, but how far do you go in your quest? What happens when things she does is in opposition to what she’s been taught about the gods? Can you care for someone who is so openly against all that you believe? There are so many questions to postulate, but to do so would allow for spoilers unfortunately.

Suffice it to say, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in picking up Wicked Saints. Emily A. Duncan was wonderful at keeping the story on track while also throwing out little asides of information that I’m hoping will lead to interesting places in the next book.

Wicked Saints is unlike anything I have read recently. With a totally unique magic system, a host of intriguing characters and some morally grey characters this book sucked me in and kept me hooked. Despite my enjoyment of the book I did have some issues with it. I didn’t love the way that the main character developed or the way her relationship with another character developed. She started out really strong and powerful and then seemed weakened by that relationship. I’m hopeful that in future books she’ll be back to being a badass. I would recommend this book and I am looking forward to book two.

First of all, I'm a sucker for gothic and darker fantasy settings. Also, forbidden romances are my ultimate weakness, to be honest. Aside from that, I love the high stakes, as well as the political and religious intrigue that was prevalent throughout the novel. The atmosphere and the scope reminded my of a mix of Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse books, Susan Dennard's Witchlands series, and a little bit one of my adult dark fantasy favourites: Godblind by Anna Stephens. Essentially, it was everything I loved in a fantasy book. Romance, politics, religion, and rebellion. And non of these themes overshadow each other too much.

I wanted to love this book, not just like it. I'm hoping I'll love the next one though. I just found the story in wicked saints slow at times. The author takes so much time explaining the world, differences in lands and introducing new characters plus their backstory. While I enjoy that in a novel, I think it was done in too many different places in the story and while it's helpful to know the history, it pulls you out of what is currently happening. I found the second half a bit smoother and more enjoyable than the first.
While I found those parts made the story less enjoyable, I really liked the plot without those breaks and the characters that were created. They are all different and interesting in their own way. They are what made me enjoy the story. This is why I'm looking forward to the next book. There will be less need to explain the histories of every thing. This definitely a series that has potential to become 5 stars for me in the rest of the trilogy.

Wicked Saints is smart, dark, and a breath of fresh air in the fantasy world. Emily Duncan is surprisingly a debut author and the way Wicked Saints is written, you would think she has been around for decades. If you are a fan of Leigh Bardugo, you will definitely devour this book quickly. The characters and the romance pulls you in and rips your heart out and will leave you wanting the second book in the series instantly. Duncan is a new voice that will for sure be a quick favorite. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Happy book birthday to Emily A. Duncan’s debut novel Wicked Saints, which hit shelves everywhere today.

The first book in the Something Dark and Holy series, Wicked Saints is an action-packed young adult fantasy that follows a girl who talks to gods (all of them), a prince who practices blood magic in the least offensive way possible, and a mysterious boy with a serious rebellious streak.

Ready to learn more about this brand-new novel and celebrate its release? Keep reading for a Q&A with author Emily A. Duncan.

Where did the concept for Wicked Saints come from?

No real specific place or event. I was playing Skyrim and I liked the atmosphere. I wanted to write about a fantasy world styled after Eastern Europe. I wanted to write about religion. I wanted to write a book that feels like listening to a really good metal song. All these things just eventually made their way into the book.

Which point of view did you have the most fun writing?

Oh, Nadya, even though her point of view is definitely the harder one for me. But I like how she interacts with the rest of the cast, and I love writing her arguments with Malachiasz. Also she has the romance arc of the book and I do love writing romance.

What can fans expect to see in book two?

Take the weirdness that happens at the end of Wicked Saints and it’s that for 500 pages. It’s a cosmic horror road trip through a forest that wants to eat you. We see the Salt Mines and more of Kalyazin. There’s more blood, more pedantic arguments about the nature of divinity, more melodrama. Also a fabulously bi occult military princess that I am very excited for everyone to meet. 🙂

Intrigued? Wicked Saints is now available for purchase in bookstores everywhere!

Wicked Saints is definitely something dark and maybe a little holy. I found this story intriguing and yet it lacked real intensity for me as reader to invest in these characters journey. Nayda was a heroine who is suppose to be the savior, but as the story went on her destiny takes a weird turn. Everyone in the very beginning is hunting her down and then all of a sudden they just up and change plans.

Malachiasz is a blood mage who has a pretty twisted back story and yet his character arc was the most appealing although we got no pov from him. I found him to really come off the pages the best out of the three main character. Prince Serefin is another blood mage who I found intriguing as well maybe do to his disability by being blind in one eye really gave him some depth that really stood out for why he is the way he is as well as his drinking problem.

I really enjoyed the idea of all the little archive history note of passed god blessed clerics who were given divine power by the gods who found them worthy patrons. The Gods element of why these two nations are at war with each other does bring a darkness to the story. However I think for me this story lack challenges for these characters or they got over them so quickly. The pace of the story was great, but yet things felt sometimes anti climatic. Overall the retelling is fascinating and hopefully in the next book Nayda will pop off the pages just a little more, so I won't forget that she is the catalyst for this story.

I FINALLY have a new dark, gritty atmospheric world to love!

This was an awesome debut that had me flipping through the pages as fast as I possibly could. I can't even remember the last time I was so blown away by the first chapter by a book, but when I finished chapter one I knew this as going to be good.

I loved the world that the author created and how unapologetic and bloody it was. I won't lie I struggled a bit with the names and the pacing towards the end of the book, but I still ended up loving this and a few new monsters who hold a very special place in my heart.

I can't wait to see where the next two books will take us !

Review will be posted 4/4/19

Nadya lives in monastery in a remote village. She isn't your usual teenager though; she can speak to all the Gods which is rare. The priests know Nadya is special and are hoping she will be an unrivaled weapon in the Holy War, which is why she is training at the monastery. However, before the priests can finish training her training, they are attacked by their enemies. Leading the attack is Serefin, a prince, who can preform dark magic, and holds many secrets of his own. Can Nadya really stop the war and save her people like they all had hoped? Emily A. Duncan's Wicked Saints is an action packed young adult fantasy for fans who enjoy dark magic, adventure, and corrupt kingdoms.

Nadya is an interesting character right off the bat in Wicked Saints. I liked that she's fierce, independent, and holds a lot of power. She can talk to not only her patron God, but all the Gods, which makes her a force to be reckon with. Who doesn't love a little girl power? Whereas Serefin was a bit more complex. I did feel badly that he has to deal with his crazy and power hungry father, but I didn't always agree with his decisions. For starters, every time he uses his magic, he has to shed blood. That's right. Blood. Yikes. Chapters alternate from both Nadya and Serefin's perspectives, so readers will get to know both characters well, although I will admit that I had hoped Duncan would have fleshed them out a bit more.

The setting, although a little confusing at times, was really unique in Wicked Saints. Duncan created a world that that felt a bit inspired by Russia. The churches, the complex names, the blood magic, and the Gods all added to a memorable and atmospheric setting.

So, Wicked Saints was a bit darker than I was expecting. It's pretty action packed and in turn, can be very violent for a young adult novel. There are some definite o-m-g moments and don't get me started about that ending! So, if you like your YA fantasies a bit more action packed and cutthroat, definitely check out Wicked Saints. It is the start of a new trilogy that I think fans of darker high fantasies will enjoy.

I was immediately drawn to Wicked Saints because of the unique sounding magical system and talk of political intrigue. Those two things are delivered fantastically in this debut. The book starts off fast and really doesn’t let up. I was caught up in the story and characters very quickly.


The book is told through two points of view, Nadya and Serefin. They both play important roles on opposing sides of an epic war. I found the feud between the countries and religions very interesting. I loved that Nadya was able to grow and become a bit more understanding as the story goes on. I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface on Serefin’s character. I can’t wait to learn more about him.


There’s a pretty fantastic slow burn romance in Wicked Saints. I was definitely invested in that story line! I loved Malachiasz! He was probably my favorite character in the book. The bad boy attitude and air of mystery made him very captivating. I bet you will love him too.


My favorite element of the book was the magic. It seems hard to find a unique take on magic in YA fantasy these days. Wicked Saints is one of the most unique I’ve came across in years. Nadya communes with her Gods and Goddesses and they lend her their power. Serefin is a remarkable blood mage who uses his blood and spell books to achieve great magic. So basically, Emily A. Duncan has created two amazing magic systems in one book!


Wicked Saints was an exceptional debut. The world building and magic left me in awe. It’s going to be a long wait for book two!

*Thanks to @netgalley @wednesdaybooks for an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Think Victorian spires and gargoyles. Think shards of glass and rusted nails scattered in burned out hulls. Think white snow turning the deepest crimson. And, feeling the darkest of all darkness in the blackest night. Welcome to #WickedSaints by Emily A. Duncan @glitzandshadows

Summary**
A girl, Nadya, raised in a monestary. She is the only known cleric in existence, meaning she was chosen by the gods as a vessel to communicate, and do their bidding. Nadya's mission is to save her country, Kalyazin,from the heretics who practice blood magic in Tranavia. One day, her home is attacked by the Tranavian high prince, Serefin, and his army. Nadya is too valuable to die, so she flees. In her flight, she chances upon Rashid and Parijahan, Akolans fleeing their country, and a mysterious boy named Malachiasz. Nadya immediately distrusts him. Realizing they all want the Tranavian king dead, they take refuge in an abandoned church. Soon, they are attacked. Obviously, some fighting and other things occur, but no spoilers. They form a plan to get into Tranavia, and kill the king, thus, allowing Nadya to end blood magic, and restore the gods. We learn that Malachiasz is a Tranavian blood mage, ergo, a heretic. Persuasively, he causes Nadya to question her beliefs about her power and about Malachiasz. Who is he? Enemy or friend? What are his motives?
At the same time, Serefin is called home from the war for an overblown tradition to choose a wife. When he arrives in Tranavia, he begins to have suspicions about many things. Is he just being paranoid? Will Nadya and Malachiasz succeed? Is Malachiasz who he appears to be or a liar? Is Nadya's power true, or are her beliefs mistaken?

My Thoughts**
I can't even begin to explain the inner turmoil over this story. I expected some dark magic and diety worship at opposites while saving the world. What I found was a revelation of a new very dark world rendered even more so because of the grayscale dismally cold eastern European vibe. It gave me chills. From beginning to end it's atmospherically haunting. The big question is who do you believe? These characters live and breath and stand beside you all day long, even when you hate them. Nadya and Malachiasz are so volatile and intense it's insane. Like a force of nature. The dialogue is pure heart pounding exhaustion, and I'm hanging on every word. The religious arguments made me question who is actually right. Is one belief system better than the other, or are they simply different? Still, any differences will never be tolerated by the opposition. The love hate relationships are sinfully steamy. Motives are maddeningly unclear. The ending left me numbly devastated. Wanting to throw something. Yeah, it's the kind of story that you live in for days oblivious to everything else, until you are suddenly cast out into reality. Just brutal! It's so unexpected and original. It destroyed me, but I devoured it all the same. Read it! You'll be sorry if you miss out on Wicked Saints.

Hello dangerous tale with an amazingly dramatic grand finale. Fans of Dark YA Fantasy, be sure to add this to your TBR, you won't be disappointed. So dark, so bloody and so good! Emily A. Duncan wrote one unique world and plot. Her plot twist left me anxiously awaiting book 2.

Warning: Self mutilation / harm (blood magic).

**Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own. **