4 gothic stars

Holy Cow!

Sorry but this was so not what I expected!

I nearly DNF and franckly the beginning did not work with me at all! Maybe because I associated cleric with bigots? Maybe because it did not seat well with me that Nadya had to do the gods will? Not one god but many many gods. She felt like a puppet to me. Yet she also had the gods doing her bidding..
I was lost, angry, annoyed and confused.

I had to go past the 35% to really fall into the story and feel concerned by Nadia’s fate.
Is it random that it’s around that point that the story stopped to focus only on the setting, on the events but moved to the feelings and the interaction between Nadya and her unexpected allies?
I think not.
Because I will always be a characters first kind of reader.

This was a turning point for me and took the story from 2 stars to 4,5 stars by the end.
And what a dramatic grand finale!

Emily A. Duncan has written a complex and dark gothic tale. Mixing saints, gods, blood magic on what I experienced as a Slavic background.

This story has a cleric hero, glowing light and only hope for people in dark time. Her faith will be tested countless time. Nadya will make prowesses but she will also pay a hard price.
It has war, magic battles, romance even if it is far from the focal point. It is filled with betrayals and unexpected character’s developments. Few villains are evil and many will surprise you.
It is rich, imaginative with its own set of monsters.
With so many shades of darkness and so many variations of light I was not surprised to read Emily thanking Queen Bardugo!

If you give it a chance go past the 35% mark before making up your mind.

I want to thank St Martin’s Press who granted my wish on Netgalley. It had no influence on my willing and always honest review!

I requested this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Duncan has created a dark world where the holy and the unholy are fighting in a war for the rights of their people. Our main character finds that the holy life she has led may not be the path she was meant for when she meets a man who has dark secrets. This book grips you in a wicked way and then leaves you wanting more in the end. Definitely recommend for YA fantasy fans.

I heard a ton of people talking about this book, that I thought it was super interesting. I was pretty excited when I got the chance to read it ahead of its publication. The book is touted as kind of a fantasy Joan of Arc, which I guess makes sense, but there are a lot of gods in this book and it's not really that clear why Nadya is the only Cleric that can talk to all of them. I think this is somewhat explained by the end of the book, but I still have a lot of questions. This is a series, so I expect I will get those answers later on.

I really liked the world building in this book, and I liked reading about the two cultures that had been waring forever. It was also cool to show that what they are doing affected other cultures too, like the Akolans. I felt like that culture was a touch inspired by Indian culture, but it's not explored enough and I wanted a little bit more about them and why Parijahan and Rashid got mixed up in all of this stuff. I definitely wanted more about these characters, although I did love that Parijahan was protective of our main protagonist Nadya. Serefin who at first is the villain is a complex character, but I can't really talk about him much without giving away massive spoilers. Just know, he's not a complete jerk!

I'm a little conflicted about the romance in this novel. I was getting nervous that there was going to be a love triangle, which I hate. The jury is still out after the end of this first novel, but I really hope it doesn't happen. I liked the romance in this and it absolutely gutted me at the end when what happens...well happens. (I'm being purposefully vague here because I don't want to give anything away.) I could really feel the anguish that the characters felt, so Duncan really made me feel a lot of things about this novel.

The conflict of blood mages vs Clerics was super interesting to me. I feel like every fantasy thing I read always has something to say about Blood Mages. I really should trust my instincts, when it comes to blood mages is all I really can say. I thought it was interesting that they are really not that different from each other. I loved the descriptions about the nightmare blood mages, The Vultures. They were so creepy and made my skin crawl, which is exactly what the author was going for with them.

I do think the book was a little slow at first, and it took me a little too long to get into it. I felt like it did drag its feet a little bit too much and there were parts were I just wanted to get to the action. I think the story is interesting, but I still have a lot of questions at the end of just what the heck happened. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt since this is a series.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the characters and the amazing setting. The writing was incredably beautiful.

This books has the possibility to be something grand, something amazing but it trips over its own self to end up being just okay in the end.

One thing that the author didn't seem to struggle with was the world she created. I loved the concept of the gods, of the blood mages that had broke free and and just the magic in general. The use of the books was a clever idea, how they come with just standard spells or ones that mages could create their own in. At the beginning of each chapter is snippets of history of the two countries and what happened to clerics and blood mages. I was almost more excited to read those little bits and image the history of the world than the chapter I was about to read. The author has clearly planned and constructed her world in great detail which is great, a world without history is boring.

For the most part, I liked the characters and how the majority of them interacted with each other. Serefin is presented as a dangerous from the first page but this book dedicates whole chapters to his point of view that allows his character to be fleshed out to something more than just the big bad powerfully arrogant prince. He cares deeply for his friends but is vulnerable in a way that is refreshing for me. Nadya has the makings of being a strong female lead, so why isn't she? Well its simple, romance.

The romantic part of this book is not just were it falls short, its were it takes a nose dive off the cliff of potential greatness. Nadya goes from considering Malachiasz a heretic she wants to kill to being putty in his hands in an insanely short period of time for no reason other than heroines are apparently pointless without a man. There was no point in this story that I felt the romance develop and it was even harder to accept when Nadya is consistently pointing out how he is always lying to her. Shes a strong girl, she is capable to caring for male character without romantic love being a major factor.

Malachiasz has the potential to be a truly twisted and dark villain, who doesn't need to play the romance card to get what he wants. Its a shame the book just couldn't fully commit to that.

Oh my, Wicked Saints, I am not ready to be finished with you quite yet! This dark, gothic tale completely captured my heart and now ranks among my all-time favorite books.

Emily A. Duncan has created a sinister, yet beautiful world unlike anything I have read before. From the moment this story begins, we are thrown into the holy war between rival nations, Kalyazin and Tranavia, where the debate over divine power versus blood magic rages on in full force. With their stories told in alternating narratives, we are introduced to Nadya and Serefin, magic wielders on opposite sides of this conflict. Nadya, a cleric from Kalyazin, can communicate with the gods and through prayer, receive spells to be granted their mighty powers. Serefin, the Tranavian High Prince, is one of the most powerful blood mages of his time and hunts to destroy the remaining Kalyazi clerics. Through a series of dark twists and turns, the fates of these characters begin to intertwine and lead us on an unforgettable journey filled with monsters and magic.

There are so many elements of this book that I absolutely adored, from the author’s beautiful, descriptive writing to her development of the opposing magical systems. However, my favorite part of Wicked Saints, undoubtedly, was the memorable, amazing characters. I truly connected to Nadya and Serefin, and felt for them through all of their soaring highs and heartbreaking lows. In particular, Serefin’s self-deprecating humor and wit made me laugh out loud on so many occasions; he easily became one of my favorite book characters to date. The supporting cast, both villains and heroes alike, were also well-defined and made me continually question my loyalties through the final page.

As someone with limited experience with Slavic languages, I will admit that I really struggled with the character names, especially the gods (examples: Marzenya, Veceslav, Bozidarka, Bozetjeh), for the first 30% of this book. There is definitely a learning curve with the Slavic influenced names and words used throughout the book, so I hope that a glossary or reference guide is included with the final version. (Note: This review relates to my experience reading the e-ARC of Wicked Saints provided by the publisher via NetGalley.)

I cannot wait until the next installment of this series is released and I’m able to dive back into this world with these characters! The ending was completely wild and left me DYING for the next book! …is it 2020 yet??

Get ready to venture into the darkness, towy dżimyka.

Wow. I am always a bit nervous reading highly anticipated books but this was SO GOOD. Wicked Saints was full of blood, magic and the kind of monsters that charm you while keeping you on your toes. I was so captivated. I highly recommend this book, especially for fans of the Grishaverse and those who always fall for the villain. Full review will be live on April 4th with blog tour.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. From the very first page, I wasn’t able to put it down. I thought that the magic system and the world was really interesting and I loved how it brought up philisophical discussions about gods and religion without it seeming forced in any way.

The characters were wonderfully complex and flawed and I loved the banter between all of the characters.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the plot twists in this book. They were brutal and so well done. I’m already looking forward to the next book and this one isn’t even out yet! AHHH!! I can’t wait.

The only criticism I have for this book is that some of the pacing seemed a bit off for me. Sometimes the descriptions of things seemed to be cut short, and I wanted more.

This book is perfect for you if you are a fan of Sarah J Maas or Leigh Bardugo.

If you’re a fan of fantasy, you need to add this book to your list.

OOO, I LIKED THIS.

*Note: I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Wednesday Books, for the opportunity to read Wicked Saints. Publication date, etc. subject to change.

I have so many questions, in the best way possible. This was a great opening book and I think this will be a fantastic series.

I was immediately thrown into an action scene where I didn’t know anything, but was totally captivated. I think that scene on its own will have further implications in the following books.

I had the hardest time pronouncing all of these names though, especially the gods. They’re a lot of characters. And often they are thrown together quickly. It took me longer to accept meetings/relationships than it did in the book because I wasn’t sure how everyone was so quickly trusting in the middle of a war.

The only issue I had was that the book could honestly, be a little longer. Now hear me out, whenever I read a scene that seemed very important to the series I felt it wasn’t long enough to grasp the whole picture. There were so many things happening in this book that it’s occasionally hard to keep up. More time could’ve been spent on getting to know others, fully forming plans, action scenes, etc.

Nadya is still growing on me. I liked her and think her character is going to have some great refinement over the next two installments. She’s a little naive and so rigorously faithful that it becomes her downfall. Nadya could stand to be a little more wicked. Especially since I feel this was the entire point of the book. She hasn’t actually done anything just yet.

Malachiasz on the other hand, totally baffled me. I went from: eh → you’re okay → I kinda like you → wait a second → oh no he didn’t → NOW WHAT HAPPENS? all in the course of this book. He took me on a ride and his broken, damaged soul is one to watch for. He’s the actual Wicked one and his buddies need to catch up.

Lastly, are dear Prince Serefin is an interesting character who I think will have a bigger role come book two. He’s here and he does a lot, but his story really picked up right at the end. I enjoyed his wit and charisma and am ever so curious how he will fare.

There’s plenty of world-building and a lot of religious discussions. I liked how Duncan wove the various religions with society and politics and with how religion and magic work [or not] together. I kept debating with myself which side I felt was the more trust worthy/best choice for Nadya because there’s a strong emphasis on listening, learning and not assuming you already know everything about someone’s beliefs. I’m even sitting here now trying to plot the entire series. I love when there isn’t a major cliffhanger, but enough open-endedness that you can hardly wait for the next one.

Overall audience notes:
- Young adult fantasy
- Very little language
- Violence: arrows, death, murder, torture, abuse, knives, etc.
- Romance: light kisses, to intense make-outs
- Trigger warnings: child abuse, self-harm, excessive use of alcohol

I won’t even attempt to explain the full plot of Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan. The amount of twists and turns is staggering and I’m not even sure if I remember all of it correctly. Also, all those names! Bloody hell! What I will say is that the story is told from two different perspectives. That of a Kalyazin cleric, Nadya, and that of the Tranavian High Prince, Serefin. Two people whose lives seemingly couldn’t be more different, but who end up with a shared objective after all. The story is set in a dark magical environment that kind of leaves you feeling uncomfortable at every turn. You never really know what is going to happen. I love those kinds of completely unpredictable stories.

Another element that plays a key role in Wicked Saints is magic. There are two different types of magic. First there is the Kalyazin magic that is granted by the Saints and is supposed to be the good kind. I’ve never seen this type of using magic before where someone has to communicate with the Saint that can grant the kind of magic that you need at the time. Very creative. I tried to look up if the Saints are real in some Russian culture (the book has a very Russian feel to it with the names that are used), but I couldn’t find anything. So I’ll have to assume it was all a figment of the writer’s imagination. Props to that! I was amazed. Secondly there is the Tranavian blood magic that is considered heretic and evil. You have to use your own blood to be able to cast a spell and not a single Saint is required. Throughout the book the division between the two types of magic becomes a lot more vague and one doesn’t necessarily exclude the other. Also the difference between good and evil is a source for many discussions. In the beginning it was very black and white, even for me. After a little while it all became a very grey area and I wasn’t so sure anymore. The “evil” people all turned out to have some redeeming qualities and the characters developed throughout the story as well.

That brings me to my next point: female protagonist Nadezhda Lapteva, a.k.a. Nadya. I was a little disappointed with the development that her character underwent. I felt like she was demoted from key player to useful string puppet and conflicted love interest. I had hoped that her character would have gotten stronger as the story progressed, but she only became more helpless and indecisive, whereas the male characters gained strength and took over from her. As a female, I like seeing women in control, so I might be a little biased when it comes to this, but I wanted to mention it anyway.

Altogether it was book with a lot of creative new ideas. After I managed to immerse myself in the world and the atmosphere, I loved it a lot, and I couldn’t put it down anymore. I would definitely recommend it to people who have a confident grasp of the English language and who aren’t afraid to get into a story very deeply. I look forward to read parts two and three of this trilogy.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for providing me an ARC. I’d pin this somewhere between a 3 and a 4.
Things I liked: the world building seemed really solid and well done. The magic system was unique. The main characters were interesting as were their backstories and subplots. The main conflict of the story was interesting.
Things I didn’t like: it took quite a bit of reading for me to actually be interested. The reader is tossed right into the middle of it and there are a ton of names to try to remember right off the bat. Possible love triangle? (Like, is it 2008 again?) The relationship with Nadya and Mal-whatever, their constant back and forth with lies and revelations and betrayal got really tedious and frankly repetitive and unsurprising by the end of it, I’m not going to lie.
I know there are going to be more books but I’m not sure if I will continue to read them or not.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

The best word to describe this book is Amazing!! Wicked saints by Emily Duncan had me captivated the whole time. The characters were very likeable and the world building superb! Fans of Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha verse series are going to fall in love with Wicked Saints as well. I can’t wait for the next book!

This book is dark and bloody and romantic and amazing. I cannot say enough good things about it! The only issue I have is the cliffhanger ending.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of this book but the series has potential. It truly felt like a mashup of a few different authors books and not really unique in terms of the plotting. This really felt like Leigh Bardugo’s story written by Laini Taylor. This wasn’t bad it was just very all over the place. My main issue with this book was the pacing, which seemed so off. I had no concept of time passing the entire book which is a huge problem.

I also completely disagree with this book being pitched as a “heist book” what!?

Overall an okay book with future potential.

Loved the book...when I knew what was going on!!! When I hit 60%, I was completely confused.


I’m not sure it’s worth my four stars; I might change it to three. I’m finished reading, but what the hell even happened? I’m really not following the second half of the book.

Wicked Saints is a book that has left me with many mixed feelings. Parts of this were really cool and well done and others frustrated me. Duncan clearly loves to create characters with strong, unique personalities that all mesh well with one another. The world-building was equally interesting and unique and felt as though it was a bit Russian-inspired, which is a setting that I am very much drawn to.

The pacing itself was a bit off to me at times and seemed to teeter between fast-paced with a lot happening and slow with almost nothing happening. There were also quite a few time when I felt lost or confused, almost as if I had missed vital chunks of world-building, character development, or information about the magic system. I think that although there were some info-dumping moments, there was a lot left unsaid and unexplained that made things a bit difficult to follow at times.

Full review will be added closer to its release in April!

*** 5+++ Stars ***

*ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I don't know how to write this review. This book destroyed me in the best way possible. Emily A. Duncan is serving us some SERIOUS enemies-to-lovers content and I devoured every sentence.

The people of Tranavia and Kalyazin have been in a war for centuries and they hate each other. Nadya is a cleric from Kalyazin. She gets her powers from gods and goddesses and is very religious. Malachiasz is a blood mage from Tranavia. Nadya and Malachiasz (Madya? Can we call them Madya?) are sworn enemies. She hates him. She calls him a heretic and an abomination. She says his form of magic is heresy. It's fantastic. NADYA HATES MALACHIASZ. SHE CAN'T STAND HIM BECAUSE OF WHAT HE IS THEY HAVE SO MUCH SEXUAL TENSION AND I CANNOT GET OVER HOW MUCH I LOVE THEM AND HOW OBSESSED I AM WITH THEM THEY ARE LITERALLY SO FREAKING CUTE. They are my new favorite OTP. I am 100% rooting for them. I love them. I love them. If you are a fan of Alina & The Darkling and Jude & Cardan you will LOVE this pairing. They're outstanding. At one point, Nadya literally tries to throw Malachiasz off the stairs AND THEN THEY MAKE OUT. Like I said, ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS REALNESS!

Keep in mind that there is a lot of blood in this book. A lot. Tranavians use blood magic so it comes with the territory. I'll list more content/trigger warnings below. As well as getting Nadya's POV, we also get Serefin's. The High Prince of Tranavia. The three main characters basically set out to kill the king of Tranavia (Serefin's father) and there's betrayal, and magic, and betrayal, and forbidden romance and betrayal, and epicness and awesomeness, oh and there's some betrayal.

I LOVED this book. I LOVED THIS BOOK. It had that whole gothic vibe going on and all the characters were a bunch of adorable little idiots who I love with all my heart and I would kill and die for them. I was much more interested in Nadya's POV because she's a badass (and Malachiasz was there) and I didn't really connect with Serefin till the last half of the book. I still loved him, it's impossible to dislike any of these characters, but Nadya was just THAT good. I keep going back and reading chapters because I'm so freaking obsessed with this book it's actually ridiculous.

My heart was torn out and ripped to shreds and this book is taking over my life and I can't wait for it to come out so you can all suffer beautifully with me. I am not going to shut up about this book. It's all I've been talking about on Twitter for days. (Did I mention I love this book?) I need more of Nadya and Malachiasz, and Serefin RIGHT NOW. I am so mad at this author for what she has done but I also love her for what she's created.

TL;DR: This is my favorite book.



Content/Trigger Warnings
-Cutting (for blood magic purposes)
-Blood depiction
-War themes
-Torture
-Murder
-Violence
-Mention of self-harm

This was a nice read. I liked the worldbuilding and the character. I also liked how action sequences were played out.

GUYS GUYS GUYS this book was so good. It's a debut novel set in an Eastern European/Russian inspired world. Our main character Nadya can speak to the gods. Her homeland and the heretical border country, Travana, have been in a holy war for over a century. Out other POV is the Travanian prince, Serefin. He's a war hero called back from the front by his father. His spidey senses were tingling and he's searching to uncover whatever his dad is up to. All while a rag tag group, with Nadya and a mysterious blood mage set off to infiltrate Travana. Guys this book was amazing. The hype train is real, and i am a passenger.