I tried this on 2 different occasions. I wanted to like it but I found it boring. It seemed like a rip off of Bardugo's Grisha trilogy but not as fun. I loved the cover and the idea of the story but it just did not grab my attention. I made it through about a third of the book but very little had happened yet that kept me interested. I would definitely like to try some of the author's future works but I think 2 tries was a enough for this one.

Dripping with gothic brilliance, Emily has hit gold with this debut. It is dark, mysterious and dangerous - everything I want from a gothic story. I do feel like we dove into a story midway through, and I hope that the sequel will help explain some of the back story.
Nadya is GOALS! I loved her character, her wit, everything about her. I mean, a mage who can talk to gods? CAN SHE BE MY BOO?!
I love that this is russian inspired as well. The dark nature of the story fits PERFECTLY with the Russian backdrop. Nadya is thrusted into an enemies to lovers relationship that I'm ALL. ABOUT. OK.?! It's an utterly toxic and yet beautiful relationship budding. I can honestly say that I am over the moon ready for the sequel. LIKE NOW. :)

I started with the audiobook but eventually switched to a physical copy. The narration felt slow, but a change in reading material didn't help. I never really looked forward to continuing Wicked Saints (which is super disappointing since I preemptively bought the special edition), and it was likely due to my inability to lose myself within the story. A lot of my fellow bloggers were raving about this dark and twisted tale about gods and monsters, but I never felt invested in the characters or what they were trying to achieve.

I wish the romance had been left out, because it wasn't believable and detracted from the story. I didn't understand their attraction to each other, and oftentimes it felt one-sided. Nadya couldn't decide whether or not to trust Malachiasz, and her inner turmoil was an unnecessary focal point of the book. Was he really a monster, or was he just troubled and looking to fix the mistakes of his past? I have no idea why she decided to go along with his plan in the first place, since she knew nothing about him or his agenda. He also lied to her (often), was vague about details (almost always), and seemed content to let her think the worst of him. Nadya had plenty of other things to worry about, and whether or not she loved a monster shouldn't have been one of them.

There's an occurrence right at the beginning that doesn't make sense, and that I vehemently disagree with. Someone was fighting, bodies piling up at their feet, and they're interrupted by this other person so they could leave the battle and escort Nadya to safety. However, the person that was already with her doesn't get a chance to fight before they're struck down (horribly), and I want to know why they didn't just help Nadya escape themselves. Why was she passed on to someone else already in the midst of battle? Better question... why didn't both people help her escape? Someone staying behind didn't buy them time, or change anything about their situation, so it would have made more sense for them to escape together. It felt it's sole purpose was to be shocking, because it added nothing to the story.

Additionally, Nadya ran headfirst into the battle because she wanted to help, but then simply watches as people start dying around her. Her great attack was freezing the stairs even though she knew it wouldn't really be effective in the end? Then she doesn't know what do with the power that's given to her, but doesn't really ask either. It just becomes an extension of herself and does its own thing. If she's been training for years, can commune with the gods themselves, and knows what their individual powers are... why wasn't she more of a fighting force during the battle? I feel like she could have done more to protect those around her, but she shows up and then leaves shortly after arriving (followed by a lot of unnecessary death and destruction). Her actions were hard to follow, because we don't really know anything about her character yet. She seemed impulsive initially, but then resigned to her fate after facing her enemies for a few minutes.

I'm angry Nadya didn't do more at the start of the book, and that her bravado failed when she needed it the most. She has all of the gods and their powers at her disposal, but the most she could conjure was ice and a mysterious white light (that did manage to kill on impact). Speaking of killing, she froze when someone died by her hand, but it's something she should have anticipated. Her reactions may have briefly felt realistic, but people were giving their lives to keep her safe. She should have been more preoccupied with keeping them alive as well.

Everything that happened afterwards felt like carefully planned coincidences. I thought the premise was interesting, and even understood Nadya's struggle with blind faith. However, most of the story felt repetitive and dull. The bloody, darker aspects didn't feel like part of the story, but rather an attempt to repeatedly shock readers with its brutality. I'm not against stories like this, but the violence in this book didn't have a purpose, it just existed. I might be explaining this poorly, but hopefully you get the gist.

After awhile, I simply kept reading because it was almost over. I didn't care how it ended, who lived or died, or if anyone succeeded with their personal agendas. They were enemies for the majority of the book, committing atrocities against each other, but then there were careful smiles and tentative friendships at the end. I'm sorry, but if you murder everyone in the community I once called home, there's no chance in hell I'm going to forgive or forget. Nothing made sense -- not the story or the characters.

Things that didn't make sense (potential spoilers):

1) Nadya uses the god's magic to mask Malachiasz, and Malachiasz uses his blood magic to mask Nadya. Why didn't Nadya use her magic to conceal both of their identities? I think there was an explanation for why Malachiasz couldn't use his on himself, but I can't remember.

2) Nadya alternated between competent and clueless at the start of the book. She failed to assist in the initial battle, but she could temporarily remove the sun from the sky shortly afterwards? She was weak one moment, and crazy powerful the next.

3) When Nadya is kidnapped and left bleeding to death, I don't think it ever explains what happened or why she was down there. Was there a reason?

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on August 26, 2019.

Unfortunately despite being very excited for this book I was let down. It wasn’t very easy to get into the story and at times was just downright confusing. The overall premise sounded so promising that I was left disappointed that it wasn’t implemented as well as I would’ve hoped. That being said, the characters were enjoyable to read about and i may pick up book 2 if the gods have more involvement the second time around.

We're all monsters, Nadya, some of us just hide it better than others.

Four solid stars. Oh, but I have such mixed feelings about this one.

I wasn't sure how I would feel about it going in because it looks dark and witchy, and I don't really care for the books that use dark/witchy as their appeal. However, what I got was sort of like Final Fantasy in book format - a cleric who can speak to the gods, receiving divine power; a mysterious, anxious boy harbouring secrets and promises; a prince with the weight of his wartorn kingdom on his shoulders. The story was slow to start, and rather confusing at the beginning. I felt like we weren't given enough information to understand and appreciate what was going on. It wasn't until halfway through the book that I began to feel drawn in, invested.

There were a few things that really irritated me and kept me from giving this a five star rating:
- The slow, confusing start
- We aren't given enough information about the war. So Kalyazi and Tranavia have been at war for a century (at least). Why are they at war? There's so much lore spoken of, but none of it has any foundation to bind it into a solid backstory to explain what is going on here. Are we supposed to believe that Kalyazi just attacked Tranavia because they're atheists? Or that Tranavia attacked Kalyazi because they aren't? I'm not sure. I read the whole book and I still don't understand. Maybe I missed something.
- The magic needed rules. We aren't told what the boundaries are, we're only given a few little hints about what the potential could be. In the beginning, (view spoiler)
- The writing was a little clumsy and amateurish, especially in the first half of the book. I can forgive this because it is Duncan's debut novel.
- Serefin's character was a little shallow. The depth of his personality is that he likes drinking and hates war. I expected a bit more from him, and I found I couldn't care for him the way I wanted to. It wasn't until the end that I started to like him.
- Nadya and Malachiasz. So much invasion of personal space and aggression. (view spoiler)
- So many details of the plot were built up to, then glossed over - Nadya's entry into Travania, (view spoiler), etc. Anticlimactic.

However, there was a lot about the book that I liked. I loved the worldbuilding. It had the potential to become an incredible fictional place, if only Duncan had gone into more detail. I wanted to love it. The descriptions of locations were lovely. I was totally absorbed by the villain-romance (perhaps because I didn't read the reviews on the back cover, and so didn't expect it), the idea behind the plot, the drama, the lore. It was a wild ride and I loved it.

I desperately wish I could rate it more highly, and I look forward to what Duncan does next.

Note: Self harm, violence, familial abuse, diverse sexuality.

I wanted to love this book so hard after seeing the cover reveal early but I did not finish it because I found the character names nearly unpronounceable. It's just a personal preference that books don't come with pronunciation keys.

A great New Adult Fantasy! I say New Adult because it is a bit bloody for purely a YA read. It has similar vibes to Leigh Bardugo's "Grishaverse," with it's Russian-inspired setting and mythology, and has a great cast of characters that you'll definitely want to hear more from! I'd recommend this to readers looking for something to read after Leigh Bardugo, or adults looking for fantasy.

It took me far too long to finish this book. The first half of the book seemed disconnected, rushed, muddled to me. I'm not sure if that's because I kept putting it down, then picking it back up a week later, or not. I did not connect with any of the characters... until the 2nd half of the book. I enjoyed the 2nd half quite a bit and read it very quickly! Spoilers coming....
I'm not sure I enjoyed the sudden romance between Nadya and Malachaisz. Nadya literally went from despising him in one sentence/moment, to kissing him the next. I didn't notice the build up of those feelings. Maybe it's because I didn't enjoy and become engaged in the first part of the book? I really like Serefin's character. I loved that he was so misunderstood. He was the boy who did what he was told to do, became GREAT at it, then had to pretend the rest of the time. I wish there had been more of him. Maybe in the next book there will be! The world of the Saints and Gods was so interesting. Emily A Duncan did a wonderful job creating this crazy, weird, intoxicating world. I'm looking forward to the next book!
If I HAD to give it stars... I'd give the first half just 2 stars, and the second half 4.5 stars...

Wicked Saints is the first book in the dark fantasy series, called the Something Dark and Holy series by author Emily A. Duncan. I am all about dark fantasy, so I was super excited to dive into a new world. And even better if it is the first book to a new series. Wicked Saints has a lot of things that I really enjoy in a book. I really liked that the magic system was intertwined with politics and religion. I loved the russian inspired setting. That is a setting that I don’t read about too much in the young adult fantasy realm, but it is a fascinating landscape. I had a few pacing issues with the story, but I am still interested to see where this series will go from here.

Wicked Saints is the story of a holy war between Kalyazin and Tranavia that has been going on for centuries. At the root of this holy war is magic. More specifically, the ability to talk to the gods and have your body be a conduit for their power. Traditionally, someone who can communicate with a single god is revered and known as a cleric. Nadya, our main character, is special because not only is she a cleric, but she is the only known cleric who can communicate with all of the gods. Really cool setup, right? I thought so too.

Our story starts with a sudden Tranavian attack on the Kalyazin monastery where Nadya lives. This attack sends Nadya running from the Tranavian Prince. This journey leads Nadya to discover more about her powers. Pretty quickly, I started to feel the slow pace of the story, which was strange to me because the characters were on the run from a very active attack, in the middle of a Holy War. It wasn’t a slow pace string of events, but still each of the passages and pages felt…slow. As I continued to read, I did feel myself get more immersed in the story, and I was enjoying it, but I wanted more from the story. I liked the magic, I liked the characters, and I liked the overall plot, but the pacing made it hard for me to read a lot of this novel in each sitting. I found myself putting the book down frequently or switching between novels while I was reading, whenever I got to a slow bit. I did love how secrets and plots were revealed throughout the book, and I hope there are more secrets, twists and turns waiting for us in the next installment.

Overall, the setup for Wicked Saints is a very interesting one, and the characters are well developed, but the progress of the story seemed very slow to me. I felt myself wanting to skip whole sections in the middle of the book because I wanted to jump ahead…to something. I liked it and I think I would be interested in the next book, but this one fell a bit flat. I am hoping the sequel in the Something Dark and Holy series will pick up the pace and the excitement. I will be interested to find out if it does.

This was such an intriguing book! I was very happy to see how quickly the action began. It made it seem so much more immersive to be thrown into the world with no buildup. I cannot wait until the sequel comes out! I’d highly recommend this story if you enjoy YA with a dark plot.

As a thank, you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced readers copy I shall give an honest review of Emily A. Duncan’s Wicked Saints ( Something Dark and Holy Trilogy Book 1) . This book had elements of subjects I am interested in for example magic users, world building, and intriguing plot. However these elements were not well executed and I found myself often not satisfied with what I was reading. As I continued to read my rating for this book adjusted between a two and a three. As I moved on from the slump that was the middle portion of the novel did my interest peak as the character learn more about her powers as well as the choice she must make between moving towards the light or the dark. I am lucky I was able to read this along with the audiobook for I would have had a difficult time with the names, and extended characters.I would have enjoyed a list of the various gods presented as well for that would have made the experience much better. I found the book interesting and feel that I would like to move forward to the second novel but this time will wait till after the second book is released to do so. Overall I enjoyed the novel as it closed and have decided to rate this book three stars out of five on goodreads. I do recommend this book to those who enjoy slow to fast paced reads with an attention to detail regarding character development and world building. I look forward to the sequel in this series and are excited to see where the characters go.

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3.5 STARS
This book started out strong. I had been anticipating this book for a loooong time. The whole concept seemed perfect for my tastes - dark fantasy, religious/anti-religious themes, blood magic, Slavic inspiration, morally grey characters. And though the opening scene was captivating and thrilling... Everything from that moment onwards was a little bland. The characters were not as interesting as I thought they would be. I could see what the author was trying to do with the whole "evil love interest" thing (which I usually love) but no one in this book seemed even remotely evil. I know this is a funny thing to be critiquing but everyone felt so 'good'! Perhaps I had my hopes too high, but let it be known and I had high hopes because there are YA books out there who portray nuanced morally grey/evil characters so well. I guess this book just wasn't one of them. It is still a good read though - the world is beautiful, it is a very Aesthetic book, and Serefin and his crew are THE BEST. I would definitely recommend it to many of my customers/friends. I'm just personally disappointed because I felt like the way the author marketed the book and herself online did not match up to the actual content. And I honestly just could not come to like the protagonist - to me she felt a little whiny. I think it's just personal taste, unfortunately! I may give this another read in the future and update my thoughts on Goodreads!

I have a hard time rating this. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it. I found it to be a great premise but I felt as if something was missing. I am very curious for the next book though!

Mixed feelings about this one!

I actually used to follow this author on Tumblr quite a few years ago (before she was published) and she would always post snippets of her writing. I distinctly remember this story, and reading the little blurbs and quotes and art she would post about it. To see it actually published now and getting so much buzz is SO awesome!

At the same time, although I enjoyed reading the snippets and blurbs at the time, something felt a little lacking in the finished, published copy. I had a hard time connecting with the characters (except Malachiasz, who I loved!) and sometimes the writing.

Still, a very unique read set in a fantasy world inspired by Poland and Russia, so kudos for that!

Full review on blog.

This book is every fantasy lovers dream. Dark and gritty you really feel submerged in a world of monsters.
One of those books you just seem to blitz through without even realising!

Emily A. Duncan really nailed the atmosphere of this book, and the religion and magic systems were so interesting. I can't wait to see where Duncan takes this series next.

My request on NetGalley was approved by the publisher, so thank you Wednesday Books / St. Martin's Press!

Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

My Rating: 3.25 / 5 🌟

One of the things I really enjoy about this book was how it was such an easy read for me, considering it's fantasy. World building and descriptive writing usually puts me off to continue a book but that wasn't the case at all with this one, so that's definitely a win for me.

Wicked Saints was also very different than most fantasy books I've read. From the tone of the story to the way of storytelling, the direction Emily used to tell this story was something I find to be very refreshing.

The magic system in this book was really intriguing for me considering how it had to do with Gods and religion. And I really appreciate how the system was being explained one at a time instead of dumping it all at once.

Unfortunately, the characters in this book could definitely be better. The main characters weren't really that interesting to me and I find them to be very dull with little personality. Even the side characters were quite forgettable, they serve very little purpose to this story except to continue the plot. They didn't have enough moments in the book for readers to really get to know them and the information that was given were only bits and pieces of who they are. With that being said, I do see potential for all these characters to grow as the story progresses, and I'm really excited to see their development in the next book.

Another sad thing is, I find that this story didn't really have a distinct plot. Before starting this novel, I decided to skip reading the synopsis and go into the story with as little knowledge as possible. And sadly, I couldn't really figure out what the main plot of the story was. It felt really messy and all over the place. The story had no clear direction to where it was heading and for me, it was a major flaw of the book.

However, I do want to give major props to Emily for the representation in this book! From disabled characters to people of colour and a lesbian character, the diversity in this book deserves recognition. Writing diverse characters can be difficult and feel as if the author is trying too hard but the way Emily included these characters felt very seamless and it really worked well with the story.

All in all, I really think this story has a lot of potential to grow as it continues on and I'm looking forward to read the next installment in this trilogy.

Sorry - this was DNF for me. I tried several times and just couldn't get into the storytelling and found myself drawing too many comparisons to Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy. Perhaps a try again later?

If you’re a fan of dark stories, political intrigue, monsters, moral ambiguity, and fantastic dialog, you need this book.

Even though you will scream at the ending and promptly demand book two drop itself immediately into your hands, you still need this book.

The world building was delightful. There is a twist there, and if you are into unsettling paradigm shifts, you’re in for a treat.

The shifts in point of view kept the pacing at a clip and the narrative voice was distinctive for each character. I was particular taken with Serefin’s headspace. Each group was distinctly characterized, and I found favorites I wanted more of immediately. A slow clap leading into a standing ovation from me.

I am insanely curious to see where our trio of narrators head next and what sorts of mind-melting wreckage will be left in their wake. Heavy on the “mind-melting.” That ending will stay with me.

I really loved Wicked Saints it’s so dark and enthralling I just couldn’t stop reading.

I just have to put this out there first though. In order for blood mages to use their magic they need to cut themselves. They do this sometimes by using razor blades in their sleeves. There are points in the book that this made me feel uncomfortable, more so the mention of a particular characters marks. My brother has used cutting as a release for emotional pain and so it might have impacted me differently. I’m not sure how someone with first hand experience would feel.

So back to this amazing, dark and enthralling book. There are so many things I loved about this story, how it so cleverly toes the line between what is a good and what is evil. The characters are rich with personality. You are not only invested in the main POVs but I feel like almost everyone that you come in contact with.

The world building in the book is phenomenal. I truly felt transported into the story. Also the magic system is very interesting. From the use of blood in order for the Blood Mages to cast to the Vultures who are at inhuman level of magic user. Which the crypts are a scary place. Also the fact that on the opposite side we have clerics like Nadya who have been wiped out. I thought the way she interacts with the Saints themselves is very interesting. She can call on a Saint and ask for them to grant her power. Each Saint is different in their abilities and temperament. The best thing about the book is how things are shown in a way that you can see how each person feels they are in the right. That they are actually going to be the one to save the world. Also we are dealing with the two war torn countries of Kalyazi and Tranavia. I felt like the affects the war had on them was well portrayed.

Like I mentioned I felt invested in every character, from main to side. I also loved loved how they all walk this line between good and evil. Really though what makes someone evil, doing everything in their power to save their people. Is there a point where that goes to far? What if you think what you are doing is the right thing or the best thing? Maybe you truly believe it’s the only option. Each character is complex in their own way. Although we see a lot of spotlight on Nadya, Serefin and Malachiasz. There are many other kick ass characters, especially some of the ladies like Parj, Ostyia and the witch in the tower. I really don’t want to give anything away about their personalities and intentions because I think first impressions versus later impressions in the book are important and I don’t want to ruin anything for anyone.

I also want to mention the headers of each chapter is a wonderful addition and helps you to understand some of the history. Both of the Saints and the war of the two countries.

The book is really captivating, dark and magical. I was in an absolute coma after reading it, turning things over and over in my head. I really love a book that can show two sides of a story and make you really think. I both desperately want book 2 and I’m also very afraid.