This book (and the series in general) is a hard one for me to review. I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. It was darker and gritter than the average YA but overall wasn't very memorable or impactfull. As I was reading I kept feeling like I had read almost all of the elements from this book before only done better. Its not that the book or character or even the writing are bad, they just aren't very new or interesting in this genre, mostly average.

Oh, man, this book was just fantastic! It was chaos in book form, there's so much in the air and it was sometimes hard to understand what was going on, there were a lot of cryptic remarks. Some of them made sense, but some haven't played out, or played out fully yet.

The beginning was a bit slow, compared to the first book. All the characters are still dealing with the aftershocks of that ending, which to be fair, was just an absolute nightmare, basically. But we start to get clues to the mysteries, and the characters start making moves and it was so great!

I kinda read this book with my hands over my eyes, peaking out. Because the atmosphere in this book is so creepy, and combined with these characters who I wanted to live and thrive-some of them *cough cough Malachiasz cough cough* kept making poor decisions.

But that ending, though! I mean, it's an even more intense thrill ride then Wicked Saints was, if you can believe it. And it's another game changer in the world, and I just can't wait to see how they're going to put everything back to rights after what happened!

Loved this book so much, and I can't wait to see how it all ends!

I must say book two was better than book 1. Although there were parts I was still confused with, I can't deny the dark atmosphere is absolutely alluring. Malachiasz is still the best character of the book! The character development was much clearer in this book. I am still a bit iffy about the character development, not saying I wont read book 3 but some things are just not clicking. The religious aspect and the russian folklore reminds me so much of bardugo! Looking forward to book 3.

RUTHLESS GODS was a superb successor to Duncan's debut and first in the series, WICKED SAINTS. It was atmospheric, compelling, dark, and dipped in just the right amount of blood. I cannot wait to see how the trilogy will conclude!

I loved Wicked Saints. I'm not one who reads a lot of YA Fantasy, or any fantasy at all for that matter, for the characters here and the story is one that I can't resist. I love being in this world and can't wait for the next book!

Hi yes I love Emily Duncan and anything she writes. 10/10 for this monstrosity and body horror filled amazing ride of a book. Did I enjoy it so much that I started it again and forgot to post a review? Absolutely.

Duncan welcomes us back to a world of gods and monsters and a place where you can't even trust the faith that has carried you through the worst of war.

Nayda is once again dependent on her own thoughts as her gods still remain silent to her and she fights inner demons as to whether or not she still believes in them. Crossing great distances, she ends up at the one place where she finds out that the gods can truly be ruthless.

The dark under tones of this story draws you in without totally dragging you under. It is still amazing to see the magical world that Duncan has created even when magic isn't the main focus of the story, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed it. You can really feel the under currents of this plot come to life.

Although this book was good and I highly enjoyed it, I didn't feel it was as good as the first book in this series. I can't really explain why this one didn't draw me as much, but I certainly be finishing the series to find out what happens when the good the gods we are to trust might be the least trustworthy part of our life.

**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-ARC of the below book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Title Ruthless Gods

Author Emily A Duncan

Release Date April 7 2020

Initial Thoughts

It took me a long long time to pick this book up. I originally requested it when I was about ⅓ of the way through the first book and at that point I was obsessed. I loved the incredible atmosphere and I was just tipping over the edge of falling in love with all of the characters. Unfortunately, pretty much immediately after I was approved for this one I started to hate the first book. I have a separate review for that one but overall I was left feeling disappointed that a book that I had started out loving had let me down so far.

I waited and watched a few reviews trickling in and they were mixed so I wasn’t sure I would ever continue with the series. Then I read a review that peaked my interest and I decided it was finally time to venture back into the world of Nadya and Malachiasz and see where it took me.

Some Things I Liked
Just like the first book, the atmosphere and gritty dark gothic descriptions are a huge strength of this book. Even in sections where I wasn’t quite sure what was happening, I knew what I was supposed to be feeling (which was mostly grossed out, creeped out, and like I was being watched.) The eye imagery was amazing and the character development was so much better than the first book.

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About
I feel like Duncan’s strength in writing style when it comes to atmosphere is being held back by her ability to write character action. While I liked the character development so much more in this book than the first it still felt like a lot of showing where I wanted telling.


Final Thoughts
While this wasn’t a five star read for me I do feel like the series was redeemed by the second book and I’ve shifted from “I’m not sure if I will continue with this series” over to “hopeful that the writer continues to grow in the third” I’m forever a sucker for a Gothic atmosphere and can’t wait to see where this one goes.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75)

Recommendations for Further Reading

If you liked this one I highly recommend checking out The Merciful Crow, The Gilded Wolves, A Curse So Dark and Lonely, or even Bent Heavens (different vibe but I really think you will like it)

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of this book!

This was a tough read for me. Wicked Saints built a beautiful world, but the writing was choppy and the plot was a bit scattered. Ruthless Gods had these flaws but without the benefit of the newness of the world and the beautiful references to other mythologies. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I was bothered by the romance between the central characters and I couldn't really follow the protagonist too closely because I kept wanting to shout warnings at her. I hope the third book will redeem the series.

After this second installment, the Something Dark and Holy series has been cemented as one of my favorite YA series of all time. This series is all about the vibe and the aesthetic, which can be off-putting for some readers but is completely the reason why I love it. I think the characters are well-developed and it is clear that Emily A. Duncan did her research regarding Eastern European and Russian folklore.

What holds me back from giving it five stars is that I do feel in some cases that the character dynamics are muddled. There will be instances where, clearly, the main characters should be angry with each other but they are suddenly best friends. In the next instant, the exact opposite will happen and you're left wondering, "Wait, I thought they were on good terms? Now this?" Likewise, when the book kicks off, I thought I must have misremembered the ending of the first book because quite a bit of the beginning didn't make sense to me but as I moved farther along, I found that to be a trend.

Certainly there are aspects of the series that don't add up or quite make sense in the way they should given the current situation. For many readers, I imagine that can be a roadblock but for me, as long as I'm following these wonderful characters, I am along for the ride.

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This is the second book in the Something Dark and Holy Trilogy. This book picks up from it stopped in the first book. There is a lot of action going on and it was a page turner form me. I loved all the action and the adventures they went on. There is some blood and gore so that you have to watch out. I had a great time reading this book.

It is hard to tell you what is happening because it gives away a lot from the first book. There is one death that you really don't see coming and it made me cry. You truly know that there will be a second by the way it ended and I can't wait for it to come out.

All your main characters are back and some old ones with some new ones. Sometimes it is hard to keep track of them but for the most part it is easy.

I highly recommend that you read this book. I gave it 4 stars.

DNF

I really enjoyed the premise of this series, but was a bit disappointed by the first book. The writing style is somewhat simplistic, more show than tell. While I was hoping for that to improve in this book, it unfortunately did not. Could not get through this.

I didn't enjoy Wicked Saints as much as I thought I would but had high hopes for its sequel. Unfortunately, I also didn't enjoy the sequel either. I felt as though I was being told what was happening, rather than shown and that kept taking me out of the story. I couldn't connect to the characters & I genuinely just feel as though this series isn't for me!

This book was everything i have ever wanted in a sequal and more. I was hooked and on the edge of my seat from page one.

"Ruthless Gods" picks up after the events of Wicked Saints. The characters are dealing with the consequences of their actions in >Wicked Saints". The plot itself was a bit confusing to follow, but there's lots of betrayal, and dark magic. Worth a read.

Ruthless Gods is the second book in the Something Dark and Holy series and the follow up to Wicked Saints. It continues the story of Nadya, Serafin, and Malachiasz.

While there are a few language/writing issues with this books (overused words/phrases, a lot of internalization, etc.), the storyline was engaging enough to overshadow the issues. I am a big fan of folk and fairy tale retellings, and I found this book to be a dark and twisty delightful read. I would definitely recommend this one to readers that enjoy horror and gothic style books.

Ruthless Gods, the second book in the Something Dark and Holy series, surpasses the cleverness of Duncan’s debut, Wicked Saints. The story begins four months after the events of the previous novel. Nadya, Serefin, and Malachiasz are each dealing with the fallout from their actions in Wicked Saints. Ever looming in the background are the Gods and this time, they are persistent that they be obeyed. Actions, however, always have consequences.

Make no mistake: the Something Dark and Holy series is an extremely dark YA fantasy. The same terrifying world that was introduced in Wicked Saints is apparent in Ruthless Gods, but Duncan uses the second novel to elaborate further on the mythology behind the world that she created. Through Nadya’s crisis of faith, Duncan continues to explore what it means to blindly follow a religious deity. Like all middle books, Ruthless Gods answers some questions, but many still linger and many more are introduced. One fact is known for sure: Duncan has set the series up for an explosive finale.

I was a little disappointed by this book. I really really enjoyed the first book but then had a hard time getting through this one. I found that it was a little draggy compared to the first one which was very full of excitement.

Dark, bloody, ruthless...but so beautiful and wonderful. If you read Emily's first book in this series than you are already familiar with her style. This book goes deeper, darker, creeper, and is so unbelievable. It is not your normal fantasy book. No this book makes you question your beliefs and I mean in everything. She sets your feelings up in her first book and keeps them going to new heights in this one. Just relax with whatever it is that gives you comfort for this series has never been for the fainthearted.

Sadly I was not able to get back into this story. The first was hard and I was hoping this one would be easier but it wasn't.