Very excited to book talk this one! It was a wonderful follow up to the first book, which was one of my favorite books of last year!

This incredible sequel will keep you riveted to your seat! It’s a faced paced read that picks up six months after the end of the first book. We follow our main character, Deka, as she fights to reclaim the land and also figure out who she is at the same time. There are twists and turns that you won’t see coming, so be ready for a fast-paced adventure that you’re bound to love!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Just wow. I thought the first book in this series was full of fun and interesting twists, and then this one came along and blew it right out of the water, turning just about everything I thought I knew about this world on its head… and I loved every minute of it!

It had been awhile since I read the first one, but I was easily able to pick back up without too many issues. The characters were just as dynamic and interesting as ever, and their evolution was very fun to watch.

I cannot wait for the next installment in this series! I have so many questions that need answers!

I was waiting on the edge of my seat for this book, and it didn't disappoint in the slightest! Following Deka on her discovery of abilities and the twisted truth about the gods was a ride until the very end. I'm definitely invested in Book 3!

While Deka and her friends might have been surprised to learn she was the Nuru, destined to free the goddesses at the end of The Gilded Ones, you won't believe the final twists and turns of The Merciless Ones. What Namina Forma has done here is nothing short of amazing! What started out as a female empowerment, fight the patriarchy tale quickly turned into a story focused on finding power in true friendship and overcoming the very deities Deka fought so hard to free. I cannot wait to see what happens next!

I really enjoyed the Gilded Ones and was excited for this sequel, but unfortunately I didn't love it as much as I liked the first book in the series. I have a sense that this was mostly setting up for a third book in which more action will take place, but this one felt like it was meant to be more about world building and exploring the religion/mythology of Otera. The main character, Deka, is pulled in many directions as she learns more about the Gilded Ones, the goddesses who ultimately created her, but as she begins to question some of what she has learned, the reader gets swept into a back and forth between competing divine entities, and it's a bit of a challenge to know who is telling the truth. I will finish out this series for sure, but this one was just a little on the slower side for me.

This book was such a great read! I flew through this book in one afternoon because I loved it so much. The main characters were unique and interesting which is something I love in a book. It was a very interesting and fast paced read which made me never become bored. Great book!