I really enjoyed Our Divine Mischief 💚💜🤍 by @hannachoward 💫! It has a talking dog! Who might not even be a dog- and what she actually is was a lovely twist to the tale! Tail? 😂🐕

The setting reminded me of A River Enchanted, but the story is completely original and entertaining!

“I think life comes with curses,” I say, “but I don’t think the gods give them to us. It’s my opinion the things that come from the gods that look like curses are just blessings we haven’t yet understood.”

"But of course you can’t strive to belong. Because belonging doesn’t come on the back of hard work; it comes as a result of being loved."

Thank you to HarperCollins/Blink YA, the author, and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be released on October 17, 2023.

On the island of Fuiscea, part of the kingdom of Ilbha, exists a village called Carrighlas that metes out apprenticeships to its young folk via the Goddess Trial: a trip to an island where the person seeking an apprenticeship will meet the goddess Yslet and receive a medallion that is to set them on their path for life. Those who receive a blank, gold medallion are Unblessed and treated as outcasts. But it isn’t until Áila undertakes her Trial and meets only a strange, squirmy, magical dog that the village is forced to contend with what happens when someone does not meet the goddess at all.

I am a sucker for fantasy reinterpretations of countries, and this magical Scotland is no exception. But what I especially loved here was how much of the mythology was present, even as it was mixed with the author’s imagination. One particular creature that was featured made me SO excited, as I rarely ever see them in fiction.

Another thing that I can never get over: books where characters meet the gods they worship. It’s funny, because I have a complicated relationship with real-world religions, but this always speaks to me. Not to get too personal, but maybe because I wish I could also be spoken to. Anyway, despite my issues, these gods? These are easier to believe in. I can palpably feel their love and I don’t doubt it. I just really love the way it’s handled, from mirroring how human institutions twist divine words to their own meaning, and how it edges towards answering the question of why the gods don’t step in.

Áila and Hew are sweet, but of course the standout is Orail. I can’t even begin to express how much I adore her. There are far too few girl and her dog stories, and this one rivals that of Lirael and the Disreputable Dog. The author does such a magnificent job of capturing the intensity of the bond between human and animal, and it’s only enhanced by the fact that we as readers are able to get Orail’s perspective as well. I’m also a huge fan of animal perspectives that are rendered as poetry, so I loved the decision to have her explore different forms of verse as she tried to recover her memories and identity. The ending is perfect, and so incredibly touching, and I cry I cry I cry. Orail is just perfect and fierce and ridiculous. I love her.

If you like talking trickster animals in your fantasy, and you have a pet that you’d die for… Well, I don’t believe you need any further encouragement from me.

- thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc to review!

- a fun, engaging story about a boy, girl, and a dog going on an adventure together as a found family. i enjoyed the story and the characters, and Howard is a talented writer.

I love that Our Divine Mischief is centered around unique source material, celtic legends, which isn't something you see everywhere. This was a unique break from the everyday fantasy books we receive. The character is compelling and her growth through the story really adds depth and makes the story have realistic aspects.

I absolutely loved this book! 4.5/5 stars for me!

If you love Irish/Scottish vibes, A heroine willing to prove herself, themes of redemption, meddling gods, unexpected romance, a magical furry friend, court politics, etc. Then, you need to read this. I thoroughly enjoyed the different perspectives in this story, You even get the growing perspective of said furry friend. I loved everything about this story, and gobbled it up. Positive messages, immaculate vibes, and overcoming all odds. What's not to love?

READ IT. BUY IT.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to review.

Its rare to find a YA book built around celtic legends so this book is a rare thing of beauty. Its very obvious that it is set in Scotland through the world building and the mythology was a refreshing break from standard fantasy.

Our story follows Aila, a young woman who wants to meet a goddess to determine what her blessing in life will be. There are alot of twists and turns before she gets to this point and her determination and passion really shines through.

She gets help from unexpected sources and we see different points of view as the plot develops. The characters are all built well and there are some stand out points during conversations between them. There is also plenty of mischief to go around!

This world is big enough that i have the author brings other books out set in it.

Our Divine Mischief by Hanna Howard is a captivating young adult fantasy novel that draws inspiration from Scottish history and folklore. It beautifully weaves together elements of tenderness, adventure, fierceness, and freedom.

While this book was steeped in rich mythology and had good stakes, I just couldn't get into the protagonist, there was such a lack of depth there that it brought the book down. If you are a fan of Rebecca Ross than you will enjoy this world but it just didn't stick the landing for me as a well rounded novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blink YA for a chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book!

Actual Rating: 3.5 out of 5⭐️

Our Divine Mischief was a solid and enjoyable read. I liked the folklore and the magic incorporated into the story, but found the pacing inconsistent at times.

Áila, one of the main protagonists, is quite naive but her determination and love shines as the story progresses. Hew was the most lovable character for me —even down on his luck, he was still resilient and full of so much hope. I really enjoyed the third POV from Orail since it injects humor, and lightness to the high stakes plot.

Readers of YA that enjoy folklore, magic, and adventure will find this book enjoyable!

I really enjoyed the folklore within this book, it really added to the magical nature and world building within the story! I thought the way it tied the folklore into the story and explained it's importance to the reader was elegantly done.

This is a whimsical wholesome story, and I especially loved the inclusion of a dog, Orail, as a main character. It was certainly a unique take on writing. Hew and Aila were well written, and I especially loved Hew's sweet hearted nature in spite of the way that he has been treated.

This book would be great for people who love tropes like found family, friends to lovers as wwwell as magical elements!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

I’ve struggled with YA as a genre the older I get but I did find myself enjoying this book at times.

I adore any story incorporating folklore as I grew up on stories very much like this. It felt so lovely to see and I wish more novels would lean into elements like this. I would love to read more from the world created here.

The characters were all thoroughly enjoyable and felt like real people to me at times.

If I had one critique it would be the pacing felt a little off at times. Maybe a possible pass over of the novel one or two more times would have made things a bit tighter.

3.5/5 stars

When I saw this was pitched for fans of Rebecca Ross, that plus my love of Scotland gave me high hopes for this book. Sadly, they were a bit disappointed. Overall, I didn't dislike the book, I just think it could have been so much more.

The story didn't quite dive deep enough for me in terms of worldbuilding or character development, and at times felt a little rushed with too much "telling" for the sake of moving the plot forward. I also felt like I was constantly being asked to overlook a lot of implausible and overly convenient situations.

I loved the themes of belonging and "being enough" with regard to Aila wanting to get her token and Hew being forced to endure life as “Unblessed,” but I really wish the book had dug into these more because it felt like the story barely scratched the surface.

I also really enjoyed reading about the gods and their stories/how they related to the island’s culture, but again, I wish the book would have spent more time delving into the folklore and mythology of Ilbha because it felt like the book barely scratched the surface.

As for the characters, I adored Hew, and he was probably my favorite part of the whole book. He is kind, sweet, and heartbreakingly mistreated by the rest of the village to the point that I was ready to fight anyone who made him sad or hurt his feelings.

Orail was probably my second favorite, and I have to say it was a very unique and intriguing choice to have one the book’s POVs be from a dog. Though it didn’t take long for me to figure out who Orail really is, I still enjoyed the ride.

I had mixed feelings about Aila. She seemed a little inconsistent, going from incredibly naive when it came to her time on the island to instantly transforming into a cunning schemer once she and Hew go to Ellisburgh. I get that it was a slap in the face for her to learn about [Redacted's] betrayal, but it felt like she turned into a different character.

Thanks to Netgalley and Blink for the advanced read!

This book was such a breath of fresh air. So many twists you will not see coming and honestly such a perfect read to get out of a reading slump. I LOVED how the Scottish folklore was woven into the story and still respected the historical aspect of it.

I absolutely adored this book! From start to finish I was hooked by the characters and the story that would unfold. Áila and Hew are well written characters who grow thoughtfully throughout the story and have a good build on a relationship from friends to lovers. I love how Hew doesn't want her to be casted out like he was and prays for her to be worthy, and genuinely wants to help her. Áila is also a good female character, strong and ready for a challenge, but also kind and gentle.

We can't forget about the dog who has her own POV and not only was it adorable, but also very interesting.

There's a lot more to the story then the trails which surprised me, but in a good way. Some twists and turns I didn't see coming, but overall a lovely story inspired by Scottish history and folklore with well written characters - with one of them being a dog!

This book contains the laziest excuse for world-building I've ever read, not to mention the super-obvious plot. It's set in a fictional Scotland, where the author's not-even-remotely-original ideas include turning the name prefix "Mac" into "Lac" and respelling city names--lie from Edinburgh to Ellisburgh. Really? The love triangle is never believable, the baddies far too obvious, and the timeline way too compressed and rushed for anyone to buy. The characters are stereotypes and the dog is just as poorly developed as the humans and gods. There's also a compulsory capitalist society and pro-capitalist vibe and patriarchal heteronormativity.

This is a YA fantasy that is told from three different perspectives; Aila the girl on the quest for the Goddess Trial, Hew who failed but is helping Aila, and Orail a dog with powers. This book was absolutely enchanting and I would highly recommend it. It kept me entertained and wanting more. Perfect!
I just reviewed Our Divine Mischief by Hanna Howard. #OurDivineMischief #NetGalley
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This was one of those books that captivated me almost from the very start and I just fell in love with.

The characters are unique and wonderful to read about, and getting the story from the point of view of the three main characters, Aila, Hew and Orial really adds to this. I became very attached to them very quickly, and really invested in their story (and it's not that often I feel connected to characters).

I love that, although the story doesn't use actual Scottish places, you can kind of tell where they are based on. And the weaving of folklore into the tale is something I just adored.

I cant say much without giving too much away, but this story was just wonderful, it tugged at my heart, and made me love every moment.

1 adored this book! A BIG thank you to netgalley for an arc of this amazing novel.

It's no secret that I probably have a bias toward books with Scottish mythology, but Our Divine Mischief was so good that I think even without the theme it wouldn't be leaving my mind anytime soon.

I can not wait for the release date so I can buy a physical copy to make my own, and read it over and over and over and...

I enjoyed the multiple POVs, and the ever-evolving POV of Orail, the dog. The Goddess Trails were very interesting and I enjoyed the religion of the island. The ending felt a little rushed, otherwise I really enjoyed this book!

In a world where everyone must travel to a goddess’s island to retrieve their fate, Aila receives nothing - except a puppy. To avoid being cast out by the town, Aila must complete a series of trials to prove she is not “Unblessed” by the gods. The dynamics of the town and the religion add to the intrigue of this tale. The plot really picked up in the second half of the book, and was unexpected in many ways. I must admit that the dog was my favorite character! The hope in the outcome of Aila’s journey compelled me throughout this story.

Thank you Hanna Howard, Blink, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.