DIVINE RIVALS BY REBECCA ROSS // spoiler-free book review: was the internet right or did this book give me anxiety? click to find out!

Wow I know. Couldn’t have been more clickbait if I tried. But thought I’d try a game of trickery on you, just for funsies.

I really don’t have to tell you much about this post seeing as you’ve most likely read the book already. Or were hiding under your rock like mwah. You’re valid babes, I promise. Without further ado, into the review we go!

Title: Divine Rivals
Series: Letters of Enchantment book #1
Author: Rebecca Ross
Page count: 368
Date published: 13 April 2023
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

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Synopsis:

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

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STAR RATING: (4.5 out of 5 stars)

I paced around my room approximately 6 times during the last 100 pages and I think that about sums up my feelings,,,

I wasn’t sure if the internet was to be trusted but I was truly proved wrong with this one. They were so very right and I’m not sure I will ever recover from this one. I’m so happy that YA fantasy is being loved again. I am ready to crawl out of my grave for it I’m telling you.

I’ve never read a Rebecca Ross book before but I certainly want to read all of her work after this. Her writing is absolutely magnificent and is what I aspire to write like in YA fantasy. It’s addictive and easy to follow, but also lyrical and soul-crushing aka the very best combination.

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I think what I most adored about this book, aside from the romance, follows on to this and I have to yell about the plot and it’s structure. Because I absolutely adored the dual narrative in this book!!! The way we were following mortal rivals and godly rivals possibly blew my mind? Who’s to say. But the way in which these two storylines intertwined with one another is something I can only call masterful. Brava Rebecca!

Speaking of plot, the internet had me believing that these two silly little writers were just typing away all day and lemme tell you I was knocked off my feet when things take a turn not even halfway through the book. I actually don’t want to tell you what happens because I loved the whiplash experience and need you all to go through the journey yourselves… enjoy xo

The lore in this world is fascinating omg! I think I may have subtracted half a star here because I was still slightly unsure how exactly the entire world fit together? It comes in book two but that would be my one critique.

I know you all want to hear about Roman and Iris. But let’s please give a moment to Attie and Marisol aka angels on whatever Earth is in this book. They were the wonderfulest friends to Iris and I loved that they were granted enough page time for us to learn about their character. We love a fleshed-out sidecast.

Let’s also talk about Forest for a second who absolutely pushes this entire plot along and I thought his presence throughout was GENIUS!!!

Okay FINE. We can talk about Kitt and Winnow already. No idea WHY we care so much but anyways….. Kidding kidding. I promise I take it back! My baby children deserve the world and I shall protect them at all costs. Before the collective tears, I wish to cry about them each individually. Roman is a certified simpTM and I shall always cry about this in any fictional character. No ways out of loneliness what do you mean? Iris just deserves everything and I shall be giving it to her!!!! Ugh, I absolutely adored her as our main character. It’s been a while since we’ve seen a quiet and subdued heroine but I ATE IT UP!!!!! Chef’s kiss characters if you ask me.

And them together? Just knock me out. I don’t want to be here on lonely planet anymore. Yes I would rather go meet,,,, yeah no I take that back. No thankq…

But back to the romance. I mentioned whiplash and getting knocked off my feet right? Yeah so that, but also times 100000 with them. All the edits to Hozier? Yeah, there’s a reason for this. Obsessed? Yes. I. Am. Leave. Me. Alone. The way these two, I would say unlikely, rivals couldn’t be more perfect together makes me want to sob. Seriously. You wouldn’t think that they work but they oh so do and I,,, need a minute.

Never have I wanted a penpal before today but I would be willing to do anything at this point.

GOSH DAMMIT I HATE IT HERE SO I WILL GO TO SECRET GARDENS IN MY MIND *hides*

Remember I talked about the pacing earlier? Yeah, you should prepare yourselves for a wild ending. Very glad I waited till both books were out to read this so I could immediately pick up book two. Guess that’s a good time to end this review so we can get into the next one *wink wink*

“I think we all wear armor. I think those who don’t are fools, risking the pain of being wounded by the sharp edges of the world, over and over again. But if I’ve learned anything from those fools, it is that to be vulnerable is a strength most of us fear. It takes courage to let down your armor, to welcome people to see you as you are. Sometimes I feel the same as you: I can’t risk having people behold me as I truly am. But there’s also a small voice in the back of my mind, a voice that tells me, “You will miss so much by being so guarded.”

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“I don’t think you realize how strong you are, because sometimes strength isn’t swords and steel and fire, as we are so often made to believe. Sometimes it’s found in quiet, gentle places.”

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“In the meantime, I hope you will find your place, wherever you are. Even in the silence, I hope you will find the words you need to share.”

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“Sometimes I’m afraid to love other people. Everyone I care about eventually leaves me, whether it’s death, or war or simply because they don’t want me. They go places I can’t find, places I can’t reach. And I’m not afraid to be alone, but I’m tired of being the one left behind. I’m tired of having to rearrange my life after the people within it depart, as if I’m a puzzle and I’m now missing pieces and I will never feel that pure sense of completion again.”

 

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“Keep writing. You will find the words you need to share. They are already within you, even in the shadows, hiding like jewels.”

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“I grew something living in a season of death.”

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“I am coming to love him, in two different ways. Face to face, and word to word.”

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“It’s not a crime to feel joy, even when things seem hopeless. Iris, look at me. You deserve all the happiness in the world. And I intend to see that you have it.”

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WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THIS BOOK? WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE CHARACTER? WHAT DID YOU RATE IT? OR IS IT STILL ON YOUR TBR? I’D LOVE TO KNOW!