Review: Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan (Spoiler-Free)

4.5 stars! Check out my review on GoodReads for the spoilery version! Keep reading for the spoiler-free version: War has made us all used to living in desecrated spaces once considered holy. WOW. Who knew this book would end up knocking my socks off?? Certainly not me. Going in, I expected it to be a 3-4 star book, and at the beginning I thought that prediction would reign true. But oh my god, the last half of the book was phenomenal. I was very impressed by the writing in this book, as it was a debut novel. I feared that it would be very basic and not lend itself well to what I thought could be a basic YA fantasy. However, I am incredibly pleased that I was horribly wrong. The writing was beautiful and the author really knew how to write a good romance (and characters). She wanted to shove him away; she wanted him closer. That always seemed to be the crux of it. She didn't know what she wanted. Characters: ✧ Nadya- She is a fierce, brave, and yet realistic main character. She comes from Kalyazin, a nation that values its gods over all else, and she is the first person who is able to communicate with these gods in years. Her journey with religion and morals that is challenged throughout the novel is so interesting, and can really lend itself to dealing with religion in today's society as well. ✧ Malachiasz- Talk about a morally grey character, oh my god. This man will keep you guessing until the very end. No matter how much the line blurs between good and bad with him, there still lies an undeniable pull between him and Nadya. I'm not even a big shipper, but, despite this ship being COMPLICATED, I can't help but feel the tension between those two. ✧ Serefin- Sass master, amirite? This type of character will never cease to entertain me, however I must also point out that Serefin is one of the best examples of this type of character that I've ever read; he isn't just a cookie-cutter of Nikolai Lanstov. The High Prince of Tranavia was a charming boy who enjoyed self-deprecation and complaining. While he does have the traits of sass and flamboyance, his character is completely unique. Of course there are many other characters, but these are the main three, and are the ones that I had the most to say about. I still cannot comprehend the ending of this book, and I wish I could have the sequel in my hands right now!

Song I was reminded of while reading: Latch