Divine Rivals-Best Read of The Year
|5 Stars| Ages 14+| Duology| YA|
"A war with the Gods is not what you expect it to be."
When this book began to blow up on Goodreads, I brushed it aside thinking that it was one of those over-hyped books that wasn't as good as everyone made it seem. (Shatter Me, Cruel Prince, Shadow and Bone) I didn't want to waste my time with a book that could send me spiraling into a much-feared, and much-hated, reading slump.
After reading The Fourth Wing and loving it, I figured that I'd give Divine Rivals a shot. Y'all, I kid you not, it was the best choice I've made in a while. From page one, I was sucked in. The world just comes to life around you and it is impossible to put down. Each page brought something new and more captivating than the last one.
Some books touch your soul and change you on a deep level, and this was one of those books for me. I laughed, I cried, and I grinned over this and over each character. Their emotions came to life and floated off the page, and they felt so real to me. '
"I don't want to wake up when I'm seventy-four only to realize I haven't lived."
In a war-torn land, what is true and what is not?
Iris Winnow has felt her fair share of loss. Her brother left to fight in the war, leaving her and her mother to fend for themselves alone. And when Iris's mother dies suddenly, she has no one left. Except for the strange boy to whom her letters magically teleport when she slides them under her closet door.
Deciding she'd be better off at the war front, Iris packs her stuff and leaves. Not realizing that by leaving, she was taking a piece of her nemesis's, Roman C. Kitt, heart with her. As Iris's eyes are opened to just how sinister the war is, her eyes are also opened to her feelings when that horrid Roman C. Kitt shows up at the front.
Is their love, forged between words, hundreds of letters slid under closet doors, strong enough to last off the page? And will they be able to realize it before a greater evil attempts to tear them apart?
"'Are you squinting, Kitt?' she teased.
She could feel his breath in her hair as he murmured, 'Do you want to turn and see for yourself, Winnow?'"
There has been some debate over whether or not this is YA since the FMC is 18 and the MMC is 19 and I have to say that it is definitely YA. Is it targeted at a slightly older YA age group? Yes. But is it still YA? Yes.
Book Content:
Parents or teens, if you want to proof what you're reading, then this section is for you! Each heading gives a heads up to what may be in the book, be it language or violence, this portion will give you the heads up you're looking for!
Language:
~S Word
~ Possible D Word
~H Word
~Pi$$
Violence:
Death of a parent, a character gets hit and killed by a tram, stabbing, shooting, murder, bombings, gassing innocent people, and war front violence.
Sexual Content:
Two characters have sex, they are married, and if you've read
Breaking Dawn, it is very similar to the first sex scene in that book, married female/female couple (I believe they kiss), female/male couple (kiss and have sex)
Other Things To Note:
~Several Scenes take place in a hospital with injured soldiers
~Alchoholic Parent
~Mentions of how the war left people homeless
~Mentions of Drafting
~Mentions of how the press was covering up how bad the war actually was
“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.”
Why Should I Read Divine Rivals?
My one reason is because: It is GENUINLY good. It didn't leave me with a feeling of 'oof, that was pretty violent' or 'I'm not sure I should've read this book.' All I felt at the end was just sadness and joy. (I was sad because of the MASSIVE cliffhanger ending, but joyful because the happy spots in the book were so filling)
If that isn't a good enough reason here's another one: It reminds me that love is real and it is one of the most amazing things you can experience in your entire life. The romance in this book was so pure and so full. They didn't love each other because of their faults, they loved each other despite their faults. They fell in love with the person behind the mask they both put up. They laid their armor aside piece by piece, allowing the other time to fall in love with a new aspect of them.
"I want your hand to be in mine, no matter what comes."
Where Can I Buy Divine Rivals?
Songs and Book Recommendations if You Enjoyed Divine Rivals:
Songs:
~ I Need You- LeAnn Rimes
~All of Me- John Legend
~Cry- Mandy Moore
~Soilder- Before You Exit
~ Ours- Taylor Swift
Books:
~The Fourth Wing- Rebecca Yarros (NA/Duology)
~ Last Christmas In Paris- Hazel Gaynor (YA/Standalone)
~A Thousand Heartbeats- Keira Cass (YA/Standalone)
~Maddie J
"The days to come will only grow darker. And when you find something good? You hold on to it. You don't waste time worrying about things that won't even matter in the end. Rather, you take a risk for that light."
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