Finally taking a minute to sit down and go through the last few books I finished in an attempt to get back into the rhythm of reviewing & sharing my thoughts on the internet. I feel like I've been having too much of a perfectionist mindset towards reviewing and my blog in general so trying something a little simpler to rekindle the spark.

published May 20th 2025  -  400 pages

Easily one of the internet's most anticipated releases of the year, The Knight and the Moth is the start to Rachel Gillig's newest The Stonewater Kingdom duology. The novel opens with a kingdom held in the grasps of religious fanaticism and the journey of a devout Diviner named Six who joins the quest of a newly crowned king determined to prove his worth. This has the classic tropes of enemies to lovers, a quest with magical objects, and Rachel Gillig's eerie gothic prose that brings readers into the misty moors of Traum.

Woven with rich thematic material, The Knight and the Moth introduces the fragile juxtaposition between control and oppression. Blind faith and loyalty are challenged when the diety-like Omens begin to fall. As Six starts to unravel what she thought was the foundation of her role in society, her exploration of identity and free will become a catalyst to revealing how far one is willing to go to obtain the worship of others. Being the first Rachel Gillig novel I actually finished (one day I'll go back to One Dark Window), this novel highlighted just how immersive her writing can be. 

The story was full of concepts that checked off many of the internet's latest buzz words and that in part made the reading experience so much fun. It took the classic hero's quest for magical artifacts and incorporated religious elements that drove the plot forward. The repetitive nature of the quest was broken up by insightful commentary namely through my newest favorite character, a bat-like gargoyle who calls everyone Bartholomew. Truly, a good star on my rating is there because of him and he is also the sole reason I want to continue with the duology. As the characters underwent their first transformation arc, we are left with broken alliances and uncertain futures which sets the stage for more secrets and scheming to come.

published September 2nd, 2025 - 544 pages

A gentle romantic story will always be what my heart craves and Rebecca Ross's Wild Reverence checked all the boxes for me. As someone who enjoyed Divine Rivals but didn't quite get on the same hype train for Iris and Roman, this prequel officially sold me and I admit, I get it now. Wild Reverence takes readers back to the world of Cambria but this time through the eyes of the gods and goddesses themselves. If there's one thing Rebecca Ross can do, it's writing a love story that truly feels like it transcends all time and this delivered on all accounts.

Matilda and Vincent exist on opposite realms, one a goddess and the other a mortal - pretty much a classic tale of star-crossed lovers. Yet their initial connection through dreams creates a tether between their souls that brings them back together no matter how far they are apart. From childhood friends to unlikely allies to something more, their relationship grows so beautifully, highlighting a mature and thoughtful respect and genuine love between the two characters. Their contrasting societal roles help to usher along two different but intertwined plotlines that center around the never-ending schemes of the divine and the balance of action was so perfectly done.

This also managed to answer so many questions I had with Divine Rivals because we get to see the backstory to some important figures that shape the trajectory of the original duology. I liked how story itself was able to stand alone but we also get little easter eggs that OG readers can appreciate. We get to explore how fragile immortality can be - with the constant schemes and betrayals of the Skywards and Underlings, power is defined through one's ability to remain relevant. However, Matilda is viewed as a nobody at first with only six-points to her star but as the story progresses and her powers reveal themselves, we're faced with the bigger question of whether that prized immortality is worth it in the end.

I genuinely found myself thinking about the characters so much afterwards and dare I say, it makes me want to read Ruthless Vows even though I pretty adamantly told my sister I wasn't going to pick it up. To tide myself over, it might be time to check out Rebecca Ross's backlist instead.

If you've read these titles, I'd love to know what you thought!
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