Divine Rivals: A Novel (Letters of Enchantment, 1)

DIVINE RIVALS is a lush and consuming YA fantasy/epistolary. The story is told from the perspectives of Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt, who are competing for the job of columnist at the most prestigious newspaper in Oath. Their country is engaged in a divine conflict between gods, who have created a great deal of chaos, particularly Dacre, whose awakening led to a lot of destruction. Enva is opposing, and Enva has called Iris's brother to the forefront of the action, leaving Iris alone with her alcoholic mother. Though her brother had promised to write, Iris has not heard from him, and thus, she has no way to get in touch with him. Instead, she writes him letters that she cannot send and places them in the wardrobe they share, where they disappear. Somehow, the letters are being delivered to Roman Kitt, unbeknownst to Iris, and she dislikes him with a great passion. He treasures the letters and eventually responds, though without naming himself. As they communicate through the letters, their lives are irrevocably changed by their circumstances and decisions that lead to their involvement in the battles to come. What I loved: This may be my favorite of Ross's books yet. Ross really knows how to craft an incredible and intricate fantasy world, introducing it to the reader organically through characters with which the reader instantly falls in love. This is my favorite thus far, and it's an absolutely consuming and page-turning read. The world-building is quite masterful, with a whole mythology presented for these living gods. While people know that they exist and the havoc they are wreaking, specific knowledge is limited, and Iris gathers it where she can, sharing it with the reader in the process. This has all led to the terrible fighting with horrific magical and technological tools that make having a loved one involved anything but simple. The decisions Iris makes with regards to it all make sense, as the reader learns and understands her character and the value she places on family and her writing. Iris and Roman are both really fantastic characters. While, at the beginning, they see each other in much more flat and two-dimensional terms, through their letters, they both begin to grow into someone more real and multi-faceted. Each has seen a lot of trauma and held the heavy weight of expectations in their own disparate ways, and while they seem as though they could be opposites in every way (socioeconomic, advantages/privilege, etc.), their lives have shaped them into matches for the other, with connections that go much deeper than the surface. Their love story was unbelievably beautiful and affectingly felt by the reader, and it would be impossible not to cheer for them to be together. While it takes a while for them to admit to themselves, they are a perfect match. The story also handles some really poignant and t...

Frick!!! ARE YOU SERIOUS! How in the good Lord's name am I supposed to wait for the next one? SERIOUSLY! UGHHHHHHH I absolutely loved this book! Enemies to lovers? Rivals to Lovers? Whatever you want to call it, I'm here for it! Magical typewriters? A God war? A story where the H and h aren't soldiers or warriors but rather journalists? What else should I need to say? Nothing, just add this to your TBR list for April 2023 when it releases and make it a priority, you will not be sorry.

After A River Enchanted and A Fire Endless, I am a huge fan of Rebecca’s writing. I was almost giddy reading this novel, just knowing I will be transported to a new world with magic and great characters. It surprised me even expecting these emotions. Absolutely lovely story of love and loss, yearning and learning. To quote the author "a girl who writes letters to her missing brother, and the boy who reads them." Entering a world of rewoken gods in a town called Oath. Iris Winnow, a budding reporter, works at the Oath Gazette trying to stay afloat after her brother joined the gods’ war and her mother struggles with addiction. The one person still keeping Iris on her toes is Roman Kitt, a rival journalist vying for the same columnist position in the paper. Their connection grows through their magical typewriters, writing out letters each night and slipping them through their wardrobes. Until a heartbreaking event alters Iris’ trajectory to the front lines of war. Beautifully written and respectful to the realities of war, it was interesting to see it from a fantasy perspective. Truly deep at the core this is a story of the perseverance of love and connection between the characters. The fantasy and magic are a big bonus, I loved the magical typewriters and their owners were great characters. I enjoyed the realistic portrayal of loss and living in a world at war. I would categorize this as more adult than YA due to the seriousness of the topics portrayed in the novel, even though the characters are in their late teens/early twenties.