Girls of Dark Divine

by E.V. Woods

A group of hauntingly beautiful girls have been bound together by a cruel curse—and one of them will go to any lengths to save them from their violent dance. A breathtakingly gorgeous gothic fantasy about love and control that will never let you go. This spellbinding debut is perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber!

In the legendary ballet theatre of New Kora, the girls on stage enchant the audience each night with their grace and divine beauty. Before Emberlyn became the show's star, it was her dream to become one of the ballerinas… until she learned the price of their living nightmare.

A curse has bound the girls to the show's mastermind, Malcolm, so they must obey his every command. They are controlled by the magic’s invisible strings that has the power to wield their limbs like marionette dolls. Only the commands don’t stop when the curtain comes down, and the girls live a life of fear from Malcolm’s wickedness and the twisted truth that each dancer is destined to turn to dust when the curse finally consumes her. 

When the troupe is invited to perform in the glitzy city of Parlizia, Emberlyn knows this could be her best chance to save them all. She meets an elusive boy made of shadows with a magical connection to the girls. Together, they work to unravel the haunting truth about their creation and fight for their survival. But the cost of freedom might be too high, and as she dances closer to the edge of darkness she realizes she might break the curse… or break her own heart forever.

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Young Adult, Gothic, Romance, Dark, Fiction

Paperback

First published August 5, 2025

About the author

E. V. Woods is a YA author from the U.K, who has been writing for almost as long as she can remember. She wrote her first short story when she was six, her first full length novel at 15, and since then, simply hasn’t stopped. She adores all things fantastical, and loves to write tales threaded with both darkness and magic, curses and hope.

E. V. Woods is an avid traveller, a huge music fan, and holds a BA in English Literature with Creative Writing from the University of Birmingham. She is endlessly curious and always looking to discover something new, whether that be from reading books, watching TV shows whilst curled up with her cats, or from one of the many adventures she spends hours daydreaming about having.

Reviews

[Melissa (Nissa_the.bookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

•𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐃𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐄

1. This is a great choice if you are a fan of YA gothic fantasy.
2. If you’ve ever had a crush on a shadow, check this one out!
3. Curses and evil men? Count me in!
4. If you have a teenage daughter, I recommend picking this one up!
5. The setting is so creepy and really pulls you into the story!

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

In the legendary ballet theatre of New Kora, the girls onstage enchant the audience each night with their grace and divine beauty. Before Emberlyn was the star of the show, it was her dream to become one of them . . . until she learned the price of their living nightmare.

A magical curse binds the girls to the show's mastermind, Malcolm, whose invisible strings wield their limbs as if they are marionettes . . . and the commands don’t stop when the curtain comes down. Each dancer is destined to turn to dust once the curse consumes her. 

When the troupe is invited to perform in the glitzy city of Parlizia, Emberlyn knows this could be her best chance to save them all. She meets an elusive boy made of shadows who has a magical connection to the girls. Together, they work to unravel the haunting truth about their creation and fight for their survival. But the cost of freedom might be too high, and as Emberlyn dances closer to the edge of darkness, she realizes she might break the curse . . . or break her own heart forever.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. While this was pretty dark I feel like it lacked substance. I wish the curse would have been explained a little bit more outside of ooo here's a book in a different language that kind of explains the curse so BAM plot.

[mya ‧𓍢ִ໋♠️ ׂ 𓈒 ⋆ ۪ · Rating 1 out of 5]

.ೃ࿔:･ 1.25/5 stars 🌟༚ out of 5 .ೃ࿔:･

✧₊˚ 📖 “girls of dark divine” by e.v. woods ✧₊˚

༘⋆𐙚｡⋆˚₊‧ ✩ °｡⋆⸜ 🩸 ₊˚⊹

﹒₊˚✧ first thoughts ✧₊˚﹒

⤷ one of the worst books i’ve read, like genuinely. 😭 the premise sounded ✧ gothic + dark + cursed ballerinas ✧ but the execution was… a slow-motion car crash where nothing even crashes. just endless circling around the same plot points until you start wondering if maybe YOU are cursed.

﹒₊˚✧ characters ✧₊˚﹒

⤷ emberlyn ⋆ our mc who wants to escape the curse, wants to kill malcolm, but spends 300 pages (majority of the book, fyi!!)… not doing that. she decides to bear it all alone instead of confiding in her sisters / the other maroinettes (why??) and then suddenly we’re distracted by… ✧ boy shadow ✧. she was not a likeable fmc as she kept making stupid decisions and was just so dull. i cannot enjoy a book if i do not care for the main character, let alone the cast of characters.

⤷ étienne ⋆ aka ember’s ✦ shadow bf ✦. yes. the literal shadow she dances with. no personality, no body, no chemistry… just a shadow. and she falls in love with it. 💀🖤 at first it’s just the shadow, then eventually he gets a body and ember’s like “omg where art thou, why not uponeth me?” but… girl, what. the best part about this book was probably the fact he died because i simply adore when one of the people in a ship die. that being said, though, his death had absolutely no effect to the story whatsoever, it was rushed, and meaningless.

⤷ malcolm ⋆ the guy she swears she’ll murder, except she doesn’t until the VERY end bc she’s too busy twirling around with her ✧ shadow crush ✧. his death was so underwhelming because he was the main villain throughout the entire book, and yet so easy to kill. fym ember just ‘broke free’ of the curse❓❓

⤷ the sisters ⋆ honestly they were good. aleida and the others had actual potential + vibes. ember should’ve relied on them more.

﹒₊˚✧ plot ✧₊˚﹒
⤷ slow. ✧ painfully slow ✧. 🕰️ after 120 pages of “i’m going to run away,” ember realises it won’t work. then she says “i’ll murder malcolm,” but… doesn’t (till the end). and then it’s just more circles. the pacing was so awful.
⤷ if “infodump” is too much info all at once, this book is the ✧ opposite ✧: not enough info where it’s actually needed. like hello?? i’m confused, bored, and slightly offended all at the same time.

﹒₊˚✧ romance ✧₊˚﹒
⤷ the entire romance subplot is ember swooning over a ✧ shadow ✧. i’m sorry but… no.💀 shadow daddy is one thing, but this guy took it to a WHOLE new level. she falls for étienne before he’s even a person, when he’s literally just a dancing shadow. the potential for a dark, cursed, gothic romance was there i GUESS, but instead we got insta love with negative chemistry.

﹒₊˚✧ writing ✧₊˚﹒
⤷ the actual prose isn’t bad to be honest. ✧ some descriptions and imagery had a nice flow, and i did pause at a couple pretty lines. ✧ the concept of cursed ballerinas is great. ✧ but all that promise got buried under the impacts of horribly slow pacing, poor plot structure, and a romance that made me so bored i wanted to chew on my nose.

﹒₊˚✧ overall ✧₊˚﹒
⤷ messy, boring, and frustratingly dull. ✧ wasted potential with ✦ cursed ballerinas and gothic vibes ✦, dragged down by pacing issues + a romance so stupid and uninteresting i wanted to dnf. the sisters were a highlight, the writing itself was okay, but overall… the execution was awful at best.

༘⋆𐙚｡⋆˚₊‧ ✩ °｡⋆⸜ 🖤 ₊˚⊹

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

“She felt scared, as she watched her best friend lose control to a monster.”

Omg, I loved this so much!! Fans of gothic literature are in for a treat with this one. The dark, mysterious vibe throughout the book is utterly captivating, making it feel super original and completely engrossing.

The story is written in third person, so I didn’t feel an intense connection to the main character, but that didn’t matter. The tone, the eerie storyline, the layers of mystery, and even the evocative descriptions of the dancing Marionettes all combine to create a mesmerizing read.

“The Marionette and the boy of dust and smoke.” The romance in this book is a tad insta-lovey but unique in its tragic and bittersweet beauty. It’s not the central focus, but it lingers in your thoughts long after reading.

What truly stood out to me, though, was the relationship between the sisters. It’s sweet yet steeped in doom and darkness. I liked their personalities and how they supported each other, knowing they had to face this horror together.

The ending is... tragic, happy, sad... painful yet perfect, leaving a haunting sense of closure that felt entirely fitting for the story.

If you love gothic tales with haunting vibes and layered storytelling, Girls of Dark Divine is a must-read. This one is going to stay with me for a long time!

[Bubbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girls of Dark Divine is an interesting horror fantasy the combines the world of ballet, a dangerous Puppet Master, and a curse to create this little gem of a book.

First of all, I have to say that I am IN LOVE with this cover!!! The touch of gold foiling really makes this one pop. I can't stop looking at it lol.

I enjoyed the overall plot of the novel though I do think it was a little bit long yet, at times, could have used better plot details such as more about the actual curse and what caused it. I feel like 100 pages could easily have been removed and it would have had the same impact.

I really enjoyed all the sisters and seeing their dynamics throughout the novel. The girls all remind me of someone I grew up so I related to each one in my own way. I loved seeing their love for each other and that they truly had that sisterly bond to be there for each other no matter the costs, even if that cost is death.

I also loved that the author focused on the theme of selfishness and seeing how that developed in a story about sisterly bonds. It was nice to see that the girls are all human and just like all of us, they can be a little selfish.

I highly recommend Girls of Dark Divine for fans of ballet, anyone wanting to ease into the world of horror, and/or anyone who enjoyed Courage the Cowardly Dog and the episode with the Great Fusilli.

[⊹₊⟡⋆ Lily the Lilac {Semi-hiatus} · Rating 5 out of 5]

❀ 𝔸𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟: 𝕊𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 ❀

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

╰┈➤ Stars: 5.5 ⭐!
╰┈➤ Pov: Third-person FMC
╰┈➤ Spice: 1 / 5
╰┈➤ Content: Loss of autonomy; torture; abuse both mental and physical; violence; death

🖤 𝓢𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂 🖤

꒰ 𝐿𝒾𝓀𝑒𝓈 ➛ I always write down my thoughts in a notebook as I read, and I have no idea how to organize those little notes into a review after the emotional roller coaster I went through with this 😭I'll start by saying the writing style is absolutely gorgeous, like Caraval-level whimsy! So enchanting you can't help but be enthralled immediately. And a warning: Your tear ducts will be in danger if you read this. If I wasn't an emotionless robot, I would've been crying and raging most of the way through this book, and especially at the ending GIVE ME COMPENSATION EVEN IF I DIDN'T CRY

꒰ 𝒟𝒾𝓈𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒𝓈 ➛ Just like I compared it to Caraval earlier, Girls of Dark Divine is very slow; I think a few chapters in the first half could've been shaved off. But that's literally my only complaint! (And only because I wanted the MMC to show up sooner than he did, which is halfway through).

🤍 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼 🤍

ˋ°•* 𝐸𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇𝓁𝓎𝓃 ➳ Emberlyn, my sweet sweet girl. You went through so much, and you deserved none of it. Yes you were fed-up and bitter, with an anger that seeped through the writing, but sometimes that's the only way to cope with the abuse that's thrown at you. Emberlyn deserves a hug and then another; my heart belonged to her about a third of the way through the story

ˋ°•* 𝐸𝓉𝒾𝑒𝓃𝓃𝑒 ➳ Etienne 🤭 Even though he only appeared halfway through, it didn't take long for me to feel like he was there from the beginning. Much like other classic MMCs, he's stoic and snarky at times, and sneaky like a little mouse. Buuuuut more often than not, he was gentle and caring, with a side of absolute adorableness <3 (As in, he stares at the ceiling as he undoes her costume ribbons on her back)

ˋ°•* 𝒪𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓈 ➳ The side characters, the other Marionettes, were a little 2-d to me at first, but they grew on me over time. And then... Malcom. Straight-up, I was trying to murder this man with my mind. The atrocities he commits against the other girls are horrendous, and only the kinds of things a complete psycho could do. And yet, what makes him scarily more human is that he doesn't think he's in the wrong. He thinks it's a worthy trade-off for making these girls dancing stars, even if they aren't the ones actually dancing. (He also does the whole manipulator "You're making me hurt you." so yeah)

💛 𝓡𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮 💛

The romance is slow to come, but when it does, oh my gosh it's great. Emberlyn's and Etienne's romance is made of cute touching moments, comforting each other, midnight meetings, and yearning. There's such a beautiful but bittersweet vibe to it, the kind that captures your heartstrings. And I never, never take quotes, but Etienne made me mark two in the same chapter

"I like to remind myself just how endless this city is. How big the world is beyond it. I'm such a small piece of the puzzle." Etienne took a deep breath. "I find it comforting, actually. To know that the world will keep turning when I'm gone. That somehow, someway, everything will be all right in the end, even if I'm not there to see it. Everyone and everything has a story to live through. I'm thankful I lived a story at all."

"I don't think it's worth pretending I'm anything but all yours, Emberlyn. From the moment I saw you, you captured me entirely. So whether you choose to return to the stage or we make for the mountains like we talked about, I will be beside you, always. If you'll have me."

LIKE GREEN FLAG CITY HERE WHAT THE HECK 💖💖💖

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓬𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷: GO READ THIS RIGHT NOW

❀ 𝔸𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟: 𝕀𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕕 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕤𝕒𝕨, 𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕘! ❀

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous and I loved the concept. I wish there had been just a little more meat to it (more background on the curse itself, the ending and how that happened) but the vibes reminded me so much of so many of my favorite stories (The Swan Princess, The Phantom of the Opera, Kingdom of Sweets)

[Brittney Running · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ I really enjoyed this!! I’m a sucker for a gothic fantasy and I was pleasantly surprised at how great this one was, especially for a debut novel🤩Such a unique premise but I wish that more detail was given into what was in the book they found🧐

[Khara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars
This was a great debut novel.
I liked the characters and the whole puppet master curse. Malcolm was an absolute POS and instantly hatable. Étienne’s character brought a Phantom Of The Opera vibe to the story.
At times I did find the story a bit slow and repetitive, but on the whole I did enjoy the book.

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

[Hannah Gunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book blew me away! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book, and it's not a genre I was very familiar with however, I'm so glad I got to read it.

Woods' starts strong with a hook of death, mystery and magic right from the first page. The pacing throughout the first act was fantastic, little twists and turns guiding you along Emberlyn's journey. The second act starts to ramp up the intrigue as the stakes get higher, leading to an explosive third act that I couldn't put down until I finished it. The ending provoked a catalogue of emotions for both me and the protagonist, masterfully crafted so you cannot guess how it will all end until you finish the final page. I finished it yesterday and can already tell its going to be one of those stories that sticks with me and leaves me wanting more.

Woods' writing is immersive, the detail that goes into the scenes, the characters , the emotions, and the darkness builds a clear vision in your head of the world you have entered. No detail goes unnoticed, all the while maintaining a gripping narrative that keeps you engaged as the mystery surrounding the marionettes' plight is unravelled.

Emberlyn is a strong protagonist and has that quality that you cannot help but both be intrigued by her but also feel a sense of understanding. Malcolm is unspeakably evil, but that doesn't fall into the common trap of being either stupid or predictable. He is a complex and tricky adversary to the marionettes and Emberlyn, as more is revealed throughout the story.

There are many themes within the narrative that weave in and out with good balance. It's the kind of book that is continuously drawing you in, making you more curious about the world it lives in.

For fans of gothic and dark literature, mystery, magic and intrigue, of morality, feelings and romance and of simply enjoying a compelling story, I'd highly recommend this one goes to the tops of your lists.

[Brend]

A troupe of hauntingly beautiful girls have been cursed to perform like marionettes until they turn to dust—but one of them will go to any length to save them from this violent dance.

[Crowinator · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.75 stars

[Kayleigh {K-Books} · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girls of Dark Divine Review on K-Books
Girls of Dark Divine on Instagram
Girls of Dark Divine Review on TikTok

“I’m prepared to die tomorrow if that’s what is needed of me, to stop this monster. To stop him from hurting anyone else, ever again.”

Wow! There are no other words that immediately come to mind when I think about Girls of Dark Divine. I don’t really know what I was expecting when I went into the ARC of this book, but I was not expecting to be this obsessed with this fantastic novel. I won an ARC of this book from Usborne at YALC 2024, and I don’t know why I didn’t read it immediately but it was a good 9 months later that I finally picked it up… Why did I wait so long? This is one of the best YA Fantasy books I have read in a really long time.

Girls of Dark Divine is a deliciously creepy, dark romantic fantasy that immerses you completely in its world right from the first page. It follows the story of Emberlyn, the main dancer in the elite dance troupe Malcolm’s marionette’s. What nobody knows is the dark truth of this dance troupe. Malcolm, the manager, is a dark wielder, and he has cast a dark spell on his ‘girls’ making them real life marionette dolls. He can control their every movement and action, on and off the stage. I won’t lie, there’s some super dark themes explored in this book, due to the fact that Malcolm can control the actions of all of the dancers, so that makes this book definitely at the older end of the YA spectrum. I wouldn’t say it is appropriate for younger teens, as we do explore themes of physical violence, manipulation and control and gaslighting. So if these themes may be triggering for you, read with caution.

I personally adored all of the themes explored in this book. It never goes over the line for a YA book, so everything is completely appropriate for the older end of this age range. But parts of it are dark, and creepy. I couldn’t stop reading, as I was dying to know what was going to happen and if the girls were going to be able to break free of Malcolm’s curse. Even from the start, I sat down to read a chapter or two and see how it was and the next thing I knew I was 150 pages in. I honestly couldn’t put it down. There are scenes that will make you uncomfortable. There were moments where I was literally sat with my hand over my mouth, genuinely frightened about what was going to happen. But to me, that shows absolutely fantastic storytelling. I was so emotionally invested throughout the entire duration of this book.

I’m really glad I went into this book pretty blind. I hadn’t read much about the book, and that made me so happy as I experienced everything as a surprise. Including the fact that this is loosely inspired by Phantom of the Opera. As a theatre nerd, and Phantom being one of my all time favourite stories and musicals, when I got to the part where that sort of storyline came in I was like WHAAAAATTTTTTTT????? Honestly I adored every single moment of this book. It’s truly one of the standout reads of the year so far for me. It was everything I could possibly want in a YA Fantasy novel, wrapped up in a musical theatre loving bow. It was perfect!

Girls of Dark Divine has without a doubt been the best surprise of 2025 for me so far. I loved every single moment of it and from the second it was over, I really wanted everyone to read it so I could fangirl about it with them. This will definitely be going on my favourites shelf, and one I will read again and again and again. It’s truly fantastic. If you’re looking for a new YA Fantasy to obsess over, look no further… this is it! It’s dark, creepy, magical and romantic. It has everything I could have wanted and more. I am genuinely obsessed with this book. The writing was stunning, the characterisation fantastic… the plot… perfection! EV Woods is the 2025 debut author to watch out for. She has immediately gone onto my auto-buy list! So if there is one YA debut you pick up this year, make sure it is this one!

“You should get to dance one last time, if you want to. As you. As Emberlyn – not as somebody’s marionette.”

[Ofelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good! It was so unique and the plot was so captivating - it had me engrossed by chapter one.
Instantly I loved this storyline of the girls who were captured by Malcolm. I liked all of the sisters and their relationship. They were so close to each other which was understandable due to what they'd been through. The plot of the Marionettes and the Puppet Master and the curse was so good and intriguing.
I really liked Emberlyn as the main character. I liked how she was the leader of her sisters on a way and the head of the Marionettes.
I liked the rest of the girls as well. Especially Aleida - she was so sweet and such a good friend to Emberlyn. I do wish we got more of the other girls but I also liked what we did see of Rosalyn and Jia.
I liked how they were dancers and performers - it's a unique setting for a fantasy book and I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the world as well, it was simple but well done.
The curse was also really intricate and well done. It really did feel impossible to get around and I really liked how it worked. The invisible strings were so interesting.
The one thing I didn't care for in this book was the romance. I wasn't sure what to think of the boy in the shadows. It was a bit strange but it made a lot more sense once we got the backstory. Etienne was okay... I liked how he was there for Emberlyn and their romance was kind of cute at the end but overall just meh for me. It wasn't even too sad when he died.
I really liked the whole plot with Gabrielle too. She was so sweet and it was sad how Emberlyn had to insult her to save her life.
The plot to kill Malcolm felt a bit intense. For some reason I didn't like how dark Emberlyn got even though it made sense.
The end of the book was good too. Emberlyn pushed through and was able to start severing the curse. I do kind of wish that there had been a way to break the curse or something a bit different but it was okay.
I'm glad these girls got their happy endings and I wish there was a second epilogue or something showing their lives later.
Overall this was a super good read and I loved it!! Super clean as well which was amazing!

[gigis.bookblog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girls of Dark Divine ist ein düsteres Fantasy/Romance Debüt, in dem Schwesternliebe, Kontrollverlust, Ballett und ein schwerer Fluch miteinander verschmelzen.

𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 𝗴𝗲𝗵𝘁 𝗲𝘀?
Die Protagonistin Emberlyn ist Teil einer renommierten Tanztruppe im Theater von New Kora. Sie und ihre Mitschwestern stehen unter einem Fluch, durch den sie zu Marionetten werden und vollständig der Kontrolle ihres „Puppenspielers“ Malcolm Manrow unterliegen. Sie müssen tanzen, bis ihre Körper dem Verfall nahe sind. Emberlyn will für ihre Freiheit kämpfen und entdeckt dabei ein mysteriöses Wesen aus Schatten und Dunkelheit.

𝗪𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻?
Das Setting und die gesamte Atmosphäre wirkten sehr bedrückend. Der Fluch, der Puppenspieler, das Leid der Schwestern, all das hat dazu beigetragen, dass die Atmosphäre sehr düster wirkte und die Leser*innen mit hineingezogen wurden. Anfangs war die Erzählperspektive für mich ungewohnt, doch je weiter ich las, desto weniger nahm ich sie wahr. Die Handlung hat mich vollkommen in ihren Bann gezogen. 😨
Obwohl ich normalerweise keine Bücher über Ballett etc. lese, hatte diese Geschichte etwas Einzigartiges. Die Idee und deren Umsetzung waren erfrischend. Auch wenn Emberlyn als Charakter nicht perfekt war, konnte ich ihre Gedanken nachvollziehen. Besonders interessant fand ich, dass es ein alternatives Ende gab. 😊

𝗪𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗿 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗵𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻?
Bis die Geschichte Fahrt aufnimmt, dauert es ein wenig. Außerdem darf man hier keine intensive Liebesgeschichte erwarten.
Das Buch beinhaltet auch keinerlei Spice, was aus meiner Sicht aber kein direkter Kritikpunkt sein soll. ☺️

𝗙𝗮𝘇𝗶𝘁:
Girls of Dark Divine ist perfekt für Leser, die düstere Fantasy mit Gothic Atmosphäre und einer starken weiblichen Hauptfigur lieben. Die Stimmung des Buches ist intensiv und bedrückend, während die Liebesgeschichte eher im Hintergrund bleibt. Wer sich darauf einlässt, wird mit einer einzigartigen, fesselnden Story belohnt.

[TwistedSerpiente_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited and shocked to be approved this ARC from Usborne Publishing, NetGalley & E.V. Woods in exchange for an honest review.

Rating - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ( I'd actually give this book 6stars! )

(Potential Spoilers)

I think it's very important to note that although this is a YA book, you should check the trigger warnings as there are descriptions of abusive and controlling behaviour, mild gore, and bodily harm.

I have so much to say about this book. I don't know where to start. Firstly, I was stunned to find the whole book is much darker and haunting than I had first anticipated. The epitome of this book was truly Dark Gothic Literature, which I found myself completely bewitched and hooked to. From the very first chapter, you are entangled into a dark and eerie setting, which involves death, mystery, dismay, and clinging on to hope that things will improve for the Marionettes. I loved that this book was completely unique, but also had elements of one of my all-time favourite plays Phantom Of The Opera, which I did have to immediately watch after finishing this book. 😍

About the book - Follow the beautiful Marionettes who perform so gracefully and perfectly onstage. Some would even say flawlessly without any mistakes as if they were puppets on a string being controlled by a puppet master. But, the controlling doesn't stop there. When the curtain falls, so do the girls, who have no real say and are powerless over their own bodies. Their only choice is to obey the vile and cruel Malcolm, for if they choose to defy him, they will find themselves having to suffer whatever cruel and wicked punishment he strikes them with. But, how long can someone endure such sickening treatment? Our female protagonist, Emberlyn, has had enough of living this wicked nightmare for her and her sisters. When the troupe is invited to perform in the glitzy city of Parlizia, Emberlyn knows this could be her best chance to save them all. She meets an elusive boy made of shadows with a magical connection to the girls. Together, they work to unravel the haunting truth about their creation and fight for their survival.

I found E.V. Woods writing for her first debut novel, perfect! The pacing was great, and I found the writing so well explained and detailed. Like I was truly watching all the performances on stage myself. The sisterhood and bond between all the girls and especially Emberlyn & Aledia really spoke volumes, I adored their love for one another, and despite the most tragic circumstances, they always looked out for one another. I would have loved some more depth on all the girls... Maybe a book two? But, I still found the plot and the whole story perfect!

Tropes Included are;
🩰 - Strong FMC
🩰 - Curses/ Unique Magic system
🩰 - Dark Setting
🩰 - Sweet Romance

Overall - If you love dark gothic fantasy with a strong FMC, a vile villain, and female rage, set in a dark eerie setting, then this is the book for you!

This book will grip you with its dark tendrils; you'll be eagerly turning the pages to know what's next whilst also savouring all the sweet and innocent moments. The ending was so bittersweet and will stay with me. 😭🥀

I can't wait to meet E.V. Woods at YALC and tell her in person how much I loved this book. 🖤❤️

[Verswand · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emberlyn und die Marionetten dachten, sie würden sich ihren Lebenstraum erfüllen, indem sie unter Malcolms Hand tanzen. Doch dieser steuert sie mit einem Fluch, der ihnen nicht nur jegliche Lebensfreude genommen hat, sondern auch an ihren physischen Kräften zerrt…
Für mich war er sehr problematisch, dass die Protagonistin zwar sehr viel darüber spricht und nachdenkt, dem ihnen auferlegten Fluch zu entkommen, jedoch nicht in die Tat umsetzt. Das, was sie versucht, spielt sich auf wenigen Seiten ab, sodass es schnell wieder still wird.
Mitfiebern konnte ich auch nicht so richtig, denn warum auch? Die Autorin hat mir nicht gezeigt, was die anderen Mädchen, die anderen Marionetten ausmacht. So habe ich mein Hauptaugenmerk auf Emberlyn gerichtet, die ihr Kämpferherz täglich unter Beweis stellt.
Während mir die Geschichte durchweg zu ruhig war, konnte das turbulente Ende mich abholen. Hier hat die Autorin gezeigt, dass sie ihr Potenzial doch ausschöpfen kann. Nur warum nicht schon eher?
Alles in allem bleibe ich enttäuscht von der Umsetzung, zumal die Idee so genial war.

[Cyd’s Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.0 stars.

This book is so intriguing and fair amount darker than I expected. The unique magic woven into the story to create a tale of sacrifice and feminine rage is very well done. I love how dance is incorporated into the story it brings a little showman ship to the pages which creates a mask for what is lurking behind the scenes once the curtain is pulled.

Our FMC is courageous and broken, but I adored her on page. The villain in this story is as callous as they come, his greed and selfish desires are what plagues our main character and her troupes lives. As the story unravels we get to figure out how this happening and our main character must make decisions she may not recover from in order to truly be free.

This is a beautifully haunting story with magic and sisterhood that will draw you in.

[mobprincess2714 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this novel down. I found this story to be completely engrossing. It is such a great fall read. I had such a good time reading this. It is whimsical, eerie, creepy, haunting and gothic. Keep in mind that this is young adult but it is disturbing in parts. It reminds me of Grimm's fairytales that do have an edge to them.

This gave me all the feelings and made me cry. It is tragic and bittersweet. It is a book that stands out in your mind. It is as beautiful as it is melancholy. I love the relationships with the characters. I love the sisterhood and the bonds. It reminds me of the classics such as The Little Princess meets Phantom of The Opera. I love anything that deals with dancers and dancing. This is such a magical experience. I highly recommend it. I will definitely read more from this author. Absolutely amazing!

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh. My. God.
I have so many words for this book, honestly for a debut novel I absolutely loved it!
I won't lie it was a bit of a slow start to the book as the world building took over 100 pages until the plot thickened more. As I haven't read any gothic fantasy books before I was a bit skeptical as this is an entirely new genre for me, but I loved the overall concept and plot for the book!
I found it really easy to fall in love with the characters as they all have their flaws and loveable traits, apart from Malcolm, hate that guy.
I did see the ending for one of the main characters from a mile off yet it still made me cry when the inevitable happened.

Overall, this book was absolutely amazing and I am looking forward to more books from this author!

[abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3.5] as unsure as i was of this book before going into, i can say that it got me out of like a 2-month long reading slump, so that surely has to count for something, right? in terms of being a romantasy, i would say it definitely falls more into the fantasy category, although this didn’t really bother me as i was enjoying this part of the storyline more than the (mostly very subtle) romance that was unfolding in the second half of the book. i would have loved to have learned more about the curse, and its origins etc. than the small pieces of information we did get revealed, but i appreciate it was more emberlyn’s story that the author was interested in telling. the friendship / sisterhood between our main character and the others felt very authentic, and i liked the overarching message / theme that was being put across.

thank you to usborne for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Cecily Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely chose this book because of the cover. However, I really enjoyed it. The idea was really cool and I kept seeing the imagery in my head playing out like a movie. It's been a while since I have enjoyed a young adult book but I'm glad I picked this one up.
Good read.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨3.75
A ratos algo repetitivo pero escrito de forma exquisita.

[Courtney Mellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! dark but well done! I just felt like there was something missing? Great start to spooky season reads though!

[Elissa✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was something else honestly. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this as I was reading the start but yeah it proved me wrong. Wow.


“Dance again, Emberlyn.”

[emmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a devastatingly beautiful book. This is definitely one of my top reads of the year. I loved the Phantom of the Opera parallels. There was a lot of darkness and sadness on this book, but the epilogue was beautiful!

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verfluchte Tänzerinnen

Die Ausgangssituation von Tänzerinnen, die verflucht sind und deshalb wie Marionetten geführt tanzen, klang extrem cool, düster und vielversprechend. Ich mochte die Protagonistin Emberlyn sehr gerne und fand besonders die Bezheihungen zu den anderen Tänzerinnen, ihren "Schwestern" interessant. Schließlich hängen sie alle in diesem Fluch und haben nur einandner. Hier fand ich aber, dass die anderen Schwestern leider sehr blass blieben und da das Potenzial, das in diesen Beziehungen steckte, nicht ausgeschöpft wurde. Was ich aber sehr mochte, war die düstere Atmosphäre und Emberlyns persönliche Entwicklung. Es war wirklich female rage at its best. Auch ie zarte Liebesgeschichte mochte ich, auch wwenn ich sie ebenfalls etwas zu blass dargestellt fand.
Was ich allerdings seltsam fand, war das altenative Ende. Erstmal hätte iches logischer gefunden, erst das Originalende zu lassen und danach das alternative Ende aufzuführen. Und dann fand ich das extra Happy-End einfach gar nicht passend zur Geschichte und verstehe nicht, warum es das jetzt geben musste.
Ansonsten mochte ich die Geschichte aber sehr gerne, besonders passsend zur dunkleren Zeit.

[Ella Clode · Rating 5 out of 5]

i actually loved this book the start was a little slow though

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been crowned as the lead Marionette brings more horror than honor to Emerblyn as she buries her sister, taken too soon by the rot of a curse that haunts all in their trope. Being bound to their Puppet Master and forced to perform to perfection she and her sisters travel to a new theatre where secrets of the past threaten to unravel the threads that bind them.

What a haunting tragic fairytale like story we have.

I devoured this book fast than I anticipated, immediately I was hooked by this doomed collection of girls compelled to follow every demand of Malcom until it kills them. The anger of not fully being in control of your body is not lost on me in todays current climate and those little wins of defiance be it action or a cool smile when no one is looking was very powerful and I too hope we are able to find that kind of true freedom.

I loved the relationships between the sisters and while I wish we had more scenes of them together I understand why we could not. The journey Emberlyn needed to take in order to recognize the strength she always possessed within her could not be done in a situation where she felt the weight of responsibility for her friends at all times. Her friendships held her spirit but her lingering connection to the a Shadow helped her find her heart and that was truly beautiful.

There is so much to enjoy and be horrified with within this story leaving you with a feeling like falling into a dream that you don’t realize is a nightmare until the hooks are already buried deep within and I enjoyed every single second.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**