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The Warring Gods #2
The River and the Star
In the gripping conclusion to the Warring Gods duology, two women find themselves caught in an ancient feud between ruthless entities, in an epic quest for power and liberation.
Reina is full of hope.
At long last, Reina has the peace she's been searching for on the idyllic islands of Tierra'e Sol with the lover she's always wanted and in service to the god of the sun. But she can't quite trust how long this will last. When monstrous creatures of the Void appear on the isle's shores, she is certain she knows who is behind the attacks. Reina will stop at nothing to protect the woman she loves, but it could cost her everything she's fought so hard for.
Eva is cherished.
Finally reunited with her father, the Liberator, Eva struggles to prove herself worthy of being his heir while keeping secret her alliance with the god of the Void. As destruction, both human and magical, tears across the lands, Eva is thrust into a power struggle she's ill-prepared for. Confronted with the limits of her own ambition, Eva must fight to save herself from the powerful corruption of the Void before she loses the family she holds dear.
The warring gods are returning and the only thing between them and absolute power are two young women. But for the first time in their lives, Reina and Eva have something to fight for. And they won't back down.
Reina is full of hope.
At long last, Reina has the peace she's been searching for on the idyllic islands of Tierra'e Sol with the lover she's always wanted and in service to the god of the sun. But she can't quite trust how long this will last. When monstrous creatures of the Void appear on the isle's shores, she is certain she knows who is behind the attacks. Reina will stop at nothing to protect the woman she loves, but it could cost her everything she's fought so hard for.
Eva is cherished.
Finally reunited with her father, the Liberator, Eva struggles to prove herself worthy of being his heir while keeping secret her alliance with the god of the Void. As destruction, both human and magical, tears across the lands, Eva is thrust into a power struggle she's ill-prepared for. Confronted with the limits of her own ambition, Eva must fight to save herself from the powerful corruption of the Void before she loses the family she holds dear.
The warring gods are returning and the only thing between them and absolute power are two young women. But for the first time in their lives, Reina and Eva have something to fight for. And they won't back down.
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First published September 16, 2025
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About the author
Gabriela Romero Lacruz
3 books480 followersBorn and raised in Venezuela, Gabriela Romero Lacruz is author of the #1 Sunday Times bestselling novel, THE SUN AND THE VOID. She graduated with a BS in chemical engineering from the University of Houston and, after a stint in Oil and Gas, launched The Moonborn, a clothing, accessories, and stationery brand featuring her own illustrations. She writes dark and twisty fantasy stories set in places that remind her of home, so in her mind, she’s never too far from the beaches and mountains of Venezuela. She also illustrates book covers for select clients.
She is represented by Naomi Davis of Bookends Literary.
She is represented by Naomi Davis of Bookends Literary.
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April 10, 2024I am hoping that Gabriela Romero Lacruz is able to improve upon the weaker elements of the previous book, because in spite of that, The Sun and the Void did have some interesting things going on.
However, I hope people do not make up lies about this book like they did The Sun and the Void.
However, I hope people do not make up lies about this book like they did The Sun and the Void.
October 1, 2025
I'm really disappointed that I didn't like this as much as I loved the first novel.
While the first novel had direction, this installment felt aimless and read like a telenovela. Half the time, I wasn't sure what the individual POV plotlines were even supposed to be about, or which direction the book was headed in general.
I wanted more action and more magic. But instead, it felt like all of the characters were either standing around, walking around, or talking to each other about the tiniebla situation, the gods, and/or discussing politics and history.
I really liked Reina and Maior. They showed a lot of growth from the first novel. But Eva and Javier were so toxic for each other that I became so sick and tired of them before I even reached the midpoint.
Three stars because I liked most of the characters, especially the Liberator and Reina, and the lore and worldbuilding were comprehensive. The author's writing also improved. I'm not sure if I cared for either Ches or Rahmagut, but they were interesting (and in Rahmagut's case, very amusing) characters and they added another dimension to the story.
While I was entertained enough during my buddy read with Ange, I didn't think this book was all too memorable for me, sadly.
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this arc.
While the first novel had direction, this installment felt aimless and read like a telenovela. Half the time, I wasn't sure what the individual POV plotlines were even supposed to be about, or which direction the book was headed in general.
I wanted more action and more magic. But instead, it felt like all of the characters were either standing around, walking around, or talking to each other about the tiniebla situation, the gods, and/or discussing politics and history.
I really liked Reina and Maior. They showed a lot of growth from the first novel. But Eva and Javier were so toxic for each other that I became so sick and tired of them before I even reached the midpoint.
Three stars because I liked most of the characters, especially the Liberator and Reina, and the lore and worldbuilding were comprehensive. The author's writing also improved. I'm not sure if I cared for either Ches or Rahmagut, but they were interesting (and in Rahmagut's case, very amusing) characters and they added another dimension to the story.
While I was entertained enough during my buddy read with Ange, I didn't think this book was all too memorable for me, sadly.
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for this arc.
September 28, 2025
TL;DR: I enjoyed The River and the Star. While I enjoyed the first book in the duology more (as is often the case for me with any series), TRatS was a solid sequel that expanded the stunning world Romero LaCruz created and answered many of my lingering questions.
Once again, I am enamoured by the care that Romero LaCruz had in constructing and expanding her world-building. Given that the series is a duology, in the first book, The Sun and the Void, we were introduced to many elements of the world, including the politics, magic system, some of the religion/mythos, and society, broadly. Much of this is expanded deftly in TRatS, answering lingering questions that I’d hoped to see addressed.
I really, really enjoyed learning more about the gods worshiped in Venazia and Fedria pre-colonialism.
As someone living in the Americas, who admittedly doesn’t have an extensive understanding of Indigenous beliefs, it was interesting to see the same sort of thing take place where Pentimiento—an allegory for Catholicism brought by Spaniards—absorbed and rebranded the Indigenous religions of the Nozariels, Valcos, and Yares, to convert the Indigenous populations more effectively. I assume this is similar to the Spanish (and Portuguese) colonization of Latin America, especially given that the Pentimiento Church does the Inquisition in TRatS, accusing geomancers and worshipers of the ‘old gods’ of partaking in witchcraft and demon worship.
As the title of the duology (The Warring Gods) suggests, there’s a heavy focus on the so-called old gods, especially on the two warring gods themselves: Ches, god of the sun, and Rahmagut, god of the Void.
While we were introduced to both of these gods and some of their mythos in TSatV (and the Virgin, the goddess worshiped in Pentimiento), we receive much more about them in TRatS. We learn about their origins, and we also learn about what the world was like before Segol’s invasion.
Without getting into spoilers, we also learn more about the other gods. While religions often have a focus on two major, contrasting gods (whether they represent good/evil, light/dark, heaven/hell, or life/death), other gods exist. Filling this in was pivotal to making it feel real.
It’s more of a minor point, but I think Romero LaCruz really doubled down on her chemical engineering background in TRatS. So much of the magic system in The Warring Gods is touched by science, including that in real life, the vast, vast majority of iridio (iridium) on earth comes from asteroid impact craters because it is more prevalent in meteors. More science comes into the magic system in TRatS, where we learn that at its core, geomancia using iridio works in opposition to the universe’s tendency toward disorder and chaos. There’s also plenty of chemistry involved in terms of creating solutions in geomancia to do different tasks.
I just want to emphasize that I enjoyed this aspect a lot.
Everyone just goes through it in this book. Everyone.
We had the addition of a third POV—Maior—which I was apprehensive about at first, but ended up liking. I liked Maior in the first book, too; I just wasn’t sure if she merited having her own POV. Ultimately, it was a good choice, as it displayed much of Maior’s development, and was key, I think, to highlighting some of the Pentimiento nonsense that happens. Maior really comes into her own, transitioning from a supportive character as Reina’s love interest (and as a victim of circumstance), into someone trying to take control of her own life. Her naivety and trust are endearing, but it was pivotal that she developed her own agency.
Maior actually had most of the brain cells in TRatS, in my opinion.
Given that Reina and Eva were the driving characters in TSatV, they experienced the most character development in book one. In TRatS, I think it was less about their growth and more about settling into those changes. More of an acceptance of how they fit into their new roles.
Both lacked power at the beginning of book one. At the start of book two, they each had more power than they could imagine—including Eva’s position over Javier. They also had actual family and friends who cared. In some ways, they were both power drunk, temporarily becoming worse people despite their growth. Despite having people who cared about them, they struggled with seeking help due to their new power and status. It was always about doing things themselves, and people suffered for that (no spoilers, but RIP).
As for the actual plot itself, I think it was a solid follow-up, though it would be hard to outdo book one for me. A lot had to happen, so it was much faster-paced than the first book. The opening scene was immediately action-packed.
I truly can’t speak in-depth about it without spoilers, but let me say that I would love another book set in this world. A prequel would be lovely because I so badly want to know more about the Yares.
Overall, I highly recommend this duology. I’m grateful to have been on the Street Team and to once again have the pleasure of receiving, reading, and reviewing one of Romero LaCruz’s books.
---
I'm on the street team FYI, and as soon as I finish my reread of The Sun and the Void, I will be on this.
A Note: I continue to scream that TSATV was and is one of my favourite books. People are absolutely entitled to their opinions and I know people dislike things I like and vice versa—but it was really devastating to see a debut author's book be the center of weird lies. I still think about that. There are always constructive conversations to have, and should be had, but that was not what was happening.
Once again, I am enamoured by the care that Romero LaCruz had in constructing and expanding her world-building. Given that the series is a duology, in the first book, The Sun and the Void, we were introduced to many elements of the world, including the politics, magic system, some of the religion/mythos, and society, broadly. Much of this is expanded deftly in TRatS, answering lingering questions that I’d hoped to see addressed.
I really, really enjoyed learning more about the gods worshiped in Venazia and Fedria pre-colonialism.
As someone living in the Americas, who admittedly doesn’t have an extensive understanding of Indigenous beliefs, it was interesting to see the same sort of thing take place where Pentimiento—an allegory for Catholicism brought by Spaniards—absorbed and rebranded the Indigenous religions of the Nozariels, Valcos, and Yares, to convert the Indigenous populations more effectively. I assume this is similar to the Spanish (and Portuguese) colonization of Latin America, especially given that the Pentimiento Church does the Inquisition in TRatS, accusing geomancers and worshipers of the ‘old gods’ of partaking in witchcraft and demon worship.
As the title of the duology (The Warring Gods) suggests, there’s a heavy focus on the so-called old gods, especially on the two warring gods themselves: Ches, god of the sun, and Rahmagut, god of the Void.
While we were introduced to both of these gods and some of their mythos in TSatV (and the Virgin, the goddess worshiped in Pentimiento), we receive much more about them in TRatS. We learn about their origins, and we also learn about what the world was like before Segol’s invasion.
Without getting into spoilers, we also learn more about the other gods. While religions often have a focus on two major, contrasting gods (whether they represent good/evil, light/dark, heaven/hell, or life/death), other gods exist. Filling this in was pivotal to making it feel real.
It’s more of a minor point, but I think Romero LaCruz really doubled down on her chemical engineering background in TRatS. So much of the magic system in The Warring Gods is touched by science, including that in real life, the vast, vast majority of iridio (iridium) on earth comes from asteroid impact craters because it is more prevalent in meteors. More science comes into the magic system in TRatS, where we learn that at its core, geomancia using iridio works in opposition to the universe’s tendency toward disorder and chaos. There’s also plenty of chemistry involved in terms of creating solutions in geomancia to do different tasks.
I just want to emphasize that I enjoyed this aspect a lot.
Everyone just goes through it in this book. Everyone.
We had the addition of a third POV—Maior—which I was apprehensive about at first, but ended up liking. I liked Maior in the first book, too; I just wasn’t sure if she merited having her own POV. Ultimately, it was a good choice, as it displayed much of Maior’s development, and was key, I think, to highlighting some of the Pentimiento nonsense that happens. Maior really comes into her own, transitioning from a supportive character as Reina’s love interest (and as a victim of circumstance), into someone trying to take control of her own life. Her naivety and trust are endearing, but it was pivotal that she developed her own agency.
Maior actually had most of the brain cells in TRatS, in my opinion.
Given that Reina and Eva were the driving characters in TSatV, they experienced the most character development in book one. In TRatS, I think it was less about their growth and more about settling into those changes. More of an acceptance of how they fit into their new roles.
Both lacked power at the beginning of book one. At the start of book two, they each had more power than they could imagine—including Eva’s position over Javier. They also had actual family and friends who cared. In some ways, they were both power drunk, temporarily becoming worse people despite their growth. Despite having people who cared about them, they struggled with seeking help due to their new power and status. It was always about doing things themselves, and people suffered for that (no spoilers, but RIP).
As for the actual plot itself, I think it was a solid follow-up, though it would be hard to outdo book one for me. A lot had to happen, so it was much faster-paced than the first book. The opening scene was immediately action-packed.
I truly can’t speak in-depth about it without spoilers, but let me say that I would love another book set in this world. A prequel would be lovely because I so badly want to know more about the Yares.
Overall, I highly recommend this duology. I’m grateful to have been on the Street Team and to once again have the pleasure of receiving, reading, and reviewing one of Romero LaCruz’s books.
---
I'm on the street team FYI, and as soon as I finish my reread of The Sun and the Void, I will be on this.
A Note: I continue to scream that TSATV was and is one of my favourite books. People are absolutely entitled to their opinions and I know people dislike things I like and vice versa—but it was really devastating to see a debut author's book be the center of weird lies. I still think about that. There are always constructive conversations to have, and should be had, but that was not what was happening.
September 25, 2025
*Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for early copy for review*
Both of the main characters drained me with either their choices or lack of communication. Eva has so much confidence in her choices, while being led by a devious god. Reina on the other hand is dealing with so much trauma. This includes the time with her grandmother and the prejudice she faces because of her race.
So dealing with main character issues and a slow moving plot with added god host narratives made this book feel very mediocre. The ending was also very anticlimactic. I was angry that I spent so much time reading this book for such an underwhelming ending.
That being said I enjoyed the mythology and setting. I would still consider reading something else by this author, but this series I would not recommend.
Both of the main characters drained me with either their choices or lack of communication. Eva has so much confidence in her choices, while being led by a devious god. Reina on the other hand is dealing with so much trauma. This includes the time with her grandmother and the prejudice she faces because of her race.
So dealing with main character issues and a slow moving plot with added god host narratives made this book feel very mediocre. The ending was also very anticlimactic. I was angry that I spent so much time reading this book for such an underwhelming ending.
That being said I enjoyed the mythology and setting. I would still consider reading something else by this author, but this series I would not recommend.
July 10, 2025
Being asked to join Gabriela’s street team for TRATS felt like a dream come true, and having just finished the e-arc I received I can say with confidence that her writing is some of my favourite!!
The River and The Star is a story told in technicolour, Gabriela Romero Lacruz brings both her world and her characters to life in this second instalment in The Warring Gods duology. While I can sometimes find dense world building a little difficult to work through, I found myself fascinated by the world being described to me, Gabriela’s created a space you can’t help but long to visit, and her Venezuelan inspiration is used to artfully embellish a world that feels entirely unique.
As for the characters, I had NOT anticipated falling for these four main characters as much as I did!! I always knew I was a Reina fan from book one, but in book two I’ve found a love for the remaining three main characters as well. The perspectives in TRATS work so well to give a balanced account of the events that take place and leave you wanting to give each character their chance to narrate while also being desperate to know what’s happening elsewhere!!
I laughed and was left devastated by TRATS, and if I know anything, it’s that a good book will always allow me to feel all my emotions as I read through it 😌
Overall, I cannot recommend The River and The Star (and The Sun and The Void) more!! I’ve had so much fun reading this book and you can bet I will be grabbing a copy as soon as it comes out in October!!
The River and The Star is a story told in technicolour, Gabriela Romero Lacruz brings both her world and her characters to life in this second instalment in The Warring Gods duology. While I can sometimes find dense world building a little difficult to work through, I found myself fascinated by the world being described to me, Gabriela’s created a space you can’t help but long to visit, and her Venezuelan inspiration is used to artfully embellish a world that feels entirely unique.
As for the characters, I had NOT anticipated falling for these four main characters as much as I did!! I always knew I was a Reina fan from book one, but in book two I’ve found a love for the remaining three main characters as well. The perspectives in TRATS work so well to give a balanced account of the events that take place and leave you wanting to give each character their chance to narrate while also being desperate to know what’s happening elsewhere!!
I laughed and was left devastated by TRATS, and if I know anything, it’s that a good book will always allow me to feel all my emotions as I read through it 😌
Overall, I cannot recommend The River and The Star (and The Sun and The Void) more!! I’ve had so much fun reading this book and you can bet I will be grabbing a copy as soon as it comes out in October!!
August 9, 2025
Well, well, well… way to make me eat my words!
The character I despised, turns into one I feel for most! Who would have thought! Imagine a friend that’s your opposite. You are similar, but the actual other side of each other. That dynamic was interesting to explore, as balance is a fickle thing.. I greatly enjoyed the dynamics between the characters, the lore and the overall world. The subplots of colonialism and racism, mixed with religion.. I appreciated how the characters had to battle with what they experience, were taught to believe of themselves and then having to find their own “truth” along the way. Are we what we experience, what others call us, or what we believe ourselves to be? Maybe a mix of all three?
Coming from a multicultural background and having a unique perspective regarding many of the topics discussed in this duology, I greatly appreciated and enjoyed the exploration. Not to mention that the magic wasn’t lost along the way, and neither was the love!
I cannot recommend this sequel more! I reread The Sun And The Void [Book 1] right before starting The River And The Star [Book 2] and it picked right up where book 1 left off. If you haven’t read The Sun And The Void, this is the perfect time to do so and binge The River And The Star, you will NOT be disappointed!
Thank you to Gabriela Romero Lacruz, for creating this magical story and to Orbit Books and NetGalley for allowing me to experience it!
The character I despised, turns into one I feel for most! Who would have thought! Imagine a friend that’s your opposite. You are similar, but the actual other side of each other. That dynamic was interesting to explore, as balance is a fickle thing.. I greatly enjoyed the dynamics between the characters, the lore and the overall world. The subplots of colonialism and racism, mixed with religion.. I appreciated how the characters had to battle with what they experience, were taught to believe of themselves and then having to find their own “truth” along the way. Are we what we experience, what others call us, or what we believe ourselves to be? Maybe a mix of all three?
Coming from a multicultural background and having a unique perspective regarding many of the topics discussed in this duology, I greatly appreciated and enjoyed the exploration. Not to mention that the magic wasn’t lost along the way, and neither was the love!
I cannot recommend this sequel more! I reread The Sun And The Void [Book 1] right before starting The River And The Star [Book 2] and it picked right up where book 1 left off. If you haven’t read The Sun And The Void, this is the perfect time to do so and binge The River And The Star, you will NOT be disappointed!
Thank you to Gabriela Romero Lacruz, for creating this magical story and to Orbit Books and NetGalley for allowing me to experience it!
November 15, 2025
I really enjoyed this duology! It was well-paced, had a cool Latin American-inspired world and flawed characters that were interesting to read about if also pretty frustrating. I feel like people are seriously missing out on this one since it has so few ratings
May 31, 2025
The River and the Star by Gabriela Romero Lacruz is the second book in the Warring Gods duology. This book continues the story of Reina and Eva directly after the events of The Sun and the Void. The two have been fundamentally changed after the battle in the tomb. Reina now hosts the god of the Sun and Eva, the God of the Void. The two will struggle to maintain their friendship as the rival gods put them at odds and threaten their families.
Such an amazing book. The vast majorities of traditionally published high fantasies are based off of white European culture and folklore which can get very same-feeling—but this duology is based in Gabriela’s home country of Venezuela. I loved being able to read a high fantasy that was so different from anything else I’d read. The worldbuilding and magic system was so intricate and fun to learn about through both books. I love the themes of colonization with the different races and religion systems. These books had such a full world. The characters were wonderful and flawed and felt fleshed out. I enjoyed watching them grow over the two books. Eva became my favorite by the end of the duology—I originally found her to be a bit selfish but by the end she was a bad bitch. I also love my emo boy Javier. I really adore all the main characters and grew very attached to them. Overall, a duology I loved.
Such an amazing book. The vast majorities of traditionally published high fantasies are based off of white European culture and folklore which can get very same-feeling—but this duology is based in Gabriela’s home country of Venezuela. I loved being able to read a high fantasy that was so different from anything else I’d read. The worldbuilding and magic system was so intricate and fun to learn about through both books. I love the themes of colonization with the different races and religion systems. These books had such a full world. The characters were wonderful and flawed and felt fleshed out. I enjoyed watching them grow over the two books. Eva became my favorite by the end of the duology—I originally found her to be a bit selfish but by the end she was a bad bitch. I also love my emo boy Javier. I really adore all the main characters and grew very attached to them. Overall, a duology I loved.
December 24, 2025
The Sun and the Void was the first book I read steeped in the folklore and mythology of Venezuela/South America. Lacruz’s storytelling is rich, beautiful, and incredibly immersive. The sequel is every bit as moving and emotional as the first book!
This was a story of redemption, reflected by the story’s slower pace, as Reina, Eva, Major, and Javier reconcile their pasts with their futures and decide how they want to move forward together. I loved the individual arcs of each of the characters, as well as the overarching plot. I am amazed by how much they’ve grown and endured since the beginning of The Sun and the Void.
The Warring Gods is an epic duology for fans of fantasy steeped in ancient magic and folklore. This story takes you on a journey that forces you to sit with the emotional weight of its history with themes of colonialism, racism, religious fervor, and revolution. The dynamic cast of characters are a shining beacon of hope, overcoming generational trauma and injustice to create a brighter more joyful future. I cannot recommend this series enough!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was a story of redemption, reflected by the story’s slower pace, as Reina, Eva, Major, and Javier reconcile their pasts with their futures and decide how they want to move forward together. I loved the individual arcs of each of the characters, as well as the overarching plot. I am amazed by how much they’ve grown and endured since the beginning of The Sun and the Void.
The Warring Gods is an epic duology for fans of fantasy steeped in ancient magic and folklore. This story takes you on a journey that forces you to sit with the emotional weight of its history with themes of colonialism, racism, religious fervor, and revolution. The dynamic cast of characters are a shining beacon of hope, overcoming generational trauma and injustice to create a brighter more joyful future. I cannot recommend this series enough!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
December 5, 2025
I did not expect to be this emotionally compromised by sun gods, void gods, and the world unraveling, but here we are. This sequel is a cosmic whirlpool of mythic chaos and messy, miraculous love.🤩
Following Reina and Eva after the catastrophe of Rahmagut’s tomb was like watching two women attempt to rebuild their lives while holding literal cosmic forces on a leash. Reina just wants to settle into her sweet, sun-drenched island life with Maior except Enrique is marching across the horizon demanding justice, Maior is still haunted and I mean haunted by Laurel’s soul, and the god she’s hosting has the energy of an unruly dragon in a too-small apartment.
Meanwhile, Eva? Oh, my heart. She’s wrestling with heirship, god-infested power, political tension, and her desperate need to save Javier before he dissolves into a tiniebla. Nothing says marital stress like my husband is turning into an eldritch creature because I unleashed a god. Every chapter with her felt like watching someone fight the tide with bare hands, driven by loyalty, love, and maybe just a pinch of cosmic stubbornness.
And then the tinieblas uprising kicks off like some apocalyptic festival no one asked for, forcing Eva and Reina to team up two women bonded by trauma, power, and the persistent nightmare of being possessed by entities who might be smarter, older, and just a tiny bit more devious than anyone guessed. Their dynamic? Wonderful! The stakes? Sky-high! The emotional hits? Direct to my face.
There’s something dazzling about this sequel: the way it dances between intimate moments and sweeping mythic chaos, the way the world hums with danger and beauty, the way every character is balancing grief with hope and hope with terror. I left the book feeling both wrecked and weirdly uplifted, like I’d witnessed the stars realign, and maybe just maybe my own mortal problems don’t seem so dire after watching people wrestle gods.
⚡️Thank you Orbit Books and Gabriela Romero Lacruz for sharing this book with me!
Following Reina and Eva after the catastrophe of Rahmagut’s tomb was like watching two women attempt to rebuild their lives while holding literal cosmic forces on a leash. Reina just wants to settle into her sweet, sun-drenched island life with Maior except Enrique is marching across the horizon demanding justice, Maior is still haunted and I mean haunted by Laurel’s soul, and the god she’s hosting has the energy of an unruly dragon in a too-small apartment.
Meanwhile, Eva? Oh, my heart. She’s wrestling with heirship, god-infested power, political tension, and her desperate need to save Javier before he dissolves into a tiniebla. Nothing says marital stress like my husband is turning into an eldritch creature because I unleashed a god. Every chapter with her felt like watching someone fight the tide with bare hands, driven by loyalty, love, and maybe just a pinch of cosmic stubbornness.
And then the tinieblas uprising kicks off like some apocalyptic festival no one asked for, forcing Eva and Reina to team up two women bonded by trauma, power, and the persistent nightmare of being possessed by entities who might be smarter, older, and just a tiny bit more devious than anyone guessed. Their dynamic? Wonderful! The stakes? Sky-high! The emotional hits? Direct to my face.
There’s something dazzling about this sequel: the way it dances between intimate moments and sweeping mythic chaos, the way the world hums with danger and beauty, the way every character is balancing grief with hope and hope with terror. I left the book feeling both wrecked and weirdly uplifted, like I’d witnessed the stars realign, and maybe just maybe my own mortal problems don’t seem so dire after watching people wrestle gods.
⚡️Thank you Orbit Books and Gabriela Romero Lacruz for sharing this book with me!
August 22, 2025
Okay first things first, I think this book did a good job of reminding you what happened in the first book without being over-explainy. It had been a few years since I read The Sun and the Void, but could grasp what was happening. The beginning felt pretty slow, and most of the book felt fairy slow-paced, and could have maybe been a bit more condensed. It did feel like some of the conflict was just rehashed over and over again, but I still really enjoyed it. The ending, though much faster compared to the rest of the book, felt satisfying for each character. All in all, a great end to this debut duology!
Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the advanced copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the advanced copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
November 23, 2025
Reina is the exact heroine that I need but rarely get. My all time favorite action heroine is Clarke Griffin because people projected strength onto her when she was internally terrified. She suffered real consequences during action scenes. She had strength that only looked epic from the outside looking in. Reina gave me the Clarke feels. I genuinely admired her as a protagonist. I was glad to see her evolution.
December 6, 2025
The triumphant conclusion to Gabriela’s epic duology, this is a series rich in lore and worldbuilding, lovingly executed and so vividly depicted that you can easily imagine it translating to screen. The cultures, tensions and politics are fantastically well done, with the author utilising the unique fantasy species she has crafted to good effect.
With the scenes set from the first book, now it is time to crank it up a notch as you are trickle-truthed more of what’s going on behind the scenes. Our protagonists and their love interests are as interesting and morally grey as ever (except Maior, who is just the loveliest little ray of sunshine). The fracturing and healing of relationships is one of the most interesting parts of the book. You don’t get an easy HEA, and nor is the romance focused on at the expense of the plot, or, indeed, the other relationships: father - and grandfather - to daughter and granddaughter; friend to friend; soldier to captain; and not least, god to host.
Many secrets are being kept to start with, but equally many truths will be revealed. I don’t want to give spoilers, but it’s both dramatic and satisfying in equal measure. An author to watch.
With the scenes set from the first book, now it is time to crank it up a notch as you are trickle-truthed more of what’s going on behind the scenes. Our protagonists and their love interests are as interesting and morally grey as ever (except Maior, who is just the loveliest little ray of sunshine). The fracturing and healing of relationships is one of the most interesting parts of the book. You don’t get an easy HEA, and nor is the romance focused on at the expense of the plot, or, indeed, the other relationships: father - and grandfather - to daughter and granddaughter; friend to friend; soldier to captain; and not least, god to host.
Many secrets are being kept to start with, but equally many truths will be revealed. I don’t want to give spoilers, but it’s both dramatic and satisfying in equal measure. An author to watch.
November 13, 2024
A truly wonderful conclusion to the story. The world continues to captivate me and rings true to the culture it represents.
October 19, 2025
Book Review: The River and the Star by Gabriela Romero Lacruz
Published by Orbit Books. Thank you to Orbit for the gifted book.
Let me start by saying: this book absolutely ruined me—in the best, most cathartic way possible. The River and the Star is the kind of sequel that grabs you by the feelings, shakes you around a bit, and then gently sets you down with tears in your eyes and crumbs of divine chaos in your lap. Gabriela Romero Lacruz has outdone herself with the finale to The Warring Gods duology. If The Sun and the Void introduced us to the haunting, intricate world of Fedria and Venazia, The River and the Star digs deep into its gods, its colonizers, its monsters, and most devastatingly, its people.
Reina and Eva return as our main messes—I mean, protagonists—and they’re not exactly doing great. Possessed by gods (Ches and Rahmagut, no big deal), haunted by trauma, and holding way too much power for two girls who used to feel so small, they’re both on the edge of something dangerous. Reina’s trying to hold onto love with Maior while navigating ghost problems (literally) and trying not to get squashed under the weight of the sun god she now shares headspace with. Meanwhile, Eva is fighting Rahmagut’s seductive darkness, juggling political power as the Liberator’s heir, and dealing with the crumbling remnants of her marriage and self-identity.
The plot? Dense and deliberate. The action? More explosive than the last book. The vibes? Immaculate. You’ve got magic rooted in iridium and entropy (yes, the science actually matters), ancient deities with questionable morals, political tension, reanimated horrors, and an entire system of belief being weaponized and dismantled. The tinieblas (shadow creatures) are rising, and everyone’s internal monsters are rising right along with them. It’s chaos, it’s brilliant, and I loved every dramatic minute.
I genuinely didn’t expect to get so attached to Maior, who gets her own POV this time around. She’s gone from love interest to full-blown queen of emotional clarity, with a moral compass sharper than half the cast combined. She’s grieving, trying to find her footing, and refuses to let the past define her—but also isn’t afraid to admit when it still haunts her. Her arc is quiet but powerful, and adds depth to a story already bursting with tension.
And can we talk about the worldbuilding? This isn’t your cookie-cutter, faux-European fantasy landscape. Romero Lacruz draws from Venezuelan culture and folklore to build something that feels as rich and real as history itself. The conflict between indigenous traditions and colonizer religion isn’t just backdrop—it’s central. Pentimiento, a thinly veiled colonial church, has rewritten the stories of the gods, repackaged native belief into something twisted, and is now crumbling under the weight of that erasure. It’s sharp, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s so well done.
As much as I love a good sword fight, what kept me hooked here were the characters and the way they’re allowed to be messy. Eva, especially, is not your typical hero. She makes terrible choices. She hides the truth. She lets power corrupt her. And yet, her journey feels earned. She is, at times, terrible—but she’s trying. Same with Reina, who learns that love doesn’t erase grief, and that control doesn’t equal healing. Even the gods themselves feel real, like cautionary tales that whisper too close to the truth.
The pacing may feel slow for some readers, especially in the first half. But for me, that build-up made the later chaos even more satisfying. Every moment of quiet, of dread, of contemplation—it’s doing something. The emotional payoff wouldn’t hit nearly as hard if the groundwork wasn’t laid so carefully. And by the final third of the book, it’s just tension, heartbreak, and divine screaming all the way down.
There’s a line that absolutely gutted me:
“We keep our gods close, even when they tear us apart.”
I don’t know if Romero Lacruz wrote that specifically to ruin my afternoon, but it worked. Because that’s what this book is—holding on to what hurts, because it’s all we’ve ever known. And then, if we’re lucky, learning how to let go.
By the end, I didn’t just want more—I wanted a history book from this universe, a prequel about the Yares, a spinoff with Esteban and Pucho (yes, even the side characters got me), and maybe some therapy for literally everyone. But as a duology, this story feels complete. There’s sorrow and hope and a soft, hard-won sense of peace that made me close the book and just sit with it.
This is fantasy with teeth. It’s not afraid to get personal, political, or philosophical. It’s queer, feminist, anti-colonial, and filled with heart. If you’re tired of fantasy that looks the same, reads the same, and forgets that magic should mean something, The Warring Gods duology is your antidote.
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)
#TheRiverAndTheStar #GabrielaRomeroLacruz #FantasyBookReview #LatinxFantasy #QueerFantasy #Bookstagram #Bookish #OrbitBooks #FantasyBooks #SFF #WarringGodsDuology #LatineAuthors #OwnVoicesFantasy #EpicFantasy #MagicAndMyth #BookRecommendations #HighFantasyBooks
Published by Orbit Books. Thank you to Orbit for the gifted book.
Let me start by saying: this book absolutely ruined me—in the best, most cathartic way possible. The River and the Star is the kind of sequel that grabs you by the feelings, shakes you around a bit, and then gently sets you down with tears in your eyes and crumbs of divine chaos in your lap. Gabriela Romero Lacruz has outdone herself with the finale to The Warring Gods duology. If The Sun and the Void introduced us to the haunting, intricate world of Fedria and Venazia, The River and the Star digs deep into its gods, its colonizers, its monsters, and most devastatingly, its people.
Reina and Eva return as our main messes—I mean, protagonists—and they’re not exactly doing great. Possessed by gods (Ches and Rahmagut, no big deal), haunted by trauma, and holding way too much power for two girls who used to feel so small, they’re both on the edge of something dangerous. Reina’s trying to hold onto love with Maior while navigating ghost problems (literally) and trying not to get squashed under the weight of the sun god she now shares headspace with. Meanwhile, Eva is fighting Rahmagut’s seductive darkness, juggling political power as the Liberator’s heir, and dealing with the crumbling remnants of her marriage and self-identity.
The plot? Dense and deliberate. The action? More explosive than the last book. The vibes? Immaculate. You’ve got magic rooted in iridium and entropy (yes, the science actually matters), ancient deities with questionable morals, political tension, reanimated horrors, and an entire system of belief being weaponized and dismantled. The tinieblas (shadow creatures) are rising, and everyone’s internal monsters are rising right along with them. It’s chaos, it’s brilliant, and I loved every dramatic minute.
I genuinely didn’t expect to get so attached to Maior, who gets her own POV this time around. She’s gone from love interest to full-blown queen of emotional clarity, with a moral compass sharper than half the cast combined. She’s grieving, trying to find her footing, and refuses to let the past define her—but also isn’t afraid to admit when it still haunts her. Her arc is quiet but powerful, and adds depth to a story already bursting with tension.
And can we talk about the worldbuilding? This isn’t your cookie-cutter, faux-European fantasy landscape. Romero Lacruz draws from Venezuelan culture and folklore to build something that feels as rich and real as history itself. The conflict between indigenous traditions and colonizer religion isn’t just backdrop—it’s central. Pentimiento, a thinly veiled colonial church, has rewritten the stories of the gods, repackaged native belief into something twisted, and is now crumbling under the weight of that erasure. It’s sharp, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s so well done.
As much as I love a good sword fight, what kept me hooked here were the characters and the way they’re allowed to be messy. Eva, especially, is not your typical hero. She makes terrible choices. She hides the truth. She lets power corrupt her. And yet, her journey feels earned. She is, at times, terrible—but she’s trying. Same with Reina, who learns that love doesn’t erase grief, and that control doesn’t equal healing. Even the gods themselves feel real, like cautionary tales that whisper too close to the truth.
The pacing may feel slow for some readers, especially in the first half. But for me, that build-up made the later chaos even more satisfying. Every moment of quiet, of dread, of contemplation—it’s doing something. The emotional payoff wouldn’t hit nearly as hard if the groundwork wasn’t laid so carefully. And by the final third of the book, it’s just tension, heartbreak, and divine screaming all the way down.
There’s a line that absolutely gutted me:
“We keep our gods close, even when they tear us apart.”
I don’t know if Romero Lacruz wrote that specifically to ruin my afternoon, but it worked. Because that’s what this book is—holding on to what hurts, because it’s all we’ve ever known. And then, if we’re lucky, learning how to let go.
By the end, I didn’t just want more—I wanted a history book from this universe, a prequel about the Yares, a spinoff with Esteban and Pucho (yes, even the side characters got me), and maybe some therapy for literally everyone. But as a duology, this story feels complete. There’s sorrow and hope and a soft, hard-won sense of peace that made me close the book and just sit with it.
This is fantasy with teeth. It’s not afraid to get personal, political, or philosophical. It’s queer, feminist, anti-colonial, and filled with heart. If you’re tired of fantasy that looks the same, reads the same, and forgets that magic should mean something, The Warring Gods duology is your antidote.
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)
#TheRiverAndTheStar #GabrielaRomeroLacruz #FantasyBookReview #LatinxFantasy #QueerFantasy #Bookstagram #Bookish #OrbitBooks #FantasyBooks #SFF #WarringGodsDuology #LatineAuthors #OwnVoicesFantasy #EpicFantasy #MagicAndMyth #BookRecommendations #HighFantasyBooks
September 15, 2025
Romero Lacruz does not disappoint with this thrilling conclusion to The Warring Gods duology!
With the dust settling around the ruins of Rahmagut's tomb, Reina and Eva emerge changed. No longer are their lives their own, for each plays host to a god. Reina, host to Ches, the god of the Sun, wants nothing more than to redeem herself for the deeds she committed at Doña Ursulina's bidding, build a life with her true love, and to serve a commander worth following like the Liberator. Meanwhile Eva, host to Rahmagut, the god of the Void, finds herself fighting the beguiling influence of the Void god while trying to build a relationship with her long lost father and become an heir worthy of his trust. But what are the hopes of mere mortals when the gods are at play?
As one might expect, it doesn't take long before the presence of the gods in the mortal plane becomes noticed. Darkness moves on swift wings as hordes of tinieblas begin to rise and the countries of Fedria and Venazia find themselves on the brink of destruction. Not only from the monsters but from within as well. The only hope that Reina, Eva, and their friends have of saving everyone relies on keeping the machinations of the gods at bay while banding together to deal with the threats from within and from without. Will they succeed? Or will Reina and Eva find themselves pawns in a larger game?
I don't know if I possess the words to accurately convey my feelings at reaching the ending of this duology. Gabriela has created such a rich and vibrant world full of passion and magic. This is truly a duology like no other and The River and the Star was the most perfect conclusion to this story.
Reina, Eva, and all the characters of this novel are so perfectly imperfect. There are no perfect heroes in this tale. The strengths and flaws of these characters make them feel so vibrantly alive. From the honorable, stubborn Reina, to the quietly strong Maior, from Javier's charming animosity to Eva's determined cleverness, each of these characters will grab ahold of you by the heart strings and never let go. I particularly love the foil of Don Samón to Don Enrique. Two males so alike and yet so vastly different. Each a leader in their own right but for vastly different reasons. And don't get me started on the characters that are new to this tale like Estaban and Pucho. A novel's life blood is its characters and with characters like these it's no wonder this world is so ALIVE!
The gamut of emotions I ran through while reading this novel should also be mentioned. It's been a long time since an author was able to make me laugh, cry, and scream out loud the way Romero Lacruz does. She knows just how to get a reader invested for the long haul. And the tale she has to tell is so deep that I'm not sure you can ever truly reach the bottom. The themes explored within these pages are as relevant today as they were in the time period that inspired this novel. Religious persecution, social and racial inequality and injustice, colonialism and corrupt leadership are just some of the themes you can find in between these pages.
If you're looking for a fantasy that makes you think, that makes your heart pound, that makes you ache for more even once everything is all over...look no further The River and the Star - The Warring Gods duology - is that fantasy for you.
Thank you to Gabriela and to Orbit Books for this ARC!
With the dust settling around the ruins of Rahmagut's tomb, Reina and Eva emerge changed. No longer are their lives their own, for each plays host to a god. Reina, host to Ches, the god of the Sun, wants nothing more than to redeem herself for the deeds she committed at Doña Ursulina's bidding, build a life with her true love, and to serve a commander worth following like the Liberator. Meanwhile Eva, host to Rahmagut, the god of the Void, finds herself fighting the beguiling influence of the Void god while trying to build a relationship with her long lost father and become an heir worthy of his trust. But what are the hopes of mere mortals when the gods are at play?
As one might expect, it doesn't take long before the presence of the gods in the mortal plane becomes noticed. Darkness moves on swift wings as hordes of tinieblas begin to rise and the countries of Fedria and Venazia find themselves on the brink of destruction. Not only from the monsters but from within as well. The only hope that Reina, Eva, and their friends have of saving everyone relies on keeping the machinations of the gods at bay while banding together to deal with the threats from within and from without. Will they succeed? Or will Reina and Eva find themselves pawns in a larger game?
I don't know if I possess the words to accurately convey my feelings at reaching the ending of this duology. Gabriela has created such a rich and vibrant world full of passion and magic. This is truly a duology like no other and The River and the Star was the most perfect conclusion to this story.
Reina, Eva, and all the characters of this novel are so perfectly imperfect. There are no perfect heroes in this tale. The strengths and flaws of these characters make them feel so vibrantly alive. From the honorable, stubborn Reina, to the quietly strong Maior, from Javier's charming animosity to Eva's determined cleverness, each of these characters will grab ahold of you by the heart strings and never let go. I particularly love the foil of Don Samón to Don Enrique. Two males so alike and yet so vastly different. Each a leader in their own right but for vastly different reasons. And don't get me started on the characters that are new to this tale like Estaban and Pucho. A novel's life blood is its characters and with characters like these it's no wonder this world is so ALIVE!
The gamut of emotions I ran through while reading this novel should also be mentioned. It's been a long time since an author was able to make me laugh, cry, and scream out loud the way Romero Lacruz does. She knows just how to get a reader invested for the long haul. And the tale she has to tell is so deep that I'm not sure you can ever truly reach the bottom. The themes explored within these pages are as relevant today as they were in the time period that inspired this novel. Religious persecution, social and racial inequality and injustice, colonialism and corrupt leadership are just some of the themes you can find in between these pages.
If you're looking for a fantasy that makes you think, that makes your heart pound, that makes you ache for more even once everything is all over...look no further The River and the Star - The Warring Gods duology - is that fantasy for you.
Thank you to Gabriela and to Orbit Books for this ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2025
Okay so we gonna start with the positives, similar to the first book this managed to pick up at around 70%. I completely under everything that happened in the first 70% was needed and everything, it was all the preparation and growth needed before the ending, but I feel like it could have been a montage or somethin? I mean surely it would be better if it was more gripping because I only kept going because I assumed it would pick up later like the first book did. Thank the universe I was right because I would have been so annoyed otherwise.
So the last 70% was good, it’s what the whole book was building up to and it didn’t disappoint.
Now for the rest of it.
The sapphic romance. I just wasn’t buying it. It felt forced. I didn’t feel invested. It felt, to me, forced- like a relationship of convenience. Since it was revealed that Celeste was Reina’s cousin obviously they can’t be together anymore, so Reina ran to the nearest sapphic girlie. Maiors feelings for Reina are believable 100%, but even Maior doesn’t believe in Reina’s feelings for her. The spice scenes felt like they were just plopped in for the sake of it, the whole thing just didn’t feel natural to me at all. At the end of the day, if your girl needs THAT much reassurance, you are doing something wrong. ALSO that weird hug between Reina and Celeste? Absolutely not, Maior my love you deserve better.
Nobody told me there would be hetero spice in this book either, I mean I knew there was a m/f relationship but I didn’t know it was actually gonna go that far, now I exclusively read sapphic so I don’t think it’s fair for me to just say negative stuff on that because that’s just a me thin, but I will say, it was written better, more believable, had a better flow, I was rooting for these two. So I don’t understand the issue with the sapphic couple, the author can obviously write good romance, as shown with Eva and Javier, but the girlies just flopped.
Also I want to say that the manipulation writing was also So Good, throughout the book I had myself feeling sorry for the Void God, reading his story and in my opinion he treated Eva better than Ches treated Reina. While i’m on that subject actually, why was Ches (who’s meant to be the Good God) so… full of himself? so rude, so arrogant??? That’s how he came across to me until the very end anyway. Reina was barely ever enough for him, I mean it’s not everyday a full on God takes over your body I think the girl deserves a minute.
Anyway, I promise the last 30% is good, don’t let me put you off this duo, I just don’t have a lot of patience, maybe, I don’t know, it just wasn’t for me I guess. Sorry.
So the last 70% was good, it’s what the whole book was building up to and it didn’t disappoint.
Now for the rest of it.
The sapphic romance. I just wasn’t buying it. It felt forced. I didn’t feel invested. It felt, to me, forced- like a relationship of convenience. Since it was revealed that Celeste was Reina’s cousin obviously they can’t be together anymore, so Reina ran to the nearest sapphic girlie. Maiors feelings for Reina are believable 100%, but even Maior doesn’t believe in Reina’s feelings for her. The spice scenes felt like they were just plopped in for the sake of it, the whole thing just didn’t feel natural to me at all. At the end of the day, if your girl needs THAT much reassurance, you are doing something wrong. ALSO that weird hug between Reina and Celeste? Absolutely not, Maior my love you deserve better.
Nobody told me there would be hetero spice in this book either, I mean I knew there was a m/f relationship but I didn’t know it was actually gonna go that far, now I exclusively read sapphic so I don’t think it’s fair for me to just say negative stuff on that because that’s just a me thin, but I will say, it was written better, more believable, had a better flow, I was rooting for these two. So I don’t understand the issue with the sapphic couple, the author can obviously write good romance, as shown with Eva and Javier, but the girlies just flopped.
Also I want to say that the manipulation writing was also So Good, throughout the book I had myself feeling sorry for the Void God, reading his story and in my opinion he treated Eva better than Ches treated Reina. While i’m on that subject actually, why was Ches (who’s meant to be the Good God) so… full of himself? so rude, so arrogant??? That’s how he came across to me until the very end anyway. Reina was barely ever enough for him, I mean it’s not everyday a full on God takes over your body I think the girl deserves a minute.
Anyway, I promise the last 30% is good, don’t let me put you off this duo, I just don’t have a lot of patience, maybe, I don’t know, it just wasn’t for me I guess. Sorry.
September 12, 2025
I was part of the Street Team for The River and the Star and received an e-ARC for review! I'm absolutely amazed by this book and cannot recommend the duology enough to fantasy fans!
A fitting and satisfying sequel to its predecessor, The River and The Star is a fantastic ending to a duology revolved around finding home, family, and identity. Readers who love strong women protagonists who build a place where they belong will adore this book. Told in the returning perspectives of Reina and Eva, and alongside a brand-new voice with Maior, this story is filled with independent, powerful women in their own literal and subtle ways. With a rich and lush world filled by magic, South American culture, and gods, this book transports you to a world filled with danger. I absolutely adored revisiting our characters and learning new things about their stories. As a sequel, The River and the Star does a fantastic job continuing plot threads in The Sun and The Void. We learn new things about Reina’s internal struggles to connect with loved ones, Eva’s confrontation with her trapping past, Javier’s twisted backstory, and Maior’s renewed courage to assist her friends. Coming off the first book (spoiler for Book #1 ahead), the main characters, Reina and Eva, are grappling with the gods inhabiting their bodies. Tinieblas are plaguing their lands even more than before and they need to find the source. As they seek to understand their intentions, you will find yourself wondering who can you truly trust in this story? Do the characters find out with enough time, or will they be too late? Plagued by curses and otherworldly powers they don’t understand, the quartet of main characters fight for their lives while fostering bonds amongst each other. Lacruz does a fantastic job with building emotions in each of their stories, making the reader truly smile, laugh, cry, and scream with them. I’ve read few books where I truly feel immersed in the world and invested in the characters. Lovers of high fantasy and magic systems will fall in love with this duology, a truly expanding and necessary edition to the market.
A fitting and satisfying sequel to its predecessor, The River and The Star is a fantastic ending to a duology revolved around finding home, family, and identity. Readers who love strong women protagonists who build a place where they belong will adore this book. Told in the returning perspectives of Reina and Eva, and alongside a brand-new voice with Maior, this story is filled with independent, powerful women in their own literal and subtle ways. With a rich and lush world filled by magic, South American culture, and gods, this book transports you to a world filled with danger. I absolutely adored revisiting our characters and learning new things about their stories. As a sequel, The River and the Star does a fantastic job continuing plot threads in The Sun and The Void. We learn new things about Reina’s internal struggles to connect with loved ones, Eva’s confrontation with her trapping past, Javier’s twisted backstory, and Maior’s renewed courage to assist her friends. Coming off the first book (spoiler for Book #1 ahead), the main characters, Reina and Eva, are grappling with the gods inhabiting their bodies. Tinieblas are plaguing their lands even more than before and they need to find the source. As they seek to understand their intentions, you will find yourself wondering who can you truly trust in this story? Do the characters find out with enough time, or will they be too late? Plagued by curses and otherworldly powers they don’t understand, the quartet of main characters fight for their lives while fostering bonds amongst each other. Lacruz does a fantastic job with building emotions in each of their stories, making the reader truly smile, laugh, cry, and scream with them. I’ve read few books where I truly feel immersed in the world and invested in the characters. Lovers of high fantasy and magic systems will fall in love with this duology, a truly expanding and necessary edition to the market.
November 26, 2025
THE RIVER AND THE STAR is a perfect follow-up to THE SUN AND THE VOID. The author continues to craft a wonderfully dynamic, diverse, and action-packed tale steeped in the lore of South America.
As the story opens, we pick up things where they left us. Reina and Eva are now the hosts of the two warring gods. And oh, what a journey they have been on and will go through by the end of this book. I will not recount all the ins and outs of the narrative because, honestly, it wouldn’t do the story justice. All I will say is that the tensions are high, the passions are heightened, and it is a full-fledged battle between the sun and the void. Epic.
Gabriela Romero Lacruz has truly amazed this reader with both books in this series. She manages to give fantasy lovers the grit, battles, and complicated politics, all the while maintaining heart and delivering the emotion that romantasy fans would want. Her eloquence is matched only by her ability to create such an intricate and fabulous developed world for her characters to inhabit. THE RIVER AND THE STAR was just what I wanted.
Series Note: The Warring Gods series is best enjoyed if you read the books in order. There are a lot of players and information that were given in book one, which directly inform book two. The characters and their relationships all have deep-rooted backstories that are worth reading. I highly recommend reading both of these books.
Reviewer Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
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✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
As the story opens, we pick up things where they left us. Reina and Eva are now the hosts of the two warring gods. And oh, what a journey they have been on and will go through by the end of this book. I will not recount all the ins and outs of the narrative because, honestly, it wouldn’t do the story justice. All I will say is that the tensions are high, the passions are heightened, and it is a full-fledged battle between the sun and the void. Epic.
Gabriela Romero Lacruz has truly amazed this reader with both books in this series. She manages to give fantasy lovers the grit, battles, and complicated politics, all the while maintaining heart and delivering the emotion that romantasy fans would want. Her eloquence is matched only by her ability to create such an intricate and fabulous developed world for her characters to inhabit. THE RIVER AND THE STAR was just what I wanted.
Series Note: The Warring Gods series is best enjoyed if you read the books in order. There are a lot of players and information that were given in book one, which directly inform book two. The characters and their relationships all have deep-rooted backstories that are worth reading. I highly recommend reading both of these books.
Reviewer Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Highly Caffeinated Rating of… ☕ ☕ ☕ ☕
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
Follow the Art, Books, & Coffee:
Website | Instagram | Facebook Group
✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
July 6, 2025
I had the opportunity to read an e-ARC before its release- thanks to the author and the publisher!
In short, this sequel is an excellent follow up to the explosive and compelling debut The Sun and the Void was. I hold all of the main characters so close to my heart- being able to see them grow and battle their demons (sometimes literally) was very satisfying. I love how queer this world was, and how messy the relationships with all the characters got; it felt so human!
The world is inspired by Venezuelan folklore and legend, and it’s such an atmospheric setting that really breathes life into the plot. Both Reina and Eva are grappling with the consequences of what happened in the tomb, and it makes their friendship fraught. But now they both have things they’re willing to fight for; a home, family, love and the power of the Gods to do so.
The two main things I adored about this sequel were the structure and the complexities of the characters. In a lot of high fantasy I’ve read in recent years, the plot barely gives you time to sink into the world, or moments where you get to exhale along with the characters. But in TRATS, you get these slower moments, where characters deal with the consequences of their actions, have important conversations and also have time to mull over their next actions. You see these characters for the full, messy, complex people they are. They’re all so full of depth, written with such care and love. It was also great to see another character have a point of view and her character arc was so well written.
The themes of religion and the fall-out of post-colonial societies become even stronger in this sequel, creating a backdrop for Eva and Reina to fully grapple with achieving their goals and for Javier to achieve redemption (i love him SO much).
All in all, a 5 star read- an incredibly rich fantasy, insanely good character work.
In short, this sequel is an excellent follow up to the explosive and compelling debut The Sun and the Void was. I hold all of the main characters so close to my heart- being able to see them grow and battle their demons (sometimes literally) was very satisfying. I love how queer this world was, and how messy the relationships with all the characters got; it felt so human!
The world is inspired by Venezuelan folklore and legend, and it’s such an atmospheric setting that really breathes life into the plot. Both Reina and Eva are grappling with the consequences of what happened in the tomb, and it makes their friendship fraught. But now they both have things they’re willing to fight for; a home, family, love and the power of the Gods to do so.
The two main things I adored about this sequel were the structure and the complexities of the characters. In a lot of high fantasy I’ve read in recent years, the plot barely gives you time to sink into the world, or moments where you get to exhale along with the characters. But in TRATS, you get these slower moments, where characters deal with the consequences of their actions, have important conversations and also have time to mull over their next actions. You see these characters for the full, messy, complex people they are. They’re all so full of depth, written with such care and love. It was also great to see another character have a point of view and her character arc was so well written.
The themes of religion and the fall-out of post-colonial societies become even stronger in this sequel, creating a backdrop for Eva and Reina to fully grapple with achieving their goals and for Javier to achieve redemption (i love him SO much).
All in all, a 5 star read- an incredibly rich fantasy, insanely good character work.
September 27, 2025
✨Book Review- The River and The Star✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*I was provided this book free of charge by the author in exchange for an honest review*
The last thing I want to do is lie to you. It took me a while to finish reading this because every single force of the universe kept getting in the way- lots that I won’t get into.
When I first read The Sun and The Void from my first or second Illumicrate box that I received, I could not put it down and was waiting very impatiently for the second book to come out which FINALLY it is next month!!!!
I have been thrilled to be a part of the street team for The River and the Star and was overjoyed to get to read it before it comes out!!!
It starts a little slow, but it is building the history and introducing you to all the characters and showing how they are related (family tree to come because oh boy was that confusing but sooooo many questions from the first book were answered!).
I think the biggest drama was seeing loyalties tested and figuring out how to stop the end of the world. (Cue Stefon from SNL-) This book had it all- betrayal, trust, family, warring gods, the irresistible urge to vanquish your enemy. Once I had the time to sit down and actually read it, I couldn’t put it down. About half way through, the action starts and it’s nonstop.
If you haven’t read TSATV, this is your chance. Finish it before diving in head first to the conclusion of this fiery duology!
#theriverandthestar #thesunandthevoid #tratsstreetteam #gabrielaromerolacruz #netgalley #arcread #arc #bookreview #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #books #bookish #reading #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookcommunity #bookrecommendations #bookaholic #bookshelf #read #goodreads #bookreviewer #igreads #bookclub #booklove #reader #bookreviews #fiction
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*I was provided this book free of charge by the author in exchange for an honest review*
The last thing I want to do is lie to you. It took me a while to finish reading this because every single force of the universe kept getting in the way- lots that I won’t get into.
When I first read The Sun and The Void from my first or second Illumicrate box that I received, I could not put it down and was waiting very impatiently for the second book to come out which FINALLY it is next month!!!!
I have been thrilled to be a part of the street team for The River and the Star and was overjoyed to get to read it before it comes out!!!
It starts a little slow, but it is building the history and introducing you to all the characters and showing how they are related (family tree to come because oh boy was that confusing but sooooo many questions from the first book were answered!).
I think the biggest drama was seeing loyalties tested and figuring out how to stop the end of the world. (Cue Stefon from SNL-) This book had it all- betrayal, trust, family, warring gods, the irresistible urge to vanquish your enemy. Once I had the time to sit down and actually read it, I couldn’t put it down. About half way through, the action starts and it’s nonstop.
If you haven’t read TSATV, this is your chance. Finish it before diving in head first to the conclusion of this fiery duology!
#theriverandthestar #thesunandthevoid #tratsstreetteam #gabrielaromerolacruz #netgalley #arcread #arc #bookreview #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #books #bookish #reading #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookcommunity #bookrecommendations #bookaholic #bookshelf #read #goodreads #bookreviewer #igreads #bookclub #booklove #reader #bookreviews #fiction
December 9, 2025
“Until I met you, I didn’t know how else to be. The truth is... sometimes the right words could be right there in front of me, but it feels good to say the wrong ones.”
Sadly, this duology finale didn’t really live up to the first book. The plot was slow paced like the first one, but somehow it didn’t manage to engage me as much as The Sun and the Void did. I had in fact just done a reread of the first book and upped my rating because I liked it better the second time, so not being able to get properly into this one was a bit of a let down.
I do think there were some really good moments throughout the book that did capture my attention a bit more. I think the storyline itself is pretty great, but sadly the execution was what didn’t really work for me this time.
I was also missing the fiery character expressions from the first book. What enjoyed immensely about this series are the characters and how they’re all morally grey and have to learn to accept each other in many ways.
Overall this has been an interesting series. I love the focus on the consequences of colonialism and the disadvantages of prejudice towards people who look different than you. I’m eager to pick up more from this author in the future.
Sadly, this duology finale didn’t really live up to the first book. The plot was slow paced like the first one, but somehow it didn’t manage to engage me as much as The Sun and the Void did. I had in fact just done a reread of the first book and upped my rating because I liked it better the second time, so not being able to get properly into this one was a bit of a let down.
I do think there were some really good moments throughout the book that did capture my attention a bit more. I think the storyline itself is pretty great, but sadly the execution was what didn’t really work for me this time.
I was also missing the fiery character expressions from the first book. What enjoyed immensely about this series are the characters and how they’re all morally grey and have to learn to accept each other in many ways.
Overall this has been an interesting series. I love the focus on the consequences of colonialism and the disadvantages of prejudice towards people who look different than you. I’m eager to pick up more from this author in the future.
October 24, 2025
Ahhh okay so this book is perfect. The Sun and the Void was great but The River and the Star is perfect.
The biggest improvement was the pacing. Where I found the first book slow throughout and hard to sink into, I did not experience that this time around. It is still a slower read but the pacing is good. Immediately sucked in and invested in the plot.
The extensive world building in the Sun and the Void, which was sometimes overkill and cause for the pacing problems, paid off. You will find yourself in Central America while reading. Abundance of cultural and geographical descriptions help build a sense of a place that is not strongly represented in western media. I will say that reading on the kindle did make it easier for translation and explanation than when I read as a paperback.
The characters have a great arc throughout. Everyone is well flushed out from gods to mortals, main characters to side characters. The points of views are woven together harmoniously.
I cannot recommend this book enough
Thank you to Oribit and NetGalley for letting me read this early copy and share my honest thoughts
The biggest improvement was the pacing. Where I found the first book slow throughout and hard to sink into, I did not experience that this time around. It is still a slower read but the pacing is good. Immediately sucked in and invested in the plot.
The extensive world building in the Sun and the Void, which was sometimes overkill and cause for the pacing problems, paid off. You will find yourself in Central America while reading. Abundance of cultural and geographical descriptions help build a sense of a place that is not strongly represented in western media. I will say that reading on the kindle did make it easier for translation and explanation than when I read as a paperback.
The characters have a great arc throughout. Everyone is well flushed out from gods to mortals, main characters to side characters. The points of views are woven together harmoniously.
I cannot recommend this book enough
Thank you to Oribit and NetGalley for letting me read this early copy and share my honest thoughts
December 9, 2025
Reina and Eva are finally at peace. Living at Tierra’e Sol with the Liberator their lives seem idyllic. Except they are sharing their bodies with gods. Except Javier is slowly turning into a tiniebla. Then the island is attacked by a horde of tinieblas and Reina is sure she knows who is behind the attack. In order to stop the attacks and protect the ones they love, the Liberator leads them to the capital to find help. Meanwhile the gods themselves are preparing for their final confrontation.
I gotta say I struggled a lot getting through this book. It seemed like the whole thing was surrounding relationship building and it was just slow for me. Considering there were warring gods, a fanatic religious sect, a crazy Valco trying to steal Maior, and the tinieblas themselves there was a lot that could have been more focused on. I definitely expected more action. Things didn't pick up until the last quarter (maybe less) of the book. But it was a slog to get there for me. I enjoyed the first book more but I did find the ending quite satisfying.
Rating 3 stars
*I received a review copy from the NetGalley for my voluntary and honest review
I gotta say I struggled a lot getting through this book. It seemed like the whole thing was surrounding relationship building and it was just slow for me. Considering there were warring gods, a fanatic religious sect, a crazy Valco trying to steal Maior, and the tinieblas themselves there was a lot that could have been more focused on. I definitely expected more action. Things didn't pick up until the last quarter (maybe less) of the book. But it was a slog to get there for me. I enjoyed the first book more but I did find the ending quite satisfying.
Rating 3 stars
*I received a review copy from the NetGalley for my voluntary and honest review
August 11, 2025
In all honesty, compared to the first one I will say the writing style improved tremendously. In book one, I felt that we were missing context to certain things and characters lacked a lot of depth and just were extremely unlikeable. But in this book I found myself actually enjoying Reina and Eva. They didn't feel as lackluster as they did in book one and I enjoyed watching their development as hosts of the god of sun and the god of the void. Watching them learn how to handle being hosts to their respective gods was interesting, and it really cool watching them develop. I felt Reina became stronger as a person and Eva, she really flourished even if she had the god of the void inside her. The world building also grew in this book and I found myself enjoying the backgrounds of the gods and learning more about them!
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
December 1, 2025
I had never read anything based on Venezuelan mythology until The Sun and the Void, and it pulled me right in. The sequel book River and Star picks up after the events in the tombs where Eva and Reina where Reina now hosts the god of the Sun and Eva, the God of the Void. The two will struggle to maintain their friendship as the rival gods put them at odds and threaten their families.
This was a story of redemption, and loved the pace in which it is told, as Reina, Eva, Major, and Javier reconcile their pasts with their futures and decide how they want to move forward together. The character growth since book one of each character is surprising. While the story doesn’t shy away from heavy themes like colonialism, racism, and revolution, the characters remain a shining beacon of hope and joy. Really loved this duology and can't wait to read whatever comes next from Romero Lacruz!
This was a story of redemption, and loved the pace in which it is told, as Reina, Eva, Major, and Javier reconcile their pasts with their futures and decide how they want to move forward together. The character growth since book one of each character is surprising. While the story doesn’t shy away from heavy themes like colonialism, racism, and revolution, the characters remain a shining beacon of hope and joy. Really loved this duology and can't wait to read whatever comes next from Romero Lacruz!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2025
Picking up where The Sun and the Void left off, this sequel deepens the rift between two powerful women navigating treacherous paths shaped by gods, war, and love. Reina, devoted to the sun god, finds herself torn between divine duty and the fragile peace she has finally won. Meanwhile, Eva, bound to the god of the Void, returns home not as a prodigal daughter, but as a hidden threat cloaked in ambition. What makes this duology stand apart isn’t just its magic system or lore, but how those elements are tied to cultural trauma and reclamation. This is a beautiful, refreshing fantasy and I would recommend this duology to just about all fantasy readers.
October 6, 2025
The River and the Star is a powerful conclusion to the Warring Gods duology, weaving together destiny, love, and divine conflict through the journeys of Reina and Eva. As monstrous forces rise and ancient gods return, both women face impossible choices, Reina to protect the peace and love she’s found, and Eva to balance loyalty, ambition, and the seductive pull of the Void. The story blends lush world-building with high-stakes action and deeply personal struggles, delivering a satisfying and emotional ending. While the pace can feel dense at times, the complex characters and sweeping scope make this finale both gripping and memorable.
December 22, 2025
I enjoyed jumping back into the world of Fedria and Venacia! The River and the Star continues with the same lush, layered storytelling and flawed characters that made the first one so endearing. Everyone still displays that uncomfortable duality and i found myself really rooting for them.
Again, knowing the author and hearing her speak about the characters reinforces that their messiness isn’t a flaw of the writing, it’s the point. The sequel digs deeper into the cost of choosing yourself when the world demands something else. I really enjoyed reading it and I can’t wait to see what Gabriela Romero Lacruz cooks up next.
Again, knowing the author and hearing her speak about the characters reinforces that their messiness isn’t a flaw of the writing, it’s the point. The sequel digs deeper into the cost of choosing yourself when the world demands something else. I really enjoyed reading it and I can’t wait to see what Gabriela Romero Lacruz cooks up next.
November 30, 2025
So excited to have finished this sapphic, South-American inspired epic fantasy! “The Warring Gods Duology,” is a blend of everything, romance, adventure, magic, morally grey characters, mysterious and powerful deities. Absolutely thrilling! #thewarringgodsduology #theriverandthestar #thesunandthevoid
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