Divine Descent

The Labyrinth #2

by AdriAnne May, A.M. Strickland

Entführt in die Unterwelt ...

Ich hätte wissen müssen, dass es gefährlich ist, den Gott des Todes zu erzürnen. Kaum bin ich aus dem dunklen Labyrinth entkommen, werde ich an den nächsten gefährlichen Ort die Unterwelt. Ich habe nicht die geringste Absicht, freiwillig im Reich des Todes zu bleiben. Doch der Herr der Unterwelt macht mir ein verführerisches Angebot ...

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Mythology, Romance, Dark Romance, Retellings, Adult

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2026

Reviews

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany)]

Divine Descent is the second book in a dark romantasy series that draws loosely on Greek mythology. Dark romance isn't often my thing but I really liked book 1. In this installment, Sadare and Daesra are separated by the god of the underworld and must find their way back to each other.

Honestly I'm not entirely clear on what precipitated the events at the start of the book, but I kind of just went with it. I think what's interesting here is how it explores how love, memory, and the way we do or do not deal with our trauma impacts the kind of person we are. It's a bit less action-packed and more introspective than book 1, but still includes sexual scenes with BDSM elements (the author reminds us this is a fantasy world and not prescriptive on how to handle these sorts of things in real life). I enjoyed the novel, but I wanted more from the ending. Without spoiling things I see what it was doing but I feel like we needed a bit more scaffolding. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[Elizabeth]

I went into this expecting to be completely swept away again. Honestly, how could I not be? Not only was I returning to these lovable characters, but we are headed out of the maze and into the Underworld. Add to that AdriAnne May does retellings of Greek mythology in such a fresh and exciting way.

Sadare sacrifices herself to the god of death in order to spare Daesra and descends into the underworld. Isha, god of death, allows her to keep her memories unlike the rest of the shades. The longer she remains in the Underworld and consumes its food/water, her memories begin to slip further and further away. As her connection to Isha grows, Daesra runs against the clock to bring her back to the land of the living before she is lost to him forever.

For a genre that is overflowing with Greek mythological retellings, this still manages to be surprisingly original. You can see the bones of Orpheus and Eurydice with woven threads of Hades and Persephone. Never confining itself or locking the story to one strict path. The story starts off with Isha and Sadare’s bargain immediately setting a threatening dark tone. The reader quickly descending into the Underworld with her. It’s extremely vivid, immersive and dangerous with a constant sense of temptation.

Isha and Sadare's dynamic was deliciously complicated. May created such a wonderfully orchestrated push and pull. Elevating the spice level of book one to the deepest depths. Heavier themes of power, obsession and blurred consent are all present. As always read trigger warnings before. While I typically enjoy a love triangle, it did not completely convince me. It is equal parts frustrating and intriguing. Since having all three POV’s, some of the twists felt more like a slow unravel rather than gasp worthy shock. With that being said, the emotional weight is still there. With devotion and identity constantly being tested and pulled apart. It’s messy, intense, and undeniably engaging even if it didn’t completely consume me the way I hoped.

What really hooked me was Sadare’s internal spiral. Watching her sense of self slowly erode and constantly question. I found myself getting wound up in the shifting of loyalties. Meanwhile she is confined to a world designed to consume her. There’s a constant tension between who she was, who she’s becoming, and who others need her to be. The atmosphere mirrors this struggle perfectly. Growing deeper and heavier as she descends further into the realm of the dead. It just the right amount of unsettling. This is the kind of sequel that doesn’t just expand the world, it drags you further into it and refuses to let go. Leaving such a lasting impression even after the final page.

Thank you to AdriAnne May, Gallery Books & Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah]

4.5 ⭐️ ARC • (Long Review & Spoilers Ahead) I LOVED this. I will admit that I forgot some of the finer details from the first book, but I quickly fell back into this world & this couple. I loved all the elements of Greek Mythology that we had here — and I loved that the gods were MESSY.

This feels much more like the original myths — the gods are messy, cruel, selfish, capricious, and mortals (& their souls) mean very little to them, unless there is a selfish reasoning to care for them. What I loved about this book & EXQUISITE RUIN was that Sadaré was allowed to be vindictive, cruel, selfish, power-hungry, etc. I loved that about her — she felt like a real, intense character with her own fleshed-out motives and sometimes, I was second-guessing if she was lying or telling the truth.

There is the obvious parallel that Daesra is going on the same journey that Orpheus did, but beyond the actual physical journey, our MMC is really going *through it* trying to figure himself out during this whole mess — now a god and no longer a daemon, trying to be better/figure out his powers, terrified and stressed about what Sadaré might be facing, and now confronting his past (his mother) along this journey to try and save Sadaré with Isha being a little shit and popping up constantly & what certainly feels like all inhabitants of the Underworld out to get him. I did love that we got to see Daesra and his (mortal) mother reconnect, even on this roadtrip through hell. (SPOILER) For this poor woman who got the terrible end of the stick throughout her story, I am glad she did get a happy ending (her *choice* too!).

I will admit…up until a certain point, I was rooting for Isha. I was hopeful that some of the little details we were seeing were hints of how this little threesome was going to come together in the end. But then Isha had to go and cross a line (NOT what you might be thinking, I promise) and I knew that there was no way that Sadaré was going to forgive him (or myself, for that matter, because I am equally vengeful). I loved the building tension throughout this book — no one is wholly “the enemy” and no one is spared the mortifying ordeal of having your vulnerabilities discovered and thrown in your face.

The smutty scenes were fun — I will say that I preferred the smutty scenes from the first book, in part because I just liked the intensity between Sadaré & Daesra more. These scenes here were fun, but I was more focused on other aspects of the story.

The epilogue was so fun — I do kinda hope that AdriAnne May gives us their story, but even if she does not, I am happy with where we left them.

I am sure that if I sit with this I will fluctuate in my opinions/remember some things I did not vibe with, but in the immediate-after of finishing, I really, really loved this. Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for this eARC, and I will certainly be getting a physical copy to go with my beautiful copy of Exquisite Ruin.

Also, another important spoiler: Pogli is fine at the end!! I was stressed throughout the book, but he was fine in the end!! (Truly, loved that even all the terrible denizens of the underworld knew that Pogli was too pure & perfect)

[amber]

3.25/5

[Tiffaney Haase]

im so excited for this book! i absolutely loved Exquisite Ruin and can not wait! The world building in this series is fantastic 👏 and the characters are terribly flawed in ways that make you love them. And that ending was everything 🔥. literally left me speechless.

[Bookish Selkie]

This beautiful duology is for the Hadestown girlies. This is a stunning exploration of mythology, sacrifice, and doomed starcrossed lovers. I loved the connection between Daesra and Sadaré, and their journey. Adrianne May writes spicy romance that is impossible to put down! I liked the glimmer of hope at the end of the book between the trio. Readers who enjoy complex characters, yearning, dark romance, and mythology will devour this duology! I’m excited to see what AdriAnne May writes next!

Thank you to AdriAnne May, Gallery Books, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Amelia Yates]

A dark and delish myth retelling with plenty of spice, tension, drama and trauma. I am a sucker for a myth retelling and this version of Ophelia and Eurydice was so good. I really enjoyed the introduction of Isha and was rooting for him throughout even though he is decidedly morally dark dark grey. Honourable mention to Pogli who I was always love as one of my favourite animal companions

[Tylore]

Its good, but i realized cheating(might be strong word since I didnt finish) is not for me. I understand shes doing what she needs to, but I realized its not my kinda trope.

[Beth’s Book Collection]

"I want the monster that I know is inside you...or I want the broken pieces or you to remake how I will."

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

What you'll find in this book:
• Forced Proximity
• Enemies to Lovers
• Second Chance Romance/Betrayal
• Who Hurt You
• Dark Monster
• Love Triangle
• Orpheus and Eurydice Myth
• Witches, Demons & Gods

Personally I've always been such a massive fan of Greek mythology so of course Greek mythology retellings and reimagings are always very much my cup of tea. This reimagining of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is a delectibly dark with Daesra's and Sadaré's separate journeys in the underworld both being spine tingling in very different ways. I love how this takes a very well know story and flips it on it's head introducing an even more fantastical spin on the story that still has subtle nods to the original tale being told whether this be through characters we meet or their past. All these characters are racing against time and you feel that pressure, every action taken is a deliberate step knowing that the clock is counting down, not just for Daesra and Sadaré but for Isha as well. With each of them racing to their own end goals out of desperation, revenge and undying devotion and love.

I love to root for a villain and I know it's probably bad to say but I was actually team Isha from day one, yeah sure he's meant to be the big bad but there is something there in AdriAnne's writing that has you unwittingly rooting for him. He comes for revenge, taking Sadaré in an attempt to punish Daesra but this also feels related to his loneliness, how he is looking for a kindred spirit and finds this in Sadaré. Despite initially displaying as being evil and depraved, we get a villain redemption arc in a way that I wasn't expecting in this story. As we peel back the layers on Isha's personality and as his feelings for Sadaré become more complicated than he was ever expecting. Speaking of complicated feelings these do the rounds, Daesra and Sadaré both feel a lust filled pull towards Isha, his presence and god like appearance being too exciting for them to deny despite his actions leading to an eventual love triangle situation.

Daesra has changed so much since Exquisite Ruin, with his newfound god hood, he is trying to navigate his life amongst mortals as part demon part god and how that impacts those around him. Being headstrong to the core of course means that he throws himself into journeying to Hell as soon as Sadaré is taken, consequences be damned. However, between the trials he much face and the taunting he receives from Isha, Daesra faces more than he could have imagined making him face his past and his present in order for him to save his future. Sadaré is fierce, even in the face of terrible odds she tries so very hard go keep her mind in fact and maintain the upper hand. Struggling with her obvious and growing attraction to Isha alongside her desire to get home to Daesra we read as Sadaré explores the section of the underworld in which she arrives, working to understand Isha's past and meeting the characters that make up this story. I adore the devotion these two have for one another and how this transcends life and death.

AdriAnne has created a refreshingly unique take on the underworld and this myth, perfectly capturing the desperation of humans in a world filled with immortals. This book does not shy away from the darker aspect of the story, and the contrast between gods and mortals, demons and witches is both prevalent and relevant. With multiple POV's in place providing us much needed insight from all three points of view, we get a well rounded view of the story as a whole. Split between the spicy goodness and the romantic connection between the characters and the race against time, means that the pace is medium to high speed reflecting the urgency that the characters have for their respective jouney's.

If you're a fan of Greek mythology reimaginings and like you books with a whole heap of darkness and spice then this read is perfect for you.

Author: AdriAnne May
Series: The Labyrinth
Publisher: Zaffre Books
Release Date: March 24th, 2026
Pages: 408

[Alexandra]

Das Cover:
Das Cover von Göttliche Rivalen greift die düstere Ästhetik von Band 1 wunderbar auf, die beiden machen gemeinsam wirklich was her. Die Unterwelt-Vibes kommen optisch perfekt rüber.

Meine Meinung:
Wer Dark Labyrinth gelesen hat, weiß: das Buch war ein Geduldsspiel, das sich am Ende irgendwie ausgezahlt hat. Mit Göttliche Rivalen verlässt AdriAnne May das Labyrinth und schickt uns direkt in die nächste mythologische Neuinterpretation: diesmal Orpheus und Eurydike. Das Setting wechselt in die Unterwelt. Der Einstieg knüpft nahtlos an Band 1 an, man sollte die Geschichte von Sadaré und Daesra also kennen, bevor man hier einsteigt.

Kaum ist Sadaré dem dunklen Labyrinth entkommen, wird sie in die Unterwelt verschleppt. Ohne Daesra, ohne Plan, und mit einem Herrn der Unterwelt, der ihr ein Angebot macht, das sie eigentlich nicht annehmen sollte, aber irgendwie doch verführerisch klingt. Daesra seinerseits kämpft zwischen seinen Pflichten als Gott und dem Dämonen, der er einmal war, und macht sich auf den gefährlichsten Weg seines Lebens, um sie zu retten. Die Ausgangssituation ist stark und hat mich sofort mehr gepackt als Band eins.

Sadaré hat in diesem Band deutlich mehr Handlungsspielraum als noch im Labyrinth und das tut ihr gut. Man merkt, wie sie über sich hinauswächst und langsam begreift, wer sie wirklich ist. Ihre innere Zerrissenheit zwischen dem Herrn der Unterwelt und den Gefühlen für Daesra ist gut geschrieben und erzeugt echte Spannung, auch wenn das Dreieck manchmal etwas länger ausgereizt wird als nötig.

Daesra bleibt der faszinierend undurchsichtige Charakter, den man aus Band 1 kennt, er ist hin- und hergerissen zwischen Pflicht und Gefühl, zwischen Gott und Dämon. Genau diese Zerrissenheit macht ihn so interessant. Die Dynamik zwischen ihm und Sadaré hat nach wie vor dieses Kribbeln, das einen weiterlesen lässt, auch wenn die Entwicklung ihrer Beziehung im Mittelteil etwas auf der Stelle tritt.

Was das Buch besonders macht, ist das neue Setting. Die Unterwelt ist atmosphärisch dicht und düster. Die Autorin weiß, wie man eine Welt erschafft, in der man sich gleichzeitig unwohl und fasziniert fühlt. Der Schreibstil bleibt flüssig und leicht, was angesichts des schweren Themas wohltuend ist. Allerdings hat Göttliche Rivalen dasselbe kleine Problem wie schon Band 1: Die Geschichte nimmt sich viel Zeit, es bleibt lange unklar wohin die Reise geht, und wer schnelles Tempo erwartet, könnte zwischendurch die Geduld verlieren. Das Ende entschädigt jedoch für vieles, bei weitem aber nicht für alles.
Das Buch ist der Abschluss der Labyrinth-Dilogie und sollte unbedingt nach Band 1 gelesen werden.

Mein Fazit:
Ein würdiger Abschluss einer Dilogie, die mit mutigen Konzepten und einer düsteren Atmosphäre punktet, aber Geduld fordert. Sadaré und Daesra bekommen das Ende, das sie verdienen, die Unterwelt als Setting ist stark, und wer Band 1 mochte, wird auch hier auf seine Kosten kommen. Drei bis vier Sterne, je nachdem wie viel Geduld man für langsame Mittlteile mitbringt.

[Brittney]

Divine Descent • AdriAnne May
The Labyrinth #2

One phrase: love tested in the underworld 🖤

This sequel takes everything from Exquisite Ruin and drags it straight into the realm of the dead.

Sadaré and Daesra survived the labyrinth, but their story is nowhere near done. This time, they are torn apart when Sadaré sacrifices herself and descends into the underworld, leaving Daesra racing against time to bring her back before the realm of death steals too much of her.

Including her memories of him.

RUDE.

The underworld atmosphere in this book was one of my favorite parts. It is dark, vivid, dangerous, and seductive in a way that makes you understand exactly why Sadaré starts to slip. The longer she stays, the more her identity begins to blur. Her memories fade. Her loyalties shift. And suddenly, the question is not just whether Daesra can save her, but whether she will still want to be saved.

And then there is Isha.

The god of death is tempting, controlled, powerful, and complicated enough to make the whole dynamic feel deliciously messy. His connection with Sadaré adds so much tension because you can feel the pull even when you are also screaming for her and Daesra to find their way back to each other.

This book has threads of Orpheus and Eurydice mixed with Hades and Persephone energy, but it still feels fresh and original. It does not feel like a copy of any one myth. It takes the bones of familiar stories and builds something darker, stranger, and more emotionally tangled.

What I loved most was Sadaré’s internal spiral. Watching her fight to hold onto herself while the underworld slowly consumes pieces of who she was made the story feel heavy in the best way. It is romantic, unsettling, intense, and full of blurred lines.

Please check content warnings because this is dark and does explore heavier themes.

✨ Tropes and vibes:
🖤 dark romantasy
💀 underworld setting
🔥 god of death
💔 separated lovers
🧠 fading memories
🌙 Orpheus and Eurydice vibes
👑 Hades and Persephone energy
😮‍💨 messy love triangle tension
⚔️ devotion tested
🩸 power and obsession
✨ Greek mythology inspired
🌶️ darker spice

📚 Read this if you like:
Dark mythological retellings, underworld romance, complicated gods, devotion pushed to the breaking point, and sequels that expand the world while making everything messier.

This was dark, immersive, tempting, and emotionally tangled in the best way.

#DivineDescent #AdriAnneMay #RomantasyBooks #DarkRomance #BookReview @gallerybooks

[Cat Lady Reads]

I enjoyed reading this duet (both books), even though it took me a few months to finish. Part of that is on me as a mood reader who kept getting pulled away to whatever book was calling louder, but both books moved slowly and didn't do a great job of keeping my divided attention.

For context, this is book two of the Labyrinth duology, a dark mythological retelling involving Sadaré - a mortal, Daesra - a demigod minotaur, and a delightfully chaotic chimera sidekick named Pogli (love him forever). When I agreed to review Divine Decent, I had to go back and read Exquisite Ruin first... I'd bought that book ages ago and never gotten to it, so this gave me an excuse to finally get it off my TBR.

Technically you could read this book without the first, since enough backstory gets recapped to follow along, but you'd be missing all the relationship building and context that gives this story depth and meaning. The first book was a slog at times but it had a genuinely mind-bending twist at the end that recontextualized everything, and that twist alone made the slow parts worth it.

This sequel picks up after the labyrinth, with Sadaré and Daesra finally living their lives together, only for the god of death Isha (essentially this world's Hades) to kill her and drag her to the underworld as revenge against Daesra. As she spends time in Isha's realm, she starts losing her memories of Daesra and finds herself drawn to her captor. Meanwhile Daesra is fighting his way through hell trying to reach her before there's nothing left of who she was to save. It's a different vibe from book one, less psychological twistiness and more straightforward dark romantasy, though the memory loss angle adds its own unsettling tension.

I enjoyed it in the end, but it took real effort to stay engaged throughout, especially with the perspective switching between the two leads pulling my interest in different directions.

The smut was genuinely great, better than book one. 4/5 spice - very adult and explicit.

4 stars overall.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC received in exchange for my honest review.

[cidney]

3.75⭐️

Sadaré and Daesra are torn apart in the underworld and are trying to find their way back to each other.

The God of Death, Isha, is getting in the way of their love. When he comes to take Daesra, Sadaré makes a deal with him to take Daesra’s place. She’s then trapped in the underworld with Isha and slowly losing her memories.

She grows closer to her captor and bit by bit begins forgetting about her love for Daesra. The book follows their journey and focuses on whether or not they make it back to each other in time before she forgets it all.

“I’m going to bring death upon the deathless” - Daesra

“I’ve always sympathized a little too much with monsters, perhaps because most mortal men are worse” - Sadaré

~~~

The story was intricate, engaging, and interesting. I enjoyed the shifting POVs, the spice, and the dynamics between everyone.

Daesra’s growth, especially with his mother and finding his independence/freedom, was really well written. Sadaré’s cleverness & calculating nature was really cool to see, as she would outsmart the God of Death, which is no small feat.

I really really loved Daesra & Isha together so much, I am disappointed we didn’t get more of them together. They had the best enemies to lovers type of story, and the tension was loooong pent up.

And maybe I’m just also into villains who have more depth to them, especially when it’s a Hades retelling, because I really wanted Isha to have a HEA (I know the epilogue hints at it, but I wanted moreeeee and sooner than a hundred years later). His character was my favorite - he seemed the most flawed and the most broken, putting on his mask and wanting things he shouldn’t have. When monsters find their humanity >>>>

Overall, I’m satisfied with the ending and how everything played out. Even though it was very much a “so Lorcan did” situation with that epilogue !!!

Tropes:
Kidnapping
Forced Proximity
BDSM
Sex Games
Love Triangle
Dark Mythological Retelling
Bi Rep

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to ARC read in exchange for an honest review!

[Tasha]

Continuing the story of Sadare and Daesra, this time through the retelling of Orpheus in the Underworld.

Blurb:
Against the odds, Sadare and Daesra escaped the labyrinth, but their struggles are only just beginning. When the god of death surfaces in the living world to claim Daesra, Sadare offers herself in his place and is willingly led into the underworld - and temptation.
With every passing day, Sadare grows closer to her captor. But as she's drawn deeper into his world, the memories of her past - of Daesra - begin to slip away. And the closer Daesra comes to saving her, the less she remembers wanting to be saved.
If Daesra can reach her in time, will she still know him and all they have endured? Or will their love be the next piece of her to die?

This was such a fun, easy read, and a great sequel to Exquisite Ruin. Love the characters, the world building, and the plot development. It has a bit of spice, but not to the detriment of the plot. All the trigger warnings are a bit of fun, as I didn't think they were warranted, but it does make for a draw into the book. The plot is very loosely based on a descent into the Greek underworld, but there is a bit of mixing other underworlds into it - the idea of the pit of hell owes more to Christianity than to ancient Greece. But I suppose that's what most people are familiar with, and, also, willing suspension of disbelief - this is a fantasy novel, after all! So I should let this go, and just enjoy the ride. (Let's face it, Sadare did...) A good conclusion, and the epilogue was definitely worth it! :-)

A keeper, and I'm going to enjoy this again as a bit of escapism when the wind is wuthering, and the curtains are drawn, and a bit of pure fantastical escapism is needed.

[Kat]

I received a free copy from Gallery Books via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Release date March 31st, 2026.

I had read the first book in this series, which concluded the romance fairly decisively, so I was interested to see where the sequel would take the story. In Divine Descent, witch Sadare is living quietly with her lover Daesra--until the god of death comes to take Daesra for his crimes and Sadare trades herself away instead. Trapped in underworld and slowly losing her memories, Sadare must navigate Isha's convoluted sex games while Daesra battles his way through the underworld.

Divine Descent leaned more towards erotica than the previous book. Most of the action plot here is centered around control of Sadare, with a decidedly sexual charge. I'm solidly neutral on kinky BDSM romances (depends on the execution), and the relationship between Sadare and the god of the underworld mostly involved him force-feeding her during various sexual scenarios. Since every time Sadare ate, she lost more of her memories, this element was decidedly more horror-tinged and did not make me feel invested in their relationship. It's hard to get caught up in a romance when you're wishing that 33% of it would explode. Daesra is flawed but kind, but the god of death spends most of the novel attempting to possess Sadare like an object, and since the plot centers him...

Exquisite Ruin fluidly played with several different Greek myths, and Divine Descent repeats the pattern. Sadare and Daesra echo Eurydice and Orpheus, and Ariadne and Dionysus, although not fixed to any one myth. It's a deft mix of elements that doesn't leave the plot stuck retelling the stories we all already know. I enjoyed that the pantheon and magic system were both original to the novel. However, based on the few scenes set in the mortal world, I would be surprised if May did much research into the material reality of the ancient world. It's a lot more obvious now that the protagonist no longer has amnesia.

A romance novel about the most ineffective and fail way possible to attempt to pick up a couple. Pair with Tessa Gratton's The Mercy Makers and ST Gibson's Savage Blooms.

[Jess]

I thoroughly enjoyed the first novel, and this continuation absolutely held its own. There’s something so comforting about returning to a world that already has its hooks in you, and this sequel made it effortless to fall right back in.

That said, I did notice a shift in Daesra this time around. He didn’t feel quite as sharp or headstrong as he did in the first book. There was a quieter, more subdued energy to him. It didn’t take away from his character, but I definitely found myself missing a bit of that intensity we saw before.

Sadaré, though, completely held her ground for me. Her feisty personality is still so strong and honestly one of the things that keeps the story feeling alive. Every time she’s on the page, there’s this spark that makes it hard to look away, and I found myself instantly pulled back into her orbit.

And Isha… I am fully invested. His mysteriousness had me hooked immediately. I kept waiting for more because every small glimpse into who he is just made me want to dig deeper. There’s clearly so much more going on beneath the surface, and even with the limited depth we’re given, I still felt a strong connection to him.

Overall, this one really delivered for me. It gave me the same feeling I had with the first book while also leaving me wanting more in the best way. I already know I’ll be impatiently waiting for what AdriAnne May has up her sleeve.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Andrea]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

Divine Descent follows Exquisite Ruin. Sadaré has been captured by the god of death, and Daesra must journey to the underworld to save her.

I don’t know what to make of this one. I enjoyed the first volume. As I wrote in that review, I’ve read many of the same author’s YA books (published under the name A.M. Strickland) which are packed with romantic and sexual tension, and it was a delight to see her in a genre in which the gloves can come off. It was also nice to see a more skilled writer approach tropes like morally-gray and enemies-to-lovers – a lot of executions of this just show abuse and violence with minimal consent (if any at all). After reading this second book, I wonder if I spoke too soon. The morally-grey tropes that I mentioned here are turned up to 11 seemingly without the comparatively careful touch I saw in the first book, and Isha simply isn’t a compelling enough character to convince me otherwise. And frankly, it lacks any sensuality that the first volume had.

But I think my real issue is I don’t really understand why the book exists or why Sadaré and Daesra’s story had to continue. The first one has a happy ending with a small dangling thread that felt satisfying. This one is intended, I think, as a sort of mirror image of Sadaré’s quest to save Daesra, but I don’t think it’s a success.

[Jade]

3.5 🌟 / 5

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of Divine Descent, a compelling second book in a dark tale duology by AdriAnne May.

I am quite conflicted in how I feel about this book. I loved the intricacy and dilemmas of free will and how far people push their moral compass for the ones they love, and forgiveness is an important lesson for all.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Isha and Sadaré however I felt the lack of choice and deception went far beyond BDSM aspect of the plot. I felt so much frustration and empathy for Sadaré. Daesra was on a mission throughout 85% of the book, and so I felt the book had a well balanced multi POV to account for both of their experiences. This sometimes did dial the pace of the book down but it picked back up again.

I’ve got to say the side character of Pogli was the cutest and I was rooting for him wholeheartedly through the land of Hell/underworld.

Overall:
3.5 🌟
Tropes: Abduction, coerced relationship, eternal bargains, dark retelling inspiration of Eurydice/Orpheus, Ariadne with persephone/Hades aspects.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - please read the triggers before stepping into this book.

[Juliana]

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this sequel after having such a great connection to the first book. Daesra and Sadaré were once again having to work their way back to each other. This time there was an extra player. Holding onto their love for each other, they make it through. The journey took a lot of introspection where they learned a lot about themselves.

I had a hard time with this book. I couldn’t fully immerse myself in it because I didn’t understand why any of it was happening. The god of death has a vendetta against Daesra specifically because of how he was made and that’s why this all happens? I’m still not 100% sure. Since it seems quite a lot to do for just that. With the complicated relationship dynamics thrown in I just couldn’t really parse out the motivations of the whole thing.

The underworld was cool to get to know with the whole systems of judgement and shades. It was dark and treacherous. I enjoyed all of the imagery and inventive punishments throughout the book. The underworld as a whole was my favorite part. I recommend this book if you like dark, character focused books.

[Amy Sheng]

Divine Descent is the second book in the The Labyrinth series. Please before you read this book research your triggers.

I am probably going to spoil the first book to talk about this book, so please be aware of spoilers below.

Divine Descent continues the story of Sadare and Daesra. After the conclusion of book one, this book continues telling their story when the god of death kills Sadare and brings her to the underworld. Daesra then goes on a quest to get her back.

I did not really like either book in the series, but the second one was better than the first. The first book focused on almost 95% on just Sadare and Daesra, which got very tedious. The second book does expand and adds a few new characters which makes the story a little more interesting.

Overall, I didn't like the dark fantasy elements in the story and I would not recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this book. All opinions are my own.

[Monica Beard]

Divine Descent, the second half of the Labyrinth duology, is influenced by Greek mythology and I think it's one of the few mythology inspired works that very much keep the feel of original myths - where the gods are cruel and capricious and the mortals who get in their way rarely get vengeance or affect their fates.

Now that Sadarae and Daesra are out of the Labyrinth, they are forced to deal directly with the god Isha and his cruelty. The first book was controversial for some of its depiction of sexual content, but I think what makes this book hard to read is the ideas around deception, around how our trauma and our desires make up who we are, and around betrayal to ourselves and others. It's a thoughtful book in many ways.

In case you're worried, Pogli is fine. Thanks to Gallery Books for the early copy.

[USOM]

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

The premise of Divine Descent is ultimate yearning. It's someone coming to save us, who we saved in the past, who we are forgetting. It's sacrifice for the ones we love as we forget what we sacrificed. The premise is poetic, full of angst, and running on a treadmill against the forces of time against us. Divine Descent asks us if it's enough to want to change for someone, or does it have to come from us? We know the answer. True change only happens if we want it, if we believe we are capable, and sometimes we have to lose everything to figure it out. There's this interplay of power and wanting, but also of love and sacrifice.

[Allison Romeo]

4/5 stars!

I needed a fun and spicy read in my life right now and this was a perfect choice. I really enjoyed book 1 and I was happy to see where the story would go. I know we are supposed to HATE Isha but I thought he was pretty great, to be fair. I enjoyed the chapters where Sadaré's POV was featured, because they were super fun and spicy.

Daesra’s growth with the focus on his mother and jealousy was also satisfying to read about. The ending wrapped up nicely and of COURSE we have to shout out Pogli, since he is the best.

[malaika stewart]

I loved the first book in this series but was extremely disappointed in this one. It didn’t really resolve the cliffhanger left at the end of the first one and contained cheating which annoyed me. I wanted more from the lovers in the beginning as they’ve just managed to remember each other outside the labyrinth. Additionally, the author notes that the spicy scenes in this book aren’t a realistic or safe representation of bdsm and that is absolutely true. I felt quite uncomfortable reading most of the spicy scenes as there was a huge focus on non consent.

[Katelyn Hayter-Gammon]

I enjoyed the first story so much I was excited for this book. This second book in The Labyrinth series was interesting and kept me engaged; I had a hard time following some of the scenes. As well as the backstory undercurrent I read with the MMCs. The FMC was great, but it felt confusing at times jumping back and forth. I overall enjoyed the ending and always love an HEA!

Thank you NetGalley, Gallery Books and AdriAnne May for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristina]

First of all, thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I hate to leave a low star rating but I just couldn’t get into this book, I don’t like love triangles, I don’t like main characters that have scenes with other men/women or both, I also do NOT like MMF.

The writing was very good and I liked the side characters, the little boy Maro, and of course Mele! This was just not for me.

Too much spice for me and not my style. 5/5

[Tiera Aubrey]

I wish there were half-stars because it's more 3.5☆ for me but not quite a 4☆.

I love the relationship between Sadare & Daesra but in this sequel we see more of a new relationship between Sadare and a new MC - Isha.

The story is well written but I didn't vibe with their relationship as much so I didn't really connect with the characters like I did in Exquisite Ruin.

🌟Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!🌟

[Fraisel]

I love love LOVED this book so much! The lore, mythology, and world-building are so fun! I also loved the variety of characters as well as their interactions with one another. ALSO, the references to existing mythology were very fun to me, even if I probably didn't get all of them. I loved the addition of the epilogue! I really hope that these characters have more adventures in store, but even if they don't, I think this is a very good ending for all of them.

[Sinead Smith]

Absolutely brilliant story telling, I adored this retelling and honestly couldn't put it down. I am going to read the first book before this one so I can understand more what the characters went through in the Maze, but the way this book was written meant I could just jump straight into it without knowing anything previously!

[Jaime Wazz]

I really enjoyed the dual POV in this book, as Daesra’s journey through the underworld gave the story momentum, even if the pacing dipped at times. It always picked back up again, though. Pogli was a standout side character and easily my favourite part of the book—I was rooting for him the whole way through.

Pogli, I will miss you 🤍