By Divine Rage

The Godsgift Cycle #1

by Roseanne A. Brown

In this dark and lush romantic fantasy, two women raised as pawns in a corrupt world must join forces with unlikely allies to harness their fury and break the cycle of violence—the first in the debut adult series from New York Times bestselling author Roseanne A. Brown.

This first edition hardcover features designed sprayed edges and full-color illustrated endpapers—while supplies last!

Every generation has a Godsgift: a young woman possessing the blood of the goddess of spring. Raised as a ward of the Church and betrothed to their immortal prophet, she is destined to fend off a devastating eternal winter.

But when this generation’s chosen one, the naïve Eulia, realizes she’s been groomed as a sacrificial lamb, she flees with the help of a mysterious warlock.

Left behind is Cleio, Eulia’s passionate and furious handmaiden, who, with the support of a stoic soldier, must take Eulia’s place as a false Godsgift and root out corruption from within.

Society would wrest their agency away, but these two women with a sisterhood forged in fire will not sit idly by as their fates are decided for them. Power is their destiny. Freedom is their right. And by divine rage, they will claim what is theirs.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Adult, Fiction, Ebooks, Science Fiction Fantasy

Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 13, 2027

Reviews

[Demi Winters]

An absolutely stunning romantasy that kept me up late! I couldn't get enough of the atmospheric, dangerous world, nor the complex women who fought against their fates. And with not one, but two romances that had my feet kicking? Add this book to your TBR immediately!

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know that moment when you’re reading about a religion centered around a man and how his true love sacrificed herself to live forever? Then she reincarnates over and over again and is used over and over again to make his life better. Between indoctrination, Puritanism and just fucking lies and YOU KNOW there’s something really fucking wrong. The satisfaction that you were SO RIGHT to feel so wrong, priceless.

I would like to know if it’s possible to go through the pages of a book and trample a character. In this case, the head nun. I know it looks bad but as soon as you read this book, I promise you will come ask to join me. The reaction I had to both her, the Arch Paladin and the “Prophet” himself, was visceral. I spent the first 20% angry and cursing at imaginary people. I loved it. When reading manages to give me such strong feelings, that is the marking of a good story. Whether it’s happiness, sadness or just plain old anger. And let me tell you, aplenty was had. Aplenty of crying too, I dry heaved and everything. Ruined my life, 5 ⭐️

We have two fmcs whose eyes we see the world through, one stuck as a placeholder in the religiously corrupt side, while the other one having run away in the deemed evil world of the warlocks and magic.

Eulia, the embodiment of the goddess who presumably gave up her life to save the almighty prophet, and reincarnating over and over again to bring spring and ofc, to rewed said prophet (side note, how come no one found it weird that spring only lasts one year in the frozen wasteland and winter is 20? No one is finding it strange how a new bride is needed constantly? Just me? Ok). She goes through s journey of healing, breaking indoctrination, religious guilt, trauma, you name it, she goes through it. I found her a very compelling character that, despite her naivité manages to choose differently for herself. I found her to be very brave and her reluctant alliance with Jehan in spite of him being what she was taught to hate, worked really well both for the story and her personal character growth.

Cleio on the other hand, is stuck impersonating Eulia as her former handmaid and whipping girl and she is a very different character. Her motivations are her survival and return to her homeland, but as she discovers how deep the church’s corruption is and has some very interesting and compelling interactions with Tristaine, an odd paladin for the capital, she finds the strength to look beyond herself, at the big picture and the things that matter.

I usually am biased towards a certain story line in books where we have two equally relevant main characters, but in this one I found both their personalities and happenings equally compelling and I really enjoyed the subtext of social and political commentary, values, hatred and corruption and how to fight again it.

This was a remarkable story and I’m looking forward to more from the author!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

[Kamilah Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this deserves to be one of THE biggest fantasies of 2027.

[aria.roastandread · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5 stars🌸🌷🌸

🌸“What do you suppose comes of snow when it melts?"
"...when snow melts, spring comes. No matter how cold it is now, spring will come again.”
- A quote from Fruit Basket that best summed up this book.

Do you like the whole dismantling controlling religion plot like in The Knight and The Moth? Do you prefer going on unknown quests and learning to break it, or stay within the system to burn it from the inside? Do you prefer a soft FMC whose strength is her resilience and willpower, or do you prefer a clever FMC whose strength is her perseverance and determination? Do you prefer slowburn budding romance with soft lingering looks, or do you prefer high tension waiting to snap, with desire reflected in their eyes? Do you prefer Howl Pendragon "wizard" coded MMC, or do you prefer Rodrick Myndacious "knight" coded MMC?  

If you can't pick either, then I have good news for you- Roseanne A. Brown is a skilled author in her craft and she gave us BOTH to savour.

By Divine Rage reflects on how one man could twist the religion to suit his own agenda, while others would suffer toiling to him. We followed two P.O.VS of Eulia and Cleio, and how I adore both women for different reasons yet entirely the same cause. There's a clear comparison between both of their feelings about the Church, their response to it, and how different their paths and roles were to fight against it; which means my emotion was Up aNd DoWN the whole time. One moment it was a hopeful discovery and cute scene, next, I was thrown into an intense cutthroat situation within the church. Roseanne was able to put together both MCs plots and arcs seamlessly because I never felt biased against one storyline than the other.

I adore Jehan. I thought that I was going to be a Tristaine kind of girl, but apparently Jehan is Mr-steal-your-girl!

The pacing and ending were satisfying. I was rooting so hard for my girls and it pays off very well! It kept me on the edge of my seat, and never in a million years I could predict that plot twist. I was so smug because one of my hunch was correct, and I thought oh yeah, "I'm a smart cookie", but the author decided to dump a cold ice bucket on me because my jaw was on the floor. Yeah.

Roseanne- 1, Aria-0.

Please everyone, keep this on your radar for release in April 2027. I hope that everyone loves By Divine Rage like I do, and yes, it deserves to be the next hot, sensational book in 2027! Everyone should be prepared to get sick of how much I will plaster and recommend this book everywhere! I seriously cannot wait for book 2!

[novelfaerie · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Sometimes the things we are taught to believe are actually meant to serve the benefit of others. We go our whole lives assuming we’re on the right path, only to face the startling reality that it was all a lie. And in the depth of that despair, there is strength. Eulia and Cleio are great examples of heroines that search for strength in their hardships. These women struggle, fail and still keep going. All the while, forging a path that is different than the one prescribed to them.

[barirah · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok i love all the commentary on femenism, sexism, misogyny even in the highest places that shape culture and society, as well as the bit about recovering from SA but the pacing was just a nail in the coffin that this book was to me.

i liked it, just a little bit. just enough to upgrade that 2 star rating to a 3 star, becasue the last 5 percent was actually really cool and action-packed, but not enough to make up for the hot mess that was the pacing in this book. im sorry i really tried but it was sooooo long for no reason. and it was only interesting in the last FIVE percent. FIVE! in a 500 pages novel, do you understand how insignificant that ultimately is? its just not enough to save my opinions on this book

i initially loved cleio and couldnt care less for eulia but really, my opinions on the two kept changing. i loved her and tritain's dynamic initially, but then after two interactions there was so much physical attraction following everything else that it made me wonder whether or not these two actually liked each other. there was more lust than anything in their relationship, right up until their final scene together in the book where he makes his fancy-shmancy declaration of love and devotion. okay tough guy

jehan and eulia were sweet. really, they were, and i especially appreciated the guy more because of the space he gave eulia to recover from the prophet's insanity, not forcing her to do anything, which made that one kanej-core scene so meaningful. but that twist really ruined everything for me i dont know what to think anymore cuz thats really mesed up when you give it like more than thirty seconds of thought. i was really made because of that twist because they were so warm and cozy and i liked them a lot more than tristain and cleio!!

lol i just remembered tristaine's little revenge plot that he threw away pretty quickly, which confused me not because of how dedicated he was to it but because of how little it seemed to be relevant to the story. nobody cared about it. kinda feel bad but once he and cleio got their hands on each other they couldnt stop soooo =\ also its worth mentioning that considering how angry of a character cleio was, she fell in love concerningly easy. idk i just thought it was weird and reeeally insta-lovey. i love angry female characters but i feel like once you layer in the romance, it ruins everything and that's exactly what happened here so im upset about that.

the story bounces between cleio, who's forced to step in as a fake but temporary version of the reincarnated goddess, and eulia, whos off learning forbidden magic and making friends for the first time while the church looks for her (said reincarnated goddess). i cannot begin to explain how different the two were, and the pacing made me want to strangle the author because there was no balance, no structure to it at all. you would have ten chapters of eulia in a row, then one of cleio that only further established how much she wanted to crack with tristaine. it just messed up the pacing even more, and thats literally the main thing that made me descend into my hatred for this book. i was sooo irritated at times because i failed to see how much of their stories were relevant at all. did i really need to read all that? no, of course not. but i understand that any author loves a big number next to her word count stats.

it was on my mind a lot as i read this that while religion is not a commonly touched upon aspect of fantasy world building, it is often a copy paste of christianity with five more gods thrown in. this was no different, down to the preists and archbishops, the scripts (referred to as Verses in the book), the structure of prayers (in the name of the father, the mother, the brother, and the daughter, in this case). like where is the creativity?? its so bland and exactly like christianity that it made the rich world building fall flat becuase there was seemingly so little effort put into the central aspect that this story was built upon: religion.

i would like to say that the blurb for this only explains the first 20 percent of the book. everything from there on its just a descent into madness

anyways this was a great disappoint (sorry? =\)

thanks to netgalley, del ray and the author for the e-arc =)

nvm I lied this is a two star read

[bailey elizabeth smith · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for an ARC of By Divine Rage by Roseanne A. Brown.

While there were issues I had, By Divine Rage was still one of the most interesting and layered romantasy books I have read in quite some time. I was very drawn in by the mythos of this world and its critique of religion. At times, this specific aspect reminded me of Priory of the Orange Tree. It was so interesting the way in which religion conflicted with magic, and how the roots are more rotten than they appear.

This story follows two POV's from the perspectives of Eulia and Cleio. One is the Godsgift, the other, her whipping girl. Each was stolen by the church from their land to a cold, harsh, and unfamiliar land to serve their purpose: to ascend to the renowned Prophet. And in doing so, bring spring back upon the decades-old, cold, and blighted landscape. However, by mistake, Eulia meets the Prophet before the equinox, leaving everything she thought she knew in disarray.

I very much enjoyed Eulia and Cleio. Each was so different in their personalities and determinations. I was equally excited to read from each of their perspectives as the POV would switch between chapters. While Eulia was soft, Cleio was a force of power. However, neither was weak. They just showed their strength in different ways.

As the story continued, each was met by their respective romantic partners - Jehan and Tristaine. I liked that they were characters more than just to serve the purpose of the romance. Both had their own dynamic and ambition, which sometimes gets lost in romantasy books.

Now, as for my struggles, I did at times have issues when it came to the writing. The first 100 pages or so were a little tough to read for me. I could see there was a story there that would pull me along, but the sentence structure was very clunky at first. I do think this worked itself out for me as it went along. Though one thing I could not get past was the excessive use of the words "former" and "latter" to describe things. It was too much, to the point that it took me out every time it appeared.

All in all, I did love a lot of this story and the world that was created. It was fascinating, compelling, and unique. I just hope to see some improvements made in editing before this is published to fine-tune it a little more.

I look forward to seeing how the story continues in book two!

[Colie Tichner · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

By Divine Rage follows Eulia, a reincarnation of a goddess whose marriage can fix the eternal winter, and Cleio, her handmaiden. When Eulia realizes the grim truth of her upcoming marriage, she escapes. Cleio is left to masquerade as Eulia until the Church can hunt Eulia down. Cleio is left with no allies but her mysterious bodyguard. The absconded Eulia has to turn to a warlock, one of the Church’s greatest enemies.

This story has so much to love- a massive, rich world, court intrigue, animal companions, corrupt gods and governments, and strange magics. However, I think the best part of it was the two FMCs. I loved both points of view; they're incredibly different, and it really shows in their interiority. I was fascinated by the complicated relationship between Cleio and Eulia (which I hope will be explored more in book 2!). Their stories begin with the two having vastly different experiences in the Church- Eulia was saved from torture and became worshipped, whereas Cleio went from a happy childhood to a disposable whipping girl. Despite their different circumstances, Cleio was the only one in Eulia’s childhood who saw her as human, for better and for worse.

Eulia’s ptsd and religious deconstruction were written beautifully. I found it heartbreakingly accurate and incredibly touching how Roseanne A. Brown put those feelings into words. Cleio’s own trauma was equally moving, and the way she fought back against all odds was so satisfying. Also, the dynamic between her and Tristaine had me kicking my feet. I’m a sucker for a powerful woman and an honorable, tortured man. There was a lot about Jehan and Eulia’s relationship that I also loved. There were so many moments that really hit for me, specifically the ones addressing Eulia's trauma, but I had a harder time connecting with Jehan's character in the beginning. All of the relationships in this book, whether they be platonic or romantic, hit hard because they’re so well set up. The character pairings feel like they are simultaneously foils and a perfect missing half.

I had some logistical questions about certain plot points that affected my enjoyment of the story. I think the two perspectives were great, but bouncing back and forth between the two different stories might've made them unbalanced. It was almost like some of the interactions had to be told rather than shown to make room for both stories, which left me feeling like I was missing something sometimes. The overall plot was gripping and twisty. Despite all the darkness the characters endure, the world is so whimsical and enchanting. Fans of romantasy will love this story where diverse women fight against the chains society has thrown upon them.

[Jade_Reads2019 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. What a great dark romantasy.

Thank you to Roseanne A. Brown and BeyondThePagesPr for providing me with an E-ARC. I am very grateful.


This story was so empowering yet devastatingly heartbreaking. I’ve never read anything like this before so I was slightly out of my comfort zone. However, the world building and the plot was done with such emphasis on womanhood and that we as individuals should not be pushed to our limits nor should we be defined by society or other figures within higher ranks.
The fantasy elements with romance were a were great addition and had me reading for hours, this story reminded me a bit like rose in chains brilliant story and highly recommend.
a book that sole my heart and then ripped it right out of me. 😱

I will say though this story isn’t for everyone. And please check for trigger warnings before reading.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came out of this book emotionally changed by it.

No further comment would usually be available, unfortunately given this was an arc I think I might get dirty looks if I don't go into further details.

So, TLDR: If I were a pharaoh I'd be entombed with this, Cry, Voidbringer and my cat forever after.

The TL:

By Divine Rage follows Eulia and Cleio, Godsgift and Handmaiden respectfully. The former has been raised believing she is duty bound to marry the Prophet and return a winter-riddled kingdom into Spring. The latter raised to be the whipping girl, every mistake made by Eulia taken out on Cleio. When the marriage Eulia was raised and groomed for turns out to be nothing more than a butcher-block, Eulia will break the cycle. But Cleio is left behind to take on the face of the Godsgift and avoid the fangs of church and prophet.

This was simply incredible.

It had everything I loved from last year's The Dark in Her Veins, corrupt religion and pages seemed with fantasy, but take the dark fantasy and make it pure, unbridled epic. BDR has all the makings of an incredible fairytale with a bit more logic than I'd usually enjoy, but the world building is so rich and authentic that I loved the rules Brown built in.

I loved Cleio and Eulia more than I expected to, and knowing Brown I already knew I'd fall in love really quick.

Naive characters would usually irk me off, but in Eulia, Brown gave her the room to be both crafted by her environment and a willingness to learn from her rose-tinted goggles. Watching her slowly return to the roots she was raised to believe were evil was highly, highly satisfying to read. If you loved the deconstructionism (? word) from The Dark in her Veins and Holy Wrath, run, don't walk.

Cleio had me chomping at the goddamn bit. She has quickly rocketed up to my top three-ranking for favourite FMC of the year. She is outstanding, especially considering the absolute SHIT that poor woman has to go through. I would like to crowdfund Brown's drinking fund so it can go straight to Cleio. She really, really deserves it. Powerful, observant, kind, takes no shit and willing to let herself burn if it means the Prophet does too. I loved her whole arc, I'm only mad I didn't get more of it tbh.

Also, mandatory "the book has animals, Amelia confesses her love of animals - aside" - OMG SO MANY ANIMALS AND THEY'RE COMPANIONS AND THEY HAVE A PLOT TWIST AND JUST WAIT FOR IT. We have a stag, a lion, a bear and so many more. And they were all so fun to read. They should have added a whimsical/nonsensical element to the plot but Brown works it so so well.

I also lowkey spoiled the twist nosying at Brown's instagram page like three pages before the twist, so whoops. But its still really, really good.

The Prophet is a really gutwrenching character to read. I loved to hate him, he's a toe-curling villain in line with Little Finger but made fifty times more deceiptful. There are beats where Brown really nails the "I'm doing this for your good" tone that is so frighteningly realistic. The sacrificial-lamb twist (not really its in the blurb) is executed to perfection. Eulia's escape and Cleio's forced remain(nent? ness) is so fantastic to read.

The Prophet was so unpredictable in all the ways I love from a villain. The stakes were high as the clouds and I don't think my heartbeat was steady for more than six pages at a time.

Jehann... well I spent a lot of time trying to figure out why he was there tbh. He's the mentor figure to Eulia/kind of love-interest that I honestly didn't care for until like the 85% mark. Then I went 'WAIT OH MY GOD.' Give him a second, I promise. Not just because of the cute pets, Brown was really, really cooking there.

There's plenty to love/hate in the side characters too. The Mother Superior is especially someone to call out as a fantastic character that will haunt the corner of any bible I'll never read (not happening, sos.) The whole book is chock full of goodness and horribleness. I lack the poetic way to say how and why without spoilers. Just trust.

The worldbuilding is fantastic especially for lovers of court intrigue, lots of pawns constantly being moved and individuals trying to think three steps ahead. Its a book you'll want to devote your entire attention to, and me thinks I'll be going over this one for years to come and facepalm at the details I ignored the first time. Brown really, really leans into the gore and nature of a manipulative religion. It gets so painful in places to read but she nails the tone I want from a desconstructionist book.

10/10 would usurp again.

My only real gripe with BDR is that it felt like it was trying to do... a lot. It did both plots really well. But there were times I felt like I wanted separate books for both plots just so I could really feel like I was sinking into both of them. Its a really, really jam-packed book and Brown doesn't waste a page. But yeah, lots going on. There's a corrupt reliigon with a zealot following and manipulative head-of-state figure. A mysterious love-interest.

Local Waterstones will be shortly reporting an uptick in random blonde-women tearing through their shelves muttering at increasing volumes "MUST FIND BROWN."

and I don't think they'll blame me.

[⊹ ࣪ ˖ jordan ˚. ᵎᵎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⟢․⁺ 5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

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❝ 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦. ❞

Ohhhh, this one hooked me. Grabbed me right by the hand and dragged me right in and never let me go. This book is incredible. It’s genuinely so rare that I find a book this captivating, and even when I wasn’t actively reading it I was still thinking about it. By Divine Rage is a beautiful story about duty, love and loss, interspersed with themes of religious trauma, feminine rage, and colonialism, and a top contender for one of the best books I have ever read.


⤷ ゛story ˎˊ˗ 5/5 stars

The main plot focuses on our two female leads: Eulia, the latest in a long line of Godsgifts destined to marry the Prophet to usher in springtime in a land ruled by winter, and Cleio, her handmaiden, who is left behind and forced to play the role of Godsgift in Eulia’s place when Eulia discovers the horrifying truth about the Prophet and what he’s been doing with all the previous Godsgifts. Both women have to confront the societal expectations that have been thrust upon them and the truly heinous acts committed against them by the Church and its followers, relying on their own inner strength to break themselves free from the cycle.


⤷ ゛characters ˎˊ˗ 5/5 stars

Jehan and Cleio were far and away the standouts for me. I was so invested in figuring out what the hell was going on with Jehan, and oh my god the plot twists did not disappoint. I love him. I hate him. I cannot wait to see how his story concludes. Cleio, meanwhile, is so resilient and cunning and I just could not help but root for her the entire time. She is everything I wish I could be and more.

The Prophet and Mother Edmonston could each die a thousand deaths and that would not be enough for me. 😤 They made me so mad! Mother Edmonston in particular is that kind of cruel, calculating evil that always makes my spine shudder, and I was holding my breath during so many of her scenes.


⤷ ゛worldbuilding ˎˊ˗ 5/5 stars

I grew up in a religious household and spent much of my youth in church and attending church-related activities, so a lot about this world and how its power structures operate really spoke to me. I took was a wide-eyed, impressionable child who was fed doctrine after doctrine and taught to fear and despise other groups of people because they were different and didn’t believe in what we believed in. I was repeatedly told what would happen to me if I was not a faithful follower. And now, as an adult who no longer subscribes to any religion, the parallels in this book to how some governments and religions weaponize their beliefs to maintain power and control over people (especially women) was eerily similar. It really grounded this book’s world and instantly made it resonate so much more than most fantasy worlds I’ve seen do.

I also thought this world had a pretty cool magic system! I loved reading about the oleamancers’ culture and customs and how they earn their magic and their familiars. The magic in this world has the feel of something beautiful and unifying and reminded me a lot about how magic is treated in a series like Witch Hat Atelier, where it is an endless source of joy and connection with people and the very world around you.

I hope we get to see even more in the second book.


⤷ ゛romance ˎˊ˗ 5/5 stars

Although it was hardly a focus of this book, I was so invested in Cleio and Tristaine and watching their relationship evolve. Their dynamic was just… 🤌


꒰💬․⁺┆ conclusion and overall thoughts꒱
This is a book I will be thinking about for a long, long time. I will be recommending it to all of my friends as soon as it releases. I don’t buy a lot of physical books anymore because I just don’t have the space on my shelves (thank you, infinite Kindle library), but this is one I will gladly make an exception for. I can’t remember the last time a book had me in a chokehold like this and I am SAT AND WAITING for the next installment.

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[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a force of nature. What an incredible story rooted in the strength we hold for ourselves despite the horrors we face, and the lengths one man will go to to fuel his agenda of remaining the most powerful man and religious figurehead in the world.

We follow two FMCs in this, both brave and strong in their own way. Eulia, the Godsgift, holds a piece of the Spring goddess within her and is destined to ascend and marry the Prophet to end a 20 year winter. This ritual has stood for centuries and mimics how the original goddess died for her man, who becomes the Prophet and remains alive to be with his love again when she returns as the Godsgift.

Our second FMC Cleio is the handmaiden to Eulia and is forced to bear the brunt of any punishment that would have otherwise been for the Godsgift. This isn’t exactly a wondrous existence, especially given she was torn from her home as a child to do this duty with Eulia. Over time, resentment has understandably built up and Cleio is ready for Eulia to marry the Prophet so she can hopefully leave this duty.

Everything changes when Eulia catches a glimpse of her future with the Prophet and decides to flee with a warlock, leaving Cleio to remain and pretend to be the Godsgift in her absence.

During this time, Eulia comes to cherish her time with the warlock, and Cleio finds comfort in new friends. But not everything is as it seems, and the last 15% of this book had me in a CHOKEHOLD. You would’ve needed to sweep my jaw off the floor.

This story has a lot to say about strength and the fact that we are not what has been done to us. Our FMCs go through a lot in this story and have so much bravery to share. I loved each of them for their differences and the women they grew into, and their stories unfolded into something I never expected.

The other large topic of this book was centered around religion. This one is definitely difficult to unpack and there is a lot to be said about how it and religious imagery were portrayed in this book. Some of our religious figureheads made me want to smack their faces off, yet others made me feel compassion. The way the Prophet fits into this is the linchpin of it all, but that’s not everything. To me, it has a lot to say about the society we face now, especially as women, and I give a huge nod of respect to the author for tackling some very serious topics in this, all while doing it extremely well.

I’m gonna sit with this one for a while, but can’t wait to revisit it to learn even more about how the messaging in this can continue to give me strength in even the darkest of times. You definitely want to pick this one up, you won’t regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book.

[Monica Quin · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 STARS

This book altered my brain chemistry and did THINGS to me emotionally. 😭

I’m still trying to process everything I just read, so forgive me if this review is a little vague because I refuse to spoil the experience for anyone else. 😂

First of all, the worldbuilding is RICH. There’s so much depth to this world, and I loved getting to discover all of it as the story unfolded. It felt different from what I usually read, and I really appreciated how fresh and unique the overall story felt.

But let’s talk about the animals. 🥹

I AM HERE FOR THE ANIMALS.

They’re adorable, they’re fun, they have so much personality, and honestly, I would like my own little companion animal, thank you very much. 😂 I would absolutely sign up for that life.

And then there’s The Prophet.

🔪🔪🔪🔪

That’s all I’m going to say for now because I am trying to behave. 😂

One of the things I loved most about this book was how well the story was balanced between Eulia and Cleio. Both girls get their own journeys, their own struggles, and their own moments to shine, and I never felt like one storyline was overshadowing the other.

I LOVE THESE GIRLS SO MUCH. 😭

This story is empowering, but it is also absolutely heart-shattering. And honestly, you have to go through ALL of it first before you get to feel the full weight of everything. 🤣 So yes, my emotions were put through the wringer.

I’m deliberately keeping this review vague for now because there is SO much I want to talk about, but I’d rather let readers experience those moments for themselves.

Once the book is officially out, I’ll probably come back and update this review with more details and maybe some minor spoilers because GIRL… there is stuff I NEED TO YAP ABOUT. 👀😂

For now, all I can say is: READ THIS BOOK.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. ❤️

✨ Tropes & vibes:
🏛️ Rich worldbuilding
👭 Two incredible FMCs
🖤 Female friendship / sisterhood
🪄 Unique fantasy
🐾 Adorable companion animals
💪 Empowering
😭 Emotionally devastating
🔪 THE PROPHET
👀 So much to unpack

[Bkay Reads · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

“Pain is purpose, suffering is service.”

I received By Divine Rage by Roseanne A. Brown as an ARC from NetGalley, and I genuinely loved this one! ❤️‍🔥

The story follows two women with completely different ideologies. Eulia is destined to marry the Prophet, the Godgift, while her handmaiden, Cleio, cannot wait for the wedding to be over so she can finally be free. But right before the wedding, Eulia has a change of heart and decides to run away, with a little help from a warlock and his SEVEN familiars. YES, A WARLOCK AND SEVEN FAMILIARS. This was my cue to fall in love with this book. 😂❤️

Left behind, Cleio is forced to take Eulia’s place and endure everything that comes with it. Along the way, she meets Tristaine, who wants revenge against the Prophet and the Church, and the two join forces to protect themselves and fight back.

The first 25% had me hooked, the last 30% was action-packed, and the ending? AMAZING. The middle, however, dragged a little with some unnecessary drama and length that I felt could have been cut down.

Nevertheless, the characters, the world, the twists, and that ending made this such an enjoyable read. I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW. 😭❤️‍🔥

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

[benjamin kade · Rating 3 out of 5]

eARC received via Netgalley. Thank you!

Mild spoilers ahead! Proceed with caution.
This had so much damn potential that it makes me mad. For starters, a fantasy with a religious-based magic system is always bound to drag me in, as that is a trope I love very much. And overthrowing the too-powerful abusers that keep their oppressive system in place? Count me in. Suffice to say, I was very excited about this book, and it unfortunately did not meet my standards. Firstly, this is dual-POV, and I feel deeply that this book was suffering greatly because of it. Only one storyline (Cleio's) felt necessary and useful to the plot, but her perspective was not the one we should have been following. Eulia's situation was much more complex and interesting to follow, from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her parents and the Prophet, to the religious and racist brainwashing she endured and her eventual realization and overcoming of it. But instead her storyline felt much more like a cozy fantasy and it did not discuss enough about the mental and physical journey she went on. The book honestly felt like two concepts poorly mashed into one story. Switching from Eulia's POV to Cleio's felt like switching books entirely. This wasn't the worst book ever, seeing as it originally was very appealing and there was good aspects, such as its prose and pacing. I will not be picking up the sequel but I will keep a eye on future releases from this author.

[Natalie | EdgesandEndpapers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thankyou to the publisher, author and Netgalley for giving me access to this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If a book has the theme of “feminine rage”, I will surely be there with my “I ♥️ u” banner 💕💕

This is a book I’d seen advertised everywhere before requesting it on Netgalley, and it absolutely did not disappoint.

The following of two FMCs POVs was fantastic - I was fully invested in both of their stories and their traumas. They both go through so much, and grow through it all too.

The setting and backdrop to this book is perfect. The darkened/gothic feel alongside wintery themes were PERFECT for me.

💫 Feminine Rage
💫 Religious influence
💫 Interesting magic system
💫 exploration of Race and racial themes

After that cliffhanger, I am very intrigued to see what happens next.

[Fiorella Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I was having a divine rage at some of these characters. The emotions and twists that the story provided kept me reading late into the night.
I loved the different storylines that were occurring and the strength of Eulia and Cleio were so beautifully told through this story. I was not ready for how this book ended and I need to know what’s going to happen next.
Great story, wonderful characters and I loved the world building of the forest and the dark ambience of the Abbey.

[Chaotic Wildflower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore|Del Rey ARC via NetGalley
By Divine Rage by Roseanne A. Brown
🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

Look, I MIGHT be biased because I loved "A
song of Wraiths and Ruin" and "A Psalm of Storms and Silence" by Roseanne A. Brown and already knew her writing was going to be stunning. But a girl knows what a girl likes.

As someone who suffers from religious trauma, this was incredibly cathartic and healing in a way. The dismantling of oppressive religions was so well done and an amazing plot.

If you have feminine rage, are tired of feeling controlled by one man's view on how women should behave and exist for a man's benefit, then this is THE book for you. If you like to be so genuinely annoyed and pissed off for a good portion of the beginning of the book for Prophet/Prophecy sake, then again...this is the book for you. If you want a book that ends with you being pissed at the world, again, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.

I can't get over it, truly. Roseanne. A. Brown did it again, and I'd absolutely let her wreck me with her words again in the next book.

✨TROPES✨
Dismantling Religious Oppression
Slow Burn High Tension Romance
Feminine Rage
Warlocks
Magic
Prophecy
Corruption

[PlotTwistsWithRackel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one! There was something about the mythology and the atmosphere that pulled me in, and I found myself getting more invested in the characters as the story went on. It definitely gave me ALL the emotions—there were moments I loved, moments that hurt, and a few that had me just staring at the page.

[MiloBiblio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Del Rey for the ARC!

This was so freaking good! I loved reading about all the characters, even if some of them infuriated me at times. This world was so full and I loved that it didn’t shy away from heavy topics. I love a book with feminine rage and this delivered!

[Melanie · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

4.75 Stars ★★★★★
~This is a spoiler-free ARC review.~

Beautifully haunting.

This is an incredibly strong kick-off to the new Godsgift Cycle series. The plot constantly left me surprised and at times heartbroken for what Eulia and Cleio dealt with. The two characters are entirely different, but I was completely invested in both of their paths. With this book, it’s a bit difficult to discuss the other characters without spoiling the story, but they do not disappoint. Each character feels thoughtfully crafted.

And the animals – all the stars for the animals.

Roseanne A. Brown has created an immersive, unique new world steeped in mythology, folklore and religion. I can’t wait for the next installment.

If you enjoyed the fantasy and religious themes of The Stonewater Kingdom duology by Rachel Gillig, definitely check this new series out.

ARC received via NetGalley.

Thank you to Del Rey for the opportunity to read this early!
All thoughts are my own.
By Divine Rage officially releases on April 13 2027

[Lilith's_Library_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something so compelling about a fantasy that explores power, faith, freedom, and what happens when the very things you've been taught to believe in turn out to be the things holding you captive.

By Divine Rage is a dark romantasy that brings together magic, corruption, complicated loyalties, and two women caught in a world that wants to dictate their futures. At its heart, this is a story about reclaiming your power, questioning the systems built to control you, and finding the courage to fight for something different.

I was especially intrigued by the premise and the contrast between Eulia and Cleio, two women whose lives are shaped by the same oppressive system but whose paths take very different turns. Their intertwined journeys bring an emotional depth to the story, while the fantasy elements and underlying tensions add plenty to keep readers invested.

One of the most interesting aspects is the exploration of religious authority, manipulation, and the expectations placed on women. These themes give the story a darker edge and make its focus on agency and freedom particularly meaningful.

While there were elements that kept me more engaged than others, and not every aspect landed equally for me, there was still plenty here to appreciate. The world, the central conflicts, and the promise of what lies ahead make this an intriguing start to a new series.

Overall, By Divine Rage was an enjoyable read with a strong premise, thought-provoking themes, and a story that leaves room for even more to come. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this early, and I'm curious to see where the Godsgift Cycle goes next!

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sydney · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

wow. just wow. i'll be sharing my full review closer to the publication date, but just know this was amazing!

thank you to del rey and netgalley for the e-arc!

[letsreadwithliz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received eArc via Netgalley. Wow. This was astounding. I am speechless, but here I am writing my review. This was everything to me. The reclamation of identity, destroying abusive, corrupt systems, the writing! I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy and the sequel (please let there be a sequel).
I would recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy or Romantasy, so long as they mind the warnings given. I would like to add, that the sensitive parts were handled very well.
Great read, truly amazing.

[Lexi Reads · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

This was an emotionally exhausting, deeply infuriating, and ultimately rewarding read. From the beginning, I sensed that something was fundamentally wrong beneath the layers of religious devotion and promises of salvation, and watching those suspicions unfold into something far more sinister was incredibly satisfying. The Mother Superior, the Arch Paladin, and the Prophet each inspired a particular kind of anger, the sort that makes you want to step directly into the story and demand answers yourself. What makes these characters so effective is the way cruelty is justified through faith, duty, and the promise of something greater. The manipulation is insidious, the consequences devastating, and the gradual exposure of the truth made every moment of frustration worthwhile. I cried, felt genuinely sick during certain scenes, and spent a considerable portion of the book furious at people who do not exist. For a story to provoke such an intense emotional response while maintaining its narrative momentum is an achievement in itself.

Eulia's character arc was one of the most satisfying aspects of the novel. Raised to believe that her existence serves a divine purpose, she has been conditioned to accept her destiny as both an honour and an obligation. Her role as the Godsgift, destined to marry the Prophet and restore spring to a kingdom trapped in winter, is presented as sacred, leaving little room for her to question the people who have shaped her entire understanding of the world. Watching her gradually confront the reality of her circumstances was both heartbreaking and compelling. Her journey involves more than discovering that she has been deceived; she must also unlearn the fear, guilt, and prejudices that have become inseparable from her identity. I appreciated that this transformation takes time and that her initial naivety does not diminish her eventual strength. Her developing relationship with Jehan further challenges her established beliefs, forcing her to reconsider the people she has been taught to regard as enemies. Seeing her begin to distinguish her own convictions from those imposed upon her was immensely rewarding.

Cleio's experiences provide an equally compelling, albeit very different, perspective on the same system of oppression. While Eulia has been elevated through her supposed divine importance, Cleio has endured the punishment and humiliation that accompany her position as the handmaiden. Forced to bear the consequences of Eulia's mistakes, she is denied both the freedom to live as herself and the ability to forget the home and culture from which she was taken. Her initial determination to survive and return to her homeland makes her understandable, even when her decisions are difficult to sympathize with. I particularly appreciated that she is allowed to be flawed, guarded, and occasionally abrasive rather than becoming an idealized figure of resilience. Her experiences have given her every reason to prioritize herself, making her gradual recognition of the wider corruption around her all the more meaningful. Her interactions with Tristaine add further complexity to her development, while her evolving priorities demonstrate that resistance can begin with the desire to survive and eventually become something much larger. Both women are compelling in their own right, and I never found myself wishing to spend less time with either perspective.

The worldbuilding is rich and intricately constructed, particularly in its exploration of religious authority, cultural erasure, racial prejudice, and patriarchal control. The Prophet is a genuinely unsettling antagonist because he understands how to present manipulation as compassion and domination as protection. His actions are frightening not simply because of their cruelty, but because of the conviction with which he frames them as necessary and righteous. The Mother Superior is equally memorable, representing the institutional complicity that allows abuse to continue under the guise of moral authority. Beyond the central antagonists, the political manoeuvring, magical elements, and competing loyalties create a world in which almost every interaction carries greater significance than it initially appears to. The contrast between the frozen kingdom and the world it has been taught to fear also strengthens the novel's broader examination of prejudice and manufactured enemies. I was particularly delighted by the animal companions and the unexpected importance they assume as the story progresses. Their inclusion brings an additional dimension to the narrative, and several revelations genuinely caught me by surprise. Although Jehan took some time to fully capture my interest, later developments gave his character greater significance and made the patience worthwhile.

My main criticism is that the novel occasionally attempts to accomplish so much that I wished certain aspects had been given additional room to develop. Eulia and Cleio each have sufficiently intricate journeys to sustain a book of their own, and there were moments when I wanted to remain with one storyline longer before returning to the other. The religious deconstruction, political intrigue, character development, and relationships are all compelling, but their combined scope sometimes makes the narrative feel particularly dense. Nevertheless, the ambition behind the story is also one of its greatest strengths. This is a fantasy that understands the importance of questioning the systems we inherit, particularly when those systems demand obedience and sacrifice from the people they claim to protect. Its exploration of female agency, indoctrination, and the courage required to reject an imposed destiny feels both emotionally resonant and socially relevant. By the end, I was deeply invested in both women and desperate to discover what awaits them next. This was an intense, thought-provoking, and profoundly affecting read, and I would gladly return to this world for another instalment. Five stars.

[walyda · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

In a world trapped in an eternal winter, every generation produces a young woman with the blood of the goddess of spring. Raised by the Church and promised to an immortal Prophet, Eulia is expected to fulfil her sacred destiny and help end the winter. But when she discovers that her supposed divine purpose hides something far more sinister, she escapes with the help of a mysterious warlock.

Left behind is Cleio, her fierce and passionate handmaiden, who must assume Eulia’s identity as the next godsgift while trying to expose the corruption within the Church. Two women, raised in the same system but treated very differently, find themselves fighting for freedom and control over their own destinies.

I went into this book with mixed feelings. Somewhere around chapter two, I had already settled on three stars. I cursed, I screamed, and I stared at the pages with my mouth wide open. 😂

This is one of those books where the revelations completely change how you understand the story. Details that initially seem insignificant begin to make sense, characters become much more complicated, and the mythology turns out to be far more sinister than I anticipated.

Let’s talk about the Prophet.

I don’t think I’ve encountered a more manipulative, narcissistic and insufferable character in a while. What makes him particularly disturbing is that his cruelty isn’t always expressed through outright violence. He understands how to manipulate people’s beliefs, their fears and even their affection. He doesn’t just want power; he wants people to accept his version of reality. Watching the extent of his manipulation unfold was one of the most satisfying aspects of the book.

Everyone believes that the prophet is in love and devoted to goddess of spring but I think what the prophet have for her is more of an Obsession. He is obsessed with Celestine, not in love and not with the godsgifts and that is why he did what he did to the other godsgifts.

Eulia was another highlight.

I appreciated that she wasn’t written as someone who would willingly sacrifice herself simply because the world expected her to. She was actually looking forward to fulfilling her duty, but once she began questioning the destiny imposed on her, she wanted out. She understood that her decision could have consequences, but she still chose to reclaim her life. Her journey from an indoctrinated girl who believed she was destined for divine service to someone who discovers and embraces her own power was particularly rewarding.

And then there is Jehan.

I absolutely loved his storyline. His unusual existence, his relationship with his familiars, and how easily they all became family to Eulia added an unexpected emotional depth to the story. Their story was one of my favourite aspects of the book, and I especially loved the idea of finding family in the most unexpected places.

I also loved how the worldbuilding came together. The revelations surrounding the religious mythology, the Prophet and the creatures made the world feel much more interconnected than I initially realised. So many things that seemed unrelated suddenly made sense.

Everything fell into place by the end.

However, I did have some reservations.

I love Cleio, but I struggled with her POV, particularly around the middle of the book, when the story was becoming increasingly interesting. Cleio and Eulia are opposites. While Cleio is brave and outspoken, Eulia is initially naive and sheltered.

If Cleio had been in Eulia’s shoes from the beginning, I think she would have burned down the Church long ago. 😂

I used to resent Eulia for standing by while Cleio was punished for her mistakes. Sometimes I wondered why Cleio didn’t resent Eulia more for it. But seeing Eulia’s eventual awakening and the payoff to her character arc made the journey worthwhile.

There is also Tristaine. I loved how readily he protected Cleio and stood by her, even when they initially had nothing more than a shared interest bringing them together. I enjoyed watching their relationship develop.

Then there is mother Edmondston and the archbishop.

I also have some reservations about the religious worldbuilding. Certain elements of the fictional religion, particularly when considered together, evoked uncomfortable real-world religious associations for me. I think authors should be mindful of how fictional religious systems can reproduce existing stereotypes, even when the intention behind them is unclear.

Despite these reservations, the book won me over.

The final revelations were worth the journey, and I particularly appreciated how much of the story was recontextualised by the time I reached the ending. I finished with more questions, a much greater appreciation for the characters and an immediate desire to know what happens next.

Final thoughts: A story that took its time winning me over but rewarded my patience with some genuinely compelling revelations. The Prophet is despicable, Jehan has my heart, and Eulia’s journey made this a much stronger read than I initially expected.

I need the next book!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Roseanne A. Brown and Del Ray for the ARC of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Minus one star for Cleio's unlikability. Plus one star for the third act turn.

I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw the cover, before knowing anything else about it. A woman scorned is no joke. A Black woman against a society dominated by a patriarchal religious figure/institution that minimizes her because of her gender, skin color, and language? That is a cause for righteous fury and I was all in.

Told from the perspective of both a "Godgiven" and the one forced to bear the burdens, and punishments, of that chosen one, Brown clearly denotes whether it is a Eulia or Cleio chapter within the first one to two paragraphs with her 3rd person narrative. It's a fairly even split between the chapters given to each character, and I noticed that in the begining we switched back and forth every chapter, though as the story progressed it seemed to switch every two chapters. This had the effect of making each story equally important but was sometimes a little jarring.

I loved this story. It is a beautifully written mirror to our own society and the ways we perpetuate our own broken systems. Eulia and Cleio are torn from their homes and families. Eulia views the paladins as heroes who have rescued her from her abusive parents. Cleio is torn from a loving and extended family by those same knights to become Eulia's handmaiden. They are taken from the Black culture on their warm island to an isolated abbey in the white nation of Iridia which is caught in an endless winter. No one there looks like them or talks like them and the Mother Superior replaces the names of their birth and forces them to adopt a new language. Eulia embraces these changes and her exalted status while Cleio never forgets who she is even as she becomes the one who is abused.

I liked Eulia because I saw her goodness even as she was allowing herself to be manipulated and refused to acknowledge the ugliness of the system. At the same time, while I agreed with Cleio and appreciated her clear view of the world, I found her to be incredibly abrasive, selfish, and unlikeable. At least, that's how I felt about them at the beginning and through the majority of the story. Eulia opened her eyes and extricated herself from her position as a sacrifice to an evil institution. Cleio got a little leverage and used it to advance her own agenda. Then things flipped.


Eulia would have stayed in hiding with Jehan and let the entire nation continue to suffer from the eternal winter. She decided to keep her bond with Celestia with it's power instead of passing it to someone else, but spent no time or energy trying to find a way to bring spring without sacrificing herself. She chose herself over hundreds of thousands of other lives. When given the choice to escape Iridia with its cold, discrimination, and violence, Cleoi chose to stay and become the symbol the people needed. She put the survival of those who had despised her ahead of her own well being and safety.

Sure, Eulia ended up back for the Ascendance where she used her bond with Celestia to defeat the Prophet, but that was only because she got caught and had no other choice to save herself. Unlikeable and abrasive Cleoi is the actual hero of the story.


That flip was my favorite thing about this book. Intentional or not, it was brilliant. The magic is also amazing. I don't understand why the warlocks kept tearing pages out of their spellbooks to do their workings, but the magic system itself was unlike others I've read before and I look forward to learning more about it alongside Eulia. I'm less interested in Tristaine than Jehan, but I think they are each good matches for their partners.

The one thing that sometimes gets a little confusing is where each chapter is within the overall story timeline. It's clear that sometimes one character moves forward in time then we jump backwards with the other in the next chapter. It's easier to follow Cleio's calender since it revolves around weekly celebrations, but for Eulia we aren't always given those touchstones to orient ourselves.

This is a rich world and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. I recommend this for everyone interested in romance, fantasy, social commentary, and literary fiction. I will be buying the beautiful hardcover for myself as soon as it comes out.

[Mitra · Rating 3.25 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC!!
This review is not spoiler-free!!

-

Wow, what an amazing plot! The themes of religious extremism and colonialism paired well with the book's plot and made it a great read! The plot follows Eulia, who is the reincarnation of Goddess Celestine. She is seen as the Godsgift and must marry the Prophet (the man who wrote the verse of their religion) for one year to bring spring. The land, Irdia, goes through rough winters, and every 20 years the prophet must marry a Godsgift to lift the curse for one year. Cleio, Eulia’s whipping girl, acts as the fake Godsgift when Eulia runs away at the altar. Not going to lie, I was surprised that the believers didn’t question why the prophet was marrying the reincarnation of Celestine every 20 years. The Prophet is immortal, so shouldn’t he only remarry once God’s gift dies of old age? But yet again, this shows that, despite how evil a leader of a religion/cult/organization may be, as long as people believe in their words and verses, everything will seem normal.

I LOVED the first 160 pages of the book. Genuinely, it was looking like my first five-star read from this year. From finding out who the Prophet was, the wedding, Cleio herself, everything was perfect. Until the love interests for both Eulia and Cleio were introduced. I think I’ve grown tired of insta-love stories with no chemistry between the love interests, and unfortunately, both love stories felt that way to me. This book is a romantasy, and the romance didn’t hit for me, which made me lose interest in the story.

Eulia and Jehan’s story was cool. I liked the concepts of the seven familiars and them trying to break the curse from Eulia’s braid. Their love story was a bit of a slow burn, but I feel like there weren’t enough moments for me to go omg I love this couple. It felt very bland and I wasn’t that interested in them. I did like Eulia’s ending with the prophet and the past reincarnations of Celstine. I think it’s the true embodiment of divine rage!!!

Cleio, on the other hand, was my favorite character. Being used as the girl to be punished and whipped due to someone else's faults is not easy, but the way Cleio handled her rage was a very good read. If I were her, I’d probably burn the place the first time a whipping occurred. I like how she rejected God, religion, and the church because of the treatment towards herself and people. Her rage was justified, and I’d allow her to kill everyone who wronged her!

What went wrong with the story, which made it go from a 5-star to a 3-star, was Cleio and Tristaine's love story. It felt so out of character for Cleio. From the moment they met and decided to work together, every time they interacted with each other in the story, there would be a line or paragraph about how they wanted to fuck each other??? Y’all barely know anything about each other. Can we get a hi or hello first? It frustrated me the most because Chapter 38 was one of the most diabolical chapters in the entire book. Extremely traumatic, and the prophet is actually INSANE. Tristaine rescues her from the traumatic situation, and instead of discussing what to do with the prophet and bodies, they decide it’s the perfect time to confess and make love. HELLO????? I can get why their love story might have been written this way because the Godgift is supposed to be seen as a virgin, pure, and innocent. Celio is none of that, so her desires towards Tristaine are ungodly. However, this would’ve been acceptable if they had chemistry and got to know each other better instead of thinking about bedding one another every time you interact (or at least most of the time).

The ending with the Messiah and everything is intriguing. My hope is for the land to be free of religion, but I am curious to see how this story ends.

[gwen · Rating 2 out of 5]

thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

This book follows two women- Eulia and Cleio. Eulia serves as the reincarnation of the goddess of spring, and Cleio acts as Eulia’s “whipping girl.” When certain revelations about the church come out, both women take on new roles as they try to dismantle the system.

This book did not go super well for me. By 40% in I was very bored and had to actively force myself to finish the rest of the book. It wasn’t all bad, but it certainly wasn’t all good either.

What I did like:
- themes of realizing your deeply ingrained belief system is actually an evil institution and how one goes forward from that

What I did not like:
- a romance that felt way too insta-lovey for my taste
- one-dimensional characters
- inconsistent writing
- lines/things that just didn’t make sense within the confines of the story
- a lot of quotes that feel designed to go viral on tiktok
- soooo many overused tropes

I really feel the need to mention a few things regarding my 4th point there about things not making sense. Eulia is a reincarnation of a goddess, yes, and that comes with certain abilities. However, she is not overtly supernatural or powerful, and it seems the story forgets that at times. At one point, Eulia has to hold her breath for an extended period of time. A lot of time seems to pass and I’m starting to feel skeptical she could hold her breath that long, then the book explicitly says that “several minutes” have passed since she started holding her breath. The average person can only hold their breath for like 30-90 seconds, so unless Eulia has been practicing free diving in her spare time, this felt SO unrealistic. It completely took me out of the story.

Later on, a similar thing happens. Eulia has two different animals on her shoulders and has to pull both herself and the weight of the two animals up a cliff and she only is grasping the edge by her fingertips. Like her legs are full on dangling in the void below her. This would be like… a Herculean task. Not a task for a somewhat unathletic pampered woman. These may seem like small things but they both just felt so nonsensical that I could not enjoy the story much after they happened.

My other biggest complaint is that this book is an adult fantasy, yet the tone and writing felt VERY young adult. The two FMCs are both 18 or 19, so they are on the younger side, but both have been through a lot of trauma and the very immature tone of both their voices took me out of the story.

I think this will be a big hit for a lot of people. If you liked the Knight and the Moth series, you’re probably going to REALLY enjoy this because it has a lot of similar themes. For me, though, the writing just did not feel up to par.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of ARC provided by NetGalley

„By Divine Rage“ by Roseanne A. Brown is about two girls with two fates: One is the wholy godsgift destined to wed the church‘s immortal prohet and fend off a devastating eternal winter. The other is the godsgift‘s maid and whipping girl. When Eulia discovers the truth about the prophet, her betrothed, she flees with the help of an mysterious warlock which leaves her maid Cleio to fill her role and pose as godsgift. Both girls know suffering, now it is time to stand up for themselves.

Writing: 3/5
I had a hard time reading this book. I also feel like there were a lot of words saying awfully little and the text didn’t deliver the right mood or feelings. I felt really neutral throughout the book.

Characters: 3/5
I liked the concept of each character but I didn‘t grow attached to any of them. It‘s not even that I didn‘t like them but I just didn‘t care for them. Because they have such great potential, I think the book would have benefitted a lot from more work and focus on the characters.

Worldbuilding: 4/5
The worldbuilding was great. Some things were a bit hard to understand, but I really liked the concept of the church and the Prophet being the villains and the warlocks as enemies. Religion and magic is a great mix.

Plot: 3/5
Well… On the one hand, I thought the story was captivating and I desperately wanted to know where this was going. On the other hand, it was very difficult to follow the story because of the many plot lines with backstories and sidecharacters. Furthermore, there were awfully many dialogues that did nothing to enhance the plot. In the end, it all came together and kind of made sense, but also no sense at all. I didn‘t like how the story with Jehan played out. That was kind of strange but maybe book 2 will solve this whole dilemma masterfully. We will have to wait and see. I also think that the whole plot line with Tristaine‘s revenge was unnecessary.. Furthermore, I would have liked if both Eulia and Cleio would have actively worked through and faced her trauma. They both have suffered different kinds of violence and traumas and have different characters, so it would habe been interesting and beneficial to see, how each coped with these experiences. This is such an important and sensible topic. Trauma recovery should have played a much bigger role in this book.

Romance: 2/5
I‘m so sorry to say this, but I didn‘t feel a thing for these couples. There was no chemistry and no romantic feeling whatsoever. In the beginning, I thought Cleio and Tristaine would be fun, but it all was very surface level. Eulia and Jehan felt more like friendly companions to me, so don‘t ecpect some epic lovestory.

So all in all, I was rather disappointed by „By Divine Rage“ although it has so much potential.