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I could relate to Iris and some of her feelings made me cry. Roman was cute and I felt for him too - I always hate when someone is trying to tell you how you should live your life.

I loved the beginning, it was intriguing. But overall I think there could have been more worldbuilding. There were some super cool things and I would have loved to get more of them. There were some parts in the middle of the book that dragged a bit.

#serieslove2024

“Your grief will never fully fade; it will always be with you—a shadow you carry in your soul—but it will become fainter as your life becomes brighter. You will learn to live outside of it again, as impossible as that may sound. Others who share your pain will also help you heal. Because you are not alone. Not in your fear or your grief or your hopes or your dreams. You are not alone.”

“It takes courage to let down your armor, to welcome people to see you as you are.”

I skipped this book when it first came out but reader‘s FOMO had me purchase this and the sequel together. Sometimes FOMO is a good thing! I love these characters and their magic typewriter. I enjoy a love story in fantasies when that love doesn‘t take over the fantastical plot - so kudos to the author.

Set in a mythical time, during a war between gods that looks a lot like WWI, complete with trenches and mustard gas. Two newspaper reporters, rivals for a column, fall in love after they enlist as war correspondents. Written for young adults, it would have been a better book if it really was about WWI. The gods were a not well drawn distraction. Not sure if I‘ll read the next.

I just finished this one and I am desperate for the next book!

Can't wait for book two to come in from the library. Book one was so good!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Roman is becoming my Roman Empire. He is such a good rival mascaraing as a love interest. I adored how these two came together, through their love of writing. The balance between being at war and being journalists was well written. Between slights towards trauma and feeling guilty to having feeling happy when so many won‘t make it home. Confusion is on the magic of the war; don‘t understand a thing about how those two gods are causing this war.

This book was S-L-O-W. It was good, but closer to the meh side.

Things I liked: 1940s alternate world (I mean completely different from ours), the mythology, the main characters as rival journalists.

Things I didn't like: the pacing. The book was also mostly depressing (which is why I stay away from WWII historical novels). I needed more magic.

Sure there were some brighter moments, but they didn't last. Will I read the second one? Probably.

A little book moment 📚

Target book haul❤️🤍❤️

Absolutely adored this and it is absolutely worthy of the hype it has! I can‘t wait to dive into the second part of Kitt and Winnow‘s story!

I took of the dust jacket and found this lovely surprise!

I thoroughly enjoyed DIVINE RIVALS. Suspense, the brutality of war, and hope weaved through the entire narrative kept me turning pages even though I didn't want the story to end. I can't wait to read more about Winnow and Kitt.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
I have been wanting to read this one for a while, and I‘m glad I waited until I could just jump right in to book 2 because talk about a wild ending!
This was a very fun read - I love romances that take place via letters, emails, or, in this case, enchanted typewriters, and I thought all the main & side characters were well imagined.
I‘ve heard mixed reviews on book two, but I‘m excited to jump into it & see what happens next!

An enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance that's been getting a lot of hype. Iris and Roman are both competing for a columnist job in a land where the gods are at war. Iris's brother is away fighting, and Iris writes him letters that disappear, but it turns out that someone else is getting them - and one day, he writes back, starting a correspondence. Pretty predictable and I'm not sure I'm invested enough to read the sequel.

e-book ISBN: 9780008588175

I learned a new word: petrichor - the scent after newly-fallen rain.

Upto chapter 16 and really enjoying this one. A sort of 'You Got Mail', but with a wardrobe that delivers letters instead of e-mail.

Recently finished and absolutely loved it-I haven‘t loved a book this much in a long time! It brought me back to my middle/high school years of loving this genre so much! The writing was engaging. The characters of Iris and Roman were well-written; their chemistry was outstanding. The imagery was incredible; I can easily picture every scene and character. It includes many tropes, but the tropes were well-done. So excited to read the 2nd book!

Finally jumped on the bandwagon! Verdict: Worth. The. Hype. 😍 I loved this book! Devoured this book. Savored this book. Slow burn believable romance, easy-to-follow fantasy world building/historical fiction, realistic events rather than sunshine and rainbows. Immediately started the second book!
4 stars ⭐️

What's not to love about a love story brought on by magically linked typewriters and wardrobes? But the agony!!! It kept me fraught through the rest all the way to a cliffhanging ending that will likely put me through much of the same for 484ish pages of the sequel.

What did I just read?! Because my heart has been ripped out & now I have to wait, WAIT, for the sequel.

I don't think I'm going to make it. Had I known, HAD I KNOWN, this was book 1 & there will be a book 2, I would have left this book ON MY SHELF until book 2 was released like exactly what I did with Strike the Zither by Joan He. Instead, I'm left with a gaping hole in my chest.

This is why I normally read reviews & check out the book. 👇🏻

#firstlinefridays

“Cold fog had settled over the depot like a burial shroud, and Iris Winnie thought the weather couldn‘t have been better.”

I also love that she uses the word “petrichor” in the first paragraph.

I thought I was over the YA genre but this one is too cute to resist!
What can one not love about two people falling in love over letters, beautiful words, with a hint of magic in background. It has a captivating story, reveals heartbreaking dark side of wars and how love can survive the worst! Can't wait to get my hands on the next book in this duology.

The plot, the family drama, the war, the myths, the rivalry turning to love - engaging and well-written. And the ending! So, into the sequel :)

Ohhhhh babyyyyyyyy.
This book. Omg.
Kicky feet for sure.
I'm obsessed.
It was so lovely.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

04.01.2024

Magic in a book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is amazing! It's definitely worth all the hype.
I loved all the characters and the plot.
Iris writes letters to her brother, who is fighting in a war, but when she slips them in her wardrobe and they disappear, they are actually going to her work rival, Roman Kitt.
Enemies to lovers, a war between two Gods, what's not to love.
I will be starting the second book immediately.

I really ended up liking this one. I loved watching the relationship between Roman and Iris unfold.

This was my first fantasy book and I adored it! I found myself quickly rooting for Iris and Roman as individuals on their own journeys, gasping at the twists and not wanting the story to end. I‘m so glad I‘m able to read the sequel soon, as I have to know what happens next.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Just started. A little into it and I‘m reading about how her mom is an alcoholic and sells things for money. Wondering if her mom will find typewriter and sell it

I didn't love this at first, but it grew on me. The last hour or so of audio was extremely engaging and I can't wait to see where the duology goes. Fortunately I have Ruthless Vows up next 🤓

Oh my goodness!!! What a great book; the world is intriguing, that characters are amazing, and the hope that this book inspires. I love every bit of it and I may have to dive in to book 2 ASAP. #BOTM
Book 7 of 2024

I have been reading. But I have not been posting. Here are most of them from Jan and Feb. All different, all mostly good. Some coming in April, and some in May. And of course, some like the tagged book are already released. #readingandreviewing #youngadult

#February #bookreport #wrapup

I read 9 books in February. 3 audiobooks 3 ebooks and 3 books. My favourite was Divine Rivals which was my choice for our local book club. I have plan to read sequel in March. I very liked Remarkably Bright Creatures, Hello Beautiful and The Secret Of A Heart Note. All 3 were #buddyread on Litsy. Thanks to @TheBookHippie and @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks to share/chose these books.

I thought this was YA fantasy, but I‘m not sure that‘s what it was. Honestly it felt more historical fiction or a war story with some magical elements. I don‘t feel we learned anything much about the gods that were at war. However, with all that said, I definitely enjoyed Divine Rivals and will definitely be reading Ruthless Vows.

I wasn‘t sure if I would like this book because fantasy isn‘t my normal genre that I gravitate to, but I took a chance and I‘m glad I did. I suspect that this book (series) is going to be very big and we will be hearing a lot more about it. I think I loved it so much because it wasn‘t typical for a fantasy book with heavy world building, etc. This felt real and like it could be something that would happen. I loved it and can‘t wait to read book 2.

#LoveLetter 💌 #LuckyInLove 💋👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻💌💘

#BookNerd 🤓💙📚

I read for 1hour and 12minutes. And I need more of this story. It becoming more and more interesting. Going to take shower and then in bed with my kindle. It is good that I'm in afternoon shift tomorrow.🙃
#hyggehour #hyggehourreadathon #litsolace

@AllDebooks @TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @jenniferw88

I'm ready for #hyggehour #hyggehourreadathon #litsolace
I have my kindle tea candle and aroma therapy🥰
#currentlyreading the tagged one.

@AllDebooks @TheBookHippie @Chrissyreadit @jenniferw88

#LuckyInLove #Candlelit

I'm #currentlyreading Divine Rivals and enjoying it so far. A warm tea and scented candle are my company.

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

I wasn‘t sure about this book at first. It started off a little slow and I didn‘t really understand what was going on, but as we got further, I started to enjoy the relationship between Iris and Kip. I like the ending of the book and am excited to see what happens in the next book.

Book 6 of 2024.

I inhaled this. It has been on my TBR for awhile but had I realized I‘d become this invested…😰😂🤣

While the romance itself bloomed a little quick, it was so well-written I was willing to forgive and buy-in. The ending did feel rushed but also added to the desperate yearning for this couple/what comes next. Guess I just have to get a copy for myself. 😭🫶🏻 Book 2 for #AuldLangSpine - @DGRachel did you read the second book?

First book of 2024. Magical typewriters, anonymous penpals, work rivals, war of the gods, tragedy, and love...It took me a bit to engage, but the last 100 pages FLEW by. Taking away 1/2 a star cause of the slow build, lack of "spice" (which is a me problem), feeling like the romances developed bit too quickly/easily, and cause I wish some bits at the end were more fleshed out. Finished it FURIOUS, cause it ends on a cliffhanger - the audacity lol!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Divine Rivals was a really sweet YA Fantasy that had a slight real world twist, creating a setting of its own. I loved Iris and Roman‘s journey. Ross is a great writer who always keeps the plot moving. I felt it was too light on the war with the Gods information, tho. We got bare minimum and worry book 2 may be an info dump! Hopefully it‘s just as magical!

My first book of 2024 what a great book to start with I absolutely love Iris and Roman!