Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Darkness never works alone...

Nadya doesn’t trust her magic anymore. Serefin is fighting off a voice in his head that doesn’t belong to him. Malachiasz is at war with who--and what--he’s become.

As their group is continually torn apart, the girl, the prince, and the monster find their fates irrevocably intertwined. They’re pieces on a board, being orchestrated by someone… or something. The voices that Serefin hears in the darkness, the ones that Nadya believes are her gods, the ones that Malachiasz is desperate to meet—those voices want a stake in the world, and they refuse to stay quiet any longer.

Review:
Wicked Saints was one of my favorite novels of last year.  I loved the world-building, characters, and action.  While most of this continues in Ruthless Gods, there were a lot of angsty reflections by the main characters.  Growing pains? 


World-Building:
Imagine creating a complex religion just for a novel.  There are so many gods and saints, each one with its own story and significance in this world.  Having this level of detail makes us invest in the struggles of Nadya, Serefin, and Malachiasz.

There are also several different societies, each with customs, hierarchies, and myths, that combine to form a rich world for these characters to inhibit.

Characters:
Nadya really reminded me of Buffy the Vampire Slayer!  She is a classic "chosen one", reluctant, and full of doubt.  But she is also truly a one of a kind marvel who can talk to the gods.

Serefin grows the most of the main characters in this book.  He is also a reluctant leader.  But as he journeys through the novel, he comes to accept the huge responsibility for his nation and becomes willing to sacrifice everything.  There are also some wonderful developments in Serefin's love life that made me cheer. 

Characters:
I couldn't understand the competing natures of Malachiasz.  At times he is the roguish, charmer who Nadya loves.  At other times, he is the cruelest of demons, violent, and sadistic.  And Nadya is very confused about her feelings for Malachiasz.  This is where I get Nadya's Buffy vibe (remember her love/hate relationship with Spike?). 

            
via GIPHY

Although this made for a layered story, it was hard for me to see Malachiasz as anything but a villain.

Angsty inaction:
There was a great deal of angsty reflection by all the characters.  Everyone seemed to second-guess themselves, or moan about their situation.  Remember all the different gods in this world?  Sometimes I felt they were being influenced by the God of Boredom! 
                      
via GIPHY


Most of the book seemed to be filler to get to the next book in the series. 
  
For all my complaining, I do look forward to the next book.  I want to see how this plays out.  And I will always root for Serefin and Nadya! 


Rating:  




Release Date:  April 7th, 2020

Author:  Emily A. Duncan

Publisher:  MacMillan

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Page Length:  432 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation: Although I loved the characters, and the world-building, this book lacked the thrilling intrigue and action of book one. Definitely a library read.