Mysti Graves: Divine Sin Roots in Ruin Book 2

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256634997-divine-sin

Book blurb:

Book Two in the Divine Sin series, Roots in Ruin is an adult dark fantasy romance of forbidden power, dangerous devotion, and the monstrous things love awakens.

Bound by Lucifer’s command,
Haruki was ordered to watch over Darcelle.

He was never supposed to love her.

Now, she knows the truth.
The quiet demon who made Hell feel safe
was there long before death brought her to its gates.

Darcelle's awakening has begun,
and as Lucifer's daughter,
she was never expected to be ordinary,
but what's stirring inside her is something even Hell fears.

As she trains under Haruki,
every step Darcelle takes begins to draw suspicion,
and every step Haruki takes is an act of defiance.

Darcelle must decide who she can trust,
and Haruki must choose between loyalty and instinct.

Because some roots don’t just grow in ruin.
They become it.

Tropes:

*Indie Author  *Fantasy *Dark Romance *Hell  *Life after Death *Powerful beings

*Demons/Angels *Fantasy *magic *cliffhanger *Slow burn  *Drama *politics *Daddy issues

*Spice *Trials/Tribulations  *ARC read *Gothic Romance *Dark fantasy

Thoughts:

This is the second book in the Divine Sin series following Darcelle (FMC) as she adapts to finding out that her life in the mortal realm is over after her early demise and she learns that she not only is now in hell but is a princess and oh yea... Lucifer is her father the king of the underworld.  

Her father has made a deal with 4 demons that she will be soul bound to them by the end of the year, not her choice but the more she spends time with them the closer she gets to them and begins to care about them but is holding back due to feeling bad about her feelings beginning to start for all of them (except for Z her ice elemental suitor who has been nothing but rude to her since she arrived). 

Karv: Incubus ; Ank: Djinn ; Haruki --> shape shifting Yokai ; Z --> Ice Elemental

This story starts where the first book left off and it's recommended to read these in order.  

Darcelle begins her journey where she is to spend one on one time learning from each of her potential husbands (essentially) and this book focuses on her time with Haruki and through this journey we learn that he has a history with Darcelle that she wasn't even aware of will she be able to accept their past history together?  

Darcelle and Haruki grow closer together and as the physical tension becomes too much... maybe it's time to do something about it, but what will her other guys think?  

Just as Darcelle is beginning to adapt more to her life in the underworld she receives an ominous letter stating that she will need to go through a series of trials to prove she is worthy of staying, all of her guys attempt to help prepare her for this (even Z in his own way).  

But will Darcelle be able to make it through when no half demon has ever made it through all 4 of the trials in it's history.  The unrest in the underworld is growing as Lucifer believes that his daughter just may be his undoing.

This book captivated me from beginning to end I loved watching Darcelle grow into her powers and learn more about her past history with Haruki knowing this we can see how he cares for her so much even now, swoon!   

Again this isn't my usual type of book but I'm so glad that I found this series it's so unique and I can't wait for the next book in the series!

Have you read this one?  What did you think?  

Mysti Graves: Divine Sin The Dark Awakening Book One

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/252588113-divine-sin

Book Blurb:

Divine Sin: The Dark Awakening is a dark fantasy romance filled with dangerous revelations,
infernal politics, and supernatural intrigue, where Hell is not the end, but the beginning.

Darcelle’s tragic death was not her end,
but her beginning.

Awakening in Hell,
she’s forced to face a terrifying truth:
She is no ordinary soul,
and Hell has been waiting for her.

Bound by a contract she never agreed to,
Darcelle has one year to choose a demon to soulbond with.

A shapeshifting Yōkai that feels too human for Hell.
A Djinn prince unwilling to grant her wishes.
An Incubus whose fascination grows more obsessive by the day.
And…
An ice Elemental who would rather spill her blood than protect it.

Darcelle must navigate a world of seductive bargains,
complex politics, and powers she barely understands.

Powers that have Hell itself on edge.

Tropes:

*Indie Author  *Fantasy *Dark Romance *Hell  *Life after Death *Powerful beings

*Demons/Angels *Fantasy *magic *cliffhanger *Slow burn  *Drama *politics *Daddy issues

Thoughts:

First off this is not my usual type of book I usually go for lighter romance/rom com type books but I have been pushing my boundaries and trying new things in the reading world and I love to help support indie authors and this accomplished both!  

Darcelle (FMC) is a beautiful young woman she had her whole life ahead of her but it was cut tragically short in her early 20's.  She saw her body as an outsider looking and following it to her own funeral she's not sure what's next for her is this some kind of limbo?  

Darcelle ends up getting picked up by a silent driver but since he's the only one who can seem to see her she goes with it and ends up outside the perimeters of a large building... with so many questions and no one to answer any of them her driver leave but in comes 4 demons, they are hot as sin and inform her that they are her escorts while she navigates her new life in the underworld... oh and by the way she needs to choose one of them to be soul bound with in a years time per a contract she didn't make but her father (Lucifer... yes that one) did. 

As Darcelle learns she is the princess of the underworld, feels her new powers blossom within her and attempts to learn how to trust her guides? Husbands to be? against her better judgement since she had been told her whole mortal life you can't trust a demon but now she's in a whole world full of them... and where is her father to help her?  He has a lot of explaining to do when she sees him.

This book is the first of the series (which should be read in order) and has beautiful world building and getting to know you moments as we learn Darcelle's new normal right along with her and her handsome guys.  I appreciated learning more about the different layers and rulers of the underworld and my first name popped up as a queen in one of the circles (which I loved coming from the kid that never found their name on any key chain/or any other item growing up).  

Karv: Incubus --> to me I felt like he was building the best relationship with Darcelle

Ank: Djinn --> leader of the school that Darcelle is currently living in and her other guys are all instructors at.

Haruki --> shape shifting Yokai who we learn later has a better relationship with our girl than we originally expect.

Z --> Ice Elemental, doesn't feel Darcelle belongs in his world and goes out of his way to make her and everyone around her uncomfortable... I don't forsee her choosing him when the year is up but we'll see I think under all this brooding/grumpyness is someone hurt from his past experiences. 

Darcelle attempts to show none of them favoritism because she's not sure of herself in this new life yet or what she wants and she doesn't want to make a wrong choice... also she feels that maybe she doesn't have to choose at all? 

We learn more about Darcelle's past as the guys do and from this see why she would be more guarded of her heart and emotions.  

I am so glad I went out of my comfort zone and grabbed this one there were some slower moments and this is a super slow burn but I really loved learning more about everyone in this world and the way it ended... I need the next book right now!  

have you read this one?  What did you think?