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?  

Myranda Rae: The Plague Kings Bride

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/251199462-the-plague-king-s-bride

Book Blurb:

The world remembers him as death incarnate. A god of rot and ruin. The Plague King.
But once, he was a guardian—a gentle deity who healed the sick and soothed the dying. Until humanity betrayed him, poisoned his temples, and made a mockery of his grace. Now, he walks the land cloaked in silence, and everywhere he goes, the plague follows.
Every year, one city remains untouched. Every year, they hold a grand festival in his name—lavish, reverent, and public. But behind the veil of celebration, their true offering is blood.
Ten girls, hand-picked and secretly trained as assassins. Their seduce the god, kill him, and free the world.
Heidi is one of them. A healer turned weapon. She expects a monster. Instead, she finds a man who speaks softly and moves like sorrow.
He chooses her.
And in the quiet decay of his ruined palace, she begins to see the truth buried beneath centuries of
He is not what they told her.
She is not what she thought.
And love may be the most dangerous plague of all.

*Indie Author  *Morally Gray MMC  *Cinnamon Roll MMC  *Gothic Romantasy 

*One Horse  *Touch her and 💀  *Some spice  *Slow Burn  *Enemies --> more  

*Age Gap 😏 *Healer FMC  *Beauty and the Beast (ish) retelling *Forced Proximity

*Novella *Hades & Persephone retelling 

Thoughts:

I picked this book up as part of my quest to push out of my comfort zone reads and try new things, This isn't something I would usually read but I'm so glad I gave this one a chance I really enjoyed it! 

To start with we have Heidi (FMC) she is sickly but has been training to be a healer, now she is to play a bigger part than she ever expected for her King when she ends up as part of a line up of other girls trained to be assassins... their target is to take out death himself the land is cursed and he is the reason that the lands are desolate and nothing grows... Heidi isn't truly worried that she will be selected she's always been over looked and will be this time as well.

When the Plague King comes to the festival as invited by the king he initially declines the Kings offering but after seeing all the available choices decides that maybe he will choose someone after all... Heidi.

Now Heidi is back at the Plague Kings home which is in ruins... which is fitting it matches the rest of the lands only instead of finding him harsh and unbearable... she begins to see him as who he is kind and gentle, have they been lied to this whole time?  What has been said just doesn't match his actions at all.

Heidi instead of following her initial instructions given follows her heart and intends to find out what really happened in the past that led to the curse over the land... But once the truth comes to light will there be greener pastures?  Or will the world continue to rot? 

This is a Gothic Romance Novella, Heidi is brave and stronger than she ever knew it takes courage to be sent on her impossible mission... but even more courage to search for the truth.  Our MMC is so sweet while he's actual Death he's also capable of love and creating new life... he just needs someone to believe he is worthy again.

The author does a great job really creating a world that feels dark, lonely and desperate making you root for better times right along with our FMC.  But can our MMC ever get over the human betrayal from his past?