'Wicked Saints' by Emily A. Duncan (ARC review)

I received an electronic advanced reader's copy of this book for review (read through NetGalley). This is no way affects my opinion or attitudes towards the book. The following are my authentic and honest thoughts.
Thank-you to St. Martin's Press for this opportunity!

'Wicked Saints' by Emily A. Duncan on April 2nd, 2019
Pages: 400
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Spoiler-Free Synopsis

In this YA fantasy novel, the author tells the story of Nadya, who lives at a monastery. In this world, Gods exist and clerics usually only hear the voice of one God; thus, they are granted one specific power. However Nadya hears the voices of all the Gods and when she requests powers from them, she receives it. She is powerful and potentially dangerous. This has made her a target for the enemy prince of Tranavia, who is at war with Nadya's home of Kalyazin. In the very first pages of the book, the monastery is attacked by Tranavians and the High Prince, resulting in Nadya being forced to flee. She leaves behind her best friend and goes on the run. From there, she meets a group of rebels that wish to end the war. At this point in the novel, the plot really  takes off.

My Opinions:

My ability to read quickly combined with the fast pace of the novel resulted in me literally flying through it in just over a day. Speaking of pace, the best thing about this book was the pace in which the plot progressed! After just barely being introduced to our main character, events escalate dramatically. Events escalate throughout the entirety of the book, which I quite enjoyed. It had been a while since I had read something at such a quick pace; it was refreshing! I loved being on the edge of my seat while reading this book. However, I will advise a warning about 'Wicked Saints'; if you are at all triggered by gore and self-harm, then this book may not be the best choice for you. There is a fair amount of it in the contents of this book. For me, this did not take away from my overall enjoyment of the book. 

I feel that Duncan did a great job with her novel! This is especially true for the plot and the world-building. Can you believe this is her debut novel? I will definitely be purchasing a copy of this book when it releases on April 2nd, 2019. I look forward to the next book!

"Malachiasz was grinning now, sharp-toothed and dangerous. He lolled his head to one side, lazily closing his spell book. He took a bandage out of his pocket and slowly wrapped his hand. 'All right, you win. She'll be useful,' he said to Rashid." - Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2706649605
Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/BtosTRInJWn/
NetGalley review: https://www.netgalley.com/book/147358/review/542512
​