The Rise of the Celestials

The Divine Dancers #2

by Kritika H. Rao

Internationally bestselling author Kritika H. Rao weaves a stunning tale of love, seduction, and betrayal in this enchanting and romantic conclusion to the Divine Dancers duology that started with The Legend of Meneka

After completing her dangerous mission to seduce Sage Kaushika—and unexpectedly finding love in the process—Meneka enjoys a fragile freedom. She now lives in the mortal realm with Kaushika, both learning to trust each other. Yet deep differences linger between them, and conflicting loyalties may still tear them apart.

The illusion of peace shatters when Meneka is abruptly summoned back to the City of Immortals by Lord Indra, who demands her help in facing a threat from the demonic realm. Meneka wants nothing to do with Indra’s schemes, but she can’t return to Kaushika unless she complies. If she fails, her immortal home will fall, Kaushika will be lost to her, and her very identity as an apsara will become forfeit. 

To save all she loves, Meneka must navigate the darkest corners of the Immortal Realm, pursued by monsters and demons. But the greatest danger lies in a truth she cannot outrun—one that could shatter her bond with Kaushika forever. 

This sequel to The Legend of Meneka brings the celestial dancer’s saga to a thrilling conclusion, delving deeper into Hindu mythology as she faces an ancient threat—and confronts truths buried in her own heart.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Adult

384 pages, Paperback

Expected publication April 7, 2026

About the author

Kritika H. Rao is a science-fiction and fantasy writer, who has lived in India, Australia, Canada and The Sultanate of Oman. Kritika’s stories are influenced by her lived experiences, and often explore themes of consciousness, self vs. the world, and identity. She drops in and out of social media; you might catch her on Twitter or Instagram @KritikaHRao. Visit her online at www.kritikahrao.com.

Reviews

[Eden]

DNF @28%

I loved book one, so this is a really hard DNF for me. Unfortunately, I was just so so confused. The magic and terms in this book are over my head. I referred to the glossary a lot, but there were words I didn’t know that weren’t in the glossary, so I just remained confused, and I don’t like feeling that way as I read, so it’s a DNF. I really really hope this book finds success and it seems like it will be a satisfying conclusion to the duology! I’m really bummed I couldn’t finish it. :/

[triviareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The epic conclusion to the Celestial Dancers duology is a beautiful exploration of love and Shakti. Meneka and Kaushika's budding relationship undergoes plenty of trials and separation without ever feeling contrived, though I would have loved to read more of them together. Still, the story makes them WORK for that HEA, and the payoff is excellent.

So, where we left off after The Legend of Meneka: Having stopped one celestial war, Meneka and Kaushika are happy to abscond away to a remote hut in the woods and explore their newfound love... except shit's fucked in the Heavens once more (as it often is— a classic in Hindu mythology, especially where the later variations of the Lord of the Heavens, Indra, are concerned, as Kritika H. Rao says in her author's note. Imagine the kind of messy antics Zeus gets up to and how Hera reacts. That's basically Indra and Shachi!), and Meneka is sent on a quest to the underworlds.

Through it all, Kaushika is an anchor to Meneka, even during times of separation and discord sown by outside forces. Their relationship is steady but passionate, and without spoiling too much, I think the climactic battle might be the HOTTEST THING just because this man is like, TAUNTING her with his *sexual wiles* and SEDUCING HER IN THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLEFIELD?!? That's the kind of cinematic, romantic moments I'm here for in romantasies.

As I read through this book, I was reminded of both the beauty and nuances found within Hindu scripture and mythology, and some notes on that:

a) Death and destruction have shades—though death is inevitable, life and death are cyclical, and Yama, the god of death, is also the god of justice, a righteous being.

b) Meneka spends much of this book harnessing Shakti, the cosmic energy that is the basis of everything and everyone. I don't know if characterizing Shakti as a kind of "magic" is quite accurate, and it's probably done to fit with romantasy genre conventions. Though Shakti is a universal energy, it is described as feminine (though not limited to women), which I think is extremely special when much of religion is so patriarchal, and the goddesses who... I suppose, personify Shakti, are extremely powerful in their own right and worshipped to this day. Accordingly, much of this story is about the strength women wield, and sisterhood.

c) The Gods are powerful but fallible— the secondary romance in this story might very well be Lord Indra and Shachi, who are basically a married couple on the outs in a BIG way this entire story.

The sex:

The nice thing about a duology with an already-established couple is that we are far more likely to get a ten page sex scene in the first chapter... AND WE DO! Kaushike and Meneka get off on the cerebral aspect of sex as much as the physical, and I love the light femdom component— Meneka loves to tease and edge, while Kaushika is usually more rough and demanding when she makes him crack.

Overall:

I'm not a romantasy reader by any means but Kritika H. Rao has done a fantastic job making this duology genuinely sexy, and Very Adult in its concerns. Meneka and Kaushika are both people with years of experience and understanding, and their love story is accordingly nuanced and... dare I say once more, epic.

Thank you to Avon for the advanced copy.

Rating: 4/5
Heat Level: 3.5/5
Pub Date: April 7th

[Abigail Books Addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a whirlwind of a book. The story picks up immediately after the end of book one, and from the very first pages it pulls you right back into the world. So much is happening at once that you really have to pay attention to the details—but that’s part of what makes it so immersive. Every chapter adds another layer to the plot, and I found myself completely sucked in, unable to stop reading.

The relationship at the heart of the story is one of my favorite parts. The love between them is powerful, but it’s also messy and flawed in a very real way. That tension runs through the entire book and keeps the emotional stakes incredibly high.

I also loved the depth of the worldbuilding. The representation of the culture feels rich and thoughtful, and the lore surrounding the celestial gods adds so many fascinating details to the story. It’s clear how much care went into crafting this world.

And that ending—wow. After everything that happens throughout the book, the conclusion left me stunned/

[CallyMia · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading and enjoying The Legend of Meneka last year this was a highly anticipated release for me.

The book started off strong, I love Meneka and Kaushika together and I was intrigued to see where this book would take them next. However, I did struggle towards the middle and got a bit confused or muddled at some points that I think could have been explained a little bit clearer. This could just be me but I didn’t have this issue with the first book.
As with the first book I love the rich cultural influence, beautiful world descriptions and even down to their clothing. Religion and philosophy play a big part and I think it helps to create an immersive world that you can really picture.
The concept of Lord Indra asking for Menekas help and her being forced to do it did intrigue me, and it did feel high stakes because her relationship with Kaushika was on the line and I just wanted them to be together.

Overall a satisfying conclusion to The Divine Dancers duology.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though the title sounds like it belongs in the MCU, The Rise of the Celestials belongs right after The Legend of Meneka. Very much in the vein of the first book in the Divine Dancers duology, this one blends spice with story to complete Meneka's adventure narrative. I am not familiar with the Hindu myth that is the basis of the events in this series so I cannot attest to how faithful a retelling this is, but the tale has some action and suspense to carry the plot between its romantic interludes. Overall, those that enjoyed the start of Meneka's story should like how it ends. (3.5/5)
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Avon and Harper Voyager) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

[Sahana Ramnath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really immersive and rich read, the mythology and the emotions and the romance were woven in SO well together! As in the first book, Meneka's character growth and internal deliberations were amazingly written, I could feel her every struggle and emotion, as well as the understanding and peace she gained at the end.

Also the romance was SO swoony and steamy, I found myself rereading all of Meneka and Kaushika's scenes together, they were just so >>>>>>>>

-- ty to the author and the publisher for a gifted copy!

[Nina van der Kooij · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

I really struggled to get into this one. Compared to the first book, I think the first book had the stronger beginning, whereas here I think the second half was stronger. It didn't always keep my interest early on, and I didn't like Meneka being seperated from Kaushika as much.

The second half did grab me though. I really like how this series blends romantasy with a deeper examination of religious beliefs and philosophy. I'm not super familiar with Hinduism, but I don't think you have to be to be able to follow along. It wasn't excessively explained, but since the characters discuss and think through ideas a lot, you get a clear view of them even if you don't really know what the real world equivalents are.

I really liked how this book explored Meneka, and every other woman's connection to Shakti and what this meant for her power, and I liked how she shined there.

Something I also really liked was the conflict between Kaushika and Meneka, something that remains respectful, and they never start hating each other, yet within big conflicts they cannot always agree on what the right thing is, and I thought this was a very unique view on enemies/lovers dichotomies.

Would recommend this series to people who like a blend of spicy romantasy and deeper philosophical exploration

[Darrah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out strong and lost momentum for me midway and through the end. As always, the world building and expanse into mythology was great! I think there was one point for me where I wasn’t really sure where the story was going.

*thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy in return for my honest opinion*

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

TRUE RATING: 5 stars

I can't say enough about the The Divine Dancers duology. Lush and seductive romance. Complex characters. Magic. Action. Philosophy. Fantasy. Friendship. Sisterhood. What more could you want from a book?

The Rise of the Celestials is a fitting conclusion to the story of a girl stepping out of the shadow of a god and into her own power. The romance is *steamy.* The philosophical conversations and internal monologues are a bit heavy, like in book one, but necessary to the development of Meneka's character. I quite enjoyed them, but I figured I should put a fair warning to anyone who might not. The lore is rich, the worldbuilding immersive, and it's impossible not to be pulled heart first into the second half of Meneka's story. Mine was so full and so happy by the end of it.

A reluctant Meneka, torn between a divided king and queen, is swept into another adventure in an unfamiliar world when Indra sends her on a mission seeking spies and traitors. A war is coming and she must choose a side: king or queen, one master or another? Which will she choose?

You'd better crack the book open and find out.