January 2024 First in a Series BOTM - Divine Rivals, by Rebecca Ross

[Alaina]

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross's Divine Rivals, an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

**This BOTM thread will be open until February 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

[Alaina]

Starting this now!

[Alaina]

Prologue: (view spoiler)[😭😭 I'm not sure how I feel about his mom not being there to say goodbye. I do hope he writes to Iris, and he doesn't, you know, die at war. Barely even know Forest and I'm already sad because Iris is sad. I BARELY EVEN KNOW HER.

Please don't make me cry book. It's only the beginning! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Part 1: (view spoiler)[wow. So much has happened. I wonder if Forest is alive or dead. I also feel so bad for Iris right now. I’m proud she quit and is moving on to a new adventure but I really do want more of her and Roman. He also seems unhappy with what’s going on in his life. I hope he doesn’t go on with this marriage. (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

just started the audio for this.

[Tiffany]

This is an amazing book and I can’t wait to see y’all’s opinions!!

[Alaina]

Part 2: (view spoiler)[oh thank god he called off the wedding. And now they are together. He knows he’s writing to her. I’m wondering if she’ll figure it all out. Now they are going to the front. Oh man. I love the tension now I need something else. Pretty please! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Part 3: (view spoiler)[😭😭 they got married. Then she was taken away by her brother. No idea what happened to anyone. Have they been captured? I need Roman, and them all really, to be okay and alive. I need a reunion! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Epilogue: (view spoiler)[😭😭😭 I NEED THE NEXT BOOK NOW! (hide spoiler)]

[Megan]

Prologue: (view spoiler)[how could his mum not show up to say goodbye. I think Iris and him are super close and I'm curious to see how him being away is going to affect the story and her. (hide spoiler)]

[Ivelisse]

I had been holding onto this book for some time... didn't put it in front of my TBR list and I regret it.

(view spoiler)[What a way to start the book... let's get those emotions going early (hide spoiler)]

[Megan]

Part 1: (view spoiler)[So as I'm writing this, Saturday is the 10th anniversary of my mum passing so I must admit the death of her mum kinda overshadowed this part for me.
I'm kind of wondering how these two are going to end up together if we see them sort of enter different parts of their lives, her looking for her brother and him stuck in an engagement with someone he doesn't like. (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader)]

Starting this today.

[Aneta]

Prologue
(view spoiler)[This is going to make me cry, isn't it? I already like their relationship and I barely started reading! (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader)]

Aneta wrote: "Prologue
[spoilers removed]"

I thought the same thing. Starting Chapter 1 now.

[Megan]

Part 2: (view spoiler)[I have a theory he's not going to confess to being Carver and she'll find out by accident another way.
Her running to save him was so sweet. I'm so excited to see how she falls for him and Carver.
Not sure what I was expecting, I half expected him to nearly get married, it be more down to the wire of him at the altar and being a bit dramatic walking away. Interesting he did just decide to end it and run away instead. (hide spoiler)]

[Megan]

Part 3: (view spoiler)[So this part was 100% not as good as the rest but I do think this is a five star read for me. Its just different and it still had me putting my hand over my mouth.
I didn't see her brother coming. I'd almost forgotten about him to be honest.
Also them getting married felt very very rushed. (hide spoiler)]

[Megan]

Alaina wrote: "Epilogue: [spoilers removed]"

SAME HERE

[Megan]

Epilogue (view spoiler)[
Oh my god (literally) so hes going to be alive thankfully.
Why is the next book on kindle 6.99 please.(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Ivelisse]

Part 2: (view spoiler)[ I am happy he called off the wedding. I think I was kind of expecting it and would have been so upset if it went differently. Here I kept wondering how she was going to find out they were one in the same or how it was revealed. (hide spoiler)]

[Ivelisse]

Part 3: (view spoiler)[ the moment we've been waiting for... they got married. It was small and beautiful with all the chaos going on around them. Of course we have to add some dramatics into it but guess who shows up!!!!!!!!! FOREST!!!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Ivelisse]

Epilogue (view spoiler)[book 2 please... and he is ok! (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader)]

Part 1 Chapter 7(view spoiler)[Did anyone else get a Hades/Persephone feel from the Skywards vs Underlings myth? (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader)]

Part 1 (view spoiler)[I want to cry my eyes out. Poor Iris. I wonder if Roman will follow her. (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader)]

Part 2 (view spoiler)[I don't like part 2 as much as I did part 1. This is starting to go in a different direction than I thought. I got annoyed with Roman when he came to Avalon Bluff. (hide spoiler)]

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader)]

Part 3 and epilogue (view spoiler)[I liked Iris and Roman. I didn't like the rest of the story. It's one of those stories that is not for me. Glad you guys are enjoying it. (hide spoiler)]

[Aneta]

Part 1
(view spoiler)[I'm not so into it just yet. But I'm glad we got some backstory for Roman as well. (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Part 1 (view spoiler)[ i really like both MC's. Iris seems quite guarded but given her family life and status i can dig it. Roman seems to have a softer side too. i love the subtle magic elemnets so far in the book, with the letters and the gods' wills. not if sure if i'm supposed to be as torn up by her leaving that last letter on the ground but i was so annoyed/sad. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Jamie (The Kansan Reader) wrote: "Part 1 Chapter 7[spoilers removed]"

definitely!

[Kim]

Part 2 (view spoiler)[ I hoped he would follow her! But why hasn’t he told her who he is yet? So silly. Now they’re headed to the war front, that’s not exactly prime time now is it o_0 (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Aneta]

Part 2
(view spoiler)[I'm liking this better now! I think Roman is going to reveal or Iris is going to find out he is Carver just before this book ends.

I'm glad Roman stood his ground and didn't marry Elinor. (hide spoiler)]

[Kim]

Finished (view spoiler)[ Wowie what an ending!! I flew through the second half of this book needing to know what happened with Roman and Iris. I knew there was something going on with those stolen kits and what a way to end the book. My heart is hooked and I need to read the next one! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Aneta]

Finished
(view spoiler)[I definitely didn't expect them to get married! But looking back it kind of makes sense.
And Forest was working for Dacre! What a twist! (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Starting this one now, going to try to finish both in the next two days

[Jessica]

Part one
(view spoiler)[ Um ouch I was not expecting this to be this sad. Her brother had better be alive. First her mom then what happened to his sister. I can't. These poor kids. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Part Two
(view spoiler)[ I had a feeling he was going to end up joining her but dude stop stalling you need to tell her who you are. Granted the front is not the right spot to do so but come on. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Chapter Thirty Seven
(view spoiler)[ whoa they are getting married, that's a bit fast, isn't it? I'm glad to hear forest is okay (for now) but they are all stupid for no evacuating. I have a feeling at least one of them will die because of this, and I don't want it. (hide spoiler)]

[Jessica]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ Well damn. I'm glad Forest was able to break free but I'm very suspicious of it. Also no poor Roman. How will he be able to break free? Going to start the next one asap. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

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