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Reviewed by: Juli Westrich, Elementary School Librarian Title: Divine Rivals
Author: Rebecca Ross
Series: Letters of Enchantment - Book 1
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Year: 2023 Good for Grades: 9-12 Genre/Type of Book: Magical Realism/Fantasy
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: depictions of war violence, alcoholism (parent), and 1 relatively tame sex scene between married couple
Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: Highly recommended by colleague
If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be:
With a war between the gods raging, two writers seek solace in words and find a connection with each other in the most magical way.
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Review:
Rivals at their newspaper Roman and Iris are up for the same promotion. She's scrappy, poor, and struggling since her brother went off to war and her mother's descent into the bottle. He's rich, arrogant, and hiding his own demons. Struggling to get a handle on her life Iris writes to her brother as a way to process her feelings and shoves the letter in her wardrobe. Mysteriously the letter disappears and another is in it's place. "I'm not Forest" it reads, and so begins an unusual relationships against the backdrop of a mythical war that pulls Iris and Roman into dangerous situations, and helps them figure out who they are meant to be.
The story was engrossing, exciting, and the characters compelling. I enjoyed the ride immensely. I will absolutely be picking up the sequel! That said, I had a couple of nit-picky issues with the story. Some of Roman's actions seem just a little too easy - we aren't shown any consequences for his choices. Those answers may be coming - because my other complaint is that the book was a true cliff-hanger. I'm not a huge fan of this trope. I love a good sequel - but the story needs to come to some sort of rounded out completion to feel satisfying for me - so while some questions were answered, the ending just didn't have enough to feel like it wrapped up the initial story.
*Spoiler* Two characters get married followed by a relatively tame sex scene, which I don't think is an issue for the HS age reader. But for me it felt like a forced plot point to have the whole "marriage" thing - like it mattered more so that the sex scene could be "legit" and not "scandalous" than an important part of the relationship. Not sure if that makes sense or if teen readers would care, but it came across as disingenuous.
I think there could be some interesting curricular connections related to the study of ancient gods, myths, and the idea of human destiny. It also provides great discussion for writing letters and communication through writing.
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Find resources for Divine Rivals at Teachingbooks.net
For more information about this book, see the author's website
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Reviewed by: Lisa Rice, Middle School Librarian Title: Divine Rivals Author: Rebecca Ross Series: Book 1 of the Letter of Enchantment books; Ruthless Vows was released 12/23. Publisher: Wednesday Books
Year: 2023 Good for Grades: 9-12, Adult Genre/Type of Book: YA fantasy, romance
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: smoking, alcoholism, war & battle descriptions
Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: This book was recommended to me and seems to have a following! I really liked the cover too! I didn't realize how it would tie into the book.
If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be:
"I think we all wear armor. I think those who don't are fools, risking the pain of being wounded by the sharp edges of the world, over and over again. But if I've learned anything from those fools, it's that to be vulnerable is a strength most of us fear." -Iris, page 162
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When this book was recommended to me, I thought, oh boy, another YA romance, with an enemies-to-lovers trope with a bit of magic and fantasy thrown in, *how original! * I wasn't overly thrilled to read it but the two people recommending it to me were gushing over it. I had recently finished A Fragile Enchantment and wasn't looking to read something similar so soon, but there I was, taking it home with me, due to peer pressure. Peer pressure never really ends, I guess.
I loved Ross' descriptive writing right from the beginning- it wasn't overdone, and it seemed natural. I loved this book for the writing and for the letter writing and the magic wardrobe/closet. I want one of those! I like that there is a Table of Contents with chapter names, and watercolor tulips on some pages. I like that we sometimes get to hear Kitt's point of view. I already have the sequel on hold.
The book opens with 18-year-old Iris saying goodbye to her older brother, Forest, as he goes off to war. Forest makes Iris promise to take care of their mother, stay in school, and enjoy her final school year. None of these happen. There is a war between the gods, and the setting is in a city called Oath. Dacre and Oath are at war, and Iris finds out that soldiers are going missing on the frontlines.
Iris takes a job as a writer for a newspaper. She needed to drop out of school to find work to help care for her mother, who is an alcoholic. Roman Kitt works two desks down from Iris, and they are competing for the same columnist position at work. Iris desperately needs the job; Kitt's family pioneered the railroad and is well off. Roman gets engaged; Iris quits and decides to report from the front lines of the war. So far, in terms of plot, nothing too unusual.
What makes this book fun is the pen pal letter writing between the two characters. I even enjoyed the magical elements, like Kitt's house taking care of him when he needs it and doors opening and closing whenever they want. Although this book is an enemies-to-friends book, and is about war, there seemed to be a sweetness and gentleness to a lot of the book...obviously not the war descriptions though! In so many books the male romantic character can be harsh, until he falls in love. Kitt seemed likable to me from the beginning. I thought this book was refreshing for this genre.
I loved all the letter writing! Iris learned to read and write by sending her grandmother notes. Iris types notes to her brother and puts them in the closet for safe keeping, but, weirdly, the letters keep disappearing. If anything, I hope a high school student reads this book, and picks up a pen (or dare I say, a typewriter!?) and notepaper and writes a letter to someone! When I first saw the cover of the book, I didn't realize the letters D and R are typewriter keys! I don't think high schoolers will pick up on that though.
This book will fit in a high school library. It might work in my middle school library, for my eighth graders, but as of yet, I do not own a copy for my middle school library. People who love romances will like this book, or mythology, although the war and mythology aspects I am assuming will be addressed more in the sequel.
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Reviewed by: Heather Maneiro, High School Librarian Title: Divine Rivals Author: Rebecca Ross Publisher: Wednesday Books
Year: 2023 Good for Grades: 10-12 Genre/Type of Book: Fantasy
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: Magic Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: Free Kindle Unlimited and popping up on review journals everywhere If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be:
A secret wardrobe, where letters are left and responded to. All of the familiar themes become new in this newest novel from Rebecca Ross.
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Review:
Abstract and Mini-Review
A secret wardrobe, where letters are left and responded to.
A war among the gods.
Love, Family, and Despair
All of the familiar themes become new in this newest novel from Rebecca Ross.
Recommendation Justification
Strong reviews in the major publications (Booklist, Kirkus, Publishers' Weekly, School Library Journal), but no starred reviews yet. This one is quite a bit tamer than most of the other romantasies out there, so perhaps a good entry for the younger students.
Uses in the Library/Classroom
This could be interesting as a side while studying myths and origins.
Appropriateness of Artwork
The cover art doesn't really sing, so I don't see it flying off the shelf without booktalking.
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