Wicked Saints

A girl with divine powers serves as a cleric in a war between two nations - one that follows the gods and one that practices blood magic. She flees her homeland with a defecting enemy prince and a mysterious boy, pursued by both sides as they attempt to end the centuries-long conflict. The story takes place in a world inspired by Eastern European folklore and medieval Christianity, where faith and magic exist in direct opposition. Characters must navigate complex loyalties and question their beliefs while dark forces threaten to consume them. Religious devotion, the nature of divinity, and the price of power form the core of this gothic fantasy tale. The narrative explores how faith shapes identity and examines the blurred lines between good and evil in times of war.

Readers found Wicked Saints dark and atmospheric but noted pacing issues and underdeveloped characters. Many reviews mention strong world-building based on Slavic mythology, with a magic system that integrates religious elements. Liked: - Gothic aesthetic and horror elements - Religious themes and moral conflict - Unique magic system - Writing style for action scenes Disliked: - Slow middle section - Character motivations unclear - Romance felt forced - Plot becomes confusing - Repetitive descriptions of blood Ratings: Goodreads: 3.52/5 (37,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (1,200+ ratings) BookishFirst: 3.5/5 (200+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "The atmosphere carries the story but the characters fall flat" - Goodreads reviewer "Great concept poorly executed" - Amazon reviewer "Blood mentioned on every other page" - BookishFirst reviewer

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⚜️ Emily A. Duncan worked as a youth services librarian while writing Wicked Saints, often drafting scenes during quiet moments at the reference desk ⚜️ The magic system in the book draws heavily from Slavic mythology and Eastern European folklore, particularly incorporating elements of Polish and Russian cultural traditions ⚜️ The author created a specific naming convention for the divine beings in the novel, using variations of traditional Catholic saints' names to build her fantasy world's pantheon ⚜️ The book's atmosphere was partially inspired by the Gothic architecture Duncan encountered during her travels in Eastern Europe, especially the dark spires and ornate churches ⚜️ Wicked Saints is the first installment in the Something Dark and Holy trilogy, and it was acquired in a three-book deal before Duncan had even finished writing the first novel