ARC Review: Curse of the Divine (Ink in the Blood, #2) by Kim Smejkal

Title: Curse of the Divine (Ink in the Blood, #2)

Author: Kim Smejkal

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Hardcover, 448 Pages
Publication Date: February 9th, 2021

Summary: Return to the world of inklings, tattoo magic, and evil deities as Celia uncovers the secrets of the ink in order to stop Diavala once and for all. This eagerly anticipated sequel to Ink in the Blood is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Wicked Saints.
 

As many of you may know, I'm not a huge fantasy reader, so in 2019 when I picked up a copy of INK IN THE BLOOD, I wasn't quite sure if I was going to like it or not. However, it ended up being one of the best books that I read this year, so when I found out that there was a second book in the duology, I immediately begged for an ARC. So before I begin, thank you to HMH for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review! Now, without further ado, let's get into my review:

As the summary explains, the story follows Celia and Griffin (the plague doctor) after the fall of Diavala, an evil entity who possesses bodies and kills them when she leaves them behind. And at the end of the first book, we find out that the story ends with her possessing Griffin's body (which isn't a spoiler! It's on the back copy of the ARC!). So now, desperate to save her plague doctor, Celia travels with him to Wisteria, to find the only person who has ever survived Diavala's possession. But before long, Celia realizes that there's something strange about Wisteria, and she may have gotten herself into a trickier situation than she expected. 

Once again, I absolutely loved this book! I read over a hundred pages in one sitting because it was just so good and I couldn't put it down -- which, as I said, isn't something that ever really happens with me when it comes to reading fantasy novels. But there were several reasons for this -- the first being that I've had a major crush on the plague doctor since the first book, so any time he interacts with Celia and things get a little flirty, I'm thrilled. So naturally, I am also very invested in his fate. 

I also loved all of the plot twists that pop up in this book! Without spoiling anything, all I'll say is that the town of Wisteria is wilder than anyone anticipates, and every time I as a reader thought I was finally starting to understand something, something else came along that surprised me even more. Kim Smejkal definitely did an excellent job with this story, because I found myself gasping and eagerly turning the pages at the end of each chapter! I also definitely stayed up well into the night more than once to keep reading, because I was dying to find out what was going to happen next...this book is seriously such a spectacular, shocking delight! 

(MAJOR SPOILERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH, skip to the next one to avoid them!) Okay, I just need to take a second to talk about that ending, because it absolutely ripped my heart apart. Right at the end, when Celia and Griffin are about to have their big reunion kiss, and then it is implied that she DIED??? I literally shrieked out loud and felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. And then, just a few pages later, to find out that she was alive all of this time??? It was such a relief, and my hopeless romantic heart was thrilled to find out that Celia and Griffin are still given their happily ever after that they've always dreamed of. I also found myself actually liking Diavala in the end, with what she does with Celia and the door. She really became humanized throughout the book without it seeming like too much of a 180-degree turn. I was happy about her finally finding peace.

Overall, I really loved reading CURSE OF THE DIVINE, and I'd absolutely recommend this duology to anyone who is looking for a few fantasy books to pick up while falling into a world totally unlike anything that they've ever read before. Kim Smejkal is a fantastic writer and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of her work in the future!

And if you want to check out my review of INK IN THE BLOOD, you can find it here!