Something Dark and Holy
The books in this series are:
- Wicked Saints (Something Dark and Holy #1)
- Ruthless Gods (Something Dark and Holy #2)
- Blessed Monsters (Something Dark and Holy #3)
Author: Emily A. Duncan
This is one of my favouite series of all time. My favourite character, Malachiasz Czechowicz is from this series. I still do think about him sometimes. He’s a very interesting character. Knowingly evil, purely evil but, I don’t feel hatred towards him. His backstory makes it understandable, to me, for him to be that way. I have a tendency to adore villains in stories, especially when I feel like they are misunderstood.
It’s funny how, the way I came across this series is so coincidental. I went shopping with my dad one time, and the shop were selling out books, for RM5. That is, VERY cheap! And I bought Blessed Monsters. Not knowing that it was the 3rd book of the trilogy. Imagine the feeling of finding out a book you just bought is a part of a trilogy, and it’s the LAST book of the trilogy at that. Welp, I(well not me, my parents) ended up spending more than RM5 for the other 2 books xD. But it’s a book that really got me hooked. So, 100% worth it!
Here’s some quotes from the series that I really really love:
Nadezhda Lapteva
I lost my goddess and I lost Malachiasz and I think the thing worse than being pulled in two different directions is having both suddenly vanish. There’s nothing left.
Blessed Monsters
“Sleep.” Serefin said, not wanting to know. “Our problems will be here in the morning.”
Blessed Monsters
“But I’m so handsome.” Serefin whined. “I am so sorry to be the one to tell you this, truly the words are acid on my tounge, but he is too.” Kacper replied solemnly. Serefin clutched his chest. Malachiasz grinned.
Blessed Monsters
“You’re making the right decision.” Milomir said to Serefin, voice low. “Almost certainly not, but we’ll see, won’t we?” Serefin returned, easily.
Serefin Meleski
Czijow, brother of mine.
Malachiasz Czechowicz
Prszystem, towy dzimyka.
Blessed Monsters
“Dead again?” “Dead again!” Velyos said.
Serefin Meleski
Then we fight back. Mortal and broken, as we are.
Serefin Meleski
I’m sick of this dying business. Never again.
Nadezhda Lapteva
She wanted Malachiasz’s hand cradling the back of her head. Wanted him to lean over her shoulder to scoff at her Codex. To see the intense look on his face as he was curled over his spell book, the look that she now knew meant he was sketching.
She wanted to spend another afternoon in a library with Serefin, him spending th first hour complaining that every book he picked up was too dry before one finally caught his attention, and his wine, for once, went unattended to.
She wanted another evening with Parijahan, drinking tea while she braidd Nadya’s hair, cajoling Rashid to tell them stories if he insisted on hanging around.
Quite moments of humanity with those she loved so dearly.
Power wasn’t worth losing that.
Blessed Monsters
“If I were to give you orders, would you listen to me?” “You’re the king,” she said, sounding puzzled. “You also outrank me.” Serefin grinned. “I do! I outrank everyone!” Kacper closed his eyes briefly. “I thought you had considered that walking here.” “I hadn’t!” “We don’t have time for this,” Malachiasz muttered.
Blessed Monsters
“At least we won’t have to worry about that after we’re all devoured by this deity of entropy.” “Serefin, so good of you to be optimistic,” Nadya said.
Malachiasz Czechowicz
They chose to be human; they chose to live. And so, they chose to die.
Some bits of the language used in this series is quite hard for me to understand, because I think it is a Slavic language? I’m not too sure tbh. But what I do know is that, towy dzimyka means little bird, which is also Malachiasz’s nickname to Nadya.
As you can see there’s quite a few quotes from Serefin. I love him. Basically I have 4 favourite characters from this book, Malachiasz, Nadezhda(Nadya), Serefin and Kacper. I love their dynamic for some reason. I love Serefin’s wittiness xD.
Based on my understanding, this series is heavily influenced by Hinduism, hence with the multiple gods. I never thought I would read such a book, because I am indeed muslim. It was very weird at first, but something about it kept me going, and I’m glad I did. It was an emotional roller coaster fr.
I remember waking up at around 4:00am back in my hometown, reading this, and when my grandma saw me she was confused. And when she told my mum about it the next day, my mum just brushed it off as if it was normal, I mean it is normal for me, but yea. I’m getting very nerdy now ik lmao … SUCH A GREAT BOOK, GO AND READ IT!