Curse of the Divine

Gr 9 Up–In the first installment of this duology, "Ink in the Blood," Celia Sand was victorious in escaping Diavala, but it came at the cost of losing her best friend. When she finds out that Diavala is once again threatening the plague doctor, Griffin, Celia knows that she will need assistance and enlists the help of Halcyon Ronnea, the only one to face Diavala and win. Readers learn quickly that Halcyon Ronnea has his own secrets and dangers, and Celia has to stoop to new lows in order to keep her new partner’s trust and defeat the wrath of Diavala. Picking up where the first book left off, this volume’s dark fantastical setting and pacing is similar to the first. Characters are memorable and readers will want to have read the first in the series to truly appreciate the magic of ink, as the author takes readers deeper into its influence. Characters’ races aren’t specified, and many are on the LGBTQ spectrum.