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The Witches of Thistle Grove #5
Rise and Divine
A magical romantic comedy sparkling with spells and witchcraft.
To save both her town and the woman who loves her against all odds, a witch haunted by loss must reckon with her turbulent past.
Even in a family of chaotic necromancers, Daria 'Dasha' Avramov has always been an outlier. An event planner at the Arcane Emporium occult megastore, Dasha is also a devil eater: a rare witch with a natural affinity for banishing demons and traversing the veil.
Still grieving the loss of her parents and plagued by a dangerous obsession with what lies beyond the other side of the veil, Dasha is both fiery and guarded, an expert at dodging commitment. Her one real regret is a devastating breakup with Ivy Thorn.
When they are forced to work together to plan a festival, Dasha hopes that sparks might fly once again. But as they confront the fault lines and passion lingering between them, Dasha and Ivy must also stand against an otherworldly threat unlike anything Thistle Grove has faced before.
To save both her town and the woman who loves her against all odds, a witch haunted by loss must reckon with her turbulent past.
Even in a family of chaotic necromancers, Daria 'Dasha' Avramov has always been an outlier. An event planner at the Arcane Emporium occult megastore, Dasha is also a devil eater: a rare witch with a natural affinity for banishing demons and traversing the veil.
Still grieving the loss of her parents and plagued by a dangerous obsession with what lies beyond the other side of the veil, Dasha is both fiery and guarded, an expert at dodging commitment. Her one real regret is a devastating breakup with Ivy Thorn.
When they are forced to work together to plan a festival, Dasha hopes that sparks might fly once again. But as they confront the fault lines and passion lingering between them, Dasha and Ivy must also stand against an otherworldly threat unlike anything Thistle Grove has faced before.
336 pages, Paperback
First published August 20, 2024
About the author
Lana Harper
6 books1,384 followersLana is the New York Times bestselling author of Payback's A Witch and the forthcoming From Bad to Cursed from Berkley Books. Writing as Lana Popovic, she is also the author of YA novels Wicked Like a Wildfire, Fierce Like a Firestorm, Blood Countess, and Poison Priestess. Lana studied psychology and literature at Yale University, law at Boston University, and is a graduate of the Emerson College publishing and writing master's program. She was born in Serbia and lived in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania before moving to the United States, where she now lives in Chicago with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
September 1, 2024
My sister just told me this is probably the last one of the series 😭
Want to read
November 23, 2023Nov 23/23: SCREAMING... THROWING UP..... THIS IS MY JOKER
can’t wait for August 20th 2024 - this is my top 5 anticipated releases of 2024.
can’t wait for August 20th 2024 - this is my top 5 anticipated releases of 2024.
May 6, 2024
Good bye to the Witches of Thistle Grove 🥺
I have loved this series so much, and this one was no exception. This one follows Dasha, a witch whose lineage means she’s both Harlowe and Avmarov. But Dasha is also a death eater who feels the pull of the other side.
This one plays well on the dark vs. light conflict. The romance is a bit more spicy than the most recent books, and that’s a good thing! A good book to end the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
I have loved this series so much, and this one was no exception. This one follows Dasha, a witch whose lineage means she’s both Harlowe and Avmarov. But Dasha is also a death eater who feels the pull of the other side.
This one plays well on the dark vs. light conflict. The romance is a bit more spicy than the most recent books, and that’s a good thing! A good book to end the series.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
August 31, 2024
I've loved this series from the start, but I think this one might be my favorite.
I loved Dasha. She's snarky and loyal and I truly enjoyed being in her head. Her magic and talents that come with it were the most interesting I especially loved her connection with Ivy, the history between them and the openness they had with each other.
Plot wise, it's good. There are a few moving pieces, but all in the name of the main plot thread. The last few chapters were exactly what I wanted, even if I really did want more.
Overall, this has been such a fun magical world. I know I'll be reading this series again.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I loved Dasha. She's snarky and loyal and I truly enjoyed being in her head. Her magic and talents that come with it were the most interesting I especially loved her connection with Ivy, the history between them and the openness they had with each other.
Plot wise, it's good. There are a few moving pieces, but all in the name of the main plot thread. The last few chapters were exactly what I wanted, even if I really did want more.
Overall, this has been such a fun magical world. I know I'll be reading this series again.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
August 21, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Rise and Divine is the fifth and final book in Lana Harper’s Witches of Thistle Grove series and it brings things to a nice conclusion. These books do build on one another across the series, and both Ivy and Dasha appear in earlier books, so I think you will get the most enjoyment out of starting from the beginning.
I have enjoyed this magical town and these characters and can definitely recommend the series for readers who enjoy magical stories and engaging world building.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Rise and Divine is the fifth and final book in Lana Harper’s Witches of Thistle Grove series and it brings things to a nice conclusion. These books do build on one another across the series, and both Ivy and Dasha appear in earlier books, so I think you will get the most enjoyment out of starting from the beginning.
I have enjoyed this magical town and these characters and can definitely recommend the series for readers who enjoy magical stories and engaging world building.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
March 27, 2024
Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for this eARC. This is my honest review.
I must confess, I'm sad to see this is going to be the last book in the Thistle Grove series. Does that mean we're never going to get books in this universe? I'm certainly not the one to answer that (a book/series about the Fae in Chicago hinted at in the last book maybe?), but we are certainly ending this series on a high note.
This one isn't always an easy read. A lot of Dasha's story hints at suicidal ideation and depression. That alone means it's not going to be to everyone's taste. And while I had no problem with it personally, getting to the romance really isn't the driving force (or maybe 'of equal weight' would be a better way to put it) of this story as it has been with other books in the series, Dasha and Ivy get together really quickly and you never really think that they won't. This is also the first time in I don't know how long since I've read the fifth book in a series, and I forgot how much built up information (not to mention names) you have to wade through the further into a series you get.
However, that said, I think Lana has pulled this one off very well. While the 'mystery' wasn't that mysterious, I still thought it was presented in an interesting fashion. She finally had more than one sex scene within a sapphic pairing, so that was nice. And most importantly, the climax to the challenge was imo stronger than any of the others. I felt the weight of what Dasha has to go through, and to a lesser extent, the way the rest of the town helps out.
This is a second (well, actually third) chance romance between Dasha and Ivy, and as stated above, they get together very quickly...or at least, very easily. There's a little bit of push back from Ivy at the start, but then something happens and from that point they're basically together. I personally had no issue with this, but I could see others finding it annoying. I did love both their characters. I was filled with hope to see more of them after the last book, and this didn't disappoint. I would kind of liked it if we'd have gotten a book from a Thorn's POV, but I guess I'll just have to dream about that. Still, as an upgrade from supporting character to love interest, I still absolutely adore Ivy Thorn. She was wonderful and caring, but didn't let people walk over top of her. Dasha for her part is so incredibly damaged, and I loved how sensitively it was explored. Her flirting with the other side was both like suicidal ideation, and also like an addiction, and for the most part it was treated as such (except when they needed to use her of course).
I won't go too in-depth about the villain except to say that his description, as the most attractive male specimen ever (I'm paraphrasing), brought up a weird thing I noticed that Lana seems to favour. The 'queer woman who prefers women but...'. Now, to be clear, Dasha doesn't actually state what she identifies as, nor does she need to spell it out on page. But I just found that Lana mentioned that in book one (with Talia), book 3 with Nina, and now with Dasha with this one. I don't know that I'm for or against this, it just seemed like a strange thing to continuously point out. I dunno.
Anyway, very few complaints. I really enjoyed this ending to the series, and give it 4.5 stars.
I must confess, I'm sad to see this is going to be the last book in the Thistle Grove series. Does that mean we're never going to get books in this universe? I'm certainly not the one to answer that (a book/series about the Fae in Chicago hinted at in the last book maybe?), but we are certainly ending this series on a high note.
This one isn't always an easy read. A lot of Dasha's story hints at suicidal ideation and depression. That alone means it's not going to be to everyone's taste. And while I had no problem with it personally, getting to the romance really isn't the driving force (or maybe 'of equal weight' would be a better way to put it) of this story as it has been with other books in the series, Dasha and Ivy get together really quickly and you never really think that they won't. This is also the first time in I don't know how long since I've read the fifth book in a series, and I forgot how much built up information (not to mention names) you have to wade through the further into a series you get.
However, that said, I think Lana has pulled this one off very well. While the 'mystery' wasn't that mysterious, I still thought it was presented in an interesting fashion. She finally had more than one sex scene within a sapphic pairing, so that was nice. And most importantly, the climax to the challenge was imo stronger than any of the others. I felt the weight of what Dasha has to go through, and to a lesser extent, the way the rest of the town helps out.
This is a second (well, actually third) chance romance between Dasha and Ivy, and as stated above, they get together very quickly...or at least, very easily. There's a little bit of push back from Ivy at the start, but then something happens and from that point they're basically together. I personally had no issue with this, but I could see others finding it annoying. I did love both their characters. I was filled with hope to see more of them after the last book, and this didn't disappoint. I would kind of liked it if we'd have gotten a book from a Thorn's POV, but I guess I'll just have to dream about that. Still, as an upgrade from supporting character to love interest, I still absolutely adore Ivy Thorn. She was wonderful and caring, but didn't let people walk over top of her. Dasha for her part is so incredibly damaged, and I loved how sensitively it was explored. Her flirting with the other side was both like suicidal ideation, and also like an addiction, and for the most part it was treated as such (except when they needed to use her of course).
I won't go too in-depth about the villain except to say that his description, as the most attractive male specimen ever (I'm paraphrasing), brought up a weird thing I noticed that Lana seems to favour. The 'queer woman who prefers women but...'. Now, to be clear, Dasha doesn't actually state what she identifies as, nor does she need to spell it out on page. But I just found that Lana mentioned that in book one (with Talia), book 3 with Nina, and now with Dasha with this one. I don't know that I'm for or against this, it just seemed like a strange thing to continuously point out. I dunno.
Anyway, very few complaints. I really enjoyed this ending to the series, and give it 4.5 stars.
August 28, 2024
I liked this novel a lot. I like this whole series quite a bit. I think of the five novels this is the second-best one, after the first one, and I was so happy to see the author recapture whatever “magical” element that made the first one so good. The world of Thistle Grove is one of my favorite fictional places so any story exploring it automatically gets a lot of points from me. I am sad that this series is over, despite the inconsistent quality of the novels. This series should be read in order for the best experience.
I have so many complaints about this series, yet somehow, I would still recommend it to absolutely everyone because I simply love it. There is some special spark in Thistle Grove that can’t be explained.
Highlights:
-This novel was expansive in scope, wandering through a lot of Thistle Grove, showcasing a lot of characters, including plenty of lore and fantasy elements, and overall being a satisfying experience. These novels were are their best when they showcased the incredible setting and this one thankfully leaned into it (side-eye’ing you In Charm’s Way).
-This one was spicy, and it was some high-quality spice.
-Both protagonists were very well done, for very different reasons. Ivy was simply delightful, and I don’t think I could get enough of that character. She was well balanced in ways that characters usually aren’t; she is sweet and sensitive while also being strong and unexpectedly sensual.
-They managed to hit all the emotional notes across this novel with scenes that were funny, sad, serious, tense, heartwarming, and anything else you want in a novel. It certainly wasn’t one-note.
-This novel explored addiction issues in an interesting and original way. It was a clear parallel without being too heavy-handed. The experience of going through these sorts of issues and the impacts that they can have on your loved ones was showcased and handled very well. The deus ex-machina solution at the end was a bit simplistic, but it worked for this novel.
-This novel touched on some of the most serious topics of the series, had the darkest tone, and as a result I found it to be one of the most satisfying novels. It was surprisingly “human” despite being firmly a fantasy novel, and I think that is why it evoked some of the strongest emotions in the series. Dasha had some of the most genuinely realistic (and intense) issues of any character in this series.
-Best climax in the series (hard to compare to the first novel as there wasn’t really a single climax there).
Nitpicks:
-The romance was relatively basic. The love interests apparently started the novel with a big hill to climb in order to have another chance together but then suddenly it was like “poof” and its all good. Almost like magic, lmao. I didn’t like how Dasha’s romantic redemption took place without her actually having to really do anything to earn it. The saving grace for the romance in this novel was that there were some other equally important and satisfying (or more) plotlines which carried the novel.
-I also didn’t think that the explanation for the strife between Ivy and Dasha lived up to the severity that was foreshadowed by the previous novel (and the start of this one). This is a minor point though because feelings can be complicated. It was noteworthy to me mostly because this (underwhelming motivations for conflicts) seems to be a trend in this series.
P.S.
-This isn’t specific to this novel, more of an overall series gripe, but how did we never get a novel from a Thorn POV??? The affiliations of the various protagonists was unfortunately unbalanced.
-Great job to the author for fixing certain issues from previous novels (looking at you non-binary representation), they were clearly listening to the critics.
-This author can’t write a mystery to save their life, but thankfully that has never been an important part of any of these novels. Once again it was incredibly clear right from the start who the “trouble maker” was and what was going on, but it still worked so its all good.
I have so many complaints about this series, yet somehow, I would still recommend it to absolutely everyone because I simply love it. There is some special spark in Thistle Grove that can’t be explained.
Highlights:
-This novel was expansive in scope, wandering through a lot of Thistle Grove, showcasing a lot of characters, including plenty of lore and fantasy elements, and overall being a satisfying experience. These novels were are their best when they showcased the incredible setting and this one thankfully leaned into it (side-eye’ing you In Charm’s Way).
-This one was spicy, and it was some high-quality spice.
-Both protagonists were very well done, for very different reasons. Ivy was simply delightful, and I don’t think I could get enough of that character. She was well balanced in ways that characters usually aren’t; she is sweet and sensitive while also being strong and unexpectedly sensual.
-They managed to hit all the emotional notes across this novel with scenes that were funny, sad, serious, tense, heartwarming, and anything else you want in a novel. It certainly wasn’t one-note.
-This novel explored addiction issues in an interesting and original way. It was a clear parallel without being too heavy-handed. The experience of going through these sorts of issues and the impacts that they can have on your loved ones was showcased and handled very well. The deus ex-machina solution at the end was a bit simplistic, but it worked for this novel.
-This novel touched on some of the most serious topics of the series, had the darkest tone, and as a result I found it to be one of the most satisfying novels. It was surprisingly “human” despite being firmly a fantasy novel, and I think that is why it evoked some of the strongest emotions in the series. Dasha had some of the most genuinely realistic (and intense) issues of any character in this series.
-Best climax in the series (hard to compare to the first novel as there wasn’t really a single climax there).
Nitpicks:
-The romance was relatively basic. The love interests apparently started the novel with a big hill to climb in order to have another chance together but then suddenly it was like “poof” and its all good. Almost like magic, lmao. I didn’t like how Dasha’s romantic redemption took place without her actually having to really do anything to earn it. The saving grace for the romance in this novel was that there were some other equally important and satisfying (or more) plotlines which carried the novel.
-I also didn’t think that the explanation for the strife between Ivy and Dasha lived up to the severity that was foreshadowed by the previous novel (and the start of this one). This is a minor point though because feelings can be complicated. It was noteworthy to me mostly because this (underwhelming motivations for conflicts) seems to be a trend in this series.
P.S.
-This isn’t specific to this novel, more of an overall series gripe, but how did we never get a novel from a Thorn POV??? The affiliations of the various protagonists was unfortunately unbalanced.
-Great job to the author for fixing certain issues from previous novels (looking at you non-binary representation), they were clearly listening to the critics.
-This author can’t write a mystery to save their life, but thankfully that has never been an important part of any of these novels. Once again it was incredibly clear right from the start who the “trouble maker” was and what was going on, but it still worked so its all good.
August 20, 2024
Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!
I really love Payback’s a Witch and From Bad to Cursed. I didn’t like the next two books in this series nearly as much, and unfortunately, I did not enjoy Rise and Divine at all. I wanted so much more from the romance, and the writing style of this book made it a slog to get through.
Developing the romance was not a main focus of the book, which is not inherently bad, but this is a genre romance book and very different from the rest of the series in this way. Dasha is very concerned with getting Ivy back until she does, then her focus goes elsewhere. The reconciliation between Ivy and Dasha happens very quickly and doesn’t feel earned– it seems like they go from having extremely little to no contact with each other to a very steamy reunion. However, I felt that the chemistry between Dasha and the male demon was given more attention than Dasha and Ivy’s. I do understand that Dasha’s being attracted to the demon was a metaphor for suicidal ideation (representation which I appreciate), but I was disappointed with how much it distracted from the sapphic romance.
This may come off as a grammar-obsessed rant, so feel free to skip this section if that’s not your thing. One of the main reasons I loved Payback’s a Witch so much was Harper’s imagery and ability to stimulate every one of my senses reading about the magical town of Thistle Grove; I feel as though this quality was lost in Rise and Divine and instead get the impression that the author was just trying to meet a word count. My big issue is that if you removed every phrase beginning with the word “like,” the book would be half as short, maybe even more. In Payback’s a Witch, Harper’s use of figurative language was incredibly evocative and added to the witchy fantasy vibe, but in this book it’s distracting and repetitive past the point of overkill. Basically every other sentence excluding dialogue ends in a “like” comparison, which may not bother some but was annoying to me. Here are some examples from the uncorrected eARC:
“Her eyes had flashed mutinously between the two of us like a rebellious teen”
“trapped between the lightning strikes like prison bars”
“[the demon] paused, the smile dropping away like a husk, an awful darkness falling like a curtain across his face”
“his flawless face intoxicating and deathly as a draught of some hemlock-touched wine, those green eyes bright like emeralds. A smile curling the corners of his lips, one hand outstretched to me like a cavalier’s.”
The first part of the sentence is often descriptive enough to paint a clear picture of what is happening, so most of these piled-on comparisons are unnecessary, annoyingly repetitive, and made me lose track of what was actually happening.
Also at one point the big bad demon says the word “mille-feuille” which is absolutely bonkers.
The most memorable part of this book for me was a hilarious interaction between Emmy, Talia, and Gareth, which got me thinking that it’s about time for a reread of Payback’s a Witch.
I really love Payback’s a Witch and From Bad to Cursed. I didn’t like the next two books in this series nearly as much, and unfortunately, I did not enjoy Rise and Divine at all. I wanted so much more from the romance, and the writing style of this book made it a slog to get through.
Developing the romance was not a main focus of the book, which is not inherently bad, but this is a genre romance book and very different from the rest of the series in this way. Dasha is very concerned with getting Ivy back until she does, then her focus goes elsewhere. The reconciliation between Ivy and Dasha happens very quickly and doesn’t feel earned– it seems like they go from having extremely little to no contact with each other to a very steamy reunion. However, I felt that the chemistry between Dasha and the male demon was given more attention than Dasha and Ivy’s. I do understand that Dasha’s being attracted to the demon was a metaphor for suicidal ideation (representation which I appreciate), but I was disappointed with how much it distracted from the sapphic romance.
This may come off as a grammar-obsessed rant, so feel free to skip this section if that’s not your thing. One of the main reasons I loved Payback’s a Witch so much was Harper’s imagery and ability to stimulate every one of my senses reading about the magical town of Thistle Grove; I feel as though this quality was lost in Rise and Divine and instead get the impression that the author was just trying to meet a word count. My big issue is that if you removed every phrase beginning with the word “like,” the book would be half as short, maybe even more. In Payback’s a Witch, Harper’s use of figurative language was incredibly evocative and added to the witchy fantasy vibe, but in this book it’s distracting and repetitive past the point of overkill. Basically every other sentence excluding dialogue ends in a “like” comparison, which may not bother some but was annoying to me. Here are some examples from the uncorrected eARC:
“Her eyes had flashed mutinously between the two of us like a rebellious teen”
“trapped between the lightning strikes like prison bars”
“[the demon] paused, the smile dropping away like a husk, an awful darkness falling like a curtain across his face”
“his flawless face intoxicating and deathly as a draught of some hemlock-touched wine, those green eyes bright like emeralds. A smile curling the corners of his lips, one hand outstretched to me like a cavalier’s.”
The first part of the sentence is often descriptive enough to paint a clear picture of what is happening, so most of these piled-on comparisons are unnecessary, annoyingly repetitive, and made me lose track of what was actually happening.
Also at one point the big bad demon says the word “mille-feuille” which is absolutely bonkers.
The most memorable part of this book for me was a hilarious interaction between Emmy, Talia, and Gareth, which got me thinking that it’s about time for a reread of Payback’s a Witch.
August 29, 2024
What an absolutely fitting end to a great series?!
I'm so sad to say goodbye to arguably one of the spiciest, sexiest, diverse, coziest Witch-lit series around. (yes yes I know you'll refer to Juno Dawson but those books are intense and messy in the best way and not as as soft as a cashmere sweater on a cold evening).
I feel like we've gotten to know all the key witches and the Harper definitely kept the best until last, devil eater Dasha. Her story is so sad and I love that the book doesn't shy away from the fact that the deaths of her parents royally messed her up and had an impact on everything AND the addiction is something she still struggles with. Same for Ivy being open and honest about her feelings - so many romance books (queer or straight) position relationships as the thing that will 'fix you' but Harper's book all position relationships as the thing that happens when you're ready to put in the work. It's a joy to read tbh.
I'm debating going back and reading the series end-to-end again, that's how much I've loved it. And honestly I know some authors want to avoid obvious cultural signposts that will date a book but you know what, it's 2024 and I love reading about Taylor Swift or a marvel movie or any other snippets of pop culture!
Can't recommend this series enough!
I'm so sad to say goodbye to arguably one of the spiciest, sexiest, diverse, coziest Witch-lit series around. (yes yes I know you'll refer to Juno Dawson but those books are intense and messy in the best way and not as as soft as a cashmere sweater on a cold evening).
I feel like we've gotten to know all the key witches and the Harper definitely kept the best until last, devil eater Dasha. Her story is so sad and I love that the book doesn't shy away from the fact that the deaths of her parents royally messed her up and had an impact on everything AND the addiction is something she still struggles with. Same for Ivy being open and honest about her feelings - so many romance books (queer or straight) position relationships as the thing that will 'fix you' but Harper's book all position relationships as the thing that happens when you're ready to put in the work. It's a joy to read tbh.
I'm debating going back and reading the series end-to-end again, that's how much I've loved it. And honestly I know some authors want to avoid obvious cultural signposts that will date a book but you know what, it's 2024 and I love reading about Taylor Swift or a marvel movie or any other snippets of pop culture!
Can't recommend this series enough!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2024
I really actually loved how romance took a backseat in this one, with Ivy and Dasha quietly being in complete love the whole time, it was a nice change of pace from the previous books. Also love a good conflicted chosen one narrative so this really hit all the right spots.
August 14, 2024
I love the Witches of Thistle Grove series and this latest paranormal sapphic romance was no exception!! A demon eater witch who is battling an addiction to the dark side is tasked with saving her town and friends from an evil God. Great on audio narrated by Bailey Carr, this book had spice, heart and depth plus great mental health rep. HIGHLY recommended for fans of Hazel Beck and Erin Sterling. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
August 20, 2024
I can’t believe I read this series backward, but I realized it was too late. I usually avoid diving too deep into researching books because I want to fully enjoy and be surprised by them. I was intrigued after reading the excerpt of Rise and Divine. It screamed cozy and witchy for me, perfect for the fall. I own Payback is a Witch, but I haven’t read it yet. I was hoping to get around to it towards the fall since it gave me a sense of a cozy read with a warm cup of hot chocolate or tea on my side. However, when I came across this book by the same author on Netgalley, I immediately jumped in for an opportunity to read this. I am immensely grateful to the author and Netgalley for providing me with an opportunity to read and review this ARC.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though it pains me to know I read the last book first. Knowing that now I must start over, fall in love with all the characters, the town Thistle Grove, and the magic all over again, knowing how it all ties together at the end. Even knowing that I must do all of this, it doesn’t lessen my love to the story.
The story remains significant even if you don’t read it in order. I believe it can still be enjoyed as a standalone, with its characters, town, and magic standing out regardless.
Moving past my mistake, Dasha emerges as an exceptional character. The author creates such a striking symbolism between Dasha’s unique power, which is devouring demons versus depression and grief. Depression and grief are both profound emotional states that manifest differently but are intertwined. Dasha is constantly fighting with both emotions, in other words, fighting with her demons. Every time she uses her gift, she relives her pain, the loss of her parents, and the loss of the love of her life.
Every time she passes the vail between her world and the beyond, it is a very dangerously balanced symbolism that captures the essence of suicidal ideation. Dasha’s power is depicted as a consuming force and an overwhelming burden that mirrors the internal struggle faced by those experiencing suicidal thoughts. Maybe I am reading too much into this, but that’s how I imagined Dasha in my mind, a balance of intense emotional pain and a desire for relief.
It was amazing how, through it all, she managed to move forward. Despite the heavy burden she carried, it was with the presence and encouragement of those around her that provided the lifeline she needed. Somehow, Rise and Divine provides a powerful reflection on the nature of suffering and the complex path toward asking for help and healing.
I am sad this has ended, but I am ecstatic that now I can relive it all over again, starting the series as intended.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though it pains me to know I read the last book first. Knowing that now I must start over, fall in love with all the characters, the town Thistle Grove, and the magic all over again, knowing how it all ties together at the end. Even knowing that I must do all of this, it doesn’t lessen my love to the story.
The story remains significant even if you don’t read it in order. I believe it can still be enjoyed as a standalone, with its characters, town, and magic standing out regardless.
Moving past my mistake, Dasha emerges as an exceptional character. The author creates such a striking symbolism between Dasha’s unique power, which is devouring demons versus depression and grief. Depression and grief are both profound emotional states that manifest differently but are intertwined. Dasha is constantly fighting with both emotions, in other words, fighting with her demons. Every time she uses her gift, she relives her pain, the loss of her parents, and the loss of the love of her life.
Every time she passes the vail between her world and the beyond, it is a very dangerously balanced symbolism that captures the essence of suicidal ideation. Dasha’s power is depicted as a consuming force and an overwhelming burden that mirrors the internal struggle faced by those experiencing suicidal thoughts. Maybe I am reading too much into this, but that’s how I imagined Dasha in my mind, a balance of intense emotional pain and a desire for relief.
It was amazing how, through it all, she managed to move forward. Despite the heavy burden she carried, it was with the presence and encouragement of those around her that provided the lifeline she needed. Somehow, Rise and Divine provides a powerful reflection on the nature of suffering and the complex path toward asking for help and healing.
I am sad this has ended, but I am ecstatic that now I can relive it all over again, starting the series as intended.
July 7, 2024
Saying goodbye to Thistle Grove is shockingly difficult. This world has been one of my favorites to explore. Probably because the idea of a cool magical town in Illinois (where I'm from) is fascinating to me and I would move there in a heartbeat. That said, I sometimes don't always find the stories that happen within Thistle Grove (mostly the romance aspect) to be a 10/10 which isn't great if it's a romance book. This final installment was no different. My favorite part was the world followed by the main plot and then the romance was dead last for me.
Dasha and Ivy's second chance romance felt kind of rushed and like I had no reason to root for them. My favorite part of a romance is the yearning and there's just none of that here. One minute they're broken up, the next they're back together and in love. That just wasn't it for me. It's fine if a romantic subplot doesn't work but, in my opinion, since this is a romance it should be better and I'd have liked more reason for the characters to get back together
I loved Dasha and the parallels between her struggle with wanting to return to the otherside of the veil paralleled with addiction. Ivy I felt like I hardly knew and this made it hard for me to root for the romance. The whole concept of devil eating was super cool.
The world continues to be my favorite part of this series and I'm truly sad to see it go. The witchy vibes are perfect and reading this series during spooky season is a great idea. Just set expectations for the romance. If you're here for cute magical small town and witchy vibes, you'll enjoy it
3.75 rounded up
Dasha and Ivy's second chance romance felt kind of rushed and like I had no reason to root for them. My favorite part of a romance is the yearning and there's just none of that here. One minute they're broken up, the next they're back together and in love. That just wasn't it for me. It's fine if a romantic subplot doesn't work but, in my opinion, since this is a romance it should be better and I'd have liked more reason for the characters to get back together
I loved Dasha and the parallels between her struggle with wanting to return to the otherside of the veil paralleled with addiction. Ivy I felt like I hardly knew and this made it hard for me to root for the romance. The whole concept of devil eating was super cool.
The world continues to be my favorite part of this series and I'm truly sad to see it go. The witchy vibes are perfect and reading this series during spooky season is a great idea. Just set expectations for the romance. If you're here for cute magical small town and witchy vibes, you'll enjoy it
3.75 rounded up
August 16, 2024
“Eating devils is thirsty work.”
I’m bias but the Avramov family are my favorite and when I read that Ms. Dasha Avramov was a D E V I L!!! E A T E R!!!! No way. No freaking way.
Dasha is a true Avramov and everything that comes with the family’s “reputation” (I mean, they are necromancers…). She has her own struggles with the events that have happened to her but she is determined to keep herself grounded to the world of the living.
Even without the love from the beautiful Ivy Thorn. But even promising to stop asking for another chance, the urge to repair what was broken between them is harder to contain as they’re forced to be partners in the festivity planning.
Hey! Remember how I mentioned devils? And eating them and all that cool sh*t? Yeah bro, that’s insane but that’s not even the best part and while I loveeeeeeee a good romance witchy book, this one was also GIVVVVVING action and chaos and hold on to your butt energy.
Ahhhhhhh a bittersweet ending to the Thistle Grove series. I freaking love these books 😭 I will have a completed set on my shelf here in the near future. I’m determined.
Thank you Lana Harper, Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC 🥹 I absolutely voluntarily read and reviewed this book and everything is my own opinion 💖
I’m bias but the Avramov family are my favorite and when I read that Ms. Dasha Avramov was a D E V I L!!! E A T E R!!!! No way. No freaking way.
Dasha is a true Avramov and everything that comes with the family’s “reputation” (I mean, they are necromancers…). She has her own struggles with the events that have happened to her but she is determined to keep herself grounded to the world of the living.
Even without the love from the beautiful Ivy Thorn. But even promising to stop asking for another chance, the urge to repair what was broken between them is harder to contain as they’re forced to be partners in the festivity planning.
Hey! Remember how I mentioned devils? And eating them and all that cool sh*t? Yeah bro, that’s insane but that’s not even the best part and while I loveeeeeeee a good romance witchy book, this one was also GIVVVVVING action and chaos and hold on to your butt energy.
Ahhhhhhh a bittersweet ending to the Thistle Grove series. I freaking love these books 😭 I will have a completed set on my shelf here in the near future. I’m determined.
Thank you Lana Harper, Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC 🥹 I absolutely voluntarily read and reviewed this book and everything is my own opinion 💖
August 31, 2024
Rise and Divide by Lana Harper is a beautifully spooky second chance romance. This is book #5 & the final book in The Witches of Thistle Grove series but it could be read as a standalone. I’ve only read book #1, Payback’s a Witch & I really enjoyed it & feel like it made it easier to understand this word, so I do recommend checking out the series!
Rise and Divide is great for fans of…
🖤 Sapphic Romances
🖤 Witches
🖤 Second Chance Romance
This novel encapsulates atmospheric writing that showcases a fascinating magic system in a paranormal world that takes place in the coziest small town. I loved the dichotomy of the cozy cup of hot chocolate fall vibes that are balanced with the scary horror moments that create this spectacularly spooky novel.
I will say the longer writing style mixed with my skipping the second through the fourth novels in this series had me have a little bit too much distance from this romance, where I struggled to connect as much. My ADHD didn’t let me get lost in this story as much as I did with the first one, but I still enjoyed it.
This is a cute & spooky romance that is great for fall!
Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.
Rise and Divide is great for fans of…
🖤 Sapphic Romances
🖤 Witches
🖤 Second Chance Romance
This novel encapsulates atmospheric writing that showcases a fascinating magic system in a paranormal world that takes place in the coziest small town. I loved the dichotomy of the cozy cup of hot chocolate fall vibes that are balanced with the scary horror moments that create this spectacularly spooky novel.
I will say the longer writing style mixed with my skipping the second through the fourth novels in this series had me have a little bit too much distance from this romance, where I struggled to connect as much. My ADHD didn’t let me get lost in this story as much as I did with the first one, but I still enjoyed it.
This is a cute & spooky romance that is great for fall!
Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.
March 29, 2024
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for this eARC! I can't believe I have read the final words of the Thistle Grove series. Lana Harper has crafted such a loving and warm town for us all to sink into. This was a fantastic installment to go out on too because it felt like a big final boss fight that brought all of the families in the town. Dasha and Ivy already having a history and getting to just fall back into each other while they battled this final big magic thing together was so comforting and lovely. Also one last time, the intimacy and the spice level did NOT disappoint oh boy was I fanning my cheeks! Thank you thank you Thank you to Berkley for making Paybacks A Witch the very first ARC I was ever given and for the honor of getting to read all these installments early. What an incredible series, what an incredible town Thistle Grove is.
August 19, 2024
This was a fun and easy witchy read perfect for the upcoming spooky season. I enjoyed the various types of magic in the families, and the mystery and love story kept me engaged. The sapphic love story was sweet, I loved the “second chance romance” and how they openly communicated what went wrong the first time. It is always refreshing to see a love story that shows us what went wrong and how they communicated to fix it, and no pesky miscommunication trope. This is book five in a series; it is definitely better to read this if you have read the other books. Often it felt a little overwhelming with the information dumps, it was a lot of names, families, and locations to try to keep up with, which would distract me from the story. Overall it is still a good option for anyone wanting a witchy read but read the rest of the series first.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC!
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC!
August 23, 2024
This has been and always will be one of my favorite series. So obviously with no exception to the final book, I gobbled this up in all of 48 hours.
Lana Harper has given us all the blueprint on what a ‘spooky read’ should be- the Thistle Grove network of witches now live within my imagination as one of the most favorite gang of characters to get lost with. These books were some of the first that I’ve read that moves from character to character and while I loved learning about different families I was always left wanting more.
I truly could reread these over and over again and learn something new every time. If you like a phenomenal paranormal romance series that transports you into a cozy witchy town, this series is for you.
Lana Harper has given us all the blueprint on what a ‘spooky read’ should be- the Thistle Grove network of witches now live within my imagination as one of the most favorite gang of characters to get lost with. These books were some of the first that I’ve read that moves from character to character and while I loved learning about different families I was always left wanting more.
I truly could reread these over and over again and learn something new every time. If you like a phenomenal paranormal romance series that transports you into a cozy witchy town, this series is for you.
July 29, 2024
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.
This was cute! I think I wasn’t completely in the mood for it, but I still really liked the love story in the background. (It did move kind of fast, and I don’t really enjoy spicy scenes in books, but overall it was just very fine.)
This has witchy vibes, high stakes, complex characters, and a mystery at the heart that maybe was a little too straight forward to me. I didn’t truly feel the tension, but I still had a good time with it!
If you loved the other books, this is a solid ending for it.
3.5⭐️
This was cute! I think I wasn’t completely in the mood for it, but I still really liked the love story in the background. (It did move kind of fast, and I don’t really enjoy spicy scenes in books, but overall it was just very fine.)
This has witchy vibes, high stakes, complex characters, and a mystery at the heart that maybe was a little too straight forward to me. I didn’t truly feel the tension, but I still had a good time with it!
If you loved the other books, this is a solid ending for it.
3.5⭐️
August 20, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for my complimentary eARC of Rise and Divine and to PRHA for my complimentary audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Rise and Divine is the last book in the Thistle Grove Series. It revolves around Dasha and Ivy. There are multiple trigger warnings so please check them out before reading.
I enjoyed this entire series, it has great witchy vibes and representation, but Rise and Divine was my least favorite of the series. I prefer my reads to be less on the heavy and more on the entertainment.
I paired the eARC with the audiobook and Bailey Carr did a wonderful job. I listened at 2x speed and had no issues with playback.
Rise and Divine is the last book in the Thistle Grove Series. It revolves around Dasha and Ivy. There are multiple trigger warnings so please check them out before reading.
I enjoyed this entire series, it has great witchy vibes and representation, but Rise and Divine was my least favorite of the series. I prefer my reads to be less on the heavy and more on the entertainment.
I paired the eARC with the audiobook and Bailey Carr did a wonderful job. I listened at 2x speed and had no issues with playback.
May 20, 2024
I love the Thistle Grove series and am simultaneously excited we got so many and sad it’s over. This one gets a little darker (no surprise when an Avromov is involved) and the magical plotline reminds me a lot of the one with The Lady of The Lake. I was kind of surprised how quickly the couple got back together in this one after breaking up previously. There wasn’t a lot of will they won’t they but I did enjoy their scenes. I enjoyed how all the magical families had their time to shine and worked together better than in previous books.
March 19, 2024
Oh, Thistle Grove. I'm not ready to let you go. This fifth and final book in the series introduces us to Daria, called Dasha-- a half Harlow half Avramov witch with an unusual talent for eating demons. This unique power, combined with her ability to pass easily through the veil into a dead world where she feels intoxicatingly alive, marks her as the only person equipped to save Thistle Grove from its most existential threat yet. Dasha has barely survived a string of losses in her life. Both her parents are gone and she has pushed away Ivy Thorn, the love of her life. When a powerful demonic entity with ties to the lifeblood of her community intrudes on the Cavalcade, an important festival that dates back to the founding of Thistle Grove, Dasha must take on an impossible burden. With her entire community behind her, and a rekindled love waiting for her, Dasha must make it across the veil, and hope that she recognizes herself if she is able to return. Thistle Grove con, when? Thistle Grove TV show, when? Lana Harper, wherever you go, I will follow.
NetGalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
NetGalley provided me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 30, 2024
Full review:
Rise & Divine takes readers on a final trip back to beloved Thistle Grove. I will never tire of the magical, queer, and idyllic world that Harper has created.
This book follows Daria (Dasha) Avramov and Ivy Thorn as they rekindle their romance and work together to save Thistle Grove from destruction. Readers were briefly introduced to the contentious dynamic between Dasha and Ivy during installment 4, In Charm’s Way, when Deliliah enlists their help with her love.
My thoughts:
I hate to say goodbye to this series; I adore the magical, queer, and idyllic world that Harper has created. As much as I have loved my time in Thistle Grove, this final installment didn’t provide the closure I would have liked to end the series. Frankly, I found it disappointing.
The romance in this book left me wanting for more. Rise & Divine is written from Dasha’s perspective. The first few chapters are spent on her past and setting up the plot for the suspense part of the story. Our first mention of Ivy is at 17%. Second chance isn’t my favorite trope, but I think for it to work well you need dual POV, flashbacks or a combination of both. With single POV, no flashbacks and a late start to their romance within the book, I felt we were missing the critical foundation of their relationship. I didn’t feel as invested in them as a couple as I have to previous pairings. They also get physical quickly, partly because of extenuating circumstances, but still. I think their second chance romance had a lot of potential, but overall, it felt unfinished.
Rise & Divine is also extremely heavy; there are strong themes of addiction, depression, grief and suicidal ideation. Dasha is a devil eater who can transcend the veil (purgatory/ a version of hell/ a dark dimension- we don’t get clarification and Dasha is unsure as well). After losing both her parents, she becomes obsessed with visiting the other side to numb her pain. She becomes addicted to the feeling and requires intervention from her sister, stepmom and Elena Avramov. Dasha is in recovery like any other addict who has stopped using.
I ended up rating this book 3 stars (which pains me to say!). I went into this book looking for closure to one of my favorite paranormal series. I was hoping for an uplifting, romance centric end to the bewitching Thistle Grove series with life updates from past couples. As a reader, I don���t think I got the closure I was looking for, but I still love Thistle Grove and Harper’s cozy and atmospheric writing voice.
Thank you to Berkley Romance for an early copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Initial thoughts with more to come: I wanted to love this one so badly. I love Thistle Grove and all the past couples. Being an end to a series, I was hoping for more. I would have loved to see more interactions from previous couples. A final send off with updates. An epilogue? 😭 this one was very heavy and I needed more from the love story. The whole series is in single POV, but having a second chance romance with no flash backs and single POV is TOUGH. With the limited romance in this story, I think I needed more foundation from the past in order to truly buy into their HEA. Will continue to think on it 🤔
Rise & Divine takes readers on a final trip back to beloved Thistle Grove. I will never tire of the magical, queer, and idyllic world that Harper has created.
This book follows Daria (Dasha) Avramov and Ivy Thorn as they rekindle their romance and work together to save Thistle Grove from destruction. Readers were briefly introduced to the contentious dynamic between Dasha and Ivy during installment 4, In Charm’s Way, when Deliliah enlists their help with her love.
My thoughts:
I hate to say goodbye to this series; I adore the magical, queer, and idyllic world that Harper has created. As much as I have loved my time in Thistle Grove, this final installment didn’t provide the closure I would have liked to end the series. Frankly, I found it disappointing.
The romance in this book left me wanting for more. Rise & Divine is written from Dasha’s perspective. The first few chapters are spent on her past and setting up the plot for the suspense part of the story. Our first mention of Ivy is at 17%. Second chance isn’t my favorite trope, but I think for it to work well you need dual POV, flashbacks or a combination of both. With single POV, no flashbacks and a late start to their romance within the book, I felt we were missing the critical foundation of their relationship. I didn’t feel as invested in them as a couple as I have to previous pairings. They also get physical quickly, partly because of extenuating circumstances, but still. I think their second chance romance had a lot of potential, but overall, it felt unfinished.
Rise & Divine is also extremely heavy; there are strong themes of addiction, depression, grief and suicidal ideation. Dasha is a devil eater who can transcend the veil (purgatory/ a version of hell/ a dark dimension- we don’t get clarification and Dasha is unsure as well). After losing both her parents, she becomes obsessed with visiting the other side to numb her pain. She becomes addicted to the feeling and requires intervention from her sister, stepmom and Elena Avramov. Dasha is in recovery like any other addict who has stopped using.
I ended up rating this book 3 stars (which pains me to say!). I went into this book looking for closure to one of my favorite paranormal series. I was hoping for an uplifting, romance centric end to the bewitching Thistle Grove series with life updates from past couples. As a reader, I don���t think I got the closure I was looking for, but I still love Thistle Grove and Harper’s cozy and atmospheric writing voice.
Thank you to Berkley Romance for an early copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Initial thoughts with more to come: I wanted to love this one so badly. I love Thistle Grove and all the past couples. Being an end to a series, I was hoping for more. I would have loved to see more interactions from previous couples. A final send off with updates. An epilogue? 😭 this one was very heavy and I needed more from the love story. The whole series is in single POV, but having a second chance romance with no flash backs and single POV is TOUGH. With the limited romance in this story, I think I needed more foundation from the past in order to truly buy into their HEA. Will continue to think on it 🤔
August 26, 2024
I think this is the first time I actually enjoyed a second chance romance
August 29, 2024
SO. GOOD.
I really hope this isn’t the end 🥹
I really hope this isn’t the end 🥹
August 28, 2024
A lovely little ending to this series! 🥹
August 21, 2024
3.25⭐️
Always enjoy a witchy romance around the fall season and the witches of thistle grove series definitely fits the bill.
I enjoyed this one, both plot and romance- wise. Sad to find out this is the last one in the series.
Always enjoy a witchy romance around the fall season and the witches of thistle grove series definitely fits the bill.
I enjoyed this one, both plot and romance- wise. Sad to find out this is the last one in the series.
August 11, 2024
This book makes absolutely no sense on its own. You must read all four prior books in order for this one to make sense. You should also read them because they’re really good. However, I feel like this ended the series with more of a whimper than a bang. I felt more connected to Dasha and Ivy in previous books when they were pining for each other than I did here. And the introduction of the big bad (to the series as a whole) felt rushed and came out of no where. Belisama was introduced early on, so why wasn’t her counterpart? I still enjoyed the book - I just had some issues with it.
August 27, 2024
This is the last book in the Witches of Thistle Grove series, and I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around it. I feel like there could be so many more stories, so many more romances, but I have to say Rise and Divine did end on the perfect Thistle Grove celebration. Every book has revolved around a different witchy holiday or celebration, along with a delightful romance. Rise and Divine caps the series with a celebration that celebrates the town’s founding and the four founding witch families while also offering a really lovely sapphic romance peppered with heavy grief.
The Cavalcade is upon Thistle Grove, a celebration that occurs every two decades and lasts the month of September. It’s a huge tourist draw, but it also serves to highlight the four founding families and offer healing to the goddess Belisama, of which a piece of her resides in the nearby lake and offers magic to the four families. Dasha Avramov, the Avramovs’ event planner, is prepared to ensure everything goes well, but it’s not easy when Ivy Thorn is serving as event planner for the Thorn family. Their relationship has been rocky, deeply affected by the intense grief Dasha still struggles with from losing her parents no matter how much she loves her stepmother and half-sister. It doesn’t help that Dasha is a devil eater and can step across the veil, a place where she feels the most alive. But Dasha and Ivy have to team up, otherwise Thistle Grove and their goddess could be destroyed because someone decided to summon a powerful demon, drawing out Belisama and possibly endangering everyone.
Rise and Divine perfectly celebrates Thistle Grove and its magical roots. All four families get to show off to tourists for a whole month, and the glamour that prevents normies from seeing the magic is temporarily removed so the families get to offer truly incredible spectacles every weekend. I loved that all the families got a chance to shine, especially with this being the last book. I didn’t feel they were all treated fairly, but it was still really nice to see all of them, and to see the scions and Elders gather together. Their witch community has undergone a lot of changes over the past few years, and this was kind of a culmination of it all. I just wish the previous characters were given more time so the reader could see how far they’ve all come. I was also missing the Blackmoores as they only got one book and this is the second pairing a Thorn and an Avramov. But it was fun to see them, and see them working together.
I really enjoyed the romance between Dasha and Ivy. There’s a definite pull between them, but Dasha’s grief over the loss of her parents was just too much for them to overcome twice before. Now Ivy is reluctant to get tangled up with Dasha for a third time, and Dasha is absolutely certain her heart wants no one by Ivy. Dasha’s grief is heavy and hard, and she does a fantastic job of working through it and learning to let Ivy in, not that Ivy makes it easy for her. But they’re perfect together. They slot together wonderfully, and it was just wonderful to watch them really learn about each other. Even though it felt like they flipped a switch a little too easily, it’s impossible to not see just how much they belong together, just how much they want to be together, and just how earnest Dasha is.
Dasha is the one telling the story. The reader gets a deep dive into her mind and feelings. It’s sometimes heartbreaking, but she has an inner strength whether she sees it or not. I loved just how strong she proves herself to be, and how willing she is to try. I felt for her all the way through, and really delighted in the lighthearted moments she got to enjoy. She was really a lot of fun to follow around, and it was easy to see just how much she loved Ivy. Ivy came off as a little too perfect, but I could definitely believe that of a Thorn. With her life magic, she’s really grounded and is practically overflowing with love and is just the perfect counterpoint to Dasha, making them an incredible pairing.
While Rise and Divine mostly focuses on the romance, it also has a demon problem that needs to be solved. On the first day of the Cavalcade celebration, something is affecting things, eventually manifesting as a massive demon. Even though Dasha is explicitly told to not investigate, how can she not? After all, she’s been crossing the veil since she was a child and has been eating demons just as long. Not only that, she’s the one who discovers a young woman by the lake with no memory at all of who she is or why she was at the lake, and Dasha decides to take care of her and try to figure out the mystery of her. Of course that means she pulls in Ivy to help her figure it out. I did find it a little easy to figure out who was likely behind it, but I found myself mostly captured by the witchier side of it. It really tapped into the history of Thistle Grove, with new information emerging and an incredible being making their presence known.
Rise and Divine is really a fantastic conclusion to the series, keeping to its roots while also fully expanding the story and the world. I loved seeing the previous characters, even if it was only a glimpse, though I do wish they had all played a bigger role as this is the last book. But it was fantastic to see just how much things have changed over the past few years, and I had a fantastic time really getting to know all four families and to see what they were capable of. I’ve loved spending time in Thistle Grove, and I’ve adored all the romances. I appreciated everything Rise and Divine set out to do, and I leave it feeling bittersweet in the best possible way.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
The Cavalcade is upon Thistle Grove, a celebration that occurs every two decades and lasts the month of September. It’s a huge tourist draw, but it also serves to highlight the four founding families and offer healing to the goddess Belisama, of which a piece of her resides in the nearby lake and offers magic to the four families. Dasha Avramov, the Avramovs’ event planner, is prepared to ensure everything goes well, but it’s not easy when Ivy Thorn is serving as event planner for the Thorn family. Their relationship has been rocky, deeply affected by the intense grief Dasha still struggles with from losing her parents no matter how much she loves her stepmother and half-sister. It doesn’t help that Dasha is a devil eater and can step across the veil, a place where she feels the most alive. But Dasha and Ivy have to team up, otherwise Thistle Grove and their goddess could be destroyed because someone decided to summon a powerful demon, drawing out Belisama and possibly endangering everyone.
Rise and Divine perfectly celebrates Thistle Grove and its magical roots. All four families get to show off to tourists for a whole month, and the glamour that prevents normies from seeing the magic is temporarily removed so the families get to offer truly incredible spectacles every weekend. I loved that all the families got a chance to shine, especially with this being the last book. I didn’t feel they were all treated fairly, but it was still really nice to see all of them, and to see the scions and Elders gather together. Their witch community has undergone a lot of changes over the past few years, and this was kind of a culmination of it all. I just wish the previous characters were given more time so the reader could see how far they’ve all come. I was also missing the Blackmoores as they only got one book and this is the second pairing a Thorn and an Avramov. But it was fun to see them, and see them working together.
I really enjoyed the romance between Dasha and Ivy. There’s a definite pull between them, but Dasha’s grief over the loss of her parents was just too much for them to overcome twice before. Now Ivy is reluctant to get tangled up with Dasha for a third time, and Dasha is absolutely certain her heart wants no one by Ivy. Dasha’s grief is heavy and hard, and she does a fantastic job of working through it and learning to let Ivy in, not that Ivy makes it easy for her. But they’re perfect together. They slot together wonderfully, and it was just wonderful to watch them really learn about each other. Even though it felt like they flipped a switch a little too easily, it’s impossible to not see just how much they belong together, just how much they want to be together, and just how earnest Dasha is.
Dasha is the one telling the story. The reader gets a deep dive into her mind and feelings. It’s sometimes heartbreaking, but she has an inner strength whether she sees it or not. I loved just how strong she proves herself to be, and how willing she is to try. I felt for her all the way through, and really delighted in the lighthearted moments she got to enjoy. She was really a lot of fun to follow around, and it was easy to see just how much she loved Ivy. Ivy came off as a little too perfect, but I could definitely believe that of a Thorn. With her life magic, she’s really grounded and is practically overflowing with love and is just the perfect counterpoint to Dasha, making them an incredible pairing.
While Rise and Divine mostly focuses on the romance, it also has a demon problem that needs to be solved. On the first day of the Cavalcade celebration, something is affecting things, eventually manifesting as a massive demon. Even though Dasha is explicitly told to not investigate, how can she not? After all, she’s been crossing the veil since she was a child and has been eating demons just as long. Not only that, she’s the one who discovers a young woman by the lake with no memory at all of who she is or why she was at the lake, and Dasha decides to take care of her and try to figure out the mystery of her. Of course that means she pulls in Ivy to help her figure it out. I did find it a little easy to figure out who was likely behind it, but I found myself mostly captured by the witchier side of it. It really tapped into the history of Thistle Grove, with new information emerging and an incredible being making their presence known.
Rise and Divine is really a fantastic conclusion to the series, keeping to its roots while also fully expanding the story and the world. I loved seeing the previous characters, even if it was only a glimpse, though I do wish they had all played a bigger role as this is the last book. But it was fantastic to see just how much things have changed over the past few years, and I had a fantastic time really getting to know all four families and to see what they were capable of. I’ve loved spending time in Thistle Grove, and I’ve adored all the romances. I appreciated everything Rise and Divine set out to do, and I leave it feeling bittersweet in the best possible way.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
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