#holiest

[dogboystmichael]

quick color sketch of lucifer and beelzebub from Holiest by @sancta-seraphina :)) I love these two and their dynamic so much

[heartshapedhooves]

HEY YOU 🫵

YES YOU

DO YOU LIKE ANGELS? DO YOU LIKE GAY ANGELS?? DO YOU LIKE SAD GAY ANGELS???

✦ Then this book is for you!! ✦

HOLIEST is a book by @sancta-seraphina! It is the first in The Divine Tragedy series.

The full blurb is as follows:

"Deep in the heart of Hell, the Fallen Host is living with as much peace as their Father allows them to have, until one day when a treacherous cherub is cast down into their realm like the star Wormwood from Revelation. Yet all of the other portents from Revelation seem to be missing, with the exception of a mysterious manuscript that begins haunting the Devil's dreams and eventually his waking world as well."

Also, here's the cover reveal!

I have the honor of being part of the ARC readers and I must say it's absolutely worth it!! Please check it out and consider preordering or waiting to get your copy on august 13th! Sancta is such an amazing artist and writer and her work is so underrated that it hurts.

fanart yapping under read more

And as a treat, and since I'm late to posting the cover reveal (sorry!) here's Prince Lucifer, forcibly turned into a kitty cat:

I love him so much your honor, I'd die for him

I named him Mourning star 'cause I think it fits.. please somebody hide vitamins in his wet food before he explodes, I can't lose him

He's also vaguely based on a javanese cat... he's just a pretty cream point baby, save him from himself

[no7er]

The Holiest Moly, Digital artwork, 2026

[eldritchgarfield]

"Deep in the heart of Hell, the Fallen Host is living with as much peace as their Father allows them to have, until one day when a treacherous cherub is cast down into their realm like the star Wormwood from Revelation. Yet all of the other portents from Revelation seem to be missing, with the exception of a mysterious manuscript that begins haunting the Devil's dreams and eventually his waking world as well."

First, thank you very much to the author @sancta-seraphina for the arc of this book. I read, and then reread, this and now you can too!

I think the first thing that strikes me about this book, is how much love has gone into it. Its by no means a light read, but that doesnt take away the clear feeling of passion the author has for this story and its characters. Hats off for the handling of the introduction, it covers a lot of information but does so without being long winded or hard to follow. Cant express how refreshing that is. I didnt feel left to stumble my way through the setting or its terms.

If you're someone who reads about angels and heaven for dramatic fights and actions scenes, that's not the focus here. Its more character centered, in my opinion, with most fights being off the page, or references to events before the book. That's not to say there's no violence, Lucifer really goes through it, but those scenes are more impactful because of both the mentioned character focus, and the considered way physical conflict is employed.

There's also an excellent use of humour, day to day details, threaded through the more serious overarching plot.

Speaking of characters, huge fan of this representation of Lilith, of her qualities as a mother, I wish more authors would use that side of her, and if the story allows I'd love to see more. I went from wanting to assist Beelzebub with bringing Abdiel down a peg, to feeling for his situation- there's a lot of that here, no characters situation, be they angel, demon, or fallen host is one dimensional. Layers are peeled back as the book goes on, evolving the readers relationship with the characters. I like the messy family, the antagonist I didnt predict immediately, and the potential for all of it to be expanded upon in future books.

The rest of this got very long, so I'm putting it under a spoiler, but it can be read without concern of actual spoilers.

Lucifer's visions were handled well, giving genuine horror, and allowing you to feel their confusion alongside him- but without becoming muddy or hard to follow, though your millage may vary. I'm still thinking of thorns, so the visions definitely have the power to linger after reading. There is, like most of the book, a lot of symbolism and reference to dig into and interpret, something else I personally love.

Lucifer himself is a fascinating here. I feel safe in saying its a unique, and successful, portrayal of him. I wanted both to lecture him (unwise) and to keep him safe (impossible). Really enjoyed, and empathized with, his feelings and reality of being trapped in his body. I appreciate how his physical disability was portrayed, both in the day-to-day and in the wider context of the story. It all comes together to impact his interaction with his host, his siblings, and himself. The love he and his husband share is just *chef kiss* as is the complications placed on their relationship by internal and external factors.

I could write for days about Lucifer, but this is getting long already. Suffice to say, he is the star of the show, even in exile.

There is more I'd like to know about a few past events, things referred to briefly in passing or alluded to, but I feel pretty confident those are threads laid to be picked up in future books, and didnt feel like plot holes.

This is a rare book where, while I appreciated the epilogue which was by no means superfluous, its the end of the final chapter, Holy, that sticks with and moves me the most. Specifically, the line it ends on, which continues to bounce around in my brain at least every few days:

“He that is holy, let him be holy still.” Yes, of course, Lucifer was still holy. Because holy only ever meant to be set apart.”

No book is for everyone, as always, read the trigger warnings provided. This may not fit for people who want constant action, who struggle with character driven works, slow reveals, or for those who have a rigid image of hell and heavens occupants. For those like me who enjoy all or some of those things, this story pays off.

I really enjoyed this and look forward to more from this author. Go support them, add the book to your goodreads list, and get yourself a copy- we need books like this.

[jesuisexhausted]

I am so honored that I get to be an ARC reader for this. I am starting it today and I am so excited!!!!! @sancta-seraphina

[la-quimera]

Just a sneak peek of chapter 71 of Holiest Thing I Know (because I’m losing my mind and haven’t written in a long time)

Sandor

As soon as they left Winterfell’s walls, they rode in formation. Sandor led the men, Brienne by his right, and slightly behind them, Sansa. If anyone tried to do anything to her, they would need to get through himself and the Captain before that. 

The soldiers were quiet. The only sounds were of the wind howling, the hooves hitting the snow, and the metals of armor and weapons hitting against each other. They were strong, hard men and women, and Sandor could see in them a resolution he had never seen in King’s Landing. The Kingsguard only fought and killed to prove themselves for their King, or to feed the appreciation they had for themselves. For money, recognition, the thrill of the kill, and fucking.

But the northmen were not fighting for any of these things. It was another kind of motivation. Justice, maybe. Freedom. Loyalty - something the Lanninsters never had among their soldiers. 

Winter was in their favor. Winter had turned those men and women hard and strong from birth. Sansa, Bran and Arya Stark were proof of that. 

He turned and took a look at his Little Bird. Her lovely face was still covered in purple, blue and yellow bruises. Her eye was still red. Her lip was almost bleeding from the cold. Yet, she was stronger than ever. A wolf in disguise beneath that armor and cloak. 

His cloak. 

Sandor’s heart pounded a little harder when he remembered that. The memory of how he invaded her bedroom in the Red Keep the night the Blackwater burned, of how he pressed the knife against her throat, and how bad he wanted to have her for himself still haunted his thoughts. And he used those ghosts to remind himself to be better. For her. 

She looked at him then, lovely and strong. And as her blue eyes shone in the winter, snow began to fall. Not so hard, but enough to be a good omen. He never believed such things, but signs such as this were important in the North. 

Sansa looked up then, taking up the cold falling around her, on her face and hair. She closed her eyes and let the winter cover her. 

*

I promise I’ll finish this fic someday, please have mercy on my soul :)

[whirlybirbs]

did i just updated holiest for the first time in nearly a year with 3.1k? 

[xxkaibutsukoxx]

But you're the holiest thing I know