This is my second series by the author, and I thought it was a pretty strong start. Once again, this was a fantasy/myth story that is queer-positive. I thought the writing was better than in the Witch King, although there are still issues with the writing and the pacing. The main character is reminiscent of Wyatt in that they are not inherently likable, and in fact, many of the other characters want nothing more than to kill Gem off. However, overall, I found Gem to be more sympathetic than Wyatt. Edgmon has created a world where good and evil are not very clear; all you know is that the gods are stuck in a vicious cycle where there are no good choices, and many bad choices are made in the name of survival. So, although most of the other gods want to kill Gem and the people that Gem cares about, you spend enough time learning about Gem's past and current life to understand that they, like the rest of the gods, are caught in a vicious circle, and no one seems to know what the solution is, if one exists. Overall, I'm liking this second series and am looking forward to diving into the second book and conclusion.

I read this book alongside the narration by Avi Roche. I'm not very familiar with his work, although I know he was one of the two narrators for Self-Made Boys, which I absolutely loved. I think he did an excellent job with this narration, and this narration made me look them up. Avi identifies as a trans, non-binary actor, so I love that they get to narrate books like this one and Self-Made Boys. Although Gem has had many issues fitting in the town they live in partly because of how they identify, being trans and queer has nothing to do with the story of why the other gods hate them so much. I like that being trans is just simply accepted as who they are, and their mental health issues are considered as a separate issue. I'm probably explaining it badly, but I feel that books like this are important for teens to have, and for us to support.

Like their first series, this book has content warnings listed at the beginning, so if you're not sure if you can handle potentially triggering situations, make sure you don't skip that page. The author adds a note about how they have processed some of their own trauma through these pages.

As an aside, I also want to comment that the cover was what caught my eye about this one. I thought it was rather striking, but the more I look at it next to the second book's cover, the more I find it beautiful.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was amazingly diverse in so many ways: Native American representation, socioeconomic representation, ethnic representation, mental health representation (I’ll get back to that), and so much LGBTQIA+ representation I was absolutely giddy for the queerness of it all.

I only have one huge gripe with this book: Did it have to be so predictable? That’s what lost this book a star. Well, that and the fact that I didn’t love the book enough to need it on my own bookshelves.

Don’t get me wrong: I truly enjoyed the book. I was hooked on it from the beginning and engaged from start to finish (in spite of the predictability). The story is compelling, especially with the added diversity and representation angles that aren’t simply thrown in for the sake of marketing appeal. Edgmon is definitely using fantasy’s ability to comment on sociopolitical and sociocultural issues to full potential with this book and I was living for all of it.

I can’t tell anyone reading this or the author in the length of a book review how much the mental health representation in this book meant to me. I may be cisgender, but Gem’s mental health struggles in some ways feel so much like the ones I’ve dealt with my whole life as a bipolar and having BPD. That feeling of needing to do whatever I can to keep people’s love, attention, and to keep myself safe. That feeling of sometimes not knowing if you’re real (I call it “my meat suit doesn’t feel right”), saying things you don’t mean, acting out even though you don’t even want to and then having to face the aftermath of your destruction once the episode passes? Yeah. I’ve been there. When I was a teenager I would’ve given anything for a book like this to identify with. I’m glad teenagers today have books like these to identify with.

So even though this may not be something I want to live on my bookshelves, I highly recommend it to all of you. Please, go read it. It’s everything diverse and important fantasy needs.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.

File Under: Book Series/Coming of Age/Disability Rep/Fantasy/Romantasy/Fantasy Series/LGBTQ Fiction/LGBTQ Romance/OwnVoices/Psychological Fiction/Supernatural Fantasy/Urban Fantasy/YA Fantasy/YA Romantasy

This review was made possible via an ARC through NetGalley

Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon is a YA contemporary fantasy centering around a biracial Seminole demiromantic transmasc teen learning that they are the reincarnation of a god from another dimension and the other gods that are awake are ready to pick things up where they left off.

A major theme of the work is isolation as Gem doesn’t have a ton of friends offline or online and struggles to connect to others, partially due to the fact that they are openly Queer. In their daily life, there’s Zeke, a certified golden retriever type, and a handful of people Gem sometimes has sex with. Online, there’s Enzo who lives in New York whereas Gem lives in the South. This intertwines with the idea that gods struggle to make friends with mortals and adds to the theme of Queerness, particularly Transness as it relates to the BIPOC experience, is close to godliness.

This theme is reinforced with Transness, which is explored in a variety of ways, including Gem discussing that people want to have sex with them but not really date them, that there are not a lot of openly trans teens in their town, and their relationship with their mother. If transphobia is triggering for you, while the book doesn’t show it often, I would exercise care because the mother doesn’t really accept that Gem is trans and Willa Mae’s family does refuse to call her by her preferred name. One of Gem’s love interests, Willa Mae, is she/they and the book situations between both pronouns for her fluidly and clearly. Polyamory and Bisexuality/Pansexuality are also given time to shine in their discussions.

Mental illness gets just as much room, from anxiety to what appears to be schizophrenia and depression, and it is discussed pretty candidly. Gem has severe social anxiety and has gone through instances of depression. All of this feels quite respectful, though I am cautious in regards to the schizophrenia depiction because people who have schizophrenia are often depicted as violent and this book is not different.

The opening line immediately captured my attention and the Voice is very strong and clear. It’s one of those books that feels very strongly that it is YA and is aware of how teens communicate and what is going on in the world right now as it relates to them. There’s thoughtful conversations around identity and how that relates to reincarnation and Queerness and race.

I recommend this book to readers looking for a grounded fantasy featuring gods and reincarnation as well as a diverse cast that is unafraid to explore that diversity.

Gem Echols: Teen God, Teen Trouble. This book starts with the humor and gender euphoria that makes you wish you grew up in the 2000s instead of the 90s. Gem, a nonbinary teen in Gracie, Georgia, discovers they're a reincarnated God, turning the mundane of daily life into divine chaos. From the first page, you are dropped into the confusion of walking into class in one moment and memory the next (once you get used to it it's a great time).

As Gem navigates their dual existence, the narrative weaves between the messiness of teenage desires and the weight of godly responsibilities. Much like its protagonist, the book dances between the poignant struggles of growing up, falling in love, and being a 'good person' and the cosmic complexities of having deep grudges and pressure to return back to their original world.

The prose is a tapestry of gay longing, and the book brilliantly represents queer identities and mental health and even throws in a dash of polyamory. It took a moment to sink into Gem's awakening, but once you're in, you won't want to leave. With enemies lurking in their teenage friends throughout Gracie, this is one divine drama you won't want to miss. I can't wait to see how Gem continues this celestial blend in the next installment, coming out in April 2024.

Rating: 4.25 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Gem is a pansexual disaster. They are absolutely desperate to escape their podunk town and move to Brooklyn to be with Enzo, the only person on the planet who gets them. Then the gorgeous Willa Mae arrives and upends their existence. It turns out Gem's hyper-realistic dreams of magic and murder are actually memories of a previous life, not symptoms of inherited mental instability. They are part of another world's pantheon, refugees caught in a thousand year cycle of reincarnation and revenge. All the teenage deities are so damaged it's impossible to tell hero from villain, resulting in an orgy of violence and angst.

Book one of a new duology. What a fascinating story! Gods from another realm are reincarnated as teens and placed in a small town in Georgia. I got a bit of Gen V vibes from this one. I love a story of found family and this one has that in spades. I am excited for book two!
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Huge thank you to #StMartinsPress and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

There was a lot about this book that I enjoyed. I loved that the main character was a Non-Binary Native American. I don’t think I have ever read a book with a Native American MC before.

I did not however like the idea of Gods from another world & reincarnation. And why would they choose teenagers?

Unfortunately this book just isn’t for me.

After really enjoying the Witch King duology, I knew I had to pick up this next duology by the author as well. This first installment is intense but incredibly well written, with messy characters and nonlinear growth and character development. As a YA, it takes very seriously the trials and troubles a queer teen experiences, and had I read this as a teenager I definitely would've felt seen.

Some content notes to be aware of: graphic gore, body horror, murder, torture, sexual assault (off page), abuse, mentions of transphobia/racism, animal death.

A huge thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my thoughts. I'm very interested to see where book two goes!

An amazing novel that effortlessly weaves in unique, complex characters of the LGBTQ+ community and people of different backgrounds, while still keeping the focus on the main plot of the story.

There were some more serious topics brought up, yet still having some genuine laugh out loud moments as a sort of buffer.

I loved the protagonist Gem, and I found them *extremely* relatable. They had a great dry, sort of self-deprecating humour, and they’re a character with many, many different facets to them. I loved being able to read about them in their present life as well as seeing the glimpses of their past lives as well. Seeing the difference in character and personality between the many different lives they’ve lived, but still being able to recognize them as Gem every time, just shows how well the author told the story and wrote their characters.

I really loved this one and I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel!

Gem Echols is a nonbinary teen living in a small town in Georgia, who is blissfully unaware that they're a reincarnated God. Little do they know, enemies from past lives are on the hunt, seeking payback. With no recollection of their previous existences, Gem has to try to remember and piece together how they made these enemies in the first place, hoping to untangle the mess they find themselves in.

I went into this one pretty blind and I was happily surprised. It was a captivating read with some funny moments. I enjoyed the characters especially the character growth from Gem as we got more information about their past lives.

This was a great setup for the first book, it gave us plenty of information about the world and the emotional relationships, and that ending was the perfect hook for the next book. The best part is that we won't have to wait long to see what happens next as the sequel Merciless Saviors will be out in April.

I do have to mention that at times I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters as they have various names and we also jumped in time quite a bit, but overall a great story and just what I needed right now.

I also want to mention that it had great representation, and I'm so happy to see that this will be accessible and on shelves for everyone, but especially for anyone who identifies as indigenous, trans or both.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a good book!!! From start to finish, very captivating and entertaining!
I loved the concept so much and I'm eagerly looking forward to the sequel.
It has such a good mix of things I love, fantasy, being reborn, the blurred line between good and evil, morally grey protagonists, great enemies-to-lovers, and everything in between.
'There are no cis Gods' is truly one of the most amazing things I've ever read!!!
Highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers!!

I'm convinced at this point that H.E. Edgmon can do no wrong. I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook preview of this and it was lovely, but please just do yourself a favor and pick this up somehow.

Gem Echols knows what it's like to not fit in. They are, after all, a nonbinary indigenous teenager living in small town Georgia. But it's fine, because their best friend, Enzo, lives in Brooklyn, and a year from now, Gem will be there, too, living their best life. Yet... Gem can't bring themself to even tell Enzo about the weird dreams that have been plaguing them lately, ones of violence and magic and ancient gods in another world. No one can know about those - not if they want people to think they aren't as crazy as their father. Of course, that's about when Willa Mae Hardy walks into Gem's life one lunch period, acting like she knows everything about them past and present, and proceeds to save them from someone claiming to be the... Goddess of Death? After Gem because they are the reincarnated Magician, a deity of questionable allegiance and morals but plenty of enemies.

This book is so important to me for so many reasons. For one, Gem is a precious mess of a lead character and I adore them for it. They try their damnedest to be good throughout the story, but there is something to be said in embracing that sometimes we will always be the villain in someone else's narrative. Arguably, there is no singular "good" character in the entire story. They all have tragedies in their histories, but they all get the chance to be terrible people about it. It is an entire book of feral queer teenagers raging against the system they've been placed in.
Another favorite of the story: Gem is allowed to be not okay. Being an ancient reincarnated deity doesn't suddenly cure Gem of the fact that they use their sexuality to cover their insecurities or mental health struggles.
Then, there's the representation. How often do we get to see T4T4T romance in a young adult book like this? Indigenous queer rep? It's amazing. As a teacher in an indigenous high school, having The Witch King on my shelf made students emotional, so I cannot wait to get this into their hands.

Now, I have Merciless Saviors already waiting in my NetGalley app, so if you'll excuse me...

H.E. Edgemon did a fantastic job writing a story with diversity and Morally grey characters. There's chaos but beauty and wonder in this story of reincarnated deities currently living as teens. The main characters were genuinely likeable and the author did a great job of bringing to life their exploration of self and the world around them. Definitely worth reading.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for honest review.

It’s the last Wednesday of the month, so we’re here to ramble about a book. I decided to request a YA fantasy type thing to try something a little different. Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon was released yesterday (the 28th) from Wednesday Books. As usual, I must thank them and NetGalley for access to an ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. So, let’s do the thing.

Godly Heathens follows Gem, a trans teen in small town Georgia, as they struggle with mental issues and trying to find their place in the world. Throw in the discovery that they’re the reincarnation of one of the most powerful gods from another world and a downright villain, and life gets pretty complicated. Other reincarnated gods want to make Gem suffer for past transgressions. Meanwhile, Gem just wants to live their current life.

This book has content warnings. I have yet to find a book with content warnings that I actually enjoyed, so I had little hope for it when I saw them. I get what they’re for, but I don’t believe they’re necessary 99% of the time. They either give something major away or they draw unnecessary attention to things that are super minor in the book. It’s annoying. That’s just my opinion. But they also seem to be most prevalent in books that try too hard. And this book definitely tries too hard to be… relevant, I guess. And edgy. So freakin’ edgy. It borders on hilarious at first, then it just becomes sad.

The plot is neat, but far from original. Teenagers as reincarnated gods from another world. It’s fun enough. But it’s super slow and the big bad shows up halfway through, but they turn out to be nothing special in this world. And we’ve got this whole build up to a show down between specific characters only to have a complete rando show up like 5 chapters from the end that they all have to fight together. I feel cheated. It is definitely not a satisfying ending. Granted, there’s supposed to be another book, but at least wrap up the story arc of this book first. But no. We get a bullshit ending that does absolutely nothing.

I had high hopes for the characters here, because I’m all for villain stories and diverse casts, but I was disappointed again. Sure, Gem and the Shade might’ve been villains in their own world, but here, they’re just whiny little bitches. All of the characters are. And none of them grow or change by the end of the book. There’s nothing to root for because they aren’t actually doing anything. Yes, teenagers are generally dicks, but they grow and learn things quickly. They try on personalities like outfits, changing pretty much daily. But not these characters. They’re just asshats. It’s boring.

The writing is meh. Like I said, it tries too hard to be edgy and all that crap. It ends up making the book a slog to read.

Ultimately, Godly Heathens was a huge let down. I probably won’t bother with the next book unless it falls into my lap. It was a waste of time and not in the good way.

Overall, I gave it 2 out of 5 stars. One and a half, really. It got published and some people will like it. But I think there are better books to spend your money on.

So grateful for the opportunity to read this book. As a Native person, having this representation is so important.

That said, I'm withholding my review until St Martin's acknowledges the harm done by their employee's Islamophobia. It's obvious that St. Martin's cares about diverse authors and stories--I would hope this care would also be extended to marginalized readers who feel hurt and harmed by the employee's statements, whether or not they were made on a personal account.

I hope that one day I get to come back here and edit this review to let you know my thoughts and feelings on the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It took me a bit to get into the story. Mostly because, for me, the teen speak was so obnoxious, but I am sure the teens who this is written for will like it. I am not close to being a teen, but I thought the premise was super interesting and I have been wanting to read from this author. Once I got past the first little section of the book and Gem started sounding more like a person, I started getting into the story and making connections as Gem began piecing things together. I found the world building interesting and liked seeing the snippets of flashbacks as Gem begins to remember things. I really liked Willa Mae as a character. She is strong yet very flawed in her own way. Marian as well. I actually really liked Poppy even though I probably should not, but she was just so much fun. Enza irritated me from jump and never really grew on me, but maybe that can change in the next book. We'll have to see. Best character overall though is Hank, a sweet old baby. Leave him alone! I am interested to see where the story goes from that bonkers ending.

This book is incredibly unsettling in the best way. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before, and while it lost me a couple of times with how complex it is — that may just be my own fault. It’s written wonderfully and that ending nearly killed me. Can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fantastic queer fantasy that sees a nonbinary Seminole teen discovering they are secretly a god who was reincarnated but things get heated as their past life and the parallel world in which they were kind of a dick, blend together, threatening their best friend.

I loved the characters in this book and the audio narration by Avi Roque was EXCELLENT! Told with sharp humor and featuring a great queer cast of characters, the book was full of action, romance and betrayals galore. I can't wait to see how the duology ends!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This was my first book by H.E. Edgmon but definitely will not be my last!

This is a very dark, fast-paced, contemporary, queer romantic fantasy set in small town Georgia, with flashbacks to past lives in other places. The main characters are transgender BIPOC teens who discover that they are reincarnated gods from another realm. The book is surprisingly dark and violent right from the start, includes discussion of casual sex and substance use, and depicts serious mental illness, so proceed with caution.

Gem is an anti-hero who I sometimes struggled to like, but I could generally understand why they made the choices they did. They are surrounded by a quirky cast of secondary characters with murky motivations, which made the plot pleasingly unpredictable at times. I enjoyed seeing how their magical powers manifested and changed over time. I was somewhat frustrated by the ending, but I’m intrigued enough to want to read the second book in The Ouroboros duology.

Recommended if you enjoy dark fantasy and queer romance.

I received a free advanced review copy of the ebook and audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

I love the concept of this book, and it has so much great rep, including a non-binary Seminole MC and lots of queer and non-cis characters. There's even polyam rep, which is cool!

Unfortunately, I just don't think this book was for me. I could see other folks loving it and I think the writing was quite strong, but it just wasn't a story I resonated with. I never felt invested in the relationships and never particularly liked any of the characters. I think it all just felt a bit too edgy for me?

I'm not sure if I will pick up book 2 or not. I am a bit curious to see where the story goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC of this title. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.