First off: H.E. Edgmon knows what the fuck they're doing. GODLY HEATHENS is so brutal and beautiful and unlike any other YA fantasy I've ever read -- I sank into Gem's world immediately and never wanted to leave. This book truly puts its boot on the neck of Booktok's professed love of morally grey characters and doesn't let up: you say you like mess? Then let's get MESSY. So much of the book is concerned with binaries (good and evil, male and female, colonizer and subjugated, life and death), and Edgmon forces the reader to sit with what it means to exist in a third space of neither/and. I love Gem in all of their terrible sweetness, that walking Richard Siken poem, and I was consistently impressed by how Edgmon widens Gem's understanding (or remembering) of what's going on without falling into an 'info-dump' trap. Wildly inventive, truly fantastical, ruthlessly sexy, GODLY HEATHENS belongs on any queer fantasy fan's shelf!

Love the gender/sexuality and other aspects of cultural inclusivity, along with mental health representation! A dark fantasy that is definitely good for teens and young adults who like spooky things!

I initially picked up this book more as something to read around Halloween, but, you know, life gets in the way. Regardless, this isn’t necessarily a Halloween read and I ended up liking it anyway.

This story follows a non-binary teen, Gem, as they navigate their life and try to shake the feeling that they’re broken. All of that changes when Willa Mae shows up and shows them who they really are: a god that’s stuck on earth. Slowly, things unravel in front of Gem and everything makes more sense to them, especially once they have multiple other gods at their neck due to their past wrongdoings. Gem decides they want to repent, but after Enzo, their long distance lover, enters their life as another infamous god, Gem’s moral lines start to blur.

I think this book is good for angsty, queer teens, but it’s not quite my cup of tea. I genuinely only contribute that to the fact that I’ve mostly graduated from young adult at this point in my life. If I was younger, I think I would’ve really, really enjoyed this.

The characters are funny and pretty well fleshed out, first off. At least Gem and Rory (Willa Mae). The only character I really have a complaint about is Enzo, only because with him being such a major player, I feel like he should’ve been developed a little more. Like, he had character, but I wish I would’ve known him a bit more before the shift. (Love Shade/Enzo though. He’s funny.)

The storyline was also decent and paved an interesting opening to an additional book (which I think is happening, based on how Goodreads has it labeled as Ouroboros #1). Regardless of be being kind of meh about it, I’m curious enough to read a sequel purely because the ending was really interesting.

There were also really good one liners and anecdotes that had me laugh. So, thank you for that, H.E. Edgmon.

All in all, good, just not quite my deal based on changing personal tastes.

Recommended: for some people
For anyone who will love morally gray characters, for a book where tons of people are trans (and almost no one is cis het!) and that MATTERS, for some kind of confusing magic lore, for a lot of high school kids with no supervision or reliable adults
Pub date: Nov 28, 2023

Thoughts:
This book was kind of meh for me, but I think it has a lot to offer to people who are interested in it who are not me.

What dragged this down was primarily the fact that it felt like not much actually happened. This is a young adult book, and there was a lot of time where they were all just... in school. Doing classes. Hanging out at a party. It does focus mostly on their interactions and building the relationships, but BOY was this book a lot of exposition. It suffers badly from "book one" syndrome where it got all the boring setup out of the way and maybe book two will be way more exciting since it can move on to the action.

The other thing that dragged this down was that despite all that endless exposition, I was still confused about some of what happened in the characters' lives. There's a key element that was supposed to be a twist but I had already thought that's the way things were the entire time since it was never made very clear that it WASN'T, so the "twist" came and I was like, didn't we already know that? Duh? It also seemed like Gem didn't really think about the stuff they were told.

There's a lot of duality of self in this book, in a lot of ways. Gem is trans, as are a ton of other characters. There's a line that's approximately "there are no cis het gods" and I thought that made a lot of sense, and it's also reflected in their pantheon. Besides that there's also the human / god issues with identity that Gem struggles a lot with through the whole story. One character with she/they pronouns is referred to at times by she and at other times by they. I couldn't quite figure out why they were used at a specific time, but best guess is that it was roughly based on how they were presenting at the moment. Anyway, I did get a little tripped up sometimes identifying who was being referred to, but appreciated the commitment to that personal representation.

Good and evil are two of the obvious duality conflicts in this book. The discussion around this was nigh endless, but was very interesting to me. Be ready for some philosophical discussions though. One idea I enjoyed reflecting on was that some people are "evil" just because their needs conflict with or are the opposite of your own. Damn, yo.

I ran into some other issues towards the end. It's easiest to talk about them in spoilers though instead of trying to be vague, so read below if you're ok with a larger twist spoiler and a character-relationships thing that I'd consider more of a minor spoiler.

Final note: the trigger warnings at the start of the book scared me enough to feel hesitant about reading it but after finishing they actually seemed way more dramatic than the book actually was to me. Also? FUCK that ending, y'all. 😐

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for a free advanced copy. This is my honest review.

Godly Heathens is a captivating tale that effortlessly weaves together exceptional storytelling, rich world-building, and compelling characters. The author's writing is nothing short of phenomenal, drawing readers into a vividly crafted universe that feels both enchanting and immersive. The narrative unfolds seamlessly, creating a gripping experience that makes it nearly impossible to put the book down. The characters are not only well-developed but also profoundly engaging, each adding a unique layer to the overall narrative. In Godly Heathens, the author skillfully combines elements of fantasy with a masterful touch, delivering a literary masterpiece that resonates with readers long after the final page.

I've been really into queer non-binary fiction lately. H.E. Edgmon did a great job representing this in their writing. The concept of the story is unique and fantastic. Edgmon did amazing in describing things and let us feel what the characters were feeling. It was very Mean Girls but Godly which I am so here for.

I loved our main character's journey to strive to be better and be a GOOD god, up til the end when he was betrayed for the final time and became the antihero. I love a queer story, I love a spooky almost-horror-ya-fantasy, and I LOVE the idea of gods actually being teenagers in small town America. That's SUCH a cool concept to me. I can't wait to see what happens to the crew in the next installment.

Review to be posted closer to realease date.
This was an interesting read. I have to say, I did struggle a little with getting into the story, but once I for into with, I was hooked. It offers an interesting mix including subject of trans and non-binary teenagers, mental health, trauma and betrayals. It offers an interesting view of flawed characters, who in many ways could each be the villain of the story based on who tells the story.

It is darker than I expected, and Gem makes a great main character, as they are really in a place where they are neither a good or bad character in the story. They are flawed, and in a way human, despite their godly identity. It is also really interesting to follow their vision, as they are rediscovering their history at the same time as we are.

Overall, it was a interesting book, and I definitely looking forward to reading the sequel.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for an arc of this one.
Gem has never felt like they fit in their world, or even their human body. They're just trying to get by until after high school when they can move to New York with their best friend, Enzo and let their life truly begin. But when a mysterious new girl shows up at school and tells Gem they are actually a reincarnated god, plans have to change, and Gem has to fight for their life instead of just getting through high school.
This book was so so good from start to finish. I was immediately hooked with the writing style, Gem's crunchy exterior but soft insides, and the world this book began hinting at. Things just kept getting better with the addition of new characters (soulmates???), new conflicts, and more struggles that Gem had to work their way through. 
Gem is such an interesting character. I loved the god-complex at the beginning and how that affects their decisions throughout the book, and their understanding of themselves that develops. I really loved the interactions between Gem and Rory and Enzo, even though Enzo has a bigger role later in the book.
The poly-panic going on in this book is so good. Also love how Gem is dealing with literally inter-dimensional problems but spends so much time worrying about their relationships. Teenagers lol. 
CW: death, child abuse, sexual content, slut-shaming, mental illness, gore/body horror, transphobia, racism, animal sickness

Oh my everything I needed this to be and so much more!

I couldn’t stop reading even if I wanted to. And I so did not want to. I can’t wait for the next installments in this enthralling and fantastical journey.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC copy of this read!

3.25

I adored H.E. Edgmon’s debut duology The Witch King and when I found out this new duology was going to center trans gods and relationships that span reincarnations I could not request this fast enough. The execution, however, has left me with mixed feelings.

The story follows Gem, a trans teen in rural Georgia who is counting down the days until he can move to Brooklyn and live with his best friend Enzo. Until a new girl moves to town and Gem realizes they are a reincarnated god.

I liked Gem’s internal voice and I liked that all of the characters are messy and dealing with their hurts and traumas in different ways. This is the type of morally grey character focused book I would have eaten up as a teen. That being said, I struggled with the pacing of this and I think that hindered my enjoyment. I also didn’t love some of the voice choices the audiobook narrator made, which might have also hindered my enjoyment because I generally love all of Avi Roque’s work.

All that to say, I did overall enjoy this and I am excited to see how Merciless Saviors wraps up the duology.

Godly Heathens begins as an unsettling look at the mental health of an indigenous trans kid, and then blooms into a fantastical tale of reincarnated teen gods at war among themselves. It's a story about pain, trauma, found family, and grappling with mental health challenges, but also about being your truest self. The characters are at best morally gray and all are broken in some way, their lives rife with trauma. But they love fiercely.

A super angsty and dark take on contemporary YA fantasy, this feels like the sort of book that some teens will absolutely love and find themselves in. The cast of characters is very diverse in terms of gender and sexuality and the main character-Gem's Seminole heritage is lightly woven into the narrative. There is also some discussion of ethical non-monogamy/polyamory though I wouldn't take the way it's handled here as a guidebook. But they're hurt messy teenagers so it's not like it's shocking. This is the sort of book that will either really be fore your or not but I'm glad it's out there. The audio narration is okay, though some of the voice choices for characters were a little weird, especially Enzo, the trans guy Gem is in love with. I received an audio copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Content warnings for violence, gore, depictions of torture, mental health crises, hallucinations, self-harm, blood, transphobia...

Unfortunately this was a dnf and it’s 100 percent just a me thing. I just don’t connect with the writing style. It’s definitely a very distinct writing style. I think a lot of people will love this one.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! Godly Heathens places us in the mind of a messed-up teen who can't remember that they're actually an ancient god, reincarnated time and time again. The supernatural religious war that has been following Gem for all of their lives starts seeping into their human high school life, appearing with the introduction of a beautiful cast of queer characters. I loved meeting all of the evil, complicated, loudly queer, Indigenous, and trans teens that Edgmon writes. This is the first book I've read that has a character with multiple pronouns that the writer uses interchangeably, and that made me very happy. I need to read this again now that it's officially coming out this month!

A really wonderful YA fantasy with fantastic trans and Native rep. A really intriguing premise with such unique deities and powers. The kind of book I wish I would have had as a teen

That ending!! So glad I waited to read this until I had sequel on hand because things are about to happen!!!

Gem Echols has lived in the small town of Gracie, Georgia since their mom left their dad for their safety, and they’ve always felt separate, not quite human. When a new girl, Willa Mae, shows up and tells them their dreams of another world are real and they’re the god of magic in that other world, big events start happening, a cycle they’ve been on for the last thousand years restarting.

This is a high-stakes story with complex, messy characters and messy feelings. None of these characters are particularly “good” and I love how this book does a lot of musings on what makes a villain and who’s the real villain of the history these gods share. There is so much nuance and exploration of balance and fairness and what it means to do the right thing, and what that even looks like when the only choices are wrong ones, even if they’re for the right reasons.

I really enjoyed this book and cannot wait to dive into Merciless Saviors. Edgmon continues to prove himself a fantastic writer with important, messy stories to tell, and I look forward to what they’ll write next!

Edgmon starts his duology with a bang. This book was in depth and interesting, with a solid pacing and some very interesting characters and world building.

Right from the beginning, H.E. Edgmon's voice grabbed me by the throat and didn't let go. I love morally gray characters in YA and that expectation did not disappoint here. Along with the brilliant world building and tight plotting which had me on the edge of my seat until the very end, I really enjoyed this one.

This book was quite the ride. I enjoyed how the magic system worked, the concept of the pantheon, and the duality of worlds and people. I also liked the exploration of morality and accountability, given that almost all of the characters are morally gray at best (or end up that way by the end of the book). And I appreciated that throughout all of this, a discussion of mental health and trauma is seamlessly woven in and compassionately addressed. And the queerness! A non-binary main character and trans supporting characters! I loved that. That is not done enough.

Finally, that ending...quite the way to end a book. Not everyone could pull that off, but H.E. Edgmon does, and it's wonderful.

Its always good to see the LGBTQ+ represented in books. This book is very interesting and well developed. I found it engaging and read it pretty quickly. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review it.