Godly Heathens was SO FUCKING GOOD. Another favorite read of the year. Just UNF. So many things I love, all wrapped up in a complicated, messy, oh so human, package.

I've read books by this author before and as always its a great read. Our main character are morally grey and if thats something you enjoy you'll love it here. It's well written and the parts where our main character is being an idiot are so well done it had me making a frustrated mom sigh at my kindle. The gods powers are just plain cool and the details used to describe how they use them are even cooler. I loved the portrayal of polyamory in the book too. Like all of the gods relationships with each other its plagued by their past lives and memories. The finale left me wanting to rip my hair out and crossing my fingers for a book two.

I read an eARC of Godly Heathens by H. E. Edgmon. Thank you by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

And I have no idea what to think of what I just read. Partly that’s the ending. And to keep away from any spoiler, let’s just say it’s unhinged in the best but WTF sort of way, that honestly leaves me wondering what I should rate it, but I have to leave some star rating, so yes I put some stars here, but my formal rating is “WTF”.

Honestly, this book was all over the place for me. In the beginning, I was confused about the dreams, and annoyed I was learning information through dreams. Then the main character was also a fun character but also a bit of a cocky pain. I don’t know. I don’t mind confident characters, but there was something about them that was particularly annoying, but also just enough that I was intrigued to learn more.

Then the action started, and I was engaged, especially when the Reaper was showing off. And then there would be stretches, even ones with some action that I just wasn’t as engaged in what was happening or the thought process behind it all.

I don’t know. It was a fascinating, but also rather predictable, but also disappointing read that I’d had in quite a while. Conversations I’d like the main character to have beats that story could have taken, all lost in this story of Gods, a story of Gods with fascinating implication, but also woven in stories of emotions and flawed people that just scratches the surfaces and left me wanting so much more.

Maybe I wanted too much because of the flashes of greatness I saw in the book, but the rest of it was terribly boring and dull, so I would have rather it kept those moments of beauty with it, and I think the ending is the perfect reflection of all of that which in the end leaves me going: WTF did I just read?

This was an exciting nonstop read that had me hooked until the end. If you enjoyed Lore, or any other stories about gods being reincarnated you are going to love this!

Gem Echols is a trans high school student just trying to make it out of their small town to be with their maybe love interest in college. That all changes when they meet Willa Mae who reveals that the dreams Gem has had are actually memories of a previous life and they are the reincarnation of a god.

I thought that Gem was pretty funny at the start of the book and I was on my way to being endeared to them. But somewhere along the way I realized that I didn’t really like them. Or Willa Mae. Or Enzo. I love morally grey characters and they don’t have to do good things but I do need to like them on some level.

But there are a lot of good things about this book and I think a lot of other people will like it. It's got good trans representation, Native representation, discussions of colonization as well as mental illness.

I still look forward to reading the author’s other books and would recommend this to people, it was just missing ~something~ for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I must start by stating that I cannot wait for the second installment of this series. And also that I will have to reread this one again. I know there are so many things that I missed and overlooked because of how quickly and voraciously I consumed this book. It was so good and had me captured from chapter one.

There is so much that stands out to me in Edgmon’s newest work. The world building and mythology created for this universe is incredibly detailed. There are sleeping gods who are drawn to each other across space and lifetimes. Though, how many lifetimes they have left in this borrowed world remains to be seen.

Edgmon’s depiction of the queer experience in the rural south was so accurate. There are plenty who will support who you are. And there are those who will do their best to try and tear you apart for living as yourself. It was refreshing to see the rural south depicted accurately and not just demonized.

Mental health struggles are present throughout the entirety of the story. Gem references having to mask themselves to attempt to fit in many times throughout the beginning before their godly revelation. After this is revealed they think that may be the single explanation for their struggles to fit in. And then they slowly realize, that while their godhood contributed to some of their feeling lost, they do, in fact, have mental illnesses that have made life harder for them.

The trans- and native- majority cast was so wonderful. “There are no cis gods.” Of course there aren’t. If we as normal human beings are unable to find comfort in the restrictive gender binary, there is no fathomable way for a being who has lived millennia to fit into it.

In the same vein, there are no good or evil gods, they just are. They have all committed heinous acts against each other, just as they have all done wonderful things for each other at some point in their history (except for maybe Cyclone). But they are all currently stuck in cycles of generational trauma and abuse. There seemed to be a chance to stop the cycle, and maybe there still will be in the sequel, but Gem’s choice at the end has me questioning how anyone survives in book two.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me this ARC to review early!

This book is WILD. It revolves around Gem who is a non-binary teenager living in a little middle of nowhere town in Gracie, Georgia. Their father is severally mentally ill and out of their life and their mother barely speaks to them. They don’t really have any friends except for an interest friend that lives in Brooklyn named Enzo. They also have horrible nightmares that involve a sexy demon who both tortured and loves them. But why do these nightmares feel so familiar? While Gem always thought something was strange and different about them, they never really considered they were the reincarnation of the God of Magic. Soon other Gods that have been reincarnated as teenagers begin to flood Gracie with good and mad intentions for Gem.


What makes someone good and what makes someone evil? Should you be punished for your past sins that you can’t even really remember? I really liked Gem for the most part, They are extremely flawed and a huge asshole, but they were loyal and ready to fight. Zeke was my fave tho /: I’m glad this touched on a lot of Gem’s struggles with their self worth and their destructive tendencies. I wanted to hug them. Also there’s a good bit of a poly relationship thrown in there that I’m glad got sorted out.

The other Gods were interesting and I’m hoping in the next book they touch on the God of Love and why Gem can’t remember her. There’s so much in the second book that needs to be touched on. What is Indy & Bucks’s deal? I’m curious why Indy was always in every little fight taking all sides. This book went from one bonkers plot to another. I’m looking forward to this being a series.

I really wanted to like this book, however I could not. I ended up DNF''ing it at 12%. The writing felt clunky and as if it wasn't well thought out. I couldn't find myself getting into the characters and I didn't care enough about the story to keep going.

Obsessed with the writing style in this book! And the feels it gave me.
Definitely love a villains POV story especially when they don't realize they are a villain.
So fascinated with sleeping god's and those that search for each other through lifetimes. There were flashbacks to gruesome scenes and different lifetimes images that built an echoey depth to these teen humans.
Gem is a non-binary Seminole teen in Georgia. They have graphic dreams and then some weird things happen at school. These characters were so interesting and as Gem uncovered secrets and memories those around them started remembering. Love the whole idea of this! 
"There are no cis gods" - for me this tracks.
PS Dwayne from the Lost Boys was the hottest! Good choice! I was obsessed with that movie when I was little (and still am).
Trying to check out The Witch King from my library to read this week.

Thank you wednesdaybooks and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

5/5 stars to the book that left me sitting on the floor staring at a wall.

Let’s start this off with one of my favorite things to read - angst. My goodness was this book off the charts with angst. The writing lent itself so well to this. The author had such a way of describing things that start off so simple and mundane, and then they turn and drive a knife through your heart. This book also asks a lot of questions of the characters: good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, fate vs. free will, justice vs. fairness, etc. and you have to ask them right back at yourself. A deeply contemplative experience as you gravitate towards characters or try to justify actions, but all the characters are morally gray or even downright evil at times. Make sure to check the list of content warnings at the start of the book before reading.

THAT ENDING. 5/5 screams! I literally swiped to the next page only to find out the book was OVER and then sat there with no idea what to do with myself. It was the biggest cliff hanger I have EVER read in a book, and part of the reason that I gave it 5 stars, because it will knock you senseless.

How fast did I gobble this book up? I usually consume books, but this book consumed me. When I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about reading it. From the moment I downloaded it I finished this book in about 24 hours.

You’ll enjoy this book if you like:
- Transgender and LGBTQIA+ representation
- POC and specifically Indigenous representation
- Mental illness representation
- Reincarnated old gods
- Morally grey/villainous cast

This book is an addictive kind of reading - you just have to keep turning the pages because you do not know what’s going to happen next. When you read this book, you aren’t just reading the story of Gem Echols, but a story filled with a lifetime of stories.

Last but not least, special shout-out to Hank - consider me a Hank stan and if you’re wondering who Hank is, I guess you’ll just have to read the book and find out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the incredible opportunity to read this book as an E-Arc.

This is a breathtaking, angry, joyful whirlwind of a novel, and I loved it so much. The combination of the title, that cover (!!), and H. E. Edgmon's name meant I went in with super high expectations, and they were more than met! Can't wait until everyone can read this.

Thank you for letting me read this arc! If I was a teen this would have hands been a favorite of mine. I loved the representation included in this book. It also shows cases themes that aren't included a lot in Teen and YA. The cover is absolutely beautiful. I would recommend reading the trigger warnings but overall would recommend!

Thank you a million times over to NetGalley and the publishers for this e-ARC. I am speechless, this book far exceeded my expectations. I loved every minute and will be immediately adding this author to my must-buy list. Formal review will be available on GoodReads, socials & Amazon.

An unexpected twist had me scrambling to the end of the book to see what comes next in this queer contemporary fantasy with reincarnated gods

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

I didn't think I could love any book more than The Witch King, but obviously, I was wrong. Godly Heathens is a phenomenal book that I will re-read many, many times. And I need the sequel right now!!

If you like dark stories with villainous main characters and lots of transness and queerness, read this book! Or pre-order it and read The Witch King duology in the meantime, because that one is also fantastic.

(Content warnings are listed in the book.)

It is going to be hard to put in to words just how much I adore this book, but I'll try! H.E. Edgmon has a real talent for making queer characters that are angry and sometimes completely unlikeable but always make you want to root for them. Especially in Godly Heathens, every character is vibrant, complex, and not usually "good" but still lovable.

Godly Heathens is about queer, trans kids trying to balance being resurrected, immortal gods with being teenagers. It features a complex, probably toxic poly relationship that I absolutely adored, along with a large host of side characters to fill out the world who may not always get a lot of screentime but still get enough personality and history to feel real.

This book is messy, raw, morally gray ( and sometimes straight up evil), and I adored it fiercly.

Synopsis:

Gem Echols, a nonbinary Seminole teenager residing in a small town named Gracie in Georgia, relies on their charisma to hide their underlying anxiety. Gem is famous for being the person who helped their peers realize their queer identities. The only individual who truly knows them is another trans teenager named Enzo, who resides in Brooklyn and is miles away from Gem.

Gem has recurring dreams of magic and violence that feel genuine, but they have never shared them with anyone, not even Enzo. However, a new girl named Willa Mae Hardy arrives in town and behaves as if she and Gem are old acquaintances. She seems to know things about Gem that no one else knows, including their dreams.

After Gem is attacked by a stranger who claims to be the Goddess of Death, Willa Mae rescues them and provides some information. According to Willa Mae, Gem and she are reincarnated gods who have loved and known each other throughout many lifetimes. Unfortunately, Gem has not always been a benevolent deity, and they have created many enemies in the pantheon who will continue to pursue them.

Thankfully, Gem still has Enzo, but as the past catches up with the present and worlds collide, Gem will learn that everyone has secrets to keep.

Thoughts:

DEAR. MOTHER. OF. GOD. THIS. WAS. MINDBLOWINLGY. GOOD! This was the first book I read by H. E. Edgmon and man oh man, this was a wild ride! Their writing is so good, it was almost impossible not to fall in love with the characters and the story. The story reminded me a lot of Kresley Cole’s The Arcana Chronicles which I absolutely adore. The story was well developed, the plot intricate and the characters had depth and soul making you want to root for them, even the darker ones. Whenever I thought I had it figured where the story was heading, Edgmon threw in plot twists which changed the narrative and leaving me pleasantly surprised. Their writing was spunky, snarky and and filled with comic relief which made the story all the more interesting to read till the very end. The intimate scenes among Gem, Enzo and Rory were so artfully showcased too. It is not everyday that we get to read a polyamorous YA book, so that was another plus for me as well.

I wholeheartedly loved Gem. They were a brilliant protagonist. I feel the author did a fantastic job portraying the struggles a non binary teen goes through and I have never wanted to hug an imaginary character so tight and Edgmon made me want to do that. Gem was at times extremely dark and had a lot of inner demons they were fighting but despite that they were also tender, soft and empathetic making them a relatable character.

Enzo/Shade and Willa Mae/Rory too were brilliant characters. I loved Enzo’s flair for drama and Shade’s deeply rooted cunningness and apathy. Willa Mae/Rory was such a badass character and I really loved how the author showed us glimpses of their tenderness making her character essential for Gem’s existence. All the other characters were well written too. None were similar. Some were bizarre, some were chaotic and some were calm. All of them combined made the story very interesting indeed.

Although there were a few plot holes here and there, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book at all and Godly Heathens deserves all five stars I am giving it. H. E Edgmon is an extremely talented writer who can weave beautiful stories that keeps the reader engaged and enthralled. I am looking forward to reading the next installment of The Ouroboros series.

I do not have the words to express how amazing this book is. It is rare that I don't find something wrong with even my most favorite books, from my favorite authors. But this book? I don't have a single damn criticism. I genuinely think this is one of the most well written books I've read, and it hit so many of my sweet spots -- from soulmates to the exploration of the power of darkness to some of the best and most authentic queer (& neurodivergent) rep I've read since HFWU last year. Just so many aspects that I love to see in the books (and other media) I consume were present here and they were simply SO well done. I don't think there was a moment of this book where I didn't enjoy it, where I wasn't engaged, and where I didn't love almost every single character on paper. If this book does not BLOW UP and hit some Best Of lists and Bestseller lists, I will start a riot.

OT3 for LIIIIIIIIIFE 10/10 I need book two RIGHT NOW and I can't believe I have to wait like two years. RIP me, if you need me I'll be hibernating until I can read book 2

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the chance to read this book!

I had high hopes to enjoy this book, but. . . unfortunately I found myself unable to. There were some sections that felt too general YA-- Gem being like "I convinced this jock to call me a god" (not a direct quote), at the time before they all know they're gods. It's pointed out by Willa Mae that Gem has all the godly arrogance with none of the power to back it up, and it still just felt so. .. . flat. As well as Willa Mae telling Gem flat-out they're basically the god of gods, the most powerful one of them all. There was also the line "No relationship has ever been more toxic or sexy than the one between original-me and the god of things forbidden" which I all but felt my eyes rolling for. The obvious twist that I also spent most of the book waiting for. . .maybe it was the build up? But it also felt strange Willa Mae hadn't openly considered the possibility before it was revealed.

There were other points where I was realizing that yes, this was villain MC, but it still felt .... overmuch, really. After a twist, when the gods they're fighting try to make a deal and end their own suffering, the MC would seemingly rather risk everyone than the discomfort of one. (Yes, it could have been a quick betrayal, but still! It seemed a very reasonable end to the conflict that was easily tossed away). While other things still could be proven off, and Reveals made in the second book, I also felt as if we were primed to see sacrifices made for magic when . . . none really happened. It might be the true sacrifice was a partial loss of humanity or ethics, but it didn't seem much of that way, just a build-up to claim danger and then... nothing.

I definitely did like some of the humor: calling something -phobic because it inconvenienced them specifically. I also enjoyed the difficulty with the family dynamics between Gem and their parents. Their mother loves them, but does not and cannot understand them, so ends up harming them emotionally. Their father is. . . .well. Their father.
I also enjoyed the conversations between Gem and Willa Mae about their heritage, and what it meant for them as gods-- what and who they looked like, what had happened to their people, the multiple links they had, and I look forward to hearing more about that in the second book.