Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and Amie Kaufman for the opportunity to read The Isles of the Gods in exchange for an honest review.

A seafaring adventure awaits with a grand cast of characters and of course the tense forbidden romance Amie Kaufman is known for.

Selly doesn't want to wait all winter for her father's return, so she plans to take the last boat up north to find her father and join him. Her plans are disrupted when she misses her boat  due to a handsomely sly fellow: Leander. Now she must join her friend and continue her shiphand training so she can one day be a captain.

Leander is a prince, and being of the direct loyal line, he is tasked with his family's quest of responsibility to Alinor's goddess, Barrica. Every 25 years, a royal must sail to the Iles of the Gods and make an offering to keep their goddess powerful and help keep the risk god, Macean, tethered down. It's Leander's turn, and with a decoy fleet out on the water, he finds himself on the same ship as Selly, making a great payment for them to safely bring him to the Isles.

Keegan can be found on the same ship as well, one who went to school with Leander in the past and is not in passage on his way to be a scholar at the Bibliotek.

A manhunt for the prince leads these three to embark on their own quest for the Isles, and survival, hopefully before a major war can begin.

With epic seafaring imagery and lingo, and unbelievable twists at every turn, Isles of the Gods is a beautiful fantasy novel for a young adult audience, the first of a duology. There's excitement and adventure, as well as the tense forbidden romance that will make any reader's heart pound. An absolute must-read for fantasy, adventure, and Kaufman fans!

I thought I was going to love this book. The title alone sounded amazing. Within the first couple chapters I was already confused. I really wanted to love it though. I enjoyed the characters and the world building. I will probably come back to this book at some point and try it again.

This is a fun, fast-paced fantasy that younger high school students will love. Amie Kaufman is the queen of snappy dialogue for the younger age group. Sweeping and very fun.

So first off fair warning this one is told in not one, not two, nope FIVE POVS!! And lord did it make it so confusing. This story was a mess of plot holes, way too many POVs, and just an overall flow that didn't work at all. I have loved some of this authors other books were she has written with someone else but I do not think I will try another from her alone.

Overall this was a very solid 4 star book. The story is narrated from 5 different characters and all are very diverse and interesting, be it the prince, scholar, zealot, sailor or the adrift betrayer, so that a perfect way for the reader to always be in the loop with what is going on. That being said, at times the story felt a little bit too complicated and busy, hard for me to follow what was going on and get invested- right up to the very messy end that is. I do think there was a lot of set up in this story so I can imagine the next book jumping right into the action and being even more engaging for me. I will definitely be back for more in this series and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes high stakes adventure books filled with peril and death, with just a touch of "what could have been" romances and a large cast of characters.

Thank you Penguin teen canada for this e-arc!

I actually liked this book more then I expected to. I was a little confused at the beginning, but after the first few chapters it became very easy to understand the world building.

The magic system was really cool and it was really interesting to see how magic impacted the lives of many of the characters

It was also super intriguing that we got to read the book from multiple points of view, including one of the villains.

It was filled with a bunch of casual representation (and lots of queer people!) and the characters were really likeable

Perfect for anyone who likes quests, old gods, cool magic systems, and adventures

Selly, Prince Leander and Keegan are in a race to save their world as they know it. Leander needs to provide his year overdue sacrifice to prevent the slumbering Gods from awakening, and Selly and Keegan have sworn to help him. They face seemingly insurmountable odds, and not to spoil the ending, but all's well that ends well...or so we think! There was a major cliff hanger that has me excited for the next book.

This was slow starting for me, but I am a sucker for seafaring stories and Kaufman tells a good one. With magic, warring gods, and a sort of a merging of the 1920's style world on the edge of tech advancement.

The major problem I have with this book is that I have to wait for the next one to come out to see what happens next! I loved this world and these characters so much. I was immersed in this story and flew through it. The characters went through it in this book and it really sets the stage for the next one beautifully as well as being a great book itself.

This was a cool world and story overall. I wish I would've liked the characters even more! I didn't care for the chapters with Laskia or Jude. They didn't keep my attention well. But I loved the world overall and the emotion behind it. Wish the characters were more involved, especially our main three.

I've been dying to read this book and it did not disappoint! Following tradition for Kaufman, there are multiple main characters and points of view so things are never slow or dull. The group sort of divides into good guys and bad guys and I loved seeing the story from all sides.

Selly is a badass sailor, with a wild magic she doesn't quite know how to use and a strong loyalty to her father and crew. She was my favorite to follow, since she's always coming up with plans while also starting to maybe fall for a certain prince...

Laskia is also great because in her thirst for recognition and respect, she starts to be consumed and gets more unhinged as things progress. I always enjoy a character that surprises you and has no boundaries.

The ending was complete madness and I'm dying to know how things will go in the sequel!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Centuries ago, the gods fought each other for peace. One is bound in sleep, another remains as sentinel, and the rest have left this world. Now, a sacrifice must be made to preserve this peace. A prince, a scholar, and a sailor come together against grave odds to prevent another war.

I loved this book! It has high seas adventure, romance, and high-stakes mythical conflict. I will say that multiple POVs were a little confusing at first until I got to know all the characters and how their stories intertwined. Around 25% I felt like I finally had enough context for everything to come together, and then the action really started and I was totally hooked. I’m a sucker for a rag tag team working together, and I was rooting for them the whole way. The romance story line was quite sweet, as well. The mythology of the world was intriguing and I’m looking forward to learning more as the series continues.

I loved this book! I love a good found family story and this one fit perfectly. The slow-burn romance between the two main characters was sweet. The found magic and prophecy was awesome too. I read this book so fast and loved every second. I can't wait for book 2!

I love the multiple points of view in Isle of the gods. The way Kaufman sets this book up provides enough mystery around each character that keeps the reader guessing. This book sets around a magic system where a sacrifice made every twenty years to a goddess to keep a land healthy and protected from war. This time Prince Leander is late by one year, his country is on the brink of war and is dependent on a small vessel to make the journey. This is much to the chagrin of Selly, a girl I’m used with magic but unable to access her powers. All she wanted was to escape her current plight, reuniting with her father, but prince Leanders appearance in the middle of the night, spelled out a completely different future. This book was a fresh, original story idea and a devouring read!

Thank you so much Random House Children's Publishing and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

And I can't believe finally, finally found my magic, and I couldn't follow the one instruction I was given. I'm not an asker, and I never have been. I've always taken.
But I nearly cost us everything.
Our water, our boat.
Our lives.
All because I couldn't meet the spirits halfway.

*4.25 stars*

First of all, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Amie Kaufman is well-known for her sci-fi collabs (Illuminae & Aurora Rising with Jay Kristoff, The Other Side of the Sky with Meagan Spooner), not fantasy solely written by her. Therefore, I wasn’t going into this expecting much that way I could actually enjoy the story. I was pleasantly surprised by it due to how well the worldbuilding was, especially the magic system (the spirit part was interesting, and I hope we learn more about what they do in book 2) and politics behind the storyline, as well as the high seas plotline (do NOT mistake this for a pirate book! It is not; it is a high seas adventure).

Secondly, one of the critiques I could make is that it was really hard to tell who was telling the story because the five different POVs had no individual voice (I especially wish Selly had some kind of accent). I wouldn’t have known who was speaking if it weren’t for the headings on the chapters (and some context clues, like the character addressing other characters by their first names). The other problem I had with this was the rising action was sooooooooooooo long. Like the real storyline didn’t start until 40% through.

Thirdly, I loved the trio of Keegan, Selly, and Leander. Their begrudged alliance to actual friendship was believable. I also REALLY loved the romance between Leander and Selly (I wouldn’t call it enemies to lovers; it’s more like complete strangers - with grudges - to friends to lovers). The banter was great.

Overall, a really fun high seas book that I’d recommend to fans of Fable by Adrienne Young. I can’t wait for book 2, especially with the cliffhanger Kaufman left us with!

The Isles of the Gods by Amie Kaufman (The Isles of the Gods #1)
Published: May 2, 2023, Knopf Books for Young Readers
Format: eARC (from publisher via NetGalley)
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

This is the first YA fantasy novel that I’m reading by Amie Kaufman. I’m more familiar with her YA science fiction novels that she cowrote with Jay Kristoff. But Kaufman didn’t disappoint with The Isles of the Gods. It has the multiple POVs and a strong squad similar to the novels I’ve already read but in a creative fantasy setting.

The idea of sleeping gods and warring gods isn’t unique, but I found the way Kaufman presented that idea to be very creative. Essentially, each country worships a different god, and in this story, the villains are trying to wake up their god that the heroes’ god put to sleep. The fact that waking up their god will start a war is simply a necessary thing the villains are willing to face in order to achieve their goal. The countries also couldn’t be more dissimilar in their cultures, but the magic is the same. It was such an interesting world. Kaufman did start with what some would call an “info dump” in the beginning, but I personally appreciated it. It provided just enough background to understand the history behind the gods so I could focus on the present day world she was creating.

The multiple POVs also made the story compelling. It did mean that the story had a slower start. I had to cycle through a couple of POVs before I really got into things. But we get to see two parallel story lines through the five POVs and each of the characters personal motivations. Three of the POVs followed the heroes of the story: Selly, the sailor, Leander, the prince, and Keegan, the scholar. Two of the POVs followed the villains: Laskia, the gangster, and Jude, Leander’s former friend. If there was a main character focus for this story, it’d likely be Selly. However, each of the characters went through their own character growth, and all of them were flawed and had personal obstacles to overcome. While I definitely was rooting for the heroes, I also sympathized with the villains.

Some other small things from this story that I enjoyed were the subtle LGBTQ+ representation and the moment when the heroes thought an adult was finally stepping in to save the day. I could feel the relief of the characters flow right off the pages, but of course, something had to go wrong.

If you love Amie Kaufman or fantasy stories featuring gods or sailing, this book is definitely something you should pick up. I absolutely can’t wait until the sequel releases.

Quick Rating: 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

ok WOW- i want to start this off by saying i started this book over a month ago. normally i read books pretty quick, but i had a really busy month or two recently and so i was sort of thrown in a reading slump because of that. despite this i still LOVED whenever i had time to read this book, and now im kicking myself for not making time for it sooner

a big thank you to netgalley for providing me and arc of this book and a big sorry that i wasnt able to push out this review until post-release :)

With that aside, if you’re wondering if you should read this book, YOU SHOULD. If you’re remotely interested please please give it a shot and spread the word about this because i NEED people to talk about this

An EPIC ya fantasy, this novel has it ALL!
Sleeping gods? ✅
A goofy prince who kind of reminds me of Dorian in the first few Throne of Glass books? ✅
Set mostly on the SEA? ✅
Cool and realistic main character? ✅
BEAUTIFUL world building? ✅
Intriguing politics within said incredible world? ✅
A unique take on magic that I found really refreshing to read about? ✅
5 separate povs from both villains and heroes? ✅
Characters TO DIE FOR? ✅
Plot twists that leave you flabbergasted? ✅
AND SO MUCH MORE !!

when i say i love ya fantasy THIS is what i mean. please please please read this book and recommend it because it’s just wonderful and i need more people to read and appreciate it <333

I NEED BOOK 2 NOW

An enormous thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and the ever-talented Amie Kaufman for providing me with an eARC of this book.

I absolutely adored this book and the world that Kaufman created. A wonderful blend of old and new, sailing and royalty, magic and gods, and new technology bustling around.

The characters were fantastic and I loved all the different POV’s throughout. This book had me hooked from beginning to end and I cannot wait for the next one.

If you enjoy the adventures that come with sailing, epic quests for the history books, and intriguing world-building, then this book is for you!

I loved everything abou it! A lovely read withou a doubt , so fun and interesting. Amie Kaufman has an amazing way to bring our curiosity to her books, seriously, this woman is amazing.

The gods have been asleep for centuries. Selly isn't concerned with them when her captain allows a charming stranger unexpected passage upon their ship. But Leander is tasked with a special mission: To visit The Isle of the Gods and enact a sacred ritual that prevents the gods from waking and warring once again. It's a task that his former classmate and fellow passenger, Keegan, certainly doesn't think he's capable of completing. When the ship finds itself in the clutches of a rogue enemy begging for war, Selly, Leander, and Keegan hold the fate of their country and their goddess in their hands.

Selly and Leander are certainly featured that most, the book has five POVs, including Keegan, the scholar who finds himself on the journey with them, Jude, a former friend of Leander's who's now reluctantly hunting him down, and Laskia, an enemy rebel and crime boss's younger sister who is trying to make a name for herself by killing Leander. Laskia and Jude had interesting moments, but I mainly found myself wanting to read more of the main three. I wanted more of Keegan, who gets a hint of a backstory, but feels slightly underutilized.

The general character chemistry between Selly, Leander, and Keegan is great, but I was a bit surprised with how quickly Selly and Leander developed a romantic storyline. It felt like it was going to be a slow burn but then boom! It was happening! They were very cute together, though, and the expedited romance makes sense once the big end scene comes into play.

If there's one thing Kaufman is very good at, it's writing in a big shocker ending sequence that leaves you wanting more. Despite any flaws, I want to know how this ends!

This is the first solo Amie Kaufman novel that I've read, but I've checked out plenty of her writing team-ups with Megan Spooner and Jay Kristoff. Amie's books typically lean toward sci-fi, but she slides into the fantasy genre with ease. The action scenes are palpable and the plot had some great twisty moments, but the series starter vibes were a little too strong— meaning the pacing sometimes slowed a little too much in favor of worldbuilding. This will probably pay off a little more in Book 2. We'll have to see!

Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. It's a fantasy while Kaufman's previous works have been sci-fi, and while I don't believe it is bad, I don't think it was particularly good, either. None of the protagonists really felt compelling. I was reading their perspectives but none of them were particularly interesting or felt worthy of a connection. I don't mind a bit of predictability with the plot, but I don't think I was ever surprised by anything, which was disappointing. This book felt like it was just kind of going through the motions.