* Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. *

So, Merciless Saviors picks up immediately where Godless Heathens leaves off. Fresh off fighting for their life, Gem's whole world has shifted AGAIN. Having killed another god, the power now hangs out of balance. Gem, Rory and Enzo must go to great distances and sacrifice more than they bargained for to put everything back in order.

I liked Merciless Saviors more than Godless Heathens, and that's saying something because I did like GH a lot. I did have some general issues in GH, but I actually really enjoyed the existential-ish crisis Gem had throughout MS. It answered some of my questions from the first book and left me with a better feeling about the whole good vs evil debate. I don't want to spoil too much about this book, because I really think you should read it, but I will say this:

If you thought Godless Heathens was a wild ride, Merciless Saviors gets even crazier in the first few pages.

I do highly recommend checking trigger warnings for this one, as there are some touchy subjects being handled (beautifully).

boycotting st. martins press, including wednesday books, will come back to this and post a full review when the publisher takes accountability

This was a great ending to the duology! I wanted it to end with me not being pissed at Gem and this is perfect.

I had read Godly Heathens a month before this, and it took me a minute to get back into the story and remember who everyone was as it was the awkward amount of time that is too soon to reread but too long that names were slipping my mind. But about 10% in I was firmly re-cemented into the world and back into the action.

This one definitely hit harder than the first. While I feel that it was a little slow, and I didn't like the time on earth as much as I liked the time spent in the world of the gods, I still enjoyed the character development we got there. This one was grittier, rawer, and realer than the first in a way that I deeply connected with.

One thing I loved in particular was how willing Gem, Rory and Enzo were to be honest with each other and how they weren't afraid to say the mean thing if it was necessary to say. Unapologetically loving each other in the way that they Needed, more than the way they Wanted. God I want a polycule like them.

I love this, and it built off the first spectacularly and somehow managed to exceed my expectations of a sequel.

Merciless Saviors by H.E. Edgmon is a stunning conclusion to the dulogy that began in Godly Heathens.
What I Loved
1. Excellent pacing
2. Good variety of representation
3. All story lines from book one are followed through on well here
4. Revisiting all my favorite characters from book one has gotten me excited to add physical copies of these books to my collection.

What Didn't work as well for me
1. Dialogue still feels a bit off in some places
2.The story picks up right after the end of book one but then gives me a time skip right after. simply doing the time skip right away may have been less jarring.

Who I would recommend this title for
Fans of Godly Heathens by this author will feel like they are visiting with old friends and catching up on their adventures as they dive back into this world in Merciless Saviors.

4/5 stars
Recommended for people who like: reincarnation, gods as humans, LGBTQ+ characters, portal worlds, morally gray characters, villains, mental illness

This review has been posted to Goodreads as of 11/30 and will be posted to my book review blog on 12/12 and to Instagram on 12/19.

TW mentions of rape and SA, body horror

SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1!

The start of this book pretty much picks up where the last one left off, though I do think it could've started a bit later since we get a two week time jump anyway. Mind as well just start there. I did like how Edgmon played around with narration styles in this one. Things are still from Gem's/The Magician's perspective, but now we get fragmented bits from different times and places. Plus we get a few chapters from other people's POVs, which I liked.

If things were looking like they took a turn for the worse at the end of the first book, well, they did. By killing The Cyclone, Gem has tipped the scales and now everyone's powers are all out of whack. On top of that, the consequences of what went down in the church mean they now have basically everyone gunning for them. Even Indy's not too pleased with them. That being said, I liked seeing the different 'odd' manifestations of everyone's powers and liked how the weirdness kind of brought them together.

One of my big issues in Godly Heathens was that I felt the characters used waaay too much modern slang, like "that's digital talk, not real talk" kind of slang. I'm happy to say that isn't the case in this one. The characters do use modern language and slang at times, and they do make jokes like the kind you'd expect to hear from modern-day teenagers, but it felt natural.

All that being said, while book 1 felt like a book about reincarnated gods, this one felt more like a book about mental illness and healing and the characters just so happened to be gods. I wanted more focus on their powers and what it means to be a god and what it means to be a god in vs not in the Ether. Instead, this book focused a lot on the characters' past traumas and their current healing journey, and particularly Gem's story and their self-image. Which is fine, and does carry over from book 1, but there's just so much more of it compared to the god stuff and I wish there was a greater focus on the god stuff. And part of my dislike of this is that Gem has pretty low self-esteem, they did in book 1 and they do now, and it's gotten worse and more intense and I cannot stand characters who just constantly punish and put themselves down. I understand where it comes from and that it's a reasonable (and common) response to what they went through, but it doesn't make me any more tolerant of it than if it stemmed from nothing.

Gem is going through a lot in this one as they've regained their memories of past lives pretty much in full and, seemingly, have begun/completed the transition from Gem to the Magician. There's a distance between them and humanity for a lot of the book, and as a result we see them becoming crueler and more god-like than in book 1, when Gem was still wholly themself. I'm not sure I entirely liked this new Gem, but they were certainly interesting. What else was interesting was that it felt like they were playing a part for a lot of it, which they even acknowledged feeling themself. Their personal struggles really come through and we see them dealing more with what happened in their immediate past (i.e., Gem's life) as well as the distant past (past lives and the Magician's life), as well as starting to heal their interpersonal relationships with their human and god families.

Willa Mae (henceforth Rory) remains one of Gem's/The Magician's number one supporters, though she seems to have fully come into recognition of who Gem is as a god. She's remarkably more okay with Gem's morally dubious actions than in the first book, though at the same time she still acts as somewhat of a stabilizing influence between Gem and the other gods (not as stable as, say the Evergod or Indy or the Librarian, but still). She felt more wild in this one, a little closer to Gem's gray morality, than she did in book 1, though she still exhibits the softness you would expect.

Enzo is a lot more present in this book and we get to see more of him as the Shade. While he does do things that are villainous, I don't really get the feel that he's this Big Bad that all the other gods are worried about. Being Enzo seems to have given him a lot of perspective and he plays the line of 'not too bad villain' well. He has moments when he's more evil than others, but by and large he seems to feel bad about some of the stuff he did in the past.

The other gods aren't around as much in this one as they were in book 1, which I was somewhat disappointed about. As I mentioned in my other review, I actually did like pretty much all of the gods, and so I wanted to see more of their interactions in this one, but the groups were largely separate in this one. Marian and Poppy seemed somewhat subdued, in the sense that they weren't quite as vengeance-oriented as I would've expected. I'm also not entirely sure what was happening with Indy and Rhett (both with each other and with everyone else). And the Heartkeeper was....I don't know. Like I said, this book felt more like it was a healing journey where people happened to be gods than a story about reincarnated gods.

A lot of what happened in the second half of the book didn't feel like it was driving anything other than internal changes for Gem, Rory, and Enzo (and really mainly Gem) and while I think I get where Edgmon was going with it, I don't really feel like some of it was necessary. I really think we could've stayed in Gracie or some other place that featured prominently in Gem's/Rory's/Enzo's lives and battled/figured things out there without all the extra stuff going on. Clover and the little roadtrip just felt extraneous.

Overall, the story is good, though I would've liked if it focused more on magic and the gods. I did like that the ending was pretty open. I think Gem, Rory, and Enzo's story is done, but there's definitely room for it not to be. Also for there to be stories told about the other gods.

4.5 rounded up. Merciless Saviors picks up right where Godly Heathens ends, and amps up the intensity by multiple degrees. Since I read one book right after the other, it was really cool to see how much of Godly Heathens was set up to Merciless Saviors, and how the final installment of this duology dives even deeper into the subconscious and the examination of "good vs. evil" in the face of extreme trauma and pain. H.E Edgmon has crafted a stellar story, and I highly recommend these books if you're okay reading a rather intense YA. The character development from the first book to this one is very well done, and I felt like Gem was a very well thought out main character to the story, and their connection to their found family is top-tier.

Some content notes to be aware of: trauma, suicidal ideation, violence, murder, torture, family abuse, sexual violence, body horror, and 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!

Beautiful sequel, excellent writing, wonderful plot. Highly recommended for students in high school and college alike!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I really enjoyed this book, though I did have some issues with the pacing and character development. The story had period of lulls that made me temporarily lose interest in picking it back up, but once I got through them, I enjoyed what I was reading. I feel like the characters could use a bit more development, but all in all, it was a good read, that I would still recommend to dark fantasy lovers. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

DNF @10%

I shouldn't have even requested this book, because I didn't care much for the first one. For some reason I thought this had a chance of being better, but it isn't.

Gods, battles, and revenge. Picking up where the first book left off Gem, Rory, and Enzo are now in a battle for their lives as the other gods want revenge. Unfortunately for me, this one was not an improvement from the first book, there was a bit of a lack of character development and the overall story felt underwhelming. I really wish I liked this book more. I loved how inclusive the book was and the great variety of representation, but other than that, this one didn't have much going for it. The book had a lot of repetitive moments and felt a bit slow at parts. It has a happy ending overall and that's great. Yet despite all of that this series was just a miss for me unfortunately. Hopefully if you like stories with vast sexual orientations and representation and a bit of war and gods, maybe you'll have a better time with it than I did.

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I am so extremely conflicted about this book. I love and hate it. I want everyone to read it and I want to tuck it away and let it stew in my mind alone forever.
The plot in book 2 picks up immediately, and in general, I have no complaints about the plot. It was extremely confusing at times, and I felt tied up in a knot in my brain, but I think Gem did as well, and it helped build a convincing story.
Each of the characters is unique and challenging in their own way. Being gods that have been alive for millennia on Earth at this point, each one has witnessed their fair share of ups and downs, and that is evident in the way they interact with one another. Gem (the Magician), Enzo (the Shade), and Rory (the Mountain) as our three central characters all exhibited these ups and downs, and are all very grey in morality. It is fascinating to read a book that takes a character you love, doing things you hate, and yet you are still able to accept them, and see that reflected in the other characters.
This book took a strange but not completely anticipated twist at about 50%, which shook up both the plot and the character story. If this had not happened, I would have honestly wanted just a longer stand-alone, but this helped. It was also an improvement on one of my biggest gripes with Edgmon's first duology.
The one thing I was most conflicted about was the writing. While sometimes the writing was beautiful and well scripted, I often struggled to fully feel in the moment, because as soon as I started to appreciate the writing or prose I got knocked out of the book by some offhanded comment that sounded like it came out of a friend's mouth on a walk around campus. While I get the dichotomy of gods in teenagers' bodies, sometimes it only made things more confusing. It reminded me of people who are only able to talk about themselves when they are throwing a million jokes around, never to fully be taken seriously. This, unfortunately, happened with me and this book. I loved it and the story and the characters, and I will be purchasing both of this duology to reread once it is published, but I could not take it seriously.
Overall it is a great read. The conversations around love, trauma, growing up and grappling with not being a perfectly good person were wonderful, I just wish I could take it seriously.

*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Merciless Saviors in exchange for a fair and honest review*
Edgmon has earned another solid 4 stars from me. After my interest was piqued in Godly Heathens (Ouroboros #1), I was happy not to have to wait too long for the 2nd installment.
After reading back on my review of book #1, I feel my critiques were heard in Merciless Saviors (Ouroboros #2). I was underwhelmed by the character development (outside of their sexual orientation and/or identity as it was overdeveloped) in book #1. Book #2 has done a much better job of giving more insight into Gem especially. I was also bummed with the lack of elaboration of "The Ether" in book #1 and that was definitely expanded on in book #2.
One of my favorite aspects of these books continues to be the inclusion. The inclusion of indigenous people as well as queer/trans/non-binary. I appreciate it more in book #2 as it was not such a focal point.
The world-building was improved from book #1. I was surprised at how similar "The Ether" was to Earth. I was pleased to learn more about this place from which our characters originated.
The character development was much more...developed! The characters had actual progression aside from their orientation and how they identify. I valued the look into Gem's haunted past. It definitely helped give things perspective, to come together better, and make more sense.
I really liked this book as well as its predecessor. However...my mind was a little blown at the ending! In the best of ways, of course. I mean, WTF did I just read? Was this a well-spun story of gods sent to another world? OR did I just read the inner machinations of a troubled teen? Was this all a mythological story about gods and other worlds or was this a look into the psych of a traumatized teenager? Was this all real or fragments of Gem's twisted imagination?
This alone raised this book from 3.5 stars to 4 solid stars for me. This mystery alone elevated the story in my eyes. I have mad respect for the underlying message hidden in between the lines.

I removed my review because of the St. Martin's boycott, and will not review or promote any other St. Martin's Press books until St. Martin's Press has addressed and denounced the islamophobia and racism from their employee.

Oh my god. Edgmon calls this book a catharsis in the author’s note, and I can see it.

Picking up immediately after the end of Godly Heathens, this is such an intense, wild ride of a book. It’s the kind of book that scoops out your soft insides and shows you they can be replaced in a stronger configuration. So much happens to Gem, Rory, Enzo, and everyone else, but this is a fantastic conclusion to a duology that wraps things up satisfyingly.

I made so many highlights while reading this because Edgmon’s writing is just so good and hits such perfect balances of healing and hurting and loving and being true to oneself. I really adored this book and the ending was so good and I cannot wait to see what Edmon will write next.

Despite the powerful start, Merciless Saviors failed to maintain interest for me. My critique for Saviors is very similar to Heathens: pacing. I can forgive a slow start in the first novel, but this duology did not utilize the extra pages, as the cycle continued into Saviors. There are stretches of the book that feel very long-winded and repetitive, where I found myself speeding through to get somewhere. On the other side, I recall a specific moment near the finale where a character was dealing with the ramifications of a massive emotional reveal, but within a few pages they did an absolute 180 and were fine and "handled it". With this, I think this should have been a single book, not a duology.

A plus that stayed true in the sequel is the characters. Heathens and Saviors are very emotional stories, specifically for the titular character Gem. They are angry, vindictive, and at the cusp of losing themselves completely by this book. Edgmon does extremely well presenting Gem as a character you want to see succeed, despite massive mistakes made throughout the story. Enzo is still my favorite of the trio, and spending time with him is always a pleasure. There is a particular moment in the beginning with Rory's family members that was just... *chefs kiss*

It's an unfortunate outcome, but I do not regret my time with it. I would still recommend this series, despite my issues. It could have been better, but the pacing and filler is what kept it from being better.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book.

In the sequel to Godly Heathens, Gem picks up exactly where they left off--having made a potentially incredibly bad decision. What else is new? Now, Gem, Rory, and Enzo are faced with even greater risks and consequences as the balance of their lives--and their universes--is called into question.

This book was so good! I am so grateful that I was able to get an e-arc and read it right after I finished Godly Heathens. This duology was such a ride and this book gets even more introspective.

I love how much this book dug into Gem's past and their reasons for feeling the way they have. I feel like Gem's character was developed really well and I loved the moments of realization for what something meant in the first book.

The poly relationship in this series makes me so happy. It is hella messy but so so good and I seriously love it so much!

CW: ptsd, mental illness, childhood trauma, body horror, pregnancy, rape/sexual abuse, suicidality, depersonalization, incest, pet death, murder, torture

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC copy.

Gem, Rory, and Enzo have returned and are set on a battle for their lives, as the events of the last book have turned everything inside out and upside down. Poppy and Marian are closing on their tracks, especially with Poppy's new abilities and they are hell-bent on revenge. It's up to Gem, the God of Magic and Keeper of the Scales to right that balance.

Holy heck, this book was wild! THere was so much going on that I barely felt that I could keep my breath. I devoured this book, which is something that I love to see in a series. H.E. Edgmon is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors with their undeniably queer and morally gray characters.

There are some things in this book that definitely require trigger warnings, so please make sure that you read up on them. Things like gore, teen death, violence, some misgendering, and mental health issues take front and center stage, so please, take caution if these things easily trigger you.

Their triumphs and traumas, heartbreaks, and resolutions that they encounter really brought this book to life for me. I felt like I was very much back home in Georgia with some of Gem's descriptions, especially how Edgmon DID NOT shy away from showing poverty, mental illness, and how cruel teenagers can be to each other. I think that society has rose-tinted glasses when it comes to high school and "drama", but this story and how these gods who were reincarnated into the body of teens really snatched those glasses off.

There was also a lot of poignancy that really touched my heart and made me get a little teary-eyed at times while I read it. I wanted to feel, like truly from this book, and I did. I felt like I lived a thousand lifetimes without going anywhere. As I said before, this book has awesome queer representation, as well as a good view of a polycule that truly loves each other and isn't a disaster, which seems to have been a common theme for some books.

Though there were some things that I wish were resolved towards the climax and ending of the book (I won't reveal them because of spoilers), so that's why I can't give this five stars, but this book is a solid 4 stars for me. Go read it and support excellent authors, especially those who write fully fleshed out trans characters and don't focus on just transition and trans pain. :)

I grabbed this book as it was available as read now and I had an arc for the first book. I ended up not meshing with the first book and Dnfing it so I won’t be continuing the series unfortunately.

Merciless Saviors takes the intense emotions and anger found in Godly Heathens and elevates them to an even higher level right from the very first page. It seamlessly continues the story from where Godly Heathens left off and maintains its breakneck pace throughout.

The profound feelings of anger, rage, and love depicted in this book are beautifully portrayed, making it an incredibly engaging read that I couldn't put down. Gem's handling of their trauma and the way they grapple with the horrific experiences they've endured are brutally honest and exceptionally well-executed. Their emotions are so vivid that you can practically feel them, and their self-disgust is painfully relatable, particularly for any teenager who has experienced moments of self-loathing.

Amidst all the graphic and devastating elements in Merciless Saviors, there is also a profound sense of love. The story emphasizes the importance of finding people who will stand by you, love you, and support you even when you're at your lowest point. These individuals don't give up on you, and they help you recognize your self-worth. This theme of unwavering support and love is one of the standout aspects of Merciless Saviors.

Despite the fact that the characters are far from perfect and often make questionable decisions, their flaws make them all the more endearing.