Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne Press for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon is a book that immediately drew me in with its beautiful prose. The writing is lyrical and rich, full of vivid descriptions that bring the small town of Gracie, Georgia, and its characters to life. There’s a raw, emotional honesty in the way Edgmon writes that really resonated with me, especially when it came to capturing Gem Echols' inner world and their struggles with identity.

However, while I appreciated the prose, the overall execution of the story didn’t quite work for me. The premise is fascinating—a nonbinary teen discovering they’re a reincarnated god, dealing with a mysterious past and dangerous enemies. But as the plot unfolded, I found it a bit difficult to follow and fully connect with the narrative.

One challenge was the pacing. The story moved quickly between Gem's present life, their past lives, and the unfolding conflict with the pantheon of gods. This could have been thrilling, but instead, it often felt disjointed. The transitions between different timelines and revelations were sometimes abrupt, making it hard to stay grounded in the story. There were moments where I found myself having to reread sections to piece together what was happening, which took me out of the flow of the narrative.

Additionally, while the concept of reincarnated gods with a complex history is intriguing, the execution left me wanting more clarity and depth. Gem’s relationships, particularly with Willa Mae and Enzo, were central to the plot, but they sometimes felt underdeveloped amidst all the mythological twists and turns. I was left wishing for more time spent exploring these dynamics and less time trying to untangle the mythology and past lives.

That said, I think Godly Heathens has a lot to offer readers who enjoy a blend of contemporary issues with mythological elements and don’t mind a bit of narrative complexity. Edgmon’s writing is undeniably powerful, and there are moments of brilliance in the way they handle themes of identity, belonging, and transformation. While it didn’t fully come together for me in the end, I can see this book being a hit for those who love intricate, character-driven stories with a mythic twist.

In conclusion, Godly Heathens is a book I wanted to love for its prose and bold ideas, but the execution left me a bit lost. It’s worth a read for the writing alone, but be prepared for a story that requires some patience and a willingness to navigate its complex layers.

This was so refreshing, a true breath of fresh air!

The voice was engaging, fun and so proud of the identities and diversity within the book. It is truly a book I would've loved to read when I was younger and learning about my queer self too.

Gem Echols is a trans teen living in the small town of Gracie. He is confident in himself and lives a reasonably good life but looks forward to the day when he can move to New York and be nearer to his best friend who is secretly in love with. He has had bizarre and disturbing dreams for as long as he remembers but he is pretty sure that he is completely sane. His life is turned on its head when a new student arrives at his school and tells him that far from being a normal boy, he is in fact a reincarnated god and not only that but all of the other gods in the pantheon want to kill him. Oh, and this new student is also a reincarnated god and their soulmate.


I didn’t really know what to expect when I went into this book but I was utterly blown-away by the incredibly unique story that Edgmon has crafted with this book. One of the first things that really struck me was the fact that Gem is incredibly confident in himself and seems to be pretty accepted for being exactly as he is. His life is not completely free of microaggressions however it made a really refreshing change to pick-up a YA book with a trans protag where the conflict wasn’t because of their gender. This is not to say that there isn’t a place for these narratives, particularly with YA books, however there is something so beautiful about reading a book where trans people can simply exist. There is also a gorgeous representation of all queer identities within this book that absolutely made my heart sing. I was especially a fan of the poly rep and am excited to see their dynamic explored further in the sequel!


Edgmon has a true gift for writing some of the most stunning prose that I have come across and had I been reading this book physically, you can guarantee that my copy of this book would have been chock full of tabs, underlining, and marginalia. Some of my favourite quotes are just quippy, relatable one-liners that I am sure a lot of queer folk can identify with and some of the quotes were powerful, sweeping statements that feel as though they tattoo themselves on your heart as you are reading them. I am sure to treasure this book for many years and re-reads to come.


This was an utterly compulsive read for me and once I started, I knew that I didn’t want to stop for anything. It was so easy to follow along with all of the plot and characters that it was easy to forget that this book introduces the reader to a pantheon of 17 new gods each with their own unique powers as well as each of them having at least two names. At no point did it feel as though info-dumping was happening and I didn’t have to stop to scratch my head and try to remember who’s who.


I look forward to seeing where this book goes in the conclusion to the duology and feel sure that I am going to be surprised right up until the end.

I don’t love a book that starts with a dream sequence. It seems cliché, and overdone. But, when I got past the first chapter of Godly Heathens, I could not stop reading. H.E. Edgmon is a new to me author, and it only took about five minutes until I was completely hooked.

Gem is arrogant and full of self-loathing. Seriously. You will either want them to shut up or want to jump into bed with them to see what all the fuss is about. In my case, I was left cautiously curious, as their self-esteem and lack of social graces had me asking, ‘Do I even like this person?’

Then comes along Willa Mae and the rest of the would-be-Gods who expect Gem to be more than they ever thought imaginable. And there is the best friend\I’m madly in love with this person Enzo, who isn’t as they seem, and Gems world is rocked beyond imagination.

I began reading Godly Heathens without any idea as to what to expect, and left thinking where can I get more! It was original and thought-provoking. The characters were relevant and left me craving. They were far from perfect, but I understood their need for a clean conclusion, even if it would never be possible.

If I had a book like this to read as a teen/YA, I would have been jumping with joy and madly in love with both Gem and Willa Mae by the end. It’s the perfect gateway of what ifs. Even as an ‘oldie’ I still found myself captured in the creative writing and the originality of the storytelling. I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled by what H.E. Edgmon has coming next because it is sure to be captivating.

I received an ARC from the author via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review.

Let's start with the good: I liked the main character Gem, who's a slutty demiromantic trans masc Indigenous teen. YA authors are really knocking it out of the park these days with making interesting queer characters and I appreciate that a lot. I liked the vibes of this book, and its depiction of small town life and family drama. But unfortunately, I didn't click with much else. I felt the plot -- it's about teens who are reincarnated gods - was underdeveloped, as were the characters. It's not a bad book, and I'm sure a lot of teens especially will love it. But it just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an arc of this!

It's safe to say I had a rocky start with this book. The premise sounded really cool and the writing was engaging, but I couldn't bring myself to care about anything that happened and I struggled to form any connection to any of the characters. Thankfully that changed around the 60% mark and I ended up being pretty invested in both the plot and the romance and actually enjoying it. I'll definitely give the sequel a go as soon as I get my hands on it!

Unfortunately ended up being a DNF for me, I got about 5 chapters in but just couldn't engage with the story

I found the concept of this really captivating and exciting, but I felt the execution a bit lacking. I would have loved this if the characters were more well-rounded or fleshed out, but they fell flat to me.
I found the pacing to bit uneven also.
Besides these points, I did still enjoy the book and the story

This was a really interesting read. I found the setting quite unique and very promising, however it was hard to connect for me in the beginning.

Godly Heathens was my very first book I read with a trans main character that was written in 1st POV. As such, I found it hard to wrap my head around the character as they were struggling to find their identity. I can only imagine how many readers might be able to relate to Gem’s struggles finding themselves, but it is not something I can note on.

I found the mystery of the Gods interesting albeit for most of the book I had no idea what was going on. The magic was perhaps not so thoroughly explained as I found myself questioning what everyone could do. Is there a limit to the Magician’s powers? When we finally got certain things revealed, I got some answers and a lot more questions. It feet like the first 75% was very slow and everything happened in the last 25% of the book, so maybe could have been better balanced, but I appreciate that we needed to be introduced to characters and to the magic system through Gem learning all about it themselves.

I had a feeling about a certain someone halfway through the book, however, I did not see the massive plot twist coming (if you know, you know).

All in all, it was a fun read, if you enjoy fantasy and queer/trans characters with a polyamory romance, this might just be the perfect fit for you.

I did dock a few stars as I found the wait a bit too long between the intriguing start and the point when we started getting some answers, and I found myself not really connecting to the characters, but it might just be a me issue as I did have a lot of new experiences with this read.

I am looking forward to reading book 2, and hoping I will connect more as I will be more familiar with the characters.

Godly Heathens is a fast-paced ya fantasy novel, full of action and secrets. I am sure it will find a group of loyal fans, but it unfortunately wasn’t for me. Starting with the positives, the idea of gods reincarnating into teenagers in a small American town is fascinating. Also, they are not benevolent deities, but rather vengeful creatures, which was original. All the characters in this book are messy and morally grey at their best behaviour.

On the other hand, I think the novel would be much better if the characters were more complex and thoughtful. The revelation of Gem’s origin felt rushed. The characters move too quickly to working together and considering their options, including violence and murder.

To sum up, if you’re looking for a book with lots of action and morally grey characters, this book could be perfect for you.

I have wanted to read a book by this author for SO long and I am so glad I started with this one, the way I loved this book so deeply from the very start I will absolutely read every single thing they ever publish

Of course when you’re a teen, you struggle to find yourself, you think you’re special and normal people don’t understand you, maybe you’re meant to be elsewhere - you’re meant to be powerful - but what if you really were?

An intense drama of queer trans teens who discover they are reincarnated gods - this is messy, proper teenage stuff, with emotions and hormones and identity crises and lust crashing into the fantasy element. It’s a wild mash-up of messaging your long-distance maybe-boyfriend on Discord to magical duels fought on astroturf. It’s not one thing or the other. But that’s the point, isn’t it? Nothing: not gender, not morality, not love, is clearly black and white and cleanly boxed off in this story.

Even though it’s so messy, and kind of solipsistic, the story and voice came through really strongly for me. A compelling read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the early access to this book.

This didn't exactly turn out how I expected it to - I overall enjoyed this book, but I wouldn't re-read it.

Drawn in by the gorgeous cover I found out this wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be but ultimately enjoyed anyway. These queer gods definitely scheme and bicker like the Greek pantheon, with some modern teenage drama in the mix, in a rather dark and violent fantasy setting. While this book is YA, it doesn’t seem suitable for very young people.

Gem is one of those hot mess protagonists, but it does make their teenage chaos of a life seem real. The romance here is a bit messy too, with two love interests and no conclusive ending. This is a part of a duology, so the cliffhanger ending is all right. It also doesn’t feel like a cop out, I rather liked it.

The weaker parts of the book are in the first half or so. The story does seem to drag just a bit. Towards the end the pace picks up and the stakes get higher. I will be reading the sequel. “There are no cis gods.”

Godly Heathens by H. E. Edgmon follows Gem Echols, a non-binary Seminole teen living in the tiny town of Gracie, Georgia. Gem uses their charm and perceived confidence to hide the fact that they're an anxious mess, and to uphold their reputation of being the go-to person if their peers want a queer awakening. Gem is haunted by dark dreams of magic which they don't even dare to tell Enzo about: their best friend who lives in New York. When the drop-dead gorgeous Willa Mae Hardy walks into Gem's life and presents them with the news that they're actually a reincarnated god and Willa Mae's soulmate, and that the horrible dreams they've been having are actually memories, Gem's anxiety gets cranked up to eleven and their life gets turned upside down.

This is a YA urban fantasy story for the new generation of queers and it's saturated with under-represented minorities and earth-shattering deities stuck in teenage bodies. Unsurprisingly, Godly Heathens is full of teenage angst and difficult conversations about navigating the world when it wasn't built with someone like you in mind. These are incredibly important conversations to be having in literature written for young people, and along with the wealth of representation in this story (non-binary, queer, trans, chronic illness, disability, mental health, indigenous and other POC, and a touch of polyamory to name a few) this is a book that needs to be uplifted and made accessible to all.

From a writing perspective, we live inside Gem's head and Edgmon does a great job of creating an authentic view of what it's like living in a body that doesn't always feel like your own. This is augmented into metaphor with the revelation that Gem is a reincarnated god and the conversations that are had about being a god stuck in yet another human vessel translate smoothly into conversations about gender identity.

While the messages sent by this novel are hugely important, the story itself suffers from too much telling and not enough showing. There is an awful lot of lore to be conveyed and most of this doled out in chunks of one character explaining it to another. From a writing perspective, chunking the information makes sense so as not to overwhelm the reader, but from a character perspective it didn't make a lot of sense for these characters to withhold so much information from Gem after a certain point.

There are also an awful lot of characters to keep track of even before past identities and their divine titles come into play, and while it may become clear in the second book in this series, it certainly wasn't clear in this book why so many of these secondary and tertiary characters were deemed relevant to the plot. The concept of all of your high school friends actually being gods might have been a little more impactful if we had actually been introduced to more than one of them before that revelation. This story also would have benefitted from a longer timeline and more external conflict in the second quarter, rather than the repetitive internal conflict.

Despite these drawbacks, this is a story with plenty of important messages and diverse representation where new generations of teens will be able to see key aspects of themselves reflected back at them.

3.5 stars, rounded up

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher's for my review copy.

This book was a quick read for me. I so desperately wanted to learn more about the gods and the world that I devoured it.

I enjoyed seeing the unravelling of the mystery and mythos of the gods and their incarnations and the messy interactions that they had over the years, interspersed with Gem figuring out what exactly is going on.

I am excited to see how this series ends in the conclusion to the duology.

A diverse and interesting story, but for me it fell a little flat in the pacing and exploration of the narrative in sections. Still interested in picking up more from this author in future

Thanks to NetGalley and Daphne Press for this copy.

I had mixed feelings reading this novel, I really enjoyed the premise of the novel and how the gods are mixed in with the storyline. I felt the deliverance was somewhat lacking, I can't put my finger on what it was.

I enjoyed this, even though it was not without its flaws.

I really loved the representation in this - plenty of positive queer and trans rep, in a way that felt fluid. Being trans was a plot point and motivator for some actions, but not the overarching plot point and we need more of that. I liked that it didn’t fall into certain stereotypes, like the jock football player was genuinely kind and tried to understand Gem’s identity, even if they didn’t always get it right. The mums internalised transphobia was done just right as well, it was nuanced in the sense that you could understand her hesitance to accept her child’s identity because they were also mentally ill..

I appreciated the effort to show ethical polyamory, but here is where it falls a little short. It didn’t really feel like one of the characters had a choice and they had to go along with it under duress. This isn’t really ethical and it made me a little sad because there is such little positive polyamory representation.

The gods aspect was enjoyable, I did want to find out what happened, however it was a strange juxtaposition with the teenage drama. Maybe it’s because I’m a woman in my thirties and it was hard to suspend disbelief. Some YA books have a lot to offer adult readers, but this felt like one that was written specifically for a teenage audience and there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s hitting its intended audience but it’s worth pointing out for adults that read YA.

I was so very sure I was going to love this book based off its very intriguing premise, but that was sadly not the case.

Between doing the very hard work of being a queer awakening machine extraordinaire and getting lost in vivid dreams, Gem Echols is just a regular teen who uses humour to hide their pain. Or at least that's what they believe, until a mysterious, gorgeous girl walks into Gem's life and reveals they're reincarnated gods. But there are others, and they're not happy Gem's alive.

I couldn't really latch onto anything in this story. The one god I wanted to know more about (god of art) barely gets to do anything until the very end, and the dialogue was just too corny at times for me to handle. This also applies to the issues I had with the pacing of this book. For most of it, it read like Gem was being chauffeured around to different locations to talk to different people they'd wronged in past lives. There was a constant back and forth of forming and breaking alliances that really didn't carry much weight at all.

Listen, I get that we're dealing with teenagers, but these are also gods. I don't expect them to talk or behave a certain way, but I do expect more complexity, I suppose. Throughout the book, Gem wonders many times what is good and what is evil. More than once, we come across a statement that sometimes evil is just conflicting needs, and sometimes it is enjoying watching the world burn, but... no? Needs and wants are distinct concepts, doing bad or selfish things, and being evil are different, and I think these ideas got muddled in order for this story to work. Murdering someone else is never a need unless it is in self-defence. Deciding someone is not 'necessary' is also just hogwash.

Sure, these are gods. But we're not talking about yeeting someone into their next life, we're talking about torture, and permanently cancelling someone's subscription to life, thank you. Gem refusing to take responsibility because, "Can someone be blamed for something when they don't remember doing it?" Maybe not if you didn't notice you ate someone's last cookie, I suppose. But for carving someone into pieces? Yep. It's great for you not to remember that, but that person's loved one sure does remember and is dealing with the consequences.

And no, this is not about me not enjoying a flawed character. My favourite series is about a bunch of idiots doing stupid, immoral things. But they either properly recognize it, face consequences for their actions, grow from it, or all of the above. And they're just compelling, complex characters. This group felt so bland, even though they wanted to appear cool and mysterious. Perhaps I struggle with books with characters that take themselves too seriously and have nobody to properly take them down a peg. Maybe I just don't fancy overpowered MCs. Or perchance the writing could have been better.

Anyway, let's talk about something else. How about the romance? Didn't care. You don't get to pull the 'we're soulmates' and then have Gem be so overcome with love for someone after knowing exactly 3 things about them. This is why I always prefer to read about non-established relationships in stories like these. How brilliant would it be for them to slowly realize they've been falling in love for generations and are doing so again in the present? I would have devoured that. Instead, we get this poor attempt at ethical polygamy/potential throuple that Gem is basically forcing everyone to partake in, because they want what they want, and everyone else just has to bow to their wants. The other two corners don't have enough of anything to convince me this would work and not end in mutual destruction. This is not what I meant by putting love triangles in the bin. This is not what I meant about 'why choose?' It still mostly reads like a triangle, darn it!

Now, before anyone accuses me of just trashing this book, I of course loved the rep in this. As someone considering the label demiromantic, Gem's thoughts surrounding it were very relatable to me, and I'm very happy indigenous trans and non-binary people have this book in the world. The cover is also stunning. Elena Masci and Jane Tibbetts did an incredible job, as always.

This book is for you if you enjoy:
- power awakenings
- messy relationships
- backstabbing (and just generally stabbing) gods
- reading about a bunch of pretty unlikeable people
- soulmates reincarnating through time

Many thanks to NetGalley, H.E. Edgmon and Daphne Press for the chance to read and review this book.