I just didn't find this book to be all that well done. I forced myself to finish it but I took issue with certain aspects of the story. They just seemed toxic. Additionally, the story wasn't all that engaging and hard to follow with such a large cast of characters. I can respect what the author is trying to do and love the attempt at bringing in other cultures and gender identities. I just feel like this fell really flat.

I will admit I can see many readers loving this book. It just wasn't for me personally.

"Godly Heathens" by H.E. Edgmon is a YA contemporary fantasy novel and the first book in The Ouroboros duology. The story follows Gem Echols, a nonbinary Seminole teenager residing in the small town of Gracie, Georgia. Gem relies on charm to hide the anxious mess beneath the surface, and their only confidant is Enzo, a trans kid living in Brooklyn.

However, Gem experiences haunting dreams of magic and violence that feel too real. Things take an unexpected turn when a new girl in town, Willa Mae Hardy, seems to know things about Gem that they haven't shared with anyone. After an attack by someone claiming to be the Goddess of Death, Willa Mae saves Gem's life and reveals a shocking truth: both of them are reincarnated gods who have known and loved each other across lifetimes.

As the past catches up with the present, Gem discovers that their previous self hasn't always been a benevolent deity, making them the target of enemies from the pantheon. With the help of Enzo and the revelation of their divine origins, Gem must navigate a world where everyone has something to hide.

"Godly Heathens" explores themes of identity, love across lifetimes, and the challenges of dealing with a past that comes back to haunt you. It promises an intriguing blend of contemporary issues and fantastical elements within a YA narrative.

I really enjoyed this story. The concept was really interesting. I had some issues with some of the heavier themes feeling forced towards the end and the storyline getting muddled but it did come back around by the end. I also had an issue with the poly relationship being very villain coded, it read as a very toxic relationship and I think part of that was Enzo being not just morally gray but being emotionally abusive even before we knew who he was in the pantheon. Overall though it was great.

The narrator made some odd voice choices but it didn’t ruin the storytelling

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...

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. Wonderful as an audiobook

So good! I was shocked at how easy this was to read and understand with how complex reincarnated gods with multiple lives are. The twist in the middle shocked me.