The only reason this second book of the duology gets 3 stars is because I understand and respect what young debut author H. E. Edgmon was trying to do here. Unfortunately I do not think it succeeds, and it definitely creates some concerns from my point of view. Most poignant is the idea of humans craving, and getting, revenge. Your gods can do whatever they want; but when you set a story up a certain way you have to be careful that you aren’t condoning problematic thinking on behalf of humans (like those reading your book). Given the trans representation here (which is amazing!) and the authors own private journey I completely understand why it would be cathartic for them to perhaps write this. Where the issue lies is I’m not at all sure it’s the content I want in the hands of a 15-year-old trans teen struggling to find their way.

Other issues I cannot understand:
- the point of this threesome? Is it just to have a non-binary person be pan? It doesn’t enhance the character, in fact it confuses them (and threesomes bug me on principle as a bisexual cis woman).
- umm… so are we gods or high schoolers? See you can’t have it both ways without being a huge issue (see problem one above that extends into so many others)
- wait… that ending?! I thought the whole point is that the ‘ending reveal’ wouldn’t be possible?! Not a fan. You cannot rewrite the rules of the magic whenever you want, even in your own book!
- there is so much crazy content here; but no time or descriptions, or ways to really absorb it. This books needs serious work to come anywhere near the likes of Tamsyn Muir, Brandon Sanderson or Jacqueline Carey.
- this series cannot be YA. End of discussion. If you want sex, gratuitous violence and gory descriptions, dark fantasy elements, etc (all of which is fine with me I usually love grimdark fantasy) then you MUST write your book at the level it’s intended to be consumed at. I would never ever put this book in the hands of anyone below 16… maybe even 18.

I’ve been meaning to get back to this review for a couple months now to make it more coherent. Unfortunately I’m not sure I can given the time that has passed since I read it; and there is a kind of parallel to the way this novel is written and my review. They are both haphazard, scattered, and mildly incoherent. This I’m going to leave it as is. Take it for what it’s worth, or not and scroll on by.

Unfortunately this book just didn't make much of an impact on me. It's been a few days since I finished, and I'm already forgetting the details. H.E. Edgmon had really interesting ideas with this duology, I just feel that they weren't executed very well. His writing style makes their books easy to read though, so I really appreciate this.

Yeah... unfortunately I don't have much more to say. I'll probably pick up more of Edgmon's writing though.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

What a wicked, wild , weird, and wonderful book. If you enjoyed the first book, I can only imagine you'll devour this one too.

"Merciless Saviors" wraps up a series with a mix of highs and lows. While the first book's grittiness carried over, the sequel's confusing timeline and character arcs made it hard to stay engaged. Despite this, the writing style and characters were intriguing, though I struggled to connect with them fully. The book shines in its representation of queer and mental health themes, but ultimately, it left me wishing for clearer storytelling. If you're into complex fantasy worlds and don't mind a bit of confusion, this might be your jam, but it fell a bit short for me.

HE Edgmon deserves all the hype for the talent they have and I cannot give them as much promotion as this book deserves because of the St Martin’s Press boycott! The action (or lack thereof) of Wednesday Books is against everything the company claims to stand for!

After the recent actions of Freydis Moon, it’s more important than ever to promote true BIPOC trans authors like HE Edgmon.

This book is another hit, another beautifully written masterpiece mixing an entertaining fictional tale with a diverse cast of characters with a deep dive into mental health.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the narrator did a fantastic job and I couldn't put the book down. There is one scene that goes beyond the line of what is allowable for my district when it comes to sexually explicit. I would love to have this on my shelves but unfortunately it doesn't fit our criteria.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have to start by saying that I unfortunately enjoyed this book less than the first one BUT it was still good! Being back in this world with Gem and the pantheon was fantastic and I think the narrator did such a great idea in handling every character.

One of my main issues with this book versus the first book was the pacing. The pacing just felt off a little and it kept throwing me off. I think that issue ended up causing me slow down on my reading and I had to reread a few parts to fully understand what was going on.

What I did love about this book though were the characters and the themes the author included. The way the author handled Gem and their mind were done beautifully.

I still highly recommend this duology as a whole!

"Merciless Saviors" by H.E. Edgmon is a gripping continuation of the Ouroboros series. It delivers a deeply emotional and thought-provoking narrative that earns a solid four stars.

The novel seamlessly picks up where its predecessor left off, thrusting readers back into the tumultuous world of Gem and the pantheon without missing a beat. While the pacing may falter at times, with moments that drag and others that leave you yearning for more, the overall journey is undeniably engrossing.

Edgmon's writing shines brightest in this installment, showcasing some of their best prose yet. There are moments of sheer brilliance where sentences and passages demand to be savored, demonstrating the author's skill in crafting evocative imagery and poignant emotions.

Trigger warnings are prominently featured at the beginning of the book, a thoughtful inclusion that prepares readers for the deeper exploration of sensitive topics. While the gender commentary takes a backseat compared to the first book, the thematic depth remains palpable, focusing instead on trauma, healing, and the messy complexity of teenage emotions.

At its core, "Merciless Saviors" is a love story—not just romantic love, but the journey towards self-love and acceptance. Through the trials and tribulations of Gem and their companions, the novel beautifully explores the intricacies of identity, relationships, and the resilience of the human spirit.

In conclusion, while "Merciless Saviors" may have its pacing issues, its powerful themes, exquisite writing, and emotional resonance make it a worthy addition to the Ouroboros series. This book is a must-read for readers seeking a captivating tale of self-discovery and the bonds that hold us together.

"I'm afraid of how much I want and how wanting a thing gives it the power to hurt me."

The second book in the Ouroboros duology released today. Merciless Saviours by H.E. Edgmon captures mental illness, trauma and struggles of our beloved characters from Godly Heathens in this emotionally rich narrative.

I chose to read and about a third of the way in I switched to audio. I liked that Avi Roque continued to narrate with the flare I've come to know Gem's voice in. The story picks up where the last leaves off. Grand world building, revelations and graphic (sometimes gory) harsh truths run rampant (that birth scene...).

Gem stays true to the character Edgmon crafts in the first book. The flawed nature and mistake prone reality of this character made them equally unlikable and relatable. Gem grows the most but the supporting characters give the plot depth. There's a mixture of mortal and immortal swapping of name and body, timeline and memory jumps that can be confusing if readers aren't paying attention.

For me I had a mix of feelings. I adored the first novel and was thrilled to jump back into this world. Unfortunately I ended up DNF'ing at the 71% mark. Even though this wasn't fully my cup of tea, the way the author handles multiple facets of representation in this duology is just excellent. The character growth is spot on and I really liked the darker side that was pursued unflinchingly too. I highly recommend checking out other reviews if you love young adult indigenous fantasy! This may be your new obsession.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the gifted ALC! All thoughts are my own.

Honestly, this sequel was kind of a let down from the first one. I still loved the characters and the world and found it super exciting, but the first one was superior.

Ouroboros: The God's Reckoning wraps up Gem's wild ride in a such a relatable way. Gem's dealing with some major life stuff here – betrayal, newfound powers, and a whole lot of responsibility. It's like watching your friend go through a crazy identity crisis, but with a heavy dose of godly powers. As Gem and friends try to fix the mess they're in, you can't help but get sucked into their emotional rollercoaster. It's all about questioning what it means to be human and how far we'd go for the people we care about.

I will not be reviewing nor promoting any St Martin's Press titles until they address the racism, Islamophobia and all over reprehensible behavior of one of their employees.

Right off the bat you're going to want to read (or reread) Godly Heathens before diving into this sequel. Merciless Saviors picks up immediately after the events of Godly Heathens, There are none of the subtle little reminders that authors will give to refresh reader's memories.

I did struggle with this one more than I did with the first. I realize I'm not technically the target audience for this duology (I like to read YA and LGBTQIA+ books in hopes it helps me to be a better ally), but this duology might be a little too niche perhaps? There is so much angst and self loathing from the main character that I had a hard time staying with the storyline. I also wish that there were less gods to try to keep track of. I think the love story was meant to be front and center in the novel but the plot kept trying to get in the way and so they both kind of fell flat for me.

All in all, I know there are going to be people that will read this and really feel a connection with Gem, Enzo, and/or Rory so I do recommend this book even if I wasn't able to.

<i>Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.</i>

The conclusion to this duology was just okay. I loved the grittiness and personality of the first book, which </i>Merciless Saviors</i> still had, but it got bogged down by confusing structure. I listened to the audiobook for both books, but something about the second one was much harder to follow with the timeline and characters, and also just flat out figuring out what was real and what was a dream. I don't think my attention was fully there for this book. I think the complexity of this book will be appealing to others, especially avid readers of fantasy, but as a casual fantasy reader, I found it confusing and tiresome. Still, I liked the writing style and found the characters interesting, so I'd definitely read more from this author.

I don't want to say much as this is a sequel and ending of a duology so I don't wanna spoil anything. All that being said I did absolutely adore this! This book took the darkness and magic of the first book and just upped the anti in exactly the way I wanted. This story got so much darker which was absolutely perfect for what this about. Writing deeply flawed and angry characters is exactly what Edgom does best and they were at their peak with this book. When I tell you I couldn't put it down I'm not exaggating. Definitely check trigger warnings for this series but if you can handle it this is an amazing series to check out. It has everything you need for a story about old gods! Trust me you will not regret checking this series out!

A great conclusion to the Ouroboros duology featuring a group of queer former gods who have been reincarnated as teenagers on Earth only to remember their past lives. Dark at times and tackling tough topics like deadnaming, transphobia, suicidal ideation and more, this was such a great fantasy with a diverse cast, action, adventure, power imbalances and a polyamory romance. Great on audio and highly recommended for fans of the Fallen gods series by Hannah Kaner. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I love fucked up kids doing fucked up things to survive! This was the perfect continuation of what started in Godly Heathens!

I, unfortunately, failed to notice that this was a sequel before I requested it! While the story sounded/sounds phenomenal, there was a combination of my being too ignorant of the past context and the narrator’s style that wasn’t for me. I will likely be licking this up from the first book in the future, however, as I love to support queer fantasy!

A wonderful second conclusion to such a unique Ya with some of my favorite queer, Native rep. Can’t recommend it enough! Even better in audiobook format!