Thank you so much netgalley and caitlyn for the arc!!!

3.75-4✨

i had a good time with this! i liked the general plot of the story and i liked the magic system the most. it was really fun to see elyisa’s “curse” as called in the book. the idea of magic leaving and undead gods being apart of it was so intriguing!

I liked that we got both POV’s from Topp and Elysia! it felt more third person but not in a way that’s annoying. I liked seeing what was going on with them both and it was refreshing to say the least!!! i was aching for more of them but i understand how the plot had to go and i can’t imagine trying to get out of the situation they’re stuck in honestly!!!!

I think what fell a little flat for me was the over detailing. at times it felt like there was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing. For the most part it didn’t bother me, but there were chapters where it did start to frustrate me just a little bit. I do love a good well thought out fantasy and fantasy world so i didn’t try to hold it against it as much as possible!!!

overall the characters were fun, the story was really intriguing and the ending really solidified my enjoyment. it does end on a cliffhanger and i need to know what happens next ugh!!!!!!

Undead Gods by Caitlyn Battelle was a wild ride! This review was posted on Amazon and Good Reads. And thank you for the ARC NetGalley. This is my first book of hers and it kept me engaged the entire time! This is such a fresh retelling of Persephone and Hades that I had to go back and look at the plot of the book multiple times to ensure thats what the end goal was. This book tells of people cursed within their realm and the story of why this has happened. There wasn't much spice in the writing but just enough for a more mature feel. The story itself had so much anticipation and kept me on my toes the entire time, trying to determine the FMC and MMC's next moves. The love story was also *chef's kiss* I can't wait until the second book, it has been a while since I have had a book that makes me think about it for days afterward. Great beginning to an already fantastic series!

I received this digital ARC through NetGalley

A fresh Hades & Persephone inspired story, I absolutely loved this book. I was gripped from the start and I finished it in a couple of days, it had me hooked! There is lost magic, rich world building and unexpected twists. The way that Caitlyn Battelle writes is beautifully descriptive and you really get immersed into Kava and its all of its secrets.

Speaking of secrets, we meet Elysia, she’s a stabby strong thoroughly refreshing main character trained in both court politics and daggers! I really enjoyed Elysia and there are also a host of side characters that I felt were well written with their own curious stories that weave together in the city of Relaclave

This book left me thinking about it while I was at work and I’m really intrigued about the direction the story will take. I am excited for book 2 and will definitely be reading it!!

Review posted on GoodReads on 12th Sept 2024

This was a very fun book to read and I hope the next one comes out soon because that cliffhanger has left me wanting more. I really like Elysia seemed unique from your typical FMC. She was more morally grey and wasn’t afraid to do what was necessary. Usually you see those qualities in the MMC. The world building was solid and I do want to learn more about it. I definitely recommend this book!

Undead Gods , by Caitlyn battelle , released oct 1st
🗝️ A Fresh Hades & Persephone Inspired Fantasy 🗝️
“For all the girls who hear music inside of books, see magic instead of dust , and stay up till dawn enchanted by other worlds “

This book is beautifully written and I love the author’s unique style of writing. The dedication at the start felt like it was written about me and to me and had me hooked.
We are taken to the fantasy world of Kava, a realm that after the fall magic has all but disappeared. However, those that remain with magic risk death if caught using it.
The main FMC Elysia Parker a character I immediately liked, scrappy in nature , observant , beautiful and intelligent. Elysia can be described as morally grey (as are most of the characters in their own way) she will do what is right to survive.
Hiding her magic from the royal court the very people she surrounds herself with.
She is in love with the crown prince topp the very man who can order her death.
She starts to distance herself from him and the rest of her friends when her magic changes and she can no longer hide what’s inside.
She sets out to find the truth about Kava’s loss of magic and why the gods deserted them and took it away.
I loved the world building it was intricate but not to overwhelming. The character development I really enjoyed and I loved how Elysia’s character built different relationships with many of the characters and cannot wait to see where this goes in the next book.
The chemistry between Elysia and Topp was good , however I am hoping for a little more spice in the next book.
The ending !! Yep we have a cliffhanger……… I really wish I didn’t have to wait for the second book ! I cannot wait to see how Elysia’s story unfolds. I definitely feel the author Caitlyn is one to watch.
Tropes - Forbidden Magic
- touch her and die
- Greek mythology Inspired
- morally grey characters
- secrets

Thank you to twelfth house publishing & NetGalley for access to this Arc

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this thoroughly enjoyable ARC of Undead Gods!

This was a really good read! In a world where magic is long gone, we meet Elysia, our fiesty FMC with a snarky stabby attitude, always a fave! Elysia hides the fact that she has magic, but goes on a mission to discover more about it.

Her chemistry with Topp was interesting and kept me turning the page, however I feel like I was waiting for a little more spark!

I absolutely adored the gaslamp vibes, the premise of the story and all the secrets! I’m very intrigued to learn where this will go, and I think this was a great first book! The world building was detailed but easy to follow, and I enjoyed the introduction of many side characters.

Read if you like:
- hidden identity
- secrets and mystery
- touch her and die
- Hades and Persephone
- stabby FMCs
- dislike to lovers
- magical deals and curses
- brilliant banter!

This was a unique and beautifully written story.

Kava is a land that is basically dying after magic has been stripped away from it. Those who still possess a bit of magic are considered cursed, and they're put to death if they're found out.

Elysia possesses magic, but only she and her father know about it. She spends most of her life hiding who she really is, from her best friends and even the man she loves. When her magic changes and becomes something she can't hide from everyone, she sets out to find the truth behind Kava's loss of magic and why the gods took it.

Topp is the Crown prince who is more interested in the forest, animals, and rolling around bed with his beloved than politics and taking over the throne. He also wants to find answers as to why Kava has lost magic, but he isn't willing to give up any of his own secrets to get help.

I enjoyed this story a lot, but I felt like I kept waiting for something big to happen, and it never did. I must have missed the part where this was the first book in a series, so it made more sense as to why it sort of dragged.

I loved the world building and character development. Elysia had a different relationship with so many characters, and we got to learn a little about each of them. I didn't feel like anyone was a flat character. I adored the relationship between Elysia and Topp, even when they were both aggravating me. Their chemistry and their banter were exquisite. I did hope to see more romance between them and within the story itself, but I'm hoping we'll get that in the next book.

I'm a sucker for a Hades and Persephone retelling, and I really can't wait to see what happens next, especially with Elysia and the god of death himself.

Posted to goodreads as well:

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC and the opportunity to read this!

I knew this book was going to be so good when I saw the dedication. From the get go, I was in love with the writing. Caitlyn has an absolutely beautiful way of writing, despite how dark the story may be at times. She is definitely on my list of authors to watch!

I loved the world building. It wasn’t super intricate, but it was easy to follow and really painted a grim picture of life. I do wish the magic system had been expanded on more! I’m a sucker for magic, and Elysia’s particular magic is not like anything I’ve read before so I was very intrigued by it.

Elysia is a character I immediately liked. She is curious and scrappy, and is overall an enjoyable narrator. She’s incredibly observant and intelligent, and the world through her eyes is painted vividly. I think she could be categorized as morally gray, which I feel like I don’t see often in FMCs. My favorite character however would have to be Lina (I feel like I don’t need to elaborate here, she’s amazing). Topp Blatz on the either hand is a man I couldn’t stand from the start. He’s arrogant and very punchable.

There is a cliffhanger ending- I wish I didn’t have to wait for another book! It felt like it was really starting to get going, and I cannot wait to see what unfolds for Elysia.

🗝️ undead gods review 🗝️

THIS BOOK IS MY NEW OBSESSION.

Elysia is our stab happy FMC who does whatever is necessary to survive in a place where the undead gods (and their magic) have deserted its people. She is morally very grey, as well as gorgeous and I couldn’t love her more 😍
In love with a man that could order her death, Elysia’s life has always been about putting herself first, but as she discovers more about the lost magic finds herself more inclined to help others, no matter the cost.

Full of immaculate gaslamp vibes, this Hades and Persephone inspired fantasy novel is full of balls, underground secrets, magical deals and curses. It’s SO well written and I devoured this in less than 24 hours once I started reading it!

Tropes:
🗝️ forbidden magic
🗡️ touch her and d!e
🗝️ Greek mythology inspired
🗡️ magical deals

Thank you SO SO SO much to the author for the ARC to review, I am incredibly grateful 💖 Undead Gods is coming out October 1st!

This is going to be one of the top fantasy books of the season. There’s a political standpoints, crazy plot, lots of banter and magical/supernatural elements.
It’s been very enjoyable and super easy to understand! I loved the world building!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and publisher for the eARC.

Thanks for the Advanced Copy, really enjoyed the book! The characters were interesting and I can’t wait to see what they do next! The world in which they lived felt real, and the choices made ones in which I can see people making and doing! Would recommend to those who enjoy fantasy and don’t mind getting in at the start!

Book review
The Undead Gods by Caitlyn Battelle is a fresh retelling of Hades & Persephone. In the fantasy world of Kava, a magic-less land after the calamity that was The Fall, those who still have rememants to magic and partake in its use are sentenced to death. And as we begin to understand how this occurrence came to be, we start to really see through the hidden lives of the people in this world.

We follow Elysia Parker, a member of the Crown, who has tried to put as much distance between her and her royal connection that has tainted everything she holds. Except for one thing, the prince. We see this interesting tango between Elysia and the prince, Topp Bltaz, as she slowly descends away from his crown, when her hidden magic grows more interesting, and Topp trying to gain any sort of trust from Elysia. Yet, she has suffered from abuse of her body and her power from the ambition of her father, paraded as a loving daughter when truly, she is locked within her parents control.

The world building in this book is excellent and very well done. The author gives a lot of detail without making you feel overwhelmed or bogged down. I also really enjoyed the magic system the book utilized as well. Elysia’s magic seemed to be more of an energy magic which was a new magic system from anything I had read before. And the ending? Quite the cliffhanger that has me dying for book two!

This book was reviewed as an E-Book Advanced Reader Copy with NetGalley. I would like to thank the author, Caitlyn Battelle, for letting me review and read her work.

”She’d found that love inspired a fear deeper than any other. A fear that caused an instinctive, irrational desire to protect. She sometimes wondered if that was the force behind her parents’ actions. Love soured by the need to protect.”

The Undead Gods by Caitlyn Battelle is a well-developed, extensively thought out fantasy world of Kava in this late 18th Century period of royalty, secrets, and lies. In this Hades x Persephone inspired tale of death, ruin, and love, there are so many pieces shared throughout that constantly makes you wonder, and yet, the truth ends on a surprising, unexpected cliffhanger.

Taken place in Kava, a magic-less land after the calamity that was The Fall, those who still have rememants to magic and partake in its use are sentenced to death. And as we begin to understand how this occurrence came to be, we start to really see through the hidden lives of the people in this world.

We follow Elysia Parker, a member of the Crown, who has tried to put as much distance between her and her royal connection that has tainted everything she holds. Except for one thing, the prince. We see this interesting tango between Elysia and the prince, Topp Bltaz, as she slowly descends away from his crown, when her hidden magic grows more interesting, and Topp trying to gain any sort of trust from Elysia. Yet, she has suffered from abuse of her body and her power from the ambition of her father, paraded as a loving daughter when truly, she is locked within her parents control.

In this soot filled tale of Kava, and a place of plagued lands, what Elysia brings to this world is not only the pull of secrets and reveal of lies but also… food? Yup! To me I had to express this really interesting attention to food as a large connection of the city and Elysia in some strange way. That and flowers, since flowers were a rarity after the event. I feel that this attention either is a connection to Elysia’s desire of life and freedom of magic, or it could mean something else entirely, with the clear connection to the Greek Myth we might see later in a book 2.

And while this was a great read, I did find myself sometimes not fully invested, or bits had draged on for a moment especially when it came to moments in between big events and the discovery of information. But these weren’t huge detriments that made this book bad in anyway, mostly just personal preference of storytelling.

I truly enjoyed this book with great writing, bringing me right to the places and tunnels that the author illustrated, to the developed friendships and questionable alliances. And the schemes were definitely a favorite as well, as I loved Elysia’s older sister, Beatriz, and this development into a true older sister filled with love and protection.

thank you to NetGalley, the publisher ‘Twelfth House Publishing’, and the author for allowing me to read an E-arc of this book early.

i feel so bad, as i hate leaving negative reviews, but unfortunately this book wasn’t for me.

the synopsis sounded like something that’d be right up my alley. the first couple chapters were very interesting and i was immediately intrigued, but after the initial 50 pages i felt like we were just going in circles.

the world-building, premise, and overall vibes of this book were incredible - everything was so well explained. yet, i couldn’t connect with any of the characters. that caused me to not want to pick the book up and get bored with the story.

on top of that, i didn’t vibe with the writing style at all. while i love stories with simple writing, here it felt like there was just something missing.

The only reason I'm giving a 4 for this book is because of the ending - I would have loved more Aidan in the story! But that's personal preference. The rest of the story was well written and engrossing. I felt as if myself and Elysia were the same person at points, just from how immersed I felt in her story line. I enjoyed the fact that we got to see different sides of some characters, and could understand them a little more. Overall would read again and I can't wait for the next!

It took me some time to get into this book, but once I did, I devoured it, I couldn’t put it down.

The hardcore romance girlie in me wanted more scenes of Elysia and Topp but I understood that this story needed to be told in this way. The book was a bit over detailed but in a way I appreciated it since this is a fantasy and we needed the information to understand their world. You can tell the author put some thought into this.

At first I thought Elysia was stubborn as hell but I grew to love her character as well as the side characters.

The book ends in a cliffhanger which was honestly a shock to me and I’m curious about how the story will continue. I’m curious about the death realm, which is why I signed up for this arc originally, because it was inspired by Hades and Persephone.

Interesting premise and world building. The angst between the protagonist and her male lead was spicy. I like how Elysia was questioning everyone around her, and how the scars from her childhood shaped her character. It was great seeing Elysia connect with her life long friends and build trust.

Caitlyn Battelle wrote an incredible novel with an amazing world filled with twists and turns and so much that made me stop and take a moment. Elysia was a fantastic character, but it wasn't one sided, all the characters are multifaceted. The world is amazing. AND THAT ENDING. I refuse to spoil anything. But how very dare you, Caitlyn! Hoping that the next one is coming soon! I can't wait! Thank you to Netgalley and Caitlyn Battelle for the ARC that I was gifted, this was amazing and I will be rereading this again and again.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

This is one of the most beautifully written books I have read in a while. The world-building was so incredible that Kava felt tangible at times.

I adore how real Elysia felt, she was such a loveable FMC. Her hidden magic and how she navigates her love life with the crown prince, Topp, was just delicious. Now, that being said, I did want more scenes with the two of them, but I understand why it was so limited given Elysia's powers. The side characters were so much fun and everyone is so morally complex that at times I didn't know whose side I was on.

And that cliffhanger??? I NEED to read the second book!

Thank you NetGalley and Caitlyn Battelle for an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and review.

The cover looks amazing and the titel sounded so cool. When I got the chance to arc read this book I took it and didn't regret it.
The worldbuilding and the magicsystem are really great! I also liked how the characters and their relationships developed over time. I did miss the dialogue. For me the story flows a little bit more if there's a little more dialogue but that's a personal preference.
I did really like this story and the very different characters in it!