3.75 rounded up/5

The title and the cover grabbed my attention and made me want to read this book...and I was not disappointed (yes, I do judge books by their covers - we all do it, don't lie).

Something VERY random of me to notice was the amount of dialogue. It seemed like this book did not have that much dialogue at all. I tend to really like dialogue and find it to be a good way to show a lot about a character (being able to compare what they know and how they verbalize it or what they decide to tell another character). Some people might not care about that kind of thing (I have no idea why I noticed it so much), but I thought I'd share in case someone else cares about that kind of thing.

This was such a cool fantasy world! In this world, people have either lost their magic or have to hide it because the royalty are being absolute weirdos about magic. AKA they will kill you. Typical. And, of course, our main character is one of those people that has magic and has to hide it. But she just so happens to be involved with the crown prince, so you can imagine that will cause some issues. Love that.

Super engaging and interesting world-building, I never found myself lost in how this world worked. It was very well flushed out and explained! Maybe some elements of the magic could be explained a bit more in-depth, but I didn't mind that too much because of how magic is viewed in this world (maybe it was intentional, maybe it wasn't, but it worked for me).

If you're looking for a new romantasy, I would definitely recommend giving this a go!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My review is up on Goodreads and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly wrap-up.

Undead Gods by Caitlyn Battelle is possibly one of the best books I have read this year. Set in Kava, a world where magic has been ripped away and King Garrison has any individuals cursed with magic executed, the setting masked in pain and suffering sets the story up to have unexpected twists, betrayals, and moments of joy. The characters are exquisite; I am personally obsessed with morally grey or villainous characters in my books and Caitlyn does this perfectly. Every character has hidden motivations that blur the lines between what is right and what they want. And god the cliffhanger. I need the next book immediately. Like. Today please. I am so excited for this book to be available in physical copy because I will be buying it. And I’m so excited for the sequel. Thank you so much for trusting me with your book, and giving me the opportunity to review it.

The world-building was incredible, it was detailed without feeling overwhelming. Elysia is a strong FMC yet morally grey which I really loved.

The banter was hilarious and helped keeping the pace up. The magic was elusive, it's the best way I can describe it. It's mysterious which adds another level of intrigue to the book.

I hope the hardback version comes with a map because the artwork should be amazing because the author painted the picture of Kava so well throughout the book not just bombarding with information it was like I could see the city in my mind.

Even though I predicted the ending I was still gasping in disbelief and can't wait for book 2.

Good gracious, I wish I could read this book for the first time over and over again. It roped me in from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. I literally read it every spare moment I had, which isn’t a lot as a mom going back to school.

I need more Maya, first of all. I can’t wait to read more about her in book two. Please for the love of the undead gods tell me there is a book two!

I loved the aspect of Elysia’s magic being more of an energy magic than an actual manifestation. It was such a fresh take on how magic manifests. I also like that it reflected what it was. Her magic of secrets is pretty secretive through the book. You never really understand how it works, I feel which added an extra layer of intrigue to it.

The author painted the picture of Kava so well throughout the book, adding different layers to the city as you go instead of bombarding you with information at the beginning. I felt like I could see the soot covered buildings, was trudging through the mud, and dancing in the forest. It was a very unique world and I appreciate that.

My only qualm with the book is that the 🌶️ scene didn’t make sense where it was. It felt kind of like the author was just trying to prove she is a spicy author. I felt like the building tension lended itself better to the story instead of having them bang it out one more time.

First, thank you to Caitlyn and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC. I did not want to put it down, but alas, reading with a toddler on vacation is a bit of a challenge.

First, the world building was *chefs kiss* and had a very gaslamp, steampunk, romantic vibe that I haven’t read before, but it was detailed without feeling overwhelming. I was completely captivated by Elysia’s journey as she navigated politics, familial obligations, love, and a world without magic.

The characters that Caitlyn created are morally complex, each with their own traumas and motivations that keep the story moving at a steady pace, I didn’t feel like the plot was dragging at all at any point, and the banter was hilarious.

The ending had me gasping in disbelief, because Elysia was ten steps ahead of everyone else and I cannot wait to read the rest of her story and find out more about Aiden, his deadliness.

This was a solid start to a new series. The world building was dense but I whole heartedly appreciated it. The fmc was likable and I enjoyed her having to hide her magic. The world being dark and grim was such a great vibe .

Undead Gods by Caitlyn Battelle is a must read! There are books that you read every day and then there are books that you read that become a part of you. This book will pull you in and hold you hostage until the very last word. Undead Gods is such a gem! Meet Elysia, a fiercely independent young woman on a journey to find her true self, living in a colorless land drenched in secrets, passion, and intrigue..... As she journeys through her world and the next you will find yourself one minute holding your breath and the next laughing out loud as this author takes readers on a journey that you'll pray doesn't end any time soon!

Don't wait to try this one! I am counting the days to find out what comes next for Elysia.

Oh my god this book was so good. It was a unique fantasy book, which is hard to do since every plot imaginable has been overdone. I really cannot wait for the next book and hope it comes out soon. The one downfall of being an ARC reader is having to wait a bit longer for the sequel.

I would like to thank the author for giving me a chance to read this book despite not having reviewed anything on netgallery yet.

I am very fortunate I couldn't get into this book. I loved the premise of the book but, I couldn't get into it.

This book follows Elysia, a magically cursed girl, in the country of Kava where the cost of being magically cursed is death. Elysia has played a role, with her father, in bringing out "justice" to those who possess magic since she was a child and her father discovered her ability to find out people's secrets. She and the crown prince of Kava, Topp, have an ongoing love affair with each other, and the kingdom expects them to one day rule together. When Elysia's magic starts changing as she gets older, her life with the prince gets more complicated. Elysia isn't the only one keeping deadly secrets in the dark romantacy.

This drew me in from just the description alone. Elysia is fiercely independent. Because of the situations she is put in, it is hard to know whether to side with her or not. Her upbringing is rather graphic and I definitely do feel for her either way. The one thing I wish for was a bit more description of her magic to make sure I understood it completely. I was very weary of her love interest, especially knowing he may be her demise. I can't really tell you whether that opinion changed or not without giving spoilers. It was interesting to see the web of lies between the two though. I have questions about the ending and really hope this is setting us up for a second book. 🙏

Thank you Caitlyn and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this as an arc.

Thank you NetGalley and Caitlyn for allowing me the absolute pleasure of reading this book!

I could not put this down and I read it in two days, I needed answers, I wanted to spend time with the characters and I was absorbed by the world 🫡

This is one of the best books in this genre I have read for a while. The focus was definitely on the fantasy element and I was completely captivated by Elysia's journey. She's morally grey, she's strong and I laughed out loud so many times with some of the dialect between her and multiple other characters. The way the author weaves together a rustic fantasy setting with modern feeling characters was *chefs kiss*.

The magic was intriguing and elusive, I hope we get more information and demonstrations in future books 👀 I genuinely could not tell at points which way the plot was going to go, I had no idea who to trust and my nerves were in tatters.

Although there is a certain point towards the end of the book where you sort of know what the ending is going to look like, the way it was delivered had me out of my seat and gasping for more.

ALSO LINA 😍 iykyk

What a great start to a new Romantic Fantasy series. Add this one to your list!

The people who live in Kava have either lost their magic, or are hiding the magic that lies within them from the Crown. Anyone found using magic or suspected of it is executed. Elysia Parker has hid her magic her entire life, using her abilities secretly only to assist the Crown in pushing their agenda. But her ongoing relationship with the Crown Prince might make hiding her magic next to impossible. And what about when the God of Death becomes involved?

The world building in Book 1 of Romantasy novels can sometimes be daunting, however, I feel like the author did a good job of not overwhelming us. We got a good cast of side characters, and I’m eager to see where the author takes them.

And that cliffhanger? Epic!! I’m itching for Book 2!

Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

I received this book as an ARC and absolutely loved it.

The story follows a young woman who has to find the secrets of the capital in order to appease her father and keep herself alive. Since she has magic, which is forbidden in the realm, she does what she must in order to survive.

I enjoyed the FMC and found her character arc to very thoroughly rewarding. Her relationship with her sister was enjoyable as it progressed and I liked the friendships she developed along the way.

While the situation was her love interest seemed to be slightly predictable, I liked the banter and realism in her love and feelings as she navigates her troubles.

I predicted the ending but loved it anyways and cannot wait for the next book!