I want to start by saying that just because this book didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it won’t work for others. We Can Never Leave has an intriguing premise and a unique atmosphere that I think will appeal to many readers, but unfortunately, it wasn’t the right fit for me at this time.

I made it about 30% of the way through before realizing I wasn’t engaged the way I’d hoped to be. While the concept of a vanished traveling community and the supernatural elements were interesting, I found myself struggling to connect with the characters and pacing. I also found the story a bit confusing at times, and it was hard to keep track of the large ensemble cast of characters. I think readers who enjoy thoughtful world-building, themes of identity, and a slow-building supernatural mystery will find more to appreciate here.

This could very well be a case of wrong book, wrong time. I might give it another try in the future when I’m in a different reading mood. For now, though, I’m stepping away from it. I appreciate the opportunity to read this early and encourage those intrigued by the premise to give it a shot—it just wasn’t for me right now.

I’ve given this book a 3-star rating as it wasn’t the right fit for me personally, but I believe others might enjoy it.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about five teens who grew up in a religious cult trying to figure out what is going on when they wake up and everyone else is missing. This is a book focused on religious trauma, identity, not belonging, and all the pain and anger that those issues bring.

This book's description intrigued me, and deals with topics I'd normally be very interested in. But the execution just wasn't for me. Having the book jump between 5 POVs that move about in time from past to present often left me confused at times, let alone without the fourth wall breaking that felt very jarring. It felt like the book was just a lot of characters being cruel to each other and fighting with very little plot movement, and I admit I often found myself skimming trying to get to the meat of the story. And all the time and POV jumping felt unfocused. It felt like the points the author wanted to make got lost along the way for me.

In the end, this book just wasn't for me, and it left me very confused.

I have mixed feelings about We Can Never Leave. It was a unique queer story with a unique set of characters. The plot was hard to follow at times, as some chapters would jump to different points in time, and then you would be back at the present. It's 3rd person POV, which I didn't mind really. Each chapter would have a different character as the focus. This would be one of those stories where I would recommend to push through to the end if able to.

This book was a bit confusing with all of the POV's. I did appreciate the different type of fantasy, however, I felt like I couldn't properly follow it.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review. Unique and emotional story filled with an eclectic cast of characters.

This was confusing and not well written. I've read better qeer religious books like anything from Andrew Joseph White and this one is just so confusing and there is so many changes in perspective that it lost me a lot. And the 3rd person writing really clashed with what the story was supposed to be so I have to say that I did not like this.

I am DNFing this at 20%, unfortunately.

I'm noticing a trend with Edgmon's characters across his novels, and it just doesn't vibe with me. The tendency for unnecessary cruelty between characters reaaaallly makes it tough for me to read.

In We Can Never Leave, the chapters switch between all of the teen characters within a close-knit community of social outcasts... and each and every single one of them is so incredibly horrible and mean to the others. Like, how am I supposed to believe that? If this is the social atmosphere within a safe community for alike people, why the heck is it SO HOSTILE? In their Ouroboros duology there was some great character development away from this same type of teen hostility, but it took a long time to get there and I don't have the willpower to do it again. The catty, knife-twisting one-liners are also a very jarring jump from the otherwise poetic and meandering internal monologues.

Hopefully there is some good character growth and my one star is not deserved, I just can't sit through more of this meanness and NetGalley requires a star rating.

The characters in this story are raw and messy. It is a story that had me confused from the moment I started reading it but I absolutely fell in love with. I could not put this book down from the moment I started reading it until I finished it and that says a lot. It will captivate you from the moment you pick the book up.

H.E. Edgmon's "We Can Never Leave" delivers a haunting and compelling narrative that lingers long after the final page. The premise, a world where amnesiac, inhuman creatures find a fragile sanctuary in a traveling community called the Caravan, immediately pulls you in. When that sanctuary vanishes overnight, leaving behind five disparate teenagers, the story shifts into a gripping mystery laced with emotional vulnerability.

Edgmon masterfully crafts a diverse and complex cast of characters, each grappling with their own unique struggles and hidden pasts. The half-human seeking redemption, the troubled brothers, the venomous girl with a hidden soft side, and the enigmatic shadow-boy all contribute to a rich tapestry of interwoven stories. The dynamic between these five is the heart of the novel, and watching them navigate their distrust and forge tentative bonds is both captivating and poignant.

The mystery of the Caravan's disappearance is skillfully woven into the characters' personal journeys. Edgmon doesn't just focus on the "what" of the mystery, but delves deeply into the "why," exploring themes of identity, belonging, and the weight of past trauma. The phrase "You can never go home..." resonates throughout the narrative, not just in the literal sense of the Caravan’s vanishing, but in the emotional sense of each character’s inability to escape their past.

The writing is evocative and atmospheric, painting a vivid picture of the Caravan's nomadic life and the strange, often unsettling world they inhabit. Edgmon's prose is both lyrical and sharp, capable of conveying both the beauty and the brutality of their reality. The pacing is well-balanced, alternating between moments of quiet introspection and heart-pounding suspense.

"We Can Never Leave" is more than just a fantasy thriller; it's a deeply human story about finding your place in a world that doesn't always understand you. It's a tale of finding family, confronting your demons, and the difficult process of healing. This book is highly recommended for readers who enjoy character-driven narratives, intricate mysteries, and a touch of the uncanny. Edgmon has created a world that feels both familiar and utterly unique, and I eagerly await their future works.

Thank you Wednesday books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. An interesting concept! Bird, Hugo, Felix, Calliope, and Eamon live in a world where some people are half human. Others have animal characteristics and magic. Some like Bird animal characteristics aren’t as noticeable and can pass for human. Others like Hugo, who has antlers, cannot. Luckily the Caravan is a traveling commune that provides safety to these people. But do they really? For some they were born into, others just existed one day with no memory of their before. Every new moon they celebrate and this is Bird’s first since their failed attempt to live among human’s. The day after the new moon the five of them wake up to discover that everyone else has disappeared. All their stuff is still there but the people are missing. The five will set out to find a safe place and see if they can find their missing people. But there is so much anger and distrust among them that they are just as likely to kill each other before they do. They each hid secrets and some of them may know more about what’s going on than they’ve said. Can they survive? I did have some slight confusion at parts, the words, while beautiful, could be a little hard for me to follow at times. That being said I still couldn’t put the book down! There was just something about these 5 characters and what they were going through that had me absolutely hooked! And I loved the concept of animal characteristics and magic! I found the backstories to be super engaging and desperately wanted to know how they all came to be! I loved the mysterious and dark side as well! Anger, angst, tortured love, and queerness make H.E. Edgmon’s We Can Never Leave a fantastic and compelling read!

H.E. Edgmon writes books that absolutely are phenomenally done. There's a certain grit to the worlds they build that I really value, there's always substance to it. Usually I feel grounded in the world, and it feels like something you'd see in real life, even when it is as fantastical as this one is. I think this will work well for queer audiences that are also apart of the furry community or peripherally enjoy content that's near it. Though I did prefer Godly Heathens, I do appreciate what Edgmon sets out to do here. The portrayal of religious trauma and harmful religious communities felt very necessary and important– not to mention, well-done.

All across the world, inhuman creatures are waking up with no memory of who they are or where they came from. The Caravan exists to help them. The Caravan - a traveling community made up of these same creatures and their families- help by providing refuge and by seeking the origin of them all. Until the morning five teenage travelers wake to find their community has disappeared overnight.

The five are a half-human who only just came running back to the Caravan, a brother who is always in trouble and one who’s never been brave, a venomous girl with blood on her hands and a golden heart, and a boy of shadow who is the Caravan’s newest addition. They’ve got to band together if they want to survive the cruel world.

For the most part, I wanted to enjoy this book. I loved the idea of the Carnaval and people with inhuman traits. I just couldn’t get into the flow of the story because every chapter was done by a different character - written in 3rd person. And between some sections of the chapters were sections where the author broke the 4th wall and spoke directly to the readers. The flashback bits of the characters lives before the disappearing Caravan were my favorite bits. Those were the parts that flowed well and read smoothly.

Great concept. Lackluster in execution. I will try to listen to the audiobook when it comes out, to see if that makes the story work better.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings:
Major - Animal death, Child abuse, Child death
Moderate - Violence, Trafficking, Emotional abuse
Minor - Domestic abuse, Murder, Gaslighting

Think of a circus and all of the different types of performers. This cast of characters is very much like that type of motley mix with a little magical twist. And just like circus culture, this group lives on the fringe with routines and customs that are outside the norm. The story was interesting, but my overall take is that it is just bizarre. I could follow the story, but still appreciated the narrator’s comments. Come the end, I can’t say that I get the point of the story, or that I am a better person for having read it. I thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book, but I do not feel it was for me. That probably means there is a hidden message in the tale that went over my head. The characters are colorful, and there is a lot of creativity within these pages. If you like eccentric tales, this may be right up your alley!

While this book has an interesting premise and compelling characters, I found the narrative a little lackluster. I think this is mostly an issue of taste for me--I never felt quite connected to the story because of the POV shifts.

This book is insanely good. H. E. Edgmon’s writing style is so interesting and it just scratches some itch in my brain that makes their books so addictive. This book was spooky. This book was deep. This book drags you on a journey ready or not. Check the trigger warnings and strap yourself in.

I just do not think that this book was for me. The writing was good, but I got very lost in all of the points of views. It was bouncing from character to character every chapter and it got mixed up for me. I thought they all had good thoughts and complexities to them, but it felt very difficult to concentrate on each person and the overarching plot. I found myself skimming often, and could not invest myself into the book like I initially thought I would be able to. The idea was really good, I loved the outcasts, but I felt like it got too mixed up in the end.

Initially, I had a bit of a hard time following this story, but as we learned more about the characters, I began enjoying their dynamics and back stories. The mystery of the book intrigued me and pulled me deeper into the story and I truly didn’t expect the ending.

Would recommend for those who are looking for a queer fantasy story with a mystery at its core and unlikeable characters trying to survive in a world different from their own.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of this book.

i loveddd the setup to this book! it was very suspended and had a cult vibe. definitely for people that enjoy thrillers with a fantasy theme

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.
We Can Never Leave by H.E. Edgmon is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that delves into themes of identity, love, and the struggles of finding one’s place in the world. Edgmon’s writing is captivating, pulling readers into a world filled with raw emotions and rich character development. The book’s exploration of difficult topics is handled with care, making it a compelling and memorable read. Overall, it’s a gripping story that will resonate with readers looking for a poignant and introspective journey.

While this fantasy pitch was right up my alley, I feel like it wasn't executed quite strong enough to capture me. There were a lot of POV characters that didn't always translate. The prose was often descriptive, which sometimes was really poignant and other times a bit too much for me. The twist at the end was interesting and overall, this was a good read though not like top tier for me.