i think this book was right up my alley with the queer rep and outcasts, characters of which i always favor in literally anything, and i truly did like all the characters, but it felt confusing sometimes with the many povs, although i understand that it’s crucial for the layout of the story.

it was different for me as someone trying to branch out into more fantasy books, and i honestly had a good time. i dont have much bad to say, maybe it felt a tiny bit dull at times but other than that i enjoyed it!

thank you netgalley and st. martin’s press for the arc in exchange for my honest review!!

When I first came across We Can Never Leave by H. E. Edgemon, I was instantly captivated by its intriguing premise and couldn't wait to dive in. The story revolves around five teenage creatures who are part of a traveling community. They don't have any memories of where they came from, but the Caravan finds them and takes them in. One morning, these teens wake up to find that the entire community has mysteriously disappeared. Reluctantly banding together, the group sets out on a quest to uncover what happened.

While the premise of the book sounded amazing, I found myself quite confused throughout most of the story. The narrative is told from five different POVs, switching between past and present, with an occasional narrator jumping in to provide some explanation. This made it difficult for me to keep track of where we were in the story.

Another thing I noticed was that the characters felt quite unlikeable. They lacked development, and I struggled to understand their motivations. For most of the book, it seemed like they were just arguing with each other without any discernible plot driving their actions. Although the twist at the end attempts to explain what has been happening all along, I needed a more detailed explanation to fully grasp it.

Despite the confusion, there were some elements that I genuinely enjoyed. The random references to Hozier's "Arsonist's Lullaby" and "Foreigner's God" in one of the chapters were delightful surprises. The Queer representation was done well, and I appreciated the idea behind the story. The writing itself is good, with lots of descriptive language that paints vivid pictures.

Unfortunately, the nuances and subtext of the story left me feeling lost. However, I believe that if you're someone who enjoys piecing together complex narratives and can appreciate character-driven stories, We Can Never Leave might be right up your alley.

Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

"We Can Never Leave" is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel that will linger in your mind long after you finish reading it. It's a must-read for fans of gothic fiction, historical fantasy, and anyone looking for a story that explores the complexities of identity, love, and the enduring power of the past. I highly recommend it.

This feels like a one and done, but I could be wrong. Essentially, this end up being about a small band of kids who've been living in a mobile commune waking up to find that all the adult figures are gone, and them trying to figure out what the hell is happening, interspersed with some flashbacks. There are also a few moments of very direct fourth wall breaking that I'm still trying to parse how I feel about, but the lines that are used are amazing. Definitely worth your time this summer.

After 6 weeks, finally decided to DNF at chapter 7.

This book was recommended to me after read and loved What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould. The blurb for We Can Never Leave sounded so intriguing and certainly held suspenseful and paranormal promise.

After the first chapter or two, I started to have a very hard time getting into the story due to so much overly expressive and unnecessarily descriptive writing. It seemed as though each sentence, even the simplest of ones, were 5-10 words too long. I started to forget who characters were, especially with the time jumping narrative. I think by chapter 7, only 2-3 days had passed in the book's timeline.

I stopped and came back to this book many times, hoping it was just me and I needed to be in the right mood to read it. But each time it was more and more difficult to pick the book back up until I finally decided that it was quitting time.

This novel desperately needed an editor with a heavy hand. I have no doubt that if the reader could actually get to the story that was taking place, instead of trudging through the proverbial word mud, it might have been a great read. I do want to know how it ends and where everyone disappeared to!

This was a really beautiful book. In this time in America as the current administration is trying to erase people who don’t look and think like them, it’s a really important story. It was wonderful that these “people” were different and that the Caravan accepts them for their differences. The story itself of the journey to find out where everyone went was extraordinary and definitely didn’t end up where I thought it would!

it took me like 35% of this book to care about these little gay inhuman teenagers that are actually all kind of bad people but then i really cared and now im really sad

anyway when it came to be that felix actually just sucked them all into his head i genuinely didnt expect that. i love he edgmons style of writing and i love that everyones fucking gay and way too into each other to be healthy and ALSO that the word twink was said in here. love when literature uses the word twink.

Five half-human teenagers awaken to find that The Caravan, the travelling community that takes in and cares for their kind, has vanished overnight and left them completely abandoned. All five of them have their own issues, both with themselves and with each other, but grudgingly accept that they will need to work together if they want to find out what has happened to the only family that has accepted them into its arms. As they set out to look for the other members of The Caravan, their past and current feelings for each other test both their resolve and their chance of success.

This book has beautiful prose and delightfully flawed characters. I really enjoyed having unlikable characters that I was still interested in learning about, and still invested in. The setting and character backgrounds made for a unique perspective on youth and queerness. Overall, there was much more focus on characters than plot, and the author had some interesting perspectives on many current topics, some stated more directly than others. Care obviously went into the struggles that each character faces and what it means to them individually. The ending managed to do a lot of heavy lifting plot-wise, though a lot was left a mystery.

I didn’t mind having as many POVs as were included in this book, and in fact I liked seeing the different perspectives from so many of the characters. The two things that knocked it down a bit for me were the rather sudden instances of the book addressing the reader directly, and the scarcity of plot. The first point is an entirely personal gripe as I always find it condescending when a book directly tells me how I am supposed to feel. The second point is an issue of the number of flashbacks compared to time following the current story, which made me feel like not much really happened over the course of the book. Still, if you want a reflective look at young people and “belonging”, you may enjoy this book. Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for this ARC. This is my honest review.

3/5 The kids aren’t alright.

I really liked the concept of this book (and it's gorgeous cover) but it set up questions that it didn't really answer, spending more time on the teens shifting romantic feelings and less on what these magical parents were really up to in the woods.

If you don't care about the parents, you will probably like this book. There are interesting characters who have cool magical powers and attributes, which we learn more about in informative flashbacks that set the scene for some genuinely creepy backstories. But then...that's about it. Of course the question of where these 5 young people are and why gets answered, but it's never set into the larger context of "WTF is Going ON HERE?" and that bugged me.

So i found it kind of hilarious that the author (who frequently pops in to comment on the story as it's being told) at one point says, "Let me see if I can guess what you could be thinking...Are all of these people just the worst people in the whole wide world? Seriously, why is there not a single likeable character in the bunch? Who am I supposed to the rooting for?"

You said it, not me.

Problem is I actually liked these kids (although I found Hugo insufferable. I get that he has trauma...but man, what a dick.) But I wanted to see them figure stuff out, learn and grow, not just road trip and bitch about each other. It further bummed me out when I read in the author's notes that this was supposed to be an exploration of religious trauma. GREAT IDEA. I would have liked them to do more of that.

So no, I didn't hate this book. I was just frustrated that it went in a direction that (in my opinion) watered down its potential. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book because I've read others by H. E. Edgmon. But alas, I stopped reading around the 27% mark. The book had a lot of intriguing ideas, and I liked the mysterious air of the book. I really liked how the characters had unique abilities too. But I couldn't get past the high level of anger that many of the characters carried. I read for escape and enjoyment, and having to read through all of their anger actually made me really anxious, and thus the reading experience wasn't enjoyable. I also really did not like the narration of this book. Ever chapter was told from 3rd person limited, but would switch to a different character every chapter. Then there were all their time jumps to the past to explain the backstories of the characters. The backstories were the most enjoyable part for me because they felt like a real plot. But then the book would jump to the present and whatever was happening in the present was weighed down by a slog of 3rd person internal dialogue. I was uninterested and bored with all of that, and it took away from what was actually happening in the moment. And then, the narration changed to 2nd person, and the narrator was talking directly to the reader, which I was not a fan of. That's when I said, "you know what, I don't have to finish this", and put the book down. There are too many good books out there to struggle through something you're not enjoying. So sorry, H. E. Edgmon, but this book wasn't it for me.

We Can Never Leave
by H.E. Edgmon
Pub Date: Jun 10 2025
Ok, I need to discuss this book with others. I have so many questions, or more aptly, thoughts, tumbling around. This is one of those books after you read the end and know what you know, you want to go back and read with more intention.
Bird, Hugo, Felix, Cal, and Eamon are five teenagers who live with the Caravan, a roaming "village" that takes in "inhumans" like them. Everyone in the Caravan is different and have their own powers. The Caravan is there to protect them, hide them, and teach them about their powers. No one remember who they were or where they came from before they came to the Caravan, that's the one commonality they all have.
Then one morning, after a particularly festive Full Moon celebration, the five teenagers find themselves all alone. The Caravan has disappeared. As they set out to discover the truth of what happened, they embark on a strange adventure of self-discovery filled with secrets and lies.
Interesting read like nothing I've ever read before. This one stays with you and itches your brain. I'm interested to find out what others think.

I'm going to level with you. I read this during the busiest work week of the year, which was a huge mistake on my part. I really do regret that. However, I pushed through and finished this amidst my exhaustion and confusion, but I still sort of have no idea what I read. There were a few quips from the narrator that directly spoke to the reader (me) that completely took me out of the book. I was so confused as to why that was necessary because it didn't really clarify anything for me; I wouldn't have complained if it had actually provided some helpful context, but I was still just as lost *cries in Virgo who must always know what is going on*.

I will try to re-read this via audio when it is out, because I really do love this author and their previous works. However, this was a complete departure from what I'm used to, so I'm still really trying to grasp what I read.

If anyone can explain this book to me like I'm five, I will literally Venmo you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Violence and Trafficking

Sorry, not my cup of tea. The writing felt like it was playing dress-up. It wasn't as deep or interesting as I assume the author was trying for, it was more confusing than anything else. Cringey metaphors and a lot of telling more than showing. Referencing Bird as they was weird for me as a reader. At times it made reading confusing, especially with so many characters to keep track of. Felix's POV was also another weird choice. This was a miss for me. Thanks, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for inviting me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars.

It’s giving a mix of “The Wilds” and “The Walking Dead” just on vibes.

It was a very unique plot. I liked the writing style a lot. There were so many lines that I underlined because it was so beautifully written or made me feel so many emotions.

There was less so an actual plot but more so vibes. The story is definitely working toward something, but it’s more character driven than anything. Don’t expect going into this with a riveting plot with tons of action. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a good read, but if you’re expecting something plot heavy this is not that. I was just along for the ride and I loved every second of it!

It was a mystery but not the kind you may think. You are wondering what happened to these characters but it’s moreso getting to know these people and following along on their journey.

I was hooked right away! The banter between the characters was amazing. I was laughing so many times.

The characters were supposed to be unlikeable, but honestly I loved them all. They were flawed but I didn’t dislike any of them. I liked some more than others though.

I loved Eamon. He was my favorite. He was just so endearing and funny without trying to be. There was just something about him that I latched on to right away.

Even though you probably aren’t supposed to like him, I loved Hugo. He was my second favorite. I have a soft spot for ‘angry at the world’ characters like him even though he was quick to anger and gruff. You could tell he was hurting inside. He was straightforward with what you were going to get with him, but also complex at the same time.

Don’t even get me started on the sibling trope. I liked Felix, he didn’t stand out as strongly to me other than being a sweetheart most of the time. But the angst and the love between the two brothers is always my favorite. Give me close siblings and I will eat it up! That was one of my favorite dynamics of the book.

I liked Bird, but they weren’t my favorite. I’m not a huge fan of characters where every single person is obsessed and in love with them for no real reason. We knew a lot about them and I didn’t dislike them by any means, but I didn’t care much for them either. Even though they were, I would say, the main character of the novel.

Even though I really think Cal was made to be unlikeable, I really liked her. I am also a sucker for ‘rough around the edges most people hate them’ women in books, and Cal had that going for her. I wish we could have explored more of Bird and Cal’e relationship.

I liked that all the characters had some strong connection to each other in one way or another. They each had a moment between the two of them, whether it was one or many, that connected them. It wasn’t necessarily found family, but the dynamic between each of them was fascinating.

I thought it was an interesting twist on Bird and Hugo and how they were clearly soulmates, but it would never work out between them for a multitude of reasons. Their whole journey throughout the book was incredible to me, even though I was more interested in the dynamic between Hugo and Eamon. There were so many complexities between these characters, it was exciting to read about.

There were so many scenes in this book that were inherently sexual without being sexual and I was living for it! So many times I gasped at some of the things that was done or said.

I love a good breaking of the fourth wall, which this book had. I personally thought it was well done, though I could see where people may get confused or find it jarring.

The pop culture references threw me off. I don’t know what time period I thought it was, but it didn’t feel like modern day. Maybe because of the fantasy aspects, but I could have done without that. It’s fine for them to have a cell phone, but it didn’t really feel like it was in the era of iPhones, though some of what they said made it seem like it was set in recent years.

It had a jaw dropping sort of ending. It is a little confusing to be honest, but I think I can piece together what happened. We were told the tone of the ending but I still didn’t want it to be true! It very much had an open ending, and while I’d love another book to get more answers, I personally think this is good as a stand alone. The open ending was done appropriately since it’s pretty heavily a mystery and I almost think too many answers would ruin the book.

Some people may be frustrated with the lack of answers, but I think it makes the novel cooler and makes you think a little more. You can come to your own conclusions on what happened.

I highly recommend this, but only if you are prepared for seemingly not much to happen throughout and ready to read about characters you may find unlikeable. What I loved about this book was its uniqueness. I haven’t read much like it.

I didn't like this book. I thought the mystery was too drawn out, with not enough clues to keep me interested. I didn't connect with any of the characters. But if you like eerie, creepy stories, this one might be for you.

The idea for this book sounded really good at first but I don’t think this book was for me, I had to dnf it because it just wasn’t for me. I’m giving this 2 stars for idea behind the book.

Thank you St. Martins Press for providing me this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

DNF @ 37% - 2 stars for a really strong concept

I think I just need to accept that this book is a DNF. At this point I’ve read three books since putting this one down and I’ve had no desire to pick this one back up. Honestly it’s such a shame because this story had such an interesting premise, but it was just not being executed well. I love the idea of group of kids that are basically fantasy creatures trying to solve the sudden and unexplainable disappearance of the rest of their people. The way the author made them half human half mythical beings was well done and seeing their internal struggles to accept either side of them was also very interesting. However, these personal struggles and the personal problems between all of the kids seemed to be completely overtaking the story. I really wanted to get into the plot and see them go on this adventure to get their families back, but instead we just got pages and pages of internal monologue. Based on other reviews this doesn’t seem to get better and the overall plot just kind of gets forgotten. For some books this may be fine, but personally I started finding the main characters incredibly annoying. They were just whining and whining the whole time about everything but never doing anything to fix it. Also, I know this is going to sound bad, but it started feeling like the diversity olympics. You know that meme “diversity final boss” and it’s that drawing of the solo polyamorous hijabi amputee? That’s what this book was. Each character was fighting to be even non-binary, non-cis, non-straight, non-white than the next. I 100% support diversity and it is absolutely necessary to see it in all of our media. These books filled with only straight, cis, white characters are extremely unrealistic and ultimately harmful to our perception of the world. But when that is all your book is about and it is not delivering on the actual plot it promises, then that becomes unrealistic. Identity is important, but people are more than their labels. They have personalities, they have complex relationships with others, they have goals and motivations, and they deserve to be seen as more than their outward appearance. If there was a good balance between these kids exploring their identities and an actual plot, then this wouldn’t be an issue, but as I said, the plot was abandoned.

And oh my god, don’t even get me started on the weird author interjections in some of the chapters. They were all so millennial-coded and I needed to put down the book for a little bit after every one. It was written so childishly that I would almost say this is a middle-grade book if it wasn’t for the few somewhat explicit scenes. There was just a really weird tonal difference from one scene to the next, which greatly disrupted the flow of the story.

Again, there was a really strong base here and the beginning of the book was really interesting, so I’ll give the book credit there, but I realized that what I enjoyed about the story was going nowhere and I needed to give up on it.

I had really high hopes for this book. It had all the checks: queer representation, fantasy, mystery, and a familiar author. However, I felt myself fighting to be engaged. I think the pacing just felt off to me, which made it hard for me to stay in suspense. There wasn’t anything egregiously bad about the book so I’m sure there’s and audience for it. Three stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's | Wednesday Books for eARC! Extra thanks for extending an invitation through e-mail, since I've previously reviewed HE Edgmon.

POV : present and past tense, current day and flashbacks. Third person through Bird, Hugo, Cal, Eamon, Felix, Cassandra. Worth noting is that Felix's bits have a first POV from some unknown narrator (other reviewers think this is the author FWIW). This book is VERY adult, mature, descriptive, flowery (and I am using that in a positive manner, it's just the word that fits for me, I like elaborate sentences and descriptions). Sometimes, though, the cryptic writing is confusing, even after a few re-reads or coming back to it at a later time. However, if you go back and start reading from the beginning after completing the novel, more things certainly make better sense.

"We Can Never Leave" has 30 numbered chapters coupled with 25 Befores, Afters, etc taking place in a plethora of settings: Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, road trip to Washington, California, Boise National Forest, Catskills, Oregon, and around October for the present day parts. It has an open ending, which I like and don't like, because of all of the unanswered questions and the lacking in lore. I wanted more Caravan lore, their origins, how the magic system worked. And I didn't really believe or feel it when Felix says the main cast are his friends since none of them seem to be friendish until the end of the book.

Something that resonated so hard, that I was also unaware of, was the following -- “Reader, did you know it’s a fairly common trauma response to sit in a car and stare out the window and imagine someone running next to you? Kids trapped in cars with their parents for long stretches of time, feeling uncomfortable or even unsafe, nowhere to hide and nothing to distract them, are prone to inventing these unknown protectors. Felix has spent an enormous chunk of his life doing exactly that. It wouldn’t surprise him if that was what Cal was doing now, dissociating herself some guardian angel that might protect her from the tension in the RV.” I did that. What ran beside my rides were two unicorns, one male and one female, sometimes together, sometimes one over the other.

The 'they' pronouns were sometimes difficult to follow for my cis-gendered forty year-old brain. Doesn't mean the book is impossible to read, nor am I rallying to stop including them, I'm simply throwing it out there in case others relate.

And I will never not be annoyed about naïve being spelled incorrectly, especially since the author did cliché with the accent. o_0