Lush prose, incredible worldbuilding, and a fresh spin on the 'monsters' trope. The Sleepless had me from page one and I quickly became attached to the characters and the author's writing style!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

The beginning and the ends of this were strong for me but it lost me in the middle. It seemed like they were just wandering around to different places without it contributing to the story.

The world building was good and there was an interesting take on a love triangle. I've clearly been in the morally grey pool long enough that I preferred Lucian over Artair lol. Felt they had more of a connection. Either way, I could have used more build up to the romance.

Meddling gods always add interesting things. I also loved Fleet and their solution of wanting to bite people they don't like lol.

Overall, not a bad read but it reads more of YA to me. It is on the shorter side and I think a bit more could have really fleshed out things more, giving more depth to the characters.

Jen Williams' The Sleepless is an emotionally intense YA romantasy that grabbed my attention with its high-stakes plot and unique love triangle between a monster girl, a possessed boy, and the evil spirit within him. The story had me hooked from the start, with a strong emotional pull and characters that I couldn’t help but invest in.

Elver, the fierce and isolated monster girl, is the standout for me. Cursed with a poisonous touch, she lives alone until she meets Artair, the only person immune to her curse, and Lucian, the parasitic spirit inside him. The evolving dynamic between the three was a perfect blend of tension, romance, and inner conflict, with Lucian’s morally grey character adding extra intrigue.

While I would’ve liked more time to connect with the characters individually before their paths crossed, the story's emotional depth and the compelling dynamics kept me invested. Williams’ world-building impressed me, they created a rich, immersive setting that made the plot even more captivating. The Sleepless is a beautifully crafted story about love, loss, and the struggle for autonomy, with a romance that will leave you swooning. Highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

While I was hooked by the premise, and loved the little bit of world building we got, it pretty quickly fell flat. I know this is young adult, but I've read the author's Ninth Rain series and it's one of my favorites, which makes this book all the more disappointing because I know the plotting and character development she is capable of. The characters here are so one dimensional, and the dialogue so juvenile, there's no way you believe they're in their late teens - I didn't buy any of this story, especially the "romance" which felt like a very sad last minute addition.

The concept is a good one. Lots of Gods, Monsters and quirky characters.

It fell flat for me.

NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press September 30, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 stars

I was a little nervous picking up this book because I had DNFed the Ninth Rain, which a lot of people loved. But I ended up enjoying this book so much! Probably because this is a YA novel, compared to the Ninth Rain which is an adult novel. But still.

If you're nervous about this being a complicated, high level fantasy novel, don't worry--this is not it. The world revolves around gods and people who worship the gods, which is pretty easy to comprehend. Elver is a "monster" in the sense that her skin poisons humans, gifted by the Queen (Goddess) of Serpents. Also, if you don't like love triangle, don't worry--the love triangle is super unconventional and isn't even really fully flushed out yet. Not quite a spoiler but it's between Elver, Artair, and Lucian. But Artair and Lucian share the same body (when one is awake, the other is asleep). I suspect that the romance will build in future books.

I will say though, my issue is with the ending. I thought that there were more Sleepless people. If so, the ending with how Lucian ended up in Artair's body didn't quitteeeeee make sense to me. I mean, I understood it, but I feel like I have more questions. Anyways, I will definitely pick up the second book when it comes out and highly recommend this one to people!

I like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for a chance at reading this.

Ooof. I realized a little too late that this author was one I had a tricky time with before. Her writing is very much so 80's fantasy prose. Which isn't a bad thing - it has its fans. I'm not one of them. While the story moves at a quick pace, by chapter two I felt like I was missing something. The story structure alongside plot building wasn't bringing me to continue on. So, at 15% I DNF'd it.

If you like old-school fantasy then this certainly is for you.

Thank you Jen Williams, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the free eARC in exchange for my review!

I absolutely loved The Sleepless by Jen Williams! The book transported me to a world brimming with gods, monsters, and dangerous magic, and I couldn’t get enough of the characters. Elver, as the guardian of the wild and mysterious monster forest, was captivating—her struggle with her deadly gift added so much depth to her journey. Artair, cursed to share his body with the manipulative Lucian, brought an intriguing dynamic that kept me hooked. The way their lives intertwined with secrets and impossible alliances made for a riveting story.

The world-building in this book was phenomenal. I felt immersed in every scene, from the dense monster forests to the high-stakes confrontations with deities and dark forces. The love triangle was unique and complex, adding emotional tension without overshadowing the gripping plot. Jen Williams’ writing is both vivid and compelling, making the story feel alive and unforgettable.

If I had to nitpick, I’d say the romance could have had a bit more focus, but it still worked well within the broader scope of the narrative. Overall, The Sleepless is a masterful blend of romance, fantasy, and adventure, and I’m already eagerly awaiting the sequel. This book definitely earns a strong 4.5 rounded to 5 stars in my eyes!

A magical adventure with just a hint of romance, I was at the edge of my seat for the entire thing. It was such a captivating story. I loved how their past was connected as much as their future. The sleepless was so intriguing, the human falls asleep and another takes over their body and when they sleep the human is back in control. I found that the more into the story i went in the more curious i was to know more. The story starts with a sacrife that is the snowball of everything that comes after.

Do I have midterms right now? Yes. Did I make time to read this book despite my tests? Also yes. Count me all the way in.

I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I am an avid love triangle avoider (only because it becomes the main conflict over the plot!!). But Williams did a great job at everything.

The characters. Elver Elver Elver. I liked her a lot. She’s jaded, she’s violent, yet she’s clearly hurt and traumatized. She’s complex, definitely morally grey, and even more a product of her environment. Her tenderness towards her monsters and other jin was touching. Her development as the book progresses—her yearn to be better than Elver the Poison Forest Girl—was just…ugh no words besides love it. And Artair/Lucian. Loved them both. If Elver’s complex, those two are beyond convoluted. Williams’ portrayal of their backgrounds and growth, as well as their internal struggles was amazing. The concept of the Sleepless was super cool. I do wish, however, we explored more of the bonds between Elver, Artair, and Lucian. Honestly there wasn’t much romance, and it definitely was for the better. However, I wish there was more of that slowburn feeling (lingering looks, cute little accidental touches, etc) because at times, their bond felt underdeveloped and lacking a foundation.

Beyond that, the worldbuilding was great. The antagonist and her goals made sense. The 12 gods and their mages were really cool, and it was interesting seeing the traditions and cultures associated with each. I do hope that in the future, we’ll get a description of all 12, as this novel seemed focused on 4 or 5 of the gods.

The worst part about this book is that it isn’t released yet </3. Need the sequel right now.

* I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. This book has a very interesting premise, involving Elver, saved by the Queen of Serpents as a child, and Artair, who has a dangerous spirit (Lucian) control his body when he sleeps so he is locked into a tower. But Artair received a mission to steal a monster cub under the protection of Elver, which sets Elver and Lucian on a mission that will inevitably have them question everything they've ever known about their world.

This was certainly a different book than I have normally read. It is a sort of love triangle, except two of those are part of the same body. There was excellent world building in this book, and all sorts of different creatures and characters, so a lot of imagination and thought went into creating this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A journey with creative interesting characters, one girl deals with two different male personalities in the same body. I liked the origin of their stories, although there is tension and high stakes in accomplishing goals, the plot has a slow pace (for me) but it doesn't upset the story. Gods, evil, sacrifices, threats, promises... the cover is pretty.

I couldn’t put this down! When something is stolen from her god, Elver goes on a quest to bring it back only to find herself helping a sleepless human. I fell in love with the author’s writing style - it is very descriptive which makes the story feel so much more alive and colorful. The unique storyline, characters, world building all tied together beautifully to give you a stunning story!

Also, Sunay and Tisk *chefs kiss*

I believe this is marketed as a romantasy, and saw marketing items with team Lucian and team Artair, however the romance was very minimal and maybe leads up to have more in the sequel?

This doesn’t come out until the fall 2025 and I’m already left questioning when the next book comes out to find out what happens next!

This is my first ready by Jen Williams and now I’m very interested in picking up her other books!

Thank you Wednesday books for the arc!

Overall the concept of this book sounded so interesting but it eventually fell flat for me. It felt too much like every other YA book with characters that couldn’t really differentiate themselves from other stories. I couldn’t get into the story or behind the characters all to well at all.