What do you think?
Rate this book
These Vengeful Gods
ALL GODS MUST DIE in this searingly relevant YA from award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of The Wicked Bargain and Most Ardently. In a world bound by violence, a teen descended from the god of Death must keep their true identity a secret as they fight their way through a gladiator-style competition towards victory and rebellion against the gods who murdered their family.
Years ago, the descendants of the god of Death were murdered. The few that remain are in hiding, including Crow, a teen who survived the genocide and hides their magic to stay alive. After fleeing their village, Crow now lives with their uncles in the lowest part of the the Shallows.
Life in the Shallows is tough, but Crow’s even tougher. Hiding their magic has made Crow resourceful, cunning, and unbeatable -- which comes in handy as a fighter in the city's lucrative underground fighting ring.
Then, Crow's uncles are arrested for harboring Deathchildren.
With fists tightly clenched, Crow vows to set their uncles free. But to do that, they’re going to need to enter a world that threatens Crow’s very existence. Carefully navigating the politics of the wealthy and powerful, they enter the Tournament of the Gods -- a gladiator-style competition where the winner is granted a favor. As they battle their way towards the winner’s circle, Crow plans to ask the gods for their uncles’ freedom as their reward.
But in a city of gods and magic, you don’t ask for what you want.
You take it.
Action. Adventure. Romance. Find it all in Gabe Cole Novoa's
The Wicked BargainThe Diablo's Curse
Years ago, the descendants of the god of Death were murdered. The few that remain are in hiding, including Crow, a teen who survived the genocide and hides their magic to stay alive. After fleeing their village, Crow now lives with their uncles in the lowest part of the the Shallows.
Life in the Shallows is tough, but Crow’s even tougher. Hiding their magic has made Crow resourceful, cunning, and unbeatable -- which comes in handy as a fighter in the city's lucrative underground fighting ring.
Then, Crow's uncles are arrested for harboring Deathchildren.
With fists tightly clenched, Crow vows to set their uncles free. But to do that, they’re going to need to enter a world that threatens Crow’s very existence. Carefully navigating the politics of the wealthy and powerful, they enter the Tournament of the Gods -- a gladiator-style competition where the winner is granted a favor. As they battle their way towards the winner’s circle, Crow plans to ask the gods for their uncles’ freedom as their reward.
But in a city of gods and magic, you don’t ask for what you want.
You take it.
Action. Adventure. Romance. Find it all in Gabe Cole Novoa's
The Wicked BargainThe Diablo's Curse
Unknown Binding
First published May 27, 2025
46 people are currently reading
4226 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
Read
May 28, 2025Okay so, i originally wrote the review below the day after i finished reading THESE VENGEFUL GODS, which i got FOR FREE from one of the WEBSITES SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THAT PURPOSE (in this case edelweiss) in exchange for an honest review. Now, i did not star rate the book! Not any star rating! Just the text you will see in a moment. I did that because i don’t like star ratings and also because it would’ve made me the second only rating and that felt unfair. Anyway, after posting it i woke up to an email saying that my review had been reported because it broke ftc guidelines since i didn’t specify that i got the book for free lmao anyway i got the book for free here is the original review. Also no i have never once proofread and i won’t start now i literally don’t care
Mean? Yeah sure. But i was happy to leave it at that and never think about this book again. And, again, NO STAR RATING, anyway it getting reported and hidden pissed me off so i am typing this now like three days later to write a more detailed review and will post it when it’s closer to the book coming out. Also i already deleted the book off my ereader so i don’t have many quotes just the ones i screencapped because they sent me into orbit.
The main problem with THESE VENGEFUL GODS is that it thinks you, the reader, are fucking stupid and has no shame about making that clear. It thinks you cannot think for yourself and so need every single thing spelled out for you. It will take pains to do this, to tell you over and over and over again with an increasing lack of subtlety that the main characters are Good Moral Leftsist because they spout modern day leftism and all the bad people DON’T because they’re NOT good and they can’t BECOME GOOD because they’re not SOCIALIST (because i worry someone will be stupid, i am a strong leftist, i am a socialist) and they will use that exact language. Because if the characters don’t outloud with their mouths say “hey did you know it’s BAD that some people are POOR and other people are RICH?” you, the reader, will not fucking know that. Don’t worry the book won’t ask you to come to that conclusion on your own by using stupid things like scenes or plot points, everything will be told to you and because you are also a Good Moral Leftist you will believe it and stand by the characters in everything.
The part two of the above is also the use of modern language to describe gender and sexuality (again a clarification so no one acts like i’m a cishet lmao i am gay trans man) if you are not capable of coming up with ANY OTHER WAY To describe something besides the words that you would use when getting into a fight on twitter i think you shouldn’t be writing fantasy sorry. Also making me read the word “queerplatonic” and “polycule” in a fantasy novel is a criminal offense i don’t believe in prison or the carceral state but it is. Also this is the quote that literally KILLED ME
“If I hadn’t birthed he-”
“His pronouns,” one of the gods interrupts, their voice thunderous, “are he/they”
Is that not embarrassing and patronizing? Are fucking serious? Reading that line made me so mad that if it hadn’t been near the end i would’ve stopped reading.
Before anyone comes out of the woodwork to say “this is YA! It’s for teens!” okay, and teenagers also deserve to read books that think they’re smart and thoughtful and not toddlers that need things spelled out for them.
anyway
The other problem is the (complete lack) of worldbuilding. In this regard it really doesn’t earn the HUNGER GAMES comp thought i will argue at least THG makes it clear there is more than ONE city in the world. Is that city (and the small area outside of it) the only place people live? At all? Like. in the entire fucking world? Do they trade with anyone? No? They build everything, they grow and raise all food, they have everything they need for a technological society inside that ONE city? Okay
ALSO THE GODS PISSED ME OFF SO BAD, how are you going to build your ENTIRE book and world around the idea that gods are real and walking around and ruling you and yet i could not tell you a single goddamn thing about how those gods are worshiped*? Are they treated more like politicians than gods? Or even celebrities? Do the minor gods also have people who follow them? Is the reason there’s apparently only one city in the world because all the gods live there? There’s NO reason for them all to live there but whatever.
*except for one mention about how deathchildren use ink to mark each other but it is never clear why they do that, we have no idea what that was for! Was it a wedding? Funeral? Service of some type? Couldn’t tell you! Crow talks ALL THE TIME about losing the deathchildren culture but WHAT IS THAT CULTURE? What do they do? What do they believe? What do they wear? Eat? How do they celebrate or mourn? What do they do ANY differently from the other godchildren?
Also having a character named Chaos that is just a Nice Polite Boy pissed me off that’s such bullshit lmao. I could feel the author trying to fend off twitter attacks on every page, if you literally cannot get through a page without going “and by the way! It’s AWFUL that some people live with massive wealth, it’s inherently immoral actually! And my characters are NOT enjoying their time in these fancy places because they are SO MORAL that it just makes them ANGRIER on behalf of the OPPRESSED” right because allowing them a split second of confusion and guilt over enjoying luxury would’ve been too complex and gotten the author yelled at on tiktok!
I am not sure i have ever found a book so patronizing before in my life lmao i love when an author grabs my face in their hands and goes "i am going to leave no room for subtlety or critical thinking, every single thing will be spelled out in the most juvenile way imaginable"
Mean? Yeah sure. But i was happy to leave it at that and never think about this book again. And, again, NO STAR RATING, anyway it getting reported and hidden pissed me off so i am typing this now like three days later to write a more detailed review and will post it when it’s closer to the book coming out. Also i already deleted the book off my ereader so i don’t have many quotes just the ones i screencapped because they sent me into orbit.
The main problem with THESE VENGEFUL GODS is that it thinks you, the reader, are fucking stupid and has no shame about making that clear. It thinks you cannot think for yourself and so need every single thing spelled out for you. It will take pains to do this, to tell you over and over and over again with an increasing lack of subtlety that the main characters are Good Moral Leftsist because they spout modern day leftism and all the bad people DON’T because they’re NOT good and they can’t BECOME GOOD because they’re not SOCIALIST (because i worry someone will be stupid, i am a strong leftist, i am a socialist) and they will use that exact language. Because if the characters don’t outloud with their mouths say “hey did you know it’s BAD that some people are POOR and other people are RICH?” you, the reader, will not fucking know that. Don’t worry the book won’t ask you to come to that conclusion on your own by using stupid things like scenes or plot points, everything will be told to you and because you are also a Good Moral Leftist you will believe it and stand by the characters in everything.
The part two of the above is also the use of modern language to describe gender and sexuality (again a clarification so no one acts like i’m a cishet lmao i am gay trans man) if you are not capable of coming up with ANY OTHER WAY To describe something besides the words that you would use when getting into a fight on twitter i think you shouldn’t be writing fantasy sorry. Also making me read the word “queerplatonic” and “polycule” in a fantasy novel is a criminal offense i don’t believe in prison or the carceral state but it is. Also this is the quote that literally KILLED ME
“If I hadn’t birthed he-”
“His pronouns,” one of the gods interrupts, their voice thunderous, “are he/they”
Is that not embarrassing and patronizing? Are fucking serious? Reading that line made me so mad that if it hadn’t been near the end i would’ve stopped reading.
Before anyone comes out of the woodwork to say “this is YA! It’s for teens!” okay, and teenagers also deserve to read books that think they’re smart and thoughtful and not toddlers that need things spelled out for them.
anyway
The other problem is the (complete lack) of worldbuilding. In this regard it really doesn’t earn the HUNGER GAMES comp thought i will argue at least THG makes it clear there is more than ONE city in the world. Is that city (and the small area outside of it) the only place people live? At all? Like. in the entire fucking world? Do they trade with anyone? No? They build everything, they grow and raise all food, they have everything they need for a technological society inside that ONE city? Okay
ALSO THE GODS PISSED ME OFF SO BAD, how are you going to build your ENTIRE book and world around the idea that gods are real and walking around and ruling you and yet i could not tell you a single goddamn thing about how those gods are worshiped*? Are they treated more like politicians than gods? Or even celebrities? Do the minor gods also have people who follow them? Is the reason there’s apparently only one city in the world because all the gods live there? There’s NO reason for them all to live there but whatever.
*except for one mention about how deathchildren use ink to mark each other but it is never clear why they do that, we have no idea what that was for! Was it a wedding? Funeral? Service of some type? Couldn’t tell you! Crow talks ALL THE TIME about losing the deathchildren culture but WHAT IS THAT CULTURE? What do they do? What do they believe? What do they wear? Eat? How do they celebrate or mourn? What do they do ANY differently from the other godchildren?
Also having a character named Chaos that is just a Nice Polite Boy pissed me off that’s such bullshit lmao. I could feel the author trying to fend off twitter attacks on every page, if you literally cannot get through a page without going “and by the way! It’s AWFUL that some people live with massive wealth, it’s inherently immoral actually! And my characters are NOT enjoying their time in these fancy places because they are SO MORAL that it just makes them ANGRIER on behalf of the OPPRESSED” right because allowing them a split second of confusion and guilt over enjoying luxury would’ve been too complex and gotten the author yelled at on tiktok!
August 1, 2025
(4.5 ⭐) A disabled trans teenager with godly powers has to rip apart the society that has been harming them since birth. I had a WONDERFUL time with this! For a story with a focus on systemic inequality and vengeance, it was also somehow bright and charming and had the sweetest collection of characters.
Crow is a descendant of the god of Death, but nobody can know. Not after they narrowly escaped the Silencing as a child, a horrible night where Deathchildren were murdered en masse.
They’ve been surviving in the Shallows as a resourceful underground fighter, but when their uncles are arrested for protecting Deathchildren, they have to step into the spotlight to save them. So Crow enters the Tournament of the Gods, a gladiator competition where nobody is safe and the winner is granted one favor.
They just have to make sure nobody knows their secrets. And that they survive an experience that nobody from the Shallows ever wins.
These characters were truly fantastic!! Crow, Lark, Chaos, Maddox … everyone, really. There’s a polycule and also threads about forging families outside of blood, and there is so much care and attention paid to everyone’s strengths and needs. They think about how to best be there for each other in crisis. They all trust each other and learn to be vulnerable. They don’t dismiss anyone’s feelings, and instead work through difficult decisions together. They all have arcs and learnings and make mistakes - nobody wants to read about a perfect human - but that aspect truly warmed my soul. It’s so precious to have those dynamics spotlighted for young readers.
Crow’s godly powers are all about their body (mastering life and death and shadow), and I absolutely loved how this was portrayed. They’re trans, and do a weekly magical ritual to alter their hormones! How cool is that?
They also have an autoimmune disease, and use their magic as pain relief (and sometimes forced numbness to survive a fight). It was a really interesting way of pairing magic and disability, and thinking about magic as a bit of a privilege, but also not as a cure. There’s also a lot of discussion around disability justice. Everyone masks in the Shallows - and they don’t have any other tools to stop the spread of disease. The higher levels both have better protections but also more individualistic people who don’t keep the needs of the greater community in mind.
THERE IS A CAT. There is an adorable little cat who squeaks and her name is Mouse and she was PERFECT. I love an animal companion, and she brought so much life and levity to a story that does veer into darkness. She helps Crow form relationships and has some silly antics and she’s consistently around, but you also never worry for her life, which was a relief. Also my cat is this demanding and snuggly and always purring, so it was bonus nice to see a cat that’s not, like, distant and aloof.
This is a story of systemic oppression and classism and anyone who is othered being pushed down, scapegoated, ignored, and abused. It’s not at all subtle about this messaging, and the content is direct. I think it’s appropriate for YA readers, and I would have enjoyed engaging with this as a kid.
I loved so much of this, but I do think the pacing was so quick that it took away some of the emotional beats and moments to process and engage with the more difficult subject matter. Even just one or two more “quieter” scenes might have helped - anything where the characters and we as readers could reflect before racing on to the next disaster.
I adore a standalone, and while the ending leaves openings for followups, this is a complete story. You don’t get all the answers, which I preferred! I would have been disappointed by a rushed conclusion that tied everything up neatly. Instead, you see the pathways to better futures opening up.
Goodbye gods and goodbye nasty governments!!!
CW: murder, death (parent/child), genocide, transphobia, deadnaming, violence, blood, classism, injury, panic attacks, police brutality, abandonment, chronic illness, pandemic, fire, ableism, bullying, vomit
Follow me on social media for book recommendations!
(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
Crow is a descendant of the god of Death, but nobody can know. Not after they narrowly escaped the Silencing as a child, a horrible night where Deathchildren were murdered en masse.
They’ve been surviving in the Shallows as a resourceful underground fighter, but when their uncles are arrested for protecting Deathchildren, they have to step into the spotlight to save them. So Crow enters the Tournament of the Gods, a gladiator competition where nobody is safe and the winner is granted one favor.
They just have to make sure nobody knows their secrets. And that they survive an experience that nobody from the Shallows ever wins.
These characters were truly fantastic!! Crow, Lark, Chaos, Maddox … everyone, really. There’s a polycule and also threads about forging families outside of blood, and there is so much care and attention paid to everyone’s strengths and needs. They think about how to best be there for each other in crisis. They all trust each other and learn to be vulnerable. They don’t dismiss anyone’s feelings, and instead work through difficult decisions together. They all have arcs and learnings and make mistakes - nobody wants to read about a perfect human - but that aspect truly warmed my soul. It’s so precious to have those dynamics spotlighted for young readers.
Crow’s godly powers are all about their body (mastering life and death and shadow), and I absolutely loved how this was portrayed. They’re trans, and do a weekly magical ritual to alter their hormones! How cool is that?
They also have an autoimmune disease, and use their magic as pain relief (and sometimes forced numbness to survive a fight). It was a really interesting way of pairing magic and disability, and thinking about magic as a bit of a privilege, but also not as a cure. There’s also a lot of discussion around disability justice. Everyone masks in the Shallows - and they don’t have any other tools to stop the spread of disease. The higher levels both have better protections but also more individualistic people who don’t keep the needs of the greater community in mind.
THERE IS A CAT. There is an adorable little cat who squeaks and her name is Mouse and she was PERFECT. I love an animal companion, and she brought so much life and levity to a story that does veer into darkness. She helps Crow form relationships and has some silly antics and she’s consistently around, but you also never worry for her life, which was a relief. Also my cat is this demanding and snuggly and always purring, so it was bonus nice to see a cat that’s not, like, distant and aloof.
This is a story of systemic oppression and classism and anyone who is othered being pushed down, scapegoated, ignored, and abused. It’s not at all subtle about this messaging, and the content is direct. I think it’s appropriate for YA readers, and I would have enjoyed engaging with this as a kid.
I loved so much of this, but I do think the pacing was so quick that it took away some of the emotional beats and moments to process and engage with the more difficult subject matter. Even just one or two more “quieter” scenes might have helped - anything where the characters and we as readers could reflect before racing on to the next disaster.
I adore a standalone, and while the ending leaves openings for followups, this is a complete story. You don’t get all the answers, which I preferred! I would have been disappointed by a rushed conclusion that tied everything up neatly. Instead, you see the pathways to better futures opening up.
Goodbye gods and goodbye nasty governments!!!
CW: murder, death (parent/child), genocide, transphobia, deadnaming, violence, blood, classism, injury, panic attacks, police brutality, abandonment, chronic illness, pandemic, fire, ableism, bullying, vomit
Follow me on social media for book recommendations!
(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
August 29, 2025
Comparing yourself to the Hunger Games will always do you a disservice. This story isn’t terrible, just shallow and underdeveloped.
This book is fast paced to a fault. We constantly miss key parts of the story because the author just wanted to speed through everything.
Crow and his allies go into the 1st trial without preparation. I’m not joking when I say that they don’t speak about it before: they don’t have a plan, don’t strategize, don’t look into previous years’ competitions to learn more… I don’t understand why they didn’t take time to plan things… 🫤
During this 1st trial they almost DIE, and yet, because everything happens so quickly, I barely registered it. The life-threatening moments lost their impact because of how quickly the characters got through every obstacle (sometimes in the matter of 1 or 2 pages + they barely thought about it afterwards).
The 3 of them manage to pass this 1st trial, and it’s the 1st time in history someone from the poor side of town passes the 1st trial… It’s kind of absurd that not 1, not 2, but *3* people MADE HISTORY that easily… 🫥🫥🫥
Even though this trial was underdeveloped, I was excited to see the other trials; I thought they could be fun. But most of them turned out to just be 1vs1 fights, and while the author writes good fight scenes, I was disappointed that we didn’t get other interesting and creative trials after the 1st one. 🫠
We also didn’t see much of the other aspects of this competition. Other than the trials, there are a bunch of interviews, gatherings, parties and such, but we only saw a couple of them. They were literally becoming celebrities, but everything outside of the trials seemed like a mere inconvenience. I just think it would’ve been interesting to see more of what happens in between trials, and how much their lives were changing.
Another thing we sped through was the development of the relationships. Crow becomes friends with Chaos (Crow’s sponsor) and Maddox (one of the other participants in the competition) super quickly, to the point that, less than halfway through the book, the 3 of them are sleeping together and cuddling. I didn’t even know they were friends, let alone *that* close 😭😭😭.
The romance was also a huuuuge disappointment! 😭 Crow has a little childhood rivalry with a character, and, halfway through the book, this person stands up for him, and Crow starts thinking that they could perhaps be friends. The 1st half of the book had no hints of romance, and I was REALLY EXCITED to see this relationship slowly develop into friendship, and then perhaps something more! BUTTTTTTTT literally 3 pages after Crow thinks that the 2 of them could perhaps be friends they’re kissing and touching each other’s bodies and pressing against each other in bed……… BROOOOO this could’ve been an EXCELLENT slow burn! Why did the author make them go from 0 to 500 in the span of like 5 pages???? SUCH WASTED POTENTIAL!!! 😫😫😫
I also think that other aspects of the book could’ve been better. The SCs were either one-dimensional (like Astrid) or cartoonish (like Crow’s mum). The other competitors acted in a really childish way that left me wondering why they were even being sponsored for such a prestigious competition. The world was interesting, but underutilized (I also didn’t love the “modern” aspects; every time they started texting, or they pulled out needles to knit rainbow scarves, or talked about their skinny jeans, I was pulled out of the story lmaooo; that’s just a personal thing, though).
Overall, I think this book was, unfortunately, quite simplistic, and the way the author rushed through everything did the story a massive disservice. This reads more like MG than YA, tbh. Loved the representation, though, and the audiobook was pretty good!
It’s my 3rd book by this author (one of them was forgettable and disappointing, the other was a DNF)… I really need to think if I want to give him more chances……… 😬😬😬
(review written on 29/08/2024)
--------------
"The Hunger Games meets An Ember in the Ashes in this dystopian fantasy that follows a teen descended from the god of death whose identity must be kept secret as they fight their way through a gladiator-style competition toward victory and rebellion against the gods who murdered their family"
OH DYSTOPIAN IS BACK BABYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!
(10/10/2023)
This book is fast paced to a fault. We constantly miss key parts of the story because the author just wanted to speed through everything.
Crow and his allies go into the 1st trial without preparation. I’m not joking when I say that they don’t speak about it before: they don’t have a plan, don’t strategize, don’t look into previous years’ competitions to learn more… I don’t understand why they didn’t take time to plan things… 🫤
During this 1st trial they almost DIE, and yet, because everything happens so quickly, I barely registered it. The life-threatening moments lost their impact because of how quickly the characters got through every obstacle (sometimes in the matter of 1 or 2 pages + they barely thought about it afterwards).
The 3 of them manage to pass this 1st trial, and it’s the 1st time in history someone from the poor side of town passes the 1st trial… It’s kind of absurd that not 1, not 2, but *3* people MADE HISTORY that easily… 🫥🫥🫥
Even though this trial was underdeveloped, I was excited to see the other trials; I thought they could be fun. But most of them turned out to just be 1vs1 fights, and while the author writes good fight scenes, I was disappointed that we didn’t get other interesting and creative trials after the 1st one. 🫠
We also didn’t see much of the other aspects of this competition. Other than the trials, there are a bunch of interviews, gatherings, parties and such, but we only saw a couple of them. They were literally becoming celebrities, but everything outside of the trials seemed like a mere inconvenience. I just think it would’ve been interesting to see more of what happens in between trials, and how much their lives were changing.
Another thing we sped through was the development of the relationships. Crow becomes friends with Chaos (Crow’s sponsor) and Maddox (one of the other participants in the competition) super quickly, to the point that, less than halfway through the book, the 3 of them are sleeping together and cuddling. I didn’t even know they were friends, let alone *that* close 😭😭😭.
The romance was also a huuuuge disappointment! 😭 Crow has a little childhood rivalry with a character, and, halfway through the book, this person stands up for him, and Crow starts thinking that they could perhaps be friends. The 1st half of the book had no hints of romance, and I was REALLY EXCITED to see this relationship slowly develop into friendship, and then perhaps something more! BUTTTTTTTT literally 3 pages after Crow thinks that the 2 of them could perhaps be friends they’re kissing and touching each other’s bodies and pressing against each other in bed……… BROOOOO this could’ve been an EXCELLENT slow burn! Why did the author make them go from 0 to 500 in the span of like 5 pages???? SUCH WASTED POTENTIAL!!! 😫😫😫
I also think that other aspects of the book could’ve been better. The SCs were either one-dimensional (like Astrid) or cartoonish (like Crow’s mum). The other competitors acted in a really childish way that left me wondering why they were even being sponsored for such a prestigious competition. The world was interesting, but underutilized (I also didn’t love the “modern” aspects; every time they started texting, or they pulled out needles to knit rainbow scarves, or talked about their skinny jeans, I was pulled out of the story lmaooo; that’s just a personal thing, though).
Overall, I think this book was, unfortunately, quite simplistic, and the way the author rushed through everything did the story a massive disservice. This reads more like MG than YA, tbh. Loved the representation, though, and the audiobook was pretty good!
It’s my 3rd book by this author (one of them was forgettable and disappointing, the other was a DNF)… I really need to think if I want to give him more chances……… 😬😬😬
(review written on 29/08/2024)
--------------
"The Hunger Games meets An Ember in the Ashes in this dystopian fantasy that follows a teen descended from the god of death whose identity must be kept secret as they fight their way through a gladiator-style competition toward victory and rebellion against the gods who murdered their family"
OH DYSTOPIAN IS BACK BABYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!
(10/10/2023)
May 28, 2025
Rating: 4.5, rounded up
Wow....just, wow!!! My first ARC and it couldn't have been a better book!!! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's!!!
A YA dystopian fantasy novel, THESE VENGEFUL GODS is perfect for lovers of The Hunger Games, Greek mythology, deadly trials, and bad-ass main characters!
Crow (they/he) is a Deathchild, descendant of Death himself and, unfortunately, that is illegal. Being able to wield deathmagic only further complicates things. When approached by Chaos, a minor god of Discord, with the opportunity to compete in the Tournament of Gods, Crow initially declines. Until tragedy strikes.
And that's just the intro! Crow, Chaos, Lark, and Maddox embark on a journey that kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next round of the tournament or the next round of banter.
This was an incredibly fast-paced novel, which means there were many places I wish the author would have delved in more, but there just wasn't time! I wanted to know more about the gods and their children, more of Crow & Cara, more of Crow themself!
I would not have been mad at another 100 pages of Novoa's writing, but this book works beautifully as a stand alone. The immediate plot lines are tied with a bow and we are given a glimpse into our main characters next steps. But of course, Novoa also left enough room for a sequel, if we are lucky.
Novoa's approach to representation is bold, but easy. He includes representation for people with disabilities, gender non-conforming people, and queerness the way I wish was more common in real life and doesn't feel reductive. His characters vary in their appearances, races, and genders in a delightfully dizzying way that makes me crave fan art!
Novoa's writing is as fantastic as always, with gorgeous visuals that make it easy for readers to visualize. The fight scenes were surprisingly concise and quick, and left me wanting just a little more. A glimpse into the fights between other competitor would have been nice, but it was not necessary by any means.
This book is exactly what we need in 2025. Filled with political conflict, righteous outrage, and so. much. queerness. What isn't to love???
Wow....just, wow!!! My first ARC and it couldn't have been a better book!!! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's!!!
A YA dystopian fantasy novel, THESE VENGEFUL GODS is perfect for lovers of The Hunger Games, Greek mythology, deadly trials, and bad-ass main characters!
Crow (they/he) is a Deathchild, descendant of Death himself and, unfortunately, that is illegal. Being able to wield deathmagic only further complicates things. When approached by Chaos, a minor god of Discord, with the opportunity to compete in the Tournament of Gods, Crow initially declines. Until tragedy strikes.
And that's just the intro! Crow, Chaos, Lark, and Maddox embark on a journey that kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next round of the tournament or the next round of banter.
This was an incredibly fast-paced novel, which means there were many places I wish the author would have delved in more, but there just wasn't time! I wanted to know more about the gods and their children, more of Crow & Cara, more of Crow themself!
I would not have been mad at another 100 pages of Novoa's writing, but this book works beautifully as a stand alone. The immediate plot lines are tied with a bow and we are given a glimpse into our main characters next steps. But of course, Novoa also left enough room for a sequel, if we are lucky.
Novoa's approach to representation is bold, but easy. He includes representation for people with disabilities, gender non-conforming people, and queerness the way I wish was more common in real life and doesn't feel reductive. His characters vary in their appearances, races, and genders in a delightfully dizzying way that makes me crave fan art!
Novoa's writing is as fantastic as always, with gorgeous visuals that make it easy for readers to visualize. The fight scenes were surprisingly concise and quick, and left me wanting just a little more. A glimpse into the fights between other competitor would have been nice, but it was not necessary by any means.
This book is exactly what we need in 2025. Filled with political conflict, righteous outrage, and so. much. queerness. What isn't to love???
June 15, 2025
This author is an auto read/auto buy for me so I knew I would enjoy this. This wasn’t my favorite and I’m giving it a 4.5, but the story overall was great. There’s a lot of good messages about privilege and classism, masking, disability rep with chronic pain, and a whole lot of revenge. A few points here were flat and kinda seemed rush through, like the storyline with Crow’s uncles. Like it just kinda happened. I love competition books and this was really fun to read. I loved Crow, Lark, Chaos, and Maddox. Favorite character was Mouse though, of course. This was also an interesting magic system with the gods, minor gods, and godchildren. This book was longer but flew by with the fast pacing, which is appreciated. All in all I really enjoyed this book. This is one I wish I knew how everyone looked cause I’m awful at visualizing people.
July 7, 2025
Thank you to Random House Children’s for the eARC! (Unfortunately, I finished it long after publication day.)
“These Vengeful Gods” was a book I’d been anticipating for while, but to put it bluntly, I’m not sure if I enjoyed it or was disappointed. Novoa’s writing style was pleasant to settle into, especially in a standalone so boldly different from his other novels, however, the pacing, reused worldbuilding, and repetition did the story a disservice. I’m marking it as 3.5 stars in StoryGraph.
I’ll start with the good— as someone with similar pronouns and gender-fuckery to Crow, seeing a main character like him made me smile. His abilities were awesome, how they intersected with his transition was very creative, and I was intrigued seeing a character as scarred and angry as him allowed to still be loving. It’s frustrating to see so many YA characters numb to emotion, but so much of the cast being people from his community gave Crow some leeway to just feel. I can’t speak about it in detail since I don’t have any conditions like it, but I also greatly appreciated the chronic pain representation, it was another part of his self he managed with his Deathmagic, and in general, Gabe Cole Novoa is great at writing stories that are thrilling not just for the rep but for their stakes and plots, too. Plus, it was an excellent subversion of magic systems and SFF worlds that think disability can be “fixed” with magic or other methods.
Novoa’s talent for writing grief for a juvenile readerbase shines here. Except, in this context, it goes beyond familial grief, and also encompasses the more personal, deeper kind of grief that comes with genocide. Crow’s despair and anger is palpable, and there were actually two points in the story where it went in a darker direction than I thought it would. I was relieved that those feelings could be expanded upon and understood by other characters, especially Lark. And in addition, I generally enjoyed how Deathchild culture and community was written. (The flashbacks! The one time where Crow actually showcases their heritage! Raveena’s household, and the use of the omens throughout!!)
The narrative also seems to be a shameless conglomerate of Novoa’s favorite tropes (ex: magical transition, sketchy fantasy deals, dislike/rivals/enemies?? to lovers, tense life or death missions on a month deadline). Bear with me!! I am not saying it’s a bad thing. It was very fun to read, as someone who’s been rereading all of his other novels this year. I feel like between that, and the very topical themes of this book (especially the disabled rage, including a not so subtle critique of post-2020 attitudes towards COVID), it’s very obvious that this is the kind of story he’s been wanting to write for a while. I respect and see the passion.
Of course, lastly but not least, I’ll be a basic bitch and say the cat was cute. I’m used to seeing animal companions that are more rebellious or sassy but, nah, she was just mushy, sometimes to a manipulative degree. Shoutout to Mouse.
Now for the critiques— I’ll start by saying that, unfortunately, beyond some of the story and representation elements I listed earlier, Crow wasn’t a strong protagonist. I will say that it’s not the first time I’ve read about an MC by this author who is a chosen one of sorts, and falls a little flat because of how their power makes them into more of a symbol or plot device, but unlike his other work (ex: TWB. I was vagueposting a bit about Mar), the cast of characters doesn’t feel nearly as memorable. In turn, their relationships with Crow can’t make the flaws of his writing less noticeable. And I think this is 100% because of the pacing. In an attempt to make a faster-paced story, I noticed a couple chapters ended abruptly, several things just happened, and there were some plots I wish were wrapped up instead of discarded. (For example, I wish there was a better resolution for the stuff with Crow’s uncles!) While you can argue that this could be attributed to me having an ARC and not a final copy, I also listened to the finished audiobook for a quarter of the novel (before my Spotify Premium hours ran out), and there were very few changes from the text. I literally kept track of it through my notes. There were, like, two noticeable changes in 15 chapters.
Like other reviewers have pointed out, I also found the romance very rushed. Unfortunately, I kind of expected as much— writing a believable romance is already tricky, and multiplying that to make a polycule? And the polycule in question has several different relationship dynamics?? The drafting process is probably a nightmare! In this case, it sort of just felt like every peer who had some worthwhile emotional connection with Crow, and anyone who flirted with him, was just thrown into a relationship with him lmao?!?! I wanted to like the YA poly rep more, especially since these four don’t feel like an indiscernible unit like other fictional polycules do, but I just didn’t see the chemistry with any of them. I will at least say, though, that there were a couple of moments I found sweet. And it’s a win for people who want to queer up the romance epidemic in YA dystopia, I guess.
I also truly did not care about any of the competitors outside of the main cast. Maybe it’s just my ungrateful ass being disappointed that death wasn’t a thing that was guaranteed in the games despite the dark summary, maybe it was me easily being tired by the formula of the fights. The solutions to Crow’s first two matches were very easy to guess, they were an overpowered fighter, and all the other players were kinda there to just… be rude, and on-the-nose representations of the class conflict. Not every character has to be sympathetic, I wasn’t expecting that from rich fuckheads, but goodness a lot of the side characters were one-dimensional? In general, there was this constant disconnect with Team Crow and everyone else involved with the games, including the revolutionaries.
And, while not competitors, Crow’s uncles also weren’t my favorite?!? Something about them felt simplified. I can’t put my finger on it.
Lastly, the messaging was extremely heavy-handed. I can see the arguments for maintaining a heavy-handed message in dystopia— there’s been a noticeable decline in media literacy, and I do not think the teenage demographic (who will likely be using this book as a talking point and not an all-encompassing resource on how to discuss classism) will mind as much. But personally, I as a reader found it a little patronizing, especially with how it’d result in entire revelations and conversations being repeated. I’m sure the several parallels to Arcane’s worldbuilding didn’t help, either— I can’t tell if Riot Games had some very basic writers on their team or if there’s genuinely a lot of inspiration from that series? (Hey, at least TFG isn’t centrist!)
There’s some other things to note— I found a lot of twists predictable, the gods were very underutilized, and the ending was pretty great. (It was what made me give the extra .5 stars.) For the sake of wrapping up my review, I’ll just leave it off by saying that this was very flawed, I didn’t think it was as much of a banger as everyone else claimed it was, but I understand the appeal, and I might still think of this for a while. I just need to process, I think.
“These Vengeful Gods” was a book I’d been anticipating for while, but to put it bluntly, I’m not sure if I enjoyed it or was disappointed. Novoa’s writing style was pleasant to settle into, especially in a standalone so boldly different from his other novels, however, the pacing, reused worldbuilding, and repetition did the story a disservice. I’m marking it as 3.5 stars in StoryGraph.
I’ll start with the good— as someone with similar pronouns and gender-fuckery to Crow, seeing a main character like him made me smile. His abilities were awesome, how they intersected with his transition was very creative, and I was intrigued seeing a character as scarred and angry as him allowed to still be loving. It’s frustrating to see so many YA characters numb to emotion, but so much of the cast being people from his community gave Crow some leeway to just feel. I can’t speak about it in detail since I don’t have any conditions like it, but I also greatly appreciated the chronic pain representation, it was another part of his self he managed with his Deathmagic, and in general, Gabe Cole Novoa is great at writing stories that are thrilling not just for the rep but for their stakes and plots, too. Plus, it was an excellent subversion of magic systems and SFF worlds that think disability can be “fixed” with magic or other methods.
Novoa’s talent for writing grief for a juvenile readerbase shines here. Except, in this context, it goes beyond familial grief, and also encompasses the more personal, deeper kind of grief that comes with genocide. Crow’s despair and anger is palpable, and there were actually two points in the story where it went in a darker direction than I thought it would. I was relieved that those feelings could be expanded upon and understood by other characters, especially Lark. And in addition, I generally enjoyed how Deathchild culture and community was written. (The flashbacks! The one time where Crow actually showcases their heritage! Raveena’s household, and the use of the omens throughout!!)
The narrative also seems to be a shameless conglomerate of Novoa’s favorite tropes (ex: magical transition, sketchy fantasy deals, dislike/rivals/enemies?? to lovers, tense life or death missions on a month deadline). Bear with me!! I am not saying it’s a bad thing. It was very fun to read, as someone who’s been rereading all of his other novels this year. I feel like between that, and the very topical themes of this book (especially the disabled rage, including a not so subtle critique of post-2020 attitudes towards COVID), it’s very obvious that this is the kind of story he’s been wanting to write for a while. I respect and see the passion.
Of course, lastly but not least, I’ll be a basic bitch and say the cat was cute. I’m used to seeing animal companions that are more rebellious or sassy but, nah, she was just mushy, sometimes to a manipulative degree. Shoutout to Mouse.
Now for the critiques— I’ll start by saying that, unfortunately, beyond some of the story and representation elements I listed earlier, Crow wasn’t a strong protagonist. I will say that it’s not the first time I’ve read about an MC by this author who is a chosen one of sorts, and falls a little flat because of how their power makes them into more of a symbol or plot device, but unlike his other work (ex: TWB. I was vagueposting a bit about Mar), the cast of characters doesn’t feel nearly as memorable. In turn, their relationships with Crow can’t make the flaws of his writing less noticeable. And I think this is 100% because of the pacing. In an attempt to make a faster-paced story, I noticed a couple chapters ended abruptly, several things just happened, and there were some plots I wish were wrapped up instead of discarded. (For example, I wish there was a better resolution for the stuff with Crow’s uncles!) While you can argue that this could be attributed to me having an ARC and not a final copy, I also listened to the finished audiobook for a quarter of the novel (before my Spotify Premium hours ran out), and there were very few changes from the text. I literally kept track of it through my notes. There were, like, two noticeable changes in 15 chapters.
Like other reviewers have pointed out, I also found the romance very rushed. Unfortunately, I kind of expected as much— writing a believable romance is already tricky, and multiplying that to make a polycule? And the polycule in question has several different relationship dynamics?? The drafting process is probably a nightmare! In this case, it sort of just felt like every peer who had some worthwhile emotional connection with Crow, and anyone who flirted with him, was just thrown into a relationship with him lmao?!?! I wanted to like the YA poly rep more, especially since these four don’t feel like an indiscernible unit like other fictional polycules do, but I just didn’t see the chemistry with any of them. I will at least say, though, that there were a couple of moments I found sweet. And it’s a win for people who want to queer up the romance epidemic in YA dystopia, I guess.
I also truly did not care about any of the competitors outside of the main cast. Maybe it’s just my ungrateful ass being disappointed that death wasn’t a thing that was guaranteed in the games despite the dark summary, maybe it was me easily being tired by the formula of the fights. The solutions to Crow’s first two matches were very easy to guess, they were an overpowered fighter, and all the other players were kinda there to just… be rude, and on-the-nose representations of the class conflict. Not every character has to be sympathetic, I wasn’t expecting that from rich fuckheads, but goodness a lot of the side characters were one-dimensional? In general, there was this constant disconnect with Team Crow and everyone else involved with the games, including the revolutionaries.
And, while not competitors, Crow’s uncles also weren’t my favorite?!? Something about them felt simplified. I can’t put my finger on it.
Lastly, the messaging was extremely heavy-handed. I can see the arguments for maintaining a heavy-handed message in dystopia— there’s been a noticeable decline in media literacy, and I do not think the teenage demographic (who will likely be using this book as a talking point and not an all-encompassing resource on how to discuss classism) will mind as much. But personally, I as a reader found it a little patronizing, especially with how it’d result in entire revelations and conversations being repeated. I’m sure the several parallels to Arcane’s worldbuilding didn’t help, either— I can’t tell if Riot Games had some very basic writers on their team or if there’s genuinely a lot of inspiration from that series? (Hey, at least TFG isn’t centrist!)
There’s some other things to note— I found a lot of twists predictable, the gods were very underutilized, and the ending was pretty great. (It was what made me give the extra .5 stars.) For the sake of wrapping up my review, I’ll just leave it off by saying that this was very flawed, I didn’t think it was as much of a banger as everyone else claimed it was, but I understand the appeal, and I might still think of this for a while. I just need to process, I think.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2025
4.5/5 ⭐️
This book. THIS BOOK!!! I knew going into it I was going to love it (the synopsis alone was intriguing and within the first chapter I was hooked), but this book blew me away.
An action packed, politically motivated, found family filled ya dystopian is exactly what I needed right now. Let me tell you, this book doesn’t shy away from the real topics, while also making a fun story you don’t want to put down.
The commentaries on class, corrupt governments, and genocide and wars were all sooooo relevant and blunt— if anyone says reading isn’t political, I dare them to read this book because if you can’t see the commentary on OUR world from this book, you’re willfully ignorant. An entire population being killed off because of the decisions of a powerful few… the brainwashing of an entire population… poverty and lower classes being villainized/abused… HELLO EARTH?!
Crow as a character was so damn badass. Flawed, yes, but always doing things for the right reasons. Disabled/chronically ill, transmasc, part of an illegal bloodline— again, THIS BOOK IS POLITICAL! And so so good.
The diversity in characters was great! Different genders, sexualities, races, backgrounds, classes, etc. it was really refreshing!
I’ve talked a lot about the political commentaries (again, so good and blunt!!) but I need to talk about the writing. The last 20% had me GAGGED!!! Like, seriously shook. I had a blast through the whole book, but the END?! Floored. Also I saw one plot twist coming but the others??? Totally blindsided!!!
The characters were all unique, the found family was heartwarming, the trials/battles/whatever you call them were so fun and each one was different yet fit the story. I throughly enjoyed the story! Everything was believable (in terms of a magic-filled dystopian) and fit the plot well. I never felt like something came absolutely out of nowhere.
I will say… I don’t think this author has ever met a cat. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a fine feline sidekick. But Mouse did not act like any cat I’ve ever known, and I may or may not have 8 cats in my house right now (babysitting 4 temporarily, don’t panic I’m not crazy or cruel). Even the most affectionate cat wouldn’t put up with half the things Mouse did while purring. Still, I liked Mouse breaking up the tension, but maybe a bit more realistic for the animal chosen?
There were a few slow moments, but nothing that took me completely out of the story.
Overall, I really loved this story! Especially the ending. It’s hard to put all my thoughts into a succinct review, but all in all I highly recommend!!!
Thank you to Random House Books and NetGalley for gifting me an early copy for an honest review in return. All opinions are my own.
This book. THIS BOOK!!! I knew going into it I was going to love it (the synopsis alone was intriguing and within the first chapter I was hooked), but this book blew me away.
An action packed, politically motivated, found family filled ya dystopian is exactly what I needed right now. Let me tell you, this book doesn’t shy away from the real topics, while also making a fun story you don’t want to put down.
The commentaries on class, corrupt governments, and genocide and wars were all sooooo relevant and blunt— if anyone says reading isn’t political, I dare them to read this book because if you can’t see the commentary on OUR world from this book, you’re willfully ignorant. An entire population being killed off because of the decisions of a powerful few… the brainwashing of an entire population… poverty and lower classes being villainized/abused… HELLO EARTH?!
Crow as a character was so damn badass. Flawed, yes, but always doing things for the right reasons. Disabled/chronically ill, transmasc, part of an illegal bloodline— again, THIS BOOK IS POLITICAL! And so so good.
The diversity in characters was great! Different genders, sexualities, races, backgrounds, classes, etc. it was really refreshing!
I’ve talked a lot about the political commentaries (again, so good and blunt!!) but I need to talk about the writing. The last 20% had me GAGGED!!! Like, seriously shook. I had a blast through the whole book, but the END?! Floored. Also I saw one plot twist coming but the others??? Totally blindsided!!!
The characters were all unique, the found family was heartwarming, the trials/battles/whatever you call them were so fun and each one was different yet fit the story. I throughly enjoyed the story! Everything was believable (in terms of a magic-filled dystopian) and fit the plot well. I never felt like something came absolutely out of nowhere.
I will say… I don’t think this author has ever met a cat. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a fine feline sidekick. But Mouse did not act like any cat I’ve ever known, and I may or may not have 8 cats in my house right now (babysitting 4 temporarily, don’t panic I’m not crazy or cruel). Even the most affectionate cat wouldn’t put up with half the things Mouse did while purring. Still, I liked Mouse breaking up the tension, but maybe a bit more realistic for the animal chosen?
There were a few slow moments, but nothing that took me completely out of the story.
Overall, I really loved this story! Especially the ending. It’s hard to put all my thoughts into a succinct review, but all in all I highly recommend!!!
Thank you to Random House Books and NetGalley for gifting me an early copy for an honest review in return. All opinions are my own.
September 3, 2025
Narrated by Milo Longenecker
Every time I go into one of Gabe’s books, I know two things: I’m going to love it, and it’s going to be a wild ride.
The world Gabe created in this book is fantastic. In a world run by gods, there is one faction that has been feared above all others: the children of the god of Death. Years before this story begins, the death children were killed, though not all of them were found. Some have been in hiding, including Crow. Crow lives in the Shallows, the poorest and most desolate part of the city. When a threat to their only family comes, Crow only has one choice: not only to participate in the Tournament of the Gods, but to win it.
So this book is like Greek mythology, Gladiator, and Hunger Games had a baby, but with the diversity and found family of Heartstopper. I know that description makes no sense, but when you read this it will!
A wonderful diverse cast, a powerful (and frankly just badass) trans MC, gods, magic, and a tournament that can be life or death.
Keeping this vague bc I do not want to spoil it!!
Every time I go into one of Gabe’s books, I know two things: I’m going to love it, and it’s going to be a wild ride.
The world Gabe created in this book is fantastic. In a world run by gods, there is one faction that has been feared above all others: the children of the god of Death. Years before this story begins, the death children were killed, though not all of them were found. Some have been in hiding, including Crow. Crow lives in the Shallows, the poorest and most desolate part of the city. When a threat to their only family comes, Crow only has one choice: not only to participate in the Tournament of the Gods, but to win it.
So this book is like Greek mythology, Gladiator, and Hunger Games had a baby, but with the diversity and found family of Heartstopper. I know that description makes no sense, but when you read this it will!
A wonderful diverse cast, a powerful (and frankly just badass) trans MC, gods, magic, and a tournament that can be life or death.
Keeping this vague bc I do not want to spoil it!!
July 7, 2025
Gabe Cole Novoa brings us his latest dark YA fantasy, this time shifting away from his historical settings of the last few years (two books of piracy and magic, and his retelling of Pride and Prejudice with a transmasculine protagonist.) Now, he takes on the fantasy dystopian style, bringing in a lot of his stylistic hallmarks - queer-centric cast, Latin American inspired setting (not every character is Hispanic, but many of them are at least coded as such), sharp social commentary about class division and genocide (protagonist Crow being one of the last living descendants of Death, whom all the other gods betrayed out of fear), and also disabled rep, with Novoa incorporating elements of his own autoimmune disorder into Crow. I feel like this book will get a lot of comparisons to Aiden Thomas’s The Sunbearer Trials, but my comparison is that, having been disappointed with the second book of Thomas’s duology, this book gets right in one what Thomas couldn’t quite pull off in two. It’s a very worthy addition to Novoa’s bibliography, and while Crow is a new favorite of mine among his protagonists, Chaos takes the cake as my fave overall in this book, easily.
October 17, 2025
DNF.
If this is supposed to be a story of a character with a disability besting the system, why is the audiobook version of this story inaccessible? There’s a character whose voice is completely indecipherable to me. I couldn’t go any further after 2 mins of deep, garbled mumbles.
It’s unfortunate because I was looking forward to reading this.
If this is supposed to be a story of a character with a disability besting the system, why is the audiobook version of this story inaccessible? There’s a character whose voice is completely indecipherable to me. I couldn’t go any further after 2 mins of deep, garbled mumbles.
It’s unfortunate because I was looking forward to reading this.
June 30, 2025
Rep: Polycule, Transmac, numerous LGBTQIA+ characters
These Vengeful Gods feels like a clever mashup of The Hunger Games and gladiator-style combat with a simmering political rebellion, but with way more queer rep and found family vibes. It’s fast-paced and action-packed, but it still manages to sneak in sharp commentary on classism, privilege, chronic pain, and what it means to survive in a world that’s actively trying to erase you. I especially appreciated the way masking and disability rep were handled alongside the discussion of gender identity and familial rejection. The fact that the narrative literally bleeps Crow’s deadname? Brilliant. Small detail, big impact.
Crow is a scrappy, fierce lead, and I loved their stubborn determination. But honestly? The heart of this book is the polyamorous dynamic and the wonderful cast of side characters. Their relationships were my favorite part of the whole story. I was deeply invested in every single one of them. (And special shoutout to Mouse because I, too, have known and loved a cat with that name.)
If I had one complaint, it’s that the pacing sometimes didn’t leave enough room for deeper emotional beats. I wanted just a bit more space to breathe and sit with some of the heavier moments. But that’s me being picky, because even with that, I tore through this book and immediately started hoping for a sequel.
In short: queer, fierce, and full of heart-pounding action and rebellion. Highly recommend for anyone who loves magic-fueled revolution stories with a sharp emotional core.
These Vengeful Gods feels like a clever mashup of The Hunger Games and gladiator-style combat with a simmering political rebellion, but with way more queer rep and found family vibes. It’s fast-paced and action-packed, but it still manages to sneak in sharp commentary on classism, privilege, chronic pain, and what it means to survive in a world that’s actively trying to erase you. I especially appreciated the way masking and disability rep were handled alongside the discussion of gender identity and familial rejection. The fact that the narrative literally bleeps Crow’s deadname? Brilliant. Small detail, big impact.
Crow is a scrappy, fierce lead, and I loved their stubborn determination. But honestly? The heart of this book is the polyamorous dynamic and the wonderful cast of side characters. Their relationships were my favorite part of the whole story. I was deeply invested in every single one of them. (And special shoutout to Mouse because I, too, have known and loved a cat with that name.)
If I had one complaint, it’s that the pacing sometimes didn’t leave enough room for deeper emotional beats. I wanted just a bit more space to breathe and sit with some of the heavier moments. But that’s me being picky, because even with that, I tore through this book and immediately started hoping for a sequel.
In short: queer, fierce, and full of heart-pounding action and rebellion. Highly recommend for anyone who loves magic-fueled revolution stories with a sharp emotional core.
December 15, 2025
I enjoyed this book. It seems like there may be a book two?? I’m not sure. I’m content with either this ending or another book.
October 22, 2025
I wanted to give this book 3 stars for the most part, but the ending.. god the ending. Now I am debating between 1 and 2, and I am very generous with it.
As I said for the most part I liked the book, and wanted to know the ending of the story. It had it faults, but still, it was interesting.
Fantasy element revolves around two types of magic. Rune magic that is accessible to everyone and godmagic which is available just to children of the gods. How did 2 very lowborn kids from Shallows become so proficient with runes is never explained. Also, the Tournament is supposed to celebrate god children but they accepted Crow who presented himself as mundane.. and these are the plot holes I could live with because it was fun to read about this magic.
We follow Crow, underground teenage fighter from the Shallows (poor part of town) who agrees to be a part of Tournament to save his uncles. Premise is very YA dystopian, but I like that so it didn't disappoint. If you don't like YA please don't read this book. Dialogue is very YA, I would say more for 13-14 yearolds than for 16-18.
This part will have a lot of spoilers.
The world is very undeveloped. Story happens in a city that has three parts - Shallow, Midlevel and Godlevel. Apart from that, there is some kind of town for Deathchildren (why are they separated? it was never explained). And we have wilds beyond - mentioned in sentence or two only. Corw's uncles helped Deathchildren escape the city to the wilds. How did they survive, where did they go? We know nothing.
All characters are extremely 2D. Even main 4 characters don't have any personality. Lark is badass and in love with Crow, and she is good tailor. That is not developed character. Maddox.. I have nothing to say. Why is he even there? Only to push polyamory. No substance whatsoever.
Apart from them, the rest of the characters are no more then oneliners - Astrid is a rich bitch who wants to win. Cara - pure evil. Rowena - good grandmother. Luke? why even mention them.
The more I write this review the more I think it will be only one star.
Oh and the love interests... I just didn't see why they all had to be in relationship with each other. Friendships exist. There was miniscule attraction between Chaos and Crow, as well as between Crow and Maddox. It was more "you're hot" than anything else. You care for each other - good, you are friends - good. Polyamory part was just not developed at all.
And Lark.. She is in love with Crow. That part was nice change because I was expecting some betrayal/cheeting between the boys. But why would she be in polycule with Chaos and Maddox who she has minimal relationship with in the book? She wants to be with Corw, and these are his friends. It just felt forced and not developed (like most of this book).
Lets say Crow is most developed since we follow his POV. Why in the name of god would he act like he acted in the end of the book? Social justice, okay. But he just killed anyone he wanted to, no remorse whatsoever (even though he cried all night after his first kill. Next five were very easy.)
And then we have Cara... the purpose of this character is to be a bad guy. Why did she marry Falcon? Why did she sleep with Death? Why did she want girl so much? Was she a politician in the time of the genocide?
She was there to be evil and transphobic. Which was so weird in fantasy world that has they/them gods. It felt very forced.
This book had interesting ideas about gods and magic, it had potential. Even as Hunger Games copy it could be good book. Not wow, but good. But every part is underdeveloped and too much topics were pushed in 400 pages. It just isn't a good book.
As I said for the most part I liked the book, and wanted to know the ending of the story. It had it faults, but still, it was interesting.
Fantasy element revolves around two types of magic. Rune magic that is accessible to everyone and godmagic which is available just to children of the gods. How did 2 very lowborn kids from Shallows become so proficient with runes is never explained. Also, the Tournament is supposed to celebrate god children but they accepted Crow who presented himself as mundane.. and these are the plot holes I could live with because it was fun to read about this magic.
We follow Crow, underground teenage fighter from the Shallows (poor part of town) who agrees to be a part of Tournament to save his uncles. Premise is very YA dystopian, but I like that so it didn't disappoint. If you don't like YA please don't read this book. Dialogue is very YA, I would say more for 13-14 yearolds than for 16-18.
This part will have a lot of spoilers.
The world is very undeveloped. Story happens in a city that has three parts - Shallow, Midlevel and Godlevel. Apart from that, there is some kind of town for Deathchildren (why are they separated? it was never explained). And we have wilds beyond - mentioned in sentence or two only. Corw's uncles helped Deathchildren escape the city to the wilds. How did they survive, where did they go? We know nothing.
All characters are extremely 2D. Even main 4 characters don't have any personality. Lark is badass and in love with Crow, and she is good tailor. That is not developed character. Maddox.. I have nothing to say. Why is he even there? Only to push polyamory. No substance whatsoever.
Apart from them, the rest of the characters are no more then oneliners - Astrid is a rich bitch who wants to win. Cara - pure evil. Rowena - good grandmother. Luke? why even mention them.
The more I write this review the more I think it will be only one star.
Oh and the love interests... I just didn't see why they all had to be in relationship with each other. Friendships exist. There was miniscule attraction between Chaos and Crow, as well as between Crow and Maddox. It was more "you're hot" than anything else. You care for each other - good, you are friends - good. Polyamory part was just not developed at all.
And Lark.. She is in love with Crow. That part was nice change because I was expecting some betrayal/cheeting between the boys. But why would she be in polycule with Chaos and Maddox who she has minimal relationship with in the book? She wants to be with Corw, and these are his friends. It just felt forced and not developed (like most of this book).
Lets say Crow is most developed since we follow his POV. Why in the name of god would he act like he acted in the end of the book? Social justice, okay. But he just killed anyone he wanted to, no remorse whatsoever (even though he cried all night after his first kill. Next five were very easy.)
And then we have Cara... the purpose of this character is to be a bad guy. Why did she marry Falcon? Why did she sleep with Death? Why did she want girl so much? Was she a politician in the time of the genocide?
She was there to be evil and transphobic. Which was so weird in fantasy world that has they/them gods. It felt very forced.
This book had interesting ideas about gods and magic, it had potential. Even as Hunger Games copy it could be good book. Not wow, but good. But every part is underdeveloped and too much topics were pushed in 400 pages. It just isn't a good book.
June 3, 2025
Look, I get it. Some people don't want their books to be overly (and overtly) political. I can certainly understand that and there are definitely certain books I avoid for similar reasons.
But Gabe Cole Novoa has been an auto-buy author for me since This Wicked Bargain, which was reinforced by Most Ardently. (Yes, I have The Diablo's Curse, no, I haven't read it yet, leave me alone.) Yes, this book was political and not at all subtle about it. It is an open call to fight back against oppression and socioeconomic warfare. It is timely and beautifully written and a bit of happiness and hope that so many of us need right now.
I loved the characters and their relationships with each other. There is no doubt that they have each other's backs, even if some of them barely know each other. I also appreciated that any romance took a backseat to the friendships that were front and center. And Chaos was there for all of them, even as an outsider who didn't know what it was like in the Shallows, but acknowledged his privilege, understood things were wrong, and committed himself to doing better. So yes, even while the story was in-your-face with its politics, it was still sensitive and beautiful because the characters were beautiful.
I think this is is a standalone novel, but there certainly seems to be room for future exploration in the same world, which I would of course happily read.
But Gabe Cole Novoa has been an auto-buy author for me since This Wicked Bargain, which was reinforced by Most Ardently. (Yes, I have The Diablo's Curse, no, I haven't read it yet, leave me alone.) Yes, this book was political and not at all subtle about it. It is an open call to fight back against oppression and socioeconomic warfare. It is timely and beautifully written and a bit of happiness and hope that so many of us need right now.
I loved the characters and their relationships with each other. There is no doubt that they have each other's backs, even if some of them barely know each other. I also appreciated that any romance took a backseat to the friendships that were front and center. And Chaos was there for all of them, even as an outsider who didn't know what it was like in the Shallows, but acknowledged his privilege, understood things were wrong, and committed himself to doing better. So yes, even while the story was in-your-face with its politics, it was still sensitive and beautiful because the characters were beautiful.
I think this is is a standalone novel, but there certainly seems to be room for future exploration in the same world, which I would of course happily read.
July 25, 2025
These Vengeful Gods is an edge of your seat fantasy that has great diversity representation, a deadly trial, and even some political unrest thrown in to create this gem that is so hard to put down and will leave you wanting more!!
Gabe Cole Novoa does an incredible job with his writing style that really connects the reader to the story and the characters. I felt like I was right there with Crow going through each individual trial cheering them on. By the end, I had cried, laughed, became enraged, and felt hope.
I really enjoyed the diversity representation because our main character is not only trans but also deals with a debilitating autoimmune disorder as well. I was inspired by Crow because they continue to push through and never give up even when things are at their lowest. I also liked the author's focus on classism and the consequences of classism in society through such things as political upheaval and unrest.
I ADORED all the characters!! Each one is so unique and so much fun. I couldn't pick a favorite if I tried but Mouse is the most ADORABLE cat in the world and I want my own lol.
I highly recommend These Vengeful Gods to fans of mythology (especially if you like games like the God of War series), fans of diversity representation especially trans and/or illness, and/or any of my fellow fantasy fans. This book has something for everyone!!
Gabe Cole Novoa does an incredible job with his writing style that really connects the reader to the story and the characters. I felt like I was right there with Crow going through each individual trial cheering them on. By the end, I had cried, laughed, became enraged, and felt hope.
I really enjoyed the diversity representation because our main character is not only trans but also deals with a debilitating autoimmune disorder as well. I was inspired by Crow because they continue to push through and never give up even when things are at their lowest. I also liked the author's focus on classism and the consequences of classism in society through such things as political upheaval and unrest.
I ADORED all the characters!! Each one is so unique and so much fun. I couldn't pick a favorite if I tried but Mouse is the most ADORABLE cat in the world and I want my own lol.
I highly recommend These Vengeful Gods to fans of mythology (especially if you like games like the God of War series), fans of diversity representation especially trans and/or illness, and/or any of my fellow fantasy fans. This book has something for everyone!!
March 23, 2025
4.5 stars
Gabe Cole Novoa writes some of my favorite YA stories, and These Vengeful Gods was no exception. I have a known weakness for found family, and as usual, this one got me right in the feels.
I will start out by saying that this story is not subtle - and it shouldn’t be. We should be looking this type of hatred and bigotry and state-sanctioned genocide directly in the eye.
The comps to The Hunger Games were 100% correct - at some points, to distraction (I believe I twice made notes saying “it’s giving Mockingjay”). But since I LOVE me some Hunger Games, it wasn’t a deal breaker for me.
The disability representation here was great without being reductive.
There were some things I wanted more of - more Cara/Crow, more Lark/Crow post-feelings, more personality from Crow themselves. But the breakneck pace of this story kept me engaged straight through to the end.
Also obsessed that this was a solid standalone and didn’t leave me hanging waiting for a sequel. It wraps up tidily, which I think we really need more of these days.
As always, I will read more from this author at every opportunity.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC of this book!
Gabe Cole Novoa writes some of my favorite YA stories, and These Vengeful Gods was no exception. I have a known weakness for found family, and as usual, this one got me right in the feels.
I will start out by saying that this story is not subtle - and it shouldn’t be. We should be looking this type of hatred and bigotry and state-sanctioned genocide directly in the eye.
The comps to The Hunger Games were 100% correct - at some points, to distraction (I believe I twice made notes saying “it’s giving Mockingjay”). But since I LOVE me some Hunger Games, it wasn’t a deal breaker for me.
The disability representation here was great without being reductive.
There were some things I wanted more of - more Cara/Crow, more Lark/Crow post-feelings, more personality from Crow themselves. But the breakneck pace of this story kept me engaged straight through to the end.
Also obsessed that this was a solid standalone and didn’t leave me hanging waiting for a sequel. It wraps up tidily, which I think we really need more of these days.
As always, I will read more from this author at every opportunity.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC of this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
December 2, 2025A new book from the author of The Wicked Bargain!
A dystopian fantasy following a teen descended from the god of death whose identity must be kept secret as they fight their way through a gladiator-style competition toward victory and rebellion against the gods who murdered their family
A dystopian fantasy following a teen descended from the god of death whose identity must be kept secret as they fight their way through a gladiator-style competition toward victory and rebellion against the gods who murdered their family
July 3, 2025
I was really excited for this book. But I hated the tone. I was not expecting our characters to all sound like they were 12, 13, and 14. I know it’s YA… but that’s a young adult not middle school child. I couldn’t keep going.
July 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! It took me a while to get into, but once I was there, I was THERE.
So, the book follows Crow, who is a Deathchild and they were supposed to have been killed years ago, when it was decided that all of the children of the god Death would be killed because they were too dangerous. But Crow lived, being raised by his uncles, as his mother was one of the powerful people in government who made the decision to kill the Deathchildren.
Now, Crow is an underground fighting legend in the Shallows, a part of the city with high poverty and police brutality. He is offered the chance to fight in the God Games, and he reluctantly accepts after his uncles are arrested for harbouring a Deathchild.
I really loved that this book is a massive critique of wealth and class and how the powerful in government don't really give a shit about the poor. As crow is advancing in the God Games, he and his friends discover a horrible plot against the people who live in the Shallows, and how they're able to use new allies to fully uncover the plot against them.
I also appreciated how the two main relationships in the book evolved and how the friend group stays that way, despite the people within it pairing up. They were friends first and foremost and that relationship always came first.
I might have given this five stars if it had been slightly shorter? It felt like it was a bit on the long side, but was still a really solid story. I like how the author writes trans characters and it was no different in this one. How wonderful to use magic to change your body into what you want it to be.
So, the book follows Crow, who is a Deathchild and they were supposed to have been killed years ago, when it was decided that all of the children of the god Death would be killed because they were too dangerous. But Crow lived, being raised by his uncles, as his mother was one of the powerful people in government who made the decision to kill the Deathchildren.
Now, Crow is an underground fighting legend in the Shallows, a part of the city with high poverty and police brutality. He is offered the chance to fight in the God Games, and he reluctantly accepts after his uncles are arrested for harbouring a Deathchild.
I really loved that this book is a massive critique of wealth and class and how the powerful in government don't really give a shit about the poor. As crow is advancing in the God Games, he and his friends discover a horrible plot against the people who live in the Shallows, and how they're able to use new allies to fully uncover the plot against them.
I also appreciated how the two main relationships in the book evolved and how the friend group stays that way, despite the people within it pairing up. They were friends first and foremost and that relationship always came first.
I might have given this five stars if it had been slightly shorter? It felt like it was a bit on the long side, but was still a really solid story. I like how the author writes trans characters and it was no different in this one. How wonderful to use magic to change your body into what you want it to be.
June 18, 2025
As much as I enjoyed other books by Novoa, this one just didn't work as well for me. Like Novoa's other fantasy works, it's very earnest and desperately want you to be aware of the themes and socio-political topics it is presents the way YA books can be. That isn't a bad thing--it's just at times feels like it could use much more nuance and depth, especially with regard to the more political topics the story brings up, like genocide and systematic oppression. Like too many YA novels like this, it brings up these big issues and acknowledges that they exist, but falls short of any deep exploration of them.
Which leads me to the other issue I have with this novel: there is so much going on in terms of the ideas and topics Novoa wants to cover, but all those elements too often don't blend within the narrative and worldbuilding, so when they come up, like with the disability rep, they just sort of blare out at the reader until they rescind into the background again.
Lastly, I just do not need more Hunger Games in my life, and I don't know who does. I kept wishing this had been more Chain-Gang All-Stars than Hunger Games--the potential was certainly there (and maybe Novoa had inspired toward that, as at times I got that vibe)--but in the end the action side of the narrative was just more of the familiar.
Lots of good intentions here but overall the novel could have use better, more sophisticated execution and realization.
Which leads me to the other issue I have with this novel: there is so much going on in terms of the ideas and topics Novoa wants to cover, but all those elements too often don't blend within the narrative and worldbuilding, so when they come up, like with the disability rep, they just sort of blare out at the reader until they rescind into the background again.
Lastly, I just do not need more Hunger Games in my life, and I don't know who does. I kept wishing this had been more Chain-Gang All-Stars than Hunger Games--the potential was certainly there (and maybe Novoa had inspired toward that, as at times I got that vibe)--but in the end the action side of the narrative was just more of the familiar.
Lots of good intentions here but overall the novel could have use better, more sophisticated execution and realization.
October 29, 2025
I want to give this a million stars for fantastic trans representation. May every reader someday identify and hate a villian who deadnames.
But…the plot holes are so huge and the romance is so annoying. There is such a lack of development in both the conflict and love in this book. It’s like a cozy death competition with very weird gods including one who just said sure kill all my kids I don’t care. I understand that we’re supposed to understand that Death foresees the way things play out but seriously the god of life AND death, obviously the most powerful of all is like “sure my descendants are just existing, but of course it’s cool if you kill then all” (yes I get the trans parallel)?
I just feel like this is wasted potential in so many ways.
But…the plot holes are so huge and the romance is so annoying. There is such a lack of development in both the conflict and love in this book. It’s like a cozy death competition with very weird gods including one who just said sure kill all my kids I don’t care. I understand that we’re supposed to understand that Death foresees the way things play out but seriously the god of life AND death, obviously the most powerful of all is like “sure my descendants are just existing, but of course it’s cool if you kill then all” (yes I get the trans parallel)?
I just feel like this is wasted potential in so many ways.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2025
Genre: YA Dystopia
I read The Diablo’s Curse by this author and really enjoyed that book but this one fell short for me.
What I liked:
The fast paced fantasy adventure plot where the MC enters a deadly competition to save their uncles. Found family, gods, twists, secrets, world building
What didn’t work for me:
The romance felt forced. The political undertones were way too much for me and took away from the plot. I almost DNF but I liked the action so I wanted to see how it ended.
I read The Diablo’s Curse by this author and really enjoyed that book but this one fell short for me.
What I liked:
The fast paced fantasy adventure plot where the MC enters a deadly competition to save their uncles. Found family, gods, twists, secrets, world building
What didn’t work for me:
The romance felt forced. The political undertones were way too much for me and took away from the plot. I almost DNF but I liked the action so I wanted to see how it ended.
June 7, 2025
5 stars
I ate this book up. It is loud, proud and exactly what I was looking for. I loved our trans male main character and how they used magic not to just cure a medical condition they have, but to help. It has a bit of enemies to lovers action for you folks that like that sort of thing (I can usually do without, they felt like more siblings to me) I was actually pumping my fists towards the end. There's some good one liners, a deadly competition, rioting, and Gods; what more could you want? Everyone should be talking about this book.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy to form opions from.
I ate this book up. It is loud, proud and exactly what I was looking for. I loved our trans male main character and how they used magic not to just cure a medical condition they have, but to help. It has a bit of enemies to lovers action for you folks that like that sort of thing (I can usually do without, they felt like more siblings to me) I was actually pumping my fists towards the end. There's some good one liners, a deadly competition, rioting, and Gods; what more could you want? Everyone should be talking about this book.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy to form opions from.
June 15, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! This was such a fun, high-stakes read. Think The Hunger Games meets The Sunbearer Trials. The story is full of action, mythology, and rebellion, with a world that feels dangerous and alive. I especially loved the trans masc rep. It was authentic, powerful, and woven seamlessly into the narrative. Fast-paced, emotional, and empowering. I couldn’t put it down.
September 28, 2025
DNF @ 29%. This...was not super well thought-out.
Gods are mentioned. We haven't met them yet but I'm suspecting that they either really aren't gods or nothing is actually explained about them if we do.
Lark joining the Tournament made literally absolutely no sense. Nor did her approaching the crime boss in order to get into the Tournament.
The other Shallower doesn't make much sense either. Neither is his entrance since apparently his cousin is the one that submitted him but they're from two totally different sections of the city that do not communicate with each other???
I'm...very confused what sponsors are actually supposed to DO because thus far Chaos seems to be the only one doing something and that only extends to getting Crow clothes and a hotel room?
I'm really not certain why Lark and Maddox were asked to join Chaos and Crow in their hotel room. It's a large suite but still. They have their own sponsors. That don't do anything. See previous confusion.
They all literally waste their time and don't even prepare for the first trial despite no one from the Shallows ever making it past the first trial in all the prior years before???
Nah, apparently we're good with a cuddle puddle.
Gods are mentioned. We haven't met them yet but I'm suspecting that they either really aren't gods or nothing is actually explained about them if we do.
Lark joining the Tournament made literally absolutely no sense. Nor did her approaching the crime boss in order to get into the Tournament.
The other Shallower doesn't make much sense either. Neither is his entrance since apparently his cousin is the one that submitted him but they're from two totally different sections of the city that do not communicate with each other???
I'm...very confused what sponsors are actually supposed to DO because thus far Chaos seems to be the only one doing something and that only extends to getting Crow clothes and a hotel room?
I'm really not certain why Lark and Maddox were asked to join Chaos and Crow in their hotel room. It's a large suite but still. They have their own sponsors. That don't do anything. See previous confusion.
They all literally waste their time and don't even prepare for the first trial despite no one from the Shallows ever making it past the first trial in all the prior years before???
Nah, apparently we're good with a cuddle puddle.
June 23, 2025
I think I’m going to have to concede that this book isn’t my favorite.
Conceptually, and in some of the follow through, I did enjoy it. I always love disability rep, and a transmasc MC is always right up my alley.
And I was intrigued by the plot of the novel. But that’s most of where it lost me. In some ways this book was different, which was a nice attempt, but a lot of what made it so also made the other plot points predictable, and thus lowered the stakes at the beginning which made me immediately uninvest. The games plot was also very reminiscent of so many other books that I just wasn’t pulled in.
I was also very disappointed by the romance. There’s not an inkling of it over a third of the way through the book, and there wasn’t enough space in the rest for me to really believe it. In a lot of ways, this was classic YA dystopia, and there’s been an oversaturation of that.
I do generally like Novoa’s books and I’ll definitely read more, but I think the YA dystopian novel is a little bit overdone in my brain and I’ll probably read less from here on out. I truly do love social commentary in books, but less heavy handed.
Thank you to Netagalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Conceptually, and in some of the follow through, I did enjoy it. I always love disability rep, and a transmasc MC is always right up my alley.
And I was intrigued by the plot of the novel. But that’s most of where it lost me. In some ways this book was different, which was a nice attempt, but a lot of what made it so also made the other plot points predictable, and thus lowered the stakes at the beginning which made me immediately uninvest. The games plot was also very reminiscent of so many other books that I just wasn’t pulled in.
I was also very disappointed by the romance. There’s not an inkling of it over a third of the way through the book, and there wasn’t enough space in the rest for me to really believe it. In a lot of ways, this was classic YA dystopia, and there’s been an oversaturation of that.
I do generally like Novoa’s books and I’ll definitely read more, but I think the YA dystopian novel is a little bit overdone in my brain and I’ll probably read less from here on out. I truly do love social commentary in books, but less heavy handed.
Thank you to Netagalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
April 13, 2025
Gabe Cole Novoa has been one of my instant buy authors since The Wicked Bargain and These Vengeful Gods doesn’t disappoint. I was immediately hooked into Crow’s story and the systemic class disparities that are so well shown, even in a world of gods. It gave me the same anger and frustration for the characters of this world that I feel for people around the world in 2025.
I loved all the characters and their relationships, especially between Crow, Lark, Chaos, and Maddox. We got great interactions between all of them, and I even wish there was more at some points. And even though I loved the romantic relationships, I also loved the callout of a queer platonic relationship to show that not all close relationships need to be romantic. The plot was also well paced, even the action scenes, which I sometimes can struggle to follow. Everything felt like it came together well for a standalone, but I can see room for a possible sequel, and I would immediately pick it up to journey with these characters again.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
I loved all the characters and their relationships, especially between Crow, Lark, Chaos, and Maddox. We got great interactions between all of them, and I even wish there was more at some points. And even though I loved the romantic relationships, I also loved the callout of a queer platonic relationship to show that not all close relationships need to be romantic. The plot was also well paced, even the action scenes, which I sometimes can struggle to follow. Everything felt like it came together well for a standalone, but I can see room for a possible sequel, and I would immediately pick it up to journey with these characters again.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
April 25, 2025
This was a fast paced, and exciting read. I honestly wish it was longer though, as some parts felt rushed
May 14, 2025
This is what happens if you take the Hunger games but add gods and magic. While I absolutely enjoyed this, it may have been a little more well rounded as a duology because there’s a lot packed in there. Overall I was always engaged and it was easily digestible; I just wanted a bit more.
As always Novoa is gonna give us excellent LGBTQ+ rep. This is YA and all the love stays appropriate for YA. I really enjoyed the comfortability the core four characters got in this story. There were moments that made me go “that’s totally how I’d talk to them to.” I almost wish we got a little more insight into Lark, Maddox, and Chaos because they seem awesome and I love their interactions, but I feel I only truly understand Crow.
I also loved the discussions of classism and poverty that were presented in an easily digestible way. I think this area could have had a little more time spent on it as some of the conflicts occurred off page. But I like that this was an area of dystopia that was explored.
I think the trials were well done but results were a bit predictable… until we added the last 50 pages or so.
Special thanks for making sure we are aware of Mouse at all times!
Thank you Gave Cole Novoa, Random House Children’s, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review
As always Novoa is gonna give us excellent LGBTQ+ rep. This is YA and all the love stays appropriate for YA. I really enjoyed the comfortability the core four characters got in this story. There were moments that made me go “that’s totally how I’d talk to them to.” I almost wish we got a little more insight into Lark, Maddox, and Chaos because they seem awesome and I love their interactions, but I feel I only truly understand Crow.
I also loved the discussions of classism and poverty that were presented in an easily digestible way. I think this area could have had a little more time spent on it as some of the conflicts occurred off page. But I like that this was an area of dystopia that was explored.
I think the trials were well done but results were a bit predictable… until we added the last 50 pages or so.
Special thanks for making sure we are aware of Mouse at all times!
Thank you Gave Cole Novoa, Random House Children’s, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review
July 21, 2025
Audio reviewed for Booklist here.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews