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No Other Gods #2
The Fox and the Falcon
The next book in a spellbinding new urban fantasy from USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation Piper CJ.
The Apocalypse begins with love and a lie...
Marlow has spent most of her life believing the shadowy demon she loves isn't real. Not only is he the living, breathing Prince of Hell, but he is now in serious danger. Their reunion is cut short as Caliban remains in a vicious battle with a Phoenician goddess after Marlow's escape. To save him, Marlow must venture into her ancestors' domain for help―the Norse Pantheon―where shared blood is no guarantee of an alliance and the line between gods and beasts blurs.
Major players from even more realms team up in the ever-growing war between Heaven and Hell, and it will be up to Marlow to determine friend from foe to get Caliban back and save her world as she knows it. No one said the games of gods would be easy, but Marlow is prepared to sacrifice everything to save the one she loves.
The Apocalypse begins with love and a lie...
Marlow has spent most of her life believing the shadowy demon she loves isn't real. Not only is he the living, breathing Prince of Hell, but he is now in serious danger. Their reunion is cut short as Caliban remains in a vicious battle with a Phoenician goddess after Marlow's escape. To save him, Marlow must venture into her ancestors' domain for help―the Norse Pantheon―where shared blood is no guarantee of an alliance and the line between gods and beasts blurs.
Major players from even more realms team up in the ever-growing war between Heaven and Hell, and it will be up to Marlow to determine friend from foe to get Caliban back and save her world as she knows it. No one said the games of gods would be easy, but Marlow is prepared to sacrifice everything to save the one she loves.
400 pages, Paperback
Published February 18, 2025
385 people are currently reading
3610 people want to read
About the author
Piper C.J.
21 books2,767 followersFantasy author with an M.A. in Folklore, who loves to take pictures, eat french fries, and live my life as an all-around creative forest nymph! I'm so excited to bring you with me on my journey as I step out of our everyday lives and into the new fantasy world within The Night and Its Moon fantasy series!
I wrote these books for an audience of one, and that audience was me. I wanted to see bi representation, love, mental health struggles, religious trauma, and overcoming the of obstacles that I needed to be modeled in my own life. At the end of the day I'm so proud of myself for creating the series that I'd always hoped I could read, and I hope someone is able to connect with them in a way that I have.
I wrote these books for an audience of one, and that audience was me. I wanted to see bi representation, love, mental health struggles, religious trauma, and overcoming the of obstacles that I needed to be modeled in my own life. At the end of the day I'm so proud of myself for creating the series that I'd always hoped I could read, and I hope someone is able to connect with them in a way that I have.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
February 23, 2025
I admire Piper and the work she does, her books have brought me a sense of relief in some of my mental turmoil pertaining to 'the veil' that ive struggled with for decades. Another book I read recently almost built that wall up again, luckily The Fox and the Falcon came out less than 2 weeks after finishing the other book (you can probably tell by my good reads reviews which book I am referanceing - Piper also does great with trigger warnings, something the other author should take note of)
Pipers masters in Mythology lends to these books beautifully and the imagination of these realms is great.
With all of that being said, the story itself is *chefs kiss* but I can not understand how ARC readers and editors are not catching basic edits. Some sentances are written in a way that I needed to go back and reread 3 times to understand what was meant.
Here are some things I deduce from what I know: Marlow, our MFC says she was so sick of her first novel before it was actually published - i wonder if this is happening for Piper herself.
Secondly, a avid follower of Piper on Insta, Ive seen her process and LOVE this in-depth look into her life and how she writes - However, gaining 5k words a day in your writing, doesnt mean that loosing a few of those words in editing takes away from that days worth of work. There are a few of these I've caught, but on page 215 "I moved shifted slightly and shivered...." this is where my brain stops, and I have to re-read, cutting the flow of the story for me. Deleting one of the descriptive words would have eliminated this pause for me.
Other simple things like a rogue q infront of a word like its (making it look like "qIt's" - and i didnt notate the page number because at that point I hadnt decided to comment on the edits and just wanted to enjoy the story) - page 314 "i scanned the crowed..." should be crowd. Another spot has "his face twitched as BE (should be he) battled a chuckle"
Page 260 - Ball joined her on her feet... throughout the story Baals pronoun is he/his. These minor edits seem to get worse closer to the end of the book.
Look, I am not a professional editor - just a girl who likes her grammer and catches stuff while reading - and I am only saying this all because I wonder how simple stuff got missed by the editors, unless they are 1. Just skimming or 2. So enthralled with the book they miss these things or something else is going on.
I definately would reccomend this book to others, hell - The Deer and the Dragon got me reading again last year and helped me through my fear of the dark (in its simplist description) and Ill forever be grateful for that - but I can not overlook the super minor edits/over word use.
Pipers masters in Mythology lends to these books beautifully and the imagination of these realms is great.
With all of that being said, the story itself is *chefs kiss* but I can not understand how ARC readers and editors are not catching basic edits. Some sentances are written in a way that I needed to go back and reread 3 times to understand what was meant.
Here are some things I deduce from what I know: Marlow, our MFC says she was so sick of her first novel before it was actually published - i wonder if this is happening for Piper herself.
Secondly, a avid follower of Piper on Insta, Ive seen her process and LOVE this in-depth look into her life and how she writes - However, gaining 5k words a day in your writing, doesnt mean that loosing a few of those words in editing takes away from that days worth of work. There are a few of these I've caught, but on page 215 "I moved shifted slightly and shivered...." this is where my brain stops, and I have to re-read, cutting the flow of the story for me. Deleting one of the descriptive words would have eliminated this pause for me.
Other simple things like a rogue q infront of a word like its (making it look like "qIt's" - and i didnt notate the page number because at that point I hadnt decided to comment on the edits and just wanted to enjoy the story) - page 314 "i scanned the crowed..." should be crowd. Another spot has "his face twitched as BE (should be he) battled a chuckle"
Page 260 - Ball joined her on her feet... throughout the story Baals pronoun is he/his. These minor edits seem to get worse closer to the end of the book.
Look, I am not a professional editor - just a girl who likes her grammer and catches stuff while reading - and I am only saying this all because I wonder how simple stuff got missed by the editors, unless they are 1. Just skimming or 2. So enthralled with the book they miss these things or something else is going on.
I definately would reccomend this book to others, hell - The Deer and the Dragon got me reading again last year and helped me through my fear of the dark (in its simplist description) and Ill forever be grateful for that - but I can not overlook the super minor edits/over word use.
January 13, 2025
Thank you to Bloom and Netgalley for the ARC of one of my most anticipated reads of 2025!
Fauna continues to be everything, and she has never done anything wrong in her life ever. I came back for Fauna, I stayed for Fauna, and I was not disappointed.
I'm a HUGE fan of the way this played out with diving into the different pantheons. So often we're limited to just one (usually Greek), and it was nice to get a taste of the Norse pantheon for a change. As much as I loved it, I could definitely see how it may be confusing for folks not super knowledgeable in that realm--most of the history/relevant information is dumped on Marlow via a story Fauna tells, and if you miss it, you're going to have to back track to pick up the information later.
Marlow is still struggling along with life, just letting everything happen to her and letting those around her make her own decisions. It's not until around 60% through the book she begins to stand up for herself and take charge of what's happening around her. I get it, who are you to tell a God or two what to do? But we could at least pretend that she's more than just along for the ride as a plot device and an actual character?
The story is also told with a lot of flashbacks to Marlow's early life and her interactions with her mother and growing up with Caliban. If the first book was about processing religious trauma, this one was about processing familial trauma and learning to accept the tangled web that abuse and love can entwine. I definitely enjoyed these flashbacks, I just wish they had been more relevant to the immediate story when they were dropped in--like if something triggered the thought of the memory for her rather than it just randomly appearing. They're so short it didn't really take me out of the story, but I think some additional tie-ins would have been nice.
Fauna continues to be everything, and she has never done anything wrong in her life ever. I came back for Fauna, I stayed for Fauna, and I was not disappointed.
I'm a HUGE fan of the way this played out with diving into the different pantheons. So often we're limited to just one (usually Greek), and it was nice to get a taste of the Norse pantheon for a change. As much as I loved it, I could definitely see how it may be confusing for folks not super knowledgeable in that realm--most of the history/relevant information is dumped on Marlow via a story Fauna tells, and if you miss it, you're going to have to back track to pick up the information later.
Marlow is still struggling along with life, just letting everything happen to her and letting those around her make her own decisions. It's not until around 60% through the book she begins to stand up for herself and take charge of what's happening around her. I get it, who are you to tell a God or two what to do? But we could at least pretend that she's more than just along for the ride as a plot device and an actual character?
The story is also told with a lot of flashbacks to Marlow's early life and her interactions with her mother and growing up with Caliban. If the first book was about processing religious trauma, this one was about processing familial trauma and learning to accept the tangled web that abuse and love can entwine. I definitely enjoyed these flashbacks, I just wish they had been more relevant to the immediate story when they were dropped in--like if something triggered the thought of the memory for her rather than it just randomly appearing. They're so short it didn't really take me out of the story, but I think some additional tie-ins would have been nice.
August 23, 2025
Well. This was not good. The Fox and the Falcon starts a week after The Deer and the Dragon ended. Last we left Marlow, she was still high after her time in Astarte’s fertility clinic and rubbing up on Fauna. Caliban, Silas and Azrames are all stuck in the clinic fighting off Anath and a bunch of parasite babies. Six days later, and they still haven’t returned, so Marlow is freaking out. Fauna finds a contact who informs her that Caliban & co. are ‘voluntarily’ remaining in the Phoenician realm(it’s called Phoenicia in case anyone wanted to know) and that the Phoenicians have requested her presence. They claim they have no suspects as to who killed Astarte despite the fact that both Caliban and Silas are capable of killing a god and are literally imprisoned in their walls, but okay.
You’d think the plot would take off from there, but no. They talk about finding allies to help them against the Phoenicians, but Fauna says no, we can’t do that. For some reason, Fauna swore an oath to her contact that she wouldn’t act on his information. So, instead of going right after Caliban, we have plot filler for the following 200 pages.
Fauna and Marlow go party with the friends Marlow forgot all about in the last book. They instantly forgive her for basically ghosting them for two weeks, and all is hunky dory. This time, Fauna misgenders Kirby, and Marlow yells at her for it, even though she misgendered them in the last book and made the story of how they got their name all about herself. While they’re partying, Marlow’s agent calls her and warns her not to watch the news, which she’s already watching, I guess.
Okay, before I explain what happened on the news, let me give you a little timeline of Marlow’s life. So, she starts seeing Caliban as a fox when she’s six after some kids are mean to her. When she’s 16, she tries to unalive herself and he appears to her in a human form, presumably looking like a grown ass man. He continues to visit her looking like this from this point forward. When she’s 20, they have sex for the first time, and he uses everyone’s favorite rapey line of, ‘once I start, I won’t be able to stop.’ When she’s 22, she starts escorting after being basically trafficked by a strange woman in another country. When she’s 24, she’s on Good Morning, America, for some reason giving us a whole lesson on how getting on the bestseller list works. (How much you wanna bet that’s because of Piper crying online about how she was getting sued for not making the bestseller list, lmfao.) In the present day, Marlow is 26 years old. So, by that math, she was escorting at most for 2 years (and made her fortune in that amount of time?) because she says repeatedly she stopped escorting when she became a published author. So it has been at minimum 2 years since Marlow has had any interaction with any of her clients, aside from Richard, but he’s dead now.
With that in mind, Marlow watches the news and sees an old client of hers holding a press conference. He’s a Republican senator, crying online about how he was tricked into having an affair with Marlow’s author persona, when in fact he paid her for sex while she was escorting and is now trying to save face by doxxing her. How did it come out that he was involved with her at all? Why did he think it was a good idea to bring this up at all? This could have stayed private, and he wouldn’t have ruined his own reputation, nor hers. This just seems like a poor subplot to push Marlow along on her journey when we didn’t need to do this in the first place. If Fauna had never made that oath, this doxxing plot never would have happened. But it did, and now Marlow has an excuse to visit ‘the Nordic pantheon’.
They go back to Marlow’s apartment and have to teleport into a dog park for some reason, and while they’re there, they’re stopped by a security guard. He says, verbatim, ‘you guys need to leave, or I’m going to call the cops. Unless…’ and Fauna jumps on that unless and immediately assumes he wants them to suck his dick? Then she assumes he’s impersonating a police officer and murders him. Like, what? If you wanted to have a douchey guy get killed to suit your bad ass woman narrative, why not have him actually say something wrong? Instead of having Fauna jump to conclusions and say this man deserved to die, because as it is, she just killed him for doing his job lmfao.
Anyway, they finally go to Alfheimr, and we’re treated to a long ass lesson on a lot of incorrect Norse mythology—lots of misspelt names. (Gullveig is constantly mispelled as Gullevig. Freyja is repeatedly spelt as Frejya, and while it could be a typo, it happens too many times for it just to be that. An editor should have pointed this out. There’s even a weird part where Marlow’s middle name changes randomly from Esther to Frejya.) If I sit here and correct everything she got wrong, we’ll be here all day. If you want to know, I recommend you go through my notes and highlights. Anywho, they go to meet two women, Ella and Estrid. Estrid is a valkyrie, and later, Marlow immediately assumes that Ella is Hnoss(the daughter of Freyja and Óðr), and is right. But then she continues to call her a treasure goddess for the rest of the book. Hnoss is a beauty and lust goddess; her name means treasure. She is not a treasure goddess. Not only that, she completely forgets that Freyja is a war goddess and only refers to her as a beauty and lust goddess. *sigh* The fact that Piper claims 'Nordic folklore' is her hyper specialization is fucking laughable considering she's gotten all of this incorrect. They recruit these two to their cause, idk how, but somehow they do.
Then Marlow’s grandma and grandpa arrive to criticise her and then leave. Her grandma calls her a privileged white woman and tells her to get over herself, then departs. We then learn that her grandpa, Geir, is actually Eir. At first, I was confused about whether Geir was intended to be a transman. In Norse mythology, Eir is either a healing goddess or a valkyrie. Piper combines the two, calling Eir a healing valkyrie, only to contradict herself a moment later by saying valkyries aren’t healers. As I kept reading, I realised that Geir had been given Loki’s ability to change genders and chose to appear as a man because that’s what his partner prefers. I'm not sure why she decided to turn a mythology figure, meant to be a valkyrie —a group of female warriors —into a man, but okay. It would have been one thing if she’d made him trans, but nah, he’s able to change his physiology completely. Oh, also, somehow, now that he’s a man, he’s turned into an elf? Anyway, they arrive to give us that information, then leave and are never seen or heard from or mentioned again.
Then they decide they want to free Fenrir to help them against the Phoenicians by having Hnoss cut the chains binding him. Piper says that Gleipnir and Tyr worked together to bind Fenrir. Gleipnir is not a person in Norse mythology; Gleipnir is a magical chain. Outstanding research there, Piper. Next, Hnoss and Estrid return home, having only been there to free Fenrir. Meanwhile, Marlow and Fauna visit Athens to recruit Hades and Persephone with minimal effort. And then Marlow gets invited to the Phoenician realm again and now, for some reason, they can actually go? They arrive with only Fenrir at their side, as going with their allies would apparently be suspicious, and are immediately imprisoned. Fauna has a whole meltdown about being trapped. Idk how nobody considered this might happen.
Fauna, especially, is having a super bizarre reaction because everyone keeps hinting to Marlow that Fauna is some super powerful being, and the wild bows to her, etc. Yet, here she is crying like a little baby the second thing goes wrong.
Then we get a flashback of when Marlow went to a popular kid's house, and they trapped her in a drug den in the middle of the woods, and then bullied her some more when they got in trouble for it. Oh, also, Marlow is so smart that when she was seven, she got moved up two grades because she’s the most intelligent person ever, despite constantly being wrong lmfao.
Anyway, after the flashbacks, Fauna and Marlow are still trapped in this room. These random handmaidens come in, forcefully wash and change them, and offer no explanation as to what is going on, leaving them in that room. Then Caliban and Marlow finally reunite because he somehow sneaks into her room, he whisks her away somewhere, tells her nothing about what’s going on and then immediately he and Marlow start having sex? I’m sorry, what? This is the worst possible time for a sex scene, lmfao. This is the first time they’ve seen each other since he chopped Astarte’s head off while his dick was still inside Marlow, and ya’ll can’t even have a conversation first? They talk in riddles because ‘there are ears everywhere’, have sex again for some reason, finally go to the banquet where Ella and Estrid showed up to and some phoenician gods are, no one offers any explanation as to why Fauna and Marlow were treated like prisoners, they talked about a whole lot of nonsense that I blacked out because it seemed irrelevant and a lot of rehashing of information we already knew, and then finally Azrames and Silas are brought in.
Now we’re finally at the actual plot of the book…maybe.
And when it comes, it's essentially lots of talking between the various gods. Azrames is sentenced to 3000 lashes for just being there when Astarte was murdered and not doing enough to stop it. They immediately blame Silas for her murder because he's an angel and sentence him to death by combat. Because Hades(did I mention they showed up too?) told them Persephone doesn't like blood shed, Anath brings out an estries, which is described as a vampire or succubus in Jewish folklore. Idk how many times we've gotta tell Piper to stop touching Jewish folklore and religion, but here we are again. Caliban is really abusive at one point, basically pinning Marlow down when she's trying to fight him to get away? Hated it. During Silas' battle, he almost wins, and then Marlow gives a speech, which she could've done from the very beginning, because everyone immediately decides to team up against heaven to kill God and start an apocalypse so all the pantheons can duke it out to see who will be number one.
Then Silas reveals that the reason Marlow is so important to everyone is that in every cycle, she's been pushed to be a sex worker. It's revealed that one chick actually did traffick her in Argentina because a faerie influenced her to convince Marlow to join sex work. Because Marlow is apparently the whore of Babylon due to her relationship with Caliban, and they expect her to birth the antichrist and start the apocalypse. Fauna is actually Angrboda; she knew all along who Marlow was, so did Azrames and Caliban. Literally everyone has been using her, but for some reason, she remains on their side and decides that she's going to be the antichrist instead.
I think this idea could maybe have been done well, but it required so much more work than it was given. For one thing, actually researching the mythology you're attempting to incorporate would be a good start. Another would be actually taking the time to weave together a plot that is actually interesting, a better way to string together Marlow's life, like I mentioned in my review for the last book, flashbacks of her previous cycles would have been cool but we learn that Marlow was once a Haitian black woman in one cycle and a Chinese woman selling opium in the other and I do not trust Piper's ass to handle those characters with care considering what she did in TNAIM to her Asian and Black characters. Yeah, basically don't bother with this. It's not worth it. Nothing happens
Oh, and when Marlow returns home finally, it's the day after she found out she'd been doxxed, so literally that whole plot was brought up for absolutely no reason.
The end.
Absolutely pointless, stupid, boring book.
Oh, and. brooch is still mispelled as broach. Dregs is actually used correctly 2 out of 3 times. I'm so proud of you, Piper. But still, an editor was actually credited, and once again they did an ass job.
You’d think the plot would take off from there, but no. They talk about finding allies to help them against the Phoenicians, but Fauna says no, we can’t do that. For some reason, Fauna swore an oath to her contact that she wouldn’t act on his information. So, instead of going right after Caliban, we have plot filler for the following 200 pages.
Fauna and Marlow go party with the friends Marlow forgot all about in the last book. They instantly forgive her for basically ghosting them for two weeks, and all is hunky dory. This time, Fauna misgenders Kirby, and Marlow yells at her for it, even though she misgendered them in the last book and made the story of how they got their name all about herself. While they’re partying, Marlow’s agent calls her and warns her not to watch the news, which she’s already watching, I guess.
Okay, before I explain what happened on the news, let me give you a little timeline of Marlow’s life. So, she starts seeing Caliban as a fox when she’s six after some kids are mean to her. When she’s 16, she tries to unalive herself and he appears to her in a human form, presumably looking like a grown ass man. He continues to visit her looking like this from this point forward. When she’s 20, they have sex for the first time, and he uses everyone’s favorite rapey line of, ‘once I start, I won’t be able to stop.’ When she’s 22, she starts escorting after being basically trafficked by a strange woman in another country. When she’s 24, she’s on Good Morning, America, for some reason giving us a whole lesson on how getting on the bestseller list works. (How much you wanna bet that’s because of Piper crying online about how she was getting sued for not making the bestseller list, lmfao.) In the present day, Marlow is 26 years old. So, by that math, she was escorting at most for 2 years (and made her fortune in that amount of time?) because she says repeatedly she stopped escorting when she became a published author. So it has been at minimum 2 years since Marlow has had any interaction with any of her clients, aside from Richard, but he’s dead now.
With that in mind, Marlow watches the news and sees an old client of hers holding a press conference. He’s a Republican senator, crying online about how he was tricked into having an affair with Marlow’s author persona, when in fact he paid her for sex while she was escorting and is now trying to save face by doxxing her. How did it come out that he was involved with her at all? Why did he think it was a good idea to bring this up at all? This could have stayed private, and he wouldn’t have ruined his own reputation, nor hers. This just seems like a poor subplot to push Marlow along on her journey when we didn’t need to do this in the first place. If Fauna had never made that oath, this doxxing plot never would have happened. But it did, and now Marlow has an excuse to visit ‘the Nordic pantheon’.
They go back to Marlow’s apartment and have to teleport into a dog park for some reason, and while they’re there, they’re stopped by a security guard. He says, verbatim, ‘you guys need to leave, or I’m going to call the cops. Unless…’ and Fauna jumps on that unless and immediately assumes he wants them to suck his dick? Then she assumes he’s impersonating a police officer and murders him. Like, what? If you wanted to have a douchey guy get killed to suit your bad ass woman narrative, why not have him actually say something wrong? Instead of having Fauna jump to conclusions and say this man deserved to die, because as it is, she just killed him for doing his job lmfao.
Anyway, they finally go to Alfheimr, and we’re treated to a long ass lesson on a lot of incorrect Norse mythology—lots of misspelt names. (Gullveig is constantly mispelled as Gullevig. Freyja is repeatedly spelt as Frejya, and while it could be a typo, it happens too many times for it just to be that. An editor should have pointed this out. There’s even a weird part where Marlow’s middle name changes randomly from Esther to Frejya.) If I sit here and correct everything she got wrong, we’ll be here all day. If you want to know, I recommend you go through my notes and highlights. Anywho, they go to meet two women, Ella and Estrid. Estrid is a valkyrie, and later, Marlow immediately assumes that Ella is Hnoss(the daughter of Freyja and Óðr), and is right. But then she continues to call her a treasure goddess for the rest of the book. Hnoss is a beauty and lust goddess; her name means treasure. She is not a treasure goddess. Not only that, she completely forgets that Freyja is a war goddess and only refers to her as a beauty and lust goddess. *sigh* The fact that Piper claims 'Nordic folklore' is her hyper specialization is fucking laughable considering she's gotten all of this incorrect. They recruit these two to their cause, idk how, but somehow they do.
Then Marlow’s grandma and grandpa arrive to criticise her and then leave. Her grandma calls her a privileged white woman and tells her to get over herself, then departs. We then learn that her grandpa, Geir, is actually Eir. At first, I was confused about whether Geir was intended to be a transman. In Norse mythology, Eir is either a healing goddess or a valkyrie. Piper combines the two, calling Eir a healing valkyrie, only to contradict herself a moment later by saying valkyries aren’t healers. As I kept reading, I realised that Geir had been given Loki’s ability to change genders and chose to appear as a man because that’s what his partner prefers. I'm not sure why she decided to turn a mythology figure, meant to be a valkyrie —a group of female warriors —into a man, but okay. It would have been one thing if she’d made him trans, but nah, he’s able to change his physiology completely. Oh, also, somehow, now that he’s a man, he’s turned into an elf? Anyway, they arrive to give us that information, then leave and are never seen or heard from or mentioned again.
Then they decide they want to free Fenrir to help them against the Phoenicians by having Hnoss cut the chains binding him. Piper says that Gleipnir and Tyr worked together to bind Fenrir. Gleipnir is not a person in Norse mythology; Gleipnir is a magical chain. Outstanding research there, Piper. Next, Hnoss and Estrid return home, having only been there to free Fenrir. Meanwhile, Marlow and Fauna visit Athens to recruit Hades and Persephone with minimal effort. And then Marlow gets invited to the Phoenician realm again and now, for some reason, they can actually go? They arrive with only Fenrir at their side, as going with their allies would apparently be suspicious, and are immediately imprisoned. Fauna has a whole meltdown about being trapped. Idk how nobody considered this might happen.
Fauna, especially, is having a super bizarre reaction because everyone keeps hinting to Marlow that Fauna is some super powerful being, and the wild bows to her, etc. Yet, here she is crying like a little baby the second thing goes wrong.
Then we get a flashback of when Marlow went to a popular kid's house, and they trapped her in a drug den in the middle of the woods, and then bullied her some more when they got in trouble for it. Oh, also, Marlow is so smart that when she was seven, she got moved up two grades because she’s the most intelligent person ever, despite constantly being wrong lmfao.
Anyway, after the flashbacks, Fauna and Marlow are still trapped in this room. These random handmaidens come in, forcefully wash and change them, and offer no explanation as to what is going on, leaving them in that room. Then Caliban and Marlow finally reunite because he somehow sneaks into her room, he whisks her away somewhere, tells her nothing about what’s going on and then immediately he and Marlow start having sex? I’m sorry, what? This is the worst possible time for a sex scene, lmfao. This is the first time they’ve seen each other since he chopped Astarte’s head off while his dick was still inside Marlow, and ya’ll can’t even have a conversation first? They talk in riddles because ‘there are ears everywhere’, have sex again for some reason, finally go to the banquet where Ella and Estrid showed up to and some phoenician gods are, no one offers any explanation as to why Fauna and Marlow were treated like prisoners, they talked about a whole lot of nonsense that I blacked out because it seemed irrelevant and a lot of rehashing of information we already knew, and then finally Azrames and Silas are brought in.
Now we’re finally at the actual plot of the book…maybe.
And when it comes, it's essentially lots of talking between the various gods. Azrames is sentenced to 3000 lashes for just being there when Astarte was murdered and not doing enough to stop it. They immediately blame Silas for her murder because he's an angel and sentence him to death by combat. Because Hades(did I mention they showed up too?) told them Persephone doesn't like blood shed, Anath brings out an estries, which is described as a vampire or succubus in Jewish folklore. Idk how many times we've gotta tell Piper to stop touching Jewish folklore and religion, but here we are again. Caliban is really abusive at one point, basically pinning Marlow down when she's trying to fight him to get away? Hated it. During Silas' battle, he almost wins, and then Marlow gives a speech, which she could've done from the very beginning, because everyone immediately decides to team up against heaven to kill God and start an apocalypse so all the pantheons can duke it out to see who will be number one.
Then Silas reveals that the reason Marlow is so important to everyone is that in every cycle, she's been pushed to be a sex worker. It's revealed that one chick actually did traffick her in Argentina because a faerie influenced her to convince Marlow to join sex work. Because Marlow is apparently the whore of Babylon due to her relationship with Caliban, and they expect her to birth the antichrist and start the apocalypse. Fauna is actually Angrboda; she knew all along who Marlow was, so did Azrames and Caliban. Literally everyone has been using her, but for some reason, she remains on their side and decides that she's going to be the antichrist instead.
I think this idea could maybe have been done well, but it required so much more work than it was given. For one thing, actually researching the mythology you're attempting to incorporate would be a good start. Another would be actually taking the time to weave together a plot that is actually interesting, a better way to string together Marlow's life, like I mentioned in my review for the last book, flashbacks of her previous cycles would have been cool but we learn that Marlow was once a Haitian black woman in one cycle and a Chinese woman selling opium in the other and I do not trust Piper's ass to handle those characters with care considering what she did in TNAIM to her Asian and Black characters. Yeah, basically don't bother with this. It's not worth it. Nothing happens
Oh, and when Marlow returns home finally, it's the day after she found out she'd been doxxed, so literally that whole plot was brought up for absolutely no reason.
The end.
Absolutely pointless, stupid, boring book.
Oh, and. brooch is still mispelled as broach. Dregs is actually used correctly 2 out of 3 times. I'm so proud of you, Piper. But still, an editor was actually credited, and once again they did an ass job.
February 16, 2025
Oh, this was such a fantastic sequel, loved being back in this world and with these characters, and it was a fa ntastic read and I loved all the developments, and I can't wait for the next book!
February 20, 2025
This series is just my whole personality, again. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five Stars and more for me. This book is such a reminder that humans and fae will see things differently. Especially growing up in the church, then deconstructing, then finding out not only was that real, but other pantheons are as well?! I mean, we are lucky Marlow is as together as she is at this point. So, let’s go and travel to new places, and strangely find ourselves wishing we could just go back to Hell and hang out at the bar.
The Deer and the Dragon left us off wondering what would happen. Marlow is going to need Fauna (oh how I love her) to help her gather allies to find out what is going on and what needs to happen next. You are going to laugh, you are going to cry, you will hold your breath, be reminded how much found family means, be so angry, and again with the SPICE 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️!! Of course Piper is going to break your heart, have you sitting there with conflicting feelings, then screaming NOOOOOOOOOO when you realize you just read the last line. I say it every time, but Piper has a way of really putting the images of the characters in your head, making you feel all the feelings and emotions, then wanting to be dramatic and cry knowing it will be forever before you can read the next book (yet excited about Villians 2 and Fern 2 coming out in between).
There is so much more I want to say, but it would all be spoilers. I certainly don’t want to spill the tea… As always, Helena did a fantastic job on the cover art, and I cannot wait to see the other art she has done. Make sure you go to listen to the playlists, and always read the content warnings on Piper’s website pipercj(dot)com.
Thank you to Bloom Books, NetGalley, and Piper for the opportunity to read this eARC and completely devour it (in between adult responsibilities, ugh). My review is my own.
Adding on that the audiobook is amazing! Luna Rey once again does a fabulous job at bringing Piper’s words and the story to life. I highly encourage you to read the book AND listen to the audiobook.
The Deer and the Dragon left us off wondering what would happen. Marlow is going to need Fauna (oh how I love her) to help her gather allies to find out what is going on and what needs to happen next. You are going to laugh, you are going to cry, you will hold your breath, be reminded how much found family means, be so angry, and again with the SPICE 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️!! Of course Piper is going to break your heart, have you sitting there with conflicting feelings, then screaming NOOOOOOOOOO when you realize you just read the last line. I say it every time, but Piper has a way of really putting the images of the characters in your head, making you feel all the feelings and emotions, then wanting to be dramatic and cry knowing it will be forever before you can read the next book (yet excited about Villians 2 and Fern 2 coming out in between).
There is so much more I want to say, but it would all be spoilers. I certainly don’t want to spill the tea… As always, Helena did a fantastic job on the cover art, and I cannot wait to see the other art she has done. Make sure you go to listen to the playlists, and always read the content warnings on Piper’s website pipercj(dot)com.
Thank you to Bloom Books, NetGalley, and Piper for the opportunity to read this eARC and completely devour it (in between adult responsibilities, ugh). My review is my own.
Adding on that the audiobook is amazing! Luna Rey once again does a fabulous job at bringing Piper’s words and the story to life. I highly encourage you to read the book AND listen to the audiobook.
December 21, 2024
Here I was thinking The Deer and The Dragon was my favorite book of all time, but it has been immediately dethroned by The Fox and The Falcon!
This book has everything: romance, humor, suspense, GUT WRENCHING DEVASTATION!! And of course fae and demons and angels and “other gods”.
In book 2 we get to go to new realms and Pipers descriptive prose brings these other worldly places to life so vividly you’d think you’d died and gone to Hell. I am even more in love with the main characters than I was before and I really didn’t believe that was possible. Naturally Piper made sure to rip my heart from my chest and stomp on it a couple times for good measure, and all I have to say about it is THANK YOU!! I cannot wait for the next book and I just know that this will forever be my desert island series.
This book has everything: romance, humor, suspense, GUT WRENCHING DEVASTATION!! And of course fae and demons and angels and “other gods”.
In book 2 we get to go to new realms and Pipers descriptive prose brings these other worldly places to life so vividly you’d think you’d died and gone to Hell. I am even more in love with the main characters than I was before and I really didn’t believe that was possible. Naturally Piper made sure to rip my heart from my chest and stomp on it a couple times for good measure, and all I have to say about it is THANK YOU!! I cannot wait for the next book and I just know that this will forever be my desert island series.
January 19, 2025
Thank you NetGalley & Bloom Books for this ARC!
Book two in this series is just as action packed as the first. I absolutely love Fauna and was thrilled she had a main part in this sequel (I’m begging for more Azrames!!) My absolute favorite part of this book and series is the exploration of multiple pantheons. I’ve never read a book that brings all of them together and where the characters even visit multiple worlds! However, I would love a glossary breakdown to keep track of who is in what pantheon and how they are connected. I can see how it would be confusing for a reader who doesn’t already have some knowledge over the different Greek and Norse gods/goddesses.
4 stars, and already excited for book three!!
Book two in this series is just as action packed as the first. I absolutely love Fauna and was thrilled she had a main part in this sequel (I’m begging for more Azrames!!) My absolute favorite part of this book and series is the exploration of multiple pantheons. I’ve never read a book that brings all of them together and where the characters even visit multiple worlds! However, I would love a glossary breakdown to keep track of who is in what pantheon and how they are connected. I can see how it would be confusing for a reader who doesn’t already have some knowledge over the different Greek and Norse gods/goddesses.
4 stars, and already excited for book three!!
December 24, 2024
This book was everything I hoped and more. Action packed while further developing themes and characters from The Deer And The Dragon in ways that that hit hard and keep you wanting more. I laughed, I cried, I cursed and thanked the author in the same breath for addressing unhealed and generational trauma with such nuance.
The folklore and mythology is phenomenal. The spice is 🌶️🌶️🌶️. I can't recommend it enough.
The folklore and mythology is phenomenal. The spice is 🌶️🌶️🌶️. I can't recommend it enough.
December 29, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom for this ARC!
The Fox and the Falcon was a phenomenal continuation of this series. I love watching Marlow grow while a whole new world unfolded around her. She is such an incredibly strong female lead and her crew really accentuates it. The Fox and the Falcon will have you on your toes, questioning what side of the conflict you are on, and make you evaluate your relationship with Heaven. I would highly recommend you pick up this series ASAP!!
The Fox and the Falcon was a phenomenal continuation of this series. I love watching Marlow grow while a whole new world unfolded around her. She is such an incredibly strong female lead and her crew really accentuates it. The Fox and the Falcon will have you on your toes, questioning what side of the conflict you are on, and make you evaluate your relationship with Heaven. I would highly recommend you pick up this series ASAP!!
April 15, 2025
The first installment hinted at potential—if not fully realized, at least gesturing toward a larger story waiting to unfold. Unfortunately, its sequel doesn’t merely fail to deliver on that promise; it deepens the disappointment.
The narrative moves with agonizing slowness through an overstuffed and lushly described world that ultimately does little to justify its length. The pacing is bogged down by repetition—plot hints are telegraphed and then endlessly reiterated, as though the author lacks faith in the reader’s memory or attention. What should be narrative tension becomes narrative drag. "You deserve to know the truth"
The structure suffers as well: the first half of the novel is a long, uneventful march between narrative markers, lacking connective tissue or meaningful development. While the debut novel revealed cracks in the author’s prose and structural control, those same flaws are magnified here. This installment is not only unworthy of the time invested—it will serve as a breaking point for readers on the fence about continuing the series.
That said, the author clearly possesses an imaginative mind and an affection for her characters. There’s a genuine spark behind the work. But execution remains Pipers Achilles’ heel. The best advice for future entries? Cut ruthlessly, Kill your children, Remove all the fat. As this book is 80% fat. This novel reads like a first draft that no one dared to edit—bloated with indulgent prose and meandering detours. Less, in this case, would have been much more.
Unless you were enamored with the first book, there’s little reason to pursue this one. The promise is there, but it remains, regrettably, unrealized.
The narrative moves with agonizing slowness through an overstuffed and lushly described world that ultimately does little to justify its length. The pacing is bogged down by repetition—plot hints are telegraphed and then endlessly reiterated, as though the author lacks faith in the reader’s memory or attention. What should be narrative tension becomes narrative drag. "You deserve to know the truth"
The structure suffers as well: the first half of the novel is a long, uneventful march between narrative markers, lacking connective tissue or meaningful development. While the debut novel revealed cracks in the author’s prose and structural control, those same flaws are magnified here. This installment is not only unworthy of the time invested—it will serve as a breaking point for readers on the fence about continuing the series.
That said, the author clearly possesses an imaginative mind and an affection for her characters. There’s a genuine spark behind the work. But execution remains Pipers Achilles’ heel. The best advice for future entries? Cut ruthlessly, Kill your children, Remove all the fat. As this book is 80% fat. This novel reads like a first draft that no one dared to edit—bloated with indulgent prose and meandering detours. Less, in this case, would have been much more.
Unless you were enamored with the first book, there’s little reason to pursue this one. The promise is there, but it remains, regrettably, unrealized.
March 6, 2025
The grammatical and editing errors were out of this world. I didn’t really enjoy any of this story, and I certainly have no idea what happened.
Like I genuinely have no clue what the ending meant. The sudden switch up of characters was odd and I really have no clue why Marlow is more important in this life cycle.
I also don’t get why anyone would influence her to the same line of work every cycle. If she’s gonna birth the antichrist, why would she need to be a sex worker for that to happen if it requires her and Caliban specifically to be together?
I also don’t get why fauna’s identity was such a big deal? Everyone had been warning Marlow the whole time that she had ulterior motives, so I don’t understand why she’s so butthurt about it.
I also have no clue why she can’t continue to work with caliban and azrames now that she knows the full story?
Like I genuinely have no clue what the ending meant. The sudden switch up of characters was odd and I really have no clue why Marlow is more important in this life cycle.
I also don’t get why anyone would influence her to the same line of work every cycle. If she’s gonna birth the antichrist, why would she need to be a sex worker for that to happen if it requires her and Caliban specifically to be together?
I also don’t get why fauna’s identity was such a big deal? Everyone had been warning Marlow the whole time that she had ulterior motives, so I don’t understand why she’s so butthurt about it.
I also have no clue why she can’t continue to work with caliban and azrames now that she knows the full story?
December 24, 2024
I shall put the same review here that I put on Barnes and noble:
I received an ebook advanced copy of this book and as a huge Piper CJ fan, I was prepared for amazing.
But Piper, you took my heart out, stomped on it, then the oxygen from my lungs, and doused me in ice water. You tore at my reality and merged it with thousands more. I'm in mourning, because I will never get to read this for the first time again and because I need more.
There is no other way to describe the beautifully heretical tale that I found myself swept up in.
I received an ebook advanced copy of this book and as a huge Piper CJ fan, I was prepared for amazing.
But Piper, you took my heart out, stomped on it, then the oxygen from my lungs, and doused me in ice water. You tore at my reality and merged it with thousands more. I'm in mourning, because I will never get to read this for the first time again and because I need more.
There is no other way to describe the beautifully heretical tale that I found myself swept up in.
February 28, 2025
i don’t know why i’m doing this to myself
March 11, 2025
"I was mortified that I was a disheveled human in a flesh suit before glowing interdimensional royalty." 😂❤️
This installment in the No Other Gods series was an exciting ride, and now that I've finished it, I have no idea what to do with my life until the next book comes out. I am.... unwell. This series has such a hold on me, and I have lost all words to describe it besides that I love it all so much. 11 chapters in and I was already crying.... then in the last few chapters, there I was, in tears again. Piper has the talent to make you feel things for her characters as though you truly know them and they are tangible people in your life (given the content of this series, that is especially significant) I wanted to be right there alongside my "friends" in the various pantheons on their adventures, as wild and tumultuous as they were. This book ends on a wicked cliffhanger, and I sincerely can't wait to read the next one.
This installment in the No Other Gods series was an exciting ride, and now that I've finished it, I have no idea what to do with my life until the next book comes out. I am.... unwell. This series has such a hold on me, and I have lost all words to describe it besides that I love it all so much. 11 chapters in and I was already crying.... then in the last few chapters, there I was, in tears again. Piper has the talent to make you feel things for her characters as though you truly know them and they are tangible people in your life (given the content of this series, that is especially significant) I wanted to be right there alongside my "friends" in the various pantheons on their adventures, as wild and tumultuous as they were. This book ends on a wicked cliffhanger, and I sincerely can't wait to read the next one.
January 21, 2025
First of all, a HUUUUUUUUGE thank you to Bloom and Netgalley for starting my year off strong with an ARC of Piper CJ's The Fox and The Falcon. This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2025 and I am beyond thrilled that I got to read it early! A shelf trophy and the audiobook are in pre-order and I cannot wait to experience this masterpiece all over again on February 18th!
I am still madly in love with Fauna and the sugar induced chaos she creates. Seeing her character develop further in this book was everything I could have asked for and more! She is a true treasure.
Marlow's story and experiences speak to my heart and soul. I connect with her character on an unmatched level. Where The Deer and The Dragon focused heavily on religious trauma, this book uses Marlow's family dynamic as it's cornerstone. While I am always here for a tragic backstory, there's just something about Marlow's that hits so much closer to home. Watching her come into herself and finally take a stand was refreshing and so rewarding for me as the reader to experience.
Being able to look at all the different pantheons throughout this book was incredible. It's very rare that I find a book that itches my intrigue enough to do my own deep dive. I found myself putting the book down only to do my own research on the different lores and try and come up with my own theories on what might happen next.
Over all this book was absolute perfection. An easy 5 Star. I cannot wait for the next book in this series and will continue to hound every reader I know to start the No Other Gods series!
I am still madly in love with Fauna and the sugar induced chaos she creates. Seeing her character develop further in this book was everything I could have asked for and more! She is a true treasure.
Marlow's story and experiences speak to my heart and soul. I connect with her character on an unmatched level. Where The Deer and The Dragon focused heavily on religious trauma, this book uses Marlow's family dynamic as it's cornerstone. While I am always here for a tragic backstory, there's just something about Marlow's that hits so much closer to home. Watching her come into herself and finally take a stand was refreshing and so rewarding for me as the reader to experience.
Being able to look at all the different pantheons throughout this book was incredible. It's very rare that I find a book that itches my intrigue enough to do my own deep dive. I found myself putting the book down only to do my own research on the different lores and try and come up with my own theories on what might happen next.
Over all this book was absolute perfection. An easy 5 Star. I cannot wait for the next book in this series and will continue to hound every reader I know to start the No Other Gods series!
April 15, 2025
Chapter 15: Going from a fantastical realm to a miserable island to a bustling human city was its own form of disorienting torture. My outfit - the same from my departure of my very human apartment only hours prior, now with fresh bog stains and evidence of dried blood - did not fit the ambience.
The above indicates that Marlow is still wearing the clothing she had originally donned.
On the next page: We’d had the time to wash and change at Ella and Estrid’s,...
So which is it? Covered in filth and blood or bathed and wearing clean clothes?
I think this book would have been just as entertaining and a lot more enjoyable had it been simplified a bit.* There are too many obscure characters introduced that could have been left out. Marlow keeps being submitted to various pantheons or situations over which she has absolutely no control. The reader is left as clueless as she is. She exists to fulfill the agendas of others until almost the end. Then it's like a lightbulb goes off as all becomes clear as to what purpose she serves.
Our girl isn’t going to lie down and take it but we won’t know how she handles these revelations until next year when the third book comes out.
*Example: The constant unnecessary interruptions about the music changing during the fight between Silas and the estries was beyond annoying. It made what could have been an edge of your seat battle into something that made me want to slam my head into a wall.
The above indicates that Marlow is still wearing the clothing she had originally donned.
On the next page: We’d had the time to wash and change at Ella and Estrid’s,...
So which is it? Covered in filth and blood or bathed and wearing clean clothes?
I think this book would have been just as entertaining and a lot more enjoyable had it been simplified a bit.* There are too many obscure characters introduced that could have been left out. Marlow keeps being submitted to various pantheons or situations over which she has absolutely no control. The reader is left as clueless as she is. She exists to fulfill the agendas of others until almost the end. Then it's like a lightbulb goes off as all becomes clear as to what purpose she serves.
Our girl isn’t going to lie down and take it but we won’t know how she handles these revelations until next year when the third book comes out.
*Example: The constant unnecessary interruptions about the music changing during the fight between Silas and the estries was beyond annoying. It made what could have been an edge of your seat battle into something that made me want to slam my head into a wall.
January 13, 2025
Book two picks up where book one left off. Marlow has witnessed the killing of one of the Canaanite goddesses. Azrames and Caliban have been taken prisoner, and Marlow and Fauna are left to make a plan to break them free. Along the way, Marlow will learn more about herself and starts to wonder if maybe Fauna isn't who she says she is.
Piper has done an absolutely incredible job (once again). I can honestly say book two is even better than book one. I forced myself to read slower than I normally do so I could really draw it out and take in the entire plot. The last quarter or so, I was unable to stop as it was just insane and I absolutely did not guess the big reveals before they were laid out.
I really have to take time to once again say how well done Pipers research is. As a religious studies scholar, how she handles each of the pantheons is just outstanding. I really appreciate the care that very clearly went into this part of writing.
I'm basically foaming at the mouth for book three, and book two isn't even published yet. This brings me to say a HUGE thank you to Bloom and Netgalley for sending this ARC my way. I can't believe I'm lucky enough to get the experience of advance reading for one of my favorite authors.
Piper has done an absolutely incredible job (once again). I can honestly say book two is even better than book one. I forced myself to read slower than I normally do so I could really draw it out and take in the entire plot. The last quarter or so, I was unable to stop as it was just insane and I absolutely did not guess the big reveals before they were laid out.
I really have to take time to once again say how well done Pipers research is. As a religious studies scholar, how she handles each of the pantheons is just outstanding. I really appreciate the care that very clearly went into this part of writing.
I'm basically foaming at the mouth for book three, and book two isn't even published yet. This brings me to say a HUGE thank you to Bloom and Netgalley for sending this ARC my way. I can't believe I'm lucky enough to get the experience of advance reading for one of my favorite authors.
February 8, 2025
Bloom and Netgalley, thank you for this arc!!!!!! I just finished and I’m empty that I have to wait so long for the next book in this series!!! As an exvangelical raging pansexual, Piper’s work holds a very special place in my heart. The Deer and The Dragon was one of my favorite reads of 2024 and I was so damn excited when I saw I got an arc of The Fox and The Falcon!!! I adore Fauna and Marlow’s friendship so much. The lore in this book was chefs kiss sooooo good! Dorian and Poppy? Obsessed, I love them I need more of them!!! The amount of times I wanted to call out from work just to read this book was ridiculous and I hate how long it took me to get through it because of annoying real world responsibilities. 10000/10 I’m obsessed and already can’t wait for the audiobook to release so I can listen and find foreshadowing that I missed during this first read. Piper baby, I need you to release the next book asap because the way you ended this one????? So help me goddesses and gods if you hurt sweet baby Kirby I’ll never forgive you!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2024
There is a LOT of folklore to digest in this book and though I really enjoyed it, the plot was a bit slower moving for the first 60% of the book. However, the build up to the ending was incredibly emotional especially when pieces started fall into place.
Finally, we get to see a completely different side to Fauna. Even though I loved her bubbly personality in the first book, I knew there was something off about it. She is able to put on a mask so easily, so even at the end of the book when emotions are high it has me questioning Fauna’s true feelings.
I really empathized with Silas in this book. When you are raised in a “don’t ask questions” household and then go on your own, you’re often left asking yourself “well what now?”. The conflicting emotions of fear, uncertainty, and hope all mix together.
A lot of questions are answered in this book, so be ready to have a rollercoaster of emotions and revelations.
Finally, we get to see a completely different side to Fauna. Even though I loved her bubbly personality in the first book, I knew there was something off about it. She is able to put on a mask so easily, so even at the end of the book when emotions are high it has me questioning Fauna’s true feelings.
I really empathized with Silas in this book. When you are raised in a “don’t ask questions” household and then go on your own, you’re often left asking yourself “well what now?”. The conflicting emotions of fear, uncertainty, and hope all mix together.
A lot of questions are answered in this book, so be ready to have a rollercoaster of emotions and revelations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2025
I spent a lot of this book semi-bored until the ending, which was interesting but why on earth did we need the first, like, 200-300 pages
I’m also not a big fan of god fanfic crossover universes with a Mary Sue in general (the author = this character imo) and some of the lore here does have me rolling my eyes
I didn’t love the interpretations of the Greek Gods because I felt like they were basically just worse copies of Hades and Persephone from Lore Olympus, but hey, a ton of books have come out trying to profit off of the popularity of that series by reusing some version of those characters
Some of the characterizations are great, I really liked Fauna and Silas, the author spends a lot of time trying to build up certain characters to make you care about them, I just feel like this is such a mixed bag overall
I think the ending was amazing but I wish the preceding hundreds of pages had built up to it in a way that felt less like a completely random string of events tied together with the loosest of thread and more like these were all inevitable moments that lead to one another
I had this same problem with the first book idk
I can’t in good faith recommend this book to a friend because the last 75 pages are really good
Update: after reading an Abby Jimenez book I think I might be coming to the conclusion that this author and her main character have an avoidant attachment style and the real fantasy in this book series is a partner and friends who will never leave you no matter what
I’m also not a big fan of god fanfic crossover universes with a Mary Sue in general (the author = this character imo) and some of the lore here does have me rolling my eyes
I didn’t love the interpretations of the Greek Gods because I felt like they were basically just worse copies of Hades and Persephone from Lore Olympus, but hey, a ton of books have come out trying to profit off of the popularity of that series by reusing some version of those characters
Some of the characterizations are great, I really liked Fauna and Silas, the author spends a lot of time trying to build up certain characters to make you care about them, I just feel like this is such a mixed bag overall
I think the ending was amazing but I wish the preceding hundreds of pages had built up to it in a way that felt less like a completely random string of events tied together with the loosest of thread and more like these were all inevitable moments that lead to one another
I had this same problem with the first book idk
I can’t in good faith recommend this book to a friend because the last 75 pages are really good
Update: after reading an Abby Jimenez book I think I might be coming to the conclusion that this author and her main character have an avoidant attachment style and the real fantasy in this book series is a partner and friends who will never leave you no matter what
March 7, 2025
4.5! This series is kinda insane I’ve never read anything like it where classic mythology and religion is mixed with modern elements of fantasy.
Definitely was still confusing like the first one and needed abit more editing but it’s such a fun and unique concept.
Love love caliban I want his pov and even though the flashbacks to her childhood are heartbreaking I really enjoy those chapters and how they’re written.
Definitely was still confusing like the first one and needed abit more editing but it’s such a fun and unique concept.
Love love caliban I want his pov and even though the flashbacks to her childhood are heartbreaking I really enjoy those chapters and how they’re written.
February 28, 2025
To say I enjoyed this book would be an understatement.
Now I would say I have very minimal knowledge of and about religion as well as mythology but felt I still understood what was happening so if that’s a concern I wouldn’t worry. I was immediately drawn in by the characters and tension and found this book even more captivating than the first one. I stayed up til 1 am finishing this as it had amazing plot twists that looking back I can see the author planted a lot of seeds leading up to while being executed very well. I truly loved this fast paced engaging series and can’t wait for the next book to see Marlowe wreak havoc! (She has gone through it, literally and not just in this life time, I am rooting for her and honestly all the characters so call me invested bc I can and will praise this book from the rooftops!)
Now I would say I have very minimal knowledge of and about religion as well as mythology but felt I still understood what was happening so if that’s a concern I wouldn’t worry. I was immediately drawn in by the characters and tension and found this book even more captivating than the first one. I stayed up til 1 am finishing this as it had amazing plot twists that looking back I can see the author planted a lot of seeds leading up to while being executed very well. I truly loved this fast paced engaging series and can’t wait for the next book to see Marlowe wreak havoc! (She has gone through it, literally and not just in this life time, I am rooting for her and honestly all the characters so call me invested bc I can and will praise this book from the rooftops!)
March 13, 2025
I really enjoy the premise and general plot of this series, but I sometimes find it hard to enjoy the books as some of the characters or interactions are just not believable to me. Mainly the character of Fauna, but also the self-insert vibes of the protagonist. At times it’s really reminiscent of a wattpad story. I still finished this in about 2 days, I’ll be buying the following instalments as I find the story itself compelling, but the writing, at times, leaves something to be desired.
Additionally, I have read Piper’s debut series, and I’m currently reading A Chill in the Flame, and I think the writing in her other works is much better than in the No Other Gods series (a shame for me as it’s definitely the most appealing premise to me out of all her works). I found her via instagram and I really like her in a parasocial kind of way, but this series lets her down I feel.
Oh also, the part where she meets Aloisa is just totally incomprehensible to me? I know she’s under the influence of drugs but there’s a segment where I literally cannot understand what’s going on. I read it a couple of times and just decided I would have to continue and hope that whatever information was supposed to be conveyed wasn’t that important. I feel like the editors let the book down too.
Additionally, I have read Piper’s debut series, and I’m currently reading A Chill in the Flame, and I think the writing in her other works is much better than in the No Other Gods series (a shame for me as it’s definitely the most appealing premise to me out of all her works). I found her via instagram and I really like her in a parasocial kind of way, but this series lets her down I feel.
Oh also, the part where she meets Aloisa is just totally incomprehensible to me? I know she’s under the influence of drugs but there’s a segment where I literally cannot understand what’s going on. I read it a couple of times and just decided I would have to continue and hope that whatever information was supposed to be conveyed wasn’t that important. I feel like the editors let the book down too.
February 25, 2025
Wow started and finished in one sitting! Piper truely fictionalizes the very real experience of religious deconstruction, processing family, and personal identity.
January 14, 2025
Thank you so much to Bloom Books, NetGalley, and Piper CJ for the opportunity to read this incredible ARC of The Fox and the Falcon! As someone who grew up in an LDS household, this book felt deeply healing for my own journey through religious trauma.
Now, let’s talk about the story! The character development in this installment was phenomenal—each one grew so much, and we uncovered so many layers of the intricate world Piper CJ has built. It’s truly refreshing to see a focus on different pantheons, especially the Norse pantheon, which is portrayed and retold here with such richness and depth. This book has sparked a fascination in me to learn more about Norse mythology on my own.
While the first book introduced us to the key players, this one dives deeper into the stakes of the conflict between heaven and hell, the perspectives of other pantheons, and why their stances on the war vary. Following Fauna, the sugar-loving, cartoon-obsessed nymph, is always a delight. Marlow continues to shine with her growing awareness of the reality surrounding her, and Caliban’s unwavering love for her and his insistence on her free will is both heartbreaking and beautiful. Silas remains enigmatic with his angelic-yet-mysterious demeanor, and Azraelmas—the irresistibly seductive demon—steals the show with his presence (can we talk about how electric that scene in hell must have been between Fauna and Marlow?). On top of that, we meet compelling new allies and some equally intriguing enemies.
If you haven’t started this series yet, do yourself a favor and pick it up. It’s bold, imaginative, and profoundly moving—I promise you won’t regret it.
Now, let’s talk about the story! The character development in this installment was phenomenal—each one grew so much, and we uncovered so many layers of the intricate world Piper CJ has built. It’s truly refreshing to see a focus on different pantheons, especially the Norse pantheon, which is portrayed and retold here with such richness and depth. This book has sparked a fascination in me to learn more about Norse mythology on my own.
While the first book introduced us to the key players, this one dives deeper into the stakes of the conflict between heaven and hell, the perspectives of other pantheons, and why their stances on the war vary. Following Fauna, the sugar-loving, cartoon-obsessed nymph, is always a delight. Marlow continues to shine with her growing awareness of the reality surrounding her, and Caliban’s unwavering love for her and his insistence on her free will is both heartbreaking and beautiful. Silas remains enigmatic with his angelic-yet-mysterious demeanor, and Azraelmas—the irresistibly seductive demon—steals the show with his presence (can we talk about how electric that scene in hell must have been between Fauna and Marlow?). On top of that, we meet compelling new allies and some equally intriguing enemies.
If you haven’t started this series yet, do yourself a favor and pick it up. It’s bold, imaginative, and profoundly moving—I promise you won’t regret it.
March 11, 2025
Overall, the storyline is interesting enough. The editing (or lack thereof) was so distracting! Multiple characters names were misspelled, words were missing, words were doubled up on, phrases were changed without thought to the rest of the sentence, and there was just a random q???
December 24, 2024
The 2nd book in the No Other Gods series started strong and continued in full force up to the final line. I don't know how Piper can write each book better than the last! The Fox and the Falcon is full of Piper's usual humor, heartbreak, and plot twists. I cried from laughing. I sobbed as Piper ripped my heart from my chest. This book took me through so many emotions as the characters went on their journey.
In The Fox and the Falcon, Piper takes the readers to new realms to meet new characters and explore new pantheons. Her beautiful prose is so perfect at describing places in the fae realm. She makes me want to follow the fae right into a faery ring! I didn't think I could fall in love with the characters more after book 1, but I did. I love that the characters are a little messy, chaotic, and imperfect, as it only adds to the realism of their development and growth. As the character's relationships deepened with each other, my love for them grew. If you're a fan of modern mythology and fantasy, this series is a must-read. I know it is a series I will be returning to time and time again.
In The Fox and the Falcon, Piper takes the readers to new realms to meet new characters and explore new pantheons. Her beautiful prose is so perfect at describing places in the fae realm. She makes me want to follow the fae right into a faery ring! I didn't think I could fall in love with the characters more after book 1, but I did. I love that the characters are a little messy, chaotic, and imperfect, as it only adds to the realism of their development and growth. As the character's relationships deepened with each other, my love for them grew. If you're a fan of modern mythology and fantasy, this series is a must-read. I know it is a series I will be returning to time and time again.
February 18, 2025
Thank you to Bloom and Netgalley for the ARC!
Overall, I am really into this concept of co-existing pantheons and the overarching plotline. I greatly enjoyed the first book of the series. Unfortunately, I think this one just needed more, and that makes me sad to say because I was excited about this book. I was torn, and have gone back and forth about my thoughts.
I liked the introduction of the new pantheons, and how they interact with each other. I liked the lore that was featured. There were comedic moments, and some lines that resonated with me. Pretty good plot twists.
A lot of it felt repetitive of book one. Different scenarios, but same conflicts. I would have expected some more growth from Marlow. It felt like she was just kind of along for the ride in her own story. Though new side characters were introduced, most of the book followed only 2 of the 5 major players, and I really felt a bit of a lull where the other characters were missing from the story. I was most interested in the last 30-40% of the book, which was where a lot of the action happened.
I will likely still read the next book, and hope for the best.
Overall, I am really into this concept of co-existing pantheons and the overarching plotline. I greatly enjoyed the first book of the series. Unfortunately, I think this one just needed more, and that makes me sad to say because I was excited about this book. I was torn, and have gone back and forth about my thoughts.
I liked the introduction of the new pantheons, and how they interact with each other. I liked the lore that was featured. There were comedic moments, and some lines that resonated with me. Pretty good plot twists.
A lot of it felt repetitive of book one. Different scenarios, but same conflicts. I would have expected some more growth from Marlow. It felt like she was just kind of along for the ride in her own story. Though new side characters were introduced, most of the book followed only 2 of the 5 major players, and I really felt a bit of a lull where the other characters were missing from the story. I was most interested in the last 30-40% of the book, which was where a lot of the action happened.
I will likely still read the next book, and hope for the best.
December 26, 2024
The Fox and The Falcon is the perfect continuation of the No Other God’s series by Piper C.J. from Bloom Books.
It is FABULOUS and I am already drooling over book three (and this book isn’t even officially out in the world yet!).
As is to be expected from a Piper C.J. book, this story is filled with twists, turns, and trials you might not see coming.
Reliable players become unpredictable, beloved characters’ motives are brought into question, and the world as you know it just might not be everything you expect it to be.
Do your self a favor—preorder this immediately.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
It is FABULOUS and I am already drooling over book three (and this book isn’t even officially out in the world yet!).
As is to be expected from a Piper C.J. book, this story is filled with twists, turns, and trials you might not see coming.
Reliable players become unpredictable, beloved characters’ motives are brought into question, and the world as you know it just might not be everything you expect it to be.
Do your self a favor—preorder this immediately.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
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