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What Doesn't Kill You: A Wolves of Black Water Valley Companion Novel
This can’t be real…
Gideon’s never seen eye to eye with the law, but when he typically got into trouble, it was over something he’d actually done. These Angel Cops are even less forgiving than the Human ones. Wrongfully convicted by the Order of the First Blade, he’s condemned to Gehenna—a nightmare dimension reserved for criminals and monsters.
F*cking banished, bro…
While fighting for every breath, Gideon discovers his dormant druidic powers, and he's determined to use them to return to the sister he left behind. If he has any chance of mastering his magic, it's with a vampire who promises to lead him to his only hope for survival. Tartarus.
There’s no place like Hell…
Nestled deep within a mountain, a civilization of mighty warriors thrives. Tartarus belongs to the strong and the ruthless. In a place meant to be his end, Gideon fights to prove himself worthy of the chance he’s been given, the family he left behind, and the one he makes along the way.
Step into Gehenna’s hellscape and witness a tale of self-discovery, courage, and the bonds that transcend worlds.
Gideon’s never seen eye to eye with the law, but when he typically got into trouble, it was over something he’d actually done. These Angel Cops are even less forgiving than the Human ones. Wrongfully convicted by the Order of the First Blade, he’s condemned to Gehenna—a nightmare dimension reserved for criminals and monsters.
F*cking banished, bro…
While fighting for every breath, Gideon discovers his dormant druidic powers, and he's determined to use them to return to the sister he left behind. If he has any chance of mastering his magic, it's with a vampire who promises to lead him to his only hope for survival. Tartarus.
There’s no place like Hell…
Nestled deep within a mountain, a civilization of mighty warriors thrives. Tartarus belongs to the strong and the ruthless. In a place meant to be his end, Gideon fights to prove himself worthy of the chance he’s been given, the family he left behind, and the one he makes along the way.
Step into Gehenna’s hellscape and witness a tale of self-discovery, courage, and the bonds that transcend worlds.
254 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 18, 2024
4 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
R.N. Barbosa
10 books33 followersI love fantasy in nearly all its forms, and multidimensional characters, with complicated, dynamic relationships, and questionable morals.
I'm a queer, Brazilian-American Author, who writes diverse, queer characters in settings where that's the norm, and the drama lies elsewhere!
I'm a queer, Brazilian-American Author, who writes diverse, queer characters in settings where that's the norm, and the drama lies elsewhere!
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 24, 2024
MMC(s): Gideon, Santiago
Tropes: Coming of age, Swords & Magic, Fish out of Water, Slow Burn, Dude in Distress, Cliffhanger
> Reviewer add: The family saves each other
Perspective: Third person, Singular
Plot or character driven: Both, with an emphasis on plot
Spicy scenes breakdown:
> Present? Yes
> Detailed? Yes
> With only one character? No
> Multiple, with both/multiple characters? Yes
> Personal favorite? There's one where they're in the baths. Water scenes are my weakness.
> State of the joystick? Human shaped.
> Anything else to note?
Burn speed: Slow.
Can this be read as a stand-alone: Yes. This was the first that I read in this series.
Re-Readability: High.
Monster level: Various monsters but the main couple are human shaped.
Content Notes: (These are neither tropes nor warnings.) Transgender MCs, multiracial MC's, mythology, families of choice, Achillean Romance, Mental Health Rep, SO MUCH QUEER REP
Content/Trigger Warnings/Enticements: Beginning of book. There is a lot of violence.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my voluntary, honest review.
"I believe in you enough for the both of us."
Gideon is the fish out of water. Believing himself human, he gets blamed for a crime he doesn't commit and is sent to Gehenna as punishment. Rescued by a vampire, he's taken to Tartarus, and begins training as a druid. And there he meets Santiago.
I finished this and immediately went to capslock at the author because I need book two. There's a really in depth world here, which made it frankly amazing to read but then there were the little things, like the normalized queerness, how people were described (both pale and dark), how hair was talked about and normalized, how family of choice was a major theme throughout the book. And then there's this very sweet and slow burn between Gideon and Santiago. Its dark and delicious.
This was a new to me author, who was an absolute sweetheart on socials and yes, hi, hello, nice to meet you, you now have a fan. I can't wait for the next one. CANNOT.
Tropes: Coming of age, Swords & Magic, Fish out of Water, Slow Burn, Dude in Distress, Cliffhanger
> Reviewer add: The family saves each other
Perspective: Third person, Singular
Plot or character driven: Both, with an emphasis on plot
Spicy scenes breakdown:
> Present? Yes
> Detailed? Yes
> With only one character? No
> Multiple, with both/multiple characters? Yes
> Personal favorite? There's one where they're in the baths. Water scenes are my weakness.
> State of the joystick? Human shaped.
> Anything else to note?
Burn speed: Slow.
Can this be read as a stand-alone: Yes. This was the first that I read in this series.
Re-Readability: High.
Monster level: Various monsters but the main couple are human shaped.
Content Notes: (These are neither tropes nor warnings.) Transgender MCs, multiracial MC's, mythology, families of choice, Achillean Romance, Mental Health Rep, SO MUCH QUEER REP
Content/Trigger Warnings/Enticements: Beginning of book. There is a lot of violence.
I received an advanced reader copy of this book, and this is my voluntary, honest review.
"I believe in you enough for the both of us."
Gideon is the fish out of water. Believing himself human, he gets blamed for a crime he doesn't commit and is sent to Gehenna as punishment. Rescued by a vampire, he's taken to Tartarus, and begins training as a druid. And there he meets Santiago.
I finished this and immediately went to capslock at the author because I need book two. There's a really in depth world here, which made it frankly amazing to read but then there were the little things, like the normalized queerness, how people were described (both pale and dark), how hair was talked about and normalized, how family of choice was a major theme throughout the book. And then there's this very sweet and slow burn between Gideon and Santiago. Its dark and delicious.
This was a new to me author, who was an absolute sweetheart on socials and yes, hi, hello, nice to meet you, you now have a fan. I can't wait for the next one. CANNOT.
June 19, 2024
Epic Fantasy ✔ Insane World-Building ✔️ Queer AF ✔️ Diverse AF ✔️
" Someday we'll live in a world where someone can give you a gift and your first thought won't be how much accepting it will hurt you."
----------------------—
Story rating: 4.0⭐️ | Romance lvl: 4.0⭐️
Spice lvl: 3.0🌶️ | Smut frequency: 2.5⏳
----------------------—
Tropes:
🔥 Surviving Hell
👀 Discovering his true identity
⚔️ Intense training into his power
💔 Emotionally (and physically) scarred MCs
🏡 Found Family
😂 Deal with trauma by being insufferably funny
💗 Achillean Romance
----------------------—
~ STORY & PLOT 📝 ~
This is a dark dystopian fantasy at its finest. Seriously, my only advice? Read this.
The writing is flawless, the story is catchy and you'll feel everything, and I was so enthralled by the world and creatures depicted. While reading it, I couldn't stop thinking about how this book could be an AMAZING movie!
Gideon is so funny, loyal, strong yet vulnerable. He sure has mommy issues but who doesn't 😂
I loved every bit of him and his slow-burn love with Santiago was a balm to my heart.
I can't wait for the next book in this series, or honestly, any book R.N. Barbosa will write in the future.
---------------------—
This is an arc review. Thanks to the author for the advanced ebook copy 🙏💖
---------------------—
" Someday we'll live in a world where someone can give you a gift and your first thought won't be how much accepting it will hurt you."
----------------------—
Story rating: 4.0⭐️ | Romance lvl: 4.0⭐️
Spice lvl: 3.0🌶️ | Smut frequency: 2.5⏳
----------------------—
Tropes:
🔥 Surviving Hell
👀 Discovering his true identity
⚔️ Intense training into his power
💔 Emotionally (and physically) scarred MCs
🏡 Found Family
😂 Deal with trauma by being insufferably funny
💗 Achillean Romance
----------------------—
~ STORY & PLOT 📝 ~
This is a dark dystopian fantasy at its finest. Seriously, my only advice? Read this.
The writing is flawless, the story is catchy and you'll feel everything, and I was so enthralled by the world and creatures depicted. While reading it, I couldn't stop thinking about how this book could be an AMAZING movie!
Gideon is so funny, loyal, strong yet vulnerable. He sure has mommy issues but who doesn't 😂
I loved every bit of him and his slow-burn love with Santiago was a balm to my heart.
I can't wait for the next book in this series, or honestly, any book R.N. Barbosa will write in the future.
---------------------—
This is an arc review. Thanks to the author for the advanced ebook copy 🙏💖
---------------------—
March 16, 2025
Gideon, my poor Gideon, he is put through hell and back, literally. The opening chapters were just relentless pain, hunger, and thirst, it felt eternal. His struggle to survive was so vividly written that I could feel every moment of his suffering. He’s got golden retriever energy but remains such a strong and compelling character. And his new vampire BFF (they warm up to each other)? Their dynamic is a perfect grumpy-sunshine friendship.
Then there’s Santiago, his slow-burn romance with Gideon is chef’s kiss. I need more of them. no seriously, more Gideon and Santiago pleeeease!
Action-packed, brutal, and steeped in darkness, this dystopian fantasy delivers at its finest, with an unforgettable cast and masterful world-building. I loved the touches of French and Spanish in the dialogue, I love bilingual characters; IMO, they always add richness to a story.
A gripping, immersive read that leaves a lasting impression. Seriously, my only advice? Read this.
*re read on Feb 14*
I originally received as ARC by Author
Then there’s Santiago, his slow-burn romance with Gideon is chef’s kiss. I need more of them. no seriously, more Gideon and Santiago pleeeease!
Action-packed, brutal, and steeped in darkness, this dystopian fantasy delivers at its finest, with an unforgettable cast and masterful world-building. I loved the touches of French and Spanish in the dialogue, I love bilingual characters; IMO, they always add richness to a story.
A gripping, immersive read that leaves a lasting impression. Seriously, my only advice? Read this.
*re read on Feb 14*
I originally received as ARC by Author
July 14, 2024
The prose The Prose THE PROSE 🤩
“What Doesn’t Kill You” is a darkly hilarious contemporary fantasy about wrongly-convicted Gideon. Banished to a hell realm, he must learn to master a magic he didn’t know he possessed in order to survive.
A richly populated world filled with all manner of magical peoples, Tartarus feels very real. Barbosa weaves language and worldbuilding with humor in a refreshing, exciting manner. There is action on action, and when spice kicks in, it is extra hot! Diverse, queer, dramatic, and literally laugh-out-loud funny, I could not get enough of this book!
“What Doesn’t Kill You” is a darkly hilarious contemporary fantasy about wrongly-convicted Gideon. Banished to a hell realm, he must learn to master a magic he didn’t know he possessed in order to survive.
A richly populated world filled with all manner of magical peoples, Tartarus feels very real. Barbosa weaves language and worldbuilding with humor in a refreshing, exciting manner. There is action on action, and when spice kicks in, it is extra hot! Diverse, queer, dramatic, and literally laugh-out-loud funny, I could not get enough of this book!
May 20, 2025
Existing within the same world as Bring Her Home and just as heartbreakingly beautiful, author R. N. Barbosa has written a brilliant achillean romance with trans rep, humor as a trauma response, and vivid imagery with cinematic battles.
A journey to get back home became a wild ride of self-acceptance and understanding and emotional growth. What Doesn't Kill You is a tale of finding family in new friends, facing turmoil despite fear, and discovering the easy intimacy that's possible with someone who accepts you wholly. For readers who live for slow burns with a side of trauma and an extra helping of standing up to corrupt systems, What Doesn't Kill You will have a happy home in your heart. Barbosa never fails to write a complex, fantastical story rooted in relatable themes that begs introspection, and this is no different. They are easily one of my favorite authors, and I look forward to reading what they write next!
A journey to get back home became a wild ride of self-acceptance and understanding and emotional growth. What Doesn't Kill You is a tale of finding family in new friends, facing turmoil despite fear, and discovering the easy intimacy that's possible with someone who accepts you wholly. For readers who live for slow burns with a side of trauma and an extra helping of standing up to corrupt systems, What Doesn't Kill You will have a happy home in your heart. Barbosa never fails to write a complex, fantastical story rooted in relatable themes that begs introspection, and this is no different. They are easily one of my favorite authors, and I look forward to reading what they write next!
June 18, 2024
I'm always in love with Barbosa's writing. Such a way with words, so much so that you just get sucked in with each word you read.
What Doesn't Kill You is badass. Dark and gritty, just the way I love it! Leaves me begging on my knees for more, haha!!
Seriously though, go read and enjoy!! And don't forget to read Bring Her Home if you haven't already, or reread if you have!!!
What Doesn't Kill You is badass. Dark and gritty, just the way I love it! Leaves me begging on my knees for more, haha!!
Seriously though, go read and enjoy!! And don't forget to read Bring Her Home if you haven't already, or reread if you have!!!
August 11, 2024
It may have taken me longer than expected to finish this book.... Life, but I'm glad I finished. Even though it ended on a cliffhanger. The world building was fantastic, and the diverse characters were refreshing. I was rooting for Gideon until the very end. I can't wait to see how this plays out in the next installment.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews