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Sleepless Duology #1
The Sleepless
Godkiller meets Powerless in this epic gods-and-monsters romantic fantasy from British Fantasy Award-winning author Jen Williams.
Welcome to a world where gods and monsters roam the earth . . .
Elver is the guardian of the wild and dangerous monster forest. Saved from the brink of death by a god, her skin will poison anyone she touches.
Artair is on a mission—one that takes him face-to-face with Elver at her most ruthless. But her defenses are useless when she discovers he's the only human impervious to her deadly gift. For Artair isn't human: he's one of the Sleepless, cursed to share his body with an evil spirit.
Lucian inhabits their body while Artair sleeps, and he is hell-bent on manipulating Elver for his dark purposes. But Elver is harbouring secrets too, and she has her own reasons for feigning an alliance with these two souls.
Caught in the crossfire of gods, monsters, and a dangerous magic they can barely understand, it is only a matter of time before the paths the three of them choose to take will set alight the very foundations of their world.
With a love triangle like you’ve never seen it, incredible world-building, brilliant writing, and a dangerous quest, The Sleepless will have you spellbound.
Welcome to a world where gods and monsters roam the earth . . .
Elver is the guardian of the wild and dangerous monster forest. Saved from the brink of death by a god, her skin will poison anyone she touches.
Artair is on a mission—one that takes him face-to-face with Elver at her most ruthless. But her defenses are useless when she discovers he's the only human impervious to her deadly gift. For Artair isn't human: he's one of the Sleepless, cursed to share his body with an evil spirit.
Lucian inhabits their body while Artair sleeps, and he is hell-bent on manipulating Elver for his dark purposes. But Elver is harbouring secrets too, and she has her own reasons for feigning an alliance with these two souls.
Caught in the crossfire of gods, monsters, and a dangerous magic they can barely understand, it is only a matter of time before the paths the three of them choose to take will set alight the very foundations of their world.
With a love triangle like you’ve never seen it, incredible world-building, brilliant writing, and a dangerous quest, The Sleepless will have you spellbound.
327 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 22, 2025
120 people are currently reading
26458 people want to read
About the author
Jen Williams
38 books1,635 followersJen Williams lives in London with her partner and their small ridiculous cat. Having been a fan of grisly fairy tales from a young age, these days Jen writes dark unsettling thrillers with strong female leads, as well as character-driven fantasy novels with plenty of adventure and magic. Her debut novel, The Copper Promise, kicked off the Copper Cat trilogy in 2014, and since then she has twice won the British Fantasy Award for her second trilogy, the Winnowing Flame. Her first thriller, Dog Rose Dirt, was published with HarperCollins in July 2021. Jen has two upcoming releases in 2023: Games for Dead Girls with Harpercollins, and Talonsister with Titan. When she’s not writing books she enjoys messing about with video games and embroidery, and also works as a part-time bookseller and a freelance copywriter.
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March 29, 2025- post read 💫 -
uhhh yeah. that was interesting. i wasn’t really invested until the last sentence. the last sentence 😩😩
- currently reading 💛 -
i feel kind of bad for this… but i almost like lucian better 😩😩
- preread 🐉 -
man by day, evil spirit by night? sold.
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc - all thoughts are my own <3
uhhh yeah. that was interesting. i wasn’t really invested until the last sentence. the last sentence 😩😩
- currently reading 💛 -
i feel kind of bad for this… but i almost like lucian better 😩😩
- preread 🐉 -
man by day, evil spirit by night? sold.
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc - all thoughts are my own <3
May 22, 2025
♥ My Overall Thoughts ♥
This was an enjoyable novel, with a unique storyline. This is a young adult romance fantasy novel with a strong premise. This comes with lovable characters that took me on an adventurous journey! This book is very dark, mysterious, emotional, tense and hopeful. It is a medium paced read where the flaws of the characters are the main focus. This book was well structured and easy to read. I did find it to have a predictable ending, but it was still a satisfying one. Themes explored are loyalty and betrayal, the nature of love, overcoming challenges, finding hope and the balance of nature. This book also explores gods and monsters!
♥ Quick Synopsis & Rating ♥
This tells a story of a monster guardian named Elver, whom has a very deadly touch. Then there is one of the sleepless, named Artair, who has a curse to share his body with an evil spirit named Lucian. This turns into a love triangle, as the alliance becomes dark and complex. As the story unravels, things get more mysterious and entertaining! Overall, I rate this a 3 out of 5 stars.
♥ Content Warnings & who I think would enjoy reading this book ♥
Content warnings include violence, blood, death, animal death, child death, confinement, child abuse and murder. I think that anyone that is a fan of a young adult fantasy, mixed in with some romance, novel would enjoy reading this book.
♥ Thank You ♥
Thank you to NetGalley, author Jen Williams and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
♥ Release Date ♥
This book is expected to be published on September 30, 2025!
♥ Quick Review ♥
🐉 YA Romance Fantasy
✔️ Very Dark & Mysterious
🐉 A Love Triangle
✔️ Evil Curse
🐉 Hope & Balance
✔️ Gods & Monsters
🐉 Overcoming Challenges
✔️ The Nature of Love
》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《
❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥
ツ౨ৎ
This was an enjoyable novel, with a unique storyline. This is a young adult romance fantasy novel with a strong premise. This comes with lovable characters that took me on an adventurous journey! This book is very dark, mysterious, emotional, tense and hopeful. It is a medium paced read where the flaws of the characters are the main focus. This book was well structured and easy to read. I did find it to have a predictable ending, but it was still a satisfying one. Themes explored are loyalty and betrayal, the nature of love, overcoming challenges, finding hope and the balance of nature. This book also explores gods and monsters!
♥ Quick Synopsis & Rating ♥
This tells a story of a monster guardian named Elver, whom has a very deadly touch. Then there is one of the sleepless, named Artair, who has a curse to share his body with an evil spirit named Lucian. This turns into a love triangle, as the alliance becomes dark and complex. As the story unravels, things get more mysterious and entertaining! Overall, I rate this a 3 out of 5 stars.
♥ Content Warnings & who I think would enjoy reading this book ♥
Content warnings include violence, blood, death, animal death, child death, confinement, child abuse and murder. I think that anyone that is a fan of a young adult fantasy, mixed in with some romance, novel would enjoy reading this book.
♥ Thank You ♥
Thank you to NetGalley, author Jen Williams and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
♥ Release Date ♥
This book is expected to be published on September 30, 2025!
♥ Quick Review ♥
🐉 YA Romance Fantasy
✔️ Very Dark & Mysterious
🐉 A Love Triangle
✔️ Evil Curse
🐉 Hope & Balance
✔️ Gods & Monsters
🐉 Overcoming Challenges
✔️ The Nature of Love
》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《
❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥
ツ౨ৎ
October 15, 2025
The best emails always come from Wednesday Books. I don't know what I did to get on their PR list, but I live for their fantasy books. 🙏🏻 Thank you SO much, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, for sending me this ARC.
Godkiller meets Powerless - an epic romantic fantasy duology 🖤✨This book is full of action, complex relationships, interesting worlds, and powerful gods.
The storyline was so fun—I was engaged from the start. My main concerns were first, the pacing; although fascinating, the book itself seemed to stagger, and second, the absence of stronger romantic development. I also wanted more depth from the characters. While they were well developed, they still felt somewhat flat to me. The side stories remained interesting, and overall, this is a well-crafted, balanced read, even if it's not a personal favorite. The plot's complexities are creative and well-executed; a slight improvement in pacing would have made a big difference, and of course, we can always use a bit more banter and romance.
3.5 stars, rounding down for this one. Good, but average for the genre.
Pub Date Sep 30 2025
Godkiller meets Powerless - an epic romantic fantasy duology 🖤✨This book is full of action, complex relationships, interesting worlds, and powerful gods.
The storyline was so fun—I was engaged from the start. My main concerns were first, the pacing; although fascinating, the book itself seemed to stagger, and second, the absence of stronger romantic development. I also wanted more depth from the characters. While they were well developed, they still felt somewhat flat to me. The side stories remained interesting, and overall, this is a well-crafted, balanced read, even if it's not a personal favorite. The plot's complexities are creative and well-executed; a slight improvement in pacing would have made a big difference, and of course, we can always use a bit more banter and romance.
3.5 stars, rounding down for this one. Good, but average for the genre.
Pub Date Sep 30 2025
July 11, 2025
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC! I’m including my honest thoughts below.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
This book follows our FMC, Elver, who is a guardian of a forest full of dangerous monsters after being saved from being sacrificed at 12 years of age by a serpent god. We also have our MMC, Artair, who has an evil spirit taking his body by the name of Lucien.
Artair had been tasked with stealing a monster cub from the forest that Elver protects and it shoves them together as they work on saving the acolytes he has grown up with. This leads to a love triangle the likes of which we have never seen.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
I’m not sure how I feel about the narrators right now. I did enjoy the plot of the book, for sure, and it kept me hooked from start to finish. I do like the female narrator, though, because she sounds more like a teenager, which I feel is needed.
I’m not sure of the male narrator, as I’m really unsure how old some of the main characters are, such as Lucien. I think Lucien is meant to be older, like, maybe 20s, but I’m not totally sure.
I did like the twists and turns in this book and felt like the love triangle is perfect. I feel like this would have made a great adult novel as well but that’s just me. I would have loved to see some smut but, again, that’s just me.
I work third shift and listen to audiobooks while I’m out and about to further my books. I listened to this book instead of going to bed so I could find out how the book ended. That should show you how good the book is. lol
As much as I know Lucien is perhaps “evil”, as Artair keeps calling him, I did start feeling bad for Lucien. I also started feeling bad for Elver, even though I didn’t like her at first. I’m not sure what made me dislike her but here we are.
Now, I will say, I haven’t read either “Godkiller” or “Powerless” so I’m not sure how the blurb faces up to those books. If anyone who has read either or both of the books I just mentioned, please comment below because I’d love to discuss them!
Yes, I’d absolutely recommend this book if you’re looking for a good YA fantasy novel with a great love triangle. I was almost sad when I finished the book, which I don’t enjoy, but I know it’s the sign of a great book.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
This book follows our FMC, Elver, who is a guardian of a forest full of dangerous monsters after being saved from being sacrificed at 12 years of age by a serpent god. We also have our MMC, Artair, who has an evil spirit taking his body by the name of Lucien.
Artair had been tasked with stealing a monster cub from the forest that Elver protects and it shoves them together as they work on saving the acolytes he has grown up with. This leads to a love triangle the likes of which we have never seen.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
I’m not sure how I feel about the narrators right now. I did enjoy the plot of the book, for sure, and it kept me hooked from start to finish. I do like the female narrator, though, because she sounds more like a teenager, which I feel is needed.
I’m not sure of the male narrator, as I’m really unsure how old some of the main characters are, such as Lucien. I think Lucien is meant to be older, like, maybe 20s, but I’m not totally sure.
I did like the twists and turns in this book and felt like the love triangle is perfect. I feel like this would have made a great adult novel as well but that’s just me. I would have loved to see some smut but, again, that’s just me.
I work third shift and listen to audiobooks while I’m out and about to further my books. I listened to this book instead of going to bed so I could find out how the book ended. That should show you how good the book is. lol
As much as I know Lucien is perhaps “evil”, as Artair keeps calling him, I did start feeling bad for Lucien. I also started feeling bad for Elver, even though I didn’t like her at first. I’m not sure what made me dislike her but here we are.
Now, I will say, I haven’t read either “Godkiller” or “Powerless” so I’m not sure how the blurb faces up to those books. If anyone who has read either or both of the books I just mentioned, please comment below because I’d love to discuss them!
Yes, I’d absolutely recommend this book if you’re looking for a good YA fantasy novel with a great love triangle. I was almost sad when I finished the book, which I don’t enjoy, but I know it’s the sign of a great book.
September 29, 2025
3.5 / 5 Stars
This was a really unique magical world that was cute, whimsical, and dark. It wasn’t life changing but I enjoyed reading it. In “The Sleepless,” we meet Elver, a 17 year old magical guardian of a monster forest. She was saved by the god who made her blood into poison which means that she kills anyone she touches. Artair, a 17 year old monk, is a Sleepless – he shares his body with another spirit and he is impervious to Elver’s deathly touch. Artair has been sent to the forest to capture a magical animal to bring back to a mage or else all of his other Sleepless monk friends will die. He and Elver team up as reluctant allies to trick the mage and free his monk friends. But there is one wrench in the plan – Lucian, the other spirit inhabiting Artair’s body. He needs Elver to remember his past and he isn’t above manipulation and murder. The three of them have to choose their futures and perhaps each other.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🐉 YA fantasy with some romance
🐉 Magical world with gods, monsters, and magical creatures
🐉 Unique love triangle
🐉 Forced proximity
🐉 They’re on a quest
🐉 First part of a duology
There is a lot of whimsy in this magical world – there are gods, monsters, magical creatures, magic, the whole lot. There are dark themes and scenes (think blood and gore) but most of the mages and gods add fun and chaos to the world. At times, the world building felt overwhelming but in the end, it was very vivid and intricate.
I think the “love triangle” may be a bit of an oversell. For most of the story, it is a “forced proximity” triangle and then a “reluctant friends” triangle and then a “crush” triangle and finally an “uh oh, I think there are feelings” triangle. But it is a very slooooooowwww build up to that. It is YA that leans towards lots of relationship building, but not a ton of yearning, tension, ROMANCE (in all caps), if that makes sense. I would feel very comfortable having a tween or teen read this.
There were a few fun twists, some more predictable than others, but that helped pick up the pacing of the book. I was not rushing back to the book when I put it down but I wasn’t rushing to put it down either. I think if you read a ton of fantasy, you might enjoy this for the concept and how different it was. The end left a fun new lens to the story that will be exciting to explore in the second part of the duology.
Thank you St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
Publication Date: September 30, 2025
_______________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Is it a love triangle when there’s two spirits sharing one body and she has the hots for both of them? Obsessed with this concept 🤣 --> This was a very YA version of this concept (in hindsight)
This was a really unique magical world that was cute, whimsical, and dark. It wasn’t life changing but I enjoyed reading it. In “The Sleepless,” we meet Elver, a 17 year old magical guardian of a monster forest. She was saved by the god who made her blood into poison which means that she kills anyone she touches. Artair, a 17 year old monk, is a Sleepless – he shares his body with another spirit and he is impervious to Elver’s deathly touch. Artair has been sent to the forest to capture a magical animal to bring back to a mage or else all of his other Sleepless monk friends will die. He and Elver team up as reluctant allies to trick the mage and free his monk friends. But there is one wrench in the plan – Lucian, the other spirit inhabiting Artair’s body. He needs Elver to remember his past and he isn’t above manipulation and murder. The three of them have to choose their futures and perhaps each other.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🐉 YA fantasy with some romance
🐉 Magical world with gods, monsters, and magical creatures
🐉 Unique love triangle
🐉 Forced proximity
🐉 They’re on a quest
🐉 First part of a duology
There is a lot of whimsy in this magical world – there are gods, monsters, magical creatures, magic, the whole lot. There are dark themes and scenes (think blood and gore) but most of the mages and gods add fun and chaos to the world. At times, the world building felt overwhelming but in the end, it was very vivid and intricate.
I think the “love triangle” may be a bit of an oversell. For most of the story, it is a “forced proximity” triangle and then a “reluctant friends” triangle and then a “crush” triangle and finally an “uh oh, I think there are feelings” triangle. But it is a very slooooooowwww build up to that. It is YA that leans towards lots of relationship building, but not a ton of yearning, tension, ROMANCE (in all caps), if that makes sense. I would feel very comfortable having a tween or teen read this.
There were a few fun twists, some more predictable than others, but that helped pick up the pacing of the book. I was not rushing back to the book when I put it down but I wasn’t rushing to put it down either. I think if you read a ton of fantasy, you might enjoy this for the concept and how different it was. The end left a fun new lens to the story that will be exciting to explore in the second part of the duology.
Thank you St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
Publication Date: September 30, 2025
_______________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: Is it a love triangle when there’s two spirits sharing one body and she has the hots for both of them? Obsessed with this concept 🤣 --> This was a very YA version of this concept (in hindsight)
June 18, 2025
3.5✨
« How was the world outside continuing to exist when his whole world had been torn apart? »
This book had such a strong start. The magic system is absolutely UNIQUE - the god system?? Incredible! The whole storyline??? Jaw dropping.
So why 3 stars? Well, there were some issues.
It’s been established that I’m a character driven reader. Wether they be evil or good - I need their character to act accordingly to what they’re portrayed to be. The FMC’s character wavered A LOT. She was being one thing and then completely changing for plot purposes in another scene - to jumping straight back to how she was and on and on it went. I get that people aren’t all black or white but this was hard to follow. Artair followed his character ARC very accordingly. But Lucian? That was a bit confusing. I think I was disappointed that no one was actually evil or a villain in this one. Which defies the summary of the book. Those villain arcs ended up being weak.
On the other hand - the love triangle??? Oh I LOVED THIS (and please know that I absolutely hate love triangles but this one was extremely different). The romance was well done and the complicated/toxic relationship between The Serpent Queen & Elver was insanely well portrayed. The Cub was also a delight and he gave me ‘’I’m just a baby’’ vibe, so cute.
All in all, it was honestly a well balanced read. I am looking forward to the next book and I am recommending this because it was not like anything I’ve ever read before.
« How was the world outside continuing to exist when his whole world had been torn apart? »
This book had such a strong start. The magic system is absolutely UNIQUE - the god system?? Incredible! The whole storyline??? Jaw dropping.
So why 3 stars? Well, there were some issues.
It’s been established that I’m a character driven reader. Wether they be evil or good - I need their character to act accordingly to what they’re portrayed to be. The FMC’s character wavered A LOT. She was being one thing and then completely changing for plot purposes in another scene - to jumping straight back to how she was and on and on it went. I get that people aren’t all black or white but this was hard to follow. Artair followed his character ARC very accordingly. But Lucian? That was a bit confusing. I think I was disappointed that no one was actually evil or a villain in this one. Which defies the summary of the book. Those villain arcs ended up being weak.
On the other hand - the love triangle??? Oh I LOVED THIS (and please know that I absolutely hate love triangles but this one was extremely different). The romance was well done and the complicated/toxic relationship between The Serpent Queen & Elver was insanely well portrayed. The Cub was also a delight and he gave me ‘’I’m just a baby’’ vibe, so cute.
All in all, it was honestly a well balanced read. I am looking forward to the next book and I am recommending this because it was not like anything I’ve ever read before.
September 17, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC of this book!
This was an interesting and a refreshing original concept I thoroughly enjoyed. A captivating story, with beautiful magic, a lush & vivid atmosphere, with a satisfying conclusion. The book itself is absolutely gorgeous. Some parts did fall a little flat but honestly I only think it's because everything else does have just SOOOOOO so much potential/possibility.
This is still a book I will be purchasing and recommending. Also, this is another one I would recommend to anyone looking for some originality!
This was an interesting and a refreshing original concept I thoroughly enjoyed. A captivating story, with beautiful magic, a lush & vivid atmosphere, with a satisfying conclusion. The book itself is absolutely gorgeous. Some parts did fall a little flat but honestly I only think it's because everything else does have just SOOOOOO so much potential/possibility.
This is still a book I will be purchasing and recommending. Also, this is another one I would recommend to anyone looking for some originality!
September 26, 2025
✨ Rating: 5 ⭐️
🫧 Vibes: dark fairytale energy
🎶 Song: haunting - halsey
📖 Favourite Quote: "The forest is my home, but I know there's more to life than staying home."
📚 Would I recommend? YES
💬 tldr thoughts: 10/10 no notes
In the package:
📦 love triangle
📦 gods & monsters
📦 magical companion
Plot: Elver, cursed with a poisonous touch, guards the wild Jih forest all by herself. When a monk, Artair, arrives in the woods to retrieve a Jih creature, she discovers that he's immune to his touch. But, Artair has a dark secret: he shares his body with Lucian, a darker spirit that awakens while he sleeps. Through journeys and quests, Elver and Artair are drawn into a dangerous game of loyalty, power, and survival.
Thoughts: THE ENDING??? EXCUSE ME 😩 I absolutely devoured this book. I loved everything from the magic system, the characters and the adorable cub sidekick 🤭 I'll preface by saying I normally hate love triangles but the way this was done? Absolutely unique so I'm not mad about it!! Artair/Lucian sharing a body had me so conflicted the entire time and I'm still not sure who I should be rooting for 👀 The dynamic between this trio was interesting to say the least! The concept reminded me a lot of elspeth and the nightmare in one dark window but at the same time it was completely different.
I LOVED the main characters. Elver and Artair were both living different lives but the same lonely lives. I was YEARNING for them to open up and form a connection. But when you've been isolated for most of your life, how do you learn to trust others? This was a great YA fantasy about hope, connection, shifting alliances and duality!
📚Read if you enjoyed: one dark window by rachel gillig
Thank you St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: dark fairytale energy
🎶 Song: haunting - halsey
📖 Favourite Quote: "The forest is my home, but I know there's more to life than staying home."
📚 Would I recommend? YES
💬 tldr thoughts: 10/10 no notes
In the package:
📦 love triangle
📦 gods & monsters
📦 magical companion
Plot: Elver, cursed with a poisonous touch, guards the wild Jih forest all by herself. When a monk, Artair, arrives in the woods to retrieve a Jih creature, she discovers that he's immune to his touch. But, Artair has a dark secret: he shares his body with Lucian, a darker spirit that awakens while he sleeps. Through journeys and quests, Elver and Artair are drawn into a dangerous game of loyalty, power, and survival.
Thoughts: THE ENDING??? EXCUSE ME 😩 I absolutely devoured this book. I loved everything from the magic system, the characters and the adorable cub sidekick 🤭 I'll preface by saying I normally hate love triangles but the way this was done? Absolutely unique so I'm not mad about it!! Artair/Lucian sharing a body had me so conflicted the entire time and I'm still not sure who I should be rooting for 👀 The dynamic between this trio was interesting to say the least! The concept reminded me a lot of elspeth and the nightmare in one dark window but at the same time it was completely different.
I LOVED the main characters. Elver and Artair were both living different lives but the same lonely lives. I was YEARNING for them to open up and form a connection. But when you've been isolated for most of your life, how do you learn to trust others? This was a great YA fantasy about hope, connection, shifting alliances and duality!
📚Read if you enjoyed: one dark window by rachel gillig
Thank you St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
September 27, 2025
It’s been a while since I stumbled across a fantasy novel that not only breaks new ground but is so completely engrossing that I forgot it was even marketed as YA. Imagine waking up and realizing that while you slept, you weren’t you. Someone else, vengeful and chaotic, was in control. And you have no memory of what they did. That’s the curse of the Sleepless. Are you human? Or something else entirely? And how do you ever trust yourself again? That’s where this story begins.
Elver, cursed with poisonous skin and guarding a monster-infested forest, crosses paths with Artair, a man immune to her deadly touch and secretly harboring a spirit named Lucian who takes over his body while he sleeps. Together, the three navigate twisted loyalties, dangerous magic, and the secrets they’re each hiding. Their fragile alliance could either save their world or burn it to the ground.
This book is packed with action, complicated relationships, and twelve unpredictable, often unhinged gods. Both Elver and Artair live on the fringe of society, cursed in different ways that isolate them from the world. There’s no insta-love here, just two people learning to lower their defenses and accept kindness where they least expected it. That’s where this story truly shines. Jen Williams is a new author to me, but this book and the way she captures the beautiful disaster of being human (or something close to it) completely won me over.
Huge thank you to Jen Williams and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Elver, cursed with poisonous skin and guarding a monster-infested forest, crosses paths with Artair, a man immune to her deadly touch and secretly harboring a spirit named Lucian who takes over his body while he sleeps. Together, the three navigate twisted loyalties, dangerous magic, and the secrets they’re each hiding. Their fragile alliance could either save their world or burn it to the ground.
This book is packed with action, complicated relationships, and twelve unpredictable, often unhinged gods. Both Elver and Artair live on the fringe of society, cursed in different ways that isolate them from the world. There’s no insta-love here, just two people learning to lower their defenses and accept kindness where they least expected it. That’s where this story truly shines. Jen Williams is a new author to me, but this book and the way she captures the beautiful disaster of being human (or something close to it) completely won me over.
Huge thank you to Jen Williams and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
April 8, 2025
A non-conventional love triangle where the love interests share a body.
Elver is the guardian of the wild and dangerous forest of monsters. Saved from a sacrificial death by the Queen of Serpents, her skin poisons any human she touches. Artair is one of the Sleepless, cursed so when he falls asleep, an evil spirit takes over his body.
A mage holds his friends hostage and demands he steals a keltraxia cub from the forest. Elver is sent by her god to retrieve the cub.
The world building was really good. 12 gods, different followings, traits, practices.
The cub was definitely the best part of the story because yes Elver can understand the magical creatures and the cub is a snarky, curious ball of mischief.
This is very different to anything Jen has ever written before. It’s still got weird creatures, quirky characters, and found family - however, its tone is different. This is a Young Adult romantasy meaning the prose isn’t as pondering as her other books.
Despite this, I am impressed by how her writing changes to suit the genre and age.
I think I just wanted more. I think this is just because of it being YA and also due to its page length.
I also would have wanted more description as I couldn’t picture anything - especially unfortunate with such curious creatures.
Physical arc gifted by First Ink.
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Elver is the guardian of the wild and dangerous forest of monsters. Saved from a sacrificial death by the Queen of Serpents, her skin poisons any human she touches. Artair is one of the Sleepless, cursed so when he falls asleep, an evil spirit takes over his body.
A mage holds his friends hostage and demands he steals a keltraxia cub from the forest. Elver is sent by her god to retrieve the cub.
The world building was really good. 12 gods, different followings, traits, practices.
The cub was definitely the best part of the story because yes Elver can understand the magical creatures and the cub is a snarky, curious ball of mischief.
This is very different to anything Jen has ever written before. It’s still got weird creatures, quirky characters, and found family - however, its tone is different. This is a Young Adult romantasy meaning the prose isn’t as pondering as her other books.
Despite this, I am impressed by how her writing changes to suit the genre and age.
I think I just wanted more. I think this is just because of it being YA and also due to its page length.
I also would have wanted more description as I couldn’t picture anything - especially unfortunate with such curious creatures.
Physical arc gifted by First Ink.
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February 27, 2025
A gorgeously rich, YA romantasy that had me absolutely swooning at its epic, high stakes plot and unusual love triangle (between a monster girl, a possessed boy and the evil spirit that inhabits him) which had me thoroughly obsessed!
I previously read Jen Williams’ epic fantasy, Talonsister, and fell utterly in love with her ability to craft vividly immersive worlds and emotionally compelling characters (which heavily contributed to my excitement for The Sleepless.) And I have to say, I loved it even more than I had expected!
With a smaller and more intimate cast of POV characters (Elver, Artair and Lucian), Williams is able to explore each MC (their emotional inner thoughts, motivations and backstories) in even more depth. Which I felt added a unique and multilayered perspective that had me emotionally invested in all three of them.
Though Elver, our resident monster girl, was probably my favourite. After being saved by the Queen of Serpents as a child, (who gifted her with a poisonous touch) she spends her days in isolation, protecting fellow monsters within the Jih Forest.
Her emotionally guarded demeanour has saved her from the pain and disappointment of humanity. But, after meeting Artair (the only person immune to her touch) and Lucian (the parasitic spirit who inhabits him), she begins to let down her walls and finally open up to the possibility of connection and companionship. Something that leads to a lot of internal conflict and emotional tension that had me utterly hooked.
I really loved Williams’ nuanced approach to Artair and Lucian’s portrayals too, which sees them both struggle with powerlessness—in losing their bodily autonomy (Artair) and their memories (Lucian.) Though of the two, I definitely gravitated a little more towards morally grey, Lucian, who I found soo fascinating.
But I adored the complicated, love triangle-esque romance that slowly builds between our protagonists most of all. It was phenomenally swoon-worthy (though it is YA so don’t expect things to get too steamy) and led to some wonderfully (emotionally) intense scenes.
Overall, an emotionally satisfying and deliciously intense Romantasy with banter, a strong FMC and an adorable Keltraxia cub (who just wants to bite humans and eat stuff.) I recommend preordering immediately.
Also, a huge thank you to First Ink/ Bookbreak UK for the stunning (purple) proof
I previously read Jen Williams’ epic fantasy, Talonsister, and fell utterly in love with her ability to craft vividly immersive worlds and emotionally compelling characters (which heavily contributed to my excitement for The Sleepless.) And I have to say, I loved it even more than I had expected!
With a smaller and more intimate cast of POV characters (Elver, Artair and Lucian), Williams is able to explore each MC (their emotional inner thoughts, motivations and backstories) in even more depth. Which I felt added a unique and multilayered perspective that had me emotionally invested in all three of them.
Though Elver, our resident monster girl, was probably my favourite. After being saved by the Queen of Serpents as a child, (who gifted her with a poisonous touch) she spends her days in isolation, protecting fellow monsters within the Jih Forest.
Her emotionally guarded demeanour has saved her from the pain and disappointment of humanity. But, after meeting Artair (the only person immune to her touch) and Lucian (the parasitic spirit who inhabits him), she begins to let down her walls and finally open up to the possibility of connection and companionship. Something that leads to a lot of internal conflict and emotional tension that had me utterly hooked.
I really loved Williams’ nuanced approach to Artair and Lucian’s portrayals too, which sees them both struggle with powerlessness—in losing their bodily autonomy (Artair) and their memories (Lucian.) Though of the two, I definitely gravitated a little more towards morally grey, Lucian, who I found soo fascinating.
But I adored the complicated, love triangle-esque romance that slowly builds between our protagonists most of all. It was phenomenally swoon-worthy (though it is YA so don’t expect things to get too steamy) and led to some wonderfully (emotionally) intense scenes.
Overall, an emotionally satisfying and deliciously intense Romantasy with banter, a strong FMC and an adorable Keltraxia cub (who just wants to bite humans and eat stuff.) I recommend preordering immediately.
Also, a huge thank you to First Ink/ Bookbreak UK for the stunning (purple) proof
June 6, 2025
The concept of this book was something I really enjoyed. One of the main characters has another entity living in his body. When he falls asleep, the other being comes to life, and that being can be unpredictable, so he is kept locked up at night to prevent chaos. It reminded me a lot of Elspeth from One Dark Window.
However, when I wasn’t reading this book I didn’t really have the desire to pick it back up. Whenever I was reading it, it was enjoyable. I just didn’t yearn for it like I wished I did.
Given our slow and uneventful this book was, I expected more pay off at the end. I think this book needed more focus on characters, banter, and more time building realistic relationships.
Provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
However, when I wasn’t reading this book I didn’t really have the desire to pick it back up. Whenever I was reading it, it was enjoyable. I just didn’t yearn for it like I wished I did.
Given our slow and uneventful this book was, I expected more pay off at the end. I think this book needed more focus on characters, banter, and more time building realistic relationships.
Provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2025
The Sleepless (Sleepless Duology #1) by Jen Williams
Book Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and monsters roam the earth . . .
Rating: ****
Feels: Amazing, Engaged, Adventure, Satisfaction
Style: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Romantasy, Young Adult Fantasy
First published May 22, 2025: 336 pages
I really like the snark and fun adventure that Elver takes us on and the people we meet along the way. The found family aspect of those Elver and Artair collect along the way makes the whole story alot more fun. I loved the world building aspect of how each god has their own faction, worshipers, traits and ways their factions work to gain magic. It really makes it interesting how Elver interacts which each of the factions to obtain her goals. I really loved the fantasy adventure storyline with mythology weaved in. I look forward to this duology being complete and I am looking forward to continuing this story.
Favorite Quote: "There's no time. Let's get out of here before I decide to poison some idiots just to cheer myself up."
This book has:
Gods and Monsters
Slow Burn
Love Triangle
Animal Companions
Quests and Bargains
Warring factions
Found Family
Book Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and monsters roam the earth . . .
Rating: ****
Feels: Amazing, Engaged, Adventure, Satisfaction
Style: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Romantasy, Young Adult Fantasy
First published May 22, 2025: 336 pages
I really like the snark and fun adventure that Elver takes us on and the people we meet along the way. The found family aspect of those Elver and Artair collect along the way makes the whole story alot more fun. I loved the world building aspect of how each god has their own faction, worshipers, traits and ways their factions work to gain magic. It really makes it interesting how Elver interacts which each of the factions to obtain her goals. I really loved the fantasy adventure storyline with mythology weaved in. I look forward to this duology being complete and I am looking forward to continuing this story.
Favorite Quote: "There's no time. Let's get out of here before I decide to poison some idiots just to cheer myself up."
This book has:
Gods and Monsters
Slow Burn
Love Triangle
Animal Companions
Quests and Bargains
Warring factions
Found Family
April 1, 2025
This book took a little time to pull me in, but once it did, I enjoyed the atmosphere. The descriptions were vivid, and the world felt immersive without being overly complicated. The writing felt somewhat simple at times. Effective in setting the scene, but lacking a bit of depth.
I did appreciate the lore. The magic was interesting, and I liked how everyday things were explained to someone unfamiliar with them. It’s always fun to see the mundane turned into something strange and fascinating from an outsider’s perspective The humor was good, dry in some places and playful in others. But a few times the language felt too modern for the world it built. Words like wonky and unhinged stood out in a way that didn’t quite fit. It felt jarringly out of place. Maybe that works for some readers, but for me, it took away from the otherwise folkloric feel of the story. That said, the God’s names were an unexpected delight. You had the typical names you’d expect like Vilon the Many Limbed or Trilot the Faceless. Then there was John Barleycorn. I’m not sure if that was meant to be as funny as it was, but I genuinely laughed every time he was mentioned.
While I liked the world, I didn’t really connect with the characters. They weren’t especially memorable and followed the familiar blueprint of YA fantasy protagonists. Competent, a little broody, and carrying just enough trauma to fuel the plot but not enough to make them truly complex. The dialogue often felt a bit juvenile, but I do acknowledge the FMC and MMC are pretty young. The romance was also non-existent. But I am assuming book 2 will continue this plot.
Around the 75% mark, my interest started to drift. Maybe it was the pacing, or maybe the novelty wore off, but I found myself less invested as it went on. Still, if you’re looking for a YA fantasy with strong worldbuilding, interesting magic, and a bit of humor, it’s worth picking up. I’d probably read the sequel.
Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for the ARC!
I did appreciate the lore. The magic was interesting, and I liked how everyday things were explained to someone unfamiliar with them. It’s always fun to see the mundane turned into something strange and fascinating from an outsider’s perspective The humor was good, dry in some places and playful in others. But a few times the language felt too modern for the world it built. Words like wonky and unhinged stood out in a way that didn’t quite fit. It felt jarringly out of place. Maybe that works for some readers, but for me, it took away from the otherwise folkloric feel of the story. That said, the God’s names were an unexpected delight. You had the typical names you’d expect like Vilon the Many Limbed or Trilot the Faceless. Then there was John Barleycorn. I’m not sure if that was meant to be as funny as it was, but I genuinely laughed every time he was mentioned.
While I liked the world, I didn’t really connect with the characters. They weren’t especially memorable and followed the familiar blueprint of YA fantasy protagonists. Competent, a little broody, and carrying just enough trauma to fuel the plot but not enough to make them truly complex. The dialogue often felt a bit juvenile, but I do acknowledge the FMC and MMC are pretty young. The romance was also non-existent. But I am assuming book 2 will continue this plot.
Around the 75% mark, my interest started to drift. Maybe it was the pacing, or maybe the novelty wore off, but I found myself less invested as it went on. Still, if you’re looking for a YA fantasy with strong worldbuilding, interesting magic, and a bit of humor, it’s worth picking up. I’d probably read the sequel.
Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for the ARC!
July 10, 2025
Physical ARC provided by the publisher
Rating - 4⭐️
This was such a refreshing ya fantasy! I really loved the magic system in this. There was a somewhat cozy vibe about the world building and yet the plot had high-stakes. I feel like the magic system and world was well fleshed out. There are lots of magical creatures and even a cute animal companion that joins the group of characters🦊🥰. I really enjoyed how the different Gods play a role in the plot and it was so interesting how they used characters as chess pieces for their own benefits👀.
I liked Elver as a protagonist, I think she’s adorable whenever she interacts with magical creatures. Elver is grumpy and distrustful of humans after they sacrificed her to a God and was then saved by another God and gained powers of being able to poison humans with her touch☠️.
The subplot romance was very innocent and heartwarming, and there were crumbs of a love triangle dynamic, so I’m so intrigued by how it will turn out in the sequel🤭. The love triangle was unique since the 2 love interests share the same body. When one wakes, the other’s consciousness is asleep. Artair by day☀️, Lucian by night🌑. Artair is very righteous and has been in seclusion to keep his evil spirit counterpart from unleashing chaos upon everyone around him. Lucian on the other hand, has no memories of his past and only remembers his name.
I am undoubtedly team Lucian here🙂↕️✋🏻. He was so mysterious throughout the book and I was becoming more and more intrigued by him when his memories slowly started coming back🤭.
Rating - 4⭐️
This was such a refreshing ya fantasy! I really loved the magic system in this. There was a somewhat cozy vibe about the world building and yet the plot had high-stakes. I feel like the magic system and world was well fleshed out. There are lots of magical creatures and even a cute animal companion that joins the group of characters🦊🥰. I really enjoyed how the different Gods play a role in the plot and it was so interesting how they used characters as chess pieces for their own benefits👀.
I liked Elver as a protagonist, I think she’s adorable whenever she interacts with magical creatures. Elver is grumpy and distrustful of humans after they sacrificed her to a God and was then saved by another God and gained powers of being able to poison humans with her touch☠️.
The subplot romance was very innocent and heartwarming, and there were crumbs of a love triangle dynamic, so I’m so intrigued by how it will turn out in the sequel🤭. The love triangle was unique since the 2 love interests share the same body. When one wakes, the other’s consciousness is asleep. Artair by day☀️, Lucian by night🌑. Artair is very righteous and has been in seclusion to keep his evil spirit counterpart from unleashing chaos upon everyone around him. Lucian on the other hand, has no memories of his past and only remembers his name.
I am undoubtedly team Lucian here🙂↕️✋🏻. He was so mysterious throughout the book and I was becoming more and more intrigued by him when his memories slowly started coming back🤭.
February 2, 2025
Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for the review copy!
Books that question what it means to be monstrous are some of my favourite things to read. I love when the concept of monsters gets subverted and you get to ask yourself who people see as monstrous and why, and who the real monster is. The Sleepless does a great job with that, with not just one, but two (or, technically, three) main characters who have become monstrous in different ways.
This was my first Jen Williams book, and I come away from it thoroughly impressed with the writing. You can really tell she's a prolific author, because everything is so well plotted and crafted. It really reminded me of older fantasy books, in a way I really enjoyed. Reading this almost felt nostalgic.
Books that question what it means to be monstrous are some of my favourite things to read. I love when the concept of monsters gets subverted and you get to ask yourself who people see as monstrous and why, and who the real monster is. The Sleepless does a great job with that, with not just one, but two (or, technically, three) main characters who have become monstrous in different ways.
This was my first Jen Williams book, and I come away from it thoroughly impressed with the writing. You can really tell she's a prolific author, because everything is so well plotted and crafted. It really reminded me of older fantasy books, in a way I really enjoyed. Reading this almost felt nostalgic.
October 27, 2025
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Rating this a very neutral 3 stars, as I did not finish this.
I've been trying really hard to get into this for months now and I can never seem to make it past a few pages before setting it down again. There is nothing wrong with what I've read of the book, the concept is very intriguing and the author's writing is well-done. I think this may just be a situation where the book isn't for me and that's okay.
If you haven't heard of this, "The Sleepless" follows a girl who is the guardian of an enchanted forest and a boy who has an entity possessing him that takes control of his body whenever he sleeps - hence the 'sleepless'. From this beginning, our characters end up on a mission together that will bring them face to face with gods, monsters, and a dangerous magic they can barely understand.
As I said, the concept is intriguing and if it sounds interesting to you, I definitely recommend giving it a try. So far, it was delivering on what it promised but just in a way that didn't work for me.
Overall, I really did try with this one and unfortunately, it didn't work out. I'm still very grateful for the ARC and the chance to read it.
Rating this a very neutral 3 stars, as I did not finish this.
I've been trying really hard to get into this for months now and I can never seem to make it past a few pages before setting it down again. There is nothing wrong with what I've read of the book, the concept is very intriguing and the author's writing is well-done. I think this may just be a situation where the book isn't for me and that's okay.
If you haven't heard of this, "The Sleepless" follows a girl who is the guardian of an enchanted forest and a boy who has an entity possessing him that takes control of his body whenever he sleeps - hence the 'sleepless'. From this beginning, our characters end up on a mission together that will bring them face to face with gods, monsters, and a dangerous magic they can barely understand.
As I said, the concept is intriguing and if it sounds interesting to you, I definitely recommend giving it a try. So far, it was delivering on what it promised but just in a way that didn't work for me.
Overall, I really did try with this one and unfortunately, it didn't work out. I'm still very grateful for the ARC and the chance to read it.
May 1, 2025
PRE-READ: The MMC has an evil alter ego that takes over when he sleeps? SIGN. ME . UP.
POST READ... 2.75-3 stars ೃ⁀➷ Elver is Maleficent... nobody can convince me otherwise.
What to expect!
🐍 3rd person POV
🐍 Maleficent style mystical forest
🐍 A love triangle
🐍 Grumpy X Sunshine
🐍 A Quest
🐍 An animal accomplice
The Sleepless follows a girl named Elver, who was saved from the brink of death by the serpent god after being forcefully sacrificed. Now reincarnated, she is a Jih creature of the forest with poison running through her veins instead of blood, which makes her touch lethal. (Juliette Ferrars who?!). One day, a creature of the forest is stolen, and Elver has been sent to save it, but when she confronts this thief, Artair, she realises that he's not simply an evil thief but trying to save the only people he's ever known from the person who killed her seven years ago. All is not what it seems, because Artair is part Jih too, because he's one of The Sleepless- when he shuts his eyes another person overtakes his body, someone with a more sinister motivation than the innocent and kind Artair. Together, all three of them must work together to bring this cub home and defeat the evil forces threatening Artair and maybe something more...
Initial thoughts and reactions~
The first few chapters were EXCELLENT- I thought this would be a really cool unique world (which in a way, retrospectively it is but it was explored in a boring way). But after introductions it just got boring and the challenges faced along the way got a little bit juvenile because surely there are BETTER ones that can also assist in creating a more detailed world/society. At the end it was okay, then the last line of the chapter before the epilogue got me 🤯.
The Plot~
It held promise until it just took a route I generally didn't like. Then I lost interest sort of. Personally, the quest was dragged out in a boring, unneeded way instead of making it complicated in a good way.
My main issues were: the lack of world-building and destroying character depth for the sake of plot when it was just created. When it comes to the world building, it's weird because I understand parts but all of the Gods stuff is so new to me with how it all works and I kind of understand that, however there was no/little world building outside of the Gods stuff- like how the society functioned or how the gods tied into the society. In all, it lacked depth. Secondly, the characters were phenomenal at first... but then as soon as the plot got introduced, I feel like we lost a bit of the characterisation because both Elver and Artair IMO, (mainly Elver) were doing things that suited the plot more instead of it actually matching their characters. Also, the swearing was a bit random at times, I'm not sure.
The characters// Lucian & Artair
I feel like I was misled. Lucian is NOT evil. He may have done evil acts, but he was barely given a chance to be evil in this book because of how he was often tied up. In fact even when he did do things I wouldn't even call them evil at all. Purely a naughty child. Who's also got a fuck ton of charm, let me tell ya. Artair was honestly a GEM- he was THE kindest soul ever, and oh so innocent and naive, which honestly could have been used more to add humour to the plot because his generosity also was tainted by a lot of naivete.
The characters// Elver
Icon, queen, just gorgeous. Her backstory is so sad, and I completely understand her avoidance of the human world. She honestly has my heart. While she's not the best crafted character, I can still resonate with her thoughts and choices and approach to the world. Her relationship with the Serpent is so deep and nuanced in my opinion(and lowkey one of the saving graces of this book).
The characters// Mother Maura | The villain
I feel like the author attempted to give her depth to make us understand her villain origin story, but for me it didn't work. Don't get me wrong, I feel sympathy for her but I also DGAF but she hurt my girl Elver!! I liked the epilogue at the end though and I feel like I'm starting to like her as now her motives have more depth.
The characters// The cub
Honestly, a cutie, and lowkey Andarna wannabe!! Nobody can beat my baby Andarna from Fourth Wing, but it's okay, this cutie cub tried (and failed), but he was still very cute. Annoying-ish at times, but nevertheless cute.
Overall... it was fun at first, but then it got boring in the middle. What made it manageable was when Lucian came to the surface, he was so interesting, and I wish the author wasn't so careful with his character and let him embody that 'evil' mentioned in the blurb! The ending conflict was good and had definitely made me curious as to what's in store for the next book! Assuming there is one because I thought this was a standalone, oops.
2.75-3 stars
Special Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for providing me with in eARC to review!
POST READ... 2.75-3 stars ೃ⁀➷ Elver is Maleficent... nobody can convince me otherwise.
What to expect!
🐍 3rd person POV
🐍 Maleficent style mystical forest
🐍 A love triangle
🐍 Grumpy X Sunshine
🐍 A Quest
🐍 An animal accomplice
The Sleepless follows a girl named Elver, who was saved from the brink of death by the serpent god after being forcefully sacrificed. Now reincarnated, she is a Jih creature of the forest with poison running through her veins instead of blood, which makes her touch lethal. (Juliette Ferrars who?!). One day, a creature of the forest is stolen, and Elver has been sent to save it, but when she confronts this thief, Artair, she realises that he's not simply an evil thief but trying to save the only people he's ever known from the person who killed her seven years ago. All is not what it seems, because Artair is part Jih too, because he's one of The Sleepless- when he shuts his eyes another person overtakes his body, someone with a more sinister motivation than the innocent and kind Artair. Together, all three of them must work together to bring this cub home and defeat the evil forces threatening Artair and maybe something more...
Initial thoughts and reactions~
The first few chapters were EXCELLENT- I thought this would be a really cool unique world (which in a way, retrospectively it is but it was explored in a boring way). But after introductions it just got boring and the challenges faced along the way got a little bit juvenile because surely there are BETTER ones that can also assist in creating a more detailed world/society. At the end it was okay, then the last line of the chapter before the epilogue got me 🤯.
The Plot~
It held promise until it just took a route I generally didn't like. Then I lost interest sort of. Personally, the quest was dragged out in a boring, unneeded way instead of making it complicated in a good way.
My main issues were: the lack of world-building and destroying character depth for the sake of plot when it was just created. When it comes to the world building, it's weird because I understand parts but all of the Gods stuff is so new to me with how it all works and I kind of understand that, however there was no/little world building outside of the Gods stuff- like how the society functioned or how the gods tied into the society. In all, it lacked depth. Secondly, the characters were phenomenal at first... but then as soon as the plot got introduced, I feel like we lost a bit of the characterisation because both Elver and Artair IMO, (mainly Elver) were doing things that suited the plot more instead of it actually matching their characters. Also, the swearing was a bit random at times, I'm not sure.
The characters// Lucian & Artair
I feel like I was misled. Lucian is NOT evil. He may have done evil acts, but he was barely given a chance to be evil in this book because of how he was often tied up. In fact even when he did do things I wouldn't even call them evil at all. Purely a naughty child. Who's also got a fuck ton of charm, let me tell ya. Artair was honestly a GEM- he was THE kindest soul ever, and oh so innocent and naive, which honestly could have been used more to add humour to the plot because his generosity also was tainted by a lot of naivete.
The characters// Elver
Icon, queen, just gorgeous. Her backstory is so sad, and I completely understand her avoidance of the human world. She honestly has my heart. While she's not the best crafted character, I can still resonate with her thoughts and choices and approach to the world. Her relationship with the Serpent is so deep and nuanced in my opinion(and lowkey one of the saving graces of this book).
The characters// Mother Maura | The villain
I feel like the author attempted to give her depth to make us understand her villain origin story, but for me it didn't work. Don't get me wrong, I feel sympathy for her but I also DGAF but she hurt my girl Elver!! I liked the epilogue at the end though and I feel like I'm starting to like her as now her motives have more depth.
The characters// The cub
Honestly, a cutie, and lowkey Andarna wannabe!! Nobody can beat my baby Andarna from Fourth Wing, but it's okay, this cutie cub tried (and failed), but he was still very cute. Annoying-ish at times, but nevertheless cute.
Overall... it was fun at first, but then it got boring in the middle. What made it manageable was when Lucian came to the surface, he was so interesting, and I wish the author wasn't so careful with his character and let him embody that 'evil' mentioned in the blurb! The ending conflict was good and had definitely made me curious as to what's in store for the next book! Assuming there is one because I thought this was a standalone, oops.
2.75-3 stars
Special Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for providing me with in eARC to review!
April 19, 2025
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. - Freya, arc & monthly book box pick reviewer
The Sleepless took me by surprise, and it kept taking me by surprise the more I read! What an awesome unique YA romantic fantasy!! I loved it!! Like, I literally want to push it to everyone's hands!!!! Their hook "Made by a God, falling for a Monster" is EVERYTHING and encapsulates what the book is about PERFECTLY!
We follow Elver's, Artair's, and Lucian's POVs. In my proof, it doesn't mention whose POV each chapter is, but it's not needed, either. You know immediately whose head we are in, and I loooooved it. There is no way to mistake Artair's pov for Lucian's or anyone else's. The author has sculpted these three utterly distinct characters, and I must say, I LOVED THEM ALL. It's a love triangle, sort of, but for the life of me, I can't pick between Artain and Lucian. I need both of them to find happiness and freedom.
Elver was sacrificed as a child, to appease the sea serpents. The mages and the mortals showed no mercy, no hesitation. They just threw her into the sea to save themselves, but the Monster Queen saved her and replaced her blood with poison, so anyone Elver touches gets poisoned. Elver leaves the mortal town and lives in the Jih Forest surrounded by nature and other Jih creatures. She is their protector and guardian of the forest. She is content but she doesn't realize that she isn't quite free, either. What I loved about Elver was her self-esteem and way of dealing with her problems. She stands up for herself, and doesn't wallow in self-misery. She finds a way to solve her problems, gods, humans, and monster be damned.
Artair, sweet, noble Artair. I don't normally like characters who believe what they're told without questioning, but Artair is different. He has such a noble heart that he imprisons himself for the safety of others. He doesn't question whether the evil spirit inside him is evil, partly because of the spirit's evil actions once, and partly because he can't comprehend why anyone would imprison and torment someone like this. He isn't stupid, he is just too good for any world. And to be honest, Lucian's actions in the past were evil-ish. I loved seeing Artair finally experience the world, visit new places, and talk to people. He was so elated but he was also anxious because he felt responsible for the spirit within him and what he might do. Artair is someone who thinks about others first, and I hope that his compassion leads him to a happy ending in the next book. Nobody deserves it more than him.
Lucian, our sneeky evil spirit who may or not be a spirit, to begin with. Is he evil? Well, he has certainly done evil-adjacent things, but he has also done the right thing by his god, and he actually had good-ish intentions. He is not purely evil, and he isn't good, either. He is someone who puts himself first and foremost, and his God in second place. He is arrogant and powerful, and he is so very ambitious. I like ambitious and competent characters, and I like survivors. I only hope that he doesn't lose the last threads of morality he has, and that he doesn't hurt Artair irrevocably.
I loved the worldbuilding and how inclusive it is! We have twelve Gods and their mages, we have creatures, we have history and background on everything, and we have characters of different backgrounds. I could picture the world clearly and I could feel the characters' motivations as if they were my own!!
The plot had twists and turns that I enjoyed. I think the pacing was really good. I was never bored, and I sincerely enjoyed every page that I read.
Overall, it's a delightful YA romantic fantasy with exquisitely detailed worldbuilding, a plot I didn't know where it would lead, and a love triangle between a Jih girl, a human, and a spirit. At the end of the day, it's a tale about freedom, how imprisonment can be masked as freedom, what we do with our freedom, and what we are willing to do to acquire it. Beautifully crafted, I believe this is a YA fantasy that stands out.
It has a signed exclusive Waterstones edition with gorgeous edges, and it's still available.
The Sleepless took me by surprise, and it kept taking me by surprise the more I read! What an awesome unique YA romantic fantasy!! I loved it!! Like, I literally want to push it to everyone's hands!!!! Their hook "Made by a God, falling for a Monster" is EVERYTHING and encapsulates what the book is about PERFECTLY!
We follow Elver's, Artair's, and Lucian's POVs. In my proof, it doesn't mention whose POV each chapter is, but it's not needed, either. You know immediately whose head we are in, and I loooooved it. There is no way to mistake Artair's pov for Lucian's or anyone else's. The author has sculpted these three utterly distinct characters, and I must say, I LOVED THEM ALL. It's a love triangle, sort of, but for the life of me, I can't pick between Artain and Lucian. I need both of them to find happiness and freedom.
Elver was sacrificed as a child, to appease the sea serpents. The mages and the mortals showed no mercy, no hesitation. They just threw her into the sea to save themselves, but the Monster Queen saved her and replaced her blood with poison, so anyone Elver touches gets poisoned. Elver leaves the mortal town and lives in the Jih Forest surrounded by nature and other Jih creatures. She is their protector and guardian of the forest. She is content but she doesn't realize that she isn't quite free, either. What I loved about Elver was her self-esteem and way of dealing with her problems. She stands up for herself, and doesn't wallow in self-misery. She finds a way to solve her problems, gods, humans, and monster be damned.
Artair, sweet, noble Artair. I don't normally like characters who believe what they're told without questioning, but Artair is different. He has such a noble heart that he imprisons himself for the safety of others. He doesn't question whether the evil spirit inside him is evil, partly because of the spirit's evil actions once, and partly because he can't comprehend why anyone would imprison and torment someone like this. He isn't stupid, he is just too good for any world. And to be honest, Lucian's actions in the past were evil-ish. I loved seeing Artair finally experience the world, visit new places, and talk to people. He was so elated but he was also anxious because he felt responsible for the spirit within him and what he might do. Artair is someone who thinks about others first, and I hope that his compassion leads him to a happy ending in the next book. Nobody deserves it more than him.
Lucian, our sneeky evil spirit who may or not be a spirit, to begin with. Is he evil? Well, he has certainly done evil-adjacent things, but he has also done the right thing by his god, and he actually had good-ish intentions. He is not purely evil, and he isn't good, either. He is someone who puts himself first and foremost, and his God in second place. He is arrogant and powerful, and he is so very ambitious. I like ambitious and competent characters, and I like survivors. I only hope that he doesn't lose the last threads of morality he has, and that he doesn't hurt Artair irrevocably.
I loved the worldbuilding and how inclusive it is! We have twelve Gods and their mages, we have creatures, we have history and background on everything, and we have characters of different backgrounds. I could picture the world clearly and I could feel the characters' motivations as if they were my own!!
The plot had twists and turns that I enjoyed. I think the pacing was really good. I was never bored, and I sincerely enjoyed every page that I read.
Overall, it's a delightful YA romantic fantasy with exquisitely detailed worldbuilding, a plot I didn't know where it would lead, and a love triangle between a Jih girl, a human, and a spirit. At the end of the day, it's a tale about freedom, how imprisonment can be masked as freedom, what we do with our freedom, and what we are willing to do to acquire it. Beautifully crafted, I believe this is a YA fantasy that stands out.
It has a signed exclusive Waterstones edition with gorgeous edges, and it's still available.
March 26, 2025
Also on Snow White Hates Apples.
The monsters and humans theme has always been a favourite of mine so I thought I’d greatly enjoy this book, especially since it has such an intriguing premise but ultimately, The Sleepless is giving ✨️ Wattpad ✨️ and not in the best ways.
For one, the characters are all two-dimensional. Though distinctive enough to remember who is who, at the end of the day, they’re just your standard YA Fantasy characters with no life in them. This made a largely character-driven story utterly boring to read.
Moreover, the flatness of the characters — particularly the main three — resulted in a romance as fiery as a bunch of dead embers. Sure, there were sparks here and there but they never ignited, creating only moments where hope for this romance to burn passionately became no more than just matches struck in the wind. Truly, they’d all be better off as friends instead of being forced into this underdeveloped, emotionally flat relationship.
It also didn’t help that the middle of the book gave off strong ‘I don’t know how to fill the gaps between the start and the end so let’s just go with the flow until it’s enough’ vibes. Issues get conveniently solved, dialogue becomes unnatural and the prose gets unnecessarily purple. This aimless meandering middle made staying engaged harder as it took away any sense of urgency and importance that should’ve been there due to the characters’s main goals.
Suffice it to say, The Sleepless is clearly a case of a promising concept that suffered from poor execution. I imagine it’d be brilliant as an adult romantasy, but alas, it’s not.
The monsters and humans theme has always been a favourite of mine so I thought I’d greatly enjoy this book, especially since it has such an intriguing premise but ultimately, The Sleepless is giving ✨️ Wattpad ✨️ and not in the best ways.
For one, the characters are all two-dimensional. Though distinctive enough to remember who is who, at the end of the day, they’re just your standard YA Fantasy characters with no life in them. This made a largely character-driven story utterly boring to read.
Moreover, the flatness of the characters — particularly the main three — resulted in a romance as fiery as a bunch of dead embers. Sure, there were sparks here and there but they never ignited, creating only moments where hope for this romance to burn passionately became no more than just matches struck in the wind. Truly, they’d all be better off as friends instead of being forced into this underdeveloped, emotionally flat relationship.
It also didn’t help that the middle of the book gave off strong ‘I don’t know how to fill the gaps between the start and the end so let’s just go with the flow until it’s enough’ vibes. Issues get conveniently solved, dialogue becomes unnatural and the prose gets unnecessarily purple. This aimless meandering middle made staying engaged harder as it took away any sense of urgency and importance that should’ve been there due to the characters’s main goals.
Suffice it to say, The Sleepless is clearly a case of a promising concept that suffered from poor execution. I imagine it’d be brilliant as an adult romantasy, but alas, it’s not.
Thank you so much Pansing for sending me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review! The Sleepless by Jen Williams will be available at all good bookstores.
July 12, 2025
Current rating: ~2 stars
I'm free!! I was initially very excited for this, but maybe I wasn't in the right mood because I was so close to dnfing. I just pushed through for the sake of my reading goal and netgalley ratio.
Starting with some positivity, I enjoyed the worldbuilding, and the concept of the Sleepless was one reason I was looking forward to reading. The gods were also interesting, and I'm guessing even more will be revealed in the sequel.
In terms of the characters, I did like Elver. Her grumpy demeanour and short dialogue made sense given her background, and reading about her relationship to the wild + creatures was enjoyable. Artair was just there ig, but Lucian was definitely an intriguing character, and he'll prbly be endgame w/ Elver. I'm actually glad there was very little romance in this book because the characters were all quite two dimensional so I would have cared even less about the story. Lines meant as ironic foreshadowing (e.g: "anyone can see we're not in love!" "haha, def not...") did not move me at all.
I also wasn't a fan of the writing style, which felt juvenile and modern in a way that didn't work for me. The short + stilted conversations (not just from Elver) and overly long descriptions just made me feel very detached from the story and its characters. There was also a lot of blunt info dumping through dialogue which felt off putting at times. Thankfully, the last 30% did manage to pique my interest a little more, as there were a few such scenes that worked for me, but the majority of the book did not have that.
Overall, the world itself still intrigues me, and I liked a few of the characters. Book 2 will likely delve even more into that, but I won't be reading it because I unfortunately don't care enough. This will hopefully be the right series for someone else who enjoys an interesting fantasy world, a twist on the typical love triangle and magical creatures, but it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I'm free!! I was initially very excited for this, but maybe I wasn't in the right mood because I was so close to dnfing. I just pushed through for the sake of my reading goal and netgalley ratio.
Starting with some positivity, I enjoyed the worldbuilding, and the concept of the Sleepless was one reason I was looking forward to reading. The gods were also interesting, and I'm guessing even more will be revealed in the sequel.
In terms of the characters, I did like Elver. Her grumpy demeanour and short dialogue made sense given her background, and reading about her relationship to the wild + creatures was enjoyable. Artair was just there ig, but Lucian was definitely an intriguing character, and he'll prbly be endgame w/ Elver. I'm actually glad there was very little romance in this book because the characters were all quite two dimensional so I would have cared even less about the story. Lines meant as ironic foreshadowing (e.g: "anyone can see we're not in love!" "haha, def not...") did not move me at all.
I also wasn't a fan of the writing style, which felt juvenile and modern in a way that didn't work for me. The short + stilted conversations (not just from Elver) and overly long descriptions just made me feel very detached from the story and its characters. There was also a lot of blunt info dumping through dialogue which felt off putting at times. Thankfully, the last 30% did manage to pique my interest a little more, as there were a few such scenes that worked for me, but the majority of the book did not have that.
Overall, the world itself still intrigues me, and I liked a few of the characters. Book 2 will likely delve even more into that, but I won't be reading it because I unfortunately don't care enough. This will hopefully be the right series for someone else who enjoys an interesting fantasy world, a twist on the typical love triangle and magical creatures, but it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2025
4.5
Most YA romantasies follow a formula that bores the sh-t out of me as its predictable and a waste of time as there are hundreds of books out there that I should be reading instead.
Fortunately, this isn’t one of them. With a unique plot and compelling characters, I was completely drawn into this world. Sure, it doesn’t have the complexity of William’s Talon duology, but it could stand on its own merit.
Most YA romantasies follow a formula that bores the sh-t out of me as its predictable and a waste of time as there are hundreds of books out there that I should be reading instead.
Fortunately, this isn’t one of them. With a unique plot and compelling characters, I was completely drawn into this world. Sure, it doesn’t have the complexity of William’s Talon duology, but it could stand on its own merit.
September 24, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, Goodreads, Wednesday Books, and Macmillan Audio for a copies provided for an honest review.
I switched between a paperback ARC, kindle and audiobook while reading. The audiobook was narrated by Esme Lonsdale and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. This was my first listen by both narrators, and I thought they did a fantastic job voicing the various characters.
The story follows what I found to be a unique trio of characters. Elver has a rather interesting and macabre past with gods and their servants, and is currently guardian of the Jih forest and its creatures, serving the Queen of Serpents. Artair has lived closed off from civilization with the brothers and sisters of the Golden Tower, cursed as the Sleepless, one in which a demon dwells ready to take over when he sleeps. Lucian inhabits Artair’s body when he sleeps restricted by Artair’s choices in the daytime, but convinced after encountering Elver that he once had a very different life.
I really enjoyed this story. What an interesting concept! The world was well done and I was fascinated by all the creatures and the abilities that were intertwined with remnants of humanity. The keltraxia cub was one of my favorites, his young ferocity and wonder at all the sights and smells in the world beyond the forest often had me laughing at the cuteness.
There was a great mix of good, both human and creature, as well as villains and every shade between. The characters were complex with plenty of conflicting motivations. I eagerly anticipate reading more about these characters and their world.
Recommended to YA fantasy readers
I switched between a paperback ARC, kindle and audiobook while reading. The audiobook was narrated by Esme Lonsdale and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. This was my first listen by both narrators, and I thought they did a fantastic job voicing the various characters.
The story follows what I found to be a unique trio of characters. Elver has a rather interesting and macabre past with gods and their servants, and is currently guardian of the Jih forest and its creatures, serving the Queen of Serpents. Artair has lived closed off from civilization with the brothers and sisters of the Golden Tower, cursed as the Sleepless, one in which a demon dwells ready to take over when he sleeps. Lucian inhabits Artair’s body when he sleeps restricted by Artair’s choices in the daytime, but convinced after encountering Elver that he once had a very different life.
I really enjoyed this story. What an interesting concept! The world was well done and I was fascinated by all the creatures and the abilities that were intertwined with remnants of humanity. The keltraxia cub was one of my favorites, his young ferocity and wonder at all the sights and smells in the world beyond the forest often had me laughing at the cuteness.
There was a great mix of good, both human and creature, as well as villains and every shade between. The characters were complex with plenty of conflicting motivations. I eagerly anticipate reading more about these characters and their world.
Recommended to YA fantasy readers
June 12, 2025
I'm not usually a fan of YA but I am a huge fan of Jen Williams so of course I was going to listen to this.
Full of Jen's trademark wild imagination when it comes to creature creation, I really enjoyed journeying with these characters on their adventures. Recommended for YA audiences.
plus, that last line was a belter...
Full of Jen's trademark wild imagination when it comes to creature creation, I really enjoyed journeying with these characters on their adventures. Recommended for YA audiences.
plus, that last line was a belter...
May 11, 2025
First and foremost I’d like thank NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the honor of reading this book before its release date on September 30th. I am honored by your generosity and my review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.
What got me interested in asking for an ARC of this story was the cover. I’m 100% one of those readers that bases a lot of what I read on the cover. This cover is gorgeous and mysterious and makes you want to pick it up and study every detail.
Welcome to a world where Gods and Monsters are free to roam the earth. We meet Elver, a guardian of the wolf and dangerous monster forest. Saved by her God patron after she is sacrificed Elver has some unfinished business with the ones who sacrificed her. Her touch is deadly to anyone who comes in contact with it and she is baffled when she meets Artair. But the thing is, he isn’t human. He is a sleepless. Cursed to share a body an evil spirit.
Lucian, the said evil spirit, comes out when Artair goes to sleep. This is a love triangle you won’t soon forget as they embark on a journey of revenge, deceit and love.
This book was for sure one I didn’t see coming. I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t stop myself from inhaling this book as fast as I could. My favorite character hands down was Fleet, a little cub of a monster who was so adorable I wanted to cuddle him.
This book ends on a promise of more from this world and I can’t wait for it. This book was soo good that I want a physical copy and that rarely happens.
For sure 100% recommend this to anyone who loves over triangles, revenge and gods and monsters.
What got me interested in asking for an ARC of this story was the cover. I’m 100% one of those readers that bases a lot of what I read on the cover. This cover is gorgeous and mysterious and makes you want to pick it up and study every detail.
Welcome to a world where Gods and Monsters are free to roam the earth. We meet Elver, a guardian of the wolf and dangerous monster forest. Saved by her God patron after she is sacrificed Elver has some unfinished business with the ones who sacrificed her. Her touch is deadly to anyone who comes in contact with it and she is baffled when she meets Artair. But the thing is, he isn’t human. He is a sleepless. Cursed to share a body an evil spirit.
Lucian, the said evil spirit, comes out when Artair goes to sleep. This is a love triangle you won’t soon forget as they embark on a journey of revenge, deceit and love.
This book was for sure one I didn’t see coming. I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t stop myself from inhaling this book as fast as I could. My favorite character hands down was Fleet, a little cub of a monster who was so adorable I wanted to cuddle him.
This book ends on a promise of more from this world and I can’t wait for it. This book was soo good that I want a physical copy and that rarely happens.
For sure 100% recommend this to anyone who loves over triangles, revenge and gods and monsters.
Read
September 21, 2025DNF po 234 stronach
Nie przerwałam jej dlatego, że była zła, ale po prostu nudna. Nie było ani chwili, żebym czuła się zaangażowana w akcję czy losy bohaterów. I dodatkowo mamy tutaj wszechobecny motyw drogi i może nie byłoby tak źle, ale dosłownie książka, którą skończyłam przed nią również go miała, więc co za dużo to niezdrowo.
Przed sięgnięciem po nią czułam się zafascynowana potencjalną przygodą. Dziewczyna stworzona przez boginię, która zakochuje się w potworze? Przecież to brzmi aż nazbyt dobrze, ale jednak kolejny raz utwierdziłam się w przekonaniu, że YA to już nie dla mnie. Osobiście uważam, że to, że historia skierowana jest do młodzieży mocno jej zabrało — i nie chodzi mi tutaj o romans (może trochę), ale wiecie jak to jest, kiedy ani fabuła, ani bohaterowie nie mogą rozwinąć w pełni skrzydeł.
A propos postaci... Tutaj niestety mocno coś nie pykło. Mamy obietnice nietuzinkowego trójkąta miłosnego i, chociaż nie lubię tego motywu, to jakże pragnęłam chociaż jego namiastki! Odniosłam wrażenie, że Elver i Artair jako-tako posiadali jakieś cechy charakteru dopóki się nie spotkali (co nastąpiło dość szybko). I jeszcze bym przeżyła, gdyby owładnęły nimi nastoletnie hormony, ale oni ze strony na stronę robili się coraz bardziej bezpłciowi i nudni. Chemii między nimi nie było w ogóle, chociaż momentami było widać, że autorka coś tam starała się wpleść (ale wyglądało to bardziej, jakby sobie co jakiś czas przypominała, że "hej! tutaj miał być romans"), ale dla mnie to za mało, żeby wypadło na tyle autentycznie, żebym czuła cień zainteresowania.
Tak jak wspomniałam romansu prawie nie było, chemii między bohaterami również. Relacje z innymi postaciami leżą — są tylko płasko nakreślone, aby było wiadome kto jest kim dla siebie i na tym koniec. Z jednej strony jestem zaskoczona, że książka ma nawet ponad 300 stron, ponieważ przez te, które przeczytałam tak naprawdę nie działo się nic fascynującego, ale akcja teoretycznie była i miała nawet potencjał.
Porzuciłam ją, ponieważ nie czułam się poruszona ani fabułą, ani światem, ani bohaterami. Nudziłam się jak mops, a każdorazowe sięgnięcie po tę historię wiązało się z przymusem. Chciałabym móc napisać coś lepszego, ponieważ ta historia nie była zła, może nawet ciekawa, ale ja po prostu nie poczułam z nią chemii.
Nie przerwałam jej dlatego, że była zła, ale po prostu nudna. Nie było ani chwili, żebym czuła się zaangażowana w akcję czy losy bohaterów. I dodatkowo mamy tutaj wszechobecny motyw drogi i może nie byłoby tak źle, ale dosłownie książka, którą skończyłam przed nią również go miała, więc co za dużo to niezdrowo.
Przed sięgnięciem po nią czułam się zafascynowana potencjalną przygodą. Dziewczyna stworzona przez boginię, która zakochuje się w potworze? Przecież to brzmi aż nazbyt dobrze, ale jednak kolejny raz utwierdziłam się w przekonaniu, że YA to już nie dla mnie. Osobiście uważam, że to, że historia skierowana jest do młodzieży mocno jej zabrało — i nie chodzi mi tutaj o romans (może trochę), ale wiecie jak to jest, kiedy ani fabuła, ani bohaterowie nie mogą rozwinąć w pełni skrzydeł.
A propos postaci... Tutaj niestety mocno coś nie pykło. Mamy obietnice nietuzinkowego trójkąta miłosnego i, chociaż nie lubię tego motywu, to jakże pragnęłam chociaż jego namiastki! Odniosłam wrażenie, że Elver i Artair jako-tako posiadali jakieś cechy charakteru dopóki się nie spotkali (co nastąpiło dość szybko). I jeszcze bym przeżyła, gdyby owładnęły nimi nastoletnie hormony, ale oni ze strony na stronę robili się coraz bardziej bezpłciowi i nudni. Chemii między nimi nie było w ogóle, chociaż momentami było widać, że autorka coś tam starała się wpleść (ale wyglądało to bardziej, jakby sobie co jakiś czas przypominała, że "hej! tutaj miał być romans"), ale dla mnie to za mało, żeby wypadło na tyle autentycznie, żebym czuła cień zainteresowania.
Tak jak wspomniałam romansu prawie nie było, chemii między bohaterami również. Relacje z innymi postaciami leżą — są tylko płasko nakreślone, aby było wiadome kto jest kim dla siebie i na tym koniec. Z jednej strony jestem zaskoczona, że książka ma nawet ponad 300 stron, ponieważ przez te, które przeczytałam tak naprawdę nie działo się nic fascynującego, ale akcja teoretycznie była i miała nawet potencjał.
Porzuciłam ją, ponieważ nie czułam się poruszona ani fabułą, ani światem, ani bohaterami. Nudziłam się jak mops, a każdorazowe sięgnięcie po tę historię wiązało się z przymusem. Chciałabym móc napisać coś lepszego, ponieważ ta historia nie była zła, może nawet ciekawa, ale ja po prostu nie poczułam z nią chemii.
August 29, 2025
ARC review | ⭐️⭐️⭐️| YA Romantasy
Release date: September 30th, 2025
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I am not entirely sure where I’m landing with this one. One one hand I did enjoy the concept of the world, the gods, and the ways in which their humans/mages interact with them.
On the other, I found the writing simultaneously REALLY young and tedious/boring. At no point did I feel connected to a single main character (although there were a couple delightful side characters) and their “romance” made little to no sense, had no tension or passion or really any reason they would become attracted to one another aside from forced (chosen?) proximity.
I feel like I will have forgotten about this book entirely by next week and at this point don’t really have any desire to pick up the next installment. The ending wasn’t enough of a cliffhanger for me to feel invested, and I think it’s honestly needed.
Release date: September 30th, 2025
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I am not entirely sure where I’m landing with this one. One one hand I did enjoy the concept of the world, the gods, and the ways in which their humans/mages interact with them.
On the other, I found the writing simultaneously REALLY young and tedious/boring. At no point did I feel connected to a single main character (although there were a couple delightful side characters) and their “romance” made little to no sense, had no tension or passion or really any reason they would become attracted to one another aside from forced (chosen?) proximity.
I feel like I will have forgotten about this book entirely by next week and at this point don’t really have any desire to pick up the next installment. The ending wasn’t enough of a cliffhanger for me to feel invested, and I think it’s honestly needed.
September 16, 2025
3,25
Czegoś mi tu zabrakło. Pomysł był fajny ale się posypało 🥲
Czegoś mi tu zabrakło. Pomysł był fajny ale się posypało 🥲
September 19, 2025
The Sleepless by Jen Williams, which has a pub day of 9/30 ⬇️
If you like:
✨Monsters
✨Love triangles
✨Unique, god systems
✨Journeys and quests
✨Unique magic systems
Then I think you will like this book.
Elver, our FMC, is a monster (to put it simply) and serves the Queen of Serpents, a god who brought her back to life as a child and replaced her blood with poison. Now, anyone she touches is poisoned themselves. Artair, the MMC, is a monster himself, one known as the Sleepless: when he falls asleep, his body is overtaken by the soul of an evil spirit. Artair is on a mission, one that leads him straight to Elver. The two must team up to solve his problem, and are thrust into a journey of gods, monsters, and a dangerous magic they can barely understand.
The premise of this book sounded very good to me, but unfortunately, in my opinion, it just fell a little bit flat. I’m not entirely sure what it was, but I think it might have been the pacing.
Essentially, this book is made up of lots of mini quests that kind of merge together to form one larger quest. And that format didn’t really resonate with me. I feel like there were lots of mini problems and resolutions, and so I didn’t necessarily feel invested in the storyline for the most part. It felt a little bit slow, and I struggled to really connect with the characters.
There were some things that I liked, though. I think that the magic system and the god system was really unique, and it didn’t feel like anything I’ve read before. However, some aspects of these things were also a little bit confusing. But the creativity was definitely there, and it felt like an original concept, which I appreciated.
The romance in this book was also kind of interesting. We have a little bit of a love triangle and it wasn’t like any love triangle I’ve ever read before👀 This book does not have spice, and the romance is definitely a slow build and is not the focus of the book. So if you’re looking for something spicy, this is not it. But it was cute!
All in all, I think the things I liked about this book don’t necessarily outweigh the struggles that I had with some of the structuring and plotting, and therefore I gave this one 3⭐️s. I think it could still be worth giving it a shot if you’re into monster fantasies, but for me, I just wasn’t invested like I wish I could have been.
If you like:
✨Monsters
✨Love triangles
✨Unique, god systems
✨Journeys and quests
✨Unique magic systems
Then I think you will like this book.
Elver, our FMC, is a monster (to put it simply) and serves the Queen of Serpents, a god who brought her back to life as a child and replaced her blood with poison. Now, anyone she touches is poisoned themselves. Artair, the MMC, is a monster himself, one known as the Sleepless: when he falls asleep, his body is overtaken by the soul of an evil spirit. Artair is on a mission, one that leads him straight to Elver. The two must team up to solve his problem, and are thrust into a journey of gods, monsters, and a dangerous magic they can barely understand.
The premise of this book sounded very good to me, but unfortunately, in my opinion, it just fell a little bit flat. I’m not entirely sure what it was, but I think it might have been the pacing.
Essentially, this book is made up of lots of mini quests that kind of merge together to form one larger quest. And that format didn’t really resonate with me. I feel like there were lots of mini problems and resolutions, and so I didn’t necessarily feel invested in the storyline for the most part. It felt a little bit slow, and I struggled to really connect with the characters.
There were some things that I liked, though. I think that the magic system and the god system was really unique, and it didn’t feel like anything I’ve read before. However, some aspects of these things were also a little bit confusing. But the creativity was definitely there, and it felt like an original concept, which I appreciated.
The romance in this book was also kind of interesting. We have a little bit of a love triangle and it wasn’t like any love triangle I’ve ever read before👀 This book does not have spice, and the romance is definitely a slow build and is not the focus of the book. So if you’re looking for something spicy, this is not it. But it was cute!
All in all, I think the things I liked about this book don’t necessarily outweigh the struggles that I had with some of the structuring and plotting, and therefore I gave this one 3⭐️s. I think it could still be worth giving it a shot if you’re into monster fantasies, but for me, I just wasn’t invested like I wish I could have been.
August 3, 2025
Thank you Netgalley, Wednesday books and the author for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This had the promise to be such an interesting ebook, the concept was interesting. I LOVED, LOVED the idea of the sleepless. How two souls inhabited the same body and respectfully took control of it the second the other fell into deep sleep, the name too "Sleepless" was so on point as the body never sleeps. But if felt lacking, both action wise and lore wise, we don't really know if all the sleepless are like Lucian (I doubt it) and it's strange that if the body never sleeps how can it be always full of energy, doesn't it get tired? Hopefully we'll see more of this aspect of the magic in book 2.
I absolutely loathed Lucian, his duality was too much full of up and downs. The rage coming and going both when he was alone and when he was with Elver. And taking about Elver, her actions in the forest when travellers stumbled inside the Serpent Queen territory and how... meek (in terms of actions not personality) it became after leaving it was bizarre. For someone that apparently hated humans you were too nice for having so few interactions during the journey.
Best character hand's down where the priests of the frozen hearty, Tisk and Sunay. While on the other hand the faceless priest part could have either been more structured or not even added at all. It wouldn't have personally made a different.
About what happened between mother Maura and the God. Idk I'm not convinced with how that all happened. It was mentioned that the statues were replaced, it is possible that the Crow never once used his sight, taking control of a priest and actually see it before everything when south? Idk too lax for a god.
Nevertheless I hope that book 2 will answer all the questions both lore wise and character wise. And I swear, If Elver doesn't end up with our sweet monk I'm rioting.
3⭐️ 0.5🌶️ (one small kiss scene)
This had the promise to be such an interesting ebook, the concept was interesting. I LOVED, LOVED the idea of the sleepless. How two souls inhabited the same body and respectfully took control of it the second the other fell into deep sleep, the name too "Sleepless" was so on point as the body never sleeps. But if felt lacking, both action wise and lore wise, we don't really know if all the sleepless are like Lucian (I doubt it) and it's strange that if the body never sleeps how can it be always full of energy, doesn't it get tired? Hopefully we'll see more of this aspect of the magic in book 2.
I absolutely loathed Lucian, his duality was too much full of up and downs. The rage coming and going both when he was alone and when he was with Elver. And taking about Elver, her actions in the forest when travellers stumbled inside the Serpent Queen territory and how... meek (in terms of actions not personality) it became after leaving it was bizarre. For someone that apparently hated humans you were too nice for having so few interactions during the journey.
Best character hand's down where the priests of the frozen hearty, Tisk and Sunay. While on the other hand the faceless priest part could have either been more structured or not even added at all. It wouldn't have personally made a different.
About what happened between mother Maura and the God. Idk I'm not convinced with how that all happened. It was mentioned that the statues were replaced, it is possible that the Crow never once used his sight, taking control of a priest and actually see it before everything when south? Idk too lax for a god.
Nevertheless I hope that book 2 will answer all the questions both lore wise and character wise. And I swear, If Elver doesn't end up with our sweet monk I'm rioting.
3⭐️ 0.5🌶️ (one small kiss scene)
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