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I Was a Teenage Death God
Not yet published
Expected 3 Mar 26Seventeen-year-old Charlie can’t touch anyone without stealing bits of their life away, which would be enough of a curse without Lou—a ghost—forcing them to steal that life for her own use.
Lou has kept Charlie in line for years by threatening to take life directly from their twin sister, Sam. But when Lou goes after their friend and secret crush Ravi, Charlie refuses, and Lou makes good on her threat.
As Sam’s health rapidly declines, Ravi discovers that Charlie may not be the only person born with their unusual power. The trio embark on a weekend road trip to meet a pair of self-proclaimed “Death Gods” who may be the key to saving Sam and understanding Charlie’s abilities . . . . But with all roads leading back to Lou, Charlie is forced to face a dark legacy—one that calls their humanity into question.
Lou has kept Charlie in line for years by threatening to take life directly from their twin sister, Sam. But when Lou goes after their friend and secret crush Ravi, Charlie refuses, and Lou makes good on her threat.
As Sam’s health rapidly declines, Ravi discovers that Charlie may not be the only person born with their unusual power. The trio embark on a weekend road trip to meet a pair of self-proclaimed “Death Gods” who may be the key to saving Sam and understanding Charlie’s abilities . . . . But with all roads leading back to Lou, Charlie is forced to face a dark legacy—one that calls their humanity into question.
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 3, 2026
3 people are currently reading
3277 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
So many twists and turns in this one, but such an engaging story. At times I was as confused as Charlie with some of the terminology that was being thrown around towards the end but I really liked where the story ended up. Feels like there’s still a lot of lore to unpack, perhaps room for a sequel?
The way the transness of Charlie and Ravi was handled was really sweet and I loved them both having that understanding of each other that other people may not automatically have. Watching their relationship struggle and grow was both heartwarming and heartbreaking at times.
I did feel that Sam didn’t get quite as much development as I hoped considering she was one of the main characters, she would often get bulldozed a bit by Charlie and Ravi. I wish we got a little more from her.
Overall this is a fantastic book that I will definitely be recommending and you should preorder it! now!
Thank you Page Street and NetGalley for the ARC
The way the transness of Charlie and Ravi was handled was really sweet and I loved them both having that understanding of each other that other people may not automatically have. Watching their relationship struggle and grow was both heartwarming and heartbreaking at times.
I did feel that Sam didn’t get quite as much development as I hoped considering she was one of the main characters, she would often get bulldozed a bit by Charlie and Ravi. I wish we got a little more from her.
Overall this is a fantastic book that I will definitely be recommending and you should preorder it! now!
Thank you Page Street and NetGalley for the ARC
December 7, 2025
You all NEED to pick this up when it comes out.
You will not guess a single plot twist. The longing and tension between the two love interests will have you squealing and kicking your feet. The representation? YES. The hate you'll feel for certain characters? Palpable.
Pick. This. Up! You will not regret it!
Thank you to NetGalley for the E-ARC! This E-ARC was sent to me in exchange for an honest review.
You will not guess a single plot twist. The longing and tension between the two love interests will have you squealing and kicking your feet. The representation? YES. The hate you'll feel for certain characters? Palpable.
Pick. This. Up! You will not regret it!
Thank you to NetGalley for the E-ARC! This E-ARC was sent to me in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Hmm, I don't know guys. This just didn't land for me and I feel like I still have a lot of questions.
High school is hard enough even if you aren't being constantly bullied by a ghost to drain the life-force of your classmates and especially your best friend. Unfortunately, Charlie cannot touch anyone without stealing seconds off their life, a secret they keep from everyone including the aforementioned best friend and crush, Ravi, and their twin sister, Sam. When Lou, the ever-present spirit, becomes increasingly erratic and Charlie refuses to do as she asks, Charlie ends up on a journey to discover the source of their power and find a way to live when they're surrounded by death.
There's nothing wildly wrong or bad about this book, but it just didn't really hit the mark for me in any area, so I'm rating mostly based on my enjoyment as well as the plot holes/loose threads which I'll get to in a minute. The writing was alright, pretty standard for younger YA although I was hoping this would be upper YA based on the premise so it does lean a little juvenile. I didn't have an issue with the romance either, it was fine but I wasn't really engaging by it and didn't find myself rooting for Charlie and Ravi as a couple. I think that was a result of the characters generally feeling a little flat. Sam in particular despite being one of the main characters doesn't have a sense of agency. At points I outright disliked Charlie, but at best I was ambivalent. Ravi seems fine and at least feels like he has both a personality and agency, but there are some aspects of him (in particular, the large number of relationships he's had) that don't cohere super well with what we know about him. Honestly, I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about Jessie and Jill at all, and maybe Lou to a lesser extent. They're very unpleasant on page but I feel like narratively I'm supposed to be on their side. The plot again feels a little YA/middle-grade, in that it involves going from one place to the next with a vague goal and not a lot of tangible character motivation or conflict behind it. Most of the review also mention being shocked by the twist, and to be frank if they're talking about what I think they are, I guessed it about 20% of the way into the book.
I mentioned plot holes and loose threads, so here is a list of questions and things I was confused on (be aware, this is spoiler territory!):
Believe it or not, that is not a fully extensive list. I didn't keep notes of all the questions I had, these are only the ones occurring to me as I write this review. Some of these are probably on me just not catching some detail, but at least half of them are just unanswered questions or plot holes.
Again, I don't think this is a bad book but it was in some ways not to my taste and in other ways I think just poorly constructed. If you like younger YA and don't really care about the details, it's still kind of an interesting premise so maybe give it a shot, but I can't recommend it.
Thank you to M. J. Beasi and Page Street YA for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
High school is hard enough even if you aren't being constantly bullied by a ghost to drain the life-force of your classmates and especially your best friend. Unfortunately, Charlie cannot touch anyone without stealing seconds off their life, a secret they keep from everyone including the aforementioned best friend and crush, Ravi, and their twin sister, Sam. When Lou, the ever-present spirit, becomes increasingly erratic and Charlie refuses to do as she asks, Charlie ends up on a journey to discover the source of their power and find a way to live when they're surrounded by death.
There's nothing wildly wrong or bad about this book, but it just didn't really hit the mark for me in any area, so I'm rating mostly based on my enjoyment as well as the plot holes/loose threads which I'll get to in a minute. The writing was alright, pretty standard for younger YA although I was hoping this would be upper YA based on the premise so it does lean a little juvenile. I didn't have an issue with the romance either, it was fine but I wasn't really engaging by it and didn't find myself rooting for Charlie and Ravi as a couple. I think that was a result of the characters generally feeling a little flat. Sam in particular despite being one of the main characters doesn't have a sense of agency. At points I outright disliked Charlie, but at best I was ambivalent. Ravi seems fine and at least feels like he has both a personality and agency, but there are some aspects of him (in particular, the large number of relationships he's had) that don't cohere super well with what we know about him. Honestly, I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about Jessie and Jill at all, and maybe Lou to a lesser extent. They're very unpleasant on page but I feel like narratively I'm supposed to be on their side. The plot again feels a little YA/middle-grade, in that it involves going from one place to the next with a vague goal and not a lot of tangible character motivation or conflict behind it. Most of the review also mention being shocked by the twist, and to be frank if they're talking about what I think they are, I guessed it about 20% of the way into the book.
I mentioned plot holes and loose threads, so here is a list of questions and things I was confused on (be aware, this is spoiler territory!):
Believe it or not, that is not a fully extensive list. I didn't keep notes of all the questions I had, these are only the ones occurring to me as I write this review. Some of these are probably on me just not catching some detail, but at least half of them are just unanswered questions or plot holes.
Again, I don't think this is a bad book but it was in some ways not to my taste and in other ways I think just poorly constructed. If you like younger YA and don't really care about the details, it's still kind of an interesting premise so maybe give it a shot, but I can't recommend it.
Thank you to M. J. Beasi and Page Street YA for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
February 18, 2026
Actual rating: 3.5 stars ✨
This is a difficult one to rate because I LOVED it in the beginning. And then I didn’t like it very much? But I still kinda did?
What I liked:
- The first 30% of the book
- Queer rep. It was included and talked about without any fanfare; it was just a normal part of these characters’ lives and that was that. Refreshing to read about queer MCs whose queer journeys AREN’T the center of the plot.
- Writing and pacing. Well written, dialogue that flowed and made me laugh, and a plot that didn’t drag or rush.
- Twin lore though generations
- Death god lore. The whole Shepherd and Wolf mechanics were super unique and interesting.
- Charlie. They were relatable and funny and sometimes exasperating but in a good way.
- I truly couldn’t guess what was gonna happen next or where the story was going so it kept me reading faster than I normally would.
What I didn’t like:
- The remaining 70% of the book, with occasional decent parts.
- JILL AND JESSIE. I’m so sorry but making them part of the plot and our MCs journey was a horrible idea because these two blabbermouth bitches were fucking insufferable. Also kinda useless because how are you going to berate and mock Charlie ENDLESSLY about not knowing how the Shepherd/Wolf dynamic works WHEN THEY CONTINUOUSLY REFUSED TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING AT ALL TO CHARLIE AND SAM??????? To get info out of them was like pulling teeth and then they both acted like assholes to Charlie every single time they had dialogue. Like actually every single time. Insufferable, thy name is DaRosa.
- Ravi and Charlie’s romance. Half the time, I was like okay they’re cute. But then the other half I was annoyed. Ravi actually started to get on my nerves because it felt like he was just making up shit for why Charlie was so reluctant to establish a romantic relationship….but then somehow making himself the victim when Charlie kept trying to TELL HIM WHY it wouldn’t work. Like Charlie’s fears were 100% reasonable, so why did Ravi act like accidentally having his life drained out of him while making out or simply holding hands with Charlie wasn’t a real concern?????
- No one really addressing the fact that Eleanor was right in saying the Wolf’s life fucking SUCKS ASS?? Charlie can’t ever casually touch people. They are responsible for keeping their Wolf alive. They have to be the one to do the work to feed their ghosts. They basically might have to fucking kill themselves in the event Sam dies before them….or else they’ll go insane???? Also they somehow have to be okay with the fact that their own mother feels absolutely nothing but complete contempt for them and honestly, truly wishes they were dead. Uh. And Charlie’s just supposed to be like well ok then 🤷🏻♀️ I feel like the story did not reassure me that Charlie was mentally stable in the end because they actually seemed to be in a really bad place after learning their life is meaningless. The story kinda bypasses providing any of those reassurances…..
- Lou. Just didn’t sit right with me that we were obviously supposed to feel empathetic for her when no actually she was a real shitty person too??? Like sure, she did indeed have a really tragic life story and everything, but we’re supposed to forgive the way she tormented Charlie from age four to seventeen????? Just like with Jessie and Jill, I’m very much not about rooting for Lou or any of these awful people when they don’t deserve it.
This is a difficult one to rate because I LOVED it in the beginning. And then I didn’t like it very much? But I still kinda did?
What I liked:
- The first 30% of the book
- Queer rep. It was included and talked about without any fanfare; it was just a normal part of these characters’ lives and that was that. Refreshing to read about queer MCs whose queer journeys AREN’T the center of the plot.
- Writing and pacing. Well written, dialogue that flowed and made me laugh, and a plot that didn’t drag or rush.
- Twin lore though generations
- Death god lore. The whole Shepherd and Wolf mechanics were super unique and interesting.
- Charlie. They were relatable and funny and sometimes exasperating but in a good way.
- I truly couldn’t guess what was gonna happen next or where the story was going so it kept me reading faster than I normally would.
What I didn’t like:
- The remaining 70% of the book, with occasional decent parts.
- JILL AND JESSIE. I’m so sorry but making them part of the plot and our MCs journey was a horrible idea because these two blabbermouth bitches were fucking insufferable. Also kinda useless because how are you going to berate and mock Charlie ENDLESSLY about not knowing how the Shepherd/Wolf dynamic works WHEN THEY CONTINUOUSLY REFUSED TO EXPLAIN ANYTHING AT ALL TO CHARLIE AND SAM??????? To get info out of them was like pulling teeth and then they both acted like assholes to Charlie every single time they had dialogue. Like actually every single time. Insufferable, thy name is DaRosa.
- Ravi and Charlie’s romance. Half the time, I was like okay they’re cute. But then the other half I was annoyed. Ravi actually started to get on my nerves because it felt like he was just making up shit for why Charlie was so reluctant to establish a romantic relationship….but then somehow making himself the victim when Charlie kept trying to TELL HIM WHY it wouldn’t work. Like Charlie’s fears were 100% reasonable, so why did Ravi act like accidentally having his life drained out of him while making out or simply holding hands with Charlie wasn’t a real concern?????
- No one really addressing the fact that Eleanor was right in saying the Wolf’s life fucking SUCKS ASS?? Charlie can’t ever casually touch people. They are responsible for keeping their Wolf alive. They have to be the one to do the work to feed their ghosts. They basically might have to fucking kill themselves in the event Sam dies before them….or else they’ll go insane???? Also they somehow have to be okay with the fact that their own mother feels absolutely nothing but complete contempt for them and honestly, truly wishes they were dead. Uh. And Charlie’s just supposed to be like well ok then 🤷🏻♀️ I feel like the story did not reassure me that Charlie was mentally stable in the end because they actually seemed to be in a really bad place after learning their life is meaningless. The story kinda bypasses providing any of those reassurances…..
- Lou. Just didn’t sit right with me that we were obviously supposed to feel empathetic for her when no actually she was a real shitty person too??? Like sure, she did indeed have a really tragic life story and everything, but we’re supposed to forgive the way she tormented Charlie from age four to seventeen????? Just like with Jessie and Jill, I’m very much not about rooting for Lou or any of these awful people when they don’t deserve it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was a teenage death god ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
[ARC]
This book had so many twists and turns, and somehow still managed to stay incredibly engaging. I flew through it in a few days because every time I thought I understood what was going on, something shifted again. Toward the end I was honestly just as confused as Charlie with some of the terminology being thrown around, but in a way that made sense for the story. And I really liked where it ended up. It definitely feels like there’s more lore to unpack, so yes, I would absolutely read a sequel
One of my favourite parts was how the transness of Charlie and Ravi was handled
It felt soft, natural and genuinely sweet.
There’s this quiet understanding between them that other people don’t automatically have and watching their relationship struggle, grow and deepen was both heartwarming and heartbreaking at times. The longing and tension? Very real!! I was kicking my feet more than once
That said, I did wish Sam had gotten a bit more development. Considering she’s one of the main characters, she sometimes felt overshadowed by Charlie and Ravi and I would’ve loved to see more of her inner world.
The writing pulled me in from the first page, the premise was thought-provoking and the characters felt real and layered. The LGBTQIA+ representation is a huge highlight : meaningful, visible and well done. Also: the rage you’ll feel toward certain characters? It’ll be Extremely justified.
Overall, this was a fantastic read and an easy 4⭐️ for me. I’ll definitely be recommending it, and yes, you should preorder it. You won’t guess the twists and you won’t regret picking it up.
Thank you to Page Street and NetGalley for the ARC 🤍
[ARC]
This book had so many twists and turns, and somehow still managed to stay incredibly engaging. I flew through it in a few days because every time I thought I understood what was going on, something shifted again. Toward the end I was honestly just as confused as Charlie with some of the terminology being thrown around, but in a way that made sense for the story. And I really liked where it ended up. It definitely feels like there’s more lore to unpack, so yes, I would absolutely read a sequel
One of my favourite parts was how the transness of Charlie and Ravi was handled
It felt soft, natural and genuinely sweet.
There’s this quiet understanding between them that other people don’t automatically have and watching their relationship struggle, grow and deepen was both heartwarming and heartbreaking at times. The longing and tension? Very real!! I was kicking my feet more than once
That said, I did wish Sam had gotten a bit more development. Considering she’s one of the main characters, she sometimes felt overshadowed by Charlie and Ravi and I would’ve loved to see more of her inner world.
The writing pulled me in from the first page, the premise was thought-provoking and the characters felt real and layered. The LGBTQIA+ representation is a huge highlight : meaningful, visible and well done. Also: the rage you’ll feel toward certain characters? It’ll be Extremely justified.
Overall, this was a fantastic read and an easy 4⭐️ for me. I’ll definitely be recommending it, and yes, you should preorder it. You won’t guess the twists and you won’t regret picking it up.
Thank you to Page Street and NetGalley for the ARC 🤍
February 2, 2026
Thank you NetGallery for the eARC!
This book was unfortunately a letdown for me. The concept was very cool, yet I found the overall result dull. Each time I thought the plot was progressing to something new and exciting, it was just nothing.
Simply put, it felt like a lot of build-up for little execution.
Each character was interesting, yet I felt the attention was spread too evenly. I wanted my depth from Charlie, especially when it came to their relationships. Yes we know they love their sister and Ravi, but at times I couldn’t differentiate their love.
It felt like the characters were just constantly moving from location to location with no concerns for time or money or getting back to reality. And the twins felt so flat.
Loved the sprinkled in queer aspects, but they were just that. They didn’t add much to the narrative or came out at random points. Especially the queer aspect of sharing life/physical touch (which could be such an in depth comment on ace-spec relationships.
Overall rating: mid and forgettable :(
This book was unfortunately a letdown for me. The concept was very cool, yet I found the overall result dull. Each time I thought the plot was progressing to something new and exciting, it was just nothing.
Simply put, it felt like a lot of build-up for little execution.
Each character was interesting, yet I felt the attention was spread too evenly. I wanted my depth from Charlie, especially when it came to their relationships. Yes we know they love their sister and Ravi, but at times I couldn’t differentiate their love.
It felt like the characters were just constantly moving from location to location with no concerns for time or money or getting back to reality. And the twins felt so flat.
Loved the sprinkled in queer aspects, but they were just that. They didn’t add much to the narrative or came out at random points. Especially the queer aspect of sharing life/physical touch (which could be such an in depth comment on ace-spec relationships.
Overall rating: mid and forgettable :(
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Darkly funny, heartfelt, and haunting, “I Was a Teenage Death God” is a coming-of-age story with cosmic consequences. This novel grabs you by the soul and refuses to let go, proving that death has never been so funny — or so human!
May 8, 2025
Y'all are not ready for this book. Seriously. It's incredible.
May 8, 2025
So. Damn. Good.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews