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The Acheron Order #1
Muren van steen en bloed
Dé nieuwe dark academia-hit voor de lezers van Leigh Bardugo, V.E. Schwab en R.F. Kuang
Vic Wood ontdekt dat haar broertje Henry lid wil worden van het Archeron genootschap, het heksengenootschap waar haar moeder ook bij zat en dat ernaar streeft de doden op afstand te houden. Omdat ze bang is dat haar broertje net als haar moeder zal verdwijnen, besluit Vic met Henry mee te gaan naar Avalon Castle, het fort van het genootschap en de plek waar hij aan zijn opleiding moet beginnen. Buitenstaanders zijn er niet welkom. Vic moet vechten om te blijven en ontdekt ondertussen dat haar moeder banden had met de concurrent van Archeron, die erop gebrand is Archeron Order te ontmaskeren en naar de grond te werken. De twee organisaties staan op het punt van oorlogvoeren, en de moeder van Vic en Henry zou hiervan weleens de aanstichter kunnen zijn geweest.
En daar is dan Alexandros, Xan voor bekenden, hoofd Sentinel, verantwoordelijk voor de bescherming van Avalon. Dat hij Vic weg wil hebben is geen geheim, maar dat verandert niets aan de spanning tussen de twee. Hoewel ze elkaar niet kunnen luchten of zien is hun lot met elkaar verbonden.
Vic moet kiezen: weggaan en haar familie misschien kwijtraken, of machteloos blijven toekijken in een wereld waar macht juist zo belangrijk is. Ondertussen dreigt oorlog tussen de heksen de wereld te vernietigen, en zullen de doden kunnen herrijzen.
Vic Wood ontdekt dat haar broertje Henry lid wil worden van het Archeron genootschap, het heksengenootschap waar haar moeder ook bij zat en dat ernaar streeft de doden op afstand te houden. Omdat ze bang is dat haar broertje net als haar moeder zal verdwijnen, besluit Vic met Henry mee te gaan naar Avalon Castle, het fort van het genootschap en de plek waar hij aan zijn opleiding moet beginnen. Buitenstaanders zijn er niet welkom. Vic moet vechten om te blijven en ontdekt ondertussen dat haar moeder banden had met de concurrent van Archeron, die erop gebrand is Archeron Order te ontmaskeren en naar de grond te werken. De twee organisaties staan op het punt van oorlogvoeren, en de moeder van Vic en Henry zou hiervan weleens de aanstichter kunnen zijn geweest.
En daar is dan Alexandros, Xan voor bekenden, hoofd Sentinel, verantwoordelijk voor de bescherming van Avalon. Dat hij Vic weg wil hebben is geen geheim, maar dat verandert niets aan de spanning tussen de twee. Hoewel ze elkaar niet kunnen luchten of zien is hun lot met elkaar verbonden.
Vic moet kiezen: weggaan en haar familie misschien kwijtraken, of machteloos blijven toekijken in een wereld waar macht juist zo belangrijk is. Ondertussen dreigt oorlog tussen de heksen de wereld te vernietigen, en zullen de doden kunnen herrijzen.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 27, 2026
137 people are currently reading
48139 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 492 reviews
December 31, 2025
This dark academia novel was brilliant! It has a slow burn romance, magic systems and a wild cliffhanger ending. This book is part one of The Acheron Order series. It has a strong premise and great characters! To me, the characters were very diverse and lovable! I was fully immersed while reading it. It follows a woman named Victoria, who is in the witch hierarchy. Even though I feel like the romance was more of a subplot, that is what I found most intriguing and entertaining in the book. It also comes with monsters, a castle, mystery and a lot of secrets!
This book is adventurous, has gothic vibes and is full of tension. I found that the story was well paced, well organized and easy to follow. The writing style was very engaging. For me, the only downside of this book was the world building. I feel like it did lack the world building in this book. This definitely gave me the books, “A Court of Thorn and Roses” and “Fourth Wing” vibes! I think if you love reading those kinds of books, you will love this one as well. Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars rating! I am so excited for the next book in this series to come out!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Liza Anderson and Ballantine for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be released on 1/27/2026!
This book is adventurous, has gothic vibes and is full of tension. I found that the story was well paced, well organized and easy to follow. The writing style was very engaging. For me, the only downside of this book was the world building. I feel like it did lack the world building in this book. This definitely gave me the books, “A Court of Thorn and Roses” and “Fourth Wing” vibes! I think if you love reading those kinds of books, you will love this one as well. Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars rating! I am so excited for the next book in this series to come out!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Liza Anderson and Ballantine for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be released on 1/27/2026!
May 17, 2025
This is a fantastic book!
Vic lives an isolated life with her gifted younger brother, Henry. They live in fear of the “bad men” who want to take Henry away, but where? And who are these men their late mother cautioned them about? Even though Vic isn’t blessed with Henry’s abilities, she has assumed the role as protector and become a force of her own.
This book made me sit up and pay attention from the first page. Vic is bold and intuitive, and it doesn’t take a 200 page slog through boring flashbacks and recurring dreams to get a feel for who she really is.
Perhaps this is my inner ten year old speaking, but I love scary monsters, and this book is brimming with them. The more gruesome, the better! They’re particularly unique and nasty in this story, and I wish they were real so I could see one. Preferably through binoculars. And with the handsome Xav by my side in case they get snippy.
Speaking of Xav- I loved that the romance was grounded in reality and didn’t get all melodramatic and cheesy. There could have been more of it, though.
My main quibble is that the first hundred pages (except the very beginning) are a bit drawn out. I found myself thinking (in the whiny voice of a back seated child), “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”
Overall though, this is a fantastic book with a fantastic ending. I want more now please 🙏🏻
Vic lives an isolated life with her gifted younger brother, Henry. They live in fear of the “bad men” who want to take Henry away, but where? And who are these men their late mother cautioned them about? Even though Vic isn’t blessed with Henry’s abilities, she has assumed the role as protector and become a force of her own.
This book made me sit up and pay attention from the first page. Vic is bold and intuitive, and it doesn’t take a 200 page slog through boring flashbacks and recurring dreams to get a feel for who she really is.
Perhaps this is my inner ten year old speaking, but I love scary monsters, and this book is brimming with them. The more gruesome, the better! They’re particularly unique and nasty in this story, and I wish they were real so I could see one. Preferably through binoculars. And with the handsome Xav by my side in case they get snippy.
Speaking of Xav- I loved that the romance was grounded in reality and didn’t get all melodramatic and cheesy. There could have been more of it, though.
My main quibble is that the first hundred pages (except the very beginning) are a bit drawn out. I found myself thinking (in the whiny voice of a back seated child), “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”
Overall though, this is a fantastic book with a fantastic ending. I want more now please 🙏🏻
September 24, 2025
3.5 ★— A hidden society and a legacy she never knew about. It’s a very common setup for many fantasy stories, and We Who Have No Gods started exactly like this.
Victoria is a young woman who’s given up everything to take care of her teen brother, Henry, after the death of their mysterious mother, who vaguely cautioned her before her passing to keep him safe. A chance meeting with a stranger leads to both siblings learning about The Order, an organization of witches that Henry is supposed to join, and where Victoria ends up accompanying him to.
From that point, the story did have its hooks in me. I found myself curious about the secrets surrounding her mother and the Order, and I was ready to see how they’d unravel. But as the book went on, I was disappointed by how generic it all felt. The setup is tried and true, yes, but since I enjoy secret societies and magical schools, I was prepared to be swept into it… which never really happened.
Victoria, as the main character, suffers from what many fantasy heroines do: she’s unbelievably sassy and shortsighted, in a way that clashes with the protective, more thoughtful and caring side we see early on with her brother. Once they arrived at the school, he practically faded into the background, and she suddenly transformed into “generic sassy FMC #5” — constantly trading barbs and lusting after the hot instructor MMC. It felt like the story lost its unique touch and instead leaned heavily into the mold of Fourth Wing, Direbound, or any other popular magical academy book.
As for Xan (or Alexandros), the MMC, he didn’t do much to elevate things either. He’s another flavor of the tall, dark, handsome, dangerous type who “hates” the heroine at first but clearly doesn’t. To be fair, there were glimpses of something more interesting when he’s first introduced and I liked his stoic nature, thinking that their initial interactions had some spark. But their development quickly felt sparse. It was as though they met once, and only a few chapters later the author suddenly dropped in how attracted they were to each other, without actually building a meaningful dynamic beyond her snark and her noticing how hot he is. Even their dialogue felt flat and failed to create any real tangible chemistry.
The plot itself followed familiar beats as well. None of the twists or reveals in the final chapters landed for me, though I will say I enjoyed how the creatures were described and thought the fight scenes were well-written.
Overall, this book never managed to really make me care deeply about its characters or their relationships. While the creatures and battles had their moments, it just wasn’t enough. For me, it all ended up feeling very mid.
____________________________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Victoria is a young woman who’s given up everything to take care of her teen brother, Henry, after the death of their mysterious mother, who vaguely cautioned her before her passing to keep him safe. A chance meeting with a stranger leads to both siblings learning about The Order, an organization of witches that Henry is supposed to join, and where Victoria ends up accompanying him to.
From that point, the story did have its hooks in me. I found myself curious about the secrets surrounding her mother and the Order, and I was ready to see how they’d unravel. But as the book went on, I was disappointed by how generic it all felt. The setup is tried and true, yes, but since I enjoy secret societies and magical schools, I was prepared to be swept into it… which never really happened.
Victoria, as the main character, suffers from what many fantasy heroines do: she’s unbelievably sassy and shortsighted, in a way that clashes with the protective, more thoughtful and caring side we see early on with her brother. Once they arrived at the school, he practically faded into the background, and she suddenly transformed into “generic sassy FMC #5” — constantly trading barbs and lusting after the hot instructor MMC. It felt like the story lost its unique touch and instead leaned heavily into the mold of Fourth Wing, Direbound, or any other popular magical academy book.
As for Xan (or Alexandros), the MMC, he didn’t do much to elevate things either. He’s another flavor of the tall, dark, handsome, dangerous type who “hates” the heroine at first but clearly doesn’t. To be fair, there were glimpses of something more interesting when he’s first introduced and I liked his stoic nature, thinking that their initial interactions had some spark. But their development quickly felt sparse. It was as though they met once, and only a few chapters later the author suddenly dropped in how attracted they were to each other, without actually building a meaningful dynamic beyond her snark and her noticing how hot he is. Even their dialogue felt flat and failed to create any real tangible chemistry.
The plot itself followed familiar beats as well. None of the twists or reveals in the final chapters landed for me, though I will say I enjoyed how the creatures were described and thought the fight scenes were well-written.
Overall, this book never managed to really make me care deeply about its characters or their relationships. While the creatures and battles had their moments, it just wasn’t enough. For me, it all ended up feeling very mid.
____________________________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
January 29, 2026
Give me an academy where you actually see the lessons and I am alllllll ears.
This book is a super quick one to get into, the toss-up between two sides and our FMC’s wavering allegiance causing quite the page turner. For once, I couldn’t actually tell which way our main character would go, a rarity in any triangular dynamic. I’d bear in mind though - this isn’t as romantasy leaning as you might expect. There’s romance, but it’s not the driving force of the plot. It is, however, very fun to read. I rather enjoyed my time visiting this world and its perfect blend between urban edge and gothic magic.
This book is a super quick one to get into, the toss-up between two sides and our FMC’s wavering allegiance causing quite the page turner. For once, I couldn’t actually tell which way our main character would go, a rarity in any triangular dynamic. I’d bear in mind though - this isn’t as romantasy leaning as you might expect. There’s romance, but it’s not the driving force of the plot. It is, however, very fun to read. I rather enjoyed my time visiting this world and its perfect blend between urban edge and gothic magic.
October 7, 2025
A strong start that slowly fizzled out during part two & slightly picks back up at the very end. I flew through the first 40% & then by the half way mark I just started to lose interest & I finished it with a lot of questions. I love a good witchy read & I really enjoyed that this takes place in our modern world. But, in the synopsis we're promised a lot...gothic, dark academia vibes, a non magical sister determined to protect her magical younger brother, a war between two witchy secret societies/rivals...& the story falls flat on almost all of these things.
While I'm newer to dark academia, I do read quite a bit of gothic books & this really doesn't feel like either one outside of the fact that it's set at a magical school. The vibes just weren't there for me...at all, aside from like the three scenes that are taking place during class I really kept forgetting they were supposed to even be at a school in the first place.
The second Henry & Vic arrive at Avalon Castle you can forget about seeing much of Henry. Vic goes from " I must protect my brother at all cost " to pretty much forgetting about him because she's too wrapped up in pining over Xan? I thought the main point of the book was supposed to be how she's protecting her brother & their bond??? Why did it completely take a turn away from that the second she's allowed to stay at the school & WHY is she the only one without any magical abilities allowed to stay at the school??? Yes, it discussed later in the book but it literally doesn't make much sense either?
I found the romance stupid if I'm going to be honest....not just because I feel like it completely overshadowed what I thought was supposed to be the main plot of the book but because it was so dull, it just didn't feel real & as someone who loves some good banter, the banter between Vic & Xan was just annoying.
While I have my issues with this, it was entertaining enough to finish even though I did predict a few of the twists that happened. I liked the friendship between Sarah, May and Vic & found Sarah really likeable. I'm not sure if I would pick up the next book, on one hand I am interested to see how everything plays out between The Brotherhood and The Order, but I also don't care to read it if it's going to have a big focus on Vic x Xan's relationship. I think the ending does a good job of leaving the reader questioning what's to come & sets up the next book nicely to dive more into the rivalry.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
While I'm newer to dark academia, I do read quite a bit of gothic books & this really doesn't feel like either one outside of the fact that it's set at a magical school. The vibes just weren't there for me...at all, aside from like the three scenes that are taking place during class I really kept forgetting they were supposed to even be at a school in the first place.
The second Henry & Vic arrive at Avalon Castle you can forget about seeing much of Henry. Vic goes from " I must protect my brother at all cost " to pretty much forgetting about him because she's too wrapped up in pining over Xan? I thought the main point of the book was supposed to be how she's protecting her brother & their bond??? Why did it completely take a turn away from that the second she's allowed to stay at the school & WHY is she the only one without any magical abilities allowed to stay at the school??? Yes, it discussed later in the book but it literally doesn't make much sense either?
I found the romance stupid if I'm going to be honest....not just because I feel like it completely overshadowed what I thought was supposed to be the main plot of the book but because it was so dull, it just didn't feel real & as someone who loves some good banter, the banter between Vic & Xan was just annoying.
While I have my issues with this, it was entertaining enough to finish even though I did predict a few of the twists that happened. I liked the friendship between Sarah, May and Vic & found Sarah really likeable. I'm not sure if I would pick up the next book, on one hand I am interested to see how everything plays out between The Brotherhood and The Order, but I also don't care to read it if it's going to have a big focus on Vic x Xan's relationship. I think the ending does a good job of leaving the reader questioning what's to come & sets up the next book nicely to dive more into the rivalry.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
February 4, 2026
This was an easy read, nothing too deep. An order of witches and an opposing faction. Lots and lots of monsters with some gore. Very little spice so ok for everyone to read.
May 17, 2025
OMFG!
this was scary and thrilling and suspenseful and I could barely put this book down. If I wasn’t a working woman I would have devoured it within a day, lol. I absolutely LOVED this. The descriptions were so incredible I wanted to gag at times, and I had to be careful reading at night, (I’m a coward, ok?). But the suspense and the story and the characters were all incredible. I loved the main protagonist and her protective nature, it felt real. I thought this story was really well developed and I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next one. *thank you to net galley and author for the arc :)*
this was scary and thrilling and suspenseful and I could barely put this book down. If I wasn’t a working woman I would have devoured it within a day, lol. I absolutely LOVED this. The descriptions were so incredible I wanted to gag at times, and I had to be careful reading at night, (I’m a coward, ok?). But the suspense and the story and the characters were all incredible. I loved the main protagonist and her protective nature, it felt real. I thought this story was really well developed and I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next one. *thank you to net galley and author for the arc :)*
August 22, 2025
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Review ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥
Words do not describe how much I love witch fantasies, but this book made it so much better, since it was an urban fantasy, and not the renaissance style witch fantasy like most are set in. But this book wasn’t what i expected, instead of our FMC being the witch, it’s her brother who’s the witch, which was SO intriguing for me!
ੈ✩‧₊˚ Vic ੈ✩‧₊˚
You can say whatever you want about her BUT OML SHE’S SUCH A GOOD SISTER. IF IT WERE ME, I WOULD’VE DROPPED HENRY OFF AT THE SCHOOL AND LEFT, NO SHITS GIVEN. (jkjk) AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT A BADASS SHE IS ? Like, she’s got SO much attitude and I love her for that because just because she’s not a witch, doesn’t mean she deserves to get looked down on and treated like bs !
ੈ✩‧₊˚ “You want to beat the shit out of each other ?” I’m not sure that’s a healthy way to deal with our emotions.” ੈ✩‧₊˚
HAHAHAHAHHAAH SHE’S SO FUNNY AND HER FRIENDSHIP WITH MAY AND SARAH IS LITERALLY EVERYTHING.
They’re literally such icons, i want a friendship like theirs 😭. And after everything that’s happened to her, just give my poor bby a break already, she needs one desperately 😭.
ੈ✩‧₊˚” You know he’s single. Why are you bringing this up ? I thought you might be interested to know that. I’m not. You are into men are you ?”ੈ✩‧₊˚
HAHAHHAHAHAHA SUREEEE YOUR NOT VIC HONEY, SUREEEE YOUR NOT. THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY. DENIAL IS THE FIRST STAGE TO ACCEPTANCE.
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Xan ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
First thing first, WHY IS HIS FULL NAME SO HOT. ALEXANDROS. OMLMOMLMOMOLMOMLOMOML YOU CAN NOT TELL ME THAT’S NOT THE HOTTEST NAME EVER (Other than malakai ofc ehehe).
*ೃ༄ “I’m going to bite you. ‘Don't, Xan said. I might like it.” *ೃ༄
*GASPS* ALEXANDROS. OH MY GOLLY YOU DID NOT JUST SAY THAT. I STARED AT MY PAGE FOR A SOLID 20 MINUTES CACKLING. I love his slow character development where we get to see his playful side, WHAT IS IT WITH ME AND A FICTIONAL MAN’S PLAYFUL SIDE AAHAHAGHAGSHAGHAGAHGHSDCEFCD.
*ೃ༄ “I saved you ! You did not. They would have had you for dinner ! Xan kept laughing like Vic had said the funniest thing in the world.” *ೃ༄
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAA I laughed for a an hour straight after that i’m being so deadass with you rn 😭. I love sassy Xan he’s so cute. And ofc, we all love a possessive, morally gray man. He’s so perfect 😭. AND AFTER THAT CLIFFHANGER ? We need more Vic and Xan.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Preread ~Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for giving me this E-ARC ! I've had my eye on this ARC for a while now, I'm so excited to read it !
Words do not describe how much I love witch fantasies, but this book made it so much better, since it was an urban fantasy, and not the renaissance style witch fantasy like most are set in. But this book wasn’t what i expected, instead of our FMC being the witch, it’s her brother who’s the witch, which was SO intriguing for me!
ੈ✩‧₊˚ Vic ੈ✩‧₊˚
You can say whatever you want about her BUT OML SHE’S SUCH A GOOD SISTER. IF IT WERE ME, I WOULD’VE DROPPED HENRY OFF AT THE SCHOOL AND LEFT, NO SHITS GIVEN. (jkjk) AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT A BADASS SHE IS ? Like, she’s got SO much attitude and I love her for that because just because she’s not a witch, doesn’t mean she deserves to get looked down on and treated like bs !
ੈ✩‧₊˚ “You want to beat the shit out of each other ?” I’m not sure that’s a healthy way to deal with our emotions.” ੈ✩‧₊˚
HAHAHAHAHHAAH SHE’S SO FUNNY AND HER FRIENDSHIP WITH MAY AND SARAH IS LITERALLY EVERYTHING.
They’re literally such icons, i want a friendship like theirs 😭. And after everything that’s happened to her, just give my poor bby a break already, she needs one desperately 😭.
ੈ✩‧₊˚” You know he’s single. Why are you bringing this up ? I thought you might be interested to know that. I’m not. You are into men are you ?”ੈ✩‧₊˚
HAHAHHAHAHAHA SUREEEE YOUR NOT VIC HONEY, SUREEEE YOUR NOT. THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY. DENIAL IS THE FIRST STAGE TO ACCEPTANCE.
⋆.ೃ࿔*:･Xan ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
First thing first, WHY IS HIS FULL NAME SO HOT. ALEXANDROS. OMLMOMLMOMOLMOMLOMOML YOU CAN NOT TELL ME THAT’S NOT THE HOTTEST NAME EVER (Other than malakai ofc ehehe).
*ೃ༄ “I’m going to bite you. ‘Don't, Xan said. I might like it.” *ೃ༄
*GASPS* ALEXANDROS. OH MY GOLLY YOU DID NOT JUST SAY THAT. I STARED AT MY PAGE FOR A SOLID 20 MINUTES CACKLING. I love his slow character development where we get to see his playful side, WHAT IS IT WITH ME AND A FICTIONAL MAN’S PLAYFUL SIDE AAHAHAGHAGSHAGHAGAHGHSDCEFCD.
*ೃ༄ “I saved you ! You did not. They would have had you for dinner ! Xan kept laughing like Vic had said the funniest thing in the world.” *ೃ༄
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAA I laughed for a an hour straight after that i’m being so deadass with you rn 😭. I love sassy Xan he’s so cute. And ofc, we all love a possessive, morally gray man. He’s so perfect 😭. AND AFTER THAT CLIFFHANGER ? We need more Vic and Xan.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Preread ~Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for giving me this E-ARC ! I've had my eye on this ARC for a while now, I'm so excited to read it !
July 1, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC copy!
I had high hopes for this novel, unfortunately it left me frustrated and disappointed. I think partially that has to do with the advertising saying its 'gothic' and under the 'dark academia' umbrella, but that's a bit misleading. Other than the majority of the setting being a castle that's at a magic school with maybe two class scenes there isn't much else to contribute to the main themes of either genre. We Who Have No Gods leans more fantasy with an underdeveloped romantic subplot with very bipolar characters and clunky prose in some areas. Our FMC, MMC, and to some extent plot also bear remarkable resemblance to both ACOTAR and Fourth Wing which left a bad taste in my mouth for me personally.
The plot surrounding Henry, Meredith, The Brotherhood, and the monsters didn't make much sense and neither did the actions of the characters. We have Vic who is supposedly this completely independent character who trusts no one so that she can protect her brother from the Order and yet is just okay being dependent on the witches who she doesn't like.
Both Xan and Vic are--despite their characterization of being smart and competent--have poor logic skills and make a lot of 'no duh' comments.
I'll admit there are some good moments with May and Sarah, but they provide very little to the story and could have been left out entirely with almost no consequence to the outcome. I wish the reasoning for how and why the Brotherhood exists was fleshed out, why Meredith/Vic/Henry are important was more substantial. This novel is likely a first in a series as there are still so many questions left unanswered, but unfortunately this doesn't capture me.
2/5 stars
I had high hopes for this novel, unfortunately it left me frustrated and disappointed. I think partially that has to do with the advertising saying its 'gothic' and under the 'dark academia' umbrella, but that's a bit misleading. Other than the majority of the setting being a castle that's at a magic school with maybe two class scenes there isn't much else to contribute to the main themes of either genre. We Who Have No Gods leans more fantasy with an underdeveloped romantic subplot with very bipolar characters and clunky prose in some areas. Our FMC, MMC, and to some extent plot also bear remarkable resemblance to both ACOTAR and Fourth Wing which left a bad taste in my mouth for me personally.
The plot surrounding Henry, Meredith, The Brotherhood, and the monsters didn't make much sense and neither did the actions of the characters. We have Vic who is supposedly this completely independent character who trusts no one so that she can protect her brother from the Order and yet is just okay being dependent on the witches who she doesn't like.
Both Xan and Vic are--despite their characterization of being smart and competent--have poor logic skills and make a lot of 'no duh' comments.
I'll admit there are some good moments with May and Sarah, but they provide very little to the story and could have been left out entirely with almost no consequence to the outcome. I wish the reasoning for how and why the Brotherhood exists was fleshed out, why Meredith/Vic/Henry are important was more substantial. This novel is likely a first in a series as there are still so many questions left unanswered, but unfortunately this doesn't capture me.
2/5 stars
July 15, 2025
The first half of this book was actually AMAZING! I was highly, highly enjoying myself as the book really sucked you in. Then the romance was introduced and it was literally perfect. All was going well until the second half. It felt like being drugged and running a marathon, you didn’t know what was going on or where it was going. It became more than just fantasy, more like horror. I was so confused and felt like the fmc, Vic, really had a personality switch up. At first she didn’t care about her mother but then she became obsessed with what happened to her. It was very odd and so was the ending. Thank you Netgalley and Ballentine for letting me read this arc.
Want to read
May 12, 2025 🌺 Pre-Read:
My first ARC!!! Excited to read this 🤸🏾
My first ARC!!! Excited to read this 🤸🏾
November 9, 2025
netgalley has led me to places i wouldn't even go with a gun
January 28, 2026
I was so intrigued when I read the description for this book. As a girlie who grew up watching Charmed and Supernatural, this seemed right up my alley.
This book was such a vibe. It had elements of horror, a creepy magical school, so many mysteries, and a complex political dynamic between the different factions of witches.
I really, really enjoyed Vic’s character. I found it refreshing to read about a main character who isn’t the chosen one and who, through strength of character and bravery, keeps showing up for her loved ones. She is a fighter, and I adored how protective she was of Henry, her little brother.
I also really enjoyed the monster elements of this book. There was so much detail and thought put into the different types of Orcans. It added great tension and horror elements to the plot.
The romance, to me, was on the quieter side. I would have loved to see a few more interactions between Xan and Vic. If you loved Fourth Wing, I think you will really enjoy Xan and the sentinel academy setting of this novel. Let’s just say he has some magical skills and is a certain type of daddy that the Booksta girlies love.
This was a solid four-star read for me. I took off one star because the middle of the book felt a bit repetitive. Vic kept taking on monsters with similar results, but once I got to Part 3 of the story, it really picked up again.
I’m so excited to see where this series goes. I will def be picking up book two.
Thank you so much Ballantine books for the gifted copy.
This book was such a vibe. It had elements of horror, a creepy magical school, so many mysteries, and a complex political dynamic between the different factions of witches.
I really, really enjoyed Vic’s character. I found it refreshing to read about a main character who isn’t the chosen one and who, through strength of character and bravery, keeps showing up for her loved ones. She is a fighter, and I adored how protective she was of Henry, her little brother.
I also really enjoyed the monster elements of this book. There was so much detail and thought put into the different types of Orcans. It added great tension and horror elements to the plot.
The romance, to me, was on the quieter side. I would have loved to see a few more interactions between Xan and Vic. If you loved Fourth Wing, I think you will really enjoy Xan and the sentinel academy setting of this novel. Let’s just say he has some magical skills and is a certain type of daddy that the Booksta girlies love.
This was a solid four-star read for me. I took off one star because the middle of the book felt a bit repetitive. Vic kept taking on monsters with similar results, but once I got to Part 3 of the story, it really picked up again.
I’m so excited to see where this series goes. I will def be picking up book two.
Thank you so much Ballantine books for the gifted copy.
August 17, 2025
I feel like the synopsis of this book is not accurate to the actual content— I thought going into it that it would be a classic urban romantasy (it’s not—- there really isn’t much romance in most of the book). I was shocked by how well written and just interesting the main character (Vic) was. I really look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 28, 2025
⋆｡°✩ 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 ⋆｡°✩
4.5 stars | a witchy YA dark fantasy with unique magic and monsters | 2.5/3 spice, 3/3 violence, profanity, no trigger warnings that I could think of | good pacing, easy-to-read prose, and some crazy plot twists
*:･ﾟ✧♡ 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕤 *:･ﾟ✧♡
Wow.
When I saw this was a dark fantasy, with monsters and witches and stuff, I didn’t have high hopes, because that’s not my thing at all.
But I was surprised by this book! In a good way of course.
The magic system was cool and mysterious; the monsters were so awesome; and the divide between magical, Made magical, and non-magical was done perfectlyyyy.
As I said, I adored the magic system. I love how Made witches gave regular humans hope, and how a hatred of the non-magical shapes the structure of the Order and the plot in general, tying in to real world problems and addressing them.
Also, the monsters??? Sickkkkkkk. Like, who expected a monster with half a human torso, huge wings, and dangling organs with an unintelligible name (menanaggon or something lol) to be so freaking awesome??!!!!! And like, the fact that there’s sooooo many different Orcans, all operating and killed differently; it just makes the whole world that much more mysterious, aka that much cooler.
Now: the romance.
Let’s be honest; I was rooting for Sarah x Vin in the beginning, but even I knew that wouldn’t last. However, Xan??? We love him.
Are his many similarities to Xaden from Fourth Wing a little sus? Do we care? No, because we love him.
We may hate him sometimes, but we always come back.
Now: that cliffhanger??!!! Diabolical.
The twist near the end but not quite there (which won’t be mentioned for the sake of no spoilers) was expected, then not expected, then expected when it was about to happen, and I like that. We got faked out; juked, and I’m here for it.
Then, the twist/cliffhanger at the end??!!!?!!?!?!?!??!
I. Can’t. Believe. It.
How could you do this to meeeee?!?! *sigh*
And now I’ll have to wait like two years for the second one because the first isn’t even out!!!
Such is the price of NetGalley. (Not in a bad way; I’m so happy to have gotten this opportunity lol)
‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕤 ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.
The only reason this book wasn’t a full five stars was the fact that a few characters were very contradictory.
I can’t quote put my finger on it for most of the characters after-the-fact, but during reading of notice them to or say things that didn’t really match their personality up until that point. I’d say it’s not a problem if it was one character on purpose, but it was multiple.
Like, for example, Vic and Meredith.
In Meredith’s case, Vic’s description of her is happy and joyful and laughing but also careless and absent and unnecessarily mean.
In Vic’s case, she seems to blame her mom for a lot of her troubles, like her worry for Henry and how she grew up and being left behind and forgotten; all of which, I think, is warranted.
But Vic also loves her mom, more so than I would expect from how she thinks about her. Like yes, you can love someone despite what they’ve done, but this just felt different.
And these are just examples. There were a few other characters, which I can’t quite place right now if I’m being honest, that felt similarly contradictory.
While I just wrote a lot, I really don’t think this impacted the story too much. Yes, characters are important, but ignoring something’s and just enjoying the book is too.
* ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝕨𝕣𝕒𝕡-𝕦𝕡 * ੈ✩‧₊˚
All in all, I really enjoyed this book, to my pleasant surprise. The world and magic were good, the romance was swoony, and the cliffhanger had me begging for more.
Though it pains me to know it’ll be a while, I’ll be very excited to read the next book in this series when it comes out!!!
⋆˚⚡︎˖° 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕖 ⋆˚⚡︎˖°
We Who Have No Gods releases January 27, 2026!!!
˙⋆.˚𐙚 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 ˙⋆.˚𐙚
Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, and to NetGalley for giving me a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
All thoughts are my own :D
now playing:
» I Can Do It With A Broken Heart «
0:54 ─〇───── 3:36
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
4.5 stars | a witchy YA dark fantasy with unique magic and monsters | 2.5/3 spice, 3/3 violence, profanity, no trigger warnings that I could think of | good pacing, easy-to-read prose, and some crazy plot twists
*:･ﾟ✧♡ 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕤 *:･ﾟ✧♡
Wow.
When I saw this was a dark fantasy, with monsters and witches and stuff, I didn’t have high hopes, because that’s not my thing at all.
But I was surprised by this book! In a good way of course.
The magic system was cool and mysterious; the monsters were so awesome; and the divide between magical, Made magical, and non-magical was done perfectlyyyy.
As I said, I adored the magic system. I love how Made witches gave regular humans hope, and how a hatred of the non-magical shapes the structure of the Order and the plot in general, tying in to real world problems and addressing them.
Also, the monsters??? Sickkkkkkk. Like, who expected a monster with half a human torso, huge wings, and dangling organs with an unintelligible name (menanaggon or something lol) to be so freaking awesome??!!!!! And like, the fact that there’s sooooo many different Orcans, all operating and killed differently; it just makes the whole world that much more mysterious, aka that much cooler.
Now: the romance.
Let’s be honest; I was rooting for Sarah x Vin in the beginning, but even I knew that wouldn’t last. However, Xan??? We love him.
Are his many similarities to Xaden from Fourth Wing a little sus? Do we care? No, because we love him.
We may hate him sometimes, but we always come back.
Now: that cliffhanger??!!! Diabolical.
The twist near the end but not quite there (which won’t be mentioned for the sake of no spoilers) was expected, then not expected, then expected when it was about to happen, and I like that. We got faked out; juked, and I’m here for it.
Then, the twist/cliffhanger at the end??!!!?!!?!?!?!??!
I. Can’t. Believe. It.
How could you do this to meeeee?!?! *sigh*
And now I’ll have to wait like two years for the second one because the first isn’t even out!!!
Such is the price of NetGalley. (Not in a bad way; I’m so happy to have gotten this opportunity lol)
‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕤 ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.
The only reason this book wasn’t a full five stars was the fact that a few characters were very contradictory.
I can’t quote put my finger on it for most of the characters after-the-fact, but during reading of notice them to or say things that didn’t really match their personality up until that point. I’d say it’s not a problem if it was one character on purpose, but it was multiple.
Like, for example, Vic and Meredith.
In Meredith’s case, Vic’s description of her is happy and joyful and laughing but also careless and absent and unnecessarily mean.
In Vic’s case, she seems to blame her mom for a lot of her troubles, like her worry for Henry and how she grew up and being left behind and forgotten; all of which, I think, is warranted.
But Vic also loves her mom, more so than I would expect from how she thinks about her. Like yes, you can love someone despite what they’ve done, but this just felt different.
And these are just examples. There were a few other characters, which I can’t quite place right now if I’m being honest, that felt similarly contradictory.
While I just wrote a lot, I really don’t think this impacted the story too much. Yes, characters are important, but ignoring something’s and just enjoying the book is too.
* ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝕨𝕣𝕒𝕡-𝕦𝕡 * ੈ✩‧₊˚
All in all, I really enjoyed this book, to my pleasant surprise. The world and magic were good, the romance was swoony, and the cliffhanger had me begging for more.
Though it pains me to know it’ll be a while, I’ll be very excited to read the next book in this series when it comes out!!!
⋆˚⚡︎˖° 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕖 ⋆˚⚡︎˖°
We Who Have No Gods releases January 27, 2026!!!
˙⋆.˚𐙚 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 ˙⋆.˚𐙚
Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, and to NetGalley for giving me a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
All thoughts are my own :D
now playing:
» I Can Do It With A Broken Heart «
0:54 ─〇───── 3:36
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
January 31, 2026
I think when you get to 70% in book and you still do not care about the characters or how it ends, then you are done.
This started off ok, I thought I would like the FMC, but she got more and more frustrating though-out, her inner dialogue was grating, there was no logic to her actions.
Everything she did was to ‘protect’ her brother but they barely interacted with each other so the relationship just felt meaningless to me.
The romance was forgettable and predictable. The mmc was introduced and I literally rolled my eyes.
Interesting idea, but executed poorly imo.
This started off ok, I thought I would like the FMC, but she got more and more frustrating though-out, her inner dialogue was grating, there was no logic to her actions.
Everything she did was to ‘protect’ her brother but they barely interacted with each other so the relationship just felt meaningless to me.
The romance was forgettable and predictable. The mmc was introduced and I literally rolled my eyes.
Interesting idea, but executed poorly imo.
June 18, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for this Arc
Overall Thoughts
I'm a little disappointed in this book because the first 25% was incredible and then it took a steep nosedive afterwards. The synopsis on the book does not match the book whatsoever. It almost reads like the synopsis was the original idea for the book then the author got inspired by the romance genre and pivoted and rewrote the book and then didn't bother to pick up the mess.
Dyslexic Reader Insight
This book is awful for dyslexia. There are odd word choices such as "another pregnant pause" and a few others I can't remember. It uses a lot of bigger words that look identical to a word you think it's going to use and then you do a double take and it's a completely different word. The definition of the word fits but with dyslexia it's frustrating. There are a lot of moments where conflict gets resolved instantaneously and with no good reason. I had to reread many scenes because the conflict vanished into thin air and I was so confused. This book also tries to do two scenes in one, by that I mean they could be fighting and talking about a secret room in the same scene and those two should have been separated. It's really hard to remember who is who because all the characters reached into the bag of personality and grabbed the exact same traits and behavior quirks.
🚷 Review With Spoilers
I wanted to love this book so much and for the first 25% I was loving it. My problem with the book came after Vic decided to stay and the story pivoted from the synopsis into something that didn't make any sense.
In the Synopsis Vic is determined to keep her brother safe, yeah running off with the gym teacher isn't really determination to keep your brother safe. "she risks the orders wrath and her brothers" when? Again, they bring up their disapproval of her being there and then immediately drop it and say she can stay with little to no pushback. "and then there is Xan, the head Sentinel- imposing, ruthless, and frustrating" yeah okay buddy, you're not imposing anything when you give her a class to teach by herself, you're not that ruthless when you sleep with her after telling her about your dead brother but you are frustratingly childish.
Aside from the synopsis being entirely misleading I have personal issues with this book. sorry this is going to be rapid fire of my list of issues with this book.
Why is vic given so much free rein in the castle? they say its dangerous then let her do whatever she wants then get mad at her for running into trouble. For someone tagging along to keep her brother safe, she sure likes to run off and do her own thing. At one point Henry doesn't talk to vic for an entire 150+pages. He tells her to leave and then we don't hear from him again until the end. Who in their right mind gives a random stranger a teaching position? I was an athlete and not once did a skilled student teach a class out of pure talent. so unrealistic. Xan has the emotional maturity of a second grader and at one point my brain kept singing Katy Perry's Hot N Cold when Xan showed up. Why is Max digging a tunnel into a female characters bed chamber? I dont care what reasoning you have, that's weird. During the commotion with the Sentinals and other Witches im expected to believe Vic ran out of there and didn't think for once about her brother? Again, she is there to protect her brother. Normal human behavior doesn't seem to be on anyones agenda. they all remind each other to act like adults then turn around and throw a massive tantrum. Made's are supposed to be hard to control. this made me assume that their magic is too strong for them to handle but the only thing Sarah does to prove this is being defiant. Xan supposedly wants her to leave but is also thirst trapping her and giving her mixed signals. like this isn't a rom-com why is there an entire chapter on them flirting? and he is supposed to be a teacher and she is a student. that's just bizarre. One minute the girls are discussing a locked door then they're on the floor fighting. um what? The entire castle decides to leave for safety leaving behind the one person who cannot protect themselves? the ending was so confusing, people appear and fight and disappear or they're not there. I'm glad I finished this book I could not handle it any longer.
Overall Thoughts
I'm a little disappointed in this book because the first 25% was incredible and then it took a steep nosedive afterwards. The synopsis on the book does not match the book whatsoever. It almost reads like the synopsis was the original idea for the book then the author got inspired by the romance genre and pivoted and rewrote the book and then didn't bother to pick up the mess.
Dyslexic Reader Insight
This book is awful for dyslexia. There are odd word choices such as "another pregnant pause" and a few others I can't remember. It uses a lot of bigger words that look identical to a word you think it's going to use and then you do a double take and it's a completely different word. The definition of the word fits but with dyslexia it's frustrating. There are a lot of moments where conflict gets resolved instantaneously and with no good reason. I had to reread many scenes because the conflict vanished into thin air and I was so confused. This book also tries to do two scenes in one, by that I mean they could be fighting and talking about a secret room in the same scene and those two should have been separated. It's really hard to remember who is who because all the characters reached into the bag of personality and grabbed the exact same traits and behavior quirks.
🚷 Review With Spoilers
I wanted to love this book so much and for the first 25% I was loving it. My problem with the book came after Vic decided to stay and the story pivoted from the synopsis into something that didn't make any sense.
In the Synopsis Vic is determined to keep her brother safe, yeah running off with the gym teacher isn't really determination to keep your brother safe. "she risks the orders wrath and her brothers" when? Again, they bring up their disapproval of her being there and then immediately drop it and say she can stay with little to no pushback. "and then there is Xan, the head Sentinel- imposing, ruthless, and frustrating" yeah okay buddy, you're not imposing anything when you give her a class to teach by herself, you're not that ruthless when you sleep with her after telling her about your dead brother but you are frustratingly childish.
Aside from the synopsis being entirely misleading I have personal issues with this book. sorry this is going to be rapid fire of my list of issues with this book.
Why is vic given so much free rein in the castle? they say its dangerous then let her do whatever she wants then get mad at her for running into trouble. For someone tagging along to keep her brother safe, she sure likes to run off and do her own thing. At one point Henry doesn't talk to vic for an entire 150+pages. He tells her to leave and then we don't hear from him again until the end. Who in their right mind gives a random stranger a teaching position? I was an athlete and not once did a skilled student teach a class out of pure talent. so unrealistic. Xan has the emotional maturity of a second grader and at one point my brain kept singing Katy Perry's Hot N Cold when Xan showed up. Why is Max digging a tunnel into a female characters bed chamber? I dont care what reasoning you have, that's weird. During the commotion with the Sentinals and other Witches im expected to believe Vic ran out of there and didn't think for once about her brother? Again, she is there to protect her brother. Normal human behavior doesn't seem to be on anyones agenda. they all remind each other to act like adults then turn around and throw a massive tantrum. Made's are supposed to be hard to control. this made me assume that their magic is too strong for them to handle but the only thing Sarah does to prove this is being defiant. Xan supposedly wants her to leave but is also thirst trapping her and giving her mixed signals. like this isn't a rom-com why is there an entire chapter on them flirting? and he is supposed to be a teacher and she is a student. that's just bizarre. One minute the girls are discussing a locked door then they're on the floor fighting. um what? The entire castle decides to leave for safety leaving behind the one person who cannot protect themselves? the ending was so confusing, people appear and fight and disappear or they're not there. I'm glad I finished this book I could not handle it any longer.
January 26, 2026
3.5⭐️
Thank you @ballantinebooks and @prhaudio for the galley and ALC ♡
link to my review on bookstagram
An entry level romantasy read, with surprise horror crossover. Not too heavy handed on the world building, a lot of action, plus a familiar storyline.
There’s a hidden school for witches to train in 8 levels of spells and casting. Those who graduate become initiates of the Archeron Order, charged with ridding the world of its dark monsters.
Vic(toria) is a regular muggle who ends up gaining entrance as a tagalong to her little brother who possesses inborn magic. Immediately she’s bullied, branded a non-magical outsider, but she’s surprisingly skilled in hand to hand combat.
There will also be of course a shadow daddy, Xan, with shadows that trail him. The ending leaves a lot of questions about the Order and the Brotherhood, in what looks to be a good vs evil showdown in book 2.
I appreciated the concept of Born vs Made abilities and gray morality. While it might be a little forgettable in the crowded field of books that comprise this genre, this was unique in incorporating macabre horror elements in the second half.
I would recommend to those who haven’t read a lot of fantasy romance and are looking for an entry point other than Fourth Wing.
▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။|• 🎧 This was easy listening on audio, in particular Ellie Gossage as the voice of Vic.
Thank you @ballantinebooks and @prhaudio for the galley and ALC ♡
link to my review on bookstagram
An entry level romantasy read, with surprise horror crossover. Not too heavy handed on the world building, a lot of action, plus a familiar storyline.
There’s a hidden school for witches to train in 8 levels of spells and casting. Those who graduate become initiates of the Archeron Order, charged with ridding the world of its dark monsters.
Vic(toria) is a regular muggle who ends up gaining entrance as a tagalong to her little brother who possesses inborn magic. Immediately she’s bullied, branded a non-magical outsider, but she’s surprisingly skilled in hand to hand combat.
There will also be of course a shadow daddy, Xan, with shadows that trail him. The ending leaves a lot of questions about the Order and the Brotherhood, in what looks to be a good vs evil showdown in book 2.
I appreciated the concept of Born vs Made abilities and gray morality. While it might be a little forgettable in the crowded field of books that comprise this genre, this was unique in incorporating macabre horror elements in the second half.
I would recommend to those who haven’t read a lot of fantasy romance and are looking for an entry point other than Fourth Wing.
▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။|• 🎧 This was easy listening on audio, in particular Ellie Gossage as the voice of Vic.
September 4, 2025
Okay, so first off, I loved the friendship between Vic, Sarah, and May; it felt authentic and helped flesh each of the characters out so that their personalities really shone through.
I’m not sold on the love interest, though. I find it kind of odd that this guy was Vic’s mother’s friend (and possibly more than that). I’m not sure that part was all that well thought out.
Overall, though, this was an enjoyable read, and I’m looking forward to its sequel.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’m not sold on the love interest, though. I find it kind of odd that this guy was Vic’s mother’s friend (and possibly more than that). I’m not sure that part was all that well thought out.
Overall, though, this was an enjoyable read, and I’m looking forward to its sequel.
Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2026
Ooooo big fan, the mimic will probably give me nightmares for a bit though.
Overall a nice gothic fantasy in an academic setting, excited to see where this goes. Will definitely be continuing the series.
Overall a nice gothic fantasy in an academic setting, excited to see where this goes. Will definitely be continuing the series.
February 1, 2026
DNF @30something%
Like Harry Potter, but in America, and instead of Harry being the main character, it's Aunt Petunia, who insists on following Harry to school, where she proceeds to (1) sit in on all his classes even though no one wants here there and she can't do magic, (2) prance around the castle acting like your typical angry chihuahua romantasy FMC and being a general impulsive and rude idiot, and (3) constantly drool over Hagrid, who hit the gym and now has the body of Thor.
Also, you're telling me that a 25 year old in the 21st century who has spent the last 8 years doing nothing but working at a restaurant and raising her kid brother has somehow become an expert in fighting with short swords along the way? Be serious.
There's some potential in the underlying worldbuilding here and some of the side characters who actually are driving the plot (Max, Aren) are interesting. I would have preferred a story with them as the main characters instead of whatever the hell this BookTok bait was.
Like Harry Potter, but in America, and instead of Harry being the main character, it's Aunt Petunia, who insists on following Harry to school, where she proceeds to (1) sit in on all his classes even though no one wants here there and she can't do magic, (2) prance around the castle acting like your typical angry chihuahua romantasy FMC and being a general impulsive and rude idiot, and (3) constantly drool over Hagrid, who hit the gym and now has the body of Thor.
Also, you're telling me that a 25 year old in the 21st century who has spent the last 8 years doing nothing but working at a restaurant and raising her kid brother has somehow become an expert in fighting with short swords along the way? Be serious.
There's some potential in the underlying worldbuilding here and some of the side characters who actually are driving the plot (Max, Aren) are interesting. I would have preferred a story with them as the main characters instead of whatever the hell this BookTok bait was.
did-not-finish
January 2, 2026DNF at 40%. There’s not a lot I can say about this one. I wanted to get into this book and thought it could be promising at first. Unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. The writing felt a bit clunky and the “romance” seemed to just be “insta-lust”.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of the book.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of the book.
June 20, 2025
Thank-you to NetGalley, Ballantine and the author for this eARC of the book.
This was a great debut novel by Liza Anderson!
Vic is utterly human and has been working to protect her brother, Henry, for years. He was born with witch blood and their mother had warned them away from the Order. Eventually, with limited options, they travel to the Order's headquarters so Henry can train. Vic is looked down upon for her human status, but continues to stay to try to understand the Order and what the world is up against. What follows is an adventurous tale of her unwavering determination to protect Henry and stay alive.
This is definitely ia fantasy forward novel with a romance as a side plot. The ending will leave you wanting the next book stat!
I appreciate Vic for her honesty, or No F***s given attitude, and passion to protect her family. This book did a great job of bringing the action as the plot developed!
One thing that always bugs me are those moments where romance is brought in at a time where it really just doesn't make sense. There is a scene in the last ~10% of the novel where something along these lines takes place and I literally was ready to stop reading there. I get what the author was going for and it would've worked out better if this was a TV show or movie. However, on paper, it just did not work for me.
This book is out January 2026! (which is really frustrating because that means its going to be even longer for the next installment!😫😜✨) If you love enemies-to-lovers and academic setting, this book is for you!
This was a great debut novel by Liza Anderson!
Vic is utterly human and has been working to protect her brother, Henry, for years. He was born with witch blood and their mother had warned them away from the Order. Eventually, with limited options, they travel to the Order's headquarters so Henry can train. Vic is looked down upon for her human status, but continues to stay to try to understand the Order and what the world is up against. What follows is an adventurous tale of her unwavering determination to protect Henry and stay alive.
This is definitely ia fantasy forward novel with a romance as a side plot. The ending will leave you wanting the next book stat!
I appreciate Vic for her honesty, or No F***s given attitude, and passion to protect her family. This book did a great job of bringing the action as the plot developed!
One thing that always bugs me are those moments where romance is brought in at a time where it really just doesn't make sense. There is a scene in the last ~10% of the novel where something along these lines takes place and I literally was ready to stop reading there. I get what the author was going for and it would've worked out better if this was a TV show or movie. However, on paper, it just did not work for me.
This book is out January 2026! (which is really frustrating because that means its going to be even longer for the next installment!😫😜✨) If you love enemies-to-lovers and academic setting, this book is for you!
October 13, 2025
We Who Have No Gods is a tale, tried and true, but made new.
We have a big sister that initially appears “normal” that has to raise her younger “special” brother.. after their mother disappears under mysterious circumstances.
All the littles are left with is some dubious instructions she managed to give her youngest.
Fast forward to 8 years later, the littles are now 18 and 25, and have managed to run and avoid being caught by some malevolent force their mother warned them of.
The story from there unfolds and we get to see Vic (the big sister) grow out of the maternal role she was forced into, and create her own storyline. The magic system is interesting and the monster hunting and chaos vs. structure components are very interesting.
There are some love elements in this story as well, with a decent paced plot line that continues throughout and never loses steam. In short, it’s a chosen one twist, at a magic school, with monsters and a side of love (and chaos?). I enjoyed the character development and even my moments of utter frustration with the FMC, which in hindsight made me feel for her even more.
A great story with great pacing and just the right amount of pages!
Thank you to Liz Anderson for this adventure, and thanks to Ballentine Books and NetGalley for sponsoring this trip to Avalon Castle!
We have a big sister that initially appears “normal” that has to raise her younger “special” brother.. after their mother disappears under mysterious circumstances.
All the littles are left with is some dubious instructions she managed to give her youngest.
Fast forward to 8 years later, the littles are now 18 and 25, and have managed to run and avoid being caught by some malevolent force their mother warned them of.
The story from there unfolds and we get to see Vic (the big sister) grow out of the maternal role she was forced into, and create her own storyline. The magic system is interesting and the monster hunting and chaos vs. structure components are very interesting.
There are some love elements in this story as well, with a decent paced plot line that continues throughout and never loses steam. In short, it’s a chosen one twist, at a magic school, with monsters and a side of love (and chaos?). I enjoyed the character development and even my moments of utter frustration with the FMC, which in hindsight made me feel for her even more.
A great story with great pacing and just the right amount of pages!
Thank you to Liz Anderson for this adventure, and thanks to Ballentine Books and NetGalley for sponsoring this trip to Avalon Castle!
February 2, 2026
* 4.5 ⭐️ * I ABSOLUTELY loved this book. First in the series and was just released in January. I can not wait for the next book. This is a romantic fantasy , dark academia and gothic vibes. Witches, magic, monsters and a war that’s been brewing between two orders.
This book gave me xaden and violet vibes between the FMC and MMC - Vic (Victoria) and Xan (alexandros).
Vic has been protecting her younger brother her entire life after their mother mysteriously disappears and ends up dead. Their entire life the younger brother, Henry has been told by his mother that he is “special” long and behold, Henry has had his mother’s magic passed down to him. Vic on the other hand has no special abilities, so she has used her time training and becoming strong (so she can protect Henry)
They find out that their mother is part of a secret witch society, when Henry is approached by a head sentinel asking him to come train and learn at the academy (where non magical beings are not welcomed ie// Vic)
Enter Xan, our broody sentinel and shadow daddy 🤤 He’s a head sentinel and class leader, training future sentinels for battle. He despises and resents Vic for coming to the academy because she is human.
This book gave me xaden and violet vibes between the FMC and MMC - Vic (Victoria) and Xan (alexandros).
Vic has been protecting her younger brother her entire life after their mother mysteriously disappears and ends up dead. Their entire life the younger brother, Henry has been told by his mother that he is “special” long and behold, Henry has had his mother’s magic passed down to him. Vic on the other hand has no special abilities, so she has used her time training and becoming strong (so she can protect Henry)
They find out that their mother is part of a secret witch society, when Henry is approached by a head sentinel asking him to come train and learn at the academy (where non magical beings are not welcomed ie// Vic)
Enter Xan, our broody sentinel and shadow daddy 🤤 He’s a head sentinel and class leader, training future sentinels for battle. He despises and resents Vic for coming to the academy because she is human.
February 4, 2026
Secret societies, dark academia, witches, & broody men who want you gone.
We Who Have No Gods has so many of the pieces of what I eat up, and for a debut, this first entry was really solid. The plot beats didn’t shock but worked, the mystery and intrigue keeps you guessing throughout, and the ending was great.
I really liked the setting here. It was giving me gothic creepy castle but also bougie. I wish I’d read this one in the fall—so on vibe for spooky season.
I think where I mostly struggled here was in the character work. Vic is perfectly fine as an FMC. I liked her motivations, the fact that she felt human and flawed. But I also… didn’t fully care? Xan, similarly, had some standout possessive moments that brought me in, but on the whole, there just wasn’t enough chemistry and tension for me to have locked in as much as I’d liked.
I’m torn a bit because I did legitimately love the ending. This is one that feels like an overall solid read where I might pick up the sequel… but I won’t be running for it.
🎧 I switched between reading and listening here. The narrators were solid throughout. Nothing flat in the performance; I think most of my engagement challenges here were in the material.
Thank you Ballantine for the ARC & PRH Audio for the ALC!
We Who Have No Gods has so many of the pieces of what I eat up, and for a debut, this first entry was really solid. The plot beats didn’t shock but worked, the mystery and intrigue keeps you guessing throughout, and the ending was great.
I really liked the setting here. It was giving me gothic creepy castle but also bougie. I wish I’d read this one in the fall—so on vibe for spooky season.
I think where I mostly struggled here was in the character work. Vic is perfectly fine as an FMC. I liked her motivations, the fact that she felt human and flawed. But I also… didn’t fully care? Xan, similarly, had some standout possessive moments that brought me in, but on the whole, there just wasn’t enough chemistry and tension for me to have locked in as much as I’d liked.
I’m torn a bit because I did legitimately love the ending. This is one that feels like an overall solid read where I might pick up the sequel… but I won’t be running for it.
🎧 I switched between reading and listening here. The narrators were solid throughout. Nothing flat in the performance; I think most of my engagement challenges here were in the material.
Thank you Ballantine for the ARC & PRH Audio for the ALC!
February 1, 2026
Gothic dark academic fantasy with witches, terrifying creatures, and a decent story. The creepy monsters really stood out in this book and I thought the author did a fantastic job bringing them to life. Overall I loved the vibes of this book and I’m curious what the next books will unveil about the characters as I have lots of questions. Would have liked a few answers at some point in this book or at least the ending. Not really many twists either.
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May 26, 2025Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this advance reader’s copy! My review will be held at the publisher’s request until books are on sale. However, if you’re a fan of The Fourth Wing or Zodiac Academy, you will definitely want to add this to your TBR.
December 9, 2025
Something about this book captured my absolute fascination from the moment I read the blurb, and it wasn’t just the fact that I gobble up books that sound very similar to this one on the regular. No, what I fixated on was the fact that the protagonist was the distinctly non-magical sister of the magical kiddo who’s meant to go to this magical school who insists on going with her little brother because she’s always protected him and that doesn’t just stop because some stranger says her job is done now and the magical people have got it from here, thanks.
Like most mom-like figures whose wards are finding their own way and getting ready to leave the nest, Vic is at loose ends in the castle that houses the Archeron Order, but nothing could make her leave. Her life is filled with too many unanswered questions and loose ends, and the vast majority of them come back to her mother, who was last seen at Avalon Castle, where the Order trains and resides. She’s in a kind of arrested state, stuck in the past with her unresolved grief and unanswered questions, and grasping for a place in the present, where she has to fight to stay safe in the walls of the castle and stay alive among dangerous magic and creatures. The future’s not even something Vic has had time to even wonder about.
I was hoping for a deep fantastical story I could sink my teeth into, with an older female protagonist who reflected some reality and not rose-tinted romantasy, and this book definitely gives me that. We Who Have No Gods is a dark, adult, fantasy romance with occult edges and dark academia themes, and I have a feeling it’s going to get darker, more morally complicated, more romantically complex, and definitely more violent as the series goes on. That’s all fine with me. Anderson has done a fantastic job with her world building, including her magic system and bestiary. I’m truly excited to see what’s next. 4⭐️
I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Adult Fantasy/Dark Fantasy/Fantasy Romance/Occult Fantasy/Dark Academia/Gothic Fiction/Witch Fiction/Slow Burn
Like most mom-like figures whose wards are finding their own way and getting ready to leave the nest, Vic is at loose ends in the castle that houses the Archeron Order, but nothing could make her leave. Her life is filled with too many unanswered questions and loose ends, and the vast majority of them come back to her mother, who was last seen at Avalon Castle, where the Order trains and resides. She’s in a kind of arrested state, stuck in the past with her unresolved grief and unanswered questions, and grasping for a place in the present, where she has to fight to stay safe in the walls of the castle and stay alive among dangerous magic and creatures. The future’s not even something Vic has had time to even wonder about.
I was hoping for a deep fantastical story I could sink my teeth into, with an older female protagonist who reflected some reality and not rose-tinted romantasy, and this book definitely gives me that. We Who Have No Gods is a dark, adult, fantasy romance with occult edges and dark academia themes, and I have a feeling it’s going to get darker, more morally complicated, more romantically complex, and definitely more violent as the series goes on. That’s all fine with me. Anderson has done a fantastic job with her world building, including her magic system and bestiary. I’m truly excited to see what’s next. 4⭐️
I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.
File Under: Adult Fantasy/Dark Fantasy/Fantasy Romance/Occult Fantasy/Dark Academia/Gothic Fiction/Witch Fiction/Slow Burn
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