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Godbound
Not yet published
Expected 16 Feb 27In this edge-of-your-seat high fantasy, a petty thief on the run from her all-seeing god is unwillingly drawn into a murder conspiracy when she finds herself cursed.
Brimming with unpredictable gods, unreliable narrators, and heart-stopping suspense, this gripping Sapphic standalone is perfect for fans of Six of Crows and The Priory of the Orange Tree.
Annethe Tavery fell in love with a god. Now, he hunts her in a twisted game of cat and mouse. If she so much as thinks of him, her past, or even her real name, it will call him like a beacon to her. So she runs—straight to a port town, where a failed pickpocketing attempt leaves her with a nasty curse.
There's only one way to free do the bidding of the nobleman she tried to rob. Annethe soon finds herself embroiled in a murder plot amongst the dangerous world of godbound—nobles whose pacts with gods have twisted them in horrifying ways. If Annethe doesn't complete the nobleman's task, the curse will rot her from the inside out. But the longer she stays, the more chance there is that her god will find her—and he isn't the only one looking.
Before him, before all the death and pain and running, there was a woman. A woman Annethe loved—and who her god killed. Now, the scraps of Calika Korska's body are held together by her own pact with an unstable god. And both of them are broken, angry, and hell-bent on revenge.
Brimming with unpredictable gods, unreliable narrators, and heart-stopping suspense, this gripping Sapphic standalone is perfect for fans of Six of Crows and The Priory of the Orange Tree.
Annethe Tavery fell in love with a god. Now, he hunts her in a twisted game of cat and mouse. If she so much as thinks of him, her past, or even her real name, it will call him like a beacon to her. So she runs—straight to a port town, where a failed pickpocketing attempt leaves her with a nasty curse.
There's only one way to free do the bidding of the nobleman she tried to rob. Annethe soon finds herself embroiled in a murder plot amongst the dangerous world of godbound—nobles whose pacts with gods have twisted them in horrifying ways. If Annethe doesn't complete the nobleman's task, the curse will rot her from the inside out. But the longer she stays, the more chance there is that her god will find her—and he isn't the only one looking.
Before him, before all the death and pain and running, there was a woman. A woman Annethe loved—and who her god killed. Now, the scraps of Calika Korska's body are held together by her own pact with an unstable god. And both of them are broken, angry, and hell-bent on revenge.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 16, 2027
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Godbound sounds like a dark, atmospheric fantasy that explores just how dangerous it can be to put your faith in the wrong hands. With unpredictable gods, deadly bargains, revenge, and a murder conspiracy, this story promises a world where power always comes at a price.
The story follows Annethe Tavery, a petty thief on the run from a god she once loved. When a failed pickpocketing attempt leaves her cursed, she is forced into a dangerous situation involving a nobleman and a murder plot. Meanwhile, her past continues to haunt her, especially the memory of Calika Korska, the woman she loved and lost to the very god now hunting her. As the danger grows, Annethe must navigate a world where divine bargains can have horrifying consequences and trusting the wrong person could cost her everything.
What immediately draws me to this book is its take on mythology and the idea that making a pact with a god can be just as terrifying as it is tempting. I love fantasy worlds where magic has consequences, power comes with a cost, and the characters are forced to make difficult choices. The concept of nobles whose relationships with gods have physically or otherwise horribly transformed them is particularly intriguing and adds a darker edge to the worldbuilding.
I'm also interested in the emotional complexity of the characters. Annethe's history with the god pursuing her adds a personal layer to the larger mystery, while her connection to Calika introduces themes of love, grief, betrayal, and revenge. Their shared pain and desire for retribution suggest a story that goes beyond a simple battle between good and evil.
The Sapphic representation is another appealing element, especially in a high fantasy story that combines complicated relationships with danger, suspense, and a richly imagined world. I'm always interested in fantasy that allows queer characters to be central to the story rather than treating their identities as an afterthought.
As for the writing, the premise suggests an immersive, suspense-driven narrative filled with secrets, morally complicated characters, and unpredictable twists. The combination of a deadly curse, a murder conspiracy, and a god who can find Annethe through her own thoughts creates an especially compelling sense of danger.
Overall, Godbound has the ingredients for an exciting dark fantasy: dangerous gods, morally gray characters, complicated love, and a world where every bargain carries consequences. I'm particularly intrigued by the relationship between divine power and human vulnerability, as well as the way love and revenge appear to drive the story. This is one to keep on the radar for readers who enjoy darker, character-driven fantasy with Sapphic representation.
The story follows Annethe Tavery, a petty thief on the run from a god she once loved. When a failed pickpocketing attempt leaves her cursed, she is forced into a dangerous situation involving a nobleman and a murder plot. Meanwhile, her past continues to haunt her, especially the memory of Calika Korska, the woman she loved and lost to the very god now hunting her. As the danger grows, Annethe must navigate a world where divine bargains can have horrifying consequences and trusting the wrong person could cost her everything.
What immediately draws me to this book is its take on mythology and the idea that making a pact with a god can be just as terrifying as it is tempting. I love fantasy worlds where magic has consequences, power comes with a cost, and the characters are forced to make difficult choices. The concept of nobles whose relationships with gods have physically or otherwise horribly transformed them is particularly intriguing and adds a darker edge to the worldbuilding.
I'm also interested in the emotional complexity of the characters. Annethe's history with the god pursuing her adds a personal layer to the larger mystery, while her connection to Calika introduces themes of love, grief, betrayal, and revenge. Their shared pain and desire for retribution suggest a story that goes beyond a simple battle between good and evil.
The Sapphic representation is another appealing element, especially in a high fantasy story that combines complicated relationships with danger, suspense, and a richly imagined world. I'm always interested in fantasy that allows queer characters to be central to the story rather than treating their identities as an afterthought.
As for the writing, the premise suggests an immersive, suspense-driven narrative filled with secrets, morally complicated characters, and unpredictable twists. The combination of a deadly curse, a murder conspiracy, and a god who can find Annethe through her own thoughts creates an especially compelling sense of danger.
Overall, Godbound has the ingredients for an exciting dark fantasy: dangerous gods, morally gray characters, complicated love, and a world where every bargain carries consequences. I'm particularly intrigued by the relationship between divine power and human vulnerability, as well as the way love and revenge appear to drive the story. This is one to keep on the radar for readers who enjoy darker, character-driven fantasy with Sapphic representation.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I don't usually pick up books with thieves or assassins as protagonists, but the promise of a messy sapphic relationship with angry gods in the mix drew me in.
The gods turned out to be the best part. I loved the two gods central to the plot, as well as the glimpses we got of a few others throughout the book. They were inhuman in a way that made them unpredictable and complicated the morality of their relationships with the protagonists. Annethe’s god is the main antagonist. She was drawn to him by his promises of power and eternal devotion, and ended up with a supernatural abuser who kills everyone she cares about and will stalk her to the ends of the earth. It was easy to root for her to break free, but difficult to hate him for just following his nature, especially when he starts to change through his observation of humans. Calika’s god was completely different, but just as interesting in her own way. I wish more time had been spent on their lore and the details of their bargains.
By contrast, the romance between Annethe and Calika fell a little flat for me. A few more flashbacks to show how they fell in love before everything went wrong may have helped ground their relationship. As it was, their love-hate dynamic may have been accurate to real life, but it was boring to read about. I was actually more invested in the forbidden love story between two noblemen at the heart of the plot than in theirs.
The plot had plenty of interesting elements. It was structured almost like a detective novel, with Annethe reluctantly investigating a disappearance on behalf of a rich young man who cursed her for stealing from him, before having to find a way to stop a world-ending threat. There are cross-gender disguises, heists, a tragic face-off in a bank vault, and two bloody summoning rituals. Unfortunately, all these high-stakes concepts didn't translate into enough momentum on the page. The pacing was uneven, and even if there was always something going on, I could never feel the tension I was supposed to.
The ending came together like in a mystery, with a nice final twist of the kind that makes you say, “of course, it was so obvious all along, I should’ve seen it coming”. Almost every loose end is tied up, except for the one involving a certain godbound young woman who appears only once. I wonder if the author has a sequel in mind about her and her much-mentioned older brother. If so, I’ll definitely read it; she was very intriguing, and I spent almost every chapter hoping she would pop up again.
I received a digital copy from Titan Books through NetGalley UK for review; all opinions are my own.
The gods turned out to be the best part. I loved the two gods central to the plot, as well as the glimpses we got of a few others throughout the book. They were inhuman in a way that made them unpredictable and complicated the morality of their relationships with the protagonists. Annethe’s god is the main antagonist. She was drawn to him by his promises of power and eternal devotion, and ended up with a supernatural abuser who kills everyone she cares about and will stalk her to the ends of the earth. It was easy to root for her to break free, but difficult to hate him for just following his nature, especially when he starts to change through his observation of humans. Calika’s god was completely different, but just as interesting in her own way. I wish more time had been spent on their lore and the details of their bargains.
By contrast, the romance between Annethe and Calika fell a little flat for me. A few more flashbacks to show how they fell in love before everything went wrong may have helped ground their relationship. As it was, their love-hate dynamic may have been accurate to real life, but it was boring to read about. I was actually more invested in the forbidden love story between two noblemen at the heart of the plot than in theirs.
The plot had plenty of interesting elements. It was structured almost like a detective novel, with Annethe reluctantly investigating a disappearance on behalf of a rich young man who cursed her for stealing from him, before having to find a way to stop a world-ending threat. There are cross-gender disguises, heists, a tragic face-off in a bank vault, and two bloody summoning rituals. Unfortunately, all these high-stakes concepts didn't translate into enough momentum on the page. The pacing was uneven, and even if there was always something going on, I could never feel the tension I was supposed to.
The ending came together like in a mystery, with a nice final twist of the kind that makes you say, “of course, it was so obvious all along, I should’ve seen it coming”. Almost every loose end is tied up, except for the one involving a certain godbound young woman who appears only once. I wonder if the author has a sequel in mind about her and her much-mentioned older brother. If so, I’ll definitely read it; she was very intriguing, and I spent almost every chapter hoping she would pop up again.
I received a digital copy from Titan Books through NetGalley UK for review; all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Godbound had such an intriguing premise. A thief on the run from an all-seeing god, a curse that’s slowly killing her, dangerous godbound nobles, murder, revenge and a magic system built around relics and their connections to particular gods. Plus, it’s a standalone, which was a huge selling point for me!
Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.
I really struggled with the writing style, which made it a tough read to finish. I also didn’t connect with the magic system as much as I’d hoped. The concept was interesting, but the execution didn’t quite grab me.
Annethe was another miss for me. I found her pretty forgettable and, honestly, rather boring, which made it difficult to care about her journey. The plot and relationships also felt very predictable, particularly Annethe and Lament, as well as Annethe and Calika. I kept waiting for something to surprise me, but it never really happened.
There are definitely some interesting ideas here, and I can see this working for readers who enjoy darker fantasy, gods, curses and complicated bargains. It’s also described as being perfect for fans of Godkiller, which I haven’t read yet, so I can’t make that comparison myself!
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own 💖
Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.
I really struggled with the writing style, which made it a tough read to finish. I also didn’t connect with the magic system as much as I’d hoped. The concept was interesting, but the execution didn’t quite grab me.
Annethe was another miss for me. I found her pretty forgettable and, honestly, rather boring, which made it difficult to care about her journey. The plot and relationships also felt very predictable, particularly Annethe and Lament, as well as Annethe and Calika. I kept waiting for something to surprise me, but it never really happened.
There are definitely some interesting ideas here, and I can see this working for readers who enjoy darker fantasy, gods, curses and complicated bargains. It’s also described as being perfect for fans of Godkiller, which I haven’t read yet, so I can’t make that comparison myself!
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own 💖
October 18, 2026
A fairly solid fantasy debut. The idea is that our main is on the run from a god who is relentless in trying to find her, she gets drawn into a larger conspiracy by way of getting caught in a petty heist, and oh, her ex lover isn't dead anymore and is out for vengeance possibly. The plot is well paced, I don't remember much about the characters other than very broad strokes, and the central premise is well thought out. Worth your time when it comes out in February.
Want to Read
November 30, 2025Sapphic high fantasy standalone.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Initial prose of this was great, and I will say I enjoyed the flashbacks we got of each of Annethe's & Calika's relationships, but once the romance was established, it felt bland (and was rather boring) to read. I had higher expectations of sapphic romance but was left disappointed. The Gods were the best thing about this read because they each had their own complicated morality with their respective relationship. I wish we could get more lore on the details of their bargains, though. Overall it was an OK read for me after completion.
Thank you titan books & netgalley for the earc
Thank you titan books & netgalley for the earc
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This debut had me shifting, unsettled, in my seat from the creeping paranoia of being on the lookout for a god to whom you've made an unbreakable bargain with but are desperate to run and hide away from as he relentlessly searches for you non-stop.
While the start of the novel was slow at first with the disconnected introductions of our various main ensemble cast and handfuls of world-building sprinkled in, it quickly picked up pace once the main plot was fully fleshed out (one part mystery, one part horror). And while two gods are prominent throughout, I do wish there was more world-building when it comes to their lore and how these gods can make bargains with humans. It's left fairly blank, possibly to increase the mystery around them and their kind.
Character-wise, the gods were the biggest driving factor in gluing me to the book. While our main protagonists Annethe and Calika bring human groundedness to the events occurring, they both also are shown as being manipulative/being manipulated and helpless against the powers that be (their gods). Annethe's god, Lament of Azure (such a unique name!), is considered one of the main antagonists of the story. Possessive, jealous, and outside the bounds of expected humanity, he created unpredictability and complications to all the main relationships. With his eternal devotion to Annethe, Lament refuses to leave her side or let anyone else be by her side, even for just a moment. He has no human compunctions when it comes to his actions and his penchant to forget about many things that do not interest him or matter to him makes for a very compelling grey antagonist.
The ending came together like a bow you didn't know was being meticulously tied, as every loose end comes together and every action undertaken is explained and mapped along the bigger picture. All the pieces were there or were mentioned, little drops of hints that you may or may not pick up on.
My Takeaways:
✨ paranoia - how do you run away from a god who can find you with the smallest fragments of past memories or others recognizing you?
✨ Lament of Azure felt a little like an Astarion (from Baldur's Gate 3) that is just a God who cares little for things that don't interest him - Lament spoke very Astarion-like in my head
✨ relationship entanglements
✨ the mystery is a bigger mystery than you thought
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Rowan Skye, and and the publisher Titan Books for giving me an eARC to read and review!
While the start of the novel was slow at first with the disconnected introductions of our various main ensemble cast and handfuls of world-building sprinkled in, it quickly picked up pace once the main plot was fully fleshed out (one part mystery, one part horror). And while two gods are prominent throughout, I do wish there was more world-building when it comes to their lore and how these gods can make bargains with humans. It's left fairly blank, possibly to increase the mystery around them and their kind.
Character-wise, the gods were the biggest driving factor in gluing me to the book. While our main protagonists Annethe and Calika bring human groundedness to the events occurring, they both also are shown as being manipulative/being manipulated and helpless against the powers that be (their gods). Annethe's god, Lament of Azure (such a unique name!), is considered one of the main antagonists of the story. Possessive, jealous, and outside the bounds of expected humanity, he created unpredictability and complications to all the main relationships. With his eternal devotion to Annethe, Lament refuses to leave her side or let anyone else be by her side, even for just a moment. He has no human compunctions when it comes to his actions and his penchant to forget about many things that do not interest him or matter to him makes for a very compelling grey antagonist.
The ending came together like a bow you didn't know was being meticulously tied, as every loose end comes together and every action undertaken is explained and mapped along the bigger picture. All the pieces were there or were mentioned, little drops of hints that you may or may not pick up on.
My Takeaways:
✨ paranoia - how do you run away from a god who can find you with the smallest fragments of past memories or others recognizing you?
✨ Lament of Azure felt a little like an Astarion (from Baldur's Gate 3) that is just a God who cares little for things that don't interest him - Lament spoke very Astarion-like in my head
✨ relationship entanglements
✨ the mystery is a bigger mystery than you thought
Thank you to NetGalley, the author Rowan Skye, and and the publisher Titan Books for giving me an eARC to read and review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
weirdo creepy unbreakable pacts between humans and gods galooooore in godbound. it’s quite literally the name 👀 see title, it is fitting. power in this world comes from people summoning gods and fusing their lives together via “pacts” and they’re pretty much always disasters and everyone’s dumb for doing it again and again knowing it always turns out BAD BAD BAD BAD
I have no idea if there is intent to make this into a series or if godbound will remain a standalone, but it certainly functions quite well as a standalone. *almost* everything was very neatly tied up and left me feeling satisfied with the conclusion.
I thought this one overall was pretty alright! it’s not a favorite story of mine but the cover certainly is 😛 immediately requested this book upon sight of the giant looming black cat, I do like it very very much.
to godkiller fans: the description for this book says it is a good match for those of us who love the godkiller trilogy by hannah kaner. I quite liked godkiller so with that knowledge I hopped greedily onto this one. I understand the comparison in terms of god/human relationships in the worldbuilding and the fact that literally everyone is gay 🏳️🌈💕 so if those aspects appealed to you in godkiller, then definitely pick this one up.
to six of crows fans: the description for this book also says it’s a good match for ketterdam lovers — I do not see this comparison at all. it feels 🤏very little🤏 like six of crows. I kinda get why the description says so….but no. don’t go into this one expecting something like six of crows, it will lead to disappointment.
thanks netgalley for the arc! ✌️
I have no idea if there is intent to make this into a series or if godbound will remain a standalone, but it certainly functions quite well as a standalone. *almost* everything was very neatly tied up and left me feeling satisfied with the conclusion.
I thought this one overall was pretty alright! it’s not a favorite story of mine but the cover certainly is 😛 immediately requested this book upon sight of the giant looming black cat, I do like it very very much.
to godkiller fans: the description for this book says it is a good match for those of us who love the godkiller trilogy by hannah kaner. I quite liked godkiller so with that knowledge I hopped greedily onto this one. I understand the comparison in terms of god/human relationships in the worldbuilding and the fact that literally everyone is gay 🏳️🌈💕 so if those aspects appealed to you in godkiller, then definitely pick this one up.
to six of crows fans: the description for this book also says it’s a good match for ketterdam lovers — I do not see this comparison at all. it feels 🤏very little🤏 like six of crows. I kinda get why the description says so….but no. don’t go into this one expecting something like six of crows, it will lead to disappointment.
thanks netgalley for the arc! ✌️
November 2, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-ARC of this book! Full Review held off until this is published :)
All I can say is that I loved a lot of the ideas and vibes in this, sadly I felt like the execution could have been much stronger in many parts.
All I can say is that I loved a lot of the ideas and vibes in this, sadly I felt like the execution could have been much stronger in many parts.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Judging your girl for being in an abusive relationship while also being in an abusive relationship yourself is crazy work.
I really wanted to like this, but the constant feeling that I was missing pieces to make the story feel complete nagged at me the entire way, and it was unfortunate that it was every element - Calika and Annethe's past relationship, the world building, and the Gods themselves.
The world building and the dynamics between the Gods especially suffered. I felt the world was a very generic, old London town vibe and it didn't give me any glimpse that anywhere else was different. We're told that there's old Gods and new Gods, and I don't believe we ever met the old Gods, and the new Gods hatred of them wasn't explained well.
Lament was such an interesting character to me, and I was convinced the he and Thousand Eyes must have some connection as they acted just like each other and clearly knew each other. So I was disappointed at the end to have no answers to this, and I felt their story was left unfinished.
The very last pages seemed to trying to decide if this would be a standalone or not, and I'm hoping this is a duology or series, as there's so much needed to flesh this story out better, I was left with so many more questions than answers.
I really wanted to like this, but the constant feeling that I was missing pieces to make the story feel complete nagged at me the entire way, and it was unfortunate that it was every element - Calika and Annethe's past relationship, the world building, and the Gods themselves.
The world building and the dynamics between the Gods especially suffered. I felt the world was a very generic, old London town vibe and it didn't give me any glimpse that anywhere else was different. We're told that there's old Gods and new Gods, and I don't believe we ever met the old Gods, and the new Gods hatred of them wasn't explained well.
Lament was such an interesting character to me, and I was convinced the he and Thousand Eyes must have some connection as they acted just like each other and clearly knew each other. So I was disappointed at the end to have no answers to this, and I felt their story was left unfinished.
The very last pages seemed to trying to decide if this would be a standalone or not, and I'm hoping this is a duology or series, as there's so much needed to flesh this story out better, I was left with so many more questions than answers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Godbound by Rowan Skye offers an action packed game of cat and mouse in a world reminiscent of RPG games like Divinity original sin or Baldur's gate 3. Gods are running rampant and it is a game of forbidden powers that held my interest throughout.
In this we are introduced to our FMC Annethe Tavery who is our reluctant protagonist. On a run from a cat who is hunting her, I found myself chuckling at their dynamic and scenes. It brings about conflict and opens readers' eyes that power is not all that it is cracked up to be. The concept of how it may impact a murder case brings about side characters with their own morals and complexities. That being said, this is a sapphic romance and I felt I was missing a buildup for the female pairing of Calika and Annethe compared to the god who hunts her. The plot brought new struggles for the characters and I applaud Annethe for her cunning and strength in the book.
If you do enjoy deals with gods, solving a murder, and the morally grey area that power creates, you will want to add this book to your TBR.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
In this we are introduced to our FMC Annethe Tavery who is our reluctant protagonist. On a run from a cat who is hunting her, I found myself chuckling at their dynamic and scenes. It brings about conflict and opens readers' eyes that power is not all that it is cracked up to be. The concept of how it may impact a murder case brings about side characters with their own morals and complexities. That being said, this is a sapphic romance and I felt I was missing a buildup for the female pairing of Calika and Annethe compared to the god who hunts her. The plot brought new struggles for the characters and I applaud Annethe for her cunning and strength in the book.
If you do enjoy deals with gods, solving a murder, and the morally grey area that power creates, you will want to add this book to your TBR.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.
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October 9, 2026I received a free copy from Titan Books via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Release date February 16th, 2027.
Review held to February 1st by publisher request.
Review held to February 1st by publisher request.
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