This is a moment where the concept and the idea is amazing, but the execution is merely "okay."

It felt like the beginning was just a warm-up until we get to "the good part" of the story, and even then it seemed as if Ms. Pentecost was merely checking boxes. Dust-bowl inspired fantasy means steampunk (check), magic (check), gonna need some kind of gang (check), but let's make it a girl gang (check), and let's make it a witchy girl gang (check).

Again, so many great ideas and the atmosphere is nice, but the plot felt rather prosaic and I wish that more had been done with the novel over all.

Elysium Girls is author Kate Pentecost's debut novel. In this sweeping Dust Bowl-inspired fantasy, a ten-year game between Life and Death pits the walled Oklahoma city of Elysium against the supernatural in order to judge mankind. On April 14, 1935, two sisters, Life and Death, who like to gamble with each other, time, space and human lives, make a deal with Mother Morevna, leader of Elysium. They will have 10 years without interference to prove that they are worthy of staying alive. If society is judged good, life goes on. If society fails, the entire town is wiped out of existence.

The people of Elysium sealed their walls and began to listen to Mother Morevna, a powerful witch who had the confidence to take over and lead the people. But, dust sickness is a blight that infects people in the walled town of Elysium from the regularly occurring dust storms that hammer this isolated world. It gets in their lungs and makes them cough up mud. Since their mandate, they've been collecting food and supplies for the sacrifice to be offered at the end of 10 years. But, with time ticking away, things are getting bleak.

While intentions started out good in Elysium, with people ignoring previous racist and sexist divides, things have been devolving and people have begun fearing for their lives. Sallie (Sal) Wilkerson is a bit of an outcast in Elysium. Since childhood, Sal has been plagued by false visions of rain. Because of her vision didn't happen, she spends time being rotated from from family to family some who haven't forgotten about her vision of rain. When Sal is named successor to Mother Morevna, who is a powerful witch, she jumps at the chance to prove herself to the town. For Sal, being a witch explains the visions she's been seeing. It's also her chance to prove herself as worthy.

Even the arrival of enigmatic outsider Asa-a human-obsessed demon in disguise-doesn't shake her confidence in her ability. Sal begins to teach herself what it means to be a witch. Asa has always been enamored with humans. When Mother tells Life to choose him as her wildcard, she sends him to Earth with a stone that he is supposed to return to its owner as he appears human. When Asa and Sal collide, they wind up with a huge mistake that destroys the sacrifice and are into the Desert of Dust and Steel.

Out in the desert, Asa and Sal meet a group of also exiled girls, and find themselves part the gang of misfits. Lead by Olivia Rosales who has been raiding Elysium for supplies and medicine, the gang creates a cavalry of magic powered scrap metal horses in order to fight to save Elysium. Olivia also happens to be a witch like Sal and once though her future was set in stone. Olivia's group includes Mowse, Susannah, Cassandra and Judith. But Sal, Asa, and Olivia must do more than simply tip the scales in Elysium's favor-only by reinventing the rules can they beat the Life and Death at their own game.

FYI, there is another character you need to pay attention to. Her name is Lucy Arbor. Lucy is Sal's best friend since they were children. After Sal gets exiled, Lucy becomes obsessed with discovering why so many people are dying of dust sickness and what else is happening that is going ignored by Mother. Lucy trains to become a nurse, and stands and delivers when it counts. Lucy, like Sal, like Asa, are the real stars of this book. But, when Olivia and her Selenium girls take a stand for the town, the action is tight and suspenseful and down right fun.

The plot was fantastic and an interesting mix of several genres as well as diversity. There's fantasy, paranormal, historical, and western. It doesn't seem like they should fit together but the author did a wonderful job of interweaving them and creating something completely fresh and original.

I wasn't expecting much from this book based solely on the cover (I know shame on me) but it is fabulous! The writing is brilliant! The characters are compelling and I cared about them from the start. The setting is vibrant and not common in YA. I can't wait to share it with students.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the earc to review!

Elysium Girls is a Dust Bowl set historical fantasy. In a ten year game between the goddesses Life and Death, the walled city of Elysium, Oklahoma is put to the test. In order to survive, the city must go head to head in a battle against the supernatural soldiers sent by Life and Death.

Sal Wilkerson is a bit of an outcast in Elysium. Since childhood, Sal has been plagued by false visions of rain. But then Sal is named successor to Mother Morvena- the powerful witch who leads Elysium. Sal knows she has what it takes to be a leader. The arrival of Asa- a daemon in disguise who longs to be human- threatens Sal's power. But a terrible mistake leads to Asa and Sal being exiled into the desert, fighting to survive. Out in the desert, Asa and Sal meet a group of also exiled girls, and fit themselves into the gang of misfits. Lead by another Elysium exile- witch Olivia Rosales- the gang create a cavalry of magic powered scrap metal horses in order to fight to save Elysium.

So this book! I was hooked quickly. The beginning was a little slow, but that let the world and the game be set up. I liked the mix of real world and magic. The plot picks up pretty quickly, and I was couldn't put it down level hooked through the last half. There were layers and subplots that I enjoyed as well.
I really liked the characters! Sal was a great MC and I liked seeing her grow and figure things out as the book went on. I also adored Asa. I loved how much this daemon wanted to be human, and discovering what that meant as the book went on. He was so lovable. I also adored the entire girl gang. I loved the casual diversity and queer rep too. There were several wlw characters and a mix of black, latinx, and Native American characters. The whole girl gang brought so much life and energy to the story.

If you're into historical with a flair of magic, fast paced books, and an engaging story, this one is for you! I definitely recommend it!

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got an eGalley to review through NetGalley.

Story (5/5): This was an amazing book. The whole story has this fantasy dust bowl type of feel to it. Elysium was like any other town until the Dust Soldiers came and the Gods returned. Now Elysium is isolated from the rest of the world and its denizens are part of a 10 year old game being held between the Gods of Life and Death. Then Sal comes along and breaks it all.

This was a very unique story that is an interesting blend of magic, survival, and interactions with selfish gods. This amazing story was very creative and engaging and I loved how it was written. I could not put this down.

Characters (5/5): I loved the characters; especially Sal and Asa and the gang of girls they stumble upon. However, even the side characters are really well done. They were so intriguing and engaging. Sal is struggling to learn her magic and Asa is trying to figure out to fit into the human body he’s been given. I also love that this isn’t your typical boy meets girl type of love story wrapped in a fantasy setting.

Setting (5/5): Again this is amazing. Most of this story takes place in a sort of pocket dust bowl world that’s been set apart in time. It’s a creative and interesting setting and the description throughout is spectacular; I swear I could almost taste the dust in my mouth and feel the heat on my back while I read this.

Writing Style (5/5): The writing style was incredible. Everything comes alive for the reader and there is an urgency to it that makes it hard to put down. This is one of those books that almost read itself for me; I was just completely sucked into this world!

Summary (5/5): Overall I loved this and will be keeping an eye out for Pentecost’s future books. This was just exactly what I wanted to read at the time and it absolutely sucked me into the story. So, well written, I loved it!!!

This is a fun book set in an alternate version of the Dust Bowl era with lesbian witch gangs, steam punk horses, and strong female leads. I think that thsoe words alone will draw people into this fun dystopian novel where we imagine what things might have been like on a different plane. Some tags to include LGTBQIA+, Western, Alternate History, Dust Bowl, Witch Gangs

The Goddesses of Life and Death make a bet trapping an entire 1935 Oklahoma town in a game to see who will win. If the city can comply with the challenge and collecting their tithing Life will win and so will they. But if the inhabitants fail Death will win and they will all die. But the challenge isn’t straight forward for the residents. Life and Death each get a Wildcard, a dust illness plagues the town, magic complicates things, racial tensions abound, and bandits create havoc. With only four months left the town’s magical matriarch and names 17-year-old Sal as her successor. Will the town be able to win their freedom and overcome the obstacles placed before them? This dystopian fantasy has a multicultural host of characters with some steampunk thrown into the Dust Bowl world. The strong female characters and complex world will be loved by fans of various genres.

When I was at a Book Buzz where this book came up, the publisher rep said, "I love this book! It's hard to describe, but it's so good! It's so weird!" And really, that was all I needed to hear: I wanted to read a book with a big steampunk horse on the cover. I was not disappointed.


Elysium Girls is Dust Bowl-era dystopian fiction. In 1935, while America is in the grips of the Great Depression, a giant dust cloud rolls over Oklahoma. The goddesses of Life and Death have taken this little chunk of America and placed it in its own space and time, a chessboard for their own game. The survivors of the storm have 10 years to maintain order and set aside a third of their crops as a sacrifice for a chance to survive. Mother Morevna, an ailing witch in charge of a settlement called Elysium, takes on Sal, a teenaged apprentice, when a stranger calling himself Asa Skander arrives with supplies and a knack for magic himself. Sal and Asa are exiled from Elysium following a duel, where they meet a group of young women who have their own histories with Elysium and beyond. Facing the final days of the contest, a rising death toll, and plummeting spirits, Elysium and the group of women - and Asa - join forces once more to face the coming Dust Soldiers and attempt to break the game in order to win it.


This book is AMAZING. A dystopian historical fiction piece placing readers in Depression-Era Dust Bowl America? It's a great concept, and Kate Pentecost touches on the endemic racism that endures even among the survivors; her description of the Dust Sickness that eats away at the populace is so gritty and raw that you'll want a sip of water and to clear your throat as you read. Sal emerges as a smart heroine that comes into her confidence as a magic user, and Asa, who could easily have been sidelined as a cardboard supporting character, has a good backstory and has a character arc that really develops him nicely. Supporting characters all get fleshed out nicely, and should easily get reader investment.


The shifting perspective, from Sal's first-person narration to third-person narration, takes a little getting used to, but I feel into the rhythm pretty quickly. The action is fast-paced, and dialogue will keep readers turning pages as different plots and subplots become revealed. I loved this one, and really, REALLY, want my own metal horse now.


Give this one to your new generation of post-cataclysm readers. (I can't believe there's a new generation of them, but wow: Hunger Games, Maze Runner, and Divergent are all a decade old, and then some. Wow.)

This novel takes place in a world in which magic exists, along with unending Dust Bowl conditions, and in which goddesses use humans and constructs to play out decade-long power games. Told from several mostly unnecessary points of view, the plot involves Sal, a young woman with strong magical capabilities, her friends, exiles in the desert surrounding their protected city-home, and a daemon in the form of a man. The plot is rather weak and the author relies on hero fights for tension and character-building. Ultimately, none of the characters were compelling enough to make me care about their fates.

This book was glorious! Rich characters dynamic plot. Everything was top notch. I don't even know where to start on the long list of wonderful things about this story but what I loved the most was the well roundedness of all the characters I felt like by the end of the book I knew each and every one of them throughly.

This was a little different than my normal genres of choice but I actually found it enjoyable. It was different but in a good way. Full of action and interesting characters, I know that some of my students will really enjoy it. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

In the Oklahoma city, Elysium, the citizens are merely pieces in the game between Life and Death. With Dust Bowl conditions, the 10 year period of the game and judgement day is coming to a close. When Sal, who is known as the girl who cried rain, is named successor to Mother Morevna, a powerful witch and leader of Elysium, she jumps at the opportunity to prove herself to the town. Things are going okay until an outsider named Asa arrives and a terrible mistake happens, causing them both to be exiled. With the harsh and brutal conditions forcing itself upon them, Asa and Sal team up with the desert's only girl gang. The gang is lead by Elysium exile and young witch, Olivia Rosales. The gang creates a calvary of magically powered mechanical horses and weapons to try and save Elysium from the Dust Soldiers approaching them.  Together the three of them must find a way to beat Life and Death at their own game. 

This was a very cool YA read. As an Okie, I was first interested by the setting.  The beginning was a little slow for me, but once Asa arrived and they were exiled, it started to pick up. I really enjoyed having a strong female lead. This book has magic, witches, and action within a dust bowl/western setting. I also enjoyed how the romance was handled. It is very subtle and not in your face. I feel that will help this book appeal to a wider range of audiences. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading YA fantasy and Sci-Fi. Think The Good Luck Girls meets Mad Max. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for a free eARC in exchange for my review.

I liked that Elysium Girls is a fantasy book set during the Great Dust Bowl. I found the characters motivations for their actions interesting and different than most YA books. This book has a strong female lead and addresses important social issues like bullying. I highly recommend it for a 'different' take on a female led fantasy YA novel!

This adventurous dust bowl-inspired fantasy that showcases a girl gang of witches and a demon who long for humanity. Set in the walled of Oklahoma city of Elysium with tones of "Mad Max" and I loved it.

Loved this book! The setting of Elysium--a town formerly in dust-bowl Oklahoma, now trapped in its own world for the purposes of a game between gods--was intriguing from page one, and just got more interesting as I read. I also really enjoyed the characters and seeing how they grew during the course of the story. Definitely add this one to your list!

Elysium Girls never feels like it quite pushes its ideas far enough - and they are great ideas. A battle between good and evil, set in the Dust Bowl, focusing on a witch and a demon is exactly the kind of premise that I'm here for. Unfortunately, great characters get lost in an unfocused world, vacillating between too many or too few background details to make it fully cohesive. Oddly timed switches in perspective don't help matters, and there's some drag in the first third that could have been cut for better focus. The action is exciting enough, and the downplayed romantic elements means it will book talk well to a wide audience, and the ending showdown satisfies.

Elysium Girls is an outstanding fast-paced YA fantasy with a blend of western mixed in. If you're looking for something fresh in YA fantasy, this is the book for you. Stop reading this review now and go check the book out. To sum up the plot, Elysium, Oklahoma is just waiting for the Dust Bowl to end when the town is chosen by the Gods for a game. Nearly ten years later, seventeen year old Sal is chosen to lead Elysium as they end the game. This is a story filled with Gods, witches, and demons. The plot is wholly original. The world-building is solid. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy exciting fantasy novels with plenty of twists. Be sure to check out Elysium Girls today!

I LOVED this book. It was such a fun setting for a fantasy story. There were subtle western/cowboy elements woven into the fantasy setting and magic system. The magic itself wasn't overly complex but felt explained enough. The characters were fun. I love that this is a standalone fantasy. I love that the main characters didn't fall in love with each other. I loved all of the diversity in the story. I loved the plot twists and pacing. There were a couple of tough to read descriptions/moments (regarding suggested sexual abuse) but otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

I just really dug this whole book. Like, the whole premise is whackadoodle and I still freaking liked it!!! The stark setting, the quirky characters, the descriptions that are so layered I felt a part of them....it’s just all very very good. I did not think I would like this book, much less love it, but, there ya go. I love it. 🤓💜📚

If you like weird west stories and chosen one narratives, then read this. The setting and the world are something of a twist on classic western with a vibe that isn’t quite steampunk but something similar. There is even a magic showdown.

While I did enjoy the book, I didn't find myself as immersed in it as I would have liked, and I'm wondering if it is because I knew a little too much too early on.

The blurb summarizes a lot of the story, so I think instead of just engaging with the narrative, I was waiting for the described things to happen. For example, I kept wondering where the scrap metal horses were and when they were going to come into play, and was waiting for them so long that when the finally came, it was anticlimactic. However, that was because of the blurb, not the book. Had they not been mentioned in the blurb, I would’ve had a different reaction.

I enjoyed the world the author created. I appreciated how small of a role romance played in the story. I was happy to see the lesbian rep, which was subtle, but visible. I liked that it wasn't a story about being gay, but there were still gay girls being badass outlaw heroes.

Another thing I liked was how thought provoking the concept was in examining how just trying to flip the power in a society doesn't always make things equal. A leader can’t just force people to stop being racists and sexist.

The end was good, but to avoid spoilers, I won’t say why.

I’d read more from this author.