Sal lives in Elysium, a walled city surrounded by desert that the gods Life and Death are playing with in a ten-year-long game.
The leader of Elysium is the magic-wielding Mother Morevna. When Sal is named as Mother Morevna's successor, the inhabitants of Elysium go from shunning Sal for her false childhood prophecy of rain, to being more friendly and welcoming.
Then a demon called Asa arrives at Elysium. His presence threatens Sal who is trying to prove herself.
When an accident leads to both Sal and Asa being banished, they find themselves in the desert with few supplies and not long until Life and Death's game is over.
Can Sal and Asa save Elysium?
Who will win the game of the gods?

The premise of Elysium Girls intrigued me - mostly the idea of a walled city being used as a game played between two gods.
Sal was a likeable and relatable protagonist. She was shunned by nearly everyone in Elysium because of visions she'd had as a child, and didn't have any family because her parents were dead. I could definitely understand why Sal felt she had to prove herself so much, even though she shouldn't have had to.
Apart from Sal, my favourite characters were Lucy and Asa who were both likeable.
I liked the mix of magic and the westerny vibes of the setting of Elysium. I also liked that there were different kinds of magic.
The plot was ok, but it failed to hold my attention and I was pretty bored. I found myself skim-reading more than once and did consider DNFing, which I probably should have done because I didn't enjoy what I was reading.
The writing style was ok, but I wasn't invested in what happened.
Unfortunately, this was a book where the concept held promise, but the execution didn't work for me.
I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more.

Overall, this was an ok read.

SAY HELLO TO MY NEW FAVOURITE BOOK. The author takes some regular tropes tropes and turns them into something crazy spectacular and 200% unique and I'll just be over here rambling about the brilliance of this book so read on! I shall try to be coherent

~Hello to the most incredible setting/world of ever~

A walled city surrounded by the desert of sand and steel, watched by Life and Death. That would be an underrated and simplistic way of describing it. Elysium is the city the two sisters, Life and Death are betting over. They are betting over it's survival in the harshest conditions trying to tip the scales in their favour by using their wildcard.

The aesthetic of this world was just so unique, a kind of recycled metal technology along with magic. my favourite part were the horses (an example of which you see on the cover); made of metal scraps, held together by bolts and magic, brought to a type of life by magic. It's not quite steampunk meets magic and I AM SO HERE FOR IT. I get exactly why it's described as Mad Max: Fury road meets witches.

~Meet the Characters~

Kate Pentecost plays with tropes, teases us with the idea of cliche tropes but before we can groan about it, BAM she reinvents the whole trope and gives us something unique. There is Sal, the orphaned MC who is something of an outsider within Elysium. There is Asa, the demon in human form, something of a chosen one, a wildcard who appears pretty much out of nowhere at the Elysium. There is so much chance this could have been orphan girl meets mysterious stranger boy and goes lovey eyed. Readers almost expect that to happen but the brilliant story teller that is Ms. Pentecost turns it all around.

The non stilted romances THAT WERE NOT THE FOCUS OF THE STORY were a HUGE plus. The romance is there, the crushes are there but they are not all-encompassing or taking away from the plot. There is both a straight romance and a f/f pairing is all I'm going to say.

~Hello Plot Twists ~

I'm not saying I didn't at all see some of the plot twists coming; I did, BUT were they still awesome? ABSOLUTELY. And when some plot twists were revealed, I could go back and see just how cleverly and subtly it had been foreshadowed. I like it when a book has (a) Plot twists that shock me (b) Plot twists that are not as shocking but are cleverly foreshadowed and utterly brilliant. this book has both these kinds of plot twists

~A Writing style to draw you In ~

The writing is amazing. This is probably the most well written debut book I have read so far. I loved how the authors puts everything in front of the readers in a simple but captivating manner. I read this book in pretty much one sitting. Even when we came to some points where the story itself was a bit slow, the writing was always there to keep me swiping through the pages.

Elysium Girls by Kate Pentecost had great characters. Elysium has been chosen to be the new game board for a game of life and death. The residents of Elysium has 10 years to build a thriving society or face certain death.The city is walled so there is no in or out for its residents.

I think the only thing I really enjoyed about this book is the characters. Pentecost definitely wrote some great characters. I found the plot quite confusing. The world building didn't have much to it and I was really disappointed in the fact that the magic system wasn't more thought out.

Have you ever read a synopsis for a book and thought “there’s no way this is going to work”? Because that’s the first thing that came to mind for me with Elysium Girls. And it wasn’t a bad thing. While I was wondering how it would all work, I also wanted to see if the author could pull off mashing goddesses and daemons and witches and magical curses all in a Dust-Bowl-inspired fantasy.

And readers, Pentecost did. It all worked beautifully.

While the fantasy elements of the book are pretty obvious, the real story is more about self-discovery and friendship. Sal has been ostracized by her community (a community she literally can’t escape) for most of her life and seeing how she comes into her own is really empowering.

Elysium Girls does shift between different points of view and while I mentioned Sal as more of the protagonist, we also have Lucy running an underground make-up business, Asa the daemon who just wants to be human, Olivia whose family means more than anything to her, Susannah who’s trying to find her place and her culture, Mouse the slightly devious but totally adorable youngster, and more. Pentecost brought a fairly large cast together into this single standalone story, with all the different fantastical components too, and somehow blended them together in a way that felt real and grounded in this world. No afterthoughts here. The character cast is diverse and dynamic. I never felt like the secondary characters were slighted or used as a means to an end in the development of another person.

Not to mention this book has the sweetest F/F romance that was pure perfection and the romantic subplot didn’t overtake the main plot (which I see happen a lot in YA fantasy lately). There was that perfect balance that I think will make this book appeal to readers who like a bit of romance in their fantasy, but also readers who don’t. Which is weird to say but I feel like it’s harder to find YA fantasies like that now? Anyway, I personally loved the romance and was here for it.

My only real issue was the ending. Nearly the entire book is building up to this final showdown, the potential end of days as it were, but when it finally comes… I don’t know, it just fell a bit flat for me. It was a bit too rushed to be completely satisfying. Another chapter, or maybe even just a few more pages, I think would have fixed that and not rushed through to the end. I thought my eBook tricked me when it said I still had about 2% left and the book had just ended.

But other than that, I flew through Elysium Girls in nearly one sitting, and would highly recommend this to readers seeking a story of self-discovery, friendship, and an examination of humanity under a lens.

This book was such a pleasant surprise!

It was absolutely unique! I didn’t know what to expect when I went into this but I’m so glad that I did. Sal was a strong and determined character and she felt like such a different character compared to the ones I’ve read about before. There was just a different quality to her that I loved. I really enjoyed reading from her perspective the most. We got to read the story from Asa’s perspective too. At first I wasn’t sure how I would feel about him but he was such a sweet character! he was mostly in love with the idea of being human and to see his fascination with them was so nice to read about.

I loved the group of Elysium Girls! I loved how a lot of the story was about working together and definitely a different kind of love. The story felt a bit slow at first for me but once I hit the 50 page mark things started to get really interesting. I loved the action in this book! especially towards the end.

The writing was so immersive and I loved the authors style. Definitely made me interested in checking out whatever she writes from now on. I remembered that the book is a standalone and I feel like everything was perfectly presented in this one book. The story touches different genres and I think so many will find this book appealing. I would highly recommend picking it up. The story was unique on so many levels and was very fresh. I’m so looking forward to the reading whatever the author works on in the future!

If the cover doesn't draw you into Elysium Girls, the synopsis definitely will. This is pitched as Mad Max meets Caraval and there's witchy girl gangs and demons and metal horses and WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED.

I was immediately intrigued by the first chapter and from there it only got better! This was such a different mashup of topics and I really enjoyed the uniqueness. The Dust Bowl and Great Depression setting with a town that has been thrust into a ten year battle with Life and Deaths supernatural army. I thought the world building was superb and pretty well drawn out. Kate Pentecost has such a great way of shaping a world it was hard to not be drawn in!

Our MC is Sal who was set to take over as leader for their town but events unfold and she finds herself exiled out into the unforgiving desert with a demon who longs to be human. The only way for them to survive is to join up with a gang of witches. Sal was a pretty good main character. She was easy to connect with and I love a main character that grows and finds herself throughout the book. The witchy girl gang was amaaaazing and one of my fave parts. They were so diverse and fun and a terrific addition to the story.

"His heart was human now, through and through. And humanity, true humanity, he realized, was sacrifice."

I found this to be an overall very enjoyable historical/ dystopian/ fantasy read! I am giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

'Elysium Girls' is an amazing new YA fantasy that is like nothing I've read before. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect from the description. There are so many different variables that sound like they shouldn't match up right but I was very pleasantly surprised. Everything about this novel was incredibly well done - from the writing to the characters, the story line to the setting, and everything in between.

Sal was a strong main character for the story and I connected with her right away. She's kind of the town outcast who's an unwanted burden to most. She puts up with a lot of crap from other people but tries to take the high road, stay out of trouble and be invisible. I found her to be incredibly realistic and I was definitely rooting for her throughout the story. She has her strengths - she's a gifted witch, she's smart, strong, brave, determined, and honest. She has her flaws like everyone else though - she doesn't believe in herself and her potential for one thing. I loved getting to know her throughout the story and seeing her character change and grow.

One major plus for me was the writing style. The author wrote the book in the first person point of view - from Sal's perspective. This is by far my favorite writing style and I love that the book was done this way. We really get to know Sal on a deep and personal level - the kind that only this writing style can provide (in my opinion). We're privy to her innermost thoughts, hopes and dreams, fears and uncertainties, memories, and everything in between. I can't emphasize enough how much I love that the story is written this way.

The plot was fantastic and an interesting mix of several genres. 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'm really glad I gave this one a chance and will definitely be re-reading it again soon. Very highly recommended for fans of all genres and readers looking for something unique and exciting.

Elysium Girls is a really interesting and unique story. A part of the world becomes a game board for the Goddess of Life and Death and winning becomes a matter of life and death.

I really liked the plot and the way things progress in the game. Nothing was too overwhelming and the characters felt like they were mostly on equal footing. Even though you got perspectives from Sal, Asa and even Lucy. It didn’t feel like characters were standing out as the main ones. It felt like everyone was a main character in their own way. It’s hard to explain but when you read it you find different people standing out for different reasons.

I did like Sala and Asa as a team though. They form this kind of loose friendship that turns into a real friendship as they have a little more advantage in the game. Knowing that there are other things at play working against them. They did not overshadow other peoples accomplishments and value you though. I really liked Lucy and Olvia as characters, they have important threads in the story as well.

Of course I loved the band of Elysium Girls that we find in the desert. Plus the mechanical horses!! I’ve always loved the idea of them. Although for some reason I kept thinking of the four horsemen with these. We are talking the end of the world here. I like that they are a close knit family looking out for one another.

There is no overpowering love story and you don’t really need one because it’s more about people coming together and supporting each other. That kind of love as opposed to romantic love. I didn’t mind, it didn’t really need one. Not saying this isn’t anything it’s just not the focus at all.

The story has many threads that come together at the end in a whirlwind. Some things you might suspect. Some things you might not. I do kind of want to know beyond the ending but it was a good ending for the story.

I did really enjoy the story and that it’s a standalone that is well paced. It’s a great book if you need a break from long trilogies.

I'm excited to be a part of the ELYSIUM GIRLS blog tour with The Fantastic Flying Book Club from April 8th - April 14th, 2020!

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! In no way does this affect my rating or review.

All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.

Content Warning: Epidemic illness, Mass-Death, Gore, Prejudice, Murder, Profanity, Animal sacrifice

"First of all, there isn’t only one god. There are two Sisters--Life and Death--and their Mother, who presides over everything else. And the Sisters like to gamble against each other with things like time and space and human lives. And when our world ended and their Game began, it was silent and smothering as the grave."

April 14, 1935 is known as Black Sunday in Elysium, Oklahoma. It was the day that reality changed. A dust storm appeared on the horizon and soon engulfed the region in a dark cloud. It was the moment that the entities of the Mother, and her daughters, Life and Death revealed themselves, and the game they decided to play. For the next ten years, Elysium would have to prove themselves to decide if they would return to the normal world outside or remain in this dust-bowl dystopia for eternity.

In the present, only a short time remains to the next confrontation with the Dust Soldiers--the conduits of the entities. Sal, a young woman residing within the walls of Elysium, anxiously counts down with the rest of the town’s citizens. Orphaned and outcasted by the rest, Sal still knows that she is destined for more than to be known as the “girl who cried rain.” Premonitions of coming rain from when she was a young girl have plagued her ever since--turning the town against her when the rain never came. But the visions have only grown stronger. Dust Sickness has only become more prevalent within the city walls. Time is running out.

The time has also come for the town’s leader to choose a Successor. Mother Morevna, a witch and strong leader shockingly names Sal to become that person. Ready for the challenge, and ready to discover more about herself and the possible magic that she possesses, Sal enters into training. Her victory and change of status, however, are eclipsed by the arrival of Asa to town. A professed traveling magician, Asa is truthfully a Daemon in disguise and servant to Life on an errand for his goddess. His exhibition of magic in a random dust storm, however, turns the townsfolk from Sal to Asa, causing a rift in the hierarchy. In an orchestrated magical duel between Sal and Asa to prove that Sal is the superior magic leader, plans go awry, and Sal finds herself banned from Elysium.

"As Asa realized this completely, the yearning seemed to fill his every sinew, his every fiber, and he knew he was powerless to resist this new, intoxicating thing called humanity."

Sal is faced with a much bigger problem now that she is stranded in the desert. Her want-to-be-human-daemon adversary luckily decides to accompany her outside the walls. As they traverse the harrowingly new landscape, the two begin on a journey that will unravel the truth about the game waged between Life and Death, Dust Sickness, and the foundations of Elysium itself.

Almost eerily familiar to current events in the world today, Elysium Girls is a timely read while a mysterious illness ravages the town, a celestial war ensues, and magic enables a secret agenda. Fans of diverse Westerns with a flare of Mad Max dystopia elements will find this fast-paced read a contender in dust-bowl fantasies.

Vulgarity: Minimal.
Sexual content: Minimal.
Violence: Moderate.

My Rating:★★★1/2

Not going to lie here, friends, I had some sky-high expectations from this book. Because come on, did you see the synopsis? It sounds amazing! And I am here with some great news! It fully delivered (in fact, I think it exceeded my expectations, woo)! And now, I am going to tell you all the reasons that Elysium Girls hits it out of the park!

• The setting was so on point! When I read "Dust Bowl Inspired", I figured it may be just... a vague feeling of similarity. But NOPE. It is in the actual Dust Bowl! Right smack in the middle of Depression-era Oklahoma, you will feel how dire of a situation this book is set in. Because yes, it's set in a real place and time, but in an alternate situation. It'll all be explained to you, which is also greatly appreciated. The author provides a lot of world-building along the way. In fact, it's kind of a big part of the plot, in essence!

• Sal is an incredibly relatable and sympathetic character. Gosh, girl cannot catch a break! If it wasn't bad enough that she's stuck in Elysium, her mom is dead, and she's kind of the town pariah after a bout of magic that didn't turn out as she'd planned. She has a handful of allies, but none that are willing to really go to bat for her. At the start, anyway.

• When Sal finds her people, it is absolute perfection. Look, I am not telling you the who, where, when, etc, because I think you're better off finding that out on your own, but the people who Sal eventually finds/chooses are kind of a perfect fit and they elevate the book so much.

• I actually enjoyed the magic system! I know you guys, this is a big rarity for me, but here I am, liking me some magic! The author describes it really well in a way that didn't go over my head or feel convoluted. And considering the situation, it worked without requiring any suspension of disbelief.

• The author absolutely nails the descriptions of the events. And make no mistake, this was not an easy feat! I mean, some things happen in the book that are kind of bananas, so you can imagine that it's a tricky thing to truly make the reader visualize. But she did it! I was able to fully understand what was happening, even when there was a lot of action and excitement. I could picture and sense what was happening with our characters. It stood out for me so much that I kept making Kindle notes about it, which is why I am sharing with you!

• It's thought provoking, very morally gray, and asks the tough questions. I mean, is there anything I love more than a book that forces its characters to make some terrible decisions and figure out the least of evils? No there is not, and this book absolutely features ALL of that!

Bottom Line: So atmospheric with fabulous characters and a ton of heart and hope in the darkest of situations, Elysium Girls is one you cannot miss.

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

ELYSIUM GIRLS by @katepentecost
#ElysiumGirls #witchyreads

This stunning western style dystopian, is one uniquely compelling Dust Bowl-inspired fantasy. A Wild Wild West of a fantasy that plunges the reader into 1935, Oklahoma where a high stake ten year game between Sister Goddesses one of Life and the other of Death… a book of survival or annihilation, witchy girls, and goddesses.

On the pivotal day April 14th, 1935 A powerful devastating dust storm changes the Oklahoma Panhandle. Leaving in it’s wake an unfathomable destruction to the landscape and its survivors.

The sister Goddesses of Life and Death set a challenge to those remaining to establish order, building a city and tithing of third of their harvests crops for 10 years. The time is drawing near and the fate of the people are at hand and will be so determined by the Goddess Themselves

Elysium, a walled city of of an alternative Oklahoma, is under the leadership of a powerful witch, Mother Morvena. Strategically set apart from the world, ELYSIUM and it’s survivors struggle under desperate post apocalypses circumstances. Just staying alive is feat in its self, when death by the dust-sickness, that causes you to cough up mud is spreading everywhere. and no one knows how to stop it.

The struggles are real in treacherous society where food is rationed, along with the decline of religious beliefs, to dealing with racism. Ultimately the city must go head to head in a battle against the supernatural soldiers sent by Life and Death.

Sal Wilkerson won’t be a pawn in this game, our exceptional heroine, is an outcast in Elysium. Ever since she was a child she had false visions of rain. She is chosen by witch, Mother Morvena, to be her successor. But when a series of events happens, Sal is faced with exile, when she falls from grace. Accompanied with Asa, a demon turned human.

Outcasted in a desolate desert, the two saddle up to a misfit girl gang witches. Sal comes into her own, when she is excepted within the exiled girl gang and their witchy leader Olivia Rosales. They join forces together and create a cavalry of magic powered scrap metal horses to fight to save Elysium.

Wow, this was an exceptional creative novel, with its intriguing characters,and vibrant world building. The Magic System was enjoyable and easy to comprehend, the characters were well fleshed out.

This a stunning steampunk badass book about girl power and friendship. I was completely engaged and immersed into this neck-breaking paced Ya Fantasy!
#yalit #yafantasy
#bookishalgorithm #bookreview #bookrecommendations #elysiumgirls #disneyhyperion #katepentecost

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher and Fantastic Flying Book Club. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Elysium Girls

Author: Kate Pentecost

Book Series: Standalone?

Rating: 3/5

Diversity: LGBT f/f moments

Publication Date: April 14, 2020

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: 16+ (violence, slight gore, romance, magic, and dust)

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Pages: 400

Amazon Link

Synopsis: In this sweeping Dust Bowl-inspired fantasy, a ten-year game between Life and Death pits the walled Oklahoma city of Elysium-including a girl gang of witches and a demon who longs for humanity-against the supernatural in order to judge mankind.

When Sal is named Successor to Mother Morevna, a powerful witch and leader of Elysium, she jumps at the chance to prove herself to the town. Ever since she was a kid, Sal has been plagued by false visions of rain, and though people think she's a liar, she knows she's a leader. Even the arrival of enigmatic outsider Asa-a human-obsessed demon in disguise-doesn't shake her confidence in her ability. Until a terrible mistake results in both Sal and Asa's exile into the Desert of Dust and Steel.

Face-to-face with a brutal, unforgiving landscape, Sal and Asa join a gang of girls headed by another Elysium exile-and young witch herself-Olivia Rosales. In order to atone for their mistake, they create a cavalry of magic powered, scrap metal horses to save Elysium from the coming apocalypse. 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.

Review: For the most part this book was ok. The characters were complex and well developed. The author did great to include diversity in her novel and make the content LGBT friendly. And the book had a good pacing. The story was also intriguing and there was a great voice that the author had when speaking through the main character.

However, I had a lot of issues with the novel. The plot was confusing and there was very little world building. The magic system (yes there’s magic, it didn’t seem like there would be when I picked this book up) wasn’t explained fully and it didn’t really fit in with the world that I understood it to be. The history and background information was muddied and unexplained, which made it really hard to understand where the characters were coming from and how they were coming to the conclusions that they did. The romance also felt forced to me, like it just felt really off. There was also POV switching, which I don’t mind, but the tenses did change and that also made for a confusing read on my end.

Verdict: Overall, I think the book is good and interesting, but I think it definitely needed another round of edits. However, I did have an ARC so it should have went through another round or so before final printing. Hopefully, the issues have been ironed out in it.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Fantastic Flying Book Club, Netgalley, and Disney-Hyperion for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

The Goddesses Life and Death have begun a Game. They have given you exactly ten years to build your city. No more, no less.

I feel like this concept was very interesting, and never thought about how it would be to isolate an entire town from the rest of society and make them basically build their city into something that is supposed to be great. We think about how a lot of the world ended up developing their infrastructure and civilizations more when they interacted with other civilizations since there were different points of view to pull from. Could a single town – especially during the 1800s like this book is set in – come up with pretty much some sort of Utopia in ten years in order to stay alive? And then, if they don’t develop their city based on the Goddess of Life’s standards – whatever that may be – does that mean they all die? Just like that?

I think I got the shivers just thinking about that.

At first things seemed to be going well, even though there were white people, black people, Mexican people… for this time period, I’m actually surprised that they were able to get along at first. But of course, something goes down and then the racial tension builds up and doesn’t go away. MONTHS before the time is up and these people are still being apprehensive about the “others” because of some murder that somehow happened where they ended up exiling a Mexican girl that they THOUGHT murdered the dude, Olivia Rosales. Sure, she had the bloody weapon in her hands, but that doesn’t mean she really did it, does it?

Then you have people giving our main character Sal a hard time because she had a dream about rain – this city hasn’t had natural rain since the game began – and they called her a liar. IT WAS A DREAM and yet these people are going to pretty much ostracize her and not want to help take care of her even though her mother was killed and she’s basically an orphan. The people in this town, my gosh.

Okay clearly I had some thoughts about that part because both of those irritated me. BUT, the plot and the rest of the novel was very, very cool. I liked that there was this whole group of girls outside of the wall that surrounded this city that were kicking butt and taking names and just surviving out there on their own. They somehow are able to pull together enough magic to create these metal horses and come together to try to prevent the apocalypse from happening, even though their very own people kicked them out to the curb. Maybe this is the pessimist in me talking, but would I really want to help the people that rejected me and had me live or die outside of the city? I don’t know, but that’s what these girls are trying to do. And even though they have a daemon in their midst – and this daemon is human-obsessed to a high level that’s pretty interesting – it’s interesting to see how they are able to work together to get out of this crazy game that Life and Death created. Out of fun, is what it looks like.

I’m still irritated at Life and Death but when you’re bored, you come up with some crazy stuff to keep you occupied.

“Always seeing things that aren’t there. People that aren’t there. Of course, in a world like this, who’s to know what’s real and what’s not?”

This story has a very interesting plot. Two powerful Gods one day decide to play a game with nothing else than human lives. They have 10 years to create a prosperous city putting aside a certain amount of food by the time they return. If they succeed, they live. If not, well, we all know where this goes.

And enter Sal Wilkerson, an outcast who grew up in this city, and Asa, a new addition to the city who holds secrets of his own. An unfortunate series of events bring these two together and only with a few months left before the end of the game, everything goes wrong.

Banished from the city, they will meet one heck of a group that will change the game.
There are many things that I enjoyed in this book. The first part was a wonderful way to set up the story. The world-building breaks a few standards on family and brings some diversity.

I tried to imagine how, as a society, we would react if we lived constantly under the threat of death. A one-goal kind of existence. I still don't know what would happen, but every time the town would react, I thought how horrible they were behaving.

Sal is a wonderful character who grows a great deal in this book. Asa is a very unique and interesting character. I grew fond of their friendship. Lucy is another character I enjoyed reading about. The magic system is very interesting too. I enjoyed learning about it and how it helped Sal in her journey.
The rest of the book has a different dynamic and oh wow, I loved it. Sal and Asa meet a group of badass girls who live in a precarious environment and are making the best of it in a way. Olivia is one I enjoyed reading about too.

The plot twists are simply amazing. There were moments I knew something big was coming, but I still didn't see it coming. This is not a love story though, there is a bit of it in this book. I felt this book stronger on friendship, self-discovery, and how to fight for what you believe.

This book is definitely one I recommend.

I’m so happy to finally gush about Elysium Girls! It’s a truly unique YA historical fantasy set during The Dust Bowl in Oklahoma about a gang of girls trying to save their corner of the world in a game between Life and Death.

I don’t even know where to start with Elysium Girls. I LOVED IT. From the very beginning, to the very end and gladly read the acknowledgements. It’s the best kind of thing I’m always looking for and like nothing I’ve ever read before.

Engrossing
Atmospheric
Girls liking girls!
TWO couples of girls liking girls.
Witches being witchy and spells
Bullying
Found family
One of our main squad is Comanche Indian, indigenous in the area of Oklahoma. There are mentions of the residential schools
Mechanical horses!
Daemon who quickly became my second favorite.
Love the all girl gang! Kicking butt and taking names
There were moments of “OMG PPL I KNOW SOMETHING YOU DON’T” But it hyped up the tension and suspense and it wasn’t something they missed.
Totally bought the red herring right up before the reveal
Great for all YA lovers and the younger teens as well.


five-stars

5 Stars all the way. There’s nothing about this I didn’t like. I can’t think of comp titles but it’s girl power, queer, and fantastical. I’ll def be following Pentecost for more releases!

Elysium Girls is an incredibly diverse and original YA Fantasy novel that will wow you as you flip the page.

When I first saw and heard of Elysium Girls I was intrigued, but I’m going to be honest and say I didn’t know what to make of it. But as I read, I realized just how original and unique this story is. It’s not your usual YA Fantasy novel with magic in a fictional magical land. Instead, it’s a story in a Southern setting with a diverse cast and a high stakes plot.

The first 40% dragged on for me. It definitely took a while to build up. But once I got past that, it just got more interesting! I met the girl gang of witches (which was incredibly diverse and I have to give kudos to the author for that, (there are Mexican characters, Black characters, and Native American characters!)), and the plot thickened.

The characters are great, but I wanted more characterization. Specifically, I wanted to explore these different characters more and see more of their relationship with the other characters. For example, Sal and Asa has a connection since they were part of a big mistake and got exiled from Elysium together. They have a bond of their own, but I never got to see that flourish. Sal and Olivia also has quite a dynamic as sister witches/co-leaders, but I never fully saw that. And of course, Sal and Lucy. I shipped them since the beginning, even though they only had a few scenes together. I just wanted more of them!

On the other hand, I loved the plot twists! They were not anything major or out of the blue, instead they were just right and were cleverly written into the story. The author’s use of foreshadowing was also great and it made the story more exciting as I unraveled all the little details. The epic final battle was also a great way to end the story! Although, I do wish that there was some sort of epilogue after that.

Overall, Elysium Girls was a great read and I am pleasantly surprised! Go ahead and pick up this book!

None of this should work. In reading the synopsis, there is no way that any two elements of this story should work together. And yet, somehow, some unfathomable how, it does. Beautifully.

The premise of this book could be likened to quarantine cooking. The author rooted through her mental pantry and threw whatever she had that might taste decent into a pot. Dustbowl USA, the Great Depression, a game between the goddesses of life and death, witches, daemons, and a gun-slinging girl gang with metal horses. All of it into a pot, simmered on the stove for twenty minutes until this book sat at the bottom. And somehow it works. It's a fantastical and weird mix of story elements that all piece together to form a highly unique and entertaining story.

On top of the writing being excellent, there are some incredible world building details. I mean, obviously, but let me go into a few of my favourites. 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. Another detail I liked is the monsters in the desert. They aren't featured much—to my eternal disappointment—but there is one that pulls you down through your own shadow like quicksand. And yet for all that I liked, there wasn't enough. I was left feeling a little cheated on a few things. The horses, for instance. They're a huge part of why I was drawn to this book. Metal, fiery horses on the cover; surely they're a focal point. Instead I found they weren't explained well and didn't become important until way too late.

I was surprised by how well diversity was handled in this book. I've often seen books set in this time period maintain the racist and sexist tones of life at the time. Coloured-only spaces and the woman is only good in the kitchen and all that. This book said I see you, and I know you're wrong. In Elysium, the leader strives to create a town of equality. It is led by a woman, and racism and sexism are not present. Everyone is treated the same, given the circumstances, and it was such a treat. And, of course, who can say no to a gang of girls causing trouble out in the big, bad desert?

If you're coming into this expecting a spectacular sapphic read, I'd temper those expectations right this second. To call it wholly queer is a stretch. For one, there is very little romance that takes place. The most prominent love story is between one main and secondary character, and it's a peculiar straight one. Yes, there are a couple of characters who we know to be lesbian, but nothing comes of it. Even when the other main character begins to develop feelings toward a woman, it is never named or acknowledged, really.

As a debut and a standalone, this was a ridiculously unique and entertaining read that I would highly recommend if you're on the lookout for something new and different.

3.5/5 stars

Elysium Girls is a story of witchcraft, cunning, and friendship. Mixing a dust bowl setting meets Wild West and witches, Elysium Girls revolves around Sal an the found family she creates. Caught in the middle of a game between life and death, part of what I adored about Elysium Girls was its celebration of friendship. I've always felt that at the end of the world, we would either fracture or band together. And Elysium Girls proves that if you can find your family, the place where you belong, you can make real change.

The girls were the highlight of Elysium Girls. Not only were some of them queer, and some POC characters too, but their friendship is supportive. It gave me all the good vibes feelings with a sense of high stakes. The kind of book that pulls you out of a slump. If you're also a fan of characters who aren't quite human, but are more human like than some humans - this book is for you! Elysium Girls is able to balance a mysterious plot full of betrayal and end-of-the-world vibes, with moments of happiness and bonding. Glimmers of light in the impending dust storm.

There are not many YA westerns out there, so when I first heard about this YA western fantasy, I was really excited! I love a good western setting and the characters they bring, and I was not disappointed with Elysium Girls!

Quick Thoughts
-There is not much focus on romance in this book, but what's there was just. SO. CUTE. I could not stop squealing over the cuteness of the romance.
-This book is so easy to read (at least it was for me). The prose wasn't flowery, and the action was exciting and the whole book was just so FUN. It did not take me long to get through it.
-This is a PSA: Elysium Girls is a standalone fantasy book! Yup, there is no sequel! How awesome is that?

Lasting Impressions

My favorite part of this book is how unique and fresh it is. It blends so many different components together that it felt like I was reading something totally new. For one thing, the genre blend of western and fantasy is definitely not something I've read! This book has magic, goddesses, daemons, and witches, but it I was never confused about the world building or the magic system. It was refreshingly simple and not overwrought.

And speaking of the world, this one is so interesting! The book is set in 1944, so not exactly your spaghetti-western time period, but the setting if Elysium, Oklahoma trapped in time because of a pair of gambling goddesses is just so fascinating. The added touches of steampunk, metal/magic horses was just the best thing ever.

You know what else was the best thing ever? The goshdarned plot! There were so many twists, so many reveals that I didn't see coming! It was fast-paced and exciting with lots of action.

But my favorite thing about this book was the characters. The main character, Sal, is so uncertain and doubtful of herself at first, but watching her grow into her powers and seeing her grow in confidence was just so heartwarming. And Asa is THE BEST! He's so funny and sweet, especially for a daemon. The other secondary characters such as Lucy and Olivia were all three-dimensional and so interesting to learn more about. The rest of the girls who make up the desert witchy girl gang are also wonderful. The sisterhood is strong in this book, and I am here for it!

Overall Feelings

Kate Pentecost is a new author to watch out for! Her debut is incredibly strong, and a lot of fun. I can't wait to see what else she comes up with! If you're looking for a standalone fantasy that is different from the norm, or you're just looking for a wonderful fantasy book in general, you should definitely pick this book up!

Plot

I'm going to admit that wanting to read this one was purely driven by my love of the cover... Yeah, I did that. But, what followed as I read was a respect for the amazing story that Elysium Girls turned out to be!




I've heard people liken it to Mad Max, and I can see it. You have a bunch of girls--and a daemon--who are left to the devices of the gods; stranded in the desert trying to survive a game that they didn't ask for. With obstacles both human and supernatural, the girls do what they can to survive with the help of magic.

Elysium Girls takes place in Oklahoma after the infamous Dust Bowl. The gods decide to take advantage of an-already disadvantaged people by setting up a game between Life and Death. If Life wins, so do the people of Elysium. If Death wins... they perish.

From the first page, the author builds up the setting of what is a powerful story of how even the most seemingly downtrodden and defeated characters can not only defy odds stacked against them, but do it with strength and goodness that is rare in the times they're in.




Characters

The main character, Sal, started out as a weak girl who was unsure of herself due to the treatment she'd received in Elysium for most of her life. She knew she was different, but that difference didn't give her the confidence that it should have. Sal's growth through the whole story is one of the things that impressed me the most.

By the end, Sal is a force to be reckoned with. I attribute that to the sheer need to grow and the influence of other amazingly strong characters.

Asa, a daemon sent down as a pawn, came off as a little goofy to me at first. But, that quickly turned into an endearing presence that I know the story couldn't have done without.

These two, along with a powerful group of girls they find in the desert carry the plot to the finish line and make this story as great as it is.




Writing

The writing was superb! I can't convey enough how well Pentecost carried out this story. In a world where there are so many post-apocalyptic stories being told, this one was refreshing and unique.

Pacing

The pacing was well-done. Oftentimes I struggle with the beginning of a book when the author is doing the world-building, but there was none of that here.

Cover

I already admitted that I picked this one for the cover... So, do I need to say more?




I absolutely suggest that if you are interested in reading about powerful females, magical battles, and endearing characters, you pick up Elysium Girls. I believe there's a little bit of something for everyone in this book.

My review will be available at the link provided on April 11, 2020.