The idea for this book was awesome! The execution was not. It read like an outline of cool things that could happen! I was shocked when something that could have actually been used to build relationships, expand on the world, create meaning, was addressed in literally 3 sentences. The whole book was like that. 

There were completely unnecessary time jumps forward after what you thought would be important things. But no. So much of this book was just bullet points of things happening and none of it tying together. 

I would have dnfed it if it wasn't December and I needed it to meet my book goal for the year. It was just very not great.

Okay, I LOVED that out of all the creativeness in this book, I can’t recall ever reading about a main character that was a goblin!!! Let alone a goblin princess! I can’t hype this book up enough and feel it’s a great read that is immersive and has creativity that is so underrated!!!

Great and unique book. It has some aspects that we see in some other books which have the same vibe, but it absolutely has most unique characters and plot. I highly enjoyed reading this!

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest review

Okay, while reading Where There Be Humans I was definitely getting some vibes from other books that I've previously read. In it, you will meet Ivy. Now she was pretty interesting because she was goblin princess. I don't think I've ever read a book where the main character was a goblin. A side character? Yes.

Throughout the book, she travels to the human world to save a loved one: her brother. Travelling with her is her best friend Pudge. Lord, these two were hilarious together. All the teasing and snarky comments reminded me of myself when I'm with friends or family.

In the end, this book had so many twists and turns that made this book one wild and fun adventure.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is great. I loved the world, the characters and the story. I couldn't put it down. Definitely a must read for all fantasy lovers!

Where there be humans is a YA fantasy book by  Rebekah L. Purdy. It was the first book from that author I was reading and I'm not disapointed. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an arc of this book.

In a world where goblins are the main character and humans are just fairy tales we meet Ivy an half-goblins, she's not sure what the other half is but she suspect it might be human. When Dorian, the prince, is kidnapped after a mission, it will finally be the chance for her to prove her worth. Being only half goblin she have been often look down on her by the others living in Gob Hollow. And maybe find her origins if she survives the mission.

ARC from NetGalley

2.5 stars

In this book, we get to read all about how, for some reason, the king of the goblins sends a bunch of teenagers out on a really dangerous mission, including his heir.

The writing wasn't bad, but not good. This book is on the younger side of young adult despite all of the attempted edginess with all the arseholes flying around. The bad guys were really stereotypical. The love interest... Okay so Pudge is gross. He spends the first half of the book being gross. Not a sympathetic love interest. I was a bit embittered by the bait and switch. 

There were some plot failings. It's never explained why the cook is so important that she shows up to meet with the king. I found that confusing. Also confusing that no one else questioned it. The hag (the goblin deity essentially) stuff was really random. The lore isn't delved into at all. The setting essentially didn't exist in my mind. I didn't get a feel for it at all. The magic system isn't explained at all. There is some great importance placed on the tattoos and the hag necklace thingy and the dog and the sword, but none of these things end up really doing anything. Eh.

Everything was really predictable, but it was a semi-entertaining, quick read. It was an interesting spin that had potential.

A quick read for young adults. 
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the E-arc copy of Where There Be Humans.
#Netgalley

Received in exchange for a honest review.

When I first began this story, I wasn’t sure really what to expect. The blurb sounded interesting but as cautious. Each book from Rebekah Purdy I have read, I liked but none were in this time of setting. So that made me cautious. As I started to read the book though, I really got into it. 

There was some wonderful world building and you got to feel all that Ivy was thinking and seeing. She was very real with how she felt and it was portrayed in her actions and thoughts. I loved Ivy’s mischievous and curious side. I enjoyed how when she had questions, she sought out the answers. She was a very determined girl. An excellent soldier and her relationship with her dad was great.  

Pudge was awesome. He was lighthearted and just sweet. I felt for him at the end because this poor guy went through a lot on the journey to save Prince Dorian and he lost alot as well. I wasn’t quite surprised with the turns in Pudge’s life but was sad to see them occur. I did love the ending and the romance aspect in Pudge’s life.

Prince Dorian: when this began I loved how he was with Ivy. He saw beyond her being half goblin. When they were setting up the mission to the land of human, I was so thrilled to see he was by Ivy’s side supporting her being on it but I didn’t like how he was manipulated at that point. He is a good character but he didn’t really let Ivy completely in and that turns out to hurt them both at different junctures. 

Ivy’s aunt: great. She was understanding and sweet. She accepted Ivy and who she was unlike like her uncle. Her aunt had Ivy believing humans weren’t all that bad. That is until her uncle and the family she was looking at for kidnapping the Prince came into her world. They were malicious piece of works. 

The Plot: The story between Pudge and Ivy and their romance was sweet and entertaining. Not much drama or angst there. The story of Ivy and Prince Dorian was complicated but not angsty. That played out well in the end and I love how Prince Dorian was always supportive of Ivy even when Ivy didn’t think he was. The politics in the story was very interesting. There was more than meets the eye going on behind the scenes as the kind tries to keep his place and keep the overgreedy council from overstepping. The story had twists and turns with some sad moments. You were entertained the entire book and I liked how it ended. I liked that this was not on vampires or witches but goblins for goblins aren’t really used alot in books and this one brought them to life.         

Overall: fun, entertaining with twists and turns. The story is one that you just enjoy sitting and reading. Not much angst or drama but some danger, reveals and twists with a bit of romance.

Ivy and Pudge are best friends and they are goblins. But Ivy is a bit different from other goblins and she is convinced that she is half human. But humans are fairytales. One day Ivy and Pudge are sent to a mission to rescue the missing prince. And they learn some fairytales are true.

This book is a fantasy young adult book and fits in the friends to lovers genre. 
I was totally addicted to the world building and the young goblins. I felt never bored and there where really good moments in the story. It was something new and I have really liked it. 
Read it!

This was an interesting book and while I thought I had everything figured out there were several unexpected twisted that surprised me big time.  I absolutely love books that make you think you have it figured out and then throw you a curve ball.

Ivy is half goblin and half human but she knows nothing of her human parent.  While she is trying to learn about her human half so many more secrets about her life come to life.  When her betrothed is kidnapped the biggest secret of all comes out and her chance to meet her human family comes.  To make things more confusing for her she has fallen in love with her other friend while trying to rescue her betrothed.

This is an intriguing book and I would highly recommend it.  This was my first book by this author and I absolutely loved it.  There are a lot of authors that write books that you can follow and kind of guess the next thing to happen but Rebekah kept me guessing.  I truly look forward to reading more by this author because she had me enthralled through the whole book!

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book!

I absolutely loved this book! It was really well written and the characters were so easy to connect with. Lots of intrigue and secrets, with continuous action without being over kill. The main character, Ivy, is a talented half-goblin but also has her faults, and I honestly loved that you see her fail because it made her more relatable. My one critique with this story was at some points it felt a little too geared towards younger audiences and could have been a little more detailed, but over all a fantastic read. Definitely recommend!!

Thank you, Netgalley and Entangled Teen for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Where There Be Humans is an interesting story about a half-goblin who struggles with her identity. In a world where being half-goblin is looked down upon she has to fight her way to be respected and accepted. This is a romantic fantasy that mainly focuses on Ivy's journey than world-building. The world was fascinating with different fantastical species and creatures. The magic system was minimal. There was lore that sounded intriguing but was not expanded upon in the story. The book is easy to get through and fast-paced. There were some aspects of the story that reminded me of Harry Potter, with certain characters and their interactions. While the story was entertaining and easily readable, I found myself not liking specific parts of it because of how some of the topics were executed. I still think if you like romantic fantasies and love to try out the genre, then definitely check it out. This is a straight-up romantic fantasy with adventure and a mission into the different worlds within the book. The book is for the younger YA audience than the older ones. I gave the book 2.5 stars, and while it was enjoyable, I didn't love it.

Where There Be Humans by Rebekah L. Purdy is a fast paced, young adult fantasy read. The main characters of this world are goblins in a world also with trolls, and elves but humans are the thing of fairy tales to these creatures.

Ivy Archer is a sixteen year old goblin that has been training to be a warrior in her land of Gob Hollow. Although Ivy is arguably the best in training she’s not well liked by those around her since she’s always been a little different that the other goblins leaving her to wonder if she isn’t part of another species.

When it comes time for the new warrior selections Ivy is left out of those chosen instead finding herself promised in a marriage she does not want. However, when the goblin prince is taken hostage Ivy finds herself leading the effort to return him safely out of the land of the humans where she also finds more about her heritage.

Personally I enjoyed reading Where There Be Humans and appreciated the creativity behind the world of Gob Hollow. It’s not often we find creatures other than the standard vampires and werewolves being the star of the show so hopping into the land of goblins for a few hours with all the twisty secrets of Ivy’s family was quite fun. I wouldn’t have minded a bit more depth to the story as it does go rather quickly but otherwise liked reading this one.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I love goblin stories and I especially liked that this was told from the pov of a half goblin protagonist. The plot was fast paced and engaging, and overall I had a lot of fun with this book. Enjoyed the story and liked the worlbuilding.

A really fun and interesting read. I had an enjoyable time reading this and it held my attention the entire way through that I finished it within the day!

Ivy has so many questions. The most important one being who her mother was and what does that make her in the world of goblins? Then, she wonders about her growing attraction to her best friend, Pudge.  Finally, she wonders when she, the best warrior in her kingdom, will be allowed to go on a Mission and prove her loyalty.

This book gripped me from the very first page and the world-building and character development were fantastic. I was really drawn in by Purdy's descriptions of the goblin world and all its mysteries. From saving the Prince to avoid being promised to someone she doesn't admire, Ivy is challenged to her very core.

Intrigue, holy relics, goblins, elves, and orcs. An epic quest. Romance. This book has it all and I really didn't want it to end!

Where There Be Humans intrigued me from the start, mostly because the author decided to focus on goblins as the main characters. As someone who reads YA fantasy frequently, this seemed like a hidden gem – goblins are not an oft-explored mythical creature and certainly not one who is considered a candidate for a story with romance elements. More often than not, goblins are the lowest rung on the mythical creature ladder, working as the henchmen of the more glamorous villain or as generic soldiers in said villain’s army. 

I appreciated that Ivy, despite her status as a half-goblin (which made her a target for bullying by the arrogant nobles), was a determined, kick-butt protagonist who believed in herself and didn’t allow others to define her. I equally appreciated that Pudge, her best friend/secret crush, was a sweet, good-natured goblin who didn’t let Ivy fight on her own and didn’t fit into the stereotypical male love interest role, i.e., ridiculously fit, a bit of a jerk, just as proficient as Ivy in battle with none of the work she put in, etc. In addition to the interesting characters, I also enjoyed reading about the fictitious world of Gob Hollow and its residents. 

I think this book would have worked better as part of a series or just as a longer book on its own. There were so many compelling subplots in the works that could have used deeper exploration to bring them to fruition. Because of the number of subplots and the lack of development on them, the book was left feeling a little rushed and led to the conclusion that it could have been more than what it was. I would have loved the opportunity to dive deeper into the mythology of the Hag, the patron goddess of goblins, and how and why exactly Ivy was chosen by her and the ramifications of that choice. Because certain subplots weren’t explored, this book read a little younger than a true young adult novel. 

Ultimately, I enjoyed There Be Humans for what it was – a book with a unique plot focused on goblins that introduced an equally unique conflict, a romance between two best friends, and the idea of humans as the bad guys.

It was a cute read- more like a younger YA (minus a few swear words). The MC is a very strong character half goblin, half possibly human, who endures bullying and teasing for being of mixed blood.  She goes on an importan mission for the king and really proves her worth.  If you like youngish YA fantasy, then give this a try.

Leaving reviews on amazon, Goodreads, and my book blog.

If you are looking for a reversed YA Fantasy story where instead of finding out there are paranormal creatures running around, you come to realize humans are also walking the realm, this fast-paced story is just what you’re wanting. 

I was super intrigued by the synopsis and the world-building that hopefully would come along with it.

While I did find this book to be very entertaining and worth the read, there were a few typical elements that we tend to see in this genre. It just felt like the world itself was something we’ve read time and time again, BUT the plot was well-defined and provided a quick read. 

I gave this one a solid 3 out of 5 stars. If this book sounds even remotely interesting to you, I would definitely recommend picking it up!