The gods have fled and the monsters that were once kept at bay have started hunting people again. To top it off a serial killer starts sacrificing people. This is not your normal fantasy adventure story. It has they pieces you want for that, but it is also violent and gory and wonderful. I enjoyed it. It was creepy and I am hoping we get to come back to this world.

4 stars

This book is well written and an interesting story with good characters.

However, I didn’t personally like it. But I can absolutely see why someone would be obsessed with it. And that’s ok.

This criticism is not because it’s not good, it’s because I have preferences and this didn’t meet them. I’m going to point out the reasons I didn’t like it, but know that if these things don’t bother you, you’ll likely like this book.

This book taught me I really don’t care for human sacrifices in a book, especially by the “good” protagonist. There’s a lot of human sacrifice in this book. A lot. And it’s essential to the story. I wouldn’t say it’s superfluous. It’s just a lot and not my favorite.

The romance between the two main characters is not the kind I like. It seems very fresh and immature, and yet they treat it like a long term solid relationship. It felt like the foundation of a trauma-based relationship. Doesn’t seem healthy. And I don’t like unhealthy relationships. It’s especially frustrating to me because it’s a lesbian relationship and I feel these need a lot of examples of healthy relationships, and this one seems like it’s pure but really isn’t.

The style is somewhat episodic, which is also not my favorite. It would be a great, juicy streaming series to binge. I think there would be a specific audience that would LOVE it. While I absolutely love streaming series, in general, I don’t think I like it in book format.

There’s more of a focus on the mythology part of the world building and less on the physical world in which they live, and that made it difficult to ground the images. It seems almost modern “real life” but has so many unfamiliar religious? elements that I can’t find myself on the street with the characters. There are busses and fedoras, but also a giant tree that spans the city and altars and… it just didn’t affix in my imagination for me. But I get how there would be people who are much more interested in the sociology of the mythology than in the physicality.

However, it was a very enjoyable read despite all that. The characters were individual and interesting. The mythology is interesting. The action sequences were engaging, and I typically don’t like action sequences. The story is good.

And I really liked the narrator, Jodie Harris. Her accent is Australian. Typically fantasy is narrated by English accents, but the atypical world building was enhanced by the atypical accent. She also does characters well.

3.5/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me the audiobook arc to listen to.
I very rarely DNF books, and I was dragging my feet on actually DNFing this one, but by the 50% mark, I felt like I forcing myself to finish this audiobook. I went days and weeks between listens, finding anything else to listen to instead because it just did not hold my attention. When I started, I usually kept with it, but I did not look forward to jumping back into the story. To be honest, there is nothing wrong with the story. I really enjoyed the premise, I loved how the gods mysteriously went away one day and now, the people are trying to call for them to return to help before the floods. I loved the dark noir detective element to it. I loved the transgender representation it had in this fantasy story. But it was sadly enough to lure me back. The worldbuilding was amazing and in depth and the characters were interesting. Yet, simultaneously, it felt like a lot at times and was confusing. I think if I was physically reading this book, I may have liked it more? While I think the narrator did an amazing job, I would have liked if maybe we had a second, male narrator to help differentiate between characters because the story did hop between a couple.
Overall, I would recommend this story to people. I might even come back and try reading it again later in the future. At this point in time, I have too many other books to read and audiobooks to listen to, that I cannot justify how long I am dragging this one out.

hank you the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook!

This was so different from anything I've ever read and I did enjoy it a lot, but I felt like I got lost in the details, especially in the middle, which made it difficult to follow at times. The narrator was absolutely excellent and even when I couldn't remember a character's name, I could remember "their" voice, which helped with my confusion.

The character's were so well written and the storyline was fascinating, though I often felt like I was reading the second book in a series rather than a standalone because of how unique the world was. A brief intro or a novella setting up the world would have immensely decreased my confusion and increased my enjoyment.

3.5

Dark fantasy with a noir detective feel that also includes the potential return of gods, this synopsis hit so many of my buzzwords that I was thrilled to receive an audio review copy of this book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! The world building is detailed and fascinating and I loved all of our main characters. I liked learning about all their different backgrounds and motivations and untangling their web of complicated relationships. Though I'm not sure how I feel about <spoiler>the number of times characters "died" only to return again</spoiler> but that's more of a personal preference as I don't usually love that trope.

I think the beginning is a little slow as Hailey Piper just throws the reader into the world and getting your bearings straight takes some time, but once I felt I had a more solid sense of the world I really liked the pacing of the plot and the mystery elements. I also loved how queer normalized this world was and loved the casual queer representation, like the gods have a gender neutral term to go along with gods/goddesses which I really liked.

I have not read any of Piper's other work, though I am interested in them especially after having enjoyed this, but this had fewer horror elements than I was expecting. There are some horrific and graphic scenes and it's not a light read, but for those who are coming to this having read her backlist this is not a horror book.

I thought Jodie Harris did phenomenal work on this audiobook. She is the sole narrator but provides different tones and accents for each of the main characters so I never questioned who's POV we were in or who was speaking. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of her work as well as more of Piper's.

3.5

There was nothing wrong with this book, but I had to struggle through it. I really wanted to like it based on the premise. However, I found it a little boring. Maybe I'll give it another chance down the road.

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

Took me a bit to fully get into this but I ended up really enjoying it and am glad I gave it a chance! The characters were interesting and while I would have liked a little more world building it was still pretty well developed. The narrator did a good job as well.

I don’t know how to rate this book since I DNFed it at 41%. I could not get into the story. I don’t remember anything about the characters or care about what they’re doing. I think part of this is because the world building wasn’t good. I cant imagine the world. I only understand that there were gods, now they’re gone, and lilac’s tryna bring them back. I think this novel needs to be revised.

Synopsis: Ten years since the gods have vanished without a trace, and the continent of Aeg is now in danger of becoming an archipelago again, without their power to hold back the rising water and its vicious harbingers, the ravenous glories. In Valentine, the last remaining civilized city on the continent, mortal demigoddess Lilac believes she can bring back her mother, the goddess of reason, Logoi, with the right kind of ritual human sacrifices. It would all be simpler if her friend Cecil weren't one of the detectives assigned to catch the serial killer in the city, and her lover, Arcadia, a former police officer from Logos, weren't also investigating on the sly.

A fantasy horror set in a early 20th century-style setting, not for the faint of heart, and with fascinating depictions of characters struggling with PTSD and existential dread of an end that seems a foregone conclusion, this is a dark fantasy that explores its world's themes without shying away from difficult questions, excellently read by Jodie Harris.

Harris' gift for accents is clear, here, differentiating people's origin cities (Logos folks speak with a North American accent that veers between midwest and Canadian, Cecil's is British, and the narration has an Australian lilt) and her reading of description is clear, emotional passages resonating with feelings.

No Gods for Drowning was unlike any book that I’ve read thus far. Detective meets fantasy, and the reader gets to see lots of things that are unknown to the characters. Lilac is trying to gain protection for her city by summoning her mother, an anxiety blood god - which means sacrifices. This is new to her, and she has to hide it from her lover, and head of the evacuation team, Arcadia. Her two close friends are hired to find the murderer, not knowing that it is Lilac. I loved the story, I had a little trouble getting into it at first, but was so happy that I stuck it out! The writing is rich and descriptive, and Lilac is a damaged heroine that drew me in.

Lilac doesn’t think of herself as a serial killer – she’s ritually conducting these sacrifices to awaken her goddess mother. But Alex and Cecil are detectives who see these killings as abominable crimes that must be resolved. Meanwhile, Arcadia is a captain of an evacuation team that strives to protect the city from flooding and monsters, and slowly finds herself being drawn into the plots of those around her. As these characters’ ambitions and lives become intertwined, they begin to wonder if there’s more to the gods’ absence than everyone else believes.

I wasn’t sure how to feel about this book at first. I’m notorious for not reading more than the first few sentences of book blurbs, so the first 20% of the book was confusing with all the fantasy-like elements interspersed with modern technology. It was off putting as there was no real grounding of the world in the beginning, which made it difficult to become fully immersed. However, as soon as I figured out what was going on, I enjoyed this read.

The story is focused on several different characters, though Lilac is the main protagonist. I enjoyed their varied backgrounds and motivations, which made the characters more relatable and helped to enhance the story and the world. I also enjoyed the exploration of this world’s religion, deities, and the abundance of morally grey characters. The author was able to include a lot of important and interesting information about the gods, their blessings, and the world’s religion without relying on info-dumping. The pacing was a little off throughout, though, with there being a lot of build up to any real action and then the action being over in the blink of an eye. Things really sped up in the last 15 of 20 percent of the work, which was enjoyable but led to it being a little overwhelming.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and liked this world the author created. My thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read and review this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was a fantastic novel that blends together elements of fantasy, thriller and maybe a touch of horror in an exciting story.

This book leaned into some tropes, but subverted others, creating a fun fresh read. Compared to the author's previous works, this one is more mainstream, avoiding some of the weird stuff they've become known for writing. I don't need romance in my books but I liked the complicated nature of these relationships. Even more so, I liked the complications of the characters who were morally gray with understandable motivations.

The book gets pretty crazy towards the end. I enjoyed the ride. Overall I really enjoyed this genre bending thriller and would highly recommend this one to anyone looking for a new dark, twisted story.

DNF -I couldn’t anymore. After getting to almost 50% I had to stop. It just wasn’t for me. I am sure some would find this very good but bringing back goddesses to save the city was not in my interests. It started well and I love the narrator but this kind of fantasy is not my genre right now

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this free alc in exchange for an honest review.
No Gods for Drowning by Hailey Piper was a very interesting read. The author did a wonderful job creating a mix of fantasy and murder mystery in a noire world abandoned by gods. I really enjoyed the prose. The imagery was spot on. I really enjoyed the dark world building and how easy it was to get into the lore. The pacing was a little slow to start but picked up pretty early on. I was completely shocked by almost every plot twist. The story is very character driven which and I loved getting to know all of the unique characters in this book. The narrator's voice for the audiobook was amazing. She did a great job bringing the characters to life.

Confession: Fantasy, like Extreme-Horror, is not a genre I wholeheartedly embrace. Certain authors are required for me to "get into" those. However, given some exceptional authors, I'll delve into "out-of-my-comfort-zone" genres and subgenres. NO GODS FOR DROWNING was my introduction to reading Hailey Piper, and from the first pages she shot to the top of the Mountain of Authors-I-Must-Read. I devoured N0 GODS FOR DROWNING, an exceptional novel which embraces Fantasy, Cosmic Horror, Metaphysics, Mystery, Theology, Family, and so much more. I dived in and refused to surface until the tale was completed. Now that I have, it's time to continue my Hailey Piper Marathon.

I wanted to like this. I really did. It was a slough to get through. I thought the build up to the climax of the plot was too long and then the actual exciting bits were too short. I also thought the author wanted us to root for Lilac but I did not like her. I couldn't really come to terms with the Lilac that existed in "everyday life" (the maid that loved Acadia) vs. the grotesque serial killer. I just don't think those two personas could have existed. They are too different, and messed with my suspension of reality.

ARC audiobook provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“No Gods for Drowning” is a fantasy/alternate-mythology novel that twists and turns until the very end. The city of Valentine and the country in which it is situated was protected from monsters that lurked in the deep for centuries. Well, at least until ten years ago, when the old gods fled without warning. Since, then, the citizens of Valentine have been left to fend for themselves. The glories, monsters who stalk the waters off the sea of the coast of the city, edge closer every day. After all, the rainy season is about to start and flooding is imminent. Without the old gods to protect them, mankind will simply return to what they were in the beginning: prey.

Amidst the chaos as the approach storms, a serial killer is loose in Valentine, ritually sacrificing victims in a brutal fashion around the city. Facing the impending destruction of the city, Lilac decides she must take desperate measures, starting with summoning her mother, a blood goddess. Summoning a blood goddess will take more than a little spilled blood, as well as a lot of lying and hiding from her friends and loved ones, including her lover, Arcadia. Arcadia’s best friend, Alex, and Lilac’s friend, Cecil, of Ace Investigations have meanwhile been tasked with hunting down the serial killer. However, unaware that they are actually hunting for Lilac, these detectives quickly begin to realize there may have been more to why the old gods left in the first place.

As the waters rise, the hunt for the serial killer reaches a confrontation, and revelations about the old gods are made, the question becomes: will anyone survive?

This book was absolutely amazing. I felt it was a great breath of fresh air in the fantasy books I have read this year, as well as probably within the last couple of years. It had an original premise, and the story arc was done very well. The writing style was fantastic and effortless. It kept you engaged throughout the whole book. The twists and turns in the story itself were excellent, and truly kept me guessing and surprised right until the very end, which is hard to do. The characters were well-rounded and developed, likeable where they needed to be, and vulnerable in all the right places. The dialogue was natural and never felt forced or awkward. The book pulled me right in from the beginning, and I had a hard time walking away from it. As it neared its conclusion, I was enjoying the book so much I simply did not want it to end (although I really wanted to know how it was going to end!).

My copy of this book was an audiobook, so I must comment on the narrator. I thought she did an excellent job. Her voicing of both male and female characters was well done, as was her pacing.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book. I would highly recommend this book to both adult and young adult readers. Although I would recommend this to fans of fiction in general, I also believe that fans of fantasy, science fiction/fantasy, and alternate-mythology fiction books might enjoy this best. Based on this book, I am already looking into this author’s back catalogue, eager to read all of her prior works! I think it is a perfect introduction to this author’s works, and it is an original twisty fantasy/alternate-mythology novel that will keep you guessing until its very satisfying conclusion!

This book blew my mind. What a fabulous audiobook experience. I haven't really been seeking fantasy books out lately, but this description just sounded way too interesting to pass up and it did not disappoint. I'm not even going to try and approach a summary because honestly things just need to unfold and the unknown was compelling (for me at least). I really enjoyed how information was revealed as they story played out - I can't handle info dumps and blocks of exposition. The story moves at breakneck speed and Jodie Harris is such a compelling narrator. She manages to juggle half a dozen different accents all while pacing the story impeccably. Her narration rises and falls with the action and at times I found myself just sitting in the car, at my destination, unable to move until the chapter ended and I could breathe again. I wouldn't quite classify this as horror, but definitely thriller, fantasy, queer, LGBTQIA+, mythology, noir. I will absolutely recommend this book and the audiobook. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really loved the concept for this book but it fell a little flat for me. I'm not sure if it was me or the book, but I just could not connect to this story/these characters. That said, this wasn't a bad read. There is great representation and the plot is intriguing, so I'd definitely still recommend checking it out if you are interested.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved everything I have read from Piper and this was no exception, though I think it was a bit of a departure from her previous works, but that is not a bad thing. While I would consider Piper primarily a horror author, this dips into fantasy, which I really enjoyed. Aspects of it actually reminded me of Jemisin's work.
Definitely a blend pf genres, fantasy, horror, noir, with a great atmosphere and descriptions that made me feel like I could see a movie playing in my head. It was also so thought provoking in so many ways.
The audiobook itself was well produced and the narrator was a great fit.
I would recommend this book and the audio.