Wow! I absolutely loved this book. I did not expect it to be that good, it was such a pleasant surprise. I knew Amie Kaufman is a great author and I’m glad that I got the chance to read this book earlier. Love, love it!

Review will be published two weeks before the release date.

Thanks to Random House publishers for an advanced copy of The Isle of the Gods! This is a lush, engrossing adventure with well developed characters, and beautifully described backgrounds. Told from multi-perspectives, readers will ride a roller coaster of romance and mythology. I found it a very easy, relaxing read with excellent character development. If a book doesn’t have good character development, I usually am bored by 40%. This book started off strong and stayed that way. Each chapter ended with a cliffhanger (LOVE THAT). I highly recommend The Isle of the Gods and dare you not to devour it in one sitting! I voluntarily devoured this book and am happy to provide my honest review. #netgalley #theisleofthegods

Oh WOW! I devoured this book so quickly, and I’m starving for the sequel. Everything about this story is pure magic—from the five(!) incredible POVs, the cool magic system, the lore, and the world-building. This is a story that takes you on and adventure and tugs on your heartstrings, and I absolutely cannot wait to be submerged in this world again. Hoping and praying to the Mother that there will be a special edition of this in a book box :)

Five hundred and ONE years ago…

As soon as I read the opening sentence of this book, I immediately knew it was going to be a wild ride. Given my admiration for her Starbound series and the remarkable works that she co-authored with Jay Kristoff, namely The Illuminae Files and The Aurora Cycle, I expected nothing less and man oh man did Amie Kaufman deliver!

The Isles of The Gods, is set in an exquisitely crafted queer normative fantasy realm which is at the dawn of industrialization, blending the traditional and modern elements beautifully. The narrative is told from several different perspectives, which enhances the depth of the storyline. The writing is eloquent, the plot intricately constructed and fast paced. The interplay among the characters is skillfully depicted, and Amie Kaufman’s trademark humor adds levity throughout the book. Right from the beginning, the story grips your attention with its thrilling and mysterious elements, rendering the book utterly unputdownable. Also being someone who had been sailing since childhood, I appreciated how she discussed the minute intricacies of ships and their mechanics in detail.

“The world’s bigger than you, Selly Walker. Bigger than me. That’s what I’ve been trying to teach you all this time.”

“I’ve been trying to teach you to be a captain, girl, which means taking care of your people before yourself, seeing things through their eyes. It’s why I’ve had you doing every job on the boat, and the worst ones most of all. To learn what you’re asking others to do.”

What caught my attention the most was the author’s portrayal of the enduring correlation between religion and the conflicts fought in its name as well as the ways in which religious organizations and individuals seek to benefit from it despite their varying motives. Furthermore, despite not being a significant element in this young adult novel, I found myself fascinated whenever the characters delved into the realm of politics and its analyzing tactics and strategies. Also the author’s ability to depict the character development through their conversations left a strong impression on me.

The events of the tale unfold after five hundred and ONE years after Macean, the God of Risk, the Gambler, launched an attack to claim his siblings’ territories. His attempt was thwarted, and his sister Barrica, the Warrior, later known as Barrica the Sentinel, defeated him, putting him into a perpetual sleep, which she has vigilantly guarded ever since, with the help of the Royal family of her kingdom, Alinor.

Everyone tells the same story different ways. And the only version we’re the hero of is our own.

Even though the magic systems isn’t exactly novel or unique, it was well thought out. Some children are born with a magical symbol (a green line) on their wrist that will determine their ability to control one or more of the elements – earth, water, air, and fire – as they mature. Typically occurring between the ages of eight and fifteen, the mark will transform into a complex tattoo, showcasing the individual’s aptitude for a specific element or elements. I found it very impressive that the author delved into the intricate details of the magic system, and demonstrated its intricate links to the world, politics, religions, and customs of every kingdom.

Selly is the daughter of a prosperous merchant ship fleet proprietor. Initially, she appears to be impulsive, impatient, and somewhat entitled. Despite her frustration with her father for abandoning her under the care of a ship captain who treats her like a mere deckhand on her own vessel, her discontent is further compounded by her lack of magical ability although born with the magical mark. Nonetheless, following a significant traumatic and heart-wrenching occurrence that takes place at the outset of the narrative, she sheds her immature behavior and come to grips with the seriousness of the circumstances she and her companions are in. Her personal development is portrayed in a magnificent manner.

I reach into the nest of flowers around us, plucking a delicate blossom in Alinor’s royal sapphire blue. He watches me cautiously.

“There.” I lean across to tuck it behind his ear. “Everything useless around here is beautifully decorated. I wouldn’t want you to feel left out.”

Leander is the younger brother of Alinor’s reigning monarch and holds the royal title of prince. At first, he is presented as an irresponsible and carefree individual, preoccupied with his own vanity and sense of self-importance. Although there is significant self growth as the story progress at times there is character regression as he’s prone to self sabotage.

“You asked. And that’s the answer. I flirt with them.”

“I don’t even know why I’m surprised,” she mutters.

“At least it works on someone around here,”

Laskia is the younger sibling of a well-known notorious club owner Ruby in Mallecea, with a history of rags to riches. She is a morally grey queer character who is cunning, and is eager to demonstrate her abilities to others by carving out her own identity, independent of her elder sister’s reputation and she is determined to go to any lengths to accomplish her objectives. She’s the pivotal character in the plot.

Jude, another queer character is an illegitimate child of a late Alinorish aristocrat, a former schoolmate of Prince Leander but now lives with his mother in Mallecea, where she sought a new beginning following his father’s passing. Despite acknowledging that his status as an illegitimate child limits his prospects for social advancement, Jude still feels let down by Prince Leander, whom he had hoped would come to his aid after his father’s death. To support his ailing mother, he works for Ruby, performing odd jobs.

Keegan, a queer scholar born into Alinorish aristocracy, another former schoolmate of prince Leander is a character who simply was at the wrong place at the wrong time. He’s empathetic, quick on his feet, logical and manages to navigate the characters through tricky situations with minimum risk. Despite feeling that his character did not have a significant impact on the plot or advancement of the story, I developed a strong fondness for him and am eager to see him play a more substantial role in the upcoming installments of the book.

Lord Wollesley,” I chide him. “If you keep your head buried in a book all your life, you’ll miss all the fun.”

“At least I’ve read a book,” he shoots back.

The way in which the romance between Selly and Leander was developed was exquisite. Despite both being stubborn individuals with unwavering beliefs, they were able to catalyze each other’s personal growth and bring out their best selves as the narrative unfolded.

The addition of the plot twist towards the end of the story was an excellent element. While the author had been dropping subtle hints throughout the book, the unexpected reveal managed to catch the reader off-guard and add an extra layer of intrigue to the overall narrative.

All in all, The Isle of The Gods is a remarkable commencement to an outstanding Young Adult fantasy series, featuring a captivating plot, a suspenseful atmosphere, an air of mystery, and an abundance of exhilarating moments. The characters are endearing and relatable, with their humorous antics providing comic relief, and the plot twists leaving the reader on edge, rooting for both the protagonist and the antagonist alike. Saying I am extremely excited for the sequel in this book which hasn’t even been released yet it an understatement. lol!

My sincere thanks to Netgally and Random House Publishing for providing me with this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Selly has been a reluctant deckhand on a merchant ship since her father left her behind a year ago. Her scheme to escape and reunite with him is foiled by the arrival of an unexpected passenger on board: Prince Leander of Alinor, who is spoiled, handsome, and an exceptionally powerful magician. With war brewing between countries of Alinor and Mellacea, Prince Leander must travel to the Isle of the Gods and complete a ritual to prevent the sleeping gods from waking and maintain peace. But a Mellacian plot to assassinate the prince and jumpstart the war could spell disaster for everyone.

This is the seafaring adventure story I didn't know I needed! If there's anything I love it's a story about a spoiled handsome prince and a scrappy teen girl who can't stand him. While this book isn't entirely from Selly and Leander's perspective, the other characters are equally well developed and I appreciated seeing the story unfold from both the Alinorish and Mellacian sides of the conflict. This novel is fast paced, the world building is immersive, and the elemental magic system is so cool. I devoured this in a single day and I cannot wait for the next book!! I definitely recommend this, book, especially for fans of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

Functionally indistinguishable from any YA fantasy of the last ten years. No better or worse. The world building is coherent if not original, the characters are cookie cutter, and the aesthetics are made for a pinterest board.

This is my first solo Kaufman novel, and I really enjoyed it! I wasn't expecting so many POV characters, which definitely threw me off because all of the Kaufman/Spooner novels I've read have been dual POV. I obviously hated Laskia and disliked Jude. I liked Selly and Keegan, and Leander really grew on me. I thought the worldbuilding was really interesting; with a title like The Isles of the Gods I was expecting a vaguely medieval type of fantasy, but instead, there were more modern touches that made me feel like I was in an early 1900s kind of world. I typically like my fantasy very firmly separated from modern technology of any kind, but I think the worldbuilding was done very well in this case.

Wow. Typically I’m not a fan of stories that have multiple POVs but Amie Kaufman was able to weave them all together seamlessly. The character development and plot moved at a quick pace with lots of action, twists, and turns that had me anxious, and heartbroken at times. The magic system is quite unique and kept me wondering how everything fits together. I can’t wait for the next book to come out to get more answers!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Childrens for a chance to read and review an advanced copy of this book!

I always enjoy reading books from Amie Kaufman, it always has a great writing style and works in the genre. It had a great concept in this and I was hooked by the first sentence. The characters were what I was expecting and they were well written. I can't wait to read more from Amie Kaufman.

"The Gem Cutter. The name of the place delights the rich people who come here. The patrons have heard hints of who Ruby is, what she does. They whisper that the words aren’t referring to an artisan with a magnifying glass and a set of tiny tools, but to the patroness of the club, Ruby herself. A gem with a very sharp knife. It makes them feel dangerous, to walk through these doors."

I’ve loved everything Amy Kaufman has written collaboratively, so it only fits that I loved her solo YA debut. The magic system is so interesting, and she managed to make a boat-centric story so enjoyable despite me being a historic pirate-book hater. Not that these are pirates, but still an achievement for her anyway.

I don’t know how I’m gonna handle waiting SO LONG for the next one after that ending. I just want my boy Leander to be okay!!!

Thank you RHC for the ARC!

An epic start to a new high-stakes fantasy series! The world building in this book was top notch. So subtle with the perfect amount of details to bring the Isles of the Gods to life. I’ve been reading so much fantasy lately that many of the stories just seem like parodies of each other, but this story pulled me in from the start and I’m highly invested in its outcome. I need to know what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Knopf Books for Young Readers for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Knopf Books for Young Readers for an arc of this book. Below is my honest review.

501 years ago …

To end a war, Anselm, a king and a magician, sacrificed himself on the Isle of Gods. His sacrifice gave the goddess Barrica the strength to bind her twin brother Macean, the god of risk, to sleep.

Now … Alinor and Mellacea are on the brink of war.

Selly wants nothing more than to be a sailor and see her father again. Leander, a spoiled prince, wants to put off the first of his sacrifices to Barrica to keep Macean bound. Keegan just wants to live his own life and study at the Bibliotek. Jude wants to help his mother. Laskia wants to prove herself to her older sister Ruby.

Kaufman truly shines writing books with multiple POVs and this one is no exception. Each character is well developed and has distinct personalities and quirks Characters that are meant to be likable actually are! The morally gray characters and villains each had clear motivations and readers knew why they made their choices.

The magic system is this book is pretty neat. It took a little while to learn the rules, but I actually like that. There wasn’t a big info dump, instead the world building and magic rules were mostly sprinkled throughout the first third of the book. I found myself excited and ready to learn more as I was reading.

I cannot wait for the next book in the series. Go out and read this as soon as you are able!

Brilliant fantasy/sci-fi author Amy Kaufman, known for creating unforgettable series such as the Illuminae Files and the Aurora Cycle with her writing partner Jay Kristoff, has made a solo return with a promising new action-packed adventure series. The story takes us on a journey to unknown lands as we follow Prince Leander of Alinor, who must make a sacrifice to prevent a dangerous war between two gods, just as King Anselm did five hundred years ago to strengthen his goddess and bind Macean, the God of Risk, the Gambler, in sleep so that he could never make war again. However, Lavender is not the only one whose life depends on this compelling journey that includes crossing the Crescent Sea to the Isle of the Gods.

Young sailor Selly receives a letter from her father that alarms her, and she plans to flee from the ship Lizabetta to risk her chance to climb into another ship that is heading in the direction of where her father's ship is sailing. But instead of heading to the North Seas to reunite with her famous captain father, she finds herself back on the Lisbeth as one of the six crew members, sailing with spoiled, partying, naive Prince Leander, who tries everything in his power to charm her. Keegan is also one of the reluctant passengers who planned to travel to Bibliotek to deepen his research in books. He is not happy to be traveling with his arch-enemy school friend, Leander.

Leander thinks that when they start their journey discreetly in the middle of the night with fewer crew members, he can stay under the radar and hide from the enemies of the kingdom, but he couldn't be more wrong. Laskia, a young woman coming from poverty, is trying to prove her importance to her sister Ruby. She hires a very powerful, intimidating magician, and a bloodthirsty, relentless dungeon fighter, Jude, who is also a betrayed school friend of Leander, to take care of his sick mother. The trio knows the secret trip of the prince, and they are determined to catch him before he makes his sacrifice and kill him.

As two dangerous gods stir after centuries to start the most destructive war, the cruise trip on the high seas turns into something more sinister, including betrayals, backstabbing, more casualties, brutal fights, and in the middle of the chaos, an unexpected romance blooms.

The story is narrated from multiple perspectives, with each of the flawed characters having unique, interesting, and original voices, including determined, risk-taking, and adventurous Selly, who wants to be a big sailor like her father, Leander, who carries the biggest burdens even though he is young and inexperienced but has a good, genuine heart, Keegan, who is extra intelligent, bookish, and finds his reality by burying his head into book pages and researches, Laskia, who is a vengeful power-seeker who slowly loses the thin line between reality and delusions, and finally Jude, who is trapped to be part of a suicide mission when all he wants is to save the life of his mother and suffers from the betrayal of his old friend Leander.

The cliffhanger at the end of the book made me absolutely excited to read the second installment. I hope Amy Kaufman doesn't make us wait too long for the second part of this epic adventure.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Knopf Books for Young Readers for sharing this unputdownable book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.