In Merciless Saviors, H.E. Edgmon crafts a narrative that delves deep into the complexities of power, identity, and the intricate web of relationships that define us. Gem Echols, having unwillingly absorbed the powers of the God of Air, finds themselves ensnared in a chaotic dance of divine abilities gone awry. The Goddess of Death's newfound ability to reanimate corpses, the God of Art's twisted creations, and the collective anguish of hearing the Earth's cries add layers of tension and urgency to the plot.

A pivotal scene that encapsulates Gem's internal struggle occurs when they confront the manifestation of their own merciless nature. In a moment of raw vulnerability, Gem reflects, "If I embrace this power, what becomes of the person I was?" This question haunts them throughout their journey, highlighting the universal fear of losing oneself amidst overwhelming change.

The trio of Gem, Rory, and Enzo exemplifies the strength found in chosen family. Their unwavering support for one another amidst the turmoil showcases the profound bonds that can form in the face of adversity. Edgmon's portrayal of their camaraderie offers readers a heartfelt reminder of the importance of connection.

However, the novel isn't without its complexities. The rapid evolution of certain characters, especially Rory, at times feels abrupt. Their swift transitions can be jarring, leaving readers yearning for deeper exploration of their motivations. Additionally, while the plot is rich with action, some sequences verge on the implausible, challenging the suspension of disbelief.

The culmination of the story, where Gem is faced with the choice to fully embrace their newfound powers or relinquish them, is both poignant and thought-provoking. This decision not only impacts their own fate but also the world they've come to know. Edgmon leaves readers contemplating the true cost of power and the essence of humanity.

In conclusion, Merciless Saviors is a tapestry woven with threads of myth, emotion, and the timeless quest for self. Edgmon's ability to intertwine these elements results in a narrative that is both enchanting and thought-provoking. While certain aspects may challenge readers, the novel's heart and depth are undeniable.

It's taken me way too long to actually finish this duology, even though I loved Godly Heathens, but I'm so glad I finally did. It's definitely a new favourite duology for me. Merciless Saviors added so much depth and emotion to the story, and I could not put it down. This duology is so unique, and I know it will stay with me for a long time.

After reading Godly Heathens this became my most anticipated book and it did not disappoint. I loved this book just as much as the last; at points I was crying and grimacing but I couldn't put the book down. H.E. Edgemon has created a beautiful World and I would recommend you give this series a try. I am so grateful for my early copy.

*I own a physical copy*

In 2019 my health started going down hill and I didn't take into consideration what that would mean for my book reviewing. Sadly, I've been trying to play catch up for years and it's been affecting my ability to keep up with present day tasks. So I greatly apologize for this but I am going to clear out all these older review books and focus on present day. I will come back and update this review if I end up reading the book, which is very possible as a lot of these books are still ones I would like to read, I just don't think the pressure looming over me is helpful. Thank you for giving me a chance to early read these books and I am so sorry I wasn't able to provide what was needed.

This definitely was not as good as the first book. It had so much potential, but I am finding that there just was too much happening and I was thinking a lot of "wait, what?". I'd have to back track a lot to follow whats happening. I normally don't have issues with characters that are nonbinary using pronouns, but for some reason the voice of the author made it confusing at times who was who.

Merciless Saviors by H.E. Edgmon is undeniably one of the most unique and fascinating books I’ve ever read, but I’ll admit, it’s also one of the most insufferable at times. This installment takes the character development to a whole new level, especially when it comes to Gem, whose mental state is deeply explored through the fragmented narrative style. This approach really made me connect with Gem's struggles in a way that felt raw and authentic, adding another layer of complexity to the character.

While I found myself appreciating Gem more in this book compared to the first, they still didn’t quite make it to my "favorite characters" list. That being said, their growth is noticeable, and I’m definitely more invested in their journey, even if I don’t fully connect with them emotionally.

The book's pacing and narrative style are intense, which adds to the gripping atmosphere, but also made it a bit challenging at times. Merciless Saviors is a wild ride, for sure—unique, engaging, but also frustrating at moments. If you're into complex, sometimes difficult characters and unconventional storytelling, this one might just be for you!

This book ruined me in the best way possible. I had to reread Godly Heathens before I jumped into this one, and it was *amazing*. 5/5 stars. Truly obsessed.

The only reason this second book of the duology gets 3 stars is because I understand and respect what young debut author H. E. Edgmon was trying to do here. Unfortunately I do not think it succeeds, and it definitely creates some concerns from my point of view. Most poignant is the idea of humans craving, and getting, revenge. Your gods can do whatever they want; but when you set a story up a certain way you have to be careful that you aren’t condoning problematic thinking on behalf of humans (like those reading your book). Given the trans representation here (which is amazing!) and the authors own private journey I completely understand why it would be cathartic for them to perhaps write this. Where the issue lies is I’m not at all sure it’s the content I want in the hands of a 15-year-old trans teen struggling to find their way.

Other issues I cannot understand:
- the point of this threesome? Is it just to have a non-binary person be pan? It doesn’t enhance the character, in fact it confuses them (and threesomes bug me on principle as a bisexual cis woman).
- umm… so are we gods or high schoolers? See you can’t have it both ways without being a huge issue (see problem one above that extends into so many others)
- wait… that ending?! I thought the whole point is that the ‘ending reveal’ wouldn’t be possible?! Not a fan. You cannot rewrite the rules of the magic whenever you want, even in your own book!
- there is so much crazy content here; but no time or descriptions, or ways to really absorb it. This books needs serious work to come anywhere near the likes of Tamsyn Muir, Brandon Sanderson or Jacqueline Carey.
- this series cannot be YA. End of discussion. If you want sex, gratuitous violence and gory descriptions, dark fantasy elements, etc (all of which is fine with me I usually love grimdark fantasy) then you MUST write your book at the level it’s intended to be consumed at. I would never ever put this book in the hands of anyone below 16… maybe even 18.

I’ve been meaning to get back to this review for a couple months now to make it more coherent. Unfortunately I’m not sure I can given the time that has passed since I read it; and there is a kind of parallel to the way this novel is written and my review. They are both haphazard, scattered, and mildly incoherent. This I’m going to leave it as is. Take it for what it’s worth, or not and scroll on by.

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H.E. Edgmon is SUCH a phenomenally gifted writer, I swear. After reading this, I'm more convinced the ever that I could read their grocery store list and find it compelling. The writing is so sophisticated, yet easy. The way the stories begin are interesting and the subtle things characters do make it so easy to understand them. I also have to say just how unique this story is. There really is nothing else like it in the YA space and I think it's sort of a perfect duology if there ever was one. The characters are complex, the story is intricate, the lore is fascinating, and everything about this book (and series) needs to be celebrated.

Wow, this second book was intense. I was looking forward to figure out what would happen with Gem and the other Gods and this book picks right where the first one ends. This book was such a wild ride and the style felt a little different with several flashback from the story jumping back and forth. The flashbacks were my main struggle with he book as they were confusing at times and had me wondering what the hell was real or not for 30% of the book.
I can’t say much about the story without spoilers but I can say I enjoyed the ride and was very happy with the ending,

The level of emotional intensity that H.E. Edgmon is able to put into these stories is amazing. This one took me a while to finish because it was so intense. The writing is very straightforward and clear, but the rage, frustration, hope, and love that is conveyed in that writing is just so alive. The characters have flaws and their growth isn't simple and straightforward. They are complex and enraging, but also real and tangible. This duology isn't something that can be described and understood. I think it is something that needs to be read and felt to truly grasp the full breadth of the story and characters.

This was so much less fun than the first book, partly because of the massive weight hanging over it (pet death and repressed childhood sexual trauma, my two biggest Oh No elements, naturally) and partly because Gem is what made the first book for me, and they weren't Gem for a lot of this one. They were the Magician.

Some more recap of the first book would probably have been helpful as well, particularly in terms of just who the other gods were and what they did because I did not remember that very well, which made it harder to orient myself here. Related to that, Gem's relationship to the Heartkeeper and Rory's relationship with Murphy felt very underdeveloped, especially considering how big a deal was made of both of them at the end. It kind of felt like they came out of nowhere.

On a more positive note, however, I really liked how Rory and Enzo's dynamic developed here, and the last two pages were absolute perfection.

This was an excellent follow-up to last year's Godly Heathens. I appreciated that it picked up where its predecessor left off, dropping the reader right back into the action. Many unforeseen consequences of a certain fatal decision become apparent very quickly, and the main characters are thus forced to truly grapple with their godhood and humanity, and how these two states of being have affected places and people of both Earth and the Ether.

I always appreciate good magic systems in fantasy novels, and this series has not disappointed in that regard. I was happy to see this book successfully built upon the solid foundation established in the first novel, with all the gods' different magic employed in interesting and catastrophic new ways. I also do enjoy stories of queer people behaving badly (or in this case, absolutely monstrously), which is such a delightful way to turn queer tropes on their heads. And it provides an excellent basis for character development, with Gem's grueling, though ultimately positive, journey to figuring out their own humanity. This necessitated addressing numerous difficult issues, including mental illness and sexual abuse, which H.E. Edgmon unpacks with grace and empathy.

I definitely recommend this series, and I hope books like this will continue to get published.

H. E. Edgmon is officially on my list of favorite authors! The second of the series started off with a bang, providing more beautiful world building and back ground of the magic and the characters.
This is not an easy book to read, the characters experience a lot of trauma and that bleeds through the pages. It’s an emotional, hard hitting, though provoking, and at times graphic read. However, the heart of the story is a journey of acceptance and self love, the perfect type of romance in my opinion.

Let me start this review by saying I think that you should read this duology back to back, or at least as close together as possible because the action of this book starts basically the second where the first book left off. I, unfortunately, did not do that, but I still enjoyed it and was able to understand the story. Second, this book is weird, definitely more so than the first one, and perhaps in a more deeply painful way, but I mean that mostly in a good way. The overall story arc is so interesting and the characters, while pretty awful people, are also incredibly interesting. It feels like a book about cruelty and power, but really ultimately about healing. It’s incredibly messy, and there were times that I was definitely less interested in this book compared to when I read Godly Heathens, but I still think it was a pretty good end to the duology, and worth the read if you enjoyed the first book.

It’s possible that some of my thoughts haven’t fully developed after finishing the book, so it’s hard to really put the experience of reading it into words. The characters are not good people, but it’s interesting to find out more about them. I actually found myself caring less about the relationships, but I did like the god versions of Gem, Rory, and Enzo reflecting on their human selves. Some of the elements of remembering are deeply confusing, and the story gets a little bit hard to piece together at the beginning, but it gets better the more time goes on. And honestly, even for parts that I didn’t just love, I think it’s worth it to see the main character grow and try to heal the people they hurt, but also fuck up the people who hurt them! This is definitely a very heavy book, but I think there are several important themes of the stories of queer/trans and Native people, and I’m glad to have finally read it.

Man, this book was so fantastic to read! I loved the first one, and I had to see how the series was going to end, and boy, what a story it was! I needed to read what was going to happen to Gem, Rory and Enzo as things progressed!

This book deals with the consequences of the first book-because the balance is broken with Gem, the Magician, holding another's power. So that was complicated on top of the fact of why Gem holds that power. So that was interesting to read!

Honestly, this book is really dark. This deals with some pretty heavy topics, of trauma and it doesn't shy away from it. Add in the complicated magic, and the dynamics between all these characters, there was a lot going on in this book.

All in all, I do prefer H.E. Edgmon's series just a bit more, because it was easier to have righteous fury there, in this one, it was more complicated. Doesn't mean it's less deserving, but makes it harder to love, which is sad, especially given what happens in this book, but every reader has their own tastes, and this is my opinion.

Loved reading this book and I can't wait to read more by H.E. Edgmon!

An incredible continuation of the series that maintains the energy from the first book until the last page of this one.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

When I requested this, I didn't pay attention to the fact it was book two in a series. I suggest you read in order and don't try to pick this one up without reading the first. You will be lost, like I was.