Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's | Wednesday Books for eARC! Extra thanks for extending an invitation through e-mail, since I've previously reviewed HE Edgmon.

POV : present and past tense, current day and flashbacks. Third person through Bird, Hugo, Cal, Eamon, Felix, Cassandra. Worth noting is that Felix's bits have a first POV from some unknown narrator (other reviewers think this is the author FWIW). This book is VERY adult, mature, descriptive, flowery (and I am using that in a positive manner, it's just the word that fits for me, I like elaborate sentences and descriptions). Sometimes, though, the cryptic writing is confusing, even after a few re-reads or coming back to it at a later time. However, if you go back and start reading from the beginning after completing the novel, more things certainly make better sense.

"We Can Never Leave" has 30 numbered chapters coupled with 25 Befores, Afters, etc taking place in a plethora of settings: Colorado, Texas, New Mexico, road trip to Washington, California, Boise National Forest, Catskills, Oregon, and around October for the present day parts. It has an open ending, which I like and don't like, because of all of the unanswered questions and the lacking in lore. I wanted more Caravan lore, their origins, how the magic system worked. And I didn't really believe or feel it when Felix says the main cast are his friends since none of them seem to be friendish until the end of the book.

Something that resonated so hard, that I was also unaware of, was the following -- “Reader, did you know it’s a fairly common trauma response to sit in a car and stare out the window and imagine someone running next to you? Kids trapped in cars with their parents for long stretches of time, feeling uncomfortable or even unsafe, nowhere to hide and nothing to distract them, are prone to inventing these unknown protectors. Felix has spent an enormous chunk of his life doing exactly that. It wouldn’t surprise him if that was what Cal was doing now, dissociating herself some guardian angel that might protect her from the tension in the RV.” I did that. What ran beside my rides were two unicorns, one male and one female, sometimes together, sometimes one over the other.

The 'they' pronouns were sometimes difficult to follow for my cis-gendered forty year-old brain. Doesn't mean the book is impossible to read, nor am I rallying to stop including them, I'm simply throwing it out there in case others relate.

And I will never not be annoyed about naïve being spelled incorrectly, especially since the author did cliché with the accent. o_0

If you like your fantasy to be mainly character driven as opposed to plot, you might love it. It does feature multiple POV + flashbacks, found family, and queer characters!

This one probably just wasn't for me. The majority of the book is written as the different POV arguing with each other, and each POV sorta blended with the last. They are all rather unlikeable, and honestly, I think they all hate each other as well. There was essentially no plot, just a long journey and lots of tension from the constant arguing. I wanted to love this one, but it's just not my preferred type of fantasy. I truly appreciate the opportunity to read and review!

Thank you so much to the publisher for the digital review copy!

What a story! I have to admit, the ending was not what I expected, in the best way. I had no idea it would turn out like that and I’m still left curious what happens next for the characters. They all go on this big journey when everyone they know disappear. The world is basically silent for them and it was very eerie to read. It’s based on tales from an indigenous tribe and it was very cool to experience the tale for myself. I do love stories pulled from indigenous tribes, as it gives another perspective on the world.

To add some critique, I wasn’t a large fan of when we got the narrators point of view. It felt like breaking the fourth wall and it took me out of the story a bit. I was also super confused at the start and had to read the first chapter a few times to get my bearings.

Overall, it was a good story and the ending really brought it together for me!

4/5 stars for mystery, abilities, and friendship!

**Thank you to NetGalley for a review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

H.E. Edgmon’s We Can Never Leave is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of identity, trauma, and the fight for freedom, wrapped in a chillingly immersive fantasy. With a richly constructed world and deeply complex characters, the story delves into the challenges of breaking free from oppressive systems while navigating the scars they leave behind. Edgmon’s raw, emotional prose grips readers, weaving magic and reality in equal measure. A must-read for fans of dark fantasy with deeply personal stakes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for accepting my request for an ACR of this book!
The two of them can always come back. But they can never go home.
2.75/5
To start this review off, I was lucky enough to have this ebook be dropped into my shelf on Netgalley, I don’t know how I was able to get this book but it was on my tbr so I’m not complaining. To the book itself, I felt the allegory of religious abuse was done very well, and the narrator was a great added touch to the story. My biggest issue with the book though, was its layout. I mention this because there would be character and time jumps to past and present, now the problem with this for me is that I felt like as the reader, I didn’t get to really know the characters well because there was a lot of talking but not so much background on the characters in their chapters. With that being said, I loved, LOVED the idea of the mutations in the story whether that was more allegory or there for the fantasy/sci fi aspect is up to the reader, but with that I couldn’t keep track of what mutation some of the characters had, which made me quite sad. The worldbuilding was alright in my opinion, because it kept going back and forth between the time differences. I found it difficult to remember what was when. Overall, I do agree with the sweet tooth inspiration in the story and if you have seen the show, read this book.

3.75/5 stars (rounded up on my star rating since we can’t do quarters).

I liked it, but I think at times it got a bit convoluted. I wish there was a bit more focus on the POV instead of bouncing around. This is more of an editor thing than anything else. The prose was very pretty but because it jumped around I got lost a lot. I think with a bit more editing this could have been even better, but the foundation is stunning!

I'm incredibly thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy! It was an interesting read from the start to the finish. It was also a book that I was happy to read throughout the day.

It took some time to develop a fondness and understanding of the characters. The mystery surrounding each, specifically the boys, kept me hooked. I also loved the twist in the book. It was pretty well-established too and made sense for the narrative. Even some of the lesser developed areas of the book (the caravan's rules and how people join) could be explained by looking through the perspective of Felix and the other teenagers. They don't know much so we don't know much. However, some of the chapters from Charlotte's perspective could've explained this in greater detail.

My main issues with the book was the constant interruptions from the author / narrator by addressing the "reader." It completely took me out of the narrative. I didn't think it was necessary to explain the nuance and subtext. While much of the flowery and fanciful descriptions were nice in theory, some just made me confused. Like saying you can stuff emotions into your pocket then saying you should box them away in the next line. I would need to read some multiple times to understand them better. I also think that some of the pop culture references will probably date this book, too. Using "nepo-babying" as a verb or referencing Taylor Swift were ones that stick out.

I just do not think that this book was for me. The writing was good, but I got very lost in all of the points of views. It was bouncing from character to character every chapter and it got mixed up for me. I thought they all had good thoughts and complexities to them, but it felt very difficult to concentrate on each person and the overarching plot. I found myself skimming often, and could not invest myself into the book like I initially thought I would be able to. The idea was really good, I loved the outcasts, but I felt like it got too mixed up in the end.

I appreciate the publisher reaching out to me in exchange for an honest review.

We Can Never Leave was the first book I've read by H.E. Edgmon. The story was so well written, and the characters were well developed. There were aspects about nearly every character that really resonated with me. This was such a great read, and I didn't want the story to end. I loved the author's storytelling, and I can't wait to check out the author's other books.

Waking to find themselves all that remains of their traveling community of not-quite-humans, five teenagers work together, however begrudgingly and while trying to keep their secrets, to figure out what’s happened in H.E. Edgmon’s We Can Never Leave.
A traveling community, the Caravan is a haven for the inhuman creatures found across the world, often abandoned, and with no memories of who they are or where they have come from; they may not be able to return to the lives they once led or reside alongside humans, but within the Caravan they find comfort in one another and build a form of home among those who are most like and most likely to understand them. When all but five members of the Caravan mysteriously disappear overnight, questions of what happened, what to do next, and why they were left behind hound those who remain: Bird, a half-human who has returned to the Caravan after attempting to live in the human world but shined too brightly; Hugo and Felix, brothers co-dependent upon one another with the former stirring up fiery trouble while the latter calms it; Calliope, a girl who craves affection but whose inhuman abilities leaves her venomously dangerous to others; and Eamon, a new addition to the Caravan whose memories are vague suggestions and disquieting like his shadows. Though their relationships are fraught with secrets, the five come to realize that they’re bound together, and while in close quarters their secrets surface, forcing them to confront what they’ve kept hidden and, in the process, it reveals that what happened is about them.
With a sense of mystery and magic woven throughout, a narrative builds by layering bits of the story as it’s currently developing with background from “Before” to provide deeper context for the kind of environment the Caravan is and provides as a haven, as well as the sort of beings who reside and find their way there, with both the Caravan and its people shrouded in secrets, some of which are dark and terrible. Chapters rotate through the five characters who remain from the Caravan as the story unfurls, with some additions that expand the scope, which includes a few other characters in “Before” chapters, notably Bird’s grandmother as a leader of the Caravan, and the author/narrator, who addresses the reader directly, which is intriguing but is done inconsistently and from only one character’s chapters so that it becomes incredibly suspicious, even beyond the words said, for that particular character’s involvement in the overall scenario – a fascinating premise with immense potential but the execution was lackluster. Thoroughly depicting an impression of yearning for acceptance and belonging at differing levels through the characters, each of whom is distinctly and/or visibly Other through their inhuman traits, they long for something that’s seemingly just out of their reach whether that be to fit in within the more traditional human world, attain the affection of another without traumatic complications, or simply understand their obscured origin and missing memories. Each character carries within them traumas, from first-hand experience or generationally inherited, to be confronted, and while the attitudes and behaviors they exhibit toward one another demonstrate an evident reluctance to openly discuss their secrets and burdens, perhaps for fear of the judgment they’ll face, the progress to understanding the mystery the five teenagers have found themselves in is reliant upon doing so, perhaps as a reflection of how sharing burdens with others can lessen the impact of the load you carry.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked the structure of the world it takes place in, although I was extremely confused at first. It made me think a bit of the Netflix series Sweet Tooth at the beginning, but then it took a different direction.

The mystery of what happened with the caravan made the pages fly by for me, I was very intrigued. I came to feel real affection for the characters, and I liked how the bond between them was built. The found family trope is one of the most comforting.

A young adult novel that made me think about the decisions I've made, the people I've trusted, and how everyone has a story that they don't necessarily share even with their closest friends.

EH. This YA Fantasy was not really my taste, but I am glad that I gave it a try. This is so outside my comfort zone book wise, so I am glad that I ventured out- even if it wasn't the book for me! 2 stars!

Sweet Tooth is a great comp title for this book. At times I could see what this is trying to do, but it's so confusing that a narrator has to bluntly keep stepping in to explain and I was STILL confused by the ending.

Summary: Five non-human teens wake up one day to discover their entire community, the Caravan, has disappeared. They decide to make the trip to the only other place they know of where they may find others who were formerly a part of their community of “creatures.” Along the way, we discover secrets from their past and question what we know about the Caravan.
My thoughts: I DEVOURED this book! After just a couple chapters, I was hooked! Actual quote to my husband: “I have no idea what is going on, but I love this book so far!”
I absolutely loved every single one of the main characters, but I didn’t like any of them. Not until the end, at least.
If I were to compare this to another book, I would say it’s similar to One of Us Is Lying but make it paranormal. It has a similar story structure.
We Can Never Leave is so beautifully written and confusing and amazing. I just loved this book so so much!

this was a bit of a confusing read at first but the last puzzle piece clicked near the end and everything made so much sense. the environmental writing was good and had an eerie vibe to in it. i look forward to more of this author!

I just finished a new fiction book. We Can Never Leave by HE Edgmon was an absolute enjoyable read. Don’t miss it.

Dark. Disturbing. But a glimmer of hope right to the very end.

There are no words that are accurate enough to describe this story.
A modern fantasy world where not is all as it seems. A caravan travels America and collects found non-humans and brings them into their group where they celebrate their lives and the cycles of the moons with vigorous ferocity. Each of the people who find their way into the caravan were turned into something extraordinary, ie: a man with feathered wings, a woman with serpents for hair and a forked tongue of her own to match, a boy of shadows with glowing red eyes, two brothers each either different features of a fawn, etc. they have no recollection of their human life before they became something other than human. So they’re brought into the caravan for a new life. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, there’s something darker lurking beneath.

A group of 5 teens find themselves alone after every person in their caravan seems to disappear off the face of the earth. They have to work together to find out what’s happened, and try not to kill each other in the process.

This book is beautifully written and explores deep and dark topics that happen far too often in our world. It explores the effects of trauma and generation trauma and how people forced into these circumstances find ways to survive and protect themselves. While the idea behind it was the religious cults like evangelicalism, there’s a lot of parallels to other groups who survive and thrive because of deep seated trauma.
I don’t know what this book was. But it sunk its teeth into my brain and I couldn’t shake it out. I had to keep reading and finish the story. Although I’m not entirely convinced it will let me go even now that it’s done.

This book requires you to have a lot of trust in the author. Many things in the book didn’t make sense until the last 30 pages or so, but it was building tension with such subtlety that you just had to keep reading and hoping that Edgmon was going somewhere until it all just clicks and you are really able to appreciate the story.

There are five characters in this book, each with a very different backstory of how they came to be in the Caravan and then an omnipresent narrator who just chimes in throughout, but does not always choose to share what they know. It took me a minute to get into the story, because I had a little trouble figuring out who was who and what was going on with the writing style but once it was clear I couldn’t stop reading. I came to appreciate the writing style and the beauty and heartbreak of the story being told. Each of the characters was incredibly compelling and despite their numerous and blatantly listed flaws you can’t help but care for them. I think this is a wonderful read and I hope that you will trust that Edgmon knows what they are doing and are very intentional with where they take these characters at the end.

Overall I enjoyed this book! I've been a fan of HE Edgmon since The Witch King so was so excited to get to read this early! I liked that we got deep in the minds of these characters. I felt like I could really get to know them. They all were very distinct and their relationships to each other were complex and interesting to read about it.

I did struggle with it in the beginning. With dystopian/sci-fi books like this, it's of course normal to feel like you don't know what's going on. However, you can generally get to over halfway through the book and start understanding what's happening. I didn't feel that here - I realized I was nearly done with the book and was still wondering what the plot was, and what was going on. It all came together at the ending, and being able to look back at the story knowing how it ends made everything made sense. It did make for a slightly frustrating reading experience.

I don't have any lived experience with religious cults, so I won't comment on the accuracy of the portrayal. However, I appreciated getting a view into what teens living in these situations are facing.

This was still a very enjoyable read! Stories like these are very important and I'm glad HE Edgmon is writing them.

This one just . . . confused and bored me, to say the least.

The beginning was strong, with the adult disappearance set up and showcasing the group dynamics (i.e., everyone hating each other), but so much of the middle chunk is dedicated so much to poetic writing that made visualizing the scene very difficult for me. I can tell that there is something meaningful wrapped up in the pretty prose, themes regarding gender, sexuality, outcasts, humanity, etc., but nothing properly is given time to breath and explain. Plus, the rules of the Caravan and the society aren't fully explored and the whole issue just drops in on itself by the end.

I can be all for unlikable characters, especially when they're deeply traumatized like our leads here, but it just doesn't work for me here. It really doesn't help that the five separate POVs are being torn between the past and future in a little over 300 pages; so much is rushed through or not explained enough in order for me to clearly understand all these kids and their motivations. Besides the brief flashback snippets, we don't know anything about these characters other than they argue constantly, which makes them so stagnant and boring. The book keeps saying there's sexual tension / soul mate connection between Bird and Hugo, but I never thought that at all. Cal could have been more interesting if she was given the proper time, Eamon was barely there and felt borderline invisible, and Felix - the whole thing with him should have been properly developed more before the end; that's all I'll say.

There actually is something tat elicited some passion in me, but all for the wrong reasons. In a couple chapters in Felix's POV, Edgmon, disguised as the narrator, straight up condescendingly explains the point of the story, and not so subtly foreshadows the ending, to the reader. I know people think YA readers are dumb and don't understand literary analysis, but I never would expect that attitude straight from a YA author. This really got on my nerves so much because I despise authors who look down on their reader base like that.

All in all, while it may be a well-intentioned book, the lack of story and character development really dragged it down. I'm probably gonna read whatever Edgmon outs out next, though.