The last time I read a book by Gabe Cole Novoa, I gave it 5 stars. My only regret in reading "These Vengeful Gods" is that I can't give it the 10 stars it deserves! This was truly one of the most incredible works of fiction I've read in some time, and for anyone who's a huge "Hunger Games" nerd like me, you're going to love every single second of this book. To be able to read about a trans kid, fighting for the little guy while saving himself along the way was just chef's kiss.

This book follows Crow, an underground fighter with access to the illegal Deathmagic that he's forced to hide to stay safe. Every other year in Escal, there is a Tournament of Gods in which people from Escal compete to win an audience with the Gods. When a minor god approaches Crow about sponsoring him to fight in the tournament, Crow declines. After all, there's never been someone from the Shallows who's even made it past the opening game. But when circumstances change, and Crow finds himself needing to protect his family, he joins the Tournament of Gods in order to win an audience with said gods.

If you liked the "Hunger Games" or "The Sunbearer Trials" you're going to absolutely adore Novoa's newest novel. I look forward to seeing what else they come up with in the future.

For me, this was The Hunger Games if it were a fantasy. And lots of representation. Timewise, the period of time does match the Hunger Games a lot. However, this story was not focused on the Tournament of the Gods itself, but rather an exploration of Crow's character as they learn about how to fight back against the gods that rule.All the characters in this story were quite loveable (or hateable) and so it was easy to follow. The naming convention is also quite blunt, and so it really isn't too hard to follow the wealth of characters that show up. The interactions between the characters I suppose are sometimes a bit more juvenile, although sometimes more adult too—really a decent mix, which makes sense for this kind of YA book. Ultimately it is a kind of coming-of-age story in which Crow has to learn about their past and forge a future for himself.

A lot of diversity and representation issues are addressed in this story and I thought it was fairly well touched upon without being overly preachy or taking you out of the story. Rather, it is a natural part of the story that we learn about, so it didn't feel like pure social commentary. That being said, it is of course a fairly large portion of the story, so be aware of that.

I really enjoyed the magic element of this story. The gods and their powers were pretty simple, but it made sense in a way that didn't make me question it much, which made the story flow well and not need a lot of time to explain. The story was incredibly fast paced and it was definitely a page turner. The world building was pretty quick but I think it was just easy to understand and imagine because it is a typical dystopian story.

In terms of predictability it was nothing very surprising, but that being said there were still satisfying moments, and I felt pretty happy with the way things played out in general and the progression of the story. It was a quick read yet had its emotional moments, and it felt like there was a full story without random loopholes, which is surprising for what felt like a very quick story.

Overall this was an enjoyable read, and while it had its sad moments, I think overall it was a good story of self-discovery, and highlights the themes of fairness and class differences that are so relevant still today. It does read very much like a YA, but I think appropriately so.

_Thank you to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review._

Another great novel from Gabe Cole Novoa! These Vengeful Gods had the complex worldbuilding, lovable complex characters, and diverse representation that I’ve come to adore in Novoa’s writing. This book delved into a deeper angst at social injustices that closely mirror our own world, and also painted a picture of joy and resilience in community.

The story follows Crow (he/they) as they make the decision to enter into a gladiator-style tournament held for a pantheon of major and minor gods. Like all good pantheons, these gods have a long history of internal feuds and ego-driven interests, with little concern for the well-being of the mortals they rule over. Crow, an underground fighter from the most oppressed sector in this world, has his own hidden motivations for entering the tournament.

I particularly loved the representation of chronic illness and disability justice in this novel. It captured the disparity between people who cannot afford to ignore issues like clean air and drinking water, versus the more privileged classes who have abandoned any sense of shared humanity. The queer, polycule, racially diverse group of our main characters was also such a warm, positive vibe in the story. And Mouse is the best Mouse that has ever Moused!

I really enjoyed this as a young adult novel, it had that element that I was looking for from the description. I enjoyed the idea of the character being a descendant of a god of Death. It had that fantasy element that I was looking for and worked in the world that was going on. I thought the characters were everything that I wanted and enjoyed the journey in this book. Gabe Cole Novoa has a strong writing style and enjoyed getting into this journey.

I like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me a chance at reading this.

I made it 50% into the book before throwing in the towel. For a YA established author - and a popular one? - this wrote like a first draft. The story felt clumsy and juvenile in prose and context. I was intrigued at first with the character being a fighter and using their powers in a world where it was a no-no to use them, I understood that. Then, the author didn't really set up the world and give more into why things were the way they were.

Also, we're expected to care about these uncles that were kidnapped but we hardly spent any time with them.

The main character was the only aspect I liked, but even still, I couldn't follow them in a world that I felt was half-baked.

Thank you to the publisher and NG for the free arc copy. All opinions are my own.

I am obsessed. This was such a good book and I'm very sad that I have to wait for the sequel now!

Crow is such a great character, I absolutely adore them. I love how he uses his Death magic to alter his appearance, take care of his autoimmune disorder and heal himself. All crazy things. His magic is so cool.

Maddox, Lark, and Chaos are great side characters as well, and I wish they get their own POVs in the next book, being in their heads would be so cool.

Honestly, I don't have any faults or negatives to say to this book. It is truly 10/10 and may be a top fave of 2025.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Let's just say, I can't wait for this to be available for everyone to read. This was genuinely amazing. I was beyond impressed. A lot of times, stories like this can be cringey, but this was beautiful. Which really speaks for the high quality of the writing. The story was entrancing and adorable and cool and awesome and funny and I loved it.

I also loved the characters an unbelievable amount. They were all quirky, but not in the cringey way. They were unique. They had dimension, and they had their own stories and conflicts. The romances were also amazing. I loved that the four of them decided that they didn't need to put a label on anything. They could just care for each other in the way they cared for each other. I'd love to see more relationships like that in fiction.

The world was so creative and unique. I never would have thought of something like this, and the author made it work very well. The world also called out issues we have even in the real world, like the wealth gap and poverty.

The story was pretty Hunger Games, I'll admit. Are Hunger Games-styled books overdone? Yes. But this one added so much of it's own flair and creativity that I wasn't thinking much about the Hunger Games while reading this.

A stunning book with stunning writing and stunning characters and a stunning world.

Wow....just, wow!!! My first ARC and it couldn't have been a better book!!! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's!!!

A YA dystopian fantasy novel, THESE VENGEFUL GODS is perfect for lovers of The Hunger Games, Greek mythology, deadly trials, and bad-ass main characters!

Crow (they/he) is a Deathchild, descendant of Death himself and, unfortunately, that is illegal. Being able to wield deathmagic only further complicates things. When approached by Chaos, a minor god of Discord, with the opportunity to compete in the Tournament of Gods, Crow initially declines. Until tragedy strikes.

And that's just the intro! Crow, Chaos, Lark, and Maddox embark on a journey that kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting for the next round of the tournament or the next round of banter.

This was an incredibly fast-paced novel, which means there were many places I wish the author would have delved in more, but there just wasn't time! I wanted to know more about the gods and their children, more of Crow & Cara, more of Crow themself!

I would not have been mad at another 100 pages of Novoa's writing, but this book works beautifully as a stand alone. The immediate plot lines are tied with a bow and we are given a glimpse into our main characters next steps. But of course, Novoa also left enough room for a sequel, if we are lucky.

Novoa's approach to representation is bold, but easy. He includes representation for people with disabilities, gender non-conforming people, and queerness the way I wish was more common in real life and doesn't feel reductive. His characters vary in their appearances, races, and genders in a delightfully dizzying way that makes me crave fan art!

Novoa's writing is as fantastic as always, with gorgeous visuals that make it easy for readers to visualize. The fight scenes were surprisingly concise and quick, and left me wanting just a little more. A glimpse into the fights between other competitor would have been nice, but it was not necessary by any means.

This book is exactly what we need in 2025. Filled with political conflict, righteous outrage, and so. much. queerness. What isn't to love???

it’s been two minutes since i finished reading this ARC. god-fucking-dammit, i loved it so much. GCN just keeps eating with these books, and i’m getting well fed!!!
the only things i knew about this book about going in were from the trope map that was posted along with the NetGalley applications going live. and it was enough for me to run to the site and wait to get approved.

the representation in this? gods, i’d be lying if i said i didn’t cry at times because it was so beautiful AND REAL. and it’s also not the first time that’s happened to me while reading one of novoa’s books. if you know me, you know i’ve read and recommended all of his works endlessly—as i should, btw—and i keep going on and on about how seen i feel every time i read them. as a latine, disabled and queer non-binary person, this hits me exactly where it has to. i laughed, cried and felt the need to rebel along with these characters, in times where we so desperately need it.

these vengeful gods was written beautifully. the connection with the characters, the world-building and every little detail included here helped create a cohesive story, and met every single one of my expectations—and more, i had faith in it, but somehow, it turned out to be better than what i could’ve ever imagined.
one of my favorite reads this year. i encourage you—YES YOU—to grab a copy (buy it, request it at your local library!) when it comes out and delight yourself with this brave, wholesome latine story.

These Vengeful Gods by Gabe Cole Novoa reminded me of a mix of the Hunger Games books and the tv show Arcane in the best way! I’ve read other books by this author that I really enjoyed but this might be my favorite one yet!

In this book, we follow Crow, a trans teenager living with his uncles in the Shallows, the lowest and most neglected part of the city. Crow is a descendent of the god of death, and has survived a genocide that wiped out most of the other descendants of death. Because of his godly heritage, Crow has some supernatural abilities and uses those abilities as an underground street fighter to earn money. When Crow’s uncles are arrested for helping Deathchildren refugees escape the city, Crow vows to save them by entering a championship known as the Tournament of the Gods, where the winner is granted a boon from the gods.

This book has so many elements that I absolutely loved. The world building is so good- I felt like I was in the city with them as they travelled around it. It definitely gives Arcane-esque vibes with the Shallows being similar to the Undercity and the upper city levels similar to Piltover. While this comparison can be made to really any place (fictional or otherwise) where there are vast disparities in wealth between two areas, I kept picturing Arcane in my head as I was reading (which was excellent because I love Arcane!)

The characters are what really drew me to this book though. Crow is very lovable and goes through so much, but is still so resilient. He also has an incredible (and all queer!) found family, made up of equally lovable characters. They seem very real and each one was unique. I liked getting to know each and every one of them, but I particularly liked Crow’s sponsor. The tournament tasks were the least interesting part of this book, but obviously they were very important to moving the story along! However I could have read just a whole story about the Crow crew hanging out together and been just as happy!

Overall I throughly recommend picking up These Vengeful Gods if you’re looking for a fantastic read!

I feel like this is a new age version of a hunger games style book. This was a super quick read for me. I found it to be a very inclusive, YA book focusing on competition in an extremely oppressive and abusive dystopian society. I truly felt that if I were a younger adult reading this today there would be a character for everyone to relate to, no one would feel under represented. Regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, those under political repression, even those with familial abandonment or troubles, every person can relate to someone in this book. Crow, Chaos, Lark, the tournament….between the plot and characters and their connections and friendly banter, this book kept you wanting to read on. This was definitely an enjoyable read.

Gabe Cole Novoa has been one of my instant buy authors since The Wicked Bargain and These Vengeful Gods doesn’t disappoint. I was immediately hooked into Crow’s story and the systemic class disparities that are so well shown, even in a world of gods. It gave me the same anger and frustration for the characters of this world that I feel for people around the world in 2025.

I loved all the characters and their relationships, especially between Crow, Lark, Chaos, and Maddox. We got great interactions between all of them, and I even wish there was more at some points. And even though I loved the romantic relationships, I also loved the callout of a queer platonic relationship to show that not all close relationships need to be romantic. The plot was also well paced, even the action scenes, which I sometimes can struggle to follow. Everything felt like it came together well for a standalone, but I can see room for a possible sequel, and I would immediately pick it up to journey with these characters again.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

These Vengeful Gods is the perfect book for 2025. With the resurgence of The Hunger Games and the anticipation surrounding Gladiator II, this novel is poised to captivate a wide audience. The characters are not only compelling but layered, each with their own unique motivations and flaws. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat, constantly evolving unexpectedly, ensuring you’ll never feel bored. Crow, in particular, is a hero you’ll root for from start to finish—flawed yet determined, making his journey all the more engaging. This book is a thrilling mix of action, intrigue, and emotional depth, making it a must-read for fans of epic storytelling.

this might be the first book that’s actually earned the hunger games comparisons. a roaring epic of queer rage and love, breakneck pacing, and timely dystopia. a truly beautiful story that’s perfect for teens who need it. i do wish our main character had a little more personality — occasionally he felt very flat compared to the rest of the cast — but overall this was really very good.

Think Hunger Games meets The Sunbearer Trials in this godly YA fantasy.

Crow lives in the Shallows, the desparangingly poor neighborhood of Escal, a land in which the children of the gods can inherit magical abilities. When Crow's uncles get arrested, he reluctantly joins the annual Tournament of the Gods, a gladiator-style battle who's winner gets a favor from the gods themselves. He is sponsored by Chaos, son of the god Discord. While rune magic is commonplace, god magic is rare, and Crow must hide their illegal deathmagic from everyone or face execution.

I really enjoyed this book! While found family and romance are integral to the story, it really is a commentary on capitalism, the class system, fear, and corrupt use of power that leads to the genocide of a marginalized group of people.

...And what happens when those people fight back.

Rep: he/they trans MC, QPR polycule in the background, lots of nonbinary side characters, MC is POC

Summary: Crow is a trans teenager living in the Shallows, which is exactly as fun as it sounds. The streets constantly flood, and even a two-income household isn't enough to pay rent, and Crow is used to helping his uncles cover the rent by fighting in an underground ring. Crow, who isn't exactly a beefy wrestler, wins using one itsy-bitsy tiny secret (the kind that might get them killed) - they're a Deathchild. Being a descendent of the God of Death, and using Deathmagic, was ruled illegal 1o years ago. Even being alive is an act of resistance on Crow's part, but he uses his magic to win fights and help their uncles pay the bills. One night, when coming home from a fight, Crow comes home to find their uncles' being arrested, and the only way to free them is to join the Tournament of the Gods, which take place on the level of the city that his uncles' are being held prisoner. Crow must dodge opponents, learn who to trust, and grapple with their past if they have any hope of coming out of the Tournament alive, and fighting for those they love...

Review:
This the 4th book I've read by this author, and every time I am blown away at the creative world they are able to construct. I really loved the way this book tackled classism and its deadly outcomes, gender identity, and other serious topics. This book doesn't get a perfect score from me for a few reasons: 1. I wish we'd gotten to know Crow's uncles better before everything went down as I had no emotional attachment to them, 2. I was super confused where the romance situation was going for approximately 60% of the book, and 3. I wish we'd spent more time in the actual Tournament - all the competitors felt so 2D and they were there and gone, and the challenges got really routine. I could have used another 100 pages of this book!

Thank you Random House Children’s and NetGalley for the ARC.

Crow (they/he) trying hiding his identity and survive in underground of Shallows with his Uncles. Crow’s secret is he descended is the of God Death and can used death magic, which the other Gods outlawed their’s existence. Everything changes when his uncles got arrested for helping hiding descended children of the god death. So they have to participate in a tournament with help with Chaos, Moddox and Lark. If he survives and win the tournament, the gods will grant his wish. During the tournament they discovered so much about shallow and himself. He has to face many obstacles, to set his uncles free. Will they win the tournament and free their’s uncles? What secrets will they discover?

A lot of people say this book is the hunger games meets An Ember in the Ashes in dystopian. I don’t know if it’s true because I have not read An Embrr in the Ashes. But what I can say is this is the hunger games meets the Sunbearer.

I enjoy every part of this book, but except end. Because I want to know what happened next. That why I give it 4.5 star

This is the exact book that 2025 needed.

This book may be a fictional world run by fictional gods, but the real-world implications and inspiration are obvious. The message is well-executed and anyone who can read remotely critically will see the obvious parallels between the treatment of the Deathchildren and the current treatment of non-white individuals, specifically those with LatinX backgrounds, in the United States under the current 2025 administration. It also clearly shows the disparity between classes and calls it out. I also appreciated all the rep from chronic illness disability to a whole cast of queer characters. And even with those clear societal an political leanings and lots of valid rep, it never felt preachy or forced.

The story itself is phenomenal. The plot moves at a good pace and it held my interest well. Sometimes I can get lost in intense action-sequences, but the fight scenes in this book were well-written and easy to follow. I also appreciated that they weren't overly drawn out, but were succinct and to the point. There were some awesome twists along the way, as well as some heartbreaking ones, but the sadness was always well balanced with joy. I also really liked a lot the characters, especially Chaos and Maddox. Lark was, however, not a favorite. I felt like she didn't really add much to the story and fit like a misshapen puzzle piece--filling the hole but not really completing the picture well. I almost think the story would have been fine without her in it. On the other hand, I really wish we could've had more of Lore. They seemed like an amazing fun character, and they 100% deserved more page time.

And now for a slightly spoiler bit: the relationships.

Chaos and Crow had immediate chemistry, but I like that they remained queerplatonic. There simply aren't enough queerplatonic relationships in books, especially polycules. so I really liked the dynamic with Maddox, Chaos, and Crow. They all fit well together. I liked watching Maddox and Crow's romantic relationship blossom while also watching how their care, concern, and even love for Crow grew as well. The only part of this I felt didn't fit was, once again, Lark. The whole love confession felt wildly out of place and her character had shown at best a sister-like love for Crow. Her having romantic feelings for them seemed way out of left field. There was ZERO indication she felt anything for them beyond that sibling type bond. And Crow had shown ZERO interest in her that way. Even once they started kissing, Crow's attraction seemed very flat and forced. It just felt off. There needed to be more lead up. Maybe if I had connected with and liked Lark a bit more I would've been rooting for them, but Lark and Crow's relationship just simply didn't hold up when compared to the development we get to see with Maddox and Chaos.

So, overall, this book was a solid win for me. (But honestly, when has anything written by Gabe Cole Novoa NOT been a solid win?) This book wrapped up cleanly, so I don't feel like a sequel is necessary, but I can also see potential for a continuation. If there is another book, you better believe I'm reading it.

4.5 Stars Rounded Up

4.5 stars

Gabe Cole Novoa writes some of my favorite YA stories, and These Vengeful Gods was no exception. I have a known weakness for found family, and as usual, this one got me right in the feels.

I will start out by saying that this story is not subtle - and it shouldn’t be. We should be looking this type of hatred and bigotry and state-sanctioned genocide directly in the eye.

The comps to The Hunger Games were 100% correct - at some points, to distraction (I believe I twice made notes saying “it’s giving Mockingjay”). But since I LOVE me some Hunger Games, it wasn’t a deal breaker for me.

The disability representation here was great without being reductive.

There were some things I wanted more of - more Cara/Crow, more Lark/Crow post-feelings, more personality from Crow themselves. But the breakneck pace of this story kept me engaged straight through to the end.

Also obsessed that this was a solid standalone and didn’t leave me hanging waiting for a sequel. It wraps up tidily, which I think we really need more of these days.

As always, I will read more from this author at every opportunity.

These Vengeful Gods is a fast paced YA dystopian story about a world inhabited by Gods, minor godlings and the humans who have been relegated to a lower caste life. Crow (they/he) survives in the lowest levels of society as a fighter but Crow has minor death magic abilities that allow them to heal, regulate their hormone levels and find weaknesses in every opponent. When Crows uncles are arrested for helping the children of the god Death, Crow must participate in a Tournament of Champions to win a boon and free their uncles.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read and review this book which I am giving 3.5⭐️.
I really enjoy this authors writing and previous books. They know how to write about a young trans persons experience with a delicate hand that allows for empathy and knowledge in an organic way that I feel is so accessible to readers.
I liked all of the main character and side characters in this book and loved the ending. While a lot happened very quickly at the end, I appreciate that the book was wrapped up as a standalone and not drug out into a duology or a trilogy that is ever so common right now.