While I enjoyed this one, I struggled to get into it. I wasn’t connecting to the characters and found the plot was not gripping me the way I had hoped.

The writing was good, the characters and story were very unique and there’s a love triangle like I’ve never experienced before!

The Sleepless is a story of loyalty, tragedy, betrayal and adventure. There is a a lot of fun banter between the characters and you meat some great creatures and characters while they’re on their quest.

If you’re looking for a Romantasy book for a younger reader, this is definitely one I’d recommend.

A YA Romantasy unlike any I’ve read before. Many different creatures roam this world. River, a former human turned jih spirit, finds herself in an interesting love triangle-two males who share the same body. One is Artair, a boy who is smart, kind and hardworking. The other is Lucian, the demon who takes over Artair’s body as he sleeps.

I love the creativity of the creatures in this book and how Elver is not-quite-human anymore but still remembers her human emotions. I also love thinking about The Sleepless. This book has a lot of world building, as do most stories that are the first in a fantasy series. It took a while to get into but then you do.


Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Jen Williams and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions stated are my own.

I thought this story was amazing. I loved the author’s writing style. I really loved all the characters as well! This kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to read more. I highly recommend this one! Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

Sacrificed for one god, only to be saved by another, Elver becomes a guardian of the jih forest, protecting the creatures that reside in it. All is well, until Artair shows up and steals one of the creatures and Elver is tasked to bring it back to the forest. Only, the quest becomes more than she bargained for, as Artair is not the only mind inside his body. The two find themselves working together against a common enemy with plans much bigger than they could anticipate.

This book has a really cool concept. I was a bit bummed it took me a bit longer than I wanted to really get into it, probably closer to halfway through, which is why I’m giving it a strong 3.5 stars. I enjoyed the lore behind it though and found the magic intriguing.

The triangle is certainly a bit more complex than you usually see, which I also enjoyed. It’s hard to know which one to root for when they’re sharing a body. I like them both, hut won’t reveal which one I like a little more.

Overall it’s an enjoyable read and I still recommend it to those who enjoy fantasy with interesting and tricky gods.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesdays Books for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Sleepless!

Jen Williams delivers a gripping, atmospheric thriller with The Sleepless, blending psychological suspense with a haunting mystery that lingers long after the final page. With razor-sharp prose and a premise that hooks you instantly, this novel is an eerie, unsettling journey into the consequences of sleeplessness—and the terrifying truths hidden in the dark.

The story follows … (insert a brief, non-spoilery summary highlighting the protagonist’s struggles, the eerie atmosphere, and the central mystery). Williams crafts a world where exhaustion blurs reality, paranoia creeps in, and trust becomes a fragile illusion. The tension is relentless, each chapter pulling you deeper into a labyrinth of secrets and deception.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its immersive, almost cinematic quality. Williams masterfully builds suspense, layering psychological unease with chilling revelations. The protagonist’s descent into uncertainty is both unsettling and compelling, making it impossible to put the book down. The writing is sharp and evocative, creating an atmosphere that feels both intimate and inescapable.

For fans of slow-burning psychological thrillers with a unique twist, The Sleepless is a must-read. Williams delivers an electrifying, thought-provoking thriller that will keep you up at night—fitting, given its premise.

The Sleepless by Jen Williams is a curious story about an outspoken young woman outcast by circumstances and cruelty beyond her control. Elver's story is a sad one that most will easily relate to because everyone occassionally feels the need to hide away from that which hurts us until we grow bitter and brave enough to face it again. Her main companion, one half of our MMC, Artair is about as complex as a sheet of paper. Easy to talk to and a bit boring. The only thing going for him is that he's got something like a soul-parasite that takes over his body when he falls asleep. What do these characters look like? I've hardly an idea. What do the cool monsters look like? I understand the concept of one or two but there are quite a few others which just aren't given justice. There's a part of me that thinks the only reason I like Lucian, that second soul living within Artair, is because it's through him that we are given the most descriptive views of the world and himself. I wouldn't mind if Jen wrote an entire chapter of each character standing in front of a mirror and looking at their reflections so that they could be described in detail. I just couldn't see these characters which was so odd because normally I'm very imaginative and can practically see scenes playing out in my head like a movie.
I complain all the time that a book felt too short and I'm about to do it again. For a world meant to be so very different from ours there's just not enough pages in this book to do it justice alongside the budding romance between our love-triangle and its plot. There were sparks of intrigue which I so yearned to kindle but it just wasn't a fulfilling read though with all the lingering threads of plot I will likely give the finale in this duology a try.

The Sleepless – Jen Williams
A chilling and immersive thriller set in a world where sleep is no longer guaranteed. Williams builds tension masterfully, crafting an unsettling atmosphere that keeps the reader on edge. The story unfolds with eerie precision, blending mystery, science fiction, and psychological horror into an unforgettable narrative. Perfect for fans of speculative thrillers that make you question reality.

Wow! I loved this so very much! I flew through the book, enjoying the world building and characters! What a great concept and can't wait to read more from this author. Thank you Netgalley for this e-arc.

The Sleepless is a charming fantasy tale with an interesting premise and characters that are sharp and foolish at the same time. Artair is trying to save his friends, and to do that he must trade a forest cub for their lives. Elver, a human sacrifice that was saved by a serpent god and granted powers, protects the forest dwellers. When Artair nabs a cub from Elver's forest, the two find themselves in a conundrum. To complicate matters, Artair is one of the "Sleepless", who shares his body with another soul and when Artair sleeps, Lucian takes over. The three develop a love triangle of sorts. But, the romantasy aspect is quite ya, more crushing on each other and light flirting; I'm guessing that some might be disappointed if they expected a more adult romance, but this level of relating to each other has more plausibility with character ages and experience (one growing up in a secluded monastery another in the forest as the lone human). The world building, with the twelve gods, jih forest, creatures, and mages make this a vibrant adventure and by the end there seemed to be more potential left in this world to be discovered.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press - Wednesday Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

I am in shock and awe over how much I loved this book. Great plot with beautifully written romance! I just can't wait for everyone to get their hands on this.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for granting me an early copy.
My first book from this author and I was pleasantly surprised. I have a few other books on my TBR list from Jen Williams, so looking forward to reading those too.

My favorite part about this book is that this was a unique fantasy where one character, Artair also has another soul inside of him. So this makes a non conventional love triangle with the two souls inside one body with Elver. I also loved that there are quite the number of different gods in this story and they can choose to help their followers or not.
There's also a sort of an animal companion or rather a monster companion for our characters.

I am interested in seeing where the next chapter of this story takes us and what lies in store for our main characters.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Wednesday books!

This book was fantastic and hard to look away from! It asks the question what does it means to be a monster.

There was never a dull moment, as Jen is truly a master story teller who weaves the world building so naturally. It was truly immersive as I felt like I lived in this world and learned the history of the twelve gods and their disciples from birth.
Jen planted such heartache within this story with just enough warmth and light to have me caring, even for those I should not.

The romance within the book is an unconventional love triangle between poison child Elver, ignorant Artair and vengeful Lucian (who controls Artairs body when he sleeps). I am not a fan who seeks out love triangles, but Jen is magic and makes this flow so well. I loved their plight and enjoyed how Jen built understanding, love and hope for all of the characters in their own way.

Overall, this is a very immersive read with a strong FMC whose slow-build relationship with both MMCs is heart-warming, with demanding gods and broken villains. I cannot wait for the next book!

Absolutely loved this concept and enjoyed the read. I do feel like it was missing some depth for me. It could have used more world building and character development as they all felt a little flat. I did enjoy Lucian’s character arc, I just wish there would have been more. A very fast paced read without much filler which is definitely a plus!


Very thankful for St. Martin’s press and Wednesday Books for providing this ARC!

The Sleepless grew on me by the end but I was sure it was going to be a DNF early on with one of the main reasons being this book is being marketed as romance when our FMC and our MMC are minors (I'm not sure about the spirit but I would assume around the same age). Honestly I think this branding does the book a disservice. Either the characters should be aged up and their love really fleshed out or it needs to be marketed more appropriately. As it stands now, the characters are just building a friendship, which I enjoy more personally but I could see it irking some readers.

The second reason I thought this would be a DNF for me was the writing was rough in places. This is an ARC so I can assume and hope that some parts will be fixed but for example, Towards the middle of the book there is a conversation that goes something like-

"Don't look nervous"
He looks at her nervously, "do I look nervous?"

By the end of the book I enjoyed the world and such enough to look past it but there were a couple of points that could use some ironing out.

All in all though, the book grew on me. I thought this was going to be a one off but it's very obvious from the ending that it's going to be at least a duology and I'll be there for it. I hope that the next one will go a bit deeper and really give all of the characters some more depth.

I would recommend this book to people looking for a quick fantasy read but not if they are the type looking for romance.

Lush prose, incredible worldbuilding, and a fresh spin on the 'monsters' trope. The Sleepless had me from page one and I quickly became attached to the characters and the author's writing style!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

The beginning and the ends of this were strong for me but it lost me in the middle. It seemed like they were just wandering around to different places without it contributing to the story.

The world building was good and there was an interesting take on a love triangle. I've clearly been in the morally grey pool long enough that I preferred Lucian over Artair lol. Felt they had more of a connection. Either way, I could have used more build up to the romance.

Meddling gods always add interesting things. I also loved Fleet and their solution of wanting to bite people they don't like lol.

Overall, not a bad read but it reads more of YA to me. It is on the shorter side and I think a bit more could have really fleshed out things more, giving more depth to the characters.

Jen Williams' The Sleepless is an emotionally intense YA romantasy that grabbed my attention with its high-stakes plot and unique love triangle between a monster girl, a possessed boy, and the evil spirit within him. The story had me hooked from the start, with a strong emotional pull and characters that I couldn’t help but invest in.

Elver, the fierce and isolated monster girl, is the standout for me. Cursed with a poisonous touch, she lives alone until she meets Artair, the only person immune to her curse, and Lucian, the parasitic spirit inside him. The evolving dynamic between the three was a perfect blend of tension, romance, and inner conflict, with Lucian’s morally grey character adding extra intrigue.

While I would’ve liked more time to connect with the characters individually before their paths crossed, the story's emotional depth and the compelling dynamics kept me invested. Williams’ world-building impressed me, they created a rich, immersive setting that made the plot even more captivating. The Sleepless is a beautifully crafted story about love, loss, and the struggle for autonomy, with a romance that will leave you swooning. Highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

While I was hooked by the premise, and loved the little bit of world building we got, it pretty quickly fell flat. I know this is young adult, but I've read the author's Ninth Rain series and it's one of my favorites, which makes this book all the more disappointing because I know the plotting and character development she is capable of. The characters here are so one dimensional, and the dialogue so juvenile, there's no way you believe they're in their late teens - I didn't buy any of this story, especially the "romance" which felt like a very sad last minute addition.

The concept is a good one. Lots of Gods, Monsters and quirky characters.

It fell flat for me.

NetGalley/ St. Martin’s Press September 30, 2025