I received an ARC of this book. This review is voluntary and expresses my own opinions.

Wow. I did not see this book coming. The magic system is unreal and I’m still not even 100% sure how it works, but damn. Our FMC is a kickass woman, but she has trust issues a few miles deep. The friends she makes along the way are the best in unexpected ways. The love interest MMC is a new kind of shadow daddy and I was here for it. The two mentor/role model male characters are vastly different and I’m excited to see how those relationships develop in book 2.
And the twist at the end, hot damn.
So in conclusion, if you are looking for a dark academia with magic and low spice/high tension romance, found family, and a bad ass FMC, 100% read this book.

This book completely gripped me. The writing is immersive and haunting, with a dark academia atmosphere that builds suspense from the very first page. The tone is eerie, the pacing deliberate, and the scenes — especially those involving the Orcans — are so vividly written I felt physically unsettled (in the best way).

I especially appreciated the slightly older protagonists and the emotional depth they brought to the story. Vic is raw and complex, trying to figure out who she is outside of being her brother’s protector. Xan was never a villain to me — just a compelling, morally gray character navigating an equally murky world.

While the romance is light and slow-burn, the emotional tension and character dynamics kept me fully invested. I loved how unsure I was of who to trust — nothing in this book is black and white, and the mystery unfolds at a perfect pace. The ending twist left me reeling in the best way and set up the next book beautifully.

Highly recommended for fans of dark academia, layered characters, and morally complex worlds with just a hint of romance.

If this were up to me i’d say this book is not ready to publish. The synopsis is misleading at best. For someone who is following their sibling to a school to protect them, Vic sure seems to not give a crap about her brother. For 150 pages Henry is not present and we hear more about how hot Xan is. When Henry makes an appearance he is only around for a page to tell Vic she needs to leave.

Somehow everyone is telling Vic the castle is dangerous and she cant wander yet she does just that with no consequences.

Xan is not imposing or ruthless, he is just an immature man child who allows Vic to teach a class because she is a good fighter. And im supposed to believe she taught this class unsupervised. Never in my years as an athlete and dancer has a skilled athlete taught a class. My friend who had a blackbelt at most was able to guide younger kids with warmups for points on his college application. Xan supposedly wants Vic to leave but spends an entire chapter wooing her and then gets steamy with her? Chapter 17 reads like it was taken from a different book. I also kept thinking of Katy Perry’s song hot and cold when reading about Xan and his bipolar behavior.

Conflicts seem to resolve with little to no effort or action. Like im supposed to believe a room full of witches and sentinals get mad that Vic is around and somehow survives their test but they disappear when she runs away? Not to mention she runs away from a dangerous situation without once thinking of her brother. And why does max (i hope im remembering that right) dig a tunnel to a female student’s room?

Normal human behavior doesnt seem to be on anyones agenda. Everyone keeps saying they should be acting like an adult but then turns around and has a tantrum. All the female characters act the same with the same comebacks and “witty” remarks. Sarah says made’s are supposedly hard to control which makes me assume their power is uncontrollable but all she does to reinforce her unwillingness to be controlled is be defiant.


I really liked this book for the first 25%. I thought this was going to be another 6/5⭐️ read this year but it quickly nosedived into a poorly written/ planned story about a girl playing hard to get with her brothers gym teacher. I liked the little quips in the beginning of each chapter, reminded me of Dune but i think it would work better if they aligned with the chapters more and provided context to the chapter rather than just the book. I think with some work this could be fixed. Spend less time trying to make it a romance and more time with vic caring about her brother. I think the romance can start when xan tells her about his brother. And Xan needs to stop being a puppy on a leash. Like why is he always there to save her? Its annoying and makes the main character seem hopelessly helpless.

I absolutely DEVOURED this book.

We Who Have No Gods opens on our FMC Vic and her younger brother, Henry, who she has been caring for since her mother died suddenly. Henry is recruited to the Acheron Order and brought to their training facility. Despite being human, Vic is permitted to train at the academy alongside magical recruits.

The magic system in this book was interesting and unique. The author expertly wove the world and system building into the story which was quite refreshing. This was a nice departure from a lot of recent fantasy novels as a lot of stories lately either do not fully flesh out their system or we get long winded exposition about the systems and the world. Vic is well developed and we get to know her well throughout the story.

I could not put this down! The cliffhanger is especially heartbreaking since the book doesn't come out for 6 months... I'm going to be waiting a while to devour the next part of this story.

This book is a solid 4 star read from me. It could be a five star if some parts of the story were better developed. I think as well as we get to know Vic, the character development for some of the other main characters is lacking. Henry especially feels very two dimensional next to Vic. The love interest and banter between the FMC and MMC also felt a little too obvious and was rife with romantasy tropes that I'm quite bored of at this point. I think for a certain audience, this relationship will play VERY well and Xan plays into the "Shadow Daddy" stereotype very well. This will probably make the book blow up on BookTok but is a bit of a let down for me.

I plan to post TikTok videos and public reviews to Goodreads and Fable closer to the publication date as requested by the publisher upon approval.

My issue with this book lies in the fact that although the synopsis makes the reader believe this book would be primarily dark academia (Henry studying at an elite and mysterious magical institution) and the bond between the two siblings, the plot was actually a slice of adult romantasy. We encounter the book's "Shadow Daddy", Xan, early on. He is the typical romantasy Shadow Daddy with the giant and imposing figure, broody mood, rippling abs, and chiseled features. His romantic tension with Victoria takes up most of the plot, annoyingly enough. We barely get to see Henry, and we do not get to follow his perspective. I feel the lack of Henry's perspective throws a gaping hole in the emotional impact of the narrative and damages the plot line. The combination of Victoria's experience in the Order with Henry's growing interest in accepting his powers through the magical institution would have made an interesting dichotomy. It would have been amazing to have Henry go through the typical hero fantasy plot while Victoria slowly unravels the dark hierarchy of the Order through her perspective. But no. We get Shadow Daddy and her easygoing relationship with her new bestie, Sarah.

I did like the world-building, and I found the excerpts at the beginning of each chapter to be very informative and engaging. And I was really hooked at the first 15% of the book when we were exploring the new characters and the relationship with the siblings. But after a while, the plot was just making me lose interest as it dissolved into romantasy tropes. I don't think I would be reading the next book in the series when that comes out.

This had a lot of potential and some really great moments. The writing is super readable and immersive, and I loved the witch lore and how dark and weird the world felt. Vic was a strong main character and the dynamic with May and Sarah worked really well. The pacing was off, fast in some places, dragging in others. Henry didn’t feel developed enough and the romance felt kind of rushed. I wanted more world building, and more time with Vic and Xan. BUT, if you’re into dark academia and witches, it’s worth checking out.

I would give We Who Have No Gods 3.5 stars. It could have been higher because it had a lot of really great pieces but falls short in a few areas.

Things I liked:
- the setting and the monsters were well described
- unique take on witches
- interactions between Vic, May and Sarah
- parts of the action had me flipping pages

Overall, it felt like the pacing did not really work. First, at the beginning of the book we don't really establish enough about Vic and Henry as people. I never felt any relationship between the two of them so he seemed like a complete brat by the time they get to the castle. It also kills the twist at the end because it wasn't out of character or surprising - Henry did not really have a character. Then there are parts of the book that really drag and then parts where it picks up and I was invested. There needs to be more consistent engagement throughtout the story.

There are also too many dropped threads/lack of curiosity by Vic. For instance, she finally gets inside her mom's apartment. Yes, there's initially a monster, but why does she never go back in and see what her mom was hiding in there? Why didn't she ask more questions about Made witches. At about 30% they kept talking about Made witches as if we all know what that is and I actually flipped back through some pages to see if I had just missed it. The explanation comes later on and even then doesn't make a ton of sense within the world. Also, why is there no discussion of who Henry and Vic's father is? There seems to be some foreshadowing (discussion of breeding for power and implication her mom slept with both Max and Aren) but Vic never thinks about or discusses this?

I also think there should have been more interactions between Xan and Vic. There are some parts of Xan that I really liked, such as complaining about Vic after she saves him and laughing in the snow, but there just wasn't enough interaction between the two characters. We're stuck in Vic's head too much and there isn't enough dialogue between them.

I really wanted to rate this higher because I love books about witches and this unique take really intrigued me.

Per publisher request - I am holding my public review until the books are being sold.

Determined to keep her brother safe, Vic finds herself becoming the one who needs saving.

I absolutely loved this take on witches. I was drawn in from the beginning and did not want it to end. Waiting for the next book is going to be so hard!

This book is a perfect mix of Legendborn, Ninth House, and Fourth Wing. I always appreciate a unique twist on a magical system in a fantasy book, combined with a well-developed historical framework. I also appreciate a flawed protagonist that you can’t help but cheer for, as well as a good will-they-won’t-they romance.

My only regret upon finishing g the book is that I will need to wait so long for the next book.

This book was filled with intrigue and I’m left wondering what will happen next! I was definitely surprised at times.

Though the story is set in modern times, it reads as if it isn’t. There are witches in a mortal world whose power goes beyond spell casting. There’s plenty world building and a lot of monsters. I would consider this a fantasy book with political intrigue. There are rivaling factions and mortal woman seemingly caught in the middle. There is romance but no spice - maybe a whisper of spice, actually.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — A Strong Debut with Heart, Suspense & Slow-Burn Romance
We Who Have No Gods is an impressive debut that blends suspense, rich character development, and a perfectly paced slow-burn romance. Xan stood out to me right from the start—his growth throughout the story was one of my favorite parts. And Vic? An incredible protagonist. Her fierce protectiveness toward her brother and those she cares about made her instantly compelling.

The worldbuilding was vivid, and the descriptions of both characters and creatures brought the story to life in such a powerful way. A great pick for fantasy readers who enjoy depth, emotion, and tension that builds beautifully.

A wonderful story with many twists and turns. I love how the character goes through difficult choices, it keeps me wanting to read :)

Book review for We Who Have No Gods:

This book is absolute perfection! Overall, the writing is eloquent, descriptive, flows well and is cohesive. I love the dark gothic feel and the fresh spin on the "magical college" trope. The world building is smart and does not slow the advance of the plot. The pacing is spot on and I did not detect any plot holes. The characters are well developed, complex, and likeable. The added element of romance between Vic and Xan complemented and blended well with the story itself. It is my opinion that this book will sell well ! I have already recommended this book to others I know on net galley. I will be one of the first to buy a copy when the book comes out in January 2026 and will anxiously be awaiting the sequels!

A few suggestions:

1. In the early chapters of this book the author adds the phrase "y'all" in twice to Vics dialogue. This is presumably to cultivate a southern accent. I would suggest trying to flesh that out throughout the book or drop it completely as it does feel genuine (I am from Southern Louisiana 45 min from Baton Rouge). Also, Vic does not have the feel of a Southern character like Aren Mann does.
2. Instead of a sweet gum stake to kill the orcan from Baton Rouge, you may consider cypress wood. It seems more authentic to from this area (where the creature is from).
3. When Vic comes upon the servant Rachel that is killed in the library she notices the swarm of flies and the sound initially. As a nurse, I can tell you that you would most likely initially be alerted by the very strong smell of hemorrhage (smells sharp and like copper/pennies) and entrails (smells like a slaughter house) if you came upon a disemboweled body that had been sitting out for hours. Then you would notice the insects as you approached.
4. Two awkward statements I noticed were when Vic is describing Xans chest hair "a perfect amount of chest hair) and the line where Vic says she wants to "fold (Xan) up and keep him inside (of her). These felt cringey to me, but that's my opinion.
5. It may just be a formatting issue, but under XXXV The capital T is on the next page (first letter of the first sentence) and the author uses "but" to start a full sentences twice. Apparently this is now allowed, but it makes the sentences feel like sentence fragments. I know with "but they're wrong " could be a stylistic choice as it is an abrupt contrast from the sentence before it, but I feel it is choppy.
6. In the last chapter when Vic is cutting her mark/tattoo off, you would not need to cut down to fascia/muscle to remove the mark. Vic would only need to cut through the top 2 layers of skin (epidermis and dermis). Cutting deeper (especially without local anesthetic) would most likely be too painful and could cause severe bleeding and /or nerve damage. It would be more accurate if she just cut the top layer of skin.

Thank you for allowing me to review this book!

I liked the chosen-one-subversion premise, sort of "What if Harry Potter had a muggle sister that went with him to Hogwarts and she gets to be the main character?" but unfortunately the execution did not work for me. I found the characters too tropey and their actions seemed only to serve the plot (or set up *steamy situations*), not based on any actual character motivation or logic.

A Gripping and Original Fantasy That Left Me Wanting More

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5 stars)

We Who Have No Gods is a refreshingly original and compelling read that had me hooked from the start. Liza Anderson crafts a unique world filled with layered characters, intriguing conflicts, and a deeply thought-provoking premise that sets this book apart from typical fantasy fare.

I found myself fully immersed in the story, eager to see how the plot would unfold. The pacing is steady and satisfying, and the narrative keeps you invested with just the right balance of tension and emotional depth.

If I had one critique, it would be that the twist near the end felt somewhat predictable but to the author’s credit, it still made sense within the story and added value to the climax. It didn’t diminish my enjoyment, and I finished the book excited for what comes next.

I’m already looking forward to picking up a physical copy when it’s released and even more so, I can’t wait to see where the sequel takes this fascinating world.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC!

5/5 stars! I started this book yesterday and I couldn’t put it down no matter how hard I tried. I couldn’t stop thinking about it or wanting to know what happens next. Vic the FMC is thrown into a world she knows nothing about and feels like she has no control of what’s going on around her. Secrets, lies, and unstoppable plot twists and world building. She would do anything for her little brother. The MMC strong brooding and powerful and mouthwatering. Everything you want. Witches, monsters and “demons”. I loved that you got descriptions and entries before each chapter. This author has brought to life something consuming that you can’t get enough of. This book is so well written you feel every emotion and feel like you’re in the book yourself. Bravo! -Kerin Ray

We Who Have No Gods has several staples that many readers will enjoy:
- Dark Academia
- Magic Systems
- Warring Factions of Magic
- Romantasy Done Well
This would be a great read for fans of ACOTAR and Fourth Wing.

Unfortunately, I do not fall in those categories.

Vic is a normal person, with a somewhat normal life until a man using magic finds her at her job and home, and brings her and her brother to Avalon Castle, a school for witches to come into their power to protect the Veil, the separation between our world and the next. Vic undergoes several trials and challenges, both institutional and personal, to find where she belongs as the politics of the magical world threaten her at every step.

Despite an arguably slow start, once the main plot started going, it really took off and it was hard to put down. I had a few issues with the pacing because of it, but at the end of the day, this was a fun read. The characters were fun to read, and most of the dialogue felt fun and natural. The monsters, which are mostly pulled from folklore, were described wonderfully and I felt I could vividly picture them as I was reading.

The romance subplot was probably my favorite part of this novel. The classic "I want you to leave, not because I hate you, but because I love you so much I need you safe" trope will always get an extra star from me. The male love interest is very Rhysand and Xaden coded, which may be a plus to some readers.

My main issue with this book is the repetition. I noted several times when something happened, then two pages later it was restated or revisited in the inner monologue of the main character. It felt as if the novel did not trust the reader to remember what had just happened.

There were also several contradictions and contrivances in the story. (You mean to tell me that in a room of seasoned mages who fight monsters for a living, the girl who has worked in a restaurant most of her life is the best fighter, to the point she's asked to train them? Yeah, okay.) It got very frustrating after a time, and I put the book down for a week to just give myself a break. But once I got back into it, I couldn't put it down and finished the rest in a single night.

Overall, a very solid 3 star read. I enjoyed most of it, and would recommend to others!

4.5 ⭐️

If this is a debut then my mind was 🤯

This truly gave me everything I love in a book all wrapped into one package. Magic, dark academia setting, romance, and family drama. Loved the FMC of this story more than I have of any book in a while. And that romance tension was just 😮‍💨 can’t wait for the next one!!

We Who Have No Gods is a breath of fresh air. As someone who reads a lot, I find that many fantasy novels follow a formula when it comes to their female main characters—and, personally, I’m not a fan of that mold. But Victoria (aka Vic), the FMC in this book, is wonderfully different. And I’m so thankful for that.

At 25, Vic has already been through her share of hardships, and it shows in her maturity. She feels incredibly human—flawed, real, and relatable—and the story does an excellent job of reflecting that through both her actions and her moments of hesitation.

One of my favorite things about this book—aside from the story itself—is the world-building. From the hauntingly detailed environment to Castle Avalon, from the layered history and intricate magic system to the terrifying monsters… chef’s kiss.

Speaking of the monsters: the Orcans. Wow. The descriptions alone are chilling, but the author takes it a step further by including a few black-and-white sketches that are just as creepy. There were several scenes where I was literally on the edge of my seat, biting my nails. The writing is so vivid and intense I didn’t even want to turn my light off!

I love this book. The story, the characters, the slow burn and yearning, the magic, the monsters—everything. Love, love, love.

✨Shout out to the author and Netgalley for approving my request to be an Advanced Reader for this book!!

#WeWhoHaveNoGods
#NetGalley
#ARCReader

Book releases January 27, 2026

We Who Have No Gods by Liza Anderson is a captivating debut that immerses readers in a gothic dark academia fantasy world, where magic, secrets, and simmering chemistry intertwine. Set against the backdrop of the mysterious Avalon Castle, the novel follows Vic Wood, a human woman who finds herself entangled in a realm of witches and ancient orders.

The narrative unfolds as Vic's ordinary life is upended when her younger brother, Henry, is accepted into the Acheron Order—a secret society of witches tasked with maintaining the balance between life and death. Unlike Henry, Vic lacks magical abilities, yet she accompanies him to Avalon Castle, determined to protect him. There, she faces challenges not only from the Order's enigmatic leader, Xan, but also from the dark forces threatening to unravel the very fabric of reality.

Anderson's writing is rich and atmospheric, drawing readers into a world filled with war-bent rivals, guarded secrets, and a palpable tension between Vic and Xan. The character development is nuanced, with Vic's internal struggles and growth adding depth to the story. The themes of power, identity, and belonging are explored with sensitivity and insight.

However, the novel is not without its flaws. At times, the pacing can be uneven, with certain sections feeling drawn out while others rush through pivotal moments. Additionally, some readers may find the complex magical system and the intricacies of the Acheron Order challenging to fully grasp.

Despite these minor drawbacks, We Who Have No Gods is a promising start to what could be an enthralling series. Anderson has crafted a world that is both enchanting and perilous, populated by characters whose journeys are as compelling as the mysteries they seek to unravel.

Rating: 4.25/5