Review: We Have No Gods by Liza Anderson

This book hooked me right away—dark, sharp, and full of tension. It’s gothic dark academia with witches, secrets, and a human girl trying to survive in a world where she has no power, but everything to lose.

Vic is such a strong lead—tough, protective, and deeply human in a world that doesn’t want her. Her love for her brother drives everything, and I really connected with how messy and raw that relationship felt. The setting—Avalon Castle hidden in the woods—was eerie and vivid, and the mix of slow-burning mystery and quiet magic gave the whole book this haunting atmosphere.

There’s danger, rivalry, and a simmering tension between Vic and Xan that adds even more edge. It’s not just about magic—it’s about identity, sacrifice, and what it means to choose your place in a world that wants to define it for you.

If you like your fantasy with bite, heart, and just a little bit of romantic tension, this one’s worth picking up.

It took a little while for me to get fully invested in this book but once I was I couldn’t put it down! Vic was the embodiment of eldest child trauma and I FELT THAT. Her love and devotion to keep Henry, her younger brother, safe was so sweet, too.

Vic’s relationship with Xan, however— WE HAVE ANOTHER HOT, POWERFUL SHADOW WIELDER IN THE HOUSE. Xan knew Vic was unhinged and impulsive and he lowkey loved that about her. The romance was very subplot and apart from some tension throughout, the romance didn’t really happen until the last few chapters. I ate it up regardless.

This book ends on a cliffhanger which had me SCREAMING. The last sentence was a mic drop for sure and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book.

We Who Have No Gods is captivating dark academiaish fantasy.

Following the death of their mother, Vic and Henry are left to fend for themselves. Despite only being sixteen when her mom dies (and realizing her mom's career had been lie), Vic is able to take care of Henry and keep a roof over their head. All is as well as it can be until a representative of the Acheron Order arrives to take Henry. Henry is a witch (just like his mom) and will be taught magic at Avalon Castle.

Stubborn and protective, Vic decides that they can go to Avalon Castle.

Although described as a dark academia fantasy, We Who Have No Gods wasn't as dark academia as I had hoped. While it was set in a castle, it didn't feel that somber ambience associated with gothic castles. There were hints of the old world academia but it also felt like it could be any of the fantasy training academies.

Recruits were taught the basics - magic, sparring and creatures. I would have liked to see more of the magic being learned but I did really appreciate how it was a slower process that required a lot of work. It feels more realistic.

The creatures though. Orcans are the undead and come in a variety of packages. There was almost a Supernatural feel to the way they fought them; specific strategies for specific species. They were written very vividly and while I can't speak on them all, several were accurate based on lore I'm familiar with.

The ending of this book gave me whiplash in the best way. It was definitely more fantasy than romance so if you're looking for romantasy specifically this may not be your cup of tea. The subplot was a true slow burn but also their timing made me mad. Literally the worst possible time.

Also, where is there dad? (I'm sure it'll be a shocker but literally he isn't mentioned once.)

4/5 ⭐

Thank you to Liza Anderson, Ballantine/Penguin Random House and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Wow! This book was amazing! It gave me Harry Potter/Supernatural vibes. Loved the world building. The pace of the book was perfect. The FMC was relatable for the situation. I can't wait for more books from this author!

Liza Anderson’s debut novel, We Who Have No Gods, is a gripping gothic dark academia fantasy that weaves a spellbinding tale of magic, secrets, and tension. Set in a world where witches of the Acheron Order guard against the realm of the dead, the story follows Vic Wood, a human woman navigating a society of magical elites. The book’s premise—a non-magical protagonist thrust into a world of witches to prove magic can be taught—is executed with remarkable depth and intensity, making it a standout in the genre.

The character development in this novel is nothing short of exceptional. Vic Wood is a compelling protagonist, her determination and vulnerability shining through as she fights to belong in the unwelcoming halls of Avalon Castle. Her journey from an ordinary life to uncovering her mother’s ties to a looming war is portrayed with nuance, making her growth both relatable and inspiring. Supporting characters, like her younger brother Henry and the enigmatic head Sentinel Xan, are equally well-crafted. Xan, in particular, is a highlight—his complex mix of ruthlessness and subtle vulnerability creates a magnetic dynamic with Vic that simmers with romantic tension. Each character feels distinct and fully realized, their motivations and flaws driving the narrative forward in meaningful ways.

From the opening pages, Anderson hooks readers with a blend of mystery, action, and world-building that never feels overwhelming. The plot unfolds at a brisk pace, balancing monster-hunting sequences with quieter moments of archival research and personal conflict. The looming threat of war within the Acheron Order, coupled with Vic’s discoveries about her mother’s past, kept me on the edge of my seat. Every chapter introduced new layers to the story, ensuring I couldn’t put the book down.

What makes We Who Have No Gods truly unforgettable is its promise of more to come. The novel sets up a rich world with countless unanswered questions—about the Order, Vic’s potential powers, and the war on the horizon—that left me desperate for a sequel. Anderson’s ability to craft a self-contained story while planting seeds for a larger trilogy is impressive, and I’m already counting down the days until the next installment.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballentine for the E-Arc!
This was such a fun read and a wonderful debut by Liza Anderson!

Some awesome things from the book included a very unique magic system, the slow burn romance between Vic and Xan, and the plot twists that I never saw coming.

Vic is normal as any human can be normal. She is also her younger Brother; Henry's, guardian. But as normal as Vic seems to be, her brother very much is not.
Henry has witch blood running through his veins, when this secret is revealed and the new onset of his magical abilities, Vic's plan to keep Henry far away from the order falls through. Vic and Henry travel to up state New York to give Henry the best chance at controlling his abilities as the orders newest recruit. Even though Vic did not get any magical affiniry from her Mother, the Academy and enemy Xan calls to her in a way that cannot be explained
This could not come at a worse time as a war between witches is near and threatens everything in existence.
Would you risk your heart for a world where Power is everything?

For fans of Dark Gothic Academia, Fantasy, Enemies to Lovers, and secrets this book is the one for you!

I cannot wait to see what comes next!
Out January of 2026!

3/5 stars
Read via NetGalley

Plot – 3/5, this had all the ingredients I have just recently realized I love. Thank you, Liza Anderson! Note: dark academia, secret witch societies, moody forests, and mysterious castles... but the execution didn’t stick. The pacing felt rocky, and the plot often leaned on atmosphere over cohesion. Some major moments, especially related to Vic’s choices or Henry’s role, felt rushed or glossed over. Speaking of Henry... he kind of vanishes for chunks of the book, which is odd considering he’s KIND OF Vic’s main reason for being at Avalon. The romance also felt like it poofed into existence without much groundwork or emotional buildup. I appreciated that the story wasn’t just good vs. evil. It tried for moral complexity, but it didn’t go deep enough to make that nuance really land.

Characters – 3/5, well, most of the characters felt okay—not bad, but not especially memorable either. Vic is interesting and definitely has clear motivations at the start, but her choices don’t always align with them, which made her arc feel a bit uneven. I get that characters don't always align with their motivations, but man, Vic. C'mon. Her protectiveness toward Henry drives the premise, but their relationship fades oddly into the background. Xan is a familiar brooding archetype, and while there was potential for tension, the romance felt forced and underdeveloped. Side characters had some personality (Marah ftw), but I had trouble distinguishing actual traits and motivations beyond their roles in the Order.

World-Building/Magic – 2.5/5, welcome to the Acheron Order and Avalon Castle! Or should I say, a forced Hogwarts for college-aged students (so, add in a dash of depression and anxiety)? The magic system felt murky and the descriptions of Orcans left me wanting. There were some cool visual-esque moments, but not much explanation of how or why the magic worked. The little excerpts between chapters were nice for some of this. I wanted more of the lore, more stakes, and a better sense of how this world functioned beyond the immediate plot beats.

Tone/Vibes – 4/5, gothic, arcane, and misty in all the right ways. The tone is definitely a strength! There’s a steady sense of unease, secrets, and power simmering beneath the surface. The dark academia elements are more “vibe” than actual academic rigor, but Anderson still delivered on atmosphere. It feels like a story lit by candlelight and draped in velvet, which I loved. I'd have a glass of wine at Avalon - I'd probably need it.

Enjoyability – 3/5, the initial premise hooked me, and the setting kept me curious. But... the emotional connection wasn't there, especially to the sibling bond and the romance. I wanted to love this, but I kept bumping into unanswered questions and missing pieces. That said, if there's a sequel with deeper world-building and character focus, I’d still give it a shot.

If you’ve ever wanted to sneak into Hogwarts as an adult, fight ancient forces without magic, and fall into a romance that shows up like a pop quiz, go for it.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC for my feedback.

Not a fan. I definitely had high hopes for this novel but was unable to get into it from the start. It sounded like the Courting of Bristol Keats at first but just didn't hold up. DNF.

I LOVED this book. The suspense, the character growth, the relationship, the magic, all wonderful. We Who Have No Gods focuses on two siblings, Vic and Henry, who are thrust into the world of witches and monsters. Both are dealing with the passing of their mother, who left a lot of details out of her life and her warnings to her children (she couldn’t have been specific about who to be worried about??).

While there were some misunderstanding tropes, it did feel right for the character. Vic has a lot of growing up to do and I think that shows in the book. She had focused so heavily on taking care of her brother, Henry, that she needed some time to grow herself (you need therapy girl). I am hoping the next book has some point-of-views from Henry. I felt like we lacked that in this book. I also realllllly want to know more about Sarah.

It was a good read and I am definitely hooked for the next one! It drives me crazy I can’t immediately chat with my friends about this one.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this advance reader’s copy!

Vic is relatable loving sister who would end lives for her brother. She's a fighter with no magical power but her brother has been recruited into a magic school, she refuses to let him go alone. As she learns of this world there is quite a bit of aligory to ablism, and racism as she has to show that she deserves a place in there magical order.
While I don't think I read this book again I am curious to see what happens next
I got this book as an advanced E-copy through net galley

I had high expectations for this novel, but it ended up feeling more frustrating than fulfilling. The marketing labeled it “gothic” and placed it under the “dark academia” banner, but that felt misleading. Beyond the castle setting and a couple of classroom scenes at a magic school, it offers little that truly embodies either genre. Structurally, We Who Have No Gods reads more like straight-up fantasy. The romantic subplot is underdeveloped, the characters act in inconsistent ways, and the prose sometimes comes off as awkward or forced.

We Who Have No Gods

Thank you Net Galley for the chance to read this Arc.

This story is very reminiscent of well known ones. I had a very Fourth Wing, Hunger Games, Shadow and Bone feel to it.

You have Victoria, our main character. She has had to be the parent and protector of her younger brother ever since her mother did not come home one day.

Vic knows something unknown to the human world is the reason her mother is gone and her brother must be protected. The problem is that he is special, and she is not.

Once her brother is finally found , Vic refuses to let him go to this new world on his own. She gains access to a magical "school" of sorts. Even though the rules say she should not be there.

From there we meet men in charge, some that want her dead, some that are too interested in seeing if she's more than she seems, and of course a dark and moody leader that catches her eye.

Vic has to decide if she has a place in this castle, if she should research her mother's disappearance and learn all she can. She learns of this world that fights off monsters made from the dead. She has several run ins with death and danger. She meets others who believe she should stay, and others that beg her to leave for her own safety or theirs.

As all good heroine stories go though, there is of course so much more to her than she even knows. She's a fighter in many ways and needs answers about this life.

Mix in broody hot guy tension, father figure teachers, scary freaking monsters that all have cool descriptions, some evil guys, some good guys, and magic, and you have a fantasy heroine novel.

This book does leave you on a cliffhanger, you can feel it coming on very early on in the book, but it will leave you guessing until the end.

At times the pacing of this book was a bit too slow for my liking, I wanted more action and romance. I understand it now that I've finished it though, that it was all necessary to create a new series.

This book does read a bit young adult, the violence is definitely up there, a bit of cursing, but more of a young theme in all. I was surprised at the characters age because of that.

Depending on the synopsis for the second one, I might read the next.

A fantastic world with intriguing magic systems and a penchant for the disturbing. Between the Orcans and the arcano-political machinations, I had a fantastic time reading this.

Vic Woods is a human woman and the sole caretaker of her younger brother. Her younger brother is a witch, and they quickly get thrust into a world of magic that leaves more questions than answers. Despite Vic not being welcomed by most of the witches, she stays at the behest of one of the most powerful and begins to build friendships with a select few. Strong-willed and competent, I found her delightful to read about, though I wish she had a little bit more active development when it came to combat. Anytime she was faced with creatures that she, in theory, should have been able to handle, she ended up needing to be saved. I wanted to see more of her taking her power back as a human in a school full of witches.

As for the romance, there is a romance subplot, though I don't think it's the most convincing romance wise, so I'd be curious to see how it develops in future books. The two of them definitely have sexual chemistry, but I'm not entirely sold on the romance aspect of it. They're for sure attracted to each other, but they haven't been able to really have heartful conversations and begin to unpack their attraction to see if it's something more.

While I, for the most part, enjoyed "We Who Have No Gods," there is an important aspect of it to mention. The Orcans (essentially demons) are based upon various different folklore creatures from around the world. While interesting in theory, there was an instance where I was taken out of the book because of its inappropriate use of a Native American creature (in particular, one from the Algonquin tribes). It's been spoken about online and in horror circles many times over about the appropriation of this creature in particular, and seeing it pop up in this book really, for lack of a better phrase, gave me the ick. It's been said many times by natives not to appropriate this creature, and yet it still keeps happening. It's just a passing mention of it, but it is worth noting. Other Orcans tend to come from American folklore (like the Jersey Devil, for instance) and don't have this problem. It's a sensitivity issue, and I think having a cultural sensitivity reader when you're taking inspiration from other cultures for your monsters is incredibly important.

Overall, I'd say this was a 4 star read.

I CANNOT believe this is a debut novel, it was incredible!! I loved the FMC, it was so refreshing to have a non-teenager, flawed woman with an actual history as a main character in a romantasy novel.

The magic system and worldbuilding were unique, engaging, and well-developed. I loved getting to know the world in the chapter openings.

I thought the middle of the book was a little slow but holy crap the last 15% had me in a chokehold. To me, this book has all the potential to become the next Scholomance or Atlas Six. I am SO excited for the next book and the author's career!!

Thank you to Net Galley, Ballantine Books, and the author for an arc of this novel.

Holy sh*t is all I have to say! This book had everything I love and more - dark academia, hidden magical castle in the woods, learning forbidden magic, super creepy monsters, and tension galore. Plus that ending!? I don’t want to give too much away, but I cannot believe this is a debut novel and I hate that the pub date is so far out because I already need book two NOW!!

Firstly, much thanks to Balantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

TL;DR - solid world-building, enjoyable dramatic and romantic tension, looking forward to the full series :)

This is another binge-in-a-day book, a page-turner I didn't want to put down. It's an adult dark academia style fantasy - adults at a magical university rather than kids at a prep school, and more Scholomance than Hogwarts (the castle has been known to eat people) - set in upstate New York. That sounds fairly typical, and would have been a three star had it ended there.

However, what sets this book apart is what if the hero(ine) narrator isn't the chosen one? Has been told her entire life that the chosen one is her brother, and it's her duty to protect him, even when that means stepping into a very hostile castle. Even when the other students try to kill her for being normal. Even when her brother is an absolute jerk to her, and he is, no real spoiler there. Even when it looks like her long-dead mother may have plopped them both at the center of long fermenting mage war about to come to a head. Good times.

I enjoyed the author's world-building, which is distinct enough despite the obvious parallels I keep referencing to keep it interesting. I appreciate the breadth of cultures the creepy monsters are pulled from. And this is as much of a creeping horror story (few jump scares, much sense of impending occult doom) as a fantasy. There are very awful things in this world that would very much like to eat the heroine - chupacabras, wraiths, and, my favorite, a mimic, though sadly not treasure-chest-shaped.

And of course, there's an incredibly hot, super powerful, incredibly hot, reading-glasses-wearing, incredibly hot, built like a brick wall, hot Greek hero, who would also like to devour said heroine. Did I mention hot? But it's a very slow burn, and not the main plot, or not the only main plot of the book, and mostly his role in book one (this is clearly going to be a series, and one I want to also devour) is to smolder, be incredibly talented and capable, and make the reader consider going to Greece.

An enjoyable read, and I'll look forward to the rest of the series!

Actual Rating: 3.75/5 stars

This was a fun read that kept me on my toes. Just when I thought I had the vibes figured out, it veered in another direction. I’m glad it wasn’t overly predictable, but it still ascribed to a few tropes we see a lot, so it felt (for lack of a better word) comfortable.

The FMC’s inner dialogue felt realistic and I liked how well the book flowed, it felt organic and exciting. I did find it a little hard to get into at first, but once things started really moving (around 20%), it was hard to put it down. The world building was really fun, it felt a little like The Witcher but in 2025. The side characters were also well done, I felt like they had personality and had lives off-page, which isn’t always the case.

I do hate a cliffhanger, especially when I get a book early for review and have to wait EVEN LONGER for the sequel, but I’m looking forward to what’s happening next. A lot was set up in this book.

If you enjoy strong female characters, monsters, and magic, you’d definitely enjoy this book. Also, hope you have room for a new Xaddy in your collection, this one is delightful ;)

I am deeply grateful to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this opportunity to read a digital ARC and provide my honest review.

I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed this! While not typically a fan of academia fantasies, this book was different and I found myself immersed in the world. Vic starts out as an outsider and we get to see her slow integration into the school. I agree that giving her powers takes away from her struggles, but nonetheless I still liked it. Henry was a bit annoying and I didn’t like how he treated Vic at times. I didn’t care for the romance with Xan but I loved Sarah and wish we got more time with her.

. I went in expecting a dark, character-driven fantasy, and what I got was that and so much more. Liza Anderson has crafted a world that feels ancient and aching, full of unspoken history, quiet rebellions, and moral gray characters.
The political and religious intrigue here is chef’s kiss. Complex, layered, and never heavy-handed. There’s tension in every conversation, every sideways glance, every whispered doubt. And the relationships—whether allies, enemies, or something in between—are tangled in the best, most human way.
The ending!?!? Jaw on floor.

We have another shadow daddy! Xan is coming in hot with the shadows! This book had really great world building, I found it to be very complex but not too complex that it felt like I was reading from a textbook. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Vic and Xan and how Vic was the strong one in her relationship with her brother and not some damsel in distress. I will say that I was not a fan of Henry as a character. I just felt like he was shifty and not a great brother considering everything that Vic gave up to keep him safe. I thought this book was a standalone but the cliffhanger ending leads me to believe that there could be more to come from this world which I hope so because Vic and Xan’s romantic relationship was such a slow burn that we really only get a lot of tension and one semi spicy scene. Overall, this book was great if a bit slow to get into and in pace, but I really enjoyed reading.