To Cage A God is a fast-paced, exciting fantasy novel with one of the most fascinating magic systems. In this world, dragon gods are forcefully removed from their realm and bound to the mortals, giving them powers depending on the dragon’s ability. The fact that a dragon is grafted into a person’s bones and able to communicate with them is original and fascinating. I hope to learn more about the bound in the following books in this new series. I loved the main characters, especially Sera and Galina's close relationship. Moreover, the novel shows the characters planning a rebellion and discussing different routes to overthrowing the monarch, which I found very interesting. I will definitely reach for book two in this series.

I felt like this book was initially written with a different outlook in mind.

It felt like it had more to it that the usual romantasy: steamy romance with a fantasy gloss, the caging of the dragon gods was interesting, as was the world, the Russian inspired setting, and the idea of monarch worship, turning the ruling classes into a religion, conflating secular rule with faith. But then it felt like there were elements forced in because of the success of other books, the gods weren't just gods, they were dragon gods, not relevant really, and nothing dragon-like happened, they were just referenced as scaly and with talons, there was a late mention of the dragon gods having mates, and so their human carriers were like mated pairs, which, to me, ruined a perfectly good romantic relationship. And then we have the not really enemies-to-lovers, a two people with a different approach to a similar end, but with nothing between them, seemingly, except a lot of sexual attraction, and for the male character especially, a worrying almost obsessive need for his lover in that it defined everything he did, he just followed her around on and off page, wreaking havoc for everyone because he's so bad and morally grey, except when it comes to her. Having that type of alpha/mate style relationship in an otherwise interesting and relatively nuanced story setting didn't sit right with the rest of the book, and really didn't do the characters or their relationship any favours.

It felt like an afterthought and unnecessary, for me, the book could have done without the hetero romantic relationship completely and been better off, or even kept it in, but kept the lovers at a distance from each other, their opposing methods and ideologies not allowing their relationship any space, that would have been more interesting than all of their differences suddenly being resolved because sex happens. It also wasn't helped that the two sisters' romantic relationships seemed to happen at precisely the same time.

Luckily, despite having these romantasy elements, they don't happen much, aren't the real focus of the story, and come into the book pretty late in the plot, impacting none of it, so for the most part I can rate the book as if they weren't there. I liked a lot of this book, and wanted even more from it, which is a good sign, it was also a super quick read for more which suggests that the pacing was right, there was a decent balance between character relationships and plot, it just fell a little short for me once it seemed to fall into the trap of an over-awareness of what sells. A pretty decent 4 stars otherwise.

Russian set Romantasy vibes from the author of the under appreciated (but phenomenally written!) The Falconer books. This was a really enjoyable read with some unique ideas that I don't see in other Fantasy books (which is a very good thing!)

Unfortunately, I did not get on with this book and had to DNF at 8%!
I felt that the writing was very disjointed and I had to reread parts to understand what was going on (I still don't toh). It also felt like a lot and nothing happened at the same time!
As I only read 8%, I only got to meet two characters and I couldn't connect with them from what I read of them.
The 35 pages I read were regrettably not engaging enough to get me to continue reading.
I do not enjoy DNFing books and I really was excited for this one but honestly, the thought of picking it up filled me with dread and it almost put me in a reading slump.

The reason why I chose this book was the premise of a Russian romantic fantasy book with gods and LGBTQ+ representation?! I was all in.
There were very interesting bits that I wished were more explored, like the politics, the relationships in a more mature setting and writing style, as well as the sister's relationship (It fell short for me). The banter was very entertaining at points (If you know me, you know I really like that good banter).

However, I'm disappointed to say this book fell short for me. The writing didn't hook me in the first two chapters, and at points, I had to force myself not to skim parts. The plot felt very generic, and maybe because it reads very YA, it took me out of the actions at points where I was meant to be invested in both the characters and the plot. It still leaves me stunned how books can be advertised as new adults but still read very much as YA, especially when there's sexual content, but the YA tone makes it seem very inappropriate.

I was struggling in between giving it 1.5 and 2. But I do believe this book had a lot to go for, but it fell short because of what I said before. It has a lot of potential to grow, especially with such a cool concept as gods trapped inside people's bodies.
How cool is that???!!

I absolutely loved this book soo much, and was so excited when I read the blurb and it also said it was suitable for fans of Leigh Bardugo because I strongly agree. The book was packed with so much action, adventure and is completely ruthless in its portrayal of Russian history and war and although there are a lot of characters it felt easy to follow and flowed really well for a fast paced read.

The story follows sisters Galina and Sera who set out to end the injustice beseaching the Russian revolution taking place around them and to bring down the empire, after their mother was brutally killed for being a rebellion. However they are not your normal sisters as their mother entwined, bound and trapped gods within their very being, a secret that nobody knows.
I loved the strong sisterly bonds but also loved seeing their own individual relationships blossom between Sera and Vitaly, and Galina and Vasilisa.

I thought that the depth of the Russian history would make this a really heavy read but I thoroughly enjoyed it and flew through the pages!

I wanted to love this book because when I first read the blurb it had so many things I usually like, but in the end it was an okay read with some parts I thoroughly enjoyed and others that fell a little flat for me. I think my main problem was the pacing, which was slower than what I usually like for a good chunk of the story. This definitely made it a longer reading experience and I found myself a little confused with the worldbuilding at times which is inspired by Imperial Russia. However, I enjoyed the magic and the dragon gods as it was a good concept.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC!

This was not the book for me and I’m honestly not sure why. It didn’t really hook my attention at all, despite the concept of caging gods and borrowing their magic being quite a interesting concept. But despite how interested I was to see this play out, I just couldn’t get into the actual plot.

The one thread line that I did enjoy though was the relationship between Vasilisa and Galina. Most of the times that the story was about the other characters, I was impatient to get back to Vasilisa and Galina.

The disability rep was very good as well. Vasilisa’s illness was sensitively dealt with while still showing an accurate portrayal of a chronic illness. I enjoyed how the relationship with her mother was impacted by this and the way it played out. The ending was especially impactful without turning into inspiration porn. It was very well done.

The narrator was fine and I liked how she pronounced the russian words but nothing particularly stood out for me about her performance.

Though this book wasn’t for me, it was really well written so if the ideas intrigue you, I would recommend you try it for yourself.

Having grown up, in part, in Russia, I am always intrigued by Russian-inspired fantasy and this premise was particularly interesting. I love the idea of grafting the power of gods into someone's bones. The two sisters, Sera and Galina, have markedly different relationships with those gods, which was also something I really enjoyed. Sometimes, in fantasy, people have a "magic" and that "magic" is fairly standard for all people who have that "magic." It was refreshing and different to see another approach. I also liked both relationships. While I didn't find Sera's relationship with Vitaly particularly realistic, I loved the banter and the snark. I think that's a benefit of a relationship in books- we get to enjoy something that we might never tolerate in real life. However, Galina's relationship felt softer and more tender. There was more longing, which makes sense considering her relationship with Vasilisa is new.

Rating 2.5

I was really excited to read this book as the premise and storyline really pulled me in. Also I really love the cover.

I really liked the originality of the plot and found the premise intriguing having a God trapped in your body giving you special powers.

However, I found myself struggling to connect with the characters and root for them. The main character that shone through for me was Katya. Her pain and suffering were portrayed quite well and I enjoyed following Katya as her strength and determination grew.

The other characters I struggled to connect with and found them quite self involved. The romances written had beautifully written elements. But I felt that the relationships were a bit forced and I struggled to root for them. But please don't get me wrong some of the chemistry was written quite well, I just wish that I was able to root for the relationships a bit more.

I also found it a bit unnecessary that all the characters had their name and around 2 extra nicknames, I think I would have connected with the characters more if they stuck by at the most 2 names otherwise I just lost interest a bit.

The best thing about this book was the worldbuilding and magic system, which I found to be quite captivating. I just wish that I could have connected to it more instead of struggling to pick it up.

Although not my typical genre, I really enjoyed the characters and the world Elizabeth May created. The war and rebellion were there and reasonably fleshed out and the God magic and theory was interesting but not overly deep. The relationships however really shone and that's what kept my interest the most!

Imperial Russia inspired romantasy. The world building was lush but a bit contained, the war and rebellion were there and reasonably fleshed out and the God magic and theory was interesting but not overly deep. The relationships however really shone and that's what kept my interest the most. The two most prominent pairings were different in tone and I thoroughly and equally enjoyed both. It does have Leigh Bardugo Shadow and Bone vibes but I felt this was more intense with its near constant peril. There were quieter moments and I adored these, really heartfelt and more atmospheric. I did enjoy this and flew through it quite fast.
Thankyou to Daphne Press and Netgalley for an arc, all thoughts are left voluntarily.

In this multi pov book, we see two very different sisters and their alies, as they all put their lives at risk for one purpose: overthrow the empire.

Galina and Sera have ancient markings on their bones, which keeps gods caged in their bodies. Deities are powerful but brutal, sometimes hands down cruel, and to work with them it's a challenge within itself. Yet, they have to reason with their gods one way or the other to achieve their goals.

"To Cage A God" have pretty much everything you want from a romantasy book: raising rebellion, bloodthirsty royals, forbidden sapphic romance, lovers to enemies to lovers romance, knife to the throat, morally gray characters, hidden identities, a sprinkle of fairly innocent spice, constant scheming and planning. It's an intense story, and it's highly inspired by Imperial Russia.

I absolutely loved Sera's and her lover's bickering. Their banter just kept a smile on my face all the time they were the main focus. And as their relationship was intense and edgy, Galina's and her lover's were complete opposite. Their love grew from understanding and compassion, and it was beautiful.

I must say, this book do have few triggers, such as: alcoholism, self-harm, manipulative relationships, murder, injuries, living with chronic pain, and self medication.

Overall, I did enjoy the story, yet I don't think I would pick it up for a second time. It's enjoyable while you read it, but once you're done - you're done. It's not one of those stories that gives you a book hangover that lasts for days. Is it good or bad? Well, it's for you to judge 😊

The moment I saw this book I knew I had to have it. The cover is insanely pretty and intriguing, the title is also interesting and the summary promised me a story with all the elements I love. When I discovered that one of the main characters in this book was dealing with chronic pain I was getting even more excited to start reading. Luckily Daphne Press had granted me a review copy via Netgalley so I didn't have to wait until release day.

Maybe my expectations of this book were too high. I had hoped to fly through this book, but instead finishing was a bit of a struggle. That was not because of the writing. The writing was actually okay. I had no issues understanding what was being said, the sentences flowed nicely and the chapters were also not too long, which made reading one more chapter not too hard. Therefore it's quite hard to pinpoint why this book and I weren't really a match.

I think it's firstly because the world building and mythology seemed a little concise. Although a lot of other places are mentioned it never feels like I get to understand the world, the position of the kingdom, the conflict between this kingdom and the outside world and the damage the royals have done. I also feel like I still don't really grasp the mythology and all its facets. It's clear that the author knows and understands, but it feels like I just got the brief version.

I also had some issues connecting with the characters on an emotional level. That's partly because all the characters are hiding things or are pretending to be someone else. They're constantly scheming and playing roles. I understand that there isn't much room for emotions in those situations, but therefore it's also hard to really root for the romances in this novel. It's hard to care about a romance when you don't really care about the characters involved.

I'm certain there are loads of readers who will love this book. I wish I was one of them.

I found it quite hard to invest in these characters, just as i had started too, the book ended, If there is another book after this, i think i will enjoy it a lot more, as ill be invested at that point. i did enjoy the disability awareness and the writing style.

This was the first book of Elizabeth May's that I've read and I can guarantee that it will not be the last! I thoroughly enjoyed To Cage A God and loved the whole premise of it all!

Told in multiple POVs, I was hooked from the beginning and quickly grew to love our main and side characters. Sera and Galina are foster sisters and have such an amazing bond. They would do anything for one another and I just found their story so interesting. They have survived through so much and now they want to take revenge.

I liked the romance in this one too! While Sera's was already somewhat developed it was really well explained and it was just nice to see Vitalik being so in love and willing to do anything for her while Sera is trying to fight the connection they have. I also liked Galina and Vasillsa's romance, where they should have been enemies but quickly found themselves drawn to one and another. Their flirting was just too adorable!

To Cage a God is a fantastic first book in a new fantasy series with gripping world building and loveable characters! I definitely recommend picking this one up if you love a good fantasy! I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Many thanks to Daphne Press and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book for an honest review.

Sera and Galina are cages. The gods held captive between their bones were bound to them by their mother — the object of her torturous experimentation; to create living weapons for the "faithless'" cause. Now, adults, fugitives, and disillusioned with the rebel group they were raised to lead, the sisters make their own plans to bring down the corrupt ruling class who harness godpower to enact their oppression.

An intriguing premise with diverse representation, this book was, unfortunately, mostly words on a page for me. The prose sometimes leaned towards formulaic and stagnant during exposition, and read as YA with some adult themes. It explored themes of systematic oppression and liberation, which always intrigue me, and had a tight, neat plot.

It was challenging for me to invest myself in these characters' stories, and unfortunately, they all lacked a unique voice and persona. While I enjoyed the third person, multi-POV, I often had to flick back to the start of the chapter to remind myself of whose chapter I was reading. The inter-character relationships were also presented as a given. At times, readers were either playing catch-up to understand relationship dynamics or were simply explicitly told how the characters felt about one another.

I also found the plot lacking in depth — very black vs white despite the author's repeated assertion of the moral greyness of our leads. I was left feeling underwhelmed by how our resolution unfolded. Some promising elements were introduced that were resolved or dismissed without any satisfying exploration (read: the caged gods! Hardly touched on!). Even at the story's climax, little urgency or tension was built, which made it difficult to feel invested in the outcomes.

If you are looking for an NA fantasy with strong romantic subplots, enemies to lovers, second chance romance, and representation of sapphic relationships and chronic illness, you may enjoy this!

Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne Press for the ARC.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and characters. The former was interesting, but easy to understand, while the characters were full of motivation and interesting to follow. My only wish is that the glossary would be in the begining of the book, since it would be easier to navigate in e-book format.

4.5 stars

This book was not for me.

I was in a reading slump and didn’t help I think

I was really intrigued by it but I think it’s one of those cases of wrong time

Sera and Galina have survived a lot, their mother experimented on them as children to cage gods into their bodies, which grants special powers, normally only reserved for the elite and royals, not commoners.

Their mother is gone and the girls are grown now, and decide to use the ill gotten powers for good, but it isn't going to be easy to over throw a Kingdom ruled by an iron fist (with its own immense god power)

Bit heavy on the world building and I did struggle in the first half of the book to get used to all the names (especially as every character has at least a full name and a shortened version, if not a title as well) but once I got into the swing of it I really enjoyed the story and the sisters (with their rag tag group of rebels and romances) I loved the idea of the god powers from the get go and the picture painted of the world was great as well!

Definitely will be diving into book two as soon as it is available to see what happens next!

Thank you to Daphne Press, and Black Crow PR for the stunning early proof copy and to NetGalley for the ecopy so I could also read on the go!

Out Tuesday (20th February) so not long to wait to get sucked into this tale