A riveting new romantasy! The worldbuilding of Relclave is astounding and highly descriptive without being dumped in chunks into the story and interrupting the flow. The characters were all very lifelike, with flaws, quirks and strengths. You occasionally want to unalive them for doing something stupid, always the sign of a great character for me!

Elysia is morally grey, in fact most of the main characters are murky, having to do horrible things to protect herself from her odious father. She has a real love/hate relationship with her sister but when it counts they support each other. Topp, I'm still confused over whether I'm rooting for him or not to be honest, lol. Gage is wonderful as the assassin/big brother-esque character and he loves rattling people! The Doorman was an unexpected ally and I found myself rooting for her and the rebellion.

There is strong LGBTQIA+ representation as a number of characters are clearly proud of who they love and some are still in the undeclared category.

There are still some secrets to be revealed so there is a bit of a cliffie, I'm now having to tether myself waiting for the second book!

10 ⭐️ out 5 ✨
1737377/10

🥀 Top tier of books, I don’t know how else to express this.🫶

Caitlyn Batelle, this book captured my undivided attention immediately and I couldn’t put it down till I finished. I cried and might of screamed a lil once it did come to an end, and I pray on all the fates and gods that I don’t have to wait long for book 2. I Haven’t had a book hangover this bad since Empire of Storm by S.J. Maas

Readers, The ABSOLUTE HONOR and problem lies that I am arc reviewing for a book that is just coming out and so I have to wait longer for the second book to be published. I need it immediately because the book hangover has me by the throat. The FMC is badass, stubborn, selfish and oblivious but that makes the story even more addictive. The powers that reside and the tales are unlike what I have had the opportunity to read and I loved every second of discovery. Also all the strong characters she is surrounded by made me love this story even more, even the 3 legged critter has my heart. 🫶🥰

If you don't read this book immediately... you are absolutely making poor choices, on the wrong path indeed, so do better and allow yourself to be swept away by this brilliant tale of survival and love.

In all seriousness, Caitlyn Battelles' writing is beautifully done, her creative mind Brilliant, and I absolutely love that it's not predictable. Thank you so much for the opportunity to ARC read for you, for having courage to switch career paths and sharing this absolute gem of a story with us. My bookish brain is purring and my big book adventurous heart filled ✨🫶💕

I absolutely loved the overall plot of the story! At times, it felt like certain scenes were not necessary, but it all comes together perfectly. The world building is great, and not overwhelming or too much. The characters are well-developed and I hope we know more about their stories in future books.

The ending was "predictable", but I still gasped because it's a huge cliffhanger and amazing. The Hades & Persephone retelling is subtle, but I think more will happen in book two.

I love the modern-day feeling mixed with the fantasy old-time feeling. Castles with light bulbs! The book cover is beautiful & captures the vibe of the story.

I don't know if I want more Elysia & Topps, or more Elysia & Aiden, but I am ready for more of everything in book two!!

DNF 20% :(
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for sending me this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, I just could not get into this. The writing was very descriptive and truly painted a picture, but I found that my mind would wonder so I would get taken out of it.
I think it's more of me problem. The story and the world sound very interesting!

This book is such a dark, moody ride that grabs you right from the first page!

Elysia is one fierce, fascinating heroine—totally ruthless but with just enough vulnerability to keep you rooting for her. She’s hiding some seriously dangerous magic, and every step she takes in Kava’s royal court is a gamble. Her ultimate prize? The crown… and the prince, of course!

Speaking of the prince, Topp is an absolute gem of an MMC. He’s not just some pretty boy; he’s an animal lover with a strong backbone, and his chemistry with Elysia? Fire. Their dynamic is one of the most unique I’ve seen in a romantasy!

The world-building is amazing! Every corner of this world feels alive and dangerous.

So, if you’re craving a romantasy packed with magic, intrigue, and an unforgettable slow-burn romance, this is your next obsession!

Thank you NetGalley and Caitlyn Battelle
for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll be honest, when I first picked this up, I was a bit worried about how I would find this book. I needn’t have worried though. It was amazing.

Firstly, let’s talk about the women of this book. Every single woman was complex, well-written and each a badass in their own way. The FMC, Elysia Parker, was truly morally grey. I loved how ruthless she was and yet she had a vulnerable side too. Her sister, Beatriz, reminded me of wildfire, chaos and cunning – I loved her. There were so many more brilliant women in this book and I could talk about them for days.

Topp was a very interesting MMC, a man who loves animals, is sexy, a prince but has a will of iron and a wily nature? Sign me up. Also shout out to the god of death. We might not have seen him much but he had… presence.

But nobody can top Lina the raccoon – absolutely flawless, no notes, perfect.

The plot of this book kept me hooked from the get go. The idea of magic being banned and gone in what appears to be a dying land added tension and intrigue to the story. It gave steam punk vibes with its Victorianesque setting and I gobbled it up.

My absolute favourite part of the book?
The feminine rage. It burned on the page and fuelled a fire within me. It was glorious.

Side note: I loved that there were so many female characters that you’d probably assume would be male until you met them… very clever.

Anyway, my only teeny, tiny quibble with this book is that I wanted to see more of the death realm… I’m sure that won’t remain a problem for long.

Overall, this book is amazing. The plot, the tension and the female rage makes this a rather special read. And the ending? Well, it’ll destroy you.

4.25 stars!!

WOW WOW WOW this was a unique one- from the interpersonal dynamics to the magical curses from undead gods to the slight phantom of the opera vibes to the insane character name Topp Blatz to THAT ENDING??!?!? I am obsessed, this had a little bit of a slow start but then we were OFF to the races and all across town in pleasure houses, undersea hidden chambers, tunnels through the castle, and even into other dimensions!!

Elysia Parker is cursed from the god of death to hear the siren song of secrets and lies, and her position in life has brought her to be used by the crown despite their hatred of magic. As her curse grows stronger and brings on new challenges, she's forced to step up her game of staying alive at all costs, which is especially tricky being the almost-fiancee of the crown prince!

The most fun aspect of this book to me was the inverted expectations of relationships between characters: Elysia and Prince Topp had one of the most unique romantasy dynamics I've ever read and it was fun to see the original love interest not just be a blah character we suddenly hate; Elysia and her sister Beatriz haven't been close in the past, but moments in the story bring them together and their roles in the relationship switch up in a beautiful way; Topp and animals- I mean LINA come ON!!

Every place I expected a zig in this book, I got a zag. Every place I thought it was going up, it was going down. I feel like I may have picked up on at least one specific thread (maybe a green thread?!?) that I anticipate being significant in the next book, but even that I know curveballs are coming our way. This was just an absolute breath of fresh air!!

Thank you so much to Caitlyn Battelle and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley, Twelfth House Publishing and Caitlyn Battelle for this eArc

This review will have SPOILERS 🚨
I was going to rate this three stars, but the last 15% was fantastic.
I really enjoyed the authors writing style, though sometimes I felt like what was happening wasn't clear, or could be misinterpreted. But also, could just be me needing things simplified.

I really enjoyed the relationship between the FMC and the prince, that whole storyline was 💯

I had two main issues with the story, the FMCs two best friends felt like a dead end, they didn't really bring much to the story IMO

My main issue was I felt like the stakes were not high enough. Everyone secretly had magic and everyone always seemed to just know about it, so it wasn't this big deal… no one cared. It wasn't this shocking revelation.

LOVED the ending though, so well done and definitely made me want to come back to see where the story goes!

Incredible! I will absolutely be begging my friends to read this one!! 10000000000/5 stars!
I don’t know what to do with myself after this one.. I’m in a big reading slump 😅

I loved this book! It was so well-written and really engaging. I loved the setting of the story feeling kind of Victorian/Eastern European and filled with mysteries, secrets, and just great atmosphere and vibes. I really enjoyed Elysia the FMC who was not overpowered and felt like she was realistic considering the circumstances. I enjoyed Topp as well. I really liked the Hades and Persephone angle that's just starting out towards the end of the book and I'm excited to see where that goes in the next book in the series.

There's a level of the miscommunication trope in the book, but it's done in a way that doesn't feel like an argument that could just be solved if people spoke to one another, it's more a matter of two people wanting the same thing, both feeling like they can't trust anyone, and both having very different plans to take the action they both agree needs to be done.

The ending was also amazing. I did not see the ending coming the way that it did and it's such a cliffhanger! I'm already ready for book two!

**The Undead Gods** by Caitlyn Battelle is a captivating debut set in the enchanting yet dangerous world of Kava, where magic is nearly extinct after a catastrophic event known as The Fall. In this realm, wielding magic can lead to death, creating a gripping backdrop for secrets and survival.

The story follows Elysia Parker, a clever and scrappy protagonist hiding her powers from the royal court and the crown prince, Topp Blatz, who could condemn her. As her magic becomes harder to conceal, she distances herself from Topp and her friends, determined to uncover the truth behind Kava’s lost magic and the gods’ abandonment.

Battelle’s world-building is immersive, and Elysia’s relationships evolve beautifully, particularly her complex chemistry with Topp, which I hope will spice up in future books. The novel ends on a thrilling cliffhanger that left me eager for more.

Set in an 18th-century-inspired Kava, the story explores love, loss, and the quest for freedom, enriched by vivid details of food and flowers. Despite a few slower moments, the well-developed side characters, including Elysia’s protective sister, Beatriz, and the witty banter, enhance the experience. **The Undead Gods** is a delightful blend of intrigue, humor, and emotional depth—Caitlyn Battelle is certainly an author to watch!

This will leave you wanting the next book immediately so be prepared fellow reader. The heroine Elysia, is strong and pretty easy to get behind and her love interest Topp will perhaps perplex you as he's far from perfect and I am not sure he is what the author wants for Elysia ! The magic was very well done as its minimal partly due to Elysias gift. There's still mystery to solve, a resistance and of course a God who is heavily invested in Elysia but my lips are sealed. Definitely a book for those who enjoy fantasy with a little bit of romance thrown in and a heroine who never backs down.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I started this book and it’s good but I found myself confused. I just felt like the storyline was jumping around so much I got confused.

A dystopian land devoid of magic, a cursed girl, and enough secrets to ruin a godless nation.

Elysia Parker, child of the Crown, is cursed with magic in the land if Kava, where possessing magic is a death sentence. Since she was a child, she could hear the secrets of others, sending countless magic users to their death under the order of her king and father or suffer the same fate. Now, at 24 years old, her magic is changing, threatening to reveal her secret. Elysia's world is crashing down around her, from her unwieldy magic, to the unyielding demands of her father, to her relationship with the crown prince who isn't who he seems. Can she bring magic back to her nation without losing her head in the process?

Undead Gods was a good read. Its story is unique, the characters are interesting and have depth, and the ending leaves you wanting more, setting up nicely for another book. The last 20% of the book really digs those hooks in, especially when we meet a deadly new character (who I am looking forward to learning more about).

However, I did find the book to be a little slow at parts and disjointed at others. There would be time/scene skips mid page or chapter that would not totally make sense, but they did not heavily distract from the story itself. It can feel like a long haul, but the last 100 pages make it worth it.

Overall, I enjoyed Undead Gods and look forward to the story comtinuing. Many thanks for allowing me to recieve an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll be honest, I nearly DNFed this book but, unless there is something seriously not gelling with me, I will keep going for an ARC as it deserves that sort of perseverance. I am glad I stuck with it, because the second half was significantly more enjoyable than the first half (43% was going to be my DNF point).

Reasons for almost DNFing was really because I couldn’t bond with the characters in the way I wanted to. The world building was very good but I didn’t like the vagueness of aspects of, say, the magic. I’m still not really sure what Elysia could do. Also the first half of the book was void of anything really happening of consequence. It felt like some exceptionally long and effortful introduction. Finally, the drift between 3rd person POV characters was a little jarring and I was sometimes confused about that.

Also, and this is really silly… but I can’t get behind the Prince (and MMC and love interest) being called Topp Blatz. Not for me!

However. There were a number of good twists and turns, and the pacing overall was pretty good. And, despite not totally gelling with the characters, they were complex and compelling. I like someone who is on the grey in a black-and-white spectrum. The political intrigue was nice too, and I did feel rather stressed at times for Elysia… which is the sign of a good book. So I can’t say I hated it, I definitely didn’t. But I am extremely disappointed as this book’s premise is literally all I search for in my next favourite read. It just didn’t live up to what I wanted.

This was a truly fun (while also dark!) read. The arc of Elysia and Topp was believable without being predictable. I’m fully invested in this world and will be ready for book 2!

This is the first time I read a book by this author.

The cover is striking, and the title is captivating. When I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book, I signed up so fast and didn’t regret my choice. The worldbuilding and magic system are impressive, and I appreciated how the characters and their relationships evolved throughout the story.

Objectively this book is good. Very well written.
Gothic-esque type world and the magic and political systems were great.
The characters I really enjoyed. I even loved the relationship between Elysia and Topp.
HOWEVER....
This entire book is just the miscommunication trope and I have a very livid hate for it.
The book could have progressed so much quicker if Topp had just opened his mouth and used his voice...
He even reasoned all the aspects of why she was lying to him and he still couldn't come clean...
It was infuriating.
In saying that I will be reading the next book because now that all of that ridiculous storyline is out of the way I will enjoy myself with these characters.
Also the plot twists with the king were a nice touch so
Kudos to that.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. This is my honest opinion.

PLEASE PEOPLE READ IT!! I NEED TO TALK ABOUT THIS!!!

I had such a good time reading this book I struggled to put it down to go to work! A flawed and headstrong FMC, interesting side characters and a 3-legged raccoon? What more do you want?

Caitlyn Battelle did such a wonderful job with the world building and creating multi-dimensional characters that were easy to get attached to. I would love a whole book from Gage's POV just because I enjoyed his character so much! I really don't want to say too much and spoil the book but I REALLY cannot wait for it to come out so everyone can meet this wonderful world Battelle created (and suffer with me as we wait for the next book because WHAT IN THE CLIFFHANGER)

Thank you NetGalley for access to this amazing book! I even ordered a signed copy for myself so I can reread it again :)

For a debut novel this was absolutely brilliant!

It had action, adventure, a morally grey FMC, political intrigue, a pretty unique magic system and a multitude of other things that I thoroughly enjoyed reading about!

The character development of the main character Elysia was great! She started off very two-dimensional, selfish and flat and turns into a character who actually cares about her kingdom and what is happening to it! Definitely persevere if you struggle with this book as it’s so worth it!

The ending definitely has me wanting to come back and read the next book when it comes out!

Thank you so much for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!