Godstorm drops the reader into an original alternate history: a Roman Empire that never fell, but instead industrialised around oil, with Londinium as its beating heart. Arrow, once a gladiatrix and now a governess, has spent the past 8years caring for Livy, a child she was never meant to love. When Livy is abducted during a catastrophic Godstorm, Arrow is forced back into the violence she tried to leave behind, navigating a petrol-powered empire, illegal druid networks, and the far edges of the known world to get her back. I loved the world building and the idea of a fossil-fuelled Roman Empire with petrol-driven chariots. The he commentary on class and environmental collapse is woven into the setting and the contrast between Londinium and the Amazonian world beyond the Empire is particularly effective. Arrow is a compelling lead and her relationship with Livy grounds the larger political and ecological stakes. The use of Roman numerals for chapter headings is an interesting stylistic choice, but I found it confusing, particularly as the dates are not counted from the Christian era but from the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Even once I worked out what the numerals represented, I wasn’t sure where I was in terms of modern timeline equivalents. A recommended read for fans of Robert Harris' Fatherland, Guy Gavriel Jay's The Sarantine Mosaic, and speculative history. Thank you to Netgalley and Bedford Square Publishers for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is set in an imaginary London, where a now petrol-fuelled Roman Empire still thrives. This background was super interesting, making this book a good mixture between fantasy and sci-fi, with a strong feminist and violent tone. The characters were fleshed out, but Arrow really shines in this book. She has such a nice balance between strength and vulnerability; with her motherly resilience set on helping Livy. It almost made me wish that some side character had a bit of a stronger presence, as I feel like everyone faded in comparison to Arrow, and that their motivations weren’t always clear. That being said, her connection to the other characters really makes the heart of this story. The plot was well thought out , truly like puzzle pieces starting to fit together as we go along for the ride. I only hoped we had a bit more context regarding the enemies of the Empire, as it would make certain plot points more impactful if the information was known beforehand. The last three chapters were a wild ride (in a good sense!!) with a plot twist I didn’t see coming ! Overall, a beautiful description of motherhood, with commentary on social injustice, propaganda and climate change that was very smartly done - I feel like the author managed to send her message across without having to spell it out for the reader. Thank you to NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for the chance to read this ARC

Really good read about strong women and climate change - loved the characters but really want to know more about what happens after the end Here are my favourite quotes: Freedom begins with the clear understanding that some things are within our control, some things are not. Fear is the foundation of safety. Each must fight against their own fear before they ever fight each other. You must conquer yourself first, before victory over another.’ Accept the things to which fate binds you and love the people with whom fate brings you together and do so with all your heart.

*ARC received from Netgalley I am aware that this arc is an uncorrected copy - and I dearly hope that this book is corrected and edited and then successfully published, because I genuinely feel it has potential to be truly amazing. The first two chapters were incredibly confusing and desperately need re-writing - I nearly dnf’d from those first chapters, but am grateful that I trudged on because it improved massively and became a story that I was invested in and at times struggled to put down. I highly suggest that the dates used are either changed to numbers or the shifts back and forth are tracked by the FMC’s age instead of using years - but the Roman numerals are too fussy and I simply couldn’t be bothered to try and interpret them after the first chapter - I fear the use of Roman numerals in this way may even lose some reader’s interest full stop - but thankfully I overlooked it and managed to know where I was from the first couple of sentences after each shift. The world building could also use a little tweaking to help the reader feel more sure about how the different machines and clothing styles fit into whatever ‘period’ this world is set. It felt to me a little steam-punk, which I really liked, but felt uncertain about that until a little ways into the book. The main character felt like a great blend of self-deprecating, feeling unworthy due to her station and even slightly naive (but in a good/wholesome way), and yet she was intelligent and bright and used that, not making stupid decisions like so many main characters in books seem to do. I liked her and that only increased as I continued reading. Overall this story felt original, gripping and unique and I hope the second book (please let there be a second book!) is just as good. xx