The Sleepless

Anything Jen Williams writes goes straight to my shelf, so I preordered The Sleepless the moment it was announced. Even so, I worried a little. Was YA going to be the right fit? I shouldn't have worried. This book delivers a fresh, fast-paced fantasy with compelling characters and never feels bogged down by worldbuilding or exposition.Set in a land where gods walk and monsters are real, the story follows multiple POVs and strikes a lighter tone. It leans more toward fantasy than romantasy. Still, there are hints of romance that I really appreciated, and they add a unique dynamic to the trio at the heart of the story.Elvar’s touch is poison, a literal curse that isolates her, while Altair shares his body with a dangerous spirit that awakens when he sleeps. The dynamic between these two, and Lucian, Altair’s eventual alter ego known as "the sleepless," is rich with tension, tenderness, and a growing sense of dread. I’m a sucker for stories that explore duality in human nature, and this taps into that beautifully, echoing the "two wolves" mythology in clever ways.One of my favorite things is the role reversal. Elvar is the grumpy, reluctant heroine who wants to be left alone with her books. Altair is the sunshine boy before his transformation. His joyful energy stands in sharp contrast to Lucian's coldness, which chills every scene he's in.While the YA tone felt aimed at a younger audience, and I might have preferred a darker take like The Winnowing Flame or Seven Dead Sisters, there's still so much to love here. The pantheon of twelve gods, the unsettling creatures, and the interpersonal struggles are handled with care and imagination.The audiobook is well done, capturing the different voices and moods of the characters without overdramatizing them.This is the first in a duology, and I’m already impatient for the second half. Highly recommended for fans of character-driven fantasy with a mythic touch.

Once again, Jen Williams has created a world and a story and knocked it out of the park for what I expected.Elver is a young woman who has suffered the worst of humankind's cruelty and comes out of it to find a simple life living in the forest of Monsters. Artair is a young man who has been locked away for the safety of everyone around him, after all when he falls asleep bad things happen. Fate has woven the lives of these two people together, to save a young monster and maybe the world. But does the human world deserve to be saved by those it vilifies?This is another wonderfully rich fantasy world from the mind of Jen Williams. She has brought it off the page so artfully that it lives in your mind as you cheer her lead characters along their paths. The characters are complex, full, flawed, and sweet and are brought to life in realistic ways. A wonderful step into the young adult arena that many are going to love.

Williams is such an inventive and prolific writer and her craft shines through in this. The Sleepless is her first YA and introduces us to Elver, Lucian and Artair. More importantly, we met the cutest cub, so adorable!!Elver is a young, grumpy protagonist who hates humans - which is understandable given her history with them. Saved by a god, Elver spends her day caring for the creatures of the forest and ensuring that the humans don't encroach.Artair lives in a monastery, unable to leave, he is one of the Sleepless. Lucian is a delight; an evil spirit within Artair.There's a sweet love triangle, kinda a triangle. We have quirky animals and an interesting magic system. Not to mention 12 gods and their.... Cults? Now technically the animals and the main characters are 'monsters'. But what makes a monster: is it the way you look or the way you act?The world building is fully fleshed out, the characters well rounded and there are some brilliant supporting characters! Did I mention the cub? Such a sweetie.

Thank You to Netgalley and Macmillan Childrens Books for the opportunity to read an arc of this book.First of all i want to say that i love this cover.In this book we follow 3 characters, Elver who was saved by the Queen of Serpents(god) as a child and gifted a poison touch, Artair who spends his nights locked in a tower due to the influence of Lucian ("evil" spirit who inhabits Artairs body).Elver is the protector of the monster forest and when Artair is sent to steal a keltraxia cub under Elvers protection the 3 embark on a quest together.I really enjoyed this as we get to see a lot of the world this way and we learn a lot about the characters in this way as well which was great. I liked the unusual love triangle between the 3 with Artair and Lucian being in the same body and i also really liked the way Artair/Lucian are written as characters.The keltraxia cub is just so cute and funny as well.If there is another book i will definatly read it as i would like to see how the characters grow and where the go to from here.

Okay, I'm a HUGE Jen Williams fangirl and I'm not even trying to hide it! When The Sleepless showed up, I knew I would love it—because hello, it's Jen Williams!Let me just put this out there right away: I am Team Lucian ALL. THE. WAY. Not even sorry about it!So this book throws us into this crazy world where gods and monsters are just hanging out like it's no big deal...We've got Elver, this badass who guards a monster-filled forest that would give most people nightmares. After a god saved her life, her skin turned deadly toxic! Then Artair strolls in on his "special" mission and faces off with Elver in full scary-mode. But wait! Her poisonous touch does absolutely nothing to him! Weird, right? That's because Artair isn't your regular human guy. He's one of the Sleepless, basically sharing his body with an evil spirit (worst time-share ever, right?).When Artair conks out, Lucian takes the wheel and he's got his own sneaky plans for Elver. But don't count our girl out—she's playing her own game and has plenty of secrets tucked away. The three of them are stuck in this wild mess of gods, monsters, and magic that's way over their heads. And trust me, it's only a matter of time before everything goes boom!I totally loved how this story hits the ground running from page one! The world-building with those 12 different gods? *Chef's kiss* Kept me turning pages! Jen absolutely crushes it again with those quirky characters, adorable animal buddies, and creatures so bizarre you'll do a double-take. And Elver chatting with forest critters? SO. FREAKING. COOL!The romance had me grinning like an idiot—it's sweet but with just enough spicy triangle drama to have me practically foaming at the mouth for the sequel. And seriously, this love triangle is next-level crazy since both guys SHARE ONE BODY!If you pick up The Sleepless (which you totally should!), get ready for:• Epic Fantasy vibes without the boring parts• Gods & Monsters galore• Forced Proximity that'll make you squeal• Slow Burn Romance that's worth the wait• Magical Creatures everywhere• The most unique Love Triangle ever!