A bit of a slow start, but once this story got going, I was absolute hooked! The first few chapters are setting up the backstory for our heroine, Zerryn, who was taken away from her father to be raised by her grandmother at a young age, following her mother's passing. Growing up, she was thought to be touched by death with her different-colored eyes, and she found friendship and eventually love with a young man who cared nothing for how others felt about her. But when he is threatened, she confronts the immortal who has declared her as his - Erlik Khan. Ruler of the underworld, he needs a queen, and he wants Zerryn desperately. First, she faces a trial of challenges alongside her competitors, competing for his hand while at the same time wanting to return home to her beloved. With all of this being said, it was a mixture of Hades/Persephone vibes alongside a host of other themes found in other books, but it was all uniquely done. I did see other reviews saying the folklore from various cultures was not blended well. However, I found it all fantastical and in my ignorance of most of the folklore was able to enjoy it as a whole.

It was an extremely slow burn, with a tension and chemistry that wasn't immediately apparent until Zerryn and Erlik spent more time together. Erlik wasn't a classically beautiful man, having inhuman features and a coldness to his personality. Zerryn had grown up a strong woman given her circumstances, and she was used to doing for herself and standing up to others who would otherwise intimidate her. She held her own against the secondary characters, and in her quest to keep distance between her and Erlik, she actually intrigued him even more. As they kept finding themselves in each other's company, it was clear that they both had an initially unwelcome fascination with each other. And then once they gave in, it was such a tender sort of love. I couldn't help but sigh a little at the first love scene. Of course, given that her intention was to return home, Zerryn had betrayal up her sleeve for Erlik, so by the time she realized she had fallen in love with him, she was in too deep to fully pull her plan back. It was so sad to see the heartbreak that came from it, but from that heartbreak came the inevitable healing and a love that was genuinely beautiful.

I definitely hope to read more by this author in the future! Her storytelling skills were wondrous, reminded me a little of Charlie N. Holmberg, who also enjoys writing folklore retellings. Keeps me in suspense and always wanting more, in the best way.

The Bride of Death is a beautifully crafted adult standalone that initially captivated me with its intriguing title and enchanting cover. Following Zerryn as she competes in three impossible trials to win the hand of the devil himself and save her village and the boy she loves, the novel is steeped in mythology and Turkic folklore. While the author's writing style initially felt uncertain, the intricate worldbuilding and captivating atmosphere soon drew me in. However, I found the worldbuilding lacking and wished for more explanations. The romance, featuring a love triangle and an enemies-to-lovers arc, was engaging but marred by unnecessary smut scenes and an unhealthy dynamic between the main characters. The characters, particularly Zerryn and Erlik, bore resemblances to other literary figures, and while some side characters like Beyza and Yuxa shone, others lacked depth and closure to their stories. Despite its flaws, the novel excels in creating a gothic and dark atmosphere, making it a worthwhile read for fans of romantasy with a penchant for atmospheric storytelling.

Sadly, this book disappointed for the most part. I was really into the premise of Erlik Khan and three tasks to win his hand, it's dark, twisted, and gothic, but what could have been great was merely ok. The world building lacked details, the main character Zerryn is super naive and annoying after some time; Aden's writing was patchy, overly descriptive and flowery at some points, then skipping past important parts of the story at others. Overall, this didn't meet expectations.

I really wanted to like this book but I just did not connect to it. There was no connection I had with the characters. Also, the writing style was not my favorite.

Well this book wasn't for me, I could see others who like this genre could enjoy it.

This book was both enrapturing and messily done at the same time. It definitely had some issues that I couldn't really get past, but I still found myself unable to put it down.

Zerryn, who lives in a small village, was touched by Death as a child, and as a result has become alienated from her neighbours. When her best friend, Celik, gets possessed by Erlik, the lord of the Underworld, Zerryn finds herself making a deal with him - if she enters a competition to become his bride, he will leave Celik and her village alone.

This novel is less so about fighting darkness, and more about succumbing to it. Zerryn finds herself becoming more and more enraptured with Erlik and the Underworld, and drifting away from the Above and the world she knew.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The banter and the romance were fun, and I was really intrigued by the prose. However, a lot of things felt really rushed and unbelievable - how did Zerryn get her magic to begin with? Why is Erlik so obsessed with her, when she is literally just a human with no idea of her own power? The love triangle between Zerryn, Erlik, and Celik reminds me of the love triangles that I absolutely hate - when there is a clear choice on who she should be with, but for some reason can't seem to make a decision. In this case, however, both Erlik and Celik are horrible choices. Erlik cannot accept who she once was, and makes every attempt to change her throughout the book, whereas Celik despises who she has become. They both claim that their love is unconditional, but that is obviously not the case.

The setting of this novel was very interesting. This is a Hades x Persephone retelling, with elements of Turkish folklore and mythology, and I found myself really enjoying that aspect of it. However, aspects of the worldbuilding felt quite messy. I could not explain the magic system if I wanted to, and I have no idea about the rules of the Underworld or how it functions precisely.

All in all, most of this book felt completely out of left field, and the way the protagonist kept relying on Erlik to help her get through the competition took away a lot of her agency and idenpendency. This was a very entertaining book, but I think it could have used a couple more rounds of editing.

The Bride of Death is a literary gem that captivated my heart with its poetic elegance from the very beginning. It's a rare treasure that I simply couldn't set aside. This enchanting fantasy is crafted with such finesse and flavor that it leaves one yearning for more tales of such caliber. The plot unfolds with stunning originality, and the characters are so endearing that they've etched a permanent place in my heart. I'm filled with anticipation to add this masterpiece to my print collection, as it rekindles the pure, unadulterated joy of immersing oneself in fairy tales during childhood. A heartfelt expression of gratitude to the publisher and Netgalley for this delightful journey. This book is not just a read; it's an experience that warms the soul and brings forth the sweet nostalgia of yesteryears.

"The Bride of Death" started out so strong, with such lyrical prose, that once I started it I could not put it down! Why can't all fantasy be as delicious and well-written as this? It had an amazing original plot and I adored the characters. I cannot wait to own this in print. It reminded me of the wonderful feeling I used to get when young and reading fairy tales - it had the same sort of feel to it. Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley! I really enjoyed this!

The first quarter of this book was a struggle for me. I think there was a failure to adequately establish both the setting and Zarryn’s character. There were two competing religious systems as well as two warring powers, but they weren’t explained well enough for me to know who was on what side most of the time. The flowery language often did not make sense and distracted from what was happening. I think there was an effort to make the story sound like a detached fairytale in the beginning, but it just made it hard to connect with Zerryn. It was difficult to feel invested in rescuing Celik when we barely saw him and Zerryn interact before his possession. I feel like this section suffered from a lack of editing.
Things became much more interesting once Zerryn arrived in the underworld and started interacting with people. I was honestly surprised by her sass as she held her own with other characters because I saw none of that personality in the first section. I particularly enjoyed her relationships with Minay, Beyza, and Vasily, but I was disappointed that they were mostly forgotten about as Zerryn moved forward in her quest (which I think was a missed opportunity). I was very interested in how Zerryn would balance her softening feelings toward Erlik with her personal morals and hatred of living in the world of the dead. There was a lot of emphasis placed on Zerryn and Erlik being equals, but I think that was undermined by the ending. I was waiting for there to be a higher purpose for her having magic that perfectly opposed Erlik, but that got glossed over. I was disappointed by how things resolved after the build up in the second and third act. The book was a three star book overall, but the middle was pretty entertaining (4 stars for the middle section)

Brilliantly written book with the feel of being inside traditional folklore. This story takes place in Asia Minor and uses the mythology of that area to good effect. The characters are vibrant and deep and the plot itself is fraught with challenges as well as decisions that twist the heart as well as emotions. We are presented with a supposedly simple story of a girl who journeys into the underworld to free her betrothed and save her village by marrying it's king. But there is so much more to this story. The woman herself learning to rely on her own power instead of the men around her. The charm of the King of the dead himself. Her personal magic vs the magic of death. What will she choose and are those she's fighting for actually worth the price she is paying. This is a fantastically written book with a complex world based off mythology of the region. I got this as a free book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you To F.M. Aden and NetGalley!

A dark and twisty Hades & Persephone retelling. The storylines about Zerryn's trials and her budding friendships with other contestants are the most entertaining, and I wish they would have been explored more. Unfortunately, the romance falls a bit short. It feels more like lust than true love. But if you enjoy romantic fantasy reads with a dark, gothic atmosphere, this one is certainly worth checking out.

I got this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Bride of Death by F.M. Aden

“Fairytales were never written about girls who stuck to their duty. They were written of the girls entranced by magic.”

DNFed at 50%

First off, this eARC was sent to me from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, let’s get into what drew me to this book.

It is based on Turkish folklore and has a similar style to Katherine Arden’s Winter Night Trilogy & Naomi Novik’s Spinning Silver. The marketing was pretty spot on in regards to that, especially Spinning Silver.

The book takes place between 1046-1243 during the Byzantine–Seljuk wars. I believe that you can narrow it down to even around 1071-1096 because little vague tidbits that the author gives you suggest that the Seljuk Turks were winning during the time.

*Side note, for this that don’t know the Seljuk Turks have my favourite military/combat style throughout history.

So here we have a fantasy book focusing around Turkish mythology, during a period of time where we are witnessing a war that shows my favourite combat style. Which I never see, so I was very excited.

Now let’s get into why I DNFed it.

1. The author does a significant amount of telling the reader & never showing. This makes for a very boring read & an unintentional, unreliable narrator.

2. Details are often glazed over or missing. Such as, attire half described (only the top of a dress but not the bottom). Hair is said to have been done but never expanded on. Appearances change during certain parts ie; extra limbs & eyes sprouting up all of a sudden with no explanation & gaps in the world building aspect.

3. Major continuity issues. Like, details that contradict situations that occurred a page before.

4. Relationships unfold without any development or story/plot details to allow them to flourish between the two parties. These relationships tend to contradict the events unfolding.

5. Cringy dialogue that didn’t make any sense or, again contradicted information given prior.

A lot of this could have been resolved with good beta readers as these issues should have been caught in that process. The book has a lot of promise but unfortunately it has a messy execution.

Thank you to NetGalley and Northern Light Press for providing the ARC.

I was very intrigued by the premise of this book, and I love the fact that it is based in Turkish folklore. However, I did find the execution a bit rough.

Zerryn, as a character, came off to me as a bit naive and self-sacrificing in a way that made it hard for me to really connect with her. Additionally, even though there seemed to be a lot of material to work with, the world building was a bit lacking. I wanted more meat than what I got, and I do think that the quality of the book suffered.

Erlik was pretty awesome, all things considered. But overall, I wanted this book to be more than it ended up being. I wanted better writing and world building and didn't really receive it.

The Bride of Death by F.M. Aden was a fantastic debut that I really enjoyed! It was rich in history and folklore from Asia Minor and had great world-building. Zerryn is a well thought-out character and I enjoyed reading about her journey to the underworld. I am looking forward to more from this author. Thank you, Netgalley!

Absolutely not my taste.
There was nothing wholly original about the story, or its plot. The writing was uninspired, causing me to skim read much of it.

A slow burn, enemies to lovers romance that takes the reader along on a captivating story through the Underworld as the main protagonist undergoes three trials to win the hand of the Lord of Death. Along the way she will discover her own magic, power, and strength, her conflicting desires between life and death, and that she doesn't need a man to save her.

F.M. Aden's "The Bride of Death" weaves a tale steeped in Turkish mythology. It charts the journey of Zerryn, a young girl marked by the ominous Eye of Erlik Khan.

From her early years, Zerryn's life is deeply intertwined with that of Turkic legends. Branded as cursed, she becomes an outcast in her community, with death haunting her footsteps and casting her into solitude. Zerryn seeks refuge with her grandmother and a stern aunt, discovering friendship and love. However, her curse follows her, and her friend's mother dies. The death causes her friend to descend into deep grief, letting Erlik Khan, the King of the Underworld, possess her friend.

Zerryn embarks on a journey to complete three trials to save her friend. Through these challenges, she develops friendship and love and discovers her own strength. "The Bride of Death" is not merely a tale of overcoming adversity; it is a story of self-discovery and the power of human connection, all set against a backdrop of mystical fantasy.

For those who desire to cheer for an unlikely hero, dive into a tale of dark romance, and be thrilled by the unforeseeable, "The Bride of Death" by F.M. Aden promises a journey of unforgettable transformation and resilience.

Bride of the Death is a captivating and dark retelling of the Turkic mythology with a small village setting.

Personally, I felt that the first few chapters are hard to keep reader's attention as it was dragging and dull. I'm starting to get interested with the plot from the middle part of the story.

Zerryn is an admirable character, she was forced to participate in a competition to fight for the hand of the Lord of the Death--Erlik or else she'll lose her loved ones.

The premise of this book really appealed as I’ve never read any Turkish folklore before and I’m a huge fan of The Bear and the Nightingale and Uprooted, both of which this was compared to.

The storyline itself I enjoyed and the tasks set by Erlik Khan aka Death were interesting and the competition between the four ‘contestants’ for Erliks hand in marriage were fast paced and exciting. I especially enjoyed the character of Beyza, who was both likeable, funny and dangerous. Yuxa was also sharp tongued and witty. Parts of the character development and the interaction between Zerryn and Erlik felt rushed. I’d probably put this book more into the category of Fairy Smut, so fans of that genre will probably enjoy this book a lot.

I’m giving it 4 stars because while it wasn’t my thing it was a good story and interesting new genre for fans of folklore to explore.

A Bride of Death by F.M. Aden
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am obsessed. Thank you NetGalley and Northern Light Press for the opportunity to read this lovely ARC and to review. (It came out March 1st!! GO READ!!)

I never thought I’d love the words coming out a man’s mouth as much as I loved Erliks words towards Zerryn. I am smitten as hell towards him. He is what I want in my life. The words he speaks towards her is just beautiful. (I’ll list a few quotes at the end of this review, ⚠️ spoiler kind of but I just had to include them to get you wanting to read this more)

This cover is stunning. I love the title. I liked the storyline so much. It was interesting. It also kind of gave me the vibe of under the mountain from ACOTAR series a little bit. I loved the language of this fantasy world and how easy it was to grasp and understand at least for me.(Just realized this is a Turkish Folkcore and I’m not familiar with that but I loved this read and the vibes in the story)
I overall enjoyed this book a lot. It was lovely. Great side characters and great main characters (especially MMC I am INLOVE with Erlik). I also loved the tension, the banter, and romantic build up between the characters. I am the biggest slow burn supporter ever and I loved how there was a bit of that in this and the tension and banter was good as well.

I would love to see a book on more of the side characters because they were very fun characters added into this storyline and I really enjoyed them especially Beyza.

Little Quotes I loved from Erlik:

“Desire is fleeting, and it wanes like the moon,” “You are not a moments thought. You are all my thoughts”

“You are not nothing,” “It is I who come to you crawling, a rabid dog hungry for your attention. An unworthy peasant grabbing at your hem. It is you who refused me always. You who remain unswayed by my power and beauty and might. You who insults me and soothes me. You see the one in power, and you have brought me to my knees.”

I appreciate the ARC from NetGalley for an honest review, but I just couldn’t bring myself to finish this.

It was compared to Uprooted & the Bear and the Nightengale which are two of my favorite books. This is not those. There is no fleshing out in the beginning. We get told some things then all of a sudden we’ve skipped ahead by several months or years even. We are told things that happened, that would have been better off being shown. I have no connection to these characters and so no desire to continue on.

The writing also just feels a bit stunted and choppy. The idea is interesting, but this just fell flat.