This book was fascinating to me. The story premise was quite unique and it was done in a way that felt different and refreshing. It had that old wicked fairytale vibe going for it. I think the author was going for something along the lines of Naomi Novik and Erin Morgenstern, and she almost made it. Some parts were stronger than others, personally the beginning felt somewhat choppy to me, but overall, I really enjoyed the story and the writing. Also, the cover is absolutely beautiful, so it will be a worthy addition to anyone’s shelf.

Thank you NetGalley and Northern Light Press for this arc.

This was so quick to grab my attention. It's gorgeously written, and so captivating. I loved all of the myths and folklore that was interweaved into the story. There are so many moments where I wanted to chuck it across the room but also so many moments where i was giddily kicking my feet. I absolutely adore a book that can make me feel a complete range of emotions and oh boy did this book do that. I ABSOLUTLEY applaud F.M. Aden for her ability to create this world.
Absolutely stunning!

So so beautiful written, absolutely LOVED the Turkish vibes ✨😍. It was so dark and full of emotions and Erlik is definitely on my top book boys list. Can we just take a moment to appreciate THAT cover ??? This was a well deserved five stars, can't wait to read more of the author 🤭

Just not for me. The writing was confusing and I struggled to stay interesting in what I was reading.

Thank you for the ARC!

The Bride of Death by F.M. Aden is a brilliant read that takes you on an adventure steeped in history, mythology and Turkish folklore.

Erlik Khan is the Lord of Death tasked with finding his bride so he can rule both the under and above worlds. Zerryn is a mortal that will stop at nothing to save her village and the people she loves from the Lord of Death. The author does a wonderful job building both the above and the underworlds. I loved the character development and the banter between Zerryn, Erlik and the rest of the characters in the underworld. Zerryn is a very strong, feisty character and Erlik is the evil Lord with a few redeeming qualities, to make you root for them both. Throughout this book there is plenty of trials and tribulations to leave your heart pounding and at times broken.

I highly recommend adding this book to your fantasy TBR and bookshelf.

**Special thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Zerryn grew up on tales of magical beings and monsters, full of her own kind of magic and touched by a being that left her feared by the villagers around her, she grows up to earn in a place in the village and fall in love with her best friend. Just when they're about to wed, tragedy strikes and Çelik finds himself possessed by the Lord of Death. To save Çelik, Zerryn ventures into the Underworld and agrees to take on three challenges to win the throne of the Underworld and become Erlik's queen. But time in the Underworld and with the Lord of Death starts to change Zerryn and she'll have to decide if she still wants the life of warmth she dreamed of with Çelik or the dark victory of earning the heart of the Lord of Death.
If I were reviewing just on story itself, this would get a higher rating because I genuinely wanted to like this one. It's a fascinating and original twist on fairy tales and has all the elements I look for in good romanstasy, including charming characters that you're rooting for, but I just couldn't get into the rhythm of Aden's writing. It's unnecessarily wordy and repetitive with things that don't need to be pushed so hard. I get that we're supposed to see Zerryn as the innocent light to Erlik Khan's darkness, but there's no reason to mention it every single time they're both on the page or Zerryn thinks about him. And that's just one of the many things that I felt Aden was trying too hard to make sure readers noticed. It got tiring and made me want to walk away from a story that I actually wanted to devour.
A sad misfire for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Northern Light Press for the early read!

I love books based on folklore - especially when it's about a region that I don't know a lot about. Before this book I had never heard of Erlik Khan or his sons and daughters. Now I want to learn more Turkish folklore/mythology.

Okay, I'm honestly OBSESSED with the character of Erlik. He was so well done. His emotions felt so real and he was constantly pulling at my heartstrings. His smugness that he uses as a shield to distract from his loneliness is just *chef's kiss*. And him saying, "Use me." 🥵🥵🥵

I've never read a villain romance before, but please sign me up for all of them!

Zerryn, with her caring nature, was so different from him, but they worked so well together. I loved seeing their dynamic.

I wish that we would have seen more of Zerryn's life with Çelik and witness their relationship growing. I feel like we didn't get a chance to care about him or their romance. Also, while talking about Zerryn's early life, it felt like we should have gotten some kind of hint about her magic.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book… it had everything I wanted as a reader, a zealous heroine, a morally gray love interest. Honestly, I wish I could give this more stars.

I was immediately drawn to this book because of the beautiful cover and the dark intriguing title. What girl doesn’t like the idea of falling for the bad guy and Death has to be the baddest of the bad guys. I did not love this book right away. It took me a little while to get into it but once I was in I LOVED it. Zerryn is a village girl who is “touched by the devil” is shunned by her people but when they need her to help save the boy she loves as well as the entire village she steps up without question. I really enjoyed following her through the trials and watching her growth from a simple village girl to a confident woman. Enemies to lovers is quickly becoming one of my favorite tropes. There is just something so hot about having to fight a bit for love.

Rating: 4.75/5

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I loved it! This is a Hades x Persephone retelling with a twist of fairytale and folklore. We follow Zerryn through her childhood of being death-touched and her growing into a brave young woman whom the fate of her village falls upon her defeating the darkness. There is a lot on the table: her village and all she knows, her goal of saving her childhood friend (and the person she loves), her battling the light and darkness within herself and figuring out what she wants.

I confess I read this in one go, it’s a quick and enjoyable read - specially for fans of dark gothic romance. Zerryn and Elrik relationship is toxic and intense and they are each other strength and doom/weakness. The only reason I could not give it 5⭐️ was due to how Elrik steals from her something without her permission and I can’t understand how she seemed to have easily forgiven him for it. He could have tried harder to explain why that particular thing was not sustainable in the Underworld and not simply remove it by force - I thought it was barbaric. In fact, maybe that would have been an advantage for when she holds his full power in the mortal realm.

There is also this competition storyline that I loved and I think this author really plotted it well - you can meet all relevant characters in dept throughout the trials and they’re clever and cunning and really interesting to follow as part of the big plot-line.

I loved this book and it’s been on my mind for days!!

It was mystical and beautiful with a touch of dark gothic vibes. Plus a mix of folklore and fantasy that completely swept me away. Instantly made me think of Katherine Arden’s Bear in the Nightingale(which I also love!!)

Kerryn has always had magic in her veins, then she was touched by Death when she was a child, always connecting her to the demons that roam the lands. Then when her childhood friend and love gets possessed, she’s risks everything to save him, even agreeing to compete to be the devil’s bride.

Kerryn battles her original goal of saving her village and the man she loves against her growing feelings for Death himself. And it a big battle against that type of love that’s all consuming - making the MC question if love is worth giving up everything for and if it’s even the right love.

But also, Erlik, he’s the villian of my dreams.

Thank you to NetGalley, Northern Light Press, and F.M. Aden for a copy of The Bride of Death in exchange for my honest and fair review.

The Bride of the Death is for folks who love dark, atmospheric, romantic fantasy novels. It has elements of folklore, and Hades/Persephone vibes.

What I loved:
I really loved the portrayal of the Underworld, and the Lord of Death, Erlik Khan. I’m a sucker for a well-written enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine trope, so I enjoyed the romance aspects of this book.
I also really loved the side characters, especially Beyza! She and Zerryn’s relationship is one of the best parts of the whole book.

What I didn’t love:
I felt that there wasn’t enough time developing Zerryn’s magic at the beginning of the book in order to justify it being such a major aspect.
Without giving any spoilers, I also didn’t like aspects of the ending. It felt a little unfulfilling for me personally.

Again, foiled by a "for lovers of [insert well beloved book here]"...

The Bride of Death by F. M. Aden might have been ok if I hadn't already read The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden and Uprooted by Naomi Novik and been absolutely in love with them! These two books, which Bride of Death is compared to, are far superior in writing, pace and plot. Aden tries to write in flowery, descriptive language but it falls flat here and the whole time I'm comparing it to the above mentioned works and wanting to put this down and pick them up instead!

It's my fault for picking a book based on it's false marketing strategy and this book just isn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Northern Light Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This a well written Mythological Fantasy by F M Aden. The author drew me in from the beginning, making it hard to put the book down. The story combines multiple mythologies and religions. This is my first read by this author and I will definitely check out other books if the are this interesting.

Zarryn was raised in a small town that has a mix of beliefs, with beliefs in old myths and gods. As she grows, she learns many stories, but the story of the Lord of Death, Erik Khan is forbidden by many, including her companion. The villagers bully and ostracize her because of her two colored eyes, believing she has been touched by the Lord of Death.
When she moves in with her grandmother, she meets Celik. He becomes her best friend and she begins to love him. In him she sees innocence and the light she has felt has been extinguished in her life, as death seems to shadow her.

“He had never seen darkness or lost a loved one, and she couldn’t help but feel as though he were her torch. The creatures stayed far away from her when she strolled either Celik, like they were averse to his presence. With his golden hair and flushed cheeks, he half resembled a prince, a golden haired sehzade .”

She believed that as long as they were together, the darkness would stay away.
“Celik was the only part of her that was light, and with him around, she didn’t feel so lost.”

But shortly after his mother dies, he becomes something dark and dangerous, no longer his bright golden self. As the villagers become more enraged and desperate over Celik’s behavior, they believe he is possessed by Erik Khan and that the darkness and destruction in the village are all tied to him. The villagers decide that they must do something drastic, even if it means killing Celik.

In an attempt to get Celik back, she searches out ways to break Erik’s hold. But doing so lands her in Erik’s castle, at his mercy, and worst of all, now without her life. And as she realizes the extent of her own fate, she finally realizes the entity which she is trying to reason with. Is there any chance that she can save Celik and her village? Or is she lost, just like everyone and everything she cares for?

“All evil was brought by his hand. He ushered in disease, famine, and destruction anywhere he rode, or so the myths said. It made sense that he wore Celik’s skin he could not walk the earth as himself. It was as her grandmother had said, that all of this was far bigger than her, and she had been foolish to think she could fight a greater demon. “

She quickly learns that the only way to try to save everything important to her, is by becoming the Queen of the Underworld. And in order to do that, she must complete three challenges and compete with three other women for the title and the man. But these women aren’t mortal, but are powerful mythical creatures.

The three women include “Lale the Beautiful” “Yuxa was a legend known by all, the Serpent Queen,” and Bayza, who was a terror.

I enjoyed the different mythology and reliefs references, even though I am not familiar with the ones mentioned. I liked the character development, especially the arc the different characters go through. The story has a little bit of spice. And I enjoyed the author’s imagery, but felt in some parts they could have described more. I do wish that the author had gone into explaining some more of the mythology as the ones mentioned in the story were unknown to me prior, and I feel like details were lacking in some of them.

Characters ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mythology ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Imagery ⭐️⭐️⭐️

It gives me a Hades and Persephone vibes/ trope
Standalone
Love triangle
Enemies to lovers
Morally grey mmc

I definitely enjoyed the tropes and wanted to root for the underdog, the villain.
The side characters were fun, especially Erik’s children. The complexities of their relationship were interesting, especially seeing the way they acted out to get their “fathers” attention. Even in the underworld, family dynamics cause issues.

I was definitely not the intended audience is a kind of getaway excuse, but I'd say it's more of a case of I expected something like The Bear and the Nightingale and it started that way, but it went into other direction with a larger focus on romance, with low risk for our main character.
In that sense, I would say this book one more akin to books like Kingmaker Chronicles by Amanda Bouchet or Pestilence, but not as smutty as those. A lot of smooching, darkening of eyes and lustful looks, but nothing graphic on the paper.
The comparison to TBatN is understandable because the author found the inspiration in Turkic mythology. And just like Arden, she built a story around of a myth of resident bad guy, Erlik Khan.
-Now, I will say this in regard of Turkic mythology and/or setting in the book: the thing about Katherine Arden book is not that she is just familiar with Slavic mythology, she is very familiar with people and circumstances these myths came to life in and she infused it all in her characters which gave it a specific style, a flair if you please. You feel the cold, you feel the hunger and you feel the religious fervor, the pessimistic, fatalistic view they have and why is the magical and fantastical as it is. This novel started so similar to TBatN I had a whiplash when I realized it's more on a superficial level. And that's fine, I have fun with those books as well, I was just surprised. So, I just switched gears.
So, on that note, imagine this more like a "light Turc mythology" take on Hades and Persephone romantic stories that are popularized in recent time, which in turn are in its core, always favorite The Beauty and The Beast stories. Elrik Khan is a God of Death, a devil himself and he had his eye on Zerryn to be his bride. But she has to win his hand in a deadly version of Bachelor in the Underworld. That's it, that's the premise. It has a few Turk words thrown in, but it is a rather modern take on the whole thing and it reads like author had a lot of fun writing it without making it deep.
I personally was pleasantly intrigued she made Elrik Khan kind of freaky looking with his additional eyes and appendages, but this book not having smut at all does come of as disappointing in that regard and like a missed opportunity. The huge black wings, hod body, long hair is still there to please average romance lover and all that, but we were robbed, in my opinion. :)
The setting description does make a few points of clash of newly spreading Christianity and old pagan religion, but she didn't make anything interesting with that in similar way Ava Ried didn't in The Wolf and the Woodsman . It's mentioned, it's not explored. (I realize I am probably the only one interested, sigh)
-The other thing I liked is that she didn't go the route of making every other female character looking bad compared to protagonist Zerryn. She makes a point of making them all look and be cool in their own way and she promotes a positive female vibing together and being friends which was refreshing to read. Sure, there was no suspense in any way because we know Zerryn was never in danger, both in underworld or in losing her place as Elrik's bride. Author gave her best to bring her version of the Underworld as a dangerous place, filled with dangerous beings, but it was clear this book was not meant to stress in any way, just to make it fun for the reader. And that's ok.

It's a dark, twisty love story with some adventure and gothic vibes.
It wasn't until I was immersed in the world, that I realized how much I would adore this book. I loved this!

This book was a collection of myths and folklore weaved into the story of a brave girl who sought to slay darkness himself. Unsure how I felt about some things in this, but overall, I loved all the characters!! Esp, Zerryn, I loved her sass and quick-wit

A special thanks to Northern Light Press and NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy of this book to review.

I could write paragraphs on how much I adored this book, but I will try and keep it short. This book was honestly stunning.

The world building, mythology, the writing and just everything was so dreamy and divine.

This book gave me chills and warmed my heart at the same time.

And Erlik. What can I say about Erlik. His words? Melted me. I hard not to fall in love with him for his words alone.

“I didn’t want you to wake up angry at me”

“You are the one in power, and you have brought me to my knees”

Definitely recommend.

I was completely captivated by the intense and fiery dynamic between Rix and her brother's best friend, Tristan Stiles, who is a professional hockey player. They had to live together out of necessity, and their constant clashes and undeniable chemistry made for an addictive enemies-to-lovers story. The perfect blend of humor, emotional depth, and scorching romance kept me hooked from start to finish. The audiobook version of the book brought an extra layer of intensity to the experience, thanks to the exceptional performances of narrators Connor Crais and CJ Bloom. Their ability to capture the characters' personalities and the tension between them added more depth to the narrative, making the steamy, heartfelt, and humorous moments even more impactful. This book takes you on a thrilling ride through the complexities of love, past traumas, and the journey toward understanding and acceptance, all set against the exciting backdrop of professional hockey. It was a truly memorable read and listen!

Thank you to NetGalley, Northern Light Press, and Ms. Aden for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

I'm not sure how accurately the mythology (Turkish? Anatolian? Siberian?) is represented, as it seems to be a bit of a mishmash, but the story was entertaining. I didn't feel any particular affection for Zerryn, whose emotions and behavior gave me whiplash, but I absolutely loved Yuxa and Beyza. They were great characters and enlivened the story enormously. From what I can tell, Erlik Khan was romanticized considerably, appearance-wise, compared to the depictions I was able to find.

Overall, the story was enjoyable and gave definite old-school fairytale vibes. I wish the mythology had been a little clearer but it wasn't too bad. Yuxa and Beyza for the win!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy!
The Bride of Death is a dark fantasy, with a folklore feel, and I hated to see it end. Fantastic world building and interesting characters abound in this story of a girl who competes in three trials to win the hand of Death himself. At the start, she’s doing this to save her childhood love and her village itself, but life-and Death-gets complicated. Big recommend!