Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

I really wanted to love this book and there were so many elements initially that made me excited but ultimately this book wasn't for me.

To begin with, what I loved:
- The relationship between Zerryn & Beyza. I love it when the female characters help each other and become friends rather than an unnecessary rivalry. In this case, they were literal rivals but I found their friendship heartwarming

What I didn't love so much:
- I found the pacing of this book very difficult to follow. We had a few chapters to introduce Zerryn & her childhood where we're introduced to Celik. Celik's spiral to the bride trials gave me whiplash as it came so suddenly. On the opposite end, I felt like the bride trials dragged and I really struggled after I was about 40% into the book
- The relationship between Erlik and Zerryn was another issue for me. I didn't understand how/why they fell in love. Their banter just wasn't doing it for me, and I found myself rolling my eyes at points.
- The ending, I wished that the ending was something other than Zerryn becoming a mass murderer??? Perhaps it's because I'm unfamiliar with the actual myth but I would've wished for something different for her.

I'm super disappointed that I didn't love this as it was premise that I really loved and I was engrossed in the beginning but it was just not for me, unfortunately.

A Captivating Journey into Folklore and Fantasy
Immersing myself in this intricately woven tale, I discovered a profound adoration for its depths and complexities. From the moment I stepped into its pages, was enraptured by the dark, gothic fairytale setting, wandering through bone forests teeming with eerie spirits and creatures.
The tapestry of folklore interwoven throughout the narrative, from irshi to jinn, captivated my imagination, adding layers of mystique and depth to the storyline.
The echoes of Hades and Persephone in the main characters' dynamics, with their intertwining magical energies of life and death, light and dark, provided a familiar yet fresh perspective.
The prose is adorned with exquisite quotes, offering wisdom and insight, particularly in the exchanges between women, which I found both empowering and enlightening. The gradual transformation of the
'monster' into a multifaceted character, seen through Zerryn's eyes, resonated deeply, challenging traditional notions of romance and heroism.
While the romance unfurls at a deliberate pace, the intricate plot and rich world-building compensate for the wait. The cover, a stunning invitation into the story's depths, beckons readers into a world full of Turkish, Greek, and Christian mythology.
Zerryn, though at times naive, embodies a resilient spirit and unwavering determination, making her journey to become Death's bride a compelling one.Erlik, with his unconventional appearance and morally complex nature, adds layers of intrigue and depth to the narrative.
The inclusion of a love triangle, enemies-to-lovers trope, and morally grey characters enriches the storyline, keeping readers engaged and intrigued throughout. While the third-person point of view may be a departure for some, the eloquent prose and immersive storytelling more than compensate.
In summary, this gothic fantasy is a mesmerizing tapestry of folklore and eerie themes, offering a captivating journey into the realms of life, death, and everything in between. For lovers of folklore, dark romances, and intricate world-building, this book is a must-read. Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to delve into this enchanting tale.

I flew through this book. It has its faults, but I found the bones and intent behind the story to be fascinating. The author has a lot of potential, and I'm excited to see where she goes next. I rated it three stars for things that could have been addressed with more rounds of edits, but truthfully the book had me hooked from the start and kept me interested throughout. I would recommend this book to lovers of indie authors, folklore, and Hades x Persephone.

TROPES:
He falls first
Fated Mates
Banter
Folklore adjacent inspiration (takes elements from a few different fairytales/folklores)
Tournament to Earn Hand in Marriage
Dark x Light magic users
Winged MMC
Monster Romance
Mostly closed door romance
He's a reader (ok, that was one scene, but that's rare to see in books)
He's only kind to her
"I want you, but I shouldn't."
He kneels to her alone
Hurt me and I'll hurt you

POSITIVES:
The writing has so much potential. There are some beautifully written scenes, and it didn't feel forced. Other/magical beings that feel other.

The romance overall kept me interested. She think she's nothing, and he tells her she is more than she thinks. MMC has four arms, four eyes, and two mouths, which is different for sure but he acts like an immortal. She brings out his humanity. He wants to trust her and vice versa. She's the one who can hurt him the most.

This book kept me interested. It has a lot of elements that reminded me of different books but with some changes. I kind of enjoyed that in a lot of parts, like the Twilight level meadow scene but with a twist (sun burns him) and the Jude x Cardan callbacks. Erlik reminds me a little of Susebron from Warbreaker. He's immortal and innocent in love.


LESS POSITIVE (in chaotic order):
I'm gonna preface this by reminding that this is an indie author, and the story was still very compelling. There wasn't a point in the story where I wanted to stop or had to force myself to keep reading. These did not take away from the overall story for me.

At first, I really loved The Bear and the Nightingale vibes of the story. But then there was a side character named Vasily who was a forest witch, and he helped her catch a firebird. That felt a little too on the nose for me.

There are some pacing, timeline, plot, and writing style shifts that make the story hard to follow at times. It felt a little disjointed. But as an indie author, sometimes that's to be expected as that's something that an editor and additional rounds of edits would have helped fix. There were some grammatical errors that could have been fixed as well, but they were pretty minimal overall.

There is a deaf/mute servant at one point. This felt more like an attempt to bring some diversity into the book and less crucial to the plot. Especially when his terrible mistress says that boys are better when they can't speak? What? There are other ways to show that the mistress isn't a good person.

Lots of said, asked, demanded, whispered, etc. I would have liked more movement and less of that kind of phrasing. It didn't really bother me too much as I just skipped over those, but it might frustrate other readers.

Her first love is interesting. Çelik felt a little disjointed as a character, and some of his actions just felt very plot focused vs character driven, if that makes sense?

MMC's hair grows really fast and he uses it to make magical creatures? His wings are super sensitive (like it was much) but only for her? He's also got some red flags, but not as much towards her?

Nightmares include a marriage where the guy doesn't worship the ground she walks on. How dare he? It does turn out that her first love made some not so good choices, but he also has less information than her and does end up being a jerk.

Side characters who feel like they are just there for the plot but that's it? I don't know. They aren't there long enough for me to feel any kind of attachment to them.

CONTENT WARNING: one instance of language (sh*t), steamy but mostly closed door, there's a revel but FMC doesn't acknowledge details so very tame, self mutilation (servant of the dead takes off arm to feed to a pet of the underworld, one instance), gruesome injury (two instances: once skin melted to bone, other time a magical being is seriously injured by fire being), possession of human by demon/devil

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

3.75⭐️

“I am heartless, Zerryn, and there will be days when you despise me more than you like me, but I won’t ever hurt you. You shall never be the victim of my wrath. You shall never be the one my coldness touches.”

Thank you netgalley and northern light press for an arc copy

This book is more on the fantasy side, romance comes later on. Its a slow story, it takes time to get into it, especially for romance readers. But the romance between them is quite good

The cover is stunning, that and the title was was drew me to this book

This book is a retailing of greek/Christian/turkish mythology. I cant comment much about it because i dont know anything about the background of turkish mythology. But i can say that Erlik khan is nothing like the christan devil. So it was interesting to read about mythical creatures I’ve never heard about.

I loved the writing despite being in 3rd POV

The story follows zerryyn completing in a trial to become deaths husband to save her village.

Zerryn was okay but she seemed like any other fantasy protagonist. The difference here is she grew up hearing all the stories/tales about all the creatures but she still ignores logic and does not take any advices given to her. She is too naive for her own good. But she is 22 so i will give her the benefit of the doubt.

I did prefer Erlik more in this book, Although his appearance did weird me out.

This story involves a love triangle
Enemies to lovers.
Devil was obsessed
Morally grey MMC

Overall, i am happy to have read it. And i do recommend it.

I was excuted to read this book as the blurb gave me Hades Persephone vibes and I am nothing if not a Greek mythology gremlin.

However, I was pleasantly surprised to find the story had more Turkish folklore elements rubbing through it which is not something I am very well versed in so I cannot review those elements.

I loved the concept for this book, certain elements to the main characters personalities were giving me strong shadow and bone vibes and I loved the fact that the MMC is a true Morally grey male. The writing style throughout the book was beautiful and the story kept you captivated and engaged throughout. I did feel the ending was rushed a bit and could have been given a bit more time and depth and the world building was a little lacking for me but aside from that it was a great story.

The only gripe I really had with this story was the love triangle as I am not a massive fan of the Trope and didn't realise it was going to be there going in.

But it was overall a brilliant read and I look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Northern Light Press, and to F. M. Aden for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! The Bride of Death is a standalone fantasy romance with a very well done gothic ambiance. I would say this book is a 3.5/5 that I would round up to a 4. I think overall my favorite thing about this book is the writing style. This book is very well written and I found Aden to be a talented author! In terms of the plot and characters, there were times that did feel a little like it all belonged in a YA novel rather than an adult book. That being said, I didn't feel it was too much of an issue, just something I noticed that I thought a couple of times while reading.

I enjoyed Zerryn and her motivations a lot. The trials were well done. I think I liked Çelik more than Erlik (in part just because of um no spoilers but certain physical characteristics I had trouble getting past) but both characters are developed pretty well.

The Bride of Death is broken up into three parts. I think I would've liked the first part to be longer and the second part to be shorter. The third part (and epilogue) were a solid conclusion to the story though! If you like dark romances and historical fiction heavy with folklore/mythology, I think this is a worthwhile read! Also worth noting that this book feels like a Hades/Persephone re-imagining, and has a love triangle. Those are two things that don't really appeal to me, but if that is your cup of tea I think you'll enjoy how it's done here!

The Bride of Death was a tale of twisted emotions and had multiple possible endings fighting it out to the final pages. If you’re looking for an especially dark morally grey character, plus a sunshine character tainted by the dark, this book is for you.
Honestly, the cover and title drew me in and I went into this hoping for the best.

Zerryn has grown up in a small village learning the tales of Erlik Khan, the Lord of Death. She has lived a rather quiet life, keeping mostly to herself or in the company of her best friend Celik. Zerryn believes herself to be weak until Celik is possessed and the villagers grow too fearful of the demon growing stronger within him, and then she sets out to rescue him.
I found her character to be average, the typical doesn’t know her strength stereotype in fantasy novels type of character. Zerryn was complex in terms of her thoughts and feelings with noble intentions, but I personally didn’t click with her until she started being more open with herself. She struggles with the reality of the Underworld, the war between it and the above, and all that she must sacrifice regardless of what she chooses.

Celik played a small role in the story. He was the one who needed saving after being possessed, and he is posed as a potential suitor for Zerryn but otherwise, his character is rather dull. This may have been a creative choice to keep his nature out of the storyline in order to tease out the many possible endings until the end.

The Lord of Death, Erlik Khan, is the embodiment of cruelty. He is selfish, tortures others for his own amusement, and only cares about being able to expand his power and torture beyond the Underworld. While he doesn’t take the top spot for my favourite character, it is refreshing to see his authenticity and being unashamed of who he is.

By far my favourite character is Beyza, a ubir/vampire, who would make this story worth reading on her own.

The storyline overall is interesting, but I felt like we switched between fast and slow pace a few times. I had to go back and re-read parts to make sure I understood what was going on, though this felt intentional like the reader is supposed to be asking “What’s going on here?”. I personally struggled to get through some of the slow points, and I found it difficult to connect to the story, but those final few chapters were my favourite and worth the wait. It wasn’t exactly the ending I wanted, but it certainly checked a few boxes of what I was hoping for.

I would actually love to see this made into a movie, I think it would be hauntingly beautiful to watch some of these characters come to life.
I also want to note the spiciness of scenes, as that can be a deciding factor for some readers, and while there is a lot of flirtation and a couple of lightly detailed moments of intimacy, there wasn’t a lot and not overly explicit.

I feel like it had potential to be a 4 star read for me, but it just didn't quite hit the mark I hoped it would.

3.5/5 rounded up to 4

Let me preface this by saying that I’m not typically a romantasy reader, but the description caught my eye and I actually ended up enjoying this. Here’s to branching out!

I’d describe this book as a Turkic folklore inspired romantasy with heavy elements of a Hades x Persephone retelling. The book follows Zerryn as she journeys to the Underworld to save her small village and best friend Celik from the Lord of Death (Erlik Khan). To do so, she must win the Lord of Death’s hand in marriage by completing three trials.

Interestingly, the writing improved further into the story, as if the author was growing more confident in her narrative. The romance was pretty good but nothing stellar, and essentially another Hades x Persephone retelling, which has been overdone in my opinion. Though I do think the Turkic folklore inspiration was an interesting twist on this common framework and breathed life into the story, so I’d definitely recommend this for anyone who typically enjoys these types of reimaginings. As for the love triangle, I felt like so much effort was spent on setting up the gothic woodlands atmosphere of Zerryn’s time in her village that development of her relationship with Celik took a backseat. Unfortunately this resulted in less buy-in of their feelings for each other from myself as a reader. Zerryn and Erlik’s characters are quite well written and I adored their banter and found their emotional connection, though unhealthy, exceptionally tangible.

Of note, I do think this story is a little confused on its historical setting. It’s set in a vague time period, but Zerryn mentions the Byzantines more than once, which really threw me off. I do believe “Byzantine Empire” is a term coined by historians to distinguish the Eastern Roman Empire from the West, and that the people of the time simply referred to those people as “Romans”. Not a big deal if you aren’t familiar with that particular arm of history, but something to note as a plug to do adequate research before writing anything (subjects / history / cultures).

All things considered; this is a good romantasy with all the makings of a popular “booktok” book. So if you typically gravitate towards those types (think “booktok” table at Barnes & Noble, SJM, Fourth Wing, Powerless), then you’ll probably have a good time with this one. Tropes include enemies-to-lovers, morally grey character, love triangles, and more.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

The writing was strong, and I loved exploring the world within this mythology. The different creatures and characters were interesting. However, I had trouble connecting to parts of the plot. Some of the character development and changes felt abrupt rather than built up, and although I love the world and premise, some elements were just a little too dark for me personally. I would still recommend this to readers I know who enjoy those themes, though.

2.5 stars rounding up to 3.

The cover of this is so well matched to the book and absolutely stunning. This is a hades and Persephone retelling, and it is definitely for some people. However, it was not for me. I was completely drawn in from the first page and was loving the writing, storytelling and overall atmosphere. At about the 20% mark (part 2), everything changed. It was like a completely different person was writing and it threw me so much that I wasn’t sure I was even reading the same book. The first part was definitely reminiscent of The Bear and The Nightingale (part of the reason I was so excited to read it), the rest was not.

I found the characters to be underwhelming and didn’t really care about them. The side characters felt more developed than our main characters. The setting was done really well and I loved all the details. So, I should mention I didn’t read the synopsis past the comparison because I like going into certain books blind. I didn’t know this was a hades and Persephone retelling (which is not my favorite), on top of that though I was confused about why our fmc had to go through these random tests. I did like how strong she was, as well as the personal growth she shows throughout the book.

Overall, while this book is mostly not to my preference I do recommend it because I know others will enjoy it. Especially if you love this type of retelling.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for an arc of this for my honest review.

A hauntingly beautiful story. The Bride of Death takes us deep into the world of folklore and myth. We follow Zerryn a young girl who has always been a bit different and outcast by the villagers around her. She grows up with a sort of magic coursing through her that she doesn't understand and later gains what many believe to be the touch of death, an eye turned black instead of her natural green. When her village begins being tormented by her betrothed who has been possessed by Death Himself. She must do what she believe it will take to save her betrothed and the village. She must become the Bride of Death. To do this she learns she must compete in a series of trials to win his affection and hand in marriage. The effort will all be worthwhile when she is able to use her new power to save her people.

The book is broken into three sections, Girlhood, Underworld and Death.

Girlhood rapidly takes us through significant moments in Zerryn's life that develop her into who she is. This section at times felt too short and confusing, but as the story continued I understood the Authors intent in showing just particular events.

As Girlhood concludes we enter Underworld. This transition leads Zerryn to her trials and growing connections of a variety of characters who propel her story.

Death is our conclusion. Drawing the journey and the story to a close.

Overall fantastic read. I was gripped throughout the story wanting to know how the journey would continue. one of my favorite aspects of the story was the way that the different characters were described using both the traditional term and descriptors that would help the reader know who this person was in more familiar terms. An Ubir for example, is introduced and not only are the described, but its shared with us that they are called a vampire in other cultures.

I definitely recommend checking this book out if you enjoy historical fiction, mythology, and/or tales of misadventure.

DNF @ 46%

I love a good gothic romance book and that was the main thing going for this book. The only thing that kept me around was pure curiosity on how the sex scenes would go between the FMC and the MMC that has four arms and four eyes. Even then I DNFed the book before I got to that because I couldn't get invested and I didn't like the FMC. If it was from the point of view from one of the three competitors for Elrik's hand and throne, I would've been way more invested. Zerryn was naive and just not an enjoyable FMC to follow. I don't have a whole lot to say about this other than that the atmosphere was great, but the pacing was inconsistent and just meh overall on execution of the plot and characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Surprisingly, this was a 4 star read for me! It was fun, engaging, and really had me on my toes. While it is based on Turkish folklore, I was feeling more of a HadesxPersephone vibe.

If you want a light vs dark, Devil/Maiden story with a truly morally grey MMC, this is a great one. I appreciate how much thought was put into this one.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC- all opinions are my own.

The Bride of Death by FM Aden is a fascinating foray into a mythological crossover and I absolutely applaud them for this tale

Humans are storytellers, and all faiths have what can be construed as an underworld and deities, so what I like about this novel, is that it nods to various influences but is not puritanical to just one, ergo, it may even appeal to a wider audience and highlight where we share similarities and not the differences.

Aden's narrative style is illustrative, vivid and balances a tightrope between myth and fairytale, rather like the original Grimm tales did but with a style unique to this author. They are forging their own path in fantasy and I am here for this delightful piece of escapism

I believe there is a lot of potential in crossovers that meld different influences and the premise of this novel was very well thought out and original.

Thank you to Netgalley, Northern Light Press and the author F.M Aden for this fantastic ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinins are my own

This gothic fantasy novel took me by surprise with its vivid imagery and how I was rooting for the ~actually~ morally grey MMC. I was excited to read this ARC based on the description, but part one of The Bride of Death was disappointing in that it didn’t really draw me in. It was necessary context about Zerryn and her human life in the above, but I personally was not compelled by the narrative or invested in most of the characters until Part 2.

That said, things really picked up and kept me engaged once we enter the underworld. The new side characters: intricate, enticing. The trials: unique and plot advancing. Erlik Khan: complex, brooding, smitten.

Zerryn’s transformation by the end of the book was extraordinary. I didn’t find it to be too much of a stretch given her character’s life story. Celik? Well, I don’t want to post any spoilers, so I’ll just say 😈

This tale is a romantasy heavy on the fantasy. I’d give it a 🌶️ 🌶️/ 5 spice rating, pretty sparse. The Bride of Death has a love triangle, non-human MMC, several mentions of death, and HEA.

Thank you to the publisher, Northern Light Press, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Bride of Death by F.M. Aden is out 1 March 2024.

I love fairy tale retellings - usually. This has such a strong premise that I fully expected it to be amazing. It started off with great gothic vibes and Turkish folklore woven into the narrative. Then... well, then it got kind of boring for me. All that atmosphere evaporated and the plot stopped moving forward. I also had a hard time connecting with the MC. She's supposed to be spunky and independent but I found she tended more toward rude. I think this book had a lot of potential but would have benefitted from some extensive editing. I hope Aden writes more of these kinds of novels - they could be amazing with a more assertive editor.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

In brief very, this book reminded me of my least favorite parts of Emily A. Duncan's Something Dark and Holy trilogy, but with more gratuitous sex that felt inspired by Sarah J. Maas but failed to be anything like erotic (at one point our heroine Zerryn talks about wanting to tear away the curtain of Erlik's skin and "crawl into the space between his bones like a worm" while making out). Suffice it to say, this book really didn't work for me.

A large part of why this was not the right book for me was the, for lack of a better word, body horror. Erlik has five eyes (though really four, because he plucked out the one at the nape of his neck to put into Zerryn's face when she was a child), four arms, three mouths (one on each palm, toothed but lipless), and two big black wings. I'm surprised he only had one penis, to be honest, or didn't have a fourth mouth making him intersex (since he's definitely described as being feminine at some points, though I do realize that in the real world one's behavior need not be dictated by one's reproductive organs). Of Erlik's remaining four eyes, two are where they ought to be, with a smaller one below them. If one takes a moment to consider what that would do to cranial anatomy, one would be horrified: either the eye sockets are built into his cheekbone, replacing his upper molars, or there are no sockets and they just hang out in the flesh of his cheek (I hope not: at one point the sun causes chunks of cheek flesh to peel away). To add to the ick factor, Aden sometimes seems to forget that he's supposed to have wings or cheek eyes, having him lean back against Zerryn while sitting on the ground (where do the wings fit here?) or having Zerryn cup his cheeks (smooshing or poking his eyes, I assume). I also feel obliged to point out that with two wings, four arms, and two legs, Erlik is eight-limbed. Like a spider. The multiple eyes don't help.

Bodily ick aside, because that is very much a me-problem, I realize, I think this was supposed to be a Turkish take on Hades and Persephone, and for all that I enjoy retellings of that myth (or would like to, if they're well-done), this one is very much not for me. Plus, it added a weird aspect of The Bachelor: The Undead Lord of Death edition with Zerryn having to compete to win Erlik's hand so that he wouldn't destroy her town and all the people she loves. Of course, the Bachelor-style competition does get us Beyza and Yuxa, the two best characters in the book (I also liked Minaya, but that's because she looks like a cat sometimes), but I think they could have existed without the competition. Unlike Zerryn and Erlik, whose banter Erlik describes as sharp and clever but is, in fact, neither, Beyza and Yuxa are sharp-tongued and clever. At least by the standards of the rest of the book. (Honestly, I always think it's kind of sad when authors have to have their characters tell the reader how clever their banter is. If a reader can't tell for themselves, it's probably not as clever as you think, author.)

I think that's just about everything. I can't say I recommend this book, but it may be that I'm simply not the target audience. But, seriously, so much ick.

Before I begin, I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this chance to review the book before it comes out.

The Bride of Death takes place in a fantastical Anatolia, modern-day Turkey, where the Old Gods and all the spirits and monsters that accompany them still reign despite the Christian God slowly moving into their territory. The Old Gods, and new for that matter, are only mentioned and the story deals far more with Erlik Khan and his ilk, the monsters that lure humans to their doom. Then there is Zerryn, your average village girl, or at least she tries to be. With a nurturing hand and one black eye, those around her can’t seem to pin if she is good or a harbinger of evil. That is until The God of Death unleashes his evil upon her village and seems to want only one thing, Zerryn.

I would like to applaud the author’s use of mythology and folktales in this story. The world she created was interesting and terrifying in equal parts. I know I wrote down quite a few names to see if I could read more about their real-life inspirations. The descriptions of such characters were also great. Though I want to hit Erlik, I can’t deny the author did a great job of making him alluring in his size and appearance. Plus, I agree with Zerryn, four arms for snuggling seems like a great idea for us all! I approve. I also loved Beyza. I’m not quite sure what attracted an immortal ubir to Zerryn but their relationship was adorable.

This book is your classic enemies to lovers’ story, very similar to that of Hades and Persephone. Having said that, this story checks all the boxes for this type of story, the scenes increasing in tension and faltering denial, but what didn’t stick was the pacing. Yes, the scenes were good, but I couldn't help but feel as if they were undeserved, for lack of a better word. As if there wasn’t enough prior to it to justify the progression. I hate slow burns but for once I wished I had waited longer for the pay-out. To feel that “I hate you, but I’m so drawn to you” tension for slightly longer.

There just seemed to be missing pieces of the puzzle, like what if Minnay hadn’t told Zerryn about the trials how would she have known, what did Erlik do to be cast down, Çelik’s spiral into grief, Çelik and Zerryn’s romance, what was Vasily’s story and what did it mean for Zerryn, what was the prophecy, etc. So many scenes that could have given depth to the characters and their motivations and possible redemptive (or damming) qualities just missing. However, I was willing to overlook it just to enjoy the romance….

<spoiler> And then the last 15% of the book happened, and it made me feel a certain type of way. I like villains. I love morally grey characters. I love complex beings that show the full scale of human experience, but I could not get behind Erlik and Zerryn after that ending. He snuffed out her innate magic, filled her with his, banished her knowing she would be rejected and persecuted, took over her to the point that her soul split apart, and I’m supposed to be happy they ended up together? I honestly couldn’t care that he was mourning her, she was literally in agony for months and then when she was made whole again, she clung to him as if he was her savior. If this was an allegory about abusive relationships and trauma bonding, I could understand, but that’s not love.

I was expecting some kind of Yin or Yang ending, two contrasting powers brought together to bring balance. Maybe Erlik would support her as she came into her power and only being able to see each other during a certain time, bittersweet love. After the fight in the throne room, I even expected Zerryn to kill both Erlik and Çelik. I could have supported any of those but the moment he destroyed a part of her, I was left feeling deeply hurt for Zerryn. I’m not willing to accept that love means you must destroy a wonderful, beautiful part of yourself. </spoiler>

I wish this author nothing but success and I would like to see her future works, but in this case, just because of that one plot point, this story wasn’t a hit for me. Though it had a lot of great qualities and world-building to it.

3/5 ⭐️

My friend recommended this book to me! I enjoyed but at the same time I felt it was missing.

Don’t get me wrong it was such a fun time but it was missing something. I will say though the writing was DREAMY and we love a good enemies to lovers but I WASNT PREPARED FOR THE LOVE TRIANGLE 😭

Its a fun vibey read and I do recommend :)

This is a very well written and captivating book. It was absolutely a wonderful read! I can absolutely see what others are saying about it in relation to The Bear and the Nightingale so if you liked that book you will definitely enjoy this one.