A very interesting concept. I love a good villian gets the girl story. Unfortunately I found myself losing interest as there was too much needless inner monologue. I still would give this author another try as there is good bones to the book.

If you are a fantasy romance fan then you will absoltuely love this book. The world building is good and easily understandable, the characters are amazing. I don’t want give any spoilers but I am sure that this is going to one of the new tik tok books of the summer. Go buy it now

I really liked the plot of Night of Death and Flowers. I thought the magic system and overall world-building were unique and enjoyable. The cast of characters was actually fairly small. We do get introduced to a lot of side characters but they get little to no development. The bulk of the story focuses on four characters: Azkiel, Calista, Arabella, and Drake, which is honestly fine. I don’t really think the story suffers from it. It didn’t feel like we needed additional characters.

Unfortunately, I did have some issues that prevented this from being a 5 star read for me. First off, while the beginning and end of the book were pretty strong, it fell a little flat in the middle. Once they reached the island, it just dragged a little until those four characters all synced back up, which took a while. Second, I think there was a lot of telling going on rather than showing. I just wish some stuff was fleshed out a bit more so we as readers could experience how the characters felt rather than just being told.

Now, for my third issue, I would definitely suggest taking this with a big grain of salt as I read an ARC of this book: it needed a heavy amount of editing. Normally I wouldn’t really mention it or care much about typos in ARCs because they are often uncorrected proofs, but Night of Death and Flowers had a lot of errors. Typos and repetition were the biggest culprits, though there were also a lot of issues with sentences being incomplete as written. Basically, I had to make a lot of inferences as to what I think was meant to be written, and while I do think I was able to infer everything, it slowed me down and broke immersion a bit. It is entirely likely that these issues were fixed prior to publication, but I did feel I needed to mention it just because the content itself was affected by a fair amount of these editing issues. Once again, the editing issue may be totally resolved in the finished copy. So I would definitely recommend reading it to find out for yourself.

That all being said, I really did love the plot and characters of this book, which is why I’m still giving it 4 stars. The story is great, and I’m excited to see where it goes in the next book! Night of Death and Flowers is a fun new romantasy that I think it worth checking out if you’re a fan of the genre.

Thank you Rebecca L. Garcia, NetGalley, and Victory Editing Co-Op for the ARC of Night of Death and Flowers. All opinions are my own!

WOW!

This was a fantastic fantasy novel! This book filled my ACOTAR withdrawal completely!

I can’t wait to get my hands on a hard copy and I definitely can’t wait for the second book to come out.

The premise, the world building, the creatures, the gods themselves, and the tension between the main characters was *chefs kiss*

I don’t want to give too much away but the plot twist had me gripping my kindle. I definitely didn’t see it coming. The novel left us on a cliff hanger but it set up the second novel beautifully.

Again, amazing novel.

Fates Carved In Stone. Others Created With Blood. A Dark, Gothic Fantasy.


Calista lives in Dahryst, a place home to witches, that is watched over by the gods. It is safe for those who live there, but deadly should Calista's secret come to light. For Calista has the ability that only the God of Death should possess. This is against the very laws of nature, and Calista must keep this truth from ever being revealed.

Death's touch could end Calista's life, ending in tragedy before she even had a chance to live. She swears she will never give the elders reason to end her life, except when the Harvest comes. The Harvest is a deadly tournament, a macabre event that Calista must put an end to. Even if it means the elders learning of her dark gift.

Now, her life is not the only one on the line. Calista's friend is now threatened by the power of the Elders. An Ancient prophecy is revealed to the reader when the God of Death returns. Azkiel reveals that his end will come from Calista's own hand. This cannot happen, and the Death God makes a plan that involves forming an alliance with the girl.

The story then reveals Calista grappling with her dark gift, her resistance to such a menacing magic. It is a part of her, and she hates herself for it. There are ancient mysteries that are slowly revealed over the course of the book, more truth arising.

Calista must save her friends and deal with a vengeful god.

This is truly an enemies-to-lovers. We see Calista slowly coming into her own character, accepting her power and herself, slowly, over time. It is a confidence and defiance against a dark fate. Calista becomes brave and learn of rituals and sacrifices.

The hunger game bit where 12 contestants fought to the death was not my favorite. I enjoyed the touch-her-and-you die trope that slowly began developing between the morally grey main characters. Also, I am always a sucker for a reincarnation twist. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!

• he falls first
• enemies to lovers, at its finest
• family drama
• delicious tension
• messy, but extremely fun banter scenes
• witches be "sandy spots on islands surrounded by the sea"
• gods/goddesses are "Richards"
.... all of this plus more!! Shadow daddy included!

Upon reading the blurb, this seemed exactly like my kind of book. I am such a huge romantasy reader and had extremely high hopes going in. That being said, I had quite a hard time getting into the story. I knew early on that the writing style was not for me personally. There were many instances where I felt as though there was more telling than showing and each character's thoughts were very repetitive.

I did really enjoy Calista's character! Her tenacity and fierceness which is vital in a strong FMC was so fun to see. The development of the relationship was so rushed and I wish we got to see a build up of their dynamic together. Overall, this book had an extremely interesting lore and magic system which I thoroughly enjoyed, however, there were many pacing issues that could not be overlooked and made it quite hard to get through. Since this is an arc review, I do understand that there could be changes to the final product and I will absolutely give this book another try and continue on with the next one.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Spiiiiicy! Loved this book. I think the characters were well written and thought out. The only critique I have is that I can’t stand authors who use cliffhangers. They are a cheap writing tool that good stories don’t need. This was likely encouraged by an editor, whose main jobs is to sell more books. Otherwise, the story itself had a good premise and setup the reader to get invested in the heroine’s happiness.

It was an easy read but left me somewhat disappointed.
I could not connect with the writing style, I felt it was a little to descriptive and obvious. I prefer when there's a bit more "show" and less "tell", if that makes sense.
The plot is very good though, just disappointed that it wasn't better explored.
Also feel like they weren't real enemies, the love part was too immediate.

"Night of Death and Flowers" is a thrilling dark fantasy romance that plunges readers into a world where fate is forged by blood and powerful deities maneuver in the shadows. Rebecca L. Garcia's meticulous world-building and robust character development craft a narrative that is both intricate and engaging.

Set in Dahryst, a sanctuary for witches, the novel introduces us to Callista, a witch with a deadly secret that could either save or doom her. When the ancient Harvest tournament threatens her and her loved ones, Callista’s resolve to end this brutal tradition collides with the return of Azkiel, the formidable God of Death. Their fates intertwine amidst prophecies and betrayals, leading to an intense enemies-to-lovers dynamic that sizzles with tension.

Garcia’s creation of Dahryst is a feat of fantasy literature, with witches wielding diverse magical abilities from dream manipulation to creation magic. The extensive glossary and pronunciation guide are thoughtful additions that enhance the immersive experience, allowing readers to delve deeper into this darkly enchanted world without hesitation.

The narrative excels in pacing and is laden with suspense, making it hard to put down. The romance between Callista and Azkiel is as intense as it is complicated, adding layers to both characters as they navigate their contentious yet irresistible attraction.

However, one aspect that puzzled me was the townspeople’s apparent obliviousness to the unfolding prophecy. For a society deeply entwined with divine will, this oversight seemed slightly out of place, slightly diminishing the otherwise stellar plot.

Despite this, "Night of Death and Flowers" is a captivating read that skillfully balances dark magic, divine machinations, and heart-pounding romance. The ending leaves readers eager for the next installment, hoping to uncover more about this intricately crafted universe and its compelling inhabitants. Garcia’s novel is a testament to the allure of dark fantasy and the power of well-crafted storytelling. Four stars for an enchanting literary journey that promises even more in its sequel.

Night of Death and Flowers by Rebecca L. Garcia is a wonderful Dark Fantasy Romance.
The character development and the plot development were amazingly written.
I loved reading every page of this book - there literally was not one boring chapter. The world the author has created is unique and the story is so intriguing it was almost impossible to put down.

Thank You NetGalley and Victory Editing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thank you so much for the arc at NetGalley! I enjoyed this book so much. It had a magical hunger games theme to it as well as the Gods being thrown into the mix. You have two sisters who are complete opposites but are willing to fight and sacrifice for the other. While the MFC learns to embrace the darkness that her family has rejected her for she falls in love with Death himself. I cannot wait for book 2!

I enjoyed the beginning and the very end like last 15 pages of this, but the middle was meh 🫤 and a lot of it I felt could have been cut out nothing happened and it went nowhere and didn't make me like the characters. It started off pretty good with the death magic and the God of Death coming back to deal with the prophecy, but then the plot fizzled out once we reach the island. I feel like the author may have been inspired by hunger games at this point, but it didn’t have that fear and thrill factor like it. I was getting a little bored with this until 90% of the way when we finally see some chemistry though that came out of nowhere and the sex scene was kinda cringy and secrets unravel. The excitement I felt in the first 30% of this came back and it was good to watch everything unravel and truths reveal… but did they really???

Thoughts:
Night of Death and Flowers is an enemies to lovers dark fantasy romance that appears to be the first in a series (based on the ending). It gives Hunger game vibes with witchy elements that make the fight scenes very interesting. The concept of this book was so promising, and the plot was interesting. However, I found that this read fell a little short in execution, character development, and dialogue. The transition from enemies to lovers was quite abrupt, and the ending felt rushed. A little info dumpy in the beginning chapters. The sentence structure was weird at times, which led to a bit of a clunky read, and the pace was a little inconsistent. Overall, though, it's an okay book with an interesting storyline and magic system. I think there is potential for this to be a really good series, and with the world-building/intro out of the way, I think the second book may read more smoothly.

P.S: While reading this book, I found out that there is another version as well. The version I read and what this review is based on is 317 pages (slightly longer than the other one that has 280 some pages).

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Night of Death and Flowers by, Rebecca L. Garcia. This book felt like a magical Hunger Games, where witches, magic, and the Gods came together in a tournament to the death.

It is the year of the Harvest, a tradition where young are sent to Tenenocti island where they must fight with their power to the death, each contestant gaining the powers of those they kill until only one is left. Azkiel, the God of death, who has taken his human form for the first time in 150 years, has returned to stop a prophecy that would mean the end of his domain. Calista is the only witch to ever be born with Azkiel’s affinity to kill with one touch. She has grown up hating this affinity which she must keep a secret and hating Azkiel.

It took me a while to warm up to Calista. I wished that the romance had more build to it but that’s only because when the two main leads came together it really worked. I also really felt the development of Calista’s sister and their friend Drake worked well. I loved where the book left off with them in a totally devastating way. I’m excited to read the next book and see where it goes.

Thank you Rebecca Garcia and NetGalley for an eARC of this book!

Y’all, I flewwwwww through this book! I couldn’t put it down! It was so haunting and poetic and deeply fascinating that I didn’t want to stop reading. It has:

⚔️Enemies to lovers
🏛️Vengeful gods
🔮Witches
🔥Feminine rage
☠️Deadly tournaments
✨Starcrossed lovers
🌬️Forgotten memories

The world-building of this book is very unique and I enjoyed learning as I went. Rebecca does a great job explaining things in little chunks so as not to overwhelm the reader.

Calista is a fiery FMC who struggles with the growing darkness inside her. Fiercely protective of her sister, Arabella, she does whatever she can throughout to ensure she’s okay. Her guiding morals push her to lash out against The Harvest, a ritualistic sacrifice in the form of a fight-to-the-death tournament on Death’s Tenenocti Island.

Azkiel, our leading MMC and God of Death, is incredibly tortured and frustrated by Calista and a prophecy that haunts his every waking moment. He spends his time lamenting his family’s betrayal (the other gods that rule over Dahryst) and seeking ways to ensure they stay away for good.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Cali and Azkiel’s relationship transform and blossom into something absolutely heartbreaking towards the end.

I can’t wait to see where this story goes and I’m already looking forward to the next book!!

I LOOOOVED this book! The story was great, the mystery was great, the reveal was great, the pacing was great. Very much my style of book and I can't waittttt for the sequel!!! There were a few typos throughout and the pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book had 1 inconsistency but other than that, absolutely amazing. Loved it. Thank you!

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and @RebeccaGarciabooks for the ARC of Night of Death and Flowers. Below is my RAVING review.

Don’t walk. Don’t stroll. Definitely don’t meander. Run! Run. Now!! This book comes out on June 27th in just three days!

When I tell you this book was amazing, that doesn’t even begin to describe it. This is absolutely one of my favorite reads of the year and undoubtedly a 5⭐️ read for me!

There were Hunger Games vibes mixed with a little of The Originals and Crescent City vibes! I also think you’ll love this if you love Kingdom of the Wicked. There’s magic, meddling gods, forbidden romance, a deadly tournament, and epic world building. This book has it all! I love the characters and the relationships involved.

This was a dark fantasy romance and the writing is wonderfully detailed and made me feel like I was there. The author is great at giving you an immersive experience. I couldn’t help but love the characters and their stories.

This book has just made Rebecca L. Garcia an auto-buy author for me! I can’t wait to read more of her work especially book two in this fantastic duet!

Tropes include:
- He falls first
- Villain gets the girl
- Deadly tournament
- Betrayal
- Epic world-building
- Gods and goddesses
- Softens only for her
- Sacrifice and rebellion

I enjoyed this book, the plot and story were intriguing and I was invested in the story. There was world building and character development, I can not get enough of this story!

OK so imagine Hunger Games but witches, forced to compete for the spot of the newest Elder of their town with a sprinkle of gore, blood magic, smut and insane power. Calista is a mortal born witch with a dark secret that even she doesn't know yet, her father is the elder of their town posessing powerful magic so her and her siblings are 'protected' from certain fates that befall others, or so they are told. When the God of Death returns from a 150 year slumber, everything changes for Calista.

Garcia is up there with Maas, St Clair and Broadbent. I'm calling it now, this book is going to be a huge success! The characters felt so real and I could imagine every scene playing out in my head. The attention to detail was outstanding, the characters felt their age and that always seems to shock me when we're dealing with teens/adolescents but even though they're magical beings that are capable of so much, there's still a vulnerability about each character which would relate to different readers so well. Although there was a lot of lore and history to process, it was so easy to comprehend because the writing just flowed so well.

I really enjoyed the tense scenes when emotions were high and big decisions needed to me made, I was almost sat gritting my teeth and wondering which way it was going to go. I couldn't put this down, coming back to it every change I got! The only thing I can critique would be that some of the scenes did seem to overlap where sentences were included twice but in different ways or information was almost muddled with some odd grammar choices but I'm sure once it goes to the editor all of those things will be tweaked, it didn't have any effect on my review of this ARC.

I would recommend this to everyone, I also told all of my group chat girlies to buy it immediately on release day. I can't wait to see where this story goes and I will be the first in line to get the 2nd book.