This is Kelly Andrew’s best work by far!

I am not typically into horror, but she writes the most beautiful, emotional stories that live on my shelves. The ballerina bubblegum horror of I Am Made of Death is my newfound aesthetic, both as a former dancer and goblin-at-heart.

Thomas, a CODA, is hired as an interpreter for Vivienne Farrow, a selective-mute following a traumatic event when she was four. Thomas is desperate for the money so begrudgingly works with Vivienne despite that fact that she is the biggest spoiled brat he’s ever met. Vivienne wants Thomas gone, but she’s afraid of the thing in the mirror that smiles back at her with razor-sharp teeth.

IAMOD is a perfect analogy for having your voice taken away, especially as a disabled person. Andrew brilliantly explored the struggles of trying to communicate with nonverbal language, and the violation of others taking their own liberties with their interpretations. It is easy to tell how much of her soul went into creating this story, through the emotion and terror of being robbed of your voice.

Vivienne is by far my favorite of Andrew’s characters. She is snarky, bratty, and cries a lot. (Honestly so relatable.) She is hyper-feminine and also terrifying, which is absolutely and inspiring combination.

I love how Kelly Andrew’s books are all inter-connected, and while you don’t need to read her others in order to read IAMOD, I do highly recommend it to get the most out of the cameos of these loveable characters. (Especially The Whispering Dark).

I am usually a slow reader and devoured this in two days. I am beyond thankful to NetGalley and Scholastic Press for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Good prose but the plot felt a little too rushed, I could not really connect entirely to the story. The characters were good and the dialogue was what I really loved to read. Overall, a good read. 3 stars.

Book Name: I am Made of Death
Author: Kelly Andrews

ARC
Thank you to Netgalley and **Scholastic Press** for an ARC

Stars: 3
Spice 0 (YA)

Anthology series (not really standalone)
Fast Paced
Multi POV:
Urban Supernatural Horror Fantasy

- Thoughts.
- bodyguard x heiress
- supernatural horror
- dark urban fantasy
- secrets
- ya horror with romance
- he falls first
- secret societies/cults
- body horror
- need to read Whispering Dark prior to this one

This book feels like work. the last 30% was a skim with too many characters being introduced with too many easter eggs to prior books. Where Your Blood My Bones felt very unique and creative each scene growing up on the other book felt like I was rereading sequences over and over again and the body horror got dull after a while. I wanted to love this book because the concept and characters were brilliant and the first 60% was great but by the end, it felt hastily wrapped up and by the end I didn't care anymore. I am so sorry

due to the negative nature of this review, I will not be posting it to socials.

BOMBSHELL AFTER BOMBSHELL. Kelly Andrew, what have you done to me?! The Whispering Dark and Your Blood, My Bones…. And now, I am Made of Death- you have stolen my heart with every book!!! Gripping from start to finish, I am Made of Death is a horror romance that will keep you pulled into the suspense every moment. The twists and turns had me audibly yelling out, "WHAT EXCUSE ME WHAT" multiple times!

ᴀʀᴄ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ᴏғ ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴏғ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ, ʙʏ: ᴋᴇʟʟʏ ᴀɴᴅʀᴇᴡ

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

ᴛʀᴏᴘᴇs:
+ body guard x heiress
+ supernatural
+ dark gothic fantasy
+ thriller, horror
+ ya romance
+ mutual pining
+ dark academia
+ secret societies/cults
+ found family

Synopsis:
𝚃𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚢 𝚆𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚑 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚍𝚍 𝚓𝚘𝚋𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚢. 𝙱𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚏 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚅𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚖𝚞𝚝𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚜.

𝚅𝚒𝚟𝚒 𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚠𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑 𝚍𝚘𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚍𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚃𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚢 𝚚𝚞𝚒𝚎𝚝. 𝚂𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝚏𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚟𝚊𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚎𝚛. 𝚅𝚒𝚟𝚒 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚆𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚗.

The sound that I made when I saw the approval come across for this was unholy.

𝘐 𝘈𝘮 𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 is set in the same universe as Andrew’s other novels 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 and 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘔𝘺 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴. I highly suggest preparing for this 2025 release by reading these preceding works.

The balance of romance to dark gothic undertones was impeccable. 𝘐𝘈𝘔𝘖𝘋 was fast paced with an engaging twisty voice. I devoured it.

Tommy and Vivi were both painful relatable and tangible. Watching their layers be peeled back, leaving each other exposed and vulnerable was sublime. Their dual POV added depth to the plot and was much appreciated.

The parallels between 𝘐𝘈𝘔𝘖𝘋 and the rest of Andrew’s universe are *chef’s kiss*. I was still left with a few unanswered questions I was satisfied with the answers that were provided.

Vibes?

Exquisite.

Prose?

Eerily, beautiful.

Thank you NetGalley, Scholastic Press for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Pub date 03/04/2025

I honestly don’t know how I feel about Andrew’s books. I DNFd The Whispering Dark, loved Your Blood, My Bones for the most part (hated the ending), and this one I ended up skimming the last 30%. I find that I connect with the romance aspects of her books but not so much the rest. This one was more of the same. I liked Thomas and Vivienne but found myself frustrated by the plot and the side characters. I don’t really enjoy how these books are interconnected, because every time other characters show up I just find that I do not care and zone out. Maybe I just don’t connect with the gothic horror aspect of the plots. I’m still pretty confused about how everything worked and finished with some questions. Maybe this one was just not for me!

IKelly Andrew has done it again!

Vivienne is stuck with an interpreter, Thomas, who is actually there so stand as a body guard/report back to her step father. After a traumatic event when she was four years old, Vivienne has not spoken since, and chooses to communicate through signed language. Thomas could not resist the undeniable pay check that would allow him to pay off some of his mother’s ever growing health care bills. But Vivienne’s deep, dark secrets go far beyond the prim, bratty exterior she shelters herself with. With Thomas by her side constantly she can no longer hide her secret: there is something sinister trying to claw its way out. Vivienne’s bite goes far beyond her withering glares.

A thrilling, horror filled story full of all the prim and proper ballerina vibes, you will not be able to put this book down.

I love the way Kelly Andrew writes horror. It's old school, psychological, creepy. You visualize it, it gets under your skin and makes a home there.

Her couples are swoon worthy. Tommy was fiercely protective and I was here for every minute of it. Tommy and Viv were such a perfect couple, how can you not want more?

The humor, especially towards the end, was so funny. I loved the humor Reed brought to the book and would have gladly took more banter earlier on, too.

Vivienne has players lined up like dominoes to get what she's after. This shows incredible tenacity and foresight. I do feel like the cast of friends was just too large. First and last names were dropped like it was important and I struggled to remember who was who. There is also more than one secret society, and that was a touch confusing because they weren't described in depth. I am so in love with how all of Kelly Andrew's books are standalones that occupy the same world. It's so unique, and it's fun finding the trail of easter eggs. It was great to see Colton and Delaney and Colton brought good energy to the mix. I wish they had more characterization. I wonder if you haven't read her other books, would you be a little lost? This is not an author that spells everything out for you (which I appreciate!).

Kelly Andrew is an autobuy author for me specifically because of her deaf/mute main characters, the romance, horror, and intertwined stories. I hope she never ever stops writing sign language in her books as a main focus. As long as she's doing that, I will continue to eat up her books and recommend them as much as I can. I had selective mutism as a child and still struggle. Seeing things like this represented not just in books, but as the main characters, is such an empowering experience.

I can't wait for the next book!
(Please tell me there will be more?!)

There are so many things I can say about Kelly Andrew’s worlds. From the moment I read the Whispering Dark I knew she was an author that would sink her teeth into me.

I AM MADE OF DEATH is no different.

It’s dark, beautiful, romantic, and full of things that crawled out of Hell. Just the way I like it. Her stories are always so unique and I find I immerse myself in her worlds eagerly. Vivienne was a strong and terrifying heroine. A girl who speaks and death follows. She relies on sign language, and that is how she meets Thomas Walsh — bodyguard, handler, interpreter …. incredibly attractive as well. I love the push and pull between them and how he’d follow her down to the pits of Hell if necessary.

This one had such an intriguing storyline — and I definitely want to avoid spoilers so …. if you like books with potential demons, supernatural deaths, medical exorcisms, and Dark Academia vibes mixed with secret societies and the perfect blend of romance? I AM MADE OF DEATH is a phenomenal read and I can’t wait to get a copy for my shelf because seriously — that cover!

Also: I love Molly and Judd. Vivienne’s two dobermans were absolutely adorable! Most of the time at any rate!

If you haven’t read The Whispering Dark, I do feel it is somewhat required reading before diving into this one to make some of my favourite plot lines more understandable. Trust me — I love The Whispering Dark and it’s so worth it!

I AM MADE OF DEATH is another new favourite to add to my Kelly Andrew shelf. Haunting, unique, beautiful, and hellish — my cup of tea. Thank you to Scholastic for the chance to read early! Kelly Andrew has solidified herself as an autobuy author for me!

Wow, this book blew me away. I went into sort of blind, I saw the cover and the title and immediately requested the eARC, once approved I opened it just to read the first chapter and ended up devouring this book. It’s so freaking good and I highly recommend adding to your 2025 TBR!

Definitely pick this up if you love eerie, dark twisted stories with a romance you can’t help but root for.

I always struggle with writing reviews for Kelly's books because I simply love them and it's difficult to put that love into words when the prose is gorgeous, the characters painfully relatable, real and complex and there isn't a single thing to complain about.

I guess I should start by recommending reading all of her books in order. Even though they are standalones, they *are* connected and that is even more evident in IAMOD where Colton comes back as a pretty important secondary character. Do yourself a favor and start with The Whispering Dark. (Colton is the MMC in TWD, he also shows up in YBMB)

"FOR ANYONE WHO LEARNED TO LOVE THEMSELVES THE HARD WAY"

Since chapter one, hell since the dedication, maybe even since Kelly's letter which I read in advance, i knew i'm gonna love this.
I was absolutely obsessed with the vibes from the start, it's like so many things I adore in one — there are notes of dark academia, gothic vibes, Black Swan, Dirty Dancing with the whole rich girl x poor boy, though not just that because Viv and Tommy also gave me Christian x Satine & Veronica x Archie vibes with the whole black cat x golden retriever energy going on—I swear it's like Kelly made a mix of every aesthetic I adore and I gobbled it up.

Vivienne is my absolute fav and most relatable character Kelly has written. She's the type of character that's all hard edges and attitude, always keeping the people in her life at a distance (at least at first). Viv's giving every female character I adore that has similar aesthetic from Blair Waldorf and Veronica Lodge to even Buffy , she's an absolute mood and I. Love. Her. When she first showed up on the page I was like "well, I already know this book is going to become my whole personality".

Tommy was a very interesting and layered character and Viv's opposite in almost every way. He's exactly what she needed and I only wish we'd gotten more of her POV (it's dual POV) when she was falling for him so the change didn't feel as sudden but it didn't bother me regardless.

The supporting characters were also great. Sarah (Tommy's sister) was my fav, she's hilarious and one of the best parts of this book.
But nothing can beat Colton, Lane and Eric showing up and being present for most of the second half. Colton is forever of my fav love interest of Kelly's and a book husband so I was beyond thrilled he had such an important role to play in this book. I'm not even exaggerating when I say I was kicking my feet screaming for 10 min when he finally showed up.

I really don't wanna give away too much about the plot, and if you've read the description or seen what tropes are present in the book I think you know more than enough and I wouldn't wanna spoil it further.
If you like bubblegum horror with exquisite prose, morally grey characters, bodyguard romance with mutual pining, secret societies and found family I think you should check this out (along with all of Kelly's books)
I've said this before but I'll say it again — I'll read anything Kelly writes.

Eternal gratitude to Netgalley and Scholastic Press for the arc
SCHOLASTIC YOU ARE MY FAV!!! I was ready to offer my firstborn for this arc you don't even understand!!!!!!

The Queen of horror and suspense woven with romance and longing does it again. I Am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew is absolutely a five star read that you won’t be able to put down.

The book opens by introducing us to the main male character, Thomas, who takes odd jobs to try to support his teenage sister and ailing mother after his father’s death. Thomas feels as if he’s hit the jackpot as he’s been invited to interview for a position as a sign language interpreter for a wealthy businessman’s daughter, Vivienne Farrow, for the summer. Thomas will live in the Farrow home, drive Vivienne to her summer institute courses, and serve as her interpreter. But things are not as simple as they seem.

Vivienne unfortunately is possessed by a demon and her stepfather is using this to take out anyone that stands in his way. Her mother knows and is doing absolutely nothing about it. Because of this, Vivienne is pursuing a surgical exorcism with the help of some friends.

This book has so many layers to it, you just can’t help but fall in love with the characters. You fall in love with Thomas for always showing up for Vivienne. He always comes for her, he never stops. He’s need to care for others just makes him so endearing. Anyone with a chronic illness or a disability will easily be able to relate to Vivienne and her fear of being different, unlovable, or not enough. Honestly even individuals without a disability or chronic illness will as well. Don’t we all feel inadequate when it comes to love?

The character development of the book is exceptional. The pace of the book is spot on. What I find most breathtaking about Kelly’s work is the eeriness she’s able to build. I know at times her descriptions of a scenario were so haunting I had to take a second to look over my shoulder, just in case. She truly has a way with prose that just immerses you in the world she’s created.

Overall this is absolutely a five star read and of course a book I would recommend.

i really like kelly andrew. ‘your blood, my bones’ is still my favorite but with ‘i am made of death’ she’s continuing to evolve and create such an engaging, twisty voice. i’m not caught up enough on what’s happening in ya fantasy at large to say if she is or isn’t doing something unique, but i do think she’s doing something well. i like her slant towards a more body horror focus, and her characters’ sharpness feels more honest than a lot of ya protagonists i’ve read. vivienne in particular feels so incredibly real to me. andrew mentions in the author’s note that this story really comes from feelings she had about being disabled when she was younger, and you can feel it on page. the exploration of that intense anger and pain, and then the reassurance and catharsis that follows.

one nitpick i have: now is the best time for her to wrap up the interconnectedness of her books. or at least start toning it down? better to quit while you’re ahead than have it start to feel cheap. i’d be happy if this book wrapped up a kind of unofficial trilogy. i still find myself with questions when it comes to some of the details on her world building, but her characters are really the main focus and are also one of the strongest points.

thank you to netgalley for the arc!

5/5 stars
Recommended if you like: horror, ASL rep, monsters in the night, heiress x bodyguard

This review has been posted to Goodreads as of 9/12, Instagram as of 9/13, and will be posted to my review blog on 9/26.

This is the third book set in the world of The Whispering Dark/Your Blood, My Bones. You can read any of the books without having read the others, they're really just companion novels where someone will mention a character from another book or they'll show up for a couple of scenes. I for one am hoping we get more books set in this world. Maybe a team-up, or maybe just a new character story like usual, lol

I'm shocked, shocked I tell you (and pleased), to find a horror book featuring a ballet dancer that does not make the ballet world out to be monstrous and vicious. It was nice to have a dancer character in a horror book enjoy dancing and find it pleasurable and freeing. I do wish ballet played a bigger role in the story though, especially since it seems to be one of the few times Vivienne feels at ease.

Vivienne is a complex character who's reached her breaking point and is absolutely desperate to be rid of the thing inhabiting her body alongside her. The same thing that turns her voice to poison and that reflects back a different girl in the mirror. Vivienne definitely feels trapped, and at times she very much is. Her solution is to go to the extreme to try and fix what's happening, be that extremely mean to push people away for their safety or to the extremes of her own physical safety to remedy the situation of her...passenger. Despite outward appearances and behaviors, Vivienne actually cares very deeply and yearns for connection, but she's also terrified of it at the same time.

There was a lot of mystery and build-up around what Vivienne was harboring inside her, and I like that we never get a fully solid answer to the question. Some of the characters call it a demon, but 'demon' seems to encompass a number of different things in this series' world, so it's not an overly descriptive category. I also thought a certain scene at the end was super interesting and liked the way Vivienne's passenger interacted/reacted in that scene.

Thomas needs money badly and so, despite his misgivings, he's willing to put up with the Farrows' weirdness and Vivienne's cruelty in order to help make ends meet. He's definitely out of his depth from the get-go, but he tries his best to first get along with Vivienne, and then to just not get fired. Thomas has a big heart and so as soon as he gets the faintest hint that something's wrong with Vivienne, he's immediately invested in trying to help her, no matter how much she pushes him away. I have to say, his dedication to helping others is admirable, if at times a little risky and stupid. Thomas also tends to think of himself as someone who has to solve problems on his own, and it was nice to see other people going to bat for him and the people he cared about. It was a nice reminder to him that he's not alone.

There were quite a few side characters in this one, both new and old. On the new side we have Reed, an art college friend of Vivienne's who helped her get in contact with someone who theorized surgical exorcism. Hudson is a long-time friend of Vivienne's who ends up getting wrapped into the whole mess. I definitely think there's potential for a Reed x Hudson book next. Then there's Jesse. Poor Jesse, who definitely got manipulated by Vivienne and couldn't back out, but who, at the same time, I think wanted to know if his theories were possible, no matter what happened. Both Reed and Jesse are involved in the House of Hades, a secret society obsessed with the supernatural. We also get to meet both Vivienne's and Thomas' families, the latter of whom were more likeable and lovable than the former.

The House of Hades definitely intrigued me. More than just obsessed with the supernatural, the society actively seeks it out and investigate strange goings-on. The House references some of the supernatural goings-on of the other two books and it was such a fun little Easter egg to see those references. It also definitely hints to something larger going on behind the scenes.

In terms of returning characters, Lane and Cole are both in this one, along with Eric (whom I don't remember but I'm sure was in The Whispering Dark). It was definitely a treat to get Lane and Cole for more than just one scene this time around. I enjoyed seeing how they've changed since TWD and the ways they interact with one another as well as the overall magical world. Cole is still an asshole, but at least he's not mean anymore. It was also a nice surprise to get a little more background on him and, honestly? No wonder he was such a dick in TWD.

Overall I enjoyed this book and the characters. Thomas and Vivienne are both complex and stuck in difficult situations, but they're able to fight their way through it by relying on others. This book is a standalone but there are two 'companion' novels with Easter eggs in this book.

MY MIND IS BLOWN

WHAT DID I JUST READ AND HOW HAVE I LIVED LIFE BFORE THIS.

This was hauntingly beautiful, I literally could not put this down and I can’t wait to buy this

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I legitimately read this in less than five hours. I could not peel my eyes away from the pages. I loved everything about this book. The two MCs were so interesting, I loved the possession aspect, and I couldn't get over the ties to the previous books in this universe. I loved seeing Colton & Lane again in a big capacity, and it all melded together SO well. Even though these are all technically stand-alones, I do think that as these progress, the story is best read in release order (much like the marvel universe). There are so many mentions, cameos etc that you build up through meeting everyone in order.

Undeniably 5 stars 🩰💀🌹

Thank you to Scholastic and netgalley for an e-arc of this story, in exchange for an honest review.

“No matter how hard she played at being a girl, at the end of the day she was nothing more than a doll on a music box, forced to turn and turn by the hand that wound her spring.”

This is such an incredibly haunting tale about loyalty, love, sacrifice, and truly being seen for who you are through every sweet and sorrowful thing that molds you into the person you become despite what you have to evolve into in order to protect yourself.

In “I Am Made of Death” we are introduced to our main characters Thomas and Vivienne. Thomas Walsh is a boy who has endured many hardships and does not have much to offer after he has suffered the loss of his father, and his mother was diagnosed with a chronic illness/autoimmune disease. Making ends meet for his mother and sister is astronomically difficult. Desperate to take matters into his own hands he accepts a job interpreting for a heiress who solely communicates through sign language as it pays very well. However, the situation is bittersweet as Thomas is expected to shadow Viv wherever she may go and keep her in line with her family’s “standards.” Vivienne Farrow is a young woman who is kept on a very close watch by her parents and does not stray from her everyday obligations. She must attend dance recitals, family business parties, and cannot be out after dark no matter the circumstance. Viv is not all she appears on the surface, when she was four years old, she went missing in a canyon and has not said a word out loud since. On that very fateful day she was accompanied by a darkness looming inside of her. This horrid-ness causes unexplainable, horrible, torturous actions to partake in her presence. Vying to escape the evil inside of her, she begins a journey to hunt down someone who promises to perform a surgical exorcism, but how can she follow through with Thomas breathing down her neck? How can she scare him away from her? How does she protect him from falling for her and everything that accompanies that?

Where to even begin? This book reminded me of a soft American horror story, and I suppose it earns the title in every way. We had emotional depth, character development, horror imagery, mystery, and paranormal occurrences. I ate this up. The more I read about Thomas and Viv the less I could put my kindle down.

I felt an immense amount of sympathy for Vivienne and what she was enduring by herself. The horror of the unknown, as well as the personal isolation. She felt silenced and used by the people in her life who were meant to care the most for her. To love her, comfort her, care for her. Instead, she was given strict orders and kept on a tight leash by Philip, her stepfather and her mother did nothing to protect her own daughter, only allowed others to exploit her. This book presents the question of “what is love vs. manipulation?”

“Even when she wasn’t the girl in the mirror she was still in a cage.”

Thomas meeting Vivienne was the perfect recipe for a forbidden, dark romance. Thomas had been through a tremendous amount of hardships in his past and was willing to see Viv for all that she was. He truly wanted to know her to her soul core. The way he talked to her through her anxiety and gave her helpful tips to manage it was so sweet and enduring. The compassion he held for her, spoke volumes about his own character. He never saw Viv as a monster, but as the girl who did what she had to survive, and he cherished her as a person regardless.

The horror aspect of this story was phenomenal. It seemed like an innocent mystery at first, and then became overwhelmingly prevalent in the last 40 - 50% of the story. Talk about suspense. When Viv was in the church along with the pledges, I was on the edge of my reading chair, eager to explore what was going to happen next, and overall, why it was happening in the first place...

The House of Hades aspect really rounded the story out and brought in a fun unexpected twist:
“The house is exacting in what it takes from its guests. If you enter, there’s a chance you may never leave.” I wouldn’t have expected less from Kelly, as her writing depicts scary, intriguing, horrible homes where terrible unexplained acts take place. I am excited to see if this is a concept in future stories from her as well.

In the end, the story tied up beautifully and now I will think of these characters every day until something can bring me this same feeling of being human, love, loyalty, and friendship.

If you enjoy a sweet, romantic, gothic esque story then this is the one for you, friend 💗✨

The queen of gothic fantasy has unsurprisingly written another amazing book. The Whispering Dark and Your Blood, My Bones are two of my favorite books of all time, so of course this was my most anticipated book of 2025. And it did not disappoint in the slightest. As a former dancer, I knew this book was gonna speak to my soul. I truly have never read books layered with such beautiful yet haunting prose. The writing style is absolutely everything I want in a fantasy book. It’s eerie and creepy yet realistic and deeply romantic. If you want to be clutching your chest after reading the most romantic lines in history, this is the book for you. The romance in this book is so good that at times I forgot about the horror. The gothic undertones and dark atmosphere really balance out the heartwarming (and a little heart wrenching) romance. The way all of Kelly Andrew’s books are interconnected makes my heart so happy. I scream every time a previous character shows up. It feels so full circle when the pieces start to click and she raised the bar so high with this one. I strongly advise reading all of her books in publication order because you will thank me once you get to the plot twist in I Am Made of Death. I feel like this book was plucked straight from my soul and put on page with how much I related to it and to Vivienne as a main character. I am so pleased with how this ended and I am going to be making this book my entire personality for the foreseeable future.

A Kelly Andrew book is always a guarantee of three things: luscious prose, haunting atmosphere, and unlikable characters it's my pleasure to adore. I Am Made of Death is no different, especially with how it ties the entire trilogy of standalones together while still remaining its own unique story. Thomas and Vivienne have almost—almost!—replaced Colton and Delaney as my favorite couple, and I Am Made of Death has almost—almost!—replaced Your Blood My Bones as my favorite book. One thing is for certain: Kelly Andrew is an auto-buy author.