First Comes Death

by Avrah C. Baren

A power for every death…

When a black hole anomaly rewrites the rules of life and death, Dina resurrects from a fatal crash into the Chesapeake with an uncontrollable tie to water. Trapped in a cycle of vanishing and reappearing across the world at the water's whim, all Dina wants is to rid herself of this connection and have control of her life again. But with every new resurfacing, it becomes clear she has a worse crisis on her she’s being followed by a monster.

Drowning may not be a natural cause of death, but neither is murder. And when Ivy resurrects with the ability to produce bone daggers from her own body, she’s hungry for revenge. But between her distrust of her new, supposed allies, puzzling encounters with a woman with powers of her own, and the soul devouring creature on their tail, attaining vengeance is looking a lot more difficult than dying in the first place.

As Dina and Ivy’s inexplicable bond pulls them together time and again, they find something neither expected in their someone worth living for. But they’ll have to find a way to annihilate the monster at their heels before time runs out on their second lives. Because without another anomaly to bring them back, this time death will have its due.

Genres: Lesbian, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adult, Queer, LGBT

353 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2024

About the author

Avrah C. Baren is a fantasy/ sci fi writer based in the DMV, where she lives with a neurotic tuxedo cat. She is an alum of the Pitch Wars Class of 2021 and a graduate of the Futurescapes 2023 Writers' Workshop. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science, an M.S. in Wildlife Science, and is working on a PhD in Geography. They spend their days researching trees and landcover change, which is probably why she mostly writes worlds with huge forests. They love writing fantastical tales with Jewish-coded and explicitly Jewish characters that explore our connections with nature and each other. When she isn’t writing, she is thrift shopping, working at the Renaissance Festival, and trying to become a wood witch.

Reviews

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured First Comes Death in two days. A riveting, fast-paced sci-fi with sapphics and superpowers and existential threats.

Baren has such active writing, it's impossible to look away, their prose perfectly crafted to each character's POV. Ivy's chapters are sharp and emotionally brutal. Dina's voice is ever moving. I utterly fell for both of them from the second I met them. I love Dina's clear-headedness, her Jewishness, her resilience in the face of confusion and fear. I love Ivy's entire arc, including the deep backstory of what she went through and the agency she learned through sweat and blood before the book even begins. (I also love Ivy's terrible handwriting, don't we all have a lesbian in our lives who can't write legibly?) Dina and Ivy's arcs are quite different, while intersecting in the best of ways, which makes for a compelling and satisfying romance fresh with consensual sex scenes and yearning cross-continental phonecalls.

Read this book for the excellently executed found family trope, the "I will always find you" romance, the cinematic action and globetrotting settings, the corporeal and elemental superpowers, the astronomy metaphors and nerdy side characters, and of course the terrifying monster that will keep you reading like it keeps Dina and Ivy running.

This is the perfect debut for a wildly imaginative new author. If First Comes Death, I can't wait to see What Comes Next from Avrah C. Baren!

Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this queer sci-fi novel by Avrah C. Baren. It was a unique and fascinating premise that was well-developed. There was an amazing found family fighting against a variety of adversaries, including one big baddie. I admit to not being well-versed in the science aspect of it all, so I wasn't very critical of the explanations. It worked well for me and was highly entertaining. I liked the writing style and found it at times poetic. I was fond of the diverse group of characters and the main sapphic romance was lovely. We were given glimpses of many locales and cultures, as well. The ending was very satisfying. I would be happy to read more by this author. I recommend giving First Comes Death a read.
#foundfamily #sci-fi #queer #sapphic #inclusive #death #fiercesapphics #nothirdactbreak-up #hurt/comfort #consent #competency #jewishrep #nonbinary #transrep
I received an ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

[nellied_b · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Victory Editing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley - All opinions are my own <3

"You sapphic maniacs are gonna be the death of me, I swear."

First Comes Death follows Ivy, a girl killed by her former guardian and mob boss, Lenox, and Dina, a girl who's car crashed on a bridge sending her to her death in the waters below. One chance meeting turns into another and another and another until the two start actively searching for each other, second-lives forever entwined through death (and maybe something stronger??)

I absolutely ADORED each and every character in this book. From Ivy's cockiness and heart of gold to Dina's drive and self-assurance, the two mains had amazing chemistry - but they were far from the only ones making this book so good.

Topher, a nonbinary tech-whizz with a penchant for (accidental) arson, had such a calming and much needed level-headedness about them. Their ability to pronoun check in the most stressful situations was honestly impressive - potential death of your girlfriend/best friend? We'll sort it, pronouns first.

Lucia/Luz was constantly in a mood with Ivy's persistent act-now-think-later attitude, but deep down she cared so much about her, she quite literally ran into a burning building to save her without knowing if she was even alive.

The smaller characters of Danny, Yousef "Sunny", Kara, and Zev also all had great characterisation, it was hard not to love each and every one of them.

This truly did have everything - a revenge arc, a big bad, lesbians, found family, a diverse cast, the power of friendship... Idk if there's anything more I could've possibly wanted, this truly hit every one of my favourite things :')

I can't wait to see what Avrah will do next, though I will say I'm mildly scared despite any excitement that I may have...

Guys go read it pls this was so good

[Chrissy Komenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Ivy and Dina (along with the rest of The Resurrected) died and came back with mysterious powers. The two women keep finding themselves in the same place as they try to figure out how their new lives work. I loved that the two women find what they need in each other against the backdrop of being hunted by a terrifying creature. First Comes Death explores family and found family, friendships, and how the love of the right person changes everything. If you love sci-fi/fantasy and sapphic romance with a superhero vibe, I highly recommend checking it out.

[Aline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma ficção científica de tirar o fôlego.

Que história diferente e incrível.

Temos mistério, teorias, ressuscitados, perseguição, amizade, found family, amor, encontros e desencontros, e muita coisa pra te deixar boquiaberto.

É uma história com muita representatividade, e personagens super cativantes e envolventes, fazendo você querer conhecer mais, não só das nossas protagonistas, mas dos personagens secundários também.

A história é cheia de camadas e bem frenética, cheia de ação, e te deixa doido pra saber o desfecho.

[Fleur · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed this book! The whole idea of people coming back to life is fascinating. I just wanted to keep reading so I could find out more about the Resurrected, and especially about Dina’s powers.

The main and side characters are all interesting and likeable. I really care about the characters, which is an absolute must for me. I love Ivy’s sarcasm and sometimes rash acting, she kept me on my toes lol. She has a great character arc and certain decisions make so much sense given her backstory. Dina is so different from Ivy but also a pleasure to read about. Plus: this book has heavy found family vibes and it’s truly amazing!

And the romance… whew. I love Ivy and Dina with my entire heart. The yearning? The way they keep finding their way back to each other? Amazing.

Also… the final chapters had me on the edge of my SEAT I finished the last 30% in one sitting, which is unusual for me!

I recommend this book to people who are interested in stories about people coming back from the dead, superpowers, revenge and found family.

[April Artrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cool picking this up at the author’s booth at a local art market! So points for being a local author and having plenty of scenes in DC. A couple neutral observations - 1. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with quite so much profanity, especially at the start. 2. The style reminded me of the non-genre commercial fic I read in HS. I think there was a third thing but I forgot. It’s a debut, and the author was trying to fit a lot in a not very large page count, so there is room to improve. The romance is insta-love, one of the two central conflicts is resolved quite easily imo, and some of the narration gets repetitive, where it could have been replaced with content that expands on all the things it has going on.

[Skye Kilaen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really disappointed that I spent $ on this only to trip over an uncritical Harry Potter reference. I was enjoying it up until that point! But then I have to think "has this author somehow missed that JRK is a virulent transphobe, or does this author simply not care that lots of queer and other readers are going to be yanked out of the story?" It's 2024, we all know who JKR is, it's time to stop positively/uncritically publicizing her work in queer books.

[Melissa Rae (raenydayreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

INCREDIBLE! I have truly raved about this book every day since I read it.

First Comes Death embodies the concept of "I will always find you" at its best.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Chaos Monster Publishing LLC for the eARC! In exchange, this is my honest review.

First Comes Death follows the paths of two very different women - Ivy and Dina - whose lives end suddenly and violently, before an astronomical anomaly resurrects them both and gives them a second chance at life and love. Only with some extra trauma and superpowers this time around. This novel has so much to love: light sci-fi, superpowers, a refreshingly diverse cast of characters, a charming lesbian romance that’s easy to get invested in, and prose that isn’t overwritten, but still nicely stylized.

To keep spoilers light: this book does handle some fairly dark themes with some scenes of moderately intense violence (nothing that exalts in goreyness, but do anticipate a good amount of blood). Author Avrah C. Baren does, however, include a list of themes and potential triggers in the beginning of the novel, which does seem to cover all the bases to me, so please do take a look at that first before you decide to read the book, particularly if you are in a vulnerable place. Besides physical violence, there is also emotional manipulation, rejection by family, and mentions of homophobia (faced by the characters, not perpetrated by the main characters). These are things which Dina and Ivy must face from their past lives as they learn to live again and fight to shape the kind of life and family that they want and deserve.

And while I love Dina and Ivy, and their relationship which is central to the novel, one of my favorite things about this novel is actually the supporting characters. Baren has created several supporting characters - from Topher and Lucia, to Kala, Yousef, Zev, Puck, and even poor Alec and Aisling - who all feel distinct and whole, even when some of them only appear for a a brief moment, while others accompany Dina, Ivy, and the reader throughout the novel. Baren deftly avoids falling into the trap of supporting characters who feel like scenery, instead introducing the reader to characters who are all undergoing their own journeys, and who span a wide range of experiences and identities. Where many novels fall flat when it comes to supporting characters, First Comes Death shines refreshingly bright in this category.

There were a few moments that challenged my suspension of disbelief enough to be distracting. Some of this came from the way the Resurrected were created and the ways that some of their powers function, though it wasn’t overly hard to tell myself to stop thinking about it and handwave my objections away with “it’s sci-fi black hole space stuff, don’t worry about it”. The pieces that were a bit harder for me to dismiss were related to Ivy’s past life, the gang she grew up in, and the manner in which she tracked them down after coming back from the dead. I didn’t feel entirely satisfied with the way that situation was resolved, but it wasn’t distracting enough to keep me from enjoying the rest of the novel.

In my opinion, First Comes Death is the perfect summer read: not overly long, fun, reflective, a little sad, very sweet, and ultimately rather hopeful - particularly for a reader who may be in the period of transition, transformation, or reinvention. So long as you’re not the type of reader to get caught up on plot points that might not be 100% leak-proof, I think you’ll have a blast with this novel, and especially with these characters that Avrah C. Baren has brought to life on the page.

[Lesbian Book Owl · Rating 4 out of 5]

She’s never been much of a good person, but she’ll do anything to protect the woman she loves.

Ivy woke up in a grave after being stabbed by the man who raised her to be a killer. Now she can make blades out of her bones and wants revenge, but it’s not so simple. She’s taken in by others who Resurrected and while they give Ivy some information on her new life, they are clearly keeping secrets. Ivy is deadest on revenge and losing her second life to it if necessary, but when she’s with Dina that all seems pointless.

Dine was on her way to come out to her parents when an accident led to her drowning. She Resurrected with a power that feels more like a curse – she can only stay on land for a few days, sometimes only hours, before the water pulls her back in and brings her to another shore in another part of the world.

Dina feels lost and alone but when she meets Ivy, everything starts to change for the better.
But just as their new love starts to blossom, they realize their lives are in danger from a monster – the Soul Eater. He wants all the Resurrected to be voided from the world, to reestablish the balance of the cosmos, and he’ll kill them all to do it.

***

This is a debut that has everything: romance, action, comedy, and heartfelt sincerity. Dina was a fantastic character, and it was amazing to see her arc from where she started, running and hiding and lost to the water’s pull, to grow into her powers. Ivy at times could be a frustrating character and I would have liked to have seen more grounding in her backstory. With that said, I really enjoyed seeing a morally gray heroine who is committed to revenge and whose decisions are respected by the narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed their romance; they made so much sense together and the story strengthened the more time they spent together.

The world building was also excellent! It was clear the author did a ton of research and intertwined the exposition with the story so that the two supported one another very well.
If you’re looking for a great science fiction sapphic romance, check this out!

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

[KMart Vet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is set in a world where a black hole anomaly reshapes the rules of death for extremely brief periods. The story follows the journeys of Dina and Ivy - two of the new 'resurrected'; those that have a second chance at life and some shiny new superpowers. Separately and then together, they navigate their newfound powers, confront their pasts, and forge an unexpected bond.

If anyone else loved the X-men growing up, this is a queer version of that. It also had notes of V.E. Schwab's Vicious as it examines the darker sides of superheroes - their past traumas. This has really interesting world-building and well-developed characters. I enjoyed the mysterious phenomenon of resurrection and the emergence of these sometimes incredibly difficult-to-manage supernatural abilities. There were a lot of interesting facets that the author explored in this story. And it was super fun, too. The exploration of themes such as identity and the search for belonging adds complexity to the story and allows for them to resonate more strongly.

At the heart of the novel is the tender and poignant Sapphic romance between Dina and Ivy. Their connection is beautiful and sweet, despite Ivy's feral cat personality. Despite the challenges they face and the scars they carry, their connection serves as a beacon of hope and healing in a world fraught with danger and uncertainty as a malevolent force hunts The Resurrected. Baren deftly navigates the complexities of their relationship, infusing it with warmth, authenticity, and palpable chemistry.

One of the novel's greatest strengths lies in its diverse cast of characters, each with their own unique struggles and strengths. Each feels genuine and there is a melting pot of identities here to love. The ending was everything I hoped it would be.

Thanks to the author and Shannon at R&R Booktours for the e-copy. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.

[Aliya · Rating 4 out of 5]

First comes death, then comes LOVE and REVENGE! Featuring a ton of queer characters, fledgling superheroes and black hole monsters, and the most unique long distance relationship you’ll ever read

At the start, Ivy only wants vengeance against the gang boss who murdered her. Dina is being involuntarily teleported to waterways around the world and would very much like this to stop. Soon, however, the two realize their new lives can get even worse; they, along with every other “resurrected” superpowered person, are being stalked by a supernatural entity that wants them all dead.

Both of our leading ladies had distinctive personalities. I loved Ivy’s entire story: her abusive, traumatic background, her drive to kill the person responsible, her attempt to heal, her actual healing… Her superpower fit perfectly for someone who was raised in violence and desperately needed self-defense. Dina was also a tragic character. Her literal death by drowning paralleled her drowning in familial and societal pressures and expectations. I particularly enjoyed the sections where she became the water. Lyrical and beautiful. I don’t really like one-night stands (which is how it starts with them) and was worried if I’d enjoy their relationship, but it developed organically and became very romantic. It was along the lines of fated love with how they kept finding each other, but not corny at all.

It took me a little to get used to the writing style. There are a lot of sentence fragments, which I actually really liked for Ivy’s chapters since she’s so sharp and focused, but would have liked less of for Dina’s POV. I was also way more invested in Ivy’s revenge than the supernatural monster hunting The Resurrected. That thing was adequately frightening, but I NEEDED Ivy’s killer to face justice, and that’s what kept me on the edge of my seat.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for the ARC!

[Mori · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5* Thank you to the author for providing me with an arc in exchange for a review!

I saw the cover reveal on Twitter and after seeing the mentions of revenge, a black hole bringing people back from the dead, and bone knives, I was immediately interested and signed up to be a part of the arc team before the opportunity closed.

The first 30% of this book had me hooked, showing the two different ways someone would respond to such a situation as Dina and Ivy would. With Ivy being murdered and not trusting her new companions and understanding her power to a certain degree as opposed to Dina being alone and not being able to connect properly with her only trusted person due to her powers not being in her control.

Somewhere around the halfway mark, things felt a little repetitive but also unclear for progression which made the ending feel rushed but also condensed. But I don't think it's a bad thing as I did read it before the final edits, I was just confused with the number of times that Ivy called Dina supernova but never got her own term of endearment in their horrible predicament of being hunted by the Void. I do wish that the "final" showdown with the Void wasn't pushed to the last three-ish chapters, it felt low-stakes to me since I didn't connect to every side character like I anticipated even though the main crew did lose people and such. But I'm really glad Topher lived, they were my favorite.

All that aside, I had fun reading this! I love it when powers are brought up in weird ways relating to space. So a black hole anomaly leaves plenty of questions I would love to see more of in other stories considering the majority of the group are from the first and second wave of Resurrected, I wonder how the future waves would manage.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. If I had to sum up this book in a few words, I'm not sure if I could. The characters are unique, each with their own backstories, desires, and plans. They feel like real people even though they've been...resurrected. But these aren't zombies like you'd typically think - they're closer to superheroes like the X-Men, with unique abilities brought on by their deaths and return to life. I love the sheer contrast between them. To add to that, Baren did a (maybe too good) job of bringing everything to life. I don't think I've ever experienced drowning in a car or waking up buried alive before, but I have through the pages of this book. I didn't just feel like I was watching the story unfold, I felt like I was in each character's shoes, experiencing it the same way they did. (Ivy's opening gave me some ick because I'm not big on creepy crawlies, but I have to applaud that it was written so well it made my skin crawl a bit). I could go on for much longer, but this is a unique read that doesn't quite fit into what I'd consider typical superhero, sci-fi, or fantasy stories, and that's exactly why you should read it.

[Shelby · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
🦴
First Comes Death is super creative! I thought the black hole/resurrection origin story really works, and all the various powers are super cool and unique. Anytime a new character was introduced, I was biting at the bit to see what their powers and “origin story” were and how they connected. Just a lot of really smart choices in that aspect! I like Dina and Ivy as main characters, and their relationship is kind of sweet! I liked them together.
💧
First Comes Death has a pacing issue unfortunately. It starts off with a bang, but then really slows down. As much as I enjoyed the characters and the world-building, I found myself itching for the actual story to start. I think the main issue is a misclassification: this feels more like a romance with sci-fi/fantasy elements versus a sci-fi/fantasy with a romance. (I feel like this is happening more and more 😭). So, that could be part of the problem. There are also small moments where it seems like the story loses itself? Like Ivy talks about not running into other Resurrecteds, but, by that point she’s met Dina and seen her power already? I don’t know, these little things just take me out of the story.
⚡️
If you’re looking for a sapphic romantasy with a sweet romance and superhero elements, I’d recommend First Come Death! But it just really wasn’t for me, personally.

[Kendra · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book feels tailor made for me: a black hole, sci fi, love through time and space, sapphic love, a Jewish protaganist, and set in the DMV. I really wanted to love it but unfortunately didn't enjoy it.

To the author's credit, the premise is unique. I've never read anything quite like it. 

It took me til maybe the fifth try to really get into it. The plot doesn't pick up until about 30% in, and the romance doesn't really pick up until about 50%. Parts of it began to feel repetitive. Ivy's backstory felt very out of place tonally for how modern the rest of story is, and more like something out of a high fantasy story. 

The diverse range of characters were interesting, but none were fleshed out beyond a few bullet points. Although they all had wants, they simply were not compelling. Unfortunately, this includes the protagonists. This became especially noticeable in comparison with the very passionate but cliche description of how the characters felt.

All that said, once I got into it, I had fun along the way. Props to the author for writing this, I'm glad this book exists. Congratulations on your debut.

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the Arc of this.

Not to sound like a broken record but I'm obsessed with this book. I mean resurrection, sapphics, superpowers. What more do you want???? Because there is so much more!

I always try to keep these spoiler free but I seriously need you all to preorder this and then yell with me about it. You know those books that you get 10 pages into and its just "I'm gonna be obsessed with this aren't I?" This is this.

The found family and romance is so gorgeously written. I especially love how both Ivy and Dina have their own different but intersecting arcs and neither of them is just a supporting love interest.

I'm usually not a big sci-fi fan and have read so little of the genre but if all sci-fi was like this I would devour it all like a black hole ;)

Such a beautiful, fast-paced, fascinating debut. I seriously cannot wait to see what Avrah C. Barens imagination comes up with next. Definitely an insta-buy author for me.

[Merlina Garance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Avrah Baren's writing is exactly like what I like to read (and, funnily enough, write too!)
This story is so original and not like anything I've read (granted, I do not read much sci fi, though this is less about tech and space than superpowers)
It feels like watching a film, packed with action but with pauses in the right moments.
Ivy and Dina are very different from each other but they match, and that first kiss scene was so good and unique, and so them.
The reason this is a 4 and not 5 star-read for me is because I usually need to spend more time with the characters and their attraction to connect with their romantic feelings, and because of the nature of the story, Ivy and Dina do not get that much time to flirt and be together.
The conclusion almost had me tear up and in general I really recommend this book.
Apologies for the lack of coherence or literacy, I am very tired

[Issy Waldrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part a superhero/mutant story, part romance, and very much a story of love, discovery and acceptance, First Comes Death opens with its namesake - the main characters by dying and coming back to life. But life isn't easy for either of them, both from the history that they carry, and the challenges that lie ahead.

It is an enjoyable journey as Dina and Ivy work out their new lives, meet time and time again, a relationship growing between them, even as the monster hunting them threatens everything. There are sweet moments, tense moments and angst, and plenty of action as well. Revenge as well, Ivy seeking an end to her previous life. Written well, there are plenty of interesting elements and characters, the setting ripe for other tales to be told as well. I would have liked more of an epilogue to the story, though.

[Mrs. Pendragon Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you're a fan of queer sci-fi narratives with strong character dynamics and an engaging plot "First Comes Death" by Avrah C. Baren, is a must-read.
The story presents a unique and fascinating premise that is thoroughly well-developed. One of the novel's highlights is the compelling found family at its core. This diverse group of characters faces a variety of adversaries, including a formidable main antagonist, creating a gripping narrative. The scientific elements not only worked well but were highly entertaining.

[Abby Wertz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of the book is really interesting, and it definitely reminds me of the magnus archives which is always a good thing. I would love more books set in this universe, even though this one seems pretty stand alone. It’s not perfect, but it was a really enjoyable read!

[Emily W · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

[Axr]

Fun easy read with interesting/novel magic/powers system and great, believable characters! Good stakes throughout and great pacing, never boring. Well-written dialogue and romance. Overall super fun!

[Dharini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the characters to be charming, flawed, and easy to root for. While the plot and pace were quite slow up until the last third of the book, the time taken to explore the characters was well spent. I did suspend my disbelief a little in how much everyone travelled, where only Dina’s journeys were tuned to her powers.

[Tessa Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instantly one of my favorite books! I devoured First Comes Death in one sitting. I highly recommend reading this novel if you enjoy reading about found family, sci-fi/fantasy, superpowers, revenge, and/or sapphic romance.

After dying suddenly and horribly, Dina and Ivy find themselves resurrected by a black hole anomaly. They’ve each been given a second chance at life and superpowers related to how they were first killed. While navigating all the challenges this second chance brings with it (including a monster set on destroying all the people who resurrected), Dina and Ivy are inexplicably drawn to one another after a couple of chance meetings.

The connection between Ivy and Dina is beautiful and so sweet. I love that they always find their way back to each other and would do anything to protect each other. I also really loved the diverse group of supporting characters. They were all well thought-out and fun to read about, really adding to the story. The overall world-building was excellent! I, like Ivy and Dina, do not know much about quantum physics or black holes, but the theory given for how The Resurrected came to be made enough sense to me to be plausible in this fictional universe.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing an ARC to review!

[Brenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic debut from Avrah C. Baren!

I was hooked from the first chapter, and I could not put the book down! First Comes Death is gripping, mysterious, fast-paced, and intriguing. It's a beautifully queer sci-fi/thriller with a romance at the core, and I loved every second of it.

Also, it would make a great movie!

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story had a bit of an adventure, sci-fic , and romance. Dina and Ivy relationship was precious. This novel was quite poetic and I really enjoy that!