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Death's Kiss: A Death Magic Novel
Eden Nakamura is a Rogue who was captured and forced to work for the Council.
With a mysterious upbringing and the shadow of her past haunting her every move, she can either help the Council prevail or bring about its downfall. No one knows what she is, or what she’s truly capable of, but the promise of her power is all the Council cares for.
When an incident sends her to the doorsteps of Blackwell Manor, she is met by her match.
He is a retired military captain whose medical career began on the battlefield. He is a weapon, forged in the fires of war. She is a cloud of destruction, leaving nothing but death in her wake. In a battle against a common enemy—where they unravel the truth about the city’s darkest operations—they must decide whether their similarities will repel them or bring them together.
With a mysterious upbringing and the shadow of her past haunting her every move, she can either help the Council prevail or bring about its downfall. No one knows what she is, or what she’s truly capable of, but the promise of her power is all the Council cares for.
When an incident sends her to the doorsteps of Blackwell Manor, she is met by her match.
He is a retired military captain whose medical career began on the battlefield. He is a weapon, forged in the fires of war. She is a cloud of destruction, leaving nothing but death in her wake. In a battle against a common enemy—where they unravel the truth about the city’s darkest operations—they must decide whether their similarities will repel them or bring them together.
- GenresDark
422 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 19, 2024
1 person is currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Evangeline Cross
6 books5 followersFor as long as Evangeline can remember, she has had her nose buried in book after book. And, as a chronic daydreamer, it didn't take her long to fall in love with writing. She loves to write dark, gritty stories and is particularly fascinated with the supernatural.
She can easily be defined by her love of three things: books, coffee, and her cat. When she isn't reading or writing, Evangeline can be found working out, cuddling with her cat, or seeking out her next cafe to try.
She can easily be defined by her love of three things: books, coffee, and her cat. When she isn't reading or writing, Evangeline can be found working out, cuddling with her cat, or seeking out her next cafe to try.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 29, 2024
A interesting story with lots of dark and thought provoking elements. Eden and Levi are interesting characters and both have a lot of background to unravel.
July 16, 2024
Death’s Kiss
Evangeline Cross
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one of the top reads of the year and SO underhyped.
✅ Hate to love
✅ Dark Magic
✅ Morally grey FMC does what she needs to do to survive
This book was utterly fantastic! I wasn’t sure what to expect from an author I hadn’t heard of, but it the world was so refreshing.
I loved that our MC, Eden Nakamura, was very competent. She knows what she wants, she has a plan, and she kicks ass. She’s morally grey but a good person. She’s refreshing after reading so many naive incompetent heroines, and I always love a little dark magic.
This book deals with some dark themes and the characters have some traumatic pasts, but they don’t overshadow the story. It adds a lot of emotional intensity and intrigue, and there is still some humor and elements that keep it enjoyable to read. The world-building was excellent. I could immerse myself in it instantly, and there wasn’t info dumping.
The romance is a hate-to-love romance, and it is done so well. Both of the characters are guarded by dark pasts, but when they finally open up, it is beautiful to see a genuinely sweet romance without any toxicity.
I generally read a ton of books to the point where I forget them all. However, this book really stuck with me as one of my favorites. I will definitely be keeping up with this series and looking for anything else that this author writes.
Note: I received a free arc, but this review is voluntary and entirely my honest opinion of the book.
Evangeline Cross
Rating: 5 Stars
This is one of the top reads of the year and SO underhyped.
✅ Hate to love
✅ Dark Magic
✅ Morally grey FMC does what she needs to do to survive
This book was utterly fantastic! I wasn’t sure what to expect from an author I hadn’t heard of, but it the world was so refreshing.
I loved that our MC, Eden Nakamura, was very competent. She knows what she wants, she has a plan, and she kicks ass. She’s morally grey but a good person. She’s refreshing after reading so many naive incompetent heroines, and I always love a little dark magic.
This book deals with some dark themes and the characters have some traumatic pasts, but they don’t overshadow the story. It adds a lot of emotional intensity and intrigue, and there is still some humor and elements that keep it enjoyable to read. The world-building was excellent. I could immerse myself in it instantly, and there wasn’t info dumping.
The romance is a hate-to-love romance, and it is done so well. Both of the characters are guarded by dark pasts, but when they finally open up, it is beautiful to see a genuinely sweet romance without any toxicity.
I generally read a ton of books to the point where I forget them all. However, this book really stuck with me as one of my favorites. I will definitely be keeping up with this series and looking for anything else that this author writes.
Note: I received a free arc, but this review is voluntary and entirely my honest opinion of the book.
April 14, 2024
A dark and engrossing supernatural romance!
I enjoyed this book a lot. It was intense and pulled you in right from the very beginning.
I loved the FMC - she wasn’t badass or emotionally untouchable like we often see right now. She was strong, witty and held her ground yet she could be vulnerable and admit her pain or fears.
The MMC was mysterious and morally grey. We don’t know much about him at the beginning and we begin do discover his secrets along with the FMC.
The romance was a slow burn and I loved the tension between characters!!! However for some reason at the end I felt a bit disappointed. The ending felt a little too rushed and all that tension fizzled out a bit instead.
I enjoyed the writing and the world building. It was evenly paced with a good amount of details and no info dumping.
The only reason this wasn’t a 5 ⭐️ read for me is because sometimes I felt a bit too disconnected to the FMCs narrative. This was a 1st person POV yet sometimes the narration seemed detached which made it hard for me to enjoy the book completely.
Despite that, I had an amazing time reading it and it’s perfect for fans of:
- Slow burn romance
- Supernatural elements
- Forced proximity
- Enemies to lovers
- Dark and gothic settings
I received and ARC of this book and am leaving the review voluntarily.
I enjoyed this book a lot. It was intense and pulled you in right from the very beginning.
I loved the FMC - she wasn’t badass or emotionally untouchable like we often see right now. She was strong, witty and held her ground yet she could be vulnerable and admit her pain or fears.
The MMC was mysterious and morally grey. We don’t know much about him at the beginning and we begin do discover his secrets along with the FMC.
The romance was a slow burn and I loved the tension between characters!!! However for some reason at the end I felt a bit disappointed. The ending felt a little too rushed and all that tension fizzled out a bit instead.
I enjoyed the writing and the world building. It was evenly paced with a good amount of details and no info dumping.
The only reason this wasn’t a 5 ⭐️ read for me is because sometimes I felt a bit too disconnected to the FMCs narrative. This was a 1st person POV yet sometimes the narration seemed detached which made it hard for me to enjoy the book completely.
Despite that, I had an amazing time reading it and it’s perfect for fans of:
- Slow burn romance
- Supernatural elements
- Forced proximity
- Enemies to lovers
- Dark and gothic settings
I received and ARC of this book and am leaving the review voluntarily.
April 9, 2024
Though you can tell at the end of this book that there will be a second, I believe this can be read as a stand alone book if desired. I didn't feel it was a true cliffhangar.
I enjoyed this book and couldn't stop reading. I really liked this book and its premise. I love the fact that the heroine wasn't this amazing superhero who could do anything and everything. Though she has skill, she has weaknesses which makes this even more enjoyable - I always feel that the "superheroine with no weaknesses" trope gets to be old. I don't find death magic to be a huge topic (maybe I'm not as well read as I think I am) but I thought this to be a good introduction to the idea and what it involves.
The book definitely has some spice to it but the story is definitely first and foremost within. Overall, I found this book the be action packed and more 'realistic' than others out there. I truly recommend it.
I don't believe they are as intense as other books, but some descriptions within would make me warn readers to be sure to read the triggers! I did receive an advance review copy for free. Thank you to the author as I thought this was an excellent read. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I enjoyed this book and couldn't stop reading. I really liked this book and its premise. I love the fact that the heroine wasn't this amazing superhero who could do anything and everything. Though she has skill, she has weaknesses which makes this even more enjoyable - I always feel that the "superheroine with no weaknesses" trope gets to be old. I don't find death magic to be a huge topic (maybe I'm not as well read as I think I am) but I thought this to be a good introduction to the idea and what it involves.
The book definitely has some spice to it but the story is definitely first and foremost within. Overall, I found this book the be action packed and more 'realistic' than others out there. I truly recommend it.
I don't believe they are as intense as other books, but some descriptions within would make me warn readers to be sure to read the triggers! I did receive an advance review copy for free. Thank you to the author as I thought this was an excellent read. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 8, 2024
Death's kiss: Hitman, Eden Nakamura, Levi Markov, the main characters in this story. If you want to meet Death and his Companion, this is your book. I'm not going to tell you more, because you really need to read this. Both main characters with their past, injured, alone, in a world where no one can be trusted. They search for a way out of the path predestined for them by the Council and Helen Warden. The story and the characters keep you in suspense, every time you think, I know, there is another twist in the story. We get to know the main characters as people who have been through a lot and were forced to kill for the government. But these two people are more than that. The world they live in is completely different from the world we expect. And Eden and Levi also turn out to be much more dangerous than the Council or Helen Warden could have imagined. Both people have suffered a lot and have been affected a lot and have problems with trust. This book is full of surprises and twists that you won't see coming. And this also means that you really can't put it down. Suspense, intrigue and love, all this is in this book. Beautifully written.
March 31, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 🌶️🌶️
“Seems like you have other demons to face before attempting to tackle another one, darling.”
“Why would I settle for demons when you exist, Reaper?”
Both the FMC, Eden and MMC, Levi had dark and difficult pasts. I liked how their past traumas influenced their character development.
The love story between the FMC and MMC was well-written. I enjoyed the tension between them and the slow burn element.
The storyline was interesting, although it took me some time to become fully engaged.
Overall dark and interesting story with well developed characters.
I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review. Receiving ARC didn’t affect my opinion of the book.
“Seems like you have other demons to face before attempting to tackle another one, darling.”
“Why would I settle for demons when you exist, Reaper?”
Both the FMC, Eden and MMC, Levi had dark and difficult pasts. I liked how their past traumas influenced their character development.
The love story between the FMC and MMC was well-written. I enjoyed the tension between them and the slow burn element.
The storyline was interesting, although it took me some time to become fully engaged.
Overall dark and interesting story with well developed characters.
I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review. Receiving ARC didn’t affect my opinion of the book.
April 3, 2024
This book is fantastic! I absolutely LOVE this. The story, the growth - I would giggle, get angry, nearly cry. My emotions were everywhere!
My rating is 4.5/5
I enjoyed that it was written in first person so we were constantly in the perspective of Eden. Even though there were times I thought she was being an idiot, but over all the growth in her character has been amazing to read.
The only thing that kept me from giving this a full 5 stars was the fact that there was something very predictable (to me at least) in a big way. And I was upset at how Eden didn't recognize or even suspected it sooner.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
My rating is 4.5/5
I enjoyed that it was written in first person so we were constantly in the perspective of Eden. Even though there were times I thought she was being an idiot, but over all the growth in her character has been amazing to read.
The only thing that kept me from giving this a full 5 stars was the fact that there was something very predictable (to me at least) in a big way. And I was upset at how Eden didn't recognize or even suspected it sooner.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 8, 2024
4 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
4 🌶🌶🌶🌶
5 💀💀💀💀💀
Die With Me by Gemini Syndrome
This book is filled with action, magic, and dark romance. It pulled me into Eden Nakamura's story.
My heart went out to Eden. She is being used by the head of The Council, Warren, to do her biddening. She has to do it to protect her brother.
She has to hide her secret from her new supervisor and unwanted work parterns. But she finds that at Blackwell Manor, she doesn't have to hide who she is. She finds out that she might actually be able to trust people and find love at the same time. But some people are threatening her newfound happiness. I hate to be them because I wouldn't want to piss off death.
4 🌶🌶🌶🌶
5 💀💀💀💀💀
Die With Me by Gemini Syndrome
This book is filled with action, magic, and dark romance. It pulled me into Eden Nakamura's story.
My heart went out to Eden. She is being used by the head of The Council, Warren, to do her biddening. She has to do it to protect her brother.
She has to hide her secret from her new supervisor and unwanted work parterns. But she finds that at Blackwell Manor, she doesn't have to hide who she is. She finds out that she might actually be able to trust people and find love at the same time. But some people are threatening her newfound happiness. I hate to be them because I wouldn't want to piss off death.
April 4, 2024
I recently just finished this book and it did no disappoint! I loved the story and I thought the plot was very thought out and it was easy to follow. Levi and Eden had so much tension around each other and it made we want to keep reading to see how their relationship evolved. This book is a slow burn romance but the tension makes it worth it. I do think the end was a little rushed, but I still very much enjoyed it.
If you like Vampires and supernatural romances then this book is definitely for you!
*I received an Arc for this book, but I am leaving this review voluntarily*
If you like Vampires and supernatural romances then this book is definitely for you!
*I received an Arc for this book, but I am leaving this review voluntarily*
April 5, 2024
4⭐⭐⭐⭐
2🌶️🌶️
This book was Awesome!! This is the first book that I’ve read from Evangeline Cross and it won't be the last!! I was really impressed by how well written it was.
Loved this book from beginning to end, it was dark and twisted and I couldn't get enough of it!
“Seems like you have other demons to face before attempting to tackle another one, darling.”
“Why would I settle for demons when you exist, Reaper?”
Grim Reaper Romance✔️
Morally Gray MMC✔️
Slow Burn✔️
Past Trauma✔️
BadAss FMC✔️
Only One Bed✔️
Forced Proximity✔️
Hate to Love✔️
Touch Her and ☠️✔️
2🌶️🌶️
This book was Awesome!! This is the first book that I’ve read from Evangeline Cross and it won't be the last!! I was really impressed by how well written it was.
Loved this book from beginning to end, it was dark and twisted and I couldn't get enough of it!
“Seems like you have other demons to face before attempting to tackle another one, darling.”
“Why would I settle for demons when you exist, Reaper?”
Grim Reaper Romance✔️
Morally Gray MMC✔️
Slow Burn✔️
Past Trauma✔️
BadAss FMC✔️
Only One Bed✔️
Forced Proximity✔️
Hate to Love✔️
Touch Her and ☠️✔️
April 19, 2024
- 1st person POV (FMC)
- Mostly closed-door romance (albeit one scene)
A decent read, I found it hard to get attached to the FMC, the narration felt a bit detached. And since the voice of the FMC didn't resonate with me, it prevented me from getting fully involved. However, the lack of spelling mistakes is a plus. Overall, a decent but unremarkable experience.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
- Mostly closed-door romance (albeit one scene)
A decent read, I found it hard to get attached to the FMC, the narration felt a bit detached. And since the voice of the FMC didn't resonate with me, it prevented me from getting fully involved. However, the lack of spelling mistakes is a plus. Overall, a decent but unremarkable experience.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 14, 2024
The story is deep and dark, each character has their own trauma to work through. I loved the slow unraveling of Eden and Levi’s story, it wasn’t rushed or forced. The whole story was really well written, I was really impressed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 29, 2024
Loved this book from beginning to end, it was so dark and twisted and I couldn't get enough of it! The romance was definitely a slow burn but the tension will keep you well fed until the end. Definitely check content warnings for this but this is one of my favorite reads this year. The concept is new and different and the characters were everything to me.
March 31, 2024
This book was phenomenal!! Definitely check the triggers because it's a bit murdery but if you're cool with:
*Bad@ss, Stabby FMC
*Morally Gray MMC
*Forced Proximity
*Only One Bed
* Hate-to-Love
*Touch Her and 💀
*Mid-Burn Romance (plenty of steam in between)
* Grim Reaper Romance
...then you will eat this one up!!
5/5 ⭐️ imo!!!
*Bad@ss, Stabby FMC
*Morally Gray MMC
*Forced Proximity
*Only One Bed
* Hate-to-Love
*Touch Her and 💀
*Mid-Burn Romance (plenty of steam in between)
* Grim Reaper Romance
...then you will eat this one up!!
5/5 ⭐️ imo!!!
April 2, 2024
I'm so obsessed with Eden and Levis story. Who knew a book about two very powerful death practitioners and their battles against their own attraction was so entertaining and yet believable and relatable. I'm completely addicted to this book. The adventure. The character progression. The traumatic backstories. Chefs kiss. Mwah
April 5, 2024
Walking on the path of darkness and deception. This story has it twists and secrets. Villains and morally characters. It took me a moment to get into the story, but in the end, I really enjoyed the journey the main characters embarked on. I will be looking out for future titles from this author.
April 6, 2024
Had an absolute blast reading Death's Kiss! The magical systems and variety of paranormal character-types (and humans!) kept me guessing through to the last page. I will most definitely be reading the sequel.
April 26, 2024
I found this book the be action packed and more 'realistic' than others out there. I truly recommend it. I enjoyed this book and couldn't stop reading. I really liked this book and its premise. This story is an entertaining steamy romance read. This is a must read!
March 27, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. Nakamura is a strong woman and she is my favorite character.
March 27, 2024
I enjoyed this book, Nakamura is a very strong woman and she is my favorite character
April 4, 2024
A great story Author did a well job with the writing style, Character development as well as the storyline. I absolutely enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more by this author
June 9, 2024
A really interesting and thought provoking read unlike many things I have read before. I am interested to see what comes next from Evangeline!
April 5, 2024
Wow, what a book! I will be honest, this book had a slow start, reeeally slow. But I am so glad I stuck it out! Death’s Kiss is a slow burn read with a bad a… FMC and her equally amazing MMC. It’s filled with some of our favorite tropes including “who did this to you”, one-bed, taking care of one another’s injuries, and being “saved” from a nightmare. While it was a very slow burn it sped up quite a bit at the end and man, the plot twists?? I usually can catch on to potential plot twists but Cross really got me with these! I definitely definitely recommend Death’s Kiss for your next fantasy dark romance read, but as always with dark romance, check trigger warnings!!
April 8, 2024
So freaking good! Every single part of this book had me hooked. I loved the character growth above anything else! The adventure and the unknown. Eden and Levi are 🔥 I have a special place in my heart for every member of Eden's crew. The author did a beautiful job writing this book and I absolutely can not wait for book #2!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews