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Gods of Dahryst Duet #1
Night of Death and Flowers
The Harvest is coming and soon eleven of us will be dead…
For over a century, the God of Death has remained in the shadows, cursed to kill any living thing he touches. Unable to recall what happened in the mortal world that left him fleeing in a trail of bloodshed, Azkiel knows only one thing for certain—his trapped siblings can never escape.
But his family are hungry for revenge and will do anything to keep Death from stopping the witch prophesied to be his downfall. To survive, Azkiel must find Calista, and kill her before the next Harvest.
If only she would die…
Calista is ruthless. Azkiel is cruel. With the Harvest tournament just days away, their blossoming hatred may just cost them everything.
Night of Death and Flowers is an epic fantasy set in a dark, glittering world of sacrifice, lore, and romance.
For over a century, the God of Death has remained in the shadows, cursed to kill any living thing he touches. Unable to recall what happened in the mortal world that left him fleeing in a trail of bloodshed, Azkiel knows only one thing for certain—his trapped siblings can never escape.
But his family are hungry for revenge and will do anything to keep Death from stopping the witch prophesied to be his downfall. To survive, Azkiel must find Calista, and kill her before the next Harvest.
If only she would die…
Calista is ruthless. Azkiel is cruel. With the Harvest tournament just days away, their blossoming hatred may just cost them everything.
Night of Death and Flowers is an epic fantasy set in a dark, glittering world of sacrifice, lore, and romance.
401 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2024
186 people are currently reading
3352 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca L. Garcia
20 books96 followersRebecca writes dark fantasy romance, usually with gothic elements and always with morally gray characters. Originally from England, she lives in Texas with her husband, and two sons. She loves anything with enemies to lovers, slow burn, and lots of angst.
Find out more about Rebecca and check out her books here:
Website: www.rebeccagarciabooks.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rebeccalgarciabooks
Find out more about Rebecca and check out her books here:
Website: www.rebeccagarciabooks.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rebeccalgarciabooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 371 reviews
June 30, 2024
3 Poison Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️/5
Please take this review below with a pinch of salt!!!
Most of my issues were editing-related. Rebecca Garcia reached out to her ARC readers to let us know many aspects of this feedback were addressed before this was released.
So, I will very shortly be rereading the final released version with the hope that the potential I saw came to the surface!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
This had SOOOOOOO MUCH POTENTIAL AND I AM MAD! It could have been brilliant and great but the more I kept reading the more I felt the story was going nowhere slowly. It has all the right tropes and everything!!! The potential is sitting there on the page waiting to be used, moulded and crafted into an excellent story. It is there!!! Waiting to be tapped in... and never was...
This is a dual POV that follows Calista and Azkiel. Azkiel is the God of Death and has returned in his human form to stop a prophecy. You see 150 years ago Azkiel placed his siblings into an enchanted sleep (although he has no memory of why, he just knows he has to stop them from waking). This prophecy states that a daughter of death will wake them, so to prevent this he vows to kill her. Calista is a witch who has to hide her power because she can wield death's ethereal power - something no mortal should be able to do. Essentially she has the power to touch someone and turn them to ash. She, her sister and her best friend have a problem, since they are of age they are required to put their names up for selection for the Harvest (basically a Hunger Games Competition) to find the next elder. The issue is all but one of the contestants die, and one of their names will get chosen.
My first warning was by 4% into the book, all I had read was the glossary to explain the Gods, their powers and the worldbuilding. Now, I love complex worldbuilding, but I like to be eased into it a little slowly. This just felt like it threw you into the deep end and said "Go have fun now". Now this wouldn't have annoyed me as much if the book didn't then go and SLOWLY explain the worldbuilding while the story evolved, making that glossary redundant.
Now, typically when I read an ARC, I do not let grammatical errors and issues with the spelling and grammar impact my reviews. However, there were so many instances of pronoun switching where she became he's and he's became she's that it became very difficult to follow along with the story. I had to read over multiple lines to try and figure out which character was actually being referred to, who they were, what their gender was or what their gender should have been in the text. So that just felt a little bit unclean and unpolished.
The other issue that I have with this is while I can deal with some poetical purple prose, there is a LIMIT. There was so much metaphorical and psychological processing in these characters' minds as they thought, felt and touched things. But it sometimes felt very overwhelmingly bulky in places and oftentimes would lead us in circles because they would be thinking the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Azkiel would constantly think about how he needs to stop his siblings from waking, how he has no siphoning power on the Island, how he cannot stand Calista but is so magnetically drawn to her and about the God Eater. Calista would constantly think about protecting her sister and Drake, how she needs to stop the Harvest from happening, how archaic the Harvest is... Like I GOT IT THE FIRST TIME - I did not need it mentioned 50 times after that. This caused two problems, one I was getting really irritated and annoyed at the repetition and second - that the plot moved at a snail's pace because the characters were stuck in their thoughts for so long! There was literally an instance of 2 pages of an internal monologue between 2 lines of spoken dialogue. NO-ONE THINKS THAT MUCH - EVEN IF YOU ARE BATTLING AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS!
But this is exactly why I say this book has so much potential, because if those two things were cleaned up - the pronouns and repetition this would have been excellent because the plot itself is actually pretty good, and was the one thing that kept me moving forward.
The tropes in this are literally my catnip tropes, and I so so wanted the story to be great because it had everything in it that I love and adore. But I just kept being drawn out of the story, and for a lot of it, it felt like it wasn't going anywhere.
I really liked the connection that Calista and Azkiel had between each other. They are both starved of some sort of love, touch or affection - both being rejected and ostracized by their family. They crave touch and with their magnetic attraction to each other, it felt like they found the missing puzzle piece that was missing from their lives.
Calista as a character is sometimes a little whiney and annoying at times because she feels overly confident in her ability to do things but time and time again in the story we are shown how she cannot cope and is not as good as she perceives herself to be. Azkiel has this air about him that he is this big all-powerful badass and that people should fear him, but he is all bark and no bite - because you never actually see this personality on the page (you are just told about it). His attraction to Calista verges on hate lust/instalust and throughout the book he just becomes whiney, spoilt, selfish and angry.
I also didn't like the constant use of "faded into darkness" as a plot device. Almost every action scene would end with someone fainting or falling asleep, meaning you are told the aftermath of what happened and never shown this in action. Now I don't really like tell don't show books because it makes me feel like it manipulates me into forming ideas and opinions of how the story should be and not how it actually is. It also just felt like too easy a plot device to skip scenes and pass the time.
I also found the love triangle annoying and the portrayal of Calista's sister strange. We are told constantly that she is seen as weak and gentle and unable to do anything, but again we were just told she was weak and had to believe she was weak. But on page, she seems pretty competent (except for one part which...seriously).
I also kind of called what was going to happen in my mind about 30% into the book, so I didn't feel like it was too much of a big shock when it was actually revealed.
Tropes in this include:
▶ Death Personification
▶ Dual POV
▶ Witches and Gods
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Deadly Competition
▶ Lost Memory
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Love Triangle
But all that aside, the plot still intrigued me. The story still intrigued me, and I am invested enough in the story and interested enough in the story that I will definitely be picking up the sequel. Most of my issues are related to polish, and so I say take this review with a pinch of salt because I read an ARC and these things can still be edited out and fixed in the final version.
Thank you to Rebecca L. Garcia for my gifted ARC copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Spicy Level: 🌶️/5
Please take this review below with a pinch of salt!!!
Most of my issues were editing-related. Rebecca Garcia reached out to her ARC readers to let us know many aspects of this feedback were addressed before this was released.
So, I will very shortly be rereading the final released version with the hope that the potential I saw came to the surface!
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
This had SOOOOOOO MUCH POTENTIAL AND I AM MAD! It could have been brilliant and great but the more I kept reading the more I felt the story was going nowhere slowly. It has all the right tropes and everything!!! The potential is sitting there on the page waiting to be used, moulded and crafted into an excellent story. It is there!!! Waiting to be tapped in... and never was...
This is a dual POV that follows Calista and Azkiel. Azkiel is the God of Death and has returned in his human form to stop a prophecy. You see 150 years ago Azkiel placed his siblings into an enchanted sleep (although he has no memory of why, he just knows he has to stop them from waking). This prophecy states that a daughter of death will wake them, so to prevent this he vows to kill her. Calista is a witch who has to hide her power because she can wield death's ethereal power - something no mortal should be able to do. Essentially she has the power to touch someone and turn them to ash. She, her sister and her best friend have a problem, since they are of age they are required to put their names up for selection for the Harvest (basically a Hunger Games Competition) to find the next elder. The issue is all but one of the contestants die, and one of their names will get chosen.
My first warning was by 4% into the book, all I had read was the glossary to explain the Gods, their powers and the worldbuilding. Now, I love complex worldbuilding, but I like to be eased into it a little slowly. This just felt like it threw you into the deep end and said "Go have fun now". Now this wouldn't have annoyed me as much if the book didn't then go and SLOWLY explain the worldbuilding while the story evolved, making that glossary redundant.
Now, typically when I read an ARC, I do not let grammatical errors and issues with the spelling and grammar impact my reviews. However, there were so many instances of pronoun switching where she became he's and he's became she's that it became very difficult to follow along with the story. I had to read over multiple lines to try and figure out which character was actually being referred to, who they were, what their gender was or what their gender should have been in the text. So that just felt a little bit unclean and unpolished.
The other issue that I have with this is while I can deal with some poetical purple prose, there is a LIMIT. There was so much metaphorical and psychological processing in these characters' minds as they thought, felt and touched things. But it sometimes felt very overwhelmingly bulky in places and oftentimes would lead us in circles because they would be thinking the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Azkiel would constantly think about how he needs to stop his siblings from waking, how he has no siphoning power on the Island, how he cannot stand Calista but is so magnetically drawn to her and about the God Eater. Calista would constantly think about protecting her sister and Drake, how she needs to stop the Harvest from happening, how archaic the Harvest is... Like I GOT IT THE FIRST TIME - I did not need it mentioned 50 times after that. This caused two problems, one I was getting really irritated and annoyed at the repetition and second - that the plot moved at a snail's pace because the characters were stuck in their thoughts for so long! There was literally an instance of 2 pages of an internal monologue between 2 lines of spoken dialogue. NO-ONE THINKS THAT MUCH - EVEN IF YOU ARE BATTLING AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS!
But this is exactly why I say this book has so much potential, because if those two things were cleaned up - the pronouns and repetition this would have been excellent because the plot itself is actually pretty good, and was the one thing that kept me moving forward.
The tropes in this are literally my catnip tropes, and I so so wanted the story to be great because it had everything in it that I love and adore. But I just kept being drawn out of the story, and for a lot of it, it felt like it wasn't going anywhere.
I really liked the connection that Calista and Azkiel had between each other. They are both starved of some sort of love, touch or affection - both being rejected and ostracized by their family. They crave touch and with their magnetic attraction to each other, it felt like they found the missing puzzle piece that was missing from their lives.
Calista as a character is sometimes a little whiney and annoying at times because she feels overly confident in her ability to do things but time and time again in the story we are shown how she cannot cope and is not as good as she perceives herself to be. Azkiel has this air about him that he is this big all-powerful badass and that people should fear him, but he is all bark and no bite - because you never actually see this personality on the page (you are just told about it). His attraction to Calista verges on hate lust/instalust and throughout the book he just becomes whiney, spoilt, selfish and angry.
I also didn't like the constant use of "faded into darkness" as a plot device. Almost every action scene would end with someone fainting or falling asleep, meaning you are told the aftermath of what happened and never shown this in action. Now I don't really like tell don't show books because it makes me feel like it manipulates me into forming ideas and opinions of how the story should be and not how it actually is. It also just felt like too easy a plot device to skip scenes and pass the time.
I also found the love triangle annoying and the portrayal of Calista's sister strange. We are told constantly that she is seen as weak and gentle and unable to do anything, but again we were just told she was weak and had to believe she was weak. But on page, she seems pretty competent (except for one part which...seriously).
I also kind of called what was going to happen in my mind about 30% into the book, so I didn't feel like it was too much of a big shock when it was actually revealed.
Tropes in this include:
▶ Death Personification
▶ Dual POV
▶ Witches and Gods
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Touch Her You Die
▶ Deadly Competition
▶ Lost Memory
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Love Triangle
But all that aside, the plot still intrigued me. The story still intrigued me, and I am invested enough in the story and interested enough in the story that I will definitely be picking up the sequel. Most of my issues are related to polish, and so I say take this review with a pinch of salt because I read an ARC and these things can still be edited out and fixed in the final version.
Thank you to Rebecca L. Garcia for my gifted ARC copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 15, 2024
I would recommend this 100% to anyone who's loved Kingdom of the Wicked & Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco, or anyone who was excited about the concept of ''Lighlark'' but came out disappointed after reading that one (This one actually delivers when it comes to plot and characters... and writing)
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing this ARC!
We start off with a premise that feels of classic yet interesting enough to stand out next to the many other ''Romantasy'' books that have come out throughout the past few years.
I would like to highlight the great writing; it was descriptive enough to paint a very vivid picture of both scenery and inner thoughts in both POVs, yet also very pretty. There were typos at many different points which I hope are revised before the official publication.
The world-building was also very nice but I wished there had been a map at the beginning (Maybe these copies didn't but the final edition does?), again being very easy to understand yet presenting clear guidelines as to how powers worked and our main characters motivations. You don't feel lost at any point in the story past the first chapter.
The reason why this wasn't really a hit for me:
It felt like it went on for too long. I have no issues with long books, this one actually read quite fast, even. It simply became repetitive and felt like it dragged because we were receiving the same information in multiple chapters, making it feel like a lot could've been edited out.
The romance was not my favorite, because despite it taking a bit for our main characters to start interacting, once they do, everything moves too fast between them.
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing this ARC!
We start off with a premise that feels of classic yet interesting enough to stand out next to the many other ''Romantasy'' books that have come out throughout the past few years.
I would like to highlight the great writing; it was descriptive enough to paint a very vivid picture of both scenery and inner thoughts in both POVs, yet also very pretty. There were typos at many different points which I hope are revised before the official publication.
The world-building was also very nice but I wished there had been a map at the beginning (Maybe these copies didn't but the final edition does?), again being very easy to understand yet presenting clear guidelines as to how powers worked and our main characters motivations. You don't feel lost at any point in the story past the first chapter.
The reason why this wasn't really a hit for me:
It felt like it went on for too long. I have no issues with long books, this one actually read quite fast, even. It simply became repetitive and felt like it dragged because we were receiving the same information in multiple chapters, making it feel like a lot could've been edited out.
The romance was not my favorite, because despite it taking a bit for our main characters to start interacting, once they do, everything moves too fast between them.
February 6, 2025
I had fun for 30% of this and then 2 things happened 1) plotholes & 2) stagnant plot.
It’s definitely an interesting storyline but I think it didn’t fully live up to its potential.
I got this book from Aurora Crate when I saw the MMC was a God of Death (I just love when stories have Death as a character) but he fell kind of flat for me!
It’s definitely an interesting storyline but I think it didn’t fully live up to its potential.
I got this book from Aurora Crate when I saw the MMC was a God of Death (I just love when stories have Death as a character) but he fell kind of flat for me!
May 28, 2024
Rating 5/5★ | Spice: 1.5/5
Dark Fantasy Romance | Gods, Goddesses, Witches & Warlocks | Ritualistic S@cfrices & T0urnament
This book!!! Just wow! Can we talk about how beautifully written this one is?! The story, character, and world building of it all.. I am OBSESSED! And let’s not leave out the whirlwind of an ending with all that was revealed!
I had the slightest inkling and I’ll say what I thought turned out to be so much more that I did not expect!
Darkness with humor and banter, add in jealousy and a world of longing. Mortals and Gods, prophecy, magic, power, sacrifices, survival, hate, love.. my mind is still in a WOW state of mind. Oh and did I mention shadow daddy? Yes, we most definitely love ourself one of those!
This book had me giggling like a schoolgirl at one point and then my heart aching at another. Whirlwind of emotions I’m telling you! Just a whole meaning to can one truly escape fate.
I highly recommended this read for my dark fantasy babes! It’s giving me a little mix of the Originals + Vampire Diaries and Hunger Games vibes but with Gods & witches which I absolutely love! Can’t wait for the next book!
Dark Fantasy Romance | Gods, Goddesses, Witches & Warlocks | Ritualistic S@cfrices & T0urnament
This book!!! Just wow! Can we talk about how beautifully written this one is?! The story, character, and world building of it all.. I am OBSESSED! And let’s not leave out the whirlwind of an ending with all that was revealed!
I had the slightest inkling and I’ll say what I thought turned out to be so much more that I did not expect!
Darkness with humor and banter, add in jealousy and a world of longing. Mortals and Gods, prophecy, magic, power, sacrifices, survival, hate, love.. my mind is still in a WOW state of mind. Oh and did I mention shadow daddy? Yes, we most definitely love ourself one of those!
This book had me giggling like a schoolgirl at one point and then my heart aching at another. Whirlwind of emotions I’m telling you! Just a whole meaning to can one truly escape fate.
I highly recommended this read for my dark fantasy babes! It’s giving me a little mix of the Originals + Vampire Diaries and Hunger Games vibes but with Gods & witches which I absolutely love! Can’t wait for the next book!
May 29, 2024
ARC Book Review: Night of Death and Flowers
Night of Death and Flowers by Rebecca Garcia is a dark fantasy romance that captivates from the very first page. The story centers around Calista, an intriguing anti-heroine who navigates a life of isolation even among those she trusts the most. Her world, Dahryst, is a meticulously crafted haven for witches, yet for Calista, it is fraught with danger.
Rebecca's world-building is exceptional, painting Dahryst as both a sanctuary and a treacherous place. The sacred ground of Tenenocti Island, where the deadly Harvest tournament takes place, adds a chilling element to the narrative. This world is further enriched by the presence of gods whose motives and secrets add layers of complexity to the story.
Calista’s unique and perilous power, reserved for the God of Death, sets her apart and adds a thrilling dimension to the plot. Her need to conceal this ability is a constant source of tension. The stakes are high as she bravely decides to intervene in the Harvest, risking not only her life but also her best friend’s safety.
The return of Azkiel, the God of Death, and the prophecy predicting his downfall at Calista’s hands introduce a fascinating twist. Their forced alliance, filled with mistrust and hidden agendas, fuels a romance that is both intense and fraught with tension. The evolving relationship between Calista and Azkiel is masterfully woven, blending romance with dark magic and fate.
Rebecca skillfully keeps readers on edge as secrets unravel and alliances shift. The interplay of light and dark, along with the looming threat of betrayal, maintains a gripping narrative. The numerous twists and turns, the gradual unfolding of secrets, and the constant danger of vengeance create a compelling backdrop for Calista’s struggle against the darkness within her.
Night of Death and Flowers is a tale where every choice can lead to salvation or ruin. Rebecca’s storytelling ensures that readers are deeply invested in Calista’s fate, eager to see if she can overcome the darkness threatening to consume her. This dark fantasy romance is ideal for those who crave a blend of magic, intrigue, and emotional depth.
In summary, Night of Death and Flowers is a must-read for fans of dark fantasy romance. With its rich world-building, complex characters, and suspenseful plot, Rebecca delivers a story that is both enchanting and haunting. Calista’s journey of courage and sacrifice will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in this captivating saga.
Night of Death and Flowers by Rebecca Garcia is a dark fantasy romance that captivates from the very first page. The story centers around Calista, an intriguing anti-heroine who navigates a life of isolation even among those she trusts the most. Her world, Dahryst, is a meticulously crafted haven for witches, yet for Calista, it is fraught with danger.
Rebecca's world-building is exceptional, painting Dahryst as both a sanctuary and a treacherous place. The sacred ground of Tenenocti Island, where the deadly Harvest tournament takes place, adds a chilling element to the narrative. This world is further enriched by the presence of gods whose motives and secrets add layers of complexity to the story.
Calista’s unique and perilous power, reserved for the God of Death, sets her apart and adds a thrilling dimension to the plot. Her need to conceal this ability is a constant source of tension. The stakes are high as she bravely decides to intervene in the Harvest, risking not only her life but also her best friend’s safety.
The return of Azkiel, the God of Death, and the prophecy predicting his downfall at Calista’s hands introduce a fascinating twist. Their forced alliance, filled with mistrust and hidden agendas, fuels a romance that is both intense and fraught with tension. The evolving relationship between Calista and Azkiel is masterfully woven, blending romance with dark magic and fate.
Rebecca skillfully keeps readers on edge as secrets unravel and alliances shift. The interplay of light and dark, along with the looming threat of betrayal, maintains a gripping narrative. The numerous twists and turns, the gradual unfolding of secrets, and the constant danger of vengeance create a compelling backdrop for Calista’s struggle against the darkness within her.
Night of Death and Flowers is a tale where every choice can lead to salvation or ruin. Rebecca’s storytelling ensures that readers are deeply invested in Calista’s fate, eager to see if she can overcome the darkness threatening to consume her. This dark fantasy romance is ideal for those who crave a blend of magic, intrigue, and emotional depth.
In summary, Night of Death and Flowers is a must-read for fans of dark fantasy romance. With its rich world-building, complex characters, and suspenseful plot, Rebecca delivers a story that is both enchanting and haunting. Calista’s journey of courage and sacrifice will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment in this captivating saga.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2024
ARC Review:
*cue the Klaus voice yelling REBECAAAAA!!!*
I was so lucky to have been given an ARC copy of this book and it was SO GOOD!
I am new to Rebecca’s writing, having recently discovered her on instagram, and thank goodness for that!
This was such a fun read! The world building was top notch. While it may feel like a lot of information in the beginning when going over the names, places, powers, gods, etc. it really wasn’t when you started getting into the actual story.
Now onto the main reason for this review…THE STORY!
I am always a sucker for the badass FMC who doesn’t give a flying fudge (keeping it pg) about what society demands of her, and Cali is EXACTLY that. She is a fierce protector of her family, even while constantly feeling unwanted and unloved by them. She was never selfish, even when I was screaming at her to be. She was always putting her family and friend first.
Now Azkiel! He really surprised me in this one. Reading the description and just having that stereotypical idea in my mind of how the “God of Death” will be, he really did a 180 on me but in a good way. He was vulnerable in his pov from the first sentence, and I loved that. Rebecca did a phenomenal job writing his character!
I’ll admit that the cliffhanger at the end didn’t hang for me that much because by 50% in, I expected that to be the outcome. However, what I was not expecting was exactly how it ended up going down. The betrayal, the involvement, the pain…ugh! Give me book 2 NOW!
Great read and can’t wait for more! ❤️
*cue the Klaus voice yelling REBECAAAAA!!!*
I was so lucky to have been given an ARC copy of this book and it was SO GOOD!
I am new to Rebecca’s writing, having recently discovered her on instagram, and thank goodness for that!
This was such a fun read! The world building was top notch. While it may feel like a lot of information in the beginning when going over the names, places, powers, gods, etc. it really wasn’t when you started getting into the actual story.
Now onto the main reason for this review…THE STORY!
I am always a sucker for the badass FMC who doesn’t give a flying fudge (keeping it pg) about what society demands of her, and Cali is EXACTLY that. She is a fierce protector of her family, even while constantly feeling unwanted and unloved by them. She was never selfish, even when I was screaming at her to be. She was always putting her family and friend first.
Now Azkiel! He really surprised me in this one. Reading the description and just having that stereotypical idea in my mind of how the “God of Death” will be, he really did a 180 on me but in a good way. He was vulnerable in his pov from the first sentence, and I loved that. Rebecca did a phenomenal job writing his character!
I’ll admit that the cliffhanger at the end didn’t hang for me that much because by 50% in, I expected that to be the outcome. However, what I was not expecting was exactly how it ended up going down. The betrayal, the involvement, the pain…ugh! Give me book 2 NOW!
Great read and can’t wait for more! ❤️
May 30, 2024
Was lucky enough to have an ARC copy & boyyyy was that just ✨amazing✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️
It’s giving Greek mythology meets hunger games! Loved the MMC & FMC fiercely. The story is full of magic, fighting and hidden secrets. The cliffhanger was slightly expected, but not heartbreaking. The dual POV just brought it together.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️
It’s giving Greek mythology meets hunger games! Loved the MMC & FMC fiercely. The story is full of magic, fighting and hidden secrets. The cliffhanger was slightly expected, but not heartbreaking. The dual POV just brought it together.
December 18, 2024
Es el año de la Cosecha, una tradición en la que los jóvenes son enviados a la isla Tenenocti para luchar hasta la muerte utilizando sus poderes. Cada participante adquiere las habilidades de aquellos a quienes elimina, hasta que solo queda uno. Azkiel, el Dios de la Muerte, ha asumido su forma humana por primera vez en 150 años y ha regresado para evitar una profecía que podría significar el fin de su reinado. Calista es la única bruja que ha nacido con la capacidad de Azkiel para matar con un solo toque. Desde pequeña, ha detestado esta habilidad que debe mantener oculta y también a Azkiel.
Calista desprecia el sistema y culpa a los dioses. Cuando finalmente decide actuar la noche anterior a La Ofrenda, pone en grave peligro a sus seres queridos. Establece un pacto con el Dios de la Muerte, pero pronto se da cuenta de que él tiene sus propios planes para usarla en su beneficio. Calista está dispuesta a hacer lo que sea necesario para proteger a su familia y amigos, incluso si eso implica aceptar sus aspectos más oscuros. Sin embargo, no anticipa que desarrollará una conexión con el Dios que más odia.
Azkiel, por su parte, no recuerda por qué encarceló a sus hermanos y otros dioses, solo sabe que no deben ser liberados. Cree que Calista es la clave de la profecía que podría despertar a los dioses y que eliminarla lo liberaría de esa amenaza. El destino tiene otros planes, y se da cuenta de que no solo es incapaz de matarla, sino que, a pesar de su magia de descomposición, ella es el primer ser vivo que ha podido tocar en siglos.
La historia está repleta de acción, intriga, misterio, suspenso, magia oculta, agendas secretas, antiguas profecías, giros inesperados y un torneo mortal. Un romance que se desarrolla lentamente, enemigos que se convierten en amantes, donde el villano termina con la chica.
Calista es valiente, feroz, inteligente y protectora. Me encantó seguir su evolución desde ocultar sus poderes hasta aceptar su verdadera identidad. Azkiel es un enigma oscuro y moralmente ambiguo. Todos los personajes son complejos y el desarrollo de los mismos es fantástico.
Ha sido una lectura entretenida, ligera y rápida. No suelo leer libros de este tipo, pero fue una buena elección.
Calista desprecia el sistema y culpa a los dioses. Cuando finalmente decide actuar la noche anterior a La Ofrenda, pone en grave peligro a sus seres queridos. Establece un pacto con el Dios de la Muerte, pero pronto se da cuenta de que él tiene sus propios planes para usarla en su beneficio. Calista está dispuesta a hacer lo que sea necesario para proteger a su familia y amigos, incluso si eso implica aceptar sus aspectos más oscuros. Sin embargo, no anticipa que desarrollará una conexión con el Dios que más odia.
Azkiel, por su parte, no recuerda por qué encarceló a sus hermanos y otros dioses, solo sabe que no deben ser liberados. Cree que Calista es la clave de la profecía que podría despertar a los dioses y que eliminarla lo liberaría de esa amenaza. El destino tiene otros planes, y se da cuenta de que no solo es incapaz de matarla, sino que, a pesar de su magia de descomposición, ella es el primer ser vivo que ha podido tocar en siglos.
La historia está repleta de acción, intriga, misterio, suspenso, magia oculta, agendas secretas, antiguas profecías, giros inesperados y un torneo mortal. Un romance que se desarrolla lentamente, enemigos que se convierten en amantes, donde el villano termina con la chica.
Calista es valiente, feroz, inteligente y protectora. Me encantó seguir su evolución desde ocultar sus poderes hasta aceptar su verdadera identidad. Azkiel es un enigma oscuro y moralmente ambiguo. Todos los personajes son complejos y el desarrollo de los mismos es fantástico.
Ha sido una lectura entretenida, ligera y rápida. No suelo leer libros de este tipo, pero fue una buena elección.
June 27, 2024
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!
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!
June 26, 2024
ARC book review.
Let me start by saying this book ended well, however the beginning was very hard for me to get into. After reading a few chapters and the characters (finally) started interacting with each other and I got a better feel for the authors writing style I was able to get into a reading flow and found it interesting. The story line intrigued me because it felt familiar but also brand new. It pulled me in and kept me interested throughout the remaining chapters.
It goes into great detail about the Gods and their powers in the glossary and gives you a pronunciation guides which I found helpful. This book promised 🌶️ but it was very low ranking on that scale. I didn’t feel that the lack of spice hindered the story and actually felt like it was better because of it (this time around).
There were a few points in the story that felt forced and made little sense (like her “nickname” that is used once).
I did find quite a few typos, but like I mentioned this is an ARC review so hopefully in the finalized publication those are fixed. They didn’t take away from the story, they were just hard to miss.
I enjoyed the foreshadowing that had me guessing and felt satisfied when the plot was revealed and that it didn’t leave me wanting or confused.
This book did end on something of a cliffhanger, but it wasn’t terrible. I didn’t feel like my heart was broken by the cliffhanger but I definitely will be picking up the next book to see how it all plays out.
Let me start by saying this book ended well, however the beginning was very hard for me to get into. After reading a few chapters and the characters (finally) started interacting with each other and I got a better feel for the authors writing style I was able to get into a reading flow and found it interesting. The story line intrigued me because it felt familiar but also brand new. It pulled me in and kept me interested throughout the remaining chapters.
It goes into great detail about the Gods and their powers in the glossary and gives you a pronunciation guides which I found helpful. This book promised 🌶️ but it was very low ranking on that scale. I didn’t feel that the lack of spice hindered the story and actually felt like it was better because of it (this time around).
There were a few points in the story that felt forced and made little sense (like her “nickname” that is used once).
I did find quite a few typos, but like I mentioned this is an ARC review so hopefully in the finalized publication those are fixed. They didn’t take away from the story, they were just hard to miss.
I enjoyed the foreshadowing that had me guessing and felt satisfied when the plot was revealed and that it didn’t leave me wanting or confused.
This book did end on something of a cliffhanger, but it wasn’t terrible. I didn’t feel like my heart was broken by the cliffhanger but I definitely will be picking up the next book to see how it all plays out.
June 7, 2024
I enjoyed the beginning and the end of this, but the middle was meh 🫤 and a lot of it I felt could have been cut out. 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 85% of the way when we finally see some chemistry and secrets unravel. The excitement I felt in the first 35% of this came back and it was amazing to watch everything unravel and truths reveal… but did they really???
July 23, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved it! “Night of Death and Flowers” is my first book by Rebecca L. Garcia, but it certainly won’t be my last.
The story is rich with magic, a dark atmosphere, and a “magical Hunger Games” vibe. It weaves together a prophecy, mystery, and a compelling plot. The MMC, a god of death, is both handsome and intriguing. He is the type of MMC that is a villain, willing to let the world burn for you. As the story unfolds, you get to uncover the mystery of his past and witness his flawed, complex nature.
The dual perspectives of the FMC and the MMC reveal their flawed, multifaceted characters, enhancing the narrative depth.
The plot kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly guessing about past secrets and future twists. The slow-burn tension is executed perfectly, making the romantic subplot incredibly satisfying.
The escapism provided by this book is a 10 out of 10. I felt completely immersed in its dark, magical world. The FMC stands out as a bold, badass character whose perspective I thoroughly enjoyed.
I highly recommend “Night of Death and Flowers” and am eagerly awaiting the next book to see where the story goes!
The story is rich with magic, a dark atmosphere, and a “magical Hunger Games” vibe. It weaves together a prophecy, mystery, and a compelling plot. The MMC, a god of death, is both handsome and intriguing. He is the type of MMC that is a villain, willing to let the world burn for you. As the story unfolds, you get to uncover the mystery of his past and witness his flawed, complex nature.
The dual perspectives of the FMC and the MMC reveal their flawed, multifaceted characters, enhancing the narrative depth.
The plot kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly guessing about past secrets and future twists. The slow-burn tension is executed perfectly, making the romantic subplot incredibly satisfying.
The escapism provided by this book is a 10 out of 10. I felt completely immersed in its dark, magical world. The FMC stands out as a bold, badass character whose perspective I thoroughly enjoyed.
I highly recommend “Night of Death and Flowers” and am eagerly awaiting the next book to see where the story goes!
June 28, 2024
I absolutely loved this book, a dark romance between witches and vengeful gods. The world development and the characters were beautifully done, and the glossary at the beginning of the book was the perfect touch. The beginning of the book was a slow burn, but well worth sticking through. I found Calista's character to be refreshing as she was a bad ass but still had a moral compass. I love a book that has me invested in each of the characters and this book truly draws you in. Even as I began putting the pieces together I couldn't wait to see how it was played out, now I just have to wait for book two. But in the meantime I will definitely be checking out more of Rebecca L Garcia's books! Night of Death and Flowers is definitely one of my favorite books I have read this year.
Thank you netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 6, 2024
Well.. I did like it but this had so much potential wasted I wanted to cry :/
Some things that I liked - deadly game setting, lore, 'opposite twins' vibe and I'm sucker for characters who are starved for affection and touch.
Now, I know you babes want to know about spice - to be honest, I was disappointed by it. The first scene that they had - it felt like author 'just because it's needed' wrote it. For me it felt awkward somehow and I had no better reactions that 'huh..?' And I would not say it's enemies to lovers because it felt very insta-love. The writing - if I need to describe it, it would be 'tell not show'. I hope story will be checked again because it needs another round of edit. Also, it felt very, very repetitive and often I got annoyed. If everything would be shortened and some character 'inner thoughts' would be taken out, I would probably rate it higher and the feeling of dragging would not be here.
I am curious to see how this will continue, so I will be picking up next book I think.
Thank you to Rebecca L. Garcia, for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.
Some things that I liked - deadly game setting, lore, 'opposite twins' vibe and I'm sucker for characters who are starved for affection and touch.
Now, I know you babes want to know about spice - to be honest, I was disappointed by it. The first scene that they had - it felt like author 'just because it's needed' wrote it. For me it felt awkward somehow and I had no better reactions that 'huh..?' And I would not say it's enemies to lovers because it felt very insta-love. The writing - if I need to describe it, it would be 'tell not show'. I hope story will be checked again because it needs another round of edit. Also, it felt very, very repetitive and often I got annoyed. If everything would be shortened and some character 'inner thoughts' would be taken out, I would probably rate it higher and the feeling of dragging would not be here.
I am curious to see how this will continue, so I will be picking up next book I think.
Thank you to Rebecca L. Garcia, for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.
May 28, 2024
Absolutely freaking loved this! Think of Hunger games/ belladonna but with witches, monsters, prophecies, human sacrifices and a male version of (a slightly less bloody thirsty) Manon Blackbeak. Slow burner but the spices when it hits is just...🌶️🔥
World building isn't as intimidating as it looks, everyone is mentioned often enough that you don't get confused.
Would give it a 4.7 stars ✨
P.s don't be surprised if you are gazing into the void silently screaming at some point
World building isn't as intimidating as it looks, everyone is mentioned often enough that you don't get confused.
Would give it a 4.7 stars ✨
P.s don't be surprised if you are gazing into the void silently screaming at some point
May 29, 2024
2.5 stars
I was very happy to have received an ARC of this book from the author, and was super excited to read it. Villain gets the girl? Spice? God of death?? Sign me up! Unfortunately, it didn’t entirely live up to my expectations. Now that’s not to say this book is bad. It isn’t by any stretch. My scale might be different from others, and a 2-3 star read for me is okay, not great, but definitely not bad.
This book just did a heck of a lot of telling, not showing. We were informed about fifteen times that Azkiel didn’t remember what had happened 100 years prior, before he would launch into entire chapter-long other recollections that would explain tons of exposition. It got to the point where I dreaded his POVs, because they just rehashed the same two or three points ad nauseam—Azkiel has no memory of 100 years ago but knows it’s painful, Azkiel is attracted to Calista and he hates it, and Azkiel regrets Astraea being caught up in the war of the gods because she was the only one who stood up for him. A lot of these could have been taken out and it wouldn’t have altered the storyline at all. I was also extremely disappointed by how utterly powerless he seemed. For a supposed God of Death, literally no one in this book has any respect or appropriate fear of him. He barks orders, he threatens, he cajoles, he begs, but absolutely no mortal ever shows him the proper fear due a literal god, except perhaps the elders in one very brief scene right at his respawning. And he never punishes any mortal for mouthing off at him, disrespecting him in front of his entire congregation? Why should any of these mortals fear or respect him then? There’s no darkness or threat at all to him.
Other things bothered me a bit too. Calista is too bratty and self-assured, but then that’s feasibly explained away by her powers and their origins. Lots of plot holes that are ignored for the sake of moving the story along, but that can be overlooked for the genre. It’s very insta-love, but again, that can be forgiven with some backstory.
Overall, there’s so much potential here, I just feel like with a little bit more polishing, this story could be so epic.
I was very happy to have received an ARC of this book from the author, and was super excited to read it. Villain gets the girl? Spice? God of death?? Sign me up! Unfortunately, it didn’t entirely live up to my expectations. Now that’s not to say this book is bad. It isn’t by any stretch. My scale might be different from others, and a 2-3 star read for me is okay, not great, but definitely not bad.
This book just did a heck of a lot of telling, not showing. We were informed about fifteen times that Azkiel didn’t remember what had happened 100 years prior, before he would launch into entire chapter-long other recollections that would explain tons of exposition. It got to the point where I dreaded his POVs, because they just rehashed the same two or three points ad nauseam—Azkiel has no memory of 100 years ago but knows it’s painful, Azkiel is attracted to Calista and he hates it, and Azkiel regrets Astraea being caught up in the war of the gods because she was the only one who stood up for him. A lot of these could have been taken out and it wouldn’t have altered the storyline at all. I was also extremely disappointed by how utterly powerless he seemed. For a supposed God of Death, literally no one in this book has any respect or appropriate fear of him. He barks orders, he threatens, he cajoles, he begs, but absolutely no mortal ever shows him the proper fear due a literal god, except perhaps the elders in one very brief scene right at his respawning. And he never punishes any mortal for mouthing off at him, disrespecting him in front of his entire congregation? Why should any of these mortals fear or respect him then? There’s no darkness or threat at all to him.
Other things bothered me a bit too. Calista is too bratty and self-assured, but then that’s feasibly explained away by her powers and their origins. Lots of plot holes that are ignored for the sake of moving the story along, but that can be overlooked for the genre. It’s very insta-love, but again, that can be forgiven with some backstory.
Overall, there’s so much potential here, I just feel like with a little bit more polishing, this story could be so epic.
May 27, 2024
I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy of this and I become so immersed that I read it in one sitting 😂.
This is a dual POV dark fantasy about witches, Gods and a deadly tournament with action, betrayal, an enemies-to-lovers romance and magic.
I loved the two MC’s Calista and Azkiel, and i’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book in the duet as it ended on a cliffhanger.
There is a little bit of spice in this but not until the latter part of the book 🌶️.
This is a dual POV dark fantasy about witches, Gods and a deadly tournament with action, betrayal, an enemies-to-lovers romance and magic.
I loved the two MC’s Calista and Azkiel, and i’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book in the duet as it ended on a cliffhanger.
There is a little bit of spice in this but not until the latter part of the book 🌶️.
Read
May 31, 2024DNF
Arc from NetGalley
A girl cursed with death powers to rival the god of death sounded right up my alley.
But the FMC is bratty and impetuous. She feels really young.
The god of death is not intimidating in the least and is always trying swing his dick around.
Sooo much telling and not showing. The writing style wasn’t for me either.
Arc from NetGalley
A girl cursed with death powers to rival the god of death sounded right up my alley.
But the FMC is bratty and impetuous. She feels really young.
The god of death is not intimidating in the least and is always trying swing his dick around.
Sooo much telling and not showing. The writing style wasn’t for me either.
June 10, 2024
Thank you to Rebecca L. Garcia for giving me the opportunity to be an arc reader for this new release & providing me with this reader copy of Night of Death and Flowers in exchange for an honest review! 🤍
This book was so fun to read! As the second book i’ve now read by Rebecca L. Garcia, she still never disappoints & I fear I will always be a long time fan of hers!
The worldbuilding, the plot, the characters, the spice — all SO GOOOOOD! As a fantasy based romance novel, I loved and appreciated the glossary of terms and the (name) pronunciations guide at the beginning of the book - I hope more books have little things like this to make the reading experience just a tad bit easier!!
My initial thought was that the storyline was a little slow to pick up - just as it happens with new characters & new worldbuilding - but when it picked up & it got good and straight to the juicy stuff, IT GOT SO GOOOOOOD! I had to take my time digesting this one & letting everything soak in - there was so much to immerse yourself in, it was a fantastic read!
Calista was the most badass witchy protagonist who isn’t afraid to do bad things for the ones she loves most - and while I might be a little fearful of her, i love her all the same and her tenacity for fighting for her cause. Her relationship with her sister made my heart ache! I love seeing sibling relationships presented heavily in stories like it did with this one! It was so obvious how much Cali loves her sister & how she would obliterate literally everyone that would stand in her way to keep Ari safe. Overall, If I was in a war, I’d Cali on my side. I’m eager to see what’s in store for her in the next book…especially after that ending…???
Azkiel, my God of Death, MY SHADOW DADDDDYYYY - I love you! This man knows what he wants, and is willing to do literally everything and anything to get what he wants. So dominant on the outside, but inside he’s a touch-starved lover boy for his girl. As a villain, I loved him because he wasn’t the villain TO his girl but FOR his girl and I respect that.
Even though it took some time for them to really get comfortable with each other, I loved their characters together. The chemistry between them was almost instant, while all the while complex as all heck. If you know me, i’m forever a sucker for some forced proximity mixed with a dash of enemies to lovers situations so the premise of Cali & Azkiel’s relationship has me completely enamored from start to finish. And I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for them.
As the first in the duet, this book ends on a cliffhanger which i have a love/hate relationship with BUT the twists at the end blew my mind and i felt it was so worth the screams i screampt!!! I thought i knew what was coming, but in no way was i prepared for what actually happened! Book two… I’ll be waiting.
If you like immersive romantasy books where the villain gets the girl, ancient gods roam & an action packed hunger-games tournament type of vibes, this book is for you!!
What to Expect in Night of Death and Flowers:
- villain gets the girl
- enemies to lovers
- dark urban fantasy
- ancient gods & spooky monsters, and wicked witches
- feminine rage
- slowburn
- touch her and die
- morally gray mmc AND fmc
- amnesia
- starcrossed lovers
- he falls first & hard
- a touch starved god
- a deadly tournament
open door spice • dual pov • epic worldbuilding
I recieved an ARC copy of Night of Death and Flowers and all thoughts & comments on this review are my own!
This book was so fun to read! As the second book i’ve now read by Rebecca L. Garcia, she still never disappoints & I fear I will always be a long time fan of hers!
The worldbuilding, the plot, the characters, the spice — all SO GOOOOOD! As a fantasy based romance novel, I loved and appreciated the glossary of terms and the (name) pronunciations guide at the beginning of the book - I hope more books have little things like this to make the reading experience just a tad bit easier!!
My initial thought was that the storyline was a little slow to pick up - just as it happens with new characters & new worldbuilding - but when it picked up & it got good and straight to the juicy stuff, IT GOT SO GOOOOOOD! I had to take my time digesting this one & letting everything soak in - there was so much to immerse yourself in, it was a fantastic read!
Calista was the most badass witchy protagonist who isn’t afraid to do bad things for the ones she loves most - and while I might be a little fearful of her, i love her all the same and her tenacity for fighting for her cause. Her relationship with her sister made my heart ache! I love seeing sibling relationships presented heavily in stories like it did with this one! It was so obvious how much Cali loves her sister & how she would obliterate literally everyone that would stand in her way to keep Ari safe. Overall, If I was in a war, I’d Cali on my side. I’m eager to see what’s in store for her in the next book…especially after that ending…???
Azkiel, my God of Death, MY SHADOW DADDDDYYYY - I love you! This man knows what he wants, and is willing to do literally everything and anything to get what he wants. So dominant on the outside, but inside he’s a touch-starved lover boy for his girl. As a villain, I loved him because he wasn’t the villain TO his girl but FOR his girl and I respect that.
Even though it took some time for them to really get comfortable with each other, I loved their characters together. The chemistry between them was almost instant, while all the while complex as all heck. If you know me, i’m forever a sucker for some forced proximity mixed with a dash of enemies to lovers situations so the premise of Cali & Azkiel’s relationship has me completely enamored from start to finish. And I can’t wait to see what lies ahead for them.
As the first in the duet, this book ends on a cliffhanger which i have a love/hate relationship with BUT the twists at the end blew my mind and i felt it was so worth the screams i screampt!!! I thought i knew what was coming, but in no way was i prepared for what actually happened! Book two… I’ll be waiting.
If you like immersive romantasy books where the villain gets the girl, ancient gods roam & an action packed hunger-games tournament type of vibes, this book is for you!!
What to Expect in Night of Death and Flowers:
- villain gets the girl
- enemies to lovers
- dark urban fantasy
- ancient gods & spooky monsters, and wicked witches
- feminine rage
- slowburn
- touch her and die
- morally gray mmc AND fmc
- amnesia
- starcrossed lovers
- he falls first & hard
- a touch starved god
- a deadly tournament
open door spice • dual pov • epic worldbuilding
I recieved an ARC copy of Night of Death and Flowers and all thoughts & comments on this review are my own!
June 22, 2024
I love a dark romantasy that has intense world-building and strong characters, and Night of Death and Flowers has just that. It is the first book of a duology and the author was kind enough to gift us with an extensive glossary and pronunciation guide, which came in handy while reading this novel. Rebecca L. Garcia takes us deep into a dark world, one creatively crafted that is filled with dark magic, blood oaths, and gods and goddesses - everything that makes a fantasy worth reading.
The Harvest is coming - a tournament where 11 witches will be killed in order to find Dahryst's new elder. Dahryst is home to witches with many different powers, ranging from dream magic to creation magic, and for Callista Bellevue, it is a place she must protect. Callista is the only one of her kind, with a magic so dark she only shares it with one other being the God of Death. Callista is determined to stop this vicious, inhumane cycle and end the tournament for good, but then she is met by Azkiel, the God of Death himself, and things take a turn.
The world-building in this book is outstanding! It is carefully crafted, slowly depicting the layers and darkness to this immersive world. The characters are all different, with unique powers that set them apart. And of course, with such strong characters, we will almost inevitably see strong character development in a book such as this one. Callista and Azkiel have an enemies-to-lovers relationship, and it is intense (with him being the God of Death). The plot was thick and escalated at a steady pace, which made this book an easy page-turner for me. I enjoyed everything about this book, however, when the plot started to take off and with every twist, I found myself continuously asking one question- did the people not know of the prophesy? It seemed a bit absurd considering how dependent the people of Dahryst were on their gods and goddesses. Aside from that, this book was entirely captivating and consumed me from the very first page! I am already anticipating the next book of this duology!
Thank you NetGalley and Rebecca L. Garcia for such a riveting read!
The Harvest is coming - a tournament where 11 witches will be killed in order to find Dahryst's new elder. Dahryst is home to witches with many different powers, ranging from dream magic to creation magic, and for Callista Bellevue, it is a place she must protect. Callista is the only one of her kind, with a magic so dark she only shares it with one other being the God of Death. Callista is determined to stop this vicious, inhumane cycle and end the tournament for good, but then she is met by Azkiel, the God of Death himself, and things take a turn.
The world-building in this book is outstanding! It is carefully crafted, slowly depicting the layers and darkness to this immersive world. The characters are all different, with unique powers that set them apart. And of course, with such strong characters, we will almost inevitably see strong character development in a book such as this one. Callista and Azkiel have an enemies-to-lovers relationship, and it is intense (with him being the God of Death). The plot was thick and escalated at a steady pace, which made this book an easy page-turner for me. I enjoyed everything about this book, however, when the plot started to take off and with every twist, I found myself continuously asking one question- did the people not know of the prophesy? It seemed a bit absurd considering how dependent the people of Dahryst were on their gods and goddesses. Aside from that, this book was entirely captivating and consumed me from the very first page! I am already anticipating the next book of this duology!
Thank you NetGalley and Rebecca L. Garcia for such a riveting read!
May 31, 2024
This one is for the eldest daughters who never felt good enough.
The Harvest is upcoming--a trial where those of age are placed on an island where they kill each other and absorb the power of those they kill until there is one left standing who becomes a new Elder. It's barbaric, and Calista is determined to end it. The problem? The God of Death is waking up now too, and he's convinced she's going to bring ruin to everyone and everything if she's allowed to live. The next problem? He kinda sorta maybe has a thing for her.
Calista puts herself in harms way to save the village, and more importantly, her sisters and best friend Drake from the harvest. When that doesn't go according to plan, she inserts herself into the Harvest to protect them at all costs. She doesn't care that her parents can't stand her, or that she wants love more than anything. She's going to take care of her family, no matter the cost to herself. If that doesn't scream eldest daughter energy--I don't know what does. I loved her characterization and arc, and how she grows from the start to the end of this first book. I related to her SO much, and it was great seeing her come into her own and accept herself. I loved the Harvest, and I loved how not only did we have a magic system, but plants/flowers were just as important to survival.
The love story was a bit "insta love" for me, and not as enemies to lovers as I would have liked--but I also love true mortal enemies to lovers more than the average person. Azkiel's POV was a lot more "tell" than "show," and I feel as though a few of his chapters could have been removed without losing the story, or reworked so it felt like something was HAPPENING rather than him just remembering something 5 times over. But overall I really loved this story and am super looking forward to book two!
Thank you, Rebecca for the ARC of this one!
The Harvest is upcoming--a trial where those of age are placed on an island where they kill each other and absorb the power of those they kill until there is one left standing who becomes a new Elder. It's barbaric, and Calista is determined to end it. The problem? The God of Death is waking up now too, and he's convinced she's going to bring ruin to everyone and everything if she's allowed to live. The next problem? He kinda sorta maybe has a thing for her.
Calista puts herself in harms way to save the village, and more importantly, her sisters and best friend Drake from the harvest. When that doesn't go according to plan, she inserts herself into the Harvest to protect them at all costs. She doesn't care that her parents can't stand her, or that she wants love more than anything. She's going to take care of her family, no matter the cost to herself. If that doesn't scream eldest daughter energy--I don't know what does. I loved her characterization and arc, and how she grows from the start to the end of this first book. I related to her SO much, and it was great seeing her come into her own and accept herself. I loved the Harvest, and I loved how not only did we have a magic system, but plants/flowers were just as important to survival.
The love story was a bit "insta love" for me, and not as enemies to lovers as I would have liked--but I also love true mortal enemies to lovers more than the average person. Azkiel's POV was a lot more "tell" than "show," and I feel as though a few of his chapters could have been removed without losing the story, or reworked so it felt like something was HAPPENING rather than him just remembering something 5 times over. But overall I really loved this story and am super looking forward to book two!
Thank you, Rebecca for the ARC of this one!
June 22, 2024
3.5 rounded up to 4 *arc review*
sometimes i have an issue with romantasy because the info dump and the world building is just too much and i end up skipping paragraphs just to get to dialogue and that happened for the first like 50% of the book.
there is a glossary in the beginning that is like 10 pages long and reading that gave me a headache and i didn’t really have to read it because its spoon fed to you in the first 20% of the book. now i know this is book one of a duet so i took it with a grain of salt because the info had to be dumped SOMEWHERE but it wasn’t a favorite of mine.
you know who WAS a favorite of mine? Azkiel.
that sad, misunderstood, lonely man 😭😭😭 he did everything for love even when he didn’t remember.
i really liked Calista also. they are so perfect for each other and even though they didn’t really even interact until the last 20% of the book…..talk about a slow burn.
but also…………fuck everyone else. i can’t wait to see what happens in the next book because FUCK ALL THOSE OTHER PEOPLE 😡😡😡😡
POSSIBLE SPOILERS (safety info)
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
there is a love triangle with Calista and her best friend Drake (they do kiss but that’s it) but we know who the real winner here is 😏😏😏
Azkiel also can’t touch anyone (but Calista) without them dying so needless to sayyyyyyyyyyyy he isn’t with anyone.
Calista said that she’s kissed boys and let them touch her but no mention of anything else.
sometimes i have an issue with romantasy because the info dump and the world building is just too much and i end up skipping paragraphs just to get to dialogue and that happened for the first like 50% of the book.
there is a glossary in the beginning that is like 10 pages long and reading that gave me a headache and i didn’t really have to read it because its spoon fed to you in the first 20% of the book. now i know this is book one of a duet so i took it with a grain of salt because the info had to be dumped SOMEWHERE but it wasn’t a favorite of mine.
you know who WAS a favorite of mine? Azkiel.
that sad, misunderstood, lonely man 😭😭😭 he did everything for love even when he didn’t remember.
i really liked Calista also. they are so perfect for each other and even though they didn’t really even interact until the last 20% of the book…..talk about a slow burn.
but also…………fuck everyone else. i can’t wait to see what happens in the next book because FUCK ALL THOSE OTHER PEOPLE 😡😡😡😡
POSSIBLE SPOILERS (safety info)
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
there is a love triangle with Calista and her best friend Drake (they do kiss but that’s it) but we know who the real winner here is 😏😏😏
Azkiel also can’t touch anyone (but Calista) without them dying so needless to sayyyyyyyyyyyy he isn’t with anyone.
Calista said that she’s kissed boys and let them touch her but no mention of anything else.
July 1, 2024
Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley and the author for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
I have mixed feelings. Why? Because this book had so much potential. I truly wish I'd enjoyed it more as it started amazingly.
The main problem for me was the continuous repetitions played throughout the book. Okay if you said it once, okay if you say the same thing twice. Even thrice I can understand. But after? No, it hindered the reading enormously for me.
Another small problem that I found was how the glossary was made. Okay with the name and pronunciations- but all the small extras? I would have preferred learning about this world as I turned page, instead of having a lore being dumped from page one like that.
This truly had so much potential. A better version of Lightlark in terms of plot and maybe even writing (which taking out the fact that it was wayyy to much repetitive was even a bit too flowery where maybe a dialogue would have been better). This isn't a bad book. And I'll probably read book two when it comes out. I just hope that all the small things I found that hindered my experience while reading will have been taken care off.
There were even come editing mistakes. But I blame this on the ARC as it's not the finally copy that will be released to the public.
Spice? 0.5🌶️/ 5
Overall rating? 3.25⭐️/5
I have mixed feelings. Why? Because this book had so much potential. I truly wish I'd enjoyed it more as it started amazingly.
The main problem for me was the continuous repetitions played throughout the book. Okay if you said it once, okay if you say the same thing twice. Even thrice I can understand. But after? No, it hindered the reading enormously for me.
Another small problem that I found was how the glossary was made. Okay with the name and pronunciations- but all the small extras? I would have preferred learning about this world as I turned page, instead of having a lore being dumped from page one like that.
This truly had so much potential. A better version of Lightlark in terms of plot and maybe even writing (which taking out the fact that it was wayyy to much repetitive was even a bit too flowery where maybe a dialogue would have been better). This isn't a bad book. And I'll probably read book two when it comes out. I just hope that all the small things I found that hindered my experience while reading will have been taken care off.
There were even come editing mistakes. But I blame this on the ARC as it's not the finally copy that will be released to the public.
Spice? 0.5🌶️/ 5
Overall rating? 3.25⭐️/5
June 20, 2024
Stars: 3.5
Firstly I would like to say thank you to the author, for allowing me the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this book!
I really loved the concept of the story. The tropes hit all my boxes and made me so excited for this book!
The world was dark and creative and has such potential! I love all things witchy and the attention to detail in world building was wonderful.
The writing itself creates such vivid imagery of beauty, darkness, and death and really made me feel the words written on the pages. I’m a sucker for gory details and I definitely got them huhu.
The two main characters are so fantastic. I felt like I really got to know the depths of their emotions through the writing. I could feel their pain, and understand the choices they made.
I will say that the first few chapters of the book were a little slow and hard to follow. I understand the need for world building, but found myself a little confused at times with all of the information.
The pacing also felt a little awkward at times. There was a lot of describing through huge / important events and I felt like took away from the actual actions of the characters.
When I got further into reading things clicked together. Once I got the hang of the world I could read a bit more fluidly.
Chapter 11 is when things began to fall into place with me, and is also when the two characters interact which was fun!
I loved the dual point of view so that we could really get to know both characters and their struggles. It really helped understand the world from different perspectives. I do however wish we had more of them building their relationship together.
There was one small interaction between the two in the beginning, then they continued to be separated through a lot of the book. When they do finally begin to work together it felt as though they didn’t have enough time to stop the hate before they actually got… intimate. (which I was a sucker for because I love smut)
I really liked the death tournament and defy the Gods aspects and this is where the book kicked up and peaked my interest. Fighting, magic, poison! The final few chapters were so exciting! Betrayal action, more betrayal!
Overall there were some slight issues I had with the read but the ideas behind the story and characters themselves got me hooked and needing to know what happens next!
Read if you like:
Witches
Gods
Enemies to lovers
Death tournament
Amnesia
Slow burn
Would burn the word for her
Firstly I would like to say thank you to the author, for allowing me the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this book!
I really loved the concept of the story. The tropes hit all my boxes and made me so excited for this book!
The world was dark and creative and has such potential! I love all things witchy and the attention to detail in world building was wonderful.
The writing itself creates such vivid imagery of beauty, darkness, and death and really made me feel the words written on the pages. I’m a sucker for gory details and I definitely got them huhu.
The two main characters are so fantastic. I felt like I really got to know the depths of their emotions through the writing. I could feel their pain, and understand the choices they made.
I will say that the first few chapters of the book were a little slow and hard to follow. I understand the need for world building, but found myself a little confused at times with all of the information.
The pacing also felt a little awkward at times. There was a lot of describing through huge / important events and I felt like took away from the actual actions of the characters.
When I got further into reading things clicked together. Once I got the hang of the world I could read a bit more fluidly.
Chapter 11 is when things began to fall into place with me, and is also when the two characters interact which was fun!
I loved the dual point of view so that we could really get to know both characters and their struggles. It really helped understand the world from different perspectives. I do however wish we had more of them building their relationship together.
There was one small interaction between the two in the beginning, then they continued to be separated through a lot of the book. When they do finally begin to work together it felt as though they didn’t have enough time to stop the hate before they actually got… intimate. (which I was a sucker for because I love smut)
I really liked the death tournament and defy the Gods aspects and this is where the book kicked up and peaked my interest. Fighting, magic, poison! The final few chapters were so exciting! Betrayal action, more betrayal!
Overall there were some slight issues I had with the read but the ideas behind the story and characters themselves got me hooked and needing to know what happens next!
Read if you like:
Witches
Gods
Enemies to lovers
Death tournament
Amnesia
Slow burn
Would burn the word for her
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
1.5🌶
56/100📚
I received this book as an ARC and I am blown away at how beautifully written this is. This book has everything, the world building was great- I could imagine being there, the character development and depth even for the side characters was great.
You can bet there is a Shadow Daddy! This book has everything and more - I probably felt every kind of emotion and I can't believe the ending, I need book two now! Purely enchanting and haunting. Loved!
You'll like this if you like...
🖤Enemies to lovers
🩵Dark romantasy
🖤Gods and Goddesses
🩵Witches and Warlocks
🖤Ritualistic sacrifices
🩵Tournaments - think hunger games style
1.5🌶
56/100📚
I received this book as an ARC and I am blown away at how beautifully written this is. This book has everything, the world building was great- I could imagine being there, the character development and depth even for the side characters was great.
You can bet there is a Shadow Daddy! This book has everything and more - I probably felt every kind of emotion and I can't believe the ending, I need book two now! Purely enchanting and haunting. Loved!
You'll like this if you like...
🖤Enemies to lovers
🩵Dark romantasy
🖤Gods and Goddesses
🩵Witches and Warlocks
🖤Ritualistic sacrifices
🩵Tournaments - think hunger games style
Read
June 20, 2024first of all thank you to netgalley for the arc!
unfortunately i’m DNFing @ 15%
this author has a lot of potential, but the writing is just too amateur for me to want to continue reading and i’m not going to force myself.
unfortunately i’m DNFing @ 15%
this author has a lot of potential, but the writing is just too amateur for me to want to continue reading and i’m not going to force myself.
June 22, 2024
Dark fantasy romance- slow burn, hate to love, love triangle. Vibes of a Gothic Hunger Games with magic, sacrifices, witches, and covens. There is ALOT of world building at the beginning which can be overwhelming but it is also introduced while you read. So if world building is not for you then skip the glossary or use a reference.
🌸 There was intricate amounts of detail and emotions written throughout the book. The character art of this book will be phenomenal when we get to see it. Each character is unique and I enjoyed the FMCs banter and sarcasm. I loved how all the characters’ flaws and truths start to come to light as tension rises and sacrifices are made, everything slowly unravels. Definitely some great angsty moments!
I did like the redundancy of the Gods names and magic characteristics and the covens names. That was actually helpful since there was six of them with associations to everyone’s different magical abilities and covens they represent.
However, there were too many reiterations in the dialogue and storyline. I had to skim through parts because I felt like I had already read it somewhere else in the story. It slowed down the storyline and plot building. It started to bother me and was distracting. As I read there were times I would stop paying attention and my mind drifted to other things as I was reading. I did not feel enveloped in this story. I thought— I already know that’s the plan, I know what they are feeling, or I know that’s what has happened in the past already, why do they continue to repeat themselves. So hopefully that was edited a bit more before final release. I did read an ARC version.
🌸 There was intricate amounts of detail and emotions written throughout the book. The character art of this book will be phenomenal when we get to see it. Each character is unique and I enjoyed the FMCs banter and sarcasm. I loved how all the characters’ flaws and truths start to come to light as tension rises and sacrifices are made, everything slowly unravels. Definitely some great angsty moments!
I did like the redundancy of the Gods names and magic characteristics and the covens names. That was actually helpful since there was six of them with associations to everyone’s different magical abilities and covens they represent.
However, there were too many reiterations in the dialogue and storyline. I had to skim through parts because I felt like I had already read it somewhere else in the story. It slowed down the storyline and plot building. It started to bother me and was distracting. As I read there were times I would stop paying attention and my mind drifted to other things as I was reading. I did not feel enveloped in this story. I thought— I already know that’s the plan, I know what they are feeling, or I know that’s what has happened in the past already, why do they continue to repeat themselves. So hopefully that was edited a bit more before final release. I did read an ARC version.
June 17, 2024
ARC REVIEW
5 ⭐
Tropes / Elements:
Gods and goddesses
He falls first
Feminine rage
Deadly tournament
Softness only for her
Themes of sacrifice & rebellion
Betrayal
Amnesia
Villian gets the girl
This book includes gods, witches, magic, hunting game, a wonderful fantasy world and LOVE AND BETRAYAL.
What else more do we need?
Well, amnesia apparently.
This is a perfect book if you love to read about gods especially death- yes, god of death.
The setting of this book is in a world where witches exists, who are gifted by god's power, well only one normal power and not etheral one.
But what happens when Callista comes to know that she possesses God's etheral power and that too God of death's etheral power?
Gods do not walk the earth anymore. It has been over a century since they are not seen but that doesn't stop the harvest- a deadly tournament. It is a game to choose most powerful amongst them.
Harvest is the event which is held every decade to choose an elder and it is no more than a hunting game where only one shall survive out of 12.
But God of Death, Azkiel, has returned for this Harvest because of a prophecy which states it will destroy him- How? You'll have to read to know.
And it seems Calista is the one Death is finding because according to the prophecy, she'll be the one to destroy him.
Calista also has a goal to save his bestfriend from this Harvest.
So what will happen when Azkiel and Calista has to come to an agreement for everyone's benefit? Will it save her or destroy her? Will prophecy come true? What will happen when Calsita and Azkeil comes close because of all this? What if Azkiel falls gor Calista? Because Gods are forbidden to fall for a mortal.
I enjoyed this book so much and I will only say it is one of the best I've read this year. The writing style, the background, the story, the settings is all perfect.
I love the characters and character development.
I can't wait for the second book.
5 ⭐
Tropes / Elements:
Gods and goddesses
He falls first
Feminine rage
Deadly tournament
Softness only for her
Themes of sacrifice & rebellion
Betrayal
Amnesia
Villian gets the girl
This book includes gods, witches, magic, hunting game, a wonderful fantasy world and LOVE AND BETRAYAL.
What else more do we need?
Well, amnesia apparently.
This is a perfect book if you love to read about gods especially death- yes, god of death.
The setting of this book is in a world where witches exists, who are gifted by god's power, well only one normal power and not etheral one.
But what happens when Callista comes to know that she possesses God's etheral power and that too God of death's etheral power?
Gods do not walk the earth anymore. It has been over a century since they are not seen but that doesn't stop the harvest- a deadly tournament. It is a game to choose most powerful amongst them.
Harvest is the event which is held every decade to choose an elder and it is no more than a hunting game where only one shall survive out of 12.
But God of Death, Azkiel, has returned for this Harvest because of a prophecy which states it will destroy him- How? You'll have to read to know.
And it seems Calista is the one Death is finding because according to the prophecy, she'll be the one to destroy him.
Calista also has a goal to save his bestfriend from this Harvest.
So what will happen when Azkiel and Calista has to come to an agreement for everyone's benefit? Will it save her or destroy her? Will prophecy come true? What will happen when Calsita and Azkeil comes close because of all this? What if Azkiel falls gor Calista? Because Gods are forbidden to fall for a mortal.
I enjoyed this book so much and I will only say it is one of the best I've read this year. The writing style, the background, the story, the settings is all perfect.
I love the characters and character development.
I can't wait for the second book.
June 24, 2024
3.5 stars
I was gripped with this story right from the start with the witch covens and the Harvest and it sounded right up my alley. The description of the night markets was so vivid that I felt like I was there myself. Calistas character is my favourite with her strong sense of self and determination for what she thinks is right. Deaths POV did feel slightly repetitive and I didn’t understand why he hated Drake so much for being a traitor and destroying his statue but not Calista? I felt the story dropped off once they hit the island but the twists of the prophecy had me shocked and the ending came so suddenly I wanted more. I felt like there needed to be more of a connection between Calista and Death throughout and felt a bit insta-love for myself which I’m not a fan of. I really enjoyed the premise of the story and definitely want to see how it unfolds in the second one.
Thank you to Net Galley for this Arc!
I was gripped with this story right from the start with the witch covens and the Harvest and it sounded right up my alley. The description of the night markets was so vivid that I felt like I was there myself. Calistas character is my favourite with her strong sense of self and determination for what she thinks is right. Deaths POV did feel slightly repetitive and I didn’t understand why he hated Drake so much for being a traitor and destroying his statue but not Calista? I felt the story dropped off once they hit the island but the twists of the prophecy had me shocked and the ending came so suddenly I wanted more. I felt like there needed to be more of a connection between Calista and Death throughout and felt a bit insta-love for myself which I’m not a fan of. I really enjoyed the premise of the story and definitely want to see how it unfolds in the second one.
Thank you to Net Galley for this Arc!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2024
2.5/5 ⭐️. I received an ARC copy of this through NetGalley and was very excited. I was drawn in by the cover and found the synopsis interesting, but this book just did not do it for me. I got 30% of the way into this book and was still completely uninterested and skimmed the last 70%.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a chance to read this ARC in an exchange for my opinions. I broken down the reasoning for my rating below. Might have minor spoilers.
- Writing Style: 2.5/5
Personally, I did not like the writing style. It came off as trying too hard to be descriptive and seemed more like the writer was trying to reach a certain word count rather than focusing on the quality of the story telling. Too detailed on things that didn’t matter or add anything to the story. A lot of stuff was very repetitive. This was more of a tell than show type of writing that never gave me a mental picture or had me understanding a characters feelings. For as descriptive as the writing tried to be, I can’t recall much of anything about the setting and in regard to characters I can only remember their hair color.
- Plot/Story: 3/5
The premise of this book seems very interesting and I was excited to read, but it fell so far flat of it. At no point was I ever invested in this story and as a whole it felt fairly anticlimactic and was quite predictable. Again, I feel the writing is where the plot got screwed. From where the book starts to how it ends is intriguing, but how it was told did nothing to actually make me interested.
- World Building: 2.5/5
Honestly, I recall so little of this world and never had a good vivid picture paint in my mind of any scene in this book because the writing just seemed to lack. Essentially there are covens with different powers based on the different gods. For some reason every couple of years tributes are chosen to fight to the death in a trial similar to the hunger games until one remains. The one who remains becomes an elder who gets the powers of all that died in the trial (which makes them sound powerful, but essentially they are useless???). Then there’s the god of death who has trapped his god/godess siblings on the island where these tributes fight to the death. He trapped his siblings in some kind of sleep state but can’t remember why he did it besides the fact that he keeps saying they are evil. Then there’s some kind of prophecy regarding his siblings waking and the 15th trial that the God of Death thinks he understands but realizes he misunderstood it each time he thinks or talks about it. Overall the whole way this world works and what’s driving the plot seems weakly built and had me confused most of the time or left so much information left out that it failed to provide enough information to interest me.
- Characters: 2/5
I did not care for either of the main characters. The only character I (somewhat) liked throughout the whole book was Drake who was only a side character. The vast majority of the book has you rooting for the FMC Calista and her childhood friend Drake. They finally get to the moment they kiss and both characters say it felt wrong and that was that. Next thing you know Calista is hooking up with the God of Death (Az). The relationship between Calista and Az is supposed to be enemy to lovers, but there is hardly any change in their relationship. One second they don’t like each other (and she is literally kissing Drake) and in the next Az is helping her “calm her powers” and the next thing you know they’re hooking up and suddenly love each other. Pretty much everything between Calista and Az is the author saying they have feelings for each other, but nothing in the writing shows that or builds their relationship at all. It’s all very sudden and honestly kind of cringey. Also, it seems that the author wanted Az to come off as a “shadow daddy” but missed the mark.
- Overall: 2.5/5
I was excited to read this based on the synopsis and the book itself is so pretty (I pre ordered a Special Edition from the authors website before reading this ARC, and honestly I wish I could cancel it). At no point in the book was I interested in the characters or what was happening and I cannot get into this authors writing style. If it weren’t for the fact that I had received this as an ARC I would have DNF’d this at 30%. This is only the first book in the series so there is a possibility for everything to improve in the other books, but personally based on this one I will not be continuing with the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a chance to read this ARC in an exchange for my opinions. I broken down the reasoning for my rating below. Might have minor spoilers.
- Writing Style: 2.5/5
Personally, I did not like the writing style. It came off as trying too hard to be descriptive and seemed more like the writer was trying to reach a certain word count rather than focusing on the quality of the story telling. Too detailed on things that didn’t matter or add anything to the story. A lot of stuff was very repetitive. This was more of a tell than show type of writing that never gave me a mental picture or had me understanding a characters feelings. For as descriptive as the writing tried to be, I can’t recall much of anything about the setting and in regard to characters I can only remember their hair color.
- Plot/Story: 3/5
The premise of this book seems very interesting and I was excited to read, but it fell so far flat of it. At no point was I ever invested in this story and as a whole it felt fairly anticlimactic and was quite predictable. Again, I feel the writing is where the plot got screwed. From where the book starts to how it ends is intriguing, but how it was told did nothing to actually make me interested.
- World Building: 2.5/5
Honestly, I recall so little of this world and never had a good vivid picture paint in my mind of any scene in this book because the writing just seemed to lack. Essentially there are covens with different powers based on the different gods. For some reason every couple of years tributes are chosen to fight to the death in a trial similar to the hunger games until one remains. The one who remains becomes an elder who gets the powers of all that died in the trial (which makes them sound powerful, but essentially they are useless???). Then there’s the god of death who has trapped his god/godess siblings on the island where these tributes fight to the death. He trapped his siblings in some kind of sleep state but can’t remember why he did it besides the fact that he keeps saying they are evil. Then there’s some kind of prophecy regarding his siblings waking and the 15th trial that the God of Death thinks he understands but realizes he misunderstood it each time he thinks or talks about it. Overall the whole way this world works and what’s driving the plot seems weakly built and had me confused most of the time or left so much information left out that it failed to provide enough information to interest me.
- Characters: 2/5
I did not care for either of the main characters. The only character I (somewhat) liked throughout the whole book was Drake who was only a side character. The vast majority of the book has you rooting for the FMC Calista and her childhood friend Drake. They finally get to the moment they kiss and both characters say it felt wrong and that was that. Next thing you know Calista is hooking up with the God of Death (Az). The relationship between Calista and Az is supposed to be enemy to lovers, but there is hardly any change in their relationship. One second they don’t like each other (and she is literally kissing Drake) and in the next Az is helping her “calm her powers” and the next thing you know they’re hooking up and suddenly love each other. Pretty much everything between Calista and Az is the author saying they have feelings for each other, but nothing in the writing shows that or builds their relationship at all. It’s all very sudden and honestly kind of cringey. Also, it seems that the author wanted Az to come off as a “shadow daddy” but missed the mark.
- Overall: 2.5/5
I was excited to read this based on the synopsis and the book itself is so pretty (I pre ordered a Special Edition from the authors website before reading this ARC, and honestly I wish I could cancel it). At no point in the book was I interested in the characters or what was happening and I cannot get into this authors writing style. If it weren’t for the fact that I had received this as an ARC I would have DNF’d this at 30%. This is only the first book in the series so there is a possibility for everything to improve in the other books, but personally based on this one I will not be continuing with the series.
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