A Dark and Wild Wood

by Sarah Nicole Lemon

Inspired by the tale of Bluebeard, A Dark and Wild Wood is the lush and atmospheric story of a maiden with dark magic who becomes the apprentice to Lord Death—for a price. Perfect for fans of Juniper and Thorn and The Year of the Witching.

Ever since she was a child, Salomé has been plagued by visions of spirits and dangerous powers she can’t control. After watching her foster mother burn as a witch, she and her beloved sister Rochelle are raised together in a convent, a grim and dreary existence. Until one day, Rochelle vanishes.

Determined to find a way to save her, Salomé runs: first to a brothel, and then, after a terrible accident, away from the village and into the woods. Deep amongst the trees of the wild Black Forest, she comes face-to-face with Lord Death.

Rather than taking her life, he brings her to his home at the heart of the woods, a strange manor full of locked rooms and mysterious corridors, crumbling one moment, magnificent the next. He promises to make her his apprentice and teach her how to harness her mind and magic. His words are as seductive as his presence—but should one trust Death?

A swirling mirage of dark fairy tale, gothic romance, and historical fantasy, A Dark and Wild Wood is a novel best devoured all at once. But proceed with caution, as everything is not what it seems...

Genres: Fantasy, Gothic, Horror, Retellings, Romance, Adult, Historical Fiction

367 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 12, 2026

Reviews

[Rina | Worldsbetweenpages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much for the arc HarperCollins UK | HarperFiction | HarperVoyager!

**3,5/5**

"You have thought a lot about death, but how do you want to live?"

🪦 gothic worldbuilding
✨ secret magic
🪦 mysterious mansion
✨ dark romance
🪦 paranormal

What I liked:
- While it wasn’t the romance I expected it to be, I found the portrayal of Death way more believable than in most books. It’s a toxic relationship and Death uses his power and position to manipulate and control the protagonist. It felt believable because of course she is more naive and inexperienced in every way possible than a literal immortal. Death knows her weaknesses and takes advantage of them like one would expect from a being like Death and such a power difference.
- The whole worldbuilding was right up my alley! An overall gothic setting, spirits like house demons and hellcats, a dark forest, a mysterious mansion, secret magical powers, witch burnings, and of course, Death as a teacher and romantic lead.

What I didn’t like:
- While the protagonist has to endure obviously horrible things, she doesn’t seem to be appropriately affected. We get too little insight into her real thoughts and feelings, especially since it’s first person. No spoiler because it happens in the first 15%: It can’t be that much of a usual business to lose your sister, be thrown from a coven into a bordel and be buried alive… She hasn’t even one breakdown? It made it hard for me to build a real connection to the protagonist.

✍🏻 Writing style: 3/5
👥 Characters: 3/5
🌍 Worldbuilding: 4,5/5
📝 Story & Plot: 3,5/5
✨ Vibes: 4,5/5

•Is this my go-to genre? yes
•Will I buy a physical copy: yes
•Will I read more books by the author: yes

[Lana C · Rating 3 out of 5]

* Read Through NetGalley*
I’m really struggling with how I feel about this book because my biggest issue is honestly the way it’s marketed. Going in, I was expecting a romance, and I really don’t think this book should be sold that way. The relationship between Salome and Death didn’t feel romantic to me at all. It felt toxic and abusive. Death controls her body, literally cuts her without her consent, takes advantage of how naive she is about the magical world, and constantly uses affection in a manipulative way by pulling it away when it’s obvious that’s what she wants most. It’s really hard for me to enjoy a story when I go in expecting romance and end up reading a relationship that feels harmful but is still framed as romantic.

That being said, there were parts of the story that I did appreciate. Salome’s journey of trying to figure out who she is outside of the labels forced onto her, like witch, sinner, and whore, was probably the strongest part of the book for me. Watching her start to separate herself from those identities and find her own power felt like the real heart of the story.

I also struggled with the pacing. It felt really slow and clunky at times, and there were definitely parts where I found myself skimming because they just didn’t feel all that necessary or exciting. I think the book would’ve worked a lot better for me if it had been tightened up a bit.

With different expectations going in and better pacing, I honestly think I could’ve rated this higher. There are definitely things in here that I can appreciate, but the way it’s marketed ended up being my biggest turnoff.

[V ᛑᛗᛛ · Rating 5 out of 5]

honestly, after reading those reviews, i didn't plan to read this book at first (i was invited to read). but for some reason, i felt a weird urge to pick it up. like a good feeling??? and i was right, because from the very beginning, i was immediately hooked. people may feel differently, but i loved it.

the first thing that really pulled me in was the prose. it felt very beautiful and just fit the atmosphere. for me, it wasn't too much at all, it felt just right. this was the main reason i kept wanting to read. even though there aren't that many scary things happening in this book (i didn't really feel the horror elements, to be honest), the writing alone makes the gothic elements strong.

the pacing can be uneven, sure, but i enjoyed my time 'walking' through the manor, the woods, and the village, encountering new and strange things. i was pretty much like Salome while reading this. curious about everything. reading this book is like walking with a small lantern in the woods (like the cover). we've got trauma, friendship (romantic or platonic? 👀), bad luck, mysteries about missing women, dangerous magic power, creepy & mysterious manor, and so much more.

BUT this is not a romance book. so if you're expecting romance, i think you'll be disappointed. (tho to be fair, at first i was like, okay, Death is kinda interesting. though slowly, he starts to change into someone who's … well, let's just say the story gets a bit more disturbing in the middle after that.)

my favorite character here is probably the Hellcat lmaooo. i liked this book without really liking the characters, and that's fine. imo, if you don't mind the things i mentioned above, just go read it.

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus}]

*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!*

Inspired by Bluebeard. This should be interesting.

[✧˖°.⋆.˚ ☾⭒.˚₊ ⊹ ♡Megan ₊˚⊹ ᰔ ⟡ ݁₊ . · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advance readers copy of this book.

3.5⭐️ A Dark and Wild Wood was very beautifully written. I absolutely loved the lyrical writing style for this book. What starts out as a dreary and dull story transcends into a beautiful atmospheric and dark tale with spirits, magic, spells and a very dark gothic feel once the main character reaches the “otherworld” and we meet Lord Death as he takes her under his wing as his apprentice to help her with her magic to find her sister.

I couldn’t believe how good this book was as I kept reading it. The Knight and the Moth and One Dark Window girlies, this book is for you if you like trips through a dark and magical forest and creepy mansions and beautiful spells. (Honestly better than The Knight and the Moth.)

The story line really keeps you hooked but I’m only rating it 3.5 because I did get a little bored around 70% but the entirety of the book is still SO good and I definitely didn’t expect that ending.

[louise ʚଓ · Rating 4 out of 5]

| rating: 3.75 ★

me: wow this is so much like “The Bloody Chamber”
me 90% in: oh this is literally “The Blood Chamber”

i love gothic novels 🖤

full review to come!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the e-ARC!

[Book Riot Community]

Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:

In this Bluebeard-inspired story, Sarah Nicole Lemon weaves an eerie fairytale full of dark magic and seduction. Despite her futile attempts, Salomé has never been able to control her mysterious powers or visions of spirits. Her world turns upside down when her sister Rochelle disappears, and Salomé leaves the convent to try to save her. In the Black Forest, Salomé comes face to face with Lord Death. He spares her life and takes her back to his manor, where he promises to teach her to harness her powers—but at what cost? Part horror, part fantasy—with a dash of erotica —A Dark and Wild Wood is the must-read gothic tale of the year. —Kendra Winchester

[andrea]

ok i've been following sarah for YEARS and maybe nobody is more hyped about this one than me I NEED THIS

--

I LOVE YOU HARPER VOYAGER, THANK YOU FOR MY ARC

[nightmarebees (jackie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and harper voyager for the eARC!

hannah whitten posted about this one so i had to go immediately to netgalley. i love a fairytale retelling, especially a gothic or otherwise horror-tinged retelling, and Bluebeard isn’t one i’ve seen tackled often. i think that some level of familiarity with the original tale here will definitely help expectations going in.

things i did NOT expect that were pleasant surprises:
- almost historical fantasy, taking place with our world in centuries past
- the main character is queer?? definitely sapphic or bisexual. her most meaningful relationship in this tale is with another woman.

i would highly recommend this to enjoyers of A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson the exploration of gendered power dynamics and the theme of intimate partner abuse in particular. the relationship between our protagonist and her “lord” was always unbalanced, always suspect, but it was interestingly written in terms of just how bad things had to get for Salome to consider fleeing.

i wouldn’t call this a “slow burn” in terms of what that means for the romance genre, because this is 100% NOT romance. it’s more that the physical intimacy between Salome and Renaud really inches along before it gets explicit. there are some kinks explored before they even technically get their hands on each other that are almost more intense than if they were both fully naked. the sexual content here isn’t romantic. it’s about power. that’s what makes it so deliciously uncomfortable to read.

my only complaints are some subplots that were resolved very quickly or never fully developed, in which case i feel like they could’ve almost been whittled down to make more room for Salome’s main story. in particular, Rochelle’s disappearance and the bandit leader’s possible magic were given just enough time to make me curious but ultimately weren’t relevant to the main plot.

i just really enjoyed this despite not usually being a fan of a first person POV in adult fantasy. i think it helps that the narrative is structured from the beginning as Salome looking back on these events. if she ever seems a bit too insightful on her actions in the present moment, the narration reminds us that she’s had time to think about all of these things since the past when they actually happened.

[Magdalena (magdal21) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of Maiden and Death stories, so this lyrical, gothic retelling of Bluebeard sounded completely up my alley. Sadly, it didn’t really meet my expectations, and the whole reading experience ended up being more frustrating than fun.

This is a book about Salomé, a girl with dangerous powers, who goes searching for her missing sister and ends up in Lord Death’s creepy, mysterious manor. To be fair, the first few dozen pages really pulled me in. The book started off strong, with a great atmosphere and genuinely beautiful writing, and I was honestly excited to see where it would go. But pretty quickly the pacing started to drag, and I found myself getting more and more disconnected from the story.

I knew from the beginning that this book wasn’t supposed to be a romance, and the author made that clear. The relationship between Salome and Lord Death was meant to be disturbing and unsettling, and it definitely was. But it didn’t make me feel what I expected it to, and at some point I started to wonder why. Long story short, I think my lack of investment came down to the lack of proper buildup, especially on Salome’s side. There just wasn’t enough development to make the dynamic really land. I never fully understood why she was drawn to Death in the first place, which made it harder to stay emotionally engaged.

A lot of other elements felt underdeveloped too. The magic system, if you could even call it that, was vague and pretty confusing. Salome was supposed to have some kind of power, and the story kept telling us she was growing into it, but what was actually shown didn’t really back that up. Because of that, the ending didn’t work for me either. It hinted at character growth for Salome, but it didn’t feel earned. Everything wrapped up too quickly, which just added to the overall sense that the plot was chaotic and unfocused.

The prose was probably the strongest part. It was very lyrical and at times genuinely beautiful. But sadly, it wasn’t enough to make up for a story that never fully came together.

All in all, I really wish I had liked this book more. It had so much potential, and the author clearly proved they can write. The ideas were there, the prose showed real talent, but for me the story just didn’t come together in a satisfying way.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Mars Azel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moody, dark, and ethereal. A Dark and Wild Wood immerses you in a world of vivid imagery and surrealism that pushes the boundaries of what it means to survive as a woman. If you love stories with a sapphic, witchy heart, this is absolutely the book for you.

[Jewels · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rating: 1 star

Inspired by the tale of Bluebeard, A Dark and Wild Wood is a gothic twisted retelling full of mystery, magic, and self-discovery. Salomé, a woman with dangerous magic, flees to the Black Forest after her sister is kidnapped by a demon and is taken in by the mysterious Lord Death. He offers to train her, but their relationship becomes increasingly dark and controlling.

I’m just going to start off by saying it’s a 1 star because I wish I DNF’ed at the start like I wanted to instead of sticking around because I was lucky enough to get an arc. This book put me into a reading slump…while I was reading it. I can usually read books in 2-3 days—this took a month and a half. I really tried so many times to get into this book, but it wasn’t for me.

The idea of the book was very interesting but the execution was lackluster in my opinion. The magic system as a concept is really cool. It was the highlight of the book but was a bit underdeveloped and under explained. The prose is well done, creating captivating and horrific imagery. During certain actiony moments the scene was set really well. On the other hand the pacing was poor. You know how they say start the book in the middle of the story? This book did not take that advice and started from the very beginning, genuinely from birth. The first 20% just read like endless setup before the real hook. After that I was intrigued but it ended up falling flat quickly thereafter. It was pretty flat with small sparks throughout. The last 15-20% also picked up. There was a slight plot twist at the end but at the same time the whole book was kind of pointing to it. I was left with a lot of questions more than real answers and things seemed very untidily wrapped up. On a good note, I do think the ending was a true gothic bittersweet end; kind of giving Crimson Peak/Frankenstein (basically Guillermo Del Toro).

I also didn’t really connect with any of the characters especially not the FMC. Honestly everyone in this story is annoying. Either too vague or just plain unlikable. I didn’t really connect to the MMC and felt like their relationship didn’t really make sense. Why she was so loyal to him when they have no chemistry and no real bonding moments save for one is beyond me. So many interactions between the main characters had my lip curled. I felt like the girl watching her friend stay in a toxic relationship and you just want to shake her. Her inner monologue in reference to Death was nuts.

I’m also confused as to why this book is marketed (in the blurb) as being a gothic romance. There is some sort of relationship between Salomé and Lord Death and there IS spice. This alone does not a romance/romantasy make. This is not a romance in any way which is explicitly stated. I don’t think it should be considered a romance, but if it must be mentioned, perhaps gothic horror with romance elements would be better suited (even this is a stretch for me).

Overall, I was really excited to read this and had it pegged as one of my most anticipated 2026 releases. Unfortunately this has ended up as one of my least favorite. Perhaps this book just wasn’t for me, but at the same time I don’t think I could recommend this in good faith. As always I’m super grateful to have received an advanced reader copy!

[ruhee]

Wow... I'm quite blown away by this book. It took a while for me to get into it. Initially, the writing style and especially the first person POV kept me at a distance from the plot. But as the narrative progressed, and specifically when Death arrived at the scene, everything picked up for me.

The best part of this book occured in the House of Blue Sleep. That section of prose and narrative was just lush, haunting, lyrical, and gorgeous. Lemon's writing was poetic when required and yet rooted in reality at other times. The plot itself was winding and to me it imitated the spell Salome encountered. It slowly wrapped me up in its horrific beauty and before I knew it, I was ensnared in its jaws. I was so deeply enraptured by the story despite knowing how things were most likely going to pan out. Which is hats off to the way Lemon rewrote the Bluebeard tale. She painted this story with new strokes that underscored the fear and terror of being a woman and dealing with a man.

Salome was a strong-headed and strong-willed character. What stood out to me the most about her was that despite her awareness of the world and its cruelty, she was vulnerable and open to feeling. Through her, Lemon constructed the power structure and the mechanisms that lead to an insidious form of abuse. I felt for Salome and the way she was treated whilst understanding why she became prey to such treatment too.

The gothic elements of this book were gorgeous to read. I love it when a book has a house and the house is alive and it weaves itself into characters' psyches. The magic part of the story was a bit obscure and hazy to understand - which was perhaps an intentional choice. But I wish we had more insight into how magic worked.

At times I felt the pacing was a bit slow, especially the first bit of the book and some of the parts in the House felt cyclical in nature. I also wish side characters like the Bandits played more of a role or were offered more space in the narrative.

This book in some ways reminded me of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi so if you liked that you should def read this! It also felt very close to Angela Carter's works with its darker themes, fairy tale, and lyricality.

At its heart, this is the story of the innate strength of women in a world paved against them.

[Kirsty Carson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gothic tale bursting with tension from the outset! This wasn’t an easy read, but it isn’t meant to be. The writing is eloquent and immersive, often veering into visceral, particularly in its unflinching depictions of violence against women. However these scenes were important, depicting the ability for even the brightest and headstrong woman to fall under the ‘spell’ of a brutal deceitful man. At its heart, the novel is a story of female triumph; albeit the path to that triumph is deeply frustrating, as I was screaming at Salomé to see what was right in front of her. Yet this blindness felt intentional in order to hit home the realities of women facing abusive and coercive relationships. The overall message of the novel is strong but the story lingered too long in its slow, brooding buildup, only to rush through its climax and resolution. Nevertheless, despite this pacing issue the ending remained deeply rewarding! A haunting and powerful read, with dark and evocative themes that I really enjoyed.

[Cathye Aka OrionReads]

DNF at 48%

This book was just not for me. This started really promising and I was excited. But once she met Death, the story slowed down and I unfortunately got bored.

It seemed like every decision she made was the opposite of what she should have done. I couldn't connect with her, which is rare for me.

[allirockss]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of A Dark and Wild Wood.


Unfortunately, it was a dnf. I could not get into the story. The pacing threw me off, and the writing style just wasn't for me.

[Amanda Webster]

This one just wasn't for me, but I think readers who enjoy this genre will like it. I'm honestly not sure why I picked it up to begin with.

[Evie Oliva · Rating 5 out of 5]

As my New Year's Resolution, I decided that 2026 was going to be the year that I read more horror books. In order to do that, I started looking for lists that put together every horror release title for the year. I'm almost two thirds of the way through the list I found, looking month by month at every synopsis and adding each book that interests me to my want to read list. That was where I had first heard of the book A Dark and Wild Wood by Sarah Nicole Lemon. The synopsis mentioned Bluebeard and a woman with magic that becomes an apprentice to Lord Death and I thought, SOLD, and immediately added it to my wish list. When it became available for review, I leapt at the chance to read it. I've read several books already using the story of Bluebeard, some better than others, but the idea behind this one intrigued me. How would it work in the point of Bluebeard, the women in his past, that sort of thing? I'm happy to report that Lemon worked the story into something unique, something that yes, used Bluebeard, but the important story was the young woman, her magic and who she becomes by the end of the book and it was wondrous to behold that transformation.

A Dark and Wild Wood follows Salomé, a young woman with the ability to see ghosts and who possesses a magic that she can't necessarily control. Raised by a hedge witch in the woods who was burned at the stake, she entered a convent with her sister, Rochelle, until her sister was taken by a creature in the woods. Determined to find a way to save her beloved sister, Salomé leaves the convent and her journey begins. Salomé first finds herself in a brothel but after an accident, she is forced to leave the village and enter the woods, where she encounters Lord Death. Lord Death takes Salomé into the woods where his manor is, a place that looked like it was in ruins until suddenly it transforms into a home filled with locked rooms and strange things. Lord Death makes Salomé his apprentice, promising to teach her how to use her magic. But as things continue and Salomé starts to learn more about her power, she starts to understand more about the deal she has made and who it is that she has sworn to serve.

In terms of writing, Lemon has a way with words that seems to cast a spell, weaving images in your head of a young woman with so many trials she had to endure all the while seeing ghosts all around her. The writing was dreamy, almost romantic, but the book started with a big disclaimer in the first chapter, explicitly stating that this was NOT a love story, and I loved that point by the end of the book. I'll admit, as I was reading this story I was getting a little frustrated with the main character and the love interests until I remembered the lines from the first chapter and I stopped in my place and thought, that's right, this isn't a love story, so where is this going? After that, the tension felt more palpable, more of a razor's edge that the story was walking because I knew where it was going to lead but the hows were still being discovered and I was waiting with almost bated breath to see how it would unravel. The elements of horror are subtle, shown with the dead that haunt the world that Salomé can see, their detail chilling enough linger in the reader's mind long after the story has moved on to other scenes. The worldbuilding worked, the settings, the characters, everything had a place, an explanation, a tale to draw from and build on and everything works to create a fantastic tale.

The world felt well-developed, reminding readers enough of a classic, historical setting, a place filled with suspicion and superstition. We see the narrow minded people who killed Salomé's adopted mother because they called her a witch, we see the hypocrisy of the people in charge of the church when Salomé and Rochelle are entered into a convent. As the story moves, Salomé is able to see many different sides of the people around her, and this insight helps in filling in the world and the tensions in it. As the tale progresses, readers learn about the missing women and the way the villages deal with it also colors the world, showing how it seems to little affect the majority but greatly worries the women and Salomé's companions in the brothel. Once the story focuses on Salomé and her apprenticeship with Lord Death, readers know enough about the world to see the freedom that Salome now has and how she wishes to keep her new life. This also works to fill in the the shades of the gothic romance with Salomé isolated for a lot of the story, living in a house that has its own magic that she needed to be wary of lest it manage to do something to her, all the while with her inner turmoil at her relationship or lack thereof with Lord Death. At the same time, Salomé is determined to find out what happened to her sister and her wish to keep the women she knew safe from danger is something that hangs over her head. The world-building shows us that in the end, these women only had each other to depend on and that if there would be a solution, Salomé would be the one to find it.

As for characters, I ended up loving my dear Salomé. This was a woman who managed to come back time and time again from horrible circumstances and still managed to come out, dare I say, better each time. It takes grit and determination and strength and a whole lot of just plain stubbornness to do what Salomé did in this book. As I went through all of this with her, I would grumble at her, I would want her to remember certain things but I knew this woman was intelligent, she would figure things out and she did. Her growth was amazing and that ending, it was everything I would have wanted to happen, it made me grin and cheer a little because yes, I can be a little spiteful but hey, sometimes these characters deserve a little malicious justice. Salomé was sour and she had sass and it worked for her, for her station in life, for getting her to where she wanted to be. The little seen of Rochelle, her sister, was enough to show that the sisters were different but that they cared for each other and Salomé's determination to find her fits as a driving force for the character.

As for Lord Death, Lemon kept two sides of the character, the mystery of what the work of Lord Death entailed and the teacher who was going to help Salomé learn how to harness her power. The balance was kept, keeping Salomé working hard to accomplish what he wanted of her, showing what turned out to be the push and pull of a toxic relationship. Each time Lord Death spent time on the page with Salomé, we as readers were left on the edge of understanding exactly what Lemon was doing with the character until the end, when the reveals of everything started to dismantle what we thought we knew. It almost felt like a lot of the relationship was built on the ideas that Salomé had built up in her head about Lord Death as opposed to actually spending time with him. Because of that, Salomé was able to dismiss a lot of questionable things when they didn't fit the narrative she had built in her head. It's easy to convince yourself of something when you desperately want it to be the truth. In the end, the story depends on Salomé and her development, and she was enough to keep me caring about her until the end of her story and beyond.

The only issue I had was with the pacing. Sometimes the book felt like it was spinning its wheels, showing us Salomé in the chateau and her trying to master her magic with her thoughts focused on impressing Lord Death, becoming important to him, indispensable in a sense. These scenes started to feel a little repetitive, especially as more reveals started to come to light in the book. I wanted Salomé to keep her focus, to listen to the warnings she was given but she tended to brush concerns aside in her focus on Lord Death. Life in the chateau seemed to exist on a separate timeline with only the occasional mention of how many months it had been since Salomé had left behind the brothel. As a result, I'm not sure how much time passes in the story, whether it was weeks or months or even a year. As Salomé masters her magic, I wanted to the pace to pick up, for her to confront her situation head on and demand answers from Lord Death but it still took time for her to finally have the pieces fit together. It's a minor quibble, nothing to really detract from the story, but it does bear mentioning for people looking for a faster paced read when this has a slower rhythm to it.

By the end of the book, I thought this was a strong addition to the books that use the tale of Bluebeard, and one of the better ones that I've read in some time. It's also a strong gothic romance addition. I can also see how it made onto a list of horror releases of 2026. Read this book if you like Crimson Peak colored with the shades of Bluebeard.


Rating on my scale: 9 Stars. This is honestly a very respectable read that has given me a new author to pay attention to and read the rest of their work. I still have a question or two that I would like more information for and maybe a little more time with the ending after it took time to get there. Still, I greatly enjoyed this book and I'm sure all the gothic romance fans out there will do the same.


My thanks to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and Sarah Nicole Lemon for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

—gothic fantasy (horror?)

—Bluebeard-inspired

—a girl coveted by the physical incarnation of Death

The Basics:

Salome is raised in a convent, where her sister Rochelle eventually disappears. This—and her dark visions and potential powers, marking her as Satanic—leads her to escaping to a brothel, which is no haven and eventually sends her straight into the arms of Lord Death. Rather than killing her, he decides to make her his apprentice. But this is Death incarnate, after all. And as Salome realizes in his labyrinthine dwelling... you can't ever trust Death.

The Review:

An interesting, if imperfect, debut! Definitely fits the gothic fantasy vibe, while still being set in a solidly historical world. I would honestly love more of that. Give me less "random kingdom that ultimately doesn't need to be a random kingdom" and more "a place we know of, a world we've lived in, but centuries past". History can be, in its own way, a kind of fairy tale. Albeit—often—a dark one.

Let's get this out of the way, as always: not a romance. I honestly don't know why people would think it is one. Death does not equal shadow daddy, y'all! It wasn't placed in NetGalley's Romance category (much appreciated). I don't see "romance" or "romantic" in the blurb. Personally, while I understand how the term "gothic romance" has morphed in commercial fiction, I'm kind of firmly in the That's Bad camp by now. I'm good with gothic settings and themes in genre romance! But it's also valid to call books that are not romance gothic romance, because... that term has a centuries-long history of not meaning genre romance. It predates what we now know as genre romance.

And I keep seeing criticisms citing marketing that implies this is a romance, but I personally haven't seen it. So I can't attest to that.

Anyway: I didn't expect a romance, so that in no way affects my impression of the novel.

The prose is lovely, and captures the fairy tale feeling of the story quite well. I really liked the descriptions of Death in particularly. There's a seductiveness to him despite it being quite clear from the start that Salome is falling into a trap. (Maybe that should've been a little less obvious, for the sake of tension? But it's hard to avoid.) I liked the plot and structure of the story, overall. Always down for a lost sister story!

Where I think this failed to get into "really good" territory is Salome's characterization, which has her defiant at points, but ultimately being batted around by the plot and stronger characters. She felt led by the story, rather than driving it.

This also impacted the pacing, which felt slow for my taste. It's not that it takes forever for Salome to meet Death. However, I think a good bit of her backstory could've been explained in a more concise way. We still should've gotten to the Death of it all faster, as there seemed to be a lot of explaining in the beginning. A slow start is especially problematic for a novel, as it sets the tone and, for me at least, dulls the enjoyment.

At the same time, I wouldn't mind trying another book by this author, and I don't think it's bad by any means. A bit more editing could've made a big difference.

The Conclusion:

If you're looking for a somewhat meditative—yet still eerie—gothic fairy tale with an atmospheric air about it, this could hit the spot. It wasn't stellar for me, but I will also say... part of that could be my personal taste for pacing.

Thanks to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Fallon Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The prologue warns you that this book is not a romance, it’s a horror; and it definitely delivered on the atmosphere, which was dark and gothic. It opens with Salome telling the story of her birth, when her father drowned her mother and also tried to drown her 😬. She was saved by the midwife, Valerie, who raised Salome and her sister, Rochelle. However, some time later, Valerie is burned as a witch and the two girls are sent to be raised in a convent. Salome becomes aware that she is different and can see spirits, although this is something her sister encourages her to keep a secret, lest she meet the same fate as Valerie. While close with her sister, Salome can’t help but feel they are very different, with Rochelle being sweet and lovely, and Salome feeling sallow and sullen. One day when she’s nineteen, Salome witnesses her sister being taken by a monster in the forest. Leaving the convent in secret to find her sister, Salome finds her way to a nearby village where, having no money or goods to barter and with little knowledge of the ways of the world, she finds herself at a brothel. There she ends up staying for a number of years, worn down by the grind and constantly increasing debt, until an incident leads to her escaping into the forest, where she comes across Lord Death. He offers her a place to live and to help her hone her stifled magic. From there, the story progresses as Salome grapples with whether or not she can trust him, while also starting to learn her the scope of her own abilities.

This was a bit of a strange read! It felt quite random at times (like the giant she happens to come across and digs a hole with who’s never mentioned again 🤷‍♀️😂) - the whole thing gave the feel of a lucid dream. The plot also never really focused on one thing. For example, you think losing her sister at the beginning might be her North Star, but she immediately gets swept up at the brothel. Then you think maybe her relationship with Dacia (a fellow prostitute) will be a central focus, until she comes across Lord Death. While with Lord Death she starts spending time with an old sorceress, Perchta, and it seems maybe she’ll make Salome realise that Lord Death isn’t someone she can trust. But that relationship never fully develops before she is running away from LD and the disappearance of young women gets brought up again (something she was first aware of while in the brothel) - it feels like you’re constantly jumping from one thing to the next, with nothing to anchor yourself to. And the magic is never really properly explained, she can just suddenly do it.

I liked Lemon’s writing, and there was a strong, feminist message throughout. I appreciated what she was trying to do, showing Salome’s journey of self-discovery and coming into her own power (literally and figuratively). I also feel like it ended strongly, after some inconsistent pacing earlier in the book. However, I just felt that it suffered from a lack of development, both in terms of the magic system and the way all of the relationships developed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book.

[Reneaue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fans of Keri Lake will likely appreciate the dark, gothic atmosphere of A Dark and Wild Wood . The story carries clear echoes of Nightshade, beginning with Salomé, a girl who has never known peace. At her birth, her father attempted to drown both her and her mother, but a kind woman named Valerie intervened, saving and later raising Salomé and her sister, Rochelle. Valerie, a healer and wood witch, becomes a target of the town’s fear, and Salomé is forced as a child to watch her burn at the stake. Fearing a similar fate, Salomé conceals that she can see beyond the veil of the mortal realm.

The horrors continue as she and Rochelle are sent to a convent where punishment is plentiful and kindness is scarce. Even that grim refuge is shattered when Salomé witnesses an antlered creature kidnap her sister. Her escape leads her from the convent to a brothel, where she struggles to hide strange powers she barely understands, powers that eventually draw the attention of the Lord of Death. If you’ve read Nightshade, the setup will feel familiar even as the plot diverges.

But this novel is inspired by the Bluebeard folktale, about a wealthy nobleman whose wives mysteriously vanish. In Salomé’s world, a reclusive Baron has just returned to Riquewihr as young women and children start disappearing. Though Salomé has never met him, she has killed one of his soldiers—an act that leaves her clawing out of her own grave before stumbling into the snowy forest and into the hands of Death himself.

I have to admit that I found the story tedious. The plot meanders like a sailboat on a windless day, and more than once I considered DNF’ing. I struggled to care about Salomé’s fate; she often feels naïve, unfocused, and easily swayed by anyone who gives her attention, whether kind or cruel. Her goals are quickly abandoned whenever comfort presents itself. There is a hint of redemption toward the end, but only if the reader has the patience to get there.

The book is undeniably dark. At times it reads like an allegory for the exploitation of young women by the powerful. There’s also a handsome, green‑eyed bandit in the woods who seems to be set up as a significant character, but he ultimately serves only to deliver a single piece of information; making his early prominence feel unnecessary. The illusion-based magic system is equally perplexing; if Salomé’s food and clothing are illusory like her environment, how did she survive? Was she unknowingly pulling real sustenance from the void? The text never clarifies.

Ultimately, the story left me with more questions than answers. It struggles with pacing and never delivers a protagonist I could root for. For these reasons, I rated it lower; though I recognize that readers who enjoy very dark, gothic fantasy with heavy themes may find more to love here than I did. It simply wasn’t for me.
============================
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher William Morrow, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Emma Cathryne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whoever decided this should be marketed as a romance doesn't seem to have read the book. My mediocre and vaguely negatively biased expectations going in were largely based on its comparisons to Juniper and Thorn (a book I could not stand). What unfolded was not as gruesome, self-aggrandizing, and disastrously unsubtle as J&P (a check mark in the book's favor). In fact, Lemon is a beautiful prose writer, and really nails this both as a Gothic novel and a Bluebeard retelling (more on that second part later). What delighted & frustrated me in equal measure is how well this book bypassed the usual issues I have with contemporary gothic fantasy (romanticized abuse, insufferable cardboard protagonists, atrocious writing) only to trip and fall into a different type of narrative saw trap (plot, world-building, and magic system that are nearly 100% incoherent).

This NOT being a romantasy is one of the most skillful parts about it. I have nothing against Dark Romance as a genre, but Lemon does a really subtle and excellent job of critiquing several of its bad (and recent) forms. Without making it past the halfway point of the book, its hard not to characterize this as a romantasy - "Lord Death" is every inch the brooding, mysterious love interest whose harshness is (ostensibly) armor around a gentle, sensitive soul. The subsequent bait & switch is not only a critical piece of any Bluebeard retelling, but also a not-so-subtle reminder of dynamics that characterize real-life abusive relationships. While everything exists on a spectrum, it is tiring only to see abusers placed on a dichotomy of "pure evil" and "actually soft and kind all along". The novel's "love" interest, and Salome's gradual revelations about his nature, are a clear and necessary reminder about the psychological processes underlying cycles of domestic violence. The abusers most likely to fly under the radar are often those preying on their victim's uncertainty, as likely to offer kindness and validation as they are to engage in unspeakable acts violence. As a friend once told me, cycles are called cycles for a reason. Victims never leave without cause - but they never return without cause, either.

This is why, despite my host of issues with this book (a hopelessly meandering plot, poor world-building, choppy pacing), I can't bring myself to rate this lower than a three. Lemon seems to be part of the rare (and rapidly diminishing) class of fantasy novelist building her from story outside in, centering structure and function over style. I can always tell when an author has built a story around a message or theme or when it has been tacked onto what is essentially a Pinterest board in a trench coat. I feel like with some light restructuring, harsher editing, and an extra dash of character work, the strong thematic bones of this story could have elevated it from "fine" to "excellent".

[Elenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a strange read, not necessarily in a bad way, but because I wasn't exactly sure what to make of it until the very end. The writing was beautiful and I loved the gothic atmosphere. I was especially intrigued by the inspiration from the tale of Bluebeard, since I enjoy fantasy retellings a lot.

While I admired Salomé's resilience and determination to move forward, despite the many traumatic events in her life, including an unrequited infatuation with another woman, and the disappearances of those around her, she felt oddly unfazed by everything.

In a moment of rage, she reveals her identity as a witch which leads to her being buried alive, and then forced to flee the village, only to come face to face with Lord Death, who becomes her mentor in the arts of magic. Death is distant and reserved at first, but quickly descends into a twisted and manipulative individual. He still remains a mystery almost throughout the entire book. (Almost every scene with him made me mad, Death was the biggest walking red flag of a man I've ever read about). But she soon discovers that he's not that different from the men she's known before. Consumed by her emotions and vulnerability, she gives in to both her desires and his influence, which only grants him more control. She becomes emotionally dependent on him, despite her conflicting thoughts.

I still found myself increasingly frustrated with the FMC's naivety, even though I believe that was intentional. She has moments of clarity where she questions both his intentions and feelings, but the cycle continues despite being warned by others to run away from him.

To me, this book read more like a psychological horror exploring a toxic, manipulative relationship, the story of a woman trying to accept the darkness within herself and find the strength to break free from the influence of a dark lord.

My main issue was that at some point the plot becomes unclear. It starts to feel confusing and unclear. Although the story begins with her sister's disappearance, that thread becomes irrelevant by the end. There are brief apparitions and mentions of her, but ultimately it feels like an afterthought.

What really saved the book for me were the last 30 pages, that's when everything started to come together. I enjoyed the way it wrapped up even if it felt a bit anticlimactic.

Overall, I did enjoy it, even if it wasn't entirely my cup of tea. Despite my frustration and confusion at times, I loved the gothic prose, the eerie setting of the manor and the forest, and the sapphic elements of the story.
I'd definitely mention that this isn't a romance book, it deals with quite a few heavy themes, so I'd recommend checking the trigger warnings first. I just wish it had a stronger structure and more consistent pacing.
3 - 3.5 stars ⭐

[Coralie lmn · Rating 1 out of 5]

𐙚₊˚⊹ Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, and the author for this ARC.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book…

From the very beginning, the cover caught my attention, and after reading the synopsis, I was convinced this book would be exactly my kind of read. The atmosphere seemed dark, enchanting, and very much in the gothic romance vibe, so of course, I was really excited to discover it.

My first little surprise, though, was that I was truly expecting a gothic romance, while the author makes it clear quite early on that this is not a love story. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it created a gap between what I expected and what I actually found when starting the book.

I also struggled with the development of the plot, especially regarding the main character’s powers. They are mentioned a lot, but I felt like very little was actually explained, which made it hard for me to fully connect with the story. I often felt like I was missing important elements to really immerse myself.

Unfortunately, the pacing didn’t help either—I found myself getting bored at several points.

That said, not everything was negative. The atmosphere is genuinely well done: dark, mysterious, and almost hypnotic at times. And the author’s writing is beautiful, very lyrical, and has a strong identity.

Still, despite these qualities, the story just didn’t work for me.

—

𐙚₊˚⊹ Je remercie Netgalley, Harper Collins UK et l’autrice pour ce service presse.

Malheureusement, j’ai dû le DNF…

Dès le départ, la couverture m’intriguait énormément, et en lisant le résumé, j’étais persuadée que ce livre allait totalement me plaire. L’ambiance semblait sombre, envoûtante, et c’était dans le genre gothic romance, donc forcément, j’étais très curieuse de le découvrir.

Première petite surprise cependant : je m’attendais vraiment à une romance gothique, alors que l’autrice précise assez rapidement que ce n’est pas une histoire d’amour. Ce n’est pas forcément un défaut, mais cela a créé un décalage avec ce que j’espérais trouver en commençant ma lecture.

J’ai aussi eu du mal avec le développement de l’intrigue, notamment autour des pouvoirs du personnage principal. On en parle beaucoup, mais j’ai trouvé que peu de choses étaient réellement expliquées, ce qui m’a laissée assez distante face à l’histoire. J’avais souvent l’impression de manquer d’éléments pour vraiment m’immerger.

Le rythme n’a malheureusement pas aidé non plus : je me suis ennuyée à plusieurs moments.

Cela dit, tout n’était pas négatif. L’ambiance est vraiment réussie : sombre, mystérieuse, presque hypnotique par moments. Et la plume de l’autrice est belle, très lyrique, avec une vraie identité.

Simplement, malgré ces qualités, la lecture n’a malheureusement pas fonctionné pour moi.

[Melmotka · Rating 3 out of 5]

💀⭐⭐⭐

This one took me a pretty long time to read through - much longer than something normally of this length. I really wanted to enjoy this but while the ideas were strong, they were consistently underdeveloped and poorly executed. The 3 star rating is mainly points for those ideas overall, the atmospheric writing style, and the fact that it's not particularly bad...just...fine, you know?

• The plot meanders. On one hand, the wandering-through-the-chateau vibe is atmospheric and gloomy in a typically gothic way. On the other hand, some of it felt pointless and like it ate up 'page space' that could've been used better elsewhere (more on that later).

• Some plot points were built up to be more important than they actually were - see: the bandit.

• Odd pacing. Some sections linger forever, while others speedrun past things that really needed more room to breathe. The convent/ brothel/ burial sections especially felt rushed. I get that you can't fit everything into a book of this length, but then something else should've been shifted.

• The relationship with Death begged for more build-up. She slips into their dynamic very quickly. I can buy that she's naive, lonely, inexperienced, and vulnerable enough for that to happen, but emotionally it still felt like a few steps were missing both for believability and to really understand the later cracks of the relationship.

• The magic / revelations were confusing. There's worldbuilding to be done here. As it stands, it's a bit too vague and convenient. Cool for the sake of being cool?

• Okay, one thing that I did appreciate was Salome's view of Death shifting from reverence into something disgust-adjacent once she saw that he has the same behaviors (and 'needs') as any average man. Interesting bit to explore.

• The Rochelle subplot ends in a strangely unsatisfying way. It almost reads like a teaser for one of those romance series where every side character gets their own future book. Which is tonally bizzare here.

• Dacia is undeveloped and inconsistent. For someone so significant to the narrative, she sure has a vague personality. Her dialogue at the end felt like something less like what she would say, and more like the reader being told what the takeaway should be.

• The ending is abrupt. It doesn't quite justify the lengthy build-up, and just highlights the book's strongest issue - too much time spent wandering, not enough developing.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

⭐⭐⭐💀

[The Bat Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

“This is a fairytale where the woods watch, Death listens, and desperation decides who you reach for.”

This is a dark fantasy steeped in fairytale bones and shadowed symbolism. Clearly inspired by a tale I wasn’t personally familiar with, which made the reading experience feel mysterious.

I’ll be honest, I found myself skimming through portions of the book, which signals some pacing issues for me. Certain stretches linger longer than necessary, and the momentum occasionally falters. That said, the dark fantasy elements shine through consistently, and the atmosphere never fully loses its grip. Star Rating: *3.5*

However, Salome’s journey is where the story truly finds its strength. Her life, her search for her sister, and especially her encounter and relationship with Death are all drenched in darkness. Watching her path of self-discovery unfold. Realizing who she is, what she’s capable of, and stepping into her own power was compelling and empowering. Despite the fantasy framework, there’s a clear, resonant message woven through her arc.

The romance is unapologetically dark, not just in its connection to Death, but in how it mirrors desperation itself. I often found myself questioning Salome’s relationships—not only with Death, but with others she reaches for along the way. It felt deeply human. When circumstances close in and loneliness sharpens, you don’t always choose love because it’s right—you choose it because it’s there.

There’s a sense of grasping, of panicked reaching, like being trapped in thick mud. At first, you flail, searching for something, or someone, to pull you free, only to realize later that escape was always possible on your own. The author captures that uncomfortable truth well: that some bonds feel fated not because they are, but because desperation convinces you they are.

Overall, while the pacing didn’t fully work for me, A Dark and Wild Wood delivers on atmosphere, darkness, and theme. Readers who enjoy fairytale-inspired fantasy with morally complex romance, shadowed symbolism, and empowering self-realization arcs may find more to love here than I did.

This book is for those who enjoy fantasy that explores desperation, self-discovery, and love that feels more like survival than salvation.

[Kassyreadsalot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: A Dark And Wild Wood

Author: Sarah Nicole Lemon

Synopsis: Ever since she was a child, Salomé has been plagued by visions of spirits and dangerous powers she can’t control. After watching her foster mother burn as a witch, she and her beloved sister Rochelle are raised together in a convent, a grim and dreary existence. Until one day, Rochelle vanishes.

Determined to find a way to save her, Salomé first to a brothel, and then, after a terrible accident, away from the village and into the woods. Deep amongst the trees of the wild Black Forest, she comes face-to-face with Lord Death.

Rather than taking her life, he brings her to his home at the heart of the woods, a strange manor full of locked rooms and mysterious corridors, crumbling one moment, magnificent the next. He promises to make her his apprentice and teach her how to harness her mind and magic. His words are as seductive as his presence—but should one trust Death?

A swirling mirage of dark fairy tale, gothic romance, and historical fantasy, A Dark and Wild Wood is a novel best devoured all at once. But proceed with caution, as everything is not what it seems...

Review: Ok I want to start off this review by saying that I liked the idea of this book. However, it wasn’t my favorite read but I also didn’t hate it. When I started reading this I was aware that it was a Bluebeard Retelling and it made me very excited! My expectations were high! The main character Salome was an intriguing character and her story was interesting. But the whole story fell kinda flat for me. I wanted more world building and the romance in here was ok I wanted a little more from it. Viewing this whole novel as a whole I feel like not a lot happened and it was very slow. Do not misunderstand me I don’t mind when books are slow however, in this case I felt a little bored! One of the best parts of reading this was the writing! I found the writing exquisite! Her descriptions were on point and it kept me wanting to continue on with the book! I know for a fact that there will be a lot of people who will love and adore this book! I believe it wasn’t for me and I say that with the utmost respect!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in advance!

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy from Harper Voyager via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Publish date May 26th, 2026.

I always enjoy a good dark fairy tale, so I thought I'd give a new author a try. In A Dark and Wild Wood, Salome was abandoned as a child and then escaped a nunnery and a brothel. Now on the run after accidentally attacking a man with her magic, Salome encounters a man who calls himself Lord Death who promises to teach her everything he knows if she does as he says...

This is, ultimately, a story about an impressionable young woman absorbed into a relationship with a powerful man. There are some minor elements of Bluebeard here—the dead young women, the key—but Lemon mostly sticks to the old, familiar story of the evil dark wizard with the sexually charged relationship with his pupil. Perhaps the image of the predatory teacher is so common because it resonates with an all too frequent story in the real world, but it's never been my cup of tea. I've read Novik's Uprooted and Bardugo's Darkling and all the rest. I know this guy very well, and I think he's tiresome. It doesn't help that most of the story is limited to Salome stumbling around the castle going nowhere. Meanwhile, her relationship with Lord Death is predictably sexually charged: Salome struggles through his magical trials while he flatters and abuses her in turns, always careful to keep her off balance. I did appreciate that Salome is bisexual and her relationship with Death is interestingly kinky, but I did not appreciate the not one but two warnings at the beginning of the book against reading the story as a romance. I can read, let me form my own decisions.

A predictable villain, a predictably naive young woman, and a tiresome dichotomy between the evil manwizard and the wise and motherly witch in the woods. I'm sure some readers will enjoy this book—some of the fraught sequences with Death are particularly good—but it leaned too hard into parable for me. I already know the lesson and I'd prefer something with a bit more of a twist, or for that matter, a bit more of the original Bluebeard tale.

[Wessy Acrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC Review of A Dark and Wild Wood by Sarah Nicole Lemon granted by Harper Collins Publishing

I give this a…..wispy and fading……2.5.

I gave this dark romance/fantasy novel a fair chance and wanted to like it, at first. I was often put off while reading because a million things would be going on at once and then it would all resolve without much of an explanation, which happened more than once in the entirety of the read. Often, I really just took whatever was happening at face value because I knew it was never going to get fully explained to me. This type of writing can be well received but when it’s happening at every chance throughout the book: it gets frustrating.

Although it feels like a fair attempt at writing a dark fantasy story that brings up references such as Beauty and the Beast, Red Riding Hood, Robin Hood and even a little Howls Moving Castle sprinkled in, this story does not have a clear cut plot as the above mentioned titles. I find the prose/style of writing adds too much to an already “too much” story. Too much is left unexplained and assumed. Too much of the story sounds like someone attempting to write down their LSD trip before they forget, and leaving out details to the protagonists magic - such as the badly executed situation of “dimension hopping” where our protagonist can jump in between living and dead realms? This, among other things, I still don’t understand fully.

I felt many of the sexual themes, such as power and control, were a little too brave at parts. For example, there was no real explanation for why Death would cut her legs open with a knife? And the story didn’t explain the action, it just continued on….

Although I will say, if this book had major restructuring and clearer explanation within the plot, the underlying story seems unique enough to stand on its own. It’s the flowery writing and jumbled plot that hits this story hard, in a bad way.

I felt the book ended the same way it was written: not much of a resolve, a confused but growing witch, and no real climax to the plot.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

“you have thought a lot about death, but how do you want to live?” *sobs*

what a stunning gothic fairytale.
i love all things gothic and monstrous, and the cover alone sold me! this was eerie, dark, and beautiful with atmospheric world building and complex characters. the prose and flow of the writing and story was really gorgeous and descriptive. it had some clunky pacing at times, but weirdly added to the experience of the book. it felt like i was on this haunting journey with her, and it was so rich in challenging emotions and characters, and full of so much depth.
the hellcat was very cool, and i loved how accurate Death was described in this book, i enjoyed his character a lot. although his and Salome’s relationship was tumultuous and damaged, it was pivotal to her character arc and i appreciated it a lot. i saw some reviewers complaining about the “romance” but luckily i love stories like this, and the love depicted (not romance) was perfect for the genre.
Salome really went through a lot, and i often felt sad for her. she was thrown into so many dangerous directions, faced so many challenges, and was shoved into so many different boxes. is she a witch? a sinner? a saint? a whore? or maybe just someone looking for acceptance. i really loved watching her figure out who she wanted to be. the true heart of this book was the beauty of her finding her own magic and paving her own path.
this dealt with a lot of really heavy topics which i appreciated, but i feel like the impact could have been represented a little bit better (at least towards the beginning,) although it is accurate to the true effects of so much trauma. i just want to give her a big hug.
i did really enjoy this so much, it was so creepy, awesome, and beautiful with a shocking and twisty ending that made me tear up. i would absolutely recommend it!

thank you so much to netgalley, harper voyager, and sarah for the eARC!