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A Dark and Wild Wood
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...
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...
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 364 reviews
June 10, 2026
3.5🌟 A haunting, gothic tale inspired by the French folktale Bluebeard. I adored the atmospheric setting, beautiful writing, magic/witches/spellcasting elements and the sapphic romance subplot. Overall this is a story of manipulation, abuse, the hardships of being a woman and eventually finding yourself/coming into your power. This was a very thoughtful and immersive story and I’m hoping with the things revealed towards the end that we may get another book in this world following one of the other characters 👀
March 30, 2026
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
**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
March 18, 2026
* 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.
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.
April 24, 2026
*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!*
3.25 stars
I was really curious about A Dark and Wild Wood because I’d never read a Bluebeard retelling before (or at least not one I can remember), and the synopsis sounded so intriguing. Plus, that cover is absolutely gorgeous and definitely caught my attention.
I really liked the idea behind the story and the darker fairytale atmosphere, but I think I was expecting a little more from it. There were parts that pulled me in and some interesting ideas, but the pacing and certain character choices didn’t always work for me. It had a lot of potential, and I enjoyed seeing a different take on such a creepy classic tale, even if it didn’t fully live up to my expectations.
Still, I’m glad I received an arc — it was an enjoyable and unique read with its gothic atmosphere.
____________
Inspired by Bluebeard. This should be interesting.
3.25 stars
I was really curious about A Dark and Wild Wood because I’d never read a Bluebeard retelling before (or at least not one I can remember), and the synopsis sounded so intriguing. Plus, that cover is absolutely gorgeous and definitely caught my attention.
I really liked the idea behind the story and the darker fairytale atmosphere, but I think I was expecting a little more from it. There were parts that pulled me in and some interesting ideas, but the pacing and certain character choices didn’t always work for me. It had a lot of potential, and I enjoyed seeing a different take on such a creepy classic tale, even if it didn’t fully live up to my expectations.
Still, I’m glad I received an arc — it was an enjoyable and unique read with its gothic atmosphere.
____________
Inspired by Bluebeard. This should be interesting.
June 4, 2026
A Dark and Wild Wood felt like walking through a haunted manor blindfolded.
At first, your mind tries to craft a reality it can understand. But with every step, the lines between truth and nightmare become so tightly woven that eventually you no longer know if (or when) your blindfold was removed.
The rooms of this manor are fueled by trauma, horror and the balance between power and surrender. Again and again, I found myself yelling at the FMC to use the key in her hand and escape, only to watch her continue to stare at an empty palm. It was heartbreaking and deeply human all at once.
The poetic prose literally took my breath away. In hindsight, I wish I had read this physically rather than listened to the audiobook. The audio had me continuously confused and disoriented. My rating would have been higher had I been able to linger on the pages and absorb every sentence.
This book is overflowing with lines that demand to be underlined:
"Before you save anyone you must save yourself."
"It is the curse of women to always bear the prejudice of man's fear."
"Are you asking if you created this darkness that comes to devour everything that you love? No. But have you courted it? Have you fed it? ... Have you put power into it, including your own? Yes."
"I felt that my own suffering was so profound that once I succumbed to it, all other suffering would end."
"Any sacrifice I made meant nothing when poured down the throat of the all-consuming appetite of destruction."
"I have never loved a man, but this atmosphere around us felt like something bigger, something more powerful, something I could fall into and never recover from."
My final thoughts … this book will confuse and unsettle you (check the horror trigger warnings). However I believe that was the entire point. My favourite quote:
"In some ways, understanding that I was the key to all the pain and tragedy in my world was an unburdening. If I was the key, I could unlock the way."
At first, your mind tries to craft a reality it can understand. But with every step, the lines between truth and nightmare become so tightly woven that eventually you no longer know if (or when) your blindfold was removed.
The rooms of this manor are fueled by trauma, horror and the balance between power and surrender. Again and again, I found myself yelling at the FMC to use the key in her hand and escape, only to watch her continue to stare at an empty palm. It was heartbreaking and deeply human all at once.
The poetic prose literally took my breath away. In hindsight, I wish I had read this physically rather than listened to the audiobook. The audio had me continuously confused and disoriented. My rating would have been higher had I been able to linger on the pages and absorb every sentence.
This book is overflowing with lines that demand to be underlined:
"Before you save anyone you must save yourself."
"It is the curse of women to always bear the prejudice of man's fear."
"Are you asking if you created this darkness that comes to devour everything that you love? No. But have you courted it? Have you fed it? ... Have you put power into it, including your own? Yes."
"I felt that my own suffering was so profound that once I succumbed to it, all other suffering would end."
"Any sacrifice I made meant nothing when poured down the throat of the all-consuming appetite of destruction."
"I have never loved a man, but this atmosphere around us felt like something bigger, something more powerful, something I could fall into and never recover from."
My final thoughts … this book will confuse and unsettle you (check the horror trigger warnings). However I believe that was the entire point. My favourite quote:
"In some ways, understanding that I was the key to all the pain and tragedy in my world was an unburdening. If I was the key, I could unlock the way."
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
May 17, 2026
i was going to start this review of by saying i don’t think this book was for me but that’s not true. the reason i wanted to read this was because it has so many elements i love, a gothic tragic story, a magical forest, apprentice to death, and witches. but somehow it just didn’t work. the writing was beautiful though. very lyrical and i think that’s why i was able to continue reading. however the plot and world building was completely lacklustre and i found myself incredibly bored. death’s character felt so bland and i know he was meant to be a mysterious character but it didn’t feel that way at all, he was just there. along with the relationship between salomé and death i really questioned by she even felt drawn to him at all and it just seemed like instant attraction.
overall i did enjoy the writing but nothing else seemed to grab my attention.
thank you netgalley for sending me an arc copy.
overall i did enjoy the writing but nothing else seemed to grab my attention.
thank you netgalley for sending me an arc copy.
July 4, 2026
Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. I was not as into the actual plot as I had expected, so I was a bit bored most of the time.
However, i do think some people who are disliking this went into it with the wrong expectations. If you're looking for a more lyrical, grim, gloomy fairytale, I'd recommend this. It's slower than what I tend to enjoy, but I know it could be an absolute favorite for many. The writing was fantastic, so i can't bring myself to rate it any lower just cause I was bored.
However, i do think some people who are disliking this went into it with the wrong expectations. If you're looking for a more lyrical, grim, gloomy fairytale, I'd recommend this. It's slower than what I tend to enjoy, but I know it could be an absolute favorite for many. The writing was fantastic, so i can't bring myself to rate it any lower just cause I was bored.
May 26, 2026
A Dark and Wild Wood is a dark gothic reimagining of Bluebeard with a female as the main character. Author Sarah Nicole Lemon does a great job describing the atmospheric elements, and I felt completely immersed in the story. With Salomé trying to find her sister and going deep into the woods, readers can capture all the vibes, especially as it builds toward her and Lord D3ath.
I liked the story's underlying message about Salomé—her growth, strength, and independence. I enjoyed the story. The ending was uniquely different from the stories I usually read and was well-suited for the themes.
Thank you to Avon Books for the gifted e-copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I liked the story's underlying message about Salomé—her growth, strength, and independence. I enjoyed the story. The ending was uniquely different from the stories I usually read and was well-suited for the themes.
Thank you to Avon Books for the gifted e-copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 19, 2026
An atmospheric and haunting gothic horror, this felt like a lyrical but twisted fairytale
‘A dark and wild wood’ is dark and utterly toxic yet you can’t look away. i loved the feminist undercurrent and how the author wasn’t afraid to make the story unsettling - it’s NOT a romance or an easy read by any means but I really enjoyed the foreboding atmosphere
overall a hypnotising blend of gothic horror with alluring dark fantasy elements
‘A dark and wild wood’ is dark and utterly toxic yet you can’t look away. i loved the feminist undercurrent and how the author wasn’t afraid to make the story unsettling - it’s NOT a romance or an easy read by any means but I really enjoyed the foreboding atmosphere
overall a hypnotising blend of gothic horror with alluring dark fantasy elements
September 2, 2025
i need to start with a disclosure: i have been following sarah since the done dirt cheap years. i knew back then that she was the real deal and i have been waiting on this book with the specific certainty that it was going to rearrange my brain chemistry. and it freaking did.
her writing has always been supreme to me. smart language, gritty when it needs to be, full of wanderlust, able to summon exactly the emotion she's aiming at. but this is her first foray into speculative fantasy that i've read, and omfg. lush, dark, moody. sarah writes this book the way nigella lawson describes food: visually, sensually, like art. every page of the black forest, the manor with its locked rooms shifting between ruin and magnificence, the ghosts at the edges of salomé's vision. it consumes slowly and it wants you to savor it. if you need a fast paced plot machine, this will frustrate you. if you want to walk through the woods with a small lantern and let the dread creep in, welcome home.
and let's be clear about what this is, because the marketing and the premise might fool you: this is not a romance. death is seductive, the pull between him and salomé is real and razor edged, but this is a bluebeard story, and it knows exactly what bluebeard stories are about. the middle gets genuinely disturbing. what looks like courtship curdles into something toxic and controlling, mind games and all, and so much of the relationship lives in the narrative salomé builds in her own head, the questionable things she lets herself dismiss because she so badly wants to be wanted. that's the real horror here, more than any ghost. check the trigger warnings and go in with your eyes open.
salomé herself is the spine of the whole thing. sour, sassy, stubborn as hell, knocked down by circumstance over and over (the convent, the brothel, the woods) and coming back sharper each time. watching her claw her way from wanting to be indispensable to a man toward actually understanding her own power is the transformation the book is built on, and the ending pays it off with exactly the kind of malicious justice i wanted.
this is gothic horror as gorgeous, sensual, deeply unsettling art, from a writer i've trusted for a decade who just leveled up in front of my eyes. crimson peak fans, juniper and thorn fans, anyone who likes their fairy tales with teeth: get in here.
i love you, sarah.
--
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
her writing has always been supreme to me. smart language, gritty when it needs to be, full of wanderlust, able to summon exactly the emotion she's aiming at. but this is her first foray into speculative fantasy that i've read, and omfg. lush, dark, moody. sarah writes this book the way nigella lawson describes food: visually, sensually, like art. every page of the black forest, the manor with its locked rooms shifting between ruin and magnificence, the ghosts at the edges of salomé's vision. it consumes slowly and it wants you to savor it. if you need a fast paced plot machine, this will frustrate you. if you want to walk through the woods with a small lantern and let the dread creep in, welcome home.
and let's be clear about what this is, because the marketing and the premise might fool you: this is not a romance. death is seductive, the pull between him and salomé is real and razor edged, but this is a bluebeard story, and it knows exactly what bluebeard stories are about. the middle gets genuinely disturbing. what looks like courtship curdles into something toxic and controlling, mind games and all, and so much of the relationship lives in the narrative salomé builds in her own head, the questionable things she lets herself dismiss because she so badly wants to be wanted. that's the real horror here, more than any ghost. check the trigger warnings and go in with your eyes open.
salomé herself is the spine of the whole thing. sour, sassy, stubborn as hell, knocked down by circumstance over and over (the convent, the brothel, the woods) and coming back sharper each time. watching her claw her way from wanting to be indispensable to a man toward actually understanding her own power is the transformation the book is built on, and the ending pays it off with exactly the kind of malicious justice i wanted.
this is gothic horror as gorgeous, sensual, deeply unsettling art, from a writer i've trusted for a decade who just leveled up in front of my eyes. crimson peak fans, juniper and thorn fans, anyone who likes their fairy tales with teeth: get in here.
i love you, sarah.
--
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
February 27, 2026
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.
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.
June 1, 2026
I’ve got to be honest this book was just not for me. The only thing that sucked me in and kept me reading was the lyrical prose and gothic vibes. In my opinion this was very much a vibes book, and the vibes are what carry the reader through. In that way, I do not think that the reader’s attention is ever truly earned in some ways. It feels a little derivative of Lucy Undying and other books of a similar genre except based on Bluebeard. The buried alive scene felt very Kill Bill derivative as FMC has to claw herself out of a grave to prove a point. It felt kind of random and unnecessary to the main plot. There were so many loose ends that left me wondering why they were there in the first place.
All of the author’s marketing promos were geared toward making the novel seem like a dark gothic romance which I felt sucked readers in but was also dishonest. The novel clearly states that it is not a romance, yet in the promo the sapphic romance aspect of the book is severely overly exaggerated. Salome and Dacia’s connection felt like someone who is not actually gay trying to write a gay scene. I had also hoped for once that a novel would break the stereotype of sapphic romance being forged out of trauma bonds and hating men but this novel did not do that.
I did not feel that the steamy parts were steamy at all. They stop as abruptly as they start and contextually make zero sense because there is no buildup. I think that Dacia’s semi incestuous plea for Salome to love her like a sister was kind of weird and uncalled for. I felt that the trigger warning at the beginning of the novel was a little melodramatic and unnecessary for the actual content of the book to be honest. There is knife play, if you could even call it that, and brief S&M, as well as FMC randomly being naked throughout, and then of course the bodies in the chateau, but the trigger warning seemed off base, like it was warning about the less relevant thing.
I did not feel that the dialogue was executed well at all throughout this book. It felt dry, uninspired, and forced to me. The FMC lacked a lot of feeling over all when it came to interactions with other characters as well as traumatic events within the book. It was as if she were an NPC in her own life just outwardly observing everything that is happening. Dissociation is a thing, but if that was the intent it wasn’t really made clear.
The pacing was also problematic. The author takes you at warp speed through the FMC’s backstory and the transitions from scene to scene throughout the book are vague and confusing. Salome will be doing one thing and then suddenly doing something else with very little explanation of how she got from point A to point B.
The backstory itself is confusing, super rushed, and at times unbelievable. For example, the sex work parts read like they were written by someone who has clearly never done sex work in their life. The part where FMC is in a convent as well as the random religious trauma components feel like they are written by someone who hates religion and did not grow up Catholic and had to research Catholicism for a book. Salome also presumably mortally wounds one of her sex work clients, and then no more than a couple of sentences later she finds herself buried alive without explanation…and then survives… I mean, what??
It’s also never really explained how it’s possible that Salome’s father would be responsible for the mother’s death and for Salome and her sister getting separated from their family of origin? The wording in her backstory about what actually happens is super confusing and all but glossed over as a formality. In my opinion it would have been better if the story began in the castle, because everything before it felt forced and only necessary to move the reader toward the ultimate destination of the chateau.
The magic aspect was intriguing but also confusing and not explained very well. As the reader you are led to believe that the author is eventually going to reveal some big secret. It takes forever to get there only to figure out that the big secret isn’t even really as big as you thought it might be. The big reveal is like Dorothy finding out that the wizard is a fraud. It is wrapped up in the very last chapter in the most nonsensical way possible.
I found the way that the layout of Lord Death’s chateau is described to be confusing and vague, and I felt that the vagueness made it difficult to understand what was happening, how it happened, and where.
I felt that Lord Death was a weak name for a vengeful god that feeds on women and children and the magic of the living. The name sounded like a villain out of the LEGO movie and this was difficult to mentally bypass because it sounded ridiculous.
We are led to believe that the MMC is some type of big bad power sucking muderous guy, but in my opinion he’s kind of just not? I guess what I mean is that for someone so rough and tough, he doesn’t really seem like all that and as I was reading he felt like a one dimensional character without much emotional draw or buildup. It is kind of unbelievable how easily FMC falls into fawning over this guy and treating him like a sensei.
There is zero chemistry whatsoever between MMC and FMC. It also did not really strike me as feasible for Death to have been able to get the bodies of his victims into the castle without FMC ever noticing or questioning why he was gone for so long. FMC seems so quick to believe that he is a supernatural being, I’m not sure why that is her first response rather than thinking of him as a normal guy first.
It is also really hard to feel sorry for the FMC when she acts so clueless and ungrateful for a considerable part of the story, something about Salome’s personality bothered me as her main character conflict seemed to be fighting the need to be special and I did not respect or connect with her character at all. And by the end of the story she doesn’t even resolve that conflict in a healthy way. It was difficult to comprehend why she would stay when death literally gives her several wide open opportunities to leave prior to literally any of the bad stuff happening. The reader is led to believe that the sheer allure of making a Faustian bargain with Lord Death is enough to make him attractive (it’s not). Maybe that’s the point, to make the FMC unsympathetic and unreliable, but she never really gets to the point of acknowledging that these are her own choices or showing any humility other than self deprecation. Even by the end of the novel FMC still doesn’t get to that point of growth.
FMC is supposedly super powerful and yet I felt that we didn’t really get to see the full force of those powers in action. The reader is led to believe that FMC experiences major character growth and I just didn’t see that. There is a part where maybe she starts to sober up and then just goes back to being self righteous and unaware. In the final scenes she cannot even use her own power, she draws on the power of others to do her bidding. It felt extremely weak and like a complete waste of the time that the story leads the reader all the way to the end just for FMC to kill Death in the chapel with a candle stick…like why could she not have just sent him to another dimension like she did the demon?
There were so many plot holes and odd things throughout this book that ruined the experience for me and felt truly unbelievable, it’s hard to even know where to begin. For example, the amount of times that FMC is naked, at times with little reason, for extended periods of time. The worst example of this is when she runs from Death’s mansion and by some miracle finds the girls from the brothel in the woods…and then nobody seems to make a bigger deal about how she is buck ass naked in the woods for hours with satanic symbols carved into her legs?? I found it hard to believe that it took FMC until the end of the book to finally use the keys that Death willingly gave her earlier in the book. It is truly difficult to believe that she would feel that afraid of a man who is hardly ever home and whom she barely interacts with. It literally takes until the man does knife play with her for her to investigate any of the rooms in the house in daylight. The only true lesbian scene occurs right after Salome and Dacia are abducted by bandits and by some miracle they have sex without drawing any attention from the bandit that is supposed to be watching them? Not to mention it is hard to believe that in such a traumatic situation they would be horny at all.
The ending had a lot of plot holes as well. The bandits are basically never heard from again after they give FMC information about the Baron and that plot line remained unresolved. Rochelle’s storyline is resolved in an extremely rushed and confusing way that answers nothing…is she married to the demon who abducted her? Is she still alive in the real world somewhere inaccessible, or in another dimension? What, if anything, did her disappearance have to do with Lord Death? If nothing, then how would she know how to warn the FMC? The whole ending of finding out Death’s secret felt kind nonsensical and rushed. The reader is led to believe that MMC is simultaneously capable of having this powerful hold over FMC while having no power of his own whatsoever, which doesn’t really add up. The reader is told that MMC kills people for their magic, but many of the people weren’t magical and the killing still did not provide him with magic for spells. It felt like the author was struggling to find a way to end the story in a believable way.
FMC finally uses a fire that never goes out to burn down the castle…and yet the whole forest somehow does not go up in flames simply because the author declares it so. The writing gets really sloppy at the end with the author having to make disclaimers every other sentence about how the ending is possible. How FMC and Dacia finally make it to safety is glossed over, and Dacia just makes a total 180 into believing and being totally ok with all the supernatural unexplainable things that happen. When they finally declare their love for each other it is very robotic and rushed like and they lived happily ever after but the reader gets no explanation of how.
I agree with another reviewer’s take that the novel read like an inexperienced suburbanite trying to write something that seems edgy based on borrowed experience. Over all for a book that is intended to be edgy it felt sterile and all over the place. It felt like the author was trying to incorporate too many elements into one story and didn’t really do any of them well. Many parts of the plot were not believable for me and therefore it was difficult to truly sympathize and get behind the main character’s journey. It felt rushed in the beginning and then super slow and underwhelming when FMC finally ends up at the castle interacting with death, then it picked up a little, and then ended underwhelming and rushed as well. The middle 70% of the book is very slow and took forever to get through.
Based on the author’s promo she wrote this based on going through some rough stuff, but it really feels like she was trying too hard to find a way to turn her experiences into fiction. It felt like yet another author trying out the trend of trauma dumping with their writing to receive likes. Like trying to write The Alchemist for trauma survivors and honestly I just felt like this wasn’t it.
A positive that I can say is that the author knows how to evoke a hypnotic atmosphere in her writing. That said, there were definitely many parts of the writing that felt weak and the writing gradually becomes more lackluster throughout, especially toward the end where it just falls apart. It was entertaining at some parts but ultimately there were a lot of plot holes that I found difficult to overlook. I could tell that the author put a lot of work into trying to build the aesthetic of the novel including translating phrases into Latin and French. However, the reader would have to Google Translate to know what any of it means. I can see other people reading this book and perhaps even addressing a depth to it that I feel is undeserved simply because they like the vibes. However, this book honestly felt like a letdown for all the hype it was given.
All of the author’s marketing promos were geared toward making the novel seem like a dark gothic romance which I felt sucked readers in but was also dishonest. The novel clearly states that it is not a romance, yet in the promo the sapphic romance aspect of the book is severely overly exaggerated. Salome and Dacia’s connection felt like someone who is not actually gay trying to write a gay scene. I had also hoped for once that a novel would break the stereotype of sapphic romance being forged out of trauma bonds and hating men but this novel did not do that.
I did not feel that the steamy parts were steamy at all. They stop as abruptly as they start and contextually make zero sense because there is no buildup. I think that Dacia’s semi incestuous plea for Salome to love her like a sister was kind of weird and uncalled for. I felt that the trigger warning at the beginning of the novel was a little melodramatic and unnecessary for the actual content of the book to be honest. There is knife play, if you could even call it that, and brief S&M, as well as FMC randomly being naked throughout, and then of course the bodies in the chateau, but the trigger warning seemed off base, like it was warning about the less relevant thing.
I did not feel that the dialogue was executed well at all throughout this book. It felt dry, uninspired, and forced to me. The FMC lacked a lot of feeling over all when it came to interactions with other characters as well as traumatic events within the book. It was as if she were an NPC in her own life just outwardly observing everything that is happening. Dissociation is a thing, but if that was the intent it wasn’t really made clear.
The pacing was also problematic. The author takes you at warp speed through the FMC’s backstory and the transitions from scene to scene throughout the book are vague and confusing. Salome will be doing one thing and then suddenly doing something else with very little explanation of how she got from point A to point B.
The backstory itself is confusing, super rushed, and at times unbelievable. For example, the sex work parts read like they were written by someone who has clearly never done sex work in their life. The part where FMC is in a convent as well as the random religious trauma components feel like they are written by someone who hates religion and did not grow up Catholic and had to research Catholicism for a book. Salome also presumably mortally wounds one of her sex work clients, and then no more than a couple of sentences later she finds herself buried alive without explanation…and then survives… I mean, what??
It’s also never really explained how it’s possible that Salome’s father would be responsible for the mother’s death and for Salome and her sister getting separated from their family of origin? The wording in her backstory about what actually happens is super confusing and all but glossed over as a formality. In my opinion it would have been better if the story began in the castle, because everything before it felt forced and only necessary to move the reader toward the ultimate destination of the chateau.
The magic aspect was intriguing but also confusing and not explained very well. As the reader you are led to believe that the author is eventually going to reveal some big secret. It takes forever to get there only to figure out that the big secret isn’t even really as big as you thought it might be. The big reveal is like Dorothy finding out that the wizard is a fraud. It is wrapped up in the very last chapter in the most nonsensical way possible.
I found the way that the layout of Lord Death’s chateau is described to be confusing and vague, and I felt that the vagueness made it difficult to understand what was happening, how it happened, and where.
I felt that Lord Death was a weak name for a vengeful god that feeds on women and children and the magic of the living. The name sounded like a villain out of the LEGO movie and this was difficult to mentally bypass because it sounded ridiculous.
We are led to believe that the MMC is some type of big bad power sucking muderous guy, but in my opinion he’s kind of just not? I guess what I mean is that for someone so rough and tough, he doesn’t really seem like all that and as I was reading he felt like a one dimensional character without much emotional draw or buildup. It is kind of unbelievable how easily FMC falls into fawning over this guy and treating him like a sensei.
There is zero chemistry whatsoever between MMC and FMC. It also did not really strike me as feasible for Death to have been able to get the bodies of his victims into the castle without FMC ever noticing or questioning why he was gone for so long. FMC seems so quick to believe that he is a supernatural being, I’m not sure why that is her first response rather than thinking of him as a normal guy first.
It is also really hard to feel sorry for the FMC when she acts so clueless and ungrateful for a considerable part of the story, something about Salome’s personality bothered me as her main character conflict seemed to be fighting the need to be special and I did not respect or connect with her character at all. And by the end of the story she doesn’t even resolve that conflict in a healthy way. It was difficult to comprehend why she would stay when death literally gives her several wide open opportunities to leave prior to literally any of the bad stuff happening. The reader is led to believe that the sheer allure of making a Faustian bargain with Lord Death is enough to make him attractive (it’s not). Maybe that’s the point, to make the FMC unsympathetic and unreliable, but she never really gets to the point of acknowledging that these are her own choices or showing any humility other than self deprecation. Even by the end of the novel FMC still doesn’t get to that point of growth.
FMC is supposedly super powerful and yet I felt that we didn’t really get to see the full force of those powers in action. The reader is led to believe that FMC experiences major character growth and I just didn’t see that. There is a part where maybe she starts to sober up and then just goes back to being self righteous and unaware. In the final scenes she cannot even use her own power, she draws on the power of others to do her bidding. It felt extremely weak and like a complete waste of the time that the story leads the reader all the way to the end just for FMC to kill Death in the chapel with a candle stick…like why could she not have just sent him to another dimension like she did the demon?
There were so many plot holes and odd things throughout this book that ruined the experience for me and felt truly unbelievable, it’s hard to even know where to begin. For example, the amount of times that FMC is naked, at times with little reason, for extended periods of time. The worst example of this is when she runs from Death’s mansion and by some miracle finds the girls from the brothel in the woods…and then nobody seems to make a bigger deal about how she is buck ass naked in the woods for hours with satanic symbols carved into her legs?? I found it hard to believe that it took FMC until the end of the book to finally use the keys that Death willingly gave her earlier in the book. It is truly difficult to believe that she would feel that afraid of a man who is hardly ever home and whom she barely interacts with. It literally takes until the man does knife play with her for her to investigate any of the rooms in the house in daylight. The only true lesbian scene occurs right after Salome and Dacia are abducted by bandits and by some miracle they have sex without drawing any attention from the bandit that is supposed to be watching them? Not to mention it is hard to believe that in such a traumatic situation they would be horny at all.
The ending had a lot of plot holes as well. The bandits are basically never heard from again after they give FMC information about the Baron and that plot line remained unresolved. Rochelle’s storyline is resolved in an extremely rushed and confusing way that answers nothing…is she married to the demon who abducted her? Is she still alive in the real world somewhere inaccessible, or in another dimension? What, if anything, did her disappearance have to do with Lord Death? If nothing, then how would she know how to warn the FMC? The whole ending of finding out Death’s secret felt kind nonsensical and rushed. The reader is led to believe that MMC is simultaneously capable of having this powerful hold over FMC while having no power of his own whatsoever, which doesn’t really add up. The reader is told that MMC kills people for their magic, but many of the people weren’t magical and the killing still did not provide him with magic for spells. It felt like the author was struggling to find a way to end the story in a believable way.
FMC finally uses a fire that never goes out to burn down the castle…and yet the whole forest somehow does not go up in flames simply because the author declares it so. The writing gets really sloppy at the end with the author having to make disclaimers every other sentence about how the ending is possible. How FMC and Dacia finally make it to safety is glossed over, and Dacia just makes a total 180 into believing and being totally ok with all the supernatural unexplainable things that happen. When they finally declare their love for each other it is very robotic and rushed like and they lived happily ever after but the reader gets no explanation of how.
I agree with another reviewer’s take that the novel read like an inexperienced suburbanite trying to write something that seems edgy based on borrowed experience. Over all for a book that is intended to be edgy it felt sterile and all over the place. It felt like the author was trying to incorporate too many elements into one story and didn’t really do any of them well. Many parts of the plot were not believable for me and therefore it was difficult to truly sympathize and get behind the main character’s journey. It felt rushed in the beginning and then super slow and underwhelming when FMC finally ends up at the castle interacting with death, then it picked up a little, and then ended underwhelming and rushed as well. The middle 70% of the book is very slow and took forever to get through.
Based on the author’s promo she wrote this based on going through some rough stuff, but it really feels like she was trying too hard to find a way to turn her experiences into fiction. It felt like yet another author trying out the trend of trauma dumping with their writing to receive likes. Like trying to write The Alchemist for trauma survivors and honestly I just felt like this wasn’t it.
A positive that I can say is that the author knows how to evoke a hypnotic atmosphere in her writing. That said, there were definitely many parts of the writing that felt weak and the writing gradually becomes more lackluster throughout, especially toward the end where it just falls apart. It was entertaining at some parts but ultimately there were a lot of plot holes that I found difficult to overlook. I could tell that the author put a lot of work into trying to build the aesthetic of the novel including translating phrases into Latin and French. However, the reader would have to Google Translate to know what any of it means. I can see other people reading this book and perhaps even addressing a depth to it that I feel is undeserved simply because they like the vibes. However, this book honestly felt like a letdown for all the hype it was given.
April 17, 2026
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!
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!
April 18, 2026
| rating: 3.75 ★
Salome is no stranger to death. From the death of her birth mother by her father’s hand to the execution of her witch mother Valerie, Salome believes that her life is a curse. Her only companion is her dear sister, Rochelle, who knows of Salome’s abilities and has stayed by her side despite all their misfortunes. When Rochelle is taken by a creature, Salome leaves the convent they’ve been living in to find her, only to be exposed to the evils of man. Salome lives as a prostitute for years, biding her time until she could leave and find her sister. But when young girls start going missing and the Baron’s men start getting bolder, Salome’s magic exposes her as a witch and forces her to flee into the dark forest, where she meets Death.
A Dark and Wild Wood is a retelling of the story of Bluebeard, a French folktale where a wealthy nobleman married six beautiful wives only for all of them to mysteriously disappear. My previous encounter with this story was with Angela Carter’s short story “The Bloody Chamber.” As such, I went into this story not expecting a romance, but instead a dark gothic story.
For the most part, this book met my expectations. The prose was beautiful and fit nicely with the atmosphere. It was spooky enough that I got the creeps whenever I read it at night. The plot itself was interesting. I see where the inspiration from Bluebeard came from, but I also enjoyed the little details that set it apart from the original folktale. Having Salome be a prostitute, but also a queer woman living in this vaguely medieval French countryside gave an extra depth to her character. I did think that she was fairly naive for a 25 year old prostitute. Salome was set up to be this clever, headstrong and jaded protagonist, but her inner voice doesn’t reflect that at all. Then again, she has been sheltered her entire life—first at the convent, then in the whore house, and then in the House of Blue Sleep. I also felt like the story dragged between 70% to 80% in and then the ending came suddenly. There was also a lot of telling and not showing. I felt like Salome was never given the chance to really reflect or think about what was happening to her because the narrator was telling us how she was dealing with it.
Again, I didn’t put a lot of weight on the romance between Salome and Death, but I did LOVE Dacia and Salome. I wish we had a little more time with them! I was also interested in Rochelle and her husband and I hope the author explores that in another story (even if it is your cliche Persephone x Hades story).
Overall, I really enjoyed this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books/Harper Voyager for the e-ARC!
--
me: wow this is so much like “The Bloody Chamber”
me 90% in: oh this is literally “The Blood Chamber”
i love gothic novels 🖤
Salome is no stranger to death. From the death of her birth mother by her father’s hand to the execution of her witch mother Valerie, Salome believes that her life is a curse. Her only companion is her dear sister, Rochelle, who knows of Salome’s abilities and has stayed by her side despite all their misfortunes. When Rochelle is taken by a creature, Salome leaves the convent they’ve been living in to find her, only to be exposed to the evils of man. Salome lives as a prostitute for years, biding her time until she could leave and find her sister. But when young girls start going missing and the Baron’s men start getting bolder, Salome’s magic exposes her as a witch and forces her to flee into the dark forest, where she meets Death.
A Dark and Wild Wood is a retelling of the story of Bluebeard, a French folktale where a wealthy nobleman married six beautiful wives only for all of them to mysteriously disappear. My previous encounter with this story was with Angela Carter’s short story “The Bloody Chamber.” As such, I went into this story not expecting a romance, but instead a dark gothic story.
For the most part, this book met my expectations. The prose was beautiful and fit nicely with the atmosphere. It was spooky enough that I got the creeps whenever I read it at night. The plot itself was interesting. I see where the inspiration from Bluebeard came from, but I also enjoyed the little details that set it apart from the original folktale. Having Salome be a prostitute, but also a queer woman living in this vaguely medieval French countryside gave an extra depth to her character. I did think that she was fairly naive for a 25 year old prostitute. Salome was set up to be this clever, headstrong and jaded protagonist, but her inner voice doesn’t reflect that at all. Then again, she has been sheltered her entire life—first at the convent, then in the whore house, and then in the House of Blue Sleep. I also felt like the story dragged between 70% to 80% in and then the ending came suddenly. There was also a lot of telling and not showing. I felt like Salome was never given the chance to really reflect or think about what was happening to her because the narrator was telling us how she was dealing with it.
Again, I didn’t put a lot of weight on the romance between Salome and Death, but I did LOVE Dacia and Salome. I wish we had a little more time with them! I was also interested in Rochelle and her husband and I hope the author explores that in another story (even if it is your cliche Persephone x Hades story).
Overall, I really enjoyed this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books/Harper Voyager for the e-ARC!
--
me: wow this is so much like “The Bloody Chamber”
me 90% in: oh this is literally “The Blood Chamber”
i love gothic novels 🖤
Read
January 7, 2026
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
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
June 22, 2026
Holy Crap I’m obsessed. Thanks to the author , publisher and narrator for my ALC. Narrator did a great job , really made you feel like you were there experiencing the horror with the main character. Please do not go into this thinking it is a romance, you’ll be disappointed and miss out on a phenomenal standalone. This is a story of a woman with power growing in a society where women with any gifts are considered abominations / curses and what she experiences overcoming it. The story wraps up in a neat tidy perfectly satisfying bow and I thoroughly enjoyed the lyrical writing style. You feel as if you are there experiencing the dark gothic horror filled atmosphere.
March 31, 2026
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.
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.
June 2, 2026
3.5⭐️
What happens when you wish for power and the only one who might give it is Death? Such is the journey that Salome finds herself in. Raised in a nunnery with her sister until her sister is kidnapped by a demon, Salome finds herself destitute. Having kept her powers as a witch hidden for most of her life, Salome's only avenue to keep herself alfoat becomes prostitution.. But Salome finds herself longing to control her powers and when she steps into the forest who awaits her but Lord Death himself. And he offers her the one thing Salome has always wanted: power. As Salome settles in to an uncertain life in Lord Death's cheteau, she encounters otherwordly beings in the forest surrounding his estate that challenge her perception of witchcraft, power and ultimately...herself. Can Salome find her own strength and use it to center her own power or will Lord Death be her master forever?
My thoughts:
I really wanted to like this more than I did. On paper, it was everything I look for in a dark fantasy: slightly erotic, lush descriptions, intriguing plots. But I felt like it was hard to understand Salome's logic. Most of the book felt like Salome changing her mind every few pages, to where I wasn't sure if the plot was even going to advance. I did enjoy the ending. I think the imagery was beautifully written. At times it felt like the most vivid fever dream, and I did enjoy that. I think readers who enjoy dark fantasy will find this one a fascinating read. I will say that at no point did I know what was going to happen. A thoroughly original concept with enough fantasy and gothic elements to keep it grounded.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
What happens when you wish for power and the only one who might give it is Death? Such is the journey that Salome finds herself in. Raised in a nunnery with her sister until her sister is kidnapped by a demon, Salome finds herself destitute. Having kept her powers as a witch hidden for most of her life, Salome's only avenue to keep herself alfoat becomes prostitution.. But Salome finds herself longing to control her powers and when she steps into the forest who awaits her but Lord Death himself. And he offers her the one thing Salome has always wanted: power. As Salome settles in to an uncertain life in Lord Death's cheteau, she encounters otherwordly beings in the forest surrounding his estate that challenge her perception of witchcraft, power and ultimately...herself. Can Salome find her own strength and use it to center her own power or will Lord Death be her master forever?
My thoughts:
I really wanted to like this more than I did. On paper, it was everything I look for in a dark fantasy: slightly erotic, lush descriptions, intriguing plots. But I felt like it was hard to understand Salome's logic. Most of the book felt like Salome changing her mind every few pages, to where I wasn't sure if the plot was even going to advance. I did enjoy the ending. I think the imagery was beautifully written. At times it felt like the most vivid fever dream, and I did enjoy that. I think readers who enjoy dark fantasy will find this one a fascinating read. I will say that at no point did I know what was going to happen. A thoroughly original concept with enough fantasy and gothic elements to keep it grounded.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 6, 2026
3,5 ⭐
A haunting gothic tale inspired by Bluebeard a french folklore. Its giving eerie ans whimsy magic, and a sub plot sapphic romance, After surviving her father’s attempt to drown her and losing her adoptive mother to a witch trial..Salome is sent to a convent with her sister.
Years later, when Rochelle is taken by a forest monster, Salome’s search leads her into the care of the mysterious Lord Death, where she must learn strange powers in a dark world 🖤
A haunting gothic tale inspired by Bluebeard a french folklore. Its giving eerie ans whimsy magic, and a sub plot sapphic romance, After surviving her father’s attempt to drown her and losing her adoptive mother to a witch trial..Salome is sent to a convent with her sister.
Years later, when Rochelle is taken by a forest monster, Salome’s search leads her into the care of the mysterious Lord Death, where she must learn strange powers in a dark world 🖤
June 16, 2026
4.4 i love a good gothic standalone babyyyy!!! Feels like a twisted fairytale in the best way
March 9, 2026
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.
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.
August 26, 2026
The author makes it clear from the beginning that this is not a dark romance, this is horror. I was pulled into the story from the first page. I felt like the story was playing mind games with me – I was confused a lot and kept asking myself questions repeatedly. A Dark and Wild Wood definitely made me feel deep emotions (which is good); however, I landed on two-stars. It is not because the book was bad (it was not), but because I was too frustrated with the characters and the whole storyline. Let me explain.
I kept asking myself “Salomé, what is that you want? Just please tell me! Decide!”. As a reader, the MFC was too confusing. I got the sense that she is written as someone lost and does not belong in an environment she was put in. Though, her ambitions? There were too many, for her and for me.
There was obsession, perversion, dark romance elements, feminism, harassment, and even religion was involved. Some moments were hard to read, but it was the whole point – feel the discomfort and disturbance to experience the darkness of the book’s atmosphere.
I really loved the build-up between Salomé and Lord Death (MMC), but I was devastated about the ending. Their relationship/partnership/companionship was hot and cold, kinky, obsessive, but I saw potential. Unfortunately, that was not the case by the end. I wanted a better ending for Lord Death and Salomé. Once I learned about the women being missing, I knew where this was going, and I hoped that I was wrong. I wasn’t.
What I missed was the backstory about Salomé’s sister Rochelle. Where did she go? What happened? She just appeared in glimpses completely turned, while her sister was grieving her. I needed more about Rochelle to justify her sudden appearances.
I loved the wayward magic and the dark atmosphere, but it was not enough for me to completely fall in love with this story. I felt it in my bones. If dark and obsessive stories with romance elements are your type, give this a try!
I kept asking myself “Salomé, what is that you want? Just please tell me! Decide!”. As a reader, the MFC was too confusing. I got the sense that she is written as someone lost and does not belong in an environment she was put in. Though, her ambitions? There were too many, for her and for me.
There was obsession, perversion, dark romance elements, feminism, harassment, and even religion was involved. Some moments were hard to read, but it was the whole point – feel the discomfort and disturbance to experience the darkness of the book’s atmosphere.
I really loved the build-up between Salomé and Lord Death (MMC), but I was devastated about the ending. Their relationship/partnership/companionship was hot and cold, kinky, obsessive, but I saw potential. Unfortunately, that was not the case by the end. I wanted a better ending for Lord Death and Salomé. Once I learned about the women being missing, I knew where this was going, and I hoped that I was wrong. I wasn’t.
What I missed was the backstory about Salomé’s sister Rochelle. Where did she go? What happened? She just appeared in glimpses completely turned, while her sister was grieving her. I needed more about Rochelle to justify her sudden appearances.
I loved the wayward magic and the dark atmosphere, but it was not enough for me to completely fall in love with this story. I felt it in my bones. If dark and obsessive stories with romance elements are your type, give this a try!
July 24, 2026
I honestly can't believe I finished this book. The story seemed so disjointed and long for no reason. I was really into the plot but it just lost me halfway through. You can tell that the story itself was trying to hit so many markers with no success. Also, a lot of spelling and grammar errors. I'm a bit disappointed because I was really looking forward to this one.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
August 3, 2026
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.
Now this was one dark retelling of bluebeard mixed with gothic horror and what the author reminds us from page one. That this, is not a tale of romance, but a horror story. And she was right.
One thing that I think no one could ever deny is the mastery of author Sarah Nicole Lemon in writing. Her prose is hands down one of the most masterful and well crafted ones I've ever had the pleasure of reading, and her compelling writing skills are what made this book so addictive. That, the plot and the premises that actually comes truw withy the story's progression. How Salomé sheds the titles (if one can call them as such) given to her since birth before ascending to a new, most powerful one.
Witch. Sinner. Whore No more Sinner. No more Whore. No more Salomé waisting away in a brothel in a nameless small village accumulating debt with each and every breath. No more labels to define her in such way.
Plus Thank the gods she ended with the only right person for her, THANK THE GODS FOR THAT I HOPE THEY HAVE A HAPPY ENDING NOW.
What drastically lowered my rating was how many certain aspects of the book were glossed over. An example would be the whole ordeal with Rochelle. How after disappearing for years she never once tried to contact her sister to even try to explain what had happened to her, but only did it after Salomé arrived at the Chateau to warm her, which don't get me wrong it is sweet but not entirely linear in terms of thought. another thing which frustrated me to no end (even if it was done on purpose) was how BLIND Salomé was with Death or who she thought he was for basically like 90% of the book right to the moment she found out the truth. Don't get me wrong that was gaslighting at its finest and was done superbly well, but after so many warnings one can't help starting to think that the girl is just plain stupid.
3.25/3.5⭐️ 1.5🌶️
Now this was one dark retelling of bluebeard mixed with gothic horror and what the author reminds us from page one. That this, is not a tale of romance, but a horror story. And she was right.
One thing that I think no one could ever deny is the mastery of author Sarah Nicole Lemon in writing. Her prose is hands down one of the most masterful and well crafted ones I've ever had the pleasure of reading, and her compelling writing skills are what made this book so addictive. That, the plot and the premises that actually comes truw withy the story's progression. How Salomé sheds the titles (if one can call them as such) given to her since birth before ascending to a new, most powerful one.
Witch. Sinner. Whore No more Sinner. No more Whore. No more Salomé waisting away in a brothel in a nameless small village accumulating debt with each and every breath. No more labels to define her in such way.
Plus Thank the gods she ended with the only right person for her, THANK THE GODS FOR THAT I HOPE THEY HAVE A HAPPY ENDING NOW.
What drastically lowered my rating was how many certain aspects of the book were glossed over. An example would be the whole ordeal with Rochelle. How after disappearing for years she never once tried to contact her sister to even try to explain what had happened to her, but only did it after Salomé arrived at the Chateau to warm her, which don't get me wrong it is sweet but not entirely linear in terms of thought. another thing which frustrated me to no end (even if it was done on purpose) was how BLIND Salomé was with Death or who she thought he was for basically like 90% of the book right to the moment she found out the truth. Don't get me wrong that was gaslighting at its finest and was done superbly well, but after so many warnings one can't help starting to think that the girl is just plain stupid.
3.25/3.5⭐️ 1.5🌶️
May 28, 2026
Usually all for witches but this one can burn
I thought I was going to love this so much but it kind of fell flat for me. I couldn't connect to our protagonist and the setting was fun for the first and last 10% but I ended up waiting the rest of the book for something to happen!
I liked the twist, though I guessed early on. Often don't mind violence but it didn't feel necessary here and it felt disconnected from the rest of the story.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, all thoughts are my own
I thought I was going to love this so much but it kind of fell flat for me. I couldn't connect to our protagonist and the setting was fun for the first and last 10% but I ended up waiting the rest of the book for something to happen!
I liked the twist, though I guessed early on. Often don't mind violence but it didn't feel necessary here and it felt disconnected from the rest of the story.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, all thoughts are my own
July 21, 2026
The thing that got me to pick up this book initially was that it was described as a Bluebeard-inspired story. I have a weird fascination with Bluebeard, and I will read as many retellings or inspired tales as possible to get my fill.
This is a gothic horror that makes you feel like you’re walking through the forest at night with the eyes of something inhuman on your back. Nearly the entirety of this book made me feel unsettled and a little on edge. I liked the creepy and gloomy atmosphere, and how it was downright bleak at times.
There was a warning at the beginning of A Dark and Wild Wood that stated it wasn’t a romantic story, and, even knowing how Bluebeard goes, I still had to keep reminding myself of it. Lord Death out here successfully gaslighting me alongside Salomé.
This is a gothic horror that makes you feel like you’re walking through the forest at night with the eyes of something inhuman on your back. Nearly the entirety of this book made me feel unsettled and a little on edge. I liked the creepy and gloomy atmosphere, and how it was downright bleak at times.
There was a warning at the beginning of A Dark and Wild Wood that stated it wasn’t a romantic story, and, even knowing how Bluebeard goes, I still had to keep reminding myself of it. Lord Death out here successfully gaslighting me alongside Salomé.
June 2, 2026
I have no problem if a book is marketed as not a romance, completely fair play and who knows maybe it will be a story that you will remember forever.
But boy it was unsettling in the wrong kind of way. I get that the relationship between Salome and Lord Death is supposed to be weird and unsettling butttt at tine it was more disturbing than anything
The buld up- not good
The world building- also not good
But i do agree that the author knows how to write in a beautiful lyrical way.
Thank you to the publisher for the arc!
But boy it was unsettling in the wrong kind of way. I get that the relationship between Salome and Lord Death is supposed to be weird and unsettling butttt at tine it was more disturbing than anything
The buld up- not good
The world building- also not good
But i do agree that the author knows how to write in a beautiful lyrical way.
Thank you to the publisher for the arc!
June 25, 2026
soooo , a dark and wild wood is my fifth book of june and my first 3 star of the month. this wasn’t bad , but it definitely had some interesting moments.
the book starts off with a prologue that basically tells you this is not a romance and that it is supposed to be scary. and yeah , i get the romance part. this is not your average romantasy and you are definitely not meant to be sitting there giggling and kicking your feet over lord death , but scary ? i don’t know. maybe it’s because i love horror movies and books , so my standard is a little higher , but this did not really touch that side for me at all. the furthest i would go is calling it a dark story , but in no way was this horror.
what i did really like was the atmosphere. the writing was pretty , the woods felt creepy , and the whole book had this dark fairytale feel that worked really well. salomé was also interesting to follow , especially with her trying to understand her powers and accept the darker parts of herself. i liked that part of her character arc. my main issue was the pacing. the beginning was good , but the middle dragged a bit and felt like the story was not really going anywhere. i was not bored enough to dnf , but i was definitely waiting for things to move. then the ending suddenly happened and everything clicked together a little too easily. it was satisfying , but also kind of rushed and too convenient.
also did not love the dynamic between salomé and lord death. i think it was meant to feel toxic and uncomfortable , so i get that , but the execution felt messy. one second he was being nice , then cold , then helpful , then weird again. like ummm , please pick a mood. their relationship felt very on and off , and even though the idea behind it was interesting , it really was giving bipolar.
i guessed the twist about lord death pretty early , somewhere around the 60% mark , but another twist did catch me off guard , so i’ll give the book that.
overall , i liked the atmosphere , the writing , and salomé’s character journey , but i wanted more from the horror , the pacing , and the ending. it had a lot of potential , and i would probably still read more from this world if the author ever writes another book or something completely new.
2.75 stars rounded up ✨ not bad , just not fully it for me.
the book starts off with a prologue that basically tells you this is not a romance and that it is supposed to be scary. and yeah , i get the romance part. this is not your average romantasy and you are definitely not meant to be sitting there giggling and kicking your feet over lord death , but scary ? i don’t know. maybe it’s because i love horror movies and books , so my standard is a little higher , but this did not really touch that side for me at all. the furthest i would go is calling it a dark story , but in no way was this horror.
what i did really like was the atmosphere. the writing was pretty , the woods felt creepy , and the whole book had this dark fairytale feel that worked really well. salomé was also interesting to follow , especially with her trying to understand her powers and accept the darker parts of herself. i liked that part of her character arc. my main issue was the pacing. the beginning was good , but the middle dragged a bit and felt like the story was not really going anywhere. i was not bored enough to dnf , but i was definitely waiting for things to move. then the ending suddenly happened and everything clicked together a little too easily. it was satisfying , but also kind of rushed and too convenient.
also did not love the dynamic between salomé and lord death. i think it was meant to feel toxic and uncomfortable , so i get that , but the execution felt messy. one second he was being nice , then cold , then helpful , then weird again. like ummm , please pick a mood. their relationship felt very on and off , and even though the idea behind it was interesting , it really was giving bipolar.
i guessed the twist about lord death pretty early , somewhere around the 60% mark , but another twist did catch me off guard , so i’ll give the book that.
overall , i liked the atmosphere , the writing , and salomé’s character journey , but i wanted more from the horror , the pacing , and the ending. it had a lot of potential , and i would probably still read more from this world if the author ever writes another book or something completely new.
2.75 stars rounded up ✨ not bad , just not fully it for me.
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