What do you think?
Rate this book
Staying Dead
Dying was supposed to be the end. For twenty-three year old Arden, it was just the beginning of a new hell. In the gritty afterlife of Second, her only purpose is finding Perry, the friend who vanished without a trace. But survival comes at a price. After a brutal attack, she falls into the grasp of Bayne, a lethal man with secrets who sees her as a pawn in his war against the soul-devouring monsters. He offers a bargain she can’t refuse: her service for saving her best friend’s life. Trapped in his hidden castle, Arden is forced to hone her skills for a man she despises. Yet with every clash of blades and heated glance, the line between hatred and desire blurs into a dangerous obsession. But the monsters are closer than she knows, and the truth is a web of a betrayal that will cost Arden her very soul.
- GenresRomantasy
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 14, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
March 20, 2026
Review of advanced copy received from Author
3.5/5
First thank you to the author, this was my first ARC and was a pleasure to read.
The world presented here I find to be an incredibly interesting idea. I love the idea of Second and this whole afterlife based story. The divine beings within the world are also particularly interesting and I want to know more about them as well as just how exactly did this world come to be as many lines suggest it was created for some purpose I feel. The world building is not the main focus of the story but enough is there to create interest in the world and I hope it is expanded on in the future.
The characters are fantastic for the most part. Arden is a solid but not particularly exceptional main character, however because of her strong emotional responses to other characters she really brings out more from the characters around her. Edene is probably my overall favorite and I love that the ending suggests there is more to her to learn In the next book. Bayne is a great asshole for the first 2/3 of the book which leads to some amazing banter that genuinely had me laughing at several points. Perry/Qin was done really well in terms of just having an off vibe for so much of the story before the big reveal at the end. The depiction of his relationship with Arden is a great depiction of an extremely codependent and relationship and the grooming that leads to it despite it only being in glimpses throughout. This format gives a mysterious vibe to the whole ordeal that really drew me in even when I was able to guess his intentions pretty quick.
The actual relationship between Bayne and Arden is good overall. I love the sexual tension their banter inspires and it makes the actual sex payoff incredible. The actual sex is my brand of kinky and was an entertaining read. I’m not as much of a fan of how quick they switch from hostile tension to full on die for you love birds, it’s not that that would be unreasonable to be an eventual switch but it feels incredibly rapid and threw me off a bit. I also think the banter drops down a peg as a result of the lack of hostility and I think they could still have a fun hostility without it being actually hate as a more natural progression and just a more entertaining read. Another note is I like the contrast of Bayne actually wanting Arden to be strong vs how the relationship with Perry is so much more manipulative even with Bayne being an asshole and Perry being fake loving.
Some nitpicks. The plot picks up as it goes on but much of the initial setup feels a bit generic (such as Arden needing to be saved which takes her to a royal location, etc). Also while the prose overall was solid I definitely got lost at pointswhere I would have to stop and reread a page to figure out who was speaking when multiple characters swapped talking in succession or when people kept cutting each other off (the discussion between Arden Bayne and Qin at the end notably I felt like I had to decipher a bit to understand what was being said) which was a bit of a speed bump in the process of reading the book. I may have completely missed something but I don’t fully see what the purpose was in the initial person killed at Burtons other than to setup Bayne and Arden talking about it.
Overall I had a great time with the book, the second half especially really drew me in and I am genuinely excited both to buy a physical copy at some point and to read the next in the series, I think things like prose and clarity will only improve with more experience and lead to a fantastic book series.
3.5/5
First thank you to the author, this was my first ARC and was a pleasure to read.
The world presented here I find to be an incredibly interesting idea. I love the idea of Second and this whole afterlife based story. The divine beings within the world are also particularly interesting and I want to know more about them as well as just how exactly did this world come to be as many lines suggest it was created for some purpose I feel. The world building is not the main focus of the story but enough is there to create interest in the world and I hope it is expanded on in the future.
The characters are fantastic for the most part. Arden is a solid but not particularly exceptional main character, however because of her strong emotional responses to other characters she really brings out more from the characters around her. Edene is probably my overall favorite and I love that the ending suggests there is more to her to learn In the next book. Bayne is a great asshole for the first 2/3 of the book which leads to some amazing banter that genuinely had me laughing at several points. Perry/Qin was done really well in terms of just having an off vibe for so much of the story before the big reveal at the end. The depiction of his relationship with Arden is a great depiction of an extremely codependent and relationship and the grooming that leads to it despite it only being in glimpses throughout. This format gives a mysterious vibe to the whole ordeal that really drew me in even when I was able to guess his intentions pretty quick.
The actual relationship between Bayne and Arden is good overall. I love the sexual tension their banter inspires and it makes the actual sex payoff incredible. The actual sex is my brand of kinky and was an entertaining read. I’m not as much of a fan of how quick they switch from hostile tension to full on die for you love birds, it’s not that that would be unreasonable to be an eventual switch but it feels incredibly rapid and threw me off a bit. I also think the banter drops down a peg as a result of the lack of hostility and I think they could still have a fun hostility without it being actually hate as a more natural progression and just a more entertaining read. Another note is I like the contrast of Bayne actually wanting Arden to be strong vs how the relationship with Perry is so much more manipulative even with Bayne being an asshole and Perry being fake loving.
Some nitpicks. The plot picks up as it goes on but much of the initial setup feels a bit generic (such as Arden needing to be saved which takes her to a royal location, etc). Also while the prose overall was solid I definitely got lost at pointswhere I would have to stop and reread a page to figure out who was speaking when multiple characters swapped talking in succession or when people kept cutting each other off (the discussion between Arden Bayne and Qin at the end notably I felt like I had to decipher a bit to understand what was being said) which was a bit of a speed bump in the process of reading the book. I may have completely missed something but I don’t fully see what the purpose was in the initial person killed at Burtons other than to setup Bayne and Arden talking about it.
Overall I had a great time with the book, the second half especially really drew me in and I am genuinely excited both to buy a physical copy at some point and to read the next in the series, I think things like prose and clarity will only improve with more experience and lead to a fantastic book series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2026
Got this as an ARC and I’m so thankful because this was such a fun Romantasy read! The characters were fun and I read it over two days. The main character, Arden doesn’t remember her past life and I love a memory loss trope. It’s the perfect length, and we got a good introduction to characters and the world building. This book left me with questions that have to get answered and I’m excited to read the next one!
April 19, 2026
This book literally came out of left field. I absolutely love Arden and Bayne their banter alone set the stage for the ride you're going on. This is a story to find yourself and found family no you definitely cant trust anyone but the road to the truth is steep. Im absolutely here for this series.
March 19, 2026
wow. i mean, wow.
i was very lucky to receive the ARC of this book, and it didn’t disappoint. the characters? amazing. the world? stunning. the plot? fan-freaking-tastic. i love love LOVE Arden and Bayne’s story, and i will now be rocking in my chair like an insane person until i get book two. and the fact that this is her first book is absolutely jaw dropping because it was SO FREAKING GOOD and well written!!!! this author is so talented, and i hope she keeps writing forever and ever and ever. the way the chapters were written made it hard to put the book down.
to the lovely Lillith Sterling,
i hate you for the ending of the book….but i’ll take five more like right now.
i was very lucky to receive the ARC of this book, and it didn’t disappoint. the characters? amazing. the world? stunning. the plot? fan-freaking-tastic. i love love LOVE Arden and Bayne’s story, and i will now be rocking in my chair like an insane person until i get book two. and the fact that this is her first book is absolutely jaw dropping because it was SO FREAKING GOOD and well written!!!! this author is so talented, and i hope she keeps writing forever and ever and ever. the way the chapters were written made it hard to put the book down.
to the lovely Lillith Sterling,
i hate you for the ending of the book….but i’ll take five more like right now.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What can I say? I absolutely devoured this book. The world Lillith brings us is beautifully written with twists youd never expect. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this series.
April 17, 2026
4.5⭐️
Thank you Lillith Sterling for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was a stunning debut and a relatively unique concept, which can be so hard in fantasy these days! Of course some elements are similar to other fantasy books, but that’s just the nature of writing fantasy I think. I really enjoyed the concept of the afterlife being like a second chance at life before true death and finding Peace. I’ll say there were tons of moving parts to this one! I found it reminiscent of the OG way series were written, where the questions aren’t ALL answered in book one! Definitely leaves more excitement to be had for book 2! I enjoyed the world, the prose is whimsical and atmospheric, and descriptive without being overly so. I loved Bayne and Arden’s TRUE TRUE enemies to lovers energy and how Arden spends so long denying her attraction and feelings for him that when she FINALLY gives in, there’s no holding back—the girl’s in loveeee and it had me giggling. This is an epicccc slow burn for sure! The pacing is down well, and the banter is perfection, Bayne absolutely had me blushing with his naughty quips! I felt like it ended on such a good cliffhanger that had me dying (no pun intended) to see what will happen next! There are parts of the world/story that you do kind of have to wait for them to flesh out, but I felt the not knowing really served a purpose once you find out certain information towards the end! Which reminds me, this is absolutely radiating “trust no bitch” energy and I loved it!
With the world building, it can feel a litttttle like being thrown in without a life float, but like I said, stick with it and you’ll see it serves a purpose! It’s a lot of reading into nuance and interpreting for yourself, so if you’re not used to that, it can be a challenge, but i found it refreshing! My only complaint was there were a handful of times where certain phrases or words were repeated, sometimes using the same descriptive word twice in one sentence. Just a nit picky thing that I think could’ve probably used a few more passes in editing, but really no big complaints here! Thanks again to Lillith and y’all check this one out, it’s available now!
Thank you Lillith Sterling for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This was a stunning debut and a relatively unique concept, which can be so hard in fantasy these days! Of course some elements are similar to other fantasy books, but that’s just the nature of writing fantasy I think. I really enjoyed the concept of the afterlife being like a second chance at life before true death and finding Peace. I’ll say there were tons of moving parts to this one! I found it reminiscent of the OG way series were written, where the questions aren’t ALL answered in book one! Definitely leaves more excitement to be had for book 2! I enjoyed the world, the prose is whimsical and atmospheric, and descriptive without being overly so. I loved Bayne and Arden’s TRUE TRUE enemies to lovers energy and how Arden spends so long denying her attraction and feelings for him that when she FINALLY gives in, there’s no holding back—the girl’s in loveeee and it had me giggling. This is an epicccc slow burn for sure! The pacing is down well, and the banter is perfection, Bayne absolutely had me blushing with his naughty quips! I felt like it ended on such a good cliffhanger that had me dying (no pun intended) to see what will happen next! There are parts of the world/story that you do kind of have to wait for them to flesh out, but I felt the not knowing really served a purpose once you find out certain information towards the end! Which reminds me, this is absolutely radiating “trust no bitch” energy and I loved it!
With the world building, it can feel a litttttle like being thrown in without a life float, but like I said, stick with it and you’ll see it serves a purpose! It’s a lot of reading into nuance and interpreting for yourself, so if you’re not used to that, it can be a challenge, but i found it refreshing! My only complaint was there were a handful of times where certain phrases or words were repeated, sometimes using the same descriptive word twice in one sentence. Just a nit picky thing that I think could’ve probably used a few more passes in editing, but really no big complaints here! Thanks again to Lillith and y’all check this one out, it’s available now!
March 31, 2026
The premise seemed interesting, but I don’t think it was executed well. The world building seemed very underdeveloped and didn’t make much sense. The magic system was also very hazy and confusing. I still don’t understand Vails, or Shaded, or Sirens.
Both of the main characters were insufferable. Arden was rude to everyone for literally no reason. She is such a bitch to Bayne IMMEDIATELY for no other reason than him coming across rather arrogant their first meeting. Don’t get me wrong, he IS an arrogant asshole, but her level of hate for him instantly did not make any sense. Bayne was also such a dick for no reason. His constant innuendos were SO annoying. Every time he spoke I rolled my eyes.
I’m all for “enemies to lovers” but I hate when it’s just the MMC being a glorified bully. Their “banter” was just them squabbling like children. The whole bond thing didn’t make sense to me at all. And then they just do a complete 180% out of nowhere and all of a sudden are overly lovely dovey. I feel like they never had a single conversation that wasn’t them calling each other names and storming off, and then suddenly they’re the loves of each others lives and they can’t live without each other and he’s asking her to marry him??
I hated all the random nicknames everyone gave her. No one actually calls her by her name. It’s “little raven” “darling” “angel” “baby” “love” “princess” “little sprite” “doll” etc etc etc. It’s one thing when the MMC gives the FMC one nickname, but EVERYONE had multiple little nicknames for her and it felt so infantilizing and weird. I actually forgot her name a couple of times.
I never felt like I knew what was going on with the plot. She’s supposed to “research the Shaded” but no one tells her exactly what she’s supposed to be looking for? Just “here do research”. I still don’t really understand what the research was for. The whole Qin thing didn’t make sense. It’s never really explained who/what he does except “leader of the Shaded” and the shaded are…creatures that suck out peoples magic? Or something? And he can do something with dreams….or something? I still have no idea what exactly the Vail do/are. Idk all together I’m left with far more questions than answers and am not anywhere near invested enough in the story to find out more.
Both of the main characters were insufferable. Arden was rude to everyone for literally no reason. She is such a bitch to Bayne IMMEDIATELY for no other reason than him coming across rather arrogant their first meeting. Don’t get me wrong, he IS an arrogant asshole, but her level of hate for him instantly did not make any sense. Bayne was also such a dick for no reason. His constant innuendos were SO annoying. Every time he spoke I rolled my eyes.
I’m all for “enemies to lovers” but I hate when it’s just the MMC being a glorified bully. Their “banter” was just them squabbling like children. The whole bond thing didn’t make sense to me at all. And then they just do a complete 180% out of nowhere and all of a sudden are overly lovely dovey. I feel like they never had a single conversation that wasn’t them calling each other names and storming off, and then suddenly they’re the loves of each others lives and they can’t live without each other and he’s asking her to marry him??
I hated all the random nicknames everyone gave her. No one actually calls her by her name. It’s “little raven” “darling” “angel” “baby” “love” “princess” “little sprite” “doll” etc etc etc. It’s one thing when the MMC gives the FMC one nickname, but EVERYONE had multiple little nicknames for her and it felt so infantilizing and weird. I actually forgot her name a couple of times.
I never felt like I knew what was going on with the plot. She’s supposed to “research the Shaded” but no one tells her exactly what she’s supposed to be looking for? Just “here do research”. I still don’t really understand what the research was for. The whole Qin thing didn’t make sense. It’s never really explained who/what he does except “leader of the Shaded” and the shaded are…creatures that suck out peoples magic? Or something? And he can do something with dreams….or something? I still have no idea what exactly the Vail do/are. Idk all together I’m left with far more questions than answers and am not anywhere near invested enough in the story to find out more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2026
It was an honor to receive an ARC for this incredible debut!! 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This story weaves eerie, whimsy, gothic vibes through an enthralling tale of mystery. Our FMC Arden is witty, stabby, and has no memory of how she wound up in Second, the realm of the Afterlife. When our MMC, Bayne, shows up and changes the trajectory of her story, the mystery begins to unravel.
So many of my favorite tropes were all over this book - he trains her, phantom hands, one bed, found family, and the list goes on. The banter between Arden and Bayne is top tier. Bayne is a broody, cunning and frankly egotistical shadow daddy who knows how to use his mouth. And while Arden might not be able to, I can surely admit I ate it alllll up.
Themes of reclamation and trusting your intuition gives the story depth, the plot twists keep you engaged and questioning everything, and the romance is like the icing on the cake. (Side-note, the spice in here is so tasteful and very well written.) The subtle lore drops throughout this journey were so intriguing and left me wanting so much more insight into this world. So, it’s safe to say I’ll be eagerly awaiting book two!! Not to mention the cliffhanger ending…
At times, some of the pacing was just a bit off and I was a little confused about some of the plot points at the end. Still, neither of these things took me out of the story at all. It was an un-put-downable read.
Being able to talk to the incredible author made my experience even more enjoyable. I can’t wait for this story to be out in the world so everyone has a chance to meet Arden and Bayne and join them on their journey in Second.
This story weaves eerie, whimsy, gothic vibes through an enthralling tale of mystery. Our FMC Arden is witty, stabby, and has no memory of how she wound up in Second, the realm of the Afterlife. When our MMC, Bayne, shows up and changes the trajectory of her story, the mystery begins to unravel.
So many of my favorite tropes were all over this book - he trains her, phantom hands, one bed, found family, and the list goes on. The banter between Arden and Bayne is top tier. Bayne is a broody, cunning and frankly egotistical shadow daddy who knows how to use his mouth. And while Arden might not be able to, I can surely admit I ate it alllll up.
Themes of reclamation and trusting your intuition gives the story depth, the plot twists keep you engaged and questioning everything, and the romance is like the icing on the cake. (Side-note, the spice in here is so tasteful and very well written.) The subtle lore drops throughout this journey were so intriguing and left me wanting so much more insight into this world. So, it’s safe to say I’ll be eagerly awaiting book two!! Not to mention the cliffhanger ending…
At times, some of the pacing was just a bit off and I was a little confused about some of the plot points at the end. Still, neither of these things took me out of the story at all. It was an un-put-downable read.
Being able to talk to the incredible author made my experience even more enjoyable. I can’t wait for this story to be out in the world so everyone has a chance to meet Arden and Bayne and join them on their journey in Second.
March 20, 2026
Read as an advanced copy courtesy of the author.
Holy smokes, what did I just read?!
Arden is dead. Well, kind of dead. But she has no memories of her first life. All she has is her best friend Edene, and her love, Perry, who has gone missing. Arden’s mission is to find him.
Enter Bayne… dark, dreamy, and a pain in Arden’s behind. And in the end, Arden’s savior when she’s attacked by the Shaded.
I already feel like I’ve given too much away. But all I can say is if you love a dark Romantasy, true enemies to lovers, secrets, deception, and a few ‘what just happened’ moments, this book is for you.
My jaw dropped a few times, and I still haven’t fully picked it up off the floor yet. There will definitely be a reading slump after this.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Holy smokes, what did I just read?!
Arden is dead. Well, kind of dead. But she has no memories of her first life. All she has is her best friend Edene, and her love, Perry, who has gone missing. Arden’s mission is to find him.
Enter Bayne… dark, dreamy, and a pain in Arden’s behind. And in the end, Arden’s savior when she’s attacked by the Shaded.
I already feel like I’ve given too much away. But all I can say is if you love a dark Romantasy, true enemies to lovers, secrets, deception, and a few ‘what just happened’ moments, this book is for you.
My jaw dropped a few times, and I still haven’t fully picked it up off the floor yet. There will definitely be a reading slump after this.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2026
Thank you to Lillith Sterling for providing an advanced reader copy of Staying Dead in exchange for an honest review.
Staying Dead has such a unique premise.. a Second-life after death that exists separately from your Alive-life. I enjoyed the writing style which was engaging making it an easy, enjoyable read.
The FMC, Arden, has been dead for almost a year but still has no memory of her previous life or even how she died. In this world, a select few possess powerful magic, others have lesser abilities, but Arden seems to have none, which makes her situation even more intriguing.
Enter the MMC Bayne, our ultimate brooding shadow daddy. He’s powerful, dangerous, and ends up saving Arden from the Shaded.. terrifying, magic-draining creatures. In return, she’s forced into a bargain with him. While recovering, she finds herself essentially trapped in his castle, desperate to uncover what happened to her friends and where they are now.
Tropes: 🧠 Memory Loss 👹 Demons, Witches, Sirens (oh my!) 🔮 Crystals 🧪 Potions 💍 Fake Marriage ❤️🔥 Enemies to Lovers 🛏️ One Bed 🖤 Brooding Shadow Daddy
Overall, the story was a fun romantasy read, complete with deliciously spicy scenes and all the familiar, beloved tropes we adore. That said, the magic system could have used more depth and clarity, and there were a few plot holes that made parts feel underdeveloped. The world-building had a lot of potential but didn’t always go far enough to feel completely realized. The ending did feel a bit rushed, though it may have been a deliberate setup to launch us straight into book two.. leaving readers excited for what’s to come.
Staying Dead has such a unique premise.. a Second-life after death that exists separately from your Alive-life. I enjoyed the writing style which was engaging making it an easy, enjoyable read.
The FMC, Arden, has been dead for almost a year but still has no memory of her previous life or even how she died. In this world, a select few possess powerful magic, others have lesser abilities, but Arden seems to have none, which makes her situation even more intriguing.
Enter the MMC Bayne, our ultimate brooding shadow daddy. He’s powerful, dangerous, and ends up saving Arden from the Shaded.. terrifying, magic-draining creatures. In return, she’s forced into a bargain with him. While recovering, she finds herself essentially trapped in his castle, desperate to uncover what happened to her friends and where they are now.
Tropes: 🧠 Memory Loss 👹 Demons, Witches, Sirens (oh my!) 🔮 Crystals 🧪 Potions 💍 Fake Marriage ❤️🔥 Enemies to Lovers 🛏️ One Bed 🖤 Brooding Shadow Daddy
Overall, the story was a fun romantasy read, complete with deliciously spicy scenes and all the familiar, beloved tropes we adore. That said, the magic system could have used more depth and clarity, and there were a few plot holes that made parts feel underdeveloped. The world-building had a lot of potential but didn’t always go far enough to feel completely realized. The ending did feel a bit rushed, though it may have been a deliberate setup to launch us straight into book two.. leaving readers excited for what’s to come.
April 7, 2026
Staying Dead
- 5/5 ⭐️
- 2/5 🌶️
- Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this book! This review is spoiler free: Okay everyone, this one was amazing!!!! If you're looking for peak enemies to lovers, banter, tension, and new characters to obsess over, this is it! I love Arden sooo much and Bayne is just 🥵😍. Can't wait for everyone to get their hands on this debut novel and I'm personally already dying for the next one!
- 5/5 ⭐️
- 2/5 🌶️
- Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this book! This review is spoiler free: Okay everyone, this one was amazing!!!! If you're looking for peak enemies to lovers, banter, tension, and new characters to obsess over, this is it! I love Arden sooo much and Bayne is just 🥵😍. Can't wait for everyone to get their hands on this debut novel and I'm personally already dying for the next one!
March 20, 2026
✨ ARC Review – Staying Dead by Lilith Sterling ✨
⭐ Rating: 3/5
📖 Perfect for readers who like:
• enemies to lovers
• shadow daddies
• the one-bed trope
• memory-loss trope
Arden, our FMC, is living out her afterlife in “Second,” (a realm sort of like purgatory). She doesn’t exactly love her second life—but who really would? Still, she has a roof over her head and a best friend she would do anything for, even if life in Second isn’t exactly fulfilling.
Everything changes when Perry—the man who found Arden when she died, and the man she loves —goes missing. Determined to find him, she plans to go searching for answers. But before she can, a mysterious stranger appears in Second and offers her a bargain she has to accept. After being whisked away, Arden begins to question everything she thought she knew about Second and the world around her.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, the premise is very intriguing, and I had fun reading it. However, I ended up giving it 3 stars for a few reasons. The world-building occasionally felt a bit underdeveloped and left me somewhat confused at times. The magic system is unique, but I would have loved to see it explored in more depth.
The ending also felt a little rushed, though I won’t go into details to avoid spoilers.
Despite those critiques, I still had a good time reading this story and I’m very curious to see where the story goes in book two. Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this early!
⭐ Rating: 3/5
📖 Perfect for readers who like:
• enemies to lovers
• shadow daddies
• the one-bed trope
• memory-loss trope
Arden, our FMC, is living out her afterlife in “Second,” (a realm sort of like purgatory). She doesn’t exactly love her second life—but who really would? Still, she has a roof over her head and a best friend she would do anything for, even if life in Second isn’t exactly fulfilling.
Everything changes when Perry—the man who found Arden when she died, and the man she loves —goes missing. Determined to find him, she plans to go searching for answers. But before she can, a mysterious stranger appears in Second and offers her a bargain she has to accept. After being whisked away, Arden begins to question everything she thought she knew about Second and the world around her.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, the premise is very intriguing, and I had fun reading it. However, I ended up giving it 3 stars for a few reasons. The world-building occasionally felt a bit underdeveloped and left me somewhat confused at times. The magic system is unique, but I would have loved to see it explored in more depth.
The ending also felt a little rushed, though I won’t go into details to avoid spoilers.
Despite those critiques, I still had a good time reading this story and I’m very curious to see where the story goes in book two. Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this early!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Lillith Sterling for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchanged for an honest review.
SPOILERS AHEAD. Seriously. Don't go any further or you'll ruin it for yourself. You've been warned....
Because I like to end things on a positive note, lets begin with why I gave this four stars instead of five:
- The worldbuilding felt lacking, to the point where I found myself with more questions than answers about the world (the Second, sort of like a place of purgatory?, but it has kingdoms and provinces and locals and there was a war but not clue as to why?), and the magic system. There are Sirens, and Vails, and witches, and then other people with magic? But did they have magic in their Alive lives or only in Second? How is the magic distributed/ruled? I would have very much liked a little more time spent on both these aspects, however, it did not ruin or disrupt the plot too much to not have them.
- The ending felt rushed, to the point I wasn't entirely sure what happened. There was a lot of build up, and then suddenly Arden and Bayne have been kidnapped (again! but also, how????) by the baddies. Qin/Perry seems to know Bayne, and they allude to Bayne trading him a stone (that does what? I have no idea) for his magic (what magic???) and Arden feels betrayed, but also not? And then suddenly girl stabs herself in the heart to save Bayne (From what, I haven't the slightest) and Edene (ayyye she's back from god knows where) somehow saves her? Are you confused yet? Yeah me too.
Okay, okay, okay, enough of that. Let's move onto the good:
- If you love a good trope read, this is it. We've got a broody shadow daddy, hidden magic/identities, stabby/foul-mouthed FMC, "eyes on me," and enemies to lovers. There are more, I assure you, but as usual I failed to take notes so that's just off the top of my noggin.
- The pacing was fast right from the get go. Lillith dumps us right into conflict, and the plot marches onward at a fast, but good, pace (until the last 5% where it goes into quadruple time and... well. See above.).
- The world, while I have questions, is unique. It was refreshing to see a new take on a magical world.
- Did the twists/reveals shock me? No, not at all. Honestly because of all the tropes I actually found them quite predictable. But you know what, not everything has to be an OMG NO WAY moment if the vibes are vibing, and in this case, they VIBED.
Now, my favorite part. The GREAT!
- The writing in this is so easy to read, but doesn't feel dumbed down. Each character voice is very distinct and defined, and it was easy to create them in my head as I read. The story itself moves nicely, and I only found that it slowed down when Arden and Bayne finally stop hating one another, but this is to be expected in Romance.
- I gobbled this up. Literally. I think a solid 5 hours split over two days and it was done. I found myself wanting to keep reading, in lieu of sleep, and that alone deserves a standing ovation.
- I felt invested in the plot and what happened to the characters.
The book ends on a cliffhanger (ruuuuude), and even though I am admittedly confused as to how we got here, I am still wanting to read on and see what happens next. And for the love of god, where are Bayne and Axl????
As a debut Romantasy, I think Lillith knocked it out of the park, and I look forward to reading what she puts out next.
SPOILERS AHEAD. Seriously. Don't go any further or you'll ruin it for yourself. You've been warned....
Because I like to end things on a positive note, lets begin with why I gave this four stars instead of five:
- The worldbuilding felt lacking, to the point where I found myself with more questions than answers about the world (the Second, sort of like a place of purgatory?, but it has kingdoms and provinces and locals and there was a war but not clue as to why?), and the magic system. There are Sirens, and Vails, and witches, and then other people with magic? But did they have magic in their Alive lives or only in Second? How is the magic distributed/ruled? I would have very much liked a little more time spent on both these aspects, however, it did not ruin or disrupt the plot too much to not have them.
- The ending felt rushed, to the point I wasn't entirely sure what happened. There was a lot of build up, and then suddenly Arden and Bayne have been kidnapped (again! but also, how????) by the baddies. Qin/Perry seems to know Bayne, and they allude to Bayne trading him a stone (that does what? I have no idea) for his magic (what magic???) and Arden feels betrayed, but also not? And then suddenly girl stabs herself in the heart to save Bayne (From what, I haven't the slightest) and Edene (ayyye she's back from god knows where) somehow saves her? Are you confused yet? Yeah me too.
Okay, okay, okay, enough of that. Let's move onto the good:
- If you love a good trope read, this is it. We've got a broody shadow daddy, hidden magic/identities, stabby/foul-mouthed FMC, "eyes on me," and enemies to lovers. There are more, I assure you, but as usual I failed to take notes so that's just off the top of my noggin.
- The pacing was fast right from the get go. Lillith dumps us right into conflict, and the plot marches onward at a fast, but good, pace (until the last 5% where it goes into quadruple time and... well. See above.).
- The world, while I have questions, is unique. It was refreshing to see a new take on a magical world.
- Did the twists/reveals shock me? No, not at all. Honestly because of all the tropes I actually found them quite predictable. But you know what, not everything has to be an OMG NO WAY moment if the vibes are vibing, and in this case, they VIBED.
Now, my favorite part. The GREAT!
- The writing in this is so easy to read, but doesn't feel dumbed down. Each character voice is very distinct and defined, and it was easy to create them in my head as I read. The story itself moves nicely, and I only found that it slowed down when Arden and Bayne finally stop hating one another, but this is to be expected in Romance.
- I gobbled this up. Literally. I think a solid 5 hours split over two days and it was done. I found myself wanting to keep reading, in lieu of sleep, and that alone deserves a standing ovation.
- I felt invested in the plot and what happened to the characters.
The book ends on a cliffhanger (ruuuuude), and even though I am admittedly confused as to how we got here, I am still wanting to read on and see what happens next. And for the love of god, where are Bayne and Axl????
As a debut Romantasy, I think Lillith knocked it out of the park, and I look forward to reading what she puts out next.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
Thank you to Lillith Sterling for the eARC of her debut novel!
2/5
I want to start off saying that I think the concept of this world in the book was really cool. The concept of a second life after death with magic was what drew me to request an ARC for this in the first place.
With that being said, this book needed a few more rounds of editing. There were quite a few plot holes and things that straight up just didn’t make sense to me. It seemed like the Author had an idea for the world and who she wanted her characters to be, but not really anything else. I wasn’t sure what the stakes were since as soon as we got an idea of a characters goals, they were basically made useless. Ardens missing boyfriend that she finds just strolling around the town randomly when they go back. Baynes aunt that he needs to keep safe that dies randomly…
We never get Baynes age in the story, but we know Arden is 23, but her dialogue seems more teenager-ey than woman in her early 20s, and Baynes character switches personalities so much that I didn’t get a good feel of who he was.
The ending fell a little flat for me, and at times didn’t make sense. Arden gets a dream revealing how her memories were taken, but is then surprised in the next chapter when the villain reveals it to her again. Two of the side characters show up conveniently to save the day just in time, and with no explanation of how they knew where Arden and Bayne were. The Epilogue opened up the setting for book two, but even that was strange and left me with more questions than answers.
The final thing that fell flat for me about this book were the overused tropes that we’ve all seen a million times. The shadow daddy mmc that felt like the author was trying very hard to mimic Rhys or Xaden. Overly sexual flirting and lots of shadow magic that can do all these helpful things. The ‘stabby’ FMC with a smart mouth that came off more petulant than witty. The constant “I hate him so much but want to jump his bones every second” thoughts coming from FMC. The bond they have that allows them to speak in each others mind and feel their pain. Etc.
I actually believe that the author is a very good writer, as she kept me reading to the end, however I think she really needs to rethink some aspects of the plot and the motivations of the characters involved.
2/5
I want to start off saying that I think the concept of this world in the book was really cool. The concept of a second life after death with magic was what drew me to request an ARC for this in the first place.
With that being said, this book needed a few more rounds of editing. There were quite a few plot holes and things that straight up just didn’t make sense to me. It seemed like the Author had an idea for the world and who she wanted her characters to be, but not really anything else. I wasn’t sure what the stakes were since as soon as we got an idea of a characters goals, they were basically made useless. Ardens missing boyfriend that she finds just strolling around the town randomly when they go back. Baynes aunt that he needs to keep safe that dies randomly…
We never get Baynes age in the story, but we know Arden is 23, but her dialogue seems more teenager-ey than woman in her early 20s, and Baynes character switches personalities so much that I didn’t get a good feel of who he was.
The ending fell a little flat for me, and at times didn’t make sense. Arden gets a dream revealing how her memories were taken, but is then surprised in the next chapter when the villain reveals it to her again. Two of the side characters show up conveniently to save the day just in time, and with no explanation of how they knew where Arden and Bayne were. The Epilogue opened up the setting for book two, but even that was strange and left me with more questions than answers.
The final thing that fell flat for me about this book were the overused tropes that we’ve all seen a million times. The shadow daddy mmc that felt like the author was trying very hard to mimic Rhys or Xaden. Overly sexual flirting and lots of shadow magic that can do all these helpful things. The ‘stabby’ FMC with a smart mouth that came off more petulant than witty. The constant “I hate him so much but want to jump his bones every second” thoughts coming from FMC. The bond they have that allows them to speak in each others mind and feel their pain. Etc.
I actually believe that the author is a very good writer, as she kept me reading to the end, however I think she really needs to rethink some aspects of the plot and the motivations of the characters involved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2026
ARC READER!! Courtesy of the author
Rating: 4/5 stars
Spice: 3-4 chapters 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (but great tension)
First off thank you Lillith for gifting me the opportunity to read your work.
Second, Fans of Quick Silver this one’s for you!! GOSH DANGIT THAT CLIFF HANGER. I’m P I S S E D and now have to wait 10x longer for the second book.
Loves:
- I love the emotion I felt for some of the characters and how their actions made me feel rage , happiness, etc. Lillith does a great job bringing feeling into her characters.
- plot and action right off the bat! I love this when it happens in books because it grabs your attention!! You’re in it from the get go!! I also enjoy that the world building happens gradually as we go and we find out more!
-our enemies to lovers is a nice balance of enemies to lovers! Not rushing into being lovers two chapters into the book (thank goodness) but having some nice tension and banter (ugh)
Meh:
-speaking of world building. I finished this book a little confused on where we were and how we were there. Maybe I missed something along the way but I felt like where our characters were was a little confusing at times
-when our characters become lovers… they BECOME lovers. Just know they’re in love and it will be strong. And I get it but man. Laying it on Thick like molasssssssessssssss. I felt a little like I got whip lash from how quickly things happened.
- our side characters. Hi axl and jes!! I need a little more from them.. also the aunt?? Huh??
My final thoughts:
The beginning of the book is good but around 50% you’ll be invested and hooked into it. That’s when I felt like I couldn’t put it down. And then things roll, and they roll snowballing to the point of getting SLAMMED with a lot of info and it takes a min to absorb and I feel like I need to go back and read the last 10-15% of the book to understand what TF JUST HAPPENED!
I’m sitting here after finishing this wanting to THROW my kindle cus I was left here clicking the next page and THERE WAS NO NEXT PAGE 😑.
Our main character Arden is a true stabby foul mouth queen
Bayne 😏😩 definitely the “bane of our existence” (mm mm good)
Edene girl. Who even ARE you? 😉
Perry. Boy bye.
Check out this book releasing on April 14, 2026 and share your thoughts 🥰
Rating: 4/5 stars
Spice: 3-4 chapters 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (but great tension)
First off thank you Lillith for gifting me the opportunity to read your work.
Second, Fans of Quick Silver this one’s for you!! GOSH DANGIT THAT CLIFF HANGER. I’m P I S S E D and now have to wait 10x longer for the second book.
Loves:
- I love the emotion I felt for some of the characters and how their actions made me feel rage , happiness, etc. Lillith does a great job bringing feeling into her characters.
- plot and action right off the bat! I love this when it happens in books because it grabs your attention!! You’re in it from the get go!! I also enjoy that the world building happens gradually as we go and we find out more!
-our enemies to lovers is a nice balance of enemies to lovers! Not rushing into being lovers two chapters into the book (thank goodness) but having some nice tension and banter (ugh)
Meh:
-speaking of world building. I finished this book a little confused on where we were and how we were there. Maybe I missed something along the way but I felt like where our characters were was a little confusing at times
-when our characters become lovers… they BECOME lovers. Just know they’re in love and it will be strong. And I get it but man. Laying it on Thick like molasssssssessssssss. I felt a little like I got whip lash from how quickly things happened.
- our side characters. Hi axl and jes!! I need a little more from them.. also the aunt?? Huh??
My final thoughts:
The beginning of the book is good but around 50% you’ll be invested and hooked into it. That’s when I felt like I couldn’t put it down. And then things roll, and they roll snowballing to the point of getting SLAMMED with a lot of info and it takes a min to absorb and I feel like I need to go back and read the last 10-15% of the book to understand what TF JUST HAPPENED!
I’m sitting here after finishing this wanting to THROW my kindle cus I was left here clicking the next page and THERE WAS NO NEXT PAGE 😑.
Our main character Arden is a true stabby foul mouth queen
Bayne 😏😩 definitely the “bane of our existence” (mm mm good)
Edene girl. Who even ARE you? 😉
Perry. Boy bye.
Check out this book releasing on April 14, 2026 and share your thoughts 🥰
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rating 4/5
Lillith, I'm going to need book 2 right now please and thank you. Warning, I am going to include spoilers so do with that information what you will.
I submitted a request for an arc a little bit ago and was pleasantly surprised when I saw the link to the book in my email. I haven't gotten an arc in a while and I am so happy that I got this one. I remember reading a blurb and instantly being intrigued.
Highly recommend reading this book to anyone who enjoys an enemies to lovers fantasy, but wants a bit of a twist with it. I have yet to read a romantasy that takes place in the afterlife (shoutout to Afterlife by Hailee Steinfeld) and I really enjoyed it. While I will always love an enemies to lovers trope, it's fun reading it in a more "fresh" context.
The book starts off a bit slow and then all of a sudden something clicked and I was unable to put it down (I was actually walking around the house with my Kindle). I found myself connecting with the characters and picking up on where the plot was going. I do think there were some parts of the plot that were predictable: Bayne being royalty, Arden being a Vail, Perry being a b*tch. With that being said, it wasn't predictable to a point where I couldn't finish the book. It was actually quite the opposite, where my brain was coming up with ideas and I was desperate to keep reading to find out if I was right or not.
The angst between Arden and Bayne is something that present in almost every romantasy book that I read and I'm not mad about it. He of course has a nickname for her that has become more familiar to me than her actual name. While they do have a sort of enemies vibe going in the beginning, it didn't last as long as I wanted it to. I would've honestly been satisfied with the short time that they were enemies in the beginning if the book ended with them being enemies again (they're in a weird place right now). Either way, their banter and relationship was still enjoyable to watch progress.
Just to reiterate my opening statement, Lillith please release book 2 soon!
Lillith, I'm going to need book 2 right now please and thank you. Warning, I am going to include spoilers so do with that information what you will.
I submitted a request for an arc a little bit ago and was pleasantly surprised when I saw the link to the book in my email. I haven't gotten an arc in a while and I am so happy that I got this one. I remember reading a blurb and instantly being intrigued.
Highly recommend reading this book to anyone who enjoys an enemies to lovers fantasy, but wants a bit of a twist with it. I have yet to read a romantasy that takes place in the afterlife (shoutout to Afterlife by Hailee Steinfeld) and I really enjoyed it. While I will always love an enemies to lovers trope, it's fun reading it in a more "fresh" context.
The book starts off a bit slow and then all of a sudden something clicked and I was unable to put it down (I was actually walking around the house with my Kindle). I found myself connecting with the characters and picking up on where the plot was going. I do think there were some parts of the plot that were predictable: Bayne being royalty, Arden being a Vail, Perry being a b*tch. With that being said, it wasn't predictable to a point where I couldn't finish the book. It was actually quite the opposite, where my brain was coming up with ideas and I was desperate to keep reading to find out if I was right or not.
The angst between Arden and Bayne is something that present in almost every romantasy book that I read and I'm not mad about it. He of course has a nickname for her that has become more familiar to me than her actual name. While they do have a sort of enemies vibe going in the beginning, it didn't last as long as I wanted it to. I would've honestly been satisfied with the short time that they were enemies in the beginning if the book ended with them being enemies again (they're in a weird place right now). Either way, their banter and relationship was still enjoyable to watch progress.
Just to reiterate my opening statement, Lillith please release book 2 soon!
April 1, 2026
Wow, first and foremost, thank you Lillith for the absolute honor to receive an ARC for your debut book! This feels so undeserved, but I am over-the-moon grateful nonetheless, so thank you again and again! ✨
“‘Makes chasing you all that more thrilling.’
‘You’re chasing me?’ I breathe, grateful as he stops invading my space.
‘Through every life, little raven.’
He brushes a piece of my hair behind my ear, his fingers ghosting over my cheek as he pulls back.”
This line? A very welcome knife to the heart. Absolutely devastating in the best way. 😮💨🫶🏼
And then there’s Auden, who perfectly sums up the energy of the book with:
“I do the only thing I know how—escalate.”
Honestly? Completely valid. Same, girl, same. No notes. 😂
I genuinely loved this story — the pacing, the relationship development, the tension, and the plot twists kept me hooked the entire time. Watching the characters unfold and grow together made the emotional challenges land even harder. It was such a fun and engaging read, and I’m so excited to see where this world goes next because I’m gonna need more 🙂↕️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
My only small critique is that while I enjoy little nods or Easter eggs to other beloved fantasy/romance series, a few of the references here felt less like subtle inspiration and more like very direct parallels. Because I was so immersed in Meadows and the characters, those moments sometimes felt like a “slam on the breaks” moment that pulled me out of the world and reminded me of other books. With slightly softer or fewer indirect nods, I think the story would stand even more firmly on its own already unique and strong foundation.
That said, this was such a compelling debut and I’m incredibly excited to see what Lillith writes next. If this is only the beginning, the future of this series is going to be very fun and so breathtaking. ✨
“‘Makes chasing you all that more thrilling.’
‘You’re chasing me?’ I breathe, grateful as he stops invading my space.
‘Through every life, little raven.’
He brushes a piece of my hair behind my ear, his fingers ghosting over my cheek as he pulls back.”
This line? A very welcome knife to the heart. Absolutely devastating in the best way. 😮💨🫶🏼
And then there’s Auden, who perfectly sums up the energy of the book with:
“I do the only thing I know how—escalate.”
Honestly? Completely valid. Same, girl, same. No notes. 😂
I genuinely loved this story — the pacing, the relationship development, the tension, and the plot twists kept me hooked the entire time. Watching the characters unfold and grow together made the emotional challenges land even harder. It was such a fun and engaging read, and I’m so excited to see where this world goes next because I’m gonna need more 🙂↕️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
My only small critique is that while I enjoy little nods or Easter eggs to other beloved fantasy/romance series, a few of the references here felt less like subtle inspiration and more like very direct parallels. Because I was so immersed in Meadows and the characters, those moments sometimes felt like a “slam on the breaks” moment that pulled me out of the world and reminded me of other books. With slightly softer or fewer indirect nods, I think the story would stand even more firmly on its own already unique and strong foundation.
That said, this was such a compelling debut and I’m incredibly excited to see what Lillith writes next. If this is only the beginning, the future of this series is going to be very fun and so breathtaking. ✨
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Read — Thank you Lillith Sterling
I enjoyed this and I love me a shadow daddy… I already want book 2. But I also have a ton of questions and I’m not convinced all of them are getting answered next book.
I need to know more about the woman killed at the beginning. What was that?? Was it actually important or just a convenient way to have the MMC and FMC meet?
I get the enemies to lovers thing… but usually there’s a reason the MMC is mean to the FMC. I feel like Bayne was just being an asshole to Arden for no real reason. Like… why??
Also Axl being mad about the rings?? If they were Bayne’s mother’s then what was the issue there?
And the prophecy?? What did his mother actually hear that made her give him the raven necklace… because that feels important and we got crumbs.
That whole 3 way conversation at the end with Qin (Perry), Bayne, and Arden… I was confused. Bayne lied about knowing Qin but then there was all this talk about magic?? So was that Arden’s magic that ended up with Bayne? And if so… what did he give up for that....a stone that does what?? I need that explained better.
Edene—I need more of her. That’s my BFF. And Jes… is she dead?? If she is, that’s actually really sad for Axl and I feel like we just brushed past that.
Also… why did Bayne not kill Qin at the end?? He just let him go to smooth things over with Arden?? That felt too easy and kinda confusing. and why did she kill herself and not Qin??
They went from “we hate each other but also want each other” to full on soft and lovey REAL quick. I’m not mad at it—I love a man ready to fold—but it did feel fast.
Anyways… I was invested the whole time. I just need more answers and more depth in book 2.
3.5⭐️
1🌶
I enjoyed this and I love me a shadow daddy… I already want book 2. But I also have a ton of questions and I’m not convinced all of them are getting answered next book.
I need to know more about the woman killed at the beginning. What was that?? Was it actually important or just a convenient way to have the MMC and FMC meet?
I get the enemies to lovers thing… but usually there’s a reason the MMC is mean to the FMC. I feel like Bayne was just being an asshole to Arden for no real reason. Like… why??
Also Axl being mad about the rings?? If they were Bayne’s mother’s then what was the issue there?
And the prophecy?? What did his mother actually hear that made her give him the raven necklace… because that feels important and we got crumbs.
That whole 3 way conversation at the end with Qin (Perry), Bayne, and Arden… I was confused. Bayne lied about knowing Qin but then there was all this talk about magic?? So was that Arden’s magic that ended up with Bayne? And if so… what did he give up for that....a stone that does what?? I need that explained better.
Edene—I need more of her. That’s my BFF. And Jes… is she dead?? If she is, that’s actually really sad for Axl and I feel like we just brushed past that.
Also… why did Bayne not kill Qin at the end?? He just let him go to smooth things over with Arden?? That felt too easy and kinda confusing. and why did she kill herself and not Qin??
They went from “we hate each other but also want each other” to full on soft and lovey REAL quick. I’m not mad at it—I love a man ready to fold—but it did feel fast.
Anyways… I was invested the whole time. I just need more answers and more depth in book 2.
3.5⭐️
1🌶
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was sent to me from the author as an eARC. Thank you for the opportunity to read this debut novel.
I went into Staying Dead by Lillith Sterling intrigued by the premise—the concept of an afterlife “Second Life” and the overall world-building had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past how heavily the story seemed to mirror elements from A Court of Thorns and Roses.
The similarities between the male main character and Rhysand felt especially hard to ignore. The use of shadow magic, the ability to communicate mind-to-mind with the female lead, and even the emphasis on a supernatural bond all felt strikingly familiar. What really pushed it over the edge for me was how that bond is solidified—through eating—which felt almost like a direct echo of Sarah J. Maas’s world rather than a fresh reinterpretation.
Because of this, it became difficult to stay immersed in the story. Instead of feeling like a unique fantasy, it often read like a reworked version of something I’d already experienced, which ultimately took me out of it.
On top of that, the plot felt disjointed at times. There were moments where transitions between events weren’t clearly developed, leaving me wondering how the story moved from one point to another. That lack of cohesion made it harder to stay invested.
It’s disappointing, because the foundation—the idea of navigating a second life after death—was genuinely compelling. But between the strong parallels to another well-known series and the uneven plot development, I ended up putting the book down.
Thank you again for the opportunity Lillith Sterling for reading your debut novel. I do enjoy your writing style and would love to read future publications once they become available.
I went into Staying Dead by Lillith Sterling intrigued by the premise—the concept of an afterlife “Second Life” and the overall world-building had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past how heavily the story seemed to mirror elements from A Court of Thorns and Roses.
The similarities between the male main character and Rhysand felt especially hard to ignore. The use of shadow magic, the ability to communicate mind-to-mind with the female lead, and even the emphasis on a supernatural bond all felt strikingly familiar. What really pushed it over the edge for me was how that bond is solidified—through eating—which felt almost like a direct echo of Sarah J. Maas’s world rather than a fresh reinterpretation.
Because of this, it became difficult to stay immersed in the story. Instead of feeling like a unique fantasy, it often read like a reworked version of something I’d already experienced, which ultimately took me out of it.
On top of that, the plot felt disjointed at times. There were moments where transitions between events weren’t clearly developed, leaving me wondering how the story moved from one point to another. That lack of cohesion made it harder to stay invested.
It’s disappointing, because the foundation—the idea of navigating a second life after death—was genuinely compelling. But between the strong parallels to another well-known series and the uneven plot development, I ended up putting the book down.
Thank you again for the opportunity Lillith Sterling for reading your debut novel. I do enjoy your writing style and would love to read future publications once they become available.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2026
A true 4.5⭐️ read!
What happens after you die? That’s what we’re learning as we follow Arden, who is trying to desperately remember her “Alive Life”. She is 23, dead, and can’t remember a thing about her past before entering “Second”; think purgatory. She’s making a living for herself, she’s fighting foes, making friends, and a lover, who then disappears.👀
Through a turbulent few months Arden grows extremely close with Edene, her healer bestie, who becomes more of a sister than a friend. They work together to keep Edene’s apothecary stocked and running, until they meet Bayne. Then, something terrible happens. Arden tries saving herself and her friend, when a bargain is reached to guarantee their lives will be spared.🗡️
Arden is feisty, powerful, a spit-fire, and ready to take on any challenge head-on, especially when anyone she loves is in jeopardy. She’s dealing with waves of new information, identities being revealed, and betrayals as we follow her on her path to save Edene, and make it out of Bayne’s castle alive.🥀
Bayne, the king of GOOD banter. He’s so witty and has truly made me LOL so many times while reading this book! He’s cocky, but it’s hot, he’s smart, and can truly keep up with our quippy Arden. His favorite activity is to make Arden squirm; out here gasping and kicking my feet! He just may not always be forthcoming with everything he knows…🫣
For a debut novel this is such a killer book! It’s fast paced, character driven, and easy to follow. I think it builds to a really incredible ending that has me on the edge of my seat for the next book in the series! I can’t wait to watch Lillith’s world-building and imagery evolve in her next books!!❤️🔥
Bayne… I will be back!🤭
*I received an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
What happens after you die? That’s what we’re learning as we follow Arden, who is trying to desperately remember her “Alive Life”. She is 23, dead, and can’t remember a thing about her past before entering “Second”; think purgatory. She’s making a living for herself, she’s fighting foes, making friends, and a lover, who then disappears.👀
Through a turbulent few months Arden grows extremely close with Edene, her healer bestie, who becomes more of a sister than a friend. They work together to keep Edene’s apothecary stocked and running, until they meet Bayne. Then, something terrible happens. Arden tries saving herself and her friend, when a bargain is reached to guarantee their lives will be spared.🗡️
Arden is feisty, powerful, a spit-fire, and ready to take on any challenge head-on, especially when anyone she loves is in jeopardy. She’s dealing with waves of new information, identities being revealed, and betrayals as we follow her on her path to save Edene, and make it out of Bayne’s castle alive.🥀
Bayne, the king of GOOD banter. He’s so witty and has truly made me LOL so many times while reading this book! He’s cocky, but it’s hot, he’s smart, and can truly keep up with our quippy Arden. His favorite activity is to make Arden squirm; out here gasping and kicking my feet! He just may not always be forthcoming with everything he knows…🫣
For a debut novel this is such a killer book! It’s fast paced, character driven, and easy to follow. I think it builds to a really incredible ending that has me on the edge of my seat for the next book in the series! I can’t wait to watch Lillith’s world-building and imagery evolve in her next books!!❤️🔥
Bayne… I will be back!🤭
*I received an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 30, 2026
Exciting, unpredictable, and full of strong characters, clever world-building, and just the right balance of romance and tension. I can’t wait for the next book to dive even deeper into this fascinating world.
The underworld kingdoms were fascinating, and the way the author built that world completely drew me in. The magical ward stones were such a cool idea, and the different types of magic users, like sirens, vails, and witches, made the world feel really unique.
The main female character was amazing, and honestly, all the female characters were total badasses. Even though she didn’t have a magical power like everyone else, she was strong, clever, and resourceful. The fact that she had forgotten how she died kept the story unpredictable and exciting. There were a few different directions the plot could have gone, and I never really knew which way it would turn, which kept me hooked.
The romance was a lot of fun and I ate it UP! The banter and tension were perfect, and I loved some of the classic tropes, like the fake marriage, the flirty and funny training scenes, the found family, and the moments where they saved each other. It all felt balanced and enjoyable without taking over the main story.
The villain was really intriguing too and the way he can infiltrate dreams, potentially harming someone through them, was such a unique and creepy twist. The chapters that explored her dreams were some of my favorites because they showed the ways the FMC had changed since before the story started and the heartbreak that hardened her. By the end, she had grown so much, learning to trust, embrace her vulnerability, and accept that strength comes in more ways than just magic. The ending was so exciting I can't wait to find out what happens next!
The underworld kingdoms were fascinating, and the way the author built that world completely drew me in. The magical ward stones were such a cool idea, and the different types of magic users, like sirens, vails, and witches, made the world feel really unique.
The main female character was amazing, and honestly, all the female characters were total badasses. Even though she didn’t have a magical power like everyone else, she was strong, clever, and resourceful. The fact that she had forgotten how she died kept the story unpredictable and exciting. There were a few different directions the plot could have gone, and I never really knew which way it would turn, which kept me hooked.
The romance was a lot of fun and I ate it UP! The banter and tension were perfect, and I loved some of the classic tropes, like the fake marriage, the flirty and funny training scenes, the found family, and the moments where they saved each other. It all felt balanced and enjoyable without taking over the main story.
The villain was really intriguing too and the way he can infiltrate dreams, potentially harming someone through them, was such a unique and creepy twist. The chapters that explored her dreams were some of my favorites because they showed the ways the FMC had changed since before the story started and the heartbreak that hardened her. By the end, she had grown so much, learning to trust, embrace her vulnerability, and accept that strength comes in more ways than just magic. The ending was so exciting I can't wait to find out what happens next!
Review of advance copy received from Author
The underworld setting, lost kingdoms, fading magic, and magical creatures called Vails, Sirens, and Shaded were all so unique!
I wanted even MORE world building. Not only did I want more details, but I also needed that connective tissue to anchor myself in the story. Considering Arden doesn’t have any memories older than one year prior, we can only follow along as she reacts to what’s happening to her. Because we spend the single POV story inside Arden’s head listening to her war with herself, I struggled to follow her and Bayne’s emotional arc. They have really strong feelings towards each other, making that enemies to lovers arc quite the jolt!
I also found a lot of plot jumps and jerks that at first slowed me down. But then, I changed my approach and ran full steam ahead into the story instead, LOL! The story really picked up the pace in the final third when the threads started coming together.
Staying Dead is great for readers who love character-driven, single POV spicy dark fantasy romance with a morally gray MMC, extreme enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and one bed.
And where’s the stabby black cat?! That bothered me for a day, but then I decided I was being too literal. Must be Arden; she’s pretty stabby!
As an ARC reader for debut author Lillith Sterling, I look forward to the sequel because I want to know more about the world and how Arden fits into it!
Tropes
Morally gray MMC
Enemies to lovers (extremely so!)
Forced proximity
One bed
Best friend
Open spice
I wanted even MORE world building. Not only did I want more details, but I also needed that connective tissue to anchor myself in the story. Considering Arden doesn’t have any memories older than one year prior, we can only follow along as she reacts to what’s happening to her. Because we spend the single POV story inside Arden’s head listening to her war with herself, I struggled to follow her and Bayne’s emotional arc. They have really strong feelings towards each other, making that enemies to lovers arc quite the jolt!
I also found a lot of plot jumps and jerks that at first slowed me down. But then, I changed my approach and ran full steam ahead into the story instead, LOL! The story really picked up the pace in the final third when the threads started coming together.
Staying Dead is great for readers who love character-driven, single POV spicy dark fantasy romance with a morally gray MMC, extreme enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and one bed.
And where’s the stabby black cat?! That bothered me for a day, but then I decided I was being too literal. Must be Arden; she’s pretty stabby!
As an ARC reader for debut author Lillith Sterling, I look forward to the sequel because I want to know more about the world and how Arden fits into it!
Tropes
Morally gray MMC
Enemies to lovers (extremely so!)
Forced proximity
One bed
Best friend
Open spice
April 3, 2026
ARC Review
•Holy whirlwind of a book! I was immediately captured into this story. Our FMC, Arden, is a snarky combative character who also loves with her whole being. When a friend goes missing she is completely devastated and has no idea what happened to him. Six whole months have passed since he has gone missing and to fill the void in her afterlife she hunts down these demons who steal magic from those who still have just a bit of it left. In turn her bestie is able to use those demons for her gain. After a night out with her bestie, they are cornered and wounded in a dark alley, enter Bayne our broody princeling. Arden, makes a deal with Bayne in order to save her best friend’s life. He then whisks them away to his home, which just so happens to be a freaking castle. She wakes up so confused and angry that she was “forced” into bargaining with her version of the Devil. She seems to go out of her way to “poke the bear”, but it makes for delicious banter. She has been told that her best friend is fine, however she still hasn’t gotten to see her. As part of Arden’s bargain she is forced to study and train with members of Bayne household. Things get tricky as betrayal, loss, love and deceit all get thrown into the mix, but it makes for one hell of a story. The reactions this book was getting from me had my coworkers checking on me today.. I may have cried a few times… I will say that cliff hanger was quite rude, but I’m absolutely on the edge of my seat for the next book in this series.•
•Holy whirlwind of a book! I was immediately captured into this story. Our FMC, Arden, is a snarky combative character who also loves with her whole being. When a friend goes missing she is completely devastated and has no idea what happened to him. Six whole months have passed since he has gone missing and to fill the void in her afterlife she hunts down these demons who steal magic from those who still have just a bit of it left. In turn her bestie is able to use those demons for her gain. After a night out with her bestie, they are cornered and wounded in a dark alley, enter Bayne our broody princeling. Arden, makes a deal with Bayne in order to save her best friend’s life. He then whisks them away to his home, which just so happens to be a freaking castle. She wakes up so confused and angry that she was “forced” into bargaining with her version of the Devil. She seems to go out of her way to “poke the bear”, but it makes for delicious banter. She has been told that her best friend is fine, however she still hasn’t gotten to see her. As part of Arden’s bargain she is forced to study and train with members of Bayne household. Things get tricky as betrayal, loss, love and deceit all get thrown into the mix, but it makes for one hell of a story. The reactions this book was getting from me had my coworkers checking on me today.. I may have cried a few times… I will say that cliff hanger was quite rude, but I’m absolutely on the edge of my seat for the next book in this series.•
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
First, I want to thank Lillith Sterling for the gifted eARC copy of Staying Dead to read and review! My rating and review are all my own and will remain spoiler free!
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
Lillith Sterling did an amazing job with providing a world that I haven’t really read much about before! Following our main character Arden who is currently living in the Second which is the afterlife. Knowing that someone was a threat to Arden and seeing her cope with living in the afterlife was a new experience that I haven’t really read much about. From the very beginning of the story, it felt like there was so many deeper and darker secrets that lingered about which made for that perfect atmosphere while reading.
There is magic involved in this afterlife as well which is really cool to witness the different types of magic. However, it makes Arden even more special when she seems to be just a normal soul without any sort of special powers or memories of who she once was. Her friendship with Edene was one of my favorites to read about and I loved their moments together in this story. We also get to meet Bayne, our MMC, who gets Arden to agree to a bargain against her will which ends up leading to a lot of fun banter and tension between the two.
Overall, I think this was a fun read and I am glad I was able to check it out for myself! I feel like there is a lot more to learn from this world and these characters so I’m curious to see what else Lillith brings to the table!
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
Lillith Sterling did an amazing job with providing a world that I haven’t really read much about before! Following our main character Arden who is currently living in the Second which is the afterlife. Knowing that someone was a threat to Arden and seeing her cope with living in the afterlife was a new experience that I haven’t really read much about. From the very beginning of the story, it felt like there was so many deeper and darker secrets that lingered about which made for that perfect atmosphere while reading.
There is magic involved in this afterlife as well which is really cool to witness the different types of magic. However, it makes Arden even more special when she seems to be just a normal soul without any sort of special powers or memories of who she once was. Her friendship with Edene was one of my favorites to read about and I loved their moments together in this story. We also get to meet Bayne, our MMC, who gets Arden to agree to a bargain against her will which ends up leading to a lot of fun banter and tension between the two.
Overall, I think this was a fun read and I am glad I was able to check it out for myself! I feel like there is a lot more to learn from this world and these characters so I’m curious to see what else Lillith brings to the table!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author/publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
⭐ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rating: 3.75/ 5 (rounding up for Goodreads)
Grumpy MMC
Forgotten memories
Forced proximity
One bed
Slow burn
Shadow daddy
Arden(FMC) exists in her afterlife, known as the “Second,” with no memory of her life before. When her love interest, Perry, disappears, she becomes determined to find him. After a dangerous encounter one night, she strikes a bargain with a mysterious stranger,Bayne(MMC),and is taken away with him. As she spends more time with Bayne, everything she thought she knew begins to unravel.
The concept of the afterlife realm was unique and fun. I liked the direction it was going in, but the world building felt underdeveloped. The last 15% of the book had me confused? Not sure if I’m the only one feeling this way? I hope this is something that will be expanded on in book 2.
Arden has moments of being extremely annoying. Bayne is hot and cold toward her in their interactions. While it started as a slow burn, when they finally got together it was like pound town. Banging left and right and talking about marriage. That part of their relationship felt very rushed. It went from high tension interactions to super mushy lovey dovey and it felt off. Overall, I still really enjoyed them as a couple.
Anyways, super excited for Arden to start getting her memories back because I just know there is so much more to her story.
The ending felt rushed, but that won’t stop me from reading book 2 to see how it all plays out. I think this story has a lot of potential.
⭐ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rating: 3.75/ 5 (rounding up for Goodreads)
Grumpy MMC
Forgotten memories
Forced proximity
One bed
Slow burn
Shadow daddy
Arden(FMC) exists in her afterlife, known as the “Second,” with no memory of her life before. When her love interest, Perry, disappears, she becomes determined to find him. After a dangerous encounter one night, she strikes a bargain with a mysterious stranger,Bayne(MMC),and is taken away with him. As she spends more time with Bayne, everything she thought she knew begins to unravel.
The concept of the afterlife realm was unique and fun. I liked the direction it was going in, but the world building felt underdeveloped. The last 15% of the book had me confused? Not sure if I’m the only one feeling this way? I hope this is something that will be expanded on in book 2.
Arden has moments of being extremely annoying. Bayne is hot and cold toward her in their interactions. While it started as a slow burn, when they finally got together it was like pound town. Banging left and right and talking about marriage. That part of their relationship felt very rushed. It went from high tension interactions to super mushy lovey dovey and it felt off. Overall, I still really enjoyed them as a couple.
Anyways, super excited for Arden to start getting her memories back because I just know there is so much more to her story.
The ending felt rushed, but that won’t stop me from reading book 2 to see how it all plays out. I think this story has a lot of potential.
March 25, 2026
(I received an advanced copy of this book for my honest review and I am so thankful for this opportunity)
I devoured this book and left NO CRUMBS. Literally couldn’t put it down, read it in a day.
The plot- perfect
The pacing- perfect
The characters- EXTRA PERFECT
(The banter in this had me laughing out loud and giggling like a fool)
I am so over the moon and impressed by this debut novel by Lillith. The only critiques I had were some of the modern terms used, and it was kind of hard to pin point what time period we were in. But honestly such minor things it didn’t deter from the overall story at all. I loved this fantasy world Lilith created and the dual narrative of Arden’s past memories and the present day. It blended together SO well. To me, it was obvious who our villain would be but getting to see Arden put the pieces of her past together really helped us as a reader connect with her and empathize with her as she figured it out. (We love a badass FMC who allows herself to feel her feelings) And Bayne? My gods he was everything I could have ever wanted, no notes. They were such a well balanced pair and I feel like it’s so rare to have characters that you could read a whole book of just them in a room talking with no plot. I cannot wait for this book to be released and to be able to chat with other readers about this incredible story. I hope this book blows up because it deserves all the praise!
I devoured this book and left NO CRUMBS. Literally couldn’t put it down, read it in a day.
The plot- perfect
The pacing- perfect
The characters- EXTRA PERFECT
(The banter in this had me laughing out loud and giggling like a fool)
I am so over the moon and impressed by this debut novel by Lillith. The only critiques I had were some of the modern terms used, and it was kind of hard to pin point what time period we were in. But honestly such minor things it didn’t deter from the overall story at all. I loved this fantasy world Lilith created and the dual narrative of Arden’s past memories and the present day. It blended together SO well. To me, it was obvious who our villain would be but getting to see Arden put the pieces of her past together really helped us as a reader connect with her and empathize with her as she figured it out. (We love a badass FMC who allows herself to feel her feelings) And Bayne? My gods he was everything I could have ever wanted, no notes. They were such a well balanced pair and I feel like it’s so rare to have characters that you could read a whole book of just them in a room talking with no plot. I cannot wait for this book to be released and to be able to chat with other readers about this incredible story. I hope this book blows up because it deserves all the praise!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a unique dark fantasy with a strong romance subplot. I really enjoyed the storyline and the characters.
Arden is our strong and fierce FMC, and is also dead, like everyone else in Second. The setting is essentially a sort of purgatory where there are also corrupt souls lurking around who feed on those who live there. Arden can’t remember how she died, or anything about her previous life, and has spent her time there trying to piece herself together and avoid dying (for good this time). I do sometimes think the memory loss trope is overdone, but this had a unique twist to it that kept me intrigued.
Bayne is our dark and broody MMC who Arden finds herself stuck with after being attacked one night. He takes her back to his home where he provides training and knowledge in exchange for her help. We get a lot of banter between the two of them, especially as tension builds. And there is a LOT of tension. They’re basically reluctant allies who like to pretend they hate each other but very clearly don’t.
I loved the setting — dark and almost gothic. We don’t get much world building, but the potential is absolutely there.
I also loved the side characters and the twists that came with some of them. One being a devastating betrayal.
Thank you to the author, Lillith Sterling, for the ARC. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily in exchange for an early copy of this book. I enjoyed this and look forward to seeing where the story goes next.
Arden is our strong and fierce FMC, and is also dead, like everyone else in Second. The setting is essentially a sort of purgatory where there are also corrupt souls lurking around who feed on those who live there. Arden can’t remember how she died, or anything about her previous life, and has spent her time there trying to piece herself together and avoid dying (for good this time). I do sometimes think the memory loss trope is overdone, but this had a unique twist to it that kept me intrigued.
Bayne is our dark and broody MMC who Arden finds herself stuck with after being attacked one night. He takes her back to his home where he provides training and knowledge in exchange for her help. We get a lot of banter between the two of them, especially as tension builds. And there is a LOT of tension. They’re basically reluctant allies who like to pretend they hate each other but very clearly don’t.
I loved the setting — dark and almost gothic. We don’t get much world building, but the potential is absolutely there.
I also loved the side characters and the twists that came with some of them. One being a devastating betrayal.
Thank you to the author, Lillith Sterling, for the ARC. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily in exchange for an early copy of this book. I enjoyed this and look forward to seeing where the story goes next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The good!: This book had me staying up ridiculously late to read. The tension between our two MCs was fabulous and our FMC, advertised as stabby, was ACTUALLY stabby! Bonus points for the twists and for showing the FMC getting LOTS of training to fight, not just being weirdly gifted.
The bad: I had a hard time understanding the first couple of chapters due to the limited world building and lack of context. While that can be used artfully, it didn’t add anything to the story for me. This got better as the story progressed, but I still had moments where a reveal wasn’t as impactful until several chapters later because I didn’t know what the revealed creature or identity meant in this universe yet. Also Arden’s argumentative nature sometimes meant that getting information in a reasonable way was blocked because she was raging again.
I wish: more time had been spent on revealing the world and setting descriptions, just to fill everything out better.
Overall, this was fun to read and the plot moved along with good pacing. For a debut fantasy novel, it was good and I would read the second one. Fair warning for those who hate tropes, this has a fair few, but nothing out of the normal for romantasy books, I didn’t mind seeing them.
Thank you to the author for an advanced reader copy, I had a lot of fun reading this and look forward to reading book two!
The bad: I had a hard time understanding the first couple of chapters due to the limited world building and lack of context. While that can be used artfully, it didn’t add anything to the story for me. This got better as the story progressed, but I still had moments where a reveal wasn’t as impactful until several chapters later because I didn’t know what the revealed creature or identity meant in this universe yet. Also Arden’s argumentative nature sometimes meant that getting information in a reasonable way was blocked because she was raging again.
I wish: more time had been spent on revealing the world and setting descriptions, just to fill everything out better.
Overall, this was fun to read and the plot moved along with good pacing. For a debut fantasy novel, it was good and I would read the second one. Fair warning for those who hate tropes, this has a fair few, but nothing out of the normal for romantasy books, I didn’t mind seeing them.
Thank you to the author for an advanced reader copy, I had a lot of fun reading this and look forward to reading book two!
Review of advance copy received from Author
First and foremost, thank you to Lilith for allowing me the opportunity to read your book.
Lets start with the good:
That cliffhanger is DIABOLICAL!
Coupled with the plot twists. I'm excited to see what book two has planned for Arden and Bayne.
This is a sloooooow burn, I mean 60-65% slow burn.
Did I mention that Bayne is just a little bit mean, I love me a MMC that's a little mean and a shadow daddy.
Let's talk about Arden, I love that she didn't get hit over the head and wakes up with knowledge on how to fight and became instantly strong. She had her butt whooped for months by our lovely Harry until she was able to run up a flight of stairs without feeling like she was going to die. That she was not so great with a sword or a dagger. She put in the work to be the badass FMC that she is.
The not so great:
I did not have an understanding of the world, culture/gods, magic, or history. I wish that was flushed out more because I was confused how things were supposed to work as I journeyed through the story. The Second is a whole world? With two kingdoms? And providences? A map could have been helpful because I had a hard time visualizing the world.
Now knowing how the book ends I'm hoping to understand the magic and history of the Second, as well as our FMC and MMC, more once book 2 comes out.
Lets start with the good:
That cliffhanger is DIABOLICAL!
Coupled with the plot twists. I'm excited to see what book two has planned for Arden and Bayne.
This is a sloooooow burn, I mean 60-65% slow burn.
Did I mention that Bayne is just a little bit mean, I love me a MMC that's a little mean and a shadow daddy.
Let's talk about Arden, I love that she didn't get hit over the head and wakes up with knowledge on how to fight and became instantly strong. She had her butt whooped for months by our lovely Harry until she was able to run up a flight of stairs without feeling like she was going to die. That she was not so great with a sword or a dagger. She put in the work to be the badass FMC that she is.
The not so great:
I did not have an understanding of the world, culture/gods, magic, or history. I wish that was flushed out more because I was confused how things were supposed to work as I journeyed through the story. The Second is a whole world? With two kingdoms? And providences? A map could have been helpful because I had a hard time visualizing the world.
Now knowing how the book ends I'm hoping to understand the magic and history of the Second, as well as our FMC and MMC, more once book 2 comes out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
ARC review
"Staying dead" has a memorable opening line and a very interesting premise. At times, I felt really immersed in the story, especially about a third in.
A large portion of the book focuses on the relationship between the two MC's, which unfortunately comes at the expense of the narrative arc. The main plot often fades into the background. Several key elements are underdeveloped or insufficiently explained, like the witches. This was probably intentional—to not give away too much—but it often left me feeling confused rather than intrigued. Withholding certain information from the reader to add to the tension didn't always work.
The villain's identity is hinted at throughout the story, so the reveal was fairly predictable. Toward the end, however, there were so many plot twists that it felt forced. Particularly the late conflicts between Arden and Bayne seemed to have been added more for drama to keep their arc alive. I would have preferred to see more angst between them, not a wrap-up.
The ending was abrupt and confusing. Honestly, I didn't get it. Also, the final chapter should have been the penultimate chapter, so the book could end with the "epilogue" in the run-up to the next book.
In summary: mixed thoughts. Very interesting ideas here and good writing, but the execution felt a little shaky at times.
"Staying dead" has a memorable opening line and a very interesting premise. At times, I felt really immersed in the story, especially about a third in.
A large portion of the book focuses on the relationship between the two MC's, which unfortunately comes at the expense of the narrative arc. The main plot often fades into the background. Several key elements are underdeveloped or insufficiently explained, like the witches. This was probably intentional—to not give away too much—but it often left me feeling confused rather than intrigued. Withholding certain information from the reader to add to the tension didn't always work.
The villain's identity is hinted at throughout the story, so the reveal was fairly predictable. Toward the end, however, there were so many plot twists that it felt forced. Particularly the late conflicts between Arden and Bayne seemed to have been added more for drama to keep their arc alive. I would have preferred to see more angst between them, not a wrap-up.
The ending was abrupt and confusing. Honestly, I didn't get it. Also, the final chapter should have been the penultimate chapter, so the book could end with the "epilogue" in the run-up to the next book.
In summary: mixed thoughts. Very interesting ideas here and good writing, but the execution felt a little shaky at times.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews