Queen of the Righteous

by Deanna Faison

456 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 29, 2026

Reviews

[d_uhreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feminine Rage at it's finest.

Alessia's hunger for revenge knows no bounds and she will taste blood.

This picks up exactly were book 1 left us reeling and is non-stop till the very last page. Alessia's world is still completely turned upside down, but as she learns to weild her powers and save the one she loves, she learns the good doesn't always mean light and that darkness is in us all.

P.S. I knew that ending was gunna wreck me in the best way. I am currently still dangling off the cliff you threw me.

[mirela 🗡️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Thank you so much to the author for this e-ARC!

I absolutely devoured Queen of the Wicked so I knew I’d love this one just as much. Deanna really knows how to write that perfect mix of romance, action & total yearning. The emotions are so raw that you feel everything right along with the characters. I was rooting for Alessia the entire time & watching her turn all that grief into a fierce need for revenge was so cathartic & her journey through that "righteous" kingdom was such a wild ride. The stakes feel so personal, especially with her heart held captive & all those secrets coming out.

I absolutely love a badass FMC & Alessia was definitely it. I can’t wait to read the next book!

[Bookish Ang3l · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getting back into this world felt like reuniting with old friends, but the stakes are much higher and more dangerous this time. From the first chapter, I was hooked by the intense rush of excitement. This series just keeps getting better.
What stood out most was the raw emotion and tension. Alessia’s growth under crushing pressure, while Erebos endures brutal imprisonment and torture, is heartbreaking. Her transformation from grief into cold, sharp rage is powerful.She becomes a woman determined to burn down the corrupt systems that took him. The “righteous” realm’s hypocrisy and fraudulence is infuriatingly well-written, adding real weight to the story.
The chemistry between Alessia and Erebos remains electric, now deepened by painful longing and desperate longing. Every moment they share feels earned and intense, like a frantic plea for life amid the chaos. I was constantly on edge, anxious about their survival.
This book delivers the perfect mix of emotional depth, high-stakes romance, and gritty revelations. The cliffhanger left me reeling and eager for more. I’m not ready to leave these characters behind. My heart is still racing, and I can’t wait to see Alessia claim her power and Erebos get his vengeance. A total emotional blast.

[lacie.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was so sad to say goodbye to these characters. Can’t wait for book 3.

[Percephonee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Deanna Faison and Team for the opportunity to review this ARC!

✨Disclaimer ✨

My rating is based on MY enjoyment and/or displeasure with this work. It is not a guarantee that everyone or anyone else will enjoy it. My review explains the reason for my rating, why I think others who enjoy similar genres MIGHT want to give this work a read. These are solely my opinions and observations.


📚The Rundown: 📚
Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Level: 3/5
Genre: Fantasy romance
Tropes: Found family, Hidden Identity, Yearning.


TL;DR/ Accessible rating version:

Genre(s):
Paranormal/supernatural
Contemporary Fantasy
Romance
Romantasy

🚨 Trigger Warnings🚨
SA
Psychological, Physical, and Emotional Abuse and Manipulation
Violence (combat)
Mention and description of torture
Description of panic attack
Description of claustrophobia and nyctophobia
Death of a parent (yes again)
Death of Side character

Finished series: No ❌
Standalone: No❌
Tropes/Story Elements:

FMC with Shadow powers
He falls first
Hades/Persephone archetype
Traumatic pasts and origins
Amnesia
Morally Grey MCs
Fated mates
25+ y/o FMC, Ageless MMC
Tortured/Brooding MMCs
Touch him and die
Touch her and die
Mini group quest!
Lost and found parent


Representation:
Plus sized side character
BIPOC side characters
LGBTQ Side characters


Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
POV: Multi-POV✌🏽
Plot twist: 💥💥💥💥
Plot predictability: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Main story contains multiple unpredictable plot twists and betrayals, the interpersonal stories between characters develops in a heartbreaking beautiful way.
Spice content: (occurs in the following chapters: 25, 33, and 34.) 🔥🔥🔥 The Quality is good, and there isn't a lot of it.
Cliffhanger ending: ✅
Combat: ⚔️ ⚔️ ⚔️
Overall writing quality: ✍🏽✍🏽✍🏽 ✍🏽
Romance: 💖💖💖💖
Hetero romance: ✅
LGBTQ romance: ✅
Character Development: ✨✨✨✨ There is more character development in this book as compared to the first book, and we learn about so many more of the side characters than just the FMC.
Overall Enjoyment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I love this take on the Heaven/Hell and afterlife mythology. Love the reimagining of the Persephone/Hades dynamic, a woman with shadows and dark powers, and yearning MMCs.

Recommended for readers who like:
The Fallen Series by Lauren Kate
The Hush Hush Saga by Becca Fitzpatrick
A Vow of Shadow and Blood by Charlene Antrobus


📍📍Spoilers ahead if you have not Read "Queen of the Wicked". 📍📍

Full rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

💕"Men can't live without us, but we can live without men. We'd thrive off not having to deal with your microscopic cocks and cruel tongues." 💕


Synopsis:

"Queen of the Righteous" by Deanna Faison is an amazing second installment to "The Afterlife" series.

This book picks right up where the last one left off; right after the battle in hell.

Alessia has now embraced her powers, but she is still learning to navigate them, as well as her feelings about all the revelations from the last book, Queen of the Wicked, AND the kidnapping of her Mate, the true ruler of Hell, Erebos. The Story breaks down into 3 main goals Alessia, Eryx, and Izara are trying to achieve:
1. Stabilize the realm after the attack by healing the injured, moving supplies, and working on repairs.
2. Find the amulet of Mose and reassemble it to do…something helpful, we HOPE.
3. Rescue Erebos (and hopefully kill Bastion in the process!)
Of course, this wouldn't be romantasy if the tasks were that straight forward and simple. Alessia has never run a realm, so she isn't even sure HOW to run the realm in Erebos's absence, despite being the rightful queen. I love how this illustrates that power does not often translate to wisdom or effective rulership. She's also grieving the loss of her mate and very angry about everyone who knew they were mates keeping this news from her. Time is running out for Erebos, being tortured by Bastion daily. Isla is exhibiting strange symptoms after the attack, Eryx's unhealed past bubbles to the surface, Izara finally begins to show emotions (Oh no!), and we get an anaconda guardian with very strong opinions, and Alessia will have to make two very hard decisions that will break her heart.

And yet, Bastion's plan still seems strangely just out of focus; like there is something bigger buried in his machinations, and we won't find out until book 3.

What I enjoyed:
Deanna's writing really shined in this installment, and I enjoyed this book even more than "Queen of the Wicked".
The pacing is still pretty solid; there is the first 3/4 of the book that follows the battle, the "minutiae" of trying to regroup and put the kingdom back together and gather information, and the last quarter of the book broke my heart, threw my emotions in the air and waved them like it just didn't care. Deanna has really developed each character's backstory and writes their distinct voices very well.

In the last book, I was of the opinion the character development was a bit lacking. In this book, I think Deanna solved that issue by presenting us with more of their back story. In seeing where they came from, what molded and shaped them, I realized that what I needed wasn't development per say, but depth. Layers. These characters are not people who are trying to find who they are, they are all trying to recover from tragic pasts and choosing to survive.

The last quarter of this book was nothing but heartbreak for me, and I ate every bit of it up greedily because the plot twists, the revelations and realizations have repercussions that I cannot wait to see in Book 3.

What I liked😊
• Ophis, That is all.
• The representation and diversity of the characters. They were done so well, and none of the BIPOC characters fell into that trap of having no depth or development and only being there to prop up the MCs.
• The yearning
• The world lore, the plot, the plot, the plot!! It is heartbreaking, romantic, hopeful, tense and exciting all at once.
• The twists, and that near miss with the family tree! (You cut it real close with two characters being related, Deanna! 🤣)
• Bastion. I have never wanted a character so dead so badly since Joffrey in GOT. The fact that I hate him so deeply is a testament to how engaged my emotions are, and I love having characters I feel something for, even if it is hate.

What I didn't Like 🙁
• I really cannot find much about this that I don't like, except for what happened to a particular plus sized character. I get it, I get why it was necessary, I just hate to see the only plus sized character in the book get a tragic ending, BUT I will say, knowing that this character was chosen softened the blow, so even this part that I didn't like, was done in a satisfying way.

🌟Standout Moments 🌟

****Light spoilers ahead!****

Favorite dynamic:
Eryx and Isla

Scene that lingered:
Eryx holding Isla after Catalina's appearance in Isla's chambers. 😢

Favorite Quote:
Izara: "Men can't live without us, but we can live without men. We'd thrive off not having to deal with your microscopic cocks and cruel tongues."

Final Thoughts
I am extremely excited to read the next and final installment, and I was so pleasantly surprised by the way this book made me feel, the unexpected depth of the characters, that I know the third book is going to blow me away. The story itself is a bit of a slow burn to excitement, but the payoff is so worth it.


I would recommend this book (and will!) to anyone who likes stories of Celestials, high stakes, fated mates, powerful men who are putty in the hands of the women they love, dark and light magic, and supernatural shenanigans.




Rating legend/explanation:

Spice content: 🔥 = very little or poor quality spice 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 = max spice or high quality spice
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

Plot predictability:
⭐️= very predictable
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️= blindsided

Plot twist:
💥 = not enjoyable; incongruent and/or not true to characters, does not follow the plot/story/world logic
💥💥💥💥💥= congruent; enjoyable and or fits Characters flawlessly, follows the plot/story/world logic

Romance:
💖= Poor quality romance development/relationship
💖💖💖💖💖= God Tier quality Romance development/relationship

Combat:
⚔️ = light combat/fight scenes
⚔️ ⚔️ ⚔️ ⚔️ ⚔️ = heavy combat/fight scenes

Overall writing quality:
✍🏽 = poorly written/ too many typos or grammatical errors
✍🏽✍🏽✍🏽✍🏽✍🏽= superior writing/ no typos or grammatical errors

[Lilith's_Library_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, a heartfelt thank you to Deanna Faison for providing me with an ARC of Queen of the Righteous. My apologies for the delay in sharing this review—I've recently been navigating the wonderful chaos of buying a home and moving, but I'm so grateful to finally sit down and talk about this captivating read.

Queen of the Righteous is an engaging fantasy filled with strength, sacrifice, and the weight of destiny. From the very first chapter, I was drawn into a world where power comes at a cost, loyalties are tested, and every decision carries far-reaching consequences. The story blends action, emotion, and intrigue into a compelling journey that kept me invested throughout.

One of the highlights for me was the protagonist. She is determined, resilient, and beautifully complex, facing impossible choices while trying to remain true to herself. Watching her grow into her role and navigate the challenges before her was both inspiring and emotionally rewarding. I found myself rooting for her every step of the way.

Deanna Faison creates a rich fantasy world filled with political tension, hidden agendas, and moments of both triumph and heartbreak. The relationships throughout the story added depth to the narrative, and I especially enjoyed the balance between personal struggles and the larger conflicts unfolding around the characters.

The pacing occasionally slowed in places, but it also allowed for meaningful character development and deeper emotional connections. As the story progressed, the stakes continued to rise, making it difficult to put down as the final chapters approached.

For readers who enjoy strong heroines, epic fantasy adventures, political intrigue, and stories about courage in the face of adversity, Queen of the Righteous is a rewarding and immersive read.

✨ A powerful fantasy filled with heart, resilience, and a heroine determined to carve her own path through a world of impossible choices.

Thank you again to Deanna Faison for the ARC, and congratulations on creating such an engaging and memorable story. I look forward to reading more of your work in the future! 🖤📚👑

[Katie McJunkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Gahhhhh she did it again! This book was absolutely amazing. We pick up right where we left off in book 1 and you are immediately thrown into the absolute storm of emotions that everyone is dealing with. This book packed all the punches. Happiness, sadness, grief, lust, love, betrayal, and so much more.

The multi POV was absolutely amazing!! You got to deep dive into the minds of all your favorite characters and get to know more about their backgrounds and what makes them tick. Alesia is grappling with her new revelations about who her family is and her fated mate. She had so much growth in this book and with what sacrifice she had to make I cannot wait to see where that takes her in book 3. Erebos as always stole my heart. He fights like hell to stay alive and then the absolute gut punch he receives he just keeps fighting and moving forward. Izara as always is badass and I love her so much. But Eryx OH MY GODDDDDDD I think I fell in love with him this book. This man is strong and fierce and hot as hell. I CAN NOT WAIT to get more of him in book 3!!

The last 25% of this book packs a lot in. And with the major event everyone is left grappling with all the new information and the endingggggggg AHHHHHHH I need more nowwwwwwww!!!

[Heather Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book picks up right where book 1 leaves off. We are quickly sucked back into the aftermath of the attack on Hell and Aleissa's greif over what happened in the attack. Aleissa is now faced with the impossible task of picking herself up, adjusting to the new information she's been given about Erebos, and making sure the demons of hell know that they are not without a leader. Not only does she do all of this but she does it while getting used to her new title and powers, dealing with the betrayal of her family, and planning a rescue mission. If you thought Alessia was a badass in book 1, just wait.

In book 2 we learn more about our side characters; especially Eryx, Izara, Catalina, and Isla. If you thought you loved this group in book 1, prepare to love them even more. Each charater gets multiple POV chapters throughout the book so you get to experience the jaw dropping revelations right along with them.

That ending. That f*cking ending. You're not going to know if you should cry, cheer, or be absolutely irate that book 3 isn't out yet.

If you read book 1, prepare to have your mind blown in book 2. If you haven't started The Afterlife Series, what are you waiting for?

[Tammy-Rose Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc review

👑 Queen of the righteous 💫 by @deannafaisonbooks

Now this empowers Feminine Rage, Alessia uses her grievance, her anger, sadness, confusion and all her emotions into revenge to take back the most important person to her, Erebos. Let's just say it ripped my heart out, with silent tears whilst I was travelling on the bus to and from work. Erebos I love you and would want to cause for your torture, you are so resilient and the love and hope you have for Alessia give my heart to skip a leap

I love how you do get the different PoV throughout the story, it gives you more emotions for the other character and their actions and the reasons behind them.

This was everything and more that I wanted and it soared and scared me to death for my characters, I love. There were so many shocking elements to the story that I really weren't expecting but I then understood.

You freaking rock with your writing story. You stole my breathing. I don't want this to end and can't wait for more

It releases on the 29th of May, 2026

Thanks you for the e arc, for a honest review

[Hannah Seid · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

What the heck did I just read?! Just as good as the first one! It starts a little slower since it’s book two and there’s a lot of info and buildup, but once it takes off? Bada bing, bada boom! ALL THE TWISTS !!! and THAT cliffhanger?! I need book three like, tomorrow please 🙏🏻

The writing, the world building(this story how she does it, it’s just so good, when your done with the book and you look back your like damn girl), the romance buildup, I mean everything is so well done. I love how the romance is woven deeply into the plot, with the spice hitting more toward the end so it really focuses on the characters and story first.

And the vibe? It’s this really hodgepodge kind of Greek mythology, kind of religious undertones, but also just a unique blend of myth and real life. It even makes you think about things you normally wouldn’t… like “huh, I wonder how that actually works down there… or up there?”

Definitely one of my favorites! Highly recommend this series!

[Itty Biti Book Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erebos has been captured and taken so now Alessia must take over and rule Hell while trying to figure out how to break into Heaven to save him from being tortured to death by her uncle. She is also forced to acknowledge and accept her mating bond with Erebos so that she can use it to aid her in this endeavor. Feminine rage at its absolute finest!

Y’all, when I tell you that I have been waiting for this book since I finished Queen of the Wicked 10 months ago….. it 1 million percent did not disappoint! Our shadow mommy queen Alessia is perfection: smart, strong, powerful, basically just a complete badass. Erebos is, well, Erebos. He’s got such depth to his character, devotion to Alessia, strength and I’m pretty sure I fell in love with him all over again. This was the perfect continuation to QOTW, with so much happening, especially in the last quarter of the book, that now I’m dying for book 3! Deanna - please don’t make me wait 10+ more months!

[thriftlibreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sorry, boys,” Alessia drawled, “but this isn’t a weapon I can put down.”

If you haven’t read Queen of the Wicked what are you waiting for?! Queen of the Righteous is book 2 in the Afterlife Series by Deanna Faison. Thank you so much for the eARC! I couldn’t wait to see what happens to Alessia and Erebos after the ending in book 1. This picks up right where we last left off. With more revelations and deeper insights to previous characters, it was packed with action throughout. Especially that betrayal!!! All of the characters were dealing with their own problems while trying to support Alessia and I absolutely loved that we got the different POVs. I can’t believe it ended the way it did! Book 3 needs to be here soon, please. If you’re in the mood for a shadow mommy, look no further!

[Emma Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

I loved seeing Alessia step further into her role and learning new information about the realms and her lineage. The plot twists are insane in this one and kept me on the edge of my seat. The multiple POVs are a great way to learn more about each character and I really enjoyed that. Queen Of The Righteous is the second book in the series and you should read Queen of the Wicked first!!

[Jessica Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I should start this off by saying if you haven't read book one please go do so as this book picks up where book one leaves off that being said where do I begin....

This book has some of the best female rage I have ever had the pleasure of reading!

Alessia must take over now that her fated mate Erebos has been captured, she also needs to accept her bond with Erebos if she is going to try to save him.

This book did not disappoint at all. Will defiantly be reading again!!

[Taylar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy Smokes that was not the ending I was expecting!!!
This series has completely thrown me for a loop. I cannot wait for it to continue! I need to know more.

Does the FMC and the MMC balance each other out??
Can Eryx forgive his mate?
I had a feeling about Cerys and Izara.
I look forward to reading the next installment!

[Kimberly Holder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so incredibly excited to be back in this world! Queen of the Righteous picks up immediately after the cliff hanger in Queen of the Wicked, and adds so much depth and backstory to the characters while introducing a new favorite for me! (Ophis 🐍😍)

I loved getting to watch Alessia step in to her power and gain confidence in herself and her leadership! There are so many revelations and unexpected twists in this book that had my head absolutely spinning! I have so many questions and theories! I am dying to see how it all plays out in the 3rd book!

[Shannon Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Continuation…

Multi POV of multiple characters

Explores multiple storylines

Some really heart warming/breaking moments

A good, somewhat easy read.

No real shocks or plot twists that I didn’t see coming or that weren’t blindingly obvious.

Did enjoy the feminine rage and the immense power women hold in these stories

Smut 3/5
Character development 2/5
Storyline 2/5

[Adrianne Gil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow !!! this book was so good. I was hooked from page one I couldn't put it down. I thought the multi pov was perfect and helped move the story along so well. Lots of twists and a little spice towards the end. Deana writing is terrific the way she blended everything together made for such a satisfying read. She had my jaw on the floor multiple times.

Thank you to the author for the ARC all opinions are my own

[Holly moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

obsessed with this book

I don’t even have the words to say how much I love this series. The first book is amazing but omg this one!!!!

[The_enchanted.Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading The Queen of the Wicked, I instantly followed Deanna Faison on Insta. When I saw the cover reveal for Queen of the Righteous 😍😍😍 I was so excited to see Book 2 on its way! Aren’t the covers just gorgeous!

I just love this series. Alessia is a fantastic FMC and I enjoyed learning through her as she navigates the realms. Faison’s writing style just flows and the pacing is also in balance with the plot. The plot twists that were so fun to read and I just ate it all up.

I’m here 👋 for book 3! Thank you for the ARC 🙏🙏