Made From Death

The Darkest Queens #1

by Rebecca Grey

Death came but didn’t keep her. Even the heavens didn’t want her soul.

Four queens broke their bargain with the gods and for their misdeeds, nature remains unbalanced. To appease a restless country, the queens are looking to marry. Queen Sienna is first in line to choose a husband as she hosts the start of the highly anticipated royal parties.

While the queens worry about their events and keeping the Fae at bay, one woman is sneaking into their castles. She's striking a deal with a warlock. She's watching every move they make.

Because she's been resurrected with one job to complete.

Kill the queens.


NOTE:
Made From Death is book one in The Darkest Queens Series with themes recommended for readers 18 and over. This is an page turning, thrilling, fantasy romance with a magical world setting where creatures like Fae, Warlocks, and even Humans are always at war.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance

170 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 27, 2021

About the author

Rebecca Grey leads a busy life. Somewhere between working a day job, raising two kids, and daydreaming about being a reality television star, she writes. As a reader she enjoys books filled with arrogant boys, who she would never waste her time on in real life, and large fantasy or paranormal novels. Much of her love for these things is reflected in her books.

Reviews

[Dee]

Perfect for fans of Serpent & Dove. Ace and Shelby (the irony) were mirror copies of Lou and Reid, except I liked them more. I'm rating this lower but it has to do with the inconsistent, confusing plot rather than the characters. The characters were spot on. Even Queen Sienna, whose pov was kinda annoying but I get why it was essential. I preferred Ace' pov. She was funny and depended on instinct all the time and kept true to herself. I did not expect Shelby to be the modest churchboy but he grew on me.
I'm so surprised we got more romance on Queen Sienna's side than Ace and Shelby. They started as enemies and ended on even more animosity. HELLO??? I was waiting for some sparks. Nothing happened. That is why I'm excited for the sequel.
I don't get why gods were this powerless?? They resurrected a teenager to do their dirty work for them. I don't understand the logic but it made for a fun interaction of them in her head.

[Aira]

one star removed because cliffhanger!
I enjoyed This book a lot. Ace is interesting, a bit reckless, (but wouldn't you be too if you had died and come back) and definitely a mystery. The book sets up a lot of ground work which will be I'm sure covered in the future instalments but no plot points get resolved here.
I want to meet the queens, I want to know the backstory.
The characters are interesting, definitely has me curious

[Emily]

There were some really interesting pieces to this story and then others that threw me off a bit.

Things I liked:
Ace - not a perfect protagonist, in fact, she makes some poor decisions along the way, but that makes her more likable.
Shelby - again, not a flat character. He is complex and doesn't just assume things are the way they appear - he tries to dig deeper.
Action - I really liked the chase scenes, especially earlier in the story. I felt like I was there watching Ace maneuver her way through the city.
Mystery - there are hints throughout for answering why people are reacting certain ways or how characters are related (not necessarily by blood, but by circumstance).

There were a few things that didn't quite hit the mark for me...
Queen Sienna - we know she had a more complex and normal-ish childhood, which she reflects on, but she really comes off as pretty cut-and-dry evil. Even her more tender moments are tainted with her lust for power and control - and this need to dominate definitely comes through in a few scenes. She doesn't need to be loved to rule, but some of her actions made me question how her subjects both love and fear her.
Exclamation marks - this is something I'm particular about and it might not be a big deal to other readers, but there were too many for me.

Overall, there were pieces that made it an interesting read - I liked the way grimoires worked, how warlock magic worked, the history with Fae, and especially Ace's rebirth and her relationship with the gods.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Chaos]

I seem to be in the minority, but I didn't like this book at all. I didn't care for the characters. I found them shallow and unlikable. The plot was confusing, and I couldn't keep up with all that was going on. I didn't understand why certain things were happening. Once I got to the end, the cliffhanger just irritated me. I think that's a pretty clear sign that I should not continue the series.

[T]

An interesting book for sure. Some things didn't make sense though, the main character seemed to move without a plan. I know it's a series but it felt like half a book, we didn't get to find out a lot of things.

[Darian - Books With A Chance]

The last book I read by Rebecca Grey I did not like. I complained the entire time and honestly I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read this one but I am glad I did. I was given and ARC for an honest review.

*Beware I will have spoilers*

I gave this book 3 stars only because some of the story didn’t stick with me. My sister and I would discuss the book and there were some things she mentioned that I don’t remember happening at all. Other than that I thought the story flowed well together and the characters were great.
Shelby had said that Ace is selfish, I don’t see her that way. Ace is brought back from the dead by the Gods, we assume her throat was previously slit because she has a scar there; so really, other than the Gods speaking to her in her mind she has no one. It’s not like she had the choice of only have to take care of herself, it’s what she was left with. I do like in the end this lone character does care for Shelby. I don’t want to see them as a love interest and I hope they don’t turn into one because although they care for each other I do think their relationship would be better off as friends.
It’s barely mentioned in the book but the Queen may have known Ace in her previous life and I wish the back story for that was included in the story. It’s only a couple sentences and since nothing more happened with it I honestly think it could’ve been left out of the book and it wouldn’t have made a difference. I strongly, strongly disliked the Queen but she was written well to be a hated character. For my spoiler: I wanted the Queen to die, I was hoping for that buildup of her death. I was kind of hoping Hollis would try to kill her or help in her death. Honestly, we’re not sure what happens to her in the end because the ending focuses on Ace but her being alive did disappoint me. That being said, there is still a build up for something unexpected in the end that will make you want to continue onto book two.

[Kylie]

Ace, a woman with eyes that burn with fire and a scar that should have meant death.
Shelby, a Warlock that has been enslaved most of his life by tyrant rulers desperate to claim his magic and any other warlocks as their own.
Queen Sienna, one of 4 sisters that turned their backs on the gods once they got what they wanted.
Pasia, a country surrounded by a wall to keep the fae out and filled with unrest.
A world filled with unbalance and a mission from the Gods to set it right.

What a wonderful start to a new series, this book left me wanting more. Rebecca has a way of creating worlds and characters that suck you in and plots that have you constantly guessing what’s going to happen next.

I read a lot of fantasy but I haven’t come across one as unique as this. The dynamics between the different class of species was surprising and I’m curious to see how this changes throughout the series.
I absolutely love the mystery of all the MC’s pasts and I’m looking forward to exploring this more in the next book.

Ace is a very intriguing character even with the trauma she carries she is still very innocent and though she might not understand it yet, she craves an emotional connection with someone.

Shelby is very cynical which is understandable considering his life so far. He is aloof and happy keeping everyone at arm’s length rather than attempt to open up and give his trust out.

Queen Sienna is complicated and I don’t think I will fully understand her until I understand her past and what changed her into this cold, cruel woman.

Thanks Rebecca for giving me a start to a series that is going to be epic! Can’t wait for book 2

[Jodi Gallegos]

In Pasia the four queens got everything they wanted then turned away from the gods. Now nature remains unbalanced, the Fae are a constant threat, and the wall around the city may not keep invasions at bay for long. In an effort to appease the people, the queens are looking for husbands. In the midst of royal events and parties, Queen Sienna is the first of the queens to consider suitors.

Ace is back from the dead. She hears the voices of gods as well as the prayers of mortals, and she’s been tasked by the gods with one goal: kill the queens. As the queens begin to host royal suitors, Ace is making plans to sneak into the castle to carry out her task. With disgruntled warlock Shelby at her side, and a mysterious past clouding both, they achieve a cautious alliance as they move through the country, closer to the castle while evading detection of the queen’s legions.

Made From Death is a perfect read for fans of Ruthless Gods. Rebecca Grey does a nice job of hinting at the richer histories of all three main characters (Ace, Shelby, and Queen Sienna) which will hopefully be divulged further in future books. Made From Death is definitely setting up a much bigger turn of events, establishing the groundwork for the rest of the series, and the ending gives you a little glimpse of just how great the stakes are about to become.

*I received a copy of Made From Death in exchange for an honest review*

[Sam (Sassyowlreads)]

Made From Death by Rebecca Grey hit the ground running and hooked me from the first page. I didn't know what to expect when I saw that the book was only 170 pages but Grey packed the perfect amount of world-building into so few pages.

Ace is full of fire (figuratively and literally) and is a woman on a mission from the gods. Shelby is the perfect magical, tall, dark and brooding character everyone can fall in love with. Queen Sienna is Ace's first target and frankly, I do not blame the gods or Ace for wanting her dead. She is cruel and her and her sisters' ascents to the throne seem steeped in betrayal.

The pasts of all three characters are shrouded in mystery and trouble has arrived at Pasia's front door. Desperate decisions must be made and whether or not the fallout is catastrophic remains to be seen.

Thanks so much to Rebecca Grey for an early copy of Made From Death in exchange for an honest review! I genuinely loved it from beginning to end and can't wait for book 2!

[Shannon Marcos]

I received an ARC from Rebecca Grey for an honest review.

I am so happy the author trusted me to read her book. It had me captivated from the very beginning! The storytelling is amazing and the characters are fun with a sense of humor. The book is only 170 pages, but don't let that fool you, you get a lot of action throughout.
The end will leaving you hanging though, which makes me want to read the next in the series as soon as it comes out. And watch out - the Fae make an appearance.

[Soph]

Over the past week I’ve been in the mood for some Fae, so I picked up Made from Death by Rebecca Grey 💜 thank you very much for this copy to review.

I’ve got to say, I was immediately gripped by the premise of the book! Ace has returned from the dead as the Gods tool on earth - how cool is that! 🤯 I enjoyed how the author portrayed each of the many Gods as they’re speaking in Ace’s head and how it added a level of humour to the book 🥰 She had really good banter with the Gods, especially Ramdon, god of mischief. Im very interested to hear about her death as the story hints at foul play but questions were left unanswered!
Ace herself was a likeable character who has her flaws but she’s mischievous and confident. Her interactions with Shelby really gave me Serpent and Dove vibes! Shelby is ‘proper’ and Ace is outspoken, making for a contrasting pair with a great on the page dynamic! 🦋

The book is partially written from Ace’s POV and the rest from the POV of Queen Sienna. I have to say that these chapters were my favourite to read! We don’t know too much about the queens, just that there are four, they are ruthless and that they are powerful! 🖤 She really was an evil Queen character, though we saw small cracks in her amour when it comes to love. I’m really looking forward to reading more about Sienna and kind of hope she is a really despicable character! 😂

This book had a great magic system, with men at the forefront (I won’t say more here to avoid spoilers) and I like the idea of a possible warlock rebellion! We don’t see too much of the fae in book one but I think there will be a great appearance in the second book! I wish this book was longer and I’m really excited to carry on reading the series!

[Becca Mee]

MADE FROM DEATH captured my attention because the blurb promised a feminist and exciting story, and to an extent that was what I got. I really liked the romantic banter between our main characters, Ace and Shelby, which mirrors the sort of dynamic between Lou and Reid in Serpent and Dove, so fans of that series will most assuredly enjoy that. There is an impressive amount of worldbuilding in this book that only spans 170 pages. The nice thing was that the author manages to transport the reader into this world without a ton of info dumping. MADE FROM DEATH is short and readable for anyone looking for a quick fantasy read. I also really enjoyed having Queen Sienna's POV in this novel because it made the plot really interesting and raises the stakes all around. While chronic illness issues distracted me while reading this, I thought it was a pretty solid fantasy and impressive for its size. Sometimes, though, I felt that Ace's identity as a person was unclear and her POV felt unfocused and I lost sense of her purpose and drive as an MC.

[Danni Rogers]

This story pulled at my heart strings from the start. Ace’s story is a lonely one of unwanted vengeance and unforgiving loneliness.
I just want a happy ending for her!
Shelby is trapped in a never ending cycle of servitude and I hope he finally gets his chance at freedom and happiness of his own.

[Cherokee - Books With A Chance]

Review coming soon!

[Darrah Steffen]

Hard for me to get into, but I thought the author was good at writing characters.

[Jennifer K]

I've only read one other book by Grey, but I love her style and storytelling. This book was no exception. Ash is a nuanced main character who isn't fully good or bad. Shelby instantly intrigued me as a character and continued to throughout the book. And Sienna is the worst.

Easy five stars from me.

[Carlyle Labuschagne]

The writing style is one of my favorites yet and is very inspiring. The story, the plot, the characters all flowed so beautifully together to make for an easy and page-turning read.

[Book Addict]

This is a really good start to no a series by this talented author. The book really is setting the scene for what is to come next…we meet the MCs snd get that glimpse into who they are. Ace is a great FMC who makes mistakes and becomes real in your eyes as you read about her. There is a lot of action and do many twists and turns that kept you flicking through the pages. Of course there is a cliffhanger ending that has you excited to read more. I am intrigued to see where we will go next on this interesting journey of a story.