I don't think this book was for me and I'm sad because it seems that many people enjoyed this story. I too thought that I would being that there were elements of folklore and magic woven into the story. Unfortunately, there were multiple things that I found I didn't end up enjoying about this book. First, Aden's writing style is something I do typically enjoy, however, I felt the biggest downfall and reason the book dragged for me was the characters. I didn't care about them. It wasn't that they were unlikable by any means. I'm pretty sure the main character was supposed to be a likable hero who would do anything to save her friend/lover and her village. That may have been the problem in that the author was trying too hard to make her innocent and likable. It had the opposite effect on me and I ended up finding her quite annoying. I also found that the repetitiveness of her reminding herself of her goal to save the village was a bit too much as well as her "strong" negative feelings towards the King of the Underworld. I probably should have looked more into the premise before picking this one up because I don't think I'm a fan of dark romances and that's what the book was hinting at. Anyway, these are just my thoughts. I know plenty of people enjoyed this book and rated it highly, so I'd still recommend it to a larger audience because it's possible you may enjoy it.

Let 2024 be the year we find men who see our wickedness and love us all the more for it!

“The Bride of Death” breathes life into familiar folktales as a girl caught between the land of the living and the underworld tries to save her love from the clutches of Death himself undergoing a series of trials to win his hand but in doing so she finds that maybe home is within the darkness below.

Ugh I loved every moment of this book!

The characterization was flawless and I adored each and every soul we meet in their own fun and cruel way. The overall arc and character growth amongst the main cast was so much fun to dive into and explore. Zerryn was a misunderstood girl who is trying to do her absolute best and each step she takes brings her closer to unlocking her truest self and becoming a strong woman in her own right and I loved every minute.

The plot is fun with a typical formula of a fantasy like competition backdrop however there were a few moments where I was surprised we didn’t lean into familiar tropes and it was refreshing to see those changes especially amongst the competitors. This book while heavy and fantastic in its romance can also stand tall with how it presents female companionship and I really enjoyed this those interactions played out.

When they mention Novik and Arden they aren’t kidding this book stands up against their familiar and wonderful titles and I look forward to devouring everything this author creates!

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

This was a dark and sensual standalone tale steeped in Turkic mythology. It's not mythology I'm overly familiar with, so it felt like a very fresh and unique tale, and I had a lot of fun researching the myths. While Erlik is the main focus of the story, we also get appearances from: Karaoğlanlar and Karakızlar, Susulu, Basty, Ubir, Korbolko, Yuxa, Irshi, Uylak, with many more cameos from folklore! Not to mention the incorporation of the Turkish language.

SUMMARY:
When Zerryn's best friend Çelik becomes possessed by Erlik Khan, the lord of the underworld, Zerryn sets out to do the impossible: defeat Death himself. She journeys to the underworld and enters a competition to become Erlik's bride, and in order to win she must win in three impossible trials. For the only way to take down Erlik is with the power he grants.

THOUGHTS:
I enjoyed this book far more than I thought I would. The first part of the story seemed a little hastily written. It spanned the early years of Zerryn's life in order to establish the relationship with Çelik and get her to the underworld. It felt more like an outline of a plot at this point, and I was worried the rest of the book would read the same way. But once we get to part 2, we get a lot more substance to the story. From here on out I really loved the story.

My only other complaint is the lack of spicy scenes. There were so many delicious scenes of them just kissing, and they were wonderful. But it culminated to nothing more. We get hints of them doing the deed but no explicit detail. I felt a little cockblocked honestly. But I get it if the author didn't want to venture into full smut territory.

I love a slow-burn, enemies to lovers romance, and I love an intimate relationship with Death. This was a perfect rendition of that. I loved that Zerryn loved that he had four arms because who wouldn't love a sexy eldritch man with four arms. I loved how their relationship developed, with Zerryn starting out as a symbol for good and then devolving into darkness, and Erlik showing the opposite. They were truly suited for each other.

I really liked how Zerryn befriended the other women participating in the trials, and mostly every other creature of myth she encountered. I love seeing women helping each other instead of tearing each other apart over a man. We love a sapphic relationship with a best vampire friend.

This was not for me. I was so bored and not invested in the plot at all, which is a shame because I usually love this kind of book. The writing just dragged, and I couldn't find my footing.

I finished this book in 24 hours and let me just say that I LOVED it. This book combined historical fiction, romance, fantasy, and the gothic into one dazzling story. I sometimes find that books dipping its toes in so many genres can sometimes loose themselves but this one totally delivered. It has a grotesque setting and some unsightly characters but the storyline is beautiful. It is based on Turkish folklore and fans of The Bear and the Nightingale will really enjoy this!

I really enjoyed the mythology behind this story and the way that the author was able to write the Lord of Death. I have read many romances where the FMC gets intertwined with Death and more often than not, the evil that Death does in those stories is portrayed as “not who he is” or as a mask. I’m here to report that that is not the case here. This Death is vengeful and angry (as I think he should be.) I can see people thinking that the romantic relationship is toxic but keeping in mind that it’s a story of the devil…it really shouldn’t be surprising that it isnt the healthiest.

I felt like the beginning was a little drawn out and choppy with the time jumps but they were definitely necessary in order to build the plot and understand the FMC’s motivations.

All of that said, I loved this so much and will certainly be reading anything else F. M. Aden releases.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.
This was a fascinating and gripping fantasy that kept me attached to my kindle until the last page. The plot was so well written, and full of details from Turkic mythology (which I had great fun researching - I knew nothing of this mythology, and it's so amazing I highly recommend you look it up yourself!).
Zerryn was a stubborn, clever, and strong young woman and I loved her so much! Despite the villagers not liking her, she risked everything to save them. Her story arc was one with real Scorpio energy and I WAS HERE FOR IT!
I highly recommend this book, it will give you everything you're looking for, and if you're in a reading slump, this will reach down in that dreadful pit, and bring you back up to the land of the readers.

Thank you for the arc of “Bride of Death”

Winter fantasy vibes. Reminded me of a mixture of the kingdom of the wicked and winternight. A story full of imagery lore and legends. The world building was incredible and just added so much depth to the story.

The mutual love between Zerryn and her father (Hakan) was so touching I was crying in the second chapter. I also love her ghost friend Minay, and the princes of the underworld. The court of the underworld was odd but in a good way, horrifyingly amazing and unique.

The LI is the definition or morally grey if you can really even call him that. You love to hate him and hate to live him.

The “Bride of Death” is a story of sacrifice, duty, trials and enemies to lovers romance at its best. I was hooked from the beginning to the end and loved this book whole heartedly

This book was so good!

The writing was great. It was the perfect mix of lyrical and dark and it fit the overall tone of the book very well. I also enjoyed the folklore elements that were present throughout the story.

I was immediately hooked by the premise of a mortal girl competing in trials to become the bride of Death in order to save the people she loves. The trials were well described and I liked how they were utilized to progress not only the plot but the character relationships as well.

I really liked our main character, Zerryn. She was strong but flawed and I enjoyed seeing her character arc throughout the story. As for the main relationship, there was the perfect amount of tension, banter, and barriers to where I truly did not know where it would end up. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to whatever F.M. Aden writes in the future!

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, the publisher and Net Galley.

I did really enjoy this and I raced through it reading in just a couple of days. It was gripping, compelling and I really needed to know what happened. I did have some small issues with it but overall this was an exciting read.

I loved the setting and folklore in this book. It’s absolutely magical. This is a wonderful exploration of death magic. It’s recommended for fans of Spinning Silver and The Bear and the Nightingale and I’d heartily agree with that (I also loved both those books). This book follows Zerryn who is raised on folklore stories by her nanny which gives her a unique knowledge. She also is touched by death as a child giving her a strange looking pupil and earns her the whispers and suspicion of local townsfolk. She’s protected largely by her father but goes to live with her grandmother where she’s exposed to more people. In a bid to save the life of the boy she loves who is also her best friend she must brush with death again and complete a set of trials.

The trials were great, this trope has been getting a little tired in some books lately, however it’s done well here. They are challenging and require creative thinking from our main character. I liked the magic in this book, both death magic and other types that we come across throughout the book.

I was worried towards the end about the direction the book was going in, however the author pulled it back at the end and I understood why they made the choices they did.

My small issues were: the love/hate dialogue was repeated too frequently between the main characters. I felt a bit conflicted about the romance as it’s somewhat toxic, now the male MC is the Lord of death so he clearly wasn’t going to be a sweetheart and reading it in this toxic meant I could still enjoy the book, however at times it did feel uncomfortable. The jump between the early story to the next part in the tower happened so quickly that it was a bit jarring and hard to understand Zerryn’s motivation for the extreme choice and action she takes.

Enjoyed this and it is a book I would read again.

This was a book that I knew nothing about. The title was intriguing and the short blurb I read about it seemed interesting, so I thought I would give it a shot. I'm SO glad I did!

The novels feels like a retelling of a folktale, with the princess at the center rather than the prince. It felt warmly familiar in many ways, though it more often than not surprised me.

There were many things that I loved about the novel: it's unique vision, it's delightful characters and friendships, the sense of adventure even in the darkest times, the description of the underworld and its denizens, and especially the relationships between the main characters.

The characters are beautifully written and I keep wanting to know what will happen next. I was strangely invested in not only Zerryn and Erlik, who are the two main characters, but I was particularly fond of the secondary characters of Yuxa, Minay, and Beyza as well.

In fact, I found myself so invested in them that I often found myself turning each page with a small sense of dread, expecting something horrible to happen to one of them. I found myself wishing for certain things to happen and for the story to go a certain way. It's not often that I find myself wishing for more predictability in a book!

There was very little that I disliked about the book. I admit that I had trouble with some of the non-English words in the first couple of chapters, describing the various spirits that haunt the forest near the heroine's home, but luckily the book includes a glossary at the back.

There were also a couple of times when starting a new chapter (particularity the first few chapters), I had the feeling that I'd missed something. The author used early chapter breaks to skip ahead in time, focusing on what we next needed to know, rather than a whole drawn out telling of a life lived.

At first I wasn't thrilled with it, but once we got into the thick of things I more fully understood the author's creative choice; these “missing parts” weren't necessary and would have slowed down the narrative. Although it was a bit jarring at first, I'm really glad I just “went with it” and kept going.

The story, without giving too much away, revolves around Zerryn, a common village girl in Asia Minor who has an affinity for taking care of the plants and animals around her, a gift of sorts. Çelik is the childhood friend that she loves who becomes possessed by the devin in the form of the lord of the dead and of the underworld, Erlik Khan.

To save Çelik and rid her village from the misery and famine that Erlik Khan has brought them, Zerryn must go on a quest into the land of the dead! She descends into the underworld and must withstand three trials in order to claim the right to marry Erlik Khan, and become the queen of the underworld, whereby she would then have the power to destroy him and free Çelik and her village. At least... that was the plan.

Needless to say it all goes horribly pear shaped and many truths are revealed along the way. By the end of the novel you're not entirely sure who you should be cheering for, but you will undoubtedly have your favourites.

It's a wonderful, wild ride! This novel was worth every minute that I devoted to it and my only regret is that it ended too soon.

This is not a Young Adult novel. I believe it was written with an adult audience in mind. That said, there are very few sexual situations (nothing graphic), and there is no swearing or explicit violence. I believe the story is suitable for mature readers even if they are teens. It makes the reader ask themselves a lot of “big” questions, and there are some interesting philosophical dilemmas that add an extra layer to the storytelling. It is a novel that will stay with you.

SImply stunning.

The Bride of Death follows a young girl, Zerryn, from childhood to adulthood, centring around her encounter with The Lord of Death at a very young age and how this affects her as she grows up.

She’s heard tales of The Lord (Erlik) and the dark creatures at his mercy, but when her closest friend is in danger at his hands, she has no choice but to face death head on. Entering the underworld to take Erlik down, she discovers something about herself that she absolutely was not expecting.

In all honesty, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into with this book having never read any books within this genre before. I usually read rom-com type books so this was a step into the unknown.

Had I known what was in for, I’d have hurtled into the unknown a lot sooner!

This book was beautiful. Dark, but beautiful. Aden’s written descriptions of the underworld are visually captivating and the emotional connections you’re able to make with the characters as a result of her writing style are incredible.

I was so torn because I couldn’t put this book down as I needed to keep reading, but I also didn’t want it to end so had to make myself slow down! Exactly the reaction a great book should generate.

I would (and already have) recommend this book without hesitation.

Thank you for the read.

The Bride of Death by far is the most interesting book that I have read this year! I have never done any reading of folklore/mythology from Turkic/Mongolian peoples and WOW! I am so glad I went into this story completely blind. I love how books open a whole new world that you have never would have thought to explore.
The Bride of Death felt a lot like a mix between The Bear and the Nightingale with a bit of House of Salt and Sorrows for me in the writing style, which has a way of you excited but also nervouse to turn the page!
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking to expand their knowledge of various folklore through a gothic romantasy adventure.

"The Bride of Death" is an exquisite tale that combines elements of fantasy, romance, and historical fiction. The beginning of the story strongly resembles "The Bear and the Nightingale" by Katherine Arden, setting a captivating and atmospheric tone. The characters in the book experience profound grief, adding depth and emotional intensity to the narrative.

The story feels like a blend of "The Bear and the Nightingale" and "Kingdom of the Wicked," creating a unique and compelling world for readers to explore. The protagonist, Zerryn, finds herself torn between two captivating characters, Çelik and Erlik, and their complex dynamics keep the reader engaged and invested.

The romantic relationship between Zerryn and Erlik is particularly captivating, and the reader eagerly hopes for a happy ending for them. The heavy focus on Zerryn's journey to save herself adds a powerful feminist element to the story. It highlights the strength and resilience of women, who often have to rely on themselves in a world that undermines their abilities.

Overall, "The Bride of Death" is a fantastical and romantic read, with dark and heartbreaking moments that are balanced by charm and beauty. It is a book that will leave a lasting impression on readers, immersing them in a world of magic and love.

This book kept twisting and turning in ways I never expected. It’s written in such a way that I felt the inner struggle of the main character as she did and was equally on the fence about what path she should take. I do wish it there had been a little bit more background on the lore of the underworld.

2.5 stars, rounded up. I always love a death & the maiden scenario, but this one fell a little short for me. It definitely hit on the enemies to lovers, and for the most part I was pulled into the story and enjoying the drama of the three tasks to win the throne, however... (light spoilers beyond this point)
The pacing was a bit inconsistent, and I found the world building to be lacking. At the time Zerryn decided to try for Erlik's hand, I really had no sense of the dire situation in her village, or her relationship with the friend she had to save, so it really didn't feel like she needed to fight so hard for this. The concept of the old gods had been brushed over, but we had no real details about the rest of them, nor did we even really understand what Erlik's deal was. Then throughout the tasks, we never really heard about the stories from Zerryn's childhood that guided her, nor about the research she did, but she would suddenly show up with a brilliant plan and know all the tricks she needed to succeed. Even her magic, which was talked about a lot, was never really explained or shown in great detail - I heard a lot that when she was a child, the trees would bend over for her, the animals would flock to her, but that wasn't even shown in the chapters detailing her childhood days in the forest. Even when the priest spoke of her ability to save the garden, we never got her perspective on how she did it or what she felt. Maybe this was just meant to be a dark romance where I expected more of the fantasy side, but there was so much context I wish I had that kept holding me back from enjoying the story.
Erlik & Zerryn's relationship was also so hot & cold it was hard to follow - I know that's typical in the genre, especially with these types of stories, but in the very end, Zerryn says "his sharp smile and flirty banter hid a soul that ached for love" and I feel like we never once saw an inkling of that. He definitely had his moments of being sweet, but only to Zerryn - it never felt like he had any desire to befriend or care about anyone in his world, and we never really heard anything about his backstory.
Also, I am STILL wondering what role Derya played in all of this - was really hoping we would get an answer as to how she was sent there and why she wasn't allowed to speak of Death.
There were a lot of good pieces to this book, it was exciting and mysterious, had all the angsty sexual tension, and I love when a main character finds a murderous bestie (Beyza!!), but I just found myself wanting so much more out of this.

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

Zerryn was always an odd child, happy on her own and hearing frightening stories from her nanny. As she grew older she discovered that perhaps what she thought were just stories were not stories at all.

I found the beginning of this book to be a little slow, but as soon as Zerryn gets older, the story really takes off. I completely understand why if you are fans of Naomi Novik’s Uprooted or Katherine Arden’s The Bear and the Nightingale, you will love this book. It is beautiful and moving, and I absolutely loved the ending. I seriously recommend this book to anyone who thinks it might be for them!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Alright, I ABSOLUTELY DEVOURED this book and stayed up till 4 a.m. on Christmas Eve, ruining my eyes just to finish it (worth every second, btw). Literally the perfect mesh of Alice in Wonderland, a gothic Selection, and a calibre of mythology up to par with The Bear and the Nightingale. I also loved that it was actually a dark and gothic romance—it was twisted and horrifying, but stayed so true to the characters that I’m still applauding from behind this screen. I don’t know how, but the story just works, even though it’s deeply disturbing yet somehow also beautiful. I’m honestly still baffled because it just worked so well, and I don’t really know how to describe the level of enchantment I had when reading this.

I also have no clue how I’ve never heard of F.M. Aden before because, MAN OH MAN, they write absolutely BEAUTIFULLY. The dark romance, the setting, and the mythology were so intricately woven and delivered, capturing me till the very end. F.M. Aden did a spectacular job at world-building and creating a gothic atmosphere, as well as ensuring that the reader is continuously engaged through a well-paced plot. They wrote unique and distinct characters—the most captivating of all being Erlik Khan, leaving me continuously questioning what it means to be a hero or villain. And as for the side characters, they were also so intriguing and really complemented the last 50% of the book.

My only real critique of the novel is that it took a while for the story to get going at the start. While I get that it was necessary to build the lore, it just felt a bit dragged out; however, it did pick up very quickly once you were 15% into the story. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and its fantastical writing, and if you love gothic mythology, then this story is absolutely perfect for you! :)

Born into a world rich with Turkic mythology, a young girl is caught in a twisted love story with the devil.

Zerryn grew up hearing stories of monsters and jinn, cautionary tales for little girls who play in the woods. Soon after moving from her childhood home, Zerryn meets Çelik, a sweet boy she adores and dreams of marrying someday. Tragedy hits when he is possessed by Erlik Khan, the Lord of Death, who is seeking a bride. In order to save her dear friend, Zerryn must travel to the underworld and complete three impossible tasks, or risk losing everything she loves.

This book is wild, I can’t sum it up any other way. The blurb barely scratches the surface. It’s such a fun read, the writing is smooth and flowery, and the characters are very entertaining, you love to hate them. I must confess, I am not a fan of love triangles. The back and forth between each male love interest was more frustrating than heart wrenching. Very dramatic. I didn’t enjoy the love story as much as the fantasy, which drew me in and kept me reading. I also grew up hearing stories of jinn from my aunts and uncles, and the mythology holds a special place in my heart. I love Asian story settings, it feels like home.

If you enjoy dramatic love triangles, and a main character’s slow descent into madness, this book is a perfect fit! Don’t let my distaste for the love story deter you, it’s worth the read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Northern Light Press for this ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

The Bride of Death is a beautiful tale of courage and sacrifice. We follow the story of Zerryn, a young girl from a remote village who decides to compete to became the bride of Death personified in order to save her childhood friend and her village.

What I loved in this story is the mythology and the writing style that will make you ache for this world no matter how vicious it gets. The women friendships were also refreshing and beautifully done.

The one reason I did not give this book more stars is because it did feel like it could have been shorter. The pacing was off and there were huge chunks of the book that made it drag on forever. And even though I liked the main romance, it did feel like there was some wasted potential to dive deeper into their feelings (which, tbh, is a thing that’s more and more recurrent in books these days because of all the focus on “spice” in my opinion.)

This book is for fans of “Uprooted” with a touch of the “Kingdom of the Wicked” vibes.

I found the writing to be a little confusing at times, and it was quite formal. But the story was so unique. I couldn’t put it down! I hope this one gets the fame it deserves when it’s released.