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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Classism
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really didn’t have too many expectations going into this book, and yet I fell in love with the characters right away. Signa was a clever and fierce main character. And Death, no words, except that he deserves everything. The conclusion left me hanging, and I am already burning to read book two and discover Signa and Death’s fate.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an easy and entertaining read. It was a “whodunnit” type of mystery that still managed to surprise me at the end. I’ll always like a book with an animal companion thrown in, too. It’s set in the 1800’s, a time period I enjoy reading with regard to “etiquette” and “formality”.
My biggest “complaint” is Signa’s relationship with Death. Other than them being “lonely” for so long, I don’t see the attraction to each other. It went from 0-100 pretty quickly. He says some pretty words to her, and they share things in common, but outside of that, I don’t really feel the connection or the emotion there.
I think the way the author speaks about death in general is beautiful. I appreciate how she turned a dark and gothic story into something beautiful.
My biggest “complaint” is Signa’s relationship with Death. Other than them being “lonely” for so long, I don’t see the attraction to each other. It went from 0-100 pretty quickly. He says some pretty words to her, and they share things in common, but outside of that, I don’t really feel the connection or the emotion there.
I think the way the author speaks about death in general is beautiful. I appreciate how she turned a dark and gothic story into something beautiful.
This one was quite interesting. A tad gothic, with a FMC with unusual powers. Being unable to die and to actually be able to see and interact with spirits and Death himself, made for a very strong lead. I like how Signa (FMC) did not shy away from Death, and how she embraced him and her abilities almost immediately. There was no swaying her once she decided to be with Death. I hate it in books where the characters war with themselves about being with someone, when you know they're supposed to be together. So, it was quite refreshing for that not to happen in this one. I just hated that Signa has taken so many burdens upon herself so that the remaining members of her family do not have to suffer any more. This poor young girl just seems crushed beneath the weight of so many secrets, and all she wants is to be with Death all the time, and she can't be yet. *Sigh* Onto Foxglove.
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2025 Re-read:
I think my 2022 review pretty much holds up for this re-read so nothing much more to say.
>>>>>>
2022 Review:
As the sole survivor when her parents, all of their guests, & servants are poisoned at a party, baby Signa moves between lots of distant relatives, most of them more interested in her inheritance than anything else. They all meet with sticky ends & Signa knows that Death has never been far from her side. Now nineteen-year-old Signa hates living with her aunt, & also hates hiding the secret that since her miraculous survival as a baby, she seemingly cannot die or stay injured for long, something she blames Death for. When her aunt dies during an argument with Signa, she is sent to live with her cousins - the rich Hawthorne family.
When Signa arrives, she finds that the mistress of the house, Lillian, recently died & that her daughter, Blythe, is deathly ill with the same sickness. Meanwhile Blythe's widowed father is more interested in drowning his sorrows & throwing parties to distract from his grief, whilst her older brother is distracted with trying to rescue to family business. It doesn't take long for Signa to realise that the house is haunted by more than just grief - Lillian, & other ghosts, wander the hallways & only Signa can see them. When Lillian's ghost tells her that she was murdered & that Blythe is also being poisoned, Signa knows she has to find the person responsible, but to do that she needs to call a truce & work with Death himself.
I've been waiting for a book that completely swept me away for a while & it's finally here. I absolutely loved the supernatural mystery side of things. Signa (I kept misreading her name as Sigma) is one of those MCs that starts off a bit annoying but then grows on you. Now, love triangles are not one of my favourite tropes by a long shot, & yes, the romance was a little "OMG he's so hot" (there are a couple of quite steamy scenes in the book), & there are some problematic aspects. As characters though, both Sylas (handsome stable boy) & Death (yes, Death is one of the trio) were rather intriguing. Overall the mystery element & the writing won out over the romance for me, even though I did guess the guilty party etc. 4.5 stars (rounded up)
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
I think my 2022 review pretty much holds up for this re-read so nothing much more to say.
>>>>>>
2022 Review:
As the sole survivor when her parents, all of their guests, & servants are poisoned at a party, baby Signa moves between lots of distant relatives, most of them more interested in her inheritance than anything else. They all meet with sticky ends & Signa knows that Death has never been far from her side. Now nineteen-year-old Signa hates living with her aunt, & also hates hiding the secret that since her miraculous survival as a baby, she seemingly cannot die or stay injured for long, something she blames Death for. When her aunt dies during an argument with Signa, she is sent to live with her cousins - the rich Hawthorne family.
When Signa arrives, she finds that the mistress of the house, Lillian, recently died & that her daughter, Blythe, is deathly ill with the same sickness. Meanwhile Blythe's widowed father is more interested in drowning his sorrows & throwing parties to distract from his grief, whilst her older brother is distracted with trying to rescue to family business. It doesn't take long for Signa to realise that the house is haunted by more than just grief - Lillian, & other ghosts, wander the hallways & only Signa can see them. When Lillian's ghost tells her that she was murdered & that Blythe is also being poisoned, Signa knows she has to find the person responsible, but to do that she needs to call a truce & work with Death himself.
I've been waiting for a book that completely swept me away for a while & it's finally here. I absolutely loved the supernatural mystery side of things. Signa (I kept misreading her name as Sigma) is one of those MCs that starts off a bit annoying but then grows on you. Now, love triangles are not one of my favourite tropes by a long shot, & yes, the romance was a little "OMG he's so hot" (there are a couple of quite steamy scenes in the book), & there are some problematic aspects. As characters though, both Sylas (handsome stable boy) & Death (yes, Death is one of the trio) were rather intriguing. Overall the mystery element & the writing won out over the romance for me, even though I did guess the guilty party etc. 4.5 stars (rounded up)
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Sexual content, Vomit
Minor: Animal death
Mocne 4,5⭐️
To było tak dobre! Fabuła ciekawa, bohaterowie świetni, styl autorki również bardzo przyjemny. Scenę na balu uwielbiam, a satysfakcja, kiedy okazało się, że od samego początku miałam rację co do Śmierci była ogromna! Nie spodziewałam się, że książka porwie mnie już od pierwszych stron, ale tak się stało i nie mogę doczekać się kolejnej części
To było tak dobre! Fabuła ciekawa, bohaterowie świetni, styl autorki również bardzo przyjemny. Scenę na balu uwielbiam, a satysfakcja, kiedy okazało się, że od samego początku miałam rację co do Śmierci była ogromna! Nie spodziewałam się, że książka porwie mnie już od pierwszych stron, ale tak się stało i nie mogę doczekać się kolejnej części