For a book that literally starts with the main character dying, this was… so boring. Like, thanks for the shock factor, but I didn’t actually care about anyone, so the big dramatic death just felt like wasted fake blood. We knew who the bad guy was, but there was no emotional punch. Just… splat.

I only picked this up because OwlCrate shoved it in the box, and wow, thank you for reminding me I can save my money. Maybe it gets better later, but I was already feeling the slump vibes by 30% in, and I refuse to let a whiny princess ruin my reading mood.

Speaking of Jessamine — girl, no. You’re not a tragic, noble heroine fighting for your people, you’re a petulant child stomping your foot and going “but I’m the princess!” over and over again. Everyone keeps saying she’s “pretty and kind,” which is apparently all the résumé you need to rule a kingdom in this world. She has no idea what’s going on in her own land but sure, she’s gonna “save her people.” I rolled my eyes so hard I saw my brain.

And then we’ve got The Deathless One. Ancient god? Eternal power? Nah. He reads like a moody teenage boy scribbling in a Hot Topic journal. Constantly changing his motives, whining about witches, dropping a new nickname for Jessamine every five minutes like he’s auditioning for Pet Name Olympics. Shadow daddy? Please. Buddy, get it together. You’re thousands of years old. Act like it.

The writing didn’t help either. Info dumps on info dumps. Words like “dark,” “inky,” and “darkness” repeated so much I felt like the thesaurus was being held hostage. Give me a “raven” or an “obsidian” once in a while, please. Whole pages were either filler worldbuilding that went nowhere or flowery nonsense that explained absolutely nothing.

And the pacing? Nonexistent. We start with a bang, and then… crickets. Nothing happens except god-boy hovering around, smudging charcoal handprints, and calling Jessamine his 100th nickname of the day. Witches are dead but also not, maybe past lives but also not, visions but also maybe memories?
Honestly, the premise sounded amazing — murdered princess resurrected by a god and bent on revenge? Yes, please. Except instead of epic revenge and intrigue, I got the literary equivalent of being stuck in line at the DMV: repetitive, confusing, and deeply unfun.

DNF at 30%. Life’s too short to babysit an angsty god and a whiny princess.

A great witchy fantasy with romance and magic that leaves you craving more of this world. The main character develops amazingly and the tension between her and the love interest is delicious. The ending was a sucker punch and I'm desperate for more.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me a copy of this book!

We are following Jessamine’s journey and revenge after being killed by her husband on her wedding day!

I really enjoyed the 2/3 of the book!! I thought the characters were well-written and liked the plot. The yearning between her and the Deathless one was great. Their relationship was based on revenge at first and I enjoyed seeing how Jessamine distrusted him.

However, I felt a bit let down with the last third of the novel. I thought the ending was a bit rushed when we had a slower pace in the 2/3 and one of the reveals did not feel right with the story, especially with the end.

I think I would still recommend it!

The Deathless One is the first book in the Gravesingers series, and it makes for a strong and captivating start. Right from the beginning, the story pulls you in—the plot, the setup, the drama, and the action are all laid out so well that it instantly feels engaging. As the story progresses, the tension and intrigue only build. One of my favourite aspects was the dynamic between Jessamine and the Deathless One. It started slow, but it did build. Their relationship is layered and complex, with the Deathless One constantly fighting his feelings for her because of his past with other Gravesingers. The banter between them is sharp and entertaining, and the slow-burning romance is done well. What stood out the most for me is how Jessamine shines as a morally grey FMC. We often see morally grey male characters, but seeing Jessamine step into that role made her character so refreshing and compelling. She’s fierce, unapologetic, and magnetic—it’s impossible not to root for her. The chemistry between the leads is fantastic, and the romance felt both raw and addictive. The ending tied the book together well, leaving me intrigued and excited for the next instalment in the series. My only small critique is that I wish it had been written in first-person POV instead of third, as I think it would have allowed for a deeper emotional connection to the characters. Overall, The Deathless One is an atmospheric, action-packed, and great romantic read with strong characters and an intriguing plot. I’ll absolutely be picking up the next book.

*♡Thank you to Emma Hamm, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion♡*
Emma Hamm strikes again with her lush writing and fairytale vibes, and I was hooked from page one. The atmosphere is dark, magical, and just the right amount of haunting — exactly what I wanted. The characters kept me invested, the pacing had me sneaking in “just one more chapter,” and the romance gave me the little swoony hit I needed.

It wasn’t completely perfect for me (a couple of slower moments here and there), but overall? Totally worth the read and one I’d recommend if you love your fantasy with a gothic edge.

Now excuse me while I go daydream about wandering into an eerie forest and definitely making all the bad decisions a heroine would 👀🌲✨

It pains me to even write this because I loved Whispers of the Deep, but there is no sign of that author in this book. The idea of this story and Emma's previous writing is what lured me into this new world, but being ONLY 30% in...it's really falling flat in so many areas. The characters have no chemistry AT ALL and are still learning what they mean to one another- and while that is the intention of a slow burn, their interactions do not captivate me. Therefore-The Deathless One's attraction/lust, feels forced + misplaced at this point in time.

I also believe that writing this in third person does not do the story justice in any way. The lore/background was already made clear once we meet The Deathless One, further repeated conversations about the topic should've been omitted if they aren't providing new insight on what we were already told. By now- I wanted a clear and concise understanding of what is expected of Jessamine to honor her part of her new deal and how The Deathless One is going to get her there. The plot is sitting on the bench while we watch the characters try to take it to first base.

This is going to be a DNF.

The Deathless One by Emma Hamm completely swept me away. From the very first page, I felt like I was stepping into a dream woven from folklore and shadow. Hamm’s writing is so lyrical and atmospheric that I found myself rereading passages just to savor the beauty of the words. The characters stayed with me long after I finished—complex, flawed, and achingly human, even in their otherworldliness. The romance felt raw and haunting, the kind that sneaks into your heart and lingers. This book reminded me why I love dark fairy tales so much—it was magical, emotional, and utterly transportive. I know I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

The premise of The Deathless One is compelling as Jessamines spirit is resurrected by a god of death with his own agenda. Their pact promises her kingdoms restoration in exchange for his return to the mortal realm. What unfolds is a morally complex relationship that blurs the lines between duty & longing, power & vulnerability.

While the world-building is rich & evocative, the pacing may challenge some readers. The first half races through key plot points, sometimes sacrificing emotional depth & clarity. Scenes of violence & supernatural intrigue arrive in rapid succession, occasionally leaving you feeling disoriented. However, once the narrative settles, the emotional stakes deepen & the FMCs internal conflict becomes the centre of the story.
The romance is dark, seductive, & layered with tension. The author doesnt shy away from exploring the psychological toll of power dynamics, making the Deathless One both alluring & unsettling. The FMCs evolution, from betrayed royal to a woman torn between her people & a god is compelling, though at times her motivations could benefit from more detail to really ground them in the world.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this, I’m rating it 3.5-3.75 stars rounded to 4.

This book is a great intro to this world, it has such a dark and gothic-y fantasy vibe going on. We’re thrown into the deep end at the beginning of the story with death and misery shrowding the kingdom and it’s fate at the hands of a usurper.

I feel like as we get to know our FMC and the god the pacing of the story slows a fair bit in comparison to the beginning which packed quite a punch. As we get into the later half of the book the story picks up with intense desire, connection and our FMC figuring out her next steps of vengence.

The way this ends has me wanting more.

The premise of this book sounded so amazing! A princess who is resurrected and makes a deal with a god to save her kingdom?! Sign me up! Unfortunately, it failed to deliver. The idea of the characters was much more compelling than the characters themselves. Jessamine continually makes the worst decisions possible, and she suffers no consequences for it. She is too naive and it really grated on me. And The Deathless One flip-flopped back and forth in how he felt about her. One moment he was enraptured, and the next he wanted to destroy her! The character tension was all over the place, and as a result, the only slow burn here was the plot.

The world-building had the potential to be great as well, but fell flat. There was so much information that was just... speculation? There was no concrete answers given! I had to keep flipping back and forth between pages and I STILL don't have answers to my questions. Not to mention things just randomly added in. The Butcher first appears in the middle of the book but ends up playing a huge role! And certain scenes required me to completely suspend any disbelief I might've had and just roll with it.

Overall, this was not for me. I'm left with more questions than answers at the end, which makes it hard to recommend to fellow readers, and unfortunately I will not be continuing in this series.

Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for this arc!

What a roller-coaster of a read, The Deathless One was. I genuinely thought that I was going to really enjoy this book, and to its credit, there's a lot to like. The concept is fun and delectable, and the chemistry between Jessamine and the title god was intoxicating...for the first few chapters. This book is slow. Really slow. I know its sold as a slow-burner, but that is very murky of a description. The plot itself meanders unbearably to the point that a good 50% of this book is unnecessary. The pacing is all over the pace, and the structure makes no sense. A lot of plot elements could've (and should've) been introduced way earlier than they actually were. This is equivalent to someone setting on the slow cooker, but failing to turn it on. Because nothing is cooked in this book.

The world building suffers likewise. So much doesn't make sense and doesn't feel explained to the level that it needs. Why is everyone shocked that a god literally called The Deathless One still alive? How are the city districts structured and why do we get a bare minimum explanation when its very clearly important for Jessamine to know? Why do we not spend time learning about the world and current events (which would be super important for Jessamine if she wants her kingdom back by the way) instead of fussing around with spells that don't even go anywhere? This world feels as dead as our main character, but maybe that's apt, considering how little people appear in this book.

And the most frustrating part of this book is the characters. They flip flop thoughts and feelings like I go through shirts. Not that they're wearing many. One moment they can be all "I trust you" and another moment its like "I don't have their trust yet". Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, if discussed in a more detailed manner, but its very basic and the characters never really discuss it themselves. They just assume. And the motivations...are so frustrating, even outside the main characters. Things just don't make sense, because so much information is provided, but its never detailed. And its frustrating, its so so frustrating. And that's not even going into the fact that the characters (mainly Jessamine) do things they know are stupid, but still do them without much thought.

Overall I think this will still be a book many like, but also just as many people will be disappointed. I don't think I'll continue with the series, but I do still want to try more Emma Hamm in the future.

This book fell totally flat for me, despite the amazing description and very cool cover. I went into this knowing nothing about this author, just that this sounded so cool. I loved the idea of a dead princess getting revenge on the a prince who stole her kingdom. But from the get go, it was not hitting. If we were going to start with such a big event, I feel like eventually we needed some flashbacks to really connect the MFC to characters/setting. But we didn't. She just kept saying she was going to save her kingdom. But why? She didn't even know of their troubles, other than the plague. And I think the MMC was supposed to be this dark, broody, serious character, but instead came off very cringe. Their interactions weren't sexy, they were just weird and offputting. It didn't get better and the character growth wasn't there. I wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, it wasn't for me at all.

A kingdom reeling from a plague that doesn't seem to have a cure, a princess murdered at her wedding, and the Deathless One.

I enjoyed the premise of the book, and am itching to find out more about the plague and what happened to the gods.

Some sections did fall flat, and I had a few problems with the motivations, pacing, and descriptions.

I went back and reread the first few chapters after finishing the book, and found I enjoyed them more as I understood more about the world and what the Deathless One had endured.

I was really excited going into this one. The opening grabbed me right away. Jessamine felt like she had the makings of a strong lead, quirky with her lab and unafraid in the face of death. I also liked the idea of her being knocked down and having to rebuild herself, which sounded like a story I’d enjoy.

But as the book went on, I struggled more and more. The magic system felt vague, like I was missing pieces of information I needed. The writing often felt flowery without actually helping me understand what was happening, so instead of being pulled into the story, I was left confused. The Deathless One, who I expected to be dark, tricksy, and terrifying, mostly came across like a moody teenager. His inner monologues were repetitive, and his motives seemed to change from one page to the next.

Jessamine herself never became the fierce, powerful character I was hoping for. For most of the book she didn’t seem to have much agency, and by the time I was nearly finished, she still hadn’t achieved very much. The big conflict comes so late it felt like setup for a sequel rather than a satisfying arc. And the romantic/intimate moments didn’t work for me, they felt clichéd and awkward instead of engaging.

Overall, the premise was strong and there were glimpses of a darker, layered fantasy I could have loved, but the execution didn’t land. I think readers who enjoy slower, very introspective fantasy might connect with it more, but it wasn’t a fit for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the first in what will be a three book series. The Deathless One had a captivating start and interesting (if a bit confusing) world building for a fair part of the book. I really enjoyed the budding relationship between The Deathless One and Jessamine but it was definitely a slower burn. I also struggled with their mutual lack of confidence and the repetition of some of their thoughts but ultimately it made sense to the story. I want more of Sybil and Nyx in the next book! I’m excited to see what happens in the next book and if things will get a little darker as I’m hoping.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the eARC of this book.


Links to B&N, Amazon, and Instagram will be updated when posted.

4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was so excited for this book as I had read Emma Hamm’s heart of the fae and loved it. The premise for this one is really cool too, the book starts off really action packed and strong but unfortunately suffers from some pacing issues in the middle. The book is always written well but for a while nothing much was happening and I really struggled to push through, but I was go glad I did because after Jessamine reunites with Callum, the guard who raised her, this gets SO good! I read the last 30% in a single sitting.

I still have really high hopes for this series, I like Jessamine and Elric a characters, the world and the magic are interesting and if the next book is similar to the beginning and the end of this one then I think it will be bumped up to a 5 star read. Overall, I do recommend this as one to check out.

This book was a fun at times but overall I couldn't get into the story. The characters and what they went through was all over the place so their motivations didn't make sense.

Also the pacing was off so I couldn't get sucked in unfortunately.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and canelo for the opportunity to read this arc. Although I did enjoy it, the first few chapters were action packed and fast paced. There was tension between Jessamine and Elric, the will they won’t they and the yearning was delectable. I found in the middle of the book there was alot of waiting for the plot to build and had to wait until the last 50 pages for anything exciting happen. I also thought there would be a lot more feminine rage and revenge as how that was depicted to me in the description and was one the main elements that pulled me in. I was happy to see in the end she got that vengeful attitude, Would love to get to know the characters alot more in the next book and get a feel for who they are beneath the surface so we can fall in love with them

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc. I feel like this took me far too long to get through. I felt very bored and just didn’t wanna pick it up. I liked the overall premise but just never really felt connected to the characters so it was hard to be invested or want to pick up. The romance never really felt real even during intimate scenes. I don’t think I’ll be continuing this series.

A princess seeking revenge who makes a deal with the literal god of death? I was immediately sold on the concept. The premise is compelling, especially with the MMC coming across as this tricky shadow god who feels genuinely unpredictable with somewhat unknown morals. Literal shadow daddy, anyone?

The Deathless One hits so many popular tropes: enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, the aforementioned shadow daddy, and more. The slow burn, tension-filled romance was easily the strongest aspect of this book (and my favorite). The tension between the two main characters had me completely invested, especially with all the built-in “will they, won’t they” from the plot. If you’re someone who loves that dynamic, this absolutely delivers.

This book is extremely descriptive, sometimes to a fault. While I appreciate atmospheric writing, there were moments where it felt like the author was going on tangents with details, and the actual plotline sometimes suffered because of it.

The world building was interesting because sometimes I felt overwhelmed with details that created confusion, while other times missing basic explanations that would help me understand the foundation of this world. I found myself trying to piece together information without having a solid base to work from.

Jessamine as our female main character presented some challenges for me. While I understood her motivations, there’s a disconnect between who we’re told she is and what she actually does. We’re constantly told she’s driven and will do anything to reclaim her throne, but she doesn’t seem to follow through on that intensity. The gap between her determination and her actual actions was noticeable.

Overall, this feels like a very much a romance-first fantasy. It succeeds as romance with interesting supernatural elements, but struggles with pacing and world-building. I’d recommend it for readers who prefer to read about character relationships and romantic tension over tight plotting.