I usually love EH’s books but this fell completely flat for me. I hated all of the characters, I couldn’t get on board with the plot and a lot of the world building is never explained. we are told a lot or what is happening rather than been shown and are told about the world as if it’s meant to make sense with no kind of back story or reasoning behind anything.
I overall just struggled to get through it and I hated the romance more than I hated anything else.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was like drinking a glass of dark wine while sitting on a throne you may or may not have stolen.

Jessamine gets betrayed, murdered, and then immediately recruited by a god of death who’s like, “hey bestie, help me come back to life and I’ll give you your kingdom back” And honestly? I am here for it. The Deathless One is the ultimate morally-black-then-cinnamon-bun character arc, going from “I will destroy you” to “let me kill for you, my love” in the most unhinged slow-burn way possible. When the romance hit, it hit like a dagger to the ribs (lovingly) 🗡️

Iconic lines include:

“Have you ever wanted a god to worship you?”
“Let me punish him for touching what isn’t his.”
“I promise I will find you, nightmare. Don’t be afraid.”

Tropes served piping hot:
🔪 Betrayal right out of the gate
💀 God x Mortal romance
🌒 Morally grey/black love interest
🔥 Slow-burn with heavy yearning
🏰 Political marriage gone very wrong
✨ Magical deal with dangerous consequences
🗡 “Only I can hurt you” energy
👑 Stolen throne revenge plot

If you like your romantasy dark, slow-burn, and full of dangerous gods turning into low-key golden retrievers for their chosen mortal… this one’s for you. Now excuse me while I wait for book two like Elric waiting for Jessamine in the afterlife 🖤

As someone who has read and enjoyed several of Emma Hamm’s books, I was excited to dive into The Deathless One. Unfortunately, this one fell a bit short for me.

The premise hooked me instantly. A witch known as a “gravesinger” making a deal with the Deathless One, their fates entwined in shadows and resurrection. But the execution left me wanting more. The concept of a gravesinger is never fully explained beyond her ability to resurrect him, and the Deathless One’s own shadow-based powers felt vague and underdeveloped. I kept waiting for the world building to deepen, but instead, it stayed surface-level.

The pacing was also uneven. The first 60% of the book moved quickly and had me intrigued, but after that, the momentum stalled. By the time the final confrontation arrived, it felt rushed, almost anticlimactic, and left me thinking, "that’s it?"

I was especially hoping for more emphasis on feminine rage. The potential was there, but it took the heroine a CONSIDERABLE amount of time to finally get truly angry, which made that emotional payoff feel delayed, rather than satisfying.

While I still enjoy Hamm’s writing style and creativity, this book didn’t hit the same as her previous works for me. That said, readers who enjoy dark romance with a touch of gothic magic may still find it worth picking up.
Thank you to Canelo and Netgalley for this ARC.

Thank you netgalley & Canelo for the ARC.

This had a really interesting premise which made me want to request it.
I will say it did take me till about 50% to fully engage with the story. Though the premise is different, I think the build of the story was lacking in times.
The MMC and FMC were both interesting but it felt like it could have been developed over time - it felt a little rushed at times.
It was still enjoyable, but just didn't quite hit the mark for me. I can see how this could be a really popular romantasy though. It was quick paced and interesting at points.

Thank you very much for the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.
This was a very unique situation, development and concept.
I really liked the story and Jessamine's arc and how she evolved from the beggining of the book to the end of the book, where we see a more confident Jessamine. The Deathless One is a VERY intriguing character, I like him but I feel he has too many layers and that we only saw a few of them on this book.
There was a couple times that I was kinda lost on what was happening, more like how they were doing this.
Apart from that, it was really great and different and in looking forward to see what our now confident Jessamine is going to do.

Thank you Netgalley for the Arc of this book. I really love the cover of the book, that's partly what drew me to this.

I can take or leave witches, it's a real mixed bag when it comes to witch books but this sounded really good. The Deathless One sounds intriguing.

The first few chapters are great, it's fast paced and it really opens up as stuff goes down. I also enjoyed the meeting of the Deathless One and our MC.

This book starts as a slow burn which I did enjoy. Sadly the pacing is off, the story and world development seems to be on the back burner and romance on the front. This book is quite spicy but to be honest it felt like a repeat of every other Smut book out there for those scenes.

I wish there had been more character and world development. The MC frequently annoyed me, she made some really stupid decisions and she never seemed bothered by the tragic opening of the book which I found weird.

This story was one of my most anticipated releases coming up. I found the premise extremely intriguing. However, this was a DNF for me. I felt opening with the protagonist’s death would lead to a dark and immersive tale, and perhaps for some readers it will. For me, I found myself craving that world building had been set up more before this event took place. It made me struggle with the flow of the story, and I didn’t connect with the setting and the stakes.
While the concept is compelling and I can see how it might appeal to readers who enjoy a slower, more atmospheric fantasy, it ultimately wasn’t the right fit for my reading tastes.

I struggled with this one in the beginning. Felt we needed a little more background on MFC but as I continued it got so much better. Really enjoyed and can’t wait for the next one.

The first few chapters lay the foundations for an interesting premise and I loved the idea of gravesingers/old gods who wanted to be back in the world. However I found that the Deathless One came across as much younger and brooding than what would be expected for an ancient god, and their relationship with Jessamine felt very insta-lust and did not have the development that I normally like to read. I feel that these tropes are not for me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was very intrigued by the synopsis and cover of the book. I had never read one of Emma Hamm’s books before, but she has been on my TBR for forever, so I was excited to finally read one of hers! If you like a strong-willed, vengeful FMC, witches, and a shadow-wielding God, then give this a chance! While I was invested in the beginning, I gradually lost interest as the book went on. It needed more substance and more explanation for things that were just there.

Thank you NetGalley and Canelo for this ARC!

Thank you Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC!

The Deathless One follows Jessamine, a Princess determined to find a cure for a plague that has swept through her land. A union that she hoped would help her people ends with Jessamine murdered on her wedding day. Her spirit is met by the last remaining god, the Deathless One, and they make a deal - the return of her kingdom in exchange for his resurrection.

"The image of him loomed, larger than life, a pillar of darkness that consumed all living things within it. He was the night, and she did not have enough sunlight to beat him back."

Unfortunately this book didn't grip me as much as I hoped. I think this was a mix of tropes and character personalities that aren't my usual preference, so I don't think I am the right reader for this book. That said I did enjoy the premise and loved that the story was dark and gritty.

Started off fast-paced with potential, but quickly devolved into repetitive writing and shallow insta-lust. Once the main characters met any sort of plot went out the window. Both were irritating—the Deathless One came off as an angsty teen rather than a god, and Jessamine was whiny. Unfortunately I didn't connect with this book and won't be continuing the series.

Thank you for the ARC!

I was so, so excited to get approved for this, as the premise intrigued me SO much. I was not disappointed. I'm exhausted today because I was determined to finish this by release day. Let me just say, the chemistry between Jessamine and Elric was delicious and impeccably written. My favorite character was Elric; he was flawed, sassy, strong on the outside, and gooey on the inside. I respect that his trauma wasn't shied away from; I've grown bored of the flawless MMCs. It's refreshing to read a character who has a past and is willing to grow from it... even if he's morally grey.

I do think, at times, this felt a bit YA, and the pacing was confusing and a little jarring... but it was enjoyable all the same.

I read this a while back thanks to the publisher, and I loved it! It was so unique and it kept me hooked the entire time. I loved every minute of it, and can’t wait to see what happens next!