"Death is only the Beginning" sounded like such a interesting book from the description, Dual timelines and childhood friends to lovers. But the overall plot of this book was very disjointed and seemed to leave out be chunks of the story. I feel like the relationship between Emilia and Dawson is never made real in the story, just pining and eye rolling the whole time.

I would say this is a great start for a series.

It is a mythology type based of story which involves a past and present timeline. It was enjoyable for me and I loved it so much.

I also enjoyed the push and pull relationship of Emmy and Dawson. They are so freaking cuteeee.

I definitely can't wait for the next book in the series.

So - I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley (thank you) and that was the only reason I made it past the first 75 pages. It ended up being a decent read but I would’ve DnF’d for various reasons before that.

The POVs kept changing too much. It needed to more separated, like different chapters not they (Emmy and Dawson) each get one page and then you notice the switch cause you’re confused by the changed pronouns.

I appreciate world building. The more immersive the better, some stuff made sense like needing balance when healing people, but some stuff was needlessly complicated and convoluted: first born son rule and other things.

There’s also supposed to be this step sibling romance tension but it just felt like they were being so mean to each other and trying to say the most hurtful things to keep their pride. When they finally get together (because obvs), it settles down, but we coulda gotten there faster.

I do like the Taylor (BFF) and Bronson (Emmy’s cousin) secretly dating on the low subplot. Hopefully they get a happy ending - they both deserve the world.

There were sexual assault/domestic abuse plot lines that were addressed tactfully and the writing was great there.

So there’s flashback sequences to past life/previous generations when Émilia reads this book and I wanted more of that. Liza and King Nathaniel were way more interesting. I also thought the writing was better in those sections.

Exactly how I feel reading about the current 50s timeline: ‘So much had happened, too much, and she could barely process it. And a nagging part of her wanted more of Liza and less of the king, as if she to suffer him just to learn of something she desperately searched for.’ p46%

I didn’t realize this is a trilogy! The next book is being released in 2026! I feel like this could be a Duology - not sure how this can stretch into a 3rd book unless something crazy happens in Book 2. There’s also already 2 planned spin offs which seems ambitious. I would read the next book.

This was advertised on NetGalley under the Erotica heading and I’m not seeing it. The sex scenes were quite tame and few and far between. I’d read steamier stuff in the Pumpkin Spice Cafe series. Maybe the next book goes crazy?!

Thanks to NetGalley and the writer for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Oof. Unfortunately, I could not finish this one. As a consummate adjective- and adverb-enjoyer, may I just say... far too many. Far too much. I struggle to see a good editor letting it run as rampant as it does. Let me share with you the first two paragraphs of this book just to illustrate how egregious, and feel free to keep a running tally:

[ Emilia gently released the small blue bird from her enchantment, watching as it unfurled its iridescent wings. With a graceful flutter, it took to the air, soaring high and now free, before darting back toward the overgrown embrace of the forest, where dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves.

"My sweet Emilia, I told you not to play with wildlife," her mother gently reprimanded her, the warmth of her soft hands enveloping Emilia as she lifted her small frame off the chilled ground. ]

Someone said this was like watching the author write instead of reading, and I can't help but agree. The (new?) cover also looks super AI-y, which is a shame, and certainly does color my view of this book in an even more negative light.

ARC REVIEW -

Super interesting and layered story on parallels and loving that person thru each timeline. When you're meant for someone it is meant to be. It was full of intrigue, mystery and magic. Just like any fantasy it takes a bit for details to click, but once you get it, the story grabs you. I'm interested in seeing more of Dawson and Emilia and getting the whole story. The pacing is steady, with moments of tension that keep you turning the pages, and the characters are layered and flawed yet fascinating, which makes their journeys feel authentic.

I DNF’d this book at 75%, I wonder if I should have pushed to finish but nothing about the writing or characters kept me intrigued. The writing is simplistic and I didn’t enjoy the constant changing of viewpoint with little to no warning, it would happen from one paragraph to the next.

Please read the trigger warnings before hand!

DNF

Unfortunately, I won't be continuing with this one.

Prior to the start of the book, there was a trigger warning for sexual assault and that made me a little hesitant to continue reading.

The writing felt simplistic to me. I felt like I was watching the author write instead of being immersed into the world/characters. The dialogue didn't feel natural. It was like I was reading a script of what readers would want to hear instead of what may be natural. In chapter one, there were very confusing changes in perspective. Like it was the same scene and we would Emilia's inner thoughts then next paragraph it would be Dawson. I was so confused I found myself rereading to grasp what was going on. Overall, it felt flat. With more development, it could be something interesting, but in the end it just isn't story for me or one I want to keep reading.

While I can respect people’s reasonings for loving this book, this felt incredibly confusing for me with an extreme lack of pay off in the end.

I was really excited to read ths one but I found it boring and confusing trying to remember who was speaking. I don’t plan to write a review on my goodreads because I don’t want to discourage readers who would love it. I believe it could be better if more develpment.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Death Is Only The Beginning is a haunting, atmospheric start to The Goddesses in the Moon series that blends 1950s glamour, mythology, and forbidden romance into an unforgettable journey. Emilia Reinhart is a fascinating heroine—polished on the outside, but unraveling within as visions of another life, another love, and another self begin to take hold. The dual timelines of myth and memory are woven beautifully, pulling the reader into a story that feels both timeless and inevitable.

Acacia Warmerdam excels at crafting an intoxicating mix of gothic tension and sensuality. The tropes—childhood friends to lovers, stepbrother tension, and second chances—add extra layers of angst and intensity that fans of dark romance will devour. Some pacing moments felt a touch heavy, but the payoff is well worth it, especially as the story crescendos toward its revelation: destiny can be cruel, but love is relentless.

A darkly lyrical, seductive tale of sacrifice and rebirth, Death Is Only The Beginning will linger with readers long after the final page. Perfect for fans of romance laced with myth, desire, and a touch of the forbidden.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: Death Is Only The Beginning by Acacia Warmerdam

This book completely swept me away. Death Is Only The Beginning is a lush, myth-soaked journey through memory, grief, and forbidden love—with a dual timeline that kept me hooked from start to finish. Èmilia Reinhart is the kind of heroine who feels both timeless and deeply human: haunted, powerful, and aching to understand who she really is.

The writing is rich and evocative, blending 1950s socialite drama with ancient magic and reincarnation in a way that feels cinematic and emotionally raw. The romance? Deliciously tense. The mythology? Dark and dazzling. And the twisty layers of identity and fate? Chef’s kiss.

If you love stories about goddesses, second chances, and the kind of love that refuses to die—this one’s for you. I’m already counting down to book two.

I don’t usually leave such negative reviews on books but this book dragged on and on with little to no pay offs imo. None of the characters were interesting or had much depth leaving them feeling flat and like their actions did not have much weight or thought behind them. I found this in the “erotica” section of Netgalley and I felt the spice level was cold and lacking for it being categorized this way. The first actual intimate scene takes place 40% of the way through the book. There’s other physical scenes between characters (an assault and a few kisses), but these are when Émilia is inebriated and left me feeling gross. The first true intimate scene we do get is fine at best, but since the emotional depth was lacking the scene flopped for me.

To expand on that, I didn’t believe in Émilia and Dawson’s love for each other, they definitely spend a lot of timing pining, but most of the descriptions felt more lustful/targeted towards their looks. Because of this their love felt flat and unappealing. Émilia herself isn’t even a likeable heroine, and spends a lot of
timing insulting Dawson and being angry with him.

Dawson is not even an attractive leading man; his jealousy and temper in the beginning of the book turned me off from him majorly. He’s possessive towards her and even though they were childhood friends this relationship isn’t developed or explored much. It felt like he was someone who use to be her friend and was bitter when she was exploring romantic options all while moping and pining for her silently.

The premise of the book is interesting and that’s what I was originally drawn to, but the world building leaves much to be desired and is back seat to characters miscommunicating with each other. Furthermore, the book ends on a cliffhanger to entice readers to read the next book in the series. This is sometimes fine, but this story doesn’t leave off on any particular note which to me feels tired and as if the writer couldn’t find a big enough plot point to
leave a reader satisfied with the ending of the book (or at least that’s how I felt).

In short, it was hard to get through, even the voice of the book and the style of the prose is flat and uninteresting.

Thank you Netgalley and to the author for granting me access to this ARC.

To start off though this book wasn't exactly to my tastes maybe someone else will love this book dearly. Now, onto my thoughts on this book, are that its very confusing and too back and forth with the past and present breaking up the story. It was hard to keep track. I loved the characters and their romances but even that kinda was confusing.

This book starts off with a list of triggers which I really appreciated. It’s nice that they were listed out so I could skip content I was uncomfortable with. It also started with a forward about the book being self published before and now traditional published under a new title, Death is Only the Beginning. Traditional publishing seems like it gave the book a major facelift. I did not find the plot or characters to be confusing as others mentioned. I did take a really long time to really get into the book though. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and the story. I believe this was more of a me problem. It was not a book issue so I don’t feel like I can give it less than 3 stars. The characters weren’t flat and the writing wasn’t bland. I think other people will like the story. I just personally didn’t.

The title and description sold me immediately and there is a lot of potential. I loved following the two storylines and the mythology weaved throughout. The fmcs magic and power had me curious to see where it would all go. Nothing about it was predictable, and I will definitely read the follow up book. The downside the writing style just isn't for me. I personally just wasn't drawn to the mmes or fmcs, or their relationships and it made it hard for me to get into the book as much as I would have liked. I recommend reading the trigger warnings! Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this early!

This is a good book! Instead of 1, Acacia gave you 2 beautifully written stories. Was a bit confusing figuring out the setting & timeline at first, but you’ll get it when you read it further. Liza & Nathaneil story highlights more about the history & origin of the FMC (Emilia), so I’m very looking forward to book 2. I’m hoping book 2 will be more about Emilia & Dawson story — the passion, longing & love between the 2 was so intense!!

I wanted to live this one but it just didn’t do it for me it was an ok storyline but I just was not interested after a few chapters thank you for this read I’m sure others that love this genre will enjoy it

I really did not like this book, it felt very confusing from the get go. I couldn’t connect to the fmc character and also think the book cover is AI

Èmilia is a socialite in the 1950’s, and she struggles with her love for, Dawson, her childhood friend. While Èmilia tries to shove all of her trauma and feelings back, she stumbles upon a book. A black leather book that literally sucks her in. She experiences another life, the life of Liza and Nathaniel. Once Dawson figures out there’s something going on with Èmilia, he helps her solve what the black book means. Only they’re opening themselves up to a world of chaos and destiny.

Death is Only the Beginning is the first book in a new series. I didn’t know what to expect going into this. I will say I’m pleasantly surprised! It’s been a while since I’ve read a book with mythology. The pacing of this book is quick, and there are flashbacks. I thoroughly enjoyed reading both timelines. The tension between Èmilia and Dawson frustrated me, and that’s a big plus. This felt like a proper friends to lovers book. There was nothing easy about their relationship or Liza and Nathaniel’s. The love these characters share is difficult and filled with tragedy. The challenges make the moments of peace sweeter. There are spicy scenes starting around halfway through the book. I was honestly expecting more considering the genre. I am anticipating the next book in this series!

A warm thanks to Acacia Warmerdam, WarRose&Spells and NetGalley for this ARC!

What a confusing mess to read through, to the point that I could not finish this book. However, I feel that I have read enough that I can leave some thoughts for it. The prologue to this was interesting and intriguing, and left an expectation to go forward. Unfortunately, the next chapter after it could not live up to it. The characters flip flop like they're switching shoes, and it is often frustrating to read through what they think or feel. Dawson in particular feels like a character who is meant to be one thing, but is never portrayed that way, instead continuing to be an angry, possessive man rather than the caring, brotherly figure he is described as. The world is confusing to enter, because while it is set in the 1950s, everyone acts like they're suddenly stuck in the Regency era. As for the erotica elements, I find them lackluster, and not enough to draw me into the book. Tension is one thing, unsympathetic pining is another. The editing for this book is also abysmal; we go from one characters point of view to another's in one paragraph, before switching again. There is no consistency when there is a time jump, nor is there any indication when we go back in time in some chapters. The way the characters speak is stilted and weird, not to mention inconsistent with other characters from different time periods. It breaks engagement.

While I do try not to DNF arcs, I find it impossible to continue with the knowledge that the cover is also most likely AI generated. I will not be uploading this review to other sites as a result. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this NetGalley, but unfortunately, I can not continue with this book.