DNF

Nothing hurts my soul more than a gorgeous, drool-worthy cover wrapped around a book that reads like reheated leftovers. This cover? Chef’s kiss. This premise? I was READY. And then the actual story slapped me in the face with disappointment.

Let’s talk about Willow. My beloved main character. Except… no. From page one, she’s giving full Karen energy—“Can I speak to the manager of the afterlife?” vibes. Girl, you are dead. Sit down. Instead, she spends her time being impulsive, sarcastic, and eye-roll-inducing in the worst way. Authors keep thinking this “unapologetically bold FMC” thing is quirky and relatable. It’s not. It’s exhausting. Willow questioning the Devil himself like she’s got VIP access was peak delusion. Who are you!? What makes you special!? (Spoiler: nothing.)

The backstory reveal? Came too early, held zero depth. The mental health themes were clearly trying to land, but it all came off contrived and shallow. Yes, she’s sad about never being enough for her mom, but… that’s it? That’s the reason she’s here? That’s the grand tragic arc? Please.

And don’t even get me started on the Seven Deadly Sins trials. I was expecting tension, fire, drama. Instead, I got the literary equivalent of a PowerPoint presentation with stock clip art. Anticlimactic doesn’t even cover it.

Now romance. HA. The MMC has the sex appeal of a soggy paper bag—and the chemistry between them is about as sizzling as cold oatmeal. I kept waiting for the sparks, the tension, the swoon… instead, I got two mannequins standing awkwardly next to each other in the clearance aisle of Hell’s Walmart.

So yeah, I DNF’d at the halfway point because my patience is strong, but not “survive this book” strong.

If you love sarcastic heroines and tall, brooding love interests, maybe you’ll like this. But I also love those things, and I did not. So either I’m broken or this book is. (I’m going with the book.)

And here’s the kicker—I even tried the audiobook. Emily actually did a great job. Her voice was smooth, soothing, and honestly the only thing keeping me sane through Willow’s nonsense. But even the best narrator can’t save a sinking ship. Not even Emily’s voice could convince me to keep going.

I hung on until halfway hoping it would get better, but alas, no..

Final verdict: Gorgeous cover, tragic insides. Like buying a fancy cake and discovering it’s made of cardboard.