Thank you to Grayson Daly and Nosetouch Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book. This is my honest review.
-
Genre-blending at its funnest! A mystery thriller, a "whisk-you-away" fantasy, and a cozy queer romance all in one. I've never read anything quite like it and would love to read something else in this universe. I can definitely see this being adapted as a fun mini-series that people would binge.

There were a few pacing issues for me, but overall the characters won me over enough to brush past the occasional slow moment! I loved the balance of mystery, romance and character-focused development. So cool.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I liked Maeve a lot as a character. I loved watching her come into her own as a person, and truly find out who she was. There is romance, but it's secondary to the story. I loved the world building in this, and I could see it as either a movie or a TV series.

Another book that took my heart from the first page. I adored the mystery, the world, and the characters lept from the page. I wish I could spend more time with the characters in this book.
Highly highly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

What a cute read!

Equal parts cosy and quirky, this paranormal mystery has a sapphic love story at it's heart. I thought the world was really interesting and I would love more stories with the Sisterhood and them carrying out their duties. I loved all the characters and thought that both the mystery and the romance were really well done. It was such a sweet read whilst also tackling some pretty heavy topics with care and grace.

Definitely going to recommend this one to other people and I've also bought a physical copy.

Unfortunately this got into my spam mail and never got to read it, I know I should have checked it but still I'd like to point it out. By the time I wanted to read it it was no longer available.

I just, couldn't finish this book, I tried, I really did. But I had such a hard time getting into it. I may come back to this book and I hope I do, because the concept of the plot was really intriguing, but otherwise I couldn't finish it. DNF at 40% (3/5 for what I did read).

This ended up being so much more than I expected. It's intriguing, fun, and sweet all in one. There's something almost poetic about the opening (and not just because this story is partly about the death of a poet). I really enjoyed getting to know both Maeve and Imogen, The mystery was only part of the story, the friendships and romance were equally woven in. The world-building was excellent, and I loved learning more about the different factions and how they interacted with each other. Having poets be their own powerful order with powers akin to what you'd expect from mages or witches was a fun new twist. Highly recommend!

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

Such good steam punk, dark academia vibes! Plus very interesting characters and a cute sapphic romance! I would definitely recommend!

One night, while performing the usual rituals that a Sister of the Good Death performs in a cemetery, Maeve notices something strange. Is what she saw a ghost, something then that must be mercifully sent to its final resting place, or a living creature? Neither, because Imogen is indeed a ghost, but, in an act of possession, she has returned to possess her own body, and this in order to find out who and why has prematurely ended her life. Fascinated by the phenomenon, Maeve finds herself in a whirlwind of events that force her to question her whole life: from her membership of the Sisters of the Good Death to the Sisterhood's enmity towards poets, of which Imogen is a member, to love. Decidedly fantasy, but very much a thriller, the novel presents a series of truly enjoyable characters, whom the author moves around with true mastery, sparing no twists and turns.

The Untimely Undeath of Imogen Madrigal follows Maeve, who serves a convent dedicated to shepherding lost souls between worlds, and Imogen, a renowned and deceased poet who has somehow returned to life and is set on revenge. Sounds divine, right? We’re promised a gothic and spooky atmosphere while the characters solve a mystery, and that’s partially accurate. The story starts off strong. It’s gloriously mysterious, the kind of book best read curled up under a worn quilt while the wind batters the windows and rains down autumn leaves. But as the story progresses, the mystery plot fizzles out in the face of the romance. Throughout, there’s a disconnect between the writing and the characters to the point where Maeve and Imogen never feel fully formed. It makes it difficult to be invested in the story. Because of this, emotional moments fall flat, especially those relating to the romance.

Intriguing premise and great characters! I will definitely need to read the rest of this! (Life got in the way and I ran out of time to finish 🥲). I love queer nun stories, and fantasy makes them that much more fun!

I had a few false starts with this novel just because of life getting in the way but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. I was worried the story would be overly dark or try to hard to be edgy but I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun I had. Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book excellent book!

This was a great read- it reminded me of T Kingfisher’s work, especially something like the Paladin series, with a similar mix of down to earth characters, believable romance, and creepiness/magic. I also wished this was a series- I loved the idea of the Sisters of the Good Death and I hope that we get to see more stories about them!

On the whole, a spooky but heartwarming read. Highly recommended!

With a gorgeously built steam-punkish world that you’re thrown straight into and an atmosphere that is somehow both spooky and cosy in turns I loved this from the (very funny) opening paragraph. It’s a very well crafted book, although I did find the pacing a little slow at times - aside from the excellent worldbuilding the romance was a wonderful tender slow-burn, the writing is gorgeous and it’s both funny and dark in turns. I love how we’re slowly drip-fed more info about the world we’re in as we go along (exorcist nuns anyone?), and as the plot unfurls we get to know these characters more and grow to love them. With queer romance, ghosts, and a chilling mystery the novel manages to blend genres without ever feeling muddled or leaning too much one way or the other. A very enjoyable read, would recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an arc!
A lgbtq ghost story? Hell yess! This book was so much fun and I will be buying the book because first of all cozy, fun read but also I couldn’t finish the last 50 pages😭 so I will be reading the rest of it!

Thank you Netgalley, author, and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this e-arc.

Maeve lives a cozy life as a member of a nunnery whose sworn goal is to ease the passing of wayward spirits beyond these mortal plane. Her life and worldview are challenged when she meets Imogen: a poet, whose counter cultural lifestyles the nuns abhor, and who is most importantly, undead. The two embark on an adventure to solve Imogen’s murder, and unlikely allies become something more, making Maeve reevaluate her goals as one sworn to honor the dead.

I love the atmosphere, environment, and mood of this book—the city the author creates, the characters she created. I think it would be very appealing to people who are fans of “dark academia” type content. However, I found the pacing of the mystery felt like a slog…we kept returning to characters and conflicts who we had already been directed before. It definitely isn’t for me, since I like faster paced mysteries, but I think the right kind of patient reader would get a lot from this book, especially one who enjoys spook and cute reads.