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Death's Country
R. M. Romero
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Lakelore meets “Orpheus and Eurydice” when two Miami teens travel to the underworld to retrieve their girlfriend’s soul.
Andres Santos of São Paulo was all swinging fists and firecracker fury, a foot soldier in the war between his parents, until he drowned in the Tietê River… and made a bargain with Death for a new life. A year later, his parents have relocated the family to Miami, but their promises of a fresh start quickly dissolve in the summer heat. Instead of fists, Andres now uses music to escape his parents’ battles.
While wandering Miami Beach, he meets two girls: photographer Renee, a blaze of fire, and dancer Liora, a ray of sunshine. The three become a polyamorous triad, happy, despite how no one understands their relationship. But when a car accident leaves Liora in a coma, Andres and Renee are shattered.
Then Renee proposes a radical solution: She and Andres must go into the underworld to retrieve their girlfriend’s spirit and reunite it with her body—before it’s too late. Their search takes them to the City of the dead, where painters bleed color, songs grow flowers, and regretful souls will do anything to forget their lives on earth.
But finding Liora’s spirit is only the first step in returning to the living world. Because when Andres drowned, he left a part of himself in the underworld—a part he’s in no hurry to meet again. But it is eager to be reunited with him...
In verse as vibrant as the Miami skyline, critically acclaimed author R.M. Romero has crafted a masterpiece of magical realism and an openhearted ode to the nature of healing.
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Posts about this title from Celestial
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 20
🏳️🌈🔮look into my eyes …. i know what you want to read.
🏳️🌈🔮look into my eyes …. i know what you want to read.
here are some mind reader queer book recs for pride!
📚 books mentioned: - Pet by Akwaeke Emezi - Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White - Fawn’s Blood by Hal Schrieve - The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson - Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir - Station Six by S.J. Klapecki - An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon - The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez - Somadina by Akwaeke Emezi - Dauntless by Elisa A. Bonnin - On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah-Yah Scholfield - This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone - In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino - Blood Orange by Yaffa As - Bless the Blood: A Cancer Memoir by Walela Nehanda - Death’s Country by R.M. Romero - Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart: And Other Stories by GennaRose Nethercott - Transmogrify!: 14 Fantastical Tales of Trans Magic: An LGBTQ+ Young Adult Fantasy Anthology of Unforgettable Adventures edited by g. haron davis - Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction edit by Joshua Whitehead
#pridemonth #pridemonthbookrecs #lgbtqbooks #nycinfluencer #bookstagram . queer books • queer book stack • Pride Month 2026 • books to read for pride • trans books • nonbinary books • sapphic books • achillean books • memoir book recs • literary fiction books recs • fantasy book recs • fantasy book recs • horror book recs • sci fi book recs • unique books • diverse books
21 books
💭 what types of stories do you reach for more in the winter?
💭 what types of stories do you reach for more in the winter?
here are some of my recent favorite reads with folkloric twists! they’re all super original stories, but take inspiration from different myths.
📚 books mentioned: - Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan - Undrowned by G.M. DiDesidero - The Maiden and Her Monster by Maddie Martinez - Death’s Country by R.M. Romero
👗💄: - sweater dress is from Olivia Rubin, rented from Nuuly - eyeshadow is In A Trance Palette from Colourpop, You Make Me Happy Palette from KimChi Chic Beauty, and The Lord of the Rings Middle Earth Palette from Glamlite - lip combo is Lippie Pencil (Twisted) from Colourpop and Shine-On Milky Lip Oil Jelly (Pistachio) from Tower28 - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Mulholland Books, Leaning Pole Press, Tor Books, and Peachtree Teen for the gifted copies!
#horrorbooks #fantasybooks #bookrecs #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @mulhollandbooks @littlebrown @chickasawpress @torbooks @peachtreeteen @oliviarubin @colourpopcosmetics @kimchichicbeauty @glamlite @tower28beauty
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folkloric books • fantasy retellings • horror folklore • mythology books • fantasy books • unique fantasy book recs • horror books • horror book recs • diverse books
4 books
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 26 2025
welcome to your bookish holiday gift guide!
welcome to your bookish holiday gift guide! featuring some books that don’t get nearly as much love and appreciation as they should.
📚 books mentioned: - The Coven Tendency by Zoe Hana Mikuta - Arc of the Universe by Nikki Alexander - Detained: A Boy’s Journal of Survival and Resilience by D. Esperanza and Gerardo Iván Morales - Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah - Love Be Damned by Briana Garrett - The Necessity of Rain by Sarah Chorn - Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us by Anna Malaika Tubbs - Blood Orange by Yaffa As - Death’s Country by R.M. Romero
👗💄: - dress is from CeliaB, rented from Nuuly - eyeshadow is The Grinch Shadow Stix duo from Colourpop - (also if you have a question about my makeup or something i’m wearing, most of it is curated in my shopmy!)
thank you to Disney Hyperion, The Nerd Fam, Atria/Primero Sueño Press, Ingram, Flatiron, and Peachtree Teen for the gifted copies!
#readergiftguide #holidaygiftguide #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #fantasybooks #horrorbooks #nonfictionbooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #diversebookstagram #nycbookstagram #bookstagram #TheNerdFam #atriapartner #FlatironPartner #PeachtreeTeenPartner @disneybooks @thenerdfam @atriabooks @primerosuenopress @marinerbooks @ingramsparkbooks @flatiron_books @merajpublishing @peachtreeteen @nuuly @celiabdesigner @colourpopcosmetics
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 13 2025
can you all help me blow these up? give these queer books the love they deserve!!
can you all help me blow these up? give these queer books the love they deserve!!
📚 books mentioned: - Vagabonds! by Eloghosa Osunde - Death’s Country by R.M. Romero - Hammajang Luck by Makana Yamamoto - The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah Cypher
thank you to Peachtree Teen and Harper Voyager for the free copies!
#queerbooks #queerfantasy #pridemonth #pridemonthbooks #fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #scifibooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @riverheadbooks @peachtreeteen @harpervoyagerus @ballantinebooks
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • May 1 2025
you never know how a magical bargain will end …
you never know how a magical bargain will end …
📚 books mentioned: - I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea - Death’s Country by R.M. Romero - Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
thank you to Peachtree Teen for the gifted copy!
#horrorbooks #fantasybooks #darkfantasybooks #fantasyhorrorbooks #magicalbooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @fiercereads @peachtreeteen @torbooks
3 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 21 2024
second annual StarrySteph Book Awards!
drum roll please … welcome to the second annual StarrySteph Book Awards! they’re not even the most biased book awards out there!
📚 books mentioned: - Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino - I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones - The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong - The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei - Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi - Fifty Beasts to Break Your Heart by GennaRose Nethercott - The Dead Cat Tail Assassins by P. Djèlí Clark - Death’s Country by R. M. Romero - The Unfinished by Cheryl Isaacs - Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger - Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White
#bestbooksof2024 #goodreadschoiceawards #starrystephbookawards #bestbooksoftheyear #2024books #horrorbooks #fantasybooks #scifibooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #booktok #IGShareYourPassion @fsgbooks @sagapressbooks @acebookspub @berkleypub @flatiron_books @riverheadbooks @vintageanchorbooks @tordotcompub @peachtreeteen @theshelfstuff @harpercollins @levinequerido
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 5 2024
book gifts for fantasy readers!
book recs to gift your fantasy loving reader friends!
📚 books mentioned: - To Shape A Dragon’s Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose - We Are the Origin by C. M. Lockhart - The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez - The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter - The Pomegranate Gate by Ariel Kaplan - King of Dead Things by Nevin Holness - Sheine Lende by Darcie Little Badger - Death’s Country by R. M. Romero - The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong
#fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Oct 21 2024
CHOOSE YOUR BOOK CRISIS! part 5. :) because everything i read involves terrible, terrible dangers.
6 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 3 2024
had the MOST fun pairing nuuly looks with some amazing books! which cover is calling to you the most? 👀
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Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 18 2024
recommending books using their dedications! (i feel like the subtitle for this one might be books that break your heart)
8 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 17 2024
what do you MEAN you haven’t read this book???? this is my second book by r. m. romero and i can’t decide which one i loved more!
1 book
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 17 2024
📖 ✨ book recs based on first lines!
which one intrigues you the most?
8 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 8 2024
so many lesbians, ghost dogs, and bookish events | chatty may wrap up with books & theatre
it was quite a month! I’d love to hear what you read & saw in May. :)
♥️ help Leena’s family: https://www.gofundme.com/f/qq53pg-urgent-help-support-my-familys-escape-from-gaza 🫂 Booknet Fest 2025: https://booknetfest.com/
6 books
Posts about this book from across Bindery
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 20
🏳️🌈🔮look into my eyes …. i know what you want to read.
🏳️🌈🔮look into my eyes …. i know what you want to read.
here are some mind reader queer book recs for pride!
21 books
💭 what types of stories do you reach for more in the winter?
💭 what types of stories do you reach for more in the winter?
here are some of my recent favorite reads with folkloric twists! they’re all super original stories, but take inspiration from different myths.
thank you to Mulholland Books, Leaning Pole Press, Tor Books, and Peachtree Teen for the gifted copies!
.
4 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Nov 26 2025
welcome to your bookish holiday gift guide!
welcome to your bookish holiday gift guide! featuring some books that don’t get nearly as much love and appreciation as they should.
thank you to Disney Hyperion, The Nerd Fam, Atria/Primero Sueño Press, Ingram, Flatiron, and Peachtree Teen for the gifted copies!
9 books
2
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 13 2025
can you all help me blow these up? give these queer books the love they deserve!!
can you all help me blow these up? give these queer books the love they deserve!!
thank you to Peachtree Teen and Harper Voyager for the free copies!
4 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • May 1 2025
you never know how a magical bargain will end …
you never know how a magical bargain will end …
📚 books mentioned: - I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea - Death’s Country by R.M. Romero - Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
thank you to Peachtree Teen for the gifted copy!
#horrorbooks #fantasybooks #darkfantasybooks #fantasyhorrorbooks #magicalbooks #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram @fiercereads @peachtreeteen @torbooks
3 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 21 2024
second annual StarrySteph Book Awards!
drum roll please … welcome to the second annual StarrySteph Book Awards! they’re not even the most biased book awards out there!
11 books
1
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Dec 5 2024
book gifts for fantasy readers!
book recs to gift your fantasy loving reader friends!
#fantasybooks #fantasybookrecs #starrysteph #nycinfluencer #bookstagram
9 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Oct 21 2024
CHOOSE YOUR BOOK CRISIS! part 5. :) because everything i read involves terrible, terrible dangers.
6 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Aug 3 2024
had the MOST fun pairing nuuly looks with some amazing books! which cover is calling to you the most? 👀
6 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jul 18 2024
recommending books using their dedications! (i feel like the subtitle for this one might be books that break your heart)
8 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 17 2024
what do you MEAN you haven’t read this book???? this is my second book by r. m. romero and i can’t decide which one i loved more!
1 book
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 17 2024
📖 ✨ book recs based on first lines!
which one intrigues you the most?
8 books
Celestial\ \ Steph\ \ • Jun 8 2024
so many lesbians, ghost dogs, and bookish events | chatty may wrap up with books & theatre
it was quite a month! I’d love to hear what you read & saw in May. :)
♥️ help Leena’s family: https://www.gofundme.com/f/qq53pg-urgent-help-support-my-familys-escape-from-gaza 🫂 Booknet Fest 2025: https://booknetfest.com/
6 books