Two dead princesses must find true love’s kiss to be brought back to life in this heart-stopping romantic fantasy debut.

Amala has spent her whole life trying to be the perfect princess: delicate, quiet, obedient. But when shes murdered on the night of her wedding, her story is cut short before it begins.

Khadasia has been told her whole life that she is too rough, too loud, too much. Shes no ordinary princess but a ruthless warrior on a quest to fulll her late brothers dying wish. Except she dies before reaching her destination.

When both girls wake up in a cursed forest, the gods offer them a second chance at lifeif they can find true loves kiss.But theres a catch, the gods warn.While the right kiss will save you, the wrong kiss will kill you.

On their journey, the princesses must overcome challenges that force them to face the truth of their livesand their deaths. And as Amala and Khadasia grow closer, they cant help but wonder if true love has been standing right in front of them all along.

A captivating blend of suspense, romance, and fantasy. Kalynn Bayron,New York Timesbestselling author ofCinderella Is Dead

Brittany Johnson is a contributor in the YA anthologyWe Mostly Come Out at Night(Running Press Teen/Hachette, 2024). She has also published articles withThe Mighty, Autostraddle,andMediumon the intersections of race, mental health, gender, and sexuality.Deadly Ever Afteris her debut novel, and its a love letter to soft Black girls who rarely get to see themselves in media.

• Publisher: G. P. Putnam & Sons for Young Readers (November 4, 2025)
• Grade Level:9 – 12
• Item Weight:1.5 pounds
• Hardcover: 288pages
• ISBN-13:9780593859537
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.3 inches
• Reading level:14 and up
• Language:English
• BISAC Categories: Teens & YA, Fantasy