diff --git a/serde/json/deserializer.nim b/serde/json/deserializer.nim
index dee909a..f63dcaa 100644
--- a/serde/json/deserializer.nim
+++ b/serde/json/deserializer.nim
@@ -79,6 +79,12 @@ proc fromJson*[T: SomeInteger](_: type T, json: JsonNode): ?!T =
     expectJsonKind(T, {JInt, JString}, json)
     case json.kind
     of JString:
+      if json.isNullString:
+        let err = newSerdeError("Cannot deserialize 'null' into type " & $T)
+        return failure(err)
+      elif json.isEmptyString:
+        return success T(0)
+
       without x =? parseBiggestUInt(json.str).catch, error:
         return failure newSerdeError(error.msg)
       return success cast[T](x)
@@ -125,16 +131,15 @@ proc fromJson*[T: distinct](_: type T, json: JsonNode): ?!T =
   success T(?T.distinctBase.fromJson(json))
 
 proc fromJson*(T: typedesc[StUint or StInt], json: JsonNode): ?!T =
-  expectJsonKind(T, {JString, JInt, JNull}, json)
+  expectJsonKind(T, {JString, JInt}, json)
 
   case json.kind
-  of JNull: # return 0, optional values are handled up the call stack
-    return catch parse("0", T)
   of JInt:
     return catch parse($json, T)
   else: # JString (only other kind allowed)
     if json.isNullString:
-      return catch parse("0", T)
+      let err = newSerdeError("Cannot deserialize 'null' into type " & $T)
+      return failure(err)
 
     let jsonStr = json.getStr
     let prefix =
@@ -253,9 +258,62 @@ proc fromJson*[T: ref object or object](_: type T, bytes: openArray[byte]): ?!T
   T.fromJson(json)
 
 proc fromJson*[T: ref object or object](_: type T, json: string): ?!T =
+  echo "here1, T: ", T
+  when T is Option:
+    echo " we have an option!"
   let jsn = ?JsonNode.parse(json) # full qualification required in-module only
   T.fromJson(jsn)
 
+proc fromJson*[T: enum](_: type T, json: string): ?!T =
+  T.fromJson(newJString(json))
+
+proc fromJson*[T: SomeInteger or SomeFloat or openArray[byte] or bool](
+    _: type T, json: string
+): ?!T =
+  if json == "" or json == "null":
+    let err = newSerdeError("Cannot deserialize '' or 'null' into type " & $T)
+    failure err
+  else:
+    let jsn = ?JsonNode.parse(json)
+    T.fromJson(jsn)
+
+proc fromJson*[T: SomeInteger or SomeFloat or openArray[byte] or bool or enum](
+    _: type Option[T], json: string
+): ?!Option[T] =
+  if json == "" or json == "null":
+    success T.none
+  else:
+    when T is enum:
+      let jsn = newJString(json)
+    else:
+      let jsn = ?JsonNode.parse(json)
+    Option[T].fromJson(jsn)
+
+proc fromJson*[T: SomeInteger or SomeFloat or openArray[byte] or bool or enum](
+    _: type seq[T], json: string
+): ?!seq[T] =
+  if json == "" or json == "null":
+    success newSeq[T]()
+  else:
+    if T is enum:
+      let err = newSerdeError("Cannot deserialize a seq[enum]: not yet implemented, PRs welcome")
+      return failure err
+
+    let jsn = ?JsonNode.parse(json)
+    seq[T].fromJson(jsn)
+
+proc fromJson*[T: SomeInteger or SomeFloat or openArray[byte] or bool or enum](
+    _: type ?seq[T], json: string
+): ?!Option[seq[T]] =
+  if json == "" or json == "null":
+    success seq[T].none
+  else:
+    if T is enum:
+      let err = newSerdeError("Cannot deserialize a seq[enum]: not yet implemented, PRs welcome")
+      return failure err
+    let jsn = ?JsonNode.parse(json)
+    Option[seq[T]].fromJson(jsn)
+
 proc fromJson*[T: ref object or object](_: type seq[T], json: string): ?!seq[T] =
   let jsn = ?JsonNode.parse(json) # full qualification required in-module only
   seq[T].fromJson(jsn)
diff --git a/serde/json/parser.nim b/serde/json/parser.nim
index ee09c23..5f790e1 100644
--- a/serde/json/parser.nim
+++ b/serde/json/parser.nim
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import std/json as stdjson
 
 import pkg/questionable/results
 
+import ./errors
 import ./types
 
 {.push raises: [].}
@@ -10,6 +11,8 @@ proc parse*(_: type JsonNode, json: string): ?!JsonNode =
   # Used as a replacement for `std/json.parseJson`. Will not raise Exception like in the
   # standard library
   try:
-    return stdjson.parseJson(json).catch
+    without val =? stdjson.parseJson(json).catch, error:
+      return failure error.mapErrTo(JsonParseError)
+    return success val
   except Exception as e:
     return failure newException(JsonParseError, e.msg, e)
diff --git a/tests/json/deserialize/std.nim b/tests/json/deserialize/std.nim
index fd68a69..bff1c91 100644
--- a/tests/json/deserialize/std.nim
+++ b/tests/json/deserialize/std.nim
@@ -20,6 +20,20 @@ suite "json - deserialize std types":
     let json = newJInt(1)
     check (!fromJson(?int, json) == some 1)
 
+  test "deserializes Option[T] when has a string value":
+    check (!fromJson(?int, "1") == some 1)
+
+  test "deserializes Option[T] from empty string":
+    check (!fromJson(?int, "") == int.none)
+
+  test "deserializes Option[T] from empty string":
+    check (!fromJson(?int, "") == int.none)
+
+  test "cannot deserialize T from null string":
+    let res = fromJson(int, "null")
+    check res.error of SerdeError
+    check res.error.msg == "Cannot deserialize '' or 'null' into type int"
+
   test "deserializes Option[T] when doesn't have a value":
     let json = newJNull()
     check !fromJson(?int, json) == none int
@@ -28,6 +42,19 @@ suite "json - deserialize std types":
     let json = newJFloat(1.234)
     check !float.fromJson(json) == 1.234
 
+  test "deserializes float from string":
+    check !float.fromJson("1.234") == 1.234
+
+  test "cannot deserialize float from empty string":
+    let res = float.fromJson("")
+    check res.error of SerdeError
+    check res.error.msg == "Cannot deserialize '' or 'null' into type float"
+
+  test "cannot deserialize float from null string":
+    let res = float.fromJson("null")
+    check res.error of SerdeError
+    check res.error.msg == "Cannot deserialize '' or 'null' into type float"
+
   test "deserializes Inf float":
     let json = newJString("inf")
     check !float.fromJson(json) == Inf
@@ -54,3 +81,137 @@ suite "json - deserialize std types":
     let largeUInt: uint = uint(int.high) + 1'u
     let json = newJString($BiggestUInt(largeUInt))
     check !uint.fromJson(json) == largeUInt
+
+  test "deserializes bool from JBool":
+    let json = newJBool(true)
+    check !bool.fromJson(json)
+
+  test "deserializes bool from string":
+    check !bool.fromJson("true")
+
+  test "cannot deserialize bool from empty string":
+    let res = bool.fromJson("")
+    check res.error of SerdeError
+    check res.error.msg == "Cannot deserialize '' or 'null' into type bool"
+
+  test "cannot deserialize bool from null string":
+    let res = bool.fromJson("null")
+    check res.error of SerdeError
+    check res.error.msg == "Cannot deserialize '' or 'null' into type bool"
+
+  test "deserializes ?bool from string":
+    check Option[bool].fromJson("true") == success true.some
+
+  test "deserializes ?bool from empty string":
+    check !Option[bool].fromJson("") == bool.none
+
+  test "deserializes ?bool from null string":
+    check !Option[bool].fromJson("null") == bool.none
+
+  test "deserializes seq[bool] from JArray":
+    let json = newJArray()
+    json.add(newJBool(true))
+    json.add(newJBool(false))
+    check !seq[bool].fromJson(json) == @[true, false]
+
+  test "deserializes seq[bool] from string":
+    check !seq[bool].fromJson("[true, false]") == @[true, false]
+
+  test "deserializes seq[bool] from empty string":
+    check !seq[bool].fromJson("") == newSeq[bool]()
+
+  test "deserializes seq[bool] from null string":
+    check !seq[bool].fromJson("null") == newSeq[bool]()
+
+  test "cannot deserialize seq[bool] from unknown string":
+    let res = seq[bool].fromJson("blah")
+    check res.error of JsonParseError
+    check res.error.msg == "input(1, 4) Error: { expected"
+
+  test "deserializes ?seq[bool] from string":
+    check Option[seq[bool]].fromJson("[true, false]") == success @[true, false].some
+
+  test "deserializes ?seq[bool] from empty string":
+    check !Option[seq[bool]].fromJson("") == seq[bool].none
+
+  test "deserializes ?seq[bool] from null string":
+    check !Option[seq[bool]].fromJson("null") == seq[bool].none
+
+  test "deserializes enum from JString":
+    type MyEnum = enum
+      one
+
+    let json = newJString("one")
+    check !MyEnum.fromJson(json) == MyEnum.one
+
+  test "deserializes enum from string":
+    type MyEnum = enum
+      one
+
+    check !MyEnum.fromJson("one") == MyEnum.one
+
+  test "cannot deserialize enum from empty string":
+    type MyEnum = enum
+      one
+
+    let res = MyEnum.fromJson("")
+    check res.error of SerdeError
+    check res.error.msg == "Invalid enum value: "
+
+  test "cannot deserialize enum from null string":
+    type MyEnum = enum
+      one
+
+    let res = MyEnum.fromJson("null")
+    check res.error of SerdeError
+    check res.error.msg == "Invalid enum value: null"
+
+  test "deserializes ?enum from string":
+    type MyEnum = enum
+      one
+
+    check Option[MyEnum].fromJson("one") == success MyEnum.one.some
+
+  test "deserializes ?enum from empty string":
+    type MyEnum = enum
+      one
+
+    check !Option[MyEnum].fromJson("") == MyEnum.none
+
+  test "deserializes ?enum from null string":
+    type MyEnum = enum
+      one
+
+    check !Option[MyEnum].fromJson("null") == MyEnum.none
+
+  test "deserializes seq[enum] from string":
+    type MyEnum = enum
+      one
+      two
+
+    let res = seq[MyEnum].fromJson("[one,two]")
+    check res.error of SerdeError
+    check res.error.msg ==
+      "Cannot deserialize a seq[enum]: not yet implemented, PRs welcome"
+
+  test "deserializes ?seq[enum] from string":
+    type MyEnum = enum
+      one
+      two
+
+    let res = Option[seq[MyEnum]].fromJson("[one,two]")
+    check res.error of SerdeError
+    check res.error.msg ==
+      "Cannot deserialize a seq[enum]: not yet implemented, PRs welcome"
+
+  test "deserializes ?seq[MyEnum] from empty string":
+    type MyEnum = enum
+      one
+
+    check !Option[seq[MyEnum]].fromJson("") == seq[MyEnum].none
+
+  test "deserializes ?seq[MyEnum] from null string":
+    type MyEnum = enum
+      one
+
+    check !Option[seq[MyEnum]].fromJson("null") == seq[MyEnum].none
diff --git a/tests/json/deserialize/stint.nim b/tests/json/deserialize/stint.nim
index 3546f0c..497a244 100644
--- a/tests/json/deserialize/stint.nim
+++ b/tests/json/deserialize/stint.nim
@@ -14,10 +14,15 @@ suite "json - deserialize stint":
     check !UInt256.fromJson("") == 0.u256
 
   test "deserializes UInt256 from null string":
-    check !UInt256.fromJson("null") == 0.u256
+    let res = UInt256.fromJson("null")
+    check res.error of SerdeError
+    check res.error.msg == "Cannot deserialize 'null' into type UInt256"
 
   test "deserializes UInt256 from JNull":
-    check !UInt256.fromJson(newJNull()) == 0.u256
+    let res = UInt256.fromJson(newJNull())
+    check res.error of UnexpectedKindError
+    check res.error.msg ==
+      "deserialization to UInt256 failed: expected {JInt, JString} but got JNull"
 
   test "deserializes ?UInt256 from an empty JString":
     let json = newJString("")
@@ -39,10 +44,15 @@ suite "json - deserialize stint":
     check seq[UInt256].fromJson("[1,2,\"\"]") == success @[1.u256, 2.u256, 0.u256]
 
   test "deserializes seq[UInt256] from string with null item":
-    check seq[UInt256].fromJson("[1,2,null]") == success @[1.u256, 2.u256, 0.u256]
+    let res = seq[UInt256].fromJson("[1,2,null]")
+    check res.error of UnexpectedKindError
+    check res.error.msg ==
+      "deserialization to UInt256 failed: expected {JInt, JString} but got JNull"
 
   test "deserializes seq[UInt256] from string with null string item":
-    check seq[UInt256].fromJson("[1,2,\"null\"]") == success @[1.u256, 2.u256, 0.u256]
+    let res = seq[UInt256].fromJson("[1,2,\"null\"]")
+    check res.error of SerdeError
+    check res.error.msg == "Cannot deserialize 'null' into type UInt256"
 
   test "deserializes seq[?UInt256] from string":
     check seq[?UInt256].fromJson("[1,2,3]") ==