This perhaps doesn't start with a bang but I appreciated the author showing us the world the sisters grew up in and more importantly just how devoted to each other they are.
Without a doubt the sisters are opposites with Yara, petite, curvy, beautiful and clever whilst Aylin, is coltish, plainer, outgoing and overlooked. Yara enjoys the politics of Court whereas Aylin wants to be treated as an equal and not just an ornamental female. Their lives change dramatically when Yara is kidnapped and finds herself a prisoner in the castle of Vlad Dracul surrounded by danger. Aylin is determined to get her sister back and persuades her favourite nemesis (oops meant to say Janissary !) to go with her but their quest means facing up to what could lie between them !
I thoroughly got caught up in this story which flicked back and forth between the two sisters and their very different experiences . I found what Yara was going through to be compelling reading but that doesn't negate what Aylin had to go through in order to get her sister back. Is there romance here ? Certainly Ilyas is without a doubt in love with Aylin and indeed she clearly has feelings for him but nothing is straightforward. Yara is torn between brothers Eldar and Volkan and believe me there are twists and turns here that I defy anyone to predict because Yara becomes so much more than the sweet girl we first meet. I have no wish to spoil this for others but will say I am very excited to read more and this world of Vampires is definitely one I'm happy to read about and I most definitely would NOT want to experience first hand !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Thanks to Net Galley I was able to read this book before it’s release and I’m so happy I did. This story gives a twist to vampires that I haven’t read before. Love that it focuses more on the sisters and a little less on the love interests. I can’t wait for a sequel!

I read this book in 1 day..... 1 day. Could not put it down. Do you like edging? Cause this author will string you along until you are literally begging. Sexy mean vampires... I'm in. Enemies to lovers.... yes. Forced proximity...... sold.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Court of the Undead follows sisters Yara and Aylin of the Ottoman Court, who grew up hearing whispers and legends of vampirs by their superstitious nurse maid. When Yara is captured by vampirs of the Court of the Dead, Aylin sets out to join a group of hunters to get her sister back. Meanwhile, Yara finds herself in the middle of high tensions in the vampir court, caught in the crossfire of vicious brothers Volkan and Eldar.

While the story is unique and feels fresh, the writing is heavy and drawn out. I was excited to read this book, but I was left feeling bored and weighed down by the writing style. The story is told in third person, jumping between Aylin, Yara, and occasionally Eldar. I found Yara and Eldar's storylines to be far more interesting than Aylin's and I found myself just brushing over her storyline.

Overall, a good story being bogged down by a dense writing style.

Yara and Aylin are daughters of a high ranking member of the Turkish Ottoman court, and when Yara is captured by vampires, Aylin sets out to get her sister back.

I appreciated the dual POV so we got to see what was happening with both sisters at the same time. What I don’t appreciate is that both sisters found themselves in twisted love triangles where the men had the same issues even though one love triangle was humans and the men in the other were vampires. I think Eldar needed more development going on for it to all make sense, and Radu needed to have dialogue in more than just the last chapter. I think Sevda should have also been a slightly larger part of the prologue and told them stories rather than statements like “hey there are vampires and they exist goodnight”. Also for the love of god can we have some women who respect themselves enough to not fall for abusive men? Volkan was abusive from the start. Domenico’s only excuse is that he thought Aylin was a man, which doesn’t make it any better??? Ilyas needs to grow up and learn to say what he feels.

As a vampire fan there’s something that hits hard with the old fashion lore and gore that this book had no problem dishing out with a bloody grin.

“The Court of the Undead” dives deep into the seedy underbelly where vampires buy and sell humans for consumption putting Yara in the menu between two brothers who each have their own motivations at court. Her sister Aylin will stop at nothing to rescue her making both sisters use what talents and cleverness they have to survive their new world amongst the monsters of the night and the men who walk in the sun.

I loved every second of this book!

I grew up on Buffy so vampires have always been fun for me and this takes us right into the thick of it with vampires that are ruthless and twisted in their own fun ways and this political dance trying to be the one on top. The time we spent with Yara and the twins were some of my favorites and I truly have no idea which pairing or even hint of such I enjoy most.

Aylin was a lot of fun who I think was always that girl who was going to make herself and her opinions known unlike her sister who grew into the role, however her having to tone it down to survive the less than friendly company was just as fun. I think her back and forth between each member of the group and the things met along the way proved to be a good match for what her sister was trying to accomplish within that space.

The plot was fast paced and creepy but also had moments of passion that had me wanting to devour more just to see how it would all unfold and I am truly excited to see what comes next on this bloodthirsty ride into madness.

*special thanks to netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

I'm a big fan of dark, gloomy fantasy books, so I couldn't wait to start F.M. Aden's "The Court of the Undead." The book promised a bloody trip set against the rise of the Ottoman Empire, with court politics and vampire legends thrown in for good measure. Even though it was good in some ways, there were other parts that left me wanting more.

The story is about two sisters named Yara and Aylin. When they were young, their nursemaid told them stories about monsters. When Yara is taken by the Undying King and taken to his castle, Aylin goes on a mission to get her back. The book is written from the different sisters' points of view as they deal with their own problems.

The book's strengths are its dark setting and the way it builds a world. The story has a unique feel because it takes place in an Ottoman court, and the author does a good job of capturing the creepy atmosphere of the vampire court. The stress grows slowly, and the politics of the court keep people interested.

But there are some things wrong with the book. The story moves at different speeds. The beginning is slow and feels more like historical fiction than magic. It takes a while for the plot to get going, and the first few chapters can be hard to follow if you don't know much about Ottoman history. Also, the different points of view and stories can be confusing and make it hard to connect with the characters.

Even though the way Yara and the vampire brothers interact is interesting, the romance and character growth aren't as good. The fast finish and small details that don't always match up also take away from the overall experience.

Even though it has these problems, "The Court of the Undead" finds its way around the middle of the book. The slow first half is made up for by the exciting second half. The story gets more interesting as the stakes get higher for both sisters.

In conclusion, "The Court of the Undead" by F.M. Aden is a dark fantasy book that successfully mixes gothic elements with Ottoman history. Even though it's not a perfect book, the second half is interesting, the setting is different, and the idea is interesting. If you like dark fantasy and can stick with a slower start, this book might be worth checking out.

Thanks to NetGalley and Northern Light Press for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Court of the Undead takes place at the Ottoman court and follows two sisters, Yara and Aylin. They grew up hearing stories about ghastly, blood-sucking animals and assumed they were nothing more than fairy tales. But after hearing stories that Yara was abducted by a vampir, Aylin decides to search for her beloved sister after she vanishes.

Overall, I ended up enjoying this book a lot more than I initially thought I would. The book begins out a bit sluggish and heavy, feeling more like historical fiction than fantasy. Especially since I don't know a lot about Ottoman history it was sometimes difficult to follow without referring to the glossary. However, the story picks up quickly at around 35% which is when things begin to become interesting.

The dual POV didn't bother me as much as reading from multiple POV's usually does. .

Interesting idea but sadly poorly executed. I wanted so badly to like this book after reading the blurb but the entire thing just fell flat for me. The layout of the book with the sisters on a separate journey was interesting but I don't think it's a layout that I enjoy reading. I would get so into a chapter with one sister only to feel like I was getting pulled away from the story that I wanted to read to go to the other sister. The romance aspect was fine but I had a hard time connecting with the characters so the romance didn't have much of an impact for me. I'm curious enough that I might read the second book when it comes out, but it won't be at the top of my TBR list.

While the premise of "The Court Of The Undead" initially peaked my interest I really struggled with the writing style of this book.

The first 30% had quite a bit of info dumping that felt a bit clunky and confusing. The timeline from childhood to young adult happened in a blink without much context. I went back and re-read portions often to get a clear grasp on basic details I felt may be important later in the story but the world building just felt like it was lacking to me.

The storyline felt more flushed out towards the second half of the book and there were some things I did enjoy. I thought the setting was very atmospheric and rich in culture. The bond between the sister's also felt very authentic.

I wouldn't recommend this to someone in the "Young Adult" age range based on some of the themes and content. It felt strange to me that it was categorized as such. I would feel more comfortable recommending it to a "New Adult" audience.

I do think this book will find it's intended audience and resonate better with its readers. It just wasn't for me.

Thank you F.M. Aden , Net Galley and Northern Light Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I just finished this book! It was interesting and I loved most parts of it. Some scenes tugged on my heartstrings and I love the tension between all the characters, especially Yara and the vampire brothers.

As for the storyline, I really enjoyed it until about 80% in. The multiple POVs, the court politics, everything. But the last few chapters felt a little rushed and it was a little disappointing, given all the good buildup from the previous chapters. Also, some of the details were a little confusing, like it was mentioned that the vampire brothers are born a year apart then it was said that they are twins. Some little details like those were a bit inconsistent.

Overall, it was entertaining read and I enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!

When Yara is stolen from her home and purchased by the trueborn vampirs, her sister Aylin does not hesitate to give chase. Joining a band of hunters, Aylin does all she can to find her sister. Meanwhile, Yara is drawn into the vampir court. She may not be a warrior like Aylin, but she knows court politics. Yara begins to weave a web of manipulation around the vampires, making promises to whoever will grant her freedom.

There are a few situations this novel delves into that will make some readers uncomfortable. Yara’s storyline deals with Stockholm syndrome. She is subjected to increasing displays of violence and violation, causing her to become attracted to those who show her even a hint of leniency. And Aylin is put into situations with domineering personalities who seek to harm and humiliate her consistently.

Yara’s story was the most captivating as she manipulated her way through the vampiric court. She used both her beauty and the skills she had attained through her home court to weave her way through the various families. And as the risk continued to grow, she became desperate to find any possible safe haven. However, vampires are nothing like humans, and she was one false sense of safety away from death.

The intent of this novel is to unsettle readers, but having one storyline focus on this would have been more than enough for the novel. With two female leads being abused in different ways, it made this an extremely difficult book to read. There was no inkling of hope thrown in to encourage readers along. Even the smallest bit would have helped the overall story and balanced it better. While this is a dark fantasy, it hovers closer to grimdark with the situations the characters endure.

At times the writing was also repetitive. Aylin has such a fiery temper, and will not hesitate to fight with either weapons or words. This is a great characteristic to have in her character as she journeys to bring her sister back from the vampir. However, her choice of words and insults were always the same. There may have been a few variations of vocabulary, but she also threatened in the same manner. Using body language, or physical acts, would have helped solidify her character. Granted she does cause some fights with her temper, but the insults weren’t always needed. The writing relied too heavily on what she said versus what she did.

The Court of the Undead is for readers who are looking for a darker twist on the love triangle theme. There is a hint of romance in the story, but it predominantly explores the ways both sisters have to endure their dangerous situations to find one another again.

It was the blurb of The Court of the Undead that first caught my interest. The story sounded very much my cup of tea, so I decided to request it and give it a try. Unfortunately, it didn't really live up to my expectations.
I admit, I struggled with getting into the book at first. Around 35% of the way in I got really invested amd decided to keep going. The beginning has a lot of telling and building before it got into a groove. Very common from a debut book though and it's worth finishing.
The last 30% is when the book truly came together and everything got interesting. Aylin began to have real problems and Yara was becoming too much more entangled in court politics than she ever should have. The stakes were raised and I began to truly care for the sisters, worried about what would happen to them next. This is also when the love triangles each began to officially form.

Thank you NetGalley for this copy. 🤩

I always like a new story of vampires. Not the typical ones like you are used to.
There is a huge point made in the book about religion. That seems a little bit out of contest regarding the rest of the story.
But i guess if the era is ottomans court and the crusaders its a valid point.

This story is about two sisters, Yara and Aylin raised in the ottomans court. They grew up with tales of the vampir whispered to them in the dark by their superstitious nursemaid.

They always believed it was a bedtime tale to tell small children so they got scared in the night.

It isn't until one day Yara gets kidnapped and is brought to the fortress of the undying king that she realises al the stories are true.

Aylin goes out on a mission to get her sister back home. She joins up with a group of trained vampir hunters, crusaders more like it, so she can get her sister back.

Okay, so here's me about to disagree with the status quo here STRONGLY. The Court of the Undead has had mid reviews, but it's far from a Mid book. Actually, its a legitimately unique take on romantasy and one of the first romantasy book's I haven't hated. This book SLAPS and y'all just have bad taste. I'm also extremely upset to see SO MANY REVIEWS express irritation at the "confusing" Muslim elements of the book. Can we leave the weird xenophobia back in 2010 please?

Lets get into it.

Overview:

☪️ Muslim main characters
♥️ Slow burn romance
🙌 Epic bond between siblings
♥️ Vampire Romance
♥️ Love triangles
♥️ "Darker" romance
😍 Corruption arc
😍 Redemption arc
🫰 Interesting side characters

The Court of the Undead is like taking And I Darken and slapping it together with the tropey elements of The Red Queen with a dash of The Vampire Diaries. The book follows two sisters, Yara and Aylin. Yara is a model wealthy Ottoman girl; she is well-behaved, feminine, and respectful. Aylin is a tomboyish firecracker. The two couldn't be more different, but their bond is powerful. One day, Yara is taken by a powerful vampire family as a slave at the whim of two brothers who wish to use her for their own gain.

As Yara learns to navigate the twisted vampire court, Aylin will travel with a band of vampire hunters to save her.

This is a duel POV that focuses on the two sisters but occasionally throws in a third POV of Eldar, a conniving vampire using Yara to spy for him so he can ascend the ranks of the vampire court.

Yara’s POV is easily the favorite, and I think will be for most people. The court politics and twisted relationships the vampires all have with each other are excellently done and very well written. The author sprinkles in a lot of great side characters into her arc. It has elements of romance without being overwhelming and reminds me a lot of popular vampire fiction in the 2000s. I don’t recommend this book to folks uncomfortable with ‘problematic romance’ for this reason. Yara’s story is very dark, and while the elements never fall back on adult “dark romance” tropes, she is flirting with and tempting fate with literal monsters who want to use and abuse her; and this makes her a harder, more complex character as a result.

I have less to say about Aylin’s POV. I still enjoyed it, but it is more of a straightforward adventure story with a slightly healthier/banter-heavy romance thrown in there. Aylin’s POV also shows a few more traditional Muslim and Ottoman elements of the book and is awesome from a representation perspective.

The Court of the Undead’s biggest and best trait is its use of morally grey characters and straight-up villains. There are only one or two truly morally good characters in the story. Some main characters are truly atrocious, and it’s extremely fun to follow them. FM Aden does not screw around in giving you baddies to root for (or against)

All of the characters are interesting and fun to follow with loads of development. Neither Aylin nor Yara are the same person at the beginning of the book as they are at the end. The vampire characters are all sloppy, morally complex people who will surprise you- it isn’t always clear who is the most monstrous person in the story.

I also loved how slowly the romance moved. All of the characters had to earn their feelings for each other, it wasn’t an instant obsession. Even by the end of the book I was unclear who was actually going to get together. The love triangles were masterfully done- providing awesome scenes for the pairings without committing to one in particular. It was a breath of fresh air in a world where most romantasy books are the same carbon copy experience every single book AKA everyone just does a Sarah J Maas and goes home.

I strongly recommend The Court of the Undead to fantasy readers who like dark romance, Damon/Elena shippers that miss their dynamic, readers looking for vampire stories written by women of color, and anyone who loves slow burn stories where the main characters are human beings beyond their romantic entanglements.

The Court of the Undead takes place during the Ottoman Empire. It not only is a story of vampires, but also immerses you culturally into the time period. I personally do not have a lot of knowledge of that time period and the Ottoman Empire, but it was fascinating to learn more about it.

But if you are looking for a vampire book that has two strong female characters that will do anything to survive and save/return to each other this the book you're looking for.

This was a very interesting take a the Dracula legend. It was dark, sexy and intense. Highly enjoyed it. I liked that instead of Vlad and Radu it is Aylin and Yara. Two sisters instead of brothers. I honestly cannot wait for book two

3.5/5 (rounded to 4)

Where do I even begin? For one, this book series has the potential to be incredible. From love triangles to forbidden romances, I felt like the relationships had me in a chokehold. They were one of the main reasons I continued the story when it was dragging a bit.

One of my more significant “issues” with the book is it felt fast-paced sometimes, and other times it felt a little slow. The beginning of the book seemed to also drag on more than I would have liked it to. Books do need set-up, though, so I understand there was world-building that was necessary. It did not seem to pick up for me until about halfway through, but when it did, I was hooked. The first half took me a few days, but the final half took only a few hours.

The relationships, specifically the sisterhood, in this book felt very well done to me. Yara and Aylin had a love for one another that transcended the places where they were. This was an excellent aspect of the book and effortlessly drove the plot. Regarding romantic relationships, Ilyas and Aylin were overshadowed by Yara and her relationships with the vampire brothers, Volkan and Eldar. I thought the balance between the two POVs was great, but sometimes I wanted to speed through Aylin’s POV to get to Yara’s.

With all that being said, I still liked this book! I thought that the pros outweighed the cons (hence the rounding up), and I think many people will enjoy this when it comes out. “The Court of the Undead” is released on December 20th, 2023. Thank you to NetGalley and Northern Light Press for the ARC.

I liked this book. The characters were great, and I really liked the plot. The world was what truly attracted me in, and I had a strong want to understand more about it. I truly want to go explore into its world deeper. Although I felt the story was very brief and we didn't really get any answers.

This book is a multi pov and it's good because we get to see into the minds of the characters more. Sometimes I get irritated with the leads with their bad communication and decisions, but I am looking forward to their character growth.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC💕

While it took me a little while to really get into the book, once I did I was hooked. I absolutely devoured it! I love Aylin and Yara’s devotion to one another. I’m dying to read more about the potential relationships, hoping for some enemies to lovers. The cliffhanger is killing me, I need The King of the Damned to be released as soon as possible!