It has everything good with book one, action, vampire, magic and etc. it’s bonus point is that there is no need for world building so the pacing is much faster compared to book one as well. Since this isn’t a review based on full copy, I hope it won’t suffer from middle book syndrome, starting from nowhere and going to nowhere. Considering the storytelling format, I don’t think it would be that way.

If you were a fan of book one, you’re going to love this one even more. If you were Ok with book one, you’re going to like this one. And finally if you did not like book one, due to genre or whatever, I don’t think your opinion would be any different about this book.

Just as good as the first book, I can’t wait to get my hands on the full thing. There was detail, plot, imagery, and the characters development throughout everything is immaculate. I can’t wait to immerse myself into the world again.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this sample!

So, it's appears to be roughly half the book. I did not re-read EOTV prior to beginning, so I was concerned I would forget a lot. But Jay did a great job of working some recapping into the beginning of the book, and I don't feel I missed anything or was confused.

This book has the same tense, emotional and dark tone of book one. I absolutely loved seeing the relationship development in this book, it really built on the foundation of book one so beautifully.

Seeing Gabe struggle so much with the fallout of book one was touching, and sad.

Beautiful addition to the series, gorgeous art yet again! Can't wait to read the rest, it's my most anticipated book of 2024!

Very excited for this book when it comes out. I enjoyed returning to this world but now I just want the sequel! This promises to be a very good sequel to one of my favorite books of last year!

this sampler is AMAZING but it just makes me want the rest of it even more than I did before!! Literally cannot wait. This series is one of my favorites from 2023 and I know the last half of EotD will make it one of my favorites next year too.

It was just a clip, as stated in the offer. So far, so good! Looking forward to the rest of it. :) It drew me in just like the first and I was happy to get the clip that I have.

This is a very interesting sampler. We get to see some chapters of EOTD and tehy certainly make you excited about the book!
I'm very curious about Jean-François's feelings for Gabriel. They're enemies, but he desires him in a strange way.

Jay kristoff could send me his grocery list and I would read it.The man is a genius and I'm so excite for the full release of this book. I'm only giving this 4 stars though because netgalley and the publisher did not clearly communicate that this was only a sampler .-

This book wasn’t for me!! I couldn’t get into it no matter how hard I tried. I picked it up several times but I just couldn’t stick with it. I put it back down permanently.

Wish I would have rad clearly lol. But this sampler def got me wanting more. I’ll def be pre ordering this soon as I can!

Jay Kristoff once again artfully tight ropes the line between eloquence and vulgarity painting imagery and realistic characters. This will not be a book for passive readers and it's definitely not your normal vampire novel. This is high fantasy, a Tiramisu of politics, characters, plot. It is a concentration read, but a delectable one.
A fantasy novel you can truly sink your teeth into, if you dare.

This is just a sampler, but I already know this book is going to destroy me… Jay Kristoff is a master storyteller, and he’s absolutely one of my top favorite authors. This series is just proof that he’s building his skills, but also that he knows how to tug at heart strings.

I can’t wait for the full book, I’m screaming after just reading a portion!!!!

I really enjoyed read this sample and I am looking forward to reading the full book. The world building in the series is amazing. And I enjoyed it a lot.

This is a great sampler for Empire of the Damned by Jay Kristoff and has got me excited all over again as I await the full release in 2024.

What I Appreciated in this sample

1. The nice reminder of story beats/characters before being dropped back into the flow of events was incredibly helpful.

2. Jay Kristoff's writing style and authorial voice continue to shine brilliantly through character interactions and tension building moments.

3. This was a really nice size sample allowing me to really sink my teeth into what I expect to be one of next year's great reading hits .

Who I would recommend this title for

Empire of the Damned is a sequel that definitely requires reading its first book empire of the vampire. As Such fans of the first installment will be happy to know this story is continuing forward with everything we love still present and building stronger than before.

This sample was but a taste for book 2 and I cannot wait until it comes out because it was bloody marvelous!
Filled with sarcastic humour, thrilling action and breathtaking artwork we are once again with Gabriel de León as he recounts his tale to Jean Francois. I loved the fight scenes, the pacing was fast but easy to follow...How dare you end the sampler with a new pov reveal!
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for this sampler.

Empire of the Vampire was good, but this sampler for Empire of the Damned has me convinced it will be great. I am hooked. My preorder is immediately in. The Interview with a Vampire vibes are immaculate, but darker.

I am so grateful to have been able to read the sampler provided, and I cannot wait for the full book release to see where this story is heading. Jay Kristoff is an amazing writer who has built an incredible world and atmosphere.

I was so excited to receive this Sampler ARC and I couldn't get enough. I love these flawed characters so much. I cannot wait to read the full version. Also looking forward to audiobook version as the narrators for the first book were excellent! The writing in this is just as good as Jay's other works and the storyline is great thus far.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jay Kristoff, and St. Martin’s Press for a sampler of Empire of the Damned in exchange for an honest review.

What a tease. I can't wait for this to be released! Empire of the Vampire was one of my favorite books and it seems like this one is going to be right up there with it.

I really enjoyed this sampler. I thought it was very atmospheric and the characters were great. I really enjoyed the dynamics between them. I also could tell that this was a well thought out story. I honestly can’t wait until the book comes out.