Fuck my face. Holy shit what a great sequel! More character development, more relationship development! Ahh. Why must wait until the third comes out? Such a dark and amazing world building!! Loved every second of it!! Gabriel is such a good character. I can’t get enough. So dark, so funny! Give me more!!

This was such a fun sampler and follow up to the first novel, I cannot wait to read the entire full length once it arrives on my doorstep!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this sampler in exchange for an honest review!

There's not a Jay Kristoff book I'm not blown away by, and Empire of the Damned is no exception. I read breathlessly from start to finish.

I don’t know how Kristoff does it, but he has written a sequel that not only lives up to my expectations, but surpassed them in leaps and bounds. I loved EOTV, but this book was even better! There is no middle book syndrome here. The world building is so rich, so visceral, you feel like you’re on this journey with Gabriel and Celene and Dior. Living the horrors and celebrating the victories. It’s one of those books where you forget you’re reading because you’re so far immersed in the story that when you have to come up for air you feel disoriented. In the best possible way. I knew going in that Kristoff would break my heart, and f*ck my face if he didn’t succeed. I need book 3 like yesterday!

An entertaining and enticing excerpt from this novel. It’s much anticipated from me and looking forward to finishing the story.

This sequel captivates with its deep dive into Gabriel de León's tumultuous journey. Tasked with an almost impossible mission, Gabriel's alliances and inner battles paint a rich tapestry of conflict and intrigue. Introducing multiple perspectives breathes life into the story, offering a panoramic view of the dark world Kristoff has masterfully created. Dior's character growth is particularly striking, adding a layer of resilience and depth to the ensemble. This sequel skillfully dodges the second-book slump, weaving action, emotion, and character development into a compelling plot that leaves readers yearning for more. The added illustrations only amplify the immersive experience, making every page a journey. Kristoff's storytelling prowess shines brightly, setting an anticipatory stage for the series finale.

How is it that a sequel can be so amazing, and still leave a person SO GUTTED??? Do you love horses? Don't read this book. Do you love darkness, blood, love, lust, adventure, surprise, CRYING, and laughing out loud in public while reading? Then read this book. But if you love horses... well, hearts can mend after they are broken, right? The wait for this book was well worth it, and so the wait for the final book should be worth it as well. Creating worlds, writing them on paper, and transforming thought and vision in a reader's mind is such a magical gift and Jay Kristoff is master! Read this book, even if you love horses and hate death! READ IT.

I absolutely loved Empire of the Vampire. I loved Empire of the Damned but it was just 1/2 a star short of a 5 star read. The story was GREAT, but there were just a couple parts in the middle that was hard to get through. It did pick back up and so glad it did.

"Empire of the Damned" delivers a highly anticipated sequel that lives up to the excitement generated by the first book in the series. As someone who thoroughly enjoyed "Empire of the Vampire" and eagerly anticipated this follow-up, I found Jay Kristoff's continuation of the story to be engrossing and well-paced. The dynamic relationship between Dior and Gabriel is further explored, adding depth to the narrative. Kristoff's inclusion of a recap serves as a helpful refresher for returning readers, ensuring continuity. Despite its darker themes, the book is engaging, with a cliffhanger ending that leaves readers eagerly awaiting the next installment. Overall, "Empire of the Damned" is a must-read for fans of dark fantasy and vampire tales, offering a compelling continuation of the saga.

4 Stars
I enjoyed the pacing of this book. I loved Dior and Gabriel's relationship it was so good! I can't wait to see the finished copy.
Thank you to the St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

5 Stars!! LOVE Jay Kristoff's writing. The sampler was amazing. I can't wait to read the whole book.

When Empire of the Vampire came out I had to read it immediately. I have always loved the Vampire tropes and that means ALL vampire tropes. It started out with Twilight and then Salem's Lot. Both which I loved when I read them and I knew this one would be no different.
Once I read the first book in this trilogy I knew I'd love it and with all the hype reviews, it did not disappoint. Since then I've been anticipating this book.
This book is seamless from the ending of the last book to where it starts in Empire of the Damned. Jean-Francois is entering Gabriel's prison to continue on recording what Gabriel has been up to before ending up where he is currently. Gabriel's retelling begins with him and Dior. Wondering where they need to go. Unfortunately for Gabriel his sister Celene claims that her people know how to end days death and they must go with her to find answers. Dior willingly goes along. Through their journey to Celene's people they end up in some sticky situations and hurdles to cross. On top of all of that Gabriel is being hunted by some powerful vampires that he has had beef with since the first book.
Cons: I felt that it didn't have as much action as the first but I'm not entirely sure if that's true or just how I felt because I read this 700+ paged book in just a couple of days.
Pros: This book was just as great as I hoped it would be. For those of you who thought the crude talk was a bit over the top. It's a bit mellowed out in this one. This story was intriguing from beginning to end and now I'm highly anticipating the last book in the trilogy and wishing this was a longer series. The ending leaves a bit of a cliffhanger. Actually TWO cliffhangers. We have a cliffhanger in the story Gabriel is telling and a cliffhanger with Jean-Francois when he leaves Gabriel's prison for the day/night.
This book was everything I hoped it would be and I gave the book 5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

I'm lowkey mad at myself for downloading this ARC because it just means a longer wait period for me until the next book :(

Like the first book in the series, this will absolutely pull you in and leave you wanting more. This is the perfect vampire series. If I really wanted to, I could look for things to nitpick, sure, but the overall transportive feeling of Jay's writing makes up for any and all of those little things. I could. not. stop. reading.

Really looking forward to more!

I love Jay Kristoff, and anything he has to do with. SO, yes, 5 stars. This and Nevernight are a personality trait for me at this point.

It took me a while to read this sample, simply because I was not in the mood for this type of book. That being said, the writing, descriptions, and dark vibe are very similar to what we saw in Empire of the Vampire, so if you enjoyed the first book, you will adore this sequel for sure (or at least the first part of it since I only received a sampler).

Gabriel is still held in the Chastain Fortress’ dungeon, and he continues to tell his tale to Jean-François, the Queen’s historian, in this deliciously dark sequel. His story picks up where it ended in the first book, right after he rescues Dior from being sacrificed, and escaped death at the hands of the Ordo Argent himself. Dior and Gabriel have to accept Celene’s help in this sequel, as they seek answers about the Holy Grail and how Dior’s could possibly be key to ending the end of the world.

There is less back and forth between the past and the present in this book, and it focuses more on Gabriel’s story. It set a more addictive pace, compared to the first one where the action often stopped just as it became more intense, so we could jump into the present for a few pages, before being plunged back into the past and the action.

There is a lot of character development in this first third, and I love that the author also took the time to develop and flesh out important secondary characters. We also get a better, deeper insight into the world-building and the history of the vampires’ rise to power, without having to go through unending descriptions. The author managed to keep a good pace and to build a story full of action, while also delving deeper into the Lore and the characters’ layers.

The last chapter also reveals that Celene is also a prisoner of the Chastain’s dungeon, and will also have to tell her tale to Jean-François, so I am very curious to see the new details and insight she will give to what Gabriel already revealed.

I might not pick up this book right away, because as I said, I am not in the mood for this type of heavier writing at the moment, but I will read it eventually so I know what happens next.

This book was a whirlwind of action. I was hooked from chapter one and I enjoyed the twists. I definitely didn’t see most of them coming. This was such a phenomenal book.

This is a great sample to whet the appetite for the full book. Kristoff briefly recounts where you are in the story, letting you familiarize yourself with the world, events and characters, and then takes you right into the story. The characters, setting, and action is so vivid that you can't help but be propelled into this world. I hope I am able to get to the full story soon.

**Thank you, Netgalley and publisher, for giving me an electronic ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

I was so hooked on this story that I reached the rnd of the sampler too soon and I needed more. I found myself immersed in the world again and I loved the illustrations.

Kristoff does not disappoint! What a great start to the book. This is just sample arc and it left off on such a cliff hanger bomb! We get so much action and blood shed! Im glad to see so many amazing characters again and learn more about others! Cant wait to see how this book continues.

Thank you NetGalley for the preview of Empire of the Damned! I only got about the first two hundred pages to ARC read and it was everything I wanted and more! If you loved the first book, Empire of the Vampire, then you will love this sequel as well! I am already hooked into the story and am ready to read the rest on release day. Be ready to go on an adventure with good ol’ Gabriel and Dior as they continue the adventure from book one. The second book still gives off Witcher vibes as Gabriel retells the story of his life in this interview-with-a-vampire-style narration. Plenty of horror vampire scenes even in the first part of the book. The length of the books is intimidating but definitely worth the read! I’m getting ready for the emotional damage as I go to finish reading the rest of this book…