Such an enjoyable book in a fun fantasy world. Bly is a character that readers will connect with. Kerrigan is an intriguing character that you just want to figure out, especially why he is willing to die. And the chemistry between Bly and Kerrigan is palpable. I loved that the ending isn’t quite happily ever after. I spent the book unable to decide whether I thought witches or vampires were worse. But also loving the glimpses at the good guys on each side. I can’t wait to see what happens next for these characters.

3.5 stars

Bly lives in a human village trapped between witches and vampires. For most of the year, they live in a peaceful truce. But during The Revenant Games, anything can happen. Humans can play for either side. The witches promise to resurrect someone from the dead for anyone who captures the highest ranking vampire. The vampires promise immortality to whoever captures the highest ranking witch..

A year ago, Bly’s sister died. Now, she’s determined to play the Games and win in order to bring her sister back. But when her best friend, Emerson, suddenly finds himself with a death curse, Bly finds herself in an impossible situation. How can she save them both?

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of The Revenant Games to review! If you like dark fantasy romance sort of like The Cruel Prince (but without the Fae), I think this will be up your alley! Especially if you like a little bit of The Hunger Games thrown in.

I’m going to put this early in the review because I thought this was a standalone. Here is your warning that it is not. This book actually ends on a pretty big cliffhanger, so it’s at least going to be a duology. At least, it better be. There’s no way the book would just end there.

At the beginning, I struggled a bit with the world building because it didn’t quite feel clear what was going on. Especially when it came to the requirement for the actual Games. As you read further, the plot starts to get clearer, but I wished that some of those details were a bit more fleshed out at the beginning.

For the most part, the characters were all pretty well developed, even if they weren’t always the most likable. There is kind of a love triangle that goes on here, though not as much drama as a Twilight love triangle. It’s more of love triangle in the sense that Bly was attracted to the same guy for a long time and isn’t necessarily ready to be attracted to someone else. Even though she is. Maybe this will play out more in another book!

All in all, if you like dark fantasy romance with detail packed worlds, this will definitely be up your alley. Check it out when it comes out in March!

“The Revenant Games” is a nostalgic young adult return to dystopian worlds, heroines in love triangles, and deadly games, with a pedigree that’s smack in the middle of The Hunger Games and Twilight. Entertaining, overwrought, and incredibly info-dumpy in its front half, “The Revenant Games” features Bly, angry and grieving, who gets caught up in a war between eeeeevil witches and eeeeevil vampires. The eeeeevil witches and eeeeevil vampires have an annual event every year in which the victor gets a powerful wish granted, and Bly enters it in a desperate bid to protect her love interest and her to bring back her dead sister. But also, everyone’s really attractive! Even a certain vampire prince on the opposing side. What’s a girl to do?

This book was not written for me, as I’m snarky and crotchety, but honestly, its earnestness is refreshing: I’m kind of over books marketed as “young adult” that clearly are trying to get in on that sweet, sweet adult romantasy money. Bly is a teenager in every affect – impulsive, stubborn, and mercurial in her affections and moods. Romance is surprisingly beside-the-point in this one; while Bly has a love triangle happening, it’s pretty much taking a back seat to staying alive and out-maneuvering other players in the Revenant Games. This book is absolutely the set up to a series, as it ended on QUITE the cliffhanger sure to horrify readers seeking answers. While I didn’t exactly love this book, I’m glad it exists – it’s fun, Bly is a well-written heroine, and it was truly delightful feeling like I was reading some 2006 novel that hadn’t been discovered.