*thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Blood Queen had me hooked from the very first page. The story follows Layla, who becomes Queen of Kusmal following the murder of her parents. After earning the nickname “Blood Queen”, Layla takes a hands off approach in ruling the kingdom and mourns the loss of her parents. The night before she is the meet her betrothed, Layla has what she believes to be one last passionate night with a stranger from the local tavern. When this stranger reappears in Layla’s life, it threatens everything her parents laid out for her. As lies and betrayals come to the surface, Layla must discover who she can trust if she wants to save herself and her kingdom.

One thing I really appreciated about Blood Queen is that this was little to no “filler” chapters. The story was short, fast paced, and right to the point. This is a very bingeable read. It’s also pretty spicy! 🌶️ That being said, this is nothing we haven’t read before. It was very cookie cutter enemies to lovers romantasy. There is not much world building or character development. But, I appreciated this for what it was. My only negative comment is that the ending is ABRUPT. I am assuming there will be a second book, but it’s almost like the book ended mid chapter. I finally got to the end and audible said out loud “WHAT? That’s it?!” 🤣

Rating: 3-3.5 stars.
If you’re looking for a fun, short, spicy read, give Blood Queen a try!

I liked the dark and spicy vibe of this book! When Layla is forced to become queen after her parents death, she has to step up to keep her kingdom safe and even do some things she isn’t proud of. There is mystery, spice and murder and it keeps you wanting more!

I am very thankful to the author and Netgalley for letting me read it and review it. I liked the book; the concept is different, that sucks you in right inside the book. I love the dark vibes I got from the kingdom and the places mentioned in the book.

Overall: ★★★ | 3 Stars

Plot: ★★★ | 3 Stars

Characters: ★★| 2 Stars

Ending: ★★★★ | 4 Stars

Fun: ★★★★| 4 Stars

Spice Level: 🌶| 1/5

I really enjoyed this. It’s enemies to lovers. There’s mystery and deception. There’s surprise betrayals. Good spice! Looking forward to the next one in the series!

I was bored to tears within the few twenty pages of the book. The writing felt childish and repetitive, and I could not stand it. I started flipping through the pages to see if anything happened besides clichés and judgement against sex work, and was shocked to see the main character sleeping with a stranger within the first 10 percent of the book. Don't get me wrong, I like spice, love it even, but the scene felt crude and empty, just porn on the page. I did not finish this book at 11 percent.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 - Blood Queen - @caitlindenmanbooks

this is the fist enemies-to-lovers romantasy book i’ve read in a while that has had me kicking my feet because Denman has got the dynamics perfect between Layla and Rune!!!! There’s nothing in the book that signals anything towards them being fated mates but they are in my head because they are SO compatible and giving ‘equals in every way’ vibes.

The book is fast-paced with short chapters and a relatable FMC who’s just trying to figure out who she can and cannot trust… and when I tell you that you will be trying to figure it out until the end, I am not kidding 🥲

I am not creative enough for this but i need to see fan edits of Rune ASAP PLZ !!!!

Blood Queen have given me emotional whiplash and had me literally unable to put this down and I was up reading it until 2:30
in this morning (if you need a beta reader for the next book i am right here xoxo)

This was going to be a 4 star review but I changed my mind because i’ve been thinking bout it all day so she’s getting 5 stars and a hefty recommendation from me 🤪

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC 💫

#review #reading #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #arcreader #arc #reader #bookquotes #romantasy #romanticfantasy #romance #fantasy #spicybooks #caitlindenman #bloodqueen

Blood Queen is a thrilling novel about a young queen named Layla who inherits the throne after her parents are murdered. She is left so distraught from her parent's brutal murder, that she takes a backseat to the politics of ruling her kingdom and instead puts more effort on taking down the person responsible of killing her parents. Layla is determined to do whatever it takes to bring peace to Kusmal, which is plagued by murders and rebellion. As a way to honor her parents and fulfill her last duty as queen, she decides to marry a foreign prince her father had arranged before his death. Although, she hopes of bringing stability back to her land, she fears that the marriage will lack love and connection. However, Layla didn't expect that a suppose one night stand to have long lasting effects on her arranged marriage.

I will say I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing was so easy to follow and captivating. It was so hard to put this book down, I read it in two sittings. Once you start reading this book you'll love it instantly and you won't be disappointed, it's consistently good all throughout.

Blood Queen gives you, murder mystery, magic, royalty, betrayal, romance, it has it all. There is no other book like Caitlin Denman's Blood Queen. Everything flowed perfectly, the author did a wonderful job at showing us and telling this story. I felt the angst, the hurt, the suspense, I felt it all. I was so lost in this book that I didn't realize I had reached the end until I flipped the page and saw it ended.

Blood Queen is a story filled with intrigue, suspense, and complex characters. It explores themes of duty, sacrifice, and the lengths people will go to protect what they love. This is a must read, I cannot wait for the second book!

2.5 ⭐️

This book needs trigger warnings.

This was a tough one. I was really excited about the story and the plot based on the summary of the book & just the fact it reminded me of other fantasy books I've read that I've really enjoyed. Going into it, I did like it in the beginning (you really have to swallow down the fact this was really misogynistic to get through this book, like REALLY swallow it down), but I found the more I read the less I actually liked Layla as a character.

The spice was fine, although there's a difference between dominance/safe BDDSM practices and near abuse and I don't think that the author did a great job especially in the first spicy scenes. I definitely had to read this book head empty to enjoy it, because the world views of women and sex work in this book made me feel downright icky.

I love the enemies to lovers trope and I feel like this book didn't hit the mark with it, I just felt like they hated each other the entire time and there was no huge development of love towards one another. However it does end in a cliffhanger so I'm curious to see if in book two the author grows their relationship a little more! I won't hold my breath for book two, but I will probably be picking it up to follow up with this story in hopes it gets better.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to read this one because I’ve always loved the fantasy books where the FMC is forced into an arranged marriage. However, this book fell flat, and I DNfd around 20%. It is so awkwardly written. Sometimes I didn’t know who was talking. The descriptions did not flow from the dialogue or plot line. The intimate scene at the beginning made me cringe. Honestly terrible.

Rating- 4.5 stars
Many thanks to Caitlin Deman, Victory Editing and NetGalley for giving me the oppournity to read and to give my honest review of this book.

Blood Queen follows Layla, a queen who's kingdom has been plagued by murders. The whispers of rebellion and dissent grows daily and Layla will do anything for her kingdom to be peaceful. Layla agrees to marry a foreign prince to bring stability back to the kingdom. But on the eve of her marriage, Layla goes and enjoy one last passionate night with a stranger. But doing so has consequences.

Blood Queen was such a fast-paced book that made it super hard for me to put it down. It was filled with so many twists and turns which I was unable to guess at times. I especially loved the animals companions and thought they were quite unique. It was especially interesting to learn that royalty had animals companions which were known as soul shards.

The tension, the mystery and the suspense really made this a great dark fantasy romance. Although, I knew where the story was going in the last couple of chapters or so, I still really enjoyed it and I can not wait for the next book. I would definitely check this out if you're looking for a strong female character, animal companions and a morally grey MC.
If you like:
Touch her and die
Arranged Marriage
Lovers to Enemies to Allies
Morally Grey MC
Cliff-hanger ending
Then you will love this book.
This has also been published on Goodreads.

**This is an independent and honest review in exchange for a digital ARC. Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Publishing, and Caitlin Denman. **


Caitlin Denman’s fantasy novel, Blood Queen, follows young royal Layla as she uncovers new truths about the kingdom she rules, the people she trusts, and the enemies that wander her streets. I enjoyed Layla’s arc; we see her go from a princess who rules in name but follows others’ lead when it comes to managing her kingdom to a queen who reigns fiercely. Layla, as a royal, is able to wield power, and her power manifests as shadow. This is a force we often see male characters wielding as it conveys mystery and sometimes sinister leanings. I maintain that Layla is a morally gray character, and I hope that this holds true as the series continues. Layla is always accompanied by her soul shard, Keir, a witty black crow who communicates with Layla both mentally and verbally. I love the way Denman incorporated soul shards, and I wish the magic behind them had been more fleshed out. Are they, like powers, associated only with royals? Do they manifest at a certain age, find their companion at a certain time? I want to know more!

I ran hot and cold on the male love interest, <spoiler> Rune <spoiler>. I felt he also ran hot and cold on his feelings for his betrothed. I understand the nature of enemies to lovers is a contentious one, and there are often backslides in the course of these romances. However, his characterization was inconsistent. At times, he pledges himself to Layla and finds her doubt of him completely unfounded, but he is <spoiler> one of her fiercest attackers, trying to literally kill her with very little information to go off of. <spoiler> Maybe others won’t mind this, but I like my MMC to be so obsessed that the FMC could literally try to kill him and he still can’t bring himself to hurt her.

Layla’s characterization often felt forced to me, and I find her motivations unclear. To me, she was told and not shown: her emotions, her actions, etc. She behaves erratically and makes impulsive decisions, but the way they’re shown feels inorganic. It reads like I’m watching someone who’s been told to act that way rather than watching someone who naturally does act that way. Again, while I like her arc, I think her character is rather 2-dimensional with inconsistent motivations.

I thought the ending contained an excellent twist– I thought I knew what was coming, and I did to some degree, but I was surprised by the depth of the reveal and the implications of it. The end comes rather suddenly (in fact I assumed there was one last chapter) and there’s no resolution whatsoever. It feels less like a cliff hanger and more like she just stopped the paragraph and never continued on.

Overall, I think Blood Queen has a great premise with an interesting magic system. The characters needed fleshing out and maturing, and the plot could have been more clearly executed. I think with improved editing this could shape up to be a solid fantasy series.

This is the first instalment of a new adult romantasy series that follows Layla, an orphan young queen that has been doing everything to protect her people. She’s the FMC and is a badass character going through some betrayals in the story. Then we have Rune, our MMC, who is strong, loyal, and morally grey character, so what’s not to love about him?

I really liked the “touch her and die” trope and some of the darker themes that the book explores while adding a touch of mystery to it. However, the world-building was lacking something.

Overall, it was a fast-paced fantasy book that left me wanting the next part of the story since it ends on quite the cliffhanger. But the story was well written, and Layla is a great character full of sass. The romance was nice and with a little more world building it would have been better.

Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher, for approving me to read this arc and write this review.

Blood Queen by Caitlin Denman is the first book in a new adult romantasy series and follows a young orphaned queen who has been doing what she believes is necessary to protect her people. But, the man she has been arranged to marry has arrived, along with surprising secrets about her own kingdom. Tropes include a badass FMC, a grumpy MMC, arranged marriage, secret identities, touch her and die, and a shadow mommy. This is a darker romantasy with spice (and sarcasm) so please check content warnings.

The Lovely: I loved the characters, including the animal “sidekicks.” And Marv - everyone needs a Marv. I loved watching Layla grow over the course of the story from doing what she *thought* her people needed to doing what they really needed. And she’s quite stabby - as in, stab first, ask questions later. MMC Rune is complicated and a mess of red flags. Put those together and boom! It’s a great time.

The Lovely: I liked the plot and tensioning, even if a little predicatable. It kept me so invested I read the book in one evening (let’s not discuss how late I stayed up). The ending is a bit cliffy so I’m already ready for the next book.

The Mundane: There wasn’t much world building, especially as it related to the magic system. I still don’t understand how the magic talents work. I did like the bonded animals - they were a unique feature and tied in with the magic system.

Rating: 4/5 Stars 3/5 Flames

Recommendation: I received an advance review copy for free from Net Galley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series. Per the author, she’s presently thinking three books totally and book two hasn’t been scheduled yet for release. If you like a badass FMC, a complicated and stabby relationship in a fantasy world, I think you would like this book.

Good Reads Review ✨
I received this ARC by Victory Editing NetGalley in exchange for an honest review 🖤
I was drawn by the trifecta of: great title, gorgeous cover and plot summary! So I was very excited when I got the ARC! Getting to read an author’s work before it’s published is one the more gratifying and exciting aspects or being a reader and I’m always so grateful for the opportunity!
I have a bit of a mixed feelings situation going with this one. The characters are great, Layla is a strong, fearless queen ready to take on the world but sensitive enough to not loose sight of what’s most important to her. This is one her greatest qualities, one that keeps her going through hardships and betrayals.
Rune, I mean what’s not to like about him? Starting with his sexy name, demeanor and all around strong, loyal, morally gray and protective personality. He’s a match for Layla is every way that counts
The plots baseline is strong and I enjoyed getting through it for the most part. I had a bit of a hard time with the flow at times, feeling like the moods swung a bit too much and I couldn’t really keep up from one decision to the next. The modern undertone that follows the whole story is something that I wished was not present, made some situations stand out in the way that they didn’t feel like they belonged in the time the story was set. This does not necessarily harm the plot or writing, it’s just a personal preference I suppose, or maybe it was just the amount of fantasy and contemporary books I’ve read recently that have tainted my read 🥹
I see all the ways that this books turns into a thrilling series that takes us into new yet familiar adventures we love as romantasy readers and I’m looking forward to getting back to it and seeing what comes next!

3 stars for 'Blood Queen' – it's a bit of a mixed experience. I dove into this book expecting a thrilling blend of dark fantasy and romance, and while there were glimpses of brilliance, it didn't fully hit the mark for me.

First up, Lyla, the Blood Queen, is a character with potential. She's got this tough exterior but also moments of vulnerability. However, her character felt a bit inconsistent, swinging from ruthless to compassionate without much transition. I mean, she's meant to be 28, but sometimes she came across more like a young adult in her early 20s or younger.

Rune's character, on the other hand, was less compelling. He seemed to lack depth and flip-flopped in personality, which made it hard to get a read on him. The dynamic between Lyla and Rune had its moments, but it lacked that spark I was hoping for.

There were some strong elements, like the touch of mystery and the 'touch her and die' trope, which I usually enjoy. The book also touches on some darker themes, but the treatment of topics like sex work was a bit off-putting for me. It felt like the book was trying to make a point but ended up misrepresenting the complexities of the subject.

Plot-wise, there were some predictable twists, and the world-building could've been fleshed out more. The ending? Total cliffhanger.

Overall, 'Blood Queen' had its moments and some interesting ideas, but it felt like it needed more polish and consistency in both character development and world-building. I'm curious about where the story might go, but I'm not totally sold yet. It might be worth a read if you're into dark fantasy with a bit of spice and don't mind a few rough edges.

Layla is a queen entering into an arranged marriage with a foreign prince. Her parents were murdered. She’s an assassin secretly for her royal advisor. Her citizens call her the blood queen. That’s realistically all I could gather from this book.

It had so much potential. The ideas were all there (although probably too many, and a lot of it seemed SJM “inspired”), but the execution was so poor. This isn’t really enemies to lovers either since they worked though zero of their problems and just clearly were hate fucking the whole book. The world building was extremely lacking, and the magic system, politics, everything was underexplained. I could see just about every plot twist coming except for the monsters because where did that even come from?? Why was there suddenly a gang? This feels almost like performative feminism or pick me girl language. In the authors note it was mentioned that were beta readers, were ALL their ideas taken into consideration? I think this book suffered a lot from the booktok “fast fashion” we’ve seen lately and could’ve benefited from more thorough review.

I started out reading Blood Queen with not alot of prior background on the topic of the book. I was interested in the concept and I love fantasy so I gave it a chance. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I had hoped. The world building was pretty minimal, and the writing felt quite rushed. I appreciate the concept of the book, but I didn't really enjoy the writing.

Layla was a strong female lead, but the world-building and love story really made it hard to believe.

The formatting of the book made it difficult to read.

Blood Queen is a fast paced fantasy read which will leave you wanting the next part because it does end on quite the cliffhanger! It’s enjoyable and an easy read for getting into. The main character is quite different and there’s a lot of emphasis on grief and dealing with the loss of her parents, the responsibility that is forced upon her. It’s a very interesting take, taking on a vigilante role in addition to being Queen and the betrayals and situations that arise as a result.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, there is some spice as well and just be aware of any trigger warnings going into it for your own sake

#bloodqueenbook #NetGalley

Thank you NegGalley so allowing me to read Blood Queen!!

3.5/5
I picked this up at noon and was done with it before dinner! The book moved fairly quickly and it was an interesting read. The story was something to easily invest it and the side characters made the book fun and unique.

I loved the plot of a FMC being able to do whatever she wanted to secure her kingdom. The MMC seemed a little one sided to me and the relationship seemed forced. One minute she hates him but because he does the bare minimum she is in love again. I think this could be cleared up with other books if it becomes a series.

The ending is what got me. I didn’t see the last twist coming but is there going to be a second book?? If not, the ending is not it.

This is a book for new/learning fantasy readers. The world building is minimal and easy to grasp and the characters don’t have too much depth to them. Worth the read but only if there’s a second book!