Oh, what to say about this book.

It started off pretty strong for me. I started liking the FMC and I immediately loved the MMC, but somewhere in the middle, it all fell apart. The 28-year old FMC acted like a 12-year old at the best of times, she's supposed to be the queen and yet it never felt like that for me personally.

Unfortunately, it all fell flat for me 70% through the book and I had to force myself to finish it. The first half of the book saved it from being a one star read for me. Plus the talking crow.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you for the opportunity to read Blood Queen.
This book will immerse you into the world of a young queen, who does know a thing about her kingdom because she would rather be out helping her people in the guise of another. She meets up with the Prince from another country and hell breaks lose!
Great read. Low Spice. 4 Stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing the ARC.

So I will start off by saying that I do think this book has an interesting take on some of the more popular romantasy tropes. However, I didn't quite jive with this book as much as I wanted.

What really threw me was how naive Layla seemed at times. For a character that is supposed to be a queen/assassin, there is a lot left to be desired when it comes to her ability to intuit the world around her. I personally felt like the plot 'twists' in this book were fairly obvious, so to see a character be so oblivious sometimes pushed the narrative out of alignment, so to speak.

Other than that, it can be a solid romantasy book for a lot of readers. There were parts of the book that I enjoyed - I am always a sucker for an enemies-to-lovers arranged marriage story. But I wish that there was a bit more where Layla was concerned.

*side note that I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Ohhh this book! The enemies, the romance, the twists and turns-! I love love love a strong female lead, and it delivered! And the plot twist at the end had me yelling. The cliffhanger was done beautifully- and I’m not so patiently waiting for a book two!
Now the reasons it’s not a 5star- the world building could’ve been done a bit better, there were things unexplained or not built well IMO- and I lived the main character- when I forgot her age- when I reminded myself that she was supposed to be in her late 20s, it reduced enjoyment- the main character came off as late teens instead often, and it took away some enjoyment-

Review posted on Goodreads and linked below

“I wanted to murder him, rip out his heart, and feed it back to him. I wanted to take out all my aggression on him. But then why did I also want to feel his hand against my skin and feel him inside me once more?”


Thank you so much NetGalley and Caitlin Denman for an arc of Blood Queen in exchange for an honest review.


Tropes
• Arranged Marriage
• Dark Romantsy
• Touch her and 💀
• Enemies to Lovers
• Secret Identities
• Morally Grey FMC
• Cliffhanger Ending

A book that had everything I needed and it sure didn’t disappoint! I can’t wait to read book 2!

I received this ARC by Victory Editing NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

First, thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me this arc! This was definitely a fun read. Blood Queen is a NA Fantasy that follows the main character, Layla, as she attempts to bring stability back to her kingdom after a slew of murders plague her people. Things get thrown off course for her upon the arrival of the foreign prince that she has been promised by her parents to marry.

The book was fairly quick and the world building was easy to keep up with. My only complaint is that the banter between Layla and Rune was fun, but their relationship felt too rushed and ran too hot and cold. I absolutely love an enemies to lovers, but the constant attempts to kill one another made this story feel juvenile.

With that being said, it was a fun read and after the ending, I am highly anticipating reading the sequel!


This review will be shared on Goodreads (November 13), Amazon (November 14), and my book review instagram (November 14).

This was a very predictable romance fantasy. I had the plot figured out within the first couple of chapters. However, it was a pleasant, quick read.

I did like the magic system and the soul shards. Whilst not original, it was well done.

The two protagonists are annoyingly frustrating, but I guess that is deliberate to ramp up the sexual tension between them.

It ends on a cliff hanger, so be aware of that.

Overall I really enjoyed this, the build up of tension kept me hooked. I would definitely read more by Caitlin in the future.

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the possibility to read and review this ARC.

I found Blood Queen to be a really fast-paced and enjoyable book. It's one of those books that has kept intrigued since page one. Layla, the FMC, is more than your average queen and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her kingdom safe. Tune, the MMC, is your typical morally grey MMC, which I don't mind at all. They had great chemistry. My objection was the depth of their relationship, somehow it feels based more on passion than deeper feelings. Still, I am waiting to see how the story progresses further.

Thank you to the author Caitlin Denman and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book so much that I finished it in 2 days! It is such a page turner with so much mystery and dark secrets unraveling throughout.

The Blood Queen - Layla is a badass, fiery FMC who also happens to be an assassin, she's been hunting for her parents killers since their mysterious deaths. I love her character because while she is obviously strong in a lot of areas she still has room to grow and learn. Especially as she finds out a lot of things have been happening in her kingdom that she didn't know about.

Then we have Rune. He is the perfect amount of morally grey and possessive, with some dark secrets up his sleeve. I loved the dynamic that Layla and Rune have together. The spice is so well done, I just loved the sexual tension bubbling between these two!

The villain in the story, while maybe a tad predictable, was just awful - they made my skin crawl.

Things really unfold at the end and we get some pretty big shocking developments and then it just... Ends! It has such a teasing cliffhanger!! I already can't wait for the next book!

this book was... not for me.

i barely made it through, skimming the last 25% or so, and the only thing keeping it above 1 star was a cute little side character. also the talking crow.

the main character really irritated me - for a 28yo the fmc had a maturity level on par with a 16yo. her default was hating everyone and running away, and while sometimes that was warranted, sometimes it was... not.

the worldbuilding was also lacking. i'm so sorry but i had no idea what was happening, out of nowhere this gang became a massive plot point having never been mentioned before, and then monsters appeared out of the blue?? and i guessed 99% of the plot twists, even while skimming - and my brain was not working its hardest. the author also had opinions on sex work that i disagreed with, and showed a fair bit of fatphobia.

basically this one was not for me. nonetheless, i thank the author, publisher and netgalley for the arc.

I freaking loved it! The feisty-ness of the FMC was awesome and I loved the occasional commentary given by the FMC re: male masculine ego. Not a fan of the cliffhanger, but that's b/c I don't like cliffhangers in general. Overall, a great book!!! I can't wait for the next installment.

*Thank you for the ARC from Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op in return for my honest review!*

I absolutely LOVED this book! I wanted to rate this a 4.5 if I could which is saying a lot because I rarely give out 5 stars! This book captured me quickly and had me gasping in surprise or amazement at certain moments. The tension between the characters, the mystery, suspense, and twists in the storyline, the moments of the main character finding her own voice and power, absolutely beautiful. Wonderful world building too! Everything flowed well. Such a memorable read! I most definitely plan to buy the physical copy once it's out and am looking forward to (at least really hoping🤞) for another book to continue this story.

I couldn't put it down!!! Murder, romance, magic, animal sidekicks, betrayal, it's all in there. If you like romance and fantasy then this book is a must have. From page one you are drawn into the world of Esfer and entangled in Layla's life. Her struggles after the loss of her parents, her trying to find her own way and be a queen that would make them proud. She learns the old saying keep yours friends close and your enemies closer isn't as cut and dry as it seems when you don't even know who your enemies are. It's a beautiful mix of spice, plot, mystery, and action that will leave you on the edge of your seat. This was my first ARC read and I want to thank Caitlin Denman for allowing me the chance to read this wonderful story.

Blood Queen - Caitlin Denman
5⭐️
Wow, you really going to leave us hanging like that? That is not fair, I need to know what happens! From the first page I was sucked into Layla and her world. The murderous Blood Queen, I feel like maybe she is a bit inspired by Elizabeth Báthory since the towns folk say she bathes in blood to look young. And her betrothed reminds me of Vlad III (vlad the impaler) since they say he put his enemies heads on spikes. What a match made in heaven;) they were either trying to kill each other or seduce the other, you never knew which one until after.
I liked the pacing of the story, it was easy to follow and kept my attention throughout. The twists came at me when I least expected it, keeping me on my toes at all times. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes
✨Arranged marriages
✨Stabby FMC
✨Anti-hero
✨He falls first
✨Touch her and die

Thank you NetGalley, Victory Editing and Caitlin for this ARC!
I am leaving this review voluntarily

<u>Rating</u> 3.5-4/5 (I felt like the first half of the book was strong, but the second part felt rushed)
<u>Spice</u> 🌶️🌶️/5

<u><b>Tropes</b></u>
✵Touch her and ☠️
✵Arranged Marriage
✵Lovers to Enemies to Allies
✵Dark Romantasy
✵Secret Identities
✵Cliffhanger ending
✵Morally Gray FMC


<b>They called me the Blood Queen. I was known as the most ruthless, bloodthirsty queen in all of Esfer"</b>
This book had me hooked from the moment I started reading it! I felt like some of the plot twists were predictable; however, it did not take away from my enjoyment while reading. The book has spice, mystery, fantasy elements, and action. The character arc of Lyla, the FMC, seemed well thought out and highly enjoyable. I struggled with Rune's character as he seemed less thought out - there were instances when I thought I was reading about two separate characters. In all honesty, Rune's character felt dull and annoying rather than being a strong contender for Lyla.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book!

<b>You're mine. No one fucks with what's mine."</b>

I really liked this book, I read it all in one sitting over a few hours. It kept me hooked between the storyline and the tension between the main characters of the story. The ending left me ready for the next book in the series as well. It was more on the dark side of fantasy and romance genres, but I knew that going in and loved it.

Layla, known as the Blood Queen, does anything for peace in her kingdom and to avenge her parents’ murders. When her kingdom is strife with murders, drugs, and people discussing rebellion Layla struggles to be what she needs to be without losing herself in the process. Her marriage proposal to a Brutal Prince will secure peace in her kingdom. With lies between those she trusts most and lies with her fiancé her life is thrown into chaos and she struggles to right the wrongs she caused.

“Blood Queen” by Caitlin Denman is a great fantasy book. I like that only royalty has magical powers and that they have familiars. I loved how Layla is strong but also lacking confidence. I was a little confused with Rune’s character though, he was so confident and cunning at the beginning but then would act so brainless and only good for his brawn at other times which didn’t seem to make sense for what Layla ends up finding out he was, but it wasn’t that big of a deal for me. I did like their constant fighting between each other. I gave it a 5 out of 5 stars, I was hooked from beginning to end.

Blood Queen follows our heroine, Layla, who came to be Queen after her parents were murdered. Her advisor, Brandt, plays a big role in running the kingdom for now until she's ready to step into those shoes and in the meantime, she works to right injustices in her kingdom. Which usually involves murder. And so, Layla developed the nickname "the Blood Queen" over the years. With the murders and mayhem occurring in her kingdom, unrest grows amongst her people. In hopes of quelling the unrest and creating more stability, Layla agrees to marry a foreign prince. On the eve of her meeting her betrothed, she goes out for one last night on the town with a stranger as a single woman. And in the morning? She discovers said stranger is actually her betrothed.

I really loved Layla. I love that Layla is part-time Queen/part-time assassin. I think that's so badass and really enjoyed seeing a heroine completely capable of taking care of herself. I mostly liked Rune as a character, except for the scene we got where he couldn't control his anger when he believed Layla murdered his friend and he nearly killed her. But he did grow and seemed better at controlling that anger by the end of the book. Mostly. Areas for future character growth though, right? I liked Rune and Layla together. There was a nice balance of Rune being "don't touch what is mine" kind of alphamale, while also allowing Layla to handle her problems herself (because she's badass and she CAN!).

I like the mystery aspect this book had but did find it weird that she struggled to come to the conclusion that Brandt was the bad guy. It seemed very painfully obvious to me, but I also think she just didn't want to see it because he raised her and was the only "family" she had left.

If you're looking for an fast read, spicy, romantic fantasy (with murder!) this is for you! If you like pain this book is also for you because that ending? Ouch. KILLER. Are you kidding me? That's the cliffhanger you're leaving me with??! Brutal! But I want more. Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Layla is the queen of an unstable country. She decides to marry a foreign prince for the good of her country. ON the eve of her betrothal's arrival, she decides to indulge in one last passionate night with a stranger....

Intriguing plot. Love the dramatic politics moves.... The heroine is terrific. Brave, smart and sassy. Love the romance.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.