3 stars.

Firstly, I liked the plot of this book. The tension between the characters was palpable from the first scene. The writing was very flowery and descriptive. Unfortunately, it felt like I was reading a riddle at times, and I had to re-read the page a few times. However, I did like the main character because she was actually pretty smart and her goal was to survive so her actions reflected it. I feel like this is something this is something that this book did very well because I've read too many books with fantasy heroines that take actions against common sense.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an e-book arc.

Ciel Pierlot's The Hunter's Gambit plunges readers into a world where the line between fascination and fear blurs, where a skilled hunter becomes the hunted. Kazan Korvic, a woman obsessed with slaying vampires, finds herself trapped in the heart of their dominion, a gothic castle teeming with ancient power and deadly intentions. Pierlot's writing is sharp and engaging, drawing the reader into Kazan's desperate struggle for survival. The tension is palpable as Kazan, stripped of her weapons and forced into the role of a vampire queen, navigates a treacherous court of cunning and cruelty. The vampire lore is intriguing, adding a layer of depth to the story. The vampires are not simply monsters, but a complex society with their own rules, rituals, and motivations. This detail adds a sense of realism and makes the conflict between Kazan and her captors all the more fascinating. This story truly shines in its depiction of Kazan's fierce determination and resourcefulness. She is a compelling protagonist, driven by a thirst for survival and a cunning intellect. The story is a testament to the power of human resilience, showcasing Kazan's unwavering spirit as she fights for her freedom. Pierlot delivers a captivating blend of action, suspense, and a touch of romance. It's a book I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to Angry Robot for sending this ARC in exchange for honest review

Okay so full transparency, I finished this book almost a month ago and TOTALLY forgot to write this review because time ran away from me, so this will be a short and sweet one!

Hunter's Gambit is a book I've seen hype floating around for a few months now, especially with as iconic a dedication as this one has (the book gets bonus points for when I started reading it and happened to have Twilight on the TV at the exact moment I read the dedication). It promises mystery, sexy vampires and palpable tension, and it does deliver! I'm someone that has a tendency to struggle a little bit with standalone fantasy as I prefer to immerse myself into a bigger world and plotline, but this was a really fun standalone that never promised more than it could deliver. It uses the locked room setting absolutely to its advantage, it keeps the plotline and world building developed enough to be interesting but contained enough that you're not left with a billion questions which I enjoyed. In terms of romance, it did everything I was anticipating it would do - the tension was there and it does give the payoff I'm sure everyone was hoping for! My only real gripe was that I found the ending to be a little bit lacking and open-ended (but also not really?). I felt a bit conflicted when I finished reading, I think I wanted a bit more of a solid ending. But overall, this was a fun time and I would recommend for a quick vampy read!

Thank you Netgalley for sending me an ARC of this book.
I love vampires! Books about that are some of my favorites, and we need a lot more of them.
I'm currently struggling with a reading slump, so I'm not able to give it a "fair" rating yet, but I will be finishing it as soon as I'm out of it.

I've read 46% and I really loved it, and I think I'll love the rest as well.

I received an advanced readers copy. Vampires, yes! I love a good vampire novel and this delivers. This fantasy has a strong female main character who not only knows how to forge a sword but also how to wield one. Kazan is wily and tries her best to outwit the vampires and keep herself alive throughout the novel. Kazan develops a romantic relationship with a male and female vampire who are lovers which leads to a steamy scene. Overall, the book has action and a swift pace that keeps the reader engaged. Although I love a spicy novel, the single sex scene felt forced and a bit gratuitous. I longed for more of an intense build up to keep the sexual tension high. The ending sets the stage for a sequel. Hopefully book two will provide more world building and character development.

I literally binged the crap out of this book. Ciel, you had me hooked in the first chapter and I knew after that I wasn't going to be able to put it down.

If you liked Serpent and the Wings of the Night, 100% add this to your TBR because this is right up your alley. I enjoyed this book so much, it had so many unexpected twists and turns, and I had no idea how it was going to end.

There was lots that loved and some things that I didn't love (but I won't include them here because I don't want to give away any spoilers). What I will say was that this was a great fantasy read and I will be recommending it to my of my friends who I know will like this type of story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Angry Robot for gifting me a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Hunter’s Gambit
4 ⭐️

vampires 🩸
vampiric magic 🧛
escape room vibes

This was a really cool spin on vampires. It was a really intriguing plot with a small romance subplot. I love that it was such an easy read! I do wish pacing had been a little faster bc at times certain scenes felt too drawn out. I don’t think we get to see very many morally gray FMCs so it was very cool to see it here. Kazan was focused on her survival and made zero apologies for doing what she had to survive. I loved Reya and Adrius! I wish we could have gotten one of their POVs and possibly learn what happens after the final events.

The glossary was a lifesaver! Especially with all the bloodlines and seconds-in-command. I don’t know if TWs will be added to the final version but know that its a bit graphic/gory.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the arc in exchange of a free and honest review!

*Instagram review will be posted on 5/23/24*

While the premise is fascinating, the writing style was choppy and it was hard to connect with the characters.

This book follows Kazan, a blacksmith who has made a weapon to kill vampires. In a series of unfortunate events, she finds herself trapped in a Citadel of vampires who have made it clear that they will be sacrificing her in 3 days.

The Hunters Gambit off with a great concept. It was a mix between a fantasy and a thriller and I loved the dark and gruesome (and often violent) writing that described the vampire Citadel.

I liked the determination of Kazan and her morally grey behaviour as she is forced to make decisions for survival. She's not a perfect person and she makes a lot of difficult choices which brings a depth to the story that I appreciated.

I unfortunately didn't find the relationship between her, Adrius and Reya believable. I went in expecting tension and heat given that she's basically in a vampire threesome, but I found there to be no chemistry between any of the characters. In fact, I think I would have enjoyed the book more without the romance plot all together (and I'm usually a heavy romance reader).

Even though the romance wasn't my favourite part, I did appreciate the queer rep and I loved the natural way that Kazans sexuality was written about. It felt real.

The book was enjoyable even if I wish I had loved it more. I will likely be reading more of this authors work.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“The hunters gambit” is a fantasy book perfect for vampire lovers (I feel like vampires are really getting their time in the lime light again and I’m loving it!)

We have a strong willed female lead, locked room attempted escape trope, vampiresque castles, lots of action, adventure, gore, fights, spice and more.

I feel like there could have been a little more world building, however this book definitely focuses on the shock factor and there’s a lot of that which keeps the reader distracted on the events unfolding.

Read if you like empire of the vampire.

Thank you to Angry Robot, Ciel Pierrot and NetGalley for the EARC!

Publish date: June 25th

This is definitely stepping out of my usual YA vampire comfort zone but I absolutely enjoyed my time doing so.

Kazan is a human blacksmith who finds herself caught in a 250 year old tradition in which a human is crowned "King/Queen of the Vampires", treated as a plaything for 3 days, then ultimately devoured.

I was drawn in immediately by the first act and loved the chemistry between Kazan and Adrius at the party. The way Ciel Pierlot was able to create such an intricate setting for the morally grey FMC to be trapped in was so interesting. Having human servants who were actively helping the vampires was giving me similar vibes as 'Ready or Not' which I loved! Her frustration was definitely apparent and I loved how she expressed that freely and showed her willful nature. Despite being offered up on a platter, Kazan strove to fight every step of the way. The romance between Adrius and Reya was also quite enjoyable. While I do think they had more chemistry with each other, as well as with Kazan individually, the scenes with the three of them involved felt as though Kazan was the odd one out. I would have loved to learn more about each of them and I think a multi-POV would have been amazing! Upon their alliance, I found it so funny that every time they believed their plan would go on without fail, Kazan would unexpectedly do something that would require them to regroup multiple times.

The climax was definitely gory by all means. Her determination to escape alongside her desire for revenge all unleashed on Dasar, led to one of the most graphic scenes I've ever read.

While I did enjoy the climax, the ending felt quite rushed to me. The decisions made were not what I expected, but I enjoyed how it was left open-ended for Kazan to possibly return for another book with her future endeavors. I loved how each character's motivation was complex, the political intrigue between the houses, and the lore involving the geists was unlike anything I've read before. Although I did find some parts to be slow paced and some questions were left unanswered, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and will definitely pick up the next one!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Hunter's Gambit is a new twist on a the classic romantasy. The banter between the main characters is so well written and made this such a quick fun read. I cannot wait for book number 2!!

Amazing read. A definite page turner from start to finish I was truly invested. I will recommend this to everyone

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this book!

Looking for something with a female protagonist that throws together the Strahd campaign from D&D with Castlevania? You have this book.

This story is a quick read, but a good one in terms of vampires and escaping fate. Our female lead is a blacksmith, she has past dealings with vampires. She seeks out a woman who she wishes to sell one of her swords to, a sword for killing vampires. While waiting to see this female (think of her like a broker), she meets a vampire. This vampire is undercover and is actually a pretty nice guy. They strike up a bit of a friendship and soon after they both get their respective visit with the broker, they part ways. The broker tells our female lead she should try selling the sword out of town, and that she should leave with a caravan of vampire hunters. She leaves with the caravan, it gets attacked, she escapes, and ends up in a party of vampires who fight her, and sic their skilled vampire fighter on her - the vampire she just struck a friendship with, She is overtaken and ends up as a 'queen' in their castle. There she discovers for three days she has to put up with their revelry and debauchery until midnight of the third day. That's when they kill her.

This book is pretty gruesome, and involves a lot of fighting, swearing, blood, gore, and fucking. Vampires are regal, yes, but they do have needs and desires and urges which make them feral. Our female lead is alone, and she has to figure out how to escape, how to get her sword back, and how to kill these vampires or die trying.

95% of the story takes place in this castle, and I liked that our female never strayed for her goal. She was out for business, out to protect herself, and in return she got to know herself more than she ever did before. I liked that the author made her a flawed human (saving / savior / what constitutes as a death and sparing a life, etc.) and how decisions she makes either doom or give strength to her. I also liked that the vampires and how one becomes a vampire has other alternatives (people that die without being turned are spirits that roam the halls, and can possess you too).

The reason I ranked it down a star is that the world building was kind of bare outside of the vampires, and that I felt like I was missing something. Is there other stories to be had in this world, or other stories that came before this?

Otherwise, if you're looking for the above in a story you'll want to read this.

I read this book in one sitting because I could NOT put it down. I usually don't jive with vampires but this book may have just set me on the path of consuming all things vampire.

I absolutely love the premise of this book and it only taking place over a span of three days. Kazan sass and unreliableness added so much to the book and she always had me questioning what she was actually going to do with her situation. I can't wait to see what else the author will publish in the future!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🌶️🌶️

I honestly was expecting and hoping for more spice, but that aside, this was an amazing story from start to finish!

I could not put this book down. I was absolutely addicted to Kazan and her unwillingness to give up and give in to her situation.

The spicy scene itself was definitely 🔥 don't get me wrong! I just wish there was a tad more than that!

The story in general was not what I expected but I ate up every single moment of it. Once the 70% market hit, I was glued to the pages! I'm quite positive my jaw hit the floor quite a few times.

I'm also super happy this was a standalone! With all the open ended series I'm currently progressing through, it's nice to read a really good standalone, and the ending was not what I was expecting at all which also was a huge plus!

I will/ would definitely recommend this to my fellow dark fantasy, vampire readers! It's a solid story that will keep your attention page after page!

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for sending me a digital ARC to review!

This book follows Kazan, a blacksmith who finds herself an unwilling vampire sacrifice. She has three days of revelry and ceremony to come up with a plan to escape. She teams up with the mysterious Adrius and the seductive Reya to overthrow vampiric royalty and save her life.

I thought this was a fun concept! This story was set up to be the fun vampire romantasy that I have been craving. The language was unique and fresh and I liked many of the characters. However, I found the world-building to be lackluster and flat. The magic system is not really explained, but it is used several times in combat. I was also not incredibly impressed with character development. The motivations of characters seemed superficial and they made decisions that made no sense other than to further the plot.

That being said, the romance was fun, the plot was refreshing and interesting, and the vampire lore involving geists was delightfully unique. I wish more detail had been given to the lore because it was definitely my favorite part.

If you’re looking for a fun “not your mother’s” vampire romantasy, then The Hunter’s Gambit comes out on June 25th!

Gory and seductive with a touch of chaos, this book will play well with people who prefer that their vampires don’t sparkle.

The vampire book I didn't realize I needed!! A woman trapped in a mansion filled with Vampires, uhm yes please!

This book was a delightful treat that kept me on my toes, definitely a page turner!

I would 100% recommend this book to my friends and family.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you love vampire books, you have to pick this one up. This brutal and fascinating story follows Kazan, a determined and intelligent woman trapped in a mansion full of vampires, fighting for her survival. What I love about this book is its unapologetic brutality and the way it avoids common tropes; Kazan doesn't fall head over heels for a vampire or lose her independence. The world Ciel Pierlot has built is dark and immersive, raising the question of how far one would go to survive. Mark your calendars for June 5th, 2024—this is one vampire tale you won't want to miss! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!