The book was very slow paced besides some bits that were scattered throughout the second half of the book, which made it hard for me to stay concentrated on it. The characters were ok but I had a hard time finding a connection to them and thought again that they had their highs and lows when it comes to chemistry. The world building was great though!

A captivating story about a determined woman with questionable morals, willing to do whatever it takes to survive being trapped in a castle filled with vampires.

Kazan, whilst at a party meets a mysterious vampire, Adrius, who seems just as intrigued by her as she is by him. They part ways shortly after, only for their paths to cross again a few short hours later, except this time he's out to capture her. Kazan is whisked away to a castle teeming with vampires. There she is crowned 'Queen of Vampires', an annual tradition lasting 3 days, at the end of which she is killed. During her time their she desperately looks for a way out, uncovering less than savoury details about Adrius' past.

I loved this book from the start, it is beautifully written and easy to follow. Unlike so many vampire stories, Kazan isn't entirely smitten, she doesn't let herself get distracted by the devilishly handsome vampire and though she couldn't truly be described as a good person, she is definitely an interesting character.

I loved this book! The Hunter's Gambit had a beautiful flow to it and was incredibly hard to put down. and all the characters intertwined wonderfully.

This book was certainly interesting, however it lacked a certain level of intrigue. I found it really difficult to stay interested for the first 30%, as the plot and characters were moving fairly slowly. However, the world is incredibly detailed, the banter between the main characters is flawless. There is just something missing from the pace at the beginning.

Once you are through those first few pages, everything settles in, and you are consumed by an incredibly interesting and intriguing plot.

Empezó bien, pero conforme avanzaban los capítulos la historia fue decayendo.

Cada año los vampiros capturan a una humana, la convierten en su reina por 3 días y al final se convierte en el banquete. Este año le tocó a ser Kazan la comida, ¿logrará escapar? ¿Descubrirá lo que se esconde detrás de esa tradición?




Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really wish I liked this more, it had quite a few amazing qualities but the ending wasn’t quite satisfying to me.
I enjoyed kazan’s character she was strong and independent from the start with a solid backstory and her ending as the “queen of the vampires” as if she were a court jester was quite original and intriguing. She also navigated all the court intrigue in a smart manner while seeking revenge.
I was really looking forward to her and Adrius having that chemistry later on. Their scene in the begining was quite a perfect introduction. When Raya comes in, I totally saw raya and Kazan also having great chemistry; however, with the three together it got lost somewhere. It was like Reya got most of the attention and Adrius also lost some of his allure.
Overall, I loved the plot and how Kazan decides with her instincts and how the sword comes to play in it as well as how things turned out with that sacrifice ritual. I was hoping for a better ending for Kazan, I think she deserved more and it seemed like she turned out ti be the major loser in the story by uprooting her life. I hope she finds her amazing future in her new life.

"The Hunter's Gambit" by Ciel Pierlot is a wild ride through a vampire-infested mansion. Kazan's grit and determination make her a standout protagonist in a brutal world. Pierlot's storytelling keeps the suspense high and the action intense. While some loose ends might leave you curious, overall, it's a thrilling read for fans of dark fantasy.

"Perfect for fans of Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff." This book was more boring than the great Empire of the Vampire.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Dark and delicious. Ah this definitely scratched the vampire craving I've been having. A girl trapped in a castle with tons of vampires and no way to get out. Who can she ally with? A smart and well-fleshed out novel and so, so addictive. Amazing. Bring back vampires, I need more.

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. Sometimes vampire books can be cheesy and had to read but this didn't give any of that. The characters were done very well and so was the world building

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
First of all the dedication had me won over already.

This story follows Kazan a human woman just trying to make a name for herself by forging weapons to use against vampires who reign supreme in this fantasy world. With a turn of bad luck and trickery she ends up trapped in a web of schemes and plotting right in the heart of the vampire stronghold.

The world building in this novel is great, the description of people and places was delightful and it has been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a gritty vampire story. The novel is prosed in third person format and is only from the POV of Kazan herself, however I think it would have been great to get other POVs throughout the novel, just to give more insight into other characters and their backgrounds and dive into the mcs relationships throughout.

If you’re a fan of more plot based than romance based novels then this would be for you, even though there is romance and superbly slow-burn, the main premise of the novel is based around the MCs endeavours!

This was a really enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to see where Kazan’s future goes in further editions.

✨ Thank you so much for this ARC copy for my honest review ✨

The writing style felt quite stilted to me so I struggled to get into it. However I loved Kazan's character development and it was an incredible ending!

Even though I am typically not a huge fan of vampire books the description of this book had me hooked immediately. In this book the vampires are very cunning and capable and not just mindlessly violent or focused on blood lust. The creatures in this book are powerful and cruel which makes them super interesting to read about. the female main character is also powerful in her own ways and she has to be cunning to escape the situation she finds herself in. The escape room element is super interesting because the FMC has to find a way out and she can travel all over the fortress but she is still trapped inside and at the same time their is super extravagant party occurring which provides some very interesting tension.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

I was intrigued by the premise of this and enjoyed the beginning but the second half was kind of flat to me. I didn't feel there was a ton of character development as the story went on.

I was hoping for a book that was different from the normal vampire books you see alot today, and Ciel didn't disappoint. I loved the unique twists in the story and loved how I could connect with the characters.

I found the premise to be different from other vampire books I've read, which piqued my interest. The story is set in a world where every year a human is chosen to be Queen of the Vampires for three days, and then they are supposed to be killed. This year, the honor falls to Kazan, a blacksmith who was captured while traveling to sell her magical weapon for killing vampires. The story is mainly about vampire politics and Kazan's efforts to escape her own death sentence. There's a lot of action and deception, and Kazan uses her status as a liar to her advantage. I had a hard time connecting with Kazan for some reason, I would have loved to have seen more of the story around Reya and Ardius. I also think this story would have been even better if it had been told from multiple points of view.

A vampire novel where the hunter becomes the prey may not be so unusual but Kazan Korvic's story does take a few unique twists. The protagonist in the story always aspired to hunt vampires but the closest she could come was to forge blades for the hunters. She sets off to sell one of her blades when her caravan is ambushed and she is taken to a party of vampires, as the guest of honor in their fortress. One small hitch, the finale of this celebration is a sacrifice and she's on the menu. In the time she has, she attempts to forge alliances, strike deals and manipulate circumstances to save her own life. Her adventure is an enjoyable tale written in easy to read writing style and wraps up in a gratifying ending. The ending does leave a bit of a crack open to what may be further adventures that I would be interested in reading. I'd recommend this read to anyone who likes a vampire tale or adventure story with a headstrong female main character and a touch of romance thrown in for fun.
I received advanced access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, Angry Robot) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

This was super enjoyable! The Hunter's Gambit has queer vampires who are both sexy and scary, a flawed heroine desperate to keep her life, court intrigue, glittering balls, and a fast-paced, high-stakes plot that kept me glued to the page. Kazan's determination to survive is tangible and compelling, and the story takes enough twists and turns that I was pleasantly surprised throughout. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for both the eARC and the gorgeous physical copy! Opinions are my own.

Thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for my review copy.

This exciting book, filled with seething anger and intricate power struggles among aristocratic vampires, completely captivated me from start to finish. Kazan, the determined and morally complex blacksmith heroine, finds herself unexpectedly crowned 'Queen of Vampires' after surviving a brutal vampire attack on her convoy. The narrative unfolds over a whirlwind three-day period, packed with dynamic action scenes and a web of political intrigue among rival vampire clans.

Despite the breakneck pace, the relationship development felt somewhat rushed, a consequence of the urgent context of the story. But it was still a nice Slow Burn. Nonetheless, Kazan's journey of self-discovery and rebellion against entitled elites is deeply satisfying. The prose really is enchanting and sucks you right in (pun intended). The story features a rich tapestry of characters, against a backdrop of a mysterious, enigmatic Gothic castle.

The book's climax delivers a thrilling and intense conclusion, although it leaves a few questions unanswered. Despite this, the character arcs are well-developed, portraying moral complexities that makes the protagonist compelling and relatable. I found myself drawn to Kazan's unwavering determination to survive at any cost, all while grappling with her own humanity amidst the treacherous world of vampire politics and power struggles

Kazan, a blacksmith creates the very weapons required to kill a vampire and has been training with a sword ever since she was able. While attempting to sell a sword to survive, she meets an elusive, charismatic vampire who will end up key to her survival.

On a journey to the next town her convoy is attacked by vampires and she finds herself crowned as ‘Queen of Vampires’ for three days before she will become the main feast. Kazan’s fights are nothing but resourceful and I liked her determination to survive but also her very believable moments of despair.

There were some parts of the story where I wasn’t sure which part was true and which was the lies Kazan constructed and I was waiting for these to be revealed but they were not.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review,