𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟏𝟗𝟐𝟎’𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐦. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬, 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐚. 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬. 𝐋𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫. 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐚 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐑𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤. 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐚’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜. 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐋𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐚, 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥! 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭! 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝....𝐧𝐨. 𝐈𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭! 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

(3.5 stars)
As soon as I read the description of this book I knew it was going to be exactly up my alley!
I enjoyed the the take on vampires in the story, it was classy but with it's own little twist that added to the narrative and the characters were all quite compelling and I felt myself emphasizing with most of them a lot.
Although, as much as I enjoyed this, I have to say that the plot wobbled quite a lot by the end. It felt very rushed and the execution of certain plot points and twists was rather unsatisfactory. I felt like the book should have ended sooner and the ending part (most of act 3) should have been the begining of the next book and should have a way slower pace.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found the prose and writing to be fascinating, and allowed me to fully appreciate the era and the various characters.

DNF @ 53%

Unfortunately, I feel very disappointed. I was really looking forward to this book but I felt like I was forcing my way through it. While this book was not for me, it may be for someone else!

I first saw this book on the author's Twitter page and just from the description of the book I knew I had to request it: Harlem Renaissance! Vampires! Sapphic romance!! Black women!! Literally just from these key words alone I was SO excited to read this!

I have to say Hayley Dennings knows how to create atmosphere, this book really transports you to 1926 New York City and not only that but changing the circumstances of the world during this time to include the reapers presence within this world. The tensions within the world relations caused by the havoc that reapers have brought on is so fascinating as well. Needless to say, the world building was great in this book.

Another factor that I absolutely enjoyed was the vampire vs. daughter of the vampire hunter (but she's also lowkey a vampire hunter) type of dynamic that was cemented into the story's framework. It reminded me of season 1 of Teen Wolf for a second there. I do have to say I wish we could've gotten more flashbacks of Layla and Elise's friendship before Elise turned into a reaper, I especially was waiting for a flashback on that incident that caused that whole spiraling effect onto their friendship. But I will say the enemies part was SOO good!! I wish we had gotten more of the enemies as well as the lovers, but the part of them having all this tension really dragged out was also really well done, the little taunts and jabs they would throw to one another was so enjoyable to read!

There's a couple things I didn't like about this book for starters, part 1 was so great and set up the story really well, I was super invested but then, that momentum slowly died down during the middle bit of the story. The side characters weren't fleshed out enough so their subsequent actions just didn't hit as hard as it was supposed to. Another thing that had me a bit confused was Layla's motivation for wanting to take the antidote, like I get it but I don't. She was the one that brought a lot of amazing dialogue to the story regarding white privilege and the experimentations that was done on black bodies for her to then, trust a white man? It made no sense to me, it felt inconsistent to her character. But one could also say it was her desperation for wanting to have a normal life as a human that clouded her judgment in that regard.

Also I know that Mr. Wayne was the villain of the story but Mr. Saint........he was running for worst father of the year oh my god!! He was so cruel to Elise, my heart continuously broke for her wanting to prove herself to her father but being met with the cold shoulder. He was the villain of the entire story in my eyes.

If you want to read an enemies to lovers, sapphic vampire book...this one is for you!!!

Thank you NetGalley & SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the early digital copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I am so disappointed. I heard of this book on tiktok and I love the author's videos, so I immediately requested the arc thinking I would be discovering my new favorite book. I mean, it has all the buzzwords I love. Black sapphic vampires murder mystery set in the 1920s?? Sounds like the perfect recipe for me.
Unfortunately it just did not live up the hype that I built for myself and that the early reviewers on tiktok built up. I wanted to love this one, and I really thought I would.

The first problem I had is with the murder "mystery". Not only was the reveal obvious from the start, but it also just didn't feel like the stakes were there. It seemed like not much investigating was actually happening, and I just didn't feel a sense of urgency to solve it from the characters.
The other problem I had was with the romance. I was so excited for sapphic enemies to lovers, but I just never felt the chemistry between them. It felt forced overall, like the characters did not actually care for each other. A deep connection was mentioned, but I never really felt it if that makes sense.

One thing I loved though was the discussions about race and inequality, and how your social class can carry weight in how people view you as well as your race. I thought the discussions it brought up were very important, and I believe it was done well.

I've seen people both love and dislike this book so don't take my review as gospel - if it sounds good to you, pick it up!!

This was so much bloodier than I expected, and I do not mean that as a bad thing (although I was sad about some of those deaths). It was every bit the vicious, enemies-to-lovers vampire book I was promised--and a proper slow burn, on top of that! These girls hated each other for like 70% of the book. I did feel like the transition was a bit closer to a switch being flipped rather than a gradual shift, but I was also reading it on very little sleep by this point, so that may be on me more than the book, to be fair.

I also really liked how connected to history vampirism (or reaperhood, rather) was. While I'm a big fan of "I put it in because I liked it," I also love when the supernatural elements interact with the setting with as much purpose as they do here, and I'm looking forward to how that develops further in the next book.

I didn't love where some of the relationship dynamics went in this book (relating to side characters more than the leads), but as this is only the first book in the duology, I am holding out hope that they will be resolved in a satisfying way in the next book. Either way, I was invested.

I've been looking forward to this book since I heard about it, and despite a few quibbles, I also got some really nice surprises. I definitely recommend it, and I look forward to reading the next one.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the ARC.

DNF 16% in.

Thank you to RBMedia and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an e-arc and alc.

I really wanted to love this one and I do want to retry it with the ebook eventually but the audio didn’t work for me and I just at 16% in didn’t care about any of the characters. I couldn’t have cared less what happened to them and if I am not caring 16% in I tend to put the book down. It was okay and I liked the 1920s world but I wasn’t connecting to the characters.

It is 1926 and the reapers are on the rise in New York City but the Saint family has a thriving Reaper hunting empire that holds more power than the organized crime families in New York. Elise arrives home after 5 years in Paris to take her role as heir to the Saint family but she has this lingering worry that weighs more than her family’s obligations, the reapers of New York want her dead. Layla is still a new reaper and is haunted by her past, the night she lost her life, her parents, the protections of the saints, and her best friend Elise betrayed her. But when things start to go wrong for both the reapers and the Saints, they have to team up to try and figure out what is happening and save lives.

The world was the most interesting part, we see this fantastical 1920s world at the peak of the harlem renaissance with elaborate parties. I did enjoy that but it wasn’t enough to keep me engaged when I didn’t care about the characters. I do think it may have been that I wasn’t clicking with the audio so if I come back to this with the ebook I’ll update this then but I do think this will work for a lot of people it just currently didn’t work for me.

The book is slow burn and unputdownable. There are saints and reapers. When a newly turned reaper attack on one of the Saint’s family member, It turns Layla’s life upside down. While something happened five years ago that broke Layla and Elise’s friendship. There were so many mysteries in the book. When people begin to get brutally killed, Elise and Layla teams up to get to the bottom of mystery and conspiracy. The ending was totally unexpected.

Thanks to the Publisher and Author.

Sapphic friends to enemies to lovers to enemies hunter x vampire romance set in Jazz Age Harlem? Need I say more? It is 1962 and reapers, once-human vampires with a terrible affliction have risen in New York. The Saint family is a lucrative reaper hunting family and business that makes them the most powerful in the city. Elise Saint is the eighteen-year old daughter and heir to the empire but she's spent the last five years in Paris and now she is home... yet every reaper will want her dead now that she is back. Layla Quinn is a young reaper who is haunted by her past... and she was made five years ago, on a night where she lost her parents, her humanity... and was betrayed by Elise Saint. Layla and Elise have a complicated past but when reapers begin turning part human again and more brutal killings are rising.... Layla is framed for one and Elise is sent to investigate if the murders are linked to the reaper cure. Now they have to find a way to work together while dealing with their complicated past and feelings for one another if they want to stop the killings. This is the first book in a duology and the cliffhanger ending has me so curious for the second book and how this will wrap up. I love the setting and how the world was created in this one. The relationship between Layla and Elise was so interesting and I love the progression from friends to enemies to lovers to once again enemies. I can't wait to see where they go in the second book and how they will grow. The historical setting also was super fun and the vampire element in this book was really well done. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who wants a unique vampire read!

Release Date: August 6,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire | Sourcebooks Fire for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

➸ 3.75 stars

“It’s easy to do anything when you love someone. Even if it’s the hardest choose you’ve ever made.”

— thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review! full, in depth review is posted on my goodreads: @lizveless

🩸childhood friends to enemies to reluctant allies to lovers
🩸sapphic
🩸vampire hunter x vampire
🩸female rage
🩸1920s harlem renaissance setting
🩸slowburn
🩸touch her and you die
🩸mystery

I had such a fun time reading this one! I was immediately engaged into this story from the first chapter and could not put this one down! the main characters were definitely my favorite part about this book! as I’m writing this I’m still a bit conflicted on how to rate the book and if it will be my final rating, I definitely enjoyed it and liked but but it did have some things I think could have been better!

one thing I would’ve loved to see more of was layla and elise being enemies, I felt like it was too short! at the very beginning they were trying to kill each other and it set up an interesting story I was excited for but I felt like that scene at the beginning was the only one where they truly seemed like enemies! around 20% they became reluctant allies and I was just confused on where that desire to kill each other went.

this next one might be just me not understanding; the mystery… it felt like it was all over the place and I’m not sure I liked the execution of it, I’m still kind of confused on everything that happened if I’m being honest but I think that just might be me!

the last thing was the ending; it felt very abrupt if I’m being honest and I immediately went to check the authors page to see if there would be a sequel and then sighed of relief when I saw that there was! I am definitely going to read it since there were things left unfinished and I want to see more of elise and layla!

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing a free copy for an honest review.

This debut novel takes us to Jazz Age Harlem of 1920s. The Saint family dominates the reaper-hunting business, keeping New York's reapers—once-human vampires—at bay. Elise Saint returns from Paris to inherit the family empire, but the Harlem reapers' threat looms over her. Layla Quinn, a reaper created by a tragic past and former best friend betrayed by Elise, is framed for one killing and becomes entangled in a series of mysterious reaper murders, forced to team up together. Elise and Layla uncover a potential reaper cure and navigate the dangerous underworld while also confronting their past and intense emotions along the way.

With a thrilling mix of queer black girls, enemies-to-lovers, vampires vs. vampire hunters, and forbidden love. The story is also fueled by family conflict and complex emotions.

While the plot isn't particularly unique and could use more action and fighting, the evolving relationship between the two main characters kept me hooked. If you love queer vampire romance, this book is worth checking out!

It’s 1926, during the height of the Harlem Renaissance and Elise Saint is returning home. Home to the place she was forced to flee after tragedy happened. The heir to the Saint Families reaper hunting business she’s feeling the pressure to gain her fathers approval. Then she runs into her childhood best friend! The childhood best friend that tried killing her after she got turned into a reaper.
Layla has no love for the Saint family especially her ex childhood best friend! She blames the family for her getting turned into a reaper. But when strange things start happening Layla and Elise are forced to work together to figure out what’s happening.

This was one of my anticipated reads for this year and it did not disappoint! Hayley wrote a compelling and thrilling book that grabs your attention from page one! With complex characters and relationships, sapphic vampires, friends to enemies to lovers???, and all set in 1926 Harlem, this is a killer debut! I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in this series! A very happy publication day to Hayley and This Ravenous Fate! I highly recommend going and picking this one up!

I got roped in by the premise of the book. It is a vampire sapphic set in 1950’s Harlem. Layla is a vampire (vampires are called reapers in the book) and is the childhood best friend/lover of Elise whose family built an empire on annihilating reapers. Their enemies to lovers relationship was depicted quite well and it lived up to the trope of them being enemies.

For me, the book was just ok. I enjoyed it and it was a quick read but I do not think I will be continuing on with the series. I think the pacing of the book was off and there were a lot of parts that dragged for me. The book is quite long and I think a good chunk could be cut out with one more round of editing. Some scenes got a bit confusing as it was hard to keep track of who was talking and who was doing what. Also the big mystery Elise and Layla are trying to solve the whole book was not much of a mystery. Especially since I don’t think their effort in solving it really reflected the high stakes.

If you love vampires and mystery I still think you would enjoy the book. There were lots of scenes I loved in this book as well as the overall themes of friends and family that are portrayed.

Thank you, NetGalley for an advanced ARC of this book as an audiobook & for an honest review.

The main reason I asked for this book was because it was based on Vampires which are one of my favourite creatures to read about.

This story is based on Elise Saint a reaper, the once-human turned vampire with a terrifying affliction, & through the book, we are taken on an adventure in 1920s Harlem the Era of Jazz & secret clubs where things are not as they seem. Elise comes back from France deciding to take on the responsibility of being the Era to the Saint family Reapers who are thriving with power, but murders have started happening throughout the city that's been blamed on her with no one believing that more is going on than expected, Elise is trying to discover herself with the world she has chosen to live now she gave up her dreams to save her sister but stepping into these new responsibilities comes at a price & who was once her best friend becomes her enemy. As time goes by in this book we see some particular tropes laid out ( Enemies to Lovers, vampires bad, F4F. Romance, Slow Burn. Worldbuilding, Fantasy. Poc) which I think go together very well & I never felt that any character was not drawn out enough nor too little but giving up a steady paced progression into the goings on that unravel the more you progress. These characters have heart and strength which is seen in the situations that occur & through the actions they do in trying to get to the bottom of what's happening but with a Reaper (vampire) & a hunter nothing goes according to plan and chaos follows no matter where they go. The love story that you see happen is not thrown in your face but takes more of a backseat in certain scenes giving the action and the main Base of the story drawing you into wanting to find out about what's happening as much as Elise Saint on her mission to do what's right no matter the cost, you feel that she doesn't think it's right what's happening to people who are turning up dead who where once reapers but now die human & The complexity of her torn emotions of the life she had before she was a Reaper.

This book is very character-based, slow-burn and World-building book and I do not see this working for everyone, but for the ones it does, I think you will have quite a ride... I am highly looking forward to the second instalment and I also plan to do a book review on my upcoming channel Crimson's Whispering Books 📚

I really enjoy a good vampire story! This is book #1 of a duology set in 1920's Harlem. At 480 pages, it read quickly. I read it in a weekend. I am always interested in the rules in each vampire story and this one is unique! The origin of the reapers is truly horrific and added a lot of tension to the story. The story centers around childhood bestfriends who are now on opposite sides of the reaper/reaper-hunter divide. The combination of these two camps mixed with politicians, gagsters, prohibition and the medical profession really drew me in and kept me reading. I was not able to predict what would happen next.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys vampires stories, people that enjoy lush settings and historical fiction and those that enjoy romances.
Excitedly waiting for book #2!

I fell in absolute love with this book! The story was new, the characters were well written, and I just had an overall good time reading this book. Hayley did her big thing with this book and I will now pick up any and very thing from her. Pick up your copy!

Thank you to Source Books for giving me the great pleasure of reading this book early. Here’s my honest thoughts!!

Set in Harlem during the 1920’s, This Ravenous Fate is a sapphic vampire fantasy made to make you feel every emotion while reading it. The journey I went on while reading this book was emotional and lovely.

The world building and pacing of this story were incredible. I was immersed in their world from the first page. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, trying to see where the story would go. I found myself so enthralled in this world and the journey these characters go on.

Elise and Layla are two complicated, complex, amazing characters who I am both afraid of and also want to wrap up in a blanket and make sure they’re okay. I loved watching them build their bond back after their initial falling out. I loved seeing them grow vulnerable with each other and find out how to trust each other again.

I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here, and I will be impatiently waiting for the next book. (Source Books, if you’re reading this, I NEED IT ASAP!!!)

I was so excited to read this book vampires, enemies-to-lovers, romance… what could be bad? Unfortunately, this book did not live up to the hype I was expecting.

Overall, the concept was a good idea blending politics with the fantasy, but I found the writing clunky. The writing itself felt like there were too many questions unanswered, and at the same time, it felt overly descriptive. What really hurt this story was the lack of character development. I did not care about the characters and the trials they had to endure to reach the conclusion. I thought the setting was something fresh and establishing this was something the author did well.

Rating: 2⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I tried multiple times to get into this book and finish, especially when the description sounded so good. It just was not capturing my attention. The pacing was far too slow and I was not connecting to the characters. I kept going to other ARCs ahead of it and coming back. Now at release I must admit it's just not going to ever capture attention for. Knowing it was a series as well and already not enjoying it, I knew it had to be a DNF book. If I didn't enjoy it this far in, I would never want to see where the characters went for another book and there was no point pushing forward when the story would not pick up possibly. Maybe if this was a one-off book it would have been faster paced to capture attention or draw me in. This however wasn't for me.