I enjoyed this read! Was fast paced and it did feel like a wattpad/ fanfic but that’s probably why I read it so fast. I would recommend to someone just looking for a vampire enemies to lovers book!

Oh boy, this was not what I had hoped for or expected. I really thought this started out strong but then took a turn for the worse really fast. I really wanted to dnf this at the 70% mark but finished it because of how much I have read. This was a vampire academy/house of night rip-off but with more sex scenes in it than was necessary. I understand this might have been one of those books you maybe read for vibes or just for the tropes of this teacher/student relationship and definitely not something you take seriously but this was just no. The language used in this was awful, the dialogue so repetitive. You can't make me believe that this big bad mean girl vampire that the MC clashes with often was calling everyone a noob in every line of her dialogue. This was the cringiest, most wattpad fanfiction, thing I have ever read.

Cloak of the Vampire by Sapir A. Englard
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
🔥Supernatural
🔥Enemies to Lovers
🔥Hidden Identity
🔥Forced Proximity
🔥Grumpy x Grumpy

I love vampires and have been consuming vampire books and TV shows since my teens so of course I had to read Cloak of the Vampire!

This book has a very interesting take on the vampire world that I really enjoyed. Think vampires meet Hogwarts and then sprinkle in dark romance. It genuinely caught me off guard how much I liked this book and I need book two!

I recommend Cloak of the Vampire to all vampire lovers out there!

Sapir A. Englard's *Cloak of the Vampire* weaves a tale of dark romance and supernatural intrigue, immersing readers in a world where secrets, vengeance, and forbidden desires collide.

The story centers on Aileen Henderson, whose ordinary life takes a sinister turn when she is transformed into a vampire by Ragnor Rayne, a powerful and enigmatic Lord of the League of vampires. Suddenly thrust into a world of brutality and bloodlust, Aileen's sole focus becomes revenge against the vampire who cursed her with immortality and bound her to him through the Imprint—a mystical bond she struggles to break.

Englard masterfully portrays Aileen's descent into darkness and her quest for vengeance, blending elements of horror, romance, and supernatural suspense. Aileen's journey is fraught with peril as she navigates the treacherous world of the League, where alliances are fragile and betrayal lurks at every turn. Her determination to defy Ragnor Rayne's control and reclaim her autonomy drives the narrative forward, compelling readers to root for her against insurmountable odds.

Central to *Cloak of the Vampire* is the complex relationship between Aileen and Ragnor Rayne. Theirs is a dynamic fueled by mutual distrust and a haunting connection that transcends mere animosity. As Aileen grapples with conflicting emotions—anger, desire, and a burgeoning sense of forbidden attraction towards Ragnor—Englard explores themes of power dynamics and the blurred lines between predator and prey.

The novel's atmospheric prose immerses readers in a shadowy world where danger and seduction coalesce. From the suspenseful Auction where vampires bid on human thralls to the clandestine machinations of vampire politics, Englard crafts a vivid backdrop that enhances the tension and intrigue of Aileen's journey.

Thematically, *Cloak of the Vampire* delves into themes of identity, sacrifice, and the consequences of embracing darkness in pursuit of justice. Aileen's transformation from a reluctant victim to a formidable adversary is compelling, underscored by Englard's nuanced portrayal of her internal struggles and external challenges.

In conclusion, *Cloak of the Vampire* is a gripping tale of vengeance and redemption set against a backdrop of supernatural danger and simmering passion. Sapir A. Englard's narrative prowess shines through in this darkly romantic exploration of love and betrayal in the realm of the undead. For readers captivated by paranormal romance and thrilling escapades into the occult, this novel promises an enthralling and immersive experience from start to finish.

*Cloak of the Vampire* by Sapir A. Englard is a compelling blend of supernatural intrigue and forbidden romance, showcasing the author's skill in crafting a suspenseful narrative with memorable characters and evocative world-building. Dive into the shadows and discover the allure of Aileen's quest for vengeance amidst the secrets of the vampire League.

This book is every vampire lovers dream! I loved it so much I need it for my shelf! I was captivated from page 1 and I can’t wait to read more from
This author!

Aileen Henderson is perfectly happy with her life as a wallflower. Her small apartment, steady job at a grocery store, and two friends are an easy shield to hide her from her dark past. But when she finds herself in the wrong place at the right time trying to help her best friend, Aileen’s comfortable life is ripped away by Ragnor Rayne, a powerful vampire lord. Forced to become a vampire herself and join his league, Aileen must fight to regain her freedom, even if it means resisting her growing attraction to the man she’s sworn to kill.

“So, yes, my free life was a poor, stinky one, but it was mine.
And in less than one minute, Ragnor Rayne had stolen it from me.”

This was a rough book to get through. It was very quickly apparent that the writing style and character voices would be better suited for a wattpad fanfiction (and not in a good way). Aileen’s characterization was confusingly random- she was described as ditzy, clueless, a passionate artist, and then simultaneously aggressive, insanely good at martial arts, strategic, but impulsively combatant. I’m not saying multifaceted characters can’t exist, or that these descriptions are an impossible combination to pull off, but it definitely didn’t work in this context. Her character didn’t feel cohesive, more dictated by what the plot needed from her or what the author thought would be cool for a one off scene. These traits were also explicitly told to the reader and rarely earned by Aileen’s actions. She vows to bid her time and exact revenge on Ragnor, but then doesn’t do anything to progress this for the entire book. She was a pretty paper doll to be posed around the plot, without ever making an important decision or actually having a purpose. Ragnor was written similarly, unable to move beyond the “dark and brooding love interest” shadow cast by much better characters in much better books.

The plot, again reminiscent of wattpad, felt episodic without a clear through line, causing strange pacing that either lagged or raced through events. The beginning was particularly bad (which explains the high number of DNF reviews I’ve seen that sit around the 15-20% mark), stumbling through an honestly unnecessary prologue and boring first couple chapters that are wasted establishing a setting/characters that immediately become irrelevant to the rest of the story. The middle really struggled with meandering, making it hard to stay focused on the already weak plot. Each time something interesting was introduced- combat training, visiting the other leagues, vampire lore, Aileen’s past, Ragnor’s past- the story was too scattered to actually sit in these moments and make something of them. Instead, these scenes were used to reiterate that Aileen was cool and mysterious and not like other girls, and Ragnor was also cool and mysterious and wearing a trench coat. The end was abrupt and anticlimactic. The Auction, the major event that will decide Aileen’s fate, isn’t given enough weight to feel real or threatening. It’s kept intentionally vague, but then revealed to be a very lackluster talent show and, self-explanatorily, just a regular auction.

I would excuse the messy plot if this book was committed to being a romance. I get it, not all readers care about the page padding between erotic scenes, but this isn’t that kind of book, despite its half-baked attempt to be. Neither main character was likable. They barely liked each other, and not in a tension filled, clouded-by-revenge, sworn enemies kind of way. Aileen and Ragnor settled for a room temperature FWB relationship pretty quickly, which bumbled along as a sleepy B story and amounted to nothing. Communication between them was nonexistent. This was acknowledged by them and other characters. Every time they almost actually spoke to one another, the scene devolved into hooking up or hollow disagreements that could be solved by, you know, talking to each other. Personally, I enjoyed reading about her conflicted relationship with (what are the odds) her former human boyfriend, Logan, now turned superpowered vampire, who is also a member of Ragnor’s league and conveniently responsible for training Aileen in combat.

I think a lot of the clunky issues with both plot and romance can be explained by a misplaced desire to hook readers into continuing the series. While cliff hangers can be exciting, intentionally teasing only the smallest bits of backstory and larger story lines didn’t entice me to pick up the next book, it made this one dissatisfying and boring. Who will Aileen end up with? What actually happened in Aileen’s dark past? What will happen with the randomly introduced gods that are lore dumped at the 90% mark? I don’t know, and I really don’t care.

To cap it off, here’s my collection of miscellaneous sins that will haunt me if I don’t mention them here. Newly made vampires are unironically called “noobs,” a bold and incorrect choice, which landed horribly every time and made me cringe so hard I nearly DNF-ed for that reason alone. Ragnor Rayne has midnight blue eyes. Have I mentioned he has midnight blue eyes? Don’t worry, if you forget, it’s mentioned 22 times. For the life altering, super important talent show, one vampire chooses to juggle and no one even questions it. The juggling is later performed to the Macarena song. Cassidy, Aileen’s best friend and catalyst for the entire plot who also becomes a vampire, is forgotten about and doesn’t matter at all. Ragnor goes to dinner and orders THREE steaks and a bowl of pasta for himself (vampires don’t need red meat or any special food, this is just his insane order). Vampire powers are influenced by skills developed when human- Logan was a soccer prodigy and has SOCCER SUPERPOWERS. When visiting Las Vegas, Nevada, Aileen is kidnapped and taken to the very real forest that definitely makes sense geographically to exist in the middle of the massive desert that Las Vegas is famous for. Ragnor, the rich, immortal vampire, uses all-in-one shampoo and conditioner.

“‘You still don’t understand how things work here, do you?’ he said in a low, rumbling tone.
Blood rushed up to my face. ‘I already told you,’ I said tautly. ‘You should’ve killed me.’”

Cloak of the Vampire was a bit of a goofy, lukewarm ramble. While not for me, I would recommend this for readers who prefer Kindle Unlimited style writing or who are just looking for a fun, turn-off-your-brain read.

1.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 out of 5 stars ⭐️

Wait! The book is over??? When are we getting book 2! Please hurry! This book was absolutely fantastic in every way possible. Alpha hole who pretends he doesn’t care and is in denial… absolutely mouth watering at that. Who doesn’t want someone they can’t have. Vampire. Strong female lead which is a complete bad &$@.. you know the word I’m trying to use. I’m absolutely obsessed with the brackets of vampires as well. This isn’t a regular vampire book there is so much depth and the slow burn is so good. It will have you on the edge of your seat. It’s spicy but not too spicy. I literally felt I was with the FMC the entire time in every single flashback. 2 povs. Would absolutely recommend reading this story. That cliffhanger though. The ending was not at all what I was expecting. I loved it- Kerin

Absolutely loved it! Finished it in one day and now I need more!! Can November be here already!?

The audio performance was absolutely breathtaking and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time!

Well then. This book is Hella hard to get into. The characters supposedly have in dept back grounds but feel very 2d. Two if the characters aren't even likable in the slightest. And nit a single thing in 50 pages makes me want to keep reading.

“𝑪𝒍𝒐𝒂𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆”” 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦, 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘈𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘮𝘢, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘈𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦, 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘩𝘴.
𝘐 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘛𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘺’𝘴 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘶𝘯𝘢 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘗𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦! 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 4.5 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 5, 𝘦𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.

I unfortunately found that this book and writing just weren't for me, so I have to give it one star and mark it as a DNF. This doesn't mean I think the book is bad, just not something I enjoyed reading at this point in time.

This book truly caught me off guard. Having never heard of this author before, I truly went in blind. Wow. What a journey! I need book two right now!

Aileen Henderson lives a normal life, with a mysterious past. That is, until she dies and wakes up to find she has become a Vampire. Aileen vows to get revenge on Ragnor Rayne, the monster who turned her into a Vampire.

I really enjoyed this. The plot is like nothing I have ever read before. The character development for Aileen was done so well. I also really enjoyed the angst and tension between Aileen and Ragnor.

The underlying mystery regarding Aileen's past kept me hooked. I mean, I couldn't put the book down! Genuinely.

🥀 Enemies to Lovers
🥀 Opposites attract
🥀 Forbidden love
🥀 Age gap
🥀 Forced proximity
🥀 Grumpy / grumpy
🥀 First person, dual POV

This story had the perfect blend of romance, supernatural elements and suspense. The cliffhanger was very unexpected for me and I'm eager to read book two.

Cloak of the Vampire was a captivating read with enemies to lovers and dark academia vibes. It was a little slow at the beginning, but offers the reader just enough info to question what will happen next. I enjoyed the plot and the way I never knew what was going to happen next. The relationship between Aileen and Ragnor was an interesting slow burn. They were fighting tooth and nail at the beginning, in true enemies to lovers fashion. Their undeniable chemistry ended up winning and throughout the second half of the book we see them evolving into a new situationship. The twist of events throughout the end of the book really had me in a choke hold, and I was left reaching for more at the end of the book. I can’t wait to see how the next book unfolds.

This book is such an interesting take on Vampire Romance!

This book focuses on Aileen, and her journey as she becomes a vampire. In this reality, vampires are turned and there are even humans on a waitlist to be turned. She is turned against her consent, or knowledge by Lord Ragnor Rayne, who is a high ranking royal Vampire.

We follow her story as she is struggling to adapt to this new way of life and find answers for as to why she was turned. She begins a budding romance with Ragnor, whom turned her. There are many plot layers to this book. Aileen knows some of the vampires she meets after she is turned, leaving her vulnerable to Ragnor learning her past. So many questions that have yet to be answered.

This book ends on cliffhanger, leaving you wondering what is in store for Aileen & Ragnor next! There is romance, suspense, and plot for days. Thank you to Net Galley and the Author Agency for the early copy!

Fascinating is all I can say! Beware it is a cliff hanger! When Aileen follows a friend into a dark alley, she is sent on a journey that she could never imagine. She was turned into a vampire but not just any vampire but a common vampire.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for allowing me to review

Thank you for the ARC copy from Netgalley to review.
I love the beginning of a new paranormal/fantasy series. I love good world building and setting the stage. Aileen and Ragnor were great characters and I can’t wait to see what Book 2 holds for this series. I feel like the back story was just starting to build and give more details towards the middle to end of this first book. The tour of the different vampire houses was such an entertaining part of the story and the ending…😩😳

I really thought this was going to be another cheesy vampire romance but boy was I wrong. I can't imagine how much research went into writing this book, as it was so complex but not confusing. I've never wanted book 2 of a series as much as I want this one. Prepared to sell my left kidney for the next book but I think I'll just wait lol. Aileen's story is captivating and Ive never come across a book about vampires such as this one that held my attention as much as this one has. The cover did nothing to pique my interest that ,icy but I thought ooo vampires. I love vampires. But it was so much more. Sapir has such a way with words that captivate the mind and have you focused on nothing else but the story. Eagerly awaiting book 2.

This was a little hard for me to get into at first but then it picked up. It did have an interesting plot. There was good world building. Lots of secrets were revealed. Overall it was a good read and I'm interested to know what happens in the next book especially after that cliffy.

I'm really intrigued by the magic system within the vampires and certainly interested in the "religion" that the main character seems to be a part of, but highly disappointed in the lack of it that we did get to see.

I think most of my issues with this book stem from the main character. She couldn't decide if she wanted to be some sort of cold bad ass that can handle on her own, or she was a whiny little girl who couldn't stand on her own two feet. Every time I started to like her for standing up for herself she turned into a sniveling baby and made ridiculous choices. Hopefully in the next book she'll have grown a spine.

This was an intriguing take on vampire romance and I was immediately sucked (no pun intended) into the world and lore of this book. Aileen is such a strong and fierce FMC and her relationship and dynamics with Ragnar, the vampire who turned her, were my favorite parts of the book. The lore and the academia setting were really great and unexpected and the enemies to lovers trope that the two main characters exhibit was amazing. Would highly recommend this if you enjoy PNR, mystery and enemies to lovers tropes.