2.5/5 ⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the book!

Overall I liked the story. The writing left a lot to be desired, maybe it was just a writing style that I didn’t personally vibe with. I did find some errors (not a huge deal). The world building for me was hit and miss, I liked the idea of the world and kingdoms but would have liked more details. I found most of what was provided very surface level, but then things like the plants and food were described in a lot of detail. There were parts that were hard to get through and I felt like there was a lot of filler versus plot.

Having said that, I really liked the friendship between Levana and Anika. Their banter was enjoyable. Insta love isn’t my favorite trope but I liked King Orion.

Masters of Blood by Karolina Wilde follows princess Levana as she gets married off to King Nikolas. Or so she thought, until vampire King Orion comes into play. This was my first read by Karolina, but I can guarantee it won’t be my last. Her writing was captivating and well descriptive. I could picture the environment so well.
I truly loved the writing, however there was a spelling error on page 244. “….. but I could note tell the difference.” I’m sure it was supposed to be not in that context.
All in all, I truly loved this book and its characters. Princess Levana finally came into her own after King Orion showed he what real love feels like. This book also displayed that just because family is blood, does not always mean they deserve your time and attention. I highly recommend this book for the spicy fantasy romance readers. Thank you Xpresso Book Tours for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I am so glad I found this book. I can’t stop thinking about it.
This book is hot, hot hot. The twist on Hades and Persephone kept me reading all night long.
Levana was kidnapped by vampire King Orion and forced to marry him. With time she falls in love with him. And who can blame her with this sexy vampire. He is not shy about showing her his affection for her.
I can’t wait to read the next book of the series . 5 stars without a doubt.

DNF @ 35 % I hate to do this, but this was just not well written. I should have been more careful in requesting this. There were so many errors, not just simple things that might be caught in later editing, but major, distracting issues. Not the kind of thing that might be redeemed if I continued to read, unfortunately. If the story was compelling enough to make up for it, that might be one thing, but alas.

Thanks to Karolina Wilde and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll start by saying that I haven’t read many retellings of the Hades and Persephone myth, so I can’t compare it to other popular retelling. However, ever since I read the book description and requested an ARC from NetGalley, this was one of my most anticipated reads. So, many thanks to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read "Masters of Blood" before it came out. Without further ado, let’s dive into this spicy fantasy romance.

“Masters of Blood” by Karolina Wilde is a thrilling novel that reimagines the timeless tale of Hades and Persephone through the lens of vampires. The story was fast-paced and easy to read.

Masters of Blood is a retelling of Hades and Persephone, but with vampires and humans. The narrative revolves around Orion, a vampire ruler hailing from the realm of Obridora, and Levana, a princess who is human. During a gathering of leaders, Levana is publicly introduced for the first time in her entire existence, catching Orion’s attention. Orion is instantly attracted to her, but she doesn’t even acknowledge him because vampires have a bad reputation among humans. When Orion discovers that he is promised to the solitary human ruler in their realm, he realizes he must step in, even if it means kidnapping her and potentially initiating a war, to obtain what he desires the most.

What I loved
Karolina Wilde masterfully weaves together elements of passion and plot, creating a story that keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end. The blend of spice and storyline is expertly executed, and I enjoyed the incorporation of the shadows into those scenes as well.

Throughout the narrative, Levana, the FMC, underwent substantial character development. Levana started off as a timid and sheltered girl, lacking emotional maturity and being taken advantage of by her family. With the progression of the story, her self-assurance increased. While I absolutely loved Orion’s character, his quick wit, and his explicit language, I couldn’t help but feel that his character lacked the depth that Levana had. Although we did receive some additional details about him towards the end, I still yearned for more.

What didn’t resonate with me
I enjoyed this story, but I think the pacing occasionally falters, veering between moments of languid exploration and hurried escalation. The climax, in particular, felt somewhat rushed, detracting from the otherwise immersive experience, but the epilogue was quite satisfying. Also, it got a bit repetitive at times.

Tropes and themes
With great finesse, Wilde examines enduring literary tropes and themes, presenting a fresh perspective on the classic story of Hades and Persephone by intertwining it with vampire lore.

- Hades x Persephone retelling

- Enemies to lovers

- Touch her and die

- Shadow magic

- He falls first

One of my favorite quotes:

“Go to hell.”King Orion smirked. “Only if you go with me.”

Conclusion
“Masters of Blood” is an amazing read that vampire romance fans will love. It’s a bit uneven in its pacing and character development, but the premise is captivating and the passion is intense, so it’s definitely a memorable journey. Karolina Wilde’s retelling of a timeless myth will leave readers craving more, eager to lose themselves once again in the shadows of Obridora.

The world building was great. The only thing I was missing, was how the vampires got humans? Didn’t know if they bread humans for slaughter or if they had people willingly coming to them? Maybe I missed something?

Romance was intense. It was an emotionally slow burn, it took some time for Levana to get her feelings in order but the attraction was there. Who wouldn’t be turned on by a gorgeous vampire king?
The chemistry Levana and Orion had was there. It was passion, love and possessive. All you could want in a fantasy romance.

Levana grew so much as a person during this journey. From letting people walk all over her to be her own person and taking charge of her life.

In the end it felt like the story ended but the second book is coming. I need it now.

I enjoyed this book but I think the pacing was a bit too inconstant, feeling dragged or rushed at times. Especially the end felt a bit rushed, but the epilogue part was quite satisfying.

What really got on my nerves (and I'll die on this hill) is the corset part. While some were indeed tight lacing, corsets can be very comfortable and not at all movement impairing.

Back to the plot, it is more like a romantic story with vampires than an adventure or anything. There are politics, but I feel like we could've benefited from more details regarding how the system work.

The relationship was okay, and I really liked how the MMC treated issues at times, but kidnapping and then falling in love is a bit wattpad-y to me.

All in all, it is an enjoyable book, but it could benefit from some fine tuning.

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a vampire retelling of Hades and Persephone. The story was fast paced, and a quick read. I had a hard time getting into it, but I would continue reading as a series and would read more from the author.

I really could not get past the massive amount of spelling and grammatical errors in this. Also the way the characters interacted and felt towards one another made little sense. I wanted to like this but I couldn’t. I won’t review on their platforms so I won’t bring down its score but it needs serious editing.

Oh man this book captured my interest quick…….within the first few chapters.

When the description says and mix between ACOTAR but with Vampires…….this is sooo accurate. I can’t wait to read book 2!

Levana and Orion’s story is one for the books……sweet and fated! I love these characters.

Masters Of Blood is a loose retelling of Persephone and Hades. It was ok for an interconnected standalone but lacked detail, except when the FMC was eating lots of detail there. The pacing was good but felt slow. The story was good but lacked detail. I found myself wanting more frequently. I wanted to call it quits around 80% but kept going. I did skim some to finish the book but since lacked detail I didn't feel I missed anything. In the end I enjoyed the story and the book but I will not be reading the next in the series.

- Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing this arc! -

3.5 ⭐️


I cannot wait for the next book. And I will, for sure, read another book by Karolina Wilde.

(+)
- Short chapters and liked the writing;
- The retailing of Hades and Persephjon was very cool. I have not read any other before, so take that as you will.
- Orian's friends. I cannot wait for the other books;
- Anika and Levana's relationship. They are the true love story.
- Orian and Levana

(-)
- This book did not feel like it ended. I was so confused when I realized that this was an interconnected standalone. It did not make sense and that is the main reason I did not rate it higher;
- Everything was kinda rushed at the end of it.

I picked up Masters of Blood because I intrigued by the vampire twist of Persephone and Hades retelling. It has been a while since I’ve read anything pertaining vampires, I really wanted to love this but the stakes were so low and our Hades MMC Orion ultimately little to no reason to justify stealing Levana away. The main reason I struggled and kept loosing interest with this book was Levana’s characterisation! She is whinny, immature and very annoying - past the half way mark she has somewhat of a redemption arc in my eyes but every other chapter I wanted to smack some common sense into her.

The vampires are very stereotypical - dark, mysterious, and sexy. The author does a beautiful job of world building when it comes to Obridora. The pacing at the beginning is slower than a turtle but it does pick up!

This book masterfully reinvents the classic Hades and Persephone myth with a captivating vampire twist. Set in the mystical realm of Eziron, the story follows Princess Levana Rhazien, whose predictable future is thrown into chaos when she is abducted by Orion Lothaire, the vampire king. Held captive in a land ruled by vampires, Levana navigates a perilous court filled with intrigue and the unwelcome advances of her captor. This novel is a thrilling blend of romance and danger, weaving together a tale of forbidden love and political machinations. The richly crafted fantasy world and intense character development make this book a compelling read for fans of dark, romantic fantasies.

I gave 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ to Masters of Blood. Thank you Net Galley and Karolina Wilde for this ARC. These are my honest opinions.

This book was okay. It was pretty fast paced, so it was a quick read. I kept losing interest though. Levana, the FMC, was annoying and I couldn’t make myself care for her too much. I liked her friend though!

This is gothic horror - slow burn, human and vampire.

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

I love greek mythology and I'm always on the look for a new retelling. This book was such a cool Hades and Persephone reimagining. And with vampires! Who doesn't love vampires? All in all a great novel, would recommend to anyone who loves a fantasy mixed with some dark romance.

I didn't love this one as much as I wanted. It was a bit hard to get into. I do think vampire readers will enjoy it and those looking for a spicy read!

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a story involving vampires, but the premise of Masters of Blood really intrigued me – a kidnapped princess, forced marriage to a vampire king and an isolated kingdom. Wilde does an amazing job of world building. Her descriptions of Obridora (Orion’s kingdom) were beautiful and really set the tone for the book. The characters were interesting and intriguing. I didn’t really like Levana in the beginning, but she has a definite growth arc that I came to appreciate. Orion and the other vampires were written like stereotypical vampires – dark, mysterious, slightly unhinged – and that’s exactly what I expected and loved. The pacing was a little slow in the beginning, but it eventually picks up and turns into a great spicy romantasy.

If you like vampires, spice and romantasy books, you should definitely pick up Karolina Wilde’s Masters of Blood.

I was intrigued by this book, and the intertwining of the Hades & Persephone myth with vampires, but I could not get into it and ended up DNFing it at 50%. My biggest problem with this book is that I feel like it didn’t adhere to the typical Hades & Persephone themes that make me like that myth so much. It was LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT for Orion (the Vampire King/our Hades) which does follow with the mythology, but this first glance love happened in the prologue for the book. This meant I didn’t even have a chance to connect with these characters individually before the entire book became about them as a unit, whether they were fighting or falling.

However as the story continued it also became clear that Levana (the stolen princess/our Persephone) was falling in love very very quickly. The ultimate reason I decided to stop reading the book was because by the 50% mark I felt like Levana had fallen for the man who kidnapped her without much reason, other than Orion = sexy. I felt no connection to Levana nor Orion because the stakes felt so low within their relationship. I did love Levana’s best friend Anika, but as I read more the connection I felt to Anika only heightened my lack of connection to Levana. Ultimately this book was fine, and I could have finished it, but the absolute apathy I felt to the story and two main characters would have made it a drag.

This book is part of the Lethal Love series. This is a Hades and Persephone retelling. This is a seductive read with vampires, court intrigue, fantasy, and romance. Great book! It pulled me in from beginning to end and held my attention. The world building is detailed and imaginative. This book has strong, well-developed characters, an interesting story line full of suspense, danger, action, mystery, unexpected twists, and an ending that left me wanting to read the next book in the series. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story.