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!

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.

I really liked this book, but I was a bit confused as to why King Orion took Levana because of the vague reasons he was explaining. Once Orion explains things clearly to Levana, it all started to make more sense and that's when I no longer could put the book down! The story started to move quickly and, Ohh man, at the end, my heart of racing!! I was so nervous with what was going to happen. I definitely need a sequel to Orion and Levana’s story!!

I just couldn’t vibe with this book. It took me far too long to reach the end of chapter one. This just wasn’t for me.

I initially wasn’t sure about this book. I started reading it and just felt sort of silly reading about vampires, etc. However - I am SOO glad I kept reading this.

I finished this book in like 2 days - and likely would have been much faster just had some stuff going on. The plot was super interesting and curious to find out if they are continue continue the war story line into the next book.

If you are a fantasy fan and like smut (duh who doesn’t). Preorder and read this book! Shoutout to NetGalley for the ARC - I’m really excited to continue this series and actually want to preorder the books for my book shelf so I have physical copies!

This was a very interesting book to read. It covers political disputes, war, different species (humans & vampires) twin flames, forced marriage and a LOT of spice.

I feel like the story was a little rushed but the plot overall was enjoyable to read. Who can't love a spicy smug vampire king that is possessive but gentle and kind to the person they love? Orion won me over from the first chapter so I have nothing to complain about him...apart from the fact he kidnapped and forced a marriage onto Levana. I'll forgive him.
I honestly enjoyed the side characters a lot more. They were bubbly and supportive. I would love to read more about them in the next book or a spinoff!

If you love SPICE, then this book will not disappoint. Every few chapters it has a scene that makes you squeal. Even if some weren't necessary..I enjoyed them!

The book overall was an easy and fun read. I will most likely read the next one and would 100% recommend this!

Whilst this had the potential to be a great romantasy book, there were too many flaws for me. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with the writing or the storyline.

However, if you like a simple vampire-related, sexy read, this is probably for you!

[Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review]

Masters of Blood follows the story of Levana, a human princess in distress with a controlled life that's been decided for her, and Orion, a mysterious, morally-grey vampire king that decides to kidnap and marry her.

Quick review: ⭐⭐⭐ | 🌶️🌶️🌶️¾ |

A premise that reminded me of an Hades x Persephone retelling and that delivered a dark, goth, spicy romance -but also focused on the growing love binding between Levana and Orion. A reading option if you want to try a dark romance for the first time (this one is pretty 'vainilla') and/or you also care about dark romantasies having a plot.

That being said, I found the pace to be inconsistent for me: as hooked as I was for the premise, I felt the first 25% of the book had little interactions between the main characters. Levana hates Orion and avoids him, and he avoids her aswell. There's no space to really build any romance tension apart from that, but also I feel it does not really emphasizes the enemies-to-lovers trope -and it doesn't last very long.

After that, the book turns into a romantasy with dark romance, spicy scenes that are well written and that take into consideration topics such as consent and respect between partners - something I really value.

So I would recommend this book if you:
-Are looking for a 'vainilla' dark romance to read
-Like spice but also romance
-Want a simple, easy to read romantasy book

Things I did not like as much:
-Enemies to lovers trope was not really in the plot (only about a 25% of little interactions)
-A little bit predictable and slow pace

Goodreads review (english): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6461552878
TikTok video (Spanish review in caption): https://www.tiktok.com/@alba.reads/video/7364030153225145632

I really wanted to love this book and read it quite quickly. However the pacing was off and the language between the characters felt almost AI generated and something I would think someone in middle school would say. It was an interesting book with potential it just missed the mark.

My encounter with "Masters of Blood" by Karolina Wild was nothing short of extraordinary. This intriguing blend of a Hades and Persephone retelling with a vampire twist enthralled me from the first page to the last. Hades and Persephone is always a good retelling when done right and the author did just that, it was done right.

As Levana is whisked away by the enigmatic vampire King, Orion, I found myself immersed in a tale of romance and suspense that surpassed all expectations. Why do romance readers love our FMC being whisked away all the time, it always makes for such a good read.

The novel's incorporation of beloved tropes such as forced marriage, enemies to lovers, and royal intrigue added depth and excitement to the narrative. The character development of Levana, from a sheltered princess to a strong and resolute protagonist, was a highlight that resonated with me, I am always here for a growth and a strong FMC. Orion's magnetic and enigmatic presence further added layers to the story, making him a character I couldn't get enough of. (Morally Grey yes please)

The supporting cast, including Anika, Lestat, and Saxon, brought surprising elements to the plot, leaving me eagerly anticipating future stories centred around their journeys. The passionate romance between Levana and Orion was powerfully depicted, with spicy scenes that added intensity to their relationship I do wish there was more though, but this is coming from a heavy romance reader.

I found myself drawn into a world of dark allure and forbidden love. While I was captivated by the narrative and its enthralling twists, a few minor pacing issues prevented me from awarding it a perfect rating I do feel like the ending was a little quick. Hence, I grant "Masters of Blood" a solid 4-star review for its gripping narrative, compelling characters, and unforgettable romantic tale that left me yearning for more, it is a book I will recommend to friends and will be continuing myself.

A massive thank-you to NetGallery for allowing me to review this amazing book, I enjoyed it.

I loved this book! This was my first time reading from Karolina Wilde and she did not disappoint. I will definitely be checking out her other books. I have read other Hades and Persephone retellings and this is my favorite so far. The slow burn tension had me hooked early on. The world building was so descriptive I could picture it in my head as if I was there. And I laughed out loud multiple times.
After King Orion’s (MMC) request for marriage is turned down by Princess Levana’s (FMC) father, he has no choice but to steal her away. Naturally, she is angry and doesn’t trust him. It turns out her life at home wasn’t quite as it had seemed (I did not see that coming!) King Orion slowly gains her trust in the most entertaining of ways.



Fav tropes:
Slow burn 🔥
Spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Enemies to lovers ❤️‍🔥
Forced proximity 🌹
Arranged marriage 💍
Fated mates 💕
Royalty 👑
Vampires 🦇
Fae 🧝‍♀️
HEA 💋

Fav quote:
“She is worth starting a war for. And then some.”

I want to keep this review spoiler free, but if you're looking for an easier fantasy but still filled with spice, fated mates, political intrigue, action, and friendships pick this one up!! A rough and reluctant start Princess Levana marries vampire King Orion she was previously arranged to marry another king and Orion claims he's saving her and keeps her in his kingdom. Levana is locked away in a foreign kingdom surrounded by vampires with her new husband who swears he will protect her with his life if need be!
This book kept me flipping the pages to find out what's next.
Orion was such a protective but sweet MMC( some of Orion's line
SWOON) and I absolutely loved the friendship between Anika and Levana!

I have a soft spot for vampires and this was an enjoyable read. Some of the grammar and word choices did pull me out of the story a tad, and I wanted a bit more to the characters. I also wanted to know more about Eziron and its history, and I feel like we would have benefitted from seeing things from Orion's point of view to understand the relationship development. I feel like we miss a lot and then suddenly he's obsessed with Levana.

There was some good spice, but at times it felt like everything happening was just to be convenient to the plot. But if you go into it not expecting the most in-depth fantasy, rather a spicy romantasy with Hades x Persephone vibes but with humans and vampires - you'll enjoy it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.