Another vampire origin story set way back in year 1574. About a shadow huntress known as Selina Dragavei, who was once a maiden of the wild folk, and how she has resurrected an ancient evil in a time of holy destruction.
Fast forward to the year 1704 - her small vampire troupe comprises Mirevel, Doval, Lillai, Selina, Barsali and two children Morpus and Săraca as her loyal companions - plus these vampires have werewolves as an ally.
Selina Dragavei’s new brood was now complete. When all were well versed in their new powers, they assumed the guise of the entertainers Selina had foreseen and set about their nocturnal activities― so many warm bodies to be delirious among, so much crimson cream to taste …
Drifting through arenas of prey, feeding their insatiable hunger, too many nights they had escaped, but the carelessness of young vampires will cost them all dearly..
Selina's backstory prior to her transformation wasn't really explored but I feel it wasn't really necessary. The story focuses more on how she deals with the decimation of her vampire family, her thirst for vengeance and her final confrontation with Desider Von Brandenburg (witch/vampire hunter who has served the Holy Roman Empire for three decades).
All I can say is that it is devastating - an eye for an eye indeed! Poor Eloise...
An enjoyable read about vampire lore albeit not scary and extreme...fast-paced and nothing too far fetched or ridiculous.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Pass! 🖤

4✨

Vampires and the exquisition! I love it. I received a free eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press, LLC for the ARC of this novella in return for a honest review about said book.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

A Light of Little Radiance
by Beverley Lee, Keith Anthony Baird

Is a story about the night, wolves, the darkness, and vampires.
I am more of a werewolf kinda guy than I am into vampires, however the main character Selina Dragavei has a wolf at her side which is pretty badass.
I enjoyed this story so much that I ignored my other NetGalley ARCs to read it.
Honestly, it was just that hard to put down and I found that the easy, but well-written style was sucking me back in everytime I went to put it down. When I did manage to put it down I was wondering about what would happen next and ended up picking back up over other novels.
I would recommend this to anyone that has a thing for well written vampires.
None of that sparkling spider-monkey bull.

An interesting story and a nice twist on both the classic and more modern vampire stories. Portraying the vampire characters as very much the heroes of the tale, and watching them suffer persecution, torment, loss and grief; only to rally and seek their own justice. The vampire slayers felt very much the more monstrous of the cast, although the vampires definitely lived up to their bloody thirsty reputation at points. Short and fast paced, very easy to read, maybe not to everyone’s tastes but I enjoyed it!

I wish I felt like leaving a useful review, but I'm afraid I don't. How can such a short book drag so much? Overwritten, flat, and pointless. Gorgeous cover though.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

I got immediately drawn to request this book because it was described as being in the horror genre with vampires as the main protagonists. And although there was vampires indeed, a whole troupe of them, the horror wasn't.

This is a very classic vampire story. It doesn't do anything new, but I don't think it's trying to either. Even after I understood this, I still wanted more of the story and of the characters. All of it felt very linear and constant. I don't even know how to describe it in better terms.

The aesthetics were definitely there, and the writing was the best part. It's beautiful and very well crafted. I can only applaud its writes for the carefulness they put into every moment of this story.

I also appreciated how we were not forced to side with either the vampires or the hunters, and I found it interesting how humanized the vampires felt in this work. I can't say that I loved the characters, but they worked well for this story.

I had high expectations that this book would be for me, but it wasn't. Nonetheless, I'm absolutely certain that this book will meet its fans. If you enjoy classic vampire tales, this one is for you!

*Thank you NetGalley for providing this e-arc in exchange of an honest review.*

**Review of *A Little Light of Radiance***

*S.G. Night’s* *A Little Light of Radiance* immerses readers in a darkly enchanting narrative that deftly blends historical horror with elements of fantasy. Set against the backdrop of Europe’s Dark Ages, the story follows Selina Dragavei, a captivating protagonist grappling with her newfound identity as she navigates a world fraught with peril and persecution.

From the outset, Night establishes a haunting atmosphere as Selina wanders the northern wastes, evading the witchfinders of the Holy Roman Church. Her fear of persecution is palpable, making her transformation into a figure of darkness and bloodlust all the more compelling. As Selina evolves, her struggle between vulnerability and predatory instincts serves as a powerful metaphor for the personal battles we all face, making her journey resonate on multiple levels.

The narrative is rich in vivid imagery and historical detail, drawing readers into a world where pageants and royal galas juxtapose with the lurking threat of witch hunts. Night's writing shines particularly in the depiction of the troupe of entertainers, whose charm and complexity add depth to the story. Their dark revelry and moral ambiguity create a sense of danger and excitement, making every encounter feel charged with potential chaos.

Desider von Brandenburg, the relentless witchfinder, is a formidable antagonist whose obsession with hunting down Selina and her companions intensifies the tension throughout the story. The cat-and-mouse dynamic between him and Selina is thrilling, as both characters are pushed to their limits in a battle of wits and survival.

The themes of faith, redemption, and the nature of evil are intricately woven into the narrative, prompting readers to question the very fabric of morality. Night skillfully balances moments of suspense with philosophical reflections, creating a layered story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking.

As the plot unfolds, readers are treated to a captivating exploration of Selina’s duality—the light and darkness within her—and the relationships she forges along her journey. The stakes are high, and the resolution promises a thrilling conclusion that leaves readers eager for more.

In conclusion, *A Little Light of Radiance* is a beautifully crafted tale that captivates from beginning to end. S.G. Night has created a rich tapestry of horror and fantasy that is both haunting and illuminating. This book is a must-read for fans of dark fiction and those who appreciate narratives that challenge perceptions of good and evil. Prepare to be spellbound.

If Stoker, Le Fanu and Lumley ever wrote a book together, this would be it.
Old-style vampire tale, old-school vampires, that dychotomy between good and evil, right and wrong, the weight of the survival instinct vs the weight of faith and religion... wow. What a ride! I read this in a couple of sittings, that's how engrossed I was with this tale. Everything about it sent me back to my younger days of being goth and devouring this kind of story and longing for more and more and more. The ambiance, the mood, the historical settings, everything was pretty much perfect for me, in this novella. The characters and their depth (hard to achieve in long novels, let alone in novellas) was what came out the most, for me, each one with such individual traits that are shown to the reader through their actions and their thoughts, with barely any dialogue or exposition. This is hard to achieve, fellows, but these two authors did such an amazing job of it! Easy five star read for me, and I will def recommend it to fans of old school vampire stories with great writing.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Brigids Gate Press, LLC for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We start the journey with Selina running away from Roman Church and finding herself in a cave where she becomes something "sinister".

Now, as a person who loves reading horror, I expect to either be terrified or at least a little scares when I read books that are tagged as such. Unfortunately, this book was not scary at all.

However, the story was really good. Characters were realistic in a way that "bad people" and "good people" were not just that and they had depth to their characters even in a novella format.

I liked reading along the story and the writing kept me intrigued.

The only reason this is a 4 star and not a 5 is that I would personally not consider this a horror.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that horror element that I was looking for based on the genre and description. It worked well overall and had that terrifying atmosphere that I was looking for. The characters had the great overall feel worked overall. It was horrifying and was what I wanted overall. The characters had that element of what I wanted, it felt like they were characters in this world and from the story itself. Beverley Lee, Keith Anthony Baird has a great writing style and I hope to read more. I enjoyed getting to know Selina in this book and the rest of the characters.