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The Revenant Games #1
The Revenant Games
Blood is survival in Bly's world – any human can compete in the Revenant Games, an annual fight to the death between witches and vampires. The prize: resurrection or immortality. But Bly didn't bargain on her mortal enemy, a vicious vampire, being able to steal her heart.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published March 19, 2024
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13268 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 745 reviews
April 10, 2024
I DIDN’T KNOW THE ENDING WOULD BE LIKE THAT AND NOW I’M UPSET 😭
💌 pre-read: back in my fantasy era… there are just too many that i want to read this year 😭✨
💌 pre-read: back in my fantasy era… there are just too many that i want to read this year 😭✨
November 10, 2024
The Revenant Games was incredible. Beautiful writing, desperate characters, a hint of romance, and death curses.
Bly is a dreamer who wants a better life. Her love for her best friend Emerson drives her deep into the forest with her sister in tow. Though the forest is dangerous because of the witches and vampires who lurk there. After her sister touches a death curse Bly vows to win her sisters life back in the games that take place every year. Win for the witches, you can bring back a person from the dead. Win for the vampires, and you can become immortal.
There was a lot of traveling back and fourth in the forest between Havenwhile and Vagaris. Though the writing was beautiful and each chapter serves its purpose. I found myself captivated by characters who, in their emotional brokenness, revealed complex layers. What struck me was how even those who initially appeared villainous were profoundly motivated by their pasts. I particularly found myself loving Donovan’s character. The romance within the narrative is a blend of both gradual and instantaneous; it's an instant attraction tempered by a hesitancy stemming from the characters' self-interests.
The ending was fantastic and fast-paced. I may add spoilers of my thoughts closer to the release date.
I loved it. This is one I predict will be very popular when it releases. I found myself already wishing I could read the next in the series. I will say this seems to be heavily inspired by All of Us Villains, and much less so Kingdom of the Wicked. I did not get KOTW vibes until the ending.
Bly is a dreamer who wants a better life. Her love for her best friend Emerson drives her deep into the forest with her sister in tow. Though the forest is dangerous because of the witches and vampires who lurk there. After her sister touches a death curse Bly vows to win her sisters life back in the games that take place every year. Win for the witches, you can bring back a person from the dead. Win for the vampires, and you can become immortal.
There was a lot of traveling back and fourth in the forest between Havenwhile and Vagaris. Though the writing was beautiful and each chapter serves its purpose. I found myself captivated by characters who, in their emotional brokenness, revealed complex layers. What struck me was how even those who initially appeared villainous were profoundly motivated by their pasts. I particularly found myself loving Donovan’s character. The romance within the narrative is a blend of both gradual and instantaneous; it's an instant attraction tempered by a hesitancy stemming from the characters' self-interests.
The ending was fantastic and fast-paced. I may add spoilers of my thoughts closer to the release date.
I loved it. This is one I predict will be very popular when it releases. I found myself already wishing I could read the next in the series. I will say this seems to be heavily inspired by All of Us Villains, and much less so Kingdom of the Wicked. I did not get KOTW vibes until the ending.
April 10, 2024
What a freaking cliffhanger! I need the next book to magically fall into my lap right now. I need to know what is going to happen next.
February 27, 2025
Honestly, had I caused the events of chapter one there would be no book because I would've k***** m*s***
March 27, 2024
⭐️ 2 stars
Thanks to myself, I didn't have high expectations for this book. The plot was meh, the games were so confusing and not intriguing. I didn't like the romance aspect either because the love interest was just so dull and lacked chemistry. There is also a shocking twist, but I guess it didn't surprise me. I can't say this book was okay because there are a lot of misses and lacks in the plot and I can't tolerate it.
Thanks to myself, I didn't have high expectations for this book. The plot was meh, the games were so confusing and not intriguing. I didn't like the romance aspect either because the love interest was just so dull and lacked chemistry. There is also a shocking twist, but I guess it didn't surprise me. I can't say this book was okay because there are a lot of misses and lacks in the plot and I can't tolerate it.
February 27, 2024
Honestly, Bly was an idiot, the games made no sense and were boring as hell, and the ending was so jumbled I couldn’t keep anything straight. Definitely will not read the sequel.
March 20, 2024
Two things you need to know about this one right off the bat:
1. It starts off kind of slow, but it definitely gets better.
2. There is a place called "The Gap" and I kept thinking the characters were referring to the store and then I would get confused because it didn't seem like the kind of world that would house mid-range preppy clothes, but alas.
So if you, like me, find yourself a bit underwhelmed at the start, it really does pick up. And if you, also like me, can't remember that there can be more than one place referred to as "the Gap", then let's be weirdos together! Anyway, we meet Bly, who feels like crap because she got her sister killed. That'll do it, right? And her bestie Emerson, who she's kind of in love with has been a little distant. So she decides she is going to enter this vampire-witch game that will likely end up killing her but probably not because this is the start of a series.
Emerson, despite his insistence that this is a bad-bad idea, won't let Bly do it alone, so they come together to try to win. They end up needing to play both sides, in order to save everyone's lives (and reincarnate Bly's sister) and end up getting themselves very involved in vampire and witch politics, and basically ending up in the midst of a war between the factions. They make some friends, some enemies, and some frenemies along the way. It is fun! It is an adventure! There are twists and turns galore! A few of them I saw coming (especially the "big" one) but there were plenty that I didn't! I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel because this definitely got interesting!
Bottom Line: After a bit of a slow start, I became fully invested in this story, and I have a feeling you will too!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
1. It starts off kind of slow, but it definitely gets better.
2. There is a place called "The Gap" and I kept thinking the characters were referring to the store and then I would get confused because it didn't seem like the kind of world that would house mid-range preppy clothes, but alas.
So if you, like me, find yourself a bit underwhelmed at the start, it really does pick up. And if you, also like me, can't remember that there can be more than one place referred to as "the Gap", then let's be weirdos together! Anyway, we meet Bly, who feels like crap because she got her sister killed. That'll do it, right? And her bestie Emerson, who she's kind of in love with has been a little distant. So she decides she is going to enter this vampire-witch game that will likely end up killing her but probably not because this is the start of a series.
Emerson, despite his insistence that this is a bad-bad idea, won't let Bly do it alone, so they come together to try to win. They end up needing to play both sides, in order to save everyone's lives (and reincarnate Bly's sister) and end up getting themselves very involved in vampire and witch politics, and basically ending up in the midst of a war between the factions. They make some friends, some enemies, and some frenemies along the way. It is fun! It is an adventure! There are twists and turns galore! A few of them I saw coming (especially the "big" one) but there were plenty that I didn't! I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel because this definitely got interesting!
Bottom Line: After a bit of a slow start, I became fully invested in this story, and I have a feeling you will too!
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
June 1, 2025
"People always choose the fear they know over the one they had yet to face."
![Profile Image for Namera [The Literary Invertebrate].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1647896333i%2F31792110._UX200_CR0%2C96%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
March 19, 2024
Speedy review before I head off to work - let's see if I can get this done in 8 minutes...
What we have here is 17-year-old Bly, a teenaged girl who lost her younger sister Elise to Witches a year ago. Witches, Humans and Vampires make up the three races, with Humans naturally ranking at the bottom. However, they have a chance to scrape a higher position if they win the Revenant Games, a Witch v Vampire combat trial featuring Humans as fighters
The description of the Games was SUPER confusing and by far the weakest part of the book. I consider myself of average intelligence for a reader, and I couldn't make heads nor tails of Bly's convoluted plan to win against both the Vampires and Witches. Basically, she wants the prizes for both - the Vampire prize is to gift someone with immortality (like her best friend she's in love with, Emerson) and the Witch prize is to resurrect a dead person (like Elise). Playing both sides is supposed to be a big no-no, but there's nothing really stopping anyone from doing so? So yeah, I was kind of confused, but I rolled with it.
Bly is a good heroine overall - you can see her transformation from aspirational dreamer to hard-boiled manipulator over the course of the book, and I liked that she didn't let anything sway her from her goal. There's hardly really a romance in this book, but what does exist features a dandyish vampire prince with a yearning for death. I don't remember his name (except that it starts with a K) but I do appreciate how he's not some jaded centuries-old aristocrat. He's only 22 in reality, and 18 physically. His scenes are definitely the best even if the romance overall is weak.
Hit eight minutes now, so I'll finish off by saying that there's a relatively strong climax and I think I'll read the sequel. Or at least, I'll add it to my TBR...
November 30, 2023
If you loved Cruel Illusions, get ready to devour this next adventure by this absolutely amazing author. I fully devoured this book from the very first sentence to the very last in which I might of a little bit at that ending and just a warning now I will physically curse anyone who gets in the way of me reading the next one, just wow. The author has outdone herself, and I have to say this is one book that I am adding to my full recommendations list for anyone who is even considering reading it. Spells, which is, vampires, and a completely amazing potline that has caught my mind and a small amount of darkness in me from start to finish.
March 21, 2024
I cannot waittttt for this!!!!!
March 16, 2024
I first saw The Revenant Games on Instagram, and when I read the premise, I knew I needed to read it. I love YA dystopian romances, and I was so intrigued by the paranormal elements. The story follows Bly as she enters a deadly game with other humans, vampires, and witches, determined to win at any cost so she can bring back her deceased sister and save her best friend.
Set in a society divided between humans, witches, and vampires, the world is a dark place to live, and it sets the tone for the story. Each group lives separate from the others, and fear rules, especially among the more vulnerable. I was fascinated by the dystopian elements, especially in the world-building, and the author highlights a society where people are dehumanized, freedoms are restricted, and some have definitive power over others. It is a world on the brink of unrest, and the tension permeates the pages and adds to the already intense plot.
The majority of the story unfolds as Bly, Emerson, and others enter and compete in the games. It’s a brutal competition, one Bly would not ordinarily enter. However, she proves that she will do anything for those she loves. The story has strong messages about love and relationships, and many different connections are developed over the course of their journey. I particularly liked how the author focused on siblings, and we see two very different sibling relationships, both bound by love and loyalty.
There are other relationships of note, too. For example, there is a bit of a love triangle, which isn’t my favorite, but Bly has major chemistry with one (Kerrigan) while she has a friendship with the other (Emerson). There’s a lot of angst and tension between her and Kerrigan – much more so than she has with Emerson, in my opinion, but I’m a sucker for a moody, broody hero. There are several scenes and swoony declarations that made my heart melt. And it also feels like there might be another love triangle, which I have a feeling will be more significant in the next book.
Overall, I thought this was an immersive and entertaining start to the story with a few surprising twists that I didn’t expect. And with that surprising cliffhanger ending, I can’t wait to pick up the next book!
Set in a society divided between humans, witches, and vampires, the world is a dark place to live, and it sets the tone for the story. Each group lives separate from the others, and fear rules, especially among the more vulnerable. I was fascinated by the dystopian elements, especially in the world-building, and the author highlights a society where people are dehumanized, freedoms are restricted, and some have definitive power over others. It is a world on the brink of unrest, and the tension permeates the pages and adds to the already intense plot.
The majority of the story unfolds as Bly, Emerson, and others enter and compete in the games. It’s a brutal competition, one Bly would not ordinarily enter. However, she proves that she will do anything for those she loves. The story has strong messages about love and relationships, and many different connections are developed over the course of their journey. I particularly liked how the author focused on siblings, and we see two very different sibling relationships, both bound by love and loyalty.
There are other relationships of note, too. For example, there is a bit of a love triangle, which isn’t my favorite, but Bly has major chemistry with one (Kerrigan) while she has a friendship with the other (Emerson). There’s a lot of angst and tension between her and Kerrigan – much more so than she has with Emerson, in my opinion, but I’m a sucker for a moody, broody hero. There are several scenes and swoony declarations that made my heart melt. And it also feels like there might be another love triangle, which I have a feeling will be more significant in the next book.
Overall, I thought this was an immersive and entertaining start to the story with a few surprising twists that I didn’t expect. And with that surprising cliffhanger ending, I can’t wait to pick up the next book!
April 8, 2025
Did I enjoy it? Technically, yes. Emotionally? That’s a mess we need to unpack. It felt like the story dared to keep me there, throwing logic straight into the garbage disposal and laughing while it sparked.
I spent most of my time aggressively suspending my disbelief to pretend the plot made even a whisper of sense based on the world the author was portraying. The main character had so much plot armor that every Shonen protagonist should be filing for copyright infringement.
And the endless back-and-forth between directions? Girl, come on. At this point, they should be earning frequent flyer miles or teleporting out of sheer narrative exhaustion. The “games” were giving GPS possessed by chaos. There is no economy in storytelling—just vibes.
Now, the cliffhanger? Oh, it got me. Not because it was brilliant, but because I’m now spite-invested. I need answers. I need closure. I need therapy. It’s like being held hostage by my curiosity.
Bottom line? The math ain’t mathing, the plot’s doing somersaults in traffic, and I’m sitting here with a raised eyebrow and needing a stress snack. With precisely zero trust in the next book.
2.5 ⭐️ / 5⭐️
I spent most of my time aggressively suspending my disbelief to pretend the plot made even a whisper of sense based on the world the author was portraying. The main character had so much plot armor that every Shonen protagonist should be filing for copyright infringement.
And the endless back-and-forth between directions? Girl, come on. At this point, they should be earning frequent flyer miles or teleporting out of sheer narrative exhaustion. The “games” were giving GPS possessed by chaos. There is no economy in storytelling—just vibes.
Now, the cliffhanger? Oh, it got me. Not because it was brilliant, but because I’m now spite-invested. I need answers. I need closure. I need therapy. It’s like being held hostage by my curiosity.
Bottom line? The math ain’t mathing, the plot’s doing somersaults in traffic, and I’m sitting here with a raised eyebrow and needing a stress snack. With precisely zero trust in the next book.
2.5 ⭐️ / 5⭐️
April 5, 2024
I'll start my review by saying that I did have a really fun time with this book and it didn't take me long at all to finish it.
However I did have a few issues that knocked my rating down to 3 stars.
First up while the world building is intriguing there's not nearly enough of it. The magic system in this book sounds so cool but there's no explanation.
Secondly Emerson was useless. Seriously what did he do?
Third everything just felt a little rushed. The plot had me hooked but everything happened so quickly there wasn't enough build up and the ending was so confusing. Too many people with too much going on being crammed into such a short space of time.
So yeah overall it's a fun time with a couple of issues that can be overlooked. The ending shocked me enough to have me read the second book.
However I did have a few issues that knocked my rating down to 3 stars.
First up while the world building is intriguing there's not nearly enough of it. The magic system in this book sounds so cool but there's no explanation.
Secondly Emerson was useless. Seriously what did he do?
Third everything just felt a little rushed. The plot had me hooked but everything happened so quickly there wasn't enough build up and the ending was so confusing. Too many people with too much going on being crammed into such a short space of time.
So yeah overall it's a fun time with a couple of issues that can be overlooked. The ending shocked me enough to have me read the second book.
February 22, 2025
Meinung:
Vielen Dank an den verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar!
Der Hunger trieb die meisten Menschen früher oder später an den Waldrand.
Das Cover finde ich echt schön. Es ist düster, man sieht Blut, welches für die Vampire steht und die Pflanze, welche für die Hexen steht, somit hat man eine schöne Brücke zum Inhalt.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin war sehr gut und angenehm zu lesen, ich kam schnell weiter in dem Buch. Geschrieben ist es aus Sicht von Bly, wodurch man sie am besten kennen lernt. Ich mochte die Beschreibungen der beiden Städte am liebsten, denn die konnte ich mir richtig gut vorstellen.
Zu Beginn lernt man Bly kennen, die an den Spielen der Vampire und Hexen teilnehmen will, denn zu gewinnen gibt es bei den Hexen einen wichtigen Preis. Sie könnte ihre tote Schwester zurückholen. Emerson, ein Freund von ihr in den sie heimlich verliebt ist, will ihr dabei helfen, doch weil er mit einem Todesfluch belegt wurde, brauchen sie auch den Preis der Vampire um ihn unsterblich zu machen.
Der Einstieg in das Buch hat mir wirklich gut gefallen. Es startet mit einem Rückblick zu dem Moment, in dem Blys Schwester Elise gestorben ist und man erfährt, wie es dazu kam. Das hat meine Neugierde geweckt und ich war gespannt, was die Autorin daraus machen würde.
Bly mochte ich gerne, sie würde alles für ihre Schwester tun und nimmt sogar die Spiele auf sich. Ihre EInstellung zu Vampiren und Hexen war von Anfang an deutlich, doch mit der Zeit merkt auch sie, dass nicht alles so ist, wie es scheint. Ihre Wandlung fand ich im Laufe des Buches etwas schnell, denn zuerst ist sie von ihrer Meinung überzeugt und dann ändert sie sie sehr schnell. Was ich aber cool fand war ihre Skrupellosigkeit. Ihre Schwester bedeutet ihr alles und sie würde sogar über Leichen gehen.
Emerson konnte ich lange nicht einschätzen, irgendwann habe ich ihn einfach toleriert. Er blieb für mich blass und alles was er tat war, Bly zu helfen und ansonsten hat er nicht viel beigetragen oder allgemein geredet.
Kerrigan hingegen mochte ich schon mehr. Von der ersten Sekunde an fand ich ihn interessant, da sein ganzes Auftreten anders als das der restlichen Vampire war. Ihn lernt man erst langsam kennen, aber er hat einen ausgeprägten Sinn für Gerechtigkeit und das merkt man immer wieder. Ich mochte seine Einstellung und seine Art an sich.
Ich beginne mit dem einzigen negativen Punkt. Ich habe die Spiele nicht verstanden und es wurde auch nicht gut genug erklärt. Man weiß, wieso die Spiele existieren, aber den genauen Ablauf habe ich bis zum Ende nicht verstanden. Es gibt den Hexenpreis und den Vampirepreis, was dafür zu tun ist ist klar, dann gibts noch Prämienjäger und Menschen die rumrennen und andere einfach töten. Aber die Erklärung von den Spielen habe ich nicht verstanden und auch den Ablauf fand ich etwas schräg. Während der Spiele ging auch alles etwas schnell. So dauert es mehrere Tage um von einer Stadt zur anderen zu kommen, und die spazieren da fröhlich hin und her. Dann frage ich mich, wie lange die Spiele eigentlich gehen, wenn sie so schnell hin und her wechseln können. Vielleicht habe ich es einfach nicht gut genug gelesen, aber meiner Freundin ging es auch so.
Ansonsten kann ich mich aber nicht wirlkich beschweren. Die Geschichte hat mir wirklich gut gefallen und die Idee dahinter war auch toll. Zuerst hatte ich die Befürchtung, dass es ein Panem-Abklatsch wird, was aber gar nicht der Fall ist. Bly und Emerson sind wild entschlossen beide Preise zu gewinnen und ihre Reise dahin fand ich interessant. Man ist mit ihnen zusammen in der Vampirstadt und auch in der Hexenstadt, die unterschiedlicher nicht sein könnten. Bei den Vampiren dreht sich alles um Spaß und sie schmeißen Bälle zu den Spielen, scheren sich nicht wirklich um die Menschen und legen keinen Wert auf die eigenen Sicherheit. Bei den Hexen geht es etwas gesitteter zu, wobei man schnell merkt, dass sie skrupelloser sind als die Vampire. Ich fand den Konstrat wirklich gelungen und man kann als Leser keine Seit wirklich mögen.
Es gibt auch eine Liebesgeschichte, die es für mich gar nicht gebraucht hätte. Die Entwicklung war für mich zu schnell und auch nicht immer nachvollziehbar, die Charaktere haben darum dumme Entscheidungen getroffen und das hat am Ende zu einem riesigen Drama geführt. Ich finde, man hätte das weglassen können und dann wäre es genauso gut gewesen.
Das Ende selbst hat vieles von dem Buch gerettet. Zuerst war es schon so, ja ok, ist halt so, aber dann kamen noch so einige Wendungen, mit denen ich gar nicht gerechnet habe und die mich dazu bringen, dass ich Band zwei lesen will. Manches konnte man sich als Leser denken, aber vieles eben auch nicht und meiner Meinung nach sollte jedes Buch noch ein paar Überraschungen bereit halten.
Fazit:
Ich mochte die Geschichte rund um Bly sehr gerne. Im Mittelteil hat sie mich etwas verloren wegen der Spiele, die ich nicht zu 100% verstanden habe, aber das Ende war dafür umso besser. Die Darstellung der Vampire und Hexen war interessant und anders als in anderen Büchern. Obwohl ein paar Charaktere blass blieben war die Geschichte doch gut gemacht und ich freue mich auf den zweiten Band. Von mir bekommt das Buch vier Sterne.
Vielen Dank an den verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar!
Der Hunger trieb die meisten Menschen früher oder später an den Waldrand.
Das Cover finde ich echt schön. Es ist düster, man sieht Blut, welches für die Vampire steht und die Pflanze, welche für die Hexen steht, somit hat man eine schöne Brücke zum Inhalt.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin war sehr gut und angenehm zu lesen, ich kam schnell weiter in dem Buch. Geschrieben ist es aus Sicht von Bly, wodurch man sie am besten kennen lernt. Ich mochte die Beschreibungen der beiden Städte am liebsten, denn die konnte ich mir richtig gut vorstellen.
Zu Beginn lernt man Bly kennen, die an den Spielen der Vampire und Hexen teilnehmen will, denn zu gewinnen gibt es bei den Hexen einen wichtigen Preis. Sie könnte ihre tote Schwester zurückholen. Emerson, ein Freund von ihr in den sie heimlich verliebt ist, will ihr dabei helfen, doch weil er mit einem Todesfluch belegt wurde, brauchen sie auch den Preis der Vampire um ihn unsterblich zu machen.
Der Einstieg in das Buch hat mir wirklich gut gefallen. Es startet mit einem Rückblick zu dem Moment, in dem Blys Schwester Elise gestorben ist und man erfährt, wie es dazu kam. Das hat meine Neugierde geweckt und ich war gespannt, was die Autorin daraus machen würde.
Bly mochte ich gerne, sie würde alles für ihre Schwester tun und nimmt sogar die Spiele auf sich. Ihre EInstellung zu Vampiren und Hexen war von Anfang an deutlich, doch mit der Zeit merkt auch sie, dass nicht alles so ist, wie es scheint. Ihre Wandlung fand ich im Laufe des Buches etwas schnell, denn zuerst ist sie von ihrer Meinung überzeugt und dann ändert sie sie sehr schnell. Was ich aber cool fand war ihre Skrupellosigkeit. Ihre Schwester bedeutet ihr alles und sie würde sogar über Leichen gehen.
Emerson konnte ich lange nicht einschätzen, irgendwann habe ich ihn einfach toleriert. Er blieb für mich blass und alles was er tat war, Bly zu helfen und ansonsten hat er nicht viel beigetragen oder allgemein geredet.
Kerrigan hingegen mochte ich schon mehr. Von der ersten Sekunde an fand ich ihn interessant, da sein ganzes Auftreten anders als das der restlichen Vampire war. Ihn lernt man erst langsam kennen, aber er hat einen ausgeprägten Sinn für Gerechtigkeit und das merkt man immer wieder. Ich mochte seine Einstellung und seine Art an sich.
Ich beginne mit dem einzigen negativen Punkt. Ich habe die Spiele nicht verstanden und es wurde auch nicht gut genug erklärt. Man weiß, wieso die Spiele existieren, aber den genauen Ablauf habe ich bis zum Ende nicht verstanden. Es gibt den Hexenpreis und den Vampirepreis, was dafür zu tun ist ist klar, dann gibts noch Prämienjäger und Menschen die rumrennen und andere einfach töten. Aber die Erklärung von den Spielen habe ich nicht verstanden und auch den Ablauf fand ich etwas schräg. Während der Spiele ging auch alles etwas schnell. So dauert es mehrere Tage um von einer Stadt zur anderen zu kommen, und die spazieren da fröhlich hin und her. Dann frage ich mich, wie lange die Spiele eigentlich gehen, wenn sie so schnell hin und her wechseln können. Vielleicht habe ich es einfach nicht gut genug gelesen, aber meiner Freundin ging es auch so.
Ansonsten kann ich mich aber nicht wirlkich beschweren. Die Geschichte hat mir wirklich gut gefallen und die Idee dahinter war auch toll. Zuerst hatte ich die Befürchtung, dass es ein Panem-Abklatsch wird, was aber gar nicht der Fall ist. Bly und Emerson sind wild entschlossen beide Preise zu gewinnen und ihre Reise dahin fand ich interessant. Man ist mit ihnen zusammen in der Vampirstadt und auch in der Hexenstadt, die unterschiedlicher nicht sein könnten. Bei den Vampiren dreht sich alles um Spaß und sie schmeißen Bälle zu den Spielen, scheren sich nicht wirklich um die Menschen und legen keinen Wert auf die eigenen Sicherheit. Bei den Hexen geht es etwas gesitteter zu, wobei man schnell merkt, dass sie skrupelloser sind als die Vampire. Ich fand den Konstrat wirklich gelungen und man kann als Leser keine Seit wirklich mögen.
Es gibt auch eine Liebesgeschichte, die es für mich gar nicht gebraucht hätte. Die Entwicklung war für mich zu schnell und auch nicht immer nachvollziehbar, die Charaktere haben darum dumme Entscheidungen getroffen und das hat am Ende zu einem riesigen Drama geführt. Ich finde, man hätte das weglassen können und dann wäre es genauso gut gewesen.
Das Ende selbst hat vieles von dem Buch gerettet. Zuerst war es schon so, ja ok, ist halt so, aber dann kamen noch so einige Wendungen, mit denen ich gar nicht gerechnet habe und die mich dazu bringen, dass ich Band zwei lesen will. Manches konnte man sich als Leser denken, aber vieles eben auch nicht und meiner Meinung nach sollte jedes Buch noch ein paar Überraschungen bereit halten.
Fazit:
Ich mochte die Geschichte rund um Bly sehr gerne. Im Mittelteil hat sie mich etwas verloren wegen der Spiele, die ich nicht zu 100% verstanden habe, aber das Ende war dafür umso besser. Die Darstellung der Vampire und Hexen war interessant und anders als in anderen Büchern. Obwohl ein paar Charaktere blass blieben war die Geschichte doch gut gemacht und ich freue mich auf den zweiten Band. Von mir bekommt das Buch vier Sterne.
March 21, 2024
4.5 ✨️
I rounded it to 5 because it has everything I love in a YA fantasy book.
If you feel nostalgic and want to read smth like old 2010 YA dystopian books pick this one.
It brings all the awesomeness from 2010's books but adapted to a more whimsical world.
Our heroine starts shy and as a daydreamer but ends being a total manipulator 🤣 the likes of Jude Duarte from The Cruel Prince.( loved her !!! She sticks to her plan no matter what )
Like every good 2010 YA there is a love triangle , with the right amount of angst I would say and a well executed plot that sometimes takes first place in the story leaving the romance a little bit behind ( but ALWAYS present and guiding the heroine decisions at each scene )
I thought at first this was a standalone but nope, is a first book in a series and the definition of a "set up book "for upcoming ones.
It ends in a cliffhanger, there is a strong character development for all the main characters abd a nice set up for the next book.
Vibes : OUABH definetly in the writting. Shatter me , Rook from Enchanting of Ravens, Kingdom of the Wicked ( first book ) and the Cruel Prince.
Why people are comparing this with twilight is beyond my understanding..( vampires eyes get dark when they are thirsty and thats about it )
I rounded it to 5 because it has everything I love in a YA fantasy book.
If you feel nostalgic and want to read smth like old 2010 YA dystopian books pick this one.
It brings all the awesomeness from 2010's books but adapted to a more whimsical world.
Our heroine starts shy and as a daydreamer but ends being a total manipulator 🤣 the likes of Jude Duarte from The Cruel Prince.( loved her !!! She sticks to her plan no matter what )
Like every good 2010 YA there is a love triangle , with the right amount of angst I would say and a well executed plot that sometimes takes first place in the story leaving the romance a little bit behind ( but ALWAYS present and guiding the heroine decisions at each scene )
I thought at first this was a standalone but nope, is a first book in a series and the definition of a "set up book "for upcoming ones.
It ends in a cliffhanger, there is a strong character development for all the main characters abd a nice set up for the next book.
Vibes : OUABH definetly in the writting. Shatter me , Rook from Enchanting of Ravens, Kingdom of the Wicked ( first book ) and the Cruel Prince.
Why people are comparing this with twilight is beyond my understanding..( vampires eyes get dark when they are thirsty and thats about it )
December 25, 2024
3.75⭐️
This was honestly about to be a 4.5⭐️ read before the ending. What was that? I am seriously pissed off. I was honestly loving this book until what happened at the end. The romance was going good, the games were going good. Everything was going pretty good, I mean, of course there were problems but it’s a fantasy book and also you need problems for it to be interesting of course so I was expecting a plot twist and a cliffhanger since I knew that this was in a series, but that just basically ruined it for me I’m not sure what to think of this otherwise though I really did like this but I think that just needs to stop screwing up everybody else’s lives. She talks about how she wants to save the person but she literally is just screwing up everyone else’s lives and not even getting what she wants. That annoyed me a lot, I think I will be continuing this series though because it was pretty good otherwise, I hope it gets better from here…
This was honestly about to be a 4.5⭐️ read before the ending. What was that? I am seriously pissed off. I was honestly loving this book until what happened at the end. The romance was going good, the games were going good. Everything was going pretty good, I mean, of course there were problems but it’s a fantasy book and also you need problems for it to be interesting of course so I was expecting a plot twist and a cliffhanger since I knew that this was in a series, but that just basically ruined it for me I’m not sure what to think of this otherwise though I really did like this but I think that just needs to stop screwing up everybody else’s lives. She talks about how she wants to save the person but she literally is just screwing up everyone else’s lives and not even getting what she wants. That annoyed me a lot, I think I will be continuing this series though because it was pretty good otherwise, I hope it gets better from here…
dnf
March 13, 2024DNF at 46%
Awesome premise. Absolute slog of an execution.
Awesome premise. Absolute slog of an execution.
August 15, 2024
I enjoyed this! I love YA fantasies with the trial/games aspect so that was fun- and a cliffhanger!
But I did think it lacked a little in some places...if it was in first person and had shorter chapters I would've ate it UP
And the love triangle 😑 don't get me wrong I do like a love triangle sometimes..but it has to be done right. In this case it was so painfully obvious that there was really only one option but the author forced there to be a triangle. For what???
But I did think it lacked a little in some places...if it was in first person and had shorter chapters I would've ate it UP
And the love triangle 😑 don't get me wrong I do like a love triangle sometimes..but it has to be done right. In this case it was so painfully obvious that there was really only one option but the author forced there to be a triangle. For what???
September 13, 2025
This was going to be 3.5 stars but I missed my flight because I was reading this in the airport so I think that constitutes bumping it up.
April 7, 2025
One of the most glaring issues is the lack of character development. The protagonist, Emerson, feels completely irrelevant to the story, offering little to no contribution to the plot. It was as if the author couldn’t decide what to do with him, so he simply floated through the events with no real purpose or depth. The attempted love triangle felt forced and unconvincing, lacking any real emotional stakes. It seemed like it was added it in for the sake of drama, but it didn't feel necessary or wanted in the context of the story. The dynamics between the characters were weak and didn’t add any meaningful tension to the plot.
Most disappointing of all was the lack of focus on the actual games. The excitement and intensity of the competitions were barely touched upon, leaving me wanting more. The author missed a significant opportunity to create a thrilling and immersive world around the games, which could have elevated the entire book.
Most disappointing of all was the lack of focus on the actual games. The excitement and intensity of the competitions were barely touched upon, leaving me wanting more. The author missed a significant opportunity to create a thrilling and immersive world around the games, which could have elevated the entire book.
January 18, 2025
I enjoyed this a lot.
Summary says All of Us Villains meets Kingdom of the Wicked. Not having read either of those, I couldn’t say if that’s true. But for me, for fear of scaring some away, this very much gave me Hunger Games meets Twilight meets Cruel Prince vibes.
It took a while for me to put my finger on the Cruel Prince vibes. But once I did, it’s difficult to miss. The dynamics between characters, Bly’s growth through the novel, the ruthlessness of some of the characters, how Vampires and Witches treat and interact with humans, it very much feels like Holly Black’s portrayal of the Fae (conniving, manipulative, arrogant, etc).
In any case, I definitely recommend it and am excited for what comes next!
Summary says All of Us Villains meets Kingdom of the Wicked. Not having read either of those, I couldn’t say if that’s true. But for me, for fear of scaring some away, this very much gave me Hunger Games meets Twilight meets Cruel Prince vibes.
It took a while for me to put my finger on the Cruel Prince vibes. But once I did, it’s difficult to miss. The dynamics between characters, Bly’s growth through the novel, the ruthlessness of some of the characters, how Vampires and Witches treat and interact with humans, it very much feels like Holly Black’s portrayal of the Fae (conniving, manipulative, arrogant, etc).
In any case, I definitely recommend it and am excited for what comes next!
April 2, 2024
I liked the plot of this book, but I do wish it had more explanation and detail. Both the love story and the explanation of the games were very underwhelming and lacked depth. It made some parts of the story feel too cheesy or random. The love story between Kerrigan and Bly felt very surface level and lacked chemistry. I wished we got to know more about their characters, especially Kerrigan, before they “fell in love.” Overall this was a real struggle to get through. This is the first and last book I will read of this series.
May 12, 2024
4.5 stars. This book had me on the edge of my seat for the majority of the book. The world was really interesting - a great magic system even though it’s morally awful. I enjoyed the depth of the major characters and the twists went different ways than what I expected. Super awesome book, give it a read!
March 26, 2024
Cliff hangers suck
Overall a really great read! There were times it felt like nothing was happening and other times it was going to quickly but by the end I was eating it up and need more! Now I'm crying over having to wait.
Overall a really great read! There were times it felt like nothing was happening and other times it was going to quickly but by the end I was eating it up and need more! Now I'm crying over having to wait.
April 18, 2024
DNF, I’ve read lots of YA books that were still well written enough to be enjoyed by adult audiences, but this book is not that. The premise sounds interesting but I couldn’t get through the weird narration and Mary Sue main character.
Want to read
December 14, 2023i think this book might be filled with cliches but i'm exactly in the mood for that so who's complaining.
April 15, 2024
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ now that I’m back on my bimonthly wrap up game, I’ll share my full thoughts in my April/May video on YouTube! 💜
September 27, 2025
(spoilers!!)
𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜:
𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣- 𝙙𝙪𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙖
𝟎:𝟐𝟔↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 𝟑:𝟐𝟗
𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙤?
𝙤𝙧 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄'𝙢 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤?
oh. my. goodness golly gosh. this was SUCH a good book and I was so invested. the only problem is I was reading this at incredibly late hours so my dumbahh brain was saying "huh?" "wha?" whenever a plot twist happened. then I had to process the paragraph again. (I had to do this with the BIG TWIST) my friend @bookwise (idk how to @) recommended this to me and it was so worth it.
𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙧, 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚?
𝙊𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙮?
'𝘾𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄'𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚
𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙮, 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙘𝙚
╰•★★ 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼 ★★•╯
𝙗𝙡𝙮: she was actually a character very very similar to me. she fought to the ends of the earth to find and protect her sister only to discover that she wasn't dead. because if a death curse happened with MY sister i'd be doing the same thing. also I liked how she wasn't at first a fighter badass and became a fighter badass. (thanks to the diva KERRIGAN) her grief and guilt for losing her sister was incredibly relatable.
𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣: I felt so bad for Bly for loving him when he loved Elise the whole time. he's the complete opposite of Bly, stoic and logical. but he also went to the end of the earth to help bly too. so he's a king. but he also broke bly's heart when she found out the truth, and planned a whole future with him only to discover a MAN (cough cough KERRIGAN).
𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙚: SHES LITERALLY ADENA FROM POWERFUL IN ANOTHER LIFE. CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE.
𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙣: A MAN. WHERE IS MY HUSBAND. #1 book boyfriend oh my freaking golly. he can bite my neck ANY DAY. and the fact he was willing to sacrifice himself for Bly after his trauma?? my baby boyyy.
𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙯𝙖: i was sooo pissed when she killed Bly but I also kinda saw it coming. her mom probably was pushing her to do it.
𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖: she had so much potential, killed carelessly by the witches only to be brought back by Bly and working with the people WHO KILLED HER??? it is reasonable though that she hates bly considering Vincent (her bro) was a sacrifice to maintain the witches' spell.
𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩: meh. I felt bad for him because he and his sister were suffering and starving, but I didn't really like him.
𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙜𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚
𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙄
𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚, 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙄'𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣
𝙒𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙤, 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡
𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄'𝙢 𝙫𝙪𝙡𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚, 𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩-𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙙, 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙤
anyways. definitely a superrr good book and would reccomend!! it was sooo close to being a 5 but it took my ass a bit to process information, which is why it's a four.
𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜:
𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣- 𝙙𝙪𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙖
𝟎:𝟐𝟔↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 𝟑:𝟐𝟗
𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙩𝙤?
𝙤𝙧 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄'𝙢 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤?
oh. my. goodness golly gosh. this was SUCH a good book and I was so invested. the only problem is I was reading this at incredibly late hours so my dumbahh brain was saying "huh?" "wha?" whenever a plot twist happened. then I had to process the paragraph again. (I had to do this with the BIG TWIST) my friend @bookwise (idk how to @) recommended this to me and it was so worth it.
𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙧, 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚?
𝙊𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙮?
'𝘾𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄'𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚
𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙖𝙗𝙮, 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙘𝙚
╰•★★ 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼 ★★•╯
𝙗𝙡𝙮: she was actually a character very very similar to me. she fought to the ends of the earth to find and protect her sister only to discover that she wasn't dead. because if a death curse happened with MY sister i'd be doing the same thing. also I liked how she wasn't at first a fighter badass and became a fighter badass. (thanks to the diva KERRIGAN) her grief and guilt for losing her sister was incredibly relatable.
𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣: I felt so bad for Bly for loving him when he loved Elise the whole time. he's the complete opposite of Bly, stoic and logical. but he also went to the end of the earth to help bly too. so he's a king. but he also broke bly's heart when she found out the truth, and planned a whole future with him only to discover a MAN (cough cough KERRIGAN).
𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙚: SHES LITERALLY ADENA FROM POWERFUL IN ANOTHER LIFE. CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE.
𝙠𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙣: A MAN. WHERE IS MY HUSBAND. #1 book boyfriend oh my freaking golly. he can bite my neck ANY DAY. and the fact he was willing to sacrifice himself for Bly after his trauma?? my baby boyyy.
𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙯𝙖: i was sooo pissed when she killed Bly but I also kinda saw it coming. her mom probably was pushing her to do it.
𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖: she had so much potential, killed carelessly by the witches only to be brought back by Bly and working with the people WHO KILLED HER??? it is reasonable though that she hates bly considering Vincent (her bro) was a sacrifice to maintain the witches' spell.
𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩: meh. I felt bad for him because he and his sister were suffering and starving, but I didn't really like him.
𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙖 𝙜𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚
𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙄
𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚, 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙄'𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣
𝙒𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙤, 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙡
𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄'𝙢 𝙫𝙪𝙡𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚, 𝙝𝙚'𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩-𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙤𝙖𝙙, 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙤
anyways. definitely a superrr good book and would reccomend!! it was sooo close to being a 5 but it took my ass a bit to process information, which is why it's a four.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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