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Queen of Blood and Stardust

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Lennox Adair was never supposed to be queen.

When a violent vampire attack claims the lives of her parents and brother, Lennox finds herself the High Queen of Lethenia with a kingdom to rule, people to protect, and a mountain of grief to conceal underneath her responsibilities.

For two years Lennox has avoided the Blood Court—home to the vampires who murdered her family.

Until now.

Luka Rossi wants one thing, the title of Blood King. A title his grandfather is adamant he must earn by completing one last task: get High Queen Lennox Adair to work with him.

There’s only one problem, Lennox hates him.

But Lennox quickly discovers letting the vampire prince into her home is the least of her worries when an ancient vampire group, the Vanir, resurfaces—threatening to destroy everything Lennox has worked so hard to protect.

As Lennox agrees to put aside her grievances and work with Luka, she begins to realize that he might be the farthest thing from her enemy.

Bonds will be forged.

Lines will be blurred.

Alliances will be tested.

Fates will be shattered.

Can Lennox and Luka take down the Vanir together and secure their crowns? Or will the vampires destroy the life Lennox has worked so hard to stitch back together? Demolishing her home and heart in the process?

396 pages, Paperback

Published March 26, 2024

101 people are currently reading
1665 people want to read

About the author

Kaitlyn Swanson

3 books41 followers
Kaitlyn has always loved writing. Writing a book has been a dream of hers forever, she just never imagined that dream would come true in her twenties in the form of a fantasy romance novel. Queen of Blood and Stardust is Kaitlyn's debut novel, a new adult fantasy romance with vampires. fae, witches, and all other kinds of mythical creatures.

When Kaitlyn isn't writing she enjoys relaxing by one of Minnesota's Great Lakes with her golden retriever Leia by her side and Taylor Swift playing in the background.

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5 stars
99 (38%)
4 stars
89 (35%)
3 stars
45 (17%)
2 stars
18 (7%)
1 star
3 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
Profile Image for Maribeth Cooper.
89 reviews41 followers
January 11, 2025
Ok listen. I have had a thing for vampire books ever since middle school (iykyk) so this book brought me SO much joy. This book follows Lennox, the High Queen of Lethenia who was never supposed to be queen. But after both of her parents and older brother were unalived by vampires, she was thrust into the role.

Now, one of her courts is calling in a bargain that should have been fulfilled by her brother, a marriage bargain. The Blood Court wants something from Lennox, and if they don't get it, she or her younger sister, Kara, will have to marry a member of the vampire court. And of course, the Blood Court sends it's prince, Luka, to finalize the negotiations.

Y'all Luka is TOP TIER book boyfriend. He is the ultimate golden retriever (with a dark side obvi) and you are going to love him. I loved the back and forth between Luka and Lennox and how they blurred the lines between enemies, friends, and maybe more.

If you are looking for a fun, adventure-filled fantasy romance, then look no further because you are going to need to read A Queen of Blood and Stardust!
Profile Image for niamh.
46 reviews3 followers
Read
July 23, 2025
— my review 💌
*no spoilers*
— thank you to kaitlyn for the ARC. it means so much to me <3

lennox adair is strong, determined and absolutely ICONIC. she’s badass and can hold herself so well. i loved her! my heart absolutely broke for her at so many points. she’s such a complex and well-written character, who is incredibly admirable, too. i fully just wanted to wrap her up in my arms and protect her from harm— she’s already been through plenty for a damn lifetime.

luka rossi… this man has my HEART. he’s been through so much, yet he still stands strong. and when i tell you he is your next favourite book boyfriend, i freaking mean it. the things he says, the way he shows how much he cares within little gestures and just being there for those he cares for, made me love him that much more.

luka and lennox’s relationship… GOD, i absolutely adored them. they had me giggling with their back and forth jabs at one another, with that bit of fondness just grazing the surface with each snarky comment. with them being a slow-burn, you can really see how deeply they begin to care for one another over time, and how they don’t even realise they’re falling in love with each other. they stole my heart.

i also loved watching the relationship between lennox and kara blossoming and becoming even more meaningful as the chapters passed. i tend to really
enjoy sibling dynamics, when done well, and kaitlyn wrote their relationship beautifully. i was rooting for them separately and as sisters the whole time. they’re so precious 🥹

straight from the prologue, i literally never wanted to put this book down. i was so intrigued in every minor and major plot point, always wanting to see what was going to happen next. not only is this book honestly so good, but it’s also kaitlyn’s debut?! everything was very obviously thought through to the fullest, and you can tell how much effort was put into this book. also, THE ENDING?! i need book two like now.

lastly, THE SIDE CHARACTERS. they were everything to me, and the book would not have been the same without them. they’re all such important pieces to the story in my eyes, that i just couldn’t imagine not having them in it!

rating: 4.75 ★

some tropes :
🦋 enemies to lovers
✨ stabby FMC
🧸 slow-burn
🕊️ one horse AND one bed
💟 nightmare trope
💐 found family
Profile Image for Emersyn Park.
Author 5 books103 followers
November 20, 2025
The tension and banter between characters is adorable! I love a good, strong, sassy main character who knows what she wants. While fantasy isn’t my go-to genre, this easy to follow plot and dialogue made me become immersed in the story.
Even since Twilight, I’ve been a sucker for a sexy vampire!
Profile Image for Amanda Schneider.
450 reviews9 followers
October 6, 2025
I LOVVVVVVED this. I am so excited for book two. The slow burn. The world building. I can’t wait to see Luka GROVEL. (At least he better.)
Profile Image for Ariel.
387 reviews13 followers
July 21, 2024
Roman Empire. Point blank a Roman Empire book. Absolute masterpiece, and it is a debut novel! This may be my favorite book of all time. The banter was perfection! I got to Ch. 44 and started crying because the scene was so beautiful. This is a romantasy dual POV book with a strong and independent female main character who is fae and high queen. The story is unique, captivating, and beautiful. If you loved Fourth Wing, ACOMF, From Blood and Ash. You will love this book.

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers. Forbidden Romance. Royalty. BANTER. One horse. One bed. Nightmare / only can sleep with you. Who did this to you. Door lean. Prick / Good Girl. Pet names.
Profile Image for Alex.
71 reviews
February 10, 2025
the writing is fine but it felt like there either wasnt an editor at all or they were just really bad at their job
Profile Image for Deea (Andreea).
812 reviews97 followers
March 10, 2024
4.5 ⭐️✨️

Oh, okay. First reviewers here, no pressure 😅🙇‍♀️

Luckily for everyone involved, I loved it and I will not stop recommending this little gem to anyone who loves Fantasy/Romantasy!

*this is your sign to add to your tbr

**Thank you to Kaitlyn Swanson for the ARC!

I may have to come back and update this later, it's 2am and I'm not sure I will find the right words atm, but I flew through the story, it was so addictive and I couldn't stop reading! It still boggles my mind that this book is a debut?! How?🤯

*the writing and plot felt very easy and natural to follow

Anyway, before getting into details, let me get this off my chest first -

1. I need a prequel story for Lennox's parents story. Like, I'm begging. I know it will be heartbreaking but I still *need* to know their full star-crossed/fated mates story. Pls and thank you. 🥹🫶

2. I need a story for Nico/Declan/Luce/Kara (still deciding on the best ship hmm 🤭🤭)

Now, back to this story - it checked some of my most favorite things in Fantasy Romance 👏

- elemental magic
- vampires
(Thank you!)
- frenemies to lovers
- badass fierce stabby heroine
- cinamonroll hero (unless there's swords and "who did this you" involved), because balance 🫰
- court politics
*this is where I would have liked to delve a little deeper, I needed to see more of the relationship between Len and her court. We knew she was badass and saw her in action, but we didn't see a lot of the court itself - then again, we had more pressing things to focus on >>
- slow burn
- action
- one horse
- one bed
🤭🤭🤭
- "I am yours"
- did I mention elemental magic? Gah I missed this, more people need to incorporate it into their magic systems



“I appreciate you being so considerate about where you chose to stab me.”
“Don’t get used to it, Bloodsucker.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Sweetheart.”

I am Lennox Adair, High Queen of Lethenia. I do not bow to anyone. I do not yield. I do not cower. I will not be manipulated. I will not be made to feel weak.

“That’s my girl.”

He breathed air into my fire, instead of stifling it.

Lennox Adair would be my undoing.

“We’re in this together Lennox, you and me— until the stars turn to dust.”

Profile Image for Desi.
249 reviews10 followers
August 5, 2025
I stumbled upon this book on TikTok and the premise sucked me in. While it's hard to really differentiate yourself as an author in the Romantasy genre, I thought that Kaitlyn Swanson did a relatively good job with the world building, explaining the magic system, and how the courts interacted with one another.

Lennox is a complex character that has been through a lot, having become High Queen after the murder of her parents and older brother by vampires. It's a position she never envisioned for herself and she struggles with who she is as queen vs who she still is as a person.

As if her life couldn't get tougher, she's reminded by her council that her parents agreed to a marriage between her court (her brother) and the vampire (Blood) court. Nol, her brother, dying means that it's still out in the open needing to be fulfilled, and over her dead body will Lennox enter into an arranged marriage.

In an effort to reach an agreement, she allows the Blood Prince, Luka, into her home. They work together to reach a common goal, but as they spend more time together, her feelings of hatred toward him get less severe and she starts having... conflicting feelings for him.

While I enjoyed the story, I felt that the book could've used another editor and/or proofreader. There were so many errors in this book that it sometimes distracted from the content. Missing words, repeated sentences. For that, I took off a star because I was leaning more toward 4 stars for the story itself.

That being said, I hope the above was a fluke, with it being her first book. I will be picking up the second book, as the first one left with a bit of an explosion and I need to know more about Lennox and Luka's story. If you're looking for an easy, enjoyable Romantasy with all of the supernatural beings represented in a single book, this one might be for you!
Profile Image for Emily.
369 reviews14 followers
March 8, 2024
Huge thank you to the author for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
This was highly anticipated for me ever since Kaitlyn first shared that she was writing a book. I was very excited to meet her characters and explore her world. What really worked for me in this book were the characters, their interactions, and the development of their emotions and decisions. I enjoyed exploring the depths of their minds and especially enjoyed getting both Lennox and Luka's POVs.

What could have used some development was some of the worldbuilding/way the worldbuilding was incorporated. When it was included it felt at times that it was just a dump of a couple paragraphs of info and then the plot moved on. There were also a couple places that could have used some more editing, but overall it was an enjoyable read that I absolutely devoured in probably 48 hours total. If you are a romantasy reader that focuses more on the romance aspects - this is a great read for you!
Profile Image for Collette.
176 reviews12 followers
April 16, 2024
Really good! This was an easy read to me. Lennox is very relatable with her past & how it is causing current issues. Interesting world. I love Luka! I really enjoyed all the banter with the characters. Not really any spice until towards the end. But plenty of fight scenes throughout. I do wish there was more background with the court. It seems like other people are just never around. But hopefully in the next book that will come out more.

Thus was a really great debut. I'm looking forward to the next book!
Profile Image for Ashley.
885 reviews25 followers
February 20, 2025
This book was absolutely amazing. I loved the blend of fae and vampires and witches. It all came together so seamlessly. I loved the romance and how their relationship evolved. The story was just as addictive as the romance. There’s so much going on that makes me want to read more and more. I immediately got the second book and I can’t wait to read it!
Profile Image for Shanna Gilbert.
315 reviews22 followers
August 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

- one horse
- frenemies to lovers
- rival kingdoms
-slow burn
- one bed


If you’re looking for a Romantasy with great banter then you’ve come to the right place!


Lennox is Queen of Lethenia, a position she never intended to take. Her parents and older brother were killed by vampires.

Her older brother was in an arranged marriage to a vampire to unite the kingdoms.

Luca is the blood prince and has been promised to be made king once he completes a task in Lethenia.

Since Lennox’s brother is gone she is now to be married off into the Blood Court.

Luca comes to stay with Lennox who hates him. They do need each other to fulfill a goal.

I loved the tension between these two! Really like able side characters I’m now invested in.

Luca became really swoony and I can’t wait to see where the story takes them!
Profile Image for Kaitlyn.
453 reviews20 followers
March 26, 2024
3.5 stars

R E A D I F Y O U L I K E
✨️Found Family
🩸One Horse AND One Bed
✨️Unlikely Allies
🩸Stabby FMC
✨️Elemental magic system
🩸Vampires, shifters, witches and fae
✨️Dual pov
🩸Slow burn
✨️He comforts her sfter nightmares

This was a fun debut romantasy from Kaitlyn! It starts off with a bang with the vampire attack, which really hooks the reader.

The world itself was really intriguing, with multiple courts making up the Kingdom of Lethenia and different courts being home to different types of magical beings. There are fae, shifters, vampires, witches, and more! There is an interesting elemental magic system and a good bit of intriguing history. I found myself really drawn to want to know more about the world and how everything came to be! I will add that a lot of the world building is told vs shown, which isn't my favorite style. This is her debut novel, so I think with time, Kaitlyn will get better at developing this world building tactic for how to provide the reader with this information, but the content itself is really interesting!

The characters were a lot of fun too! Lennox and Luka have some great banter and made a great pair. Lennox is a little on the naive side sometimes, but she was pretty sheltered and wasn't prepared for the role she was given, so some of this can be explained that way. I really loved Luka's character! He was such a golden retriever for her and there's just something about vampires, amirite?

The side characters were great as well, with Lennox younger sister playing a prominent role, along with Luka's best friends. I always love found family trope so this group made me smile!

The romance was a slow burn, with lots of tension and banter before finally getting some spice near the end! Their relationship development for the most part made sense to me, although there were a few “don't you trust me” moments at the beginning that had me scoffing because of course she doesn't trust him yet; not when he's a vampire and she's super jaded. Mostly, I was confused by Lennox character in their relationship because

This is Kaitlyn's debut novel, so there were a few issues with pacing and development (telling vs showing), and there were some questions that I had that were kind of answered and explained, but I wish would have been flushed out more or developed differently as I'm still a little confused.

Questions below (spoilers):



Overall, I had a lot of fun with this book! It is a debut, so there are a few things that could have been developed more or flushed out further, but overall it's a really intriguing story with some great characters, and I can't wait to see where it goes next!
Profile Image for Zephorah Dove.
471 reviews5 followers
December 27, 2024
You know...I really enjoyed this but I'm left with many questions for the characters.

First off, why did Lennox not already think the Blood Court king sent Luka with marriage as a back up plan? I know she's newly in her role, but girl...it was kind of obvious. He sent him there under the pretense of finding a book and forming a different alliance. Obviously trying to sway her to marriage was a no brainer, even if Luka never mentioned it. I needed her to have a better counsel surrounding her, because this should've come up way sooner.

Secondly, I know she wants to marry for love and I fully respect that. But, are her feelings for Luka not love? She went from telling him she'd give him all of the broken pieces to then being aghast at having to get married. It's like in seconds, she went back to herself from the beginning of the book. I thought she'd used the shield of a potential engagement with the Blood Court to suss out the rebels and get extra support.

Thirdly, how did marriage not come up at all between them? That was the obvious answer to their question this whole time. I know Luka withholding the truth was wrong, but her reaction to it just seemed a bit off to me. Like girl, y'all both fought against these feelings. Listen to your heart for once and see reason. Also, even if you weren't distracted by Luka, the attack still would've happened. All she did was get rid of some extra fighters who have her best interest in mind.

Overall, I enjoyed the first installment in this fantasy series. I know my critique may seem like I'm bashing on the FMC, but I genuinely loved her. I was just frustrated seeing the story follow a common trope. I thought we were safe! Damn you Luka for not bringing this up months ago.

I was so happy seeing them organically go from strangers to friends. I appreciated that they had months to get to know one another and truly build a friendship. I have no doubt they'll work out the kinks on the next book, but grrrr misunderstandings shave years off of my life.

I also loved the side characters and am crossing my fingers for a potential love line between Declan and Kara. Please, please, please.

I cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment. Please don't let Luka's grandpa be behind this. I fear Luka would actually kill him over Lennox.

Overall, solid 3.75!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Author 5 books9 followers
January 29, 2025
MAN I LOVE ME A GOOD VAMPIRE BOOK! I look fantasy books, and this one had me glued from the beginning. I was lucky enough to connect with this author or tiktok and was able to fan girl as I read.

I used so many annotation tabs in this book I had to get more three times. The amount of giggles and gasps that erupted out of me during this book was amazing and I can not wait to read the second book.

The tension in this book was the best I've read in so long, and had me screaming.

This book follows the queen, Lennox, who got thrown on the throne by a sad and unfortunate reason. She is suppossed to have a arranged marriage but will do anything not to let tht happen. When a friendship is needed with the vampires they send their king, Luca, over to swoon her into friendship. She hates him immediently and he will not let her. With his words and actions that had me screaming, he tries to get her to warm up to her. I was rooting for them from the beginning and just needed them to be together. After some cute and close conversations and moments Lennox warms up to him. They realize the Lucas uncle has other plans for their kingdoms, and they need to find a mysterious book before actions go into plan. They have to go traveling to find a seer she realizes that there's more she feeling. (Yes folks, there's a one horse, one bed trope and I'm all here for it) But he's a vampire and she hates them for what they have done to her family and her. They have to join together to help stop Lucas uncle, and the evil actions he wants to happen.

This book was amazing, and I will fully be recommending it to all my friends. Between the amazing dialogue and the tension between Lennox and Luca I couldn't put it down. The storyline was so easy to follow, and the world building was amazing. The little details she makes sure to mention is incredible and shows she planned out this series.

The ending of the book had me so mad, and had me screaming at the book and the author lmfao. I can not wait for the second book because I just need more of these characters asap.

100000/10 will always recommend.
Profile Image for Katharina Ratcliff.
90 reviews9 followers
January 31, 2025
✨ Picked this book up because I am on the ARC team for the second in the series! ✨

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I actually enjoyed it more than I thought it would. The story was fun and engaging from the very first chapter and I really enjoyed the writers writing style.

I wish we learned more about the vampires in this book because they seem to be very different than your average, immortal vampire. These vampires seem to be injured and killed quite easily and the only thing that seems to make them vampires is the fact that they drink blood to survive… but this is more of a curse than anything else. Can they turn others into vampires? How long do they live? Why are they injured so easily? So many questions in regards to the vampires haha

I found our two main characters super likable, and even relatable. I loved the way their stories were weaved together and this book definitely left us on a bit of a cliff hanger so I’m excited to dive into book 2 immediately since I have the ARC!

My one other qualm with this book was that there were a lot of minor errors that I was able to catch while I was reading. No big deal to me, but I know that irritates some.

Also… just curious why the author chose to use the words “male” and “female” almost exclusively when talking about the men and women in the book?

As much as I hated to admit it, the prick might just be the most stunning male I’d ever laid eyes on.

“When your father first proposed the idea of your brother marrying a female from the Blood Court, the hope was the deal would help ease the tension between, not only the Blood Court and the Star Court, but the Blood Court and all of Lethenia.

I just found that to be a bit odd, but wondered if there was a reason? Lol who knows.

But, overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was a fun romantasy! ✨💕
Profile Image for Sian Atherton.
100 reviews2 followers
February 17, 2025
Vampires are back!!!

Queen of Blood and Stardust is additive; if you want enemies to lovers, witty banter, cute nicknames, and a slow-burn romance, I cannot recommend this book enough.

This book alternates between the perspectives of Lennox, the High Queen of Lethenia, and Prince Luka of The Blood Court. Lennox was never meant to be queen, but following the vampire attack that killed all of her family except her younger sister, she is catapulted into the position of High Queen. Lennox has an icy exterior and has minimal involvement with the Blood Court until a past arrangement causes her to allow Luka into her home. As negotiations begin to maintain the peace between the two courts, Lennox finds herself drawn to the vampire prince.

Lennox is strong, driven, and devoted to her family; she doesn't need anyone to save her. She can hold her own against anyone, and her greatest enemy seems to be herself, as she has not allowed herself to grieve for her family and has closed her heart to anyone else entering her inner circle. Her character's complexity was beautifully constructed. So when she meets Luka, whom she initially regards as an enemy, it's amazing to observe how her protective defences gradually begin to shatter.

One word to describe Luka is WOW! He is not only charming, but also smooth and willing to engage in verbal sparring with Lennox. He is also one of the most supportive MMCs I have ever read.

The supporting characters were also well-written, and they had a significant impact on the story and were just as engaging as the two leads. I adored Lennox's relationship with her sister, Kara, since they share vulnerabilities and provide one other with much-needed reality checks. I can't wait to see how Luka's two childhood friends, Declan and Nico, develop in the next novel.

I could go on and on about how great this book is; I am absolutely obsessed with it!
253 reviews9 followers
January 14, 2025
5⭐️
2.5🌶️

Seriously, people are sleeping on this book!

The tension and banter between the FMC, Lennox and MMC, Luka is so good! It really helps get you through the slow burn aspect of the story. And when the spice finally does happen, chef’s kids 💋!

I love the side characters around the two MC’s. Lennox has her sister, Kara, who is just as badass as Lennox. Then Luka has his best friends/found brothers, Declan and Nico. The 3 of them really compliment each other within the group and I definitely want their interactions to increase in the next book. You have Luka, the Prince who’s cocky and reserved at the same time; Declan the quiet but lethal one; and Nico, the charming and charismatic one, that all just play off one another. Plus, we got a glimpse of Kara with Declan and Nico too and that kind of intrigues me 🤨

We got to see/hear about a few of the courts in this book, but I’d like to see more of the world explored through the characters eyes moving forward, which I think we will. The magic system and fae species in this is quite interesting and a different take and I honestly loved it. You have vampires but not in the stereotypical sense you see in a lot of books. Plus witches, far, wolves, shifters, etc. It’ll be fun to explore all these different species and courts moving forward.

While the timeline takes place over months and month, it doesn’t feel like it drags out. It’s face paced and what most authors try to make characters do in manner of days, Kaitlyn has a more realistic timeline to things, which I appreciated.

Overall, loved this book and can’t wait for book 2 (and 3 for that matter!)!!
Profile Image for Dahlia styles.
18 reviews
March 25, 2024
Arc Review of Queen of blood and stardust:

Recently, I had the opportunity to arc read this amazing book from this amazing author, before I get into my review I just wanted to give a brief summary about what the book is about. The book follows around Lennox Adair the main female lead, who is never supposed to be a princess until the abrupt attack on her castle, which leaves her to rule and there’s a huge rival between vampires and her kingdom but now she has to come up with a Plan with Luka the charming and brooding vampire, it is either a plan of action for peace or a forced marriage with a vampire. Find out what happens next reading it comes out 3.24.24

Anyways now let’s get to my review, I got my hands on this beautiful book and when I tell it was so good it was so good, like I haven’t got my hands on a good book like this one in a while. The writing was a chiefs kiss, the plot and storyline was so good and the main character is honestly so me coded, I Related to Lennox, and not just cause we are blonde with green eyes. Now Luka was described so flawless and is most certainly one of my book boyfriends. The tropes of this book is Dual POV,Grumpy x Sunshine, some enemies to lovers,Slow burn, and Found family.

It’s everything you need for a good fanstay book with love and yes there is a cliffhanger I throughly enjoyed this book and love Lennox and Luka with my whole heart and hope yall enjoy it to go read it 3.24.24

I can’t wait for book 2 ❤️
Profile Image for Ronnie Vu.
63 reviews4 followers
March 22, 2024
A ROMANTASY BOOK FOR THE SWIFTIES?!? ABSOLUTELY

First off, a big thank you to the author for allowing me to be part of her ARC team! Getting to read this early was such a treat- I’ve been excited to read this since I first heard about her book on TikTok!

I very much felt a connection to Lennox and her struggles with grief/loss- I thought the story touched on difficult topics in a beautiful way. It was inspiring to read about such a badass character overcoming her grief and healing from her past.


*POSSIBLE SMALL SPOILERS BELOW*

As a Swiftie, I appreciated the subtle references- the friendship bracelet scene was *EVERYTHING*! And don’t even get me started on the invisible string references :,)

I love a good slow burn and appreciated the banter/tension between Lennox and Luka.

Lastly, love love loved the sister relationship between Lennox and Kara. Saw a lot of me & my sister in the two of them.

Overall- this was such an enjoyable read and I can’t wait for the next one!
Profile Image for Sarah.
34 reviews6 followers
March 25, 2024
the second i saw that one of the tropes was 'stabby fmc' i knew i was going to love this book

QoBaS honestly kept me on the edge of my seat the entire book! i am always a huge fan of the reverse sunshine x grumpy trope, so it was really nice to see that paired with the enemies to lovers trope <3

enemies to lovers, sunshine x grumpy, one bed, forced proximity, UGH THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS BOOK

i am a huge fan of acotar, fourth wing, etc. and i really wanted to add another fantastic fantasy/romantasy book to my bookshelf, and it did not disappoint in the slightest. i LOVED their bantering, flirting, her actually stabbing him, and all of their little interactions.

i am on the edge of my seat already waiting for the next book, but i know the next will also exceed all my expectations!

thank you so much kaitlyn swanson for my ARC of Queen of Blood and Stardust in exchange for an honest review! QoBaS goes live March 26th!
Profile Image for Tiffany.
35 reviews1 follower
March 15, 2024
YES! Just yes. Get this, read this ASAP.
I loved this book. It sucked me in from the first page.

Synopsis: *SPOILER FREE*
Lennox was forced to become Queen due to unfortunate circumstances outside of her control. Due to those circumstances she shut down and put duty above all else, until Luka. Luka strolled into her life, trying to help strengthen bonds between kingdoms. But in reality, he just got under her skin. The story just goes on from there. 🔥

Troupes:
🖤Enemies to lovers
🖤Unlikely Allies
🖤One bed
🖤One horse
🖤Found Family

Lennox throughout the story gave me Aelin vibes and Luka gave me Roman from Divine Rivals vibes. If you loved those books. This will keep you just as satisfied.

I will be in LINE and READY to preorder book two. Thank you Kaitlyn Swanson for giving me the opportunity to read and live in the story you created!

Release Date: March 26, 2024.
Profile Image for Nova Nox.
Author 4 books8 followers
March 27, 2024
4/5 stars

I ADORED this book.

I may have binged this and then returned to Lennox's story and fell even more in love with the way Kaitlyn has crafted a plot that is enjoyable and easy to navigate.

Do you love vampires and other magical creatures? How about elemental magic and a stabby heroine and a cinnamon roll hero?
This is your book.

Queen of Blood and Stardust is a slow burn, action filled novel in which unlikely allies are forced to come together, a fascinating magic system is present and for a debut novel, I felt as though it was well thought out. Lennox and Luka are the definition of push-pull in a relationship and the building tension between them was really good. I appreciated how Luka kept trying to get Lennox to let him in, to make her see that she doesn't have to rule alone.

Fantastic first novel!
Profile Image for Baylee Bowen.
2 reviews
March 27, 2024
I finished this last night but was too emotionally bamboozled to type so here we go!

This was my first time ever getting an ARC and Kaitlyn did not disappoint!! I was hooked from the beginning!!

Lennox is such an interesting character and I loved her from the beginning! She is witty and intelligent and I’d pick her first on my dodgeball team for sure😂

Luka is by farrrrr my new hyperfixation. The perfect golden retriever cinnamon roll ever. ALSO THE SMEXY SCENES WERE SMEXYING OH MA LORD.

Queen of Blood and Stardust got me out of a mid-college reading slump and should be on your TBR list list YESTERDAY!!

Thank you SO MUCH Kaitlyn for letting me be apart of your ARC team!! I cannot wait to see what is to come next with this series and you as a writer!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Breana Sprinkle.
160 reviews7 followers
March 18, 2024
Immediately what captured my attention was the complexity of the characters & their banter. Eventually leading to a source of trust, cooperation, and understanding.

The world-building was crafted in a way that was usual of the genre & easy to understand but there was much individual creativity woven within. I found it was executed nicely.

There were lines that truly showed the pain & strength of Lennox.

Some lines had me envested in an emotional construct & the sheer violence of the characters in defense of themselves.

Violent, emotional, & action-fueled.

Needs a sequel.


Yes, it was an ARC but my opinion is mine.
Profile Image for Caitlyn Fields.
109 reviews1 follower
March 23, 2024
This was such a fun and easy Romantasy!

•Dual POV
•Grumpy x Sunshine
•One bed/One horse
•Slow burn
•Nightmare scene
•found family

All the things we love! ❤️ FMC, Lennox, is thrown into the role as High Queen after a devastating vampire attack on her family. For years shes been just trying to survive through her grief and be the queen she needs to be, that is until she meets our MMC and Prince of the Blood Court, Luka, who throws her world up side down!

There’s Fae, there’s vampires, there’s love, there’s heartbreak, and there’s a freaking cliff hanger that has me begging for book 2 like yesterday?! 👏🏼
Profile Image for Kay Hersh.
47 reviews
January 14, 2025
4.25⭐️
“I am Lennox Addair, High Queen of Lethenia. I do not bow to anyone. I do not yield. I do not cower. I will not be manipulated. I will not be made to feel weak. I am strong and powerful and I will crush anyone who dares to underestimate me again.”

Man, we love a badass female main character and Lennox is one of the fiercest I’ve seen. This book was such a fun and adventurous read. I loved the back and forth between Lennox and Luka, the slow burn of their romance, and the ending of this first book immediately made me need book two. Had so many aspects of a fantasy book that I love and need: fae, vampires, witches, fighting scenes, romance. Can’t wait to read the sequel!
Profile Image for Lauren.
179 reviews2 followers
February 8, 2025
I see where we’re trying to go here, but it’s not quite there yet. There’s so much potential with this story and the writing but frankly I felt like it wasn’t ready. I was annoyed by the repetitive use of stereotypical phrases almost immediately (how many times can a dark lock of hair really fall across someone’s forehead?) and the overuse (without intentionality) of the nickname “Sweetheart” was off-putting. It got better as it went, but if I hadn’t gotten an arc for #2 without realizing it was the second in the series, I may have DNF’d. I’m glad I didn’t because #2 is better, but it was rough there for a bit.
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