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Thirteen Crowns #1
Bad Blood
Duty. Desire. Destruction.
To Selene, duty is everything. She is the last of her kind, a royal descendent of the original generation of vampires. And as the final Titan queen to rule the kingdom of Troy, she is the only one standing between her people and the cruelty of Zeus.
When her enemies—the twelve Olympian vampire monarchs—summon her to participate in their annual blood ceremony on a remote island, she has no choice but to attend. It’s a requirement in the treaty.
But one by one, the Olympians start to show up dead. It seems a monarch has broken the pact of peace and is trying to take out all the others, including Selene. And when she tries to escape the island, she finds all the boats have been destroyed. She’s trapped.
Worse, dark desires stir in her heart for the one king she knows wants her dead. Ares, bloodthirsty for war, tried to kill her months before. And even now, his touch feels like the heat of battle—or something more.
Before she loses her life, her kingdom, and her heart, Selene must do whatever it takes to win this vicious game—even if it means destroying every single monarch on the island, including Ares.
Bad Blood is a thrilling vampire romantasy loosely inspired by the Greek myths, with true enemies to lovers, villainous characters, and steamy romance.
To Selene, duty is everything. She is the last of her kind, a royal descendent of the original generation of vampires. And as the final Titan queen to rule the kingdom of Troy, she is the only one standing between her people and the cruelty of Zeus.
When her enemies—the twelve Olympian vampire monarchs—summon her to participate in their annual blood ceremony on a remote island, she has no choice but to attend. It’s a requirement in the treaty.
But one by one, the Olympians start to show up dead. It seems a monarch has broken the pact of peace and is trying to take out all the others, including Selene. And when she tries to escape the island, she finds all the boats have been destroyed. She’s trapped.
Worse, dark desires stir in her heart for the one king she knows wants her dead. Ares, bloodthirsty for war, tried to kill her months before. And even now, his touch feels like the heat of battle—or something more.
Before she loses her life, her kingdom, and her heart, Selene must do whatever it takes to win this vicious game—even if it means destroying every single monarch on the island, including Ares.
Bad Blood is a thrilling vampire romantasy loosely inspired by the Greek myths, with true enemies to lovers, villainous characters, and steamy romance.
Kindle Edition
Published December 10, 2024
128 people are currently reading
1022 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Wolfhart
61 books1,550 followersJenna Wolfhart spends her days dreaming up stories about swoony fae kings and rugged blacksmiths. When she's not writing, she loves to do CrossFit competitions, rewatch Game of Thrones, collect Taylor Swift vinyls, and drink far too much coffee.
Jenna has always had a passion for writing, books, and publishing. Previously, she worked for an academic publisher in New York and then completed her PhD in Librarianship, focusing on young adult fiction.
Jenna now lives in England with her husband and her two dogs.
Jenna has always had a passion for writing, books, and publishing. Previously, she worked for an academic publisher in New York and then completed her PhD in Librarianship, focusing on young adult fiction.
Jenna now lives in England with her husband and her two dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
December 9, 2024
Arc review: 4.75 ⭐️
Ok so I read it in less than a day- so that’s a good sign lol.
This was a really cool take on greek mythology- where instead of gods, they are bloodthirsty ruthless vampires. Politics, curses, prophesies, and cruel twists of fate lay the stage for a delicious enemies (like actual enemies) to lovers (but still kinda enemies?) romantasy where you never know who to trust!!
Super stoked about the start of this series- I’m *ready* for more
Ok so I read it in less than a day- so that’s a good sign lol.
This was a really cool take on greek mythology- where instead of gods, they are bloodthirsty ruthless vampires. Politics, curses, prophesies, and cruel twists of fate lay the stage for a delicious enemies (like actual enemies) to lovers (but still kinda enemies?) romantasy where you never know who to trust!!
Super stoked about the start of this series- I’m *ready* for more
December 22, 2024
I am such a huge Jenna Wolfhart fan, so when I saw she had ARCs for her newest series, it was an immediate YES! However, as soon as I saw in the description that it was vampires meets Titans and Greek mythology, I knew it was going to be special.
Though I love vampires, they can get repetitive, but Jenna did an incredibly refreshing and new take by incorporating the gods we all know into vampires. Selene was an incredible FMC, and I was rooting for her every step of the way. She showed that even the god of war and chaos can be taken by love. Ares was everything I look for in an MMC, and I can't wait to see where fate takes them next. However, that also makes me nervous, haha!
Zeus was written perfectly. He was 100% the villain you love to hate. Every supporting character had a role and was important and crucial to the story progression. What i loved most was right when I thought I could predict what was going to happen, a new twist would happen. It's been a long time since I've read something like that and I am so happy. A book should make you physically react to things, and this certain did that for me.
Jenna Wolfhart is an incredible writer and really deserves a lot more love. If you've been considering to read one of her books, now is the time. She is so worth it!
Though I love vampires, they can get repetitive, but Jenna did an incredibly refreshing and new take by incorporating the gods we all know into vampires. Selene was an incredible FMC, and I was rooting for her every step of the way. She showed that even the god of war and chaos can be taken by love. Ares was everything I look for in an MMC, and I can't wait to see where fate takes them next. However, that also makes me nervous, haha!
Zeus was written perfectly. He was 100% the villain you love to hate. Every supporting character had a role and was important and crucial to the story progression. What i loved most was right when I thought I could predict what was going to happen, a new twist would happen. It's been a long time since I've read something like that and I am so happy. A book should make you physically react to things, and this certain did that for me.
Jenna Wolfhart is an incredible writer and really deserves a lot more love. If you've been considering to read one of her books, now is the time. She is so worth it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2024
- ARC review -
Greek mythology and vampires? Sign me up! This story was very intriguing and I'm curious to see what will happen in the next book (please don't make us wait too long, Jenna).
I love Jenna Wolfhart's writing and very much enjoyed reading about the relationship between Ares and Selene!
Greek mythology and vampires? Sign me up! This story was very intriguing and I'm curious to see what will happen in the next book (please don't make us wait too long, Jenna).
I love Jenna Wolfhart's writing and very much enjoyed reading about the relationship between Ares and Selene!
December 11, 2024
What an adventure - when I read that it was Greek mythology meets vampires and fated enemies, I knew this was a book I would enjoy!
The story follows Selene, the last remaining titan vampire, as she sets out to attend an annual blood ceremony held by her enemies—12 Olympian Vampires who, if it were up to them, would see her dead. But because of a treaty, that's not possible. Part of the treaty means she has to attend, but it also puts her in the best position to continue protecting her kingdom from the likes of Zeus, who is ruthless.
When she attends this ceremony on a remote island, things are tense. To top it off, Olympian monarchs start showing up dead. Everyone looks at her as the obvious guilty party, but she's not, and she's in danger, too.
Throw in a mix of fated enemy prophecies, who's done it murder mystery vibes, close proximity, and a whole bunch of feelings she shouldn't be having, and you have yourself a cooking pot waiting to boil over with an ending you will never see coming.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series to see how this will all unfold, especially after that ending.
Thank you to Jenna Wolfhart for the opportunity to review. It was an absolute pleasure
The story follows Selene, the last remaining titan vampire, as she sets out to attend an annual blood ceremony held by her enemies—12 Olympian Vampires who, if it were up to them, would see her dead. But because of a treaty, that's not possible. Part of the treaty means she has to attend, but it also puts her in the best position to continue protecting her kingdom from the likes of Zeus, who is ruthless.
When she attends this ceremony on a remote island, things are tense. To top it off, Olympian monarchs start showing up dead. Everyone looks at her as the obvious guilty party, but she's not, and she's in danger, too.
Throw in a mix of fated enemy prophecies, who's done it murder mystery vibes, close proximity, and a whole bunch of feelings she shouldn't be having, and you have yourself a cooking pot waiting to boil over with an ending you will never see coming.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series to see how this will all unfold, especially after that ending.
Thank you to Jenna Wolfhart for the opportunity to review. It was an absolute pleasure
December 15, 2024
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. Every time I thought I knew where the plot was going there was another twist, I was kept guessing the entire book. I really enjoyed the main character and the way it was written made me feel really involved in her life. I would 100% recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy with a hint of romance! The high stakes action made the book so fast paced I was wanting to stay at home from work just to find out what happens next! I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy and I’m so grateful as this book was amazing! I will definitely be reading more books by Jenna!
February 20, 2025
Thank you Jenna for the ARC
I am a sucker for a vampire novel (get it)
I love Jenna’s writing and this was no different.
Definitely had a whole ‘whodunit’ vibe to the whole story as all our leaders are stuck on this one island when things start to happen.
I always love the use of prophecies in stories as well
I’m excited to continue the series
I am a sucker for a vampire novel (get it)
I love Jenna’s writing and this was no different.
Definitely had a whole ‘whodunit’ vibe to the whole story as all our leaders are stuck on this one island when things start to happen.
I always love the use of prophecies in stories as well
I’m excited to continue the series
December 11, 2024
Arc review
I loved the falling for fables series so I was really excited to get into bad blood!
The concept of vampire Greek gods was so unique and interesting I really enjoyed the world building around it! It combined 2 of my favorite things so it was like it was written for me.
The relationship between Ares and Selene was so well done!! I loved the tention and the "don't touch her" moments!!
Overall this was very fun to read and very easy to understand despite the unique premise. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves enemies to lovers!!!
Thank you so much for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for a review.
I loved the falling for fables series so I was really excited to get into bad blood!
The concept of vampire Greek gods was so unique and interesting I really enjoyed the world building around it! It combined 2 of my favorite things so it was like it was written for me.
The relationship between Ares and Selene was so well done!! I loved the tention and the "don't touch her" moments!!
Overall this was very fun to read and very easy to understand despite the unique premise. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves enemies to lovers!!!
Thank you so much for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for a review.
July 18, 2025
It was fine. What could have been a more interesting vampire story was dragged down by the inclusion of Greek gods. Characters such as Hera, Dionysus, Athena, and Zeus all behave exactly as you'd expect from their mythological references, which made for lazy writing. The murder mystery was enjoyable enough to keep reading, but the romance between Ares and Selene was rather weak. Not a series I'd likely continue.
January 27, 2025
Did someone say the Volturi meets Percy Jackson?! I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader for the first book of the Thirteen Crowns series: Bad Blood. Jenna does a wonderful job in breathing new life into otherwise well known Greek Mythological characters. The banter is 10/10. Ares is so cheeky but also so layered. Just when you think you know what's going to happen the plot twists leave you wanting more.
December 18, 2024
“For the love of whatever god you serve, let me show you exactly how much I’m willing to rip up our fates and watch them burn.”
Bad Blood is a classic Jenna Wolfhart whodunnit with so many twists and turns but with vampires and Greek gods! There’s a lot of characters to keep track of but the flow of events and pacing made it easy to follow. I almost had this one figured out then the final twist happened and now I’m dying for book 2!
Let’s talk about the main characters though: You have Selene, a bad ass 30 year old who is finding her footing as a queen and discovering more about herself + her fate, and a protective foe named Ares.
The bitter reality of being fated enemies makes the moments between Selene snd Ares so much sweeter. Their banter is 10/10 and the tension between them is off the charts. There’s so much tension, I don’t know what to do with myself.
You can feel the tension from these quotes:
-“I wanted the one person in this dammed world that I could never have.”
-“Whatever this was, he wanted it as much as I did. And I didn’t care what he said—about enemies and fate.”
-“And it’s a cruel twist of fate that you can never be mine.”
Read this if you like the following:
-vampires
-greek gods
-whodunnit mystery
-enemies to lovers
-slow burn
-forced proximity
Thank you Jenna Wolfhart for an ARC of this title. I can’t wait to read more of the Thirteen Crowns series.
Bad Blood is a classic Jenna Wolfhart whodunnit with so many twists and turns but with vampires and Greek gods! There’s a lot of characters to keep track of but the flow of events and pacing made it easy to follow. I almost had this one figured out then the final twist happened and now I’m dying for book 2!
Let’s talk about the main characters though: You have Selene, a bad ass 30 year old who is finding her footing as a queen and discovering more about herself + her fate, and a protective foe named Ares.
The bitter reality of being fated enemies makes the moments between Selene snd Ares so much sweeter. Their banter is 10/10 and the tension between them is off the charts. There’s so much tension, I don’t know what to do with myself.
You can feel the tension from these quotes:
-“I wanted the one person in this dammed world that I could never have.”
-“Whatever this was, he wanted it as much as I did. And I didn’t care what he said—about enemies and fate.”
-“And it’s a cruel twist of fate that you can never be mine.”
Read this if you like the following:
-vampires
-greek gods
-whodunnit mystery
-enemies to lovers
-slow burn
-forced proximity
Thank you Jenna Wolfhart for an ARC of this title. I can’t wait to read more of the Thirteen Crowns series.
December 11, 2024
Bad Blood
What an intriguing and original story! I loved the twists on Greek mythology and vampires.
The story was a dark desperate fantasy with high stakes right from the start. I loved every moment of it and am eagerly awaiting more!!
Selene was wonderful! She was easy to root for and had a lot going against her. Desperate all that she was clever, determined, and compassionate.
Ares was a delicious mystery! I enjoyed getting little peeks into his mind and uncovering what makes him tick. I honestly can’t wait to see more of him.
There were a lot of unexpected twists and turns and so much that kept me on the edge of my seat!! So good!! Can’t wait for the next book for sure!!
Lots of exciting tropes in here like: enemies to reluctant allies to lovers, vampires, Greek mythology but twisted, forced proximity, fate prophecies, mystery, secrets, betrayals, dual POV, blood sharing, and so much more!!
What an intriguing and original story! I loved the twists on Greek mythology and vampires.
The story was a dark desperate fantasy with high stakes right from the start. I loved every moment of it and am eagerly awaiting more!!
Selene was wonderful! She was easy to root for and had a lot going against her. Desperate all that she was clever, determined, and compassionate.
Ares was a delicious mystery! I enjoyed getting little peeks into his mind and uncovering what makes him tick. I honestly can’t wait to see more of him.
There were a lot of unexpected twists and turns and so much that kept me on the edge of my seat!! So good!! Can’t wait for the next book for sure!!
Lots of exciting tropes in here like: enemies to reluctant allies to lovers, vampires, Greek mythology but twisted, forced proximity, fate prophecies, mystery, secrets, betrayals, dual POV, blood sharing, and so much more!!
December 11, 2024
I devoured this book! The different take on Greek mythology — make them bloodthirsty savage vampires — was right up my alley. Vampires are all the rage right now and I’m getting back to my early twenties obsession. Jenna’s Mist King series was one of my favorite reads in the beginning of the year, so I couldn’t wait to see what she did with this new world! I was constantly on edge trying to decipher who was an ally and who was an enemy in the ever changing political drama of the gods. I am so invested and can’t wait to read more.
𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊 𝔸ℕ𝔻 𝕍𝕀𝔹𝔼𝕊:
🩸 Vampire Romantasy
🩸 Touch Her and D
🩸 Fated Enemies To Lovers
🩸 Greek Mythology But Make Them Vamps
🩸 Dual POV
🩸 Forced Proximity
🩸 Gothic Vibes
🩸 Possessive MMC
🩸 Plethora of Villains
🩸 Political Intrigue
“….. for the love of whatever god you serve, let me show you exactly how much I’m willing to rip up our fates and watch them burn.”
𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊 𝔸ℕ𝔻 𝕍𝕀𝔹𝔼𝕊:
🩸 Vampire Romantasy
🩸 Touch Her and D
🩸 Fated Enemies To Lovers
🩸 Greek Mythology But Make Them Vamps
🩸 Dual POV
🩸 Forced Proximity
🩸 Gothic Vibes
🩸 Possessive MMC
🩸 Plethora of Villains
🩸 Political Intrigue
“….. for the love of whatever god you serve, let me show you exactly how much I’m willing to rip up our fates and watch them burn.”
December 12, 2024
*Slow Burn
*Vampire
*Greek myths vibes
*Enemies to lovers
This is a great book… The tropes and the background is addicting. I love politics, the twists and turns are so good, I really love it and I’m excited to see more about this world.
*Vampire
*Greek myths vibes
*Enemies to lovers
This is a great book… The tropes and the background is addicting. I love politics, the twists and turns are so good, I really love it and I’m excited to see more about this world.
December 19, 2024
I really liked this unique, dark take on the Greek gods as vampires.
The magic, the world building, and the lore was all very interesting. I loved the build up between Ares and Selene. I felt so torn by the ending! 💔
I would definitely read book 2!
The magic, the world building, and the lore was all very interesting. I loved the build up between Ares and Selene. I felt so torn by the ending! 💔
I would definitely read book 2!
December 22, 2024
This was a bit slow in the beginning but so glad it picked up. Loved the concept of the greek gods being vampires. Still a bit unsure if I will continue reading the next books because I didn't really feel enveloped or really captivated
January 11, 2025
Bad Blood Review on K-Books
Jenna Wolfhart is a new to me author for 2024. I discovered her work with her cosy fantasy series, Falling for Fables and fell head over heels in love with her writing. So when I saw that she had a new romantasy with vampires coming out I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Before I go any further with the review I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jenna for an ARC of Bad Blood. Me receiving this early to review had in no way influenced my review.
Bad Blood is such a unique, fantastical story. It is loosely inspired by Greek mythology, and I found this concept so intriguing and interesting. In this world, Olympians and Titans are vampires. I actually really really enjoyed this concept but I will admit it took me a long while to be able to picture these characters as vampires. As we use the original Gods names, I couldn’t stop myself from just picturing Zeus, Ares and the like as typical Gods. It wasn’t until I would come across the descriptions of their fangs or their blood red eyes that I was like ‘oh yeah… they’re vampires’. It such a great take on these myths but it did take me a while to be able to picture them like that.
Even though it took me a while to get my head around the idea of Greek Gods as vampires, honestly I absolutely loved the book. It was such a unique and interesting plotline and I really enjoyed the characterisations that Jenna wove in to make this version of these Gods so different. Our main female protagonist is Selene, a Titan and after the death of her mother she is the only living Titan who is not in Tartarus. She has such conflicting emotions about the Olympians as she hates them yet knows she has to play nice with them if she is to help protect her people. Our main male protagonist is Ares. This in itself was so interesting to me. I’ve read so many books influences by Greek mythology and I’ve never read one where Ares is anything but a bad guy, so I really loved this take on him. He is still a bad guy, but Jenna has really added an extra depth to him while I really enjoyed.
Bad Blood is a book that is so easy to fall into. I couldn’t put it down. I was absolutely obsessed with this vampire filled romantasy. This is a definite slow burn with a lot of plot as well as the romance, which I absolutely loved. I will forever be a plot-driven reader and to see this book have such a big plot outside of the romance was perfect for me. I loved every single moment of it, and I truly can’t wait to get my hands on book 2 and see what happens next. This is a must-read for any fans of Greek mythology, vampires, romantasy or all three. I highly recommend it.
Jenna Wolfhart is a new to me author for 2024. I discovered her work with her cosy fantasy series, Falling for Fables and fell head over heels in love with her writing. So when I saw that she had a new romantasy with vampires coming out I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Before I go any further with the review I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jenna for an ARC of Bad Blood. Me receiving this early to review had in no way influenced my review.
Bad Blood is such a unique, fantastical story. It is loosely inspired by Greek mythology, and I found this concept so intriguing and interesting. In this world, Olympians and Titans are vampires. I actually really really enjoyed this concept but I will admit it took me a long while to be able to picture these characters as vampires. As we use the original Gods names, I couldn’t stop myself from just picturing Zeus, Ares and the like as typical Gods. It wasn’t until I would come across the descriptions of their fangs or their blood red eyes that I was like ‘oh yeah… they’re vampires’. It such a great take on these myths but it did take me a while to be able to picture them like that.
Even though it took me a while to get my head around the idea of Greek Gods as vampires, honestly I absolutely loved the book. It was such a unique and interesting plotline and I really enjoyed the characterisations that Jenna wove in to make this version of these Gods so different. Our main female protagonist is Selene, a Titan and after the death of her mother she is the only living Titan who is not in Tartarus. She has such conflicting emotions about the Olympians as she hates them yet knows she has to play nice with them if she is to help protect her people. Our main male protagonist is Ares. This in itself was so interesting to me. I’ve read so many books influences by Greek mythology and I’ve never read one where Ares is anything but a bad guy, so I really loved this take on him. He is still a bad guy, but Jenna has really added an extra depth to him while I really enjoyed.
Bad Blood is a book that is so easy to fall into. I couldn’t put it down. I was absolutely obsessed with this vampire filled romantasy. This is a definite slow burn with a lot of plot as well as the romance, which I absolutely loved. I will forever be a plot-driven reader and to see this book have such a big plot outside of the romance was perfect for me. I loved every single moment of it, and I truly can’t wait to get my hands on book 2 and see what happens next. This is a must-read for any fans of Greek mythology, vampires, romantasy or all three. I highly recommend it.
January 5, 2025
I devoured this book in a day. I loved it. The beautiful telling of Greek gods and vampires was worth every second reading. I can’t wait for the next book
December 15, 2024
3.5 stars
a fun take on vampires, but I don't necessarily think the Greek mythology aspects were necessary or brought that much to the story.
Loved the dynamic between Selene and Ares, and will absolutely be reading the next book to see where their story goes!
a fun take on vampires, but I don't necessarily think the Greek mythology aspects were necessary or brought that much to the story.
Loved the dynamic between Selene and Ares, and will absolutely be reading the next book to see where their story goes!
December 20, 2024
3,5 ⭐️
What a surprise! I loved the greek mythology take in this book and i enjoyed the main characters a lot. Hector has my heart
What a surprise! I loved the greek mythology take in this book and i enjoyed the main characters a lot. Hector has my heart
December 19, 2024
Thank you to Jenna Wolfhart for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have enjoyed her previous books and so a new series starter with a Greek mythology theme mixed with vampires was definitely a fresh take. I was excited when I started. It was fast paced and hooking but unfortunately this only last until about 20% in. The FMC lacked personality and I couldn’t gel with the character. It was almost a DNF book but because of the author I did carry on and finish. The story is certainly there but it just didn’t vibe with me. I would recommend to people who love Greek mythology mixed with vampires and a classic enemies to lovers trope - This may be a book you absolutely love.
April 6, 2025
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
4.5/5
[ARC reader]
First of all, thank you so much for my very first ARC copy! I really appreciate it!
✧ Adult
✧ Greek mythology
✧ Enemies to lovers
✧ Forced proximity
✧ Bound by fate (fated enemies)
✧ Vampires
“Even for an immortal. There was never any guarantee that tomorrow would come.”
I really like how the vampires were incorporated into Greek mythology, with their own explanation. I can't say I'm a huge fan of Greek retellings with different settings, but this, my god, was something! The vampires here were just so good, even though it changed some of the mythology canons, it was really interesting to read.
The "political drama" between the gods seemed pretty realistic to me, especially the character of Zeus. And the secrets, secrets, secrets... The way Selene and Ares interacted in their conflict of interests and similarities at the same time, it was cool. I must say, at first I wanted maybe a little more tension, but the action in the middle and later in the book made it MORE THAN ENOUGH. I MEAN ARES, MAN, HELLO?? ARE YOU THAT GOOD?
They are cute, and I mean it!! The transition from enemies and "I'll rip your throat out" to the most tender couple ever - I can't. The spice scenes were so good!! I'm in love.
Most of the book is written from Selene's perspective, and we only get a little bit of Ares's thoughts. And he falls first 🤭. I think I want more of his POV in the next book in this series.
I definitely appreciate that in addition to the main gods, the plot also included important characters from Greek mythology: Orpheus, Prometheus, Achilles, Odysseus, Fathes, Medea, and so on. And I love that the gods there can still be killed for some special reason.
But what should I say, that the deaths in this book were, well... a little bit underwhelming? Because they were taken a little too lightly. I understand that Selene and probably most gods don't show their emotions openly, but still.
Anyway, the ending of this book killed me and I want to know WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE.
Instagram blog
4.5/5
[ARC reader]
First of all, thank you so much for my very first ARC copy! I really appreciate it!
✧ Adult
✧ Greek mythology
✧ Enemies to lovers
✧ Forced proximity
✧ Bound by fate (fated enemies)
✧ Vampires
“Even for an immortal. There was never any guarantee that tomorrow would come.”
I really like how the vampires were incorporated into Greek mythology, with their own explanation. I can't say I'm a huge fan of Greek retellings with different settings, but this, my god, was something! The vampires here were just so good, even though it changed some of the mythology canons, it was really interesting to read.
The "political drama" between the gods seemed pretty realistic to me, especially the character of Zeus. And the secrets, secrets, secrets... The way Selene and Ares interacted in their conflict of interests and similarities at the same time, it was cool. I must say, at first I wanted maybe a little more tension, but the action in the middle and later in the book made it MORE THAN ENOUGH. I MEAN ARES, MAN, HELLO?? ARE YOU THAT GOOD?
They are cute, and I mean it!! The transition from enemies and "I'll rip your throat out" to the most tender couple ever - I can't. The spice scenes were so good!! I'm in love.
Most of the book is written from Selene's perspective, and we only get a little bit of Ares's thoughts. And he falls first 🤭. I think I want more of his POV in the next book in this series.
I definitely appreciate that in addition to the main gods, the plot also included important characters from Greek mythology: Orpheus, Prometheus, Achilles, Odysseus, Fathes, Medea, and so on. And I love that the gods there can still be killed for some special reason.
But what should I say, that the deaths in this book were, well... a little bit underwhelming? Because they were taken a little too lightly. I understand that Selene and probably most gods don't show their emotions openly, but still.
Anyway, the ending of this book killed me and I want to know WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE.
Instagram blog
December 23, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this new take on the Greek gods and goddesses with them being vampires this time. I think being vampires made them even more vicious, bloodthirsty and full of debauchery than they are normally depicted as being.
Selene is a Titan vampire and was born a vampire rather than turned. As the last in her royal line, it is now her turn to attend the annual blood sacrifice ceremony on a secluded island with the other twelve monarchs. However, none of them want her there. She doesn't want to be there either, but she must do what is expected of her to fulfil her duty. She doesn't have any friends here on the island of Aiaia, let alone any allies that she can trust, until someone unexpected saves her from a perilous situation. Not so much an alliance, but definitely the beginning of an understanding between them starts.
When the attacks start and some of the Olympian vampires end up as piles of ash, Selene has to work closely with one of the monarchs to try and work out who is behind it all, before she is the one who ends up as ash! This twist was more surprising than I expected it to be!
And the ending was not what I expected to happen to Selene either. Maybe there is hope for her and Ares yet! Can't wait to read the next one in this series.
I received an ARC copy of this book, but this review is my own honest one. Thank you Jenna for another great read!
Selene is a Titan vampire and was born a vampire rather than turned. As the last in her royal line, it is now her turn to attend the annual blood sacrifice ceremony on a secluded island with the other twelve monarchs. However, none of them want her there. She doesn't want to be there either, but she must do what is expected of her to fulfil her duty. She doesn't have any friends here on the island of Aiaia, let alone any allies that she can trust, until someone unexpected saves her from a perilous situation. Not so much an alliance, but definitely the beginning of an understanding between them starts.
When the attacks start and some of the Olympian vampires end up as piles of ash, Selene has to work closely with one of the monarchs to try and work out who is behind it all, before she is the one who ends up as ash! This twist was more surprising than I expected it to be!
And the ending was not what I expected to happen to Selene either. Maybe there is hope for her and Ares yet! Can't wait to read the next one in this series.
I received an ARC copy of this book, but this review is my own honest one. Thank you Jenna for another great read!
December 30, 2024
Rating: 4.5/5⭐️
Spice: 1/5 🌶️
Themes:
🏛️ Dual POV
🏛️ Slow Burn
🏛️ Greek Mythology
🏛️ Vampires & Lycans
🏛️ Revenge
🏛️ Fated Enemies
“But if you do, for the love of whatever god you serve, let me show you exactly how much I’m willing to rip up our fates and watch them burn.”
This was an interesting and unique take on the Greek gods I grew up reading about. In this world the gods are ruthless bloodthirsty vampires that treat humans like livestock where their only purpose is to serve the Gods. This story follows Selene, the last remaining Titan who suddenly became the Queen of Troy after her mother’s passing. One of her duties as Queen is to attend the annual blood ceremony where each member of the thirteen crowns offers up a sacrifice to the second primordial god Erebus. However, things don’t go as planned, and people start to turn up dead. All eyes turn to Selene for the blame of it all.
The world building throughout this story was written very well, and was easy to follow along as the story progressed. I truly enjoyed this piece and admired watching Selene break the mold of what her mother wanted her to be, and how she instead decided to take matters into her own hands for the good of her people. There is still much that hasn’t been yet revealed surrounding Selene’s powers and her sire’s background. The political aspects definitely followed along with the original mythology it is sourced from especially when it comes to Zeus’s character. The amount of plot twists in this piece definitely kept me guessing at every turn. As soon as I thought I knew what was going to happen next the author threw in another curveball. And the ending!!! 😭
This story is a slow burn so the amount of spice in it is minimal; however, the amount of tension between Selene and Ares will have you enraptured. I loved seeing the transition from these two literally wanting to end each other, to this tender loving couple that would do anything to protect the other. I especially loved uncovering the character that is Ares, he comes across as a heartless brute but as the story unfolds he has the most caring heart for those closest to him.
Thank you so much Jenna for the opportunity to be an arc reader for this piece. I’m looking forward to discovering what’s next in store for Selene and Ares.
Spice: 1/5 🌶️
Themes:
🏛️ Dual POV
🏛️ Slow Burn
🏛️ Greek Mythology
🏛️ Vampires & Lycans
🏛️ Revenge
🏛️ Fated Enemies
“But if you do, for the love of whatever god you serve, let me show you exactly how much I’m willing to rip up our fates and watch them burn.”
This was an interesting and unique take on the Greek gods I grew up reading about. In this world the gods are ruthless bloodthirsty vampires that treat humans like livestock where their only purpose is to serve the Gods. This story follows Selene, the last remaining Titan who suddenly became the Queen of Troy after her mother’s passing. One of her duties as Queen is to attend the annual blood ceremony where each member of the thirteen crowns offers up a sacrifice to the second primordial god Erebus. However, things don’t go as planned, and people start to turn up dead. All eyes turn to Selene for the blame of it all.
The world building throughout this story was written very well, and was easy to follow along as the story progressed. I truly enjoyed this piece and admired watching Selene break the mold of what her mother wanted her to be, and how she instead decided to take matters into her own hands for the good of her people. There is still much that hasn’t been yet revealed surrounding Selene’s powers and her sire’s background. The political aspects definitely followed along with the original mythology it is sourced from especially when it comes to Zeus’s character. The amount of plot twists in this piece definitely kept me guessing at every turn. As soon as I thought I knew what was going to happen next the author threw in another curveball. And the ending!!! 😭
This story is a slow burn so the amount of spice in it is minimal; however, the amount of tension between Selene and Ares will have you enraptured. I loved seeing the transition from these two literally wanting to end each other, to this tender loving couple that would do anything to protect the other. I especially loved uncovering the character that is Ares, he comes across as a heartless brute but as the story unfolds he has the most caring heart for those closest to him.
Thank you so much Jenna for the opportunity to be an arc reader for this piece. I’m looking forward to discovering what’s next in store for Selene and Ares.
December 14, 2024
ARC Review
4.25/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I will premise this entire review by saying I absolutely had to finish this in a day! Every chapter had me on the edge of my seat, with absolutely no points in the story where I felt like there was a pause in the story/plot/action. Absolutely riveting!
As a sucker for Greek mythology and vampires, this book presented an interesting combination of the two. I did lower my rating a bit, because of personal opinions - I had a bit of a hard time reconciling my geeky knowledge of Greek mythology and Olympic "politics" with these new vampire/god dynamics. Other than this, everything else was perfect!!!
The romance! UGH the romance! I absolutely loved that it was not insta-love. It was a gradual thing, and it just was *chef's kiss*. Fantastic.
The storyline! Again, aside from my own issues, it was so intriguing and I could have used so much more! It was constantly moving forward, with so many nods to unknown facts that have yet to be revealed. If you're impatient, I should warn that I did feel a little annoyed at the constant references to plot devices that weren't revealed. There were many, and it did at some point become a bit much.
The characters themselves! None of the characters felt shallow. They all had their own personalities, and left you wanting more! The dual POV really helped flush out Ares' and Selene's characters and I absolutely loved it. I need more Ares!
The end. What can I say about the end, besides WHEN IS THE NEXT ONE.
4.25/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I will premise this entire review by saying I absolutely had to finish this in a day! Every chapter had me on the edge of my seat, with absolutely no points in the story where I felt like there was a pause in the story/plot/action. Absolutely riveting!
As a sucker for Greek mythology and vampires, this book presented an interesting combination of the two. I did lower my rating a bit, because of personal opinions - I had a bit of a hard time reconciling my geeky knowledge of Greek mythology and Olympic "politics" with these new vampire/god dynamics. Other than this, everything else was perfect!!!
The romance! UGH the romance! I absolutely loved that it was not insta-love. It was a gradual thing, and it just was *chef's kiss*. Fantastic.
The storyline! Again, aside from my own issues, it was so intriguing and I could have used so much more! It was constantly moving forward, with so many nods to unknown facts that have yet to be revealed. If you're impatient, I should warn that I did feel a little annoyed at the constant references to plot devices that weren't revealed. There were many, and it did at some point become a bit much.
The characters themselves! None of the characters felt shallow. They all had their own personalities, and left you wanting more! The dual POV really helped flush out Ares' and Selene's characters and I absolutely loved it. I need more Ares!
The end. What can I say about the end, besides WHEN IS THE NEXT ONE.
December 8, 2024
This is the first book in the Thirteen Crowns series, a fantasy romance based on Greek gods but as vampires. Tropes and themes include obligation & duty, revenge, fate & destiny, slowburn and forced proximity. Please see trigger warnings for adult content.
The Lovely: I loved the mysteriousness of the characters’ backgrounds and the world, and especially loved the mystery inherent in the plot. Who is doing these things and who exactly is the villain? I found myself trying to solve these puzzles but spent most of my time changing my answering guess. That made this a fun and engaging read.
The Mundane: I never really “got on” with the MMC. He’s definitely morally gray, which I did like, and I like how his relationship with the FMC developed. But, as a character, he seemed rather one-dimensional and I didn’t feel very invested in what happened to him.
Rating: 4/5 Stars 2/5 Flames
Recommendation: I received an early review copy and my thoughts are my own. While the ending isn’t a steep cliffhanger, there is a pretty big revelation at the end - and I did not see that coming. I now want to know *why*, and I want the answers to some other questions we didn’t see answered. That and seeing how the MCs’ relationship evokes are the two biggest reasons I’m drawn to continuing this series.
The Lovely: I loved the mysteriousness of the characters’ backgrounds and the world, and especially loved the mystery inherent in the plot. Who is doing these things and who exactly is the villain? I found myself trying to solve these puzzles but spent most of my time changing my answering guess. That made this a fun and engaging read.
The Mundane: I never really “got on” with the MMC. He’s definitely morally gray, which I did like, and I like how his relationship with the FMC developed. But, as a character, he seemed rather one-dimensional and I didn’t feel very invested in what happened to him.
Rating: 4/5 Stars 2/5 Flames
Recommendation: I received an early review copy and my thoughts are my own. While the ending isn’t a steep cliffhanger, there is a pretty big revelation at the end - and I did not see that coming. I now want to know *why*, and I want the answers to some other questions we didn’t see answered. That and seeing how the MCs’ relationship evokes are the two biggest reasons I’m drawn to continuing this series.
December 11, 2024
What do you get when you cross Greek gods and Vampires? You have Bad Blood, Book 1 in the Thirteen Crowns serie.
If you are a fan of Paranormal Romance mixed with Greek Mythology, Vampires, Fated Enemies, Slow Burn, Forced Proximity, Revenge and so much more this book is for you!
Selene is last Titan Queen of Troy, because of Zeus and everything he stands for, she will stop at nothing to bring him to his knees. Including participating in the annual blood ceremony on a remote island to keep peace with the treaty.
Everyone is out to get Selene but when deaths and other strange occurrences start happening she is going to have to work with a very unlikely ally to get to the bottom of what is going on on the island.
Ares wants Selene unalived but as he gets closer to her he is starting to see there is more to her than meets the eye, like a moth to the flame he cannot stay away but if he gets too close will he get burned?
Selene is very duty bound and has her teachings very engrained in her. You see her start to shine once she starts thinking more outside of that box. Ares is also very loyal to Zeus to a fault but instinctually he starts to have Selene’s back more and more. After the ending, I’ll be interested to see where their story ends up.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
If you are a fan of Paranormal Romance mixed with Greek Mythology, Vampires, Fated Enemies, Slow Burn, Forced Proximity, Revenge and so much more this book is for you!
Selene is last Titan Queen of Troy, because of Zeus and everything he stands for, she will stop at nothing to bring him to his knees. Including participating in the annual blood ceremony on a remote island to keep peace with the treaty.
Everyone is out to get Selene but when deaths and other strange occurrences start happening she is going to have to work with a very unlikely ally to get to the bottom of what is going on on the island.
Ares wants Selene unalived but as he gets closer to her he is starting to see there is more to her than meets the eye, like a moth to the flame he cannot stay away but if he gets too close will he get burned?
Selene is very duty bound and has her teachings very engrained in her. You see her start to shine once she starts thinking more outside of that box. Ares is also very loyal to Zeus to a fault but instinctually he starts to have Selene’s back more and more. After the ending, I’ll be interested to see where their story ends up.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
December 12, 2024
Oh. My. Goodness. This book is amazing! If you are a fan of Romantasy, ruthless vampires, and Greek myth retellings, you need to read this right now.
Bad Blood is set in an alternate mythical Greece where the gods are vampire monarchs and follows Selene, the only Titan queen, & Ares, the Olympian king who allied with Zeus to kill her mother, as they try to navigate the political intrigue surrounding the annual blood ceremony and ignore the growing attraction between them. Their love is not just forbidden by their political enmity; their fates are linked, and their enmity has been prophesied. But as someone begins to kill off the monarchs one by one, and they are forced to ally together for survival, they can't deny their growing love. Is there any way for them to defy fate?
This was the most creative Greek myth retelling I have ever read, and the entire story was perfection; the characters, the plotting, the yearning. This is a true enemies to lovers story, and I couldn't read it fast enough. If you are a fan of darker Romantasy, this is your next obsession.
Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to review Bad Blood, I enjoyed this book so much! All thoughts and opinions stated are my own.
Bad Blood is set in an alternate mythical Greece where the gods are vampire monarchs and follows Selene, the only Titan queen, & Ares, the Olympian king who allied with Zeus to kill her mother, as they try to navigate the political intrigue surrounding the annual blood ceremony and ignore the growing attraction between them. Their love is not just forbidden by their political enmity; their fates are linked, and their enmity has been prophesied. But as someone begins to kill off the monarchs one by one, and they are forced to ally together for survival, they can't deny their growing love. Is there any way for them to defy fate?
This was the most creative Greek myth retelling I have ever read, and the entire story was perfection; the characters, the plotting, the yearning. This is a true enemies to lovers story, and I couldn't read it fast enough. If you are a fan of darker Romantasy, this is your next obsession.
Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to review Bad Blood, I enjoyed this book so much! All thoughts and opinions stated are my own.
January 15, 2025
Vampiric Gods!
This story was so intriguing! I’ve read almost every book of Jenna’s and this book brings a different vibe but still true to her writing.
I loved the idea the second she announced vampires mixed with mythology. I’ve always loved stories of Gods and Goddesses and this take was so fun.
There is so much to take in but the world building isn’t overwhelming, more because of the amount of characters. It’s dual POV but primarily Selene. Ares has a few chapters with an unknown POV at the parts with a reveal at the end who it is.
This has a slooooooooooow burn with some tension but don’t go in expecting the spice. Buckle in for a long while. Jenna knows how to do the burn well and there’s plenty of action and mystery and plot twists to keep you guessing and flipping pages. I eat up enemies to lovers and Ares and Selene are fated enemies and will work the odds to be lovers (maybe).
We have a bit of a cliffy and I was surprised at the end of the epilogue because I had totally forgotten things lol but that’s the joy of a good book! I can’t wait for the next one!
This story was so intriguing! I’ve read almost every book of Jenna’s and this book brings a different vibe but still true to her writing.
I loved the idea the second she announced vampires mixed with mythology. I’ve always loved stories of Gods and Goddesses and this take was so fun.
There is so much to take in but the world building isn’t overwhelming, more because of the amount of characters. It’s dual POV but primarily Selene. Ares has a few chapters with an unknown POV at the parts with a reveal at the end who it is.
This has a slooooooooooow burn with some tension but don’t go in expecting the spice. Buckle in for a long while. Jenna knows how to do the burn well and there’s plenty of action and mystery and plot twists to keep you guessing and flipping pages. I eat up enemies to lovers and Ares and Selene are fated enemies and will work the odds to be lovers (maybe).
We have a bit of a cliffy and I was surprised at the end of the epilogue because I had totally forgotten things lol but that’s the joy of a good book! I can’t wait for the next one!
January 26, 2025
Bad Blood is a vampire romantic fantasy loosely based on greek mythology with true enemies to lovers, villainous characters and steamy romance.
All I can say is WOW! Bad Blood follows Selene, the last remaining Titan Vampire as she sets to attend the Blood Ceremony held by her enemies, the 12 Olympian Vampires that want to see her dead.
There are so many twists and turns and I was completely hooked from the start. When the Olympians start dying, everyone looks to Selene as the culprit. She must discover herself and uncover her fate. Including her fated mate, Ares, who is definitely a true enemy.
The moments with Selene and Ares were AMAZING! He is the definition of true enemies to lovers. One minute they wanted to kill each other and the next professing their love. He has the whole broody, dark “touch her and die” vibes and it works perfectly.
I cannot wait to read more of this series. It’s definitely one to check out. I have never been really into Vampire stories but this was perfection!
All I can say is WOW! Bad Blood follows Selene, the last remaining Titan Vampire as she sets to attend the Blood Ceremony held by her enemies, the 12 Olympian Vampires that want to see her dead.
There are so many twists and turns and I was completely hooked from the start. When the Olympians start dying, everyone looks to Selene as the culprit. She must discover herself and uncover her fate. Including her fated mate, Ares, who is definitely a true enemy.
The moments with Selene and Ares were AMAZING! He is the definition of true enemies to lovers. One minute they wanted to kill each other and the next professing their love. He has the whole broody, dark “touch her and die” vibes and it works perfectly.
I cannot wait to read more of this series. It’s definitely one to check out. I have never been really into Vampire stories but this was perfection!
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