Blood So Brutal

Golden City #2

by Emily Blackwood, Laura Horowitz (Narrator), Lucas Dixon (Narrator)

Huntyr knew better than to trust anyone.

She made it into The Golden City, only to find out that everything she dreamed of was gone. There is no safety, no luxury, no elite society. There's only the evil archangel and his dark, twisted plans to use her for power.

Those plans include marrying Huntyr and Wolf, even though she'd rather die than be wed to him.

Huntyr is forced to learn about her real heritage and her untapped magic while she's paraded around The Golden City as the archangel's new favorite weapon. Wolf can do nothing but watch as she's manipulated and toyed with, but one thing hasn't He'll never let anyone else lay a hand on what's his. Even if she despises him.

Betrayal runs deep, but blood runs deeper. Huntyr and Wolf navigate tests of loyalty and new truths as they're faced with the downfall of one power and the rise of another. Families break. Friendships rise. Do they have what it takes to survive? And are they strong enough to right the wrongs from decades ago?

Blood So Brutal is book two of the Huntyr x Wolf duet in the Golden City series. After inflicting two books of trauma onto these characters, there will be a happy ending.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Fantasy Romance, Vampires, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Fae

12 pages, Audible Audio

Published January 21, 2025

Reviews

[Erin Hardin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars is generous. This book did not measure up to book 1. Which is rough, since the bar wasn’t even high. The enemies to lovers trope was just a major flop. “I hate him” (finger bang sesh) “ he betrayed me” (I only feel safe with him) “I will never trust him again” (literally married the guy.) I just wish there was more meat to this story. It’s just so simple and one note. The characters fell flat, fight/action scenes were a drag. And dear god, the repetition of the inner monologue was just as bad as Reckless. Im just gonna PRETEND this wasn’t how book 2 went down.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

IMMACULATE!!!! I legit couldn't put it down.

Wolf is hands down one of my all time favorite MMC's. He is so obsessed & possessive but will do anything for Huntyr and I love it!!

With the cliffhanger in book one I was so ready to dive back into this world and it did not disappoint. It kept my attention the entire time and was full of action! There were a few plot twists that also had my jaw on the floor.

Emily, you crushed this!! This will forever be one of my favorite romantasy series!

Lastly, I am weak over the feeding scenes. THAT IS ALL. 🥵🥵🥵

Highlights:
"If it was my blood she wanted, she could have it all. All of it was hers; all of me was hers."

"Tell me you'll be mine, and you can take it all."

"You forget that you are mine. Nobody else can have you, even if you hate me."


-adult romantasy
-possessive mmc
-vampires
-magic
-arranged marriage
-touch her & die
-mates

[Kiandra 🦋 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every single character in this book just pissed me off … over and over again 😃 Half this book consisted of the same argument and I was ready to lose it 50% through. If only Wolf could stop lying and Huntyr could stop being a crybaby.

[Fatima B · Rating 1 out of 5]

NAMING HER HUNTYRAINA ?? BE FUCKING FOR REAL. LIKE THAT ALONE SHOULD BE THE REVIEW. AND THEN CALLING HER HUNTRESS HOLY SHIT I NEEDED HER NAME CENSORED I WAS SOO DISGUSTED IM REPULSED.

holy shit this was so fucking bad I can’t believe someone actually published this??? Like the first book was terrible but THIS WAS ACTUALLY SOOOOO BAD. The plot? Nonexistent. Story building? Trash. Dialogue? ILLITERACY. Holy shit it was soo bad I actually can’t believe it. Both the MCs were so god fucking awful. Like this is on KU for a reason so if u wanna read a free book that is worse than trash? This is it babes. I actually need to write a letter to the publisher to redact this book from shelves. Like idc if ur offended bc MY OPINION IS ALLOWED BUT GENUINELY IF YOU LIKED THIS BOOK IM CONCERNED FOR YA BABES. If I could do less than 1 star I would. The only reason I got through this book is because I’m sitting in the ICU for 14 hours doing nothing and this is all that was downloaded on my kindle but holy fucking shit how terrible…

[Maeve · Rating 1 out of 5]

Somehow worse than the first one?

[ritika · Rating 1 out of 5]

400+ pages for a plot that i predicted within the first 10 pages and the mcs having the SAME disagreements

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was anxiously waiting for the sequel to Wings So Wicked because it had left me speechless, betrayed and heartbroken. I'm so glad I got to read this one too because we get so many answers, even though they all have to get on your nerves first. It's not funny if they don't. If you're looking for unhinged characters, chosen ones, found family, enemies to lovers, banter, betrayal, this is definitely a duology you need to get into. We obviously don't get an academy aspect in this one, but we go all out to save the world. But first, let the hatred flow through you. And if you get obsessed with the MMC, you're welcome.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first reaction when I finished this book was that it was Emily's strongest book yet. I'm so proud of how far she's come with her writing!!!!

Second, the tension and possessiveness in this book was so hot. Like dang. I just love how Emily wrapped everything up!!!

*this was a beta read and my honest opinion*

[Clara Mei 🍪🎧 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished enjoying the duet and this book is much better than the first in my opinion, but it didn’t really got my full attention.

I liked the plot and how the author was writing it, i was on edge at some points of the story and the tension and angst between the characters was good. The end was satisfying but it was quite predictable.

The main characters have chemistry, but i do not really love them. They are not memorable, they are just characters of another fantasy book you know?…

Overall i liked it, but it was not special for me.

🌱❤️‍🔥🌟

[Hannah Reyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll start by saying that I liked this book. If I didn’t like it I wouldn’t have finished it. The world is so intriguing, the first book was so captivating and being in the Golden City, I had expectations. However, I feel like a few things contributed to the three star review that I couldn’t get over:

1. Huntyr says she hates Wolf in one chapter and for seemingly no reason at all can forgive him but then the next chapter AGAIN hates him. So I rolled my eyes a little for that.
2. I have like almost no information about Asmodeus other than he’s awful and power hungry. I just felt like I needed more from him and Luseyar as his evil henchman.
3. No on trusted each other but also trusted each other? Wolf would make comments like I don’t know what Jessiah’s thoughts are on this and that or hopefully he’ll be on my side and then just say (without Jessiah doing anything to sway his opinion) I know Jessiah will understand and be on my side. Idk. Maybe I also needed more from Jessiah?

Overall, if you enjoyed the first book it’s nice to have a conclusion. And it being only two books to wrap it up is nice.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this as a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was not a fan of this second book.

Pacing: very fast paced. I understand this is a duology however, to have better fleshed out characters and plot it either should have been longer page wise, more books, or less filler to then put in more important information.

Tropes: this is verrryyy trope heavy and it almost feels like a cop out. I’m a sucker for tropes myself but I’m getting burned out on seeing the same things. Assassin, vampire, obsessive alpha male, one horse, betrayal, and so much more.

Banter/romance: the banter was not good. It was very cheesy and felt forced. And was overly mushy.

Overall I was disappointed in this. I did somewhat enjoy the first book, and wanted to see what happened after the cliffhanger, but to be honest the plot for this story just doesn’t feel coherent or clear, and there is too much going on.

[maribel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t like this book as much as I liked the first. The writing was so much better though. We’ve gotten so much more showing than telling but I felt like we were stuck in an endless loop of “I want to protect you so I’m going to withhold information from you and you’re going to get mad when you get this information from someone else.” It had a whole different feel. It was like a flip of a switch. I wasn’t as interested in the characters as before and felt like everything had an easy fix. And if I had to read one more time of Wolf mentioning Huntyr smelling like cherries…. I wanted more details on the things that were lightly brushed over.

[Kayla Thurlby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book heals me after the first. I honestly have never been so indulged in a more creative storyline, branching away from the typical fae/vampire romances.
The character development through both books was so well written, I was crying at the end because of how far both Huntyr and Wolf have come.
Would 100% recommend if you want to escape into a fantastic romantic fantasy world.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t know why I do this to myself…

I didn’t particularly like book one but I thought I’d give book two a chance because the storyline had potential to be really good.

I didn’t like this book either. I literally skimmed read the last 30% because I did not want another DNF but it was dragging.

1 star

[blue · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hated the first one and I don’t even know why I picked this up. I had really hoped that she would have learned how to write by now but I guess not. I want us to all pretend I didn’t read this please and thank you

[Madison (madinotmaddiereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

still had fun with this but i think the plot/pacing of the first book held my interest more! i also noticed a shift in the writing and it felt like this one had more of a contemporary tone as opposed to wings so wicked. not necessarily a bad thing, but i do appreciate consistency in tone to stay fully locked into a story.

overall, i am SO glad i decided to pick this up! i wasn’t feeling super motivated to read this last week and this duology definitely cured the slump!

read this duology if you like:
— fae/vampyres/fallen angels
— high stakes fantasy
— forced proximity (they’re roommates!)
— touch her you die vibes
— magic academy/rebellion setting

comparable to:
the serpent & the wings of night
fourth wing

[Nicole Holstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the first book was a warm candle, book 2 is a blazing fire. I really enjoyed this duology! It was a fun and intense read, and had all the dark magic I desire. Very addicting and I had a hard time putting it down; the highs and lows, the betrayal, the YEARNING, boy does this man yearn. Anyway, I loved it. 🫶

[Sarah.reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m so annoyed?!!! The first book i absolutely LOVED, adored it - then I read this so excited to see how the story goes. This book was just so badly written and honestly the amount of times scenes were being repeated was driving me INSANE. Don’t get me wrong I love a good betrayal in a book but COME ONNNNN there was about 10 betrayals one after the other in this one that was completely unnecessary, the fmc was doing my head in going on about how much he’s betrayed her and how much she hates him to suddenly feeling guilty about him etc etc. the mmc was just as bad. I am fuminggggg because the first book was highly rated from me and this was just a complete let down and felt like a waste of my time - I wish I DNF’d.

[Stef · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hands down, my favorite MMC! Yes, this is a vibe decision, but nothing wrong with that. The book found me at the right time.

For context, the story is a mixture of Throne of Glass, Fourth Wing and Empire of the Vampire. It's a short series - 2 books each about 400 pages, but it gets the job done nicely.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I would cut my own wings off for you any day, Huntress. Do not think I’m done doing everything in my power to keep them from touching you.”

This was a good conclusion to the duology!!! The grovelinggggg was top tier!!! I thought the world and politics beyond the academy were an interesting setting. A solid romantasy duology!!!!

[Anabel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

i can only care about someone dying so many times before it becomes tedious. HOWEVER, the way he pretty much descended from the sky, GILDED, was something i was glad to read.

wolf is yummy but too protective and if i ever had someone act that way towards me 24/7 i think i would’ve sacrificed him to era myself 😝

[Sara Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so over this book that I didn’t even read the last 40 pages

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was snoring through this book but it was interesting enough I guess.

[Emma Miles · Rating 1 out of 5]

Put me in a reading slump it was shit.

[eclecticbychoicereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, Emily, you have stitched my poor heart back together! After that ending and cliffhanger at the end of Wings So Wicked, I was so scared and wanted to get my hands so badly on Blood So Brutal. So, when I was gifted the opportunity to read and review this book earlier... Well, you can only imagine the level of my excitement! And Emily has delivered! I mean, I knew Emily could do no wrong since my first encounter with her work, the Far of Rewyth series.

Blood So Brutal was such a perfect ending to the Golden City duology. I practically inhaled this book in one or two sittings; I just couldn't let the story go and needed to know how the story of Wolf and Huntyr would end. Wolf really shined through in Blood So Brutal; if you loved him in Wings So Wicked, you would obsess over him in the final instalment. My heart ached for him and everything he had endured in his life—the torture, the shunning, the pain. I knew he messed up and messed up badly, but he worked so hard to earn Huntyr's trust back. Wolf is the archetype of a fantasy book boyfriend, and I am so happy I got to witness him get his HEA, even after all those traumatic events.

And trust me, there was a fair share of trauma in this book, as you can probably imagine. I was gripping the edge of my seat, holding my breath, and just waiting for everything to finally conclude. I cried, I laughed, and I cherished every moment we got to spend with these characters. And now, coming to the end of Blood So Brutal, I feel so torn—I am so happy about how the story ended, but I am also devastated we have to say goodbye to Huntyr and Wolf. Honestly, it is the most bittersweet feeling ever.

So, thank you, Emily, thank you for gifting us this story and these characters. I loved every second of it, and this duology deserves every praise it can get!

Blood So Brutal will offer you
- archangels, angels, fae, vampyres
- unique bonds
- meddling gods
- high stakes
- chosen one
- secrets, intrigues & betrayals
- forced proximity
- marriage of convenience
- found family
and a perfect conclusion to a perfect duology!

[Stephanie Leonardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good ending for these two characters! They had to work through quite a bit in this book, not only between the two of them but also within themselves and all the political intrigue situations.

Poor Wolf was really put through it by everyone around him.
Huntyr had a lot she needed to come to terms with.
And there was a few ppl that really needed to die. Lol fun read!

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Unexpectedly brilliant. I thoroughly enjoyed this duet and the dynamic between not only the FMC and MMC but also supporting characters. The story has me hooked and I found myself slowing my reading like I do when I want to savour a story cos I didn't want it to end. Loved it!

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

You guys are NOT READY for this one!!! Omg what a banger

[Shanna Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down! This duology is 🔥🔥🔥

[Jericha Kurucz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come!

I'm sad this is the end of Huntyr and Wolf's story! 😢 But I closed the book with a smile.