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This Violent Light
He’s her worst nightmare. She’s his last chance.
When vampire king Sebastian Vulce betrays a witch coven, he unwittingly brings a deadly curse over his people, condemning them to burn in the sun. The only way to break it is with a witch from a vanished bloodline.
Everything changes when Grace Renolds accidently exposes her existence to the vampiric world. Bubbly and kind, Grace has no idea she’s half-witch…or that she’s the only one capable of freeing the vampires.
When Sebastian traps her in his manor, Grace immediately plans her escape. She knows Sebastian will kill her if she fails to break the curse—and Grace only ever fails.
But violent and cruel as Sebastian may be, he doesn’t see Grace like she sees herself. To him, she’s not vapid or pathetic. She’s strong, irreplaceable, unstoppable.
Grace knows she should run…because the only thing worse than helping a vampire king is falling in love with him.
THIS VIOLENT LIGHT is a standalone vampire romantasy, perfect for fans of Klaus and Caroline from The Vampire Diaries. Featuring enemies-to-lovers and open-door spice, it is told in dual, first person POV.
When vampire king Sebastian Vulce betrays a witch coven, he unwittingly brings a deadly curse over his people, condemning them to burn in the sun. The only way to break it is with a witch from a vanished bloodline.
Everything changes when Grace Renolds accidently exposes her existence to the vampiric world. Bubbly and kind, Grace has no idea she’s half-witch…or that she’s the only one capable of freeing the vampires.
When Sebastian traps her in his manor, Grace immediately plans her escape. She knows Sebastian will kill her if she fails to break the curse—and Grace only ever fails.
But violent and cruel as Sebastian may be, he doesn’t see Grace like she sees herself. To him, she’s not vapid or pathetic. She’s strong, irreplaceable, unstoppable.
Grace knows she should run…because the only thing worse than helping a vampire king is falling in love with him.
THIS VIOLENT LIGHT is a standalone vampire romantasy, perfect for fans of Klaus and Caroline from The Vampire Diaries. Featuring enemies-to-lovers and open-door spice, it is told in dual, first person POV.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 18, 2025
81 people are currently reading
2029 people want to read
About the author
Bree Wilde
3 books86 followersBree Wilde writes romance and romantasy novels. She lives in Idaho with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
July 30, 2025
"An eruption of pleasure dances through my stomach. I don’t think a man’s ever looked at me like he is now. Like he doesn’t just want to sleep with me…like he wants to devour me whole." (Ch 2)
Stand-alone vampire romantasy.
"This violent light steals everything from my kind, and she’s my only shot at stealing it back. Our power. Our invincibility. Our freedom." (Ch 12)
Grace comes off at first like a Legally Blonde (which she consequently loves and is mentioned a few times in the story, btw) slash Mean Girls - 'we wear pink on wednesdays' type; all girly, bratty, and spoiled. But then she's just bratty, sulky, and full of tantrums. Very little self-preservation when it came to reigning in her petulant personality. She gets on everybody's nerves (mine included 🤪).
“You made me taste you, and now, I want to devour you.” (Ch 17)
Sebastian is a saint for putting up with all that drama and high-maintenance twaddle and IDEK how he could stand her, maybe it was a blood-pheromone led haze that turned him into something akin to a lustful horny schoolboy with a crush.
There were twists, kind of expected/anticipated, though, and the ending was a little lackluster. Cute story, albeit a tad bit vapid.
eARC courtesy of BookSirens
Stand-alone vampire romantasy.
"This violent light steals everything from my kind, and she’s my only shot at stealing it back. Our power. Our invincibility. Our freedom." (Ch 12)
Grace comes off at first like a Legally Blonde (which she consequently loves and is mentioned a few times in the story, btw) slash Mean Girls - 'we wear pink on wednesdays' type; all girly, bratty, and spoiled. But then she's just bratty, sulky, and full of tantrums. Very little self-preservation when it came to reigning in her petulant personality. She gets on everybody's nerves (mine included 🤪).
“You made me taste you, and now, I want to devour you.” (Ch 17)
Sebastian is a saint for putting up with all that drama and high-maintenance twaddle and IDEK how he could stand her, maybe it was a blood-pheromone led haze that turned him into something akin to a lustful horny schoolboy with a crush.
There were twists, kind of expected/anticipated, though, and the ending was a little lackluster. Cute story, albeit a tad bit vapid.
eARC courtesy of BookSirens
July 18, 2025
4.5⭐️
Thank you to Bree Wilde for the opportunity to read this novel as an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
This book was PHENOMENAL! The pacing was perfect, I loved both our sunshine FMC and our broody MMC as well as the secondary characters. The world building was simple but just enough to give you a sense of how the different realms were tied into the story. And the tension and obsession were everything!
Sebastian is a vampire, once a powerful king, now living in near poverty thanks to the witches curse. When he finds out that the witch killed for the curse has a surprise daughter, he hopes that by taking her and her life will allow the curse to be broken.
But when he meets Grace, she’s not at all what he was expecting. She’s gorgeous and her smell is intoxicating. What started off as a kidnapping with no care for her survival, is now turning into something more. Something Sebastian never believed in, especially for himself.
I devoured this book in an evening, and the fact that it’s a standalone made it even better. Majority of the problems were solved, not too many strings left loose, and we got some hot spice with a vampire!
I remember reading the description for this arc and then the dedication about it being for the Klaus and Caroline fans and thinking, there’s no way this will satisfy that craving.
Well I was wrong. Because this was sooo much more! And even if you weren’t a vampire diaries fan, the story of Sebastian and Grace was beautifully crafted and I loved every minute of Grace’s fiery attitude even in her fear and Sebastian fighting his own feelings.
My only fault with the story is I wish we got more of Tessa. She seemed so fun and I think she would’ve been totally cool with the night realm.
Either way, this was a fantastic read, the perfect one sitting romantasy with just the right amount of spice and action.
Thank you to Bree Wilde for the opportunity to read this novel as an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
This book was PHENOMENAL! The pacing was perfect, I loved both our sunshine FMC and our broody MMC as well as the secondary characters. The world building was simple but just enough to give you a sense of how the different realms were tied into the story. And the tension and obsession were everything!
Sebastian is a vampire, once a powerful king, now living in near poverty thanks to the witches curse. When he finds out that the witch killed for the curse has a surprise daughter, he hopes that by taking her and her life will allow the curse to be broken.
But when he meets Grace, she’s not at all what he was expecting. She’s gorgeous and her smell is intoxicating. What started off as a kidnapping with no care for her survival, is now turning into something more. Something Sebastian never believed in, especially for himself.
I devoured this book in an evening, and the fact that it’s a standalone made it even better. Majority of the problems were solved, not too many strings left loose, and we got some hot spice with a vampire!
I remember reading the description for this arc and then the dedication about it being for the Klaus and Caroline fans and thinking, there’s no way this will satisfy that craving.
Well I was wrong. Because this was sooo much more! And even if you weren’t a vampire diaries fan, the story of Sebastian and Grace was beautifully crafted and I loved every minute of Grace’s fiery attitude even in her fear and Sebastian fighting his own feelings.
My only fault with the story is I wish we got more of Tessa. She seemed so fun and I think she would’ve been totally cool with the night realm.
Either way, this was a fantastic read, the perfect one sitting romantasy with just the right amount of spice and action.
July 31, 2025
Received an arc from the author (took a while to post as super busy moving and new job)
I went into this book with an open mind as I didn't know what to expect from the author. I LOVED the plot of the book, the mmc is morally gray and our heroine is a girly girl, sassy and stubborn. if you liked the klaus / Caroline plot from the vampire diaries this is a similar sort of dynamic.
The storyline and character growth was good and was kept engaged throughout. will definitely read other books from this author.
spice level 🌶️
overall rating 4.3
I went into this book with an open mind as I didn't know what to expect from the author. I LOVED the plot of the book, the mmc is morally gray and our heroine is a girly girl, sassy and stubborn. if you liked the klaus / Caroline plot from the vampire diaries this is a similar sort of dynamic.
The storyline and character growth was good and was kept engaged throughout. will definitely read other books from this author.
spice level 🌶️
overall rating 4.3
July 13, 2025
This was the kind of book that you can just devour - no joke, I read it in a day.
Our FMC Grace is bubbly, fun and completely unaware that she is a half witch until she is snatched away by Sebastian, our broody vampire MMC. Sebastian believes Grace can cure the curse upon his people which prevents them from going out in the sun. This book is marketed as having Klaroline vibes and I can definitely see that in the ruthless energy Sebastian has and the snippy attitude Grace gives him.
Its kind of enemies to lovers, kind of Stockholm syndrome (she hates him to start but who wouldn’t in the same situation 😂) It’s kind of medium burn, it definitely takes them a little while to warm up to each other but its not a true slow burn.
I love the found family / inner circle moments, the banter between Grace and Sebastian and the way Grace grows into her power as a witch. I like a good magical training moment and this book has that as Grace works with Cora to learn about her powers / heritage.
I really appreciated that this was a standalone (or if it’s a series, we had a clear conclusion by the end of the book!)
Our FMC Grace is bubbly, fun and completely unaware that she is a half witch until she is snatched away by Sebastian, our broody vampire MMC. Sebastian believes Grace can cure the curse upon his people which prevents them from going out in the sun. This book is marketed as having Klaroline vibes and I can definitely see that in the ruthless energy Sebastian has and the snippy attitude Grace gives him.
Its kind of enemies to lovers, kind of Stockholm syndrome (she hates him to start but who wouldn’t in the same situation 😂) It’s kind of medium burn, it definitely takes them a little while to warm up to each other but its not a true slow burn.
I love the found family / inner circle moments, the banter between Grace and Sebastian and the way Grace grows into her power as a witch. I like a good magical training moment and this book has that as Grace works with Cora to learn about her powers / heritage.
I really appreciated that this was a standalone (or if it’s a series, we had a clear conclusion by the end of the book!)
October 11, 2025
This is such perfect Klaroline vibes and I loved it!!!
I always wanted Klaus and Caroline from TVD to be endgame and have their HEA, but sadly they didn’t end up together 😭
Sebastian definitely gives Klaus vibes and he was absolute perfection. Grace wasn’t as bitchy as Caroline but I adore her sassiness. They were great together!
I loved this story too and honestly wished there are more. I’m very intrigued by this universe and all the different realms in it.
I also truly wished they broke the curse. I’m kinda sad and disappointed they didn’t manage to do so 🙂↕️
Maybe there’ll be more books in this universe and we get a glimpse of the vampires then!
I always wanted Klaus and Caroline from TVD to be endgame and have their HEA, but sadly they didn’t end up together 😭
Sebastian definitely gives Klaus vibes and he was absolute perfection. Grace wasn’t as bitchy as Caroline but I adore her sassiness. They were great together!
I loved this story too and honestly wished there are more. I’m very intrigued by this universe and all the different realms in it.
I also truly wished they broke the curse. I’m kinda sad and disappointed they didn’t manage to do so 🙂↕️
Maybe there’ll be more books in this universe and we get a glimpse of the vampires then!
July 14, 2025
4.25-4.5 stars for me!
I love that Bree Wilde writes solid standalone books, like we need more of those out there! And I always love me a vampire romance, so I was HERE for this! (I admit, I didn't really watch TVD, which really inspired this book, and that's totally not necessary to fully enjoy this book! But I also can't compare things for those who did lol)
I really loved the blend of the fantasy with more paranormal feels. There are witches, vampires, curses, a grumpy and delicious morally grey vampire MMC, and our sunshine human-now-witch FMC who has been thrown into this whole world unexpectedly. There's also an interesting group of supporting characters. I really loved Cora, the one witch who sided with the vampires.
This is a fast-paced paranormal fantasy romance, and vampire lovers will definitely enjoy this one!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I love that Bree Wilde writes solid standalone books, like we need more of those out there! And I always love me a vampire romance, so I was HERE for this! (I admit, I didn't really watch TVD, which really inspired this book, and that's totally not necessary to fully enjoy this book! But I also can't compare things for those who did lol)
I really loved the blend of the fantasy with more paranormal feels. There are witches, vampires, curses, a grumpy and delicious morally grey vampire MMC, and our sunshine human-now-witch FMC who has been thrown into this whole world unexpectedly. There's also an interesting group of supporting characters. I really loved Cora, the one witch who sided with the vampires.
This is a fast-paced paranormal fantasy romance, and vampire lovers will definitely enjoy this one!
I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2025
I picked up This Violent Light because the book's dedication is to those who shipped Klaus and Caroline. Naturally, that intrigued me, so I was excited to receive an eARC from the author (thank you so much Bree!).
The dynamic between the main characters in this book has strong chemistry, banter, and steamy sexual tension and spice, and I definitely rooted for them. I know that this is their own story and can't be the same, but I was expecting a few more emotional or plot similarities to Klaroline, especially since that was the book's selling point (this is a totally personal opinion based on my own expectations).
The writing and worldbuilding is easy to dive into. The side characters were lovable and played a big part in the whole storyline. I read this book in 2 sittings, was a fast read!
The Violent Light was a fun, spicy, and fast-paced read, perfect for those who crave vampire stories with enemies to lovers romances!
The dynamic between the main characters in this book has strong chemistry, banter, and steamy sexual tension and spice, and I definitely rooted for them. I know that this is their own story and can't be the same, but I was expecting a few more emotional or plot similarities to Klaroline, especially since that was the book's selling point (this is a totally personal opinion based on my own expectations).
The writing and worldbuilding is easy to dive into. The side characters were lovable and played a big part in the whole storyline. I read this book in 2 sittings, was a fast read!
The Violent Light was a fun, spicy, and fast-paced read, perfect for those who crave vampire stories with enemies to lovers romances!
July 17, 2025
I enjoyed this book so much!! I had such a fun time. Once I started I couldn’t put it down. I loved Graces character. She’s so real and I loved her dry humor and wit. I loved that she was strong but also soft. Sebastian? That man is the definition of morally grey. There were moments I wanted to slap him. HAHA. But I truly did love his character development and watching him completely change for love. The spice was spicey. The banter was bantering. And the story was all consuming. I can’t thank Bree enough for giving me the opportunity to read this early. Truly am grateful. And I highly recommend if you’re into:
•Morally Grey men
•Blondies 😏
•Spice
•Tension
•Banter
•Plot twists & A little bit of some found family in there
•Morally Grey men
•Blondies 😏
•Spice
•Tension
•Banter
•Plot twists & A little bit of some found family in there
July 26, 2025
Let me take you back to a couple of weeks ago when I was mindlessly scrolling through my Instagram feed when Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes graced my screen. Like many other fans of The Vampire Diaries, I wholeheartedly feel like Caroline and Klaus should have been end game so when I discovered that this book drew inspiration from these characters I was delighted and immediately added the book to my Kindle library. I started the book today and read it in one sitting.
The chemistry between Caroline and Klaus is incredibly difficult to replicate but Bree Wilde did an excellent job in doing so through her unique story of Sebastian and Grace. The story felt both nostalgic and refreshing, with twists that actually surprised me, which doesn’t happen often.
Highly recommend!
The chemistry between Caroline and Klaus is incredibly difficult to replicate but Bree Wilde did an excellent job in doing so through her unique story of Sebastian and Grace. The story felt both nostalgic and refreshing, with twists that actually surprised me, which doesn’t happen often.
Highly recommend!
July 18, 2025
I really enjoyed this one. I got me out of my slump!
This was a short romantasy following a blonde vampire show steals a human girl so she can help the vampires get out of their curse. Little does she know that she’s actually a witch.
When Sebastian realizes he doesn’t actually want to kill Grace, chaos ensues within the vampire realm.
I thought it was a well rounded story. I didn’t think it was rushed or anything, even with the size. (300 pages)
It’s more of a pick me up kind of story with a bit of spice.
Thank you to the author for this earc.
This was a short romantasy following a blonde vampire show steals a human girl so she can help the vampires get out of their curse. Little does she know that she’s actually a witch.
When Sebastian realizes he doesn’t actually want to kill Grace, chaos ensues within the vampire realm.
I thought it was a well rounded story. I didn’t think it was rushed or anything, even with the size. (300 pages)
It’s more of a pick me up kind of story with a bit of spice.
Thank you to the author for this earc.
August 25, 2025
I loved Bree’s writing style! It was such a fun and cute book to read🖤
July 14, 2025
all of my #Klaroline people need to read this right now
June 24, 2025
The upcoming romantasy is for all Klaroline lovers out there and those who still feel nostalgic about The Vampire Diaries!
Sebastian is a vampire king trying to save his people. Grace is a half-witch living in the mortal world without the knowledge of her being a witch. Their worlds collide when Sebastian learns of her existence and that she's the key to breaking his people's curse.
"This Violent Light" overall was a fun read. It gave me all the VPD/Klaroline vibes I craved for, but unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me. It started pretty good, and I was enjoying reading it. But the plot felt too rushed in the end, and some of the characters' motives weren't explored deeply enough. I would've also loved the whole world of Echo and all of its creatures to be explored more. There's a map of Echo at the beginning of the book, and after seeing that, I expected to come back to it again and again to see where the plot takes place, but the book mostly explores a small part of the world.
I did like the author's style of writing and will check out her work in the future as I feel that she has plenty of potential that can be unlocked with a better editor 😊.
My overall score is 2.75/5.
I would like to thank the author for giving me the chance to read the e-ARC of the book ❤️.
Sebastian is a vampire king trying to save his people. Grace is a half-witch living in the mortal world without the knowledge of her being a witch. Their worlds collide when Sebastian learns of her existence and that she's the key to breaking his people's curse.
"This Violent Light" overall was a fun read. It gave me all the VPD/Klaroline vibes I craved for, but unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for me. It started pretty good, and I was enjoying reading it. But the plot felt too rushed in the end, and some of the characters' motives weren't explored deeply enough. I would've also loved the whole world of Echo and all of its creatures to be explored more. There's a map of Echo at the beginning of the book, and after seeing that, I expected to come back to it again and again to see where the plot takes place, but the book mostly explores a small part of the world.
I did like the author's style of writing and will check out her work in the future as I feel that she has plenty of potential that can be unlocked with a better editor 😊.
My overall score is 2.75/5.
I would like to thank the author for giving me the chance to read the e-ARC of the book ❤️.
November 15, 2025
The only good thing about this book was the dedication …. Probably the worst book I’ve ever read? Literally nothing happened….? I would have DNF’d if it wasn’t for my book club.
1) the back story was so scattered that it didn’t make sense and there wasn’t enough detail.
2) there was zero world building. What was even the point of talking about the other realms?
3) the magic system is never explained. It just is. Also, her having magic ends up being completely irrelevant. The most we get is her holding down some vampires.
4) there is no character development with any of the characters. None of them have personalities
5) no one builds meaningful relationships. Sebastian has knows these people for years and knows nothing about them and doesn’t care for them at all. We don’t even get to see a real relationship grow between him and grace. They watch a movie and now they want to have sex and be vampires together.
6) Oscars (was that his name?) wife has been dead for 20 years…. I understand his motivation for blaming Sebastian even though he should be angry at the witches, but what was his master plan before this random girl came along? To do nothing? It just didn’t make sense…. Also, didn’t Sebastian give him and his wife a lot more time together than they would have had? I get why he’s mad, but he should also be grateful to Sebastian for what he did in a way….
There is a lot more I could point out, but it’s just too much. I really can’t name one good thing about this book.
1) the back story was so scattered that it didn’t make sense and there wasn’t enough detail.
2) there was zero world building. What was even the point of talking about the other realms?
3) the magic system is never explained. It just is. Also, her having magic ends up being completely irrelevant. The most we get is her holding down some vampires.
4) there is no character development with any of the characters. None of them have personalities
5) no one builds meaningful relationships. Sebastian has knows these people for years and knows nothing about them and doesn’t care for them at all. We don’t even get to see a real relationship grow between him and grace. They watch a movie and now they want to have sex and be vampires together.
6) Oscars (was that his name?) wife has been dead for 20 years…. I understand his motivation for blaming Sebastian even though he should be angry at the witches, but what was his master plan before this random girl came along? To do nothing? It just didn’t make sense…. Also, didn’t Sebastian give him and his wife a lot more time together than they would have had? I get why he’s mad, but he should also be grateful to Sebastian for what he did in a way….
There is a lot more I could point out, but it’s just too much. I really can’t name one good thing about this book.
July 4, 2025
I found this book a bit difficult to get into at first; I’m not sure if it was just my mood or something else. However, I really started to enjoy it as I kept reading, especially after Grace's first “attempt” at summoning her magic.
I loved the banter not only between Grace and Sebastian but also with Cora. It made me laugh out loud a few times! The plot and the twists in the storyline were impressive—definitely a chef's kiss moment! I kept trying to predict what would happen next, but I was never close. If only you could see my face while I was reading!
Overall, I highly recommend this book—go read it!
I loved the banter not only between Grace and Sebastian but also with Cora. It made me laugh out loud a few times! The plot and the twists in the storyline were impressive—definitely a chef's kiss moment! I kept trying to predict what would happen next, but I was never close. If only you could see my face while I was reading!
Overall, I highly recommend this book—go read it!
July 17, 2025
Thank you to Bree for entrusting me with an early copy!
Dual POV, slow burn, enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, high maintenance FMC, morally grey MMC, unknown power and learning to use it, unique world, vampires x witches (with other magical beings in the world too), curse they are trying to break, betrayal, standalone
Grace has traveled far from the city life she loves in what feels like a hopeless attempt to find her father or more information about him. She soon wishes she stayed far away! Sebastian, king of the vampires, is looking for a way to break the curse on his people causing them to burn in the sun. And it just happens that Grace is the key to the curse. When Sebastian forces her home with him, they continue to clash until Sebastian realizes he needs her to trust him. But is that possible?
This was a fun standalone adventure especially after so many cliffhangers lately! Grace is a woman who wants to party and have fun, but shows more depth when she travels on her own to learn more about her past. It was fun to watch her poke fun at Sebastian once things lightened up and make her demands - especially when her love for older chick flicks shows up. I also enjoyed Sebastian as he fought his growing curiosity and attraction to Grace. Him trying to understand one of her movies was pretty funny. The Echo Realm is neat and I'm excited to see if other stories are to come from this crew!
Dual POV, slow burn, enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, high maintenance FMC, morally grey MMC, unknown power and learning to use it, unique world, vampires x witches (with other magical beings in the world too), curse they are trying to break, betrayal, standalone
Grace has traveled far from the city life she loves in what feels like a hopeless attempt to find her father or more information about him. She soon wishes she stayed far away! Sebastian, king of the vampires, is looking for a way to break the curse on his people causing them to burn in the sun. And it just happens that Grace is the key to the curse. When Sebastian forces her home with him, they continue to clash until Sebastian realizes he needs her to trust him. But is that possible?
This was a fun standalone adventure especially after so many cliffhangers lately! Grace is a woman who wants to party and have fun, but shows more depth when she travels on her own to learn more about her past. It was fun to watch her poke fun at Sebastian once things lightened up and make her demands - especially when her love for older chick flicks shows up. I also enjoyed Sebastian as he fought his growing curiosity and attraction to Grace. Him trying to understand one of her movies was pretty funny. The Echo Realm is neat and I'm excited to see if other stories are to come from this crew!
July 17, 2025
Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
After her mother's death, Grace Renolds tries to find the father who abandoned her as a child. But Grace's father kept many secrets, one being that Grace is half witch, and her blood is the only way to break a deadly curse on vampire kind. When vampire king Sebastian Vulce learns of Grace's existence, he kidnaps her and takes her into the Echo, a realm where nightmare creatures reside. At first, Sebastian doesn't care whether Grace lives or dies to break the curse, and Grace doesn't care about helping the vampires. But as they work together to develop Grace's magic, they both begin to see each other in a new light. Sebastian and Grace must decide what sacrifices they are willing to make both for each other, and for all vampires of the Echo.
This was a really exciting, truly enemies-to-lovers story that kept me on my toes. At first, I didn't know how these two would start to tolerate each other. I was turning pages so quickly because I just had to know what happened. The world-building and magic system were very unique, but not difficult to understand, and I am excited to read more about the Echo and its inhabitants. The book is a slow burn but once the spice starts, it's firecracker-hot! I also love the dual POV in the book; it's especially fun to be in Sebastian's head. There are twists throughout the book so I was never sure how everything was going to resolve. I really enjoyed reading this and I look forward to reading future books in this series.
Follow me @smorebooksplease on Instagram for more bookish fun!
After her mother's death, Grace Renolds tries to find the father who abandoned her as a child. But Grace's father kept many secrets, one being that Grace is half witch, and her blood is the only way to break a deadly curse on vampire kind. When vampire king Sebastian Vulce learns of Grace's existence, he kidnaps her and takes her into the Echo, a realm where nightmare creatures reside. At first, Sebastian doesn't care whether Grace lives or dies to break the curse, and Grace doesn't care about helping the vampires. But as they work together to develop Grace's magic, they both begin to see each other in a new light. Sebastian and Grace must decide what sacrifices they are willing to make both for each other, and for all vampires of the Echo.
This was a really exciting, truly enemies-to-lovers story that kept me on my toes. At first, I didn't know how these two would start to tolerate each other. I was turning pages so quickly because I just had to know what happened. The world-building and magic system were very unique, but not difficult to understand, and I am excited to read more about the Echo and its inhabitants. The book is a slow burn but once the spice starts, it's firecracker-hot! I also love the dual POV in the book; it's especially fun to be in Sebastian's head. There are twists throughout the book so I was never sure how everything was going to resolve. I really enjoyed reading this and I look forward to reading future books in this series.
Follow me @smorebooksplease on Instagram for more bookish fun!
July 15, 2025
This was a slow start for me, but once I got into it then it was flowing and I didn’t want to stop. I wish we could’ve seen more of the other characters in the realms but I do love that they were mentioned so we knew that there was more than just humans and vampires. Super cool that a harpie was a character that they interacted with. The love story was a very slow burn, but I love how Sebastian was changed by it. I do wish we knew how the poor human realm friends handled her disappearance, like could they go back and remove her stuff and maybe spell them? Bc if my best friend just disappeared I would never rest so that was probably the only part I wanted resolved that wasn’t, but that’s a personal preference. I thought it was well written and I wouldn’t mind reading about other characters and other parts of the world, I appreciate being given the opportunity to ARC for this book.
May 27, 2025
this book will officially release in July and i encourage anyone that has a thing for vampires, more specifically for Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes, to pre-order and be waiting excitedly for the drop. the characters are still all their own and only reminiscent of the pairing we all needed and were denied. the itch was definitely scratched.
there were some things i would have changed and that’s the only reason for the rating not being 5 stars. doesn’t mean i don’t still highly recommend any romantasy, TVD/TO, or just overall vampire fan to snatch this up ASAP. because i absolutely do. but i finished this book within a day and a half (only because i was busy). its perfectly paced and the length makes it easy to devour all in one go. not to mention how addictive Sebastian Vulce is. what can i say? i love a morally grey mmc as much as the next girl.
the spice is spicy 🥵 the plot is 😌 the characters grown and learn. i mean, what else do you need for convincing?
i feel privileged and honored to have been chosen to read before release.
looking forward to reading more from this author!
there were some things i would have changed and that’s the only reason for the rating not being 5 stars. doesn’t mean i don’t still highly recommend any romantasy, TVD/TO, or just overall vampire fan to snatch this up ASAP. because i absolutely do. but i finished this book within a day and a half (only because i was busy). its perfectly paced and the length makes it easy to devour all in one go. not to mention how addictive Sebastian Vulce is. what can i say? i love a morally grey mmc as much as the next girl.
the spice is spicy 🥵 the plot is 😌 the characters grown and learn. i mean, what else do you need for convincing?
i feel privileged and honored to have been chosen to read before release.
looking forward to reading more from this author!
July 10, 2025
I was lucky to receive and eARC in exchange for a review of this book. This Violent Light is for all the girls who want the vampires to actually be villains and still willingly beg to be turned.
The 2 main characters have great banter, and it was fun to see the tension growing between them, to the point that Sebastian is willing to throw it all away for her.
I enjoyed the begrudgingly changing attitude as Sebastian realizes just how stubborn and unrelenting, Grace is.
The world building is easy to dive into, and I hope we see more of the different creatures living in this world as the series progresses. The shift in the power dynamic will also be something to look at going forward.
I am eager to see how the vamps deal with the witches in book 2!
The 2 main characters have great banter, and it was fun to see the tension growing between them, to the point that Sebastian is willing to throw it all away for her.
I enjoyed the begrudgingly changing attitude as Sebastian realizes just how stubborn and unrelenting, Grace is.
The world building is easy to dive into, and I hope we see more of the different creatures living in this world as the series progresses. The shift in the power dynamic will also be something to look at going forward.
I am eager to see how the vamps deal with the witches in book 2!
July 13, 2025
Wow ! I completely devoured this one. It was all I had hoped it would be in a standalone paranormal vampire romance.
“ her violent light is the only thing capable of containing me, and if I’m not careful she’ll consume every last piece”
Sebastian is the dark vampire king whose only goal is to break a curse set by the witches in his realm. Grace is the unknowingly witch living in the human realm that maybe the last hope to break the curse over the vampires.
I loved the take on this vampire world, the gritty characters, the hate the main characters have for each other. If you’re a fan of Klaus from the show the originals, Sebastian eludes the same vile discontent with people who cross him. Grace is naive in understanding of the existence of the supernatural, but goes head to head with Sebastian every time!
Such a delightful, fast paced strong enemies to lovers story that you can get lost in and completely enjoy till the end ❤️🔥
Definitely recommend 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I received an advance review copy (e-arc), and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“ her violent light is the only thing capable of containing me, and if I’m not careful she’ll consume every last piece”
Sebastian is the dark vampire king whose only goal is to break a curse set by the witches in his realm. Grace is the unknowingly witch living in the human realm that maybe the last hope to break the curse over the vampires.
I loved the take on this vampire world, the gritty characters, the hate the main characters have for each other. If you’re a fan of Klaus from the show the originals, Sebastian eludes the same vile discontent with people who cross him. Grace is naive in understanding of the existence of the supernatural, but goes head to head with Sebastian every time!
Such a delightful, fast paced strong enemies to lovers story that you can get lost in and completely enjoy till the end ❤️🔥
Definitely recommend 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I received an advance review copy (e-arc), and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 20, 2025
This was a good enough read, but it was just missing something?
The romance, banter, and actual real enemies-to-lovers vibes were there!
But the FMC was more annoying than I'd expected. I know this was advertised as Caroline and Klaus coded but the only part of Caroline that I could see was her annoyingness.
Our MMC Sebastian was everything, and I couldn't help but love him too.
The plot was pretty solid but I will say, it didn't exactly feel as if there were very high stakes once we got past a certain point. Everything just felt very safe, even when the FMC was supposedly in danger. Maybe it's because we didn't get much of the FMC's pov in that situation?
Overall it was a quick and fun read, can't say I'd recommend it but it wasn't terrible or anything. It definitely had its moments.
➛ 𝟑 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘔𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
The romance, banter, and actual real enemies-to-lovers vibes were there!
But the FMC was more annoying than I'd expected. I know this was advertised as Caroline and Klaus coded but the only part of Caroline that I could see was her annoyingness.
Our MMC Sebastian was everything, and I couldn't help but love him too.
The plot was pretty solid but I will say, it didn't exactly feel as if there were very high stakes once we got past a certain point. Everything just felt very safe, even when the FMC was supposedly in danger. Maybe it's because we didn't get much of the FMC's pov in that situation?
Overall it was a quick and fun read, can't say I'd recommend it but it wasn't terrible or anything. It definitely had its moments.
➛ 𝟑 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘔𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.
July 21, 2025
I had fun with this story! Grace and Sebastian’s story is classic enemies to lovers with steamy banter and sharp wit. As they learn about each other’s worlds Grace and Sebastian begin to focus on their similarities rather than their differences and Sebastian soon finds himself in uncharted waters. Could he be in love? He is soon faced with many tough decisions and Grace will become more important to him than he thought possible and in a completely different way than originally intended. There were some genuine surprises and twists with this story and I love how everything wrapped up. This Violent Light was a fast read and a lot of fun. Check it out if you love.
🩸Paranormal Romance
🩸Vampires and Witches
🩸 Enemies to Lovers
🩸 Curses and Magic
🩸 Touch Her and 💀
🩸 Betrayal
🩸Paranormal Romance
🩸Vampires and Witches
🩸 Enemies to Lovers
🩸 Curses and Magic
🩸 Touch Her and 💀
🩸 Betrayal
June 6, 2025
I remember how excited I was when I first saw this book advertised on my social media. When I saw the ARC signups open, I ran to fill it out. I was so thankful to be selected!
This book is everything I hoped for! It definitely has The Vampire Diaries vibes which I absolutely loved. But it also has some new elements I’ve, personally, not come across in other vampire books. Grace was such a fun character to watch grow and Sebastian is such a steamy, morally gray guy. Love that! He turns out to be not so morally gray by the end, but his intentions are definitely questionable at times.
If you are a lover of vampires, definitely give this book a read!
This book is everything I hoped for! It definitely has The Vampire Diaries vibes which I absolutely loved. But it also has some new elements I’ve, personally, not come across in other vampire books. Grace was such a fun character to watch grow and Sebastian is such a steamy, morally gray guy. Love that! He turns out to be not so morally gray by the end, but his intentions are definitely questionable at times.
If you are a lover of vampires, definitely give this book a read!
June 13, 2025
This had a fun premise—a witch-born heroine, a vampire curse, and a forced proximity romance—but it didn’t fully click for me.
Grace and Sebastian had some compelling moments, but overall the story felt a little too predictable. I found myself wishing for more emotional depth, especially in Sebastian’s character. He was written to be dark and brooding, but it didn’t always feel convincing, and I wanted to see more layers to him beyond the “tortured vampire” trope.
It also felt like the book leaned more into dramatic fantasy romance vibes than into fully developing the world and characters. That said, it’s definitely a quick, entertaining read that could hit the spot if you’re in the mood for something atmospheric and romantic with supernatural flair.
Grace and Sebastian had some compelling moments, but overall the story felt a little too predictable. I found myself wishing for more emotional depth, especially in Sebastian’s character. He was written to be dark and brooding, but it didn’t always feel convincing, and I wanted to see more layers to him beyond the “tortured vampire” trope.
It also felt like the book leaned more into dramatic fantasy romance vibes than into fully developing the world and characters. That said, it’s definitely a quick, entertaining read that could hit the spot if you’re in the mood for something atmospheric and romantic with supernatural flair.
July 17, 2025
This book was a great read, with the banter between the two main characters being a highlight. The FMC's reactions to the world and its species were relatable, and her growth was compelling to watch.
I gave it 4 stars, but it would be 4.5 if I could do half ratings. I think there is so much more this story could have fleshed out. There's so much to discover in this world. I wish it wasn't a stand alone. The main plot felt like it was crammed into the last third of the book. I'd have liked to have more time with the MMC and FMC as a couple. Otherwise, the book was great.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I gave it 4 stars, but it would be 4.5 if I could do half ratings. I think there is so much more this story could have fleshed out. There's so much to discover in this world. I wish it wasn't a stand alone. The main plot felt like it was crammed into the last third of the book. I'd have liked to have more time with the MMC and FMC as a couple. Otherwise, the book was great.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 17, 2025
Sebastian and Grace. Think Vampire Diaries. Think A Discovery of Witches. Okay, now that I have your attention Seb and Grace are going to have you sat throughout this adventure. Seb needs Grace to help him and honestly, who knew they'd fall in love. I do enjoy a enemies to friends book especially with paranormal characters. There is also an unexpected twist! I never saw coming. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing if there is another in the series with the information given by the author.
Thank you to the author for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2025
WHAT A RIDE!
Basic plot is this: Sebastian is a jerk. He’s a cocky vampire who thinks he’s better than everyone else. His pride leads to his entire species being cursed by witches. So, for twenty years, he’s suffered, looking for a way to break said curse. Enter Grace—his literal freaking opposite. And the key to breaking his curse.
I am in LOVE with this book. Vampires have always held a place in my heart. The darker the better! And Seb is a monster. A delightfully dark monster. Watching him fall apart for Grace was phenomenal! I enjoyed every second of this amazing book. 10/10.
Basic plot is this: Sebastian is a jerk. He’s a cocky vampire who thinks he’s better than everyone else. His pride leads to his entire species being cursed by witches. So, for twenty years, he’s suffered, looking for a way to break said curse. Enter Grace—his literal freaking opposite. And the key to breaking his curse.
I am in LOVE with this book. Vampires have always held a place in my heart. The darker the better! And Seb is a monster. A delightfully dark monster. Watching him fall apart for Grace was phenomenal! I enjoyed every second of this amazing book. 10/10.
June 3, 2025
By far this has been my favorite fantasy read this year! Vampires, witches, faes and well you get it.
What I liked the most about this book is the slow romance. I loved that he didn’t fall for her at first sight. His hate for her was portrayed throughout the chapters and slowly turned to love. The twist was a great jaw dropper. I would though have liked to see a more dramatic end but wow my heart when he told her be a good girl at end.
Marking as spoilers just in case.
What I liked the most about this book is the slow romance. I loved that he didn’t fall for her at first sight. His hate for her was portrayed throughout the chapters and slowly turned to love. The twist was a great jaw dropper. I would though have liked to see a more dramatic end but wow my heart when he told her be a good girl at end.
Marking as spoilers just in case.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2025
Was very kindly accepted to be an ARC reader by the author. I have to give the highest compliments for their communication and sign up process. This was my first ARC experience and the bar has been set. Overall, a fun vampire romp novel. My rating is more based on personal preferences of tropes than anything else. I see a lot of potential in the author’s future with their style and voice. I’m going to go back and read their first novel after this experience.
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