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A Court of Blood and Sacrifice
A Court of Blood and Sacrifice is an enemies-to-lovers dark vampire romance and the first book in the Blood and Vengeance series.
I was twelve when my father was murdered, forced to watch as a man in black ripped out his throat. I swore, since then, that I would find out who killed my father in vengeance.
After being orphaned from my father's murder, I learned that the man in black was one of the cursed. A vampire from the Dark Lands. I made a promise to myself that one day I would spill the blood of his murderer. All I had to do was make it into the Sunfire Court guard--the toughest vampire hunters known to man. But when I achieved the impossible, my world was sent swirling into chaos as the appearance of a vampire shattered my reality.
He was arrogant. He was annoyingly gorgeous, and he was sent to capture me, to bring me to my death. But as my captor whisked me away to the Dark Lands to take my life, a new enemy was made, forcing me to join together with the very creature I vowed to hate.
We were bound to each other, whether I liked it or not. Forced to work together in a forest that itself wanted to kill me. Now, there was a new goal in mind. Escape this vampire and slit his throat before my own life was stolen by the hands of him.
But along my journey, a secret was revealed about my past that makes me question who the real enemy was...
I was twelve when my father was murdered, forced to watch as a man in black ripped out his throat. I swore, since then, that I would find out who killed my father in vengeance.
After being orphaned from my father's murder, I learned that the man in black was one of the cursed. A vampire from the Dark Lands. I made a promise to myself that one day I would spill the blood of his murderer. All I had to do was make it into the Sunfire Court guard--the toughest vampire hunters known to man. But when I achieved the impossible, my world was sent swirling into chaos as the appearance of a vampire shattered my reality.
He was arrogant. He was annoyingly gorgeous, and he was sent to capture me, to bring me to my death. But as my captor whisked me away to the Dark Lands to take my life, a new enemy was made, forcing me to join together with the very creature I vowed to hate.
We were bound to each other, whether I liked it or not. Forced to work together in a forest that itself wanted to kill me. Now, there was a new goal in mind. Escape this vampire and slit his throat before my own life was stolen by the hands of him.
But along my journey, a secret was revealed about my past that makes me question who the real enemy was...
359 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2025
11 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews
May 14, 2025
♥ My Overall Thoughts & Rating ♥
I really enjoyed this magical realism story! It comes vampires, enemies, and a fun adventure with an ending that leaves you wanting more! It is easy to read and comes with a diverse cast of characters. I really enjoyed the dual point of views, but I do wish that I got to read more of the male main character’s perspective. This book starts off strong, then slows down in the middle, then picks up again. This is the first book in the series and I think that the author did an excellent job at capturing the reader’s attention! This is a slow paced read that is character driven. It definitely had mysterious and dark vibes to it, which I really enjoyed. I do think that there were some plot holes, it jumped from scene to scene without explaining how it got there.
It comes with lovable and unlovable characters. The main characters do change and grow throughout the story. I wish there was more romance in the book, but it is only the first book in the series. I definitely think the author did a great job of writing this book and I look forward to the next one in the series! This is an enemies to lovers, fantasy romance novel that I do recommend! Especially if you love reading a good vampire and human love story! Overall, I give this a 3.5 star rating!
♥ Who I think would enjoy this & Content Warnings ♥
I think readers of the series “Twilight” and the book “A Land So Wide” will enjoy reading this book! Content warnings include fear, death, use of weapons and murder.
♥ Thank You ♥
Thank you to NetGalley and author Kay Marrie for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
♥ Publication Date ♥
This book is expected to be published on June 15, 2025!
♥ Quick Review ♥
❤️ Romance / New Adult / Fantasy
✔️ Enemies to Lovers
❤️ Dual POV - Mainly FMC
✔️ Mysterious & Dark Vibes
❤️ Beginning of a Series
✔️ Easy to Read
❤️ Vampire/Human Romance
✔️ Books “Twilight” & “A Land So Wide” Vibes
》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《
❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥
ツ౨ৎ
I really enjoyed this magical realism story! It comes vampires, enemies, and a fun adventure with an ending that leaves you wanting more! It is easy to read and comes with a diverse cast of characters. I really enjoyed the dual point of views, but I do wish that I got to read more of the male main character’s perspective. This book starts off strong, then slows down in the middle, then picks up again. This is the first book in the series and I think that the author did an excellent job at capturing the reader’s attention! This is a slow paced read that is character driven. It definitely had mysterious and dark vibes to it, which I really enjoyed. I do think that there were some plot holes, it jumped from scene to scene without explaining how it got there.
It comes with lovable and unlovable characters. The main characters do change and grow throughout the story. I wish there was more romance in the book, but it is only the first book in the series. I definitely think the author did a great job of writing this book and I look forward to the next one in the series! This is an enemies to lovers, fantasy romance novel that I do recommend! Especially if you love reading a good vampire and human love story! Overall, I give this a 3.5 star rating!
♥ Who I think would enjoy this & Content Warnings ♥
I think readers of the series “Twilight” and the book “A Land So Wide” will enjoy reading this book! Content warnings include fear, death, use of weapons and murder.
♥ Thank You ♥
Thank you to NetGalley and author Kay Marrie for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
♥ Publication Date ♥
This book is expected to be published on June 15, 2025!
♥ Quick Review ♥
❤️ Romance / New Adult / Fantasy
✔️ Enemies to Lovers
❤️ Dual POV - Mainly FMC
✔️ Mysterious & Dark Vibes
❤️ Beginning of a Series
✔️ Easy to Read
❤️ Vampire/Human Romance
✔️ Books “Twilight” & “A Land So Wide” Vibes
》* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ * 。° 。 • ˚《
❥ ୨⎯ Connie ⎯୧ ❥
ツ౨ৎ
May 22, 2025
ARC:
The concept was a cool idea, but executed badly. I liked how the forest and trees had character to them.
The pacing felt all over the place and the characters lacked any depth and felt stereotypical. Lilah (FMC) wants revenge against the vampires for killing her father when she was 12 years old, so she becomes the first female guard for the Sunfire Court. Nyx (MMC) is the vampire and basically saves her and kidnaps her for his own gain and to make a deal with her.
The start of the book, I was enjoying, untill I got to the 40% mark the romance was too quick and she was blindly trusting him, when he's given her no reason too, other than he won't hurt her because he needs her for something even though he won't say what.
The same stuff started to keep happening again where they would get attacked by the same people - she would get held hostage by them - he saves her and so on. To the point where I was bored and skimmed read. There was no real high stakes because they would be on the verge of bleeding to death about 5 times each and had no consequences, when the people could have died by the 2nd time easily.
The ending felt very rushed and I don't think it was fully explained or shown, this definitely could have been a standalone, if it was around the 500-700 pages, if the pacing and the plot was better.
The concept was a cool idea, but executed badly. I liked how the forest and trees had character to them.
The pacing felt all over the place and the characters lacked any depth and felt stereotypical. Lilah (FMC) wants revenge against the vampires for killing her father when she was 12 years old, so she becomes the first female guard for the Sunfire Court. Nyx (MMC) is the vampire and basically saves her and kidnaps her for his own gain and to make a deal with her.
The start of the book, I was enjoying, untill I got to the 40% mark the romance was too quick and she was blindly trusting him, when he's given her no reason too, other than he won't hurt her because he needs her for something even though he won't say what.
The same stuff started to keep happening again where they would get attacked by the same people - she would get held hostage by them - he saves her and so on. To the point where I was bored and skimmed read. There was no real high stakes because they would be on the verge of bleeding to death about 5 times each and had no consequences, when the people could have died by the 2nd time easily.
The ending felt very rushed and I don't think it was fully explained or shown, this definitely could have been a standalone, if it was around the 500-700 pages, if the pacing and the plot was better.
May 25, 2025
Thank you net galley and the author for letting me read this book. I was hooked from the beginning the writing style and the characters chefs kiss!! I can't wait to read the next book and she is now one of my favorite authors!
December 24, 2025
A Court of Blood and Sacrifice by Kay Marrie is a dark romantic fantasy that plunges you into Lilah’s lifelong quest for revenge after witnessing her father’s brutal murder by a vampire when she was just a child, and follows her until she finally becomes a member of the elite Sunfire Court guard, dedicated to hunting the cursed. Her carefully forged path toward vengeance collapses when a vampire she was meant to kill captures her, forcing them into a reluctant alliance as they navigate the perilous Dark Lands together, a place as dangerous as the creatures within it. Bound by survival and mutual distrust, their journey becomes a volatile dance of danger, dark intrigue, and smoldering tension that upends everything Lilah thought she knew about hatred, loyalty, and her own past.
What struck me is how visceral and emotionally charged this story feels even from the beginning: Lilah’s unwavering thirst for justice fuels her every step, yet the narrative makes space for vulnerability and doubt once she’s cast into survival mode with her captor, the alluring and arrogant vampire who was sent to kill her. The enemies‑to‑lovers trope blended with fantasy worldbuilding and escape adventure, and I liked its gripping tension, the twists, the constant action, and the way the plot kept me turning pages. The world of hunters and vampires and the Dark Lands itself drew me in, even if I felt some aspects of the magic and conflict needed more room to breathe.
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars. I’m giving A Court of Blood and Sacrifice three stars because its dark, high‑stakes premise and emotionally driven revenge plot made for a compelling and visceral read that kept me turning pages, and many scenes delivered true tension and atmosphere. That said, I found myself longing for deeper character depth and a more organic evolution of the central relationship, especially given how intense the underlying enemies‑to‑lovers dynamic promises to be.
If you love fantasy romance with danger, moral ambiguity, and vampire lore and don’t mind a bit of pacing unevenness, this is an intriguing start to a series with lots of potential for what comes next.
What struck me is how visceral and emotionally charged this story feels even from the beginning: Lilah’s unwavering thirst for justice fuels her every step, yet the narrative makes space for vulnerability and doubt once she’s cast into survival mode with her captor, the alluring and arrogant vampire who was sent to kill her. The enemies‑to‑lovers trope blended with fantasy worldbuilding and escape adventure, and I liked its gripping tension, the twists, the constant action, and the way the plot kept me turning pages. The world of hunters and vampires and the Dark Lands itself drew me in, even if I felt some aspects of the magic and conflict needed more room to breathe.
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars. I’m giving A Court of Blood and Sacrifice three stars because its dark, high‑stakes premise and emotionally driven revenge plot made for a compelling and visceral read that kept me turning pages, and many scenes delivered true tension and atmosphere. That said, I found myself longing for deeper character depth and a more organic evolution of the central relationship, especially given how intense the underlying enemies‑to‑lovers dynamic promises to be.
If you love fantasy romance with danger, moral ambiguity, and vampire lore and don’t mind a bit of pacing unevenness, this is an intriguing start to a series with lots of potential for what comes next.
December 27, 2025
Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.
I need the next book right now!!! Why isn't it out yet? Actually, I don't care that it hasn't been released, just that I don't have a copy (insert weeping and gnashing of teeth lol). This was so amazing and can't wait for the next book. I have already marked on my calendar to watch for the next book, to make sure I don't miss it.
I need the next book right now!!! Why isn't it out yet? Actually, I don't care that it hasn't been released, just that I don't have a copy (insert weeping and gnashing of teeth lol). This was so amazing and can't wait for the next book. I have already marked on my calendar to watch for the next book, to make sure I don't miss it.
June 16, 2025
2.5 STARS
While I really thought I would love this simply because of all the individual elements of the story being right up my alley, unfortunately this did not hit the mark for me. Do I still think this has the potential to be a good story, absolutely, but do think it suffers from too many issues in its current state. Some of the things that contributed to my rating include a huge lack of character development or consistency with personality traits, pacing issues, the conflict seemed to repeat itself over and over without having satisfying resolution, and the MMC being extremely lackluster. There also was I think what was supposed to be a "found family" element, but I don't think there was enough time spent with any of the side characters to feel like I cared enough about them (or why the FMC should). Expanding the character development and a good editor would do a lot for this story, because again, there are some good tropes that I think would all work well if done slightly better.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review! All opinions are my own.
While I really thought I would love this simply because of all the individual elements of the story being right up my alley, unfortunately this did not hit the mark for me. Do I still think this has the potential to be a good story, absolutely, but do think it suffers from too many issues in its current state. Some of the things that contributed to my rating include a huge lack of character development or consistency with personality traits, pacing issues, the conflict seemed to repeat itself over and over without having satisfying resolution, and the MMC being extremely lackluster. There also was I think what was supposed to be a "found family" element, but I don't think there was enough time spent with any of the side characters to feel like I cared enough about them (or why the FMC should). Expanding the character development and a good editor would do a lot for this story, because again, there are some good tropes that I think would all work well if done slightly better.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review! All opinions are my own.
May 30, 2025
*ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
1/5 Stars
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🩸 Enemies To Lovers
⚔️ Forced Proximity
🩸 Touch Her & Die
⚔️ Hidden Family Secrets
🩸 Mysterious & Dark Vibes
⚔️ Vampire/Human Romance
💭 Thoughts-
Honestly, when I read this most of my reactions would be described in one simple emoji and that is 🙄. This whole story seemed wayyy too generic and without any unique qualities to make it stand out from other books I’ve read like this. The pacing also just seemed super off and weird and the chapters lacked depth and any real meaning or anything to it. The romance also progressed way too quickly, and she was just trusting him for no reason whatsoever when she obviously shouldn’t be. All in all, though, I did not like this book and would not recommend unless you want a super generic vampire romance book.
Now Playing:
⊹ ࣪ ˖Game Of Survival By Ruelle˖࣪ ⊹
0:01 ❍─────── 4:28
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂ 10%
(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
1/5 Stars
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🩸 Enemies To Lovers
⚔️ Forced Proximity
🩸 Touch Her & Die
⚔️ Hidden Family Secrets
🩸 Mysterious & Dark Vibes
⚔️ Vampire/Human Romance
💭 Thoughts-
Honestly, when I read this most of my reactions would be described in one simple emoji and that is 🙄. This whole story seemed wayyy too generic and without any unique qualities to make it stand out from other books I’ve read like this. The pacing also just seemed super off and weird and the chapters lacked depth and any real meaning or anything to it. The romance also progressed way too quickly, and she was just trusting him for no reason whatsoever when she obviously shouldn’t be. All in all, though, I did not like this book and would not recommend unless you want a super generic vampire romance book.
Now Playing:
⊹ ࣪ ˖Game Of Survival By Ruelle˖࣪ ⊹
0:01 ❍─────── 4:28
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂ 10%
(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
June 26, 2025
the idea of this book has a lot of potential. however I find the execution a bit less. I received this book as a Beta version to review. I like the concept of vampires, revenge, magic and enemies to lovers very much, but the story went very fast, little depth in the characters, in my opinion a lot of repetition. had I read 10 pages before how something worked of magic or vampires, she explained that a number of chapters more often the same. this could be left out. also the writing style did not flow well for me.
certainly there were also many nice and well thought out and written parts. that is why I think this story has a lot of potential and that many readers of this book will certainly enjoy it! thank you very much for letting me read this stuff and I am curious about how your next books will develop
certainly there were also many nice and well thought out and written parts. that is why I think this story has a lot of potential and that many readers of this book will certainly enjoy it! thank you very much for letting me read this stuff and I am curious about how your next books will develop
May 18, 2025
“The need to claim, to mark, to make sure no one else would ever dare look at her the way I did.
Mine. She didn't know it yet, but she was mine.”
The pacing of this book was so strange, I wanted to love this book but I didn’t. I feel like it gave wattpad vibes. I liked the characters but the storyline was below average for me. I felt like I just wanted to rush through and finish it. I wish there would have been more character development and less filler. There’s definitely an audience out there for this book and it was a quick read!
Tropes:
🩸Forced Proximity
🩸Enemies to Lovers
🩸Touch Her and 💀
Mine. She didn't know it yet, but she was mine.”
The pacing of this book was so strange, I wanted to love this book but I didn’t. I feel like it gave wattpad vibes. I liked the characters but the storyline was below average for me. I felt like I just wanted to rush through and finish it. I wish there would have been more character development and less filler. There’s definitely an audience out there for this book and it was a quick read!
Tropes:
🩸Forced Proximity
🩸Enemies to Lovers
🩸Touch Her and 💀
May 13, 2025
I will preface this by saying that I dont like YA books. So far, I've been okay with NA books, so i gave this one a chance. This read very YA. It felt like the FMC was crying every other chapter over absolutely nothing. I'm still kind of confused about the pacing of this book because it doesn't fully match to the book synopsis. Our MCs don't actually meet until around the 50% mark, so the entire first half of the book was just providing context, outside of introducing Sadi. I'm sure we will hear from the other Hunters again in a later book, but they were inconsequential to the plot, so im not sure why we needed almost 200 pages that mostly didn't matter. I felt similarly to the hinting of a triangle between the MCs and Ryker; why was that needed as it serves no purpose emotionally and doesn't advance the plot?
Overall, I think the magic system was interesting and I want to know more about the queen, but this was too YA for my tastes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kay Marrie for the free eARC.
Overall, I think the magic system was interesting and I want to know more about the queen, but this was too YA for my tastes.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kay Marrie for the free eARC.
May 13, 2025
Vampires, magic, and a bit of spice made for a fun storyline! I really loved the concept, but the momentum wasn’t very consistent and made it hard to really connect with the main characters.
The opening really drew me in. I feel like we missed a lot of potential by not exploring more of her journey becoming a huntress. The middle was harder for me, it felt like she bounced back and forth in a way that felt repetitive.
Towards the end we got a lot more context and things had me on the edge of the seat with each new twist and turn. The cliffhanger left us all wanting for more! Thankful to NetGalley for the ARC.
The opening really drew me in. I feel like we missed a lot of potential by not exploring more of her journey becoming a huntress. The middle was harder for me, it felt like she bounced back and forth in a way that felt repetitive.
Towards the end we got a lot more context and things had me on the edge of the seat with each new twist and turn. The cliffhanger left us all wanting for more! Thankful to NetGalley for the ARC.
June 13, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Kay Marrie for the ARC!
This book was fast-paced & chaotic in the best way. The plot kept me hooked from start to finish, and the twists and turns were so good. Chef’s kiss.
That said, I do wish there had been a bit more world-building, I feel like there was this whole cool universe just under the surface that we didn’t get to fully explore. Also Lilah being a huntress; such a badass concept but I wish we got to actually see her be one a bit more. The romance gave insta-lust vibes, which isn’t a deal-breaker, but I feel like a few extra chapters could’ve made the connection hit harder.
Still, super entertaining read, zero regrets!
This book was fast-paced & chaotic in the best way. The plot kept me hooked from start to finish, and the twists and turns were so good. Chef’s kiss.
That said, I do wish there had been a bit more world-building, I feel like there was this whole cool universe just under the surface that we didn’t get to fully explore. Also Lilah being a huntress; such a badass concept but I wish we got to actually see her be one a bit more. The romance gave insta-lust vibes, which isn’t a deal-breaker, but I feel like a few extra chapters could’ve made the connection hit harder.
Still, super entertaining read, zero regrets!
May 12, 2025
The pacing of this book made this read a little difficult for me. It was fast, then slow, then fast, then slow, then even slower, then too fast. I was lost and having a hard time focusing or keeping up throughout.
I also felt like the plot was very repetitive and could’ve been cut by about 100 pages to make the story feel more consistently sped up.
Finally, I had a hard time relating to the main character. She felt very flat and stereotypical to me, making me yearn for a different character to appear in the plot to take over.
Thank you to Kay Marrie, Kailey Reidel, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are honest.
I also felt like the plot was very repetitive and could’ve been cut by about 100 pages to make the story feel more consistently sped up.
Finally, I had a hard time relating to the main character. She felt very flat and stereotypical to me, making me yearn for a different character to appear in the plot to take over.
Thank you to Kay Marrie, Kailey Reidel, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are honest.
December 31, 2025
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this!
I loved this book! It was constant action and suspense. I enjoyed trying to figure out Lilahs story while she also was trying to figure it out. And Nyx! He will be every ones new obsession. The author did an amazing job with visuals and creating this world. Im happy the author left it open for more books. I will definitely be reading the next one!
I loved this book! It was constant action and suspense. I enjoyed trying to figure out Lilahs story while she also was trying to figure it out. And Nyx! He will be every ones new obsession. The author did an amazing job with visuals and creating this world. Im happy the author left it open for more books. I will definitely be reading the next one!
November 17, 2025
3.5 🌟
"Now she wanted vengeance. She wanted blood, and she made a promise to herself that she would stop at nothing until she found the man who took her father’s life...." (Prologue)
Vampire Romantasy | Enemies-to-Lovers | Secrets | Forced Proximity | Slow-burn
The writing was a little choppy. Odd sentence structures, incorrect word choices, and present/past tense inconsistencies made it a bit painful to read at times. However, I gave it a chance, and luckily, I felt myself being drawn into the story and didn't want to set it aside. It was a fairly quick read and probably would have finished it all in a day if my eyes didn't get so heavy and tired.
"His looming presence over me washed over my body like a shadow stretching beneath the dying sun— dark, inescapable, and suffocating in the most intoxicating way." (Ch 12)
Lilah sure did get her head hit a lot in a short amount of time. It's a wonder she survived all of that! And her power was a little unclear, confusing, she had it, but didn't or couldn't wield it at will (maybe it was due to her head getting smack so many time, heh).
Also, in the next book, I hope they go more into details of who Lilah's mother was exactly instead of a statement of fact and leaving it at that.
Nyx was kind of a let down, under the circumstances, powerless.
"As Nyx pulled me forward through the darkness to my inevitable doom, all I could feel now was the racing pulse of my heart." (Ch 28)
The plot had potential, but it was a bit up and down. For one, she was so coveted, so powerful, so important, but they kept letting her out of their grasp to risk her life on some trials and quests? If anything happened to her, then they'd be SOL and everything lost. Didn't make sense.
“It’s like drowning, your lungs begging for just one more breath of air, and you are so close to feeling that sweet release, yet it’s just out of your touch.” (Ch 20)
Hopefully, book 2 will be more consistent.
eARC courtesy of NetGalley
"Now she wanted vengeance. She wanted blood, and she made a promise to herself that she would stop at nothing until she found the man who took her father’s life...." (Prologue)
Vampire Romantasy | Enemies-to-Lovers | Secrets | Forced Proximity | Slow-burn
The writing was a little choppy. Odd sentence structures, incorrect word choices, and present/past tense inconsistencies made it a bit painful to read at times. However, I gave it a chance, and luckily, I felt myself being drawn into the story and didn't want to set it aside. It was a fairly quick read and probably would have finished it all in a day if my eyes didn't get so heavy and tired.
"His looming presence over me washed over my body like a shadow stretching beneath the dying sun— dark, inescapable, and suffocating in the most intoxicating way." (Ch 12)
Lilah sure did get her head hit a lot in a short amount of time. It's a wonder she survived all of that! And her power was a little unclear, confusing, she had it, but didn't or couldn't wield it at will (maybe it was due to her head getting smack so many time, heh).
Also, in the next book, I hope they go more into details of who Lilah's mother was exactly instead of a statement of fact and leaving it at that.
Nyx was kind of a let down, under the circumstances, powerless.
"As Nyx pulled me forward through the darkness to my inevitable doom, all I could feel now was the racing pulse of my heart." (Ch 28)
The plot had potential, but it was a bit up and down. For one, she was so coveted, so powerful, so important, but they kept letting her out of their grasp to risk her life on some trials and quests? If anything happened to her, then they'd be SOL and everything lost. Didn't make sense.
“It’s like drowning, your lungs begging for just one more breath of air, and you are so close to feeling that sweet release, yet it’s just out of your touch.” (Ch 20)
Hopefully, book 2 will be more consistent.
eARC courtesy of NetGalley
October 19, 2025
It was a fun read but I feel like it was really fast paced!
I liked Lilah but I found that I didn’t like the aspect of her using people to get what she wanted and the same with Nyx he seemed to fall very quickly but there was no real connection.
I found that for how short the book was we didn’t get the depth of the characters and the plot. I feel like if this was a 400-500 page book it would’ve been soooo good!!
Overall was a really good read just had potential to be more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kay Marrie for the arc! <3
I liked Lilah but I found that I didn’t like the aspect of her using people to get what she wanted and the same with Nyx he seemed to fall very quickly but there was no real connection.
I found that for how short the book was we didn’t get the depth of the characters and the plot. I feel like if this was a 400-500 page book it would’ve been soooo good!!
Overall was a really good read just had potential to be more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kay Marrie for the arc! <3
June 19, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!!
I really wanted to enjoy this book but I just couldn’t get into it. The pace seemed off and the character development felt rushed. It seemed like the characters kept putting themselves in the exact same predicament repeatedly and nothing new was happening. The magic system finally caught my attention towards the end of the book - but only barely.
I really wanted to enjoy this book but I just couldn’t get into it. The pace seemed off and the character development felt rushed. It seemed like the characters kept putting themselves in the exact same predicament repeatedly and nothing new was happening. The magic system finally caught my attention towards the end of the book - but only barely.
June 15, 2025
The bones of this story are good, but I think it could have been a 5 🌟 for me if it was more fleshed out.
I liked how hard the FMC worked to reach her goals, but it all seemed to fall a bit flat as soon as she accomplished the first step.
The MMC had my attention, but I would have liked a bit more of his history and what actually happened to lead him to his current spot.
I don't want to spoil any parts. It is a decent read, but the events happen like bam, bam, bam with no real substance. I guess it all kind of goes back to me looking for more fleshing out.
I liked how hard the FMC worked to reach her goals, but it all seemed to fall a bit flat as soon as she accomplished the first step.
The MMC had my attention, but I would have liked a bit more of his history and what actually happened to lead him to his current spot.
I don't want to spoil any parts. It is a decent read, but the events happen like bam, bam, bam with no real substance. I guess it all kind of goes back to me looking for more fleshing out.
June 3, 2025
1.5 Stars
I really enjoyed the premise of this book, vampires, forbidden romance and political intrigue.
However it just fell short for me, I think mainly because it is a short book so the romance comes off as insta love and the characters themselves aren’t really as fleshed out as they need to be for me to care about them.
Overall this book wasn’t targeted for me but I want to thank NetGalley for the arc
I really enjoyed the premise of this book, vampires, forbidden romance and political intrigue.
However it just fell short for me, I think mainly because it is a short book so the romance comes off as insta love and the characters themselves aren’t really as fleshed out as they need to be for me to care about them.
Overall this book wasn’t targeted for me but I want to thank NetGalley for the arc
May 23, 2025
This book sounded so good when I saw the description for the arc. Unfortunately I struggled with this one. It felt as if it started with this great layout and plot planned out but then parts fell through due to flow errors or rushing development of characters. I liked them don’t get me wrong but it just wasn’t consistent with the how they were and how the story flowed. I felt like certain aspects were really cool like the forest system. How it was not just living like normal trees and such but actively a part of the way of protecting itself and others. I feel like if there was more time for the character development and their relationship and not the same exact problem happening every other chapter then I would be able to get more into the book. I really wanted to love this book but it just wasn’t for me
August 22, 2025
Honest review of ARC
I had one reoccurring thought while reading this. It felt as if someone had fed AI a bunch of fantasy romance novels and then asked it to write one of its own. The word count of “hissed” in this story could be in the millions. Dramatics aside, there is just an overuse in general of “growled, hissed, wicked/devilish grin etc.” which was distracting. Along that line I found it to be migraine inducingly descriptive.
The cover and premise really drew me in and I feel like in a more fleshed out version this could be great, but there were some drawbacks.
I think to compensate for the shorter aspect, some plot points should have been removed and replaced with elements that create more of a connection with the characters. I have to hope that some of this story heavily sets the stage for the next story, otherwise I don’t understand why it was there at all. The Ryker romance has the allure of a love triangle which would be enticing. I hope the Huntress training somehow gets circled back to as well.
Every element of romance was instant and had no backstory, which can be most of the fun!
There was also a lot of repetition I noticed. She would learn a fact about something and be shocked, and then learn it again a chapter later and be shocked again. This happened multiple times.
Finally, I would have loved more of Nyx’s perspective.
I don’t want to come across as too critical! If you took the spice and swearing out, it reads adequately as an upper middle school/early high school level. Just enough engagement for that age group! Since it contains some R rated spice and swearing, I’m not sure where it falls. Reads more YA than NA.
I had one reoccurring thought while reading this. It felt as if someone had fed AI a bunch of fantasy romance novels and then asked it to write one of its own. The word count of “hissed” in this story could be in the millions. Dramatics aside, there is just an overuse in general of “growled, hissed, wicked/devilish grin etc.” which was distracting. Along that line I found it to be migraine inducingly descriptive.
The cover and premise really drew me in and I feel like in a more fleshed out version this could be great, but there were some drawbacks.
I think to compensate for the shorter aspect, some plot points should have been removed and replaced with elements that create more of a connection with the characters. I have to hope that some of this story heavily sets the stage for the next story, otherwise I don’t understand why it was there at all. The Ryker romance has the allure of a love triangle which would be enticing. I hope the Huntress training somehow gets circled back to as well.
Every element of romance was instant and had no backstory, which can be most of the fun!
There was also a lot of repetition I noticed. She would learn a fact about something and be shocked, and then learn it again a chapter later and be shocked again. This happened multiple times.
Finally, I would have loved more of Nyx’s perspective.
I don’t want to come across as too critical! If you took the spice and swearing out, it reads adequately as an upper middle school/early high school level. Just enough engagement for that age group! Since it contains some R rated spice and swearing, I’m not sure where it falls. Reads more YA than NA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2025
I honestly don't know why this book has such overwhelmingly amazing reviews because, I hate to say it, but it's not that good. The FMC is childish, selfish, stupid, and soooo fucking annoying. I truly could not stand her. The concept here was really good. I liked the forest being aware and vengeful, I liked the idea of the vampires only being that way because they were cursed, and I liked the whole mystery of who did what in the past and how that's created this present. But the way this was written just did not work. It never once pulled me in, things were repeated over and over, and it was like the same thing kept happening just in a different location. IE: Lilah was constantly getting taken by bad vampires and Nyx would just repeatedly cheat death and go save her. Even when we get to the ending and it seemed liked things were finally going to get good, it all just built and built and then....Lilah was Lilah....
So yeah, I hated Lilah. She lost her mother to a sickness when she was really young and then she witnessed her father being murdered when she was 12 because he wouldn't tell the attackers where she was. She vowed then that she would become one of the queen's hunters, track these monsters down, and kill them. Then she spends the next few years as a street rat until some random drunk guy takes her home to work on his farm in exchange for room and board. During her years with him, she practices with a sword all by herself after watching the hunters training. And somehow she becomes this amazing kick-ass fighter who beats the best hunter in the kingdom? Don't make me laugh. Oh, but I did again when she proceeds to beat another one of the best hunters in the kingdom. So ridiculously unbelievable. But I can only assume that there's a sort of brainwashing going on here with the number of times we are told that she's a huntress and that makes her a badass fighter who fears nothing. You know, like those things that if you say it enough times you believe it? For someone who's just so strong she sure did get her own ass kicked more often than not.
I guess I liked Nyx. But mostly that's because he has the same name as one of my cats. That was a fun surprise. I really didn't have as big a problem with him as I did Lilah, I didn't care one way or another really. While I can appreciate his character and the circumstances that this exiled prince finds himself in, he was just such a boring love sick sap. Which is too bad.
So basically what happens here is that literally a handful of days after Lilah becomes an official huntress, she is sent on a dangerous mission into the dark forest where all sorts of extremely dangerous creatures and the vampires live. It doesn't take long for their group to be attacked and for her to be separated from them. This is another thing that really bugged me about her . She's saved by Nyx and we spend the rest of the book with these two lusting after each other. Lilah gets kidnapped multiple times, Nyx somehow escapes certain death multiple times, and every so often Lilah learns a truth about her own kingdom and herself that she never knew. Turns out that Lilah is special....but that's definitely not a good thing and it has put a huge bounty on her head from the vampire king. When he finally gets his hands on her, the story really did get more interesting. But I don't like how this ended and the task that Lilah has to do to save the vampire she somehow fell in love with despite how much she hates his kind. She's just too weak and stupid to pull it off believably, so I can already see the next book annoying me even more. So I'm gonna pass on that.
So yeah, I hated Lilah. She lost her mother to a sickness when she was really young and then she witnessed her father being murdered when she was 12 because he wouldn't tell the attackers where she was. She vowed then that she would become one of the queen's hunters, track these monsters down, and kill them. Then she spends the next few years as a street rat until some random drunk guy takes her home to work on his farm in exchange for room and board. During her years with him, she practices with a sword all by herself after watching the hunters training. And somehow she becomes this amazing kick-ass fighter who beats the best hunter in the kingdom? Don't make me laugh. Oh, but I did again when she proceeds to beat another one of the best hunters in the kingdom. So ridiculously unbelievable. But I can only assume that there's a sort of brainwashing going on here with the number of times we are told that she's a huntress and that makes her a badass fighter who fears nothing. You know, like those things that if you say it enough times you believe it? For someone who's just so strong she sure did get her own ass kicked more often than not.
I guess I liked Nyx. But mostly that's because he has the same name as one of my cats. That was a fun surprise. I really didn't have as big a problem with him as I did Lilah, I didn't care one way or another really. While I can appreciate his character and the circumstances that this exiled prince finds himself in, he was just such a boring love sick sap. Which is too bad.
So basically what happens here is that literally a handful of days after Lilah becomes an official huntress, she is sent on a dangerous mission into the dark forest where all sorts of extremely dangerous creatures and the vampires live. It doesn't take long for their group to be attacked and for her to be separated from them. This is another thing that really bugged me about her . She's saved by Nyx and we spend the rest of the book with these two lusting after each other. Lilah gets kidnapped multiple times, Nyx somehow escapes certain death multiple times, and every so often Lilah learns a truth about her own kingdom and herself that she never knew. Turns out that Lilah is special....but that's definitely not a good thing and it has put a huge bounty on her head from the vampire king. When he finally gets his hands on her, the story really did get more interesting. But I don't like how this ended and the task that Lilah has to do to save the vampire she somehow fell in love with despite how much she hates his kind. She's just too weak and stupid to pull it off believably, so I can already see the next book annoying me even more. So I'm gonna pass on that.
July 2, 2025
I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to NetGalley and the author for providing the ARC. I truly wished I could have enjoyed this story, but unfortunately, it didn’t resonate with me. The entire concept was fascinating, and the inclusion of vampires, dark forests, and mystical creatures was a brilliant addition to the narrative. However, that’s where my appreciation ended.
I found myself struggling to finish the book, resisting the urge to mark it as a DNF, so I could offer an honest review. The story felt overly repetitive and often lacked depth, which made it difficult for me to connect. I didn't feel a genuine chemistry between Lilah and Nyx; their relationship seemed to revolve around moments of passion that felt out of place. Additionally, their transformation from being powerful figures in one scene to going back to weak characters within a single sentence was confusing. Could the character development not have advanced instead of being lateral?
Once again, the beginning of the book and the initial concept held great promise. Thank you for the opportunity to read this in advance.
I found myself struggling to finish the book, resisting the urge to mark it as a DNF, so I could offer an honest review. The story felt overly repetitive and often lacked depth, which made it difficult for me to connect. I didn't feel a genuine chemistry between Lilah and Nyx; their relationship seemed to revolve around moments of passion that felt out of place. Additionally, their transformation from being powerful figures in one scene to going back to weak characters within a single sentence was confusing. Could the character development not have advanced instead of being lateral?
Once again, the beginning of the book and the initial concept held great promise. Thank you for the opportunity to read this in advance.
September 22, 2025
3.75- 4⭐️, but rounding up for Nyx
Lilah's father is killed by vampires when she's just a child. So, she dedicates her life to becoming a huntress to fight against them. On her first mission, her group is attacked, and she is separated from her party. Nyx rescues and takes her to his hideout. Little does she know that Nyx is the Dark Prince that was sent to capture her.
Nyx is the perfect vampire boyfriend ( especially if you liked Edward). I loved it when he called her Little Flower.
The Dark Lands is like if the Whomping Willow ( Harry Potter) became a p@@@ed off forest, which made me laugh.
Lilah, our FMC, was a bit annoying and impulsive for about the 1st half of the book. She risks her career at a huntress ( which we see very little of) within minutes of being named a huntress for just a whisper of a clue about who killed her father. 🤦♀️
Also, Lilah and Nyx felt very insta love to me. I get Nyx, but Lilah, who has hated vampires for years, fell in love so quickly.
But overall, it is an enjoyable read and look forward to book 2.
Lilah's father is killed by vampires when she's just a child. So, she dedicates her life to becoming a huntress to fight against them. On her first mission, her group is attacked, and she is separated from her party. Nyx rescues and takes her to his hideout. Little does she know that Nyx is the Dark Prince that was sent to capture her.
Nyx is the perfect vampire boyfriend ( especially if you liked Edward). I loved it when he called her Little Flower.
The Dark Lands is like if the Whomping Willow ( Harry Potter) became a p@@@ed off forest, which made me laugh.
Lilah, our FMC, was a bit annoying and impulsive for about the 1st half of the book. She risks her career at a huntress ( which we see very little of) within minutes of being named a huntress for just a whisper of a clue about who killed her father. 🤦♀️
Also, Lilah and Nyx felt very insta love to me. I get Nyx, but Lilah, who has hated vampires for years, fell in love so quickly.
But overall, it is an enjoyable read and look forward to book 2.
August 2, 2025
I enjoyed the premise of this entire book, but I felt like it was lacking in descriptive details and more could have been added.
I liked the separation between the magical forrest and Eldoria, however, i feel like we should’ve been able to explore Eldoria a little bit better. We only really saw Lilah’s house, a little of the farm, and vague descriptions of the camp compound. I wish we saw a reason to explore the castle, catch a glimpse of the queen, see more interactions between Lilah and the 5 other “main” characters.
I also felt that Lilah didn’t really show much growth. She was very easily swayed into emotions (fury for her mother and father, easily trusted, etc). And also how quickly the Dark Prince “loved” her.
Plot 3/5 ⭐️
Spice 1/5 🌶️
Emotion 2/5 ⭐️
I liked the separation between the magical forrest and Eldoria, however, i feel like we should’ve been able to explore Eldoria a little bit better. We only really saw Lilah’s house, a little of the farm, and vague descriptions of the camp compound. I wish we saw a reason to explore the castle, catch a glimpse of the queen, see more interactions between Lilah and the 5 other “main” characters.
I also felt that Lilah didn’t really show much growth. She was very easily swayed into emotions (fury for her mother and father, easily trusted, etc). And also how quickly the Dark Prince “loved” her.
Plot 3/5 ⭐️
Spice 1/5 🌶️
Emotion 2/5 ⭐️
July 4, 2025
4 ⭐
TROPES
📌Vampire Romance
📌Hidden Powers
📌Romantasy
📌Forced Proximity
MY POV
📌 Thank you, Netgalley, for such a good beauty.
📌Let me tell you this, it feels soo good to start the month on such a positive note. This book wasn't perfectly written(I KNOW), but it was soo comforting to read. I was on my toes the entire time and was flipping like crazy. And the cherry on the cake, he calls her "LITTLE FLOWER"
KAY MARRIE needs to give me the second book asap. I can't sleep because of your cliffhanger.
TROPES
📌Vampire Romance
📌Hidden Powers
📌Romantasy
📌Forced Proximity
MY POV
📌 Thank you, Netgalley, for such a good beauty.
📌Let me tell you this, it feels soo good to start the month on such a positive note. This book wasn't perfectly written(I KNOW), but it was soo comforting to read. I was on my toes the entire time and was flipping like crazy. And the cherry on the cake, he calls her "LITTLE FLOWER"
KAY MARRIE needs to give me the second book asap. I can't sleep because of your cliffhanger.
July 29, 2025
I really enjoyed this story it isn’t very long but long enough to get a great relationship with the characters.
This is a enemies to lovers Vampire/huntress romance that follows Lilah a young huntress who watched her father get murdered by a vampire and she is out for revenge our MMC is Nyx and he sounds yummy lol they meet and then the story takes off I don’t want to give any spoilers so I will say this is a series I am definitely going to be continuing with enthusiasm
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this great story
This is a enemies to lovers Vampire/huntress romance that follows Lilah a young huntress who watched her father get murdered by a vampire and she is out for revenge our MMC is Nyx and he sounds yummy lol they meet and then the story takes off I don’t want to give any spoilers so I will say this is a series I am definitely going to be continuing with enthusiasm
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this great story
October 14, 2025
I really enjoyed this fantasy romance book, a good enemies to lovers trope. The writer has great flow throughout the book, and really captivated the character’s personalities. Additionally, the eye for detail makes it feel like you’re there in the story. I’m already going for the next book because she left us on a cliffhanger and I need to know what happens!!
This was an arc read for me that was free per my review
This was an arc read for me that was free per my review
July 16, 2025
A unique fun read. I love these characters and I want to continue this adventure!
I like the storyline. This book was not a cut and paste type plot, which is great.
I am looking forward to the second book.
I like the storyline. This book was not a cut and paste type plot, which is great.
I am looking forward to the second book.
June 20, 2025
Review of A Court of Blood and Sacrifice by Kay Marrie
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4.5 /5 stars)
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kay Marrie delivers a dark, seductive plunge into the world of vengeance, betrayal, and forbidden alliances in "A Court of Blood and Sacrifice", the first book in the "Blood and Vengeance" series.
Blending enemies-to-lovers romance with the sharp edge of a vampire fantasy, this gripping debut sinks its teeth into readers from the very first page.
We meet our fierce and driven heroine at the pivotal moment that defines her future: witnessing her father's brutal murder by a vampire cloaked in black.
From that trauma, a lifelong thirst for vengeance is born. Her determination fuels her rise through the ranks of the Sunfire Court guard—the elite vampire hunters feared across the land. But just when she believes she’s on the path to justice, her world is shattered by the very thing she hates most: a vampire who turns her mission upside down.
What begins as a capture quickly morphs into a reluctant alliance when the two are forced to survive in the perilous and mysterious Dark Lands. The tension between captor and captive crackles with intensity—his arrogance and dangerous allure clashing with her single-minded fury. Yet beneath their animosity lies a slow-burn chemistry that will delight fans of morally gray love interests and emotionally complex pairings.
As secrets unravel and truths about her past come to light, the story deftly shifts from revenge to revelation. The author creates a richly atmospheric world filled with danger, magic, and emotional stakes.
~A Court of Blood and Sacrifice ~ is a thrilling start to a promising series—perfect for readers who enjoy their fantasy dark, their romance slow-burning, and their heroes deliciously conflicted.
I look forward to the continuation of this journey and the deeper truths yet to be uncovered in the ~Blood and Vengeance~ series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Author Kay Marrie for the opportunity 🙂
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4.5 /5 stars)
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Kay Marrie delivers a dark, seductive plunge into the world of vengeance, betrayal, and forbidden alliances in "A Court of Blood and Sacrifice", the first book in the "Blood and Vengeance" series.
Blending enemies-to-lovers romance with the sharp edge of a vampire fantasy, this gripping debut sinks its teeth into readers from the very first page.
We meet our fierce and driven heroine at the pivotal moment that defines her future: witnessing her father's brutal murder by a vampire cloaked in black.
From that trauma, a lifelong thirst for vengeance is born. Her determination fuels her rise through the ranks of the Sunfire Court guard—the elite vampire hunters feared across the land. But just when she believes she’s on the path to justice, her world is shattered by the very thing she hates most: a vampire who turns her mission upside down.
What begins as a capture quickly morphs into a reluctant alliance when the two are forced to survive in the perilous and mysterious Dark Lands. The tension between captor and captive crackles with intensity—his arrogance and dangerous allure clashing with her single-minded fury. Yet beneath their animosity lies a slow-burn chemistry that will delight fans of morally gray love interests and emotionally complex pairings.
As secrets unravel and truths about her past come to light, the story deftly shifts from revenge to revelation. The author creates a richly atmospheric world filled with danger, magic, and emotional stakes.
~A Court of Blood and Sacrifice ~ is a thrilling start to a promising series—perfect for readers who enjoy their fantasy dark, their romance slow-burning, and their heroes deliciously conflicted.
I look forward to the continuation of this journey and the deeper truths yet to be uncovered in the ~Blood and Vengeance~ series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Author Kay Marrie for the opportunity 🙂
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