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Bloodlines #1
The Serpent's Bride
I will disguise myself as the vampire’s bride.
I will win over his family.
And then I will murder every last one of them.
All my life I’ve been training to take revenge on the vampire who killed my parents. But Raziel Nostrum is a prince of the city’s most powerful mafia clan—completely untouchable.
When I learn that Raziel is marrying a woman he’s never seen before, I know my chance has finally come…
I will disguise myself as Raziel’s sacrificial bride. I will gain access to his vicious and beautiful family. And I will murder every last bloodsucking one of them.
Raziel is just as ruthless and deadly as I expected, but I had no idea how magnetic he would be up close, with an intoxicating smile and ruby-red eyes that seem to look right into my soul. There’s a dangerous tension between us that I’m struggling to ignore.
I have to strike fast. Every second I wait brings new danger to my life—and my heart. But as I sharpen my blades and prepare to take my revenge at last, I need to face the truth…
I’m falling in love with Raziel Nostrom.
The first book in a spicy vampire romantasy series perfect for fans of true enemies-to-lovers romance and marriages of convenience tropes. Listeners who could not get enough of The Serpent and the Wings of Night and Haunting Adeline will love The Serpent’s Bride .
I will win over his family.
And then I will murder every last one of them.
All my life I’ve been training to take revenge on the vampire who killed my parents. But Raziel Nostrum is a prince of the city’s most powerful mafia clan—completely untouchable.
When I learn that Raziel is marrying a woman he’s never seen before, I know my chance has finally come…
I will disguise myself as Raziel’s sacrificial bride. I will gain access to his vicious and beautiful family. And I will murder every last bloodsucking one of them.
Raziel is just as ruthless and deadly as I expected, but I had no idea how magnetic he would be up close, with an intoxicating smile and ruby-red eyes that seem to look right into my soul. There’s a dangerous tension between us that I’m struggling to ignore.
I have to strike fast. Every second I wait brings new danger to my life—and my heart. But as I sharpen my blades and prepare to take my revenge at last, I need to face the truth…
I’m falling in love with Raziel Nostrom.
The first book in a spicy vampire romantasy series perfect for fans of true enemies-to-lovers romance and marriages of convenience tropes. Listeners who could not get enough of The Serpent and the Wings of Night and Haunting Adeline will love The Serpent’s Bride .
Audible Audio
First published August 22, 2025
996 people are currently reading
4948 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Ann Kingsley
66 books2,450 followersKathryn has always been a storyteller. Years of scriptwriting for performances on stage and for tourism in Boston led her to writing romantically dark, fantastical tales, which was an obsession of hers that began once seeing The Phantom of the Opera at a young age.
When she isn’t penning new villainous leads, she works in video game development. There, she has been everything from Creative Director to Chief of Staff, Design Manager, Executive Producer, and Principal Writer for various companies in the industry.
She shares her antique home with three very fluffy animals and one very patient and loving husband.
When she isn’t penning new villainous leads, she works in video game development. There, she has been everything from Creative Director to Chief of Staff, Design Manager, Executive Producer, and Principal Writer for various companies in the industry.
She shares her antique home with three very fluffy animals and one very patient and loving husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 968 reviews
December 5, 2025
I would like to thank Netgalley & Second Sky for an advanced copy of this book!
😐....😑........................................Ms. Kathryn, come to the front of the class, please🫴🏼🫴🏼🫠.....WHO ENDS A BOOK LIKE THIS!?!?!?!?!..🤌🏻🤌🏻..(Other than a brilliant mastermind).. I just got through having an actual, FULL-BLOWN Regina George meltdown to end all meltdowns lol. And I'm sorry, I would probably have to add Ms Kingsley to my Burn Book lol, very respectfully 🫶🏻.. You evil, brilliant, and, beautiful temptress!!
Imagine you're eating a piece of cake made by Gordon Ramsay himself. And while you're right in the middle of enjoying this pure, magically orgasmic experience.. someone just strolls by and rips the plate away. 😭😭😭😭
I was so tangled up in this story & so over the moon with the joy it was bringing..I didn't even realize it was coming to an end! 😭😭.. If you were a fly on my wall at the time, you'd probably think I just lost everything I had in the stock market with the way I was grabbing at my phone and freaking out 🫠
From only a couple pages in I KNEW this was going to be a story that stuck to the bones. And then it just kept getting better & better. Almost like Mr. & Mrs. Smith vibes. They both have a solid plan for the others downfall but they just play so nicely together too..We have a ruthless vampire & a shape shifting fae who's out to venge her whole family.
For me this is without a doubt going to be one of those books I don't shut up about until everyone I know has read it !!
I need the sequel to this as fast as humanly possible!!..without rushing the greatness
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
😐....😑........................................Ms. Kathryn, come to the front of the class, please🫴🏼🫴🏼🫠.....WHO ENDS A BOOK LIKE THIS!?!?!?!?!..🤌🏻🤌🏻..(Other than a brilliant mastermind).. I just got through having an actual, FULL-BLOWN Regina George meltdown to end all meltdowns lol. And I'm sorry, I would probably have to add Ms Kingsley to my Burn Book lol, very respectfully 🫶🏻.. You evil, brilliant, and, beautiful temptress!!
Imagine you're eating a piece of cake made by Gordon Ramsay himself. And while you're right in the middle of enjoying this pure, magically orgasmic experience.. someone just strolls by and rips the plate away. 😭😭😭😭
I was so tangled up in this story & so over the moon with the joy it was bringing..I didn't even realize it was coming to an end! 😭😭.. If you were a fly on my wall at the time, you'd probably think I just lost everything I had in the stock market with the way I was grabbing at my phone and freaking out 🫠
From only a couple pages in I KNEW this was going to be a story that stuck to the bones. And then it just kept getting better & better. Almost like Mr. & Mrs. Smith vibes. They both have a solid plan for the others downfall but they just play so nicely together too..We have a ruthless vampire & a shape shifting fae who's out to venge her whole family.
For me this is without a doubt going to be one of those books I don't shut up about until everyone I know has read it !!
I need the sequel to this as fast as humanly possible!!..without rushing the greatness
Until next time,
Hades
🩵
September 13, 2025
3.5⭐️ this was super fun, fast paced, and easy to get into. dark mafia romance but make it vampire x shapeshifter fae. i found the world super intriguing, especially the wilds and i LOVE the FMC nadi. the cliffhanger had me giggling and kicking my feet, i’m excited to continue this story 🤭
August 12, 2025
Thank you to Second Sky and NetGalley for a copy of the e-ARC and the ALC version in exchange for a review. As always, my honest thoughts and opinions are directly below.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
This book follows our FMC, named Nadi, who is using marriage to Raziel Nostrom to get close enough to him and his family to kill them all. She wants revenge against them for killing her family, but isn’t expecting to fall in love with Raziel instead.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
I seem to keep finding books where the FMC is trying to kill the MMC and is using marriage to get close enough to achieve that goal. This book is not an exception to this.
This book is easy to read, so I’m happy about that. I tore through it despite my efforts to pace myself. Not my best moment, to be sure. lol I guess it’s also a point in Kathryn’s favor that I tore through it quicker than I normally would.
I find the eye color of the vampires and the fae both to be really fascinating. I’ve never read a book where a vampire’s eye color could be orange. (I believe the eye color is orange, anyway.)
I also find the description of the fae to be interesting on its own. I love the idea of our FMC having a mermaid tail. At least, that’s how it’s described, anyway. I also like the idea of iridescent eyes. That’s just me, though.
The most annoying thing for me was the narrator (female throughout) voicing the male lines in a falsetto voice. This has always annoyed me but it was worse this time. I’m not sure why.
I’d also love more background on the Wild and the fae in particular. I have always loved the fae being mentioned in stories but it’s not always looked into more deeply and this book isn’t an exception.
And, what the hell was that cliffhanger??? I think that was honestly my favorite part of the entire book. I’m almost glad Raviel figured out who Nadi is in the end and that just made the cliffhanger even juicier.
Yes, I’d obviously recommend this book. It was so good and kept me riveted right from the beginning. I’m going to read it again before the sequel comes out because I want to find out what happens next.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
This book follows our FMC, named Nadi, who is using marriage to Raziel Nostrom to get close enough to him and his family to kill them all. She wants revenge against them for killing her family, but isn’t expecting to fall in love with Raziel instead.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
I seem to keep finding books where the FMC is trying to kill the MMC and is using marriage to get close enough to achieve that goal. This book is not an exception to this.
This book is easy to read, so I’m happy about that. I tore through it despite my efforts to pace myself. Not my best moment, to be sure. lol I guess it’s also a point in Kathryn’s favor that I tore through it quicker than I normally would.
I find the eye color of the vampires and the fae both to be really fascinating. I’ve never read a book where a vampire’s eye color could be orange. (I believe the eye color is orange, anyway.)
I also find the description of the fae to be interesting on its own. I love the idea of our FMC having a mermaid tail. At least, that’s how it’s described, anyway. I also like the idea of iridescent eyes. That’s just me, though.
The most annoying thing for me was the narrator (female throughout) voicing the male lines in a falsetto voice. This has always annoyed me but it was worse this time. I’m not sure why.
I’d also love more background on the Wild and the fae in particular. I have always loved the fae being mentioned in stories but it’s not always looked into more deeply and this book isn’t an exception.
And, what the hell was that cliffhanger??? I think that was honestly my favorite part of the entire book. I’m almost glad Raviel figured out who Nadi is in the end and that just made the cliffhanger even juicier.
Yes, I’d obviously recommend this book. It was so good and kept me riveted right from the beginning. I’m going to read it again before the sequel comes out because I want to find out what happens next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2025
4.5 ☆
“You’re mine. And no one gets to kill you but me. Do you understand?”
ima need Raziel to move, i want Nadi for myself 🧎♀️
i wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book as much as i did, but all the credit goes to the fmc Nadi because i would grovel at her feet.. she had top tier “i will kill everyone in this room” energy and she stood on that!! this is a dark vampire romance, the mmc Raziel is a vampire and Nadi is fae (think shapeshifting siren). Nadi pretends to be Raziel’s human bride to infiltrate his family from the inside and kill them by her own hands. Raziel is responsible for Nadi’s family’s murder and this lead to a lot of plotting and scheming on her part as they both tried to out maneuver one another. he has a reputation for being ruthless, but i honestly thought his family was worse than he was. i loved that when Nadi started to feel attracted to him and developed feelings, it didn’t deter her from her original goal.. things just shifted a bit. the ending caught me off guard in the best way. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book and highly recommend!!
⇢ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture Audio for the alc, all opinions are my own.
“You’re mine. And no one gets to kill you but me. Do you understand?”
ima need Raziel to move, i want Nadi for myself 🧎♀️
i wasn’t expecting to enjoy this book as much as i did, but all the credit goes to the fmc Nadi because i would grovel at her feet.. she had top tier “i will kill everyone in this room” energy and she stood on that!! this is a dark vampire romance, the mmc Raziel is a vampire and Nadi is fae (think shapeshifting siren). Nadi pretends to be Raziel’s human bride to infiltrate his family from the inside and kill them by her own hands. Raziel is responsible for Nadi’s family’s murder and this lead to a lot of plotting and scheming on her part as they both tried to out maneuver one another. he has a reputation for being ruthless, but i honestly thought his family was worse than he was. i loved that when Nadi started to feel attracted to him and developed feelings, it didn’t deter her from her original goal.. things just shifted a bit. the ending caught me off guard in the best way. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book and highly recommend!!
⇢ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Bookouture Audio for the alc, all opinions are my own.
October 14, 2025
Two things about me. One I am an absolute slut for a good vampire romance. And two, I am an absolute filthy slut for a spectacular vampire romance. This book was so deliciously addictive to the point where I’m not sure how I am going to survive without the next book in my hands in the next 5 seconds.
I absolutely loved the way the author told the story and even though it was in 3rd person, which I usually dislike. It was still done in a way that absolutely pulled me from the moment I started. I also loved how it was also told from dual POV as well. I was in such a reading slump but this book not only got me out of my rut, but also made me want to read more from this author. While there isn’t necessarily spice that goes on, there is a lot of other stuff that does happen😏🤭
I don’t want to give too much away, but it does end on a major cliffhanger. I know that is sometimes off putting to some readers, or in my case it drives them absolutely bonkers for the next book. But honestly? I had the biggest grin on my face when I got to the end. It just made me love the book so much. If you are obsessed with vampire romance or even fae romance, you need to add this to your TBR immediately. Then thank me later because you will be absolutely addicted the way I was to this book.
The Serpent’s Bride will be available on 8/28, and will also be available on KU as well!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
*Thank you to The NerdFam, NetGalley, Second Sky and the author, Kathryn Ann Kingsley for the ARC!*
I absolutely loved the way the author told the story and even though it was in 3rd person, which I usually dislike. It was still done in a way that absolutely pulled me from the moment I started. I also loved how it was also told from dual POV as well. I was in such a reading slump but this book not only got me out of my rut, but also made me want to read more from this author. While there isn’t necessarily spice that goes on, there is a lot of other stuff that does happen😏🤭
I don’t want to give too much away, but it does end on a major cliffhanger. I know that is sometimes off putting to some readers, or in my case it drives them absolutely bonkers for the next book. But honestly? I had the biggest grin on my face when I got to the end. It just made me love the book so much. If you are obsessed with vampire romance or even fae romance, you need to add this to your TBR immediately. Then thank me later because you will be absolutely addicted the way I was to this book.
The Serpent’s Bride will be available on 8/28, and will also be available on KU as well!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
*Thank you to The NerdFam, NetGalley, Second Sky and the author, Kathryn Ann Kingsley for the ARC!*
August 7, 2025
4.0 ★— No one writes irredeemable love interests you can’t help but adore quite like Katherine Ann Kingsley, and she’s proven that across several of her series.
This book was no different!
Our FMC is Nadi, a fae woman with deep trauma in her past that was directly caused by Raziel Nostrom, the infamously brutal vampire prince of a mafia clan.
Years later, now an assassin, she’s spent decades honing her craft, determined to finally enact her revenge on him by impersonating the fiancée he’s never met and getting close enough to kill him.
This isn’t the most layered or world-building heavy story, but it makes up for it with morally grey characters, engaging dynamics, and a really fun and sexy back-and-forth between the leads!
As Nadi is ruthless and someone who kills as easily as she breathes, it was entertaining to watch her navigate her revenge plan. Pretending to be his fiancée, learning about vampire mafia politics, and of course the tension and ever-changing relationship between her and Raziel were the highlights of this story.
I do have to say, as with most of Kingsley’s books, while this is supposed to be “dark,” the sex scenes weren’t really anything to write home about. I didn’t even think they were particularly kinky. So for anyone wanting a dark romance with more inventive or intense erotic elements, I’d definitely temper expectations in that regard.
Otherwise, I just had such a blast with this one. Raziel and Nadi were both ruthless in their own ways, and the cat-and-mouse game he (unknowingly) engaged in with her, as she played everyone around her for fools, was executed in such an entertaining way.
The book ends on an exciting note that makes me really eager to see how it all plays out in the next installment!
🎧 Audiobook/Narration:
The narrator did a really great job here, and I really enjoyed the husky tone she took on for chapters that were from the MMC’s POV. Listening to the slightly snarky internal monologue of the FMC was so much fun!
__________________________________________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for the ARC, and to Bookouture Audio for the ALC, both in exchange for my honest review.
This book was no different!
Our FMC is Nadi, a fae woman with deep trauma in her past that was directly caused by Raziel Nostrom, the infamously brutal vampire prince of a mafia clan.
Years later, now an assassin, she’s spent decades honing her craft, determined to finally enact her revenge on him by impersonating the fiancée he’s never met and getting close enough to kill him.
This isn’t the most layered or world-building heavy story, but it makes up for it with morally grey characters, engaging dynamics, and a really fun and sexy back-and-forth between the leads!
As Nadi is ruthless and someone who kills as easily as she breathes, it was entertaining to watch her navigate her revenge plan. Pretending to be his fiancée, learning about vampire mafia politics, and of course the tension and ever-changing relationship between her and Raziel were the highlights of this story.
I do have to say, as with most of Kingsley’s books, while this is supposed to be “dark,” the sex scenes weren’t really anything to write home about. I didn’t even think they were particularly kinky. So for anyone wanting a dark romance with more inventive or intense erotic elements, I’d definitely temper expectations in that regard.
Otherwise, I just had such a blast with this one. Raziel and Nadi were both ruthless in their own ways, and the cat-and-mouse game he (unknowingly) engaged in with her, as she played everyone around her for fools, was executed in such an entertaining way.
The book ends on an exciting note that makes me really eager to see how it all plays out in the next installment!
🎧 Audiobook/Narration:
The narrator did a really great job here, and I really enjoyed the husky tone she took on for chapters that were from the MMC’s POV. Listening to the slightly snarky internal monologue of the FMC was so much fun!
__________________________________________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for the ARC, and to Bookouture Audio for the ALC, both in exchange for my honest review.
September 17, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
A Fae seeking vengeance disguises herself as a human bride and enters into an arranged marriage with the Vampire who killed her entire family. What could possibly get in her way? Definitely not all the sexual tension between the two of them…
The Serpent’s Bride was a fast-paced, fun read that was super easy to get into. Right from the start you’re connected to Nadi’s character and her revenge arc. When she meets Raziel, our killer Vampire, sparks fly, and retribution is no longer so straightforward.
What I really liked:
I found the world building to be very interesting, specifically the Wilds and the history between vampires, humans, and the fae. I also really enjoyed our characters Nadi and Raziel. Neither of them are good people and they’re both fairly toxic, which was a refreshing break from the good girl/bad guy trope.
What I liked a bit less:
While there’s a lot to like about this book, I found much of Nadi’s internal monologue to be fairly repetitive. Raziel’s indecision over what to do about his new wife also became tedious.
Even though this wasn’t the perfect read for me, I’m very interested in finding out what happens next in Nadi and Raziel’s story; especially after that ending!
Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
A Fae seeking vengeance disguises herself as a human bride and enters into an arranged marriage with the Vampire who killed her entire family. What could possibly get in her way? Definitely not all the sexual tension between the two of them…
The Serpent’s Bride was a fast-paced, fun read that was super easy to get into. Right from the start you’re connected to Nadi’s character and her revenge arc. When she meets Raziel, our killer Vampire, sparks fly, and retribution is no longer so straightforward.
What I really liked:
I found the world building to be very interesting, specifically the Wilds and the history between vampires, humans, and the fae. I also really enjoyed our characters Nadi and Raziel. Neither of them are good people and they’re both fairly toxic, which was a refreshing break from the good girl/bad guy trope.
What I liked a bit less:
While there’s a lot to like about this book, I found much of Nadi’s internal monologue to be fairly repetitive. Raziel’s indecision over what to do about his new wife also became tedious.
Even though this wasn’t the perfect read for me, I’m very interested in finding out what happens next in Nadi and Raziel’s story; especially after that ending!
Thank you to NetGalley and Second Sky for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
August 28, 2025
Happy release day! 😊
Ok, that was such a fun time! Great characters, Engaging plot, Steamy tension, Fluid writing, and Great dialogue!
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
🌶️🌶️
Third-person POV is usually not my favorite, but wow, Kathryn did it so well! Both of these characters were so fun to read! A hidden identity is one of my favorite plot lines, but this took it up a notch with our shapeshifting, Raging, Tough FMC. Combine that with the morely black vampire mobster, and wow, the tension was delicious!
Everything about this flowed really well. The pacing was perfect. We got a significant amount of detail for a 332-page book. The character development progressed nicely. The spice was hot and tasteful. And a dialogue-driven storyline was the icing on the cake for me.
If you are looking for a plate-cleaning, tension-filled, fisty fantasy read, I highly recommend it!
After that ending.... I can't wait for Book Two, and it looks like we don't have to wait too long, Jan 2026! I look forward to reading more from Kathryn in the future!
Thank you, NetGalley and publishing, for the ARC read opportunity!
Ok, that was such a fun time! Great characters, Engaging plot, Steamy tension, Fluid writing, and Great dialogue!
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
🌶️🌶️
Third-person POV is usually not my favorite, but wow, Kathryn did it so well! Both of these characters were so fun to read! A hidden identity is one of my favorite plot lines, but this took it up a notch with our shapeshifting, Raging, Tough FMC. Combine that with the morely black vampire mobster, and wow, the tension was delicious!
Everything about this flowed really well. The pacing was perfect. We got a significant amount of detail for a 332-page book. The character development progressed nicely. The spice was hot and tasteful. And a dialogue-driven storyline was the icing on the cake for me.
If you are looking for a plate-cleaning, tension-filled, fisty fantasy read, I highly recommend it!
After that ending.... I can't wait for Book Two, and it looks like we don't have to wait too long, Jan 2026! I look forward to reading more from Kathryn in the future!
Thank you, NetGalley and publishing, for the ARC read opportunity!
July 21, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Raziel Nostrom, a vampire mafia prince, wiped out Nadi’s family when she was a child. She vowed to one day get revenge and the perfect opportunity arose. Raziel is getting married to a human he’s never met and only knows what she looks like from a blurry picture. Nadi is a shapeshifter so of course she’s going to take the human bride’s place. He wiped out her family so she’s going to wipe out his. She just has to get past her very strong attraction to him first.
That cliffhanger had me screaming yes! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
Raziel Nostrom, a vampire mafia prince, wiped out Nadi’s family when she was a child. She vowed to one day get revenge and the perfect opportunity arose. Raziel is getting married to a human he’s never met and only knows what she looks like from a blurry picture. Nadi is a shapeshifter so of course she’s going to take the human bride’s place. He wiped out her family so she’s going to wipe out his. She just has to get past her very strong attraction to him first.
That cliffhanger had me screaming yes! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
August 18, 2025
Shapeshifter fae and vampires. Yes, please.
This was such a fun and easy to follow book. I flew through it. Not going to lie I didn’t realize I was so close to the end so that cliffhanger nearly took me out.
I love that we are starting off with true enemies. This trope will absolutely never get old. I cannot wait for the next book.
Thank you so much to Second Sky and The Nerd Fam for the ARC/ALC! The audio was wonderful.
This was such a fun and easy to follow book. I flew through it. Not going to lie I didn’t realize I was so close to the end so that cliffhanger nearly took me out.
I love that we are starting off with true enemies. This trope will absolutely never get old. I cannot wait for the next book.
Thank you so much to Second Sky and The Nerd Fam for the ARC/ALC! The audio was wonderful.
August 27, 2025
3.75 stars—I liked The Serpent’s Bride but didn’t quite love it. The story was intriguing and had some great moments, but it didn’t fully hook me the way I hoped. That said, the ending? Absolutely wild—a crazy cliffhanger that definitely makes me want to pick up the next book!
August 22, 2025
Huge thank you to Bookouture Audio | Second Sky Books and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy!
The Serpent’s Bride is my first Kathryn Ann Kingsley book, but it definitely won’t be my last because this was sooooo good. After struggling through my last couple reads this was just what I needed— fast paced, easy to follow, sexy, and thrilling! This book sets up an almost film noir world where vampires rule and “protect” the humans from the wild fae. Raziel is the finisher for his vampire mafia family, and Nadi is the shapeshifting fae who watched him murder her family. To say there is bad blood (haha vampire pun🩸) is putting it lightly.
Both characters are morally grey on a good day, but most of the time they are just plain villainous. 😅 They both are willing to do whatever it takes to meet their goals, and it makes for some crazy twists. When Nadi takes the place of Raziel’s intended bride, things get messy. I honestly couldn’t even blame her for forgetting Raziel’s crimes a few times, because this man was CHARMING, even with the murder-y parts. 😂 And the ending??? I was so engrossed I didn’t even realize I was near the end and thought my headphones had died. Miss Kingsley is diabolical for that cliffhanger, but I kinda love her for it. 😫
Desireé Ketchum did a fantastic job with the narration, even the male chapters. She was dynamic and I could easily tell the characters apart!
The Serpent’s Bride is my first Kathryn Ann Kingsley book, but it definitely won’t be my last because this was sooooo good. After struggling through my last couple reads this was just what I needed— fast paced, easy to follow, sexy, and thrilling! This book sets up an almost film noir world where vampires rule and “protect” the humans from the wild fae. Raziel is the finisher for his vampire mafia family, and Nadi is the shapeshifting fae who watched him murder her family. To say there is bad blood (haha vampire pun🩸) is putting it lightly.
Both characters are morally grey on a good day, but most of the time they are just plain villainous. 😅 They both are willing to do whatever it takes to meet their goals, and it makes for some crazy twists. When Nadi takes the place of Raziel’s intended bride, things get messy. I honestly couldn’t even blame her for forgetting Raziel’s crimes a few times, because this man was CHARMING, even with the murder-y parts. 😂 And the ending??? I was so engrossed I didn’t even realize I was near the end and thought my headphones had died. Miss Kingsley is diabolical for that cliffhanger, but I kinda love her for it. 😫
Desireé Ketchum did a fantastic job with the narration, even the male chapters. She was dynamic and I could easily tell the characters apart!
August 3, 2025
Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
I went into this one blindly, and I have to say, I was glad about that. The genre of fantasy and romantasy is a bit oversaturated at this moment, and I feel like it is getting harder and harder to distinguish between books and explore a truly original idea. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t land for me. It wasn’t really memorable, and I am very sad to say this, but if I didn’t have an audiobook, I would probably struggle finish reading the physical copy.
Nadi was an interesting character, although I didn’t really believe her motives and found her easily distracted. Raziel was a fine specimen, honestly he carried this book for me. But thats it, I didn’t really notice the characters developing in any major way throughout the story line which was unfortunate.
However, I have to say, everytime I read about vampires I am left with this sort of grand and glamorous feeling, probably due to the innevitable gothic, eerie and royal atmosphere they carry themselves in - which I always enjoy.
Therefore, I don’t consider this book as a bad one, just a bit..bland? This book definitely has an audience and the ending accounted for the .25 stars. Maybe if I were in a better headspace for it, my rating would be different.
Goodreads rating: 3.25 stars
I went into this one blindly, and I have to say, I was glad about that. The genre of fantasy and romantasy is a bit oversaturated at this moment, and I feel like it is getting harder and harder to distinguish between books and explore a truly original idea. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t land for me. It wasn’t really memorable, and I am very sad to say this, but if I didn’t have an audiobook, I would probably struggle finish reading the physical copy.
Nadi was an interesting character, although I didn’t really believe her motives and found her easily distracted. Raziel was a fine specimen, honestly he carried this book for me. But thats it, I didn’t really notice the characters developing in any major way throughout the story line which was unfortunate.
However, I have to say, everytime I read about vampires I am left with this sort of grand and glamorous feeling, probably due to the innevitable gothic, eerie and royal atmosphere they carry themselves in - which I always enjoy.
Therefore, I don’t consider this book as a bad one, just a bit..bland? This book definitely has an audience and the ending accounted for the .25 stars. Maybe if I were in a better headspace for it, my rating would be different.
Goodreads rating: 3.25 stars
August 18, 2025
A prime example of “don’t judge a book by its cover”. I was hesitant to start this one because I wasn’t a fan of the cover, but I’m so glad I did. This story is sexy, angsty, and has everything an enemies-to-lovers, paranormal, dark romance reader could want. AND THAT TWIST ENDING!!!! Ma’am, straight to jail!!!!
August 23, 2025
The Serpent’s Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
Thank You NetGalley and Second Sky for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
An unexpected forbidden romance between a fae shapeshifter and a vampire. Nadi Iltani is a fae shapeshifter whose family was murdered by vampire mafia prince Raziel Nostrom. Nadi is intent on murdering Raziel and his entire family, but to do so she must become someone else. When she hears Raziel is to be married to a human, Monica, she pays her off and takes her place. Nadi knows once they’re married and head off on their honeymoon, “Monica” is to be sacrificed by Raziel. So Nadi, posing as Monica, must kill Raziel before that. There is only one problem...Nadi Iltani has fallen in love with Raziel Nostrom, here sworn enemy!
I really enjoyed this novel! I did not want to put it down! This author is new to me, but I loved this first book in the Bloodlines series. Book 2 can’t come soon enough so I find out what happens next....YES!!! there is a cliffhanger!!! Look for this enthralling vampire-fae, enemies to lovers romantasy when it comes out August 28, 2025!
Thank You NetGalley and Second Sky for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
An unexpected forbidden romance between a fae shapeshifter and a vampire. Nadi Iltani is a fae shapeshifter whose family was murdered by vampire mafia prince Raziel Nostrom. Nadi is intent on murdering Raziel and his entire family, but to do so she must become someone else. When she hears Raziel is to be married to a human, Monica, she pays her off and takes her place. Nadi knows once they’re married and head off on their honeymoon, “Monica” is to be sacrificed by Raziel. So Nadi, posing as Monica, must kill Raziel before that. There is only one problem...Nadi Iltani has fallen in love with Raziel Nostrom, here sworn enemy!
I really enjoyed this novel! I did not want to put it down! This author is new to me, but I loved this first book in the Bloodlines series. Book 2 can’t come soon enough so I find out what happens next....YES!!! there is a cliffhanger!!! Look for this enthralling vampire-fae, enemies to lovers romantasy when it comes out August 28, 2025!
August 18, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Huge thanks to Net Galley & Second Sky for the ARC!!
Oh wow… The Serpent’s Bride completely sucked me in. Nadi is a total badass fae assassin, and her plan to take down Raziel, the vampire who murdered her family by posing as his bride? YESSS Get it girl 🔥
What I loved most? Basically everyone in this book is villainous in some way, and I ate that up. Raziel isn’t just “morally grey” or misunderstood—he actually loves the horrible things he does, and he owns that darkness. It makes him feel real, terrifying, and magnetic all at once. And Nadi? She’s just as deadly, just as dark. Honestly, I think both of them are products of the lives they’ve lived, and it makes their story feel so much deeper. The fact that Nadi can hold her own because she's been training her whole life to do so and not just miraculously wakes up a powerful world saver overnight is something that I really appreciate in a FMC these days.
The worldbuilding, the dark mafia vibes, the plot twists—they all kept me glued to the page. I actually finished this in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. I did have a few moments where the romance insta-lusty given everything going on, and how she was feeling towards him even though he slaughtered her full family but the story and characters more than make up for it and this only feeds into Nadi having a side just as twisted and dark as Raziel. Perfect Match.
That ending?...That cliffhanger? I’m screaming for book two. So upset that I actually need to wait to see how things play out... i just know that it's going to be even better. CAN'T WAIT!!
Audiobook : I listened to the audio for some parts also and the narrator was great. As always its not my particular favourite when the narrator is playing both parts but it was still enjoyable ( once I sped it up a bit, but this is personal preference)
Enemies-to-lovers, morally grey leads, dark fantasy, and villainous vibes galore? This one is a must for your TBR
Huge thanks to Net Galley & Second Sky for the ARC!!
Oh wow… The Serpent’s Bride completely sucked me in. Nadi is a total badass fae assassin, and her plan to take down Raziel, the vampire who murdered her family by posing as his bride? YESSS Get it girl 🔥
What I loved most? Basically everyone in this book is villainous in some way, and I ate that up. Raziel isn’t just “morally grey” or misunderstood—he actually loves the horrible things he does, and he owns that darkness. It makes him feel real, terrifying, and magnetic all at once. And Nadi? She’s just as deadly, just as dark. Honestly, I think both of them are products of the lives they’ve lived, and it makes their story feel so much deeper. The fact that Nadi can hold her own because she's been training her whole life to do so and not just miraculously wakes up a powerful world saver overnight is something that I really appreciate in a FMC these days.
The worldbuilding, the dark mafia vibes, the plot twists—they all kept me glued to the page. I actually finished this in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. I did have a few moments where the romance insta-lusty given everything going on, and how she was feeling towards him even though he slaughtered her full family but the story and characters more than make up for it and this only feeds into Nadi having a side just as twisted and dark as Raziel. Perfect Match.
That ending?...That cliffhanger? I’m screaming for book two. So upset that I actually need to wait to see how things play out... i just know that it's going to be even better. CAN'T WAIT!!
Audiobook : I listened to the audio for some parts also and the narrator was great. As always its not my particular favourite when the narrator is playing both parts but it was still enjoyable ( once I sped it up a bit, but this is personal preference)
Enemies-to-lovers, morally grey leads, dark fantasy, and villainous vibes galore? This one is a must for your TBR
August 28, 2025
This was an ALC and an ebook but I'll start off with the review for the audiobook.
I will admit I have gotten so spoiled with duet style narration that sometimes I dread one narrator, especially if there is any romance in the book itself. Then you get an audiobook like this one, that just shocks you. I had a feeling this audiobook was going to be good because she knocked it out of the park with the deception trilogy, but (throws confetti ) she blew this one out of the water. She took the role of both Nadi and Raziel and made them come to life. I thought that the best part that I see no one talking about is the fact that when she was when switching between Nadi and Monica, her voice shifted, giving the feel of different characters. I love it when a narrator takes characters and brings them to life.
Overall, the audiobook alone deserves 5 stars!
A huge thank you to Netgalley & Bookouture | Second Sky Books
Introduction:
When the book starts with "her wedding bouquet was the color of blood," you know that book is going to be interesting. This gives an amazing foreshadowing of Nadi marrying into Raziel's family for revenge. It's almost like that phrase "she was enraged to the point all she saw was red." This one line was lyrically written to let the reader understand that, yes, the bouquet was red, but it was more that she was out for blood.
The plot:
The plot was kind of predictable but well done. She's angry; he just needs to do what his family wants him to do. Then they start catching feelings. I will say that towards the middle I was kind of worried about how much I was going to like it. Then the author basically splashed a bucket of iced water in my face, waking me up. That twist and ending alone just made the whole book! I was literally sitting on my sofa, and I jumped up and said "Oh sh*t!" almost breaking my whole ankle.
Overall, I loved this book. The only problem is now I need book 2 because that was cruel, lol.
I will admit I have gotten so spoiled with duet style narration that sometimes I dread one narrator, especially if there is any romance in the book itself. Then you get an audiobook like this one, that just shocks you. I had a feeling this audiobook was going to be good because she knocked it out of the park with the deception trilogy, but (throws confetti ) she blew this one out of the water. She took the role of both Nadi and Raziel and made them come to life. I thought that the best part that I see no one talking about is the fact that when she was when switching between Nadi and Monica, her voice shifted, giving the feel of different characters. I love it when a narrator takes characters and brings them to life.
Overall, the audiobook alone deserves 5 stars!
A huge thank you to Netgalley & Bookouture | Second Sky Books
Introduction:
When the book starts with "her wedding bouquet was the color of blood," you know that book is going to be interesting. This gives an amazing foreshadowing of Nadi marrying into Raziel's family for revenge. It's almost like that phrase "she was enraged to the point all she saw was red." This one line was lyrically written to let the reader understand that, yes, the bouquet was red, but it was more that she was out for blood.
The plot:
The plot was kind of predictable but well done. She's angry; he just needs to do what his family wants him to do. Then they start catching feelings. I will say that towards the middle I was kind of worried about how much I was going to like it. Then the author basically splashed a bucket of iced water in my face, waking me up. That twist and ending alone just made the whole book! I was literally sitting on my sofa, and I jumped up and said "Oh sh*t!" almost breaking my whole ankle.
Overall, I loved this book. The only problem is now I need book 2 because that was cruel, lol.
August 1, 2025
🎧🎧🎧
vampire mafia boss🔫 x shapeshifting aqua fae assassin 🌊🗡️
Enemies to lovers ✔️
Hidden identity 😏
Marriage of convenience 💒
And that ENDING??? 🤯
I read (well… listened 🎧) to this via audio and devoured it , such a fast, solid read to throw into your romantasy rotation!!! The tension?? The banter?? The slow reveals??? I was hooked 😮💨
My only gripe 😩 when a book is dual POV and the female narrator tries to do the male parts by deepening her voice 💀 like girl pls. So I’ll more than likely read book 2 instead lol!!!
Still, loved the vibes and I’m totally locked in for what’s next 🔥🖤
*Thank you “Bookouture Audio” for the audio arc, all opinions are my own*
vampire mafia boss🔫 x shapeshifting aqua fae assassin 🌊🗡️
Enemies to lovers ✔️
Hidden identity 😏
Marriage of convenience 💒
And that ENDING??? 🤯
I read (well… listened 🎧) to this via audio and devoured it , such a fast, solid read to throw into your romantasy rotation!!! The tension?? The banter?? The slow reveals??? I was hooked 😮💨
My only gripe 😩 when a book is dual POV and the female narrator tries to do the male parts by deepening her voice 💀 like girl pls. So I’ll more than likely read book 2 instead lol!!!
Still, loved the vibes and I’m totally locked in for what’s next 🔥🖤
*Thank you “Bookouture Audio” for the audio arc, all opinions are my own*
July 28, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for sending me a free audio copy!
Alright I"m hooked, give me another!
Alright I"m hooked, give me another!
September 22, 2025
This is a perfect amalgamation of a fae-vampire romance twisted up in a dark mafia romance. I enjoyed it. Very much. Also, shapeshifter heroine who can impersonate anybody? Sign me up for that!
The only sucky thing about this book? I have to wait until next year for the next one.
The only sucky thing about this book? I have to wait until next year for the next one.
August 19, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I listened to this book while packing for a move, and while I finished it quickly, I did come away quite a few issues.
The premise of this book was definitely intriguing to me. Nadi is a shapeshifter who assumes the role of Raziels mortal bride. Raziel murdered her entire family 80 years ago and since then she has been plotting her revenge. On paper, this setup had me hooked. In execution, however, I struggled with the way Nadi’s decisions aligned with her goals. For someone who has been carefully planning vengeance for decades, she often left loose ends or acted in ways that seemed to undercut her plans.
Raziel, on the other hand, is presented as morally grey/black, controlling vampire but I didn’t fully believe in his complexity. The connection between him and Nadi also felt rushed yet nonexistent. It felt like insta lust/attraction which was confusing considering what he did to her family and did not feel the heat or tension between these two.
Another element that didn’t quite work for me was his constant use of the nickname “little murder.” It was repeated so often that it pulled me out of the story after a while. Additionally, the recurring mentions of Nadi’s potential sacrifice (as the mortal bride) tended to circle back to the same conversation without much new development, which made those moments feel a bit repetitive
Overall, this book did not work for me.
I listened to this book while packing for a move, and while I finished it quickly, I did come away quite a few issues.
The premise of this book was definitely intriguing to me. Nadi is a shapeshifter who assumes the role of Raziels mortal bride. Raziel murdered her entire family 80 years ago and since then she has been plotting her revenge. On paper, this setup had me hooked. In execution, however, I struggled with the way Nadi’s decisions aligned with her goals. For someone who has been carefully planning vengeance for decades, she often left loose ends or acted in ways that seemed to undercut her plans.
Raziel, on the other hand, is presented as morally grey/black, controlling vampire but I didn’t fully believe in his complexity. The connection between him and Nadi also felt rushed yet nonexistent. It felt like insta lust/attraction which was confusing considering what he did to her family and did not feel the heat or tension between these two.
Another element that didn’t quite work for me was his constant use of the nickname “little murder.” It was repeated so often that it pulled me out of the story after a while. Additionally, the recurring mentions of Nadi’s potential sacrifice (as the mortal bride) tended to circle back to the same conversation without much new development, which made those moments feel a bit repetitive
Overall, this book did not work for me.
August 22, 2025
Story: 2 ⭐️
Steam: 3 🔥
Audio: 4 🎧
Under cover fae assassin on a mission to kill the vampire that murdered her family - sounds like a blast to me! Unfortunately, the execution wasn’t great in my opinion.
The pros:
- Interesting plot
- Badass assassin FMC (allegedly)
The cons:
- The writing felt like fanfic at times (ie the word orbs to describe eyes)
- Poor world building
- The synopsis is in first person but the book is in third person
- Assassin FMC who failed to do the one thing she was trying to do even though she had opportunity after opportunity (with no explaining WHY she needed to wait)
- A MMC who had no redeeming qualities to make me root for him
I’m really struggled to connect with either of the MCs. I found myself disinterested majority of the book. Unfortunately, this one is just a no for me.
Steam: 3 🔥
Audio: 4 🎧
Under cover fae assassin on a mission to kill the vampire that murdered her family - sounds like a blast to me! Unfortunately, the execution wasn’t great in my opinion.
The pros:
- Interesting plot
- Badass assassin FMC (allegedly)
The cons:
- The writing felt like fanfic at times (ie the word orbs to describe eyes)
- Poor world building
- The synopsis is in first person but the book is in third person
- Assassin FMC who failed to do the one thing she was trying to do even though she had opportunity after opportunity (with no explaining WHY she needed to wait)
- A MMC who had no redeeming qualities to make me root for him
I’m really struggled to connect with either of the MCs. I found myself disinterested majority of the book. Unfortunately, this one is just a no for me.
August 2, 2025
ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
3.75/5 Stars
(Rounded Up)
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🐍 Enemies to Lovers
🗡Vampire x Fae
🐍Revenge Plot
🗡Slow Burn
𓂃🖊Notes and Highlights-
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･”I am going to kill you, Taziel Nostrom.”°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
💭 Thoughts-
-ˋˏ✄┈┈I wanted way more world building becasue I was left wanting more and wanting to know more about the world and the people in it.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈I needed some more dept to some of the characters because I felt like sometimes they felt shallow. Not all of the characters though because I was obsessed with some of them.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈With that though I will say I was very much in love with the morally gray characters and the slow burn was actually slow burning if you know what I mean.
Now Playing:
⊹ ࣪ ˖…Ready For It? By Taylor Swift˖࣪ ⊹
0:01 ❍─────── 4:28
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃▄▅▆ 90%
3.75/5 Stars
(Rounded Up)
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🐍 Enemies to Lovers
🗡Vampire x Fae
🐍Revenge Plot
🗡Slow Burn
𓂃🖊Notes and Highlights-
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･”I am going to kill you, Taziel Nostrom.”°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
💭 Thoughts-
-ˋˏ✄┈┈I wanted way more world building becasue I was left wanting more and wanting to know more about the world and the people in it.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈I needed some more dept to some of the characters because I felt like sometimes they felt shallow. Not all of the characters though because I was obsessed with some of them.
-ˋˏ✄┈┈With that though I will say I was very much in love with the morally gray characters and the slow burn was actually slow burning if you know what I mean.
Now Playing:
⊹ ࣪ ˖…Ready For It? By Taylor Swift˖࣪ ⊹
0:01 ❍─────── 4:28
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃▄▅▆ 90%
August 17, 2025
(3.5/5) The Serpent's Bride is a fast-paced dark vampire romance that had a lot of great aspects, but I didn't 100% connect with the execution.
Let me preface this ARC review with I am very thankful to Second Sky for gifting me an ARC ahead of its pub date.
📖 ARC Review 📖
🗓️ Pub date: August 28, 2025
What to expect:
🖤 Dark vampire romance
🖤 3rd person, dual POV
🖤 Marriage of convenience
🖤 Revenge
🖤 Urban setting
🖤 Mafia vibes
Spice rating: 🌶🌶
I really liked the way this book was set up—I'm a SUCKER for an assassin FMC out for revenge. Her backstory was really interesting, and I like how she ended up with our MMC.
The vibes of this book were overall a great time. The mafia-like dynamics mixed with corrupt vampires was a cool spin.
With that all being said, I feel like I just kept wanting more from this book. A lot was introduced but it felt like it just kept scratching the surface with where things went. Interestingly, some parts actually felt repetitive which was frustrating as a reader since the author could've chosen to further develop the other parts/plot points introduced.
At times, I also struggled with the internal dialogue of our FMC. She went in full guns a blazing but then folds the moment she sees his face. I wish the author chose to build up their attraction a bit more before having her simp over the MMC.
At this time, I will not be continuing this series. Even though I had a good time with what we got, I'm just not invested enough to continue.
Let me preface this ARC review with I am very thankful to Second Sky for gifting me an ARC ahead of its pub date.
📖 ARC Review 📖
🗓️ Pub date: August 28, 2025
What to expect:
🖤 Dark vampire romance
🖤 3rd person, dual POV
🖤 Marriage of convenience
🖤 Revenge
🖤 Urban setting
🖤 Mafia vibes
Spice rating: 🌶🌶
I really liked the way this book was set up—I'm a SUCKER for an assassin FMC out for revenge. Her backstory was really interesting, and I like how she ended up with our MMC.
The vibes of this book were overall a great time. The mafia-like dynamics mixed with corrupt vampires was a cool spin.
With that all being said, I feel like I just kept wanting more from this book. A lot was introduced but it felt like it just kept scratching the surface with where things went. Interestingly, some parts actually felt repetitive which was frustrating as a reader since the author could've chosen to further develop the other parts/plot points introduced.
At times, I also struggled with the internal dialogue of our FMC. She went in full guns a blazing but then folds the moment she sees his face. I wish the author chose to build up their attraction a bit more before having her simp over the MMC.
At this time, I will not be continuing this series. Even though I had a good time with what we got, I'm just not invested enough to continue.
August 11, 2025
I absolutely hated this.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of The Serpent's Bride in exchange for an honest review.
I DNF'ed at 62%, and for good reason. This was so cringe I literally recoiled at multiple scenes. The writing is bad and the characters seem written by a 12 year old. I could not withstand finishing this.
It's literally a wattpad smut; so if you're into that then maybe this will be for you ? But it definitely wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of The Serpent's Bride in exchange for an honest review.
I DNF'ed at 62%, and for good reason. This was so cringe I literally recoiled at multiple scenes. The writing is bad and the characters seem written by a 12 year old. I could not withstand finishing this.
It's literally a wattpad smut; so if you're into that then maybe this will be for you ? But it definitely wasn't for me.
August 28, 2025
The Serpent’s Bride was a well paced, well written story with fae, vampires, and a compelling revenge plot. I really enjoyed the twist at the end.
This story follows Nadi, a Fae woman, who has spent her life seeking revenge against the vampire family responsible for the death of her family. She puts everything on the line in order to infiltrate this family and attempt to enact her revenge plan.
The FMC Nadi was easy to like. Her balancing act between her hatred, lust, empathy, and growing emotions was interesting and well done. I wanted a little more from the MMC Raziel. He was fairly predictable for most of the story without much depth other than his egotistical and proud behavior. I wanted to get to know Raziel’s family more.
This book had smooth writing, held my attention, and even made me laugh.
I struggled a bit with the setting and world building of this story. The dialogue felt modern day but there didn’t seem to be modern technology (cell phones, cameras, surveillance). There were cars/trains/makeup/guns etc. I wasn’t sure what time period I should be picturing. Also, we didn’t get to experience much of the world in this story, most of it occurs in Raziel’s house. Hoping the next book builds out the world more.
I really enjoyed the built up tension between the FMC and MMC. The spice hits after the 60% mark and I would rate it between a 2-3🌶️.
I loved the use of “my wife” in the story.
This author used some stereotypical vampire traits including them transforming into bats, some hypnotic powers, and having coffins in their rooms. I found it kinda refreshing to see these classic traits in a story. She also added traits such as vampires purring, which threw me a little.
Overall, this was a smooth, fun vampire story and I’d read the next book in the series.
Thank you Second Sky Books, The NerdFam, Net Galley, and the author for the advanced reader’s copy of this story!
This story follows Nadi, a Fae woman, who has spent her life seeking revenge against the vampire family responsible for the death of her family. She puts everything on the line in order to infiltrate this family and attempt to enact her revenge plan.
The FMC Nadi was easy to like. Her balancing act between her hatred, lust, empathy, and growing emotions was interesting and well done. I wanted a little more from the MMC Raziel. He was fairly predictable for most of the story without much depth other than his egotistical and proud behavior. I wanted to get to know Raziel’s family more.
This book had smooth writing, held my attention, and even made me laugh.
I struggled a bit with the setting and world building of this story. The dialogue felt modern day but there didn’t seem to be modern technology (cell phones, cameras, surveillance). There were cars/trains/makeup/guns etc. I wasn’t sure what time period I should be picturing. Also, we didn’t get to experience much of the world in this story, most of it occurs in Raziel’s house. Hoping the next book builds out the world more.
I really enjoyed the built up tension between the FMC and MMC. The spice hits after the 60% mark and I would rate it between a 2-3🌶️.
I loved the use of “my wife” in the story.
This author used some stereotypical vampire traits including them transforming into bats, some hypnotic powers, and having coffins in their rooms. I found it kinda refreshing to see these classic traits in a story. She also added traits such as vampires purring, which threw me a little.
Overall, this was a smooth, fun vampire story and I’d read the next book in the series.
Thank you Second Sky Books, The NerdFam, Net Galley, and the author for the advanced reader’s copy of this story!
August 27, 2025
“𝐍𝐨𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐫.”
“ᴄᴜʀɪᴏᴜꜱ. ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ. ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀᴏᴜꜱ ᴛʜɪɴɢ.”
I really enjoyed the premise, the plot and all those tropes that came together really well to make this steamy, slow burn, vampire x fae book. It has reallyyyyy good bones and an ending I really loved!
In saying all that, as much as I wanted to love it more, I think the pacing was a little off for me and just felt like I had drifted off a couple of times. I had the alc and that may of been a factor in this. -The story is told in dual POV by the FMC and MMC, and the narrator was great in the story telling aspect, but perhaps a male narrator to voice the MMC parts could have provided an even more accurate representation of the character.
➵ I’m invested in the outcome of this fae assassin and her new vampire. Will definitely be reading the next one.
Thank you Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this alc. 🖤
[ ✩ 3.5 ]
[ 🌶️ 2.8 ]
“ᴄᴜʀɪᴏᴜꜱ. ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ. ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀᴏᴜꜱ ᴛʜɪɴɢ.”
I really enjoyed the premise, the plot and all those tropes that came together really well to make this steamy, slow burn, vampire x fae book. It has reallyyyyy good bones and an ending I really loved!
In saying all that, as much as I wanted to love it more, I think the pacing was a little off for me and just felt like I had drifted off a couple of times. I had the alc and that may of been a factor in this. -The story is told in dual POV by the FMC and MMC, and the narrator was great in the story telling aspect, but perhaps a male narrator to voice the MMC parts could have provided an even more accurate representation of the character.
➵ I’m invested in the outcome of this fae assassin and her new vampire. Will definitely be reading the next one.
Thank you Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this alc. 🖤
[ ✩ 3.5 ]
[ 🌶️ 2.8 ]
November 15, 2025
What a great dark vampire romance! This book added 2 of my favorite things which are arranged marriage and mafia vibes. I thought our FMC Nadi being a shapeshifter and wearing a different skin was so unique and cool. Nadi and Raziel were both badasses in their own way and I eat that up. This book also gave us enemies to loversish. I really loved the anxiety of the will she get caught or wont she. I had a blast with this book and I think the audiobook was performed so well. Cant wait for the book 2 audio to drop.
July 31, 2025
2,5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to listen to The Serpent’s Bride in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Vampires, vengeance, and veiled intentions 🩸🖤. This dark fantasy romance audiobook promised a twisted tale of revenge and seduction, but my connection with the heroine just never quite clicked. I struggled with her erratic behavior—on one hand, she’s plotting vengeance against the vampire who slaughtered her family, but on the other, she’s already thirsting for him within the first few chapters. And despite the danger he poses, she rarely seems to have a real plan. It left me feeling frustrated rather than intrigued.
I tend to love morally gray MMCs, but this one was just plain cruel—demeaning, controlling, even physically aggressive, and not in a way that felt redemptive or romantic. I prefer it when the MMC is cold to the world and warm to the heroine, but here… she only seemed useful to him, and that made it hard to root for the romance 💔.
The narration also fell a little flat for me. I really wish there had been dual narrators—especially since the POVs alternate. It was jarring to suddenly shift into his perspective with the same female voice trying to push a male tone. It made it hard to stay immersed in key emotional moments 🎧🌀.
That said, there were elements I genuinely enjoyed: the underground fae world was eerie and wild in a good way, the vampires and their magical powers were intriguing, and the spice was handled tastefully 🔥🧛. There’s potential here, especially for those who like their romance very dark and don’t mind morally murky dynamics.
#TheSerpentsBride #NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to listen to The Serpent’s Bride in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Vampires, vengeance, and veiled intentions 🩸🖤. This dark fantasy romance audiobook promised a twisted tale of revenge and seduction, but my connection with the heroine just never quite clicked. I struggled with her erratic behavior—on one hand, she’s plotting vengeance against the vampire who slaughtered her family, but on the other, she’s already thirsting for him within the first few chapters. And despite the danger he poses, she rarely seems to have a real plan. It left me feeling frustrated rather than intrigued.
I tend to love morally gray MMCs, but this one was just plain cruel—demeaning, controlling, even physically aggressive, and not in a way that felt redemptive or romantic. I prefer it when the MMC is cold to the world and warm to the heroine, but here… she only seemed useful to him, and that made it hard to root for the romance 💔.
The narration also fell a little flat for me. I really wish there had been dual narrators—especially since the POVs alternate. It was jarring to suddenly shift into his perspective with the same female voice trying to push a male tone. It made it hard to stay immersed in key emotional moments 🎧🌀.
That said, there were elements I genuinely enjoyed: the underground fae world was eerie and wild in a good way, the vampires and their magical powers were intriguing, and the spice was handled tastefully 🔥🧛. There’s potential here, especially for those who like their romance very dark and don’t mind morally murky dynamics.
#TheSerpentsBride #NetGalley
September 23, 2025
DNFd at 67%. What a disappointment. I expected the MMC to be unredeemable as he is the murderer for his vampire mafia family; all of whom are involved in unsavory side businesses. But the FMC commits an act that not only makes her unredeemable but upends the whole point of the story. Specifics at the end if interested.
Aside from that, the inner monologues were repetitive. There was little chemistry between the mains even though it appears the author may be setting them up for some type of possible mate bond. It would explain the inexplicable draw they feel toward one another but silently bemoan. I probably would have stuck with it to book 2 for kicks but I was far too irritated after the scene that instigated my DNF.
***********
*Why I DNFd [SPOILER]
The premise of the story has the FMC seeking revenge against the vampire family that murdered her immediate family as punishment for her uncle’s perceived overstep by this vampire mafia. To get her new vampire husband to trust her she murders what remains of her family, her uncle. That’s her justification. What sense does it make to murder what’s left of your family while seeking revenge against those who murdered your family? She commits the very same act she intends to kill the MMC for.
Aside from that, the inner monologues were repetitive. There was little chemistry between the mains even though it appears the author may be setting them up for some type of possible mate bond. It would explain the inexplicable draw they feel toward one another but silently bemoan. I probably would have stuck with it to book 2 for kicks but I was far too irritated after the scene that instigated my DNF.
***********
*Why I DNFd [SPOILER]
The premise of the story has the FMC seeking revenge against the vampire family that murdered her immediate family as punishment for her uncle’s perceived overstep by this vampire mafia. To get her new vampire husband to trust her she murders what remains of her family, her uncle. That’s her justification. What sense does it make to murder what’s left of your family while seeking revenge against those who murdered your family? She commits the very same act she intends to kill the MMC for.
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