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Roses of the Crimson City
In the towering city of Runehaven, power is tradition, and obedience is survival. Raziel, a devoted vampire soldier of the Order of the Red Rose, has always followed the path laid before him, until a single mission cracks open the world he thought he knew. Whispers stir in the shadows. What begins as duty spirals into something darker, as Raziel faces the one truth no oath can protect him Who he really is.
Man or Monster?
As danger closes in from all sides, Raziel must navigate a city gripped by fear, divided by blood, and hiding something far worse than war.
And beneath it all, something is waking.
Man or Monster?
As danger closes in from all sides, Raziel must navigate a city gripped by fear, divided by blood, and hiding something far worse than war.
And beneath it all, something is waking.
341 pages, Paperback
Published August 28, 2025
3 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Matthew O'Hare
1 book12 followersMatthew O’Hare writes dark fantasy with dystopian edges—vampires, rebellions, and flawed found-family bonds. His debut, Roses of the Crimson City (Shadows of the Elders #1), follows Raziel, a vampire commander who chooses humanity over his masters and lights the fuse of a war.
When he’s not line-editing at 2 a.m., Matthew is probably sketching character art, answering ARC messages, or being ambushed by his cat mid-paragraph. He lives in the UK with his family, drinks too much coffee, and loves readers who crave visceral combat, morally gray choices, and a beating heart under all the blood.
When he’s not line-editing at 2 a.m., Matthew is probably sketching character art, answering ARC messages, or being ambushed by his cat mid-paragraph. He lives in the UK with his family, drinks too much coffee, and loves readers who crave visceral combat, morally gray choices, and a beating heart under all the blood.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
November 12, 2025
Roses of the Crimson City is a captivating read from start to finish! Matthew’s storytelling draws you into a world that is vivid, intricate, and full of intrigue. The characters feel real and complex, with relationships layered in emotion and depth.
I especially loved the brotherhood between Raz and Kenneth, and the action scenes were incredibly well-written. The pacing kept me hooked. I couldn’t put the book down!
Whether you love fantasy, intrigue, or just beautifully told stories, this book is an absolute must-read. Highly recommended!
I especially loved the brotherhood between Raz and Kenneth, and the action scenes were incredibly well-written. The pacing kept me hooked. I couldn’t put the book down!
Whether you love fantasy, intrigue, or just beautifully told stories, this book is an absolute must-read. Highly recommended!
September 25, 2025
Imagine the war between good and evil, castles, broken human civilisation and two brothers not knowing where to stand.
Matthew O’hares Roses of Crimson City, left it all on the pages, the character development is phenomenal and the fight scenes are beautifully curated.
Matthew O’hares Roses of Crimson City, left it all on the pages, the character development is phenomenal and the fight scenes are beautifully curated.
September 20, 2025
Matthew O'Hare's Roses of Crimson City, a compelling read. Envision Gothic castles, treachery, and epic battles between good and evil forces. The narrative boasts intricate character development and meticulously choreographed fight scenes. Against the backdrop of a crumbling human civilization, a devoted vampire warrior and his adoptive brother grapple with the harsh realities of their faction. The hope of humanity lies with a secret weapon they had no idea existed. What to do now? Pre-order this book now and find out for yourself! This novel is a masterful blend of dark fantasy elements.
September 29, 2025
Book Review: Roses of the Crimson City by Matthew Hare
I’ll be honest—I really struggled to get into this one at first. The opening felt slow, and it took me a while to connect with the characters and the world. It’s definitely a slow burner, but once I hit about 60% in, everything shifted. The story suddenly came alive with twists, intrigue, and emotional depth that pulled me right in. From that point on, I was fully invested and couldn’t put it down.
The book follows political tensions, hidden secrets, and a city full of danger and beauty. The atmosphere is rich, and the stakes keep building as loyalties are tested and characters face some tough choices. By the end, I was really glad I stuck with it—it turned into a gripping and rewarding read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌹🏙️✨📖
#RosesOfTheCrimsonCity #MatthewHare #BookReview #FantasyReads #SlowBurn #WorthTheWait #4Stars
I’ll be honest—I really struggled to get into this one at first. The opening felt slow, and it took me a while to connect with the characters and the world. It’s definitely a slow burner, but once I hit about 60% in, everything shifted. The story suddenly came alive with twists, intrigue, and emotional depth that pulled me right in. From that point on, I was fully invested and couldn’t put it down.
The book follows political tensions, hidden secrets, and a city full of danger and beauty. The atmosphere is rich, and the stakes keep building as loyalties are tested and characters face some tough choices. By the end, I was really glad I stuck with it—it turned into a gripping and rewarding read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌹🏙️✨📖
#RosesOfTheCrimsonCity #MatthewHare #BookReview #FantasyReads #SlowBurn #WorthTheWait #4Stars
November 1, 2025
I read a lot, but I don’t usually leave reviews. I got this as an ARC and really wanted to support it.
This book hooked me right from the start. The world-building is deep, the characters feel real and layered, and the story kept me turning the pages.
Two things really stood out for me. The fight scenes and the brotherhood. The action was dynamic and easy to picture, like I was right there in the middle of it. The bond between Raziel and Kenneth was absolutely heartwarming. Their loyalty and connection made me love them both.
The whole gang is well written and feels involved, but Raziel and Kenneth definitely stand out. Still, I loved how each character had their own unique personality. (Sam might be my favourite!)
I’d definitely recommend picking this debut up, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how both the story and the author grow as the series continues.
This book hooked me right from the start. The world-building is deep, the characters feel real and layered, and the story kept me turning the pages.
Two things really stood out for me. The fight scenes and the brotherhood. The action was dynamic and easy to picture, like I was right there in the middle of it. The bond between Raziel and Kenneth was absolutely heartwarming. Their loyalty and connection made me love them both.
The whole gang is well written and feels involved, but Raziel and Kenneth definitely stand out. Still, I loved how each character had their own unique personality. (Sam might be my favourite!)
I’d definitely recommend picking this debut up, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how both the story and the author grow as the series continues.
October 19, 2025
For a debut novel Roses of the Crimson City is absolutely fantastic. I was drawn in by the stunning description of the city of Runehaven and the dynamic of Raziel and Kenneth as they try to navigate the intrigue and politics of the city and its inhabitants. I found myself instantly drawn into the world and unable to really put this one down. I particularly loved the exploration of the brothers relationship and how it fit into the overall story.
For me, the intrigue and treachery was handled so well. It really began to feel like we were alongside Raziel, unsure what was truth, what was lies and what was somewhere in between the two. The pacing was fantastic too, a littler slower at the start it found its steady pace quickly after and kept me hooked throughout. I am definitely excited to see what is next from O’Hare and if you love your darker fantasies with intrigue and mystery this is a must read.
As always thank you to the author, Matthew O’Hare for the advanced copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.
For me, the intrigue and treachery was handled so well. It really began to feel like we were alongside Raziel, unsure what was truth, what was lies and what was somewhere in between the two. The pacing was fantastic too, a littler slower at the start it found its steady pace quickly after and kept me hooked throughout. I am definitely excited to see what is next from O’Hare and if you love your darker fantasies with intrigue and mystery this is a must read.
As always thank you to the author, Matthew O’Hare for the advanced copy to review, my reviews are always honest and freely given.
October 27, 2025
This book pulls you in, the world building was fantastic!
if you love Gothic vibes and vampires grab this book!
the characters banter was hilarious especially Kenneth
I absolutely loved this thankyou for the early sneak peek this was my honest review
if you love Gothic vibes and vampires grab this book!
the characters banter was hilarious especially Kenneth
I absolutely loved this thankyou for the early sneak peek this was my honest review
October 5, 2025
ARC Review - Roses Of The Crimson City - Matthew O’Hare - Spoiler Free Review
Let’s start by acknowledging that this is a debut novel, and any criticism is constructive, and my opinion… me, who solely reads for enjoyment, not to find profound meanings in life. Also I am not an author, just a regular person who can rarely form a sentence on the best of days.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I usually cringe at stereotypical vampire novels, but this one did feel quite refreshing and I did really like Raziel, but Kenneth was just OMGGGG. There’s huge brotherhood theme between Raziel and Kenneth. I enjoyed their relationship however the dialog sometimes felt forced and the wordings very weird, which is common with many other characters. Some characters didn’t feel fully fleshed out, I would have liked to know more about Sam and Max.
For me personally, I would have liked a separation between the POV’s of the characters because I sometimes was not sure which thoughts we were reading about. Especially for me since my only time to read is late at night and my focus isn’t at 100% capacity all the time. That also would have helped break up the long chapters.
The plot felt not so fully fleshed out, but it is the first book in the series so that can be forgiven. I also would have liked to see more world building. It did feel like there were a lot of excellent ideas, but they did need to be refined ever so slightly more with a bit more editing.
Again, these are my opinions and by no means is this review negative… because all being said this book was extremely fun to read. I look forward to any future novels!
Let’s start by acknowledging that this is a debut novel, and any criticism is constructive, and my opinion… me, who solely reads for enjoyment, not to find profound meanings in life. Also I am not an author, just a regular person who can rarely form a sentence on the best of days.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I usually cringe at stereotypical vampire novels, but this one did feel quite refreshing and I did really like Raziel, but Kenneth was just OMGGGG. There’s huge brotherhood theme between Raziel and Kenneth. I enjoyed their relationship however the dialog sometimes felt forced and the wordings very weird, which is common with many other characters. Some characters didn’t feel fully fleshed out, I would have liked to know more about Sam and Max.
For me personally, I would have liked a separation between the POV’s of the characters because I sometimes was not sure which thoughts we were reading about. Especially for me since my only time to read is late at night and my focus isn’t at 100% capacity all the time. That also would have helped break up the long chapters.
The plot felt not so fully fleshed out, but it is the first book in the series so that can be forgiven. I also would have liked to see more world building. It did feel like there were a lot of excellent ideas, but they did need to be refined ever so slightly more with a bit more editing.
Again, these are my opinions and by no means is this review negative… because all being said this book was extremely fun to read. I look forward to any future novels!
October 11, 2025
This dystopian fantasy definitely took me on a ride. Between the tense moments of suspense, twists, well written action scenes, and laugh out loud one liners, I was invested from start to finish (I mean even the Prologue was chefs kiss).The side characters easily stole the show- Kenneth was my favorite by far, and the banter with the proprietor of The Hunters Rest had me cracking up. If you’re looking for a true dystopian fantasy stacked with solid banter (and no spice), definitely add this one to your TBR.
September 26, 2025
Love books filled with gothic atmosphere, dark intrigue, rebellion, loss and a love forged in fire? Then this is the book for you!
Tropes:
~ brotherhood
~ Dystopian
~ Rebellion
~ Vampires
~ Enemies to Lovers
~ Loyalty and Treason
~ Magic and Blades
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️ (mentions of a kiss)
I don’t think I can quite express with words how impressive this novel is! The intricate character development, the perfectly choreographed fight scenes, the bonds built between the main characters were just chefs kiss!
The human race crumbling, vampires rising to try and take over the world, a devoted vampire and his best friend/adopted brother realise together their world is not as it seems. A secret weapon the didn’t know existed is the only hope to save humanity. But this naturally brings up all the who, what, where and why questions! Preorder now (release date is Halloween) to find out for yourself! You won’t be disappointed with the perfect blend of many dark fantasy elements.
Tropes:
~ brotherhood
~ Dystopian
~ Rebellion
~ Vampires
~ Enemies to Lovers
~ Loyalty and Treason
~ Magic and Blades
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️ (mentions of a kiss)
I don’t think I can quite express with words how impressive this novel is! The intricate character development, the perfectly choreographed fight scenes, the bonds built between the main characters were just chefs kiss!
The human race crumbling, vampires rising to try and take over the world, a devoted vampire and his best friend/adopted brother realise together their world is not as it seems. A secret weapon the didn’t know existed is the only hope to save humanity. But this naturally brings up all the who, what, where and why questions! Preorder now (release date is Halloween) to find out for yourself! You won’t be disappointed with the perfect blend of many dark fantasy elements.
October 28, 2025
WHAT A BOOK!
Loyalty, Disloyalty, Blood spill, brotherhood, romance unexpected friendships, betrayal, family reunion, tension, hidden truth and twists.
You think you know something Bam it takes an unexpected turn.
So many emotions throughout the book! One second I’m disgusted, next I’m jumping for joy, I’m excited, upset, happy then crying…
Matthew has captured every detail and described each person with such amazing detail to the point I hated certain characters and wanted to dagger them myself I felt so involved the pain, hurt, happiness I felt it all.
To knowing what you were to finding out new things about yourself and others.
Mixed emotions, I feel honoured to be apart of this journey! I’m was super excited to read and now can’t wait for the next in line!
“Your hopes lie with the girl who causes paper snow.”
Want to know what that means? Order the book and find out for yourselves! You won’t be disappointed.
After finishing your journey in RuneHaven,You will be blood thirsty for the next book just like me.
I can’t wait for the realise on the 31st October! Not long left eeeekkkkk!!!!!
💀🪦🦇🧛♂️🧛♀️🧛
Loyalty, Disloyalty, Blood spill, brotherhood, romance unexpected friendships, betrayal, family reunion, tension, hidden truth and twists.
You think you know something Bam it takes an unexpected turn.
So many emotions throughout the book! One second I’m disgusted, next I’m jumping for joy, I’m excited, upset, happy then crying…
Matthew has captured every detail and described each person with such amazing detail to the point I hated certain characters and wanted to dagger them myself I felt so involved the pain, hurt, happiness I felt it all.
To knowing what you were to finding out new things about yourself and others.
Mixed emotions, I feel honoured to be apart of this journey! I’m was super excited to read and now can’t wait for the next in line!
“Your hopes lie with the girl who causes paper snow.”
Want to know what that means? Order the book and find out for yourselves! You won’t be disappointed.
After finishing your journey in RuneHaven,You will be blood thirsty for the next book just like me.
I can’t wait for the realise on the 31st October! Not long left eeeekkkkk!!!!!
💀🪦🦇🧛♂️🧛♀️🧛
October 30, 2025
A captivating dark, gothic vampire fantasy.
Step into a cruel world where vampires rule and humans are starving, tortured and kept alive for food.
I loved the vampire hierarchy, the elders and the different orders. Matthew’s descriptive world building was vivid and immersive. The pace of the book was slow at times but then more than made up for it with the tense, exciting and brutal battle scenes. Chapter 9 was my favourite chapter, Kenneth is a legend.
There are so many great characters that you get to know and love. Kenneth is awesome, he’s fun, outspoken and rebellious. He has such an adorable bromance with Raziel who is his polar opposite in every way. Raziel went through such an important character transformation, his whole world was turned upside down. I felt connected to Sam as we watch her inner struggle and character growth and Max is just cocky but definitely a little scared underneath the bravado.
You even get a little slow burn enemies to lovers romance in there. I wasn’t sure how I felt about those two characters at first but o did grow to like them together.
There were twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, epic battle scenes and betrayals. I really enjoyed this book and rate it a well deserved 4 stars.
I still have some unanswered questions that I really hope to get the answers for in book 2, which I can’t wait to read.
Step into a cruel world where vampires rule and humans are starving, tortured and kept alive for food.
I loved the vampire hierarchy, the elders and the different orders. Matthew’s descriptive world building was vivid and immersive. The pace of the book was slow at times but then more than made up for it with the tense, exciting and brutal battle scenes. Chapter 9 was my favourite chapter, Kenneth is a legend.
There are so many great characters that you get to know and love. Kenneth is awesome, he’s fun, outspoken and rebellious. He has such an adorable bromance with Raziel who is his polar opposite in every way. Raziel went through such an important character transformation, his whole world was turned upside down. I felt connected to Sam as we watch her inner struggle and character growth and Max is just cocky but definitely a little scared underneath the bravado.
You even get a little slow burn enemies to lovers romance in there. I wasn’t sure how I felt about those two characters at first but o did grow to like them together.
There were twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, epic battle scenes and betrayals. I really enjoyed this book and rate it a well deserved 4 stars.
I still have some unanswered questions that I really hope to get the answers for in book 2, which I can’t wait to read.
November 11, 2025
Roses of the Crimson City is the first book in the Shadows of the Elders series.
It’s a strong dark fantasy, with a lot of action, detailed graphical world building and intense emotions.
In the dystopian world of Runehaven, with its gothic castles, where humans are suppressed by vampires and used as food, 2 vampires and a group of rebellions ignite a light of hope.
In this debut novel, Matthew O’Hare brings a high quality story about rebellion, deception and trust. The action scenes with multiple twists and turns bring this story to a higher level!
If you like vampire fantasy, with a dark edge and a lot of action, then this is a must read! I liked it and would like to read part two of this series!
It’s a strong dark fantasy, with a lot of action, detailed graphical world building and intense emotions.
In the dystopian world of Runehaven, with its gothic castles, where humans are suppressed by vampires and used as food, 2 vampires and a group of rebellions ignite a light of hope.
In this debut novel, Matthew O’Hare brings a high quality story about rebellion, deception and trust. The action scenes with multiple twists and turns bring this story to a higher level!
If you like vampire fantasy, with a dark edge and a lot of action, then this is a must read! I liked it and would like to read part two of this series!
November 11, 2025
Mr, O’Hare has created a rich fantasy world. Vampires have taken over the post-apocalyptic earth and humans are blood slaves.
Our MMC is a high ranking vampire who doesn’t really like being a vampire. He and his fellow rebels are attempting to end vampiric domination. There is some budding romance but this is not a romance. It’s a grim dark fantasy.
The plot, setting, and characters are well done. I’d like to know more about their motivations. There isn’t a lot of internal monologue. Definitely action over character development. The writing is not my usual style but it’s mostly well done. A few grammar issues but nothing that pulled me from the story.
Good debut novel!
Our MMC is a high ranking vampire who doesn’t really like being a vampire. He and his fellow rebels are attempting to end vampiric domination. There is some budding romance but this is not a romance. It’s a grim dark fantasy.
The plot, setting, and characters are well done. I’d like to know more about their motivations. There isn’t a lot of internal monologue. Definitely action over character development. The writing is not my usual style but it’s mostly well done. A few grammar issues but nothing that pulled me from the story.
Good debut novel!
October 31, 2025
A thrilling and beautifully written fantasy that grabs you from the start. The world feels vivid and alive, and the characters are full of heart and depth. I loved the bond between Raz and Kenneth and the fast-paced action that kept me turning pages. A fantastic mix of emotion, adventure, and intrigue — highly recommended!
October 31, 2025
This book grabbed a hold of me and kept me engaged til the very end. I could not put it down. There are so many twists and turns. The scenes are action packed and great banter among the characters. Highly recommend this book.
October 28, 2025
This book is full of action packed scenes, funny banter, and a great story of how people can change their views. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait for book 2!
October 7, 2025
Roses of the Crimson City by Matthew O’Hare is a gothic story set in a city ruled by despicable Elder vampires who rule oppresses and destroys the humans for their own gain.
The complexity of loyalty, betrayal, good vs evil and the grey areas in between is woven between all of the characters. The camaraderie of Kennith and Raz extends more than soldiers together but a brotherhood built on trust, respect and love.
The fight scenes are very well written and you feel fully immersed in the world Matthew has created.
A very good debut novel, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes
The complexity of loyalty, betrayal, good vs evil and the grey areas in between is woven between all of the characters. The camaraderie of Kennith and Raz extends more than soldiers together but a brotherhood built on trust, respect and love.
The fight scenes are very well written and you feel fully immersed in the world Matthew has created.
A very good debut novel, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes
October 31, 2025
It took me a while to get my head around the language that some of the characters used.
And after a conversation with the author i better understood the need for some of it.
I enjoyed the plot, the twists & character development.
The relationship between Raz & Kenneth was lovely, I enjoyed their camaraderie & the brotherly bond they
had. I’d love to hear more from them
And after a conversation with the author i better understood the need for some of it.
I enjoyed the plot, the twists & character development.
The relationship between Raz & Kenneth was lovely, I enjoyed their camaraderie & the brotherly bond they
had. I’d love to hear more from them
October 31, 2025
DNF at 34%. Potential spoilers ahead.
Initially I found the writing and story started well. We meet the Commander of the Red Roses, Raziel. He for not one second would believe that his Elders were up to no good. He was absolutely horrified that his best friend, Kenneth would think the opposite. Well until shown otherwise and he jumps ship immediately. Kenneth's personality seems to change dramatically after being made commander in Raziel's place. The dialogue between any 2 characters is wooden and unnatural (A said. B said. A said, you don't need to point out who said what when only 2 people are conversing).
I think there is a good plot here but I haven't got the will or patience to find out.
Initially I found the writing and story started well. We meet the Commander of the Red Roses, Raziel. He for not one second would believe that his Elders were up to no good. He was absolutely horrified that his best friend, Kenneth would think the opposite. Well until shown otherwise and he jumps ship immediately. Kenneth's personality seems to change dramatically after being made commander in Raziel's place. The dialogue between any 2 characters is wooden and unnatural (A said. B said. A said, you don't need to point out who said what when only 2 people are conversing).
I think there is a good plot here but I haven't got the will or patience to find out.
December 29, 2025
I did not finish this book.
I was provided an ARC in return for an honest review.
While the idea is good, the execution is not. The writing is messy, amateur, and lacks any depth in terms of developing character, setting, and storyline. So much of the writing is obvious, on-the-nose description or dialogue rather than nuance or implicature. I could not connect with the characters or events because of these factors.
I was provided an ARC in return for an honest review.
While the idea is good, the execution is not. The writing is messy, amateur, and lacks any depth in terms of developing character, setting, and storyline. So much of the writing is obvious, on-the-nose description or dialogue rather than nuance or implicature. I could not connect with the characters or events because of these factors.
September 27, 2025
I got the honour of being an ARC reviewer for this book.
First of all, the concept of this book has potential, but it is rough and needs some work. It all feels very surface-level.
People are changing loyalties with seemingly no real thought behind it, and no one questions it.
"Oh, I saw a movie that the rebels showed me, and now I am switching sides." No thought about whether it might be fake, that they are playing him, or maybe I should do some investigating from my end.
"Oh, I am going to talk to this elder, but then decide to kill them and even plan for it. Even if it actually wasn't planned."
"Oh, these other elders are joining, and no one bothers to look deeper into why or wonder if they might have their own agena."
People are supposed to be military personnel, but most seemed to have no training and no discipline or could plan attacks and ambushes.
Vampires are monsters that are hard to kill, but most of the time seem to be like normal people that normal humans can kill fairly easily.
One minute, they get tired from a sparing match, but later, they can fight seemingly forever.
The elders are monsters, but most seem to die fairly quickly. (And the other elders are not informed at all or seem to care.)
The rebels seem very unconcerned about their lives and planning. Max especially is like. Oh, it will all work out. Just go with the flow. Not giving a leader role at all, he seems very chilled and is like. "Follow me and I will totally make your wish come true." With no real thought behind him.
Most "talks" are shallow. "We are going to kill these people who are supposedly really hard to kill. And it is going to be so easy. We just walk right in, give them this, and then it is fine." Which, in fairness, they mostly did.
Where did this relic or baby come from? Might be a plot later on?
Sense we get rushed into the story, we don't really get any worldbuilding or character building. So I didn't really get attached to anyone or feel like I could follow the story since it kept changing, and the characters kept changing for no reason.
I also couldn't get a sense of the timeline. I thought it had been 25 years since the vampires took over. Because of the calendar. But then they mentioned at one point that it had been hundreds of years, so either I misread or I am missing something.
Powers seem to change as well. Since it was my understanding that Veritas had ice power, but in the end, her blood magic could manipulate sand. Raz suddenly became a master of his magic and had much better control than the original master, that has supposedly had this power for a while.
Raz is going to sacrifice himself, but when the enemy looks at his fleeing friends, instead of trying to regain his focus and continue fighting. He goes to his friends, whom he wanted to keep out of the fight and then effectively brings the fight to them 100%.
Anyhow, I could go on. Sadly, this book wasn't for me. Some of the holes might be filled in in later books, like what happened to the traitor? where vampires came from, etc. It has potential, but it needs to be polished up and deepened.
Some people like fast-tracked books with minimal details and development and just want an ever-changing, fast-paced story. I am not one of them. I like character development and want to get attached to the characters.
I believe every author should follow their style and do what feels right for them. If I could give them one solid advice in writing is when you have multiple characters' pov. I would recommend either doing separate chapters for them or making it more clear from who´s thoughts we are following. There were several times I got confused about who was thinking what.
Other than that, I wish the author the best of luck. :)
First of all, the concept of this book has potential, but it is rough and needs some work. It all feels very surface-level.
People are changing loyalties with seemingly no real thought behind it, and no one questions it.
"Oh, I saw a movie that the rebels showed me, and now I am switching sides." No thought about whether it might be fake, that they are playing him, or maybe I should do some investigating from my end.
"Oh, I am going to talk to this elder, but then decide to kill them and even plan for it. Even if it actually wasn't planned."
"Oh, these other elders are joining, and no one bothers to look deeper into why or wonder if they might have their own agena."
People are supposed to be military personnel, but most seemed to have no training and no discipline or could plan attacks and ambushes.
Vampires are monsters that are hard to kill, but most of the time seem to be like normal people that normal humans can kill fairly easily.
One minute, they get tired from a sparing match, but later, they can fight seemingly forever.
The elders are monsters, but most seem to die fairly quickly. (And the other elders are not informed at all or seem to care.)
The rebels seem very unconcerned about their lives and planning. Max especially is like. Oh, it will all work out. Just go with the flow. Not giving a leader role at all, he seems very chilled and is like. "Follow me and I will totally make your wish come true." With no real thought behind him.
Most "talks" are shallow. "We are going to kill these people who are supposedly really hard to kill. And it is going to be so easy. We just walk right in, give them this, and then it is fine." Which, in fairness, they mostly did.
Where did this relic or baby come from? Might be a plot later on?
Sense we get rushed into the story, we don't really get any worldbuilding or character building. So I didn't really get attached to anyone or feel like I could follow the story since it kept changing, and the characters kept changing for no reason.
I also couldn't get a sense of the timeline. I thought it had been 25 years since the vampires took over. Because of the calendar. But then they mentioned at one point that it had been hundreds of years, so either I misread or I am missing something.
Powers seem to change as well. Since it was my understanding that Veritas had ice power, but in the end, her blood magic could manipulate sand. Raz suddenly became a master of his magic and had much better control than the original master, that has supposedly had this power for a while.
Raz is going to sacrifice himself, but when the enemy looks at his fleeing friends, instead of trying to regain his focus and continue fighting. He goes to his friends, whom he wanted to keep out of the fight and then effectively brings the fight to them 100%.
Anyhow, I could go on. Sadly, this book wasn't for me. Some of the holes might be filled in in later books, like what happened to the traitor? where vampires came from, etc. It has potential, but it needs to be polished up and deepened.
Some people like fast-tracked books with minimal details and development and just want an ever-changing, fast-paced story. I am not one of them. I like character development and want to get attached to the characters.
I believe every author should follow their style and do what feels right for them. If I could give them one solid advice in writing is when you have multiple characters' pov. I would recommend either doing separate chapters for them or making it more clear from who´s thoughts we are following. There were several times I got confused about who was thinking what.
Other than that, I wish the author the best of luck. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2025
From Futuristic Starships to Gothic Runehaven: Why I'm Reading Fantasy Again
Roses of the Crimson City by Matthew O'Hare is a truly impressive piece of dark fantasy that completely immerses you in a world where vampires brutally rule over the last vestiges of humanity. It's a compelling story that expertly weaves deeply emotional character arcs with grand set pieces and frenetic battles.
The world-building here is brilliant, centered on towering city-states ruled by ancient and powerful Vampire Lords. What truly elevates the experience is how the locations themselves become characters in the story. From the atmospheric gothic grandeur of Runehaven to the aptly named, decaying settlement of Brittlebell, or even the crumbling former vampire castle used as the rebel headquarters. Every setting is richly detailed and evokes a sense of desperate survival in a world that is falling apart.
At the heart of the conflict is Raziel Tudor, a protagonist I immediately connected with. As the head of the Order of the Red Rose, he is an honor-bound, yet conflicted and believable figure whose internal struggle with duty and devastating backstory drives the plot forward. It’s fascinating to watch him grapple with trying to balance his duty to the vampire race and his leadership of his Order, with his own internal struggles and hate of what he has become. The supporting cast is equally strong, featuring his loyal lieutenant Kenneth and a wonderfully written rebel faction including the charismatic Max, the fiery Sam, and my personal favorite, Drake, a true giant among mortal men, whose deadly nimbleness and strict code of honor made him feel like a Samurai mixed with a Viking of old.
The epic showdowns in this book deserve special mention; they have an almost anime-like quality in the best way. Feeling so intense, a nearly boss-fight level of spectacle. O'Hare’s writing is sharp, and you can picture every frame: the gathering of power before that split-second silence when a blow lands, exploding into a cataclysmic release of energy. This level of action, combined with intricate character development and political intrigue, ensures the pace never lets up. This is a must-read for anyone who loves rich lore, morally grey characters, and a story that leaves you desperate for the next book!
Speaking personally, I'm not your traditional Dark Fantasy fan. I grew up on the likes of Tolkien, Piers Anthony and Weis/Hickman, and have since strictly read/written sci-fi... but I am absolutely rethinking my position now. Roses of the Crimson City may have single-handedly rekindled my love of fantasy, and I am better for it.
Roses of the Crimson City by Matthew O'Hare is a truly impressive piece of dark fantasy that completely immerses you in a world where vampires brutally rule over the last vestiges of humanity. It's a compelling story that expertly weaves deeply emotional character arcs with grand set pieces and frenetic battles.
The world-building here is brilliant, centered on towering city-states ruled by ancient and powerful Vampire Lords. What truly elevates the experience is how the locations themselves become characters in the story. From the atmospheric gothic grandeur of Runehaven to the aptly named, decaying settlement of Brittlebell, or even the crumbling former vampire castle used as the rebel headquarters. Every setting is richly detailed and evokes a sense of desperate survival in a world that is falling apart.
At the heart of the conflict is Raziel Tudor, a protagonist I immediately connected with. As the head of the Order of the Red Rose, he is an honor-bound, yet conflicted and believable figure whose internal struggle with duty and devastating backstory drives the plot forward. It’s fascinating to watch him grapple with trying to balance his duty to the vampire race and his leadership of his Order, with his own internal struggles and hate of what he has become. The supporting cast is equally strong, featuring his loyal lieutenant Kenneth and a wonderfully written rebel faction including the charismatic Max, the fiery Sam, and my personal favorite, Drake, a true giant among mortal men, whose deadly nimbleness and strict code of honor made him feel like a Samurai mixed with a Viking of old.
The epic showdowns in this book deserve special mention; they have an almost anime-like quality in the best way. Feeling so intense, a nearly boss-fight level of spectacle. O'Hare’s writing is sharp, and you can picture every frame: the gathering of power before that split-second silence when a blow lands, exploding into a cataclysmic release of energy. This level of action, combined with intricate character development and political intrigue, ensures the pace never lets up. This is a must-read for anyone who loves rich lore, morally grey characters, and a story that leaves you desperate for the next book!
Speaking personally, I'm not your traditional Dark Fantasy fan. I grew up on the likes of Tolkien, Piers Anthony and Weis/Hickman, and have since strictly read/written sci-fi... but I am absolutely rethinking my position now. Roses of the Crimson City may have single-handedly rekindled my love of fantasy, and I am better for it.
October 15, 2025
Content Warnings;
There are fight scenes (blood, gore, etc), and other scenes readers might find sensitive.
~Thank you, the author, Matthew O'Hare, for the free Arc of this book. I'm leaving this review voluntarily.~
Tropes;
⚔️⛓️𝓖𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓬 & 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴
⛓️⚔️𝓥𝓪𝓶𝓹𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓼 & 𝓗𝓾𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓼
⚔️⛓️𝓓𝔂𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓹𝓲𝓪𝓷 𝓕𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓼𝔂
⛓️⚔️𝓑𝓻𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓭
⚔️⛓️𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓖𝓻𝓮𝔂 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼
⛓️⚔️𝓔𝓷𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓣𝓸 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼
⚔️⛓️𝓢𝓵𝓸𝔀-𝓑𝓾𝓻𝓷
⛓️⚔️𝓕𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓹𝓼
⚔️⛓️𝓖𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓿𝓼 𝓔𝓿𝓲𝓵
⛓️⚔️𝓛𝓸𝔂𝓪𝓵𝓽𝔂, 𝓡𝓮𝓫𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓸𝓷 & 𝓣𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓷
⚔️⛓️𝓜𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬, 𝓑𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭 & 𝓑𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮𝓼
⛓️⚔️𝓝𝓸 𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮
⚔️⛓️𝓝𝓸 𝓒𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓯-𝓗𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻
⛓️⚔️𝓗𝓕𝓝
The author's debut book is about Vampires co-existing with humans in a not so peaceful way, and without spoiling anything, there's blood, gore, battles, and magic involved! A fight between good and evil! A city ruled by Elder Vampires, who enslaved humans. This story follows both Raziel and his lieutenant, Kenneth, navigating the dystopian vampire world. However, it gears more towards Raziel, who is the protagonist here. He struggles with internal conflict and his duty as the head of the Order of the Red Rose, especially after what he has become. A Vampire.
This isn't my usual kind of book, I mean, yes, it's dark and bloody and full of vampires, which IS what I love. However, it's quite different. The world is huge, immersive, and detailed. The backstory is incredible, harrowing, and gripping. It has a strong and vividly detailed plot and twists and turns to keep you on the edge and turn the pages. There's an intense fighting, explosions, and action.
Every character brings their own aura to the page, especially the side characters, such as Drake. They're so fun! Raziel and Kenneth's brotherly relationship is so amazing, endearing almost with the way they get on so well, bantering and bonding. I caught myself giggling at times, I won't lie. Sam's fiery, sassy personality is fab, I love her! There's no spice, but there is loyalty and betrayal, blurred lines and bravery, brotherhood and trust, love and flaws, incredible world building and layered characters, and more to keep you quite entertained.
Out of Fives;
⚔️⛓️𝑪𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓: ✨✨✨✨✨
⛓️⚔️𝑫𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑽𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔: 🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞
⚔️⛓️𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
⛓️⚔️𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓/𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒓: 🎉🎉🎉
⚔️⛓️𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚: 🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶
⛓️⚔️𝑨𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 💥💥💥💥💥
⚔️⛓️𝑽𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆/𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅: 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
⛓️⚔️𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄: 💫💫💫💫💫
⚔️⛓️𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔: 🎲🎲🎲🎲
⛓️⚔️𝑺𝒂𝒎 𝑭𝑴𝑪:🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
⚔️⛓️𝑹𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒆𝒍 𝑻𝒖𝒅𝒐𝒓 𝑴𝑴𝑪: 🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶
⛓️⚔️𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆: 🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬
⚔️⛓️𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⏳⏳⏳⏳
⛓️⚔️𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕:🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
⚔️⛓️𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈: 🌍🌏🌍🌍🌏
⛓️⚔️𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅: 𝒆𝑨𝑹𝑪/𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆.
⚔️⛓️𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔.
⛓️⚔️𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔: 384.
⚔️⛓️𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔: 23 (𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆).
⛓️⚔️𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: 𝑭𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚.
⚔️⛓️𝑨𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅: 28 𝑨𝒖𝒈𝒖𝒔𝒕 2025.
⛓️⚔️𝑾𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝑰 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅: 𝒀𝒆𝒔.
⚔️⛓️𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
There are fight scenes (blood, gore, etc), and other scenes readers might find sensitive.
~Thank you, the author, Matthew O'Hare, for the free Arc of this book. I'm leaving this review voluntarily.~
Tropes;
⚔️⛓️𝓖𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓬 & 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝓴
⛓️⚔️𝓥𝓪𝓶𝓹𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓼 & 𝓗𝓾𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓼
⚔️⛓️𝓓𝔂𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓹𝓲𝓪𝓷 𝓕𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓼𝔂
⛓️⚔️𝓑𝓻𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓭
⚔️⛓️𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂 𝓖𝓻𝓮𝔂 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼
⛓️⚔️𝓔𝓷𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝓣𝓸 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼
⚔️⛓️𝓢𝓵𝓸𝔀-𝓑𝓾𝓻𝓷
⛓️⚔️𝓕𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓹𝓼
⚔️⛓️𝓖𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓿𝓼 𝓔𝓿𝓲𝓵
⛓️⚔️𝓛𝓸𝔂𝓪𝓵𝓽𝔂, 𝓡𝓮𝓫𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓸𝓷 & 𝓣𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓼𝓸𝓷
⚔️⛓️𝓜𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬, 𝓑𝓵𝓸𝓸𝓭 & 𝓑𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮𝓼
⛓️⚔️𝓝𝓸 𝓢𝓹𝓲𝓬𝓮
⚔️⛓️𝓝𝓸 𝓒𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓯-𝓗𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻
⛓️⚔️𝓗𝓕𝓝
The author's debut book is about Vampires co-existing with humans in a not so peaceful way, and without spoiling anything, there's blood, gore, battles, and magic involved! A fight between good and evil! A city ruled by Elder Vampires, who enslaved humans. This story follows both Raziel and his lieutenant, Kenneth, navigating the dystopian vampire world. However, it gears more towards Raziel, who is the protagonist here. He struggles with internal conflict and his duty as the head of the Order of the Red Rose, especially after what he has become. A Vampire.
This isn't my usual kind of book, I mean, yes, it's dark and bloody and full of vampires, which IS what I love. However, it's quite different. The world is huge, immersive, and detailed. The backstory is incredible, harrowing, and gripping. It has a strong and vividly detailed plot and twists and turns to keep you on the edge and turn the pages. There's an intense fighting, explosions, and action.
Every character brings their own aura to the page, especially the side characters, such as Drake. They're so fun! Raziel and Kenneth's brotherly relationship is so amazing, endearing almost with the way they get on so well, bantering and bonding. I caught myself giggling at times, I won't lie. Sam's fiery, sassy personality is fab, I love her! There's no spice, but there is loyalty and betrayal, blurred lines and bravery, brotherhood and trust, love and flaws, incredible world building and layered characters, and more to keep you quite entertained.
Out of Fives;
⚔️⛓️𝑪𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓: ✨✨✨✨✨
⛓️⚔️𝑫𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑽𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔: 🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞
⚔️⛓️𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔: 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
⛓️⚔️𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓/𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒓: 🎉🎉🎉
⚔️⛓️𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚: 🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶
⛓️⚔️𝑨𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: 💥💥💥💥💥
⚔️⛓️𝑽𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆/𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅: 🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸
⛓️⚔️𝑴𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄: 💫💫💫💫💫
⚔️⛓️𝑬𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔: 🎲🎲🎲🎲
⛓️⚔️𝑺𝒂𝒎 𝑭𝑴𝑪:🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷
⚔️⛓️𝑹𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒆𝒍 𝑻𝒖𝒅𝒐𝒓 𝑴𝑴𝑪: 🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶
⛓️⚔️𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆: 🎬🎬🎬🎬🎬
⚔️⛓️𝑷𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⏳⏳⏳⏳
⛓️⚔️𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕:🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
⚔️⛓️𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈: 🌍🌏🌍🌍🌏
⛓️⚔️𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅: 𝒆𝑨𝑹𝑪/𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒍𝒆.
⚔️⛓️𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔: 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔.
⛓️⚔️𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔: 384.
⚔️⛓️𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔: 23 (𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒖𝒆).
⛓️⚔️𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: 𝑭𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚.
⚔️⛓️𝑨𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅: 28 𝑨𝒖𝒈𝒖𝒔𝒕 2025.
⛓️⚔️𝑾𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝑰 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅: 𝒀𝒆𝒔.
⚔️⛓️𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
September 23, 2025
ROACC is a gothic vampiric dark fantasy with dystopia edging. Based around Raz & Kenneth (mainly raz)... turned into a vampire and witnessing the downfall of humanity.
The writings is done exceptionally well, painting the pictures perfectly of a world full of blood, battle, gore, slavery, with vivid, and intriguing details. Matthew spared no details when depicting the world, the characters and their flaws/traits and relationships, with layers upon layers around each character. Although Raz is the MMC, it is written to where this does not FEEL like the case. Throughout the book 1 does not outweigh the other. Kenneth, max & sam feel just as main characterised as Raz does! - that to me takes some serious dedication & skill. The Pacing was above par and it all flowed excellently. I read this book within 3 sittings over the period of 72 hours as I could just not put it down. My overall favorite scene was that off raz/ken/sam before all hell breaks loose while they prepared for battle, all based around Kens little leather book.
Kenneths openess with sam and raz about his leather bound book, and the scene that unfolds after it and the scene with drake. Shines a new light upon not only the trio/quads new founding trust and friendship but also as a trusting reminder to never let yourself go and always remember who you are. The same could be said for raz's duel with drake. Although doing it to help drake better himself and also raz himself. It does more than that at its core. It bounds them on a intimate level as a friend / possible family coming together as one and seen by the crowd also brings into turn more openness towards raz, Ken & the elder within the folds of the rebel community.
Ken being injured written like he was dead.NOT NICE. Mean. Evil. I cried like a big girls blouse.
The relationship between raz and sam had me an emotional ball of tears and the way it was depicted towards the end of the book and how the voiced their emotions just had me in an emotional tearing chokehold.
The last 2 chapters within the story emotionally killed me.... I felt so many emotions throughout the whole book but these last chapters..... emotionally damaged me... finding love then the fear of losing it but putting yourself in front of the damage for the ones you love seriously spoke volumes on how Raz matured emotionally and become more "human'' at the end.
If you do anything this year. Dont walk - RUN & Buy Roses Of A Crimson City
The writings is done exceptionally well, painting the pictures perfectly of a world full of blood, battle, gore, slavery, with vivid, and intriguing details. Matthew spared no details when depicting the world, the characters and their flaws/traits and relationships, with layers upon layers around each character. Although Raz is the MMC, it is written to where this does not FEEL like the case. Throughout the book 1 does not outweigh the other. Kenneth, max & sam feel just as main characterised as Raz does! - that to me takes some serious dedication & skill. The Pacing was above par and it all flowed excellently. I read this book within 3 sittings over the period of 72 hours as I could just not put it down. My overall favorite scene was that off raz/ken/sam before all hell breaks loose while they prepared for battle, all based around Kens little leather book.
Kenneths openess with sam and raz about his leather bound book, and the scene that unfolds after it and the scene with drake. Shines a new light upon not only the trio/quads new founding trust and friendship but also as a trusting reminder to never let yourself go and always remember who you are. The same could be said for raz's duel with drake. Although doing it to help drake better himself and also raz himself. It does more than that at its core. It bounds them on a intimate level as a friend / possible family coming together as one and seen by the crowd also brings into turn more openness towards raz, Ken & the elder within the folds of the rebel community.
Ken being injured written like he was dead.NOT NICE. Mean. Evil. I cried like a big girls blouse.
The relationship between raz and sam had me an emotional ball of tears and the way it was depicted towards the end of the book and how the voiced their emotions just had me in an emotional tearing chokehold.
The last 2 chapters within the story emotionally killed me.... I felt so many emotions throughout the whole book but these last chapters..... emotionally damaged me... finding love then the fear of losing it but putting yourself in front of the damage for the ones you love seriously spoke volumes on how Raz matured emotionally and become more "human'' at the end.
If you do anything this year. Dont walk - RUN & Buy Roses Of A Crimson City
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2025
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC copy of this book. I really want to give it 4.5 as it was a really enjoyable read, and something a bit different in the vampire fantasy genre. It's almost in the vein of epic fantasy/battle readings, with vampires turning against their own kind in a morally grey world of how vampires and humans co-exist (humans being their to serve and to be food!), to a clear fight between good and evil. Some epic battle scenes and I love the focus on the brotherhood between Raz and Kenneth.
November 2, 2025
I loved the characters of this book especially raz he came across very interesting and intelligent. Kenneth came across as the lovable clown they worked well together. The plot was good and very intriguing. I don’t like the 3rd person point of view. Would loved to have heard the characters feelings and thoughts from their own POV.
Some parts felt rushed but still made sense to the story
Some of the words are confusing.I really enjoyed it once it got going. For a first book it was done well. Thanks for the ARC opportunity
Some parts felt rushed but still made sense to the story
Some of the words are confusing.I really enjoyed it once it got going. For a first book it was done well. Thanks for the ARC opportunity
October 8, 2025
This book is fantastic! It’s not my usual genre, but I absolutely loved it. Matthew has captured his world and characters beautifully. It’s definitely a must-read, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes in book two!
Read
October 30, 2025DNF 8%. Got this as an ARC. I felt this had lots of potential but the writing was really clunky and I just couldn’t get past it. Maybe I am just reading it at the wrong time? Excited to see where this author goes as he develops his craft.
October 1, 2025
Has good potential.
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