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Tainted Souls
In a world where humans and vampires fight for domination, only Penn City stands as the uneasy exception. But even citadels fall, and when they do, the innocent bleed first.
Seraph Rosen, the dhampir born of two enemies, watched her father die in cold blood. She has since sworn to hunt down and kill the vampire responsible—Revenant. Years of pursuit finally bring her a lead when a brutal attack tears through the city’s streets.
But he isn’t there to finish what he started.
He’s there to protect her.
As the underworld rises in rebellion and threatens to widen the cracks in an already fragile peace, Seraph finds herself at the center of it all. Her dhampir abilities make her a target for everyone with ambition—or malice.
With survival becoming the only law, she must decide whether to pursue revenge, redefine her loyalties, or trust the very monster she once wanted dead.
Tainted Souls is the first book in the high-stakes, dark fantasy romance series Carved From Divine, set against a backdrop of urban conflict and gothic ambience, where technology and magic collide. It is filled with morally gray characters, slow-burn tension, political intrigue, and epic battles for heart and power.
Seraph Rosen, the dhampir born of two enemies, watched her father die in cold blood. She has since sworn to hunt down and kill the vampire responsible—Revenant. Years of pursuit finally bring her a lead when a brutal attack tears through the city’s streets.
But he isn’t there to finish what he started.
He’s there to protect her.
As the underworld rises in rebellion and threatens to widen the cracks in an already fragile peace, Seraph finds herself at the center of it all. Her dhampir abilities make her a target for everyone with ambition—or malice.
With survival becoming the only law, she must decide whether to pursue revenge, redefine her loyalties, or trust the very monster she once wanted dead.
Tainted Souls is the first book in the high-stakes, dark fantasy romance series Carved From Divine, set against a backdrop of urban conflict and gothic ambience, where technology and magic collide. It is filled with morally gray characters, slow-burn tension, political intrigue, and epic battles for heart and power.
- GenresUrban FantasyFantasy
462 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
July 1, 2026
This book from start to finish was a wild ride. If you are more into the super slow burns in books, this one is definitely for you. Because there is PLENTY of angst and longing stares at one another. I do feel like this story was so much more than a romance though. This is definitely a story about revenge and how far you are willing to go in order to get it.
When I started the story, I was immediately pulled into how the verbs were dark dystopian vibes with so much mystery surrounding Penn City. Humans and vampires are trying to coexist with one another, but there are some vampires who consider themselves radicals and do not wish to conform to this new way of life in the city. This is where our FMC, Seraph comes in. Being a half vampire, half human called a dhampir, she struggles to find herself in the world, she feels like she doesn’t belong with the humans because they only see the vampire side of her, while the vampires only see the human in her. Seraph has sworn revenge against a vampire known as Revenant for the brutal murder of her father. As a rebellion rises, the two must come together as allies to stop a threat to the both of them, and the city as well.
There were so many twists, turns, lies, deception and hidden identities going on in this book I thought my heart was going to give out by the end of the book. The ending leaves off on a massive cliffhanger that is extremely dark, so I would check your trigger warnings. That’s my only reason for the 3 start review. Other than that ending the story was a wild ride that I didn’t want to get off of. I definitely need to read book two in order to know what happens because that ending had me DISTRAUGHT.
If you are a fan of slow burn, would you consider it to be one of the FMC and MMC get together by the last few chapters of the first book? Or only when it happens in book two? I would love to know peoples thoughts on this one!
What to expect:
• Dystopian vampire fantasy
• Morally gray everything
• Slow burn to the MAX
• So. Many. Plot. Twists.
• Masked men
• Hidden identities
*Thank you to the Books & Bloom PR and the author, Mae Olivine for the ARC!*
When I started the story, I was immediately pulled into how the verbs were dark dystopian vibes with so much mystery surrounding Penn City. Humans and vampires are trying to coexist with one another, but there are some vampires who consider themselves radicals and do not wish to conform to this new way of life in the city. This is where our FMC, Seraph comes in. Being a half vampire, half human called a dhampir, she struggles to find herself in the world, she feels like she doesn’t belong with the humans because they only see the vampire side of her, while the vampires only see the human in her. Seraph has sworn revenge against a vampire known as Revenant for the brutal murder of her father. As a rebellion rises, the two must come together as allies to stop a threat to the both of them, and the city as well.
There were so many twists, turns, lies, deception and hidden identities going on in this book I thought my heart was going to give out by the end of the book. The ending leaves off on a massive cliffhanger that is extremely dark, so I would check your trigger warnings. That’s my only reason for the 3 start review. Other than that ending the story was a wild ride that I didn’t want to get off of. I definitely need to read book two in order to know what happens because that ending had me DISTRAUGHT.
If you are a fan of slow burn, would you consider it to be one of the FMC and MMC get together by the last few chapters of the first book? Or only when it happens in book two? I would love to know peoples thoughts on this one!
What to expect:
• Dystopian vampire fantasy
• Morally gray everything
• Slow burn to the MAX
• So. Many. Plot. Twists.
• Masked men
• Hidden identities
*Thank you to the Books & Bloom PR and the author, Mae Olivine for the ARC!*
May 6, 2026
“not all cages are made of stone and magic, seraph. sometimes the worst prisons are the ones we build ourselves.”
i enjoyed this one! this book definitely focuses more on the world building and the plot which i know will set us up nicely for book 2.
the world building was immersive and really easy to follow, i love an urban fantasy but add vampires to it?? i’m sat!!
seraph’s character is well developed and i liked the flashbacks to help us better understand her past. her grief and her need for revenge is portrayed well and you can really feel her struggle when she comes to learn more and more about where she comes from and who she can trust. i’m really rooting for her!
there were tiny crumbs of tension between seraph and revenant towards the end of the book so im excited for how they will develop!! i love it when we have an enemies to lovers trope but we don’t even see a hint of a romance between the two characters in the first book!
thank you so much to the author for the arc, this was really good for a debut and i’m looking forward to book 2!! 🫶🏻
i enjoyed this one! this book definitely focuses more on the world building and the plot which i know will set us up nicely for book 2.
the world building was immersive and really easy to follow, i love an urban fantasy but add vampires to it?? i’m sat!!
seraph’s character is well developed and i liked the flashbacks to help us better understand her past. her grief and her need for revenge is portrayed well and you can really feel her struggle when she comes to learn more and more about where she comes from and who she can trust. i’m really rooting for her!
there were tiny crumbs of tension between seraph and revenant towards the end of the book so im excited for how they will develop!! i love it when we have an enemies to lovers trope but we don’t even see a hint of a romance between the two characters in the first book!
thank you so much to the author for the arc, this was really good for a debut and i’m looking forward to book 2!! 🫶🏻
Review of advance copy received from Author
Guys, hold me , cause I’ve just finished this book and I desperately need to talk to someone about it! If, like me, you’re a bit fed up with run-of-the-mill vampire novels where everything boils down to banal clichés, then this book is a real breath of fresh air (or fresh blood, depending on how you look at it).
I started reading with a touch of scepticism, but the author has crafted the setting so skilfully that I was completely swept up in the story. That gloomy vibe of Penn City, where people try to coexist peacefully with vampires through a system of official blood donation, iron and platinum bracelets, underground bars for ‘thrill-seekers’… Well, it’s as atmospheric as it gets! Urban fantasy isn’t just a backdrop here; the world is truly alive, brutal and very cinematic.
And now for the main thing – Seraf. Finally, a sensible, strong and genuinely cool female lead! She’s a dhampir, works as a licensed bounty hunter (venator), and she doesn’t have any of that silly teenage whining. She knows what she wants, can stand up for herself, yet remains a real person with her own weaknesses and attachments. Her relationship with Max seemed so stable, until everything went haywire. What happens to him at the end of the first few chapters is simply mind-blowing...
THAT ONE Revenant aka the dangerous white-haired vampire leader?! The moment he appears on the scene, the tension shoots through the roof. His interest in Seraf, and everything else… there are so many secrets from the past here that my head is already spinning with theories.
The plot’s pace is absolutely mad, and I can’t wait for the next instalment!!!!
Dear Mae, a huge thank you for giving me the chance to read your creation, it means the world to me🥹❤️
I started reading with a touch of scepticism, but the author has crafted the setting so skilfully that I was completely swept up in the story. That gloomy vibe of Penn City, where people try to coexist peacefully with vampires through a system of official blood donation, iron and platinum bracelets, underground bars for ‘thrill-seekers’… Well, it’s as atmospheric as it gets! Urban fantasy isn’t just a backdrop here; the world is truly alive, brutal and very cinematic.
And now for the main thing – Seraf. Finally, a sensible, strong and genuinely cool female lead! She’s a dhampir, works as a licensed bounty hunter (venator), and she doesn’t have any of that silly teenage whining. She knows what she wants, can stand up for herself, yet remains a real person with her own weaknesses and attachments. Her relationship with Max seemed so stable, until everything went haywire. What happens to him at the end of the first few chapters is simply mind-blowing...
THAT ONE Revenant aka the dangerous white-haired vampire leader?! The moment he appears on the scene, the tension shoots through the roof. His interest in Seraf, and everything else… there are so many secrets from the past here that my head is already spinning with theories.
The plot’s pace is absolutely mad, and I can’t wait for the next instalment!!!!
Dear Mae, a huge thank you for giving me the chance to read your creation, it means the world to me🥹❤️
June 19, 2026
4⭐️ ┇ Bookstagram ┇ BookTok
Really enjoyed this one. It started a little slowly for me, but the strong world-building and character development laid a solid foundation for what feels like the beginning of an epic series. Once I hit the halfway mark, the story completely took off and I couldn't put it down.
The urban fantasy setting was immersive and easy to follow. The emotional stakes remained high throughout, and the plot grew stronger with every chapter until I was completely hooked.
Set in a world where humans and vampires coexist in Penn City, the story follows Seraph, a dhampir (half-human, half-vampire) and hired vampire hunter driven by grief and a desire for revenge after her father's death. As secrets unravel and tensions rise, she's forced to confront difficult truths about her past, her identity, and where her loyalties truly belong. Seraph finds herself caught between opposing worlds and questioning who she can trust.
Her internal struggle felt authentic, and I loved how the flashbacks gradually revealed more about her past. Even when she tested my patience, I found myself rooting for her growth and wanting her to finally face the truths she'd been avoiding.
There were also just a few hints of tension between Seraph and Revenant in the final chapters—enough to make me desperate to see where things go next. As a fan of a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers, I loved that the romance was barely a whisper in book one, leaving plenty of room for anticipation.
And that ending? Absolutely mind-blowing. I'm officially desperate for book two.
‧₊˚✧𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽✧˚₊‧
➳❥ Book 1 / Dark Urban Fantasy
➳❥ Enemies to Reluctant Allies
➳❥ Vampires & Humans
➳❥ Forced Proximity
➳❥ Found Family
➳❥ Ancient Fueds
➳❥ Slow Burn
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝓕𝓪𝓿 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽t𝓮𝓼
"Lessons learned from monsters aren't worth remembering."
“I have learned to distrust beautiful visions, especially when they come from dangerous men.”
"You wanted my attention, now you have it. Let's see how long you survive it."
"Not all cages are made of stone and magic, Seraph. Sometimes the worst prisons are the ones we build ourselves."
“Just curious about how I could become your undoing."
“It's done. I am undone.”
Really enjoyed this one. It started a little slowly for me, but the strong world-building and character development laid a solid foundation for what feels like the beginning of an epic series. Once I hit the halfway mark, the story completely took off and I couldn't put it down.
The urban fantasy setting was immersive and easy to follow. The emotional stakes remained high throughout, and the plot grew stronger with every chapter until I was completely hooked.
Set in a world where humans and vampires coexist in Penn City, the story follows Seraph, a dhampir (half-human, half-vampire) and hired vampire hunter driven by grief and a desire for revenge after her father's death. As secrets unravel and tensions rise, she's forced to confront difficult truths about her past, her identity, and where her loyalties truly belong. Seraph finds herself caught between opposing worlds and questioning who she can trust.
Her internal struggle felt authentic, and I loved how the flashbacks gradually revealed more about her past. Even when she tested my patience, I found myself rooting for her growth and wanting her to finally face the truths she'd been avoiding.
There were also just a few hints of tension between Seraph and Revenant in the final chapters—enough to make me desperate to see where things go next. As a fan of a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers, I loved that the romance was barely a whisper in book one, leaving plenty of room for anticipation.
And that ending? Absolutely mind-blowing. I'm officially desperate for book two.
‧₊˚✧𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝔁𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓽✧˚₊‧
➳❥ Book 1 / Dark Urban Fantasy
➳❥ Enemies to Reluctant Allies
➳❥ Vampires & Humans
➳❥ Forced Proximity
➳❥ Found Family
➳❥ Ancient Fueds
➳❥ Slow Burn
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝓕𝓪𝓿 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽t𝓮𝓼
"Lessons learned from monsters aren't worth remembering."
“I have learned to distrust beautiful visions, especially when they come from dangerous men.”
"You wanted my attention, now you have it. Let's see how long you survive it."
"Not all cages are made of stone and magic, Seraph. Sometimes the worst prisons are the ones we build ourselves."
“Just curious about how I could become your undoing."
“It's done. I am undone.”
July 2, 2026
Tainted Souls was such a dark, addictive start to the Carved From Divine series. It has vampires, magic, politics, revenge, betrayal, and that gritty gothic city vibe that makes everything feel dangerous from the very beginning.
Seraph Rosen is a dhampir caught between humans and vampires, and after watching her father die, she has spent years wanting revenge on Revenant, the vampire she blames for ruining her life. But when Penn City starts falling apart and danger comes for her, the same monster she wants dead might be the only one who can keep her alive.
This is definitely a true enemies-to-lovers story. Not the cute “we argue but secretly flirt” kind. Seraph and Revenant genuinely hate each other, and it shows. Revenant is cruel, brutal, and emotionally harsh, and Seraph does not hold back her anger toward him either. Their relationship is messy, intense, and very slow burn, with little shifts happening over time instead of them suddenly softening toward each other.
I really loved the darker atmosphere of this book. The mix of vampires, technology, magic, political tension, and morally gray characters made the world feel really interesting. The romance is complicated and definitely not sweet or easy, but that’s what made it work for this kind of story.
I will say this is a darker paranormal romance with some violent and emotionally intense scenes, so definitely check trigger warnings before reading. Revenant has moments that feel cruel enough to border on bullying, even though I personally wouldn’t call this a bully romance.
Overall, this was dark, tense, and full of drama in the best way. If you love gothic fantasy romance, revenge plots, morally gray characters, and a real slow-burn enemies-to-lovers dynamic, I think this one is worth picking up.
And that ending?? Absolutely rude. I need book two ASAP. 🖤🦇✨
Seraph Rosen is a dhampir caught between humans and vampires, and after watching her father die, she has spent years wanting revenge on Revenant, the vampire she blames for ruining her life. But when Penn City starts falling apart and danger comes for her, the same monster she wants dead might be the only one who can keep her alive.
This is definitely a true enemies-to-lovers story. Not the cute “we argue but secretly flirt” kind. Seraph and Revenant genuinely hate each other, and it shows. Revenant is cruel, brutal, and emotionally harsh, and Seraph does not hold back her anger toward him either. Their relationship is messy, intense, and very slow burn, with little shifts happening over time instead of them suddenly softening toward each other.
I really loved the darker atmosphere of this book. The mix of vampires, technology, magic, political tension, and morally gray characters made the world feel really interesting. The romance is complicated and definitely not sweet or easy, but that’s what made it work for this kind of story.
I will say this is a darker paranormal romance with some violent and emotionally intense scenes, so definitely check trigger warnings before reading. Revenant has moments that feel cruel enough to border on bullying, even though I personally wouldn’t call this a bully romance.
Overall, this was dark, tense, and full of drama in the best way. If you love gothic fantasy romance, revenge plots, morally gray characters, and a real slow-burn enemies-to-lovers dynamic, I think this one is worth picking up.
And that ending?? Absolutely rude. I need book two ASAP. 🖤🦇✨
June 29, 2026
I received this as an unedited ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Tainted Souls is an exceptional start to what promises to be an unforgettable fantasy romance series. Blending vampires, dhampirs, political unrest, and morally grey characters into a richly imagined urban fantasy setting, Mae Olivine delivers a story that hooked me from the very first chapter and refused to let go.
The world-building is immersive without ever feeling overwhelming. Penn City is a fascinating backdrop where magic and technology coexist, and the fragile peace between humans and vampires creates a constant sense of tension. Every chapter raises the stakes, making it impossible to predict who can truly be trusted.
Seraph is a fantastic protagonist. Driven by grief and revenge after witnessing her father’s murder, she’s strong, determined, and wonderfully complex. Watching her beliefs begin to unravel as she uncovers more about the mysterious Revenant made for such an engaging character journey. Their relationship is a true slow burn, packed with chemistry, mistrust, and emotional tension that had me eagerly turning the pages. I especially loved that neither character is entirely good or evil—everyone has secrets, motivations, and difficult choices to make.
The action sequences are thrilling, the political intrigue keeps you guessing, and the gothic atmosphere adds the perfect dark edge to the story. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, another twist would completely change the direction of the plot.
And then… what an ending! I genuinely did not see it coming, and it left me desperate to know what happens next. It raises so many questions while perfectly setting up what’s to come.
If you enjoy dark fantasy romance with vampires, morally grey characters, enemies-to-allies tension, slow-burn romance, high-stakes battles, and intricate world-building, this is absolutely one to pick up.
A brilliant first instalment that exceeded my expectations. What an ending! Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
Tainted Souls is an exceptional start to what promises to be an unforgettable fantasy romance series. Blending vampires, dhampirs, political unrest, and morally grey characters into a richly imagined urban fantasy setting, Mae Olivine delivers a story that hooked me from the very first chapter and refused to let go.
The world-building is immersive without ever feeling overwhelming. Penn City is a fascinating backdrop where magic and technology coexist, and the fragile peace between humans and vampires creates a constant sense of tension. Every chapter raises the stakes, making it impossible to predict who can truly be trusted.
Seraph is a fantastic protagonist. Driven by grief and revenge after witnessing her father’s murder, she’s strong, determined, and wonderfully complex. Watching her beliefs begin to unravel as she uncovers more about the mysterious Revenant made for such an engaging character journey. Their relationship is a true slow burn, packed with chemistry, mistrust, and emotional tension that had me eagerly turning the pages. I especially loved that neither character is entirely good or evil—everyone has secrets, motivations, and difficult choices to make.
The action sequences are thrilling, the political intrigue keeps you guessing, and the gothic atmosphere adds the perfect dark edge to the story. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, another twist would completely change the direction of the plot.
And then… what an ending! I genuinely did not see it coming, and it left me desperate to know what happens next. It raises so many questions while perfectly setting up what’s to come.
If you enjoy dark fantasy romance with vampires, morally grey characters, enemies-to-allies tension, slow-burn romance, high-stakes battles, and intricate world-building, this is absolutely one to pick up.
A brilliant first instalment that exceeded my expectations. What an ending! Can’t wait for the next book in the series.
July 6, 2026
I received an advanced copy from the author. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
I really loved this book! The twisty turns. The betrayals. The relationships and family dynamics. The truths that are unfolding (or are they?). The writing is beautiful and captured me right from the beginning. I stayed up until nearly 3am when I first started it! It’s Romantasy but it’s not cliché same old story Romantasy. I was disappointed when it ended because I wasn’t done yet 😆 Super looking forward to book 2!
I really loved this book! The twisty turns. The betrayals. The relationships and family dynamics. The truths that are unfolding (or are they?). The writing is beautiful and captured me right from the beginning. I stayed up until nearly 3am when I first started it! It’s Romantasy but it’s not cliché same old story Romantasy. I was disappointed when it ended because I wasn’t done yet 😆 Super looking forward to book 2!
May 25, 2026
I had the privilege of reading this as an early release! If you like books with magic, vampires, and politics have I got the book for you. I loved learning about the inner workings of their different societies. Also the vampires have different ways to curb their appetite. Mae really paid attention to the little details. Of course she left us on a cliffhanger and a plot twist so I will be back for book two!!!
June 23, 2026
Thank you Books and Blooms PR and the author for an early copy
This was so unique! The world building and premise of vampires and humans living side by side in a dystopian society
I enjoyed how fleshed out the FMC was and the depth of her character, however, all the side characters felt surface level
The pacing was off and I found myself struggling to grasp the over arching plot
This was so unique! The world building and premise of vampires and humans living side by side in a dystopian society
I enjoyed how fleshed out the FMC was and the depth of her character, however, all the side characters felt surface level
The pacing was off and I found myself struggling to grasp the over arching plot
Review of advance copy received from Author
Tainted Souls completely blew me away. It's so addictive, I couldn’t put it down. Pulled me from the worst slump after Onyx Storm & honestly my favorite dark fantasy romance of 2026. And the cliffhanger? No comment. (author, we are not friends anymore).
First of all, the worldbuilding. Penn City gave me Zootopia vibes, as in the "city of hope", the only city where vampires and humans can coexist despite centuries of prejudice and conflict. I also got cyberpunk vibes from the fashion, weapons, futuristic technology, and blood whiskeys🩸🥃🤌
The world is very immersive: I was seeing colors everywhere (and was kinda sad when we left the setting of penn city). The vampire clans, family histories, and politics are also very well thought out.
✨the FMC✨
Seraph is baddass dhampir (half vampire, half human) on a vengeful quest to destroy the person who killed her father and made her an orphan. She’s confident without being a bitch, she knows how to fight, and she’s neither marie sue nor pick me. More importantly, she goes through a journey of self-discovery and self-love. At the beginning of the book, she HATED her vampire side and was ashamed of that part of herself. In many subtle and unsubtle ways she was trying to suppress it (by refusing to do bloodsucking, by dating a human who openly hated vampires and their lifestyle, and she even worked as a vampire bounty hunter). She was trying to be someone she’s not, she was trying to create a new pretty image that her boyfriend could love (maybe with the thought of if he could love her maybe she could start loving herself too? very heartbreaking.)
But then we watch her gradually learn to accept herself, embrace who she is, and stop apologizing for her existence (she literally apologized for everything when she was in a relationship with Max, even for having vampire friends). It was very satisfying to see her character arc.
Another thing I loved was that Seraph is not a predictable FMC. I’m not spoiling the moment but as soon as you read the part, you’ll know. It shocked me to my core.
I also loved Seraph’s bond with her brother Saul (my crush on him in not weird, he is not MY brother😆) and with her best friends (I needed more screen time from them).
And of course, the MMC, Revenant (not spoiling his real name). He is so irresistible, and not just because it’s TRUE enemies to lovers, but because of all the mystery surrounding him (exhibit A, we don’t know his name til more than halfway through). He’s also always wearing a black mask that covers half his face, so no one really knows what he looks like. Highlight scene, she’s looking him up in the system and every output is “unknown”… 😏 Gave me Baba Yaga/ John Wick vibes which I ADORE.
The slow burn is GLACIAL. No smut just lots of TENSION (which is even better for book 1). You don’t even know for sure that he’s the love interest because of how subtle it is (but also you KNOW, like it HAS to be him).
Finally, the themes of the book were so powerful to me personally, and I resonated deeply with them. Identity, belonging, and learning to love the parts of yourself you spent most of your life denying. As someone who comes from an immigrant background and often feels like I don’t fully belong to either country, I connected deeply with Seraph’s struggle as a dhampir. She’s caught between two worlds, never fully accepted by the humans or by the vampires, and that feeling of existing in-between is true for many people in real life. I appreciated this very much, and seeing her love herself was all the more rewarding for it🫶
Overall, Tainted Souls is a beautifully written story about self-acceptance, identity, and found family in an immersive dark fantasy world. I definitely recommend the book, it’s an unmissable adventure😍
OUT JULY 1st! SO SOON
✍️❤️🔥MY FAVORITE QUOTES
“Who did this to you?”
“With him by my side, I can be fixed.”
“The version of me that deserves to be loved.”
“Let the brat be”
“Then you stand alone, against forces that will tear you apart.”
“Maybe I've been running from myself.”
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ARC🫶🫶🫶🫶🩷🩷🩷🩷
First of all, the worldbuilding. Penn City gave me Zootopia vibes, as in the "city of hope", the only city where vampires and humans can coexist despite centuries of prejudice and conflict. I also got cyberpunk vibes from the fashion, weapons, futuristic technology, and blood whiskeys🩸🥃🤌
The world is very immersive: I was seeing colors everywhere (and was kinda sad when we left the setting of penn city). The vampire clans, family histories, and politics are also very well thought out.
✨the FMC✨
Seraph is baddass dhampir (half vampire, half human) on a vengeful quest to destroy the person who killed her father and made her an orphan. She’s confident without being a bitch, she knows how to fight, and she’s neither marie sue nor pick me. More importantly, she goes through a journey of self-discovery and self-love. At the beginning of the book, she HATED her vampire side and was ashamed of that part of herself. In many subtle and unsubtle ways she was trying to suppress it (by refusing to do bloodsucking, by dating a human who openly hated vampires and their lifestyle, and she even worked as a vampire bounty hunter). She was trying to be someone she’s not, she was trying to create a new pretty image that her boyfriend could love (maybe with the thought of if he could love her maybe she could start loving herself too? very heartbreaking.)
But then we watch her gradually learn to accept herself, embrace who she is, and stop apologizing for her existence (she literally apologized for everything when she was in a relationship with Max, even for having vampire friends). It was very satisfying to see her character arc.
Another thing I loved was that Seraph is not a predictable FMC. I’m not spoiling the moment but as soon as you read the part, you’ll know. It shocked me to my core.
I also loved Seraph’s bond with her brother Saul (my crush on him in not weird, he is not MY brother😆) and with her best friends (I needed more screen time from them).
And of course, the MMC, Revenant (not spoiling his real name). He is so irresistible, and not just because it’s TRUE enemies to lovers, but because of all the mystery surrounding him (exhibit A, we don’t know his name til more than halfway through). He’s also always wearing a black mask that covers half his face, so no one really knows what he looks like. Highlight scene, she’s looking him up in the system and every output is “unknown”… 😏 Gave me Baba Yaga/ John Wick vibes which I ADORE.
The slow burn is GLACIAL. No smut just lots of TENSION (which is even better for book 1). You don’t even know for sure that he’s the love interest because of how subtle it is (but also you KNOW, like it HAS to be him).
Finally, the themes of the book were so powerful to me personally, and I resonated deeply with them. Identity, belonging, and learning to love the parts of yourself you spent most of your life denying. As someone who comes from an immigrant background and often feels like I don’t fully belong to either country, I connected deeply with Seraph’s struggle as a dhampir. She’s caught between two worlds, never fully accepted by the humans or by the vampires, and that feeling of existing in-between is true for many people in real life. I appreciated this very much, and seeing her love herself was all the more rewarding for it🫶
Overall, Tainted Souls is a beautifully written story about self-acceptance, identity, and found family in an immersive dark fantasy world. I definitely recommend the book, it’s an unmissable adventure😍
OUT JULY 1st! SO SOON
✍️❤️🔥MY FAVORITE QUOTES
“Who did this to you?”
“With him by my side, I can be fixed.”
“The version of me that deserves to be loved.”
“Let the brat be”
“Then you stand alone, against forces that will tear you apart.”
“Maybe I've been running from myself.”
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ARC🫶🫶🫶🫶🩷🩷🩷🩷
July 2, 2026
3⭐️ I’m conflicted about this book, and my rating reflects that.
Tainted Souls by Mae Olivine is a dark urban fantasy set in a world where humans and vampires fight for domination, and magic and technology collide.
The writing style is sharp and has depth. I found the setting to be fascinating and the world-building intricate. You can tell the author put a lot of time into crafting a world that feels both fantastical and a bit familiar, with sci-fi elements sprinkled throughout. The technology of Penn City in particular was intriguing, where food has been adapted for vampire diets (even alcoholic beverages), and residents pay for their groceries by scanning their faces. It gave Crescent City vibes (Sarah J Maas) right away, though felt more complex.
The history and lore surrounding the vampire clans also felt fresh and interesting. These three things - the vampire lore, the world-building and the writing style - are, in my opinion, the strongest aspects of this book.
I wanted to love this book so much, but it kept frustrating me to the point I considered dnf'ing multiple times but managed to push through. The plot flounders in the beginning in scenes of the main female character, Seraph, shopping with her friends or playing drinking games, reliving the trauma of losing her father and the mistreatment she experienced throughout life for being different (half vampire, half human).
Before 30% into this book, Seraph had been almost or taken prisoner by enemy vampire clans three times and escaped three times, without bothering to use any kind of strategy to find out why they wanted her. These felt like repeating the same scene over and over.
The actual plot didn't begin moving forward until 45-50% into this book, and the main male character was rarely on page. If you can call him that; I'm honestly a bit confused about who the MMC is meant to be, which brings me to my next issue.
This book was marketed as a slow burn romance, enemies to lovers. There is no slow burn. There's no banter or yearning. The only thing romantic about this story is the journal entries of Seraph's mother that recount how she met Seraph's father. I don't need a lot of spice in a book, but as I am in my romantasy era, I do expect a "slow-burn romance" to deliver on the typical elements reminiscent of a slow burn.
Seraph frustrated me more than anything in this book. She made rash decisions that put herself and others in compromising situations. Her personality gave me whiplash, oscillating between tough and resilient, to self-conscious and fearful with no sense of self-preservation.
Revenant, who I think is going to be the MMC, was a fascinating character, and every time he was on-page, I was hungry for details about him. Cain, the flamboyant villain vampire, had me giggling a few times due to his absurdity, and despite being the villain everyone hates, I looked forward to his interactions. He reminded me of the vampire Lestat from Interview with a Vampire (the movie).
Despite being frustrated by many things in this story myself, I do think it has great potential, and that many other readers will enjoy it as it is. If you like urban fantasies with rich world-building, unusual vampire lore and characters with complicated histories, minus romance, you may enjoy this book.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion, and I'm leaving it voluntarily.
Tainted Souls by Mae Olivine is a dark urban fantasy set in a world where humans and vampires fight for domination, and magic and technology collide.
The writing style is sharp and has depth. I found the setting to be fascinating and the world-building intricate. You can tell the author put a lot of time into crafting a world that feels both fantastical and a bit familiar, with sci-fi elements sprinkled throughout. The technology of Penn City in particular was intriguing, where food has been adapted for vampire diets (even alcoholic beverages), and residents pay for their groceries by scanning their faces. It gave Crescent City vibes (Sarah J Maas) right away, though felt more complex.
The history and lore surrounding the vampire clans also felt fresh and interesting. These three things - the vampire lore, the world-building and the writing style - are, in my opinion, the strongest aspects of this book.
I wanted to love this book so much, but it kept frustrating me to the point I considered dnf'ing multiple times but managed to push through. The plot flounders in the beginning in scenes of the main female character, Seraph, shopping with her friends or playing drinking games, reliving the trauma of losing her father and the mistreatment she experienced throughout life for being different (half vampire, half human).
Before 30% into this book, Seraph had been almost or taken prisoner by enemy vampire clans three times and escaped three times, without bothering to use any kind of strategy to find out why they wanted her. These felt like repeating the same scene over and over.
The actual plot didn't begin moving forward until 45-50% into this book, and the main male character was rarely on page. If you can call him that; I'm honestly a bit confused about who the MMC is meant to be, which brings me to my next issue.
This book was marketed as a slow burn romance, enemies to lovers. There is no slow burn. There's no banter or yearning. The only thing romantic about this story is the journal entries of Seraph's mother that recount how she met Seraph's father. I don't need a lot of spice in a book, but as I am in my romantasy era, I do expect a "slow-burn romance" to deliver on the typical elements reminiscent of a slow burn.
Seraph frustrated me more than anything in this book. She made rash decisions that put herself and others in compromising situations. Her personality gave me whiplash, oscillating between tough and resilient, to self-conscious and fearful with no sense of self-preservation.
Revenant, who I think is going to be the MMC, was a fascinating character, and every time he was on-page, I was hungry for details about him. Cain, the flamboyant villain vampire, had me giggling a few times due to his absurdity, and despite being the villain everyone hates, I looked forward to his interactions. He reminded me of the vampire Lestat from Interview with a Vampire (the movie).
Despite being frustrated by many things in this story myself, I do think it has great potential, and that many other readers will enjoy it as it is. If you like urban fantasies with rich world-building, unusual vampire lore and characters with complicated histories, minus romance, you may enjoy this book.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion, and I'm leaving it voluntarily.
June 16, 2026
📖 ARC Review – Tainted Souls
✍️ Author: Mae Olivine
🌍 Genre: Dark Fantasy • Urban Fantasy • Vampires • Paranormal
💡 Tropes: 🤍Enemies to Lovers 🤍Masked Men 🤍Ancient Feuds 🤍Vampires, Witches, Humans 🤍Urban Gothic 🤍Slow Burn
Release date: July 1st, 2026
⸻
Thank you so much to @maeolivine and @booksandbloompr for the gifted eARC!
There’s something about this book that feels like stepping into a city at midnight where the neon lights look beautiful… but you still check over your shoulder.
Tainted Souls gave me a world where humans and vampires coexist, but not peacefully. Not really. Every interaction feels like a treaty waiting to collapse and I loved that underlying tension through the entire story.
Seraph was such an interesting main character to follow. Strong without feeling invincible, guarded without becoming emotionally unreachable. She carries so much history in the way she moves through the world and I kept wanting to know more about what shaped her.
The worldbuilding surprised me in the best way. It felt layered instead of overwhelming. Politics, history, lore, hunter culture, vampire dynamics… all unfolding naturally instead of being thrown at you in giant info dumps.
And can we talk about the atmosphere?
This book feels cold silver, dark alleyways, old wounds, hidden truths and conversations that mean more than they say.
⸻
✨ What I loved
• The world-building feels immersive without becoming exhausting
• Morally grey characters that actually feel morally grey
• Vampires that feel dangerous and unpredictable again
• The emotional undercurrent beneath all the action
• Strong mystery elements that kept me turning pages
• The atmosphere is genuinely addictive
⸻
⚖️ What might not work for everyone
• It’s lore-heavy at the beginning and takes some time to settle into
• More focused on world-building and setup than immediate payoff
• If you want fast romance or constant action, this may feel slower
⸻
💭 Would I recommend it?
Yes… especially if you enjoy fantasy worlds that trust you enough to discover them instead of explaining everything immediately.
If you love:
🩸 vampire stories with real stakes
🌙 dark urban fantasy
🖤 morally grey characters
⚔️ hunter vs hunted dynamics
🌫️ stories filled with secrets and tension
this one might quietly pull you in… and keep you looking over your shoulder.
⸻
🔥 Final Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️ Spice Rating: 🌶️/5 (very little spice so far, but plenty of tension and atmosphere)
⸻
This isn’t a story about humans versus monsters.
It’s about what survives when trust breaks…
what remains when identity starts to blur and whether peace is still peace when everyone is afraid.
✍️ Author: Mae Olivine
🌍 Genre: Dark Fantasy • Urban Fantasy • Vampires • Paranormal
💡 Tropes: 🤍Enemies to Lovers 🤍Masked Men 🤍Ancient Feuds 🤍Vampires, Witches, Humans 🤍Urban Gothic 🤍Slow Burn
Release date: July 1st, 2026
⸻
Thank you so much to @maeolivine and @booksandbloompr for the gifted eARC!
There’s something about this book that feels like stepping into a city at midnight where the neon lights look beautiful… but you still check over your shoulder.
Tainted Souls gave me a world where humans and vampires coexist, but not peacefully. Not really. Every interaction feels like a treaty waiting to collapse and I loved that underlying tension through the entire story.
Seraph was such an interesting main character to follow. Strong without feeling invincible, guarded without becoming emotionally unreachable. She carries so much history in the way she moves through the world and I kept wanting to know more about what shaped her.
The worldbuilding surprised me in the best way. It felt layered instead of overwhelming. Politics, history, lore, hunter culture, vampire dynamics… all unfolding naturally instead of being thrown at you in giant info dumps.
And can we talk about the atmosphere?
This book feels cold silver, dark alleyways, old wounds, hidden truths and conversations that mean more than they say.
⸻
✨ What I loved
• The world-building feels immersive without becoming exhausting
• Morally grey characters that actually feel morally grey
• Vampires that feel dangerous and unpredictable again
• The emotional undercurrent beneath all the action
• Strong mystery elements that kept me turning pages
• The atmosphere is genuinely addictive
⸻
⚖️ What might not work for everyone
• It’s lore-heavy at the beginning and takes some time to settle into
• More focused on world-building and setup than immediate payoff
• If you want fast romance or constant action, this may feel slower
⸻
💭 Would I recommend it?
Yes… especially if you enjoy fantasy worlds that trust you enough to discover them instead of explaining everything immediately.
If you love:
🩸 vampire stories with real stakes
🌙 dark urban fantasy
🖤 morally grey characters
⚔️ hunter vs hunted dynamics
🌫️ stories filled with secrets and tension
this one might quietly pull you in… and keep you looking over your shoulder.
⸻
🔥 Final Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️ Spice Rating: 🌶️/5 (very little spice so far, but plenty of tension and atmosphere)
⸻
This isn’t a story about humans versus monsters.
It’s about what survives when trust breaks…
what remains when identity starts to blur and whether peace is still peace when everyone is afraid.
June 28, 2026
Tainted Souls by Mae Olivine - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ .5
Welcome to Penn City. A place where vampires are invited to live alongside humans in peace. Well…peace that is incredibly fragile and vampires live under constant scrutiny, face harsh punishments and are incredibly restricted. But it’s better than living in the wilds and being relentlessly hunted, right?!
In such a precarious society, Seraph is an anomaly and a contradiction. A dhampir (half human, half vampire) working as a hunter to reprimand and capture wild vampires, while also holding their unique strengths and consuming desire for blood. No one knows how she fits into Penn City - not even Seraph. The only certainty in Seraph’s life is that she WILL get vengeance for the massacre of her father and his men, carried out by the mysterious leader of vampire clan The Ravens, Revenant. However, an organised and brutal attack on Penn City by wild vampires leads to new and startling revelations that will pull everything Seraph thinks she knows into question.
The premise of this story is brilliant. Olivine writes Seraph’s confliction and emotions so well. I really felt for her throughout the story and was rooting for her from the get go. However, I felt that the other characters lacked development so I wasn’t massively invested in them and, at times, didn’t quite get their relationships with Seraph/each other.
There was a lot of world building in this book and, as a huge fantasy fan, I totally get the importance, however, I did find that it made the first two thirds of the book rather slow and not much really happened. The final third was great but I would’ve liked the relationship between Seraph and the other characters to have been developed further in order to make the ending more impactful. That being said, Seraph was so beautifully written that I felt fully invested in finding out what happened to her and stayed focused til the end.
Overall, brilliant concept, great FMC with loads of emotional depth but the pacing was a bit off for me.
Key tropes:
* Humans vs Vampires
* Ancient grudges
* Masked men
* Hidden clans
* Urban gothic
* Witches
Welcome to Penn City. A place where vampires are invited to live alongside humans in peace. Well…peace that is incredibly fragile and vampires live under constant scrutiny, face harsh punishments and are incredibly restricted. But it’s better than living in the wilds and being relentlessly hunted, right?!
In such a precarious society, Seraph is an anomaly and a contradiction. A dhampir (half human, half vampire) working as a hunter to reprimand and capture wild vampires, while also holding their unique strengths and consuming desire for blood. No one knows how she fits into Penn City - not even Seraph. The only certainty in Seraph’s life is that she WILL get vengeance for the massacre of her father and his men, carried out by the mysterious leader of vampire clan The Ravens, Revenant. However, an organised and brutal attack on Penn City by wild vampires leads to new and startling revelations that will pull everything Seraph thinks she knows into question.
The premise of this story is brilliant. Olivine writes Seraph’s confliction and emotions so well. I really felt for her throughout the story and was rooting for her from the get go. However, I felt that the other characters lacked development so I wasn’t massively invested in them and, at times, didn’t quite get their relationships with Seraph/each other.
There was a lot of world building in this book and, as a huge fantasy fan, I totally get the importance, however, I did find that it made the first two thirds of the book rather slow and not much really happened. The final third was great but I would’ve liked the relationship between Seraph and the other characters to have been developed further in order to make the ending more impactful. That being said, Seraph was so beautifully written that I felt fully invested in finding out what happened to her and stayed focused til the end.
Overall, brilliant concept, great FMC with loads of emotional depth but the pacing was a bit off for me.
Key tropes:
* Humans vs Vampires
* Ancient grudges
* Masked men
* Hidden clans
* Urban gothic
* Witches
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of advanced reader copy sent by the Author & Books & Bloom PR
⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars
What to expect:
Enemies to lovers • Dark Urban Fantasy • Masked Men • Ancient Feuds • Vampires • Witches • Humans • Slow burn •
This book was great. If you're a fan of dark urban fantasy with vampires, immersive worldbuilding and a great plot then this book is perfect for you.
We follow our FMC Seraph Rosen, a dhampir (half vampire - half human) who is on a revenge mission against a vampire called Revenant, who killed her father.
When brutal murders start happening in the city she thinks she finally has a lead to follow, but all is not as it seems.
Peace between the Humans and Vampires on the verge of collapse and Seraph is in the center of it all, and she will have to decide where her priorities lie.
I loved Seraph she is a total badass, she is fierce and defiant. She struggles with fitting in because of what she is, never feeling like she really belongs alongside the humans. She is giving all the best gothic vibes with her attitude and the way she dresses 🖤👏🏽
Our MMC Revenant, he is dangerous and mysterious vampire and leader of The Ravens. He wears a mask that covers half his face, so he can't be identified. I loved his character and I can't wait to learn more about him in the next book.
There is tension in this book but no spice. It's a enemies to.. maybe lovers. We don't really know yet. But I feel confident that he will be the love interest. 🤞🏽
The world building, plot and character development in this book were phenomenal!! It was very immersive; you could feel it all while you were reading.
The plot was soo good, there was so much happening at all times, and I was left not knowing who to trust at certain points. Its action packed with HIGH stakes.
We get some great banter in this book which I loved.
There were some reveals where I just sat there like what?!
And that ending 🤯 wow what a way to end the book and set up for the next one.
Thank you to the Author and Boos & Bloom PR for sending me an arc of this book. 🩷
⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars
What to expect:
Enemies to lovers • Dark Urban Fantasy • Masked Men • Ancient Feuds • Vampires • Witches • Humans • Slow burn •
This book was great. If you're a fan of dark urban fantasy with vampires, immersive worldbuilding and a great plot then this book is perfect for you.
We follow our FMC Seraph Rosen, a dhampir (half vampire - half human) who is on a revenge mission against a vampire called Revenant, who killed her father.
When brutal murders start happening in the city she thinks she finally has a lead to follow, but all is not as it seems.
Peace between the Humans and Vampires on the verge of collapse and Seraph is in the center of it all, and she will have to decide where her priorities lie.
I loved Seraph she is a total badass, she is fierce and defiant. She struggles with fitting in because of what she is, never feeling like she really belongs alongside the humans. She is giving all the best gothic vibes with her attitude and the way she dresses 🖤👏🏽
Our MMC Revenant, he is dangerous and mysterious vampire and leader of The Ravens. He wears a mask that covers half his face, so he can't be identified. I loved his character and I can't wait to learn more about him in the next book.
There is tension in this book but no spice. It's a enemies to.. maybe lovers. We don't really know yet. But I feel confident that he will be the love interest. 🤞🏽
The world building, plot and character development in this book were phenomenal!! It was very immersive; you could feel it all while you were reading.
The plot was soo good, there was so much happening at all times, and I was left not knowing who to trust at certain points. Its action packed with HIGH stakes.
We get some great banter in this book which I loved.
There were some reveals where I just sat there like what?!
And that ending 🤯 wow what a way to end the book and set up for the next one.
Thank you to the Author and Boos & Bloom PR for sending me an arc of this book. 🩷
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely devoured this book and just more,more and more.
I loved the world building and getting to dive into a new space. It never felt overwhelming. Instead of drowning the reader in lore, the world unfolded naturally through everyday moments—markets, food, conversations, routines—which made Penn City feel alive long before I understood all of its history.
This book is not a simple good vs evil plot, this is a story about choice. Every major faction believes they're fighting for the freedom to choose their own future. Even the Ravens—who Seraph spends much of the book viewing as the enemy—are ultimately fighting for that same autonomy, even if they're willing to commit terrible acts to achieve it. Reflecting on morals also makes this story so compelling. No one feels entirely right or entirely wrong, and every revelation forces both Seraph and the reader to question what they've accepted as truth.
Mae Olivine made me care about all the characters and characters who only appear briefly leave a lasting emotional impact, and when tragedy strikes, it genuinely hurts because they've been written as real people rather than plot devices. Especially Seraph. Seraph was such an interesting protagonist because she isn't always easy to agree with. She's stubborn, driven by revenge, and often unwilling to see perspectives outside of her own. But that's exactly what made me root for her. Her growth isn't about becoming perfect—it's about slowly confronting the reality that the people she's hated may simply be trying to survive too. Watching those deeply held beliefs crack little by little was one of my favorite parts of the novel.
And then...that ending.
Those final chapters were emotionally devastating, and the last lines absolutely ripped my heart out. I closed the book needing Book 2 immediately because I need to know that these characters are going to be okay.
If you're looking for a romantasy with layered world-building, morally gray characters, meaningful themes, and an ending that will leave a mark, Tainted Souls absolutely delivers.
I loved the world building and getting to dive into a new space. It never felt overwhelming. Instead of drowning the reader in lore, the world unfolded naturally through everyday moments—markets, food, conversations, routines—which made Penn City feel alive long before I understood all of its history.
This book is not a simple good vs evil plot, this is a story about choice. Every major faction believes they're fighting for the freedom to choose their own future. Even the Ravens—who Seraph spends much of the book viewing as the enemy—are ultimately fighting for that same autonomy, even if they're willing to commit terrible acts to achieve it. Reflecting on morals also makes this story so compelling. No one feels entirely right or entirely wrong, and every revelation forces both Seraph and the reader to question what they've accepted as truth.
Mae Olivine made me care about all the characters and characters who only appear briefly leave a lasting emotional impact, and when tragedy strikes, it genuinely hurts because they've been written as real people rather than plot devices. Especially Seraph. Seraph was such an interesting protagonist because she isn't always easy to agree with. She's stubborn, driven by revenge, and often unwilling to see perspectives outside of her own. But that's exactly what made me root for her. Her growth isn't about becoming perfect—it's about slowly confronting the reality that the people she's hated may simply be trying to survive too. Watching those deeply held beliefs crack little by little was one of my favorite parts of the novel.
And then...that ending.
Those final chapters were emotionally devastating, and the last lines absolutely ripped my heart out. I closed the book needing Book 2 immediately because I need to know that these characters are going to be okay.
If you're looking for a romantasy with layered world-building, morally gray characters, meaningful themes, and an ending that will leave a mark, Tainted Souls absolutely delivers.
June 18, 2026
Received as an ARC from the Author.
All comments are my own.
Welcome to Penn City. Where humans and vampires coexist under a fragile peace, this urban fantasy combines political intrigue, family legacy, and dangerous supernatural secrets.
Tropes
* Urban Fantasy
* Strong Female Lead
* Uneasy Coexistence
* Political Intrigue
* Ancient Grudges
* Family Legacy
* Vampires / Hunters
* Twin Siblings (Opposing Sides)
* Found Family
* Who Can You Trust?
* Morally Grey Everyone
* Duty vs Desire
* Multiple Factions with Competing Agendas
At the heart of the story is Seraph, a hired vampire hunter. Her twin brother, Saul, is tied to the mysterious Ravens, a vigilante vampire faction linked to a devastating massacre, while her relationship with Max, a human lawyer, places her between opposing worlds. As tensions rise and old wounds resurface, Seraph is forced to question where her loyalties lie and who she can truly trust.
As secrets come to light, so do the questions and exploration of family and legacy.
The Redmoore group, known for training and deploying generations of vampire slayers, is tradition and policy, for the most part, and the main policing authority of vampires in Penn City.
Is there possibility of coexistence? While conflicts ripple through both the political and personal spheres.
Seraph’s allies and enemies each carry their own secrets, making every relationship feel layered and uncertain.
What stands out most is the way the novel weaves together complicated family dynamics, fractured loyalties, and centuries-old grudges. Beneath the vampire mythology and action is a story about trust, identity, and the weight of history. As alliances shift and hidden truths come to light, Seraph must decide whether the future is worth risking everything she’s inherited from the past.
All comments are my own.
Welcome to Penn City. Where humans and vampires coexist under a fragile peace, this urban fantasy combines political intrigue, family legacy, and dangerous supernatural secrets.
Tropes
* Urban Fantasy
* Strong Female Lead
* Uneasy Coexistence
* Political Intrigue
* Ancient Grudges
* Family Legacy
* Vampires / Hunters
* Twin Siblings (Opposing Sides)
* Found Family
* Who Can You Trust?
* Morally Grey Everyone
* Duty vs Desire
* Multiple Factions with Competing Agendas
At the heart of the story is Seraph, a hired vampire hunter. Her twin brother, Saul, is tied to the mysterious Ravens, a vigilante vampire faction linked to a devastating massacre, while her relationship with Max, a human lawyer, places her between opposing worlds. As tensions rise and old wounds resurface, Seraph is forced to question where her loyalties lie and who she can truly trust.
As secrets come to light, so do the questions and exploration of family and legacy.
The Redmoore group, known for training and deploying generations of vampire slayers, is tradition and policy, for the most part, and the main policing authority of vampires in Penn City.
Is there possibility of coexistence? While conflicts ripple through both the political and personal spheres.
Seraph’s allies and enemies each carry their own secrets, making every relationship feel layered and uncertain.
What stands out most is the way the novel weaves together complicated family dynamics, fractured loyalties, and centuries-old grudges. Beneath the vampire mythology and action is a story about trust, identity, and the weight of history. As alliances shift and hidden truths come to light, Seraph must decide whether the future is worth risking everything she’s inherited from the past.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a 3.5 star rating but Goodreads be Goodreads.
Vibes ranging between Buffy and Blade, with an evil corporation at the center. An action packed yet complex plot, it has a lot of veins of adventurous world building, and mysteries yet to be solved.
Characters that are complex, snarky, relatable, and morally deeply dark grey. I liked the FMC's besties the most out of all the characters so far. I hope the FMC and MMC become a little more likable in whatever comes next, I didn't hate them I just haven't fallen for either of them yet. This could be intentional though part of the slow burn aspect? Though I do kinda hate Max, despite his redeeming qualities he's kind of a douche.
I would classify this as an enemies to TBD situation, the burn is so slow I'm freezing over here. The author does state that this is the case, however I spotted only one instance that indicated to me there was potential there but maybe I missed more spots?
The FMC’s found family has a really cute bond despite the deeply dark origins. I enjoyed these characters so much I really hope we get to see more of them in whatever comes next for this story.
To me this needed more character development and editing as I'd have cut the entire epilogue as it wasn't really needed. Also some chapters felt repetitive, it was unrealistic to me that the lesson wouldn't have been learned the first time for as smart as the FMC is supposed to be.
Ending the book how it did was a whole choice, I do understand wanting to be shocking and keep readers drawn in but I didn't like it. I'd have saved it for a flashback in the next book, to catch readers up on what happened. If it weren't for other aspects of the book I'd have been totally turned off from reading the next installment.
Overall and despite my criticisms I did still enjoy the book and will be reading to find out what happens next.
Vibes ranging between Buffy and Blade, with an evil corporation at the center. An action packed yet complex plot, it has a lot of veins of adventurous world building, and mysteries yet to be solved.
Characters that are complex, snarky, relatable, and morally deeply dark grey. I liked the FMC's besties the most out of all the characters so far. I hope the FMC and MMC become a little more likable in whatever comes next, I didn't hate them I just haven't fallen for either of them yet. This could be intentional though part of the slow burn aspect? Though I do kinda hate Max, despite his redeeming qualities he's kind of a douche.
I would classify this as an enemies to TBD situation, the burn is so slow I'm freezing over here. The author does state that this is the case, however I spotted only one instance that indicated to me there was potential there but maybe I missed more spots?
The FMC’s found family has a really cute bond despite the deeply dark origins. I enjoyed these characters so much I really hope we get to see more of them in whatever comes next for this story.
To me this needed more character development and editing as I'd have cut the entire epilogue as it wasn't really needed. Also some chapters felt repetitive, it was unrealistic to me that the lesson wouldn't have been learned the first time for as smart as the FMC is supposed to be.
Ending the book how it did was a whole choice, I do understand wanting to be shocking and keep readers drawn in but I didn't like it. I'd have saved it for a flashback in the next book, to catch readers up on what happened. If it weren't for other aspects of the book I'd have been totally turned off from reading the next installment.
Overall and despite my criticisms I did still enjoy the book and will be reading to find out what happens next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book is absolutely beautiful. I absolutely LOVED Tainted Souls. I was hooked immediately from the prologue and instantly needed to know what was going to happen next. It was completely unputdownable. The world-building is incredibly detailed and the plot is captivating, and the pacing is done so well that there’s never a dull moment.
Mae adds so much depth through the backstories, giving you a full understanding of the characters and everything unfolding around them. I genuinely loved learning more about the past and how it all connected to the story. Her writing is so vivid and descriptive that I could picture every single scene perfectly. You don’t just read the emotions you feel them. This book is SO intense, and I was constantly on the edge of my seat.
One thing I really loved was the banter between the characters. Even with all the intensity and darker moments, the funny scenes and dialogue balanced everything out perfectly. Those moments made the characters feel even more real and gave the story little moments to breathe before throwing you right back into the chaos.
The unpredictability of this story was another one of my favorite parts. I never knew what was coming next, and I was genuinely shocked by how everything played out. None of the twists went the way I expected.
I absolutely loved Saraph from the very beginning. I fell in love with her character instantly ! She’s such a badass, and I found myself rooting for her the entire time. You can truly feel her struggle of being caught between two worlds, and it adds so much emotional depth to her character.
There were so many jaw-dropping moments, and that ending was unbelievably powerful. Did I finish the book, or did the book finish me?! I seriously cannot wait to see where this story goes next.
Mae adds so much depth through the backstories, giving you a full understanding of the characters and everything unfolding around them. I genuinely loved learning more about the past and how it all connected to the story. Her writing is so vivid and descriptive that I could picture every single scene perfectly. You don’t just read the emotions you feel them. This book is SO intense, and I was constantly on the edge of my seat.
One thing I really loved was the banter between the characters. Even with all the intensity and darker moments, the funny scenes and dialogue balanced everything out perfectly. Those moments made the characters feel even more real and gave the story little moments to breathe before throwing you right back into the chaos.
The unpredictability of this story was another one of my favorite parts. I never knew what was coming next, and I was genuinely shocked by how everything played out. None of the twists went the way I expected.
I absolutely loved Saraph from the very beginning. I fell in love with her character instantly ! She’s such a badass, and I found myself rooting for her the entire time. You can truly feel her struggle of being caught between two worlds, and it adds so much emotional depth to her character.
There were so many jaw-dropping moments, and that ending was unbelievably powerful. Did I finish the book, or did the book finish me?! I seriously cannot wait to see where this story goes next.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review – This review contains spoilers…
I really enjoyed Tainted Souls (Book 1 of the Carved from Divine series) by Mae Olivine. I started reading her book over a long weekend and finished within two days.
This book has all the elements that make a great fantasy read: a strong female lead, immersive writing, dark fantasy vibes, and twists that leave you thinking… WHAT?!
A standout element is the world-building and character development. We get glimpses into the main character's past throughout the story, which adds depth to her character and layers to the overall plot. The descriptions of the characters and locations throughout the book are vivid and immersive—I could easily picture everything happening as I read.
In this world, humans and vampires coexist in Penn City. The main character, Seraph, is a dhampir (half human, half vampire), and she’s constantly battling with who she is and what she’s becoming. We learn that her father died at the hands of a vampire named Revenant, and she seeks to avenge his death.
One detail I especially liked, (because I drink Cosmopolitans) was when one of the characters is drinking a “Plasmapolitan” (a cosmo with a dash of plasma) in a bar scene. This detail made the vampire culture feel creative, fun, and distinct. Also, I liked the way that Seraph dresses. Goth vibes for sure, functional, and bad ass.
No spice in this book, but honestly, it didn’t need it. I’m interested to see if that changes or develops more in Book 2 of this series.
And the ending… WHOA. I absolutely did not see that coming.
“Memory is a Curse with Wings”
Thank you to Mae Olivine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: July 1, 2026.
I really enjoyed Tainted Souls (Book 1 of the Carved from Divine series) by Mae Olivine. I started reading her book over a long weekend and finished within two days.
This book has all the elements that make a great fantasy read: a strong female lead, immersive writing, dark fantasy vibes, and twists that leave you thinking… WHAT?!
A standout element is the world-building and character development. We get glimpses into the main character's past throughout the story, which adds depth to her character and layers to the overall plot. The descriptions of the characters and locations throughout the book are vivid and immersive—I could easily picture everything happening as I read.
In this world, humans and vampires coexist in Penn City. The main character, Seraph, is a dhampir (half human, half vampire), and she’s constantly battling with who she is and what she’s becoming. We learn that her father died at the hands of a vampire named Revenant, and she seeks to avenge his death.
One detail I especially liked, (because I drink Cosmopolitans) was when one of the characters is drinking a “Plasmapolitan” (a cosmo with a dash of plasma) in a bar scene. This detail made the vampire culture feel creative, fun, and distinct. Also, I liked the way that Seraph dresses. Goth vibes for sure, functional, and bad ass.
No spice in this book, but honestly, it didn’t need it. I’m interested to see if that changes or develops more in Book 2 of this series.
And the ending… WHOA. I absolutely did not see that coming.
“Memory is a Curse with Wings”
Thank you to Mae Olivine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: July 1, 2026.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2026
Dark, suspenseful, thrilling, and completely unexpected, this novel brought its A game!
We follow our FMC, Seraph, a dhampir who hunts other vampires that step outside of the rules of Penn City. She is fueled by a desire to embrace her human side and hide the monster within. Raised by her father, who she witnessed murdered by a highly lethal type of vampire, Revenant, she embraces vengeance against him as her life's calling. A brutal attack in Penn City brings Seraph face to face with the monster of her nightmares, but he isn't there to claim lives, he's there to protect hers.
This book was so good I read it in one day. Devoured. And it completely left me reeling in that ending. It was grim, but left me having so many questions about what this means. I am so excited to see how the characters of this world will navigate it with what happened. The family in this book, the actions scenes, the political intrigue, and betrayal were all juicy and wonderfully crafted. I cannot wait for book two!
If you want a TRUE enemies to lovers, this is it. Revenant is cruel and unrelenting in his brutality of our FMC both emotionally and physically. There is a searing hate from our FMC and she does not hold back her own loathing for Revenant. This is a slow burn. For fans of this trope, you will only get the subtle shifts in their relationship as our FMC learns to control the side of her that she has suppressed for so long. Revenant is not kind in this shift and it has some scenes that are more like bullying, though I would not necessarily categorize this as a bully romance. This is definitely a dark paranormal romance with very specific violent themes and you should check your trigger warnings before reading.
Happy Reading!
We follow our FMC, Seraph, a dhampir who hunts other vampires that step outside of the rules of Penn City. She is fueled by a desire to embrace her human side and hide the monster within. Raised by her father, who she witnessed murdered by a highly lethal type of vampire, Revenant, she embraces vengeance against him as her life's calling. A brutal attack in Penn City brings Seraph face to face with the monster of her nightmares, but he isn't there to claim lives, he's there to protect hers.
This book was so good I read it in one day. Devoured. And it completely left me reeling in that ending. It was grim, but left me having so many questions about what this means. I am so excited to see how the characters of this world will navigate it with what happened. The family in this book, the actions scenes, the political intrigue, and betrayal were all juicy and wonderfully crafted. I cannot wait for book two!
If you want a TRUE enemies to lovers, this is it. Revenant is cruel and unrelenting in his brutality of our FMC both emotionally and physically. There is a searing hate from our FMC and she does not hold back her own loathing for Revenant. This is a slow burn. For fans of this trope, you will only get the subtle shifts in their relationship as our FMC learns to control the side of her that she has suppressed for so long. Revenant is not kind in this shift and it has some scenes that are more like bullying, though I would not necessarily categorize this as a bully romance. This is definitely a dark paranormal romance with very specific violent themes and you should check your trigger warnings before reading.
Happy Reading!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was very lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book and WOW. Did I devour it in under a day? Yes I did. I had anticipated this book for a while, having read it whilst it was still an Episode story, so I was so excited to see Seraph’s story come to life! And for a debut book, it was amazing. It had me hooked into the world from the beginning and I could not put the book down.
The world itself is a sort of dystopia fantasy world filled of vampires and humans…and then Seraph a human-vampire hybrid. I liked how the operation of human vampire coexistence was very realistic, throughout the book you start to sympathise with both sides much like Seraph’s own conflict. The world building was good and everything was incredibly well explained as it came, so much so I’d now say I’m an expert with my vampire knowledge.
From first meeting her, Seraph has always been my girl. She’s strong and brave but confused by a world around her where she doesn’t quite belong. Her development through the book as a character was so clear, nearing the end you could see her start to question who she could trust and the shift in where her loyalties lie. I loved seeing her and her brother get closer as the book progressed as they started to trust each other more.
Romance wise….this book is a slowburn. I mean SLOWBURN. But I like that. The ending sets up for where we can suspect the second book will go to. Or maybe I’m just giddy waiting to see more of Revenant? I am very ready for current boyfriend Max to be gone 🙅♀️.
All in all, I’m very excited for this become available for EVERYONE to read. That cliffhanger ending makes me NEED the next book now. I’m very excited to see more of what this author has to offer.
The world itself is a sort of dystopia fantasy world filled of vampires and humans…and then Seraph a human-vampire hybrid. I liked how the operation of human vampire coexistence was very realistic, throughout the book you start to sympathise with both sides much like Seraph’s own conflict. The world building was good and everything was incredibly well explained as it came, so much so I’d now say I’m an expert with my vampire knowledge.
From first meeting her, Seraph has always been my girl. She’s strong and brave but confused by a world around her where she doesn’t quite belong. Her development through the book as a character was so clear, nearing the end you could see her start to question who she could trust and the shift in where her loyalties lie. I loved seeing her and her brother get closer as the book progressed as they started to trust each other more.
Romance wise….this book is a slowburn. I mean SLOWBURN. But I like that. The ending sets up for where we can suspect the second book will go to. Or maybe I’m just giddy waiting to see more of Revenant? I am very ready for current boyfriend Max to be gone 🙅♀️.
All in all, I’m very excited for this become available for EVERYONE to read. That cliffhanger ending makes me NEED the next book now. I’m very excited to see more of what this author has to offer.
July 1, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
First this cover is everything. Just seeing it I would pick this book up off the shelf and be intrigued. But then when you start reading it- well it becomes almost magical. I'll admit that while I love dark romantasy and gothic reads I'm not a huge fan of urban settings so I approached this book with just slight hesitation thinking I might not love it. BUT friends - FRIENDS- we need to start throwing hands for this one. The system of blood donations, bracelets, the overall dark moody vibe of the city and people bled though the author's words and I was absolutely absorbed into the story. If this is Olivine's debut that I'm impressed.
Seraph is a dhampir (half human) who hunts down and kills vampire, driven by her grief of loosing her father. She is direct, responsible- overall a great FMC who still has flaws making her so relatable. It is nice to have an FMC who isn't some super hero with prophecy magic. There are flashbacks which I think the author incorporated very well into the storyline and didn't break up the pacing.
Curious to see how Seraph handles everything moving forward. Will definitely be picking up book 2 just because this is such a unique storyline. As someone who reads 150+ books a year they can all start to meld together, but Tainted Souls will absolutely stick with me.
Tropes:
- Urban Gothic Paranormal Romantasy
- Enemies to reluctant allies to ???
- Vampires & witches
- Found family
- Slow burn
- Relatable FMC
Thank you to the author and Books & Bloom PR for the ARC.
First this cover is everything. Just seeing it I would pick this book up off the shelf and be intrigued. But then when you start reading it- well it becomes almost magical. I'll admit that while I love dark romantasy and gothic reads I'm not a huge fan of urban settings so I approached this book with just slight hesitation thinking I might not love it. BUT friends - FRIENDS- we need to start throwing hands for this one. The system of blood donations, bracelets, the overall dark moody vibe of the city and people bled though the author's words and I was absolutely absorbed into the story. If this is Olivine's debut that I'm impressed.
Seraph is a dhampir (half human) who hunts down and kills vampire, driven by her grief of loosing her father. She is direct, responsible- overall a great FMC who still has flaws making her so relatable. It is nice to have an FMC who isn't some super hero with prophecy magic. There are flashbacks which I think the author incorporated very well into the storyline and didn't break up the pacing.
Curious to see how Seraph handles everything moving forward. Will definitely be picking up book 2 just because this is such a unique storyline. As someone who reads 150+ books a year they can all start to meld together, but Tainted Souls will absolutely stick with me.
Tropes:
- Urban Gothic Paranormal Romantasy
- Enemies to reluctant allies to ???
- Vampires & witches
- Found family
- Slow burn
- Relatable FMC
Thank you to the author and Books & Bloom PR for the ARC.
June 24, 2026
🩸Tainted Souls by Mae Olivine 🩸
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️ No Spice
Vampire lovers, this one is for you! 🖤
I will say, you need to trust the process with this one. The story spends time building the world and setting up the pieces, but around the 40-45% mark? I could not put it down.
The deceit, lies, and shifting alliances had me constantly questioning who was right, who was wrong, and where the line between good and evil actually existed. I spent the entire book trying to work the angles and figure out what was really going on... and then those twists at the end absolutely blindsided me 😱
And THAT CLIFFHANGER?! Mae Olivine, how dare you 💔 I don't want book two. I NEED book two.
One of my favorite aspects was the relationship development. If you're tired of instant attraction and want a true enemies-to-allies-to-(hopefully)-lovers journey, this one delivers. The tension is there, the potential is there, and now I'm desperate to see where it goes.
I also loved the unique worldbuilding. It gave me a futuristic, faction driven feel reminiscent of Divergent, but with vampires, humans, political tension, and much higher stakes.
This book left me with an immediate book hangover and a million questions. If the slower start has you hesitating, keep going. The payoff is absolutely worth it.
🩸 Vampire Fantasy
⚔️ Enemies to Allies
🖤 Slow Burn
🏙️ Unique High-Tech World
👀 Plot Twists
💔 Cliffhanger Ending
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️ No Spice
Vampire lovers, this one is for you! 🖤
I will say, you need to trust the process with this one. The story spends time building the world and setting up the pieces, but around the 40-45% mark? I could not put it down.
The deceit, lies, and shifting alliances had me constantly questioning who was right, who was wrong, and where the line between good and evil actually existed. I spent the entire book trying to work the angles and figure out what was really going on... and then those twists at the end absolutely blindsided me 😱
And THAT CLIFFHANGER?! Mae Olivine, how dare you 💔 I don't want book two. I NEED book two.
One of my favorite aspects was the relationship development. If you're tired of instant attraction and want a true enemies-to-allies-to-(hopefully)-lovers journey, this one delivers. The tension is there, the potential is there, and now I'm desperate to see where it goes.
I also loved the unique worldbuilding. It gave me a futuristic, faction driven feel reminiscent of Divergent, but with vampires, humans, political tension, and much higher stakes.
This book left me with an immediate book hangover and a million questions. If the slower start has you hesitating, keep going. The payoff is absolutely worth it.
🩸 Vampire Fantasy
⚔️ Enemies to Allies
🖤 Slow Burn
🏙️ Unique High-Tech World
👀 Plot Twists
💔 Cliffhanger Ending
Review of advance copy received from Author
Honestly, I don't really know where to start. Beginning, middle, ending? It was all pure perfection. Seraph is truly a character you can relate to, especially if you're someone finding your place in the world... if you're someone that's still struggling to fit in. I'll make this review as spoiler free as possible~
What to expect?
- Strong, badass FMC in such a unique way. Strong, but not without flaws.
- Unparalleled worldbuilding.
- A perfect blend of genres and tropes that you wouldn't often see in book.
- An MMC that makes your knees weak and your stomach do somersaults. (My husband)
- Villains that intrigue you and make you want to know more about them, while hating their gut at the same time.
- Such beautiful found family. Seraph's two best friends? Ugh, I want them alongside my husband. AND add Saul to the mix too--actually, just add all the men and women in my harem at this point.
- Keeps you on your toes and you can't put it down.
- Plot twists make your jaw drop.
- Overall, it's perfection and I highly, HIGHLY, HIIIIIIIGHLYYYYYYY recommend you read it. You won't be disappointed TRUST ME!!!
On a side note real quick:
I've been on the Tainted Souls journey since late 2010s.
Super proud of the author. She's an amazing person that deserves all the best and more.
What to expect?
- Strong, badass FMC in such a unique way. Strong, but not without flaws.
- Unparalleled worldbuilding.
- A perfect blend of genres and tropes that you wouldn't often see in book.
- An MMC that makes your knees weak and your stomach do somersaults. (My husband)
- Villains that intrigue you and make you want to know more about them, while hating their gut at the same time.
- Such beautiful found family. Seraph's two best friends? Ugh, I want them alongside my husband. AND add Saul to the mix too--actually, just add all the men and women in my harem at this point.
- Keeps you on your toes and you can't put it down.
- Plot twists make your jaw drop.
- Overall, it's perfection and I highly, HIGHLY, HIIIIIIIGHLYYYYYYY recommend you read it. You won't be disappointed TRUST ME!!!
On a side note real quick:
I've been on the Tainted Souls journey since late 2010s.
Super proud of the author. She's an amazing person that deserves all the best and more.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the first book in the series, and believe me, there will be more.... def cliffhanger ending!! I read this book as an ARC.
Seraph is half human, half vampire. She and her twin brother are the only 2 known. After a huge war civilization is torn between the vampires and the humans. Seraph found herself on the side of the humans and she hunts vampires for hire.
I guess I would say there is a mmc- he only makes 2 brief appearances in the first 60% of the book. Ace- is an original vampire. He leads the Ravens. A group of vampires set on co-existing. He is fierce, protective, and a natural leader!!
After Seraphs fathers death (which she blames Ace for) her brother aligns with the Ravens and Seraph is set to destroy the ravens and their leader- after all, they took her father and brother from her!!
After an increase in human deaths Seraph is sent to investigate BUT she becomes the target.... Seraph does something she thought she would never do.... align herself with her sworn enemy!!!
This book is told in first person POV- Seraphs. There is no spice in this book. One insinuated off screen event at the end of the book.
Tropes:
🩸enemies to lovers
🖤masked men
🩸urban gothic
🖤ancient feud
🩸slow burn
🖤humans•vampires•witches
If you like vampires, action, strategy and a book with no spice - this book is for you!
Seraph is half human, half vampire. She and her twin brother are the only 2 known. After a huge war civilization is torn between the vampires and the humans. Seraph found herself on the side of the humans and she hunts vampires for hire.
I guess I would say there is a mmc- he only makes 2 brief appearances in the first 60% of the book. Ace- is an original vampire. He leads the Ravens. A group of vampires set on co-existing. He is fierce, protective, and a natural leader!!
After Seraphs fathers death (which she blames Ace for) her brother aligns with the Ravens and Seraph is set to destroy the ravens and their leader- after all, they took her father and brother from her!!
After an increase in human deaths Seraph is sent to investigate BUT she becomes the target.... Seraph does something she thought she would never do.... align herself with her sworn enemy!!!
This book is told in first person POV- Seraphs. There is no spice in this book. One insinuated off screen event at the end of the book.
Tropes:
🩸enemies to lovers
🖤masked men
🩸urban gothic
🖤ancient feud
🩸slow burn
🖤humans•vampires•witches
If you like vampires, action, strategy and a book with no spice - this book is for you!
Review of advance copy received from Author
First, I want to thank Mae Olivine and Books&BloomPR for the gifted eARC of Tainted Souls to read and provide my honest, spoiler free review.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
I feel like it’s been such a long time since I sat down and read a book about vampires and humans. So, when this book came along, I was excited to see the world that Mae created. The world she created turned out to be pretty incredible and I loved that this first book really focused on the setting and building the world up and I loved that because I felt like I could truly imagine myself getting lost in it. Urban fantasy is a new genre for me that I haven’t read too much of yet but I am seeing the appeal of it and I really think it made this book stand out.
This is not my first time reading books about dhampirs so when our main female character Seraph turns out to be one, I was so intrigued. Watching her journey within this world and see how her character development continues to grow as the book progresses. Not everything in the world is as it seems and seeing Seraph go through a time of trying to find out what and who she can trust or believe just made her feel so relatable.
There were so many elements blended into this first book and I feel like it was a really solid introduction to this series and I am curious to see how it continues in the future.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Thoughts:
I feel like it’s been such a long time since I sat down and read a book about vampires and humans. So, when this book came along, I was excited to see the world that Mae created. The world she created turned out to be pretty incredible and I loved that this first book really focused on the setting and building the world up and I loved that because I felt like I could truly imagine myself getting lost in it. Urban fantasy is a new genre for me that I haven’t read too much of yet but I am seeing the appeal of it and I really think it made this book stand out.
This is not my first time reading books about dhampirs so when our main female character Seraph turns out to be one, I was so intrigued. Watching her journey within this world and see how her character development continues to grow as the book progresses. Not everything in the world is as it seems and seeing Seraph go through a time of trying to find out what and who she can trust or believe just made her feel so relatable.
There were so many elements blended into this first book and I feel like it was a really solid introduction to this series and I am curious to see how it continues in the future.
July 1, 2026
To start off, the plot is so cool with the vampire groups and the urban fantasy world setting. The gothic atmosphere and political intrigue sucked me in right away and I was absolutely devouring the entire story.
As someone who grew up loving the vampire academy and shadowhunters series, this world feels like a perfect mix of both of those. It has the dark world feeling while also feeling more adult in the way it handles the realities of the fights between humans and vampires.
I adore the characters in this book. We follow Seraph and I think her character is very interesting. Shes stubborn and prideful and yet she’s loyal and we see how that influences her actions throughout the book. A lot of her actions become morally gray as she starts struggling with the truths that are revealed to her. There was one scene in particular I was so shocked by her actions, I had to sit up to keep reading.
The romance aspect is SO good but it is not the forefront of the story. It’s enemies to lovers and slow burn with morally gray characters so I was absolutely eating it up. We start seeing what they could be but there’s a lot of factors at play and they are definitely still leaning more towards enemies in this book. I think the pacing for it is wonderful.
As someone who grew up loving the vampire academy and shadowhunters series, this world feels like a perfect mix of both of those. It has the dark world feeling while also feeling more adult in the way it handles the realities of the fights between humans and vampires.
I adore the characters in this book. We follow Seraph and I think her character is very interesting. Shes stubborn and prideful and yet she’s loyal and we see how that influences her actions throughout the book. A lot of her actions become morally gray as she starts struggling with the truths that are revealed to her. There was one scene in particular I was so shocked by her actions, I had to sit up to keep reading.
The romance aspect is SO good but it is not the forefront of the story. It’s enemies to lovers and slow burn with morally gray characters so I was absolutely eating it up. We start seeing what they could be but there’s a lot of factors at play and they are definitely still leaning more towards enemies in this book. I think the pacing for it is wonderful.
July 13, 2026
Tainted Souls is book 1 in the Carved from Divine series. When I tell you this story snuck up on me and sank it's claws in... I was hooked. It's a dark, fantasy, horror story.
Seraph is a damper. One of a kind. She is a vampire hunter who is also half vampire, half human. She became a hunter after she watched her father being killed by them. But someone wants her ability to walk during the day. In an effort to get her, they turn her human boyfriend into a vampire and use a sort of mind control to try to get him to bring her to them. But then.. she is faced with her past, her brother, whom she hasn't seen in years, in some sort of alliance with the man who killed her father.
This story has so many twists that you won't see coming but they are so damn intense.
This story is fast paced and engaging. The world building is pretty easy to follow.
For a minute there, the dark romance girly in me took over and I thought, "Cain doesn't seem so horrible right?? this could work right? This could be a thing? Could this become an enemies to lovers?'" But then reality hit me. Cain is devious and conniving. This ended on such a cliffhanger... I am dying to know what's going to happen. This was a wild ride and I loved every second of it!
Seraph is a damper. One of a kind. She is a vampire hunter who is also half vampire, half human. She became a hunter after she watched her father being killed by them. But someone wants her ability to walk during the day. In an effort to get her, they turn her human boyfriend into a vampire and use a sort of mind control to try to get him to bring her to them. But then.. she is faced with her past, her brother, whom she hasn't seen in years, in some sort of alliance with the man who killed her father.
This story has so many twists that you won't see coming but they are so damn intense.
This story is fast paced and engaging. The world building is pretty easy to follow.
For a minute there, the dark romance girly in me took over and I thought, "Cain doesn't seem so horrible right?? this could work right? This could be a thing? Could this become an enemies to lovers?'" But then reality hit me. Cain is devious and conniving. This ended on such a cliffhanger... I am dying to know what's going to happen. This was a wild ride and I loved every second of it!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This story is very much about building the world and setting the tone. Mae Olivine takes her time developing the atmosphere and the tension between humans and vampires, and you can really feel how fragile everything is. It creates a strong foundation for what feels like a much bigger story to come.
Seraph is a really interesting main character. Her world is completely turned upside down, and you can feel her struggle as she tries to figure out where she belongs and which side she should stand with. Being caught between two worlds makes her journey feel emotional and layered, especially as everything around her begins to shift.
The focus of this book is more on the setup. There is some fast paced action, but low romance angle. However, you can feel things starting to build. There is a hint of romantic tension in the final chapters, just enough to make you curious about what’s coming next.
There is no spice in this one, so if that’s something you look for, just know this leans more into story and development right now.
Overall, this is a strong start for readers who enjoy immersive worlds and character driven stories that take their time unfolding.
Seraph is a really interesting main character. Her world is completely turned upside down, and you can feel her struggle as she tries to figure out where she belongs and which side she should stand with. Being caught between two worlds makes her journey feel emotional and layered, especially as everything around her begins to shift.
The focus of this book is more on the setup. There is some fast paced action, but low romance angle. However, you can feel things starting to build. There is a hint of romantic tension in the final chapters, just enough to make you curious about what’s coming next.
There is no spice in this one, so if that’s something you look for, just know this leans more into story and development right now.
Overall, this is a strong start for readers who enjoy immersive worlds and character driven stories that take their time unfolding.
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you love vampire and paranormal books, then you need to check this one out when released! It will satisfy your vampire loving heart. It’s full of action, intrigued, darkness, secrets, betrayal, and twists and turns you won’t see coming.
This vampire world Mae created is vast and creative and one I haven’t read about before. She created amazing characters that you can’t help but cheer for or feel anger towards. Seraph is our badass fmc who is half human/half vampire who is trying to find her place in the world. While she may make some questionable decisions at times, she is fierce and only wants to do the right thing and protect those she loves. Ace is our broody mmc who will do anything as the lease of the Ravens. There is some tension between these two but while the romance is non-existent in this book, it does setup for possible romance in the next book.
Overall, I did enjoy this book and will be needing book 2 with that crazy ending! The ending was the darkest part and makes you feel for Seraph. I did also appreciate the Vampcabulary at the end of the book! Definitely helpful in learning the language in the book.
This vampire world Mae created is vast and creative and one I haven’t read about before. She created amazing characters that you can’t help but cheer for or feel anger towards. Seraph is our badass fmc who is half human/half vampire who is trying to find her place in the world. While she may make some questionable decisions at times, she is fierce and only wants to do the right thing and protect those she loves. Ace is our broody mmc who will do anything as the lease of the Ravens. There is some tension between these two but while the romance is non-existent in this book, it does setup for possible romance in the next book.
Overall, I did enjoy this book and will be needing book 2 with that crazy ending! The ending was the darkest part and makes you feel for Seraph. I did also appreciate the Vampcabulary at the end of the book! Definitely helpful in learning the language in the book.
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