Stranger Rituals

Stranger Rituals #1

by Kali Rose Schmidt

A fighter with a venomous grudge.
A monster with an immortal curse.
A girl with a terrible gift.

All three out for blood in a land torn apart by harsh gods and holy wars. Each entwined with the other, on their own quests for vengeance, and yet held together by strange links to sinister pasts. As their fates unravel, a dangerous romance blooms, and violent darkness beckons.

At turns both darkly humorous and utterly morbid, STRANGER RITUALS is the startling first novel in Kali Rose Schmidt's dark new series.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, New Adult, Magic, Supernatural, Paranormal, Fae

242 pages, Hardcover

First published July 9, 2019

About the author

Author. Mother. Villain Lover.

Reviews

[Dark River]

Review later, I gotta finish another book before the year is over lol

Edit: You know what? No. I'll wait with my review until I've read Shadow Palace. I feel like I need the whole picture to make up my mind and I'm excited to read book 2 as soon as it's out.
I'm retracting my rating as well until then.

[Anastasia ｼ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Review on my blog!
Stranger Rituals is such a dark, bloody, and beautifully written book. The pacing was good, the characters were interesting, well developed, and likable. I also loved the storyline and the world building. It kind of had a Shadow and Bone feel to it.

Scarko is a beautifully written strong willed character. I absolutely loved her. She has blood magic and the way the author described how she must survive was so gritty, but also really unique, I mean this whole take on magic in general was fun and refreshing.

The cover and description is what initially drew me to the book. And I didn’t know what to expect at first but I really enjoyed it. There are lots of twists and turns that kept things spicy! I don’t want to give anything away! But you’ll definitely stay up late to finish this one! It’s unpredictable at times and there is a big cliffhanger at the end! I’m not sure what to expect from the next book, but I’m looking forward to whatever Kali has in store!

If you’re into dark fantasy, or loved Shadow and Bone then you’ll want to check this one out, for sure! I highly recommend it.

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[Ninosy (Wonder Woman) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This book was AAAAAAH-Mazing...

Found it by coincedence and I am gratful...
It was kinda short I wanted more pages..
The story started out smoothly but by the last it got all mixed up and nothing was resolved... The male  characters were written so well I fell in love with them all..
And I also loved Scarko she was badass not whiny and annoying ...

Note to the author:
I need more of Rhodri and Zephir  pleaseeeeeee....

[Loretta (Quixotic Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Laughing Listener
*I was graciously given a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
July 2019
Format: eBook
Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars

Every time I sign up to do a blog tour, I’m very careful to make sure it’s a book that I think I’ll like. I mean, I don’t want to be pimping out books to everyone that I wouldn’t buy myself. Despite that though, sometimes a book comes along and punches me in the face anyway. But in a good way. A love punch?? Whatever, you get it. And this one totally hit me HARD. I went in with little to no expectations and it completely blew me away by the end.

When I read the description of this book, I saw the phrases “darkly humorous” and “utterly morbid” and signed the heck up. Don’t let my golden retriever Fred Rogers fool you guys because in this body beats the heart of an emo goth chick and I’m here for anything remotely morbid.



And let me tell you, this book DOES NOT disappoint. There are people drinking blood, dudes with horns, street fighters, stabbing, bone eating—a gothic delight! It’s definitely not for the faint of heart if blood isn’t your thing, but it actually pairs with this story really well. I liked the way this universe was set up and all of the bloody elements complimented it without being too distracting. It did take me a hot minute to acclimate myself with all the new terminology and magic in the beginning, but it was surprisingly easy to pick up and I actually had fun navigating my way through this world with Scarko.

Speaking of Scarko, I kind of love her?? She’s such a badass with her magic, wielding her knife like a pro. All of the other characters were awesome too and I enjoyed getting to know them all. I can’t really say more because I don’t want to give anything away, but they were all so rich. The entire time I was reading this I had absolutely NO idea where the story was going or who the bad guys were and I LOVED IT. It had a similar vibe to Wicked Saints, but for an older audience and was still uniquely it’s own. This completely had me on the edge of my seat the whole time and I am SO HERE FOR BOOK TWO.

FINAL WORD

If you’re a goth at heart like me and needing a good adventure story with some twists, do yourself a favor and read this one.

#1 ↦ Stranger Rituals ↦ ✦✦✦✦✧
#2 ↦ Shadow Palace ↦ ????

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Follow the blog tour! I will post my review and the giveaway tomorrow on my blog

RTC

[Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this in a giveaway the author ran! So thank you so much for this!

Anyways, I just want to say that I devoured this book. This was such a dark, bloody, and beautifully written book. I stayed up well into the middle of the night as I couldn't put it down!

Scarko is a morally grey character with a broken and painful past. I felt for her so much throughout the book, but she was also strong willed and tried to think of the future. She made many mistakes and took different paths over what she is told to do, but she still ultimately tries to face her past and fix the future. I just absolutely loved her! Her power of blood magic and how she must survive is so gritty, and it was just such a refreshing take on magic in general. Her friends and allies -including the very questionable mystery man who pops in from time to time- are all very likable characters, even when you hate their guts. The characters that you hate, you just love to hate them. Others are genuinely good people, and you still enjoy them as much as the others. I thought all the characters were great for how little we see of them.

I wish I could say more, but there really isn't much else I could say without spoiling anything! Just take my word for it and read this! It's such a good book! If you're into dark fantasy, bloody books, or just a morally gray MC, then I highly suggest you check this one out!

[Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew this book was going to be dark, but I didn't expect it to be that dark.

I won an ARC in a giveaway and for that, I am absolutely grateful! Though I read this book like a month ago, I think, and it took me this long to write a review because I didn't know how to form my messy thoughts into something coherent.

I recommend this book to any dark fantasy lover. Kali Rose Schmidt promised it would be dark and she delivered. Truth be told, I had a little trouble adjusting into this world, but once I got accustomed it was smooth sailing from then on.

This book brought me so much pain... the good kind of pain. My emotions were everywhere!!! AND AFTER THAT ENDING HOW COULD I NOT WANT TO READ MORE. Give this book a chance if you're looking for something dark and lovely.

[Adele Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I found it to be well paced, characters had enough to them to keep me interested and the story line was good.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Siyka · Rating 4 out of 5]

It grabbed me from the very beginning. It was just a bit too much for me at times but the story was good and well-built.
I liked the world and the way it was presented.
I recommend it to any dark fantasy fan.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

what was that ending...

the descriptions of blood were funny imagine your blood smelling like citrus and almonds lmao

wicked saints wishes it could be on it's level

[sandman♠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

...3.5 take it or leave it🥲

[TheQDB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall: 4.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
Steam: 💋 Kissing only
Feels: 😈🤭🤔😩😬😤

~REVIEW🖋~
The Quick and Dirty: Elemental magic. Blood magic. Religions - ancient and new. Secrets. Scandal. Betrayal. And the girl who is the key to unlocking it all.

Scarko is the king's personal guard but she is also has a special type of Vrakan magic: blood magic. Her king receives a vision from his gods and sends her on a mission to kill a rival who is not only immune to Vrakan magic but has been killing Vrakans. She assumes it will be an easy task, but upon arrival he is not what she expects. He makes her an offer to obtain retribution against a common enemy and she seizes the chance. When things don't go as planned, she realizes that all is not as it seems. Secrets are revealed and they may change everything she knew about herself and about the king she serves.

An interesting take on vampirism and elemental magic, I was completely enthralled with Scarko, Vojtech and Rhodri. I loved the worldbuilding and how the ancillary characters were just as interesting as the leads. While I felt it was a good read, I did have a few small qualms. The first has nothing to do with the story really; I was lucky enough to win the Audible version of the book from the author but unfortunately felt that it was narrated in such a stilted and monotone manner that it didn't at all do the story justice, and so I ended up just getting the e-book, but was disappointed in not being able to listen to it. The two small issues I had with the book itself were that the middle lagged just a smidge and that I felt the reaction from certain characters after certain key parts (i.e. the betrayal) could have used a little more fervor. Small issues in an overall great book. I can't wait to see what happens next!

~QD STORY DETAILS~ 
Tear jerker: No
Paranormal/Fantasy: Yes
Location: Various: Gotheberg, Warskia, Kezda
Character age range: late teens/early 20s & immortal
Lead: Scarko Kadezska
Love interest(s): 🙊
HEA: No - cliffhanger

~QD BOOK INFO~
Kindle Unlimited: No
Audible: Yes - Narrated by Corrinne Lepage
Series: Yes -
1. Stranger Rituals - released 07/09/19

~QD 🔥~
Sex/kink type: kissing
Possible triggers: graphic violence, mention of rape

[Creatures Of Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

A month before this book was released, I won an ARC on the author's instagram. I promised an honest review after reading the book, but forgot to post it because of my exams. So here is my review, like I promised.

First of all, I can tell you that I liked this book. It reminded me a little bit of A Court of Thorns and Roses (although this book was much darker and no graphic cabin scenes hehe). A fair warning for some readers: this book mentions rape (it's never explained, but it is insinuated) and there is violence. If I remember correctly there was also 1 tiny scene with a little bit of romance, although it is not that graphic.

The story was much more different from what I'm used to read. This story was dark and mysterious. I mean, the main characters live of blood and bones. And like I said before, there is a lot of violence and bloody scenes, so if you don't like to read that sort of stuff, I wouldn't recommend this book.

What I absolutely loved about this book were the different kinds of magic. The main character for example, Scarko, needs to drink blood in order to survive, but it gives here these amazing dark powers. Her powers are also the reason why she is hunted by non-magic wielders. (Can't say much more without spoiling too much).

There is also a little bit of romance in this book, but it's more in the background. The main character is attracted to more than 1 person (don't mistake this for love), but there is no love triangle.

I liked this read so much, because the plot goes in a straight line. It isn't really complicated and really easy to understand, so it was an enjoyable read during my exams. But another fair warning: don't think that because the story goes in quite a straight line that the author can't mess with your feelings and put some plot twists in there, because I assure you that there are a few!

I tried to review this book as honest as possible without spoiling anything. Hope this helped and that if you read it, you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Lennie ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this ARC from Kali a couple of week ago & I'm SO glad!

I remember a few months ago when she was doing promo for it and I was instantly intrigued. And as she warned me MULTIPLE times, the book is dark af and all the characters are terrible in different ways.

I am also still pretty shook about one character. I'm almost as heartbroken as when I finished Red Queen (but at least with this one I knew the characters were already bad...)

There are lots of similarities to the Grishverse in this book. Kezda reminded me a lot of Ketterdam, and then add in all the different powers of the Vraka which are in the same vein as Grisha. Also, Scarko's power is unique, just like Alina.

Throw in a religion eerily similar to Catholicism and the Faerie world of the Nacht Lands and you've got Stranger Rituals.

It definitely has some triggers in this book, but I think it's handled well. This book is also very intense so brace yourselves and maybe get a Disney film ready when you've finished it 😅

I genuinely don't know what to expect from book 2 because book 1 completely threw me for a loop!

But luckily Kali writes like a machine and book 2 is due to be released in Autumn so we won't have to wait long!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know when you pick up a book, planning to just read a couple chapters before bed, and the next thing you know it’s 2a.m. and you’re reading the last page? This happened to me while reading Stranger Rituals. It’s a fascinating novel that honestly is so different from anything I’ve read in quite a while.

This book is dark. The characters are dark. Everything about this is intense and morbid, yet I couldn’t look away. I am blown away by the world building and the characters in this one. Kali Rose Schmidt is an incredible storyteller who brings you right into the world and keeps you hooked from beginning to end.

I want to keep praising Stranger Rituals, but I think you should just go read this one. Be warned, you may need something light and fluffy after reading this because it is dark…but it’s so captivating, you won’t be able to put it down regardless. Highly recommended!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Xpresso Book Tours. All opinions are my own.*

Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t plan on starting this book and reading “a few chapters” before bed or on a lunch break. This is one you’ll want to set aside a good part of a day for you to read all at once, or as much as possible, as it just won’t let you go. It had me hooked from the first pages, and the action and suspense just never stop. Even when the story “slowed down”, it still kept its grip on me, and I would stop whatever I was doing to go back and read “one more chapter”. There are lots of twists and turns that keep things unpredictable also. I’m sure I had a few out-loud gasps while reading it. There’s also a lot of blood, bones, and gore in it, so if you’re into that, you’ll love it! The only downside is that there is a big cliffhanger at the end, so it’s not a standalone book, if that’s an issue for someone. I would still rate it as more than a 5 if I could, and I’ll be looking out for the next book in the series.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a dark book! And I mean DARK!

From the violence to the romance, every corner of this book felt like a gothic, shadow-like, bloody hole. And not in a bad way at all. I absolutely loved this vibe the book let out.

Right off the bat, we are introduced to some tough characters. From the bone crunching to the giant horns, you find yourself in a fantasy world you immediately want to know the history of.

It is rather fast-paced as I flew through this one in only one sitting. The world building is full of life (even though there is death everywhere) and just creates a dark, magical setting.

The ending leaves you wanting Book 2 right away, so prepare yourself. 

I gave this one 4 out of 5 stars. There is so much depth to the characters and the world. It was such a fascinating book to read, and I highly recommend for readers of the darkness!

[Philleys Peters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dark fantasy set in a strange world plagued by dissenting gods and holy wars and an ongoing battle between the elemental magic users and the non magical humans of the current ruling party. Our heroine is a very rare blood magic user sent out by her demon lord master to infiltrate their enemy's village and assassinate the human street fighter killing off their people. The story follows Szarko on her quest as she encounters an interfering demon on a hidden agenda of his own. A very intriguing storyline but with many deadly encounters and some horrific actions that will offend some readers. But I enjoyed reading this book and I do recommend it!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Billie]

A fighter with a venomous grudge.
A monster with an immortal curse.
A girl with a terrible gift.

All three out for blood in a land torn apart by harsh gods and holy wars. Each entwined with the other, on their own quests for vengeance, and yet held together by strange links to sinister pasts. As their fates unravel, a dangerous romance blooms, and violent darkness beckons.

This was a very intriguing read from this author.
I loved the world building going on.
The characters are amazingly written.
I love the story line and plot.
Can't wait to read more of these.
Recommend reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for something to read that has a darker tone, then look no further. The world building in this story is pretty incredible, the Vraka remind me of a darker version of the Grisha from Leigh Barduga’s books. It’s a great world to get lost in.

I really love how vicious Scarko is, she drinks blood and she doesn’t apologize for it. Also, somehow Kali made men with horns really sexy. I don’t know how she does it, but my love/hate relationship with many of the male characters in the book is low-key driving me crazy. I am now anxiously awaiting the next books arrival, which cannot come soon enough.

[Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lmao. I don’t know why I thought I’d like this, when it was so clearly a ripoff of character dynamics from Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses...a book I also detested. This was garbage. I’m annoyed I wasted any time even skim reading it.

Vojtech (who was by far the most interesting character) was a clear ripoff of Tamlin. Scarko (wtf is that name?) was clearly Feyre. Rhodri was clearly Rhysand. And idk...Zephir is just an awful character. ACOTAR is likewise not great. Ugh. I want my time back.

[Anne Dwyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scarko needs blood to survive - Vojtech needs bone - She escaped the Wardkian dungeons, and had worked her way up to be Vojtech's personal guard, but Scarko still feels insecure. A when he has a vision that is going to send her on a mission, she has no option but to follow the instructions which she is given. Their fates are intertwined with another - what will become of them all? A dark and different tale!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a dark, twisted, intense story about a fighter with a venomous grudge, a monster with an immortal curse and a girl with a terrible gift. The characters are interesting and well developed. I absolutely loved this fantastic world this author created and even though I loved this book it's a world I don't want to visit in real life. I can't wait to read more books in the Stranger Rituals series. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stranger Rituals by Kali Rose Schmidt is a great story that I have read. I really enjoyed reading this story very much. If you like reading horror and fantasy then this story is definately for you and I recommend this story to you .

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jolene (ink_for_days) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. Gosh. This was AMAZING. Schmidt built an intriguing and interesting world. The magic, though common to be found, was different and had a life of its own. The characters were dynamic and every page was a twist or turn down this dark path. I could NOT put this book down.

[carla ☾･ﾟ · Rating 3 out of 5]

«𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬; 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞.»

—𝙆𝙖𝙡𝙞 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙢𝙞𝙙𝙩, 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙨.

Cuando descubrí que este libro estaba plagado de sangre, monstruos y una ambientación un tanto gótica, no pude evitar abalanzarme sobre él.

Además, la historia empieza con un: 𝘐𝘯 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘐𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘔𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴...

Osea, ya está. SOLD.

Sin embargo, tengo sentimientos encontrados con este libro.

Al principio me pareció que la historia venía bien encaminada, presentando las diferentes formas de magia que surcaban en aquel mundo gótico. Cuatro elementos de la magia natural con sus respectivos nombres que representan a cada persona que la poseía. A ésta se la llama Magia Vrakan y está dividida en los diferentes tipos de poder así como el fuego, viento, hielo y sombras.
En ese sentido no me encontré nada nuevo, pero aun así me gustó volver a cruzarme con este tipo de magia natural. Porque era ese tipo de magia lo que muchos buscaban destruir a lo largo de la historia.

Y ahí es cuando entro en el world building.
A decir verdad, a pesar de que me gustó mucho, siento que faltaron muchísimas cosas en este tópico. No hubo un desarrollo muy profundo y tampoco una historia muy fuerte detrás que enseñara una forma más sólida del universo creado por la autora. Fue como todo muy de repente, como que ya todo estaba ahí presente y no presencié una explicación muy elaborada sobre esto. Me atrevo a decir que, en mi opinión, le faltaron varias páginas al libro. En todo aspecto. Porque a pesar de que la idea me pareció una maravilla, no hubo una presencia muy fuerte durante los capítulos. Parecía como que todo empezaba sin un trasfondo.

Lo mismo con los personajes.
No sentí una personalidad destacada en ellos. No hubo profundidad ni desarrollo que lograra atraparme. Y aunque me gustaron, hasta ahí, casi en el límite, me hubiera gustado ver más en ellos. Una historia más profunda, más descriptiva, más elaborada, para así comprender con mayor sentimiento cada aspecto de sus vidas.
Además, el personaje femenino, Scarko, al principio me gustó mucho su persona y su historia, a pesar de no haber sido muy revelada que digamos. Pero más adelante, cuando pasan varios sucesos en los que ella se ve envuelta, no hace más que esperar ser rescatada y eso no me gustó mucho porque tenía una idea bastante distinta del personaje. A partir de ese entonces, no logré simpatizar mucho con ella, porque constantemente era un ida y vuelta de esto mismo, el ser salvada.

En fin, diría que este libro le falta mucho desarrollo y páginas. Si hubiera tenido esto desde un principio y no haber lanzado todo junto sin explicación alguna, la historia habría sido excelente, al menos para mi gusto. Porque tiene todo lo que logra atraparme en un libro: un universo gótico, magia de sangre, personajes oscuros y traicioneros y una lengua que es fácil enamorarse al pronunciarla, o al menos intentarlo.

Igualmente, no todo es malo. El plot de la historia me gustó mucho, bastante diría. Y los últimos capítulos me volaron la cabeza, así que estoy emocionada y ansiosa por leer la segunda parte de Stranger Rituals porque estoy segura que la voy a padecer leyéndola. Además cómo no hacerlo con ESE FINAL... dying slowly. Espero poder ver más desarrollo en el segundo libro, en todos los aspectos y también espero un mejor crecimiento en el personaje femenino porque le tenía muchas expectativas.

[Kirstian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review.

First off let me start by stating how much I love the cover for this book. It is just gorgeous in my opinion!

Okay, on to what you are really here for.

These days I have been struggling to find a dark read that doesn’t lean more towards the horror genre. Enter Stranger Rituals. I am not gonna lie, I was skeptical when it saw it was supposed to be a dark series. Typically when I end up reading books like this I do not personally find them dark or I find them to be more of a horror book as opposed to dark.

Thankfully, Stranger Rituals did not disappoint! It is a refreshingly dark read with dark and intriguing characters. Once I picked it up I could not stop reading. Everything about this book was utterly captivating from the characters to the world-building (I am a sucker for good quality world-building). All in all the story was engaging, twisted, and intense. That being said, it is not for everyone. If you cannot handle something that is more dark and morbid in nature than this may not be the book for you. But, if that is something that speaks to you then I would highly recommend you pick this beauty up. NOW.

I cannot wait to see what Kali brings to the table next!

[Oscarb1007 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark with lots of angst. Child sexual trauma, horned fey and slavery. The plot was interesting, but so many unanswered questions. The continuous killing without remorse made everyone feel like a psychopath. Little too dark for me, but I liked how strong the main character was written.

[Lena · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF couldn't understand the plot, where was it going

[Ziggy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Interesting premise, weak story construction.