The Covenant of Blood

by J.S. Living

What do you get when you mix a blood pact, a lost love, and magical stones?

It's not easy being the daughter of the two most renowned serial killers in the world. Nobody knows that better than Elizabeth Bathory Tépes, the daughter of Vlad the Impaler and The Blood Countess.

Abandoned by her mother at birth, and neglected by her father while growing up, she'll stop at nothing to get her family back together.

But will it be worth the cost?

Genres: Fantasy

314 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2022

About the author

I write character-driven urban fiction that will excite you with its fresh lore and slow-burn romances.

Reviews

[♡Molly♡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

*ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
1/5 Stars

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🩸Multi Personality Disorder???
🔪Unknown Heritage
🩸Multiple Love Interests
🔪 Forgotten past

𓂃🖊Notes and Highlights-

ˋ°•*⁀➷”My mother is a serial killer.”
(Wow no way who would have thought considering she’s literally always killing people yet never actually facing her problems)

💭 Thoughts-
I honestly only have three things to say about this book.

★ This book constantly felt like it was going a hundred million mph with no real goal in mind. It honestly left me with more questions than answers most of the time.

★ it felt like the love and romance was forced, and that we never saw anything actually happen between the fmc and mmc that would even equal them falling in love.

★ Let me know if you ever find a real plot for this book because I certainly never did.
All in all, I would not recommend it unless you would like to waste your precious reading time.

📝Characters-

♛ Elizabeth- I’ll give you three words. Boring. Dumb. And Confusing.

♥️ Love Interest- Honestly couldn’t tell you who this really was if I tried.

🪭 Her family- I get it you’re hundreds of years old that does not give you an excuse to act like absolute A holes.

Now Playing:

⊹ ࣪ ˖Blood Runs Thicker Than Water ˖࣪ ⊹
0:01 ❍─────── 4:28
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃ -20%

(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

[Katrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC Review – 2⭐️

Summary:
Elizabeth Bathory-Tepés, daughter of the infamous Dracula and the Blood Countess herself, has lived for centuries. Now, after 400 years, she sets out to find her long-lost mother in hopes of helping her father. Along the way, she crosses paths with supernatural beings, rekindles an old flame, and forms a dangerous blood pact. Rooted in real historical figures and steeped in gothic lore, The Covenant of Blood weaves together fact and fiction in a tale of vengeance, passion, and dark legacy.

Review:
I had never heard of Elizabeth Bathory before reading this, and her real-life history is wild. I ended up reading more about her outside the book, and I loved how the author blended historical elements and folklore to create a new supernatural narrative. The concept is bold, bloody, and rich with gothic atmosphere.

That said, the pacing dragged at times, and there are a lot of plot threads running at once—which made the story feel a bit convoluted. A tighter focus on the central arc would’ve made the emotional beats land harder.

Another challenge: the dual POV between “Liz” and “Lizzy” could get confusing. Clearer chapter headings indicating whose perspective we were in would’ve helped keep things grounded.

And I can’t not mention the sex scenes. The euphemisms veered into unintentionally hilarious territory—lines like “he places his silent flute into my altar of Venus” took me right out of the moment.

Bottom line: A dark, imaginative take on two legendary figures with strong worldbuilding and ambition—but bogged down by uneven pacing, too many subplots, and some truly bizarre prose. I’m glad I read it, but I probably wouldn’t revisit the series if it continues.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Maike Becnel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met the author at a book signing at a local bookstore. She was very sweet and personalized my copy of this book.
For a debut novel, it definitely has a lot of potential. With just a smidge more editing, it could be a great start to a series (I noticed that sometimes, a little past halfway through, the names started to get a little mixed up every once in a while which can be confusing).
In the beginning, I didn't really care much for the main protagonist. How can you make a blood pact with a BBEG with the favor you'll owe him to yet be determined?? But I guess without it, there wouldn't be much of a premise. Plus, she did grow on me after a while.
I usually don't read a lot of "smut" (if this qualifies as such), but the scenes in this one were actually very well written and not too corny like in a lot of other romance novels.
All in all, it was a very easy read. The chapters aren't too long, the scenery descriptions don't drag out, and it flows very nicely.

[Shakella "The Singing Bibliophile" Gordon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am leaving my honest opinion voluntarily.

A fresh take on the Dracula story—with a fascinating twist! I had no idea Dracula had children, and the introduction of his daughter was such an intriguing angle. This book offers rich world-building, a love triangle of sorts, found family, a second-chance romance, witches, shapeshifting, and even a touch of multiple personality disorder—sort of. Trust me, you’ll understand when you read it!

This was a well-written, entertaining, and quick read with only minor hiccups. The switches between the two personalities were sometimes challenging to follow, and Elizabeth—though she grew on me—did get on my nerves at times. That said, I really appreciated seeing Elizabeth portrayed as a woman of color traveling from London to Atlanta, unbothered by others reminding her that her race might be a problem.

The ending left me scratching my head a little, and there are a few areas where I wish things were clearer. I suspect this might be intentional, possibly setting up a second book.

Overall, The Covenant of Blood delivers good pacing, engaging characters, and well-written spice—though I did giggle at some of the verbiage in those scenes. I’d rate this book 3.5 stars and recommend it to anyone who loves a unique Dracula retelling.

Thank you to NetGalley, JLM and JS Publishing/J. Livingston Publishing, and J.S. Living for the ARC of this imaginative story.

[Bernardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️

**Many thanks for NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book and to J.S. Living for writing it**

The Covenant of Blood by J.S. Living

If you’re into Dracula folklore with a fresh twist, The Covenant of Blood is definitely worth picking up. I loved the whole idea of flipping the classic tale by having Dracula’s daughter in the spotlight, it gave the story a cool and unique direction that kept me hooked. The world-building is solid, and the story moves at a good pace with plenty of action and intrigue.

That said, there were a few things that bugged me. The biggest one? The names. There were literally three Elizabeths, and I kept getting confused about who was who, especially in the beginning. A little variety there would’ve helped big time. Also, while the plot was fun, I wish the author had gone deeper into the characters. There were moments where I wanted to really connect with them, but it felt a bit surface-level at times.

Overall though, it was a good, entertaining read. If you like vampire lore with a modern edge and don’t mind a few minor hiccups, you’ll enjoy it!

[Christine V Medina · Rating 3 out of 5]

‼️ Spoiler alert🚨

Time for a book review…so good!

Thank you @netgalley for this incredible ARC

A little synopsis to get things going. The Covenant by J.S. living.

The Covenant of Blood follows Elizabeth Bathory-Tepés, daughter of Dracula and the infamous Blood Countess, as she embarks on a journey to find her long-lost mother. Along the way, she encounters supernatural beings, old flames, and dark pacts. The story blends gothic lore with history, but while it’s imaginative and atmospheric, it suffers from pacing issues, too many subplots, and confusing POV switches. Some of the prose—especially the euphemisms—felt unintentionally comedic. Ultimately, it’s a bold concept that doesn’t fully land.

💬 Final Thoughts: If you enjoy dark, lore-heavy fantasies with bold twists on legendary figures, this might be worth checking out. For me, it was a mixed bag—memorable in moments, but ultimately bogged down by execution.

⭐️ Rating: 3/5

#netgalleyreads#booklover#bookstagram#netgalleyreviews#

[Michelle Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read and review this novel.

The Covenant of Blood is a dark fantasy what if involving Elizabeth Bathory and Vlad Tepes. What is Elizabeth and Vlad had a daughter. A daughter who is not just a human, not just a vampire, but also fae. Who is also named Elizabeth. When we meet Lizzie, Vlad has been struck by an illness and in order to cure him, Lizzie needs to find her mother; who has been hiding out. Along the way, Lizzie and her PI assistant find out there are deeper plans in play.

I wanted to love it, however, it felt like there was too much going on for the amount we got. Lizzie never seemed to truly learn the error of her way and lucked into how to defeat the big bad. Her chemistry with the PI "lover" felt rushed and flash in pan. Her relationship with her parents are just barely there.

Overall, not a terrible book, but it did leave me unsatisfied.

[Stina Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review: The Covenant of Blood by J.S. Living
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

If you like Dracula-inspired lore, this book offers a bold twist: Elizabeth Bathory-Tepés, daughter of Dracula and the infamous Blood Countess, sets out on a centuries-long quest to find her mother, confront her blackouts, and save her father’s soul. Gothic atmosphere, folklore, and historical figures blend into an ambitious supernatural tale.

The worldbuilding is immersive, with journals and letters adding emotional weight, but multiple POVs, slow pacing, and too many subplots sometimes muddy the impact. Elizabeth and the supporting cast are intriguing yet underdeveloped, and the romance scenes lean on clunky euphemisms that break the tone. Similar character names add more confusion.

Overall, The Covenant of Blood is imaginative and atmospheric, but uneven in execution. Fans of dark, lore-heavy vampire stories with historical flavor may still enjoy its dramatic scope.

[K.M. Hogenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a unique read

Really enjoyed how many different magical creatures existed in the world, and I would've loved to explore more about the nuances between the species, especially for the Sluagh since they're not as common as vampires/ werewolves/ faeries. Also would have been interested to learn more about the magic system in general and the specifics of the powers the MC had

At some points, I wasn't entirely sure where the story was going, and I think there was a bit of a mis-alignment regarding the promise versus the payoff of the book. However, there were bits of plot from each of the three parts that I liked and thought could have been entire standalone stories in their own right if fleshed out more

Overall, the writing was mostly enjoyable, and I was pleasantly surprised by the end

[NotAmanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big thanks to Netgalley and J S Living for the eARC in exchange for a review.

This. was. a. lot. Like, a lot going on.
She's 500 but what seems like the mentality of a 16 year old who has been sheltered her whole life, with no real understanding of the 'real' world.
There is magic, she's a queen, she's on the search for her mother, there's an internal twin, step parents, forced marriage, ... just so much.
The MC just seemed to gloss over all of the life changing events like they were no big thing. And it was event after event after event.

I think if this was broken out into a trilogy, rather than forcing everything into one book, it could have been great.

2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

[Jamachia Marshall · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️✨ A LOT INTRODUCED IN A SHORT TIME

The Covenant of Blood by J.S. Living had a really interesting concept and a lot of potential. I especially enjoyed the dynamic between Liz and Lizzy — it was unique and added a fun layer to the story. However, I really wanted to see more of the relationship between Dimitri and Lizzy, along with more insight into Dimitri’s backstory. The pacing felt rushed at times, introducing new plotlines before fully wrapping up the previous ones, which made it hard to stay fully connected. I liked where the story intended to go, but the execution just didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

[Allivenger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this. The story has so much potential. It took me way too long to figure out that this story reads more like a fan fiction than an actual novel. It’s slightly disjointed and the MFC comes off as weird as a result. I had to stop when she mentioned she’s not like other girls. This is after she acts super bratty about running her father’s businesses. And before she reveals she has an alter ego. I had to draw the line at alter ego. It was too much for me. I’m DNFing at 33%

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the free copy of this book.

This book has potential I really think it needs to be worked on some more the pacing was insane and I just felt confused constantly or bored. The chemistry between our fmc and mmc was nonexistent and just felt so forced and sudden which made me bored too. Unfortunately this just wasn’t for me.

[Quilted.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Covenant of Blood. It’s a dark, imaginative story about Elizabeth Bathory Tépes the daughter of two infamous killers trying to piece together the broken family that abandoned her. With blood pacts, lost love, and magical stones in the mix, this book dives deep into legacy, power, and the price of loyalty. Twisted, emotional, and hard to put down. #bookrec #bookreview #bookrecommendations #reading