This one definitely sucked me in (no pun intended lol). I was pleasantly surprised with the fantasy elements and the world building, especially outside of the main enemies to lovers romance plot. Definitely a fast-paced fun and intriguing dark fantasy story, a perfect guilty pleasure read. *Thanks to both NetGalley and Bloom Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!*

This is actually my first by this author (yes, I know I'm late to the party) and so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was caught a little off guard by the almost immediate and profuse use of the word clit, which just pains my ears in medieval settings (urban fantasy okay but not medieval). That being said the sexy times were still hot, although I thought comparatively the "blood letting" was a little anti-climatic, I definitely wanted wayyyyy more from that scene.

In addition to the great sexual tension/romance, what really carried the story for me though was the magic of the world, the hidden histories and mysteries, the strange possibly magical blood plague, and more - the action/adventure and great gothic fantasy was on point here. I'm really looking forward to the next book....

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks/Bloom books for allowing me to review this title.

I’m all for vampires and romance and battles. The author did a great job building the world. I was planted right into the middle of a world full of dark creatures and war.

I loved the main male character, Adrian, and a lot of the side characters like Sorin and Ana. I wasn’t fond of the female main character, Isolde. Yes, she owned her sexuality and was bold and brash, but I wasn’t impressed by her. There are many ways of owning yourself without copious amounts of the Eff word and crudeness. Nor was I impressed with Killian. He was an ass. He ‘slut shamed’ Isolde because he couldn’t have her and acted like a petulant child when he didn’t get his way.

I did enjoy the vampiric story arc and learning the true history that was hidden by the ‘history makers’. I also liked how many of the characters were shades of grey and not black and white of ‘good’ and ‘evil’.

If you enjoy vampires, sex, and war this is the book for you.

Thank you again NetGalley and Source books for letting me review this book.

I loved this story so much. This was actually my first St. Clair book, but now I'm going to go back and read her other series.
I loved the twists and turns of this book. The whole book was a great adventure. I loved every minute of it!

I want to start this off by saying this is definitely not a book for someone who doesn’t like smut. This is a heavy smut book. And honestly, it was too much for me. It was so over the top and unnecessary. I feel like it’s trying so hard to be different from Blood and Ash that it resulted in vampire p o r n. Not my favorite.

I think this is one of those really love or really don't types of books. It was most assuredly not for me. Not because of the heavy balance of erotic over fantasy or anything like that. I am all for that in the right circumstances. In this case I was hoping for more fantasy over romance but it wasn't a deal breaker. What sealed it for me was the narrator's voice. She was all over the ever loving place and it just came off...immature? I found her extremely difficult to tolerate and that's just down to personal preference I think. Maybe I'm too old, maybe I've saturated myself in the genre. Who knows? But I know the right thing when it sweeps me off of my feet and this was not it unfortunately.

Scarlett St. Clair has a way of simplifying such intricate world building that makes the story so easy to understand.

She took classic, favourable tropes and put a new spin on them, while maintaining the spirit of them.

Isolde was the highlight of this book for me - I absolutely love a heroine who can hold her own and defend her honour, even with a brooding, vampire king who wishes go decapitate all those who wrong her as a husband.

While the relationship did seem insta-love/lusty, as I was hoping for more of a true “enemies to lovers” style of relationship, I absolutely understand why it was written that way. The twists weren’t too hard to figure out as I saw them coming, but it was still very enjoyable to read.

Also - there was spice on like every other chapter. Scarlett delivered there lol Super excited to see how the series progresses.

From the moment I started reading, I was hooked. The beginning opened up with Isolde defending herself and meeting a stranger while protecting herself. The world around this book gave enough detail and backstory without getting lost in the plot.

The story is beautifully done and leaves you wanting more. You fall in love with a handsome man who is on a mission to make Isolde a queen. You have side characters that you have grown to love and then worry about. You have our main characters make choices that you find yourself debating on what side you take. You have a plot twist that you will never see coming, even if you re-read it. This story shows that even enemies have a perspective that we are too ignorant or selfish to view. If you love enemies to lovers, action packed/high-stakes, lore, vampires, and the smut that is a must then this is for you.

Wow. Scarlett knows how to write a book so dang well. The world building in this book was perfect enough that you never felt overwhelmed. Isolde is now one of my favorite bad ass fantasy characters ever. She is tough, smart, loyal, a fighter. Adrian is all kinds of sexy with his sword…the one he uses for battles of course 😉 The spice in this book was AMAZING. The mysteries and twists were so well done. And that ending, phenomenal. Perfect cliff hanger that didn’t hurt you, but left you wanting more!

THIS BOOK CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT!
Hello my dear friends. Upon finishing this book I have a lot of thoughts.
Wow goodness. Where do I start?
I want to start by saying a huge huge thank you to Scarlett for writing this book.
King of Battle and Blood
Well.. holy shiitake mushrooms this book is amazing.
The sex, the steam, the plot, the characters, all of it is amazing.
Not one character is lacking even the ones we don’t love so much.

I knew before I even started it that it was gonna be a five star read for me but like…. lemme tell you why:
Adrian has DESTROYED my list of book boyfriends. Yes.. I have a list and now Adrian is at the top of my list. Like hello SIR. I’m angry I can’t have an Adrian for myself IRL.
Isolde is AMAZING! She’s a bad ass female but like not in the way that feels forced ya know? Like I feel like some female leads are bad ass because they have to be to balance it out but OH this wasn’t the case. She is a QUEEN and she’s got a mouth on her and I love her. I can usually find something to complain about and yet I have nothing.
Sorin is such an amazing character and quickly became one of my favorites.
The villains of this book are amazing. I’m really curious to see what is going to happen next.
This book was perfect. I loved every moment of it. From the moment I started to the moment I finished it I was in love.

This was a quick read, but I enjoyed it! I really look forward to these quick books that are almost like palette cleansers. I’m interested to learn more about the world this book took place in and read the rest of the story!

I am here to tell you to pick up this book - and then the entire series when it's completed. If you are a fan of the FBAA series, Bridge Kingdom and The Shadows Between Us; you will LOVE this story and the characters. Before you write anything negative - Yes there are similarities to all these novels in KBB - but let's get real, we LOVE the similarities because that is why we love fantasy and dark romance. We love being able to jump into a world we love and that's exactly what KBB brings.

It brings a new world of vampires, with a hunk of an MC and a badass Princess. I honestly fell in love with Adrian and his wicked tongue but also felt my heart explode when Isolde gave the sass right back. The history of vampires that Scarlett brings to this world is so interesting and I loved seeing how these vampires differed from what I've always read.

Adrian and Isolde take you on an adventure through enemies to lovers; our favorite trope. But not only that - there is so much character growth seen in Isolde. I really don't want to ruin anything with this review. I am a HUGE of From Blood and Ash, Shadows Between Us, and the Bridge Kingdom and I can now add King of Battle and Blood to that collection of enemies to lovers; but make it freaky.

I truly loved devouring this book. I took my time and finished in 3 sittings, but I honestly didn't want it to end. But when it ended? Talk about a cliffhanger. I am SO excited to see what happens next in this series and I commend Scarlett for creating yet another phenomenal world.

Fans of St. Clair's Underworld series will be fascinated by her foray into high fantasy romance, complete with vicious vampires, dark prophecies, and a sex-positive heroine.

I’ve tried to start saying how I feel and everything feels inadequate and unworthy.

This story was a labour of love I can tell, and knowing everything Scarlett has been through in the passed year and more you can feel her emotions on the pages.

When Isolde was mad I was mad, when she wanted to run I wanted to run with her. When she excepted the truths I felt them. When she felt betrayed I felt it.

My favourite part do Scarlett’s writing is that I feel it. That I get lost in the story and forget where and who I am.

I can not wait to share my love of this book With every single person I encounter.

The lore is original and exciting I can’t wait to experience this world over and over again.

Scarlett St. Clair has successfully written the heroine I always wanted in King of Battle and Blood. Don’t let the King in the title make you think the badass ruler of this book isn’t Isolde.

If you’ve ever gotten frustrated at a heroine for being too meek, or too malleable, too naive, or too scared.. Isolde is the Queen for you. She constantly showed her strength and intelligence, refusing to be sidelined, and she was unapologetic in taking what she wanted (for the most part). I was the invisible sassy best friend following her around, snapping after every moment Isolde put someone in their damn place. Yes. Yes. Yes. Queen.

Okay, okay. But Adrian. Beautiful Adrian. Did I love him? Oh yes. His character development is so wrapped up in the overall story, though, that I think all I can really say without spoilers is that I’m so excited for the world to know him.

In all honesty, though, this story captured me so entirely. I was drawn into Isolde and Adrian’s fierce world and can’t wait to return there again.

I received an ARC of KBB as a member of Scarlett’s Street Team, and I’m out of this world excited to finally have read it. This book was one of my most anticipated releases this year, and it did not disappoint.

At least in battle there are truths. You either survived the day or died”

As a member of Scarlett St. Clair’s street team, I got an ARC of King of Battle and Blood yesterday afternoon, and read it in one sitting 🖤

My mind was blown away with this book. Scarlett did such an amazing job, and KBB has everything you could ever want in a book.

⚔️Enemies to lovers
⚔️vampires, witches, and more
⚔️political intrigue
⚔️a badass warrior queen
⚔️did I mention vampires already?

The world building is so well done, I could picture it so vividly in my mind. I love the whole cast of characters, both main and side characters. They’re all so well developed, and I cannot wait to learn more about them.

This is by far my favorite book of Scarletts so far, and I cannot wait for y’all to read it too. It was an easy 5 star book for me 😍

This book was stunning. Flawless. Amazing. Earth shattering.

I thought Scarlett knocked it out of the park with her Hades and Persephone saga but this is just a whole other level.

Vampires, witches, arranged marriages, enemies to lovers, political court intrigue, this has GOT IT ALL!

Honestly and unapologetically, I fell in love with Isolde before Adrian. Isolde could like….get it. Adrian is great too, but Isolde is just on a whole other level. She’s a strong, independent woman who knows exactly what she wants and is gonna go after it. HERE FOR IT!

The world building was phenomenally done, with such detail. The side characters ran the gamut between supremely interesting and really fucking irritating.

The plot, without giving spoilers, is unique and well executed, and the book gets wrapped up nicely while still setting up the next book really well.

READ IT. LOVE IT. LETS FREAK OUT ABOUT IT TOGETHER.

Thank you to Scarlett for being 1) an overall amazing human being and 2) a freaking genius author. I got this ARC as part of her street team, but honestly, I would have written this same review even if I didn’t want to marry the author.

It is 1:15 am and I just finished this book…do I have to be up in a few hours for work? Why yes I do…do I regret it? NOPE!!!

I was lucky enough to receive an arc for this book from Scarlett and I could literally cry about being apart of her street team!

Ok about the book…no spoilers don’t worry.

Isolde is a QUEEN in every sense of the word. Like THAT is a woman! I’m completely obsessed with her take no shit attitude and yet she was also so sweet and caring.

Adrian is 🥺🥵 like I just don’t know how else to describe him other than those emojis. He was soo freaking sweet, such a badass, and he gave off serious “touch her and die vibes”. But also that “if I don’t kill you she probably will” vibes lol

The world building is utterly fantastic. It was so well done but it wasn’t overwhelming world building. Like I knew what was going on and wasn’t having to go back and reread to figure out what was happening.

Read this book, Scarlett does it again and just straight dropped a 5 star fantasy romance in my lap like it wasn’t a big deal. I can’t wait to hold this book and ohh and ahh over it! Go preorder it!!!

Strong, Compelling characters. Great chemistry. Super spicy. Enemies to lovers. Fated mates. Reincarnation. Full review is available on Goodreads.

I got this book and read it one sitting. I literally couldn’t put it down. Love love love - this is officially my favourite book of Scarlett St Clair. I had high expectations from the teasers and everything else but this far exceeded anything I imagined.

Adrian’s court is as vicious and ruthless as you’d think a vampire court would be but they didn’t counter for Isolde. It would be cliched to say she’s a badass but she is bold and outspoken and determined and just all round amazing. She’s also so relatable in how she runs from her feelings, and picks fights to stop from falling in love with Adrian (who is so freaking patient). I mean I love a good enemies to lovers trope but this takes the cake - Isolde is determined to hate Adrian and feels guilty for not killing him as she feels she’s letting her people down. Adrian for all his ruthlessness with everyone else (he takes intolerance to the extreme) is just a soft teddy bear when it comes to Isolde in giving her anything she wants, and keeping her safe,

There are soo many other aspects to this book that I can’t mention for spoilers but I loved the story line, I loved the characters and how diverse they were, the world building is very impressive - I can totally imagine what’s Revekka looks like and living in the Red Palace, and the sex scenes ... (chef’s kiss) lol very spicy! Vampire lore is always fascinating in that it can be interpreted in many different ways. The origins of the vampires and how Adrian came to be is a very interesting plot point that you discover as you read the book. The real history of Cordova and the various elements of Vampire life is something I expect to unfold further in subsequent books. This book doesn’t end in a cliffhanger, which is great as I’m not sure my heart could take it. However, I am totally looking forward to the entire series. Very easy 5 stars for me.

Fast paced and entertaining. The romantic plot moved a little faster than I usually enjoy (especially for those who are starting as enemies). The personality of the female protagonist can be off putting at times. Still enjoyable overall.