I tried, but I just couldn't get into this one. I did manage to finish it, but it was a struggle for me.

I struggled to get into this book at the start but I pushed through and I was pleasantly surprised! There were some twists I guessed before hand but it was still and overall good read.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This unfortunately is as not for me and I decided to DNF. Thank though for the opportunity to try. Much appreciated. I’m sure this will work for many fantasy readers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Author for the copy!
(review spoilers on my goodreads)

Fav Quote: "The moon has scars, too. But night after night, it glows brightly against all the darkness that tries to conceal it"

I'm not sure how to feel right now. The ending was so cold/brutal, and I needed a second to wrap my mind about how to write this review.

A few POV's.
Mainly the FMC- Emma

I was worried that we would get more POV from the King of Asov but only one chapter. I HATED being in his mind...he's a foul person.

We follow Emma living in Asov with King Oren...ugh hate him. I was very confused how she thought she could ask him questions...when he physically hurts her >.>

Never liked Aiden...for a split second I let him in...wish I hadn't.

The side characters Cora and Kye...love them!

Draven...ohhhh Draven....
The draw to him as soon as he came on the page UGH...I love me some Draven!
I literally squealed when I found out his secret...like screamed! AH! I love this man!

The tension throughout this book was hot and when the spice hit...it hit good! I won't spoil anything even though I want tooooo!

Also, pat on my back for being right about that damn necklace!

The ending didn't throw me for a loop but at the same time it did. My heart broke...I was like nooooo.....noooooo! Don't do this to me! I ran to see if there was a book two! Luckily, there is! Phew!

"What I want in this life doesn't matter. I've been dancing along the edge of death's tune for a while now"

"The moon may shine brightly,"... "But it's not always whole"

I really hope book two fixes my heartache!

Thank you NetGalley and Ali Stuebbe for the ARC!

I was really in the mood for a fantasy so I randomly selected Blood of Desiderium from my NetGalley TBR pile and, boy am I glad I did!

This was so good! I’m honestly shocked that more people aren’t talking about this book. I really believe it should be just as popular, if not more popular, than the ACOTAR series and the Fourth Wing books!!

Plot line aside for one second, the IMAGERY in this book was next level. Sometimes in fantasy books, I get bored as things can be overly described, but I think Stuebbe describes things perfectly, without going overboard. The different Courts, locations, and quests that they go on are beautifully described.

The plot line is really great! Romantically, this is definitely more of a slow burn type of romance. Things get spicy, but not *too* spicy. Definitely a lot more plot line compared to smut moments.

I’m thrilled that the second book in this duology has already come out so that I can read it!

I think the “twists” in this book are pretty well done. I think the majority of them are a bit predictable, but I honestly don’t mind that. I think in mysteries/thrillers, predictable twists can really ruin the book, but for fantasies I don’t think it’s a big deal.

I’ve read a little over 80 books this year, and definitely one of my favorites!

Blood of Desiderium by Ali Stuebbe—dark fantasy, court intrigue, and forbidden lust. A young fae princess, quite literally cloistered inside the palace of her father, has had the magic stripped away and replaced in her heart with freedom. Emma's life turns into a mystery where real facts seem to raise a question mark over the security of her kingdom.

Interesting Beginning: The novel begins with a very exciting encounter. It even extends to the point of exposing what is underneath the suffocating atmosphere of Emma's enclosure. Thus, it was this strong beginning that held the reader in suspense for the scene of exciting happenings.

A World Rife with Secrets and Shadows: Stuebbe summons a complete world, full of magic, political upheaval, and whispers of some nameless evil that managed to make its presence felt within the torn Fae realm. It is full and complex enough to be interesting without overwhelming the reader with minutiae.

Complex protagonist: Emma. A heroine, definitely not your cookie-cutter damsel in distress. At the same time, with that kind of raising, she won't turn her back on a fight or justice. Neither will there not be emotional scars from having been through that trauma. The decisions she makes with new powers and fresh emotional scars about what to do—that is the coming-of-age journey.

A Web of Intrigue: The even pace of most settings is very well maintained with the unexpected twists and turns that the author treats readers to. Add to it the dirty linen of politics, forbidden love, and thrilling encounters between some dimly lit silhouettes-it positively has the feel of a tale of intrigue. Others, however, feel that at times the pacing is uneven within the middle part of the book.

A Touch of Darkness: "Blood of Desiderium" is strictly for mature audiences. It is certainly going to give one the feel that it dwells on mature themes, some of which are violence, abuse, or dark desires tinging it with the greatness of their polemic inclusion to everyone's taste.

I really really wanted to like this, but just.... didn't. It just felt like it needed some more revisions, and the writing felt a bit clunky. I also struggled immensely to connect with the characters. I'm sure others will like it, but just not for me!

Unfortunately this just didn’t work for me, I found the writing style awkward and was not able to fully engage and become immersed in the story. This also suffers from constant telling instead of showing - in new adult/adult books I would expect the readers to be able to infer and require less hand holding from the author.

An interesting take on fae and mates. The cover gave me no indication of the fantasy aspect, but it's for sure a dark romantasy. We love a good shadow daddy though!

"When light and dark collide, your fate will be split in two".

I couldn't believe this was a debut - the writing & world building were both amazing!

A strong FMC who we see go from prisoner to an absolute bad ass, and a dark, mysterious MMC who is to die for - especially with quotes like this 😍

“Truths, little demon. I don’t want you to feel alone when you’re with me, because for some reason, I don’t feel so lonely when you’re here. I can’t explain why, but you’re consuming my thoughts. Like the sweetest poison that will kill me if I don’t come back for more.”

I enjoyed the multiple POVs throughout the book, along the mixture of characters - Cora being one of my favourites!!

Overall, I loved this dark, fae romantasy, and after that cliffhanger, I can't wait to dive into book 2!

This is a great dark fantasy romance. The world and characters had me hooked the whole time. Of course check trigger warnings but this is a very digestible dark book. Darker books are not my preferred vibe but I loved this one and can't wait to read the next book.

Blood of Desiderium by Ali Stuebbe is a dark fantasy debut novel. The world building in this novel is fantastic. You feel like you are there with the way the author describes everything. It a perfect way for the reader to immerse themselves right into the story. The plot is interesting and flows well. It grabs the readers attention and keeps the story flowing until the last chapter. To me it is obvious that there will be a book 2.

The characters are interesting and they make you feel know them. Emma is a fae princess who feels like she does not fit in. She thinks she has no powers only to find out they have been suppressed. As these powers break free so does the princess and her real self hiding underneath. It’s a story of self discovery, desire and love along with action and adventure.

If you enjoy a dark fantasy novel check this one out (check your TWs).

I thoroughly enjoyed diving into this captivating tale and immersing myself in the intricately crafted world within its pages. The story follows a princess whose latent powers are initially suppressed, only to emerge in full force as she evolves into a formidable and empowered character. Enduring torment at the hands of her supposed "father," she ultimately breaks free, embarking on a thrilling journey of self-discovery and adventure.

The narrative delves into themes of love, desire, and animosity, delivering a whirlwind of emotions that kept me eagerly turning each page. Despite my enthusiastic consumption of the story, a minor hiccup arose during the climactic battle towards the conclusion. It appeared as though an alternate ending had been introduced but not entirely erased, leading to a brief moment of confusion upon multiple re-reads. While this aspect didn't detract significantly from my overall enjoyment, it did stand out as a noticeable point of contention.

Anticipation now lingers within me for the forthcoming installment in this series, as I eagerly await the continuation of this enthralling saga.

Blood of Desiderium is a fast paced, dark, new adult, fantasy book. It has many popular themes and it's a great debut novel.

The main character is a young female, a fae princess, that's forced to live without her powers, confined only to her father palace. Her father is the kind of ruler that wants to appear benevolent, but it's really cruel. We also get to know her friends and helpers, her fiance and his father, the king's advisor, characters from another court and Shade, a mysterious man who seems to be everywhere, helping people.

The read is quite immersive and it was easy to picture all the different places. The descriptions are clear and believable. The writing is okay, but sometimes the monologues were a bit much and I would have preferred more expository scenes.

I enjoyed the story very much, the multiple POVs really helped and there were many themes I liked like:
-fated mates
-elemental and ethereal powers
-dragons/shifters
-seers and many more, but I try to keep the review spoiler free.

The ending was crazy and holy shit, what a cliffhanger, can't wait to see what happens next.

Wow - I'm not sure what I was expecting but it was NOT this. The story was extremely dark and I imagine it will be very triggering for some. I can't get over that this is a DEBUT novel. I am fully looking forward to continuing the series because the ending was just insane.

Blood of Desiderium by Ali Stuebbe has a unique blend of all things popular in fantasy at the moment, but at times the pacing was thrown off by large sections of internal monologues as opposed to dialogue or expository scenes that move the story along. As it is, this short, fast-paced read sometimes lagged in those moments, which was unexpected. I'm excited to continue on with this series! This book was perfect amounts of dark, steamy, intriguing, and fun, with an extremely fascinating cover!

Thank you to Ali Stuebbe and NetGalley for providing an ARC so I could provide an honest review.

"Blood of Desiderium" by Ali Stuebbe captivated me with its unique blend of fae, politics, seers, magic, dragons, and betrayals. The pace of the book kept me engaged throughout, particularly in the intriguing first half, though it slowed down momentarily before ramping up into an unputdownable finale.

Emma, the main female character, is someone I couldn't help but cheer for, especially amidst the perfect tension with the main male characters. Stuebbe weaves a captivating tale of action, adventure, and emotional depth, making the second half of the book an incredibly rewarding read. If you're a fan of fantasy romance, "Blood of Desiderium" is a must-read.

A deliciously DARK fantasy that I think a lot of people will enjoy. There are a lot of triggers and please take the author's warnings seriously and don't push yourself to get through it if it's not for you. I definitely don't think this book is for everyone but it mostly definitely will be a HIT with the dark fantasy readers. I thought some parts were predictable but I don't fault the author on this at all due to I read a LOT of fantasy and when it comes down to it there are overarching themes in that genre. Did I absolutely enjoy myself? Yes. Am I going to read more? Yes. Did I start following this author before this book was published because I was so excited for it? YES. I am very eager to see where this author takes this world because it definitely scratched the itch I was looking for, for a darker more gruesome fantasy.

Thank you Ali and Net Galley for this ARC <3

Okay, so I almost DNF this, but only because my life has been a little crazy these last few months and it has been difficult for my attention span. This story is a little slow in the beginning, but yes, there are trigger warnings! (Violence/Gore/Death, grief, profanity, mental health themes, mention of suicidal intent, torture and other dark themes.)

I am a sucker for books that test the boundaries, and in some ways this book does that. The things that our MC, Emma, endures in her life is hard to read at times. There was so many times that I wanted to reach through the book and smack those that are aware and do nothing and applaud those that do what they can.

Without giving too much away, I am very much looking forward to reading book two.

Thank you to the Author and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!