Did I know what I would be reading when I requested this? Yes. Did I still get queasy and have a hard time reading about blood magic? Yes, yes I did. I thought Mistress of Lies was a unique fantasy that starts out with quite a bang from the very first line - our main character murdering her father and becoming the head of her household. This book was a bit more political-focused than I expected and I wasn’t too invested in the romance aspect, though I do love the trans representation! I also agree with other readers who note that this book tends to tell and not show, which does get tiresome after a while.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the arc!

This is an excellent start to a dark and exciting series! There’s atleast one other book coming out which I’m very excited about, I very much want to see where this goes. I was lucky enough to be approved for an E arc on NetGalley for this book. It’s a fun vampire without saying vampire book. The magic system is intriguing and based off of blood (those who can use it are called blood workers and everyone is considered unblooded). The setting is a country on the brink of rebellion. Our main character is essentially a spy master (but not for the king). The story as a whole is intriguing! I can’t wait to see where this goes!

The writing is so good but the story was a little slow at times. Even then, what a delicious vampire novel. I know this review is late and the book is already out. But the romance is so good and I highly recommend to fellow vampire lovers! Thank you so much to Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book started out so strong with the first line and the first chapter. I was hooked. The morally gray FMC, the premise, the magic fascinated me and I was so excited for it. The characters as introduced were intriguing and I so badly wanted to root for them (their rights and their wrongs). Unfortunately, for being a book heavily centered around court intrigue, the politics of it didn't hit for me, and I felt like the characters were described one way but then acted counter to their characterization.

I'll definitely read the next book and see where the story goes.

DNF at 22%. 2.5 stars rounded up for what portion I read. Life is too short to struggle through books I'm not enjoying. I liked the premise of Mistress of Lies, it was an interesting take on a vampire depiction, and I appreciated the author's note at the beginning regarding the intimacy representation with a trans character. The writing really didn't grab my attention, and the character motivations were very told-not-shown, but what was shown was inconsistent with said motivations. I get the sense that the heart of this novel will be the romance and relationships, but so far I'm not invested, and the worldbuilding wasn't enough to keep me interested.

When the book started off with patricide I knew it was going to be intriguing. We entered a world on a brink of revolution, with blood magic, and so much political drama.

The story is very character driven. It’s very much the thoughts and feelings of what is going on with not very much action and plot movement.

I personally found it interesting and a good read. I enjoyed the characters and support women’s wrongs.

I was very fortunate enough to get an arc of this. The cover and the premise piqued my interest. I had no expectations going in. I couldn't put it down. Loved the characters . I do plan on getting a physical copy of it.

E-ARC generously provided by Orbit and Net Galley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you so much!

Queer/POC representation

Considering this is a fantasy romance with a polyamorous relationship story and I enjoyed it is a big achievement for my bookish taste. 

However, I wouldn't say I liked 1 of the three and that affected my support of the relationship. Also, it was an instant lust for some in the relationship. These made this seem not like a fleshed-out poly relationship dynamic but more closely related to the standard love triangles we see. 

I loved the brash, strong female character. She was not all that easily likable and I loved it. 

The magic system is blood related and it has the gothic historical vibes but at least in book one it is not vampires by any means.

My last critique despite this novel opening strong with the heroine killing her father, the plot of this novel is more about messy politics, racism, and prejudices than action. Due to that unbalance, it did affect my enjoyment.

This book was on my most anticipated list for this year! While it didn’t necessarily meet my expectations, I enjoyed the main character for being a take no shit kind of woman. It’s rare to find a FMC written like that. It was a breath of fresh air! I more than likely won’t continue the series as it did not hold my attention as much as I would have liked.

CONTENT WARNING: murder, patricide, gore, blood magic and bloodletting for purposes of magic, discussion of racism and classism, mentions of rape

I read this one as a group read with two of my favorite bookish buddy readers, Julie @ One Book More and Leslie @ Books Are the New Black. Our read got delayed because of illness, then got delayed again because of another illness, and looking back, maybe we should have taken this as a sign? Nah, just kidding. In all honesty, though, there were some things about this story that I really enjoyed, and some things that fell flat for me.

The book starts out with a content warning page, which I loved. I’m seeing this more and more in books, and not just YA books anymore, and hopefully this will continue to grow in popularity. As soon as the story opens, there is an extremely intriguing scene, and I was pulled into this book right away. There seems to be a new uptick in vampire stories lately (I’ve read 2 ARCs just this month), and I’m especially enjoying the inclusion of diverse vampires. But this story really takes the whole vampire archetype and changes so much about it: with these being more blood workers who drink blood to harness powers—sometimes their own and sometimes that of others, using forged metal claws that are worn over the fingers instead of using fangs, and being able to walk at any time of day or night. It’s told through the POV of three characters who couldn’t be more different but are brought together by these events.

There are two biracial characters in this story, and they live in a society that appears fine with queer and polyamorous relationships, but biracial people are subjected to a special combination of microaggressions and outright racism. These two characters are placed highly in society, yet still experienced this kind of treatment. They also revel in foods and stories and other nods to their other culture, which is thinly veiled as the Philippines, and it’s really cool to see more diversity carrying over into the stories as well as the publishing world.

“All her life she had been terribly, uncomfortably, aware of who and what she was. A Blood Worker and a Lady, of mixed blood and lesser pedigree. Sneered at by her companions for the golden tint to her skin, for the darkness of her hair.”

Another factor that I thought was cool was the concept of Blood Working, and the wide range of applications that it could be used for, and the incredible spectrum from helpful to harmful. The author made space for the presence of a trans character in a prominent role in the story, and while I thought I was heading for a dreaded love triangle, instead the author cleverly worked in a poly relationship storyline.

But there were aspects of the story that I found troublesome. The pacing wasn’t consistent: the beginning was moderately-paced as I got to know each main character and the ins and outs of the world, the middle was paced so slowly it started to drag, and then the end flew past. The writing wasn’t overly descriptive, and I had a difficult time building an image of any of the characters or the location in my head based on the writing alone. The romantic plot line overshadows the main plot line in the story, which is solving the murders for the king or experiencing devastating consequences, yet the characters seem to be too busy mooning over each other to devote much time to the investigation.

I struggled with Samuel’s character. He’s such an innocent with a heart of gold, and when he’s transplanted into the high society of Dameral, he is basically guaranteed to struggle. But as someone who comes from the slums, I expected him to have some common sense, at least enough to get through life living as he was. Yet when his circumstances changed, he was so gullible and easy to get over on.

By far, the biggest issue for me was Shan. As readers, we are repeatedly told how she is smart and scheming, yet her plans fail more often than they succeed, and she seems to be blindsided by twists that *I* saw coming a mile away, yet she, who has been scheming her whole life, missed completely. She fell into the ‘strong female’ trope, but not in the good way. She’s isolated and doesn’t have anyone in her life that she isn’t sexually involved with—no friends, no confidantes. And consequently, she has no outlet for any of the stress she’s accumulating in her super high-stress lifestyle. There’s more than once in the story where it talks about her wanting to break, but having to stay strong for someone else (always a male character) depending on her, and I hated that for her.

“Oh, how she wanted to break. She couldn’t. [RETRACTED] was on the verge of falling apart and she needed to be strong for him. For both of them.”

Overall, this wasn’t a bad read, but it didn’t knock my socks off. I enjoyed some parts of it, but the characters felt flat and the pacing was inconsistent. The magic system was fresh and interesting, but the world-building wasn’t as strong as it could have been. Seeing diversity in racial background, gender identity, and sexual orientation is another plus, while one subplot overshadowed the main plot. This wound up being merely an okay read for me, but I’m hoping that the next one changes my mind in a more positive way. Recommended if you like fantasy that’s heavily focused on romance, slow-burn series starters, racially and sexually diverse characters, and trying to figure out a murder mystery hidden in a fantasy novel. Just beware: it ends on a cliffhanger.

First and foremost: the poly romance was so good. It was balanced where the attraction was mutual all around--it never felt like one character was favored more over the other. I was super ecstatic by the trans male rep and his inclusion in the polycule.

I liked that vampires were not referred to as vampires but were still vampires. The magic was interesting, if rather vague. The murder plot was rooted by the politics that surround this world. Shan as a character fascinated me. I liked her flawed ambition, strive for power, and the consequences that come from that.

I truly loved all three main characters. Their motivations and desires and decisions felt realistic. Their goals and ambitions aligned but they all approached it with different plans and mindsets. The trio fit well together.

I am deeply excited for the sequel.

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

My ideal vampire novel, even without explicitly fanged characters.

Discussions of inequality and the acknowledgement that words alone cannot change society, fill this novel. A dark fantasy political thriller, those who enjoyed "House of Hunger" and "The Bone Orchard" absolutely need to check this out!! This is a dark vampiric story, emphasis on <i>dark</i>.

We follow our very own bloody baroness Shan LeClaire as she rises to power one act of violence at a time. Using manipulation, blood magic, and her very own web of secrets, she sets out on a gorey quest for vengeance. Part obsession story part dark fantasy, those that wish vampire novels had swimming pools of blood over the usual buckets should enjoy themselves here.

This novel is a gripping political thriller set in a fantasy world, I was utterly invested in all the machinations and scheming of the cast. Breathtakingly queer and deliciously dark, this story is full of macabre mayhem and spies playing games for the highest stakes. Everyone has an agenda, and most will go to any length to achieve it.

Power comes with a price.

The toppling of an empire begins with a single death and years of planning, a fact Shan knows all too well. Othered and ostracized by her fellow nobles—as a biracial woman from a nearly destitute family—she can see how broken the system is while having the reasources and wherewithal to wield the knife herself. Change will happen, no matter how many bodies have to fall to make it so. Yet as her power and influence grow, so to do the concessions she's expected to make. How far will she compromise in the now for the illustrious future she dreams of one day achieving?

Hiding in plain sight with a secret ability to bend minds to his will, Samuel never desired to side with a blood worker who can control bodies. Yet, when forced to join sides with the newely appointed head of House LeClaire, he may finally have the means to unlock his past and understand just <i>what</i> he is. Growing up utterly destitute and full of rage, he offers a righteous fury to the political machinations he and Shan embark upon.

I really appreciate how the two protagonists we follow have such similar backstories and can mirror each other without feeling like a copy-paste. Each struggles to belong and desires a better life, while fighting any inkling of trust towards another person. Simultaneously the distinctive class differences between them offer unique insight into their society and its failings, even if they agree on a problem... the solution not so much.

TW: classism, racism, murder, patricide, blood, gore, mentions of rape

I applied for this ARC based solely on the cover and the fact this was written by a Filipino author. And while it reads a lot like the debut it is, I can see potential for more.

Mistress of Lies is opens up with the murder of Shan’s father. After going a bit cuckoo being the royal spymaster and running off his wife, he took out his anger on his children and Shan’s had enough. After dispensing with her father she becomes the Leclaire Heir and takes a spot in the House of Lords. There’s loads of political scheming in this book as Shan is also The Sparrow and has a network of spies of her own. The Leclaire’s are often looked down upon because of their Tagalan heritage but they have still been considered noble because of Shan’s blood working magic. Murders of the unblooded (non magic wielding) begin to occur and Shan and Samuel are tasked with finding the culprit by the King.

The storyline and premise was very interesting and I really liked what we got of the magic system. I also really liked the spy game feel to it all, very intriguing and mysterious. I wasn’t even able to guess who the murderer was, I was completely wrong in my guessing!

While I appreciated the LGBTQ+ rep I didn’t really feel the chemistry between the poly romance characters. We were told more than shown their buildup and chemistry. In fact we were told more than shown a lot of things in this book. Samuel’s power progression for one and how brilliant Shan is supposed to be. Also I was confused as to how Isaac becomes so powerful but is still unable to do anything against the king or at the end of the end.

I listened to this one a bit as well and while I did like the narrator, Christine Allado’s voice…her pacing was terrible. I had to speed this way up to 1.8x and I usually hover around 1.25x. She would drag out so many words and I often found myself having to rewind to focus on what happened until I eventually gave up on the audio altogether.

This debut definitely has its growing pains but the backbone of the story is strong. I might give the sequel a go but I’d have to be in the right mood for it. Thank you so much to Orbit Books for gifting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From the first page, i was immediately immersed in the world. we have amazing morally grey characters, blood magic, vampires, murder, sibling dynamics, and a great MMF romance.

while i loved a lot of aspects about this, i was a little disappointed by the murder mystery plot. i felt like that should have been fleshed out more because during a lot of the book i ended up forgetting about it! i also didn’t like something else at the end because it felt too easy! other than that, i absolutely devoured this book!
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

*3.5 rounded down*

Disclaimer that my rating is due to me having a fun time reading and isn't to do with the strength of this story. If I'm being honest there were more flaws than I cared to keep track of but I wasn’t here for a high fantasy or even the plot really. I was here for the queer love triangle (which hit) and blood magic (kinda flopped).

This book started really strong which I think was its saving grace. There was a lot happening and it felt like we were intentionally being doled out information as the story progressed rather than getting bogged down in over-explanation. But that “learn as we go” energy didn’t ever reach any clarity. My main frustration was the lack of any semblance of rules or reason with how the blood magic operated in this world. Even if there wasn’t going to be a lot of world-building, this could have still been developed.

Another issue that I saw other reviewers also bring up is too much tell and not enough show. A lot to do with character development but also in the text itself. One moment that stuck out was description of a servant being told to go get drinks rather than just including dialogue of Shan telling the servant to get drinks. It almost felt like the author had plotted out moments that were going to happen but didn’t go back to fill in the blanks/add dialogue.

And yet I will still probably read book 2. There are fun queer characters, they are hot, there’s a crime, and a twist. I really hope the author dedicates time to developing aspects that are important to fantasy novels for the next one.

DNF at 58%

I really, really wanted to like this one, but I struggled a lot with it. It sent me spiraling into a month long slump, so I am finally admitting defeat and DNFing.

I feel like the concept of this book was interesting, and I was somewhat intrigued by the characters, but after their first introductions, they felt very flat to me. I think that part of this reason was because the writing style was very repetitive. It felt like facts and ideas were being hammered into my brain to ensure I didn't forget anything, and it wound up being very tell not show as a result. I think part of this might be due to being a new author though because there were times when we were shown something and my interest was piqued, but then we were "told" reminders of that moment over and over again, so I was just hearing how smart and cunning this character was rather than actually seeing it.

It's also very slow moving as the world is being set up. That combined with my frustration with the characterizations really made it difficult to push through.

I am very disappointed by not loving this because there was teasing of a possible throuple including a trans character, and neither of those are things that you come across every day.

I do think that if you find the description interesting you should still pick it up because some of the pieces that frustrated me likely won't frustrate everyone the same way.

Also, just a side note, but it pitched as vampires, and I think it's a very loose interpretation of vampires. They use blood magic, but as of the 58% mark, there was only one character that I would classify as a traditional vampire, and even that is based on speculation. So that's fine, I don't care that much, but I think I would have been disappointed were I going into it looking for a vampire story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for an eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'd like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and Orbit Books for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright! This book is an intricate blend of romance, scandal, politics, and, yes, vampires! The story revolves around morally gray Shan LeClaire, who rises to prominence in Averain's society after her father's death, and Samuel Hutchinson, a man who prefers to remain hidden as per his mother's last wish. Their paths collide when Samuel discovers a mutilated body and is forced to confront his hidden secret.

The alternating perspectives of the two main characters kept me eagerly turning the pages, and the ending left me yearning for more. I'm eagerly anticipating the next book in the 'Age of Blood' series by K.M. Enright!
With Fall just around the corner, this is a perfect time to dive into this captivating read. If you're a fan of vampires. court, and scandal, then this book is a must-read for you!

This was such an anticipated read for me! The plot sounded amazing. I enjoyed the characters immensely and the writing was easy to follow and builded well. However, I felt the plot didn’t have much going on until the very end. It was interesting the politic dynamics of the city but felt tired of it after awhile. The serial killer aspect was really interesting but felt that nothing happened on that point until the reveal at the end. I would’ve loved that (the search for the serial killer) to be tied more into the story!

The romance was meh. I didn’t love the love triangle surprisingly. I wanted more of a love declaration, not a “I want everyone” type of situation. The sex scene was interesting too.

I LOVED the ending and am looking forward to the continuation of the series.

I will add a link to my review when I post it. Thank you for the ARC!

Mistress of Lies
by K.M. Enright
The Age of Blood #1
Fantasy Political
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Aug 13, 2024
Orbit Books
Ages: 18+

Shan LeClaire is the daughter of a disgraced Blood Worker, and under his strict and abusive control, she perfected her blood magic and built a network of spies under the name Sparrow all to protect her twin brother who was not born with Blood Magic, an Unblooded. With the death of her father, Shan's plan to fix the system, while still years away, begins in earnest, but when she finds Samuel Hutchinson, a bastard born with a terrible gift, who is a key to her plot, she promises to help him protect the Unblooded. He agrees to help her with her goals, even though he knows he is only a pawn in her game.

But the Eternal King orders them, and his Royal Blood Worker, Isaac, to find the identity of the killer who is mutilating the unblooded, so to stop the unrest among the Unblooded.


Politics... Political games... That's what this book is. One woman's game to change a corrupt system. Rich vs. Poor.

It's not a bad story, it does move at a good pace, but I got bored because it's all politics with hardly any action, so there's a lot of 'telling' because there's really nothing to 'show'. The idea of blood magic and the hint of vampires grabbed my attention, but I would not call these magic users vampires.

Maybe in the next book there will be more 'vampiric' activities, but not in this one. (Though, I don't remember the word vampire ever being used to describe them in the story.) The blurb is a little misleading when it says she is 'bloodthirsty' with the word 'vampire' in the same sentence. She's not as in the definition that she needs blood to survive.

Also, the magic system wasn't really explained, the story was about the politics, the Unblooded being controlled and by the Blooded; Communism.

Then there was the porn because that's the fad nowadays. And it lost a star because of it. I don't care about romance, that's a part of life, but those kinds of details should be left to the imagination. So because of this, it's only suitable for readers 18+, if it had been left out readers a few years younger could've read it, but alas...

The author did do a really good job creating the MC. She has layers to her personality, but the other characters not so much. Samuel needs more since he is a key in helping her achieve her goals, and Isaac was a little flat as was her brother.

Will I read the next one? Only if I can get it on the cheap.

A very low...

3 Stars

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for this ARC Copy!

I have been so excited about this book from the moment that I saw the cover and I was thrilled to get the ARC copy. I was not disappointed at all!

The characters in this book were so multidimensional and though no one was really good, you couldn't help but fall in love with the characters faults and all. Also, a poly relationship with the amount of angst that truly surprised me, but I loved every minute of it. The world is so dark and gritty and filled with political intrigue, an evil king, blood magic, and an ever changing murder mystery.