Can I start this review by saying....WOW!! What an incredible first book in a series! I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this from NetGalley-my very first ARC and WOW was this good! From page one, I was instantly hooked! The pacing was great with beautiful descriptive lush writing that instantly transported me into this world. Every detail I can picture vividly in my head as if I was there fully immersed in this story alongside these characters. This story has so many different elements and tropes that we all love to see: Dark Dystopian YA, Enemies to Lovers, strong female character role, elemental magic, bonded dragons, training camp to become a warrior/assassin amid a war, multiple POVs, gods, vampires, a slow burn romance !! I loved it all!! Not to mention, it is very atmospheric, from the start of the book we are following our FMC Allyeria who is a prisoner facing execution for saving a girl who was accused of witchcraft. You are immediately transported to this prison with Allyeria. I was instantly hooked! Can't wait for book 2!

Blood Oath is the perfect book for fantasy lovers. The story has a strong FMC named Allyria. She lives in a world where magic is punishable by death. Allyria must make a blood oath with the Death Dealer in order to survive the Redvine prison after being accused of using magic. There was a lot of world building and set up for the next book. This was my first arc book from netgalley. I am so grateful to Kayla Cunningham for giving me the opportunity to read this story.

16 year old Allyria was sentenced to the kingdoms most brutal prison, in order to even hope to survive to the end of her sentence she makes a deal with the kingdoms most ruthless assassin, the Death Dealer. If she survives, she belongs to him.

First off all I loved the premise of the book and I was genuinely excited to be chosen as an ARC reader for this. Thank you so much! The story has a lot of promise and immediately drew me in. I love stories of underdogs and growth to one's full potential.

However I ended up DNFing the book at 40% in. I was confused by a lack of or inconsistency of worldbuilding. I am unsure about the setting of the story. It's a world where magic officially is forbidden, so the prison and other rooms are described as using torches and candles for light, human soldiers are armed with swords and shields and plate armor. Yet she gets tortured with something akin to a cattle prong? And the big city uses gas lamps, yet her magical cottage has access to basic electricity and she needs the fire to stay warm? I am also confused about the god or gods? There is a four faced god, but also norse mythology. Not to mention that on her way from the prison she walks from a snow-capped mountain, into an evergreen forest into a swamp with oppressing heat in a day. We also have industrial pollution of the environment, but apparently no electricity?

The writing is inconsistent in tone, from graphic violence to light hearted, funny banter with a character who is consistently described as lethal, cold and cunning. It also makes it harder to gauge the age group this book is written for. Some of the writing suggest a younger YA audience but the graphic violence suggests a more mature age group.

But I think what my biggest reason was, that the Death Dealer, met Allyria for the first time, when she was 13 years old, at her sentencing. Which is when he felt a connection to her and offered her the blood deal, which would bind her to him. And he then decides to build her a house and keeps tabs on her. A grown man is intrigued at a 13 year old girl.

This was a decent fantasy novel that left me wanting more. Can't wait for book 2. Can't wait to know what happens next.

I can see where this book is heading and it has a lot of potential. Unfortunately for me the story dragged on and I felt like a lot of it could have been left out or explained more succinctly. I got to 50% through before deciding to DNF.
I did love the dynamic between the mfc and mmc and the trials, I am a fan of action in books, but it just wasn't for me.

🩷 Book Review 🩷
📚 Blood Oath
✒️ Kayla Cunningham
🗓 18th March 2025
💫💫💫💫

Thank you @netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

This book is addicting, it has all the tropes I love and our FMC is one of the strongest characters I have ever read.

In a world where magic is punishable by death, Allyria faces execution herself for trying to save someone else. She does the only logical thing, she swears a blood oath to the Death Dealer of Redbone. Allyria is ripped from the mines and forced to train with Cassius to earn her freedom against other fighters.

Okay, I got to about the 25% mark and honestly felt like I was reading Throne of Glass... I got concerned... I absolutely love TOG but I was worried that we had a book that was a little too close to the possible inspiration... but no body panic! This was a lot darker, like a lot daker and all the characters embraced the darkness within.

Allyria is so head strong and determined, whereas Death Dealer is a man that is both brutal and beautiful.

The world building could've used a bit of work, mainly so it was a bit more unique. I felt like it was a nice mash-up of some our favourite fantasy worlds.

It is a great start to a series and I will be continuing it.

This book was pretty good, I would definitely recommend

~This was given by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Blood oath was a nice read. The main female character that the story follows is 17 years old and has spent 3 years in prison. In this world magic is forbidden and is punishable by death. She gets controlled by a magical person who uses her to help with their escape. Causing the main female character to be beat until for days , but she stay strong not letting herself wavier. She gets pardoned by the death dealer and she must work for him or die . I don't want to say to much and give up to much of the story.
Blood oath is definitely a nice fantasy and projects a strong female character witch is hard to find in books

Foreword gives great backstory and detail.
Cover is gorgeously designed
The map is absolutely stunning, one of the best I've seen, it's not too detailed but the design is lovely.
I love Multiple POVs in fantasy books.

The use of action straight from the first page made it intriguing and attention grabbing while still world building in a way that wasn't boring. I often find first books to a fantasy series 'world build' too much while focusing on the series arc and not the individual books arc making the first book slow which is completely opposite to this book. It's action packed and page turning from the first chapter. However, with chapters opening with laws and legislations it reminds me of Fourth wing's structure/style. The way the book opens with the FMC in a prison being forced to work, being tortured/whipped and surviving three years there despite people usually not surviving one to then be in a blood oath with the Death Dealer and trained to fight feels very much like Aelin and Rowan in Throne of glass but with more magic and details of the FMCs torture straight off the bat. This combined with her backstory of learning to hunt with a bow to feed her sisters when her dad couldn't provide for them after grief, then being taken to a house warded for only her and him to enter and the right hand man being called Cassius but Cass for short reminds me of A Court of Thorns and Roses (Feyre hunting for her sisters, Rhys building their house and warding it, Cassian vs Cassius). I do, however, think this book will be popular with SJ Maas fans and those who have been in a 'fantasy reading hangover' after reading them because of that. Even the nickname "lil' mouse" just reminds me of Zade Meadows. The story is written really well but the plot didnt feel orginal for a fantasy book. I don't think that takes anything away from this being a good book but it did make it predictable the more you read through it. Which is a shame because there is so much you can do with fantasy but the genre as a whole tends to be copied and pasted and this book has fallen into that same pattern.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Three stars for the writing style and design of the book. The story was good but didn't get 5/5 stars because it didn't feel orginal as it has been done before in other popular fantasy/romance books.

4,75/5 stars

This was really easy and fun read. I was hooked from the first page, and just couldn't stop reading it. The pacing was good and there never was a boring moment during it. I can't wait to re-read this and maybe at some point to read the second book.

I liked all the characters. They are all flawed some way, and that made them feel even more real. Allyria was a strong female main character, and Death Dealer the kind of male main character I truly do enjoy. And even though the main characters weren't together that much, that didn't bother me at all. It just made me want to keep on reading to get to the next time they are together.

I really recommend this book to everyone who like darker fantasy. One of the best reads of the year so far.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Blood Oath by Kayla Cunningham is an exhilarating read that I couldn’t get enough of! From the first page, I was hooked by the fast-paced action and the intriguing world-building. The characters are so well-developed, and I loved how they each had their own depth and personal struggles. The romance was intense and full of tension, but the real standout was the gripping plot full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Kayla Cunningham has created a story full of suspense, magic, and unexpected moments, making Blood Oath an absolute must-read for fans of dark fantasy and thrilling adventures.

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

HOLY HEL!!
This was my first net galley book and it did not disappoint!! The MFC is probably my favourite one so far, she is very likeable and you really root for her. She isn’t reckless like most characters seem to be and everything she’s been through she just gets shit done! The MMC is brutal and beautiful but kind and worn down by duty. The world building was amazing and the building of characters was thorough. The story was bloody brilliant and I am hooked, I’m sad I can’t yet continue the story.

Blood Oath is an incredible high fantasy novel that masterfully captures the intensity of warfare while weaving in the beginnings of a beautiful romance. From the very first page, the story immerses readers in a world full of adventure, hardships, and the brutal realities of battle. The stakes feel real, and the conflicts are not just physical but also deeply emotional, making the journey all the more gripping.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its main female character. She is a strong, perseverant woman who evolves throughout the story, facing challenges head-on and growing with each hardship. Her resilience and determination make her an inspiring protagonist, and her journey is just as compelling as the larger conflicts surrounding her.

Overall, this book is a must-read for fantasy lovers who enjoy richly developed worlds, powerful character arcs, and a story that keeps you hooked until the very end. Kayla Cunningham has crafted a novel that is as thrilling as it is heartfelt, leaving readers eager for more.

Blood Oath throws you into a ruthless world where magic is a death sentence, and survival comes at a brutal cost. Allyria’s journey from condemned prisoner to a warrior bound to the infamous Death Dealer had me completely hooked. The action is intense, the world is dark and immersive, and the tension between Allyria and her dangerous new ally kept me turning the pages way past bedtime. If you love high-stakes fantasy with fierce battles, slow-burn romance, and a heroine who refuses to break, this book is an absolute must-read.

Nice story arch and good character development that was measured. World building and character development were 🤌🏼*chefs kiss*. Recommend reading.

Y’all, Blood Oath did NOT come to play! Allyria is sentenced to die, but instead of accepting her fate, she gets thrown into a blood pact with a terrifying assassin—because why not make life even more complicated? Between the deadly tournaments, an actual murdered fae prince, and some serious slow-burn tension with the Death Dealer himself, this book had me feral. Every chapter hit like a battle scene, and I swear my heart rate hasn’t gone back to normal. If you love dark fantasy with cutthroat stakes and a heroine who refuses to be tamed, you need this book ASAP. ⚔️🔥📖

I found reading the storyline of this book very enjoyable and easy so would rate it a strong 4 out of 5. However, I did sometimes fine the writing to be overly descriptive which slowed down the pace of reading and took away from the flow and enjoyment of the plot. I enjoyed the dialogue throughout and found it flowed reasonably well and with purpose but it did sometimes feel tedious as it was in amongst long passages of description and setting.

The theologies and mythologies threaded throughout this book were enjoyable and very interesting and I would be eager to see which of these the author chooses to develop further in the series.

The character’s were all very likeable and I always love a strong FMC who does not spend all the book mindlessly trailing the MMC and my favourite part of her character was the development of her skills throughout the novel. The Death Dealer was an interesting MMC and I would be interested to see how he develops.

Overall I found this book to be an enjoyable read and would be interested to see where the story goes in the future.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story of this book and would rate the actual story a solid 4. However, the writing needs a good chunk of editing to take out a lot of the clunky bits and trim it down. At times, it's overly wordy and descriptive and sometimes the explanations are too convoluted to follow, especially for what is supposed to be a YA book.

There's also a mashup of mythologies that was a bit odd. I would rather have seen the author stick to one or invent their own.

I did love the characters though. They were great and really likeable. I loved how the FMC wasn't just all of a sudden great at fighting but had to work and train to become better.

The Death Dealer is really intriguing. I liked his character a lot.

I think this book and series has a lot of promise, and I would rate it at 3.5 stars. I look forward to seeing where it goes next.