Unfortunately, I had to DNF this one early despite being intrigued by the premise. The idea of a powerful vampire society with romance and danger really appealed to me, but the writing style made it difficult to stay engaged.

I struggled with the pacing and the overall tone, it felt flat and rushed in places. The writing itself didn’t feel polished enough, with POV inconsistencies that disrupted the flow. The transitions between moments often felt abrupt, and the writing style tended to tell rather than show. The dialogue felt repetitive, relying heavily on “he said / she said” patterns without much variation or emotional insight. The characters’ reactions felt underdeveloped or missing entirely. I found it hard to stay immersed despite my initial excitement.

Overall, this felt more like an early draft than a polished release. With better writing and editing, especially around POV, transitions, and emotional depth, this concept had a lot of potential.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion/review.
I shall not be posting this review to Goodreads or Fable due to DNF-ing this book at the end of chapter 5 (10% in).

The writing style was very flat, with a lot of exposition (very "tell, don't show"). I couldn't connect with the characters at all, and there was little to no intrigue for the book to get any hooks into me from the opening chapters. Additionally, the POV switching/head-hopping made chapters clunky to read.

I had high hopes for this book based on the premise - vampires following a strict code of conduct, living amongst human society as the rich and famous, but the execution was not landing for me at all before DNF-ing.

If you’re into fast-paced thrillers with a tech-savvy edge and just the right amount of shadowy intrigue, this one’s worth picking up.

Right from the start, Sterling hooks you with a premise that feels all too plausible: a data leak, a hidden algorithm, and a protagonist caught between ethical choices and deadly consequences. The plot moves quickly but doesn’t feel rushed, and I appreciated how the author balances action with some thought-provoking questions about privacy, surveillance, and the cost of innovation.

The main character—Elena, a cybersecurity analyst turned reluctant hero—is sharp, relatable, and doesn’t fall into cliché territory. I found myself genuinely invested in her arc, especially as the stakes kept climbing. There’s a nice mix of tech and emotion, which isn’t always easy to pull off.

Michael Chamberlain, a cold and calculating vampire entangled in the Order's machinations, is a compelling protagonist. His carefully constructed life, built on detachment and adherence to the rules, is disrupted by the arrival of Paislee Sullivan, an ambitious college student unknowingly venturing into a world far more perilous than she could imagine.
The world-building in Cardinal Code is a standout. The Cardinalis Order is intricately realized, with its rigid protocols and the unsettling concept of contracted blood sources. This novel doesn't just present vampires; it constructs a believable society around them, exploring the power dynamics, the ethical dilemmas, and the societal implications of their existence.
The romance between Michael and Paislee is the beating heart of the story. Their attraction is palpable, fueled by a forbidden desire that threatens to unravel both their worlds. Sterling skillfully navigates the complexities of their relationship, exploring themes of consent, power, and the lengths one will go to for love.
Overall, Cardinal Code is a captivating read for fans of paranormal romance and dark fantasy. It offers a unique and well-developed take on the vampire mythos, with a compelling love story at its core.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avery Sterling for the eARC!

If you like hot vampires doing sexy things then this is for you. The story is fast-paced so it goes by so quickly. Michael was an interesting vampire - he was a very human vampire (if that makes sense). The FMC did have moments where she pissed me all the way off. For example, signing up to be the blood donor to a vampire and then acting hesitant when he wants to drink from you. It was a really really fun time, but I wanted more tension in the romance and more sensual feeding scenes (because that's why we're all here for the vampires isn't it?).

If you're looking for a fun, spicy, fast-paced, urban vampire romance then this is going to be the one for you!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book for my honest review.

Vampires? Check. Easily devoured? Check. Addicting? Check. Red flagged MMC? More like black flag!

This gave me all of my TVD feelings for the very first time again. Obsessed is an understatement.

Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the author’s writing and the story was simple to follow-it’s a really quick read. The concept was also really interesting with what I thought would be more political intrigue and world development, but I unfortunately found this book was not for me. I had a lot of issues with this one and unfortunately did not enjoy it overall.

Really lacking character depth and details to progress the plot forward. I got some whiplash from Paisley changing her mind about how she feels and what she wants. The story was extremely repetitive with her trying to leave and then either Michael going to get her or her coming back on her own. I couldn’t handle it anymore.

Their entire relationship (if you can call it that?) was not for me. **Spoilers ahead to explain** First, how they started was Paisley going up to Michael, who is a total stranger to her, and kisses him–after she is freaking out by being pursued by a guy at the club she is working at. She’s freaking out about a man touching her without permission (of course, yes, good, as you should be), yet she’s totally cool with going to kiss another man who is a complete stranger and hopes he’s going to help her out of this situation? Girl what?! I did not understand the relationship between Paisley and Michael, it was cringy with all the back and forth between the two of them.

The interactions throughout the story felt like they were always missing something. I’m confused why Michael was obsessed with Paisley in the first place, I’m confused about her accident, I’m confused about blood types and what they mean, and I’m confused about the whole cardinalis world/dynamics. I understand leaving the audience with unanswered questions to set them up for another book in the series, but I feel like I read this whole story and still have barely any information.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this. This was my first introduction to the author and I can’t read more and by more, I specifically mean the sequel to this book because it ends on a cliffhanger!! Honestly, the cliffhanger was insane and I didn’t see it coming. I knew something fishy was going on, but that was not what I expected, so this is why I need the second book ASAP. Just be prepared going into this book that it will end on a cliffhanger. Honestly, I felt like this was a quick, easy and engaging read. I devoured it from start to finish. This is paranormal with vampires, has romance and fantasy and it was packaged very nicely. The main characters are Paislee and Michael. Paislee is the human and Michael is a vampire or as they like to be called, cardinal. They end up meeting at this club that Paislee starts working at and little does she know Michael is actually the owner he took over from his father, but he started posing as a bartender. He saves her because his brother starts pushing up on her and makes her feel uncomfortable, so she goes to Michael without knowing any information of him kisses him and then ask for his help. From that moment on, I kid you not Michael is hooked on her and only has eyes for her. He’s trying to figure out this attraction to her, but there’s also drama going on with his brother that we do not like, we hate him!! While also dealing with this cardinal like government because there are some things that happened in the past and also there’s this other mystery that’s happening that you don’t figure out until the end of the book. Honestly, this was really engaging. I loved it and had a really good time reading it and can’t wait until the next book comes so I can just dive back into this world.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 13%.

When it comes to books, especially anything romance-related, there are a few popular sub-genres that I tend to steer away from (though I haven't really gotten into contemporary romances as a whole, where these are far more prevalent). Within the first few chapters of The Cardinal Code, unfortunately, I encountered enough indication that a lot of these tropes may have significant influence on the rest of the book, and I believe that turned me off of continuing. So please don't take my inability to continue with this story at present as a reason to not read it yourself, especially if you are into mafia-coded, billionaire romance. While there is the obvious fantasy lean in this book (that's my jam!) with the secret vampire society, I still couldn't get myself to continue further. The writing didn't quite flow for me, and the characters felt rather two-dimensional. I may come back to this once it's been published some day, but for now, I'm leaving it where it is.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avery Sterling for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Rating (currently): 1 star (I truly didn't get far enough to give it more than that)

Review posted to StoryGraph on June 22, 2025 (https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/417ae767-e331-4929-93bf-4db5f4cb19b5)

Think “Twilight” with a trust fund and actual danger, where sleeping beside a vampire comes with legal paperwork and emotional baggage.

Michael Chamberlain all cold charm and carefully leashed menace.
He’s a great morally gray MMC, powerful, and emotionally unavailable in all the best ways.
Paislee, our smart but struggling heroine, just naive enough to get swept into this shadowy world without losing herself completely.

Their chemistry? Absolutely electric. I love a good slow burn, “touch her and die” trope.

The pacing seems rushed at the ending though.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avery Sterling for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really really enjoyed this one! It was a different take on vampire lore, which kept it interesting and didn't make it seem like "just another vampire story".

I loved the chemistry between the MMC and FMC, even though their relationship happened by accident and seemed quite fast. This kept me hooked and left me wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen. The only slight criticism I have is I would have loved a bit more spice, or have this fleshed out a bit more. In saying that, the story isn't complete with this book so I assume there will be at least one more book in their story, leaving more time for this to develop.

I do feel like the first half of the book was a little slow, and then things really ramped up at the end, almost feeling a bit too rushed. However, I think this added to the suspense and addictiveness of this book, and definitely contributed to the cliff-hanger at the end. The cliff-hanger has killed me, I cannot wait for the next book and to see what happens and how this develops.

The setting up of the lore in this first book was done so well, and has set the stage for a really interesting next instalment - this has really drawn me in.

Tropes:
Vampires
Secret society/world



Paislee fell flat to me. She seemed all over the place with her actions and I genuinely did not connect well either her. There is light world building and I’m hoping in book 2, there’ll be more information added onto it. It’s not the best book written but it has a lot of potential.

The Cardinal Code
*ARC review* Release date: June 24th
4.5/5⭐️

The Cardinal Code by Avery Sterling is a vampire romantasy that I could not put down. Sterling’s writing style kept my eyes glued to the pages. From the beginning, I could feel the chemistry between Paislee and Michael. Their relationship continued to progress as well as Michael’s character. I love a good “Touch her and die” MMC. The lore was also an interesting take that felt like a mafia Twilight. I personally would’ve preferred the story be told from first person dual POV over third person. I also felt the ending was rushed and needed to be developed more. This story does leave on a cliffhanger, making me want more. I can’t wait to see where their story goes. Recommend: yes

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to review this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ — “Interesting premise, but lacked the bite I was hoping for.”

The Cardinal Code had potential—vampires, betrayal, secret worlds... The story kicks off fast, after a traumatic accident, our FMC Paislee, starts over in NYC, and take a job at a nightclub to pay her bills.

What worked:
🧛Quick read with short, digestible chapters
🧛 A solid cliffhanger that makes you curious about what’s coming next
🧛 Hints of classic vampire lore, fated mates, and simmering brotherly rivalry givingThe Vampire Diaries vibes

However, I wanted to be swept away, but the characters didn’t carry me (I wanted more nuance and emotional depth), the world-building was thin, and the love story was too “fated mates” style for a first book. There’s potential here, especially with the cliffhanger ending—but I wish the emotional stakes and tension had been stronger.

💫 If you’re looking for a fast-paced, vampire romance with fated mates and don’t mind light world-building, this might hit the spot.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite hit the mark for me. It felt as though the author was rushing through the narrative, skimming over key moments that could have added much-needed depth to both the storyline and the characters. There were so many opportunities to flesh things out, to build tension, atmosphere, and emotional connection—but instead, it all felt a bit superficial.

The writing itself isn’t bad—it’s clear and readable—but it stays very much on the surface, never really diving deep enough to fully engage or immerse the reader. And that’s the real disappointment here, because the concept holds so much potential. A vampire story with a fresh angle is always exciting, but in this case, the execution just didn’t live up to the promise. I really wanted to love this one, but it left me wanting more in all the wrong ways.

Unfortunately for me this book didn't live up to the potential it could have been.
The book was very fast paced which I do appreciate, however in this scenario I found that because of this fast pace the world building was getting lost in the plot.
There were chapters which were too focused on characters that didn't really add anything to the plot in itself. I wish those could have been replaced with more detailed descriptions about the world, the Order and more background stories about our FMC and especially our MMC. I think that would have helped me as a reader more to connect with the story.
Speaking of the MC's. I sometimes couldn't really follow Paislee's thought process and actions. I suppose if I would have been in her situation I wouldn't have been able to accept everything that fast so it was very difficult sometimes for me to connect with her. Michael on the other hand was a very interesting character and I do desperately would have wished we would have gotten more from his background and how everything works in his world.
The Order was also something that i found sometimes very confusing in this book. Yes they are „making" the law for the vampires but it sometimes felt like in reality they were bad? There was just not enough information given to me as a reader to fully understand how they work as a foundation.
I did appreciate the last few chapters. I felt like the odds were picking up much more and the story came alive, especially then with the cliffhanger at the ending.
However, I personally won't be picking up the second book because of everything i have written above.
I am grateful though for having received this book as an ARC, as reading is always subjective and I do believe there will be readers out there who will absolutely enjoy this book!

This book was a decent dip into the vampire world. It gave me some old school vamp story vibes. It was really enjoyable and an easy read.

I struggled with this read. The story itself seemed to stay at too surface level with very superficial thinking on the part of the FMC and MMC. This made it hard to stay engaged in the story as the characters seemed very shallow, and the world building felt a bit forced rather then natural.
But my real issue with this surprised me. I love dark romances, dub-con, etc. However, this book was not dub-con in the slightest. The FMC is constantly grabbed by multiple men, and physically and emotionally manipulated. The MMC furthered this with the same behaviors and only loosely rationalized it as a part of his “condition”. His “condition” however also created a ‘venom’ that completely manipulated the FMCs physical, mental, and emotional state and when she raised this concern with the FMC he shrugged it off as “well its that and I protect you or you die”. This is so far beyond the bounds of any type of acceptable consent and it doesn’t fall into dark romance, it’s just straight non-con. That mixed with only having a surface level view of the FMCs thoughts and emotions on the matter just made this feel like a WattPad story for people with a forced sexual servitude kink.

**ARC REVIEW**
3⭐️

I think this book has SO MUCH POTENTIAL. I liked it, but it felt rushed like I was constantly trying to catch up to where the story was going without the evidence to back it up. I think if maybe another 100 pages added into making sure the plot isnt rushed and it would be an EASY 5 stars.

I feel like the romance needs to either be love at first sight/mate feeling or you need to be able to back up a buildable romance. in this situation, she fell too fast and all the challenges they hit needed more depth to be believable.

Vampire romances are just hard bc they are either turned into some excessively overly erotic book or feel too surface level. They are also a favorite of mine and many ppl.

I will definitely continue the series, but seriously, give me more... more details, more dialogue, more time building up the connection or explaining. just more pages. I want to love it so badly!! Theres so much potential here! I like the whole Vampire Code part of the plot.

UPDATE:
Ok so immediately after writing this review, I laid down to go to bed and thought "that was kinda like 50 shades of grey" and now i cant unthink it. I legit had a hard time sleeping bc i was comparing the parallels. obvi not with sex but her being a blood bag instead, the contract, having her own room, Nevia was giving Mrs. Robinson.... tell me im not the only one who sees it....

I devoured this book in a single day! Avery Sterling masterfully weaves complex characters into a vivid, real-time world, one filled with hidden threats and shadowy figures we may never realize exist. But our fiery female main character is about to learn the truth.

What choice will she make to survive in their world? And now that she knows the truth, what new dangers surround her?

This high-stakes, slow-burn, suspenseful vampire romance grips you from the very beginning and doesn’t let go. I’m already eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Avery Sterling for the opportunity to read and review this captivating book!