Now this is what I want from an urban fantasy romance. Probably Scarlet's best book to date. Loved the grittiness. The fiestiness of the heroine. The fuckin hero. This book made me ugly cry in the middle. I NEVER cry. Can't wait for the next one.

arc kindly provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Thank you Bloom Books for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I absolutely love Scarlett St Clair work. After reading the whole A Touch of Darkness series, I knew that I wanted to read this book by her. This book was so good, I absolutely loved Lilith & Zahariev. I can't wait for the next book!

ever since i read a touch of darkness, i knew i was going to be a scarlett fan for life. her words, the worlds she builds, her stories. they are so beautifully crafted and pull you in from page one and this did not disappoint!

i am fascinated by the story of lilith and i love how scarlett brought her into a modern world and how she chose to give her her time in the spotlight. and zahariev? LOVE HIM. i love how protective of lilith he is and how much he shows her he cares, even if she is blind to it. i'm so intrigued on where the story will go, i need book 2 now!

Thank you so much to SourceBooks Bloom Books for the earc, all opinions are my own.

I knew when I first heard this teased, I needed this book. I have been a fan of Scarlett's past works, but this is definitely her best book. This gripped me from the start and I was dragged along for the wild ride.

Lilith is estranged from her powerful family that lives in the first district of this world, just outside of Eden. She now lives in Ninevah, one of the less desirable districts, barely scraping by using her lust magic, stealing artifacts, and under the protection of Zahariev, the head of the district. After she steals a dagger and her buyer dies a mysterious death, Lilith is on a mission to figure out the background of the ever appearing dagger, and why it keeps coming back to her.

Full of a completely unique world full of religious zealots, and the non-believers, and a corrupt government.

I absolutely LOVED Terror at the Gates from chapter 1 and was sad when it was over because I just wanted to keep reading. I loved that she included little snippets of Zahariev’s POVs to the end of each chapter! I’m not a big book crier but the middle of the book me tear up. I always love an animal sidekick and Cherub was perfect! The found family aspect gave me similar vibes to Crescent City which I personally loved. THE ENDING was so crazy, I feel like I need to go back and read the final chapter again. My only tiny complaint is that some chapters are longer than I’m used to BUT it sucked me in so much that it didn’t feel like I just read a chapter for 35 minutes.
Can’t wait for book 2 !!!

THIS BOOK. Dare I say, it might be @authorscarlettstclair’s best work yet! I devoured it in under 2 days and WOW, what a phenomenal start to a new series. This urban romantasy has everything: “mafia-like” family politics, religious trauma, a slow-burn frenemies-to-lovers arc, and best of all? Pure, unfiltered feminine rage.

Lilith Leviathan, estranged from her powerful family, survives by using magic to steal in Nineveh, a district devoted to sin. When a mysterious dagger kills her buyer, she turns to Zahariev - head of the Zareth family, ruler of Nineveh, who has a soft spot for her - but most importantly, now my top-tier book boyfriend.

Zahariev (aka Zaddy to me 🫦) is EVERYTHING. Strong, calculating, but soft only for her. He listens. He protects. He lets Lilith be exactly who she is - wild and free, but always showing up for her, even in the silence. HE IS PERFECTION. I was swooning the entire time, and every glimpse into his POV had me melting. It was a brilliant decision by Scarlett to only have his POV be 20% of the book because I was yearning for his POV throughout 🤭

Driven by rage, trauma, and purpose, Lilith is a force. Watching her refuse to play by anyone’s rules but her own? Empowering. Inspiring. Iconic. Their dynamic is the longest reluctant allies to lovers slow burn but the payoff…🔥! If you love age gap, found family, tension-filled romance, you’ll eat this up.

Beyond the romance, this book dives deep into theology, power, and how faith can be twisted for control. It’s not anti-religion, but it highlights why secular states exist in reality. This story is not only a vibe, it’s layered and thought provoking. I’m eagerly looking forward to the sequel.

I fell in love with Lilith and Zahariev. They are the morally grey characters that you love to root for and just want to hug. I want them to be happy, but they live in an awful world. This religious world threw me off a bit because I hated it. I was so glad that Lilith was trying to fight this patriarchal world with all she's got. There were a lot of times when I didn't see the twists coming. Scarlett did a great job writing this book. However, it is not a 5-star read for me because there were some inconsistencies that I could not get over. I can't wait to see what's next in this series.

Scarlett St. Clair just does not miss! I was so excited to get an ARC and ALC for this book. St. Clair highlights female rage, an empowering “f the patriarchy” with a heavy side of boss girl energy and healing trauma from SA (trigger warning!).

I honestly didn’t know much about the lore behind Lilith and Adam in the Bible, but I think St. Clair really leaned into the idea of corruption in some religious institutions and how difficult it is to get justice against the people who generate trauma.

I enjoy every Scarlett St. Clair novel and this was absolutely no exception. She is so good at modern, dark retellings of lesser known myths and religious characters. So so good! Also, the spice is prime. I haven’t even TALKED about Zahariev but he is the perfect book boyfriend.

Rating: 5⭐️/5

A new fantasy with such a refreshing take! I loved how unique this story is. So nice after all the fantasies that seem to follow the same narrative. Lilith and Zahariev were full of tension and longing which I loved so much! Highly recommend!

I’m disappointed with this book. Honestly truly.
Basically, the magic system and world-building are sorely lacking.
The MFC has big “to stupid to live” vibes. Like this girl was a dumb petulant child for what, 77% of this book and then she was supposed to be all knowing? I couldn’t bring myself to like her; she had no redeeming qualities.
MMC is a punching bag for MFC's anger.
495 pages to end on a cliffhanger.
Finally, the plot is non-existent.

Give me all the female rage.

This book could not have come out at a more perfect time. It was so powerful, bold, and utterly devastating. It was unique and very much Scarlett style of writing that made me fall in love all over again with it. It's gritty, dark, and hits you right in the gut with how good it is.

Think Supernatural but seasons 1-5 when they were actually good, that's the level that this book is on!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

From the very first page, Lilith Leviathan commands attention—she’s strong, defiant, and unafraid to carve her own path in a world that demands her silence. I was immediately drawn to the dynamic between Lilith and Zahariev—especially with the tension-laced tenderness of him calling her little love—but I also can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to him than meets the eye. The found family aspect added heart to an otherwise dark and intricate narrative.

The prose is stunning!! I found myself highlighting countless lines. My only critique is that the world-building was dense and occasionally hard to follow. With a richly layered urban fantasy backdrop, I had more questions than answers by the end, though that feels intentional for a series opener. Lilith’s arc is worth the ride—she becomes more powerful, more dangerous, and more magnetic with each chapter. I’m definitely in for book two.

Lilith Leviathan is the only child of one of the Five Houses of Eden. As a female in a patriarchal church, she will be expected to wed the new “heir” of their house where she will be forced to feed her magic to her husband, house, and the church.
After an altercation with the church, she flees Hiram to Nineveh where the house leader Zahariev has agreed to watch over her.

Lilith comes across a dagger that seems to cause harm to everyone it touches and is now on a hunt to find the truth about the church, their control, and lies.
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Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶️🌶️
I read most of this book in 2 days. I could not put it down.

This is a female rage against the patriarchy and the religious elite mixed with a pre-apocalyptic blasphemous Crescent City-like world (modern fantasy setting), with a Mummy-like cursed object.

There are strip clubs, a kitten, alien-like purple blobs, a taboo relationship, a controlling church, and…Terror at the Gates.
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The names and places are hard to pronounce, but there is a guide at the beginning of the book. Or, if you are familiar with the Old Testament, you should be fine.
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‼️Warning: This contains organized religious rhetoric that will probably offend the Christian community.
‼️There are other trigger warnings such as: SA by a church official, death, possession ‼️
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I literally cannot thinking about this book!

*taps mic* Is this thing on? Because I think I found my favorite read of the year! Terror at the Gates is the perfect mix of Supernatural, mystery, and romance that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Both of our main characters are so incredibly dynamic and jump off the page from the second you meet them. And don't even get me started on our side characters and feline companion, they were perfection! I know this just came out but I will be waiting very patiently for Scarlett to release book two.

Lilith grew up in a rich, powerful and devout family. But about a year ago she stepped away from the family and lived in a rougher district and neighborhood with her found family.  She stumbles upon a man who has stolen a blade, one that would likely get Lilith a hefty payout.  But little does she know that there’s so much more to this blade than what meets the eye. 

Lilith is a bad*** FMC and the tension between her and the MMC is so delicious. The storyline was interesting and her friendship with others was heartening. All in all, this book was enjoyable. I definitely connected with some of the female rage component in the book. Im curious to know where it goes from here

An urban fantasy where there are five districts, each ruled by a different family and only the woman the have magic yet they can only use it when their husband or father allows it - sign me up! This had me captivated right from the start and I was totally hooked on the storyline. If you love a fantasy with angst, tension and yearning then you will love this. It's in first person POV of our FMC however at the end of each chapter we get snippets of our MMC's POV which I loved.

- Urban fantasy
- Gods, religion & prophecies
- Angst & tension
- Age gap (8 years)
- Found family
- Forbidden romance
- Only females have magic
- Touch her and die
- He falls first
- Morally grey characters
- Friends to lovers

Bonus: It has a cat!

Spicy Chapters: 13, 14, 19, 21

A sinful slow burn wrapped in religious symbolism and supernatural politics - this one had me on my knees 😮‍💨🔥

I am embarrassed to admit that this is my first Scarlett St. Clair book but boy what an unholy introduction! I loved EVERYTHING about Terror at the Gates. It’s one of those rare reads that hits emotional, romantic, and thematic notes all at once and sticks the landing

What you can expect:
-Strong but never insufferable FMC 💪
-Dark religious fantasy ✝️
-Supernatural politics 🔮
-Fuzzy sidekick 🐈‍⬛
-Morally gray MMC with heavenly restraint and sinful energy 🖤
-Slow-burn romance with a bit of an age gap 🫦

Let’s start with the relationship between Lilith (or “little love” 🥲) and Zahariev.

There is something so sexy about a man who obviously feels something deep but holds it all in - jaw clenching, lingering glances, loaded silences, hands flexing at his sides (hello, Mr. Darcy 🫶😮‍💨). The tension between them is intoxicating, and the emotional restraint Zahariev shows had me on edge in the best possible way. When he finally gives in to his desires? Ughhhhhh. Worth every page.

But Lilith was the real standout. She was everything I want in an FMC and more. She was strong, stubborn, emotionally raw, and complex. She never slipped into “pick me” or “I’m not like other girls” territory. Did she make dangerous, sometimes reckless choices? Yes, but they made sense for someone navigating grief and trauma. She felt real.

About the Dual POV - I have always preferred first-person single POV, but the way this book is split up worked so well. Most of the book is from Lilith’s perspective, which allowed me to really sit with her emotions, her fears, and her doubts. The short glimpses into Zahariev's POV added enough without spoiling anything. It gave me all the payoff of a single POV with that extra emotional layer. It was perfection 👌🏼.

All in all, the religious undertones were layered, the exploration of grief and trauma felt real, and the supernatural world was rich without being overwhelming.

Scarlett St. Clair, you have my full attention!!

Thank you to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the digital ARC 🙏

Moni’s lil’ spoiler free thoughts:
Terror at the Gates by Scarlett St. Clair

“Beware the temptress who whispers in the dark.”

This book is now my whole personality. I am this book. This book is me. Officially my favorite Scarlett St. Clair novel and on my top 3 books of 2025. Wow….just wow! I cannot wait for this story to continue!

Key points: Slow-burn. Neo-noir urban fantasy. Strong ass FMC. Kitty sidekick😻. He falls first. Twists, turns, and burns.

Thank you

I pre-ordered a copy of this from Scarlett’s local bookshop with the preorder incentives that I cannot wait to unbox when they arrive!

Thank you to the author/publisher/netgalley for this eARC!

I enjoyed this one. Interesting romance, intriguing characters, and the promise of more installments. This one definitely leans toward the mortally gray romance/love interest trope but felt deep and characterized enough for it to follow through on its promise. Like what all of St. Clair's work, I find that her sex scenes leave a lot to be desired, and her worldbuilding barely skimmed the surface of what I felt it should for a book like this--I would LOVE to see a book where she really pushed herself in terms of writing ability in this sense--but overall, was a fast-paced, good read. I will very likely pick up the sequel(s) to see what happens next.

This book was dark, bold, and so unapologetically fierce. Lilith is the definition of a powerful, angry heroine taking her voice back and Zahariev? Cold, controlled, and everything I crave in a morally gray love interest. Their tension was 😮‍💨

It’s giving enemies-to-lovers, mafia fantasy, religious rebellion, and spice that will absolutely ruin you. If you want a book with all these tropes definitely read this one.I