★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I loved this book so much more than I expected to. It was such a unique story. The writing and the world building kept me so invested that even when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it.

This book is female rage coded, so I can’t wait until the next couple of books to see Lilith really stick it to the man. Though, this is a fairly forward and critical commentary on the church, so if you aren’t comfortable with that, you may not like this. I, however, thought it was an interesting take.

The couple in this book has so many great quotes and moments together, that had me squealing and blushing. Zahariev and Lilith will always have my heart. I also really liked that Zahariev’s point of view in between the regular chapters were so short. It gave you a look into what he was thinking, without having to reread the same scenes just in his POV.

As far as the first book in a series goes, this one does a great job at setting the scene and enticing the reader and the fact that we have to wait for the next book to come out may actually kill me.

*A special thank you to Bloom Books and Netgalley for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Terror at the Gates is the first book in the Blood of Lilith series written by Scarlett St. Clair.

What to expect:
*Forbidden romance
*Religious trauma
*Slow burn / Touch her and ☠️

Another absolutely fantastic book written by this author! I am not normally a fan of religious material written into books but this storyline had a unique twist to it without being “preachy.”

Lilith was a strong, independent FMC without being reckless, Zahariev was a supportive MMC that was more than willing to assist the FMC with her secret excursions.

Book does end on a cliffhanger, no cheating or third act breakup.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for the opportunity to read and review this title!

Format: NetGalley ebook
Genre: Fantasy / Romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Characters: Lilith (FMC) & Zahariev (MMC)

4 stars — Powerful, bold, and emotionally gutting.

This is a dark feminist fantasy steeped in religious trauma, political power, and female rage. It’s a modernized retelling of the story of Lilith.

In this alternate world, only women have magic, but are still completely subjugated by men and the Church. Lilith, a daughter of one of the five most powerful families, grew up facing horrific abuse from the Church’s highest-ranking authority. When she comes of age, she refuses to marry and instead runs, finding refuge under the protection of Zahariev, a morally gray mafia-style leader who becomes her protector.

🔥 What to expect:
• Witchcraft & forbidden magic
• Fantasy mafia vibes
• Only women wielding power
• Slow-burn, forbidden romance
• Female rage simmering beneath the surface
• Powerful religious and feminist themes

Lilith is a deeply flawed but fierce protagonist. Her choices don’t always make sense, but they feel honest. I cried more than once for her. Zahariev, while not as fully developed yet, feels like the perfect grounding force in her life. I loved their complicated, intimate dynamic.

There are tough topics throughout: assault, oppression, systemic abuse, and control of women’s bodies. Please read content warnings carefully before diving in.

If you love mythological retellings, rage-filled women reclaiming power, and stories that aren't afraid to challenge religious and societal norms, this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the opportunity to read Terror at the Gates.

I’ve waited a long time for a Lilith retelling, and this did not disappoint. If you are a student of the lore behind the story of Lilith, then you will be in for a treat! Set in a modern city backdrop under the ruthless rule of a corrupt and abusive caste system controlled by the church, Lilith is trying her best to navigate her world and try to figure out how she can stay free and alive. This is a dizzying world of power, corruption, and magic seething beneath the surface. This world is lush and stands on the bones of major mythos and a forbidden love story that will shift the world. Zahariev Zareth is the man to help her forge her own path without forcing her into submission, he should be her enemy, but he has other plans. Beware, the cliffhanger is a banger, and you will have to sit with it. I cannot wait to see this power couple rise up in the next book and what demons they face together! What would you give for love? Readers of this genre will love the mystery, adventure and slow burn romance between the main characters.

OK SCARLETT ST CLAIR!!!!! i was unfamiliar with your game but girl you sure have my attention now 🙂‍↕️🫡

i knew 5% in that this was going to be a five star read — omg this book is F A N T A S T I C 👏👏👏 scarlett sets a fast paced plot and the fantasy elements felt fresh and unique.

the tension between zahariev & lilith is juicy and TAUT and their banter was BANTERING. i fell in love with their dry sense of humor and the way they interacted. zahariev is my new favorite book boyfriend. he is PERFECT. the burn is slooooow but damn, when it hits…. 🔥

easily one of my favorite reads of the year. please pick this book up, it was stunning!!! thank you bloom books for my e-arc!

So good! St. Clair is on my must-read list now! I read her A Touch of Darkness after finishing the Crescent City series and loved it. This new book about Lilith gives the same modern take on female rage in a fantasy world with excellent romance that builds to spice. The tension will keep you turning the page and Cherub will warm your raging heart.

The slow burn. The tension. The STORYLINE. Obsessed.

I found part of myself in Lilith and her badass self, her determination, perseverance and drive to break chains. I absolutely loved her.

Zahariev is perfection and I ate up every bit of his and Lilith’s interactions. The banter was also top tier and I was living for every second.

I’m actually not sure what Scarlett put in this book, but it’s beautiful, and I cannot wait for book 2!

The cliffhanger will have you picking your jaw off the floor.

I have so many things I could talk about with this story.
Whether it's the way it dissects religion, the power of female friendship, or women's ability to be both soft and strong in the same sentence.
I'll start with Lilith, who has become a top FMC for me.
The strength to fight for your own happiness day in and day out is exhausting, and I just want to hug her. I fear there are so many women out there who have similar experiences to Lilith who never get the redemption they deserve.
Now, Zahariev. My man would die to see her flourish.
He never wanted anything in return, except to be wanted by her. And that makes me want to die. I looooved getting his little snippets at the end of each chapter. Getting to peek behind the curtain just enough to drive up the tension. He's the definition of Black Cat character which makes so much sense as to why Lilith loves Cherub so much.
I'm living for the drama of all the head families and the mafia vibes it's giving. I can't wait to hopefully learn more about the dynamics of the world.
I could probably talk about them forever and I doubt people are even still reading a review this long.
So in short, if you love: religious themes urban fantasy frenemies to lovers he falls first
Thank you to NetGalley and Scarlett's team for this ARC!

When I read the synopsis for this one, I knew it would be my vibe. I love the way this story incorporates Lilith’s message with a modernized society. In religious texts, Lilith is known as Adam’s first wife, molded from the same clay, his equal. Yet, Adam expected Lilith to be subservient to him, always underneath him (wink wink). Lilith rejected his demands and asserted her equality, fleeing to the Garden of Eden, leading to her demonization. Lilith symbolizes feminism in her demands for female equality and rejection of patriarchal ideology, and St. Clair’s Lilith is no different.

In this story, our FMC Lilith possesses a form of magic that allows her to control people based on their desire (her magic reminds me of a combination of vampiric compulsion and succubus magic). Though, in this society, a woman’s magic is rarely used because their magic can only be used as directed by their husband or father, as women are the only one’s who inherit magic, but men rule their society…but our girl Lilith is a little rebel. After fleeing her home and familial obligations, she finds sanctuary in the city of sin…which just so happens to be ruled by our main man, Zahariev.

The banter and the longing between these characters was incredible. Both Lilith and Zahariev are down BAD for each other from the very start, having known each other for years, yet their coupling being “off-limits” due to their familial lines. I think this is the first time I’ve read a book where the woman was the one “chasing” the man, and I loved this twist. I loved that he constantly puts the ball in her court and waits for her to consciously pursue him, because he’s trying to give her the power, which is something she hasn’t had in the past as a survivor of abuse. He still makes it very clear with his words and actions how much she means to him, but sets the boundary that he won’t make a move until she outwardly states she wants him to.

This story isn’t truly dual POV, but at the end of each chapter, we get a little excerpt of Zahariev’s thoughts, sometimes a page or two, sometimes just one sentence, but they had me swooning every 👏🏻 single 👏🏻 time 👏🏻.

Scarlett has done it again! She gave me another world to fall into and fall in love with.

Following Lilith in this urban fantasy world of male dominance was the epitome of female rage. This story is full of religious trauma, mafia politics, and gritty reality thrown in.

The subject matter is heavy but so very important to read about.

This friends-to-lovers romance is set against a world where women inherit power through their bloodlines…but the husbands get to wield all the power and the women are trained to deal with it.

We also have a found-family that I absolutely loved , a furry companion that brought a light-heartedness to the story .

This was an amazing start to a series. Thank you Scarlett and Bloom Books for the ARC!

Female Rage ✅
Morally Gray Characters ✅
Found Family ✅
Frenemies to lovers ✅
Forbidden romance ✅
Yearning/tension ✅
Spice ✅
Animal sidekick ✅

An urban fantasy with gothic-noir vibes.
Couldn’t put it down. Didn’t expect the twist at the end.
Check your trigger warning!

This was a great read. Simmering, teasing romance that paid off. Undertones of what’s to come next which I can’t wait to read! Pretty much ends on a cliffhanger! This book gave me keanu reeves Constantine vibes which is one of my favorite films. Cant wait to see what these characters get up to in the next installment!

Ma'am, what a book!!!!!!!!

The premise is killer -- a dangerous mythical weapon that seems to leave a trail of murders in its wake, mob families (they're not really the mob but it's pretty much modelled as such), and copious romantic tension. I absolutely loved Zahariev's portrayal: he's quiet but badass / powerful and he's constantly looking out for Lilith. The tension between them was sizzling and the smut takes off towards the latter part of the book. Also, it was a great choice (imo) to incorporate tiny snippets of Zahariev's POV at the end of Lilith's chapters.

There are things in the story that really took me aback (regarding a specific character death) and I loved how the author infused so many twists and turns in the plot. Highly recommended to fans of sexy romantasy with a sinful backdrop. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

4,25⭐️

thank you netgalley for this ARC!

(can contain spoilers)
an urban fantasy never disappoints!! i really liked this! it was very different than other books i’ve read and had a very unique plot! i really enjoyed it!! the mmc is 🤌🏼🤌🏼 and i also really liked the fmc!!
the slowburn was amazing!
the plot itself was very interesting and you get left at a plottwist with a lot of questions! it could get a little slow in some parts but it was still enjoyable!
will definitely read the next book in this series!!

I really enjoyed this, it’s such a breath of fresh air into the romatasy genre. This book is a dark paranormal romance and it does not follow the usual tropes of formula.

Lilith was an amazing FMC, strong willed and determined to change the path an oppressive religion set up for her: getting married and becoming a siphon of magic for her husband who would be chosen for her by the church and her parents.
I think the novel touches of very important aspects of the real world while being set in an alternative universe. A religious oppression of women, wanting to diminish their thoughts, body autonomy and any shred of independence. Sounds familiar doesn’t it?

Zahariev is probably one of my all time favorite MMCs. I found him to be very level headed and mature, while being entirely devoted to Lilith and her wishes. So well written over all, both in terms of characters and the tone of the book.

I feel so bad giving this 1 star but I honestly didn’t like it at all. I had to force myself to finish it and will not be continuing the series.

The world building was sorely lacking. I couldn’t tell you anything concrete about this world or magic system. The plot itself was extremely boring and even the reveal at the end didn’t have much of an impact for me.

The characters were also just as dull as the plot. Lilith annoyed me a lot. She was too much of a damsel in distress for me and a lot of her decisions made me want to bang my head on the wall. Zahariev started off as an intriguing character with his devotion to Lilith but very quickly lost his edge and became a typical alpha MMC. Overall, apart from a few moments at the start of the book that had some fun banter, their relationship was a snooze fest.

This had potential but the execution just wasn’t there.

What can I say except, Scarlett did it again!! This book was absolutely amazing! I couldn’t stop reading. Took me two days (because I had to sleep lol) and I was done. Terror at the Gates has your attention the whole time and you really get sucked in! You will NOT be disappointed when you read it and if you’re on the fence or haven’t read any of Scarlett’s work, just do it!! 🤗

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Thanks to Sourcebooks and Tantor Audio for providing me with both an eARC and an ALC of this book.

What an amazing read and listen! My expectations going in were incredibly high, but it still exceeded them. Once again, Scarlett St Clair has brilliantly brought mythology into the modern world. This dark, dangerous, and sexy Lilith retelling somehow manages to feel true to the essence of ancient lore and entirely new at the same time.

The world the author has created here is fantasy neo-noir perfection. Her twisted, dystopian version of Christianity is as fascinating as it is haunting. The mystery kept me on my toes the entire time and took multiple unexpected twists and turns.

If you're tired of fantasy romance that skimps on the plot and world building, then Terror At The Gates is for you. I could easily see this book appealing to fantasy lovers who don't normally read romantasy. Just be sure to check those trigger warnings!

I loved Lilith so much. St. Clair did an incredible job of fleshing out and reimagining the "first Eve." She is the embodiment of female rage as she fights for autonomy in a patriarchal society. Lilith is strong, smart, and fiercely loyal to the people she cares about.

Her forbidden romance with the tough, protective Zahariev puts the slow in slow burn. The actual spice doesn't hit until somewhere past the 80% mark but it's more than worth the wait. The way this man would do anything for Lilith had me in shambles. "Little love" is my new favorite example of the "he gives her a nickname" trope.

Similar to Bride by Ali Hazelwood, Zahariev's POV is in small snippets at the end of each chapter. I'm hoping to get more of the story from his perspective in Book 2, but in this one, less was more. I'd love to read more romances where the male/second person's POV is like this!

As much as I loved the two leads, the side characters often stole the show. Each one, whether friend, enemy, or something in between, was incredibly well developed. Even those that only appeared briefly were memorable. And Cherub is the cutest little familiar ever.

The plot twists and cliffhanger at the end had my jaw on the floor. I almost regret ARC reading this because now it will be that much longer before I find out what happens next. I absolutely can't wait for Book 2!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn’t just read this book I devoured it. Forgot to sleep eat drink type of consuming.

Lilith is my favorite flavor of chaos she’s sharp and savage and clever as hell but also soft in those rare moments that just gut you. I live for feminine rage and this book delivers it with teeth. Every time she refused to be silenced I wanted to stand up and applaud. I cannot WAIT to continue her story.

The religious trauma storyline was so well done. It wasn’t just background noise it was the pulse of the book. Scarlett wrote it with so much truth and fury and heart that I felt every page in my chest. If you’ve ever tried to rebuild yourself after experiencing trauma this book will speak to you.

And Zahariev oh my GOD Zahariev. The second he stepped on page it was overrrrr. The way he sees Lilith the way he lets her burn and loves that about her does things to me.

If you want urban fantasy with mafia vibes loaded with tension depth spiritual/religous warfare and a FMC who refuses to be contained this one’s for you.

July 8. Mark it. Tattoo it. Sell your soul for it

please check the trigger warnings for this book ❤️

Thank you NetGalley and SourceBooks for this advanced copy and for emotionally wrecking me

What an interesting (extremely gritty) take on Lilith’s mythology done in a classic noir meets romantasy style! I think this would be fun for folks who really liked the watching Bosch or Altered Carbon, but read in the style of Stacia Stark or Holly Renee. The first half of the book is mostly spent following our disillusioned, angry “spoiled brat” as she navigates the consequences of her thieving.

Lilith, like most noir mains, is pretty unlikeable on the surface. We spend a lot of time following her around the city while she digs herself deeper, loses even more, and slowly breaking out of her stagnation. It’s important to note that this book has a stark, abrupt introduction of the abuses of the church, amplified by a society where each mini kingdom has a mafia-like ruling family. (Content warnings should be take seriously here; there's nothing to soften it.) Because of there are so many elements in play - mafia, religious fanaticism and abuse, noir, stoic love in waiting, mystical weapon - it really took me a while to get into this story. Lilith’s spoiled mafia princess on a party tour persona didn’t help… hearing all her thoughts tricked me into thinking I was being told everything about this story up front, but the layers slowly (and painfully) peel off and we discover WHY she’s distrustful and abrasive. I may not like her, but I am very invested in this spicy little onion and the burning tears of rage her story incites. And really, that’s the mark of some truly excellent noir.

Zahariev doesn’t actually get a lot of page presence despite being constant throughout. I liked that he’s neither the hero hiding behind a villains mask (a la Rhysand) nor is he a morally gray mafioso whose flaws are supposed to be ignore because of he’s good TO HER. We slowly learn his moral landscape (loyal, practical, vengeful), but there are still so many interesting little tidbits left unresolved. I’m hoping we also get to crack him open in book two.

In spite of my deepening attachment to the characters, I think the relationships are where this book struggled the most. They’re largely presented as fact, with little storytelling about how they got there or, in the case of our two MCs, to smooth the change in their relationship. That’s a very minor issue, especially since it’s consistent with the noir aesthetic. It’s not about them growing in their relationships, it’s about us as observers imperfectly solving the mysteries of those relationships. But, it left me struggling to believe some of the connections and to see how they shape our MCs.

I’m not a big noir person, but I enjoy it in tv formats. If I’d know that's what I had, I think I’d have found my appreciation for this book sooner, so I hope that helps anyone picking this book up! It took a minute, but I found myself deeply enthralled by this world and can’t wait to see where the fantasy side of it is headed. I’m also very, very curious where the commentary will be continued. Ms. St Claire is a Native/Indigenous writer, and while Terror at the Gates largely examines the violence churches perpetuate on women and the vulnerable, there were hints in the mythology that made me wonder if we’ll also get some commentary on religion's role in colonialism in the next.