Another amazing book from Scarlett St. Clair. I have enjoyed every book she has written. Terror At The Gates was full of depth and power and female rage. I was here for it all! Religion plays a huge part in this book. I don't think there was a moment that I wasn't thinking about how religion affects me (good and bad) and how I view life especially as a woman.
I absolutely loved Lilith. She was such a strong character and I felt like she was really relatable. She did not have an easy journey in this book but I loved her strength and her resilience. She had so much depth to her character and I loved getting to know her. And I can't wait to see where her journey takes her in the next book.
Zahariev was so mysterious and he really drew me in. I loved his fierceness and how he protects those you are important to him especially Lilith. He really got her and knew what she needed and how to care for her. He let her be herself and gave her the space to learn and grow and that in turn gave her confidence.
The tension, yearning and slow burn of their relationship was epic. I'm not always a fan of a slow slow burn but this one was done so well and I adored it. It just felt right. Chef's kiss to Scarlett St. Clair.
I have a feeling that I will be thinking about this book all the time. It really drew me and I can't wait to see what the next book will bring.

Thank you Sourcebooks, Bloom Books, NetGalley and Scarlett St. Clair for the eARC.

ARC REVIEW!!

4.5⭐️

A Lilith retelling in an urban fantasy setting was not something I thought I need but now I need the whole series. This is perfect for slow burn, mafia romance lovers with some fantasy aspects to it. Who doesn’t love a strong independent FMC and a yearning, would do anything for you MMC.

I finished this book on audio after going back and forth with reading the digital version and I am so glad the ending was in audio. This entire book was amazing from the romance to the politics and religion themes. I did not want to stop reading and listening so I did both to accommodate my surroundings. The main characters as well as the side characters were fantastic and relatable. Even though it is a fictional world with present day sprinkled in. I have not been able to stop thinking of all the possibilities for the next book and how the characters will react.

This is Scarlett St. Clair’s best yet! The world building is so interesting with all of the religious references, and I went on a Wikipedia deep dive to understand some of the lore behind these characters. The author knows how to build up a relationship for maximum emotional investment and then rip your heart out…Esther’s storyline absolutely gutted me.

The story tackles several dark and deep themes in an innovative way. Triggers include religious trauma, parental abuse, sexual assault, and rape. Lilith was the embodiment of feminine rage, and it was so satisfying to see her journey to being able to confront her abusers.

Zahariev is definitely going on my permanent book boyfriend list. His devotion to Lilith was everything, and his morally grey side was almost black. Let’s just say he likes to be the boss in multiple settings!

There were several huge reveals at the end of the book, and I am already dying to read the next installment!

Read this if you love: urban fantasy, neo-noir mafia vibes, slow burn romance, tension & banter, animal sidekicks, he falls first, frenemies to lovers

Thank you to Sourcebooks, Bloom Books, and Tantor Audio for providing me with copies of this book. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely adored this book! It was SO good!

I really liked the characters, the story, and I was just hooked! Highly highly recommend! Y'all just really need to read this book!

a searing feminist retelling of Lilith’s myth that crackles with rebellion, magic, and heartbreak. This is not the Lilith we were warned about in whispers — this is Lilith Leviathan, sharpened by loss and cloaked in chaos, rising from the ashes of her past to burn down a world built to silence her.St. Clair’s writing is lush and lyrical, full of sharp edges and soft defiance. She doesn’t just retell a myth. she tears it open, rewrites it in blood and flame, and hands it back to us with teeth bared.
Perfect for fans of dark fantasy, mythic retellings, and witches who won’t stay silent. Lilith is no longer the villain in someone else’s story — she’s the storm writing her own

First and foremost I’d like thank NetGalley, Tantor Audio & Bloom Books for an Audio ARC and EARC of this book. I am forever thankful and my review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.
This is my first introduction into the world of Scarlett St. Clair and boy was it an introduction.
I’m for sure a fan of any spin on anything religious that shows the dark side of what is holy. And in this biting, feminist retelling of Lilith’s story, Lilith will rise from the ashes of her former life to destroy the ancient power that stole everything from her…
I absolutely adored getting to know
Lilith “Lilly” Leviathan & Zahariev as they fight their attraction to each other while also facing down the threat they pose to the church,the truth and to those who want to tear it all down.
Laura Horowitz is an absolute icon in the audiobook community and knocks it out of the park bringing our fierce and flawed Lilith to life.
Tristan Warden as Zahari brought the sexy and heat that had me adding him to my new bf registry.
The plot with the church was electric and engaging that was like raging river that dragged you down. Spinning you around and around in the current that left you whiplashed in the best way possible.
Memorable , unique, & engaging and just one of the best books of 2025.
Would I recommend it?
Yes, Yes & Yes! If you love fierce FMC and a unique and badass feminist retelling, this book is for you.

Terror at The Gates has been my Favorite Read so far this Year!! Lilith she is such a great FMC her passion and power to become more than what society wants her to be Was really good and the banter she has with the people around her is so funny and Spices I love it and cute little Cherub that cat Favorite side character don't get me started on the Demons and the whole end of the World I guess I have to wait for the Next Book on that ❤️

5 ⭐ 2 🌶️ 5 🎧

It's possible I have a new favorite Scarlett story. The absolute feminist rage that poured through these pages was a breath of fresh air. The anti-establishment, anti-organized religion and anti-old white men vibes were everything I was hoping for and more and I freaking devoured every moment.

Zahariev was amazing. I loved the way he was with Lilith; he knew she was an absolute bad a m f and did his best to contain her shenanigans, but also didn't hide the fact that he knew she was strong and independent and he didn't want to cage her. The tab boo elements of their age gap and him being her guardian had me swooning extra hard too.

Lilith was something else and I freaking loved her. From her bratiness, to the way she carried Cherub around like a baby had me smiling ear to ear the entire time. I adored thay she was smart and strong and rebellious without being TSTL. I think I wanna be her when I grow up.

The ending had me squealing and begging for more. I don't even know how long we have to wait for book two, but I can guarantee I'll be doing so impatiently.

The audio was fantastic. Laura Horowitz is one of my favorite fantasy narrators, she just has this perfect voice for these characters and makes it a really enjoyable listen. Tristan Warden was great as well and I loved him as Zahariev.

Thank you so much to Scarlett and Tantor for these advanced copies.

OMG??? This book was phenomenal. King of battle and blood has been my favorite book for years but this one just took its place. Nothing better than a book with a female lead who doesn't take shit from anyone. I will say at first it felt like a slow start for me but I got my ALC and was reading along while listening it made the experience of the book that much better. Once the book picked it up it picked up. I was laughing, crying, and just so angry at some scenes and my heart was breaking for Lilith. Overall I loved this book and I need a physical copy so I can reread and tab!

5/5

If Scarlett St. Clair wrote it, I am reading it. If she has 3 million fans, I am one of them. If she has 2 fans, I am one of them. If she has no fans left, I am dead.

I am always left wanting more, but in a good way. I get to the end of her books, and I crave more of her writing. I need to read the next book as soon as possible, which isn't easy because I've already gone through her entire catalog of books. So I'll just gnaw at the bars of my enclosure until she puts more books out. It's totally fine.

Reading Lilith was so freeing. She was so real and raw and honest with herself. At times, a little chaotic and impulsive but who isn't. She loves hard and with all she has. You don't get a lot of characters who break down and then build themselves back up like that. But at the same time, she was a little annoying with her language, which I'll chalk up to her being young.

Zahariev is perfect. Scarlett writes the perfect morally gray man every single time. She does not miss on this. He is no exception. He's so quietly but fully devoted to Lilith. And he says all the right things. The embodiement of touch her and die. I'm obsessed and I cannot wait for more of him.

The plot was so good, heartwrenching and very action packed. I spent a good portion of this book sobbing, my heart truly hurt for Lilith and all of the characters. AND THE PLOTTWIST AT THE END?! Scarlett please! My poor heart can't wait for book two. I need it now!!

I will be honest, I originally didn’t want to read this book. Books dealing with religion aren’t always my jam. But I took a chance, and I’m so happy I did! I will say, this book is for those who have religious trauma. If you are super religious, this may not be your cup of tea (it still might be, but go into it with an open mind). I say this from a place of knowing. I used to be very involved with church, and had I read it then, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it. Reading it now, it hit home.

This story captivated me. I wanted to keep reading, even when I had to stop. I would read this book on my breaks at work, and it’s been a while since I have wanted to do that. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I read this book for the plot, NOT the smut! I’ve been in the mood for smutty books lately, but this book had me with the story.

Overall, this book was a 4.5 out of 5 for me! The only docked half a point because I thought the smut scenes seemed lacking or ill placed. But only slightly. Still very enjoyable overall.

This isn’t a standalone??? Now the wait for the next one begins!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bloom Books for the eARC and ALC!

To say that I read this is a stretch. In all honesty I read 48% of it and then just skimmed the rest. I honestly should’ve just DNF the book. But I had such high hopes since I enjoy Scarlett King of Battle & Blood series.

My first biggest gripe is for this book is “what is world building?!?” The reader is immediately thrown into this with no prior understanding of who anyone or anything is. To add to it Lilith our MFC just knows everyone in the world with no backstory or introductions. Plus our two main love interests apparently have all this long history but nothing is elaborated on. It felt like I was supposed to be a mind reader and just know everything.

My next biggest gripe is that this book is being marketed as Lilith being this feminist icon. Yet the actions of not only her but the other scarce females in this book say the exact opposite. Like there are definitely some feminists moments but then Lilith in particular will pull an uno reverse and completely back track. I’m like girl pick a lane you are either a bad B that don’t need no man or you’re going to be co-dependent on one.

Which leads me to my last big issue the romance. Lilith honey he literally is a giant red flag, you can do so much better. Like don’t get me wrong I’m all down for a fake, old MMC love interest. But his over-controlling nature towards Lilith is a hard pass. Plus the constant lying and fighting back and fourth between them got really annoying and repetitive.


Overall, This book was really boring, and I haven’t zero desire to continue on with this series. Also I cannot in good conscience recommend it. Go read one of her other series instead, because sadly this one is a miss. Thank you NetGalley & Sourcebooks for providing an arc for me to read and review.

Well, this was spectacular. 😩

Terror at the Gates by Scarlett St. Clair is the first in her new urban fantasy romance series: a feminist reimagining of the story of Lilith.

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝.
𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬.
𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬.

I loved everything about this book: the gritty, industrial setting, the world building and magic system, the bold characters, compelling mystery... and of course, the decadent slow burn that had me by the throat. I took my time reading but only because life's demands kept me away. When I wasn't reading it, I was craving it.

I adore Lilith. She wears her heart on her sleeve and doesn't bow to anyone, and in a world such as Eden and especially as the daughter of a leading family, this is rather problematic. She is impulsive and stubborn, naive and even petulant at times... but her heart and history allowed me to empathize with her and root for her. In my opinion, she is a realistically flawed female character and we need more of this kind of representation in romance. I can't wait to see how she evolves.

The structure of this book is really unique and impactful. It mostly features Lilith's perspective, but each chapter is followed by a little glimpse into Zarariev's. I love how this allowed me to learn so much about Zahariev while the focus remained on Lilith. This is her story, after all.

“𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬 𝐢𝐭,” …
“𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.

And Zahariev Zareth. Where do I start? He is a man devoted. Damn, Scarlett knows what she is doing. Zahariev has joined my list of all time top book boyfriends. He had me absolutely blushing and swooning and melting every step of the way.

The mystery, suspense and action in this book is also noteworthy. I was gripped by the mystery and the action-heavy scenes were so intense and cinematic!

I won't lie, the cliffhanger is pretty intense and cruel and has left me absolutely feverish for the next book. I might succumb to madness while I wait. Worth it, though. Thank you so much to Scarlett St. Clair, NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the advanced copy.

I am saying right now that this book is going to reset the bar for dark fantasy/urban romance - this story is unique, it is engaging, you will be hard-pressed to put it down once you start.. many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing a copy of this book ahead of release.

First things first: check the content warnings, friends. There are some heavy subjects broached here and they are listed at the beginning of the book (and I expect eventually on the author's website where she has her other CWs listed).

There are elements of a mafia-styled patriarchy which governs the lessening hierarchy of the world, wholly supported by the religious organization that acts as the ultimate authority on things social and moral.. including the restriction of women and the innate magic they are born with. In this reader's opinion, the handling of religious trauma is raw, vulnerable, and honors the experience of many people who suffered at the hands of organized religion.

Lilith's life of pseudo-freedom is existing on borrowed time; as the daughter of one of the ruling families she has duties to fulfill and a rebellious streak that must be snuffed out indefinitely. As the walls close in around her, she begins to witness things that have her realizing that there is something more than just a corrupt leader meddling with things in Hiram. Her dynamic with her protector, Zahariev, encapsulates one of the best angsty, tension-riddled, back-and-forth relationships of any couple I've read in ages.

If you like:
- books that suck you in with the level of frustration experienced by the FMC within the first chapter (trust me, you're gonna be ready to b*rn it all down before you get 10% in lol)
- characters that jump head-first into their morally questionable inclinations and yet still manage to honor a code of honor that protects those who need it most
- unraveling a mystery that involves a heretical legend, a mysterious relic, and unlikely allies..
.. you're going to consume this book. I cannot wait to see where we go from here and I absolutely loved it!

Scarlett St. Clair is my favorite author for a reason—her meticulous attention to detail and extensive research shine through in every page.

I highly recommend this book, giving it five stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you enjoy urban fantasy with a strong, fierce female protagonist and a steamy male protagonist, this is the book for you.

The emotional depth of this book is heart-wrenching. It’s unsettling to realize how relatable those words could be to someone who has experienced loss firsthand. Only someone who has known the pain of loss can write such a profound story.

I had a slight concern about the faith element, as I’m new to faith and wondered if it might be too much for me. However, Scarlett delivers a well-crafted story that is definitely worth reading. Just be prepared to read the trigger warnings.

I finished this book a few days ago and have been sitting with it in my heart. Holding space, if you will. I am a big fan of Scarlett's writing, and this book was a standout. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I read when I really should not have been reading. I found myself dreaming about it. I was never pulled out of the story by anything. Not once.

If you loved her HadesXPersephone series, I really believe you will enjoy and love this book as well. It is not the same but it has some of the same energy. It gave me the same feelings that I got from the other series. I wasn't sure if Fantasy Mafia Romance was going to be for me, but it 100% is. Apparently, it's exactly what I needed in my life right now. I've always loved the "touch her and die" and "who did this to you" but mafia didn't always work for me. This works for me.

Terror at the Gates has some of my all-time favorite tropes, and they're done just so well. The romance is slow burn, he falls (HARD) first (and it's SO obvious), friends to lovers (this might be a new fav for me?). But the plot? Amazing. The inner workings of this world, the political intrigue, the what is going on and how are we going to manage and survive and fix it is just top tier. The slow burn romance aspects were fantastic, but the plot kept me. I had to know what was going on, how they were going to handle it, what is happening??

The religious aspects/inspiration was a nice addition. I often struggle with that being incorporated when it's not done "right" but this was done really well.

Honestly, this book is going in my top recs for 2025. I cannot wait to see where this story goes and how many books we get.

Holy moly I'm obsessed!!!! This book made me feel like how I did while reading A Touch of Darkness; like I'd found my new favorite book.

Terror at the Gates is so unique, fun, and full of captivating characters. Lilith is my queen. She's bratty but also a big softie. She wants to fight for what's right but isn't at full female warrior mode yet. It was refreshing. And Zahariev?! He's a dream man. He's pretty chill but don't mess with his woman or else. These two were the perfect combination. Their chemistry was electric and I devoured all their little moments. "I got you" moments like come on! I can only handle so much goodness haha. These two will steal your heart with their soft moments then set you on fire with their steamy ones. I couldn't get enough of these two.

The pacing and plot are a little slow moving at first, which is understandable since this seems like a first in a series. The pacing does pick up and once that happens you can't put this down.

The dialogue was so darn good too! I highlighted so much.

Cannot wait for the next one (fingers crossed)! Would highly recommend.

I had a difficult time getting through this one. I started out reading the eARC but was so bored I switched to the audiobook after I was approved for the ALC. It’s better than reading it in that it held my attention more than reading it but I still wasn’t too into it. It felt like a bit of a slog to get through with little plot and an FMC who became annoying to the point of being unbearable.
Lilith is constantly complaining about being treated like a child and a spoiled brat while acting like said child and spoiled brat, justifying everyone’s feelings of her. It’s constantly a push and pull between Lilith and Zahariev with zero chemistry between them and him just chasing her like a little child that she acts like.

The plot here also wasn’t interesting enough for me to overlook not liking the FMC and barely tolerating the MMC. It honestly just feels like it’s setting up for the next book with most of the good stuff happening in the last few chapters. The ending still wasn’t good enough to justify the lack of plot and unlikable main characters. I will probably not be continuing this series.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5

Overall good story
Grief, love, magic, demons, death.

As I continued to read this book I felt so familiarized with Liliths mom being “the church above all else. What will the church/people will think?. I did not raised you to be like this” mentality and dang that hit home.

I also recently watched Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and idk if it was Mormon based (I am Catholic and can resonate with a lot of what Scarlett wrote as well) but the fact that I saw a lot of similarities with the way this characters were written to always delegate to the husband even though the women have the power was very much the same as the Hulu Reality Show.

This is without a doubt a Scarlett St Claire book!!!! I always wanna shake the FMCs.
Besides the fact that I wanted to shake the FMC sooooooo much I loves the story; I loved the twist to the original story! I loved the references with the “church” story but Scarlett changed it for the better.

“Religion bred hostility, specifically towards women”
“We were not responsible for lust in men. We existed and they desired”
“Sometimes that desire was mutual. Sometimes it wasn’t, but men had a hard time wrapping their d!ks around the word no, and since our world valued them more, we were the ones that suffered”