Thank you so much @coloredpagesbt for letting me be a part of your book tour and @read_bloom for the gifted copy for an honest review.

Welcome to your new Romantasy obsession 👌.
Scarlett St. Clair outdid herself with this one ! I loved it so much !

The world building was epic ! I absolutely loved this Urban Fantasy world where it feels like we were reading a Mafia but it's in a world where religion governs everyone, especially women.

Lilith was such a strong and brave character. She's resilient, she knows what she wants and she isn't scared to go after it.

Zahariev is my new obsession. OMG THAT MEN ! He loves her so much, he would do ANYTHING to protect her. This is gonna be your next favorite morally grey MMC.

Between chapters of Lilith's point of view, we get snippets of his point of view and I couldn't get enough.

His devotion knows no bounds. With him, she can finally be safe to be herself.

⚠️ You should definitely read the triggers before reading. The author wrote the chapters where SA is mentioned.

Read this if you love :

✨ Urban Fantasy ;
✨ Romantasy;
✨ Touch her and Die ;
✨ Magic ;
✨ Gods ;
✨ Spicy ;
✨ Age Gap ;
✨ He would do anything to keep her safe;
✨ Found Family.

The story follows Lilith Leviathan, estranged from her formidable family, Lilith finds refuge and a means to survive in Nineveh, a district within the city of Eden that is a glorious ode to sin. Here, far from the church's oppressive gaze that demands women be "pious and silent," Lilith wields her magic for less-than-pious ends – stealing to live. Her defiance and potent magic naturally draw the dangerous attention of Eden's five governing families and the ever-watchful church. When Lilith's usual buyer meets a sudden, grisly end inspecting it, she's thrust into a desperate scramble for survival. Her only recourse? Zahariev, the formidable head of the Zareth family and the undisputed ruler of Nineveh. Zahariev, a man whose empire is built on information and extortion, has always harbored a surprising "soft spot" for Lilith. But with this cursed dagger, his ability to protect her is thrown into question, signaling stakes higher than either of them could have imagined.
Their forced alliance is set to be the cornerstone of the narrative. As Lilith and Zahariev embark on a perilous quest to uncover the true power running their world, their lives inevitably intertwine. However, in a world dominated by secrets and oppressive forces, their growing devotion isn't a solace but a threat – to the truth, to the church, and to those who want to tear it all down.
This story is for fans of strong female leads, dangerous alliances, simmering romance under immense pressure, and a world where sin and secrets reign.

When will I cease to be amazed by the goddess Scarlett St Clair? Because this book was incredible. I read everything she puts out and still, I'm amazed at her raw talent at creating these stories.
I love how she writes strong, independent and powerful females who, yes, are flawed with the abuses they've suffered...but she writes their flaws in a way that further uplifts them. They may stumble and make mistakes but they keep going.
I think each of her books are enchanting works of art, but this may be one of her best to date. Which diminishes nothing of the others, let me be clear. I just think tackling Lilith and making it your own takes a very special talent. One that Scarlett has crafted through her other books, notably her Aphrodite x Hades series. To take what one knows and turn it into something relevant to the times we live, modernize it, give it a sexy feel while weaving in origins? Takes a master. A goddess.

This book!!!! Ugh! I'm a quick reader but I took my time with this one because I didn't want it to end! I absolutely loved this book, and I cannot wait for the next one! Controversial, but this is what I wanted Crescent City to be... Slightly dark, very gritty, action packed, spicy, twists, turns, and MCs that are down bad for each other.

Lilith Leviathan is living in Nineveh, the gritty underbelly of the proposed utopia that is Eden, a theocratic nation where hierarchy and holiness is everything and sin can mean death. Lilith is living under the protection of Nineveh district head, Zahariev, and one of her favorite hobbies is getting under his skin. When Lilith stumbles across a magical dagger, her world quickly begins to crumble. Turning to the only man who she trusts, Zahariev, the two begin a dangerous investigation into the church and families that rule Eden and the possible gods that live behind the locked gates of their world.

There was something so atmospheric about this world. St. Clair did an outstanding job at creating the world and giving distinct differences to the different districts and areas of Eden. Lilith begins having dreams after coming into possession of the blade and the way these were written?? So creepy and chilling but also so engaging that I wanted them to go on forever! They also really set the scene for Lilith's story as it unfolded. The relationship between Lilith and Zahariev? Ugh. What a slow burn. But you could see from the start that they both have an intense attraction to each other. We do get small snippets of Zahariev's POV between each chapter, and I loved that St. Clair added this in because it truly showed how much he cared and what he was facing in possibly engaging in a relationship with Lilith. Lilith is going through it from the start and I loved how she had such intense (but valid) emotional responses. I feel like it's so rare for an FMC in a fantasy or fantasy adjacent genre to genuinely cry and feel sadness and St. Clair allowed Lilith to do that in a way that felt so refreshing! It's okay to cry. It's actually healthy to cry and release your emotions in such a way, and I truly cannot get over how St. Clair portrayed this so beautifully. That being said, there was still plenty of feminine rage, if that's your thing!

Terror at the Gates was a crazy ride! It was so action packed, our girl Lilith was running from page 1! Now, did it always make sense? No. There were some pacing issues and maybe some scenes could have been cut down and edited a bit more, but honestly, I didn't care. I genuinely didn't want it to end and could have read another 400 pages of Lilith running around after jelly demons. I liked it that much. It was fun. It was hot. It was a theocratic world with jelly demons and corrupt leaders. It had an emotionally dysregulated (for valid reasons) 20 something that I related to more than is comfortable, and a hot older guy with tattoos and an affinity for cigarettes (bad irl, hot in books). I was living my best life reading this book. Honestly, I could go on and on about how much I loved this book, but I'm going to stop and tell you to jump in. Read the TWs but otherwise, I'd recommend going in blind.

The vibes. 12/10.
The characters. 10/10.
The jelly demons. 7/10.
The creepy dream/predictions. 11/10.

If you like Supernatural, Maas's Crescent City, or JLA's The Harbinger series, I think you'll love Terror at the Gates!

Thanks to the publisher, Bloom Books, for the arc. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely adored this version of Lilith. Fierce, flawed, and fiery—she commands every page she’s on. Scarlett St. Clair continues to masterfully blend myth, magic, and madness, but this book? This one roared with divine feminine rage in the best way.

The pacing was on point, never dragging. I was hooked from the first chapter to the last.

This installment felt darker, sharper. There’s a haunting beauty in Lilith’s fury—a woman reclaiming power, wrath, and agency in a world that keeps trying to chain her.

A new age twist on religion and understanding Lilith. I cannot wait for the next book.

Hello fellow Heathens! Terror at the Gates is a sexy, feminist retelling of Lilith in a dark mafia urban romantasy setting where the vibes are emasculate! 🖤🩸🗡️

Lilith has always been one of my favorite religious figures because she’s the most misinterpreted female character to ever exist. This retelling is downright delicious and satisfying in Lilith justice.

Juxtapose to the MMC, Zahariev - who is the dark brooding bad boy yet lover boy to his core. This man is dangerous yet so protective of his little love, Lilith.

Lilith & Zahariev are such a hot couple together I was eating every moment up with them! They bleed into the urban fantasy setting so perfectly. And let’s not forget about Cherub the cat who might be my favorite side character! She carries Cherub like a baby 😭

This story is gripping with heartbreaking life altering moments for Lilith. Please read the trigger warnings before reading!

Themes:
🗡️ F*ck the Patriarchy
🗡️ Women are magical
🗡️ Feminine Rage
🗡️ Fighting against Religion

Vibes:
❤️‍🔥 Mafia Vibes
❤️‍🔥 Urbanfantasy
❤️‍🔥 Unholy 🙏🏼

Tropes:
🖤 Friends to Lovers
🖤 He Falls First
🖤 Slow Burn
🖤 Touch her & 💀
🖤 Age Gap
🖤 Forbidden Romance

Thank you NetGalley, Tantor Audio and Bloom Books for letting me read this amazing book in exchange for an honest review.

Set the scene… urban fantasy with a neo-noir style. FMC Lilith is headstrong and out for blood (see feminine rage: the musical; who’s afraid of little ole me vibes). MMC Zahariev is down bad! The slow burn is sooo good!

This book was so atmospheric like most of Scarlett’s are. I was sucked in from the first page! Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the opportunity to read an ARC.

What an amazing introduction into the series! I LOVED this book and I’m forever grateful to sourcebooksuk for sending me an arc and character art! (I will be cherishing it forever)

I was hooked from the start as you could probably tell from my stories, the book immerses you into a gritty world full of female rage, SLOW burn tension, mafia politics and a unique magic system that I feel we’ve only just scraped the surface of!

This isn’t your standard urban romantasy. It’s dark, it has religious trauma and Scarlett does an incredible job at bringing to the story the double standards and gaslighting that women experience

I adored Lilith, she doesn’t want to be the picture perfect daughter, slave to every man’s whims. She’s bratty, difficult, sarcastic, strong willed and not afraid to go after and stand up for what she wants

Zaddy Zahaviev - a MAN! The slow burn frenimies to lovers had me giggling and when the spice FINALLY hit I almost needed a cold shower. He’s patient, caring, possessive so there’s not much more I could’ve asked for. Ps, he calls her “little love” .. I was SWOONING, plus have you SEEN the character art?

But finally, I beg everyone pick up this book as it’s one of my favourite reads this year! If you like grimdark romantic fantasy, with religious & political themes this is a must read!

Rating - 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - June 27, 2025
Publication Date - July 8, 2025

*I received a finished copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @authorscarlettstclair, @coloredpagesbt, @read_bloom and @netgalley!

I love Scarlett St. Clair’s other series and jumped at the chance to read the start of her new series! You guys, there’s a pronunciation guide at the beginning and it was so helpful! It gets stressful trying to get into a new fantasy world and not knowing how to say all the new names or words in my head so I really appreciated having the guide to refer back to. In this book, we've got magic, we've got angst, we've got slow burn romance, we've got murder mystery... I really don't know how she does it but she does it so well. I will always love a mixed genre book because the added layers and complexity keeps me interested instead of feeling like I’m reading the same books over and over. Now let me tell you, I lived for Zahariev's POV and I was always left wanting more, which made me so excited to get to the end of the next chapter. He is so down bad for Lilith and I am so here for it! How much I loved Zahariev’s character made up for getting annoyed by Lilith at times throughout the book. I also appreciate the messages throughout the story and this book is action packed, so I was never bored. Also, I recommend reading the author’s note at the end, I love all the research, explanations and insight that the author shares (you can tell the reviewers who skipped it!). If you like romantasy books with touch her and d!e vibes and lots of action, you should try Terror at the Gates!

Get excited to read Terror at the Gates, available now! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*

*Review will be posted on Bookstagram July 26 for my Colored Pages Review Tour Stop*

This is Scarlett St. Clair’s best novel, hands down. It is gripping, it is tense in both plot and the romance between the two main characters, and the nuance of religion and politics is delicious. The supernatural elements are so intriguing and we get just enough to satisfy our appetites for this book while also starving us in preparation for the next book. This book is exquisite.

Thank you, netgalley and Bloom Books for the arc <3

I've had this on my kindle since June and I just got around to reading and omg I wish I had read it sooner. I read it all in one sitting and I was constantly giggling, kicking and screaming and aweing. I loved the characters of this book, I hated to have left them. A wise girl once said (me) that is Scarlett St.Clair write it then I shall read it. Im so excited to read the next book, and this time I definitely will be reading it the second it hits my Kindle.

This one got under my skin in the best way. From the very first chapter, Scarlett builds this dark, eerie atmosphere that just pulls you in and doesn’t let go. The tension is constant, the reveals keep you on your toes, and the characters feel so real, messy, and flawed.

It’s creepy, emotional, and full of twists I didn’t see coming. If you love books that make you feel a little haunted (in the best way) and keep you thinking long after you finish, this is 100% worth the read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the ARC!

Terror at the Gates by Scarlett St. Clair is the first book in the Blood of Lilith series and I have to say I really enjoyed this book. This one really lays the groundwork for what I am expecting to be a page-turning series.

Lilith Leviathan comes from a powerful family but she truly doesn't want anything to do with them. At least not in the way they want her to be involved. So she has been estranged from them and living in Nineveh which is under the control of the Zareth family, specifically Zahariev, Nineveh is a district devoted to sin and while Lilith wants to work/dance, Zahariev refuses to let her get a job so instead she has to steal for a living. When Lilith happens to steal a blade from someone and then her usual buyer happens to die while inspecting it, she turns to Zahariev to help her fix the problem.

As the ruler of Nineveh, Zahariev uses information as currency but when this dagger shows up in his district, he isn't sure what it means for Lilith and whether he will be able to protect her from what will come. He is determined to do whatever he can though so together they work to figure out what this dagger truly means.

At the same time, Lilith is facing off with her parents and the church. Her mother and father want her to marry and have identified an heir but when a tragedy happens the bigger question becomes who is behind it and what does it mean for the future of the district and for Lilith. And the romance and tension between Lilith and Zahariev was perfectly done.

I can't say anything more because I don't want to ruin anything for anyone but if you're looking for a Fantasy Romance to pick up, consider this one. I truly enjoyed it and I think you will too. I can't wait to get the next one in my hands.

Terror at the Gates is a story about power, freedom, and love. It takes these themes of religious trauma, sexism, and obedience and brings forth a fantasy with blazing fury. With sizzling chemistry and a fantastic main character, you will fall deep into this world. I adored how headstrong she is, but also how deeply caring she is. The internal narration is incredibly strong and she stands apart on the page. Interlude snippets from Zahariev's perpsective are also fascinating reprieves which only deepens their relationship for the readers.

I am sorry, but I can’t get through this book. I am half way through and I just can’t. This book just seems that nothing happens. There maybe a pop up event, but I was not impressed by this novel. I wanted to live it soo much bc I love Scarlet St. Clair’s books, but this one just left me in shambles.

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Terror At The Gates by Scarlett St. Clair is an urban fantasy romance that masterfully blends mystery, religious commentary, and heartbreak.... plus, that ending *gasp*! From start to finish, I was hooked; there was never a moment when I wanted to skip ahead or skim through dialogue. You already know I'm completely obsessed with anything Scarlett creates, and this one did not disappoint. It’s fast-paced, gripping, and absolutely unputdownable. Don’t talk to me until you’ve read it. Thank you!

ARC Review: Terror at the Gates
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

This book was such a strong start to a new romantasy series. Set in a gritty, sin-soaked district with mafia undertones and a touch of magic, it hooked me right away. Lilith is a fierce, flawed heroine who’s done playing by the rules, and Zahariev? Cold, powerful, and clearly gone for her from the start. Their chemistry is all slow burn and sharp edges, and the tension is so worth the wait.

The world-building is solid, though I do wish we’d gotten a bit more on the magic system earlier on. But once the plot picks up, it doesn’t let go—and the spice? Definitely toe-curling. The story blends rebellion, secrets, and power plays in a way that feels both fresh and addictive.

And yep, it ends on a cliffhanger. A big one. Can’t wait to see where this goes next.

Thank you to @read_bloom @authorscarlettstclair and @netgalley for sending me an ARC to review!

Zahariev gives me daddy vibes...and when I say daddy...l mean father, dad...not god of the bedroom, swoon-worthy kind of daddy...probably because a majority of the scenes that we go through are related to Lilith doing something abysmally stupid and Zahariev checking in on her, or cleaning up her messes.
Additionally, while I love the many origin stories of Lilith, this retelling felt a bit immature. Yes, while THIS Lilith is independent, rebellious, headstrong...and driven by vengeance, grief, and the hope of being free / liberated...the execution of all these things she goes through to be and become those things has a juvenile, petulant and spoiled brat energy to them. Being a brat is not synonymous for defiance. did find the world building interesting, and I want to see how SsC bridges the multi-god vs one-god together, and how Lillith fits in to all of this. It's giving "prophecy" and "chosen one" vibes, for sure.

• Urban Fantasy Lilith Retelling
Gods & Prophecies (Religious backdrop)
- Some Spice
Broody, stoic "mob boss"-ish MMC
Immature, chaotic FMC
Incomplete Series
X
MMC & FMC feel recycled from Hades x
Persephone Series

This was an unexpected one for me, I feel like it really crept up on me how much I was enjoying it. I don't usually gravitate to romances that are this dark, but this felt well balanced to me. I enjoyed the magic system within this a lot, and found the world to be very atmospheric. Grunge to the max, but so well described that I felt like I could slip right into it. I will say, the names were very over the top, but they were fun. I liked the romance within, it made sense to me, and I liked Lilith and Zahariev together. This has me interested in reading more from Scarlett St. Clair for sure, and I will definitely continue this series!

Set in the gritty, sin-soaked district of Nineveh in the city of Eden, Terror at the Gates delivers a dark and gripping urban fantasy about power, rebellion, and feminine rage—wrapped in slow-burn romance and a fascinating biblical reimagining.

Lilith Leviathan has been cast out by her powerful family and survives by stealing magical artifacts. When she acquires a mysterious, beautiful dagger, she thinks her luck has finally turned. But everything falls apart when her buyer dies mid-transaction, and the blade’s dark legacy becomes her problem.

With nowhere else to turn, she seeks help from the oh-so-delicious Zahariev, the dangerous, calculating head of the Zareth family—an information broker with a reputation for ruthless control. And he also has a complicated history with Lilith. As the two unravel the truth behind the dangerous blade and grapple with the power structures controlling Eden, their uneasy alliance sparks something far deeper- a bond that could change them forever.

The romance between Lilith and Zahariev simmers beneath every scene, a perfect mix of sharp edge and stolen tenderness. Zahariev is the ultimate “touch her and die” vibe with just the right grit. He’s manipulative and magnetic, but also unflinchingly loyal when it comes to her. Their chemistry sizzles with slow-burning intensity, and every interaction had me straining for them to jump over the edge with each other.

If you love an empowering heroine storyline, nothing quite hits like one steeped in hundred and hundreds of years of feminine age lore. Lilith’s journey is cathartic. She’s not just angry—she’s righteously angry. Her story creatively re-imagines the original Lilith myth and builds her not as a villain or cautionary tale, but as a woman fighting to reclaim her voice, her freedom, and her entire legacy. At times her intensity makes her come across a little blinded, perhaps even emotionally immature, but Scarlett does give her frustrations and anger and resistance substance. There’s teeth and momentum to it, vs. just obstinate paralysis. Her journey as she transforms from outcast to the most epic powerful force is captivating.

While the story started a bit slow at first, overall the story finds its rhythm and is paced pretty well. Good balance of character-building and world building, the right dash of quiet moments and more intense action. The chemistry blossoms at a good pace, and the cliffhanger definitely leaves you gasping, jaw dropped, desperate for what’s next.

The mythological, biblical inspiration here is also really fascinating. Before reading I did a little brushing up on my knowledge of the story of Lilith and Adam- and over the years, that story has morphed into a number of different articulations and representations. Some with victim Lilith, some with seductive villain. Here our heroine is more complex than either. And that’s what made this so fascinating.