wow just wow 😱 I devoured this book!!! The way you truly get to know these characters is amazing 😭 they are my new family. I am blown away by the pacing and writing of this story I felt like I was there with them every step of the way 🥹 I felt every emotion possible while reading

The way I was foaming at the mouth at these men 🧎‍♀️ I’d go back to school in a heartbeat if these are the people I would get to spend it with 🤭

I have so many BLOODY (no pun intended) thoughts about this book!! Let’s review the facts that I scribbled frantically in my notes sections as I read. 😆

The first 40%:
- relationships felt like they were on hyper speed. Within the first 10%, our mistrustful & trauma laced MFC had a new BFF & almost a new boyfriend. I felt like if the book were a little more true to Summer character, it wouldn’t have happened that fast?
- I gobble up a magical university. This one was FUN.
- they say too much of a good thing is a bad thing. Well that’s how I feel about smut. When the characters have too much sex it almost loses its meaning? That’s how I feel, I’ll say no more
- the insta love felt like middle school love, not university love. But bear through it. IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH THE PLOT.

I give the first half of the book, 2-3 stars 🫣 now listen LINDA


The last 60%:
- I INHALED THE LAST HALF. You guys this book is not light. She THICK. 1000 pages on kindle, 700 in print. I read 800 pages in one day. IN ONE DAY.
- this book has my favorite trope. I can’t say it out loud without completely ruining this book for you.
- is the writing perfect? No. Were there times during that first half I thought about DNFing, yes. 😆 I’m personally glad I held on. If you enjoy the emotional damage of ZA, I think you’ll enjoy this series.

I do not think this book if for everyone. There are dark themes. Lots of sex scenes. Could’ve been edited down 300 pages less. Sometimes I wanted to slap the main characters.

However, I couldn’t stop thinking about this. I woke up and immediately wanted to start reading again.

If you like:
- dark academia
- stalker vibes
- magical species coming together at university
- found family
- MFC with secrets and dark past
- just here for the vibe, not perfection!!!!!!!
- finishing a book, crying, and then immediately wanting to reread


I’m landing on a 3.75-4 star rating just because some of the things I could not get past. Mainly the first 40% could’ve been cut in half. The book had some great moments, and with a bit more refinement, it could have been even stronger.

This book just wasn’t for me. The dialogue felt awkward and forced—like it was trying too hard to be dramatic, giving off bad Wattpad vibes. And almost 800 pages for the first book in a series? That alone raised red flags, but I gave it a chance. If the writing doesn’t click, though, it’s hard to push through that much content.

The tone felt all over the place—like a mix of “I’m not like other girls” college drama with random pop culture references. Merlin’s son? Alice the Vampire? Professor Draco? Vlad Dracula? It was hard to take any of it seriously.

The characters are supposed to be 27–32, but they act like freshmen at a frat party. Why mention their age if they’re going to behave like teens? And by 16% in, the main couple is already hooking up and it feels like insta-love, which isn’t my thing.

The writing was pretty flat—“Went to class. Met a hot guy. Repeat.” I couldn’t even make it to the smut because the FMC came off as super “pick me,” and I just couldn’t vibe with it.

Blood and Betrayals is going straight on my wishlist this year, from a stunning cover to a thrilling world of just that- blood and betrayal.

Thank you to NetGalley and the authors for providing an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Uhm. The ending. I wasn't expecting that. That twist. Now I wasn't too obsessed with the romance even though I did like the love interest but something happened where I am conflicted. I wasn't expecting something to happen to a character I like. But we will see where the romance goes cause wow.

As my first dark academia book this exceeded my expectation. First of all I was so intrigued by the length of this but it was very fast paced that I didn’t feel how long it was and I loved so much how the chapters were short. I loved Summer and Connor so much and Alice she was one of my favorite side characters. And Connor’s brothers are every thing my fav was Rafe. And Connor’s parents were so cute I loved them so much loved the bond between them and how much they loved their sons. I loved the mystery aspect of this book. And the stalking THE STALKING was every thing it was my first time reading this trope and I ATE IT UP probably one of my favorites now and would like to read more books containing this trope. I liked the academic setting and how she loved studying I liked how we got to see not only fae characters but also vampires and angles and shapeshifters. I loved how gory this book was I will not say it was the goriest book I read but it was very good I enjoyed it.
I’m conflicted a little bit about what to rate it maybe it is 4 stars or 4.5 or even 5 stars I need to think about it and probably will update my review
Thank you NetGalley for the E-book <3

The way I thought to myself, there's like <5% left of this massive book, what totally bad cliffhanger thing can happen? Fucking insert clown emoji here.
Oh my god this book is like crack. It's literally over 1000 kindle pages and I read 900 of it in a day. It didn't feel long to me at all as a book.

Summer, my girl. She is very flawed but I love that she does try to work on it. She only pisses me off some of the times but that's what makes her a very real character. I definitely love supportive bestie Alice. She's my spirit animal.

I love all the characters in this world. The Headmaster can definitely get it. And the Stranger?! I'm super intrigued what the connection is there.

Also this was great that it's a Read Now on NetGalley. I did buy the ebook on Amazon and read from there though!

Did I love the book? Yes. Did I love the characters? Absolutely. Did I stay up until 3am finishing the book when I have a cruise ship to catch at 11am tomorrow? Also yes 🤣

I love a good fantasy college style book and this one did not disappoint. Summer and Alice are the besties that we all need in our life!! Alice is who I aspire to be! 🤣

And the men in this book! Conner, Max, Stranger, Emrys (only slightly ruined by people calling him Jimmy haha) I’m so intrigued by this and where it’s going to go.

I wasn’t prepared for the end I was totally expecting something different. Do we already have book 2 out? If not we need this ASAP cause ya girl needs answers!

Spicy scenes a plenty in this, they do seem very similar to each other as time goes on. But there’s always a slight variation every now and again.

Absolutely recommend this book if these kinda genres are your bag. Can’t wait for the next one!

Wow such a whirlwind of emotions.

You start off by getting to know Summer a little bit, but you quickly realize her past is very dark and traumatic to talk about. You get to know who she is now, because she isn’t defined by her past.

The world consists of different creatures and magical beings, all attending the same academy. It kind of reminded me of monster high, but for a mature audience.

I think what really stood out in this entire book was the relationships. Not just romantic. I loved how Summer opened up to the idea of making friends, of letting people in her circle. Her best friend Alice made her feeling more confident, and they didn’t shy away from discussing heavy topics. That’s what friendship is. Showing people the good and the bad. Of course I can’t forget about Conner. He was immediately smitten with her from the start. He makes Summer feel loved and worth fighting for.

One of my favorite characters was Summer’s stalker. 👀 Ik that’s probably weird to say, but he definitely won me over. I enjoyed how painful it was for him to just watch Summer be happy with the people in her life, when all he wants is for her to be happy with him.

Thank you to the publishers on Netgalley for this earc.

3.25 ⭐️

My favorite part of this book was the diversity of the magic creatures and the insights into runic magic. I hope this is something the authors explore more as the series goes on, as I see it adding a lot of depth to the plot and overall setting and atmosphere.

I think this book could have done with a lot more editing for length. It was well over 800 pages, which isn't a problem specifically, but there were many scenes that felt repetitive (especially the romantic scenes), and I found myself skimming them at times (which says a lot bc I'm usually SAT).

Our FMC is definitely a complicated girly, and she has some major growing and maturing to do - but we are only in book one. That being said, everyone in this school is supposed to be in their 20-30s (sure) but the interactions, choices, and maturity levels of most of the characters feels very late teens/early twenties.

I'm very intrigued by the shadowy stranger and more about the FMC's past. The authors definitely have done a great job creating a world that I want to learn more about as a reader, especially with all of the other realms that hopefully we will get to learn more about as the series continues. I'll definitely pick up book two.

Thanks to the authors for the advanced copy!

🌶️ 4/5 mostly due to frequency rather than content

I reread this book within a month of it coming out because it is so good. Normally I reread a book about a year or more after it comes out - not within a month after it comes out!!!

This is my reread review as my first review was deleted.

Alice and Summer’s wifey, best friend, ride or die relationship hits me every time as so amazing!! Both Summer and Alice have so many walls around themselves because of their childhood, that watching them come down and watch these two learn to love was written beautifully. I could spend another few hundred pages with just these two getting into trouble and having fun together with no Connor.

I loved how Summer was written. How she was learning to open up, accept help, how flawed she was and how much she was her own worse enemy, and how she worked so hard to be better. She understood her trauma was affecting her loved ones and that she worked to be better for herself and those she loved.

Connor is so perfect and I loved his relationship with his family. He was so cute and how him and his brothers jokes around remember me of my family. He accepted Summers and that her trauma meant that she showed loved very differently. He was patient with her. I loved seeing the patience he had.

Stranger and the headmaster…loved and can’t wait for more. I have theories of the Stranger and Summers relationship and can’t wait to see if they come true.

Overall this story is fantastic and I loved everything. The writing. The characters. The tense. The romance. The mystery. The world. And the buildup for the next books.

What an incredible start to a series. I did not want it to end. Certainly did not want it to end where it did.

This book is a chonker. But the authors have a way of making it seem like time is just flying by as you read. You're hooked in by the mystery that is plagued throughout the whole book. You're looking for crumbs on who the Stranger could possibly be. You're falling in love with Summer, Alice and the whole Morningstar crew. You're trying to figure out how to husband up this hot, broody headmaster.

The magic system is very cool. I like how -- obviously everyone is paranormal -- but the Runes, for example, show up on your person differently depending if you're fae or a sorcerer. I think that's just such a cool detail.

I cannot wait to see where this series goes. Can't wait to fall more in love and shed more tears.

Wasn’t expecting to get this pulled in, but I was and I ended up completely into it. The story just keeps building in a way that’s hard to walk away from, and the characters really sneak up on you.

"Blood and Betrayals" is a gripping tale of intrigue, loyalty, and dark secrets set against a backdrop of power struggles and forbidden desires. Rose weaves a complex narrative that keeps you guessing, blending elements of romance with high-stakes action.

The characters are richly drawn, each with their own motivations and hidden agendas. The chemistry between the protagonists is electric, adding an extra layer of tension to the story. Rose's writing is both vivid and immersive, drawing readers into a world where trust is a luxury and betrayal lurks around every corner.

The plot unfolds with unexpected twists and turns, challenging your assumptions at every turn. Rose explores themes of family, ambition, and the lengths people will go to protect those they love. "Blood and Betrayals" is a thrilling read that will leave you breathless and eager for more.

One thing's for sure. The only things I disliked about this book are the never-ending curse words (It seemed unnecessary, and too childish), the story's too long, and the fact that sometimes, Summer & Connor's relationship falls a bit flat and boring.

Anyway, we're here to talk about the good stuff! The first thing that I noticed is how diverse the characters are, plus they even have different personalities and they belong in different species too: shifters, vampires, angels, demons, faes, sorcerers, etc.

Summer is a very complex character, and for that, I have a love-hate relationship with her. She's still such a mystery even until the end, which leads me to wanting to know more about her! Friendship-wise, I have nothing against her and Alice being friends! They clicked immediately, they are a disaster, but their bond is truly amazing!

What intrigued me most is the world-building (dark academia with an interesting magic system and a murder-mystery plot is what I live for). There's also this mental health problems with the FMC, and of course her healing progress which I appreciate a lot.

Despite the lengthy pages of this book, I honestly continued because of the vibe. As a vibe reader, this one was really hard to stop reading.

I cannot wait to know more about their world in book 2!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review/feedback.

If you're drawn to dark urban fantasy, thriller vibes, and dark academia settings, this book is for you.

In addition if you like:
- multi realm lore and myth based world building
- mysterious obsessed stalker
- fae, shifters, angels, vampires, sorcerers, etc
- tattoo & rune based magic
- found family
- mysterious obsessed stalker
- spicy spice

“There are those who die in fire and those who thrive in it.” and 𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒓. 𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒆. 𝑭𝒖𝒓𝒚. 𝑻𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉.

It boasts a richly detailed world with multi-realm lore and myth-based magic, featuring a diverse array of characters, including fae, shifters, angels, vampires, and sorcerers.

Blood and Betrayals follows Summer, a fae student at Avalon University, as she navigates her first year, forms new relationships, and confronts a mysterious stalker.

With its expert blend of humor, suspense, and emotional depth, this book is sure to captivate and immerse readers. I live for books that will cause emotional damage, and this one did.

Thank you to Jeanette Rose, Alexis Rune, for the Advance Reader Copy!

Absolute fabulous start to this series. Cannot wait for the next ones. I’m absolutely dying on the edge of this cliffhanger

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book. The characters were supposed to be in their late 20s/early 30s, but they acted like high school students. I also was not a fan of the pop culture characters either. It made this book seem more like fan fiction.

I was also not a fan of the writing style. There was a high level of detail to every scene where I was just wanting to skip to the dialogue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rose & Star publishing for the ARC, but this book was not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the authors for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

I finished this book two days ago and am still debating slightly in my head about whether I would recommend it or not. So I will try to break it down.

Things I liked:
- The world. Very cool and interesting, very complex, I wish more time has been invested in delivering this to the reader. The core material was brilliant.
- The academic setting. Avalon University felt like a very real place, I was definitely transported there and the 'slice of daily life' bits didn't irk me, they added to making it feel more realistic to me.
- The magic systems and abilities introduced.
- Connor. He is perfection. Yes, I understand that he is an angel (archangel) therefore this is what what we would expect. BUT, for someone who admits that he was not interested in a relationship before Summer (and I suspect was all about casual hookups), he brings so much emotional intelligence to the table, you can't help but absolutely fall head over heels for him. He reminded me of Noah for Say You Swear. Perfection.
- The 'Hello, Summer' scene. I would read this TOME all over again for the pleasure of experiencing this scene alone. Very One Tree Hill, just brilliant.
- Alice. Amazing, super well fleshed out, love everything about her. An absolute queen.
- The Morningstar sibling love and dynamic. Super lovely and fun.
- Short chapters. Makes it very hard to put down and an easy read.

Things I didn't like:
- The length of the story. Since this is a series, I am dreading to think that each installment is going to be this long. Generally speaking, I believe with some tight editing, this could go down a bit and focus on keeping the pace more effectively. Not 100% sure I am going to read the next one.
- Summer. I understood that she is meant to be traumatised and flawed and we get two experience the two sides of her as she interacts with Connor and the Stranger, but ultimately I wasn't able to connect to her character, didn't find her ARC satisfying and the emotional cheating made me feel very uncomfortable, it really isn't for me. By the end of this book she is still too insecure and crossing the line with too many of the other male characters. For me, you can't leave a 'why choose' situation when you've got Connor on the other side. Also, act a bit more sensible
- Pretty much every other male interaction summer has is a potential love interest? No. this didn't work for me
- Even though everyone is in their late twenties, their behaviour felt more like teenagers.
- The actual romance. I didn't mind the insta-love and Connor and Summer getting together super early. The sex scenes were a bit basic and all pretty much felt the same and the dialog was a bit surface level for me.
- The ending.
- The writing. Overall, it was ok, not great.
- The murder mystery. Not enough of it in proportion to the pace of the story and all the everyday scenes and kind of wrapped up leaving me with more questions than answers (but not in a good way).
- Rafe. I'm left with so many questions and after 900++ pages, I needed a bit more of his story.

So, there you have it. I was a fun read but definitely proceed at your own risk, it's a 1K or so commitment.

3.5⭐

Thank you to Alexis Rune, Jeanette Rose and Rose & Star Publishing for this ARC.

I want to start this review by saying I truly did enjoy reading this book! The world-building and the writing style was something I really enjoyed --- especially the way that the prose flowed into the narrative.

My biggest issue was the pacing which felt very uneven. The romance was rushed and I understood that it was because rof the first love trope. Most of the time this book felt like a varsity romance that just happens to take place within a fantasy world. The ending totally put me off and the emotional cheating did not sit well with me. I'm hoping to read the next book too but I'm unsure at this time.

This isn't my piece of cake but I'm sure many others would love reading Blood & Betrayals!