I’m not even sure where to begin with this one! I honestly wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting into when I first started this but I was hooked from the jump! I don’t think this book would fall under one of my “usual” reads but I’m so happy I got the opportunity to read this, it was a great time!

This book expands across genres: dark academia, contemporary romance, thriller, murder mystery, fantasy, paranormal romance — it’s certainly unique and doesn’t fit into any single box

The characters of this book are so easy to connect with:
• I loved Alice from the moment I met her, she’s the best friend that anyone would be lucky to have. She’s fierce, feisty, fiery, and funny. She constantly had me cracking up and is one of my favorite side characters ever.
• Summer hits really close to home for me. I empathize with her trauma, past relationships, and walls she’s built up to protect herself. I felt like I was reading a reflection of my past self not willing to accept the love and care of a healthy relationship. It was so easy to love her and identify with her, she was a great FMC.
• Max is a mystery to me, I have a lot of unanswered questions about him, but I’m so intrigued by his character. I WANT to like him, and for now I’ll say that I do, but I have a little side eye question mark about this one
• Connor “Big Guy” Morningstar was such a sweet MMC. He’s not my usual MMC type and at times he was a little TOO sweet for me. But I love how understanding and supportive he is of Summer, and as an Alice, as long as he makes Summer happy, he’s alright in my book

I could go on about more characters in this book but then this review would end up as a short novella. The twists and turns in this book are crazy! My buddy read with Sarah has SO MANY notes in it of our predictions and speculations! I promise you’ll never know what’s coming next, and honestly that’s a sign of a great read

I have SO MANY unanswered questions after that ending! I had to take a few minutes to process it all when I finished. I know she’s a thicccc book which can be a bit intimidating but do yourself a favor and give her a read. Feel free to blow up my DMs with thoughts, reactions, and speculations!

Omg I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down! I am also dying to read book 2, so I'm hoping it won't be too long a wait 😅

This book was kind of a dark romantasy book set at Avalon University, an elite magic institution with shifters, angels, vampires, berserkers, fae, warlocks and others. Throughout the whole story there was an undertone of darkness and mystery, so that it almost felt like a little bit of a thriller at times especially when murders started happening. I really liked all the characters and felt like they were really well written, and particularly liked the 'stranger' who is very intriguing.

I think fans of Zodiac Academy will definitely enjoy this!

This was a wild ride and thoroughly addicting. We follow Summer through her first year at Avalon Academy and the drama, murder, parties that follow. There are fae, vampire, shifters, frat house parties and a whole load of potential leading men, Conner & the Morningstar brothers, The Headmaster, The Stranger, Max, this book is packed full of beautiful people. Conner the golden boy angel and his love for Summer despite her high walls and the progression of their relationship alongside our mysterious Stranger, I cannot wait to see where this all goes for book 2. I have to admit it’s the first book that made me tear up in a long time and kept me guessing the whole way through!

DNF 25% in


I tried. And because I received an ARC, I told myself I shouldn’t DNF an ARC but holy cow it would have put me into a book slump if I continued on. This book is well over 800 and the dialogue is very childish to me. It’s very hard to power through and I couldn’t do it anymore.

Totally hooked! This book was such a fun, wild ride and seriously addictive—I couldn’t put it down. It gave me major Zodiac Academy vibes, so if you’re into that kind of intense, character-driven fantasy with action and twists, you’re going to love this. The worldbuilding has so much promise, and I can totally see this turning into a series people get obsessed with.

Huge thanks to Rose and Star Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC! All thoughts are my own, promise.

Yeah, no. This just wasn’t it. The dialogue gave me major bad Wattpad flashbacks—so cringey and forced. And why is the first book in a series almost 800 pages?? I had a feeling from that alone this wasn’t gonna be for me, but I gave it a shot anyway. Honestly, if the writing doesn’t click, it doesn’t click, and I’m not gonna force myself through 800 pages of something I’m not enjoying.

Also… the vibes?? Just no. It’s giving party girl, “I’m not like other girls,” college chaos, “let’s fuck shit up,” and every magical pop culture reference you can imagine thrown in like it’s a TikTok mashup. Merlin’s son?? Alice the Vampire?? Professor Draco??? Vlad Dracula??? Like... what are we doing here.

The setup says all the students are 27–32, which sounded cool because I was hoping for more mature characters. But then they act like freshmen at their first frat party. So why even mention their age?? Don’t sell me older characters and then write them like horny 19-year-olds.

Here’s an actual line from chapter one:

“Most are in their late twenties or early thirties… blah blah prestigious Avalon University.”

Cool, so why are they all acting like chaotic teens making out in dark corners and getting wasted every night?

By 16% in, the main characters have already hooked up and the guy is obsessed with the girl and wants to be her boyfriend. Like... what. They barely know each other. It's the most eye-roll insta-love I've read in a while. Even if there’s another love interest later, I honestly don’t care—everyone’s behavior is just super immature and annoying.

And the writing? Flat as hell. Literally feels like:
“Went to class. Hot professor. Next class. Another hot professor. Went out. Met a hot guy. Repeat.”
I didn’t even get to the smut, because I couldn’t stand being in the FMC’s head. She’s the ultimate “pick me” and just... ugh. Absolutely insufferable.

Also—cooch??? In a supposedly dark academia book?? Please be serious.

Hard pass.

DNF

Yeah, no. The dialogue reads like a bad Wattpad story—super cringey and unnatural. Right off the bat, I could tell this book was way too long (why is the first book in a series almost 800 pages??), and honestly, I knew from that alone it probably wasn’t for me. After giving it a shot, I’m definitely not going to push myself through something I’m not enjoying. If the writing doesn’t click, it doesn’t click.

blood & betrayals is the start of the avalon university series, and what a start it was!

i was immediately intrigued from chapter one, and throughout the whole novel, the dark and ethereal atmosphere remains. the world building is incredibly intriguing, and i found myself as interested as summer in the history and the magic of this world. i wanted to know everything. if jeanette rose & alexis rune released a history book about the universe they created in blood & betrayals, i’d read it. i’d attend the classes.

now, while i would have liked the story to spend a bit more time on the mystery aspect of the plot, i was honestly quite terrified for summer. the weight of this mystery was felt through the whole novel, which was gripping.

what drives the story, in the end, are the characters. i loved summer, i loved how far from perfect she was, how she made mistakes and how she sometimes felt very messy feelings. she is flawed, but i was rooting for her. connor took me a while to like, but in the end, i understood his character and appreciated him a lot. and the found family! alice is an icon and i adored her. rafe? i loved him, and i wouldn’t say no to more of him. zane & zach were funny, and i really liked lucas as well. the sense of belonging that summer feels spending time with them, and other characters like max, was portrayed so well. and of course, the stranger. my feelings were all over the place when it came to him, just like summer’s, and it’s what makes him a fascinating character. i first thought i knew who he was, but honestly, i don’t know anymore. i can’t wait to know more!

i really liked the writing style as well, it gave me 2000s/2010s style, in the best way possible. it was so bingeable. the vibes were perfect, i have to say. however, i do think the book could have benefited from being a little shorter. it did feel long at times with the pacing. the ending, while a bit too abrupt in my opinion, was incredible and opens up incredible potential for book two! i’ll definitely be continuing the series!

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

Addictive as hell! This is an amazing start to what I anticipate will be everyone's next fantasy obsession, definitely for fans of Zodiac Academy, loved this so much, great balance of character depth/action

I absolutely ate this book up!!! The setting was absolutely perfect! The cast of characters was amazing! The plot, the drama, the mystery, all of it was incredible.

I had a really fun time reading this book. I haven’t read Zodiac Academy, but I imagine that the way I felt reading this book is how people feel when they read Zodiac Academy.

I think there is a lot of potential for this book to go places.

Thank you to Rose and Star Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own and are in no way influenced by the manner in which I received it.

🩸 𝔅𝔩𝔬𝔬𝔡 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔅𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔶𝔞𝔩𝔰 ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴 🩸
I'll begin by stating that the prologue gave me the ick, and I wasn't sure whether to continue reading or not. However, after I passed that part, it became good. I loved the main characters and the side characters, especially Alice. The male characters in this book are hot- very hot! Lol. (It is NOT a why choose or love triangle book.) I liked the murder/ stalker aspect, but the eerie vibes were barely there. I have read dark academia books with better eerie vibes, but I do understand it is also romantasy; still, I wanted more. Also, let's talk about the MC, specifically their age and its relation to the plot. The characters are around ages 27 to 30, but their actions and speech give off vibes of teenagers to those in their early 20s. I think the authors decided to categorize the characters within that age range mainly because of the frequent sexual scenes, which I didn’t really like. Each scene was so brief- like a quickie, him slamming into her with nothing more! Lol. No passion, no longing, no tension, NOTHING. Ultimately, I wasn't as obsessed as others due to the reasons I've mentioned and because there are many unanswered questions and scenes we aren't sure whether they were actually fulfilled or not. Not only that, some scenes felt so unnecessary, and it was SO GOD DAMN LONG- like, why?! Over 1000 pages... I'm positive the story could have been way better if it had been shortened by half, better edited, with some scenes erased, while adding more eerie vibes, tension, passion, and better sex scenes! Lol.
So, do I recommend this book? Maybe? I am not entirely sure.
Will I read the next book? I think so, hopefully it will be less than 1000 pages… because I won't last another round of that hehe

Rating: 3.5 rounded to 4 ⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

✨ 𝔗𝔯𝔬𝔭𝔢𝔰/ 𝔊𝔢𝔫𝔯𝔢 ✨
- Fae, vampires, angels, shifters, sirens
- Dark academia romantasy
- Murder mystery
- stalking
- Avalon University
- Golden retriever MMC

A dark academia fantasy book with a side of murder mystery. Summer Tuatha De Daana was running from her dark past and the shady people in her life. When someone applied to Avalon University on her behalf and she got accepted to the elite institution, she figured its the best place to hide out and get the chance to acquire knowledge and develop her magic. In the smorgasbord of supernatural creatures (fae, vampire, archangels, shifters, sorcerers, etc.) learning to wield their power, one seems to be on a murder spree intent on Summer being the final target.

Blood and Betrayals has such amazing characters, an absolute riot of lovable and questionable ones. Alice, the unhinged slightly violent vampire bestfriend and roommate, is my favorite. We all need a friend like her IRL, vampire powers aside, the loyalty and level of understanding she extends to Summer is top notch. Connor, the golden retriever boyfriend, with his rowdy pack of siblings and adorable parents. There's a pureness in Connor's characterization that you can understand Summer's struggle with her relationship with him. The stranger and the headmaster are equally questionable and attractive in a dark and foreboding way - you know it probably will not end well but that it's definitely going to be one hell of a ride.

This book is long, some parts did feel really slow, I understand the need to highlight Summer's inner monologue however it feels repetitive at some point. That ending though, OOOHHH BRUTAL!!! I was internally screaming: NOOO, this cannot be how this ends!!!

Overall, a really good read. Looking forward to Book 2 with hopefully more answers to the murder mystery side of the storyline!!!

I had a fun time reading this if I'm honest.
The murder mystery as well and the dark academia vibes was perfect!
Oh and I cant forget my favorite black cat and golden retriever romance!!
Summer is such a fun character who is honestly hilarious throughout this book! And then we have Connor who is such a cutie and he is so sweet!! he can do no wrong!

Now listen yes I did cringe a few times with the dialogue but honestly I feel like it builds the character development sometimes. I read for vibes and this just worked for me.

I took five business days to write this review because I am still recovering from that brutal cliff hanger. OMG I absolutely devoured this story and this world. Our FMC Summer is mysteriously enrolled in Avalon University, where strange murders are taking place, and she is determined to figure out who is behind everything. When I say I want to read a good dark academia fantasy book, this is a perfect example of what I mean. This school is built of fae, vampires, archangels, shapeshifters, etc and they are all learning how to wield their powers. The main characters are so well flushed out, you will fall in love with everyone! From our feisty FMC Summer, to her murderous best friend vamperina Alice, the Moringstar brothers, and THE SHADOW DADDY STRANGER . I absolutely loved this story, the spice (grumpy fmc x sunshine golden retriever mmc), the banter, the character development, the unique magic system, and the mystery whodunit element. I highly recommend, and will be impatiently waiting for book 2 because whyyyyy did it end like that?!?!?!

Let me try and collect my thoughts about this masterpiece, because wow...!
I've read books before that had me hooked very early on, but B&B takes the record by hooking me in with the very first sentence (and keeping me hooked the whole way through).
This book may seem intimidatingly long, but I was so damn glad for it. This is the type of world and story you don't want to leave. I will take every detail I can get! The world they've created is so expansive, but not at all confusing or overwhelming. My brain grabbed onto all of the knowledge about the different realms and magic systems so easily.
The characters are incredible...Alice is such a loyal and protective friend, and I adore her. The 'not instalove, but not slow-burn' romance between Connor and Summer is perfection. I ate up every moment they were together. The book has plenty of spicy scenes, but it never at any moment felt like too much.
Top all of that with a gripping plot that has you on the edge of your seat and honestly, Alexis and Jeanette have perfected the formula here. They've genuinely created something so special with Blood & Betrayals.
Oh, and about the ending? If I just don't mention it then the trauma isn't real, right? RIGHT?!

Thank you SO much to the authors and Rose & Star publishing for the ARC, and for giving me the opportunity to share my honest thoughts on the book. This has been such a privilege!

Give me a college fantasy romance any day of the week and I will happily lock myself away and devour it.

I don't even know where to begin with this book. It was absolutely way too long but I enjoyed every single second of it. This is my kind of book - academia fantasy with a mix of shifters, vampires, fae and angels, mystery and suspense, mental health rep, found family - everything I love wrapped up into a meaty 1000+ page package. The characters were amazing. I absolutely ADORE Alice, and while I was highly suspect of Connor for a good part of the book, he is an absolute golden retriever of a man and is my new book boyfriend. The character development and exploration of Summer and her past was emotional and gripping. I was diagnosed with BPD several years ago and it was refreshing to see it explored in a book, and I felt seen and heard and like I really connected with Summer's story. I think this book could have been shortened by removing a lot of the inner dialogue - at times it felt like I was reading Summer's diary with the narration and internal thoughts, but it also made it seem much more real, and like I could imagine it playing out right in front of me. If you're willing to commit to a thicc book, you will not regret reading this. I genuinely enjoyed it so much, and it is a fantastic dark academia novel with all of your favourite fantasy elements.

Thank you so much to the authors and Rose & Star Publishing for the eARC of this book <3

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was so fast paced and the world building was pretty easy. The ending just blew my mind and I cannot wait for the next book!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5/5

10-second synopsis: Welcome to Avalon University, where individuals of all species - shifters, vampires, fae, angels, etc - come to further their studies! Our girl Summer is a fae who has gone through some stuff in her life and just wants to get through school unscathed. However, there's dark secrets within her school and Summer finds herself needing to uncover them... Can she, her unhinged vampire bestie roommate, and her perfect golden retriever angel boyfriend figure out the truth before it's too late? Oh and did I mention Summer also has a stalker?

Review: This one was a WILD ride. I had the most fun reading this book! With a side of pain and heartache. Don't let the length of this book deter you. I ate up EVERY. SINGLE. page!!! From getting to know Summer and why she is the way she is (it was like looking in a mirror at times) to her friendship with Alice to sweet angel perfect baby sweetheart Connor and all of the other side characters, I feel like everyone was extremely well-developed and all had their own imprint on the story. Also, literally everyone in this book is hot? Like really hot? Here for it. I am FERAL to learn more about some of our side characters in book 2 and beyond. The mystery in this book is so well done - you think you know something, and psych, you don't.
There are so many questions at the end of book 1 that I just can't wait to get more!! Speaking of the ending, OMG I WILL NEVER RECOVER. That’s all!

Solid 3.5⭐ for me - rounding up

Phew, what a ride. Blood & Betrayals follows Summer, a Fae with a dark and mysterious past, through her first year at Avalon University. She's prepared to keep her walls up and other people out but what she wasn't prepared for was the greenest of green flag men and a little psycho vampire of a roommate to barrel their way right into her heart. On top of navigating her classes and these new relationships, add on an intriguing stalker, a string of murders and one reclusive but insanely hot headmaster...yeah, a rollercoaster.

Thank you to the authors for providing me with an advanced copy. This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

- I loved all the main and side characters and thought they were all written well. Summer started to grate on my nerves towards the end but such is the nature of her character so to me, that means the authors wrote her exactly as intended.
- Alice is perfection.
- I'm a sucker for a murder mystery plot so I really enjoyed that and almost wish we got more of that.
- The authors really had the audacity to give us perfect Connor, hot AF headmaster Emrys, the mysterious and also hot Stranger, tortured broody Rafe, and even Maxxy poo. Not a why choose, not a love triangle - just all these male characters to fawn over. I mean, I'm not complaining!
- I loved the glimpses we got of the world outside Avalon and I'm really looking forward to exploring more of this world in future books.

Though I enjoyed and would recommend this book, obviously based on my rating, I did have some hangups which I will share below and will include spoilers. Stop here if that doesn't serve you.
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- The characters being 27-32 made no sense. I have a suspicion they were aged up to account for the frequency of sex that was happening. Unfortunately with the college setting as well as their own actions and dialogue, the characters still seemed younger like 18-22.
- A note on the spice - the frequency is high but the individual scenes were always quick. I was hoping for a little more especially as Summer and Connor's relationship progressed. But it was always him just slamming into her 🤷
- It's been said before but I'll say it again. This was so. damn. long. I can read a long book when the plot calls for it but this did not. There were a lot of repetitive scenes and seemingly unnecessary ones. I think this could have been tightened up and been a much stronger story.
- Speaking of unnecessary scenes - the cheerleading tryouts. Why were Summer and Alice trying out for the cheerleading team and just pulling back flips, cheer dances and back handsprings out of their back pocket?!
- Summer only started to bother me when it became apparent that she was oblivious to everyone being obsessed with her. Like girl, stop it. You can't possibly think the emotional cheating you've been engaging in is innocent.
- Max is truly the only person thinking logically lol when Summer tries to initiate a second tickle fest and he said "why would I play"? to an ENGAGED Summer I was like HELL YES MAX.
- I really needed more from that ending. I just didn't think it was enough payoff for the 1000 pages read.
- Unfortunately, my heart was not ripped out like my fellow readers. I'm not good at guessing things in books, but every part of me knew Connor would die. First of all, he was too perfect and perfect characters have nowhere to grow. Second of all, we have a plethora of potential love interests at play. A small part of me is unsure if he is dead dead but alas, I did not get that emotional gut punch.