The world building, plot, and writing style was something I wasn't a fan of. The romance was nice though.

I honestly don't know why this book has such overwhelmingly amazing reviews because, I hate to say it, but it's not that good. The FMC is childish, selfish, stupid, and soooo annoying. I truly could not stand her. The concept here was really good. I liked the forest being aware and vengeful, I liked the idea of the vampires only being that way because they were cursed, and I liked the whole mystery of who did what in the past and how that's created this present. But the way this was written just did not work. It never once pulled me in, things were repeated over and over, and it was like the same thing kept happening just in a different location. IE: Lilah was constantly getting taken by bad vampires and Nyx would just repeatedly cheat death and go save her. Even when we get to the ending and it seemed liked things were finally going to get good, it all just built and built and then....Lilah was Lilah....

So yeah, I hated Lilah. She lost her mother to a sickness when she was really young and then she witnessed her father being murdered when she was 12 because he wouldn't tell the attackers where she was. She vowed then that she would become one of the queen's hunters, track these monsters down, and kill them. Then she spends the next few years as a street rat until some random drunk guy takes her home to work on his farm in exchange for room and board. During her years with him, she practices with a sword all by herself after watching the hunters training. And somehow she becomes this amazing kick-ass fighter who beats the best hunter in the kingdom? Don't make me laugh. Oh, but I did again when she proceeds to beat another one of the best hunters in the kingdom. So ridiculously unbelievable. But I can only assume that there's a sort of brainwashing going on here with the number of times we are told that she's a huntress and that makes her a badass fighter who fears nothing. You know, like those things that if you say it enough times you believe it? For someone who's just so strong she sure did get her own ass kicked more often than not.

I guess I liked Nyx. But mostly that's because he has the same name as one of my cats. That was a fun surprise. I really didn't have as big a problem with him as I did Lilah, I didn't care one way or another really. While I can appreciate his character and the circumstances that this exiled prince finds himself in, he was just such a boring love sick sap. Which is too bad.

So basically what happens here is that literally a handful of days after Lilah becomes an official huntress, she is sent on a dangerous mission into the dark forest where all sorts of extremely dangerous creatures and the vampires live. It doesn't take long for their group to be attacked and for her to be separated from them. She's saved by Nyx and we spend the rest of the book with these two lusting after each other. Lilah gets kidnapped multiple times, Nyx somehow escapes certain death multiple times, and every so often Lilah learns a truth about her own kingdom and herself that she never knew. Turns out that Lilah is special....but that's definitely not a good thing and it has put a huge bounty on her head from the vampire king. When he finally gets his hands on her, the story really did get more interesting. But I don't like how this ended and the task that Lilah has to do to save the vampire she somehow fell in love with despite how much she hates his kind. She's just too weak and stupid to pull it off believably, so I can already see the next book annoying me even more. So I'm gonna pass on that.

This book had a great concept with clear potential and drive, but fell flat. I would've loved to see more development of feelings and attraction between the main characters.

The main character's logic/internal monologue seemed to jump around, like thoughts she had in the middle should've come earlier to ease the flow and build her character. FMC and MMC didn't deviate from stereotypes.

The prose had amazing potential, but veered so much into modern day/contemporary idioms and wording that it took me out of the book, rather than leaning on the fantastical elements to immerse the reader. It was too stereotypical (I'm thinking ACOMAF X Twilight) and relied heavily on tropes to move the plot and character relationships forward.

If you like vampires, spice and love to see tropes of the romantasy genre, this book is definitely for you.

Let me start off by saying the book got better as it went but I do have a lot of critiquing to give. There’s still some editing and spell checks to be done but other than that this was a pretty good one.

I would have liked for Lilah to have spent more time really questioning her 180 degree switch from hating all vampires to being in love with one. I would have liked to see that inner conflict resolved more slowly and realistically. Nyx’s too to some extent.

He watched her for all those years but never really explained how he felt for Lilah which could have been sweet. I want to know why he was willing to do so much for her. And why he was he so against his father Dravian. I would have liked to see that back story a little bit. There was almost nothing other than general personality differences. Give me more!

I also want to know more about Lilah’s magic, why the forest hates her, who the Veyls are and why they’re special. So many more questions and not enough room for them all. I asusten we’ll learn more as the series goes on but more development would have made for a better book.

I know I had a lot of negative to say but it was only because I can see the potential to this being a REALLY GOOD BOOK it just needs more development. Right now it stands at ok/good and it’s just SO close

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC!
I was initially drawn to this book because of the cover—it’s absolutely stunning! What’s inside didn’t disappoint either. This fast-paced, dark vampire romantasy is packed with action, magic, and a whole lot of revenge.

Lilah, our fierce FMC, is on a mission to avenge her father’s murder at the hands of vampires. He refused to give her up to them and paid the ultimate price. Orphaned—her mother passed away earlier—Lilah ends up living on a farm with Eldrich.

Determined to forge her own path, Lilah sets her sights on joining the Queen’s Royal Guard, a position rarely held by women. Against all odds, she earns her place and becomes the first female huntress in the Guard. She fights tooth and nail for her spot—but everything changes when she’s captured by Nyx, a vampire, and taken into the Dark Forest.

Though Lilah hates Nyx at first, their banter and tension are deliciously sharp, adding heat to the enemies-to-lovers romance. There are a few spicy scenes, a dash of world-building, and plenty of twists to keep things interesting. It’s a fun, dark, and addictive vampire read that romantasy fans will love!

1.5 Stars

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, vampires, forbidden romance and political intrigue.

However it just fell short for me, I think mainly because it is a short book so the romance comes off as insta love and the characters themselves aren’t really as fleshed out as they need to be for me to care about them.

Overall this book wasn’t targeted for me but I want to thank NetGalley for the arc

Kay Marrie’s A Court of Blood and Sacrifice launches the Blood and Vengeance series with a thrilling dive into betrayal, vengeance, and dangerous alliances. The story opens with our fierce heroine witnessing her father’s murder by a mysterious vampire, igniting a lifelong quest for revenge. Rising to become a formidable vampire hunter in the Sunfire Court, she’s unstoppable—until a vampire enemy turns her mission upside down. Forced into an uneasy alliance in the treacherous Dark Lands, their chemistry crackles, blending enemies-to-lovers tension with dark magic and secrets that challenge everything she knows. This atmospheric, slow-burn fantasy will captivate fans of morally gray romance and high-stakes intrigue.

I really liked the concept of this book- it sounded like it would be right up my street. Unfortunately, a few things I couldn’t get on with were the pacing of the book and lack of slow burn. I know this isn’t necessarily advertised as being a slow burn romance which is why I won’t be reviewing it on my booksta as this wouldn’t be a fair review. But yeah unfortunately not for me. Great concept and writing though! If I had one feedback it would be that the ending felt rather rushed.

Really enjoyed this book, hooked me in from the start, ends on a cliffhanger and can't wait for the next instalment.

Vampires, magic, otherworldly creatures, what's not to love

Enemies to lovers vibe, twists and turns, kept me on my toes

Now I haven’t had any luck with books so I was excited to see this one on NetGalley. Unfortunately it was not executed properly and gave wattpad vibes. The plot was all over the places with many scenes/event’s being repeated continuously and I started skimming to just finish. I will say that the romance came out of nowhere and their chemistry was severely lacking. I do wish this one would have worked out but it didn’t. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. From the world settings and building to the dark, twisted, and cruel world. The characters were also a stand out with how much they suffered. I can't wait to read book 2.

4/5

From the very first heartbreaking scene, this book grabbed me by the heart and refused to let go. Watching the main character’s father get brutally murdered—and her fierce promise of revenge—sets a pulse-pounding tone that carries through every page. I was instantly hooked.

What truly stole the show for me was the electric, volatile dance between the main character and the vampire. Enemies forced into an uneasy alliance, they spark with mistrust, tension, and a slow-burning chemistry that’s equal parts combustible and heartbreaking. The dual perspectives added layers to their dynamic, though I found myself craving even more insight from the vampire’s point of view.

The world-building here is lush and immersive, painted with dark, mysterious strokes—from the enigmatic Sunfire Court to a forest that almost feels alive with secrets. The blend of magical realism and gritty fantasy created an atmosphere that was both dangerous and captivating.
Admittedly, the pacing hit a lull mid-story, and a few plot transitions felt abrupt, but the flawed, evolving characters more than made up for it. The romance simmers beneath the surface, teasing what promises to be a compelling development in future books. And just when you think you’ve got it figured out—bam! The twist at the end flips everything on its head in the best way possible, leaving you eager for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

I enjoyed the book but I had a hard time with pacing of the overall story. I felt like things happened way too quick or way too slowly, there was no in between. While I had a hard time with that, I don't think it negatively impacted my time reading this book. I enjoyed the characters and the world building, and can see where Kay wants to go with the series and intrigued to pick up the next book. If you like vampires, enemies to lovers and good world building, this is a book I think you should pick up!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC.

Lilah only has her father after her mother was killed from a mysterious illness spreading throughout the land, and then one day at 12 Lilah's father makes her hide and he is killed by vampires. With nowhere to go Lilah rummages for food till she finds a kind man to take her in. Now alls he cares about is becoming one of the Sunfire Court so she can find the vampires responsible for her father's death and kill them. Becoming the first female to fight and kill vampires is all she cares about but once accepted things turn and Lilah finds herself with a vampire she should hate.

Lilah didn't know vampires existed till her father was murdered but she had no clue she was still in the dark about so much and she soon learns it's not just the vampires who are evil and maybe not all the vampires are as evil as she first believed. But what she is sure about is she will kill the vampires who took her father away. She just never guessed she'd fall for someone along the way.

This was a good book, I loved the premise int his story. There's a lot of really interesting elements added to this book making it not just a regular vampire book. The story is not finished in this book and leaves off with so much unanswered and a cliffhanger. I wouldn't say it's a cliffhanger that makes you want to throw your kindle but you for sure want to know what will happen next.

I like both series with one person's point of view but I love when we get both the heroine and the heroes point of view. When reading this I assumed it was just Lilah's point of view but then we get small bits on Nyx point of view. I liked that we see what he's thinking but it wasn't a consistent back and forth point of view(like many books one chapter each) so that did leave me wishing for more of his view point. This was different for me so something i wanted to make mention of. I liked this book is was fun to read and I liked the elements in it that weren't a cookie cutter vampire/slayer book. I'm really wanting to see what happens next!

*Thank you Netgalley and Kay Marrie for this ARC

Vampires, battles, and magical creatures - A Court of Blood and Sacrifice is a thrilling new romantasy. Lilah fights to learn more about her past as she battles for her place in a country fighting off the advances of a vampire nation.

The first book in a new series, Kay Marrie has created a fascinating world that the reader can easily get invested in! Lilah is fierce; the kind of strong female main character you want to read more of! The spice is light, definitely hoping for more romance and heat in book two👀.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review📚

I think the plot is definitely going somewhere and I loved the fast burn, Romantasy vibes of this book.

The writer has a fantastic imagination and described it so visibly that I was able to imagine those worlds really well.

I was super tense throughout, just when I thought Lilah would get a reprieve, something else happened.

I adore a strong, feisty heroine and that's exactly what Lilah was. I would also love a piece of Nyx myself.
I wish there was more of Nyx's POV because I felt his feelings where really rushed? he seemed to fall in love extremely quickly, I understand he had been watching her for a while but would have loved to see more of that and understand more of where that came from.

Overall I really liked this book, I love the magical aspect of it, it really throws me into another world that I enjoy being in and I can't wait for the next book!

Honest review incoming….this book from the outset had all the things that I like. Vampires, magic, enemies to lovers. But I just couldn’t get along with it fully for some reason.

Some of the way things were phrased seemed really clunky, in particular some of the dialogue didn’t seem 100% like natural speech. But perhaps that’s how I read it in my head.

I read a few other reviews which mentioned the odd pacing and the seemingly unfounded connection with the main characters and I am in a mind to agree. We didn’t get long with the training to be a hunter but yet she is apparently amazing.

There was a fair bit of repetition aswell, perhaps for emphasis but I didn’t feel it needed it. (Yes we know you’re the first female huntress….yes we know your fuming cause your dad was murdered….😅)

I will be honest it was nearly a DNF but I persevered and started partly speed reading.

I don’t want to sound like there was no good points. There definitely was, I think the overall story seems good and I liked some of the atmospheric introductions. But perhaps just not fully to my own liking. And I did enjoy the sass she gave quite often too.

1/5⭐

My thoughts:
I really wanted to love this book. I love vampires, magic, romace..etc
Sadly, this book were not for me.
The first chapters were fine I guess, even though the writing style were bothering me a bit.
I really struggled to continue readling after 40%.
The pacing was weird, all the characters were angry/filled with rage/hatred all the time *insert eyeroll*. The romance came out of nowhere, and almost gave me a wiplash. I mean, I knew there would be romance- obviously. But the maincharacters lacked chemistry, and the romance really went from 0-100 in one chapter.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

*ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
1/5 Stars

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🩸 Enemies To Lovers
⚔️ Forced Proximity
🩸 Touch Her & Die
⚔️ Hidden Family Secrets
🩸 Mysterious & Dark Vibes
⚔️ Vampire/Human Romance

💭 Thoughts-
Honestly, when I read this most of my reactions would be described in one simple emoji and that is 🙄. This whole story seemed wayyy too generic and without any unique qualities to make it stand out from other books I’ve read like this. The pacing also just seemed super off and weird and the chapters lacked depth and any real meaning or anything to it. The romance also progressed way too quickly, and she was just trusting him for no reason whatsoever when she obviously shouldn’t be. All in all, though, I did not like this book and would not recommend unless you want a super generic vampire romance book.

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(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

Emotional, dark, and full of twists – I couldn’t put it down!

This story pulled me in straight away. The beginning was heartbreaking and intense – watching the main character’s father get murdered and seeing her promise to take revenge really set the tone. From that moment on, I was hooked.

What I really enjoyed was the relationship between her and the vampire. I love stories where enemies are forced to work together, and this one got it just right. There was tension, mistrust, and that slow build of something deeper. Their moments together were full of conflict but also strangely moving.

The world itself was great too – dark, mysterious, and dangerous. I liked the idea of the Sunfire Court guards and the forest that seemed alive. Everything felt well thought out and easy to picture.

And then came the twist at the end – I didn’t see it coming, but it made me rethink everything in the best way.

If you like dark fantasy with strong characters, emotional moments, and a bit of romance and danger, this book is well worth a read. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the next one!