I loved this book. We Who Will Die is a dark, twisty, slow-burn romantasy that completely hooked me from the first chapter. The world is gritty and intense—vampires, gods, deadly arenas—it has everything, and it’s all woven together in such a fresh, high-stakes way.
Arvelle is such a strong, relatable lead. Her fierce loyalty to her brothers, her determination, and her slow realization of the powers she’s developing made her journey so satisfying. And the romance? So. Much. Tension. I couldn’t get enough of her dynamic with the Primus (ugh, the angst!) and the mysterious, slightly terrifying Rorrik. Both had me fully invested.
The pacing was spot-on, the action scenes were epic, and the emotional moments hit hard. Plus, the twisty court politics and layered characters kept me guessing the whole way through.
If you love slow-burn romance, powerful heroines, and high-stakes fantasy with major heart, this is a must-read. I already need the next book... yesterday.

This novel pulled me in quickly and held me there with its gritty tone, emotional depth, and layered suspense. I went in expecting another dystopian survival story, but what I got was something darker, smarter, and more emotionally charged than I anticipated.

Arvelle - my heart breaks for her with the turn of every page.
Tiernon - I'd give up chocolate cake and wine for a moment with him!

There were moments that genuinely made my heart race, especially scenes where the characters had to make impossible choices just to stay alive. It reminded me of the raw survival aspects in The Hunger Games, but with a heavier emotional weight and a more adult edge. The tension felt more psychological than action-based at times, and that really worked for me.

Through every trial, Arvelle realizes that survival is not just about outsmarting others but about deciding who she was willing to become in the process. That internal struggle of choosing between holding onto humanity or giving in to the system's brutality felt chillingly real. It reminded me of Katniss but with a deeper emotional conflict that felt more grounded in adult fears. It really captured that haunting feeling of being both a pawn and a fighter in a broken system. It made me pause and think about how resilience is often built quietly, in fear and uncertainty.

I did wish we got a bit more development for some of the side characters, just to feel the full impact of their stakes. But the writing is strong and I couldn't put this novel down. I need the sequel!

This is a standout for fans of dystopian fiction who want something a little deeper, a little darker, and a little bit of spice.

Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is everything! This story has gladiators, mythical creatures, YEARNING!! I could not get enough and once I finished I was left with the need to preorder a special edition copy to add to my shelf! This was one of my favorite reads this year! Instant favorite! Absolutely amazing from start to finish!!!

a dance between battle and lust!! if there's one thing Stacia stark can do- it's a plot twist. I spent 10 minutes in a screaming fit that resulted in a coughing/laughing fit because I was so oblivious. It may feel overwhelming in the beginning, learning the names and structure (there's a lot all at once), but it'll pass quickly! Sometimes I have to re-read combat scenes in order to visualize the movements but for this novel I did not! It felt like a movie I was so immersed. highly recommend if you want a Romantasy with hunger games/gladiator vibes!

Thank you Avon and Garper voyage, Netgally and Stacia.

I love a true enemies to lovers tale. I ate this book up. The characters for real grew on me fast!!! If you love gladiators and vampires ... power struggles and heat.. then this is your book.

Thank you for the opportunity!!!

I had no idea what to expect going into this book but it blew me away! I already loved other books by Stacia Stark and this one was just as good if not better. It feels like an intriguing mix between Gladiator and The Hunger Games but with vampires and a side of Throne of Glass feels.

This book was perfectly paced, and feels like it will actually be a true enemies to lovers story which I don’t see often enough. The characters are so well written and memorable. The story was incredibly engaging and kept me on my toes and I absolutely cannot wait to read more. I think this will be a popular one!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an eARC copy of this book.

Romantasy at its best. Stacia, I love this story and all the characters.
If you like gladiators and you love vampires, you will LOVE this story.
This had my attention from the very beginning, all through till the end. I can not wait for the next book.
Not necessarily a cliff hanger but so many unanswered questions.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Stacia Stark for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️

This a romantasy between Tiernon, a vampire, and Arvelle, a sigil-marked human whose powers never emerged. Very reminiscent of Stefan and Elena in The Vampire Diaries. If you loved Damon from TVD, then you are going to love Tiernon’s brother Rorrik.

Arvelle is a strong FMC who will stop at nothing to save her brothers. The story has action-packed gladiator-style trials, loss and grief, love and betrayal, and also touches on addiction in the magical world.

I am looking forward to reading the next book and can’t wait to see what happens next with Tiernon, Arvelle, and Rorrik.

Gladiators in an arena, vampires, magic and sigils and love triangles and secrets and family… is any of that catching your interest?

Arvelle is forced into making a vow with a vampire to survive fighting in an arena to get a chance to join the emporer’s guard - in order to get close enough to assassinate him. The safety and future of her brothers is on the line and she’s forced to team up with her ex that broke her heart in order to survive. This barely scratches the surface of what this book is about but I went in relatively blind and it recommend doing the same. It’s worth it.

I’m addicted to the Empire of Blood and hope that this ends up being a huge success upon release. I will definitely be reading everything else Stacia has released, I’m a fan!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read an early copy.

This one might be a big hit when it’s released! I love Stacia Stark's Kingdom of Lies series so when I got a Net Galley approval for this I was running around screaming with excitement!

This is a vampire roman romantasy. The thing is, I don’t know how to explain the romance part of it. Typically I’d say maybe it’s like a slow burn but it’s not- not really.

Things I liked: The overarching plot line. The story of the gods and Roman emperor and the vampire resistance- all of this was super interesting and I can’t wait to read more.
The history between the Primus and the FMC. It was like a slow burn but happened in flashbacks.
The side characters- Stacia does a great job making me like and want to be friends with her found family type characters. While this book doesn’t yet really envelope the found family to its fullest- it is definitely setting the FMC up for that.

Things I’m not sure I loved: The world building was HEAVY at times. There was a lot of tell not show. I can understand why but I would have liked a little more showing.
The brothers both sort of being obsessed with the FMC. Is this going to end up being a why choose or love triangle? I wanted more information up front about the brothers and how they both knew the FMC. But I get that this will be a a multi book series so I just need to be patient.

Overall loved it- didn’t want to put it down and can’t wait to read more!

Stacia Stark’s We Who Will Die is a gripping romantasy that masterfully blends the high-stakes tension of The Hunger Games with the emotional depth of Fourth Wing, delivering a heroine whose courage and heart will linger long after the final page.

Arvelle’s journey is a testament to resilience. Forced to risk her life in the deadly Sundering to save her brothers, Arvelle faces impossible odds—elite gladiators, a ruthless vampire ex-lover, and a lethal arena where betrayal lurks at every turn. Stark crafts Arvelle as a protagonist who doesn’t just fight for herself, but for those she loves, making every sacrifice and act of bravery pulse with authenticity and urgency.

Insight into grief is woven throughout the narrative. Stark doesn’t shy away from showing how loss shapes her characters. Arvelle’s pain and determination offer a nuanced look at how people cope with grief—not through grand gestures, but through the quiet, everyday acts of courage that keep them moving forward. This subtle exploration gives the story a raw emotional core, making the stakes feel deeply personal.

Love endures, even in darkness.The rekindled relationship between Arvelle and her former lover is fraught with history and trust issues, yet Stark shows how love can persist and even grow stronger under pressure. Their bond becomes a lifeline, proving that love can survive betrayal, danger, and the shadow of death.

Final Thoughts: We Who Will Die is a standout in the romantasy genre—a fierce, heartfelt tale about risking everything for family, the slow healing of grief, and the power of love to endure against all odds. Stark’s storytelling is immersive and emotionally resonant, earning a well-deserved 4.75 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an advance review copy! When I started reading this book I absolutely did not expect to be giving it a 5 star review, but here we are. Now let me explain. It just took a few chapters for this book to really crawl under my skin. I should have known though, having ADORED Stacia’s other series that she’s sneaky like that. The ancient Roman-derived world she’s created here is unique and interesting, the main character Arvelle is a breath of fresh air compared to many heroines in this genre, and while I do like the main love interest, I’m actually more intrigued by the possibility of a different male character becoming increasingly important in the upcoming books. I won’t be mentioning him by name to avoid spoilers, but he’s certainly caught my interest. This book has reminded me why I HATE reading the first book in a series when the others haven’t been released yet, because I’m dying to find out what happens next!!!

A mix of Gladiator, Rome, and Vampire Diaries! Arvelle is a strong well rounded FMC, who makes isnt willing to make herself small to fit someone else's ideals. There's slow-burn vibes, high-stakes survival, and gorgeous world building. This story has it all! Stacia has done it again! I was able to receive an arc from Netgalley and will definitely be checking out the next book in the series

Just gobbled up this book. Think of a cross between hunger games and gladiator. Arvelle makes a pact with a vampire - to enter the Sundering and win so that she can become part of the elite guard that protects the emperor so that she can kill the emperor in exchange for her brother to be healed of his terrible illness. Arvelle must battle the demons of her past to survive the training and challenges in order to make her goal. This book has a slow burn romance in it. There are also some violent scenes but expected due to the story line. Some unexpected secrets unfolded that were out of left field. Great story writing!

This book pulled me in and didn’t let go.

Arielle is a fierce heroine. She doesn’t know the meaning of the phrase “give up”. To protect her brothers, she is forced into a competition where it is “kill or be killed”. It is a game of power and betrayal.

The romance is a slow burn, my favorite, as the storyline can hold up without the romance/sex, but still builds up to it. Will there be a love truly? Time (or book 2) will tell.

There are a lot of power plays and political intrigue, betrayals and twists, and so many secrets. You don’t want to miss this. I’m already ready for book 2.

I had the privilege of being an ARC reader for We Who Will Die. This book was a take on gods and gladiators and I was HERE for it! Our FMC Arvelle is as badass as they come and she is on a HUGE journey of healing and self-discovery. She is definitely impulsive and feels the best thing for her is to push people away but lucky for her the peeps who are in her corner aren’t going for it. The supporting characters are amazing and I don’t even want to get started on our MMC(s). The first one does things for me lol…. Our other MMC is one I don’t know about yet. I feel like we don’t know enough about him to formulate a real opinion. My gut says don’t trust him but he’s done things that I can’t explain. They are out of character. I guess book two will reveal the truth of him. This book has games and trials, betrayals, murder mystery, slow burn, second chance, found family, prophecies, politics, plot twists and redemption. This book is heavy on world building and legends to understand the plot but I was here for it. The plot line is complex and there are lots of twists and you DO NOT see coming! There were some that actually had my jaw DROP. There were also some tears shed on this one. It was action packed and full of emotional rollercoasters. I am definitely looking forward to what Stacia has next in the second installment of the series. I know it will be amazing!

⭐️ ARC Read ⭐️

Author: Stacia Stark
Book: We Who Will Die
Release Date: January 26th, 2026
ARC read thanks to: @netgalley @staciastarkauthor and @harpercollins

First off, the only negative to this book is that I finished it as an ARC and now have to patiently wait for it to come out in January and wait to find out what happen in the final two books of the trilogy. Because THAT. ENDING. @staciastarkauthor you did me dirty with that 👀.

If you love a book that involves trials, a FMC who has to battle her inner demon while trying to do what best to keep her family alive, navigating old flames while trying to stay alive, and making alliances where she least expected or wanted, go out this book on your TBR because I’m just scratching the surface.

Arvelle is the type of FMC you are rooting for, hurting for, and all around just wanting to be there for as she navigates so many life challenges. She has a world on her shoulders that is hard to bare and you just feel like life keeps giving her the short end of the stick. Then she is suddenly in a trial just so she can save her brothers life and oh yeah, by the way, she had to kill the emperor who happens to be an extremely strong vampire and she has never had her powers come to her so she just human trying to do the impossible. Until suddenly they begin to awaken and the emperor’s sinister son notices and wants to use her for his motives as well plus, he knows her secret that could have her facing 💀 and leaving her brother behind who need her.

This book will have you on the edge of your seat wanting more and needing to know what happens. I’m so grateful to have picked this book up and highly recommend it to anyone. I cannot wait to see what happens next. I wish I could say more but I don’t want to spoil the fun in reading this and seeing the outcome of it all!

#arc #arcreview #staciastark #wewhowilldie #netgalley #harpercollinspublishers #januaryrelease #2026reads #addtotbr #newread

Now this is how you write a fantasy! Perfect for fans of Red Queen, Crowns of Nyaxia, and The Hunger Games, this book delivers everything I love in a high-stakes fantasy.

Velle, the FMC, is thrust into a deadly competition to protect her brothers. If she fails, the price could be all their lives.

We Who Will Die is packed with political intrigue, powerful magic, and life-or-death challenges. It’s a gripping fantasy with a slow-burn romance subplot that left me desperate for the next book. 😭 BookTok is absolutely going to explode when this releases.

Huge thanks to Stacia Stark, Avon, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest and timely review!

loved this world with vamps and gladiator . loved the romance of ti and arvelle. loved that she wanted to save her brothers. loved the twist at the end and I can't wait to read more of this world. loved the dynamic with rorrick.

I was lucky enough to get my hot little hands on a NetGalley copy of We Who Will Die. Let me tell you, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!
I went into it now knowing anything about it other than Stacia Stark wrote it (which is enough). I L-L-LOVED it! I never knew what to expect and the story just sucked me in. I’m only sad that I have to wait for it to be officially published to add it to my bookshelf and that the next book will be so far away to read.
If you love Ancient Rome, vampires, tangled love/second chances (maybe?), and found family, this is the read for you.