We Who Will Die is the first book in a new series. Having loved her previous series, I was so happy to receive the eARC for this! And wow did it deliver!! 5 stars!! This book has been described as Vampire Diaries meets Gladiator, meets Greek/Roman mythology, which I agree fits the vibes. The plot centers on Arvelle, our FMC, who has to compete in trials in order to protect her family. Within this there are other overarching plots about the empire, meddling Gods, and those in power vs those who want to fight for the good of all people. This book was SO good! I loved the writing style and world building. I felt like it was appropriate given it's the first book in the series and also needs to set the foundation for this Roman-inspired world. I thought the magic system vs vampire dynamic was different from fantasy books I've read recently-which was really refreshing!! The pace and plot were on point-it kept me hooked and wow the ending?! I liked how the romance was there but also with other characters and plot points added in by the end so that you were left somewhat questioning where things might go in the next book. I seriously can't wait until the next book! Hopefully it comes out soon!

4.25 stars on StoryGraph

This was an interesting start to a new series by Stacia Stark!

“We Who Will Die” takes and twists Roman/Greek mythology and the trial trope into a new book that feels like a fresh take on both ideas. The world building is intriguing in this one, and clearly setting up to be a bigger deal in the next book. Unlike other books that feature trials, those aren’t the heart of this book. They move the story along but the plot happens largely outside the trials themselves which was a nice change.

Our main cast took a minute to assemble, and it did slow things down a bit. The beginning of the book drops you into what feels like the second part of the story and you jump back and forth between flashbacks and the present to learn more about what is going on. I found that to be a bit confusing for a bit, but once things fell into place the book really picked up! I think the second book will probably earn a higher score from me now that we’re moving forward with the full story.

The romance in this one was sweet, but interesting. I feel like there might be something else going on here with our couple, I’ll be interested in seeing what happens in the next one…

I’ll pick up the next book in the series for sure, especially after that ending!

Ok Vampire Diaries meets Ancient Rome, this book had my attention! I love Stacia Stark and this book didn’t disappoint! We meet Arvelle, who is just trying to keep her family alive and is thrust into gladiator style trials in order to keep them safe…by agreeing to kill the Emperor. Throw in two brooding vampire brothers, ancient gods, magic, murder and a whole load of fast paced high stakes events and you’ve got a very addictive book! I really enjoyed this, I loved Velle and I love the fact that I am just going to say I’m not going to comment on the males in this… I cannot wait to see where this goes! Thank you Avon Books for this eARC!

“I don’t want to be your friend, Velle. I want to be your everything.”

-Gladiator trials, ancient vampires, and a Roman-inspired world
-Strong, impulsive heroine with everything to lose
-Two mysterious, dangerous vampire love interests
-Found family, magical powers, and deadly arena combat
-Slow-burn romance with a high-stakes plot
-Fans of Carissa Broadbent and Rebecca Yarros, this one’s for you
-The ending? Absolutely wild. Book two can’t come fast enough

Love love loved this book! Couldn't put it down!

I loved this. The story took such turns. This is trials, competition, mystery, tension, banter, and romance. I feel like so much action was packed into the story. Gladiators mixed with fantasy and vampires is so much fun! This isn’t a true dual-timeline but there are aspects of it told in flashbacks so that you get the whole background story. I think/hope there is competing love interests. Our FMC is so impulsive she sometimes puts herself in a bad position but she beats herself up so thoroughly for it I didn’t hold it against her like I usually do. I really enjoyed and would highly recommend!

We Who Will Die follows Arvelle, who is a sigilmarked woman in a Roman-inspired fantasy world. She is stuck between two hot vampires and a hard place (needing to take down the empire, obviously…).

I really enjoyed the world that Clark introduced to us. It was a little confusing at first, but I expect that of any fantasy. In this world, individuals fight in the Sands and then move onto the Sundering to try and get into the Emperor’s guard. I’ve read quite a few games-style books lately, and I’m here for it.

As for the romance, I didn’t feel like it was a focal point of the story. While still present, I felt that Arvelle’s priorities were more about saving her brothers and surviving, which I really appreciated.

If book 2 was already out, I’d immediately move on just to see what happens!! The ending was crazy. I’m totally hooked. This author has quite a few other novels on KU, and I’m definitely going to be picking them up this year to tide me over.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!</i>

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books!

I have no words, I am absolutely dying to get my hands on the next one. Stacia Stark is a fantastic author. This book drew me in and was so vivid and immersive! She is an author who is not afraid to do what needs to be done in her writing to benefit the story and characters' growth. Which can be quite a lot on my heart. But the best stories are always filled with everything from joy and rage to heartbreak and love. 
Stacia’s character growth was astounding, and the pacing was perfect. There was constant motion and conversations that kept the story rolling and made it hard to put the book down. 
Arvelle was such a great character, I had so much hope for her from the beginning. She is such a strong FMC, I absolutely loved watching her grow and heal from her past.
And her little group of found family was so endearing and such great additions to the story. Plus, with two MMCs I really didn’t know who I was rooting for more.
And the world build was immersive enough to draw you in without being overwhelming.
There is nothing I love more than Ancient Greek and Roman histories, so having this book feel so much like that was such a delight. Besides, what else could you want when there are vampires, gods, cults and mythological creatures!

I will be counting the days until the next book is out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins Publishing for giving me a copy of this book, and I’ll just say I loved it! If you are a Stacia Stark reader, you’ll love it – and I really hope this is a HUGE romantasy hit with the Roman Empire trope – this is Gladiator meets Vampire Diaries and it seriously works! I loved the FMC Arvelle, she is kick-booty and brings all the action. This book is fast paced, so be prepared to catch your breath as you make your way through it. Overall, FIVE HUGE STARS and one of my favorite reads so far this year!

Review: We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark

First, I’d like to thank Stacia Stark for adding me to her street team and allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC and for NetGalley putting it at my fingertips.

Overall Reaction:
I just finished and… I simultaneously need the sequel and to re-read it immediately. This book was actually more than I hoped and feared it would be.

Tropes:
🧛🏻‍♂️Vampires
🔥Slow burn
🏛️Roman inspired world
😈Enemies to lovers
👥Forced proximity

Characters & Arcs:
Arvelle’s journey was heartbreaking and tense and empowering. Seeing her motivation and drive through all she faces was incredible. When Maeva said, “look at everything you’ve achieved while being a shell of a person. Imagine what you could do if you let yourself heal” I had full body chills.

Plot & Payoff:
The twists landed, the emotions hit, and the ending was brutal!! I wish I could have picked the sequel up immediately! There were moments I audibly reacted for the audience I didn’t have. I reacted dramatically to empty rooms. I gasped so hard my chest hurt.

Themes Reflected:
Looking back, the way the book explored power, love, sacrifice, and trust with yourself and others really resonated with me. It wasn’t just a fantasy—it was a mirror held to trauma, healing, and survival.

Favorite Moment/Quote:
“It takes strength to mourn. It’s… it’s easier to wrap yourself in numb apathy and refuse to think of the people you lost, but that does them a disservice. The pain doesn’t go away, it just lingers, waiting until you have no choice but to acknowledge it. But by then, it’s grown teeth and claws, and it will shred your entire life apart if you let it.” — it stuck with me because there is no one in this world who hasn’t experienced some sort of loss. Grief is something people struggle with sometimes forever! There is no timeline for healing grief or when it ebbs and flows. And there is no right way to grieve, but you have to feel the feelings. You have to work through it or it’s going to work through you.

Final Thoughts:
I am so, so intrigued by where this series will go. The ending to this book just has the BEST set up for the sequel and I am going to be foaming at the mouth for book two unfortunately.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Would you recommend? Hell yes. This book is set to release in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK on December 18, 2025 and in the US January 20, 2026. I’ve had this preordered since April and after finishing the ARC, I am SO glad I did. Go preorder. Quicker.

Stacia Stark is one of my absolute favorite authors, so it feels betraying to write what I am about to write.

This was not my favorite book. HOWEVER, I know that many other people will LOVE this book. The book is well written, and made me cry several times, but the reason I am not in love with this book is because I sense that who I think is the MMC, will no longer be the MMC, and that will CRUSH MY SOUL. (And I don’t like having my soul crushed and being depressed for days on end…)

This book was a conglomeration of many of my favorite stories from the past years. I got vibes from the following:
-Vampire Diaries
-Hunger Games
-Daughter of the Drowned Empire
-Throne of Glass
-and of course..The Kingdom of Lies (There were a lot of similarities between the KOL series and this one..)

Tropes will you find in this book:
-Trials
-Slow Burn
-Forced Proximity
-Hidden Identities

All in all, if you like having your soul crushed, you will probably love this first book in a new Triology. Here’s to hoping my MMC stays the MMC for the other two books!

Thank you to Stacia Stark & team and HarperCollins for sending me an advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I think my head imploded from how great this was! The Roman Empire with a magical system is so intriguing, This novel was everything I needed: angst, political intrigue, a badass heroine, and even tender moments that made me cry. This book is now MY romance empire that I will rave about to everyone.

This was so good?? After the last "roman empire based romantasy" that I read that was a massive failure, I went in to this with low expectations. And it took my expectations, threw them into the fighting pit, with lion and eviscerated them. I cannot wait for this book to come out and for the world to experience it.

Holy crap! This book sucked me in soo fast. It gave me Hunger Games & Throne of Glass vibes with gladiators and vampires. So many great fantasy themes meld perfectly together. I am so looking forward to the rest!

I finished this book hours ago and I am still thinking about it. We Who Will Die is set in an interesting Roman, gladiator type setting with vampires (the Emperor is a vampire), sigil marked, and mundanes. As you can imagine there is tension among the vampires and sigil marked but attempts at coexisting are at least the facade. Our FMC Arvelle is a sigil marked from a small village. She's been through some tragic things and it has made her cold and without much joy but she's doing her best despite her circumstances. She is the eldest sister keeping her family of twin brothers alive, fed, and cared for. One of her brothers needs care for his condition and someone exploits this to force Arvelle into a deadly bargain to kill the emperor. Her love for her brothers forces her to train and survive deadly gladiator style trials while having a target on her back. The danger is felt throughout and our heroine's bravery is on display many times over. Stacia Stark did such a good job writing this character. You felt her pain, hollowness, her resolve, and you hoped with her when she dared to hope. There's a second chance love story that is told beautifully through past childhood memories (I adored this) but don't get too comfortable because a second MMC will have some interactions with her that will definitely cause you to wonder how solid that romance is. I'm #teamti but even I have to admit the scene in the sands was very intriguing. There are plot twists that I didn't see coming and revelations that have me absolutely ready to continue with the next book when it is available. I couldn't put this book down and found myself wishing I had a physical copy. I was so invested in my theories and what I thought were kernels of foreshadowing, that I went back and highlighted and made notes. I would like to thank Avon|Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this free e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I’m a big fan of Stacia’s books and writing style. So no big surprise that this was another hit for me!
I absolutely love Arvelle’s perseverance, no matter what is thrown at her. Her sassy attitude too!
Was also team Rorrik quite early on 👀😂 Dying to get to know more about his character and motivations. Really hoping another book isn’t too far away!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I’ve been wanting to read Stacia stark and I’m so glad this was the book I dipped my toe into her work with, so freaking cool!

I had no expectations for this book. I haven’t read any of the authors previous books. I was blown away. I loved everything about it. The FMC is so relatable and likable. I enjoyed all of her relationships especially with rorrick. Hoping for more of these two in book two.

From the very first page, this book had me in a chokehold. Arvelle is a fierce, complex heroine who’s just trying to survive and protect her twin brothers—but survival takes on a whole new meaning when she’s forced into a brutal, gladiator-style competition where losing means death… not just hers, but her family’s too.

Set in a Roman-inspired world filled with ruthless vampire politics, ancient magic, dangerous trials, and mythological creatures, the stakes couldn’t be higher—or the tension hotter. Arvelle’s reluctant deal with a vampire emperor throws her into a deadly game of power, betrayal, and secrets buried deep in both blood and bone. And the slow-burn romance? Absolutely electric. I’m already spiraling over the love triangle, but let’s just say… I’m firmly in my dark and broody vampire era.

This book has everything:
🩸 Vampires
🔥 Slow burn romantasy
⚔️ Deadly trials
🩶 Power plays & political intrigue
👀 Secrets, twists, betrayals
💔 Emotional depth and character growth

Stacia Stark’s storytelling is bold, immersive, and utterly addictive. She weaves heartbreak and heat into every chapter, and by the final page, I was feral. The cliffhanger? Soul-crushing. The world-building? Rich and unique. The tension? Off the charts.

I’d give it a million stars if I could. This is the kind of book you cancel plans for. The kind that demands your full attention. The kind that lingers.

Clear your calendar—you’re going to need time to scream into the void when you finish. Book two can’t come fast enough!

I am a Stacia Stark stan. I have read multiple books from her and she always delivers. The slow-burn romance is simmering beneath everything else, but the emotional heart of the story is about survival, sacrifice, and holding on to your humanity when the world around you is falling apart.
I love a solid competition but mix in a love triangle? Sign me up all day. This was such a perfect slump busting read, but the only negative is that I have to wait for the next book! I do this to myself. This book is beautifully written, but not overly flowery—just raw and honest. I simply love Stacia Stark.

WOAH! I adored this book and need the rest of the series like I need the sun (IYKYK). Roman gladiator vibes, political intrigue, vampires, sigil magic systems, competition, bargains, mythical creatures, and so many other reasons to love this book!

The FMC is forced to make a bargain in order to save her brothers and has found herself entered into a competition she must not only survive, but win and kill the emperor. Over course a baddie like Arvelle is going to end up drawing more attention than she intended and surprising intentions of supporting characters are revealed through plot twists.

We get two MMCs who each are fighting their own demons and coming to grips with their feelings for her. I’ve got my preference on who Arvelle should end up with, but I’ll leave that up for debate in the next book.

A little steamy, a lot of action, the beginning of some found family, and a soon to be #1 series by Stacia Stark.

Thank you to Harper Collins, Avon Book, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC edition.