I am one of the biggest Stacia fans, getting to be an early reader for this book is such a gift!!

This book was a wild ride in all the best ways with plot twists that I did not see coming AT ALL. When I think epic fantasy this is EXACTLY what I am looking for and damn did this book deliver.

I highlighted so many amazing quotes that had me feeling all the things.

anyway, I loved it and will absolutely be recommending

First thank you to Harper Collins for the ARC.
Second wow oh wow! This is my first Stacia Stark book and I think I’m in love!
The vibes were gladiator style with some hunger game elements. Betrayals, yearning, found family, second chances, power struggles, unique powers, vampires, magical creatures, conspiracy, slooow burn. Honestly there were so many awesome tropes that wove together so well! There’s grief that’s written and addressed in such a real, raw, and respectful way. I LOVED this book overall. My only issue which is why I gave 4.75 instead of 5 stars is because I was so confused on who some of the characters were in the very beginning. There would be name drops of characters like I was supposed to already know who they were. But other than that phenomenal book!!!!
I definitely recommend this book if you love a little gladiator tournament with vampires and romance then definitely pick this one up!
Spice: 2.5/5 🌶️ 2 open door scenes that were brief but written without that crass type of language
Language: use of the F word and a few other moderate swears

Thank you to Stacia, NetGalley, and Avon/HarperCollins (the publisher) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a sucker for anything to do with Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece. Add fantasy into the mix, and I’m in heaven. Stacia is an auto-read/buy author for me, and this one did not disappoint. My only regret is reading it so early and having to wait so long for book two!!
My only thing, and I hope I’m wrong, is I started getting the feeling towards the middle/end of the book that the love interest may change in future books, which I would honestly prefer not happen. Either way I’ll keep reading because I love Stacia’s work, but I’ll keep my fingers crossed!🤞

4.5 ⭐️ This was SO good! I’m really disappointed that I have to wait for the next installment. I love the inspiration from ancient Roman mythology interwoven with vampires and a unique magic system. I read somewhere that this book is similar to the Vampire Diaries, which I haven’t seen, but now I want to.

Our protagonist Arvelle is extorted by a shady vampire into entering the Sundering, a gladiator-type audition for a spot in the emperor’s personal army. Except she also has to kill the emperor, a fairly impossible task, even without considering the fact she has minimal sigil powers. During the Sundering, she meets up with her ex that abandoned her without a word six years ago and also meets his brother, who has a ruthless reputation yet she is drawn to him.

I thought the pacing, plot, and characters were amazing! Once the plot really got picked up a steam, I couldn’t put this book down and I’m genuinely disappointed it’s an ARC because that means I’ll have to wait months longer for the second installment than if I had read it upon release.

There’s only a few things I’d change, one of which is the “hurting her to protect her” trope. I just find it silly when a character doesn’t even communicate with their partner or trust them to act appropriately for safety. I don’t find it particularly romantic. I also wanted to yell “He’s not a monster!” at the FMC a few times about one of the brothers when it was clear he was acting selflessly under the guise of being a jerk. And it’s pretty obvious who in the love triangle is her endgame.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m stoked to check out her other works while I wait for the second book in this series. And maybe finally watch Vampire Diaries.

Thank you to Stacia Stark, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for the ARC!

This one was a wild ride for sure! The world Stacia created here was a harsh and unforgiving one for sure but I am a sucker for a badass FMC and quickly fell in love with Arvelle. That being said, I would have loved to have another POV to help keep track of everything that was going on throughout the book.

Overall it was a solid 4 ⭐️ for me!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

I really enjoyed this book! I think I was a little overwhelmed by all of the characters and information thrown at me the first half of the book, but I was absolutely hooked the last half! The world and the magic system felt unique and I always enjoy deadly trials and vampires. I felt like my heart was in my throat for several scenes where I wasn’t sure who was going to die or who the killer was going to be! It was an emotional rollercoaster that I need more of! I can’t wait for book two!

I so excited to get an ARC from NetGalley.

Gladiators, vampires and magic OH MY!

The flow was so nice, you got necessary background flashbacks at the right time and it didn't muddle the story down.

The main characters were so well written and I couldn't figure out who was the male main character. Which I really enjoyed. I also loved the mystery part of the story.

I cannot wait for the rest of the series.

This was an entertaining mashup of Roman gladiators meets vampires meets your typical bad-ass warrior female main lead. I was surprised to find myself more invested in the world building than the actual romance - usually I'm only here for the latter when it comes to romantasy. Blazed thru this in a few days but my biggest gripe is that the main romance with the Primus was devoid of any tension or romance. I much preferred Rorrik as the male lead! Would be interested to continue with the series just to see if Arvelle ends up with Rorrik!

I’ll admit, I struggled through the first half of this book. It was good, but not a ton was happening and I was a bit bored. I pushed through though and the 2nd half more than made up for it.
This story is action packed from the get go, based in a brutal world fraught with hostility. The romance aspect was great. I enjoyed the various side characters as well. It will be interesting to see how everything plays out. I look forward to reading the next book!

I received an arc and as such am leaving my honest feedback.

Okay so - this was actually such a good book!?

Backstory - I requested this on netgalley because I had just finished this authors other series, didn’t really know what it was about and was kind of just expecting the same vibe as the other books. (Which I did love too, don’t get me wrong.) but this really exceeded my expectations!!

Vampire diaries meets gladiators?? Two of my favorite things?? I loved everything about this book. The characters, setting, the plot - all 10/10.

As a Delena girlie, I am very, VERY interested to see where this story goes because as of right now Rorrick is definitely giving season one Damon, and I love it. I hate him and I love him at the same time. Tiernon is super sweet, but something obviously doesn’t work in my brain because I find myself always rooting for the asshole. 😂

Anyway, I’m very excited for the next book!

Thank you to Stacia Stark, HarperCollins Publishers, and NetGalley for this e-ARC. I’ll be honest, I was on the fence about what to rate this, but I’m settling on a 4.5 star because it did have me wanting to continually read it every chance I got. The plot was definitely unique, as I don’t recall ever coming across a world with a mix of vampires and magic users, but with a sort of Roman Empire twist. The pacing is quick and with danger around every corner, the book will have you on the edge of your seat often. The vibe is gave me was a mix of Vampire Diaries meets Gladiator. Lots of twists and turns involved in this one! Arvelle is a strong FMC who is really struggling, both mentally and physically, trying to take care of her brothers, after tragedy has struck her many times. She’s a veteran of the gladiatorial games and is forced into picking up the mantle once again, which is what the majority of the story is about. Along the way she has to face many of the reasons she’s been suffering, both in the flesh and in memory. I’ll stop there because I don’t want to give away spoilers, but know that this book ends on a whirlwind! It’s not a terrible cliff hanger, just that so much happens so fast in the last few chapters, that it kept me up late reading because I couldn’t put it down! Definitely a great start to a new series!

4,5 ⭐

This book was everything I needed and more. The complexity of the world Building, how I was able to connect with the characters, all made this book the perfect choice for me.

Vampires meet ancient Rome in a quest for survival and I couldn't be happier to have had the chance to read this book.

OMG where do I start. So so good. I am a Stacia Stark Fan after I read the Kingdom of Lies series, and this exceeded all high set expectations!

Arvalle would do anything to protect her family anything! How far would she go? We have Trials, a good MMC (well ... 2!) Friendship. good FMC. Wynverns... vampires.... marked ones... SAY MORE!

Thanks the Net Galley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC! Will recommend to eveeryyyoneee!

Hey I was so happy to get this arc! I need the second like right meow! I really loved the Roman inspired magical world and flew through this book fast! I am def team Rorrick because I love the bad boys! I def was surprised a few times when characters were killed off! Really fun!

I absolutely loved this book from the very first page. The setting, the characters, the intensity everything drew me in.


Arvelle is the kind of heroine you can’t help but root for: fierce, smart, and unflinchingly brave in the face of impossible choices. A magically binding vow to kill an ancient vampire emperor? Wild. Entering a deadly tournament to get close enough? Even crazier but it had me hooked the whole way through.

Thank you stacia stark and netgalley for the eARC!

The story is well written with good world building and I think this will be a very popular book. It was my first Stacia Stark book but definitely won't be my last. I did learn in reading this that I don't really like trials in books but that's a me thing and not anything against the book.

Absolutely inhaled this book in under 24 hours dark, magical, and completely addictive.

Arevelle is one of those fierce, clever, ride-or-die heroines I’ll never get tired of rooting for, driven by loyalty, sharper than everyone around her, and willing to risk it all for the people she loves. The stakes feel personal in a way that hits deep, and yeah… a few parts definitely got emotional.

The worldbuilding? Obsessive-level good. Vampires, ancient magic, mythological monsters, crumbling gods, deadly games basically every fantasy element I love, all tangled together in a world that feels rich, terrifying, and impossible to escape.

The magic system is genuinely one of the coolest I’ve read in a while.

And then there’s the slow burn. Every moment between the love interests drips with danger and unspoken truths. Add in the hint of a future love triangle, and I’m officially unwell. I need the sequel yesterday.

Vampires! Gladiators(ish)!

There are elements of this novel I was all in for, but unfortunately a very slow first half of the book lowered my overall enjoyment. I felt like it too half the book to care about the characters, which was too late in the game. I will say, things absolutely picked up in the second half and I was having a lot more fun. I’d definitely check out this world again, especially now that the groundwork has been established.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you love gladiators, Vampire Diaries, and a badass FMC, this book is for you! I love the unique magic system and the rich world building. The book is well paced and after the first 20% or so, I was hooked. Arvelle is the kind of FMC that you just can’t help but root for. While she has been through some childhood trauma and might be a bit out of shape to start with, she never gave up for her family. She is passionate and impulsive at times, but hey, we all make bad decisions 🤷‍♀️

The two love interests are both my type - broody, morally grey, will burn the whole world down for you and I honestly cannot choose, and low key I hope Arvelle can’t either.

My only complaint is now I have to wait for the second book! 😭😭

Thank you so much to the amazing author, Stacia Stark, the publisher (Avon and Harper Voyager), and NetGalley for providing the ARC. 💕

Action packed, filled with mystery, twists, and just a touch of spice. Lots of political intrigue to balance the plot. The world building can feel a bit overwhelming at times since you get dropped in and it is pieced out as you go along. It does seem to be a lot at times but i think it works in favor of plot tension. The lore in the story feels a bit disjointed sometimes as well. There is no smooth lay out of the lore and can be hard to track at times. Overall it was a solid read and I will continue the series.