“Because you remind me of a little bird, between the rapid flutter of your heart and clear desire to spread your wings”

“You should never have to beg”

“You caught me”
“I did”

I would like to say to the judge that I did try in fact ro slow down my reading … I simply couldn’t manage to do it. This book got me in such a tight chokehold that I simply couldn’t stop reading it and finished it in two hours straight. Vampire fantasy romance. They made a bargain to get out of a magical prison in the Witch Kingdom she’s been at for twelve years. They embark on a journey together that will make them from enemies to allies to … nothing really clear. But the possessive side of a vampire is always there and it shows … and oh how I did enjoy when it did reveal itself. Raphael and Samara … oh my goodness what a slow burn it was. How bittersweet. How addicting. How obsessive. A combination of the Twilight movies but with more of a slow burn you would expect from a book made in recent years. The way I was dying to read every interaction they had and how the action and the plot would have developed was insane. I think people around me might have gotten scared because of the faces I made. I simply couldn’t help it!! And the way the tension climaxed in the end (not literally unfortunately) … only to leave us with one the biggest cliffhangers? I NEED MORE !!! And I need it NOW !!

“He lowered his mouth to my neck. And I let the vampire bite me”

“As long as you’re here with me, dove, you’re mine. And I protect what’s mine. Ruthlessly”

“There is nowhere in this world I would not go if you wished me to”

“Little viper, I find you irresistible”

Holy. Freaking. Smokes. What a great book!

Great characters, I'm very very attached. I can't wait to see what they do in Book 2. I enjoyed the romance, the friendships, all of it.

The magic was unique! I really dig the system Drake created. It's really cool... it's like One Dark Window but different. It creates all different sorts of potential plots. I can't wait to see some awesome plot twists with it.

I was a little worried there at the end, not gonna lie.

All in all, there was something about this book that grabbed me right away and kept me reading. I read it in two days because I just couldn't put it down. It's worth cutting in the TBR line!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️

If you’re craving a dark, romantic vampire fantasy that keeps you turning pages well past bedtime, A Bargain So Bloody delivers in every way. From the opening pages, where the heroine is trapped in a brutal prison, to her escape alongside a brooding vampire, this story grips you with its high stakes and emotional depth.

Their journey—bound by necessity and an uneasy alliance—leads them in search of a powerful grimoire and into the heart of the vampire kingdom. Sharing one horse (and some intense chemistry), she must confront everything she’s been taught to fear about vampires. The dynamic between the two leads is full of tension, slow-burn heat, and reluctant trust.

The magic system in this world is refreshingly original and intricately woven into the plot, adding a unique layer to the unfolding mystery and danger. Vasilisa Drake blends fantasy, romance, and rich worldbuilding in a way that feels both fresh and satisfyingly dark.

If you love vampire romance with a gothic edge, reluctant allies-to-something-more, and unforgettable atmosphere, A Bargain So Bloody is for you. I couldn’t put it down and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC!
#ABargainSoBloody

This book was a truly captivating read! I was immediately drawn into the FMC's intense story and found myself completely invested in her journey. She's been through so much, and I appreciated how the author explored the complexities of her past and its impact on her present. Getting answers to some lingering questions at the end was incredibly satisfying and only fueled my excitement for the rest of the series.

The dynamics of the enemy-to-lovers trope were particularly well-executed. The FMC's justified dislike for vampires felt authentic, and I loved that she didn't immediately cave in to romantic feelings. The slow burn is definitely working! The ending, however, left me reeling. If anything, her animosity towards the MMC seems to have intensified, setting the stage for what I anticipate will be a tumultuous book two.

Despite the rocky ending, I devoured every minute of this book. I'm eagerly anticipating the development of the FMC's new abilities and, of course, the evolution of her relationship with the MMC. They're currently on very shaky ground, to say the least, but I'm still holding out hope for a better outcome for them in future installments. Whether it's in the next book or further down the line, I'm rooting for them to find their HEA! I'm completely hooked and can't wait to see what happens next.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🫑

Oh...my...GAWD! This book had me foaming at the mouth! To say that I'm obsessed might be downplaying it a little bit.
The vibes were immaculate 👩‍🍳💋
The world building was stunning.🗺
The magic was sparkling. ✨️
Big daddy Raphael was taking the "touch her and die" trope to deeeeep in his chest. ☠️🥵
And I was front and center loving the whole ride. 🎢

Now, low spice usually isn't my vibe, but I was feral for all of the little moments between Sam and Raphael. That slow burn was the perfect temperature to keep warming me up all the way through to the end!

And the ending!? I did not see it playing out like that! I cannot wait to see how the rest of Samara and Raphael's story unfolds!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 ⭐️

I’m familiar with Vasilisa Drake’s writing so I knew it would be a solid romantasy read - and I wasn’t disappointed. This was such a fun read that had so many of my favourite tropes.

The majority of the plot was fairly predictable but still engaging and entertaining enough for me to keep reading to the end. Vasilisa Drake always does a great job at putting a fresh twist on tropes which makes the characters feel more real and complex. I particularly enjoyed the exploration of humanity vs monstrosity (“who is the real monster here?”) and the exploration of choices.

Personally, I would have loved a bit more dialogue and getting-to-know-each-other between the characters during the travels (but I know not everyone likes that) to give more depth to the dynamic. Keeping secrets/miscommunication as conflict was also not my cup of tea so my interest and investment in the characters did wane towards the end.

Samara’s inner monologue was a touch too YA for me. Given her childhood and isolation, I can understand her mistrust and naivety but I think her lack of emotional maturity made her seem more foolish and impulsive rather than sheltered. I would’ve loved to see more of her growth into a wary but confident survivor but I felt like she unfortunately remained petulant, terrified and vengeful.

Overall, a fun, fast-paced read with plenty of familiar and well-loved tropes that is sure to keep you reading to the end.

Another great addition to vampire romantasy. There are tinges of similarity to other popular titles, but this is definitely its own entity. It is a slow burn and I found myself impatient to see the two MCs get together. Really enjoyed the story and how it developed.

Big thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for this ARC. I enjoyed the first half of the book immensely. The MCs were on an adventure, you were learning about them, it was great. I devoured it.

However, once the book got about halfway, they arrived at a destination and the traveling that I so enjoyed came to a stop. The MCs spent hardly any time together and a lot of political intrigue began. I don’t personally care for that type of plot line and it became a slog that I eventually decided to DNF.

Still rating 3 stars, due to my enjoyment of the first half and because the latter half isn’t bad so much as it isn’t to my liking.

Oh my goodness! I LOVED this book! And I really hope you are already writing book 2. I need to know what happens!
The tension was SO GOOD. The storyline, amazing!!
The pace of the book was pretty quick, which I preferred! You did such a great job with character development.
I typically can predict what direction a story will go, and this threw me off not once, but twice!!
I don't even know what else to say besides how much I love it and now will be dreaming of Raphael and Samara!

Big thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
5 Star book!
If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would! This book has captivated my entire being for the days I read it and I need the next book NOW! The twist at the end was the last thing I expected and the Epilogue has left me needing so much more.

The transition from Little Dove to Little Viper had my heart exploding.

I have not read many vampire books since I was a teenager but this has ignited my love and I can't wait to see where Samara and Raphael's journey continues.

I was approved to read this but there is no option to send to kindle? If anyone sees this please can you fix it so I can read it 😅😅 thank you!

4.5 stars

That was a wild ride and had me reeling, especially the ending! I'm definitely excited for book 2. I felt this book had the perfect blend of a tension filled romance and a gripping plot. Even though some of the elements were not new concepts in the romantasy genre and didn't come as a surprise to me, I still ate it up and asked for more. This was a such an addictive read!

I went into this with no clue what it was about. Judged a book by its cover and it was a total win. My brain is going to hold on to this story until the second book comes out. The ending?! That slow burn?! 🔥 An MMC that will make you swoon so hard you forget your other book boyfriend’s names. Okay, not really, but it’s close! The audio was perfectly executed and I can’t wait to get my hands on this physical book!!

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for the chance to read this in return for my honest review.

*ARC – Release Date 30/06/2025*

This book was wonderful! We follow Samara and her daring escape from prison, where she was serving a 15-year term for a crime she didn’t commit. When she realises that it is likely she will never leave the prison – at least not any time soon - she engineers a way to escape involving a fellow prisoner – a blood thirsty vampire, Raphael.

The dynamic between Samara and Raphael is intense and powerful, you are left wanting to see what happens next after every interaction they have. The side characters are equally likeable, and they all interact with one another perfectly in a way that showcases each character's development.

The world building is great; it is dark, fascinating and very immersive. Raphael is a truly morally grey character, and I would argue that Samara can be considered morally grey too given some of her choices! This book is a very slow burn romance – kind of – and has the wonderful ‘touch her and die’ trope which I enjoyed very much.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, with many questions left unanswered. I am anxious to read the second story and hopefully resolve some of those questions! I will also be buying a physical copy of this book once it releases.

This was an easy and entertaining read with a unique magic system and lots of dark fantasy elements.

The book is written from the POV of our FMC, Samara, who has served 12 out of her 15 year sentence in Greymere prison. She learns that this means nothing and that they’ll never let her go, so she allies herself with a vampire, Rafael, who offers to help her escape if she sets him free.

The plot is fairly predictable but still enjoyable and there are some great tropes that are executed well.

- Touch her and die
- One horse
- Enemies to allies
- Vampire x Mortal
- Possessive MMC

I did start to find Samara a bit annoying towards the end as her inner monologue was quite repetitive and it felt like she was constantly taking one step forward and two steps back in regards to dealing with her emotions and her perception of the vampire kingdom as a whole. She is very naive and this definitely comes across.

Both Rafael and Samara have an air of secrecy about them as there’s a lot of unanswered questions so it was hard to connect with them at times. However, the side characters were a lot of fun and they added a touch of humour and lightheartedness to the story.

While the ending was predictable I still loved it and I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for us in book 2.

I tend to be fussy with books with Vampires, as that’s that my teenage self read once upon a time, and it mostly feels I’ve outgrown them.

The author has me absolutely rescinding that view and had me absolutely hooked from the start of this story.

The story starts in Greymere Prison, but we quickly join Sam and Raphael on their ventures to find the grimore and back to the West Vampire Kingdom. This story starts off at a quick pace, without sacrificing and of the story and character building, and keeps the reader guessing on what will come next.

There is still so much left to discover - Sam’s background, her new status - this story has SO much potential and I can’t wait to read the next book.

A Bargain So Bloody is the first in a new series by Vasilisa Drake. I've not read anything by this author before but I saw the cover and read the summary and was intrigued so decided to pick it up and am glad I did. Although fair warning...there's a cliffhanger on this one.

Samara is our fmc and we meet her right out of the gate by learning that she has been living in a prison for the last 12 years although we don't know why. And when a mysterious prisoner is brought in and she is tasked with treating his wounds, she finds out that he is a vampire. Samara's problem is that vampires killed her mother and she's not willing to trust this guy...that is until she learns that the freedom she was promised is just a lie and she realizes she will never be free again unless she can break out on her own but to do that she will need some help.

Raphael has secrets...that's clear from the moment we meet him in Castle Greymere but he's not willing to push Samara too far. He's always just right there when she needs him to be regardless of what she says or does and I think that is what makes the rest of the story so frustrating for me. Yes, he hid who he was from her until they got to his realm and he is in no way a good guy (he is a vampire after all) but there are definite touch her and die vibes here he tries everything to give her back her strength and power throughout the novel.

This one feels like it will be an extremely slow burn romance...I'm not sure how much is coming but there was next to nothing in this book outside of the tension between these two. It's clear Raphael feels something for Samara but Samara is fighting her feelings for Raphael based on the fact that he is a vampire so it will be interesting to see what happens now based on the ending of this book.

If you're looking for a new fantasy romance to pick up, consider this one. I will definitely be grabbing the next book in this series as soon as I can so I can see what happens next and I will also be checking out more books by this author.

Ummm, noooo! At 30 pages left, my mind raced to possibilities, and waved the red flag, warning that there wasn’t enough for a complete ending that my brain decidedly needed. So unnerved, I had to set it down for a few days before picking it back up to finish. Surprisingly, I was left both satisfied and miffed. That’s all I’m going to say about that.

Overall, I am really impressed with this novel’s background work, imagery, character believability and likability, and plot. I stayed in and engaged with the female lead, Sam, the entire time. I adored Raphael’s protectiveness, even if it’s unhinged in this violent world of vampires and magic. The feels on this one are touch her and die, morally gray love interest, age gap, rags to riches, disowned, and orphaned.

Haha, I want more. Vasilia’s novel sets up a solid foundation for a gritty, marvelous series. Yes, from me.

Note: Be wary of violence, death, cruelty, fear, and sexual spiciness. ‘R’ Rating

4.5/5 stars
This was a sponsored ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

I was lucky enough to get both the eARC and the ALC of this book, (many thanks NetGalley and Victory) and I had a GREAT time with both. I opted for the immersive experience of combining the two and I’m glad I did. The narrator did such a great job and found her so easy to listen to, helped keep me immersed in the story.

I was hooked on this from the start, our FMC Samara has a history that hasn’t yet been fully revealed on page but there’s enough hints to guess, and I know the reveal is going to be amazing when it all comes out. She goes through so much growth over the course of the first book and I cannot WAIT to see what happens in the second.

We’ve got a deliciously morally gray Vampire MMC who after convincing Samara to release him in exchange for her freedom will burn the world just to see her safe. The cliffhanger at the end has me impatient for the second book and I’m about to go DEVOUR everything Vasilisa has already written - can see some
New favourite stories on the horizon.

NetGalley ARC Review: A Bargain so Bloody sated my craving for vampires. Samara finds an unlikely alliance in a vampire in order to escape her imprisonment. With this comes sacrifice. The setting is dark, the characters are intriguing, and the magic system is unique. I can’t wait to see how Rafael and Sam’s journey continues. This book is going to be the next TikTok sensation, I just know it!