Thank you, NetGalley and Victory Publishing for this audio arc. Let me stop by saying I thoroughly enjoyed the audio in this book. The narrator was great and added an extra touch to the story. And a big fan of vampire reads and this book did not disappoint me. I love the relationship between Samara and Raphael and the magical prison . This was a wonderful, romantic, slow burn story with a morally gray vampire who makes a bargain to not eat the one one releases him. My favorite tropes are enemy to lovers and touch her and die and they were done so well throughout this book. I felt for these characters and I wanted to know more about them. I will definitely reading the second book from this trilogy and I would definitely recommend it.

This audiobook was so easy listen to. Honestly, a slow burn with tension and a fun time. Easy to read but full of world building and angst.

I dont know how many books in the series this will be but i forego at least three. - because the second book is going to be a BANGER….lots of questions raised- lots of intrigue. This was a great time. I need more to read it because i need to debrief!!

This book was sloooow burn. Everything about it was slow burn. It was the perfect book as an introduction to the world of fantasy, with lots of character building. The narrator did a good job voicing all the characters. I can't wait for the second book because I feel things are about to get HECTIC.

Absolutely fantastic narrator! Enjoyed every minute I listening to this .

Excellent magic system! Very unique! Where can I buy a card for endless beauty or drinks that keep pouring !

It’s definitely a writer and series I will enjoy rereading, vampires , witches ! Now that’s what I’m into , loved the touch her and die and who did this to you moments .

Girl gone from feeling worthless and then gaining a new identity by escaping her past!

Would recommend this book for fans of Elise Kova. It had similar vibes and writing style !

Next book please

Samara and Rafael’s story is starts in a magical prison, where Rafael is in a cell and Samara is a servant forced there herself. They make a bargain, If Samara opens the cell Rafael must get her out of the prison safely and not eat her. Did I mention she’s scared of vampires because that’s how her parents died? And everyone has heard of one bed trope but let’s give it up for the one horse trope 👏 I love this trope so much. I am in dire need of book two because I saw part of the ending coming but not all of it and I am shoketh and need to know what’s going to happen next.

I absolutely loved the narrator. I was so engaged with the story and even though the FMC got on my nerves with her incessant need to list why she hated the vampires constantly, I had to know what happened next. I’m not sure if I would have continued the story if I had been eyeball reading it. The ending was very intriguing and I will most likely continue the series but will probably only continue on audio as I know if Samora continues with her incessant ranting then I will get annoyed quickly. Overall I feel like I have to rate it 4 stars just for the narration alone.

I devoured that book like a vampire devours their prey.

Sloooow burn.
Vampires and voids and I guess witches, but that shall come in the future.
Zero chili peppers for now which was great for me. But the tension. THE TENSION!
FMC and MMC who are true to their beliefs. She does not yield, my folks, and I think I adore that.
He's truly morally grey and she doesn't approve of that.

Great bulid up for the series. The world may not have been rich and it was slow in some moments, but it ended on a cliffhanger and makes me want to read more.

And the narrator! I loved Cecily's Foster interpretation and I on my hunt to listen to more books narrated by her.

Story was not quite for me but over all not bad.

I had a hard time connecting with the story. I can see though why others would really love it because it was well written. The narrators suited the story.

Dark, addictive, and full of slow-burn tension. This book had me hooked with its morally grey vampire MMC, magical cuffs, and gritty prison break setting. Samara and Raphael’s dynamic gave forced proximity a sharp edge, and the banter and angst were deliciously done.

The atmosphere was rich, the magic system creative, and that ending? Jaw-dropping.

🧛‍♂️ Recommend to: Fans of tortured vampires, “he falls first” dynamics, and romantasy with bite.
💬 Tropes: Enemies to lovers, magical cuffs, prison break, touch-her-and-die, morally grey love interest.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The narration, world-building, and storytelling were excellent. I'm very excited for the next installments—I truly want to know what happens next. The dynamic between those in power and those without was compelling and thought-provoking. I highly recommend this book. A wonderful read, and I’m so glad I discovered this author.

📖 A Bargain So Bloody
🧚🏻‍♀️ Vasilisa Drake
📚 Kingdom of Dark Magic #1
🗣️📜 Cecily Foster

🥀A Bargain so Bloody🥀 is the first installment in a new Vampire Romantasy Series with some of my absolute favourite ✨ TROPES ✨ :

🦇 Fantasy Romance
🥀 Single POV
🦇 Vampire x Magicless Mortal (Void)
🦇 Enemies-to-reluctant allies-lovers 😏
🥀 Slow SLOWWW Burn🥵
🦇 Grumpy Morally Onyx MMC🧛🏼
🥀 He falls first and falls harddd ❤️‍🔥
🦇 Touch her and ☠️ (literally!!!!!)
🥀 One horse 🐎
🦇 Unique magic card system 🃏
🥀 Prison Break ⛓️‍💥
🦇 Secrets and Betrayals 🥀 Found Family
🦇 Vampire Court
🥀 Jaw dropping Cliffhanger!!!

I went into the story blind, didn't read the blurb, had no idea it would end in a cliffhanger that would rob me of a good night sleep 😭😭

This was such an unexpected surprise!!! I started listening and just COULDN'T STOP!

✨ The plot - INTRIGUING
✨ The pacing - LOVELY
✨ The narration - ENCHANTING!!

Vasilisa's writing was easy to follow and easier to fall in love with !

The main characters are beautifully flawed , and I love them for it !
🧛‍♂️ MMC Raphael is dangerous, grumpy vampire who is morally ONYX with a soft spot only for her.
🥀 Samara is broken, fierce, and refuses to bend—even when everything hurts.

And Gods was i unprepared for the ending (the gasp I GASPED !!!!!)

Sufficed to say , Book 2 cannot come sooner 😭

P.S. The narrator did such a WONDERFUL job with the story, making this book a 6 out of 5 ⭐ read!!!

Thank you so so much #vasilisadrake #netgalley and #victoryediting for this lovely ALC 💜

3.5 stars rounded up.

All in all, this was a decent book. I enjoyed the plot and felt engaged while reading. The narrator was <B>phenomenal</b>.

The book centers around vampires, witches, and voids (humans). There are vampire territories, witch territories, and lands beyond that contain other creatures.

I think the thing that annoyed me was some of Samara's decisions and inner monologue. At times, I wanted to grab her shoulders and shake her for being so stupid, but then I had to remind myself of her past experiences and put myself in her shoes to make her decisions make sense.

Raphael, the vampire Samara makes a deal with, is the epitome of "touch her and die." He definitely fits in the "morally gray" box, making decisions according to his kind's laws and perspectives. He's a villain you can't help loving, despite his darkness.

There's a twist at the end that definitely makes me interested for book two. This wasn't a favorite read by any means, but it was certainly good enough that I'll pick up book two when it comes out.

Thank you NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and Vasilisa Drake for an audio ARC of this book. My review is my own opinions.

Good story, characters and world-building but was pretty similar to other romantasy books I've read. I recommend to those who like this genre, but not many surprises.

Oh how i love a good vampire fantasy ! And this ALC scratched that itch ! Would 100% recommend this to friends and family

There were parts of this that were predictable as I"ve read so many romantasies, but it was still unique in its own and kept me entertained throughout! I am eager for the sequel to see how much devastation our FMC will cause knowing now what she is. There were times I was annoyed with her whining, but I can understand why she was designed so and can't wait to see how much growth she'll experience in the next book!

Let me tell you, this book slayed me. From the very first page, I was fully immersed in this dark, gritty, and emotionally charged world. A witch locked in a magical prison? Check. A morally gray vampire who might be her only ticket to freedom? Double check. The stakes were so high I was holding my breath the whole time.

Samara is a heroine I instantly rooted for. She’s fierce, raw, and forced to make impossible choices to survive. And Raphael? Chef’s kiss. He’s protective, dangerous, and broody in all the best ways. Their tension is the slow burn I live for. Sharp, addictive, and perfectly paced.

What really stood out for me was the worldbuilding. The magic system felt fresh and vivid. The prison was so cruel and atmospheric I could practically feel the cold walls closing in. And once the escape started, it was nonstop chaos in the most delicious way. Court politics, betrayal, forbidden alliances, it delivered on every front.

The emotional moments hit hard. I laughed during their banter, I felt Samara’s pain deep in my chest, and by the end, I was full-on obsessed. That cliffhanger? I’m still not okay. The story didn’t just entertain me. It wrecked me in the best way.

This book is dark, fast-paced, character-driven, and completely captivating. If you love vampires, dangerous bargains, morally gray men, and heroines who rise through fire and blood, A Bargain So Bloody belongs at the top of your TBR.

⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️— A Bloody Good Time (Mostly)

A Bargain So Bloody is like if your favourite cozy mystery went on a goth vacation, met a vampire prince at a dive bar, and came home with blood on its boots and a suspicious new tattoo. Vasilisa Drake serves up murder, mayhem, and magical mischief with a side of snark—and honestly, I was here for it.

Our protagonist? Equal parts clever, chaotic, and cursed (probably). The plot? A twisty, fang-filled whodunnit that feels like Agatha Christie met a dark fairy tale and they decided to co-parent a haunted sword. The worldbuilding is rich, the dialogue crackles like enchanted pop rocks, and the villain? Oh, honey. Chef’s kiss of dread.

So why the 4 stars? Well, sometimes the pacing was more "wandering around a cursed castle in the dark" than "racing through the climax on a flaming broomstick." A few side characters felt like magical red herrings rather than fully fleshed-out beings. And okay, maybe the ending left me going, "Wait—THAT’S the bargain?!"

Still, I laughed. I gasped. I may have yelled "NOOOO" at one point (and scared my dog). If you like your fantasy with blood, bargains, and a generous helping of bite, this one’s worth the read—even if it occasionally stumbles in its boots.

Thank you NetGalley and Late Night Daydreams LLC for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own

I’ve only recently started reading fantasy books and I really enjoyed this.
I loved the characters, and I liked that it wasn’t based around a romance. I think it is well thought out and it has got me very impatient for book 2!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the audio arc of this book!

She is trapped in a prison sentence for over a decade. Life has not been easy and everyday comes with its new challenges. When she needs to tend to another inmate’s wounds and finds out he’s a vampire she’s over come with fear and hatred, for her mother who she watched be killed by one. He breaks them both out of the prison and go on an adventure of finding a mysterious book and what follows after finding it.
•he calls her dove 🕊️
•he claims her as his chosen when he’s never claimed one before 💜
•he can sense her feelings and hunts her down when she’s scared to protect her 💕
•which side is the side to be on, the witches or vampires 🧛‍♂️

This was a first for me with a fantasy audiobook, and I loved it! I was coloring and listening to it and hours would fly by and I wouldn’t notice! The lust and care that Raphael has for Samara is to die forrr! 💜💜 I feel for Samara with how lost she feels and how she feels like she doesn’t belong. The ending had be on the verge of tears, with my jaw on the floor, and looking around like “did anyone else see this happening, cause I didn’t”. I lovedddd this and need the second one right now!!!! 💜💜

Definitely enjoyed this much more than I expected!

Loved how the characters developed throughout the book and definitely felt the intensity of the two main characters.

Can’t wait for the next book.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc audio version.