Thankyou to NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a steamy good time! The plot was enjoyable and the cliff hanger at the end was well done. This quick easy read was well paced and the cast of characters just the right amount of wicked.
The unique twist on the Fae world was my favourite part. Nadi especially was well done as a character and the imaginary of her appearance was particularly vivid. She really came alive on the pages.

This is a 3.5 star for me but rounded up to a 4 instead of down to a 3

This is a dark vampire romance and book one in the Bloodlines series. It was the first book I‘ve read by Kathryn Ann Kingsley, but it definitely won’t be the last. I‘m hooked 🙌

First of all, the tropes are all calling my name. I love an urban setting and the vampire mafia vibes mixed with true enemies to lovers were incredible. Our MMC comes from a really messed up mafia clan and you should absolutely trust no one in this family.

Talking about the vampire MMC Raziel Nostrom. He’s ruthless, morally black, has a reputation for breaking his lovers and is over 200 years old. So basically he’s a prime example for why vampire romances are so hot.

Then there is our FMC Nadi, who is a shapeshifter assassin and such a fun, bad@ss character. She’s definitely morally grey as well and I loved her after approximately 5 minutes.

The twist and turns, especially towards the end, really kept my on my toes and the ending was the perfect setup for the next book. What a cliffhanger 🙌 The next book is going to be so much fun and I can’t wait to devour that one as well.

I switched between listening to the ALC during the day and reading my ARC in the evenings and that was a great experience. I really did not have to put this baby down. The audiobook was done really nicely and the narrator Desireé Ketchum did an amazing job.

✨Thank you so much to the author and publisher for the gifted eARC and ALC!✨

❤️THE SERPRENT’S WIFE❤️

Rays of sunshine,
Today I want to talk to you about this amazing romantasy so if you like these tropes you cannot skip it!

❤️enemies to lovers
❤️assas!n FMC
❤️Vampire MMC
❤️romantasy
❤️touch her and d!e
❤️he fell first

I loved this book!
Nadi is such a strong character that I absolutely loved reading about her! Her determination is absolutely incredible and I loved how funny she is.
Raziel, is such a grumpy morally grey character and I cannot love him more! I loved his pov and they way he suffers his family is so funny.
The book is written lovely and finishes with the biggest cliffhanger ever, ( I need the second book like now 👀)
I need more of Nadi and Raziel and I need more of this book!
The nostrum family is absolutely makes you want to slap them, but I loved how it makes Raziel go crazy 🤣
This book is a true enemies to lovers and the spiciness is just fantastic, not too much, obviously, but the perfect amount at the right time.
What else can I say is just so so good!

Fantasy mafia romance with enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience and a secret assassination plot?!?! Yes please, say less. The Serpent's Bride centers around Nadi, a shapeshifting fae hell bent on enacting revenge upon the Nostrum family, using her powers to infiltrate the vampire family through marrying the most violent member of the family, Raziel. Full of conflicting emotions, tension and chemistry, this book is well worth the read!

I was lucky enough to receive an early review copy by ebook and audiobook so got to switch between the both as well as immersive read and I had a great time!!!! The writing was so easy to engage with, I was enraptured from the start, and so keen to see how Nadi would fair in her mission to kill Raziel and his family, and of course ate up the tension between her and Raziel!! It was so much fun reading the tension between the two, Nadi full of hatred and warring against her increasing attraction, and Raziel fighting his own attraction to Nadi and her blood while unaware of her true identity.

The ending of this book has me psyched for the second book, I NEED to know what happens next!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Second Sky and The Nerd Fam for providing me with an early copy of this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Second Sky for an advanced copy of this ebook, it was a banger!

The Serpent’s Bride is a dark, fast-paced start to a new vampire romantasy series that blends revenge, mafia politics, and forbidden attraction.

Nadi, steeped in feminine rage, disguises herself as a sacrificial bride to infiltrate a powerful Vampire clan and avenge her family. The forbidden chemistry between Nadi and Raziel was magnetic, and the pacing kept me hooked. I found the fae, vampire and human politics and magic systems really interesting. This was a fun read and I’ll definitely be continuing the series!

Release date 28 August 2025.

I loved this and am fully prepared to ruminate on THAT ENDING until I have the second book in my grasp! I wish I could say that I guessed that ending, but Kathryn Ann Kingsley had me guessing until I read the last sentence. Honestly I don't think I'm going to be okay until I get book two.

Nadi was a very back and forth character for me, and as much as I didn't love her, she grew on me with all of her complexities. But really, give me more Raziel! I hope they both hate to love each other and that those feelings expand as the series continues. You have my heart.

a ruthless vampire? a shapeshifting fae assassin? crime families going after each other? sign me the fuck up! i truly did not know what to expect with this book and boy, oh boy, The Serpent's Bride did not disappoint!

we're mainly following Nadi, a shapeshifting fae assassin, who is seeking revenge on the Nostrum family. specifically Raziel, who murdered her entire family in cold blood 80 years ago. and when the unexpected opportunity presents itself for Nadi to join the Nostrum family disguised as Raziel's human bride sacrifice, well it was just too good to pass up 😈

i absolutely loved this book! i fell in love with Nadi within the first chapter and i just want more of her! Raziel, god damn, that man is SCARY and HOT 😮‍💨 i don't want to say too much, but i was anxious the whole time, laughing at the banter and pacing because of the tension! i cannot wait for the next book! i know it's going to only get better 😏

Badass FMC who knows how to not only kick ass but how to play the long game. I loved the dual POVs, always find that it adds more to the story, the plot and the relationship between the characters. I also loved the morally grey MMC.

Great world building and setting up the plot as well as for the series. The plots twists kept me guessing and I was hooked.

Can't wait for the next one!!

This book was AMAZING!!! I loved every page of it and I’m screaming for book 2!!
First of all nadi is fantastic, loved her character she was giving major Bad B energy. Who wouldn’t want to be a shapeshifting fae mermaid. I can’t wait to read more of her story and hopefully find out more about what she is in book 2.
Raziel is being added to my new book boyfriend list I loved reading from his POV and to see him slowly starting to feel for nadi and showing her a different side to him. I have a feeling they have a mate thing going on due to him being addicted to her and how she quickly started to get feelings towards him.
The ending!! Can’t believe that cliffhanger I’ve been left on I didn’t see the table turning in that direction but also can’t wait to see what’s gonna happen.
Definitely gonna be picking this book up in physical copy when it’s released ❤️

The idea of revenge and hidden identity of the fmc to k1ll the mmc is a strong one. I just fell the characterization fell flat unfortunately. Nadi has spent 80 years planning his demise but basically had instalust shortly after seeing him. He has it too just based off her walking in confidently in a dress? It was too fast. I was hoping for her struggle of liking him to develop more colorfully. She also got repetitive in her inner monologues. She's should be better at her own if she's an assassin and planned this for 8 decades.

Raz wasn't as likable either from the beginning. I was hoping for tiny cracks of his real persona and not the one he shows to the public to show through as they spent time together. I didn't feel the chemistry. Not angsty as you'd hope.

50% in and there's still no real chemistry and she just seems a bad assassin and he doesn't have much to like about him. She's kidnapped halfway through and he doesn't even want to go after her!

✨ Review: The Serpent’s Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley ✨

This book is dark in all the best ways. Both main characters are steeped in violence and vengeance, so I honestly couldn’t see how Kathryn Ann Kingsley was going to make a romance between them feel believable — and yet she absolutely does. The shift from sworn enemies to something infinitely more complicated but still mired with hate is seamless, true to their characters, and perfectly in line with the gritty world they inhabit.

At its core, this is Fae Assassin x Vampire Mafia - Nadi has spent decades hunting the vampire who slaughtered her family, and she finally gets her chance when she goes undercover to kill him. She’s ruthless, morally black rather than grey, and utterly relentless in her pursuit. I loved her sharp edges — she does whatever it takes to achieve her goal, and it all feels consistent with who she is.

The tension between Nadi and Raziel is intoxicating. It’s reluctant, brutal, and all-consuming, with tiny fleeting flashes of trust and almost-tender moments that feel earned rather than softening their darkness. The shapeshifting element makes Nadi’s undercover mission even more compelling — Raziel expects one kind of woman, and Nadi, holding herself differently but looking identical, completely unsettles him in ways that work brilliantly for the story.

The worldbuilding is gripping - the political and environmental stakes in this dystopic land adds weight to the personal conflict and make the characters’ choices feel even more meaningful.

The pacing is perfect — smooth, compelling, and never dragging. The writing is dark and gritty, matching the tone flawlessly. And what surprised me most? How natural a “romance” between two extremely dark people could feel, without betraying their personalities or feeling forced.

I am already so excited for book 2 - may we hope it follows quickly as I want to read more!

If you love morally dark/black characters, brutal enemies-to-lovers dynamics, gritty worlds, and romance that doesn’t shy away from darkness, this book will hit all the right notes.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Instagram review will go live in the next week.

Thank you Second Sky and Netgallery for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes:
- Shapeshifting Fae FMC
- Vampire MMC
- Enemies to lovers
- Marriage of convenience
- Mafia vibes
- Morally Grey MMC x FMC

When I read the blurb stating shapeshifting fae and vampire I was immediately sold. Its been a long time since I have read a vampire book and this one really did NOT disappoint. This was not a shimmering vampire that wanted to sweep you off your feet like Edward Cullen. Raziel is extremely morally grey, infact he likes being the "bad guy" he takes great pride in causing pain and being feared by all. He is a charming vampire mafia prince, that is all fang and bite with no morals.

The shapeshifting fae is our MFC Nadi and she wanted to kill Raziel as he killed her whole family when she was a child. An opportunity rises that allows her take take place as his bride in order to infiltrate his home. Nadi is also very morally grey and has no issues in stabbing anyone that gets in her way. She is no damsel in distress and is just as villainous as Raziel at times.

There is alot of twists and turns in this book that has been gasping and giggling at the scenes between them. There is very limited worldbuilding in the book however most of the story revolves around Raziels manor and there isn't any need for the author to add to it. The pacing of the book is very well done and the author really flushes out both the characteristics of both the MMC and FMC.

That cliffhanger ending was very unexpected and had me screaming! Like excuse me!! Why is book 2 not out now!!!

Okay, so let me just say I have ZERO complaints about this book. None. Nada. It was pure perfection, and I devoured every single page of delicious, tension-filled, spice-drenched drama.

If I had to nitpick? The ending. Not because it was bad (spoiler alert, it's absolutely brilliant), but only because it left me feral for more. Like… how am I supposed to move on after that?!

So in The Serpent's Bride Nadi has basically spent her whole life training to kill the vampire who murdered her parents. That vampire? Raziel Nostrom, the prince of this insanely powerful vampire mafia family. Totally untouchable. But then she finds out Raziel is marrying some mystery bride he’s never even met. So what does she do? She slips into the bride’s role herself. The plan is to infiltrate his clan, play the dutiful wife, and then slaughter every last one of them.

Except… Raziel is not what she expected. Yeah, he’s ruthless and dangerous, but he’s also magnetic in that infuriating, can’t-look-away kind of way. He’s got these ruby-red eyes, this wicked smile, and every interaction between them is just dripping with tension. And of course, the more time she spends with him, the harder it gets to remember she’s supposed to kill him and not fall for him.

It’s spicy, it’s enemies-to-lovers, it’s got mafia vampires and a fake marriage… basically everything you could want in a dark vampire romantasy. If you liked The Serpent and the Wings of Night or Haunting Adeline, this is 100% your next read.

That ending got me which never happens. This book was not my usually read but I enjoyed it. I don't read books with mafia vibes but the FMC and her goal kept me interested. I want to know more about the world and fae and will definitely read the next one. This book is a easy, dark, good time!

Okay, this was really fun. I did both the audio and the ebook for this, and both were fantastic--I highly recommend doing an immersive read or switching between the two if you're able!

Listen, if you're here knowing that this is a mafia vampire story, you already know you're the target audience for the book. And you would be correct, because it was really fun! Everyone is awful and it's fantastic.

The narration was great--I did find it a bit on the slower side, so I listed at a faster rate than I usually do. But even sped up, the audio was good quality and you still feel the emotion! I think this has a lot of potential to be a really good graphic audio down the line, too.

Mafia stories are really hit or miss for me, even with the fantasy element. However, a REVENGE story? That always hits--so this really worked for me. I'm so impressed with the lengths Nadi went through to extract her revenge--we love a petty planner!! And the small slips here and there made things much more believable and kept me wondering how she was going to pull things off. EVERYONE is morally grey, and it made the story incredibly entertaining.

And that ending?? A+ in execution and timing. I'm absolutely going to pick up the next book because that cliffhanger was too good and absolutely where I want things to go. Like I said, I love a good revenge story, and this is brewing to be an INCREDIBLE one.

Thank you NetGalley, Second Sky and Kathryn Ann Kingsley for this gifted ARC.

Ugh this book was so not for me, it had all the ingredients I normally love: dark romantasy, enemies to lovers, morally grey leads, and a badass FMC but unfortunately I just could not take any of it seriously.

Nadi, the female fae assassin, could have been such a compelling character but instead I was distracted right from the start by the bizarre choice to give her a fish tail. It added nothing to the plot and felt like a trope-stuffing attempt for the sake of uniqueness but just came across as unnecessary and awkward.

The main conflict also unraveled quickly in my opinion. After Nadi marries her enemy, Raziel (the vampire who slaughtered her family), she’s abducted by other fae who happen to be her extended family who rival Raziel's family. Yet somehow she considers helping Raziel slaughter them just to keep her cover?! That plot twist dismantled the entire story for me. It made no sense for her character, especially when her one motivation is supposedly revenge for her family’s deaths.

On top of that, Raziel has no redeeming qualities and nothing resembling a believable redemption arc. I couldn’t understand how or why Nadi started falling for him. Her inner monologue was painfully repetitive, she reminds herself every other page that she has to kill him, but never actually tries and there’s no real obstacle keeping her from it. The tension was boring and unrealistic, making the spice come across dull, and the worldbuilding was paper thin.

The only redeeming quality for me was the audio narrator and the twist at the very end, I however couldn't believe I lasted that long tbh. The cliff hanger would have been a punch to the gut if I enjoyed any of the rest of the plot of this book.

(he jorks it in the shower.)
wait this book was good. Okay listen the genre is like, fae vampire fantasy paranormal mafia dark romance so I went in wondering if this was going to be silly and, dont get me wrong, I will always find a super tough alpha man a little silly (because of the way that I am tbh) but I actually really, really liked this.
a competent badass FMC? with a sense of humor?
a big scary man torturing himself with his own feelings so badly that he has to LITERALLY RUN AWAY FROM HER TO JORK IT IN THE SHOWERRR??
yes.
I liked the side characters (well I hated some but, they're they worst, so, thats a good thing)
I was very satisfied with the ending and honestly that means so much to me because im so very tired of reading the first book in a series and being left with an infuriating cliff hanger as an ending. The end was an extremely satisfying while still making me excited for book two! I was GRINNING AND KICKING MY FEET HEHEHEHE.

I do wish the spicy scenes were more developed as they felt a bit rushed to me. the lead up to the scene on the boat was nice, but once it finally got to the act itself it was kind of just like "okay and they did it." I also found some of the internal struggles and "ing" sentence starters a bit repetitive, but i enjoyed the story enough that I still recommend it!

tropes if you want them:
enemies to lovers [??] 👀
forced proximity
farce marriage
hidden identity
bondage/bdsm

thank you so much for this gifted arc from the nerd fam!

I stayed up way too late finishing Kathryn Ann Kingsley's new book, The Serpent’s Bride. It's about Nadi, a fierce fae who's been plotting revenge against the vampire Raziel Nostrum and his family, for eighty years. Raziel, the deadliest son of the Nostrum mafia, is set to marry a human girl he has never met. Nadi sees this as her chance and pretends to be his bride.

Kingsley's writing is super engaging, and her characters are so vivid that you can picture them perfectly. I loved the classic vampire traits like mind control, avoiding the sun, and sleeping in coffins. I wish there was a bit more world-building, but maybe the sequel will cover that.

Overall, The Serpent’s Bride is a dark, spicy romance with fae, humans, and vampires, featuring a strong female lead and a dominant male lead. There's danger, intense emotions, and a cliff-hanger ending that makes the wait for book two feel unbearable. I truly hope that I will be blessed to be able to ARC read for Kathryn Ann Kingsley again, especially when book two of the Bloodlines series is ready.

I highly recommend this book, and am giving it a very strong 4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to #SecondSkyBooks #Netgalley and #KathrynAnnKingsley for granting me the opportunity to read this extraordinary book in exchange for a fair and honest review

Happy reading!

The Serpent’s Bride is definitely going to be the next best-selling fantasy book! Vampires are my all time favorite and this book was right up my alley!

This was seriously such a fun read and I could not put it down! I devoured it! Between the fascinating storyline and the twists and turns, it will definitely keep your attention and you’ll want to finish it in one sitting!

Nadi is a sharp shifting fae who disguises herself as a vampire’s bride in order to kill him and his entire family. She run into many complications along the way and has to navigate them without exposing her deceit.

Read this book if you like…
⚔️TRUE enemies to… lovers?
🧛🏻vampires
🧚‍♀️shape shifting fae
😱deception

Also… the ending is such a cliffhanger!! It was such a great way to end the story but now I need book 2 asap😭

This book had so many of my favorite tropes—revenge, vampires, enemies-to-lovers. The whole idea of her slipping into Raziel’s life as his bride just to take him and his family down was dramatic and exactly the kind of setup that hooks me.

Raziel was such a classic morally grey vampire prince—ruthless, magnetic, and the kind of character who makes it easy to see why the heroine’s plan starts falling apart. I also really liked the mafia twist, it made the world feel a bit different from the usual vampire stories.

For me though, the pacing was hit or miss. It started off strong but dragged in places, and a few scenes felt repetitive. I also wanted a bit more emotional weight when it came to her struggle between revenge and love.

Rate-3.5/5

Still, I enjoyed it and I think the series has a lot of potential to get darker and spicier from here.

Big thanks to Kathryn Ann Kingsley and The NetGalley for the ARC!