Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read The Crimson Princess.

This books started off very confusing for me. It was the weirdest combination of telling, rather than showing, and yet being uninformed. It begins with Satima's mother's POV, which was an interesting choice because while we understand her to be older, she reads as very juvenile. We're informed of a challenge (though not why it's happening) and through a questionnaire between Satima and her mother, we learn some about the actual premise of the challenge, YET, we don't actually know much about this world (imagine my shock when magic starts being introduced out of nowhere). Unfortunately this confusion doesn't really improve throughout the rest of the book. The ending especially seemed very rushed. We went from killing werewolves, to the start of the new challenge, to a coup, to Satima's father dying, to her being named Queen all in a matter of 17 pages. It was too fast.

Overall, I felt like I was let down by this book. It has an interesting premise but the pacing and actual writing (lack of worldbuilding, the sex scenes, particularly the one where Satima told Toren know and he continued to coerce her, and the fact certain things were either explicitly written or repeated over and over again) made it very hard to read for me.

Do you like bad ass, independent, take no shit FMCs? Well do I have the book for you -- The Crimson Princess has everything that I love in a book: bad ass FMCs, vampire daddy MMC with major touch her and die vibes and leaves you just satisfied enough where you are happy but I left wanting and waiting for book two. For this being Zoey Voss' debut, she knocked it out of the park and I cannot wait to see where this goes but in the meantime I will sit here, read the book again and will yell off the rooftops on much I love a good vampire romance novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.

Really enjoyed this book!! 😍
At the beginning we follow Satima mother Queen Sophia as she's does her royal duty as queen and sweeps what her husband does behind her back under the rug. After Sophia interferes with a challenge that is held every 10 years she's creates a portal to the human world and takes he daughter Satima with her. Unfortunately Sophia is killed after an attack forcing Satima to return with her father.
Satima is a a princess next in line to rule Ravengale, under her father the King thumb shes is to follow his rules.
Toren is the vampire king her father dislikes even if they made a peace offering.
Satima and Toren relationship was very quick which felt a bit forced at the beginning. But as time goes on you can feel their attraction to each other. Overall I really enjoyed this book and the cliffhanger at that end made me what the second book asap!! Highly recommend Tropes:
Touch her and die
Forbidden love
He falls first

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a fun read and will definitely be looking forward to another book in April. I did start off strong but started to lose interest/personal preferences with writing style and some things were repetitive, but the build up to the spice was excellent! And it leaves you in suspense with a cliffhanger.

This has many tropes I love to read about, including forbidden love, strong main female character and enemy kingdoms.

Book Review: The Crimson Princess by Zoey Voss
📖 Provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

The Crimson Princess by Zoey Voss completely swept me away. I devoured it in just four hours and enjoyed every minute of the ride. This is the first installment in The Ravengale Chronicles, and I’m absolutely hooked—I’ll be keeping a very close eye out for the next book in the series.
The story follows Satima, the Crimson Princess herself, as she prepares to come into her powers in a richly imagined world full of magic, political intrigue, and forbidden love. Her mother, the queen, quickly became one of my favorite characters. She’s wise, compassionate, and leads from the front with intellect and compassion, mentoring Satima not just in leadership, but in heart. Her father, the king, is a complex figure—distant, authoritative, and guided more by tradition and power than emotion. But there are hints that both of her parents possess significant magical strength.


What makes this world so engaging is its structure—multiple portals connect Ravengale to the human world, grounding the fantasy in a relatable way and giving it a low-fantasy feel. There’s also a third realm, where outcasts and dangerous magical beings are exiled, adding complexity and stakes to the unfolding plot.


By chapter 7, I was fully in love with these characters and deeply invested in their lives and futures. The world of the Gales, Druids, Vampires, werewolves, and magical monsters is brimming with tension, as mysterious portal behavior hints at an impending battle for control. It’s fast-paced, thrilling, and beautifully balanced.


There’s romance (including forbidden love!), but no frustrating tropes like miscommunication. The writing is strong, the characters are compelling, and the magic system is clear and easy to follow. There’s even a hint of a Cinderella arc, with some royals who didn’t come from royal beginnings—a refreshing and relatable touch.


I was enchanted by this world and its characters. Satima’s growth, shaped by her mother’s powerful guidance, sets her on the path to becoming a leader I would proudly follow. This story has heart, action, political stakes, strong/powerful women, and immersive fantasy—all woven into a book I truly didn’t want to end.


Highly recommend. I can’t wait for Book Two.
#NetGalley #TheCrimsonPrincess #GeneralFictionAdult #Romance #Fantasy

FMC - Satima: 4 🌟
MMC - Toren: 4 🌟
SPICE: 🌶 🌶

LIKES: I really love an FMC that's independent, strong-willed, and knows how to fight and defend herself. And Satima is absolutely that kind of FMC. I also loved Toren from the first moment he was introduced in the book, and he was my favorite part out of all of it.

DISLIKES: While Toren and Satima had decent chemistry throughout the book, I felt like things got serious between them awfully fast. There wasn't really any build-up and tension between them.

As far as the story itself, it started off strong and I liked the premise, but the pacing slowed and I found myself losing interest. Some minor points in the story were also reptitive, and it wasn't the most eloquent writing. There were also a handful of typos that needed to be fixed (but I read this as an ARC, so there's still time for that). Overall, it had potential, but it just didn't hit the mark for me.

I skim the last few pages because I just want to get it over, this had to be one of the worst book I read in 2025. The writing was poor, with typos, and a lot of tell instead of show. The first few chapter when a love one pass away could have been really emotional, instead it was rush, making the scene felt flat and cold. There was also that horrible insta-attraction, the fact that the main character had already trusted the mysterious vampire after meeting him once was ridiculous, and how they get down to it after meeting only twice, like be so for real now, where is the emotional connection, getting to know each other part? The plot... I felt like nothing happen, stuff just drag on for no reason, there's a different between building stuff up and just repeating thing to fill in the space of your book. The main character was insufferable, she kept on telling us how strong and powerful she is, yet get knockout by a bunch of wolves... Overall, this book was boring, the romance was rush and base on pure lust, the writing was repetitive.

The Crimson Princess swept me into a lush, dangerous world filled with court intrigue, hidden power, and a heroine I couldn’t stop rooting for. From the very first chapter, I was hooked by the tension, the slow-burn romance, and the rich worldbuilding.

Ilaria is the kind of protagonist I love—fierce, flawed, and learning to trust her own strength in a world that wants to use or silence her. The writing was immersive and atmospheric, and the emotional depth of the story hit all the right notes.

The dynamic between Ilaria and her love interest was a standout for me: equal parts smoldering and intense, with just enough slow-burn angst to keep me turning pages late into the night.

Fans of Throne of Glass, The Shadows Between Us, or dark fairytales will find a lot to love here. I’m genuinely excited to see where the story goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

3.5 star for me,it's good first in the series book.We meet princess of Ravengale, Satima is bound by her father's rule to sit back as others compete in the Challenge and watch the champions travel to the human realm to shelter the innocents from the monsters of the Third World.Book of Life dictates a path for her,and she with her mother have to spend 10 years protecting the gates.
The story really start when she come back to Ravengale,to take her duty's as princess.

I like Satima,she have to deal with grief,enemies and trouble to access her magic,but still she was strong and smart questioning motives of others.Romance was spicy and sweet in a way,but progress to fast for me as they just meet each other,I would like little more talk between them.Still Toren,king of vampires uh,swoon.

There is so much secrets,action,betrayal,romance and spice that I could not put my book down.
Good solid debut,hope to read book two.Would definitely recommend.

Thank you for ARC.

The Crimson Princess follows a young royal caught between duty, danger, and desire in a richly imagined but politically unstable kingdom. The story centers around a princess whose life is upended by betrayal and secrets, forcing her to navigate palace intrigue, rising tensions, and her own conflicted heart. As rebellion brews and magic simmers beneath the surface, she must decide what she's willing to risk for the throne—and for herself.

The premise of the book is compelling and filled with potential. The political drama and hints of magical elements make for an exciting setup, and I was definitely intrigued by the concept from the start. However, I did find the world-building to be a bit underdeveloped. There were moments when I wished for more detail—about the kingdom, its history, and the cultural nuances that could have elevated the setting and made the stakes feel more tangible.

The same goes for the characters early on. The first few chapters seemed to skim over introductions and background in favor of moving the plot forward, which made it a little harder to connect with them at first. That said, the main character grew on me. I appreciated her self-awareness—she was clearly strong in many aspects, yet also honest about her emotional vulnerability, especially when it came to her love life. While she didn’t act on that awareness right away, it added a layer of realism to her personality.

Overall, The Crimson Princess has a lot of promise and a story that kept me interested, even if I hoped for more depth in certain areas. It’s a solid start, and I’d be curious to see how the world and characters develop in future installments!

Thank you NetGalley and Zoey Voss for this ARC!

Its a beautiful slow burn romantasy which engages you from the get go, where you get to see the main characters develop into this beautiful story with tension and passion, but also fierce and brutal.

It's tragic, it's beautiful, it's epic. It's everything anyone could ever want in a book. I love it so much.

"The Crimson Princess" was an engaging and enjoyable read. The story kept my interest from start to finish, with steady pacing and well-thought-out character development. I appreciated how the characters evolved throughout the book, making their journeys feel believable and relatable. While it wasn’t a perfect five-star read for me, it definitely held my attention and left me satisfied. I would confidently give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good fantasy or romance story.

Rating: 4.5 stars

When the Crown Bleeds by Zoey Voss is a captivating fantasy romance that expertly balances emotional depth, sizzling tension, and immersive worldbuilding. From the moment I started, I was hooked by the slow-burning chemistry between Satima and Toren—a classic forbidden romance done beautifully well. Their dynamic is charged but nuanced, never feeling rushed or clichéd, which made their evolving relationship feel authentic and compelling.

What really stood out for me was Satima as a heroine. She’s intelligent, resourceful, and flawed in all the right ways. Her moments of self-doubt and vulnerability made her incredibly relatable, while her competence and determination gave her a strength that I admired. It’s refreshing to see a protagonist who grows through her struggles without losing her complexity.

The worldbuilding is rich and vivid, with just enough detail to bring the setting to life without overwhelming the story or pacing. The political intrigue and cultural nuances add layers to the plot, making it more than just a romance but a well-rounded fantasy adventure.

My only wish is that the sequel will include Toren’s point of view. He’s such a compelling character, and I’d love to get deeper into his thoughts and motivations. Thankfully, When the Crown Bleeds is right around the corner, and I’m eagerly anticipating it.

Overall, this book is a fantastic read for fans of romantic fantasy who appreciate strong characters, emotional tension, and immersive storytelling. Highly recommend!