Audiobook ARC review!
The Serpent's Bride

🖤 MMC - Vampire with mind control powers
🖤 FMC - Shapeshifting fae assassin
🖤 marriage of convenience
🖤 enemies to lovers
🖤 morally grey characters

I will disguise myself as the vampire’s bride.
I will win over his family.
And then I will murder every last one of them.

Nadi, FMC, is a Shapeshifting fae assassin. She became an assassin to get practice with taking out her parents' murderer - Raziel Nostrom, a ruthless, powerful, vampire mafia prince. With Raziel being part of the city's most powerful mafia clan he's untouchable so naturally when presented with the chance to get close to him as his sacrificial bride-to-be, whom he had never met, she took that opportunity.
Nadi shapeshifts into Raziel's sacrificial bride and tries to use that opportunity and proximity to kill him and his family.

Raziel, MMC, is a ruthless, killer who cleans up loose ends for his family/clan. He's a vampire with mind control powers that he uses to entertain himself and unalive his enemies.

Nadi and Raziel basically play with one another trying outwit/outdo one another during most of their interaction. Nadi wanted proximity to get close enough to kill Raziel and his family and didn't expect that proximity to bring any other desires other than revenge.

The spice is like 🌶🌶
The story itself is intriguing and stays interesting throughout its entirety. The world-building is not too heavy, it's perfect, and it's spread out throughout the story as needed.
The ending though was such a curveball... It's a MAJOR cliffhangery plot twist that leaves you wanting book 2 asap.

Desireé Ketchum does a great job narrating both pov's.

Okay truly this was shockingly entertaining! The twists and turns were far more than I expected. This story is written in 3rd person and typically that isn’t a fan favorite but this was great!! The relationship between the fmc and mmc was entertaining and unexpected. I appreciate that I never knew what was coming. Definitely a good time!!

🎧 Single Narration

I was given a copy of this audiobook as an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the characters and I especially enjoyed the ending. This book has great plot twists and I listened to it all in one sitting.

This was a true enemies to lovers book.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me a free audio copy!

Alright I"m hooked, give me another!

...............................................................

An Unexpectedly Addictive Read, A Dark, Lush Romantasy You Won’t Put Down
The Serpent’s Bride was an unexpected delight in the best possible way. I went into this book with no real expectations and ended up absolutely hooked. If you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers, forced marriage, or dark fantasy worlds dripping in tension and danger, this book is calling your name.
The story blends some of my favorite tropes: a bride offered as a sacrifice, a slow-burning romance, and the ultimate clash between two powerful, ancient races, Fae and Vampires. Their hatred for one another runs deep, creating a violent, high-stakes world that feels almost mafia-esque in its ruthlessness. But underneath all the blood and betrayal is a delicious romantic tension that reminded me of Romeo and Juliet, tragic, intense, and completely addictive.
I was especially thrilled by how well the slow burn was executed. It kept me turning the pages (or in this case, glued to my earbuds), desperate to see where the relationship would go next. And I have to give credit to the author for writing a female main character I genuinely liked—lately, that’s been a rare treat. She was strong, layered, and relatable without falling into the usual tropes that tend to drag down heroines in this genre.
I also had the pleasure of experiencing this book in audio format, and let me just say: the narrator nailed it. They brought every moment to life with such emotion and energy that it made the whole experience even more immersive.
And that twist at the end? Absolutely brilliant. It had me shouting in frustration, in the best way, because now I have to wait for the next book! I'm dying to know what happens next.
There was one small detail I didn’t love, but I can’t even talk about it without spoiling a major plot point. That said, it didn’t dampen my enthusiasm or affect my rating at all.
If you're searching for a romantasy that blends high-stakes tension, rich worldbuilding, slow-burn romance, and a story that will keep you emotionally invested until the very last page, The Serpent’s Bride is the perfect pick. Highly recommend!

Eighty years ago, Raziel slaughtered her entire family—but spared the her, unaware she wasn’t in her true form. He should have finished the job.

Now, she’s back.

Disguised, dangerous, and driven by vengeance, she’s taken the place of the woman meant to marry him. Her plan is simple: get close enough to kill him. But nothing about Raziel—or the twisted bond growing between them—is simple.

As truths unravel and secrets ignite, one thing becomes clear: she may not be the only one wearing a mask.

A story of revenge, deception, and slow-burning desire—this is a dark spicy fantasy with a morally grey FMC and MMC, a marriage of convenience, and an ending that will leave you reeling.
I didn’t see it coming... and now I need book two.

I cant wait for book 2 ! I need to know what happens next ! I loved all the characters, especially the mmc and the fmc ! Their banter and chemistry was funny , angsty, flity and hot !

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook arc. The narrator did an amazing job. I love Kathryn Kingsley books so much.
She’s a fae planning to kill the vampire king and she ends up finding out that she is a sacrifice, and betrothed to the king. He slowly starts to fall for her and tries to figure out why her blood is so special.

I finished this book in a single day! It is spicy, dark, has delicious tension, morally grey FMC and a morally-black MMC! I am eagerly awaiting the next book!
Book: 4.5 Rounded up
Audio: 5

Eighty years ago, Raziel a member of the powerful vampire mafia killed her entire family, and she has spent her entire life dedicated to ensuring his death. When she uncovers that as a means of appeasing the family, a father has offered his daughter as a bride and that the family has never laid eyes on the woman, she knows now is the time. When she switches places with the young woman and infiltrates his household things become complicated when it is clear there is an undeniable tension between them.

Tropes:
- Marriage of Convenance
- Morally Black MMC
- Morally Grey FMC

I think this was a perfect first book, it was fast paced, has enough world-building that I could follow along, but enough questions left unanswered that things felt mysterious and like there is so much more to uncover about the tensions among the vampires, humans and fae. I also am really looking forward to the character development in the second book, we started to see glimpses of another side to Raziel, and we do not yet know his backstory. While he was morally black in many ways, our FMC is also morally grey, she has killed people in the name of revenge, and it really shows how vengeance can corrupt.

A Fae impersonates a human to get revenge on her family's killer. The world sounded very interesting with the Fae stuck underground and not being like the Fae we are used to from other books. I wish more time had been spent on the worldbuilding. I wanted to know more.

I liked our assassin FMC, even though I wish she had stayed on task more. The main couple seems well-matched and I will definitely read the next book to see more of their dynamic. His "my little murderer" nickname for her was cute. At some point into the book I thought maybe the author wrote herself into a corner with the parts of the relationship, but the ending definitely turned things around.

I enjoyed the audio narration by Desiree Ketchum. She captured the FMC's attitude quite well. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC.

I know 3⭐️ is kinda low, but don’t get me wrong. The story is intriguing!! I just wish they expanded a bit more and really gave me the build up I wanted. I feel like it was a bit too instant for my taste, but I did enjoy their chemistry/banter. I just wish we let it burn a bit slower, but what really makes me wanna give this a 4⭐️ was the twist at the end!!
I love a good twist.

Other than the romance, the plot was fun. Vampire Mafia w/ Fae, Humans, and possibly other species?
Definitely interested in the other Fae clans, esp since they’re not our typical Faes were used to!!
I’m also interested in the involvement of humans…
I need book 2 to really world build for me ‘cause the plot is already plotting.

Raziel Nostrom def has book bf potential too. I def see the Haunting Adeline vibes!!
I can’t wait to see how the romance plays out in the next book, esp w/ that ending 👀
I just wish it were a more TRUE enemies to lovers.
Nadi needs to lock in fr lmfao.
BUT I GET IT, I REALLY DO ☠️

Overall, a fun intro to the series. I’m so ready for book 2 to really amp everything UP.
Desireé Ketchum did amazing narrating this!!

True enemies to lovers! She’s planning to kill him and his entire family to get revenge by shape shifting to take the place of the bride he’s never met. He’s a ruthless vampire and plans to sacrifice his bride. They’re both brutal and dark, and chemistry blooms between them while she works to gain his trust in his deadly world. Love a good vampire and fae/shape shifter romance. Super fun and quick dark romance. The audiobook flew by for me, and I can’t wait for the next book after the cliffhanger! Narrator of the audiobook did a great job. Good quality recording, could differentiate well between the characters, and I barely noticed the production while being sucked into the story! I listened at 2x speed with ease. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Audiobook Review – The Serpent’s Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dark, intense, and totally addictive. The Serpent’s Bride throws you into a gothic vampire world full of morally grey characters and twisted power plays. The main duo has serious tension—dangerous, complicated, and impossible to look away from.

The audiobook narration really pulls you in, and the story ends on a killer cliffhanger that has me itching for the next book. A bit slow in parts, but overall a solid 4-star listen. If you like dark romance with villains you’re not supposed to love (but do anyway), this one's for you.

No one writes irredeemable love interests you can’t help but adore quite like Katherine Ann Kingsley, and she’s proven that across several of her series.

This book was no different!

Our FMC is Nadi, a fae woman with deep trauma in her past that was directly caused by Raziel Nostrom, the infamously brutal vampire prince of a mafia clan.
Years later, now an assassin, she’s spent decades honing her craft, determined to finally enact her revenge on him by impersonating the fiancée he’s never met and getting close enough to kill him.

This isn’t the most layered or world-building-heavy story, but it makes up for it with morally grey characters, fun dynamics, and a really sexy back-and-forth between the leads!

As Nadi is ruthless and someone who kills as easily as she breathes, it was entertaining to watch her navigate her revenge plan. Pretending to be his fiancée, learning about vampire mafia politics, and of course the tension and ever-changing relationship between her and Raziel were the highlights of this story.

I do have to say, as with most of Kingsley’s books, while this is supposed to be “dark,” the sex scenes weren’t really anything to write home about. I didn’t even think they were particularly kinky, so for anyone wanting a dark romance with more inventive or intense erotic elements, I’d definitely temper expectations in that regard.

Otherwise, I just had such a blast with this one. Raziel and Nadi were both ruthless in their own ways, and the cat-and-mouse game he (unknowingly) engaged in with her, as she played everyone around her for fools, was executed in such an entertaining way.

The book ends on an exciting note that makes me really eager to see how it all plays out in the next installment!

🎧 Audiobook/Narration:
The narrator did a really great job here, and I really enjoyed the husky tone she used for chapters from the MMC’s POV. Listening to the slightly snarky internal monologue of the FMC was so much fun!


Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio-ARC of the book. I havent read from Kathryn Ann Kingsley and I loved the easiness I could feel inside the world and how the book flowed. For the first 50% I couldn't visualize how things can improve for the better but the end was satisfactory. Desiree Ketchum is my all time favorite female narrator, so when I saw her name, I had no idea how good the book would be, but she carried it to further levels up.

This one was hard to get through—because I really didn’t like the MMC! It was really tough to get past just how awful he started off being.

The Serpent’s Bride isn’t just a book, it’s a descent. A plunge into obsession, vengeance, and the slow, excruciating unraveling of a woman who thought she could take on the darkness.... but ended up consumed by it.

The FMC, Nadi, walks a tightrope between defiance and desperation, clinging to revenge like a lifeline while Raziel Nostrom, her enemy, her undoing, strips her down to the bones of who she is. His voice is velvet. His hands are stained in blood. And his presence? It’s a curse you beg for.

From the first chapter, I was caught in the vicious gravity between them. She’s morally gray and razor-sharp, but he's something else entirely: inhuman, unreadable, a god of ruin wrapped in skin. Their chemistry isn’t romantic. It’s fatal. Like a blade pressed against a throat: thrilling, breathless, dangerous.

Kathryn Ann Kingsley doesn’t write romance; she writes beautiful devastation. And this story? It dares you to endure it. It dares you to love a monster and live with what’s left of you after.

Every scene between them is a war, of words, of will, of hunger. You don’t just read this book; you bleed with it. And when the twists came near the end, they didn’t just shock me, they destroyed me. I wasn't prepared. You won’t be either.

But Raziel.... he lingers. Not because he’s misunderstood or secretly soft. No. He’s terrifying because there is no softness. No redemption. Only power, and pain, and the slow suffocation of anyone who dares love him. He doesn't need to break you with violence, he does it with silence, with a glance, with the cold beauty of a soul that feels nothing and knows it.

You don’t fall for Raziel. You drown in him. You scream his name while forgetting your own. And Nadi? She doesn’t rise stronger. She sinks deeper. She becomes the very thing she set out to destroy, just to survive him. I closed this book and just sat there, ruined.

Hollow.
Shaken.

Because this wasn’t a love story. It was a seduction into ruin. A whispered curse disguised as a vow, and the ending? It wasn’t closure. It was surrender.

This isn’t a romance.
It’s a dark, poetic collapse.

3.5 stars. It is rare that I like a world with far and vampires and modern-day things, but this one was done really well. I liked the characters and motives and the twist at the end. I personally could have done without the bondage but that’s neither here nor there. I’ll definitely pick up book 2 when it releases.

Quick Summary: An unforgettable, dark & twisted, vampire/fae romantasy

My Review: The Serpent's Bride by Kathryn Ann Kingsley is book #1 in the Bloodlines series. It is a dark vampire novel. It has been categorized as a sci-fi/romance. It is scheduled for release on 8/28/25.

About the Book: "I will disguise myself as the vampire’s bride.

I will win over his family.

And then I will murder every last one of them."

In My Own Words: Revenge is the driving force behind a female assassin's plan to utterly destroy the vampire who took away her family. Passion and bloodlust are the ties that bind her to her enemy.

About the Characters: Oh my word! The leads earned all of the gold stars. I loved both of them. Raziel and Nadi were the morally gray characters that I needed.

Raziel Nostrom...yes. He checked all of the boxes. He was dark, tortured, brooding, dangerous, and sexy as all get out. There was more to him than was obvious. He knows more than he lets on. Something is afoot, that's for sure. The way he ended book 1 was insane.

Nadi...okay! This fireball was fierce, mighty, bold, and determined. She was so focused on her mission. Nothing was going to stand in her way, and I loved it. That killer instinct that drove her was something to behold. Even as she was in control, she was lost; but then again, maybe she wasn't. Her plight made me wonder if her course was destiny at play.

About the Cast: Every character played his or her role in such a way that invited more curiosity. The most intriguing characters that captured my attention were the missing grandmother, Ivan (Raziel's second), and Raziel's mother and brother. With that said, the special form that Nadi takes makes me wonder if her family, who had a brief story, is truly who they seem to be.

About the Conflict: There was non-stop conflict and action in this story. It came from every angle. Outside the family, inside the family, in the relationship between the leads, in the various factions that readers are introduced to - the secrets and machinations abound. The story kept unfolding and more became evident, while at the same time, it remained elusive.

About the Audiobook: This book was narrated by Desireé Ketchum. It was superbly voiced. Every nuance of the story was perfectly expressed. I was thoroughly entertained to the point that I listened in one sitting.

My Final Say: I LOVED THIS STORY! Period and point blank on that. It was incredible. I am completely invested in this series. Book one set the story up in such a memorable way. I am still gobsmacked due to the cliffhanger. It packed a punch. Wow!

Bring on book #2 ASAP!

*** Immersive reading experience ***

Other: Readers who like enemies to lovers, dark fantasy/romance stories, vampire x fae tropes, and morally gray characters will adore this novel.

This book reminded me of the Ruinous Love series, as well as the Wolf God series.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience:A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Besties Shelf: Yes
Summer Heat Hit: Yes
Status/Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +
Series: Yes
Formats; E-book, Audiobook

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publishers (Bookouture Audio | Second Sky Books), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to digital and audio ARC content in exchange for an honest critique. It was a pleasure to review this amazing story. I am hooked. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity.

Ah yes, nothing says true love like falling for the guy who wiped out your entire family. Revenge? Never heard of her. The revenge angle dissolved in seconds. They went from enemies to tempted in seconds and the constant repetition of her vengeful promise just dulled its impact. Really wanted to love this one!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!