The Court of the Undead

Thank you Netgalley for this arc. This book is unbelievably amazing. I have not read any vampire books in so long and this definitely made me fall back in love with the supernatural. Aden’s writing is lyrical and easy to fall into. The sisterly bond was beautiful. The love interests ,though at times cruel, were swoon worthy. If you like enemies to lovers, atmospheric writing, the supernatural, and strong female characters, this book is PERFECT for you.

Thank you NetGalley, Northern Light Press, and F.M. Aden for granting me a copy of this book in return for my honest opinions.

Vampires? Yes, sign me up!

It was wonderful! The characters Yara, Aylin and Volkan became my favorites.
The author a great job and I felt like a knew them personally. I felt Eldar could use a bit more development. Would love to get to know everyone more in a series perhaps (hint, hint).

I became deeply invested in the story and the complex storyline was perfect. I did not have difficulty following, but I would recommend reading with no outside distract as it is complex.

Love the touch of romance, but hoping we get a series and see some more romance in future books!!!

The Court of the Undead releases in December 2023. It is a great read for vampire lovers like me!

Recommend.

I really loved this book. The premise was very interesting and it really didn’t disappoint! I absolutely loved the writing style and every chapter hooked me in to the point where I stayed up until 3 a.m. when I had an exam the next day! The two main characters Aylin and Yara are sister living in the castle of the Ottoman Empire. One night Yara gets abducted by vampires to be sold as a blood slave. Through her cunning nature, she’s able to go up in rank and even get in favour of the Undying King. Her sister Aylin is sick with worry and goes to search for her sister with the help of her childhood friend Ilyas.
The romance in this book was the perfect start for what is to come in the next book and the fantasy aspect was executed exceptionally. I can’t wait for the next book in this amazing start of a new fantasy romance series!

Yara and Aylin grew up on ghost stories, specifically stories of vampirs. When Yara is kidnapped by the same creatures they were warned about, Aylin will stop at nothing to get her sister back.

This book was great! I loved the European setting and Aylin’s character. The book kept me on the edge of my seat, and I had to know what happened next. Great read!

I enjoyed that this was a Gothic fantasy novel in the Ottoman empire, I was intrigued from the cover and so glad I read this. It had a great story going through it and I enjoyed how good the characters were when dealing with the story. F.M. Aden has a great writing style and it worked well overall. I can’t wait to read more from the author as I really enjoyed reading this.

Loved reading the mesmerizing and spellbinding story. When Aylin's sister, Yara, is kidnapped by vampires, Aylin will do anything to get her sister back. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting story. Can't wait to read the next story in the series!

Dark Vampire tale full of morally grey characters! Slight spoilers below.

The book is not for the faint hearted as contains the following: human trafficking, scenes of gore and violence in graphic detail and cannibalism (Vampire cannibalism). Surprisingly, no sex scenes.
I devoured this book in one go and am writing this review fresh from reading the book (it's nearly midnight- it's one of those books where it's so fast paced and intriguing I had to keep going!). I received this as an ARC from netgalley but chose to read it due to the book synopsis. Really thankful as one of my favourite reads of 2023 and i look forward to reading the next in the series.

While it took me a little while to really get into the book, once I did I was hooked. I absolutely devoured it! I love Aylin and Yara’s devotion to one another. I’m dying to read more about the potential relationships, hoping for some enemies to lovers. The cliffhanger is killing me, I need The King of the Damned to be released as soon as possible!

Thanks to Net Galley I was able to read this book before it’s release and I’m so happy I did. This story gives a twist to vampires that I haven’t read before. Love that it focuses more on the sisters and a little less on the love interests. I can’t wait for a sequel!

The Court of the Undead follows two sisters whose lives are torn apart when Yara, the younger, is kidnapped and sold to vampirs. Set in the Ottoman Empire and Wallachia, Aylin goes on a mission to rescue her sister. Romance, enemies to lovers and vampire lovers will enjoy this! An exciting debut, can't wait for the rest of the series.

So much tension in this story! I loved how their relationships grew and changed along the pages and I will definitely read book 2 as soon as it's published as I want to know what happens to each and every one of the characters... because I like them all... even if some are totally loathsome.
The writing is fluid and the story is fast-paced (no time to get bored into long description, which I really appreciated). I would definitely recommend it!

Thank you Netgalley and F.M. Aden for the ARC I received for an honest review.
TW: Graphic Violence, Torture, Language, bullying

Five very enthusiastic stars for what I know promises to be an exciting series with vampires, political intrigue, and romantic tension. Admittedly, I was a little bored with the beginning of the book because of reading about the royal politics and such (which I'm starting to know now I'm really not into) but quickly, the story revved into a thrilling tale of deceit, betrayal, and romantic tensions abound. There's even a lot of actions scenes here, some of which is pretty gory, and although I couldn't watch this as a movie, I'm tolerant of it in a book (warning: a lot of eye gouging and depictions of torture).
So the story is about two sisters, Aylin and Yara. They grow up in a royal court. Although they have a fierce love for one another, they couldn't be more different than night and day. Aylin likes to fight, partake in swordplay. She's a tomboy basically. Yara, on the other hand, loves the arts, singing, and any quiet activity. She is also very beautiful and catches the attention of men. They grow up with Ilyas, who was brought in a a slave at a young age. Around where they live, they hear stories about Vampir.
One day, Yara is kidnapped by said folks and Aylin goes on a quest to save her. In order to do so, she must battle sexism of that time and poses as a boy. Ilyas goes with her to help, and along the way, they are faced with dealing with their underlying feeling for each other, which is very complicated because Ilyas is sworn never to marry or father a child. This throws a wrench into the story.
Meanwhile, Yara is lead away into a hidden court ruled by monstrous vampir who have humans known as blood slaves. She becomes a blood slave herself, hand-picked by the Dimirici brothers, twin true born (meaning they were never human, they are born of vampir lineage) vampire princes with a lot of personality which also compare and contrast. Yara, as head-strong as she is, will not take her fate lying down and works to seek favor among the more powerful vampir, and thus truly complicates things with the story and Yara's heart.
The funny thing about this story you will find yourself sympathizing with monsters. Volkan and Eldar have many moments where you will genuinely like them not as bad guys, but as individuals with true motivations and feelings. As a twin myself, (and a sister) i feel myself sympathizing with their plight. They start off monstrous, but they have a deep love and loyalty for one another. Eldar seems to be a complete monster, but many of the things he does is to benefit and avenge his brother. Volkan gradually learns to truly care for Yara, and there were many moments when I would want them to get together.
If you love morally grey characters, fascinating lore, twists and turns you don't see coming, and intense romantic chemistry that leave you breathless, you would love this. I can't wait to see where they next book will take us.

Okay, so here's me about to disagree with the status quo here STRONGLY. The Court of the Undead has had mid reviews, but it's far from a Mid book. Actually, its a legitimately unique take on romantasy and one of the first romantasy book's I haven't hated. This book SLAPS and y'all just have bad taste. I'm also extremely upset to see SO MANY REVIEWS express irritation at the "confusing" Muslim elements of the book. Can we leave the weird xenophobia back in 2010 please?

Lets get into it.

Overview:

☪️ Muslim main characters
♥️ Slow burn romance
🙌 Epic bond between siblings
♥️ Vampire Romance
♥️ Love triangles
♥️ "Darker" romance
😍 Corruption arc
😍 Redemption arc
🫰 Interesting side characters

The Court of the Undead is like taking And I Darken and slapping it together with the tropey elements of The Red Queen with a dash of The Vampire Diaries. The book follows two sisters, Yara and Aylin. Yara is a model wealthy Ottoman girl; she is well-behaved, feminine, and respectful. Aylin is a tomboyish firecracker. The two couldn't be more different, but their bond is powerful. One day, Yara is taken by a powerful vampire family as a slave at the whim of two brothers who wish to use her for their own gain.

As Yara learns to navigate the twisted vampire court, Aylin will travel with a band of vampire hunters to save her.

This is a duel POV that focuses on the two sisters but occasionally throws in a third POV of Eldar, a conniving vampire using Yara to spy for him so he can ascend the ranks of the vampire court.

Yara’s POV is easily the favorite, and I think will be for most people. The court politics and twisted relationships the vampires all have with each other are excellently done and very well written. The author sprinkles in a lot of great side characters into her arc. It has elements of romance without being overwhelming and reminds me a lot of popular vampire fiction in the 2000s. I don’t recommend this book to folks uncomfortable with ‘problematic romance’ for this reason. Yara’s story is very dark, and while the elements never fall back on adult “dark romance” tropes, she is flirting with and tempting fate with literal monsters who want to use and abuse her; and this makes her a harder, more complex character as a result.

I have less to say about Aylin’s POV. I still enjoyed it, but it is more of a straightforward adventure story with a slightly healthier/banter-heavy romance thrown in there. Aylin’s POV also shows a few more traditional Muslim and Ottoman elements of the book and is awesome from a representation perspective.

The Court of the Undead’s biggest and best trait is its use of morally grey characters and straight-up villains. There are only one or two truly morally good characters in the story. Some main characters are truly atrocious, and it’s extremely fun to follow them. FM Aden does not screw around in giving you baddies to root for (or against)

All of the characters are interesting and fun to follow with loads of development. Neither Aylin nor Yara are the same person at the beginning of the book as they are at the end. The vampire characters are all sloppy, morally complex people who will surprise you- it isn’t always clear who is the most monstrous person in the story.

I also loved how slowly the romance moved. All of the characters had to earn their feelings for each other, it wasn’t an instant obsession. Even by the end of the book I was unclear who was actually going to get together. The love triangles were masterfully done- providing awesome scenes for the pairings without committing to one in particular. It was a breath of fresh air in a world where most romantasy books are the same carbon copy experience every single book AKA everyone just does a Sarah J Maas and goes home.

I strongly recommend The Court of the Undead to fantasy readers who like dark romance, Damon/Elena shippers that miss their dynamic, readers looking for vampire stories written by women of color, and anyone who loves slow burn stories where the main characters are human beings beyond their romantic entanglements.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the advanced read in turn for an honest response!

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quicker read than some books I’ve read lately but I couldn’t put it down!

It’s a bit different for me as I’m not as familiar with African/Muslim/Ottoman (more familiar with Ottoman from university but that was long ago!) backgrounds but it just added to the story to be more intriguing! It did feel like the books I used to read in high school with vampires! I really enjoyed that there was a familiar feel with an entirely new element for me!

I enjoyed the dual POV with the sisters who are almost polar opposites! Their characters really show in their point of views! Yara is classic good girl and upstanding citizen. Aylin is wild and like a tomboy.

The characters are morally grey and the author has you rooting for the villains. I loved this book!

Cluch those pearls ladies and gents.
This novel is not for those gentle readers. I would have to class it a little on the darker path than most run of the mill vampire novels. There is a need to clearly outline that if you have mental issues or struggle with some triggers... this is not for you. Back away slowly and forget you looked this way.
For those of you who love a side of dark without sex taking the whole plot this is the book for you. F.M Aden is a brand-new author for me but after reading this, is now added on my list of click first ask questions later.
Twists and turns, drama, biting, sisterly love and laugh out loud. Are just a small list of things this novel brings to the front.
Fantastic read and well-developed world. I could picture it all play out before my eyes as i turned the pages.

Thoroughly enjoyed every second of this book. BIPOC main characters, steamy tension, vampires, HELLO? What else could I ask for?

I received a copy of this book from the publisher (via Netgalley) in exchange for an honest review.

My reviews are brain dumps so here we go: This book had me absolutely hooked. At first I thought it was just going to be a girl rescues sister but then I realized it was dual POV and they’re both badasses in their own right? Yes please. I absolutely adored Aylin, Yara, and somehow even Domenico and Eldar.

Also Yara plotting murder and pinning it on him ahhhhh.
The Mulan moment we got from Aylin.

Sometimes I have issues following fantasy books but this one was a breath of fresh air.
And the way the Court of the Undead was described I could feel like I was actually there with her.

I also love how deeply you could feel the love they had for one another.

Also I just have to say I’m here for how homoerotic this book was 🤷🏼‍♀️

Okay and that ending???? My baby Yara missing the sun, y’all Zuri and Mircea.

Overall I absolutely adored this book and can not wait for the second one.

First of all thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Oboi let me see if I can write coherent thoughts aksjdhakjsdhkasjdhkajdshkajsdhkjasd

Ok for starters screw the reviews saying that the book is "difficult to understand or connect to" because of the different culture. That's nonsense. The different cultural elements are explained just fine and you don't need a Deep Comprehension Of Islam/Turk History or whatever to get the book. I'm a Brazilian catholic-raised atheist and understood it all just fine.

And well, yea, the book has no "spice" (as in sex scenes). The make-outs are steamy and there are even scenes not-of-physical-intimacy brimming with sexual tension. But there's not even a fade-to-black implied scene. I personally see no problem with that, but from other reviews it seems people want to know that about the book so there you have it.

And maybe because it's an ARC but there were a few grammar mistakes here and there (mostly misplaced commas).

Now. To the Good Stuff.

Oh my GODS this is good. ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS STANS, EAT THIS UP. Seriously. YOU WILL WIN. WE WILL WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN! WE ONLY GET TO LOSE BUT THIS TIME WE! WILL! WIN!

There are romantic triangles - yes, for both sisters, two triangles - BUT DON'T CLOSE THIS TAB JUST YET, HEAR ME OUT! It's, like, good. Like, all suitors are very possible endgames, and every feeling and sentiment and emotion and relationship between the characters is absolutely earned, and you keep going back and forth in your guesses of who's going to be endgame. It's well written, filled with tension and ambivalence, and won't have you rolling your eyes like romantic triangles usually do. Seriously, these are rare examples of the trope being done right.

And remember when I said enemies-to-lovers stans WILL WIN with this book? Like, 3 of the 4 romantic interests are enemies of the protagonists. And it's TRUE enemies-to-lovers, not merely "oh they were slightly mean to each other once", NO, there are LITERAL MURDER ATTEMPTS. THEY DO BAD THINGS TO EACH OTHER. IT'S THE REAL DEAL. Like, one of the protagonists has BOTH her suitors be her enemies, so, for real, NO MATTER THE ENDGAME, WE WIN.

Oh and, like, the sisters gave me Sansa and Arya Stark vibes. One is pretty and politically savvy and the other a tomboy aspiring warrior. Good soup.

The intrigues and corruption in both the Court of the Undead and the Silver Cross Order are good soup too. Morally grey characters abound! Lots of tragic despicable people to, as we say in my motherland, passar pano (that means to defend/dismiss the bad things they do).

I haven't watched more than a few episodes of The Vampire Diaries but I think its fans are in for a treat (I mean, one of the characters is named Salvatore, a definite nod to the show). Author is apparently a Delena and Damon apologist. So I'm genuinely optimistic for the rest of the series. Can I also get the upcoming sequels as ARCs for reviews? Sorry I'm new to NetGalley and BookSirens but this series is definitely one which I'll gladly follow.

Ok I hope this was in anyway at least a little bit coherent and understandable lol

TL;DR: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR THIS BOOK SLAPS AND YOU WILL WIN NO MATTER THE ENDGAME ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS FANS RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISE

The book absolutely delivered the castlevania vibes it promised . I love vampire stories and this definitely one of my top reads of the year !

thank you netgalley for the eArc .

The Court of the Undead is a captivating story filled with an abundance of tension. I was enthralled by the way the relationships between the characters evolved and transformed throughout the pages. Undoubtedly, I eagerly await the release of the second book, as I am genuinely curious about the fate of each and every character. Surprisingly, even the most detestable individuals managed to capture my interest.

This book was absolutely amazing. The setting was my favorite thing, I have always been interested in Vlad Dracul and Wallachia, as well as the conflict between them and the Otroman empire. To see the context of that time period mixed with fantasy elements was extraordinary. I also liked Yara very much and was focused and riveted in her storyline. The plots and relationships in the court kept me at the edge of my seat. But I have to admit that I found the chapters about Aylin very boring; I wasn’t invested in her arc as I was with her sister

Vampires? Gothic undertones? This was SUCH a fun read. It had me hooked from beginning to end. I liked the family relationships, and appreciated how the darker topics were handled with grace and compassion while keeping the story fast paced and entertaining. I am excited to see more from this author!

--
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of this title. This review contains my honest and voluntary thoughts.

This review was made possible via an ARC through NetGalley.

The Court of the Undead is a historical romance set in the time of the Ottoman Empire with vampires, love triangles, and two sisters trying to make their way back to each other at the center of it all. Yara and Aylin are very different characters who's sisterly love for each other shines whenever they bring the other up in their POVs.

Ilyas and Aylin's slowburn is very slowburn but the way they speak to each other says volumes of their devotion and genuine feelings. Meanwhile, Yara and Eldar and Yara and Volkan are two potential ships with constant push and pull where you're never completely sure where Yara is going to lean and when and how the two brothers will react.

Court of the Undead is well-written and the worldbuilding feels authentic to the time period as well as exploring character complexities and lived realities. No character is entirely innocent and no relationship is without it's flaws, which makes it a great fit for anyone seeking a dark romantasy or dark historical romance.

I look forward to the sequel and how FM Aden wraps up this saga.

The Court of the Undead by F.M aden drew me in with a potential enemies to lovers situation and kept me hooked with slowly unfolding political fantasy intrigue. Whatever I expected going in this title has far exceeded and I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this dark fantasty book which reminded me a bit of From Blood and Ash crossd with castlevania (I love the narrator on that show hah). Following two sisters, Yara and Aylin, who were brought up with paranormal tales by their nursemaid, only to find out that the tales are not just stories but reality, which they discover when Yara is kidnapped and Aylin sets off on an adventure to get her back.

A lot of tension and slow burn dark romance - I definitely hope there is another book!

This book…seriously give it a chance! This book blew me away, I cannot wait for more of these characters. I found them all quirky in their own ways, and it was a pleasant, relatable, and fast read. At first I was nervous because I didn’t understand some of the terms used - but I didn’t let that stop me and I feel like I walked away with knowledge and a wonderful story!

This book was even better then I could have imagined. I honestly can't wait for other people to read it because it's so imaginative and fun. Bringing a new world to Vampires and the worlds that surround them.
Just be careful this book will definitely have you wishing for the next in the series to come.

***thank you Netgalley for the Arc***

This book was intense! It’s 3am as I write this review having just finished the book after not being able to put it down. The characters and storyline are INSANE. The twists and turns and the ability to make you love a character and hate them a chapter later, the ability to make you love and hate a character at the same time. The characters are deep, really deep and they’re so much happening but you never get lost in it. Not to mention some Turkish/middle eastern representation I think the book word is lacking. This book makes other winged men books look like child’s play. Don’t pass this one up

There is not a lot for me to write a review on about this (masterpiece) book. For me, a review should point out the defects and/or the prefects in a particular book. But this one, my God. I don't need to write one because every thing literally EVERYTHING was perfect. I loves this book so much.

The characters, the pacing, the writing, the writing style, the way the characters clashed together, the love stories, the background, the connections, the plot and sosososo much more!!

Loved this book and will definitely be requesting/read the arc/published copy of the second book!

Wow, I absolutely adore the diverse characters in this book and the fast paced plot line. This stunning story features Muslim and African American main characters, vampires, and an addicting dark romance. I think if you loved Elena and Damon from the Vampire Diaries, you would devour this. I could not get enough of the enemies to lovers romance and I love how the author did not make it obvious which sister was going to end up with who, it kept me on my toes throughout the whole book! I really recommend this incredible fantasy romance!

“I want to see my jewels on your throat when you sing for me. I want everyone to know that you belong to
the Demircis.
- Your Beloved”

This book really surprised me! This dark fantasy book is intoxicating, alluring, and exhilarating. This book follows two sisters Aylin and Yara. It also follows Volkan and Eldar, two vampire twins.
I love how much history the author inputs in the novel. It makes the story more believable. I really liked the character development especially Yara. She really came out of her shell and was more bold. I love Volkan! I am waiting for the shoe to drop on Eldar. I really enjoyed seeing a feast for the eyes for vampires. I strongly encourage people to read this novel!!! It left me wanting more!

Tropes-

Enemies to Lovers
Romantic Vampires
Familial bond
Politics
Love triangle
Slow burn
Dark
Muslim representation
African American representation
I want to say thank you to F.M. Aden, Northern Light Press, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful book!

Gosh, this was so good. Just don't start reading it on a night, you will be awake all night reading it. I love gothic flavoured books but this wad so different. I loved the relationship between the sisters, their back stories and interactions with the other characters. I cannot wait to read more.

5 stars

I devoured this book, it was so much fun, and an original story while still touching on the popular tropes we see in romantasy. This book is a
dark fantasy which sits on the edge of dark romance without committing to dark romance tropes. Other than its dark themes, I believe it is marketed as YA.

The representation in this book was fantastic including Muslim MCs and a plus size MC. The book is a dual POV predominantly that follows two sisters, one abducted and one on a quest to get her back. The storyline has everything from court politics and intrigue, backstabbing and spying, hidden identity, forbidden love, and more all bundled up in a rich world inspired by the history and rise of the Ottoman Empire which adds so much depth to the story. Also as a prominent love triangle hater I was worried I would hate this book not realising that this had love triangles when starting. However this author threw me through a loop because I am INVESTED. I do not even know who I am rooting for anymore and I am desperate for the next book.

To top it all off this book does not just have you rooting for morally grey characters, but also straight up evil characters. The design and characterisation of the Vampir in this book are so good and so dark that you truly never know who is a friend and who is an enemy.

My only criticism of this book was that I felt like it was maybe a little slow in the first couple of chapters, however once it got going I didn't want to put it down. Those first few chapters were setting the scene and info dumping but as soon as the storyline starts going I did not care that it was a bit slow in those first 3 chapters.

Overall, I felt the story was original, fast-paced, and kept me gripped right until the end. I will be looking out for the next read with bated breath and will be looking into this author for anything else they have written.


Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

ALL THE TROPES IN THIS BOOK. i love!! the writing was incredible, the plot kept me invested, the love triangles *chef’s kiss*. it was truly a breath of fresh air.

how could you not love this book plssss i ate it up

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot intrigued me, and it exceeded my expectations. The writing style captivated me, and each chapter held my attention. The romance sets the stage for the next installment, and the fantasy elements are masterfully woven. I eagerly anticipate the next book in this promising fantasy romance series.

The vampire political intrigue novel of my dreams, Yara and Aylin's story is full of the kinds of twists and turns that keep a reader on their seat. Aden excels at lush descriptions and creating high-octane tension in a setting that is truly unique. This is a fabulous debut and I'm excited to see what's next for the sisters (and--of course--the absolutely INCREDIBLE love interests).

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. This novel was so spellbinding and absorbing. I have always loved anything vampire-related and this was such a treat as a reader. The relationships, storyline, setting, and atmosphere were all exceptional. I really loved it. This was a perfect book for the winter season! 5 stars.

The Court of the Undead is book one in the Trueborn series by F.M. Aden.
An outstanding romantasy story.
This fast-paced story kept me gripped right until the end.
I thought the character development was done so well and the world-building just outstanding.
Her writing technique has the story coming to life right off of the page creating vivid and captivating images.
This world is so imaginative, so immersive, you'll never want to leave it.
Action packed, with a hint of romance and entertaining characters.
I can’t wait to read book two The King of the Damned.

Thank You NetGalley and Northern Light Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is such a gem. I absolutely devoured this book. Author’ lyrical sense of writing is absolutely mesmerising, and the plot had me sat on the edge of my seat throughout the beginning. However, that cliffhanger was brutal for my fragile heart. Definitely can’t wait enough for the next instalment.

I adored this book. Yara was a delight, and I loved that she was a curvy girl that was described as being beautiful. Curvy girls are gorgeous, just as much as skinny girls are. Aylin was also a delight, I loved her passion for her sister and the lengths she went to protect Yara. Both girls were faced with multiple trials and I commend them. If I had been in either girl's position, I wouldn't have made it out the other side.

It was obvious that Ilyas loves Aylin but that he takes his faith very seriously. Often times I wondered if they were about to kiss and was disappointed for her when they never. Domenico has me conflicted. I feel sorry for his upbringing and the way his father treated, and still treats, him, but his behaviour towards Aylin was sickening. It infuriates me how much some men believe us as women to be their property. As if we have no autonomy and are there purely for their pleasure.

This is also why I started out absolutely hating Volkan. He was abysmal towards Yara. Of the two twins I much preferred Eldan as, while he seemed disinterested, he appeared to be the kinder of the two. Let me tell you that opinion changed so fast. Now I'm team Volkan and hate Eldan. Eldan can toss himself into the fiery pits of Hell.

I love the representation in this book. This opened me to a culture other than my own, and I loved it. Beautiful world building, and a top notch Romantasy book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Okay, I have never read anything like this before and I can confirm I devoured this!! It’s YA fantasy but THE TENSION oml.

Pros: there was a ton of diversity! The story was like Game of Thrones meets vampires which I loved. I liked seeing the developing separate stories of Yara and Aylin. Aylin's guy is possessive, to say the least, and she starts to cave right at the end so I’m so excited for book two. We also see Volkan choose Yara over Eldar at the end which isn’t super surprising but I’m anxious to see Eldar get knocked down by karma.

Cons: the beginning was a bit hard to get into but that’s about it.

The story progresses pretty quickly and it’s super interesting and unique. I recommend it!

Vampires? YA? Count me in! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this!