But defeating the most ferocious fighters from all three vampire families won't be simple. Oraya is compelled to team up with a mysterious foe in order to live.

Every aspect of Raihn is deadly. He is a cunning vampire, a skilled assassin, a threat to her father's throne, and her biggest rival. But the thing that frightens Oraya the most is that she can't help but be attracted to him.

But kindness has no place in the Kejari. Everything Oraya believed she understood about her house is shattered as the War for the House of Night intensifies. And Raihn may comprehend her better than anyone else, but in a realm where love is the most lethal of sins, their growing attraction may prove to be her undoing.

My Review

This book has really taken over my life! After the first page, it was impossible for me to put this down as I had been desiring a perfect fantasy vampire like this for a very long time. This book was truly amazing in every way! I'll say that these fantasy books are some of the finest I've read this week.

Since there are genuinely too many elements of this book that I adored to name them all here without making this review the length of a chapter, lol. I'll just focus on a few.

Oraya, the human adopted daughter of the Vampire King, Vincent, struggles to survive in this book in a world full of antagonistic creatures. She participates in a competition with similarities to the Hunger Games in an attempt to change her fate. In order to win the battle, she must work with Raihn, a vampire from a rival clan. As more and more secrets come to light, she starts to doubt her allegiances and her perspective on the world.

Once more, the author fully engrossed me in the fantastic and fascinating universe she had built from the very first page. Outstanding details added to the uncanny atmosphere. We could see how cruelly people were treated, how little they were valued, and occasionally even how helpless they were. Although the book isn't as gory or bloody, it definitely has a gloomy atmosphere, which I really enjoyed.

The world building was outstanding, and we also learn about the history of the different vampires, the battles between the houses, their gods and goddesses, and everything else. Everything I was looking for in a fantasy romance was present in this book, including the slow burn, the enemies to lovers story, wonderful chemistry, amazing characters, and magic. The pacing was excellent, and the plot was very captivating.

Because of how beautifully the characters are written, you will feel a broad range of conflicting emotions. There wasn't one of them I didn't like, considering that they were all difficult, miserable, fierce, angry, and prone to mistakes. At one point, I hated them all and thought that this was the last act, where they would at least periodically become the enemy of each character. They are more intricate than that, though.

The relationships in this book are incredibly complex and cross. It breaks my heart to see how Vincent and Oraya are bonded. I felt so sorry for her as she struggled with her feelings for him. Vincent clearly loves her as his daughter, but the true nature of his affection is hard to pin down. She also brought up his frequent transitions between Vincent the King and Vincent the Father, which I found to be especially hilarious. This kind of simple enhancement can greatly increase how much you value a book.

Oraya and Raihn, meanwhile, had such great chemistry, and I enjoyed their banter! The push and pull are great, as is the chemistry. There is definitely some spice toward the end, though it isn't overly explicit or drawn out. Although neither of them are close to it yet, there is still a possibility for a great outcome, and I still adore them both!

What an incredible read! It is gritty and vengeful, action-packed with well rounded characters, and for those who are craving vampire lore, it also adds to the canon.

Overall, I'm in awe! I can't wait to read the new book once it is published! I can't praise enough how firmly I recommend. Please pick up this book for yourself!

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.