This was so fun!! I was initially drawn in by this cover, stunning! But right from the first page I was so interested to see what would happen. I have read and enjoyed other stories from Scarlett St. Clair and do love her storytelling, so I was excited to see where this went.

The world and magic system was overall easy to follow. We do have a number of gods and the gates and such, but there wasn't a huge need to keep track of all them, at least yet. I thought the mafia vibes were a nice touch, and will be honest I was expecting more to come out of Lilith's job? Maybe more will come but also with that cliffy, maybe not? We shall see.

I thought the way religion was woven in was interesting. It is definitely exploring the dark side of religion and the author does talk about that in the author's note. As a Christian who hasn't personally gone through those things, I can understand that that is some people's experience, but is not the whole church. So I am able to separate that for the most part. But if you can't, this may be a good one to skip for you.

But truly my favorite thing about this book was the TENSION between Lilith and Zahariev!! This was slow slow burn, but the payoff was worth it! It was truly so obvious how each of them felt and it was actually so fun seeing them both essentially know, but with it being forbidden, holding off. Until they couldn't anymore! And since this is going to be a series (number of books unknown sadly lol), the pacing made sense. I loved Z. No notes. The spice we did get was hot and I'm hoping we see more of that dominant Z in the future haha.

And with that cliffhanger, I am so excited to see where this goes! Lilith did annoy me at times and was sometimes too impulsive. And this did take me a while to finish and just didn't have the five star feel yet, but still had a great time and would recommend if you're looking for an urban fantasy with a feisty FMC and some slow burn tension!

Thank you so much to Scarlett St. Clair and Bloom Books for the advanced copy!

LOVE!!

I have been craving a new read from Scarlett and this was IT! Lilith and Zahariev were such a good mix of frenemies & forbidden romance. I really enjoyed their dynamic as well as the magic system. Lilith is smart, sexy, & confident. I loved having such a strong FMC to start this new series!

The twists of the prophecy at the end was very well done and I can’t wait to see where this series goes!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Terror at the Gate by Scarlett St. Clair. Thank you to sourcebooks for the ARC, even if I was approved the day of release!!!

This book took me by complete surprise!! Zahariev is on my top 10 book boyfriends list! Like hot freaking damn!!! And don’t even get me started on Lilith! I absolutely adored her. She is a freaking badass!! She’s been through it though, so please check the trigger warnings!

I absolutely loved this world, it was unique, and the magic system had me wanting more. Like seriously, I’m so into it! I also loved that men marry to gain access to magic, shows who’s really in charge, even if they aren’t!
I also absolutely adored the little side kick, Cherub.

Additionally, I found the religious aspects really fascinating and I’m so curious to see where it will go.

You’ll like this book if you like:
Maria (ish vibes)
Touch her and 💀
Smash the patriarchy vibes
He falls first
Slow burn

Definitely recommend, and seriously cannot wait for book two!!

I requested to read this book because I thought that the cover was beautiful, and that the title was enticing enough that I wanted to request the book. I wasn’t entirely sure what the plot was, only that it was supposed to be something about Lilith from the Bible, which I now know wasn’t entirely true. In short, I sort of went in blind.
It wasn’t that difficult to immerse myself into the world, which is something I can rarely say nowadays. While there was some definite worldbuilding, it wasn’t “Lord of the Rings” level where I would have to somehow catch up on almost 100 years of lore and learn an entirely made-up language that would get me nowhere but Comic Con. I liked that I was given just enough information but didn’t have to worry about little things because they weren’t vital to the story.
I don’t think that I am what the publisher would describe as the “expected reader.” I am not usually someone that seeks urban fantasy (mostly because I don’t know if anything I have read has qualified as such), and I’m not the biggest fan of the new adult genre. In a weird way, I liked this book for the comfort that it brought me. It wasn’t at all supposed to be a comforting book, and people were killed throughout, but it was easy for me to immerse myself in, and easy for me to keep reading. I hope that doesn’t sound rude because I genuinely mean it as a compliment. It’s nice to free yourself from the problems of your life and immerse yourself into someone else’s. I would read the sequel when it comes out to feel that ease again.
Thank you to Bloom Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book and thank you to Scarlett St. Clair for writing it. I’m sorry it’s later than expected.

3.75 stars. I didn’t love this one but I didn’t hate it either. I love the idea of a Lilith book but I feel like more of the magic system needs to be fleshed out (teehee). It felt like we just sort of were dropped in and you had to figure it out without too much to go on.

NOW THIS IS FEMININE RAGE. Ugh Scarlett St. Clair has struck again with this masterpiece. This book gripped me from the start and I was so intrigued to see here it would go. It is feminine rage, religious tones, slow burn romance, all set in an urban fantasy setting. While not everything in this world made complete sense yet, it is the first in a series so maybe more will be filled in as we go. But something about this book had me not even caring that much as I was entranced by the story and the characters.

Omg this was everything I love about reading: a traumatised angry FMC and the impossibly hot guy who yearns for her on an Olympic level.

I had high expectations for this book, I like Scarlett St Clair’s other works and the premise of this had me SAT. I was so ready and y’know what? It DID NOT DISAPPOINT 🔥

Lilith is the only daughter of the house of Leviathan, which (according to the rules of the super creepy patriarchal theocracy) means she will have a husband selected for her and he will use HER power to rule. We think absolutely the fuck not.

Lilith being the absolute badass takes-no-shit bitch she is decides that is a whole heap of nope and runs away to live a normal life in the dark and saucy territory of her sexy as hell frenemy Zahariev. Lilith soon finds herself battling against her past traumas, the expectations of her parents and the church, the urge to climb her pal like a tree and the struggle to pay rent when said pal won’t let you strip for cash. Oh, and that’s alongside the oppression and sexism of society and its religion AND murderous electric gloop aliens that keep killing side characters. Oop.

I loved this book. It’s got the perfect debauched downtown vibes of the Hades X Persephone saga that St Clair writes so perfectly. The world is so cool and the way the hypocrisy and abuses of the church are laid bare is just chefs kiss (fellow catholic school girlies I know you need this).

Lilith is so toxic and I LOVE HER. She is irrational and mean and reactive and will absolutely take her shit out on people who don’t deserve it, but I will hear NO CRITICISM OF HER WHATSOEVER. She is a perfect, traumatised, fucked up lil princess and if you disagree take it up with Zahariev. (Did I mention he kills people that upset her?)

Anyhoo, the format of this book is super cool too, it’s all from Lilith’s POV but ever chapter ends with a teeny weeny slice of Zahariev’s POV, which just works beautifully.

This book has so much Fuck The System, a tonne of feminine rage, and sexy pining men. Literally what else could you ever want?

Terror at the Gates is everything I love in a dark, romantic mafia world, unique, refreshing, and utterly addictive. Enemies-to-lovers at its finest, with two main characters who want each other so badly they can’t keep their hands off each other. Scarlett St. Clair is an absolute pro at writing tension, and this book had me hooked from start to finish.

The world-building is rich and immersive, the FMC is a total badass you can’t help but adore, and the MMC is hot AF, what more could we possibly ask for? Other than, you know, book two, immediately, before I expire.

Perfect in every way.

TERROR AT THE GATES is a sizzling, smoldering romance that also somehow manages to be an ode to the struggles each and every woman confronts in our exhaustingly and infuriatingly patriarchal world. I finished this book wanting desperately to keep reading more. A magnificent series start by Scarlett St. Clair.

This book captivated me from beginning to end. The worldbuilding with its religious and pagan undertones combined with mafia-like families who run the city had me flipping the pages quickly to learn more. Think of it as The Fifth Element meets Crescent City. Some moments were predictable, and others had me throwing my kindle in surprise, mainly that cliffhanger of an ending.

I was cheering on Lilith, the FMC, the entire time wanting her to continue to discover herself and make a name for herself away from the patriarchal challenges the women in this world face. Along with the religious prejudices that she faces, becoming a strong, independent, self-thinking woman is the way of the future and we could all be reminded that we can do the hard things when we set our minds to it.

This was a slow burn I kept yelling at to hurry up, but the longing was worth the wait. Reluctant allies where he falls first and is quick to defend her without her knowing? Yes please, more of this. Zahariev is going on the book boyfriend list as one to pine after.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Scarlett St. Clair, and Bloom Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Overall, I really enjoyed this read! I loved the dynamic between Lilith and Zahariev, I loved the dark gritty atmosphere, and who doesn't love an adorable black kitty sidekick?!

I did feel the pacing was a little off at the beginning, being dropped into an already established relationship between the MCs was not something I was used to. The nickname one of the side characters had for the FMC also threw me off.

However, I felt like the story really picked up in the latter half and I was sucked in. While Zahariev’s POVs were short, I feel like they’re delivered such a punch. I was intrigued by the mystery and loved how resilient Lilith is. I definitely recommend this read!! I anxiously await book 2!

This is one of the best books I have read in a while. I did not want to put this book down, it was that engaging! There was one scene I was upset with, but I understand it makes sense with the plot. I loved the intertwining of religious beliefs! You can tell Scarlett St. Clair did her research. The magic in the series is a refreshing, newer take that keeps you entertained; it is not a repeat of the same old formula. I love the romance part! I want to read more about Z because I adore him and the nickname ‘little love’.

Quotes:
“Forgiveness is an invitation to sin. It will be our ruin.”
“But your rage belongs somewhere else, and I want to make sure you unleash it on the person who deserves it most.”
“Desire is only a weakness when it’s starved.”
“He’d taken care of me because I was his entire universe.”
“Don’t apologize, little love, I could have remained invisible to you, and my devotion to you would be unchanging.”

<i>Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for the e-arc</i>
I love a retelling! Even if I don't really know the original story I love them. Lilith was no different. I'm not super familiar with her original story. I thought that this book was great even if you don't know it. I loved Lilith. She's confident, smart, and does what she wants. She also is hot headed, makes mistakes, and rushes into things. I really liked her character arc. I am also a huge fan of switching who is considered good and bad in an established thing. I'm really excited to see where this goes!

I loved this book! As with all of Scarlett St. Clair's books, there's intricate mythology built in and smoldering heat between the love interests, Lilith and Zahariev. Magic, powerful families, mystery, and danger. Terror at the Gates had good pacing, and I found myself not wanting to put the book down way past bedtime. I love that we got a small POV from Zahariev at the end of each chapter. No one sets up a world like Scarlett.

I loved this one, highly recommend if you like:
✨ Friends to lovers
✨ Touch her and die
✨ Feminine rage
✨ Strong, independent, short tempered FMC
✨ Caring, mafia MMC
✨ Banter and tension
✨ Animal sidekick 🐈‍⬛
✨ Found family / friendship circles
✨ World building with biblical references
✨ Urban fantasy / modern day world but with magic and demons
✨ Spicy 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥
TW: parental issues, abuse, death

Zahariev and Lilith are from different powerful families in Eden. Lilly, the heir of Hiram, is bit of a rebel and currently estranged from her family and living under the protection of Zahareiv, head of Nineveh. Her one year is up and should be called back home anytime now. Only the females of these families have magic, but they can't utilise it as per rule and are subservient to men of their family. But she doesn't want to be pawn to be used by others. She is trying to make a living by using her power to 'procure' artefacts and selling it. Zahareiv while pretending not to see this also protects her as instructed by her father. They are trapped in some trouble after procures a beautiful knife, which has the tendency to leave a trail of deaths in its wake.
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I loved it, the writing and the characters. I was intrigued by the twists that were happening and didn't want to put it down. By the end, I was holding my breath to see what will happen. And it was amazing. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Terror at the Gates is a dark, atmospheric dive into a new romantasy world, brimming with forbidden magic, political intrigue, and sensual tension. Scarlett St. Clair delivers what many fans have come to expect, high-stakes drama, seductive romance, and strong-willed female leads. But while the premise is undeniably enticing, the execution occasionally stumbles.

The world-building is one of the book’s strongest aspects. Eden and its sin-riddled districts, especially Nineveh, feel alive with danger and decadence. The power dynamics between the church, the ruling families, and the underworld create a compelling backdrop. Lilith, the protagonist, is fierce and unapologetically flawed—traits that make her both interesting and sometimes frustrating. Her dynamic with Zahariev simmers with tension, and their chemistry is palpable, though the romance can feel more told than earned in moments.

That said, Terror at the Gates leans heavily on tropes that may feel overused to seasoned romantasy readers: the brooding male protector, the mysterious magical artifact, the chosen-one undertones. The pacing is uneven, some parts fly by, while others linger too long without much payoff. Secondary characters often blur together, and key plot twists are predictable rather than shocking.

Still, for fans of St. Clair’s brand of dark fantasy romance, there’s enough here to enjoy. It sets the stage for a promising series, even if this first installment doesn’t fully capitalize on its potential.

Final verdict: A steamy and intriguing start with great world-building, but it struggles with pacing and originality. A solid read for romantasy lovers, but not a standout.

Scarlett St. Clair you have done it again -- THANK YOU <3

Diving into this book was such a fun journey, if you've read any other of Scarlett's books or want to dive into them for the first time I cannot recommend this one enough. It's a first book in a series but it does not read like a first book typically does -- ya know with all the character intros and world building -- the way that the world building, character intro and development are weaved together was just... amazing.

Don't even get me started on daddy, I mean Zahareiv. The chemistry between Lilith and him had me down bad. All the characters had great development and backstories and I absolutely cannot wait to get my hands on book two.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to NetGalley & Bloom Books for the advanced copy and a HUGE thank you to Scarlett St. Clair for writing yet another amazing story.

"That’s because you do not like to be contained.” ----- paused and then added, “Most wild things don’t.”

Terror At The Gates is my most highlighted book to date (outside of text books). Scarlett just nailed it with the characters, the mafia style vibes, detailed world building, plot points, the emotions, sizzling slow burn--- I knew I would love it. What I didn't expect was to resonate so deeply with Lilith. She was everything I needed in this moment when the world is so uncertain and our rights are being stripped away so callously.

And then there's Zahariev. F*ck this man is hot. Their chemistry is off the charts, and this poor man in out of his depths. Scarlett did these little sections from his POV between Lilith's chapters. I was LIVING for those!!!

This story is such a great reminder to know your worth, straighten that spine, and live your truth.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity ti read the ARC. Terror at the Gates by Scarlett St. Clair. I love anything Scarlett writes she is an amazing author. Lilith is full of so much rage and is bound and determined to take down those who betrayed her. She has to steal to be able to eat she had nothing and was determined to make those pay. Zahariev is protective and different with Lilith than anyone else. He is the you touch what’s mine and you die. The romance is a slow burn and what attracted me to this book is the biblical standpoint. I love how she was able to put her spin on it. 5 out of 5 stars.

"Terror at the Gates" is a thrilling and darkly captivating read that perfectly blends intense emotion, suspense, and steamy romance. Scarlett St. Clair delivers complex characters whose passion and struggles leap off the page, making it impossible to put down. With its gripping plot and richly layered world, this book is a must for fans of paranormal romance and enemies-to-lovers stories with a bite.