Thank you to NetGalley and Kay Marie for this opportunity to read rate and review this arc which is available wide.

I am a sucker for a romantasy that ticks the tropes and gives me a book that is fun to read. This is that type of book. Lilah is a feisty but clueless FMC and Nyx is that talk dark and broody vampire MMC with secrets that will poke holes in the lovers when they stop the banter filled enemies portion of their budding relationship.

I highly recommend this book for those who read based on tropes. Who love a romantasy that has low risk world building, a bit of spice, enemies to lovers, vampires and secrets and betrayals.

I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of A Court of Blood and Sacrifice through NetGalley. The overall concept of the book was ACOTAR meets Quicksilver, meets something new. This book had an interesting concept but missed a bit on the execution of it. I wish there would have been better world building and a slower pace for the transition of enemies to lovers especially since this is just book one. This is a short read of just over 200 pages and if you enjoy vampire romance with turmoil it may be worth giving it a try.

I'll be honest. It's not a good read in all sense of the word: characters development, story and writing style
Having said that, My students Will like it- so i'll probably use it- soon in My classes

As someone who loves enemies-to-lovers stories and anything with vampires, this book was everything. I was immediately drawn in by the main character’s fierce determination for revenge, and watching her world unravel as her truth collided with the enemy’s was so satisfying.

The vampire love interest? Infuriating in the best way—cocky, dangerous, and way too attractive. Their banter was sharp, the tension was high, and I loved every second of it! There’s also a deeper emotional thread woven through the bloodshed and betrayal that really caught me off guard (in a good way).

The setting felt rich and eerie—especially the forest scenes where every step felt like a threat. And as secrets about her past started unfolding, I couldn’t stop flipping the pages.

If you’re into gritty, slow-burn romantasy with high stakes, hidden truths, and sizzling tension, you’ll want this one at the top of your TBR. I’m already dying for book two!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

Her mother died when she a young a child and after her father is murdered lilah swears she will get revenge on the monsters.
when vampire Nyx comes into her life lilah is forced to work with him to keep herself alive however as lines are crossed and secrets are revealed she finds herself questioning who the real enemy is.

The concept was good but I really wish it had been longer and fleshed out more.
The romance seemed to come out of nowhere and the constant kidnappings felt tiresome.
It is an interesting read with potential to be great.
Nyx was a great protective MMC and Lilah was badass by herself, together they do make a great pair but again I wish we had more time with them for the relationship to feel a little more natural

I went into this book loving the idea of it. A woman out for revenge against vampires after watching her father brutally killed only to fall in love with one, sign me up! It, unfortunately, missed its mark with me though. I didn't love being inside our FMCs head -- she was constantly having to tell us how strong and cunning she was when it would've been fine for us to just see it play out. Once captured by our MMC, she went from hating him to blinding trusting and loving him FAR too quickly. The pacing was just odd.

While I wanted to love it I found myself just rushing through it to finish.

I've finished and my thoughts about the book is that it's just nice. It's an easy read, it doesn't really bog you down with too much information upfront. The pacing is pretty decent for the 200+ pages that it was and I came to really like some of the characters. I find that how the vampires are is interesting since when we're in the main character's POV, It makes it obvious that there's very few differences between they way she's been living and them but I do like how she waffles between thinking them monsters and then almost thinking them to be more like humans.

The only negative I have is while I understand some of her decisions- there's not really a time when I can't connect the dots to see how she arrives to some conclusions- I'm not really deeply sold on the romance. Which I think might just be me not feeling it. They say the words and do the motions but I just don't feel it.

What makes it worse, this is the time where I cannot connect the dots on how she got here, is she was exceedingly quick to turn on him when the enemy could be lying- she never thinks that they *could* be lying about him. Which is strange to me because like, girl aren't you crazy about this dude that's saved you multiple times at this point but this?? This is the thing you don't hesitate to believe?

I think the other thing I don't like is when we literally just don't get answers much. I know it's book one, but I wish some of these answers were given earlier so she COULD think about them too. Like her whole thing with her mother. Or the Special Magic Item. Those two things could've been brought earlier. Maybe even have Nyx talk more about his background on the emotional side.

Because I think that's the missing piece there. They don't..actually talk to each other or with each other but it feels more *at* each other. It's less an exchange and more like I dunno, a monologue broken into bits between their 'will they won't they'. It's why I just probably cannot feel the romance between them is because of that.

Either way, for what it's worth, I did enjoy it. And I'm looking forward to the second book.

Alright, “A Court of Blood and Sacrifice” again, you say? 😉
Our girl Lilah? She did not sign up for this mess. All she wanted was to stay out of trouble and not end up as a blood sacrifice, but oops—guess who’s the chosen one with murder-y magic and a broody fae prince trailing her like a lost puppy with knives? That’s right, our chaotic queen.

And let’s talk about Nyx—the fae prince who looks like he walked out of a fantasy-themed thirst trap. He’s got secrets, abs, and that morally gray energy we live for. One minute he’s threatening to kill you, the next he’s low-key saving your life and calling you “little flame.” Sir. SIR.
But don’t get too comfy. Kay Marrie will rip your heart out, stomp on it in heels, and make you thank her. There are TWISTS. Betrayals. Secrets. And that ending?? I had to put the book in the freezer like it was cursed.
💋 Would sell my soul for the sequel
💀 Currently recovering from the ending

Thank you NetGalley and Kay Marrie for allowing me to have this advanced copy!!!!!

Thank you Net Galley

Loved this book, Really enjoyed the romance and the vibe of this book.

I felt this was very well paced and would definitely read the second.

Let me start off by saying the cover is what initially drew me in. I love a vampire romance so was excited to read it.

To begin with it starts off exciting, I was intrigued and also rooting for Lilah who wanted to avenge her fathers death. I found the story to be fast and slow paced as well as repetitive too. The parts I felt I wanted more of seemed to be over quicker than they started.

I do love Nyx and his and Lilah's connection although I just don't feel like there was that much to it. I personally felt it was lacking romance and really wanted more of that, even though the main focus seemed to be Lilah getting revenge.

I did feel too that Lilah was constantly held captive again by the same characters, which I found too repetitive at times. I also felt that she was such a strong fmc, but then would be weak and cried a lot.

I did find it an easy read, I wanted to find answers just as much as Lilah and I do want to see what happens next as it did end on a cliff hanger. I am really hoping we have more character development in book 2, get answers to questions book 1 created and get to see real romance between Nyx and Lilah.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this arc.

I did DNF this book but I do have some feedback to give. This book was really good to start and I was really interested in the premises that was given when I first read the synopsis. I think that Lilah is a really intriguing character however I don't think her character was fleshed out enough at least to me her only traits were that she fought really hard and was a strong huntress and then at the same time hated vampire but when she met Nyx it wasn't a problem? I feel like this stroppy had potential but it felt really rushed and the world did not feel fleshed out enough to immerse me and keep me entertained. not to say it was bad I do think that there were points that had merit but overall I did not feel interested in picking up this book because it felt that it was really rushed and the pacing was all over the place and the fact that the fmc and mmc's relationship felt very fake and the connection felt like it came out of nowhere really took away from the experience. I appreciated the opportunity that I got to read this book even if I couldn't read all the way to the end but I though I would provide some insight into why I felt how I did.

So let's start off saying this drew me in immediately because of the cover. The more I read the more I got interested. The pacing however in this book is a little weird. It's both slow and too fast. We're not given much time to bond with characters and to truly feel with them to establish a bond for why we should care when or if they get hurt. Also some parts are a bit redundant.

There were things I liked and things I didn't like about this book but overall I enjoyed it! I love me some vampires!

"Don't underestimate a woman raging in fury. She might just burn your world down." 🔥

I liked the FMC and she goes through some heartbreaking stuff and then gets caught up in a chain of events. I did find her a little annoying at times but enjoyed her story unfolding.

The MMC is great and he was really one of the highlights of the book for me. You'll love him!

I enjoyed the plot. It's fast paced and a bit full on at times but I really enjoyed the story.

It was a bit insta-lust which usually isn't my bag but I liked the characters so I can overlook it!

The characters are great, the plot was good, I enjoyed the romance and I am definitely invested enough that I am looking forward to book two!

Thank you to NetGalley, and the author for the arc. This is my own honest review of the book!

The story line had potential, though I was a bit annoyed at Lylah, I feel like she kept saying she was a huntress and she had all this training but all she did during this book was cry, become a prisoner and get unwillingly dragged to places she didn’t want to be. I kept waiting throughout the book to read about her true potential, because I feel like she did have potential especially with her training as a huntress and her newly found magic. I feel like the climax was saved until the last pages of this book, and 60% of the book was basically told in circles. I think once the sequel comes out I’ll read it to finish the story, as I said before the story does have potential regardless of all the filler information. Otherwise aside from those small details, it was a good read.

The author did a great job of writing this book. It had loveable and unlovable characters, who do grow and change throughout the plot. Lacked romance for me but hoping there will be more in book 2.

This has all the elements of a fast-paced, romantasy adventure: high stakes, forbidden magic, and a brooding love interest like Nyx, who definitely checks the book boyfriend box. The story is rich with potential, and I genuinely enjoyed the world the author began to build here.

That said, there were a few areas that felt underdeveloped, particularly when it came to the main character, Lilah. While she’s introduced as a huntress, much of the plot has her fleeing danger and depending heavily on Nyx. With the ancient magic she supposedly wields, I hoped to see her grow more confident and independent, especially as she begins to discover her powers. There were moments where she felt too vulnerable, which didn’t quite align with the strength her backstory implied.

Another detail that pulled me out of the story was Lilah’s repeated questioning; it became a pattern that felt redundant, especially during tense or emotional scenes. It’s a minor detail, but it significantly impacted the pacing and impact of the dialogue.

The climax, particularly her encounter with Dravian, had the potential to deliver more dramatic tension and action. Instead, it felt a little drawn out without the payoff I expected. And when it came to her magic, there wasn’t enough clarity or background for how it functioned or why it came and went. That made those parts a bit confusing.

Nyx’s character was interesting and definitely a highlight, but the moment where he agrees to kill his father felt a bit too sudden. That scene could have carried more emotional weight or inner conflict, especially if we had more insight into his motivations beyond lifting a curse. A deeper look into his reasoning or what he hoped to achieve for his kingdom would have made that moment far more impactful.

Despite these concerns, I truly believe this series has promise. The foundation is strong—the lore, the setup, the themes of power and rage, especially the line about "women’s rage"—and I really want to see that rage burn in Book 2.

This book has potential, and I’m rooting for Kay Marie to tie up the loose ends and bring more depth to the characters in the next installment. With some polishing and stronger emotional arcs, this series could become something truly exciting.

Looking forward to seeing Lilah rise and own the power she holds. Let her be unstoppable in Book 2!

I really liked the idea of this book. The plot seemed really interesting. The book was really fast paced. Maybe just a little too fast paced. I felt that there just needed to be more. More world building, and more character development. That being said it was nice for a quick read.

This was such a fun, fast-paced start to a romantasy series! I really enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers dynamic and the forced proximity between Lilah and the vampire who captured her. The world is dark and dangerous, with magic, monsters, and political tension that kept me intrigued throughout.

Lilah is a fierce, determined main character, and I liked watching her slowly question everything she thought she knew. The tension, both romantic and plot-driven, was well done, and the cliffhanger at the end definitely left me wanting book two right away.

A strong debut for fans of morally gray love interests, deadly forests, and slow-burn tension.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. There were a few errors that I think warrant further editing. In addition the FMC Lilah makes so many poor choices, including “seducing” a friend she just made to steal. I found it really hard to accept her choices as realistic or the attraction from the MMC. I was curious about the curse and the queens power but I think more world building and development of the characters was needed.

Enemies-to-lovers? Deadly fae courts? A girl who won’t go down without a fight? Yes, yes, and YES.
A Court of Blood and Sacrifice is perfect for fans of ACOTAR and From Blood and Ash. There’s action, angst, tension you could cut with a knife, and a fae male who’s all sharp edges and secrets. The world is rich and dangerous, and the romance is a slow burn with a serious bite.

Some pacing dips here and there, but I was hooked from the first chapter. Give me morally gray chaos and reluctant alliances any day.