I appreciate that this was a quick read. And I love a good vampire story. It was a pretty basic book with not much plot or character development.

I am going to try to read it again when the actual book comes out. The ARC format was so hard to look at and I found myself scanning many of the pages instead of really engaging with the text.

To be honest I think this has a really good making to be a really good book, unfortunately it felt more like I was reading a fan fic for a book. I felt like I was not given enough information especially in the beginning which led to many questions and the time jumps so quickly confused me and didn't understand the importance. It was a hard one to keep my attention, but over all it has potential.

ARC:
The concept was a cool idea, but executed badly. I liked how the forest and trees had character to them.

The pacing felt all over the place and the characters lacked any depth and felt stereotypical. Lilah (FMC) wants revenge against the vampires for killing her father when she was 12 years old, so she becomes the first female guard for the Sunfire Court. Nyx (MMC) is the vampire and basically saves her and kidnaps her for his own gain and to make a deal with her.

The start of the book, I was enjoying, untill I got to the 40% mark the romance was too quick and she was blindly trusting him, when he's given her no reason too, other than he won't hurt her because he needs her for something even though he won't say what.
The same stuff started to keep happening again where they would get attacked by the same people - she would get held hostage by them - he saves her and so on. To the point where I was bored and skimmed read. There was no real high stakes because they would be on the verge of bleeding to death about 5 times each and had no consequences, when the people could have died by the 2nd time easily.
The ending felt very rushed and I don't think it was fully explained or shown, this definitely could have been a standalone, if it was around the 500-700 pages, if the pacing and the plot was better.
Goodreads: "Megan’s review of A Court of Blood and Sacrifice | Goodreads" https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7590052884
Fable: Check out this review of A Court of Blood and Sacrifice (Blood and Vengeance Book 1) on Fable. https://fable.co/review/24d3d814-2e01-4a09-871b-546aacc46a77/share
StoryGraph: megan_r1

I had such high hopes for this story. Vampires, magic, and enemies to lovers are all of my favorite things. But this just fell flat. The magic was never explained, and the enemies to lovers was just not what I hoped for. And while the FMC was supposed to be a strong character, the first female to make it into the Queens Guard, she just kept getting kidnapped by the same people over and over and over. It made the book repetitive, and made it hard to stick through until the end.

ARC Review

Enemies to Lovers
Vampires
Magic
Slow burn


Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spicy: 🌶️

A quick read! Very suspenseful! A little hard to get into a first but once the story line started to develop I was hooked!

Can’t wait to read what will happen next!

I loved this book! It was constant action and suspense. I enjoyed trying to figure out Lilahs story while she also was trying to figure it out. And Nyx! He will be every ones new obsession. The author did an amazing job with visuals and creating this world. Im happy the author left it open for more books. I will definitely be reading the next one!

This was a really fun read from the beginning. I read it in 24 hours. This book had enemies to lovers, yearning, vampires, magic, spice and trials.

The book was a little repetitive, but it makes it easier to follow along.

Overall, I loved the book and can’t wait for the next one to come out!

I did not put this book down! It was extremely good and very original! The author takes typical fae fantasy and intertwines it with Vampires. It's like reading Quicksilver from the enemies side.

Spoiler Free Summary:
The story is about a girl who watched her dad get murdered and then vow revenge. As she enters the army ranks as the only woman and top fighter she is suddenly kidnapped by a dangerous stranger where she learns who is truly is and who is really cursing the kingdoms.

This book was such a fun ride—fast-paced, easy to follow, and absolutely packed with adventure. From start to finish, there was always something happening—whether it was a burst of tension, a near-revelation, or a clever twist that kept me turning pages late into the night.

I especially loved the FMC. She’s clever, cunning, and just the right amount of stubborn—strong-willed without veering into immature territory. Watching her navigate the challenges, especially when it came to reaching the captured vampire, was such a highlight. Her creativity and quick thinking really stood out.

That said, I do wish we got a bit more from the two men at the camp—some deeper insight into their perspectives or motivations would have added even more richness to the story. And those monsters at the beginning? I couldn’t help but picture a creepy, evil Ivysaur (yes, the Pokémon) because the descriptions were a bit vague. A little more detail there would’ve gone a long way.

Still, this was an exciting, imaginative read with a protagonist I genuinely rooted for. Definitely recommend it if you’re into fantasy with a clever twist and constant momentum.

Spice 3/5

“The need to claim, to mark, to make sure no one else would ever dare look at her the way I did.
Mine. She didn't know it yet, but she was mine.”

The pacing of this book was so strange, I wanted to love this book but I didn’t. I feel like it gave wattpad vibes. I liked the characters but the storyline was below average for me. I felt like I just wanted to rush through and finish it. I wish there would have been more character development and less filler. There’s definitely an audience out there for this book and it was a quick read!

Tropes:
🩸Forced Proximity
🩸Enemies to Lovers
🩸Touch Her and 💀

Absolutely LOVED this book! It grabs you from the start and is one I could not put down! Cannot wait to read the rest of this series!

Review of A Court of Blood and Sacrifice by Kay Marrie
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4.5 /5 stars)

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kay Marrie delivers a dark, seductive plunge into the world of vengeance, betrayal, and forbidden alliances in "A Court of Blood and Sacrifice", the first book in the "Blood and Vengeance" series.

Blending enemies-to-lovers romance with the sharp edge of a vampire fantasy, this gripping debut sinks its teeth into readers from the very first page.

We meet our fierce and driven heroine at the pivotal moment that defines her future: witnessing her father's brutal murder by a vampire cloaked in black.

From that trauma, a lifelong thirst for vengeance is born. Her determination fuels her rise through the ranks of the Sunfire Court guard—the elite vampire hunters feared across the land. But just when she believes she’s on the path to justice, her world is shattered by the very thing she hates most: a vampire who turns her mission upside down.

What begins as a capture quickly morphs into a reluctant alliance when the two are forced to survive in the perilous and mysterious Dark Lands. The tension between captor and captive crackles with intensity—his arrogance and dangerous allure clashing with her single-minded fury. Yet beneath their animosity lies a slow-burn chemistry that will delight fans of morally gray love interests and emotionally complex pairings.

As secrets unravel and truths about her past come to light, the story deftly shifts from revenge to revelation. The author creates a richly atmospheric world filled with danger, magic, and emotional stakes.

~A Court of Blood and Sacrifice ~ is a thrilling start to a promising series—perfect for readers who enjoy their fantasy dark, their romance slow-burning, and their heroes deliciously conflicted.

I look forward to the continuation of this journey and the deeper truths yet to be uncovered in the ~Blood and Vengeance~ series.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for the opportunity 🙂

3.5 Stars
This book had a promising premise with vampires, magic, and a mix of fantasy creatures, but unfortunately, it didn’t fully deliver for me. One of the biggest issues was the lack of world-building. The story throws you straight into a world full of supernatural elements without giving you the background or structure to really understand it.

The pacing was also uneven; some parts dragged on while others moved too quickly, skipping over character development. At times, the story felt repetitive, which made it harder to stay fully engaged.

Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s the first installment in the Blood and Vengeance series and ends on a cliffhanger. All in all, it was an OK read and hope you enjoy it more than me!

Thanks to Kay Marrie, and Netgalley, for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review. (Expected publication: Jun 15, 2025)

Give me Twilight but make it DARKER!

“He was a monster wrapped in moonlight—beautiful, deadly, and mine to survive.”

A Court of Blood and Sacrifice by Kay Marrie is a fast-paced dark romantasy with humans, vampires, and other monsters. It's fast paced, under 300 pages, has great worldbuilding, and enough spice. Now it may not be a true enemies to lovers where it's drawn out in a 600 page book but it's enough! It's also refreshing to read a book under 300 pages where you get enough an dit leaves you wanting more.

Morally gray characters, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension, and a world that feels haunting and real. The main characters do have character development through out the book, which is great given that this is only the first of the series. I definitely think the author did a great job of writing this book and I look forward to the next one in the series! This is an enemies to lovers, slow-burn(not too slow) fantasy romance novel that I do recommend!

This book is expected to be published on June 15, 2025! Pre-order it!

Tropes

-Romance / New Adult / Fantasy
-Enemies to Lovers
-Dual POV - Mainly FMC
- Mysterious & Dark Vibes
-Beginning of a Series
-Easy to Read
-Vampire/Human Romance

Thank you to NetGalley and author Kay Marrie for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved the premise of this book, but at times the pacing was off and the writing was very ya. It was dual pov but it felt more in the fmc viewpoint, and more back story on the mmc would have been great. It kept my interest enough and i probably will pick up the second book but it isnt unforgetable. The characters need a little more depth, and the story more in depth.

Loved the unique lore of vampires and magic. A few twists I wasn't expecting. Can't wait to read the next book!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
I have to be completely honest, I did not finish this book. The writing is just not one I could get into. It reads very YA fanfic. I also could not get past using the wrong words for things (ravishing when it should be ravaging, relenting instead of relentless, etc). I understand this is unedited, however I would assume an author understands the meaning of the words chosen in a story.
I was excited to read this as the description and idea of the story itself was unique and intriguing, the execution however just did not do it for me.

I really loved the premise for this book! The prologue really draws you in and I really loved how strong Lilah is and how she able to become the first huntress. I wish we had more of her journey of her winning battles before she is sent into the field.
I really loved Nyx's character and would have liked to have seen more of his point of view. Particularly if there has been more yearning.
The capture and recapturing got a little repetitive and the pacing was sometimes off.
Overall though a really fun and quick read which ended up a cliff hanger that leaves you wanting more

Firstly I want to say thank you to the Author Kay Marrie for a copy of this e-arc.

A court of blood and sacrifice is a dual point of view dark romantasy with vampires and humans. Fun fact this was my first vampire read apart from twilight obviously. Let’s also not forget the fact there are magic lands and monsters too. The story starts off strong with a strong FMC however toward the end I feel like is slowed down and then picked up and went really fast again, jumping between scenes.

Although it is dual point of view I would have loved to have read more from the MMC perspective, why he was cast out etc.

Love the female representation in the book and that she was able to achieve what no other female ever was, becoming a member of the queens hunters to protect the their land from the vampires, the same vampires she then falls in love with. The story is captivating and I can’t wait to read book 2.

I liked the concept of this one. Vampires, fantasy, romance? Yes please! However unfortunately on this occasion it was more of a no, thank you.
The pacing didn't quite work and felt quite jumbled and the dialogue just didn't feel like it would be how people really spoke with lots of stilted speech and literalisms. (Yes, I know its a book but still. Maybe it's a me problem)
I did like the world building, and I liked the character growth, but it just didn't hit home for me.

I really enjoyed this magical realism story! It comes vampires, enemies, and a fun adventure with an ending that leaves you wanting more! It is easy to read and comes with a diverse cast of characters. I really enjoyed the dual point of views, but I do wish that I got to read more of the male main character’s perspective. This book starts off strong, then slows down in the middle, then picks up again. This is the first book in the series and I think that the author did an excellent job at capturing the reader’s attention! This is a slow paced read that is character driven. It definitely had mysterious and dark vibes to it, which I really enjoyed. I do think that there were some plot holes, it jumped from scene to scene without explaining how it got there.

It comes with lovable and unlovable characters. The main characters do change and grow throughout the story. I wish there was more romance in the book, but it is only the first book in the series. I definitely think the author did a great job of writing this book and I look forward to the next one in the series! This is an enemies to lovers, fantasy romance novel that I do recommend! Especially if you love reading a good vampire and human love story! Overall, I give this a 3.5 star rating!

I think readers of the series “Twilight” and the book “A Land So Wide” will enjoy reading this book! Content warnings include fear, death, use of weapons and murder.

Thank you to NetGalley and author Kay Marrie for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published on June 15, 2025!