📖 A Bargain So Bloody
🧚🏻‍♀️ Vasilisa Drake
📚 Kingdom of Dark Magic #1
🗣️📜 Cecily Foster

🥀A Bargain so Bloody🥀 is the first installment in a new Vampire Romantasy Series with some of my absolute favourite ✨ TROPES ✨ :

🦇 Fantasy Romance
🥀 Single POV
🦇 Vampire x Magicless Mortal (Void)
🦇 Enemies-to-reluctant allies-lovers 😏
🥀 Slow SLOWWW Burn🥵
🦇 Grumpy Morally Onyx MMC🧛🏼
🥀 He falls first and falls harddd ❤️‍🔥
🦇 Touch her and ☠️ (literally!!!!!)
🥀 One horse 🐎
🦇 Unique magic card system 🃏
🥀 Prison Break ⛓️‍💥
🦇 Secrets and Betrayals 🥀 Found Family
🦇 Vampire Court
🥀 Jaw dropping Cliffhanger!!!

I went into the story blind, didn't read the blurb, had no idea it would end in a cliffhanger that would rob me of a good night sleep 😭😭

This was such an unexpected surprise!!! I started listening and just COULDN'T STOP!

✨ The plot - INTRIGUING
✨ The pacing - LOVELY
✨ The narration - ENCHANTING!!

Vasilisa's writing was easy to follow and easier to fall in love with !

The main characters are beautifully flawed , and I love them for it !
🧛‍♂️ MMC Raphael is dangerous, grumpy vampire who is morally ONYX with a soft spot only for her.
🥀 Samara is broken, fierce, and refuses to bend—even when everything hurts.

And Gods was i unprepared for the ending (the gasp I GASPED !!!!!)

Sufficed to say , Book 2 cannot come sooner 😭

P.S. The narrator did such a WONDERFUL job with the story, making this book a 6 out of 5 ⭐ read!!!

Thank you so so much #vasilisadrake #netgalley and #victoryediting for this lovely ALC 💜

3.5 stars rounded up.

All in all, this was a decent book. I enjoyed the plot and felt engaged while reading. The narrator was <B>phenomenal</b>.

The book centers around vampires, witches, and voids (humans). There are vampire territories, witch territories, and lands beyond that contain other creatures.

I think the thing that annoyed me was some of Samara's decisions and inner monologue. At times, I wanted to grab her shoulders and shake her for being so stupid, but then I had to remind myself of her past experiences and put myself in her shoes to make her decisions make sense.

Raphael, the vampire Samara makes a deal with, is the epitome of "touch her and die." He definitely fits in the "morally gray" box, making decisions according to his kind's laws and perspectives. He's a villain you can't help loving, despite his darkness.

There's a twist at the end that definitely makes me interested for book two. This wasn't a favorite read by any means, but it was certainly good enough that I'll pick up book two when it comes out.

Thank you NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and Vasilisa Drake for an audio ARC of this book. My review is my own opinions.

Good story, characters and world-building but was pretty similar to other romantasy books I've read. I recommend to those who like this genre, but not many surprises.

Oh how i love a good vampire fantasy ! And this ALC scratched that itch ! Would 100% recommend this to friends and family

There were parts of this that were predictable as I"ve read so many romantasies, but it was still unique in its own and kept me entertained throughout! I am eager for the sequel to see how much devastation our FMC will cause knowing now what she is. There were times I was annoyed with her whining, but I can understand why she was designed so and can't wait to see how much growth she'll experience in the next book!

Let me tell you, this book slayed me. From the very first page, I was fully immersed in this dark, gritty, and emotionally charged world. A witch locked in a magical prison? Check. A morally gray vampire who might be her only ticket to freedom? Double check. The stakes were so high I was holding my breath the whole time.

Samara is a heroine I instantly rooted for. She’s fierce, raw, and forced to make impossible choices to survive. And Raphael? Chef’s kiss. He’s protective, dangerous, and broody in all the best ways. Their tension is the slow burn I live for. Sharp, addictive, and perfectly paced.

What really stood out for me was the worldbuilding. The magic system felt fresh and vivid. The prison was so cruel and atmospheric I could practically feel the cold walls closing in. And once the escape started, it was nonstop chaos in the most delicious way. Court politics, betrayal, forbidden alliances, it delivered on every front.

The emotional moments hit hard. I laughed during their banter, I felt Samara’s pain deep in my chest, and by the end, I was full-on obsessed. That cliffhanger? I’m still not okay. The story didn’t just entertain me. It wrecked me in the best way.

This book is dark, fast-paced, character-driven, and completely captivating. If you love vampires, dangerous bargains, morally gray men, and heroines who rise through fire and blood, A Bargain So Bloody belongs at the top of your TBR.

⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️— A Bloody Good Time (Mostly)

A Bargain So Bloody is like if your favourite cozy mystery went on a goth vacation, met a vampire prince at a dive bar, and came home with blood on its boots and a suspicious new tattoo. Vasilisa Drake serves up murder, mayhem, and magical mischief with a side of snark—and honestly, I was here for it.

Our protagonist? Equal parts clever, chaotic, and cursed (probably). The plot? A twisty, fang-filled whodunnit that feels like Agatha Christie met a dark fairy tale and they decided to co-parent a haunted sword. The worldbuilding is rich, the dialogue crackles like enchanted pop rocks, and the villain? Oh, honey. Chef’s kiss of dread.

So why the 4 stars? Well, sometimes the pacing was more "wandering around a cursed castle in the dark" than "racing through the climax on a flaming broomstick." A few side characters felt like magical red herrings rather than fully fleshed-out beings. And okay, maybe the ending left me going, "Wait—THAT’S the bargain?!"

Still, I laughed. I gasped. I may have yelled "NOOOO" at one point (and scared my dog). If you like your fantasy with blood, bargains, and a generous helping of bite, this one’s worth the read—even if it occasionally stumbles in its boots.

Thank you NetGalley and Late Night Daydreams LLC for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own

I’ve only recently started reading fantasy books and I really enjoyed this.
I loved the characters, and I liked that it wasn’t based around a romance. I think it is well thought out and it has got me very impatient for book 2!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the audio arc of this book!

She is trapped in a prison sentence for over a decade. Life has not been easy and everyday comes with its new challenges. When she needs to tend to another inmate’s wounds and finds out he’s a vampire she’s over come with fear and hatred, for her mother who she watched be killed by one. He breaks them both out of the prison and go on an adventure of finding a mysterious book and what follows after finding it.
•he calls her dove 🕊️
•he claims her as his chosen when he’s never claimed one before 💜
•he can sense her feelings and hunts her down when she’s scared to protect her 💕
•which side is the side to be on, the witches or vampires 🧛‍♂️

This was a first for me with a fantasy audiobook, and I loved it! I was coloring and listening to it and hours would fly by and I wouldn’t notice! The lust and care that Raphael has for Samara is to die forrr! 💜💜 I feel for Samara with how lost she feels and how she feels like she doesn’t belong. The ending had be on the verge of tears, with my jaw on the floor, and looking around like “did anyone else see this happening, cause I didn’t”. I lovedddd this and need the second one right now!!!! 💜💜

Definitely enjoyed this much more than I expected!

Loved how the characters developed throughout the book and definitely felt the intensity of the two main characters.

Can’t wait for the next book.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc audio version.

I have been craving a really good urban fantasy. This was so fun and that ending deserves a chefs kiss. My only complaint is I need the next book now! Thank you to Netgalley, Lat Night Daydreams LLC, and Vasilia Drake for the ARC and ALC. I did enjoy the narrator Cicily Foster and will definitely be watching for Book 2 in Kingdom of Dark Magic series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🫑
🎧 ALC received from @victoryeditingngc and @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
As this was the audio version, I want to touch on that experience first:

I had to bump the speed to 1.5x, which is a tad higher than my usual, but that’s the beauty of audiobooks—you can match the pacing to your brain speed. The narration by Cecily Foster (@cecilysexily) was excellent. The main character, Samara, is quiet, calm, but resilient with lots of internal monologue, and the narration really brought that out.

This book is a very slow burn—so slow that I’m not even sure I’d call it full romantasy yet. There are twists and tension that kept me intrigued, and although I saw the cliffhanger ending coming, it still landed well.
What really surprised me is the emotional tone. Despite being dark in theme, it also had this strange sense of healing and calm woven through it. Can a book be both? Apparently yes—this one is. It’s a unique feeling I wasn’t expecting.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding and magic system in this world. In Part 1, we learn about:
Witches
Voids (those born without magic)
Vampires
Magic cards: Used by both magic and non-magic users, they carry types of power like healing, strength, transformative...
It was refreshing to see it explained in a way that felt organic—not a big info dump, just cleverly introduced as needed.

Part 2 shifts the vibe, we start to see that Raphael, the vampire, never really intended to let Samara go. His energy becomes more possessive—touch her and die vibes. The romantasy element is more noticeable here, though it’s very much a push-and-pull dynamic that leaves you questioning everyone’s motives.

I liked however how Samara stayed true to herself. She’s calm, steady, and strong—and both the writing and narration captured that beautifully.

This one’s not spicy—more of a bell pepper 🫑 level. There’s tension, yes, but not much in the way of actual on-page spice (yet, maybe).

This is Book 1 in a series, and the story is not complete. The ending delivers a dramatic epilogue that leaves plenty of unanswered questions for the next installment. If you like slow-burn, dark fantasy with deep lore and emotional undertones—this could be your vibe.

Samara breaks out of a prison she shouldn't be in, because she is not guilty of the crime of which she is accused. She leaves an environment of torment and abuse with the help of a vampire she is terrified of, but also sympathizes with because of their shared abuse at the hands of wicked guards.
Raphael is the worst kind of a vampire with a thirst for blood, the mortal enemy of witches, the same breed that killed her mother.
Throughout the story, Samara has an internal struggle with her own magical powers, even considering giving them up a new life. Her internal dialogue questioning herself and the evil ways of the vampire she has chosen to free kept me intrigued to find out what she will decide.
A Bargain So Bloody is a slow burn romantasy that will keep you interested, because the characters are likeable and develop a partnership you want to see get deeper!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
I am looking forward to part 2 of this great story!

☆4 stars☆
✩₊˚.⋆Pros⋆⁺₊✧
❀Engrossing Vampire World with Political Intrigue
The setting is dark, atmospheric, and rich with tension. perfect for people who love court politics and supernatural stakes.
❀Unique Card-Based Magic System
The card magic is creative, well-integrated, and adds a unique identity to the plot playing what felt like a vital role. The magic system is similar to One Dark Window.
❀Morally Ambiguous Characters
It is hard to guess exactly were their loyalties lay and where they drawl their lines. Not morally grey.
❀High Tension and Addictive Plot
The pacing is fast and the story remains gripping throughout, especially in the second half which is absolutely unputdownable.
❀Incredible Audiobook Performance
Cecily Foster’s narration is a standout, emotionally rich, immersive, and perfectly suited to the tone of the story. Her portrayal enhances the experience.
✩₊˚.⋆Cons⋆⁺₊✧
❀Occasionally Rushed Pacing
Some emotional shifts and character decisions happen too quickly, making parts of the story feel slightly underdeveloped.
❀Some Emotional Moments Feel Underexplored
Key scenes would have benefited from more time to breathe, allowing the emotional weight to fully land.

✦A Bargain So Bloody is an engrossing and captivating exploration of a vampire world filled with politics and slow-burning romantic tension. Vasilisa Drake stitches together an atmospheric fantasy steeped in sharp edges and layering complex emotions with morally ambiguous characters that have you scrutinizing everyone’s motives, including the heroine's.
✦Samara's character shines as a strong yet vulnerable protagonist who has been scarred by her past but is determined to thrive in a world that would rather see her fall apart. The main male character has a history and is an interesting device to drive the plot.
✦The worldbuilding is immersive and imaginative, especially the magic system revolving around cards, which felt both unique and seamlessly incorporated into the narrative. The pacing is at a brisk pace, sometimes overly so. A handful of emotional shifts and some character decisions felt slightly rushed, and at times, I craved more time to fully appreciate some pivotal moments. Regardless of the fast pace, the tension remains taut.
✦The main character moves a little too fast emotionally to trust the MMC, and it could have been written with more hate, but it is pretty well written either way. The story is also pretty linear and easy to follow along, but it lacks some depth in a more complex story; other than that, it is very solid. The book did have me on my toes the whole time, and around the last half, I was going crazy, and when it was over, I could not believe it.
✦What really enhanced my experience was the audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by Cecily Foster, and her performance is incredible. She puts emotional nuances to every single scene, whether it is Samara’s emotional chaos or Raphael’s stoic control; she captures both sides with equal power. It is easy to become completely immersed in the performance, thanks to her pacing, tone, and delivery. It's one of those unique

˚ʚTropesɞ˚
♡Morally Gray Love Interest
♡Unique Magic System
♡Vampire Court Politics
♡Slow Burn Romance
♡Bargain/Deal
♡Vampires and Witches

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁Thank you so much to Late Night Daydreams LLC, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op,
and Vasilisa Drake for the incredible opportunity to listen to and review this book in audio format. I had an amazing time. I'm so grateful to have been an early listener and reviewer of this Audiobook!. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

(Instagram)
A Bargain So Bloody is an engrossing and captivating exploration of a vampire world filled with politics and slow-burning romantic tension. Vasilisa Drake stitches together an atmospheric fantasy steeped in sharp edges and layering complex emotions with morally ambiguous characters that have you scrutinizing everyone’s motives, including the heroine's. Samara's character shines as a strong yet vulnerable protagonist who has been scarred by her past but is determined to thrive in a world that would rather see her fall apart. The main male character has a history and is an interesting device to drive the plot. The worldbuilding is immersive and imaginative, especially the magic system revolving around cards, which felt both unique and seamlessly incorporated into the narrative. The pacing is at a brisk pace, sometimes overly so. A handful of emotional shifts and some character decisions felt slightly rushed, and at times, I craved more time to fully appreciate some pivotal moments. Regardless of the fast pace, the tension remains taut. The main character moves a little too fast emotionally to trust the MMC, and it could have been written with more hate, but it is pretty well written either way. The story is also pretty linear and easy to follow along, but it lacks some depth in a more complex story; other than that, it is very solid. The book did have me on my toes the whole time, and around the last half, I was going crazy, and when it was over, I could not believe it. What really enhanced my experience was the audiobook. The audiobook is narrated by Cecily Foster, and her performance is incredible. She puts emotional nuances to every single scene, whether it is Samara’s emotional chaos or Raphael’s stoic control; she captures both sides with equal power. It is easy to become completely immersed in the performance, thanks to her pacing, tone, and delivery. It's one of those unique

This book felt like it flew by, and I can already tell this epilogue is going to stick with me for a while.

A Bargain So Bloody is a vampire & witch Romantasy full of tension, betrayal, and secrets.

The writing caught my interest early on as the world building is incredibly rich and the characters refreshingly in-depth. At times, it still followed some of the standard Romantasy patterns, but there was plenty of uniqueness to keep me invested. One of the aspects I really loved was the use of hyper-classic vampire traits. I feel like you never see some of these used anymore, and their inclusion was a very welcome surprise.

The characters were what made this story, though. Even through morally grey situations and trials, they stayed true to themselves, which is what gave way to the gut-wrenching end.

Due to Samara’s past, she is very innocent, and at times, her internal monologue felt a bit monotonous. But overall, I did appreciate her desire to always uncover the truth, while a lot of other Romantasy FMCs would have just buried themselves in their own ignorance. And in direct opposition to Samara’s innocence is Raphael, a true morally grey MMC. His dedication to Samara’s happiness and safety knows no bounds. Together, these two MCs are just a masterclass in tension.

So, if you are in the mood for a slow-burn romance, with an in-depth magic system, one horse, one tent, AND one bed, then I would highly recommend picking up A Bargain So Bloody. I am personally already patiently waiting for book two!

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for this audiobook ARC and the opportunity to give my candid feedback.

First let me start by saying I absolutely loved the main characters and I thought the narration was amazing. Both characters were easy to love. I loved how Raphael was dark, mysterious, but had a softer side when it came to Samara. He ruled a kingdom, but when it came to Samara all bets were off. I liked Samara because she started off being a girl scared of her own shadow. Once she met Raphael she started to come into her own and find her place as well as her own voice. I thought this book was very original and not something I have read before which I loved. The reason I did not give 5 stars is because it took me a little over 40 percent to get into the story. I’m very glad I stuck with it because the ending was great. I did not expect the ending at all. It does leave you with a cliff hanger and I can’t wait to get into book 2.

Wow I just finished listening to the audio for A Bargain So Bloody and it was so addictive! I literally didn’t want to stop listening. The narration was excellent!

The plot centres around the FMC, Samara or Sam for short. She’s a magicless witch known as a void. She’s been sentenced to serve in an awful prison where she barely survives and is traumatised by a bully called Nelson. One day a new prisoner arrives and is badly tortured. Nelson makes Samara go and tend to this prisoner’s wounds and upon entering his cell, she realises he’s a vampire. He tries to thrall her to help him escape but she is somehow immune to his vampiric powers. But this vampire, Raphael, offers Samara a bargain. If she helps him escape he will break her out too and she desperately wants to escape Nelson.

So she does what any self preserving girl with no other option would do, she helps the dangerous, stunningly beautiful and alluring vampire escape. So begins an adventure to seek information and a magical grimoire.

Vasilisa then used my two favourite microtropes, only one horse and only one tent to seriously build the slow burn tension and my ears were glued to the audio lapping up every moment where Sam was trying to fight how Raphael was making her feel.

Raphael is a touch her and ☠️, “she’s mine”, platinum blonde vampire who let me sink back into my Edward from Twilight crush era 😍🥵 This man can do no wrong!

Vasilisa has such an enthralling writing style that was perfectly narrated by Cecily Foster, that I couldn’t help but be totally sucked into the world. The depth she gets in her characters, highlighted by the way she explores Samara’s past trauma and what motivates Sam to find her inner strength is so captivating. The plot and the world building and the sizzling sloooow burn had me hooked. Such a fun read and the cliff 😩😭 that was killer. I need book 2 now!

You’ll love this book if you enjoy:
🖤 Slow burn dark romantasy
🖤 Vampire x human Witch romance
🖤 Secret identities
🖤 Enemies to reluctant allies to almost lovers
🖤 Found family
🖤 Touch her and ☠️
🖤 Only one horse / only one bed “for warmth”

A Bargain So Bloody by Vasilisa Drake and narrated by Cecily Foster is the first book in the Kingdom of Dark Magic series and I loved it, this audiobook was so good I ended up listening to it whilst I was shopping, and window shopping. My mind was miles away in the cold Castle Greymere, even though! I am so glad I never saw any Vampires whilst out shopping!!! and I am glad it was warm out! 😂

Samara is now twenty years old, she is finally coming to her end of her sentence in prison, but she has no idea why is is there!! Sadly she has been stuck in there since she was a young child and only eight years old. She was sentenced for a crime she did not commit. Samara is bullied by all the guards and is tormented by the screams of the other prisoners within the prison throughout the day and especially throughout the night!.
Samara needs to be strong to leave this prison and survive, she must deal with the most dangerous prisoner of them all!

But, as days go by to her freedom she learns that her freedom that has been promised is the cruelest lie she would ever be told!!!! No one leaves Greymere alive. and now and she is faced with a resign herself to dying in the cold walls of Castle Greymere, or do the unthinkable and escape. So to break out of the prison? She will have to use one of the undead.

Now, Raphael is the worst kind of a vampire with a massive thirst for blood, the mortal enemy of witches, the same breed that killed her mother. And most importantly, he’s unspeakably powerful, his supernatural strength tamed only by the enchanted cuffs forced on him.

He’s her only chance at a life outside the prison walls.

The deal is Samara unlocks his shackles, and he'll help her escape. But although Raphael agreed to help her leave Greymere, he never promised to let her go…

WoW this audiobook is so good and the narrator Cecily Foster was superb.

I was lucky to receive the audiobook and book and I recommend them both.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for my ARC.

I LOVED this! The story was so much fun and enjoyable (dark and traumatic as well) the narration was really fun, I really liked the voices. They did a really good job bringing these characters to life. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
Highly recommend

Daddy Raphael, oh my gosh. The twists and turns and b l o o d shed! I loved it. I think I am turning morally grey. Sam has so many questions unanswered still and I love that because then we have things to look forward to learning about her in the next books which I will DEVOUR!!! I cannot get enough of this and her self restraint in the slow burn. YES PLEASE.

I did listen to the audiobook and it was CHEF'S KISS!