BK-17
1🌶️
POV: 1st Person
Samara: 20
Rafael: 600
🎧: 3/5 Single Narration

ALC from Net Galley
Thank you to Net Galley for this listen!
Here is my honest review
Narration: I give this a 3/5. It was ok. I wish there was more feeling and emotion behind it. It felt flat for me.

This book has some good bones! It just felt like the there weren’t high enough stakes. I was wanting more. Bargain should be bargains. I also struggled with the passing of time. But it was alright. It has the vampires on point (with shifting) and the gore that goes with it that I enjoyed. The majgic is stored in cards for non-magic people, which I thought was a cool concept.

Raphael was yummy!
Samara had a lot of internal monologing that felt redundent and repeditive.
Debatable on if I will pick up book 2.
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Spicy Chapters: no spicy chapters, but there is a lot of reference to sex.

In A Bargain So Bloody, Vasilisa Drake delivers a darkly compelling tale about survival, forbidden alliances, and the thin line between power and vulnerability.

Tropes you’ll love:
• ✨ Forced proximity
• 🗝️ Escape from prison
• 🧬 Hidden identity/power
• 💀 Morally grey hero
• 🔥 Slow burn
• 🖤 Monster romance vibes
• 👑 Vampire king x human heroine

Samara has spent years trapped in a magical prison, sentenced for a crime she didn’t commit. When she learns the promised freedom at the end of her term is nothing more than a lie, her only way out is to make a bargain with the most dangerous prisoner in Castle Greymere. Raphael, a powerful vampire with a tortured past and a deadly reputation. He’s everything she’s been taught to fear, especially as one of the same kind that murdered her mother.

But beneath his bloodthirsty exterior, Raphael is bound by more than just the enchanted cuffs on his wrists. As their deal pushes them closer together, unlocking both his chains and each other’s defenses. Samara is forced to confront the brutal truths of the vampire world, and her own unexpected connection to it.

The slow burn tension between Samara and Raphael is magnetic. One of the highlights for me was watching Samara wrestle with her internal battle, torn between her deeply ingrained hatred of vampires and her undeniable pull toward their enigmatic king. She’s tough, raw, and real. And Raphael? He may be morally grey and monster-adjacent, but the way Vasilisa wrote him made his care for Samara pulse off the page. His promises (or lack thereof)🩸are a masterclass in emotional torment.

And let’s just say: there are hints dropped along the way that gave me a glimmer of what was coming, but even knowing that, the reveal still hit in such a satisfying way.

This is book one in what promises to be an intense and emotionally rich romantasy series. If you like your heroines strong but vulnerable, your heroes powerful but aching to protect, and your romances laced with danger, this one’s for you.

The narrator did a fantastic job, her voice, emotion, and pacing brought the story to life in such a powerful way. I thoroughly enjoyed her performance from start to finish.

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT – Favorite Quotes from A Bargain So Bloody
These moments wrecked me in the best way. 🫶🏽😭

He snorted. “I’ve worked too hard to keep you alive to let some snow destroy you, dove.”

Raphael lunged after the vampire, baring his teeth like a wild animal. He lifted the vampire with a single hand. “Mine,” he snarled.

Raphael said the last words I expected to hear from a king. “Let me serve you.” I didn’t have the heart to admit I’d already eaten half my weight in chocolate, so I dutifully put one of the truffles in my mouth.

“Samara…” His thumb stroked the side of my face. “If you tell me you want something with a clear head, anything in my power, it’s yours. But not tonight. Not when you would wake up hating me more than you already do.”

Check the bottom right corner.—R

“Samara, if you tell me you want something, I will do what I can to please you. Why do you struggle to believe that?”

“Samara, there is nowhere in this world I would not go if you wished me to.”

“I do not pity you,” Raphael repeated. “Little viper, I find you irresistible.”

*3.5 Stars*

A Bargain So Bloody is a dark, emotionally charged romantasy that sinks its fangs in from page one. Set in a magical prison, the story follows Samara, a wrongly imprisoned witch, and Raphael, a dangerous vampire bound in enchanted cuffs. An alliance is formed between them out of desperation, and it evolves into a slow-burn romance laced with morally grey choices.

The card-based magic system is very cleverly done, and the "touch her and die" trope that many people love in romantasy is present in the book. Usually, I find that in most romantasy there's a lack of emotional depth in the relationships, but I'm glad that isn’t the case with A Bargain So Bloody. The pacing can be hit or miss at times, with slower sections, but there is a gradual build-up toward the ending. If you're into the romantasy genre, specifically with tortured vampires and strong heroines, then this one may just be for you.

In this start of The Kingdom of Dark Magic our fmc Samara has been trapped in a prison since childhood. When she encounters a vampire (our mmc Raphael), she agrees to a bargain with him and they escape together. What started out as an allegiance to free themselves quickly turns into something more as they not only use each other to reach their own (sometimes very secret) goals, but also start to develop feelings for each other. But things are not what they seem to be and Samara will need to decide where her true alliances lie.

This book was amazing! From the first minute I was hooked, following Samara and Raphael on their unique and unpredictable journey. Let me try and explain why this book hit home for me:

The plot was nothing I have ever read. Not even close. It felt so untold. The decisions that drove the story forward were understandable yet had consequences that felt unique. Some of the locations and power dynamics were so captivatingly other, I wish it were a movie so I could actually see it.

The world felt huge. We have a witch kingdom, several vampire kingdoms and so much more. They all have different power dynamics, magic systems and prejudices about the other kingdoms. The author showed us that through conversations we got to listen in to and bit by bit the understanding of a world started to piece itself together. So well done!

The fmc and mmc had a wonderful dynamic. The fmc, who seems to suffer from some form of PTSD due to what she went through as a child, had a strong will and was truly on a journey of growth and learning to advocate for herself. It was so enticing to listen to her thoughts and see her grow. And even things that felt frustrating at times (like how she refused to admit any sort of feelings for the mmc) made sense with her background, history and trauma. So well written!
The mmc fell first, fell hard and put her above everyone else. And we get to see and learn that through the eyes of our fmc. He is kind to her, more than just a bit overprotective and yet respects her wishes and decisions. Such a good guy!
But be warned: This romantasy is such a slooooow burn. It is mainly due to the mmc being such a respectful guy who doesn't ever manipulate our fmc or uses her vulnerable moments to get what he wants. All he wants is for her to be happy. And so he waits... and waits... and waits...

The ending of this book.,. Ugh, that was rough. And it gets even rougher when I think about how long I will have to wait for book 2. But it was a worthy ending! Not happy-clappy, not desperately cliff-hanger. It made sense and it changes EVERYTHING.

To sum my many thoughts up; I LOVED THIS BOOK!
It is the BEST vampire book I have read to this day. I am so very grateful I came across it and can't wait for book 2. Go ahead and read it as well - we can be miserabel and wait together ;)

I will be posting reviews on Goodreads, Storygraph and Instagram. The first two will be uploaded right away,
The Instagram Review has been uploaded upon release of the bo0ok (30th June 2025)

BUCKLE UP! I couldn’t not put this down! I need the next book because what was that ending?? We love a vengeful FMC! Lots of trauma, lots of vampire prejudice, romance and magic! Samara has been wrongly imprisoned for 12 years. Since she was eight! This immediately kicked off with her escaping with our ruthless vampire Raphael. I can’t say this is an enemies to lovers because enemies indeed but the romance and tension builds but I’m not quite sold on it… yet. Anyways, she’s super starved and weak from literally hunting rats for dinner (if she’s lucky!!) and so she has to stay with Raphael on their escape journey so she isn’t killed by the guards hunting her or any of the orcs that lay in the forest.

Thus begins our witty sass backs between enemies, close proximity, and a one room trope. The world building was great! The scenery had ambiance and the differences between her realm and Raphael’s vampire realm was well intertwined. He falls first although he won’t admit it, and tbh I’m not convinced with his reasoning for them having to travel together to begin with, but I love his touch her and die vibes so I’ll let it slide. She’s high ranking by birth but was imprisoned as a literal child for 12 years and now has to take on the world as an adult and she does it quite seamlessly I might add. This part felt inconsistent because there’s no way she wasn’t struggling to relearn both her surroundings and interacting with normal people who weren’t guards that abused her. Yeah she has Raphael with her but he’s very much the slaughter first and don’t apologize later type so I wouldn’t say he’s a good example of re-entering society.

Quite a few different mini plots that happened on this journey which made any slow parts non existent. The magic cards were such a fun concept! Also, very much enjoyed the scenes where Raphael trains Samara and she slowly starts building her strength both physically but also in her character growth. The whole getting only one question in your lifetime to ask for ANYTHING, I can’t remember if they were oracles or seers, was such a unique plot line. And the way Samara gives up her ONE lifetime question for Raphael’s hunt of a not so mythical prophetic book, you can’t tell me she doesn’t love him. This prophecy is this beginning to a whole other set of plot and character introductions that really amp up the pace. I don’t want to give away too much because there’s a lot to unpack here, but again, great read! Can’t wait for the second one.

This is an interesting new romantasy series that is a slow start but definitely couldn't put it down at the end. A must read if you live witches & vampires. Loved this world of magic and those who are born without the ability of it called voids who are more 2nd class citizens. For those who can't work a certain magic they sell them in cards and carry them around in deck like holders. Definitely loved the world building and can't wait for the next book to see what happens next as I am needing answers to questions I'm left with after finally getting one answered I've had thru the last half of the book. Who or what is Samara? Well with that answered right at the end... like last line almost. What is going to happen now & who else knows? I need to know.

Wow.

Vasilisa Drake's A Bargain So Bloody is an absolutely captivating dark fantasy novel that immediately pulls you into its richly crafted world. The audiobook version is further enhanced by a truly fantastic narrator who brings remarkable depth to the characters.

The story wastes no time, plunging us into the desperate plight of Samara, our protagonist, as she endures unjust imprisonment in a witch prison. Her daring escape, forged through an unlikely alliance with Raphael, a vampire prisoner, sets the stage for a compelling bargain: his protection in exchange for her assistance.

I was thoroughly engrossed by every facet of this book, from its unique magic system to its compelling characters and expertly woven plot. The dark aesthetic, a fascinating blend of vampires, witches, and voids, is incredibly well-executed. While the "spice" is minimal, it doesn't feel lacking. The slow-burn romance between Samara and Raphael is deeply engaging, making their evolving journey a true highlight. Although clever foreshadowing allowed me to anticipate the twist ending, its execution was still surprising and satisfyingly unique.

The painful epilogue left me with an intense longing for the next installment. As the first book in the series, A Bargain So Bloody masterfully leaves plenty of unanswered questions, particularly concerning Raphael's true intentions, Samara's mysterious past, and her future path. My only minor criticism was Samara's occasional aggravating behavior, though this ultimately served to advance the plot effectively.

Overall, A Bargain So Bloody is an impressive debut that will leave dark fantasy fans eagerly awaiting the next chapter.

I received this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Vasilisa Drake, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted across multiple socials. Will post on Amazon once it is released.

4.25 stars! I listened to this as an ARC and OH MY GOSH I really liked it! The ending had me like 🤯. I was hooked from the beginning! The MMC was 👏🏽. I mean it had everything I love!

*Found family
*Redemption arc
*Enemies to lovers
*Magic
*Vampires
*Slow burn
*He falls hard and first
*Touch her and die vibes

My biggest complaint which is just my opinion, was the pet names. I really dislike pet names. He called her Dove and Viper and I wasn’t in love with that. And of course the FMC is completely helpless and fragile, but other than that, I can’t wait for book 2!

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to listen to this book in an ALC version, Vasilisa i appreciate the effort and creativity that goes into writing a book. This is a darkish fantasy romance, with a pretty easy world to follow as is not very complicated.

The story at first starts in a prison with the FMC, Samara, a human, void, who is convicted for a crime she never committed. The MMC, Raphael is a vampire, that gets caught and while in there strikes a bargain with the FMC.

Samara has a interesting character arc, growing from “dove” to “little viper” in the eyes of Raphael. She gets a backbone somewhat, however her being so indecisive specifically towards the end was a little bit too much.

Rafael, of this MMC, this vampire is so delicious, very “touch her and d!e” I loved that he was very protective from the beginning, funny and witty. Yes he is a villain that all you will want to do is fall in love with him.

I wish I could give 5 stars, I believe that this story needed just a bit more attention in the editing phase. A bit more yearning, and less indecisiveness, a few less repetition in the first part.

Audiobook: performed by Cecily Forster, she did an amazing job bring it his characters to life and their emotions.

You can judge a book by it's cover with this one. The cover is breathtaking as is everything else about this book from our wonderful FMC, Samara, and our swoony MMC, Raphael to the side characters you can't help but want to be friends with and a plot that just keeps on thickening until you're well up into the night because "I just need one more chapter!!"

This was a decently enjoyable read! I liked the how Samara had a normal reaction to being around a vampire. HOWEVER I do love a good grumpy protective man, thank you Raphael for being hot. I will definitely be on the lookout for book 2 because I need to know what happens to Sam. Does Raphael recover from the poison?? What does Sam discover about her new life and will her feelings change for Raphael??!! I need to know!

I'm really glad I picked this for one of my June reads. It was well paced and interesting (magic system is pretty cool) and the banter and slow burn between the main characters (come on that's like catnip to us readers). Will definitely have to pick up book two!

I was provided with an arc copy of this work in audio format from Netgalley free of charge in return for an honest review.

As with all audio i review i will start with The narration it really is excellent and brings the world of the story to life.

I was drawn to the book by the cover art, white marble with a grey rose flecked with red petals and vines grew here and there. is was so stark and unexpected the image caught and stayed in my mind for several days and i wasnt sure it was for me but I kept being drawn back and eventually the blurb caught my imagination and i had to know what the story was so i was hooked.

however much promise the blurb on the back did not match up tp the story I found myself in.
The main character Samara is a void , a person who has no innate magic, and is in Greymere prison for a crime that is never really explained also she was only 8 years old when she was sentenced ? but later that becomes confusing because its unclear if she was sentenced because of undifined crime or if she was just sentenced to serve in the prision due to her nature as a void. Either way she learns that she's not getting out like she thinks so she rescues a vampire dispite the fact that shes absoultely terrified of him,
And they start off on a journey as escape prisoners.

But I just don't know where the story is going. Its very odd. There's vampires and witches ( witches arent human they have unatural life spans ) and voids who are human. And untold cruelty beyond measure in both Witch kingdom and The Vampire Kingdom.

However there's just so many things that dont make sense. If its acepted that vampires do exist in this setting and everyone knows it and knows that they can enthrall humans
Such as Vamps can enthrall humans and yet Samara was sent alone to tend his wounds in Greymere?

Samara is terrified of Vampires so why doesnt she just make a swift exit while he is killing the prision guards and leave him to it?
Its implied that no who remembered her is alive so who is going to search for her? She hides in prision often so who would know she was missing?

Either way she decideds to travel with the Vamp to the city of answers where she and the vamp will part company and she can go to the monstary and enter into service to the Gods free of her previous life.

All she has to do is waste her One Question tto the librarians . Why people only get one question ever is not explained and seems kinda weird.

either way she gets the vamps question answered and tells him where to Find the black Grimore. She tells him what she was told and sets off for the monstary.

Turns out the Monstary just wants to beat the shit out of people and the vamp shows up and kills everyone. He gets her to a cabin where she heals and then they go and get the Grimore from an ancient temple in the middle of a swamp,

Again shes terrifed of him but she still goes with him? She also agrees to back to his kingdom with him and translate the gimorie.

While shes in The Vampires Court she learns that hes the King of the vampires and the Witch Kings spymaster is in the Vampire court. Samara has been offered money for her service in translating the grimore and treated as an honored guest Amd she doesn't say anything why?

then she decides to betray the Vampire King ?

There are way to many things that just dont make sense. It interferes with the enjoying the story
I have finished feeling lost like I am missing things. I just dont know how to feel about anything. In Short showed promise but just no.

As someone who hadn’t read anything by Drake previously, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read the synopsis, but this surprised me in a great way. I think I predicted a book that was more spice than plot, and I thoroughly enjoyed being wrong in this case.
The story is a slow burn, it had intrigue, tension and intricate world building. The romance does have a big focus, but the plot is written well to the point where I was just as interested in seeing what would happen next with the stakes as I wanted to see more between the leads.

A Bargain So Bloody is a strong start to a fantasy series, and should be an instant tbr to anyone who loves vampire x human plots, and touch her and die-mmcs.

Thank you to Vasilisa Drake and NetGalley for the chance to rate and review this Advanced Listeners Copy (ALC)! All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own—though I wish I could blame someone else for how unhinged I feel after that cliffhanger.

This was my first book by Vasilisa Drake, and I was genuinely impressed. I usually have a pretty good sense of where a story is going, but this one kept me on my toes. The plot took turns I didn’t expect, and I loved that!

Now let me take a moment to talk about Samara. The audacity. The way she judged the vampires—especially Raphael—was maddening. This girl got tossed into prison as a child by her own people for a crime she didn’t even commit, and yet she’s out here looking down her nose at the very ones who are helping her? Ma’am. Be serious. I’m crossing all my fingers for some real growth from her in book two, because right now she’s testing my patience.
That said, Raphael’s feelings for Samara kind of came out of nowhere. One minute he’s cold and distant, the next he’s ready to go full protector mode? I’m not mad about it, but I definitely have questions. There’s a lot about their connection that still needs to be explored, and I’m hoping the next book dives deeper into their dynamic.

Narration-wise, Cecily Foster crushed it! She brought every character to life with nuance and emotion, and made the tense moments feel extra intense. A perfect voice for this story.

And yes—it ends on a cliffhanger. A shocking one. I'm pacing the room waiting for the sequel. If you're into morally gray vampires, political intrigue, and heroines with some learning to do (hopefully), this is one to watch.

This sounded interesting plus love me some vampires 😉

What I wasn't expecting was the interesting, the take on vampires and magic it had. Not to mention being grabbed by the first sentence. In some ways it was predictable but in the end it didn't save me from the hurt I had to endure from that ending. Not only has this book not even been released yet I still have to wait until book 2. Vasilisa what a cruel cruel mistress you are.

This was such a great set up to book 2 that im excited to see what will happen next.

If you like:
Dark fantasy
Prison escape
Vampire x Human/ void witch
Enemies to reluctant allies to lovers ( slow burn )
He falls first / burnt cinnamon MMC
Forced proximity ( on bed for warmth / one horse)
Prophecy, betrayal, secret identities
Touch her and die vibes
And so much more

You will need to get your hands on this book!!!

4.5/5 (rounded to 4 stars)

A Bargain So Bloody takes us in a world in which witches, vampires and other magical beasts live. Here, we follow Samara, a void, a human without powers, that has been sentenced to fifteen years in a magical prison and Raphael, a vampire, mortal enemy to humans that finds himself in the same prison. The story is really interesting, although a tiny bit predictable at times, it has the codes of fantasy and romantasy while still being original. The magic system is well thought, different and really well used in the story so it's not overwhelming at all.

The main characters are all endearing, each one having their own personality and motivations making him impossible to not like them. I particularly loved how their difference in morals and ethics were portrayed, each of them having good reasons or arguments, even when they clashed. I particularly loved Samara and Raphael relationship and following its development.

The pacing is amazing, a lot of things happens in the book, with the characters going to a lot of different places but not once did it feel rushed or passed over too fast.

The narration was super good! Cecily Foster managed to bring the story to life magnificiently well. She did a great job voicing all the characters, and I particularly loved how she portrayed Samara emotions during the book.

I didn't expect the ending at all and I just loved it. It left me hanging and I cannot wait for the next book!

All in all, I think this book is a really good romantasy and I definitely recommend it!

Really excellent slow burn vampire story. I feel like most the vampire books I read that have romance are a quicker burn because well they are vampires. But this one is so slow of a burn. The first half moved along really fast and had a decent unique plot. I was really excited for the ending/cliffhanger, but sadly that part felt a tad predictable and similar to other books. Still excited to read book 2 when it comes out.

Thank you so much for the alc copy of this!
This was absolutely amazing and the narrators did an amazing job with this story and Brining it to life!

The slow burn I don’t even know what to say except well done! It’s not often that we get a book where the slow burn is actually a slowww burn to the point where the yearning and tension is thick.

The world building, along with the pacing, tension and characters made for a very well made story and plot and I can’t wait for the next book!

Thanks to netgalley/the author for an audiobook of this. My reviews tend to be posted on Goodreads, Tome, and Fable. I plan on posting my review on 6-28-2025

I’ll start off by saying the narrators voice is great and they did an amazing job. It’s a voice that’s super easy to listen to and I never found myself zoning out while listening to this story.

This story starts off with the MC, Samara being trapped in a magical prison. She helps a vampire, Raphael escape once she learns that once her sentence is up she wasn’t going to be released. From here on out it’s an adventure with her traveling with someone she’s deadly afraid of. I honestly was shocked by the ending and didn’t see it coming.

As soon as I saw this was about vampires I had to request it. Because I am and have always been a vampire girlie. The characters for the most part are likable but there are a few times I was giving side eye to a few characters. I really liked two of the side characters and without spoiling anything let’s just say I’m holding out hope for something to happen.

I’m once again mentioning the ending but I seriously was shocked by it in a good way. I can’t wait to see how this story continues in the next book. Definitely recommend this to my friends who love vampires and witches.