I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. Popovic managed to bring classic Gothic horror style/elements into a more palatable form for YA readers and audiences. Anna's blinding innocence was never off putting, but allowed the reader to see the darkness of the book in stark contrast to the narrator's perspectives. It also left me wanting to learn more about Elizabeth Bathory. If you are looking for a darker take on YA literature or historical fiction then I highly recommend picking up this book!

What a bloody little book.

“Blood Countess” follows Anna, the midwifes daughter who has yet to find her place in the world when she crosses paths with the new Countess Elizabeth Báthory who she can’t help but want to please but it isn’t long before she sees the cruelty that hides beneath the Lady’s beauty and the lengths she will go to keep it.

So I’m a giant nerd when it comes to true crime so Elizabeth is no ranger to me which is why I couldn’t help but sympathize with Anna and her fascination with the Countess no matter how twisted she became but it does mean that I knew all of the changes made to her story and for that I was a little sad.

As the most prolific female serial killer of all time I think it was smart to tell the story from the point of view of someone who can’t see her flaws so as the reader we see the brightness and innocent Elizabeth while the rumors of her punishments lie offscreen and we only witness it when Anna does but even then she’s already enamored by her making it more fun to see the downfall of their relationship.

While I do wish it stuck a little closer to the source material I will say this is a great read that gives you the bare minimum of what Elizabeth was capable of but perhaps that’s enough to make people look into her further to see just how bloody she could be.

**special thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Oh Anna, you poor sweet summer child. Don’t you know that when the same stories seem to fall from absolutely everyone’s lips, there might be some truth to them?

The Blood Countess was just as bloody as I thought it would be. This story is all about Anna and how she catches the eye of the noblewoman Countess Elizabeth Bathory. Who, by the way, has nothing but awful stories that follow her throughout her lands. Everyone has heard of these tales it seems, but Anna sees a different side in our Countess. She doesn’t believe these tall tales and when she realizes things aren’t as they seem, it's already too late.

Anna and Elizabeth are our two main characters. The story is told through Anna’s point of view and we watch as she first meets the Countess and quickly to the second meeting which makes Anna decide that she’s seen a side of Elizabeth the no one else has. She very quickly falls for the Countess beauty and kindness and as she moves her way up the ranks in the noblewoman's household, the two go from friends to lovers.

I honestly don’t think Anna ever stood a chance, even with all the stories and warnings that circled around her. She just couldn’t believe these things about a person she loved until it was two late. The author did a really great job at describing these characters. It was so shocking to see how quickly Elizabeth went through her moods and how Anna handled it all. The writing was descriptive in the way that I could feel the horrors being done to these people and was almost flinching in my seat. Popovic definitely knows how to write dark characters.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire second half of this book. I thought I knew what was going to happen, and then I didn’t. Then I couldn’t help but speculate and I was so glad I was wrong. This was such a dark story to tell and I honestly enjoyed every moment of it.

I really enjoyed this book!This dark, twisted tale has more than a touch of the Gothic about it with all the castles, superstitions and witchcraft making it gripping to read. Knowing what it was based on only made it more interesting, as though the reader sees the world through Anna's eyes we know what the countess is really like. You find yourself almost yelling at her for being manipulated so easily!
That being said initially I loved the romance element in the story and the slow realisation of Anna's sexuality and how it differed to the Countess'. Its quite rare to find good YA fiction for LGBT+ readers that isnt set in the modern day, making this a must buy not only because it will appeal to all sexualities, but also for showing how emotional manipulation can occur in all kinds of relationships. Currently the best books discussing emotional abuse are very heteronormative.
The plot was sound and engaging and the characters had good depth, although I wish we had been given a bit more of an insight into Elizabeth's past, she hints that her mother too used witchcraft to stay young and this could have been a interesting addition to the storyline.
There was one typo which was the use of bald instead of bold but otherwise a very well constructed and gorgeously descriptive text brimming with darkness and violence.