I. Loved. This. Book!
It was perfection. I loved the narrator telling the story, Dracula's first "wife" a woman dying in the street during war, bringing her to his castle, domineering her renaming her, commanding her, bringing new wives or victims in to the relationship until eventually she has enough. She wants more, hates him and his ways, his murders. She plots his demise a thousand times until the final plan comes to the surface.
I couldn't find a single thing wrong with this story. I adored it. I want more like this, please!

I'm so pleased I finally read this. Dark, raw, compelling, and electric, I loved it. The writing was exquisite, and the passage of time was very well done, with the narrative moving us through history in a smooth and realistic manner. The story was rich and, for a story that's about vampires, brimming with human complexity.

Wow - I absolutely flew through this book and devoured every page. Lush, dark and atmospheric, this is the vampire romance book I've been waiting for. I'd absolutely read more from ST Gibson. A new favourite.

I really love a lot of things about this book. I would give it 4.5 stars if I could. It is one of my favorite classic retellings. There is something about the way it takes monstrosity and assigns it to the every day horror of domestic violence and abusive relationships that deeply moves me. The writing isn't perfect, but it its beautiful and self-affirming in a way that reminds me of a therapy journal.

I love sapphic vampires. I love polyamorous vampires. If you want a queer vampire story look no further. This book has all the sex and glamour you can want from a vampire story, while still staying grounded in telling a tale of surviving abuse. I felt seen by this story and still had a fun time, which is really all you can ask for.

S. T. Gibson can do NO WRONG!

This has been on my TBR for an embarrassingly long time in all honestly, considering it’s a book I knew I would love. I recently received an early copy of another of S. T. Gibson’s work and it blew me away so epically that I finally decided it was time to pick up Dowry.

This was beautifully disturbing! The reflective writing style made for a harrowing experience exploring the first bride of Dracula’s journey.

Gothic, decadent and executed perfectly, this has become a firm favourite.

I loved this book, I really got on with the writing style. It was gothic and dark, which keeps me wanting more.

3.5 stars.

Unfortunately this didn't really work for me. I would say if you enjoy reading slow depressing books then you may like this but I would also say that for a large amount of the book we are just following along watching this toxic controlling relationship and it's not a fun time there are very few bright moments and even though this is all written looking back on the relationship is seems like excuses are still being given for why the other person acted in certain ways and I really didn't like that.

The last 14% was where it really picked up and things started happening that I thought would start much sooner within the book.

I also unfortunately didn't connect to any of the characters at all which I think also hindered my enjoyment.

Although this book wasn't really for me the writing style was amazing and it was very lyrical and easy to read at the same time, I would definitely read something else by the author.

Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thus is easily one of the most beautiful books I have read... The way it is written and the haunting stiry is really one of a kind!
I went right out and bought myself a physical copy, cause this is a book that will have a forever home on my shelf!

Hauntingly beautiful... I have no words for this book. You HAVE TO read this, I finished it on my kindle and literally the next day I reread it and annotated my physical copy

book like this remind me how far we have come in the years of writing as never did i think i would be reading a book about vampires talking about toxic and abusive relationship, As most book vamp book are problematic at best when it comes to relationship and lot of people allow it to happen as the MC will be "hot"

this book is different and actually faces that head on which i was here for as i loved that the relationship had suffering and pain but was all so full of love.

the characters are well written and beautiful with development that other should take notice of.
perfect halloween season book to read with a hot drink. just remember to check the trigger warnings and keep safe

Second time trying to post this review…

I really enjoyed this! It’s the right amount of horror and fantasy and darkness. 4 stars

I am very sad to say this book wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get into it at all. I love anything vampire so thought I would love it but I just didn’t gel with the writing style. I have many friends who loved this book though so I think this is very much a me problem.

A Dowry of Blood is such a beautifully written fantasy/romance/horror. The blend of genres is done brilliantly. The world-building is outstanding. The story is well written with an enchanting storyline and well-developed characters that engage from start to finish. The world is atmospheric and feels real with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. I cannot get enough. Highly recommended. Be sure to check out A Dowry of Blood today.

Preliminary 5-star review. Will post a full review and adjust the rating accordingly after I finish the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

A Dowry of Blood is gothic and eerie and intimate. I'd heard so much hype about this book and never got around to reading it after it was released by an indie. When it was rereleased I was glad to get an eARC so I could finally jump on board the hype train.

Gibson takes characters that have been explored before - Dracula's brides - but turns them into something completely fresh. They're so well-developed and turned into these complicated and intense characters which, combined with Gibson's incredible prose created a sense of seductive gothic horror that had me utterly hooked.

A Dowry of Blood is a perfect gothic story; hitting topics of patriarchal oppression and abusive relationships with a deft touch while maintaining a thick atmosphere of unnerving, uncanny horror.

This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever read!

Updated Review (29/03/2023)

This took me a while to write because I kept deleting and rewriting. Finally I realised, no matter how much I rewrite nothing could sum up how I feel about this book, so here we go :)

Set in a dark and gothic world, author S.T. Gibson weaves a tale of betrayal, revenge, and redemption that will leave readers breathless.

At the heart of the story is Constanta, a vampire who has lived for centuries and has amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience. In exchange for her immortality, she must fulfill her role as a wife and provide a dowry for her new husband. However, as the plot unfolds, it becomes apparent that the dowry is much more than a simple exchange of goods. It is a symbol of power and control, and Constanta is determined to assert her dominance.

Gibson's writing is both poetic and haunting. The characters are well-developed and complex, each with their own motivations and desires. Constanta is particularly compelling, a strong and independent woman who refuses to be defined by her gender or her species.

Throughout the novel, Gibson explores themes of oppression, patriarchy, and the ways in which women are often trapped by the expectations placed upon them. The story is dark, but ultimately it is a tale of empowerment and liberation.

Overall, Dowry of Blood is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that will leave a lasting impact on its readers. Gibson's beautiful prose and well-crafted characters make this a must-read for fans of gothic literature and dark fantasy.

With my love of Dracula and all things vampire I had expected this book to be a slamdunk win for me. However, it didn’t quite resonate. I loved the beginning of the book and the whole Dracula’s brides concept however I don’t think I am the books target audience as it was much more sensual, gothic romance that horror for me.

“It was never my intention to murder you. Not in the beginning, anyway.”

A Dowry of Blood is inspired by the Brides of Dracula and is told through an open letter from Constanta to her husband. Through this letter we learn how Constanta was changed, how she coped and grew into the woman she became during her abusive relationship.

This is a deliciously dark and lyrical story that I really didn’t know I needed. I first started it one evening and just wasn’t in the mood, so set it aside, I then picked it up a couple of evenings later and devoured it.

I absolutely love the way it’s written, I’ve never read anything like it and the way it drew me in like I was the one writing this letter was crazy, I felt all the emotions Constanta went through.

A Dowry of Blood is like no other book I’ve read before, it’s so atmospheric I had goose bumps and nothing existed around me while I was reading. I was totally and utterly absorbed. I think my only complaint was it wasn’t long enough, I wanted more and didn’t want it to end.

If you enjoy dark atmospheric gothic stories that are lyrical with complex relationships then this is a book you need to pick up now.

Ever since I heard the quietest whispers about this book I have been so incredibly excited to read it! A gothic, queer, poly retelling of Dracula’s Brides? The concept itself sounded absolutely fantastic, and my expectations quickly rose through the roof. Always a dangerous thing, because more often than not I am disappointed when actually reading the book, because it cannot reasonably live up to them.

But oh boy. Not only were my expectations met, they were thoroughly surpassed!!

<i>After a gruesome attack on her village, Constanta is saved from certain death by a mysterious stranger who turns her into his undead bride and takes her to his castle, where she quickly and absolutely falls in love with him. Still eternally grateful and devoted, Constanta is quick to overlook and forgive her husband’s erratic behaviour and shifting mood, up until a sharp-minded aristocrat and a beautiful artist are pulled into her husband’s carefully woven web of passion and deceit. And finally, Constanta has to decide between the love for her husband and their freedom. </i>

I will start off by saying that the writing in this book is absolutely beautiful. If you, like me, are someone who adores gorgeously written books, this alone will probably be enough for you to pick up this book and love it. The story flows effortlessly, the language perfectly mirroring the mood and atmosphere of the story, creating a world as lush and vivid as blood-red silk.

The characters are multi-layered and feel completely real, and I am so in love with all of them. Throughout the book, my heart physically ached for them. With just a few words and actions, S.T. Gibson manages to sketch every character so perfectly that they still live rent-free in my head. The story is set against various European countries through the centuries, from medieval France to Spain, to the many canals of Venice and the imposing buildings of Vienna, always decadent, always on the edge of ruin.

Although the relationship at the centre of this story is controlling and abusive, the book itself has a strong message of freedom, love and emancipation: of standing up to your abuser and taking control. It touches on so many important issues in a sensitive, delicate way. By the end I had full on tears in my eyes.

Whether you have never read a vampire book before, or it’s your favourite genre, I can only urge you to pick up this book. It is bloody and hauntingly gothic, gorgeously written and will not let you go. I can quite honestly say that I’ve never read anything like it.

I can't recomend this book enough! It has vampires, smut and lgbt vibes. A retelling of the Draculas Bride with an lgbt twist.

One of my favourite reads of 2022.