Thank you to Little Brown Book Group, NetGalley and the author herself for the possibility to review this ARC! I will publish the review on my Goodreads page and my Instagram @hurri_books closer to the publication date.

I devoured this story - just as a vampire would devour their victim - in one sitting. It is written in a form of a farewell letter in which the narrator explains to her vampire husband, how his toxic love and obsession with control led to her realization that nobody, even gifted with a second chance in life, does not deserve to be abused.

Because of its’ premise, gothic eloquence, beautiful prose and deliciously dark take on the genre, A Dowry of Blood definitely stands out amongst the rest of vampire stories. I would argue that it’s mostly character driven and because the memories of the narrator spread over hundreds of years, it only shows us the essence of her unique relationship.

S.T. Gibson has a way with words and I’m truly honored to be able to read this piece of art. It will definitely stay in my mind for a long time.

Vampirism as a metaphor for the trappings of an abusive relationship and male privilege: the campy gothic with queers. The book is written as an open letter from one of the Dracula (though he remains unnamed) brides to the man himself, following a horribly recognizable pattern of abuse, from love bombing and dissolution of self to self-blame and all other stops. This take is fresher than sparkly vampires, but my interest in over the top gothicness these days is pretty limited.

Thanks to #netgalley for an arc of #adowryofblood

i don't believe i can put into words how beautiful this book is. it's been a while since i found prose that was so beautiful and spoke to me in such ways as this book managed to do.

my most strict rule to judge arcs has become 'will i also buy this once it's out' and this one is a resound yes. yes, without a doubt. yes, as soon as it's available for me to get a physical copy of it.

it's not a long book, which makes it so that each scene is impactful and matters, each scene either advances the story or gives insight into the character's thoughts and motivations, which is invaluable for me. this books tells the story about the abusive relationship between dracula and the vampires he's turned - his brides, and it does so masterfully. you are always in the mind of one of said brides, constanta, and you understand the fascination and devotion they have for him. you also see all the time how terrible he is.

i think that aside from the prose (which is, as i said, absolutely beautiful), the tone is also what makes this book. it's dark just as it should be not just for the topic it deals with, but as well for the fact that they are vampires.

i can only say that if you're even mildly interested into this premise, you read the book. i could find no fault in it, and i'm good at complaining. but from the prose to the characters to the tone to the progression of the plot... it's all so perfect and fits so well together that i have nothing but praise for it. so do i recommend this one if it fits your interest? in a heartbeat.

thank you to little brown book group, the author and netgalley for this arc. all thoughts are my own.
review to be published 22/09/22

I struggle to find the words to describe just how incredible this book is!

A Dowry of Blood is a beautifully dark and vastly unique take on the vampire genre. It is a queer reimagining of Dracula's Brides that features a poly relationship between our narrator, Constanta, and two of the other brides: Magdalena and Alexi.

The prose throughout the book is gorgeous and eloquent. The style compliments the story perfectly. A Dowry of Blood is written in the form of a letter, which I was initially unsure about but have since decided that it is the perfect way for this story to be told.

This hauntingly beautiful tale gave me the same vibes as a Lana Del Rey song so I think fans of Lana's music will really connect with this book.

A Dowry of Blood is exquisite and my only complaint is that there isn't more as I am desperate to read more about these wonderfully written characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. My review will be posted on Goodreads on the publication date.

Absolutely adored this!! What a hauntingly beautiful and unique read! The depths of the relationships between characters was just perfection. Obsessed!!

After I read the synopsis of a sapphic Dracula's brides retelling I was definitely intrigued and I drank this little gem up in one day. The story is formed through an open letter to Dracula and is told from Constanta's point of view who is saved from an agonising death and embarks on a new life with her apparent saviour. She experiences an intense love and devotion to her saviour but this is also met with a need to kneel to all his rules. He begins to find others to join their relationship and though she is extremely jealous initially, he is always able to bend her to his will. It is a little spicy which I enjoyed a lot!

Thank to The Little Brown Book Group and net galley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. I will share this review on Goodreads closer to the publication date.

I adored this! Such a lyrical retelling of Dracula from the perspective of his wives, who in the OG story never get a name.

Constanta is Draculas first wife, a poor farmers daughter who is raised from the battlefield after being left for dead by enemy soldiers. Dracula finds her and is so arrested by her beauty he raises her as his wife. Dracula loves her intensely but his is a brutal love. A controlling love that gives no room or space for growth and fulfilment outside of him.

Throughout, Constanta excludes Draculas name in an effort to minimise the space he so easily takes up. It's an interesting read knowing the OG story so well and reading the interpretation and perspective of one of his wives who just wants the freedom to live forever on ones own terms.

I’ve just read it in one sitting!! Oh I loved it so much😍 Gothic, vampires, Eerie,seductive, fast paced, blood sucking-ly addictive 😏 to name a few buzzwords for you. You won’t want to miss this book!!
4.5/5 stars

This is my last love letter to you, though some would call it a confession. . . 

A deliciously dark retelling of Dracula, A Dowry of Blood is a saga of obsession, desire and the lengths to which we'll go to protect the ones we love. 

Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things. 

Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband's dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.

I was super excited for this arc. “A Dowry of Blood” by S.T. Gibson is a book that I had previously heard quite a lot about from some reviewers in the USA so when I saw it appear on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it for myself. I loved it! A Dowry of Blood is a short book of letters written to Dracula from one of his brides. Nicknamed by Dracula "Constanta", we never learn the real name of our protagonist. Constanta writes about their love story and of the mentally abusive and gaslighting behaviour she soon comes to realise that she is experiencing.

Exquisitely written, A Dowry of Blood completely blew me away. Every sentence reads so lyrically beautiful and it was due to this writing that I was captivated throughout.

The relationships and characterisation is perfect, you see the dynamics of the main characters grow and change throughout the book, as does their strength, determination and self worth.

I would highly recommend this book to everyone - just pick it up and thank me later. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

Vampires… I promise none have been written quite so exquisitely as they have in A Dowry of Blood by S.T Gibson.

The prose in this novel is achingly beautiful, which truly lends itself to the dark atmosphere of the book. Told in the form of a letter to her vampiric sire, the story follows a peasant girl on the brink of her death being saved and swept up into a new, dangerous lifestyle. The realisation that her saviour is not all sunshine and daisies (excuse the turn of phrase) is a key turning point in the story and I thoroughly enjoyed the depiction of the ‘Brides of Dracula’

This without a shadow of a doubt is a must read for the autumn season, but I would highlight the potential trigger for manipulative abuse. As said, the writing style in this novel is stunning and unique without being too flowery, the characters each have their own flaws and despite the fast-paced move through the timeline, we get to know these characters well and feel their every mood. My only negative thought with this book is that I am left, like the vampire, with an insatiable thirst for more.

The confession of Constanta, the bride of a vampire, his muse, lover, pet, and subordinate, the subject of his dissection. The Lord is a researcher of life and death, the artist. If the characters weren't vampires, it could be a story of many women today. Or maybe better, the story of relationships, even today.

This is a story of obsession, control, and desire. Master and his puppets. Until the puppet gets her voice and power. At first, Constanta was just a young girl, a quiet, beautiful consort, taking notice of everything and everyone, without making any demands of her vampire husband.

Slowly she starts to ask herself, what, if anything, in their life was appropriate? They killed to live, they lied and cheated and took lovers, and they slipped from town to town like ghosts, draining the populace of their money and blood before moving on.

Can she escape? Or the blood that binds them is too powerful?

The novel has a perfectly dark, almost gothic atmosphere. I enjoyed it.

3,5/5

A Dowry of Blood felt like both a love letter and a tale about surviving. Constana was such a strong protagonist with such a big heart. It was intriguing to read from her perspective as she matures. When we begin this novel she is naive, young and desperately enticed by the Vampire Lord, with the promise to start an exciting adventure. The love between the two is quick and at first sweet, but it is very apparent of the hideousness of the Vampire Lord and how cruel he could be, supposedly softened with lovey promises. We quickly begin to see how the Vampire Lord (who never has a name within this story which I really liked) is possessive and controlling. As we learn more of his personality, we see how Constana matures and adapts to keep surviving him. This book felt like her love letter to him, but yet her tale of how he truly lost.

It isn't long before a second love interest is introduced, Magdalena. Whilst it first began in rivalry, it soon became a soft and intense love between the two women. Whose love for one another was built on understanding and survival. I honestly fell in love with their dynamic and the declarations between the two had me tearing up. This book defo explores sexuality, love and abuse. The Vampire Lord was so driven by his intense need for a family that he could puppet, he was never satisfied for long with every addition, because they wouldn't tolerate his incessant need to control them and lock them away from the world.

Thus, Alexei was discovered and brought into their world. Alexei was described to be much less agreeable than Constana and Magdalena, which whilst at first besotted the Vampire Lord soon became an annoyance. The irony of him creating this family, keeping them under his control with the expectation they would revere to him and see him as their saviour, only for them to grow together as a trio and resent him more. The ending was so bittersweet but understandable, I felt the characters needed their freedom from one another to understand what it was in life they needed.

I really hope we can meet the characters again. The writing of this story was amazing, it felt whimsical, it felt melancholy and felt poetic. Big thank you for netgalley for allowing me to read this.

This book was utter perfection
Dracula has always been my favourite Classic but I always wanted to know more about the women in his story, to know their stories. This book gave me an excellent retelling and I just loved it!
This story was told through the form of a memoir and I just devoured it!
I absolutely loved Constanta’s character growth and wanted only amazing things for her
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ebook in exchange for an honest review. I now need to get myself a physical copy as I can see me rereading this book again and again.

I liked the premise of "A Dowry of Blood" but it didn't quite meet my expectations: the characters don't get a lot of character development and I would have loved to see more world-building.

"It was never my intention to murder you. Not in the beginning anyway."
•
What a great first sentence.
The sapphic retelling is written from the point of view of Dracula's wife Constanta, who writes an open letter to the murdered Dracula. In this, Dracula is addressed as "you", which makes it seem as if she is addressing the reader directly.
Constanta is saved from death by Dracula and a story begins that is told over centuries. Full of love and fear, with the lines often blurring.
The writing style was poetic yet easy to read.
With Magdalena and Alexi, two more characters were added, which made the story even more interesting, as all these different characters met and also wavered between love and rivalry and also a sense of family.
•
Thanks to netgalley and orbit for the eArc.

As a lover of all things gothic fiction and retellings I actually squealed when I saw I was accepted for this read and I wasnt disappointed at all. It is a deliciously gothic read that emanates atmosphere and is full of creepiness and tension. I loved the dark romance elements as well as they really added an extra layer to what is an incredibel read.
Probably one of the best retellings I have ever read.

A Dowry of Blood is a love letter, literally and figuratively. It's definitely inspired by Bram Stoker's Dracula as well as the romantic image of vampires in general. In the literal sense, our narrator - Constanta - is writing to the unnamed lord, her master, her lover, her maker. "It was never my intention to murder you. Not in the beginning, anyway."

This novel is lyrical, sensual and beautifully written. It's very gothic, very dark, and we see the characters of Constanta, Magdalena and Alexi experience an intensely wide range of emotions and experiences. S.T. Gibson used the classic vampire lore, but at the same time she created something new and original. This author is one to watch and I'm curious to see what she does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. A Dowry of Blood will be published in the UK on 6 October 2022.

Wow, where to begin. This book knocked my socks off, I read it from start to finish in just one sitting as I couldn't get enough. I loved the lyrical writing style and I don't think I've ever come across a book where the entirety was a sigular letter.

S.T Gibson beautifully wrote all of Dracula's brides but I could sympathise and relate to Constanta so much and understand how she ended up making the choices she did.

This book broke my heart and then peiced it back together again.

Review will go out on Goodreads on 22/09 unless told otherwise by the publisher.

Thanks to S.T Gibson, Orbit and Netgalley for an advanced copy of A Dowry of Blood in exchange for my honest opinion. My vampire loving heart enjoyed it so much.

A reimagining of Dracula's brides, Constanta is the eldest - and suffers the most at the cruel hands of her husband, her captor, her saviour. The complex relationship between that of her and her vampire sire, the sense of loyalty that she has for him even when he hurts her repeatedly was a different take on the usual.

The addition of Magdalena and Alexi along the way, the conflicting emotions she feels as each joined their undead family was compelling to read.

Another thing that I enjoyed was the nod to Bram Stoker's Dracula - it was only a few sentences, but it was a lovely addition.

I read this in one sitting and it was both intriguing and heartbreaking, and I didn't want it to end!

Absolutely LOVED this book! I read it cover to back within a day, simply could not put it down. The characters were so well written. The writing style is something I was not used to and I loved it, it was a great way to get to know the main character and really see it from their perspective. This take on dracula is one of my favourites. Have recommended several friends of mine to read this and they all loved it too