This sample for the Empire of the Vampire sequel provided heightened excitement and anticipation for its release. The first book was high up on my best books of 2022. I have always read Jay Kristoff’s books ranging from his Young Adult trilogies to his more adult books. I think the fans of the first book have waited since its release for Empire of the Damned and it is finally here. Being thrown back into Gabriel’s world with all the side characters and fun personalities was exciting. This sample just increased my excitement and I look forward to rereading the first book in anticipation of starting EOTD.
I definitely recommend these books but be warned: the wait in between each release is torture and Jay Kristoff loves teasing the fans.
Thank you for this sampler!

I am so happy to be back in this amazing world that Jay has created.

Even though this is only the first 200 pages I was absolutely hooked and excited to carry on!

Starting directly where the first book finishes this is just so good! I cannot wait to read the rest!

I have devoured so many of Jay Kristoff's books and this new title is no exception. Picking up directly at where Empire of the Vampire finished, this was the best kind of thrill ride.

Absolutely amazing..
Gutted it was a sampler and I’m desperate to get to the rest of the book
This world is pure genius

I thourghly enjoyed this sampler oh the Empire of the Damned an excellent follow up to Empire of the Vampire. Great characters and well plotted look forward to reading the rest of the book. Thanks to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this ARC.

A quick peek to the books in this series is a sort of sophisticated torture as you are left waiting for something you want to read now.
So I read this sample just before the book was down and was able to read it till the end.
It was worth the wait and I loved every minute.
Well done, another winner
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Ces deux cents premières pages sont extrêmement addictive et complexe ! Je n'ai qu'une hâte avoir le livre a sa sortie officielle pour découvrir la suite des aventures de Gabriel et de ses amis!

4 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2024/02/26/empire-of-the-vampire-empire-of-the-damned-sampler-by-jay-kristoff/#comments
EofD picks up immediately after the conclusion of EotV. I read only a sampler of this and I’m not sure what percentage of the story is involved.

I enjoyed the story to the point I left off and in fact can say that the promise of what comes next is very appealing – but I won’t give anything away here in that respect.

The writing is once again strong but what I really enjoyed in this was the way the character’s relationships are improved. On top of that there is once again a feeling of overwhelming doom. The chances of humanity surviving feel slim indeed and some of the fight scenes are so crazily over the top that they make for very dramatic reading.

It’s difficult to say too much when I’m yet to complete the read. What I can say is that I enjoyed this book more than the first. The vampires are truly monstrous once again,but, the other characters have the opportunity to shine out more in this story and I look forward to picking up a copy on release to see how book 2 concludes.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

My rating 4 stars (although this could change upon completion)

Sadly this was only a sampler but still loved to get a glimpse in the upcoming book.
Starting where we left of in Empire of the Vampire, we get a glimpse of the NOW first and then go into the past again, Learning more about the world, as we read on which i really like. Plenty of action, swearing but also heartfelt moments. Cannot say how its going to go from the end of the sampler but i am very confident Jay Kristoff can pull this off. Going to be a masterful continuation - thats for sure.

I am a huge fan of the first book and this sampler of the second one has me eagerly anticipating reading the rest of the book and seeing what happens next! I can't wait! From the first bits of this book I can only imagine how exciting the rest of the book will be. I've been a huge fan of Jay Kristoff's writing and this world has me so deeply invested in its characters!

I enjoy this series so much. Just like with the first book, Jay manages to weave a story that has it all. It was a page turner, and I couldn't wait to continue reading. The story was solid, although some passages could have maybe been a little shorter. All in all it was once again an amazing read!!

Calling all vampire fans! Dive back into the world of Elidaem with Empire of the Damned, the heart-pounding sequel to Jay Kristoff's dark fantasy masterpiece. Buckle up for a thrilling journey with Gabe, Dior, and Liathe as they embark on a Grail-delivering mission filled with mythical creatures, action-packed battles, and bone-chilling horror.

This book isn't afraid to delve deeper. Prepare to explore Elidaem's darkest corners, unearth mind-blowing ancient secrets, and confront the ghosts of the past alongside our favorite characters. While the original crew remains fantastic, Kristoff delivers a whole new cast of lovable personalities who will steal your heart.

Remember that religious theme from the first book? It's back with a vengeance, taking unexpected twists and turns that will leave you breathless. Don't worry, I won't spoil the magic, but trust me, Kristoff ups the ante in a way you never saw coming.

I devoured this book, practically glued to the pages. The action kept me on the edge of my seat, forgetting to breathe at times. Finishing it left me heartbroken, wishing I could experience the thrill of the first read all over again.

If you're craving a dark, epic adventure with unforgettable characters and enough twists to leave you reeling, Empire of the Damned is a must-read. Just be warned: you might develop an unhealthy obsession with Gabe and his crew.

**In short:**

* **Genre:** Dark fantasy, vampires
* **Characters:** Old favorites and new loves
* **Plot:** Mind-blowing twists and turns
* **Overall:** A must-read for vampire fans and dark fantasy enthusiasts

**Rating:** ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

5 stars for me! Great sampler of an amazing book which I cannot wait to read when it comes out. Seems intense and starts straight off where the other book finishes!

This is the second book in the Empire of The Vampire series and I would recommend reading these in order as the first book gives a lot of background information.

In this second book, the story continues, well, Gabe's recounting of his story continues. He is protecting The Grail and trying to find who can help unlock the secrets of how The Grail can end the darkness that hangs over the world the author has created. Gabe is a silversaint and is sworn to protect and kill vampires and their spawn. He is on the edge; if you have read the previous book, you will know how this makes him dangerous. He is still in control but there are other forces that are testing his resolve.

This is another brilliant installment in the series and once again the author has created a tense and atmospheric thrill to the book. While he continues the journey there are more things that are brought into the equation. There is The Grail and what people think is the right thing to do, will The Grail end the darkness and the vampires? It is still unclear, and there are only a couple of people alive who can potentially solve the mystery.

This is a fast-paced story and it never lets up, the chase is continuous and there is little respite for the characters. The danger lurks everywhere and the battles they have are ferocious. I adore how this is all brought together and the author has a brilliant way of creating some very vivid imagery.

This is a series that is a mix of horror and fantasy, mystery, suspense, action, danger and supernatural thriller. I adored this second book as much as the first and I cannot wait for the next one. I would definitely recommend it.

I have put off reading this sampler as I knew that once I started I would be lost! I was right!

Then a miracle occurred - my Goldsboro edition arrived 4 days early! This was my surprise fb - I devoured this 1/3 of the book last night and now I march into the rest. Hades help anyone who disturbs me!

Damn you Kristoff! You’ve got me by the throat again!

Obviously as this was only a sample of the book, I can only go on whay I've
read so far read. With that being said, so far this book is brilliant. Starting right where book one left off, we dive straight back on the journey with Gabriel and Dior to end daysdeath. This time with more Intel into certain characters and with Gabriel's tale further unfolding, I am left buzzing to have the rest of this book in my hands!

Full review for goodreads and tiktok to come on completion of the book.

Well, fool is me since I did not notice that the arc I had is only half the book! What a letdown! Rest assured, I will finish it as it was even better than the first! Brilliant. Exciting. Action pact. Dark. All the things you could want from this masterful, unique tale! This one seems to follow a linear timeline, unlike the first when Gabriel seemed to take us back and forth in leaps and bounds. I enjoyed this one much more. I can’t wait to read the rest! More Dior and Gabriel!

Should have been labeled as a sampler - as samplers usually are - quite disappointing and felt misleading.

However, i am excited to read the full book when I get my hands on it.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Harper for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

This "Empire of the Damned" extract has me so excited to read the final book though I'm a little disappointed as it wasn't labelled as only an extract.