This was brilliant and I expected nothing less. I really enjoyed the dark academic feel mixed in with black African history and vampires. This story sucks you in with its violent yet loyal FMC who isn’t overly likeable at first but her desire to find her sister who she believes was taken is a real driving force for Kidan.

The way the houses of the human families linked to vampires are somewhat sentient was very interesting, and I look forward to how that develops for Kidan. Also how the companionship between human and vampire will move forward in the next book, its very tumultuous already so I’m sure it can only get more tension filled from here. There’s also the aspects of different family houses competing in a way and plotting against one another, it always feels like a war is brewing just below the surface.

This book is a fantastic piece of dark academia, which is refreshingly diverse and has a huge proportion of black characters. I loved the concept and was delighted to be approved for this title, as the author did an amazing job with the prose and I was gripped from page one. The concept of vampires and humans living together under certain laws was really interesting and I thought the characters were amazing! It’s hard to put into words how much I loved this book but I am really excited for more by this author. Definitely check this out if you’re interested in vampires and/or horror fiction!

It is a compelling book that draws you in immediately. The plot is intriguing, and the characters feel real and authentic. The author's simple yet effective writing style makes the book accessible and enjoyable. The themes are insightful and invite reflection, adding richness to the story. Overall, this book is a standout read that stays with you long after you've finished it. Highly recommended for those who appreciate a great storytelling.

Oh how fine the line is between love and hate and this book straddled it perfectly! This author has a very vivid way of writing which took me a wee while to get into but once I was, I was hooked. All the characters are morally grey and you don’t really know who to root for. Susenyos and Kidan are such complex characters, I’m looking forward to seeing how the author develops them further in the next book.

4.5 stars.