The world building was great and I found the idea behind the land of the dead super interesting - that said, it also left a lot of questions too. I wasn't completely sure how everything worked but maybe that was the point of it?

I liked Irina's feisty personality and the way she held her own against Stefan despite how truly terrified she was. It takes a brave woman to marry a homicidal vampire and hope he'll do you a favour in exchange for blood on demand!

Stefan ended up being a character I liked, and by rhe end i was heartbroken for him. Even though Irina choosing her sister was the only choice she could've made after everything she'd been through to get to her, it hurt that she left Stefan in the land of the dead. Even though he was already technically dead? Like I said, it WAS the only choice but it was still sad.

I wanted a little more from the ending, it was so sudden and quickly wrapped up. It was the HEA we all wanted but it was over before it started and I wish there was a little more of Stefan at least meeting her sister and family.

I'd definitely say this is geared towards a YA audience, there's a few gruesome aspects but I'd be happy with my 14yo daughter reading it.

Unfortunately I struggled to connect with this book. I found it a bit slow paced and I just couldn’t get into it, and really had to make myself pick it up to finish it.

The premise was really interesting and sounded very much like something I would enjoy, but I didn’t connect with either of the main characters. I didn’t hate it, it was fairly satisfying once I had finished it, but I struggled through it so it didn’t feel enjoyable in the moment.

If you’re a fan of gothic fantasy give it a go as it may well appeal.

This was a very sad and emotional book. I struggled with it alot as it was so dreary and I could not connect to either of the characters.

I was really looking forward to, but it ended up being a bit of a letdown. Typically, I don't mind sad books because they can really stir up emotions, but this one just didn't click for me. I found myself skimming through the last 20% just to wrap it up.

The story starts with Irina marrying a 'dead man' to help her village get rid of a vampire who's been tormenting them. She also has a hidden agenda to make a deal with the vampire, Stefan, to take her to the underworld and rescue her sister's trapped soul. It had a lot of potential, but both the romance and the plot fell flat.

The love story between Irina and Stefan felt forced and unconvincing. Their dialogue was stiff, and the attempt at creating an 'enemies to lovers' dynamic didn't work. The characters spoke with modern colloquialisms, even though the story is set in what seems to be 19th-century Romania. The world-building was inconsistent, making it hard to get immersed in the story.

I struggled to connect with both Irina and Stefan. We don't get much background on either of them, and Stefan's tragic backstory didn't make him a compelling love interest. Irina was written better, but both characters felt a bit 'meh' in the end.

The depiction of the underworld was also disappointing. Instead of a rich and scary realm, we get a normal world where anyone Irina touches remembers their death. This concept was interesting initially but became repetitive and gross. There were many unexplained elements, like the significance of the Totentanz.

The ending was another letdown. While it seemed well-done at first, the very last page felt like fan service and left me confused. It seemed like the author chickened out from writing a tragic ending and added something to please the readers.

Overall, I had high expectations for this book, but it didn't deliver. The 2.5 rating is for the fact that I was intrigued enough to finish it. I probably won't be reading any more books from this author, given the mixed reviews of their other works.

I really enjoyed this book, it gave new takes on stories you know and I genuinely loved reading it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

I think this is up there with one of the most frightening books I’ve read, and I’ve read some scary books. JJA Harwood, an amazing, and super imaginative dark author.

Sometimes you pick up a book and it just doesn’t click. That’s how I felt about A Steep and Savage Path. It wasn’t a bad read by any means, but it didn’t quite spark anything in me either.

JJA Harwood has a way with atmosphere. There’s a definite gothic thread running through the pages, and fans of her previous works will likely appreciate the eerie, folklore-tinged setting. But for me, the writing style didn’t quite vibe. It felt a bit too distant, or maybe just a little too slow to really sink its hooks in.

The premise had promise (and I’ll always give bonus points for anything even vaguely witchy or haunting), but the emotional connection I usually look for just wasn’t there this time. I kept waiting to care more than I did.

That said, I wouldn’t discourage anyone from giving it a try. Sometimes a story just isn’t your story, and that’s okay.

With thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

I was drawn to this title because I do quite enjoy a vampire love story every now and then. This one added in lots of elements of folklore in a well plotted tale of a descent into the underworld to retrieve a soul.
The details were very well thought out, with elements from classical mythology blended in with things which felt squarely Romanian. I did think it was a very Romanian afterworld all round in terms of language, traditional costumes, and the people our two protagonists encountered!

I thought the story as a whole perhaps went on a bit too long, it started to feel repetitive in the second half. But over all, it's an enjoyable escapist read.

I think this is the most terrifying book I have ever read. I just had to keep going to see how it would resolve and I wasn't disappointed. A great conclusion to a story by an amazing, imaginative author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed this Romanian and Ancient Greek inspired story! It was a really fascinating mash-up of cultures that I don't think I've ever read before.

Irina is a fantatic protagonist. She has a strong moral compass, and neither condones Stefan's worse actions or condemns them. She tries to understand and wants better from him. It's so nice to have a heroine understand her morally grey love interest, but still demand better from him. She refuses to compromise her own values, but always chooses compassion. I really, really liked her.

Stefan and Irina's relationship evolves slowly and fascinatingly as they traverse more and more of the underworld. The nature of the underworld was Greek-inspired but hard to wrap your mind around in a way that makes sense for an ever expanding and changing eternal afterlife.

I loved the ending. I loved Stefan and Irina's choice and how they made it together. I thought it was a wonderful example of how they'd been shaped by their negative experiences but chosen to grow together as people.

And the ending was perfect. A nod to the Greek myths and a really lovely choice.

On a completely different note, Irina has an incredibly badass moment when <spoiler> she asks if Father Simeon even knows her name. I literally felt chills. She knows who he is and she in only a few words lets him know. It's incredible. What a culmination moment. </spoiler>

Overall, I loved this story. There's something for everyone with traditional vampires, Greek myths, romance, family, and some unsettlingly fluffy animals. Would highly recommend!

Five stars.

Romantasy isn't a genre I often reach for, but I had previously read 'The Shadow in the Glass' - a retelling of Cinderella, with gothic vibes - so when I saw a new title from JJA Harwood pop up, I had to give it a go!

The book follows our main character, Irina, on a quest to rescue her sister's (Catalina) soul from the underworld. In order to get there, she needs an immortal guide - cue grumpy vampire, Stefan.

Stefan's been terrorising the town for a while. So the locals are only too happy to offer her up to be his wife, with the hope of finally sending him off to the afterlife.

Together, they head into the great beyond in search of Catalina's soul, with Irina offering herself up like an all-you-can-eat vampire buffet along the way.

I LOVED the world-building in this and the unique cast of characters. The romantic build up was really well done (you could cut that tension with a knife!) and I found myself really rooting for them both throughout.

If enemies to lovers, forced proximity/marriage and vampires are your bag, this is well worth a read!

thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for this arc.

this was a very interesting story. i enjoyed it a lot though most parts, and a little less through others, but overall this was a solid book.
i was not prepared for all the emotions this would stir in me though! i thought i was in for a fun, romantic fantasy book, and definitely did not expect to be crying for 10 minutes straight.
regardless, i will read more by this author in the future.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that tore my heart out quite as much as this! You know it’s a good author when they make you feel things this deeply and move you this much.

I enjoyed the Land of the Dead most in this book. It seemed to be a bunch of different mythology entwined together to create something new and unique. I was a bit throw at first going from a eastern European setting to a Greek underworld but it wasn’t long before I saw what the author was doing and really appreciated it.

I also loved the traditional take on Vampires. I loved taking the vampire back to its roots while also showing Stefan’s humanity and backstory in a blend of modern vampires and traditional ones.

Overall, I think this is a book I’m going to remember fondly.

The Greek tale of a lover slipping through the layers of hell to fetch back a loved one has been given a new spin. Take a Romanian folk 1700s vibe, the many death rivers, an enemy to lover trope, a vampire and this is what you get.
This wasn't quite what I had in mind for some reason. I liked the premise, and after reading Lore Olympus I think I was hoping for something more fun. The tone is not very personal and I was a little bored. I didn't particularly like the main characters, so that never helps.
This wasn't for me, but I believe this will be right up the alley of readers who enjoy romantasy.

The premise of this book was so intriguing and the first chapter / part had me hooked, but ultimately, it fell flat and I ended up DNFing about halfway through.
My main issue was the way the enemies to lovers was executed. The bickering between them felt forced and I just didn't like how the trope was done here. It also didn't help that we didn't get much insight into the backstory of our two main characters, so it all just felt a bit two-dimensional.
The setting and world building also had great potential and I especially loved the historical setting.
However, the underworld confused me – I like a twist on a concept, which is definitely what we got here, but I still can't say I liked the way it was done.
The dialogue bothered me a lot, as it was way too modern for a historical setting. It just takes me out of the story and at times it made the bickering between the main characters sound a bit juvenile.
I also wish there had been chapters. Not having chapters can be done well occasionally, but I didn't feel like that was the case here, and it also didn't feel necessary as I couldn't really see the purpose for the storytelling.

This all sounds quite negative, but I did enjoy the plot for the most part and for a while, I was determined to finish since I really wanted to find out how it all ends. But after a while, the points that bothered me just overtook that desire, and I chose to DNF.

Maybe I just wasn't the right audience for this, as I can definitely see someone else enjoying this more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

Irina is about to be married off to a dead guy, well undead really.

There is a superstition that if a living person marries a dead unmarried person, it'll rest their soul and this is the villages last ditch attempts to stop the killing spree.

Irina is doing this for her own reasons too, she needs someone not of the living to take her to the Underworld to find her sisters soul.

Is Stefan the one to do this, and what will Irina have to pay for this help... she'll pay in blood it seems... but anything for family!!

I really enjoyed the story and the premise of this book, although one thing did put me off, but it's a formatting thing. There are no chapters. In a nearly 400 page book it's split into only 5 parts, the majority of the book being in just one of those parts.

Without this issue, this book would definitely have been rounded up to a five star read on here, but it meant I was sometimes not reading in short periods as I'm someone who really likes a natural stopping point in the book.

Not a criticism really as the story is great regardless, but just a heads up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the review copy, all opinions my own.

out now!!

Switched up Hades and Persephone vibes, sweet and meaningful.

In a fit of desperation to save her sister, Irina agrees to marry a vampire terrorising a distant town so he’ll act as her guide in the underworld. Irina is on a journey to save her sister whose soul is trapped while her body is still living.

This is a really sweet YA, I did enjoy it but it equally I would have enjoyed it more if it had been about 100 pages shorter. The journey was quite long.

I really liked the character development and relationship between Stefan and Irina. The characters were really well done.

My favourite bit was actually the ending which I thought was brilliant.

If you’re looking for spice this is not for you, it’s chaste and sweet and young and well done.

Thank you #netgalley and #harpercollins for my #arc

This story takes us into the depths of Death’s dominions where the living who enter unbidden, will be subjected to pain, fear and darkness. In this trip into the death lands, however, there might also be the chance of Love.
Our journeyers are on a mission together to find a soul. Will they succeed, or will they fail and be stuck in the land of the dead? Whilst there, they cannot eat or drink. If they manage to get out, will Irina keep her vow to kill the vampire?
So wanted to know how it ended but didn’t really want to finish it.
A great read. Haven’t read a good fantasy novel like this for a long time. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Magpie and author JJA Harwood for this eARC

A haunting, eerie and enchanting book.

A Steep and Savage Path starts out dark and ominous with a gothic horror vibe. However it transforms into so much more and absolutely took my by surprise with its world building and hauntingly beautiful writing and story.
I don’t want to spoil too much, however I will say if you like an emotional journey through the underworld with compelling characters, this is the book for you!

"Daddy, what did you do in the Romanstasy Wars?"

Despite reading a fair bit of fantasy and the odd bit of romance, I can't say I have read anything that has been directly described as romanstasy before, and after reading this, I am still not convinced it is all that representative of the sub-genre. Because while a lot of the tropes are here (young vampire, tragic backstory, enemies to lovers), it does generally seem to be more interested with playing with its afterworld tropes and let the romance tick along on the side,

Irina is a teenager being set up to become a bride of the dead, a newcomer to the small Transylvanian village which is being plagued by a vampire, she volunteers to marry it and then destroy it. There are open questions about the village, but we know from the start that Irina has an ulterior motive, namely, her sister's soul appears to be in the land of the dead, and she needs passage to find it. And since vampires are both dead and alive, she is willing to make this terrible bargain so he can help her save her sister. Of course when the vampire turns up, and after she has placated him with charms, Stefan turns out to be a pretty honourable chap, and as ever with books with vampires as lead characters, the lore and backstory needs to be softened, and there is still a fair bit of blood letting, albeit willingly, to keep him alive. Of course, as the venture further into the quite Dantean vision of the afterworld, they discover more about each other: Irina is plagued with guilt, and Stefan has a much more tragic backstory.

I enjoyed Harwood's commitment to the vampire lore, and obviously there is instant colour from the Transylvanian setting. But what is interesting here is how Stefan's vampire was created, which gives the tale additional pathos. The romance works, not least because they are already married from the start, but the book understands the kind of bargaining you have to do with any "escaping the land of the dead" narrative, and this has a cleverly bittersweet denouement. It felt more like gothic horror than romance, though it is very clearly a romance, and I enjoyed it a lot.