Rate : 4.72

Seduce, betray and destroy, that is Aria’s mission. She lost her family, her people are being cruelly tortured and enslaved. This girl is on fire and thrilling to destroy the world. She’s undercover as a angelic helpless girl and needed her hero to the rescue. Her hero, the Crown Prince the member of Skierkan Court, the Royal family who she sworn to destroy.

As time past by, she surprised to find the prince is not the monster as his family used to be. Behind his amused charming behavior mask, there is a soft vulnerable and secrets that tempts the darkness inside her and ready to crack her meticulously vengeance plan. Now what path is she going to choose? Her happiness or her people?

A Reign of Blood is a high plus heavy dark epic fantasy with very unique world building. There a strong combination of dystopia and political affairs in the story. Somehow, I feel a little bit Greek Mythology vibe. The FMC, Aria had something mysterious about her and I couldn’t figure out what is it until it revealed. Tension and unexpected plot twist? Don’t your worry about it, this story definitely had it and believe me, is really breathtaking!

This story really had so much potential but however I’m nor really sure about the story plot start in abstract and packed. It feels like someone who force to put more stuff in their suitcase, it too dense and narrow. Also, the characters need more of introduction and the romance plus story plot pace is still too fast. I think is okay for this book more than 300 pages, maybe around 400-600 pages. Beside the previous concern that I mentioned before, I still love how the story goes and continue to read the next book.

In A Reign of Blood, you are transported to a dark and dangerous world where nothing is as it seems. The protagonist, Aria, is a strong and determined young woman who has suffered great loss and is driven by a desire for vengeance. She is a skilled and cunning warrior, disguising herself as a helpless girl in order to infiltrate the Skierkan court and bring down the crown prince.
Gonda does an excellent job of building tension and suspense throughout the novel, as Aria's plans slowly begin to unravel and she finds herself drawn to the prince, despite her better judgment. The prince, who is initially portrayed as a villain, is revealed to be a complex and multi-dimensional character, adding depth and intrigue to the story.
The world-building is a rich and immersive world filled with political intrigue, dark magic, and a brutal class system. The action scenes are well-written and thrilling, and the romantic tension between Aria and the prince is palpable. Overall, this book is a captivating and thrilling read, filled with political intrigue, action, and romance. I highly recommend this book to fans of fantasy romance.

A fantastic series opener with an immersive world, a mysterious lead, and a magic system full of possibility. Highly recommended for fans of rich fantasy worlds with hidden truths and high stakes.

Did not finish. I found this really difficult to get into, the pacing felt off, and the characters were difficult to connect with or relate to. Regarding the pacing, there were times of the text really seem to drag and others where it seemed to move too quickly.

What a dark surprise! I loved a reign of blood! The world building ✔️ the plot twists ✔️ this was such a refreshing break from the typical Romantasy that have been crowds by the book world right now.

Loved this and have all ready purchased for my store! I will be recommending to all of my plot heavy Romantasy girlies!

This too me SO long to get into. I feel so bad, because the description was exactly everything i would've loved but the story and characters just didn't hit for me. I read so many books while pushing myself to finish this one. I just didn't connect with any of the characters and the MMC and FMC didn't have any chemistry.

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

I honestly don't even know where to begin with this one. This entire book feels like picking a series up at book two, where all the explanation and exposition has already happened so I should know what's going on, but this is actually book one so I had no clue what was happening most of the time. There is quite literally no explanation for anything. We are thrown into the book and the world with no background information and absolutely nothing is ever clarified. There's a useless glossary at the front, but the random crap that these characters spout like I'm supposed to know what any of it means is insane.

Aria's plan is the dumbest thing I've ever read. I loathe "badass" "bloodthirsty" heroines who are actually just violent idiots. Which Aria is. Mayta is the most boring main character to randomly appear and start having a POV ever. Viggo is just big guy no sense. And Raask is just completely inconsistent. He's mostly a jerk or a creep but we keep hearing how great he is.

Aside from the fact that every single character is obsessed with bread and butter (I'm not joking, it is apparently the only food in this kingdom and is mentioned almost every page), I had no clue what was going on. The book is just a series of random crap happening without rhyme or reason. The attempt at plot twists are laughably stupid and ridiculous.

Both "love stories" are boring insta love, and I didn't care about them or the characters involved. They're also barely love stories. Mostly just like and lust.

Besides from being barely coherent, there are also typos galore and major inconsistencies. A character loses an arm but then has "wrists" to grab. A single drop of poison blood reveals the identity of one character but another character with the same blood loses a limb and no one notices their secret identity. It was exhausting the level of annoying ridiculousness in here.

This book is like if someone read To Kill a Kingdom and decided to write the worst possible version.

One star because at least an attempt was made?

I received an ARC via NetGalley – thank you to the publisher for the opportunity. This is my honest opinion.

You know that feeling when you start reading and instantly know it’s going to be a great book? That’s exactly what happened to me here.

From the very first pages, A Reign of Blood pulled me in with its mysterious atmosphere and compelling main character. I loved how the story didn’t give everything away right away—it made me curious, engaged, and eager to piece together who the heroine really was. And when the truth finally came out, it was so satisfying to see that my early suspicions were right.

The worldbuilding is absolutely fascinating. There’s a strong magical system, and especially the presence of water-based creatures and forces, which gave the story a unique flavor I really enjoyed. The magical world feels expansive and full of potential—it definitely left me wanting more.

And then there’s the ending. Let’s just say… that cliffhanger? Wow. I need book two immediately.

One note: The book includes a helpful overview of the lithe system, explaining what they can do. I really appreciated that. However, with so many magical creatures appearing throughout the story, I would have loved a companion guide or glossary to better understand what each of them is. Not all were fully explained, and with such a rich world, that kind of reference would’ve added a lot to the reading experience.

A fantastic series opener with an immersive world, a mysterious lead, and a magic system full of possibility. Highly recommended for fans of rich fantasy worlds with hidden truths and high stakes.

Este libro tiene una premisa realmente atractiva: una mezcla de fantasía oscura, romance prohibido y criaturas mágicas que pueblan un mundo dividido entre tierra y mar. El inicio es impactante —nos lanza de lleno en la acción—, y si bien eso puede resultar confuso al principio, con el correr de las páginas uno empieza a encajar las piezas del mundo y sus personajes.

La protagonista, Aria, es compleja, con un pasado marcado por la pérdida y el deseo de venganza. A su alrededor se despliega un elenco interesante y bastante amplio, con puntos de vista variados que aportan riqueza, aunque en ciertos momentos se vuelve difícil seguir el hilo. El juego de perspectivas, sin embargo, es uno de los puntos más fuertes del libro.

Dicho esto, hay varios aspectos que me impidieron disfrutarlo del todo. Por un lado, la escritura necesita una revisión más a fondo: hay errores gramaticales, repeticiones innecesarias y descripciones contradictorias (como el color de un vestido que cambia entre escenas o la mención de ambos brazos cuando Aria solo tiene uno). Además, la estructura de algunas oraciones resulta poco fluida, y en lo personal sentí que ciertas expresiones no terminaban de encajar, lo que quizás se deba a una diferencia cultural o al uso del inglés americano.

En cuanto a la construcción del mundo, si bien es creativa y tiene mucho potencial, me quedé con ganas de más profundidad: las criaturas, como los wraiths, no están bien definidas, y me costó imaginarlas con claridad. También hay momentos donde las motivaciones de los personajes no están del todo justificadas, lo que genera cierta desconexión emocional.

La relación romántica, por su parte, se siente un poco forzada, con una atracción que surge demasiado rápido y sin suficiente desarrollo previo. Sin embargo, hay momentos de verdadera conexión entre los personajes, especialmente cuando se muestran sus lados más vulnerables.

En resumen, es una historia con elementos muy originales y un mundo que promete, pero aún le falta trabajo en cuanto a estilo, coherencia y desarrollo emocional. Me deja con curiosidad por ver cómo evoluciona en futuras entregas.

Unfortunately I could not get into the book. I tried but I couldn't connect to the story and wasn't a fan of the writing. I wish the author the best of luck.

**Review of "A Reign of Blood" by Samantha Gonda - ★★★★★**

"A Reign of Blood" is a breathtakingly immersive tale that expertly weaves themes of vengeance, betrayal, and unexpected desire. Samantha Gonda crafts a dark and captivating world where Aria, a fierce and determined protagonist, navigates the treacherous waters of the Skierkan court with a singular mission: to destroy the crown prince.

From the very first page, Gonda pulls readers into Aria's tumultuous journey, filled with rich world-building and intricate character development. Aria's internal struggle between her thirst for revenge and the undeniable connection she feels with the prince is beautifully portrayed, making her a relatable and compelling heroine. The tension between their opposing goals creates a gripping narrative that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The prince himself is a wonderfully complex character, defying the typical "monster" trope. His depth and charisma challenge Aria’s perceptions, adding layers to the story that elevate it beyond a simple revenge plot. The chemistry between Aria and the prince is electric, and their interactions are charged with both danger and longing.

Gonda's writing is vivid and evocative, painting a picture of a world steeped in shadows and blood, where every choice carries weight. The stakes are high, and as rebellion brews, the tension builds to a thrilling climax that leaves readers breathless.

Overall, "A Reign of Blood" is a masterful blend of fantasy, romance, and intrigue that will keep you hooked until the very last page. It’s a story about the complexities of love and vengeance that resonates long after you’ve finished reading. This book is a must-read for fans of dark fantasy and romance!

A Reign of Blood is a captivating debut that immediately pulls you into its dark, fantastical world. The story follows Aria, a mysterious girl who washes up on the shores of Etra, the capital of Skierka, with a single mission: infiltrate the palace. But standing in her way is the enigmatic and dangerous crown prince, Raask, whose presence threatens to derail everything.

Aria is a complex character with intriguing motivations, though I found myself wanting to see more of her outside of her interactions with Raask. The romance between them escalates a bit too quickly for my liking, but perhaps I’m just a sucker for a slow-burn romance. On the other hand, I love the brotherly bond between Raask and Viggo. Their dynamic adds a layer of warmth to the story, and I’m hoping we’ll see even more of them in the next book.

Set in a tyrannical empire with a rich, mysterious magic system, A Reign of Blood offers plenty of intrigue. The Lithen magic system is one of the book’s most interesting aspects. There’s a section involving trials that feels somewhat out of place and interrupts the pacing of the story, and the ending feels too abrupt.

Still, despite a few pacing hiccups, this debut novel is a strong start to what seems to be an exciting series. I’m eager to dive into the sequel and see where Aria’s journey takes her next. ❤️

👑 Forbidden love
👑 Morally-grey characters
👑 Strong FMC
👑 Interesting magic system

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story was so unique and exciting. It's so fast-paced that you sometimes forget to breathe. Never a dull moment, lots of action. And the enemies to lovers trope is incredible! At the end of the story, there's even the who did this to you trope. I screamed!
The romance in this book is slow burn, and there's no explicit sexual content.
Overall a lovely book and and I’m expecting a second book (which I would be overjoyed to read as well!)

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book. As soon as you start reading, you jump right in, and that threw me off a little bit. You also start the book with like multiple POV‘s and I wasn’t expecting that so it took me a little bit to adapt and actually engage in the story. I think when you get like to the middle is when you will actually be locked in and super focused on the story and start like reading a little bit faster. That’s what happened for me. At least when I got to the middle is when things started picking up and I was engaged. This isn’t said which I found funny but I also think this has a little bit of the little mermaid retelling/ inspired in this story, but you don’t really figure that out until towards the middle/end of the book. I would say the main characters or Raaka and Aria. Then secondary characters who are still important and get POV‘s or Mayta and Viggo. Raaka and Viggo are brothers and Aria and Mayta are sisters.
It gets a little messy. Aria is supposed to seduce Raaka because there’s some history on both sides where they’re not supposed to trust each other, but she starts to fall for him. Mayta has always liked Raaka because she seen him from afar, but she’s never actually had a conversation with him and Viggo actually likes Mayta but he knows that she likes his brother. I loved the drama and I definitely still have some questions so really looking forward to book 2 to seeing what direction the story is going to go next.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was very close to DNFing this book multiple times, and really only finished it to give a better review/because it was an ARC. This story had a lot of potential, but the execution was lacking.

Like other readers, I noticed the typos, grammatical/punctuation errors, and sentence structure issues. A lot of the writing also felt flat and there was a lot of telling, not showing. I did not really feel emotionally connected to any of the characters, which thus led me to feel Nothing when bad things happened to some of them. I also wasn't convinced by either of the romances (the first is insta-lust, with absolutely nothing to justify their initial attraction; the second is some kind of fated or syren thing that just wasn't appealing to me).

I also wasn't sold on the initial premise of the story--why on earth would a crown prince rescue a girl from the sea, then personally tend/train her, and then keep her safe in the palace? Like, there's no explanation or reason for me to believe this plausible.

The story was getting interesting near the end, but I was dissatisfied enough that I highly doubt I'll read any sequel(s).

Overall, do not recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was very close to DNFing this book multiple times, and really only finished it to give a better review/because it was an ARC. This story had a lot of potential, but the execution was lacking.

Like other readers, I noticed the typos, grammatical/punctuation errors, and sentence structure issues. A lot of the writing also felt flat and there was a lot of telling, not showing. I did not really feel emotionally connected to any of the characters, which thus led me to feel Nothing when bad things happened to some of them. I also wasn't convinced by either of the romances (the first is insta-lust, with absolutely nothing to justify their initial attraction; the second is some kind of fated or syren thing that just wasn't appealing to me).

I also wasn't sold on the initial premise of the story--why on earth would a crown prince rescue a girl from the sea, then personally tend/train her, and then keep her safe in the palace? Like, there's no explanation or reason for me to believe this plausible.

The story was getting interesting near the end, but I was dissatisfied enough that I highly doubt I'll read any sequel(s).

Overall, do not recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First off I want to stay this isactually quite a unique concep. you start right slap bang in the midst of actions so it is a bit daunting at first with so much going on to get your heads round everything.

There is a large number of characters introduced each with their own motives and POVs which can be a challenge to keep up.

I feel that both MC had a bit of the old Insta love, maybe but I didn't enjoy their interactions with each other. although the MMC drastic behaviour change midway through story is still unexplained and was a bit confusing .
This is only the first part of a series so assuming that all of this might be further explained and make sense in the next book(s).

Thanks to NetGalley and Samantha Gonda for the early copy of A Reign of Blood in exchange for an honest review!

What started out feeling like a darker, more magical Little Mermaid quickly grew into a story that stands entirely on its own.

The cast of characters is large and layered, each with their own unique motivations and perspectives. At times it was a challenge to keep up. However, it made the story richer and more engaging, and I’m hopeful it will all come together even more in future installments.

I especially appreciated the way the male and female characters reflected each other—balancing strengths and flaws, and often bringing out the best in one another during the lighter moments.

That said, Raask’s shift in the middle of the book left me a bit puzzled. I found myself wanting more insight into what drove his change in behavior.

Still, I’m really looking forward to what comes next. There are so many wide-open threads, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here.

Reign of Blood promises a world rich with mystery, magic, and romance, drawing readers into an intricate tapestry of spirits, forbidden powers, and an emotional conflict that could unravel the very fabric of reality. At its heart, the novel boasts an alluring magical system that manipulates the flow of energy through emotions, forging bonds between people, creatures, and even entire realms. It’s a concept that could have made the book a standout in the genre, offering both depth and a unique take on magic.

Unfortunately, the execution is where the novel begins to lose its way. With multiple typos and grammatical errors, the editorial mistakes are a huge distraction from the story.

Reign of Blood is also burdened by an overabundance of viewpoints. While multiple perspectives can enrich a story, in this book, it detracts from the emotional core.

Overall, I would give this book a three star rating.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced copy of this book!

You love him you hate him you love him you hate him. Aria is thrown for a loop amd so was I. Then she did us just as dirty

A Reign of Blood is a unique and interesting romantasy with creative world building and morally gray characters. From the start, the reader is thrown right into the action. Aria is discovered almost drowned on the shores of the Dahs by the charming heir to the throne. Raask takes Aria back to the palace, where they begin to bond. While Raask immediately trusts Aria, his older brother Viggo does not. Unfortunately for Raask, Viggo is spot-on. Aria faked her drowning in order to infiltrate the palace with the sole goal of taking down the royal family and getting revenge for the deaths of her people. The story is told through multiple POVs, which really added to the overall plot. Each character is well-developed, and I found myself looking forward to each character's next chapter. I also loved the development of the relationships between Aria and Raask, Raask and Viggo, and Viggo and his group. While the world building and magic system are quite complex, the author does a great job of advancing both throughout the book. There is no huge information dump. I do think the book could use a bit more editing. There were quite a few typos and some repetition throughout. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the concept, the characters, and all of the action. And that ending! WHAT!?!?!?! I cannot wait for the next book.