This book follows Lilith, who lives in a male-run society. Women have powers but are controlled by men and can only use their powers for men. She is apart of one of the ruling families but wants to experience the “real world”, so she goes off on her own and is under the care of Zahariev, the leader of another ruling family.

In a way, this book reminded me of Crescent City. Just in the way that there is a sassy main character that is perusing a grungy city with a gun, but there are fantastical elements involved (in this case, demons).

This book includes a lot of biblical references and stories (Adam, Eve, Morgenstern, the idea of the ark, etc), so if that bothers you, I would probably avoid this. If that is fine, then I would def recommend this to romantasy lovers. I really enjoyed the fantasy elements, and the quest to figure out why the blade Lilith found does strange things. There isn’t a strong magic system, in my opinion, but the history of the people and a society that is run by the church in lieu of gods was very interesting by to me.

I did listen to this on audio, and I feel like the narrator did a great job at the different voices and told the story in a way that was compelling. I especially liked the narrator change for the little snippets of Zahariev’s POV at the end of each chapter. That was a really nice touch!

As with all romantasy, there is a cliffhanger at the end. I do think I’ll continue with the series just to see what happens next and what else Lilith can learn about her powers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is girl power/feminine rage at its finest. The story hooked me in immediately, the spice is good and the end had my jaw on the floor!

TERROR AT THE GATES is a book I couldn’t put down. It’s rich world building, its characters, the tropes, and the story were all incredibly engaging. I truly think this is the author’s best yet.

The story has this noir urban fantasy feel with some mafia influence. That blend created a really unique reading experience and kept me engaged. And I do think the execution of it was almost flawless. While I do think there is a bit too much of the FMC, Lilith, getting into trouble as a plot device to bring her and the MMC together, I didn’t mind it as much because the rest of it was just so good. There’s mystery, murder, mayhem, whispers of the apocalypse? Sign me up.

And I really enjoyed Lilith’s character. I LOVE an angry FMC. I thought that her journey to self discover and growth was realistic and her anger was valid and just. Who doesn’t like a down with the patriarchy main character? I can’t wait to see her growth continue.

Overall, this is definitely a romantasy series to watch. If you like he falls first, touch her and die, urban fantasy, angry FMC, slow burns, and spice, pick this one up. You won’t regret it.

Thank you to Bloom Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Wow.

♾️✨

After 10% of this book, I dropped it and ran to Instagram and was raving about this book.
RAVING and PRAISING and already obsessed. I couldn't stop thinking about it until I picked it back up.
Then, when I finished the first part of the book, I went back to Instagram and lost my mind all over again.
I need to note: I am obsessed with Greek mythology *like was in university as a classics major*, and Hades x Persephone are two of my FAVOURITES. So when your favourite author writes about your favourite Greek gods, you become unhinged. And you think no couple will ever compare... until Scarlett drops TERROR AT THE GATES.
This is my favourite now. I cannot WAIT to see where Lilith and Zahariev go now. They are officially Roman Empire status.
I don't want to give anything as far as spoilers, but just know that the world-building is phenomenal. The settings and the religious magic are so visibly set in my mind because of the way Scarlett sets up her story.
The characters are so developed, and their relationships were easy to establish really quickly. AND THE EMOTION and TENSION.
I wish I could read this again...
Which I will do once I get the audiobook on release day <3

Thank you, Scarlett, Netgalley and Bloom Books for my advance ARC.

READ IT <3

⭐️∞ INFINITY STARS ∞⭐️
🗣️ THIS BOOK??? LITERALLY ALTERED MY BRAIN CHEMISTRY.

I don’t know how to function anymore. My soul? SCORCHED. My standards? SKYROCKETED. My heart? Held hostage by Zahari-freaking-ev and Lilith. Scarlett didn’t just write a book, she penned a full-body experience that left me trembling, sobbing, grinning, and whispering “one more chapter” until the sun rose. This rivaled her Hades and Persephone saga which was a God Tier series for me… so that honestly says something! (“God” tier though.. lol get it?)

🩸 Lilith — My angry little bratty queen. The embodiment of messy strength, all claws and bite with a soft, shattered heart buried underneath. I would die for her. Actually, I’d kill for her and THEN die for her. My Roman Empire. This woman can turn any straight woman like they’re spaghetti soaking in a pot. & Watching her trauma unravel and then her absolute rage be seen? Devastating. Healing. Beautiful. I am on my knees for this woman.

🔥 Zahariev. YES with a capital Z, A, H, A- listen. He is the blueprint. The “touch her and be deleted” protector. The morally grey menace with banter so elite I had to physically put the book down and scream into a pillow. The tenderness. The restraint. The quiet, all-consuming devotion. The quotes?? I will never recover. He falls first and HARD! It’s so PAINFULLY obvious.

🫀Their chemistry? SICKENING.
When she said “you can’t, not without starting a war” and he said “I would go to war for you”??? I blacked out. This is the kind of tension that makes your spine vibrate and your soul combust. It’s not just spice (because we wait until we were 80% in for action), no, it’s yearning. It’s emotional foreplay. It’s connection laced in fire and a longtime of aching.

⛓️ The themes: religion, trauma, patriarchy, power… they were handled with surgical precision. Scarlett doesn’t just write fantasy. She writes truth wrapped in daggers (literally) and silk. As someone with religious trauma? This hit in ways I didn’t expect. I cried angry tears. Then grateful ones.

💥 The plot? Sharp. The worldbuilding? Rich and textured. The magic system? Chefs kiss. And the pacing? A slow burn ( and I mean SLLLLLOOOOOWWWWW BURN) masterpiece. I was hooked from the first dagger stabbed in the bed and never let go.

💬 And let’s not even talk about the QUOTES that ruined my life:

“I’ll always be here, following in your shadow. I am not afraid of your freedom.”
I—just—how am I supposed to go back to real men??

📚 Bonus points:
• Dual POV but 80% in her voice? ICONIC. And his snippets had me reeling!
• Found family energy that healed my inner child.
• An animal sidekick! I loved cherub so much!
• Banter that had me kicking my feet and giggling!
• A dagger, a forbidden romance, and the stakes of the world on the line? YES.

⸻

✨ This isn’t a review. It’s a love letter. A scream into the void. An altar I’ve built to a book that didn’t just raise the bar—it vaporized it. I need book two like I need oxygen. I am BEGGING for a physical ARC because I need that shelf trophy like it’s nobodies business, okay? Okay!

Scarlett St. Clair, you are my villain origin story. This book is easily in my top 5 of the year! I can’t stop geeking. The way people will be sick of me from how much I will be talking about this book… and do I care? No.

Go read this book. Inject it into your veins. Tattoo Zahariev quotes on your ribs. Join the cult. You won’t regret it.

Scarlett St Clair is one of my go to authors when it comes to spicy romance and she did not disappoint with Terror at the Gates. Part urban fantasy, part mafia romance Terror on the Gates offers a fresh new take on the myth of Lilith. With phenomenal world building and the mix of plot and spice Scarlett is known for, this was a great read and I’m looking forward to seeing what is in store next for Zachariev and Lilith

4.5 stars

This book was so very, very good. I loved the noir feel of the urban fantasy with the kind of mafia feel.

Zahariev was perfection for me. I LOVE a good "he falls first" and when it's OBVIOUS and the girl is in denial despite the fact everyone knows and the TENSION they have. I gobbled up that tension! Not to mention, he's totally out there willing to unalive people for her without question. I loved how towards the end he just upfront tells her that he always does things for her and puts her in her place. We do get some small POV chapters from Zahariev and they were the perfect amount of look behind the scenes with him without having to be a whole other plot line.

Lilith was sass and attitude and I loved it. I love a strong female that gives attitude to the man and the man loves that about her. The whole patriarchal aspect of the world was so-so for me so every time Lilith goes on about it, I was a little "meh" about it, but I also understood where her feelings were coming from and the reason why she ran from her own home. I liked the relationships we saw that Lilith had. They were few and she's definitely trying to be independent, but I felt they were mostly meaningful to help her navigate the world. I did cry with the one death that occurred in the book. I mean, honestly, how could you not?

The story with the mystery of the dagger was interesting and I enjoyed the mystery and sleuthing with the feeling of the world. It worked really well. I also LOVED the animal companion we get! Cherub was adorable and who'd of thunk I'd need an animal companion in this world, but I did.

The overall world was, I think, not as well-developed as it could have been. We focus a lot on Lilith and the patriarchal/religion more than anything so the world could use more flushing out and the magic system too. And, frankly, I have a feeling we'll get more in the next book with the ending we got.

...That ENDING! Just like...Oh man, we are getting so much more history and explanations in book 2 after that ending! Crazy!

I cannot wait till the next book!

Omg this was amazing!!! I think this may be the best thing I’ve read from Scarlett St Clair to date and the touch of darkness series is one of my all time favorites. That freaking ending…I can’t wait for book 2. Check your triggers before reading this as there is a lot of heavy stuff. All the characters, including the side characters have this story so much depth. This is my favorite read so far of 2025.

Another amazing book from Scarlett St. Clair. I have enjoyed every book she has written. Terror At The Gates was full of depth and power and female rage. I was here for it all! Religion plays a huge part in this book. I don't think there was a moment that I wasn't thinking about how religion affects me (good and bad) and how I view life especially as a woman.
I absolutely loved Lilith. She was such a strong character and I felt like she was really relatable. She did not have an easy journey in this book but I loved her strength and her resilience. She had so much depth to her character and I loved getting to know her. And I can't wait to see where her journey takes her in the next book.
Zahariev was so mysterious and he really drew me in. I loved his fierceness and how he protects those you are important to him especially Lilith. He really got her and knew what she needed and how to care for her. He let her be herself and gave her the space to learn and grow and that in turn gave her confidence.
The tension, yearning and slow burn of their relationship was epic. I'm not always a fan of a slow slow burn but this one was done so well and I adored it. It just felt right. Chef's kiss to Scarlett St. Clair.
I have a feeling that I will be thinking about this book all the time. It really drew me and I can't wait to see what the next book will bring.

Thank you Sourcebooks, Bloom Books, NetGalley and Scarlett St. Clair for the eARC.

ARC REVIEW!!

4.5⭐️

A Lilith retelling in an urban fantasy setting was not something I thought I need but now I need the whole series. This is perfect for slow burn, mafia romance lovers with some fantasy aspects to it. Who doesn’t love a strong independent FMC and a yearning, would do anything for you MMC.

I finished this book on audio after going back and forth with reading the digital version and I am so glad the ending was in audio. This entire book was amazing from the romance to the politics and religion themes. I did not want to stop reading and listening so I did both to accommodate my surroundings. The main characters as well as the side characters were fantastic and relatable. Even though it is a fictional world with present day sprinkled in. I have not been able to stop thinking of all the possibilities for the next book and how the characters will react.

This is Scarlett St. Clair’s best yet! The world building is so interesting with all of the religious references, and I went on a Wikipedia deep dive to understand some of the lore behind these characters. The author knows how to build up a relationship for maximum emotional investment and then rip your heart out…Esther’s storyline absolutely gutted me.

The story tackles several dark and deep themes in an innovative way. Triggers include religious trauma, parental abuse, sexual assault, and rape. Lilith was the embodiment of feminine rage, and it was so satisfying to see her journey to being able to confront her abusers.

Zahariev is definitely going on my permanent book boyfriend list. His devotion to Lilith was everything, and his morally grey side was almost black. Let’s just say he likes to be the boss in multiple settings!

There were several huge reveals at the end of the book, and I am already dying to read the next installment!

Read this if you love: urban fantasy, neo-noir mafia vibes, slow burn romance, tension & banter, animal sidekicks, he falls first, frenemies to lovers

Thank you to Sourcebooks, Bloom Books, and Tantor Audio for providing me with copies of this book. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely adored this book! It was SO good!

I really liked the characters, the story, and I was just hooked! Highly highly recommend! Y'all just really need to read this book!

a searing feminist retelling of Lilith’s myth that crackles with rebellion, magic, and heartbreak. This is not the Lilith we were warned about in whispers — this is Lilith Leviathan, sharpened by loss and cloaked in chaos, rising from the ashes of her past to burn down a world built to silence her.St. Clair’s writing is lush and lyrical, full of sharp edges and soft defiance. She doesn’t just retell a myth. she tears it open, rewrites it in blood and flame, and hands it back to us with teeth bared.
Perfect for fans of dark fantasy, mythic retellings, and witches who won’t stay silent. Lilith is no longer the villain in someone else’s story — she’s the storm writing her own

First and foremost I’d like thank NetGalley, Tantor Audio & Bloom Books for an Audio ARC and EARC of this book. I am forever thankful and my review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.
This is my first introduction into the world of Scarlett St. Clair and boy was it an introduction.
I’m for sure a fan of any spin on anything religious that shows the dark side of what is holy. And in this biting, feminist retelling of Lilith’s story, Lilith will rise from the ashes of her former life to destroy the ancient power that stole everything from her…
I absolutely adored getting to know
Lilith “Lilly” Leviathan & Zahariev as they fight their attraction to each other while also facing down the threat they pose to the church,the truth and to those who want to tear it all down.
Laura Horowitz is an absolute icon in the audiobook community and knocks it out of the park bringing our fierce and flawed Lilith to life.
Tristan Warden as Zahari brought the sexy and heat that had me adding him to my new bf registry.
The plot with the church was electric and engaging that was like raging river that dragged you down. Spinning you around and around in the current that left you whiplashed in the best way possible.
Memorable , unique, & engaging and just one of the best books of 2025.
Would I recommend it?
Yes, Yes & Yes! If you love fierce FMC and a unique and badass feminist retelling, this book is for you.

Terror at The Gates has been my Favorite Read so far this Year!! Lilith she is such a great FMC her passion and power to become more than what society wants her to be Was really good and the banter she has with the people around her is so funny and Spices I love it and cute little Cherub that cat Favorite side character don't get me started on the Demons and the whole end of the World I guess I have to wait for the Next Book on that ❤️

5 ⭐ 2 🌶️ 5 🎧

It's possible I have a new favorite Scarlett story. The absolute feminist rage that poured through these pages was a breath of fresh air. The anti-establishment, anti-organized religion and anti-old white men vibes were everything I was hoping for and more and I freaking devoured every moment.

Zahariev was amazing. I loved the way he was with Lilith; he knew she was an absolute bad a m f and did his best to contain her shenanigans, but also didn't hide the fact that he knew she was strong and independent and he didn't want to cage her. The tab boo elements of their age gap and him being her guardian had me swooning extra hard too.

Lilith was something else and I freaking loved her. From her bratiness, to the way she carried Cherub around like a baby had me smiling ear to ear the entire time. I adored thay she was smart and strong and rebellious without being TSTL. I think I wanna be her when I grow up.

The ending had me squealing and begging for more. I don't even know how long we have to wait for book two, but I can guarantee I'll be doing so impatiently.

The audio was fantastic. Laura Horowitz is one of my favorite fantasy narrators, she just has this perfect voice for these characters and makes it a really enjoyable listen. Tristan Warden was great as well and I loved him as Zahariev.

Thank you so much to Scarlett and Tantor for these advanced copies.

OMG??? This book was phenomenal. King of battle and blood has been my favorite book for years but this one just took its place. Nothing better than a book with a female lead who doesn't take shit from anyone. I will say at first it felt like a slow start for me but I got my ALC and was reading along while listening it made the experience of the book that much better. Once the book picked it up it picked up. I was laughing, crying, and just so angry at some scenes and my heart was breaking for Lilith. Overall I loved this book and I need a physical copy so I can reread and tab!

5/5

If Scarlett St. Clair wrote it, I am reading it. If she has 3 million fans, I am one of them. If she has 2 fans, I am one of them. If she has no fans left, I am dead.

I am always left wanting more, but in a good way. I get to the end of her books, and I crave more of her writing. I need to read the next book as soon as possible, which isn't easy because I've already gone through her entire catalog of books. So I'll just gnaw at the bars of my enclosure until she puts more books out. It's totally fine.

Reading Lilith was so freeing. She was so real and raw and honest with herself. At times, a little chaotic and impulsive but who isn't. She loves hard and with all she has. You don't get a lot of characters who break down and then build themselves back up like that. But at the same time, she was a little annoying with her language, which I'll chalk up to her being young.

Zahariev is perfect. Scarlett writes the perfect morally gray man every single time. She does not miss on this. He is no exception. He's so quietly but fully devoted to Lilith. And he says all the right things. The embodiement of touch her and die. I'm obsessed and I cannot wait for more of him.

The plot was so good, heartwrenching and very action packed. I spent a good portion of this book sobbing, my heart truly hurt for Lilith and all of the characters. AND THE PLOTTWIST AT THE END?! Scarlett please! My poor heart can't wait for book two. I need it now!!

I will be honest, I originally didn’t want to read this book. Books dealing with religion aren’t always my jam. But I took a chance, and I’m so happy I did! I will say, this book is for those who have religious trauma. If you are super religious, this may not be your cup of tea (it still might be, but go into it with an open mind). I say this from a place of knowing. I used to be very involved with church, and had I read it then, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it. Reading it now, it hit home.

This story captivated me. I wanted to keep reading, even when I had to stop. I would read this book on my breaks at work, and it’s been a while since I have wanted to do that. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I read this book for the plot, NOT the smut! I’ve been in the mood for smutty books lately, but this book had me with the story.

Overall, this book was a 4.5 out of 5 for me! The only docked half a point because I thought the smut scenes seemed lacking or ill placed. But only slightly. Still very enjoyable overall.

This isn’t a standalone??? Now the wait for the next one begins!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bloom Books for the eARC and ALC!