The emotional damage this book has dealt me! I am absolutely flabbergasted. For fans of series like The Zodiac Academy or The Legacy Series, this fantasy romance with dark and gothic elements will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.

I particularly loved how the authors wrote the characters. Particularly Summer who deals with a strong sense of self doubt and borderline personality disorder (undiagnosed), they are very true in writing the emotions as she feels them but is also conscious of how the feelings are effecting her relationships and the people around her. All of the characters feel very lived in true to who they are.

I am desperately waiting for the sequel. On my knees, begging for it (please).

Summer, a unique fae, gets accepted to Avalon University without applying herself and decides to attend. She tries to continue her closed-off demeanor but certain people learn to climb her walls. When other fae start to get m*rdered, she notices that they all look like her and not only is she being stalked by this psycho, she's also being watched by a mysterious "stranger" who is trying to protect her. Things get pretty dicey and there are so many little twists that this book definitely keeps you coming back for more!

This book takes you on SUCH a journey with Summer and her character development is really thought out. While I don't necessarily enjoy things just being spoon-fed to me in the story, the writing made it seem almost effortless. Summer is highly intelligent so it wasn't an unbelievable idea that she'd have such an inner dialogue.

I will say that it's about 20% a vibes read (in my opinion). There are a few aspects that didn't really make sense, such as a certain character trait that is only mentioned one time but it's mentioned like said character does it all the time? That threw me off a bit but it didn't really take me out of the story itself.

I also think the book could have been a bit shorter than it was, I was getting bored around the 25% mark because it didn't feel like much was really happening in the story and the spice probably could have been cut down a bit (I found myself skimming those parts at a certain point). Overall, though, I had a good time with it. I love Alice and Summer - their friendship is absolutely amazing!

Wow! The opening prologue was one of the sharpest hooks I've come across in a while. It didn't just reel me it, it yanked me from the water and left me laying on the shore, stunned and water to go back.

Mystery, darkness, fae, supernatural; Blood and Betrayal had it all and I ate it up. This book became my obsession while reading it. Nothing in my house got done, even after I had finished it, I still sat in shock, because, what an ending!

I've dropped a star on my review, purely because I felt it was a little to 'wordy' in parts, and did become a little flowery. I think I would have given this 5 stars if the book wasn't close to 800 pages.

That said, I can't wait for book two. Read this book, you have to!

3 - 3.5 stars. This is a dark academia, following our fae FMC Summer, as she's mysteriously enrolled at Avalon University by a stranger. The first 40% of this book is dedicated almost entirely to Summer's relationship with her new fling, Conner Morningstar. We see it all, their flirting, fighting, hooking up every other chapter, and Summer running away over and over again due to her trauma. The spice is repetitive and adds nothing after a while. Her roommate, Alice, is a quirky vampire and makes for some great found family, along with the rest of the Morningstar brothers. There are some mystery chapters sprinkled in between all of this but I found myself forgetting what the mystery events even were since there was little focus on it. I also wanted more of the academia. Summer almost solely hangs out with Alice and the Morningstars. Who are her neighbors? Who are her classmates? Why do they only use runes sometimes? Why did they never go back to Camelot?? So little is mentioned about the actual school part of this dark academia and I was bummed.

The plot doesn't really start moving until the 50% mark, which is frankly going to be too late for many readers. More students are k*lled on campus and the gang, with the assistance of the headmaster, hurry to figure out what is happening. A "Stranger" ghost of character starts showing up more, but we unfortunately do not get many answers on who this is or why are they so obsessed with Summer.

I personally wanted more mystery and suspense. The ending made little sense to me because there wasn't much leading up to it and very little clues supporting it. What does it even mean? I will probably still read book 2 but I sincerely hope it isn't as long.

Pick this up if you love:
-Found family
-Dark academia
-Spice
-Fae, magic, and realms
-Suspense

🖤 Vibes:

dark academia, fantasy, "dark past", broody strager

📖 TL;DR:

Wish I could have half stars, this is a solid 3.5.
Very long for a first book in a series where not THAT much happens and so many open questions remain. Summer is a bit annoying to read. If it weren't for the bipolar disclaimer, I would have stopped reading. The world-building and the vibes kept me reading mostly.


🔥 Spice Level:

2/5 - There are many spicy scenes but very vanilla and brief.

⭐ Things I give a thumbs up:

The Strager
The world-building
The mistery
Alice and Summer's relationship
The Morningstar brothers

🤷🏻‍♀️ Things that made me want to hit my head against the wall:

"My big guy"
All the mushiness (Also, the fact that even the characters acknowledge it)
What's the deal with Max?
WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THE HEADMASTER
BRETT?
WHERE IS THE UNDERWEAR?
Summer personality (just hope it get's better in future books)
The "troubled past" wasn't that troubled

🎯 Would I recommend it?:

Yes, but only for the vibes and because it sets high expectations for what is to come.

I beg your finest pardon? THAT ENDING!!!!!!

I've been in such a weird slump but I devoured this entire beast in about 24 hours. I was hooked from the begining and the mystery behind the stranger? LOVEEEED it. Also, Headmaster Emrys and his slutty glasses, SOOOOO HOT. THAT MAN CAN DISCIPLINE ME ANYTIME :)

I cannot wait to see what happens in book 2. I just know the trauma is going to be INSANE.

I loved:
- found family
- Headmaster Emrys
- The Stranger
- Max
- Alice
- Dark Academia
- Multiple realms
- Mysteries


was it a fun time? yes, yes it was. that ending was fucked. I need more 🤣

Thank you so much Netgalley & Rose & Star Publishing & the wonderful authors for an earc in exchange for an honest review

Dark academia, an elite university shrouded in mystery. Secrets and murders. He falls first and found family.

I absolutely loved this book - definitely 5 stars for me.

This book gave me all the feels - happiness and best friends and found family and comedy, but also creepy vibes along with tension and yearning. This had it all. And the end. Literal tears. That one I did not see coming, but now that I have gotten over my shock I am sort of glad it happened that way (don’t come at me - without spoilers I have my reasons 😂).

I am team Stranger all the way. I have theories on who it could be, but nothing really fits perfectly. I absolutely cannot wait for the next book to find out more about him. The tension and yearning that built up was perfect. I loved the time that this book took to really explore the different relationships and dynamics, both romantic and non-romantic.

This book gave me Zodiac Academy vibes, and I love that series so much, and the other series in the same universe. I cannot wait for book 2, the idea that we still have months to wait is almost untenable!!!

The only thing I will say is that I did feel like the nickname of big guy was overused - even in the same conversation Summer would say big guy in every sentence at times. And the reveal of the murderer seemed a bit out of the blue for me at the end, but I suspect that will be built on in the next book and that there are things I do not yet know.

A huge thank you to the amazing authors Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune, Rose and Star Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of Blood & Betrayals in exchange for my honest review. I absolutely finished this book and (even though was on a Kindle Unlimited at its release) you can be assured I immediately went and purchased the paperback shelf trophy!

As a romantasy lover, I loved this book. LOVED. 6 stars. One of my favorite reads this year. The plot is absolutely on point with excellent world building and FANTASTIC main character development. Once more readers are aware of Blood & Betrayals it will BLOW UP. I laughed, I felt shock and I cried. The "spice" in this book is spicy. There several spicy scenes and, for me, those could have had more variety. Few books make me cry and this was absolute emotional damage. Add this to your TBR and then devour it.
Troupes: Dark Academia, FMC with a past, MMC is a literal Angel, Found Family. First Love, Grumpy (Her) x Sunshine (Him)

This book follows a fae woman, Summer who is attending a supernatural academy filled with different species from vampires, angels, sorcerers, fae etc. Amongst some school drama and relationship building we get a full on murder mystery with some major twists while Summer is faced with personal trials and tribulations along the way.

I gave this book 4 stars! I loved the FMC and her journey in battling her demons while finding people that love her for who she is. A lot of my praise for this book comes from the relationship building for Summer and her found family. It reminded me a bit of Zodiac Academy but a little more mature since this seems more like a college. While it is a Dark Academia book, I thought there could have been a little more jargon surrounding the schooling and the learning the coincides. In addition to the relationships, I enjoyed the murder mystery element of this because it's not something I see as much in fantasy books I read. I did read more like general mystery book taking place in a fantasy world which kept the pages turning.

The only thing that felt a bit much for me was the frequency of the "spicy' scenes. it kind of felt like it was just thrown in the story too much and took away from more depth that the plot/world building could have gone into.

In the end, I was surprised at the conclusion and shed tears which doesn't happen for me often. I do think that it sets up a lot of hope for the 2nd book to be better than the 1st and hopefully get more into the world and Summer's background.

This book was very reminiscent of Zodiac Academy. It was cringe, fun, and heavily traumatizing during the ending scenes. I loved the friendship between our main character and her newly found best friend. Although the romance is a bit off-putting, it made sense once readers got to the end of the book. The book is a little longer than it needed to be, and it did feel dragged out at a few points. I am thoroughly entertained though, and will be tuned in for the sequel.

What do you mean that’s the ending? I’ll be starting at a wall until book two. Thank you very much for ruining any book I will read after this. 6 stars. Unreal. The torture. The trauma. Was this worth 1000 pages? Also yes.

Big thanks to the Jeanette Rose, Alexis Rune and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was entertaining but had some problems - the majority of which could be solved by making it 300-400 pages shorter. While this book is on the long side (1000+ pages), I kept waiting for deeper world-building or more character development that never really happened. We technically found out the plot twist but the motive was barely explained, which made the reveal fall flat.

There were also a bunch of random side stories/side characters that didn’t add much. The only parts that really kept my interest were the headmaster/stranger (definitely the most intriguing character) and Alice, who was a fun and loyal best friend.

Sadly I was left with more questions than answers with this one.

5 stars — Absolutely unforgettable.

This book completely consumed me. I adored every minute spent with Connor and Summer, two characters that now live rent-free in my mind. Their dynamic was magnetic and so well developed.

The dark academia setting paired with the mystery gave this story such an immersive, moody atmosphere. It’s a longer book, but I never once felt like it dragged, in fact, I was happy to linger in this world as long as possible. One of my favorite aspects was the friendship between Summer and Alice. It was genuine, supportive, and added so much emotional depth. Their bond was just as captivating as the central romance.

I’m already anxiously waiting for book two. I need more of these characters, this world, this VIBE. Easily a new favorite. This book had me hooked from start to finish, and now I’m counting down the days until book 2. Jeanette Rose & Alexis Rune, you’ve created something truly special!

This was at least 400 pages too long. I feel like there could have been more of the world building, more characters development, and more story building. We got no real answers from this book. While we did find the killer, we didn’t really get the motive?

There were a lot of unnecessary side stories. The main characters were apparently closer to their 30s but acting like they were teenagers.

Honestly, the only interesting part of this book is the headmaster/stranger. Alice was a fun BFF. The plot was hardly there and it was mainly background noise to Summer & Conner. We also ended with significantly more questions than answers. I won’t be continuing this series.

Thank you to the authors and Net Galley for the ARC.

This book is now one of my favorite reads - 5⭐️!
The plot was plotting, the spice was spicy and I fell in love with the characters.
I have so many questions needing to be answered. And that ending….. it destroyed me!
Chefs kiss!🤌🏻
Impatiently waiting for book 2 to come out!

Thank you for the ARC Netgalley!

Firstly, I love the concept as I loved Zodiac Academy. However, I didn’t like the instant love, didn’t like the mmc (connor just was not it sorry, it was desperate and a bit weird). I think the female mmc was trying to be like Bryce Quinlan but didn’t quite get there. I did love the friendship between Alice and Summer (one of the main reasons why i read on.) If you are into:
- Instant love
- extreme golden retriever mmc vibes
- fantasy but in touch with the modern world
- long books?
- spice

Then this book is for you. I think I just wanted more of a plot with my spice? Potentially a personal preference 🤷🏼‍♀️

I absolutely flew through this book!

The characters were so addixting and lived for the messiness of it all

The drama, the suspense it was … * chefs kiss *

Cannot wait for book 2 because that ending killed me

Blood and Betrayals is exactly what I hoped for: a dark, high-stakes story filled with tension, intrigue, and layered characters navigating a world where trust is a rare commodity. From the first chapter, I was drawn in by the sharp writing and the strong sense of atmosphere. Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune do a great job balancing fast-paced action with quieter, emotionally charged moments that hit surprisingly hard.

The plot is twisty without being confusing, and while some betrayals were expected, a few still managed to catch me off guard. What really stood out to me were the character dynamics—there’s a real depth to the relationships, especially as loyalties shift and truths come to light. The chemistry between the main characters was palpable, but it wasn’t just about romance; it was about survival, trust, and whether redemption is even possible in the world they live in.

I did dock a star because there were moments that felt a bit rushed, and I wanted more development for a couple of side characters whose arcs had so much potential. Still, the main storyline held strong, and I never felt pulled out of the narrative.

Overall, this was a great read, dark, emotionally engaging, and thoroughly entertaining. If you like morally grey characters, messy alliances, and plots that keep you guessing, Blood and Betrayals is worth picking up.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

TROPES:
🖤magic academy
🖤 fae & angel
🖤 first love
🖤 he falls first
🖤 black cat/golden retriever
🖤 found family
🖤 stalker
🖤 mystery killer

I don’t even have the words yet….. it can’t end like that.

There was so much depth to this story and so much mystery that I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next. With how quickly the love interest sparked between Connor and Summer I was always waiting for the shoe to drop and for something bad to happen. I love when a book keeps me guessing and I genuinely couldn’t have guessed the ending…

Alice is the best bff for Summer and their connection and love really pulled my heartstrings. They’re both so prickly and hard to love that it made their friendship 10x better.

Now let’s get to the stranger, whoooof, I was intrigued from the beginning. Give the quiet, silent, stalker type and I’m a goner. Then he had to get all possessive about the last name and I was done for. I’m in love. I can’t help it.

I need the next book like I need air.

Dark academia takes a romantic and chaotic spin in this lengthy novel. The characters were fantastic and they made the plot and this book absolutely fly by!