This book had me hooked from the start. It has a lot of elements I love in books, like enemies to lovers with high stakes.

Our FMC is on a mission to find and kill the vampire who murdered her father when she was a child. The vampire MMC captures her, and circumstances force them into a reluctant partnership.

We have adventure, reluctant allies, enemies to lovers, and so much more. This was such a good read—I couldn’t put it down.

This enemies-to-lovers, vampire-meets-human fantasy has a lot going for it—magical realism, a diverse cast, dual POVs, and some really intriguing world-building. I especially enjoyed the darker, mysterious atmosphere and the slow, character-driven pacing. The story starts off strong, dips a bit in the middle, but picks up again toward the end, leaving you wanting more.
That said, the book didn’t fully hit the mark for me. While the foundation is solid, there are some noticeable pacing issues and a few plot holes where scenes jump without clear transitions. The male lead felt underdeveloped, and though I liked the dual perspectives, I wish we got more from his POV. The "found family" dynamic also lacked emotional weight, with side characters needing more depth.
Still, there's definite potential here. The author clearly has a great imagination and a strong handle on tone. With tighter editing and deeper character development, this series could really shine. I’ll be curious to see where it goes next.
3.5 stars — a promising start with room to grow, especially if you're into moody fantasy and slow-burn vampire romance.

A Court of Blood and Sacrifice is Kay Marrie’s gripping debut in the romantasy genre—and wow, what a ride. Dark courts, enemies-to-lovers tension, and Twilight vibes?? SOLD. If you’re into vampires, court politics, forbidden magic, and slow-burn tension that actually delivers, you’ll devour this one.

A Court of Blood and Sacrifice has all the makings of greatness in a book but ultimately fell short. I thought the foundation of magic in this book - magic coming from deep within, that magic must choose you and needing to sacrifice something in return to gain access - was super interesting and creative. I enjoyed that the world was easy to navigate and understand. I love the idea of a girl who has lost everything fiercely rising above that desolation and becoming a badass Huntress with a mission to take out her father's killer. But she's not so much a Huntress as a damsel in distress (and a tiny bit of an idiot). I think she needed rescuing from every bad situation she found herself in, and it just got so old to read about. Pacing was also strange, and at times I was questioning what was even happening, the story seeming to have no plot at points. The majority of this book felt like a nice, secluded camping trip with an "enemy" in a danger-infested forest. I also kind of hated the MMC. He was insufferably cryptic when the FMC had very valid questions, and I found some of his responses to her concerns about trusting him incredibly cringey. Unfortunately, mostly because I didn't particularly care about the characters, I found myself skimming the majority of the latter half of the book. It ended with a cliffhanger, but I don't think this will be a series I'll continue. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

“A Court of Blood and Sacrifice,” by Kay Marrie

I liked the idea behind the book and the characters started off really good to me. I do wish there was better character development throughout the book. I also wasn’t a fan of how the relationship was built. It felt rushed and not genuine. The plot other than that was good and I liked the characters overall. The kidnapping trope is one of my favorites and I do love vampire book, so it was a good book to read. Hopefully the characters development is more of a long game type of development in the series. 3 out of 5 stars.

-Vampires
-Kidnapped

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

Rating: 3-3.5/5 ⭐️

I received a free ARC copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Let me start by saying, the cover is just beautiful. That and the title just drew me in immediately. And once I read the description, I was all in. I feel like the ideas and the bones were there, but the execution could’ve been done a little better. The FMC went from headstrong to fearful within seconds. The main characters kept getting stuck in the same situations with the same antagonists, what felt like almost immediately afterwards. It just felt a bit repetitive. That being said, I was intrigued by what the FMC possessed that had both the MMC and antagonists drawn to her. The MMC was alluring, and I did root for the both of them to come together. Overall entertaining read, I just wish it had been executed a bit differently

I liked the idea of the book and it started very strong, gripping my attention, however it could have more of world building and character development. The world seems to be very interesting, but didn't have enough details. Lilah story could be expanded with more details too with her being a huntress. it was a great potential, but could be much more.

Thank you to NetGalley and author Kay Marrie for this ARC!

The vibes were good, but sometimes, the execution left me wanting more. I enjoyed all the different characters, and the magic system was cool, albeit a little underexplained. My two biggest issues are with the writing style and the instalove between the two main characters. The writing style felt more YA and made the main character feel younger than she was meant to be, and the instant connection between Lilah and Nyx felt a bit forced.

I was really engaged with the world building. I enjoyed how the trees came to life, and the chapters of Nyx’s POV were my favorite.

Very cool concept, I executed very poorly.

I wanted to love this book so much it hurts, but the pacing felt like it was very erratic, I didn’t feel any connection to the characters, and I was kind of turned off that RMMC kidnapped her and enslaved her in order to make a deal with her.

I received this as an ARC via NetGalley.
We start with this book meeting our FMC as a child when a life changing event occurs which sets her on a path of survival. We then jump a number of years and rejoin her as a young adult on her path to revenge for what happened to her all those years ago.
The world building and pace were lovely easy to follow and kept me hooked throughout, although I did feel the pace slowed a little in the middle.
The spice was good but would have liked more of a
build up to it as it felt a bit like we went suddenly from being enemies to suddenly being in love. I would also of loved to have had a little more backstory and pages on our MMC Nyx.
I enjoyed this book it was a great easy quick read and I'm looking forward to catching up with our
MMC and FMC and other characters in book 2.
Thank you to the authors, publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read from: Jul 29, 2025 - Jul 31, 2025
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I am invested! I was Unsure how I’d feel about the MMC at first but this book gives me everything I want In a romantasy. Fun, quick read that left me wanting more I will definitely read the next one to see what will happen!!

Lilah has been a curious camper from a young age, often underestimating danger due to her adventurous spirit. After the loss of her mother and witnessing the horror of her father's fate, she resolves to become a warrior through resilience, aiming for revenge.

This book was okay. It had pacing issues; some parts of the story dragged or felt repetitive. However, the storyline is intriguing. It is definitely geared toward fans of paranormal romance and romantic fantasy.

Solid concept but definitely needs work.

I like the author’s style, this cover is gorgeous and the premise of the story was promising. Unfortunately it’s the author’s writing style that lost me immediately. The pace is very choppy and the writing felt amateur. The entire story felt very rushed and not well fleshed out. Major information would be thrown at me and it came out of nowhere. I feel like it should have somehow been woven into earlier chapters with either foreshadowing or subtle mentions to make it feel like it actually tied into the story rather than just be thrown out there later on like it was a last minute add in. I don’t think I will be continuing on with the story. Not all was bad about this book, I did love the dark forest and I think Nyx has serious potential.

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

A Court of Blood and Sacrifice opens with a strong and engaging start that immediately draws the reader in. However, between 20% and 40%, the pacing slows down and some scenes feel repetitive, as if the characters are stuck in the same emotional loop. Thankfully, the second half picks up again, and the story becomes more immersive and enjoyable.

The writing is smooth and easy to follow, making it a fast read. I appreciated the inclusion of male POVs, which added variety and depth, though I would have liked to see more of them. The world-building is intriguing and left me curious to learn more about the setting in future installments.

The female protagonist has a strong personality, but she tends to get discouraged too easily considering her goal. I expected more resilience from her. The male lead starts off as confident and powerful, but gradually loses that edge and becomes less compelling.

Overall, this was a pleasant and light read, with minimal drama and emotional weight. It has a Twilight-like vibe due to the vampire-human dynamic and the blood connection, though it's handled in a different way.

I’m interested to see how the story and characters evolve in the next book.

I went into A Court of Blood and Sacrifice hoping for a gripping, dark fantasy experience, but my feelings ended up mixed. The pacing throughout the book felt quite strange to me — at times it dragged, and at others, it rushed forward so quickly I barely had time to process what was happening. This uneven rhythm made it hard for me to fully get invested in the story.

The book definitely gave me strong Wattpad vibes, with familiar tropes and a writing style that sometimes felt more casual than polished. That might appeal to fans of that platform and genre, but it didn’t quite work for me. The storyline, in particular, felt below average. There were moments where I felt the plot was moving forward just to check boxes rather than to build tension or emotional impact.

Where the book did shine was in its characters. I really liked the main cast and was curious about their arcs, but unfortunately, the character development felt rushed and sometimes superficial. There was so much potential for deeper growth and emotional complexity, but instead, I found myself skimming through what felt like filler scenes that didn’t add much to the story or the characters’ journeys.

Despite these issues, the book is a quick read, which is great if you’re looking for something light and fast-paced. The world-building and stakes might not be as rich or immersive as some readers hope for in dark fantasy, but the characters and their interactions kept me going.

Ultimately, while A Court of Blood and Sacrifice wasn’t the book I hoped it would be, I think it will find its audience — especially among readers who enjoy quick, trope-friendly fantasy stories with likable characters and a fast pace. If you’re looking for a deeper, more immersive experience, this might not be the best fit, but for a breezy read, it’s worth a try.

The concept was intriguing, and I loved how the forest and trees were given personality, but overall, the execution fell flat.
The pacing felt uneven, and the characters lacked depth, often coming across as stereotypical. Lilah, the FMC, is driven by revenge against the vampires who killed her father when she was twelve and becomes the first female guard of the Sunfire Court. Nyx, the MMC vampire, essentially saves her—and then kidnaps her—for his own gain and to strike a deal with her.
I enjoyed the start of the book, but by the 40% mark, the romance moved too quickly. Lilah blindly trusts Nyx despite having no reason to, other than he needs her for something he won’t explain. The plot quickly became repetitive: attacks, hostage situations, rescues—over and over. The lack of real consequences made the stakes feel minimal, even though characters were supposedly on the brink of death multiple times.
The ending felt rushed and underdeveloped, leaving many plot points unexplained.

Typically I don't read fantasy but this was twisted. The blurb pulled me in and I'm glad I took a chance. This was full of twists and turns. These types of books provide me comfort.

A Court Of Blood And sacrifice draws you in from the first prologue. I didn't want to put this down. A vampire romance with human with possible powers, fighting for her life? yes, please.
This book kept me on my toes while reading with its twist and turns throughout, and a very satisfying cliffhanger at the end wanting to know more..
I did find some parts a bit too repetitive, but it didn't make me want to stop reading.
I rated this 4.5 stars

From the very first chapter, I was hooked on the moody, dangerous world Kay Marrie created. Lilah, our fierce huntress, is the kind of heroine I can root for, determined, flawed, and carrying enough emotional scars to make her both compelling and unpredictable. And then there’s Nyx… the brooding vampire prince with just the right mix of danger and reluctant charm. Their enemies-to-lovers tension was everything I wanted, slow burn, sharp tongued banter, and those “I shouldn’t want you, but I do” moments that make you read just one more chapter at 2 am.

If you love fantasy romance with morally grey characters, simmering tension, and just enough bite (pun intended) to keep things dangerous, this is one to pick up. I’m already impatient for the next book because I need to know where this dangerous alliance and relationship goes next.

Unfortunately this was a dnf for me I couldn't vibe with the pacing and the execution of the book just felt off I could see it being a really good book but it just wasn't for me