Exceptional. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Yes that is six stars.

This book had everything

⭐ Plot
✨ Interesting magic with the gladiator crossover
❤️ Romance that smoothly sat alongside the main plot
😲 Twist after twist
😭 Emotional scenes
📐 Potential love triangle... 😏

This book made me sit up after reading many samey Romantasy books. I loved the FMC and how eventful every chapter was.

NEED THE NEXT ONE NOW.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Stacia Stark has done it again! I was hooked from the start! Unlike most romantasy books where the romance is the main plot, We Who Will Die was the perfect mix of romance, action and the journey of a bad ass FMC.

The twists in this book had my jaw on the floor and you find yourself rooting for so many of the side characters.
Some of the flashbacks in the book were a little hard to follow and I found myself having to re read some passages. In previous books I’ve read, they change the font for flashbacks and I believe this would have made it easier to follow.

Book 2 can’t come quick enough!!

1.5 🌶️
4.5 ⭐️

Vampire diaries x hunger games x gladiator = chefs kiss

Wow this book had me in the edge of my seat, hunger games , ACOTAR gladiator style read with an exquisite FMC this book was just amazing. I will be recommending this to everyone on my booktok as a do not miss read!

4.5 ⭐

Ooo this was a treat, that's continuing to scratch around my brain. It has my heart racing and absorbed into the world. A lot of the tropes could have become cliche but loved the twists it gave making it feel truly unique. This will definitely be down for a re-read as I'm sure I've missed so many breadcrumbs.

Fast paced, rich world building, magicical creatures, plotting and political intrigue galore. Looking forward to the development of these in the next books - we're discovering along side our FMC.

The FMC is gritty, genuine and her motivations were survival making her reactions relatable and, refreshingly, she didn't suddenly become capable straight away. She spends most of the book terrified - which would be the only logical response to half of what happens in this book!

The romance was my favourite - broody, forbidden and so much tension. Theres a couple of MCs which are hard to talk about without spoilers. But if you're team Blake (from either the Wolf King series or Bloodwing Academy) I HIGHLY recommend you get stuck in - there may be a new King on my list 🫦

Sometimes there was a lot going on in this book - multiple names, time lines, powers, storyline etc. all happening at once which interrupted the flow sometimes.
Hoping in the final edit, there will be some editing to distinguish easier.

Absolutely can not for an audiobook of this and of course I need book 2 NOW! With a side order of the MCs POVs, please, thank you.

Thank you so much for this eARC netgalley for my unbiased review.

a solid 4.5 stars
the vampire diaries meets the gladiator
the trials were actually high stakes and brutal
the brothers !!! I’m a damon girl so the energy of this book was great
I wish there was more world building in this which is why it’s not quite a five star for me. I had a lot of questions about the magic system, vampires and some of the laws but I feel like this might develop more in book two.


<i>Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC</i>

We who will Die is a mix of Hunger Games and court of thorns. Vampires, powers and mythical creatures all mixed into one. The storyline kept me engaged throughout and I liked the main characters, I did find myself skipping ahead in some parts but overall a great read.

Really loved this Roman Empire inspired Romantasy (with vampires!!!) I really enjoyed the pacing and the plot twists, and I’m excited to see what happens next. Will definitely be recommending this one when it releases!

I love it!!!
I mean, I knew I would! I have loved everything this woman has written!❤️❤️ and when I saw the premise.. vampires in a Roman inspired world!!! Ahhh.
The only issue for me, I really don’t like love triangles. It’s not that’s it’s a bad plot line. It’s just one that has never sang to me :/
Overall! It was a great read with lots of great twists and I really love the FMC.

4.5 provided. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this great book before its release in December. I already need to know what happens next and as usual don’t want to wait 😭

I know that this book will be a massive hit and encourage you to read it as soon as you can! It’s a mix of Gladiator, Vampire Diaries and Hunger Games.

This book brings something a bit different to the usual reads. It takes place in an Ancient Roman society that is ruled by vampires. The non vampires are known as sigilmarked ( or mundanes (no magical abilities). The FMC, Arvelle, is blackmailed by a vampire to kill the Emperor and only then will he cure her brother from his chronic illness. To protect her family she has no choice but to compete in brutal trials, stay alive and eventually kill the Emperor. Throw in two brooding MMC vampires and you’re in for a great story. There’s also political intrigue as vampire rebels want to overthrow the Emperor. Add mythological creatures such as centaurs, kelpies and wyverns and you have a great plot with twists throughout!

Tropes include:
Forbidden Love
Unique magic system
Trials
Found Family
Enemies to Lovers?

The only reason this wasn’t a perfect rating was when the FMC was thinking back to her past. Some of the transitions from present to past were confusing and I had to go back or re-read the sentence to figure out what’s going on. Despite this would really recommend this book and know that it will be everyone’s obsession.

WAAAAAAAAH THIS WAS PERFECTION ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We Who Will Die is an action-packed new novel in a Roman Empire inspired setting…..with vampires. High-stakes bloodthirsty gladiator style trials, mythical creatures, gods, political intrigue, unreliable characters left right and centre and a sultry slow-burn romance.

Arvelle is a sigilmarked who has never known her powers and spends her time caring for her twin brothers, one of them rapidly deteriorating from his illness. One night she encounters Bran, a vampire with a deal to strike. Arvelle must enter The Sundering and he will ensure her brother gets the healing he needs. Her task? Make it through the trials and kill the emperor.

With plot twists around every corner, magical developments and hidden agendas that threaten to blow Arvelle’s deadly bargain to smithereens—she finds herself fighting for much more than just her brother’s life.

I absolutely devoured this book from start to end and Book #2 cannot come fast enough. Thank you endlessly to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advance copy!

Cool magic system
Tyrant leader
Rebel vampires
Gladiators
Characters with flaws and depth

Thick with plot! Scheming, magic, politics, betrayals, relationships and romance

I loved this book, the pacing was perfect and felt like there was always something happening, it was so close to being 5 stars but there were a few bits that held me back

Shed been made out to be absolutely useless at fighting due to being our the game for 6 years despite being a bodyguard which confused me, did she not keep in shape for that. Then suddenly in 3 weeks she managed to skill up and (although still shit) was strong enough to survive.

I was surprised at the lack of interest anyone had in the murders, and the FMC surprised me when faced with new information, new magic or stumbled upon something she shouldn't have she shows little to no interest in learning more about it or telling anyone, which I thought was weird.

I loved the mythical creatures and I hope we see more of them in book 2; centaur, griffin, wyvern, harpies, gorgon and kelpiee

The vibe is kind of vampire diaries and powerless meets gladiator with a better plot!

FMC: 24
MMC: 27 - 30ish
MMC: 33-36

thank you so much to the team at Michael Joseph,penguin random house for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review, I'm so grateful

This book is going to be absolutely HUGE!!!!!

If I could give this book a higher rating? I absolutely would.

Imagine The Vampire Diaries mixed with Gladiator with an FMC akin to Katniss from the Hunger Games, and you have this absolutely phenomenal book from Stacia Stark.

There is so much going on in this book. There are vampires, rebels, centaurs, gorgons, griffons, and a whole host of other magical creatures. Not to mention a unique magic system created via 'Sigilmarked's' who are born with magic, which is depicted by the size and colour of the sigil they are marked with.

The character development for the main characters is amazing, and I absolutely can not wait to read the next book even though this one itself is not published until the end of the year!

This book has been my favourite book so far of 2025!!


Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book via Netgalley.

From vampires, gladiators, gods, magical creatures and magic, with romance too, Stacia Stark has combined all these into one book. With world building, deadly trials, mysteries, politics and a pinch of spice, We Who Will Die is the next book by Stacia Stark that you won’t be able to put down. Are you ready to be transported to another world?

So this book literally had me from the dedication - as an eldest sibling that felt had too much pressure put on her to help provide and had the world working against her, I knew I was going to have an attachment to this book. Best described as Vampire Diaries meets Gladiator with sizzling hot vampire romance, a hierarchal magical system and high stakes Roman-style colosseum games. I was instantly attached to the FMC and as the worldbuilding, plots and schemes slowly unfolded throughout the story I found myself not wanting to reach the end of the book and just craved MORE.

Between two brothers seemingly invested in the same girl, the Roman Gladiatoresque games and a blood promise that will quite literally kill if it’s not followed through I just know that I’m going to be completely OBSESSED with this series. It has just as much political intrigue as romance and I CANNOT wait to see where Stacia is taking this series. I’m still not over the fact that NetGalley and Micheal Joseph actually let me have a copy of this book. So massive thanks to them ❤️. All the stars, 10/10.

Slow burn romantasy gladiator x vampire diary vibes and I am here for it wow!!!
Roman inspired a fast paced action packed book full of plots and sub plots!

Let’s not talk about the plot twists wow 🤯!

Highly recommend this book stacia stark never disappoints!

We Who Die is easily one of the most ambitious books I’ve read, every chapter feels like a prophecy you were warned to ignore. And just when you think it’s peaked, the plot keeps on giving.

This is high-concept fantasy at its most indulgent. It's intricate, layered, and totally unapologetic in its scope. Vampires? Absolutely. Gladiator-style trials that feel as brutal as they are gripping? Yes. Slow-burn romance where the spice is earned, not sprinkled on for effect? You bet. Mythical creatures. Vengeful gods. Dual male leads with depth and tension. Sky-high stakes. And a magic system that feels fresh and original. All brought together in a way that somehow makes sense.

But this isn’t a book to rush. The story demands your attention and rewards it. There’s a lot going on, so give yourself space to sink into the world, let the layers unfold, and savour the ride.

Perfect for fans of The Foxglove King, From Blood and Ash, and Blood of Hercules. Or anyone craving fantasy that doesn’t hold back.

excuse me a moment I just need to shout in to the void to lure the right audience for this...

TVD, STELENA, DELENA, DAMON SALVATORE, BLOOD OF HERCULES, GLADIATORS, ROMAN EMPIRE, TRIALS.

okay, if you like any combination of those things your gonna want to pick this one up.

We Who Will Die, has so much going for it. I have had to sit on my review until I could properly form coherent thoughts regarding it rather than just scream in everyones face to read it now. (which if you follow me on insta you'll know I have been doing regularly.

Arvelle cares for her two younger brothers and living in the Thorn, a poverty ravaged area in the city she has to do what she can to ensure their safety and survival. One day she if forced to enrol in the Sundering a series of harrowing trials in which she will have to do whatever necessary to ensure her survival.

Arvelle has suffered, which has caused her to form harsh lines no longer does she laugh freely, with the loss of her mother, best friend and being abandoned by the one she loved she no longer trusts people and has her heart behind a wall.

While this is a romantasy book the subject of grief is a heavy blanket over Arvelle and this entire book, the losses she has suffered weigh heavy on her and do impact her character but I think the author handled is so very well. Addiction is another subject talked about in this, more specifically living with an Addict, having an addict for a parent an how their addiction impacts those who love them. I really thought some of the quotes surrounding addiction were so poignant and heartfelt it was really quite beautifully handled and not just added for shock value or just for the sake of tormenting out FMC.

The romance.. THE R O M A N C E. TVD girlies rise up.

You know how so many books are tagged as like for fans of the vampire diaries x the hunger games etc but they never hit? My friends.. this one SLAPS. For fans of the series who know the dynamic of the romance through out the TV show your going to really enjoy the parallels from the show to this book. We definetly have the dynamic between Stefan/ Damon/ Elena and I was screaming.

let me just say one thing (spoiler)

HE SAW HER FIRST!!!!! iykyk!! I was screaming I really just need someone to talk about this with.

We Who Will Die has a little bit of eveythin..
-Trials
-Found Family (developing)
-Love Triangle (SO WELL DOT SLOW BURN yum yum)
-Talks of grief & addiction (TW)
-Badass FMC
-Magical creatures (these were such a wonderful and unexpected addition to the story!)
-Vampires
-Interesting magic system
-Murder mystery

I really cannot wait for the next book to release, I read this weeks ago and cannot remove it from my brain. A new favourite, this will be the big book of the booktok/ bookstagram romantasy community when it releases early next year.

Thank you so much to the publisher & Netgalley for providing me with a arc of this wonderful, beautiful, exciting, glorious book!

Gladiators with Vampires with Hunger Games.

We follow our fmc Arvelle who makes a bonding vow with a vampire to enter the Sundering in order to kill the emperor in exchange for her brother to be permanently healed from his illness.
We have our mmc Tiernon, who it turns out Arvelle knew a long time ago, and we see them rekindle their relationship. However, Tiernons darker brother Rorrik is never far and takes pleasure in causing Arvelle pain.

There is enemies to lovers, high stakes, tension, trials and an academia setting, as well as possibly a love triangle also!

This is my first Stacia Stark book and after reading We Who Will Die I will definitely be checking out her other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I think there is so much potential in this book. I wanted to love it because I love the author and I loved her last series. I must admit that I did struggle with this one a bit. I found I lost patience with it from time to time with all the details and world building. I didn't feel particularly drawn to any of the characters. I think that this book will be loved by others but I personally just couldn't buy in. I still would recommend to people that loved The Hunger Games, Carissa Broadbent, etc so I've given it 4 stars to reflect that

4,25 stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts are my own.

This book was so difficult to rate, because I had such a hard time figuring out what I thought about it. Some parts of the book were below 4 stars, I’m not going to lie. But then other parts were 5 stars, no question. And that is a bit of a confusing mix. I ended up with 4,25 because I think the second half of the book was so strong and really intriguing and I just flew through it. But there were definitely parts of the first half that felt both underexplained and underdeveloped. Sometimes a character would know something they (and maybe even we) shouldn’t know yet, and it felt like it needed to be edited a bit more (not in terms of grammar or spelling). And sometimes there were some confusing or slightly weird scenes or pieces of dialogue that felt a little unnatural - like they were added later without the surrounding scenes being edited properly to fit it. I don’t know if this is something that will be caught before it releases, but I hope so.

And I think it could've used a few more explanations of the different kinds of rank and purposes of the guards and soldiers. There were a lot of words thrown around pretty early on without a whole lot of explaining and I think I would have liked a few more details and clear descriptions. But at the same time, I enjoyed getting to know the world slowly throughout the story and get a better sense of the political structure and conflicts while the overall plot developed alongside it.

I think the trials were really well done and managed to feel both fresh and interesting. The author did a really good job writing the action scenes and making them very captivating. Also, the pacing throughout was so good. The combination of the trials, the tension and unanswered questions, the mysteries... It kept you on your toes and made sure you stayed engaged with the story at every turn.

I wasn’t crazy invested in Tiernon and I felt like we didn’t spend quite enough time with him for me to really FEEL the romance between him and Arvelle. But maybe that was on purpose...
SLIGHT SPOILER INCOMING:
Now, I am not used to liking the BAD guy very often, and I did initially hate Rorrik - but the story was teasing him so much and I couldn’t help but being very intrigued. And as soon as I realized that Rorrik was basically Damon Salvatore (and the comparison to TVD suddenly made sense), I was done for. Yes please, give me more of this.
END OF SPOILER.

I think book two is going to be really fun.