Holy shit, how is no one talking about this? This was such a well-paced, entertaining read with pretty much every element you could want in a vampire romantasy.

The magic system was so interesting. The use of cards to utilize magic was brilliant - reminds me of the Providence Cards for the Shepherds King duology.

Raphael - Mr. "As long as you're in my care, you're mine". Yeah, everything he said had me so smiling. Mr. "I wish to know all of your thoughts" - I would fall to my knees. I need his POV so bad - I signed up for the authors newsletter to get three chapters of it.

Samara - my baby. She has been through so much and not even all of it is explicitly stated in this book. Her internal struggle with what she's been taught vs what she is experiencing felt very real. She goes back and forth through most of the book and while some people may find this repetitive; I found it to be a really honest depiction of how deeply ingrained beliefs, especially when they have been instilled at a young age. She does not instantly drop everything just because the MMC is hot & kind of nice to her. The hesitation makes her so feel so human.

Even with a great story idea, it was the execution that really impressed me. Dialogue feels natural, tension is built up beautifully & the structure is so well done. Every single moment builds up towards that ending. I'm going to be thinking about what happens next until the sequel.

I genuinely cannot wait to read the second book. I have this as an e-book but I am immediately going to buy the paperback. And once that comes in I'm doing a re-read.

Really enjoyed this book! Love a good vampire story. Sam has spent the last 12 years in prison trapping rats for her and the prisoners to eat. With 3 years left on her sentence a new prisoner is brought in. A handsome vampire named Raphael. One evening Sam makes a deal with Raphael for him to help her escape and that she would bring him with her. Together they escape the prison and head to the city of Answers. I really enjoyed the magic system and am really looking forward to book 2.

I went into this book not having read anything from Drake but after reading the description it seemed to be right up my alley. Individualized magic system, prison break, and a broody "he falls first" vampire?? Sign me up! The book certainly delivered on their enemies to lovers theme and despite it being such an intensely slow burn there were some big, big moments of delicious tension.

However, there were so many things I found just less than fun for me. Although it's not marked as such I almost want to say this book really leans very YA purely based on how the level of naivety our FMC Samara possesses remains sky high throughout most of the book. Yes, she went into a prison when she was 9 but making her not know about some even basic female anatomy made her seem like some sheltered porcelain doll and not the fiery passionate badass I'm hoping she turns out to be. Secondly, the fact that we still don't know what landed Samara in prison is just a huge frustration. Samara's inner monologue was a constant companion that I found myself looking to be cut shorter. Our MMC Raphael we saw not enough of. He seemed to just pop up when convenient just to provide our FMC with ore emotional confusion.

I think this book is a really great choice for readers who are looking for a more YA leaning slow burn vampire x human forced proximity vibe. The world building was vivid and easy to follow while the secondary characters also definitely added to some of the flourish in this book. Dark, broody, and morally great vampy MMC is a definite bonus. For me this is really a 3-3.5, but I can definitely see it being a new favorite for others so I'd still recommend it to most!

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have been craving a really good urban fantasy. This was so fun and that ending deserves a chefs kiss. My only complaint is I need the next book now! Thank you to Netgalley, Lat Night Daydreams LLC, and Vasilia Drake for the ARC and ALC. I will definitely be watching for Book 2 in Kingdom of Dark Magic series.

Samara breaks out of a prison she shouldn't be in, because she is not guilty of the crime of which she is accused. She leaves an environment of torment and abuse with the help of a vampire she is terrified of, but also sympathizes with because of their shared abuse at the hands of wicked guards.
Raphael is the worst kind of a vampire with a thirst for blood, the mortal enemy of witches, the same breed that killed her mother.
Throughout the story, Samara has an internal struggle with her own magical powers, even considering giving them up a new life. Her internal dialogue questioning herself and the evil ways of the vampire she has chosen to free kept me intrigued to find out what she will decide.
A Bargain So Bloody is a slow burn romantasy that will keep you interested, because the characters are likeable and develop a partnership you want to see get deeper!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
I am looking forward to part 2 of this great story!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – 4 Stars
ARC provided by NetGalley

I was very intrigued from the beginning and was completely hooked on this book. It was a fast paced easy read with interesting characters and good premise to the story.
The MMC was morally grey in all the right ways and when I came to Samara it dove right into “touch her and die” At first, I was thrown off by how juvenile the FMC felt, but realizing she spent most of her life imprisoned really put that into perspective. She had zero exposure to the outside world, so her naivety made sense and felt more intentional as the story progressed. The romance was a very slow burn, but packed with tension as the main characters fight the pull between them.

There were a few moments early on where I worried it might veer into cheesy territory, but the darker tones gradually crept in and grounded the story. Overall, I enjoyed it more than I expected and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where the series goes next!

A Bargain So Bloody by Vasilisa Drake and narrated by Cecily Foster is the first book in the Kingdom of Dark Magic series and I loved it, this audiobook was so good I ended up listening to it whilst I was shopping, and window shopping. My mind was miles away in the cold Castle Greymere, even though! I am so glad I never saw any Vampires whilst out shopping!!! and I am glad it was warm out! 😂

Samara is now twenty years old, she is finally coming to her end of her sentence in prison, but she has no idea why is is there!! Sadly she has been stuck in there since she was a young child and only eight years old. She was sentenced for a crime she did not commit. Samara is bullied by all the guards and is tormented by the screams of the other prisoners within the prison throughout the day and especially throughout the night!.
Samara needs to be strong to leave this prison and survive, she must deal with the most dangerous prisoner of them all!

But, as days go by to her freedom she learns that her freedom that has been promised is the cruelest lie she would ever be told!!!! No one leaves Greymere alive. and now and she is faced with a resign herself to dying in the cold walls of Castle Greymere, or do the unthinkable and escape. So to break out of the prison? She will have to use one of the undead.

Now, Raphael is the worst kind of a vampire with a massive thirst for blood, the mortal enemy of witches, the same breed that killed her mother. And most importantly, he’s unspeakably powerful, his supernatural strength tamed only by the enchanted cuffs forced on him.

He’s her only chance at a life outside the prison walls.

The deal is Samara unlocks his shackles, and he'll help her escape. But although Raphael agreed to help her leave Greymere, he never promised to let her go…

WoW this audiobook is so good and the narrator Cecily Foster was superb.

I was lucky to receive the audiobook and book and I recommend them both.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for my ARC.

This book has everything a romantasy needs! A feisty FMC, an MMC who wants to be better, and of course a secret mission that the FMC needs to figure out. This book was a great read, it kept me interested the whole time, I enjoyed all the different characters, and the ending has me drooling for the next book!

A Bargain So Bloody is a dark, compelling blend of vampire romance, arcane intrigue, and gritty emotional growth. If you're drawn to:

Smoldering, slow-building chemistry with complex characters,
A magic system that feels tactile and strategic,
A heroine who fights just as hard with her mind as her heart,
And plenty of moral grayness—then this is a rich, satisfying read.
It’s not light; it’s pain and power wrapped in romance—and if you’re ready for that, it’ll pull you into its world—and refuse to let go.

I really enjoyed this!

Samara is such an interesting FMC, imprisoned at age eight after her mother is accused of treason we meet her twelve years into her fifteen year sentence. Except its not just another three years of catching rats to eat and serving in the prison, it's a lifetime sentence and she's not doing that.

Raphael our MMC is less interesting than Sam and his identity twist was obvious as soon as Vampire Kings were announced as a thing. He's protective but condescending and I'm not sure if I liked him but I did like Samara.

The twist at the end while a little predictable - hints all the way back in chapter one or two when he couldn't mind control her - was satisfying.

I did think that it would be revealed that Sam was the bastard child of the king but I was wrong.

Looking forward to the next book! I can't wait to find out what her mother did to get them both classed as traitors and how the events in the last two chapters will spiral out into the sequel!

A Bargain so Bloody is a gritty, and yet deeply romantic, fantasy novel. Following Samara, a ‘void’ or woman airh no magic from the kingdom of witches, and Raphael, a powerful vampire hiding many secrets, it is full of action, quests and simmering tension.

I gave this book 3.5 stars (rounded up to four) because of it was so addictive and easy to read. The chapters are fairly short and punchy so I found myself flying through the book. Whilst I would have liked more world-building and more explanations about how the magic system and political power systems worked, there were a few elements that really stood out to me. I loved the idea of the librarians that you can ask a single question and get a completely true answer. The monastery which functioned as a sanctuary but demanded loyalty was also really interesting.

The main characters of the book were also compelling. Samara is a bit like other fantasy fmc’s in the sense that she is strong, hardened by hardship and haunted by her past. But she is also a fairly powerless person forced to make deals and compromise her morals just to survive. It was refreshing to see read about someone who was forced to rely on an enemy and yet so fiercely independent. Raphael on the other hand looked like he could kill you, but was a cinnamon roll. He spent the entire book protecting Samara, feeding her, making sure she was okay. I love that kind of care from a love interest. Yes, he murders a bunch of people along the way, but he buys her so many dinners!

I would recommend this book to fans of The Serpent and the Wings of Night and The Bridge Kingdom. It definitely focuses on a reluctant partnership like the first book. Just be warned! This is currently an unfinished series and the cliffhanger is a doozy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. WOW! My emotions were all over the place with this book. It really felt like two different stories between the first 50% and then the second half of the book. Even with the book being nearly 500 pages, it felt like some parts moved too quickly. I would have really enjoyed seeing more of their story fleshed out (pun intended), like in the prison and when they’re traveling. The pacing felt a little all over the place with weeks passing in one sentence, and then a whole day getting multiple chapters. I almost would have liked the first half to be book one and the second half to be book two. We have these intense emotions from Raphael, but they come on so fast it’s hard to find an emotional basis for them as a reader. Otherwise, Samara makes me want to pull my hair out, and I really hope she comes to her senses in the second book and doesn’t actually go through with her plan. I definitely didn’t see part of that twist at the end coming though! I wish book 2 was out already!!

For all the ACOTAR girlies (gn) who've been chasing that high ever since, look no further. Just trust me and read A Bargain So Bloody!!! This book has so many of my favourite tropes in it - I honestly cannot tell you how juicy and delicious the touch-her-and-die feral energy is in this!! I completely devoured this book start to end, and in fact I abandoned a book I was already partway through to do so, and I NEED MORE!!! WHEN IS THE NEXT ONE OUT??? I absolutely loved picking up on all the little plot breadcrumbs and foreshadowing throughout this book, and seeing my theories play out on the page was so vindicating. It was especially satisfying that it didn't go down exactly as I predicted, even if I got the major points. I have a feeling we have some stellar twists and reveals to come, and you'd best believe I'll be first in line for that show!!

This review will be posted on my GoodReads and on Amazon.

4.5 ⭐️ 1 🌶️

This was my first Vasilisa Drake book and I loved every minute of it. The first book in a new slow burn fantasy romance series, Raphael and Samara‘s story hooked me right in and I loved every single minute of it. The banter, political intrigue, and world building was very well done. While the romance is just a glimmer in book one, I predict that it will kick up a notch as the series progresses. Even though I predicted the plot twist at the end, I still enjoyed the big reveal and can’t wait to see where this story goes from here. I would definitely recommend this book.

Wow, a truly gripping story that had me hooked from the start.
I loved watching Samara transform from " My Little Dove" to "My Little Viper" and become a strong, fearsome FMC.
Being imprisoned since childhood for a crime she didn't commit, her only chance to escape comes at the hands of the monster from her nightmares - a morally grey vampire that you will love. Raphael is everything you want in an MMC. He is dark, twisted and completely devoted to his Little Dove.
The slow burn is beautifully crafted and will keep you turning the pages.
Great plot with twists that you won't see coming.
My only regret is that I have to wait for the second book in the series.

Loved this. I've been very into tge supernatural side of things lately and this did just that. I was fortunate enough to receive an audio copy and an e copy. I immersive read this and absolutely did not regret it. Highly recommend.

*3.5 Stars*

A Bargain So Bloody is a dark, emotionally charged romantasy that sinks its fangs in from page one. Set in a magical prison, the story follows Samara, a wrongly imprisoned witch, and Raphael, a dangerous vampire bound in enchanted cuffs. An alliance is formed between them out of desperation, and it evolves into a slow-burn romance laced with morally grey choices.

The card-based magic system is very cleverly done, and the "touch her and die" trope that many people love in romantasy is present in the book. Usually, I find that in most romantasy there's a lack of emotional depth in the relationships, but I'm glad that isn’t the case with A Bargain So Bloody. The pacing can be hit or miss at times, with slower sections, but there is a gradual build-up toward the ending. If you're into the romantasy genre, specifically with tortured vampires and strong heroines, then this one may just be for you.

After my last read I craved something that was darkly delicious, fast paced, and addictive to read and A Bargain so Bloody nails the brief and then some.

We are immediately thrust into the world Samara occupies, and the pace does not let up from start to finish as she escapes captivity by entrusting her life to a snarky, dangerous, and altogether too handsome for her liking vampire, Raphael. Both have a their secrets, but they’re magnetically drawn to one another in spite of their differences. This is forced proximity done absolutely right; the tension between these two is thick and crackling, the banter delicious, the reluctant allies to lovers note perfect, and the ending - jaw dropping. I couldn’t have asked for anything more and will henceforth pick up anything Drake writes given her type of man (white hair vampire with a dark chuckle) is my type of man.

*** I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

4.5/5 stars and 0.5/5 spice!

This story was unlike anything I have read. The story starts with the FMC in a prison. There she meets the MMC. They end up on a journey together where they learn some more about each other. I don't want to say too much so it doesn't spoil it.

I would recommend it to anyone who wants a slow burn vampire romance, magical world, and wants tension.

I cannot wait for book 2 to come out! This was an amazing story by Vasilisa Drake!!

Check Trigger Warnings
Vampire/Witches/Humans
Very Slow Burn
Enemies to Allies
Touch Her and Die
Possessive MMC
One horse
He calls her dove

3.5🌟
Firstly, thank you Vasilisa Drake, Victory Editing and NetGalley for early access to this book.
All opinions are my own and are not influenced by receiving this book early.

I have a mix of opinions regarding this book. Part of me loved this, but part of me didn’t. Which is why I have picked a 3.5🌟 rating.

‘A Bargain So Bloody’ is book 1 in a new Romantasy series.

This book was quite a quick paced read - which I am not a fan of, but I know others are. Due to the fast pace though, I feel as though scenes and parts of the book were rushed and we didn’t get the full information or a clear picture of what was happening.

With Samara, the FMC I feel like she was written way too naive for what she’s gone through. She’s been trapped as a slave in a witch prison for over a decade and has been beaten and mistreated. She learnt how to hide and survive, but afterwards she was written as weak and extremely trusting to Raphael, a vampire who she claims to hate. She follows him, agrees to all his decisions, stays in his kingdom with very little thought to it etc etc, I feel as though she should of been written as more distrusting, guarding character who takes more time to deliberate on the best way to proceed and survive.

The possible romance between the two main characters, Samara and Raphael, seems extremely forced. I can’t feel any tension or romance between the two of them and there is no depth to their relationship. I wish it was written in a more clear and believable way.

Now, I know I’ve mentioned a lot of negatives, but I did still have a good time reading it. No, it’s not my favourite Romantasy, but I feel as though the storyline and characters have potential .

And the epilogue…. I didn’t see the plot twist coming. But I loved it.

Overall, if you like a face paced, mortally grey, vampire Romantasy that is an easy read. I do recommend giving this a try. Just because I didn’t like it, doesn’t mean someone else won’t.