3.5 stars

A Bargain So Bloody is a pretty unique take on your typical vampire romance, and I really loved the magic system here. The world building was good, but the pacing of the story is what got me. I think I went in expecting something a faster paced with high stakes, and ABSB didn't give me that.

Overall though, the narration was fantastic and I'm definitely intrigued to see where this series goes.

Firstly, thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this ARC!

If you're looking for a romantasy with little-to-no spice, vivid imagination, and unique magic systems, this one's worth the listen. I'm already counting down to Book 2.

From the first sentence, this book immediately pulled me in and refused to let go. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook version–and holy man, it beautifully narrated. The pitch changes and voice distinctions truly brought the characters to life, especially the morally gray ones. The vocal work really made it incredibly easy to picture the villains and added a cinematic quality to the entire listening experience.

For me, what sets this book apart is the emotionally layered character dynamics and the original world-building, more specifically, the magic card system. I thought this was both creative and compelling and look forward to seeing more of it in future books.

The story follows Samara, a young woman hardened by a magic-repressed prison, and Raphael, a powerful vampire whose quiet strength and moral complexity immediately stood out. Their alliance begins out of necessity but slowly deepens, driven by survival, tension and vulnerability. While the pacing slows midway in the story, the emotional depth and strong character arc carried the story onwards. And don't get me started on that epilogue–completely unexpected in the best way possible.

⚠️ Don't listen in the shower unless you're ready to slip trying to rewind.

Maybe I need a Fantasy break lol. Every story is blending into each other, but I still enjoyed this!! I just feel like it didn’t give me something new.

“Powerless” Witch makes a bargain w/ a misunderstood morally grey Vampire. She ends up falling for him, as reluctant as she is… Or will her ideals win in the end?

I mean, I eat it up every time, so I can’t really complain 🤣🤍 But if you’re new to fantasy, I feel like you would like this more than I did!!
Overall, the plot flowed well, the characters gave what they needed to give, & there’s still so much we’ve yet to discover. A well done introduction!!
As for the ending- It kinda didn’t give the “surprise” impact that you want ‘cause you kinda expect it, BUT it does leave you curious about the next book!! Cecily Foster did a good job narrating, although I would’ve loved for this to be a duet to give you that full experience, maybe book 2?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this ARC. It took me a little bit to get through this one, but in the end it did end really well & made me think… yep gonna have to read book 2 now!!

A lot of it was relationship building between Sam and Raphael.

I felt like the story’s pace slowed down a bit 2 thirds of the way through & we still don’t really find out what happened to Sam’s family & why she was a traitor in the first place.

Sam was full of conflicting emotions all of the way through and the fact that Raphael is obviously besotted with her.. to which she denies her inner most feelings was getting a little old by the end! I just wanted her to realise that she wants him just as much as he wants her! But hey, I’ll be for sure coming back for the second book!

I really ejoyed this book! The FMC has been in a terrible prison for half her live and meets a dangerous vampire who agrees to help get her out if she frees him from his cell and chains.. They make a bargain to help each other out and journey to the Vampire Kingdom. Both of them are hiding secrets about who they are though and have orhee agendas. I can't wait to read the next book and see what happens. The narrator was easy to listen to as well!

“I’m sorry. No one deserves to be forgotten. If it’s any reassurance, Samara, I intend to live a very long life. And I will not forget you for any of it.”

One of many lines that lingered with me long after I finished this book.

A Bargain So Bloody is a dark emotionally layered romantasy filled with grit, tenderness and sharp character work. It follows Samara a girl hardened by over a decade in a magic-repressed prison and Raphael a powerful vampire who arrives secretive and far more dangerous than anyone she’s ever encountered.

Their alliance begins out of necessity but slowly grows into something deeper built on survival, shifting power and a quiet vulnerability neither expected. There’s a thread of emotional tension that runs throughout between what’s real, what’s right and what’s necessary. It makes their bond feel fragile, charged and deeply compelling.

The magic card system is one of the more original setups I’ve seen in recent fantasy. I loved the concept and I’m eager to see it explored further in future books.

Samara’s arc is strong and is shaped by internal conflict as much as external pressure. She’s constantly navigating what she sees versus what she feels and that dissonance adds weight to every decision. Raphael is equally layered he’s calm, dangerous and protective but never cruel to her. He understands how brutal his world is and while he hopes Samara might find a place in it he never demands it of her.

I listened to the audiobook and found it incredibly easy to listen too. Overall I really enjoyed this and I’m genuinely excited to see where Samara’s journey goes next.

Thank you for the ALC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op.

Big thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

💥 Some Spoilers Ahead 💥

I loved this!
An easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, I ate this audiobook up in less than 24 hours!
The narration was so easy to listen to, it sucked me into the story immediately. I was a little apprehsive at first, as I wasn't sure how I'd like another vampire story. But that's on me for not trusting the book.
This was a great set up for the first book in a series. I found the concept of the voids and magic system really interesting. It was something different and I loved that cards were used in the magic system.
I think the FMC was well developed as someone who is still learning themselves and their place in the world. Her confusion and morality was always questioned and I felt her dilemma through the writing style - which was well done, as sometimes the character can come off as annoying.
I also really enjoyed the undercurrent of mystery with Samara, we want to know more about her and what all her secrets are!
Obviously the simmer of romance and tension between Samara and Raphael was so delightful! I really liked that I was able to see the relationship building and not just straight to "in love".
Overall, I think this is going to easily be a series I will follow and need more off!
The epilogue had me NEEDING more!
Cannot wait to see how this series goes!

I was so sucked into this book I literally missed my exit on the highway. That’s how good it was.

Epic vampire drama? Check. Gripping plot? Check. Surprisingly low spice but still had me feral? Also check. Normally, I need more heat to stay hooked, but this story had me locked in with its sharp teeth and sharp writing.

And when he started calling her Little Viper? Oh. My. Gosh. Take me now. 🫠

That ending?? I need book two yesterday.

I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I devoured this in less than 24 hours and stayed up late in the night to finish. A vampire romance with a broody, but sweet MMC and a vicious FMC? Give me more! Sam, our FMC, is a prisoner with a hinted at secret identity. Raphael is the vampire who just might get her out....if she agrees to release the one species she hates the most. Will she do it for her freedom? Or will she forsake all of her beliefs and get him out. You will have to read to find out! I thoroughly enjoyed this spicy vampire romantasy! Highly recommended!

I absolutely loved this book. From the first page, it had me completely hooked. Every part of the story felt intentional and important. There were no slow chapters or pointless scenes. Everything built toward something and kept me engaged the whole way through.

The characters were so well written. I connected with all of them and genuinely enjoyed every interaction. Their personalities were strong and distinct, and the relationships felt natural and meaningful. The banter was fun and the emotional moments hit exactly right.

There is little to no spice in this book, just a bit of flirtation and tension that added to the story without taking anything away. It made the connections between characters feel more sincere and believable.

I am already counting the days until the next book. This one delivered everything I was hoping for and more.

Big thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️'s rounded up.

First, I need to mention that this narration was so good! The way she told the story was beautiful.
I liked this book. It was pretty unique in terms of magic. The vampires and witches were portrayed somewhat differently in this book compared to others I've read.

Raphael was a monster, truly the villain, but the way he treated Samara... absolute adoration. "Touch her and die" vibes. He definitely fell first and fell hard.
The whole book Samara is lost and confused, and for good reason. She has been imprisoned most of her life. She just wants acceptance, to be good enough. While she is trying to figure out who she is, she is questioning everything she has ever known. Are the vampires evil? Can they change? Is she any better than they are?
The irony of the ending is not lost on me. She felt all these warring opinions about the vampires. Now, she is faced with decisions she never thought she would have to make.

The only thing I disliked about this was that Samara had a lot of internal monolog with herself, asking herself the same questions. It became a little repetitive. Overall, this story was good. I would happily pick up book two!

Okay, friends—today I’ve got not only a book review/recommendation (spoiler: it’s really, really good!) but also a new auto-buy author to add to your list. ✨

Finding new-to-me authors to totally fangirl over is one of my greatest joys in life—and bingeing everything they’ve ever written? Instant serotonin.

I’ve read nearly all of Vasilisa Drake’s books and genuinely LOVED every one… but this book? It just hit different. I was hooked. Couldn’t put it down if I tried.

The angst? Immaculate.
The pacing? Fast and addictive.
The characters? Lovable, mysterious, frustrating—in all the best ways.

I need everyone to read this one when it comes out. It’s that good. 🔥

I’m not officially part of @vasilisadrakebooks street team (a true tragedy, honestly 😮‍💨), but I did get lucky enough to snag an early audio ARC—and now I’ll be singing this author’s praises forever. Street team or not, I’m fully on board. ❤️🖤🩸

I received this book as my very first arc audiobook and I DEVOURED it

🖤 vampires x witches x humans
🖤 card-based magic system
🖤 slow burn
🖤 touch her and die
🖤 dark vibes
🖤 super twist at the end

This one had me hooked from the first sentence. I really enjoyed the magic system, side characters and the overall pace of the story. The audiobook was beautiful and I cannot wait to get my hands on book two!!

I listened to this as an arc audiobook via NetGalley and this review is honest and freely given.

Really enjoyed the tone of this book - I thought it perfectly matched the placement of the book and atmosphere. I often find that in romantic fantasies the tone (especially from the FMC) feels too contemporary and this did a perfect job in keeping the placement and still being easy to read.
The narrator matches this perfectly. Her male voice was hard at first but quickly felt more natural.

At the start of the book - it felt like we were just being throne all the typical tropes ( one horse, one room and the inn, touch her and die, mine etc.) but at about the halfway point the book felt a lot more unique and evenly paced. I thought the romance was feeling a bit forced at the start and once we got to the kingdom it felt way more natural and we started to feel that tension again.

SUCH a fun and easy read. The world and magic system was interesting, but not difficult to understand. I loooved slowly getting more and more information about the world and MCs’ backstories as the story progressed— without an initial info-dump I was allowed to have the fun of trying to predict and untwist the plot. It was seriously a lot of fun, and it made me think about how wonderful this book would be for book clubs and buddy reads.

While some of the plot was (with effort) predictable, it wasn’t without twists. What I was able to guess didn’t necessarily happen or turn out exactly as I had predicted— so it was fun to get enough clues to draw some vaguely correct conclusions, while still being surprised and kept on my toes.

The MCs had great chemistry, fun banter, and really intriguing backstories. They have me so excited for book two— I need to delve deeper into their pasts!

The audiobook narration was a great production. Cecily Foster gave an emotive performance that definitely elevated my listening experience.

While this doesn’t reinvent the wheel, I found it offered a really refreshing taste of a very trope-heavy genre.

While the plot was rather predictable, Drake has a genuinely addictive writing style with such flow and individual voice/prose that I didn’t much mind that fact. The surrounding cast is made largely of common archetypes but with enough individuality that made this book feel fleshed out, lived in and multi-dimensional. You have the witty assistant who takes no sh*t, the stoic mentor, the evil librarian (okay maybe that’s less an archetype but it was fun.)

I’ll also mention that I loved the FMC, where she could have easily fallen into the classic “I’m a badass” precisely until the MMC turns up and she in fact turns out to have all the backbone of a roasted marshmallow, Sam was really really enjoyable to follow. A strong, kind of violent, morale-driven character that reads (well listens) as just as intelligent as she claims to be. Her motives from first chapter to final always rang true and genuine, and the core of her character is something anyone reader would enjoy.

The MMC was hot, I have no shame in admitting it. One of my major problems with books centred on a character that changes midway through (SPOILER: [an obvious one but still a spoiler] he turns out to be the vampire king) is that after the reveal it feels like they change character completely. In the context of this book it only cemented what we already knew of the character, made motive and temperament more clear. He’s loyal, violent (hush I have a type) and rips people to shreds when they hurt his woman. Oh and he was hot.

What more does a woman need from her romantasy?

I’ll be blunt I pictured old Draco Malfoy for much of this for Raphael which might not have been the aim but it worked for me.

I don’t know where the trend for magic being based in decks of cards came from the last couple of years, this was another example of this and I really enjoyed the magic system. It was kind of basic, a little barebones but enough set rules that you could understand how and where things work.

Where this fell short of five stars for me was some of the theming, which I’ll admit is very personal. I really enjoyed when it seemed that Drake was going to explore themes of consent with the very obvious brothel allegories and power dynamics. I didn’t much enjoy that Sam tended to ignore and/or belittle the willingness of individuals to consent, I found this could be interpreted as demonising/dehumanising real life sex workers. Then I massively enjoyed that it was the MMC who called her out on this rhetoric.

Only for this meaty theme to be thrown aside to drive the storyline forward, by killing the individual. This could have been a genuine and very interesting exploration of that theme, instead it fell short by taking the easy way out for me.

However, I didn’t find this ruined the book nor the ending and I will absolutely be picking up the next book in this series.

A Bargain So Bloody delivers an emotional fantasy journey with a touch of romance, weaving characters whose emotions are vivid and deeply felt. The novel shines in its portrayal of personal growth, morally grey possessiveness and emotional depth, making its characters easy to connect with.

While the plot unfolds at a measured pace, it lingers where a sharper infusion of action could have elevated the tension and the storyline. Those craving fast-paced excitement might find themselves yearning for more urgency.

That said, the audiobook adaptation does an excellent job of breathing life into the story, with narrators perfectly suited to their roles, adding richness to the listening experience.

Although it doesn’t redefine the genre, it remains an atmospheric and accessible read. Perfect for when you want something immersive without demanding too much from the reader.

Thank you for this ALC via netgalley.

Thank you Netgalley, and Vasilisa Drake for e arc and audiobook!

I listened and read along to this book and it was fantastic! I loved the fmc and mmc! The narrator did a great job and I listened to this in a day.

The fmc is a prisoner who escapes with a vampire and the story only gets better from there. The chemistry is full of tension the entire book and while there is no spice, the tension between the two is present. This story has all the fun romantasy tropes, one horse, over protective murdery mmc and lots of secrets and betrayal. There is definitely a lot of miscommunication and prejudice from the mfc but it's not done poorly. It's very believable as to why the mfc has the mistrust. The ending made me feral to want the next book immediately and I can't wait to see what the author comes up with next for their story!

This was an adventure from start to finish!

We get witches, vampires, unique magic system where magic can be bought via enchanted cards, prison breaks, treasure hunts, court politics, murder mystery, betrayal AND a slow burn romance with a morally dark grey MMC who gives Mr Darcy vibes 😍

The emotional journey and thought processes that Samara goes through are so well written that you really feel like you are there with her and are part of her struggle.

I would have liked to have read more about the side characters but hopefully they will be developed more in the next book.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give us book 2 ASAP 🙏

Review: A Bargain So Bloody by Vasilisa Drake
I just finished A Bargain So Bloody by Vasilisa Drake, and wow, what a ride! I had the chance to listen to the audiobook while reading, and it elevated the entire experience. This is one of those rare books that truly sticks to its lovers-to-enemies arc, and stays there, which I found refreshing and bold. Who said vampire books were out of style? This one proves they’re very much alive (or undead?).
The author crafted such an intricate, tension-filled story that I was constantly on edge, wondering what twist was coming next. I absolutely adored it. The world building is immersive, the mystery keeps you hooked, and the pacing never drags.
The audiobook narrator, Cecily Foster, brought this story to life. Although it’s not told in dual POV, I didn’t mind at all. Everything is seen through our FMC, Samara’s, eyes, and Foster did an incredible job giving depth and personality to all the characters, especially Raphael. Her voice work was dynamic, and she nailed Raphael’s tone and presence perfectly.
The story begins with Samara, imprisoned since the age of 8, living in a grim cell where catching rats is part of her survival. She’s endured years of trauma and is just trying to stay invisible. One night, she’s told to tend to a new, badly beaten prisoner, and walks straight into the cell of a vampire. Raphael promises to take her with him if she helps him escape, and against all odds, she does.
Now, while Samara had every reason to fear Raphael, especially after her childhood experiences, I found her constant distrust a little frustrating. He consistently tried to make her feel safe, but she clung to her trauma so tightly it became a bit much for me. Especially considering the world that locked up a child and never blinked an eye. It made me question her loyalty to that homeland more than her fear of vampires.
As for Raphael? Swoon. I’m a sucker for vampires and he had me completely charmed. If he offered to turn me, I wouldn’t even hesitate.
This book has it all, adventure, magic, dark romance, vampires, witches, and even a hint of trolls. If you're craving your next addicting romantasy, this is it. Fair warning: it ends on a massive cliffhanger that had my jaw on the floor! But you won’t have to wait long, A Bargain So Bloody releases June 30th!