So much plot that keeps you realed in wanting more but the tension between the FMC & MMC just continues to build! Twist at the end GIVE ME BOOK 2 PLZ!

Thank you Netgalley & Vasilisa Drake for allowing me to devour the audiobook ARC!

I genuinely hope booktok and bookstagram goes feral for this book and rest of the series.

Book: 5⭐️
Audio: 5⭐️

I made a journey over to #netgalley try my hand at reviews.
I've read alot of new to me authors this year and Ms. Drake joins the ranks of women authors who are not disappointing!!!!!

This is a paranormal fantasy. I listened and read this today. It's delicious.
Character development on point
Plot on point
There are no lulls in the story. Be prepared to devour this book. @cecilysexily gives every character life!

The FMC has been imprisoned since her teens. She believes she can handle the rest of her 3 years sentence and make her way to a religious organization to live her life in anonymity. Her jailer mocks her beliefs, the MMC makes her bargain and the story flows vigorously from there!

Pick this book and audio up on June 30 2025.

Meanwhile, I am already feening for the next book.

I'm very happy this was my first net galley ARC / ALC.

Those last 2 sentences!!!!! You could kinda tell it was leading up to that but damn. I wanted to know more of Samara's backstory the entire time reading this and we only get tiny glimpses. I can't wait for the next book to learn more. Raphael was an interesting character to have show up and I love his interactions with her. This book is great at sprinkling in bits of information; just enough to have you questioning and wanting to know what the heck it means.
The narration was great as well!
I'm definitely keeping this author in my TBR.

Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-Op for the Audio Arc
Overall I thought this was a good book that was a good set up for a series. I liked the magic system in this world as well. Having it so witches have powers but non-witches can use cards to use some magic was very cool and make it seem more real. I know people who couldn't use magic would pay what ever they could to use it. The book is a bit insta-love which is not my favorite. The book was a little predictable with what was going to happen but I didn't mind it. I was having fun with the story so being obvious wasn't a deal breaker. I will say there are a lot of questions and barley any of them get answers. I know it's a series but I thought we would get a few more answers for what was going on. I also don't love when characters hold onto information because they assume people will assume the worst of them. Seems like a cheap way to get the plot moving the way you want. I though Cecily Foster was a great narrator. She kept the flow and timing of the book very well! I will continue the series to see what happens!

Moody, emotional and utterly immersive.
I received A Bargain So Bloody as an audiobook ARC via NetGalley, and I was immediately pulled into its dark, slow-burning atmosphere.

This is a romantasy that leans into quiet tension, character depth, and a haunting world full of danger and hidden truths. There’s no explicit romance, but the chemistry simmers underneath every scene. The dynamic between the two main characters is built on mistrust, slow understanding, and a fragile alliance that feels earned.

As an audiobook, this story truly came alive. Cecily Foster’s narration was perfectly matched to the tone of the book – calm, expressive, and emotionally grounded. Her performance added so much nuance, especially to Samara’s emotional journey. I really appreciated how subtle yet impactful her delivery was. I’d happily listen to more audiobooks narrated by her.

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy:
– Enemies to reluctant allies
– Morally grey vampires
– No spice, but emotionally charged tension
– Forced proximity
– Slow burn romantasy
– Strong narration that enhances the story

Huge thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook early. I’m very excited to see where the series goes next.

Thank you so so much Netgalley for this ALC. This book was absolutely amazing! I was completely obsessed from the beginning! The magic in this book was so intriguing, I loved how it was done! I’m a huge fan of humans being thrown into a world with higher powered ones and in this one was no different! It was so well done, full of world building & amazing characters development!

Will most definitely be posting this on my booksta when it gets published!

Samara, or Sam, our FMC is a Human Void. Raphael, our MMC, is a vampire. They start off as enemies who utilize each other to meet their mutual goal, which, first and foremost, is escaping the prison. Sam is stuck working there to pay off a debt, and Raphael is a prisoner. After escaping, they go on an adventure where, along the way, they get very cozy. When they reach the kingdom, Sam starts to learn more about their world. The good, the bad, and the ugly. The ending leaves you with a cliffhanger that will bring you back for more- I cannot wait until the next book!
A Bargain so Bloody comes out June 30th and I promise you, you won’t be disappointed and will love the world as much as I did.
I received an ARC&ALC copy and will voluntarily leave an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Vasilisa Drake, for this opportunity

Unfortunately for A Bargain So Bloody, I think I am a little burnt out on romantasy. This has all the expected elements: a female protagonist that is young and inexperienced, meeting an older cool sexy magical male protagonist, and she just can't figure out why he is acting so nice and protective over her. Usually I'm head over feels for that, but I think I've overdone it for a while and need a break. I spent about 90% of this book hating it. But the ending was exciting, and somewhat redeeming, so I will be on lookout for additional books in the series.

The book reads pretty YA. Samara, the FMC, feels young and naive. She starts the book in prison, where we know she was treated very badly, but it doesn't seem like she learned anything from the experience. She is in constant need of saving and protecting and doesn't seem to have much of a personality. The vampire MMC is obviously in love with her, but I can't understand what he would see in her other than a damsel in distress. I could see him being into that, but he is 600 years old and has apparently just never been so taken with a woman before. Right.

The narration was pretty good, no complaints on that front.

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for this advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

Title: A Bargin So Bloody
Author: Vasilisa Drake
Narrator: Cecily Foster

The ending to this book has me in a chokehold. The build up of the story to the build up of the romance was so delectable. The pacing of the story was amazing. I was entertained the entire time. The world and magic system is so intriguing. I never felt lost to the world building. The way that we only get to see the story from one point of view is so refreshing and kept me guessing with which direction the book was going in. The epilogue was the perfect teaser for the next book. This is a 5/5 star read for me. I cant not wait till the next book is released!

Cecily Foster did an outstanding job at narrating the story. I was beyond impressed with her performance. The audio was clear and the emotion that she was able to convey was chefs kiss. It was not choppy, which I tend to find can happen with some audio books. The different dialects and voices for every side character were distinctive. Over all I do believe that her performance helped the story come to life.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Victory editing and Vasilisa Drake for allowing me to listen and review A Bargain So Bloody. I will be posting a review on Goodreads (TriciaReads), TikTok (triciareadds) and Amazon (TriciaReads).

I was so pleased with this book. As someone who mainly reads books with a lot of spice I wasn’t even disappointed with a 1.5 pepper rating because the story is just that good. It’s captivating and definitely leaves you wanting more. I can not wait for the next book in the series to be released. I’m always a big fan of vampire lore and it’s really interesting to read about different societies and kingdoms and caste type systems. I listened to this audiobook and the narrator was amazing. Very easy to understand and played both the main FMC and MMC very well so that you could differentiate the two well. The world building was enough that even without reading words on a page I knew what was happening based on the audio. Overall very well done and I would recommend to others!

This was my first vampire read since Twilight if I'm being honest. I love vampire reads but I feel as if I'm picky with my fantasy.. I don't like some topics mixing with others. (Dragons & vampires together for example) So finding a vampire book that was in my interests has always been difficult ( I'm always open to recommendations)

That being said i would like to dip my toes into vampire books more and I think this was a good place to start

I think this is a GREAT starter book for anyone looking to get into the vampire genre.

My gears were definitely grinding over a couple things.. I LOVE when author's get inspiration from other authors.. 50% of the point when it comes to the arts is inspiring one another. With that being said I also think it's equally as important to be careful when doing so.. the MMC gives her the "pet name" of "little dove" AND the fact the FMC was a "void" just left me wondering how Galantia was doing. I also wasn't a fan of him having more than one nickname for her but I honestly can't tell you why lol so that one is probably just on me being weird.. I guess I feel like maybe it disrupted the flow a little? .. I also personally wish she was in prison a little longer. only because that was a major part of what drew my attention while reading the synopsis.

I definitely feel like this book isn't for everyone.. If you're a person who likes a lot of world building & backgrounds in your story.... You're probably most definitely going to hate it here.

Overall I still think there's a really good story here & I did have a fun time. I'm definitely intrigued & invested enough to read the sequel & buy a hardcopy trophy.. I just wish there was a lot more depth .... 3.5 rounded down

After Samara teams up with a vampire to break out of the prison that's been her home for twelve years, she expects to part ways with him shortly after. But he's right when he says she won't be able to stay hidden for long, and that he can help her. So they journey together. And ooh boy, the pacing is perfect, the tension is delicious, and on top of all that the narration is great. I was SO enthralled by this book. Just absolutely sucked in, could not put it down, am impatiently waiting for the next book, absolutely obsessed. I will absolutely be going and reading Vasilia Drake's other books.

Plot- or character-driven? CharacterStrong character development? YesLoveable characters? YesDiverse cast of characters? NoFlaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5 stars

I adored this story so much. The characters well so well written in such a way that I was enthralled, I just wanted to keep reading. The FMC did annoy me a tad as i jist wanted her to gove the mmc a chance. 

I CANNOT wait for book 2!!

ALC review
This book was a pleasant surprise, I really didn't expect to like it so much but I fell in love with it! The narration was really impeccable, and the book rightfully belongs to the dark fantasy category. It hooked me from the first moment with the description of the protagonist's life in prison and the first part of the book flew by . In the second part I loved Raphael so much and I felt Samara's division and hesitation.I didn't consider the ending subversive as the author was preparing us for it but it made me beg and long for the next book!!!😭😭😭I think the book is trying to convey many messages about society, about who is good and bad, what is right and wrong, religion and the lengths we go to for acceptance and the opportunity to simply belong somewhere. I feel like Samara hasn't understood yet that what she's looking for is right in front of her and I can't wait for the moment when she will understand!! As for the magic system, it was very interesting and something different from the usual, it seemed like the author's inspiration came from another very famous dialogue with similar magic system based on cards but she made it her own with the details!



Thank you netgalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I loved this book, it was right up my alley for a fantasy book with a great mix of fantasy and romance. I was hooked straight away, this was a slow burn romance but the characters had a good connection from the start and loved the twist at the end

I love a good dark vampire romance!

Samara is a void. A human born magic-less in a kingdom of witches. At a young age she is sentenced to servitude in a prison where she is neglected and starved. She has the rare encounter with a vampire who proves to be both her salvation in her grim world but also her damnation. In attempts to find a place to start her life over she forges an alliance with the vampire and from there you will need to read the book for yourself!

I really enjoyed the audiobook edition of this story. It was ways to listen to and the pacing was well done. The intonations, and voice changes kept the story engaging and entertaining.

I really loved the dynamic between Samara and Raphael he definitely has the he falls first and hard trope going for him and with his over protectiveness is taken to the next level being a possessive vampire. Samara is really stuck with her moral compass in this book. She has these deep feelings for Raphael but also such an ingrained hate for vampires that she really just gets in the way of herself.

I really enjoyed this listen and if you love vampire romance read then I think you will too!

Thank you, Netgalley and Victory Editing for the ALC of A Bargain so Bloody!

I loved this audio just as much as I loved reading the book itself!! 😍

The audiobook Narration makes the book come alive even more!

Definitely recommend the Audio

5 Stars – Dark, Addictive, and Utterly Unputdownable

A Bargain So Bloody by Vasilisa Drake is everything I want in a romantasy: dark stakes, slow-burn tension, and a morally grey hero I couldn’t get enough of. I listened to the audiobook and was completely immersed—the narration brought the characters and atmosphere to life in the best way possible. And that ending? Absolutely jaw-dropping.

Samara’s journey is both heartbreaking and empowering. Framed for a crime she didn’t commit, she’s locked in the brutal magical prison of Castle Greymere. But instead of breaking, she finds her strength and dares the impossible: escape.

Enter Raphael—a dangerous, ancient vampire and the last creature she ever thought she'd trust. Their uneasy alliance crackles with tension, and the slow-burn romance that follows had me completely hooked. Raphael is the perfect morally grey hero: terrifying, magnetic, and completely obsessed (in the best way).

Drake’s worldbuilding is rich, the writing vivid, and the emotional stakes are high. The pacing is tight, the romance sizzles, and that final twist left me desperate for the next book.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I couldn't put it down. What a way to start a series.
It gives dark gothic vamp vibes and yet it gives protector captor vibes too. The world building was done really really good, the slow burn romance was well executed, and I liked the character development that the FMC goes through with MMCs guidance and training. The ending was a plot twist that I should have seen coming, but I'm really looking forward to the next book.
I loved the narration, the narrators did an amazing job. highly recommend it.

Firstly, thanks so much to Victory Editing and Netgalley for sending me the audio ARC of A Bargain So Bloody. This is the first audio arc I have listened to and I enjoyed the experience thoroughly. Cecily Foster did such an amazing job of bringing this story to life and I thought the audio production in general was excellent.
A Bargain So Bloody is a dark romantasy novel featuring vampires, a unique magic system and slow burn enemies to lovers. The book starts of in the grimmest way possible with the main female character Samara, undertaking some pretty grisly tasks whilst locked up in prison. It is here she meets a vampire, and her life is forever changed.
I enjoyed this story. It is similar other romantasy novels but at the same time incredibly unique. I love the way Samara starts off absolutely detesting vampires. I think vampires are so often romanticised in books. Not so in this book. Samara makes her disgust known from that start and it made the story that much more interesting.
The book also includes a unique magic system. There is excellent world building too. The author has so clearly spent a lot of time on this story and it shows. I loved all the little details sprinkled throughout, like the different gods or references to vampire war. There are also little hints dropped here and there about locations outside the main story. I thought it was all quite cleverly done.
I did think there would be a little more spice in this book. But honestly, I think it was better without it. I feel romantasy can get so often bogged down in smutty scenes which was definitely not the case with this book.
The plot itself didn’t flow all that well for me. There were some really nail-biting scenes. But there were also so, so many filler scenes in between. I did find there were a lot of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and I thought the ending was absolutely brilliant. I think fans of books like The Serpent and the Wings of Night, From Blood and Ash and Quicksilver are sure so love A Bargain so Bloody.