I devoured this book. It drew me in and kept me hooked 😍

Tropes in this book:

✨️Frenemies to Lovers
✨️He Falls First, and HARD!!
✨️Slow burn, but the tension is 🔥
✨️Mafia vibes

For our characters, first off, we have Lillith, daughter of one of the 5 families of Eden. She is stubborn and bratty, but beneath it all, she just wants to be enough for someone exactly as she is. Her family wants her to be something she's not, so she left and has been biding her time in Nineveh, one of the districts of Eden.

There we meet Zahariev, head of the family that runs Nineveh. This man is 🥵🥵🥵 it's obvious from the start that he has feelings for Lillith, but she's too blind to see it, and he refuses to act on it.

"𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁?" 𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱. "𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁," 𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱. "𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗿."
"𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂," 𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱.

The tension between these two is delicious! Zahariev's just the right amount of ruthlessness and sarcasm but also soft and protective. He deals so well with Lillith's bratty side, too!

The plot and story in the book were so well written! We have corrupt religious figures, scheming power plays between the 5 families and secrets that could end the world as they know it!

Another absolute BANGER from Scarlett. The worlds she weaves are magical and compelling from the very start. I’m so excited for this world. I am already sucked into it.

Lilith is one of my favourite characters that Scarlett has written. I love her strength and the way she isn’t afraid to go for what’s right and fuck up everything that’s wrong. She faces anyone without a care in the world and she loves her people with her whole being.

Zahariev js one of my new fave book boyfriends. You can see how much he ADORES Lilith from the very beginning but cannot do anything about it due to their families standings.

This book has great world building, beautiful friendships and amazing plot lines. It’s a must read for anyone just wanting to get into Scarlett’s work or if they want to devour anything new from her.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️



I glanced at Zahariev. "You're such a daddy."
"You only get to call me that when you behave," he said.
🥵 🥵 🥵 🥵


Zahariev is the newest entry into my book boyfriend list. Heavily tattooed mafioso who is obsessed with the FMC? Check ☑️

Lilith is a survivor of past SA (trigger warnings, babes!) and uses her ability to control men through their lust and sexual desires to survive in the seedy underbelly of Nineveh, a district in the city of Eden devoted to sin. She uses her magic to steal and sell her loot for a living.

Y’all know me well by now, so you know I’m going to insta-love a book with an animal sidekick, especially a kitty familiar— aka Cherub 🐈‍⬛

This was a fun quick read, and I do enjoy a good dark fantasy romance. This is the first book in a series from Scarlett St. Clair, so I know I’ll have plenty to look forward to in the future sequels. I did have a little issue with the pacing and the world building wasn’t as fleshed out as I would have liked, but still a solid 4 star read for me! I’m excited to see where she takes the series when the gates open!

Notable Tropes:

😈 Smash the patriarchy
😈 Commentary on organized religion
😈 Eden mythos reimagined
😈 Strong female lead/ SA Survivor
😈 Friends to Lovers
😈 Slow burn 🔥🔥🔥
😈 He falls first


Trigger Warnings: Religious fundamentalism, Past SA of a MC, Abuse of a child. Please check the full list on the author’s page!




Thank you to Sourcebooks UK for the eARC and to Tantor Audio for the ALC, and for the opportunity to read and review and give my honest opinion.

Terror at the Gates is a sizzling hot urban fantasy. We follow Lilith on a feminist retelling of the Biblical story. It’s dark, full of mysterious magic and has those Catholic roots sprinkled throughout. I loved the modern world setting and Mafia vibes bringing this story up to date. The FMC and MMC have a backstory, we don’t get much of this and come in after they have been skirting around each other for years. The forbidden element is done well creating the tension. I would say this book is mainly focused on the romance, there is a bit of a plot but this is all about feminine power and lust. I also have to mention the cat, love an animal companion and this delivered very much on that front. A very enjoyable and quick read for a romantasy binge read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

This book! This book!! It was exquisite 👌🏻 The writing was stunning, the world building was in-depth but not overwhelming and the main and side characters were just incredible. I absolutely devoured this read and was hooked from start to finish. The feminine rage, the lore, the whole thing was amazing and is definitely up there as one of my favourite reads.

Unfortunately this was a dnf for me at 25% the fmc was giving ‘I’m not like other girls’ and it was just a little too cliche for me BUT I don’t think that means other people won’t like it and I probably have a few friends I would recommend it to.

3.75 ⭐️

Things I liked:

Female rage
Lilith retelling
Slow burn
Forbidden love
Strong FMC

Things I didn’t enjoy:
Loooong chapters
Clunky smut scenes with almost juvenile dialogue during
We lost the plot for two (LONG) chapters of sheer smut
Lack of world building

Whilst I’m aware this is the first of a series I feel there could have been more developed in the plot, there are so many plot points that could have been further explored instead of spending the majority of the book on the slow burn romance.

I did enjoy this book and will pick up the next one, but I may be inclined to skip the smut scenes 😅

⋆｡°✩ ᴀʀᴄ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ ✩°｡⋆

ᴛɪᴛʟᴇ : Terror at the Gates
ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ : Scarlett St. Clare
ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ : Book 1 Blood of Lilith

Tropes:
⚬ Urban Fantasy
⚬ Religion Inspiration
⚬ Mafia Vibes
⚬ Slow Burn
⚬ Forbidden Romance
⚬ Unique Magic System

Terror at the gates follows Lilith Leviathan, Daughter of 1 of the 5 family's. She recently moved to another district, Nineveh to escape the life she had growing up. The only thing was that this was Zahariev's district. The head of one of the 5 Family's and someone who refuses Lilith's teasing. One day a buyer dyes Infront of Lilith and she has no choice but to turn to Zahariev for help.

WOAH, This book is 20/10 i LOVED it! Its been a hot minuet since i read an urban fantasy book and I'm so glad i read this one to dive back into that genre. Scarlett St. Clair did an amazing job of keeping this modern but magical without them overthrowing each other. The characters were all really well wrote and all had a depth to them that really attached to you. I love feeling connected to the characters i read about, it always makes a book so much better! Plus i really enjoyed the religious aspect of this book, normally i am a little weary of religious books, but i like how this one felt similar... but not. If that makes sense.

Lilith is B a s A s s! I love her. Her past broke my heart and i spent the whole book fighting in her corner for everything she wants! I love her determination to complete tasks and just be your average woman. Because that's what she wants, to be normal, and girl, you go for it!

Zahariev is just full of mystery, i love how at the end of the chapter you only get a little peep into his head. It really pulled me in and made me wanting more instantly. Zahariev is just s t u n n i n g, even on paper i can tell that. The way he followed Lilith round like she is the sun and air he breathes is everything. Them two together is pure fireworks and i cannot wait to dive deeper into their relationship in future books!

The magic in Terror i found was super unique. The women hold all the power but the men rule. Plus the gloopy aliens stuff!?!?! I loved that, gives you a sci fi feel and i like a sprinkle of that here and there!

I did an immersive read for Terror at the Gates with the e-book & the audio and i really enjoyed this! Laura Horowitz and Tristan Warden did a great job! Do i wish the audio was duet? yes? But i loved it non the less!

Thank you NetGalley & Sourcebooks UK for the ARC. DNF @ 70%.

"She is terror knocking at the gates" — the true terror is how deeply underwhelming and mediocre this was. I read way past the midway point and the fantasy aspect of the worldbuilding is so weakly developed. Our protagonist Lilith has magic but doesn't use it much, which granted, the in-narrative reason was that she lives in a very patriarchal society where women aren't permitted to use their powers without male supervision. But the whole point of her character is to rebel, no? Break the ceiling? The synopsis calls it a "feminist retelling" but is the feminism in the room with us or mostly in the final 30% ? Lilith rightfully calls out the sexism she faces as a woman, but she still possesses far more power and privilege as an heiress and doesn't use said privilege to uplift other women in worse conditions. She shows no inclinations in wanting to dismantle the patriarchal shackles that she and even other women face.

Maybe all that feminism takes place in the final 30%, because up till then, we're stuck with a very bland attempt in romance where Lilith acts like her goal in life is to be fucked by Male Love Interest Zahariev. I don't mind starting a story where the romantic feelings have developed and is pre-established, but even when that happens, I can usually see why the couple are in love with each other as the story goes on. Here, I don't get why Zahariev gives a damn about Lilith at all. She's constantly being stubbornly against his suggestions or offers of assistance and regularly bemoans how he won't sleep with her. Honestly, with the way she's lusting after him, it's as if Lilith likens not being able to have sex with the hot crime boss to be one of her top problems in life.

Also, I don't think I can take an Adult book seriously if it uses "boobs". Just say breasts.

An absolutely amazing read from one of my favorite authors!! This was a very highly anticipayed read for me this year and it did not disappoint!! I was sucked into the story from the first chapter!

Lately, I’ve been gravitating towards books steeped in female rage. Maybe because real life keeps handing us fresh reasons to be furious. But I digress.

As you may be able to tell, this isn’t your average romantasy. It’s a gritty Lilith re-imagining dipped in neo noir, laced with mafia politics, religious trauma, Romeo & Juliet-esque frenemies-to-lovers grimdark urban romantasy set in a fantasy patriarchal world. Yep, that sounds like a lot but for me, the vibes were immaculate.

But beneath the aesthetic, Scarlett St. Clair gives us a mirror that reflects double standards, institutional gaslighting and hypocrisy and the habit of branding women as “too difficult” when they dare to defy. The world of Terror at the Gates is fictional but if it starts feeling a bit too real life/Gilead for comfort, that’s probably the point.

I must admit, I went into this knowing very little about Lilith beyond the vague “Adam’s first wife who got demonised for being difficult” lore. A quick rabbit hole later, I learned there are multiple origin stories, but the most enduring is that Lilith was created from the same earth as Adam, refused to be beneath him, literally and symbolically, and for that, she was exiled and rewritten as a monster. Misogyny, ancient edition.

(Or maybe she simply walked out of Eden and never looked back.)

St. Clair leans hard into this. Her Lilith isn’t here to be subservient, she’s here to be difficult, to desire, to resist. It's not an empowerment arc with rainbows and butterflies. It’s dark, raw, occasionally nihilistic.

In this fantastical patriarchal world, women inherit magic through bloodlines, but men gatekeep it and get to wield it. Marriage is strategic and transactional. You may notice some characters have internalised misogyny. This is a book that is heavy on fantasy theology and religious trauma, but before you get your knickers in a knot, this isn’t anti-faith or religion.

I interpreted it as a critique of how religion gets twisted and how power-hungry institutions and figures of authority have weaponised doctrine to climb to power and enforce control. If that makes you uncomfortable, or if you’re not ready to see religion, religious books/texts and teachings examined as a tool of oppression, this one probably isn’t for you.

Now, if you're here for the romantasy part, good news. Possibly one of my favourite pairings of the year so far. The slow-burn frenemies to lovers tension between Lilith and Zahariev is toe-curling and when the spice finally kicks in, you may need a bucket of ice. Prepare thyself.

There’s also a sweet found family subplot, a sapphic bestie and an adorable animal companion who adds just enough softness and cuteness.

That said, this isn’t a light read. There are pretty graphic content warnings to be mindful of so please be aware and read with care. (*TWs included at the bottom of this review).

If I have one quibble, it’s that I wanted more from the magic system. The concept of power being siphoned from women by the men they’re forced to marry could have been richer but it felt underexplored. Hopefully we see that dynamic bleed deeper into the story’s tension and conflict in the sequel.

If you like extremely dark grimdark romantasy where the yearning yearns, the patriarchy gets called out and the heroine refuses to be palatable, this one’s for you.

P.S. Read it before someone tries to ban it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Sourcebooks UK for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

*Trigger warnings: Off-page child SA specifically by an authority figure in the church (NO on-page sexual assault), child abuse and emotional abuse by a parent and authority figure in the church, religious trauma, pregnancy and birth-related body horror, toxic family dynamics, death of a loved one, misogyny, sexual harassment, violence, murder, swearing.

3.5 stars

As a fan of St. Clair’s earlier work, this fell a bit flat for me. The story was very interesting, but I had a hard time getting invested in the main characters, especially their dynamic together. I found myself easily distracted while reading until the last 15%..

A gritty and dark retelling of the story of Lillith. I loved this take on the story of Eden, angels and Lillith. Lilliths story of battling the oppression and misogyny created by the church is cleverly written and dark.

Enemies to Lovers and the slow burn but when it burned it burned romance was everything. The banter between the two of them also bought some laughter to the story.

That ending though I need the next book now.

Strong courageous female lead with a as equal as strong and passionate male partner in crime. A true power couple built on respect and admiration. Fantastic book. The plot action build up everything just so well done. Loved it.

4.5 🌟
Gosh this was so good everybody needs to add to your TBR asap I devoured romantasy. I couldn’t put this down, it was a little slow going at first but that was just getting used to the world building but once it started I couldn’t put it down. I am obsessed with a strong female lead with rage.

This is a dual pov book but with only small amounts of the MMC Zahariev’s thoughts but that worked so well. Seeing how obsessed and devoted he was to Lilith over the span of many many years. He was the epitome of “touch her and die” which was phenomenal. He was SO hot! Also what does a girl have to do to be called “little love”? 🥹😭

I loved Liliths character she was relatable in a way I didn’t expect, she was escaping from a terrible family and just wanted love and acceptance for who she was not what she represented in their religion. She was sassy and bratty but not in a “im a silly little rich girl” way.

The slow burn was worth the wait for sure, I honestly could have read this story without the love aspect but once they collided it was worth every moment. I was giddy along with our girl Lilith when she got the man.

The ending really took me by surprise but in the best way! I was apprehensive and suspicious of characters expecting a turn of deception but the ending was so well written. I cannot wait to read the next book and find out more!! However please read all triggers warnings before starting as this does touch on some darker areas and religion.

Thank you so much to Scarlett St. Clair and Source Books for sending me this eARC!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC and the ALC for this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think I am going to DNF this book at this stage... I am 60% through but I have been reading this book for just over a month and I just don't care enough about the characters and the storyline to invest myself into this. I really wanted to like this book. I have been super excited about it since it was first announced and I tried swapping formats but nothing really helped me to enjoy this book.

The chapters are so long, the male narrator kinda annoyed me. Lillith was so lustful over the mmc who she is 'not allowed to be with' due to stupid sexiest rules. I just kept finding myself getting bored and any time I would go to listen to it I just felt like it dragged.

On the other hand, I really like Laura as the female narrator. I have listened to a few of her narrations now and she is always really good! The FMC works hard to make it on her own after leaving her wealthy family and the corruption behind; however, the MMC always comes in to clean up her messes so I feel like she never has to own up to anything.

I think my favourite parts were the moments we got to see the side characters, specifically Coco and Cassius. Overall, I am sure lots of people will love this book but right now for me I am going to put it down.

Touch of Darkness was one of those books that got me back to reading, and showed me what romantasy can be. Hot romance, with complex plot, mixed with mythology. Absolutely my cup of tea. So the chance to read this book before release, was amazing!

Going in, I already knew this would be perfect for me. Strong female main character, with her own opinions, capable of surviving on her own. And a hot a bit mysterious man, who is absolutely head over heels for her.

I loved how fast paced this book was, and I didn't even realise this book was almost 500 pages. I was completely hooked from the first pages. I loved Lilith so much, and she was absolutely my favourite character. Zahariev was the perfect romantic interest, and the tension between these two was absolutely delicious. I enjoyed their banter so much! The side characters were also perfect and I can't wait to read more about them in the future books!

the plot was fast paced and kept my interest trough out the book, and even though some of the questions got answered at the end, I have so many questions what will happen next!

all in all, I enjoyed this one very much, and Im very excited to continue the series.

A new offering from Scarlett St Clair, and somewhat based on biblical mythology with Lilith? It was an immediate sign up for me.
On the whole, I enjoyed it. I wanted to keep reading, there was plenty of action, and I loved the rage and rebellion from Lilith. The romance with Zahariev was somewhat predictable, but realistically, what I expect from romantasy. Since Lilith was such a rebellious and strong-willed character, it would have been nice to see more independence from her. I thought the way she was working through her grief and trauma was handled nicely, but it often seemed like Zahariev was her saviour when I was hoping for more of an equal partnership. Appreciate this is only the first book though, so we may see some more character development from both of them.
Gabriel, Cassius and Coco seemed like great characters and I hope we spend more time with them in future books, seeing them developed a little more.

The world building was a little lacking for me, which is what dropped my rating a bit. It wasn't until around halfway through that I felt I had a good picture of how this society worked, and how the difference groupings worked together. This might have been helped somewhat by a city map (though perhaps there will be one when released?), giving a clearer picture of how the gates linked the various districts together into a hierarchy. I'm getting Crescent City sort of vibes, and I'm not sure that's accurate for the city structure. And still, having reached the end, I can't quite picture how the gate from Lilith's dreams corresponds with the church and baptism pool from the finale.

I always feel very lucky to be granted requested arcs, so as usual, thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks and Scarlett St Clair for the chance to read ahead of release.

I won't hesitate to pick up book 2 - I want to see what comes next for Lilith now that her true nature has been awoken, and what that means for the city and its religion, but I definitely don't feel like I have a clear picture of what has happened so far. I'll need another read for sure.

I've not read any books by this author before, but I definitely need to buy them now. This was a brilliant retelling of the story of Lilith from Jewish + Mesopotamian mythology. I wasn't familiar with her story but I now want to know more.

Terror At The Gates tells a story of a girl, born into one of the most important families, who just wants to be free from the shackles of her parents, men and the church. She has magic she isn't allowed to use, her's specifically comes from men's desire. The world is ruled by a religion enforced by men made powerful by women. As the story develops we learn just how much men took and still take from women. This is written exceptionally, Scarlett has a way with words that invokes such a strong reaction. It is full of rage, lust, power and rebellion. I couldn't stop reading. Books that feature female rage are some of my favourite to read. In all honesty I fear the women in this book were not angry enough, like I said, the reaction this book brought up in me was insane.

The plot was thoroughly entertaining and the romance was intense and hot. I absolutely loved Zahariev. Respectful, attractive and not afraid of Lilith's power. Although talking about that could set me off on another tangent about how we shouldn't be praising men for doing the bare minimum of respecting women, but that isn't the point of my review. Anyway.. their chemistry was powerful, I loved them together. I do think it could've come a little earlier in the story, but their constant banter and flirting was a great build up.

I have two reasons this wasn't five stars for me. The first being that I am not used to books being so vulgar in language. Yes I have read spicy books, but in this one I felt some of the language was so out there to what I am used to. I felt I had to read parts again to take in what was happening. It took me off track a little bit, but that was only really a problem at the beginning. The second is that, with the influx of information and myself not knowing the story of Lilith, I got confused easily. I often had to go back and just make sure I understood correctly. At the end I was very lost, I didn't know if I had read too fast and not taken the right thing from it, but it just felt a little rushed. I couldn't stop thinking about it after and what it all meant/what I missed.

Overall this was a great book, I highly recommend picking this book when it releases. This feminist retelling packed a hell of a punch, telling a story so many women relate to. I am super grateful to SourceFire Books and NetGalley for the ARC copy.

I have to admit I came into Terror At The Gates with some hesitation. After DNF'ing Scarlett's Hades x Persephone series, I wasn't sure what to expect from this new world but wanted to give it a go as there were lots of things I had enjoyed in the previous series. Despite my doubts, I found myself pulled in deep and cannot wait for the next book.
There is a LOT going on in this book - an urban city split into regions, each of which is ran by a different cartel-like family, a heavily religious backdrop, layered magics and all sorts - at first, I struggled trying to piece it all together. Eventually I just stopped trying to understand it and let myself fall into the fantasy and enjoyed the ride. In this mayhem of a world, there's some wonderful characters, tender found family and exciting mafia-style goings on, all with an overarching mysterious prophecy lurking.

What really had me was the relationship between Lilith and Zahariex. The tension, flirtation, slow burning forbidden friends to lovers - all deliciously done. Their connection had a perfect combination of tenderness and heat. That said, I do wish it had all been drawn out a little longer - once things became physical, it felt the narrative lost it's footing, the pacing faltered, and let's be real - who's fucking in the middle of all of what's going on around them? But still, I love them, I loved it. I can't wait for round 2.

All in all, the book has left me intrigued, with the darkly complex and unique world, and I'm so curious to see what's coming next in the story. Cannot wait for my physical copy with page overlays to arrive!

Thank you Sourcebooks UK for this ARC read <3