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

Wow. WOW
First of all, love a good urban fantasy! The world was simple but super interesting at the same time.
Female rage - yes please! In a world where women are submitted to men and the church, Lilith is rebelling, and we’re here for it!
The chemistry with Zhariev is IMMACULATE, the yearning, the slow burn, perfectly executed!
I loved all the mythology elements weaved into the modern world!
I can’t wait to read more!!!

Read this. That is my advice. This was a great start to a new series.

Lilith is one of the most relatable characters I’ve ever read about. While she does come from a rich family, she’s tired of the pressure that society has laid upon her. So she leaves Home goes to a different district tries the car about a life for herself. However, her past and family are very reluctant to let her go.

Zahariev, head of the Zareth family and ruler of Nineveh. Where Lilith is residing is a dream. You can really feel his affection for Lilith. And his willingness to stand next to her not in front of her is just a small piece that makes his irresistible. Their chemistry burns so bright.

This book does cover some heavy topics so make sure you read the triggers. It also has some great twist and turns. I need the next book ASAP please.

Thank you to Netgalley, Scarlett St.Clair and Sourcebooks for the ARC

The premise of this sounded fantastic, and I adore the cover - it really drew me in.
Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I massively struggled to get into it and felt like I had no idea what was going on (which potentially says more about me than the book, which I accept!).
This was a DNF for me.

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks UK for the ARC via NetGalley and for giving me the opportunity to share my honest thoughts on this book.

I’m—very pleasantly surprised by this book? It’s not my first Scarlet St Clair book, I read the first installment of her fairytale inspired series a while back and thought it was ok, if maybe just a bit too steamy. However, her Touch of Darkness series is so infamous in France for being bad smut (to the point that my boyfriend’s colleagues have read it for shits and giggles), I was a tad wary going into this one. And while it did have smut, it also had a plot—I know, shocker. And a pretty good one at that. The most interesting aspect of this book to me was the religious aspect of it and the society St Clair built around it: it participated in creating the very peculiar atmosphere of this story, which for some reason gave me CW tv show vibes. Basically if Shadowhunters and Crescent City had a baby, it would be this, with some religious trauma sprinkled on top. I liked the almost mystery plot with a dash of supernatural, it was both intriguing and fun to follow along. Same with the characters, the sort of found family that was introduced here truly worked well in my opinion, and some of the events unfolding here absolutely broke my heart for those characters.
I’ll definitely keep reading that series because it’s original, cool, and promising, so I 100% recommend it!

I’m not one easily made speechless but Scarlett St Claire freaking did it with her new book Terror at the Gates. Scarlett expertly integrates real world topics and downfalls of our society.

I feel the true test to how amazing a book is is how it makes you feel. If it can insight big emotions then it’s truly a masterpiece. This book is full of love, found family, feeling of unworthiness, loss and finally acceptance however the biggest emotion for me was anger.
This book follows Lilith, a young woman who goes against the ideas of society. In a world which is so similar to ours in some aspects. Here Scarlett describes a world which is split into several districts and where religion is the main source of political power. A world who kills people who don’t follow their “ideals” and who speak up against them.

Lillith being the child of one of the head families in this mafia style tale has always been rebellious even as a child, which the archbishop has tried to tame through both physical, mental and sexual assaults.

Finally escaping to another district where the head of the family, Zaharieve, only a few years older than her governs. Here she learns independence however a common theme throughout is that women are worthless. Who are unable to choose who they marry, ask for birth control or even order their own food! That women can have no power and are only there to serve men despite the women of these families being the only ones with actual magic.

The church twisted and demonised women as being the source of temptation and the downfall of men due to the tale of Adam and Eve. However… not all men felt this way especially not our lovely Zaharieve and his friends.

This world that has been created, is mirrored in our history and, in some cases, our present day. I know that this book must have been hard to write as the topics covered were heavy and sadly still affecting people. I just hope that the book can inspire more people, women and men to continue to evolve. To encourage children to be the best version of themselves. To treat people with kindness and equality. Because when that day happens the world will be a much better place.

When Lilith is cast out by her powerful family, she seeks sanctuary in the hedonistic, dangerous city of Eden. With only her wits and raw magic, she scrapes by—until a mysterious, breathtaking blade changes everything..

The moment a buyer dies inspecting it, Lilith is swept into the path of Zahariev—a dangerously enigmatic man she shouldn’t want but can’t seem to resist. He is ahead of a competiting family, and if they are together war will ensue. He is trying hard to do right by her, but has all the touch her and die vibes we love ❤️.
Their investigation into the dagger's 🗡 origins unravels a chilling truth: higher powers are willing to kill to keep their secrets buried. Twisting magic, sizzling banter, and slow-burn romance keep the pages flying. The mystery is rich, the world-building immersive—and that cliffhanger? Absolutely brutal in the best way.

If you love morally gray characters, forbidden loves, high tension, and unraveling conspiracies drenched in magic, this one will hook you—and haunt you until the next book.

This book 📖 is great as an immersive read!
4.5 🌟 or more for sure!!

Terror at the Gates is perfect for fans of mafia-type books, urban fantasy, strong patriarchy-crushing female leads and yearning men.

Lilith, born into a rich powerful family with ties to the church, lives in a run-down town after running from where she was raised. We’re introduced to Zahariev, a family friend sworn to protect her, who Lilith turns to for help whenever she gets in over her head. After finding a mysterious dagger, everything around Lilith falls apart and she begins encountering unusual (and heartbreaking) situations and experiencing dreams that make her question everything she was raised to believe in.

The pacing of this book was perfect, with enough intrigue to keep me turning the pages but also plenty of character development, detail and backstory. Whilst Lilith’s character initially appeared bratty and entitled, she grew on me soon after her backstory was revealed and her motives became apparent. I felt very emotionally attached to her and also to the dark and level-headed Zahariev. The tension and yearning between the two kept me so invested, I could barely peel myself away from this book.

St Clair does an absolutely brilliant yet sensitive job at raising themes of corruption within the church and perceptions of women by these religions and by society generally. The unique magic system really draws on this and highlights attitudes towards women which echo very familiarly to the real world. She includes a short piece at the end of the book to explain the religious themes, misogyny and her inspiration behind Lilith backed up by various sources to give further context behind the book. It’s clear her writing comes from a very passionate and thoughtful place which has only made me more intrigued to read the rest of her work.

The ending of this book is my only slightly negative criticism, as it did feel a little rushed. I’m left not really understanding what happened and with lots of unanswered questions - I presume though that this will form part of a series that will give further detail. Whilst I think the cliffhanger ending was gripping and unpredictable, I do wish the events leading up to it were given a bit more time and explanation to make it even more impactful.

Overall, a well-written and brilliantly paced book that will stick with me for a long time. Scarlett St. Clair - Please give us the sequel soon! I could scream!

Thank you to Netgalley and sourcebooks for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Terror at the Gates is an urban fantasy full of demons, mythology, and religious tension, following Lilith as she carves out her power in a world determined to control her. If you like your fantasy with a touch of spice and a slow-burning romance, this might be one to check out.

There’s a lot I liked about this book. I liked the dual POV format (even if the MMC's chapters were very short), and I had fun with the dynamic between Lilith and Zahariev. Especially the teasing and the nickname “little love” which made me smile every time. I wouldn’t say the romance gave me “he falls first” or "frenemies to lovers" energy because it’s clear from early on that they’re drawn to each other.
Having said that, their relationship is definitely the heart of the story. It felt like the plot was mostly built around them.

The pacing was a bit uneven for me. It felt slow at times, and some parts dragged, especially with Lilith repeatedly getting into danger and having to be saved by the MMC.
I wish the world building had gone deeper, too, because the glimpses we got were intriguing. There’s clearly a larger world at play here, but it felt like we only scratched the surface. I'm curious to see if this will be expanded in the coming books. 

I have to say the ending felt a little sudden. I finished the book feeling like there was a lot I still didn’t fully understand about the world they live in.

That said, it was an easy read for me, and I still enjoyed it. It didn’t quite hit the mark for a four-star read, but it’s more than a three. Perhaps I would rate this as 3.5 stars.

I am still looking forward to the next book and seeing where the story goes next!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Terror at the Gates by Scarlett St. Clair is a first person dual-POV romantic dark fantasy reimagining of the story of Lilith. In an alternative reality, Lilith is a member of the Five Families and her future involves becoming a magical siphon for a husband chosen for her by her father and approved by the archbishop. Two years before the story started, Lilith ran from her family and has come under the protection of Zahariev who runs the city of Nineveh.

A major thread throughout the book is the impact of sexual assault committed by a religious figure. We don’t see what happened, but we know that it did and that Lilith’s mother didn’t protect her and her father has never asked why Lilith left. There are several short scenes where Lilith is touched without her permission by other people and Zahariev does deal with it for her. It is important for us to discuss this topic and that survivors of assault can still be sexual and want to have intimate physical relationships with people while still dealing with their trauma.

The world feels very Catholic to me, personally. That is probably because I was raised Catholic, though I imagine people raised in other faiths might see similar things. Given the continued revelations of what has happened at the hands of the clergy, the parallels are impossible to ignore. I have long come to terms with this reality and I hope we keep getting art that refuses to ignore that institutions can and do hide heinous crimes against children. Because of this, the setting and the themes might feel very intense for some readers and I do recommend all readers exercise self-care when picking this book up.

There is a lot of sexual tension between Lilith and Zahariev that takes a while to get pay-off. Lilith is very open about the fact that she wants to sleep with Zahariev and everyone seems to know that Zahariev wants her, too, but he’s the one who’s holding back because he knows that there is a very high chance she’s going to end up married to someone else. The devotion is there from the beginning and if you love characters getting super close to finally giving in and then pushing back, this could satisfy you.

Content warning for depictions of sexual assault

I would recommend this to fans of dark fantasy with strong romance plotlines and readers looking for a fantasy exploring the impact of SA

This was such a nice surprise. This book had not even been on my radar, but a Lilith-inspired angry female character going up against the church? Sign me right up.

I enjoyed listening to this book a whole lot, maybe even more than I have reading it because I loved the narrators’ voices. It had a serious noir vibe paired with urban fantasy setting and the pacing felt right for this universe. Even though I got sucked in right from the beginning, I didn’t get overly attached to some of the secondary characters, but came to love others as the story progressed.
Lilith’s resistance to the patriarchal world she was brought up in made her an independent character with the kind of flaws I can’t help but adore. She was not the perfect character, but who even likes perfect characters anymore?
Now let me tell you about the romance. It was hot. There was tension, banter, frustration and it all culminated in the best way. I couldn’t get enough of it.
The only thing I didn’t like was the fact that Zahariev always had to rescue Lilith in this book. It really got tiring to read about any situation turning out the same way every time. Although, to be fair, I’m expecting this will change in the second book. That ending made me want to dive into the sequel right away, so I’ll have to wait patiently until the author does her magic again.

I was very intrigued by the premise, but was left wanting more from the story. I did hybrid read with the audiobook and physical copy, and can say the narration was excellent.

Terror at the Gates will 100% find its audience - unfortunately, it was just not quite me.

“I’d rather be a sinner than a hypocrite.”

Thank you to Sourcebooks UK, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced electronic reader and listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

*always take care of yourself and check content warnings before reading.

ARC and ALC review

4,5 stars

"Terror at the Gates" by Scarlett St. Clair is the first book in "Blood of Lilith" series.

Thank you Sourcebooks UK for the advance review copy and Tantor Audio for the advance listener copy (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

I read a few other books written by Scarlett St. Clair, but this is my favorite by far.
Lilith is a great character, a strong woman using her magic to steal for a living.

If you have the possibility I would recommend listening to the audiobook while reading as it is a great experience.
Laura Horowitz is an amazing narrator. The book is narrated in dual style, but the most part of the chapters are from Lilith's POV.
She managed to keep me interested in the story and can narrate great both female and male characters.
The end of the chapters are from Zahariev's POV and are narrated by Tristan Warden.
This is the first time I listen to his narration. His voice fits Zahariev's personality and kept me hooked.

The book is a well written, feminist retelling of Lilith's story with magic, mystery, morally gray characters and religious trauma.
Please be aware of the content warnings (SA, violence, descriptive sexual content, child abuse) before reading.

I love both main characters and their interactions.
There is forbidden romance with a slow burn full of tension that turns into hot spice.
Zahariev is a bit older (8 years) and does anything to protect her.
Lilith has a great development as a character but she has a lot of trauma to deal with.

I'm looking forward to the sequel and I hope the audio will have the same narrators.

3 ✨

🐍🗡️🪽🧪
I'm not quite sure on how to rate this but I will go for the safest option of the 3 stars.
Now listen to me, it's not like it was not good but personally I didn't enjoy it either.

The 𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 was a bit confusing to me as it intertwined lots of fantasy elements from sci-fi slime "monsters" to archangels, gods and ancient daggers. It's safe to say it's an urban fantasy but with classical fantasy elements. To me it had some "filler" chapters especially in the beginning where we saw the FMC going to her friends and just chat with them for 1 chapter straight and then there was a continuation of some events, like the fact that she always faced some kind of danger in the streets and Zahariev (the MMC) always came to the rescue. This happened 2 times maybe 3. So I feel like there was a pacing issue. Also what with super long chapters? I don't get this at all, some chapters on the audiobook was 50'!!!

The 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 were ok, nothing to go crazy about, I liked the fierceness of the FMC and her backstory with the religious trauma and the SA but at times I felt she was literally a "brat" as Zahariev called her. Our MMC was the super hot, super composed but "melt only for you" kinda guy who just smoke on EVERY goddamn occasion AND chapter 🙄🙄 I don't also get the fact that we had just a small paragraph for Zahariev, I mean, may as well not have his POV at all at this point 🤷🏻‍♀️
Another thing I want to comment here is the choice for the male narrator cause I feel his voice made Zahariev sound 50 yo and not 30 and this was giving me the iyk.

I'm not sure If I want to continue the series but maybe it wasn't also my cup of tea!

𝐀 𝐡𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐋𝐂 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰.

I need the rest of this like now.

As a lover of Touch of Darkness series I have never ran faster than when I heard Scarlett was bringing us a new neo-fantasy.
Good and Evil, Heaven and Hell, Angels and Demons. Slow burn romance with Boss Daddy and strong powerful , magic wielding, FMC. Yes please I’ll take 10 to go.
The cover is beautifully crafted art and really helps me to visual the dark murky streets of Niveneh, picture steaming manhole covers, neon lights above bars, and seedy characters loitering the streets once the sun goes down.
The forbidden romance, SLOW burn is chefs kiss and I need more Zahariev in my life.
Seriously I can’t wait to finish this series and watch Lilith rise to her full potentional.