Scarlett St. Clair never misses!
Thank you so much and to Netgalley & Tantor audio for an ARC audiobook edition of this book, I'm obsessed! Laura Horowitz did an amazing job as Lilith, she was so engaging and her vocal range is so good!
The Hades x Persephone saga is one of my favourite series so I was so excited to start this book, it didn't disappoint! The balance between religious fantasy and an urban setting was done so well, the world building sets the series up perfectly.

The ending had me SHOCKED. Book 2 is going to be incredible.

I want Gabriel as a big brother, he and Esther were my favourites (if you know you know...).
Cherub was such a highlight for me too, she's such a sweetheart.

The pacing of the romance build up was perfect for me. Enemies-to-lovers-who-actually-cared- about-each-other-the-whole-time created so much sizzling tension. They are perfectly matched.

"I would follow you anywhere"
"I would go to war for you"
"I'm sorry I'm only now seeing you" - "I could have remained invisible to you, and my devotion to you would be unchanging"

Lilith is everything I hoped she would be. Such a strong character who's not afraid to be vulnerable with those she cares about, sassy and hilarious, stubborn and willing to fight for what she deserves. I liked that she didn't have perfect reactions to certain situations showing her humanity and makes her more realistic than your traditional "can do no wrong" FMC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feminist, Fierce, and Utterly Addictive

Terror at the Gates by Scarlett St. Clair is a stunning first entry in what promises to be a powerful and provocative series. I was completely captivated by the feminist themes throughout, especially Lilith’s unrelenting defiance. She is bold, complex, and refuses to be silenced — a true icon of strength and rebellion.

The biblical references are brilliantly reimagined, adding a rich layer of meaning and depth to the narrative. St. Clair doesn’t just rewrite mythology — she reclaims it, giving voice to characters and stories that have long been twisted by patriarchal tradition.

This book is dark, thought-provoking, and emotionally charged. It challenges, empowers, and leaves you aching for more. I need the next book immediately!

Highly recommended for anyone who loves feminist retellings, powerful female leads, and stories that break the mold.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me a copy of this audiobook.

4,5/5

Urban fantasy? Mystery? Sexy, powerful man with mafia-boss vibes? Found family? Well fleshed out FMC? Yes please!

I instantly liked the setting, the main narrator, Laura Horowitz, made the world tangible, gritty, but easy to follow. The characters felt real, and I found myself instantly attached. The second narrator, Tristan Warden, also has a very lovely, deep voice. Overall I LOVED the narration, the voices were spot on. Though it did make me smile, when Warden voiced some lines spoken by Lillith. I was so used to Horowitz, it just made me giggle a little.

I actually went into this without expectations and ended up very pleasantly surprised. I have previously read one work by the author, which I did not particularly enjoy, but I am very much looking to the continuation of this series.

One thing that felt icky to me was the development of intimacy right after a rather traumatic event. It felt like it really wasn't the right time.

I am really looking forward to the next book, I am very curious what the author has in mind.

A brand new romantasy by Scarlett St. Clair, this one follows Lilith, a woman who lives in a part of Eden dedicated to sin. When she’s buying a blade from her usual buyer and he dies, Lilth knows she needs to find help. She goes to Zahariev, head of the Zareth family, who rules the city and who runs in information. Together, the two will look into what’s happened to the city.

St Clair has been a marmite author for me before, but this book sounds fascinating and I wanted to check it out. Especially when I could request it in audio. So thanks to Sourcebooks UK for giving me access to this one!

This book grabbed my attention very early on. I was interested in this modern world that’s steeped so deeply into an old-school Judeo-Christian mythos. It’s obvious who Lilith is based on, especially with her power over lust, and I knew this book was going to be fascinating.

You mostly follow Lilith, with very short bits at the ends of chapters giving you a glimpse into Zahariev’s thoughts. In the audiobook, these were narrated by a male narrator. Though he only narrates these parts, with the female narrator doing all the characters’ voices for the majority of the book. This was still a decent book to listen to, though, and I was kept gripped but perfectly able to understand whilst just listening to the audio.

I liked the romance in this book. Lilith and Zahariev have known each other for a long time, and he is older than she. She had a teenage crush on him, but acknowledges that she’d have been too young back then. She has a lot of rage towards him, but still very much wants to sleep with him. And she eventually gets it. This book has plenty of smut in it. I wasn’t really into it, but it wasn’t badly written.

Found family was also a prominent point. Lilith has a roommate she loves, and friends that she considers siblings. There is some tragedy when it comes to both found and real family. I teared up in places, and the grief was really well written. I just wanted to hug some of the characters for sure. But there were also cute points between these friends and family members. Even if Lilith’s blood family sucked.

I got a similar feel to Crescent City 1 from this book. There are no angels or fae, but it felt similar in plot and location. The characters wouldn’t be out of place, but I don’t feel like the plot is going to get all weird like Crescent City did. So if you’re looking for more books like that, this could definitely be one for you.

I cannot wait to see where this series goes next, as this could definitely be one of those romantasy faves for 2025.

Wow, I totally wasn't ready for this book! This is my first Scarlett St. Clair read, but I can promise it won't be my last.

Scarlett really knows how to build a slow burn that’s absolutely delicious - I found myself screaming at the characters! The chemistry between them is just perfection. I even highlighted so many quotes in this! But honestly, the romance isn’t the only thing that draws you in, the plot really takes centre stage.

This book is a retelling of Lilith’s story, diving deep into the systemic oppression of religion. It’s set in a world where women are expected to be pious and obedient to men, but Lilith is a total force to be reckoned with - she refuses to conform so easily. She’s not looking for a man to save her; she wants to save herself. Lilith is fiery and rebellious, but she also has a softer side. After everything she’s been through, all she wants is to feel like she is enough.

The world building is fantastic - I was able to really immerse myself in the story whilst the author set the scene, weaving this magical world without overwhelming us like some fantasy novels can. It felt just right.

Most of the narration is from Scarlett’s point of view, but we also get some snippets of Zahariev - the head of the Zareth house, ruler of Nineveh, and Lilith, now estranged from her family, is under his protection. He’s powerful, dangerous, and would literally burn the world down for Lilith. That ‘touch her and die’ trope is just top-tier.

The characters really come alive through their interactions with side characters too. I loved seeing Lilith’s ‘found family,’ and her adorable animal companion that had me giggling with how Lilith was with her.

There’s so much packed in - political tensions, religious trauma, rebellion, and fierce feminine rage.

Laura Horowitz is phenomenal and really brought the character of Lilith alive. She really stole the show in this. The pacing was perfect and kept me fully immersed in the story. I highly recommend the audio of this.

Honestly, I don’t know how I’m going to be able to wait for the next book in this series. I’m already desperate for it!

Thank you to Tantor Audio for the advanced audiobook.

This book is unique and the definition of feminine rage. It’s a lot of world building in the beginning but around chapter 6 is where the storyline started to pull me in and I couldn’t stop reading it. It’s got amazing side characters that will have you laughing your ass off, along with great banter between the main characters. It’s a slow burn that will have you constantly asking “okay is this the moment they finally get together?!”. And the MMC is so swoon worthy as he’s the type that would burn the world down for her and extremely devoted, even though she doesn’t realize how in love he is with her. Lilith is a very strong willed, does what she wants, and doesn’t care what others think type and I loved every second of it. I really enjoyed the audiobook. However, I did not like the male narrator and would’ve been fine with the female narrator narrating the entire book but that’s just a personal preference for me and did not take away from the story whatsoever. Overall, this is a really great book that got me out of a reading slump and now I need the second book already because that cliffhanger was cruel!

I was so excited to receive my first ALC ever. In St. Clair's new series, women have magic but cannot use it without the permission of men. Lilith, the daughter of House Leviathan, is estranged from her religious mother. When a mysterious and powerful blade continues to appear, she seeks out Zahariev Zareth, the head of his family and ruler of Nineveh, a district devoted to sin, in the city of Eden. Lilith and Zahariev are members of the five governing families, but the families cannot intermingle.

The church holds immense power, and Lilith has been deemed a sinner, as she rebels and uses her lust magic to steal. Since Lilith lives in Nineveh, she is under the care of Zahariev, who protects her as a favor to her powerful father. Zahariev can no longer resist his "little love," Lilith.

The demon hunting adventure is a welcomed distraction from Esther's heartbreaking storyline. The found family trope is strong, and the side characters are amusing: Gabriel, Cassius, Coco, and the kitten, Cherub. Not only is Zahariev willing to go to war for Lilith, but he would also choose her over his city as well.

I love the amount of female rage in this retelling of Lilith's story. The patriarchal society that sacrifices heretics to remain at the top showcases the hunger for power by weaponizing faith. The Book of Splendor is the holy text that everyone abides by but has been edited by the church to control the narrative. The cliffhanger ending nicely sets up the second book. Zahariev's love for Lilith does not falter, even if she's deemed different.

Please check the trigger warnings before reading as there are mentions of different types of abuse.

5⭐️ 2🌶️ 5🎧

- MF
- Urbane Fantasy
- Feminine Rage
- Forbidden Love
- He Falls First
- Touch Her and D!e
- Found Family
- Slow Burn


Wow! What an amazing ride. I loved this book so much! It was filled with so much beautiful and powerful feminine rage! It provided the catharsis I desperately needed but didn’t expect to find.

Lilith is such a baddie fighting against an oppressive religious society that gives all the power to mediocre men despite women being the ones who weirdo magic. She sacrificed a lavish life as the daughter of one of the most powerful families in the city because she refused to be meek, conform and endure endless abuse from everyone from her mother to the Archbishop.

I loved that Lilith was flawed. She was impulsive, rash and more than a little antagonistic at times. But it only made me love her more. Especially because she loved so freely and completely, those she had chosen as her found family after being let down so thoroughly by her own.

I loved Zahariev. But what’s not to love about a tall, dark, and handsome MMC who will do anything for the FMC. He was such a stable constant in Lilith’s life providing her with unwavering support, even when she didn’t want to see it. He was so patient, waiting until she was truly ready to be with him giving us the most delicious slow burn tension.

The audiobook was fantastic. I’ve been following Laura Horowitz on social media for ages and I can’t believe this was my first time actually listening to her narrate. She did an amazing job infusing so much emotion into her portrayal of Lilith.

I loved the little snippets we got from Zahariev’s POV and Tristan Warded did so much with the little time he had making Zahariev sound so strong and passionate.

I honestly don’t know what I am going to do with myself. I am positively feral for the next book on this series.

Thank you so much to Scarlett, Bloom, and Tantor for the ARC and ALC.

This is one fabulous introduction into a dark ronantasy world! Be ready to hear a lot of Biblical references or middle Eastern lore weaved in to make a rich fantasy world.

I loved the sassy heroine, the strong but quiet but believable romantic interest, to say nothing of the slow burn that goes out with a bang or two or three... Or nine?! (how is that even humanly possible?!)

As for the final twist, that just begs for a continuation, which I'll definitely be watching out for.

Thank you RB Media and Netgalley for this ALC.

I’d read Scarlett’s grocery list honestly. I LOVED this. The tension between Lilith and Z is chefs kiss. I love that there’s a mystery subplot. The narrator is perfect for the story. She brought it to life. I can’t wait for book 2.

I would like to thank NetGalley for both the e-ARC/DRC and the audiobook version as well.

The Bible is one of the few books I will never read in entirety. However, Scarlett St. Clair has taken a book well outside of my reading preference and cultivated it into a dark, sensuous, sinful delight!

St. Clair takes a lot of known Biblical characters, geography, and cultural references and somehow uniquely crafts it into a world-building that I have not seen done since George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones.

The lead character in this new series, Lilith must traverse through the dangerous and sometimes seductive six gates in the Garden of Eden. As she does, we are introduced to characters well known from the Bible, and some newly created (I imagine, as I mentioned I have never read "The Good Book" in entirety.)

But make no mistake this is not a religious book in that regard. Far from it. There are a lot of sexual references, innuendos, and some pretty explicit sex scenes as well. While some people might enjoy the "Spice" of this book, I enjoyed the slow-burn build up to the actual sex scenes. I enjoy a good sex scene as any other reader, but I feel like two chapters back-to-back with nothing but sex was a bit overkill. I felt like by the second chapter it actually robbed the larger story of growth and depth. Some might argue with me that it's "character development", but frankly Lilith was already hyper-sexualized. Even with this opinion, I would still strongly rate this as a 5*, and I look forward to future books in this upcoming series.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. There was a lot of world building going on but still enough to move the plot along to keep me interested. Can’t wait for #2!

I am so mad that I now have to wait for book 2 🤣

I clearly didn’t think this through.

When I saw a Lilith retelling, I knew I had to read it immediately. This was everything, I absolutely inhaled it and absolutely LOVED the dark and moody vibes going on here. So much mystery and angst, spice, conspiracy vibes and secrets, and a cliffhanger… of course.

If you’re looking for something a bit on the anti religious side, maybe a little of bit of religious trauma and secretive families, misunderstood daughter and prophecies I can highly recommend you give this one a go!

I listened to the audio version and narrators did a phenomenal job, I’m seriously considering reading more from the female narrator because wow.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book as an ALC

Lilith gives you that female rage for the injustices against women we are all looking for right now. She is so strong but also has her child like tantrum moments. Lilith sees the injustices that are occurring in the districts of Eden and the oppression of women within Eden. She wants nothing to do with the system that has the families marrying off the women and that women are inferior to men. Lilith's mother is the worst, but I do think her father truly loved her. While Lilith is the daughter of one of the leading families so she is wealthy but she lives on her own without using her family's wealth.

Zahariev oh my Zahariev, this man is like the best combination of protectiveness with patience. It also helps that he is wickedly hot and tatted all over. He is 8 years older than Lilith and exudes the touch her and die energy that he backs up. I could tell almost from the beginning that he seemed to care for Lilith. He shows with his actions that he will do anything for Lilith - "I would go to war for you."

One of the deaths killed me, it was so hard to deal with that. I sobbed right along with Lilith. This book touches a lot of topics that are part of the currently climate of our world. How politics are impacted by religion and that impact on women, the essential choice of what we do with our own bodies/life. How the rich essentially control everything.

Tristan Warden (goodness that voice) and Laura Horowitz did an exceptional job at bringing this story to life. Most of the story is told from the FMC point of view but those moment of Zahariev's POV have you craving more.

I just loved this so much and I can't wait to see what happens next in book two!

4.5⭐️s rounded up.
I had heard good things before I requested the book and was thrilled when I got approved. I think that female rage is just such a great ‘trope’ at this time in my life and the world. - Also I’ve been reading so many books with animal sidekicks/ side characters lately and I’m here for all them (they totally steal the page).
The romance aspect of the book is slow-burn/ forbidden, but when it hits there is a lot of great banter (which I’m a sucker for the banter).
I’m looking forward to what the rest of the series will bring - with the romance, but also the world building, gates, secret society, and the five families drama. The audiobook was very binge-able for me and as always, I love narration by Laura Horowitz.
Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the advance audiobook. All opinions in this review are my own.

🎧 ALC Review 🎧
Terror at the Gates by
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
My Review:
Thank you so so much netgalley & Tantor Audio! For this amazing ALC!
I’m severely embarrassed to admit that I’ve never read a book by this author but own some of the Hades x Persephone saga. That being said, this was definitely a 5 freaking star book! This book had my attention within the first 5 minutes of the book! The world building was easy to follow, the characters have you starstruck . Lilith was such a beautifully written FMC. She’s so strong yet still has her flaws, it made her so much more relatable. The female narrator fit Lilith perfectly! Zahariev now this MAN! He’s absolutely perfect. Their love was so beautifully captured. I absolutely cannot wait to see how this series develops. I need book 2 asap!

FIVE FREAKING STARS! The dark fantasy romance I didn't know I needed!

From the very first page, this book gripped me with its intoxicating blend of sin-soaked neo-noir mythical undercurrents and scorching romance. Lilith, an icon of rebellion, is a whip-smart and fierce heroine who refuses to stay silent (or pious) in a world built to contain her.

It's a gritty journey complete with mafia intrigue, religious hypocrisy, and a heroine who refuses to bow down. Set the in the morally bankrupt district of Nineveh, Lilith Leviathan makes her living stealing and trading in forbidden relics, until she's thrust into the orbit of Zahariev, the Zareth family's powerful ruler.

This novel was everything I didn't realize I needed - it's dark, fierce, enthralling, and impossible to put down!

Easy 4 stars!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor audio for the ALC copy of this book!

The narration was excellent! I think both narrators fit the characters extremely well. My only issue with the narration was when they were narrating side characters they gave them weird voices, but that was easy to overlook. I did appreciate them giving the characters different voices though because it helped the story stay straight since this book had A LOT going on!!!!

This story has everything:

• Forbidden/taboo magic 🪄
• Feminine rage 🔥❤️‍🔥
• Forbidden romance ❤️
• Age gap
• Slow burn 🌶️🌶️.5/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
• Religious trauma
• Urban Fantasy
• Flirty banter
• Touch her and 💀
• Mafia vibes

Tbh there was A LOT going on in this book and it moved fast and the pacing was chaotic (in a good way), but the ending had me SCREAMING I NEED MORE 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️

Thank you to NetGalley for a free audiobook in exchange for a honest review.

3.75⭐️
Terror At the Gates was a really unique take on a story about Gods and religion. I listened to the whole thing in one sitting. The audio was so easy to get sucked into, but I did find some things lacking about the book itself. I absolutely loved the first half, but as I got further in there wasn’t much more detail for world building or the magic system. There was a plot twist at the end that eludes to getting more info in book 2, so hopefully that happens. Also, the plot speed was inconsistent. It felt more like a really long novella for some reason. (Super side note-“This is so hot” was repeated way too many times during spicy scenes). Overall, I did really enjoy the characters, the romance, and the found family aspect, so I’ll definitely read the sequel.

Of all of Scarlett St. Clair's books, this is my new favorite!

I did not expect to love this one the way that I did, but this is far and beyond her best book yet! Lilith is such a strong FMC, and I enjoyed the banter she initiated with those in this dark world around her (especially Zahariev). The romance was there but it was such a good "will they this time or won't they" slow burn til finally the match was struck.

This world was so dark, but the pacing helped it to not be suffocating like some darker romantasy books tend to feel at times with how heavy they can feel. Laura Horowitz's narration is always phenomenal, and the emotion that she brought to the role of Lilith was breathtaking. I especially enjoyed hearing her bring Lilith's sarcasm to life. Some of the more emotional scenes were so beautifully heartbreaking to hear.

Cannot WAIT for the next book in the series!