Oh my God. That freaking cliffhanger at the end of this audiobook!!!!??? This audiobook is 100% 4.5 stars in my opinion. The storyline was so intriguing, the almost Romeo and Juliette-esq vibe was there. This was such a pleasure to listen to and escape for a while. I wish I had book two because the way the story is going has me so excited to keep reading. I did not think it was gonna end the way that it did. I’m so thankful I got to listen to an early copy of this book because I enjoyed it that much and would recommend 100%. Also of note, this is a single narration, but Desiree Ketchum does a phenomenal job that I didn’t have an issue with it not being dual or duet narration🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

Okay but this book ate.

The opening line alone had me feral: “I will disguise myself as the vampire’s bride. I will win over his family. And then I will murder every last one of them.” Like. YES?? Inject that directly into my veins.

Nadi is a ruthless little shapeshifting fae on a revenge mission, and I loved every second of her stabbing, scheming, morally grey chaos. She pretends to be a sacrificial bride to get close to Raziel, the vampire mafia prince who murdered her family, and it’s everything you want it to be, dark, sharp, and tense in all the best ways.

And Raziel?? Yeah okay I see the vision. Red eyes, deadly smile, calling her little monster in a voice that could ruin lives. Sir. Please relax. (But also don’t.)

Their chemistry is just chef’s kiss. It's a true enemies-to-lovers situation, not just some light bickering, we’re talking “I have a dagger to your throat but I’m also kinda into it” levels. And somehow it still manages to have emotional depth? I was stressed, horny, and emotionally compromised by the end.

Bonus points for the mafia vampire family politics, the ritual sacrifice subplot, and the fact that Nadi is just out here running circles around everyone like the feral little queen she is. The ending had me on edgeCree I need book two immediately.

If you liked The Serpent and the Wings of Night or Haunting Adeline, this will be your next obsession.

This book slapped and now I’m angry because I didn’t read the description and didn’t realize it wasn’t a standalone. I don’t want to wait for the next one. 😭

Nadi and Raziel are both delightfully stabby heathens who are an absolute match made in heaven (hell?). And this is maybe a weird opinion, but I feel like the book had major yaoi vibes? I felt like I was reading an enemies to lovers, sold to a crime family, revenge-centric manhwa. The hidden identity, forced marriage, ritual sacrifice… I would eat up a webtoon of this. It’s nice when characters have a lot of nuance and are both kind of villains.

Nadi is a shape-shifting fae assassin out for revenge against the vampire family responsible for brutally murdering her entire family in front of her as a child. She takes the place of a naive human girl from a farm town who is being forced to marry and then be sacrificed by the very same vampire who did the actual killing. Nadi has countless opportunities to kill Raziel, but delays to try to be able to take as many of them out as possible since she knows he isn’t the real problem - his family is. And the two have instant insane sexual chemistry.

Raziel was prepared for his human bride to be nothing more than a weepy human burden to kill in a ritual sacrifice and is shocked when she is so much more; she’s feisty, a bit vicious, sexy, and quickly becoming his obsession. Raziel no longer wants to get rid of her quickly, but his family gives him no say in the matter.

As the day of the sacrifice approaches, Nadi has to decide her path forward; when and how will she enact her revenge? Does she even still want to kill him? And does Raziel truly plan to kill her?

4 stars

~

In an act of revenge, Nadi, an aquatic shapeshifting Fae, disguises herself as a vampire’s soon to be human bride, Monica. There she aims to kill and destroy the powerful Nostrom family just as her new husband, Raziel, had done to her own family decades prior. As she navigates their world, Nadi has to think and move quickly if wants to complete her plans before her death as the vampire’s bride is used to send a message. But what happens when Nadi finally accepts her feelings for Raziel and the dangerous tension brewing between them? Will she be able to kill him first or will her emotions put her life at risk?

The prologue is a great introduction to the story, because it gets you hooked into the story and brings to mind questions that you know will be answered further on in the story. I enjoyed the banter between both characters and the fact that despite their differences they were similar at their core. Both were assassins and they thought quite similarly. The book only had a few spicy scenes and the characters were very respectful of each others’ boundaries. There was a plot twist at the end that I hadn’t expected and can’t wait to see what happens in the second book after being left on a cliffhanger. One thing I did want to note is that, despite this book being labeled as a dark romance, I found it to be quite tame and on the lighter side of the spectrum.

The narrator was absolutely amazing. There was a range of voices for the different characters, so it was easy to differentiate between them, and the way she vocalized their emotions was a ten out of ten. I didn’t get bored or annoyed of her voice, which I truly appreciated. I look forward to listening to more of her work!


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook arc.

Oh, my sweet, sweet bookish friends! 📖✨ I’ve just been utterly swept away into a gothic fairytale with a blade-sharp edge, and I'm still trying to find my way back! 💖 If you ever wondered what happens when a heart of ice meets a predator's fire, then you must add "The Serpent's Bride" to your list! 🌙🔥

Our story unfolds with a breathtaking promise: a girl, a fierce, determined ghost of her former self, enters a vampire's lair cloaked as a bride. But her wedding gown hides more than a fragile heart; it conceals a blade, a burning desire for revenge against the creatures who stole everything. 🗡️🥀 Her mission is as simple as it is savage: to slaughter every last one of them. 💀

Her target? The formidable Prince Raziel Nostrom, a name that echoes with power and dread. He is the heart of a vicious mafia family, a creature of shadows and ruthlessness. 🧛‍♀️🖤 But when she stands before him, she finds not just a monster, but a captivating darkness with a smile that could undo her and ruby-red eyes that seem to see the truth she holds so close to her chest. 💔

Their shared space becomes a dangerous ballroom of whispered tension, where every touch is a lie and every glance is a battle. She came to destroy him, but now she fears her own heart might be her undoing. 💘 As her deadly plan nears its climax, she faces the most terrifying truth of all: the venom of his love is a far greater threat than his fangs. 🤫

This is a full-length, dark romantasy that will consume you whole! A love story wrapped in a horror movie, perfect for those who crave a romance where the 'enemies' truly are... well, lethal. It’s a beautifully brutal waltz of revenge and desire that will leave you breathless. ✨

This book pulled me in pretty quickly. The world with vampires, fae, and humans was really interesting, and it felt like there was a lot of backstory we only got hints of. I definitely wanted more of that. The tension between the groups added some depth, but it could have been explored more.

It’s labeled as enemies to lovers, but that doesn’t totally fit. Only one of them actually knows they’re enemies for most of the book, so it didn’t really feel like a true enemies-to-lovers dynamic. That said, I liked both main characters. They felt real, with actual flaws and complexity, which I appreciated.

The FMC’s inner thoughts did get a bit repetitive. Some of the same lines showed up multiple times, which made a few parts drag. It didn’t ruin the story, but it did take me out of it here and there.

Even with that, the ending really got my attention. It gave me just enough to make me want to see where things go next. So overall, I’d give this one 3.5 stars. It’s not a new favorite, but it was enjoyable and I’ll probably check out the sequel.

I didn’t love the book, but I didn’t hate it! The premise and first 45% of the book had me hooked/was promising! The rest of the book felt repetitive for me.

Easy world building and easy to follow! Perfect if you’re in a book slump and want a book that’s not too heavy! Although it wasn’t my favorite, I liked it and think if you’re interested it’s worth checking out!

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I went into this one blindly, and I have to say, I was glad about that. The genre of fantasy and romantasy is a bit oversaturated at this moment, and I feel like it is getting harder and harder to distinguish between books and explore a truly original idea. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t land for me. It wasn’t really memorable, and I am very sad to say this, but if I didn’t listen to this, I would probably struggle finishing this.
Nadi was an interesting character, although I didn’t really believe her motives and found her easily distracted. Raziel was a fine specimen, honestly he carried this book for me. But thats it, I didn’t really notice the characters developing in any major way throughout the story line which was unfortunate.

However, I have to say, everytime I read about vampires I am left with this sort of grand and glamorous feeling, probably due to the innevitable gothic, eerie and royal atmosphere they carry themselves in - which I always enjoy.

Therefore, I don’t consider this book as a bad one, just a bit..bland? This book definitely has an audience and the ending accounted for the .25 stars. Maybe if I were in a better headspace for it, my rating would be different.

Goodreads rating: 3.25 stars

I would rate this book 3.5/4 stars. It was a good time. I enjoyed the vampire/fae mafia type vibes. With the audiobook and the e-book, I read together for an immersive experience. It did not have plot heavy world building, so if you are looking for more of that, this would not be the book for you. It had some spice. The ending really peaked my interest for book two. With the audiobook I enjoyed the female voices, but the male voices were off. It didn’t match up well and fell flat for me. Other than that this was a good book!

4.5 Stars

“I will disguise myself as the vampire’s bride. I will win over his family. And then I will murder every last one of them.”
…And that’s how you know you’re in for a good time.

This book had me from the very first line. The Narrator was amazing!

The Serpent’s Bride is a dark, intoxicating mix of revenge, forbidden desire, and enemies to lovers that feels like The Godfather crashed into The Vampire Diaries and sprinkled in a little From Blood and Ash chaos for good measure.

Our FMC has spent her entire life training for one thing: to destroy Raziel Nostrom, the ruthless mafia prince responsible for her parents’ deaths. When she hears he’s set to marry a stranger, she slips into the role of the bride, a perfect disguise to get close, infiltrate, and kill them all. Easy, right?

Except… Raziel is a problem. A big, ruby-eyed, deadly, magnetic problem. He’s every bit as dangerous as she imagined, but he’s also charming in a way that makes it impossible to breathe around him. And the closer she gets to his family, the more blurred the line between vengeance and desire becomes.

I devoured this in a sitting! It’s lush with mafia glamour, dripping with tension, and full of razor sharp moments where love and hate intertwine.

The chemistry? Electric.
The stakes? Sky high. And yes, the spice delivers exactly what the cover promises.

If you’re a fan of true enemies to lovers (none of that mild rivalry nonsense), arranged/marriage of convenience tropes, and vampires with a dangerous edge, this one will sink its fangs right into you.

My only complaint? I need book two immediately.

The premise of this book hooked me from the start – disguising herself as his bride, Nadi infiltrates the Nostrom family. The Nostroms are vampires, all with their own unique abilities, and her new husband, Raziel, is the worst of them all. He murdered her family, and she is here for one thing only – revenge.

Or… Is she?

Imagine your whole family being wiped out by a single man in a gruesome manner. You dedicate your life to his demise, plan to get to know him only to rip everything away from him, including his life.

And then… You just… fall in love? Well, can you even call it love? Romance is dead in this story, and only lust is in the room with us. Nadi and Raziel are attracted to each other, dangerously so. And right from the get-go, that challenges Nadi’s convictions. She makes some strange and, to me, infuriating decisions to keep up the charade, leading to unavoidable consequences.

There was much I enjoyed about this story – I was curious how she would execute her plan, if she would execute it. The pacing is quick and the stakes are high. The fact that this is the first book in a series shows that this is not the end for these characters, and the ending had me wanting to just be able to pick up a sequel straight away. I am intrigued to see where this goes, and how their enemies-to-lovers journey will end, and who will and won’t be alive at the end of it.

I’d recommend checking this one out if you are into dark romances, fantasy, and enemies-to-lovers!

This book ended up being a fun little surprise - it didn’t go quite how I expected, but in a good way. The female main character is intense, super vengeful, and kind of awesome. She’s got a lot of fire, but somehow manages not to be annoying, which I really appreciated.

The male lead? I liked him, but I wish there’d been a bit more to him. He felt a little underdeveloped compared to her.

The ending has a cliffhanger, but it’s not the kind that’ll have you yelling or throwing the book across the room. It just leaves you curious enough to want to pick up the next one.

Thank you to Kathryn Ann Kingsley and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to an ARC of this book. I've been a huge fan of her work for years now, and I've been really looking forward to this book being out.

Tropes
Vampire mafia boss + shapeshifting Fae assassin
Enemies to lovers
Hidden identity
Arranged marriage
That plot twist at the end!!

No one writes morally black, irredeemable MMCs quite like Kathryn Ann Kingsley! Readers who are familiar with her work will probably agree this book is consistent with her other works. When I say I devoured this book, I mean I listened to it over the course of one day. I absolutely loved it!!! The plot is fast paced, was easy to get into, and does not have very complex world building. I definitely would appreciate a bit more world building, but it wasn't a deal breaker. Raziel is exactly what I expected from a ruthless vampire mafia boss. Nadi is a strong FMC with a vengeful streak, which makes her a good match with Raziel, and I can't wait to see what happens next for them. My only complaint is there wasn't as much spice as I expected, especially compared with her previous books. Again, not a deal breaker, but maybe that'll improve with book 2. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Audio narration
I'm usually fairly picky when it comes to book narrators and often times, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the narration for this book. The narrator did a great job differentiating the voices, and I was able to easily get into the story. I will definitely purchase a copy for myself on Audible will pick up the audiobook for the next two in the series as well. Though I am hoping we'll get special edition hardcovers or paperback so I can have pretty physical copies as well.

I liked the idea of this but there is almost no world building. We don’t get a lot of character creation either.

The FMC is just too perfect in every way that makes it unbearable to read and try to like her. It has potential but the FMC is just not likable, unfortunately.

A very well written story, great world building, captivating plot & fascinating characters. Highlighted by the great narration.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ALC.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC of the audiobook in exchange for my review!

This is my first time reading anything from this author but I am hooked! I find that often in dark romance the characters lose all of their personality and direction when they begin a romantic relationship, however, this book beat that trope and I am so relieved. I enjoyed that while the characters softened throughout the book they continued to fight for what they were interested in from the beginning, especially the FMC.

I am interested in learning more about the universe Kathryn has created and the different politics and innerworkings of the fae/vampires and their clans. I will definitely be reading the next book after that cliffhanger!!

Audiobook
The narration was amazing and I found the speaking to be very clear and quickly pulled me into the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for this ALC. All opinions are my own.

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!

This romantasy novel, was wild. I really liked the characters, the banter and their dynamics. The novel is really fast-paced, addictive and the ending is shocking and brutal! I just need book two asap! If I had the time I would have read this one in one go, that's how much I loved it.

This was an interesting novel from the start, a badass fae shapeshifter, Nadi, posing as a human bride to kill the vampire who killed her family and the whole vampire family. The problem is, Raziel Nostrom, the vampire mafia prince in question is too attractive to be kill at the very first chance.
This isn’t the most world-building heavy story, but it makes up for it with morally grey characters, engaging dynamics, and lots of spice.

The audiobook narration was amazing, and it really added a lot to the story. This is the first book I've read by the author but now I'm really looking forward to read more of them.

That cliffhanger had me screaming! I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

He’s a vampire mafia prince who murdered her whole family

She’s a shape shifting fae who decided to marry him in order to kill him and his whole family.

The twist at the end is fantastic. I am hooked and can’t wait for the next one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Water fae Nadi shape-shifts into the sacrificial bride of her greatest enemy, the vampire Raziel, to exact revenge for his murder of her family. The premise was intriguing from the beginning and hooked me quickly.

The world building and politics were woven into the story well without being completely overwhelming which was refreshing in a fantasy story like this. Spreading that information out made it easier to focus on the relationship between Nadi and Raziel. And those two are completely deranged. Morally grey doesn’t really apply to either of them. They are both quite black, leaving piles of bodies in their wake. So of course, they are perfect for each other.

There was way too much discussion about when and how people would die. And it was strange that such a competent assassin didn’t have a more concrete plan going into the job she’d spent her whole life preparing for.

Desireé Ketchum did an excellent job with the narration. She made the FMC sound sweet and innocent in her dialogue with other characters but full of sass and snark in her inner dialogue. Her male voices were excellent as well. It was a very fun listen.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but I wanted more. More redeeming qualities to explain the mutual attraction, more spice, and more answers. But the cliffhanger was quite the shock and enough to leave me eager to read book 2!

Thanks to Kathryn Ann Kingsley, Bookouture Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an ALC, which allowed me to listen the book and voluntarily provide an unbiased review.

A shape shifting fae who marries her enemy vampire just to get revenge? Count me in!

WOW, I devoured this audiobook!! From the beginning of the book, I was intrigued by all the details. The world building was great, I didn't feel overwhelmed or dumped with so many details/info where I was lost. All the little details in this book was lovely to read.

I loved both Nadi and Raziel's characters. First off, their names are so beautiful. The relationship between these 2 were so refreshing, not your usual good girl bad guy situation. They were both bad in their own ways, just cutthroat, but I loved it. I have to say, it was amazing to see Nadi as such a strong, independent, manipilative, and brilliant character. We need more characters like her. Can we talk about the tension?!?! OMG the tension between the 2 was something else, I needed more of them.

🎧 Audiobook:
The audiobook was fantastic!! Narrator did a great job, and I honestly didn't hate her male voices, lol. Highly recommend the audiobook.

❤️What I liked:
• Dark romance
• Vampires & fae
• Both main characters are cutthroat. There is no sunshine here
• Storyline was pretty great
• Absolutely adored the relationship between Nafi and Raziel, I need more of them
• The ending...
• Truly enjoyed seeing Nadi's pov as both human and fae

💔What I didn't like:
• I wanted to see more of Nadi and Raziel's relationship develop
• the ending.... If you read this, you know what I mean.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ALC in exchange of my honest review.