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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
“A feral smile curled over my lips…”
A Bargain So Bloody sinks its teeth into you from the start—a dark fantasy full of rich world-building, deep-rooted grudges, and slow-burning tension that never quite lets go.
Mortal enemies are forced into an uneasy alliance. From mortal enemies, to allies, to reluctant lovers to- well read and find out! The magic system is layered and well-explained, with witches, vampires, and more playing distinct roles in a fractured world.
Overall, A Bargain So Bloody is a dark, addictive fantasy full of layered history, high-stakes magic, and emotional tension that never quite lets up. It’s the kind of story that leaves scars—in the best way—and I’ll be first in line if a sequel drops!
If you’re into high-stakes magic, enemies with history, and stories that leave a little blood on your hands, this one’s worth the pre-order.
4/5 ✨
A Bargain So Bloody sinks its teeth into you from the start—a dark fantasy full of rich world-building, deep-rooted grudges, and slow-burning tension that never quite lets go.
Mortal enemies are forced into an uneasy alliance. From mortal enemies, to allies, to reluctant lovers to- well read and find out! The magic system is layered and well-explained, with witches, vampires, and more playing distinct roles in a fractured world.
Overall, A Bargain So Bloody is a dark, addictive fantasy full of layered history, high-stakes magic, and emotional tension that never quite lets up. It’s the kind of story that leaves scars—in the best way—and I’ll be first in line if a sequel drops!
If you’re into high-stakes magic, enemies with history, and stories that leave a little blood on your hands, this one’s worth the pre-order.
4/5 ✨
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I was really excited to read this book and I think the story has a potential and I would consider reading the next book in the series.
Some things that I enjoyed:
- The magical system where you have vampires, witches, and non-magical people who can use magic-infused cards for charms. This was very interesting, it reminds me a little bit of One Dark Window but the cards have a different use.
- Thea and Demos - the side characters. I really enjoyed them when they were first introduced, they had a huge potential to help lead the FMC. However, I feel like they faded into background later in the book. I would like to see them more involved in the story.
- The main character is a woman and SHE HAS HER PERIOD! It is so rare to see this in the fantasy books. I am a woman and I know that periods suck, but it is part of being human so it was only natural that the FMC gets them, too.
Some things I didn’t like:
- Basically, anything else about the FMC. I just don’t feel like I got to know her very deeply to help me connect with her. I would like to read more about her emotions and inner motivations. What I got from the story was quite superficial. She started to get a bit interesting when she had a big reaction to something or when she got drunk. Otherwise, she was quite bland. And she spent 12 years serving in a prison and was still acting like a proper lady? I found that not believable.
Overall, I give the book 2.75⭐️
I was really excited to read this book and I think the story has a potential and I would consider reading the next book in the series.
Some things that I enjoyed:
- The magical system where you have vampires, witches, and non-magical people who can use magic-infused cards for charms. This was very interesting, it reminds me a little bit of One Dark Window but the cards have a different use.
- Thea and Demos - the side characters. I really enjoyed them when they were first introduced, they had a huge potential to help lead the FMC. However, I feel like they faded into background later in the book. I would like to see them more involved in the story.
- The main character is a woman and SHE HAS HER PERIOD! It is so rare to see this in the fantasy books. I am a woman and I know that periods suck, but it is part of being human so it was only natural that the FMC gets them, too.
Some things I didn’t like:
- Basically, anything else about the FMC. I just don’t feel like I got to know her very deeply to help me connect with her. I would like to read more about her emotions and inner motivations. What I got from the story was quite superficial. She started to get a bit interesting when she had a big reaction to something or when she got drunk. Otherwise, she was quite bland. And she spent 12 years serving in a prison and was still acting like a proper lady? I found that not believable.
Overall, I give the book 2.75⭐️
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book drew me in from the beginning and held me captive til the last page where it completely wrecked me! Wow! Vasilisa Drake delivered a fascinating story that will keep you up late into the night!
Sam lives in a world with witches and vampires. She has no magic and the world has not been kind to her at all. She finds herself in an alliance with a very unlikely ally and you will just have to read it for yourself to see what happens. The events that unfold are chaotic and will have you wanting more!
I’m dying for book 2!!
Sam lives in a world with witches and vampires. She has no magic and the world has not been kind to her at all. She finds herself in an alliance with a very unlikely ally and you will just have to read it for yourself to see what happens. The events that unfold are chaotic and will have you wanting more!
I’m dying for book 2!!
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was lucky enough to get both the eARC and the ALC of this book, (many thanks NetGalley and Victory) and I had a GREAT time with both. I opted for the immersive experience of combining the two and I’m glad I did. The narrator did such a great job and found her so easy to listen to, helped keep me immersed in the story.
I was hooked on this from the start, our FMC Samara has a history that hasn’t yet been fully revealed on page but there’s enough hints to guess, and I know the reveal is going to be amazing when it all comes out. She goes through so much growth over the course of the first book and I cannot WAIT to see what happens in the second.
We’ve got a deliciously morally gray Vampire MMC who after convincing Samara to release him in exchange for her freedom will burn the world just to see her safe. The cliffhanger at the end has me impatient for the second book and I’m about to go DEVOUR everything Vasilisa has already written - can see some
New favourite stories on the horizon.
I can not wait for book 2. This book left me with so many questions it was a great read i could not put down
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This was a fun, easy read. I enjoyed the magic system and LOVED the MMC, a morally grey vampire whose life motto is essentially “touch her and die.”
This is a slow burn with no spice in this book. While there isn’t as much tension or yearning as I personally prefer in slow burns, I’m hopeful we’ll get more of that in future installments. I would not classify this as a true “enemies to allies/lovers” trope, as the two main characters aren’t actually enemies. Their species are considered mortal enemies, and the FMC loathes vampires, but the FMC and MMC themselves are not enemies.
I was able to predict quite a few things throughout the story, but there were still some surprises, and I appreciate that not everything was answered in this book. Be mindful that the book description is a bit misleading—it suggests that the characters are imprisoned and need to escape, but the time they actually spend in prison is minimal. The escape happens within the first 30 pages, which I wasn’t expecting. Even though the story doesn’t focus heavily on the prison aspect, I really enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the next one.
If you love “touch her and die” vibes, forced proximity, morally grey men, witches, and vampires—this is the book for you!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
A Bargain So Bloody delivered immersive worldbuilding, solid storytelling, and just the right amount of angsty banter to keep me hooked even if I did clock most of the plot twists early.
The slow burn is painfully slow (zero spice!), but the tension still kept me flipping pages.
Finished it in two nights with minimal sleep and zero regrets. Team Raphael all the way—sorry, not sorry Samara.
A Bargain So Bloody delivered immersive worldbuilding, solid storytelling, and just the right amount of angsty banter to keep me hooked even if I did clock most of the plot twists early.
The slow burn is painfully slow (zero spice!), but the tension still kept me flipping pages.
Finished it in two nights with minimal sleep and zero regrets. Team Raphael all the way—sorry, not sorry Samara.
Thank you for the opportunity to be an early listener with a free ALC copy ❤️
First of all, this narrator was great. I always prepare myself to cringe when it's single narration, but she did a better job than some of the dual narration books I've listened too.
Classic vampires plus modern romantasy? Sign me up.
I loved the blend of those two elements. Add in dark vibes and high stakes relationships and secrets. This book had it all.
I enjoyed the story, characters, and the dark world. I found the plot to be just a touch too generic.
If you're craving a darker vibes vampire romantasy, then this is the book for you.
First of all, this narrator was great. I always prepare myself to cringe when it's single narration, but she did a better job than some of the dual narration books I've listened too.
Classic vampires plus modern romantasy? Sign me up.
I loved the blend of those two elements. Add in dark vibes and high stakes relationships and secrets. This book had it all.
I enjoyed the story, characters, and the dark world. I found the plot to be just a touch too generic.
If you're craving a darker vibes vampire romantasy, then this is the book for you.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh My 🫠🤯😵💫 Vasilisa! What in the world was that ending! I need more, like YESTERDAY! (but really, take your time, your mental health is more important than my impatience 😊)
A Bargain So Bloody by Vasilla Drake has everything anyone needs in a SUPER slow burn Romantasy.
🩸Vampires
🩸Dark Fantasy
🩸Slow Burn
🩸Touch her and ☠️
🩸Mine
🩸Unique Magic System (which sets this book apart)
Read the trigger warnings before going into this book please. To me, there wasn't anything too triggering. But everyone is different 🥰
A Bargain So Bloody by Vasilla Drake has everything anyone needs in a SUPER slow burn Romantasy.
🩸Vampires
🩸Dark Fantasy
🩸Slow Burn
🩸Touch her and ☠️
🩸Mine
🩸Unique Magic System (which sets this book apart)
Read the trigger warnings before going into this book please. To me, there wasn't anything too triggering. But everyone is different 🥰
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes