You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
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:
Complicated
AHHHHH. I loved it.
She's dangerous, she's mysterious, she's sexy af. She's... your roommate?
I loved the way we jump right into the story - there is no warm up period, it's just happening. We are given the information we need about the. cultural context of vampires, but no mass info dump, which I really liked. The setting is perfect; the cold, lonely, misty Scottish highlands, home to a thousand-year-old school for vampires - it had me hooked. The plot was just perfect; Rebecca, a vampire hunter driven by revenge, is sent to a vampire boarding school which is admitting human students for the first time, to search for a long lost book. The tension between Rebecca and her new roommate is quickly apparent, but what kind of tension is it? As the story goes on, some people's motives become clear while others' are hazier than ever.
I found the characters interesting, although I think my only single point of improvement is that I wished we knew more about them as people.
I was really happy to see that there wasn't a (view spoiler)between the FMCs, and I loved that we saw both the hard and soft sides of them both.
Annie Summerlee's writing was immersive, one of those books where I was so absorbed in the text that I forgot I was reading at all. I can't wait to see the hype when this comes out because I'm so sure it will be a hit.
She's dangerous, she's mysterious, she's sexy af. She's... your roommate?
I loved the way we jump right into the story - there is no warm up period, it's just happening. We are given the information we need about the. cultural context of vampires, but no mass info dump, which I really liked. The setting is perfect; the cold, lonely, misty Scottish highlands, home to a thousand-year-old school for vampires - it had me hooked. The plot was just perfect; Rebecca, a vampire hunter driven by revenge, is sent to a vampire boarding school which is admitting human students for the first time, to search for a long lost book. The tension between Rebecca and her new roommate is quickly apparent, but what kind of tension is it? As the story goes on, some people's motives become clear while others' are hazier than ever.
I found the characters interesting, although I think my only single point of improvement is that I wished we knew more about them as people.
I was really happy to see that there wasn't a (view spoiler)between the FMCs, and I loved that we saw both the hard and soft sides of them both.
Annie Summerlee's writing was immersive, one of those books where I was so absorbed in the text that I forgot I was reading at all. I can't wait to see the hype when this comes out because I'm so sure it will be a hit.
This book is amazing!! From the second I started I was captivated into the story and the characters. I read this in 2 sittings and in between all I could think about was reading more! The story follows a vampire hunter, Rebecca, who is sent undercover at a vampire academy in Scotland (As a Scottish gal I loved this). She then finds out her roommate is a vampire, Astra, which causes it's problems, mostly the growing attraction for her. This is so easy to read and captivates from start to finish with twists and turns you won't see coming, everything you think you know... you don't!
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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:
No
If you are a fan of any of the following this may be the book for you, Enemies to lovers, slow burn, dark academia, sapphic vampire romance. I love the setting of this book. The campus is filled with tunnels and libraries, a maze and hunting cabin? It really adds to the story. I love the characters Rebecca is a vampire hunter. She lost her parents to vampires and she is seeking vengeance. As much as I liked Rebecca the other characters steal the show. Aliz is a vampire from in the oldest most powerful families. She has a way with women. Rebecca and Aliz have chemistry right from the star. Julia is an artist vampire with sight. Elia is Aliza’s current love interest. I’m not sure which is my favorite. They are all so interesting and dynamic.i also love the vampire culture. Vampires from different cultures are susceptible to different things based on the myths of that region. So some vampires cannot go out in the sun and some can based on where they are from. Same for silver and garlic. I think it's an interesting way to tie in the different cultures and beliefs because they do differ. I love the slow burn of the relationship between Rebecca and Aliz they have some steamy scenes and I’m excited to see where their relationship goes. All this to say I was a fan of the book and I plan on continuing the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for providing me this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore for providing me this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I received the ARC from NetGallery!
Right from the start, the voice pulled me in. I don't usually read first person POV, but many of them tend to have a magnetic quality to the voice, and TBOBAR certainly does, compelling me to keep reading (pun very much intended).
This review may contain minor spoilers.
>
>
>
>
*buffer zone* you have been warned
>
>
>
>
Let's start with our MC. I am drawn to tragic characters that are rough around the edges, especially when there is a hurt/comfort arc. She is broken. She doesn't trust easily. We are introduced to her present and past--neither of which is sunshine and rainbow--pretty early on. The author leaves just enough clues in the backstory, which I believed hints at the fact that we have an unreliable narrator at hand. All these little mysteries, encompassed by the overarching mystery, pulled me along. And let me tell you, the reveal is so satisfying.
The world-building is clever. The book really puts a lot of thoughts into creating a vampire-friendly environment, incorporating modern technology. The campus layout is an interesting juxtaposition of the modern, human-dominated world and the ancient, grim history of vampiredom. It also makes me want to visit Inverness, Scotland to escape heat.
Now, here comes one of my favourite parts: the romance. Aliz is a woman to die for. A walking contradiction. Their relationship is filled with tension from the start. Antagonistic, for sure. I was at the edge of my seat, expecting every scene with them both to end in bloodshed. Well... it technically does. Every confrontation or exchange left my heart racing, my finger reaching for the next page. The buildup is brilliantly done. The painful yearning. Top tier.
I am dedicating another paragraph for the side characters. There are some that I never thought I would grow to love. Then there are also those who I hated vehemently, praying for their downfall (in one case, I still hate them. I will stay tuned for the sequel so I get to watch them meet their end).
I guess this is the end of my review! Thank you NetGallery for the ARC. I will be purchasing a copy when it is released!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Blood
Okay, sapphic vampires was not something I knew I needed, BUT I DID. I had so much fun with this one! The concept immediately hooked me: a vampire hunter going undercover at a vampire university? Sounds like a good time to me.
It’s the first year humans are allowed in, and Rebecca, our hunter turned student, is on a mission to track down a deadly book that could wipe out vampires. What follows is an entertaining, well paced mix of dark academia, forbidden romance, and political vampire drama.
The world building was super compelling without ever feeling overwhelming, and I flew through the book in just a couple sittings. It’s bingeable in the best way. I loved how sharp and cinematic everything felt, from the ancient school halls to the magical societies hiding secrets behind every turn. I could see this turning into a movie or a show because it reminded me of like a queer version of Twilight and I think it would do really well on screen.
And the tension between Rebecca and Aliz? Whew. I could feel it leap off the page. You get that classic enemies to something much more dynamic, and it’s executed so well. Their chemistry is undeniable, and watching their relationship shift was easily one of my favorite parts of the story.
Whether you’re a dark academia fan, a lover of queer vampire romances, or just in the mood for a story with teeth (literally and figuratively), this is definitely worth checking out. I’m already impatient for book two.
Thanks to NetGalley, Annie Summerlee, and Del Rey for the eARC of this book.
It’s the first year humans are allowed in, and Rebecca, our hunter turned student, is on a mission to track down a deadly book that could wipe out vampires. What follows is an entertaining, well paced mix of dark academia, forbidden romance, and political vampire drama.
The world building was super compelling without ever feeling overwhelming, and I flew through the book in just a couple sittings. It’s bingeable in the best way. I loved how sharp and cinematic everything felt, from the ancient school halls to the magical societies hiding secrets behind every turn. I could see this turning into a movie or a show because it reminded me of like a queer version of Twilight and I think it would do really well on screen.
And the tension between Rebecca and Aliz? Whew. I could feel it leap off the page. You get that classic enemies to something much more dynamic, and it’s executed so well. Their chemistry is undeniable, and watching their relationship shift was easily one of my favorite parts of the story.
Whether you’re a dark academia fan, a lover of queer vampire romances, or just in the mood for a story with teeth (literally and figuratively), this is definitely worth checking out. I’m already impatient for book two.
Thanks to NetGalley, Annie Summerlee, and Del Rey for the eARC of this book.
i’m cured. my skin is clear. my crops are flourishing. nature is healing. lesbian vampires i love you!!!
this hit on everything i’d want to see when it comes to vampires — if you’re someone who’s still mourning the cancellation of first kill like i am, this hits that exact same sweet spot. the vampire x vampire hunter romance is just as delicious, and this one promises to actually deliver a second book to finish the story! i really loved the world building in this one — vampires have been done so many times that it can be hard to touch on something new, but i thought the concept of vampires’ abilities changing based on the cultural beliefs of their place of origin is such a cool concept. i hope to see that explored more in book 2, because it’s a fascinating idea! i also loved the intricacy of vampiric society, from the council to the callisto hunters and more. annie summerlee did a fantastic job carving out a unique spot in a heavily covered genre.
something small that means a lot to me is that both rebecca/cassie and aliz say that they’re lesbians on page. i still never take it for granted when i get to have that moment in any form of media, so to get that experience with three different characters in this book was amazing!! i sincerely recommend picking this up in the new year when it’s published!
thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to like this because hello, sapphic vampire romantasy, but unfortunately it was just okay. It was unserious but not enough so to be properly fun; instead it was just this awkward level that made it hard to buy into the story. (The main character had this special type of blood that made every vampire in her vicinity thirst after her.) I probably won't read book two.
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes