A review by hereiskyra
House of Bane and Blood by Alexis L. Menard

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting but I think I’m pleasantly surprised. Honestly, I tried and tried but I could never quite nail down the vibes in this one… I saw someone say flapper era and I definitely felt that. It felt dark and moody yet glamorous too. An heiress in beautiful jewel toned gowns surrounded by powerful and gritty. 

I liked our two main characters and that they were given some time to form chemistry and a bond before throwing them into a “relationship” of sorts. Each had their own personality that made them endearing and easy to like. 

The magic in this one is a little different than what I’ve seen so far and I really enjoyed it. I’m pretty sure this book got an entire star for the familiar tattoo alone. That was one of my favorite things. Maybe ever. 

There were times, especially the beginning, that I couldn’t really get into the story but the last half had me on the edge of my seat. And towards the ending it felt like watching an old western movie of a train heist. My brain is weird but it was a great time. 🤣

I think this story is set up to be really good moving forward. Off to buy the second one now. Also really want to watch Peaky Blinders now so thanks for that, Alexis. 🫡 

Tropes: 
Marriage of Convenience 
Rivals to Lovers 
Found Family 
Heiress FMC
Magic

Spice: 🌶️🌶️ 

Favorite quotes:

“Wanting you isn’t hard, princess. It’s all the rest that makes it diffucult.”


“You are what I want every morning when I wake, every need of my flesh, every dream when I close my eyes.”
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