Vampire book renaissance, baby!

A dark Gothic vampire story reminiscent of Castlevania, Court of the Undying Seasons follows the orphan Fin who gets selected at the Finding to go to the seat of the vampires' power, the Courtsheart, and train to become a vampire herself. Fin goes along willingly with one goal: to avenge her mother who was taken by the vampires years ago. At the Courtsheart, vampire novices are trained in the arts of all four courts: shapeshifting, seduction, fighting, and history. If they fail their classes, they get turned into thralls, and live in eternal servitude to the vampires. If they pass, they become a vampire apprentice and join the Courts. Soon after Fin joins, she gets selected by the mysterious Black Court and her new Maker Gavron. Soon, Fin is conflicted by her growing feelings for Gavron and her new friends, and her desire to get revenge. Matters complicate even more when human Foundlings are murdered one by one and Fin might be next.

After previously reading A. M. Strickland's In The Ravenous Dark and not enjoying it, I was unsure about this book. But this just goes to show that it pays off to give author's a second chance. I absolutely loved this book! Strickland hooked me with a dark, atmospheric beginning and a fresh take on the vampire and magic school tropes. The expansive lore around the vampire Courts was fascinating and reminded me of the Netflix show Castlevania which I love. I also appreciated the nods to other classic vampire works such as Interview with the Vampire and Dracula that were peppered throughout the story.

While the romance wasn't for me, I loved all the side characters, especially Gavron's ex Kashire, and Fin's friend Marai. Kashire made it to my all-time favorite characters, he was so dramatic and fun, I couldn't help but laugh every time he was on page. The book was also shock full of queer representation which warmed my heart. Fin's friend Marai is sapphic, there is a genderfluid character, multiple pansexual characters and Fin is a demigirl.

One thing A. M. Strickland does well is write a main character that is flawed and makes mistakes and gets called out for it. The beginning of the book was maybe a bit info-dumpy but still really enjoyable if you are a fan of classic vampire stories. Despite Fin being frustratingly narrow minded at times, the murder mystery aspect was also well done. There were quite a few plot twists that had made shook and the romance was very heated, especially for a YA book. I wasn't completely on board with the ending and found the reveal of the killer a bit convoluted. Yet overall, the book was a lot of fun and incredibly atmospheric.

To summarise, a really entertaining read which I gave 4/5 stars. I recommend it to fans of Netflix's Castlevania and Rin Chupeco's Silver Under Nightfall.

The concept was really cool, but the execution just didn't do it for me. I struggled to get through this book, which shouldn't have been the case considering it was pretty action-packed and intense, with lots of vampires and mysteries happening. There was just something about it that didn't quite make sense to me - the character's motivations seemed to be all over the place, the worldbuilding was confusing, and I just couldn't connect to the story. I didn't enjoy the romance - it felt very unbelievable and there was no chemistry. The love interest was honestly a really horrible person - even if it turned out at the end that the events occurring weren't entirely under his control, he was never held accountable in any way. There were characters coming in and out of the story all of a sudden, in a very jarring manner, and there was just so much that just didn't make sense. This story needed some serious development in the worldbuilding (and also should definitely be classed as Adult, not YA)

TW: blood drinking (both voluntary and forced), violence, gore, death, murder, child abuse and neglect, mind/body control, consent issues, uneven relationship dynamics, substance use, mild gender dysphoria, mild body horror.

Court of the Undying Seasons is a dark novel where every year humans, or foundlings, are sent as tribute to a vampire school where to study and succeed in becoming vampires.

We follow Fin's story as she volunteers to go in someone else's stead. Fin is torn between finding her lost mother and the power she will gain once she becomes a vampire. Throughout the book we see Fin struggle with her humanity, and what she must become in order to survive. If she fails, she will become a human thrall, someone who's been compelled to do the vampire's bidding, with no autonomy.

A.M. Strickland knows how to write compelling stories that keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a story that can easily keep you reading 24 hours straight. The world is complex with the vampire hierarchy and rules, as well as the complexity in Fin's feelings and decision making.

As a big fan of Strickland's writing, I am anxiously waiting for a series to come to light. Their skill in writing compelling plot is remarkable but I want more character development from the main and side characters. I think this is the biggest thing missing from this novel.

Overall, it's a dark story for the paranormal/ fantastical readers. I would highly recommend.

I've absolutely LOVED A.M. Strickland's previous books, and I thought the concept of this one was SO cool. A vampire school? Sign me UP.

But unfortunately, this really didn't work for me. I felt like it was taking itself super seriously, when I want a vampire novel to be more camp and FUN. And while it was dark, I felt like we barely got to know any of the characters, so it wasn't really hitting because I didn't care that much. I was missing quite a lot of emotional depth and complexity.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

The vibe of this book is very much Vampire Harry Potter mixed with the Scholomance. Except a lot more diversity in identities, which is great!

This book was good but there were some major sticking points for me. The biggest being that Fin is maybe the worst detective ever. She is insanely blind and it's really unclear to me if this is purposefully a flaw or just subpar writing. She has massive suspicion for Kashire with literally no evidence, which makes her seem like a jealous jerk. If it's a twist, there has to be a reason other than "I don't like him" for her to suspect him, and if she's an obtuse character, you have to show us recognition and growth, but the second Kashire is absolved she moves to assuming Claudia's guilt in a moment. It's incredibly frustrating to witness.

Gavron's anger at her and Marai's frustration are completely justified and it makes me think Fin is just a bad friend and a dense dummy. Which makes the book way less fun.

The Gavron reveal on the other hand was great! Really confusing, shocking, and an interesting twist.

Although this book is a good fun and has delightful and diverse representation, it is let down by a very oblivious lead character who should literally never do any detecting ever again. Three stars.

🩸Court of the Undying Seasons🩸

By A M Strickland

Description:
When Fin takes her secret love's place in the village's Finding, she's whisked away to Castle Courtsheart, a notorious vampire school, where human students either become powerful vampires or spend the rest of their lives as lowly human thralls... if they survive long enough, that is.

But Fin has no intention of becoming a vampire. Instead, she's determined to learn how to kill vampires and avenge her mother, who was taken by the vampires years ago. But Courtsheart is as captivating as it is deadly, and Fin is quickly swept up in her new world and its inhabitants - particularly Gavron, her handsome and hostile vampire maker, whose blood is nothing short of intoxicating.

As she uncovers a string of murders, Fin discovers a deadly ritual that threatens both vampires and humans. She must find the killer before she loses her life or betrays her heart. Get ready for a thrilling journey into a world of vampires, power, and danger!

🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸

I requested this one randomly on @netgalley as I had seen a couple of good reviews. I’m not massively keen on this cover but I like a good vampire book so I have it a try.

I found it a really fun, easy read and I enjoyed the vampire school aspect.

I did find the main character Fin a bit frustrating at times. She’s very impulsive and fixed in her views, and even in the face of evidence to the contrary, clings on to these, which did bug me a bit.

Other than that though, it was an enjoyable read, with a fun cast of characters and a plot that moved along nicely.

I will definitely be going back for the next book.

Thanks to @netgalley and @hodderbooks books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Court of the Undying Seasons is out now.

Once again, A.M. Strickland delivers. I found this story to be wholly dark and delicious. While vampire stories have been done a gazillion times, this story managed to make it fresh and original. The characters were well thought out, and I found myself rooting for them. Can heartily recommend this!

When vampires come to Fin’s village to choose someone to turn into one of them, Fin makes sure she’s the one who gets chosen. This way she can make sure the girl she’s secretly in love with will be safe, and she can use this as an opportunity to learn how to kill vampires so she can avenge her mother. She’s taken to a vampire finishing school where, as she’s slowly turned into one of the undead, she must learn different vampiric skills to a high enough standard to be accepted. Failure means death or becoming a human thrall, neither of which are an option. Things get complicated, however, when people start getting murdered, and the deaths all seem to have some connection to Fin.

I liked Fin as a main character! She was reckless enough to be willing to do things that drove the plot forwards, but still reasonable enough not to verge into ridiculousness. Except for this one incident when she was so determined to yell at someone that she refused to let a likely fatal injury be healed for a lot longer than was reasonable. She was just clutching at her still-bleeding wound as she shouted and honestly I was so entertained by this that I don’t even care how unrealistic it was. Sometimes the need to chew someone out is simply bigger than whatever crisis is unfolding no matter what it is and I think that’s a feeling we can all relate to on some level.

I found the relationship between Fin and Gavron to be believable, and I enjoyed watching them gradually come to trust each other and see each other as an ally. Also, they’re Very Into mutual blood drinking, more so than is apparently typical for vampires in-universe. I thought this was a very fun aspect of their relationship to read about, but it might not be for everyone, even for a book about vampires. If detailed descriptions of blood drinking are going to bother you then this isn’t the book for you. If you’re down with that then full steam ahead.

I think the consent issues inherent in this premise were handled well! Gavron is Fin’s vampire maker, or sire, to borrow terminology I’ve seen used in other vampire media, and this inherently means he has some power over her due to him being in that position of authority. There’s also a significant plot thread regarding the vampiric ability to control the actions of humans. If left unaddressed, all of this would have serious and troubling implications. Thankfully, it wasn’t left unaddressed. The ability to consent (in both sexual and non-sexual contexts) is a point of discussion, and Gavron and Fin place heavy emphasis on being equal partners in their relationship. They could’ve easily been super codependent and toxic, but they very deliberately weren’t, and I appreciated that.

I loved some of the side characters in this book! Especially Jaen and Kashire. Jaen is a bigender scholar, who’s largely kind and compassionate, but who’ll show no mercy to those who cross him or hurt his friends. She gets the book’s sole f-bomb and it’s glorious. Jaen’s the character I’d most like to be friends with out of everyone and the person I think I’d get along with the most. Kashire is a lot of fun. He’s Gavron’s ex, and is introduced to Fin in such a way that she takes an instant and very understandable dislike to him, but as time goes on he grows on her despite how much she wishes he wouldn’t. They’re totally besties by the end. Besties who still pretend to hate each other half the time.

If you’re looking for a morally grey world with morally grey characters, a vampire book that doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of such a story, and a casually queer cast, then you’ll probably enjoy this one!

3.5

There is something about A. M. Strickland’s books that makes them an auto-read for me from the intriguing plots, enjoyably complex characters and vivid worldbuilding, so I had high expectations for Court of the Undying Seasons, especially as the main focus was vampires at a vampire school with Gothic tones. But unfortunately, I didn’t take to it as much as I was hoping, yet it was still a highly enjoyable read.

It took me a while to be immersed in the story and connect with the characters, even though there were some very cool worldbuilding elements and scenes, the pacing was well done and there was a dark, eerie atmosphere that I loved. I was also ambivalent towards the romance and wasn’t as pulled and invested in it as I was expecting to be.

However, the mystery element and the twists were my favourite aspects of the book, which was when I became more engaged in the story and characters. The visceral and cinematic nature of the writing was also a highlight, so it felt as if I was watching the story play out, which heightened my enjoyment of the story once I got into it.

There will be people who will love this book and will appeal to those who love vampires, a school setting, mystery and dark romance.

What a good book! Just what you need between the big wig authors is to find another that you end up loving! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for early access to this book!

5⭐️

I thoroughly enjoyed this fabulously gothic book! The plot was engaging, the characters were interesting, and I honestly couldn’t put it down. Some of the twists were predictable but others took me aback—I wish the ending had been a little more explosive, but I still enjoyed it. I’m assuming this was a standalone, and I found that refreshing, everything wrapped up really nicely. Overall, a very well-written and entertaining read!

I'm a sucker for stories featuring vampires and I fell in love with the cover. The story is entertaining and I loved the character.
It kept me reading as world building and storytelling are quite good.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Simply amazing world-building and characters

After having lost her mother to vampires, Fin wants nothing more than take revenge and take down as many as she can. When she is chosen to become one of them, however, she is sucked into their world and soon realizes that they are not only the killers she made them out to be…
I’m so glad A.M. Strickland decided to go against the grain and write this book about vampires even though it may seem these predators have been the focus of too many books already – because it is simply amazing.
The world-building is mind-blowing, especially for a standalone, and even though I’m everything but a fan of horror, I loved the fact that the vampires are depicted as truly dangerous and very bloodthirsty beings. Fin is a very special protagonist with many layers and it was so much fun following her development, her mistakes and changes of heart. The characters in general are very well-crafted and unique, and as a reader you get to guess along with Fin what their true intentions really are.
This book kept me at the edge of my seat almost the entire time and I couldn’t wait for Fin to finally solve the big mystery (which, by the way, was so well-done). Definitely my highlight of the month. Who knew vampires could still be so much fun!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

One of the biggest delights of reading for me is when you pick up a book that sounds good, but you kinda don't expect too much, and then it just completely blows you away.
I have been excited about Court of the Undying Seasons because, well, queer vampire dark academia, but in a year filled with amazing releases, this just wasn't at the top of my anticipated release list.
Well, joke's on me, because this book just straight up made it into my top three books of the year.

I loved it so so much, I was sucked into the story almost immediately and having to stop reading because of my life was almost painful because I just wanted to binge it.

I'm a big fan of school settings as long as they're done well. I think there's always the risk of it either feeling like a copy of a certain very famous series that shall not be name; or not finding the balance between showing the academics and day-to-day life, while also not forgetting the overarching plot.
CotUS did a perfect job at that in my opinion. We see the classes, we have a house/court system with a twist (since the school is located at the heart of the vampire courts' 'castle', the courts are the ruling institutions but also structure the classes), there's some school drama going on, but then we have a murder mystery that turns into something bigger.
The flow of the plot was done very organically, it kept building and building until the grand finale that just blew me away.

The worldbuilding was really cool. I love vampire books even though in the post-Twilight era, there's a slight risk of falling into certain tropes and clichés. Court of the Undying Seasons was deliciously dark, the vampires were both sexy and dangerous, and the way the magic system worked added so much to the lore.

In general, I really loved how cohesive everything was. The political system, magic system and school curriculum all went hand in hand with one another and it perfectly fed into the history and the big revelations at the end.

I ADORED the characters. Fin is headstrong (without being stubborn), she's smart, she recognizes her flaws and uses her strengths to her advantage.
I loved the many side characters, I don't even want to talk about anyone in particular because the development of the relationships was such a lovely surprise, so I'll just say that I really enjoyed all relationships, whether it's friends, lovers or even enemies (some of them later becoming friends).

The LGBTQ+ rep was AMAZING, there are multiple genderqueer characters, pansexual, bisexual, lesbian and gay characters, I loved it.

The book felt atmospheric, and the writing really created a great, dark and slightly spooky mood. I will say that some sentences felt a bit clunky, though that might be subject to change in the final published version.

In case it hasn't come through so far, I absolutely adored this book, I'm obsessed with it and I have not stopped thinking about it. If you love vampires, this is a must-read in my opinion. If you enjoy school settings (or are maybe riding the high after a certain currently-very-popular book that is also set at a college), add Court of the Undying Seasons to your TBR.
I loved it so much and cannot wait for the sequel!

I enjoyed this vampire romance with a dark twist, not something I usually see in YA and I loved the queer rep, the found family, the dark fantasy (and I mean dark) if you’re not good with blood and gore this probably isn’t for you. I love a slow burn romance and this is the slowest of burns, but I’m here for that, it’s not the ultimate focus of the story. The characters are fantastic, I loved them all, the ones I’m meant to , the ones I’m meant to dislike or be unsure, but I loved Fin best. I thought Fin was an amazing strong FMC , she has a hell of a time but she’s so determined, The pacing, the story, the ending I loved everything, it’s a stand-alone but the ending leads me to hope for possibly more, I’ll defer be here for that. Highly recommend to fans of dark vampire fantasy.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The beginning was very enthralling, and I was instantly hooked. Queer Vampires what‘s not to love.
Very quickly it became quite clear that the book is largely influenced by Acotar, which I don't mind, a feysand Vampire AU can still be good, but it's hard to give points for originality. The love interest is basically a bisexual rhysand. There are five vampire houses, like the courts in prythian and Gavron/Rhysand belongs to the black court, vampires who have shadow powers, misting and hunting, and he can also read minds, so yeah you get where I'm going with this. Fin hates Vampires the same way Feyre hates Fae, still she offers up to go with them to save her friend, again The parallels.
The gothic premise kept me interested though and I’m glad I did because it was actually quite good.
The romance really wasn’t it for me mainly because it slowed down the first half where we only got scenes between Gavron and Fin where they both felt bloodlust and lust towards each other and Fin fights her hateLove for Gavron. Personally I don’t know where that love came from, at first I thought their vampire bond but it’s stated that doesn’t make them fall in love, and since there wasn’t a real scene where the characters bonded or related to each other at least the romance fell flat for me.
Fin also seemed a little too fickle, a good example is her offering up to take her friends place in the vampire school and die for her then threatening to kill her shortly after when she isn’t grateful?
The plot itself was interesting though and really picked up in the second half of the book, the reveal of the murderer was a surprise for me even when her other things weren’t. Ultimately the end fight could’ve been shorter. But the world has promise and I could see a spin off being interesting.

— 4 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"I wasn't born a monster. But, if I live long enough, maybe I will become one."

"In becoming a vampire, I’m less than a girl. And more. Or maybe I’m becoming what I always have been, deep inside. A blade.

When nineteen-year-old Fin volunteers to take her secret love's place in their village's Finding, she is terrified. Those who are chosen at the Finding are whisked away to Castle Courtsheart, a vampire school where human students either succeed and become vampires, fail and spend the rest of their lives as human thralls...or they don't survive long enough to become either.

Fin is determined to forge a different learn how to kill the undead and get revenge for her mother, who was taken by the vampires years ago. But Courtsheart is as captivating as it is deadly, and Fin is quickly swept up in her new world and its inhabitants - particularly Gavron, her handsome and hostile vampire maker, whose blood is nothing short of intoxicating. As Fin begins to discover new aspects of her own identity and test her newfound powers, she stumbles across a string of murders that may be connected to a larger ritual - one with potentially lethal consequences for vampires and humans alike. Fin must uncover the truth and find the killer before she loses her life...or betrays her own heart."

AdriAnne Strickland brings us Court of the Undying Seasons, a richly dark and gothic queer-normative world ruled by vampires. Each year representatives of each vampire House travel to six local villages to carry out the Finding where all youths aged seventeen to nineteen line up to await their fate. Inside a pouch lies one singular white feather. The human that picks the white feather out by chance is whisked away to the heart of the vampire stronghold where they undergo training to become the next generation of vampires. To fail in your studies and to not gain the the favour of the appropriate number of houses brings your training to an immediate end. To fail is to become yet another human thrall, forced through mental coercion to serve in the vampire court and also feed the vampires when required. Court of the Undying Seasons has everything you could ever hope for in a gritty, YA vampire book. Vampires, slow-burn romance, dark academia, murder mystery, pansexual rep, bigender rep (major side character), agender rep (side character) and aro/ace rep (side character). The main character Fin is also a pansexual demigirl that we see continue to explore outside of gender-norms. And whilst this book is indeed marketed as YA, I myself particular elements to feel more mature which is something I really enjoyed.

"I needed something to care about. I didn't know it at the time, but I felt asleep. Encased in stone. This has woken me up."

Fin was a protagonist that I really enjoyed to follow throughout this story. We meet Fin during the Finding where she is desperate to save her long-time crush Silvea from an undying fate. As Silvea goes to draw the white feather Fin steps in by claiming superiority due to being older, and pulls out the white feather instead. What Fin thought was a kindness turned out to tarnish the only love, unrequited, that she has ever known. Whilst her decision was in vain, Fin's fate is sealed. After a tumultuous journey to Castle Courtsheart where she almost lost her life, Fin approaches her studies with one goal. Avenge the mother she lost as a young baby, the mother she lost during her own Finding. Fin doesn't know what became of her mother. Did she succeed in her studies and ascend to become a vampire? Or did she fail and face a fate worse than death, enthrallment? Fin is determined to find out. And not even the broody and mysterious Gavron, Fin's vampire maker and instructor, will stop her. The tension and angst between Fin and Gavron was delicious to read. The jealously, the aching, the longing looks. It was a perfect dynamic that complimented the story whilst not overshadowing the core storyline.

Fin as a main character is relentless. She's bold, witty and dangerous. When Fin's fellow novice Leif winds up dead, this triggers the ultimate murder mystery as more begin deaths follow. Fin is determined to unmask the killer herself and learns much along the way. As somebody that has spent almost the entirety of her life alone Fin has to learn to navigate the simplicity of friendships. Companionship. Trust doesn't come easily for Fin, and it's refreshing to see a flawed character make mistakes that she ultimately has to learn from. Court of the Undying Seasons is filled with wonderful supporting characters. Kashire, Marai, Claudia, Revar and Jaen. My biggest complaint about this book, the reason for my four star rating, is that I was always anticipating more from these secondary characters. Kashire was a delight to read that always kept me second guessing his motives. I loved what Revar and Jaen brought to the story, and Claudia's story was both unpredictable yet a little predictable. Marai is definitely a character I was hoping to see more from. Marai is consistently a good friend to Fin, and there is plenty of foreshadowing with her character that we never see come to light. I truly would have wished to have seem more expansion on Marai's role within the story and the relationships she develops.

To summarise, I really really really enjoyed this book. Court of the Undying Seasons was gripping from the very beginning. It was suspenseful, heartfelt and bloody. The storyline itself felt like a bit of a slow-burn as things took a dramatic turn in the last 20%. Full of plot-twists and betrayals, always expect the unexpected. I view the ending to be open-ended which has me hoping that the author plans to continue this story. I'd love to explore this world further.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I've read by AM Strickland, and I loved this as much as the other one (In the Ravenous Dark). Both amazingly written gothic fantasies. I love the way Strickland writes her characters. They're imperfect in the best way. The books although contain common themes (vampires, magic based school, etc), still find a way to feel completely unique.

Fin is taken from her home to a school where humans are prepared to become vampires, and then turned if they are strong enough. But all Fin wants is revenge on the vampires, not to become one.

This is such an imaginative take on vampires! I was obsessed with the world building, and with Fin herself, who is an easy character to root for. Overall a unique and compelling book!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I never finished Interview with the Vampire. It's probably one of the only vampire books that landed in my hands at the wrong time. Don't worry. I still have the books. I might give them another try one day. But just like this author I'm incredibly happy that vampires are hot again. That there are once more countless vampire books written. And that this author got to write theirs. I'm even happier that Hodder & Stoughton granted me a review copy via Netgalley.

This book is fascinating. I guess that's the only right word for it. Fascinating. Mostly because it blurs lines. So many lines. The lines between humans and vampires. The lines between all the boxes we've created to put people in. The lines between a typical YA academy novel and political fantasy novel. The lines between prey and monsters. The lines between love and obsession. The lines between average and extremely pretty and so on.

The start of the book is quite eventful, the middle feels a little calmer and the finale is one big rollercoaster filled with reveals, double crossing, lies and manipulation. Once I read the last part of the book it was almost impossible to put the book down. Not that everything before that was boring. On the contrary. The mythology is rich and the way we explore it works incredibly well. And there is a delicious tension, both romantic tension and danger tension.

There's, as you can read, a lot going on. Luckily we have Fin at the centre. Our anchor. She's the one living this story. She's the one ending up in the middle. She's not a perfect person. She makes mistakes and there are quite a few times where you'd wanna strangle her. And yet she's also endearing, beautifully human in a non-human world, beautifully flawed in a world known for its perfection. A character growing so much and eventually earning a place in your heart.

The book works perfectly as a stand-alone, but the door is wide open and I hope a sequel might be coming one day!