⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
First of all the dedication had me won over already.

This story follows Kazan a human woman just trying to make a name for herself by forging weapons to use against vampires who reign supreme in this fantasy world. With a turn of bad luck and trickery she ends up trapped in a web of schemes and plotting right in the heart of the vampire stronghold.

The world building in this novel is great, the description of people and places was delightful and it has been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a gritty vampire story. The novel is prosed in third person format and is only from the POV of Kazan herself, however I think it would have been great to get other POVs throughout the novel, just to give more insight into other characters and their backgrounds and dive into the mcs relationships throughout.

If you’re a fan of more plot based than romance based novels then this would be for you, even though there is romance and superbly slow-burn, the main premise of the novel is based around the MCs endeavours!

This was a really enjoyable read and I’m looking forward to see where Kazan’s future goes in further editions.

✨ Thank you so much for this ARC copy for my honest review ✨

The writing style felt quite stilted to me so I struggled to get into it. However I loved Kazan's character development and it was an incredible ending!

Even though I am typically not a huge fan of vampire books the description of this book had me hooked immediately. In this book the vampires are very cunning and capable and not just mindlessly violent or focused on blood lust. The creatures in this book are powerful and cruel which makes them super interesting to read about. the female main character is also powerful in her own ways and she has to be cunning to escape the situation she finds herself in. The escape room element is super interesting because the FMC has to find a way out and she can travel all over the fortress but she is still trapped inside and at the same time their is super extravagant party occurring which provides some very interesting tension.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

I was intrigued by the premise of this and enjoyed the beginning but the second half was kind of flat to me. I didn't feel there was a ton of character development as the story went on.

I was hoping for a book that was different from the normal vampire books you see alot today, and Ciel didn't disappoint. I loved the unique twists in the story and loved how I could connect with the characters.

I found the premise to be different from other vampire books I've read, which piqued my interest. The story is set in a world where every year a human is chosen to be Queen of the Vampires for three days, and then they are supposed to be killed. This year, the honor falls to Kazan, a blacksmith who was captured while traveling to sell her magical weapon for killing vampires. The story is mainly about vampire politics and Kazan's efforts to escape her own death sentence. There's a lot of action and deception, and Kazan uses her status as a liar to her advantage. I had a hard time connecting with Kazan for some reason, I would have loved to have seen more of the story around Reya and Ardius. I also think this story would have been even better if it had been told from multiple points of view.

A vampire novel where the hunter becomes the prey may not be so unusual but Kazan Korvic's story does take a few unique twists. The protagonist in the story always aspired to hunt vampires but the closest she could come was to forge blades for the hunters. She sets off to sell one of her blades when her caravan is ambushed and she is taken to a party of vampires, as the guest of honor in their fortress. One small hitch, the finale of this celebration is a sacrifice and she's on the menu. In the time she has, she attempts to forge alliances, strike deals and manipulate circumstances to save her own life. Her adventure is an enjoyable tale written in easy to read writing style and wraps up in a gratifying ending. The ending does leave a bit of a crack open to what may be further adventures that I would be interested in reading. I'd recommend this read to anyone who likes a vampire tale or adventure story with a headstrong female main character and a touch of romance thrown in for fun.
I received advanced access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, Angry Robot) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

This was super enjoyable! The Hunter's Gambit has queer vampires who are both sexy and scary, a flawed heroine desperate to keep her life, court intrigue, glittering balls, and a fast-paced, high-stakes plot that kept me glued to the page. Kazan's determination to survive is tangible and compelling, and the story takes enough twists and turns that I was pleasantly surprised throughout. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for both the eARC and the gorgeous physical copy! Opinions are my own.

Thank you to Angry Robot and NetGalley for my review copy.

This exciting book, filled with seething anger and intricate power struggles among aristocratic vampires, completely captivated me from start to finish. Kazan, the determined and morally complex blacksmith heroine, finds herself unexpectedly crowned 'Queen of Vampires' after surviving a brutal vampire attack on her convoy. The narrative unfolds over a whirlwind three-day period, packed with dynamic action scenes and a web of political intrigue among rival vampire clans.

Despite the breakneck pace, the relationship development felt somewhat rushed, a consequence of the urgent context of the story. But it was still a nice Slow Burn. Nonetheless, Kazan's journey of self-discovery and rebellion against entitled elites is deeply satisfying. The prose really is enchanting and sucks you right in (pun intended). The story features a rich tapestry of characters, against a backdrop of a mysterious, enigmatic Gothic castle.

The book's climax delivers a thrilling and intense conclusion, although it leaves a few questions unanswered. Despite this, the character arcs are well-developed, portraying moral complexities that makes the protagonist compelling and relatable. I found myself drawn to Kazan's unwavering determination to survive at any cost, all while grappling with her own humanity amidst the treacherous world of vampire politics and power struggles

Kazan, a blacksmith creates the very weapons required to kill a vampire and has been training with a sword ever since she was able. While attempting to sell a sword to survive, she meets an elusive, charismatic vampire who will end up key to her survival.

On a journey to the next town her convoy is attacked by vampires and she finds herself crowned as ‘Queen of Vampires’ for three days before she will become the main feast. Kazan’s fights are nothing but resourceful and I liked her determination to survive but also her very believable moments of despair.

There were some parts of the story where I wasn’t sure which part was true and which was the lies Kazan constructed and I was waiting for these to be revealed but they were not.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review,

This book strikes the perfect balance of seductive yet dangerous vampires. It’s a really exciting read. The vampires are smart, capable and attractive, not just mindlessly violent or animalistic. Nor are they sanitised to the point there’s no tension in the book. These are powerful and cruel beings.

Our MC is a blacksmith who is travelling to sell a powerful sword she’s created that can kill vampires. While travelling they are attacked and she’s captured by vampires who take her to their fortress where she awakes at a lavish party to find she’s been crowned vampire queen. She has three days trapped at this party before they plan to kill her and use her blood to maintain the fortress through an old ritual. She’s in the middle of a sumptuous and debauched celebration desperately trying to find a way out and everyone there wants to drink her blood.

The setting was amazing, she has free reign of the fortress because there’s no way of escaping it. It’s a huge isolated building and she really is trapped at every corner. The juxtaposition of the lavish party with the constant danger worked so well too! With the MC encouraged to partake of the revelries and enjoy her last hours of life.

Our MC is strong and resilient and determined to survive and we watch as she attempts cautious alliances with those who may be willing to help her to fulfil their own agendas. Yet can she really trust them?

This was a fantastic vampire novel, tense, exciting. Would recommend!

I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley.

A vivid, wicked vampire tale, with everything you’d want from it: a moody blacksmith heroine with questionable morals; rugged protector Wardens, a mysterious Gothic puzzle-box inescapable castle; ghosts; a stolen sword; dark bloody magic; and of course, vampires: political, courtly, feral, masterful, insipid, gory, sexy, traitorous: in all the flavours you might want.

The prose is delicious, too - it just draws you on and in. There is a spicy scene (everyone is bisexual) after some slow burn. Not the main focus nor the best part of the book for me, but if you’re looking for it, it’s there.

Loved Kazan and her determination to survive at all costs: but can she do so without sacrificing her humanity?

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Angry Robot for the eARC!!
I loved this book! The writing flowed easily and even with all of the different threads of storylines, the book flowed well and all threads wove intricately together. You can feel the love and passion that Ciel Pierlot poured into this book from page one.


Kazan is a blacksmith, who has vowed to fight vampires as they torment humans in this magical world. Kazan gets captured and locked in the castle full of bloodthirsty vampires. She feels trapped, stuck, and scared...until she realizes that the vampires are, in fact, stuck in the castle with her. Can she fight her way out...?
The anger, the power, the fighting, all of it was a great adventure. It was also a breath of fresh air to read about court intrigue and politics in a new way, and Ciel Pierlot did this amazingly! Between all the vampire clans and unique character plots, his world sucks you right in and you have no choice but to hold on as the roller coaster twists up and down and side to side.
AND THAT ENDING??? HOLD ON TIGHT!!

I think my favorite part of this book was the character development of Kazan...it was great to read about a strong woman character bursting out of her shell, letting herself feel the anger, and destroy her shell. To learn that it's okay to go after what you deserve and want...as long as you're ready to face what comes after... *cue evil laugh*

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves vampires, rioting adventure, epic battle scenes, court politics, and a fantasy adventure with a dash of romance!!

This really scratched the vampire itch I had going on! Ciel Pierlot has crafted a whole world overrun with boujie, upper-class vampires and I am obsessed. I felt like the wait for that *one* spicy scene was agonising, but mostly worth it! The character arcs were well fleshed out for each of the three MCs and I grew to love them despite their moral discrepancies.

The ending was the dark, 1-to-100 craziness that I wanted, however there were a few tidbits of information I wanted to know but didn't find out. Like: what happened to the humans after that final big event?

Thank you to 2018 Ciel for writing this, and thank you to Angry Robot & Netgalley for the gifted e-book! I can't wait to get my physical copy so I can take lots of pretty picturessss

If you like vampire books you have to pick this one up. It’s a brutal and fascinating story about a woman trapped in a mansion full of vampires and what she will do to escape.

What I love about this book is that it doesn’t shy away from the brutality in the world Pierlot has built. Kazan is dangerous and intelligent and determined. She doesn’t get pushed around or bullied and she definitely doesn’t fall head over heels for a vampire and lose the ability to do anything on her own (which is such a common trope). It’s such an interesting read that asks the question - how far would you go to survive? I would highly recommend checking this one out June 5th, 2024 when it is officially published.

4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Angry Robot for my review copy.

This book is full of anger. And I loved it. I love a cathartic story about anger and it enthralled me from the first chapter.

I found the plot to be very fast paced, as the majority of the plot took place over three days and I wanted to see how the schemes of the characters would play out.

The writing style was also very easy to read and I loved all the descriptions of the knives and blades that the characters wielded. All of the action scenes were very dynamic.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship in the book, though because the book took place over such a short period of time (like 4 days), it felt somewhat rushed, but the urgency is to be expected when there's many threads to keep track of. It was satifying to see all the backstabbing and betrayal that happened between the vampire houses/clans.

I enjoyed the court/political intrigue and how all the vampire clans interacted with the others and it's been a while since I read a book with that.

At it's core, this is a book about power and anger and the entitled rich. I loved seeing Kazam struggle with being placed in a position that would make anyone angry and her anger is justifiable and relatable and kind of cathartic to read and I loved seeing Kazam come to terms with herself and what she wants as a person and realise that she can do things for herself and she doesn't need to deny herself the ability to do what she wants and indulge in the things she wants.

I can't wait to see what Ciel Pierlot writes next.