DNF @ 60% - YA fantasy

Irina agrees to marry the vampire, Stefan, who is tormenting a village in an effort to go to the underworld to find her sister’s soul. Stefan is unaware of the marriage but agrees to help her if she lets him into the villagers homes after he helps her.

I really tried to give this one a chance after previously DNFing my last two arcs but it was not meant to be. I have read in other reviews it picks up in the last 30% but I don’t think this would have increased my rating significantly.

I had several issues with this story:
No chapters - this made the story feel really slow paced.

Lots of description but lack of dialogue /plot progression - I felt myself skim reading paragraphs of descriptions just to get to the dialogue of the characters.

Strange underworld setting - markets and villages? No mention of Hades or the devil etc. It genuinely could have been a village in the normal world and it wouldn’t have made much of a difference.

Irina made no effort of trying to find out Stefans background - she instantly judged him and at 60% there was very little in terms of romance or even friendship.

Overall, again a brilliant sounding premise but poor execution for me personally.

I really like JJA Harwood books as she takes fairy tales/folklore and gives it a real twist and makes it ok for adults to read them. "A Steep and Savage Path" is loosely based on the Persephone myth (although I enjoyed this much more than my experience of Hadestown). The lead character is to marry a vampire so that the village can stop his killings. However Irina has other motives and before you know it she's being led into the land of the dead. Yes, there is a vampire/romance element but I likened it more to "His Dark Materials" when Lyra and Will enter the land of the dead so they can find Roger. Loved it!

This sounded like something I would really enjoy. But sadly I found myself unable to become invested. I didnt care for any sort of relationship forming between the two characters either.

What do you think of vampire stories - garlic, daylight, holy water, terror? Well, once again JJA Harwood takes everything that is traditional, does their research and then shakes it all up to deliver a story that is unique, engaging, and truly emotional!

Irina’s is in a mission, she’s pledged to marry a dead man to give him a better death and help direct him towards a better death rather than his current vampire death and the terror he us inflicting on his village.

Irina isn’t just doing this to save the villagers or her dead husband, Irina has her own objective, she wants to save her sister and for that, she needs to marry a vampire and persuade him to take her to the land of the dead.

What can I say? This book totally drew me in, from the fractured, patchwork landscape of the land of the dead, to the poppies/red flowers that bloomed from drops of Irina’s blood to the weaving of myths and legends that surround Death, dying and the underworld, Harwood created a world within which a vampire and a human woman would cross the underworld to save a child’s soul that totally pulled me in.

This compact story packs a punch, weaving a romance founded on opposition, self-interest, loss and desperation that flowers into a beautiful, selfless, partnership of trust and mutual support. I absolutely fell for Irina and Stefan, and the land in which their romance truly blossomed.

Thanks to HarperCollins and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I do love a gothic novel but this one surprised me by how much I enjoyed it. You felt as though you were going on the dangerous journey yourself and the characters and places were so well written you felt very much involved in the story.

I was initially drawn to this after seeing it being compared to The Cruel Prince and Crimson Moth, both of which I adored, so I went into this excited but also sceptical as those are big names to live up to. However, this was an enchanting read, and quite emotional too, which I was not expecting. I liked the greek mythology and romanian folklore woven throughout the book.

There's a beautiful vivid world building, and I really enjoyed the author's writing style. Yes, it's very descriptive, but in a way that lures you in rather than bombards you with detail.

It's hard to describe, and I'm sure I'll edit my review later to provide more clarity, but this isn't like other books on the market currently, and I highly recommend this one for lovers of romantasy.

I was really intrigued by the premise behind this book and it did not disappoint! I loved that it had me hooked from the start by getting straight into the action, and my attention was immediately captured by starting in this way.
Our FMC wants to find her sisters soul after she’s had an accident and she offers herself as a human bride to our dead vampire MMC so she can use his help. They make a deal to travel to the land of the dead in exchange for her letting him drink her blood.
The story is well written, with plenty of world building and explanation's so you can picture everything going on. There is emotional depth in the characters development throughout the story which makes you care for the main characters. It was also emotional so as long as you don’t mind feeling sad!
Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it and would definitely read it again.
Tropes
- marriage of convenience
- enemies to lovers
- vampires
- forced proximity

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

shooketh

- Vampire
- Death
- Land of the dead
- Mystery
- Romance M/F

This book had me crying and laughing.

The World building

This is only a short book so the world building isn't indepth but thats fine for this. Learning all the intricate details of the land of the dead was so interesting and had me gripped. I was trying to make a map of it in my head as I read.

The Romance

This was a nice slow build to it from basically enemies to being in love. The slow build of trust and fondness in their relationship was so nice to see develop and watching them fall for each other was so cute. The main characters are young so if you're looking for fully fledged adults this isn't for you.

The plot

The plot is A girl trying to bring back her little sisters soul and getting help from a murderess vampire to do it. It is such a fun ride and not always a happy one. The idea of her living blood causing red flowers to bloom from the floor I feel like echos the poppies after ww1, giving a sad but hopeful undertone. The idea that after you die you will never want for anything and that you will be reunited with your family when the time comes is so sweet and hopeful.

I reccomend this book aslong as you like vampires, romance and are fine being a bit sad.

Thank you to HaperCollins and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Written in five parts, without any chapters, this book could feel like a slog at times, but ultimately I loved it. Vampires + Hades/Persephone + a long journey and a heartbreaking quest. The development of Irina and Stefan's bargain-to-friendship-to-romance was so sweet and well-written. I would not consider this enemies-to-lovers, but there is a bit of some version of fake dating, as a treat! Happily, I can report that their behavior and interactions were suitable for their age and experiences. The ending was pitch perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An excellent read, I picked this up expecting the focus to be a vampire romantasy and was thrilled to find the repeated references to The Aeneid. While the slow burn, enemies to lovers romance was excellent, I particularly loved the depictions of the underworld, and how their journey through the realms of Death bought Stefan and Irina closer together. Irina slowly piecing together Stefan's history, and recognising that perhaps he wasn't the monster she had originally thought, was beautifully done, the characters getting to know each other at the same pace as the reader. While by no means a ground-breaking depiction of the Underworld, it was a vision not commonly explored in modern fantasy and I love that Harwood drew bits from several mythologies to create something a little bit different, but still recognisable.

And the ending - excellent! I was sobbing my eyes out after the meeting with Death, unable to see a way for everybody to return to life, and so the final twist was the absolute high point of the book for me! Drawing parallels with Hades and Persephone in the seasonal return to life, having Irina's blood be the key to that meant that our plucky heroine had saved everyone, which was fully deserved after everything she'd been through!
My only complaint is that the villagers didn't get more confrontation! I would have liked to see her fully address the villagers for their role in Stefan's death, and while the perpetrators had been brutally murdered by Stefan, some open acknowledgment of what they had done would have been fitting. Their behaviour was just another type of monstrous, and they should have been confronted with that.
Still, I suppose we know their judgement awaits on the other side!

On the whole a charming romantasy that I can't wait to add to my shelves!
Thanks to Harwood, NetGalley and HarperCollins/Magpie for the chance to read ahead of release.

A Steep and Savage Path blends gothic fantasy with Eastern European folklore, following a woman's journey through the underworld to reclaim her sister’s soul. The writing is atmospheric and rich in detail, creating an immersive and emotionally resonant reading experience.

If I could give six stars, I would.

ASteep and Savage Path is nothing short of spellbinding. I’ve been obsessed with this book since the very first proof was teased online, and when I got approved for the ARC over the weekend, I absolutely inhaled it in two days. What I expected to be beautifully eerie ended up being so much more—layered, emotional, vividly atmospheric, and genuinely funny.

From the very first page, Harwood’s writing style swept me away. It’s lyrical, haunting, and so deeply immersive that I felt like I was walking beside Irina through every eerie corridor and across every chilling threshold of the underworld. The worldbuilding is chef’s kiss—dark and rich and weirdly comforting in the most uncanny way, kind of like The Good Place but more folkloric and deeply emotional.

Irina and Stefan’s relationship absolutely melted me. Their connection is so seamless, so earned—one of the most natural and rewarding love stories I’ve read in a while. Stefan is the softest, purest soul and we must protect him at all costs. And Irina—what a compelling, layered lead. Their banter was everything, and it added the perfect levity to a story that still managed to rip my heart out by the end (yes, I cried—no, I don’t usually cry. Shocker).

The supporting cast is just as vivid: Catarina was adorable, the inn’s landlady was an icon, and I would read an entire novella on Irina’s mum alone. And the priest? The priest made me want to reach through my Kindle and shake him. I haven’t had that kind of visceral reaction to a character in a while. All that is to say that I grew very attached to the characters and I cared about all of the leads, anxiously reading the last few parts waiting to see how everything unfolded.

Also—as someone who grew up in Hungary just a short drive from the Romanian border, this book felt like home. The cultural touches, the humour, the folklore-infused setting, and the salty pork moment (!!!)—I have never felt so seen. That Hungarian name drop at the end had me screaming. This is representation.

Favourite quotes? “All those love songs that had never seemed to apply to her suddenly made sense” broke me. And “Please someone come and get this child. It’s sticky”—I haven’t laughed that hard at a book in ages.

This story was eerie, emotional, and completely unforgettable. I already can’t wait to hold the finished copy in my hands. J.J.A. Harwood, you are a legend—this is one of my favourite reads of the year.

A story mixing Romanian and Greek myths, with vampires, the Underworld, a long journey and lost souls.

The start was really great and so promising. Instead of playing the victim, Irina has a strong will and a clear agenda, as she lets herself get married to a dead groom.

Stefan is a vampire with a tragic backstory, and willing to help Irina in exchange for her blood.

Their path through the underworld and through portals starts intriguing, but soon gets repetitive and has lost me in the process.

There's romance and finding yourself and others, but ultimately it didn't grip me.

It still has its strong moments though, and it's way more soft and heartwarming than I thought.

3,5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @harpervoyager_uk and @rachelquinmarketing for the eARC!

#ASteepAndSavagePath #Netgalley #Bookstagram

"It was never a good idea to make conversation with a monster; it only let you forget about their teeth.“

I went into A Steep and Savage Path without knowing quite what to expect, but the moment the story ventured into the underworld, I was completely swept away. It’s a beautifully crafted tale—one that lingers long after the final page, the kind you find yourself wanting to revisit just to experience it all over again.

The world-building is immersive and richly imagined, and the characters gradually won me over with their depth and growth. What struck me most was the story’s ability to blend heartbreak with joy, sorrow with hope. It made my heart ache and soar in equal measure. And just when I thought I had it figured out, the book surprised me in the best way.

This novel has it all—emotion, atmosphere, and that rare kind of magic that makes you want to hold onto every word.

4
The story centers around Irina, who is getting married to a vampire who is dead and unaware of the wedding. This is so that she has a guide through the underworld to help complete a task to find her sister's soul.


I don't agree that it's an enemies-to-lovers story. I saw no enemies, just two individuals who didn't know how to communicate. There was no hatred nor big conflict between them, only weak bickering and some occasional banter.

The book doesn't have any chapters which was a little irritating to be honest

netgalley ARC

I enjoyed this so.ewgat slow burn romance, the plot of finding the curse to end was interesting. Could have had more depth and felt a little too basic and I love YA.

I was asked by NetGalley to review this book. I was intrigued by the cover initially.

I loved the Romanian folklore and the historical setting of the small rural village.
There are gothic and scary threads throughout this story as a young woman is intent on bringing her the soul of her sister from the underworld and a vampire to guide her.

This was a interesting slant on vampires and gothic themes and interesting that there was no chapters but five sections again different.

Scary and quite a sad story so get the tissues out.

Recommended read due for publication May 8th 2025.

I wasn’t too sure what to expect from this book at the start, but as soon as they entered the underworld I was hooked! I thought the world building was done so well and the characters really grew on me. I also always love a book that can surprise me and this definitely did that!

I really wanted to like this. The book started off strong. I liked our main character, Irina, and I liked the writing. The concept was intriguing, but once we got the land of the dead the whole story just fell flat. It became so repetitive, and a little boring. I don't know if it was just a badly formatted ARC, but this book also didn't have any chapters, only parts. That made it seem longer than it actually was. I didn't hate it, but I also didn't love it.

I can never resist a journey to the underworld and when you team it with a vampire it’s a yes from me. I was pulled in from the beginning and was intrigued by the lore and legends about the vampires.
I liked the pacing and the plot kept me engaged throughout.