Empire of Blood

Brought to you by Penguin.

The epic romantasy series from the author of A Court This Cruel and Lovely, perfect for fans of Carissa Broadbent, Jasmine Mas, and Rebecca Yarros.

Life in the perilous Thorn district is a constant battle for Arvelle and her younger brothers.
Faced with an unthinkable choice, Arvelle makes a magically binding vow to do the impossible: kill the emperor, an ancient vampire created by the god Umbros.

But first, she must enter the Sundering—an arena where only the fastest, strongest, and deadliest survive long enough to be selected for the emperor’s elite guard.
As stakes rise and secrets emerge, she quickly draws the ire of the Primus, the powerful figure charged with protecting the emperor––while also finding herself depending on the enemy to hone her power ... The emporor's vampiric son.
To survive the arena and complete her mission, Arvelle must get to the bottom of a conspiracy that will change everything she thought she knew about herself—and the two vampires who are deeply entwined with her destiny…

Tropes/Themes:
1. Enemies-to-lovers
2. Forced proximity
3. Magic
4. Tournament

© Stacia Stark 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025