Alexis L. Menard

I was drawn in from the start and found it hard to set this down for even a moment. Menard does an amazing job of bringing the world to life around the reader, allowing you to step into this dark, steampunk world. I absolutely loved Camilla, she's a great FMC and Nico...let's just say keep a cool drink handy while reading. The story itself isn't very spicy, but there's just something about him that gets your heart racing. I loved the tension and how smoothly and quickly the plot flows, show more making it easy to keep turning pages. The ending absolutely killed me, and I cannot wait to get my hands on book two... show less

“Not all cages are built with bars.”

“House of Bane and Blood,” by Alexis L. Menard

Camilla, heiress of the Iron Saint Railway, is trying to keep her family financially afloat by getting married to a family that can pay off their debts. Nicolai, leader of the rival family, offers to pay the debt in exchange for marriage. Both have their own motives, and both of their families are on the line with this marriage.

I loved loved loved this book. The intensity of the two main characters was show more palpable. The world building/setting was cool with the old peaky blinders feel but with magic and gangsters and blood drinkers. I love arranged marriage/marriage of convenience tropes and also enemies to lovers, so this mixture in the book was perfect. The two main characters were dynamic, and I loved both of their POV’s. The multiple POV was not confusing or messy, so I was super happy about the ease of reading and the fast pace to the story. The ending was insane! It threw me through so many emotions so fast! Wouldn’t change a single thing about this book. 5 out of 5 stars. Can’t wait for book 2 of the series to come out.

-Multi POV
-Magic/Magic Users
-Shadow Daddy
-Vampires
-Arranged Marriage/Marriage of Convenience
-Mafia/Gangs
-Enemies To Lovers

Thank you for the free copy, Booksirens. show less

This was totally worth the wait to see how Camilla and Nicolai's story ends. It was easy to drop right back into their world, and I got wrapped up in the story pretty quickly. We get to follow their separate paths as they fight towards being reunited, and once they are, you just know nothing will stop them. Their romance is the perfect balance of sweet and fierce, and at times the way they talk to each other can feel a little OTT, but it just feels right when it comes to them. I will warn show more you, the story overall is a rollercoaster of emotions, and it'll keep you hooked from cover to cover. My only question - do we get to come back to this world with stories from some of the side characters??? show less

I loved book one, and was really looking forward to book two - it did not disappoint! Menard weaves a tale of myth and magic around the reader with vivid descriptions, unforgettable characters, and a plot that keeps you turning pages as you eagerly discover what will happen next. Ailsa and Vali are great MCs, and work so well together. You can't help but like them. The world-building is great, and I love how Menard puts her own twist on Norse mythology, making it something both familiar and show more new at the same time. If you haven't read book one, you'll want to grab this before diving into this one, but together they make an unforgettable story! show less