REVIEW Terror at the Gates (Blood of Lilith #1) by Scarlett St. CLAIR

 Terror at the Gates (Blood of Lilith #1) by Scarlett St. Clair
Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: July 8 2025
Format: Audiobook (Personal Library) + eARC (NetGalley)
Publisher: Bloom Books

“We were not responsible for lust in men. We existed, and they desired.”

I just finished Scarlett St. Clair's Terror at the Gates, the first of the Blood of Lilith series, and I definitely think it's a case of the right book at the right time. I would recommend this book to adult urban fantasy readers who enjoy slow burn romance and feminine rage (primarily at the failure of those in power to protect those who should have been under their protection). There is a lot going on, with dark themes, so if anyone is sensitive I would recommend checking the content warnings before diving in.

First of all, I want to say that the audiobook narrators Laura Horowitz and Tristan Warden did an excellent job bringing Lilith and Zahariev to life. The chemistry is electric. And I think the contrast between Zahariev and most of the other male figures in positions of power throughout the city in the book is striking. Zahariev is ready to burn the world down for Lilith as soon as she asks, no matter what it costs her. Lilith's father, on the other hand, doesn't even bother to ask what drove her away from their home until she forces him to face his failure to protect her.

As I'm writing this, the news keeps handing women reasons to be enraged. The Cornell 7 case is blowing up in particular (metaphorically speaking), and I think it's an important reminder that the impetus shouldn't just be on women to defend themselves. It's also on men not being something that women have to defend themselves from.

I loved the worldbuilding in this book. Religion is a central theme, but while there are general story archetypes appearing it's not really clearly based on any one religion. The magic system doesn’t get as much time to shine, but I didn’t mind as it wasn’t as important to the events of this book.

Overall, no notes. Amazing read, amazing author, amazing storyline. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The heroine is fierce and the love interest is a consent king. I'm curious to see how the author will expand the world in Book 2 of the series, Coiled at the Roots.

The Wild Zone by Rick Riordan and Annabelle Oh | BOOK REVIEW

Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: September 29, 2026
Format: Hardcover + Audiobook (Bought, Personal Library)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers 

As a lifelong fan of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians universe, it was a no brainer for me to pick up the first book in the new series The Wild Zone as soon as it came out. Annabelle Oh and Rick Riordan did a great job blending their writing styles when working on this book together, and it was like a warm hug to get to revisit beloved characters and time travel to the past a bit. Sarah Sun Park did an excellent job bringing Katie's perspective to life. I'm a little disappointed that the book felt incomplete and ended on such a massive cliffhanger, but with each subsequent book coming out on a six month schedule (and the books only taking place over the course of a summer) I don't think readers will be left disappointed for long.

For those who may not know, the events of The Wild Zone take place between The Lightning Thief and The Sea of Monsters. Percy Jackson does visit camp during the main books, but he doesn't actually spend a lot of time there with how busy he is questing and saving the world. I really appreciated the look into day to day life at camp from a different perspective. For example, given how quickly Percy was claimed, Percy doesn't really experience much of life with a cabin counselor and cabin mates. There's no real outlined schedule for him, or look into how things like the camp store operate (besides handing out drachmas and supplies to questing trios).

There was also a chance for appearances from characters that don't get a lot of love in the original books. For example, I don't actually remember Argus talking in the original series. Beckendorf is much beloved by nearly all of the fandom, and the Stoll brothers never got enough on page attention in my opinion. I think there's a character to suit everyones fancy.
My one complaint about the book is the way it was structured. Without reading the other three books in the series, it seems like things are moving quickly. I felt like there was a major cliffhanger and things ended rather abruptly. However, this could be my ravenous appetite for anything in the Percy Jackson universe and being slightly older than the intended audience age for this book.

Overall, an excellent read and my minor complaints wont stop me from auto buying the rest of the series. While the most enjoyment would likely be derived from reading the original series first, it is not necessary to enjoy this book and understand what's going on. I highly recommend this series to fans of fantasy and mythology.

Check out my photo from one of Rick and Annabelle's tour stops