Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
A Dowry of Blood
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
37 posts | 27 read | 11 to read
"A dizzying nightmare of a romance that will leave you aching, angry and ultimately hopeful." --Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf A deliciously dark retelling of Dracula, A Dowry of Blood is a saga of obsession, desire and the lengths we will go to protect the ones we love. Saved from the brink of death by a mysterious stranger, Constanta is transformed from a medieval peasant into a bride fit for an undying king. But when Dracula draws a cunning aristocrat and a starving artist into his web of passion and deceit, Constanta realizes that her beloved is capable of terrible things. Finding comfort in the arms of her rival consorts, she begins to unravel their husband's dark secrets. With the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Constanta will have to choose between her own freedom and her love for her husband. But bonds forged by blood can only be broken by death.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
review
forestandcrow
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Mehso-so

It started really good. But i slowly kinda lost interest in it unfortunately.

blurb
JuliaTheBookNerd
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

#CvrWObscuredFace 🎭 #SpringSkies 🌺🌼🌸🌻🌨️☀️

#BookNerd 🤓📚💙

Eggs ❤️ 🩸 🖤 2w
52 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
kilogolf
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
Pickpick

5/5 stars

review
Gissy
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Pickpick

I read this book during October #Rushathon @Andrew65
It was interesting. I liked those first pages where the character described so well her experience in turning to a vampire. We always have heard that vampires are selfish and possessive. Well, this story describes so well how they could be. But at the end it turns into a story about a dysfunctional vampire relationships🧛‍♀️🩸 😳☺️
3.5⭐️ Love that edition😍

39 likes4 comments
review
MatchlessMarie
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Pickpick

I didn‘t plan it this way but I ended up finishing the #Scarathlon #BatBrigade Team Buddy Read on Halloween after donating blood 🤪 I enjoyed this book but felt it was too short. Soft pick for me, but I thought the audio narration was great as was the atmospheric mood of the book as a whole. #31by31 #Falling4Books #LittenListen #Rushathon #Spookoween #20in4 #FinalStretchReadathon #BookSpinBingo

252 word search words

TheAromaofBooks Yay!!! 6mo
TheSpineView Well done! 6mo
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 6mo
Read4life Nice! 🍁👻🎃 6mo
Catsandbooks Yay! 👏🏼 I agree the audio definitely added to the feel of the book 6mo
50 likes5 comments
review
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Mehso-so

3.5 ⭐️s
This one‘s a bit of a struggle to review. I don‘t typically give half a star, I keep my ratings pretty cut and dry. However, 3 felt much too low and 4 felt much too high. 😅 Much of this book felt like fanfiction. All of the relationships felt rushed. I understand the connection between vampires and sexuality but Constanta just falling into the nameless ones bed after he turned her seemed off. I did like the examination of how someone ⬇️

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm can love and hate a person at the same time and how an abuser doesn‘t have to be a physical bully. The… epilogue? Felt weird too being suddenly written from the POV of another character. All in all, it wasn‘t great, but I also don‘t feel like it was time wasted. Might pick up the sequel someday.

Second buddy read for #BatBrigade #Scarathlon
6mo
Catsandbooks I do agree that the relationships felt rushed. I think if the author expanded on them more and deepened the connection more it would have sat better. Especially since it was a short book, they definitely could have fleshed out more stuff. 6mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @Catsandbooks Exactly! I would have been totally willing to read a longer book too. 😅 6mo
18 likes3 comments
review
Catsandbooks
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Pickpick

4/5 ⭐️ A haunting story of dracula's lovers. I loved the author's note at the end that even when you are in the darkness for so long & in so deep you think you'll never escape, you can still find light & keep going. She said this book was the result of her dealing with her mental illness & I definitely relate to that.

My edition also contained the short story An Encore of Roses (1.5) which feat. our trio in the future from Alexei's perspective⬇️

Catsandbooks ...which I quite enjoyed! Pictured are the end papers of my edition which I think capture the characters so well! I listened to the audiobook with the physical book. ⚠️Do check the content warnings on this though before you read!! (edited) 6mo
See All 7 Comments
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 6mo
TheSpineView Well done! 6mo
Andrew65 Brilliant 👏👏👏 6mo
Read4life 🍁👻🎃 6mo
45 likes7 comments
review
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Mehso-so

Sadly, this was underwhelming for me. One of those books where I wonder if I read the same thing as all these people giving it 5 stars. I loved the concept -- POV of one of Dracula's brides recounting him as an abusive spouse she eventually kills, with sapphic and polyamory representation -- but practically I found the writing cliche, the characters flat, and too much telling rather than showing. I probably should have DNFed this one 🤷‍♀️

26 likes2 comments
blurb
Texreader
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

I‘ll go first:

A Dowry of Blood with a Chainsaw

🤣🤣🤣

Eggs The Wife‘s Promise With a Chainsaw 6mo
Deblovestoread Silence for the Dead with a Chainsaw 6mo
Twainy Never Dead with a Chainsaw 😁 6mo
See All 15 Comments
CSeydel Brat with a Chainsaw 6mo
julesG Every Duke Has His Day With A Chainsaw (🎧) 6mo
Jari-chan Aliss at the Fire with a Chainsaw 😂 6mo
thegreensofa This Camp is Doomed with a Chainsaw 6mo
AnnR Emily's Quest with a Chainsaw. 6mo
Birdsong28 In this new sepulchre with a chainsaw 😂📚📖 6mo
Soubhiville “Making It So with a Chainsaw” 😱😆 6mo
plemmdog Exit West With A Chainsaw 6mo
OrangeMooseReads Yale Needs Women with a Chainsaw! (Current read and YES!) 6mo
MaureenMc The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street with a Chainsaw 6mo
RamsFan1963 Pumpkinheads With A Chainsaw 🤣 that would definitely have a different vibe. 6mo
CoverToCoverGirl Three Is A War with a chainsaw. 6mo
45 likes15 comments
review
Texreader
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Pickpick

Telling the tale of Dracula‘s brides, one of them tells her story of his siring her & ultimately her murdering him (she reveals it up front). I don‘t care for the passive first person narration of her life; it is dull. Had the narrative been told as events occurred, it would have been exciting indeed. I was prepared to bail, or at least give it a so-so rating. But it just barely is a pick, the ending having saved it. I realized this is the tale ⬇️

Texreader of what, in real life, is domestic abuse. Dracula‘s wives loved and reviled him for his treatment. Controlling, possessive, moody with bouts of violent rage. Told without the vampire overlay, that‘s what this book is about—& about how they saved themselves. Still barely a pick: the vampiric descriptions are gory and early on the book is almost solely about their killings and their sex. It was tiring and gross. #scarathlon #batbrigade #buddyread 6mo
Catsandbooks Sorry you didn't enjoy it except for the ending. 🦇 6mo
47 likes2 comments
blurb
Texreader
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

My next audiobook, our #scarathlon #buddyread for #batbrigade. Yay!! @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks 🙌🏼🦇🩸🖤 6mo
40 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
LaraS
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

I wasn't sure what to expect from this one but I liked it a lot more than I thought. Excellent choice for the #BatBrigade #BuddyRead

Amazing artwork from here: https://www.tumblr.com/lilithsaur/650035955511721984/my-interpretation-of-the-ch...

#31by31 #spookoween
@catsandbooks @thespineview

TheSpineView Well done! 7mo
Catsandbooks Ooo that artwork is gorgeous! Glad you liked it! 🦇❤️ 6mo
11 likes2 comments
blurb
MatchlessMarie
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

Too bad this wasn‘t on my bucket list but I made a spoopy artichoke pasta salad for dinner. Although.. my pasta might be part vampire. 🧛🏻‍♂️ #BatBrigade #Scarathlon

blurb
Roary47
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

I‘m a bit behind because of not feeling well so not showing my whole list to catch up on my #Scarathlon points. #BatBrigade 850 points for the week 1 game using all the vampire books I could remember. @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks Awesome job!! 🎉 🧡 7mo
17 likes1 comment
blurb
Texreader
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

#scarathlon week one game results, to identify books with something in common—I chose the tagged book from our two buddy reads—and came up with 91 books (910 points). I could have had many many more, but I had to stop somewhere. #batbrigade @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks Awesome job!! 🎉 🦇 7mo
43 likes1 comment
blurb
Texreader
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

Yay our #batbrigade buddyread is free for those folks with an Audible subscription! Yay!! #scarathlon @Catsandbooks

Catsandbooks Oh perfect! I found it on Hoopla too! 7mo
36 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
RainyDayReading
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

I haven‘t gone to bed yet so even though it‘s after midnight I‘m still counting “today” as the 5th. It‘s not the 6th until I go to bed 🤪 Anyway, the photo prompt today was #blood and I immediately thought of this book. Forever languishing on my TBR even though I‘ve heard good things! Fingers crossed I can get to it soon…

#magicalmonsters #scarathlonphotochallenge #scarathlon

blurb
LaraS
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

I'm about halfway through and I'm really enjoying this retelling of the brides of Dracula. Great choice for a #BuddyRead!

#BatBrigade #scarathalon #31by31 #spookoween #ScarathalonPhotoChallenge prompt #blood @catsandbooks @thespineview @clwojick @staycurious

TheSpineView Excellent! 7mo
Catsandbooks Yay! Glad it's good so far! 🦇 7mo
12 likes2 comments
blurb
Deblovestoread
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Catsandbooks 👍🏼🩸🦇 7mo
41 likes1 comment
review
Roary47
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Pickpick

4✨ I ended up listening to this book in one sitting while I was cleaning the house. We have our MC talking to her maker that we know very early on is dead. Going back to the beginning of when he made her a vampire and their lives together. Continuing through the others they met along the way. He was a very controlling master, but she stayed with him for a long time. I could have done without the sex scenes, but loved everything else about it.

Catsandbooks Glad it was overall good! 🦇 7mo
Roary47 Word search- 313x10= 3130+66= 3,196 7mo
22 likes3 comments
blurb
mom_of_4
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

Such a good book. 4 stars. #buddyread #scarathlon @Catsandbooks

BookBr Just picked this up on sale for Kindle and am hoping to fit it into October spooky reads! 7mo
mom_of_4 @BookBr it was good 7mo
Catsandbooks Happy to hear you liked it! 🩸🖤 7mo
23 likes3 comments
review
Nalbuque
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Pickpick

So beautiful and lyrical- and SO satisfying, for such a short tale. Loved it. #DumpHim

review
kellyann28
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Pickpick

I finished A Dowry of Blood last week for book club and it was a very quick read that I ended up really enjoying!
I'm using this for a Book with Monsters, as the story is told from the POV of one of Dracula's wives. #booked2023

review
currentlyreadinginCO
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Mehso-so

This coven story about Dracula's first wife, Constanza, had its moments as far as beautiful language and creepy vampire-sensual scenes, but overall I never felt particularly invested and I doubt that I'll continue with the series.

review
ReadingOver50
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Mehso-so

Constanta is a medieval peasant saved from death by a mysterious stranger. As she awakens to her new life she finds she is now a vampire. At first she loves her new life but as the years pass she begins to feel dissatisfied and want to leave her lover. This book was well written with a flowery prose. There wasn‘t enough action for me. It was very introspective, a character study of Constanta. Overall the book was fine but not very exciting.

68 likes1 stack add
quote
currentlyreadinginCO
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson

You looked at me like you looked at one of your books, like you wanted to drain me of all of my knowledge before tossing me aside. 👀

review
HeatherBlue
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Pickpick

I‘ve been in a big reading slump - it seems most of the books I‘ve read lately have been very meh. This book was a welcome change! Steamy and bloody and fast and all the things I needed.
See also: my little bookends keeping me company while I read 😂
#catsoflitsy

dabbe They're your “guardians to the threshold,“ the threshold being YOU! Da cutest kitties! ❣️🐾❣️ 13mo
Leftcoastzen 😻😻 13mo
48 likes2 comments
review
Twainy
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Mehso-so

🎧 BOO! MC is turned & becomes Dracula‘s 1st wife, he quickly gets a hankering for 2 fresh sex buddies girl/boy & it‘s a free for all.

No plot other than 4 people in a very dysfunctional relationship having sex.

The mewling MC went on & on about her love for Dracula but all I saw was fear & subservience. But she loved him. 🙄

There‘s no showing of how or why this love blossomed or faded (slap was hilarious). Was she glamoured? LGBTQ+

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

review
wildwoodreads
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Panpan

I was excited to read from Dracula‘s wife‘s perspective.But it definitely didn‘t give me what I‘d hoped for. The plot was almost nonexistent and the main character that was supposed to be Dracula could have been anyone. It didn‘t have any of the same feelings that Dracula had. Don‘t get me wrong. The prose is beautiful and atmospheric. There just wasn‘t any substance behind it.

wildwoodreads I have a lot to say about this one so check out my full review here: https://wildwoodreads.com/2023/02/06/a-dowry-of-blood-review/ 1y
jitteryjane724 Good to know! 1y
66 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Elemar71
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Pickpick

Fun Palette cleanser. As far as vampire books go, it was good.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

review
CaitlinR
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Mehso-so

Starting out the new year with the story of Constanta, Dracula‘s first bride. Later in the nest there is Magdalena, patterned on Maddalena de' Medici and finally Alexi, a young Russian. Dracula is an abuser, controlling every aspect of lives. Ultimately, and unsurprisingly, the three kill their sire. There‘s not much of a story here but the novel is blissfully short. There‘s a fair amount of sex; hello, vampires?!?

review
BookMaven9
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image
Mehso-so

🌟🌟🌟A well written story of the 3 brides of Dracula as told by the first bride. The writing is atmospheric and sets the tone wonderfully. However the story is lacking on so many levels. This was reduced to romance only. It could have been epic with more story about the brides themselves. A missed opportunity.

blurb
nitalibrarian
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

November's adult fantasy FairyLoot arrived in November! This one is a re-telling of Dracula.

blurb
Twainy
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

Adult FairyLoot, October 2022.

A Dowry of Blood is a Dracula retelling from the POV Of a woman. The dust jacket is nice but the hard cover alone is sleek. The stenciled edges & unique end papers are nice.

Very pretty.

Soscha I covet 🤗 1y
IndoorDame Gorgeous 🤩 1y
31 likes2 comments
blurb
Follow.my.read
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

ALWAYS look under the dust jacket #ADowryofBlood#Halloween2022#STGibson#Dracula

24 likes3 stack adds
blurb
Linsy
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

Went to Utah's 1st queer bookstore today and got these beauties! I have a thing for female-led vampire novels ever since reading Carmilla and I could NOT resist! ♥️

Under the Umbrella is my new favorite bookstore; not only is it inclusive and inviting, but it is adorable, has a fabulous selection of books, and gives back to those in our community that are often overlooked. Would highly recommend!!!

#vampire #scarathlondailyprompts #teamslaughter

MoonWitch94 Great choices & hooray for that bookstore! 2y
PuddleJumper These look good! I'll have to check them out 2y
the.bookish.valkyrie Ooo! Will have to look them up I had no idea we had a queer bookstore in Utah! 2y
63 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
Branwen
A Dowry of Blood | S. T. Gibson
post image

Special book delivery today! ❤️🖤❤️ This was originally a self published sapphic vampire book but today is its official publication through Hachette Books! Happy book birthday! 🎉💕📚 I'm going to try and squeeze it in with the rest of the campy books I have lined up for this month! 😄 #catsoflitsy #rumpel

RaeLovesToRead Oh hai stripy beautiful 💕 2y
46 likes1 comment