We Become Darkness by Grace Morrow

Blurb:

A human and a Vampyr forge an unsteady alliance in this marriage-of-convenience romantic fantasy, perfect for fans of The Serpent and the Wings of Night and One Dark Window.

Thalia, Princess of Agripa, has spent the last four years hunting her ex-lover, Cassius—the man who shattered her heart and betrayed her kingdom by becoming a Vampyr. Vampyrs and humans have had a tenuous past since Thalia’s father and sister were murdered thirteen years ago. But with Agripa’s ore supply—the lifeblood of human cities—running out, Thalia’s mother strikes a desperate and dangerous deal: Thalia will marry a Vampyr prince in exchange for their ore.

Thalia is blindsided by the arrangement—and horrified to find Cassius, now serving as the prince’s Hand, is the man tasked with bringing her to the Vampyr kingdom safely. To save her people, she agrees to the marriage—but she plans to dismantle the Vampyr kingdom from within by killing the prince.

The Vampyr court is rife with danger and secrets, and Cassius is always watching. When a monstrous new threat emerges, Thalia realizes the safety and security of their world is far more fragile than she ever believed.

Caught between duty and desire, Thalia must grapple with her feelings for Cassius and decide if she will fulfill her duty to the human crown or embrace the darkness within herself to protect both realms.

We Become Darkness is an atmospheric romantasy, perfect for fans of Nosferatu to sink their teeth into.

Review:

Thalia is the Princess of Agripa, a mortal nation that has fallen victim to the onslaught of Vampyrs for years. Having spent the past four years of her life hunting for the life of her ex-lover, Cassius, who betrayed her and resulted in the death of her closest loved ones, shattering her heart in the process by becoming a Vampyr. Stuck in a battle between Vampyrs and humans with no end in sight, and an ore supply within the Vampyr domain promising salvation for the human cities who use it was a lifeblood, Thalia’s mother crafts a deadly, cruel, and clever solution: Thalia will marry a Vampyr prince in exchange for a surplus of the ore they need.

Blindsided by the unexpected deal her mother made to marry her off, and terrified of confronting Cassius, who now serves the prince she’s meant to marry, she has no choice but to go through with the death. Escorted by Cassius himself to the Vampyr kingdom, she’s determined to save her people by agreeing to the marriage and dismantling the Vampyr monarchy from the inside out.

She doesn’t expect the danger and clandestine nature of the Vampyr Court, however, and Cassius is always monitoring her for signs of treasonous activity. But the biggest threat might not be the Vampyrs around her or the fate that awaits her if she’s caught in her deceit—it’s her own heart, which might still long for Cassius after all their years apart.

Oh. My. Gosh. I absolutely loved this book. As a member of Grace Morrow’s Street Team for We Become Darkness, I was privileged to acquire an ARC edition of this novel guaranteed. I have never been so delightfully immersed in an advanced reader copy before, nor did I think it was possible for me to fall in love with vampires (whose retellings and stories I tend to avoid) in such an expansive, intricate setting. Morrow proved me wrong, and I absolutely adore everything she’s done with this novel.

My favorite part, of course, was the relationship between Cassius and Thalia. Every time they interacted, I couldn’t help sitting forward in my seat and reading a little faster. Their every interaction is addictive and sexy and profound, and I would’ve devoured another dozen books just to see the main character and love interest bickering on their own.

The other aspect of the novel that I absolutely loved was the elements of worldbuilding, unique and original and expansive, yet not too convoluted too distract potential readers from what’s happening within the story itself. There’s hints of deep lore here and there, and everything connects so perfectly that it was immensely enjoyable and easy to read as well.

Something particularly attractive about Morrow’s writing style is how lush and vivid everything feels. With every description, I felt myself falling deeper into her novel and falling more and more in love. Every character was cut from a fine, carefully woven cloth that is the masterful pen and hand of Morrow’s literary mastery.

I cannot WAIT to see what this author brings to the table next, and I’m so glad I got the chance to read this book ahead of publication! Hot, sexy, tense, and sophisticated, We Become Darkness is truly a delight of a debut novel—one that readers won’t be able to help but sink their teeth into!