Book Review: A Magic So Deadly by Vasilisa Drake

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | Really liked it! Highly recommend.

Read A Magic So Deadly if you like vampires, witches, and one of the best book boyfriends in fantasy romance.

✨Heads up! Some links in this post are Amazon affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping me keep this blog running and my TBR endless! 📚

*This review is of the second book in this series. If you want to read my thoughts on book one, here’s my review of A Bargain So Bloody

*FYI: I read this as an eARC (aka an early digital copy), and as always—you’re getting my honest, unfiltered thoughts. This one hits shelves 6.30.2026.

📖 What’s Inside:

Vampires + witches
Single POV (with a few bonus POVs)
🐎 Only one horse
On-page intimacy 🔴
🌈 Inclusive
Political intrigue 🧐
Explicit language
Blood drinking 🩸

Book Boyfriend Meter: ❤️‍🔥

Endgame. No notes.

Raphael has claimed a spot on the official book boyfriend leaderboard, and he’s not going anywhere any time soon.

👉 If morally grey book boyfriends are your weakness… this free starter pack was made for you.

✨ Vibes:

Breaking Dawn — new vampire life and immortality angst
A Ballad of Never After — romantic obsession and magical politics

Basically: Bella Swan becoming a vampire… if Edward had way more red flags and infinitely better hair.

💭 My Thoughts:

What I love most about this series is how immersive the writing is.

Like, I read a lot of first-person present tense fantasy romances, and sometimes I still feel like I’m sitting outside the story watching it happen.

Not here.

With this series, I am the main character. I feel like I’m experiencing everything with her.

And honestly?

Being inside the FMC’s head as a newly turned vampire gave me the biggest Breaking Dawn nostalgia.

Not because the situations are similar. Just that feeling of going from mortal to immortal and figuring out how to exist all over again.

I loved it.

Also, can we talk about the forced proximity?

Because this author does it SO WELL.

Every time these two are close together, there’s a legitimate reason for it.

No manufactured nonsense.

No “oops we accidentally shared a room.”

There’s always a purpose, and I ate it up.

Criticisms:

The tension.

Or rather…

The lack of it.

The story repeatedly tells us that the FMC is the greatest threat to the vampires—and especially to Raphael.

But I never actually felt that.

In fact, every time she reminded herself that she was dangerous, it felt less like a thought and more like the author nudging me and saying: “Remember! She’s a threat!”

And if you have to keep reminding me…

Then I probably don’t believe it.

There was some repetition too.

Certain ideas and information kept getting repeated throughout the story. Maybe that’s because this was an ARC and things will be tightened up before release. But there were definitely moments where I found myself thinking:

“Yep. I know. Can we get back to Raphael now?”

Speaking of Raphael…

THIS MAN.

Babes.

I still maintain that the FMC isn’t good enough for him.

I said what I said.

Her motivations and destiny arc often felt like they existed because the plot needed them to—not because I truly bought into them.

Meanwhile Raphael?

Perfect. No notes.

This man remains one of my favorite book boyfriends, and frankly, he’s carrying this series on his back.

A few plot twists genuinely surprised me, and the ending absolutely blew my mind.

With Raphael being the vampire king that he is, together with the incredible finish to this book, those things pushed this overall middle-of-the-road-read up to four stars.

I’m absolutely interested in seeing where things go in the next book.

📚Read Alikes:

If you’re here for vampire romance and immortal angst:

Twilight — the OG vampire experience
Once Upon a Broken Heart — for romantic obsession and magical politics
Serpent and Dove — for paranormal romance with witches and vampires

If your TBR isn’t already out of control… it will be. Get my free Morally Grey Book Boyfriend Starter Pack and meet even more men you absolutely shouldn’t fall for (but will).

Should you add A Magic So Deadly to your TBR?

For Raphael?

Absolutely.

Because honestly?

He’s the main event.

🛒 Buy Now

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