We Who Will Die, Stacia Stark (Review by Skylar Wetzel)

As an eldest daughter, I knew as soon as I read the dedication in Stacia Stark’s romantasy, We Who Will Die, our leading character was going to be extraordinarily strong-willed, and I was hooked. Arvelle is a hardened, unawakened gold sigilmarked raising her two younger twin brothers in Thorn, one of the poorest districts in their kingdom. Once a former warrior champion of a gladiator like competition in the Sands, Arvelle now spends her days trying to make enough money to keep her ailing brother alive. When a vampire shows up on her doorstep and forces her hand to compete in the Sands tournament once again to join the vampire emperor’s guard and kill him, she has no choice but to save her brother’s life. I absolutely devoured this book within a day, and feel like I’m coming out of the world Stark created in a bit of a fever dream. This book built and flowed in so many unexpected directions, and the depth and sacrifice of Arvelle’s character felt so real. There were hints and foreshadowed moments throughout the whole story that will leave the reader to have “aha” moments. One of the more amusing ones is when Arvelle catches the attention of two of the most powerful vampires next to the King. One, the grumpy, cruel son of the King and the other, the protective, stoic head of his personal guard. Do we have to choose one? At this point, I can’t pick! The author throws a lot of world-building and plot at you quickly, which challenges you to question everyone. There’s a political division between the ruling vampires and the sigilmarked citizens who believe and worship conflicting gods. The book also weaves in a murder mystery storyline. It all somehow comes together to construct a gripping story that’ll attract many different readers. If you call yourself a romantasy fan, then you absolutely must read this book. This series is shaping up to be a show-stopper, and you’ll be eagerly anticipating the second book.