Hellbound

by Ava Do

Throne of Glass meets the Mindf*ck Series in this dark romantasy where a bladesmith enters the king's deadly trials to become his next spymaster—except she's the serial killer he's desperate to catch.

"She was asking to be killed."

Ksenia is executed for forging illegal blades—one of which costs her soul. To reclaim it, she strikes a blood pact with a vengeful goddess and is resurrected in a new body with a rage-driven infiltrate the castle and destroy the man who stole her soul.

The first step? Win the king's deadly trials to become his next spymaster. She's assigned to work with Bohdan, the bastard prince and captain of the royal guard, to expose and address any threats to the crown before the enemy can find them. And lately, there's been a serial killer tearing through the kingdom.

The problem? She IS the killer. And the king is her next target.

Can Bohdan stop her? Let him try. She kind of likes it.

In this dark romantasy of resurrection and revenge, two people standing on opposite sides of the same blade have a way of drawing blood--and something far more dangerous. Perfect for readers who crave morally gray heroines, enemies-to-lovers tension, deadly competitions, and forbidden romance.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dark

539 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication August 28, 2026

About the author

Ava Do is an Asian American producer in the gaming industry based in Southern California, and video games are among her greatest sources of inspiration.

She's loves reading and writing gothic dark romantasy because she's drawn to female rage, revenge and more insidious topics with teeth. She loves to write women who might be the villains in someone else's story, but are absolutely the heroes in hers.

Reviews

[Jennah Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review:
Hellbound by Ava Do has you hooked right from the start, throwing you right into the chaos and action. We meet Ksenia, who is helping her sister get some kids to safety - they’re being hunted, seen almost like rebels against the crown.

We immediately are met with a huge twist of events that start to lead Ksenia into her “villain arc”, her need for vengeance feeds her actions. To get closer to the King she takes part in deadly trials, each trial pertains to certain traits a King’s Spymaster should master. But of course, the trial master is none other than Bohdan, the illegitimate crowned Prince.

Bohdan is your closed off, broody, “don’t stand in my way” type of Prince. He carries out actions with little hesitation, takes what he wants…unfortunately, he says he doesn’t want Ksenia but it wouldn’t be an enemies-to-lovers without a little denial of feelings. The tension between them is so thick you can feel the hatred they have for one another. So of course I’m going to be sitting kicking my feet giggling when the King decides they need to work together into finding who this serial killer is, as they seem to be targeting those close to the King, and he’s worried he’s next. Which is fair…because he is the next target.

But what’s the catch? The catch is the serial killer Bohdan and Ksenia are after, is Ksenia. How far can she go undetected, uncaptured and unidentified?

There were so many twists and secrets revealed that it kept me on my toes, kept me wanting more. And speaking of wanting more, Bohdan and Ksenia, the chemistry and intensity between the two of them only grows more as their little cat-and-cat game continue. There is no cat-and-mouse game between them, they both grapple with trying to one up each other at every chance they get.

I devoured Hellbound, I couldn’t get enough. I didn’t want to reach the end as I have so many questions I need answers to! So now, I sit and wait for book 2.

[Neli · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

let me just say, this book was like a breath of fresh air compared to all the newer romantasy books that come out.
It felt like Ava wasn’t trying to please the audience, but rather show what a true fantasy character should be, because Ksenia literally embodies the rage they should feel.
Along with this, I loved how the writing didn’t have that overly ‘lyrical’ element that every second author attempts. Like this book truly felt like something NEW and something actually DIFFERENT


if you like:
- enemies to lovers (when the enemies actually have a reason to hate each other)
- Cliffhangers
- Plot twists
- Trials
- badass fmc
- Female rage
- Gods
And honestly every trope that is amazing
Then this book is definitely for you


I fell in love with the characters, the plot and honestly the mystery elements this book held
There were so many times where I was like hmmm wait lemme try connect the dots on who is… yk who.
guess what… I didn’t. I actually completely forgot about yk who until I thought about it

I do have to say the reasons this didn’t get a five star
And there is really only ONE reason (which is highly impressive considering this is a debut novel!!!)
But my main reason was because this just started a bit too confusing for me. Like I understood but I couldn’t see what was meant to be happening. If that makes sense
But when you push past that first like 8% you’re in for one hell of a ride. The last 92% make up for everything.


I truly loved this book and I really hope that Ava Do will grant me an arc again when this series blows up (as it should)



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⚠️⚠️⚠️SPOILERS⚠️⚠️⚠️ ⚠️⚠️⚠️SPOILERS⚠️⚠️⚠️
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CHARACTERS


KSENIA
I love a girl who has a reason to hate everyone and everything.
I love a women who isn’t scared to show her hatred, who doesn’t deem herself incapable just because she is a women.
and not only that, I love a women who can admit when she is heavily mistaken (cough cough Bohdan)
but overall I adored Ksenias character
She was the epitome of female rage, and it is well deserved after the king and his lackeys killed her and she got revived for the sole purpose of killing him.
I also love love love how she actually had emotions
I feel like oftentimes fmcs lack emotions, or if they have them it revolves around the mmc
But that was not the case for Ksenia, she was the perfect fmc for the girls who want to read about a women who had been through hell and back and still keeps choosing to fight.
She is for the girls who get up everyday fighting.



BOHDAN
what an unexpected turn of events.
What do you mean he is the Shepard
You deceiving lying bastard
I love you.
No I wa a genuinely flabbergasted.
I was genuinely so sad when I realised that Bohdan and Ksenia weren’t going to get to be together long term Becuase of their… rifts
But then when it was revealed that he was not only part of the Bound Eye, but basically the leader, my mind was blown.
Although I knew he wasn’t evil like his father, I was under the influence that he was under his control
So to find out he wasn’t was like OH MY GODDDDD
but also, the way he yearned!!!
Can we talk about that for a second
I have known mmcs, have watched them yearn, and none compare to the way Bohdan yearns
The turns from hatred to complete and utter willingness. I almost fainted because UGH HES SO SEXY
(pls be mine)



VARKA
I was so sceptical of her at first
I genuinely thought “oh no she is gonna betray Ksenia”
But no, she was genuinely a queen
Not only did she not betray Ksenia
But she aided her with how to accomplish the killings, and helped her escape.
And I love how her character showed how power and money and influence do not have to be used in a negative way
It showed that people with such heedy power can make a difference, and can truly turn the tides if they just tried
(Which is sort of ironic considering today’s… political climate)



DANIKA
firstly, I love how she followed in her fathers legacy and finally crafted a sword which can destroy Bonded swords.
secondly, why did she have to die??
Genuinely just why
There was no necessity to her death (okay so there was but shhhhh)
I honestly wish we saw more of her.
but also then it would of hurt more, so maybe not
but from the parts we did see of her, she wanted to fight not with blood and blades, but with brains and deception
Which is just as important.
Her and Ksenia woukd have made a great team in the defeat of Karsaan




KARSAN
I’m very very conflicted over how to say this
Because his diary entities were confusing… did he do everything out of love, obsession???
Like I want to know why, was it for the lady or for himself.
Did he crave the power, or did he crave the love?
I have so many questions and not enough answers.
I mean I hate him for the fact that he killed so many innocents and forced his will upon those he let live.
I hate that he is practically immortal, and I hate that he couldn’t see the pain he was causing, and if he did he didn’t care.
I hate that he exists, but I want to knwo why he turned into who he is.



Okay so I think that’s all for the characters !!
I normally do a plot overview with these as well - but I think I’ve disclosed enough in these character overviews if I need my own personal recap



QUOTES


“Bohdan, dear baby brother, you should know your rank in this household. We may share blood, but you’re far from demanding anything around here.”

- this truly doesn’t shock me anymore, but when it was revealed that VARKA and Bohdan were related I was shocketh to my core.


——————


“Put me in my place.” Her voice dropped and she met his eyes. “If you think you can.”
“You wouldn’t survive it.” Heat flashed through her, and suddenly she felt feral. Indignant. She was meant to be the one to push him off the edge. To break his immaculate mask and shred him to pieces. That dangerous glint was back as he tilted his head, a slow smile crawling on his face.
“What’s wrong? You were so brave just a moment ago.” Fuck. Him. Ksenia dragged him close, fitting their mouths together. And it was perfect. Every reasonable, fear-driven thought shattered in her mind, until all she could do was give in to the hedonism threatening to break the dam of her sanity. He tasted like pomegranate. Fine liquor.

- firstly, he tastes yummy. secondly, their banter even once they began to like each other is CRAZY. I was eating every second up and licking my fingers


——————


“She is a poison, and yet I’m willingly consuming it.”

-Bohdan… the yearned you are. No it’s so funny he wanted to fight his cravings for her but genuinely couldn’t. Also… was shocked to find out he caught her in his room that night !!!



——————



“She lay her down and pressed her lips to Petra’s mouth, willing her lungs to take air. Minutes passed. Tears sprang to Ksenia’s eyes, hot and cruel as reality sank in. The sobbing started quietly at first, but then became full-blown wails as Ksenia hugged the small, drowned body to her chest. “Petra…” she whispered between labored breaths as she rocked them back and forth on the muddy bank.”

-no, not the little servant girl. NOT PETRA. I actually wanted to jump into the book and perform CPR (no I don’t know how but like !!) I genuinely cried because Petra was always there; always helping Ksenia and she just… died.



——————



“Is this how you handle insubordination?” Her wicked smile curved against his neck as her hand clawed through his black curls, wrenching his head back till she could hear strands snapping. “Or is this special treatment just for me?” she growled, nipping the shell of his ear.
He gripped her thighs, breaking vessels, but she took it in stride. “You’re a pest.” His voice was silk over coals.

- see what I said about the banter?? Also the last part ‘you’re a pest’ I don’t knwo why, but it had me kicking my feet and giggling.



——————



“You going to hold that blade to my throat all night?” His eyes were dark, pupils blown wide, leaving only a thin green ring at the edges. “There he is.”
The blood in her veins burned like fire. His thumb traced her bottom lip. She closed the remaining distance between them, her fingers tangling in his hair as their mouths scraped together in a searing kiss.

- same point as the last one… also how they coukd read each other so easily was so very interesting, and yet neither knew each others secrets. Something about trust definitely was being told here.



——————



“You are going to be the end of me.”

-damn right I am. but no… I read this and I got butterflies because this is just so HOT. Not only hot but also like… yes because it’s literally what Ksenia originally wanted but ended up hating the idea of. She wanted to kill him, literally, and it turned into a fatuation so feel that she felt ended without him



——————



“I had these made for you”

-Oh? Did you now. When I read this though, my jaw, to the floor. I was like lmg he is actually INSANE FOR HER. I didn’t realise just how crazy until this because he would have had to take like her measurements to make it so perfectly fitting. Where does one find a man so obsessed?



——————



“You are a force even I cannot fight”

-ughhhh. it’s so great because they are both like great fighters as well. It’s literally them at a stalemate at every single turn, romantically, figuratively. All of it.



——————




He settled his weight firmly, melding his hips with hers. His free hand came to rest beside her head. “You’re not strong enough to win this right now. Stop fighting me.”
“I don’t care.”
“I know.” Something shifted in his eyes. “You never surrender. It’s…” He stopped.
“What?” she demanded.
“Infuriating.” Her breath caught, but nothing could have prepared her for what he said next. “You’ve done in a matter of weeks what I’ve been too scared to do my entire life.”
Wait. She stopped struggling. The wayfinder coins, the missives, his presence in the Vein…
“I killed innocent people so that I could save more.” Innocents, including her. Realization slammed into her like a sledgehammer.
“You’re the Shepherd.”

- plot twist !!! Also not only that, this was the moment I was like OMG THEY CAN BE TOGETHER. But also… omf I have way too long left for this to end well. Also not only that, butttttttt I love how they both had so many secrets, and they both held each other at arms length and yet still found comfort within one another. It was like they were drawn to each other.



——————



“To hide the fact that he can’t compel his own flesh and blood”

- it all makes sense



——————



“Exhausted green eyes peered back at her, as if she were his savior and damnation and he was done pretending otherwise.”

- up until this point, we knew basically nothing of him, so to FINALLY watch him crack under Ksnenias love or his love for her was amazing. Victory is sweet.



——————



“Words couldn’t explain what she needed from him. So she took it. Dragging him from the floor to roughly slam him down on the bed. Their mouths scraped, urgent, desperate. It tasted both sacred and sacrilegious.”

- these two are what every couple in a book yearns to be. They are THE dark romantasy couple. Also I love how Ksenia never forgot that he was apart of her death, but she saw the necessity of it. Like I truly find it so cool how Ava winded in karts that make them true enemies, while also lovers at the same time



——————



“I—hate you.” Her retort stuttered.
…
“You don’t fuck like you do.”

-I woukd have folded so quick. and not only that, but I was SHOCKED. Bohdan is a completely different person in the last half of this book and I’m feral for it.



——————


“Stay… sharp”

-she died. Just like that. And by Ksenias own hand, Danika died. her last words weren’t fear or sadness or anger, but rather a pledge for her sister to succeed, and I think that about sums up siblinghood



——————



“The monster Karsan had always known she was. The monster Bohdan could finally see. The monster she couldn’t escape.”

-this reminded me of One Dark Window, and I LOVED that book. Also this being the last line was amazing. It truly encapsulates how Ksenia has turned into a person desperate for retaliation, while also showing her rage was spiralling out of control.



Chefs kiss to this entire book
The second book can not come sooner.


THANK YOU FOR READING ANDDDD
BUY BYEEEE

[Tia Mondok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baby’s first ARC. Huge shoutout to the Ava and her team for selecting me to be one of the first to read this 🫡


⭐️⭐️⭐️. 5 / 5
🌶️🌶️.75 / 5

“Senka is everything I should avoid—reckless, deceptive, and completely without principle. She is a poison, and yet I’m willingly consuming it.”

After being executed, Ksenia is given a second chance when she makes a deal with blood thirsty goddess. Ksenia gets a new body in order to break through the castle walls and kill the king. However, she must take on a new identity and join the deadly trials to become the king’s spymaster in order to get close enough to slit his throat. The games threaten her very chance and getting revenge. But Ksenia must still fulfill the goddess’ demand for blood. The kingdom is on high alert as bodies turn up and a serial killer lives amongst them. They have no idea the serial killer is right under their nose.

This was one hell of a debut. In a market that is oversaturated and every book is labeled as Romantasy, this has a fighting chance.

From the beginning, I’ve been so excited to read this. I think the author really found a way to make her story stand out amongst the growing number of Romantasy stories—a morally grey FMC. Ksenia has complex motivations that drive her. She does also feel remorse and have conflicting emotions throughout her journey. Which I really do agree is morally grey so props to Ava for sticking with the morally grey narrative. I began to root for her with each throat she slit lol. And when she learned ways to keep the crimes as clean as possible I thought good for her.

The tension between Ksenia and Bohdan was goooood.

What I wish I would’ve seen more of:
-more bloodshed. I KNOW, but I was wanting Ksenia to have more victims to appease the goddess. I feel like if I had a goddess in my head demanding more blood and was affected by the lack of blood, I would be killing left and right. (But maybe that’s just me.)
-I think the bondsmith aspect is really fascinating BUT there was a lot going on in this story that I was interested in the bondsmith element. I just wanted the serial killer/cat and mouse storyline. But again that is just me.
-a longer book 😭 the book is currently at almost 500 pages and yet I want more. I found myself checking my progress and thinking there’s no way the story wraps up in less than 75 pages.

It is worth the read and I can’t wait for book 2!!

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

E-ARC kindly provided by Ava & team, many thanks! Brutally honest review incoming!

***

In Hellbound, we follow Ksenia, an outlawed ‘bondsmith’ with a power to create magical weapons (the exact details of what a bondsmith can do and why it’s quite so bad are not entirely clear to me), who works with her sister to free other persecuted bondsmiths and their families and get them to safety. Upon discovery, Ksenia is executed by the villainous king Karsan and his bastard Bohdan, but a goddess brings her back to life in exchange for a promise to kill the king. Of course, it comes with a twist: Ksenia now has to kill regularly, or go mad. A lot going on, and this is just the first couple of chapters.

Pursuing justice, she makes her way to the capital, where her sister is also being held. An attempt to kill Bohdan is foiled by the tough-talking mysteriously-motivated Varka, who decides out of nowhere to basically become Ksenia’s fairy godmother and sponsor her through a series of trials to become the King’s ‘sevrant’. Despite apparently having made her living as an outlaw and rescuing all these trafficked people, Ksenia is useless at stealth and combat - but it’s okay, because one week of training is enough to have her besting people who have worked all their lives! (I do not love this trope. I’ll be honest. But I suppose she was magically enhanced by this goddess deal, so we’ll allow it.)

She works her way through a series of honestly-irrelevant trials set by the King and Bohdan to become the top-dog sevrant (job description remains unclear), a sort-of spy-assassin-bodyguard combo, which is clearly where the Throne of Glass comp comes into play (and, to be fair, I did get heavy Celaena vibes from Ksenia, and Chaol from Bohdan). Somehow, everyone involved in this thinks it is a great idea and not a bit stupid to entrust lives to a random person who won a game.

At this point we’re about two-thirds through the book and the cat-and-mouse hook finally comes into play, and now is when it really gets good. Were I the editor for this, I would have gotten the author to chop the earlier sections down by at least half and extend this part, because this is where the storytelling became really engaging. Ksenia, driven by bloodlust and also her general discontent with the world, murders several high-profile individuals at court, simultaneously working with Bohdan to find the killer, and events unfold from there.

So, what did I think? The good:
* The sexual tension and chemistry between Ksenia and Bohdan practically burned holes in the page. It was brilliantly written, to the point where I think the slow burn could have been even slower just to torture us more.
* The love interest himself. Bohdan, as much as I disliked his name, is an excellent tortured bastard captain of the guard type - mix Chaol Westfall with Jon Snow and force him to act evil - and his hatred-attraction for Ksenia felt very real.
* The darkness: Ava isn’t afraid to go there. Sometimes it felt a little over-the-top, but I appreciate an author who’s willing to utterly traumatise her characters.
* The writing: self-pub books are often littered with grammatical and formatting errors, typos, purple prose, and generally terrible writing. Hellbound does not suffer from those issues, which automatically makes it better than a large amount of self-pub in the genre on this alone. It’s satisfyingly readable, well-paced, and there’s some lovely description in there.

The things-to-consider-if-deciding-whether-this-is-worth-your-time:
* Ksenia herself didn’t feel like a very strong character. She makes few decisions herself, at least for the first two-thirds of the book, and is instead pushed around by the narrative like a leaf floating in a stream. The lack of agency makes her motivations muddy at times.
* The side characters feel two-dimensional, and several times get killed off just to seemingly get them out of the way.
* The whole trials part of the plot line really just didn’t work for me. I think there could have been ways to install Ksenia in the position she gains without dragging her through some trials that don’t have much of an impact on the narrative, particularly when the hook of the story is marketed as being the Killing Eve serial killer cat-and-mouse game rather than the trials section. It felt like an afterthought to appeal to the market, which obviously is full of deadly games and challenges and so forth.

Also worth noting there are two explicit love scenes. I love a bit of spice and these were excellently written, though some of the characterisation got lost in the mechanics of what was going on. Even so, the spice was excellent, as was everything around the relationship. Essentially this is a romantasy with a brilliant ‘rom’ and a decent ‘antasy’. So depending on which is more important to you as a reader when picking up a romantasy might affect your choice to read this.

TL;DR: Would I recommend this? Yes I would! It’s a dark, twisted romantasy with a sizzling romance, and though it suffers from many of the typical flaws of the genre compounded by being a self-published debut, it shows a great deal of promise. I will certainly be reading the next in the series after that cliffhanger!

Overall, 3.5 stars.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly, a huge thank you to Ava and team for an ARC of this gorgeous debut!

This book had me hooked from the start and honestly ticks so many of my favourite boxes:
🗡️ Revenge
❤️ Enemies to lovers
🩸 A strong (and very stabby) FMC
🏰 Gothic romance
🔥 The slowest of slow burns

Ksenia was SUCH a refreshing FMC. She's fierce, determined, and unapologetically morally grey in a way you don't often see in romantasy, and I absolutely loved that. Throw in a mysterious MMC who's definitely not what he seems, plenty of gore, shocking twists, and incredible tension, and you've got a story that's impossible to put down.

Ava's writing deserves so much praise. The world-building is immersive without feeling overwhelming, and the descriptions made everything feel so vivid. I could picture every castle corridor, every weapon, every outfit. It actually gave me little flashes of Merlin (BBC series from 2008) throughout, which made me love it even more. Iykyk hehe

And can we talk about the emotional damage?! 😭 I was NOT prepared for the book to literally open with the FMC being beheaded with her future love interest involved?! What an opening. And then the forge scene later on? devastating. Ava isn't afraid to let bad things happen, and the stakes feel so much higher because of it.

When I realised Bohdan was the MMC, I genuinely wondered how on earth these two were ever going to end up together. This is a TRUE slow burn. Even after the first spicy scene (around halfway through?), they still felt more like enemies than lovers which I actually loved because it stayed true to their relationship. The chemistry was always there, but for me, the real turning point came after he saved her from the poisoning.

Spice rating 🌶️.75/5

There isn't loads of spice, but when it happens... 👀 it's worth the wait. I'm already crossing my fingers that Book 2 turns the heat up now they're (mostly) done trying to kill each other. 😂

My only tiny criticisms were that the opening chapters felt a little chaotic, and there were a few scene transitions where I had to reread to work out exactly what had happened. I also think a map at the beginning would make it even easier to visualise the world.


I was absolutely not prepared for that cliffhanger. I desperately need to know what's going to happen to Bohdan next.

An incredible debut that has me so excited for what's to come. Now excuse me while I impatiently wait for Book 2...

Write like the wind, Ava. 🫡❤️

[Bells · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an arc and I gave it a 2.5 but I rounded up to a 3! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

There were a few things that I really enjoyed in this book but there was unfortunately quite a bit of things I didn’t like. ⚠️Spoilers ahead so read with caution!⚠️

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~
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🔴Things I didn’t like:

-The whole book had many inconsistencies, both in the writing and in the storyline (it could possibly be that it needs a bit more editing)
-When we got important information it was kind of confusing to understand and whenever it would be mentioned later in the book it would come out of nowhere and it would be even more confusing to me
-The characters were one noted at times and I wish there was more to their background and characteristics (especially our main characters)
-I didn’t feel like it was truly enemies to lovers, it felt more like rivals and I couldn’t find the love between the characters, more lust than love (which isn’t a bad thing!)
-Our FMC moved on from deaths WAY too quickly
-Speaking of moving on quickly, it felt like the trials were rushed through, I wish there was more researched detail in them

🟢Things I liked:

-Some characters were a bit tolerable than others (like Petra and Varka but even still, I wish there was more to them)
-The way Ava describes characters and atmosphere is really creative and paints the picture really well
-Our FMC being a swordsmith was really unique and I wish there was more detail with it
-I really enjoyed the idea of our FMC being a killer and our MMC trying to find out who it is but it fell short at times and I wish the storyline focused more on it than the trials
-The smut was fantastic, it was probably my favorite parts of the book, you really don’t see a lot of BDSM esc smut in books and I feel as though it really fit the characters well

Overall I think this book has great potential, it just needs some editing and some fixing (but what book doesn’t?)📚Thank you so much to Ava and her team for giving me this opportunity!🫶🏼 I can’t wait to see what comes next from you! ✨🩸🗡️

[Maddy Clarke · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First of all, a huge thank you to Ava for the opportunity to read this as an e-ARC!❤️

This story wastes absolutely no time—it starts with a BANG, and the momentum from there never lets up. The pacing was one of my favourite things about it. A lot happens, but it never felt overwhelming. As someone who's a huge mood reader, I really appreciated how easy it was to sink into the world without having to wade through pages of heavy world-building or information dumps. It was exactly the kind of book I could pick up after a long day and instantly escape into.

Ava's writing style was another highlight. The gothic atmosphere was beautifully woven throughout the story, and there were so many scenes that played out so vividly in my head that they felt cinematic.

Ksenia was such a compelling protagonist. I absolutely love a dark FMC embracing her villain era, and she was fascinating to follow. I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Ksenia and Bohdan. Their interactions left me wanting even more🔥—which, to me, is never a bad thing! Considering the length of the book, I think the balance worked well, and it's definitely left me excited to see how their relationship develops in Book 2.

Overall, this was an incredibly enjoyable debut that was fast-paced, atmospheric, and so easy to get lost in.

If you enjoy gothic fantasy, enemies to lovers, morally grey characters, and stories that throw you straight into the action, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try!! Now begins the wait for Book 2 in 2027... and I already can't wait! ❤️

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this 3.25 stars!

I received an ARC for Hellbound!

I have mixed reviews for this book so I want to start off with what I enjoyed.

I enjoyed:
-a strong FMC who is angry and sticks to her plan of getting revenge
-I was hooked by the synopsis of the book and felt like the magic system was unique
-the tension between the FMC and MMC was very good
-the book started to pick up around 80% read and I loved all the twists and turns at the end

I disliked:
-I really would’ve wished we dived deeper into the world building because the magic system and world was so unique
-the story had a lot of inconsistencies or the story jumped a lot so I was left very confused. One example included when our FMC was going through a trial with her team and they were talking about a vault underground to find what item they were looking for then all of a sudden, the FMC is suspended above a structure to get what she was looking for to win that trial? I was left confused throughout many points of the book leading me to reread whole sections to make sure I was understanding it as much as I could.
-when a character died that we were meant to love, we moved on from the death way too quickly
-I loved the concept of the FMC being a serial killer but it fell flat throughout the story. I wanted more.
-this could just be a me issue but the tropes were very overused. We had a FMC who had to be in trials to take down the evil king/kingdom. We had a MMC who ended up being a “spy” for the good side.

Thank you so much to Ava and her team for allowing me to receive an advanced reader copy. I will be reading the next book as soon as it comes out!

[Yanisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review: Hellbound by Ava Do
“Stay Sharp” “Stay Safe”

There’s just something about feminine rage that’s chef’s kiss 🤌🏼

The author wasted absolutely no time throwing me into the chaos. Within the first few chapters, something happened that had me doing a double take. I stopped, went back, and reread it because there's NO WAY that just happened 🥹 Trust me, when you get there, you'll know exactly what I mean.

From there, I was completely hooked. I was rooting so hard for Ksenia the entire time, and all I wanted was for her to get the vengeance she so rightfully deserved. I also loved that the plot twists weren't all saved for the end, they were sprinkled throughout the story, so every time I thought I had things figured out, something else happened. It kept me on the edge of my seat and made it impossible to put the book down.

And that cliffhanger ending?! I was literally yelling, "WTFFFFFF?!" 😭 Because that is not AT ALL WHAT I WAS EXPECTING TO HAPPEN 🫠🥹 Cannot wait for book 2! Definitely recommend ✨

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Ava and her team and cannot thank them enough.

There are two slow burns in Hellbound. The romance (duh) and Ksenia’s move to being morally grey. Hellbound starts off with what can best be described as Ksenia’s villain origin story and has you hooked immediately. We see how she shifts from being a guiding light, leading children to safety, to a serial killer. Hellbound does a great job of bringing you through Ksenia’s journey. Do you ever have one of those days where so much has happened you can’t believe that this morning wasn’t days ago? That’s how it felt reading this book in the best way possible. There is so much that happens without being overwhelming and so much growth with Ksenia. I could not put this book down.

While the ending twist might be a little predictable (or maybe I read entirely too much) so many other events occur that it’s not a bad thing. It fits in well with the story without being a left turn out of no where.

The end was a fever dream and I cannot wait for book 2.

[emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Ava for this wonderful eArc!
“You are a force I cannot fight.”
I was sooo excited for this book, and it absolutely blew my expectations out of the water!
Hellbound has such an addicting, interesting and unique plot! i was enthralled the entire time. the trials were terrifying. totally high stakes, truly it’s win or die. and ksenia is an absolute badass. top tier fmc for sure. i love the way she gets strength progressively from her blade, i think that’s such an interesting concept and i love how it’s played out.
this book is so beautifully written. everything is detailed thoroughly and gives great descriptions. i was in awe the whole book at the world she’s built for us.
god the TENSION had me on EDGE. this enemies to lovers was perfect for Ksenias story.
this book had great momentum, i never felt bored, or rushed for anything. this has perfect pacing and it made the story so well balanced and addicting to read.
THE ENDING. i need the next book NOWWW.

[oh no she betty did · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC review.

2.25⭐️ This suffers as a debut novel with too many ideas and not enough finesse of execution. The world building is incomplete. Narrative details and description missing making following place, space and plot hard.

This was marketed as Throne of Glass meets Mind F*** series. And it was neither. It had none of the wit, humour or pace of MF and none of the lush world building of ToG.

And the “cliffhanger” wasn’t exactly hanging or shocking having seen it a mile out.

The ‘villain’ is not villainous. And don’t get me started on the learning curve she goes on in a matter of WEEKS to become some super spy.

I really really wanted to love this but, honestly, it would have been a DNF had it not been an ARC. I wanted to give the author and the book a fair chance to redeem themselves and I think, in time, with more experience, they can. But this book needs an experienced editor to give it and the author some tough love.

As always, this is just my opinion. There are obviously readers who love this so it has an audience. But that audience was not me.

[tasia:) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW: Ksenia ate and left definitely not a single crumb. I saw this book so often and signed up for the arc. My expectations were high but this book exceeded everything. I really loved the world and the characters and the whole plot. Ksenia and Bohdan and their banter were unmatched. What I really liked is the fact that she becomes what she is and is not like that from the start. I’ve read Al lot of fantasy books so I kind of expected similar things but was I wrong. Hellbound was so unique in its own way. We don’t have things that I can read in almost every other book no Ava Do really outdid herself with this. What I also really loved is the fact that we don’t have the same trials as we know mostly, we got some creative ones on our hands .
I can only recommend this book to anyone. Ksenia dragged me closer with Caromir and I very gladly let her. I can’t wait for the next one

[Lauren Krause · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I really enjoyed this one! The biggest highlight for me was watching the FMC’s slow descent into madness. Seeing her gradually change as revenge consumed her was fascinating, and I found myself rooting for her the entire time.

The only thing that kept this from being a 5-star read was that I occasionally found the worldbuilding and magic system a little confusing. I had to reread a few sections to fully understand what was happening.

Overall, this was a really fun revenge fantasy with a morally gray FMC, and I’m excited to see where the series goes next!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this as an ARC and I give it 3.5⭐️. It was one of my first fantasies and the world building was a lot so took me a hot minute to get into the story but I did think it was good and will definitely read the second one when it come out.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 1st ARC book I have read. It was an honor to be chosen and get to experience the book before release. Below is my review. There is a quick review and then a more in depth one.

"There they were, a pair of cold-blooded killer--him feasting on her blood, her yearning for his."

Ksenia lives in a kingdom where being a bondsmith means death. She has spent her life in hiding and is trying to free others from the butcher king's wrath. When a peaceful approach doesn't get her anywhere, she leans towards a more darker approach. The book leaves you wondering if the risk was worth the cost. Who is the real monster now, her or the king? How far are you willing to lose yourself for change. I think this book showed that moral conflict in an enticing and trilling way. It was a true enemies to lovers. Both her and Bohdan hated each other to the core, but slowly that anger and obsession turn into something more romantic. I think it was beautifully done.






I haven't read many dark romance books, so I can't compare this to others. That being said, I think this book had a good balance in it. There was gore and darker themes you expect but it wasn't overdone. There was also tender and playful moments.

As far as the world building goes, I think she did a good job at making vivid pictures of what was happening in the moment but I think we could have used more detail in the setting and dynamics of the world. There are so many fascinating concepts with bondsmiths and gods but we aren't given a lot of lore or history on it. If I had to nitpick, I would say that is my only complaint with the plot. I debated whether or not this should impact my rating. But at end of the day, she gave enough information that I knew what was happening and could follow along. It's also the 1st book so there is plenty of time left to gain more insight and knowledge. Plus making me think and wonder more about a book just shows how much I enjoyed the book. It left an impression.

I do think the plot was suspenseful. There were some scenes that caught me off guard and I never saw them coming. Then there were others that I knew was going to happen because of the bread crumbs she left behind for us. I really enjoyed that. I had fun piecing it all together. There wasn't a moment where I was bored. I enjoyed reading about the trials and waiting to see if she would fail or succeed.

Character wise, I think it was well done. I can't think of any character I didn't enjoy, villains include.

Ksenia was hothead, passionate, stubborn and impulse. She wasn't perfect and made her feel more real to me. She had flaws and strengths like everyone else. I enjoyed watching her give into her rage and question what was right and wrong. She made mistakes along the way and was just trying to do her best and what she thought was right. It will be interesting to see how her character development goes from here. Will she become a monster or will she seek redemption for what she has done?

Bohdan was a great love interest. He is cold hearted, intelligent, and ruthless, but there is also a vulnerability and softness to him you see in his obsession with her. I adored it. I feel like we only scratched the surface of him. I can't wait to see what other mysteries he is hiding.

I hope in the next book we get more of Varka. She was one of my favorite characters. She is one of the noble women that we meet in the story who helps sponsor and mentor Ksenia. She is not only very wise, but also a great fighter. She is the whole package-elegant, strong, smart, and beautiful. I hope to see more of her and the friendship between her and Ksenia.

Karson the butcher king. We get some information on him and its clear the next book will dig deeper into his lore. He is a power hungry tyrant who only cares about himself and his rule. I look forward to seeing what other layers he is hiding.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Reading to me is escaping into a book. I want my books to grip my attention and haunt my daydreams. And to that the book needs to be easy to follow, engaging, immersive, and fun. This book checked all those off. I see this being a book I will reread and an author I would enjoy reading more books from.

[Kayla Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ ARC Review | Hellbound by Ava Do

Thank you to Ava Do for trusting me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

From the very first sentence, Hellbound grabbed my attention. The opening chapter immediately throws you into the action, asking more questions than it answers in the best possible way. I was invested in Ksenia from the start and couldn’t wait to unravel the mysteries surrounding her, the Bondsmiths, and the kingdom.

Ksenia is a fantastic protagonist. She’s resilient, intelligent, compassionate, and incredibly determined. Even after everything she’s endured, she never loses sight of what she’s fighting for. Watching her evolve throughout the story was easily one of my favorite parts of the book. Her journey feels emotional, believable, and rewarding.

The supporting cast adds so much depth to the story. Some characters quickly became favorites, while others had me questioning their motives every time they appeared on the page. I loved never knowing exactly who I could trust, and the relationships between the characters kept me just as invested as the main plot.

The romance is a beautifully executed slow burn. The chemistry is there from the beginning, but the author allows the relationship to develop naturally. Every interaction builds the tension until the payoff feels completely earned. If you enjoy slow-burn romances with plenty of longing and banter, I think you’ll really enjoy this one.

The trials were another highlight. They felt dangerous, brutal, and unpredictable, constantly raising the stakes while revealing more about the world and its characters. I found myself eager to keep reading to see what challenge would come next.

One of the strongest aspects of Hellbound is Ava Do’s descriptive writing. The castles, streets, manor houses, dresses, jewelry, and settings are described with so much detail that I could almost picture them. More than once I found myself wishing there were official character illustrations, maps, or artwork because the world feels so visually rich. This is the kind of fantasy that would absolutely shine with companion artwork.

If I had one wish, it would simply be for more. The world, magic system, politics, and history are all incredibly interesting, and I would’ve happily spent another hundred pages exploring them even further. I became so invested that I wasn’t ready for the story to end.

My biggest critique actually has less to do with the novel itself and more to do with some of the promotional material. I felt that a few of the advertised story elements would’ve been even more exciting to discover naturally while reading. Going in with less information would have made several moments feel even more impactful.

Overall, I had such a fun time reading Hellbound. It’s a fantasy filled with political intrigue, revenge, deadly trials, beautiful worldbuilding, compelling characters, and a romance that rewards your patience. By the time I reached the final page, I was already looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)

What I loved:

* ✨ A strong, determined heroine with an engaging character arc.
* ⚔️ High-stakes trials that kept me turning the pages.
* ❤️ A slow-burn romance with excellent chemistry and payoff.
* 🏰 Rich descriptions that made the world feel vivid and immersive.
* 👥 A supporting cast that kept me emotionally invested.
* 🔥 A story that balances action, emotion, political intrigue, and romance.

Favorite Quotes:

“Stay sharp. Stay safe.”

“The way he said her name, like he was tasting every syllable before it lifted off his tongue, untethered her.”

[Natalija · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ARC review.

I had so much fun with this story. It took me a little while to fully get into it, but after the first five or so chapters, I was completely hooked. I initially went in expecting to follow Ksenia as an already established assassin, so I wasn't prepared for this to be a story about her gradual descent into rage and revenge. That mismatch in expectations is what made the beginning a little slower for me, but once I realized the direction the story was taking, I was fully invested.

Ksenia was such a compelling protagonist. She carried so much pain and grief, and watching it manifest into pure, unrelenting rage made for such an interesting character arc. What I loved most was that she never let that rage completely consume her. Instead, she learned to wield it, using it as fuel to push herself forward without losing who she was. Her determination was incredibly inspiring. She trained, studied, and pushed herself to the point of exhaustion, refusing to give up until she was strong enough to achieve her goal. She was also incredibly quick-witted, often thinking on her feet, even if it occasionally got her into even more trouble. Most of all, I loved how unapologetically ruthless she was. She never shied away from the difficult or gruesome things that needed to be done, and seeing an FMC fully embrace that side of herself without apology was so refreshing.

Bohdan was the perfect counterpart to Ksenia. He constantly challenged her, forcing her to confront parts of herself she would rather ignore, while also standing firmly as his own character. He never felt like he existed solely for the romance. His mysterious nature kept me guessing until the very end, and I loved watching Ksenia slowly peel back the layers surrounding him. Once his backstory was revealed, my heart completely broke for him. Despite everything he had endured, his discipline and self-control never wavered, which made me admire him even more.

The worldbuilding was another highlight of the book. Every setting was described so vividly that I could picture each scene with ease. I especially loved the inclusion of the gods and how the story drew from lesser-known mythology, which gave the world a fresh and unique atmosphere. Vornaya's commentary was also such a fun addition throughout the story. The writing itself struck a perfect balance; it was descriptive enough to immerse me in the world without ever feeling overly flowery or slowing the pacing. Combined with an engaging plot, it made the book incredibly easy to get lost in.

The final chapters had me on the edge of my seat. My jaw was genuinely on the floor as everything unfolded, and I had no idea how the characters were possibly going to get themselves out of that situation. Every chapter raised the stakes even higher, and I found myself flying through the pages desperate to see how it would all end.

And then... that ending.

It was absolutely criminal. I need the next book immediately because there is no way I can be expected to sit with that cliffhanger.

"The past has teeth, but it feeds on the present. Do not let it feast"

"Senka is everything I should avoid—reckless, deceptive, and completely without principle. She is a poison, and yet I’m willingly consuming it. She’s hiding something, and I need to figure it out. But I’m failing. And I can’t stop."

"The power of choice was a heavy, wondrous thing."

[Devin DeBorde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story starts off in the midst of chaos and initially had me wondering if I was missing something. Like, did I skip a chapter? It all came together, though, and I knew that I would be in for a wild ride. The idea of having a story fueled by feminine rage and vengeance with a female villain was what drew me in. More female villains please!

Let's talk about our characters:
Our FMC is Ksenia, who has one mission: save her sister Danika and kill the king. Easy enough, right? She doesn't back down and openly speaks her mind.
Varka was the much needed side character who helped guide Ksenia on her journey and bridge the gap between Ksenia and Bodhan. She helped give Ksenia the means to start an actual plan to take down the king.
And then we have Bodhan, our MMC. Hes the King's Captain and fights Ksenia every step of the way, which is fair considering she tried to kill him the first chance she could get.

This story is broken up into a few parts: Ksenia's training with Varka to enter the Sevrant trials, the trials themselves, Ksenia's infiltration of the Kings inner circle, and then the events leading up to our ending.

Ksenia's training was interesting to watch as she went from someone who wasn't a fighter or a killer to someone training to be the Kings spymaster and right hand. She had a lot to learn but through Varka's training and the god Vornaya's power, she was able to hone her skills.

The Sevrant Trials themselves were an interesting bit to read about it. I like how they weren't just physical trials but going into poisons and jewelry heists. 30 participants joined but only 1 winner.

Ksenia's infiltration of the King's inner circle and moving about the castle gave us a look into her growing bloodlust and beginnings of carrying out her plan to take down the King. I loved her creation of her makers mark, her little calling card left on the bodies. We also get our slow burn romance building between Bodhan and Ksenia. They had fantastic banter, which I just love.

"Put me in my place." Her voice dropped and she met his eyes. "If you think you can." "You wouldn't survive it."

"He had that look on his face, like he wanted to impale her on his c-ck and his blade."

This is the enemies to lovers I yearn for.
Like, YES MORE PLEASE.

And the way everything started to come together towards the end? I had to pick my jaw off the floor. There's so much to process there and I'm still hanging off that cliff's edge wondering what's going to come next.

While I really enjoyed this book, I do have some things that I think would have really elevated the story for me. Mostly, I wish we just had a little more of things: More backstory on these characters and this world to really give them some more life. I wish we had more of the killings. When I hear she's a serial killer, I expected more deaths and I think that would have been fun to lean more into that bloodlust and need to kill. I wanna know more about the struggle of bondsmiths. I found myself a little confused when it came to locations and the bondsmithing magic itself. I wanna know more about these gods and the powers they exchange with mortals in the pacts made. I'm hoping that some of these things will be answered in the next book.

Overall, I think this is a successful and entertaining debut novel by Ava Do. If you want a book with a morally grey FMC and MMC with magical weapons and espionage, you're gonna wanna check this one out.

[Tori Kamosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an e-arc from the lovely author, Ava Do.

With that being said… BEHOLD, my review.

4.5 stars

-deadly trials, meddling gods, soulbonded weapons, cat & cat chase (no mice here)

Our FMC:
Ksenia is more of an anti-hero than a villain to me, but she is exceptional nonetheless. She’s a highly relatable character and she’s starving for some well deserved vengeance, but the key is.. she’s not all that great at being a killer…..until she is. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is that she’s not some long lost chosen one and she’s not insta-amazing. Instead, she’s the persecuted, the hunted, the demon lurking in the shadows to exact justice upon those she deems immoral. She is overwhelmed by rage and she’ll be damned if they send her back to the grave without her clawing out a few eyes and dragging them back with her. She’s a bitch with a penchant for blood and I ate that shit up. She’s beautifully flawed and the embodiment of feminine rage. She’s a top tier FMC for me.

Our MMC:
Bohdi, oh my dear Bohdi, he’s deliciously morally dark gray. This man is a complete asshole throughout this book, and this is what I’m talking about when I say I like enemies to lovers. In the first couple chapters we meet him and go…. Ohhhhh, nooooooo wait what? How is he supposed to recover from this? IDK but we gonna find out and find out we do. I definitely hope we get to see more from his perspective because the snips that we do get are delicious, but they left me hungry for more.

Overall, I could not put this book down. I loved seeing Ksenia transform into a badass and exactor of justice. The banter had me by the throat. The tension was so good that when we finally got to the smut, I folded like a cheap napkin. I was a puddle both metaphorically and in reality. IYKYK. I do wish this book was longer, but I guess that’s why there's book two in the works.

Thank you sooo much Ava for allowing me to be a part of your arc team on your debut novel. This was a highly anticipated read for me this year and you’ve made the arc process so engaging and fun. I cannot wait to see what magic you stir up in book 2.

SPOILERS AHEAD

After book brain dump:

Brain farts on my end: I truly mixed up Varka and Vornaya a few times because their names are so close LOL. My brain also kept auto correcting Sevrant into servant like the whole time.

I need more background on the bondsmithing and why the soulbound weapons people have are such a danger to the king that he’s having them rounded up. No one really used one against him or did anything with them the whole book besides Radegast and Caromir. Who the hell is in cahoots with Karsan and how does he know who Vornaya is and that she wants him dead? Why is he not dead? Why are people still on his side when Radegast is smashed to hell. Why does Krahomor, the hammer of unmaking, cold burn the king when he touched it? I honestly have so many questions that I’m sure will be answered in book 2. AVA PLEASE TELL ME EVERYTHING

This book was a breath of fresh air. Once I got into it, I demolished it in a few days. I cannot wait for book 2 because that cliffhanger had my mouth on the floor

[Brooke Casto · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I’ll try my best to not include huge spoilers*

Yes
Literally just yes

I’ve been dying for a book where the FMC is the villain and does questionable and batshit crazy things. AND THE AUTHOR HAS DELIVERED.

Ksenia starts kind of like your classic FMC that is rebelling against the corrupt kingdom, but overtime she darkens into a vengeful deadly creature. I absolutely love her. She’s raw and real, not the perfect heroine she’s expected to be. She gets angry, vengeful, and gets full of hate which like come on that’s so real. Especially when the king has done so many shitty things, and you finally have the chance to directly hit back at him. Love my girl 🩷


Bohdan, Bohdan, Bohdan, or as I like to call him, my man, my man, my man. He’s a dark, sassy little thing and I love it. Yes he’s also done questionable things, but like who hasn’t?! Seeing how he develops over the book and opens up to Ksenia was absolutely just incredible. I love how these two characters have layers to them and aren’t one dimensional. They have trauma, anger, and will make dumb or questionable decisions but that’s what makes them so great.
Bohdan tried so hard to get us to not like him, but I love a morally gray man who has a little sass to him 💚

The world building and magic/blade system was just so good. The way the author describes the different settings in the book felt really immersive. The different textures, colors, and feeling put into the environment really added to book. I could picture how everything looked and what it might feel like, as well as Ksenia’s wonder/shock when seeing a new place. Also, LOVE THE OUTFITS KSENIA WORE AT COURT. The description of her dresses and corsets (oh my godddddd), I just know it’s beautiful and I can’t wait to see the fan art of it.
The magic system is easy to understand and we get the history of it throughout the book, so we can understand why Ksenia is in the position she is in and what she’s fighting for.

The gore in this book was really good. The author wasn’t afraid to describe the horrors the kingdom deals to its people, and the horrors that Ksenia deals to them in return. I personally liked it because it added to the FMC accepting/leaning into her darker side, and added a dark vibe to the whole book.

This book was absolutely amazing, I tried to savor it but I ended up finishing this book at 5 am. It was a very easy read for me and I’m so grateful to Ava for letting me be an ARC reader for this amazing book.

THANK YOU TO AVA AND HER TEAM OF AMAZING PEOPLE FOR THIS ARC AND THE WONDERFUL COMMUNITY!! I WILL BE BACK FOR BOOK 2 TRUST!! 💚🩷

[Sabrina Bena · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review

2.5 stars rounded to 3

I’ll begin by saying that after years of reading fantasy/ romantasy I’ve gotten really really picky about what I like or don’t like.

Liked:
- I really liked the premise of this book: Ksenia being reborn by making a pact with a vengeful god who demands human sacrifices, however there were a few things in the execution that left it lacking for me.
- The Spice was good, with a good slow build and the sex scenes were well written.
- The body horror stuff was well written.
- The plot twist (I had guessed it), but it was well done.

Disliked:
- I found most of the characters two dimensional and lacking depth, especially the side characters like her sister Danika and Varka, which meant I was very ambivalent to how their story played out.
- I really didn’t understand why Ksenia was immediately so trusting of Varka. Again because there was no real development of Varka’s character beyond being a plot device her reasoning to want to help Ksenia, it felt jarring to me.
- Something that is common and a pet peeve of mine in the romantantasy book genre (this one included) is that the MC only trains for a week and somehow beats everyone who has been presumably training for years. And I’m not going to lie I hate this trope. I don’t understand why authors feel the need to do such rushed timelines in their books!
- I get feminine rage but I didn’t get the thought behind having Ksenia be so blatant about her dislike of the King to Bohdan, who’s loyalty to the King is renowned and who's in charge of deciding if she get’s to be the King’s champion. I’m sorry but if someone I’m “interviewing” for this position is this vocal about disliking the person she’s meant to protect and serve she wouldn’t be getting the job.
- The serial killer side of things I just found super boring which is a shame.
- I think more history on how the blades had affected the society, or more characters having these illegal blades would have helped strengthen the idea of how devastating they apparently are in this realm and help us understand why those that forge them are so vilified.
- I didn’t like how she kept calling the King by hist first name, it just kept throwing me off. I get the idea that because she doesn’t respect him as a King she wouldn't call him that title, but personally I didn’t like it.

These are all just my personal opinions and it wasn't a bad book, just wasn't for me.

If you liked The Prison Healer or The Knight and the Moth (I didn't) then you might like this.

[Amber Myers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Ava and her team for selecting me to read and review "Hellbound"!

Summary: Upon being executed for being an illegal bondsmith, Ksenia is given a second chance at life--and revenge-- through a blood-thirsty goddess who gives her a mission. She must kill the king who killed her and has been behind the persecution of bondsmiths. However, the goddess demands blood, so along the way, she begins to take lives, all while wedging herself into the palace by becoming Sevrant.

Review: When I first saw this book, I was intrigued by the concept - a serial killer in the kingdom working alongside the man trying to discover the killer AND eventually kill him. While reading, I felt that it fell short of my expectations. What I expected was more blood-thirstiness and "games" with the captain of the guard, trying to solve the murders. What we got were more short bursts of murders and a lot of sneaking around, though the purpose was unclear.

Things that I liked:
* The spicy scenes were 🔥
* The premise of the book
* The trials to become Sevrant
* The ending, especially when Ksenia has to reconcile who she has become
* The descriptions were clear and formed a full picture of the scenes

Things that needed more development:
* The world and magic system. Why is the king killing all the bondsmiths (other than the control piece)? How did he come to power? The sword isn't his, but why not? And why does it work for him? How does bondsmithing work? What's the difference between a regular blade and a hellbound blade? (How did it get that way?) What of the other gods? They were kind of hinted at, but I think we needed more.
* I especially want to know more about the goddess that bargains with Ksenia. Why does she do it? What does she get out of it? I think her character could be developed more, especially if she's going to talk to Ksenia so much.
* How quickly characters accept that Ksenia is herself born into a new body. One body language signal and small conversation and your sister believes it's you? And Bodhan too? I don't buy it.
* The romance. There was definitely lust and chemistry, but there wasn't feeling.
* The characters need a little more depth. Ksenia has her motivation, but I would like to see more from the side characters.

Overall, I really did enjoy this book, and with some more editing and worldbuilding, it could really stand out in the genre. I look forward to reading book 2, especially after that cliffhanger!

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review:

Oh we love a revenge driven fmc overflowing with feminine rage

Ksenia, oh how I adored her, she’s spent so long hiding from the tyrannical King for forging illegal blades, something that has been passed down throughout her ancestry. Determined to protect as many innocents as possible, one trip ends her life, and her soul. In an attempt to not only reclaim her soul, but to save her sister whose been taken, Ksenia makes a pact with the ruthless goddess to be born in anew in a different body, but this pact is not all it appears.

However, to quench her vengeance she must participate in the Kings deadly trials, defeat the other candidates, to become his blade in the dark, and end him once and for all.

I really enjoyed the fact that Ksenia is not immediately good at combat, and has to work hard to get to the strength she needs to be for the trials, that was so refreshing. Despite that setback though she’s so incredibly intelligent, vastly underestimated and yet bosses everything sent her way. My baby was just trying to enact vengeance and heal from her trauma.

Bohdan was a deeply complex and layered character which I loved exploring, the bastard son to the ruthless King, and commander of his army, he’s not survived this long by being caught off guard, but one fierce woman may just create a chink in that impenetrable armour he cloaks himself in.

This was a breath of fresh air, an FMC whose morally grey and isn’t afraid to make waves, but who also has flaws that she must work tirelessly to overcome to give her a fighting chance at enacting her vengeance.

The tension between Ksenia and Bohdan had me giggling and kicking my feet, it was electrifying, you never knew if they were giving into their base instincts or just trying to end the others life, chefs kiss.

Lush and gorgeously written, you feel seamlessly transported into the world alongside Ksenia, it was truly like a movie playing. The world-building and lore was richly crafted and deeply layered. I also found the magic system really intriguing, the fact it surrounds forged blades, and how you can hone and gain strength from them, but also highlights the cost of greed and power.

That ending though?! Oh my Lord, my heart is in tatters and I think I shall be staring at the wall for the foreseeable. I will be impatiently awaiting the sequel next year. Thank you so much to Ava for having me on her ARC team, it was my honour and my privilege to fall in love with Ksenia and Bohdan.

[Flor · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW:

For being a debut novel it was good. I had a lot of expectations because this is a dark fantasy with vibes like if Throne of Glass meets the Mindf*ck Series but I didn’t feel like it. Yeah, she’s an assassin but that’s it. The story is well written but some parts of the story needed more depth but overall it makes you to keep reading to find out what happens next.

Talking about the main characters, the FMC was brought to life in order to seek revenge on the person who killed her but everything comes with a price and hers is to unalive people. For me this side of her was badass at the beginning but then I felt it repetitive. What I found laking of development is that in a short time she became eligible enough to work in the castle as a spy. Then the MMC, I liked him, he had a good development. The romance between them is good, it starts with yearning and a slow burn, it never felt rushed their romance.

The plot twist at the end wasn’t a twist because what happens towards the end it kinda gives you a clue what’s going to happen. Also, I needed more information about the magic system or more explanation of it.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. It’s not bad but it wasn’t for me.

——————————————————————————————

Para ser una novela debut, estuvo bien. Tenía muchas expectativas porque es una historia de fantasía oscura con una mezcla entre *Throne of Glass* y la serie *Mindf*ck*, pero no me dio esa sensación. Sí, ella es una asesina, pero eso es todo. La historia está bien escrita, aunque algunas partes necesitaban más profundidad; aun así, en general te mantiene enganchada para descubrir qué va a pasar a continuación.

En cuanto a los personajes principales, la protagonista fue traída de vuelta a la vida para vengarse de quien la mató, pero todo tiene un precio, y el suyo es acabar con la vida de otras personas. Al principio, esta parte de ella me pareció buena, pero luego se vuelve muy repetitiva. Lo que sentí que le faltó desarrollo fue la rapidez con la que se volvió lo suficientemente apta para trabajar como espía en el castillo, literalmente fueron unas semanas. Por otro lado, el protagonista masculino me gustó; tuvo un buen desarrollo. El romance entre ambos es bueno: empieza con anhelo y con un slow burn; en ningún momento lo sentí apurado.

El plot twist no fue realmente una sorpresa, ya que los todo lo que va pasando justo al final te va dando pistas de lo que va a pasar. Además, me faltó información o una explicación más detallada sobre el sistema de magia.

En general, disfruté de la historia. No es mala, pero no fue para mí.

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review of eARC received from Author

Ava, my love. This. Was. Everything!!!!!!

Hellbound was on my tbr the second I saw a video about in on TikTok and I was screaming at the fact that I was chosen as an arc reader for it. It was one of my most anticipated releases for this year.

And not only did it meet all of the expectations that I had for it, but it passed them all, leaving them far behind in the dust.

Hellbound is a story about feminine rage and an FMC looking for revenge. Ksenia is a bondsmith with a power to create magical weapons, a power that is outlawed and can get you killed. She looking for a way to get to her sister and joins the deadly trials to become the king’s spymaster. The very king that she wants dead for all of the killing he’s done. She's forced to be around Bohdan, the bastard prince and captain of the royal guard, who is looking for the killer that has been committing murders (they deserve it!) around the city…… good thing he doesn’t know he’s looking for her.

My jaw was on the floor at times while reading this book. It’s one that kept me on my toes and even when I 100% thought I knew what was going on / what going to happen. Turns out I was wrong during those times.

This book is something that I will scream about to for anyone and everyone to go read. So please listen and go read it immediately once it’s available!

Now, unfortunately, I am forced to eagerly await book 2 in hopes that time somehow goes by quicker.

Want to know more about what to expect?
🗡️ true enemies to lovers
🖤 morally grey heroine
🗡️ feminine rage / revenge arc (serial killer fmc)
🖤 black cat x black cat
🗡️ cat and mouse games
🖤 deadly trials
🗡️ forced proximity
🖤 hidden identity
🗡️ he falls first
🖤 fatal attraction
🗡️ gothic medieval setting
🖤 it’s a slow burn baby!

Ava, I am so incredibly happy for you and your debut novel. You absolutely deserve all the love and praise that this book with get once everyone is able to read it. Thank you so much for writing this story and sharing it with us. You’ve created what I consider to be a masterpiece and I can’t wait to see where you go and what you write next! You’ll be getting my support no matter what it is ♥️

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t remember if Ava said this was supposed to be a duology or tri but this story could’ve been longer??? or maybe the pacing different. Dont get me wrong, this was unique, well written and I dont want it to end by book 2 if anything. I think more world building/bondsmith thangs and character development could’ve happened in book 1.

Overall great story and hope to see more of this author in the future!

🚨spoiler alert 🚨

I kept going back and forth thinking the pacing was too fast or if it was fine but like others mentioned, her training to be the most badass assassin was 0 to 💯 in a span of a week or something and then only a sevrant for another. The trials also seemed irrelevant… it makes so much sense to have some rando be so closed to the king idk Ive also been skipping training scenes and trials in other books so I guess we can’t be happy about everything 😂 Ksenia’s arrogant and still is, her not thinking rationally and clearly first is def her biggest down fall.

Varka’s character could’ve had more but only because she had so much weight in the beginning and got cut off right after the trials. But I get it, she doesnt go near the castle. She couldve def be someone Ksenia can also call found family or friend because that girl needs more people on her side with the way everybody is getting killed off… I just wanted more of her and she genuinely seems like someone you would want at your side.

Not Bhoden and his little diary tho… he wanted her so bad 😩 I thought he was a little bland at first but I think it was done that way so Ksenia’s strong, independent, vengeful, raging personality has a bigger and more meaningful impact to the story. now I too want him so bad lolol

Petra didnt have to die.. 😭 completely unnecessary and the way Ksenia didnt even mourn or go on a rampage… or did I miss that??? Surprisingly I wanted more blood shed after that and in general 🤷🏻‍♀️I thought it was going to be like in Two Dark Window where nightmare talks to her but darker and gorier.


Gdammit now i got to sit around and wait for book 2

[Taylor Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanna start off by giving Ava Do a huge thank you for selecting me as one of her eARC readers. This truly has been such a wonderful experience, and I am so blessed that I was able to get this book into my grubby little hands. With that being said, YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK WHEN IT RELEASES AUGUST 28, 2026!

If you're a fan of:
• A FMC that morally grey
• Enemies-to-lovers
• Forced Proximity
• Blood/gore
• Slow-burn
• High-stakes trials
• Revenge-driven blood lust
• Cat and mouse/cat and cat
THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU

This book was such an incredible read and so refreshing. This isn’t your typical fantasy book. The FMC, Ksenia, isn’t a small fragile girl waiting for her MMC, Bohdan, to coming sweeping her off her feet as Fae Shadow Daddy. Instead Ksenia is the definition of female rage, vengeance, and has nothing to lose. And Bohdan is just a regular plain jane bastard Prince who is witty, smart, and always one step ahead. I also loved that every side character was necessary and all had a unique role in the plot. Not one character felt unnecessary.

This book has easy to understand world building. The writing style is gothic, beautifully written and you can see every scene come alive in your mind with her descriptive writing. The author takes you on an adventure of high stakes trials; Kill or be killed. A game of cat and mouse…or rather cat and cat. True Enemies to lovers. Grief. And a little bit of ✨🌶️SPICE🌶️✨ (it’s not insanely spicy but, when it’s spicy it’s spicy!) She will have you regularly scrapping your jaw off the floor. The twists and turns of this book were so good I really never saw what was coming next. The cliffhanger on this book was 👩🏼‍🍳💋 (had me sobbing) I loved it and loathed it at the same time…but what can I say, I am a sucker for pain.

I cannot wait for her second book to come out. I’m struggling on how to write a review for this book because it’s so good but I don’t want to give too much away. You just need to read it for yourself.

[Avery Dickenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review

*I received this book as an arc from the author*

Hellbound has so many of the romantasy tropes that we all know and love. From trials, enemies to lovers (True enemies to lovers), found family, secret identities, the list could go on.

Rating 3/5⭐️
Spice 2/5🌶️

MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

I enjoyed my time with this book for the most part but especially in the last 40%. I do think the first quarter or so of the book is slow and the relationship between the FMC and MMC really does not start til about half way through. For me, this was not a huge area of contention and it did make the payoff much better when we got there. At times this book was a bit disjointed with chapters ending at weird spots and again, the main characters kinda just decided to talk more and became lovers? I didn’t fully believe in their change from enemies to lovers and it bordered on insta lust a bit too much for my preference.

None of that is to say that this book is poorly written or not worth your while- it is mostly personal preference.

I enjoyed all the characters in their own right. Shoutout to Varka- my girl absolutely stole the show in the first half.

Ksenia: I enjoyed an FMC that is morally grey and almost an antihero at times. She is a badass assassin who does not put up with bullshit and for that I love her.

Bohdan: I went from hating him, to being intrigued by him, to absolutely loving him. If you are looking for a MMC with a dirty mouth that also yearns, this is the one.

I think seeing them in book 2 may help solidify their compatibility and overall relationship in my mind but I think it needs to be more fully fledged out for me to see their full potential.

I am avoiding major spoilers and plot points but the twists at the end were good albeit slightly predictable.

Overall I am still excited for book two and will be reading when it is released!!

Thank you to the author for allowing me to have an ARC!

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hellbound or HellYeah?

Are you tired of the same fantasy romance tropes and need something new to freshen up your reading list? Look no further as I humbly present to you Hellbound! With the beautiful cover done by a talented artist, amazing world building and writing style by a DEBUT author what more could you possibly want?
If you said true enemies to lovers, slow burn that burns so good, shocking twists and turns well Hellbound has that for you too. It also offers spice that keeps on spicing with yearning that is deadly just like the FMC.

Okay now that I'm done with the infomercial I just want to say that Hellbound really is a refreshing story. The writing style is so immersive and stays very true to its identity.

Additionally, every character has a purpose, every side character is thought out and is given a reason for being there. You get invested in characters, you hate them, you love them, you love to hate them. I also want to add I visibly cringed multiple times from one specific character because he was so well written that I feel like I could smell him (gag).

If that isn't enough to convince you then maybe the FMC could convince you. Ksenia's journey is such a wild ride. From the very beginning her path is 100% jaw on the floor rollercoaster level of excitement. The trials she faces, the moral decisions that she has to make and even the things she has to do in order to survive make her such a strong character. Not to mention her relationship with Bohdan which is so fun. The banter, the stab or be stabbed. PLEASE don't get me started.

Hellbound releases August 28th and you won't want to miss it! ;)

PS: Yes I will have a future Ava shelf and I pray to the stabby stab gods that there will be future special editions to line my treasure trove.