ARC Review: Of Venom and Vengeance by Mikayla Bridge

Prepare for a deliciously dark standalone, set in the same world as Of Flame and Fury, where star-crossed enemies gamble with their hearts, their empires, and the fate of a lost god.

On an island ruled by pageantry and pain, power comes at an impossible price.

Inna is the perfect heiress to the Pallo crime family: poised, cunning, untouchable. Behind this glamorous facade, she hunts for the sinister truth behind her older sister's death. Despite the cover-up she’s been led to believe, Inna can feel an enemy lurking in the shadows, or perhaps even hiding in plain sight.

Rylan has sculpted himself into a talented thief. His heart may be guarded, but his purpose is clear: retribution for his family, murdered by Inna's mother. Armed with illusion magic, Rylan plans to steal an ancient riddle from the Pallo vault, one that leads to a sleeping god. Whoever wakes the Serpent King will be granted any wish they desire. Rylan means to claim this power, and with it, Inna's ruin.

But when Inna catches Rylan sneaking past her family’s security, he proposes a deadly alliance that each desperately needs but neither intends to keep – even as bitter attraction threatens to unravel into something more.

Title: Of Venom and Vengeance

Author: Mikayla Bridge

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Expected Publication Date: July 7, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Farra, Straus and Giroux, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to listen to/read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I'll be honest, I really enjoyed Bridge's first book in this world. I thought this was it's follow up when I requested it but then when I started it, I realized it definitely is not a follow up. I kept searching for a connection to the first story or for the same characters but they were not there. It was only when I went back to read the synopsis that I realized it is a story set in that world. I'm not sure of the timeline of this story compared with the first book but you don't see any reference at all to things from the first story. And, while it may be the same world, it didn't truly feel that way to me. Even without them, though, I really enjoyed this book and it's story.

The audio narrator, Safiyya Inger, did a fantastic job. Her voice was easy to listen to and she told the story well from both Inna Pallo and Ryland's perspectives. Her cadence was easy to follow. I did listen to the first book in this series, so I am familiar with her voice.

Bridge does a great job building out this world in regards to Sprites. Since this was a totally different element than the first book, it needed to be thorough and I think she did a pretty good job with it. I liked the idea of how the magic was harnessed and what it meant to have the sprites around. I also liked the secrets that surrounded the creatures and their magic. There are no info dumps in the book but the world is revealed slowly and carefeully.

Inna Pallo is the daughter in a crime family. She doesn't have many secrets of her own but her family certainly does. They have done unspeakable things in the name of keeping their power. This is slowly revealed to her throughout the story and becomes especially prevalent when she meets Ryland. He's got his own secrets, ones he doesn't really want Inna to know. But as they grow closer, he realizes he will need to reveal things to her if he is to keep her in his life. Bridge really develops the main characters well. You easily feel their emotions and what they are going through. I enjoyed the relationships between all the characters. 

I will say I didn't feel the chemistry between Ryland and Inna as much as I would have liked to. I needed a bit more of a build up to their romance. It seemed a little too convenient for her to fall for her enemy and vice versa. And Inna's involvement with Celssese, one of her family's guards, seemed complicated. I thought for sure there was still some lingering attraction there but but then Inna kind of brushes it aside very easily. The romance part of this story is kind of background noise, though, compared to the overall plot of the story.

Bridge keeps her pacing very quick, Her chapters are short and I found myself turning the pages quickly to see what happened. The last 25% is full of action and movement. I wish I could have read it all in one sitting instead of having to break it up! The betrayal is a huge part of this story. You never truly know who to trust, to be honest. Those you thought were allies become enemies very quickly.

Bridge leaves this story pretty open (as she did with the first book in this world). It wraps up but there is definitely room for more to come. I'm hoping she will continue with these characters. Overall, I really enjoyed this one once I realized I would not see anyone or anything from the first story (I still need more from those characters).

4.5/5 stars rounded to 5

Author:

Mikayla Bridge is a young adult fantasy author living in Melbourne, Australia. She grew up on a small-town farm and completed a BA with honours in political science and international relations. She loves writing books that feel like a triple espresso: high-energy, heart-racing, and might ruin your sleep schedule.

You can find her on instagram at @mikayla_bridge.