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finleyworm's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Homophobia, Murder, Gaslighting, and Bullying
Minor: Alcohol
writingcaia's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.25
I want to write something addressing the very bad reviews this has gotten.
I feel like so many people felt hurt or shocked by things in the book, and I didn’t. I wondered if there’s something wrong with me, I’m so empathetic and attentive but I’m also white and cisgender, although not straight, still…
To be honest I don’t see how anything in the book is outrageous or offensive, everything seems so straightforward and candid, but I hate that people felt wronged or hurt, and I’m sure there’s validity to it, even if I didn’t feel or see it. It simply wasn’t my experience and I don’t think I’m a bad person or oblivious to other peoples’ struggle because of it.
It actually felt as if the author is super woke and perfectly attuned to the new generation fighting for queer right, POC rights (being white), environmental changes, etc. The difficulties of fitting in at the same time as finding out who you are, felt pretty real, especially since I read a YA lesbian fiction recently with a similar discovery phase. Nothing felt forced at all.
Also, the writing was so very good, the story pretty interesting and captivating, a great take on vampires and their relationship with humans when they can no longer drink from them and have a blood substitute.
A lot of power plays and ugly, colonialist, conservative types among the older vampires which may trigger some, but I found that it is as reasonable as the truth about people 100 years or more ago, and how most rich and moralistic/religion zealots saw the world and shaped it, even today.
There’s queer romance and super sexy vamps. Girls fighting for girls, and oblivious entitled boys (and girls) that redeem themselves.
So, if you are looking for a queer vampire book, a coming of age and sexuality, with romance and murder mystery subplot, and a lot of mean girls and goth vibes this is for you.
But, yes, read the bad reviews too, maybe it might be triggering for you.
The one thing that could have improved the book for me was the finale which I wish hadn’t been so rushed especially since it’d be interesting to find the consequences of what happens at the end.
I feel like so many people felt hurt or shocked by things in the book, and I didn’t. I wondered if there’s something wrong with me, I’m so empathetic and attentive but I’m also white and cisgender, although not straight, still…
To be honest I don’t see how anything in the book is outrageous or offensive, everything seems so straightforward and candid, but I hate that people felt wronged or hurt, and I’m sure there’s validity to it, even if I didn’t feel or see it. It simply wasn’t my experience and I don’t think I’m a bad person or oblivious to other peoples’ struggle because of it.
It actually felt as if the author is super woke and perfectly attuned to the new generation fighting for queer right, POC rights (being white), environmental changes, etc. The difficulties of fitting in at the same time as finding out who you are, felt pretty real, especially since I read a YA lesbian fiction recently with a similar discovery phase. Nothing felt forced at all.
Also, the writing was so very good, the story pretty interesting and captivating, a great take on vampires and their relationship with humans when they can no longer drink from them and have a blood substitute.
A lot of power plays and ugly, colonialist, conservative types among the older vampires which may trigger some, but I found that it is as reasonable as the truth about people 100 years or more ago, and how most rich and moralistic/religion zealots saw the world and shaped it, even today.
There’s queer romance and super sexy vamps. Girls fighting for girls, and oblivious entitled boys (and girls) that redeem themselves.
So, if you are looking for a queer vampire book, a coming of age and sexuality, with romance and murder mystery subplot, and a lot of mean girls and goth vibes this is for you.
But, yes, read the bad reviews too, maybe it might be triggering for you.
The one thing that could have improved the book for me was the finale which I wish hadn’t been so rushed especially since it’d be interesting to find the consequences of what happens at the end.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Blood, Bullying, Gaslighting, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Racism
thaliareads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Such a fun take on vampires and vampire society, I loved all the the ethical and moral hypotheticals raided throughout the book looking at how vampires and humans coexist. Such a well done queer slow burn romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Classism, Gaslighting, and Blood
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Homophobia, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Emotional abuse, Murder, and Infertility
In general, the boarding school that the MC's go to is elitist and lacks diversity, meaning there are many instances where the other students seem like classist bullies, and they are not very open to queer people. In addition, as a book about vampires blood is quite frequently discussed. Finally, it is mentioned that while some vampires can have children - others find themselves infertile. Now for the content warnings that require spoilers:dhwani's review
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
literally drafted all of this in my notes app so i wouldn't miss anything and made so many changes to add EVERYTHING that is wrong with this book. i still feel like i'm missing some of the stuff, though.
i absolutely HATED this book
like totally.
so our dear superwoke white MC Kat who is an ally because she asks pronouns okay,, her favourite hobby is to be an ally is all fine in her life except she's like really poor and has to do something to get out of that situation. she's also made to stay away from all the other vampires by her mom and now she longs to hang out with them so, she sends an application to this elitist vampire-only highschool and gets in with financial aid,, literally all her expenses paid
okay, it was fine till this point. her mom still doesn't want her to go and then Kat dearest is a rebel of course so she goes anyway.
there, she is coincidentally roommates with her ex?? bestfriend Taylor, then she tries to hard to fit in with the popular girls and catches the eye of the bad boy.
just like every other annoying “i'm not like other girls” girl.
then miss superwoke MC is also SO CONCERNED about the lack of “diversity” in the vampire school and then Taylor explains it by mentioning how no one would want to be at such a place where people are still crying about how they lost it all in the Civil War.
next, there's this one Chinese character, Lucy.
The author did such a terrible job with her character. she's shown as an evil person who is super rich and throws parties and then glamours humans to suck their blood when it is prohibited. like this one character had so much potential and it was ruined, just like that??
then comes our hot?? bad boy Galen.
who's half Indian.
as an Indian person, this part was so weird to read.
“My dad was involved with the British East India Company back in the day, so that's where they (his mom and dad) met.”
“You mean the British East India Company that colonised India?”
“He winced. “It's not as messed up as it sounds.” My mom doesn't talk about it much, but she's from a wealthy merchant family in Gujarat, and he spent years pursuing her until she agreed. He didn't just make off with a helpless girl from some village. Anyway, it was a long time ago.”
this is weird on literally so many levels. why is it “not as messed up??” the EIC colonised my country and looted it, made life hell for my ancestors, and it is not as messed up as it sounds?? they committed so many atrocities against Indian women. this is so wrong.
i also found a lot of parts that were anti-semitic but i would recommend reading Jewish own voices reviews for that.
i also hate it sm when the author makes discrimination an entire plot when they can display an inclusive community and still keep the plot going?? THE DISCRIMINATION WASN'T NEEDED IN THE WORST PLACE. harcote could be a queer-friendly school and the plot would've still held??
later, when MC is questioning her sexuality, she wonders how her friend told her “see? straight people always assume it's something you have to discover, but I was born this way”
EXCUSE ME??
there are SO MANY queer people in this world (including me) who spent YEARS questioning their sexuality to arrive at a conclusion and feel confident about who we are. sexuality is fluid and not everyone is "born that way" or whatever it is. this overtly discourages questioning people because it looks like why are they even questioning they should just know if they're gay
LITERALLY HATE IT.
ALSO, UNNECESSARY HP REFERENCE.
moreover, the writing is BAD because wtf is
“the realisation burst over me like shit from a flock of seagulls”
and the characters were SO ANNOYING like making HORRIFYING decisions literally having no common sense also Kat was making up for her lack of father figure by making this billionaire her godfather daddy and trying to make him proud AND THE PLOT WAS SO PREDICTABLE UGHH i felt like a mastermind knowing exactly how this book went
spoilers??
also Taylor lost someone so close to her and THIS GIRL KAT IS THINKING OF TAYLOR HOOKING UP WITH ANOTHER GIRL AND GETTING JEALOUS LIKE MANNN LET HER GRIEVE WTF
she's grieving and miss girl goes
“(not that i noticed what her lips were doing)”
LIKE GIRL SHE'S CRYING SHE JUST LOST SOMEONE TF IS WRONG WITH YOU????
in conclusion, a bad book which is extremely problematic with so much racism and homophobia.
i absolutely HATED this book
like totally.
so our dear superwoke white MC Kat who is an ally because she asks pronouns okay,, her favourite hobby is to be an ally is all fine in her life except she's like really poor and has to do something to get out of that situation. she's also made to stay away from all the other vampires by her mom and now she longs to hang out with them so, she sends an application to this elitist vampire-only highschool and gets in with financial aid,, literally all her expenses paid
okay, it was fine till this point. her mom still doesn't want her to go and then Kat dearest is a rebel of course so she goes anyway.
there, she is coincidentally roommates with her ex?? bestfriend Taylor, then she tries to hard to fit in with the popular girls and catches the eye of the bad boy.
just like every other annoying “i'm not like other girls” girl.
then miss superwoke MC is also SO CONCERNED about the lack of “diversity” in the vampire school and then Taylor explains it by mentioning how no one would want to be at such a place where people are still crying about how they lost it all in the Civil War.
next, there's this one Chinese character, Lucy.
The author did such a terrible job with her character. she's shown as an evil person who is super rich and throws parties and then glamours humans to suck their blood when it is prohibited. like this one character had so much potential and it was ruined, just like that??
then comes our hot?? bad boy Galen.
who's half Indian.
as an Indian person, this part was so weird to read.
“My dad was involved with the British East India Company back in the day, so that's where they (his mom and dad) met.”
“You mean the British East India Company that colonised India?”
“He winced. “It's not as messed up as it sounds.” My mom doesn't talk about it much, but she's from a wealthy merchant family in Gujarat, and he spent years pursuing her until she agreed. He didn't just make off with a helpless girl from some village. Anyway, it was a long time ago.”
this is weird on literally so many levels. why is it “not as messed up??” the EIC colonised my country and looted it, made life hell for my ancestors, and it is not as messed up as it sounds?? they committed so many atrocities against Indian women. this is so wrong.
i also found a lot of parts that were anti-semitic but i would recommend reading Jewish own voices reviews for that.
i also hate it sm when the author makes discrimination an entire plot when they can display an inclusive community and still keep the plot going?? THE DISCRIMINATION WASN'T NEEDED IN THE WORST PLACE. harcote could be a queer-friendly school and the plot would've still held??
later, when MC is questioning her sexuality, she wonders how her friend told her “see? straight people always assume it's something you have to discover, but I was born this way”
EXCUSE ME??
there are SO MANY queer people in this world (including me) who spent YEARS questioning their sexuality to arrive at a conclusion and feel confident about who we are. sexuality is fluid and not everyone is "born that way" or whatever it is. this overtly discourages questioning people because it looks like why are they even questioning they should just know if they're gay
LITERALLY HATE IT.
ALSO, UNNECESSARY HP REFERENCE.
moreover, the writing is BAD because wtf is
“the realisation burst over me like shit from a flock of seagulls”
and the characters were SO ANNOYING like making HORRIFYING decisions literally having no common sense also Kat was making up for her lack of father figure by making this billionaire her godfather daddy and trying to make him proud AND THE PLOT WAS SO PREDICTABLE UGHH i felt like a mastermind knowing exactly how this book went
spoilers??
also Taylor lost someone so close to her and THIS GIRL KAT IS THINKING OF TAYLOR HOOKING UP WITH ANOTHER GIRL AND GETTING JEALOUS LIKE MANNN LET HER GRIEVE WTF
she's grieving and miss girl goes
“(not that i noticed what her lips were doing)”
LIKE GIRL SHE'S CRYING SHE JUST LOST SOMEONE TF IS WRONG WITH YOU????
in conclusion, a bad book which is extremely problematic with so much racism and homophobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Murder, Violence, Blood, Death, Death of parent, and Medical content
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, and Lesbophobia
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