Reviews

Dr. Greta Helsing is a doctor to the supernatural entities of Europe. She has a vampire best friend, a different vampire sort of boyfriend, and a demon who can read her mind. In these books there is an entire underground (sometimes literally) community of supernatural beings. Greta is kidnapped by a coven of vampires and her friends and members of the community start looking for her, meanwhile the world is falling apart due to supernatural shenanigans.

I read the first book in this series back in November of 2020. I enjoyed it and I have no idea why I did not read the other two books in the series. I thought I had read the second book, but our overlords at Goodread said I did not s.o.o.o.o.o.o there it is. 2024 is the year to correct this.

I really enjoy this series. There are three books in the series, and since the last one was written in 2019, I believe that is all this series is going to be. This is another example of the "cozy horror" genre. I seem to be going through a phase of this genre at the moment. It goes hand in hand with my search for a new cozy mystery at the moment also.

The characters in the book are interesting, well developed. The world has some fairly well defined rules. These books would make excellent summer reads. at 400 pages, this book is not necessarily a short read but is a quick and interesting one. I liked that this book was set in the catacombs of Paris.

goodbye_alex's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

shalini_gunnasan's review against another edition

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2.0

I definitely prefer the original. I find this sequel lacklustre, and at 70-something percent, nearly DNF'ed. I only pushed on because I've already gone too far up the road, but it wasn't really reading so much as skimming.

Here's what worked:
I like seeing the old gang back. Grisaille is awesome, loved him. Varney's line about the wilting flowers was lovely.

Here's what didn't:
So few women and it's nearly a reverse nonsexual harem. Greta herself got really boring, and the only two significant female characters from the previous book made no appearance. I would have been stoked to see a part-rusalka and a witch join in, because they were very untapped characters. Instead we got an incredibly tiresome coven of vampires and their incredibly tiresome boss-villain, also mostly male. The one interesting female got fridged. Hurray. Two nonvillain female vampires showed up for all of five minutes, all snooty and smirking and unhelpful, well, why couldn't they have been heroic, to counterpoint Greta? Ugh. Also, Alceste could have been a girl.
New characters were unremarkable. The demon, the psychopomps with the weird ass names which is their only distinguishing characteristic. I wished we had more Fast.
The villains didn't work - they were a little over the top, and it is not new to satirize or mock them.

Overall I would not reread this, but I would reread the first book, because that one was fun and remained so with a recent reread.

stefaya's review against another edition

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lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

mellhay's review against another edition

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4.0

Greta seems to be where she's needed, even if it's a bit unpleasant and not willingly. She may be upset with actions of some, but she's there to help when she's needed. There are a few in this group of vampires that keep her imprisoned that need Greta's help, both as a doctor and as the kind, caring person she is. Greta makes friends even without trying.

****FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW****

artmajorese's review against another edition

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dark hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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