Scan barcode
Reviews tagging 'Blood'
Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite by Natalie C. Parker, Zoraida Córdova
34 reviews
kaetheluise_nckl's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Vomit, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Outing, Racism, Sexism, Violence, and Alcohol
emily_mh's review against another edition
3.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Ableism, and Blood
Moderate: Murder, Cursing, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Transphobia, Death, Violence, Bullying, Physical abuse, Body horror, and Gore
Minor: Body shaming, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, Abandonment, Animal death, Confinement, Abortion, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Addiction, Torture, Slavery, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Deadnaming, Medical content, Vomit, War, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Sexism, Racism, Homophobia, Alcohol, Classism, Colonisation, Excrement, Gun violence, and Alcoholism
Graphic warnings for grooming, "mercy" killing. Moderate warnings for sick parent, blackmail, climate change/global warming. Minor warnings for the homophobic d-slur, mass death, loss of a loved one, nuclear warfare, physical illness, pandemic, divorce.lynxpardinus's review against another edition
2.75
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Blood, Death, and Transphobia
Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Racism, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Stalking
Minor: Sexual violence, Slavery, Animal death, and Cultural appropriation
The first story, Seven Nights For Dying, involves what I can only read as grooming, although it is not framed this way.More than one story has the issue many vampire YA stories have with a love interest being chronologically much older.
The cultural appropriation warning is for how the final story, First Kill, briefly namedrops a certain entity from Algonquian folklore that must not be referred to by name.
atlas_shruggs's review
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Average Rating: 3.75
Seven Nights For Dying: 3 stars
The Boys from Blood River: 3.75
Senior Year Sucks: 4
The Boy and the Bell: 3
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire: 4.75
In Kind: 4.5
Vampires Never Say Die: 3
Bestiary: 2.75
Mirrors, Windows and Selfies: 3.5
The House of Black Sapphires: 4
First Kill: 4.5
Graphic: Death, Child death, Torture, Blood, Ableism, Violence, Transphobia, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Body horror
Moderate: Vomit, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Colonisation, and Animal death
inkdrinkers's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
If you know me, you know I devour vampire media like a blood-starved monster. I will read just about anything to do with them, or variations of the myth. I've owned this collection for a while and wanted to pick it up finally because of the First Kill adaption!
Since this is a collection, I have a breakdown below of my thoughts on each short story! Overall though, I really enjoyed each story for what they offered and the different angles they approached vampirism. To be fair, I wanted to give this a five star for the four stories I love, but I can't justify it since I really didn't like a couple.
Seven Nights For Dying by Tessa Gratton: 3 stars
This story had an interesting approach on the turning myth! It takes place over seven days and the two vampires luring the main character to immortality are sexy and interesting. I was annoyed by the main character's slightly childish approach to everything, which docked a couple stars.
The Boys from Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse: 5 stars
Oh. My. God. I love the Lost Boys and this story is inspired by it! I really loved the legend and folklore aspect woven into the Boys' backstory. Without giving too much away, it was chilling and the perfect promise of more at the end.
Senior Year Sucks by Julie Murphy: 5 stars
I didn't expect to like this one as much as I did! It gave me serious Buffy vibes, with a touch of something forbidden and dangerous. I would read a whole novel about the two main characters and the town Julie Murphy created, she always nails the southern atmosphere.
The Boy and the Bell by Heidi Heilig: 2 stars
I wish I liked this one more. With it being set historically and on a main character who is trans, it sounded really promising. I thought the plot was flimsy for my tastes and the characters were a little wooden.
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire by Samira Ahmed: 3 stars
This one had a more light hearted and funny approach. I liked the tongue in cheek writing and the cultural approach to vampirism! It was a really nice "revenge is okay sometimes" and accept yourself message.
In Kind by Kayla Whaley: 2 stars
I'll admit, I keep forgetting what this one is about and having to look back at my copy. It's like The Boy and the Bell - the premise is good and I wanted to like it more, but the characters fell flat. I will say, the newspaper articles were really well done and my favorite parts.
Vampires Never Say Die by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker: 4 stars
I really liked this one by the editors! The two characters were interesting, the premise was funny but entertaining, and the end promised happiness eventually for everyone involved.
Bestiary by Laura Ruby: 2 stars
I struggled with this one. The main character was a little too early 2000s emo for me and the zoo aspect was bizarre. It was an interesting setting for a vampire to work but more information needed to be fleshed out. It almost felt post-apocalyptic, but there was no concrete way for me to tell. (Other than the environmentalism aspect)
Mirrors, Windows, and Selfies by Mark Oshiro: 3 stars
I opened this one really expecting to dislike it because of the formatting. As I got into it, the blog posts grew on me, but it still really detracted from the story. I liked the end and the premise, but I know I would have loved the story more had it not been told like tumblr posts.
The House of the Black Sapphires by Dhonielle Clayton: 5 stars
This blew me out of the water. I'm a HUGE fan of Kalynn Bayron's "This Poison Heart" and this was like a condensed short story version. I loved the magical world, the building of tension, and the end right on the breathless climax. I'll be rereading this one.
First Kill by V.E. Schwab: 5 stars
This wholeheartedly deserved its own TV Show and they better not screw it up. I LOVED this, Schwab never misses. I don't think it's possible for her to ever misstep. The backstory of Calliope and her family is fascinating, it was the Vampire Diaries meets Supernatural and wonderful in every way.
Graphic: Blood, Chronic illness, Child death, Deadnaming, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Colonisation, Death of parent, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Toxic friendship, Medical content, and Murder
All your common triggers for vampires. The Boy and the Bell features a main character who is Trans and they are often referred to with the wrong pronouns and misgendered. Relationship lines are blurry in some stories with characters being teens and in relationships with hundred year old vampires. Death of a child is a child turned vampire. Abuse is inflicted on a main character as his parents isolate him.sofipitch's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Some stories I'd give 5 stars to: In Kind, A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire, and First Kill. I'm very excited for First Kill being adapted by Netflix, it's fun on it's own but I'm really looking forward to seeing this story expanded upon. In Kind deals with disabled rights and the value of a life and Guidebook deals with vampires as a metaphor for colonialism while staying really funny and original in concept.
The House of Black Sapphires is in a weird spot where I really likedit but it felt like it ended too abruptly, it honestly felt like the beginning of a full book and not a short story.
And then the bad ones were the ones that felt way to infantile. This collection is YA which means all the protagonists are teens, but these stories just felt like the authors assume teens lack any depth, and feel like they are belittling their reader with how they write them. They feel like it's more important to name drop words like instagram, selfie, and ao3 (which gave me massive brain damage) than connect with their audience. These stories that are total skips are: Vampires Never Say Die, Senior Year Sucks, and Mirrors, Windows & Selfies.
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Colonisation, Bullying, and Chronic illness
Minor: Death of parent and Homophobia
annamorgan27's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Terminal illness, Bullying, Death, Gore, and Sexual content
caitlin_doggos's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Murder, Homophobia, Violence, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Dysphoria, and Gore
fictionaladventures's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
About a girl debating whether to become a vampire. I didn’t like this at all! Why was it so sexual?? And it made me uncomfy that vampires were more demonic in this one.
<b>"The Boys From Blood River" by Rebecca Roanhorse: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (read February 15, 2022)</b>
About a boy who’s bullied for being Native and gay who has the opportunity to become a vampire. This was really good! I was interested the whole way through.
<b>"Senior Year Sucks" by Julie Murphy: ⭐️⭐️.5 (read February 16, 2022)</b>
About a fat cheerleader vampire slayer! This was good but kinda cheesy too.
<b>"The Boy andthe Bell" by Heidi Heilig: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (read February 16, 2022)</b>
About a trans boy who meets a vampire during his attempt to dig up a body for medical research. This was awesome! Heidi’s writing is amazing!
<b>"A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire" by Samira Ahmed: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (read February 16, 2022)</b>
Exactly what the title says it is, lol. This was really funny! It went on a little long though.
<b>"In Kind" by Kayla Whaley: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (read February 16, 2022)</b>
About a girl who lives in a wheelchair whose father tries to “mercy kill” her. This one was great! I was definitely hooked.
<b>"Vampires Never Say Die" by Zoraida Córdova & Natalie C. Parker: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (read February 16, 2022)</b>
About two girls, one a vampire and one a human, who are friends online. I thought it was sweet that this one was about friendship, but otherwise found it fairly unmemorable.
<b>"Bestiary" by Laura Ruby: ⭐️⭐️ (read February 16, 2022)</b>
About a vampire who works at a zoo. This was just kind of boring to me?
<b>"Mirrors, Windows & Selfies" by Mark Oshiro: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (read February 16, 2022)</b>
A blog from a boy who was born a vampire and lives in the middle of nowhere with his parents. This was great! The blog format served the story well and it was very fast-paced.
<b>"The House of Black Sapphires" by Dhonielle Clayton: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (read February 17, 2022)</b>
About a Black family of vampires. The mythology of this one was super cool! Definitely not your typical vampire story. I definitely enjoyed it.
<b>"First Kill" by V.E. Schwab: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (read February 17, 2022)</b>
To summarize this one would be to spoil it, so I won’t! But of course the Schwab story would be my favorite! This was so good! I loved it!
Graphic: Blood, Death, Violence, Gore, and Murder
Minor: Sexual content
stormywolf's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, a fine anthology filled with some of the best vampires I've encountered. There was a huge variety, not only of genders, sexualities, and skins, but of vampiric powers, weaknesses, settings, and societies. If I had to pick my favorites, I'd probably stick with the peppier school-based-fare of Senior Year Sucks and First Kill, but I also found a lot to love in the more sombre stories of Seven Nights for Dying and The Boy and the Bell, not to mention the vivid world-building packed into The House of Black Sapphires. Needless to say, I definitely have a few authors to add to my watchlist. So if you have a hankering for some unique YA takes on old blood-sucking favorites, or if you're seeking a quick nibble to break up longer reads (or to break back into reading at all!), then I'd definitely recommend this anthology.
Moderate: Death, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder
Minor: Death of parent, Transphobia, Abandonment, Ableism, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Colonisation, Torture, and Toxic relationship
Cannibalism only in the sense that vampires used to be human and feed off of humans.