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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An excellent new take on vampires, Bless Your Heart is a quirky and heartwarming novel that follows a family of female vampire hunters.
I absolutely loved this book and believe it’s the perfect read for Mother’s Day.
The story spans four generations of women who operate a funeral parlor, using it as a front to monitor and eliminate vampires.
Storytelling and Characterization
The storytelling in Bless Your Heart is impressive, but what truly stands out are the characters. Ducey Evans is the matriarch and owner of the funeral parlor in their small town. Her daughter, Lenore, and granddaughter, Grace, assist her in the family business. Luna, Grace’s daughter, is still in high school and represents the youngest generation of Evans women.
Each of these characters has distinct personalities that propel the story forward. They balance one another out, and despite their differences, they present a united front. The author, Ryan, expertly ensures that the story flows smoothly. As we switch between characters, we uncover pieces of their family history that tie everything together while also creating an intriguing mystery.
Moreover, the novel offers a deeper look into the character dynamics, making readers invested in their family relationships.
The Story’s Intricacies
The story itself is fantastic. The alternating perspectives maintain a quick pace and enhance the rising tension. What I found particularly remarkable was how Ryan incorporated various vampire mythologies. While she establishes the Strigoi, she also introduces zombies into the equation. When a person is first turned into a vampire, they resemble a mindless zombie. Additionally, the concept of energy vampires adds a fascinating supernatural twist. I loved the different types of vampires and the unique interpretations Ryan applied, which give the novel a fresh and distinctive feel.
Final Thoughts
Bless Your Heart is heartfelt and retains its horror elements. Given the strong sense of familial solidarity portrayed in the story, I maintain that this would make a perfect Mother’s Day gift.
Like this review?
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
No
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Wish I had DNF’d this one.
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
First, thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC!
I had high hopes for this one, with the promise of vampires and a generational group of women being our fighters. Alas, it kind of fell flat. It started nicely, but then started to drag with more of the same just kind of repeating itself.
Then the end was just...underwhelming. You drag the story along for almost 40 chapters, then end things so quickly? And the way it ended was unsatisfying for me as well. Too many questions went unanswered, too many plot points that seemed forgotten. I could maybe see this working if there was a sequel that answered those, but as a standalone, I just wasn't satisfied.
On a positive note, I will say I enjoyed reading from the POV of each of our Evans women (once I got the hang of who was in which generation) as well as our main deputy.
I had high hopes for this one, with the promise of vampires and a generational group of women being our fighters. Alas, it kind of fell flat. It started nicely, but then started to drag with more of the same just kind of repeating itself.
Then the end was just...underwhelming. You drag the story along for almost 40 chapters, then end things so quickly? And the way it ended was unsatisfying for me as well. Too many questions went unanswered, too many plot points that seemed forgotten. I could maybe see this working if there was a sequel that answered those, but as a standalone, I just wasn't satisfied.
On a positive note, I will say I enjoyed reading from the POV of each of our Evans women (once I got the hang of who was in which generation) as well as our main deputy.