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probablytoolate's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
tense
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Blood, and Alcohol
our_bookish_reads's review against another edition
slow-paced
2.0
The description was beautiful, and I was so excited to start it. It's gothic-esque, there is plenty of smut bordering kinky, LGBTQ+ characters, and vampires. All of these are pure bliss! But after a short time, I found it difficult to stay interested and wasn't enjoying the story. Another problem I had was that while this supposedly takes place in 1837, the writing is very modern and too flowery for me. I also didn't really like Roisin from the beginning. She quickly got to be annoying with some of the things she said and did.
Thank you Netgalley & Bywater Books for the opportunity. All opinions are my own.
Thank you Netgalley & Bywater Books for the opportunity. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual content, and Blood
marleywrites's review against another edition
DNF at 57%. I just wasn’t invested in the story and couldn’t bring myself to keep reading. I felt like I was reading it as an obligation rather than for enjoyment.
This book was funny, and bloody gruesome. I loved Poppy. I just wasn’t invested in her relationship with Roisin.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
This book was funny, and bloody gruesome. I loved Poppy. I just wasn’t invested in her relationship with Roisin.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Sexual content, and Blood
smartie_chan's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3 / 5 Stars
CW: Murder, Blood, Mentions Of Past Sex-work, Sexual Content, Implied Torture, Mentions Of Death Of A Parent, Mentions Of Vomit/ing
If I had to describe this book in two words it would be: slow burn. Like, really, really slow burn.
On the one hand it's nice to see that we're not rushing things. You have to walk first before you can attempt to run. And when you get newly transformed into a vampire you struggle. That's a given. Just like you don't develop feelings for someone over night.
And yet, with that being said, on the other hand, we spend a long time not really doing anything. We talk, we talk some more and wouldn't you look at that , 43% of the book has passed.
I'm not a toddler. I don't have an attention span of 3 seconds. I can invest my trust and patience in build up - in theory. But I can also understand how not everyone could or would feel the same.
Especially given the fact that the way things ended made me question if my patience was really rewarded. We build up this showdown, those last 30% are all amazing, high stakes, can't wait to turn the page and then it ends the way it does and I'm here like: "Did we just defeat the bad guy by using the power of friendship?? It feels like we did."
It also isn't helping that I'm not the biggest fan of our main ship in the first place. I just didn't feel like you guys had that deep of a connection to justify the intense reactions you've been having. Mutial pining is one thing. What you had going on was ...something else.
The side characters were nice - some more than others - but felt drowned by Poppy's obsession over Roisin. At least Poppy was making up for things. She's such an amazing character, with all of her hopes and weaknesses, her confidence & charme. Also: She's fat and loving herself and I - a fat girl - am loving her for it.
There is a lot to love. Parts of this book were amazing, but it would have needed cutting. Like, let's say, 100 pages of orgies, sex and filler less. Maybe more. But 100 pages would have been a start.
I'm conflicted about this book. It's not the worst, but it's also not on my top 10 vampire books list either.
Oh, and if you wanna know what kind of rep this book has? A lot:
- multible POC (black, brown, asian)
- trans rep (mtf)
- plus-size MC
- muslim SC
Honorable Mention: Dracula
Final thoughts
If you enjoy REALLY slow slow burn & sapphic vampires you might have a good time. If you don't , well, you may wanna skip this one
3 / 5 Stars
CW: Murder, Blood, Mentions Of Past Sex-work, Sexual Content, Implied Torture, Mentions Of Death Of A Parent, Mentions Of Vomit/ing
If I had to describe this book in two words it would be: slow burn. Like, really, really slow burn.
On the one hand it's nice to see that we're not rushing things. You have to walk first before you can attempt to run. And when you get newly transformed into a vampire you struggle. That's a given. Just like you don't develop feelings for someone over night.
And yet, with that being said, on the other hand, we spend a long time not really doing anything. We talk, we talk some more and wouldn't you look at that , 43% of the book has passed.
I'm not a toddler. I don't have an attention span of 3 seconds. I can invest my trust and patience in build up - in theory. But I can also understand how not everyone could or would feel the same.
Especially given the fact that the way things ended made me question if my patience was really rewarded. We build up this showdown, those last 30% are all amazing, high stakes, can't wait to turn the page and then it ends the way it does and I'm here like: "Did we just defeat the bad guy by using the power of friendship?? It feels like we did."
It also isn't helping that I'm not the biggest fan of our main ship in the first place. I just didn't feel like you guys had that deep of a connection to justify the intense reactions you've been having. Mutial pining is one thing. What you had going on was ...something else.
The side characters were nice - some more than others - but felt drowned by Poppy's obsession over Roisin. At least Poppy was making up for things. She's such an amazing character, with all of her hopes and weaknesses, her confidence & charme. Also: She's fat and loving herself and I - a fat girl - am loving her for it.
There is a lot to love. Parts of this book were amazing, but it would have needed cutting. Like, let's say, 100 pages of orgies, sex and filler less. Maybe more. But 100 pages would have been a start.
I'm conflicted about this book. It's not the worst, but it's also not on my top 10 vampire books list either.
Oh, and if you wanna know what kind of rep this book has? A lot:
- multible POC (black, brown, asian)
- trans rep (mtf)
- plus-size MC
- muslim SC
Honorable Mention: Dracula
Final thoughts
If you enjoy REALLY slow slow burn & sapphic vampires you might have a good time. If you don't , well, you may wanna skip this one
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Vomit and Death of parent
pvrting's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
set in the 19th century, we follow Poppy, whose life is forever changed as she’s turned into a vampire and taken to an isolated cottage. there, she meets Roisin, a 193 year old lonely yet caring woman, committed to guide her through the process of adjusting to her newly acquired immortality, and with whom Poppy’s life will be forever entangled.
their relationship is full of longing, yearning, and praying: to be wanted, hold, consumed. from caretaker and companion, to lovers and everything in between (and buckle up, because there’s a lot compressed in the “in between”), it’s a plea to be understood.
Roisin is, as hard as it is to choose a favorite amongst the Brood, the one i hold closer to my heart. Poppy once described her as a “creature made of bones, and care, and tragedy”, which is all true, but i’ll dare to say that above all, Roisin is made of the undying longing to be good, to be worthy, and to be loved, despite everything.
a Long Time Dead is crafted in beautiful writing that aches to captivate and hold your heart with both hands, squeezing just enough not to crush it. it’s embroidered in a cast of heartwarming characters, embracing truthful LGBT identities, friendships, and struggles, as well as very much human, complex feelings.
just as Roisin, this book is good (great, actually), worthy (of your time), and loved (by me).
a lesbian vampire love story with found family simply has to be a 5 stars.
it comes out may 16th, and is already available for preorder.
🩸
“A Long Time Dead is an is a lush, Victorian romance, drenched in blood and drama, about the lengths two women will go to secure a love that cannot die”
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher bywaterbooks, & the author Samara Breger for granting me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Blood
Minor: Fatphobia, Suicidal thoughts, and Injury/Injury detail
fromthefoxhole's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Many thanks to Netgalley, Samara Berger, and Bywater Books for the ARC!
Upon waking one morning, Poppy finds herself in a strange place, thirsty for something she cannot name, and with a distinct chill to her skin. Here she meets Roisin, who explains that they are both vampires. When prompted, Poppy cannot remember the exact circumstances surrounding her being turned, aside from hazy memories of a tall, imposing woman named Cane. Roisin is unsurprised, as Cane is her sire - the same vampire that turned her some centuries ago.
Roisin is filled with rage and the desire to go after Cane, but places this on hold in order to help Poppy adjust to her new not-quite-life. As she teaches her, Poppy works to control both her bloodlust and her overwhelming attraction to Roisin.
As the years to by, will either of them manage to succeed in their plans?
--
I feel like my words will fall short of how much I loved this book. I grew up on Twilight and the Vampire Diaries, hiding under the covers with a book light to read Frankenstein and Dracula past my bedtime. A Long Time Dead honored all of this and more. It's a lush, sweeping, gothic love affair spanning decades, filled with dramatics, horror, and romance - all the things that define the genre. It felt like it could have been written for me.
Poppy, our FMC, is the definition of a 20 year old, brash, unrefined, and forceful with her convictions. This is slightly tempered by the hard life that she has led, but she is stubborn and gluttonous and, above all, she is clever enough to turn her circumstances in a way that suits her. This directly opposes Roisin, her counterpart, a guilt-riddled vampire who has lived centuries denying herself and her baser instincts (damn Catholics).
The two could not be more different, which makes their relationship all the more exasperating and rewarding in equal measure.
I will admit that sometimes Poppy's brattish behavior grated on me, but there is value in remembering that she is stuck at 20. Roisin similarly frustrates me with her need to atone for perceived sins, but I can empathize as well.
All in all, I had a wonderful time reading A Long Time Dead, and will likely read it again!
Upon waking one morning, Poppy finds herself in a strange place, thirsty for something she cannot name, and with a distinct chill to her skin. Here she meets Roisin, who explains that they are both vampires. When prompted, Poppy cannot remember the exact circumstances surrounding her being turned, aside from hazy memories of a tall, imposing woman named Cane. Roisin is unsurprised, as Cane is her sire - the same vampire that turned her some centuries ago.
Roisin is filled with rage and the desire to go after Cane, but places this on hold in order to help Poppy adjust to her new not-quite-life. As she teaches her, Poppy works to control both her bloodlust and her overwhelming attraction to Roisin.
As the years to by, will either of them manage to succeed in their plans?
--
I feel like my words will fall short of how much I loved this book. I grew up on Twilight and the Vampire Diaries, hiding under the covers with a book light to read Frankenstein and Dracula past my bedtime. A Long Time Dead honored all of this and more. It's a lush, sweeping, gothic love affair spanning decades, filled with dramatics, horror, and romance - all the things that define the genre. It felt like it could have been written for me.
Poppy, our FMC, is the definition of a 20 year old, brash, unrefined, and forceful with her convictions. This is slightly tempered by the hard life that she has led, but she is stubborn and gluttonous and, above all, she is clever enough to turn her circumstances in a way that suits her. This directly opposes Roisin, her counterpart, a guilt-riddled vampire who has lived centuries denying herself and her baser instincts (damn Catholics).
The two could not be more different, which makes their relationship all the more exasperating and rewarding in equal measure.
I will admit that sometimes Poppy's brattish behavior grated on me, but there is value in remembering that she is stuck at 20. Roisin similarly frustrates me with her need to atone for perceived sins, but I can empathize as well.
All in all, I had a wonderful time reading A Long Time Dead, and will likely read it again!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Gore, Toxic relationship, Blood, Grief, Murder, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Violence, Vomit, and Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual assault, War, and Classism
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