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3.57 AVERAGE
3.57 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I mean, I love Rachel Harrison’s books. Can’t stop, won’t stop reading them. However, this one definitely didn’t feel up to par with some of her other works.
The besties felt too far on opposite sides of the personality spectrum, like over the top, fake, stereotypical party girl and worry wart.
The vampires felt very flat to me, minimal info on their history, creation, culture, etc. Plus they have flat regular human teeth to bite with 🦷…. Okkkk? I didn’t understand why the readers got zero info on Sloane and Henry’s connection. I really hate insta love, and the author doesn’t even explain why they seem to be fated to meet.
The ending felt very abrupt. Like even Rachel got tired of this one and just slapped a bow on an unwrapped gift with the epilogue we got.
Definitely not a fav but I did like some aspects. I love a couple of gal pals against the world/supernatural beings, but this one just didn’t click with me.
The besties felt too far on opposite sides of the personality spectrum, like over the top, fake, stereotypical party girl and worry wart.
The vampires felt very flat to me, minimal info on their history, creation, culture, etc. Plus they have flat regular human teeth to bite with 🦷…. Okkkk? I didn’t understand why the readers got zero info on Sloane and Henry’s connection. I really hate insta love, and the author doesn’t even explain why they seem to be fated to meet.
The ending felt very abrupt. Like even Rachel got tired of this one and just slapped a bow on an unwrapped gift with the epilogue we got.
Definitely not a fav but I did like some aspects. I love a couple of gal pals against the world/supernatural beings, but this one just didn’t click with me.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Literally hate Sloane. She’s one of this women who complains about her life without actually doing anything to change it. And for a brief moment she seems like she might recognize that and do something to change it, but no. Same miserable woman to the very end. Also her and Naomi treat each other horribly. She even says something about how they can be awful to each other because they are “true loves” but that’s not how you treat someone you love. I love Rachel Harris but this was a big miss for me.
dark
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
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:
Yes
This was a read I wasn’t expecting to enjoy as much as I did. Rachel Harrison has incredible writing. The banter was amazing, and the chemistry between many of these characters was great. This was the most realistic and entertaining way I can imagine vampires existing in our world. The characters just feel so natural and human. I can see Noami and Sloane clear as day, like actual people in my life, and if that isn’t incredible writing idk what is
Rachel Harrison’s So Thirsty offers a refreshingly original take on vampire fiction. This isn’t your typical bloodsucker tale—it introduces a new set of rules for vampirism, ones I hadn’t come across before and found genuinely interesting. There’s a lot of fresh, imaginative lore packed into the narrative, and it adds a depth that makes the world feel lived-in. That said, I did find myself wishing the book had been longer so we could dive deeper into some of these ideas. The groundwork was there for something expansive and rich, but it often felt like we were skimming the surface rather than really getting to explore this new mythology.
The heart of the story lies in the complicated relationship between Sloane and Naomi, and I thought Harrison handled that really well. Their dynamic felt grounded in reality—best friendships aren’t always perfect or harmonious, and this one reflects that complexity. They bicker, hurt each other, miscommunicate, and still cling to their bond in spite of it all. It was refreshing to see a female friendship portrayed in such a raw and honest way, especially one where emotional baggage and history play such a strong role in how they relate to one another.
However, Naomi as a character was frustrating at times. Her impulsiveness and naivety often made her difficult to root for. So many of the group’s problems could be traced back to her lack of control and self-centered decisions, which made it hard not to feel impatient with her. While her flaws make her human, her choices had such significant consequences that it sometimes felt like the story bent too far to accommodate her recklessness.
Another issue I had was with the tone and writing style. While this is technically an adult book—both in content and theme—the writing often felt more suited to a YA audience. The prose was on the simpler side, and the narrative voice felt a little too youthful for the darkness and maturity of the subject matter. It wasn’t necessarily predictable in the way a lot of YA fiction can be, which I appreciated, but the mismatch between tone and content was occasionally jarring and pulled me out of the story.
Pacing was another weak spot for me. The book moves fast—too fast, in many places. Scenes that should have been tense or emotional felt rushed, and as a result, they didn’t always land with the impact they deserved. There were also moments where the narrative felt like it skipped over key emotional beats or worldbuilding details, which left me confused or wanting more context. Certain scenes felt like they were added just to move the plot forward, and some characters—Ms. Alice comes to mind—felt more like tools to serve the story rather than fully realized individuals. Honestly, the book could have worked just as well, if not better, without some of these side characters.
Despite these issues, I didn’t dislike So Thirsty—far from it. The concept is clever, the world is intriguing, and I appreciated how Harrison didn’t shy away from messy emotions or complex relationships. But I do wish the book had been given more room to breathe. A slightly longer page count, more refined writing, and a more consistent tone could have elevated this from an enjoyable read to a standout one.
Overall, this is a book with great potential that didn’t quite live up to all it could have been. I’d still recommend it to fans of vampire fiction looking for something a little different, but with the caveat that it might feel a bit undercooked in places. A solid 3.5 stars.
The heart of the story lies in the complicated relationship between Sloane and Naomi, and I thought Harrison handled that really well. Their dynamic felt grounded in reality—best friendships aren’t always perfect or harmonious, and this one reflects that complexity. They bicker, hurt each other, miscommunicate, and still cling to their bond in spite of it all. It was refreshing to see a female friendship portrayed in such a raw and honest way, especially one where emotional baggage and history play such a strong role in how they relate to one another.
However, Naomi as a character was frustrating at times. Her impulsiveness and naivety often made her difficult to root for. So many of the group’s problems could be traced back to her lack of control and self-centered decisions, which made it hard not to feel impatient with her. While her flaws make her human, her choices had such significant consequences that it sometimes felt like the story bent too far to accommodate her recklessness.
Another issue I had was with the tone and writing style. While this is technically an adult book—both in content and theme—the writing often felt more suited to a YA audience. The prose was on the simpler side, and the narrative voice felt a little too youthful for the darkness and maturity of the subject matter. It wasn’t necessarily predictable in the way a lot of YA fiction can be, which I appreciated, but the mismatch between tone and content was occasionally jarring and pulled me out of the story.
Pacing was another weak spot for me. The book moves fast—too fast, in many places. Scenes that should have been tense or emotional felt rushed, and as a result, they didn’t always land with the impact they deserved. There were also moments where the narrative felt like it skipped over key emotional beats or worldbuilding details, which left me confused or wanting more context. Certain scenes felt like they were added just to move the plot forward, and some characters—Ms. Alice comes to mind—felt more like tools to serve the story rather than fully realized individuals. Honestly, the book could have worked just as well, if not better, without some of these side characters.
Despite these issues, I didn’t dislike So Thirsty—far from it. The concept is clever, the world is intriguing, and I appreciated how Harrison didn’t shy away from messy emotions or complex relationships. But I do wish the book had been given more room to breathe. A slightly longer page count, more refined writing, and a more consistent tone could have elevated this from an enjoyable read to a standout one.
Overall, this is a book with great potential that didn’t quite live up to all it could have been. I’d still recommend it to fans of vampire fiction looking for something a little different, but with the caveat that it might feel a bit undercooked in places. A solid 3.5 stars.