Reviews

Don't Want To Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton

mrs_bookdragon's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious tense

• 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

diamantis's review against another edition

The author is zionist and I wasn't feeling the book to begin with.

oldandnewbooksmell's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

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

4.0

Adam and Victor have fights just like all brothers - over the remote, over chores, over rather or not it’s morally acceptable to eat people… well, more like when it’s okay to drink someone’s blood. They’re young vampires hiding in the woods with the sibling Sung and their Moms in Lacey, Washington. Pacific Northwest. United States of America.

For the most part, everything has been great - until bodies start to appear all over town and it becomes pretty clear there’s a vampire hunter involved. But as both boys try to find their own way of solving the murders, it creates a wedge between them. Can they reconcile their differences and work together before it’s too late?

Okay, this was cute. I was a little bit worried about it when I first started it because young literature with vampires can go so many different ways. This one however, went in the right direction! There’s of course a small change up from what you usually think of vampires with how the author pictures them in their world, but through the characters, they explain kind of their reasoning as to why their vampires are a little different than your classic ones. Which, in all honesty, all made complete sense to me!

I also loved the idea of a Jewish Vampire. Cause yea, nearly everything around vampires has been centered around Catholicism (I mean, so is most history if we’re being real honest), so that was another nice change to see in a vampire world.

Overall, a wonderfully cute, middle grade vampire novel. I didn’t think it was really scary or gory or anything like that so it fits well with younger readers. I don’t know if “soft fantasy” is what I’m looking for because there is a vampire hunter and murder, and it’s high stakes, but it’s not terrifying! This is a book I can see those who like the vampire world would enjoy - no matter the age!

*Thank you Tundra Books and LibraryThing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder

_tomeraider's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious reflective 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

4.0

This was such an enjoyable read! Deke Moulton did a phenomenal job showcasing the complicated elements of brotherly love and how easy it is to misunderstand someone you care about. I loved how they incorporated the lore of vampires to fit in with real world history and how they used the mortals' treatment of vampires as a metaphor for colonizers' treatment of marginalized groups. 

I also appreciated how in the author's note Deke informed us about how Dracula was based Jewish caricature. I was unaware of that and will definitely be keeping this in mind whenever I get around to it. 

Overall, a very solid middle grade that I highly recommend for young readers.

horrorclassics's review

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious 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? No

4.0

libraryalissa's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny hopeful informative lighthearted reflective 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

4.0

christym's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective fast-paced

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

2.75

shereadsallbooks's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

5.0

amanda_shortman's review against another edition

5.0

I had been looking forward to reading this book ever since a friend told me about it ages ago. And I was not disappointed.

Deke has created a beautiful middle grade story about family, friendship, and identity, woven around a murder mystery with a difference. It mainly follows adopted brothers Adam and Victor, who are both vampires. Throughout the book, the boys struggle to find their place in a world in which they are seen as monsters. But over time they come to find true friends in the mortals that they meet, and grow a stronger bond together.

The characters in this book are beautifully diverse and nuanced. All of them are given enough time to express who they are, so you get to know them well. And in the process, Deke breaks down the antisemitic stereotypes that so much of our vampire folklore is based on. It is incredibly well written, and is a must read for anyone who has ever read a book or watched a show with vampires in (so, most of us)!

amybrooklyn's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious 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

4.5