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A review by kelsireads
Vampires Never Get Old: Tales with Fresh Bite by Natalie C. Parker, Zoraida Córdova
dark
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This has become one of my favorite anthologies. I'm a sucker (ha) for a good vampire story, but I haven't read anything inventive or out of the ordinary in years. This anthology featured so many different concepts and characters revolving around vampire lore, and I'm SO glad it lived up to my expectations. I loved that several of these stories discuss the fictional appeal of vampirism to teen girls, the physical power it gives them in a world where they often feel very powerless. Also, it's super gay. Thoughts on each story are below.
Seven Nights for Dying by Tessa Gratton - 5 Stars
Damn, what a way to start things off. This ended up being my favorite story in this book. The main character is offered the opportunity of a lifetime and has seven nights to decide if she wants to live forever. Tessa Gratton did an amazing job with characterization - this main character has so much depth and introspection in just a few pages than some books manage or hundreds. The bisexual/mga rep is excellent. The discussions of strong emotions like grief, anger, and compassion are beautiful.
"I said, “Is grief like anger? Will I take it with me?”
Esmael said, “Come here, and I’ll show you, instead, how it’s all just love.”"
Mirrors, Windows & Selfies by Mark Oshiro - 5 Stars
This story is formatted like a blog post, and it worked very well for this story. The main character is a child of vampires, told from a young age that he shouldn't exist and has to be hidden away for his own safety. He writes this anonymous blog as a diary and slowly uncovers secrets his parents are keeping from him, all while desperately trying to see himself - literally, he has never seen a reflection or image of himself. The parallels between vampirism and queerness are pretty obvious, but excellently done. The main character experiences attraction to another boy in the story, but it is not romance focused.
The House of Black Sapphires by Dhonielle Clayton - 3 stars
The lore and worldbuilding of this story are really the standouts. The main character, along with her mother and sisters, have been brought to New Orleans to make their home for the foreseeable future, brought by the firebird of the Turner family. This short story is packed with an inventive world where supernatural beings gather together and Black people are NOT vampires, but Eternals, beings who were turned by slave owners but whose ancestors sent firebirds for protection and guidance. I was not very invested in the plot, and there were too many characters to get a clear picture of everyone in such a short time.
The Boys From Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse - 4 stars
This was definitely the creepiest of the anthology. The main character is lonely, the child of a dying mother and an outcast among peers in his small bigoted town for being Native and gay. A mysterious song summons a group of boys who offer to become his family and take him away, all in exchange for "sharing a meal" (we all know what that means). There's an interesting twist on the 'vampires must be invited in' trope that I loved.
Senior Year Sucks by Julie Murphy - 2 stars
This is an attempt at a sapphic vampire/ slayer romance that just didn't work for me. The chemistry between the characters wasn't there for me. I did appreciate the fat vampire slayer that's also cheerleading captain and very bossy, but that didn't do enough for me to enjoy it overall.
The Boy and the Bell by Heidi Heilig - 3 stars
This story follows a medical student moonlighting as a grave digger who stumbles upon a ringing bell in a graveyard - someone was buried alive. He digs him up only to be confronted by an ungrateful rich asshole who tries to blackmail him. The main character is a trans man, and there is intentional misgendering in this one so be aware.
In Kind by Kayla Whaley - 3 stars
This is a great confrontation of the typical able bodied, physical "perfection" that is standard in a lot of vampire stories. The main character is a victim of a so-called mercy killing, is saved by a friend, and decides whether to exact revenge. There is quite a bit of ableist language so be aware of that going in.
A Guidebook For The Newly Sired Desi Vampire by Samira Ahmed - 4 stars
This was SUCH a fun concept and super well executed. As the title says, this story reads as a guidebook for baby vampires. It is laugh out loud funny with pop culture references and super dry disdain for obnoxious British tourists. There are great references to technology and how it would adapted for modern use by secret groups of people.
Bestiary by Laura Ruby - 2 stars
This was an intereseting concept that lacked in execution. The near future world was underdeveloped and the plot and main character's inner thoughts were confusing and disjointed.
Vampires Never Say Die by Zoraida Cordova & Natalie C. Parker - 4 stars
I loved the world building and set up for the relationship in this story. There are two perspective, both women who met on Instagram, one human, one vampire. The story is much more plot driven that character driven, but it was unpredictable and the characters had super engaging personalities. This is a story of friendship and I really enjoyed that theme.
First Kill by V.E. Schwab - 5 stars
I'm a die hard Schwab fan so please take this review with a grain of salt. I loved it. In this world, vampires are born, and our first main character is a teen vampire. Our second main character is a teen slayer. This story has an awesome twist, so I don't want to say anything more! I just love the way Schwab reveals new information a little at a time but the reader never feels left in the dark.
Seven Nights for Dying by Tessa Gratton - 5 Stars
Damn, what a way to start things off. This ended up being my favorite story in this book. The main character is offered the opportunity of a lifetime and has seven nights to decide if she wants to live forever. Tessa Gratton did an amazing job with characterization - this main character has so much depth and introspection in just a few pages than some books manage or hundreds. The bisexual/mga rep is excellent. The discussions of strong emotions like grief, anger, and compassion are beautiful.
"I said, “Is grief like anger? Will I take it with me?”
Esmael said, “Come here, and I’ll show you, instead, how it’s all just love.”"
Mirrors, Windows & Selfies by Mark Oshiro - 5 Stars
This story is formatted like a blog post, and it worked very well for this story. The main character is a child of vampires, told from a young age that he shouldn't exist and has to be hidden away for his own safety. He writes this anonymous blog as a diary and slowly uncovers secrets his parents are keeping from him, all while desperately trying to see himself - literally, he has never seen a reflection or image of himself. The parallels between vampirism and queerness are pretty obvious, but excellently done. The main character experiences attraction to another boy in the story, but it is not romance focused.
The House of Black Sapphires by Dhonielle Clayton - 3 stars
The lore and worldbuilding of this story are really the standouts. The main character, along with her mother and sisters, have been brought to New Orleans to make their home for the foreseeable future, brought by the firebird of the Turner family. This short story is packed with an inventive world where supernatural beings gather together and Black people are NOT vampires, but Eternals, beings who were turned by slave owners but whose ancestors sent firebirds for protection and guidance. I was not very invested in the plot, and there were too many characters to get a clear picture of everyone in such a short time.
The Boys From Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse - 4 stars
This was definitely the creepiest of the anthology. The main character is lonely, the child of a dying mother and an outcast among peers in his small bigoted town for being Native and gay. A mysterious song summons a group of boys who offer to become his family and take him away, all in exchange for "sharing a meal" (we all know what that means). There's an interesting twist on the 'vampires must be invited in' trope that I loved.
Senior Year Sucks by Julie Murphy - 2 stars
This is an attempt at a sapphic vampire/ slayer romance that just didn't work for me. The chemistry between the characters wasn't there for me. I did appreciate the fat vampire slayer that's also cheerleading captain and very bossy, but that didn't do enough for me to enjoy it overall.
The Boy and the Bell by Heidi Heilig - 3 stars
This story follows a medical student moonlighting as a grave digger who stumbles upon a ringing bell in a graveyard - someone was buried alive. He digs him up only to be confronted by an ungrateful rich asshole who tries to blackmail him. The main character is a trans man, and there is intentional misgendering in this one so be aware.
In Kind by Kayla Whaley - 3 stars
This is a great confrontation of the typical able bodied, physical "perfection" that is standard in a lot of vampire stories. The main character is a victim of a so-called mercy killing, is saved by a friend, and decides whether to exact revenge. There is quite a bit of ableist language so be aware of that going in.
A Guidebook For The Newly Sired Desi Vampire by Samira Ahmed - 4 stars
This was SUCH a fun concept and super well executed. As the title says, this story reads as a guidebook for baby vampires. It is laugh out loud funny with pop culture references and super dry disdain for obnoxious British tourists. There are great references to technology and how it would adapted for modern use by secret groups of people.
Bestiary by Laura Ruby - 2 stars
This was an intereseting concept that lacked in execution. The near future world was underdeveloped and the plot and main character's inner thoughts were confusing and disjointed.
Vampires Never Say Die by Zoraida Cordova & Natalie C. Parker - 4 stars
I loved the world building and set up for the relationship in this story. There are two perspective, both women who met on Instagram, one human, one vampire. The story is much more plot driven that character driven, but it was unpredictable and the characters had super engaging personalities. This is a story of friendship and I really enjoyed that theme.
First Kill by V.E. Schwab - 5 stars
I'm a die hard Schwab fan so please take this review with a grain of salt. I loved it. In this world, vampires are born, and our first main character is a teen vampire. Our second main character is a teen slayer. This story has an awesome twist, so I don't want to say anything more! I just love the way Schwab reveals new information a little at a time but the reader never feels left in the dark.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Chronic illness, and Transphobia