cboddie's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
5th-8th
peacelovereading's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
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
4.25
This was a great read! I loved that we got both Adam and Victor's POV. It was a great way to tackle the antisemitic trope of vampires, and it was really well done. I loved the side characters too. Highly recommend reading this one!
rsngphoenix's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
arithetonberry's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
michellelouise's review
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
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
3.5
xangemthelibrarian's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
5.0
This book has been WILD from start to finish. It is so odd, and also so good.
Look. Victor and Adam give off Dean and Sam Winchester vibes, except they're the monsters instead of the monster slayers. I thought that the lore was really cool. I adored how Moulton expanded vampires to be everywhere all over the world since the beginning of time. I thought that occasionally the message he was pushing was a little obvious, but it didn't stop me from having a good time reading Adam and Victor's story.
Look. Victor and Adam give off Dean and Sam Winchester vibes, except they're the monsters instead of the monster slayers. I thought that the lore was really cool. I adored how Moulton expanded vampires to be everywhere all over the world since the beginning of time. I thought that occasionally the message he was pushing was a little obvious, but it didn't stop me from having a good time reading Adam and Victor's story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
lisafrancine's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
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
What makes a family? Deke Moulton has created a modern day vampire tale of two foster brothers, Adam & Victor, at odds with each other and the world they live in. They become involved in trying to solve a series of serial murders in their home town of Lacey, Washington. Coming to their aid are mortal friends, their foster moms, and their older sibling Sung. Will they succeed in their quest, or will they become victims of a vampire hunter? Read Moulton's phenomenal tale to find out!
Content Warnings
Minor: Murder and Violence
remus_reads's review
Overall
I really liked this book and I didn’t expect that from a middle grade book. I should probably read more middle grade.
Plot
I really liked the plot and was very interested in what would happen next. I read the book very quickly and enjoyed the whole story.
Characters
One thing that really stood out to me was that all the characters felt like real people. Normally I only really care about the main characters, but with this book I truly wanted to know everyones story.
If Deke told me that it was actually a true story and that Adam and Victor really existed I would believe her in an instant.
Another thing I love is the found family dynamic in the form of adopted/foster family. Thats something that works very well in vampire story’s and I liked Deke’s execution of it.
Representation
Queer: Adam’s and Victor’s parents are sapphic and their sibling uses they/them pronouns.
Cultures: The fact that they are vampires means that they’re not blood related and are from very different cuktures. It’s interesting to learn a bit about these cultures snd to see them represented in a casual way.
Jewish: It’s a culture too but I think it deserves a separate mention.
One thing that I really loved was the jewish represantation and the way Deke changed the vampire myths to remove the antisemitism. I’m not jewish so I didn’t know and didn’t notice that vampire stories are rooted in antisemitism. Once I read the author’s noteI could truly appreciate the things Deke changed about the popular vampire lore.
The idea that vampires are variation of the norm and not an abnormality and not monsters is great. I also liked that there was a good reason why thevimpares needed blood and not “just because”.
I really liked this book and I didn’t expect that from a middle grade book. I should probably read more middle grade.
Plot
I really liked the plot and was very interested in what would happen next. I read the book very quickly and enjoyed the whole story.
Characters
One thing that really stood out to me was that all the characters felt like real people. Normally I only really care about the main characters, but with this book I truly wanted to know everyones story.
If Deke told me that it was actually a true story and that Adam and Victor really existed I would believe her in an instant.
Another thing I love is the found family dynamic in the form of adopted/foster family. Thats something that works very well in vampire story’s and I liked Deke’s execution of it.
Representation
Queer: Adam’s and Victor’s parents are sapphic and their sibling uses they/them pronouns.
Cultures: The fact that they are vampires means that they’re not blood related and are from very different cuktures. It’s interesting to learn a bit about these cultures snd to see them represented in a casual way.
Jewish: It’s a culture too but I think it deserves a separate mention.
One thing that I really loved was the jewish represantation and the way Deke changed the vampire myths to remove the antisemitism. I’m not jewish so I didn’t know and didn’t notice that vampire stories are rooted in antisemitism. Once I read the author’s noteI could truly appreciate the things Deke changed about the popular vampire lore.
The idea that vampires are variation of the norm and not an abnormality and not monsters is great. I also liked that there was a good reason why thevimpares needed blood and not “just because”.
jilljemmett's review
4.0
Adam and Victor are brothers who are also vampires. They live quiet lives with their moms and older siblings, hidden away from everyone else. When a serial killer starts murdering people in their town, they both start to venture away from their home. Ten-year-old Adam wants to help solve the murders, so he befriends two mortals who don’t know he’s a vampire. Fourteen-year-old Victor wants to find his purpose as a vampire but he ends up encountering a vampire hunter instead. When the serial killer begins to target vampires, the brothers must work together to save their family.
This was a fun middle grade vampire story. I really liked the characters. Adam and Victor were trying to learn how to be vampires, while their moms wanted them to stay children. The characters were all diverse, from different cultures, religions, and sexualities. There were twists at the end that kept me guessing what would happen next.
Don’t Want to Be Your Monster is a great middle grade vampire story!
Thank you Tundra Books for providing a digital copy of this book.
This was a fun middle grade vampire story. I really liked the characters. Adam and Victor were trying to learn how to be vampires, while their moms wanted them to stay children. The characters were all diverse, from different cultures, religions, and sexualities. There were twists at the end that kept me guessing what would happen next.
Don’t Want to Be Your Monster is a great middle grade vampire story!
Thank you Tundra Books for providing a digital copy of this book.
floralflorilegium's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
fast-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
5.0
Don't Want To Be Your Monster by Deke Moulton is the story of two vampiric brothers, found family, and finding community in seemingly unlikely places. I loved this book, you guys. I read it in one sitting! I loved that the take on vampires was fresh and well-researched; the plot didn't shy away from discussing the origins of vampires. I also loved that vampires were used as a way to discuss the ostricization of other communities. No spoilers, but it was great! Adam and Victor, our two main characters, were awesome. I loved reading from both of their perspectives and thought they both added a necessary element to the story, like two sides to the same coin. And the action?! The mystery?! So good. It was also so very Jewish,with a diverse cast of characters that felt cozy and perfect. Overall, this is a great book perfect to add to classroom shelves, your spooky season tbr, or just to pick up the next time you're out. It is so worth it! 5/5 ⭐️!