abigailbat's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
This is a sweet, hot gender-bending paranormal romance about a trans male vampire archivist who falls for a bisexual widow donating her late wife's papers to the archive. Sol has been a vampire for five years and is still trying to navigate this new world, but it's not easy and feels very scary. Adrift without a vampire support community, he ends up living in his office at the archives until his colleagues find out and he's forced to figure something else out. I loved the exploration of this world and the questioning and exploration of gender that happens in the book at the same time. Sol + Else forever!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
aloevera's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This book is a really interesting exploration of being transmasc & has some very powerful messages. I liked it and the vampire archivist angle is fun, but there’s something about how ALL the characters transmasc or have some sort of gender crisis/hang up. Also, the view presented on what it is to be transmasc really minimises butch lesbians in a weird way. Overall a good read, but some uncomfy undertones that prevent me from rating it any higher.
rachelnewlin's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
jojo_'s review
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
mad_taylh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
4.5
"But as a nurse, I'd rather care for people who are in the most immediate kind of need... People come in, I heal them, they're better. They're in real danger before I do it, and less danger after. I don't like to hang out with people either. I don't like to perform. I don't like bedside manner... I just like to heal and go. That feels honest and it feels frank. It's more dignified for my patients. I think that if you can just quietly help you should."
gremlynn's review
Soft DNF for now, lit fic is a mood read for me and this is not fitting the mood
tvoight's review against another edition
medium-paced
2.0
It felt like the author hates lesbians, every single one was a “dyke” and either transphobic or a serial cheater. The romance felt forced and toxic. The most interesting character was the dead one. 2 stars for having an interesting premise, even though it wasn’t executed well.
allzen_nochill's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0
Yeah, yeah, I know "vampire archivist starring in a queer romance" is like if someone taught an AI how to target books exactly to me. And you know what, it's correct. I will say that I do think this book is kind of doing a lot - some parts of Sol's characterization felt a little like they could have been given to another character for another book, and then it wouldn't have felt quite so crammed. (Did he have to write fanfic AND have formerly been a concert pianist?) But Isaac Fellman writes with such fucking STYLE and navigates a romance that feels REAL that I'll forgive a lot of the "and then"s. Gorgeous and can't wait for his next.
sparklingstarling's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
mysterious
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
4.0
bedtimestories4bb's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5