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Reviews tagging 'Ableism'
Wampiry nie starzeją się nigdy. Opowiadania na ząb by Natalie C. Parker, Zoraida Córdova
19 reviews
atlas_shruggs's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is one of the few short story collections I have ever read, and I enjoyed it thoroughly throughout. The collection covers different aspects of the myth of the vampire, told both through short stories and short essays by the editors, Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker. The essays were hilarious but also good addons to the stories, and give you better insight into the history of the vampire. The stories themselves are excellently written, and the characters in them often break the vampire stereotype, with one of the vampires being in a wheelchair and one of the vampire slayers being a fat girl. The view they gave of the vampire myths were refreshing, and I loved how good the representation in the stories was. I highly recommend this collection whether you're a fan of vampires or not, as it is highly entertaining and also wonderfully educational.
Average Rating: 3.75
Seven Nights For Dying: 3 stars
The Boys from Blood River: 3.75
Senior Year Sucks: 4
The Boy and the Bell: 3
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire: 4.75
In Kind: 4.5
Vampires Never Say Die: 3
Bestiary: 2.75
Mirrors, Windows and Selfies: 3.5
The House of Black Sapphires: 4
First Kill: 4.5
Average Rating: 3.75
Seven Nights For Dying: 3 stars
The Boys from Blood River: 3.75
Senior Year Sucks: 4
The Boy and the Bell: 3
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire: 4.75
In Kind: 4.5
Vampires Never Say Die: 3
Bestiary: 2.75
Mirrors, Windows and Selfies: 3.5
The House of Black Sapphires: 4
First Kill: 4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Vomit, Abandonment, and Colonisation
sofipitch's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
The collection was mostly just fun. Some stories I have strong opinions on, which I'll share, but the ones I don't mention were mostly just entertaining. I'm a sucker (haha) for vamps so I'm usually biased in the favor of vampire stories already.
Some stories I'd give 5 stars to: In Kind, A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire, and First Kill. I'm very excited for First Kill being adapted by Netflix, it's fun on it's own but I'm really looking forward to seeing this story expanded upon. In Kind deals with disabled rights and the value of a life and Guidebook deals with vampires as a metaphor for colonialism while staying really funny and original in concept.
The House of Black Sapphires is in a weird spot where I really likedit but it felt like it ended too abruptly, it honestly felt like the beginning of a full book and not a short story.
And then the bad ones were the ones that felt way to infantile. This collection is YA which means all the protagonists are teens, but these stories just felt like the authors assume teens lack any depth, and feel like they are belittling their reader with how they write them. They feel like it's more important to name drop words like instagram, selfie, and ao3 (which gave me massive brain damage) than connect with their audience. These stories that are total skips are: Vampires Never Say Die, Senior Year Sucks, and Mirrors, Windows & Selfies.
Some stories I'd give 5 stars to: In Kind, A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire, and First Kill. I'm very excited for First Kill being adapted by Netflix, it's fun on it's own but I'm really looking forward to seeing this story expanded upon. In Kind deals with disabled rights and the value of a life and Guidebook deals with vampires as a metaphor for colonialism while staying really funny and original in concept.
The House of Black Sapphires is in a weird spot where I really likedit but it felt like it ended too abruptly, it honestly felt like the beginning of a full book and not a short story.
And then the bad ones were the ones that felt way to infantile. This collection is YA which means all the protagonists are teens, but these stories just felt like the authors assume teens lack any depth, and feel like they are belittling their reader with how they write them. They feel like it's more important to name drop words like instagram, selfie, and ao3 (which gave me massive brain damage) than connect with their audience. These stories that are total skips are: Vampires Never Say Die, Senior Year Sucks, and Mirrors, Windows & Selfies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Colonisation
Minor: Homophobia and Death of parent
stormywolf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
My library has been a bit hit-or-miss with the Vampire Book Club's selections, but I was able to find this one for December. Admittedly, I wasn't in the best mental space to read books surrounding death and immortality, having lost my grandmother earlier this year and having that wound reopened with our cat's death (cancer) just after reading the first story. But after a bit of time (and some Christmas movies & music) I was excited to dive back in and experience some new takes on one of my favorite paranormal creatures.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, a fine anthology filled with some of the best vampires I've encountered. There was a huge variety, not only of genders, sexualities, and skins, but of vampiric powers, weaknesses, settings, and societies. If I had to pick my favorites, I'd probably stick with the peppier school-based-fare of Senior Year Sucks and First Kill, but I also found a lot to love in the more sombre stories of Seven Nights for Dying and The Boy and the Bell, not to mention the vivid world-building packed into The House of Black Sapphires. Needless to say, I definitely have a few authors to add to my watchlist. So if you have a hankering for some unique YA takes on old blood-sucking favorites, or if you're seeking a quick nibble to break up longer reads (or to break back into reading at all!), then I'd definitely recommend this anthology.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, a fine anthology filled with some of the best vampires I've encountered. There was a huge variety, not only of genders, sexualities, and skins, but of vampiric powers, weaknesses, settings, and societies. If I had to pick my favorites, I'd probably stick with the peppier school-based-fare of Senior Year Sucks and First Kill, but I also found a lot to love in the more sombre stories of Seven Nights for Dying and The Boy and the Bell, not to mention the vivid world-building packed into The House of Black Sapphires. Needless to say, I definitely have a few authors to add to my watchlist. So if you have a hankering for some unique YA takes on old blood-sucking favorites, or if you're seeking a quick nibble to break up longer reads (or to break back into reading at all!), then I'd definitely recommend this anthology.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder
Minor: Ableism, Chronic illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Death of parent, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Colonisation
Cannibalism only in the sense that vampires used to be human and feed off of humans.yeojinqueen's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-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? No
4.25
individual ranks are as follows
seven nights for dying: 3/5
the boys from blood river: 5/5
senior year sucks: 5/5
the boy and the bell: 3/5
a guidedbook for the newly sired desi vampire: 4/5 (this one is a interesting format and unique story)
in kind: 5/5 (again one of the more interesting stories in here)
vampires never say die: 4/5
bestiary: 4/5
mirrors, windows, and selfies: 5/5
the house of black sapphires: 5/5 (in my opinion the most interesting story in the book)
first kill: 4/5
great stories over all. i believe that senior year sucks, in kind, and the house of black sapphires are the best stories in the book and also the ones i would most want to see turned into a full book
seven nights for dying: 3/5
the boys from blood river: 5/5
senior year sucks: 5/5
the boy and the bell: 3/5
a guidedbook for the newly sired desi vampire: 4/5 (this one is a interesting format and unique story)
in kind: 5/5 (again one of the more interesting stories in here)
vampires never say die: 4/5
bestiary: 4/5
mirrors, windows, and selfies: 5/5
the house of black sapphires: 5/5 (in my opinion the most interesting story in the book)
first kill: 4/5
great stories over all. i believe that senior year sucks, in kind, and the house of black sapphires are the best stories in the book and also the ones i would most want to see turned into a full book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Gore, Transphobia, and Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Terminal illness, Outing, and Alcohol
lennie_reads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Death, Blood, and Murder
wardenred's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I confess I've been going through a terrible reading slump lately. This book of short stories has been a big help with that: whenever I felt like reading at all, I could just grab it and read another story. My relationship to short stories in general is complicated—I don't always like them, even when they're objectively well-written, because I'm more of an "epic sprawling story" kind of reader—but I always have a higher chance of liking one when it deals with one of my favorite topics, and vampires happen to be at least in the top-5 of my favorite things to read about. I can't help it; it's an obsession I never got over. I got through my teenage years watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, reading Anne Rice and Laurel Hamilton, and playing Vampire: the Masquerade with my friends. I still play VtM with my friends a lot. Vampires really never get old.
The thing about anthologies that makes it hard rating them is that any of the stories contained in the book can be hit or miss. This one contained a lot more hits than misses for me. The book is full of fresh, fun takes on the vampire myth. I was delighted by the sheer amount of diversity here. Most of the main characters were somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, and there were other types of representation, too. A lot of the authors didn't shy away from choosing big, complicated topics to explore through the lens of undead bloodsuckers, be it something as expansive as colonialism or as claustrophobically private as the darkness that may be found in the relationships between disabled people and their caregivers.
The thing about anthologies that makes it hard rating them is that any of the stories contained in the book can be hit or miss. This one contained a lot more hits than misses for me. The book is full of fresh, fun takes on the vampire myth. I was delighted by the sheer amount of diversity here. Most of the main characters were somewhere on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, and there were other types of representation, too. A lot of the authors didn't shy away from choosing big, complicated topics to explore through the lens of undead bloodsuckers, be it something as expansive as colonialism or as claustrophobically private as the darkness that may be found in the relationships between disabled people and their caregivers.
The stories that stood out for me in particular were:
- Seven Nights for Dying by Tessa Gratton: I've always been fascinated by fiction that deals with the transition from human to mythical monsters, and this story does a great job out of exploring it.
- The Boys from Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse: This was like watching a great horror movie in my head.
- The Boy and the Bell by Heidi Heilig: I'm highly likely to enjoy anything that is set in Victorian times, deals with class differences, and has a trans MC, if it's well-written. This one was really well-written.
- Bestiary by Laura Ruby: The prose here was viscerally vivid, to the point that it almost made me want to stop reading sometimes because I was seriously feeling everything in the story and a lot of it wasn't pleasant. Definitely an author I now want to read more of!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Sexism, and Transphobia
booksthatburn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Vampires Never Get Old is a pretty strong collection of excellent vampire tales. No two mythos were exactly the same and I loved most of the stories.
I liked almost all of the collection, so first let me cover what I really enjoyed. Many of the stories had really powerful depictions of marginalized people finding strength during their interactions with vampires, sometimes by being vampires and sometimes through rejecting them. My particular favorites are "The Boys from Blood River", "In Kind", "Bestiary", and "Mirrors, Windows & Selfies". I love the premise and the feeling of "The Boys from Blood River", the MC handles relaying backstory while being firmly anchored in the moment in a way that immersed me very quickly into the story. The ending was really good, but now I want even more with the MC. "In Kind" gives a voice to a real kind of victim whose killers are frequently excused or even praised for their murder. It handles a difficult topic well through a really superb story. "Bestiary" was a slow burn, gradually trickling in details to make the MC's backstory clear, crystalizing in one fantastic moment when the pieces are finally in place to understand what happened. I never really felt confused leading up to it, but that moment of really understanding felt really good, especially in a tale this short. "Mirrors, Windows & Selfies" is a story about using the internet to feel a little less alone when you can't leave. I wish this had a follow-up I could read, it implies a very interesting variation on a lot of vampire lore and I'm fascinated (plus I really care what happens to the MC).
I cannot in good conscience recommend the final story, "First Kill". Minor spoilers to follow. It contains a gay character saying "People aren't straight... They just don't know better." I wasn't sure what to think about it as a one-off comment from a teenage character, but it erases a lot of people who are straight as well as queer, and it's a bizarre sweeping denial of people's understanding of their own identities. It's completely unchallenged within the narrative. The second thing which changed this from a story I was concerned about to one I cannot recommend is that there's a character who is a monster-hunter, and in the backstory describing the monsters her family has killed, there's reference to a "full-grown wendigo" and a teenage character tries to take a "monstrous claw" as a prize. He's not allowed to because there's a general "no-trophies" rule. Having that appear here just to add background details for a secondary character felt bad to read. The actual plot was interesting, but I can't recommend this collection without giving a warning about this story. Neither moment was examined, and they felt like they were there just to be filler about secondary characters, instead they're just cringey and bad.
Seven Nights for Dying: CW for parental death (backstory).
The Boys from Blood River: CW for homophobia, bullying, violence, parental death, death.
Senior Year Sucks: CW for blood, death.
The Boy and the Bell: CW for transphobia, misgendering, gore, death.
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire: CW for colonialism, death.
In Kind: CW for ableism, child death, blood, death.
Vampires Never Say Die: CW for sexism, blood, violence.
Bestiary: CW for vomit, death (backstory).
Mirrors, Windows & Selfies: CW for kidnapping, imprisonment, death.
The House of Black Sapphires: No major CWs.
First Kill: CW for death. TW for discussion of body parts as trophies (wendigo).
I liked almost all of the collection, so first let me cover what I really enjoyed. Many of the stories had really powerful depictions of marginalized people finding strength during their interactions with vampires, sometimes by being vampires and sometimes through rejecting them. My particular favorites are "The Boys from Blood River", "In Kind", "Bestiary", and "Mirrors, Windows & Selfies". I love the premise and the feeling of "The Boys from Blood River", the MC handles relaying backstory while being firmly anchored in the moment in a way that immersed me very quickly into the story. The ending was really good, but now I want even more with the MC. "In Kind" gives a voice to a real kind of victim whose killers are frequently excused or even praised for their murder. It handles a difficult topic well through a really superb story. "Bestiary" was a slow burn, gradually trickling in details to make the MC's backstory clear, crystalizing in one fantastic moment when the pieces are finally in place to understand what happened. I never really felt confused leading up to it, but that moment of really understanding felt really good, especially in a tale this short. "Mirrors, Windows & Selfies" is a story about using the internet to feel a little less alone when you can't leave. I wish this had a follow-up I could read, it implies a very interesting variation on a lot of vampire lore and I'm fascinated (plus I really care what happens to the MC).
I cannot in good conscience recommend the final story, "First Kill". Minor spoilers to follow. It contains a gay character saying "People aren't straight... They just don't know better." I wasn't sure what to think about it as a one-off comment from a teenage character, but it erases a lot of people who are straight as well as queer, and it's a bizarre sweeping denial of people's understanding of their own identities. It's completely unchallenged within the narrative. The second thing which changed this from a story I was concerned about to one I cannot recommend is that
Seven Nights for Dying: CW for
The Boys from Blood River: CW for
Senior Year Sucks: CW for
The Boy and the Bell: CW for
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire: CW for
In Kind: CW for
Vampires Never Say Die: CW for
Bestiary: CW for
Mirrors, Windows & Selfies: CW for
The House of Black Sapphires: No major CWs.
First Kill: CW for
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Child death, Death, Gore, Homophobia, and Transphobia
Minor: Sexism and Kidnapping
CW for parental death, homophobia, bullying, violence, death, blood, transphobia, misgendering, gore, colonialism, ableism, child death, sexism, vomit, kidnapping, imprisonment. TW for discussion offeuillycakes's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
This is this first anthology I’ve read since I was a child, and it didn’t disappoint. Each story brought something new and unexpected to the table, and I found myself liking each one in its own way. I’ve loved vampire stories since I was a child, and this new take on them was refreshing and exciting. The one thing I could wish for from this book is that some of the stories were longer. They set my imagination running wild and I found myself wanting more. My favourites were SEVEN NIGHTS FOR DYING , THE BOYS FROM BLOOD RIVER , and IN KIND, but they all brought something to the table that I can’t quite explain, except to say that they got me in my emotions and they did it quick. The latter two were also super dramatic and I’m in to that in a vampire story. A close contender for a favourite is BESTIARY , because the world building that occurs in this story is fantastic, what with a seemingly dystopian setting that is somehow also set in the near future but the very very near future.
Anyway this book is the diverse rep we always needed from teen vampire books so kudos to all the authors for being awesome!
(That being said there are brief descriptions of the negative stuff that comes along with being any variation of non cis/white/straight/able bodied in the world, so take care, but it’s not extreme and is shown to be a negative thing in the writing.)
Anyway this book is the diverse rep we always needed from teen vampire books so kudos to all the authors for being awesome!
(That being said there are brief descriptions of the negative stuff that comes along with being any variation of non cis/white/straight/able bodied in the world, so take care, but it’s not extreme and is shown to be a negative thing in the writing.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Blood
Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Chronic illness, and Transphobia
All the content warnings except for the blood is shown as negative, and is mostly looked down on or addressed in story. There is a scene of a gay man being beaten for being gay and the perpetrators are punished, and another of a trans man being misgendered where once again the perpetrator is punished. Both are dealt with violently. The adult/minor relationships are implied, what with the vampires being very much above the age of consent in years if not in appearances and the other party being 17. This is not illegal or even frowned upon in most countries but it’s important to note for the places that have the age of consent higher than 16.kelsireads's review against another edition
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, Chronic illness, Transphobia, and Blood