Reviews

Vampires, HeartsOther Dead Things by Margie Fuston

3iii8v's review against another edition

3.0

Cancer is so merciless that even the cruelest of vampires can’t compete.

I'm always attracted to books about vampires but this time the focus of the book is the need of the protagonist to find a solution to her father's terminal illness. Now he has only a month left to live and this is why Victoria will search for vampires in New Orleans. To make him immortal.

Her ex best friend and neighbor will be with her on the trip. The two had quarreled but the affection is still very strong despite the misunderstandings.

Unfortunately the writing is very slow and with little dialogue. It never seems to get the action or the climax where the romantic part will finally be. I felt like I was chasing something that kept eluding me. I couldn't empathize with the protagonist who chases dumb ideas without common sense throughout the book. The secondary characters have not been deepened but always left on the sidelines of the story.

itsbibliotasha's review against another edition

4.0

I don’t normally write book reviews but I feel like this one deserves one. 

This book is about finding joy even in the darkest of times. It’s about experiencing life even when all you want to do is hide under the covers. It’s about adventure, love, grief and loss. The emotions that run throughout this book are portrayed so beautifully. Everything feels so real and genuine.

I’m a huge fan of vampire movies. So the fact that this book quoted all the best vampire movies and shows was so exciting. It inspired me to watch ‘The Lost Boys’ again which is such a good movie. (Highly recommend).

If you’re looking for a short, wholesome read that will engage all of your emotions.. I highly encourage you to read this book!

mkpatter's review against another edition

4.0

Me: oh this will be a light, fun read. 
*moments later*
Me: Oh no. 

ashley_mcfadden's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

faeliah's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

i went into this book thinking it was going to be more vampire romance-y and ended up just being in tears by the end of the book. 

this story deals with grief the entire way through. the reality of losing parts of you because of the fact you’re losing someone important to you, and feeling guilt about any other emotion or thought that doesn’t help the situation with whoever you’re losing. in this case, her dad with cancer. 

this book was an adventure as you see Victoria get tested on how much she wants to live life, being forced to do things out of her comfort zone when she thinks she’s doing it all for her dad. 

i love all the raw emotions you see in this book. Victoria’s actions all felt real and honest and expectant of someone not letting themselves grieve. Henry was also the perfect character to help balance her out, to keep her supported and also aware that she is allowed to feel things.

there is still so much vampire-related content in this book, but it genuinely becomes the thing that doesn’t pull you in. all i wanted was for Victoria to feel her emotions to the fullest extent by the end.

a cute read!

alice_otaibi's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

'A Monster Calls' meets 'True Blood', a very weird combination, but surprisingly, it works! 

I usually don't enjoy YA books, and I have a hard time connecting to YA characters, but I ended up enjoying this one tremendously, for both the writing style and the characters. 

jkbjem's review against another edition

Slow, boring

dia_arca_mina's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

1.5

erikka's review against another edition

DNF page 118/30%
Spoilers kinda, I need to talk about some parts of this:

This was a title buy, not even cover. Didn’t read the description all. And then I read the description, didn’t seem the worst but also didn’t seem for me, I pushed through. I can’t do it anymore. This just seemed (and is) so juvenile. 

Their first night she meets a blond guy, Carter, and just because he’s in the dark staring at the convent he’s the answer, he’s her vampire. Can we get a little more thought please, use our brain just a little more? 
Carter just says “are you waiting for something?” And Victoria has nothing to go on but she says to Carter, “maybe I’m waiting for you.” Babes, stop.

She’s obsessed with vampires, okay who isn’t? She wants to turn into a vamp to save her dad, alright brave but misguided but sure. She keeps thinking about all the things she won’t be able to do but it’s okay she’s with her dad. She sees a drink that may or may not be blood and she can barely stomach it. What!? I get it to a degree she’s still human but can’t stand blood? Or what may or may not be blood? 

louisallama's review

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I have never cried this hard at a book. This is also one of my all time favourite books now. 
The way it uses vampirism as a device to explore not dealing with or acknowledging your grief was breathtaking. Victoria talking about her well of emotions and all the colours of different emotions that kept spilling from it was gorgeous writing. The way she kept thinking that not showing emotion and trying to pretend to Nicholas that she was happy because that's what she thought he wanted to see was amazing. And the ending where she

finally realised that there was strength in feeling happiness and sadness, and the whole spectrum of emotions and how they didn't negate one another was just beautifully, devastatingly real.

I liked that her relationship with Henry wasn't perfect but that

they were able to forgive and be there for each other, and grow. I also really really appreciated that Victoria found out that vampires were real and we got to see that she wasn't a delusional girl all along, but that she was just so desperate to save her father that she was willing to play into Nicholas's fantasy. I was actually full on ugly cry sobbing at the ending and at the note that her dad wrote her.

There are so many poinient quotes in this book, and I'm going to be thinking about the message in it, about letting yourself feel all your emotions, and about how hope and faith can help to carry you, even if other people don't understand why you're having hope, for the rest of my life.