Format: Hardcover, 272 pages
Release Date: September 22, 2020
Publisher: Imprint
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult / Vampires
Eleven fresh vampire stories from young adult fiction’s leading voices!
In this delicious new collection, you’ll find stories about lurking vampires of social media, rebellious vampires hungry for more than just blood, eager vampires coming out―and going out for their first kill―and other bold, breathtaking, dangerous, dreamy, eerie, iconic, powerful creatures of the night.
Welcome to the evolution of the vampire―and a revolution on the page.
Vampires Never Get Old includes stories by authors both bestselling and acclaimed, including Samira Ahmed, Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, Tessa Gratton, Heidi Heilig, Julie Murphy, Mark Oshiro, Rebecca Roanhorse, Laura Ruby, Victoria “V. E.” Schwab, and Kayla Whaley.
Vampires Never Get Old is a collection of authors, some you will know, some maybe not, who wrote short novella's on what they think about vampires. The anthology is edited by authors Zoraida Córdova, and Natalie C. Parker. This collection of authors decided to think outside the box by featuring vampires of color, queer and gender queer
vampires, fat vampires, disabled vampires. Most of the stories read like they were sections of longer stories, with no resolution or proper endings. Some didn't even name who the protagonist of their story was. Case in point:
Tessa Grafton writes "Seven Nights for Dying." Her main character is not named. She is a teenager approximately 17 years of age who is approached by a vampires who give her the option of following their 7 day regime, or walking away.
Rating: D
Mirrors, Windows & Selfies by Mark Oshiro is a short story about Cisco. Cisco is not supposed to exist according to his parents. Because he he feels alone and isolated, he starts up a blog where we get to see
him talk about his feelings, his struggles, and his want of finally
being able to see himself for the first time,, because that is another
thing his parents’ protectiveness has kept from him.
Rating: C-
The House of Black Sapphires by Dhonielle Clayton was one of the stories I wish was full length. The story follows the Turner family, most notably Bea, as they travel back to New Orleans. A setting I am absolutely in love with. Bea finds herself enamored with Shadow Baron's son. I honestly wanted more. There is more to the story than just Bea and her 5 sisters and their mother.
Rating: B+
The Boys From Blood River by Rebecca Roanhorse is another creepy horror story. Lukas is the outsider. His mother is dying, he's been bullied by the towns bigots, his only real friend is a co-worker. Then the Blood River Boys show up. Silas, the boy with the face of an angel and the heart of a demon, gives Lukas a chance. Become one of them, or walk away.
Rating: C
Senior Year Sucks by Julie Murphy: Sweatwater, Texas is where the story takes place. The protagonist is a vampire slayer named Jolene Crandall who is both on the heavy side, and a cheerleader. She encounters a vampire named Alma who just wants to understand what it means to be human for a short time.
Rating: B-
The Boy and the Bell by Heidi Heilig; Our
MC is a girl named Will who lives as a boy trying to learn all they can while trying to go to
school to become a doctor. But, one night when they is grave digging for
corpses to learn from, they hear a bell ringing.
Rating: D
In Kind by Kayla Whaley: This story has a few news articles that help tell the story. 17 year old Grace Williams is “mercy killed” by her
father because he could no longer take care of her. She was born with degenerative neuromuscular disorder which means she needed to get around with a wheelchair. In this story, there is no miracle cure. If you are turned into a vampire, then you remain as you were before you were turned.
Rating: B-
A Guidebook for the Newly Sired Desi Vampire by Samira Ahmed: This novella is unapologetically racist towards white people, especially White English. Basically,
this is told through an anonymous system set up in place for Indian
vampires who are recently turned into vampires, and this one was turned
against their will by a British tourist.
Rating: D
Bestiary by Laura Ruby: Jude is the main character of this book. She apparently was turned against her will and is angry and isolated with only the animals she works with as a support mechanism. I'm skidding when anyone says bestiality and this was as close as I could get from not cringing thinking about Jude and the animals.
Rating: D
Vampires Never Say Die by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker: This story is about vampire Instagram drivers who are hiding
that they are vampires. One vampire, Brittany Nicolette Fontaine, Premier of NYC, started talking to a 15-year-old human girl, Theolinda Cecilia Romero de Reyes, who she really likes. Theo decides to throw a big party at a NYC club for Brittany, and ends up with more than she can chew. Not a fan.
Rating: D
First Kill by Victoria “V. E.” Schwab: This really isn't a bad story either. There are really two characters: Juliette Fairmont is a vampire who goes to high school. Calliope Burns comes from a family of slayers. Callie is the object of Jules desire but she has no idea that her secret as a vampire has already been exposed. A chance meeting at a party, ends with a bite and a stab, and the chase is on. Definitely played with the enemies to lovers trope.I want more!!!
Rating: B+
So, as you can see, I ended up rating this 3 Gizmos overall. Anthologies are mostly a problem for me because the tempt me and then leave me dissatisfied. Schwab didn't disappoint, but I definitely would read a full length novel with her characters.
No comments:
Post a Comment