So firstly, this book was not really what I was expecting. If you’re going in expecting some high octane vampire action, this is not it. Instead, this is more of a gorgeous take on relationships, between humans and animals, and the complexities of life and feelings, with the added element that one of the main characters just happens to be a vampire.
The pace is fairly slow and written from a more introspective perspective and whilst I found this frustrating at times, it also added to the nuanced thoughts and gentleness of the book. There were lots of well thought out elements and some unexpected moments, plus times I questioned my own ethics…’would I have made the same choices?’…choices I’ll never make given I’m not a vampire!
The dual timeline kept things interesting and allowed us to understand and follow things as they unfolded, with the events of the past almost shaping the future. I was hoping for a little more in terms of the plot and particularly found my attention dipping around the middle but then it picked up again. I suspect if I went into this book knowing what to expect I would have appreciated it even more.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this ARC.
Author: Katherine Villyard
Publisher: Flower Feather Press
Release Date: 24 February 2026
Lotte's Library 