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Guides for Dating Vampires #1
How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager
"I WANT YOU TO BITE ME."
Vincent Barnes has suffered four years as a vampire, and they’ve been the most miserable years of his pathetic life. Too poor for black market blood, he feeds from sleeping humans to survive. He tries to never intrude on the same prey twice, but after a single delicious taste of a long-lost childhood neighbor, he can’t help returning for seconds.
Wesley Garcia has been waking up with fang marks. Lucky for him, he needs a vampire—to use as bait. He’s certain Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceutical killed his mother, but to gain access to their covert research labs, he has to bring them a bloodsucker for their experiments.
Step one, a dramatic offer: Stay, and you can bite me.
Vincent leaps at the chance to gobble Wesley up.
Wes’s plan is perfect. He’ll befriend the vampire, then trick him into coming to the lab. No fighting, no fuss. But Vincent is more than Wesley has bargained for: sweet and shy, with intoxicating fangs that awaken new desires in Wes. As the two bond, Vincent believes he might have finally found someone worth putting his trust in... and Wes fears neither of them will survive the betrayal he has planned.
How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win and Wager is a slow-burn paranormal mm romance full of laughter, angst, and thirsty pining. It is perfect for fans of fangs and scientific interpretations of vampirism, with a medium spice level that heats up further in the free bonus content. Content includes bite kink, bleeding (non-kinky), medical experimentation (not experienced by the point of view characters), one particular lesbian BFF who should be reported to HR, and the use of “bodice-ripping” as a verb.
Vincent Barnes has suffered four years as a vampire, and they’ve been the most miserable years of his pathetic life. Too poor for black market blood, he feeds from sleeping humans to survive. He tries to never intrude on the same prey twice, but after a single delicious taste of a long-lost childhood neighbor, he can’t help returning for seconds.
Wesley Garcia has been waking up with fang marks. Lucky for him, he needs a vampire—to use as bait. He’s certain Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceutical killed his mother, but to gain access to their covert research labs, he has to bring them a bloodsucker for their experiments.
Step one, a dramatic offer: Stay, and you can bite me.
Vincent leaps at the chance to gobble Wesley up.
Wes’s plan is perfect. He’ll befriend the vampire, then trick him into coming to the lab. No fighting, no fuss. But Vincent is more than Wesley has bargained for: sweet and shy, with intoxicating fangs that awaken new desires in Wes. As the two bond, Vincent believes he might have finally found someone worth putting his trust in... and Wes fears neither of them will survive the betrayal he has planned.
How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win and Wager is a slow-burn paranormal mm romance full of laughter, angst, and thirsty pining. It is perfect for fans of fangs and scientific interpretations of vampirism, with a medium spice level that heats up further in the free bonus content. Content includes bite kink, bleeding (non-kinky), medical experimentation (not experienced by the point of view characters), one particular lesbian BFF who should be reported to HR, and the use of “bodice-ripping” as a verb.
396 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2022
About the author
D.N. Bryn
15 books627 followersD.N. Bryn is a queer, disabled author of speculative fiction and fantasy romance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,093 reviews
October 16, 2022
GOOD SOUP GOOD SOUP
October 3, 2022
How to Bite Your Neighbor & Win a Wager is the queer vampire book I, and several others, have been anxiously waiting for. I was so thankful to receive an advanced reader’s copy of this book, and I devoured it in one to two sittings. As soon as I opened it, I had so much trouble putting it down, even when I had things I definitely should have been doing instead!
Following Wes and Vincent’s POVs, this book expertly combats issues of consent and mental illness. In the beginning, Vincent feeds on humans in their sleep because he’s unable to afford blood bags and has no home, other than a crypt in the cemetery. Because of this, he ends up returning to Wes’s home several times and feeding on him. At first, I was a little nervous about this plot point because it could have been handled poorly, but I was so impressed with the discussions between the two leads surrounding consent and how they worked through it. I didn’t have any issues with how it played out.
The portrayal of mental illness and depression was also so good. It showed the many layers of depression, as well as how difficult it is to grieve a loved one. This is the second book by D.N. Bryn that I’ve read, and both have handled mental illness and depression with such care, and did a great job of depicting it authentically.
Many will not be surprised that one of my favorite parts of this book was the friends-to-lovers trope. The friendship between Wes and Vincent was so sweet and wholesome. Even though Westley’s intentions in the beginning weren’t in Vincent’s favor, he soon came to realize that he could never harm Vincent, and would instead do anything to protect him. I adored their video game playing sessions and how they opened up to each other.
The slow burn of their feelings of friendship to their attraction, and eventually love was just *chef’s kiss.* If a slow burn romance is done right, it will leave me thinking about it for several days, and even weeks after reading, and this one absolutely did. The chemistry between the two leads was obvious from the start, so getting to watch it build and grow into something more was so much fun. Each of them rounded the other out, and their personalities really complimented each other. They were able to give each other something no one ever had before. In the beginning, they broke my heart, but through the course of the novel, their endearing and tender moments pieced it back together again, until it was practically bursting at the end.
While I loved both MCs, Vincent particularly stood out to me. His character is a metaphor for anyone who’s ever felt different, for anyone who doesn’t fit into the mold society has deemed ‘normal’. Some of the situations he had to put himself through just to make ends meet was so heartbreaking, but unfortunately, is not unrealistic, even without the vampire part. There’s a lot that can be construed from his vampirism, and I think it will definitely open up some really important conversations.
Additionally, though, I just enjoyed Vincent’s personality. He was shy and a bit awkward, with a desperate yearning to connect with someone. He hadn’t felt loved or cared for in a long time, so when Wes offered him even a sliver of that, he was practically in tears over the kind offer. The description of the book describes Vincent as “sweet and shy” and that’s definitely accurate. He is the epitome of a cinnamon roll character, and I loved him so much.
Another thing I enjoyed about How to Bite Your Neighbor & Win a Wager is the fact that there are no sex scenes on page. I have no issues with reading steamy books, but sometimes I would really like to read a romance that showcases burning chemistry between the leads, but no actual explicitness. It’s a lot harder to find than you would think, so I was so excited about how the romance was handled here. There were definitely some tension-heavy make-out scenes (and a couple of biting scenes), but that’s as far as it went, and I really appreciated that.
Seriously, I cannot praise this book enough. I flew through it, chapter after chapter, until I was at the end. Not only was the romance simply incredible, but there was also a lot of mystery surrounding Westley’s mom’s circumstance and the Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceutical company that kept me on the edge of my seat until I had some answers.
If you don’t have How to Bite Your Neighbor & Win a Wager on your TBR yet, I highly recommend it! It’s the perfect book for spooky season and will not disappoint! I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to read this book, and I already can’t wait to reread it.
Thank you so much to D.N. Bryn for providing me a digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Following Wes and Vincent’s POVs, this book expertly combats issues of consent and mental illness. In the beginning, Vincent feeds on humans in their sleep because he’s unable to afford blood bags and has no home, other than a crypt in the cemetery. Because of this, he ends up returning to Wes’s home several times and feeding on him. At first, I was a little nervous about this plot point because it could have been handled poorly, but I was so impressed with the discussions between the two leads surrounding consent and how they worked through it. I didn’t have any issues with how it played out.
The portrayal of mental illness and depression was also so good. It showed the many layers of depression, as well as how difficult it is to grieve a loved one. This is the second book by D.N. Bryn that I’ve read, and both have handled mental illness and depression with such care, and did a great job of depicting it authentically.
Many will not be surprised that one of my favorite parts of this book was the friends-to-lovers trope. The friendship between Wes and Vincent was so sweet and wholesome. Even though Westley’s intentions in the beginning weren’t in Vincent’s favor, he soon came to realize that he could never harm Vincent, and would instead do anything to protect him. I adored their video game playing sessions and how they opened up to each other.
The slow burn of their feelings of friendship to their attraction, and eventually love was just *chef’s kiss.* If a slow burn romance is done right, it will leave me thinking about it for several days, and even weeks after reading, and this one absolutely did. The chemistry between the two leads was obvious from the start, so getting to watch it build and grow into something more was so much fun. Each of them rounded the other out, and their personalities really complimented each other. They were able to give each other something no one ever had before. In the beginning, they broke my heart, but through the course of the novel, their endearing and tender moments pieced it back together again, until it was practically bursting at the end.
While I loved both MCs, Vincent particularly stood out to me. His character is a metaphor for anyone who’s ever felt different, for anyone who doesn’t fit into the mold society has deemed ‘normal’. Some of the situations he had to put himself through just to make ends meet was so heartbreaking, but unfortunately, is not unrealistic, even without the vampire part. There’s a lot that can be construed from his vampirism, and I think it will definitely open up some really important conversations.
Additionally, though, I just enjoyed Vincent’s personality. He was shy and a bit awkward, with a desperate yearning to connect with someone. He hadn’t felt loved or cared for in a long time, so when Wes offered him even a sliver of that, he was practically in tears over the kind offer. The description of the book describes Vincent as “sweet and shy” and that’s definitely accurate. He is the epitome of a cinnamon roll character, and I loved him so much.
Another thing I enjoyed about How to Bite Your Neighbor & Win a Wager is the fact that there are no sex scenes on page. I have no issues with reading steamy books, but sometimes I would really like to read a romance that showcases burning chemistry between the leads, but no actual explicitness. It’s a lot harder to find than you would think, so I was so excited about how the romance was handled here. There were definitely some tension-heavy make-out scenes (and a couple of biting scenes), but that’s as far as it went, and I really appreciated that.
Seriously, I cannot praise this book enough. I flew through it, chapter after chapter, until I was at the end. Not only was the romance simply incredible, but there was also a lot of mystery surrounding Westley’s mom’s circumstance and the Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceutical company that kept me on the edge of my seat until I had some answers.
If you don’t have How to Bite Your Neighbor & Win a Wager on your TBR yet, I highly recommend it! It’s the perfect book for spooky season and will not disappoint! I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to read this book, and I already can’t wait to reread it.
Thank you so much to D.N. Bryn for providing me a digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 17, 2022
This should have been a cute story and it had potential but I was just bored for most of it. I expected excitement and intrigue with the characters looking into the lab. Instead this was more mundane things and two characters that I felt had no chemistry.
Vincent was adorable, I wanted to wrap him up. He’s the most miserable vampire ever. He lives a pitiful life and has resorted to breaking into peoples houses in the middle of the night to feed on them. He breaks into Wes’s house one night and cannot get over how good his blood is. Against his better judgment he continues to feed off of Wes at night until Wes suspects something and catches him in the act.
I never really connected with Wes. I didn’t understand why he had no job. He wants to call out the lab after his mother goes missing while doing a trial with them so he applies for a job there. The only thing he needs to accept this job is a vampire. He can’t believe his luck when he catches one breaking into his house at night. He decides to use Vincent as his way into the lab.
Wes knew that Vincent feeding off of him without his permission was wrong but he still was hiding what he was doing using Vincent. I thought Vincent was way too nice for Wes. Vincent seemed to have more feelings for Wes than Wes did for him.
Unfortunately between secrets and lack of chemistry this book wasn’t for me.
**ARC received for review
**All thoughts and opinions are my own
Vincent was adorable, I wanted to wrap him up. He’s the most miserable vampire ever. He lives a pitiful life and has resorted to breaking into peoples houses in the middle of the night to feed on them. He breaks into Wes’s house one night and cannot get over how good his blood is. Against his better judgment he continues to feed off of Wes at night until Wes suspects something and catches him in the act.
I never really connected with Wes. I didn’t understand why he had no job. He wants to call out the lab after his mother goes missing while doing a trial with them so he applies for a job there. The only thing he needs to accept this job is a vampire. He can’t believe his luck when he catches one breaking into his house at night. He decides to use Vincent as his way into the lab.
Wes knew that Vincent feeding off of him without his permission was wrong but he still was hiding what he was doing using Vincent. I thought Vincent was way too nice for Wes. Vincent seemed to have more feelings for Wes than Wes did for him.
Unfortunately between secrets and lack of chemistry this book wasn’t for me.
**ARC received for review
**All thoughts and opinions are my own
January 8, 2023
some quick thoughts:
@ vincent: DUMP HIM and go to therapy
the devil works hard but vincent’s phone that died 78 times to drive the plot works harder
i never want to see the word “pingly” again
have i ever hated a main character as immediately as i hated wesley?
the only reason this isn’t a 1 star is vincent
content/trigger warnings; violence, murder, medical experimentation discussed, depression, anxiety, blood, starvation, homelessness, poverty, drugging, amatonormativity, explicit sexual content, self-harm recounted, suicidal ideation, death of a parent recounted, grief, queerphobia recounted,
rep; wesley (mc) is mexican, bisexual, and has anxiety. vincent (mc) is gay and has depression. kendall (sc) is black and lesbian.
i guess i can start with my hatred for wesley. i’m someone who has a hard time truly enjoying a book when i cannot stand the main character. it’s not about needing to like them as a person or them to be “good” or someone we’re “supposed to” like. it’s about being in the head of characters who are written in a very specific way just making me annoyed/angry and draining my enjoyment of and desire to read the book.
wesley is selfish, hypocritical, judgmental, manipulative, morally superior, doesn’t communicate, keeps horrible and big secrets, and has no accountability or self-awareness. he has some “chosen one” vibes (a trope that’s very rarely executed in a way that i like), in that he thinks taking down the evil company that killed his mother and covered it up rests solely on his shoulders and he gets to pick and choose who deserves to be sacrificed in order to do it. by the end, he hasn’t learned or grown at all, even after apologizing to vincent once he finds out the truth (accidentally, wesley doesn’t tell him) and offering to help vincent with his homelessness.
up next is the miscommunication. it’s less so miscommunication (where the character talk but get their wires crossed and take away completely different things from the conversation, with angst and/or humor ensuing) and more so making assumptions and walking away instead of actually communicating (with annoyance from the reader ensuing). when vincent stumbles upon the secret wesley has been keeping, he walks away and wesley doesn’t stop him, rather than talking about it to try to mitigate potential hurt. and later on, when the big action with the evil company has finished, wesley makes assumptions about what vincent wants/needs and just leaves, causing both of them to think the other would call when they’re ready and then angsting over the fact that the other doesn’t call. it’s just. annoying and not necessary. fucking talk to each other.
i don’t care for metaphorical writing, like, “dwelling on that fact felt like breaking apart piece by agonizing piece, his soul crumbling to the size of bullets that he might shoot straight through the hearts of those responsible for his mom’s death” and “he kissed like they were two objects destined to come together from the start of the universe, the earth finally plunging into the sun” do absolutely nothing for me, except make me roll my eyes.
wesley says “i’ll have you know that i’m happy to get my blood sucked by vampires of any gender. or all vampires, of all genders!” and vincent just assumes that means he’s bisexual, as if there aren’t any other options. we know wesley is bisexual, as it was mentioned previously (and is stated out of text). however, vincent does not. the issue is that bisexuality is not the only or the default sexuality for people attracted to multiple genders and not all bisexuals are attracted to all genders.
some amatonormativity in the phrases like “just friends” and “more than friends” and “friends with benefits,” as well as kendall saying “you’re literally giving him a piece of your body, he’s at least emotionally invested in sustaining your kink, and he’s agreed to continue this on a regular basis. pretty sure that’s dating.” completely platonic relationships can involve kink. and even if you remove the kink; you can be emotionally invested in a person’s wellbeing/satisfaction/comfort, even using your body to do so (non-sexual physical intimacy) without it being dating/romantic. please stop attributing inherent romance to certain behaviors or interactions. if a character wants to date someone but is afraid to say so because they don’t think the other person wants to, someone saying, “who cares if they never said anything or made a move, neither did you and here you are wanting to date them.” gets the same message across without the amatonormativity.
lastly, the author says the book isn’t “vampirism as a metaphor for disability,” but “vampirism literally is a disability” and honestly it reads as just a metaphor (other readers have taken it as a metaphor, too. i even saw one say it’s a metaphor for homelessness). i’m not criticizing the “vampirism is a disability” interpretation of vampirism, i just don’t think the author executed it here. all the bits in the book, like the sun and garlic being allergies that make them seriously ill; vampires struggling to find employment and housing; businesses not wanting to serve vampires; pride not being accessible because it’s held during the day; needing blood to survive being described simply as a different need all read to me as being metaphors for the realities of disabled people (and sometimes marginalized people in general). i don’t think using disability language to discuss what vampires experience is enough to claim you’ve written vampirism AS a disability. and i think it’s a stretch to say that humans being afraid of vampires because they feed on humans to survive and become violent/feral when they don’t is comparable to bigotry or is just them simply not wanting to accept people who are different and make accommodations for different needs. i don’t know. i’m conflicted on this. maybe if vampirism was actually referred to as a disability in some way in the book, it would’ve read as literal, instead of just a metaphor?
@ vincent: DUMP HIM and go to therapy
the devil works hard but vincent’s phone that died 78 times to drive the plot works harder
i never want to see the word “pingly” again
have i ever hated a main character as immediately as i hated wesley?
the only reason this isn’t a 1 star is vincent
content/trigger warnings; violence, murder, medical experimentation discussed, depression, anxiety, blood, starvation, homelessness, poverty, drugging, amatonormativity, explicit sexual content, self-harm recounted, suicidal ideation, death of a parent recounted, grief, queerphobia recounted,
rep; wesley (mc) is mexican, bisexual, and has anxiety. vincent (mc) is gay and has depression. kendall (sc) is black and lesbian.
i guess i can start with my hatred for wesley. i’m someone who has a hard time truly enjoying a book when i cannot stand the main character. it’s not about needing to like them as a person or them to be “good” or someone we’re “supposed to” like. it’s about being in the head of characters who are written in a very specific way just making me annoyed/angry and draining my enjoyment of and desire to read the book.
wesley is selfish, hypocritical, judgmental, manipulative, morally superior, doesn’t communicate, keeps horrible and big secrets, and has no accountability or self-awareness. he has some “chosen one” vibes (a trope that’s very rarely executed in a way that i like), in that he thinks taking down the evil company that killed his mother and covered it up rests solely on his shoulders and he gets to pick and choose who deserves to be sacrificed in order to do it. by the end, he hasn’t learned or grown at all, even after apologizing to vincent once he finds out the truth (accidentally, wesley doesn’t tell him) and offering to help vincent with his homelessness.
up next is the miscommunication. it’s less so miscommunication (where the character talk but get their wires crossed and take away completely different things from the conversation, with angst and/or humor ensuing) and more so making assumptions and walking away instead of actually communicating (with annoyance from the reader ensuing). when vincent stumbles upon the secret wesley has been keeping, he walks away and wesley doesn’t stop him, rather than talking about it to try to mitigate potential hurt. and later on, when the big action with the evil company has finished, wesley makes assumptions about what vincent wants/needs and just leaves, causing both of them to think the other would call when they’re ready and then angsting over the fact that the other doesn’t call. it’s just. annoying and not necessary. fucking talk to each other.
i don’t care for metaphorical writing, like, “dwelling on that fact felt like breaking apart piece by agonizing piece, his soul crumbling to the size of bullets that he might shoot straight through the hearts of those responsible for his mom’s death” and “he kissed like they were two objects destined to come together from the start of the universe, the earth finally plunging into the sun” do absolutely nothing for me, except make me roll my eyes.
wesley says “i’ll have you know that i’m happy to get my blood sucked by vampires of any gender. or all vampires, of all genders!” and vincent just assumes that means he’s bisexual, as if there aren’t any other options. we know wesley is bisexual, as it was mentioned previously (and is stated out of text). however, vincent does not. the issue is that bisexuality is not the only or the default sexuality for people attracted to multiple genders and not all bisexuals are attracted to all genders.
some amatonormativity in the phrases like “just friends” and “more than friends” and “friends with benefits,” as well as kendall saying “you’re literally giving him a piece of your body, he’s at least emotionally invested in sustaining your kink, and he’s agreed to continue this on a regular basis. pretty sure that’s dating.” completely platonic relationships can involve kink. and even if you remove the kink; you can be emotionally invested in a person’s wellbeing/satisfaction/comfort, even using your body to do so (non-sexual physical intimacy) without it being dating/romantic. please stop attributing inherent romance to certain behaviors or interactions. if a character wants to date someone but is afraid to say so because they don’t think the other person wants to, someone saying, “who cares if they never said anything or made a move, neither did you and here you are wanting to date them.” gets the same message across without the amatonormativity.
lastly, the author says the book isn’t “vampirism as a metaphor for disability,” but “vampirism literally is a disability” and honestly it reads as just a metaphor (other readers have taken it as a metaphor, too. i even saw one say it’s a metaphor for homelessness). i’m not criticizing the “vampirism is a disability” interpretation of vampirism, i just don’t think the author executed it here. all the bits in the book, like the sun and garlic being allergies that make them seriously ill; vampires struggling to find employment and housing; businesses not wanting to serve vampires; pride not being accessible because it’s held during the day; needing blood to survive being described simply as a different need all read to me as being metaphors for the realities of disabled people (and sometimes marginalized people in general). i don’t think using disability language to discuss what vampires experience is enough to claim you’ve written vampirism AS a disability. and i think it’s a stretch to say that humans being afraid of vampires because they feed on humans to survive and become violent/feral when they don’t is comparable to bigotry or is just them simply not wanting to accept people who are different and make accommodations for different needs. i don’t know. i’m conflicted on this. maybe if vampirism was actually referred to as a disability in some way in the book, it would’ve read as literal, instead of just a metaphor?
August 10, 2023
vampires are hot but the chemistry between these two characters was not
August 29, 2023
bite me already
For Wesley Garcia to get access to Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceutical and expose them for the murder of his mother, he needs to get a job. And in order to get hired, he needs to get them a vampire.
In this alternate version of our world, Vampires are out of the coffin and seen as second class citizens by many. With less rights than humans, as they are not considered human in the eyes of the law, this leaves them extremely vulnerable to exploitation. This allows for Vitalis-Barron Pharmaceutical's experimentation to flourish; they even advertise a cash reward for any vampire 'applicants'.
Vincent Barnes has not had the best four years; ever since he's become a vampire. He's too poor for the black market blood banks as it's near impossible for him to get a job.
When Wes catches Vincent feeding on him, he sees an opportunity. He uses the guilt Vincent feels for having to feed on him to his advantage. If he gains the trust of the vampire he can get access to the company that took his mother from him and expose them.
But as Wes and Vincent hang out, a friendship builds and develops into real feelings. But their bond is built on a foundation of lies, lies that have to come to the light eventually. The question is whether they will be able to survive the truth.
__
How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager was a fun and unique read. The stakes were high and motivations were complex. The third act conflict was actually believable, and as the reader we could see it coming so it loomed over every interaction and added a nice amount of tension.
March 29, 2023
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one.
Our cinnamon roll vamp Vincent is a lonely sadboi trying to survive & navigate a world where a corporation tests on vampires to get cures for human diseases.
Wesley believes his mother was murdered by the same corporation and plans to exchange Vincent or access to their labs To prove this.
His plans fall through when he falls for Vincent.
(there’s a bit of non-con biting at the beginning)
Will read next in series when it comes out
Our cinnamon roll vamp Vincent is a lonely sadboi trying to survive & navigate a world where a corporation tests on vampires to get cures for human diseases.
Wesley believes his mother was murdered by the same corporation and plans to exchange Vincent or access to their labs To prove this.
His plans fall through when he falls for Vincent.
(there’s a bit of non-con biting at the beginning)
Will read next in series when it comes out
July 8, 2023
“It sucks to be a vampire, doesn’it?”
Sinceramente, no me ha gustado. Siento que tenía todas las papeletas, pero al final entre que me pilló en mal momento y este tipo de argumento no me hizo mucha gracia y me importaban poco o nada lo que sucedía.
“But be proud of yourself, too, asshole. You’re a good person at least when your head’s not up youe own butt-crack”.
Los personajes sí que fueron carismáticos, pero no me gustó su forma de actuar muchas veces. Me da pena porque siento que es un buen libro, pero como he dicho me ha pillado mal, eso sí las tres estrellas se las lleva porque se las merecen.
“I accept your wager”.
Sinceramente, no me ha gustado. Siento que tenía todas las papeletas, pero al final entre que me pilló en mal momento y este tipo de argumento no me hizo mucha gracia y me importaban poco o nada lo que sucedía.
“But be proud of yourself, too, asshole. You’re a good person at least when your head’s not up youe own butt-crack”.
Los personajes sí que fueron carismáticos, pero no me gustó su forma de actuar muchas veces. Me da pena porque siento que es un buen libro, pero como he dicho me ha pillado mal, eso sí las tres estrellas se las lleva porque se las merecen.
“I accept your wager”.
September 26, 2022
This is not your average vampire story, and DN Bryn’s spin was absolutely amazing!
I couldn’t put this down. This is the story of Vincent, a lonely vampire with a sad past who’s now alone in the world, and Wesley, a grieving man who’s trying to keep his life steady and not drown in the mystery surrounding his mother’s passing.
Vincent and Wesley grew up in the same town. While Wes was the loud boy always laughing and running around, Vincent was the shy, awkward boy who didn’t quite know how to interact with the world. When the two become reacquainted in a rather precarious situation, they are both wary of each other, but decide to strike up a deal. The more time they spend together, the more they like each other. But unfortunately, Wes has a hidden agenda. He wants to take down the people he thinks are responsible for his mother going missing, and he needs Vincent’s help, but Vincent can’t know. Wes has decide what’s more important to him: revenge, or this sweet, beautiful vampire.
Though I loved both MCs, Vincent really hit me in the soul. People assume they know who he is just because he’s a vampire, but he’s nothing like the predator people think he is. He’s sweet and honest and so lonely, and he’s just trying to make it through a life he didn’t want.
This is a beautiful story of trust, grief, and learning to love when you don’t know if you’re worthy of it. Absolutely fantastic!!!
I couldn’t put this down. This is the story of Vincent, a lonely vampire with a sad past who’s now alone in the world, and Wesley, a grieving man who’s trying to keep his life steady and not drown in the mystery surrounding his mother’s passing.
Vincent and Wesley grew up in the same town. While Wes was the loud boy always laughing and running around, Vincent was the shy, awkward boy who didn’t quite know how to interact with the world. When the two become reacquainted in a rather precarious situation, they are both wary of each other, but decide to strike up a deal. The more time they spend together, the more they like each other. But unfortunately, Wes has a hidden agenda. He wants to take down the people he thinks are responsible for his mother going missing, and he needs Vincent’s help, but Vincent can’t know. Wes has decide what’s more important to him: revenge, or this sweet, beautiful vampire.
Though I loved both MCs, Vincent really hit me in the soul. People assume they know who he is just because he’s a vampire, but he’s nothing like the predator people think he is. He’s sweet and honest and so lonely, and he’s just trying to make it through a life he didn’t want.
This is a beautiful story of trust, grief, and learning to love when you don’t know if you’re worthy of it. Absolutely fantastic!!!
October 16, 2022
Ok, this was different...
Ah vampires. The perfect thing to read about for Halloween.
Spoilers ahead
This one has vamps, betrayal, too much focus on revenge, and not enough groveling.
It is also FTB. Except for a weird dual pov sex scene after the promos. I am not sure if this was to hide it or not but it was not something one sees often.
So this story is about Vinny, the saddest vampire to ever vampire and Wes, who was so focused on getting revenge for his mother that he was willing to allow bad things to happen to Vinny. I loved Vinny. He was so poor he was breaking into peoples homes so he could get some blood. Which is how he meets Wes.
Wes apparently did not work, played video games, and was trying to get a job at the pharmaceutical company that he thought killed his mother.
So while these two were getting to know each other, Vinny was falling in love while Wes was planning on using the vamp to get hired at that company.
Things happen, Wes decides to just leave Vinny his house and does not contact him for over a month. Then Wes comes strolling back in and of course Vinny accepts him back with open arms.
Then the I guess it was an epilogue, happened. I say guess cause its 83? days later. Then some promo and the sex scene.
This was written fine and was funny in places.
Ah vampires. The perfect thing to read about for Halloween.
Spoilers ahead
This one has vamps, betrayal, too much focus on revenge, and not enough groveling.
It is also FTB. Except for a weird dual pov sex scene after the promos. I am not sure if this was to hide it or not but it was not something one sees often.
So this story is about Vinny, the saddest vampire to ever vampire and Wes, who was so focused on getting revenge for his mother that he was willing to allow bad things to happen to Vinny. I loved Vinny. He was so poor he was breaking into peoples homes so he could get some blood. Which is how he meets Wes.
Wes apparently did not work, played video games, and was trying to get a job at the pharmaceutical company that he thought killed his mother.
So while these two were getting to know each other, Vinny was falling in love while Wes was planning on using the vamp to get hired at that company.
Things happen, Wes decides to just leave Vinny his house and does not contact him for over a month. Then Wes comes strolling back in and of course Vinny accepts him back with open arms.
Then the I guess it was an epilogue, happened. I say guess cause its 83? days later. Then some promo and the sex scene.
This was written fine and was funny in places.
October 9, 2024
Unfortunately I really didn’t enjoy this one as I thought I would even though most tropes in this book are up my alley. I was bored most of the time and I kept reminding myself that this is not a YA book! The characters are written like teenagers which I guess is why I didn’t like it. The book’s not bad at all and I understand why many like it but its not for me.
November 10, 2023
Okay so I was a little hesitant on this at first but this was so far up my street it kept driving and crashed straight into my house.
I loved every single second of these disaster boyfriends! It really was idiots to lovers and I enjoyed all of it! Wes and Vincent were both really interesting and complex characters and I just loved them SO much, the romance was adorable, all the lil misunderstandings and slow burn elements were a thrill!! I loved how it wasn’t afraid to touch on mental illness properly as well and really made the characters relatable and it was really carefully and well done, it was beautiful. And the ending!! Are you trying to kill me?? How can you do that…then THAT! 5* easily, I look forward to reading more from this author asap!!
I loved every single second of these disaster boyfriends! It really was idiots to lovers and I enjoyed all of it! Wes and Vincent were both really interesting and complex characters and I just loved them SO much, the romance was adorable, all the lil misunderstandings and slow burn elements were a thrill!! I loved how it wasn’t afraid to touch on mental illness properly as well and really made the characters relatable and it was really carefully and well done, it was beautiful. And the ending!! Are you trying to kill me?? How can you do that…then THAT! 5* easily, I look forward to reading more from this author asap!!
August 13, 2023
At 24 percent I switched to the audiobook format. Just had to! I was getting those, "They treat my people like this. But I'd never thought they'd strip the humanity from people. Dehumanizing them into being this object." Type of plot.
Ya see, No one knows how the virus started. Not much on how people were infected. What is known...not many want a vampire for a neighbor. So they receive a lot of discrimination. Cause even the government doesn't see them as, "We the people..."
Glad I switched to audio...I don't know if a kindle is waterproof!
Ya see, No one knows how the virus started. Not much on how people were infected. What is known...not many want a vampire for a neighbor. So they receive a lot of discrimination. Cause even the government doesn't see them as, "We the people..."
Glad I switched to audio...I don't know if a kindle is waterproof!
July 7, 2024
A clever and enjoyable vampire romance. I really liked the way D.N. Bryn writes and am looking forward to reading more from them.
The audio version of How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager is beautifully performed by Simon Dornet.
The audio version of How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager is beautifully performed by Simon Dornet.
September 16, 2022
How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager follows Vincent, a broke and homeless vampire who sneaks into the homes of unsuspecting humans at night to take a little nibble, and never the same people twice until he meets Wesley.
Wes is a man with a plan, and willing to do anything to uncover a shady pharmaceutical company’s connection to his mother’s disappearance—even capturing the vampire whose been biting him while he sleeps.
Neither of these absolute nerds expect a friendship to form or for either of them to catch feelings. While Wes’s intentions aren’t so genuine to begin with, Vincent is a constant cinnamon roll throughout, and Wes is unable to resist—I don’t blame him.
It was pretty hilarious watching both of them fumble their way OBLIVIOUSLY through that all while trying to take down the pharmaceutical company and figure out what really happened to Wes’s mom.
Overall this was cute and fun, the plot is great and held my attention, and I can’t wait for more of this series!
Wes is a man with a plan, and willing to do anything to uncover a shady pharmaceutical company’s connection to his mother’s disappearance—even capturing the vampire whose been biting him while he sleeps.
Neither of these absolute nerds expect a friendship to form or for either of them to catch feelings. While Wes’s intentions aren’t so genuine to begin with, Vincent is a constant cinnamon roll throughout, and Wes is unable to resist—I don’t blame him.
It was pretty hilarious watching both of them fumble their way OBLIVIOUSLY through that all while trying to take down the pharmaceutical company and figure out what really happened to Wes’s mom.
Overall this was cute and fun, the plot is great and held my attention, and I can’t wait for more of this series!
July 31, 2023
3.5 stars
The first half had me hooked, the middle was a little wobbly, and the end was very sweet! I'm not sure if this felt long because I was reading the ebook and not listening to the audio, or if it was just long, lol.
Nevertheless, this was cute. Vampire down on his luck has to break into human's houses and get blood while they sleep, stumbles across this delectable tasting human, turns out they know each other. This is slow, this has a lot of pining and the leads not believing the other could be into them type of situation. FTB/open door-esque steam. There's a bit of a drawn-out plot line with the pharmaceutical company, but it helps keep the leads together.
Will be trying out more from this author!
CW for some dubious consent items (not sexual), drugging, kidnapping, and death of a loved one (mother), medical testing (not on leads), biphobia, blood, violence/on page death.
The first half had me hooked, the middle was a little wobbly, and the end was very sweet! I'm not sure if this felt long because I was reading the ebook and not listening to the audio, or if it was just long, lol.
Nevertheless, this was cute. Vampire down on his luck has to break into human's houses and get blood while they sleep, stumbles across this delectable tasting human, turns out they know each other. This is slow, this has a lot of pining and the leads not believing the other could be into them type of situation. FTB/open door-esque steam. There's a bit of a drawn-out plot line with the pharmaceutical company, but it helps keep the leads together.
Will be trying out more from this author!
CW for some dubious consent items (not sexual), drugging, kidnapping, and death of a loved one (mother), medical testing (not on leads), biphobia, blood, violence/on page death.
January 16, 2024
Wow, my last review did not age well hahaha so I deleted it 💖
At the end of the day, no matter the drama, I rate based on the book itself and not the authors themselves. I enjoyed this book, it was wholesome and it was easy on me old noggin when I was very new to reading.
At the end of the day, no matter the drama, I rate based on the book itself and not the authors themselves. I enjoyed this book, it was wholesome and it was easy on me old noggin when I was very new to reading.
October 11, 2022
Come on. It`ll be fun...
Yes, it's always fun when vampires are involved in the story. Don't you agree with me?
The truth is, I love, nay ADORED, vampires. Ever since I was a kid, when I first saw Dracula and then Blade (and also Van Helsing and Underworld) on TV, I knew vampires were my thing. From then until now, you have no idea how many vampire movies, series and anime I have watched. I've already lost count of the manga and books that have passed through my hands.
Well, as a big fan of vampires, over time it became difficult to find a story that captivated me and made me empathize with the characters. But How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager definitely hit me right on target.
First of all, this is not the typical world where vampires are presented as the top of the food chain. They do not enjoy their immortal life without trouble while they take advantage of the ignorance of ordinary people. No, here they live in the "light" and everyone knows about their existence. And it makes the story much more exciting and different.
Vincent managed to convey his emotions to me from the very first page. He shows us the other side of vampires. Depressed and despairing of his existence. Standing on the brink of survival, homeless and with no prospect of getting out of the hole. "Stealing" people's blood because that is the only way to continue his existence. Vincent is a victim of society and their prejudice against vampires.
It would be an understatement to say that the whole time I was reading I was experiencing the story with him. My stomach churned every time he suffered, was hurt, or betrayed by someone. I hurt for him. But I'll stop here because I don't want to write any spoilers.
Wesley on the other hand I can't say I liked. (ok i like him 60%) Yes, I sympathized with him about the whole story with his mother and admired his willingness to reveal the truth. I even liked him at times because it was cute the way he rediscovered his feelings. But I can't condone his manipulations and his failure to appreciate Vince's blind trust in him from the start. Well, by the end of the book it rose in my eyes, but why... you'll have to read the book and find out.
Let's go back to the story...
First of all, the author's writing style is great! Between these lines there are hauntingly beautiful and breathtaking descriptions. The thoughts of the characters are so well structured that I empathized with them right down to the last letter.
Things between them developed very naturally. The relationship between Vincent and Wesley starts out as just "friends" and turns into a slow burn... At the same time, the two are so cute as they wonder what's going on between them and what the other thinks about their relationship.
And let's not forget the story - the main plot is woven so skillfully into this whole mess and develops very dynamically and interestingly. There is intrigue, suspense, action, secrets, humor, mystery and more...
An absolutely amazing book that I recommend wholeheartedly!
* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Yes, it's always fun when vampires are involved in the story. Don't you agree with me?
The truth is, I love, nay ADORED, vampires. Ever since I was a kid, when I first saw Dracula and then Blade (and also Van Helsing and Underworld) on TV, I knew vampires were my thing. From then until now, you have no idea how many vampire movies, series and anime I have watched. I've already lost count of the manga and books that have passed through my hands.
Well, as a big fan of vampires, over time it became difficult to find a story that captivated me and made me empathize with the characters. But How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager definitely hit me right on target.
First of all, this is not the typical world where vampires are presented as the top of the food chain. They do not enjoy their immortal life without trouble while they take advantage of the ignorance of ordinary people. No, here they live in the "light" and everyone knows about their existence. And it makes the story much more exciting and different.
Vincent managed to convey his emotions to me from the very first page. He shows us the other side of vampires. Depressed and despairing of his existence. Standing on the brink of survival, homeless and with no prospect of getting out of the hole. "Stealing" people's blood because that is the only way to continue his existence. Vincent is a victim of society and their prejudice against vampires.
It would be an understatement to say that the whole time I was reading I was experiencing the story with him. My stomach churned every time he suffered, was hurt, or betrayed by someone. I hurt for him. But I'll stop here because I don't want to write any spoilers.
Wesley on the other hand I can't say I liked. (ok i like him 60%) Yes, I sympathized with him about the whole story with his mother and admired his willingness to reveal the truth. I even liked him at times because it was cute the way he rediscovered his feelings. But I can't condone his manipulations and his failure to appreciate Vince's blind trust in him from the start. Well, by the end of the book it rose in my eyes, but why... you'll have to read the book and find out.
Let's go back to the story...
First of all, the author's writing style is great! Between these lines there are hauntingly beautiful and breathtaking descriptions. The thoughts of the characters are so well structured that I empathized with them right down to the last letter.
Things between them developed very naturally. The relationship between Vincent and Wesley starts out as just "friends" and turns into a slow burn... At the same time, the two are so cute as they wonder what's going on between them and what the other thinks about their relationship.
And let's not forget the story - the main plot is woven so skillfully into this whole mess and develops very dynamically and interestingly. There is intrigue, suspense, action, secrets, humor, mystery and more...
An absolutely amazing book that I recommend wholeheartedly!
* I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 12, 2022
CW’s and CN’s at the end.
DN Bryn has described this book as two disasters falling in love and that instantly endeared me to the whole concept. And what a duo of precious disasters they were. This story was the perfec mix of sweet, funny, poignant and charming and I loved every word.
We meet Wes, our disaster human who is somewhat aimlessly cruising along after the death of his mother and his only goal is to expose the shady corporation he is convinced is responsible for his mother’s death. Along comes Vincent, disaster vampire who has no money, no home and is stuck sneaking into people’s homes and feeding on unconscious humans as a last resort. When Wes discovers him, it’s perfect! Wes needs a vampire as bait to gain access to Shady Corporation (not that he tells Vincent this) and Vincent has a steady food supply. Nothing could possibly go wrong. Right?
I love a vampire book, and I love the ones that are different from typical vampire lore. The worlbuilding really drew me in with vampires who are openly living among humans but facing a highly inaccessible world and constantly facing subtle discrimination. Vincent was instantly the sweetest creature alive, and while he could be sexy and growly and bitey (Wes is really into this, btw), he is an absolute sunshine of a character, mostly caring about going about his business while causing the least amount of harm and inconvenience. And though Wes tries to convince himself he’s just using Vincent for his end goal, he soon starts to crush on the slightly fragile, very handsome and exceedingly kind vampire who has entered his life. I loved how much both characters were utterly convinced they were unworthy of the other, and yet still tried hard to be their best for each other, even if it was in adorably awkward and clumsy ways. Wes’s concealment of the truth from Vincent made for a really interesting obstacle especially because it was so mixed up in his genuine affection for the vampire. The resolution was everything I wanted and more in this absolutely fantastic slow-burn, vampire romance. 5 stars all the way, and I can’t wait for the sequel!
CN’s: Please note that this is a slow-burn romance with biting and blood play common to vampire romances with some minor prey/predator role playing. While there is some heavy petting, delicious UST and masturbation, there is no on-page sex between the two characters and scenes are fade-to-black. Subscribing to the author’s newsletter does include a spicy short with on-page sex.
CW’s: discrimination towards vampires that echo real world discrimination towards marginalized communities; some violence including murder/manslaughter; unethical medical experimentation (not conducted on main characters); grieving the death of a parent; brief discussions of being disowned by family; non-consensual biting and blood sucking; non-consensual drug ingestion.
DN Bryn has described this book as two disasters falling in love and that instantly endeared me to the whole concept. And what a duo of precious disasters they were. This story was the perfec mix of sweet, funny, poignant and charming and I loved every word.
We meet Wes, our disaster human who is somewhat aimlessly cruising along after the death of his mother and his only goal is to expose the shady corporation he is convinced is responsible for his mother’s death. Along comes Vincent, disaster vampire who has no money, no home and is stuck sneaking into people’s homes and feeding on unconscious humans as a last resort. When Wes discovers him, it’s perfect! Wes needs a vampire as bait to gain access to Shady Corporation (not that he tells Vincent this) and Vincent has a steady food supply. Nothing could possibly go wrong. Right?
I love a vampire book, and I love the ones that are different from typical vampire lore. The worlbuilding really drew me in with vampires who are openly living among humans but facing a highly inaccessible world and constantly facing subtle discrimination. Vincent was instantly the sweetest creature alive, and while he could be sexy and growly and bitey (Wes is really into this, btw), he is an absolute sunshine of a character, mostly caring about going about his business while causing the least amount of harm and inconvenience. And though Wes tries to convince himself he’s just using Vincent for his end goal, he soon starts to crush on the slightly fragile, very handsome and exceedingly kind vampire who has entered his life. I loved how much both characters were utterly convinced they were unworthy of the other, and yet still tried hard to be their best for each other, even if it was in adorably awkward and clumsy ways. Wes’s concealment of the truth from Vincent made for a really interesting obstacle especially because it was so mixed up in his genuine affection for the vampire. The resolution was everything I wanted and more in this absolutely fantastic slow-burn, vampire romance. 5 stars all the way, and I can’t wait for the sequel!
CN’s: Please note that this is a slow-burn romance with biting and blood play common to vampire romances with some minor prey/predator role playing. While there is some heavy petting, delicious UST and masturbation, there is no on-page sex between the two characters and scenes are fade-to-black. Subscribing to the author’s newsletter does include a spicy short with on-page sex.
CW’s: discrimination towards vampires that echo real world discrimination towards marginalized communities; some violence including murder/manslaughter; unethical medical experimentation (not conducted on main characters); grieving the death of a parent; brief discussions of being disowned by family; non-consensual biting and blood sucking; non-consensual drug ingestion.
January 10, 2023
I didn't expect to love this book so much! Vampire books can be cheesy, but this had such an interesting and fresh way at portraying how the world could be if they were real. Vampires as the others, at the edge of society, shunned by most people.
Wesley returned to his hometown a year prior after his mother disappeared in strange circumstances. He managed to find out that a pharmaceutical company might be behind it. His strategy is to get a job with them, so he can snoop in their records. However, the only job available is one where he has to catch a vampire for the company's clinical trials.
One night Wes actually wakes up to a vampire sucking his neck (it has been going on for weeks), and instead of panicking, he thinks he might be able to lure them. This vampire turns out to be a childhood acquaintance - Vincent, a very shy young man from down the street. Vincent is clearly not doing well, he's in a vulnerable situation (the reader finds out he's homeless and struggling to source blood, but Wes doesn't know about the first part). They strike up a friendship and hang out a lot, while Wes tries to assuage his guilt that he'll have to hand Vincent over to the shady pharma company. But things don't go as planned.
I absolutely loved the slowburn romance, and especially that they became such good friends first? There's so much chemistry between Wes and Vincent and I just loved all their inside jokes and quirks! They are truly so cute and playful! I really wish we had another book about them.
Rep: bi Mexican-American main character, gay love interest
Wesley returned to his hometown a year prior after his mother disappeared in strange circumstances. He managed to find out that a pharmaceutical company might be behind it. His strategy is to get a job with them, so he can snoop in their records. However, the only job available is one where he has to catch a vampire for the company's clinical trials.
One night Wes actually wakes up to a vampire sucking his neck (it has been going on for weeks), and instead of panicking, he thinks he might be able to lure them. This vampire turns out to be a childhood acquaintance - Vincent, a very shy young man from down the street. Vincent is clearly not doing well, he's in a vulnerable situation (the reader finds out he's homeless and struggling to source blood, but Wes doesn't know about the first part). They strike up a friendship and hang out a lot, while Wes tries to assuage his guilt that he'll have to hand Vincent over to the shady pharma company. But things don't go as planned.
I absolutely loved the slowburn romance, and especially that they became such good friends first? There's so much chemistry between Wes and Vincent and I just loved all their inside jokes and quirks! They are truly so cute and playful! I really wish we had another book about them.
Rep: bi Mexican-American main character, gay love interest
March 2, 2023
interesting premise but there’s barely any plot. it even got worse at the end! I thought this’d be focused more on the clinic thing but in reality barely anything happens and the very few plot twists were super predictable.
also the rep was ass like I forgot the mc was latino because he said maybe 3 things in spanish and then talked about dia de los muertos once.
also the rep was ass like I forgot the mc was latino because he said maybe 3 things in spanish and then talked about dia de los muertos once.
February 22, 2024
It was fine
April 13, 2024
cannot believe this started out so strong only to be let down in the end
the premise was interesting and i loved vincent (someone wrap him up in a fuzzy blanket asap he deserves the world 😭!!!) but not so much wesley. i had trouble connecting with his character which made his pov chapters boring :/
the premise was interesting and i loved vincent (someone wrap him up in a fuzzy blanket asap he deserves the world 😭!!!) but not so much wesley. i had trouble connecting with his character which made his pov chapters boring :/
June 2, 2024
"If my existence starts hurting anyone but myself, then maybe I don't deserve to exist at all."
January 18, 2023
“It was all real, right? What we said and did on the mausoleum roof, all the dates that weren’t dates, what we felt. You really do—” Someone he loves. “You do care about me?”
“God yes,” Wes said, … “Does that make it better or worse?”
I don’t know, Vincent thought, and couldn’t say it.
How to Bite Your Neighbor and Win a Wager was, as one reviewer so eloquently stated, good soup.
However, what kept HTBYNAWAW from reaching that good-good four stars was … Wes. The way I wanted to drop kick this boy for even THINKING about hurting Vinny the Vampire. And I think that's my main issue, I was actively hating on Wes for the shit he was thinking about / did to Vincent.
What saved HTBYNAWAW for me was, Vinny. The way I wanted to wrap that sweet summer child up in a blanket and curse the world for even thinking about hurting him …
Plus, Bryn's take on vampires and vampirism was top notch. And, I will grudgingly admit, the romance was pretty sweet once Wes's
All in all, I'm excited to see what the next book in the series holds!!
October 9, 2022
This was my first book by D.N. Bryn after having heard some friends rave about their books for ages, and I'm glad I finally picked one up!
September 6, 2023
I feel like before I get into the nitty-gritty of this review, I should give any potential readers of this book some warnings: when the author says this is spicy what they mean is that the characters are thirsty (there’s only one explicit scene tacked on at the end), if you see a character that’s weirdly detailed for how brief they appear then know that they’re essentially an ad for the next book, and finally, do not expect any significant amount of change or resolution to the main problem as this is intended to be a series revolving around the same overtly evil-named company.
Overall, the writing is pretty lackluster. Words are certainly strung together into sentences, it's just a shame they’re often repetitive or clumsy. And that’s to say nothing of the dialogue that will only serve to remind you of why you stopped hanging out with certain people from your high school anime club (“Surely, the reader will laugh when the word “pingly” shows up for the twelfth time. They haven’t yet but everyone knows jokes get funnier the more you say them!”). Much like Vincent, the pacing clearly isn’t in on Wes’s plan, it spends most of the book thinking the story’s just a regular fluff piece on fanfiction.net only to snap to attention in the last quarter of the book like a dad realizing someone turned off the TV they clearly weren’t watching. Too bad the characters aren’t as quick on the uptake; they still waste precious time drooling over each other even when danger is imminent.
Wes deserves a paragraph all to himself. I usually don’t mind bad attempts at representation so long as it’s not actively harmful or hateful, but as a Hispanic woman, the handling of his ethnicity made me genuinely upset. It felt as if there was little to no research, making its inclusion feel like a shallow attempt at diversity. I can certainly tell you; that my own bilingual mother never just switches to Spanish and even if she did it certainly wouldn’t be constrained to such elementary school levels of “Si”. Beyond that, his complete lack of awareness regarding anyone outside himself, cringy dialogue, manic pixie boyfriend energy, crayon-drawn plans of toppling a corrupt pharmaceutical cooperation, and the uncomfortably constant flip-flopping between being horny for Vincent and being horny for vengeance for his dead mommy did little to ingratiate him to me. I’d hope for Vincent to break up with this obnoxious oaf but the vamp’s probably busy looking for that spine he never developed.
Despite how much the book interrupts itself to lecture me on inequality through the use of the poorly stitched sock puppets named Vincent and Wes (and some nameless character that served literally no purpose to the plot to the point I’m half convinced they’re supposed to be an author stand-in), it doesn’t ever establish the couple as moral figures of their own. Do they believe in equality and the rights of others? One hundred percent, yes, and that’s awesome, gold star to Wes for basic character growth! Do they still directly/indirectly cause potential harm to others, including uninvolved innocents and those they claim to be sympathetic to? Also, yes. But it’s okay, they’re happy and oh-so quirky~
If you already have Kindle Unlimited and want a quick free book featuring vampires, I guess you could probably do worse. However, my own personal advice is to ignore the pretty cover and look for a vampire AU fanfic for your preferred ship instead. At least there the spice will be plentiful, the characters likable, and the depth (hopefully) beyond that of a sidewalk puddle.
Overall, the writing is pretty lackluster. Words are certainly strung together into sentences, it's just a shame they’re often repetitive or clumsy. And that’s to say nothing of the dialogue that will only serve to remind you of why you stopped hanging out with certain people from your high school anime club (“Surely, the reader will laugh when the word “pingly” shows up for the twelfth time. They haven’t yet but everyone knows jokes get funnier the more you say them!”). Much like Vincent, the pacing clearly isn’t in on Wes’s plan, it spends most of the book thinking the story’s just a regular fluff piece on fanfiction.net only to snap to attention in the last quarter of the book like a dad realizing someone turned off the TV they clearly weren’t watching. Too bad the characters aren’t as quick on the uptake; they still waste precious time drooling over each other even when danger is imminent.
Wes deserves a paragraph all to himself. I usually don’t mind bad attempts at representation so long as it’s not actively harmful or hateful, but as a Hispanic woman, the handling of his ethnicity made me genuinely upset. It felt as if there was little to no research, making its inclusion feel like a shallow attempt at diversity. I can certainly tell you; that my own bilingual mother never just switches to Spanish and even if she did it certainly wouldn’t be constrained to such elementary school levels of “Si”. Beyond that, his complete lack of awareness regarding anyone outside himself, cringy dialogue, manic pixie boyfriend energy, crayon-drawn plans of toppling a corrupt pharmaceutical cooperation, and the uncomfortably constant flip-flopping between being horny for Vincent and being horny for vengeance for his dead mommy did little to ingratiate him to me. I’d hope for Vincent to break up with this obnoxious oaf but the vamp’s probably busy looking for that spine he never developed.
Despite how much the book interrupts itself to lecture me on inequality through the use of the poorly stitched sock puppets named Vincent and Wes (and some nameless character that served literally no purpose to the plot to the point I’m half convinced they’re supposed to be an author stand-in), it doesn’t ever establish the couple as moral figures of their own. Do they believe in equality and the rights of others? One hundred percent, yes, and that’s awesome, gold star to Wes for basic character growth! Do they still directly/indirectly cause potential harm to others, including uninvolved innocents and those they claim to be sympathetic to? Also, yes. But it’s okay, they’re happy and oh-so quirky~
If you already have Kindle Unlimited and want a quick free book featuring vampires, I guess you could probably do worse. However, my own personal advice is to ignore the pretty cover and look for a vampire AU fanfic for your preferred ship instead. At least there the spice will be plentiful, the characters likable, and the depth (hopefully) beyond that of a sidewalk puddle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2024
★4.61 stars★
i swallowed this book whole. a beautiful love story that speaks to the pain every disabled person's lived experience. wonderfully written, deliciously kinky, and heart-wrenchingly intimate
i swallowed this book whole. a beautiful love story that speaks to the pain every disabled person's lived experience. wonderfully written, deliciously kinky, and heart-wrenchingly intimate
October 13, 2022
This book was just adorable. Very well thought out characters that really made you root for them even when they were making mistakes.
I’m not usually a fan of the miscommunication trope, but this one wasn’t too unbearable.
The plot wasn’t terribly original…and towards the end there were a few things that were terribly unrealistic even for a book with vampires. But it didn’t take away from the story and I would happily read the next book in this series.
Side note: this book gave a lot of sexual tension and some very, very mild spicy bits just FYI
I’m not usually a fan of the miscommunication trope, but this one wasn’t too unbearable.
The plot wasn’t terribly original…and towards the end there were a few things that were terribly unrealistic even for a book with vampires. But it didn’t take away from the story and I would happily read the next book in this series.
Side note: this book gave a lot of sexual tension and some very, very mild spicy bits just FYI
August 13, 2023
4.5 stars. this book was so fun!! i find it criminal how underrated it is. i’ve read some reviewers say that vincent and wes lack chemistry and that’s so wild to me? did we read the same book? their chemistry was so INCREDIBLE. i loved their love for each other and how pure yet sexy it was. they’re both super cute and well developed characters. i found the ending surrounding the primary mission super realistic (although a bit bittersweet) which i really enjoyed. i highly recommend this book.
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