Gotta Love a Vampire That Doesn't Sparkle

TITLE: Thrall

AUTHOR: Rebecca Mahoney

PUBLISHER: Hyperion Avenue

PUBLISHING DATE: April 14, 2026

PAGES: 400   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: Lucy Easting has at last broken free from her grim home life and is ready to truly live. But her long-awaited new beginning at Rollins University isn’t what she expected. After attending the first campus party of the year, Lucy awakens the next day with a memory block…and two puncture marks on her neck. 

She tries to piece together what happened that night, but every lead brings her to another dead end. Until she receives a handwritten note from the campus radio station, inviting her to call. When she does, the host’s soothing voice over the line confirms her worst fear, and the simplest explanation of what’s happening to her: she’s turning into a vampire. 

Lucy teams up with the show’s host, who narrowly escaped an attack her sophomore year, and a beautiful archery champion who, while exactly Lucy’s type, is as likely to shoot her as kiss her. They believe their “friend with the cold hands” is responsible for the disappearance of several women in town, and they’ve been tracking him via the airwaves since long before Lucy arrived. 

As the vampire’s sway over Lucy grows and his plans become clear, she realizes she must fight for a future of her own, or she may not have any future at all.

MY THOUGHTS: I initially requested this book because not only do I love vampires, but I really liked the idea of them on a college campus and a related radio show at night.  I'm glad I did because this book had all the grit (and lack of sparkles) I love in my vampire tales.

Lucy has been surrounded by death her entire life.  Both her father and grandmother have passed and after her grandfather, who she helped care for, finally succumbs to his illness, she finally decides to do something for herself and goes to college, which she had previously put off.  Her mother things Lucy is running away from her and her helicopter parenting, but really Lucy just wants to live.  Too bad that on her first week there, she goes to a college and passes out, just to wake up with puncture marks in her neck the next morning and a sudden aversion to sunlight.

Lucy starts piecing together the puzzle and ends up making some new friends on the way.  Pallas Radio is a nighttime talk show on the campus college radio.  However, it's creator, Athena, actually uses it to uncover what is behind the student disappearances, the multiple dead rabbits on campus, and who "the man with the cold hands" might be.  She, Mila, an RA/vampire hunter, and Natalie,a bubbly student team up to help Lucy and hopefully reverse the effects of the attack before the vamp can claim her for the final time. 

This book was really fun, and I enjoyed the female dynamics and the college Appalachian college atmosphere.  The author even managed to show growth and development between Lucy and her estranged mother despite the mother not really being much of a player in the book at all. All four of the main women have their own strength and each brings something to the table as they work to track down "cold hands."  Along the way, they also discover and old vampire couple, Hiro and Laurentius, who work in the library they were never of aware of who helps them in the end, despite them wanting to move away from all the drama.  These two ended up being in some of my favorite parts of the book. The ending was satisfying and while there are a few romantic elements, this is mainly a book about vampires, how nasty they can be and trying to escape a future of being undead. 

My only small issue with the book is I felt the pacing was off a bit.  Coming in around 400 pages, there are about 50 pages after Lucy gets bit that I feel drug just a tad.  However, if you are looking for a vampire read, consider picking this one up.  I think the cover is great and accurately addresses the story within. I am pretty sure this is a standalone but since finishing, find myself wondering what happens with the characters next.

MY RATING: 4 PAWS

Quarterly Stats - 1st Quarter 2026

 

 I wanted to do some kind of tracking this year and while this is pretty simplistic, I think it will serve my purposes.  So read on to see how the first quarter of 2026 shaped up for me and my reading!

TOTAL BOOKS READ: 

29

TOTAL PAGES READ:

9,379

5-PAW READS:

11

4-PAW READS:

12

3-PAW READS:

4

2-PAW READS:

2

1-PAW READS:

0

DNF:

0

LIBRARY BOOKS:

11

OWNED BOOKS:

18

PHYSICAL BOOKS:

6

E-BOOKS:

23

FAVORITES OF THE MONTH:

FAVORITE QUOTES: 

"I don't do heart-to-hearts. I'm more of a spleen-to-spleen person"

The Hitch: Sara Levine

"I wonder what it says about me that pizza has been one of the better long-term investments in my career."

Battle Ground (Dresden Files #17): Jim Butcher

"There are good days and bad days, and as long as there aren't too many of either you get along with your life fine." 

Broken (Will Trent #4): Karin Slaughter

What was your favorite read this month????

Feed Your TBR - Strange Bedfellows

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

September 22, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: Cleo is a willfully aloof college student with an impossible secret. When she meets Wes, a brooding musician, at a Halloween party, their connection is instant, electric, and impossible to ignore. Their romance takes a mystical turn when Wes discovers what Cleo’s been hiding: sometimes she takes the form of his pet cat.

Enter Bailey and Ollie—their magical counterparts—who reveal a deeper tie between Cleo and Wes: he’s a witch, and she’s his animal familiar. As past secrets collide with their entangled present, Cleo faces her greatest fear—losing Wes. With long-gone threats returning and danger looming, Cleo must confront her role in their dark and violent shared history and decide if she’s willing to fight for their future.

WHY I CAN'T WAIT: I'm curious what danger is looming and come on, his girlfriend is also his cat familiar.  This has odd written all over it and I'm all over that. 

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK???

She Sure Saved a Lot of Horses!

TITLE: Cash (Lucky River Ranch #1)

AUTHOR: Jessica Peterson

PUBLISHER: Bloom Books

PUBLISHING DATE: August 22, 2024

PAGES: 432   

SOURCE: KU

FROM GOODREADS: My dad and I have been estranged for years. But as his only living relative, it’s no surprise I inherit his massive cattle ranch when he dies. Something that is a surprise? The stipulation in his will, which requires me to live on the ranch and actively manage it for a year before I can access my inheritance money. \

I haven’t stepped foot in Hartsville, Texas, population one thousand, since my parents split when I was six. Now a city girl through and through, I never imagined having to move back to cowboy country. But I need the money to invest in my company, and a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. 

There’s just one giant roadblock to my plan: the ranch’s foreman, grumpy cowboy Cash Rivers. I don’t care how good he looks in his Wranglers and chaps. He’s rude, he’s growly, and he wants me gone. I’d fire him in a heartbeat, but I need this cowboy to teach me the ropes of running a ranch. 

We’re enemies from the get-go. But turns out, Cash is really good at this ranch thing. He’s got strong hands, an intelligent mind, and let’s just say everything really is bigger in Texas. Working alongside him leads to conversations beneath the stars. Throw in some cheek-to-cheek dancing at the local dive bar, and it all feels so right that I start to fall in love with life on the ranch. And maybe with him, too. 

But my stay in Hartsville is only temporary. And you know what they say about cowboys: they may break horses, but they also break hearts. If only Cash hadn’t already lassoed mine…

MY THOUGHTS: I was in need of a light-hearted romance as a break from a never-ending buddy read so I picked this up from Kindle Unlimited.  Of course, I'm still missing Yellowstone and wanted to revisit my cowboy era so this seemed like the perfect series to start.  I wasn't wrong.

Mollie hasn't been home to her dad's ranch in years.  At an early age, her parents divorced and her mother basically ruined her for anything cowboy-related, even her father.  However, when he suddenly dies and leaves Mollie his prosperous estate, she sees this as a way to help fund her fashion cowboy boot business.  

Case Rivers has worked for Mollie's dad since he was 20.  When his parents died, leaving him with an aging neighbor ranch and four younger brothers to raise, Mollie's dad basically adopts them all and makes Cash the foreman of his spread.  Along the way, he promises to leave Cash the ranch.  However, all Cash got in the will was a safe deposit box full of family photos of Mollie.

As a condition to the will, city-girl Mollie has to commit to living on the ranch for a year.  She hates the thought but needs the funding.  She is going to have to rely on Cash's assistance, but the main problem is, they can't stand each other. 

I loved this enemies-to-lovers book and let me stress, once they become lovers, these two don't stop. So, if spicy books (I'd say perhaps a 3/5 on that scale) turn you off, don't even start this one.  Mollie was a tad irritating at first, but she quickly grew on my and her character was much deeper than the initial spoiled rich girl she comes across as. And Cash was a perfect grumpy character.  He cares so much for his brother and both ranches and spends so much time looking out for everyone, he doesn't realize how miserable he has become.  Also, an extra perk was the humor in the book.  In the beginning, Mollie and Cash keep talking about offing each other and I found it quite hilarious. 

If you are looking for a fun romance read with a bit of substance, this might just be the book for you.  Heck, I even threw the TBR aside and started book two!

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

2 Blogger 1 Series - Broken (Will Trent #4) -

 

This month I convinced Stormi to continue on with the Will Trent series.  I am pretty sure I am enjoying this one more than her but hoping I can convince her to continue with the fifth one sometime soon.  Read on for my thoughts and then hop over to Storm Reads to see what she had to say.

 

TITLE: Broken (Will Trent #4)

AUTHOR: Karin Slaughter

PUBLISHER: Delacorte Press

PUBLISHING DATE: June 22, 2010

PAGES: 502   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: When Special Agent Will Trent arrives in Grant County, he finds a police department determined to protect its own and far too many unanswered questions about a prisoner’s death. He doesn’t understand why Officer Lena Adams is hiding secrets from him. He doesn’t understand her role in the death of Grant County’s popular police chief. He doesn’t understand why that man’s widow, Dr. Sara Linton needs him now more than ever to help her crack this case. 

While the police force investigates the murder of a young woman pulled from a frigid lake, Trent investigates the police force, putting pressure on Adams just when she’s already about to crack. Caught between two complicated and determined women, trying to understand Linton’s passionate distrust of Adams, the facts surrounding Chief Tolliver’s death, and the complexities of this insular town, Trent will unleash a case filled with explosive secrets—and encounter a thin blue line that could be murderous if crossed.

MY THOUGHTS: I absolutely loved being in Grant County again, but I have to admit, I was a little taken aback because 75 pages into this one and there was no Will Trent.  However, he soon appeared and his actions in this one made me love him even more.

The book opens with a college student getting killed by the lake.  Although there was a suicide note, soon the police begin to think that her landlord's son, who is mentally challenged to some degree, had a crush on her and killed her because she didn't return his feelings.  He is arrested and taken into custody, but shortly thereafter, is found dead in his cell. The action police Chief, Frank, contacts Sara for assistance because the boy kept asking for her prior to his death.  

Sara is in town for Thanksgiving and she would rather be anyplace else.  She is still grieving for her husband Jeffrey and being back in Grant County is tough. Also, Lena Adams, lead detective, is also on the case and Sara just knows Lena is at fault for something.  Sara still blames Lena for Jeffrey's death and Sara decides to work with Will to prove Lena is a dirty cop for once and for all.

I despise the character of Lena and always have.  In saying that, she is an interesting character in the fact that she is one hot mess.  I also cannot stand Frank.  He is struggling with wanting to retire by he and Lena mishandle the arrest of the suspect so badly, there is no way he can leave until all the loose ends are tied up.  I also enjoyed Will in this one.  It was fun seeing him in a different setting other than Atlanta and he and Sara working together was definitely the high point of this installment.

Overall, I found this to be my favorite Will Trent book yet.  I devoured it even though my copy was over 500 pages and there was a twist at the end that had me picking my jaw up off the floor.  I absolutely hated it but also loved how well the author did it and it was one I NEVER saw coming.

If you are even a bit curious about this series, then I say give it a go.  However, you really need to read the Grant County series first.  Slaughter is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to read something else from her soon!

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

Feed My TBR - The Summer Fun Massacre

 

Can't Wait Wednesday, which I have adapted to better suit my blog as "Feed Your TBR" is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight highly anticipated books.  It is based on the Waiting on Wednesday meme which used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

June 16, 2026

FROM GOODREADS: SUMMER 1983. A blood-soaked summer camp counselor is found staggering down a country road. The sole survivor of a horrific massacre, Mary tells a nightmare of a masked maniac wielding an old skinning knife. Arriving too late to help, her boyfriend Tom Bailey is plagued by guilt.

SUMMER 1992. The camp reopens as Camp Summer Fun. Now a sheriff’s deputy, Tom doubts this is a good idea, but the camp has been refurbished, the counselors hired, and the little campers are on the way. Responding to reports of a blood-curdling howl near the camp, he again arrives too late to save anyone except a single brutalized teen. The killer nowhere to be found.

Hoping to catch the killer and finally right his mistakes, Tom reconnects with Mary. She's convinced that the killer is not human but instead a rural legend known as the Hungry Hare.

The sheriff wants the case closed but refuses to believe in folklore. Mary dreams of revenge for her friends. And Tom hunts for any traces of the real or fictional. But the murderer could be closer to home than anyone expects.

The Hare is coming and is so, so hungry…

WHY I CAN'T WAIT:  I need to know more about this Hare and what I'm a bit confused because it mentions howling.  Either way, I loved DiLouie's last novel and I'm always up for a good slasher.  

WHAT BOOK CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR THIS WEEK???

And I Thought My Extended Family Was Bad!

TITLE: You Should Have Been Nicer to My Mom

AUTHOR: Vincent Tirado

PUBLISHER: William Morrow

PUBLISHING DATE: MArch 10, 2026

PAGES: 256   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: When Papi Ramon, the patriarch of the wealthy Abreu family dies, he gives the family one last message in the will: “One of you is el bacà, the demon that I made a deal with. Get rid of them or you will be damned.” Xiomara, the uncontested favorite of Papi Ramon (and therefore the least liked in the family), watches as everyone dismisses this as the joke of a senile old man and demands the lawyer obtain the previous will Papi wrote. 

While the lawyer drives back to his office, a storm breaks out, forcing the entire family—Xiomara’s aunts and uncles and cousins—to remain in the house. And the words of Papi’s will hangs over their heads even heavier than the rain clouds. Over the course of the night, scandal after scandal is revealed to the public about the family. Suddenly a tense few hours of surviving her family turns into a vicious night of recrimination, violence, accusations…and murder. 

Xiomara is faced with an impossible task: uproot a demon and somehow kill it or excise the ghosts that linger within her own family. 

And the clock is ticking...

MY THOUGHTS: I won't lie, this cover of this book immediately drew me in, and I was thrilled when I was approved for an ARC.  I haven't read from this author before, but I am so glad I dove into this one and I won't forget the Abreus family any time soon.

Xiomora's Papi Ramon recently passed on an stormy afternoon, the whole family, aunts, uncles and cousins, have gathered at his residence for the reading of the will.  Along with the family attorney and Naomi, his hired caretaker and longtime family friend, everyone is shocked when the will discloses that Papi Ramon made a deal with a demon some time ago and the family needs to figure out who the demon is and get rid of them or risk being further cursed. Xiomara hasn't liked her family in years ever since they targeted her mother and spread horrible rumors about her before her death.   

The family initially thinks Papi Ramon was more senile than they thought and shrug off the warning.  However, as the storm rages on, slowly the family unravels as more family scandals come to light.  But Xiomara believes there is a demon lurking, and she is going to find them or die trying.  

I have to say this book is a slow-burn horror at best and the actual action doesn't escalate until the last 25% or so.  However, the ending REALLY packs a punch and a punch I never saw coming.  Xiomara's family is awful. They all have their own secrets and when they aren't backstabbing each other, they are teaming up to backstab someone else.  I had absolutely no loyalty to any of them but really did like Xiomara and found myself rooting for her and her quest to find the demon.  Naomi was an interesting character as well and I feel like she was mistreated by everyone, including Xiomara at times, and I just knew there was more to her than meets the eye. 

My only real issue with this book is I would have liked to know a bit more of the backstory of why everyone disliked Xiomara's mother so much.  It was touched on but I feel it could have been fleshed out more.  

I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys tales of demons and possession.  The author relies heavily upon his Dominican heritage to enrich the story and weave in cultural folklore and practices. If you ever find yourself questioning your own family dysfunction, pick this one up and maybe you will realize your family isn't that bad after all. 

MY RATING: 4 PAWS