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The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine #1
The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine
Viktor Valentine can’t think of a better way to end his summer vacation than playing All the Vampires Everywhere, his favorite video game, with his best friend, Damon. Yet his parents, who make cringey jokes and call him dorky nicknames, seem set on ruining his plans. Without the game, Viktor knows he doesn’t compete with Damon’s cool new friends.
Slowly, Viktor realizes that his parents are hiding something. They’re acting very suspicious; they sneak out after midnight and return with bloody mouths. But he’s probably just played too many video games. After all, vampires aren’t real . . . right?
Seventh grade is tough enough without having to figure out if your parents have fangs. And to make matters worse, the new family that moved in across the street seems particularly interested in things that go bump in the night. Can Viktor protect his family, or will his sleuthing come back to bite him?
Slowly, Viktor realizes that his parents are hiding something. They’re acting very suspicious; they sneak out after midnight and return with bloody mouths. But he’s probably just played too many video games. After all, vampires aren’t real . . . right?
Seventh grade is tough enough without having to figure out if your parents have fangs. And to make matters worse, the new family that moved in across the street seems particularly interested in things that go bump in the night. Can Viktor protect his family, or will his sleuthing come back to bite him?
272 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2024
7 people are currently reading
2790 people want to read
About the author
Z Brewer
21 books300 followersZ Brewer is the NYT bestselling author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, as well as The Slayer Chronicles series, Soulbound, The Cemetery Boys, The Blood Between Us, Madness, and more short stories than they can recall. Their pronouns are they/them. When not making readers cry because they killed off a character they loved, Z is an anti-bullying and mental health advocate. Plus, they have awesome hair.
Z lives in Southern Illinois with a husband person, one child person, and three furry overlords that some people refer to as “cats”.
Z is represented by Michael Bourret of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret Literary Management.
Z lives in Southern Illinois with a husband person, one child person, and three furry overlords that some people refer to as “cats”.
Z is represented by Michael Bourret of Dystel, Goderich & Bourret Literary Management.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 22, 2024
✰ 2.75 stars ✰
“You can’t know a person unless they’re brave enough to share with you who they are.”
So, jokes on me that I did not realize that The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine was actually the first book of a series. 😅 And, well, with the word chronicles in the title, I guess it is safe to assume that there's much to the story to tell. And well again, this definitely set the stage of what is much to come and topple perfectly average twelve-year-old Viktor Valentine's life in his very unsuspecting and more than normal little town of Nowhere, where nothing ever adventurous or exciting ever happens.
That is until the day he discovers a family secret of surprises that he never once in his life saw coming, setting off the start of his seventh grade with a bang - or should I say a bite that has him realizing that he may have bitten off more than he could chew. 🫢
“I guess that depends on your point of view. I know I could stand to live with a little excitement.”
“Be careful, Viktor. Be careful what you wish for.”
It was sweet, a bit whimsical and flashy, but oddly endearing with a subtle taste of humor to it. I mean, when his English class is assigned to read Dracula by his very goth-like substitute teacher, it makes perfect sense that suddenly vampires are on the brain. 🦇 🦇 What's worse is that his own father is behaving rather strangely; even his cringey dad jokes don't land as bloody hard as they used to. And believe me, there is a lot of blood! 🩸 Along with some very questionable and concerning behavior that doesn't fit the vibe that his parents always had around him and his eight-year-old sister, Hannah. 'It’s just that some things have happened lately that make me wonder if I even know them at all.' Once the wheels start spinning that something is definitely amiss and he may not know his family as well as he thought he did - if, at all - it was interesting to see how Viktor would go about figuring out what exactly the heck is going on, even if it kills him. That is, if he can be killed... 🫣
Too much...
Okay, for real now, this was a light-hearted and rather nostalgic middle grade read. I liked the vibes of the setting; y'know, like it's early fall and the leaves are falling and the streets are empty, but there is a mist of danger of the unknown on the horizon just creeping about, waiting to attack... That kind of spookiness - but on a younger readers' level. And what better than to have vampires join in on the hunt, too! Well, that is if they exist at all... 🧛🏻
And that is the supernatural mystery that takes up much of Viktor's time and energy and what sets sail for his friendship with his best friend, Damon, and striking up a hopeful friendship with his new pretty redhead and mysterious neighbor, Alys. Who he may be secretly crushing on and relating to on an emotional note, but that's neither here nor there, when there are more pressing matters to attend to. And it's fun - it's energetic and quirky. 😊 Quirky in the way that you have the idea of what forces are at work, but to see this unsuspecting Viktor's life take such a sharp turn, thrown into disarray, is what makes for an interesting setup. 👍🏻👍🏻
“He was just this dude, trying to live his life, and then he gets all mixed up in something he never wanted to do, but knew he had no choice. Ya know?”
Viktor, himself was a likeable and overall decent guy; a bit awkward and fumbling on his feet, but a nice guy, who just wanted to be left alone, and happy to have his best friend, Damon at his side, even when spending time with him could be 'both stressful . . . and a whole lotta fun' all at once. His newfound interest with Alys was sweet and I liked how their friendship developed, even if there were other forces at play. 😟 It was also cute and kinda funny at the whiplash he would get at his parents' suspicious antics, till they could not hide it any longer. You could actually feel like the darkness clouding over and the tense music playing in the background as this foreboding and threatening menace enveloped his perfectly normal town - well, what he thought it once was. 🙃
At times I did feel, though, that some of the characters existed in a previous series, but I can't say that for sure, without any context to back it up; although, considering this is the author's middle grade debut, maybe their backstories have been explored elsewhere. 🤔 The writing was, for a lack of a stranger word, active. Active, as in the action was acting - ugh, that doesn't make sense either. I mean, that it was good to see how the pacing was solid enough to keep me invested, save for the ending, where I felt the action did not land successfully, because too much was happening at once. 😮💨
It failed to deliver the pivotal punch to the gut to feel the full weight of these startling discoveries, save for one, which I am curious to see how Viktor will act henceforth. 😥 Startling personal revelations were being made, new character relationships were being introduced, while at the same time, an enemy was making a move that suddenly appeared in the midst, despite how 'no amount of denial can take that away from reality.' It was hard to not only stay invested, but stay focused, too. It's also when the fangs started to sink in that the story would not wrap up at this conclusion and that there was more in store for these characters. 😕
Like I said, the joke was on me. 😄
Still, I had fun with it; it was - cute and rather cozy, which is odd to say about a spooky book; but Viktor was such an endearing fellow that you just clicked with his personality. He was a good sport, who just wanted to live a normal easy-going life killing vampires with his best friend in their favorite video game, or just working up the nerve to ask a pretty girl out on a date, that until the start of seventh grade, setting the course on a journey of self-discovery that very much assured him that the simple life he once knew would never quite be the same again. 😔
“You can’t know a person unless they’re brave enough to share with you who they are.”
So, jokes on me that I did not realize that The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine was actually the first book of a series. 😅 And, well, with the word chronicles in the title, I guess it is safe to assume that there's much to the story to tell. And well again, this definitely set the stage of what is much to come and topple perfectly average twelve-year-old Viktor Valentine's life in his very unsuspecting and more than normal little town of Nowhere, where nothing ever adventurous or exciting ever happens.
That is until the day he discovers a family secret of surprises that he never once in his life saw coming, setting off the start of his seventh grade with a bang - or should I say a bite that has him realizing that he may have bitten off more than he could chew. 🫢
“I guess that depends on your point of view. I know I could stand to live with a little excitement.”
“Be careful, Viktor. Be careful what you wish for.”
It was sweet, a bit whimsical and flashy, but oddly endearing with a subtle taste of humor to it. I mean, when his English class is assigned to read Dracula by his very goth-like substitute teacher, it makes perfect sense that suddenly vampires are on the brain. 🦇 🦇 What's worse is that his own father is behaving rather strangely; even his cringey dad jokes don't land as bloody hard as they used to. And believe me, there is a lot of blood! 🩸 Along with some very questionable and concerning behavior that doesn't fit the vibe that his parents always had around him and his eight-year-old sister, Hannah. 'It’s just that some things have happened lately that make me wonder if I even know them at all.' Once the wheels start spinning that something is definitely amiss and he may not know his family as well as he thought he did - if, at all - it was interesting to see how Viktor would go about figuring out what exactly the heck is going on, even if it kills him. That is, if he can be killed... 🫣
Too much...
Okay, for real now, this was a light-hearted and rather nostalgic middle grade read. I liked the vibes of the setting; y'know, like it's early fall and the leaves are falling and the streets are empty, but there is a mist of danger of the unknown on the horizon just creeping about, waiting to attack... That kind of spookiness - but on a younger readers' level. And what better than to have vampires join in on the hunt, too! Well, that is if they exist at all... 🧛🏻
And that is the supernatural mystery that takes up much of Viktor's time and energy and what sets sail for his friendship with his best friend, Damon, and striking up a hopeful friendship with his new pretty redhead and mysterious neighbor, Alys. Who he may be secretly crushing on and relating to on an emotional note, but that's neither here nor there, when there are more pressing matters to attend to. And it's fun - it's energetic and quirky. 😊 Quirky in the way that you have the idea of what forces are at work, but to see this unsuspecting Viktor's life take such a sharp turn, thrown into disarray, is what makes for an interesting setup. 👍🏻👍🏻
“He was just this dude, trying to live his life, and then he gets all mixed up in something he never wanted to do, but knew he had no choice. Ya know?”
Viktor, himself was a likeable and overall decent guy; a bit awkward and fumbling on his feet, but a nice guy, who just wanted to be left alone, and happy to have his best friend, Damon at his side, even when spending time with him could be 'both stressful . . . and a whole lotta fun' all at once. His newfound interest with Alys was sweet and I liked how their friendship developed, even if there were other forces at play. 😟 It was also cute and kinda funny at the whiplash he would get at his parents' suspicious antics, till they could not hide it any longer. You could actually feel like the darkness clouding over and the tense music playing in the background as this foreboding and threatening menace enveloped his perfectly normal town - well, what he thought it once was. 🙃
At times I did feel, though, that some of the characters existed in a previous series, but I can't say that for sure, without any context to back it up; although, considering this is the author's middle grade debut, maybe their backstories have been explored elsewhere. 🤔 The writing was, for a lack of a stranger word, active. Active, as in the action was acting - ugh, that doesn't make sense either. I mean, that it was good to see how the pacing was solid enough to keep me invested, save for the ending, where I felt the action did not land successfully, because too much was happening at once. 😮💨
It failed to deliver the pivotal punch to the gut to feel the full weight of these startling discoveries, save for one, which I am curious to see how Viktor will act henceforth. 😥 Startling personal revelations were being made, new character relationships were being introduced, while at the same time, an enemy was making a move that suddenly appeared in the midst, despite how 'no amount of denial can take that away from reality.' It was hard to not only stay invested, but stay focused, too. It's also when the fangs started to sink in that the story would not wrap up at this conclusion and that there was more in store for these characters. 😕
Like I said, the joke was on me. 😄
Still, I had fun with it; it was - cute and rather cozy, which is odd to say about a spooky book; but Viktor was such an endearing fellow that you just clicked with his personality. He was a good sport, who just wanted to live a normal easy-going life killing vampires with his best friend in their favorite video game, or just working up the nerve to ask a pretty girl out on a date, that until the start of seventh grade, setting the course on a journey of self-discovery that very much assured him that the simple life he once knew would never quite be the same again. 😔
August 1, 2024
This book felt nostalgic to me - the vibes, the plot, the characters are great for older and younger readers.
Viktor Valentine is your typical middle schooler. He is loathing the end of summer and the start of the school year, he worries about his best friend, Damon, starting to like his cool friends more than him, and he has parents that make him cringe with dad jokes and signing him up for things he doesn't want to do. All Viktor really wants to do is eat junk food with Damon and play the video game All the Vampires Everywhere. But this school year is starting off different with a substitute teacher that assigns the book Dracula to the class which he usually hates reading but this book is cool. And his parents are hiding something. Between his parents acting sneaky and have a lot of blood on them at times Viktor is wondering if between the video game and the book his imagination is getting the best of him or his parents are vampires. He's determined to find out what his parents are hiding and to spark a friendship with the cute girl that just moved in across the street.
First, I really connected with Viktor. He brought back so many memories of when I was in middle school even though I was a weird kid that loved school and reading. But Victor feels weird and I think we all do at that age. I really appreciated that Z Brewer made Viktor's character multi-faceted and didn't stick with the typical tropes of being a young 7th grade boy. All of the additional characters were great and I found the introduction of some characters so intriguing. Especially the new neighbors. The parents are top tier in my book and even though this is a middle grade I would totally read an adult novel based on the parents.
I also really enjoyed the setting of the book. It's set in that magical time of late summer, early fall and adds that vibe of the weather turning and school beginning. The beginning of a new school year always brings changes - who will I sit with at lunch, will I make any new friends, will I keep my older friends, how can I get through this school year as painless as possible. The new girl is at the forefront of Viktor's mind which is new for him. The setting of the small town where everyone knows each other and everyone gets food at the local diner made it feel cozy.
The plot itself is fantastic as well! It moves along at a pretty even pace but then the last quarter of the book the action is cranked up. The beginning of the book you're getting sucked into this mystery and wondering what is real and what is just a 7th graders imagination. And then when you finally start getting answers you get all of the answers! It feels like this was set up to be a series which I really hope it is. I would love to learn more about the different characters and see how the story unfolds with all the knowledge we now have about the family and other characters in the story.
I highly recommend and think this is a great middle grade book to get into this fall.
Viktor Valentine is your typical middle schooler. He is loathing the end of summer and the start of the school year, he worries about his best friend, Damon, starting to like his cool friends more than him, and he has parents that make him cringe with dad jokes and signing him up for things he doesn't want to do. All Viktor really wants to do is eat junk food with Damon and play the video game All the Vampires Everywhere. But this school year is starting off different with a substitute teacher that assigns the book Dracula to the class which he usually hates reading but this book is cool. And his parents are hiding something. Between his parents acting sneaky and have a lot of blood on them at times Viktor is wondering if between the video game and the book his imagination is getting the best of him or his parents are vampires. He's determined to find out what his parents are hiding and to spark a friendship with the cute girl that just moved in across the street.
First, I really connected with Viktor. He brought back so many memories of when I was in middle school even though I was a weird kid that loved school and reading. But Victor feels weird and I think we all do at that age. I really appreciated that Z Brewer made Viktor's character multi-faceted and didn't stick with the typical tropes of being a young 7th grade boy. All of the additional characters were great and I found the introduction of some characters so intriguing. Especially the new neighbors. The parents are top tier in my book and even though this is a middle grade I would totally read an adult novel based on the parents.
I also really enjoyed the setting of the book. It's set in that magical time of late summer, early fall and adds that vibe of the weather turning and school beginning. The beginning of a new school year always brings changes - who will I sit with at lunch, will I make any new friends, will I keep my older friends, how can I get through this school year as painless as possible. The new girl is at the forefront of Viktor's mind which is new for him. The setting of the small town where everyone knows each other and everyone gets food at the local diner made it feel cozy.
The plot itself is fantastic as well! It moves along at a pretty even pace but then the last quarter of the book the action is cranked up. The beginning of the book you're getting sucked into this mystery and wondering what is real and what is just a 7th graders imagination. And then when you finally start getting answers you get all of the answers! It feels like this was set up to be a series which I really hope it is. I would love to learn more about the different characters and see how the story unfolds with all the knowledge we now have about the family and other characters in the story.
I highly recommend and think this is a great middle grade book to get into this fall.
October 3, 2024
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine by Z Brewer explores the idea that not everything is as crystal clear as we initially thought.
Will Viktor figure out what his parents are hiding?
Viktor Valentine
Viktor Valentine has a pretty ordinary life. He has a mom, a dad, and a younger sister. Not only that, but a best friend that has been with him through everything. Well, that is until Damon, the best friend, got new friends over the summer and now Viktor doesn't think he can compete with them since they are so much cooler than him. Despite that, Viktor has more to worry about. Why are his parents suddenly acting weird? I have to say that I feel a bit bad for Viktor and how everything has happened to him at the beginning of seventh grade. Viktor is definitely not a kid that I would've hung out with back in middle school.
The Story
Viktor Valentine is trying to enjoy the last day of summer vacation before heading back to school. Until his mom tells him, she has volunteered him to help at the library. The first period of the new school year is basically when everything really changes for Viktor. I have to say that a lot of things happen pretty fast, but I do feel bad for Viktor overall. Viktor seems like a nice kid who has a strange family dynamic.
Four Stars
My rating is four stars for The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine by Z Brewer. I suggest you give this book a shot and see what you think of it. Some parts I didn't really care for, and some I did. Z did a great job of immersing me in the story and wanting to know what happened next.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine by Z Brewer.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine by Z Brewer explores the idea that not everything is as crystal clear as we initially thought.
Will Viktor figure out what his parents are hiding?
Viktor Valentine
Viktor Valentine has a pretty ordinary life. He has a mom, a dad, and a younger sister. Not only that, but a best friend that has been with him through everything. Well, that is until Damon, the best friend, got new friends over the summer and now Viktor doesn't think he can compete with them since they are so much cooler than him. Despite that, Viktor has more to worry about. Why are his parents suddenly acting weird? I have to say that I feel a bit bad for Viktor and how everything has happened to him at the beginning of seventh grade. Viktor is definitely not a kid that I would've hung out with back in middle school.
The Story
Viktor Valentine is trying to enjoy the last day of summer vacation before heading back to school. Until his mom tells him, she has volunteered him to help at the library. The first period of the new school year is basically when everything really changes for Viktor. I have to say that a lot of things happen pretty fast, but I do feel bad for Viktor overall. Viktor seems like a nice kid who has a strange family dynamic.
Four Stars
My rating is four stars for The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine by Z Brewer. I suggest you give this book a shot and see what you think of it. Some parts I didn't really care for, and some I did. Z did a great job of immersing me in the story and wanting to know what happened next.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine by Z Brewer.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
September 13, 2024
When I was in high school, senior year, I got to volunteer behind the librarian's desk, and the librarian recommended me a lot of good books to try out - including The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, which had flown under my radar until that time. Now, fourteen years after ending the original series and ten years after ending the first spinoff Slayer Chronicles, Z Brewer is back with their latest legacy sequel, a stealth job of it that focuses on original characters of whom Vlad himself would approve, plus some vampires both (to quote Young Frankenstein) "famous...and infamous!"
We're no longer in Bathory or Stokerton, but in the very similar town of Nowhere - I believe Brewer once said Bathory and Stokerton were in Michigan, so my guess is that Nowhere is in Wisconsin since there's tons of farmland around the town to supply the Tasty Cow. (And, as Alys's backstory indicates, there's a lot of travel to get there from California.) Halloween, meanwhile, is fast approaching - unlike the Vlad Tod books, this one only takes place over the course of a few weeks, not an entire school year. But there's still room for tons of Easter eggs involving Elysia, the Slayer Society, and the return of some of our favorite goths from the old days, namely October and Sprat.
Brewer's back just as excellently as Tim Burton was this year with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Vlad Tod would approve, and my inner teenager does too, because Viktor Valentine is the kind of protagonist whom Z writes best - the kid just trying to live his best life between the boring mundanity of humanity and the macabre pull of Elysia, with the help of video games, horror movies, and the occasional scary book or two. And, of course, dinner to go from the Tasty Cow.
We're no longer in Bathory or Stokerton, but in the very similar town of Nowhere - I believe Brewer once said Bathory and Stokerton were in Michigan, so my guess is that Nowhere is in Wisconsin since there's tons of farmland around the town to supply the Tasty Cow. (And, as Alys's backstory indicates, there's a lot of travel to get there from California.) Halloween, meanwhile, is fast approaching - unlike the Vlad Tod books, this one only takes place over the course of a few weeks, not an entire school year. But there's still room for tons of Easter eggs involving Elysia, the Slayer Society, and the return of some of our favorite goths from the old days, namely October and Sprat.
Brewer's back just as excellently as Tim Burton was this year with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Vlad Tod would approve, and my inner teenager does too, because Viktor Valentine is the kind of protagonist whom Z writes best - the kid just trying to live his best life between the boring mundanity of humanity and the macabre pull of Elysia, with the help of video games, horror movies, and the occasional scary book or two. And, of course, dinner to go from the Tasty Cow.
October 11, 2024
What worked:
From the book’s synopsis, readers already know Viktor’s parents are vampires but Viktor himself is a mystery. The sight of blood makes him dizzy although it doesn’t affect him while playing his favorite video game. He’s often battling a zombie apocalypse with his best friend Damon and blood and gore splatter everywhere. Damon is Viktor’s only friend until a new girl named Alys moves in across the street. Young readers can identify with his middle-school insecurities, especially with a bullying girl living right next door.
Readers have a good idea of what will happen but the author lets the events slowly unfold. This piques their anticipation as they wonder when Viktor will realize the truth about his parents. Viktor’s mother volunteers at a blood bank while his father designs coffins. The opening chapters reveal that Alys and her parents are vampire hunters and they’ve moved to Nowhere to kill one. Alys is nice to Viktor and becomes his friend but readers will know she’s actually collecting information about his family. However, Alys’s father isn’t happy that she displayed sympathy for their previous target and it’s unclear what she’ll do this time. Readers will root for Viktor as he’s just a nice guy trying to survive the early days of seventh grade. It feels wrong for vampire hunters to take advantage of a kind, innocent boy but that adds intrigue to the story. The plot has a bit of a Romeo and Juliet vibe going on.
A couple supporting characters add to the story’s uncertainty as readers try to figure out if they’re normal humans or friends of vampires. Viktor’s mother insists he volunteer in the school library and she’s helpful with locating vampire information. A substitute English teacher doesn’t fit the description of a “normal” educator. Her appearance gives off a strong goth vibe and she has a special interest in the supernatural. She scraps the regular teacher’s lesson plans and has the students read the novel Dracula. Viktor is startled by her reaction when he shows her his father’s original copy of the novel. Readers will wonder about the backstories of these characters and others.
What didn’t work as well:
The downside of the synopsis is that readers already know what’s going to happen up until the climax. There aren’t as many opportunities for surprises and twists which may not appeal to some readers. However, many truths are revealed during the climax that will make readers want to read the sequel as soon as it’s published.
The final verdict:
The book touches readers’ emotions as an innocent boy doesn’t realize he’s at the center of a brewing storm. He just wants to have friends and survive middle school and doesn’t know his family is in danger. The book will appeal to lovers of vampires and goth and I recommend you give it a shot.
From the book’s synopsis, readers already know Viktor’s parents are vampires but Viktor himself is a mystery. The sight of blood makes him dizzy although it doesn’t affect him while playing his favorite video game. He’s often battling a zombie apocalypse with his best friend Damon and blood and gore splatter everywhere. Damon is Viktor’s only friend until a new girl named Alys moves in across the street. Young readers can identify with his middle-school insecurities, especially with a bullying girl living right next door.
Readers have a good idea of what will happen but the author lets the events slowly unfold. This piques their anticipation as they wonder when Viktor will realize the truth about his parents. Viktor’s mother volunteers at a blood bank while his father designs coffins. The opening chapters reveal that Alys and her parents are vampire hunters and they’ve moved to Nowhere to kill one. Alys is nice to Viktor and becomes his friend but readers will know she’s actually collecting information about his family. However, Alys’s father isn’t happy that she displayed sympathy for their previous target and it’s unclear what she’ll do this time. Readers will root for Viktor as he’s just a nice guy trying to survive the early days of seventh grade. It feels wrong for vampire hunters to take advantage of a kind, innocent boy but that adds intrigue to the story. The plot has a bit of a Romeo and Juliet vibe going on.
A couple supporting characters add to the story’s uncertainty as readers try to figure out if they’re normal humans or friends of vampires. Viktor’s mother insists he volunteer in the school library and she’s helpful with locating vampire information. A substitute English teacher doesn’t fit the description of a “normal” educator. Her appearance gives off a strong goth vibe and she has a special interest in the supernatural. She scraps the regular teacher’s lesson plans and has the students read the novel Dracula. Viktor is startled by her reaction when he shows her his father’s original copy of the novel. Readers will wonder about the backstories of these characters and others.
What didn’t work as well:
The downside of the synopsis is that readers already know what’s going to happen up until the climax. There aren’t as many opportunities for surprises and twists which may not appeal to some readers. However, many truths are revealed during the climax that will make readers want to read the sequel as soon as it’s published.
The final verdict:
The book touches readers’ emotions as an innocent boy doesn’t realize he’s at the center of a brewing storm. He just wants to have friends and survive middle school and doesn’t know his family is in danger. The book will appeal to lovers of vampires and goth and I recommend you give it a shot.
March 29, 2025
Years ago, I loved the main series, so knowing that they had published a sequel spin-off made me very happy, even though many years had passed. However, I ended up being very disappointed with almost everything.
To begin with, I couldn’t understand who the target audience was supposed to be. The book is full of references to The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, with returning characters and locations, but the language is more suited for a younger audience than the previous books, which were meant for teenagers. The overall feeling is that this is a book written for preteens who have read and are huge fans of books that were popular when they couldn’t even read yet—or possibly before they were even born - or for teenagers from 15 years ago who, instead of growing up, have somehow regressed.
But the real problem is that, even putting this issue aside, the book is still very disappointing. Instead of feeling like a work by an experienced author who has already published many similar books, it seems more like a debut novel from 15 years ago that has aged quite poorly.
The only positive note I can find is that it certainly gives a nice sense of nostalgia, but that’s not enough to save this book. I really hope that the next book has a better narrative pace and a higher overall quality, and that the authors make a clearer choice about which direction to take—either creating a brand-new saga with a more contemporary feel, with only light references to previous books to encourage younger readers to discover them, or making a spin-off for old fans where a new protagonist interacts with the grown-up characters from past series, but in that case, significantly improving the quality of the story.
To begin with, I couldn’t understand who the target audience was supposed to be. The book is full of references to The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, with returning characters and locations, but the language is more suited for a younger audience than the previous books, which were meant for teenagers. The overall feeling is that this is a book written for preteens who have read and are huge fans of books that were popular when they couldn’t even read yet—or possibly before they were even born - or for teenagers from 15 years ago who, instead of growing up, have somehow regressed.
But the real problem is that, even putting this issue aside, the book is still very disappointing. Instead of feeling like a work by an experienced author who has already published many similar books, it seems more like a debut novel from 15 years ago that has aged quite poorly.
The only positive note I can find is that it certainly gives a nice sense of nostalgia, but that’s not enough to save this book. I really hope that the next book has a better narrative pace and a higher overall quality, and that the authors make a clearer choice about which direction to take—either creating a brand-new saga with a more contemporary feel, with only light references to previous books to encourage younger readers to discover them, or making a spin-off for old fans where a new protagonist interacts with the grown-up characters from past series, but in that case, significantly improving the quality of the story.
December 6, 2024
First off, congrats to Z Brewer for the new name, very cool, happy for them, and indeed they do have great hair. The name and the fact that I never read Vladimir Tod in middle school is why I didn't realize that Brewer is that Brewer. I was inclined to rate this a little higher because 1) I'm not a huge MG reader and I like rating higher when I'm very clearly not the target audience/don't know the standards, and 2) I assumed this was a debut novel with all the burrs and bumps that will be sanded down with more experience.
But knowing that Brewer's been writing for almost two decades - I don't know, man, feels like the writing should be a little tighter by now. A little less clunky, a little less tell-don't-show, a little more fine-tuned. And the plotting is weird - weirdly, in a lot of the same way that True Love Bites's structure was, in that there was a whooole lot of less-than-interesting buildup and then the climax just kind of happens, and it's divorced from nearly all of the previous buildup. roll credits.
I keep trying to put this book into my own twelve-year-old hands, to see I would have enjoyed it more as a kid, and - yeah, probably a little, but mostly I think I would have just been frustrated. It's very much an Origin Story of the last few years, in that a lot of time is spent setting up something for later installments, instead of being its own enjoyable story.
BUT! There was blood! There was actually blood in a vampire story! I am genuinely appreciative.
But knowing that Brewer's been writing for almost two decades - I don't know, man, feels like the writing should be a little tighter by now. A little less clunky, a little less tell-don't-show, a little more fine-tuned. And the plotting is weird - weirdly, in a lot of the same way that True Love Bites's structure was, in that there was a whooole lot of less-than-interesting buildup and then the climax just kind of happens, and it's divorced from nearly all of the previous buildup. roll credits.
I keep trying to put this book into my own twelve-year-old hands, to see I would have enjoyed it more as a kid, and - yeah, probably a little, but mostly I think I would have just been frustrated. It's very much an Origin Story of the last few years, in that a lot of time is spent setting up something for later installments, instead of being its own enjoyable story.
BUT! There was blood! There was actually blood in a vampire story! I am genuinely appreciative.
August 18, 2024
*I received a free ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
This was a really clever take on vampires living in 21st century suburbia. I liked how the author keeps the reader on their toes as to whether there are real-life vampires, and if there are, who they might be. There's also a nice mystery at the end which should keep younger readers excited for the next book in the series. I am especially interested to see if the relationship between Viktor and Alys changes. I don't think there is anything that would be too scary for younger readers or cause nightmares. And, hey, maybe it will inspire a few to check out Dracula at some point in their reading future. My only problem with the story is that Viktor's parents are some pretty heinous people from back in their day - the Dracula from the book is pretty awful and does some terrible things and Elizabeth Bathory murdered innocent young women in an attempt at immortality. And all is forgiven because they now play happy family in modern day? I also found the story about Viktor's birth mother to be unsettling and to also leave some pretty big questions regarding his biological family. Was his mother really one of Lilith's minions? Does he have any family out there wondering what happened to his mother and him? Obviously these are thoughts that may only be had by older readers and may go right over the heads of the intended audience here.
This was a really clever take on vampires living in 21st century suburbia. I liked how the author keeps the reader on their toes as to whether there are real-life vampires, and if there are, who they might be. There's also a nice mystery at the end which should keep younger readers excited for the next book in the series. I am especially interested to see if the relationship between Viktor and Alys changes. I don't think there is anything that would be too scary for younger readers or cause nightmares. And, hey, maybe it will inspire a few to check out Dracula at some point in their reading future. My only problem with the story is that Viktor's parents are some pretty heinous people from back in their day - the Dracula from the book is pretty awful and does some terrible things and Elizabeth Bathory murdered innocent young women in an attempt at immortality. And all is forgiven because they now play happy family in modern day? I also found the story about Viktor's birth mother to be unsettling and to also leave some pretty big questions regarding his biological family. Was his mother really one of Lilith's minions? Does he have any family out there wondering what happened to his mother and him? Obviously these are thoughts that may only be had by older readers and may go right over the heads of the intended audience here.
November 6, 2024
Viktor lives in the small town of Nowhere, a state of affairs that he enjoys, despite having only one friend in town. He lives a normal life with a mother who volunteers at the blood bank and a dad who designs and makes custom coffins, a bit unusual, to be sure, but he is happy to play video games with his friend Damon. He worries about the beginning of seventh grade, especially since his mom signed him up to work every day in the school library to support her friend who took the job. However, that opportunity leads him to a friendship with the new girl in town, Alys, who likes all of the things that Viktor likes. There are strange happenings in his family, though, and Viktor begins to wonder if he knows his parents at all. And is Alys actually his friend, or is something more sinister going on? I enjoyed the character development in the story line, with glimpses for the reader into both Viktor and Alys. The revelations were not completely unexpected given the build up, but were interesting. The most interesting part of the story was Lilith, and the author set up well for a sequel there.
August 23, 2024
I remember reading “The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod” when I was younger and feeling seen and amazed by this story. Loving the twists and turns each book brought. How the series became one of my favorite book series of all time!
Z Brewer’s brings up back to Elysia with “The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine” and I loved it! It gave me the same nostalgic feeling their original book gave me and I was so excited to be back to this world.
Bringing back some supporting characters that needed the love and even one BIG CHARACTER from the original series (even though their part is a blink and you miss it part) it was amazing and I was happy that these characters had a bigger role.
I love that these new characters and drama are not the same as the original. It would not be a Z Brewer’s book if it doesn’t leave you with questions and excited for the next book!
Overall, great addition to an already amazing series and cannot wait to continue the story of Viktor and his friends. And I need more of the legacy characters back…*HINT HINT*
4.5/5
Z Brewer’s brings up back to Elysia with “The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine” and I loved it! It gave me the same nostalgic feeling their original book gave me and I was so excited to be back to this world.
Bringing back some supporting characters that needed the love and even one BIG CHARACTER from the original series (even though their part is a blink and you miss it part) it was amazing and I was happy that these characters had a bigger role.
I love that these new characters and drama are not the same as the original. It would not be a Z Brewer’s book if it doesn’t leave you with questions and excited for the next book!
Overall, great addition to an already amazing series and cannot wait to continue the story of Viktor and his friends. And I need more of the legacy characters back…*HINT HINT*
4.5/5
August 24, 2024
🏘Good mix of real adolescence with paranormal suspense👀
4-4.5🌟 stars
I enjoyed this tale of a pre-teen boy coming of age amongst a passel of secrets his family wants to keep from him. It's a really adroit mix of real pre-teen issues about initial dealings with the opposite sex, trying to fit in and deal with bullies, handling feelings of abandonment when his best friend starts splitting his time with a larger social circle, etc, and the main character's growing suspicion that vampires may be real and close to home in Viktor Valentine's backwater town. I found it a total page-turner, with action, suspense and a very realistic, grounded main character in Viktor.
I believe the plot and characters would easily appeal to a young reader as well.
Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
4-4.5🌟 stars
I enjoyed this tale of a pre-teen boy coming of age amongst a passel of secrets his family wants to keep from him. It's a really adroit mix of real pre-teen issues about initial dealings with the opposite sex, trying to fit in and deal with bullies, handling feelings of abandonment when his best friend starts splitting his time with a larger social circle, etc, and the main character's growing suspicion that vampires may be real and close to home in Viktor Valentine's backwater town. I found it a total page-turner, with action, suspense and a very realistic, grounded main character in Viktor.
I believe the plot and characters would easily appeal to a young reader as well.
Thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
January 4, 2025
Viktor Valentine isn’t the most popular kid in middle school. He loves to play video games with his best friend Damon, listen to his favorite band, and he’s really into his new English assignment about Dracula. Things start to get a little weird in seventh grade. A new mysterious girl moves in across the street and his parents are acting strange, leaving at odd hours and coming home with blood on their mouths. Viktor searches for the truth, while trying to live a normal life. However, the normalcy ends when he discovers the family secret closely relates to his English assignment.
The pace was a little slow, taking 209 pages to tell the audience what we’ve already figured out. The characters are likeable enough. The ending was a little chaotic since many new characters were introduced.
I’d recommend this as an optional purchase for middle grade audiences, those ready to dip their toes into horror without any major scares.
J.G.
Youth Services Librarian
The pace was a little slow, taking 209 pages to tell the audience what we’ve already figured out. The characters are likeable enough. The ending was a little chaotic since many new characters were introduced.
I’d recommend this as an optional purchase for middle grade audiences, those ready to dip their toes into horror without any major scares.
J.G.
Youth Services Librarian
April 12, 2024
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
It's been seventeen years (2007) since I read this author's Eighth Grade Bites, which was very popular back during the height of the Twilight era vampire craze. Viktor Valentine felt a little bit like that story, mixed with the family aspect of Pauley's Sucks to Be Me.
I thought for a bit that there was going to be a vampire book resurgence last year (2023) as middle school students' parents suggested Twilight to them, but the uptick was a short lived one, at least at my school.
This is a great choice if you need to add to your collection of vampire books, but I may weed the Vladmir Tod series, since it's been gathering dust. Definitely take a look at Brewer's new work if you are looking for a creepily atmospheric vampire book with some funny moments.
It's been seventeen years (2007) since I read this author's Eighth Grade Bites, which was very popular back during the height of the Twilight era vampire craze. Viktor Valentine felt a little bit like that story, mixed with the family aspect of Pauley's Sucks to Be Me.
I thought for a bit that there was going to be a vampire book resurgence last year (2023) as middle school students' parents suggested Twilight to them, but the uptick was a short lived one, at least at my school.
This is a great choice if you need to add to your collection of vampire books, but I may weed the Vladmir Tod series, since it's been gathering dust. Definitely take a look at Brewer's new work if you are looking for a creepily atmospheric vampire book with some funny moments.
December 21, 2024
Why I chose this book: The cover and book summary intrigued me, and I like vampires.
Brief summary: Nothing happens in Viktor's small town, so he spends a lot of time playing video games with his best, and only friend, Damon. When new neighbors move in, though, Viktor makes friends with the girl Alys. He's excited to have a new friend, but he's also distracted by the unusual behavior of his parents. He's got vampires on the brain because his class has been assigned to read and write a report on Dracula, so he thinks his dad might be a vampire after he catches his mom cleaning up his bloody clothes at odd hours a couple of times. What will happen with his new friendship, and what's the deal with Viktor's parents? Perfect for fans of campy horror like Camp Sylvania by Julie Murphy.
What I didn't like about this book: I am a sucker for a strong character arc, and that isn't a strength of this book. Character development isn't exactly the point as this book is more of a plot-centric story, but the author does set up a character arcs for Viktor with his loneliness and fish-out-of-waterness that I would have like to seen explored with a little more depth.
What I like about this book: I like the campy horror, and I like how the author goes all in with the goth teacher who assigns students Dracula and other details like Viktor's goth-dream of a Victorian house, and his dad's job as a coffin maker. These details help to not take the book too seriously, which helps with the necessary suspension of disbelief.
Brief summary: Nothing happens in Viktor's small town, so he spends a lot of time playing video games with his best, and only friend, Damon. When new neighbors move in, though, Viktor makes friends with the girl Alys. He's excited to have a new friend, but he's also distracted by the unusual behavior of his parents. He's got vampires on the brain because his class has been assigned to read and write a report on Dracula, so he thinks his dad might be a vampire after he catches his mom cleaning up his bloody clothes at odd hours a couple of times. What will happen with his new friendship, and what's the deal with Viktor's parents? Perfect for fans of campy horror like Camp Sylvania by Julie Murphy.
What I didn't like about this book: I am a sucker for a strong character arc, and that isn't a strength of this book. Character development isn't exactly the point as this book is more of a plot-centric story, but the author does set up a character arcs for Viktor with his loneliness and fish-out-of-waterness that I would have like to seen explored with a little more depth.
What I like about this book: I like the campy horror, and I like how the author goes all in with the goth teacher who assigns students Dracula and other details like Viktor's goth-dream of a Victorian house, and his dad's job as a coffin maker. These details help to not take the book too seriously, which helps with the necessary suspension of disbelief.
September 12, 2024
👧🏻reviews: this entire summer, my sister and I spent most of our time playing games and watching movies at home. We traveled a bit and this book reminded me of myself as Viktor getting ready to go back to school, being a 7th grader and addicted to playing games. The story is simply multidimensional because Viktor is everything but a nerd. It has him dealing with friends, his crush, his games, the adventures and his silly family. Plenty of plots to go around with this book and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
October 29, 2024
Meh. 2.5.
My biggest issue is that the novel drops side characters like they're hot as soon as the big reveal re: the dad happens. Damon who? Celeste what? All those friend problems that Brewer spends (a lot) of time developing in the first half of the novel are never resolved. They just get lost and/or ignored.
Dracula with a conscience was a weird one, too. "I couldn't bring myself to kill them!" said Dracula NEVER. A lot gets glossed over to try to make the basic premise of this novel work.
Add to that a near complete lack of action and - Voila? - you've got yrself a pretty forgettable book.
A forgettable book with awesome cover art, I should add.
My biggest issue is that the novel drops side characters like they're hot as soon as the big reveal re: the dad happens. Damon who? Celeste what? All those friend problems that Brewer spends (a lot) of time developing in the first half of the novel are never resolved. They just get lost and/or ignored.
Dracula with a conscience was a weird one, too. "I couldn't bring myself to kill them!" said Dracula NEVER. A lot gets glossed over to try to make the basic premise of this novel work.
Add to that a near complete lack of action and - Voila? - you've got yrself a pretty forgettable book.
A forgettable book with awesome cover art, I should add.
August 18, 2024
A fun, tween, supernatural story. I love vampire books, and this one brings in some classic characters but with a modern twist designed for middle schoolers. Viktor Valentine is learning his family secrets while his neighbor and crush, Alice, is trying to earn her own dad's love. A great start to a series that I can't wait to keep reading and share with others.
September 15, 2024
Such a great spinoff! Just the right amount of callbacks and references to the original series. This is exactly what I needed to kick off spooky season. 14 year old me, and 27 year old me was very emotional starting this book as I was such a huge fan of Vladimir Tod and all other works by Z Brewer!
October 16, 2024
As someone that read the Vlad book in middle school (And then at least annually since)
It is so amazing to be able to return to this world. Seeing little hints at characters I grew up with makes me giddy like the original story did the first time I read it. I'm very much looking forward to the next stories
It is so amazing to be able to return to this world. Seeing little hints at characters I grew up with makes me giddy like the original story did the first time I read it. I'm very much looking forward to the next stories
July 20, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley I was able to listen to an advance audio version of this title. I did enjoy the story and the connection to Dracula. The book did wrap up quickly but I enjoyed the pace of the rest of the story.
September 6, 2024
Absolutely worth the wait!
December 4, 2024
Just because it has vampires? I barely made it through this book even though I am an Anne Rice fan. The writing is repetitive and predictable. Disappointing.
December 28, 2024
To the author: please learn what bemused means!
May 3, 2025
A lovely foray into Elysia, a return to basics and refreshingly comfortable.
This feels like the calm breath before a massacre, in all the best ways.
This feels like the calm breath before a massacre, in all the best ways.
August 8, 2025
Z Brewer weaves an edge-of-your-seat tale that leaves you guessing until the very end. I can't wait for the sequel.
October 23, 2025
I loved reading this!
September 24, 2024
Short review to come and full review will be linked from my book blog 📚
A strong 4.5, possible 5 star read!
Will think it over and update when I have some time after college classes this week!
A strong 4.5, possible 5 star read!
Will think it over and update when I have some time after college classes this week!
January 14, 2025
While “The Chronicles of Viktor Valentine” was a light hearted slightly humorous book of a middle schooler discovering family secrets, and just begging his coming of age journey the book fell flat in a lot of ways. The revelation’s Viktor face in the book are obvious, and frankly boring, the suspense was nonexistent. I was very off put by the way some of the characters were introduced. I am not sure if they are supposed to play a part latter in the series but it felt almost as if they were from some of Z. Brewer’s other books just moved into this storyline. It felt as if we were already supposed to know them, the way some of the side characters connected felt very strange as well I just felt that a lot of the story got muddled in trying to make sure everyone connected to someone. The actions scenes were very chaotic entirely too much was happening at once, the adult dynamics were again very weird. The children/ Viktor’s peers made sense but it almost felt as if Brewer was trying too hard to make the adults relatable with full complicated lives of their own, but it ended up being weird and slightly creepy at times. While I know this is a series I would honestly not be interested in reading any more of it.
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