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When Vampires Attack!
When Glenna Norcross's father turns into a vampire and slaughters a diner full of people her life takes a turn for the worse. Old trauma is stirred back up and new danger emerges. Will she ever be able to escape the shadow of death?
84 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 8, 2023
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 31, 2023
I read this book about 2 weeks ago at this point and I'm not sure why it took me so long to get around to reviewing it, especially as I absolutely adored it, just as I expected I would.
I really liked Glenna, not only is she endearing and funny but she's also a pretty solid representation of an autistic adult something that I'm always thrilled to see in books.
In the world that Gleason created you can just become a vampire out of a sudden and once you do the people who share your gene pool are treated almost as second-class citizen since they might also carry the gene for vampirism (this entire aspect of the story reads as an excellent metaphor for disability in general in the world we live in). The character grappling with that part of things and their relationship with their family members who have become vampires was interesting and eminently compelling.
Lastly, I'm both surprised and delighted by the amount of world and character building that Gleason managed to fit in so few pages while never coming across as rushed or forced.
I really liked Glenna, not only is she endearing and funny but she's also a pretty solid representation of an autistic adult something that I'm always thrilled to see in books.
In the world that Gleason created you can just become a vampire out of a sudden and once you do the people who share your gene pool are treated almost as second-class citizen since they might also carry the gene for vampirism (this entire aspect of the story reads as an excellent metaphor for disability in general in the world we live in). The character grappling with that part of things and their relationship with their family members who have become vampires was interesting and eminently compelling.
Lastly, I'm both surprised and delighted by the amount of world and character building that Gleason managed to fit in so few pages while never coming across as rushed or forced.
December 31, 2023
Edit to round to a 4 star rating.
This novella is rough around the edges but it has good bones and I wasn’t disappointed. I love all things vampires and I enjoyed the fresh ideas on vampire lore. Although the content is supernatural, you’ll find very relatable themes.
3.5 stars.
This novella is rough around the edges but it has good bones and I wasn’t disappointed. I love all things vampires and I enjoyed the fresh ideas on vampire lore. Although the content is supernatural, you’ll find very relatable themes.
3.5 stars.
October 13, 2023
When Vampires Attack is Matthew J. Gleason's debut novella and it will definitely leave an impact on you after you finish reading.
The main character is Glenna, a young woman whose life was just upended by her father's sudden transformation into a vampire, tells you her story in a conversational style that lulls you into complacency before attacking you with surprising plot points.
Life has not dealt Glenna the easiest hand. In her short life, she has already faced tragedy and has to deal with being neurodivergent and overweight in a society that isn't kind like it should be. Then one day, her father "goes leech" which is the term used to describe a sudden transformation into a vampire.
"Going leech" is the most interesting part of this book. In this world, vampirism is a gene and those who have it can turn at any moment without warning. There is no specific trigger or anything to predict it. As soon as they turn, the vampires engage in a brutal killing spree until they are either captured or killed. The turning scenes are the scariest part of When Vampires Attack, leaving the reader with some truly chilling images. The scene in Birthday chaos is especially scary.
Glenna is a sympathetic, well-developed character. If anything, she is too hard on herself and I often wanted to just stop her and give her a pep talk. This made me care about her more and I wanted her to find some happiness, especially with all the chaos she has to face.
Suddenly turning into a vampire is the most interesting part for me. In other vampire stories, someone else makes them into a vampire. This could happen at any time, to pretty much anyone. I would have liked to have seen more of the worldbuilding around this concept. Gleason does address this with their prison and other aspects, but I wanted to see more of this and the impact it has had on the world.
Overall, in When Vampires Attack, Gleason gives us a compelling world state, a sympathetic character, good representation, and a story full of surprises.
The main character is Glenna, a young woman whose life was just upended by her father's sudden transformation into a vampire, tells you her story in a conversational style that lulls you into complacency before attacking you with surprising plot points.
Life has not dealt Glenna the easiest hand. In her short life, she has already faced tragedy and has to deal with being neurodivergent and overweight in a society that isn't kind like it should be. Then one day, her father "goes leech" which is the term used to describe a sudden transformation into a vampire.
"Going leech" is the most interesting part of this book. In this world, vampirism is a gene and those who have it can turn at any moment without warning. There is no specific trigger or anything to predict it. As soon as they turn, the vampires engage in a brutal killing spree until they are either captured or killed. The turning scenes are the scariest part of When Vampires Attack, leaving the reader with some truly chilling images. The scene in Birthday chaos is especially scary.
Glenna is a sympathetic, well-developed character. If anything, she is too hard on herself and I often wanted to just stop her and give her a pep talk. This made me care about her more and I wanted her to find some happiness, especially with all the chaos she has to face.
Suddenly turning into a vampire is the most interesting part for me. In other vampire stories, someone else makes them into a vampire. This could happen at any time, to pretty much anyone. I would have liked to have seen more of the worldbuilding around this concept. Gleason does address this with their prison and other aspects, but I wanted to see more of this and the impact it has had on the world.
Overall, in When Vampires Attack, Gleason gives us a compelling world state, a sympathetic character, good representation, and a story full of surprises.
January 4, 2024
This book is not my typical genre, however, I was in a reading slump during a really rough time in my life. Reading is normally my way to escape my own problems but since I was in a slump, alas there was no escape. Then I picked up this book and tore through it in three days. It was an enjoyable read that took me into the story quite easily. Would definitely recommend to others.
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October 13, 2023Funny, Quirky, and Brutal!
I LOVE this book!!! The characters are loveable. The horror is gory and brutal. The comedy is spot on. Matthew's imagination is second to none. The moment I finished the last line I wanted the sequel.
I LOVE this book!!! The characters are loveable. The horror is gory and brutal. The comedy is spot on. Matthew's imagination is second to none. The moment I finished the last line I wanted the sequel.
November 14, 2023
This was a fun little story about a world where vampirism is spontaneous and can happen to anyone at anytime anywhere. I thought the concept was really unique and I would love a whole book about it. This one is almost written more in vignettes which still works for the story. I just wanted more from the world.
October 15, 2023
When Vampires Attack is the story of a young woman whose life is ripped apart by vampiric violence that hits very close to home. She grapples with the complex morality of these attacks and her feelings about them as she struggles to put her life back together.
The stream of consciousness style is a bit hard to get into at first, but it provides an important window into the jumbled uncertainty of the characters’ traumatized minds.
The strongest part of the story is the main character’s relationship with her father. It’s messy and heartbreaking in the ways parent-child relationships often are in addition to the highly unconventional ones.
The weakest part of the story, in my opinion, is the climax. It doesn’t quite land as hard as it could have, and it could have been slightly better earned, but it’s still a valuable part of the narrative.
Overall, I’d say this is well worth a read for anyone who loves horror, is comfortable with gore, and will resonate with depictions of trauma.
The stream of consciousness style is a bit hard to get into at first, but it provides an important window into the jumbled uncertainty of the characters’ traumatized minds.
The strongest part of the story is the main character’s relationship with her father. It’s messy and heartbreaking in the ways parent-child relationships often are in addition to the highly unconventional ones.
The weakest part of the story, in my opinion, is the climax. It doesn’t quite land as hard as it could have, and it could have been slightly better earned, but it’s still a valuable part of the narrative.
Overall, I’d say this is well worth a read for anyone who loves horror, is comfortable with gore, and will resonate with depictions of trauma.
June 7, 2024
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review :)
This is a really quick read that vampire fans will be intrigued by!
Glenna Norcross loves her father, and the two have a sweet relationship played out on the page. Unfortunately, her dad turns into a vampire and is sent away, but that’s only the beginning of Glenna’s misfortune. She’s in for a wild thrill ride full of blood and betrayal sure to leave horror fans wanting more!
Gleason’s small cast is filled with wonderful inclusivity. Glenna is a fat autistic protagonist who explores her sexuality. Some readers may feel conflicted by Glenna’s negative self-talk in terms of her weight. She once describes herself as feeling like an “overly microwaved hotdog exploding out of its casting.” Glenna is insecure about her weight, so this type of damaging self-talk fits with her body image issues; however, it would have been interesting if she explored self-love not only in terms of sexuality and coming to grips with who she blossoms into on an emotional level but also in terms of her inward dislike of her body.
The writing style will please those who enjoy quick tempo wit with a side of irreverent sass! The tone works well overall, and those who enjoy exposition and “telling” versus “showing” will sink into this narrative.
While this is a really imaginative and unique premise, some readers may feel the plot races towards the conclusion with too much velocity. This may lead some to feel as if there were missed opportunities to properly set up scenes or dive deep into character development. Still, the plot has fantastic twists in such a short word count, and while it could use one more round of developmental and grammar edits, readers will find it a rapid read that they can sink their teeth into!
This is a really quick read that vampire fans will be intrigued by!
Glenna Norcross loves her father, and the two have a sweet relationship played out on the page. Unfortunately, her dad turns into a vampire and is sent away, but that’s only the beginning of Glenna’s misfortune. She’s in for a wild thrill ride full of blood and betrayal sure to leave horror fans wanting more!
Gleason’s small cast is filled with wonderful inclusivity. Glenna is a fat autistic protagonist who explores her sexuality. Some readers may feel conflicted by Glenna’s negative self-talk in terms of her weight. She once describes herself as feeling like an “overly microwaved hotdog exploding out of its casting.” Glenna is insecure about her weight, so this type of damaging self-talk fits with her body image issues; however, it would have been interesting if she explored self-love not only in terms of sexuality and coming to grips with who she blossoms into on an emotional level but also in terms of her inward dislike of her body.
The writing style will please those who enjoy quick tempo wit with a side of irreverent sass! The tone works well overall, and those who enjoy exposition and “telling” versus “showing” will sink into this narrative.
While this is a really imaginative and unique premise, some readers may feel the plot races towards the conclusion with too much velocity. This may lead some to feel as if there were missed opportunities to properly set up scenes or dive deep into character development. Still, the plot has fantastic twists in such a short word count, and while it could use one more round of developmental and grammar edits, readers will find it a rapid read that they can sink their teeth into!
March 18, 2024
first-person books are often a turn-off for me. while i don't expect anyone to agree with me or even that my general opinion is completely rational, first-person books come across as restrictive in a way that inhibits all that a novel can or should be. this is absolutely not the case with "when vampires attack!" matthew j. gleason has a unique voice that comes through with their first-person point of view as glenna norcross. the style of writing lends itself superbly to this story where it almost feels like a conversation with glenna. it reminded me much of "the alienist" by caleb carr, a well-written first-person novel where the narrator, john schuyler moore, is recalling a case after the death of teddy roosevelt.
i adore the author's detail-oriented style, they completely pulled me into the world they've created. their characters, never lacking personality, were as rich as the mc herself. i also can't properly express just how much i loved the names in this book. so often, in my opinion, authors pick the easiest (and frankly the most boring) names for their characters leading to my forgetting them after i pick the book down. but i can promise that i will remember sweet caren with a c. most importantly, as an autistic woman, the positive and realistic representation of autism can't be understated. i loved the way matthew wrote glenna's autism and wish more authors could do the same.
now this is a horror story and a great horror story isn't without its scares. the bloody gore in the novel is exactly what it needs to be. it's grotesque but never gratuitous. it's not gore for the sake of gore, and i loved that the author knew when to pull back.
10/10 i've already shoved "when vampires attack!" onto my roommate
i adore the author's detail-oriented style, they completely pulled me into the world they've created. their characters, never lacking personality, were as rich as the mc herself. i also can't properly express just how much i loved the names in this book. so often, in my opinion, authors pick the easiest (and frankly the most boring) names for their characters leading to my forgetting them after i pick the book down. but i can promise that i will remember sweet caren with a c. most importantly, as an autistic woman, the positive and realistic representation of autism can't be understated. i loved the way matthew wrote glenna's autism and wish more authors could do the same.
now this is a horror story and a great horror story isn't without its scares. the bloody gore in the novel is exactly what it needs to be. it's grotesque but never gratuitous. it's not gore for the sake of gore, and i loved that the author knew when to pull back.
10/10 i've already shoved "when vampires attack!" onto my roommate
October 16, 2023
There are no sparkly vampires or avenging biker babes. Vampires are leeches. This book takes us to a grittier, scarier world that skips the sexy and slams us with reality. It brings it right to our homes and family. The lead is a young woman Glenna, who describes herself as fat, with a small chest and Asperger's. She doesn't ride a motorcycle or snark at the bad guys. She works at a call centre and tries to exist in a world where the vampire gene can pop up unexpectedly in anyone. Its already in the blood. The author, through Glenna, explores what this world would be and takes us on a dark, explosive experience of betrayal, hope and humanity. If vampires are your thing then you need to read this fresh take on the mythos.
November 13, 2023
Read the book! It's an incredible page turner that you'll only need about two hours to finish. It's gritty without being needlessly gory, it's upsetting without being intentionally triggering, it's horror with a nice bow on it at the end, which is so often skipped in this genre. Read the freaking book!
September 18, 2024
A fun ride through a unique vampire story; one that’s disgusting yet delightfully (almost) wholesome! Great read, will look for more by this author.
May 17, 2025
In a world where vampirism is genetic and that switch can turn on anywhere, Glenna’s life gets complicated when her father turns and eviscerates a diner full of people.
A messy, flawed and utterly three dimensional character, we follow along as she tries to navigate life. Joining a support group for familial survivors of vampirism she begins to make friends and even a budding romance… but things have never been all sunshine and rainbows for Glenna, and she finds herself the target of one of Dads victims enraged family members.
I really enjoyed this one.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews