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Honoré Sloane #1
To You Shall All Flesh Come
A brilliant Chief of Surgery and his team ensnare vampires, harvest their organs to donate or sell on the black market, then tag them like sharks and release them back into the wild. Encased within the 'pacetaker' attached to the heart are a toothpick and a monitor of the levels of human blood in the vampire's system. Their levels rise too high, and they get death by toothpick. It's a barbaric new method to keep vampires docile. Apparently, they've been on the honor system this whole time...
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 5, 2024
12 people are currently reading
10222 people want to read
About the author
Lumen Reese
16 books137 followersWriter of science fiction, fantasy, horror and contemporary fiction from Michigan.
I think a story should be entertaining, but should handle social and class issues in order to be an accurate portrayal of our world. I value honest resolution over shock-value, and happy endings wherever possible, especially for my LGBT characters. None of my books will ever use artificial intelligence, because AI is theft. You can find me on Instagram @ZoominLumen
Or follow me on Goodreads for announcements.
The Crocus Trilogy will continue in 2026 with Book Three: Heroine Death March.
And the Honoré Sloane series will continue in 2026 with: TWO SPARROWS FOR A PENNY.
Also coming in 2026: RED RIVER; a southern-gothic horror.
I think a story should be entertaining, but should handle social and class issues in order to be an accurate portrayal of our world. I value honest resolution over shock-value, and happy endings wherever possible, especially for my LGBT characters. None of my books will ever use artificial intelligence, because AI is theft. You can find me on Instagram @ZoominLumen
Or follow me on Goodreads for announcements.
The Crocus Trilogy will continue in 2026 with Book Three: Heroine Death March.
And the Honoré Sloane series will continue in 2026 with: TWO SPARROWS FOR A PENNY.
Also coming in 2026: RED RIVER; a southern-gothic horror.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
August 15, 2024
Vamp organ farmers? Yup, I'm in!
Just one chapter in and I was hooked. Vamp vibes, gay vibes, things behind locked doors vibes 👀
Pop culture references have always been controversial in the reviewer *gestures around me writing this review* but this book lands them all with a 10 10 10
Unique, fresh, and well-plotted story.
Just one chapter in and I was hooked. Vamp vibes, gay vibes, things behind locked doors vibes 👀
Pop culture references have always been controversial in the reviewer *gestures around me writing this review* but this book lands them all with a 10 10 10
Unique, fresh, and well-plotted story.
February 17, 2024
** I received an arc of this book from the author. That in no way influences my opinion. **
This was another great book by this author. I really liked this books approach to vampires. It was a wonderful argument about the two sides of the dichotomy. On the one hand you have these hard working men who are trying to help humans and keep them safe - while making a little money on the side - however you can see how terrifying it would be for the vampire. I love books with murky ethics and questionable morals at the centre.
There were some grammatical choices that don’t quite suit my preferences in this one. Namely the sentence structures and verb tenses. It was a creative choice which I respect but didn’t match my reading tastes.
The characters were entertaining, with some amusing banter between them which offset the horror really nicely. They are not necessarily characters you feel a deep connection to but are very engaging and interesting to follow.
This author has some splendid action scenes and I think her pacing is phenomenal. I rarely want to put her books down and this one was no exception.
Overall it was a great book and I love what this author is doing with the speculative horror space.
This was another great book by this author. I really liked this books approach to vampires. It was a wonderful argument about the two sides of the dichotomy. On the one hand you have these hard working men who are trying to help humans and keep them safe - while making a little money on the side - however you can see how terrifying it would be for the vampire. I love books with murky ethics and questionable morals at the centre.
There were some grammatical choices that don’t quite suit my preferences in this one. Namely the sentence structures and verb tenses. It was a creative choice which I respect but didn’t match my reading tastes.
The characters were entertaining, with some amusing banter between them which offset the horror really nicely. They are not necessarily characters you feel a deep connection to but are very engaging and interesting to follow.
This author has some splendid action scenes and I think her pacing is phenomenal. I rarely want to put her books down and this one was no exception.
Overall it was a great book and I love what this author is doing with the speculative horror space.
March 13, 2024
This book was a real struggle to read. This book a multi POV in which made it very confusing. They would change in the middle of a chapter. I think that is what made it disjointed for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.
June 7, 2025
this was really fun and a gave a new spin to vampire stories. the pov changes were not clear sometimes, but I still understood what was going on. some characters could have gotten more fleshing out. Overall very enjoyable!
October 22, 2024
I'm really debating upping this to 5 stars.
I think I came across this book on Goodreads and thought it had an interesting premise, but didn't really have any high expectations for it. Vampire books tend to be either great or awful and I'd already read a new, good vampire book in the last couple weeks (So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison), so was expecting a dud. I am very happy to say that my expectations were wrong.
The first few pages I wasn't sure what I was getting in for, but then the story took off and I had a blast with it. I think this was probably the funnest book I've read this year. It was a pure popcorn read the whole way through.
I'm really looking forward to more from this author. In the afterward, it's already announced that one of the (non-vampire) characters is returning, so I'm expecting an X-files type series.
I think I came across this book on Goodreads and thought it had an interesting premise, but didn't really have any high expectations for it. Vampire books tend to be either great or awful and I'd already read a new, good vampire book in the last couple weeks (So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison), so was expecting a dud. I am very happy to say that my expectations were wrong.
The first few pages I wasn't sure what I was getting in for, but then the story took off and I had a blast with it. I think this was probably the funnest book I've read this year. It was a pure popcorn read the whole way through.
I'm really looking forward to more from this author. In the afterward, it's already announced that one of the (non-vampire) characters is returning, so I'm expecting an X-files type series.
November 2, 2024
Somehow I accidentally posted my review without adding the book to my read list LOL. Overall didn’t hate it, didn’t love it either. The concept was so interesting but I was just so confused half the time
March 14, 2024
I really struggled with this. I almost DNFed several times, but forced myself through it.
It's third person PoV, which is not a problem, but the perspectives changed mid-chapter and it was quite confusing sometimes.
The characters weren't very likeable, especially Riley. They were quite shallow. There wasn't enough backstory to make them interesting or to really connect with them. Jazz and Jen were probably the two that you got to know the most.
The differences between the vampires wasn't explained. Why were some mindless beasts and others able to blend in with society? It was just a bit of a mess.
It's third person PoV, which is not a problem, but the perspectives changed mid-chapter and it was quite confusing sometimes.
The characters weren't very likeable, especially Riley. They were quite shallow. There wasn't enough backstory to make them interesting or to really connect with them. Jazz and Jen were probably the two that you got to know the most.
The differences between the vampires wasn't explained. Why were some mindless beasts and others able to blend in with society? It was just a bit of a mess.
February 14, 2024
When I initially read this book’s description and saw that it had an open giveaway, I don’t think I’ve ever entered one so quickly. I am so freaking glad I won because I knew I had to read this one way or other, and I was not disappointed! If anything, this book vastly exceeded my expectations because holy crap, what a thrilling book!
This was such a wonderfully refreshing take on vampires in addition to having an incredibly interesting plot line that I’ve never come across before. I could not put this book down, I had to keep turning the pages on this one. The concept of harvesting organs from vampires was very intriguing, and the twists that the book ended up taking kept me on the edge of my seat.
The book itself is paced wonderfully and it grabs you right from the first few pages without losing that momentum as you progress through the book. The characters are well written and you find yourself rooting for all of them as time goes on. Each character was multidimensional and you really get the feeling of each character as an individual with their own thoughts and feelings without it ever being repetitive.
I cannot recommend this book enough if you like horror, vampires, and just straight up ass kicking. What a thrilling read! This is definitely going on one of my top reads for 2024 and it’s only February.
This didn’t impact my feelings on the book whatsoever, but as stated, I won this on a giveaway. When I received the book in the mail, the author had signed the front page and addressed it to me (thanks for the compliment on my name!). I am definitely going to be keeping this because this book was just phenomenal. I’ll be recommending this book put to people, but clearly I am going to make them get their own copy. :)
This was such a wonderfully refreshing take on vampires in addition to having an incredibly interesting plot line that I’ve never come across before. I could not put this book down, I had to keep turning the pages on this one. The concept of harvesting organs from vampires was very intriguing, and the twists that the book ended up taking kept me on the edge of my seat.
The book itself is paced wonderfully and it grabs you right from the first few pages without losing that momentum as you progress through the book. The characters are well written and you find yourself rooting for all of them as time goes on. Each character was multidimensional and you really get the feeling of each character as an individual with their own thoughts and feelings without it ever being repetitive.
I cannot recommend this book enough if you like horror, vampires, and just straight up ass kicking. What a thrilling read! This is definitely going on one of my top reads for 2024 and it’s only February.
This didn’t impact my feelings on the book whatsoever, but as stated, I won this on a giveaway. When I received the book in the mail, the author had signed the front page and addressed it to me (thanks for the compliment on my name!). I am definitely going to be keeping this because this book was just phenomenal. I’ll be recommending this book put to people, but clearly I am going to make them get their own copy. :)
September 19, 2025
What was this even about...
January 12, 2024
A fresh take on vampires. Going back to their roots by relying on older vampire lore made them interesting and the stuff of nightmares. The idea behind this story was unique in a genre I’ve considered tapped dry for years, and most of the characters brought something important to the story. I did hate Riley, one of the main characters, and found myself wincing every time he took center stage, but the rest of the cast made up for him, especially Jazz and Sloane.
My big complaint was the writing style. I am not a fan of third person present tense and found a few of the POV switches to be confusing and/or unnecessary. It seemed the author overused commas in an attempt to avoid the natural (in my opinion) choppiness that comes with third person, and it felt awkward in places. That aside, the plot and the good characters really outshine the negative and I had fun reading this.
I wavered between 4 and 5 stars, so I'll settle for a 4.5 and round up. Definitely recommend for anyone tired of feeling like they've read the same vampire story fifty times. Fun characters and kind of a goofy plot that becomes serious.
My big complaint was the writing style. I am not a fan of third person present tense and found a few of the POV switches to be confusing and/or unnecessary. It seemed the author overused commas in an attempt to avoid the natural (in my opinion) choppiness that comes with third person, and it felt awkward in places. That aside, the plot and the good characters really outshine the negative and I had fun reading this.
I wavered between 4 and 5 stars, so I'll settle for a 4.5 and round up. Definitely recommend for anyone tired of feeling like they've read the same vampire story fifty times. Fun characters and kind of a goofy plot that becomes serious.
February 10, 2024
This is a story about a vigilante foursome which includes husband and wife duo, a janitor, and a vampiric surgeon who have taken it upon themselves to address the organ shortage by hunting and trapping vampires, harvesting their organs (they grow back), and implanting them into the humans who need them. During the harvesting process, they put a "pace taker" onto the hearts of the vampires that not only tracks them, it will skewer their hearts with a toothpick if they consume too much human blood.
The groups' activities harvesting and trafficking organs have caught the eye of the FBI who are now investigating. But someone in the group is keeping a secret that will blow the operation wide open and inspire the vampire community to rise up against the troupe.
This was a wild and bloody ride. Couldn't put it down for a second. Can't wait to read more! 10/10 no notes.
The groups' activities harvesting and trafficking organs have caught the eye of the FBI who are now investigating. But someone in the group is keeping a secret that will blow the operation wide open and inspire the vampire community to rise up against the troupe.
This was a wild and bloody ride. Couldn't put it down for a second. Can't wait to read more! 10/10 no notes.
January 5, 2025
My first 5* read of the year!!! The premise immediately pulled me in and I was locked in for the ride. I saw on the author’s IG that Sloane’s gonna have a tough time going forward, which is ofc unfortunate… But I’m really excited for book 2 of this story and hope to see more of Manny in the next book!
January 14, 2024
Received as an ARC. A new kind of vampire story. New kind of vampire. Riley, Ray, and Jazz harvest organs from vampires to help the sick and the dying. Until the fbi and an ancient find out. It is a bloody, crazy battle for all. Highly enjoyed. Looking forward to more from Lumen Reese
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2024
NOT your run of the mill vampire story!
I very much enjoyed both the strangely compelling plot and the characters and their interactions. Ray & Riley, Jennifer & Jazz, FBI Agent Honore Sloan, all full rounded, human (ish) folks with their own moral quandaries, hopes, dreams and excuses.
I visualized Agent Sloan as a creole Phil Coulson : )
so happy to know that we’ll be getting further stories with him ( a new X-Files division in the making?)
Hope that Jazz and all the main characters make appearances occasionally but VERY sure Jazz is gonna say, ‘No, to the *^%! naw!’
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I very much enjoyed both the strangely compelling plot and the characters and their interactions. Ray & Riley, Jennifer & Jazz, FBI Agent Honore Sloan, all full rounded, human (ish) folks with their own moral quandaries, hopes, dreams and excuses.
I visualized Agent Sloan as a creole Phil Coulson : )
so happy to know that we’ll be getting further stories with him ( a new X-Files division in the making?)
Hope that Jazz and all the main characters make appearances occasionally but VERY sure Jazz is gonna say, ‘No, to the *^%! naw!’
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 27, 2024
The concept was interesting, but the execution was not. The writing was very disjointed and all over the place. Riley was a very annoying character. I just didn't enjoy this. I skimmed most of it, because I'm one of those people who can't DNF a book.
February 5, 2025
so entertaining!!!! looking forward to agent sloane's next mission!
Read
October 21, 2024I'm sorry but I read it cover to cover so I'm counting it toward my reading goal.
Great book imo. Fun on a bun.
Great book imo. Fun on a bun.
March 2, 2024
Features:
-Supernatural horror
-Morally gray characters and situation
-Interesting approach to vampires
Is it really a crime if there are no victims? This supernatural horror centers around the morally gray organ business of Riley, Ray, and Jazz and the FBI detective trying to uncover the secret behind their operation. I am generally not a big fan of vampire books, but this one really hooked me with its unique approach and how each of the characters perceive the fascinating moral questions at the heart of this story. It is a shorter read that manages to pack a lot in and there is a wonderful balance between horror, humor, and drama. This book throws you right in and can be a little disorienting at first, but it is well worth letting the story unfold. My only complaint is that the writing occasionally feels disjointed or unclear at times, but this did not really detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. If you are looking for an engaging supernatural horror that includes a little bit of brain food, this is the book for you!
50 Shades of Morally Gray
Pun aside, this book manages to accomplish something that many books try and fail to do: present and develop intriguing moral questions/dilemmas in a way that feels natural. The story centers around Riley, Ray, and Jazz’s side hustle of secretly donating and selling organs they collect from vampires in order to save human lives. Being immortal, the vampires don’t die from this process and can be tapped again for harvesting once their organs regrow. For Riley, Ray, and Jazz, it’s a win for all involved. However, there are a lot of moral questions that grow from both their operation, and their true motives behind it.
Though I would not call this a strong character novel, how their varying motives and attitudes caused them to act still made them intriguing to follow. More importantly, everything was allowed to sit in a morally gray area without feeling like they were forced to be there. Overall, I was left not really knowing what to think, but in a way that still felt satisfying and elevated beyond most supernatural horror books.
Wait…What?
We have all had those moments where our brains don’t quite register what we have just read and we have to go back before continuing to charge ahead. However, after a certain number of times going “wait…what?” I have to admit that in this case, the writing isn’t always clear. There is nothing specific I can point to as the reason, but there were many times where an odd detail would stand out or I would suddenly feel like I had missed something and would have to go back to try puzzling it together. It could just be that I wasn’t completely vibing with the writing style despite being engaged in the story. However, it made it a little difficult for me to become hooked at the start and is the main reason I am rating this a four instead of a perfect 5.
Special thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
-Supernatural horror
-Morally gray characters and situation
-Interesting approach to vampires
Is it really a crime if there are no victims? This supernatural horror centers around the morally gray organ business of Riley, Ray, and Jazz and the FBI detective trying to uncover the secret behind their operation. I am generally not a big fan of vampire books, but this one really hooked me with its unique approach and how each of the characters perceive the fascinating moral questions at the heart of this story. It is a shorter read that manages to pack a lot in and there is a wonderful balance between horror, humor, and drama. This book throws you right in and can be a little disorienting at first, but it is well worth letting the story unfold. My only complaint is that the writing occasionally feels disjointed or unclear at times, but this did not really detract from my overall enjoyment of the book. If you are looking for an engaging supernatural horror that includes a little bit of brain food, this is the book for you!
50 Shades of Morally Gray
Pun aside, this book manages to accomplish something that many books try and fail to do: present and develop intriguing moral questions/dilemmas in a way that feels natural. The story centers around Riley, Ray, and Jazz’s side hustle of secretly donating and selling organs they collect from vampires in order to save human lives. Being immortal, the vampires don’t die from this process and can be tapped again for harvesting once their organs regrow. For Riley, Ray, and Jazz, it’s a win for all involved. However, there are a lot of moral questions that grow from both their operation, and their true motives behind it.
Though I would not call this a strong character novel, how their varying motives and attitudes caused them to act still made them intriguing to follow. More importantly, everything was allowed to sit in a morally gray area without feeling like they were forced to be there. Overall, I was left not really knowing what to think, but in a way that still felt satisfying and elevated beyond most supernatural horror books.
Wait…What?
We have all had those moments where our brains don’t quite register what we have just read and we have to go back before continuing to charge ahead. However, after a certain number of times going “wait…what?” I have to admit that in this case, the writing isn’t always clear. There is nothing specific I can point to as the reason, but there were many times where an odd detail would stand out or I would suddenly feel like I had missed something and would have to go back to try puzzling it together. It could just be that I wasn’t completely vibing with the writing style despite being engaged in the story. However, it made it a little difficult for me to become hooked at the start and is the main reason I am rating this a four instead of a perfect 5.
Special thanks to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 20, 2025
My ultimate takeaway from this novel is that it was just fine. And that's a shame, because it's a really strong pitch and I really wanted to like it more than I did.
My main problem here is that it's simply oo fast. The story has no time to breathe, rattling along from scene to scene with very little connective tissue. Time jumps forward weeks and months with no indication that this has happened, and I found myself going back to reread sections to try and get myself situated in the narrative again. Characters make decisions and come to conclusions in the blink of an eye. One of the main characters, and FBI agent named Sloane, learns that vampires are real and is immediately fine with it and mentally prepared to deal with it, without any sense that this is a shock to him. A medical intern who's roped in to help the protagonists harvest organs from vampires witnesses her friends cutting open a live vampire and pulling out its insides in the back of a car and doesn't even flinch before she's asking if she can get wrist-deep in the much. And while all of this is going on the point of view jumps between characters without warning, sometimes in the middle of a paragraph, in a way that's very jarring.
Something I find that happens in books like this, where I really wanted to love it and end up just thinking it's okay, is that I grow increasingly critical of tiny, trivial details that don't really matter on their own but that add up to a growing sense of disillusionment with the work. One is the aforementioned speed with which characters react to their world being turned upside down. Others were small things about the world and the 'rules' of vampirism that didn't really add up. A big plot point is that characters throw things for vampires to count as a distraction - bags of rice, tongue depressers, etc. But on multiple occasions vampires break through windows to attack people or gain access to locations. Why are they not compelled to stop and count the shards of broken glass on the floor before continuining? Why does this counting thing only work some of the time? Another peeve - a couple of our protagonists are vampires, and they're capable of resisting the urge to feed. Why are they able to retain their humanity but none of the "bad" vampires are - even those who, we're told, are freshly turned, just like our protagonists? They're not really important issues but they jumped out at me and bothered me while I was reading.
Because of the quick pace the ending just doesn't really land, unfortunately. It builds to a climax but it nevers feels earned. It's just chaos and blood and violence because that's how a vampire story needs to end, right? I feel like this had the potential to reinvent the genre in the same way as something like 30 Days of Night or Blade but it's so rushed that it just falls flat, and that's a shame.
I'm not mad that I read it, but I wanted more from it.
My main problem here is that it's simply oo fast. The story has no time to breathe, rattling along from scene to scene with very little connective tissue. Time jumps forward weeks and months with no indication that this has happened, and I found myself going back to reread sections to try and get myself situated in the narrative again. Characters make decisions and come to conclusions in the blink of an eye. One of the main characters, and FBI agent named Sloane, learns that vampires are real and is immediately fine with it and mentally prepared to deal with it, without any sense that this is a shock to him. A medical intern who's roped in to help the protagonists harvest organs from vampires witnesses her friends cutting open a live vampire and pulling out its insides in the back of a car and doesn't even flinch before she's asking if she can get wrist-deep in the much. And while all of this is going on the point of view jumps between characters without warning, sometimes in the middle of a paragraph, in a way that's very jarring.
Something I find that happens in books like this, where I really wanted to love it and end up just thinking it's okay, is that I grow increasingly critical of tiny, trivial details that don't really matter on their own but that add up to a growing sense of disillusionment with the work. One is the aforementioned speed with which characters react to their world being turned upside down. Others were small things about the world and the 'rules' of vampirism that didn't really add up. A big plot point is that characters throw things for vampires to count as a distraction - bags of rice, tongue depressers, etc. But on multiple occasions vampires break through windows to attack people or gain access to locations. Why are they not compelled to stop and count the shards of broken glass on the floor before continuining? Why does this counting thing only work some of the time? Another peeve - a couple of our protagonists are vampires, and they're capable of resisting the urge to feed. Why are they able to retain their humanity but none of the "bad" vampires are - even those who, we're told, are freshly turned, just like our protagonists? They're not really important issues but they jumped out at me and bothered me while I was reading.
Because of the quick pace the ending just doesn't really land, unfortunately. It builds to a climax but it nevers feels earned. It's just chaos and blood and violence because that's how a vampire story needs to end, right? I feel like this had the potential to reinvent the genre in the same way as something like 30 Days of Night or Blade but it's so rushed that it just falls flat, and that's a shame.
I'm not mad that I read it, but I wanted more from it.
March 8, 2024
Advanced Review Copy provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley.
Score: 2.5/5 (Rounded to 3)
Since this is an ARC, the review aims to be as Spoiler-free as possible.
Read this review and more on my Medium page: Distorted Visions
Lumen Reese’s new novella takes the tired trope of the urban vampire story and gives it her twist in her newest horror-tinged thriller To You Shall All Flesh Come.
Unfamiliar with Reese’s previous work, the title was what sucked me into her upcoming novella. To You Shall All Flesh Come has all the hallmarks of a fantastic title, it teases the reader with greatness without giving too much away!
The story follows four unlikely partners, a couple Jazz and Jennifer, along with medical professionals Riley and Ray as they navigate their side hustle of harvesting organs from vampires for implants into deserving patients or to sell on the black market. While they have been able to carry out their trade with seeming anonymity, the FBI is now catching up with them, as they are being investigated by Special Agent Sloane.
Oh, Ray is a vampire too, just to keep things spicy!
What worked for me in To You Shall All Flesh Come was the novel premise, as it took familiar tropes of urban vampire mythos and gave it a new, almost optimistic spin. In this regard, the setting felt a lot closer to the TV Show (and graphic novel series) The Strain rather than Dracula or Twilight. In addition, the inclusion of Sloane’s cop POV gives the novel a noir aesthetic, with his jaded characterization. In fact, Sloane’s character was the one that felt most fleshed out among all the major players.
However, that is where the positives sputter out with Reese’s newest offering. There were more elements, not egregious enough to make the book unreadable per se, took away a lot of gravitas and kept the story from reaching its true potential. The characterization of Riley in particular is found to be particularly grating. His dynamic with Jazz and Ray was saccharine in its quality, with cringey quips, immersion-breaking real world references (Twilight, etc.). I would assume that Reese intended on Riley being the comic relief, especially in the first act of the book, but the humor felt extremely forced and caused more sighing and eye-rolling than general mirth. The fact that an ancient vampire like Ray and a hardened no-nonsense bagman like Jazz keep playing along felt immensely counter to their character markup.
What really rankled at me were the confusingly uneven potrayal of vampires in To You Shall All Flesh Come. While Ray and other named vampires that form important characters to the story defy the age-old tropes and can daywalk, and blend well into human society to a point of total secrecy, there is an entirely different set of vampires that are potrayed as rabid beasts (as seen on 28 Days Later). While Reese pokes in-universe fun at established vampire lore tropes, she goes ahead and dilutes the mythos herself, leading to a vampire universe in her novels that neither have the Gothic cheese of Underworld or Van Helsing, the cheesy romance of Twilight, the classic tropes in Dracula, or the grimdark violence of The Strain or Castlevania. In truth the vampire mythos felt very like early True Blood, but without the length of content to make the world feel lived-in.
In addition to uneven characterization, the third person present tense style of prose that the book was written, while again, a minor qualm, didn't really work for me. Furthermore, and more egregiously, the multiple POV shifts within the same chapter, with “head hopping” between chapters felt particularly jarring and, on a few occasions almost confusing. Understandably constrained by the novella length, Reese would have been better served by sectioning her writing either with single POV chapters or doing a better job of differentiating different POVs within the same chapter via chapter-breaks more often than she does.
The novella length, the stylistic choice of prose, and the uneven characterization work against the pacing and plot of To You Shall All Flesh Comes and keeps the story from being truly special.
The first act of the book follows the main premise of the blurb at a pace more suited to full-length novels, and the pivot into the more dramatic second act leads to a rushed finale leading to a relatively unsatisfying climax. The premise and characters were interesting enough for Reese to consider expanding into a full-length novel or splitting into two separate stories to give both major trajectories their due. Without spoilers, she does indicate that Sloane will be (and possibly was) a recurring character in her Horror Noir series, which hints at a larger world.
While an enjoyable premise, To You Shall Flesh Comes is held back by the author’s choices in characterization, pacing, and prose styling, leading to yet another take on Urban Vampire fiction that comes in fangs bared with potential, but leaves everyone rather anemic!
Score: 2.5/5 (Rounded to 3)
Since this is an ARC, the review aims to be as Spoiler-free as possible.
Read this review and more on my Medium page: Distorted Visions
Lumen Reese’s new novella takes the tired trope of the urban vampire story and gives it her twist in her newest horror-tinged thriller To You Shall All Flesh Come.
Unfamiliar with Reese’s previous work, the title was what sucked me into her upcoming novella. To You Shall All Flesh Come has all the hallmarks of a fantastic title, it teases the reader with greatness without giving too much away!
The story follows four unlikely partners, a couple Jazz and Jennifer, along with medical professionals Riley and Ray as they navigate their side hustle of harvesting organs from vampires for implants into deserving patients or to sell on the black market. While they have been able to carry out their trade with seeming anonymity, the FBI is now catching up with them, as they are being investigated by Special Agent Sloane.
Oh, Ray is a vampire too, just to keep things spicy!
What worked for me in To You Shall All Flesh Come was the novel premise, as it took familiar tropes of urban vampire mythos and gave it a new, almost optimistic spin. In this regard, the setting felt a lot closer to the TV Show (and graphic novel series) The Strain rather than Dracula or Twilight. In addition, the inclusion of Sloane’s cop POV gives the novel a noir aesthetic, with his jaded characterization. In fact, Sloane’s character was the one that felt most fleshed out among all the major players.
However, that is where the positives sputter out with Reese’s newest offering. There were more elements, not egregious enough to make the book unreadable per se, took away a lot of gravitas and kept the story from reaching its true potential. The characterization of Riley in particular is found to be particularly grating. His dynamic with Jazz and Ray was saccharine in its quality, with cringey quips, immersion-breaking real world references (Twilight, etc.). I would assume that Reese intended on Riley being the comic relief, especially in the first act of the book, but the humor felt extremely forced and caused more sighing and eye-rolling than general mirth. The fact that an ancient vampire like Ray and a hardened no-nonsense bagman like Jazz keep playing along felt immensely counter to their character markup.
What really rankled at me were the confusingly uneven potrayal of vampires in To You Shall All Flesh Come. While Ray and other named vampires that form important characters to the story defy the age-old tropes and can daywalk, and blend well into human society to a point of total secrecy, there is an entirely different set of vampires that are potrayed as rabid beasts (as seen on 28 Days Later). While Reese pokes in-universe fun at established vampire lore tropes, she goes ahead and dilutes the mythos herself, leading to a vampire universe in her novels that neither have the Gothic cheese of Underworld or Van Helsing, the cheesy romance of Twilight, the classic tropes in Dracula, or the grimdark violence of The Strain or Castlevania. In truth the vampire mythos felt very like early True Blood, but without the length of content to make the world feel lived-in.
In addition to uneven characterization, the third person present tense style of prose that the book was written, while again, a minor qualm, didn't really work for me. Furthermore, and more egregiously, the multiple POV shifts within the same chapter, with “head hopping” between chapters felt particularly jarring and, on a few occasions almost confusing. Understandably constrained by the novella length, Reese would have been better served by sectioning her writing either with single POV chapters or doing a better job of differentiating different POVs within the same chapter via chapter-breaks more often than she does.
The novella length, the stylistic choice of prose, and the uneven characterization work against the pacing and plot of To You Shall All Flesh Comes and keeps the story from being truly special.
The first act of the book follows the main premise of the blurb at a pace more suited to full-length novels, and the pivot into the more dramatic second act leads to a rushed finale leading to a relatively unsatisfying climax. The premise and characters were interesting enough for Reese to consider expanding into a full-length novel or splitting into two separate stories to give both major trajectories their due. Without spoilers, she does indicate that Sloane will be (and possibly was) a recurring character in her Horror Noir series, which hints at a larger world.
While an enjoyable premise, To You Shall Flesh Comes is held back by the author’s choices in characterization, pacing, and prose styling, leading to yet another take on Urban Vampire fiction that comes in fangs bared with potential, but leaves everyone rather anemic!
October 21, 2024
3.5! The first half of the book was a bit disappointing but the second half was absolutely amazing 🧛♂️🩸
November 8, 2024
Such an interesting concept, but then we didn’t really explore any of the cool parts.
First of all the writing style was quite strange. We would switch povs from one paragraph to another. We could have easily switched povs with each chapter instead, and it would have been a much smoother reading experience.
My main problem with this book was the way it handled its themes. Organ donation from vampires could have been such a cool morally gray concept, but instead no one really cared about the fact that they were killing people. Even the new person they brought in was pretty much unfazed by the killings. The FBI agent felt no sympathy for the man who got tortured and completely dismissed his suffering.
For a vampire book, I was feeling a distinct lack of love for vampires. They were barely even humanized. We got the perspective of one of them, but our empathy towards him was not meant to extend to any of the others. They never even seemed to have motivations for their actions.
First of all the writing style was quite strange. We would switch povs from one paragraph to another. We could have easily switched povs with each chapter instead, and it would have been a much smoother reading experience.
My main problem with this book was the way it handled its themes. Organ donation from vampires could have been such a cool morally gray concept, but instead no one really cared about the fact that they were killing people. Even the new person they brought in was pretty much unfazed by the killings. The FBI agent felt no sympathy for the man who got tortured and completely dismissed his suffering.
For a vampire book, I was feeling a distinct lack of love for vampires. They were barely even humanized. We got the perspective of one of them, but our empathy towards him was not meant to extend to any of the others. They never even seemed to have motivations for their actions.
November 7, 2024
All in all, about three and a half stars. It was pretty good, and I do always love vampire books. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite good enough to, you know, be a four-star read. It felt like characters formed bonds too quickly - and I do understand that this is a novella - and overall the characters weren't developed enough. Which was disappointing, because this was a character-driven story in my opinion.
Even the relationships felt a little... undercooked. Ray and Riley had enough tension that I was hoping they'd kiss or at least do something A lot of the relationships in this book felt unearned, in a way. We saw people being friends, but we never really got to understand how that came about. The writing of the relationships felt like the writing of a debut novel, but this is solidly not the authors first novel. Hence the hard feelings.
The premise promised moral ambiguity, but never really delivered. From the start, it was kind of clear that the vampires were in the wrong, and the traffickers were in the right. I can't really talk about a lot of what made this aspect of the book so disappointing without going into spoilers, so the rest of my thoughts will be here (along with some pondering on the fun and sexy parts of vampires, and how this book fell short of that):
Three and a half stars. Kinda disappointing and unsatisfying.
Even the relationships felt a little... undercooked. Ray and Riley had enough tension that I was hoping they'd kiss or at least do something A lot of the relationships in this book felt unearned, in a way. We saw people being friends, but we never really got to understand how that came about. The writing of the relationships felt like the writing of a debut novel, but this is solidly not the authors first novel. Hence the hard feelings.
The premise promised moral ambiguity, but never really delivered. From the start, it was kind of clear that the vampires were in the wrong, and the traffickers were in the right. I can't really talk about a lot of what made this aspect of the book so disappointing without going into spoilers, so the rest of my thoughts will be here (along with some pondering on the fun and sexy parts of vampires, and how this book fell short of that):
Three and a half stars. Kinda disappointing and unsatisfying.
March 14, 2024
The first half of the book goes slow. It’s setting the scene.
Letting you get to know the characters, their backgrounds, the base for the plot. Showing how each of the characters is deeply human and full of good intentions despite their flaws.
This first half will make you consider morals and methods and think of all those questions that plague scientists looking for solutions. Ethics. And humanity.
I was conflicted about the characters and their antics. It felt weird being both on their side and against it.
It could be a bit better paced, but it got where it was meant to be.
Then the second part will make your heart race and fear for every single character. They are now human and you care for them and they don’t deserve to die, even when you know they brought it all on themselves, in one way or another.
My heart was racing for 40% of the book! If the first 50% were slow and at times a bit boring, this part is all about the adrenaline! I feared for them all! The rivers of blood and ash made my breath ragged waiting for them all to die. In bloody bloody ways…
At the same time, it made me consider the ethics of being human and Blake voiced my thoughts.
I did crack up laughing like a maniac at the rice.
This is more than a book about vampires.
More than a thriller.
More than good vs evil.
Because… what is evil???
Who is the villain? Who is the hero? Is there ever a black and white answer?
Never.
The whole damn humanity is a spectrum of gray.
And then there’s greed…
But there might also be light and splashes of colour. If only you pay attention…
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Letting you get to know the characters, their backgrounds, the base for the plot. Showing how each of the characters is deeply human and full of good intentions despite their flaws.
This first half will make you consider morals and methods and think of all those questions that plague scientists looking for solutions. Ethics. And humanity.
I was conflicted about the characters and their antics. It felt weird being both on their side and against it.
It could be a bit better paced, but it got where it was meant to be.
Then the second part will make your heart race and fear for every single character. They are now human and you care for them and they don’t deserve to die, even when you know they brought it all on themselves, in one way or another.
My heart was racing for 40% of the book! If the first 50% were slow and at times a bit boring, this part is all about the adrenaline! I feared for them all! The rivers of blood and ash made my breath ragged waiting for them all to die. In bloody bloody ways…
At the same time, it made me consider the ethics of being human and Blake voiced my thoughts.
I did crack up laughing like a maniac at the rice.
This is more than a book about vampires.
More than a thriller.
More than good vs evil.
Because… what is evil???
Who is the villain? Who is the hero? Is there ever a black and white answer?
Never.
The whole damn humanity is a spectrum of gray.
And then there’s greed…
But there might also be light and splashes of colour. If only you pay attention…
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
November 23, 2024
When I saw the premise of this book, I knew I had to read it. Taking vampire organs and selling them on the black market?! Sign me up!!! I used to love vampire fiction, but just like dystopian literature, it has gotten old for me. But I am always willing to give a chance to new takes on the creatures of the night.
To You Shall All Flesh Come pretty much delivered on a gritty new take on vampire fiction. Making it believable with a splash of fun and some pretty gruesome details on what it would be like to slice open a vampire and remove their innards, while ultimately leaving them alive. After finishing the book, I quickly had to check out other books by Lumen Reese, and I'll definitely be picking up some of the other creative books this author has on their backlist.
I did end up having to dock one star, and this mostly had to do with some writing decisions that took me out of the story from time to time. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters at first, and I think there were just too many for me to get a handle on. It didn't help that there was a Ray and a Riley, and I have a hard time figuring out who's who when names look so similar at a glance. This may be a me thing, but it took me quite a while to remember which character was which, even though they're very different from one another. There was also a lot of head hopping. I'm not a huge stickler about this, but it did confuse a few scenes for me, and I had to reread a few sections to figure out what was going on. If you're not a fan of POV's that shift mid-page, this probably isn't the book for you because it happens a lot.
All that said, I still thought this was a cohesive story. And it really never let up...in the best of ways. Four stars for a solid and interesting story.
To You Shall All Flesh Come pretty much delivered on a gritty new take on vampire fiction. Making it believable with a splash of fun and some pretty gruesome details on what it would be like to slice open a vampire and remove their innards, while ultimately leaving them alive. After finishing the book, I quickly had to check out other books by Lumen Reese, and I'll definitely be picking up some of the other creative books this author has on their backlist.
I did end up having to dock one star, and this mostly had to do with some writing decisions that took me out of the story from time to time. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters at first, and I think there were just too many for me to get a handle on. It didn't help that there was a Ray and a Riley, and I have a hard time figuring out who's who when names look so similar at a glance. This may be a me thing, but it took me quite a while to remember which character was which, even though they're very different from one another. There was also a lot of head hopping. I'm not a huge stickler about this, but it did confuse a few scenes for me, and I had to reread a few sections to figure out what was going on. If you're not a fan of POV's that shift mid-page, this probably isn't the book for you because it happens a lot.
All that said, I still thought this was a cohesive story. And it really never let up...in the best of ways. Four stars for a solid and interesting story.
January 2, 2024
“To You Shall All Flesh Come”- Lumen Reese
⭐⭐⭐
Summary: Ray, Riley and Jazz are all hard working men, with an unusual side hustle; extracting organs from vampires to donate or sell on the black market. Some are killed and others have a machine attached to their heart to keep track, but also to kill if they consume far too much human blood. All is going well, until Agent Sloane catches on, and the trio have to reconsider their whole operation.
Thoughts:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you again to Book Sirens!
This was an interesting premise, and I found myself feeling bad for the trio but also for some of the vampires. They believe what they are doing is helping people and will bring no harm, but you hear it from a vampire’s side, and realise how scary it would be in their situation.
Some of the vampires; boo to the others.
I liked the characters, particularly Sloane; I found him fun to follow alongside with as he tried to investigate what was happening, while following the trio as they are harvesting organs from vampires.
I would have liked it more if we got to spend more time with the story. Ray has an intriguing story arc, which I wish could have been fleshed out more.
Regardless, I couldn't stop and read this in one night. It was such a different premise from what I had read before, and I needed to know what happened.
Good luck to the author! Believe this book will be published on April 5th 2024.
⭐⭐⭐
Summary: Ray, Riley and Jazz are all hard working men, with an unusual side hustle; extracting organs from vampires to donate or sell on the black market. Some are killed and others have a machine attached to their heart to keep track, but also to kill if they consume far too much human blood. All is going well, until Agent Sloane catches on, and the trio have to reconsider their whole operation.
Thoughts:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you again to Book Sirens!
This was an interesting premise, and I found myself feeling bad for the trio but also for some of the vampires. They believe what they are doing is helping people and will bring no harm, but you hear it from a vampire’s side, and realise how scary it would be in their situation.
Some of the vampires; boo to the others.
I liked the characters, particularly Sloane; I found him fun to follow alongside with as he tried to investigate what was happening, while following the trio as they are harvesting organs from vampires.
I would have liked it more if we got to spend more time with the story. Ray has an intriguing story arc, which I wish could have been fleshed out more.
Regardless, I couldn't stop and read this in one night. It was such a different premise from what I had read before, and I needed to know what happened.
Good luck to the author! Believe this book will be published on April 5th 2024.
March 19, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
This was a really interesting and refreshing take on the vampire genre, which of late has been mired in more of the romance and less of the gore. The start of this novel was an immediate hook - really well written and approached, with interesting characters and a focus on the struggle between good, not-so-good, and probably just plain evil. The world is written well to start with, and the book really draws you in.
However, that's where the positives ended for me with this one. The point of view switches were all just a bit too much, and the changes between them were meant to culminate, but instead they ended up making the plot confusing. There was also just a little too much tied up in the characters that didn't make sense, and I just didn't connect very well with the book as a whole.
It was also a little short compared to what I might have expected, particularly for something that was trying to build out a bigger world. I enjoyed it, but not quite as much as I might have with some adjustments and less of a focus on the action and more of the world in the end.
This was a really interesting and refreshing take on the vampire genre, which of late has been mired in more of the romance and less of the gore. The start of this novel was an immediate hook - really well written and approached, with interesting characters and a focus on the struggle between good, not-so-good, and probably just plain evil. The world is written well to start with, and the book really draws you in.
However, that's where the positives ended for me with this one. The point of view switches were all just a bit too much, and the changes between them were meant to culminate, but instead they ended up making the plot confusing. There was also just a little too much tied up in the characters that didn't make sense, and I just didn't connect very well with the book as a whole.
It was also a little short compared to what I might have expected, particularly for something that was trying to build out a bigger world. I enjoyed it, but not quite as much as I might have with some adjustments and less of a focus on the action and more of the world in the end.
January 12, 2024
***While I received this book for free from Book Sirens, all opinions are my own and I'm leaving this review voluntarily***
I understand a 2-star might be a little harsh, but honestly, I felt like the whole book I was being flung around with how often the POV changed. In one paragraph there were 3 POVS alone! I don't mind multiple views, but when there's no break in the page or a chapter dedicated to that POV, it ends up feeling like a hot mess. My main other problem, and honestly I might just be dumb, but it felt like there were a few inconsistencies with character relations/history and the vamps. Other than that it felt a little flat for around half the story.
A few positives for me, though, were that the characters didn't feel cookie-cutter, the premise was new (to me) and original, and the author can for sure write a good showdown!
While this has definitely -not- discouraged me from checking out more of this author's work, it has made me a bit hesitant.
I understand a 2-star might be a little harsh, but honestly, I felt like the whole book I was being flung around with how often the POV changed. In one paragraph there were 3 POVS alone! I don't mind multiple views, but when there's no break in the page or a chapter dedicated to that POV, it ends up feeling like a hot mess. My main other problem, and honestly I might just be dumb, but it felt like there were a few inconsistencies with character relations/history and the vamps. Other than that it felt a little flat for around half the story.
A few positives for me, though, were that the characters didn't feel cookie-cutter, the premise was new (to me) and original, and the author can for sure write a good showdown!
While this has definitely -not- discouraged me from checking out more of this author's work, it has made me a bit hesitant.
February 20, 2024
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in return for an honest review.
Wow, I really enjoyed this book! I always enjoy a new take on vampire mythos and ways to deal with the beasts, but I also enjoy the use of classic tropes (susceptibility to religious items, insatiable instinct to count items). Reese does a great job making vampires exist in a realistic, modern world. The team's mission is a really fun idea too, and one I've never even considered.
Speaking of the team, Reese does a great job of giving the characters heart and depth. There's real love there, and the fact that one of them is a vampire serves to complicate things but Reese does not either dismiss this after introducing it nor beat the reader over the head with it.
This the first book I've read by Lumen Reese, I look forward to reading more by her!
Wow, I really enjoyed this book! I always enjoy a new take on vampire mythos and ways to deal with the beasts, but I also enjoy the use of classic tropes (susceptibility to religious items, insatiable instinct to count items). Reese does a great job making vampires exist in a realistic, modern world. The team's mission is a really fun idea too, and one I've never even considered.
Speaking of the team, Reese does a great job of giving the characters heart and depth. There's real love there, and the fact that one of them is a vampire serves to complicate things but Reese does not either dismiss this after introducing it nor beat the reader over the head with it.
This the first book I've read by Lumen Reese, I look forward to reading more by her!
March 26, 2024
Never read anything by Lumen Reese but this was such an interesting look into vampires and between this and The Passage trilogy I'm starting to enjoy vampire books.
There were a few scenes where I was completely blown away by the violent descriptions of the deaths. Seeing both sides of the organ donations was also engrossing. From the witty banter involved with the first surgery to the despair felt by the vampire as the organs were removed, it was a genuinely new experience.
Overall, this was such a solid read and it's short enough to be done in one sitting which makes it that much better. If you enjoy vampires, horror, things hidden behind locked doors, and suspense then this should immediately be added to your TBR!
Thank you to NetGalley and XpressoBookTours for the ARC in exchange for an honest rate and review.
There were a few scenes where I was completely blown away by the violent descriptions of the deaths. Seeing both sides of the organ donations was also engrossing. From the witty banter involved with the first surgery to the despair felt by the vampire as the organs were removed, it was a genuinely new experience.
Overall, this was such a solid read and it's short enough to be done in one sitting which makes it that much better. If you enjoy vampires, horror, things hidden behind locked doors, and suspense then this should immediately be added to your TBR!
Thank you to NetGalley and XpressoBookTours for the ARC in exchange for an honest rate and review.
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