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Bleeding Mars
Welcome to Chryse City, where the young seek their fortunes and the wealthy never die...
Dezi doesn't own the clothes on his back or the blood in his veins. He's a college dropout working a dead-end job on the most backwater planet humanity has ever colonized. He'd always dreamed of traveling the system, but when he's framed for a facility malfunction, he's forced to flee to the capital of Mars—a city teeming with gangs and space-age aristocracy.
He manages to land a job at a luxury casino where a masked VIP selects him as his regular host. Umbra is a perennial, one of the few wealthy enough to extend their lives through a blood-based medical process, and he might be Dezi’s ticket to paying off the bounty hunters chasing him down, but the immortal is as eccentric as he is generous. He claims to be an authentic vampire, and his appetites have Dezi questioning whether he might just be telling the truth.
Dezi doesn’t have a clue what an immortal who has it all sees in him, but the connection growing between them is undeniable—even if flings between humans and perennials never end well. It all goes to hell when a storm ravages the city, forcing Dezi to choose between becoming the vampire’s new pet or finding his own way to survive this storm-torn planet.
With a vivid world, complex characters, and jaw-dropping twists, Bleeding Mars is a queer sci-fi that offers an ingenious new take on classic vampire tropes. Be one of the first to discover this stunning new release!
Dezi doesn't own the clothes on his back or the blood in his veins. He's a college dropout working a dead-end job on the most backwater planet humanity has ever colonized. He'd always dreamed of traveling the system, but when he's framed for a facility malfunction, he's forced to flee to the capital of Mars—a city teeming with gangs and space-age aristocracy.
He manages to land a job at a luxury casino where a masked VIP selects him as his regular host. Umbra is a perennial, one of the few wealthy enough to extend their lives through a blood-based medical process, and he might be Dezi’s ticket to paying off the bounty hunters chasing him down, but the immortal is as eccentric as he is generous. He claims to be an authentic vampire, and his appetites have Dezi questioning whether he might just be telling the truth.
Dezi doesn’t have a clue what an immortal who has it all sees in him, but the connection growing between them is undeniable—even if flings between humans and perennials never end well. It all goes to hell when a storm ravages the city, forcing Dezi to choose between becoming the vampire’s new pet or finding his own way to survive this storm-torn planet.
With a vivid world, complex characters, and jaw-dropping twists, Bleeding Mars is a queer sci-fi that offers an ingenious new take on classic vampire tropes. Be one of the first to discover this stunning new release!
403 pages, ebook
Published June 1, 2024
9 people are currently reading
458 people want to read
About the author
Asher J. Quazar
2 books17 followersTransgender and gay author duo, Asher and J, write about blood-sucking capitalists and disaster gays. They on their life experiences with the struggles of familial rejection, financial insecurity, and self-acceptance to bring grounded emotions to fantastical settings.
They hope that by sharing parts of their personal stories, they can promote understanding and solidarity with readers of all identities. The couple live in the same town they first met with their two dogs in their little house filled with thrifted furniture.
They hope that by sharing parts of their personal stories, they can promote understanding and solidarity with readers of all identities. The couple live in the same town they first met with their two dogs in their little house filled with thrifted furniture.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
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December 1, 2024Had this on my tbr but I can't say I'm all that keen to read something by a misogynist author who thinks MM books are just for cis women to fetishize and that transmasc characters who haven't had bottom surgery should come with content warnings.
November 11, 2024
Probably more like 3.25 stars, maybe 3.5, but I'm honestly a bit conflicted on how to rate this book.
On one hand: gay vampires in space. I'm a sucker (pun intended, I suppose) for vampires and when you add in some good LGBTQIA+ rep, I'm even more on board. I really liked the scientific and practical explanation of how vampirism worked against this dystopian backdrop. I think the desperation to get and sell blood worked very well and set the story up nicely. In fact, the world building overall was pretty well done.
I also liked the fact that none of the characters were perfect. They all had flaws and issues. I appreciated that.
However, the actual storytelling fell short for me. This book started slow. Other than giving a little background, the first couple chapters didn't seem to have much purpose. It took way too long for the story promised on the blurb to start, and honestly, I almost gave up reading multiple times. When the story did finally get rolling, I kept waiting for the vampire love interest to show up, but they don't have a proper conversation until almost halfway through the book.
I also didn't care for Vesta's POV. She didn't seem to add that much to the story and I often had to fight skimming her sections. I didn't really like her all that much and I wasn't invested in her storyline at all.
Now, once Umbra and Dezi meet and begin their arrangement, I was hooked for a bit. The story really picked up and I didn't want to put the book down for several chapters. (Other than Vesta's bits, admittedly.) I really liked their dynamic and I was invested in finding out the mystery behind Umbra. I liked the moments they had together and I was enjoying watching their relationship change and grow. I liked Umbra's protectiveness.
And then it crumbled.
First, I was taken a bit back by the very violent, somewhat graphic, and quite unexpected animal death. When I'm dealing with vampires, I fully expect them to feed from humans and I even expect some morally gray behavior towards humans. A warning of violence towards humans also isn't unexpected. What I do not typically expect is I actually read that part twice to make sure I actually read what I had because I couldn't believe we went from such an intimate and promising moment to big cat murder.
I also wasn't a fan of the on again, off again that kept happening between Umbra and Dezi. Once, sure. I kind of expect that, but it was like whiplash watching their relationship. It felt a little over the top at times and got a little repetitive. Everything about their relationship was so hot and cold it was hard to stay invested.
The ending was disappointing, but I'm hopeful that it's setting up for a second book to pick up where this one left off. This book honestly has so much untapped potential and I'm interested to see how the story can continue unfolding. Now that some of the bigger issues have been resolved, things can come to a more satisfactory conclusion.
So overall, I really liked parts of this book and would be willing to continue the series, but there were some things that simply didn't land for me.
On one hand: gay vampires in space. I'm a sucker (pun intended, I suppose) for vampires and when you add in some good LGBTQIA+ rep, I'm even more on board. I really liked the scientific and practical explanation of how vampirism worked against this dystopian backdrop. I think the desperation to get and sell blood worked very well and set the story up nicely. In fact, the world building overall was pretty well done.
I also liked the fact that none of the characters were perfect. They all had flaws and issues. I appreciated that.
However, the actual storytelling fell short for me. This book started slow. Other than giving a little background, the first couple chapters didn't seem to have much purpose. It took way too long for the story promised on the blurb to start, and honestly, I almost gave up reading multiple times. When the story did finally get rolling, I kept waiting for the vampire love interest to show up, but they don't have a proper conversation until almost halfway through the book.
I also didn't care for Vesta's POV. She didn't seem to add that much to the story and I often had to fight skimming her sections. I didn't really like her all that much and I wasn't invested in her storyline at all.
Now, once Umbra and Dezi meet and begin their arrangement, I was hooked for a bit. The story really picked up and I didn't want to put the book down for several chapters. (Other than Vesta's bits, admittedly.) I really liked their dynamic and I was invested in finding out the mystery behind Umbra. I liked the moments they had together and I was enjoying watching their relationship change and grow. I liked Umbra's protectiveness.
And then it crumbled.
First, I was taken a bit back by the very violent, somewhat graphic, and quite unexpected animal death. When I'm dealing with vampires, I fully expect them to feed from humans and I even expect some morally gray behavior towards humans. A warning of violence towards humans also isn't unexpected. What I do not typically expect is I actually read that part twice to make sure I actually read what I had because I couldn't believe we went from such an intimate and promising moment to big cat murder.
I also wasn't a fan of the on again, off again that kept happening between Umbra and Dezi. Once, sure. I kind of expect that, but it was like whiplash watching their relationship. It felt a little over the top at times and got a little repetitive. Everything about their relationship was so hot and cold it was hard to stay invested.
The ending was disappointing, but I'm hopeful that it's setting up for a second book to pick up where this one left off. This book honestly has so much untapped potential and I'm interested to see how the story can continue unfolding. Now that some of the bigger issues have been resolved, things can come to a more satisfactory conclusion.
So overall, I really liked parts of this book and would be willing to continue the series, but there were some things that simply didn't land for me.
January 2, 2025
Oh Bleeding Mars, what can I say about you...
... the first 100 pages were terribly slow and boring. 100 pages of (too) slow world building just to get to the point pitched in the blurb. 100 pages that could have been used more effectively. Then came +/- 50 pages that were simply inhaled - and then - THEN - a wild fever dream began, which in some places was so much more saphic to read than I would have expected. The end, or rather the end, was sobering and disappointing. Maybe I had hoped for too much, but in the last third I was already starting to ask myself: Where does the author want to go with this story? How should it end? In the end, it didn't feel like a real ending - and that's exactly what leaves me feeling bitter and unfulfilled. The end is a point that could have been reached much earlier, plot-wise, and so there would have been so much more room for more... and that's kind of sad. Some questions remain unanswered and many topics were only hinted at, touched upon or, completely randomly, mentioned as a side note. Missing indicators for chapters that suddenly come up with flashbacks from the past were also so unexpected and irritating to the flow of reading.
In the end, I somehow lost my heart to Dezi, Umbra, Ves and all the others. Loved and hated - as it should be... characters with their own charm and character. Unfortunately, Quazar didn't completely convince me of the craft of writing either. There are incredibly strong moments, beautiful sentences, a talent for describing and paraphrasing environments, aura, mood and aesthetics, but the general writing style is just as flat and plain.
Would I recommend Bleeding Mars? Yes. No. Maybe? If you like character development and depth - definitely yes. Are you expecting an epic sci-fi fantasy plot? No.
A tip for those interested: Playing a Cyberpunk 2077 playlist on Spotify at the same time definitely enhanced the reading experience!
... the first 100 pages were terribly slow and boring. 100 pages of (too) slow world building just to get to the point pitched in the blurb. 100 pages that could have been used more effectively. Then came +/- 50 pages that were simply inhaled - and then - THEN - a wild fever dream began, which in some places was so much more saphic to read than I would have expected. The end, or rather the end, was sobering and disappointing. Maybe I had hoped for too much, but in the last third I was already starting to ask myself: Where does the author want to go with this story? How should it end? In the end, it didn't feel like a real ending - and that's exactly what leaves me feeling bitter and unfulfilled. The end is a point that could have been reached much earlier, plot-wise, and so there would have been so much more room for more... and that's kind of sad. Some questions remain unanswered and many topics were only hinted at, touched upon or, completely randomly, mentioned as a side note. Missing indicators for chapters that suddenly come up with flashbacks from the past were also so unexpected and irritating to the flow of reading.
In the end, I somehow lost my heart to Dezi, Umbra, Ves and all the others. Loved and hated - as it should be... characters with their own charm and character. Unfortunately, Quazar didn't completely convince me of the craft of writing either. There are incredibly strong moments, beautiful sentences, a talent for describing and paraphrasing environments, aura, mood and aesthetics, but the general writing style is just as flat and plain.
Would I recommend Bleeding Mars? Yes. No. Maybe? If you like character development and depth - definitely yes. Are you expecting an epic sci-fi fantasy plot? No.
A tip for those interested: Playing a Cyberpunk 2077 playlist on Spotify at the same time definitely enhanced the reading experience!
May 29, 2024
Ok, this book! I picked it up looking for something "different", and it didn't disappoint!
Normally I don't read much sci-fi, because... I struggle to imagine the world, don't ask me why 😅 It was the case at times (it took me ages to figure out how vampires "work"), but it didn't ruin the story's enjoyment for me.
Don't be fooled by the colorful cover: the story gets DARK. I did not expect it, but in a good way. Dezi and Vesta's struggle from rags to... a semblance of normality was gripping and heart-breaking. I so so want them to succeed, though... At what cost? I am scared to ask 🫣
Vesta is so young, you see her making all the wrong choices and you want to yell at her not to. Maybe it means I am getting old 😅
Dezi carved his way into my heart and lodged himself there. Umbra, on the other hand, was an emotional rollercoaster. I kept swaying between hating them with all my might, giving them a chance, and then regretting it sorely. I can't say I root for the love story, not one bit. I hoped Dezi would get away till the very end. He himself calls it unhealthy and that's how it came through to me: a glorified fling with a huge power imbalance and a lot of lies. And the "solution" proposed to make it better... I don't know, I am not into it. I am still hoping they will go their separate ways. And normally I am the romantic one 😅
Sweet Dezi deserves his diploma more than anything, but I wish he'll get it with his own means and grit, and not out of "someone's" favor.
The open ending hints at a sequel, so I will be peeling my eyes for it 👀
Normally I don't read much sci-fi, because... I struggle to imagine the world, don't ask me why 😅 It was the case at times (it took me ages to figure out how vampires "work"), but it didn't ruin the story's enjoyment for me.
Don't be fooled by the colorful cover: the story gets DARK. I did not expect it, but in a good way. Dezi and Vesta's struggle from rags to... a semblance of normality was gripping and heart-breaking. I so so want them to succeed, though... At what cost? I am scared to ask 🫣
Vesta is so young, you see her making all the wrong choices and you want to yell at her not to. Maybe it means I am getting old 😅
Dezi carved his way into my heart and lodged himself there. Umbra, on the other hand, was an emotional rollercoaster. I kept swaying between hating them with all my might, giving them a chance, and then regretting it sorely. I can't say I root for the love story, not one bit. I hoped Dezi would get away till the very end. He himself calls it unhealthy and that's how it came through to me: a glorified fling with a huge power imbalance and a lot of lies. And the "solution" proposed to make it better... I don't know, I am not into it. I am still hoping they will go their separate ways. And normally I am the romantic one 😅
Sweet Dezi deserves his diploma more than anything, but I wish he'll get it with his own means and grit, and not out of "someone's" favor.
The open ending hints at a sequel, so I will be peeling my eyes for it 👀
May 31, 2024
So, I just finished this book and what a ride!! It all takes place on Mars, in a sort of dystopian kind of future where humans are basically enslaved to the elite immortals who require blood to survive. There's is no magic or fantasy elements, as all the powers of the vampires are done through technological upgrades. If you like vampires and you like space operas, this book is for you. This is a very slow burn romance and nothing sexy actually happens between the two main characters, so just heads up on that. This book also has trans rep, as Desi is trans and it's hinted that Umbra, the vampire, is as well. This does sort of leave off on a cliffhanger, but I believe this is the first book in a series (I may be completely wrong on that, so if I am Asher, please correct me). For a debut book, the world building was amazing and it has all the flow and feeling of some of the Sci-fi authors like Alastair Reynolds and James S.A. Corey. But with vampires!!!!
July 10, 2024
Well written, with a beautifully crafted story and enthralling characters, not to mention Space vampires!!!! This was a fun ride and I absolutely love the concept!!! The main story centers around Dezi and Umbra, and their relationship as Host and VIP. Though I’d be remiss if I don’t mention Vesta who plays a major part in this story. Honestly I loved it, while there is no sex it’s has its own flavor of spice. Ending in a HFN.
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November 30, 2024Note: The author has stated this book is not a genre romance, which I agree with! But there seems to be confusion between the book’s marketing, other reviews, and the GR page now tagging it as such. The blurb strongly implies the primary story focus is on Dezi and how the plot resolution hinges on the outcome of his relationship with Umbra. The blurb does not mention Dezi’s best friend, Vesta, despite her being the other primary POV character. That said, this book does contain , and as far as spice goes,
Overall, Bleeding Mars was not an unenjoyable read for what it set out to accomplish. The prose is decent, though often suffers from a repetitive approach of “every noun must have a modifier” with heavy descriptions, which felt like absorbing information from several T-shirt cannons at once. The darker aspects of the plot did well to establish the cutthroat, oftentimes hopelessness of the setting. With there being two separate but intertwining POVs/plot lines, it felt overly ambitious with everything the story wanted to cover, as if it presented more world building than it knew what to do with (which I suppose makes sense with the first book in a series; while it seems there may be future books set in this universe, it’s unclear if they will pick up with these same characters).
Even though the blurb implies Dezi takes up the focus of the narrative, I found myself more invested in Vesta’s story the more I read - . Vesta’s character growth and story resolution felt earned by the ending, whereas Dezi’s did not.
Despite this not being a genre romance, Dezi’s relationship with Umbra is a sizable portion of his plotline once they meet. I got whiplash from the “I love you/I hate you” back and forth between them because it didn’t feel like there was enough room on the page to let anything properly breathe. In one scene, There’s also the concept of I felt like there was barely any time to process an interesting world building concept before it was used to explain the hot/cold relationship between two main characters. For so much of the story to be devoted to the romantic subplot between Dezi and Umbra, it was by far the least satisfying aspect.
Other things that didn't work for me:
- Soon after Dezi meets Umbra,
- A unique challenge to writing a story with trans characters where their transness is not the main focus or drive of the story is establishing those characters’ transness on the page without it coming across as ham-fisted or preachy. Dezi’s transition process is mentioned when it makes sense to the narrative and for his character (understandable, given we are often in his POV). However there is a later conversation between Dezi and Umbra about Umbra’s transness that felt weirdly forced
- In what seems more like a victim of some of the rushed aspects of the storytelling, there were more than a handful of instances where a side character seemed to have the perfect monologue that one of the main characters needed to hear at that exact moment to pull up their emotional bootstraps and carry on.
- The worldbuilding can be overwhelming at times, i.e. a lot of information divulged at once that is never touched on later or seems to have little significance to the characters; or, technical-heavy descriptions that don't necessarily service the plot or characterization but felt included because "is it really sci-fi if there aren’t paragraphs of technical jargon?"
There were also few characterization details I struggled with:
- Side characters with tattoos and grills who say “I'ght” referred to as “thugs”, plus a few uses of the word “uppity”
- Citizens of an agrarian Mars colony whose dialogue is written to resemble a rural American accent (weird to lean on stereotypes when the story takes place in the future/on another planet)
- There are many ways to describe a character as androgynous (which I believe was the goal with Umbra) but felt like an odd way to go about it (very “ah yes the Two Genders™”)
Lastly, I felt like the CWs provided (violence, blood, gore, death, drug use and sexual content, discrimination, abuse, trauma) are a little too vague, since other reviewers appeared caught off guard by certain scenes, so for anyone looking for additional clarification, this story contains:
Overall, Bleeding Mars was not an unenjoyable read for what it set out to accomplish. The prose is decent, though often suffers from a repetitive approach of “every noun must have a modifier” with heavy descriptions, which felt like absorbing information from several T-shirt cannons at once. The darker aspects of the plot did well to establish the cutthroat, oftentimes hopelessness of the setting. With there being two separate but intertwining POVs/plot lines, it felt overly ambitious with everything the story wanted to cover, as if it presented more world building than it knew what to do with (which I suppose makes sense with the first book in a series; while it seems there may be future books set in this universe, it’s unclear if they will pick up with these same characters).
Even though the blurb implies Dezi takes up the focus of the narrative, I found myself more invested in Vesta’s story the more I read - . Vesta’s character growth and story resolution felt earned by the ending, whereas Dezi’s did not.
Despite this not being a genre romance, Dezi’s relationship with Umbra is a sizable portion of his plotline once they meet. I got whiplash from the “I love you/I hate you” back and forth between them because it didn’t feel like there was enough room on the page to let anything properly breathe. In one scene, There’s also the concept of I felt like there was barely any time to process an interesting world building concept before it was used to explain the hot/cold relationship between two main characters. For so much of the story to be devoted to the romantic subplot between Dezi and Umbra, it was by far the least satisfying aspect.
Other things that didn't work for me:
- Soon after Dezi meets Umbra,
- A unique challenge to writing a story with trans characters where their transness is not the main focus or drive of the story is establishing those characters’ transness on the page without it coming across as ham-fisted or preachy. Dezi’s transition process is mentioned when it makes sense to the narrative and for his character (understandable, given we are often in his POV). However there is a later conversation between Dezi and Umbra about Umbra’s transness that felt weirdly forced
- In what seems more like a victim of some of the rushed aspects of the storytelling, there were more than a handful of instances where a side character seemed to have the perfect monologue that one of the main characters needed to hear at that exact moment to pull up their emotional bootstraps and carry on.
- The worldbuilding can be overwhelming at times, i.e. a lot of information divulged at once that is never touched on later or seems to have little significance to the characters; or, technical-heavy descriptions that don't necessarily service the plot or characterization but felt included because "is it really sci-fi if there aren’t paragraphs of technical jargon?"
There were also few characterization details I struggled with:
- Side characters with tattoos and grills who say “I'ght” referred to as “thugs”, plus a few uses of the word “uppity”
- Citizens of an agrarian Mars colony whose dialogue is written to resemble a rural American accent (weird to lean on stereotypes when the story takes place in the future/on another planet)
- There are many ways to describe a character as androgynous (which I believe was the goal with Umbra) but felt like an odd way to go about it (very “ah yes the Two Genders™”)
Lastly, I felt like the CWs provided (violence, blood, gore, death, drug use and sexual content, discrimination, abuse, trauma) are a little too vague, since other reviewers appeared caught off guard by certain scenes, so for anyone looking for additional clarification, this story contains:
September 3, 2024
This was an unexpected delight - I stumbled across the authors on social media and I’m so glad I did. I was completely blown away by the quality of the writing, the world building and the complexity of the plot and characters. There were so many interesting elements and nuanced interrogations of the choices the characters make in order to survive. There is nothing one dimensional or simplistic about this story and the compelling narrative kept me turning the pages. Really looking forward to book 2!
December 11, 2024
This was so good. Like so good. I have no words. I adored this vampire book. I adored all the little details of this. Great experience.
December 4, 2024
I was drawn to this book because of its themes of class disparity and systemic oppression. And the vampires.
I’m a sucker for anything with vampires in it.
I know, that was bad. Anyways.
The worldbuilding in this book is phenomenal. This dystopian vision of Mars feels so real and grimy and dangerous, I’d love an entire TV show set in this world. The characters feel so small in the face of the excessively rich and powerful who use and discard them, and the stakes feel very genuine.
As for the characters, they feel very genuine and messy and flawed in intriguing ways. There’s no perfect heroes. Just real people making mistakes and trying to survive.
As for the plot, I did find it a bit uneven in parts. Parts moved at a breakneck speed while others moved at a more thoughtful pace. And the ending felt much less satisfying than I was expecting (though I suspect this is setting up a sequel).
Also, there were sections, especially Vesta’s POV sections, that did feel like they distracted from Dezi’s sections. Now Vesta WAS an interesting character, but since Dezi was the primary focus for so long, taking focus from him to focus on Vesta just made me eager to get back to his sections. But that’s a pretty small nitpick. And I suspect her plot line will be explored in later books. But as of now, her plot line felt quite extraneous.
Overall, I had a pretty great time with this book, and I look forward to future books by these authors.
I’m a sucker for anything with vampires in it.
I know, that was bad. Anyways.
The worldbuilding in this book is phenomenal. This dystopian vision of Mars feels so real and grimy and dangerous, I’d love an entire TV show set in this world. The characters feel so small in the face of the excessively rich and powerful who use and discard them, and the stakes feel very genuine.
As for the characters, they feel very genuine and messy and flawed in intriguing ways. There’s no perfect heroes. Just real people making mistakes and trying to survive.
As for the plot, I did find it a bit uneven in parts. Parts moved at a breakneck speed while others moved at a more thoughtful pace. And the ending felt much less satisfying than I was expecting (though I suspect this is setting up a sequel).
Also, there were sections, especially Vesta’s POV sections, that did feel like they distracted from Dezi’s sections. Now Vesta WAS an interesting character, but since Dezi was the primary focus for so long, taking focus from him to focus on Vesta just made me eager to get back to his sections. But that’s a pretty small nitpick. And I suspect her plot line will be explored in later books. But as of now, her plot line felt quite extraneous.
Overall, I had a pretty great time with this book, and I look forward to future books by these authors.
July 21, 2024
An absolute breath of fresh air for me in the vampire genre. I found myself hooked after only a couple chapters and loved Umbra's...well, everything! I hope to see a bit more backstory for Vesta and Elay in the future, but the descriptions of all the locations and settings were great and I felt like I could actually visualize where Dezi and Vesta were throughout the book. I really hope these authors keep writing more in this series, or even in general. This was a fantastic read.
Just as a sidenote: I love dark LGBTQ+ sci-fi like this, especially by indie authors. It reminds me of Hero, a book I knew very little about back in high school and has been very high on my list of favorite books for years.
Just as a sidenote: I love dark LGBTQ+ sci-fi like this, especially by indie authors. It reminds me of Hero, a book I knew very little about back in high school and has been very high on my list of favorite books for years.
July 19, 2025
Interesting premise. a dystopian sci-fi novel with capitalist vampires was an absolutely wild way to start. it was gritty and well written.
July 21, 2024
This books was a blast and it got me past a week long reading slump. There’s a diverse group of characters and you really come to care about not just the main characters but the side characters.
I really enjoyed this take on vampires - there’s a fair amount of world building going on in this book and it leaves it open about if some are more like the old school vampires many of us grew up on or if they’ve come about from science. Approaching the vampires from a sci-fi prospective is something I haven’t seen before and it was really well done here.
I’m excited to see where this continues to go, with the relationship between Umbra and Demi, what Vesta is up to and to learn more about this worlds vampires. Also if anything happens to the cat, Marble I may cry.
I really enjoyed this take on vampires - there’s a fair amount of world building going on in this book and it leaves it open about if some are more like the old school vampires many of us grew up on or if they’ve come about from science. Approaching the vampires from a sci-fi prospective is something I haven’t seen before and it was really well done here.
I’m excited to see where this continues to go, with the relationship between Umbra and Demi, what Vesta is up to and to learn more about this worlds vampires. Also if anything happens to the cat, Marble I may cry.
July 2, 2024
I have no idea how this got 4 stars. Dezi and Vesta continuously do too-stupid-to-live things, we never find out just who Umbra really is, Dezi has all the charisma and likeability of a mossy rock, and absolutely none of the characters are appealing. I kept reading thinking it would get better, as it got high reviews, but OMG it got worse!
I will say, the writing is good, and the world building is very promising. But the characters just aren't likable. With different, more likable characters, I might enjoy it
I will say, the writing is good, and the world building is very promising. But the characters just aren't likable. With different, more likable characters, I might enjoy it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2024
I got this as an arc. All I knew was gay space vampires. BOY, it did not disappoint. I loved it. This is the author debut novel. You have slow burn, forbidden love, and morally gray charaters. Also, i love that i was dystopian. It gave a new feel to vampire books. I loved the LGBTQ reps.
December 29, 2024
Great word building and story!
TW:
Misgendering, dead naming, animal death, violence, Gore, parental abandonment, (probably missed others sorry for that)
TW:
Misgendering, dead naming, animal death, violence, Gore, parental abandonment, (probably missed others sorry for that)
July 5, 2024
I’ll admit, I was disappointed with this book and had such high hopes. Vampires in space? How awesome is that? Unfortunately I felt that the actual parts with Vampires were a bit convoluted and we were kept at a remove from it all. The main vampire (and…love interest?) was honestly not all that likeable and I couldn’t establish an emotional connection with him. He also doesn’t even arrive into the story until nearly halfway through.
The book is dual POV and I personally found myself skimming straight through Vesta’s story.
Would I go back in time and still read this book, knowing what I know now?
Probably not?
See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book
CHARACTERS: I enjoyed Dezi and Vesta, although I wasn’t enamored enough with Vesta to see her as a main character, so I kept skimming her sections, especially when they broke away completely from Dezi’s story. And the vampires were… sure morally grey, and I don’t mind that, but I didn’t feel there was any chemistry between the love interests. In fact, it felt a little more abusive and toxic than anything else.
PLOT: If I’m honest, I can’t completely offer a good idea of the plot. It feels a little convoluted looking back at it. Dezi and Vesta wanted to have a new life in the city (on Mars) and end up having to run because Dezi is framed for something. But the majority of the story is a bit of a social/societal commentary that in the end I can’t completely clarify what the themes were meant to be and whether they were resolved at all.
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.
3 of 5/medium. The world is wonderfully immersive and I think it had the potential to be higher if I’d been able to establish a connection with more than just Dezi.
CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?
25%. Honestly, I didn’t really feel much of anything when I finished. It felt like there were all these loose ends left untied and there was no clearly defined end either. Where the romance is left off felt a bit eh to me too. Overall it just… is. I just couldn’t find a way into this book no matter how much I wanted to.
The book is dual POV and I personally found myself skimming straight through Vesta’s story.
Would I go back in time and still read this book, knowing what I know now?
Probably not?
See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book
CHARACTERS: I enjoyed Dezi and Vesta, although I wasn’t enamored enough with Vesta to see her as a main character, so I kept skimming her sections, especially when they broke away completely from Dezi’s story. And the vampires were… sure morally grey, and I don’t mind that, but I didn’t feel there was any chemistry between the love interests. In fact, it felt a little more abusive and toxic than anything else.
PLOT: If I’m honest, I can’t completely offer a good idea of the plot. It feels a little convoluted looking back at it. Dezi and Vesta wanted to have a new life in the city (on Mars) and end up having to run because Dezi is framed for something. But the majority of the story is a bit of a social/societal commentary that in the end I can’t completely clarify what the themes were meant to be and whether they were resolved at all.
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.
3 of 5/medium. The world is wonderfully immersive and I think it had the potential to be higher if I’d been able to establish a connection with more than just Dezi.
CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?
25%. Honestly, I didn’t really feel much of anything when I finished. It felt like there were all these loose ends left untied and there was no clearly defined end either. Where the romance is left off felt a bit eh to me too. Overall it just… is. I just couldn’t find a way into this book no matter how much I wanted to.
August 5, 2024
Like everyone else the blurb packed quite a punch. The first couple pages I was hooked, world building, Dezi as one of our MC, the supporting characters, everything was in place to make this a great book, easy five stars. However, everything by the half was mark was Dezi's and Vesta's struggles to climb their way to the 'top'.
While I don't expect two poor young adults just bounding into their new life full swing I didn't expect what we actually got. It's seemed they couldn't put on foot in front of the other without getting pushed down two flights of stairs then trudging back up with all their bruises and emotional turmoil weighing them down. It was a struggle. My goodness.
Enter Umbra, the I-don't-know-what-interest of Dezi. Their meeting was simple their journey was a tug-o-war.
Dezi - I don't want you because you want me as a blood bag. Your very nature terrifies me. Your not the person I came to know.
Umbra - Why are you surprised?
Dezi - I want you for protection. Oh! And money to help me and Vesta.
Umbra - OK but be mine.
Dezi - No, I won't be your plaything.
Umbra - OK.
Dezi - I came to apologize for my betrayal and now I realize my error, take me back I want to explore what we have. (But money again is the ulterior motive.)
Umbra - No
Dezi - Please, I beg you.
Umbra - OK but be mine.
Dezi - No. I just want to be friends. Take it or leave it.
Umbra - OK.
For goodness sake. I wouldn't call Umbra the knight and shining armor or righteous by any stretch of the imagination but I don't see how he didn't get whiplash. And then for Dezi's ultimate secret to be revealed I was like, what the hell was all of this for if THAT was the end goal. 🙄🙄
Vesta, she....sigh 🤦🏽♀️
I may read the next book out of pure curiosity than a desire to actually read it.
While I don't expect two poor young adults just bounding into their new life full swing I didn't expect what we actually got. It's seemed they couldn't put on foot in front of the other without getting pushed down two flights of stairs then trudging back up with all their bruises and emotional turmoil weighing them down. It was a struggle. My goodness.
Enter Umbra, the I-don't-know-what-interest of Dezi. Their meeting was simple their journey was a tug-o-war.
Dezi - I don't want you because you want me as a blood bag. Your very nature terrifies me. Your not the person I came to know.
Umbra - Why are you surprised?
Dezi - I want you for protection. Oh! And money to help me and Vesta.
Umbra - OK but be mine.
Dezi - No, I won't be your plaything.
Umbra - OK.
Dezi - I came to apologize for my betrayal and now I realize my error, take me back I want to explore what we have. (But money again is the ulterior motive.)
Umbra - No
Dezi - Please, I beg you.
Umbra - OK but be mine.
Dezi - No. I just want to be friends. Take it or leave it.
Umbra - OK.
For goodness sake. I wouldn't call Umbra the knight and shining armor or righteous by any stretch of the imagination but I don't see how he didn't get whiplash. And then for Dezi's ultimate secret to be revealed I was like, what the hell was all of this for if THAT was the end goal. 🙄🙄
Vesta, she....sigh 🤦🏽♀️
I may read the next book out of pure curiosity than a desire to actually read it.
May 30, 2024
This is absolutely a re-reader for me.
This story is one of those rare gems that has stayed solidly in my mind since I first read it. I was lucky enough to be a beta-reader, so it's been a couple of months, and I still remember and think about it.
The story and setting are original and vivid: a dark dystopian with colonies and cities on Mars, where the aristocracy and power-holders are all "perennials", who rely on "hemoglobin treatments" and own the very blood in the veins of their workers. Two main characters flee to the capital, and it's out of the frying pan, into the fire, going in directions I never expected but makes for a thrilling read. The setting is so complex it feels real, but I found it effortless to get into.
If you're looking for sparkly vampires who are shallow-good-or-bad clichés, then this book isn't for you. The characters in this story face gritty, realistic and sometimes deadly challenges, and have to make hard decisions. The forbidden slow-burn romantic interest is one of my favourite ever depictions of a morally grey character, constantly making me gawk in amazement, squirm with discomfort, and stop to re-think everything I thought I knew about this world and mine. Even now, I have no idea how it's going to turn out in the sequel, and I have no idea how I want it to turn out - I just know that I want to be along for the ride! Wherever Dezi goes, I will follow. And I will keep a keen eye on those other two, you can be sure!!
This book has some mature content (which the author points out) with some dark themes that are handled really well IMO. It can get confronting, and there's a smidge of gore, all tempered with fantastic character-driven humour, optimism, and perseverance. You know that meme of Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer, with the shocked/amazed/gleeful face? I had THAT exact face multiple times while reading this book.
And if that isn't enough, the prose is exquisite. The author has a knack for simple but effective description that is so smooth I didn't batt an eyelid at the futuristic tech. Right now I'm enjoying the novella, and even though there's more to come, this first installment was a very satisfying ending for me and I look forwards to re-reading.
This story is one of those rare gems that has stayed solidly in my mind since I first read it. I was lucky enough to be a beta-reader, so it's been a couple of months, and I still remember and think about it.
The story and setting are original and vivid: a dark dystopian with colonies and cities on Mars, where the aristocracy and power-holders are all "perennials", who rely on "hemoglobin treatments" and own the very blood in the veins of their workers. Two main characters flee to the capital, and it's out of the frying pan, into the fire, going in directions I never expected but makes for a thrilling read. The setting is so complex it feels real, but I found it effortless to get into.
If you're looking for sparkly vampires who are shallow-good-or-bad clichés, then this book isn't for you. The characters in this story face gritty, realistic and sometimes deadly challenges, and have to make hard decisions. The forbidden slow-burn romantic interest is one of my favourite ever depictions of a morally grey character, constantly making me gawk in amazement, squirm with discomfort, and stop to re-think everything I thought I knew about this world and mine. Even now, I have no idea how it's going to turn out in the sequel, and I have no idea how I want it to turn out - I just know that I want to be along for the ride! Wherever Dezi goes, I will follow. And I will keep a keen eye on those other two, you can be sure!!
This book has some mature content (which the author points out) with some dark themes that are handled really well IMO. It can get confronting, and there's a smidge of gore, all tempered with fantastic character-driven humour, optimism, and perseverance. You know that meme of Chris Pratt as Andy Dwyer, with the shocked/amazed/gleeful face? I had THAT exact face multiple times while reading this book.
And if that isn't enough, the prose is exquisite. The author has a knack for simple but effective description that is so smooth I didn't batt an eyelid at the futuristic tech. Right now I'm enjoying the novella, and even though there's more to come, this first installment was a very satisfying ending for me and I look forwards to re-reading.
August 22, 2025
CW/TW:
I saw the two authors of this book dressed as Dezi and Umbra on Reddit and I loved how cool they looked! We all know that I love anything with vampires, so when I saw that this was VAMPIRES in SPACE?! Sign me up!
However, I think there’s a disconnect between what the book is (not a genre romance) versus the blurb and marketing implying it as such. As a result, I feel conflicted with how I should rate this given that I went into it expecting something different than what we got. There is a romantic subplot in a sense, but it’s more semi-romantic. Despite taking up pretty much all of Dezi’s plot, the payoff for this romance fell flat for me — though I’m not sure if it’s because the authors are expecting to write a sequel or not. There is a piece of worldbuilding related to the romance that was introduced near the end of the book that kind of threw me for a loop - while a cool concept, it didn’t feel satisfying as a reader since it was never really touched on throughout the story prior.
There is also a second POV character, Vesta, who I loved a lot. She isn’t mentioned in the book blurb, but part of me wishes she was the main character. Her development felt more interesting, whereas I felt kind of “meh” about Dezi. I adored Umbra though, he was so charming even in all his moral gray-ness! Dezi and Umbra are also both trans, which I was very happy about!
The worldbuilding was fantastic! I loved the advertisements Dezi kept encountering throughout his time in the city, they were so immersive. I wish there was a bit more development of the world, but I get that there wasn’t much time to do that with everything going on.
I will definitely check out the next book if/when there is one, but I’ll go into it expecting a darker experience than I thought I would find in this one.
I saw the two authors of this book dressed as Dezi and Umbra on Reddit and I loved how cool they looked! We all know that I love anything with vampires, so when I saw that this was VAMPIRES in SPACE?! Sign me up!
However, I think there’s a disconnect between what the book is (not a genre romance) versus the blurb and marketing implying it as such. As a result, I feel conflicted with how I should rate this given that I went into it expecting something different than what we got. There is a romantic subplot in a sense, but it’s more semi-romantic. Despite taking up pretty much all of Dezi’s plot, the payoff for this romance fell flat for me — though I’m not sure if it’s because the authors are expecting to write a sequel or not. There is a piece of worldbuilding related to the romance that was introduced near the end of the book that kind of threw me for a loop - while a cool concept, it didn’t feel satisfying as a reader since it was never really touched on throughout the story prior.
There is also a second POV character, Vesta, who I loved a lot. She isn’t mentioned in the book blurb, but part of me wishes she was the main character. Her development felt more interesting, whereas I felt kind of “meh” about Dezi. I adored Umbra though, he was so charming even in all his moral gray-ness! Dezi and Umbra are also both trans, which I was very happy about!
The worldbuilding was fantastic! I loved the advertisements Dezi kept encountering throughout his time in the city, they were so immersive. I wish there was a bit more development of the world, but I get that there wasn’t much time to do that with everything going on.
I will definitely check out the next book if/when there is one, but I’ll go into it expecting a darker experience than I thought I would find in this one.
August 15, 2024
Dark. Dazzling. Deep.
Bleeding Mars is the sort of book classic sci-fi dreams are made of. Between its covers lies an entire sea of dark depth. It’s the kind of science fiction that holds a mirror to humanity, showing us our own broken systems through a fantastical lens set on Mars. This book is an extraordinary—sometimes harrowing, sometimes beautiful and glittering, but always deeply feeling—critique on capitalism. From the very start, our two POV characters, Dezi and Vesta, know struggle. They’re crushed, blamed, chewed up, and spit out again by an unforgiving system of impossible ladder-climbing and opportunistic people looking out for their own fortunes. “Chryse kills its heroes,” is a line that comes up eventually in the book, and it’s no lie.
And then there are the vampires. In this future, dark dystopia, the wealthy elites who have ‘made it’ are all immortal (so-called perennials) and use the have-nots for the very blood in their veins, stealing, taking, and demanding of them until they’re left often ill—or sometimes worse. The story is lush and the writing gorgeous, with plentiful intrigue, plot twists, and even a dangerous romance between an enigmatic immortal VIP and the human who’s been hired to entertain and serve him. Dezi is an especially lovely character who stays strong and holds tight to the last thread of morality when everything around him is falling apart.
There’s also wonderful trans rep in this book, which was absolutely delightful and refreshing to see, and one half of this author duet is trans. Bleeding Mars goes far beyond simple surface writing and unfolds itself like a poisonous, nocturnal flower—full of beauty and danger alike. Pick this one up if you like your stories with deep themes and a perfectly on point anti-capitalism message that shines a spotlight on the real issues we have back here on Earth.
I can’t wait for book two in the series! (PS: there’s a companion short-story that’s set in the same universe as Bleeding Mars that you should check out too!)
Bleeding Mars is the sort of book classic sci-fi dreams are made of. Between its covers lies an entire sea of dark depth. It’s the kind of science fiction that holds a mirror to humanity, showing us our own broken systems through a fantastical lens set on Mars. This book is an extraordinary—sometimes harrowing, sometimes beautiful and glittering, but always deeply feeling—critique on capitalism. From the very start, our two POV characters, Dezi and Vesta, know struggle. They’re crushed, blamed, chewed up, and spit out again by an unforgiving system of impossible ladder-climbing and opportunistic people looking out for their own fortunes. “Chryse kills its heroes,” is a line that comes up eventually in the book, and it’s no lie.
And then there are the vampires. In this future, dark dystopia, the wealthy elites who have ‘made it’ are all immortal (so-called perennials) and use the have-nots for the very blood in their veins, stealing, taking, and demanding of them until they’re left often ill—or sometimes worse. The story is lush and the writing gorgeous, with plentiful intrigue, plot twists, and even a dangerous romance between an enigmatic immortal VIP and the human who’s been hired to entertain and serve him. Dezi is an especially lovely character who stays strong and holds tight to the last thread of morality when everything around him is falling apart.
There’s also wonderful trans rep in this book, which was absolutely delightful and refreshing to see, and one half of this author duet is trans. Bleeding Mars goes far beyond simple surface writing and unfolds itself like a poisonous, nocturnal flower—full of beauty and danger alike. Pick this one up if you like your stories with deep themes and a perfectly on point anti-capitalism message that shines a spotlight on the real issues we have back here on Earth.
I can’t wait for book two in the series! (PS: there’s a companion short-story that’s set in the same universe as Bleeding Mars that you should check out too!)
June 22, 2024
This book was such a special find for me. As a gay man, I'm always looking for books that have authentic gay relationships with a compelling story and this was it! It reminds me of the Netflix series "Sandman" where the world building and story took precedent first and all the characters in the world are just coincidentally queer. I appreciate Dezi's character growth, because it is not just another coming out plot for someone who is trans. In a world where technology is so advanced that you can easily transition to any sex, Dezi still struggles with defining his own masculinity. His journey was very similar to my life and it just felt so cathartic to see someone written who has a lot of complex feelings on how the world views them and how they view themselves.
The romance between Dezi and Umbra was great! I always like to read books with a romantic subplot and this one in particular really shined. It really felt like a good slow burn. The longing and angst between these two characters made the moment where they finally gave in feel explosive. Heads up though, there is no explicit sex scenes in the book but it is still pretty steamy with kissing and biting. I was worried after reading another review that this book would be lacking in the romantic department, but I can honestly say that those worries are unfounded. Dezi meets his romantic love interest at the 20 percent mark, and the slow building of their relationship and how these characters navigate their forbidden romance is just such a wild ride.
The romance between Dezi and Umbra was great! I always like to read books with a romantic subplot and this one in particular really shined. It really felt like a good slow burn. The longing and angst between these two characters made the moment where they finally gave in feel explosive. Heads up though, there is no explicit sex scenes in the book but it is still pretty steamy with kissing and biting. I was worried after reading another review that this book would be lacking in the romantic department, but I can honestly say that those worries are unfounded. Dezi meets his romantic love interest at the 20 percent mark, and the slow building of their relationship and how these characters navigate their forbidden romance is just such a wild ride.
January 2, 2025
Honestly, I was really frustrated by this book. It was marketed as a romance but it’s far closer to horror. The plot does in some ways revolve around the sexual tension and mutual obsession of the main character and his “love interest” but it’s hardly romantic. Even in the dark romances I’ve read (which I admit is not my favorite genre) there is some level of compelling romance and chemistry in the relationship, but this kind of just felt like a lot of hate fucking except there’s no fucking. The book was also marketed as having “morally grey” characters which is a trope I can sometimes get behind given life is complex and people have to make hard choices but by the end of the novel the main characters have essentially abandoned their values entirely and sided with the forces that destroy lives en masse?????
Everything in the marketing is only there if you really squint and are willing to have extremely flexible definitions and expectations.
This would have been way better off being marketed as satirical horror with a toxic fwbs through-line.
As someone who generally avoids horror and who was actually interested in reading the romance novel they marketed I was extremely disappointed and nearly dnf’d multiple times.
If horror with an anticapitalist(ish??) message and toxic sexual tension floats your boat this might be for you!! The writing certainly wasn’t bad.
But it is absolutely not the book that the author advertised.
Everything in the marketing is only there if you really squint and are willing to have extremely flexible definitions and expectations.
This would have been way better off being marketed as satirical horror with a toxic fwbs through-line.
As someone who generally avoids horror and who was actually interested in reading the romance novel they marketed I was extremely disappointed and nearly dnf’d multiple times.
If horror with an anticapitalist(ish??) message and toxic sexual tension floats your boat this might be for you!! The writing certainly wasn’t bad.
But it is absolutely not the book that the author advertised.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2024
I recieved a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Dezi is a trans man living on vampire-controlled Mars in the distant future. After risking his life to save the company he works for, he ends up a wanted man, running from the law. Soon he meets Umbra, a vampire who quickly becomes obsessed with him and Dezi is forced to reevaluate his life choices/make sacrifices in order to survive. I loved this multiple POV sci-fi epic. The vampire mythology is just unique enough to keep you hooked while sticking close enough to the traditional western European/American vampire ideas to avoid confusion. Bleeding Mars has it all, complex, characters, LGBTQIQ+ rep, humor, dark romance, and space vampires (which is not a phrase I get to use often enough). 10/10 recommend.
July 6, 2024
I thought this was a fun read. I'm always a sucker for good world building and this book was incredibly immersive for me. The characters themselves felt very real and I enjoyed getting inside their heads. If you like a book that is very thought provoking with it's themes and world building than I think you will love this book.
October 21, 2024
The premise was so good - gay trans vampires in space. Unfortunately the book was difficult to follow, lots of bad decision making by MMCs, not enough romance, graphic gore, and a violent animal killing in the middle of a romance scene.
March 10, 2025
Absolutely amazing. From the moment you start reading to the moment you're finished, it is impossible to put down. Filled to the brim with raw emotion and the need to live another day, it is one of the best books I've ever read.
September 3, 2025
Bleeding Mars could have been a refreshingly new take on vampires, exploring how immortality and bloodlust could shape morality and politics in a dystopia future I loved all the set dressing, it was appropriately bleak while maintaining a sense of awe. Dezi and Umbras relationship was hitting all the right notes, a tantalizing mixture of danger and defiance.
And then idk what happened. We get introduced to so much lore and new concepts that never lead anywhere. Characters constantly made decisions that seemed self sabotaging or just an odds with their previously established views. The hot and cold routine never stopped, and didn’t even lead anywhere despite all the sexual tension. The way Umbras clearly fluid / non binary identity was handled also felt icky and really threw me off.
And then idk what happened. We get introduced to so much lore and new concepts that never lead anywhere. Characters constantly made decisions that seemed self sabotaging or just an odds with their previously established views. The hot and cold routine never stopped, and didn’t even lead anywhere despite all the sexual tension. The way Umbras clearly fluid / non binary identity was handled also felt icky and really threw me off.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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