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Stake around and find out
All that’s standing between Ava and her undying dream of vampirism, is finding a vampire.
Not a specific one, mind. Any of them would do, really. After years of fruitless searching, Ava isn’t all that choosey. Which is why she decided to join the vampire hunters. They’re the expert finders, after all. Up to a point. A very well-sanded and sharp point.
Only now Ava finds that while she does finally have a foot in the proverbial vampire door, it’s only because of the hunters ransacking their homes. Which is the sort of first impression that would surely get her bitten, only without the fun extension pack.
And then there’s Ava’s unfortunate mentor, a hunter so deadly they named her thrice. Helsing. The Unturnable. The Storm before the Calm. Opposite to Ava in every which way. Well, aside from the bit about being human. But Ava will fix that.
She'll die, or die trying.
Not a specific one, mind. Any of them would do, really. After years of fruitless searching, Ava isn’t all that choosey. Which is why she decided to join the vampire hunters. They’re the expert finders, after all. Up to a point. A very well-sanded and sharp point.
Only now Ava finds that while she does finally have a foot in the proverbial vampire door, it’s only because of the hunters ransacking their homes. Which is the sort of first impression that would surely get her bitten, only without the fun extension pack.
And then there’s Ava’s unfortunate mentor, a hunter so deadly they named her thrice. Helsing. The Unturnable. The Storm before the Calm. Opposite to Ava in every which way. Well, aside from the bit about being human. But Ava will fix that.
She'll die, or die trying.
411 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 3, 2024
3 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 10, 2024
EV Belknap does it again! Fun characters, interesting twists, satire, word play. If you’re looking for cozier urban fantasy, if you’re looking for something to fill the hole Terry Pratchett left behind, if you’re looking for an author who treats their very flawed characters with loving exasperation and makes sure you know who the real villains are, then pick up this book.
September 2, 2024
This was so much fun! There was a certain plot twist that i somewhat predicted but that's in my opinion a plus cause suspecting something and ending up being right is great lmao. I loved Ava, i LIVE for Dirk and I need more of their friendship like STAT. Also Lex. Give me more of all of their shenanigans.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2024
A 4-star review from me means: You can't miss this book!
This is a story brimming with gems, starting with a highly individualistic voice filled with quirky humour, insightful observations that are pure zingers and a lovely heart.
Samples of said gems, taken out of context and yet imagine what those paras and pages read like!
💎"Illuminated by the phantom light of those paranoid fires" 🔥
💎"Touch screens (that) refused to believe in vampires"
💎The repartee between Ava and Helsing is fun!
💎"She knew this in the flawed way of the presumptuous"
💎"The comparable table manners of dogs and teens" 😁
💎"You'd be amazed at the things companies throw away... monitors... People" 🤣 The burn!
💎The encounter with the bin surfing vampire was fun and funny. The insights into human behaviour peppering the chapter were superb.
💎I love the dynamic between Conrad and adorable Lex. Funny and heartwarming. I love love love this daily family life take on vampires. I might just write an ode to Lex. I enjoyed her so much and the fun commentary through her. I had fun every time she made an appearance. It's lovely the way she manages her dad and eases the way for him.
💎Hahaha! Those party rules!
💎What a beautiful commentary on invisible disabilities.
💎Mood! That bit about phone calls being difficult without visual social cues! Texting is so much easier, especially with those outside the immediate circle.
💎Lex strikes again! Her funda on truths in books 💖
That scene in her room. If only we could remain in there with her kindness, quirkiness, honest questions and easy acceptance of people and their perspectives.
💎Love Dirk for his obtuse obliviousness, deliberate or not. 😆
💎It resonated, that centre of the universe thought, spinning around their own little truths
💎Hold on to your seats because the end is one hell of a ride: funny with feels + with a twist I didn't see coming!
💎Adored the pictures at the end by the author's daughter! 🥰
Apologies for the late review.
This is a story brimming with gems, starting with a highly individualistic voice filled with quirky humour, insightful observations that are pure zingers and a lovely heart.
Samples of said gems, taken out of context and yet imagine what those paras and pages read like!
💎"Illuminated by the phantom light of those paranoid fires" 🔥
💎"Touch screens (that) refused to believe in vampires"
💎The repartee between Ava and Helsing is fun!
💎"She knew this in the flawed way of the presumptuous"
💎"The comparable table manners of dogs and teens" 😁
💎"You'd be amazed at the things companies throw away... monitors... People" 🤣 The burn!
💎The encounter with the bin surfing vampire was fun and funny. The insights into human behaviour peppering the chapter were superb.
💎I love the dynamic between Conrad and adorable Lex. Funny and heartwarming. I love love love this daily family life take on vampires. I might just write an ode to Lex. I enjoyed her so much and the fun commentary through her. I had fun every time she made an appearance. It's lovely the way she manages her dad and eases the way for him.
💎Hahaha! Those party rules!
💎What a beautiful commentary on invisible disabilities.
💎Mood! That bit about phone calls being difficult without visual social cues! Texting is so much easier, especially with those outside the immediate circle.
💎Lex strikes again! Her funda on truths in books 💖
That scene in her room. If only we could remain in there with her kindness, quirkiness, honest questions and easy acceptance of people and their perspectives.
💎Love Dirk for his obtuse obliviousness, deliberate or not. 😆
💎It resonated, that centre of the universe thought, spinning around their own little truths
💎Hold on to your seats because the end is one hell of a ride: funny with feels + with a twist I didn't see coming!
💎Adored the pictures at the end by the author's daughter! 🥰
Apologies for the late review.
August 5, 2024
E.V. Belknap’s previous book, The Tenfold Tenants, is one of my favorites I’ve read this year (and I wish everyone would read it, so I can gush about it with them), and her upcoming Stake Around and Find Out is just as charming, Our Heroine, Ava, wants nothing more than to be turned into a vampire -– so she joins a cult of vampire hunters at her local church, hoping to meet people. What follows is an adventure filled with heart, humor, and found family.
The author’s writing style reminds me of Becky Chambers – yes, it’s a story about vampires, but more than that, it’s a story about people. Not so much a cozy fantasy as… a comfortable one? I felt like I knew Ava: earnest, uncomfortable in social situations, with “open book syndrome,” who finds that she cares about people a lot more than she wants to.
The story is often funny: we have a ragtag crew of vampire hunters, a young girl trying to help her vampire dad make friends, and some chucklesome banter. But there’s also a theme running throughout the story that we’re all a little breakable and we all need people and that’s okay.
I loved this book so much. I wanted to hug the stuffing out of it. I’ll cheerfully read anything E.V. Belknap writes.
My sincerest thanks to the author for a copy of the ARC
The author’s writing style reminds me of Becky Chambers – yes, it’s a story about vampires, but more than that, it’s a story about people. Not so much a cozy fantasy as… a comfortable one? I felt like I knew Ava: earnest, uncomfortable in social situations, with “open book syndrome,” who finds that she cares about people a lot more than she wants to.
The story is often funny: we have a ragtag crew of vampire hunters, a young girl trying to help her vampire dad make friends, and some chucklesome banter. But there’s also a theme running throughout the story that we’re all a little breakable and we all need people and that’s okay.
I loved this book so much. I wanted to hug the stuffing out of it. I’ll cheerfully read anything E.V. Belknap writes.
My sincerest thanks to the author for a copy of the ARC
August 28, 2024
E. V. Belknap is becoming one of my favorite new authors. Her writing is so charming and fun that you can't help but be pulled into the book. The ten fold Tenants was such a refreshing read that I wish more people in my circle had read it so we or gush about it together.
Now with Stake Around and Find Out we have Ava who wants to be a vampire. So what does she do? She joins a vampire hunter group because she can't find a vampire to turn her.
Ava is a very relatable character. I have the same issue with my body language giving away how I feel too. Very big problem for someone who works with the public. Ava is an anxious woman not great in social interactions.
The banter between characters as before is fun and realistic. These characters I expect to see walking around my home town. I love that this is not a typical vampire story. And of course it has my favorite book trope: found family.
Have to thank the author for providing an ARC for the book. This is a comfortable fun read perfect for the autumn season
Now with Stake Around and Find Out we have Ava who wants to be a vampire. So what does she do? She joins a vampire hunter group because she can't find a vampire to turn her.
Ava is a very relatable character. I have the same issue with my body language giving away how I feel too. Very big problem for someone who works with the public. Ava is an anxious woman not great in social interactions.
The banter between characters as before is fun and realistic. These characters I expect to see walking around my home town. I love that this is not a typical vampire story. And of course it has my favorite book trope: found family.
Have to thank the author for providing an ARC for the book. This is a comfortable fun read perfect for the autumn season
August 19, 2024
A Hilarious twist on a Vampire story. filled to the brim with a cast of crazy characters, tons of found family, a dramatic flair for the chaos of it all, and a subversion of all the classic vampire cliché. a comedic affair filled with interpersonal struggles between the characters that really had me wanting to shake some of them! not to mention the stunning twist at the end that shocked me to my very core! a well written, fast paced, cozy adjacent with some pretty high stakes (pun intended) that ends with the happily ever after that everyone deserves! (and the less than happy ending for those that deserve that!) all around, this isn't your standard Dracula (though he might make an appearance). Its a very fun read, and is a fantastic time all around!
January 17, 2025
I absolutely loved this book. It's exactly my level of cult references and quirky humour, reads very smoothly and the story remained captivating throughout the end. Sadly, the version I received from Kobo appears to be a less-than-final version, which had a few spelling mistakes and part of the story that repeated itself in two chapters. But you know what? That didn't detract from the book being awesome! After having loved The Tenfold Tenants and now Stake Around And Find Out, I'm curious to see what E.V. Belknap comes up with next.kob
September 6, 2024
Gosh I loved this book. It was at surface level witty and funny but it was so much deeper.
“Ava had taken that loneliness with her, and confused it with being free.”
I was crying (in the best way). E.V. did such a good job of bringing these character together and giving you such a strong sense of hope.
“Ava had taken that loneliness with her, and confused it with being free.”
I was crying (in the best way). E.V. did such a good job of bringing these character together and giving you such a strong sense of hope.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2024
This is the story about a girl who wants to be a vampire, but it's also so much more. The character relationships and found family in this story are beautiful to watch develop as everyone is just trying to find their place in the world. Also love seeing asexual representation in books.
February 2, 2025
Freaking Adorable
I didn't expect this to be as funny as it was, or as heartwarming. It was such a fun read and I highly recommend it as a palate cleanser while the world is on fire.
I didn't expect this to be as funny as it was, or as heartwarming. It was such a fun read and I highly recommend it as a palate cleanser while the world is on fire.
October 20, 2024
An absolutely delightful read!
August 3, 2024
Between this book and last year's The Tenfold Tenants, I'll read anything EV Belknap puts out from now on. Stake Around and Find Out has Belknap's signature swirl of wry humor, supernatural lore, found family, and an unforgettable character ensemble.
September 4, 2024
I had so much fun reading Stake around and find out, it got me hooked from page one to the very end.
The main character Ava was so retable and likeable, you just wanted to root for her.
What I also really liked is the mix of characters that wouldn't usually work together but were a fun band of misfits.
The humor in the book is top notch without being too much on the nose.
Packed with fun references and things I also obsess over as a vampire lover.
The vampires themselves were fleshed out amazingly, and I could really see it come to life (or death?).
I loved how diverse they were and not cookie cutter Dracula.
There were so many layers (like an onion yes) to this book that I wouldn't have expected but ended up loving.
Me liking a kid in a book is unheard of, so thank you!
Prepare to have fun whitty remarks, vampire based references and a lot of laughing!
The main character Ava was so retable and likeable, you just wanted to root for her.
What I also really liked is the mix of characters that wouldn't usually work together but were a fun band of misfits.
The humor in the book is top notch without being too much on the nose.
Packed with fun references and things I also obsess over as a vampire lover.
The vampires themselves were fleshed out amazingly, and I could really see it come to life (or death?).
I loved how diverse they were and not cookie cutter Dracula.
There were so many layers (like an onion yes) to this book that I wouldn't have expected but ended up loving.
Me liking a kid in a book is unheard of, so thank you!
Prepare to have fun whitty remarks, vampire based references and a lot of laughing!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews