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Hemo Sapiens
These women are out for blood.
“Filmic, funny and genuinely terrifying, Hemo Sapiens is part detective story, part vampire myth and an all-biting (pun intended) exploration of the horrors of pregnancy, and the power of sisterhood.” — Paola Ferrante, author of Her Body Among Animals
Detective Luke Stockton is preparing for his first child with his wife, Beatrice, but balancing work and home is a challenge as she is behaving with increasing strangeness. Beatrice begins to frequent a medspa offering mysterious prenatal checkups, leech treatments, and vampire facials. And, against his will, Luke finds himself irresistibly drawn to the spa’s sophisticated owner, Cleo, who has a deadly secret to keep.
The pressure builds for Luke as he investigates a series of murders involving exsanguinated runaway boys. Trailing a perplexing killer, and bent on protecting his wife and their child, Luke is thrust into a shadowy, erotic world of wealth, subterfuge, and danger. And the closer he gets to the truth, the more danger he courts for himself and his family.
Hemo Sapiens is an audacious and bloodthirsty fairy tale, pitting one man against a community beyond good and evil, in a modern tale of intrigue and female sexuality.
“Filmic, funny and genuinely terrifying, Hemo Sapiens is part detective story, part vampire myth and an all-biting (pun intended) exploration of the horrors of pregnancy, and the power of sisterhood.” — Paola Ferrante, author of Her Body Among Animals
Detective Luke Stockton is preparing for his first child with his wife, Beatrice, but balancing work and home is a challenge as she is behaving with increasing strangeness. Beatrice begins to frequent a medspa offering mysterious prenatal checkups, leech treatments, and vampire facials. And, against his will, Luke finds himself irresistibly drawn to the spa’s sophisticated owner, Cleo, who has a deadly secret to keep.
The pressure builds for Luke as he investigates a series of murders involving exsanguinated runaway boys. Trailing a perplexing killer, and bent on protecting his wife and their child, Luke is thrust into a shadowy, erotic world of wealth, subterfuge, and danger. And the closer he gets to the truth, the more danger he courts for himself and his family.
Hemo Sapiens is an audacious and bloodthirsty fairy tale, pitting one man against a community beyond good and evil, in a modern tale of intrigue and female sexuality.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2025
6 people are currently reading
3968 people want to read
About the author
Emily A. Weedon
2 books33 followersEmily is author of Hemo Sapiens, a wicked, urban and sophisticated twist on the vampire myth and Autokrator, a spec fiction novel that centres female rage and ingenuity against the backdrop of repression and power.
Forthcoming Emily will have a short story in an anthology about monsters with Dundurn Press and is Co-Editing "Whatever" a short story collection of works by Canadian GenX authors, along with Ali Bryan.
Emily was raised in Coe Hill, Ontario. She worked as a professional in the film industry for over 30 years, including as an Art Director on Murdoch Mysteries, Baroness Von Sketch, and in various roles on The Bride of Chucky. Emily hosts Drunk Fiction, a monthly fiction reading series in Toronto. She is a screenwriter with credits on Red Ketchup, the animated series, and Chateau Laurier the Web Series, for which she won a Canadian Screen Award. She lives in Toronto.
Forthcoming Emily will have a short story in an anthology about monsters with Dundurn Press and is Co-Editing "Whatever" a short story collection of works by Canadian GenX authors, along with Ali Bryan.
Emily was raised in Coe Hill, Ontario. She worked as a professional in the film industry for over 30 years, including as an Art Director on Murdoch Mysteries, Baroness Von Sketch, and in various roles on The Bride of Chucky. Emily hosts Drunk Fiction, a monthly fiction reading series in Toronto. She is a screenwriter with credits on Red Ketchup, the animated series, and Chateau Laurier the Web Series, for which she won a Canadian Screen Award. She lives in Toronto.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 25, 2025
DNF @ 48%
Hemo Sapiens has an interesting premise, but is undercut by the primary point of view narrator of the novel. The novel follows a detective whose wife is pregnant while he’s investigating murders involving exsanguination.
The detective’s chapters read like he’s stepped out of a noir novel. The chapters are often too long filled with an excruciating amount of detail regarding the murders and his own inner monologue. He’s supposed to be a “good guy” despite his flaws, but he’s unable to attempt to understand what his wife is going through. He reads like a typical guy in the worse ways. While I understand that his chapters are necessary and a driving force of the themes of the novel (feminism, patriarchy, etc.), they detracted from my enjoyment.
Hemo Sapiens would be a much more enjoyable novel if the detective’s chapters were replaced with the archeologist or literally anyone else.
While the novel’s themes are compelling, the execution through the detective’s perspective ultimately weighs it down. With a shift in focus to more dynamic or emotionally resonant characters like the archaeologist, Hemo Sapiens could have delivered a far more engaging and balanced narrative.
*** I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hemo Sapiens has an interesting premise, but is undercut by the primary point of view narrator of the novel. The novel follows a detective whose wife is pregnant while he’s investigating murders involving exsanguination.
The detective’s chapters read like he’s stepped out of a noir novel. The chapters are often too long filled with an excruciating amount of detail regarding the murders and his own inner monologue. He’s supposed to be a “good guy” despite his flaws, but he’s unable to attempt to understand what his wife is going through. He reads like a typical guy in the worse ways. While I understand that his chapters are necessary and a driving force of the themes of the novel (feminism, patriarchy, etc.), they detracted from my enjoyment.
Hemo Sapiens would be a much more enjoyable novel if the detective’s chapters were replaced with the archeologist or literally anyone else.
While the novel’s themes are compelling, the execution through the detective’s perspective ultimately weighs it down. With a shift in focus to more dynamic or emotionally resonant characters like the archaeologist, Hemo Sapiens could have delivered a far more engaging and balanced narrative.
*** I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2025
"But she was acting entirely on old instinct. The instinct of a hunter."
ˋ° *⁀➷ Rating: 3.5/5 ✰
As a huge fan of vampires and morally gray feminist women, this was definitely right up my alley. I wish I had realized a bit sooner that this is meant to feel like more of a detective novel instead of a vampire novel though, since it would've helped me manage expectations a bit. I think if this was written mostly from the POV of Heloise or Beatrice or Lauren or whatever instead of Luke I would've liked this so much more. He was just sooo insufferable, and I can recognize that as being a part of the point, but I already struggle reading about normal men who don't have obnoxious personality flaws so even though it was a good book this was still a bit of a rough one for me.
Everything happening in the background was amazing: these femme fatale-type vampires have incredibly long lives and such rich cultural and physiological lore, and they've been blending in with and hunting humans for millennia. The fact that their hunting is connected to pregnancy was also super fascinating - I mean come on, vampire women with brutal blood cravings that are also physically necessary for the babies and their superhuman growth? That's so insanely cool. I would have loved more of the chapters to be focused on those details since they were my favorite by far. Unfortunately, the story was mostly about Luke.
Luke is an old fashioned detective who is trying to unravel the mystery of the messy murder case he's working on and it's possible weird connection to a local med spa. In this, he's meant to exemplify the idea of all the men (and humans in general) being bumbling idiots with lesser reasoning skills and how they're hopelessly fighting against the hemo sapiens with their superior intellect and insane physical prowess. I understand his purpose, but still. Making fun of his pregnant wife and all her legitimate concerns and questions about the future baby was painful to read. I just did not care to read about all the mundane details of his life and his self-inflicted relationship issues.
Closing thoughts:
Even though I have some complaints about the pacing and main character, it was still a decently enjoyable read. Would recommend for fans of detective novels with background feminist themes. In general it had some really fascinating ideas around pregnancy and what defines humanity that I think a lot of people would find pretty interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and not sponsored in any way
ˋ° *⁀➷ Rating: 3.5/5 ✰
As a huge fan of vampires and morally gray feminist women, this was definitely right up my alley. I wish I had realized a bit sooner that this is meant to feel like more of a detective novel instead of a vampire novel though, since it would've helped me manage expectations a bit. I think if this was written mostly from the POV of Heloise or Beatrice or Lauren or whatever instead of Luke I would've liked this so much more. He was just sooo insufferable, and I can recognize that as being a part of the point, but I already struggle reading about normal men who don't have obnoxious personality flaws so even though it was a good book this was still a bit of a rough one for me.
Everything happening in the background was amazing: these femme fatale-type vampires have incredibly long lives and such rich cultural and physiological lore, and they've been blending in with and hunting humans for millennia. The fact that their hunting is connected to pregnancy was also super fascinating - I mean come on, vampire women with brutal blood cravings that are also physically necessary for the babies and their superhuman growth? That's so insanely cool. I would have loved more of the chapters to be focused on those details since they were my favorite by far. Unfortunately, the story was mostly about Luke.
Luke is an old fashioned detective who is trying to unravel the mystery of the messy murder case he's working on and it's possible weird connection to a local med spa. In this, he's meant to exemplify the idea of all the men (and humans in general) being bumbling idiots with lesser reasoning skills and how they're hopelessly fighting against the hemo sapiens with their superior intellect and insane physical prowess. I understand his purpose, but still. Making fun of his pregnant wife and all her legitimate concerns and questions about the future baby was painful to read. I just did not care to read about all the mundane details of his life and his self-inflicted relationship issues.
Closing thoughts:
Even though I have some complaints about the pacing and main character, it was still a decently enjoyable read. Would recommend for fans of detective novels with background feminist themes. In general it had some really fascinating ideas around pregnancy and what defines humanity that I think a lot of people would find pretty interesting.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and not sponsored in any way
October 16, 2025
Hemo Sapiens is a feral, blood-soaked feminist redux of the classic vampire with a neo-noir bent. Multiple perspectives merge to form an overarching narrative, though we mainly follow Detective Luke Stockton as he balances the arrival of his first child with his grisly career. In his personal life, he feels his wife pulling away from him, indulging in luxurious yet mysterious medspa services administered by the seductive and nebulous Cleo. At work, a trail of exsanguinations break out, all young runaway boys. Pulled in two different directions, he must navigate the mysteries that have unraveled before him.
Emily A. Weedon writes with sensual, evocative prose. However, there was a lot of clocking—he clocked this, she clocked that. The idiosyncrasy was mentioned enough times to be a touch off-putting, but if you are able to ignore it, the narrative itself is quite innovative, with a blur of genres that make a wholly unique novel: part anthropological study, part mystery/crime fiction, and part erotic horror. Pairing the modern vampire with the nostalgia of noir was a fantastic, inventive choice. The narrative explores an array of themes: women’s autonomy, primordial hunger and desire, and the subversion of motherhood wherein pregnancy is portrayed not as a vulnerability, but as a form of power. These components together make for a fascinating read.
Overall, Hemo Sapiens is ravishing—a terrific novel recommended to those who seek a fresh, modern take on the vampire, all encompassed by a delectable mystery.
Emily A. Weedon writes with sensual, evocative prose. However, there was a lot of clocking—he clocked this, she clocked that. The idiosyncrasy was mentioned enough times to be a touch off-putting, but if you are able to ignore it, the narrative itself is quite innovative, with a blur of genres that make a wholly unique novel: part anthropological study, part mystery/crime fiction, and part erotic horror. Pairing the modern vampire with the nostalgia of noir was a fantastic, inventive choice. The narrative explores an array of themes: women’s autonomy, primordial hunger and desire, and the subversion of motherhood wherein pregnancy is portrayed not as a vulnerability, but as a form of power. These components together make for a fascinating read.
Overall, Hemo Sapiens is ravishing—a terrific novel recommended to those who seek a fresh, modern take on the vampire, all encompassed by a delectable mystery.
September 25, 2025
received as a NetGalley arc exchange for an honest review
Hemo Sapiens does describe the need some feel to heed their biological clocks, however, it is also a vampiric neo-noir thriller with believable characters and a fantastic take on hominid evolution. Although set in today's world, the maritally-challenged detective who finds himself overwhelmed by a dark underworld felt like a 90s mystery in the coziest way.
Hemo Sapiens does describe the need some feel to heed their biological clocks, however, it is also a vampiric neo-noir thriller with believable characters and a fantastic take on hominid evolution. Although set in today's world, the maritally-challenged detective who finds himself overwhelmed by a dark underworld felt like a 90s mystery in the coziest way.
May 26, 2025
Book Review: Hemo Sapiens by Emily A. Weedon
Hemo Sapiens is a bold, genre-blurring novel that merges detective noir with feminist horror, weaving a tale of power, desire, and the monstrous edges of humanity. Emily A. Weedon crafts a world where vampirism is not just supernatural but deeply entangled with female autonomy, pregnancy, and predation. The novel follows Detective Luke Stockton, whose investigation into a series of exsanguination murders collides with his wife Beatrice’s disturbing obsession with a clandestine medspa—and its enigmatic owner, Cleo. What unfolds is a gripping, erotic, and often unsettling exploration of control, survival, and the price of defiance.
Strengths and Themes:
Weedon’s worldbuilding is razor-sharp, particularly in her reimagining of vampire lore. The “Hemo Sapiens” are not mere monsters but a sophisticated, ancient matriarchy whose existence hinges on blood and secrecy. The novel’s most compelling moments lie in its exploration of pregnancy as both a biological imperative and a site of violence—a metaphor that resonates with feminist discourse on bodily autonomy. The femmes fatales, with their centuries of cunning and dominance, steal the narrative spotlight, even as the plot remains tethered to Luke’s increasingly fraught perspective.
Critiques:
While the novel’s detective framework serves as a vehicle for its larger themes, Luke’s characterization may polarize readers. His insufferable masculinity—naïve, self-absorbed, and dismissive of Beatrice’s concerns—feels intentional (a critique of patriarchal blindness), but his POV dominates at the expense of the far more intriguing female characters. The pacing occasionally stumbles under the weight of his procedural drudgery, though the atmospheric tension and lurid subplots compensate.
Final Assessment:
Despite its flaws, Hemo Sapiens is a provocative read, blending pulp sensibilities with sharp social commentary. It will appeal to fans of morally gray heroines, body horror, and detective stories with a feminist twist. Weedon’s prose is visceral and unflinching, leaving a lingering unease about the boundaries of humanity—and who gets to define them.
How I would describe this book:
- A blood-soaked, feminist reimagining of vampire lore—Hemo Sapiens is as seductive as it is savage.
- Weedon’s vampires don’t just want blood—they demand power, and they’ve been waiting for men like Luke to underestimate them.
- A detective story where the real mystery is how long the patriarchy can survive when the monsters are women.
-Think Gone Girl meets The Bloody Chamber—with fangs.
Acknowledgments:
Thank you to Dundurn Press for providing a review copy. Hemo Sapiens is a book that lingers—like a wound, or a warning.
Hemo Sapiens is a bold, genre-blurring novel that merges detective noir with feminist horror, weaving a tale of power, desire, and the monstrous edges of humanity. Emily A. Weedon crafts a world where vampirism is not just supernatural but deeply entangled with female autonomy, pregnancy, and predation. The novel follows Detective Luke Stockton, whose investigation into a series of exsanguination murders collides with his wife Beatrice’s disturbing obsession with a clandestine medspa—and its enigmatic owner, Cleo. What unfolds is a gripping, erotic, and often unsettling exploration of control, survival, and the price of defiance.
Strengths and Themes:
Weedon’s worldbuilding is razor-sharp, particularly in her reimagining of vampire lore. The “Hemo Sapiens” are not mere monsters but a sophisticated, ancient matriarchy whose existence hinges on blood and secrecy. The novel’s most compelling moments lie in its exploration of pregnancy as both a biological imperative and a site of violence—a metaphor that resonates with feminist discourse on bodily autonomy. The femmes fatales, with their centuries of cunning and dominance, steal the narrative spotlight, even as the plot remains tethered to Luke’s increasingly fraught perspective.
Critiques:
While the novel’s detective framework serves as a vehicle for its larger themes, Luke’s characterization may polarize readers. His insufferable masculinity—naïve, self-absorbed, and dismissive of Beatrice’s concerns—feels intentional (a critique of patriarchal blindness), but his POV dominates at the expense of the far more intriguing female characters. The pacing occasionally stumbles under the weight of his procedural drudgery, though the atmospheric tension and lurid subplots compensate.
Final Assessment:
Despite its flaws, Hemo Sapiens is a provocative read, blending pulp sensibilities with sharp social commentary. It will appeal to fans of morally gray heroines, body horror, and detective stories with a feminist twist. Weedon’s prose is visceral and unflinching, leaving a lingering unease about the boundaries of humanity—and who gets to define them.
How I would describe this book:
- A blood-soaked, feminist reimagining of vampire lore—Hemo Sapiens is as seductive as it is savage.
- Weedon’s vampires don’t just want blood—they demand power, and they’ve been waiting for men like Luke to underestimate them.
- A detective story where the real mystery is how long the patriarchy can survive when the monsters are women.
-Think Gone Girl meets The Bloody Chamber—with fangs.
Acknowledgments:
Thank you to Dundurn Press for providing a review copy. Hemo Sapiens is a book that lingers—like a wound, or a warning.
August 26, 2025
It’s spooky season at Kindig Blog and I love a good vampire tale - Hemo Sapiens, with it’s feminine and up to date spin seemed perfect for my October reading list!
Detective Luke is expecting his first child with wife Beatrice, whilst trying to solve a case of men killed by exsanguination. The new MedSpa his wife wants to use initially seems harmless but there’s something strange lurking just below the surface…
Although not necessarily a short book, Hemo Sapiens was a read I devoured in a few sittings. It’s sometimes hard to create worldbuilding for a standalone novel, but Emily Weedon manages to introduce strong main characters, create an intriguing crime spree with victims you sympathise with and expand on Vampire lore and traditions to create a compelling read.
The chapters alternate perspectives throughout – mainly between Luke and Heloise, but Laura, Tomas and other characters are also used as the book goes on. Laura’s perspective offered some essential backstory with her ‘research’ of what these strong women could be. I also loved the imagery used in Heloise’s chapters – the writing is so evocative and uses themes of hunting, predators and hunger in such a powerful way. Luke is grounded – the central point through which we find out information, although he is also flawed in places which made his story feel realistic. The only odd thing is that he is referred to as a ‘Trainee Detective’ at various points, which is taken to mean he trains other detectives, not that he is a trainee, which I don’t think is the correct terminology.
The pacing of the plot never lets up – from the explosive first chapter, the stakes build and build to the blood-stained climax. Emily Weedon is also not afraid to pull punches and kill seemingly important characters off throughout as well, which keeps the reader off balance throughout. Although the main story is wrapped up, there is perhaps space left for a spiritual successor of a sequel if so desired. The ending twist I did see coming, but I enjoyed none the less.
Overall, this Halloween season, if it’s vampires you’re after, you’ll love this feminine and modern take on a traditional spooky tale. Thank you to NetGalley & Dundurn Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
Detective Luke is expecting his first child with wife Beatrice, whilst trying to solve a case of men killed by exsanguination. The new MedSpa his wife wants to use initially seems harmless but there’s something strange lurking just below the surface…
Although not necessarily a short book, Hemo Sapiens was a read I devoured in a few sittings. It’s sometimes hard to create worldbuilding for a standalone novel, but Emily Weedon manages to introduce strong main characters, create an intriguing crime spree with victims you sympathise with and expand on Vampire lore and traditions to create a compelling read.
The chapters alternate perspectives throughout – mainly between Luke and Heloise, but Laura, Tomas and other characters are also used as the book goes on. Laura’s perspective offered some essential backstory with her ‘research’ of what these strong women could be. I also loved the imagery used in Heloise’s chapters – the writing is so evocative and uses themes of hunting, predators and hunger in such a powerful way. Luke is grounded – the central point through which we find out information, although he is also flawed in places which made his story feel realistic. The only odd thing is that he is referred to as a ‘Trainee Detective’ at various points, which is taken to mean he trains other detectives, not that he is a trainee, which I don’t think is the correct terminology.
The pacing of the plot never lets up – from the explosive first chapter, the stakes build and build to the blood-stained climax. Emily Weedon is also not afraid to pull punches and kill seemingly important characters off throughout as well, which keeps the reader off balance throughout. Although the main story is wrapped up, there is perhaps space left for a spiritual successor of a sequel if so desired. The ending twist I did see coming, but I enjoyed none the less.
Overall, this Halloween season, if it’s vampires you’re after, you’ll love this feminine and modern take on a traditional spooky tale. Thank you to NetGalley & Dundurn Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
For more of my reviews check out Kindig Blog
October 15, 2025
I read Canadian author Emily Weedon's Autokrator in the spring and found it original and inventive, with a twist towards horror at the end. Her new novel Hemo Sapiens is very different, but pings off her previous work into horror territory.
One of Weedon’s talents is to write books that defy easy description, because trying to classify Hemo Sapiens into a neat category just doesn’t work. It’s part horror, with an insatiable vampire in the first pages and an ongoing blood-soaked narrative; it’s part police procedural, one that had me turning the pages to see what clues would guide lead detective Luke Stockton to find a mysterious killer; and also part erotic feminist tale that had me thinking about female appetites and the suppression of the same.
I wondered if this melding of different narratives might feel a bit overwhelming, but it worked for me! The book gained momentum as it went along, and by the end I was riveted. The story itself is just plain interesting, with multiple POV that come together nicely, and a few side characters that added to the fun (Lauren, an online would-be archeologist is too smart for her own good!). I actually felt the good kind of uncomfortable with some bloody scenes, though the gore level is generally low.
There wasn’t one overarching feminist message that spoke loudly to me, but there’s a constant theme of the power of women, an atavistic hunger that must be satiated either in a feral way, or a more managed and contained way. Cleo, who stands in as the apex predator in this tale, is written not as all evil, but actually kind of practical. Brutal, but practical. Sex is passion, but even more so, power. Women are fecund and fertile and blood is queen.
This melding of vampire horror and police procedural was fun and is perfect for this spooky season! Hemo Sapiens would make an excellent read as the days shorten and the nights grow deeper.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dundurn Press for a gifted copy.
One of Weedon’s talents is to write books that defy easy description, because trying to classify Hemo Sapiens into a neat category just doesn’t work. It’s part horror, with an insatiable vampire in the first pages and an ongoing blood-soaked narrative; it’s part police procedural, one that had me turning the pages to see what clues would guide lead detective Luke Stockton to find a mysterious killer; and also part erotic feminist tale that had me thinking about female appetites and the suppression of the same.
I wondered if this melding of different narratives might feel a bit overwhelming, but it worked for me! The book gained momentum as it went along, and by the end I was riveted. The story itself is just plain interesting, with multiple POV that come together nicely, and a few side characters that added to the fun (Lauren, an online would-be archeologist is too smart for her own good!). I actually felt the good kind of uncomfortable with some bloody scenes, though the gore level is generally low.
There wasn’t one overarching feminist message that spoke loudly to me, but there’s a constant theme of the power of women, an atavistic hunger that must be satiated either in a feral way, or a more managed and contained way. Cleo, who stands in as the apex predator in this tale, is written not as all evil, but actually kind of practical. Brutal, but practical. Sex is passion, but even more so, power. Women are fecund and fertile and blood is queen.
This melding of vampire horror and police procedural was fun and is perfect for this spooky season! Hemo Sapiens would make an excellent read as the days shorten and the nights grow deeper.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dundurn Press for a gifted copy.
June 4, 2025
This book is more of a 2.5 for me.
The mystery/suspense of this book is well done. And the concept of the vampire twist and prose are very interesting!
My issue lies in main character. According to the authors note, Luke Stockton is supposed to be a bumbling, but ultimately “good guy”. I did not find this to be the case.
Within the first few chapters Luke:
- complains about his pregnant wife not being as nice as she was before pregnancy
-complains about his pregnant wife not giving him enough sex
-complains that his younger, female, co-worker isn’t happy enough at her job (despite being good at it) and resents the thought of her surpassing him
- complains about his pregnant wife not giving him enough sex to his best friend and then openly resents said best friend for having a successful career
He does not get much better from there.
I understand this is the point of the character. Luke Stockton is a metaphor. But he is such an unlikable metaphor that it makes it feel like a slog to get to the actually good parts of this book. And there are very good parts!
The good parts of this book, by miles, are the vampire parts. These parts are creative, mysterious, and alluring in all the ways a vampire book should be. It is very clear from the way everything is written that the author truly loved these vampire chapters the most, as they should. It’s good writing!
My ideal version of this book would have much fewer (ideally zero) chapters from Luke’s perspective and just have him be an antagonist/tool/whatever from the other characters point of view. I feel that would allow Luke to still be a metaphor without forcing me to feel like I am supposed to like (or at least have some sympathy for) this utterly unlikable man.
Overall an interesting read, but I am unsure if I will ever re-read it again.
The mystery/suspense of this book is well done. And the concept of the vampire twist and prose are very interesting!
My issue lies in main character. According to the authors note, Luke Stockton is supposed to be a bumbling, but ultimately “good guy”. I did not find this to be the case.
Within the first few chapters Luke:
- complains about his pregnant wife not being as nice as she was before pregnancy
-complains about his pregnant wife not giving him enough sex
-complains that his younger, female, co-worker isn’t happy enough at her job (despite being good at it) and resents the thought of her surpassing him
- complains about his pregnant wife not giving him enough sex to his best friend and then openly resents said best friend for having a successful career
He does not get much better from there.
I understand this is the point of the character. Luke Stockton is a metaphor. But he is such an unlikable metaphor that it makes it feel like a slog to get to the actually good parts of this book. And there are very good parts!
The good parts of this book, by miles, are the vampire parts. These parts are creative, mysterious, and alluring in all the ways a vampire book should be. It is very clear from the way everything is written that the author truly loved these vampire chapters the most, as they should. It’s good writing!
My ideal version of this book would have much fewer (ideally zero) chapters from Luke’s perspective and just have him be an antagonist/tool/whatever from the other characters point of view. I feel that would allow Luke to still be a metaphor without forcing me to feel like I am supposed to like (or at least have some sympathy for) this utterly unlikable man.
Overall an interesting read, but I am unsure if I will ever re-read it again.
November 3, 2025
Luke is burdened with multiple cases of young runaways with exsanguinated bodies, all while trying to handle his wife's pregnancy and her increasingly strange predication to an odd med spa with an alluring owner.
*****
I'm obsessed with the authors writing style, specifically from her female characters point of views. The drama, detail and the phrasing were indulgent in the most hedonistic way. I was immediately drawn into the story and was left puzzling out where the author was going with it as she continued to build a unique perspective of primordial hunger, rage, and pregnancy as a powerful moment of violence and reclaiming - at the sacrifice of the men they used.
I will say that if you grab this one, you need to be prepared for one of the main points of views to be frustratingly insufferable. He is the most stereotypical man. Genuinely self-obsessed, dismissive and enraging in all the ways you'd expect. He's an unlikeable lead and he's meant to be. I went in expecting him to be a witty and intelligent detective and I was griding my teeth reading his chapters, in the MOST satisfying way.
That being said, the points of view that were not Luke's were the most engaging parts of this book, and are worth getting to amidst his patriarchal thoughts and actions. The structure as it is, helped to lay out how superior the vampiric matriarchy was in comparison to the bumbling detective, and it was endlessly satisfying to see the author even chose to heavily push his POV as an undercurrent to that additional layer of patriarchy.
All in all this was provocative, captivating and a read that will live in my head for the unforeseen future.
*****
Thank you to the author, Emily Weedon, for providing a digital copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
*****
I'm obsessed with the authors writing style, specifically from her female characters point of views. The drama, detail and the phrasing were indulgent in the most hedonistic way. I was immediately drawn into the story and was left puzzling out where the author was going with it as she continued to build a unique perspective of primordial hunger, rage, and pregnancy as a powerful moment of violence and reclaiming - at the sacrifice of the men they used.
I will say that if you grab this one, you need to be prepared for one of the main points of views to be frustratingly insufferable. He is the most stereotypical man. Genuinely self-obsessed, dismissive and enraging in all the ways you'd expect. He's an unlikeable lead and he's meant to be. I went in expecting him to be a witty and intelligent detective and I was griding my teeth reading his chapters, in the MOST satisfying way.
That being said, the points of view that were not Luke's were the most engaging parts of this book, and are worth getting to amidst his patriarchal thoughts and actions. The structure as it is, helped to lay out how superior the vampiric matriarchy was in comparison to the bumbling detective, and it was endlessly satisfying to see the author even chose to heavily push his POV as an undercurrent to that additional layer of patriarchy.
All in all this was provocative, captivating and a read that will live in my head for the unforeseen future.
*****
Thank you to the author, Emily Weedon, for providing a digital copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 21, 2025
3.5 stars. The concept of this book is really promising and interesting. It’s presented as a feminist take on vampires (this is my loose interpretation, take it with a grain of salt). It is a difficult book to encapsulate in one single genre as it has vampires, cold blooded women (see what i did there?), crime investigations and even a bit of war and archeology.
I did enjoy reading this, and the characters are interesting enough. I didn’t think that we would follow a man’s journey for so long (Detective Luke Stockton who is going to be a father soon and his wife is acting strange). I thought that for a feminist vampire book we would follow a woman’s journey, and even though I was able to understand why the choice was made (you can still feel the glimpses of sexism, patriarchy and the way these women took control of their own lives), I felt that he was not that likeable and I would’ve preferred to spend more time with Cleo and Heloise, our cold blooded heartless women. I did enjoy having multiple points of view as I feel that it made the story go faster and we got to know more about this Hemo Sapiens, or Sanguins, and i did like having other characters at play to get some glimpses of the other sides of the story (our Lauren, a “professor” *wink* archaeologist turned influencer who was sniffing the wrong places, and Martin/Renard/Tomas who was a confusing character with lack of agency but interesting enough). The book is well written but I found that it lacked some depth in some parts, as I wanted to feel more connected to the characters.
I think my problem with the book is how I would prefer to have the women’s side of the story, but that’s a preference on my side. It felt a bit rushed but it did not take away my enthusiasm.
I did enjoy reading this, and the characters are interesting enough. I didn’t think that we would follow a man’s journey for so long (Detective Luke Stockton who is going to be a father soon and his wife is acting strange). I thought that for a feminist vampire book we would follow a woman’s journey, and even though I was able to understand why the choice was made (you can still feel the glimpses of sexism, patriarchy and the way these women took control of their own lives), I felt that he was not that likeable and I would’ve preferred to spend more time with Cleo and Heloise, our cold blooded heartless women. I did enjoy having multiple points of view as I feel that it made the story go faster and we got to know more about this Hemo Sapiens, or Sanguins, and i did like having other characters at play to get some glimpses of the other sides of the story (our Lauren, a “professor” *wink* archaeologist turned influencer who was sniffing the wrong places, and Martin/Renard/Tomas who was a confusing character with lack of agency but interesting enough). The book is well written but I found that it lacked some depth in some parts, as I wanted to feel more connected to the characters.
I think my problem with the book is how I would prefer to have the women’s side of the story, but that’s a preference on my side. It felt a bit rushed but it did not take away my enthusiasm.
July 30, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley and Dundurn Press, for the eARC of Hemo Sapiens! 🩸🧬💉💆🏻♀️
I love “artsy” book covers so when I saw the cover to this, I was instantly interested! The premise was exciting to me as well.
This novel was well written and gracefully crafted, which was so refreshing for me! I was immediately immersed in learning more about the characters and how the story would play out. Everyone in this novel has their own flaws, which made it feel a bit more realistic, which I appreciated. Although, I do wish there was more information of the history of said Hemo sapiens. I wouldn’t mind reading more about them. 👀
This story gripped me more and more as I read further. It was compelling, seductive, and suspenseful all at once!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and if you also enjoy books where there’s a detective involved, and/or sophisticated blood-sucking women, then I definitely recommend this one to you! 🙂↕️
**disclaimer: I received this eARC through NetGalley and am leaving this review of my own accord. All thoughts are my own.**
𝔽𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨 𝕞𝕪 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕞, 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕪 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕖 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕕, 𝕒𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕘𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤. 📚✨ @𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕟𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕟𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕤
I love “artsy” book covers so when I saw the cover to this, I was instantly interested! The premise was exciting to me as well.
This novel was well written and gracefully crafted, which was so refreshing for me! I was immediately immersed in learning more about the characters and how the story would play out. Everyone in this novel has their own flaws, which made it feel a bit more realistic, which I appreciated. Although, I do wish there was more information of the history of said Hemo sapiens. I wouldn’t mind reading more about them. 👀
This story gripped me more and more as I read further. It was compelling, seductive, and suspenseful all at once!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and if you also enjoy books where there’s a detective involved, and/or sophisticated blood-sucking women, then I definitely recommend this one to you! 🙂↕️
**disclaimer: I received this eARC through NetGalley and am leaving this review of my own accord. All thoughts are my own.**
𝔽𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕗𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕠𝕨 𝕞𝕪 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕣𝕒𝕞, 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕪 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕤𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕖 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕕, 𝕒𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕘𝕤𝕥 𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤. 📚✨ @𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕟𝕨𝕖𝕖𝕟𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕤
October 29, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. This is not good. I am not at zero. I leave 2 and below for books with no positive ideas or that I really struggle to read.
This was readable and the premise of the book wasn’t bad. But, yes, overall it is a hot mess.
Not even sure exactly what category to place this book in. Vampires (for me, vampire stories are cool), detective story (which I am cool with) and then the description indicates that it shows the horrors of pregnancy. It definitely has a tinge of feminism.
The positive of the book is the author’s ability with world building and helping the reader create images. She developed the characters and especially the strong female characters quite well.
As indicated, I thought the storyline was an intriguing idea.
On the negative side, the plot rollout was messy, complicated and frustrating in its lack of direction.
This was readable and the premise of the book wasn’t bad. But, yes, overall it is a hot mess.
Not even sure exactly what category to place this book in. Vampires (for me, vampire stories are cool), detective story (which I am cool with) and then the description indicates that it shows the horrors of pregnancy. It definitely has a tinge of feminism.
The positive of the book is the author’s ability with world building and helping the reader create images. She developed the characters and especially the strong female characters quite well.
As indicated, I thought the storyline was an intriguing idea.
On the negative side, the plot rollout was messy, complicated and frustrating in its lack of direction.
October 21, 2025
So much more than "vampire fiction" this book flips the script on horror power dynamics in a way that is both refreshing and thrilling. Weedon's book creates a mythology all on its own, refusing to simply retread on cliches and age old tropes; instead - without revealing too much - this wonderful story, which kept me on the edge of my seat due to excellent pacing and vibrant dialogue, took me on a journey where I wasn't exactly sure where I was going, but couldn't wait to get there. This story is full of memorable characters, tragic outcomes, and keen reflections on contemporary society, Hemo Sapiens is the kind of book where right after finishing you already start speculating on where a sequel could go, while hoping your expectations are suberted by an author who already seems to excel at doing so.
October 2, 2025
Detective Luke Stockton is preparing for his first child with his wife, Beatrice, but balancing work and home is a challenge as she is behaving with increasing strangeness. Beatrice begins to frequent a medspa offering mysterious prenatal checkups, leech treatments, and vampire facials. And, against his will, Luke finds himself irresistibly drawn to the spa’s sophisticated owner, Cleo, who has a deadly secret to keep.
I enjoyed reading this book as it’s different. It is well written and paced but I found parts of it totally unnecessary to the plot and climax. I also found it quite predictable at times.
July 18, 2025
This book is cutting, beautiful, unsettling, and leaves you slightly off balance and thinking long after it ends. Weedon uses vampirism as a feral and deliberately discomforting metaphor for feminine power. Pregnancy is portrayed not as vulnerability, but as a mark of strength and status, granting mothers the same reverence once given to warriors.
There are no heroes in this story. Everyone is flawed, from the vampires to the women to the men, including Luke, the detective whose perspective is the primary POV, and who serves as a symbol of patriarchal limitation in a case that defies his narrow understanding.
Unnerving and thought-provoking, Hemo Sapiens is a bold, intelligent book that might seem almost unsatisfying in its moral ambiguity at first, but rewards further reflection on its themes. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this book as an ARC reader.
There are no heroes in this story. Everyone is flawed, from the vampires to the women to the men, including Luke, the detective whose perspective is the primary POV, and who serves as a symbol of patriarchal limitation in a case that defies his narrow understanding.
Unnerving and thought-provoking, Hemo Sapiens is a bold, intelligent book that might seem almost unsatisfying in its moral ambiguity at first, but rewards further reflection on its themes. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this book as an ARC reader.
September 2, 2025
Really loved the vibe of this excellent take on the vampire mythos through a feminist and Canadian lens. Weedon creates some incredibly memorable characters here and I love the way they are grounded in such an "ordinary" world. Her sad sack investigator, a staple of the noir genre, hits all the right notes as he's pulled deeper and deeper into this bizarre, grostesque world of vampirism disguised as wellness. Really enjoyed this and looking forward to seeing what the author writes next!
Thanks to Dundurn for the ARC!
Thanks to Dundurn for the ARC!
August 21, 2025
4.5 rounded down
I loved this - it felt like a gritty detective novel from the 40's rather than modern day at times and I thought that the mix of vampires and mystery/crime worked really well.
The men in this were almost all awful though I can imagine reading this from a male perspective would be a very different experience.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc
I loved this - it felt like a gritty detective novel from the 40's rather than modern day at times and I thought that the mix of vampires and mystery/crime worked really well.
The men in this were almost all awful though I can imagine reading this from a male perspective would be a very different experience.
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc
September 23, 2025
I SO wish I could give this a higher review, but this just did not work for me at all. the story's internal logic was nonsensical, Luke was an unlikeable character that we're supposed to be sympathising with... the vampire characters were interesting and interestingly amoral, but that wasn't enough for me. 2.5 stars. tysm for the arc.
October 10, 2025
I really tried with this but it just would not click for me. I found everything about it dull and bloated. A shame, as the concept was cool.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
November 9, 2025
I echo the sentiments of other reviewers. This novel sucked and not in a good way. I had to abandon it a quarter way through. Not even the GTA references could keep my interest from waning. Sorry, not for me.
Read
October 28, 2025No comment. Let's just say I'm not the reader for this and leave it at that.
Read
November 28, 2025Detective story meets vampire story meets women and their wrongs?? What more can you ask for.
Absolutely loved the overall hunter and prey vibes of it all, but I really wish we had gotten more POV from the women in the story and less from Luke. I get why he was so much of the POV and that he was a main character, but with the topic/theme of so much of the book I really wanted more of the women. Specifically though I wanted more of the vampires. Not to say I didn't enjoy the crime mystery aspect of the story, and our detective fit the story perfectly, but when compared to the feminine vampire side, I simply wanted more of the later. The ties with pregnancy were a neat new take on vampires as well. Luke's behavior with the pregnancy of his wife was eye rolling at times. Luke in general was eye rolling at times.
Overall it's haunting and steady paced, a great read for the Halloween season if you're looking for something with a little more story and a little less, 'boo scary monsters.'
Thank you to Dundurn Press for the ARC on Netgalley.
Absolutely loved the overall hunter and prey vibes of it all, but I really wish we had gotten more POV from the women in the story and less from Luke. I get why he was so much of the POV and that he was a main character, but with the topic/theme of so much of the book I really wanted more of the women. Specifically though I wanted more of the vampires. Not to say I didn't enjoy the crime mystery aspect of the story, and our detective fit the story perfectly, but when compared to the feminine vampire side, I simply wanted more of the later. The ties with pregnancy were a neat new take on vampires as well. Luke's behavior with the pregnancy of his wife was eye rolling at times. Luke in general was eye rolling at times.
Overall it's haunting and steady paced, a great read for the Halloween season if you're looking for something with a little more story and a little less, 'boo scary monsters.'
Thank you to Dundurn Press for the ARC on Netgalley.
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