The Curse He Chose

by Allison Regina Gliot

When Elizabeth's friends go off to college and leave her behind, she thinks things can't get worse. Then she stumbles into a fight between vampires and realizes … they definitely can. Forced on the run with Christopher, a vampire outcast who might be in even more trouble than she is, Elizabeth is left to rely on nothing but her faith in God and Christopher’s impulsive choice to protect her. But the more time they spend together, the more Elizabeth realizes that Christopher is close to breaking in more ways than one. As their bond deepens and their enemies close in, Elizabeth must find a way to save him and herself—before it’s too late. This riveting, genre-bending first installment of the In Aeternum trilogy unites the suspense of urban fantasy with the Christian drama of sin, grace, and redemption. Recommended for ages 14+.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Vampires, Fiction, Christian Fiction, Novels, Horror

352 pages, Paperback

Published August 8, 2025

About the author

Sr. Allison Regina Gliot FSP (@sister_allison) has always loved reading and telling stories (the more fantastical the better). She fell in love with Jesus in college and became a Daughter of St. Paul after graduation to spend the rest of her life with him. Since then, she’s had many adventures, the most recent of which involves serving as an editor for Pauline Books & Media, the publishing house of the Daughters of St. Paul. She spends her free time writing books and looking for lizards in the convent backyard.

She is the author of The Book That Changed Everything, dubbed a 2025 "Backlist Beauty" by the Catholic Media Association; Eli's Quiet Friend, winner of the 2025 Excellence in Publishing Award in Picture Books from the Association of Catholic Publishers; Forgiven: A Guide to Confession and the Examen Prayer, winner of the 2025 CMA Book Award in Books for Young Adults; and The Curse He Chose, the first of the In Aeternum YA trilogy.

Reviews

[Nashelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a Catholic-curious Protestant who seldom reads young adult or horror. And yet, this is the book God chose to have the biggest impact on me this year. I could tell you that this book is well-written, that it's a page turner, that I was completely invested in our two main characters and what would happen to them - all true. But this book is, at its heart, about faith - raw, authentic, grappling faith.

This book is for those who have so much regret over past paths taken that they feel they have forfeited the right to take a new step forward. It is also for those who have experienced a ceaseless series of rejections, losses, and disappointments, and who have so much profound grief buried within them that the thought of even acknowledging it feels like they might disappear underneath it forever. Above all, this book is for those who's brokenness and desperation have kept them bound by the throat, afraid and unable to admit that, alongside the grief and regret, there abides an anger towards the God they love and know they need.

The Curse He Chose brought me to tears. It uncovered in me things I need to take to the cross. I needed this book. I pray it makes it into the hands of others who need it, whether they are friends with God already, or whether they have yet to meet Him.

Sister Allison Regina's beautiful story shows us the true heart of Jesus - that he desires an ever more intimate relationship with us and that he longs to heal our deepest wounds, even when the pain is directed at Him.

[Kelsey Gietl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read! I don’t typically read vampire books, but “Catholic vampire novel written by a religious sister” was too intriguing to pass up. I figured if anyone could write a vampire story that actually stayed true to the Church, it would be a nun. And this book absolutely does. Faith and fiction fit together so well that everything seems absolutely logical and emotions run high throughout. Both main characters were complex with one of my favorite scenes being when Elizabeth realizes we can both love God and be angry with him at the same time. I also loved the way the author framed Christopher’s complicated being, a creature trapped between past, present, and future, between what he desires and what he feels he deserves. If I could pre-order the next book right now, I absolutely would.

[Natalie C · Rating 5 out of 5]

So amazing ! There needs to be more Catholic fiction for YA !!!!

[Jessika Caruso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read vampire novels and did not even pick up the Twilight books once in my life, even though everyone in my grade was reading them. But the premise of this novel was too intriguing to pass up; I really wanted to see a theologically accurate portrayal of vampires!

And this story did not disappoint. It was so riveting, suspenseful, and action packed! So dramatic and touching — I loved all the characters, especially the narrator, Elizabeth. It is such a unique novel overall and I would recommend everyone give it a try! I found myself tearing up a few times.

Also, some loose ends were not tied up so I eagerly anticipate book two!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

“She was right that the consecrated ground should have killed me. But it didn’t. The moment I set foot in here, my bloodlust disappeared—that’s why I stopped attacking you.”

This is my first read in the Catholic fiction genre, and Sr. Allison's book is a heartfelt novel that blends the mythology of vampires being a direct rejection of our inherit humanity, and Catholic motifs such as the power of the Eucharist, free will, and how our faith with the Lord helps us deepen our humanity.

Elizabeth was a solid character with her strong faith and belief in God, however, I was more drawn to the character growth of Christopher throughout the story and wished that we could have seen more of his inner thoughts.

Overall, a solid novel, and I am intrigued to see where the story develops from here!

[Kyrie :-) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to start… I LOVED this book!! If middle school Kyrie would’ve had this book, she would’ve eaten it right up! It’s a great depiction of Catholicism, and about vampires?! AND it’s written by a religious sister?! *CHEF’S KISS* This book kept me on my toes and each chapter left me wanting more! I cannot wait for the next book to be released!! Sr. Allison Regina Gliot knocked it out of the park!

[Maria Dateno · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazingly great story! Full disclosure: it is written by a sister of my religious community, and published by our publishing house. But I really loved it and recommend it, whether you're usually a van of urban fantasy or not!

[Margaret Gaffney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three words: Catholic vampire novel. *chef's kiss*

I loved this book, and I can hardly wait for the sequel. The story follows 18yo Elizabeth, who is doing her best despite being emotionally closed off from her sister, her friends, and frankly, God. Life circumstances leave her feeling alone while her friends go off to college, until she runs into a mysterious guy, who turns out to be one of the blood-sucking horrors of the night Bram Stoker introduced the west to a few hundred years ago.

Well, Christopher (as Elizabeth names him) isn't all that bad. He's called the Half-Drinker, because he doesn't suck his victims dry, and he doesn't seem to enjoy being a vampire. But when Elizabeth intervenes to save his life from some dangerous competition, suddenly they're both in danger.

The story mixes an engaging narrative that never gets dull with characters who are relatable in their brokenness. Both Elizabeth and Christopher have unacknowledged spiritual baggage, but God uses them to bring out the best in each other.

I'm not surprised, given that this is written by a consecrated sister, that the theology and description of Catholic practice is spot on. Van Helsing made ready use of the Eucharist in Dracula, and the emphasis here is even better, especially in the way receiving Jesus gives life. (Chapter 20 and 21 were insane, by the way...in the best way.) We need more depictions of confession in books, because movies have had the monopoly, and they are so often inaccurate. Seeing a character go to confession for qualms about what she had to do in fantastical situations makes my little heart laugh.

Like I said, I can't wait for the sequel, and though I want more of our MCs here, I would understand if Sr. Allison Regina decides to take the focus of the story elsewhere.

[Liv · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book while scrolling through Instagram. It looked interesting so I decided to read it. It took me a few chapters to get invested in the characters, but then I could not put it down. I loved the story and I can't wait to see what will happen next!

Another plus, for me, for this book is that it is age-appropriate. It is YA 14+. When my kids get to the right age, I will have no problem handing this book over to them for them to enjoy!

Thanks to the author for the great story!

[Alexia · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolute fire!!! never thought I’d see the day I’d read Catholic YA about vampires, but so here for it. Jesus and Sr. Allison COOKED here!

[Kate Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved that this book took classic vampires and mixed them with essential truths about God. The messages about God's love and forgiveness combined with the action of a classic vampire novel had me on the edge of my seat! I'm looking forward to the next book!

[Eva Kirchner · Rating 5 out of 5]

i cried. i laughed. i got goosebumps. this book was better than i could have ever imagined.

[Monica David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and true to the Catholic faith.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!
As someone who loves fantasy and is Catholic, this was THE book for me to read. I rarely touch the darker sides of fantasy, like vampires and werewolves (werewolves are not in this book btw), but stumbling upon the author’s instagram and reading the concept of this story had me wondering what this book had in store.
It goes over A LOT!
First things first: this book gets dark and doesn’t sugar coat. And for those who watch/know Stranger Things, it even got up to Season 4 Stranger Things-type graphic at one point. But there is LIGHT in this book! Holy light that overtakes the darkness! That’s what a lot of movies/books miss out on in recent times.
Yes. This book is very, unapologetically, Catholic. I’ve grown up with Catholic tradition and still live it to this day, but if someone who wasn’t Catholic were to pick up this book, they might have a little difficulty understanding what’s going on in some points. Elizabeth (the MC) does explain a lot of the background of the Catholic Church, as well as the saints and prayers though. There’s also a GLOSSARY at the very end of the book, so if you are unfamiliar with Catholicism, please check it out as you go along.
The characters of this book act very human (despite what one of them might claim 😉) and I love that. I had a bit of suspicion that the MC was falling into Mary Sue territory… but that was NOT the case at all!
I am very happy with how this book handles deep topics, both the fantastic and realistic, and I especially love how faith driven it is, even helping me with something I’ve been struggling with recently.
I can’t wait to see what else happens in this series! I ESPECIALLY can’t wait to read about what’s happening inside the mind of *Insert Spoiler Here*!

[Stephanie Augustine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a twist on the vampire genre.

Elizabeth is stuck at home while all her friends go off to college. But there is more to her sad story besides that. And before she can think anything worse can happen, Elizabeth witnesses a fight between vampires. Now her whole life is flipped upside down.

There was so much good about this book. And yes, it is written by a consecrated sister so there is a deep religious aspect to this. But it is woven into the story so effortlessly that this story couldn't be told without it. It's never preachy. It's never too much. It's perfectly told and the faith around Elizabeth is the cornerstone to this whole story.

Sr Allison Regina takes her religion and gives us a vampire story unlike anything I have ever read. I loved the pacing. I loved the dynamic between Christopher and Elizabeth. I flew through this book because I needed to know the next steps. I wanted to understand what was happening. And it really was an adventure.

Overall, The Curse He Chose by Allison Regina Gilot was a fantastic twist on the popular vampire genre. It gave a new life to these tails in such an unexpected way. Sr Allison Regina weaves her religion into the story but in a breathtaking way that it could only be told this way. I loved the approach and the writing. I highly recommend this book if you like vampires and are looking for something like you've never read before. And don't worry about it being "too religious" because Elizabeth's faith is what gives this story its beating heart.

[Claire Banschbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was incredibly intrigued a few months ago to see mention of a nun writing a book about vampires. And when I was offered a review copy/box, I jumped on the chance! What’s a Catholic vampire novel? Discover a YA urban/paranormal adventure where human teen Elizabeth struggling with life changes and feeling stuck while her good friends leave for college is unfortunate enough to learned the existence of vampires in her town. Because of that, all but one deem that she must be eliminated.

Enter Christopher, a young vampire with no memory of his past and no hope for his future. Except trying to make sure Elizabeth lives long enough to see hers.

I really enjoyed this book! It had action, peril, hiding out in Catholic Churches, the Catholic teaching on the Eucharist as a main plot point and the life giving and soul restoring nature of the sacrament, exploring how something considered dead can maybe literally find new life through Christ, redemption, being able to grieve past loss and be so angry at God while still loving Him so much, and wonderfully positive religious figures/mentors (which you know I love to see). Lots of twists and turns and some scary villains who I’m afraid are only going to be more intimidating in the next book!

I’d recommend this for teens and young adults, especially Catholics. I’ll also recommend it to anyone curious about the Church in general!

Thanks to Pauline Books and Media for the book box and review copy and to Sister Allison for writing this story! Can’t wait for book 2!

[Phoebe McKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm 24 years old, so this book is geared toward a younger audience than me, and the fact that I snorted audibly at a couple of the lines is proof of that. This doesn't detract at all from my enjoyment of the book, nor does my self-consciousness at enjoying a YA vampire novel.

I understand that part of Sister Allison's purpose in writing this book was to create a YA book that's actually YA, and in that regard the book is a resounding success. As a former middle school teacher and a current mother, the current state of the YA genre is distressing, and I'm grateful that there is someone out there doing something about it...and doing it so well.

I have often found myself struggling with books that are overtly Catholic (or, less specifically, overtly Christian). I often find them to lack subtlety in the way they develop their themes, but I acknowledge that it's difficult to do such a thing, especially with Catholicism. How is it not supposed to feel like the book is indoctrinating me when the character breaks into prayer--but that's how we live our lives. Catholicism, as natural as it is, ought to be an interruption. We ought to pause in awe as we enter a church and bask in the presence of our Lord. This book, though, succeeds in portraying the faith well (in that the main character isn't shy about it) while developing the themes with nuance and subtlety.

[Kasia Zubrzycki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It had some of your usual Vampire tropes and some I had never come across before that made for interesting moments.
I think the concept of no one being beyond God's grace even the undead was fun to dive into. And while some parts may have felt cheesy (when viewed outside of Christian faith), they were pleasantly so rather than cringe worthy.
Looking forward to where this goes with the second book!!

[Michele Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, I loved the idea of this book, but the execution was just . . . lacking. (I hate saying that so much!) I adored the Catholic perspective, the power in Jesus’s name and the Eucharist to defeat evil vampires, and the heart behind this story, but we could have cut about 100 pages of self-reflection and inner thoughts and had a much tighter, more poignant story. I’m not sure I’ll read the next, but I do hope the story finds the right readers who will enjoy it.

[Ethan Fortes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have been a fan of Sr Allison's content on Instagram for a long time and just had to t my hands on this book when I heard about it. The book has. very interesting take on vampires. The protagonist's faith plays an important part in the story and as the stey progresses you see more instances connecting to the Catholic faith. A wonderful YA novel by Sr Allison

[JoAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book!!!!! It was so sweet and heartfelt but also thrilling and exciting. I found myself relating way more to characters in a vampire novel than I ever thought I would 😂 And of course it is beautifully Catholic!! The Sisters always deliver!!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, fun (in a manner of speaking, it's mostly very serious), compelling. A creative spin on the typical vampire story with lot's of heart and tight focus on two characters, which works well to sufficiently develop them and avoids distraction.

Would definitely read any follow-ups.

[Erin Curry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read that also lifts up the soul

I loved this story so much. It is really refreshing to see a vampire book with so many great Catholic concepts. It really got my imagination going and I am looking forward to the next book.

[Elyssa]

Just when I thought I couldn’t go down anymore internet rabbit holes, I find a Catholic vampire novel! I loved it from the first page, even if parts felt juvenile or too neat. I can’t wait to read the second in the series.

[Mary Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never thought I would read a vampire book written by a religious sister, but here we are

Definitely a great read for middle/high schoolers! I’ll be recommending to my younger sisters for sure!

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ngl I wasn’t expecting this book to actually be this good 😭😭😭 Sr Allison you ATE with this ✨💖💗 Relatable and emotional

[Jadey · Rating 5 out of 5]

LITERALLY OBSESSED I NEED MORE IMMEDIATELY😫 perfect mix of twilight/vampire diaries with a strong core Catholic background

[Meowmeow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Can't wait for the 2nd one to come out. The Catholic perspective throughout was really cool. Not weird or cheesy. Very well done!

[Darren Robert Messerly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book . I quite litterelly did not put this book down and when I did it was when it was over

[Jennifer Fallon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully refreshing Catholic twist on the vampire romance genre.