Thrall

by Rebecca Mahoney

In Thrall, a young woman looking for a transformative college experience is bitten by a vampire and must team up with his other living victims to hunt him down.

Lucy Easting has at last broken free from her grim home life and is ready to truly live. But her long-awaited new beginning at Rollins University isn’t what she expected. After attending the first campus party of the year, Lucy awakens the next day with a memory block…and two puncture marks on her neck.

She tries to piece together what happened that night, but every lead brings her to another dead end. Until she receives a handwritten note from the campus radio station, inviting her to call. When she does, the host’s soothing voice over the line confirms her worst fear, and the simplest explanation of what’s happening to her: she’s turning into a vampire.

Lucy teams up with the show’s host, who narrowly escaped an attack her sophomore year, and a beautiful archery champion who, while exactly Lucy’s type, is as likely to shoot her as kiss her. They believe their “friend with the cold hands” is responsible for the disappearance of several women in town, and they’ve been tracking him via the airwaves since long before Lucy arrived.

As the vampire’s sway over Lucy grows and his plans become clear, she realizes she must fight for a future of her own, or she may not have any future at all.

Genres: Horror, Vampires, Fantasy, Fiction, Paranormal, Mystery, Queer

400 pages, Paperback

Expected publication April 21, 2026

About the author

NOTE FROM REBECCA: Hey friends, thanks so much for your interest in my books! I'm not planning to be active much on here, so if you have any questions, the best place to reach me is on Twitter at @cafecliche, or by asking a question on my website: https://www.rebeccamahoneybooks.com/c...

Rebecca Mahoney is a young adult and middle grade writer, and the co-creator of audio drama serial The Bridge Podcast. She's a strong believer in the cathartic power of all things fantastical and creepy in children's literature--and she knows firsthand that ghosts, monsters, and the unknown can give you the language you need to understand yourself. She was raised in Windham, New Hampshire, currently resides in Somerville, Massachusetts, and spends her spare time watching horror movies, collecting cloche hats, and cursing sailors at sea. She can be found on Twitter @cafecliche.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fully accept that if vampires were real, one of the places they would be living in would be the Appalachian Mountains. No explanation needed.

This is an amazing book about Lucy, who goes away to college only to get attacked by a vampire before classes even begin. Which, she already hated her roommate and has a seriously toxic relationship with her mom, so great way to start freshman year off. While in the process of turning into a vampire she is contacted by students who want to kill the vampire who attacked her and want her help. She, of course, wants to help, but it's a bit hard when he can take over her mind whenever he wants.

Definitely would recommend.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

[kyky · Rating 5 out of 5]

if I had a nickel for every lesbian vampire book I’ve read lately……..

this was genuinely sooooo good. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed.

“And it was never personal. But it had teeth all the same.”

[Starr ❇✌❇]

New Rebecca Mahoney and it's about vampires and taking down abusers????? HELL YES. HELL YES. HELL YES

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know how you get nervous when you see a book that seems to offer a lot of your favorite elements — because, you know, you’ve gotten your hopes up and then been burned before? And then when the book actually serves up what it’s promising, it’s so fun and exciting!


The aforementioned disappointment happens to me a lot with dark academia books, so I’m very happy to say that this book is one that delivers. We have all our requisite dark academia accoutrements, including a small, secluded, artsy college tucked away in the the mountains (the Appalachians, no less); we have a private college radio station, with a mysterious nighttime call-in hotline show and an anonymous DJ; we have women doing archery; we have dim libraries and reference librarians whose offices are buried deep in the bowels of the earth; we have diverse and LGBTQIA+ representation. And we have our protagonist, named Lucy (obviously), whose overprotective single mother did NOT want her to Go Here, and just knew something terrible would happen to her there.


And it’s true: before she even starts classes, Lucy unfortunately discovers firsthand that Rollins College has some deep-rooted and longstanding trouble that is well beyond the scope of what a Title IX office can help out with.


Lucy finds herself connected to a small, unlikely group of allies who each have some different stake (yikes, word choice) in getting to the bottom of the evil that has been terrorizing Lucy and other women of Rollins and figuring out what can be done about it. To paraphrase a quote from the formative television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer — they don’t have good choices, but they do have choices.


I usually go all out when it comes to connecting horror themes with trauma themes. I do think there are some good metaphorical connections here in that the evil of Rollins seems to target women who are isolated or on the fringes — for instance, Lucy seems to be a first gen college student, she’s gay (which isn’t a problem at school, but you get the idea her family wasn’t supportive), she’s poor, she’s experienced a lot of death and loss prior to coming to school. However, I don’t think the book really tries to deeply make these connections, in part because it also emphasizes the unavoidability and randomness of evil, and the reality that there could be forces or beings out there that may cause harm without warning, cause, or consent — in the case of this book, just because they are entitled and bored and that’s what they do — and our task is to still try to live our lives despite all this.


(Relatedly, I like the idea that a “thrall” is the term for someone who has not been fully turned to a vampire, but has been bitten enough to become somewhat captive to a vampire’s powers and therefore has compromised or uncertain free will. At the same time, Lucy is in thrall to the idea of this bright future that she will get from attending this college, which she has completely idealized — but ultimately her future is in her own hands with the options she’s dealt.)


This message, and the vibe of this book overall, really reminded me of Buffy, which was truly groundbreaking when the series originally aired in the late 90s and early aughts (thirty years ago next year!). Even if you’re too young to have watched or even to know about the show, it should absolutely be in your pop culture lexicon because it paved the way for SO, so many things that we enjoy and take for granted in our prestige TV and streaming viewing, both paranormal-oriented and teen-oriented and not, ever since and to the present day. (It’s also just still a really good and funny show; you just have to get past the onslaught of low-rise jeans and other Y2K fashion trends.) I won’t list all the many TV innovations that we owe to Buffy — there are lots of articles you can find about that — but they include the first positive, recurring representation of a lesbian relationship on prime time network television.


This book does contain a bit of that semi-paranormal romance, a bit of humor (not to a Buffy extent), a bit of mystery/thriller feel, a bit of fantasy lore, a little bit of very light horror, a little bit of that metaphorical depth, plus the academic setting realism. It doesn’t lean too far in any one direction (and maybe it should have picked more of a specific battle), but I think it integrates everything okay, and although the plot gets somewhat elaborate toward the end (it’s a lot to address and explain), I think the ends tie up pretty well.


In all, an engaging read. This is another one that I think would make such a good movie — something really gritty, like It Follows, dealing with shame and legacy trauma.


Many thanks to Hyperion Avenue, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC of Thrall, which is due for release on April 21, 2026.

[Pankti · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the premise of this but I wish there was a more exciting execution. I feel like we didn’t learn much about any of the characters.

[Bookish_Winnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually avoid lengthy chapters, so I was thoroughly engrossed in "Thrall." Despite my preference for shorter books, Rebecca Mahoney's intricate details kept me interested from beginning to end! I was on the tip of my seat, wanting to find out what mysteries were within because of the story's beautifully eerie spookiness. There is a noticeable sense of tension, which is deftly counterbalanced by themes of self-discovery and companionship. I adored how the characters handled their relationships in the face of unanticipated difficulties, each of which allowed them to develop in novel ways. Mahoney tells a story that had me guessing, but despite the excitement of the unknown, it seemed like a cozy embrace of familiarity. "Thrall" is an exciting journey worth embarking on if you enjoy a mix of scary mystery and poignant moments!

Thank you NetGalley and rebecca Mahoney for giving the opportunity for this arc I really enjoyed it!

[BookishKB]

Thrall 🩸

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the advanced copy. I’ll be sharing my full review closer to publication date.

📅 Pub Date: April 21, 2026

[Kat is Reading]

I need this book ASAP.

[Laney Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue for providing me with an e-ARC of this book!

This was a fun book! I had a good time while reading it. It certainly captivated me.

It had an interesting concept and interesting setting. A very secluded university campus in Appalachia is the perfect place for this to be set. The book started off giving us a look at the eerie atmosphere of the mountains and what could possibly lurk in the dark. We then experience the the disorienting and dissociative feeling of the thrall with how unlike herself Lucy is.

I will say, after this the book kind of starts to drag a little. Lucy experiences a lot of confusion and paranoia with the situation she's faced with, but it’s not until a good ways in that anything actually happens to try and solve it. It honestly lowered the stakes and made me wonder if Lucy potentially being a vampire was even that big of a deal. The sections where Lucy was experiencing the thrall were also hard to understand. That is, in part, on purpose, I think, but I felt like they were not properly executed.

The late night radio show was a really interesting idea to find victims of the vampire, but I wish it was utilized a bit more. I understand that the vampire was messing with Athena, the show's host, and any control she had was merely an illusion, but I guess I wished that it would have been a much more major plot point than it was.

While I was entertained, the stakes still felt too low. I didn't really feel like any of the characters were actually in danger because the vampire felt more like an enigma.

I also found the relationships a bit lacking. Some of this is explained away with Athena, for example, being untrusting due to being tormented by the vampire for four years, so the characters never felt very close. They also felt very surface level, even Natalie who was the most friendly and ride or die of the bunch. Lucy and Mila's romance was lackluster. It started very insta-lovey, but forbidden. So they never felt like they got closer other than being forced into proximity with each other and a little bit of trauma bonding mostly on Mila's end because she was basically reliving the death of her late fiance. I just wanted the relationships of the characters to be explored more and deepened.

Regardless of my issues with the story, it was overall fun to read. I was pleased with how the vampire was killed. I felt very smug about that because they finally got the upper hand with him. I also thought the vampire librarian couple was fun, kind of out of left field, but fun. The idea of the vampire having a lot of money and paying the university to let him hunt their students was crazy, but intriguing. Lucy being singled out because she had so much emotional burden and that she was there was wild. I liked that her issues with her mom was a driving force behind her being a target and also a source of continued turmoil for her character. It really showed how cowardly and weak the vampire really was because of how he only prayed on the vulnerable and it was ultimately his demise.

[carley k ♥︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thrall held my attention largely because the concept is solid. I appreciated that the story treats vampires as a real threat rather than immediately softening them and glossing everything over, as you tend to see in many 'vampire novels', and the ending was effective in making me curious about what comes next.

My main issue was the writing itself. The prose is very straightforward and repetitive, with a heavy focus on recounting events rather than immersing the reader in the world. I wanted more atmosphere, more description, and more time spent inside the characters’ experiences. Without that depth, the relationships feel rushed and the emotional threads remain surface-level.

The cast is also crowded, and not all of the characters feel necessary. The radio show was a clever and original idea, but it wasn’t used to its full potential. It could have added tension and personality to the story, but instead stayed mostly in the background.

Overall, this feels like a promising start that would benefit from further refinement. The ideas are interesting and the direction is clear, but the execution needs more texture and focus. I enjoyed it and I’m interested in seeing where the series goes, but I finished the book wanting more from the writing itself.

- this is my 5th sapphic paranormal read this year, the algorithm is sensing a trend-

Thank you to Netgalley, Rebecca Mahoney, and Hyperion Avenue for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mysterious bite marks, late-night radio, and a possible vampire on campus? Yes please.

I had a lot of fun reading Thrall by Rebecca Mahoney and ended up finishing it in about two days.

The story follows Lucy Easting as she begins college at a secluded school in the Appalachian Mountains. After a night she can’t remember, Lucy wakes up with the unsettling feeling that something strange has happened to her, and begins to believe she may have been bitten by a vampire.

As she searches for answers, Lucy discovers a mysterious college radio station dedicated to people who think they’ve had similar encounters. Soon she finds herself pulled into a group determined to hunt down the “friend with the cold hands” rumored to be lurking somewhere on campus.

This book blends mystery, horror, and a touch of romance in a really fun way. The pacing kept me engaged, and the characters were very likeable. I especially enjoyed the dynamic between Lucy and her new friends as they worked together to unravel what was really happening.

The vampires here lean into the more classic, stereotypical vampire lore, which worked really well for the story and the mystery surrounding what’s happening on campus.

I do wish we had gotten a little more depth with some of the characters, but the action and dialogue kept the story moving and made it an entertaining read.

One of my favorite elements was how the introduction and ending tied together. It was a clever framing device that really brought the story full circle.

Overall, this was a fun and engaging read, and I could absolutely see it working really well as a movie!!

🎓 College campus setting
🦇 Vampire mystery
📻 Late-night college radio broadcast
🕵️‍♀️ Investigating the supernatural
👭 Found friendships
💘 Queer romance
🌲 Eerie Appalachian setting

[Kate Connell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vampire lesbian novel, just like the original!! (Carmilla came before, and inspired Dracula). I also enjoyed the slight nod to Dracula in the inclusion of Lucy (Westerna becomes Easting) and Mila (close to the Mina of his novel, down to the ex-boyfriend named Jon who has some experience with this type of thing). Also, inclusion of a ship (cruise line in this novel) named Demeter,

Would have been five stars if the characters had been a bit more developed, with 400 pages I shouldn't be feeling like I barely know some of the central characters.


Lucy Easting is ready for freedom and is finally in her delayed first year if college at 23. She spends her first night attending the first party of the year at a new friend Natalie's and wakes up the next morning with two puncture marks on her neck and a slight sensitivity to light. Her hot RA, Mina brings her to the medical center and Lucy reaches out to Natalie to help her figure out what happened.

But no one can trace the man she was seen with in the kitchen at the party, and a handwritten note from the campus radio station inviting her to call leads her to the most obvious conclusion, she is turning into a vampire. As the host, Athena, who narrowly escaped an attack herself previously, works with Mina, who was a junior archery champion, to hunt down the vampire, Lucy tries to figure out how to avoid his sway and keep the people she cares about safe.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy!

A little torn on my rating so I'm giving the benefit of the doubt and rounding up to 4, I did really enjoy this one! We meet our fmc Lucy as she's starting her college career as a non-traditional student, a brand new freshman at 23. She's moved into her dorm and classes will be starting soon, but before that she's off to her first campus party that she ends up not really drinking at but also not remembering and waking up back in her bed not feeling so well. Then we're off into her attempts to figure out what happened, why she has a bruise and puncture marks on her neck and to meet the rest of our characters.
I love that we had a variety of women as our characters in this one, there are a few men sprinkled in but we mostly focus on the women and they're the ones trying to figure out the friend with cold hands, figuring out the problems, coming up with most of the plans. I think there could have been some more depth to the story and the characters. The relationship with Lucy's mom was a little odd, maybe more so to me with things later in the book. Not bad, just seemed strange how some of it played out. The story was pretty well wrapped up at the end, but in a way that I could see further books if the author chooses to continue the story but I didn't feel like I was left hanging. It could be interesting to see what happens to come of them next!

[Asia · Rating 3 out of 5]

First ARC of the new year, whoop whoop! Thrall has an incredibly interesting concept and storyline. For my vampire lovers, this book is definitely for you. Our FMC wakes up the morning after a party and feels…not like herself and through her journey you unravel the mysteries of this while also encountering different characters. I will not lie, the first hour of this book was difficult to get through. It was a lot of building, meeting different people and (for me) assuming/guessing how these people added to the story. I am very skeptical person when it comes to books like this but it makes the journey fun.

I think this book is going to be wildly loved by the target audience. It was fun, fast paced once we got to the meat of if and honestly, it was very insightful. I also loved how diverse our characters were. It is an ARC so there are things that need to be tweaked. I noticed there was a scene that took place in a classroom but at the same time, we were with our roommate in our room. The timeline was also hard to understand just based on how fast relationships and friendships bloomed. These are small issues that I think once fixed would make for an amazing book!

Thank you NetGalley and Rebecca Mahoney for the ARC. I was thoroughly engrossed and invested in this story and my heart was pounding during the intense moments.

[Jordan Taylor]

📖 Summary: Lucy, a Rollins University freshman, wakes after a party with no memory - only a strange bite, a sensitivity to sunlight, and weird symptoms she can’t explain. When Lucy is handed a flyer promoting the university’s local radio station, she’s shocked to see three words written on it - “Lucy, call us.” As reports flood in about the mysterious attacker and the other missing girls, she teams up with Athena, the radio host, and some other unlikely allies. Refusing to be a victim, Lucy turns the hunt around and sets out to find the man who bit her.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: This book had me incredibly intrigued from the beginning. I’m not super into books about vampires, but this was a unique story, and I quickly found that I didn’t want to put the book down. As much as vampires are relevant to the story, I would say this book was also as much about vengeance and discovery. The characters in this book were strong females who took matters into their own hands, and didn’t just accept their fate. They fought back. They pushed buttons. I think it’s incredibly brave to have a radio station dedicated to hunting someone who could very well be listening the entire time 😂 Overall, I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Lily M ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

This book was not just highly entertaining, but also incredibly clever. It hooked me, such that it was hard to stop reading. I liked the pretty much all-female cast of characters and the dynamics between them. It felt like the characters were pretty fleshed out, and I liked that the story wasn't too overly absorbed by romance, but concentrated on platonic relationships as well. My favourite friendship was that between Lucy and Natalie, for instance.

I am an avid lover of the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and this book certainly has a similar vibe. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed that show, and also anyone who likes the idea of vampires and their thrall. Likewise, I think anyone who wants to read about queer joy—queerness without any kind of prejudice—will really enjoy this book.

Furthermore, I liked the inclusion of the radio show, as I felt that it was a really good format that aligned different threads of the story. This is a vampire book that I really enjoyed, when I'm pretty picky about which I like, and I'm extremely happy that I got the eARC of this. Thank you so much to Netgalley, Rebecca Mahoney, and Hyperion Avenue for that opportunity!

[kellylikestoread · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion for allowing me to read Thrall as an ARC!

I requested this book as I, for some reason, can't get enough of vampires, and also worked at my college radio station. Admittedly, very little radio station-ing involved, which was sad, but I understand the reasoning.

I enjoyed the story. It was well written -- although I think some emdashes probably should've been a semicolon -- and well told, and I actually enjoyed the fact that death and freedom were explored in the way that Mahoney did.

I will say that I didn't like just how fast the "vampire!" revelation came. Or the way that Lucy felt as an also-sheltered older-transfer-kid. I grew up being wary of the world thanks to a pessimistic mother and some fun religious trauma, and didn't get to college until I was 24, so I get it Lucy. I recognize that everyone's experiences are different but Lucy just didn't feel... right... to me. She was fine for a fantasy story, she just didn't meet my expectations as someone who lived a very similar life.

Overall, a perfectly fine time to be had. Thanks for the opportunity!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I loved this book. It was very different from what I usually read, and I mean that in the best way. Vampire girlies… this one is for you! It was such a palette cleanser.
I really liked that the vampire lore felt familiar but still had some fresh twists. It didn’t feel recycled, and that kept me hooked the whole time. I admittedly love Vampires, but the story pulled me in immediately. Once I was in Lucy’s world, I needed to know what happened next. I found Lucy super relatable and kept asking myself what I would do if I were in her position. I saw a lot of myself in her, and it definitely made the book hit harder for me.
The pacing of this book was great for me. It was steady, which made a quick read! Couldn't put it down!
I also loved that the story followed a group of girls. Their friendships felt real to me. Some deeper than others, some a little surface level, but they stuck together when it mattered. That dynamic added so much heart to the story and made it even more enjoyable.
Overall, this was such a fun, addictive read, and I’m so glad I picked it up. Highly recommend if you love vampires, strong female relationships, and stories that pull you in fast!

[Kayla is trying to finish her backlog of books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for an eARC copy of Thrall by Rebecca Mahoney.

I am so excited the stories revolving campus radio (or just radio in general) are coming back. It gives me the warm and feels that I associate with Welcome to NightVale.

Thrall, however, is not Welcome to NightVale. It is a moody and addictive campus vampire story that blends classic supernatural horror with emotional depth. What makes Thrall stand out in a crowded vampire genre is its atmosphere. The creeping realization that Lucy is transforming is handled with tension and restraint, and the mystery of campus disappearances keeps the page turning. Not to mention the late-night call with the soothing host is a deliciously chilling and memorable time that is like Welcome to Nightvale (at least how I hear it in my head).

The supporting cast adds heart and complexity. There is a very welcome spark of romantic tension that is balanced with the stakes fo Lucy's transformation. Her fight to reclaim agency gives the novel a satisfying emotional core. Which is super worth the small parts that can feel a tad bit repetative towards the end.

[Mrs. G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucy, a 23 year old freshman, finds herself under the thrall of a vampire her first week on campus. She meets up with vampire hunters to try to reclaim her life before she succumbs to the man with cold hands.

Fans of vampire stories and women overcoming expectations will enjoy this read as Lucy pushes to reclaim her life and build something that is hers. With strong female friendships as a major theme of this novel, readers will enjoy the comradery and power of uplifting one another. If you do not enjoy vampires or rushed romances, avoid this read.

I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. The pace felt a bit slow and the romance element felt unnecessary to the larger plot. I would have loved if the novel stuck to the women uplifting one another and having each others back through thick and thin, by building on the friendships versus trying to get a girlfriend. The women empowerment was awesome, but I felt the romance weakened that message. Maybe if there had been some indication in the description or genre I would have expected it and not felt as let down. Not every fantasy book has to end with someone kissing.


**NetGalley ARC edition**

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley, in return for my honest review.


***. SPOILERS AHEAD. ****



I found this a fairly fresh take on the vampire genre. Lucy is a somewhat older college student. Personal family tragedies have formed her into someone accustomed to dealing with loss & sorrow. That said, she goes away to Rollins University to escape her past. Sadly, on her first foray into a campus party, she is bitten by a vampire. However, she is not turned by this bite, instead becoming a Thrall (until such time as she drinks in turn from her sire).

Fairly quickly, Lucy becomes fast friends with Natalie, Athena & Mila, who all help her navigate thralldom. There are other vampires on campus; some good, some not. Lucy learns how to resist her sire and fights to remain ‘herself’. There are tropes of found family, sapphic love, self-discovery and personal growth. I enjoyed the story, but did find the writing a bit basic. There wasn’t much in the way of establishing relationships. They just seemed to develop almost instantly. This was just a fun quick read.

[Janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy a good vampire book. So was excited by receiving this ARC (thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue) and settled down for a good “bloody” read and got to experience a book that puts a “supernatural spin” on a girl meeting a potential love interest.

Lucy Easting has finally escaped her mother and has gone off to Rollins University to be educated. Her first night there at a party she unknowingly meets a mysterious student and wakes up with puncture wounds to her neck. The very next day she starts to turn but receives a note to call the school radio. When she does she learns about the creature stalking the campus and the need to “resist.” With the help of her dorm’s TA, Mila, she sets out to do that and find the vampire. Can she be turned back though?

The author sets up the vampire to be mysterious, sinister, and hard to find but spends a lot more on ensuring Lucy will be protected (not necessarily bad but doesn’t make the book too scary - who doesn’t want a good scare). Having so many on her side, it seems the poor vampire is at a disadvantage. The ending was a bit disappointing. But it still was a good vampire read.

Love the book cover. It represents the key elements in the story.

[Holly Sowko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Rebecca Mahoney, Hyperion Ave, and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ARC. This is not your typical vampire story! Lucy has finally broke free of family constraints and gone away to college. And what is quintessential college life but a party! Unfortunately, Lucy wakes up the next morning with no memory of the night and two puncture wounds in her neck. What follows is a journey for three women of self-discovery, facing fears, making friends and breaking free of the past all while trying to save their college campus from a vampire. Just when you think you know where the plot is going, it takes an interesting twist that keeps you guessing. Mahoney does a great job on the back stories of the characters and really having them all grow and develop. Just when you think you know who the bad guys are in the story it doesn’t seem so obvious and at the end you’re not sure who you like and dislike. This book is a quick read that keeps you entertained throughout and gives you a new take on vampire lore and found family.

[Kristie Kieffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrall is the kind of eerie, atmospheric story that pulls you in from page one and refuses to let go. Rebecca Mahoney blends mystery, supernatural tension, and emotional depth in a way that feels both unsettling and beautifully human. The world is haunting, the stakes feel sharp, and the slow unraveling of truth kept me turning pages long after I meant to stop.

I loved how Mahoney balances the darker, folklore-driven elements with strong character work. The main character’s fear, determination, and vulnerability make the story hit even harder, and the relationships—both the tender ones and the strained ones—add a surprising amount of heart. The twists land well, and the atmosphere is thick enough to almost feel like another character.

If you enjoy supernatural thrillers with moody vibes, mystery, and a touch of horror, this one is absolutely worth reading. It’s immersive, haunting, and full of tension in all the right ways.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and author for allowing me to read this book.

As someone who is always up for a vampire book I was instantly drawn to this story based on the cover and synopsis. Maybe it’s finishing Stranger Things that made the radio station so appealing. We jump into this story with our FMC attending college later in life than many of her peers, and by later I mean just a few years, she’s still in her early 20s. The book starts with her losing time and trying to figure out exactly what happened to her. I found this book very confusing from the start and the story wasn’t engaging to me enough to want to figure out the pieces. As the story continues we get more information but there is still no draw into the story. I struggled to finish this as the characters and plot lacked the development for intrigue and mystery.

This does not mean you won’t like the book, but personally I needed more from the story.

[Horror Nerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It was hard to dwell on much of anything in the face of someone who could quote Nietzsche in glow-in-the-dark lipstick."

A vulnerable girl named Lucy is attacked at a college party. That stranger couldn't possibly be a vampire. Those simply don't exist. Or do they?
This book has absolutely fascinating vampire lore & great world building. The college campus setting feels lived in, and every character matters (I simply need the library vampires spin off). I loved the Buffy-esque friendship group of the quartet of girls (Lucy, Natalie, Athena, and Mila), and I was constantly worried about how well their trap for the vampire would play out. The ending is SO satisfying, definitive & at the same time also leaves room open for more stories.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

[Dinah's Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story hooked me right away with its eerie premise: a girl waking up after a night she can’t remember, strange marks she can’t explain, and a mysterious caller who keeps phoning into her podcast with unsettling, too‑specific comments. The early chapters build a strong sense of unease, and her friends add warmth and grounding as she tries to piece together what really happened.

However, once the mystery begins to unfold, the tension never fully escalates. I was hoping for sharper conflict, deeper emotional stakes, or a darker edge—especially with vampires involved. The setup had real potential, but the story ultimately stayed softer than expected and didn’t deliver the grit or horror I was looking for.

A solid read with an intriguing premise and a great friend group, but one that didn’t quite land the dramatic punch I hoped for.

[Joleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ This book completely enthralled me, pun intended! For starters, the Appalachian Mountains setting made this so atmospheric. I had goosebumps reading some of the descriptions! I also greatly enjoyed reading about a protagonist who is somewhat late to coming of age. Lucy has no idea what she wants to do with her life, but is ready to move forward with it nevertheless. Unfortunately, a wrench is thrown in her plans when she is attacked at her very first college party. Thrall discussed the aftershock of assault so well, and how the fear of something bad happening to you again can so deeply alter your life. It truly put a spin on the original themes of Dracula that I haven’t seen done before. The writing was so sharp, and the way these characters came to trust and care for each other felt so real. As with all great vampire books, it was beautifully human, and I absolutely loved it.

[lajoiearchives · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about survival, sisterhood, and breaking cycles of abuse. I absolutely loved the twist this book took on vampire mythology. It felt so original to see a world where a bite isn't an automatic transformation sentence. Instead, the bite acts as a debilitating infection—giving the victim all the weaknesses of a vampire (the sun, the hunger) without any of the supernatural strengths.

The heart of this book for me was the group of girls. Their connection is so unconventional, brought together by a late night radio talk show and the manipulations of a literal monster. Watching them rally through their shared trauma and fear to find strength in each other was incredibly moving. I loved that their motivation wasn't just self-preservation; they truly wanted to break the cycle of violence to protect others.

Thank you Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for this ARC !! ❣️

[Chelsea Vande zande · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping that this book would have more. I was super intrigued by the fantasy mixed with dark academia. It started before Lucy even started college when she was taken by the campus Vampire. She can't remember anything that happened or what is going on.
The college is set in the Appalachian mountains which is the perfect setting for this book. The campus has a late night show that helps bring light to what is happening. Lucy makes friends with this group of young women.
Things seemed to drag a bit and I feel like we didn't get much when it came to character development. I enjoyed the ending and how everything came full circle. I wish there were a bit more detail and wow moments.
All in all it was a good book and I did enjoy reading it.
Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for an earc for my honest review.