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.
Twenty-three-year-old 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 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, Paranormal, Fiction, Lesbian, Queer

340 pages, Kindle Edition

First published 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.”

[alyssa✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

two words: sapphic vampires !!!

[Starr ❇✌❇]

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

[Jenna (semi-hiatus, out touching grass 🤌🌱…!) · 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.

[Charlotte Wieghmink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for the e-ARC!

Have you ever thought about going somewhere far away to see what you love about life? Well, that's exactly what Lucy did. However, I doubt she was expecting to get thrown into the middle of a vampire battle. Deep in the Appalachian Mountains lies Rollins University. Everything is fine aside from a single unsolved missing person case. Feeling sympathy for the family Lucy continues traveling to the party she was invited to earlier that day. The party that changed the course of her life... forever?

Thrall was a genius work of literature. It takes everything that we grew up assuming about vampires and puts it to the test. Can vampires still possess human emotion? This book took me on a journey of friendship, love, loyalty, pain and courage. The originality of a radio station component was a great move by the author. Adding the mixed media aspect of a transcript added another elemental layer to the story. Once this book hooks you, you are continuously enthralled (ha, see what I did there?).

I will continue to look for works by Rebecca Mahoney and possibly see if we ever get to learn what decision Lucy makes for her life path.

[Kenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly I see anything sapphic and anything with vampires and I will be sat. I am just a girl.

But this was a fun read. Nothing super special but also had a good time while I was here.

[Molly G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrall is the vampire college story I didn’t know I needed. It follows Lucy as she leaves her overbearing mother and life of safety to go to college. As a nontraditional freshman (early 20s), Lucy is excited to start really living life. Unfortunately, the morning after her first college party finds Lucy with no memory of the night, an aversion to sunlight… and, oh yeah, two pinpricks in her neck.

She is soon reached out to by the local college radio host who understands her better than anyone. They are joined by a ragtag group of co-eds as they try to stop the “man with the cold hands” from attacking more students.

I really enjoyed the dynamic of Lucy and some of our minor characters in the library (no spoilers here!). I wish we would’ve gotten more development of Natalie and Athena’s character, as they both felt a little flat.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hyperion Avenue, and Rebecca Mahoney for the eARC in exchange for my thoughts! Publication date: April 21, 2026.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of the book through a Goodreads Giveaway.

This was a fantastic vampire story. I described the book to my wife as “A better Grady Hendrix story than most of Grady Hendrix’s books.”

[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!

[Karen Bullock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A flair of drama, intrigue
Fast paced, an interesting mix of classic literature and something new
Relatable characters
Situational attacks
Victims stalked through their obvious loneliness
Victims of a predator who plays with their vulnerability

And a group who want revenge-
This is a unique reading experience

Thanks to Hyperion Ave. for this arc, and a truly unique reading experience

[Kat is Reading]

I need this book ASAP.

[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

[Mary Grissom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A vampire book not dripping in sex. That's a nice change.
The writing is decent, the characters were a little one-dimensional but not terrible, the ending felt rushed but not overly so.
The library vampires were my favorite characters, even though they weren't main characters, they felt comfortably fleshed out. They hinted at an interesting backstory without distracting from the main story.
The ending left it open for the option of a second book, without a cliff hanger, which I always like. No terrible loose ends but not tied up in a bow. Books that snip every thread and tidy everything neatly at the end feel like they're basically killing off the characters, not giving them anywhere to go once the story is over, This book didn't do that, it gave the sense that the characters went on living even though this part of the story is over.

[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.

[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.

[Amy Renzulli · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for something new to sink your teeth into, may I suggest THRALL

THRALL takes us to a college campus hidden in the Appalachian mountains. Our protagonist is starting her freshman year a little later than most other people, and she goes into it with an earnestness to be away from her overbearing mother. However, this becomes tarnished after she attends a party where an interaction occurs that she does not remember the next morning…

She realizes that she is slowly becoming what she feared: a vampire. In order to stop the irreversible and track down missing girls in a repetitive pattern, Lucy teams up with a radio host and her buff RA two catch the culprit before it’s too late

This book was such a fun, breezy read that also had me chuckling at times during the less tense beats of the story. It’s especially good for those who enjoy media like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and wished that it was more sapphic

Mahoney also does a great job at keeping the plot suspenseful, which is great even though it was difficult for someone like myself who doesn’t like closing a book midway through a chapter. All of her chapter endings were suspenseful and immediately led up to what happened in the next one

Thank you Hyperion for the early copy!!

[Barb (Boxermommyreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I initially requested this book because not only do I love vampires, but I really liked the idea of them on a college campus and a related radio show at night. I'm glad I did because this book had all the grit (and lack of sparkles) I love in my vampire tales.

Lucy has been surrounded by death her entire life. Both her father and grandmother have passed and after her grandfather, who she helped care for, finally succumbs to his illness, she finally decides to do something for herself and goes to college, which she had previously put off. Her mother things Lucy is running away from her and her helicopter parenting, but really Lucy just wants to live. Too bad that on her first week there, she goes to a college and passes out, just to wake up with puncture marks in her neck the next morning and a sudden aversion to sunlight.

Lucy starts piecing together the puzzle and ends up making some new friends on the way. Pallas Radio is a nighttime talk show on the campus college radio. However, it's creator, Athena, actually uses it to uncover what is behind the student disappearances, the multiple dead rabbits on campus, and who "the man with the cold hands" might be. She, Mila, an RA/vampire hunter, and Natalie,a bubbly student team up to help Lucy and hopefully reverse the effects of the attack before the vamp can claim her for the final time.

This book was really fun, and I enjoyed the female dynamics and the college Appalachian college atmosphere. The author even managed to show growth and development between Lucy and her estranged mother despite the mother not really being much of a player in the book at all. All four of the main women have their own strength and each brings something to the table as they work to track down "cold hands." Along the way, they also discover and old vampire couple, Hiro and Laurentius, who work in the library they were never of aware of who helps them in the end, despite them wanting to move away from all the drama. These two ended up being in some of my favorite parts of the book. The ending was satisfying and while there are a few romantic elements, this is mainly a book about vampires, how nasty they can be and trying to escape a future of being undead.

My only small issue with the book is I felt the pacing was off a bit. Coming in around 400 pages, there are about 50 pages after Lucy gets bit that I feel drug just a tad. However, if you are looking for a vampire read, consider picking this one up. I think the cover is great and accurately addresses the story within. I am pretty sure this is a standalone but since finishing, find myself wondering what happens with the characters next.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for this ARC.

📝 Short Summary
Lucy heads off to college ready for a fresh start, but after one night she cannot remember, she wakes up with two puncture marks and a terrifying realization. As she begins to change, she teams up with others connected to the same vampire, trying to stop him before she loses herself completely.

Review
This was such a fun and different take on a vampire story, especially set in a college environment. Right from the start, you get that feeling of Lucy wanting a new life, trying to break away from an overbearing home situation, and just finally be her own person. That setup alone already pulls you in, because it feels real before everything goes completely off the rails.

The mystery around what happened that first night is what really drives the beginning of the book. Waking up with no memory and realizing something is wrong adds that immediate tension, and I liked how the story slowly pieces everything together instead of just giving it all away at once. That buildup kept me engaged, even when things slowed down a bit.

One of my favorite parts of this book was definitely the group of characters. They all bring something different, and their dynamic adds both tension and moments of connection that balance out the darker parts of the story. There is something about found family energy in situations like this that always works for me, especially when trust is not guaranteed and everyone has something to lose.

Lucy herself is a strong main character. You can feel her fear, confusion, and that internal fight to hold onto who she is while something else is trying to take over. That push and pull between control and losing control is where the story really shines, especially as the stakes get higher.

I will say there were a few moments where the pacing felt a little uneven for me, where things either slowed down too much or did not hit as hard as I wanted them to. But overall, the story kept me interested, and the concept itself carried it through.

What makes this stand out is that it is not just about vampires, it is about identity, autonomy, and fighting for your future when it feels like it is slipping away. That adds more depth than you might expect going in.

This was my first college vampire story like this, and honestly, it was a really fun ride.

✅ Would I Recommend It?
Yes, especially if you enjoy vampire stories with a modern setting, strong character dynamics, and a mix of mystery and tension. It is a solid, entertaining read with some great moments.

[Bella · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for review!

i dont think im the right audience for this--whether its because im super picky about reading anything centered around vampirism/the supernatural in general or if im finally just that old enough that reading about the college experience is beyond me. i wanted to give it a try anyway truthfully because the cover looked cool lol

i will say--and hopefully im not super off base in my interpretation--this reads to me as a unique and clever metaphor for the epidemic of SA on college campuses and the attitudes and behaviors that allow it to go unchecked and unchanged. if im not off base, it definitely took me longer than it probably should have to recognize this, but once i did it added a layer of depth to the story that i had felt was missing.

really, my biggest issue with this book was that it was ultimately...too corny for me. i feel incredibly guilty saying it especially because, as i said, im sure this has an audience and im just not it. and again, maybe ive merely turned into a crotchety 28-year-old looking down her nose at crazy college kids involved in crazy college misdoings to which i no longer can relate. whatever the reason, it just that little bit over the top for me.

***SPOILERS BELOW***
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also the whole set of circumstances under which vanya was finally conquered...what? like after all of that lucy only thought to trick him into the light at the eleventh hour? and beyond that, he did it? and then athena moved a manhole cover by herself? and WHY would vanya set up camp under a direct source of light?

when all is said and done, im still grateful for the opportunity to have given this book a go. its not normally something id pick up and im enjoying the chance to finally broaden my reading horizons!

[Claire ellison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pulled toward this book by the premise alone, and it held up. I loved it when a radio show is weaved into a plot, it weaves in a bit of nostalgia. That said, the real draw of this book is the lovely cast of characters and the return of vampire lore that is more in line with the original folklore. I am all for a good vampire romance, but sometimes I do want a vampire story where they are the dangerous predator to be overcome.

I appreciated Lucy as she provided a perspective that we don't normally see, that of a woman who had to start college later than her peers. Rebecca Mahoney managed to write her in a believable way for her age and her circumstances, I have read so many books lately where the FMC is stated to be late 20's to early 30's and read like a teenager, so this was a welcomed relief. The interaction between the girls felt natural, and the relationships didn't feel forced. It was such a spectrum of how close they all got, and I loved that. I loved that it wasn't just the three groups of best friend, lover, or enemy. This added a depth and realness to the complexities of life and college existence.

While I enjoyed the book, the beginning did feel a bit slow. It felt a little like, here is this character remember them before moving on to the next one. Easy to get over because it doesn't last too long before you start to get into the mystery and the meat of the plot. This is just a personal thing, but I wanted just a little more tension right before the conclusion. Make me truly fear this isn't going to work out, but that is my preference not a critique of the book or it's writing.

Even with that very enjoyable book, will keep a look out for any future books from this author. Lot's of nostalgia for original seasons of Buffy.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC

[Ashley | The.Anxious.Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this one.

The premise pulled me in right away, a college campus, a vampire lurking in the background, and a main character who becomes something *almost* like a vampire but not quite. Lucy is bitten almost immediately after arriving on campus, but instead of turning, she becomes a “thrall,” which I thought was such a unique twist on the vampire trope. There was a lot of potential here for something darker and more intense.

But for me, the execution didn’t fully deliver.

This read very YA and leaned much more into a coming-of-age story than a true vampire or horror narrative. Lucy’s journey is centered around gaining independence after growing up with a very protective mother, shaped by past family trauma. While that backstory was meant to add some layering, I didn’t find Lucy herself all that compelling as a main character.

What stood out more to me was how much more interesting some of the side characters felt. I kept wishing the story had been told from Sadie’s perspective, or even Hiro or Laurentius. It felt like there were more dynamic stories happening just outside of Lucy’s POV that we didn’t get to fully explore.

The vampire/thrall storyline almost felt secondary at times, like it was layered on top of a coming-of-age narrative rather than fully committing to it. I wanted the book to lean harder into the darker elements and really commit to the premise.

Overall, it wasn’t a bad read. I stayed engaged and finished it, but it felt like a missed opportunity. There’s a strong concept here and an interesting world, but I just wish it had gone deeper and taken more risks with its story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do you fight something that’s already inside your mind?

I’m a fan of vampire novels and therefore always on the lookout for new take on the monster. Rebecca Mahoney provides a novel (pardon the pun) view on the classic monster in the POV character. Thrall follows Lucy Easting, a young woman who put off going to college to take care of a dying family member and is older than most of the incoming freshman. She is not only new to the school, but new to being out on her own.

At her first college party, she meets a mysterious man, then wakes the next day with no memory of what happened the night before. With the help of some new found friends she manages to puzzle out what happened. She, like other students who have recently disappeared from campus, has fallen prey to an old evil. She was bitten and infected, but not turned. She is not a vampire, but not not a vampire. Or, as one of the characters states, she has all of the weaknesses of a vampire and none of the strengths.

Lucy must deal with her growing thirst, with being alone—relying on people who are mostly strangers, with a potential love interest who may or may not also be queer, and most dangerously, with the vampire who can control her thoughts and possibly her actions.

The vampire in question is obsesses with a young woman, but not Lucy, and wants her help to have her.

Mahoney plays with the vampire mythos in interesting and unique ways. I especially enjoyed the story being told from the POV of someone who is not just fighting the vampire, but herself as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hyperion Press for providing the ARC that this review is based upon.

[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

[Smutty Professor · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feeling about Thrall. Lucy finally gets her shot at independence with a new school and new start away from her overbearing mom, and then literally day one everything goes sideways. she wakes up after a party with no memory, two puncture marks on her neck, and that creeping feeling that something is very wrong. From there, it’s less about wondering if the situation is real and more about how the hell she’s supposed to stop it.

What I liked most was the slow loss of control. The whole thrall concept is really the strongest part of the book. She’s not fully a vampire, but she’s not fully herself either, and that in-between state creates this constant tension where you never feel like she’s safe, even around her own friends. The radio station storyline was also such a cool touch. It gave everything that late-night, slightly creepy energy, and it worked really well as a way to connect all the pieces without feeling forced. The group dynamic felt real since there's trust at first. It's just people thrown together trying to survive the same problem.

I will say, I wanted a more depth across the board. The characters are interesting, but some of them feel just slightly out of reach, like there was more there that we didn’t fully get. Pacing-wise, there are moment, like right after Lucy is bitten, where it slows down way more than I would’ve liked. This was a darker take on a college vampire story. It's not romanticized- just tense, a little unsettling, and different enough to stand out.

[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!

[Laney Estel · Rating 3 out of 5]

She woke up after a party with no memory… and something already changing inside her 🩸

Would you read a vampire story where the main character is actively trying NOT to turn? 👀

First Line - Can I convince you to read it? My mother always said I’d get eaten alive, out here in the world.

Micro Synopsis: This follows Lucy Easting at Rollins University, who wakes up after a party with no memory and two puncture marks on her neck, and teams up with a campus radio host to figure out who is turning her into a vampire before it is too late.

👉 🔥 Reasons to Read This If You Love…
Vampire Lore 🩸
Slow Transformation 🧠
Campus Mystery 🎓

My thoughts:
This is definitely a vampire book about the transition of being a vampire. Our main character spends the majority of the book not only figuring out how to evade the vampire who wants to turn her, but also in keeping her friends safe. This book was another of those I couldn’t stop reading, but in hindsight I feel like there wasn’t a lot happening as well. This could have just been my brain as I was sick when I read this. So while I thought it was an entertaining book, I felt like it either needed to be more scary or more funny to push it to another place for me. The one thing this book has going for it is that it does have a different take on how people transition to being a vampire than I have seen before, so that makes it one to pick up if you like the vampire genre.