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Thrall
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.
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.
Audible Audio
First published April 21, 2026
About the author
Rebecca Mahoney
3 books144 followersNOTE 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
January 27, 2026
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.”
this was genuinely sooooo good. Obsessed. Obsessed. Obsessed.
“And it was never personal. But it had teeth all the same.”
May 4, 2026
two words: sapphic vampires !!!
Want to Read
December 30, 2025New Rebecca Mahoney and it's about vampires and taking down abusers????? HELL YES. HELL YES. HELL YES
March 3, 2026
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.
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.
June 14, 2026
i had a good time with this one! it was a new to me author, but it had one of my all time fav narrators (mia hutchinson-shaw, who kills it here, as always) and vampires, so i was sold. i'm attempting the r/fantasy bingo reading challenge this year, and i'm counting this one as my 'one word title' prompt pick. i really enjoyed all of the characters and i'd love to see this continue with a sequel or something. lucy was a great protagonist, mila was a dreamy love interest, and natalie was the realist 'well, i've adopted you as my best friend now and will literally follow you to the death if need be' best friend. athena was an interesting character and i'd love to see more from her post-everything. (i'd also love something on addie and saide). all in all this was a fun vampire tale and i had a blast. i'll keep an eye out for this author in the future!
May 19, 2026
It’s a wholesome vampire novel with a found family and sapphic romance subplots. If you are like me grew up reading Anne Rice and love Vampire Chronicles, I think you’ll enjoy this book very much.
A dark academia atmosphere of the early fall Appalachian campus. A classic western vampire as an antagonist. Lucy, is a young woman, is excited to finally start her college after being a caregiver for her dying grandparents for many years. Unfortunately, on her first college day she is enthralled by a local vampire. But Lucy is not about to give up her new-found freedom. She employs help of a group of vampire hunters through a campus radio and a grandfatherly couple of library vampires.
I’m not a fan of the protagonists getting solutions to their problems out of nowhere in a dream. I’d prefer them to use their own wits to figure out an exit route. I also found dialogues overwritten and going in circles at times. Some action scenes on the other hand seem to be missing chunks and more than twice I had to go back and reread these scenes convinced that I’ve missed a page. But in general it didn’t spoil my reading experience and positive impression of the book.
A dark academia atmosphere of the early fall Appalachian campus. A classic western vampire as an antagonist. Lucy, is a young woman, is excited to finally start her college after being a caregiver for her dying grandparents for many years. Unfortunately, on her first college day she is enthralled by a local vampire. But Lucy is not about to give up her new-found freedom. She employs help of a group of vampire hunters through a campus radio and a grandfatherly couple of library vampires.
I’m not a fan of the protagonists getting solutions to their problems out of nowhere in a dream. I’d prefer them to use their own wits to figure out an exit route. I also found dialogues overwritten and going in circles at times. Some action scenes on the other hand seem to be missing chunks and more than twice I had to go back and reread these scenes convinced that I’ve missed a page. But in general it didn’t spoil my reading experience and positive impression of the book.
May 31, 2026
I love the campy horror of this book. The sense of commrardere and friendship between this rag tag team of college students is just fun, endearing, and well written. Even when everything around them seems to be spiraling out, their dynamic keeps the story entertaining. The horror itself feels very classic creature feature in the best way possible.
February 8, 2026
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.
April 26, 2026
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.
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.
May 15, 2026
Vampires and sapphic yearning. What more could a girl want?
April 29, 2026
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.
But this was a fun read. Nothing super special but also had a good time while I was here.
April 9, 2026
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.
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.
March 30, 2026
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.”
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.”
November 27, 2025
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!
Thank you NetGalley and rebecca Mahoney for giving the opportunity for this arc I really enjoyed it!
April 21, 2026
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
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
Want to Read
March 25, 2026I need this book ASAP.
May 31, 2026
Really disappointed by this one. The concept of hunting vampires through an overnight radio show sounds spectacular, but the execution was lacking and the writing was not good. I should’ve followed my gut and DNF’ed but I’ve been on such a vamp kick lately I had hope that it would get better
June 14, 2026
A surprisingly wholesome horror book about friendship, found family, breaking free, living while you can, and sapphic rep. As Lucy heads off to college in a Appalachian Mountain campus, her first college party doesn't go to plan after she wakes up with no idea how she got home and puncture marks on her neck. The college campus late night radio show leads her to realising that her bite mark, and the disappearing women on campus are in fact related. The radio host is searching for the vampire that attacked her along with a super hot vampire hunter, Mina. With the help of her new friends, Lucy must stop the vampire before its too late for her. And of course there is still time to notice how ripped Mina is as she shoots arrows.
favourite quotes:
My mother always said I'd get eaten alive, out here in the world"
" If Buffy Summers exists she's not making house calls"
"And therapy can only help so much if you have to keep lying about what happened to you'
""Your his thrall." "And what's that?" "Tomorrow's meal""
"But you should go enjoy what's left of your mortal life. All that brat wants is attention. You don't have to give it to him while you're still alive"
"You're the first one to say that the children don't utilise their library resources enough"
""Well I'd love not to kill you" " Thanks, I'd love not to die"
"Yes well, I'd like to see you live for thousands of years and remain chipper"
"You'd be a very fearsome and dangerous vampire"
"And if you get bitten nonetheless? Call me."
favourite quotes:
My mother always said I'd get eaten alive, out here in the world"
" If Buffy Summers exists she's not making house calls"
"And therapy can only help so much if you have to keep lying about what happened to you'
""Your his thrall." "And what's that?" "Tomorrow's meal""
"But you should go enjoy what's left of your mortal life. All that brat wants is attention. You don't have to give it to him while you're still alive"
"You're the first one to say that the children don't utilise their library resources enough"
""Well I'd love not to kill you" " Thanks, I'd love not to die"
"Yes well, I'd like to see you live for thousands of years and remain chipper"
"You'd be a very fearsome and dangerous vampire"
"And if you get bitten nonetheless? Call me."
May 19, 2026
Lucy is a non-traditional college student who has finally moved away from home and her overbearing mother after the death of her grandfather. She wants to embrace everything she can about being independent and at college, including checking out the college parties before classes start. But something goes wrong, and when Lucy wakes up in her bed the next morning she has no memory of getting there. Maybe she was drugged? Because she's feeling awful funny. The sun is giving her a headache. And she can't shake the feeling of someone watching her from the shadows.
I thought this was an interesting take on vampires in the perfect mountain setting. We don't spend too much time with the mechanics, and the suspense stays at a pretty heightened level as Lucy and her friends not only try to escape the pull of the vampire who made her, but try to stop him once and for all. I liked this more than I expected, and would read another by this author.
I thought this was an interesting take on vampires in the perfect mountain setting. We don't spend too much time with the mechanics, and the suspense stays at a pretty heightened level as Lucy and her friends not only try to escape the pull of the vampire who made her, but try to stop him once and for all. I liked this more than I expected, and would read another by this author.
May 22, 2026
[3.5 stars] I felt like this is was a young/new adult version of “Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil” that stayed solely in the present. While I really enjoyed that book - and maybe because I really enjoyed that book - this one kind of fell flat for me.
I found the characters to be likable. The audiobook was done well. I liked the radio logs inserted throughout. But there wasn’t any part of this book that I loved.
If someone asked me about it, I’d probably just say, “it was good.”
I originally received this as an advanced copy through NetGalley but I didn’t finish it in time, so I read the first half and audioed the second once it was published.
I found the characters to be likable. The audiobook was done well. I liked the radio logs inserted throughout. But there wasn’t any part of this book that I loved.
If someone asked me about it, I’d probably just say, “it was good.”
I originally received this as an advanced copy through NetGalley but I didn’t finish it in time, so I read the first half and audioed the second once it was published.
May 16, 2026
I’d say 4.5 bc it took me a bit to get into it! But gay vampires? Spooky college campus in Appalachia? Fighting evil through a radio show? Mostly female main characters? SAY LESS! If i had a nickel for every time I’ve read a queer college campus vampire novel I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice. (Shoutout The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood and Boyfriends) Also the main characters name is Lucy which is a great name and this one also got me out of my reading slump!
June 7, 2026
I had fun! needed a vampire book to get me out of my slump and this worked for that. i think it’s a cute fun book but i don’t know if im addicted to her writing style it felt a bit high school creative writing class imo. i would love to see this be adapted (with changes) to a limited series or something of the sort. also why did we change one letter of the name Mila but kept Lucy. just curious. but yay for a fun lesbian book during pride month. (3.25)
May 16, 2026
4.5 🌟 Love the story and characters. College campus + vampires + buffy vibes
As a life long buffy fan, whenever Buffy is credited as inspiration, I give side eye, because I am usually disappointed. but this ! It definitely is for Buffy fans. Go check it out, I got mine from my local Library and I just might need a trophy copy later…
As a life long buffy fan, whenever Buffy is credited as inspiration, I give side eye, because I am usually disappointed. but this ! It definitely is for Buffy fans. Go check it out, I got mine from my local Library and I just might need a trophy copy later…
Want to Read
March 6, 2026Thrall 🩸
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
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
May 20, 2026
this was so fun!!! lesbian vampires !
April 22, 2026
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.
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.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
March 27, 2026
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.
May 8, 2026
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!!
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!!
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